Fire Dan Hawkins - now, or sooner if possible

This week was already going to be interesting for me, as it has been since I began working in Columbia when South Carolina and Florida cross paths. Now the game's officially for the SEC East championship and what I think will be a much better shot at winning the conference than most will anticipate thanks to LSU beating Alabama over the weekend. I'll spend plenty more time on the Gamecocks and Gators as the week goes on, but here are my thoughts on South Carolina's debacle against Arkansas I wrote up for my friend Chuck Oliver's site. I'll save most Florida thoughts for later, because I was on the air for most of the game and haven't had time to go back and watch anything after the score hit 28-0 during the second quarter. Jordan Reed's reemergence in a significant role at quarterback is certainly an interesting twist. I'm surprised to see Urban Meyer calling for a "blue-out" at Florida Field this week though. Noise bothers players - colors don't. UF's won tons of big games in the Swamp without any cutesy crap like orange jerseys or this stunt - what's with the gimmicks this year?

Lord knows I've ripped Les Miles plenty over the years, and justifiably so. The clock management bumbling and inept use of the tremendous offensive talent at LSU would be grounds for a malpractice suit if there was such a thing for football coaches. Fairness requires that I give the man his due for Saturday's win though. Miles and his coaches finally got the offense working, made some gutsy calls at critical times that worked, and knocked Alabama out of the BCS picture (and likely down to the Capital One Bowl). The fact Miles chooses to eat grass during games is perfect. Of course he does. LSU's quarterback Jordan Jefferson said Miles told him the grass was good protein. Of course he did. Grass = protein. That sums up Miles in so many ways, but he coached a terrific game Saturday.

So, about that FSU program being back and Jimbo Fisher being a genius.... losing to a completely depleted UNC squad at home for the first time ever might cause a few people to reconsider some things they were writing three weeks ago. As awe inspiring as wins over Samford, Wake Forest and Virginia were, perhaps some folks reacted just a little too strongly to the Seminoles beating a mediocre at best Miami team? FSU's had two chance to take control of their division of the ACC and gave them both away. This week they should be able to handle a Clemson team that's playing very poorly right now, but even then they'll need help to reach the title game. At least Bobby Bowden had a good Saturday with his new commercial debuting. Compared to those horrible insurance company ads with the Bowden grill and statue that aired the past couple of years, this spot looks like Oscar material.

Dan Hawkins should have been fired by the time you read this, but he hasn't been. He should have been fired on the field immediately after Colorado blew a 25 point halftime lead against Kansas. To give you an idea of how bad it was to lose to the Jayhawks like this, here are two facts:

1. Colorado has only won two games outside the borders of the state of Colorado since Hawkins took over with the 2006 season - the last win came in Lubbock over Texas Tech in 2007.

2. Despite fact #1, a three win Colorado team was FAVORED in Lawrence over the Jayhawks by eight points.

The Buffs allowed five touchdowns in the fourth quarter to a team that had scored forty points in their last FOUR GAMES COMBINED. The only reason Hawkins hasn't been fired yet is because his son is the only healthy, experienced QB left and the school's apparently afraid he'll quit if they can his dad. That doesn't matter - Hawkins can not be allowed to walk onto Folsom Field as coach again.

Kentucky basketball coach John Calipari got the chance to meet with Warren Buffett last week. When you have the chance to sit down with one of the most renowned investors of this or any time, where better to take him than the KFC buffet? I know Buffett isn't big into fancy restaurants, but surely there's a good local sandwich place in Lexington? Despite the K in the name, KFC really doesn't qualify at this point.