Marcus Dupree was one of the most sought after College Football recruits in the history of College Football.  He was so heavily recruited that a book was written about his recruitment.  Willie Moriss's book entitled:  The Courting of Marcus Dupree.  At 6'2" and 225 pounds, Marcus was a runaway freight train.  In his very 1st play in high school, as a freshman, he returned a kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown.  From there the legend grew, and by the time he was a Senior, he was the most sought after player in the entire country.   

You may remember Bo Jackson, Herschel Walker, Mike Rozier, Marcus Allen, and George Rogers from early '80's RB fame.  But the most talented of all of them very well may have been Marcus Dupree. 

I'll let his highlights speak for themselves.  In his only college season, and as a freshman, Marcus Dupree was named 1st Team All Big-8 and 2nd Team All-American.  These videos will probably tell you why:

Marcus1     Marcus2     Marcus3

After only 1 season and 3 games, Marcus and the Sooners parted ways.  Shortly thereafter, Marcus was in the USFL at the tender age of 19, and at the age of 21 upon suffering a brutal knee injury Marcus's football career was all but over. 

Barry Switzer still claims to this day that Marcus Dupree was the most talented football player to ever set foot on campus at Oklahoma.  Billy Sims, Greg Pruitt, Adrian Peterson, and the Selmon brothers included.  Ask any Sooner fan if they remember Marcus, and you'll probably see a twinkle in their eye, and something muttered such as "What could have been......". 

When I was 12 years old I had the pleasure of witnessing Marcus 1st hand.  The Sooners visited Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, NE to play my beloved Huskers.  After watching Marcus's 86 yard TD jaunt, I don't know that I can disagree with Mr. Switzer's opinion.  That jaunt is part of the YouTube video.

Marcus Dupree......"What could have been.........", and arguably the most talented RB in the history of College Football. 

quotes, facts, etc. courtesy of:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qg2bHHY3d
84; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Dupr
ee; http://sportsmed.starwave.com/abcsports/
columns/connolly_marc/2000/1025/837236.html
; http://espn.go.com/nfl/columns/dupree/15
18441.html

The Big 10 FOURTH in my conference rankings?  Sure.  Almost pegged them 5th, but the overall strength and lack of a true patsy puts them here.  The once proud and distinguished Big 10 conference has taken some serious hits by the public and experts alike over the past couple of  years.  But it has predominantly been the losses of Ohio State in the past 2 BCS Championship games and Michigan’s defeat at home to Appalachian State last year that have led the way. 

We all know the story. 

Too slow........ too methodical....... 3 yards and a cloud of dust.  Right? 

You couldn't be more wrong. 

Purdue, Northwestern, Indiana, Illinois, and Minnesota all run some version of a spread or multiple receiver set offense.    And with the addition of Rich Rodriguez to Michigan the Wolverines will as well.  Add in the arrival of Terrelle Pryor in Columbus, OH and we will also see the sweater vest bring back some of the spread they used when Troy Smith was on campus. Throw in the pro-set offenses of Michigan State and Iowa, and you really only have teams in Wisconsin and Penn State that rely upon grinding it out on the ground to win games.  But word has it that Penn State is going to a ‘spread’ offense this year.  3 yards and a cloud of dust?  Not even close. 

The Big 10 likely has only 1 team with 'serious' National Championship aspirations in Ohio State.  And that is the main reason I have them ranked 4th in BCS supremacy.  Other than what appears to be a weak top end, the Big 10 does not have a patsy in the entire conference.  Something most other BCS conferences cannot claim.  Penn State could be a sleeper contender, but they haven't seriously contended since Kerry Collins and KiJana Carter were residents in State College. 

So how do I see the Big 10 breaking down?  Here it is:  

1. Ohio State
2. Penn State
3. Michigan State
4. Iowa
5. Wisconsin
6. Michigan
7. Illinois
8. Northwestern
9. Minnesota
10. Purdue
11. Indiana

  So here is my selections, and why:  

Ohio State:  ahem...... Excuse me, THE Ohio State.  With a grand total of 19 starters returning from a team that has played in the past two National Championship games, and there isn't a whole lot to NOT like about tOSU.   Offensively, they have the tools to do just about anything you want.  Run, pass, stretch the field, screen, dink and dunk, you name it, they have it.  Throw in the arrival of one of the most highly recruited players in College Football history in Terrelle Pryor, as a backup QB, and you have the makings of something special in Columbus.  If you don't consider Ohio State as a legitimate National Title contender, then  you either:

1. Hate OSU 
2. Hate the Big 10
3. Believe their losses in the past 2 National Championship games should prevent them from ever playing in this contest ever again. 

If those thoughts enter into your mind then why did Florida win the National Championship in 1996?  (Beaten by Nebraska 62-24 in the previous years Fiesta Bowl.)  Why did Oklahoma win the 2000 National Championship game after getting beat by a 5-7 Notre Dame team, a 7-5 Colorado team by 14, a 6-5 Texas Tech team by 10, and a Mississippi team in the Independence Bowl in the previous season?  How about Tennessee in 1998 after getting beat by Nebraska 42 – 17 in the previous years Orange Bowl?  How about  THE same Ohio State program that was 7-5 in 2001, and then went on to win a National Championship in 2002, rolling to an undefeated season and supposedly beating one of the 'best' College Football teams in the history of College Football? 

 Well enough about that. 

On offense we should see some big time improvement in Senior signal-caller Todd Boeckman.  And even if he doesn't improve that much, a repeat of last year’s performance would be good enough with the talent around him.  Chris ‘Beanie’ Wells is the best RB in the nation and is my early season favorite to win the Heisman Trophy.  Brian Robiskie is a stud WR, and Brian Hartline and Ray Small make very solid #2 and #3 options.  Throw in what is arguably the best offensive line in the country and you have the makings of a dominant offensive unit.  What is really appealing about the Buckeye offense this year is that they are extremely strong in their 2 deep rotations.  There are many a BCS conference teams that would be glad to line up OSU’s #2’s as their #1’s in 2008. 

 So what about the defense?  Just as scary.  On defense, tOSU returns one of the most feared LB's in the nation in James Laurinaitis to roam the middle for a stodgy OSU defense.  Behind him is what I believe will be the Jim Thorpe award winner for the best defensive back in the nation in Malcolm Jenkins.  James and Malcolm have some good stuff around them on defense as well.  Vernon Gholston and Larry Grant are gone, but they have studs in Ross Homan and Lawrence Wilson to replace them.  Throw in this year’s biggest splash at DE in Cameron Heyward (shouldn't be that big of a surprise) and the Buckeyes have it all.  Laugh all you want, but their trip to USC will likely decipher at least 1 part of the National Championship game this year.  Much like OSU's battle with Texas in 2005.  The THE, will be put back into THE Ohio State in 2008.  Bank on it.  This is a team that has been close to tasting the almighty in the past two years.  Throw in my most respected coach in the country in Jim Tressel, and you have my pick for this year's National Champion.  

