Three N Out

BYE BYE BOWDEN

2008-10-13T11:23:00.002-05:00

You heard it here first

Boom. Headshot from Rivals

Tommy Bowden has been relieved of his duties as Clemson's head football coach, effective immediately. Bowden told assistant coaches this morning in a staff meeting. Get the full story inside, including which assistant has been promoted to interim head coach.

LSU freek is on fire today like none other.

2008-09-29T15:07:00.002-05:00

over on Orson's site.

Somebody get that man on payroll stat.

Tebow Apologizes.

2008-09-29T10:18:00.003-05:00

Giggity, you sideburned punk.

Tim Tebow's news conference ended, but he wasn't ready to stop talking. Dejection shone through his bloodshot eyes and weak voice, but he replied to each and every question after Saturday's 31-30 loss to Mississippi. He answered the last one. But he didn't leave the podium. "I just want to say one thing," he began. "To the fans and everyone in Gator Nation," he trailed off. He paused. Then he launched into a passionate promise. "I'm sorry, extremely sorry," he said. "We were hoping for an undefeated season. That was my goal. It's something that's never been done here. But I will promise you one thing. A lot of good will come out of this. "You will never see any player in the country play as hard as I will play the rest of the season. You will never see someone push the rest of the team as hard as I will push the rest of the season. You will never see a team play harder than we will the rest of the season. God bless."

St. Petersburg Times

How mad are you going to be....

2008-09-29T07:55:00.002-05:00

When OSU runs the table goes, undefeated again, getting over all the SEC, Big XII, and USC teams and ends up in the BCS Title game again?

I'll be slightly moderately perturbed. But I'll just go ahead and say it happens.

This week in pictures

2008-09-23T08:24:00.004-05:00

Stolen from SI.com Verbatim. Really.

Pretty salty weekend

2008-09-22T12:08:00.006-05:00

As some more conference play got underway (BANG I should get paid for this stuff), we got a picture of what should shape up to be pretty a pretty interesting season in a few conferences.

First and foremost, the BigXII and SEC are in a complete and utterly different class than the rest of the league right now. Seriously.

SEC/Big XII top 25

2. Oklahoma 3-0 1,484

3. Georgia (2) 4-0 1,475

4. Florida (1) 3-0 1,442

5. LSU 3-0 1,363

6. Missouri 4-0 1,360

7. Texas 3-0 1,174

8. Alabama 4-0 1,132

10. Texas Tech 4-0 962

15. Auburn 3-1 785

18. Kansas 3-1 555

21. Vanderbilt 4-0 242

What's more, I submit that the MWC or WAC may be the third or fourth best conference in the land

11. Brigham Young 4-0 919

17. Utah 4-0 574

19. Boise State 3-0 363

24. TCU 4-0 117

25. Fresno State 2-1 105

At this point, the Big Ten has a boost (with PSU and Wisky playing good ball right now) over both conferences, but it's not by much.

And now for some nice smackalacks courtesy of Miami:

No Excuses

2008-09-20T08:07:00.002-05:00

We're back. Traveling, family, work, and every other thing be danged to heck!!!!

We're just jumping right into it. This weekend's picks:

Sept 19:

Baylor at Connecticut, 8:00 PM, ESPN2 - Baylor. Griffin may finally make the Bears a legit team. But then again.... it is Baylor. Dang it... I dunno. UCONN. No wait.... Crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sept 20:

Florida Atlantic at Minnesota, 12:00 PM, Big Ten Network - MINN Brewster has the Gophers back around the bottom-middle of the Big Televen. That should be good enough to nudge a decent FAU team.

Ohio at Northwestern, 12:00 PM, Big Ten Network - NW Ohio ain't bad, but NW has been pretty salty thusfar this season.

Troy at Ohio State, 12:00 PM, Big Ten Network - OSU The Buckeyes bounce back and tries to make a statement. Troy has a good offense and won't be easy, but the talent here is too disparaging.

Temple at Penn State, 12:00 PM, Big Ten Network - PSU JoePa roles the instate rivals.

Central Michigan at Purdue, 12:00 PM, Big Ten Network - PUR Purdue had a bit of an implosion last week letting Oregon come back 17 points. If they don't come out firing, a good MAC team will make things worse

Arizona at UCLA, 3:00 PM, FSN - Tossup. UCLA got absolutely smoked by BYU last weekend and Arizona lost to New Mexico.

Wyoming at BYU, 3:00 PM, The mtn. - BYU Wyoming just can't play on caliber with what BYU is doing right now.

Florida at Tennessee, 3:30 CBS - FL The Gators took a week off after a less than spectacular depantsing of Miami. Tennessee is less than expected. Methinks the Gators right the ship and things get worse for Fulmer

Notre Dame at Michigan State, 3:30 PM, ABC - ND I absolutely HATE picking the Irish here, but it wouldn't be college football w/out ND pulling out a weird win and MSU losing a game it shouldn't.

Rutgers at Navy, 3:30 PM, CBS CSTV - NAV Just to shut up the Rutgers fans that were being classless last year.

Utah at Air Force, 4:00 PM, Vs.- UT The Utes continue rolling. The MWC has a three headed beast right now w/ TCU, BYU and Utah. Not to be outdone, Air Force is 3-0

Ball State at Indiana, 7:00 PM, Big Ten Network - BAL While Indian has become competitive again, Ball State seems ready to run this year.

TCU at SMU, 8:00 PM, CBS CSTV - TCU June Jones has shown that the Ponies aren't ready to be big time quite yet. Being humiliated by Tech and Rice are never good indicators.

Georgia at Arizona State, 8:13 PM, ABC - GA Despite the Bulldogs lackluster beginning to the season, The Offense and Defensive skill is still there to be in the title hunt. ASU just got beat by UNLV. Yes. That UNLV.

Iowa State at UNLV, 9:00 PM, The mtn.- ISU. I'm tepid here with UNLV's win last weekend, and ISU's non-performance vs. the Hawkeyes. I still think Chizick has the Cyclones better than they were.

Mississippi State at Georgia Tech, 12:00 PM, Gameplan -GT Johnson lost a tough one last week to VaTech, but nothing near the heartbreak Croom went through losing 3-2. MSU just doesn't have an offense to hang with anybody.

East Carolina at NC State, 12:00 PM, ESPN - EC NC State's only win this year was an unimpressive 10 pt. win over W&M. EC was predicted to struggle last week and did, but still pulled out a W

Rice at Texas, 7:00 PM, FSN Atlantic - TX Rice has come a long way in the last few years, but just doesn't have the guns to go punch for punch with the Longhorns

Iowa at Pittsburgh, 12:00 PM, ESPN2 - PITT Iowa's only thing to hang it's hat on is beating Iowa State, Pitt hasn't impressed much either.

Alabama at Arkansas, 12:30 PM, Gameplan - AL The Tide is rolling and Petrino still doesn't have an offense.

South Carolina State at Clemson, 1:00 PM, ESPN360 - CL Clemson is still bouncing from the Bama loss but still on track to have a good showing in ACC.

UCF at Boston College, 1:00PM, ESPNU - BC The Eagle haven't been up to par this year but should still win this one going away. Kevin Smith's early departure hurt, but the Knights are still hecka competitive.

Eastern Michigan at Maryland, 1:00 PM, ESPN360 - MARY Maryland came off the loss to the Blue Raiders w/ a good win against a ranked Cal team

Akron at Army, 1:00 PM, ESPN Classic

Indiana State at Northern Illinois, 3:00 PM, Gameplan - NIU For shear FBS/FCS foreknowledge

Virginia Tech at North Carolina, 3:30 PM, ABC - VT UNC came out and played some solid ball versus Rutgers two weeks ago and VaTech has come back from the embarrassing East Carolina loss. I think Beamer ball will be back in action.

Northeastern at Syracuse, 3:30 PM, Gameplan - NE Because Syracuse sucks that badly. Sorry Greg.

U Miami at Texas A&M, 3:30 PM, ABC - TAMU It goes against all logic and reasoning as the Aggies have been everything short of atrocious this year. Coming off a bye week after playing poorly to two vastly inferior opponents, I think the offense gets rid of the hiccups and Lane starts getting the ball more.

Idaho at Utah State, 4:00 PM, Gameplan - Tossup They're both not that great sadly.

South Florida at Florida International, 5:00 PM, ESPNU - USF South Florida pulled off a good little win vs. the Jayhawks

Wake Forest at Florida State, 7:00PM, ESPN2 - WAKE The Seminoles haven't looked bad.... you know... AGAINST TWO 1-AAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Southeastern Louisiana at Louisiana Tech, 7:00 PM, Gameplan - LT La. Tech has a not that bad loss to a good Kansas squad and a win against a not that great Miss. State.

Wofford at South Carolina, 7:00 PM, Gameplan - USCe Despite the complete and utter lack of anything exciting in the Georgia game, Spurrier should still be able to win this

Portland State at Washington State, 7:00 PM, Fox Sports Northwest - WSU Wazzu has been pitiful this year under first-year head coach Wulff. Beating up on a patsy can make a season look a little better. Losing to one makes it that much worse.

Miami U at Cincinnati, 7:30 PM, ESPN360 - CIN Miami ain't that bad, but Cinci is still a decent team.

LSU at Auburn, 7:45 PM, ESPN - LSU Unless Tubbs finds an offense in a week.

Fresno State at Toledo, 8:15 PM, ESPNU - FRE Fresno lost a close one last week and there was no shame in it. Wisconsin isn't the best out there, but they're no chumps either. Fresno gets back on the wagon this week.

I know I haven't made a post in a while.... but

2008-09-12T20:42:00.002-05:00

We're still here

2008-08-04T09:17:00.003-05:00

and we still love college football.

Life is changing for us right now and it's just not allowing the blogging we desire or that you deserve.

Life is a strange and funny mistress, friends. One day you can be content and fine in all that you do and think that everything is hunky-dory.

Then....

BOOM.

One conversation or event happens and you suddenly begin to question things that have led you to this point and makes you wonder where your future is headed.

It turns your world upside down and makes you realize how much you could miss by just going w/ the flow of life and not questioning it.

I leave you with this, pray pray pray about the things you do in this life before you do them. Think, meditate, consider and then do it all over again before you make hasty and foolish decisions.

Hopefully life will slow down come the beginning of the season and the things necessary to change happen.

BACK!

2008-07-08T08:03:00.003-05:00

After sweltering the heat of Central Florida and South Texas. We are back.

We're not excited or anything... but there's less than two months till the season.

That's a bald-faced lie. We're wicked stoked.

UCF... here we come

2008-06-19T13:18:00.002-05:00

We're off to Orlando the next week.

Nothing to exciting other than a work convention. Except that it's Orlando. With three pretty good friends. With good food. Away from Texas heat. On the company dime.

Who am I kidding?

This thing will rock my face off.

Have a great week.

10 Weeks and counting down.

Why College Football is the Greatest thing on God's Green Earth

2008-06-18T12:16:00.004-05:00

Because it makes each of us partisan in a completely unfair, and unjust manner.

Somehow when it's against a rival it becomes completely OK and justifiable, as evidenced by Judge Nowlin here.

CFN is like Christmas in the Summer

2008-06-18T11:16:00.003-05:00

Keeping the previews coming out like they're supposed to.

Cal Bears

Oregon Ducks

UCLA Bruins

ASU Sun Devils

Friday's Friggin' Awesome Film

2008-06-13T15:08:00.002-05:00

Blown Calls.

and the doozy

Week 1 Day 1

2008-06-12T16:21:00.003-05:00

I won't be naked. Promise.

Wake Forest at Baylor
Battle of the Baptist

The matchup is intriguing to me for more than just the political affiliation. Wake Forrest overcame the small private school curse and became more than decent. Good almost, capped by Grobe winning the ACC two years ago and putting together a good year involving a bowl win over a surging UConn.

Baylor, on the other hand, hasn't had a decent win since they went for two against A&M in overtime back in 2004. Art Briles plans to change things in Waco. A lot of people think that this job is career suicide more than a jumping board. The sentiment is that Baylor just can't win consistently enough to become better. There's a reason that Duke, Stanford, Vanderbilt, Northwestern, and Wake don't have a great history of football.

(Interesting note is that my in-laws lived in a town just down the road from Briles in his high school days. Small world.)

Coming Soon

2008-06-12T10:50:00.001-05:00

We're going to start highlighting some of the games we're pretty excited about starting with Week 1

It'll be as awesome as this:

Fulmer Cupdate

2008-06-11T10:41:00.003-05:00

Mizzou has quieted down a bit lately but don't count the Tigers out just yet. West Virginia is making a mid-season push for excellence. HA! You think RichRod leaving would change the excellence in Morgantown? You Fool!!!

SMQ

2008-06-06T14:18:00.004-05:00

I do my best to stay fairly unbiased in anything I write or do. I'm an equal opportunity offender I guess you could say. I'll make fun of my team for being a bunch of retards just as quickly as I will another team. Lord knows my team offers enough things to the world to make fun of.

If you can read well enough you can see my title bar contains a great pic taken a few years back of a Texas A&M and Iowa State Game. I tried not to use an Aggie image as this blog will encompass all of the sport, but I thought that was a pretty good one, capturing the whole field.

I say this because SMQ, whom I respect immensely for his writing and analysis has a post up of the anomaly that is Texas A&M football. The reason I call it an anomaly is represented by two quotes he uses

You look at A&M and you wonder why they haven't gotten to the top 5. Texas has since won a national championship. LSU, USC, and Florida. There's no reason A&M is not at that level

- An opposing Big XII Ass. Coach"You're not as good as they are and you're probably never going to be."

and

You're not as good as they are and you're probably never going to be."

- A Nike rep when A&M asked for the same deal

A&M is a school that has the budget, the campus, the facilites, and the talent pool to be a great team year in and year out.

There problem lies with real estate.

Location. Location. Location.

A&M gets some top talent year in and year out. Reggie McNeal had the talent to be a top level QB, but was forced to run the option (not his skill set) his last year. Martellus Bennett was one of the top talents in the country these past three years and you've probably barely heard of him outside of the Big XII. Michael Goodson had less yardage carrying than his QB. So it's not that they can't get the talent. It's that it's shared with Texas, OU, and LSU.

A&M can pull in a couple of 5-star recruits a year, but by the time the recruiting season rolls around Stoops and Brown have already got 4 5-star recruits ready for next year and A&M is just getting around to talking to their first set it seems.

A problem has lied w/ the fact that A&M has fallen on their hard times the same time that OU, LSU, and Texas have come across some of the best coaches in the country. To start beating these guys in the trail they have to start doing it on the field.

The Aggies beat the Longhorns the last two years in two very different fashions. In 2006 they took on Texas' #1 running defense and shoved the ball down the face of the Longhorns one run at a time. Last year it looked like Franchione let somebody else do the play calling as innovative runs, screens and passes fell like rain in College Station. It's a start. If the aggies can start pulling some more upsets over OU and Tech I think things will even out.

