'The Gators would whip any team that comes to play them.'
Things like this are said every day on this site and really, its starting to get a little annoying. Just reading over Lisa's last post, SE C-ya, the smack talk and homerism is overflowing.
People are smacktalking about how the whole SEC is weak now, just because Tennessee was thought by some, not all, to be a contender for the SEC. The reality is they were projected at third in the SEC East. And anyway, how does one team losing affect your whole conferences standings. Sure they will probably beat someone in the SEC that they shouldn't and people will then look at that and say that UCLA is now better than that team.
Really, the whole thing is a pile of #### You can't compare conferences as a whole because they do not play. You can't use conference titles as an example because the conference didn't earn them, only the team. So really all there is is head-to-head. And in all honesty, since when did history have any effect on the outcome of this year's game. Just ask Notre Dame if history gave them a win over those service academies last year. I think you'll know the answer. Have the two teams played this year? I'm gonna go with 99.9% of the teams that are smacktalking each other have not played this year, so how can you say that your team is better than another without actually having seen them play on the field. You can say your team is better on paper or that you have the edge in the series history, but neither of those things matter when your teams come through that tunnel fired up and ready to go. Do you think that those players from UCLA were thinking that the Pac-10 has the lead over the SEC 9-6 in the last decade? Hell no. They were thinking, 'Let's come out and shock these punks. We can beat these ####.'
So from now on, let's just let our teams play on the field do the talking. Maybe in a few weeks we will have some real base to go off, not just one game or a history of seasons past. So to all you overwhelming smacktalking homers, shut the #### up.
*I beg your pardon if the language offends you, it needed to be said.
Well week one is in the books for the Big Ten and the main theme for the conference is damage control. No team really looked flawless, but some of them did look pretty dang good.
Illinois- They can't let the loss to Mizzou affect them. Coach Zook needs to tell his boys that they played a great game, which the offense did. He really needs to make sure that he doesn't come down too hard on his boys. If he can use that same speech he used last year, they should emerge just fine. He also needs to add in even more plays for Juice Williams. We all saw that he was the only real gamebreaker on the fielf for the Fighting Illini, and he needs to have even more control out there. Defensively, they almost need a complete overhaul, but what they need to say to the players is that the Tiger offense is the best they will see all year. And that may truly be the case. The key for the Illini right now is confidence.
Penn State-Penn State has the absolute flipside of Illinois. They can't let blowing out the Chanticleers make them get lazy. A few hard practices that JoePa will no doubt whip up should get them right back on track and keep them hungry. PSU escaped healthy as well and should get geared up for next week's much tougher game against Or. St.
Ohio State- They too won in very impressive fashion, but what Lou Holtz said is exactly what needs to happen in Buckeye camp. He said that you just have to move forward with what you have, nothing can be done about the guys who aren't available. The Buckeyes can't let Beanie's injury become the story and have to let their play keep doing the talking regardless of his availablility and the road ahead.
Iowa- Iowa got to go ahead and get a nice blowout for their first game. The thing those players have to keep in mind however, is that they will not be playing weak teams all season. It always seems to be an Iowa flaw that they play to their opponents level. They showed how dynamic they can be and they need to keep riding at that level.
Wisconsin- Wisconsin rolled over Akron in week one and will look to keep doing so. The thing that needs to be preached in Camp Randall is not to overlook anyone. They rolled over Akron because they were focused on the opponent at hand. They have to do the same with Marshall because if they get caught looking ahead to Fresno State or the Big Ten sked, they could get shocked.
Indiana- Indy did a nice job in week one, but they definitely still needed some work. Passing on both sides of the ball needs work. WKU isn't the best of schools and they still hit Indy up for 219 yards through the air. Offensively, they ran the ball very well, but they won't be able to do that against the Big Ten. Maybe Lewis needs to go to McNabb's school as well. Sure seemed to work for Juice.
Minnesota- Minny escaped week one with a win. Now Brewster needs to get his boys to run with it and not be satisfied. They head to Bowling Green and they upset then #25 Pitt, so they are a more than capable team. He also needs to help his team focus on the positives. Weber played a great game. He made all the throws he needed to to win. The coaches also need to emphasize shoring up the pass defense. It was the Gophers Achilles heel last year and he can't let it happen again.
Northwestern- Northwestern did a pretty good job in handling Syracuse, but there is some work that needs to be done up front. They need that rushing defense to be shored up. Allowing Cuse to have 122 yards on the ground is an ominous sign when the Big Ten is better from top to bottom rushing than Cuse is. Also keep the ball in Bacher and Sutton's hands. They are the Wildcats true playmakers and everyone already knows it, so keep it that way.
