Are You Kidding Me?
Entire communities in the New York City region are devastated, most still without power and New York mayor Michael Bloomberg has decided to run the New York City Marathon as scheduled on Sunday. What planet is he living on? Has he even seen the destruction in his own city? Talk about your lack of perspective. I have family members staying in a hotel 75 miles from their home just so they can function with some electricity and Bloomberg is putting on a sporting event that spans over 26 miles and requires a huge amount of police and other infrastructure support. New Yorkers are waiting in lines for hours just to get gas and Bloomberg is putting on a sporting event that can't help but take efforts away from the recovery of his city. Forty miles down the coast, seaside towns are covered in sand, hundreds of homes destroyed by the fury of the ocean and Bloomberg is putting on a sporting event that requires thousands of people to come to New York, find accommodations and secure transportation to the race site. His arrogance and lack of compassion for his own constituents is appalling, especially for a city that had to go through the extensive healing process following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centers.
I'm not a New Yorker, so perhaps I'm off base here. But in a sense, we're all New Yorkers. It's the flagship city of our country, the home to the United Nations and the Statue of Liberty. Many of us are descendants of immigrants who entered this country by passing through New York on their way to destinations throughout this great nation. So no, I'm not a New Yorker, but I think we all have the right to our opinion on Bloomberg's insensitivity. It's probably too late for him to reconsider and he won't read this blog anyway, but next time he needs to think a little more about putting an infrastructure intensive sporting event ahead of the well being of the citizens of his city.
Friday, November 2, 2012
Thursday, November 1, 2012
College Football Predictions
The Top Ten:
Missouri 14 (7) Florida 24: Florida should bounce back from last week's loss to Georgia, even it they're a little hungover from all of those turnovers. Missouri is a good club but still finding their way in the SEC.
Temple 20 (10) Louisville 30: It took eight weeks for an undefeated Big East team to break into the top ten. It's about time. I admit,the league isn't top notch, but Louisville has a good chance of running the table if they can get by Rutgers on Thanksgiving.
Mississippi 17 (6) Georgia 27: The Bulldogs re-entered the national scene with their victory over Florida and control their own destiny to get to the SEC championship game against either Alabama or LSU. It will take some serious upsets down the road, but Georgia can still aspire to the BCS title game. Their primary opponent is the remaining schedule. After this week, they face Auburn, Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech. The computers won't like that slate very much.
Pittsburgh 10 (3) Notre Dame 27: The Irish won't have much trouble with the Panthers unless they're looking ahead. That Notre Dame defense is very scary and I don't see Pitt having enough firepower to challenge it. It took me a while, but I'm a believer in the Irish. It looks like that showdown against USC may be the only thing standing between Notre Dame and a matchup with Alabama.
(4) Oregon 42 (17) USC 27: Unless USC suddenly finds different players, I just don't see them staying on the field with Oregon. The Ducks pass the eyeball test on both sides of the ball and it would be a shame if the BCS system ends up leaving an undefeated Oregon out of the picture.
(24) Oklahoma St. 20 (2) Kansas St. 31: This isn't the same Cowboy team that contended the last couple of years. The Wildcats are on a true roll and I don't see Oklahoma St. stopping it. Too bad the playoffs don't begin this season. We could end up with four very good undefeated teams and only spots for two of them in the championship game.
(1) Alabama 24 (5) LSU 17: Last year, LSU squeaked by Alabama in Tuscaloosa to earn a rematch in the BCS championship game. No such deal this year. With Oregon, Kansas State and Notre Dame sitting in the wings, it's doubtful Alabama can lose and make it to Miami. LSU isn't as good as they were a year ago and Alabama's better. Even in Baton Rouge on a Saturday night, I like the Crimson Tide to stay on track.
The Rest of the Top 25:
(12) Oklahoma 20 Iowa St. 24: Bob Stoops has his work cut out for him in getting his club back up for the trip to Ames to face an upset-minded Iowa St. squad. I don't think the Sooners can regroup quickly enough from Saturday's disappointing loss to Notre Dame. Iowa State is very tough at home and they almost pulled the biggest upset of the year by challenging Kansas State.
(16) Texas A&M 31 (15) Mississippi St. 21: I like the Aggies a lot and Mississippi St. is not nearly as good as their record might indicate. Unlike Missouri, A&M has come into the SEC West in a competitive manner and will continue that effort this weekend. The Bulldogs aren't quite good enough on either side of the ball to contend in this game.
(14) Stanford 48 Colorado 13: Colorado may be the worst team in any BCS conference. Stanford will run at will in Boulder.
TCU 28 (21) West Virginia 38: I'm not convinced that West Virginia is the 21st best team in the country, but I'll give them the nod here. They're at home and TCU's has lost their last two games, giving up a lot of points in the process. This is likely to be a shootout, a scenario that is much better suited to West Virginia's style than TCU's.
(20) Nebraska 24 Michigan St. 13: Michigan St. is coming off a win over Wisconsin, another underachieving team. But the Spartans have scored more than 20 points against only one BCS team. You don't win many games in college football with an offense that inept, and they won't win this one either.
(23) Texas 27 Texas Tech 38: I can't believe the Longhorns are still ranked where they are, but this one should knock them out of the top 25. Texas Tech is good, and even better at home. Tommy Tubberville's defense is good enough to stop Texas and the Red Raiders offense should overpower a Longhorn defense that at times can't stop anyone.
UTSA 10 (25) Louisiana Tech 45: La. Tech is a good example of how the landscape of college football is gradually changing. There are very good teams and in fact, entire conferences outside of the BCS qualifier conferences. Boise State was just the beginning.
(13) Clemson 34 Duke 24: Clemson can still win the Atlantic Division of the ACC if Florida State stumbles again. I don't see Duke challenging the Tigers. Clemson has too much speed and too many play makers, including QB Tajh Boyd, on offense. I think it's great that the Blue Devils are bowl-eligible, but they won't improve their position this week.
Arizona St. 31 (11) Oregon St. 34: Both of these teams lost close ones last week, but the Beavers were on the road and the Sun Devils lost to UCLA at home in Tempe. I'm giving Oregon St. the edge, mainly because they're at home.
(22) Arizona 41 UCLA 35: This is one that should go to the wire, once again the last team with the ball could very well win. UCLA was primarily outplayed last week, but pulled it out in the end. I like what Jim Mora has done with the Bruins, but eventually the high risk style of play results in some losses.
San Diego St. 24 (19) Boise St. 27: Although they aren't in the national title hunt, Boise is still a good team and should take care of business this week against another pretty good ball club.
Other Games of Interest (At Least to Me):
Virginia Tech 30 Miami 27: This should be an exciting Thursday night matchup, the first of two in a row for Virginia Tech. Both teams need a win to keep bowl hopes alive. I see the Hokies bouncing back from a disappointing effort at Clemson to stay alive in the Coastal Division race.
Tulsa 28 Arkansas 31: The Razorbacks let one get away in Little Rock last week against Ole Miss. They host a prolific Tulsa team for homecoming and need a much better game from QB Tyler Wilson to hold off the Golden Hurricanes. A loss in Fayetteville would not sit well with the Arkansas faithful. I think we'll see a lot more from the running game for the Hogs against a smaller Tulsa team.
Missouri 14 (7) Florida 24: Florida should bounce back from last week's loss to Georgia, even it they're a little hungover from all of those turnovers. Missouri is a good club but still finding their way in the SEC.
