PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Junior safety Jordan Dangerfield, senior fullback Tyler Wharton and freshman running back Terrance West of the Colonial Athletic Association champion Tiger football team have been selected as members of the 63-man College Sports Journal Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-America team, it has been announced by CSJ  officials.

In addition, Towson Coach Rob Ambrose was honored as the FCS Coach of the Year while West was named as the FCS Freshman of the Year.

Junior defensive end Frank Beltre was chosen as an honorable mention pick.

Georgia Southern and national champion North Dakota State topped all teams with four picks each, while Sam Houston State and Towson received three selections.

A first team All-Colonial Athletic Association selection, Dangerfield was also named as an All-ECAC honoree. Despite missing two games with an injury, he led the Tigers with 93 tackles in ten games. Averaging 9.3 tackles per game, he ranked seventh in the CAA. He also ranked second among CAA defensive backs with 93 tackles.

A two-year starter for the Tigers, he also intercepted two passes and tied for the CAA lead with two fumble recoveries. In addition, he also forced a pair of fumbles.

One of the Tiger co-captains, Dangerfield was one of the leaders of the Tigers’ dramatic turnaround in 2011. He led the Tigers in tackles for the second straight year. In 2010, he made 96 tackles in 11 games.  As a freshman, he played at Hofstra University. When Hofstra discontinued its football program, he transferred to Towson.

An outstanding blocker, Wharton earned All-CAA honors for the second year in a row. A third team All-CAA selection this season, he was a key to the Tigers’ terrific running game which led the CAA by averaging 229 yards per game. Wharton was also a very good receiver out of the backfield. He caught 14 passes for 203 yards and scored five touchdowns. A converted linebacker, Wharton was a second team All-CAA selection as a junior.

The winner of the Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman in FCS football, West is a consensus All-American who averaged 117.6 yards per game, second in the CAA and 12th in the nation. He was also named as ECAC Offensive Rookie of the Year and the CAA Offensive Freshman of the Year. A four-time choice as CAA Rookie of the Week, he was also named as the CAA Offensive Player of the Week twice.

While averaging 6.7 yards per carry, he led FCS with 29 touchdowns scored. His 29 touchdowns shattered the school record and represent the fourth-highest single season total in the history of FCS football. In 11 games, he ran for 1,294 yards on 194 carries. He rushed for at least 100 yards in six consecutive games and scored at least two touchdowns in each of his final eight contests. A first team All-CAA pick, West also scored four touchdowns in a game three times.

The winner of the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award, Ambrose directed one of the most dramatic turnarounds at the Division I level in recent memory. After taking over the Tiger program in 2009 and winning just three games in his first two years, the 1993 Towson graduate guided the Tigers to a 9-3 record in 2011.

The Tigers, who entered the season with 26 losses in their last 28 CAA games, won seven of eight CAA contests to claim their first CAA championship. The Tigers had been picked to finish last in the CAA pre-season poll.

The “Turnaround Tigers,” as they were nicknamed, won the Colonial Athletic Association outright and they made the FCS playoffs for the first time. By making their first appearance in the FCS playoffs, Towson became the first school in NCAA history to earn playoff appearances at the Division III, Division II and FCS levels.

The Tigers finished the season as the ninth-ranked team in the nation.

A two-year starter at defensive end, Beltre joined Dangerfield and West as first team All-CAA selections. A starter in 11 of 12 games, he was fourth on the team with 68 tackles. Beltre also led the Tigers with 12 tackles for lost yardage and recorded a team high four quarterback sacks.  Beltre was seventh in the CAA in tackles for lost yardage. In his career, he has made 196 tackles, including 30.5 tackles for lost yardage.

West was also the headline performer on the 40-man All-Freshman Team.

All 14 FCS conferences are represented on the All-America team. The Southern Conference led all leagues with 11 selections, followed by the Colonial Athletic Association with nine, the Missouri Valley Football Conference with eight and the Big Sky Conference with seven.

The All-America and All-Freshman teams were selected by a blue ribbon panel of FCS experts assembled by College Sports Journal executive editor David Coulson and CSJ publisher and managing editor Chuck Burton.

