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During Sunday’s Ryder Cup, photographer Mark Pain found himself in a unique position: directly in front of a Tiger Woods’ chip shot. When combined with the fact that Tiger hit it fat, the ball travelled directly into Pain’s lens, which captured one of the greatest sports photos ever.
Mark Pain Photography: Ryder Cup — Tiger Woods with Cigar Cuy, who will undoubtedly be the next Internet sensation.
Naturally, a few of the gallery members contribute to the photo’s greatness including the little boy getting a view from below, the gentleman in the red shirt that appears to be passing gas, and the guy with the cigar in his mouth. It’s only a matter of time before this cigar guy is superimposed over random photos by photoshoppers everywhere. Is it just me, or does he remind you of a character that would appear in a Wes Anderson movie? It’s probably safe to assume that by the time the meme dust has settled, the legend of Cigar Guy may rival that of Chuck Norris and the Most Interesting Man In The World.
Popularity: 2% [?]
In 2009, defensive lineman B.J. Raji took Rich Eisen to the cleaners. With a custom pair of Under Armour shoes and a lightweight Prada suit, Rich takes on the uber-football player, Tim Tebow, in a 40-yd dash for the ages! More importantly, did he finally eclipse the 6-second mark?
Popularity: 6% [?]
When Tim Tebow decided to participate in the 2010 Senior Bowl, college football fans from all over flocked to Ladd-Peebles Stadium. But following the game, critics and draft analysts proceeded to pick apart his throwing motion from his awkward release to his unorthodox throwing base (like throwing a shotput, balance favors his front foot). And it may have been the best thing for him. He immediately began to rebuild his motion, which appeared to be the only flaw in his brand. When he decided not to throw in this year’s NFL Combine, the criticism started all over. But there’s no denying his leadership, his faith, his likeability, his will to win — perfect combination for the face of any franchise.
Joining Tebow in the “I’ll throw during my Pro Day” club were Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen and Colt McCoy all of whom are working through some sort of injury. Dan LeFevour of Central Michigan added his name to that list as he also continues to improve his throwing form. And the criticism continues. But will it even matter come draft day? All of the above are among the best at the quarterback position, and have walked the walk throughout their respective careers.
Not The Size, But The Motion. This seems to be the appropriate theme for this year’s crop of QBs. Of the top prospects, only Tony Pike & Sam Bradford have the height that scouts regard as “ideal”, but the knock for both has been their weight…or lack thereof. Dan LeFevour is the closest thing to the perfect package at 6’3-1/4″, 230. Unfortunately, he doesn’t share the same spotlight as the aforementioned group.
Popularity: 7% [?]
Last night’s BCS Championship game lived up to its billing. Not because Colt McCoy led his team to victory on a white horse, or not because of Mark Ingram’s Juggernaut-type performance. Both went out early in seemingly unfortunate situations. But the constant twists and turns forced other players to rise to the occasion.
We’ve all seen Tim Tebow react to similar situations with intensity, emotion and class.
You can always expect the same from Colt McCoy. Best of luck next year, buddy.
Peter Thamel of the New York Times reflects on The Agony of Colt McCoy.
Popularity: 11% [?]
When the 15 semifinalists for the Davey O’Brien Award were announced on Monday, one noteworthy candidate was left off of the list. Apparently the “elite group of journalists, broadcasters, commentators and former winners” didn’t believe Florida State QB, Christian Ponder, was worth a look. Is it safe to say that a large degree of subjectivity goes into the selection process?
The O’Brien honors the nation’s best college quarterback of the year and inspires student-athletes to triumph both on and off the field. By recognizing and honoring athletes who excel in both sports and academics while exhibiting strong character and leadership, The O’Brien aims to help instill a lifelong moral fiber in each candidate.
Christian Ponder – Florida State Seminoles | GETTY—–
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So what if Florida State’s record is 3-4.
Ponder has racked up impressive stats. The junior signal caller from Colleyville, Texas has passed for 2,176 yards (6th) and completed 70 percent of his passes (4th). And while he struggled with turnovers last season, he has only thrown 1 INT this season (vs. 13 in 2008). His direction has resulted in 12 scores through the air, and 2 on the ground. His 155.8 passer rating ranks tenth in the nation.
Fans can still help determine which of the semifinalists advance as finalists by voting at voteobrien.org. Fan votes account for 5% of the process in each round. So far, Jake Locker leads the fan voting with 24% of the vote. By the way, Washington is 3-5 this season.
Popularity: 16% [?]
 Tim Tebow & Sam Bradford went down early…and hard. [Reinke|AP Photo, Jenkins|AP]—–
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This college football season has been enigmatic at best. But the uncertainty has also realigned the Heisman race…not to mention two of the three top Heisman candidates suffered serious injuries early on, and Colt McCoy started off slower than anyone expected.
A new group of candidates has emerged. Ok…let’s not use “emerged”. Based on their performances last season, Colt McCoy, Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford were placed on the pedestal before the first snap was taken. But now those that were destined to be noticed are getting the attention they deserve. Despite the discernable nepostism in the beginning, we can focus on some new candidates for now.