Temple 20 (10) Louisville 30: It took eight weeks for an undefeated Big East team to break into the top ten. It's about time. I admit,the league isn't top notch, but Louisville has a good chance of running the table if they can get by Rutgers on Thanksgiving.
Mississippi 17 (6) Georgia 27: The Bulldogs re-entered the national scene with their victory over Florida and control their own destiny to get to the SEC championship game against either Alabama or LSU. It will take some serious upsets down the road, but Georgia can still aspire to the BCS title game. Their primary opponent is the remaining schedule. After this week, they face Auburn, Georgia Southern and Georgia Tech. The computers won't like that slate very much.
Pittsburgh 10 (3) Notre Dame 27: The Irish won't have much trouble with the Panthers unless they're looking ahead. That Notre Dame defense is very scary and I don't see Pitt having enough firepower to challenge it. It took me a while, but I'm a believer in the Irish. It looks like that showdown against USC may be the only thing standing between Notre Dame and a matchup with Alabama.
(4) Oregon 42 (17) USC 27: Unless USC suddenly finds different players, I just don't see them staying on the field with Oregon. The Ducks pass the eyeball test on both sides of the ball and it would be a shame if the BCS system ends up leaving an undefeated Oregon out of the picture.
(24) Oklahoma St. 20 (2) Kansas St. 31: This isn't the same Cowboy team that contended the last couple of years. The Wildcats are on a true roll and I don't see Oklahoma St. stopping it. Too bad the playoffs don't begin this season. We could end up with four very good undefeated teams and only spots for two of them in the championship game.
(1) Alabama 24 (5) LSU 17: Last year, LSU squeaked by Alabama in Tuscaloosa to earn a rematch in the BCS championship game. No such deal this year. With Oregon, Kansas State and Notre Dame sitting in the wings, it's doubtful Alabama can lose and make it to Miami. LSU isn't as good as they were a year ago and Alabama's better. Even in Baton Rouge on a Saturday night, I like the Crimson Tide to stay on track.
The Rest of the Top 25:
(12) Oklahoma 20 Iowa St. 24: Bob Stoops has his work cut out for him in getting his club back up for the trip to Ames to face an upset-minded Iowa St. squad. I don't think the Sooners can regroup quickly enough from Saturday's disappointing loss to Notre Dame. Iowa State is very tough at home and they almost pulled the biggest upset of the year by challenging Kansas State.
(16) Texas A&M 31 (15) Mississippi St. 21: I like the Aggies a lot and Mississippi St. is not nearly as good as their record might indicate. Unlike Missouri, A&M has come into the SEC West in a competitive manner and will continue that effort this weekend. The Bulldogs aren't quite good enough on either side of the ball to contend in this game.
(14) Stanford 48 Colorado 13: Colorado may be the worst team in any BCS conference. Stanford will run at will in Boulder.
TCU 28 (21) West Virginia 38: I'm not convinced that West Virginia is the 21st best team in the country, but I'll give them the nod here. They're at home and TCU's has lost their last two games, giving up a lot of points in the process. This is likely to be a shootout, a scenario that is much better suited to West Virginia's style than TCU's.
(20) Nebraska 24 Michigan St. 13: Michigan St. is coming off a win over Wisconsin, another underachieving team. But the Spartans have scored more than 20 points against only one BCS team. You don't win many games in college football with an offense that inept, and they won't win this one either.
(23) Texas 27 Texas Tech 38: I can't believe the Longhorns are still ranked where they are, but this one should knock them out of the top 25. Texas Tech is good, and even better at home. Tommy Tubberville's defense is good enough to stop Texas and the Red Raiders offense should overpower a Longhorn defense that at times can't stop anyone.
UTSA 10 (25) Louisiana Tech 45: La. Tech is a good example of how the landscape of college football is gradually changing. There are very good teams and in fact, entire conferences outside of the BCS qualifier conferences. Boise State was just the beginning.
(13) Clemson 34 Duke 24: Clemson can still win the Atlantic Division of the ACC if Florida State stumbles again. I don't see Duke challenging the Tigers. Clemson has too much speed and too many play makers, including QB Tajh Boyd, on offense. I think it's great that the Blue Devils are bowl-eligible, but they won't improve their position this week.
Arizona St. 31 (11) Oregon St. 34: Both of these teams lost close ones last week, but the Beavers were on the road and the Sun Devils lost to UCLA at home in Tempe. I'm giving Oregon St. the edge, mainly because they're at home.
(22) Arizona 41 UCLA 35: This is one that should go to the wire, once again the last team with the ball could very well win. UCLA was primarily outplayed last week, but pulled it out in the end. I like what Jim Mora has done with the Bruins, but eventually the high risk style of play results in some losses.
San Diego St. 24 (19) Boise St. 27: Although they aren't in the national title hunt, Boise is still a good team and should take care of business this week against another pretty good ball club.
Other Games of Interest (At Least to Me):
Virginia Tech 30 Miami 27: This should be an exciting Thursday night matchup, the first of two in a row for Virginia Tech. Both teams need a win to keep bowl hopes alive. I see the Hokies bouncing back from a disappointing effort at Clemson to stay alive in the Coastal Division race.
Tulsa 28 Arkansas 31: The Razorbacks let one get away in Little Rock last week against Ole Miss. They host a prolific Tulsa team for homecoming and need a much better game from QB Tyler Wilson to hold off the Golden Hurricanes. A loss in Fayetteville would not sit well with the Arkansas faithful. I think we'll see a lot more from the running game for the Hogs against a smaller Tulsa team.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
NFL Season Checkup
AFC East: It's almost impossible to see anyone other than the Patriots winning this division. Past history would suggest they'll find a way to get it done. Of course, it doesn't hurt that the best team that could challenge them, the Jets, are an absolute mess. The Tebow experiment has been a distraction at best and a disaster at worst. The Dolphins are a good story, but even a wildcard berth will be a great accomplishment given their competition for that spot.
AFC North: As usual, this division will come down to the Steelers and the Ravens. They're separated by a game at this point with the Ravens in the lead, but I agree with Colin Cowherd that the Steelers are poised to make a run. They are getting healthy and based on their play against the Redskins, rounding into form. Interestingly enough, the Ravens host the Steelers for their final meeting of the season on December 2 with the winner probably gaining an edge in the division race. I think both teams make the playoffs, but I'm not ready to pick a winner yet.
AFC South: The Houston Texans are the class of the division and shouldn't really be challenged for the title. Their goal is a bit loftier, looking for home field throughout the playoffs. With their balanced offense, tenacious defense and weak division, they have a great shot at it. The real surprise is how the Colts have come together under rookie Andrew Luck. Making the playoffs in his rookie season and with head coach Chuck Pagano sidelined during cancer treatments would be the feel good story of the season.
AFC West: Are you kidding me? The Chargers managed just 6 points against the Browns? If Norv Turner is coaching this team next season, then San Diego's management is simply delusional. As far as the division goes, Manning is just now starting to get that offense cranked up. The Broncos are true Super Bowl contenders, so the rest of the West can just get out of the way. Of course, the Chargers could get hot near the end of the season, but only to challenge for a wildcard spot.