Purdue- They were the only Big Ten school who didn't play week one and Coach Tiller should and will use this extra week to put an extra emphasis on the pass. He knows that is Purdue's bread and butter. He also needs to tell his team not to worry about the media and just focus on what lies ahead of his team, not what the rest of the Big Ten is doing.
Michigan State- They lost a bad one here in week one. They couldn't get it done on the ground and they might want to try to blame the refs for this one, but they can't hide behind excuses as that will not get it done in the Big Ten. They just need to go out and work hard this week and control things they can control.
Michigan- Michigan, without a doubt, needs to do the most damage control. For the second straight year, they lost on opening day in the Big House. RIch Rod needs to focus on his QB's play. Neither Sheridan nor Threet did a good job in their half and that needs to change for Mich to have a chance this year. The D needs to be encouraged to play with all that passion they showed in the game. They will have to carry this team and Rodriguez needs to let them know that. That and he also needs to tell Threet to stop being such a cocky kid. It affects his play on the field and makes him think he is a bigger playmaker than he is. Keep his emotions in check, he definitely needs to.
There's my take on week one for the Big Ten. Check out this weekend's preview coming up soon.
Finally college football has arrived and I know we can all hardly wait for the rest of the games to be played. Here's the start of a weekly look at the Big Ten games.
Maine @ Iowa
Iowa comes into the game favored and by all means should win this one big. Maine was a weak team last year that finished a very poor 4-7. Iowa needs to come out in this one and win it big or Iowa might take a close game to heart and begin their collapse early this year.
Why Iowa could win: Iowa should win simply because they are the better team in this one. They are better in every facet of the game. QB Jake Christensen returns from last year and should shred the Black Bears secondary. He needs to to get the fans to stop breathing down his neck to bring in backup Ricky Stanzi. Look for Christensen to look Andy Brodell's way early and often in this one.
Why Maine could win: Maine could win this game if they can rattle Christensen early and force him to make some bad decisions. They would also need to get on the scoreboard early and make Iowa have to pass and become one-dimensional.
Prediction: Iowa wins easily 38-7.
Youngstown State @ Ohio State
Could this be another Appy State over Michigan? Will OSU be looking way ahead and not focus on YSU. That all seems very doubtful as OSU comes into the year focused, experienced, and determined to pave their way back to the BCS Championship.
Why Ohio State could win: On offense, YSU should have no answer for Chris Wells. He's a beast to tackle and can fly when he gets into the wide open. OSU's line should have no problem handling the boys from Youngstown. Through the air, Boeckman should also have no problem ripping the secondary. On defense, James Laurenitis and his front 7 will own the ground game and there will be no room for the runners and no time for the pass.
Why Youngstown State could win: Maybe they know exactly what Tressel will call since it is his alumni. They would need something major to happen, like the entire OSU team to come out sleeping. If they could catch them napping and jump on them early, emotions could take control and they could pitch an upset.
Prediction: The upset isn't happening, OSU rips them 56-3.
Coastal Carolina @ Penn State
Penn State is yet another Big Ten team who sked-ed a cupcake to start the season. It will give them a chance to get Clark's and Devin's respective feet wet before the real tests come.
Why Penn State could win: The rest of PSU's offense is a veteran unit and they should have no problem running the ball up and down the field on Coastal Carolina. It should allow fans to see both Clark and Devlin in action and let Paterno get a good look at who he wants as a starter. On defense, PSU will show why they are called the Linebacker U and will own the front lines. Bani Gbadyu is a gamer and should have not only a big game, but a big season.
Why Coastal Carolina could win: Simply put, PSU's QB's are not realy battle tested. Clark did get some time last year and did a good job in their bowl game but he has never been a true starter. If they can get after him, they maybe would have a shot.
Prediction: PSU get JoePa a win 42-10.
Western Kentucky @ Indiana
This could be one of the more intruiguing matchups in week one. Indiana ran with their emotions on their way to a bowl bid last year and WKU is looking for some respect outside of the basketball program.
Why Indiana could win: QB Kellen Lewis can change a game with his dual threat ability. He was suspended but is back and the job is still his. He will be the one player who could take over the game on either team.
