This is a fantastic time in the sports calendar.  College football just started with a bang (punch!).  The NFL is kicking off (catch me at MNF Raiders-Chargers) this weekend, and baseball playoffs are right around the corner with your San Francisco Giants (why don’t the Rockies lose anymore?!!!) still in the hunt.  Not to mention I went on a fantastic camping trip over Labor Day weekend and ate a very good soufflé yesterday.  So this is a great time to do a SUPER MAILBAG!!!! (Note this is gonna be kind of a long read, so feel free to print it out, tape it to your fridge, take it to the bathroom… whatever.  I won’t be offended.)

How freaking crazy was the punch at the end of the Oregon-Boise State game? 

Mike B. – Eugene, Oregon

Obviously, people shouldn’t go around punching other people, on the football field or anywhere else.  There certainly is no place for it, and I think Oregon running back Legerrette Blount should absolutely be arrested for assault.  But as for crazy, I’m surprised it doesn’t happen more often.  You take huge, monster teenagers who structure their lives around a physical, aggressive sport; who often come from violent or suspect backgrounds, and put them in high-pressure situations in front of huge crowds and t.v.  They base their worth, and their identity, and their future prospects on each performance.  I’m not saying I don’t enjoy it, I’m just saying the ‘punch’ didn’t surprise me.  I think coaches and schools do a great job of keeping their kids out of trouble (or at least covering it up).

On the other hand, that was a crazy good knockout.   That Boise kid was out like Mike Bisping at UFC 100.   Herb Dean would have stopped the fight, no question.  If you’re gonna ruin your entire life over one punch, at least Legerrette Blount made it count by knocking the guy out on national television.  He should just give up football and move to MMA now, since no team will (or should) draft him. 

Do you think Sean Merriman really choked out Tila Tequila?

P. Rivers – Chula Vista, Ca

I really do hope so, and not because I root for violence against reality stars.  But because a false complaint of domestic violence betrays every real victim of domestic violence.  A very public accusation like this needs to be true, so that when women truly are battered, they can call out for help and be believed.  Additionally, I want that proven cheater (steroids last year) Sean Merriman out of the league, selfishly for my Raiders and because I think he is a terrible example of a steroids success story for kids and young athletes.

Another thing, this story did not surprise me at all.  Tila Tequila, the Vietnamese-American pseudo-porn and MTV reality ‘star’, is obviously so crazy and media-whorish that very few things regarding her would surprise me.

Among the things that wouldn’t surprise me:

1.        If she ‘invented’ her own STD.

2.       If she got choked out by the best young defensive player in the NFL.

3.       If she lied about getting choked out by the best young defensive player in the NFL.

4.       If she choked out the best young defensive player in the NFL (think Princess Leia vs. Jabba the Hutt).

5.       She entered a butterface contest with Hillary Swank, Fergie, and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Which NFL Rookie(s) will you be keeping an eye on this year?

Darius H. – Emeryville, Ca

Surprisingly, the rookie I will be watching the most will not be my Oakland Raiders rookie Darius Heyward-Bay.  Or my pre-draft man-crush Michael Crabtree (who is currently inflating Al Davis’ ego).  Nor will it be the ultra-sexy Mark Sanchez.  I am following my fellow Fresno State alumnus, Tom Brandstetter, the backup quarterback behind Kyle Orton (injured) and Chris Simms (injured and crappy) on the Broncos.  Kyle Orton is clearly terrible and may be injured, and without Jay Cutler, Brandstetter may be the most unlikely starting quarterback in recent history.  He was absolutely terrible last year at Fresno State.  Watching as a fan for a whole season, you really get a feel for his lack

of accuracy and poor decision making.  Yes he is tall, strong, and mobile, but to me and my friends he was basically a joke the whole year.  But Fresno people root for Fresno players, and we will root for Brandstetter.

I think NFL scouts should just go to campus and ask a few football fans what they think about their players.  I would have told you that Marcus Macauley shouldn’t have been an early pick two years ago out of Fresno State too.  Fans will be honest because they really can tell who helps and who hurts the team.  More than a scout, because they feel the pain, and experience the joy.   I’m not saying that fan opinion is everything, but it wouldn’t hurt teams to do a quick barometer reading just to get a feel.  As someone who hates USC, I’ve rooted for them enough to know that Mark Sanchez will probably be better than Matt Leinart (pure product of the other good players around him), but probably not as good as pre-injury Carson Palmer (who made his teammates better).  Scouts can have a little too much objectivity sometimes.

How do you feel about your chances in the Playerpress fantasy football league?

Matthew B. – Bristol, Ct.

