Saturday, December 23, 2006

Here are news and notes from OffshoreInsiders.com
private clipboard. They are compiled from hometown newspapers
and the team’s own press releases.

NFL

Chiefs-Raiders

KCChiefs.com

Both of these former AFL foes are seeking to get back on
the winning track in this Saturday night contest. Kansas
City is attempting to snap a three-game losing streak
after suffering a 20-9 loss in a Sunday night contest at San
Diego (12/17). Meanwhile, Oakland
is currently mired in a seven-game losing streak after suffering a 20-0 setback
vs. St. Louis (12/17). Kansas
City will be attempting to win its eighth straight
contest against a Raiders franchise has never lost eight consecutive games to a
single opponent. Although the Chiefs have won seven straight contests against Oakland,
all of those games have all been decided by six points or less, with KC winning
by an average margin of just 4.7 points per game. Chiefs RB
Larry Johnson has scored the game-winning points with under two minutes
remaining in the fourth-quarter of the last two Chiefs-Raiders match-ups.

KC Star

KC John Welbourn and Dante Hall
returned to practice. Welbourn probably will start at
right tackle against the Raiders.

Sacramento Bee

Starting
quarterback Aaron Brooks sat out practice Thursday morning because of a sore
neck. Raiders coach Art Shell
characterized it as “a little stiff, so there’s some concern.” He listed the
quarterback’s status for Saturday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs as “probable.”

CBB

East
Carolina-South Florida

Sporting News

Last year, South Florida (8-4) made its first bowl
appearance since starting the program from scratch a decade ago, losing 14-0 to
North Carolina State in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. East
Carolina (7-5) hasn’t been back to a bowl since a 64-61,
double-overtime loss to Marshall in
the 2001 GMAC Bowl—which remains the highest scoring bowl game in history. South
Florida grabbed its own measure of respect with a 24-19 upset of
No. 13 West Virginia in its regular-season finale. East Carolina
is 0-3 in Birmingham and has lost
all nine of its games played in the state of Alabama,
including two GMAC Bowl defeats. The Pirates also lost 17-12 earlier this
season at UAB after losing a late fumble inside the
5-yard line.

San Jose State-New Mexico

Observer Online

The Lobos (6-6) are seeking its first bowl victory in 45
years and are playing in their fourth bowl in the past five years. They started
the season with a 2-4 record, including a 17-6 loss to Div.
I-AA Portland State
in the season opener. San Jose State
is playing in its first bowl game since 1990, when they beat Central
Michigan 48-24 in the California Raisin Bowl. The Spartans are 4-3
all-time in bowls, although this is their first postseason appearance outside
the state of California. New
Mexico’s starting quarterback will either be senior
Chris Nelson or redshirt freshman Donovan Porterie.
Head coach Rocky Long said the quarterback who looks the best this week will
get the starting nod. Subbing for an injured Porterie,
Nelson started the final two regular-season games against BYU
and San Diego State;
he has started six times during the 2006 season. Porterie
is expected to be full strength after suffering a sprained left ankle in the
third quarter against TCU on Nov. 11. Porterie won his first three career starts between Oct. 14-28, all in come-from-behind fashion. It’s an
extremely young New Mexico team
that will take the field as just five seniors are definite starters, and that
includes kicker Kenny Byrd. Only nine seniors see significant playing time:
four on offense, four on defense and a kicker.

Utah-Tulsa

Examiner Enterprise

Although not riding the giddy momentum of last year’s
unexpected Conference USA
championship showing, Tulsa still brings
a highly-respectable 8-4 record into the game. The Utes, who hail from the
Mountain West Conference, finished at 7-5. Sizewise,
the teams match up almost dead even in the pit. Utah
averages nearly 300 pounds across its offensive line, going up against a Tulsa
defensive line which weighs out at approximately 293 pounds per man. Tulsa’s
offensive line is just a pound or two bigger per man than the Utes.Tulsa brings in a stronger rushing attack, which may
be the difference in the game.The Golden Hurricane
had rushed for 2,011 yards (167.6 yards per game), and are averaging 4.4 yards
per rush. Utah, on the other
hand, is averaging only 138.4 yards rushing per game. However, the Utes also
boast one of the nation’s best run defenses, allowing just 107.3 yards per
outing. If the Golden Hurricane can mount an effective rushing game against Utah,
it could open up the floodgate for Tulsa’s
passing attack. The Golden Hurricane were ranked 30^th in the nation
in passing, led by junior triggerman Paul Smith. Smith threw for 2,589 yards
while establishing an impressive 143.13 passer efficiency rating.

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