Why Western Kentucky could win: Indiana has been hit by waves of suspensions and 4 players including sack-leader Greg Middleton are sitting out and Indiana is also battling injuries. Western Kentucky could jump out and surprise Indiana if they are not ready. Expect them to gameplan for Lewis and force somebody else to try to win the game for Indiana.
Prediction: Indiana wins a close one 24-20.
Akron @ Wisconsin
Wisconsin comes in looking to establish itself as a Big Ten title contender. They will want to rough up on Akron and roll in this one.
Why Wisconsin could win: PJ Hill is a beast of a running back and should tear up the Zips defense. Look for Wisconsin to start to get his Heisman hopes on track. Wisky's defense should be smothering in this one as well and should make it very hard for Zips to move the ball at all.
Why Akron could win: Zips played OSU close last year so they won't come into Camp Randall intimidated. QB Chris Jacquemain returns and will have to play the best game of his career to give Zips a chance. The front 7 will also have to play much better than their 184 yards allowed on the ground.
Prediction: Hill and the Badgers roll with a 42-6 win.
Syracuse @ Northwestern
Syracuse comes into this one looking nothing like the pro factory of the past that they were. Northwestern will come in looking to keep them that way and will look to rip them up.
Why Northwestern could win: CJ Bacher is poised to be one of the best QBs in the Big Ten. He can put up big numbers in Northwestern's wide open offense and should be able to tear apart the Orange secondary. Tyrell Sutton also comes back as one of the top backs in the Big Ten. He thrives in the spread set and has great moves to make the man miss. He can break it at any time.
Why Syracuse could win: This is most likely Robinson's last year as coach and if the players like him, they may rally around him as players have around coaches in the past. To win, Cuse will need to protect the QB. 50 sacks last year killed drives time and time again. Andrew Robinson can get the job done and if he gets time, he could make it into a shootout in Evanston.
Prediction: Bacher makes good decisions and NU wins 35-21.
Utah @ Michigan
Another matchup of intrigue in the Big Ten. Michigan has brought in a new coach in Rich Rod and players have flown the coop. He has no true spread QB and malcontent is high. Can Utah use this to start their BCS buster status?
Why Michigan could win: They are Michigan. The winningest program ever and the players will rally together. The defense should still be strong this year and will most likely take over the game. Both QB's should see time and one of them should step and take over the team.
Why Utah could win: Michigan is muddled entirely on offense. If the defense can stop anything Michigan can scrap together, they can try to take over early and make Michigan throw to catch up. QB Brian Johnson has the ability to make plays through the air as well. WR Brent Casteel can break things open and will be a key for the Ute upset.
Prediction: Michigan can't work things out, Utah wins 28-17.
Northern Illinois @ Minnesota
Minnesota's disaster of a season started with them losing to some lower level competition and it is the hope that it was only growing pains. NIU will look to keep it that way and play spoiler to the Gophers once again.
Why Minnesota could win: Minny returns its top offensive player in Adam Weber. He led the team in passing and rushing and has become much more comfortable with the offense. He also gets some help with speedy backs Jay Thomas and Duane Bennett. Eric Decker is a top Big Ten reciever and will look for help from TE Jack Simmons. The defense has reloaded with plenty of JUCO help. Tremaine Brock has taken over the secondary and should help Minny turn around its worst defense as long as Willie VanDeSteeg and company can get to the QB.
Why Northern Illinois could win: Minnesota has a ton of new faces who have not seen a snap in D-1A football. They will have to look to attack them early and get them on their heels. The Huskies are a veteran team and have the edge in experience. LB Tim McCarthy will have to be ready to shut down the running game as well as Adam Weber scrambling. On offense, the game will have to be managed well by Dan Nicholson or the young athletic Gopher defense could jump on them.
Prediction: Gophers match last season's win total with a 38-14 win.
Michigan State @ California
Here is one of the biggest games in the Big Ten for week one. Michigan State will look to solidfy itself as a Big Ten contender as Cal will look to rebound after last year's collapse.
Why Michigan State could win: RB Javon Ringer is a great back and will look to gash through the Cal defense. He is fully healthy and this could be a big coming out party for him. QB Brian Hoyer played well at times last year and will give them balence so they can't key on Ringer.
Why California could win: QB Kevin Riley will start for Cal as he beat out incumbent Nate Longshore. But still, Longshore and Riley both have experience and the ability to beat a defense. Jahvid Best will try to take the pressure off the QB as he is a great runner as well as a reciever. LB Zack Follett has the ability to take away Ringer if given the chance but if Cal can't keep him clean, it could be a long day.