Penn State:  Glutton for punishment?  Maybe.  I keep pegging these guys to finish close to the top of the Big 10, and last year I had them on top.  You would think I would learn?  With 18 starters returning and Joe Pa in his 1,000th  year as head coach at PSU, I have to peg them here (Someone please kick me while I'm down).  They were 4-4 in conference play last year, which was just a bit of a disappointment (really?).  The Nittany Lions return the 2nd best Offensive Line in the Big 10.  They also lose one of the most embattled QB's in the history of Penn State football in Anthony Morelli.  Much was expected of Anthony, and he quite simply did not produce.  Especially in big games when it really mattered.  The Lions will also return one of the best defenses in the Big 10.  Last year they gave up the most points that they have given up in the past 3 years.  But it was STILL only 17.5 points per game.  Good enough for 7th in the country in PPG, and 11th overall in yards given up per contest.  On the bad side they lose two of the best defensive players in the nation in Sean Lee and Dan Connor.  (Lee to injury, Connor to the NFL.)  Both stalwart LB's.  But if there is anything that PSU can replace, it is LB's.  They aren't called Linebacker U for nothing.  Look for Chris Colasanti to step into a major role as a difference maker at MLB for the Lions in 2008.   Maurice Evans is an absolute stud, and an AA candidate at DE, and AJ Wallace at CB and Anthony Scirrotto at Safety anchor a strong secondary.  On the offensive side of the ball?  Depends.  Evan Royster has some serious talent.  Curt Warner type talent, and Derrick Williams needs to live up to his original billing with Deon Butler showing the way at WR.  As always, they have another solid OL in tow.  Just depends on the QB at PSU.  Just like it always has in most years.  When they have a gamer they win, when they don't, well.........they don't.  Throw in the supposed move to the ‘spread’ offense and this pick at #2 in the Big 10 gets even riskier.  But, I’ll call for it to be a good and necessary change and should help either Darryl Clark or Pat Devlin in their 1st year as the starting QB.  If things fall into place, PSU could find themselves BCS bowling again in ’08.   

Michigan State:  3rd?  Like I said, flip flop the rest, and I'd have a hard time arguing myself.  BUT.............. I REALLY like Brian Hoyer the SR QB at MSU.  He is a winner.  Javon Ringer is a winner at RB as well.  Mark Dantonio is a solid coach, who took a 4-8 disaster of a team in 2006 to a 7-6 record and a bowl game appearance in his 1st year.  Sure they lost to Boston College in their bowl game, but BC was once ranked as high as #2 last year and losing by a field goal to an 11-3 team isn’t that bad.  The Spartans return 13 starters, but they do lose 1 year wonder WR Devin Thomas ( a JUCO transfer) to the NFL a year early.  The test that will maybe make or break this team is week 1.  A visit to California.  If they come out victorious in that one, they could go 7-0 before a date with Ohio State.  If they show up short, they could also show up against Ohio State with a 2-5 record.  Such is the 'stability' of the Big 10 this year.  But it isn't much different than any other league this year.  When all is said and done, I like Dantonio as the head coach at MSU.  And coaching is likely the trump card when teams look like they are even.  And that is why I put Sparty over the rest.......although I'm not real excited about it.  I expect the defense to get better in the 2nd year of the system, and the offense 'should' improve with a 2nd year bona fide starter and gamer at QB.  Look for Mark Dell and Deon Curry to be one of the best receiving duos in the Big 10, and if Greg Jones, Eric Gordon, and Kendall-Davis Clark can rally the troops on defense, they will be competitive in each and every game in 2008.  Throw in Dantonio's defensive background as former DC for the Buckeyes, including their 2002 championship season, and the men in green should improve dramatically on that side of the ball.  State fans should have a lot to cheer bout in '08.  GO SPARTA!!!  

Iowa:   I’ve listed 4 Big 10 teams and have not mentioned Michigan or Wisconsin you ask?  Absolutely.  What does Iowa have other than a loyal fan base?    Well.....they have 13 starters returning from a team that was less than spectacular last year.  Ask any Iowa fan if they were a bit disappointed in their team’s performance, and the performance of their ‘stud’ QB recruit Jake Christensen last year and you will have likely hit a painful nerve.   On the flip side, the Hawks have a pen chance for doing something good in years AFTER great expectations.  Last year, with Albert Young, Dominique Douglas, and a solid defense,  the Hawks were going to make some noise in the Big 10.  Is 6-6 noise?  Is a 38-20 loss to Indiana noise?  Is a 13-15 loss to a 3-9 Iowa State team, considered noise?  Is Ferentz a good coach?  It is starting to get some debate, but I  believe he is and so should Hawkeye fans.  This is a team that could challenge OSU for conference supremacy, but it isn’t likely.  They will have one of the best Offensive Lines in the Big 10 behind OSU, PSU, and WIsconsin.  They will also have 2 of the best DT's in the entire conference to anchor their DL in Mitch King and Matt Kroul.  Solid DT’s are the center piece of any great defense.  Throw in the rush end talent of Clayborn and Ballard, and you might have a legit sleeper in the Big 10 this year.  If a WR, a LB , and CB can step up, this is a team of substance that can compete with anybody in the Big 10, maybe even nationally.    4th?  Yes.  This should be a solid return of the Hawkeyes to Big 10 relevance.  

Wisconsin:  Always good, just always not good enough.  That is the Badgers in a nutshell.  I love everything about this program.  Honestly I do.  They do it the right way.  Problem is, they just don't get enough difference-makers to put them over the hump.  2008 is not any different.  17 starters returning, a good coach, a solid tandem of running backs, a great offensive line, and a defense that is feisty.  Really?  Sounds like every other season since 1994 for the Badgers.  Last year many a person had Wisconsin on their short list of National Title contenders after a 12-1 season and 16 starters returning.  Yours truly predicted at least 3 losses and was ridiculed by Badger fans across the nation.  Playing a schedule like they did in 2006 was very reminiscent of the Kansas schedule in 2007.    So what do the Badgers have in store for 2008?  They will be good.  They always are.  Bielema is a solid coach, and they will be sound on both sides of the line.  What they lack in talent, they more than make up for in coaching and fundamentals.  But........ I'm picking them 5th, ahead of Michigan, so what is my beef?  I have none.  Just looks like another solid 9-4, 8-5 type season for the Badgers.  That usually means a .500 record in conference and a 4th to 6th place finish in the Big 10.  They get Ohio State and Penn State at home, but also have road games to Fresno State, Michigan, Iowa, and Michigan State.  Once conference play starts, they do not get a break in which they play 8 straight weeks of football.  That will wear on any team, especially in the physical Big 10.  On offense they have the best receiving TE in the country in Travis Beckum.  They will also have one of the best RB rotations in PJ Hill, John Clay, and Lance Smith.  And as always, they will have one of the best run-blocking offensive lines in the entire country.  What they won’t have is the gutsy signal-calling of the departed Tyler Donovan.  Allan Evridge and Dustin Sherer will battle it out for QB duties.  Neither will be as effective as Donovan was last year. 