NFC East: The Giants have kept the momentum from their Super Bowl victory and looked poised to contend once again. I don't think the Falcons can continue winning, the Bears and Packers have to contend with each other and the rest of the East is a mess, so the Giants have a real shot at home field advantage, whether they want it or not. I believe the Redskins are a year away from contending, but when they get it together, watch out. As far as the Cowboys go, Jerry Jones needs to get a football guy in there and get out of the way. He's proven that he can't put a team together under in the salary cap era and he needs to clean house on the coaching staff. This team has too much talent to be struggling to make the playoffs year in and year out. And then there's the under-performing Eagles, with or without Vick at quarterback, who just can't seem to get this group to win games convincingly and consistently.
NFC North: This is one tough division, but the Bears and Packers are once again moving to the top. The Lions just can't seem to put it all together, but I could see both wildcards coming from this division, especially if Minnesota has reached its peak and slips the rest of the season. I like the Bears with that combination of run and pass, offense and defense. Very balanced and very dangerous at the same time.
NFC South: Atlanta will roll here, but not because they are especially strong. The Saints are an absolute mess, but that's no surprise given the off season issues and lack of a true head coach. It had to be embarrassing for Saints fans to watch Manning carve them up like he did Sunday night. This is definitely the weakest division in football, and the beneficiary is Atlanta.
NFC West: Obviously, the class of the division is San Francisco. I think Seattle can really make a run to challenge for the second wildcard, but they have been a bit inconsistent on offense. Arizona, with Kolb out at quarterback, looks pretty terrible with Skelton leading the way. The Rams are going to need another year under Fisher to contend.
Monday, October 29, 2012
College Football Pick Recap
A Non-BCS Conference We Should Be Paying Attention To: Kent St. knocked off Rutgers on Saturday. Enough said about my earlier assessment of the Mid-American Conference.
Big Weekend for the Top Ten:
Oregon 100 Colorado 10: I admit that's far fetched and the Ducks would never run it up that high, but they could easily score 35 in the first quarter against a very bad Buffaloes squad. Whatever Oregon wants to score in this one, they will. - It wasn't 100, but it probably could have been. 1 win - 0 losses on the week.
Oregon St. 31 Washington 24: Colin Cowherd picked the Huskies in this one, but I have to disagree. Washington beat Stanford, but the Beavers are better. It might be close, but I'll stick with Oregon State. - Okay, this one goes to Colin. It definitely takes the Beavers out of national championship contention. 1 - 1.
Alabama 27 Mississippi St. 13: I would like to think the Crimson Tide is vulnerable with the LSU game looming next week, but the Bulldogs haven't beaten anyone of any consequence and they won't this week. Alabama doesn't turn the ball over, and until they do, forget about beating them. They're just too good on both sides of the ball and Mississippi State isn't great on either side. - As expected, the Crimson Tide was never really challenged. The big question is who, other than Oregon or Kansas State, can give Alabama trouble on both sides of the ball. 2 - 1.
Florida 24 Georgia 17: I just think the Gators have too much for Georgia. The atmosphere in this game can be distracting, but at the end of the day it's done on the field. I don't count the Bulldogs out, but the Florida defense is just too good. - Who would have thought the Gators would turn it over 6 times? It's virtually impossible to win a game against a quality opponent with that many turnovers. I still think if you play this game 10 times, Florida wins 7 of them. 2 -2.
Arizona 30 USC 28: This one just smells like an upset to me. Granted, my nose is off pretty frequently, but I like the Wildcats in this one. The Pac 12 is wide open once you get past Oregon and Arizona can light it up. - I picked a number of upsets and this is about the only one that came through. USC pretty much gave this one to the Wildcats, but I'll take the correct pick. 3 -2.
Kansas St. 38 Texas Tech 24: Both of these teams dismantled West Virginia, but K-State did it on the road in a very hostile environment. I just think the Wildcats have too much defense for Texas Tech, but don't count Tommy Tubberville out. He coached a lot of big games in the SEC and knows how to prepare a team for a tough test on the road. - I'm not sure which team this says more about. My feeling is it just solidifies K-State's standing. They're the real deal and should be in the conversation for the BCS title game. 4 - 2.
Oklahoma 27 Notre Dame 17: I just don't see Notre Dame having enough offense to win this one in Norman. If the game was in South Bend, I might have gone the other way based on the Fighting Irish's performances this season. This is a must watch, because if Notre Dame wins, it will hard to keep them out of the BCS title conversation. - I wasn't alone on this one, but I have to admit that I'm now a believer in the Irish. That was a terrific performance and with USC's loss, I really don't see Notre Dame losing. The question is how many undefeateds will there be? It's usually less than you think at this point in the season. 4 -3 .
Ohio St. at Penn St.: No pick here. Both teams are on probation. - And they still are.
The rest of the Top 25 Isn't So Bad, Either:
Rutgers 28 Kent St. 24: Man, did I ever want to go the other direction on this one, but Rutgers' performance last week at Temple convinced me to stay the course with the Scarlet Knights. At some point, an undefeated Big East team is going to need to be recognized in the polls. - Well, it won't be Rutgers. As mentioned above, the MAC needs to start getting some attention. 4 - 4.
Louisville 28 Cincinnati 27: Before last week I probably would have gone with the Bearcats in this one, but I'll give the Cardinals the home field edge tonight. The winner grabs an advantage in the Big East race. - This game went to overtime and will probably prove the difference in Louisville securing the conference title. 5 - 4.
South Carolina 24 Tennessee 20: If the Gamecocks are going to be vulnerable to an upset, this week would be the time. South Carolina was beaten soundly last week by Florida, but didn't give up many yards. The problem was turnovers. I'm thinking they'll either come out flat or just the opposite, after having to an endure a week of tirades from a very displeased Steve Spurrier. I don't think Tennessee has enough for the Gamecocks if South Carolina comes ready to play. Otherwise, watch out for the Vols in this one. - That injury to Ellington has to be one of the most severe I've seen since Joe Theisman's broken leg on Monday Night Football in 1986. The Gamecocks hung on to win, but they won't be the same team going forward. 6 - 4.
Florida State 38 Duke 17: As much as I respect the effort it has taken for the Blue Devils to become bowl eligible for the first time since Bill Clinton's first term as president, it's a good thing the they are because their remaining schedule is brutal. The Seminoles are at home and are still battling for significant national recognition. Florida State is just a late touchdown by NC State from being ranked third or fourth in the polls. I agree with Lee Corso of ESPN on this one: "No chance" for Duke. - No surprise here. Duke will have trouble winning another game. 7 - 4.
Nebraska 27 Michigan 20: I'm just not a buyer of the Wolverines. I also want them out of the polls because I don't think they belong, so I'm selfishly picking the 'Huskers at home. The atmosphere will be terrific in Lincoln and I think Nebraska will rise to the challenge. - Finally a game to knock the Wolverines out of the top 25. 8 - 4.
Wisconsin 20 Michigan St. 14: B-O-R-I-N-G Michigan State lost last week to Michigan 12 - 10. Really? This is 2012. In the Big Twelve and the Pac Twelve they start the games with more points than that. Wisconsin is hanging around the top 25, but like Michigan, it's probably undeserved. Can you tell I'm not much of a Big 10 fan? - My winner may not have been correct, but the boring tag held up. Come on, 16 - 13 in overtime? 8 - 5.
Other Games of Interest (At Least to Someone):
Pittsburgh 30 Temple 21: The Panthers are getting better and they are pretty tough at home. Temple has shown some improvement too, but I'll stick with Pitt. - Pittsburgh probably won't win the Big East, but they may be a factor in who does. 9 - 5.
Arizona St. 31 UCLA 27: UCLA started out like they would be a serious contender in the Pac 12, but in recent weeks their weaknesses have been exposed. The Sun Devils got behind Oregon early, but this one should be different. - This one went down to the wire. Typical Pac 12, no defense game. 9 - 6.