Prediction: Michgan State pulls it out, 31-28.
Game of the Week
Illinois @ Missouri
In a battle of QBs, Juice Williams and Chase Daniel will face off. Both teams look to build off of last year's strong performances as Illinois went to the Rose Bowl and Mizzou won the Cotton Bowl.
Why Illinois could win: QB Juice Williams can take over a game. He is one of the top dual threats in the nation and if Illinois can keep the Tigers out of the backfield, he can tear them up. He will look to Arrelious Benn for help. S Travis Bellamy will have the job of keeping his secondary in check and slowing down the onslaught of Chase Daniel.
Why Missouri could win: QB Chase Daniel is an early pick for the Heisman and this is a big game early for him to show his skills in. Jeremy Maclin is also a gamebreaker and Illinois will have to double cover him to keep him in check. LB Sean Witherspoon will get the task of slowing down Juice and should be able to do it. If they rattle Williams early, expect this one to get ugly.
Prediction: Illinois can't keep up with Mizzou and falls 42-21.
Well that's week one in the books and its just one humble kid's predictions. Best of luck to your teams this year.
Minnesota's future dual-threat QB has been removed from the team following controversy surrounding his ACT scores. He was widely considered to be one of the most highly touted recruits in the entire class and the biggest to come to Minnesota. This now makes 3 recruits who have not been allowed into the school from Brewster's recruiting class.
I can only hope that it is nothing serious and Gray can come back to the team. We may need him in a few years.
These are simulated seasons with the new game NCAA 09, developed by EA Sports being used as the simulator. These are the views of a simulation and therefore not necessarily the views of the blogger. Please do not attack me but you can be passionate and put your views out there. If you want a bigger breakdown of your specific team, just let me know and I will either do a separate post on them. The sooner you post, the faster I can put those our for you. Thanks and enjoy.
AND THE NCAA CHAMPION FOR 2009 IS…
Well before that, we will go through the breakdown.
The criteria included winning the Nat’l Championship of course, finishing in the top 10, the top 25, and missing out. Winning the title nets 10 pts, then 5, then 2, then a big fat 0.
Here’s the preseason top 25 along with a few others and how they fared…
1. Georgia, 1 top 10, 2 top 25s, net of 9 points. (now they will just be in series) The SEC’s grueling sked seemed to tear them apart and their best season was a 12-2 finish and a Rose Bowl win. They never got a shot at a NC.
2. Oklahoma, 0,2,1, 12 net. Oklahoma slipped up against weaker teams twice and Bradford went down with an injury in one of the seasons. Their best season was 12-2 twice and wins in the Fiesta in two of the seasons. They never got a shot at the NC.
3. Ohio State, 1,2,0, 20 net. Ohio State was a juggernaut throught their sked. The Big Ten couldn’t stop them as they won the conference every time. They also won the series with USC 2-1 and won in the Rose Bowl once for a 3-1 finish.
4. USC, 0,3,0, 15 net. USC always finished in the top 10 but they did not, however, always win the Pac-10. They slipped up against Arizona State and Arizonz in one season and only won the Pac 10 once. It seemed that the QB situation was the biggest concern.
5. Florida, 0,2,0, 12 net. Before we get started, Tebow is meant to be a god on this game. He is easily the best player on the game. That being said, it was surprising to see Florida not win it all. The SEC sked got them every time but they did manage to win the conference almost every time. Because of the way things panned out, you had to be undefeated to go to the BCS and UF always lost once.
6. LSU, 0,0,3, 6 net. LSU managed to overcome all the problems people thought they would have at the beginning of the season and though they didn’t ever win the SEC, they put together very good seasons.
7. Missouri, 0,2,1, 12 net. Chase Daniel is the only other player on the game who can really put up the numbers to go with Tebow consistently. He had one season of 42 TD’s vs. 3 Ints. Now that’s amazing. But that’s for later. Mizzou managed to go through everyone but Oklahoma. They always seemed to give them trouble and in their BCS game, they fell to USC.
8. WVU, 0,1,2, 9 net. WVU had more trouble in the conference than I think most people expect them to this year. Pitt played spoiler once and they were beat by other teams in upset fashion, like Cinci. The offense of White and Devine gives them great offensive punch but if they get shut down, they lose.
9. Wisconsin, 0,0,2, 4 net. Wisconsin simply did not match up in the Big Ten when they played. They were upset by lower level teams more than once and couldn’t compete with OSU at all. The game did give them the FS game but they don’t show much respect for Fresno at all.
