Intentional Foul» Dwight Howard Skipped The FIBA Worlds For This?

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One of the Dwight Howard’s biggest knocks is hislimitations as a post player, with a limited amount of post moves outside of his raw-power assaults at the rim. Because of that, Howard’s decision to not attend the FIBA World Championship was a little confusing, and he was actuallytaken to taskby Bill Simmons for it.

It continues to be funny that Dwight Howard and Chris Bosh decided this experience couldn’t have helped them as basketball players.

Clearly, the World Championship could’ve helped Howard, although, one can understand his desire to rest and prepare for the Orlando Magic’s upcoming battles with LeBron’s Team 2.0 out of South Beach. However, those weren’t his only reasons for not attending, either. When asked about FIBA, Howardoffered other suggestionsabout how he’d use his offseason time:

…forgo the World Championships in Turkey this summer in order to rest and possibly act in a movie and/or appear in a television reality show, among other things.

Nowhere in that manifesto was“improving as a basketball player to improve our chances of getting back to the NBA Finals,” and after seeingthis press release, it’s easy to see why: Howard would rather spend his free time continuing to act like a kid. I’m not sure what else explains the release of his debut album,Shoot For The Stars, a collection of“arena anthems and classic hits” all karaoke’d by Orlando’s man-child himself.

The album also features the title’s song, which is a call for youngsters to follow their dreams or some such.

I certainly don’t begrudge folks wanting to help children, even though I think today’s society is far too catering to the whims of youth. But if Dwight wants to be a positive role model for the children, nothing’s wrong with that; but at some point, you also have an obligation to the franchise that pays you a king’s ransom to become the best player you can be. Put it this way: LeBron has been absolutely brutalized for way he handled his offseason, but it’s clear James has been all about basketball once the fire from his“look at me” decision burnt out.

Do you remember seeing LeBron’s album for children coming out? No, instead, it’s been all about how James is preparing to silence his doubters this upcoming season. As for Dwight Howard? Not so much. Aside from taking shots at the Heat with his“I’d choose Durant first” stuff, Howard has been putting his focus in other ventures, all seemingly non-basketball related.

Again, if Howard wants to help children, that’s all fine and good, but don’t be surprised if, in the next round of playoff games (still a few games away), Howard’s offensive game still hasn’t met the demands of his critics and his shortcomings as a post player are again brought to the forefront.

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Intentional Foul» Devin Hester Electrifies Solider Field

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While it was an unusual amount ofpenaltiesthat ultimately did the Green Bay Packers in, Devin Hester provided the electricity for Soldier Field with a slick 62-yard punt return touchdown in the beginning of the fourth quarter. It was Hester’s first punt return touchdown in three years, but it clearly came at an opportune time.

Apparently, the“don’t punt it to Hester rule” has gone out the window. After last night’s return, along with another he almost broke, perhaps the edict needs to return.

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Intentional Foul» C.J. Spiller Has Some Wheels

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Sure, the Buffalo Bills lost to the Patriots yesterday, 38-30, but it wasn’t for a lack of effort— or an explosive run-back from rookie C.J. Spiller. Yes, a loss is a loss, be it by eight points or a 1000, but unlike the Kentucky Wildcats against the superior Florida Gators, the Bills, well, tried, even though they were going against a better team most folks expected them to get smashed by.

Hell, the Bills scored more points than the 2-1 Bengals did against the Patriots, and Spiller’s two touchdowns, one courtesy of the aforementioned 95-yard return, played a big part in that.

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Intentional Foul» Rolando McClain’s Slam Recalls Kevin Harlan

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“…With no regard for human life!”

I’m not sure what Danny Amendola did to draw the ire of McClain, besides having he audacity to catch the ball over the middle, but one thing’s for sure, McClain ain’t having it.

While the slam has indeed made the highlight reels here, there andeverywhere, I doubt Tom Cable wants his defense getting those kinds of 15-yard penalties on a regular basis, if at all. Cable just might punch McClain in the jaw if that happens again.

Fortunately for McClain, his powerbomb didn’t affect the outcome of the game; although, the Raiders probably shouldn’t be surprised by the hard slam: McClain has already made it knownhe wants to be Darth Vader.

