After going a miserable 50% in the conference semi-finals, I am almost ashamed to be writing this.  First let me vent a little about the teams that embarrassed me.

Most embarrassing was the San Jose Sharks. I predicted this in round one, but then started to drink their Kool-Aid after they dismantled what I thought was a good Nashville team. To me the turning point of this series was when they blew a 2 goal lead at home in game four. Detroit had played so poorly on the road in these playoffs up to that point. San Jose had stolen home ice, all they had to do was play half way decent defensively and they take control of that series. They folded like an amateur poker player with pocket kings facing a big raise with an Ace on the board. Inexcusable. I heard one of the commentators on Versus say during the late stages of last nights game, “maybe San Jose hasn’t improved as much as they thought.”  I couldn’t agree with him more. They came out flat in an elimination game at home. They got out played physically against an older club. They didn’t win battles and they didn’t look like they thought they could win. Detroit might not have better players, but they definitely are the better team.

Onto Ottawa, this one is easy. I just completely over estimated the reputation of the Devils. Bottom line, Brodeur isn’t what he used to be. They have abandoned their defensive style in order to adapt to the “new” NHL, and Ottawa was just too fast and talented.

Now for the picks:

Eastern Conference Finals

(1)  Buffalo Sabres VS (4) Ottawa Senators

After the line brawl between these teams earlier in the season and the playoff series last year, there is definitely bad blood between these two teams. The only downfall for me is Marty Biron is no longer a Sabre so he won’t get the rematch with Emery we would all like to see. (Even though Miller would be a tougher opponent for Emery, in my opinion). This series should be very up tempo as well as physical, a rarity nowadays and it will be one of the most exciting series in recent playoff history, no matter how many games it goes. I like Buffalo in seven.

Western Conference Finals

(1) Detroit Red Wings VS (2) Anaheim Ducks

I think Anaheim will be a lot tougher then San Jose mentally and look for that to put a strain on the Redwings attack. Anaheim has more skilled defensemen in all three zones then San Jose did and I think ultimately that will be the end of the Red Wings. While Vancouver was able to dominate play for stretches, Luongo made that series as long as it was. I don’t see Hasek being able to take control of the series the way Roberto did, I like the Ducks in six.

It's never too early to talk college football. I'm a Diehard Tennessee fan. I bleed Orange. After last year, I think if you look back far enough David Cutcliffe and Jesus have a common relative somewhere along the line.

Now its time for my bi-annual (on average) reality check. After hearing the predictions of how Tennessee will be in the hunt for an SEC Title for the umpteenth year in a row, I have started to believe the rumors less and less. (Trust me I'm also a Red Sox fan, pessimism is in my blood) While Erik Ainge is returning, we have yet to see him play well consistently and stay healthy for an entire season. Not to mention Tennessee will be heading into the season with an unproven running game, and no returning starters at wide receiver. Not only were the receivers who are supposed to make an impact next year absent from spring practice (insert graduation joke here), they're not even on campus yet.

Here's what worries me. I saw the Patriots last year. They had Tom Brady at quarterback, one the best in the league, but he had a brand new receiving core. The receivers and Brady couldn't get on the same page until pretty late in the year. College football's preseason isn't nearly as long as the NFL's and they play less games in college. Erik Ainge clearly isn't Tom Brady and the SEC is known for its defense. It doesn't seem realistic to predict Ainge will be comfortable with the receivers until atleast half way through the year. Also, Tennessee plays Cal and Florida on the road in their first 3 games. As much as I want to, I just can't see them being near the top of the league next year.

Here is how I see the SEC ending up Next year:

East

1) Florida 2) South Carolina 3) Georgia 4) Tennessee 5) Kentucky 6) Vanderbilt

West

1) LSU 2) Auburn 3) Arkansas 4) Alabama 5) Ole Miss 6)Mississippi State

 Championship Game

LSU over Florida

***This blog originally was posted on April 21, of 2006. At the End I have added some new opinons.

The 2005 College Football season has been over for a while now, but the dissapoitment of last season for my Tennessee Volunteers still hasn't gone away. Predicted to challenge for the National Title with USC, the Vols ended up challenging Kentucky for last place in the SEC East. The Vols failed to make a bowl game for the first time in 19 years, and lost to in-state rival (?) Vanderbilt for the first time in over twenty years. All in all it was embarrassing, dissapointing, anything but successful.

Let's be honest with all those predictions by the alleged experts, were pretty much without merit. They entered the season with 2 quarterbacks (again), this time it was different. Whereas in the year before, Schaffer and Ainge had different styles, Schaffer being a scrambling QB, and Ainge being more of a pocket passer. Last season the QB battle was between two guys with very similar styles, and also no experience. While Ainge stepped up in his limited time (both due to rotation, and injury) his Freshman year, he definatley didn't have the sort of experience that the leader of a National Title contender needs. Same goes for Claussen, despite the legacy of his older brother Casey (which varies widely depending on who you talk to), Rick had played decent football but definatley not enough, and definatley not against the level of competition he would be asked to face if the Vols were going to make it to Pasedena. This led to one of the most in-ept offenses to ever grace Knoxville. The fact that Gerald Riggs went down with an injury, and the numerous fumbles and turnovers in the red-zone also didn't help.

Not only was the talent overrated, the schedule last season was brutal, even harder than a typical SEC schedule. The Vols had to play all of their hardest games on the road, with the exception of Georgia (Florida, LSU, Alabama, Notre Dame were all road games). This is not the ideal situation for a young offense to gain any confidence.  They managed only  one win, a miraculous comeback at LSU, but the easily could have gone 0-4 in that stretch.