Coulson has 35 years of experience covering college football, including 20 seasons of following FCS and has served as the executive editor and managing partner of College Sporting News and the executive director for The Sports Network, running its national awards program from 2007-2009.

He has had a hand in selecting honors teams at the FCS level since 2002 and is in the process of writing and compiling the first FCS encyclopedia.

Burton has been acclaimed for his Lehigh Football Nation blog and as a national columnist for College Sporting News in the past decade.

2011 College Sports Journal Major Award Winners

Offensive Player of the Year:              Chris Lum, Senior, Quarterback, Lehigh

Defensive Player of the Year:             Adrian Hamilton, Senior, Defensive End, Prairie View

Coach of the Year:                               Rob Ambrose, Towson

Lineman of the Year:                           Tom Compton, Senior, Tackle, South Dakota

Special Teams Player of the Year:       Laron Scott, Senior, Georgia Southern

Freshman of the Year:                         Terrance West, Freshman, Running Back, Towson 

FCS Playoff Most Valuable Player:       Preston Evans, Senior, Linebacker, North Dakota State

Frisco, TX (Sports Network) – Before the season started, Towson was picked to finish last in CAA Football.

However, the Tigers turned the standings upside down this season, putting together a 9-3 record, winning an outright CAA title and hosting a game in the second round of the FCS playoffs.

Having guided his team to new heights, Towson coach Rob Ambrose was honored as the 2011 Eddie Robinson Award recipient, given annually to the FCS Coach of the Year. The Sports Network presents and Fathead.com sponsors the award.

Ambrose is the 25th recipient of the award, which is named for legendary Grambling State head coach Eddie Robinson, the second- winningest coach in Division I history with 408 victories.

Now in his third season as a head coach, it was rocky at first for Ambrose, a Towson alumnus, as his teams struggled to 2-9 and 1-10 finishes in his first two seasons.

“You have to get to a point where you can actually discuss winning, and it took two years before that could even be a conversation,” Ambrose said. “The first time I walked out on the field against a CAA team and looked at my guys versus another CAA team, we looked like a JV team, and I’m thinking ‘My gosh, this is terrible.’”

This season, winning was finally part of the discussion, as the Tigers went 5-2 against teams ranked in The Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Top 25 and reeled off three different three-game winning streaks. Towson hadn’t had a three-game winning streak since 2006.

Ambrose appeared on 110 of the 132 ballots and received 59 first-place votes, edging out Sam Houston State’s Willie Fritz.

Ambrose is the fourth coach from the CAA (formerly the Atlantic 10 and Yankee Conference) to win the Eddie Robinson Award, and the first since James Madison coach Mickey Matthews was honored in 2008.

Eddie Robinson Award Voting……..1st….2nd….3rd….4th….5th….Total

1. Rob Ambrose, Towson………….59…..25……9…..14……3…..453

2. Willie Fritz, Sam Houston St….40…..29…..25…..13……7…..424

3. Bobby Wilder, Old Dominion…….7…..15…..24…..13…..17…..210

4. Craig Bohl, North Dakota State…2…..13……9…..11…..16…..127

5. Pete Adrian, Norfolk State…….7……5……6……9…..14…..105

6. Andy Coen, Lehigh…………….3……7…..10…..10……3……96

7. Kevin Kelly, Georgetown……….2……8……7…..12……8……95

8. Jeff Monken, Georgia Southern….2……5……9…..11……7……86

9. Watson Brown, Tennessee Tech…..4……5……4……8……9……77

10. Tim Murphy, Harvard…………..1……6……5……0……9……53

11. Chuck Priore, Stony Brook……..0……2……4……7……7……41

12. Anthony Jones, Alabama A&M…….2……2……2……4……4……36

13. Bob Ford, Albany……………..1……2……4……4……2……35

14. Nigel Burton, Portland State…..0……1……4……4……2……26

15. Robin Pflugrad, Montana……….1……1……2……3……4……25

16. Chris Mussman, North Dakota……0……1……2……1…..10……22

17. Gary Harrell, Howard………….0……3……0……3……2……20

18. Clint Conque, Central Arkansas…0……1……1……3……4……17

19. Ron Garagher, San Diego……….1……1……2……0……1……16

20. Chris Creighton, Drake………..0……0……3……1……3……14

21. *Jack Cosgrove, Maine…………0……0……0……1……0…….2

* – Write-in vote.