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Intentional Foul» Alabama/Arkansas: Air Attack Versus Ground Assault

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Alabama and Arkansas get at it on Saturday in Fayetteville, and on one side, you have Bobby Petrino and his Ryan Mallett-led aerial attack, and on the other, you have Alabama, a team that might have the most explosive running back tandem,maybe ever. Of course, Alabama, with Greg McElroy and Julio Jones, can pass the ball just fine, and Nick Saban isn’t afraid to use it, either.

The Tide isn’t as prolific as Arkansas with the pass, but with Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram on the roster— who looks like he’s right back into Heisman form after missing two games because of knee surgery— heavy reliance on the pass by Alabama would be foolhardy.

Conversely, Arkansas uses the running game to set up their dangerous passing attack, and when you have the nation’s leader in passing yards— Mallett (who also has 9 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions and a QB rating of 186.5)— and three legitimate receiving threats in Greg Childs, Joe Adams, and D.J. Williams, it would be foolish not to throw the ball downfield. Clearly, the Petrino/Mallett marriageis a match made in heaven.

Here’s what we can expect out of both teams. First off, Arkansas:

As for Alabama:

The video starts at the 1:11 mark, but if you want an idea of their passing game, rewind it.

As for Saturday’s game, can either team take away what the other wants to do on offense? Can Bama stop Ryan Mallett from throwing the ball all over the field? Can Arkansas stop Bama’s two dynamic running backs and get their offense back on the field? That’ll be the real trick, because the Tide havequestions in their secondary. As for Arkansas, they’ve done well against the rush so far this season, but then again, they haven’t been up against one as powerful as Alabama’s either.

Saturday will be a true test for the Razorbacks, obviously, but if they commit too much to stopping the run, McElroy and Jones will make them pay for it.

Other areas of interest are the fans. Both teams are pretty damn awesome supporters. Observe:

Got to get them started early.

And then there’s the“Ryan Mallett for Heisman” ditty we featured earlier this week, made, of course, by Arkansas fans:

Pure, unadulterated fan brilliance.

With that in mind, who wins? Arkansas gets a nod for being at home, but then again, Alabama is road-tested, battle-tested and test-tested (just to cover all“tested” bases), so it’s hard to see them wilting in the face of a loud opposing crowd. My pick:

Alabama 27
Arkansas 24

Guesses such as final scores are subject to change at any moment and without notification.

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Intentional Foul» Dexter McCluster Wants You To Arrive Alive

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And he’s got just the rap song to tell you about it. Friends, it’s simple: if you want to ride around with Kansas City’s electric rookie, don’t text and drive. Driving is not the time to share“LOLs,” but they are, apparently, fodder for silly rap songs about the act of texting while driving.

An LOL moment if there ever was one.

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Intentional Foul» As A Heisman Candidate, Ryan Mallett is Untouchable

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One of the many college football traditions is for schools to promote certain players for the Heisman Trophy. Whether it’s a Joey Heisman ad in New York City, or a DVD of highlights sent to the Heisman committee, there are various ways to pump a potential candidate up. Thanks the Internet/YouTube/Twitter era of society, fans are getting in on the action with some creative ideas.

Once such fan campaign is brewing for Ryan Mallett, quarterback for the Arkansas Razorbacks, and boy, it doesn’t disappoint— as long as you like MC Hammer:

My snarky side wants to make lots of fun of this video, but then again, there’s another side that actually appreciates the effort. Whatever the case, one thing’s for sure, when it comes to fan love, you can’t touch Ryan Mallett.

Not sure which was worse: my weak pun or the video. I’m going with the pun. At least the video makes creative use of a horrible MC Hammer song.

Of course, if the Razorbacks beat Alabama this upcoming Saturday,“Mallett for Heisman” won’t be just an Arkansas fan’s dream anymore.

Video H/t courtesy of KSR.

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Intentional Foul» DeAngelo Hall Is Not A Student of the Game

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When Andre Johnson busts your team’s ass to the tune of 12 receptions for 158 yards and a massive game-tying touchdown while the Houston Texans were facing fourth and long, essentially, the deciding moment of the game, perhaps a“You know, he didn’t really do anything that looked spectacular” statement should be one of the farthest thing from your lips—unless your name is DeAngelo Hall, apparently.