Oklahoma St 38 TCU 31: Last team with the ball wins this one in Stillwater. It could even be in overtime. - The Cowboys didn't need overtime to take care of TCU. 10 - 6.
BYU 27 Ga. Tech 24: Even though this game is in Atlanta, I don't have a lot of confidence in the Yellow Jackets. The ACC is weak and BYU has been tested against some very good teams. - I'm an ACC fan, but you have to admit, it is one very weak league this year. 11 - 6.
NC State 28 North Carolina 24: The Wolfpack travels the 15 miles or so down Tobacco Road to Chapel Hill to take on an up and down Tar Heel squad. Both teams are still in the running for their respective division titles in the ACC, but NC State is one of the few teams to actually control their own destiny. I'm going with the slight upset on this one. - Are you kidding me? How could the Wolfpack let this one get away from them? 11 - 7.
Arkansas 35 Ole Miss 24: The Razorbacks, in a quasi home game in Little Rock, have a chance to continue their resurgence from off and early season turmoil. Arkansas is coming off a bye week after beating Auburn and Kentucky by a combined 73 - 14, and it probably should have been worse than that except the game against the Wildcats was mercifully called with over five minutes left in the third quarter. Both teams are fighting to get bowl eligible and a loss by either one most likely puts those hopes on life support, given their remaining schedules. If the Razorbacks had some coaching, they may be 5 - 3 instead of 3 -5 at this juncture. A usually dependable Tyler Wilson was off early and the Hogs didn't adjust and go to the running game. 11 - 8.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
College Football Predictions and a Little More
A Non-BCS Conference We Should Be Paying Attention To: The Mid-American Conference has some very good football teams. Ohio knocked off Penn St. to start the season, and at the time it didn't seem like a big deal. But after losing the following week, the Nittany Lions have run off five consecutive wins and Ohio remains undefeated. Toledo took Cincinnati out of the unbeaten ranks last week they're 7-1 on the season. Northern Illinois is a one-point loss against Iowa away from being undefeated and they have a win against Iowa. And today, Kent St. takes on 7 - 0 and 15th ranked Rutgers to try to gain additional credibility for the conference. Trust me, the big boys are not looking forward to any games they have scheduled with this conference in upcoming seasons.
Big Weekend for the Top Ten:
Oregon 100 Colorado 10: I admit that's far fetched and the Ducks would never run it up that high, but they could easily score 35 in the first quarter against a very bad Buffaloes squad. Whatever Oregon wants to score in this one, they will.
Oregon St. 31 Washington 24: Colin Cowherd picked the Huskies in this one, but I have to disagree. Washington beat Stanford, but the Beavers are better. It might be close, but I'll stick with Oregon State.
Alabama 27 Mississippi St. 13: I would like to think the Crimson Tide is vulnerable with the LSU game looming next week, but the Bulldogs haven't beaten anyone of any consequence and they won't this week. Alabama doesn't turn the ball over, and until they do, forget about beating them. They're just too good on both sides of the ball and Mississippi State isn't great on either side.
Florida 24 Georgia 17: I just think the Gators have too much for Georgia. The atmosphere in this game can be distracting, but at the end of the day it's done on the field. I don't count the Bulldogs out, but the Florida defense is just too good.
Arizona 30 USC 28: This one just smells like an upset to me. Granted, my nose is off pretty frequently, but I like the Wildcats in this one. The Pac 12 is wide open once you get past Oregon and Arizona can light it up.
Kansas St. 38 Texas Tech 24: Both of these teams dismantled West Virginia, but K-State did it on the road in a very hostile environment. I just think the Wildcats have too much defense for Texas Tech, but don't count Tommy Tubberville out. He coached a lot of big games in the SEC and knows how to prepare a team for a tough test on the road.
Oklahoma 27 Notre Dame 17: I just don't see Notre Dame having enough offense to win this one in Norman. If the game was in South Bend, I might have gone the other way based on the Fighting Irish's performances this season. This is a must watch, because if Notre Dame wins, it will hard to keep them out of the BCS title conversation.
Ohio St. at Penn St.: No pick here. Both teams are on probation.
The rest of the Top 25 Isn't So Bad, Either:
Rutgers 28 Kent St. 24: Man, did I ever want to go the other direction on this one, but Rutgers' performance last week at Temple convinced me to stay the course with the Scarlet Knights. At some point, an undefeated Big East team is going to need to be recognized in the polls.
Louisville 28 Cincinnati 27: Before last week I probably would have gone with the Bearcats in this one, but I'll give the Cardinals the home field edge tonight. The winner grabs an advantage in the Big East race.
South Carolina 24 Tennessee 20: If the Gamecocks are going to be vulnerable to an upset, this week would be the time. South Carolina was beaten soundly last week by Florida, but didn't give up many yards. The problem was turnovers. I'm thinking they'll either come out flat or just the opposite, after having to an endure a week of tirades from a very displeased Steve Spurrier. I don't think Tennessee has enough for the Gamecocks if South Carolina comes ready to play. Otherwise, watch out for the Vols in this one.
Florida State 38 Duke 17: As much as I respect the effort it has taken for the Blue Devils to become bowl eligible for the first time since Bill Clinton's first term as president, it's a good thing the they are because their remaining schedule is brutal. The Seminoles are at home and are still battling for significant national recognition. Florida State is just a late touchdown by NC State from being ranked third or fourth in the polls. I agree with Lee Corso of ESPN on this one: "No chance" for Duke.
Nebraska 27 Michigan 20: I'm just not a buyer of the Wolverines. I also want them out of the polls because I don't think they belong, so I'm selfishly picking the 'Huskers at home. The atmosphere will be terrific in Lincoln and I think Nebraska will rise to the challenge.
Wisconsin 20 Michigan St. 14: B-O-R-I-N-G Michigan State lost last week to Michigan 12 - 10. Really? This is 2012. In the Big Twelve and the Pac Twelve they start the games with more points than that. Wisconsin is hanging around the top 25, but like Michigan, it's probably undeserved. Can you tell I'm not much of a Big 10 fan?
Other Games of Interest (At Least to Someone):
Pittsburgh 30 Temple 21: The Panthers are getting better and they are pretty tough at home. Temple has shown some improvement too, but I'll stick with Pitt.
Arizona St. 31 UCLA 27: UCLA started out like they would be a serious contender in the Pac 12, but in recent weeks their weaknesses have been exposed. The Sun Devils got behind Oregon early, but this one should be different.
Oklahoma St 38 TCU 31: Last team with the ball wins this one in Stillwater. It could even be in overtime.
BYU 27 Ga. Tech 24: Even though this game is in Atlanta, I don't have a lot of confidence in the Yellow Jackets. The ACC is weak and BYU has been tested against some very good teams.
NC State 28 North Carolina 24: The Wolfpack travels the 15 miles or so down Tobacco Road to Chapel Hill to take on an up and down Tar Heel squad. Both teams are still in the running for their respective division titles in the ACC, but NC State is one of the few teams to actually control their own destiny. I'm going with the slight upset on this one.
Arkansas 35 Ole Miss 24: The Razorbacks, in a quasi home game in Little Rock, have a chance to continue their resurgence from off and early season turmoil. Arkansas is coming off a bye week after beating Auburn and Kentucky by a combined 73 - 14, and it probably should have been worse than that except the game against the Wildcats was mercifully called with over five minutes left in the third quarter. Both teams are fighting to get bowl eligible and a loss by either one most likely puts those hopes on life support, given their remaining schedules.