Voting points on 5-4-3-2-1 basis.

Frisco, TX (Sports Network) – It was a season that almost wasn’t for Towson freshman running back Terrance West, as he nearly redshirted and sat out the first game of the season.

ROB AMBROSE AND TOWSON ATHLETICS AGREE TO MULTI-YEAR EXTENSION

2011 CAA Coach of the Year to remain with Tigers through 2016 season

TOWSON, Md. - Towson University head football coach Rob Ambrose has agreed to an extension to his current agreement that will see him coach the Tigers through the 2016 season, Director of Athletics Mike Waddell announced today.

“Rob and his staff are building a strong foundation that will give our football program an opportunity to sustain success over the long term,” said Waddell. “The 2011 season has energized our campus with a swell of Towson pride and as we move into a new year that will only continue to build. Our student-athletes are achieving on the field, in the classroom and represent our university in the community as we drive to establish ourselves as Baltimore’s college football team. It takes time to build a football program and after three years, Rob’s leadership has put us ahead of schedule in many aspects.”

“First of all, it is an honor to get an extension and a new five-year contract,” said Ambrose, a 1993 Towson graduate. “As a football coach, I have always wanted to have some stability for myself and my family.  The commitment from Towson University is outstanding. My commitment to this university and the Towson University community is strong and very meaningful to my family. I am grateful to Towson for their confidence in our staff and the direction that our football program is moving.  I am confident that we can win a national championship at Towson as everyone is showing a strong commitment to create a positive environment across the board.”

In his third season as the head coach at Towson, Ambrose led the “Turnaround Tigers” to their first Colonial Athletic Association championship. The most improved team in NCAA FCS football in 2011, the Tigers posted a 9-3 record this past season, a vast improvement over the 1-10 mark they had in 2010. The Tigers went from an 0-8 mark in the CAA last year to 7-1 this year, winning the championship outright while beating six nationally ranked opponents over the balance of the campaign.

In recent weeks, Ambrose was named the 2011 CAA Coach of the Year and the WNST Radio Baltimore Sportsperson of the Year. The Tigers’ head coach was also selected as one of the five Regional Coaches of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).  Ambrose is a finalist for the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award, the AFCA National Coach of the Year Award and the Liberty Mutual National Coach of the Year Award.

When the eighth-ranked Tigers qualified for the NCAA FCS playoffs, they became the first team ever to go to the NCAA post-season at the Division III, the Division II and the FCS levels.

Coach Ambrose was born on July 30, 1970 in Skokie, Illinois. He and his wife, the former Melissa Grady, are the parents of two children, Grace (11) and Riley (8).  Ambrose is the son of Tim Ambrose, one of the most successful high school football coaches in the state of Maryland. He was the head football coach and Athletics Director at Middletown High School for 31 years.

– TowsonTigers.com –

There are only a few qualifications for WNST’s annual “Local Sports Person of the Year” award.

First, the person must be local. They must be an athlete, coach or front office member for a pro, college or high school team in the state of Maryland. Individual sport athletes who represent the state of Maryland also qualify.

Second, the person must stand out from other people over the course of the 12 calendar months. The accomplishments of that individual must be comparable to if not greater than the accomplishments of others in the area.

And finally, that person’s year must stand out from other years during their tenure/career in the area.

With those qualifications in mind it wasn’t difficult to determine candidates for the honor in 2011. Baltimore Ravens LB Terrell Suggs & RB Ray Rice, Former University of Maryland Terrapins basketball coach Gary Williams, University of Maryland lacrosse coach John Tillman and Kentucky Derby winning Shackleford trainer Graham Motion all seemed to be quality candidates.

In the end, determining a winner wasn’t particularly difficult.

Rob Ambrose arrived as the head football coach at Towson University with an introductory press conference in January 2009. At that introductory press conference, Ambrose boldly called for everyone connected to the Tigers to get on board with a program that hadn’t finished with more than seven overall wins or an above .500 record in conference play since the turn of the century.