On defense, the Badgers return 9 guys including the tackling machine play-making abilities of Jonathan Casillas.  He won’t get much National, or maybe even conference attention, but he is a solid LB.  The DL is good, but far from great, and the loss of Jack Ikegwouonu at CB is as heavy a loss as anyone in the conference in the secondary.  The Badgers simply don’t have anyone to replace him and his 15 PBU’s (Pass Break Ups).  Chalk up another solid year for Wisconsin, and either an appearance in the Champs, Alamo, or Insight Bowl. 

Michigan:  They just lost everybody and their dog on the offensive side of the ball.  Jake Long, Chad Henne, Mike Hart, Mario Manningham,  and Adrian Arrington.  They also lost their 4 top tacklers on defense from last year.  They have a new coach; a coach that is bringing some baggage with him as well.  6th in the Big 10?  It may be a bit high.

On Defense, they lose Shawn Crable, who was their biggest playmaker on defense last year, along with the aforementioned top 4 tacklers.  The defense is not lacking any talent, and do return 7 starters including lock-down corner and AA candidate Morgan Trent, and opposite of him the physical Donovan Warren.  The DL will be solid, and is likely the best in the Big 10.  LB on the other hand is the major concern.  There is plenty of talent, but it is largely unproven and pretty young as well.  If the Wolverines are to make a run at the Big 10 title, it will be the defense leading the way because........... 

On offense, what else can you say?  This is a rebuilding year.  Only 3 starters return and they will be implementing a new offense to boot.  There is some talent, and one should fully expect Michigan to patch together a solid offensive line, but QB, RB, and WR are huge question marks.  Greg Matthews will likely step into the role as the #1 receiver.  The question is whether he is ready for double teams and the brunt of the workload at wideout.  RB will likely come down to a revolving door of talent in Carlos Brown, Brandon Minor, Kevin Grady, and true freshman recruit Sam McGuffie.  QB, however,  is a whole 'nother story.  Steven Threet looks like the likely under center option, but that can’t get Michigan fans real excited.  The options facing the Wolverines at QB are a redshirt freshman (Threet), a lightly recruited DB transfer in Justin Feagin, a Sophomore walk-on in Nick Sheridan, a converted RB in Carlos Brown, or a redshirt Sophomore in David Cone (and no he isn’t a former major league pitcher).  In all the Wolverines do not have a QB on their roster that has ever attempted, much less completed a pass in collegiate football.  Yes, you read that correctly.  ZERO pass attempts, ZERO completions for their entire returning QB depth chart.  Now you are going to throw a new offense at them?  An offense that none of them were recruited to perform in?  Believe me, I’ve seen this before, and the results won’t be good.  Michigan will struggle mightily on the offensive side of the ball, and expect the possibility that Zoltan Mesko may at many times be their best option, and he is the punter.  Michigan has enough talent to at least be competitive, but games with Utah, @ Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Illinois, @ Penn State, Michigan State, @ Purdue, and @ Ohio State loom on their schedule.  That is 8 games that Michigan could lose and nobody would be real surprised about.  The Wolverines 40 year streak of consecutive winning seasons, and 33 year streak of consecutive bowl game appearances is in serious jeopardy in 2008.  But somehow, some way, I see them clawing and scratching their way to at least a 6-6 or 7-5 regular season record.  After all, they are still Michigan. 

Illinois:  From the Rose Bowl to 7th in the conference?  Yep, that is where I see them.  The loss of Rashard Mendenhall, J Leman, and 5 of their top 7 tacklers will prove to be too great for the Illini to overcome in conference play.  They also have back to road games against Penn State and Michigan, and also play Wisconsin, Iowa and Ohio State.  Juice Williams is an exciting QB to watch play, and Arrelious Benn is one of the most talented receivers in the country.  Unfortunately, they have an average offensive line in front of them, and a serious drop off in talent in the loss of RB Mendenhall.   A drop in offensive output should be expected. 

On defense, they return 6 starters, but as mentioned before are without 5 of their top 7 tacklers from last year including heart and soul LB J Leman.  Vontae Davis is one of the best CB’s in the country, but he won’t have a whole lot of help with him.  The DL will be improved but far from great, and the LB corps will severely miss their field general in Leman.  Throw in a much improved conference, a tougher schedule, and I fully expect a significant drop from the Illini in 2008.  They should still go bowling, but not much else should be expected from the Zooksters this year. 

Northwestern:  I should probably have the Wildcats a bit higher in my rankings, but it is a bit difficult to put them in front of anybody else.  Such is the strength throughout the middle of the Big 10 this year.  Starting the season the Wildcats could easily start out 4-0 with 4 relative cupcakes on the schedule.  Northwestern returns 15 starters including their undervalued QB CJ Bacher, and their crafty RB in Tyrell Sutton.  The ‘Cats will score some points, but it will be their defense that determines just how good they will be in 2008.  And on the defensive side of the ball, there just isn’t a whole lot of talent that scares anybody.  Likely if the ‘Cats are to go bowling again 2008, they will need to simply outscore some people.  Games against Purdue, Indiana, Minnesota, and Illinois should offer them those opportunities.  

Minnesota:  Even though Minnesota was 1-11 in Tim Brewster’s 1st year as head coach, it wasn’t nearly as bad as it looked.  Sure they lost to a lower division opponent in North Dakota State, but so did Michigan.  The loss to Florida Atlantic didn’t turn out to be that bad, and other than a 20 point loss to Indiana, a 23 point loss to Ohio State, a 24 point loss to Michigan, and a 27 point loss to Illinois, the Gophers were pretty damn competitive in the rest of their games.  They get 15 starters returning including a solid Sophomore QB in Adam Weber.  They are still extremely young, but Brewster has these kids playing hard and believing.  They could also start out the season 4-0 before a trip to Ohio State.  Sprinkled in amongst a solid 1st year recruiting class are some JUCO’s that could make some waves for the Gophers in ’08 as well.  Tramaine Brock at FS should help shore up a porous secondary, and Tim McGee and Cedric McKinley should be able to provide some much needed depth up front in the Gophers defensive front 4.  The Gophers should be able to score some points, and there defense really can’t get any worse since they ranked 119th out of 119 teams last year.  If things fall into place, the boys from Minneapolis could even go bowling in 2008.  Tim Brewster looks like he will get this program moving back in the right direction again, and if early recruiting for the 2009 season is any indication, the Gophers could well be on their way to a top 25 recruiting class to build upon for next year as well.  Look for the Gophers to be one of the most improved teams in the country in 2008.   

Purdue:  10th in the conference for Purdue?  Sure.  They return one of the best QB’s in the country in Curtis Painter and a sold RB in Kory Sheets, but they lose all everything WR Dorien Bryant and their go to TE Dustin Keller.  On defense is where they are going to struggle the most.  Big 10 All-Conference LB candidate Anthony Heygood is back, but nobody else really strikes anybody as quality Big 10 defenders.  Even with those considerations that isn’t the biggest concern in West Lafayette, IN this year.  The schedule is the biggest problem.  Take a peek at this stretch of games.  At home vs. Oregon, vs. Central Michigan, @ Notre Dame, vs. Penn State, and @ Ohio State.  And those are just games 2 through 6.  Throw in additional road games to Northwestern, Michigan State, and Iowa and this is one of the toughest schedules in the country.  They also play all their games in 12 consecutive weeks.  Very unlikely to foresee the Boilers going bowling in 2008, and with a possible 1-5 start to the season, things could get really ugly.  Rumors were that Joe Tiller was going to retire after this season.  He may not have a choice.  Purdue in '08?  Looks more like Purdon't. 

