BREAKING: Luck Stays At Stanford

Let the questions begin...

And now does Jim Harbaugh stay at Stanford, too...??? Or does he go to a place well worth its weight in crap and wait for a second year in a row for Andrew Luck to be his quarterback...???

Luck says he will stay in school for another year instead of entering the NFL
draft. He was widely considered to be the Number 1 pick by Carolina if he chose to leave school early and declare for the NFL Draft. But he says he wants to remain at Stanford so he can graduate as scheduled next year.

He's leaving $55-million on the table and it remains to be seen if his stock will go anywhere but down and turn into Jake Locker and Matt Leinart...

"I am committed to earning my degree in architectural design from Stanford University and am on track to accomplish this at the completion of the spring quarter of 2012," Luck said in a statement.

Good luck with that...
Here's what we get for another season...
Maybe...
((HT: JayBartelsTV/ESPN))

Jim Harbaugh Stones Both Q&A Sessions In Orange Bowl

This is what happens when you don't want to answer questions about your future...

You completely blow off the post-game interview opportunities presented to you and your school after an Orange Bowl win...

Example A...
((HT: ESPN/Youtube-Sportsgeeks))


And Example B...
((HT: ESPN/Youtube))


If that ain't cringe-worthy television, the HQ don't know what is...

We do give Michelle Tafoya props-and-a-half for yanking Andrew Luck out of his post-game scrum on the field ((not shown)). As the rights-holder, she had that privilege and executed it brilliantly...

You go, girlfriend...

TWTW Bowling: Cardinal Prettier Than Chicago Maroon In Orange Bowl

Stanford's Andrew Luck, the Heisman Trophy runner-up, threw for 287 yards and four TD's to lead Stanford past Virginia Tech 40-12 in the Orange Bowl.

The Cardinal (now 12-1) should end the season ranked in the top 5 for the first time since the school's unbeaten 1940 team finished Number 2 in the country. Four years ago, they were 1-11 and hired Harbaugh as coach.

Virginia Tech (now 11-3), playing in a bowl game for the 18th consecutive year, fell to 1-27 against top-5 teams...

Yeesh...

This was about the only thing to go well for Tech in the game- an amazing scramble creation by Tyrod Taylor for the touchdown...
((HT: ESPN/Youtube))



Here's more highlights of Stanford's rout of Virginia Tech (Thanks Youtube.com)



Travis Wells of WDBJ-TV in Roanoke, Virginia filed this report from Sun Life Stadium. (Thanks WDBJ-TV)

 

Let the speculation begin now as to when Luck goes- where Harbaugh goes. Since, after all, John Elway was on the Stanford sideline.

Commence speculating...

Photo Courtesy: Streeter Lecka / Getty Images

BREAKING: UConn Streak Ends At 90

A basket by Stanford's Nnemkadi Ogwumike with a little over a minute to go gave the Cardinal a 63-55 lead at Maples Pavilion.

As a result, after made free throws, the Huskies 90-game NCAA win streak came to an end with a final score of 71-59.

Maya Moore had an uncharacteristic off-night with only 14 points- missing her only free throw on the evening.

Stanford head Coach Tara Vanderveer has now given the rest of the women's basketball world a blue print on how to take care of Geno Auriemma's team.

ESPN's Dave O'Brien called the run the "streak of a thousand days."

Auriemma said the atmosphere effected the team and they didn't play like themselves.

"They made big plays when they had to make them, and they took us out of our game completely," he said in his post-game interview. He also said he would appreciate the streak tomorrow before realizing what the streak meant for college basketball.

Vanderveer collects her 650th career win and evened her record at 6-6 against UConn. Stanford was also the last team to defeat UConn in an NCAA semi-final back in 2008- repeating the feat Notre Dame performed in knocking off UCLA in their 88-game streak on the men's side.

"We didn't play a perfect game, but I think we played really well," Vanderveer admitted. "It's December. We'll play better and they'll play better, too."

Jeanette Pohlen led Stanford with a career-high 31 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists.
"I think our team was really looking for me to get my shot. I'm just happy we got the win at Maples, and I'm just so proud of my team."

