We have just learned that, in an unprecedented move, the AP will be releasing a mid-week, updated college football poll. The reason?

After several sports writers watched the USC practice on Tuesday, they have decided to switch their vote for the number 1 team to the Trojans. The combination of how great the Trojans looked in just shoulder pads and helmets on Tuesday at practice along with a rumor that made its way through the grapevine that Georgia looked sluggish during special teams drills has led at least 4 writers to change their vote.

One writer, who asked that he not be named, told us the following, “USC looked great in the Coliseum on Tuesday, really looked like the number one team. But heck, I did not even see Georgia’s practice, but I did hear from my brother-in-law’s cousin’s barber that the second string defense for Georgia was giving up big plays left and right. I have to change my vote after a report like that.”

It is reported that USC will not be bumped up to 24 first place votes, while Georgia will drop to 17 and Ohio State will be losing one as well.

We here at CIV are really glad that President Bush was able to negotiate Hurricane Gustav down to a Category 2 storm before it hit the Louisiana coast.  Lord knows that the entire Gulf coast - of course devastated Hurricane Katrina - was extremely happy to see that Bush was able to find a diplomatic resolution regarding this hurricane.

Seeing as he took the blame for Katrina hitting New Orleans, we figured we’d also give GW some props when a natural disaster actually lessens in impact and then does not directly hit the Big Easy.

Here’s one…

What has 4 legs and could only lead the team to 0 net rushing yards on Saturday?

The Clemson backfield!!!  (Formerly known as “thunder and lightning.”)

In light of Alex Rodriguez’s boooo-tiful performance last night against the Red Sox (0-5, 2 double plays), we started thinking about the least clutch performers of all time. You know, your anti-Jordan or anti-Woods. If you were given the choice, you would probably take Craig Counsell at the plate with the game on the line over A-Rod.

In an effort to remind A-Rod that he has company (since he for sure reads this blog) and amuse ourselves, we bring the you the Top 10 Chokers in Sports… Read the rest of this entry »

We’re a little slow getting ot his one, but it’s certainly worth noting.  The quality of insight you gain from watching Emmitt Smith on the NFL pre-game show on ESPN is difficult to measure.  It’s terribly exciting to pay careful attention to each of his phrases, just waiting for him to say something that makes absolutely no sense.  If you need a quick summary of what Emmitt has brought tot he table, click here.

Anyway, we were tuning in for a few minutes to the Monday Night Countdown show on ESPN this past week.  Of course, the first topic of discussion was whether Michael Strahan would come out of retirement to join the Giants.  Each ex-jock on the set gave their take, then Emitt chimed in with this jewel:

“He’s not thinking about playing football.  He’s sitting over there in Greece right now sipping on mai tais.”

True, Strahan was in Greece.  But mai tais?  He went all the way to Greece so he could sip on a mai tai?  The same drink that was invented in California in the 1940s?  But, at least the name “mai tai” is Greek.  Wait, no it isn’t.  It’s a phrase that in Tahitan means “good.”

So we’re not quite sure where the mai tai came from.  Maybe Strahan loves to have a mai tai.  Maybe there is some connection to Greece that only Emmitt knows.

We assume that the rest of Strahan’s travel schedule will include a trip to France to sip on a margarita, then on to Sweden for a spot of team, followed by a trip to Germany to drink down a cool Budweiser.

As we watched the opening round of the US Open tennis tournament last night, we noticed that during each commercial break there was an ad for the “E.D.” pill, Cialis.

We couldn’t help but think of what Jenny Gump might say about this… “Women’s tennis and Cialis go together like peas and carrots. ”

As we tuned into the Olympics last night, we saw what everyone saw: NBC’s dream scenario of the women’s beach volleyball final… in the pouring down rain.

As we watched the unstoppable May/Walsh combo running around soaking wet in the little bikinis, we couldn’t help but wonder two things…

–Why wasn’t this being shown on USA?

–And why weren’t we taken to commercial break by Rhonda Shear, telling us we’re watching “USA - Up… All night!”

***And don’t you dare try to tell us that there was never a movie shown on the USA Up All Night series that did not the exact scene of bikini-clad women playing volleyball in the rain. Maybe it was in Sizzle Beach, USA or perhaps Malibu Bikini Shop or maybe even Student Bodies.

Surprisingly enough, we have recently learned that there is an organization out there more worthless that the NCAA.  Really, there is.  Who?  The International Olympic Committee.  The IOC rules with an iron fist, no doubt.  Unfortunately, the Committee’s motto - “a day late and a dollar short” - allows for that iron fist to usually swing and miss.

The latest example is better than we ever could have imagined.  Swedish wrestler Ara Abrahamian was not happy that the judges scored against him in a semifinal match.  He won the bronze medal in his next match.  But, after the medal ceremony on Thursday, Abrahamian took off his medal, dropped it on the podium, and stormed off.

Cue - the IOC!  This awesome, heady crew stepped in just in time - on Saturday - and stripped Abrahamian of his bronze medal.  Nooooooo!  How crushed must Abrahamian have been to have his medal stripped two days after he left it on the podium??? Read the rest of this entry »