10. Texas, 0,0,3, 6 net. Texas played the role of the 3rd horse in the Big 12 all year. They couldn’t get over the hump of both Mizzou and Oklahoma. McCoy had his moments but often fell apart in the big games.
11. Clemson, 0,1,2, 9 net. Clemson only won the conference once because they were beat by a resurging team. Florida State seemed to have their number and took them out every time but one when Florida State had 3 players out due to injury. Other than that, Clemson rolled over the ACC.
12. Texas Tech, 0,0,1, 2 net. Texas Tech could score points. Of course we all know that coming into the season. But the D was shredded again and again by all the teams they played and Harrell and Crabtree and company couldn’t outshoot everyone. They finished with 2-4 losses.
13. PSU, 1,0,2, 14 net. Penn State showed that they can get through their sked very well but they never won a conference championship. Then how did they win the national title. It was a weird circumstance but I will explain it later on. PSU got it done with the ground game but could never get past OSU.
14. Arizona State, 0,1,1, 7 net. Carpenter looks like he will be very in the running for the Heisman this year. He gets the job done in the big games and kept his team in it. ASU pulled off a Pac 10 title and from the way things shaped out, their showdown with USC will not be the only huge game in the Pac 10 to decide things.
15. Kansas, 0,0,0, net 0. Kansas was just plain bad. They finished in the 6-6 range almost every time. While they won’t surprise anyone this year, I don’t know if it will be this extreme. For last year’s Cinderella, it could be a rough year. The ground game was their only positive note as they consistently had big games there but the rest of the team was stagnant.
16. Auburn, 0,1,1, net 7. Auburn was a very intriguing team to watch play. Some games they absolutely owned the top end SEC teams, but then they came out and were blown out the next week. They did win one SEC title with a 11-3 overall record and 7-2 in the conference.
17. VT, 0,0,3, 6 net. Virginia Tech also seemed to be the 3rd horse in the ACC. They couldn’t keep up with Florida State or Clemson. The D seems to be their strong point but I never saw them score a ton of points.
18. Illinois, 0,0,1, 2 net. Illinois took a step back with this set of sims. They couldn’t beat the weaker teams consistently and though they did upset occasionally, it was not good enough. Juice seemed to make poor decisions and the ground game struggled against the top teams.
19. Tennessee, 0,1,1, 7 net. Again the SEC claimed another victim. They could beat anybody but the SEC proved to grueling and they slipped up too often and could not ever win the conference.
20. BYU, 1,1,1, 17 net. BYU is the Cinderella for the year, if the sims give any omen. They played for the BCS title twice and only once did not finish the regular season undefeated. They have strong, deep QB play and that’s what led them to victory.
21. South Carolina, 0,1,1, 7 net. South Carolina did have one very shining season before tripping up. They were undefeated going into the matchup with Tennessee but lost that game and then another one and lost their shot at a conference title. They seemed capable of beating anybody.
22. Alabama, 0,0,2, 4 net. They were ripped up by the SEC and never finished with better than 3 losses. The D was that typical strong SEC defense but the offense could completely shut down at times.
23. Oregon, 0,0,0, 0 net. Ouch, ouch, ouch. That describes Oregon’s season very well. The running game had no power, the QB play was bad, and the D just couldn’t keep them in games. They did have promise on ST as they did win a Returner of the Year award.
24. Cinci, 0,0,0, 0 net. Cinci did manage to pitch some upsets but couldn’t win consistently enough. They didn’t ever contend for a conference title, but when the offense clicked they could give teams fits.
25. Wake Forest, 0,0,0, 0 net. Many people view them as a contender in the ACC but EA did not. Wake was blown out often and the QB play was not as good as most people expect it to be.
Now hear some other teams that made some noise in the top 25.
26. Fresno State, 0,0,1, 2 net. Simply put, EA does not respect Fresno State. They were blown out by Wisky on most occasions and won the WAC only once.
FSU, 0,2,1, 12 net. Here is EA’s sleeper team for the ACC. They rolled over teams. In their showdowns with rival Miami, they won by 2-3 TD’s on most occasions. They won the ACC twice and won the Orange Bowl twice.
UCF, 0,1,1, 7 net. UCF looks to be the fav for C-USA from the looks of this. They had one undefeated season and won the Sugar Bowl over Florida. They used a lot of balanced attack and it worked O’Leary and company.
Boise State. They didn’t finish that well every year but look to be the fav in the WAC.
