Oklahoma is #2 in the newest BCS standings. With a 3-way tie in the Big-12 South, these rankings are the tie-breaking system. That means the Sooners, not the Texas Longhorns who bested them earlier this season, will be playing for the conference title and a pretty good shot at spring-boarding into the BCS Title Game. Oh, well. Why did Texas even play that game? They should have just forfeited - it honestly makes no difference now. They could have just hung out at the state fair all day, eating deep fried Twinkies and riding the motherfucking tilt-a-whirl. The BCS is dumb. Using it as your tie breaker? Even dumber. Please revisit this in the off-season, Big-12.
Did I mention that Texas beat Oklahoma? Oh, I did. OK, Just checking.
So, Oklahoma vs. the SEC Champ in the title game. Unless Mizz pulls the upset, thus unlocking the gate to a different dimension of chaos and bowl campaigning, the likes of which we've never seen before.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
A Week's Worth
Here's my top-25 and some random thoughts all thrown together. Consider this your Monday Night QB and Tuesday Top-25 all-in-one. Enjoy:
The Top-25
1. Florida - An irresistible force
2. Alabama - An immovable object
The SECCG will be like Wolverine's claws versus Captain America's shield.
3. Texas - Gets the nod for already beating OU by 10 in the RRR
4. Oklahoma - Their offense is borderline unstoppable (see: 35 points in their only loss) and they have luck, which any team needs these days to win a BCS title. I just hope their luck doesn't take them all the way to Miami.
5. Penn State - They still get the nod over USC. It's the common opponent-Oregon State factor.
6. USC - Probably the best defense in the nation, but ND is horrible
I hope this Rose Bowl match-up will be interesting. I'd honestly like to see the Lions win and the B10 start to re-establish itself.
7. Utah - Yes, they're this high. They have a W over Oregon State. Plus they beat an impressive TCU squad and did everything they needed to go undefeated.
8. Ohio State - Will most likely get a BCS nod now that Oregon State's spot has opened up
9. Texas Tech - C'mon Baylor! You almost had them...
10. Boise State - They're 12-0, but against inferior opponents. But, for the most part, they've dispatched their WAC foes in true BCS fashion. They also beat Oregon, who just won the Civil War over Oregon State.
Depending on their opponents, I'd like to see Utah and Boise State win and spread some credibility to some of the mid-majors and re-affirm how important coaching is. All the talent in the world goes no where without leadership and these two BCS-buster squads have that in spades.
11. Cincinnati - 10-2 and played Oklahoma better than most of the Big-12 did. I really don't think the Big East is as awful as most passing fans want to dismiss them as being.
12. TCU - This D held Oklahoma's offense to a season low 35. That's the same as Texas'.
These two teams get the nod for being blown out the least by OU. That says a lot about Oklahoma's power.
Cincy gets a BSC bid, so I'll add them to my wish list along with Boise and Utah. For TCU, I just hope they get a decent bowl and don't get bored enough to lose.
13. Georgia Tech - The best team in the ACC will not be in the CG. Fear the triple option!
14. Oklahoma State - Still probably too high of a ranking.
15. Georgia - Will lose their bowl game, too, if they don't learn to tackle soon
16. Ole Miss - Nutt and Snead are rolling now. I hope they bring the Cotton back to SEC country.
17. Ball State - Nate Davis is a lot of fun to watch and the Birds are 12-0 heading into the MACCG. Good for David Letterman.
18. Oregon - Win the Civil War, get the PAC-10 #2 spot.
19. Boston College - Stable. Predictable. Disciplined.
20. Missouri - What will the post-Daniel era be like? Probably disappointing.
21. Pitt - Forced WVU out of the BCS for the second year in a row. Congrats, 'stache.
Big-10 RB Squad:
22. Michigan State - Javon Ringer
23. Iowa - Shon Greene
24. Oregon State - Who knew this team would mean so much to the top-10 rankings and BCS placements? Go ahead, look into it. Their performance affected more than you'd think.
25. Virginia Tech - Purely on clinching the div.
Well there it is. Next week is the end of the regular season and we'll see where everybody is going. I'll have my latest predictions up by Wednesday.
Odds and Ends:
** Will Georgia even get the Capital 1 Bowl? CocknFire over at Team Speed Kills wrote this:
"Bowl schedule: More muddled. Everything would have been much easier had Georgia and South Carolina just won -- but they didn't, so here where are. Let's assume both Florida and Alabama make the BCS, which seems like a safe bet at this point. My best guess would still put Georgia in the Capital One Bowl, but the Orlando postseason matchup could decide to take Ole Miss. For the moment, we'll say they choose the Dawgs. That would put Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl and probably keep South Carolina in the Outback (deserving or not). Now the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl can select Kentucky, LSU or Vanderbilt. This is where the chaos starts. Go with Vanderbilt, and you've got an angry LSU that gets kicked down to the Music City Bowl while Kentucky goes to the Liberty. Go with LSU in the Peach, and you've got an angry Music City Bowl forced to choose from a home team that won't sell hotel rooms (Vanderbilt) or a team that's been there, done that -- the last two years. Whoever gets left out in that scenario goes to the Liberty. But put Ole Miss in the Capital One Bowl and LSU in the Cotton Bowl, and then things get real interesting. Georgia and South Carolina are suddenly fighting for the Outback Bowl, with the loser hoping to go to the Peach and giving us the angry Music City Bowl. Welcome to parity. Where am I wrong?"
Very interesting. That Bowl Picture is hazy at best.
**TSK also discussed the melt down against the ACC yesterday. Do you realize that the Super-Duper SEC finished up 4-6 against the "inferior" ACC this season. Maybe we should all just shut the fuck up for one season. Even I get tired of hearing SEC 'fans' (i.e. people who don't really know WTF they're talking about) running their mouths against the ACC, or B10 or P10, or... whoever. Speed kills, we have it and we've blasted Ohio State two years straight. Well, Ohio State is not the entire country. Everybody plays 12 games and this isn't 2007 (Well, not everybody plays 12. Some play 13. But that's besides the point.). The Big-12 is right on par with us and the Big-10 is slowly coming back. The ACC beat us head-to-head and West Virginia (Big East) is 4-0 against us in the last 4 years. Yes, we will always have a speed advantage, but parity's a mofo and great coaches are taking jobs all over the nation. Speed and talent don't always equal victory.
** Supposedly, Weis' buyout is 12 million dollars. That's mucho casho and probably wouldn't have been raised had Weis not really motivated the boosters last night with Notre Dame's wonderful offensive output. Suddenly, I bet that number doesn't seem that high...
** Sportscasters, anchors, announcers, and commentators do not have it out for you or your team. What benefit is there in criticizing them? They're doing their job and whether you acknowledge or not, making your viwing experience better (except Pam Ward). Now, Lou Holtz deserved some flak for the Hitler thing, but outside that, he knows the game and his speech impediment isn't as bad people pretend it is.
And, next time you want to hate Lee Corso, remember this. It's an awesome story. Sometimes football really is bigger than you and your drunk, idiot friends.
** Oregon State isn't out of the Rose Bowl, yet. UCLA can still knock the Trojans off track next Saturday and put the Beavers right back in it.
** Burning BCS Questions:
Why not both Utah and Boise St?
Who - Texas or Oklahoma?
Does someone take Ohio State?
**Maybe Georgia needs a new kitchen staff because this recipe is tired and stale. Good point, Senator.
**With apologies to the moviegoer, I recommend you read this. It was written last week and taking into consideration that it's the Iron Bowl, it's pretty funny. Maybe I should do one for Tech next year.
The Top-25
1. Florida - An irresistible force
2. Alabama - An immovable object
The SECCG will be like Wolverine's claws versus Captain America's shield.
3. Texas - Gets the nod for already beating OU by 10 in the RRR
4. Oklahoma - Their offense is borderline unstoppable (see: 35 points in their only loss) and they have luck, which any team needs these days to win a BCS title. I just hope their luck doesn't take them all the way to Miami.
5. Penn State - They still get the nod over USC. It's the common opponent-Oregon State factor.
6. USC - Probably the best defense in the nation, but ND is horrible
I hope this Rose Bowl match-up will be interesting. I'd honestly like to see the Lions win and the B10 start to re-establish itself.
7. Utah - Yes, they're this high. They have a W over Oregon State. Plus they beat an impressive TCU squad and did everything they needed to go undefeated.
8. Ohio State - Will most likely get a BCS nod now that Oregon State's spot has opened up
9. Texas Tech - C'mon Baylor! You almost had them...
10. Boise State - They're 12-0, but against inferior opponents. But, for the most part, they've dispatched their WAC foes in true BCS fashion. They also beat Oregon, who just won the Civil War over Oregon State.
Depending on their opponents, I'd like to see Utah and Boise State win and spread some credibility to some of the mid-majors and re-affirm how important coaching is. All the talent in the world goes no where without leadership and these two BCS-buster squads have that in spades.
11. Cincinnati - 10-2 and played Oklahoma better than most of the Big-12 did. I really don't think the Big East is as awful as most passing fans want to dismiss them as being.
12. TCU - This D held Oklahoma's offense to a season low 35. That's the same as Texas'.
These two teams get the nod for being blown out the least by OU. That says a lot about Oklahoma's power.
Cincy gets a BSC bid, so I'll add them to my wish list along with Boise and Utah. For TCU, I just hope they get a decent bowl and don't get bored enough to lose.
13. Georgia Tech - The best team in the ACC will not be in the CG. Fear the triple option!
14. Oklahoma State - Still probably too high of a ranking.
15. Georgia - Will lose their bowl game, too, if they don't learn to tackle soon
16. Ole Miss - Nutt and Snead are rolling now. I hope they bring the Cotton back to SEC country.
17. Ball State - Nate Davis is a lot of fun to watch and the Birds are 12-0 heading into the MACCG. Good for David Letterman.
18. Oregon - Win the Civil War, get the PAC-10 #2 spot.
19. Boston College - Stable. Predictable. Disciplined.
20. Missouri - What will the post-Daniel era be like? Probably disappointing.
21. Pitt - Forced WVU out of the BCS for the second year in a row. Congrats, 'stache.
Big-10 RB Squad:
22. Michigan State - Javon Ringer
23. Iowa - Shon Greene
24. Oregon State - Who knew this team would mean so much to the top-10 rankings and BCS placements? Go ahead, look into it. Their performance affected more than you'd think.
25. Virginia Tech - Purely on clinching the div.
Well there it is. Next week is the end of the regular season and we'll see where everybody is going. I'll have my latest predictions up by Wednesday.
Odds and Ends:
** Will Georgia even get the Capital 1 Bowl? CocknFire over at Team Speed Kills wrote this:
"Bowl schedule: More muddled. Everything would have been much easier had Georgia and South Carolina just won -- but they didn't, so here where are. Let's assume both Florida and Alabama make the BCS, which seems like a safe bet at this point. My best guess would still put Georgia in the Capital One Bowl, but the Orlando postseason matchup could decide to take Ole Miss. For the moment, we'll say they choose the Dawgs. That would put Ole Miss in the Cotton Bowl and probably keep South Carolina in the Outback (deserving or not). Now the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl can select Kentucky, LSU or Vanderbilt. This is where the chaos starts. Go with Vanderbilt, and you've got an angry LSU that gets kicked down to the Music City Bowl while Kentucky goes to the Liberty. Go with LSU in the Peach, and you've got an angry Music City Bowl forced to choose from a home team that won't sell hotel rooms (Vanderbilt) or a team that's been there, done that -- the last two years. Whoever gets left out in that scenario goes to the Liberty. But put Ole Miss in the Capital One Bowl and LSU in the Cotton Bowl, and then things get real interesting. Georgia and South Carolina are suddenly fighting for the Outback Bowl, with the loser hoping to go to the Peach and giving us the angry Music City Bowl. Welcome to parity. Where am I wrong?"
