Uncle A-Hole & Uncle D-Weed

http://www.rivalryrage.com/ Stephen aka Dr. Smack talks about his punk uncles as they ski in some unbelievable powder in Colorado.

Philly Trash Talk

http://www.rivalryrage.com/ Dr. Smack is here to introduces some superstar NFL guru's to the show. Be sure and check out The Mole & Meares Show at all the below links.

http://www.moleandmeares.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/meares78
http://www.facebook.com/mole.n.meares
http://twitter.com/#!/moleandmeares

North Carolina vs Duke - Biggest Rival In Sports?

Rivalry Rage.com is here to give a tribute in honor of the greatest rivalry in all of sports...North Carolina vs Duke.

Final Four Picks? Who Knows

Here we are, with only about 6 weeks remaining in College Basketball with “the best team in the country” still under debate. First you had duke at #1...then Ohio State, and then Kansas…now it’s back to duke…but is any one of those teams the best team in the country?

This is turning out to be one of those unpredictable years once again, and I think it’s safe to say that anyone in the top 20 has a chance at making it to the Final Four. Some teams look unstoppable at times, and then those same teams get beat by someone you never would have guessed had a chance.

Sure, this is what makes it fun to watch every year, but with players leaving early the way they do these days, and most players only caring to impress the NBA scouts, this is probably something we’d better get used to for a very long time.

So who are your Final Four picks…do you have any idea or are you like me? I mean picking the Final Four teams at this point is pretty much a lost cause…however, I’m going to go ahead and give you my current picks for the 2011 Final Four…Kansas, Ohio State, Texas and BYU. Then again who the freak knows? Either way it promises to be yet another exciting March in College hoops, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for us all this year.

Sweet Lord in heaven, just please don’t let the dookies do anything special again this year…….


Stephen Bethea aka “Dr. Smack” – Rivalry Rage, Inc.

Krzyzewski Passes Smith…But Still Not At The Summit

Sometimes you have to do and say things you really don’t want to, and this is one of those times…

If any of you follow anything I have to say about Dook or coach k, you know that I’m not a big fan...never have been and never will be, and I’ll save my reasons for another time. Anyway…last night mike krzyzewski moved into 2nd place on the NCAA men’s college basketball all time wins list leaving behind his long time rival, Dean Smith.

coach k has 880 wins and is now only 22 wins away from becoming #1 on the list and passing his long time mentor and former coach, Bobby Knight. However, when he does pass ol’ Bobby, he’ll only be moving into #1 in “men’s” college basketball…it is very unlikely that the 63 year old Dook coach will ever pass the 58 year old Pat Summit who is currently at 1044 wins with 8 national championships and showing no signs of retiring.

Either way, coach k has passed the beloved former UNC coach and without a doubt gives all of Dook nation something to talk trash about and all of Tar Heel nation something to cry about.

So for all that, I say congratulations coach k, you’ve had an amazing career and I’m sure when it’s all said and done it will be even more amazing…assuming you don’t leave the game due to a freak back injury or something…


Stephen Bethea aka “Dr. Smack” – Rivalry Rage, Inc.

Greene Devils Have Finally FINISHED!!

It was cold and raining as we stood on Main Street in downtown Greeneville, to send off the Greeneville Greene Devils as they were bound for Cookeville, Tennessee for the TSSAA state championship game...a game they made it to for the first time in school history just last year.

But something was different this year...you could almost sense it in the air as the team drove by in their bus. This team was prepared like never before; they were focused like never before; they were disciplined like never before; and they were determined like never before, to win a state championship. As the Greene Devils ran out onto the field for the first time before the big game, you could instantly tell that they were not going to lose this game.

The Devils jumped out to an early 7-0 lead just 3 ½ minutes into the game...5 minutes later the score became 14-0. The Devils never let up and never looked back. At the half, the Devils had a 35-6 lead over the Trezevant High School Bears.

This was a game that got out of hand on so many levels, but while the Bears got out of hand with one personal foul after another, taunting, and near fights with players from Greeneville High, the Greene Devils stayed focused and unmoved by the Bears unsportsmanlike conduct. Not once did I see a Greeneville player react in a way the Bears were hoping for…I mean after all, the Devils were not there to taunt the opposing team with their mouths or their body language, and they were not there for a fist fight. Coach Caine Ballard had his team focused on one thing, and if there was any taunting to be displayed, or trash to be spoken, it was delivered through the beat down they put on the Bears. The Bears ended the game with 16 penalties for 129 yards.

The Devils continued to dominate this game in the second half on both sides of the field, and in the end, the Greene Devils of Greeneville High School won their first ever TSSAA football state championship. Final score…Bears 12. Greene Devils 60.

After the game Coach Ballard said, “It would have taken the Pittsburgh Steelers or somebody to deny us this time. Our kids came out ready to play. It was a tremendous effort.”

The Greene Devils also set a single season record for the most points ever scored by a Tennessee high school. All they needed in this game was 46 points, and they scored 60 to end their season with 748 points. The previous record was set at 733.