Indiana:  From an inspiring bowl season to cellar dwellers?  Unfortunately that is how I see it.  Losing James Hardy to the NFL was one thing.  Losing Kellen Lewis in the off-season was another.  Coming off of their best season in well over a decade the Hoosiers were looking forward to the 3-headed punch of Lewis, Hardy, and Thigpen in ’08.  Now 2 out of the 3 are gone, and the Hoos don’t have anybody near the level of talent that these two guys had to replace them.  Greg Middleton, the returning NCAA sack leader and all Big 10 DE is back.  But…..expect that type of production to drop.  When you consider that Indiana’s strength will be their defense, then you can foresee some struggles in Bloomington in ’08.  It is hard to put them in the cellar because they simply aren’t that bad, but somebody has to lose, and this looks like the weakest team in the Big 10 this year.  Again, another plus for the Big 10 if this is the worst team in their conference.  Yet another example of the parity that is now the norm in College Football.    

 quotes, stats, and other material courtesy of:  http://www.philsteele.com/<
em>; ;http://www.collegefantasyfootball
insider.com/?gclid=CNKagsefpoYCFQ5jUAodnmV7Ew
http://msn.foxsports.com; http://www.gnu-bee.com/football/index.shtml;
 http://www.herbanmedia.com/ifootball/ncaa
-college-football/benedict_arnold.php; http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/football/n
caa/conferences/big10/;

The supposed also-ran of the 6 BCS conferences, the Big East is the only league that can claim 3 straight BCS bowl game victories.  So why do I have them pegged 5th in my standings of BCS conferences?  I guess I'm a glutton for punishment. 

When Virginia Tech, Miami, and Boston College left the Big East nearly everyone outside of the Big East fans expected this conference to fold up into itself.  That was before West Virginia, Louisville, South Florida, Cincinnati, and Connecticut decided that they would become better than anyone ever expected.

In the past three years there aren't many teams that can claim that they were better than West Virginia.  In fact you could have made a strong case for the 'Neers that they were good enough to have played in the National Championship game last year, and even the year before.  Their dismantling of a pretty damn good Oklahoma team in the Fiesta Bowl last year proved their belonging.  (Although many pundits would argue that Oklahoma was a likely pretender, especially after losing to Boise State last year.)

So what does the Big East have in store for us this year?  Some quality signal-callers are gone, but the top end, including West Virginia and South Florida should get strong recognition as National Title Contenders, if not at the least being 'sleepers'.

My conference prediction:

1. West Virginia
2. South Florida
3. Pittsburgh
4. Louisville
5. Connecticut
6. Rutgers
7. Syracuse
8. Cincinnati

And here are my reasons why:

West Virginia:  Over the past three years, West Virginia has been one of the top 5 programs in the nation.  Pat White, Steve Slaton, and Darius Reynaud formed the nucleus of one of the most powerful offenses in the entire country.  However, Slaton and Reynaud are gone, and their 'spread inventing' coach Rich Rodriguez has parted for 'richer' pastures in Michigan.  1st year coach Bill Stewart is left with a lot of offensive firepower, but it will be the defense that is the major question in Morgantown.  With only 4 starters returning on that side of the ball, one of the top defensive units in the nation last year will struggle to match last years strong output.  Reed Williams is a solid LB in the middle, but he will be without stalwarts Johnny Dingle and Keilen #### up front, as well as his hard-hitting LB running mate Marc Magro.  The secondary loses every starter from last year.  But we should expect Ellis Lanskter, the JUCO recruit from last year, to wreck some havoc in 2008.  And the 'Neers will need him to step up big time.  Pat White will still be Pat White and Noel Devine will be an even better version of Steve Slaton.  What they will truly need on the offensive side of the ball in order for the 'spread' to truly be special is a wideout to assume Reynaud's role.  The other missing piece on offense that will be sorely missed is the punishing blocking of Owen Schmitt.  Missed amongst many of White's and Slaton's dashes to greatness were crushing blocks laid out by Schmitt.  Sometimes taking out 2 and even 3 players to pave the way to paydirt for those 2 great players.  The ENTIRE offensive line is back, with 4 Seniors and a Junior, thus there should not be any concerns with the hogs up front.  The Mountaineers may still be the class of the Big East in '08, but their out of conference schedule is brutal with games @ East Carolina, @ Colorado, and vs. Auburn at home on a Thursday night in Morgantown.  Even if they run the table in the Big East, they could very well end up with 2 or more losses on the year.  But when all is said and done,  West Virginia still looks like 'the pick' in the Big East.

     

South Florida:  The South Florida 'Brahma' Bulls were riding high last year as they were 6-0 and ranked #2 in the nation with wins over Auburn and West Virginia to their credit.  Three weeks later they were 6-3 and completely out of the rankings.  They swept the remainder of their games in conference play, but were then humiliated by Oregon in the Sun bowl 56-21.  And that was against a struggling Oregon team without Dennis Dixon.  So what's to like about South Florida in 2008?  They have 17 starters returning, including their tough and scrappy signal-caller Matt Grothe.  On the defensive side of the ball, George Selvie, everybody's All-American DE is back.  Included with that is his 14 1/2 sacks and 17 TFL (Tackles For Loss).  The Bulls play absolutely nobody in non-conference other than Kansas at home, and I fully expect them to win that contest.  In conference play they get 4 home games, BUT they play West Virginia on the road in their conference finale.    They will get 2 weeks to prepare for that game, and from what I see it will be for all the marbles.  The big question is:  Will USF be undefeated going into that contest?  I'll give it a 33% chance.  The only 'loseable' games coming into that contest look to be Kansas, Pittsburgh, or @ Louisville.  The Bulls may well have the best overall record in the confernce and not be the conference champion.  Any way that you look at it though, the Bulls should be very much considered as, at the least, a National Title 'sleeper' contender.

Pittsburgh:  Dave Wannstedt has supposedly recruited the best talent to Pitt in the entire Big East over the past 4 years.  He has little to show for it.  Zero bowl games, and zero conference titles.  1st Team Big East WR Derek Kinder is back, and LeSean McCoy is one of the best RB's in the entire country.  In all, the Panthers return 15 starters from last years disappointing 5-7 team.  But........ they beat West Virginia in the final game of the season, and were competitive in every game outside of back to back lashings at the hands of Connecticut and Virginia.  On the defensive side of the ball AA candidate Scott McKillop is back to roam the LB corps along with freshman AA Greg Romeus at DE and a solid DT in Rashaad Duncan.  The non-conference schedule has a couple of possible hiccups in Iowa and @ Notre Dame, but this is a team that should be extremely competitive in every game this year.  Four conference road games are a concern, but they get THREE 2 week layoffs between games this year.  A rarity in College Football.  I nearly pegged this team on top in the conference this year since they have a solid core of Seniors and Juniors to lead the way.  There is a lot to like about Pitt this year, but Wannstedts inability to win with previous talent has swayed me to peg them in the 3 hole.  I would not be shocked if they ended up winning the Big East in 2008.  Either way, the Panthers should at least go bowling for the 1st time since Wannstedt's arrival.    