McGee should still start and Aggies want to see if the record breaking 3A arm can do any damage his last year. The defense can only get better under Kines. Who rules all, if you weren't aware.

Boone Pickens to be inducted into Football Hall of Fame. Wait... What?

2008-06-05T08:43:00.002-05:00

Mr. Pickens has been tabbed to be honored at the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame's induction ceremony.

At first I was confused until I saw John Glenn honored as well.

I see. We're honoring people who just WENT to college. Sense made.

Seriously, I think the problem I have with this is that Pickens is pretty upfront about what he wants with his money. Sports. And good sports. He did play hoops , but wasn't anything spectacular in his time. And it's not like he has a career in academics or sports... just giving money to it.

He's probably doing more for the world than I am so I should just shut up and get back to important things.

Because Listening to the Big Ten is a Good Idea

2008-06-03T13:02:00.002-05:00

Come on guys... having your own network is kewl!!!!one!!!!111

Please don't do this.

First off because it peeved off the entire world when the Big 10 did it. And because you're better than that.

And I don't want to have to change my blankety blank cable just to watch more football.

Think of the children.

Injury report.

2008-05-31T09:50:00.001-05:00

$&^#&(^# the &^(&%(&*% sorry *&)*&^ toe!!!

Out for the season w/ that son of a gun.

Hecka Busy

2008-05-29T14:15:00.002-05:00

We've been hecka busy lately.

Some involves memorial day.

Some involves some changes at work.

The rest involves a flat tire followed by a four hour trip in a rental car with nothing on the radio but tejano and Jim Rome. Both of which I hate. A staticky Rush Limbaugh came in and that filled the void. Yes... I chose a staticky Rush over sports talk. That's how much I hate Jim Rome.

Anyways...

3 months from today

Matt Stafford will keg lift your team

Linkage

2008-05-23T09:37:00.003-05:00

CFN continues giving in the offseason. Here's some more of their previews

Florida Gators

Mizzou Tigahs

Wisconsin Badgers

Oh yeah... by the way....

2008-05-22T14:44:00.004-05:00

Less than 100 days until football starts!!!

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA... breathe BWAHAHAHAHAHA

2008-05-22T13:49:00.003-05:00

Ha ha... but your salary, I has it in Seattle

News like this just brings a bit of joy to a guy like me.

Ty Willingham made more money from Notre Dame in direct pay in '05-'06 and '06-'07 than Charlie Weis.

As just a general disliker of Notre Dame, you like to hear things like that. Kinda restores your faith in mankind.

Reminds you that God is smiling down on us. And He's merciful.

Players We're Friggin' Excited About

2008-05-21T15:31:00.003-05:00

Jeremy Maclin, Mizzou

The Clip isn't all him(look for #9), but he makes his fair share of highlights. The freshmen lit up defenses and special teams last year with some blazing speed and shifty moves. Expect Daniel and J-Mac to keep the magic going in Columbia.

Wow. Just Wow.

2008-05-20T08:21:00.006-05:00

Quality folks... quality. 9 headlines involving players arrests, suspensions, and dismissals... and it's only May, baby!!!

Name that Stadium ... take 2

2008-05-16T15:08:00.006-05:00

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

19.

Name that Stadium

2008-05-16T13:03:00.012-05:00

1.

2.

9.

10.

11.

12.

Godspeed, Joe.

2008-05-15T14:39:00.002-05:00

JoePa goes to the hospital.

Here's to a speedy recovery good sir.

Well That Was Quick

2008-05-15T12:46:00.002-05:00

While I'm sure there will be a couple of days/weeks before we hear the final verdict on the whole WVU/RichRod scandal one little quip in the court document seals the deal.

The Charleston Daily has the court documents here.

It takes a few pages down on the first part to find the end of the trial, but I'll highlight it for you

RichRod is asked to read his 2002 contract.

The Integration Clause
Page 13
Roman Numeral 10.

The Entire Agreement

It is mutually understood that this agreement contains all the terms and conditions to which the parties have agreed and there are no other understandings or representations, either oral or written, unless referenced in the preceding paragraphs. Regarding the subject matter this agreement shall be deemed to exist as a bond to the parties hereto. Any modification, amendment or addendum to this agreement shall be effective only if made in writing and signed by both parties

Gun. Meet Foot.

ESPN is Feeling Spunky Early This Year

2008-05-14T14:26:00.001-05:00

ESPN's early rankings by Mark Schlabach

For what it's worth... having a predatory feline as mascot seems to be profitable this year.

4 tigers
1 panther
1 cougar
1 lion

1. OSU Buckeyes
Can't truly fault people here. Tressel's too good to not be ranked as a top 10 team. ESPN is just embracing the inevitable here. See USC below.

2. Georgia Bulldogs
Most are picking them as the sexy number one to start the year. FWIW they're going to be good. And they ain't going to be undefeated.

3. Oklahoma Sooners
It's early. The Sooners have to be ranked high. Late October - Mid November is when Stoops Swan Song dips the Sooners into bolivian

4. USC Trojans
Pete Carroll is stoked folks. Stoked I say. Whoever wins between OSU and USC will either take the #1 spot or #2 behind Georgia.

5. Florida Gators
Florida is an early sexy pick for the MNC. Unless that secondary and running games are nights and day different... I don't see it. Tebow is still Jeebus in cleats for the mean while

6. Mizzou Tigers
What a tough break last year. Beat two BCS teams lose to one (albeit twice) and you get gyped. Still one of the best seasons in school history. Moneymakers Macklin and Daniel are back with a what should still be a solid defense.

7. Clemson Tigers
This is supposed to be Clemson's year to go big.... you know... again. Cullen Harper is a good QB and has come a long way since Charlie left. He's honestly one of the better QB's you probably haven't heard much about

8. Texas Longhorns
The Horns manage to be a perenial top 10 team but have only gotten over the hump of being second in the Big XII once in Mac's tenure. And that was solely based on the freak of nature cheetah/gazelle/emu freak codenamed Vince Young.

9. West Virginia Mountaineers
Slaton and RichRod are gone. But White's still here and some midget named devine who will run circles around you like the pygmies did the Rock in the Rundown. Should still be the class of the East.

10. Auburn Tigers
TT lost a DC and a lot of fire in the offseason but bring in a fancy spread thingy. I think this ranking is based more on reputation than the actual team. Sorry.

11. Texas Tech Red Raiders
18 returning starters and some kid name Crabtree is just sexy. No ifs ands or buts about it. If the defense improves as much as Raiders like to think OU and Texas need to look out.

12. LSU Tigers
Ranking last years winner below 10 is an injury. Ranking them below three teams they beat last year is insult to injury. These tigers are still a top 10 team.

13. ASU Sun Devils
Was the Sun Devils' success based on a down Pac-10 or an improved team. Cal and Oregon imploded late in the season and the Sun Devils were there to reap the benefits. There were no huge stars, but the offense and defense did just enough to merit a 10-3 season. This year will be a more telling year.

14. BYU Cougers
One of the funniest things is the outcry for a team like BYU at the end of the year who may or may not end up undefeated. "They started out ranked so low.... Personally don't do rankings if that's your cry.

wait.... what???

Seriously, the Mormons should be pretty good. They just need to get by the # 0 Huskies and UCLA in consecutive weeks and their golden, Jerry. Gold

15. Tennessee Volunteers
The Vols turned in a better year than anticipated. The loss to Cali and Florida at the first of the season looked ugly but, they rapidly put those behind and won the SEC East and their bowl game. A lot of talent is back and except for that pesky 2005 season, the Vols usually ain't bad.

16. Illinois Fighting Redactors
With Juice Williams still at QB this is a question mark. He can play like an absolute woman one game and then rip off first down after first down straight down the middle the next(OSU. Hint. Hint.)

17. Kansas City Jayhawks
The fighting Manginos did it. They proved they deserved to be in the BCS. However, gone is the stars of the show from last season. The Jayhawks should still be ranked in my book, but we'll see very quickly if they deserve it.

18. Wisconsin Badgers
Everidge and Hill in the backfield = sexy. If Michigan isn't back on top, look for the Badgers to challenge for the Midwest.

19. Pittsburgh Panthers
Again.... I'm calling it here. Pitt don't end the year ranked in the top 20. If I'm wrong you can expect something horribly embarrassing on my end. Like me singing some horrible song or painting

20. Virginia Tech Hokies
The Hokies won't ever be unranked. Just write it down for a while.

21. Fresno State Bulldogs
Probably my favorite mid-major. They're not always ranked, but they're not ever bad. They beat KState and GaTech to finish off a good year.

22. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Grobe has these guys competitive. Clemson's supposed to be the class of the ACC, but a naked Riley Skinner says otherwise baby!

23. Oregon Ducks
Tough end losing Dixon last year, but the Ducks will rebound and J Johnson should continue racking up the yards

24. Michigan State Spartans
Starting them off ranked is just confusing. Even with Ringer. Top on my teams-not-to-rank- in the preseason poll: Texas A&M, Florida State, Miami, Iowa, and Michigan State. There you go.

25. Penn State Nittany Lions
JoePa. I don't need to add or subtract. Kinda like Revelation.

Screw You and Your #1 Ranking

2008-05-14T14:01:00.002-05:00

The Huskies will gladly take #0. Because in this game, the lower the better.

CFN is Gracious and Giving

2008-05-13T09:11:00.006-05:00

and has began their annual preseason preview of 119 teams.

We're starting the third leg of the race here folks. The worst is ahead of us.

Here's the links followed w/ a small excerpt:

Auburn Tigers

What to watch for on offense: The quarterback battle. Who's going to run the new attack? Kodi Burns, the hero of the bowl win over Clemson, finished spring ball on a high note and is an emerging passer, but the consistency won't be there for a full season; he needs a year before he reaches his potential. Texas Tech transfer Chris Todd would be the ideal option to start funnin' and gunnin', but he had a banged up shoulder this off-season and will have to fight for the job. There's a chance for a rotation unless one takes the job by the horns late this summer.

What to watch for on defense: The secondary will be dominant ... again. It's a no-name bunch that was fantastic despite the lack of a steady and consistent pass rush, and now it could be even more productive with CB Jerraud Powers blossoming into a star and the rising sophomore safety tandem of Mike McNeil and Zac Etheridge among the best in the SEC.

The team will be far better if … it gets into the backfield on a regular basis. Considering the ends were Quentin Groves, Sen'Derrick Marks and Antonio Coleman, you'd think the Tiger pass rush would've been lethal, but Groves got hurt early and was never right and Coleman didn't get much help from anyone else. It's hard to argue with the overall results of last year's defense, allowing fewer than 300 yards and 17 points per game, but the back seven could be even more effective if the opposing quarterbacks felt more heat.

The Schedule: There will be plenty of big-time games, but almost all of them are at home. Going on the road to face West Virginia in a mid-season Thursday night game is the only away date problem until the season-ender at Alabama. LSU, Tennessee and Georgia are all good enough to win the SEC title, but they're all coming to Jordan-Hare. It'll be vital to not be tripped up at Ole Miss or at Mississippi State; the Tigers must take advantage of the relative scheduling break. Yeah, AU deserves credit for going to Morgantown to face the Mountaineers, but it makes up for it with games against UL Monroe and UT Martin.

LSU Tigers

What to watch for on offense: The quarterbacks. Everything else is in place from the veteran offensive line to the NFL talents at receiver to the four-headed monster in the backfield. The quarterbacks don't have to play like JaMarcus Russell or even Matt Flynn; they just have to keep things moving, make a big third down throw here and there, and get out of the way. Jarrett Lee and Andrew Hatch will keep the battle going throughout the summer.

What to watch for on defense: The line to be every bit the killer it was last year, if not more so. Losing Glenn Dorsey hurts no matter what, but Charles Alexander, Ricky Jean-Francois, Marlon Favorite and Al Woods will keep the production going. If Tyson Jackson plays like the top ten pick he's supposed to be, no one's doing anything against this front four.

The team will be far better if … the penalties slow down. For the second year in a row, LSU struggled mightily when it came to the sins. After committing 83 in 2006, the Tigers were 117th in the nation (only South Florida and Cincinnati committed more) averaging 8.36 per game committing 117 on the year.

The Schedule: Opening up with lamb-for-the-slaughter games against Appalachian State (stop it ... this won't be Michigan Part 2), Troy and North Texas will give the team time to jell before going to Auburn for what could be the battle for the SEC West. The defending national champions don't get much of a break from the SEC scheduling gods facing road games at Florida and South Carolina before hosting Georgia in Death Valley. Get through those three, and the end of October, with just one loss, and the national title could be there for the taking with a manageable November facing Tulane, Alabama, Ole Miss and a road trip to Arkansas.

Miami Hurricanes
What to watch for on offense: The last time Miami started a freshman under center, Bernie Kosar was a teenager on campus in the 1980s. It’ll happen again this year, as Robert Marve tries to reverse a recent trend of inconsistency at quarterback and a last place ACC finish in passing. He’ll be surrounded by 10 players with something to prove, particularly RB Javarris James and WR Sam Shields. James is looking to bounce back from an injury-riddled sophomore season and a drop in production. Shields has a world-class blend of speed, burst, and leaping ability, but needs to put it all together to finally reach his enormous potential.

What to watch for on defense: The Cane defense will be looking to rebound from a November collapse that saw it sink to an un-Miami-like 10^th place ACC finish in scoring D. While LB Colin McCarthy and DE Eric Moncur will be the catalysts, new coordinator Bill Young will also be weaving in a handful of younger players, including blue-chip true freshmen Marcus Forston, Arthur Brown, and Sean Spence. Keep an eye on sophomore DE Allen Bailey, a converted linebacker who has torn it up in the offseason and possesses a ridiculous combination of size, speed, and strength.

The team will be far better if… Marve doesn’t play like a freshman. Heck, this is Quarterback U., and it’s about time Miami starts playing like it. The defense will be better and the running game is in good hands, but the Canes can’t afford another season averaging just 169 yards a game through the air. The burden falls on the rookie quarterback and a group of receivers that’s been better in shorts than in pads.

The Schedule: The Canes will know just how much better they've gotten this off-season in a big hurry. After a warm-up against Charleston Southern, road dates at Florida and Texas A&M could either set the tone for the season or show just how far the program still has to go. On the flip side, the big Coastal showdown against Virginia Tech is at home, missing Clemson and Boston College from the Atlantic, and getting Florida State in Miami are all tremendous breaks. Closing up with three road dates (Virginia, Georgia Tech and NC State) in the final four, with the home game against the Hokies, isn't a plus.