QB Willie Carmichael aka “Mr. Football” ended the game with 47 yards passing and two touchdowns; he also went for 80 yards rushing with one touchdown on 13 carries. Perhaps even more impressive and the reason behind ol’ Willie becoming Mr. Football, is the fact that he caught three interceptions in this game while on defense, and earned himself the defensive Most Valuable Player of the game.

In case you’re wondering why Carmichael only threw for 47 yards (that’s not a whole lot of passing yards for anyone, especially Mr. Football), here’s why…BJ SPRADLIN!! Spradlin carried the ball 31 times and rushed for an insane 235 yards and three touchdowns to earn himself the offensive Most Valuable Player of the game.

What an amazing season for the Greene Devils to say the least. They ended the season 15-0. Coach Ballard said that last year’s title-game loss to Giles County doesn’t seem so bad now and, “That gold ball sitting there will make that silver ball feel a whole lot better.”


Congratulations to Greeneville High School for finishing and finishing big! They got the job done and did so with class. It’s something that will never be forgotten by this team and the whole town Greeneville. I know I’ll never forget it and will always consider myself privileged to have been there to witness it.


Click HERE for our tribute video to the Devils.

GO big GREENE!!!


Stephen Bethea aka “Dr. Smack” – Rivalry Rage, Inc.

Duke Needs UNC...And Help From The Planets

In case you haven’t heard already, Duke’s basketball is the preseason #1 and the favorite to win it all again this year…and although it’s hard for me to totally disagree with that, that’s assuming the stars align themselves again this year as they did last year. I know that’s what makes the tournament so special, but come on people, Duke was not the nation’s best team last year, and they better be glad that college basketball is not set up like college football, or they would not have even been in the championship game. Duke had the easiest road to the Final Four of any team in the tournament, and then they played Butler in the title game, who was merely inches away from beating the all mighty dookies? It just amazes me that in an obvious down year Duke is put in the easiest side of the bracket you could hope for…and because of that they won, which set them up to be ranked #1 and favored to win it all again this year? We will see…but until then, I have something else to rant about.

If I hear about Mike Krzyzewski taking his team to 11 Final Fours and how great of an accomplishment that is one more time I think I might just set something on fire!! Durham perhaps! :) But seriously, you can argue that Coach K is one of the greatest coaches ever, especially since he takes mediocre teams and makes them “ACC Champs” time and time again, but making it to 11 Final Fours and only winning the national title 4 times is not all that great…is it? That means he’s lost the damn thing 7 freaking times! All I know is Mike freaking Krzyzewski better do more than make it to the Final Four this year with this so called all star team, or else that will be 8 freaking times he’s lost in that glorious Final Four he makes it to oh so many times.

Okay so I’m hopping off my soap box now.

Does Duke have a great basketball program? You bet they do!! Do they have one of college basketball’s greatest coaches ever? Yes again!! But let us not forget about the little university 8 miles down the road that help put those dookies on the basketball map. Without those Tarheels the dookies would be nothing, of course you could argue that those Tarheels would be nothing without those dookies as well. Duke has had a basketball program since 1905 with an all time record of 1914-822. They also had a 5 year head start on the UNC basketball program, but still trails in all time wins. The UNC basketball program started in 1910 and their all time record is 2004-718. UNC leads the series between the two teams 130-99.

The bottom line is that I don’t like Duke, never have, and never will. But, I also realize that the two teams (as much as they hate one another) are deeply connected, and both would be less successful if the other didn’t exist. Let us all prepare ourselves as we await the battle between good and evil…it promises to be a lot different on Tobacco Road this year.

And, will dook win the title again this year? Sure they can, but only if the planets align themselves perfectly yet again…


Stephen Bethea aka “Dr. Smack” – Rivalry Rage, Inc.

Louis Oosthuizen: Another South African Hero

In a year when a European team won the World Cup in South Africa, a South African man named Louis Oosthuizen won the European's most prized golf championship, The British Open, on golf’s most hallowed ground, St. Andrews.

Again last week, many of us watched and wondered what Tiger was going to do. Was he going to lose his 9th straight major or was he going to finally break through and win at his most favorite place in the world? According to some analyst, he was going to have to win if he was ever going to make a final move on Jack Nicklaus’ 18 majors. Personally, I sure thought this was Tiger’ weekend and felt pretty confident that he would win his 15th major at the Old Course. Again, I was wrong (for the 3rd straight time, but who's counting?). :)

I truly believe Tiger will find his game again, and also believe that he may just be better than ever when he does find his game. But maybe, just maybe, even if Tiger had been on his game this weekend and playing like the Tiger of old would it have been enough to beat the determined 27 year old Oosthuizen? I say no, even though I am a Tiger fan and usually not a fan of a "no name" player like Oosthuizen winning a major championship. I now see that this one was possibly meant to happen. After taking the lead in the second round, Oosthuizen never looked back. I believed he would fall apart as I’m sure you may have also as so many do on those final two days.