Very interesting. That Bowl Picture is hazy at best.
**TSK also discussed the melt down against the ACC yesterday. Do you realize that the Super-Duper SEC finished up 4-6 against the "inferior" ACC this season. Maybe we should all just shut the fuck up for one season. Even I get tired of hearing SEC 'fans' (i.e. people who don't really know WTF they're talking about) running their mouths against the ACC, or B10 or P10, or... whoever. Speed kills, we have it and we've blasted Ohio State two years straight. Well, Ohio State is not the entire country. Everybody plays 12 games and this isn't 2007 (Well, not everybody plays 12. Some play 13. But that's besides the point.). The Big-12 is right on par with us and the Big-10 is slowly coming back. The ACC beat us head-to-head and West Virginia (Big East) is 4-0 against us in the last 4 years. Yes, we will always have a speed advantage, but parity's a mofo and great coaches are taking jobs all over the nation. Speed and talent don't always equal victory.
** Supposedly, Weis' buyout is 12 million dollars. That's mucho casho and probably wouldn't have been raised had Weis not really motivated the boosters last night with Notre Dame's wonderful offensive output. Suddenly, I bet that number doesn't seem that high...
** Sportscasters, anchors, announcers, and commentators do not have it out for you or your team. What benefit is there in criticizing them? They're doing their job and whether you acknowledge or not, making your viwing experience better (except Pam Ward). Now, Lou Holtz deserved some flak for the Hitler thing, but outside that, he knows the game and his speech impediment isn't as bad people pretend it is.
And, next time you want to hate Lee Corso, remember this. It's an awesome story. Sometimes football really is bigger than you and your drunk, idiot friends.
** Oregon State isn't out of the Rose Bowl, yet. UCLA can still knock the Trojans off track next Saturday and put the Beavers right back in it.
** Burning BCS Questions:
Why not both Utah and Boise St?
Who - Texas or Oklahoma?
Does someone take Ohio State?
**Maybe Georgia needs a new kitchen staff because this recipe is tired and stale. Good point, Senator.
**With apologies to the moviegoer, I recommend you read this. It was written last week and taking into consideration that it's the Iron Bowl, it's pretty funny. Maybe I should do one for Tech next year.
More on GT-UGA
I know I railed against the D earlier. They deserved it. But Senator Blutarsky has a bone to pick, as well. He makes some great points, especially about an aspect of the game that very often gets overlooked: special teams. More importantly, our deficiencies therein.
Check his piece out here.
Check his piece out here.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
GT-UGA: Tackling? Optional.
I get it. I really do. I have a lot of respect for the triple option. It's like an Indiana Jones artifact: It's an antique that's been tweaked back into modernity. We should understand and fear it's power. I've warned anyone who will listen that it can destroy that which does not respect it. Paul Johnson's version? It's a murderous assault force that unrepentantly attacks you until a soft spot is exposed. After that, the deluge.
Georgia Tech's offense is like some strange G.I.-Joe inspired vehicle. It looks funky, seemingly makes no since in the modern world, has glaring deficiencies that seem exploitable and should just out-and-out be easily negated. But, then the rockets flip out, the lasers blast, the track wheels churn and all the guys hanging on the back move right over any obstacle. There's extra compartments that flip out of nowhere and special little manned vehicles that launch out and inflict maximum damage.
It's glorious and painful at the same time. The triple-option is a dangerous thing. Once thought dead by the entire world, Paul Johnson has resurrected it from he depths of 1-AA and the academies by way of the North Avenue Trade School and released it's terror on the slumbering world.
All that said, Georgia's D held the machine to under 200 yards and 6 points in the first half. We looked confident and competent. Then we went to half time, where I suspect a severe lack of coaching occurred, and we started giving out yards and points like candy at Christmas. What happened? I'll tell you.
Our defense refuses to tackle. Absolutely refuses. We use shoulder bumps and soft pushes. We slap our arms across the chests and thighs of bruising backs and wonder what happened when they shred past us. No disrespect to Johnson's Jackets, but I have to believe it could have been somewhat different had someone in red tackled.
Bobo had some duds, but overall, he called a gem. Stafford had a career day and Knowshon churned for gains against a tough front 4 with power and finesse. But, the real star on offense today was Massaquoi. He went above and beyond, and the D repaid him with effortless futility. For shame. Tackling is fundamental. That's on Martinez. I'm not calling for his head, but at least notice that this situation must improve. That's Richt's responsibility. He cannot blindly cling to this arrangement. He's responsible for the entire program and needs to think that way. We have the talent. Where's the coaching? If you score 42 points on Tech, in Sanford, you should be polishing the Governor's Cup, not watching the Yellow Jackets celebrate on our G.
Now, after Oregon State's loss, the bowl picture has shifted a bit. Instead of seeing Ohio State and Beanie Wells in the Cap1 Bowl, we might be looking at Michigan State. And that means Javon Ringer. You cannot arm tackle, push, shove or patty-cake him. You have to be disciplined and tough. And, you have to TACKLE. For fuck's sake, it's the most basic tenant of the game: Tackle the man with the ball.
Friday, November 28, 2008
I Found Something to be Thankful For
Well, I just celebrated my worst Thanksgiving ever. Petty crime, alcohol, my dysfunctional family and the fact that I am a political black sheep all conspired to ruin the holiday. The one bright side to every dark fourth Thursday in November is football. A mightier cure-all for what ails than even Turkey and Pie, football is my lifeline in an otherwise awful day. But, there was no TV where I was, so all my coverage was from ESPN radio during the McCarthy's Road-like drive to my holiday holocaust. And, to make it worse, every game was a blowout. I felt abandoned by even my greatest love. No interesting games. It was official - Thanksgiving was dead. There was nothing to be grateful for.
Then, as I was faced with ignorant political debates and discussions about the psychoses I no doubt inherited, it dawned on me. As awful as this was, at least fat-ass Lindale White wasn't ripping me for 100 yards in his backup role. And my MVP, comeback, over-the-hill, dream season wasn't dying at the hands of the Eagle D and Brian Westbrook. Also, Tony Romo didn't finally click again, against me and my already disappointing, injury-riddled team. Or, at least I wasn't the last hurdle to Mack Brown and Colt McCoy's BCS dream. Once the 'Horns woke up, it was like they were punishing the Aggies for daring to play close for a quarter.
And, perhaps, the thing I'm most grateful for: I don't live in Michigan.
The economy sucks, and no where's hurting more than the Mitten State. And the one escape you should have - sports - is no where to be found. The Lions and Wolverines are awful. I mean, all-time awful. Sparty's a bright spot, but I've never actually met a Michigan State fan. Hockey's OK. But Allen Iverson is really fucking up a team, fan base, community and state that put a lot of faith in him.
So, that's what I'm thankful for. Not family - that situation's nigh on abysmal. Not home - my home's in ATH and I have to leave every holiday. Not holidays - they generally tend to suck, now. So, with apologies to Clay Travis, what I am thankful for is that I didn't spend Thanksgiving in Detroit.
*****************************************************
Ed. Note: Piling On: I found out that the last remaining of my childhood pets, Lucky, had been put down and watched in anger as Georga refused to tackle anyone in the second half. It also rained almost the entire week, but I liked that. Cool, rainy weather is my favorite.
Then, as I was faced with ignorant political debates and discussions about the psychoses I no doubt inherited, it dawned on me. As awful as this was, at least fat-ass Lindale White wasn't ripping me for 100 yards in his backup role. And my MVP, comeback, over-the-hill, dream season wasn't dying at the hands of the Eagle D and Brian Westbrook. Also, Tony Romo didn't finally click again, against me and my already disappointing, injury-riddled team. Or, at least I wasn't the last hurdle to Mack Brown and Colt McCoy's BCS dream. Once the 'Horns woke up, it was like they were punishing the Aggies for daring to play close for a quarter.
And, perhaps, the thing I'm most grateful for: I don't live in Michigan.
The economy sucks, and no where's hurting more than the Mitten State. And the one escape you should have - sports - is no where to be found. The Lions and Wolverines are awful. I mean, all-time awful. Sparty's a bright spot, but I've never actually met a Michigan State fan. Hockey's OK. But Allen Iverson is really fucking up a team, fan base, community and state that put a lot of faith in him.
So, that's what I'm thankful for. Not family - that situation's nigh on abysmal. Not home - my home's in ATH and I have to leave every holiday. Not holidays - they generally tend to suck, now. So, with apologies to Clay Travis, what I am thankful for is that I didn't spend Thanksgiving in Detroit.
*****************************************************
Ed. Note: Piling On: I found out that the last remaining of my childhood pets, Lucky, had been put down and watched in anger as Georga refused to tackle anyone in the second half. It also rained almost the entire week, but I liked that. Cool, rainy weather is my favorite.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Holiday Rivalry Weekend
Turkey-Day, Marquee, BXII Match-Up
Lone Star State Showdown: Texas 42, A&M 20 - The 'Horns will not be had this year, Aggies. You better just hope you keep them under 70.
Cold Turkey Sandwiches
Backyard Brawl: Pitt 24, WVU 23 - It'll be close, and honestly, I'm not really sure about this pick. Who will shine - White and Devine or McCoy? Who will blow it - Wannstache or Stewart?
Egg Bowl: Ole Miss 27, Miss St. 17 - It'll be close early, but Nutt will be in pure, Right-Reverend, wind-up monkey mode to get the Rebs to the Cotton Bowl.
Golden Boot: LSU 31, Arkansas 20 - What's the deal in Baton Rouge? The Tigers should get back on track here. Hopefully. Or, will the Hat be moving on to Washington? I honestly don't know why that's even a credible rumor. Who would do that?
Pizza Delivery
Iron Bowl: Bama 21, Auburn 17 - It won't be bad enough for Tubs to start packing. The Tide will move to 12-0 after a tough fought game against a surprisingly scrappy Tigers team.
Sunshine Showdown: Florida 38, Florida State 17 - Drive on, Tebow, Meyer, Jesus and crew, drive on.
Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate: Georgia 31, Georgia Tech 26 - The Dawg O will be the best counter to the triple option. Curran better stay in place and the DE's better pick it up.
Civil War: Oregon 24, Oregon State 19 - No Rodgers, no win. No win, no PSU rematch.
Bedlam Series: Oklahoma 41, OK St. 21 - Sooners keep on Boomin'. Unrelated: I hope Baylor beats Texas Tech.
The Jeweled Shillelagh: USC 38, Notre Dame 10 - HAHAHAHAHAHA! Weis could be gone after this. I love it! If only we could see a Jimmy Clausen car accident...
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Tuesday Top-25
Run Down:
I still think Florida's playing better than anyone in the nation and now the loss to Ole Miss is looking less offensive as the weeks fly by. Bama's still undefeated, but the Big XII South is still kind of messy and will likely come down to who campaigns best for their teams down the stretch.
In my mind, Texas should get the Big XII South slot and move on to the BCSCG if they win. If they lose, it should pass to OU. Whichever of them it is, they'll face the SECCG winner. This is all pending on all these teams winning out. TA&M, Aub, OSU, and FSU could really F some S up if they got lucky. And there's always Mizzou to watch out for.
Utah and Cincy in the BCS. Who will win the ACC? I just don't know.
Penn St. in the Rose, possibly rematching a pissed-off, much improved Beaver squad. SEC loser in the Sugar. There's still a lot to sort out.