“This is for everyone in the room and everyone watching and everyone that is going to read about this in the newspaper. This is not about me – not at all. It’s about the players in this room and it’s about all of you. It’s about all of the people outside this room – the community and the faculty and the fans and the students and the rest of the state that hasn’t figured it out yet. It’s our job to take this program and make it the program that we know it can be and know that it is supposed to be and it’s about time. So, tell your friends and your neighbors and your buddies. Call them all up. They’re invited. They’re all invited to this beautiful new house (Johnny Unitas® Stadium) and let’s turn this thing around and win some ball games.”

Through his first two seasons, any progress made in the football program wasn’t particularly apparent to the general public. Ambrose’s Tigers compiled a 3-19 record over those trying seasons and it was hard to imagine Ambrose was really making progress at his alma mater.

But something strange happened when I bumped into Rob Ambrose at CAA Media Day this summer at M&T Bank Stadium. Ambrose (and everyone around the Towson football program) was talking about word they hadn’t used much during the two previous seasons.

That word was “winning”. It had nothing to do with Charlie Sheen. I’ll let Coach Ambrose describe it himself…

You know how it works. 15 positive football observations, 7 “not so” positive football observations and one “oh no” moment from outside the world of football.

(As a reminder, we don’t do Baltimore Ravens analysis here. We do PLENTY of that elsewhere. This is about the rest of the world of football.)

15 Positive Observations…

1. I just looked away for a second. How many more touchdowns did Drew Brees throw for while I was gone?

It was five during the New Orleans Saints’ win over the Minnesota Vikings and it was clinical. Have a look…

Two of them went to wide receiver Lance Moore, who REALLY wants to be a part of next season’s “Dancing With The Stars”…

I like it. I also like Darren Sproles. In this country we enjoy the success of very small people in football and very large people in football. I did a study about that last night. I asked myself.

By the way, Brees’ performance came a week after doing Sesame Street. Can we now send Joe Flacco there this week?

As far as the Vikes go, it will all be over in about two weeks. That’s all I can say.

2. The Seattle Seahawks have the look of a “team you don’t want to face in January.”

The good news (for NFC teams) is that it would take a miracle for them to get in, even after their win over the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field Sunday. They’re two games out of both Wild Card spots with just two games to go.

Bears WR Johnny Knox suffered a horrific injury in the loss that I’ll only post again because I know he’s okay…

Holy hell.

Marshawn Lynch ran for two TD’s. Could’ve used a second TD last week when I was still alive in my fantasy football playoffs, but that’s okay pal. You probably didn’t know.

Next year I’ll send you a letter in advance.

3. I’m sure someone won the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl but I was much too busy staring at the awesome logo to notice.

When the University of Maryland was sentenced accepted to Boise a few years ago they played in something known as the Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl. Other than Da’Rel Scott absolutely going off in a win over Colin Kaepernick and Nevada, it was rather lame.

And while “Famous Idaho Potato Bowl” might sound a bit goofier than “Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl”, only one bowl game includes chives in the logo…

4. Pat Angerer doesn’t just have a great name, he’s also a hell of a football player.

12 tackles and then both an interception and a forced fumble in the 4th quarter for the LB as the Indianapolis Colts FINALLY got in the win column against the Tennessee Titans. But the highlight of the day belonged to RB Donald Brown for THIS TD run…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQzRaONUXLo

Dan Orlovsky is absolutely NOT a good quarterback, but I have no reason to think he isn’t a good guy. I guess for that reason I’m happy he didn’t have go winless again. Of course his success was part of the reason Randy Edsall was able to get to College Park so maybe I should immediately take that back.

5. With Todd Haley gone, I feel as though I can actually be happy for the Kansas City Chiefs with their win over the Green Bay Packers.

Romeo Crennel may have clinched the permanent KC job as Tamba Hali crushed Aaron Rodgers to help the Chiefs hand the Packers their first loss in A YEAR. It was enough to make the Chiefs get all Gatorade bath-ey…

…the Packers looked vulnerable, but they also played with a VERY banged up O-Line. Unlike here in Charm City, perhaps this team could actually lose a loss before making a playoff run.