Big Weekend for the Top Ten:
Oregon 100 Colorado 10: I admit that's far fetched and the Ducks would never run it up that high, but they could easily score 35 in the first quarter against a very bad Buffaloes squad. Whatever Oregon wants to score in this one, they will.
Oregon St. 31 Washington 24: Colin Cowherd picked the Huskies in this one, but I have to disagree. Washington beat Stanford, but the Beavers are better. It might be close, but I'll stick with Oregon State.
Alabama 27 Mississippi St. 13: I would like to think the Crimson Tide is vulnerable with the LSU game looming next week, but the Bulldogs haven't beaten anyone of any consequence and they won't this week. Alabama doesn't turn the ball over, and until they do, forget about beating them. They're just too good on both sides of the ball and Mississippi State isn't great on either side.
Florida 24 Georgia 17: I just think the Gators have too much for Georgia. The atmosphere in this game can be distracting, but at the end of the day it's done on the field. I don't count the Bulldogs out, but the Florida defense is just too good.
Arizona 30 USC 28: This one just smells like an upset to me. Granted, my nose is off pretty frequently, but I like the Wildcats in this one. The Pac 12 is wide open once you get past Oregon and Arizona can light it up.
Kansas St. 38 Texas Tech 24: Both of these teams dismantled West Virginia, but K-State did it on the road in a very hostile environment. I just think the Wildcats have too much defense for Texas Tech, but don't count Tommy Tubberville out. He coached a lot of big games in the SEC and knows how to prepare a team for a tough test on the road.
Oklahoma 27 Notre Dame 17: I just don't see Notre Dame having enough offense to win this one in Norman. If the game was in South Bend, I might have gone the other way based on the Fighting Irish's performances this season. This is a must watch, because if Notre Dame wins, it will hard to keep them out of the BCS title conversation.
Ohio St. at Penn St.: No pick here. Both teams are on probation.
The rest of the Top 25 Isn't So Bad, Either:
Rutgers 28 Kent St. 24: Man, did I ever want to go the other direction on this one, but Rutgers' performance last week at Temple convinced me to stay the course with the Scarlet Knights. At some point, an undefeated Big East team is going to need to be recognized in the polls.
Louisville 28 Cincinnati 27: Before last week I probably would have gone with the Bearcats in this one, but I'll give the Cardinals the home field edge tonight. The winner grabs an advantage in the Big East race.
South Carolina 24 Tennessee 20: If the Gamecocks are going to be vulnerable to an upset, this week would be the time. South Carolina was beaten soundly last week by Florida, but didn't give up many yards. The problem was turnovers. I'm thinking they'll either come out flat or just the opposite, after having to an endure a week of tirades from a very displeased Steve Spurrier. I don't think Tennessee has enough for the Gamecocks if South Carolina comes ready to play. Otherwise, watch out for the Vols in this one.
Florida State 38 Duke 17: As much as I respect the effort it has taken for the Blue Devils to become bowl eligible for the first time since Bill Clinton's first term as president, it's a good thing the they are because their remaining schedule is brutal. The Seminoles are at home and are still battling for significant national recognition. Florida State is just a late touchdown by NC State from being ranked third or fourth in the polls. I agree with Lee Corso of ESPN on this one: "No chance" for Duke.
Nebraska 27 Michigan 20: I'm just not a buyer of the Wolverines. I also want them out of the polls because I don't think they belong, so I'm selfishly picking the 'Huskers at home. The atmosphere will be terrific in Lincoln and I think Nebraska will rise to the challenge.
Wisconsin 20 Michigan St. 14: B-O-R-I-N-G Michigan State lost last week to Michigan 12 - 10. Really? This is 2012. In the Big Twelve and the Pac Twelve they start the games with more points than that. Wisconsin is hanging around the top 25, but like Michigan, it's probably undeserved. Can you tell I'm not much of a Big 10 fan?
Other Games of Interest (At Least to Someone):
Pittsburgh 30 Temple 21: The Panthers are getting better and they are pretty tough at home. Temple has shown some improvement too, but I'll stick with Pitt.
Arizona St. 31 UCLA 27: UCLA started out like they would be a serious contender in the Pac 12, but in recent weeks their weaknesses have been exposed. The Sun Devils got behind Oregon early, but this one should be different.
Oklahoma St 38 TCU 31: Last team with the ball wins this one in Stillwater. It could even be in overtime.
BYU 27 Ga. Tech 24: Even though this game is in Atlanta, I don't have a lot of confidence in the Yellow Jackets. The ACC is weak and BYU has been tested against some very good teams.
NC State 28 North Carolina 24: The Wolfpack travels the 15 miles or so down Tobacco Road to Chapel Hill to take on an up and down Tar Heel squad. Both teams are still in the running for their respective division titles in the ACC, but NC State is one of the few teams to actually control their own destiny. I'm going with the slight upset on this one.
Arkansas 35 Ole Miss 24: The Razorbacks, in a quasi home game in Little Rock, have a chance to continue their resurgence from off and early season turmoil. Arkansas is coming off a bye week after beating Auburn and Kentucky by a combined 73 - 14, and it probably should have been worse than that except the game against the Wildcats was mercifully called with over five minutes left in the third quarter. Both teams are fighting to get bowl eligible and a loss by either one most likely puts those hopes on life support, given their remaining schedules.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
A Little Baseball History and More
Home Run, Home Run, Home Run, Single; Pablo Sandoval joined an elite group, arguably the most exclusive one in baseball with his three home runs in last night's first game of the World Series. In addition, he joined Babe Ruth as the only other player who came to bat with a chance to hit four homers in a World Series game. Pretty impressive for a player who had just twelve home runs in the regular season and was facing the pitcher many describe as the "best on the planet". So Verlander was off his game, Sandoval was dialed in, the Tigers were a little rusty and now we have the Giants up by a game in the Series. With all of the hype surrounding last night, it's still only one game, and the last time I checked, the World Series is and has been, since the early 1900's anyway, best four out of seven. So tonight, we'll see if the Tigers have shaken off the rust and get back on track against Madison Bumgarner, who is 2-6 in his last nine starts. Not exactly the guy to intimidate the Tigers. Look for the guys from Detroit to bounce back, and bounce back big.
David Stern Stepping Down: I'm not a huge NBA fan, but I need to give David Stern his due. He took over a league almost 30 years ago that had little credibility, virtually no national television presence and turned it into a great asset. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all David Stern. He was assisted mightily by three guys named Magic, Bird and Jordan. But if Pete Rozelle is revered as the visionary that put the NFL on top of the sports heap in the U.S., then we need to acknowledge Stern's keen management and guidance of the NBA that had put the league at least on par with Major League Baseball. Nice job, Mr. Stern.
Great College Football Weekend: I won't have my picks posted until tomorrow, but if you're a college football fan, you have to love the upcoming slate of games. Four of the top five teams face challenges by schools that all have one loss or less. And then in the Big East, we have the showdown between Cincinnati and Louisville, while Rutgers plays a tough Kent State team. In the ACC, a bowl eligible Duke team tries to pull a shocker in Tallahassee against Florida State. Michigan and Nebraska square off in the Big Ten while USC travels to Arizona to face the Wildcats. And in the SEC, South Carolina looks to bounce back at home against Tennessee after those losses to LSU and Florida. Everyone better make sure there are batteries in the remote and plenty of space left on the DVR's.