Top-25:
1. Florida - Getting the nod for their post-Ole Miss dedication to victory in it's most molecular-ly devastating forms.
2. Bama - undefeated and facing a sketchy Auburn team. Upset, anyone?
3. Texas - Head-to-head nod over OU. Tech's the fluke, not the 'Horns.
4. Oklahoma - Winning in almost Floridian fashion - just not enough D.
5. Penn State - They get it over USC because of common Oregon State games
6. USC - might not even win the Pac-10
7. Ohio State - When they click, they CLICK.
8. Utah - Undefeated. Beat Oregon State, which looks better and better.
9. Georgia - Questionable, but their only 2 losses are to the #1 and #2 teams.
10. Texas Tech - Now we look a little more comfortable
11. Missouri - I guess.
12. Boise St. - Why not? They're undefeated and have a quality Oregon victory.
13. Oklahoma State - This low because I think they go down hard this weekend to OU.
14. Georgia Tech - subject to change to almost any other ACC team
15. TCU - Check that loss to OU now. It's not actually that bad.
16. Cincinnati - Ditto.
17. Oregon State - Roses and another shot at PSU are in the offing
18. Boston College - Is this the most predictable program in the nation?
19. Florida State - Could be ranked higher, but I predict pain in the near future
20. Oregon - I have to keep the Ducks close to the Beavs going into the Civil War
21. Ole Miss - They beat Florida and sit at 2nd in the West
22. Ball St. - Beat Western MI tonight and climb higher.
23. Michigan St. - Dantonio's got something here.
24. LSU - Yes. I'm unreconstructed.
25. Iowa - Shon Greene. If you don't know him, look him up. Please.
Peanut Gallery:
West Virginia
Pitt
N'western
BYU
Cal
I still think Florida's playing better than anyone in the nation and now the loss to Ole Miss is looking less offensive as the weeks fly by. Bama's still undefeated, but the Big XII South is still kind of messy and will likely come down to who campaigns best for their teams down the stretch.
In my mind, Texas should get the Big XII South slot and move on to the BCSCG if they win. If they lose, it should pass to OU. Whichever of them it is, they'll face the SECCG winner. This is all pending on all these teams winning out. TA&M, Aub, OSU, and FSU could really F some S up if they got lucky. And there's always Mizzou to watch out for.
Utah and Cincy in the BCS. Who will win the ACC? I just don't know.
Penn St. in the Rose, possibly rematching a pissed-off, much improved Beaver squad. SEC loser in the Sugar. There's still a lot to sort out.
Top-25:
1. Florida - Getting the nod for their post-Ole Miss dedication to victory in it's most molecular-ly devastating forms.
2. Bama - undefeated and facing a sketchy Auburn team. Upset, anyone?
3. Texas - Head-to-head nod over OU. Tech's the fluke, not the 'Horns.
4. Oklahoma - Winning in almost Floridian fashion - just not enough D.
5. Penn State - They get it over USC because of common Oregon State games
6. USC - might not even win the Pac-10
7. Ohio State - When they click, they CLICK.
8. Utah - Undefeated. Beat Oregon State, which looks better and better.
9. Georgia - Questionable, but their only 2 losses are to the #1 and #2 teams.
10. Texas Tech - Now we look a little more comfortable
11. Missouri - I guess.
12. Boise St. - Why not? They're undefeated and have a quality Oregon victory.
13. Oklahoma State - This low because I think they go down hard this weekend to OU.
14. Georgia Tech - subject to change to almost any other ACC team
15. TCU - Check that loss to OU now. It's not actually that bad.
16. Cincinnati - Ditto.
17. Oregon State - Roses and another shot at PSU are in the offing
18. Boston College - Is this the most predictable program in the nation?
19. Florida State - Could be ranked higher, but I predict pain in the near future
20. Oregon - I have to keep the Ducks close to the Beavs going into the Civil War
21. Ole Miss - They beat Florida and sit at 2nd in the West
22. Ball St. - Beat Western MI tonight and climb higher.
23. Michigan St. - Dantonio's got something here.
24. LSU - Yes. I'm unreconstructed.
25. Iowa - Shon Greene. If you don't know him, look him up. Please.
Peanut Gallery:
West Virginia
Pitt
N'western
BYU
Cal
I never thought about this when I was 8:
From cracked.com (which if you're not checking regularly, you're doing yourself a disservice):
http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-20-stupidest-gi-joe-vehicles-ever/
And knowing is half the battle.
My favorite line:
Another strong contender in our “more dangerous to the pilot” category. This makes me wonder if anyone at Hasbro understands any properties of rocket exhaust other than “orange.”
Enjoy.
http://www.cracked.com/blog/the-20-stupidest-gi-joe-vehicles-ever/
And knowing is half the battle.
My favorite line:
Another strong contender in our “more dangerous to the pilot” category. This makes me wonder if anyone at Hasbro understands any properties of rocket exhaust other than “orange.”
Enjoy.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Online Dynasty News - The Police Report
There's a lot to update here. So we'll do it quick and dirty (that's what she said...).
Rutgers dominated Louisville in what was basically the defacto Championship game, winning 38-6. Cincy won out, upstart Pitt earned their first user win over UConn, and SoFla edged WVU 45-35 in a shootout.
Here are the bowls:
Papajohns.com Bowl - UConn vs Marshall
Meineke Car Care Bowl - Virginia Tech vs Cincinnati
Brut Sun Bowl - Cal vs Louisville
Gator Bowl - USF vs Miami
Orange Bowl - FSU vs Rutgers
International Bowl - Western Michigan vs West Virginia
I should have drawn the Gator Bowl. I beat USF and was only 12 points away from undefeated, but, what are you going to do? They wanted the backyard rivals to meet.
The Papajohns.com Bowl is over but I haven't heard the results and the Bulls did contain the 'Canes, 21-13.
Sadly, though, it looks like the commish is going to have to simulate the Cincy game, as my xbox 360 has now been claimed by the wilds of urban poverty and petty crime. Those fuckers. Wouldn't even let me finish my season before they ripped me off.
Rutgers dominated Louisville in what was basically the defacto Championship game, winning 38-6. Cincy won out, upstart Pitt earned their first user win over UConn, and SoFla edged WVU 45-35 in a shootout.
Here are the bowls:
Papajohns.com Bowl - UConn vs Marshall
Meineke Car Care Bowl - Virginia Tech vs Cincinnati
Brut Sun Bowl - Cal vs Louisville
Gator Bowl - USF vs Miami
Orange Bowl - FSU vs Rutgers
International Bowl - Western Michigan vs West Virginia
I should have drawn the Gator Bowl. I beat USF and was only 12 points away from undefeated, but, what are you going to do? They wanted the backyard rivals to meet.
The Papajohns.com Bowl is over but I haven't heard the results and the Bulls did contain the 'Canes, 21-13.
Sadly, though, it looks like the commish is going to have to simulate the Cincy game, as my xbox 360 has now been claimed by the wilds of urban poverty and petty crime. Those fuckers. Wouldn't even let me finish my season before they ripped me off.
Monday Night QB - Over-Raided Edition
So the Red Raiders were exposed. Finally. I have been waiting for this. Biding my time. Patiently sitting, watching, and praying. I knew it would happen. But then, Leach's gang gutted the pokes. No problem. There's still Texas. But no, Texas blew it late. It started slipping away. Maybe the Raiders were for real. Maybe I was wrong. Perhaps the Lubbock Leaches would glide into to the title game with all their pyrotechnic passing and loosey-goosey play on D. But, then came the trip to Norman. Could they be for real? Would they upset the Sooners? No. No they wouldn't. Oklahoma destroyed the Raiders and exposed them as the hyped up darlings they'd become. Thank you, Oklahoma. Not only did you expose Texas Tech, but you exposed the fact that defense has been optional in the Big XII all season long. And, what do you get for all your effort? Well, if it was up to me, you'd get a conciliatory trip to the Fiesta bowl while Texas, who beat you head-to-head, packed their bags for Miami. Pending a B12CG victory, of course.
Sometimes the pirates win the day and sink her Majesty's ships and plunder her treasures. But, sometimes, the pirates flail ineffectively into a cannonade broadside and chunks of buccaneer plop harmlessly into the ocean. And the last thing you see is a war-torn jolly roger grinning on his way to Davy Jones' locker. Well, thank you, Sir Bob Stoops, for ending the scourge of No-Beard and his lonesome boys from Lubbock. Our seas are safe once again. Maybe...
Moving on.
Georgia has a problem. They love to play defense ridiculously aggressive (i.e. poorly, with shoddy tackling) and almost always out of position. Oddly enough, that has not worked. So, here comes Tech and it's zany A/single wing/spread/triple option/desert fox offense. This should be a great match up for the Dawg D-line to over pursue while LB's fly everywhere except towards the ball and the corers don't cover and the safeties don't tackle. Let's hope that Tech decides to pull a UNC-game style choke fest. Where is Reggie Ball when you need him?
Oh well. That's all for the night. I'm only writing this to take my mind off the fact my house was burglarized today. Trust me, it sucks. They didn't really get much, as I stumbled upon them apparently mid-burgle, but they got something you can't put a price on: peace of mind. Now I wonder if I can ever leave my house again without losing all my shit. I'm missing work tomorrow and probably not sleeping well tonight and it's all these fuckers fault. Fuck 'em.
Sometimes the pirates win the day and sink her Majesty's ships and plunder her treasures. But, sometimes, the pirates flail ineffectively into a cannonade broadside and chunks of buccaneer plop harmlessly into the ocean. And the last thing you see is a war-torn jolly roger grinning on his way to Davy Jones' locker. Well, thank you, Sir Bob Stoops, for ending the scourge of No-Beard and his lonesome boys from Lubbock. Our seas are safe once again. Maybe...
Moving on.
Georgia has a problem. They love to play defense ridiculously aggressive (i.e. poorly, with shoddy tackling) and almost always out of position. Oddly enough, that has not worked. So, here comes Tech and it's zany A/single wing/spread/triple option/desert fox offense. This should be a great match up for the Dawg D-line to over pursue while LB's fly everywhere except towards the ball and the corers don't cover and the safeties don't tackle. Let's hope that Tech decides to pull a UNC-game style choke fest. Where is Reggie Ball when you need him?
Oh well. That's all for the night. I'm only writing this to take my mind off the fact my house was burglarized today. Trust me, it sucks. They didn't really get much, as I stumbled upon them apparently mid-burgle, but they got something you can't put a price on: peace of mind. Now I wonder if I can ever leave my house again without losing all my shit. I'm missing work tomorrow and probably not sleeping well tonight and it's all these fuckers fault. Fuck 'em.
Monday, November 17, 2008
So, that's where Brad Lester gets it from...
Brad "a good amount of points" Lester might not be completely to blame for last week's point prediction tomfoolery. Sure, Auburn's astrophysics department has a better shot of getting to the moon than the football team dropping 40 points on 'Bama (both feats would come down to basic physics tenants like trajectory, impact and immovable objects), but I think we see where Lester gets it from.
His coach, ole Tommy Tubs himself.
Case-in-point:
From The Sporting Blog:
"Needing a TD late in the fourth quarter with 8 minutes left, Auburn opted for the following play sequence.
1st-10, UGa28 6:08 B. Tate rushed to the right for 3 yard gain
2nd-7, UGa25 5:41 B. Tate rushed up the middle for 4 yard gain
3rd-3, UGa21 5:12 B. Tate rushed to the left for no gain
4th-3, UGa21 4:13 K. Burns incomplete pass to the right
Two cardinal sins in one series occurred here. First, the hot hand, Mario Fannin, who rushed for 107 yards and had 2 TDs on the day, sat on the bench for the final drive. Why? The math-deficient answer from Tommy Tuberville:
"Ben [Tate, who finished with 37 yards on 14 carries -- ed.] was running the ball pretty good," Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said afterward. "
That's right. The guy with the 2 ypc average was running "pretty good," while the guy who'd been ripping Georgia all day stood on the sideline. While bland, the word "good" is an acceptable adjective, but only when used correctly. But, how can we expect Lester to know this, or ground any of his statements in reality, when his coach refuses to lead by example. At least the rest of the season, especially the offense, has been pretty good.
