Welcome to 12 months Two of the Report Card, a weekly collection at USA TODAY Sports activities, the place yours actually feedback and takes a light-hearted have a look at the great performs, the boneheaded choices, the loopy followers and absolutely the absurdity that comes together with each faculty soccer Saturday.
The identical factor goes so far as grading from final season: Excessive marks shall be just for the spectacular, and failing grades don’t have any likelihood of being reversed. Additionally, imply tweeters shall be blocked and emails to the inbox to complain will instantly enter the trash folder.
With that being stated, right here is the Week 0 evaluation of how followers, groups, gamers and coaches fared:
Week 0: Wait, what?
Whoever got here up with the title “Week 0” to indicate the beginning of the school soccer season wants their head examined. On this case, it actually utilized to the slate of video games followers had to select from. Zero high 25 groups performed. A lot of zeroes on the finish of paychecks for assured cash video games. Zero disgrace. Most pleasure!
After going eight months with out soccer something can be thought-about leisure at this level. Networks actually don’t care in regards to the lackluster slate as they should fill their airtime with one thing – therefore we get Northwestern and Nebraska throughout the pond in Eire simply because, and we received to look at the Huskers soften down once more.
The artist previously often known as Week 1: D-
Earlier than we get to the motion that occurred on Saturday….
Placing ‘Spygate’ to disgrace
Maybe the craziest “For those who ain’t dishonest, you ain’t attempting” story of the summer season comes from Jacksonville State (Alabama, not Florida) and head coach Wealthy Rodriguez (so, that’s the place he ended up?!?) claiming their Week 1 opponent, Stephen F. Austin, despatched a spy to get intel on their performs.
Supposedly, SFA assistants had been lurking within the shadows throughout Jacksonville’s Spring Recreation to get the lowdown on RichRod’s offensive schemes. Quick ahead a few months, after the Gamecocks modified the names of their performs and indicators – Rodriguez’s eagle-eyed daughter allegedly noticed a cameraman throughout a latest follow.
Rodriguez then promptly despatched his assistant power coach, a person he says is about 6-foot-7 and 350 kilos, to look the bleachers for the offender. Cue the Benny Hill music. Oh, by the best way, Jacksonville State did not have something to fret about: it beat its allegedly spying opponent 42-17.
On to Davidson: Incomplete
‘Griddy’ newest craze to leap the shark
This one shall be brief and candy. Feast your eyes on Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, making an attempt what seems to be just like the Griddy (a questionable dance in its personal proper) earlier this summer season. It’s not his fault, somebody most likely satisfied him to do it. Additionally, the wardrobe alternative he selected to go away the home in does him no favors.
Dabo off-beat: F
The repair for no web? Free beer.
When followers go to soccer video games, gaining access to web is nearly as required as spending $10 bucks for a beer. Through the first half of the Northwestern-Nebraska recreation at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, the concession distributors bumped into an web downside, which put the bank card machines used to take funds out of fee.
As a substitute of doing nothing and leaving all that foods and drinks to go to waste as a result of they didn’t take money, stadium officers went forward and gave all the things away free of charge, most likely afraid of followers wrecking the joint in the event that they didn’t. Scorching canines, nachos, beer and the rest you’ll be able to consider had been wolfed up by followers. Fortunately, neither of those fan bases are identified for his or her consuming prowess, however then once more, the concessions ended up working out of beer anyway.
Now, simply think about what would occur if the machines went down at an American stadium and followers had been left questioning the place they had been going to get their subsequent sip of brew?
Wallets not allowed: A+
The Canine of the Week
(My identify is Scooby, simply go together with it.)
The Canine of the Week, a brand new phase right here within the Report Card, will go to the sport on the schedule the place you query why it’s being performed, why it’s on tv, why the 2 groups concerned are so dreadful and inept. Merely, the sport that deserves most clowning. If readers wish to ship pics of their very own pups, go proper forward.
Meet mine, named Sutton.
This week’s Canine: Idaho State at UNLV
The one purpose this recreation was performed is the almighty greenback. Idaho State went 1-10 final season and UNLV, armed with the advantage of enjoying in Las Vegas and in an NFL stadium, solely did the Bengals one higher within the win column in 2021. Idaho State acquired $350,000 for its eight-hour journey of distress and 52-21 beatdown, which is greater than sufficient purpose to have the dawg pound shut their eyes when it comes to watchability.