Are you freaking kidding me?  My team is the bees knees!  I got LT in the second round, 2 elite receivers (Calvin Johsnon and TJ Housh), and the Minny TE with the crazy name.  I got Marshawn Lynch very late and Kevin Walter as my fourth receiver.  My only suspect player is Carson Palmer.  He’s lost TJ, and the Cincy offensive line could be atrocious.  I guess there was a ‘Cowgirl from Alabama’ in the draft who drafted a third round defense.  We have people with two kickers in our league.  I have a pretty even matchup with MC Homer in Week 1 except that he’s starting Willie Parker, which gives me a huge edge.  Although that edge could be balanced by him having Randy Moss (always the potential to explode for 3 touchdowns).  Week 2 is gonna be me rolling Nolan Thomas by like 40 points.  He’s bringing Marion Barber, Derrick Mason, and Jericho Cotchery.  So yah, I feel good (albeit a little scared of LT and Palmer injuries).  I really liked Bob Whalon’s team before injuries to MoJo and Anquan, and the craziness of Brandon Marshall.  He’s got Knowshon Moreno and a recovered Matt Hasselback and top tight end Jason Witten.  I would hate to meet him in the playoffs.

Who do you think will be in the World Series this year? 

Tony L. – St. Louis, MO

I’m pretty sure that the Cardinals will beat the Yankees this year in the World Series.  The pitching duo of Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright is second only to Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum, and the Cards have the best hitter in baseball, Albert Pujols.  Throw in an elite closer and a resurgent Matt Holiday, and the Cardinals look like a great pick, especially since the Yankees will have to go through another epic and debilitating battle with the Red Sox (which by the way will get way too much ESPN coverage).  Meanwhile, Yankee pitching is above average at best, and a lot of their aging stars will be tired by late October.

You live in the Bay Area, were you surprised that Jeff Garcia got cut?  Isn’t there at least a small chance he’s better than Jamarcus Russell?

J. O’sullivan – Cleveland, Ohio

There’s a 30% chance that Garcia will be better for the next two years than Jamarcus Russell.  But they Raiders did what they had to do to give their franchise quarterback the confidence he needs to succeed.  Which doesn’t mean he has the skill or receivers to succeed, but at least he has the confidence.  And it doesn’t really matter, they’re not going to the playoffs this year or next anyways.  If Jamarcus isn’t a star two years from now they have to start over anyways. 

By the way, I love, love, love the trade for Richard Seymour.  Raider run defense has been so porous for so long, I feel like that trade could add 2-4 wins this year to the Raiders.  That is, the marginal improvement percentagewise will be very significant as a result of the trade.  (I know this isn’t related to the question, but it’s my mailbag!)

Season 2 of 90210 is premiered last night, have you seen it? What are your thoughts on it?

Aaron S. – Beverly Hills, Ca

Without commenting or justifying to you people why I watch this show I will list my observations.

1.        Even though I like thin women, these girls on the show are somehow too skinny.

2.       It was a huge mistake to have the prettiest girl on the show, Adrianna, be pregnant for the majority of the first season.

3.       I like the African-American adopted son, it’s a solid plot piece done for the wrong reasons but in a believable way.  Albeit his relationship with Silver is a little bit forced and they have no on screen chemistry.

4.       Lori Loughlin (Auntie Becky on ‘Full House’) still looks super hot.

5.       Jennie Garth (reprising her role as Kelli Taylor), less so.

Who has the best chance of beating Florida this year in the BCS Championship?

James T. – Columbus, Ohio

According to my crack team of superstar researchers and number crunchers, the only teams that have a chance of taking down the Florida Tebows are the USC Trojans and the Texas Longhorns.  Oklahoma lost their entire season on Saturday after losing QB Sam Bradford for four weeks and TE Jermaine Gresham for the entire season.  I give USC the edge although they start a freshman QB, because Texas has a much harder schedule, including the Red River shootout and a very good Oklahoma State.  I guess one could argue that USC has a tougher schedule going on the road to Ohio State and Cal, but USC (even though I hate them) is going to roll Ohio State by two touchdowns this weekend.  No, really.  The Big Ten sucks.  Michigan?  Penn State? Please.  Oh and while we’re here the Big East sucks worse.  Sorry.  Talentwise, only USC (crazy defense AGAIN and running backs for days) and Texas (Colt McCoy and better receivers than you think) have the weapons and speed to keep up.  I pick Florida to lose one game in SEC and still win the BCS.  And Notre Dame is terrible, despite their ‘ranking’, which I’m sure you knew.

Superbowl Picks?

Rick N. – Los Angeles, Ca

Green Bay loses to New England.  Write it down.  Call your bookie (for entertainment purposes only).