Oh, well. I feel like shit and am going back to bed.
His coach, ole Tommy Tubs himself.
Case-in-point:
From The Sporting Blog:
"Needing a TD late in the fourth quarter with 8 minutes left, Auburn opted for the following play sequence.
1st-10, UGa28 6:08 B. Tate rushed to the right for 3 yard gain
2nd-7, UGa25 5:41 B. Tate rushed up the middle for 4 yard gain
3rd-3, UGa21 5:12 B. Tate rushed to the left for no gain
4th-3, UGa21 4:13 K. Burns incomplete pass to the right
Two cardinal sins in one series occurred here. First, the hot hand, Mario Fannin, who rushed for 107 yards and had 2 TDs on the day, sat on the bench for the final drive. Why? The math-deficient answer from Tommy Tuberville:
"Ben [Tate, who finished with 37 yards on 14 carries -- ed.] was running the ball pretty good," Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville said afterward. "
That's right. The guy with the 2 ypc average was running "pretty good," while the guy who'd been ripping Georgia all day stood on the sideline. While bland, the word "good" is an acceptable adjective, but only when used correctly. But, how can we expect Lester to know this, or ground any of his statements in reality, when his coach refuses to lead by example. At least the rest of the season, especially the offense, has been pretty good.
Oh, well. I feel like shit and am going back to bed.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Reality 1, Brad Lester 0
Georgia 17, Auburn 13. Even combined, there weren't a "good amount of points." Better luck next week with Bama, Swami.
Sorry, Georgia. Auburn's game plan of great play capped off with futility in the clutch was too much for your overthrown pass/poor tackling master strategy. You gave it your best, but in the end, they out mediocre-d you. Hey, you have a bye week and then get to try it all again against the deadly triple-option attack of Georgia Tech. By the way, you're never going to lose these games if you don't get that pesky Knowshon to fall in line with your game plan. He can't keep spinning around, juking, running over and dashing past people if you want this to work.
Fo Realz, tho:
I'd have loved to blow Auburn out, because I'd love to blow out everyone we play. Our offense looked good early, but then the special teams 'kicked' in (pun'd) and we came away with no points. The D looked good at first, too. But, then Kodi Burns got competitive and we stopped tackling or covering down field. We went into mental shut-down mode and if weren't for the POTG Moreno who makes 3 yard runs look good, we probably would have lost. Tubs made a good call by going for it late, no matter the hindsight paradigm of 1 point vs. 4 points. With that wind and the ugly play on both sides, there was no FG guarantee. The Tigers played well in both halves, finally (much to the delight of in-house Auburn fan, the Moviegoer), and made it close all the way. It was a good, tense game, slightly overshadowed by Navy's comeback attempt over ND playing on the other TV.
Sorry, Georgia. Auburn's game plan of great play capped off with futility in the clutch was too much for your overthrown pass/poor tackling master strategy. You gave it your best, but in the end, they out mediocre-d you. Hey, you have a bye week and then get to try it all again against the deadly triple-option attack of Georgia Tech. By the way, you're never going to lose these games if you don't get that pesky Knowshon to fall in line with your game plan. He can't keep spinning around, juking, running over and dashing past people if you want this to work.
Fo Realz, tho:
I'd have loved to blow Auburn out, because I'd love to blow out everyone we play. Our offense looked good early, but then the special teams 'kicked' in (pun'd) and we came away with no points. The D looked good at first, too. But, then Kodi Burns got competitive and we stopped tackling or covering down field. We went into mental shut-down mode and if weren't for the POTG Moreno who makes 3 yard runs look good, we probably would have lost. Tubs made a good call by going for it late, no matter the hindsight paradigm of 1 point vs. 4 points. With that wind and the ugly play on both sides, there was no FG guarantee. The Tigers played well in both halves, finally (much to the delight of in-house Auburn fan, the Moviegoer), and made it close all the way. It was a good, tense game, slightly overshadowed by Navy's comeback attempt over ND playing on the other TV.
Tim-Bow
"I can run up any score, through Christ, who strengthens me."
Meyer, 4:13
In reality, Tebow's a gamer. Once Florida lost to Ole Miss, he controlled the scene. He took responsibility for the loss, vowed to never play sub-par again, and promised UF would not lose without a fight. Well, Jesus love him.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Does Brad Lester Even Watch Film?
Auburn RB, Brad Lester, was prognosticating about the Tigers' last two games of the season. They have to take on #10 Georgia and top ranked Alabama to close out their slate. This season ending, double draw was known by Pat Dye as Amen Corner, and boy, does Auburn need a prayer to get both wins this season. That's the general consensus anyway, unless you're Lester, who had this to say:
"I have no doubt in my mind...We should beat both teams by a good amount of points. I feel real good about it."
What is he basing this on? They must have come up with some crazy, effective, unstoppable new shit this week at practice. I'm not saying that because he's predicting wins - I said two weeks ago that they'd beat both these teams. My problem is with the "good amount of points" line. The Tigers haven't combined for a total anywhere near anything that could be called "a good amount of points" all season long.
And, beating Georgia won't be the hard part. With the Bulldog's last few defensive outings, I could see them finding the end zone a few times. It's Bama I'd be worried about. Has Lester seen their team? Fuck, has he seen his team? Oh, well. Crazier shit has happened.
"I have no doubt in my mind...We should beat both teams by a good amount of points. I feel real good about it."
What is he basing this on? They must have come up with some crazy, effective, unstoppable new shit this week at practice. I'm not saying that because he's predicting wins - I said two weeks ago that they'd beat both these teams. My problem is with the "good amount of points" line. The Tigers haven't combined for a total anywhere near anything that could be called "a good amount of points" all season long.
And, beating Georgia won't be the hard part. With the Bulldog's last few defensive outings, I could see them finding the end zone a few times. It's Bama I'd be worried about. Has Lester seen their team? Fuck, has he seen his team? Oh, well. Crazier shit has happened.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Big-XII-SEC
In his weekly Dash, ESPN's Pat Forde matches up the Big XII and the SEC. He sets the games top-to-bottom and assigns each team an edge in the contest. He doesn't straight-up pick the winner, he just flirts with it by evaluating who's in a better place.
Aroo in ATL read the Dash's weekly round-up and decided to take the issue to his e-mail contacts, one of whom I happen to be. Out of privacy, I won't share their thoughts, but I will include mine and encourage your own. With thanks to Aroo for the idea and assuming all match-ups are neutral site games, here we go:
Forde's match-ups are as follows, with his picks in bold:
Texas Tech-Bama; Florida-Texas; Georgia-Oklahoma; LSU-OK St.; SoCar-Mizz; Ole Miss-Neb; Vandy-Kansas; Kentucky-Colorado; Kansas State-Auburn; Tex A&M-Tenn; Miss St.-Iowa St.
That's 6-6 for the Dash. And, to him, these results indicate that the Big-12 is superior because "they don't give out awards for being better in the bottom half of the league."
My take:
TT-Bama: Bama slows down the TT attack. they have the D-line to get past those behemoths protecting Harrell and really disrupt some rhythm. I'd take the Tide, 34-27.*
Tex-UF: Florida wins. I think they could beat anyone right now, really. The special teams are too good and the defense could drop Colt's Manning-like efficiency, providing just enough room for Tebow to get ahead. Just hope it doesn't come down to Colt and under 2 minutes. Gators, 31-21.
OU-UGA: Oklahoma would actually run into more trouble than expected from the Dawgs, just not enough. It would be a high-scoring affair, but Gergia's been so suspect the last couple of games, that I have to take Bradford and the Sooners, 27-21.
LSU-OKSt.: I think Les Miles beats his old team in the Craziest Coach Contest, 28-26.
Mizz-SoCar: Missouri's too talented for South Carolina to contain. Maclin would be the edge though, not Daniel. He would all-purpose the Tigers to victory in a surprisingly defensive affair. It's Mizz with the W, 23-17.
Miss-Neb: The Right Reverend is a tough Nutt to crack (Bah-dum-dum), and Nebraska's just as hard to husk (didn't land, did it?). In an odd match-up, I'll take the McCluster-fuckers and their ne'er do well rebel yell over the erratic temperaments of the Fightin' Bo Pellinis. Mississippi, 32-29.
[Side-bar: I'd totally bang Houston Nutt's daughters. Check them out here. Insert any "Wild-(fill-in-the-mascot) formation/position" jokes or variations on the word Nutt here.]
Kan-Vandy: Todd Ressing is a tough QB, no matter what the Jayhawks record is. Vandy is imploding as we speak, which makes me wonder if this football season is some type of physics experiment being conducted by Nashville's nerdiest. In the end, Vandy won't have enough for Kansas. Mangino's Big and Tall, 34-21
UK-Buffs: Hawkins and Sons, Inc. are not killers, and if you don't finish off this Wildcat squad, you better be able to win the close one. The Buffs just can't do it. Kentucky, 24-21.
KSU-Aub: Auburn, who will beat Georgia this weekend, is atrocious. They might be able to hold the Cats O in check, but will they score any points? Probably not. In an ugly cat fight, the soon-to-be Prince-less KS, 7-5.
UT-TA&M: Wyoming? Really? A&M, 21-17.
****I left this game out yesterday. Thank you, Moviegoer, for the notice:
Ark-Baylor: I hate Bobby Petrino, but I think it's best that a coach named Nutt doesn't coach a player named Dick. Baylor has improved (at least relatively, according to Orson Swindle), losing with more grace. Still, somehow, even with their underachieving scores and record, the Hawgs' skill players own the SEC in offense. I take the Razorbacks, 27-14.
****
ISU-MSU: Croom and the Mississippi State Other Bulldogs are disciplined. But, they're also almost talent-less. Iowa State can relate - they can't even get out of the tunnel some games. Dixie Delta Dawgs, ugly, 19-17.
I get 7-5, SEC, with them winning the crucial, top-2 match-ups. Would those Big-12 gunslingers light up the SEC? Or, would the quick and deadly D's in Dixie smother the offensive fire power of the Heisman front-runners? Who knows. Let's hope we get some interesting match-ups in the bowls, and, until then, speculation sure is fun!
_________________________________________________
* I'm still not a Texas Tech believer. I don't know why. It's unexplainable. Just a gut feeling, deep down. If they beat OU, I'll sign on. The O-line is the best thing about them. They're big, smart, talented and dominant; they're why the system works. Emphasis on system.
Aroo in ATL read the Dash's weekly round-up and decided to take the issue to his e-mail contacts, one of whom I happen to be. Out of privacy, I won't share their thoughts, but I will include mine and encourage your own. With thanks to Aroo for the idea and assuming all match-ups are neutral site games, here we go:
Forde's match-ups are as follows, with his picks in bold:
Texas Tech-Bama; Florida-Texas; Georgia-Oklahoma; LSU-OK St.; SoCar-Mizz; Ole Miss-Neb; Vandy-Kansas; Kentucky-Colorado; Kansas State-Auburn; Tex A&M-Tenn; Miss St.-Iowa St.
That's 6-6 for the Dash. And, to him, these results indicate that the Big-12 is superior because "they don't give out awards for being better in the bottom half of the league."
My take:
TT-Bama: Bama slows down the TT attack. they have the D-line to get past those behemoths protecting Harrell and really disrupt some rhythm. I'd take the Tide, 34-27.*
Tex-UF: Florida wins. I think they could beat anyone right now, really. The special teams are too good and the defense could drop Colt's Manning-like efficiency, providing just enough room for Tebow to get ahead. Just hope it doesn't come down to Colt and under 2 minutes. Gators, 31-21.