Because that’s exactly what happened. After the Texans came all the way back to win, while being down 17 points in the second half, thanks, in large part to Andre Johnson’s production, DeAngelo Hall thought it would be smart to say he wasn’t impressed with the best receiver in the NFL. Furthermore, Hall compounded his sore loser response by saying he wasn’t impressed with Johnson, or his performance.

I guess Hall was too busy getting his ass busted by Kevin Walter (144 yards and a TD) to notice Johnson’s beast-mode performance; or he was lost in their commitment to zone coverage, all because the Redskins coaching staff had the fear of Arian Foster was coursing through veins. Either way, the Texans receiving group absolutely dominated the Redskins coverage, and for Hall“not to notice” means he’s either a really sore loser or, well, he’s just blind.

I think Raiders fans would agree with the latter assessment.

Anyway, here’s another look at Johnson’s“unimpressive” game-tying touchdown, just in case Hall needs to see how completely his fellow secondary members absolutely failed when it came to stopping the best receiver in the league:

Apparently, Hall was looking for hot dogs when that happened, because I’m not sure what else would explain his healthy dose of“haterade.”

Beast Johnson also offered this telling response, when informed of Hall’s bitterness:

…if he wanted to play me man-to-man, he should have told his coaches before the game. That’s not my problem. For them to be running zone coverages like that with the safety over the top, and for me to still have 12 catches for 158 yards, somebody wasn’t doing their job.”

Now that, friends, is how you get the definitive final word.

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Intentional Foul» Did Braylon Dougie For the Cops?

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Perhaps I’m enjoying the news of Braylon Edwards’ arrest for a DUI—twice the legal limit, apparently— a little too much, but then again, having one occasional good game doesn’t mean you should act a fool with your boys, either. And then try and drive. Actually, act a fool all you want, just don’t get behind the wheel of a car if it involves alcohol.

What, does the Apple not have taxis or personal driver services? I know New York City is a small town with not a lot to offer residents in the way of public transportation (wink), but surely Edwards could’ve found somebody willing to drive his Dougie-ing ass around.

Oddly enough, Edwards wasn’t yanked for suspicion of driving under the influence. No, he was pulled over for the tint on his windows being darker than the legal limit. Yes, rules are rules, but surely, NYC cops have more to do than watch for overly-tinted vehicles. Of course, had Edwards not been drinking, the too-dark window tint stop wouldn’t have been news. Too bad for him he didn’t plan ahead or, worse yet, simply didn’t care that he was too drunk to drive.

As for the Jets, theyreleased a statementconcerning Edwards’brilliancelegal woes (self-inflicted):

“We are very disappointed in Braylon’s actions this morning. The Player Protect program is in place for our organization to prevent this situation. Braylon is aware of this program and showed poor judgment.

“We are reviewing the information with the league and will impose the appropriate disciplinary measures.”

For the life of me, I can’t help but wonder if Braylon got out of his car and started doing the Dougie for the arresting officers. That’s about the only thing this story’s lacking.

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Intentional Foul» Andre Johnson = Beast

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Yes, Matt Schaub deservestons of creditfor bringing the Texans back while being under fire from the Redskins, but my goodness, Andre Johnson is a f***ing freak of nature. And a beast too. Oh, and the best receiver in the league.

Sorry Randy, Chad, T.O., Reggie, and whoever else wants to throw their name in the ring. I’m looking at you, too, Braylon. One Sunday afternoon ofDougie dancesdoesn’t quite cut it.

It’s Andre Johnson’s world.

We’re just fortunate enough he allows us to maintain residence.

One question though, what in the world was Phillip Buchanon doing quitting on Johnson’s route like that? Leaving Reed Doughty alone like that to cover a beast like Johnson, especially when a Redskins lead is on the line like that, is really about as bad of a decision as you can make, football-wise, anyway.

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Intentional Foul» Mark Ingram To Play Against Duke

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When theAlabama Crimson Tidetravel to play the Duke Blue Devils this weekend, it will be with a full team. Word is, last season’s Heisman trophy winner, Mark Ingram, will take the field for the first time this season, after recovering from recent knee surgery. Yes, that’s right: Alabama’s workhorse running back had knee surgery a couple of weeks ago and is still going to play. This season.