My Top 5 Heisman candidates through Week 5:
[5] Jahvid Best. There’s no denying his talent. His acceleration is second-to-none. His video game moves are responsible for many broken ankles. (Random stat warning) He’s second among active players in number of career rushing attempts of 70 or more yards [thanks, HP]. But Best’s Heisman run is quickly coming to a halt. Oregon held him to 55 yards and USC to 47 yards…both resulting in only 3.4 yards per carry. Assuming he and his team can get back on track, he’s still worth a top nod. One more poor performance would definitely knock him off his perch. Next opponent: UCLA (3-1)
[4] Colt McCoy. Colt may have had a sluggish start, but the gunslinger is beginning to show his true colors once again. Coming off a bye week, McCoy doesn’t boast the huge Heisman stats in yards and TDs. Despite 5 picks to date, he has completed 71.0 pct of his passes, which is second in the nation. And he’s still sitting on a respectable passer rating of 151.0. Next opponent: Colorado (1-3)
[3] Tony Gerhart. Tony who? Tony “Leads The Nation In Rushing” Gerhart. With 650 yards rushing and 8 TDs, he’s the current pacesetter for rushing yards and only two scores away from the touchdown title. It’s also worth pointing out that the Stanford running back shares a conference with three other names you’ve probably heard: Jahvid Best, Joe McKnight and Jacquizz Rodgers. And don’t forget the exiled LaGarrette Blount. It’s probably safe to say that Stanford is 4-1 as a result of Gerhart’s efforts not to mention they’re #1 in the Pac-10. Next opponent: Oregon State (3-2)
[2] Tony Pike. While it may be surprising to most college football fans that Cincinnati is undefeated and ranked #8 in the nation, it’s more surprising that they’re the highest ranked team in the state of Ohio. While the debate for the best team rages on, there’s no debtate as to which Ohio QB is better. Pike has racked up nearly 1,500 yards through the air resulting in 13 TDs. No. 23 South Florida will arguably be Pike’s stiffest competition. This natoinally-televised matchup will be his best opportunity to impress voters. Next opponent: University of South Florida (5-0)
[1] Jimmy Clausen. Jimmy’s got a gun, and he’s definitely on a run. Despite the fact that the Irish can thank their lucky charms that they’re 4-1 (last three wins by 3, 2 and 7), Jimmy continues to shine brightly beneath the watchful eye of Touchdown Jesus. He boasts the highest passer rating (179.3) and is fourth in passing yards (1,544) with nearly 40% of those coming from playmaker, Golden Tate. But most impressive might be the scarcity of turnovers. He’s thrown 2 INTs to his 12 TDs thus far. Next opponent in 2 weeks: USC (4-1)
Don’t Forget These Guys. When your three sexiest Heisman hopefuls don’t pan out, the Heisman race becomes such a crap shoot. The five guys on the list above might be the most photogenic, but there are a handful that are making their case week after week. Up until last night, Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert had impressed fans and experts with his athleticism. University of Miami QB Jacory Harris reminds me of Pat White — a great talent that just doesn’t seem to attract enough Heisman attention to make a case. If you ask him, he’s definitely made one.
Jake Locker is more than just the signal caller for the University of Washington. He’s their leader…their savior. As he goes, they go. He plays well under pressure and is unphased in big game situations. While he may not garner Heisman consideration, he’ll undoubtedly be one of the most sought after QBs in the upcoming NFL draft.
While Jevan Snead was destined to do big things at Ole Miss, teammate Dexter McCluster has shown why he’s just as important to that offense. Neither will separate themselves as the superstar, but their team better for it. Alabama should give them every opportunity to highlight their respective talents.
University of Houston QB Case Keenum may make the best case to be in that list above. He’s already passed for nearly 1,700 yards and 13 TDs…the only blemishes on his stat sheet are 2 INTs. The Cougs suffered an unfortuntate loss to UTEP last week after two impressive wins against Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. The remainder of their schedule gives Houston an opportunity to bounce back and therefore Case another moment in the spotlight.
Alabama QB Greg McElroy—–
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Under The Radar…For Now. Alabama QB Greg McElroy has flown way under the radar. It’s probably because his numbers aren’t eye popping. But his passer rating of 165.5 ranks fifth nationally. Tim Tebow isn’t the only leader to use an eye bulging, red-faced “talkin’ to” to get his team fired up. McElroy used some choice words in their win over Kentucky before leading them down the field on a 97-yard scoring drive.
Popularity: 18% [?]
Looking for a great smartphone application to provide live box scores and stats (perfect for fantasy football)? Look no further. TheScore.com offers such an app for free. The app is available for most BlackBerry smartphones including the Tour, and, of course, it is available for download on the iPhone.
As a sports fan, this should definitely be included on my list of must have BlackBerry apps. I also use it to stay current on college football scores.
To download this app to your smartphone, visit thescore.com from your phone’s browser. It is also available in BlackBerry App World.
UPDATE — September 10, 2010: Score Mobile has been updated to v1.5. The app is only available for download in BlackBerry App World.
Popularity: 33% [?]
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