OU-UGA: Oklahoma would actually run into more trouble than expected from the Dawgs, just not enough. It would be a high-scoring affair, but Gergia's been so suspect the last couple of games, that I have to take Bradford and the Sooners, 27-21.
LSU-OKSt.: I think Les Miles beats his old team in the Craziest Coach Contest, 28-26.
Mizz-SoCar: Missouri's too talented for South Carolina to contain. Maclin would be the edge though, not Daniel. He would all-purpose the Tigers to victory in a surprisingly defensive affair. It's Mizz with the W, 23-17.
Miss-Neb: The Right Reverend is a tough Nutt to crack (Bah-dum-dum), and Nebraska's just as hard to husk (didn't land, did it?). In an odd match-up, I'll take the McCluster-fuckers and their ne'er do well rebel yell over the erratic temperaments of the Fightin' Bo Pellinis. Mississippi, 32-29.
[Side-bar: I'd totally bang Houston Nutt's daughters. Check them out here. Insert any "Wild-(fill-in-the-mascot) formation/position" jokes or variations on the word Nutt here.]
Kan-Vandy: Todd Ressing is a tough QB, no matter what the Jayhawks record is. Vandy is imploding as we speak, which makes me wonder if this football season is some type of physics experiment being conducted by Nashville's nerdiest. In the end, Vandy won't have enough for Kansas. Mangino's Big and Tall, 34-21
UK-Buffs: Hawkins and Sons, Inc. are not killers, and if you don't finish off this Wildcat squad, you better be able to win the close one. The Buffs just can't do it. Kentucky, 24-21.
KSU-Aub: Auburn, who will beat Georgia this weekend, is atrocious. They might be able to hold the Cats O in check, but will they score any points? Probably not. In an ugly cat fight, the soon-to-be Prince-less KS, 7-5.
UT-TA&M: Wyoming? Really? A&M, 21-17.
****I left this game out yesterday. Thank you, Moviegoer, for the notice:
Ark-Baylor: I hate Bobby Petrino, but I think it's best that a coach named Nutt doesn't coach a player named Dick. Baylor has improved (at least relatively, according to Orson Swindle), losing with more grace. Still, somehow, even with their underachieving scores and record, the Hawgs' skill players own the SEC in offense. I take the Razorbacks, 27-14.
****
ISU-MSU: Croom and the Mississippi State Other Bulldogs are disciplined. But, they're also almost talent-less. Iowa State can relate - they can't even get out of the tunnel some games. Dixie Delta Dawgs, ugly, 19-17.
I get 7-5, SEC, with them winning the crucial, top-2 match-ups. Would those Big-12 gunslingers light up the SEC? Or, would the quick and deadly D's in Dixie smother the offensive fire power of the Heisman front-runners? Who knows. Let's hope we get some interesting match-ups in the bowls, and, until then, speculation sure is fun!
_________________________________________________
* I'm still not a Texas Tech believer. I don't know why. It's unexplainable. Just a gut feeling, deep down. If they beat OU, I'll sign on. The O-line is the best thing about them. They're big, smart, talented and dominant; they're why the system works. Emphasis on system.
Tuesday Top-25: Dr. Jeckyl/Mr. Hyde Edition
Here goes. First, the PC edition, taking into account the entire season and the merits of records and head-to-head competition.
1. Bama
2. Florida
3. Texas Tech
4. Texas
5. Oklahoma
6. USC
7. Penn State
8. Oklahoma St.
9. Ohio State
10. Utah
11. Boise St.
12. Missouri
13. Georgia
14. LSU
15. TCU
16. Michigan State
17. Pitt
18. UNC
19. FSU
20. Ball State
21. Cincinnati
22. BYU
23. SoCar
24. Oregon State
35. Western Michigan
Now, let's get funky! It's revolutionary this week, ladies and gents. I'm going gut feeling on who's playing best right now. No records in mind, just current level of play. And, realistically thinking about who would win the match up between the 2-3 loss teams and the BCS-buster darlings creeping around. Also, head-to-head be damned - it's about now, damnit! Here's what the top-12 would be:
1. Florida
2. Oklahoma
3. Texas
4. Alabama
5. Texas Tech
6. USC
7. Texas Tech
8. Penn State
9. Ohio State
10. Georgia
11. Missouri
12. Michigan State
It gets pretty ugly after this. Ball State and BYU wouldn't get in. Boise would be low and TCU and Utah would be in that meaty 18-22 part of the curve. That brings up some awkwardly placed teams. 6-3 LSU would still be fairly high. I mean, look who they lost to: 3 top-10 teams. Why would UGA still be so high? Well, look who they lost to: #1 and 4. Texas stumbled against a solid Texas Tech team; they were not defeated by a superior opponent. That's my take, and that's why the 'Horns are higher than the Raiders.
P.S. - You get another chance to watch Nate Davis tonight on ESPN2. It's a lot of fun.
1. Bama
2. Florida
3. Texas Tech
4. Texas
5. Oklahoma
6. USC
7. Penn State
8. Oklahoma St.
9. Ohio State
10. Utah
11. Boise St.
12. Missouri
13. Georgia
14. LSU
15. TCU
16. Michigan State
17. Pitt
18. UNC
19. FSU
20. Ball State
21. Cincinnati
22. BYU
23. SoCar
24. Oregon State
35. Western Michigan
Now, let's get funky! It's revolutionary this week, ladies and gents. I'm going gut feeling on who's playing best right now. No records in mind, just current level of play. And, realistically thinking about who would win the match up between the 2-3 loss teams and the BCS-buster darlings creeping around. Also, head-to-head be damned - it's about now, damnit! Here's what the top-12 would be:
1. Florida
2. Oklahoma
3. Texas
4. Alabama
5. Texas Tech
6. USC
7. Texas Tech
8. Penn State
9. Ohio State
10. Georgia
11. Missouri
12. Michigan State
It gets pretty ugly after this. Ball State and BYU wouldn't get in. Boise would be low and TCU and Utah would be in that meaty 18-22 part of the curve. That brings up some awkwardly placed teams. 6-3 LSU would still be fairly high. I mean, look who they lost to: 3 top-10 teams. Why would UGA still be so high? Well, look who they lost to: #1 and 4. Texas stumbled against a solid Texas Tech team; they were not defeated by a superior opponent. That's my take, and that's why the 'Horns are higher than the Raiders.
P.S. - You get another chance to watch Nate Davis tonight on ESPN2. It's a lot of fun.
'Pear Bryant' and his Cryin' Irish Eyes
I'm no fan of the little media darlings of South Bend, and I'm glad to see we have turned the tide on over hyping them. I thought for sure they would have been undeservedly ranked after a 4-2 start. But, the US is changing. We have a black President-Elect and the pollsters keep ND dwelling in the darkness of the unranked. God Bless America.
As a Domer Dumper, I love to criticize the Irish athletic department and boosters for the racial contrasts in the treatment of Ty-Ty over Charlie "Pear Bryant" Weis. Weis is not a motivator and molder of young men. He's an offensive mind that knows how to think X's and O's and relate said plays to NFL-caliber men. College is not his game. Look at his record. Then look at the schedules he's played and check that record one more time. It gets even more embarrassing when you consider the level of opponents., huh?
I say all this to introduce this article by Jason Whitlock. It's a great piece on an overrated coach by a fellow, anti-ND biased, football enthusiast. Enjoy. Weiss is a douche.
Honestly, I don't hate Notre Dame. I just get sooooo tired of the hype that is never equaled with execution. They steal BCS spots from teams that are twice as good, only to fall flat on their faces. Still, I am a believer that when ND is good, we all benefit. No one can deny this a sport of tradition, and ND's is unmatched. That seems to carry over to a better season for all of college football. But, I am enjoying this purgatory of mediocrity that those pig-skin Papists are floundering in right now.
Go Navy! And, USC by 21.
As a Domer Dumper, I love to criticize the Irish athletic department and boosters for the racial contrasts in the treatment of Ty-Ty over Charlie "Pear Bryant" Weis. Weis is not a motivator and molder of young men. He's an offensive mind that knows how to think X's and O's and relate said plays to NFL-caliber men. College is not his game. Look at his record. Then look at the schedules he's played and check that record one more time. It gets even more embarrassing when you consider the level of opponents., huh?
I say all this to introduce this article by Jason Whitlock. It's a great piece on an overrated coach by a fellow, anti-ND biased, football enthusiast. Enjoy. Weiss is a douche.
Honestly, I don't hate Notre Dame. I just get sooooo tired of the hype that is never equaled with execution. They steal BCS spots from teams that are twice as good, only to fall flat on their faces. Still, I am a believer that when ND is good, we all benefit. No one can deny this a sport of tradition, and ND's is unmatched. That seems to carry over to a better season for all of college football. But, I am enjoying this purgatory of mediocrity that those pig-skin Papists are floundering in right now.
Go Navy! And, USC by 21.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Online Dynasty News - Let It Snow
In a tense game, in the snow, yet AGAIN, Cincinnati edged out Pitt 28-21. The BearCats clinched the River City Rivalry with a big defensive stand late that enabled them to run out the clock.
Reporters caught up to joaj34 at midfield:
"Hats off to Pitt today; they played a tough game. That passing game was killing us - we just couldn't cover those guys out there. It was a clean game, no turnovers, no penalties. We just tried to keep it close and make sure we were in a position to win at the end of the game. That big sack late was the turning point."
When asked about playing in the snow for the third time in as many games:
"Hell, I'm from Georgia, this is more snow than I've ever seen. That end of the season trip to Hawai'i is looking better and better."
Cincy has finished its brutal gauntlet of user games and only has 'Cuse and Hawai'i remaining. Pitt finishes out with WVU and UConn.
Reporters caught up to joaj34 at midfield:
"Hats off to Pitt today; they played a tough game. That passing game was killing us - we just couldn't cover those guys out there. It was a clean game, no turnovers, no penalties. We just tried to keep it close and make sure we were in a position to win at the end of the game. That big sack late was the turning point."
When asked about playing in the snow for the third time in as many games:
"Hell, I'm from Georgia, this is more snow than I've ever seen. That end of the season trip to Hawai'i is looking better and better."
Cincy has finished its brutal gauntlet of user games and only has 'Cuse and Hawai'i remaining. Pitt finishes out with WVU and UConn.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Utes Roll On
Utah is undefeated and ranked #8, but faced a tought opponent last night in #12 TCU. The Horned Frogs D is disgustingly tough and the offense plays stright up, hard nosed football. They held juggernaut Oklahoma to it's lowest scoring output of the entire season and were gunning for the MWC title. In a tough, low-scoring game, the Utes rallied late for the victory, 13-10. Now they need to beat SDSU and in-state rival BYU to earn a BCS spot.
Also rolling on is Boise State. They've played a much easier schedule (WAC seems much softer than MWC) and have been to the dance before. They've proved they can beat a big-boy and deserve a shot. We could end up with two, non-BCS, undefeated teams ranked inside the top-12 and looking for at large spots. Well, only one will get in. I do not have that much faith in the bowls to pick both of them. And, yes, I understand that it's debateable if both should even be allowed to go.
But, think about this. What if BYU beats Utah? That's a 3 way tie. Rules say they use a hed-to-head with competitive teams. So, let's say Utah finishes 11-1 with a loss to BYU, but stays ranked in the top-16 and higher than the ACC and Big East champs, They go BCS-busting.. or, do they? Las Vegas Bowl gets the first choice, after the BCS passes.
Also rolling on is Boise State. They've played a much easier schedule (WAC seems much softer than MWC) and have been to the dance before. They've proved they can beat a big-boy and deserve a shot. We could end up with two, non-BCS, undefeated teams ranked inside the top-12 and looking for at large spots. Well, only one will get in. I do not have that much faith in the bowls to pick both of them. And, yes, I understand that it's debateable if both should even be allowed to go.