6. The Maryland Terrapins actually got some good news Friday. I hesitate in writing this because I’m afraid bad news will come before this gets posted.

I’m not even referring to the news that OC Gary Crowton had been “reassigned” within the athletic department. I’m taking about the fact that Kenny Tate and others were given an extra year of eligibility.

Speaking of the Terps, I saw something amazing Saturday. You knew we’d get to the Tim Tebow sketch on Saturday Night Live eventually, but I’m going to go to it here. Mostly because I noticed that former Terp Lance Ball had his name in the background. How freaking awesome is that?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul2dhNaQgxM

Good for Lance.

7. Todd Bowles will forever be able to describe himself as a winning National Football League head coach.

Which is nice, because I’m not certain Bowles is going to be on any short lists to get gigs in the future. That being said, his Miami Dolphins beat the Buffalo Bills Sunday so he’ll always have that going for him.

Reggie Bush ran for over 200 yards in the Phins’ win, but was penalized for doing what ANYONE ELSE WOULD HAVE DONE after scoring a TD when it was snowing…

200 yards for Reggie Bush. Do we live in some sort of alternate universe???

TOWSON, Md. – Coming off a thrilling 2011 season in which they were the most-improved team in NCAA Division I football and won their first Colonial Athletic Association championship, Coach Rob Ambrose and the Tiger football team will play a challenging 11-game schedule next season.

Highlighting the Tigers’ non-conference schedule are visits to Kent State and Louisiana State, a pair of NCAA FBS programs. Towson has played one NCAA FBS opponent in the last four seasons, including Navy (2008), Northwestern (2009), Indiana (2010) and Maryland (2011). But, this will be the first time that Towson has played two in the same season.

The Tigers will be playing four of their five home games under the lights with 7 p.m. kickoffs. The home finale on Nov. 10 against Rhode Island will be played at 3:30 p.m.

Towson opens its 2012 season by facing Kent State University at Dix Stadium in Kent, Ohio on Saturday, Sept. 1. A member of the Mid-American Conference, Kent State came on strong at the end of the 2011 season, winning four of its last five games to finish the season with a 5-7 overall record. Kent State finished third in the MAC’s Eastern Division with a 4-4 record.

Three weeks after opening their season at Kent State, the Tigers will travel to Baton Rouge, La. to take on perennial national power Louisiana State in legendary Tiger Stadium. When the Towson Tigers face LSU on Sept. 29, LSU could be the defending BCS national champion. Currently ranked No. 1 in the nation, LSU is 13-0 and plays Alabama for the national title on Jan. 9 in New Orleans.

Towson, which averaged 8,949 fans per home game in 2011, opens its home schedule on Saturday, Sept. 15 by hosting William and Mary in its CAA opener at 7 p.m. at Johnny Unitas® Stadium. A week later, on Saturday, Sept. 22, the Tigers entertain St. Francis (Pa.) in a non-conference home game.

After the Tigers’ trip to LSU on Sept. 29, they return to CAA action when they visit James Madison University on Oct. 6. The Tigers and the Dukes were two of the five CAA teams that went to the NCAA FCS Playoffs in 2011. On Oct. 13, the Tigers host Maine in another CAA contest. Maine was the CAA runner-up to Towson in 2011.

On Oct. 20, the Tigers host Old Dominion in another 7 p.m. start at Unitas Stadium.

After the game against ODU, Towson will be on the road for the next two weeks, going to Villanova on Oct. 27 and then to regional rival Delaware on Nov. 3.

The Tigers, who will be seeking their second straight NCAA FCS Playoff berth, close out their home schedule on Nov. 10 when they host Rhode Island at 3:30 p.m. The regular season comes to an end on Nov. 17 when the Tigers visit New Hampshire.

The NCAA FCS playoffs start on Nov. 24.

Fans that renew or place a $25 deposit for new season tickets before Dec. 31, 2011 will be able to lock in 2011 season ticket prices for the 2012 season. Tickets can be ordered online at www.TowsonTigers.com or by calling the Athletics Ticket Office at 1-855-TU-TIGER.