Balls, son. Balls.

Nick Saban addressed the return of his stud running back at his weekly press conference and he sounds quite confident Ingram will be ready to roll:

The important quote follows:

“Mark is doing extremely well, hadn’t had any issues or problems has done quite a bit in practice”

While Duke’s chances probably weren’t that good before the news of Ingram’s return broke, I’d say they’re even worse now. But hey, does Saban get credit for going on the road to play a team that has been historically terrible, but under David Cutcliffe’s tutelage, has improved over the last few seasons? Or is this a case of Alabama scheduling out-of-conference cream puffs? It should be noted that in the first two games of the season, the Blue Devils have put 89 combined points on the board.

Granted, they haven’t played a defense as talented as Alabama’s, but you never know. Maybe Sean Renfree has the game of his lifetime and puts a ton of pressure on the Crimson Tide to score. Unfortunately for Renfree, Bama defensive endMarcell Dareus is also returningto the field after serving a two-game suspension. Ingram or no, the fact that Dareus will be on the field can’t be good news for the Blue Devils.

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Intentional Foul» Young NBA Greats Relive Air Jordan Moments

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Sony’s Sports 2K series, while perhaps not getting the same unconditional love as EA Sports, has been producing quality sports games. Unfortunately, their catalog no longer includes the NFL, thanks to the EA’s exclusive deal, but that hasn’t stopped from making great NBA simulations. Thanks to a special, highly-coveted guest start, this year’sNBA 2K11looks like they’ve upped the ante by including perhaps the best, most famous basketball player ever.

I am, of course, talking about Michael Jeffrey Jordan. The inclusion of the man, they myth, is, from Sony’s perspective, the natural evolution of their brand. Simply put, you get to play as Michael Jordan, reliving some of his greatest on-the-court accomplishments, among other options.

If I’m not mistaken, Jordan will also be available as a rookie to be drafted, meaning you can mold his career how and on whatever franchise you see fit.

Now, something so cool— I bought a PS3 pretty much for this game— doesn’t really need a lot of publicity or marketing campaigns to attract the masses. With Jordan on the cover, the thing will sell itself. That, however, didn’t stop them from creating an awesome commercial, featuring the NBA’s new breed playing, enjoying, and reminiscing about their favorite Jordan moves.

We have Derrick Rose baking a Jordan cake, Rajon Rondo washing windows, while Andre Iguodala Josh Smith and Russell Westbrook join in from the couch. What follows? Well, see for yourself:

I, for one, am impatiently biding my time until October 5. Watch out, too, because if I’m not careful, I’ll have Michael Jordan playing for that new pro team in Lexington— the Kentucky Wildcats: NBA Edition.

H/t to YBB for the find.

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Intentional Foul» Super Bowl Halftime Show = FML

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The Black Eyed Peaswill beyour halftime entertainment for the 2011 Super Bowl, a fact that severely underwhelms me. Look, I understand the role pop music plays in our culture, but that doesn’t mean I want to hear a crappy“rap” group do medley of pop hits disguised as hip hop. Apparently, however,I’m in the minority. Whatever the case, when“Let’s Get it Started” kicks in, I’ll be wishing for a repeat ofTom Petty’s performance.

That,or Prince.

Who knows? Maybe I’ll get lucky and the Peas will use this opportunity to announce their return to true hip hop and celebrate it by performing“Joints and Jams.”

However, I’m sure we’ll be subjected to such“hits” like“Boom Boom Pow” and“My Humps.”

Sigh.

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Intentional Foul» Ines Sainz Hubub Recalls Dave Chappelle

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Surprisingly, the Ines Sainz stuff is getting much more coverage than expected, and a lot has been said on both sides of the fence. Some of it iscompellingreading, some of itsilly. One thing that has been a constant, at least for me, is every time I hear about Sainz and her New York Jets locker room adventure, I’m reminded of Dave Chappelle’s HBO special,Killing Them Softly, specifically, the part where Dave ponders the psychology of women and men in these kinds of situations.