But, think about this. What if BYU beats Utah? That's a 3 way tie. Rules say they use a hed-to-head with competitive teams. So, let's say Utah finishes 11-1 with a loss to BYU, but stays ranked in the top-16 and higher than the ACC and Big East champs, They go BCS-busting.. or, do they? Las Vegas Bowl gets the first choice, after the BCS passes.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Frogs-Utes
This could be big game with real impact on who the BCS buster will be. TCU would be ranked much higher and in a great place to play the role of Fiest Bowl spoiler had they not scheduled Oklahoma this year. Ouch. Utah has defeated Oregon State, who beat USC, while Boise State defeated Oregon who, well, really hasn't done much this season. It's 10-3 right now, Frogs up. I wish I got the special CBS Sports channel that it's on. Oh well, carry on Mounatin West. Carry on.
Online Dynasty News - BearCats Crumbling
Cincinnati and Louisville locked horns tonight in the snow at Papa John's Stadium. In a defensive battle, the Cardinals turned it late, winning 14-7. Not an exciting game, but tense and well played.
Coach joaj34 had this to say:
"We've just got to get home - two road games back-to-back, in the snow, has gotten to us. This has already been the toughest stretch of competition in Cincinnati history, but you have to be able to play in all kinds of weather and we haven't been executing. We've been outplayed two weeks in a row.
"All credit to Louisville, in the end, after a tough game, in the elements, they just out manned us. We're looking at some offensive changes for next week; three losses is unacceptable. That's not BearCat football...we'll be happy to get back to Nippert."
We're awaiting comment from HWeezy.
Cincy falls to 6-3 with Pitt calling next week.
Coach joaj34 had this to say:
"We've just got to get home - two road games back-to-back, in the snow, has gotten to us. This has already been the toughest stretch of competition in Cincinnati history, but you have to be able to play in all kinds of weather and we haven't been executing. We've been outplayed two weeks in a row.
"All credit to Louisville, in the end, after a tough game, in the elements, they just out manned us. We're looking at some offensive changes for next week; three losses is unacceptable. That's not BearCat football...we'll be happy to get back to Nippert."
We're awaiting comment from HWeezy.
Cincy falls to 6-3 with Pitt calling next week.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Online Dynasty News - Bulls Broken
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights keep on winning, this time in big fashion against the USF Bulls. Nliley's team rushed out to a big lead and Eric Taylor's squad turned the ball over 6 times in a 45-0 blowout. It's the first user shutout and just another victim for the Scarlet Knights.
Straight from the SoFla Report:
"Broken chairs, broken head sets and broken Big East championship dreams sum up the defeat USF had to Rutgers tonight, 45-0.
"3 picks - 3 fumbles - and coach Eric Taylor made it a Hat Trick at the press conference saying "God Damn, God Damn, God Damn!"
"The lack of speed was the downfall for USF - they hope to solve this in the off season. Up next for USF is UConn ."
Can anyone beat Nliley? At this point, Rutgers is looking like the favorite for Big East champion. This conference has become a powerhouse, with 5 teams ranked right now.
12 - USF
15 - Cincy
16- WVU
21 - Louisville
22- Rutgers
Cincy-L'ville is looming large...
Straight from the SoFla Report:
"Broken chairs, broken head sets and broken Big East championship dreams sum up the defeat USF had to Rutgers tonight, 45-0.
"3 picks - 3 fumbles - and coach Eric Taylor made it a Hat Trick at the press conference saying "God Damn, God Damn, God Damn!"
"The lack of speed was the downfall for USF - they hope to solve this in the off season. Up next for USF is UConn ."
Can anyone beat Nliley? At this point, Rutgers is looking like the favorite for Big East champion. This conference has become a powerhouse, with 5 teams ranked right now.
12 - USF
15 - Cincy
16- WVU
21 - Louisville
22- Rutgers
Cincy-L'ville is looming large...
Online Dynasty News - Pitt Wins! (then loses)
Pitt broke their winless streak by edging out Notre Dame in a great, hard fought, 34-33 win. The jubilation was short lived, though, as the Panthers fell short in an offensive user game, 49-36, against the Louisville Cardinals.
Cardinals coach HWeezy had this to say:
"We are happy with the conference road win and only have one thing to say, Do NOT sleep on the Pitt Panthers, they are a good football team that is only going to get better. God Bless."
In other user game news, #14 Cincy tangled with #21 WVU tonight in Morgantown.
In an instant classic played in the freezing snow, the 'Neers knocked off the 'Cats by a final score of 24-21. It was a back and forth defensive game that was busted open by a 90 yard fumble return in the 4th that put WVU up 17-14. The offenses exchanged late TD's and Cincy had a chance to win with a little over a minute left, but BearCat QB Demetrius Jones threw a game clenching INT with seconds left to seal it for the Mountaineers.
Noel Devine was held in check until late in the second half, when he became the centerpiece of the WVU surge, finishing with 111 yards and the late score.
Coach joaj34 said: "That was a hell of a game. I've got to give it to both of these teams to come out in conditions like this, in the snow and the sludge and duke it out like this. Great defensive play throughout the game, we just came up on the short end of the stick. We've got some things we need to look at to get ready for the Cardinals."
Cincy plays at Louisville next week, WVU and Pitt get a bye.
WVU's coach has yet to comment...
Cardinals coach HWeezy had this to say:
"We are happy with the conference road win and only have one thing to say, Do NOT sleep on the Pitt Panthers, they are a good football team that is only going to get better. God Bless."
In other user game news, #14 Cincy tangled with #21 WVU tonight in Morgantown.
In an instant classic played in the freezing snow, the 'Neers knocked off the 'Cats by a final score of 24-21. It was a back and forth defensive game that was busted open by a 90 yard fumble return in the 4th that put WVU up 17-14. The offenses exchanged late TD's and Cincy had a chance to win with a little over a minute left, but BearCat QB Demetrius Jones threw a game clenching INT with seconds left to seal it for the Mountaineers.
Noel Devine was held in check until late in the second half, when he became the centerpiece of the WVU surge, finishing with 111 yards and the late score.
Coach joaj34 said: "That was a hell of a game. I've got to give it to both of these teams to come out in conditions like this, in the snow and the sludge and duke it out like this. Great defensive play throughout the game, we just came up on the short end of the stick. We've got some things we need to look at to get ready for the Cardinals."
Cincy plays at Louisville next week, WVU and Pitt get a bye.
WVU's coach has yet to comment...
Weekly Picks
Why even bother? I've had 2 straight 3-7 weeks. Apparently, I don't even watch football. A coked-up monkey could pick better, or an office-clerking Asian (looking at you, KTL). But, I am indomitable, relentless, persistent. I cannot be stopped...even from sucking. So, in the face of good sense and using time wisely, I let fly my picks like so many slings and arrows.
For the season, 53-34 (yikes!)
LW 3-7
Picks
Virginia Tech 24, Maryland 20 - I just don't trust the Terps. They have a good record, a couple impressive wins, but their losses are ridiculous and their season opening win was the stuff of mediocrity (14-7, Delaware). Tech's been pretty hit-or-miss, too, but I'll take them to be a little less erratic on Saturday.
Ohio State 31, Northwestern 17 - The Bucks are still a pretty good team and I think the Big-10's much improved this year, so they should be respected. The Wildcats are solid this season and their QB could change the meaning of "Kafka-esque (that's for you, moviegoer)" with his borderline Heisman numbers in a couple of games. Still, the Buckeyes should click again and roll the North Chicago Nerds.
Georgia Tech 24, UNC 16 - This was a tough one. I should just not pick ACC games, because I don't think I've picked one right all season. So, with a tinge of doubt, I pick the Jackets on the road over the Heels. Sigh.
Alabama 34, LSU 21 - I really wanted to pick the upset here. I mean, REALLY wanted to pick it. But, the Tide has withstood all three of my upset onslaughts I threw on them (UK, OM, UT) and I'm done tempting fate. If you count the UGA game, I've picked against them 4 times. And, as you can tell by their unblemished record, I've been wrong 4 times. So, no more. LSU has been blasted by UGA and UF and I think we can add Bama to the list.
Penn State 27, Iowa 26 - Nits on the road, against a Hawks' squad that loves to lose close ones, but win blowouts. Shon Green is a beast playing against young boys, but I think JoePa's gang shuts him down and get it done. Spread HD gets a late TD for the W.
Oklahoma St. 31, Texas Tech 30 - I think the Pokes will ruin the Raiders perfect run. I might be picking this out of desperation, though; I really want to see TT go down. Both of these teams feel like out of place upstarts, but OSU had the decency to lose to Texas when they had the chance. Here's to them out-Texas Teching Texas Tech.
USC 42, Cal 13 - I see this match-up and just see a big win for the Trojans. Cal's shaky at best and USC's looking to prove they have an offense to match that smothering D. Sanchez gets his groove back and the Bears go down in a big way.
Notre Dame 28, BC 13 - Wow - let's have a 'Who's More Catholic Contest.' BC has always felt a little like they were ND's little brother. But, then they went out, joined a conference, started playing competitive football and have the best bowl record of the last decade. None of that sounds like the Irish, who remain independent, play a soft schedule, and get trounced regularly in bowls they're unqualified for. All that aside, I see them beating a wishy-washy Eagles team on Chestnut Hill.
FSU 30, Clemson 16 - The Noles are a late fumble away from beating GA Tech. Their D is clicking, but the offense is playing in fits. However, I think they can pull it together long enough to beat the Fightin' Dabos.
Game of the Week - Thursday Night Special
Utah 23, TCU 21 - Last time I picked against the Horned Frogs, I paid for it with pride right here on this blog. KTL owned me that night, and I vowed never again. Yet, here I am, erring away from the logical to stick with my pre-season BCS buster. Go Utes!
Upset Alerts
These are not official picks, just games where I think the fave should stay sharp or suffer the upset. There are 2 Big East games and a surprising SEC game on the list.
Cincy over WVU
Vandy over Florida
Louisville over Pitt
PAT
Do yourself a favor and watch the N. Illinois/Ball State game. It might be the only time you get a real chance to see Nate Davis. He's a gamer who makes the game fun to watch and has his team ranked, undefeated, and a CMU-showdown away from getting to the MAC championship game.
For the season, 53-34 (yikes!)
LW 3-7
Picks
Virginia Tech 24, Maryland 20 - I just don't trust the Terps. They have a good record, a couple impressive wins, but their losses are ridiculous and their season opening win was the stuff of mediocrity (14-7, Delaware). Tech's been pretty hit-or-miss, too, but I'll take them to be a little less erratic on Saturday.
Ohio State 31, Northwestern 17 - The Bucks are still a pretty good team and I think the Big-10's much improved this year, so they should be respected. The Wildcats are solid this season and their QB could change the meaning of "Kafka-esque (that's for you, moviegoer)" with his borderline Heisman numbers in a couple of games. Still, the Buckeyes should click again and roll the North Chicago Nerds.
Georgia Tech 24, UNC 16 - This was a tough one. I should just not pick ACC games, because I don't think I've picked one right all season. So, with a tinge of doubt, I pick the Jackets on the road over the Heels. Sigh.
Alabama 34, LSU 21 - I really wanted to pick the upset here. I mean, REALLY wanted to pick it. But, the Tide has withstood all three of my upset onslaughts I threw on them (UK, OM, UT) and I'm done tempting fate. If you count the UGA game, I've picked against them 4 times. And, as you can tell by their unblemished record, I've been wrong 4 times. So, no more. LSU has been blasted by UGA and UF and I think we can add Bama to the list.
Penn State 27, Iowa 26 - Nits on the road, against a Hawks' squad that loves to lose close ones, but win blowouts. Shon Green is a beast playing against young boys, but I think JoePa's gang shuts him down and get it done. Spread HD gets a late TD for the W.