David Stern Stepping Down: I'm not a huge NBA fan, but I need to give David Stern his due. He took over a league almost 30 years ago that had little credibility, virtually no national television presence and turned it into a great asset. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all David Stern. He was assisted mightily by three guys named Magic, Bird and Jordan. But if Pete Rozelle is revered as the visionary that put the NFL on top of the sports heap in the U.S., then we need to acknowledge Stern's keen management and guidance of the NBA that had put the league at least on par with Major League Baseball. Nice job, Mr. Stern.
Great College Football Weekend: I won't have my picks posted until tomorrow, but if you're a college football fan, you have to love the upcoming slate of games. Four of the top five teams face challenges by schools that all have one loss or less. And then in the Big East, we have the showdown between Cincinnati and Louisville, while Rutgers plays a tough Kent State team. In the ACC, a bowl eligible Duke team tries to pull a shocker in Tallahassee against Florida State. Michigan and Nebraska square off in the Big Ten while USC travels to Arizona to face the Wildcats. And in the SEC, South Carolina looks to bounce back at home against Tennessee after those losses to LSU and Florida. Everyone better make sure there are batteries in the remote and plenty of space left on the DVR's.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Wednesday Sports HodgePodge
World Series Starts Tonight: I'm wondering how long it will take before one of these teams scores a run tonight. Verlander has been virtually impossible to hit, much less trying to score on him. The Tigers have a bit of an advantage in that they were able to set up their rotation for the Series, while the Giants just had to do everything they could to come back against the Cardinals. I'm pulling for the Tigers because I'm a big fan of Jim Leyland. The guy is a great manager in a sport where they aren't considered particularly important. I'm a bit concerned over the layoff for the Tigers, as historically that has tended to work against a team once they get out of the normal baseball routine. Unlike football, basketball and hockey, baseball teams rarely get more than one day off except for the All-Star break, much less several as the Tigers have had. It could have been worse had game four against the Yankees not been rained out. I'm expecting a close series with a lot of close games, great pitching and situational hitting. Pretty much a baseball fan's dream World Series. The only way it would be better for a purist is if they were playing the games during the day.
Armstrong Done: So Lance Armstrong has been stripped of his seven titles, presumed guilty of everything from doping to conspiracy to strong arming teammates to stealing candy from babies (okay, that last one is not true, but you get the point), resigned from his foundation and fired by Nike. Wait, fired by Nike? You know how hard it is for a star athlete to get fired by Nike? Phil Knight's middle name is Forgiveness and his boat is probably named "Everyone Deserves a Second Chance." I like Phil and what he has done for the sports landscape, but come on. Why now? I mean, Tiger Woods is still in the stable. I understand he's coming out with a new line of waterproof golf wear called "Hydrant". Okay, that was a pure lie, but it would make for some great conversation and commercials. Can you see Tiger backing into a hydrant, water spouting in the air, and Woods standing in the street proudly proclaiming, "When you get into hot water, remember to wear your Hydrant protective gear. It sure saved me!"? Okay, maybe not... Perhaps that's why I'm still looking for work on Madison Avenue.
It's Great Their Talking About RGII, But... RGIII is the hottest thing in football since camo helmets and retractable roofs. But unfortunately for we Redskins fans, they're still only 3 - 4, having lost a heart breaker to the Giants. Of course the only way that's RGIII's fault is because the 'Skins scored too fast on the go ahead TD pass to Moss. I just hope his stellar play begins to translate into playoff caliber won - lost records.
University of Arkansas Coaching Search: Now that the Razorbacks's season is likely to end in a minor bowl appearance at best, conversation has turned from game analysis to who is likely to be the next head coach. Last time Athletic Director Jeff Long turned to a disgruntled Bobby Petrino and at the time, appeared to have pulled quite a coup. In retrospect, not so much. In his column in today's Arkansas Democrat, Wally Hall lists some names who probably aren't realistic candidates. The headline also states that there probably aren't as many viable candidates as some people think. I tend to agree with Wally on this one. My opinion is that the ideal candidate is one that has demonstrated the ability to lead a program to some level of success, meaning they need to have head coaching experience. It doesn't necessarily mean it has to be at a BCS school. It could be a school in the FCS or one of the non-qualifier FBS conferences like the Sun Belt or Conference USA. They also need to have demonstrated the ability to recruit skill players to a location that may be less than desirable for many athletes. Not that Fayetteville is undesirable, but USC, Texas, Florida State and others have a little more appeal, although Bill Snyder at Kansas State (Manhattan) and Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech (Blacksburg) have done pretty well for a long period of time. Of course, the last time I checked, no one was calling me for my opinion, but I'll answer the phone if Mr. Long wants to give me a ring and chat.
NHL Cancels Games Through Nov. 1: Really? Has anyone even noticed?
NBA Now Playing Its Exhibition Schedule: Really? Has anyone even noticed?
Armstrong Done: So Lance Armstrong has been stripped of his seven titles, presumed guilty of everything from doping to conspiracy to strong arming teammates to stealing candy from babies (okay, that last one is not true, but you get the point), resigned from his foundation and fired by Nike. Wait, fired by Nike? You know how hard it is for a star athlete to get fired by Nike? Phil Knight's middle name is Forgiveness and his boat is probably named "Everyone Deserves a Second Chance." I like Phil and what he has done for the sports landscape, but come on. Why now? I mean, Tiger Woods is still in the stable. I understand he's coming out with a new line of waterproof golf wear called "Hydrant". Okay, that was a pure lie, but it would make for some great conversation and commercials. Can you see Tiger backing into a hydrant, water spouting in the air, and Woods standing in the street proudly proclaiming, "When you get into hot water, remember to wear your Hydrant protective gear. It sure saved me!"? Okay, maybe not... Perhaps that's why I'm still looking for work on Madison Avenue.
It's Great Their Talking About RGII, But... RGIII is the hottest thing in football since camo helmets and retractable roofs. But unfortunately for we Redskins fans, they're still only 3 - 4, having lost a heart breaker to the Giants. Of course the only way that's RGIII's fault is because the 'Skins scored too fast on the go ahead TD pass to Moss. I just hope his stellar play begins to translate into playoff caliber won - lost records.
University of Arkansas Coaching Search: Now that the Razorbacks's season is likely to end in a minor bowl appearance at best, conversation has turned from game analysis to who is likely to be the next head coach. Last time Athletic Director Jeff Long turned to a disgruntled Bobby Petrino and at the time, appeared to have pulled quite a coup. In retrospect, not so much. In his column in today's Arkansas Democrat, Wally Hall lists some names who probably aren't realistic candidates. The headline also states that there probably aren't as many viable candidates as some people think. I tend to agree with Wally on this one. My opinion is that the ideal candidate is one that has demonstrated the ability to lead a program to some level of success, meaning they need to have head coaching experience. It doesn't necessarily mean it has to be at a BCS school. It could be a school in the FCS or one of the non-qualifier FBS conferences like the Sun Belt or Conference USA. They also need to have demonstrated the ability to recruit skill players to a location that may be less than desirable for many athletes. Not that Fayetteville is undesirable, but USC, Texas, Florida State and others have a little more appeal, although Bill Snyder at Kansas State (Manhattan) and Frank Beamer at Virginia Tech (Blacksburg) have done pretty well for a long period of time. Of course, the last time I checked, no one was calling me for my opinion, but I'll answer the phone if Mr. Long wants to give me a ring and chat.