Louisville:  "The 'Ville".  Brian Brohm is gone.  But don't feel sorry for Steve Kragthorpe for having to replace the 2nd best QB in Louisville history.  (Yes, Johnny Unitas would be #1).   Hunter Cantwell has proven that he can play, and he may end up being a better QB than Brohm at the Collegiate level due to his ability to scramble and make plays with his legs.  This year, he will likely need it.  Outside of Brohm, the Cardinals lost the nucleus of one of the best receiving corps in the nation in Harry Douglass, Mario Urrutia, and Gary Barnridge.    The Cards also only return 9 total starters.  However, they lose a lot of bad baggage on the defensive side of the ball.  After giving up 31.4 points per game on defense last year, the Cards will definitely need to regroup.  But I fully expect them to do just that.  If Louisville will have anything, they will have speed on defense.  They should also have a much stronger front 4 on the defensive side than they enjoyed last year.  As a team they only sacked the QB 17 times.  To put that into perspective, Greg Middleton from Indiana had 16 by himself last year.  That stat will undoubtedly improve.  They also gave up a pathetic 4.4 yards per rush.  The non-conference slate will prove to be testing with games against Kentucky, Kansas State, and @ Memphis, but they should be much better because of it.  This is a 'sleeper' Big East pick as they get my top two teams at home in USF and West Virginia.  At the very least, we should expect them to be much more competitive than the 6-6 team that was a defensive nightmare in 2007. 

Connecticut:  Connecticut was one of the feel good stories in 2007.  Going into their final regular season contest of the year against West Virginia they had a chance at being Big East Conference champions.  66-21 later, and their dreams were crushed.  They were also manhandled in their bowl game loss to Wake Forest.  On the bright side, they return 17 starters, but this years schedule will prove to be much more daunting.  They may well start out 4-0, but then they play Louisville, North Carolina, and Rutgers in back to back to back games.  They also get THREE 2 week rests between games this year.  But as in years past, a UConn victory on any weekend is not exactly 'guaranteed'.  Randy Edsall has done a fantastic job up in Storrs, but the Huskies should expect a slide back to reality in 2008.  Tyler Lorenzen is a nice QB, but he doesn't exactly catch your eye as a difference maker.  Andre Dixon is a serviceable RB, but is far from being 'special'.  When all was said and done after last year's dream season, the Huskies had 4 defensive players with over 100 tackles.  There is no other team in College Football that enjoyed that luxury.  Louisville gave up a gashing 4.4 yards per carry last year, and so did Connecticut.  The biggest mark that sticks out is Connecticuts +14 turnover margin from last year.  With 6 road games, and the much improved Pitt and Louisville squads in their conference, I may have UConn a bit high.  Pretty bold statement for a 2nd place team with 17 returning starters.  But for a team that averaged 4 yards of offense less per game than their opponents last year, I'm pretty confident in my approach.  The more I think about it, I might just have them rated a bit too high. 

Rutgers:  Who didn't like the Rutgers story from 2006?  However, even last year I called for at least 5 losses from the Scarlet Knights in 2007, and that is exactly what they gave us.  Greg Schiano has done an absolutely incredible coaching job in New Jersey, and should demand everyone's respect with the turnaround that has taken place at Rutgers.  However, the best player in school history, Ray Rice is gone.  All 2,012 rushing yards that he had last year as well.  That just doesn't get replaced overnight.  Mike Teel, Kenny Brit, and Tiquan Underwood embody a solid passing attack, but I fear the ground game of Ray Rice will be a huge factor in the Rutgers continued drop into Big East obscurity.  Last year, the Scarlett Knights only had 1 impressive victory.  A 30-27 win over then #2 ranked South Florida.  From there they finished the season 2-3 and went on to beat an overmatched Ball State team in a meaningless bowl game to garner their 8th win.  In all, Rutgers had 8 victories.  Those 8 victories were over Buffalo, Navy, Norfolk State, Syracuse, USF, Army, Pittsburgh, and Ball State.  They may have 15 starters returning, but the loss of Ray Rice is just too much for a program like Rutgers to improve upon a 3-4 conference record from a year ago.  They also play Fresno State, North Carolina, and Navy in non-conference play.  I fully expect 2 losses in those 3 games.  Throw in road trips to West Virginia, Pittsburgh, and South Florida, and the Knights will struggle to get upwards on a .500 season.  With only 1 starter returning on the offensive line, and not a real playmaker on defense to make a true difference, I don't expect much out of Rutgers in 2008.  If they are to surprise again in 2008, it will be the defense that will carry the load.

Syracuse:  Can somebody call Donovan McNabb, Marvin Harrison, Donovon Darius, and Dwight Freeney?   Wow, has this once proud program fallen off the proverbial map or what?  After Paul Pasqualoni was run out of town, Greg Robinson hasn't exactly struck any fear into the landscape of College Football at Syracuse.  In 3 years Greg has a 7-20 record, including 2-19 against conference opponents.  Putting it nicely, Mr. Robinson needs to win a few games in 2008 to keep his job up in the Carrier Dome for the 2009 season.  Throw in non-confernce games @ Northwestern, Penn State, and @ Notre Dame and it doesn't look real bright.  But..... they do return 14 starters including their talented, but oft-criticized, signal-caller Andrew Robinson.  Throw in 4 conference road games and it looks even dimmer.  However, Mr. Robinson (no relation to Mrs. Robinson from "The Graduate") has recruited some decent talent to Syracuse in the past couple of seasons, and that talent should get some field time.  They will likely win more than 2 games in 2008, but it won't be much more even though they will be vastly improved.  They will likely upset somebody, but the question will be whether it will save Greg's job.  Their defense can't possibly get any worse, so I will call them to crawl out of the cellar, but not by much.  Another 8+ loss season looms heavy in Orangeland.