Observe:

“Just because I’m dressed this way does not make me a whore.”

True, but don’t be surprised if a bunch of testosterone-addled professional athletes— the same ones who have been told all summer how great they are— respond like they are at a strip club. Is that kind of behavior right or should it be condoned? You’d hope people are mature enough to enjoy the physical beauty of someone without acting like they were in a meat market, but then again, dressing in a manner that heavily accentuates the female breast and ass in front of a group of aggressive males… you can finish this sentence however you see fit.

Clearly, the topic is still open to discussion.

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Intentional Foul» Reggie Bush Forfeits Heisman Trophy

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Previous USC Trojans and current New Orleans Saints running back, Reggie Bush,has decided to forfeit his 2005 Heisman Trophy, amid speculation the Heisman committee would strip him of it as punishment forhis decisionswhile attending USC. Bush, the first Heisman winner to forfeit his trophy, made his decision known by releasing the following statement to Nola.com:

“One of the greatest honors of my life was winning the Heisman Trophy in 2005. For me, it was a dream come true.

But I know that the Heisman is not mine alone. Far from it. I know that my victory was made possible by the discipline and hard work of my teammates, the steady guidance of my coaches, the inspiration of the fans, and the unconditional love of my family and friends. And I know that any young man fortunate enough to win the Heisman enters into a family of sorts. Each individual carries the legacy of the award and each one is entrusted with its good name.

It is for these reasons that I have made the difficult decision to forfeit my title as Heisman winner of 2005. The persistent media speculation regarding allegations dating back to my years at USC has been both painful and distracting. In no way should the storm around these allegations reflect in any way on the dignity of this award, nor on any other institutions or individuals. Nor should it distract from outstanding performances and hard-earned achievements either in the past, present or future.

For the rest of my days, I will continue to strive to demonstrate through my actions and words that I was deserving of the confidence placed in me by the Heisman Trophy Trust. I would like to begin in this effort by turning a negative situation into a positive one by working with the Trustees to establish an educational program which will assist student-athletes and their families avoid some of the mistakes that I made. I am determined to view this event as an opportunity to help others and to advance the values and mission of the Heisman Trophy Trust.

I will forever appreciate the honor bestowed upon me as a winner of the Heisman. While this decision is heart-breaking, I find solace in knowing that the award was made possible by the support and love of so many. Those are gifts that can never be taken away.”

And that, folks, is a sad ending to what was one of the most explosive college careers by a football player in some time. Unfortunately, Bush shouldn’t have even been on the field to make the eyes of fans, and Heisman voters alike, pop. Nevertheless, here’s a look at some of the moves that helped make Bush a Heisman winner:

Too bad none of that officially counted, especially the 2005 highlights.

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Intentional Foul» Chris Johnson Can Still Get Away From Cops

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Apparently, Chris Johnson is quite serious about rushing for 2500 yards this season, and if the Titans played the Oakland Raiders every week, he’d probably get it. After posting 142 yards and two touchdowns yesterday, one of his scores coming off a 76-yard scamper which again showcased his“getting away from the cops speed,” it’s pretty clear Johnson isn’t just blowing hot air.

He really believes 2500 yards is attainable, and after watching him and his breath-taking speed carve defenses up again and again, maybe Johnson is on to something. Of course, in order to do so, he’s going to need to rush for 2358 yards over the next 15 games, which would require a 157.2 yards per game average.

Normally, this is something most NFL followers would laugh at; but then again, how many running backs are as physically gifted as Johnson, especially in the speed (and apparently, durability) department?

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Intentional Foul» Team-based Ink Sleeves Are, Well, They’re Something

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It’s not often I’m at a loss for words, but this particular item might just do it. What we have is a sleeve designed to look like an arm tattoo, done in Pittsburgh Penguins designs, and they’r available for all NHL teams. Clearly, this, um, thing is intended for either young kids who want to look cool— nothing wrong with that— or a bunch of hipster wanna be/fake hockey fans who are trying really hard to be cool.

I don’t think any fan in their right mind would don one of these things, unless it was part of some Halloween ensemble, even the overzealous ones; but then again, we have folks like Fireman Ed, so who knows.