Oklahoma St. 31, Texas Tech 30 - I think the Pokes will ruin the Raiders perfect run. I might be picking this out of desperation, though; I really want to see TT go down. Both of these teams feel like out of place upstarts, but OSU had the decency to lose to Texas when they had the chance. Here's to them out-Texas Teching Texas Tech.
USC 42, Cal 13 - I see this match-up and just see a big win for the Trojans. Cal's shaky at best and USC's looking to prove they have an offense to match that smothering D. Sanchez gets his groove back and the Bears go down in a big way.
Notre Dame 28, BC 13 - Wow - let's have a 'Who's More Catholic Contest.' BC has always felt a little like they were ND's little brother. But, then they went out, joined a conference, started playing competitive football and have the best bowl record of the last decade. None of that sounds like the Irish, who remain independent, play a soft schedule, and get trounced regularly in bowls they're unqualified for. All that aside, I see them beating a wishy-washy Eagles team on Chestnut Hill.
FSU 30, Clemson 16 - The Noles are a late fumble away from beating GA Tech. Their D is clicking, but the offense is playing in fits. However, I think they can pull it together long enough to beat the Fightin' Dabos.
Game of the Week - Thursday Night Special
Utah 23, TCU 21 - Last time I picked against the Horned Frogs, I paid for it with pride right here on this blog. KTL owned me that night, and I vowed never again. Yet, here I am, erring away from the logical to stick with my pre-season BCS buster. Go Utes!
Upset Alerts
These are not official picks, just games where I think the fave should stay sharp or suffer the upset. There are 2 Big East games and a surprising SEC game on the list.
Cincy over WVU
Vandy over Florida
Louisville over Pitt
PAT
Do yourself a favor and watch the N. Illinois/Ball State game. It might be the only time you get a real chance to see Nate Davis. He's a gamer who makes the game fun to watch and has his team ranked, undefeated, and a CMU-showdown away from getting to the MAC championship game.
Ball State 30, N.Ill. 14
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Post-Season Pickin'
Here's a look at some conference predictions and bowl projections. There's some 'not sure's' and 'what if's' sprinkled in, so bear that in mind. Feel free to leave your thoughts.
Conference Call:
Big East:
Preseason Pick: WVU.
New Pick: WVU. I gave up on Stewart’s squad and rode the Bulls from USF for a while, but the Mountaineers are undefeated in the conference and look back on track.
Big-12:
Preseason Picks: Oklahoma vs. Missouri.
New Pick: Texas vs. Missouri; Texas wins it. Oklahoma St. and Texas Tech will settle out and the Sooners will return to the top, but be edged out by the Horns who will hold the head-to-head advantage.
ACC:
Preseason Pick: Wake Forest vs. Virginia Tech. I don’t think Wake will make it, Tech still has a chance, but it’s doubtful. God, this conference is a pain in the ass to pick.
New Pick: I had BC vs. GA Tech, but now that’s shot. I think. So….Georgia Tech vs. Maryland is the new choice. For now.
Big-10:
Preseason Pick: Ohio State.
New Pick: Penn State. That game with OSU was a de-facto championship game.
PAC-10:
Preseason Pick: USC
New Pick: USC. Duh.
SEC:
Preseason Pick: Florida vs. Auburn. Well, Auburn might not even make it to a bowl, but Florida looks like they’ve got what it takes.
New Pick: Florida vs. Alabama; Gators win, run to 2nd BCS title in 3 years.
MWC:
Preseason: Utah.
New Pick: None – Sticking with Utah to knock off TCU. It looks like a pretty dumb call after watching the Utes flail around uselessly against New Mexico, but I’m loyal.
If the Utes beat TCU and BYU, they’ll go BCS busting. If not, they’ll leave the door open for Boise State. Bruce Feldman thinks they’ll both go – I don’t have that much faith in the bowls.
Other Stuff:
C-USA: Tulsa over ECU
Sunbelt: UL-L
WAC: Boise St.
MAC: Tough to call. The West is best here and whoever wins it will win the champ. game. My pick right now: Central Michigan (sorry, Ball State) over Buffalo.
Going Bowling:
BCS:
BCS Title – Florida vs. Penn State
Sugar – Alabama vs. Texas
Orange – Georgia Tech vs. West Virginia
Fiesta - Oklahoma vs. Boise State/Utah
Rose – Ohio State vs. USC
Other bowls:
Cotton -LSU vs. Texas Tech
Cap1 - Georgia vs. Mich St.
Gator – Florida State vs. Notre Dame
Outback – N’wstrn. vs. SoCar
Sun - Cal vs. Missouri
Holiday – Oregon St. vs. Oklahoma State
Alamo – Minn. Vs. Kansas
Chick-Fil-A – UNC vs. Ole Miss
Conference Call:
Big East:
Preseason Pick: WVU.
New Pick: WVU. I gave up on Stewart’s squad and rode the Bulls from USF for a while, but the Mountaineers are undefeated in the conference and look back on track.
Big-12:
Preseason Picks: Oklahoma vs. Missouri.
New Pick: Texas vs. Missouri; Texas wins it. Oklahoma St. and Texas Tech will settle out and the Sooners will return to the top, but be edged out by the Horns who will hold the head-to-head advantage.
ACC:
Preseason Pick: Wake Forest vs. Virginia Tech. I don’t think Wake will make it, Tech still has a chance, but it’s doubtful. God, this conference is a pain in the ass to pick.
New Pick: I had BC vs. GA Tech, but now that’s shot. I think. So….Georgia Tech vs. Maryland is the new choice. For now.
Big-10:
Preseason Pick: Ohio State.
New Pick: Penn State. That game with OSU was a de-facto championship game.
PAC-10:
Preseason Pick: USC
New Pick: USC. Duh.
SEC:
Preseason Pick: Florida vs. Auburn. Well, Auburn might not even make it to a bowl, but Florida looks like they’ve got what it takes.
New Pick: Florida vs. Alabama; Gators win, run to 2nd BCS title in 3 years.
MWC:
Preseason: Utah.
New Pick: None – Sticking with Utah to knock off TCU. It looks like a pretty dumb call after watching the Utes flail around uselessly against New Mexico, but I’m loyal.
If the Utes beat TCU and BYU, they’ll go BCS busting. If not, they’ll leave the door open for Boise State. Bruce Feldman thinks they’ll both go – I don’t have that much faith in the bowls.
Other Stuff:
C-USA: Tulsa over ECU
Sunbelt: UL-L
WAC: Boise St.
MAC: Tough to call. The West is best here and whoever wins it will win the champ. game. My pick right now: Central Michigan (sorry, Ball State) over Buffalo.
Going Bowling:
BCS:
BCS Title – Florida vs. Penn State
Sugar – Alabama vs. Texas
Orange – Georgia Tech vs. West Virginia
Fiesta - Oklahoma vs. Boise State/Utah
Rose – Ohio State vs. USC
Other bowls:
Cotton -LSU vs. Texas Tech
Cap1 - Georgia vs. Mich St.
Gator – Florida State vs. Notre Dame
Outback – N’wstrn. vs. SoCar
Sun - Cal vs. Missouri
Holiday – Oregon St. vs. Oklahoma State
Alamo – Minn. Vs. Kansas
Chick-Fil-A – UNC vs. Ole Miss
Tuesday Top-25
Here's my top-25. This was a tough one. Bama is the obligatory #1 and I'm keeping the Nits' at #2. Here's where it gets squirrelly. Florida is playing some kick ass ball right now and I've got them #3. I think they are honestly the best team right now, but they've got to be punished a bit for that Ole Miss loss and one and two have TCB'd so far. Now comes the Big-12. TTech gets the #4 nod with the upset 'Horns right after. Oklahoma falls in after that and OKSt. is still lurking in the top-10 with USC mixed in for fun. I have Utah and Boise St back-to-back and then the two loss quality teams that started high with TCU mixed in. But that's another rough spot for me. I really think UGA, LSU, OSU and even Mizz could beat any of those 3 teams. So, do I rank them ahead of them? I guess I can't, though, because these teams have lost 2 games while the BCS-busters are undefeated, except TCU, whose only loss is to afore-mentioned OU. But, those big 2-loss teams all suffered those 2 losses to teams ranked well above them, so do they really need to be dropped down more? Who knows. Thus is the life a pretend-pollster. The 16-25 spots are a hodge-podge of 2-loss teams from BCS conferences that are almost interchangeable. BYU has not been impressive since before the TCU loss and is steadily slipping lower and lower. By the way, I think I cursed my bottom teams last week. Check this out:
LW's bottom teams: 19. Minn. 20. UVA 21. Org. 22. BC 23. Ball St. 24. Iowa 25. Tulsa
Notice anything? They all lost this week. Let's see if the trend continues:
Here's the Top-25:
1. Bama
2. Penn State
3. Florida
4. Texas Tech
5. Texas
6. Oklahoma
7. USC
8. Oklahoma State
9. Ohio State
10. Utah
11. Boise State
12. Missouri
13. TCU
14. Georgia
15. LSU
16. Michigan State
17. North Carolina
18. West Virginia
19. Georgia Tech
20. Florida State
21. BYU
22. Ball State
23. Northwestern
24. Pitt
25. Minnesota
Who could just as easily be ranked in that 20-25 span?
Cal - I still need more proof
Maryland - MTSU? Really?
Kansas - Is there a real D in the Big-12?
South Carolina - Look who's coming back up...
And, I guess, Tulsa. It really doesn't matter.
LW's bottom teams: 19. Minn. 20. UVA 21. Org. 22. BC 23. Ball St. 24. Iowa 25. Tulsa
Notice anything? They all lost this week. Let's see if the trend continues:
Here's the Top-25:
1. Bama
2. Penn State
3. Florida
4. Texas Tech
5. Texas
6. Oklahoma
7. USC
8. Oklahoma State
9. Ohio State
10. Utah
11. Boise State
12. Missouri
13. TCU
14. Georgia
15. LSU
16. Michigan State
17. North Carolina
18. West Virginia
19. Georgia Tech
20. Florida State
21. BYU
22. Ball State
23. Northwestern
24. Pitt
25. Minnesota
Who could just as easily be ranked in that 20-25 span?
Cal - I still need more proof
Maryland - MTSU? Really?
Kansas - Is there a real D in the Big-12?
South Carolina - Look who's coming back up...
And, I guess, Tulsa. It really doesn't matter.
Online Dynasty News - Getting Defensive
West Virginia coach mkyle was reached for a post game comment following his team's close loss to UConn:
"It was a very good game - very defensive and only a fg seperated us until late in the game. Uconn did a good job of hampering Devine and containing White in the pocket. White was noticeably uncomfortable and made some bad decisions that I believe were the difference in the game. However, those three picks would have meant nothing if our defense could have made some critical stops. We just haven't found our footing with our defense yet - we are young on that side of the ball- but it will come. In this new Big East you cant turn the ball over. You have to execute every play and take advantage. It may be time to look for a new defensive coordinator."
Well, they better lock a DC down fast, Cincy comes calling this week...
"It was a very good game - very defensive and only a fg seperated us until late in the game. Uconn did a good job of hampering Devine and containing White in the pocket. White was noticeably uncomfortable and made some bad decisions that I believe were the difference in the game. However, those three picks would have meant nothing if our defense could have made some critical stops. We just haven't found our footing with our defense yet - we are young on that side of the ball- but it will come. In this new Big East you cant turn the ball over. You have to execute every play and take advantage. It may be time to look for a new defensive coordinator."
Well, they better lock a DC down fast, Cincy comes calling this week...
