5-at-10: Mocs' quarterback, Musburger and AFC predictions

photo UTC sophomore quarterback Terrell Robinson, shown talking to a young fan during the annual Meet the Mocs preseason session, quit the team Tuesday.

Mocs have a QB1

And with Terrell Robinson's decision to leave the UTC football team, any more debate about the two-quarterback system is as pertinent as what the wives of candidates have to say. (Side note: Do we really think Michelle Obama or Who'sherpants Romney are going to get up and say, "Well, we think he's going to be/was a good President, but he leaves the seat up and he stays out too long watching football with his boys." Actually, that would be better. Secondly, who came up with the idea to call the Vice President's wife "the second lady" and if a woman becomes V.P. would her husband be the "second man?")

Here is our UTC football ace John Frierson's report http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/sep/05/robinson-quits-mocs/ from yesterday's events. A quick note of public praise for our ace Frierson/Ned Ryerson: He had already spoken with several Mocs and coach Russ Huesman twice before the start of practice and apparently before the events with Robinson unfolded. It could have been easy for John to have called it a day - he had plenty for today's paper already. Still, he went to practice and noticed Robinson was not there and broke the story. Well-played indeed.

As for the Mocs, their depth at quarterback certainly takes a hit - something that could become an issue considering the spread, QB-running attack they use. In fact, the unofficial depth chart could be Huesman, Nichols and shoots and giggles. Maybe third string would be Zach Rayl, the Mocs defensive lineman who was an all-state quarterback at McMinn Central.

As for Robinson, it appears the family had some frustration about sharing reps and was concerned about competing against the coach's son. OK.

This despite the fact that Robinson started the game last Saturday and was listed atop the depth chart at Tuesday's media session. Plus, this situation didn't just developed Sunday morning - it's been this way since the start of spring. And, how telling is it that one game into a fight for the job, some things do not go Robinson's way and he packs his bags?

The puzzling thing is this seems so out of character for Robinson, a good student who was a warrior at South Pittsburg High School and was SoCon co-Freshman of the Year in 2011. But it is where the Mocs find themselves this morning; their QB decision made by the choices of the choices.

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Upon further review

Apparently, ABC used the censor on Brent Musburger during Alabama's Saturday night beatdown of Michigan. Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit were discussing national title picks, and Herbie did not choose an SEC team.

Musburger replied with: "Did I miss something, or did you not piss an SEC team to play for a national championship?" He obviously meant to say "pick" rather than the four-letter version of urinate. Afterward, Musburger called it a "slip."

That said, the bleeped moment made the mistake much worse, considering it could have been any number of other four-letter words. Remember kids to piss your words carefully. Wait...

Plus, if we're going to start bleeping out the bad announcing from Brent Musburger - and we probably should seriously consider it - every ABC primetime broadcast will sound like an EBS test pattern, interrupted occasionally by Herbstreit.

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photo Tom Brady

NFL predictions

We picked the NFC stuff here http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/sep/04/5-10-green-mile-go-week-2-kickoff/?sportsColumns. Today, we'll pick the AFC. Deal? Deal.

Division winners: Patriots, Ravens, Texans, Raiders

Wildcards: Steelers, Broncos

AFC player of the year: Tom Brady, Patriots

AFC defensive player of the year: Halotti Ngata, Ravens (he won't win any awards because he's a nose tackle, but dude is a B-E-A-S-T)

AFC offensive rookie of the year: Andrew Luck, Colts

AFC defensive rookie of the year: Dont'a Hightower, Patriots

Bonus pick: If he plays 14-plus games, is there any way Peyton Manning is not the comeback player of the year?

First round of playoffs: Steelers over Raiders; Broncos over Texans

Second round: Patriots over Broncos; Steelers over Ravens

AFC title game: Patriots over Steelers

Feel free to discuss.

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This and that

- Gang, Public Service Announcement coming: The NFL starts tonight, if you have any Giants or Cowboys on your fantasy teams, adjust accordingly.

- Davis Love picked Dustin Johnson, Jim Furyk, Steve Stricker and Brandt Snedeker as his captain choices for the Ryder Cup. We're OK with that. We suggested Rickie Fowler over Johnson on Tuesday, but as FE to the C noted Fowler has been more hacker than hunter in the last six weeks.

- Penn State has reported spending more than $17 million so far in the Jerry Sandusky saga. Gang, they'll be luck if there are not a couple of zeros added on that total before it's all said and done.

- The Braves got blanked by the Rockies last night. It happens.

- Alabama is No. 1 in the polls. Which means the voters actually watched Alabama play.

- The Honey Badger is back at LSU. Here's our blurb from the SEC rankings and rantings we do every Wednesday in the TFP - "The Honey Badger will take the LSU classes that he wants. Tyrann Mathieu -- a Heisman finalist last year who earned the Honey Badger nickname -- was booted from the Tigers football team last month. Instead of transferring, Mathieu has enrolled in classes at LSU. Tigers coach Les Miles was evasive Tuesday when asked if Mathieu could return after the season. Everyone knows Miles will take the Honey Badger back if he wants." Read the rest here http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/sep/05/sept-5-sec-football-rantingsrankings/.

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Today's question

Free style Wednesday.

Bring it or forever hold your peace.

Need a starting point... OK.... Try this:

What's the best college football game on the board this weekend? We're quite intrigued by Florida going to Texas A&M. We also are a little surprised that Auburn is getting points from Mississippi State. And Georgia better be ready to play.

Or, how about... "Biggest NFL storyline this fall is..."

Discuss, and how boss would it be if the Ryder Cup singles finale was Woods-McIlroy with things coming down to the wire? Wow, that would be pretty awesome.

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