Cincinnati:  So how do I put one of my surprise teams from 2007 as being the 'surprise' loser of 2008?  Simple.  Ben Mauk was Mr. Everything for the Bearcats in 2007, and they enjoyed a +16 turnover margin last year.  Sure, they may return 12 starters and a solid head coach in Brian Kelly, but I look for this to be a huge fall from grace for the Bearcats this year.  Throw in a 13 game season, and the Bearcats could lose 10 or more games.  In non-conference they play 4 road games, plus 3 road games in conference.  Included in the non-conference road games are date #2 against Oklahoma, Akron, Marshall, and Hawaii.  Now those may not seem daunting outside of Oklahoma, but road games against UConn, West Virginia, and Louisville in conference play should wear on these guys, and we can easily see at least 4 losses without batting a whisker.  With the improvement of other teams in the conference, and a very much expected drop in the turnover ratio, the Bearcats should have a big fall in 2008.  I hope I'm wrong because I like Mr. Kelly, and I like this team.  I'm likely wrong in pegging them here, but I had to put somebody to finish last.  Maybe I'm just asking for them to prove me as being REALLY wrong in '08?  Either way, I don't expect much hoopla from Bearcat fans in 2008, and neither should you.

quotes, stats, and other material courtesy of:  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095409/
<
/a>; http://www.philsteele.com/; http://msn.foxsports.com;

 

" Dear lord, we pray that we may win this game today. We ask that you give us the strength and the courage to win our 2nd straight state championship. We ask lord that nobody on our side is seriously injured. We know that we are the best team. We ask that you allow us to win this game. The lord wants you to put your foot on their balls and believe in it, because that's what wins football games. Not jumping offsides like a bunch of wimps and ####. Alright lift your heads boys, prayers over. I talked to god. I'm thru talking to god, now I'm talking to you. You're gonna be out there in front of your families, the student body, every girl you ever had a hard on for is gonna be out there today but you will not be going to no sock-hop tonight boys, you will not get no honey on your stinger if you don't go out there and bust your ####. Because this is it. This is the big one. I want you to taste it. I want you to smell it son. There's winners and there's nothing else. I don't give a #### what those pinkos over in Russia say. You want to be a loser you go live in Russia. I'm not a loser. I'm a winner. I'm an American. Who wants to be John Wayne? Who wants to grab a root and hang on? Who wants to get a mean on? Get a mean on son. Let me see you get a mean on son. Now who wants it? I want to know, who wants this? Who wants to get a mean on? Who wants it? Let's go!"

I'd like to thank Paul Gleason (Coach Wayne Hisler) from the 1988 movie "Johnny Be Good" for this marvelous quote. 

The NBA Finals are over, and golf is now finished since Tiger is on an injury sabbatical.  What do we have left?  Football.  Real football.  College football to be exact.  Time to get your mean on.

In the next 60-some days before the college football season kicks off on August 30th, I'll try to give you the low down about the season at hand.  (At least as good as I can.) The 2008 College Football season that is.

To kick it off, I'll start with the ACC Conference, and start dwindling down the other 5 BCS conferences behind them.  Why the ACC 1st you ask?  Well, I'll start with what I believe to be the weakest conference and then work my way up to what I consider the strongest BCS conference.  And until the ACC can win a BCS game, they will get 1st.........er, last........ billing in this blog.

  
With the additon of Boston College in 2005, coupled with the addition of Miami and Virginia Tech in 2004, many pundits were looking for the ACC to the be the next 'power' football conference.  Self included. Unfortunately for ACC fans, it just hasn't happened.  Donning a 1-9 career record in the BCS (and 0-4 since the realignment), the ACC is finding themselves as the red-headed step child of the entire BCS formula.  In fact, the BCS instigated a rule that a BCS conference champion must be ranked in the top 16 to earn a bid.  This was put in place due to the movement of Miami and Virginia Tech from the Big East to the ACC.  Little did many punidits predict that it would be a factor for the ACC.  But such is the case when you have gone 1-9 throughout the history of the BCS Championship Bowl series for an entire conference.  (The only win being Florida State in the 1999 season in which they beat a Big East member, and current ACC member, Virginia Tech.) 

But lets let bygones be bygones.  What does the ACC have in store for us in 2008?

I foresee the rise to power of this once predicted great conference.  Miami and Florida State should start to get their feet back under them, and Clemson looks to be a legitimate National Title Contender.  North Carolina should be vastly improved, and the supposed bottom feeder from years of lore, Wake Forest, may well be a title contender again as well.  Throw in Duke's assumed improvement, and you likely don't have a patsy in the entire conference.   

How do I see it panning out?

Atlantic Division:

1. Clemson
2. Florida State
3. Maryland
4. Wake Forest
5. Boston College
6. North Carolina State

Coastal Division:

1. Miami
2. North Carolina
3. Virginia Tech
4. Georgia Tech
5. Duke
6. Virginia

I'll look for Clemson and Miami to meet in the title game with Clemson as the eventual BCS representative from the ACC.  In the following I'll give you my team capsules and reasons why I foresee the teams finishing where I predict them to finish.

Atlantic:

Clemson:  You will likely not find a better offensive attack than the one assembled in Clemson, SC.  Cullen Harper, James Davis, CJ Spiller, and Aaron Kelly are the best set of QB, RB's, and WR in the country.  End of statement.  Throw in a backup QB in Willy Korn and some solid incoming freshman for the Tigers, and they are absolutely loaded on offense.  Problem?  With all the talent the Tigers have at the skill positions, they aren't exactly polished up front on the offensive line.  With only 1 returning starter amongst the front 5, the Tigers will have their hands full in making these incredibly talented individuals able to showcase their talents.  With a likely starting lineup of 3 Juniors, a Sophomore, and a redshirt Freshman, Tommy Bowden will need to have some early production to iron out his concerns up front.  A game against Alabama on August 30th will let us know exactly what they have in the 1st contest of the season.  On the defensive side it will be hard to replace Nick Watkins and Philip Merling, but the Tigers have a ton of talent to shore up those concerns.  Primarily it starts with TRUE freshman Da'Quan Bowers to fill Philip Merlings DE spot.  At 6'5" and 265 pounds, Bowers is ready to play right away.  Coupled with his appearance on campus in the spring, this is an AA in waiting.  Clemson has 16 starters returning from a 9-4 ballclub that was competitive with everyone on their schedule last year.  Another problem in front of the Tigers is a fairly tough schedule, including two quality BCS schools amongst their non-conference slate.  Games against Alabama, @ Wake Forest, @ Florida State, and South Carolina loom, along with the rest of their ACC slate.  If the Tigers were to run the table, then they will have rightly deserved their slot in the National Championship game.  On the other hand, we have heard the Clemson 'National Title Contender' outlooks before, and until they can go an entire season with less than 3 losses, we should all be a bit skeptical.  I have them winning the ACC, but lets just say I'm just a bit hesitant in selecting a team that has not won a conference championship since 1991, and has not been in the ACC Championship game since it has been in place. 

Florida State:  This is a team that has pretty much underperformed in the entire decade of the 2000's.  Following a decade in which they were the team of the '90's the Seminoles haven't had a whole lot to cheer about in the past 8 years.  And it hasn't been due to a lack of talent.  Bobby Bowden supposedly has a succession plan in place, and I wouldn't be surprised if many a 'Noles fan that can't wait until his eventual departure.  With that said, Florida State returns 15 starters from a 7-6 ballclub.  The 'Noles can still play some defense, and if they can get any kind of consistent play out of their much maligned signal caller, Drew Weatherford, they can compete with anybody.  Preston Parker is absolutely a star in the making, and I have to believe that Florida State will do whatever they can to put the ball into his hands as much as possible.  They will have a young and inexperienced offensive line, but they are ridiculously talented.  On the defensive side of the ball Derek Nicholson is another stud linebacker in a long cast of stud linebackers out of FSU.  Couple Nicholson with one of the best secondaries and best defensive lines in the country, and this could be a special stop unit.  Ala, the 90's type dominating defenses of Seminole lore.   Flatly put, there is too much talent on this team to not win at least 9 games.  And if Bobby and staff can put it together along with Weatherford, this is a potential sleeper for a National Title run.  The schedule is tough with games against Wake Forest, Colorado, @ Miami, Virginia Tech, Clemson, and Florida, but they have enough talent to win or at the least be competitive in every game.   Look for Florida State to start their comeback to national prominence in 2008.