West Virginia Mountaineers

What to watch for on offense: Even after rushing for 1,335 yards, passing for 1,724 yards, and accounting for 28 touchdowns, the Mountaineers might need more from QB Patrick White this season. Without playmakers Steve Slaton, Owen Schmitt, and Darius Reynaud, who caught 12 touchdown passes, West Virginia is searching for reliable complements to its dynamic quarterback. The most likely candidate to step up is RB Noel Devine, who erupted for 627 yards and six touchdowns on only 73 carries as a rookie. The offensive line, always a constant in Morgantown, returns five starters and will be among the best units in the country.

What to watch for on defense: Coordinator Jeff Casteel was retained, good news considering how well the Mountaineers performed in 2007. The defense was air-tight in all facets, allowing just 300 yards and 18 points a game, while finishing ninth nationally in turnover margin. Maintaining that level of play, however, is about to get tougher. Even without Marc Magro, the linebackers will be fine, but the defensive line must be rebuilt, and there’s a depth issue in the secondary. While Casteel will continue to lean on undersized athletes that fly to the ball, he’s going to need help from a few newcomers and redshirt freshmen.

The team will be far better if… Devine is able to handle the load as an every down back. Although Steve Slaton will certainly be missed, his production really tailed off last season, and injuries always seemed to be an issue. West Virginia believes it might do better with Devine taking carries, provided he can withstand the punishment that comes with 20 or 25 carries a game. A game-changer when he gets in space, he’s also only 5-8 and 170 pounds, a big concern if he becomes the go-to guy out of the backfield.

The Schedule: The schedule looks harder than it actually should be. The Big East slate isn't bad early and gets tough late with road trips to Louisville and Pitt in the span of six days, but remember, those two didn't go to a bowl last year. South Florida comes to Morgantown on December 6th; a perfect time to catch the warm-weather team. After a warm-up against Villanova to kick things off, the non-conference schedule gets nasty the rest of the way with trips to East Carolina and Colorado along with the mid-season showdown against Auburn. Win those three and a national title shot will likely be there for the taking.

More Bowl Thoughts

2008-05-09T14:04:00.013-05:00

I'm by no means a mathematician. In fact I suck horribly at math. The last math class I took was called "Math 1343: Math for Liberal Fine Arts Majors." You laugh but I kid you not. The first lesson we learned was that in a normal election... whoever gets the most votes, wins. But you can also do a point/ranking system. Then electoral college... etc.

The last lesson was balancing a check book.I wish I was joking with you or something but I'm not. Dr. Dimminie ruled. All that to say I'm not qualified to put out the stats I'm about to put out.

But back to the addition of the bowls thing I thought about it some more and let's say that we have 120 teams who only play amongst themselves (I'm dropping the 1-AA games just for math's sake, It shouldn't make a difference)

So:

120 teams
12 games apiece

720 games played (120*12= 1440, 1440/2=720 ***divide by two because each game is shared between two teams)

That means you have an even amount of losses and wins distributed amongst the 120 teams. 720 wins and 720 losses to divide out.

It takes 6 wins to make it to a bowl and there are 34 bowls (68 teams)

68x6=408 wins needed to fill the bowl allotment.

So, every year 408 wins (out of 720 total) need to be shared by 68 teams to meet the bowl fulfillments. That means that it takes 56% of the total number of wins possible to be spread amongst the 68 teams.

Since we have to win 50% (and lose 50%) of our games the differential is 6%. Throwing out the concept of 120 6-6 teams, 6% of the total wins have to be shared amongst your top teams.

That's not hard to do really.

Last year, how many 6-win(or better) teams were left out of the bowl picture?

Six, that I could find.

USCe 6-6
Iowa 6-6
Troy Trojans (8-4... ouch didn't even notice this during the season)
Northwestern 6-6
Louisiana-Monroe 6-6
Miami OH 6-7

So it's not like there's a ton of teams that are there to slip in... but you figure that we just added four more teams out of that group right there with two bowls.

I'm far too lazy to look up the left out teams from two years ago but I don't imagine more than 6-7 teams were given the cold shoulder.

So right now it looks like it'll be OK. We add one more bowl or that bad year nobody wants comes and we just may get to see what happens when we don't have enough bowl spots for teams.

Interesting enough I guess.

Ummm... how many days till kick off now? 114? K thanks.

Fuzzy Math

2008-05-08T14:36:00.003-05:00

So this week the NCAA allowed for two new bowls.

The St. Petersburg Bowl and the Congressional Bowl have been added to bring it to a whopping 34 bowls

68 teams out of 120 (Go Western Kentucky Hilltoppers)

Yes... that is over50% of your teams that will be playing in a bowl this year.

Now say that you take away 1-AA victories as wins that count towards bowl eligibility.

It would be mathematically impossible with the 6 win minimum for a bowl for all the teams necessary to fill all the bowl slots as you have to have as many losses shelved out as wins.

Awesome. It's like getting the snow cone after the baseball game even though your team was run-ruled in the second inning.

Not that that happened to me ever. I ruled and took the losers' snow cones and wimmuns.

We're Back Baby

2008-05-08T08:58:00.004-05:00

After a hellacious three weeks of work, we are finally back and stoked for college football.

114 days and shrinking baby!!!! or 16 weeks.....

Training

2008-05-06T12:27:00.002-05:00

all day today and tomorrow.

We're out.

Orson's got the leader board and some interesting additions for the Fulmer Cup over at EDSBS.com

People Who Get Paid to do This Stuff..

2008-05-05T14:27:00.005-05:00

over at cfn.com have compiled a most excellent list of the spring game breakdowns:

ACC
Big East
Big 12
Pac 10
SEC

A few of the more prominent ones that we care about:

Oklahoma
In the team’s final scrimmage of the spring season, the defense more than held its own against quarterback Sam Bradford and company, scoring three times on three ‘pick sixes’. Soon-to-be starting cornerback Dominique Franks kicked off the pick six parade with a 57-yarder off of Bradford and then added two other interceptions on the day. The secondary has the most holes to fill on this squad; considering the fact Franks and fellow corner Jonathan Nelson (an 81-yard interception for a touchdown) had strong days spoke volumes as to why head coach Bob Stoops felt so good about his back four.

Mizzou
The buzz in Columbia is as loud as it’s ever been and it was evident for the spring game – televised on ESPNU with over 26,000 in attendance. What they saw was nearly the same thing they saw at the end of the 2007 season and a 71-28 win for the offense. Heisman candidate Chase Daniel was his usual prolific self, completing 22 of 28 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns. And, in another non-surprise, wide receiver Jemery Maclin had six receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown. However, the defense took some hits this spring, in particular linebacker Van Alexander who went down with a torn knee ligament.

West Virginia
When the proverbial lights went on in Morgantown, the star-studded offense turned it up a couple of notches, piling up 336 yards of total offense in the team’s annual Blue-Gold spring game. Heisman candidate Pat White completed 12 of 16 passes for 133 yards, while quicksilver running back Noel Devine averaged nearly seven yards per carry on his six carries. The defensive star of the day was Najee Goode who led the defense with ten tackles.

USC The annual Trojan Huddle end-of-spring intrasquad game went to overtime, a fantastic finish to a competitive spring. The White emerged victorious 39-36 over the Cardinal squad after receiver Travon Patterson caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Aaron Corp. Most of the eyes in the house were on the three quarterbacks battling for the starting position. Mark Sanchez was stellar, completing 16 of 24 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns, while Arkansas transfer Mitch Mustain completed six of ten for 111 yards and two touchdowns. Corp might have had the best day of all, completing 13 of 16 passes for 158 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winner.

Ohio State
Over 76,000 people packed the ‘Shoe to watch the Scarlet beat the Gray 20-7 in the annual spring game. All-Big Ten candidate Brian Hartline was the offensive star for the Scarlet team, catching six passes for 82 yards, half of quarterback Todd Boeckman’s 12 completions. A 48-yard toss from Boeckman to Hartline put the Scarlet offense in the position for the first touchdown of the day. Dan Herron hit paydirt on a three-yard touchdown run to seal the deal for the Scarlet team on the rain filled day in Columbus.

Wisconsin
With most of the starters playing for the Cardinal team, the outcome of the annual Cardinal and White game was predictable – a Cardinal 28-3 win. Quarterback Allan Evridge finally has a starting job and finished the game seven of 12 for 137 yards, but with one interception. Running back Lance Smith ran for just under 100 yards, but split time with both Cardinal and White throughout the game. Head coach Bret Bielema was happy with a thin defensive unit that only gave up two touchdowns on the day.

Clemson
All-ACC candidate Cullen Harper led Orange squad to a 16-7 victory over the White in the annual Clemson Spring Game. Harper completed 13 of 18 passes for 142 yards and two touchdowns. While running back James Davis and receiver Jacoby Ford sat out the scrimmage, star receiver Aaron Kelly had a solid outing catching eight passes for 108 yards and a touchdown.

Virginia Tech
One year after the tragic events of the spring of 2007, the Hokies took the field in the annual Maroon and White spring contest, as the starting quarterback tete-a-tete continued. Quarterback Sean Glennon led the Maroon squad to a 24-3 win, hooking up with receiver Brandon Dillard for a 25 yard score in the first half. Dillard also had a 49 yard run on a reverse to set up the Maroon team’s first touchdown. Rising sophomore quarterback Tyrod Taylor struggled throughout the day for the White, throwing one interception and getting sacked three times.

Georgia
The annual G-Day game had some unexpected rain showers, but the rain held off long enough for the Red to beat the Black 17-3. Quarterback Matt Stafford kicked off the scoring, completing a 30-yard pass to receiver Michael Moore for the Red team that had the first team offense and the second team defense. The Black offense was led by running back Caleb King who ran for 31 yards on only six carries. UGA fans have waited an entire season to see King, who was one of the top recruits in the class of 2006.

Florida
Although Tim Tebow got Erin Andrews attention, it was the jitterbug from Lakeland who had everyone else’s. Running back Chris Rainey made his presence known in front of a national television audience and helped lead the Blue to a 28-14 win over the Orange in the annual Orange and Blue Debut. He accounted for 76 yards rushing and one touchdown through the air, in which he embarrassed the Orange secondary with his jock-dropping quickness. Tebow, albeit on a day he was sick as could be, completed 13 of 21 for 200 yards and two touchdowns.

Suck It, Bobby!!!

2008-05-05T08:47:00.003-05:00

Man!

The En-See-Aye-Aye has said heck no to Arkansas' Bobby Petrino's request to allow Ryan Mallet to skip that whole pesky sit-out-a-year-for-transferring rule.

Anything you've heard about the weeping and lamenting in Fayetville may or may not be true.

Friday's Friggin' Awesome Film

2008-05-02T13:38:00.003-05:00

As long as I've loved sports I've loved Nike. Is their product always the best? Probably not. But does anybody else put out cooler ads?

I submit to you, no.

It Was Fun While it Lasted.

2008-05-02T09:46:00.003-05:00

The day has finally come.

As hard as it is for us all to accept it, the greatness that is Ryan Perrilloux is finally off of the LSU Tigers team.

You can't even ask why. Maybe you could ask "why now?"

I'm sure he'll make some more headlines in the near future... just not for the Bayou Bengals.

Wow.

2008-05-01T14:54:00.004-05:00

We couldn't get a good clip of it... but this is a recent interview w/ Bob Costas, Braylon Edwards, Buzz Bissinger, and Will Liech (of Deadspin). I'll go as far as to say that each of these men are some of the greatest in each of their respective fields. The discussion gets real heated real quick. Bissinger goes off on a tangent on Will and blogs in general.

I agree to an extent. There is a lot of anonymity in blogging. We can say a lot of things behind the cloak of TCP/IP. But we get to do it for fun. We're not trying to make money here. Outside of Perez Hilton, Orson, Liech, and a few others, we'll never make money at this. We do it because we love it. We're trying not to practice real journalism. We want to make jokes about Jim Delaney cussing out Jim Swofford. We want to do a montage of Tommy T. taking out guys knees.

We know we're not the professionals. We know that we're the bunch of 30 year olds playing flag football with bad looking spin moves and cuts. We act way more ridiculous when we score than an NFL player. We know that. You guys are the NFL players.

We get it.

Going on a tirade against the lead blogger doesn't prove your point. It just makes you sound like a profane, angry professional. But still a "professional."

Fight on Ben

2008-05-01T08:56:00.002-05:00

Mauk was denied his appeal for a 6th year of eligibility.

But yet again fighting against the man.... Mauk will seek to go to the next level up to appeal.

Stick it to the man, Ben. Stick it to 'em

Meeting of the Minds

2008-04-29T13:38:00.001-05:00

The transcript from the meeting of the BCS Commissioner in south Florida

Mike Tranghese - Big East
Dan Beebe - Big 12
Mike Slive - SEC
Kevin White - ND Athletic Director
John Swofford - ACC and BCS Commissioner
Thomas Hansen - Pac 10
Jim Delany - Big 10

JS: Hey guys thanks for getting together again this year. Great year all around for everybody. Mike nice championship. Two in a row for you.

MS: You're @#$% right nice year. The SEC rules all.

JS: Calm down, calm down... ok ok. Old Business?

KW: Yes. We talked last year about changing some of the revisions to get Notre Dame into the BCS more easily...

JS, MS, DB, JD, TH, MT: ... grumble grumble grumble.............

KW: ... well I think we need to change it more.

JS: Why the heck do we need to do that?

KW: Well we got left out this year.

DB: You guys won 3 games man... what do you expect?

KW: We're Notre Dame. We're the definition of...

JS: We'll talk about it later Kev.

KW: OK... but don't forget like last year.

JS: We won't. OK new business?

MT: I would like to make a motion. I want to kick out you, John, and Jim Delany

JD: What? Why?

JS: That's ridiculous Mike. Why would we do that?

MT: Well.... we're still pissy about the whole raid of Virginia Tech and Miami thing.

JS: Mike that was over five years ago man.

MT: And our only good coach left for Jim's league to Michigan

JD: That's not my fault.

MT: I don't care. I'm tired of sucking. We've sucked for too long. It's somebody else's turn to start sucking for a while. Why not the Big 10. They've sucked up their last four BCS appearances. Or the Big XII We beat OU. Yeah let Dan for a while now. He's the rookie.

JS: It doesn't work like that. Maybe y'all need to get some more competitive teams. Kevin, I don't get why you guys can't just join up like in the other sports.

KW: We're Notre Dame. We don't need a league. We'd dominate the East. No question.

MT: Y'all sucked last year. We won our BCS game against Oklahoma. You won three games and lost to Navy for the first time in forever.

JS: OK we'll talk about that one later to guys. Let's talk about the elephant in the room.

BCS.
Controversy.
Playoffs.
Plus-one.

All: ... ... ...

JS: Come on guys you have to talk about it this year. They said we would and I have to say something to the reporters.

Jim, Thomas have y'all made any head way.