The Tigers have 44 letter winners returning next season from a team that was ranked No. 8 in the nation in the final FCS poll. Led by a pair of all-CAA first-team selections, defensive end Frank Beltre (left) and safety Jordan Dangerfield, the Tigers have nine starters returning on defense.

Offensively, Towson has eight returning starters, including Terrance West, a first-team all-CAA running back who was named as the CAA’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. Left tackle Eric Pike, a third-team all-CAA selection, is one of four returning starters on the offensive line. 

A finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award as the FCS Coach of the Year and the CAA Coach of the Year, Ambrose is returning for his fourth season as the Tigers’ coach. Honored as the AFCA Region 1 Coach of the Year, he is also a finalist for the AFCA Coach of the Year award.

2012 TOWSON UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

* Colonial Athletic Association games

TOWSON, Md. – Freshman tailback Terrance West of Towson University has been named as a second team selection on the NCAA FCS All-American team selected by Associated Press.

West, a first team All-Colonial Athletic Association honoree, was also honored as the CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year. One of the leading candidates for the Jerry Rice Award as the top freshman in NCAA FCS, West is the only freshman on the A.P. All-American teams.

A first-year freshman, West helped the “Turnaround Tigers” post a 9-3 record and win the Colonial Athletic Association championship this season. The Tigers, who had a 1-10 record in 2010, were the most improved Division I team in the nation as they earned their first-ever NCAA FCS playoff berth.

The second-leading rusher in the CAA, West ran for 1,294 yards in 11 games. He was 12^th in NCAA FCS with 117.6 rushing yards per game. West ran for 1,294 yards on only 194 carries, an impressive 6.7 average per carry.

A four-time selection as the CAA Rookie of the Week, West was also honored as the CAA Offensive Player of the Week twice. He ran for more than 100 yards in six different games and had a career high 261 yards on 23 carries in the Tigers’ 56-42 win over New Hampshire on Nov. 12.

West, who led NCAA FCS with 29 touchdowns scored, recorded at least two touchdowns in the final eight games of the year. He scored four touchdowns in three different games.

He shattered the Towson University single season record for touchdowns scored with his 29 TD’s. He also broke the NCAA FCS record for freshmen with 29 touchdowns. In fact, his 29 touchdowns represent the third-highest single season total in FCS history, a mark that has been topped by Omar Cuff of Delaware (35, 2007) and Kevin Richardson of Appalachian State (30, 2006). West matched the 29 touchdowns scored by Jamaal Branch of Colgate in 2003.

West is one of eight CAA players who were named to the Associated Press FCS All-America teams.

You know how it works. 15 positive football observations, 7 “not so” positive football observations and one “oh no” moment from outside the world of football.

(As a reminder, we don’t do Baltimore Ravens analysis here. We do PLENTY of that elsewhere. This is about the rest of the world of football.)

15 Positive Observations…

1. I’d use new terms to describe Tim Tebow’s most recent comeback win but I don’t own a thesaurus.

Drew Forrester, Nestor Aparicio had a late celebratory dinner with our fantastic attorney Sunday night at Fogo De Chao. As I walked in, I said to Drew “is Tebow going to do it again?” He responded “nah…it’s like 10-0 at the end of the game.”

I responded “um…actually it’s 10-7.”

Within moments we were all doing this…

So that I’ve covered myself here, a LOT of credit for the Denver Broncos’ win over the Chicago Bears has to be given to the fact that Marion Barber absolutely fell apart late and Matt Prater’s UNREAL game-tying boot. In fact, Prater’s boot was so incredible it deserves another look…

Just stop already. Just stop. Frank Reich might want to go ahead and make the congratulatory call to Tebow, because you KNOW “The Mile High Messiah” is going to eventually break his record for the greatest comeback in National Football League history.

As far as the Bears go, it’s over for them. You have to have a quarterback. It would be over in Charm City if Tyrod Taylor had to play.

That is…of course…ENOUGH about the Bears. Tim Tebow played Sunday. We’ll be talking about it until next Sunday.