H/t to 96.1 Kiss’ Morning Freak Show blogfor the find.

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Intentional Foul» Chris Berman’s Mustache Is Trending

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During his first appearance as“The Swami” for the 2010 NFL season, Chris Berman brought a new guest along with him: A brand new mustache, which looks fairly impressive, truth be told. While his ongoing shtick might rub others the wrong way, showing up with such outstanding facial hair seems to have provided him with newfound respect, not to mention, a little bit of Internet love.

While Twitter is a great place to check out trending topics, Google’s newRealtime searchfeature gives you a good idea how popular a topic is across all social media platforms, not just the 140-character paradise. A quick glance shows his choice in facial hair has been pretty popular, especially around lunch time.

If you click the left arrow to check yesterday’s content, Google responds with a“Your search– chris berman mustache– did not match any documents,” indicating how Google Realtime works (no content yesterday because no one saw it until last night). Clearly, when Berman does something so drastic, the sports web responds quite rapidly. A quick glance at the Google’s Blog Search results for“Chris Berman Mustache” supports this nicely.

In case you were wondering, the Swami only discussed tonight’s game, and will give the rest of his outlook beforeSunday’s slatebegins. His winner is New Orleans, 30-23. I’m curious to see how long Berman’s 'stache stays around, because you just know the Sunday NFL Countdown crew will be discussing it, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Keyshawn Johnson tried to clown him.

However, if Berman’s following Peter Griffin’s rules of mustache-sporting, With Great Mustache comes Great Responsibility, he needs to stand strong in the face of such potential criticisms.

Image courtesy ofTirico Suave’s Twitpic account.

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Intentional Foul» Ray Lewis’Swagger Has No Time For Jets

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Love this shot of Ray
Ray Lewis has had about enough of folks talking up the New York Jets like they’re defending Super Bowl champs. Can you blame him?

It’s safe to say that, when Monday night’s game between the Jets and Ravens kicks off, it will be officially on.

Lewis’ beef, besides simple Jets overexposure, comes from some comments Rex Ryan made about the Baltimore defense, including Lewis’ play-calling ability. As for Ryan, he, of course,welcomes Lewis’ comments:

“I’m laughing. I think it’s great. That’s good. I don’t care one way or the other. We don’t have to sneak up on people to tell them what we think. We expect to have a great football team, we expect to win, we go into every football game expecting to win, and if that’s‘cashing a check’ and all that other kind of stuff, then so be it. Sounds like we got under Ray’s nerves, but we’re not here to sneak up on anybody. We’re just here to play them.”

Gonna be some hittin’ on Monday night, and I can’t wait. If we’re lucky, Lewis will shut all the Jets talk up for a week or so.

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Intentional Foul» Top 50 NCAA Dunks Is A Worthy List

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A group calledMix St 311have compiled a list of the top 50 dunks in college basketball, and it’s certainly worth checking out. Granted, lists like these are subjective, but Mix St’s collection is pretty accurate, featuring a ton of dunks most college basketball aficionados have seen, but there all right here in a nice, little package.

Players like Grant Hill, Vince Carter, Clyde Drexler Shaquille O’Neal and Jerry Stackhouse are represented, as are lesser-known dunkers like Dirk Minifield, Chris Porter, Hakim Warrick (twice) and of course, Jerome Lane, owner of perhaps the most famous college basketball dunk, maybe ever.

If you think that’s a spoiler, well, you could be right and you could be wrong. You’ll just have to watch and find out. There’s a great chance one of your favorite dunks makes this list, which also serves as a nice trip down memory lane. With that in mind, Mix St 311 should be commended for making their list as comprehensive as they did. A lot of the times, Top Anything lists suffer from short-term memory.

Fortunately, Mix St avoids that distinction.

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Intentional Foul» Ray Lewis, Does Old Spice, Rides Ravens

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If you didn’t know it was football season, seeing Ray Lewis coming out of the shower, covered in soap suds should clue you in. What other time of year would he show up in such a commercial? Or any commercial, for that matter?

Speaking of theBaltimore Ravens, does anyone else find it odd that, despite theissues with the secondary, they’rea popular pickto make theSuper Bowl?