JD: #$@$#%$#% you and #@$%$%$ your @$#@$% playoffs. Rose Bowl or bust &^%^*%.

TH: Yeah. What he said!

DB: Guys come on you have to at least talk to us about this... why not?

TH: The Rose Bowl stays. It is the Grand Daddy of them all.

DB: Look guys, I know you hate losing the match up but we all have to at one point or another. It's just part of the deal. We didn't get to be in the Fiesta Bowl for two years there. It's just a part of trying to find the best teams.

JD: The Pac 10 and the Big 10 are the best teams.

MS: Y'all have two championships this decade guys.

TH: 2003 counts.

MS: Like heck it does. LSU won that fair and square.

TH: The AP says otherwise.

MS: The AP also has Pitt ranked before the start of the season

MT: Hey!!! What's wrong with that!

DB: Shut up Big Least.

JS: Calm down calm down guys. Come on. Now look. This is why we have to figure this out. All the arguing and fighting has to stop. We set up a solid system and this stuff goes away.

KW: I'll only accept a plus-one/playoff if ND is guauranteed an invite.

JS: We can't do that Kevin.

KW: Why?

JS: Is it fair if we invite a 0-12 Notre Dame over a 12-0 Boise State?

DB and KW: Yes!!!

KW: Dan... why do you care.... oh yeah. Forgot about that.

DB: Shutup.

JS: Stop it all of you. Am I going to have to call Myles again.

All: No sir.

JS: Good. Now seriously. We've got to decide on something. We're taking too much heat.

Jim.
Thomas.

I need you guys to be serious and help us out here. We're going to have to be serious here and have some intelligent discussion. Playoffs. ABC. Rose Bowl. Breakup.

JD, TH: (begin singing) We shall be free.... We shall be free. So stand straight, Walk proud, 'Cause we shall be free.

(JS begins crying quietly)

DB: How about we keep the Rose Bowl and the match up, but just make it a part of the playoffs?

JD: The Rose Bowl is the MNC each year.

MS: No it's not, man. It hosts the MNC game once every four years like every other Bowl.

JD: No it's the MNC.

TH: He's right.

JS: (wiping his tears and speaking through a broken voice) Let's just bump it to next year.

sob..

sniff...

JD: Anything else wainch?

NH: Yeah got got something else to say?

JS: No. Good meeting.... See you guys.... sniff... sob... next year.

(Delaney and Hansen slap each other on the back and walk out for a night of bar hopping and loose living. Swofford curls into a ball continues crying.)

KW: Wait what about the BCS and the...

MT: Not this year man... next year maybe... next year.

DB: Are all the meetings like this?

MS: Well a lot of them involve some fighting so this was a relatively good one.

MT: You get used to the crying after a few years.

Charlie, It's Not That We Hate You Because You're That Good,

2008-04-29T08:28:00.004-05:00

it's that your school pulls crap like this on a regular basis.

Notre Dame continues to try and schedule teams without giving them the benefit of home games.

Instead of bending over and taking it, Rutgers politely told the Irish where they could stick their home and not-home series.

Personally, I'm glad. Teams need to have some pride and demand that the big boys come to their house.

It's ridiculous and insulting that ND would make that offer to a team that is in the same conference for every other sport. Schiano has changed things at Rutgers and I'm glad that this has been a part of it.

Long weekend

2008-04-28T13:03:00.004-05:00

It was a very long weekend.

I can't go in to too many details.

The short version involves poker, calk, eye sties, getting beat with a high four-of-a-kind by a slightly higher four-of-a-kind, bubblegum, toilets, Splinter Cell, carpentry, vandals, tornadoes, the NFL Draft, mirrors, paninis, Lord's Supper, moving couches down stairs, jager, and most importantly Whataburger's Honey Butter Chicken Biscuit.

Without the love of a woman, the grace of God, or the HBCB I probably wouldn't have made it.

Gold Jerry Gold

2008-04-24T10:20:00.002-05:00

Doug over at Hey Jenny Slater did an outstanding post on Undrafting the NFL
(Getting rid of current players to make your team better)

Some highlights if I may:

9. CINCINNATI BENGALS
The pick: WR Chad Johnson, Oregon State. Obviously, he doesn't want to be there. Cut him so the Redskins can sign him. I mean, so that your team morale improves. That's what I meant to say, team morale.

10. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
The pick: TE Jeremy Shockey, Miami (Fla.). No, they haven't actually signed the poster child for repressed homosexuality yet, but you just know they're gonna. Saints, I'm begging you to stop this danse macabre by pre-emptively un-signing this overrated thimbledick, thereby preventing him from douching up what otherwise looks like it could be a reasonably solid team going into 2008. Haven't the people of New Orleans suffered enough?

13. CAROLINA PANTHERS
The pick: WR Dwayne Jarrett, Southern Cal. I was really pissed when the Panthers drafted him last year rather than his USC teammate -- come on, Panthers, you're afraid of having two Steve Smiths on the roster? That could've been the source of some of the greatest misdirection plays in league history if only you'd given it a chance.

22. CLEVELAND BROWNS
The pick: QB Brady Quinn, Notre Dame. Everyone who thinks Brady Quinn will ever take a meaningful snap for the Browns, raise your hand. (Put your hand down, Brady.)

31. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
The pick: QB Tom Brady, Michigan; WR Wes Welker, Texas Tech; LB Tedy Bruschi, Arizona. As punishment for Spygate, the Pats’ control over the 31st overall pick is taken away and handed over to a three-judge panel consisting of Roger Goodell, me, and my friend Joe who’s a rabid Colts fan; the Patriots also get an additional first-round player taken away from them (and a third taken away solely because of Bill Simmons). These three players are dismissed as part of a tough-love social experiment to see if the Patriots’ legions of suspiciously recent fans will still support them if they don’t have any white players to cheer for.

And saving the best for last:

28. DALLAS COWBOYS
The pick: QBGF Jessica Simpson, J.J. Pearce High School. Yes, this is the obvious joke, but we all know Tony Romo’s brain barely has enough RAM to hold down simple tasks like handling a field-goal snap; even the most blinkered Cowboys fan out there can’t honestly think Chuckles is ever gonna win a playoff game as long as he’s got the added distraction of blond hair and an (admittedly spectacular) pair of tits following him around wherever he goes. Give J-Simp the heave-ho, set Romes up with a chick who looks more like Peter King, and give him a chance to spread his wings and fly, dammit!

New Unis Baby!

2008-04-24T08:17:00.006-05:00

Utah Utes

Hawaii Warriors

Minnesota Golden Gophers

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Miami Hurricanes

All Canes is refuting said rumor
Still cool looking though

Texas A&M Aggies
(New helmets)

Players We're Friggin' Excited About

2008-04-23T15:11:00.008-05:00

Mike Goodson, Texas A&M

Goodson was expected to be a star out of the gate for the Aggies but had to share the field with Jorvorskie Lane and QB Stephen McGee.

Franchione opted (and "brilliantly" at that) to let his QB have the most rushing yards. The option didn't fit as well with Goodson's skillset. While he had his moments, Goodson never got to be the featured back.

Franchione was fired and Mike Sherman came in his place, bringing a pro-style offense that should fit Goodson perfectly

With Lane being moved to FB and McGee staying in the pocket more, expect Goodson to finally get his chance to shine in 2008

Just to get an idea of Goodson's speed... skip to the 4:10 mark.

You see him cut up and turn up field at 4:18 (Texas A&M 35 yd. line)

He crosses the goal line at 4:24.

65 yards in 6ish seconds.

The Audacity of Hope.

2008-04-23T09:07:00.010-05:00

Things are hard now, my fellow Americans. There is no hope on the horizon. The BCS season has left us jaded and angry. Les Miles and his gorillas with chainsaws have pillaged the College Football world and left you with no passion. Ohio State has left you wanting again.

You've been fooled too long by the Hawaii's of this world. All cupcakes and no substance. You've been deceived by SEC speed. You're bitter that you've been left again with a top heavy Big East. You've failed to make a bowl despite the preseason ranking one time to many.

You've been lied to by the BCS and promised a true champion that you can believe in. Instead year in and year out you get controversy at every turn.

Small town colleges like West Virginia are clinging to their couch-burnings, internet fodder, coach suings to ease the pain.

Rules committees have gone on too long taking game time away from you, the deserving fans.

College football fans suffer while the rest of the world sits on their chaise lounges enjoying NBA Playoffs and baseball.

We do not have to live like this.

Where are the people that will stand for the rights of you, college football fans? Where is your champion? Where is your defender?

Let me tell you something, my friends.

Change is coming. Your champion is on his way.

Hope is on the horizon

In less than 130 days I promise you a change. A change we can all believe in.

I promise you that your Saturdays will not be empty voids any more.

I promise you that the fire in your heart that burns will be rekindled. The likes of Pete Carroll will be stoked to be on your screens again soon.

I promise that forty year old men will soon be on the sideline again defending players.

I promise you that Tim Tebow will rock the swamps of Florida and it will be heard throughout all the SEC.

I promise that Joe Paterno will continue to roam to and fro' in Happy Valley.

I promise that you will no longer have to assume what Lou Holtz will say, but that you will in fact hear him in his locker room talks.

I promise that Erin Andrews will be there to bring insight from half-time talks and adjustments.

I promise you that come August 30th we will have sweet victory.

I promise you that these games are coming on that day:

Michigan State at California
Illinois vs. Missouri (St. Louis)
USC at Virginia
Oklahoma State vs. Washington State
Tennessee at UCLA
Utah at Michigan
Kentucky at Louisville
Fresno State at Rutgers
Alabama vs. Clemson
Hawaii at Florida

When we win those games we'll move on to the next week and the next and then on to the next.

Come November the people will have spoken and new hope and change will have arisen.

I can promise that we will work together with ABC, CBS, ESPN, Fox Sports, B10N, VS. and CSTV to bring you the best Saturdays in America that we can bring.

My fellow Americans...

Hope is on the way.

We believe.
We believe.
We believe.

Thief.

2008-04-22T15:34:00.006-05:00

It's been super busy... And there hasn't been that much going on.

So I'm going to steal. This is directly from Pete Fiutaks weekly mailbag. Last week he had a question about RichRod and the WVU situation, in which he called WVU the crazy ex-girlfriend

ASK CFN 4/18

And finally …

Last week I remarked that West Virginia fans need to just let it go about Rich Rodriguez leaving for West Virginia. The responses were, well, interesting.

Let it go? Let it go?! The guy owes us $4 million dollars and stabbed us in the back? Pay us our money and live up to your contract with YOU signed. He’s a weasel and he’s trying to get out of paying what’s rightly ours. Let me guess, if it was the other way around you’d be screaming the WVU owes him. – SL

You obviously don't know West Virginia and what it means to be a West Virginian. The way Rich left was horrible. He lied to all of us. He called Terrell Pryor and told him he was going to Michigan before he told his own players, his boss and the West Virginia fans. Many of us got together and scraped up a lot of money to keep him here and he said he was here for a long time. He signed a contract. He crapped on us. He turned his back on his own state. He could have been up front with everything. No. He decided to be a lying snake, secure another job, tell recruits and attempt to get them headed to Michigan on WVU's time, before he tells a soul here in West Virginia. The same West Virginia who ponied up and met his demands just a year prior. He cries about the buyout? If he had stayed, the buyout was scheduled to drop to 2 million in August of this year. Well, if he would just pay WVU what it is owed, then that would give me some personal satisfaction, knowing how bad that hurts him to part with that kind of cash. Let him feel that pain. If or when he does, he can multiply that by 10 and then he will know how this state felt when he did what he did to this state, our school, our players and the fans. - CC

You don’t get West Virginia and you obviously never will. It takes something special to live here. It’s a special place. We don't have much here, so the football program means everything. Of course, you’d never get that. You probably wouldn’t understand a tough life. Your a joke and so is your anti-Mountaineer bias. – FK

You outsiders should just keep your thoughts about West Virginia to yourself. This is a hard place and our football program is our identity and our passion. We don’t have the lifestyle here other places have. So you better show West Virginia some respect or I wouldn’t show my face around here if I were you. And if you do, you’d better look both ways before crossing the street. - Anonymous

You have no idea of the pride of West Virginians and what it means to live in West Virginia. But that isn't what this is about. Unless you're a West Virginian, or you've lived here, you'll never get it anyway. - KG

First of all, did I say anything about the state of West Virginia? Analyzing the football program and saying something about the place are two completely different things (yes, they are), even though fans like to tie the two together.

Second, don’t give me this line about it being West Virginia and somehow West Virginians have some sort of toughness and honor that no outsider could comprehend. Everyone from every state thinks that way. You’re proud of where you’re from. So are Iowans and New Yorkers and Hawaiians and Californians. The excitement is fine, but you can’t thump your chest with this “you wouldn’t understand it” state pride and then keep complaining that it’s a rough place to live. You can’t have it both ways.

And finally, I’m not saying whether or not Rich Rodriguez is right or wrong or whether he’s a good guy or bad. I’m not defending him and I’m not taking his side. He’s a terrific football coach. Period. That’s all he is. Everything else is just corporate legal BS and it really doesn’t matter in your world, even if you think it does.

This has nothing to do with the money. You can use that as something tangible for your anger, but that’s not why you’re having problems with this.

Rodriguez doesn’t owe you. It’s not your money, and spare me the self-righteous garbage about being a tax payer blah, blah, blah. You’d be dead from a stroke if you really cared this much about every bad government or university contract that eats away at your tax dollars. Even if Rodriguez paid back every cent with a smile, you’d still be upset that one of your own rejected you. If you’re angry at the snipping, that’s another story.

Here was a coach who took what Don Nehlen had started and made it better. I know, Mountaineer football had its moments under Nehlen and had chances to win national titles in 1988 and 1993, but that ’88 team beat one team with a pulse (Syracuse) before losing to Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, and the ’93 team barely got by its four good games before getting blasted by Florida in the Sugar Bowl. No one actually respected West Virginia football since it got rocked every time the bowls kicked in.

Rodriguez changed that.

With the 2006 Sugar Bowl win over Georgia, in Atlanta no less, the Mountaineers joined the world of the truly big-time programs. That wasn’t just any team WVU beat; that was the SEC champ in its own house. Now the program really was a national title contender and wasn’t just in the hunt based on a fat record against mediocre competition. The entire state had something to get really fired up about, and its fan base, who’s not used to the scrutiny that comes with the spotlight (ask me sometime about the time spent trying to keep Marshall fans in check when they thought their team was of national title stock) went crazy at anyone who dared speak in anything other than glowing terms when it came to their pride and joy.

Then Rodriguez, who had the program on the cusp of playing for the national championship before blowing it against Pitt, leaves for Michigan. It’s not like he pulled a Dennis Franchione and left Alabama for Texas A&M, at best a lateral move. Whether or not you believe it, the Michigan job is one of the biggest in all of sports and one of the crown jewels among coaches.