2. My gut tells me it can’t last, but it’s hard to not feel good for the Houston Texans right now.

Perhaps I was wrong. Maybe you DON’T have to have a quarterback. Maybe T.J. Yates is enough…

With Andre Johnson sidelined, Kevin Walter was the hero. I’m so confused by everything happening here. I know the other teams barely tried, but aren’t the Texans supposed to screw this up so that these t-shirts are never printed???

A large crowd welcomed the AFC South champs back to Reliant Stadium Saturday night. No word on whether or not they had all sent Peyton Manning Thank You cards or not.

3. While Navy’s win Saturday over Army was the closest margin in years, it makes their dominance no less impressive.

Even if I had to make a trip to Landover and that AWFUL dump known as FedEx Field, it was worth it for Army/Navy.

My highlight this year? The press box (which Dan Snyder and company placed in the WORST possible location otherwise) was directly behind the brigade of Midshipmen, allowing me to hear every word of “The Goat is Old and Gnarly.”

If you’re not an Annapolis regular, you might not be familiar. Here’s a 4 year old singing it…

The Mids were 27-21 winners thanks to 4th quarter heroics from kicker Jon Teague. The game (as always) was “more than football”. Commander-in-Chief Barack Obama attended, watching one half of the game on each side. At halftime, he was walked from side to side through a tunnel formed by members of each branch. The word “goosebumps” fits.

4. With their season perhaps on the line, Matt Ryan & the Atlanta Falcons really manned up Sunday.

Down 23-7 at the half and watching their Wild Card hopes crumble, the Falcons became energized and clinched a win with this 75 yard TD to Julio Jones…

After finishing the win over the Carolina Panthers, the Falcons had quite the scare when coach Mike Smith felt chest pains and was taken off the team flight and instead to a Charlotte hospital. When reached for comment, Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger described Smith as a “pansy.”

5. I warned you a week ago. The San Diego Chargers are still dangerous.

Crap. Crap crap crap.

The Bolts are pretty healthy and playing really well just in time for a date with the Ravens on Sunday Night Football. Phillip Rivers is playing well. Vincent Jackson is playing well. Ryan Matthews is playing well. Antonio Gates is playing well. They kept their slim playoff hopes alive while ruining any hopes the Buffalo Bills had Sunday.

Crap.

WNST will be in San Diego next weekend, partnering with Los Angeles Ravens fan club The West Wing. That means Perry Hall High School alum Daniela Pane will be in the house…

It’s a shame she has to compete with me every year for the “most popular alum” award. Otherwise she’d probably have it nailed down.

(Also-I know flights aren’t cheap…but…you know…)

6. Robert Griffin III’s run to the Heisman Trophy was one of the more improbable in the history of the award.

Before the season began-what, maybe 10% of college football fans could name the Baylor Bears quarterback? Just before Christmas, RG3 has not only won the sports’ highest honor, he’s also started a craze in footwear…

Superman socks. Actually quite awesome. Everyone else is so much cooler than me.

7. For as much as everyone thinks the Greg Jennings injury will hurt the Green Bay Packers, I just don’t get that feeling.

There were a handful of goofs who thought the Oakland Raiders could give the Packers a run for their money. Here are some highlights-or at least the best I could find on YouTube…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bbtul3e5l60

If Greg Jennings really does have a torn ACL, the Packers are hurting. But this is a team that has Aaron Rodgers, Jermichael Finley, Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson, James Jones, ah you get the point. They’re going undefeated and they’re probably going to win the Super Bowl.

Have a Happy Monday!

BOSTON – December 6, 2011 – Coaches across the country have spent the entire college football season preparing themselves and readying their teams to take the field each game day.  However, for five Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) coaches, their guidance and leadership extends well beyond the playing field, leaving lasting impressions on the players they mentor and the communities they reach.  Liberty Mutual Insurance today announced Towson University Head Football Coach Rob Ambrose one of five FCS finalists for the 2011 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award, the leading college football-coaching honor that celebrates coaches for their sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility and excellence, and for giving back to their teams, schools and communities, on and off field.