UConn shoots 33-percent from the floor on the night...

More when we know more...

TWTW: Kiffykins Loses Another One On Last Second FG

((HT: ESPN on ABC/Youtube))

Okay, so you score with 72 seconds left, and you think you have it made...

As someone on Saturdays says: Not so fast my friend...

Stanford's Andrew Luck set up Nate Whitaker's game-winning 30-yard field goal, giving the Cardinal a 37-35 victory and giving USC its second straight last-second defeat.

The HQ can't help but chuckle...

The loss dropped USC's record to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the Pacific 10 Conference.

"We're at the lowest of the lows," USC quarterback Matt Barkley said, "and it's very tough because we were at the highest of the highs just two weeks ago."

It marked the first time since 2000 that Stanford defeated the Trojans at Stanford Stadium. And it marks the first time since 2001 that USC has lost two games in a row.

"We are so close to being good," Coach Lane Kiffin said, "but we are not there yet."

Mike Patrick had the pleasure of calling this one...


The HQ especially likes the Death Glare From Lane at, about the :30 mark...

Heisman Trophy: Give It To Gerhart

John Cappelletti is the answer to a trivia question. He is the last white running back to win the Heisman Trophy. Cappelletti won it in 1973.

That might and should change Saturday because Stanford's Toby Gerhart has the numbers to carry the stiff arm trophy home with him. All Gerhart did was lead the nation in rushing with 1,736 yards (by the way, Utah State's Louie Giamonna was the last white running back to lead the nation in rushing in 1974) and was the NCAA leader in scoring with 26 touchdowns.

What's impressive to me is that Gerhart took the typical physical punishment a running back endures during a 12 game regular season was injury proof. Sure Gerhart had some bumps and bruises but didn't go soft, he just kept on running. Case in point, Gerhart's last 4 games of the season. Even beat up he averaged 29 carries 185.5 yards per game rushing. His Stanford teammates can count on him everytime.

What's going to kill Gerhart's chances is that Stanford didn't appear on TV that much except when the Cardinal defeated Notre Dame where Gerhart had 205 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns. However, that was 2 weeks ago and probably off voters radar screens.

Plus the guy is a hell of a student at Stanford if you care of such things. My guess is that it doesn't apply.

I beleive Mark Ingram will win it though his numbers come up short to Gerhart's however, Ingram received quite a bit of national TV exposure plus his team, the Alabama Crimson Tide, is playing for the BCS National Championship. Gerhart's Stanford team is heading out to the West Texas town of El Paso Sun Bowl bound.

If I had a vote, it would be Toby Gerhart. Come on, give it to the guy who deserves it and wasn't over hyped and on TV all the time.

Here's a Toby Gerhart highlight reel: Thanks Youtube.com

Photo Courtesy: Larry Iversen/The San Francicsco Chronicle

TWTW: Weis Guys Continue Losing Ways

((HT: WNDU-TV/South Bend))

Leave it to this bunch of geniuses to find a way for Toby Gerhart to reinforce his presence in the Heisman consciousness...

A TD pass...???

And Notre Dame had a lead and lost it at Stanford 45-38...

Talk about a black eye on a storied program...
Oops... did we just say that...???

Here's your highlights and fallout...
Angelo DiCarlo has the probable future for Charlie Weis...


6 teams...??? Let's see... Cleveland, St Louis, and four others who don't know what they're doing...

TWTW: Touchdown Toby Does It Again, Stanford Rocks USC

((HT: KCBS-TV))

For some of you now, anyway, Stanford RB Toby Gerhart will be on your watch lists for that post-season trophy with a poser on it.

He rushed for 178 yards and three touchdowns and Stanford followed up their 2007 upset at the Coliseum with a 55-21 beating of USC this year- the most points ever allowed by the Trojans.

The loss was the Trojans' worst since a 51-0 defeat at home against Notre Dame in 1966 and ended USC's seven-year run as Pac-10 champs.

So, okay, we get it now...
It was a rebuilding year with the Silver Surfer after all...
Carry on...

Here's your highlights from KCBS and Jim Hill on the SportsCentral program...