I don't know how familiar you are with the South Eastern Conference, it is easily the hardest conference to play in. Not only because of the talent level, but it is comparable to the ACC in basketball, every road game you are going into an extremely hostile atmosphere. This year the Vols have the Neyland advantage. They will play Cal (opening weekend), Florida, LSU, and Alabama all at home.  While last year wasn't sucessful on the field, you could argue that by playing all those road games the Vols learned a lot about what it takes to win those sorts of games. Eric Ainge (I am assuming he wins the starting job from Jonathan Crompton, a promising red-shirt freshman) will have another year (or so) of experience under his belt. David Cutcliffe, the new Offensive Coordinator who has coached both Peyton Manning,at UT, and Eli Manning, at Ole Miss, should bring some new energy and insight to the disgrace of an offense he inherited.

The one upside of last year was the defense. However, most of those guys are gone (Kevin SImon, Jesse Maholouna, Jason Allen etc...). So this season could be the exact of oppisite of last season, if everything goes to plan. Expect some shootouts at Neyland next year.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not predicting a miraculous run, circa 1998, but I won't be surprised to see the Vols turn the ship around dramtically this year and finish near the top of the SEC, and back to the level of football that all of Rocky Top has come to expect.

So come September, look out for the Big Orange.

************ That blog was posted by me on April, 21 2006, scroll down if you don't believe me.

Obviously, I had underestimated the defense of this years team, they are good, ask Marshawn #### why he was pretty much eliminated from Heisman consideration in September. Hwever, they aren't overwhelming as Georgia and Airforce put up 33 and 30 respecivley.

The play of the receivers is approaching the level that we expected last year as Meachem (the #2 receiver nationally, going into the Alabama game), Swain, and Smith are emerging as serious threats. And the Running back play has been very good, almost a 3 headed monster with Hardnesty, Foster, and Coker (injured in Alabama game our up to 3 weeks). I can't say enough about David Cutcliffe and the job he has done rejuvenating the offense. And just think the Vols are a marginal roughing the passer call, and Antoine Stewart falling down away from being undefeated and very much in the National title hunt.

If the underclassmen all stay, I feel like next season the Vols could be a favorite (and this time a legitimate favorite) to win it all. However, they obviously will have to go through their schedule undefeated which isn't easy at all (just ask Florida and Auburn this year). And again they will have to go to on the road early (Cal, and Florida). And make a trip to Alabama, which as all true Tennessee fans know is never easy. If they can get through the first 3 weeks, they will have 7 total home games ( Home game vs. Southern Miss is sandwiched beteween the road trips to Cal and Florida) which is always an advantage.

Now I'm sure we all know enough about the BCS to know that it's not perfect, and for the record nothing else has been either. I am not a BCS hater, but I do have some issues with it:

The Rankings:

 1) Ohio State -

2) Michigan

3) USC

4) West Virginia

5) Auburn

6) Florida

7) Texas

8) Louisville

9) Notre Dame

10) California

Notice that Cal is in there but there seems to be a certain SEC team who is missing, a team who humiliated Cal in the opening week of the season and a team who has the exact same record as Cal. That's right Tennessee is not in the top ten, which is fine with me (for the record they are #11) because they did lose to Florida at home, and the win at Georgia isn't as impressive as it looked when it happened. However it's not like the Cal game was a toss up, Tennessee dominated Cal in every aspect of football, but somehow a computer is saying that Cal is a better team.

The Big East

The Big East conference I still can't take seriously, even though it seems there actually are some legit teams, and no not just Louisville and West Virginia. Rutgers and Pitt are having good seasons as well. However the non-league schedule is absurd and I think that is why I can't take them seriously I saw West Virginia struggle with Eastern Carolina. I know that Slaton is probably going to win the Heisman next year, but how can you accuaratley judge a team when their schedule consists of weekly cupcakes? I am looking forward to seeing the West Virginia Louisville game though. I think Louisville deserves to be ranked higher since they beat Miami, granted not the Miami of old days but still more impressive then any win West Virginia has, which brings me my next point.

The ACC

What the hell is going on there? Not one ACC team in the top ten. Clemson (#12 BCS) is getting all the attention, and after dismantling Georgia Tech this weekend, that is understandable. But what about Boston College (#17 BCS), a win over Clemson and leading the Atlantic Division of the ACC. However you want to talk about a cup cake non conference schedule (Central Michigan, BYU, Maine, and Buffalo) how are you supposed to take these guys seriously, what happened to the days where BC played Notre Dame every year, wouldn't that be a great game to watch now.  Unlike West Virginia, Boston College does have wins over Clemson, Virginia Tech, and Florida State. This brings me to my main point....

Conference Championship Games

This is my main question about the BCS, what impact do these games have on the standings. Since only two teams per conference are eligible for a BCS game, and the winner of the championship game automatically gets a bid, who gets the other one? For example, If Florida and Tennesee both win out, Florida will advance to play the SEC West Champion, most likley Arkansas, by virtue of the Gators 21-20 win against UT. Now if Florida loses this game, they will have 2 losses on the season to Tennessee's 1 loss. And with the polls seeming to follow a "what have you done for me latley" pattern Florida's loss will no doubt push them down the polls, but will they fall past Tennessee and their one loss. Probably not, I'm hoping they do, mainly because I'm a Tennesee fan but also because I want to see the BCS fail in every way possible so that there is no way it will be used ever again. The same Scenario could be used in the ACC if BC and Clemson win out, and actually is more likley in this conference seeing how Clemson is already ranked ahead of BC.  If BC makes the championship game and loses, I would imagine that Clemson would get the second bid, that is if they even invite two ACC teams.

So help me out, what are alternatives how do we fix this mess that is college football ranking system, Basketball has it's tournament, Which I realize is unrealistic for football but there has to be a better way.