The five finalists were determined as a result of online fan voting atwww.CoachoftheYear.com and through an objective scoring model endorsed by the College Football Hall of Fame.  Each coach was among the top 15 in fan votes in FCS to qualify for the model, which considers, among other criteria: wins, team penalties, on-field sportsmanship, academic achievement by the student-athletes, and commitment to charitable endeavors.  Voting continues through December 22 atwww.coachoftheyear.com to help determine the 2011 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year winners.

“College football fans clearly recognize Coach Ambrose as one of the game’s true leaders, and we agree he is an excellent finalist for the 2011 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award,” said Greg Gordon, Liberty Mutual senior vice president, Consumer Marketing.  “Each year, we ask fans to vote for the coaches who best exemplify the award’s characteristics – sportsmanship, integrity, responsibility and excellence, on and off the field.  Coach Ambrose does just that, through his success on game days, as well as providing leadership to his student-athletes and commitment to the greater Towson University community.”

Joining Coach Ambrose among the five FCS finalists for the 2011 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award are, in alphabetical order: Rob Ash, Montana State University; Tom Gilmore, College of the Holy Cross (Mass.); Jerry Moore, Appalachian State University (N.C.); and Chris Mussman, University of North Dakota.

Help Celebrate Coach Ambrose and Vote Him a Winner – Visit at Coachoftheyear.com

Fans can visit www.CoachoftheYear.com between December 6 and December 22 to vote daily among the finalists in each division.  Selection committees of more than 50 College Football Hall of Fame players and coaches – including Archie Manning, Lou Holtz, Vince Dooley, Ronnie Lott, Archie Griffin – and the national college football media, such as Kirk Herbstreit, Stewart Mandel and Tim Brando, will also cast votes for the winners to ensure coaches are evaluated fairly and measured against the specific values of responsibility and integrity.  Winners are ultimately determined using the following voting weight:  fans, 20 percent; College Football Hall of Fame, 55 percent; and college football media, 25 percent.

Liberty Mutual will announce the four winners the morning of the BCS Championship game, January 9, 2012, in New Orleans.  If Coach Ambrose is named 2011 Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year for FCS, he will receive $50,000 to donate to the charities of his choice and a $20,000 grant to his school’s alumni association.  Since 2006, the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award has celebrated the work of 17 winning coaches by donating more than $1.2 million to over 80 charities and college alumni scholarship funds across the country.  Former Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year FCS winners include: K.C. Keeler, University of Delaware (2010); Jerry Moore, Appalachian State (2009); Mickey Matthews, James Madison University (2008); and Jerry Kill, Southern Illinois University (2007).

Towson University fans also can join the conversation on Facebook by visiting www.Facebook.com/LMCoachofYear or on Twitter, @LMCoachofYear.

About Liberty Mutual Insurance

“Helping people live safer, more secure lives” since 1912, Boston-based Liberty Mutual Group is a diversified global insurer and the third largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on A.M. Best Company’s report of 2010 net written premium.  The Group also ranks 82^nd on the Fortune 500 list of largest U.S. corporations, based on 2010 revenue.  The company has over 45,000 employees located in more than 900 offices throughout the world.

The eighth-largest auto and home insurer in the U.S., Liberty Mutual Insurance (libertymutual.com) sells full lines of coverage for automobile, homeowners, valuable possessions, personal liability, and individual life insurance.  The company is an industry leader in affinity partnerships, offering car and home insurance to employees and members of more than 13,500 companies, credit unions, professional associations and alumni groups.

About the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame

Founded in 1947 with early leadership from General Douglas MacArthur, legendary Army coach Earl “Red” Blaik and immortal journalist Grantland Rice, The National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame is a non-profit educational organization that runs programs designed to use the power of amateur football in developing scholarship, citizenship and athletic achievement in young people. With 121 chapters and 12,000 members nationwide, NFF programs include the College Football Hall of Fame, the NFF Scholar-Athlete Awards, presented by Fidelity Investments, Play It Smart, the NFF Hampshire Honor Society, the NFF National Scholar-Athlete Alumni Association, and scholarships of more than $1.3 million for college and high school scholar-athletes. The NFF presents the MacArthur Bowl, the William V. Campbell Trophy, endowed by HealthSouth, and releases the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) Standings. For more information, please visit www.footballfoundation.org.