WVU fans, you have to understand that no coach ever, EVER leaves gracefully, and no coach ever, EVER knows how to handle it right. Sure, it would’ve been nice if Rodriguez was up front and honest about everything, but coaches can’t be … to a point. They can’t talk about another job and then be all smiles and happiness when it doesn’t work out (cough, Glen Mason at Minnesota when he wanted the Ohio State job, cough). That kills recruiting and becomes a mega-distraction and a ridiculous circus (cough, Les Miles, cough).

Had LSU not played for the national title, Miles would’ve ended up being the Michigan head football coach, Rodriguez would’ve stayed at West Virginia, and none of this would’ve happened. But it did, you have a new head man, and while the program might not be as good over the long haul, it’ll be fine for now.

Fine, so you wish Rodriguez handled everything better and showed more respect to the University and to West Virginia. Now be the better man, or fans, and take the high road. Instead of getting all hot and bothered, you should be happy Rodriguez made your program matter. You should be happy that West Virginia football is such a big deal. You should be happy at all the fun memories you had when he was the head man. You should realize that this is big business and that your company lost its CEO and replaced him with another good one who should be able to keep the train rolling. You should wish Rodriguez well at Michigan, because for better or worse, he still represents you. You should let it all go and enjoy what should be a fantastic 2008 season.

Feel better? No? Fine, you may now commence with your usual barrage of grouchy and misguided “CFN hates West Virginia” e-mails.

More Football Mandatorization.

2008-04-21T13:13:00.002-05:00

Lawmakers are continuing to press College Football by bringing up more legal issue.

A couple of months ago we reported Georgia getting butthurt about getting left out of the MNC game.

I said something about if a whole group of schools get screwed over the course of a couple of years, government could do something about this. Well, they sped up the process (Thanks SI.com.

The three congressmen involved in the aforementioned SI.com article are Neil Abercrombie, D-Hawaii, Lynn Westmoreland, R-Ga., and Mike Simpson, R-Idaho.

Of course somebody from Hawaii, Georgia, and Idaho have no vested interest in seeing that changed whatsoever.

Westmoreland:

"We shouldn't have to argue about who the champion is," Westmoreland said, citing the excitement and unpredictability of the NCAA college basketball tournament. "That should be decided on the field."

Never mind that Georgia didn't win their conference, nonetheless their division. Give us our shot dangit! Wait... What we did during the season wasn't good enough?

These threats have been going on for a while now and someday they may stick, but till then, Myles Brand, don't worry too much.

Stuff.

2008-04-21T08:25:00.007-05:00

In today's latest edition of stuff people like:

Stuff Green and Gold People Like

Loafers - Baylor kids like wearing shorts and (but never jorts as Baptist kids are above that) moccasins or loafers without socks. Waco is like one large house where the kids never actually leave their own home. The same loafer wearers also had trouble putting their collars down on their Izod polos. Seeing as how I was in their house, I refrained from letting them know of their slight error in attire.

Not smoking - Green and Gold people don't smoke either it turns out. Baby Jesus doesn't like it. If you ever just want to waste a few hundred square feet, build a smoking area in a restaurant in Waco, TX. For what it's worth. I did see a college-age pipe smoker.

And that's cool.

Jewish and Smoker?
Waco's not for you my friend

Being Skinny - Another thing Green and Gold people don't like is to eat. Despite having more than a few decent restaurants, I felt like my 200 lb frame raised the average of the town by about 5%. Every person in the place walked around with celery and cottage cheese.

Throwing stuff- Things aren't going your way at a Baylor game? Screw sportsmanship. We're going to heaven and you're going to hell. Suck on our Dr. Pepper bottles of wrath, fellow Big XII fans.

Dr. Pepper - speaking of cola, Baylor Fans love Dr. Pepper. The good stuff ( and by that I mean good if you're into cough syrup) is made and brewed an hour away in Dublin, TX. The Dr. Pepper museum is in Waco, TX. As is the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame. And the Texas Sports Hall of Fame. How did Waco get those?

Track - In a school that isn't held down by those goofy "state school regulations." Baylor has had some good track teams. That Michael Johnson kid was half decent. Why they can't find real success in anything but Women's Hoops, I dunno. But Bayfordukeandywestern wouldn't be Bayfordukeandywestern without Baylor. It'd be Fordukeandywestern. Which just doesn't sound nearly as good.

Baby-doll dresses - Green and Gold chicks like Baby-doll dresses. With everything. Going to the club? Hey I should wear a baby doll dress and a(n optional) skirt. Class? Baby-doll dress and jeans. Big game? Baby-doll dress and shorts.

Texas Longhorns and Texas Tech Red Raiders - Why do Baylor fans like two in-state rivals, because it's the closest they can get to beating their true hated rival, the Texas A&M Aggies. Why beat them when you can have others do it for you?

We're back

2008-04-21T08:10:00.003-05:00

And we're sleepy.

Waco does not suck as much as most people make it out to.

We'll be coming out with a new version "stuff _____ people like" based on our trip.

For now, real world time.

We're out

2008-04-16T15:39:00.003-05:00

For the next three days to the mighty Waco, TX. Home of the Baylor Bears. and Crickets.

How in the heck the town housing the worlds largest Baptist University has a place that has over a 100 beers on tap, we don't know.... but we ain't complaining.

Enjoy the end of the week and the weekend. The two are not the same.

Admitted Homernesss

2008-04-16T14:20:00.002-05:00

I'm just going on record, saying I like Tim Tebow. A good bit.

Basketball Player (look at that jump shot)

Missionary

Surgeon

~~Philander~~

I mean Philanthropist

You are one step closer to becoming America's Next Top Model

2008-04-16T10:20:00.003-05:00

Suck it Ozark boy. Cali Holla!

You guys should shoot me that I know that and never read this blog again.

Not really.

But somebody has been deemed as the next top model at USC.

Mark Sanchez has won the starting position for the Trojans.

The QB position at USC is pretty much guaranteed a contract with a modeling company, friendship with Nick Lachey, and four girls (two per arm.)

In unrelated news Mitch Mustain is suffering from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the foot.

Mailbag Alert

2008-04-15T16:23:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since there has been a good mailbagging, but Fiu provided some good fodder this week.

Personally I really wish these people would just publish the ones that don't make sense... but I don't get paid for this stuff.

why does every national media personality be them writers or tv commentators, talk radio hosts and non-Georgia fans alike, their memories all begin in 1990? Every single stat that gets mentioned nationally regardless of year only references what has happened since 1990. Not 1989, ’88, 87 etc, you get the point. Just who anointed history to be written from there? – HW

I didn't see a complete sentence in there.... but you know... word.

PLEASE SETTLE AN OUTGOING DEBATE BETWEEN MY FRIEND AND I. WE BOTH LOVE OHIO STATE AND WERE DISAPPOINTED WITH THE LAST 2 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES. MY FRIEND SAYS THE BIG TEN SUCKS THE LAST 2 YEARS AND WAS THE WORST B.C.S. LEAGUE OUT OF THE 6. HE'S SAYS #5 (ABOVE THE ACC IF HE'S NICE). I SAY THE MEDIA (NOT C.F.N.) HAVE BEEN VERY UNFAIR TO COMPLETELY BASH THE BIG TEN EVEN THOUGH I ADMIT IT HAS BEEN DISAPPOINTING AT TIMES. WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE US YOUR RANKINGS OF THE 6 B.C.S LEAGUES FOR THE 2006 AND 2007 SEASONS SO WE CAN MAYBE END OUR ONGOING DEBATE? – JB

All caps definitely makes a better point than the whole logical statement idea. The grammar is better, but when you shout, who needs proper grammar? Seriously.

Gimpshop

2008-04-15T12:18:00.003-05:00

From Texags.com

Interchange your teams here and laugh accordingly

A Tale of Two Programs

2008-04-15T08:56:00.005-05:00

We're trying to cover quite a few of the spring games this year as there's always some good storylines and interesting tidbits of info.

Two stood out this morning.

One was a overview of Kansas spring game

Another was an article discussing the upcoming Nebraska spring game

The Kansas article was nothing to special. Todd Reesing struggled a bit in the spring game and quite a few of their starters are gone. Nothing special. One thing stood out though

7,500.

That's how many people attended the spring game for the Jayhawks football team. The team that is 4 months removed from the greatest season in school history.

On the flipside, Nebraska is coming off one of the worst, most embarrassing seasons in school history. Across the board, it was just a disappointing year, pesonified by the complete and utter schalacking at the hand of the aforementioned Jayhawks (73-31... and we ain't talking B-Ball)

How many tickets did Nebraska sell? All of 'em. 65,000 seats were sold by April 9th.

Is it the whole football school/basketball school thing?

Even if that's the case, you have to imagine that more than 7,500 people care enough to come to the games. It's a great time to be a Jayhawks fan. Your football team just had the best year ever. Your hoops team just won the National Championship!

Why is a school that didn't get a bowl bid or a tournament invite is beating your attendance by almost 10x ?

Culture, my friends. Culture.

Case in point:

Texas and Texas A&M have just come into having legitimate hoops teams this last decade. Before Rick Barnes and Billy Gillespie showed up in Texas, attendance was low and people didn't care. Barnes started winning and the people started coming. Gillespie started winning in College Station and people started coming. Building a culture for a sport takes time. What makes it harder is when people come along and steal your coaches (thanks Kentucky) and don't really let a program get going. Both Texas teams were well into their 3rd years of success before near sellouts were regular.

Mark Mangino seems like he wants to stay. Here's hoping he does, and that the preseason game can start being an exciting event in Lawrence, Kansas.

Quarterback Smuarterback in Ann Arbor

2008-04-14T15:08:00.003-05:00

RichRod says that Defense was the better unit in Michigan's spring game.

"We realize we've got to have a great summer. We've got to be faster. We still have a ways to go." Not a coaching cliche at all. None there.

You'd think with having two QB's WITH NO PASSING EXPERIENCE IN THE COLLEGIATE GAME WHATSOEVER, that the offense would be a the next '05 USC Trojans.

So as long as the Wolverines can avoid facing black, dual threat QBs (Read: Armanti Edwards, and Dennis Dixon) or a defense that has graduated from High School, they stand a real chance this year.

Not really. They should be good still.... RichRod doesn't put out bad teams and it's Michigan. But you know the guys at MGoBlog are slightly crapping their pants, even if they won't admit it.

Ouch

2008-04-14T13:25:00.004-05:00

Don't scroll down if you don't want to be slightly grossed/creeped out.

David Holbert of Tennessee suffered a horrible injury at Tennessee practice. An injury like that is most likely career ending. Horrible to hear and see. We wish the best to him and a speedy recovery.

Bama is now Hawaii East

2008-04-14T10:25:00.003-05:00

Alabama showed their fancy new passing scheme this weekend at the spring game. (Thanks SI)

Over 70k people showed up which is well short of the near 100k that showed up last year, but still pretty good.

JPW passed for a salty 265 yards and 2 TD's. The rest of the offense played pretty well garnering some good yardage.

Friday's Friggin' Awesome Film

2008-04-11T14:55:00.000-05:00

Upset city...

Forgive the Chipmunks

Ess-Eee-See Speeeeeeeeeed

2008-04-11T08:21:00.003-05:00

According to SI.com, Urban Meyer continues to be pretty cool.

Urban is offering a scholarship to anybody who can outrun his fastest football players. While it's pretty unlikely that they'll be able to beat the Gators speedsters, it's a pretty cool thing to do.

They're also raffling off a chance to catch a pass from Tim Tebow, catch a punt, and kick a field goal.

Florida's spring game will be on ESPN tomorrow.

Watch it even if you hate the Gators... because it's FOOTBALL! ON TV. IN APRIL. AND IT'S 140 DAYS TILL REAL GAMEDAY!!!

Coaching cliches

2008-04-10T08:47:00.005-05:00

The game speed lacked intensity. We really wanted to get people in leadership positions, but we beat ourselves out there today. We've got to quit making mental mistakes and begin playing as one team.

Coaches say the darndest things... no really, they do. Coachspeak has been around as long as we can remember and it is about as productive and informative as an ESPN blip.

Detroit News did their take... here's ours

1. "The offense is ahead of the defense right now (or vice-versa)."

As opposed to, "We're pretty well deadlocked. The offense can't score on the defense and the defense can't stop the offense."

2. "(Insert name here) has really bought into our off-season conditioning program."

As opposed to all those players who don't want playing time.

3. "We're trying to bring in a new attitude," or, "We're all business this spring."

I want to hear a coach say, "Well... we pretty much ruled everybody last year... and we really want to do that again this year.... So we're keeping the same ole' attitude. If it ain't broke don't fix it."

4. "There is no depth chart; every position is open."

Says the same guy that wiled a recruit in by promising him a starting position his true freshman year. Word.

5. "The intensity level of practices will increase as we try to get our players adjusted to game speed."

Game Speed. Intensity. Two of my favorite phrases. Game speed basically mean that you get run full speed like you would hope in a game and intensity just means you hit hard. So basically we want people to hit hard and run fast as we practice more. Got it. Thanks coach.

6. We beat ourselves out there today.

I screwed the pooch. I should have gone for it on 4th down The kids missed their blocks and dropped the balls. We're screw ups.

7. We didn't have an answer for (insert play/player) here

Somehow, despite video and a weeks worth of practice we still let them run the same play repetitively and they continued to get away with it. My bad.

7. We know that they're having a down year but they're still dangerous

I want a coach to walk out and say, "Man we just really plan on reaming them left and right. I mean a good ole fashion butt kicking." Screw the whole respect thing. Tell your team that you plan on beating them by 50 and taking them out for pizza and snow cones afterwards.

Schedule Smedule

2008-04-10T08:19:00.003-05:00

The whole schedule thing took way too much time and while it'll be something nice for the future.... I'm glad that crap is done.

As the spring schedule concludes, the only real exciting thing coming up is the draft. And then the long and dreary cold summer of football silence. Our only hope for entertainment is the Fulmer Cup, which has been fairly quiet. We can only hope that people do lots of illegal stuff.

Players We're Friggin' Excited About

2008-04-09T16:30:00.003-05:00

Dan LeFevour

The Central Michigan QB has been lighting up the scoreboard for two years now and he has two more to go. He's thrown for more that 6000 yards and ran for 1600 more in 2 seasons. He's just the second player to do the 3k/1k combo in a year. He's also led the Chippewas to two consecutive MAC Titles. Seeing as how he's not your mainstream player it was tough to get some video on him but it is out there!

