WATERCOOLER CHAT: BILLS COACH FIRED, REMATCH IN COLLEGE BBALL, AL CY YOUNG AWARD SURPRISE
FOOTBALL
A major change in the NFL, as one team decided not to wait until the end of the season to fire their head coach. That’s right, the Buffalo Bills have disposed of head coach Dick Juaron after a string of disappointing seasons. This one, particularly, looked horrible. The Bills brought Terrell Owens to town hoping it would give them a major weapon, and even make them a playoff team. However, Owens hasn’t even been on the radar this year, and probably won’t be in Buffalo next season. It’s uncertain what the Bills plan to do for a head coach in the off-season (there are plenty of big names available), but they will definitely head in a completely different direction, and hope to return to their glory days.
BASKETBALL
In college basketball, it was a rematch of the 2008 National Championship game: The Kansas Jayhawks v. The Memphis Tigers. Sure, much of the players have changed, but the fans certainly remember. Kansas is currently ranked #1 in the country, and Memphis is unranked, but that didn’t stop the Tigers from bringing the heat. They stood toe to toe with Kansas in the first half, and their guard Elliot Williams had a fantastic night with 21 points. But Kansas, behind their super big man, Cole Aldrich (18 points, 11 rebounds) outlasted the Tigers by just 2 points, and hung on for the win. Kansas 57, Memphis 55.
BASEBALL
And in baseball, a rare occurrence. The American League Cy Young Award Winner didn’t go to a Yankee or Red Sock, or even someone on a winning team. Instead, Zach Greinke of the putrid Kansas City Royals took home the award. The Royals were as forgettable as always this season, but Greinke was certainly a beacon. Given his horrible situation, Greinke still nabbed 16 wins and had a win percentage of .401, leading the league. This is quite the turn around for Greinke, who, in 2005, led the league in losses. Zach said publicly, however, that he isn’t allowing this to go to his head. He’s happy that people in his hometown Orlando aren’t showering him with praise. Unfortunately for Greinke, he will almost surely be pursued by the Red Sox / Yankees in the very near future. His life is going to get very public.