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Intentional Foul» Mark Ingram’s Knee Gets in The Way

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Mark Ingram’s defense of his Heisman trophy, as well his efforts towards helping theAlabama Crimson Tidewin anotherBCS Championshiphas been put on hold, at least for one game.According to al.com, Ingram had“minor” arthroscopic surgery on his left knee after injuring it during a Monday evening practice session. Ingram will miss Bama’s opener against San Jose State, but Nick Saban doesn’t think Ingram’s left knee will be an issue later in the season; a result of repairing Ingram’s knee immediately, as opposed to treating the issue with rest and a“wait and see” attitude.

“It was a situation where everyone involved thought it would be better to take care of now, so he would not have any issues with it later in the season,” Saban said.

While it’s unlikely Ingram will be missed against San Jose State, if the issue does happen to linger, the idea of Alabama going back-to-back becomes less likely; although, Trent Richardson— who some say isthe best running back on Bama’s squad(Richardson disagrees)— might have something to say about that.

As it stands, Richardson will get the staring nod as Ingram continues to heal.

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Intentional Foul» Aaron Rodgers + Mutton Chops = ?

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I’m not sure how I feel about Aaron Rodgers impressive patch of facial hair. Are the mutton chops too much? Perhaps, but I bet the chicks— especially all of the northern country women— dig it. And I’m sure it’ll keep him warm when the cold temperatures move in Lambeau Field.

Maybe he’s trying out for a role onSons of Anarchy? (Returning September 7th, ya’ll. Woohoo.)

Another description for Rodgers’ facial hair nest,I’ve learned, is the Hulihee. If I were Rodgers, I’d pass on that one. It’s certainly not masculine enough to describe an NFL player.

H/t to Jimbo(follow him, he’s a prodigious web programmer) for pointing this out.

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Intentional Foul» Seeing Steve Spurrier’s Visor Mean’s Only One Thing

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College football’s back!!! Let the heavens sing and the people party. While tonight’s reintroduction to the sport designed to spark months of conversations of postseason controversy doesn’t feature a marquee game— Southern Mississippi at South Carolina— what it symbolizes is good enough. And hey, anytime you get to watchSteve Spurrier juggle quarterbacks, especially when a true freshman is in the mix, times are good.

So let’s raise our glasses to the return of fall weekends devoted to crazy signs behind Lee Corso’s head; Kirk Herbstreit’s perfectly-quaffed hair; a chance to hear Keith Jackson’s voice, even if it is in commercial format; hot college fans and cheerleaders; Layla Kiffin; the SEC on CBS; the madness that is Boise State crashing BCS parties; red sweater vests; new Nike Pro Combat uniforms; Heisman hopefuls; and for me, the return of Randall Cobb— just to name a few.

Life, as we know it, is now good again. To help celebrate, here’s what might be the best rap song about football. Ever.

Yeah, it’s concentrating more on the pro level of football, but the point remains: the time is here, the time is now.

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Intentional Foul» We Fightin’At The U

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Done to the tune of“The U” by Uncle Luke.

Remember yesterday when Ilisted a few reasonswhy I was happy college football was back? Here’s another: fights between fans in the stadium. By now, you’ve either seen and/or heard about the Miami/Florida A&M game and the brawl that ensued in the stands. Don’t not what started, nor do I care. Watching folks get thrown around, all in the name of college football fandom— although, I doubt it was a“my team’s better than yours” argument that started the fracas.

It was probably over a girl; although, if it was over any of the ladies in the lead image, completely understandable.

What to watch for: Pony-tailed guy getting tossed (13-second mark) and the slap-fight that directly follows it when the camera pans up. I’m not sure any of those“punches” connected:

As for Part 2, I’m just impressed with the guy in the wife-beater. Even with a bunch of folks piled on top of and blows raining down around him, he just wants to be left alone to enjoy the beatdown Miami was putting on FAMU.

Did I mention how happy I am now that college football is back?