Pac 10 Schedule Sexiness

2008-04-09T10:35:00.004-05:00

Finally, the last dang one. We'll compile the lists into your top games for each week sometime later, but w/out further adieu, the Pac-10:

Week 1
Michigan State at California - California drops the opening week toughie with Tennessee and picks up a decent foe from the Big Ten. Should be a good matchup, unless California returns to early season form from last year.
Washington at Oregon - Starting off the conference early, Washington has to start winning and winning now. In three years they've slipped to the bottom of the rung in the conference. Like... below Stamford.
USC at Virginia - USC has not shied away from a strong OOC schedule and this year is no different. While Virginia isn't a juggernaut they aren't a team to be taken lightly.
Oklahoma State vs. Washington State (Seattle) - Oklahoma State isn't a great team by any stretch, but their offense is just explosive enough to give the Cougs some fits. It probably won't be pretty for Wassu.
Tennessee at UCLA - Tennessee moves south in their opener this year. A good game to finish off Memorial Day weekend.

Week 2
Oregon Sate at Penn State - The Beavers head to Beaver Stadium to have a good test against the Nittany Lions. OSU hasn't been overly impressive the last few years and this is a good chance to start getting there quickly.
BYU at Washington - The Mormons continue their quest for perfection. No not that one. The perfect season one. BYU has racked up 22 wins in two years and this year they are looking for that BCS bid.

Week 3 - (Great week in the Pac-10, you can't go wrong watching any game!)
California at Maryland - Maryland will be a nice test for the Golden Bears. A team with a bit of history, but not a monster.
Oregon at Purdue - Purdue's offense has been high flying as of late. It will be a good test for the Oregon D before conference play gets too hot and heavy.
Hawaii at Oregon State - Hawaii begins the June Jonesless era. Can the offense keep up with a mid-level team like Oregon State now?
Stanford at TCU - You have to think that Stanford took some steps forward last year, but is it enough to start beating some decent teams like TCU
BYU at UCLA - UCLA comes back for more of BYU after splitting their regular and a bowl games last year. More of a statement game for BYU than the Washington.
Ohio State at USC - Probably the season's best OOC game. Neither will be knocked out of the MNC picture because of this one, but it will cause some separation.
Oklahoma at Washington - The Huskies probably won't take out the Sooners, but Locker just might be able to cause some problems to the defense
Washington State at Baylor - Two struggling teams with new coaches can use a boost by winning here.

Week 4
Georgia at Arizona State - Dennis Erickson pulled on through an easy schedule last year. They didn't win against Oregon, USC, or Texas all top 50 teams. The question is whether or or not it was flash in a pan, or real talent.
Boise State at Oregon - Boise State had a good season last year, but took a tumble from where they want to be. Oregon should win this one based on talent alone, but don't expect an easy game.

Week 5
USC at Oregon State - Oregon State has won 19 games in two years and that's pretty dang impressive. They pulled off the upset here two years ago. They need to start moving up the pack if they want to start challenging for the conference title.
Stanford at Washington - Two teams that have been down recently need to start improving. Willingham can't afford a bowless season again.
Fresno State at UCLA - Fresno continues to show no fear in its scheduling practices. Wisconsin, Rutgers, and UCLA is a pretty rough schedule for a mid-major and Pat Hill will have that schedule every year. Kudos to them.
Week 6
Oregon State at Utah - The Utes haven't maintained the glory of their BCS season but they haven't faded into oblivion either. Expect Oregon State to have to fight for this one.
California at Arizona State - ASU showed some spunk last year when Cal started to falter. Second place in the conference is up for grabs and these two teams with Oregon can all challenge for the title.
Oregon at USC - A rematch of last year's game should be good. Likely a conference championship game.

Week 7
Arizona State at USC - Arizona State got exposed when they played Oregon and USC last season. Are they better?
UCLA at Oregon - UCLA took advantage of an ailing Duck quad last season. Dixon is gone.
Washington State at Oregon State - Washington State fired Bill Doba to start winning these games.

Week 8
Oregon State at Washington - Washington needs to start beating the middle of the pack teams if they want to get there themselves.
Stanford at UCLA - The two Cali teams are each looking to get over their current humps. Stanford doesn't have to win all of the games like this but they need to get some wind under them by staying in them.

Week 9
Oregon at Arizona State - The winner of this one last year should have been playing for the championship had Oregon not lost Dixon. Will both teams be as good this year?
UCLA at California - Both teams want to usurp USC as the top of the conference. The coaching is there. The talent is lacking. Both teams will probably be in the picture this late in the season.
Notre Dame at Washington - I personally pray to all that is Holy that Washington will wipe the floor with the Irish. Just for racisms sake. ( I got your back, Mark May. I got you.)

Week 10
Oregon at California - This game was huge last year. Cali won due to a last second Oregon gaffe on the goal line... and then proceeded to tank like the Poseidon.
Washington at USC - The Huskies have kept this close for the last two years, closer than USC should have let it. Can this be the year they finally knock them off?

Week 11
Arizona State at Washington - ASU got their fancy smancy new coach and got a Holiday Bowl in one year. Washington still hasn't been to a bowl since before Willingham got there.
California at USC - Cal hasn't been able to get past USC since they beat them in 2003. They've played it close, but just haven't gotten that W.

Week 12
Arizona at Oregon - When Dixon went down last year you knew things were going to get bad for the Ducks. Losing to Arizona was the low point of the season for them.
USC at Stanford - I'm not saying... but I'm just saying. Again... think A&M/OU 2002.

Week 13
Stanford at California - Stanford finally won this one last year after Cal took a serious downturn midseason. Don't expect for Tedford's teams to let it happen again.
Washington at Washington State - The battle for the Apple Cup.

Week 14
UCLA at Arizona State - Two teams who should be challenging USC this year finish up before they take on their in-state rivals
Oregon at Oregon State - Ditto
Notre Dame at USC - Notre Dame has made one game of this since Crew Cut showed up in South Bend. Other than that it hasn't been much of a contest.
Washington State at Hawaii - Wassu takes on what should still be a good Hawaii team.

Week 15
Arizona State at Arizona - Having a decent season is a must for Stoops. Beating ASU will help ease some of the bad years.
USC at UCLA - USC took care of business last year after the 2006 debacle. Slick Rick will bring some new fire to this rivalry.

Your Pac 10 Champ...

USC

I know it's easy to pick them... but let's be honest. Pete Carroll continues to pull in top classes. Kids will travel across the country to play for USC and be on the third string where they would be starting anywhere else. USC can lose two games and still be the conference champ every year.

Big Ten Schedule Sexiness

2008-04-08T08:52:00.002-05:00

Week 1
Illinois vs. Missouri (St. Louis) - The Illini kept it close last year in a game that meant a lot more at the time than any of us knew. Both will start the year ranked and this game will be a big boost to the winner.
Utah at Michigan - Michigan steps down a bit in this years opener from last year. Utah is not team to turn your nose at though. The Utes have remained competitive since their BCS bowl and should be a good test.
Michigan State at California - One of the better opening day games. Both of these teams are tired of looking up at another in-state school. Both have underachieved expectations the last few years. If either wants to turn it around, here you go.

Week 2
Northwestern at Duke - Last years game was interesting in that Northwestern snapped Duke's bit for longest losing streak (a dubious record which Northwestern holds) Both teams should be better this year
Oregon State at Penn State - The Beavers are traveling cross country to play in Beaver Stadium. Oregon State has maintained some decent teams the last few year. JoePa is showing no signs of letting up in Happy Valley. Good game for both teams.

Week 3
Iowa State at Iowa - One of the less watched (and maybe known) in-state rivalries that cross
Michigan at Notre Dame - Since this rivalry has been renewed to be played till Armageddon, expect more and more each year out this one. There is a lot of new blood this time around
Ohio State at USC - Probably the top non-conference game this year in all of College Football. Both are top-notch teams year-in and year-out. Both could be in the MNC and nobody would complain much. Both only have one MNC in the 2000's. (You heard me right Trojan fans)
Penn State at Syracuse - Syracuse needs to find a groove and find it quick. The middle of the pack is rising in the Big East and leaving Syracuse and Robinson behind. Oregon at Purdue - Nice game for the Boilermakers. Getting the ducks at home
Wisconsin at Fresno State - Fresno State is no team to take lightly. They have taken several BCS schools to the max in the last few years, and they want nothing to do with Pat Hill and his Bulldogs. Wisconsin is taking on a good little battle here.

Week 4
Iowa at Pitt - Both teams need this win right here. Conference play is about to get hot and heavy for both teams and both coaches need to have winning seasons this year.
Notre Dame at Michigan State - Michigan State has made a good rivalry of this as of late.
Troy at Ohio State - Troy has the perfect little speedy offense to give the Buckeyes all sorts of fits.
Central Michigan at Purdue - CM has become a mainstay at the top of the MAC. Purdue barely pulled this one out in the Music City Bowl last year in a shoot-out that went for 99 points. If nothing else just watch for Dan Lefevour.

Week 5
Illinois at Penn State - Illinois was the surprise of the conference last year. Ron Zook finally has the team ready to go. The loss of last years RB will hurt. PSU is a great test to see if this team can keep last years magic alive.
Michigan State at Indiana - Two middle of the pack teams who got to bowls last year.
Wisconsin at Michigan - Wisconsin won last year in convincing fashion. Michigan will have a few tests before now, but to find out if RichRod's offense can compete in the Big Ten
Purdue at Notre Dame - Tiller's last shot at the Irish.

Week 6
Illinois at Michigan - Michigan won last year, but Illinois got the last laugh, going to BCS bowl and taking out OSU, something Michigan hasn't done in a while.
Ohio State at Wisconsin - My personal pick for the conference championship game. Wisconsin has shown themselves to continuously be one of the better teams in the Big Ten. If they want to be the best they need to get over the whole OSU thing

Week 7
Penn State at Wisconsin - Penn State always has the talent and coaching to compete, but just hasn't been the top of the class lately. Beating Wisconsin is the first step.

Week 8
Indiana at Illinois - The two middle of the packers have finally stepped up to the plate and are playing some good ball. Now can Indiana take Illinois as the better of the two?
Michigan at Penn State - Penn State has had trouble getting over the Michigan thing, even in their best recent year of 2005. Usually a good match up.
Ohio State at Michigan State - Michigan State kept it close last year but couldn't get it done.

Week 9
Illinois at Wisconsin - Illinois probably won't have as special as a season as last year, but coming in and knocking off the current #2 team will prove that they are a true contender in the league.
Michigan State at Michigan - Sparty's best chance at taking this one will be this year while the spread is still being installed in Ann Arbor.
Penn State at Ohio State - Penn State is probably perturbed about Pryor's final decision. Not that that's any more reason for them to get up for this game, but you can bet the Nittany Lions want this one.

Week 10
Wisconsin at Michigan State - Sparty and Wiscy should have a good little game here.
Northwestern at Minnesota - Northwestern stepped out of the bottom of the barrel last year and put the Gophers there in their stead. If the Wildcats want to keep them there, a win here will help (even if it is late in the season)

Week 11
Michigan at Minnesota - The battle for the Little Brown Jug is one of the lesser known trophies, but definitely one of the better one.
Purdue at Michigan State - Two more teams aching to matter in top of the conference picture, but just haven't in a while.

Week 12
Ohio State at Illinois - Revenge, redemption, or revelation? Will OSU get some payback for last year or will the Illini pull off another stunner?
Minnesota at Wisconsin - Another of my favorite rivalries. It hasn't been as competitive as some years as the Gophers have struggled. Brewster's pulled in a great class and his team won't be down that long.

Week 13
Michigan at Ohio State - Arguably the biggest rivalry in the game. We finally see if RichRod is going to have some staying power with his new spread offense against a team that has historically struggled against it. Michigan State at Penn State - Battle of the States. PSU and MSU have had a decent little rivalry as OSU and Mich. tend to look to each other instead of to other conference rivals.

Big Televen Champ

OSU Buckeyes

And your 2008 NCAA Tournament Champs are

2008-04-07T16:27:00.003-05:00

the Memphis Tigers.... since I'm awesome and can pick games like Marty McFly... that means the Jayhawks.

No matter what, a good season to all.

Big XII Schedule Sexiness

2008-04-07T09:11:00.008-05:00

Week 1
Wake Forest at Baylor - Battle of the baptists. Wake Forrest has finally found it's way out of the cellar. Can Baylor?
Colorado vs. Colorado State - The first game in years without Sonny Lubick. Colorado should finally pull away from CSU this year and stay there.
Illinois vs. Mizzou - Who the heck knew this was as big a game as it was last year? Or would be this year?
Oklahoma State vs. Washington State (Seattle) - WSU should be improved under Wulff. The Cowboys are going to have to get better unless they want to challenge Baylor for the bottom of the barrel.

Week 2
Cinci at Oklahoma - Cinci has finally risen out of the mediocrity of the Big East and become a competitive team. Oklahoma is thinking MNC early this year and this will be a great test to see if they're able.
Houston at Oklahoma State - Kevin Sumlin hopes to continue to frustrate the Cowboys

Week 3
Kansas at South Florida - Two teams that had better years than could have been expected by anybody last year meet up.
Iowa State at Iowa - ISU stole this one last year. If Kirk Ferentz wants to keep his job, he needs to not lose this one and start at least competing for the middle of the Big Ten. Chizick has to get ISU out of the cellar
Oklahoma at Washington - Washington has to improve or this will be it for Willingham. Expect Jake Locker to give the Sooners some fits. But not too many.
Arkansas at Texas - The old SWC rivalry renews. This will be Bobby Petrino's first big game at the helm.
SMU at Texas Tech - Time to see if the SMU offense brings the same firepower we saw at Hawaii. The talent level isn't equal, but if you want to see a game with matching offenses slinging the ball for probably over a 1000 yards in a game, you got it.

Week 4
Kansas State at Louisville - Two teams that had very disappointing finishes last year that are looking for big rebounds before going into conference.
Baylor at Connecticut - Baylor faces another team that has recently shown improvement while they've still floundered.
West Virginia at Colorado - Colorado continues to take on some impressive OOC games. WVU should be an early indicator of the rest of their season.
Miami at Texas A&M - In a game that should have been a big one for the winner, Miami rocked the Aggies last year. Neither went on to do just a whole ton afterwards. Hopefully for both teams that won't be true again..

Week 5
Colorado vs. Florida State (Jacksonville) - Dan Hawkins keeps the big boys coming back for more. The Buffs are ready for the big time this year with WVU and FSU early.
TCU at Oklahoma - Nobody expected TCU to pull this one off three years ago but they did it. OU is going to have one of the best teams in some time this year you can expect payback.
Virginia Tech at Nebraska - Nebraska pulls away from the USC game to another heavyweight in Va. Tech. Expect a defensive game here as neither has a lot of firepower on offense.
Troy at Oklahoma State - An expected easy game for oSU turned into a blowout... that oSU was on the wrong end of. The cowboys should be a little more prepared this year.