But not Louis...he stayed focused and determined to be yet another South African hero. His first comments, after winning the 150th Open Championship was not about him or his game or what he had just done, but rather he wished former South African president Nelson Mandela a happy 92nd birthday. Mandela’s 92nd birthday, Oosthuizen’s first major and the mother of all majors all on the same day…coincidence? I don’t think so. I mean after all, Mandela has been known to inspire an entire Rugby team to win a little tournament called the World Cup. :)

Stephen Bethea aka “Dr. Smack” – Rivalry Rage, Inc.

Giving up the Grand Slam ball

So there we were...New Bridge Bank Park in Greensboro, North Carolina for the ACC Baseball tournament. The Smack Pack and I were there to shoot a weekly video and to promote Rivalry Rage, and of course to watch a little baseball.

12th seed Boston College was taking on the 4th seeded Miami Hurricanes. Boston College took an early lead in the bottom of the first inning making the score 2 – 0, then scored 2 more runs in the bottom of the 5th to give themselves a 4 run lead. The Hurricanes bounced back in the top of the 6th with 4 runs to tie things up! Both teams went on to score a run a piece in the 8th inning, heading into the top of the 9th all square at 5 – 5.

In the top of the 9th the Hurricanes scored 1 run making it 6 – 5 before loading the bases for freshman, Zeke DeVoss.

There we were - - sitting on the left field lawn, not knowing who this young star at the plate was. I made the comment to Smack Pack lead man Jordan (aka "Schwoop") about 'how cool it would be to get a grand slam ball.' Jordan and Joshua had already collected a couple foul balls hit by both teams. But, a grand slam ball would be cooler than cool! I’m talking “Ice Cold.” And then it happened...#7 DeVoss smashes one to left center that starts curving and going and curving and going. GONE!!! A grand slam that did a one hop bounce right into Jordan’s glove! He turned to me excited and shocked about what just happened and gave me a high five that is still stinging as I type this article, but that’s not all. A woman, decked out in Miami gear, that had been sitting to the left of us ever since we sat down in the left field lawn, immediately approached us asking if she could have the ball. Jordan, now shocked again that someone would ask for such a prize, didn't really know what to say until she said, “That was my son...a freshman at Miami and we would love to have that ball.” Somewhat disappointed, Jordan didn't hesitate to give up the grand slam ball that he just caught. Then DeVoss’s mom came back with a pen and paper and asked for Jordan’s name and address so she could mail him an autographed team ball from the Miami Hurricanes! Now thrilled, we gave the lady his name and address and Schwoop awaits the coming of his team ball. Unfortunately, Boston College went on to tie things up in the bottom of the 9th and then went on to win the game in the bottom of the 12th off a 2 run homer hit by Andrew Lawrence.

It was a day never to be forgotten by The Smack Pack star and a reason for him to forever be a Miami Hurricanes baseball fan -- all because he gave up the Grand Slam ball!

Stephen Bethea aka "Dr. Smack" – Rivalry Rage, Inc.

Defending Tiger!!

This may not be the most popular article I’ve ever written, but I’ve had enough.

Tiger Woods haters have been waiting a long time for him to screw up so they would have a real reason to hate him, and sure enough he gave them just that at the end of last year. If you don’t like a player or a team then that’s ok; that’s why Rivalry Rage exists -- to give you fans a place to come and talk smack about your teams/players rivals. But not cheering for Tiger because of his recent off course failures is what is really starting to frustrate me.

Don’t get me wrong, Tiger Woods screwed up, he screwed up BIG TIME, and what he did was beyond selfish to his friends and especially his family. In fact, in my opinion, it’s THE most selfish thing you can do to your family. However, I believe he is trying to do the right thing at this point and I believe he understands the damage he has done. While that doesn't make it go away, he has done far more than a lot of people in the same situation in trying to own up and make things right...maybe some don’t like his "attempts" (press conferences, etc.), but he’s trying to make things right and I truly hope he continues to do so.

Tiger Woods is the biggest figure in sports because of what he has done on the golf course, not because of his personal life. Believe and say what you will, but I really do believe Tiger Woods is now at a point in his life where he is focused on changing who he has been, and that he desires to become the man that so many of us thought he was all along.

I also believe Tiger is not only sorry that he got caught, but sorry for the damage he’s caused to the game of golf and especially to his family. We can point the finger and hate on him all we want, and while there's no excuse for the things he has done the last couple of years, come on people...it’s time for us to move on and let him move on as well.

Like the old saying goes, “It takes a lifetime to build a reputation, but only a short moment to tear it all away." Tiger's image has no doubt been damaged, possibly forever, but let us not forget that he’s human just like the rest of us.

As you can tell, Tiger Woods was and is still my favorite, and that’s because of his desire and passion to play his best on the golf course. I wish he had done things differently off the course and I was terribly disappointed in him when all this happened, but I also know that WE all make mistakes (some bigger than others for sure), but if everyone in the world stops pulling for players in any sport (professional or not) every time they/WE screwed up, none of us would have anyone left to cheer for, and none of us would have anyone left to cheer for us either, on or off the course.


Stephen Bethea aka "Dr. Smack" – Rivalry Rage, Inc.