Pitt, 0,1,1, 7 net. They look to be the sleeper of the Big East and it is about time. They won the Big East once but lost in the Orange Bowl.
Notre Dame, 0,0,2, 4 net. Jimmy Clausen will turn around the program is the consensus from EA. They finished mostly with seasons of 9-4 or 10-3. Don’t chalk them up for that however. Clausen went down for 4 weeks and ND finished at 5-7.
To me, the title speaks for itself. Slowly but surely "bowling" is turning the FBS into the metaphorical fat kid. 6-6 teams are going bowling and its bound to get worse as more and more bowls are added.
The FBS is trying to make none of the schools football programs into losers. Wait that is too harsh of a word, just like telling a teenage boy or girl they are fat. (Seriously, you can get harassment charges.)
Isn't that what sport is about? Crowning champions. One team wins and achieves glory. Another loses and sinks into the disatisfaction of defeat. Slowly as more bowls are added, the NCAA will claim it just wants to make all these kids and their programs and alumni feel like their team is a winning team.
How pathetic is that? We want football to be a sport that names the best, not the better of the mediocre. Why do we get to see two 6-6 teams square off? I'd much rather see one of those extra weeks of bowls turn into an extra week of playoff. If the NCAA would just grow a pair and take back the FBS, we could get a true champion.
Seriously, do we want football to really make everyone feel warm and fuzzy about their team winning the Ivory Soap Bowl. No, that satifies no true fan. We want a Rose Bowl or to truly achieve something, not a paper title to a pathetic bowl game that is being put on just so the NCAA can pad their pockets.
Crack the whip FBS. Let's get football back to what it was truly meant for. Blood, guts, heart, determination, and above all, the love of competition for yourself and your team.
This cat of nine lives has just got another one. Perrilloux hooking up with another team was inevitable of course, but the situation he is coming into shocks me and I find it to be very pathetic.
Read that one more time, 'a school that has just dismissed its starting QB for discipinary reasons'. And Perilloux is your answer. Please!
JSU should of immediately thrown the breaks on this one. You have just had to suspend a kid for disciplinary reasons and you sign on a kid that has had run-ins with the law over and over again. Its just asking for the NCAA to look into your school.
I'm not arguing Perrilloux isn't a great athlete and may not suceed there. Maybe he just couldn't stand to be out of the spotlight. But why for your school's sake would you risk the integrity of your program to possible future recruits, alumni, and parents by signing on a kid with so many run-ins with the law.
Perrilloux may turn his life around and find JSU should have been the place for him all along, but I know that if I was in charge of those athletes, he's not a part of my team.
thanks to Foxsports.com for the link and flickr.com for the picture.
Here's another chance for all you blogger's to give a shout out about your favorite team.
We all know about the first to hoist the Cup, the first team to win consecutive championships, and the first to have a player throw a no-hitter.
Give me your favorite teams most off-the-wall stat or play or game. I'll come back and look deeper into the most bizarre ones I hear. And remember, the craziest or most creative will always win.
The Boston Red Sox. The NY Yankees. The San Antonio Spurs. The North Carolina Tar Heels. The New England Patriots. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The USC Trojans.
As I reel off these names, can you hear it? Can you hear that faint rumbling?
It seems more and more supposed 'fans' can hear the call. It is the call of the bandwagon and it seems that it is blowing its horn more loudly than ever. Even here, in the NW corner of Minnesota, I see Bo Sox hats and Irish caps. (Don't ask me why.)
These fans go around blowing their own horn about their 'favorite' team, but can't name a single historic player. You ask them to name someone who stood out over 10 years ago and they just stare into space until drool runs down or they glare at you for questioning their fanhood.
It just pains me to see so many people just jump freely from team to team. I mean, players do it enough, fans shouldn't have to too.
What has happened to loyalty? To pride? To honor?
All I have to ask you wagontrain fans is this: Who will be your favorite team 2 years down the road? 5 years? In fact, I'll just come by and see after the next championship game. And don't hide your new hat.
Note: To all you loyal fans out there, if you know anyone like this inspire them to be like you. They are in obvious need of guidance.
Ah, it is that time of year again. The time when athletes can make or break themselves. The time when they set themselves up for a 4 or 5 year ride or can blow it all down the drain.
It may sound like I'm talking about spring sports, but I'm really talking about something smaller, but this ways in much more important than a tenth of a second in the 40 or 10 points in your batting average.
What I'm really talking about is something I recently had to go through. The most dreaded of all things for the hopeful college athlete. The (drumroll please) ACT (and SAT if you want it included).