NHL Cancels Games Through Nov. 1: Really? Has anyone even noticed?
NBA Now Playing Its Exhibition Schedule: Really? Has anyone even noticed?
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
College Football Week 8 Recap
Can Anyone Beat Alabama? Sure they can. LSU, Florida, Oregon or Kansas State might each get a shot in that order. Of course, Oregon only gets their chance if both teams win out and meet in the BCS title game in Miami and don't get beat out by Kansas State. Alabama, Florida, Oregon and Kansas State all won by similar scores over decent teams. I would have to put Florida's win as the most impressive, although Oregon put 43 up on the board in the first half at Arizona St., then took their foot off the gas. I really thought, as others have commented, that the Ducks might have been able to score close to 100 points if they had wanted to. That is a very impressive team on both sides of the ball. As for Florida, they capitalized on turnovers and kept the Gamecocks from getting any momentum. I'm still trying to figure out how good South Carolina really is. And LSU was able to come from behind on Texas A&M, mainly because the Aggies didn't capitalize on its chances in the first half. LSU's defense is impressive, but I just don't see them being able to put up enough points on Alabama in a couple of weeks. I know a lot of people will put Notre Dame in the mix, but that offense just doesn't have enough firepower. I think they may really get exposed at Oklahoma this week. And then there's Kansas State. That was a very impressive win at Morgantown over West Virginia. Of course, I'm having trouble determining how strong the Mountaineers really are. They barely beat Texas in a shootout, got drilled by Texas Tech and then embarrassed by K-State. The Big 12 is suddenly getting to be very interesting. The next team with a shot at the Crimson Tide is undefeated Mississippi State.
The SEC: It's probably a foregone conclusion that the winner of this conference will play for the national championship. However, that may not happen if Alabama stumbles along the way, Florida gets beaten by Georgia, the conference winner emerges with one defeat and K-State and Oregon make it to the end of the season undefeated. Perhaps a bit far-fetched, but there have been many years where surprises occur on that last weekend, especially in conference championship games. In the west, Mississippi State is still undefeated, but they remind me a lot of Arkansas a year ago. A very good team, but just not the same caliber as Alabama and LSU. We'll see this weekend as they travel to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama. And it looks like Florida has established itself as the favorite in the east.
The ACC: It just doesn't seem as if Virginia Tech matches up well against Clemson. The Tigers pasted the Hokies for the third time in the last year and pretty much ended any chance Tech has of advancing to the conference title game for the fifth time. The Hokies still have to travel to Miami and host Florida State, the class of the league and a national title contender had the Seminoles not inexplicably stumbled against NC State. The Hokies are still in the race if they can somehow pull a Thursday night upset at Lane Stadium in that one. Don't look now, but Duke is sitting on top of the Coastal Division after outlasting rival UNC, but finishes the season with games against Florida State, Clemson, Georgia Tech and Miami. It's a good thing the Blue Devils are bowl eligible, because with the exception of Georgia Tech, it's tough to find a win in that stretch. They still control their own destiny, at least for one more week. In the Atlantic, the aforementioned Seminoles are in the lead, but four teams have one loss and Florida State doesn't control their own destiny.
The Big East: This race is really up for grabs. Cincinnati took a tumble after losing to Toledo, but they have almost their entire league schedule still to play. Rutgers was impressive and Louisville squeaked past South Florida. A team that might be coming on is Syracuse, so this conference should be fun to watch down to the end. It probably wouldn't be that big a deal, but the Big East still gets their champion into a BCS bowl.
The Big Twelve (which has ten teams): It would appear that K-State is in control here. Their win over West Virginia combined with their defeat of Oklahoma earlier in the season puts them in driver's seat. However, there is a lot of football to be played and with the way the teams score points in this conference, one or two hiccups and the Wildcats could find themselves with a loss or two. I don't see that happening and with no championship game to navigate, this team has a legitimate shot at the BCS title game.
The Pac-12 (which actually has 12 teams in it): Oregon State has made its way to number 7 with a rather unimpressive victory over Utah. If they can just keep winning, it could set a monster showdown for the North Division title in the last game of the season against Oregon. It appears USC is poised to take the South, so it could be a rather tough championship game that has the potential to send an undefeated champion to Miami.
The Big Ten (which has 12 teams):The leaders division is led by two teams, Ohio State and Penn State, that can't play in the postseason and a third place team in Wisconsin that has been underwhelming at best. On top of the legends division is Michigan, a mediocre team that despite two losses, is still hanging around the top 20. Their 12 - 10 victory over rival Michigan State was, well, not exactly championship caliber football. Needless to say, this a down year for the conference with the exception of Ohio State, and the winner, while still a BCS qualifier, had better hope for a match-up with the Big East champ in a bowl game.
The SEC: It's probably a foregone conclusion that the winner of this conference will play for the national championship. However, that may not happen if Alabama stumbles along the way, Florida gets beaten by Georgia, the conference winner emerges with one defeat and K-State and Oregon make it to the end of the season undefeated. Perhaps a bit far-fetched, but there have been many years where surprises occur on that last weekend, especially in conference championship games. In the west, Mississippi State is still undefeated, but they remind me a lot of Arkansas a year ago. A very good team, but just not the same caliber as Alabama and LSU. We'll see this weekend as they travel to Tuscaloosa to take on Alabama. And it looks like Florida has established itself as the favorite in the east.
The ACC: It just doesn't seem as if Virginia Tech matches up well against Clemson. The Tigers pasted the Hokies for the third time in the last year and pretty much ended any chance Tech has of advancing to the conference title game for the fifth time. The Hokies still have to travel to Miami and host Florida State, the class of the league and a national title contender had the Seminoles not inexplicably stumbled against NC State. The Hokies are still in the race if they can somehow pull a Thursday night upset at Lane Stadium in that one. Don't look now, but Duke is sitting on top of the Coastal Division after outlasting rival UNC, but finishes the season with games against Florida State, Clemson, Georgia Tech and Miami. It's a good thing the Blue Devils are bowl eligible, because with the exception of Georgia Tech, it's tough to find a win in that stretch. They still control their own destiny, at least for one more week. In the Atlantic, the aforementioned Seminoles are in the lead, but four teams have one loss and Florida State doesn't control their own destiny.
The Big East: This race is really up for grabs. Cincinnati took a tumble after losing to Toledo, but they have almost their entire league schedule still to play. Rutgers was impressive and Louisville squeaked past South Florida. A team that might be coming on is Syracuse, so this conference should be fun to watch down to the end. It probably wouldn't be that big a deal, but the Big East still gets their champion into a BCS bowl.
The Big Twelve (which has ten teams): It would appear that K-State is in control here. Their win over West Virginia combined with their defeat of Oklahoma earlier in the season puts them in driver's seat. However, there is a lot of football to be played and with the way the teams score points in this conference, one or two hiccups and the Wildcats could find themselves with a loss or two. I don't see that happening and with no championship game to navigate, this team has a legitimate shot at the BCS title game.
The Pac-12 (which actually has 12 teams in it): Oregon State has made its way to number 7 with a rather unimpressive victory over Utah. If they can just keep winning, it could set a monster showdown for the North Division title in the last game of the season against Oregon. It appears USC is poised to take the South, so it could be a rather tough championship game that has the potential to send an undefeated champion to Miami.