Maryland:  Ralph Friedgen ushered in his Maryland coaching career with a ####.  Three straight seasons with at least 10 or more wins and an appearance in the Orange Bowl started his career in College Park.  However, since 2003 there hasn't been much to shout about for Terps fans.  Ralph has some talent on hand.  Darrius Heward-Bey is a lightining receiver, and he has one of the best Offensive Lines in the entire ACC, if not THE best, to protect whoever it is that will throw the ball to him.  Replacing Keon Lattimore and Lance Ball at RB is a concern, but they have more talented guys to replace them, although they are obviously less experienced.  The defensive side of the ball will be their largest concern.  You can't replace a talent like Erin Henderson at LB.  At least not at Maryland.  The defensive line will have to step up big time if the Terps want to compete with the elite in the ACC.  Their secondary could be special, led by Kevin Barnes, and the addition of Antwine Perez from USC.  All in all it should be an exciting year in College Park, and we should fully expect the "Fighting Fridges" to go bowling yet again.  Competing for an ACC Championship is likely out of reach due to road games at Clemson, and Virginia Tech.  They also play California in the non-conference and have Florida State, Wake Forest, and North Carolina on the schedule as well.  They will be better than last years squad, but the record may not indicate the improvement. 

Wake Forest:  There may not be a better coaching job being done in all of College Football than the one we find in Winston-Salem, NC.  Jim Grobe has turned an eternal bottom-feeder in Wake Forest, into legit ACC title contenders over the past 2 years.  Now make that 3.  I have Wake behind Maryland in my standings, but I feel that Wake is the better team.  Their biggest problem is that they play all the heavyweights.  @ Florida State, Clemson, @ Miami, and @ Maryland.  They also play a tough Mississippi squad in non-conference play, allbeit at home.  Riley Skinner is a gamer at QB.  But they have to replace all-everything Kenny Moore at wideout.  That won't happen.  The defense gets 9 starters back, and they will need to compete in order for the Deacs to challenge for an ACC title.  The lack of a strong Offensive Line in front of Skinner, coupled with the loss of Moore will likely prove to be too great for the Deacs to overcome this year.  They will compete, but it is hard for me to find anything better than a 4th place finish in the Atlantic.  

 

Boston College:  Matt Ryan is gone, and so is the dream 2007 season for the Eagles.  Jeff Jagodzinski only returns 10 starters, and is without the 2nd greatest QB in Boston College history.  (Yes, Doug Flutie would be #1).  Along with Ryan; Andre Callender, LV Whitworth,  and Jamie Silva are gone as well.   I hate to say a 'rebuilding' year, but that is exactly what Eagles fans are in store for this year.  They will likely get some glimpses of the future out of Josh Haden at RB, but the loss of Ryan will just be too great to replace.  Losing a guy that threw the ball 654 times last year will be just too much to overcome.

 

North Carolina State:  Tom O'Brien's move from BC to NC State wasn't exactly a raging success.  And don't look for it to get any better in 2008.  With only 10 starters returning to a team that went 5-7, the outlook for 2008 doesn't look real bright.  The defense gave up 28.3 points per game last year, and it will likely get worse before it gets better.  The 'Pack' lost their 3 top tacklers from last year, and don't have much talent to replace them.  Whatever the offense might be able to offer, which won't be much, the defense will give it up, and then some.  With a non-conference schedule that includes South Carolina, East Carolina, and South Florida, the Wolfpack could be on their way to a 2 or 3 win season........ at best.   

Coastal:

Miami:  Will the swagger be back?  I think so.  I really like what Randy Shannon is doing at Miami, and he has a ton of young fast talent around him.  Javarris James is on the brink of a national break-out year, and their QB position can only get better with the departure of Kyle Wright.  Throw in Graig Cooper as a backup tailback, Sam Shields as a breakaway receiver, and the Canes could have a pretty good offense.  Something that hasn't been around for quite some time in Coral Gables.  The defense will take some huge hits in the losses of Calais Campbell, Kenny Philips, and Tavares Gooden, but defense has never been a problem at Miami for well over 3 decades.  Look for Marcus Forston to have a break-out freshman year on the DL for the 'Canes, and Colin McCarthy will keep the LB tradition at Miami alive and well.  The secondary is a bit of a concern, but they have enough 'oldies' to get it done.  This will be one of the most improved teams in the country, and I look for the 'Canes to unseat the Hokies as the Coastal Champions in 2008. 

 North Carolina:  Ahead of Virginia Tech you ask?  Absolutely.  This is one of my huge surprise teams for 2008.  The Tar Heels were 4-8 last year under Butch Davis's 1st year guidance.  But what is missed in that record is 6 losses that were by a touchdown or less.  Much like Illinois in 2006 when they went 2-10, the Tar Heels were very competitive in 2007.  They also return everything but the kitchen sink in 19 starters, including the vastly improving TJ Yates at QB.  There were only 2 QB's who threw for more yards than TJ Yates in the ACC last year.  Matt Ryan and Cullen Harper.  WIth 10 starters returning on offense, we should see a serious spike in the point output from Carolina.  Last years 21.2 points per game should easily stretch up into the 30's and if they can improve on a defense that gave up 24.5 points per game, which is very much expected, this will be an extremely dangerous team.  At the very least, this team will be even more competitive than they were in 2007.

 

Virginia Tech:  It is hard to put the Hokies in the 3 hole in the Coastal, but I feel that they lost way too much talent to the NFL last year.  Xavier Adibi and Vince Hall have been mainstays in the Hokie LB corps for the past 3 years.  Their talents just can't be replaced overnight.  On the offensive side, the tough plugging RB Branden Ore has been dismissed from the team, and their top 4 receivers from last year are gone.  They also only return 10 starters to the defending ACC Championship squad.  Unless Sean Glennon or Tyrod Taylor has an extremely special year, we should fully expect the Hokies to incur their 1st 4 or more loss season since 2003.  I have huge respect for Frank Beamer and Bud Foster, but the improvement of other teams, and the extremely large losses of the Hokies equals out to a rebuilding year in Hokieland.  Throw in road games to North Carolina, Florida State, and Miami in conference play and it gets even tougher. 

Duke:  Duke?  Yes, I have Duke in 4th place in the Coastal Division.  One of the best QB's you have never heard of is Thaddeus Lewis.  He also has a solid target to throw to in Eron Riley.  The cupboard for 1st year head coach David Cutcliffe (ex-Mississippi head coach and Tennessee Offensive Coordinator) isn't as bare as people would expect in Durham, NC.  Sure they only won 1 game last year, but they were competitive with bowl teams last year in Navy, Virginia, and Wake Forest.  They were also very respectable in contests against Northwestern (only win), Miami, and North Carolina.  They also return 7 starters including 10 on defense.  And defense is where they should improve the most.  Look for the brainiacs from Duke to pull out 5 or 6 wins in 2008.