At no other time in a young athlete's life (or student for that matter) can something that takes only 3 or 4 hours, have such an impact. This test is supposed to deem whether or not you are considered at "college level ability". It is supposed to determine if you will be able to make the grade. It is supposed to be the number one indicator of someone who is ready to go on in their life academically. As these students sit down, some of them munching gum, chewing fingernails to nubs, or twiddling their thumbs, they all know that any hope of an athletic scholarship hangs in the balence. Or truly does it for some of these student-athletes out there.
Somehow there are always athletes (and sometimes students) who are kicked out of college and off of teams after 1 or 2 years because they couldn't make the grades. I mean they aren't even close most of the time. They are pulling D's and F's and the college has to kick them out or else they will face the academic penalties.
Now you tell me how they got there in the first place. We've all heard of those gifted athletes at our favorite schools who have been kicked off the team and out of school because they are academically ineligible. I know from first hand how very gifted athletes can take one extra "test" and manage to make it into a college that initially rejected them. We know about Spurrier and how he wants to recruit athletes who are slightly lower on the academic scale so he can field a better football team. You can see Lisa's article if you don't believe me.
How come colleges always seem to find room for these amazingly talented athletes who can't make the grades but can't seem to find room for kids who have passed all their tests but are more likely to be in the chess club (sorry for the cliche) than to try out for an intramural sport?
All I'm really wondering is how come all these colleges will take on a troubled athlete but not a good student? What has happened to the integrity of what are supposed to be some of the finest facilities of learning in our nation? Where has the sense of honor gone?
At season's end, we will most likely see the end of an era at PSU. Joe Paterno's contract is scheduled to expire at the end of this season and I just don't see the university leaving him as a head coach.
Let's face facts, the game of nowdays has been slowly passing him by. He still runs the same power football where he tries to cram it down your throat and win with defense in a 14-10 game. That is just not the style of the league anymore. Now the spread is the new way to go and I don't think that Paterno will change his coaching style to suit it or recruit the players to accomplish it.
That brings me to my next point. Paterno's recruiting is slowly diminishing the team. This year they were ranked 41st on scout.com. That ranking is unacceptable for a team that is usually a big-time contender for the Big Ten title. They barely edged out the likes of Iowa and lost to Minnesota who is coming off a 1-11 season though Brewster is a noted recruiter. This team is noted as being in the top 20 every year and Paterno's age is starting to show. Having him come to a recruit's home would be the ultimate factor in a recruit's decision. How would having a legend come in and have supper with you affect your pick? The only problem is that he cannot travel as much anymore due to recent health issues and now most of the recruiting is left up to his assistants.
And that is the main reason that Paterno will probably be removed from the head coaching position. His health always has to be a priority when you look at a head coach's job. This season he had to spend games in the booth because of illness.
I don't think that Paterno will be removed from the university all together. I would like to see him kept on as an advisor, recruiter, and scout, but only time will truly tell.
Paterno has had an amazing 42 year, and entering his 43rd year, run as well as his 16 years spent as an assistant, but I think that time has truly laid its toll on a great coach.
Let's start with our Heisman candidates. They have all been named and the 4 making the trip will be Mizzou's Chase Daniel, Hawaii's Colt Brennan, Florida's Tim Tebow, and Arkansas's Darren McFadden
1st we have Daniel. The kids biggest achivements have been leading the surprising Tigers within one win of the BCS Championship and he has thrown for 4170 yards and 33 TDs.
Why He Could Win: Daniel has resurrected a team through some tough competition in the Big 12. He has shown the poise of a leader and has that added drive and just wants to win more than some guys. You can't argue with his numbers, because he has put them up against good D's and doesn't have quite as many weapons as Florida's Tebow. (Plus he's older than Tebow, though that truly shouldn't play a factor.)
Why He Won't: Daniel's numbers aren't as good as Tebow's and he fell in the Big 12 Championship. If Daniel would have pulled off the W in that game in dramatic fashion, I think he could have had a chance.
Now we are on to Hawaii's Colt Brennan. Brennan has lead the only undefeated team this year and has led the upstart Hawaiian team to a BCS bowl. He has also thrown for 4174 yards and 38 TDs despite missing time with injuries.
Why He Could Win: Brennan could win just by his numbers. He has set the record for most TDs in a career and would have padded that stat so high that it would have been near impossible to touch had he not been injured. He has come back time and time again when Hawaii is down too. He shows great leadership and has the only undefeated team.