The Big Ten (which has 12 teams):The leaders division is led by two teams, Ohio State and Penn State, that can't play in the postseason and a third place team in Wisconsin that has been underwhelming at best. On top of the legends division is Michigan, a mediocre team that despite two losses, is still hanging around the top 20. Their 12 - 10 victory over rival Michigan State was, well, not exactly championship caliber football. Needless to say, this a down year for the conference with the exception of Ohio State, and the winner, while still a BCS qualifier, had better hope for a match-up with the Big East champ in a bowl game.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
College Predictions
Making This Short, As I'm Traveling Today: I'm on the road this weekend, so I'm just going to give my winners, with a bunch of upsets:
South Carolina over Florida
West Virginia over Kansas St.
LSU over Texas A&M
Florida State over Miami
Michigan over Michigan St.
Texas Tech over TCU
Oregon St. over Utah
Penn St. over Iowa
Alabama over Tennessee
Virginia Tech over Clemson
Duke over UNC
Arkansas tie with Open Date
Now I'm off to find the Va. Tech - Clemson game on tv at a sports bar on my way to my daughter's soccer game in new Jersey. Enjoy the games!
South Carolina over Florida
West Virginia over Kansas St.
LSU over Texas A&M
Florida State over Miami
Michigan over Michigan St.
Texas Tech over TCU
Oregon St. over Utah
Penn St. over Iowa
Alabama over Tennessee
Virginia Tech over Clemson
Duke over UNC
Arkansas tie with Open Date
Now I'm off to find the Va. Tech - Clemson game on tv at a sports bar on my way to my daughter's soccer game in new Jersey. Enjoy the games!
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Wednesday Sports Hodgepodge
Lance Armstrong Fallout: First of all, don't get me wrong. I don't condone cheating. But when everyone is doing it, how do you stay competitive if you don't do the same? Whether it be Barry Bonds or Lance Armstrong, the situation is the same. Their competitors were gaining an advantage, the governing body of the sport was allowing it to happen, so what choice did they have? At some point, integrity is useless, especially when you've spent your entire life pursuing a career in a sport that has lost control of its competitive nature. In the case of Major League Baseball, their defense is ludicrous. The use of performance enhancing drugs was not even against the rules. They had no testing program in place, thanks to the collective bargaining agreement that the players were able to negotiate. In addition, the league (spelled owners), benefited greatly from the the home run barrage of the late 90's fueled by steroid use, especially after the embarrassment of the cancellation of the '94 World Series. Same for the cycling community. EVERYONE did it. It was an institutional conspiracy that the sport decided to curtail only after it became a huge black eye. My belief is that Lance Armstrong was trying to find a way to increase performance within the rules, only to find out it was impossible to compete with the cheaters without becoming one himself. It's sad that the money and the fame drive these already gifted athletes to take it to another level, but who is really to blame? Take a look in the mirror and you'll get your answer.
Tigers Pitching: A hot goalie in hockey wins Stanley Cups, a shutdown defense wins Super Bowls and good pitching always beats good hitting. And the Detroit Tigers have really good pitching at the right time. The starters have given up something like one earned run in the last six postseason games. I know most people will say the Yankees just aren't hitting, but no one is hitting this pitching staff. Verlander is the leader, but he's not the only one responsible for the success of the Tigers. Detroit is up 3 - 0 and shows no signs of being beatable, at least not in four straight. Pencil in the Tigers for the World Series and I would have to make them the favorites, unless they sweep and the NLDS goes six or seven games. The only thing that can beat the Tigers is a long layoff between series.
Ray Lewis May Return This Season: Whether you like him or hate him, you have to agree that Ray Lewis is one of the most talented, intimidating and inspirational figures in NFL history. His legacy is tainted somewhat by his off the filed controversy surrounding a murder during the weekend of Super Bowl XXXIV in Atlanta in 2000. However, on the field his impact compares only to players like Lawrence Taylor and Mike Singletary. He has led a defense that has played at the highest levels for more than a decade, and it would be a shame to see his career end without a farewell tour. He's passionate and compassionate, spreading the gospel of hard work and emotion to thousands of high school and college players. Let's hope he makes it back onto the field so he can exit to the ovation he deserves.
BCS Surprise: Florida's jump to number two in the BCS sure points to another SEC dominated scenario as the season progresses. Should Alabama and the Gators win out, and that's much more likely for the Crimson Tide than for Florida, they would meet in the SEC Championship Game. That will, depending on how close that game would end up, bring up the issue of whether they should meet in a rematch for the BCS title. Now don't get me wrong. I realize the season is barely half over and Florida still has Georgia, South Carolina and Florida State left on it schedule. I don't think they'll run the table, but with six of the top twelve teams in the BCS rankings hailing from the SEC, it's apparent where voters and the computers feel the strongest teams play. My feeling is the SEC East teams will end up eliminating each other and like it or not, I see an Alabama - Notre Dame showdown in Miami for the national championship. Maybe Jerry Glanville should leave tickets for Bear Bryant and Ara Parseghian. Of course, at the age of 89, Parseghian could actually attend the game. Maybe he can bring the Irish some additional luck, as his last two bowl victories were against the Crimson Tide, with the 1973 win (they also won in 1974) giving the Irish the national title.
Tigers Pitching: A hot goalie in hockey wins Stanley Cups, a shutdown defense wins Super Bowls and good pitching always beats good hitting. And the Detroit Tigers have really good pitching at the right time. The starters have given up something like one earned run in the last six postseason games. I know most people will say the Yankees just aren't hitting, but no one is hitting this pitching staff. Verlander is the leader, but he's not the only one responsible for the success of the Tigers. Detroit is up 3 - 0 and shows no signs of being beatable, at least not in four straight. Pencil in the Tigers for the World Series and I would have to make them the favorites, unless they sweep and the NLDS goes six or seven games. The only thing that can beat the Tigers is a long layoff between series.
Ray Lewis May Return This Season: Whether you like him or hate him, you have to agree that Ray Lewis is one of the most talented, intimidating and inspirational figures in NFL history. His legacy is tainted somewhat by his off the filed controversy surrounding a murder during the weekend of Super Bowl XXXIV in Atlanta in 2000. However, on the field his impact compares only to players like Lawrence Taylor and Mike Singletary. He has led a defense that has played at the highest levels for more than a decade, and it would be a shame to see his career end without a farewell tour. He's passionate and compassionate, spreading the gospel of hard work and emotion to thousands of high school and college players. Let's hope he makes it back onto the field so he can exit to the ovation he deserves.
BCS Surprise: Florida's jump to number two in the BCS sure points to another SEC dominated scenario as the season progresses. Should Alabama and the Gators win out, and that's much more likely for the Crimson Tide than for Florida, they would meet in the SEC Championship Game. That will, depending on how close that game would end up, bring up the issue of whether they should meet in a rematch for the BCS title. Now don't get me wrong. I realize the season is barely half over and Florida still has Georgia, South Carolina and Florida State left on it schedule. I don't think they'll run the table, but with six of the top twelve teams in the BCS rankings hailing from the SEC, it's apparent where voters and the computers feel the strongest teams play. My feeling is the SEC East teams will end up eliminating each other and like it or not, I see an Alabama - Notre Dame showdown in Miami for the national championship. Maybe Jerry Glanville should leave tickets for Bear Bryant and Ara Parseghian. Of course, at the age of 89, Parseghian could actually attend the game. Maybe he can bring the Irish some additional luck, as his last two bowl victories were against the Crimson Tide, with the 1973 win (they also won in 1974) giving the Irish the national title.
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