Coverage Drills
We might not have beaten the Gators, but at least we didn't beat our women. Right, UF cornerback Jaques Rickerson? Real classy, Florida. Our football players don't do that, here, sir.*
______________________________________________________
*at least not since Odell Thurman. But, that was different - she was real mouthy, that one was. I'm not saying she deserved it....**
** I do not condone domestic violence
______________________________________________________
*at least not since Odell Thurman. But, that was different - she was real mouthy, that one was. I'm not saying she deserved it....**
** I do not condone domestic violence
Online Dynasty News - Mountaineers Slipping
UConn got back on track after losing four straight by knocking off #15 West Virginia last night, 38-21.
From the Associated Press:
AP- Turmoil in the Big East to say the least. On a cool crisp autumn evening, the Connecticut Huskies showed what it takes to get the back in bowl contention. “We just wanted to go out there and play OUR game,” said coach Aroo. “The past few games I think we tightened up a bit and got away from what has worked for us in the past. We knew there was no stopping Devine, but if we slowed him down a bit and made Pat White throw the ball, then good things could happen.” The Huskies did just that. Devine did run for over 100 yards but 50 of those came on a breakaway run in the 3rd. Instead the brunt of the offense was thrust onto the shoulders of Pat White. “We thought that if we could keep the to 3rd and long that we could force Pat to do things he wasn’t used to doing. Our linebackers and safeties came up huge today making sure that he stayed in the backfield and gave our corners a chance for man coverage on the receivers,” noted coach Aroo. If for only one night, they seemed to be clicking on all cylinders. The offense sustained an injury to Tyler Lorenzen that doesn’t seem to be too serious, but DJ Hernandez stepped right in. Overall, a great game played here in Hartford that was very tight until a touchdown scored in the waning moments. We have seen great play from the Big East this year and this reporter believes that the best football is still yet to come.
Next up for the newly struggling Mountaineers is #21 Cincinnati.
From the Associated Press:
AP- Turmoil in the Big East to say the least. On a cool crisp autumn evening, the Connecticut Huskies showed what it takes to get the back in bowl contention. “We just wanted to go out there and play OUR game,” said coach Aroo. “The past few games I think we tightened up a bit and got away from what has worked for us in the past. We knew there was no stopping Devine, but if we slowed him down a bit and made Pat White throw the ball, then good things could happen.” The Huskies did just that. Devine did run for over 100 yards but 50 of those came on a breakaway run in the 3rd. Instead the brunt of the offense was thrust onto the shoulders of Pat White. “We thought that if we could keep the to 3rd and long that we could force Pat to do things he wasn’t used to doing. Our linebackers and safeties came up huge today making sure that he stayed in the backfield and gave our corners a chance for man coverage on the receivers,” noted coach Aroo. If for only one night, they seemed to be clicking on all cylinders. The offense sustained an injury to Tyler Lorenzen that doesn’t seem to be too serious, but DJ Hernandez stepped right in. Overall, a great game played here in Hartford that was very tight until a touchdown scored in the waning moments. We have seen great play from the Big East this year and this reporter believes that the best football is still yet to come.
Next up for the newly struggling Mountaineers is #21 Cincinnati.
Monday, November 3, 2008
This is late for Halloween, but still AWE-SOME
Kige Ramsey on Halloween:
Kige has really become a southern sports phenomenon. He's been mentioned here, by Clay Travis, on DeepSouthSports, EDSBS, and many, many more. We are all a little better off having him in our world.
Kige has really become a southern sports phenomenon. He's been mentioned here, by Clay Travis, on DeepSouthSports, EDSBS, and many, many more. We are all a little better off having him in our world.
Fulmer Out
Last week I brought you the Third Saturday in Blogtober report that sources close to the UT athletic program said Fulmer was definitely out. Well, it continues. According to ESPN, Fulmer is stepping down. Check it here.
Chew on this, demanding Vol fans, Fulmer is putting together a fantastic recruiting class right now. But, instead of pressuring him to find another good OC, you're forcing him out. Who the fuck else do you think is going to be able to recruit to Knoxville? Lose Fulmer, lose the recruiting touch. I hope Askew and Boyd de-commit and go to VA Tech.
Chew on this, demanding Vol fans, Fulmer is putting together a fantastic recruiting class right now. But, instead of pressuring him to find another good OC, you're forcing him out. Who the fuck else do you think is going to be able to recruit to Knoxville? Lose Fulmer, lose the recruiting touch. I hope Askew and Boyd de-commit and go to VA Tech.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Cocktail Party Hangover
Apparently, the "Jort-Out" worked. Touche, Gators.
Check out Senator Blutarsky's write up on the game. He makes some good observations, especially in defense of Martinez and the D whose head the idiots were already calling for in the post-game. People who don't understand football making commentary on the game upsets me almost as much as idiots who only care about the Bible voting....wait a minute...damnit!! Oh well, it's football season; I said I'd avoid politics during football season, and it's been real hard to do with it being an election year and all. Moving on. There was one thing bothering me about that game, but the Senator describes it more deftly than I was attempting this morning, so I'll just quote him here:
"I don’t know who gets the lion’s share of the blame for the playcalling in the first half - whether that goes to Bobo for the calls, or Stafford for the reads - but there were plenty of head scratchers. As Mergz noted in the comments to my previous post, Strong gambled by playing eight in the box to stop Moreno. Playing that many so close to the line also meant that screens, passes to the flats and that abominable zone read play where Stafford keeps were all going to be extremely well defended, too. Yet, we saw all of it. And it all got shut down. In the meantime, that meant there were yawning gaps of real estate with no Gator defenders patrolling them in the middle of the field. Crossing routes, slants, posts, throws to the tight end over the middle were all invited, and the few times that the Dawg offense took Strong up on his offer all resulted in resounding success. But for some reason, Georgia was clearly reluctant to exploit this. Why? I have no idea."
Well said. I do not want to take credit away from Strong's D, but we did make some questionable calls and poor executions.
Cheers to Florida for bringing the Veer back. I wish it hadn't been against us, but it was nice to see such a retro offense given a fresh, spread-style update. The Veer is like Novocaine, give it enough time and it always works (Remember the Titans). Tebow's perfect to run it and Meyer's perfect to coach it - no matter how douchey he is. And, God, is he douchey.
This is the worst loss Richt has suffered as head coach. Let's get it out of our system and hope we don't see another one like this for 10 more years. What makes this loss so bad was the apparent giving up. We didn't fight back. Against Bama, we got owned, but kept fighting. That's what I wanted to see and it didn't happen. Why does Florida control us so effectively mentally and emotionally in this series? Now, we're going to have to come up with a gimmick for next year, I guess. Or, just work harder as a program and, especially, coaching staff, to change the mindset. That's what Spurrier did when the Gators took this rivalry over, and it's what Richt has to do now. Gimmicky shit will only get you so far (see: 2008 'Blackout' against Bama).
In a serious case of gridiron shadenfreuden, it felt kind of nice to see Texas lose last night after we lost. I wanted them to win and put Tech in their place as an upstart, system-offense having, little-brother program...until we lost. Then it was good to see the pain shared by someone else.
And, for all those who constantly say it, sometimes football is NOT "just a game." If I invest emotion and interest, and dedicate time and effort into something, that's my choice. It makes it important. Football might just be a game to you, but not everyone. No more than that heirloom cake plate of your grandmother's is just a plate, or your dog you've raised and loved its entire life is just a dog, or your grandfather's family Bible is just a book, or your home where you live with your family is just a house. You get the idea. Things have different importances to different people and it's not okay to try and take that away from someone.
Oh well, win or lose, we still booze!
Check out Senator Blutarsky's write up on the game. He makes some good observations, especially in defense of Martinez and the D whose head the idiots were already calling for in the post-game. People who don't understand football making commentary on the game upsets me almost as much as idiots who only care about the Bible voting....wait a minute...damnit!! Oh well, it's football season; I said I'd avoid politics during football season, and it's been real hard to do with it being an election year and all. Moving on. There was one thing bothering me about that game, but the Senator describes it more deftly than I was attempting this morning, so I'll just quote him here:
"I don’t know who gets the lion’s share of the blame for the playcalling in the first half - whether that goes to Bobo for the calls, or Stafford for the reads - but there were plenty of head scratchers. As Mergz noted in the comments to my previous post, Strong gambled by playing eight in the box to stop Moreno. Playing that many so close to the line also meant that screens, passes to the flats and that abominable zone read play where Stafford keeps were all going to be extremely well defended, too. Yet, we saw all of it. And it all got shut down. In the meantime, that meant there were yawning gaps of real estate with no Gator defenders patrolling them in the middle of the field. Crossing routes, slants, posts, throws to the tight end over the middle were all invited, and the few times that the Dawg offense took Strong up on his offer all resulted in resounding success. But for some reason, Georgia was clearly reluctant to exploit this. Why? I have no idea."
Well said. I do not want to take credit away from Strong's D, but we did make some questionable calls and poor executions.
Cheers to Florida for bringing the Veer back. I wish it hadn't been against us, but it was nice to see such a retro offense given a fresh, spread-style update. The Veer is like Novocaine, give it enough time and it always works (Remember the Titans). Tebow's perfect to run it and Meyer's perfect to coach it - no matter how douchey he is. And, God, is he douchey.
This is the worst loss Richt has suffered as head coach. Let's get it out of our system and hope we don't see another one like this for 10 more years. What makes this loss so bad was the apparent giving up. We didn't fight back. Against Bama, we got owned, but kept fighting. That's what I wanted to see and it didn't happen. Why does Florida control us so effectively mentally and emotionally in this series? Now, we're going to have to come up with a gimmick for next year, I guess. Or, just work harder as a program and, especially, coaching staff, to change the mindset. That's what Spurrier did when the Gators took this rivalry over, and it's what Richt has to do now. Gimmicky shit will only get you so far (see: 2008 'Blackout' against Bama).
In a serious case of gridiron shadenfreuden, it felt kind of nice to see Texas lose last night after we lost. I wanted them to win and put Tech in their place as an upstart, system-offense having, little-brother program...until we lost. Then it was good to see the pain shared by someone else.
And, for all those who constantly say it, sometimes football is NOT "just a game." If I invest emotion and interest, and dedicate time and effort into something, that's my choice. It makes it important. Football might just be a game to you, but not everyone. No more than that heirloom cake plate of your grandmother's is just a plate, or your dog you've raised and loved its entire life is just a dog, or your grandfather's family Bible is just a book, or your home where you live with your family is just a house. You get the idea. Things have different importances to different people and it's not okay to try and take that away from someone.
Oh well, win or lose, we still booze!
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Went Dawgs - Owned.
We got owned.
Losing sucks.
Losing 49-10? That's just painful. It's the type of loss that doesn't so much build character as crush souls. Congratulations to Florida - Tim Tebow's a hell of a ballplayer and seems like a stand up guy. But, your coach is still a whiny douche-bag and I'd fist fight him if given the chance. And win. And then celebrate in his wife's end zone. Fuck Urban Meyer. Go Dawgs - I'm still with you for UK, AU, GT and whatever the post-season holds.
Losing sucks.
Losing 49-10? That's just painful. It's the type of loss that doesn't so much build character as crush souls. Congratulations to Florida - Tim Tebow's a hell of a ballplayer and seems like a stand up guy. But, your coach is still a whiny douche-bag and I'd fist fight him if given the chance. And win. And then celebrate in his wife's end zone. Fuck Urban Meyer. Go Dawgs - I'm still with you for UK, AU, GT and whatever the post-season holds.
Go Dawgs!
Florida's fast. They're angry. And, they're playing better football than almost anyone else in the nation right now. It could be a long day for us, but maybe Richt has somehting else up his sleeve...
****Editor's Note, added 11/2/08 - 8:00 pm
Richt had nothing up his sleeve except for turnovers, poor special teams, and shoddy tackling. Not quite the trick we were expecting.
I hope we can get that shorn up and be ready for the WildCats next week.
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