Why He Won't: Let's face it, he plays in the WAC. There is very limited exposure there and they don't play very high quality teams. His only chance would have been if the game had been after the BCS game and if he would have played lights out against Georgia, he would have had a chance.
Onward now to our 2 real finalists: Tim Tebow and Darren McFadden. Tebow has emerged as a front-runner in most books because of his amazing year. Tebow has passed for 3132 yards and 29 TDs but his greatest feat is on the ground. He has run for 838 and an SEC record 22 TDs, as a QB. The fact is that he is only a sophmore and people might just not vote for him for that sheer fact. McFadden, who finished second last year, was the preseason pick to be in this position. He has been the only real spark in the Razorback attack, spending time at both QB and RB. He has rushed for 1725 yards and 15 TDs while being in a split back system with Felix Jones and has caught 21 passes for 164 yards and another TD. He also averages 19 yards a return. While playing QB, he has passed for 123 yards and another 4 TDs.
And Who Wins: In my opinion, I think it should be McFadden. He has had to do almost everything himself this year and is coming off the biggest win in his career. I think that sheer fact coupled with the fact that Tebow is a sophmore and will most likely win it the next two years will allow him to strike the pose.
There goes the 2nd of the day. Yet another team that has been in the top 5 is gone in a huge upset fashion. USC has looked like they were poised to be upset the last few weeks and here it came.
John David Booty was terrible tonight. There is no way around it. Fans may say that he threw for 362 yards, but 4 picks against the freaking Cardinal. That's is not what is expected out of the legacy of great QB's that have come out of USC. He did make several good throws, but his bad throws badly outweighed the good ones.
I think Carroll should have stayed with running game even heavier though. They passed 45 times and ran 34 times. It should easily be the other way around. Booty isn't as good as he was hyped to be at the beginning of the season and the running game has been what's carried them this far. Why the change of heart Coach? Did you want to make a statement about Booty's abilities and to try to prove the doubters wrong that say he can't make the big throws? Well, SC certainly did make a statement at the QB position. I don't see why coaches always try to do that. They come up to what they think will be a powder puff team and then they end up letting them hang around while not playing their game and they lose in the end.
It was quite obvious that SC was looking at the rankings here today and hoping that LSU was going to drop one to Florida, which they look like they might. Just another example of the top teams in the nation deciding they don't need to come out and play every game.
On to Wisconsin. I will give this one to the Illini. They have realized that they have the talent to compete in the Big Ten. Right now, they look like the team that nobody wants to play. They are loaded with raw talent and when they play like they did today, they can beat anybody. The Illini exposed Wisconsin's weak run defense and pounded it out for over 250 yards using a combo of Juice and Mendenhall.
For the Badgers, Donovon played almost exactly as Booty did. They both racked up a bunch of yards, but the picks cost them. PJ Hill couldn't run very well because the O-line couldn't block at all. The Illini D was very good as well in this aspect, but come on, Hill is a Heisman candidate and most people around the nation can't name a single player on the Illini D.
Well there's enough ranting from me. It feels good to be back, blogosphere.
What was wrong with Penn's offense today. They should have known that all they would have to do was spread it out and let the recievers do their thing. I'm not criticizing Jo Pa here, but come on. The Ducks and the Mountaineers absolutely shredded this defense with the spread attack. Instead, they just drop back out of the I and let the D swarm all over them. Then, when they tried to pass, Michigan knew they needed it and blitzed when necessary and covered when necessary. This is why the Ducks and Mountaineers were more sucessful. They mixed it up and ran some of the spread passing on first down.
Morelli was bad. That's just plain and simple. But if he would have been given enough chances earlier to find various recievers, I think he could have done it.
Defensively, the Nittany Lions knew what was coming but they couldn't stop Hart when they needed to. Then they let Mallett complete passes to keep a long drive going and take 4 and a half minutes off the clock at the end. I guess Carr at least has the number of one team in this league. We'll see if the Wolves can keep it up and if the Lions can get back on track.
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I'm a 17-year-old sports fan that lives in the northwest corner of Minnesota about 20 miles from Canada, who would love to be a sports writer. I have played organized sports all my life including football, baseball, golf, hockey, and, though I'm not too proud of it, basketball for a weekend.
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At season's end, we will most likely see the end of an era at PSU. Joe Paterno's contract is scheduled to expire at the end of this season and I just don't see the university leaving him as a head coach.
spend games in the booth because of illness. 
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