Week 6
Texas at Colorado - Texas has some questions... especially at RB. Colorado has one that Texas is just a bit jealous of. Colorado was embarrassed 2x in 2005 and they haven't forgotten it.
Mizzou at Nebraska - Chance for Nebraska to stake a claim at the top of the division again
Texas Tech at Kansas State - If nothing else just to post this and hope it happens again.:

Week 7
Iowa State at Baylor - I have no idea what to expect from this game. Baylor can only go up and Iowa State started to show a little life in 2007 (even if it didn't translate to W's) Should be a bottom dweller game but we'll see
Oklahoma State at Missouri - Two high powered offenses with mobile QB's
Nebraska at Texas Tech - This game ended in a crazy fashion as Tech fumbled inside the Nebraska 20, only to recover a fumble on the same play and scored to win. Both teams are probably hungry to revisit this one
Oklahoma at Texas - This is normally the battle for the south. It's been a good game for 2 years now, but is Texas good enough to keep it that way?

Week 8
Kansas at Oklahoma - A game we would have like to have seen last year. Kansas really was that good. Mizzou just got the nod after a close game.
Missouri at Texas - Another one we'd like to have seen last year.
Texas Tech at Texas A&M - Another heated rivalry that's been a little one-sided lately. No matter what the Aggies do, the Raiders just seem to have their number

Week 9
Texas A&M at Iowa State - Iowa State beat A&M for the first time ever in College Station last time they met. Todd Blythe and Brett Meyer exposed the A&M secondary as one of the worst in the nation. The Ags have improved, but so has ISU.
Texas Tech at Kansas - Kansas thrived on good defense last year. Tech is starting to show some life on that side of the ball. Both should be playing to get a spot towards the top of their divisions.
Oklahoma State at Texas - oSU continues to get thisclose to frustrating and beating Texas to no avail.

Week 10
Kansas State at Kansas - This game was the beginning of the end for KState last year and showed us that Kansas was for real
Nebraska at Oklahoma - The Big Eight rivalry only comes around every two years. Pelini has a chance to shine and shine quickly by getting the Huskers biggest rival in his first season.
Texas at Texas Tech - This game seems to take a backseat to Tech-A&M and Texas-A&M, but these two have played some close games recently. This is in the middle of a tough stretch with Kansas, Texas A&M, Texas, Oklahoma State, and Oklahoma

Week 11
Oklahoma at Texas A&M - This game has been a humdinger ever since A&M upset #1 OU in 2002. The next year was a blowout, followed by three very close games and another blowout last year. If A&M wants to get in the South fight, taking out Oklahoma is key
Oklahoma State at Texas Tech - Another non-rivalry that is turning into one quickly. The two high-octane offenses keep putting on a show. They've split this series as of late, with the home team winning the last 6 years.

Week 12
Texas A&M at Baylor - Battle of the Brazos. Baylor fans seem particularly hostile towards the Aggies over the other in-state rivals. Baylor won this one 4 years ago, and are expecting another upset with new man Briles
Oklahoma State - at Colorado
Texas at Kansas - Mark Mangino remembers the last two games against Texas for different reasons. One a cheat-job (according to him) and a blowout. Now that the Jayhawks are more competitive, expect some animosity.

Week 13
Texas Tech at Oklahoma - This game has been pretty epic over the years. Mike Leach continues to be a thorn in the side of his former boss, Bob Stoops. The raiders cost the Sooners a shot at the MNC last year and you can expect the Sooners to remember that.

Week 14
Colorado at Nebraska - One of the top North Rivalries, just not recently. It hasn't been a relevant game for a few years now. With the "arrival" (Gosh I hate cliche terms like that but I couldn't find something better) of Kansas and Mizzou, can these two challenge again?
Texas A&M at Texas - The aggies have grabbed this one the last two years by running all over the horns in 2006 and passing in 2007. It's one of the better in-state rivalries
Kansas vs. Mizzou - The Border War. This game meant something nationally for the first time in history last year. It probably won't mean as much, but should hold some weight in deciding the North.
Oklahoma at Oklahoma State - Bedlam. oSU hasn't been able to take this one in a while. It's been competitive, but if Gundy wants to keep his job, a win here can go a long long long way with ~~T. Boone Pickens~~ the fanbase.

Big 12 Championship Game

Oklahoma vs. Mizzou.... again.

Nostradumbis.

2008-04-07T08:01:00.005-05:00

I fully deny, defer, and distract from anything in my previous post*. Notably the predictions.

Opposite day!!! Ha Ha!

This would be why I don't get paid for this crap.

The Sickness... The Sickness

2008-04-04T08:56:00.006-05:00

After staying up till one in the morning for three nights coughing, royally screw it, I'm staying home today.

Congrats to the OSU Buckeyes on their NIT Championship last night. Very respectable finish.

For this weekend:

UNC over Kansas
UCLA over Memphis

UNC over UCLA

Enjoy the weekend!

RichRod Comes to Sweet Justice

2008-04-03T10:51:00.005-05:00

It's the beginning of the end for Richard Rodriguez.

Well at least his excess money he took from WVU.

RichRod is finally headed to court today. (Thanks Wizard of odds)

Rodriguez is hoping that the broken oral promises made to him by WVU will hold up enough in the court of law to have justified his departure. Since there's no written evidence... and RichRod pretty much violated his contract to a "T," we're not feeling too good for that four mil.

Personally if I'm a coach, that baby being edited out of there is a non-negotiable fact. I'll scratch it out and initial it right before I sign on the dotted line. There's no humanly possible way I sign a document that says I pay you money for me quitting. A university probably wouldn't allow that.

Probably why I'm not a coach though.

Big East Schedule Sexiness

2008-04-03T09:48:00.004-05:00

The picks for top games each week in the Big East:

Thanks CFN

Week 1

Kentucky at Louisville - Instate rivalry to start off the season. Kentucky pulled off the upset last year

Fresno State at Rutgers - A last minute add for Rutgers a la KState. Fresno is a tough team. Just ask USC, A&M, Kansas State, or Georgia Tech. None of them want anything to do with Pat Hill again for a long time.

Week 2

South Florida at UCF - UCF was good, and got better as the season went on. USF took care of business last year but expect the Knights to put up a fight

Cincinnati at Oklahoma - Good for the Bearcats taking on a strong OOC game. Let's hope it doesn't turn out as bad as most times that teams take on OU

West Virginia at East Carolina - East Carolina showed to have some life last year. Expect lots of offensive fireworks.

Week 3

North Carolina at Rutgers - Covered in the ACC one, but should be a good match up. UNC has to improve.

Virginia at Connecticut - This was a good game last year from teams that had better seasons than expected. Both should still be competitive.

Kansas at USF - Kansas stops the cupcakes and takes on some serious competition. Both teams had breakout years last year and this will be a good indicator of whether or not it was a fluke.

Penn State at Syracuse - Syracuse needs to get decent and get decent now. They probably won't beat JoePa, but a competitive game here can do wonders for the year.

Week 4

Kansas State at Louisville - Kansas State can be a fluky team. If Louisville's defense is still fluky here, we'll know it.

West Virginia at Colorado - Could b very telling game for both teams. Colorado has had some trouble in Dan Hawkins first two years, but success as well.

Iowa at Pitt - These are two teams that should be better than they are year in and year out. Each have coaches that have underachieved greatly

Baylor at Connecticut - UConn has lifted themselves out of the cellar. Can Baylor?

Week 5

UConn at Louisville - Good game last year, should be better teams this year.

Marshall at West Virginia - Marshall hasn't been relevant in this game in a while. Would be nice for a real rivalry to form here

Rutgers vs. TBA - Should be epic.

Week 6

Rutgers at West Virginia - Rutgers will have to start making a name for themselves without Rice. Here's the game to do it.

Week 7

Syracuse at West Virginia - Only because I think it will be a beating of magnitudenal proportions. Maybe not. Maybe I'm full of it and Syracuse decides to be good. I hope so.

Rutgers at Cincinnati- Good game last year that Cinci won. 2 TD's in 19 seconds as well.

Week 8

Middle Tennessee at Louisville - This is the game last year where we figured out that Louisville had problems

Week 9

Auburn at West Virginia - Nice Thursday night game. Probably the best one ESPN is offering this year. Can be a very uplifting or damaging game to the winner or loser in the rankings, while not affecting conference standing.

South Florida at Louisville - If we assume that Louisville is back we should expect a heck of a game here

Week 10

USF at Cinci - Both teams have improved dramatically the last few years and become real contenders.

Louisville at Syracuse - For some strange and ungodly reason I picked this upset last year. Don't know why.

Pitt at Notre Dame - Just here to tell ND to suck it. The game could be good. Both teams have to be better than the last year versions of themselves.

Week 11

Cinci at WVU - Here is a big game for Cinci. They've been teetering with being above average for some time now. Knocking out powerhouse WVU would be a big step into the big time.

Louisville at Pitt - Both Wannstedt and Kragthorpe can't afford mediocre seasons again.

Syracuse at Rutgers - Always funny that NYers claim Rutgers as their own over Syracuse. Winning will do that.

Week 12

Cincinnati at Louisville - The old C-USA teams meet with Cini probably being the favored team this year after the Ville's collapse last season

Rutgers at USF - Both teams bring good some defenses with a little bit of offensive firepower to the match. Should be good.

Week 13

Pitt at Cincinnati - We keep expecting bigger things from both of these programs. At this point in the season we'll see if it was merited.

Connecticut at South Florida - Another game against teams that have become conference powers just recently.

WVU at Louisville - This game has been very heated for about three years now. The winner of this game has won the conference in those three years as well.

Week 14

WVU at Pitt - Backyard Brawl that could matter. For some reason WVU couldn't get it going here last year and it cost them their shot at the MNC

Week 15

Cincinnati at Hawaii - Neither team has made a huge name for themselves on defense lately, should be a pretty exciting game if Hawaii rebounds from losing their QB, coach and cajones in the Sugar Bowl.

USF at WVU - This has been a bad deal for WVU the last few years. USF continues to improve and if WVU wants to continue to the be dominant team in the Eig

Conference Champion:

WVU. I don't think the offensive philosophy will change that much with RichRod's departure. Maybe somebody will surprise us and step it up... but who? Rutgers, Louisville, UConn, Pitt, USF, and Cinci all seem like they can. Should be the most interesting conference race this year.

Players We're Friggin' Excited About

2008-04-02T16:07:00.005-05:00

It's been a busy day. Sorry.

I hate doing this, but...

Jimmy Clausen*

Jimmy just didn't have a chance this year. Like Troy Aikman's first year with the Cowboys, Jimmy is going to be feeling the 2007 year for a long time. He's too talented to suck for that long. While we don't like promoting Notre Dame, Clausen should have a better season this year.

FYI if you want to find a highlight real of Jimmy Clausen on youtube... it's not there

Matt Leinert = Winner

2008-04-01T16:17:00.005-05:00

This morning quite a few sites came up with some resepctable members of Phoenix society living it up with star QB, Matt Leinart (and Nick Lachey*... but we'll leave that to wwtdd.com). By respectable, we mean underage alcohol drinking females that decided it would be a good idea to post pictures of themselves with Matt Leinart after the swell guy invited the girls over to his house. And supplied said alcohol.

We'll let thedirty.com take it from here. A little to stalkerish for us, but hey if it leads to some retards getting what they deserve, kudos from us.

* on a side note... maybe Jessica wasn't that dumb after all.

SEC Schedule Sexiness

2008-04-01T14:20:00.003-05:00

Week 1
Alabama vs. Clemson(Atlanta) - Should be very telling for both teams. Both had solid recruiting classes and are looking to start off the season right
Hawaii at Florida - While Colt Brennan isn't slinging the balls any more, the Hawaii offense should still be competitive.
Kentucky at Louisville - Does Kragthorpe have the Cards back on top this year? Brooks has come a long way at Kentucky to make this team competitive. Should be a better game than most years.

Week 2

Miami at Florida - Florida starts off the season with two competitive games that are going to be very telling of the Gator offense and defense. The Canes will see how the spread will fare this year against some deep south speed

UCLA vs Tenn. - Tennessee and Fulmer are looking to go the easier Cali route with UCLA this time around. Slick Rick should still be getting things in place and this would be a great chance for Tenn to grab a big win at the beginning of the year

Southern Miss at Auburn - This will be a good week to see the new fancy, smancy high flying Auburn offense at work. SMU will be without Jeff Bower for the first time in 2 decades.

Week 3

Arkansas at Texas - Renewing the rivalry baby.
Auburn at Mississippi State - Mississippi State won in an upset last year. Look for some vindication from Auburn here.
Georgia at SoCar - Another upset from last year revisited.

Week 4

LSU at Auburn - This game could be for the West.
Alabama at Arkansas - An early conference test for Alabama against what should be a good offense.
Florida at Tennessee - Always a good rivalry game early in the year
Georgia at Arizona State - Georgia's only real OOC test. The Sun Devil's offense should be a good test for the Bulldogs.

Week 5
Tennessee at Auburn - Are both teams middle of the pack or above this year?
Mississippi State at LSU - Mississippi State was embarrassed to the tune of 6 INTs and 45-0 last year. Same results, or has MSU improved as much as they

Week 6
Florida at Arkansas - Curious to see the Petrino led offense against Urban Meyer's defense this year. Rematch of the 2006 SEC championship game

Week 7

LSU at Florida - This game has been pretty competitive over the years. Expect similar results. The Tigers may have some holes to fill but if they plan to stay on top this is a game to do it
Tennessee at Georgia - Another game that can be a deciding factor in the East this season. The obvious picks are Florida and Georgia, but don't count Fulmer out just yet.

Week 8
Mississippi State at Tennessee - Croom has put this team in a place to win some big games. Taking out Tennessee in a big mid-season game here would be crucial.

Week 9
Georgia at LSU - Another possible preview to the conference championship
Duke at Vanderbilt - Bayfordukandywestern. The saga continues
Auburn at West Virginia - Great midseason OOC game for both schools. It'll hurt the losers overall national ranking, but the winner will come away with a huge midseason boost

Week 10
Florida vs. Georgia (Jacksonville) - Will evil Mark Richt come out again and do mean things and get penalties. Several punditlike folks consider this one the early MNC game. Can't say that I disagree too much.
Tulane at LSU - Tulane at one point was the dominant one in this rivalry. It's good to see them keep it going.

Week 11
Alabama at LSU - I like this one for the West Division. I think Alabama improves and LSU doesn't get much worse than last year.
Florida at Vanderbilt - For some reason Vandy tends to give Florida more trouble than they should.
Georgia at Kentucky - If Ke

Week 12
Georgia at Auburn - Late season game for two strong programs. Should be a good matchup
South Carolina at Florida - Always love this game. No matter how long it's been it seems like Spurrier ignites a lot of passion in Gainesville when the Gators play him.