Georgia Tech:  The 'Rambling Wreck' only returns 9 starters from a 7-6 campaign.  They are introducing a new coach in Paul Johnson, allbeit a good one, and they will be breaking in a new QB, RB, and an entire secondary.  Josh Nesbitt and Jonathan Dwyer (QB, RB) could be something special, but they are only sophomores amongst a very inexperienced team.  Just ask Notre Dame how well that went for them last year.  Throw in the loss of stud LB Philip Wheeler, along with their top 4 tacklers from last year, and this has nothing but rebuilding year written all over it.  Paul Johnson will get these guys to compete, but there are too many more talented and experienced teams in the ACC than coaching can overcome.  They also play Virginia Tech, Clemson, North Carolina, AND Georgia on the road.  A .500 season should put Coach Johnson in line for "Coach of the Year" honors.  I don't see that happening.

Virginia:  Last year, Virginia was a game away from playing in the ACC Championship game.  They also set an NCAA record for most games won by 6 points or less.  (That would be 6 for those that are counting.)  The Cavs were only 18 points away from being 3-10 instead of 9-4.  They also lose one of the best players in the history of the progam in Chris Long.  With only 11 starters returning, and the loss of Jameel Sewell (QB) to academics, this looks like a very long season for the Hoos.  Starting out the season with USC won't help matters much either.  Outside of a date with Richmond, this could very likely be an 11 loss season for Virginia.  It probably won't be that bad, but a struggle for 3 or 4 wins is the expectation I have for the Cavaliers this year.

quotes, stats, and other material courtesy of:  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095409/<
/a>; http://www.philsteele.com/; http://msn.foxsports.com; and the movie "Johnny Be Good"

I grew up as a Sixers fan witnessing the unbelievable talents of Dr. J.

He was my 'first' favorite player in the NBA.  During my childhood years I became to hate the Celtics and Lakers as they were the dominant teams while my hero could only go on to claim 1 title in his illustrious NBA career. 

Logically one would think that I would become a Jordan fan then, right?  Nothing further from the truth.  With all the Jordan hype and mayhem that ensued in his emergence, I was simply turned off.  I found myself searching for players/teams that would simply stand up to Jordan and his mighty Bulls.  Unfortunately, it was hard to find a player/team that I could truly endear myself to.  I hated Georgetown and Patrick Ewing, thus I could not like the Knicks and their brash team.  I disliked the Pistons, because...... well, they were the Pistons.  Unfortunately for the East, the days of the Pistons and Knicks of old, have brought about an 'ugly' brand of basketball that is not very fan friendly. 

That is when the league truly divided into the 'high-flying' West and the 'rough and tumble' East.  Since the early 90's the West has seen Run DMC in Golden State, Clyde Drexler and the potent Blazers, Karl Malone and John Stockton with the Jazz, Chris Webber (in his prime) and the Kings, Hakeem and the Rockets.  But in the East, there have been very few 'superstars'.  Guys who held the tag as 'the franchise'.  Sure we had Shaq in Orlando, but that was short-lived before his trade to LA, and the eventual crumble of the Magic after his departure.  Other than that, the East has had.............the Pistons?  Again? 

The very framework of the league is partial to the West right now.  It is fan appealing, and has the vast majority of elite-end superstars.  The East has the 'dreaded' Pistons and their multi-talented star-less crew, LeBron and the Cavs, and NOW the Celtics..........finally.......... again.  (I never thought I would ever type, much less say those words.)  I have always liked Ray Allen since his days at Connecticut.  I have always liked Paul Pierce since his days at Kansas.  And KG?  What is there not to like about the guy?  All three have usually been 'team' players and all about team basketball.  All-business, honest, and people that you would claim as trustworthy. 

I have openly pined for a Lakers/Celtics final this year.  I got my wish.  Unfortunately for us all, we are witnessing some of the worst basketball ever played in an NBA Finals series.  Is it the referees?  Doubtful, but many have proclaimed this Finals to be fixed by the Donaghy crapshoot and the 'horrific' referees in game 2.  Is it a dried out league due to overpaid and overhyped superstars?  Are players softer nowadays?  Can we all watch a game without a player vehemently complaining to a referee?  Is it the allowance of 'zone' defense?  

I don't know. 

But what I do know is the brand of basketball played by the Celtics and Lakers in the 80's was much more appetizing to watch.  And isn't that what the NBA is truly after? 

Now onto the Finals at hand.  I can't diss a Laker fan who felt the referees in game 2 were a bit 'easy' on the Celtics and 'hard' on the Lakers.  The 38-10 free throw discrepency is a bit alraming.  But it isn't like it hasn't happened before in the NBA playoffs this year.  In my eyes, I felt that the Lakers became relunctant throughout that game to blame the refs instead of hitching up their shorts and playing hard-nosed tough basketball.  Kobe in all his greateness nearly pulled off the 21 point deficit to claim victory in game 2.  WIthout any doubt, Kobe is one of the best 3 or 4 players in the league right now. 

The funniest thing to me is the switch and sway of fans, experts, and the like who proclaim each game as 'do or die'.  Every game in a 7 game series is crucial.  One does not trump the other.  And as it stands right now the Celtics enjoy a 3 - 1 advantage.

Will this series see a 7th and penultimate game?  Let me just say, I wouldn't bet against it.  Kobe is, and will be, a special palyer.  Just like LeBron is, and will be a special player.  Certain players have a 'knack' for the moment.  Kobe nearly brought the Lakers back from a 21 point 4th quarter deficit in game 2 against the Celtics in Boston.  Sure he needed help, but in the history of the NBA, who hasn't?

To call this series as being officially over is a bit misleading.  The Lakers were very competitive in Boston in both games.  As were the Celtics in the 1st two games in LA.  I called the series as a toss up from the start, and I fully expect it to get to a 6th game.......at the least. 

Are the Lakers done?  No. 

Are they close.  Sure. 

Will they roll over and die like many are predicting?  I very much doubt it.  They may lose game 5 in LA, but it won't be without a fight.  They may lose any of the remaining 3 potential games to Boston, but I fully expect a solid effort from Kobe and crew throughout. 

Question is:  Will they whine if the calls don't go their way, or will they hitch up their shorts and defend their Western Confernce Championship like many of us expected them to?  They have been hit in the mouth at home.  Giving up an NBA Finals record lead of 24 points should fuel anybody's fire.  

Step up, or chump out and whine.  It is time to see what Kobe, Phil and the Lakers really have.  And if I'm right, I think they have a lot of fight left in them. 

Like they say, it isn't over 'til its over.  

Celtics in 7.

Did I get your attention?  Maybe.

Are you shocked?  Probably not. 

But don't blame the messenger. 

In case you haven't heard, one of OJ's longtime friends and ex-agent Mike Gilbert has written an autobiography account of his dealings with his one-time friend OJ Simpson. 

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