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Intentional Foul» Bryant Moniz Gets Destroyed In USC Game

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USC and Hawaii provided us late-night viewers something of an entertaining football game, as long as you aren’t a fan of great defenses. While it was surprising to watch a Monte Kiffin-coached defense to give up big play after big play, USC was never in any serious trouble because Hawaii’s defense couldn’t tackle worth a damn. The result: a video game-like 49-36 final score, complete with a heaping pile of offensive yards (524 for the Trojans and 588 for Hawaii— like I said, video game offenses).

Hawaii’s best chance to pull the upset, however, probably ended when starting quarterback, Bryant Moniz, got absolutely destroyed by USC linebacker, Michael Morgan. Moniz had broken the pocket and was trying to get all the yards he could when he ran, head-first, into the forearm/shoulder area of Morgan, who delivered a knock-out blow that took Hawaii’s quarterback out of the game.

Granted, considering Hawaii’s just-as-poor-as-USC’s defense, an upset was never really something the Trojans had to worry about— Matt Barkley’s stellar game had a lot to do with that— but you can guaran-damn-tee Lane Kiffin’s defense will be put through their paces in USC’s upcoming practices.

“Defensively, we didn’t play very well, obviously,”Kiffin said.“I’m really disappointed with everything in general.”

That sounds like a recipe for long Labor Day weekend workouts and practices for all involved.

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Intentional Foul» Ricky Rubio Gets Played

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I’m probably enjoying it a little too much, but watching Ricky Rubio and Spain struggle in the FIBA Worlds has been more entertaining than it probably should be. I suppose I view them as a sports rival now, thanks to the 2008 Gold Medal game. With that in mind, it’s safe to say I enjoyedLithuania beating Spain, giving them their second loss in group play, and threatening their chances of advancing to the knock-out rounds.

Perhaps the defining play of the game was when Mantas Kalnietis, on an inbounds play, caught Rubio not paying attention, bounced the ball off his back and proceeded to hit a layup while a perplexed Rubio looked on, hanging his head.

That, sir, is not the kind of attention to detail on defense you need if you want your team to advance— especially in a tight, competitive game.

The question I have concerning Spain is, was their close loss to the Team USA’s“B team” during the exhibition portion of the FIBA World’s the high point for that squad? A close loss is still a loss, and no team should put that much stock into taking a group of NBA players to the wire, unless it’s Angola, circa 1992. The days of moral victories against the United States should be a thing of the past, specifically, when teams like Spain are involved.

H/t to Ball in Europefor the video find.

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Intentional Foul» Iowa Linemen, Trucks and Motorcycles Don’t Mix

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This video’s making its way around the blogosphere at an exponential rate, and with understandable reason. What we have is Iowa Hawkeyes offensive lineman Josh Koeppel enjoying an afternoon spin on his small Yamaha motorcycle. I’m sure things were going well, nice weather, breeze in your face, and then— *BAM*— and you enter a popular Iowa City intersection and some dumbass in a truck isn’t paying attention.

Next thing you know, you’re doing backwards somersaults off the bike while what looks like your shoe gets about 30 feet’s worth of elevation. Ah, the joys of coming to a complete, abrupt, unexpected stop when riding a motorcycle.

Fortunately for Koeppel,his injuries weren’t life-threatening— which is a surprise considering the violence of the collision. Police representatives stated Koeppel“appears he’s going to be fine,” which is fairly amazing when you watch the video.

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Intentional Foul» LeBron’s First Workout With The Heat

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Now that THE DECISION has come and gone, and LeBron’s new address has been accepted by the masses— well,until this, I’m sure— it’s time for him to start getting ready for basketball season. Naturally, there’s video of the event, which would be his first workout at theMiami Heat’s practice facility.

Like You Been Blinded pointed out (H/T), no Heat coach Erik Spoelstra cannot do anything that even closely resembles guarding his new star player.

I’m sure seeing James working out for another team will only reopen some of the just-starting-to-heal wounds for the Cavaliers fans who stayed true to their team, but maybe it can bring some closure as well. Nothing’s going to make James’ actions any easier to swallow, but sometimes, realization of a relationship’s finality can kick-start the healing process.

Of course, whatever“healing” occurs will be completely undone when Cleveland hosts the Heat on December 2nd. TNT will be there so, and, I can imagine, will the Ohio National Guard.

Someone will need to be a face of order in all that upcoming chaos.

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