Week 13
Arkansas at Mississippi State - This one intrigues me and I don't know why. For some reason I think that one of these two will have a decent year.
Tennessee at Vanderbilt - Always a good in-state rivalry. Vandy has improved over the course of the last few years. If they want to separate themselves from the Bayfordandydukewestern's of the world, this year is as good as any.

Week 14
LSU at Arkansas (Little Rock) - The situation here reminds me of the Texas A&M/OU game a few years back. OU was #1 and prepared to slide into the MNC Game when a very mediocre Texas A&M knocked them off. Coach left, New stud coach comes in and pissed off former #1 team drums mediocre team into a pulp to the tune of 77-0. Gosh that was an ugly day for Aggieland.
Mississippi State at Ole Miss - Houston Nutt will bring some new blood to the egg bowl and hopefully bring a more competitive Ole Miss with him.
Auburn at Alabama - Probably my favorite rivalry in the SEC. Most in state rivalries are pretty heated but at the end of the day we're all Americans and all love college football. Not this one. These people hate each other with the passion of a thousand yaks.
Florida at Florida State - Another in-state rivalry crossing conference lines*. This really depends on whether FSU is actually any good this year.
Georgia Tech at Georgia - * but substitute FSU for GaTech
Kentucky at Tennessee - Good East division game that went for over a 100 last year.
South Carolina at Clemson * see above. but this time SoCar

Week 15
SEC Championship Game (Atlanta)

LSU vs.Georgia - Boom goodnight everybody.

JoePa* Doesn't Want You. And That Says Something.

2008-04-01T10:04:00.004-05:00

JoePa has not only outlasted another leader, but has slapped one upside the face.

That's a lie.

But apparently JoePa's conservativeness stopped him from greeting former President Clinton when he visited PSU.

I personally love the statement, "I didn't want to get into that because of my situation, because I couldn't vote for either one of them because I'm a Republican."

That's JoePaspeak for "Suck it bleeding-heart liberal commie" Maybe not. But we like to assume.

*I just realized how much of my content involves JoePa. It's really not on purpose. They guy just seems to make a lot of news. I'm not complaining because it's OK. I should blog about him. He's one of the greatest, most newsworthy coaches out there. I just feel a little gay about it. But a good gay. JoePa Gay.

NCAA = Teh Wainches

2008-03-31T11:39:00.006-05:00

Like clockwork, the *(&^%!@# NCAA steps in to ruin all things normal and fun. The hammer that is Myles Brand has said that the football teams that will be part of the "Gridirion Bash" concert series would violate some sort of NCAA policy.

What policy you ask?

Who the foxtrot knows?

Wait, wait...

Here it is:

“We never expressed any concern with the actual event being conducted as scheduled,” the NCAA said in a written statement, “but only with the participation of student-athletes as part of the for-profit event.”

According to the NCAA, MSL wanted to use the appearance of football players as part of the event, and did not want to require athletes to pay admission. Both would have violated NCAA rules

Holy crap? Y'all have a problem with the schools making money off of students popularity? The same organization that allows for tickets to sell for thousands of dollars and doesn't mind taking a chunk of that every single week of the season has a problem with football players seeing a concert for free? Completely understandable.

Crap, I have a problem with third and fourth string punters getting into the games for free. Most of them will never have to do anything on a gameday and they get a seat 10 times better than the one I paid for.

Texas Might Could Possibly be in Trouble

2008-03-31T08:54:00.002-05:00

The Longhorns are looking at a problem they haven't faced in a long while. Finding a decent running back.

Tailback play has been a position that the Horns have had a stranglehold on since the 90's. From a school that's produced Ricky Williams, Cedric Benson, and Preist Holmes... you gotta be curious.

Even in a year where there were no dominant RB's(2005,) the Horns established enough of a run game through Young, Charles, Taylor, and Melton to take pressure off of Vince Young.

Charles has shouldered the load the last two years, making a name for himself in comeback situations, racking up the yards late in the game.

His jump to the NFL leaves Texas without much experience or depth at the position. Ogbonnaya and McGee both had some good moments last year, but neither has separated themselves as the leader from the pair or RS Freshman Foswhitt Whittaker. In unrelated news drug traffic has gone down in Austin by 50%.

ACC Schedule Sexiness

2008-03-28T10:40:00.004-05:00

CFN has started doing Conference composite schedules.

The ACC one can be found here.

Three-N-Out's picks for best games each week however, are below:

Week 1
NC State at South Carolina: Time to see if Tom O'Brien's move was lateral
Wake Forest at Baylor: Battle of the Baptists. Except one of them is actually good for a change. Briles could rock this though to make the most awesome headline this year "Briles, Baylor beat WF in Battle of the Baptists" Good Alliteration is hard to find.
USC at Virginia: It was good to see Al Groh have a decent season last year. Keep it close here and you can at least see if it might not have been a fluke
Alabama vs. Clemson (Atlanta): Should be a very telling game for each team

Week 2
Georgia Tech at Boston College: Starting conference early is your BoCo Eagles and GaTech Jackets. Triple option in your face!!!

That's sadly it. Week two in the ACC is a sad sad thing.

Week 3
North Carolina at Rutgers: Rutgers should still be a decent team this year. We can see here if the Butch Davis rebuilding project is working. Or if that contract extension after a losing season was worth it.
Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech: This will be our chance against real competition to see Virginia Tech against some real competition (if you don't count East Carolina)
Cal at Maryland: Nothing to exciting here. Maryland shouldn't be all that bad and Cal probably won't be all that great this year. Maryland has flirted with being above average recently and I'd like them to have a good season this year. Beating a visiting Cal team wouldn't be a bad start.

Week 4
Miami at Texas A&M: This game last year was supposed to be A&M's coming out party and announcing they were for real. Instead they got drummed like a.... I dunno. They just got their butts handed to them. HaHa speed option right! 3x in a row! They'll never see this one coming! Thank God for the Aggies that crap is over. Anyways. Expect a lot of improvement in Shannon's second year. This will be Sherman's first in Aggieland so I think both teams will learn a lot before conference play gets hot and heavy
Miss State at GaTech: An good OOC game for the Jackets.
UCF at BoCo: UCF is one of those teams you really don't want to play these days. They're well coached and seem to have talent year in and year out..

Week 5
Virginia Tech at Nebraska: With Pelini at the helm, this should be a heck of a defensive game as neither offenses have a lot of star power right now. I expect a 0-0 tie going into the 10th overtime. The ref walks out and says OK the offense with the most positive yardage after 4 plays wins.
Colorado vs. Florida State: This game has been fairly competitive the last few years. Colorado had an improved season last year while the Seminoles just didn't ever seem to get over the hump (other than beating Boston College last year)

Week 6
FSU at Miami: Should be telling for both teams. Miami will know if they're back... and FSU can find out if they're still relevant.

Week 7
Clemson at Wake Forrest: Just because I have to put something for this week. Clemson needs to start making some noise here if they want to be serious contenders this year.

Week 8
VaTech at BoCo: Could be for the championship #1

Week 9
Duke at Vanderbuilt: Bayfordukeandywestern strikes again. But it plays itself this time.
Virginia Tech at FSU: Usually a good game

Week 10
Clemson at Boston College: Could be for the championship #2

Week 11
Clemson at Florida State: Gotta love the Bowden Bowl.
Notre Dame at BoCo: Catholics Clash!!! Not as cool as Battle of the Baptist though. I don't think the Irish are back in fighting form yet, but should be a good game.

Week 12
Virginia Tech at Miami: Again should be a game of defense. These slugfests are usually not fun if you like exciting football, but if you like defensive games... here you go.

Week 13
BoCo at Wake Forrest: If Wake stays as competitive as they have in recent years this could be a good match up.

Week 14
South Carolina at Clemson: Good in-state rivalry game in which Clemson has dominated lately.
Florida at Florida State: No matter how good the better team is in this game, it's been a close and and enjoyable game.
Virginia at Virginia Tech: Should be a good game if Groh keeps the Wahoos rolling

Week 15 - Championship

My gut prediction here: Clemson vs. Va Tech

Lou, Charlie: Beano Got Your Back

2008-03-28T09:15:00.003-05:00

Watch the second video here.

+100 if you actually decipher any thing from that message other than that Charlie needs to be a nice guy.

An excerpt from the Bowden Houlthz Q&A

2008-03-27T14:52:00.004-05:00

Yesterday we reported that Bobby Bowden and Lou Holtz would be handling a Q&A at the FSU coaches clinic. We got ahold of an excerpt

Amato: Thanks for coming folks. We're taking questions from the audience with legendary coaches Bobby Bowden and Lou Holtz. I'm your moderater Chuck Amato.

Holtz: It's good to be here guys.

Bowden: We're really looking forward to your questions today, folks.

Amato: First Question, What has been the effect of the spread offense in today's game?

Bowden: ....

Holtz: ....

Bowden: Chuck, you're going to have to point at one of us because we can't see who you're looking at with those sunglasses on.

(Amato raises an eyebrow and points to Holtz)

Holtz: Well we never faced to much of that pesky thread in my day. Let me tell you about this one time at Notre Dame when we fac...

Bowden: Dadgumit Lou they didn't have the spread back then. Folks, the spread is a pretty tough little offense to defend nowadays. One of the main things you have to have is speed. With offenses taking up the space of the field that they do now you really need to have ends, linebackers, and a secondary that can cover lots of territory, and I mean cover it quickly. You gotta stop thinking positional and see your defense as player X who covers this man or area and adapt. You also have to start playing smart with hiding your safety play and where he lines up. That can make a huge change on how the spread is ran. Taking the clock away is also important with a spread offense. The best defense is a good offense in that situation... heh heh... you know what I mean.

Amato: Thanks coach. Next question. Coaches how do you feel that instant replay has changed the game so far?

Bowden: Well you really feel that when you instigate something like that some of these horribly bad calls are going to be put to rest. Then you get to a situation like Oklahoma had a few years back where replay had the perfect chance to save a bad call and they miss it. Other calls like that have been pretty bad. Those dadblasted Gators even got screwed a year or two back with a fumble call that should have been an incompletion. The point being that as long as it's run by humans it's still going to have faults.

Holtz: Let me tell you pardner, if we had had instant replay when I was Notre Dame we could have had 2 more championships.

Amato:...

Amato: ... Is that all Lou?

Holtz: Yep.

Amato: ... Another question then. Who's your pick for the National Champion this year, coaches?

Bowden: Clemson or Florida State..... haha just kidding guys. As always we expect this year to be competitive and it's always anybody's game. USC, OSU, and Oklahoma are always in the title mix and should be again this year. Everybody's favorite this year seems to Georgia. Mark's done a fine job, i say a fine job, up in Athens and he deserves every bit of credit he can get. He's my pick... behind the Seminoles of course.... (jokingly elbows Lou)

Holtz: Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Amato: Lou, look I know you have a lot of loyalty to them an...

Holtz: THE Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Amato: Lou, really, they're coming off a 3-9 season with a pretty inexperienced offensive line. I know there one of the greatest teams of history... but man they to lost Nav.....

Holtz: NBC's instant replay crew screwed us on that one.

Bowden: Us?

Holtz: I mean the Irish. Horribly

Amato: Moving on.... Chuck how did your chest get so bi...... Never mind. Next one up. Coaches, each of you have faced some strong controversies in your time as coaches. Coach Holtz you had the situation with the brawl at your final game on the sidelines. Coach Bowden you had to bench 30 players in your bowl game due to a cheating scandal. How do you deal with those.

Lou: We never had any trouble when I was at Notre Da....

Bobby: DADGUM IT LOU!!! CAN YOU TALK ABOUT ANYTHING OTHER THAN NOTRE DAME!!! YOU DON'T WORK THERE ANY MORE.

Chuck: Ummm can we get some water in here? One more question here... lets' see. Chuck, how do you have top defenses and top draft picks every year and NC State and still manage to fail miser....

Well that's all for today folks. Don't forget to pick up your packets in the back.

Predicting the BCS Bowls.... in March.

2008-03-27T10:23:00.006-05:00

CFN isn't my favorite site in the world but the keep us up to date on CFB year round and churn out something to whet our appetite during the harsh months of May, June, and July where there is nothing to be hopeful for.

They've been running a fairly decent preview here.

On the same page is their early picks for the BCS Bowls.

I don't agree w/ all of them but it's worth a look:

Rose Bowl

Them: Wisconsin vs. USC
Me: OSU vs. USC

I really think that voters will actively choose not to have somebody in a MNC game again this year, like with Michigan (or even where they willed LSU into the championship.) I really think the media will shoot down OSU at every chance they get this year.

Even though these teams will be playing each other early in the season, I don't think either team will reach the MNC this year. I think OSU is going to drop one or two to USC, Wisconsin, Michigan, MSU, PSU, or Illinois (likelihood in appropriate order.) Whereas I only think USC will drop maybe one game out of OSU, Oregon, Cal, Virginia, Oregon State, Washington, or UCLA. I think both teams won't end up in MNC game this year. But if I had to have a backup plan to who I think it'll be in that game... You're looking at it here.

Second Guess: Wisconsin vs. Oregon

Orange Bowl

Them: Boston College vs. Pitt
Me: Clemson vs. WVU/USF

Fiu gives this pick the benefit of the doubt of WVU and USF being interchangeable here for Pitt. I'm not sold on Pitt being as good as the nation is gearing up for them to be, but I could be wrong. It's happened once. I'm not really sold on anybody in the Big East as the dominant team. I could see it going the way of a three-way tie with two losses each.

While I think BC will continue to rise to be a stronger power in the ACC, I think this has to be Clemson's year. Virginia Tech could contend here as well, but it just seems like Clemson has so much going for it right now in some strong recruiting classes as well as having some talent this year. The ACC needs somebody to step up have a dominant season. Now

Second Guess: Va Tech vs. Louisville/UConn

Fiesta Bowl

Them: Mizzou vs. BYU
Me: Texas Tech vs. Mid-major
Pick your flavor of the week for the mid-major. Some say BYU, some Fresno State, and some that Boise will be right back. The mid-majors are becoming a mainstay in the BCS picture and rightfully so (we've wiped out last years Sugar Bowl debacle from our minds entirely) TCU is always an early favorite to show up in this group as well.

Tech is returning everybody but one receiver. And because it's Tech... that doesn't matter much. The defense has improved slowly throughout the years and if Leach is going to have a year to show up this is it. By the way Crabtree is going to rock it regardless of BCS bowl or not. The rumors swirling are that he would have been a top 10 pick this year if he were elligible or not.

Second Guess: Mizzou/Oklahoma vs. Mid Major

Sugar Bowl

Them: Georgia vs. Oklahoma
Me: Florida vs. Wisconsin
Fiu had a good call pitting these teams against each other here... it's just the wrong game for them. I think Oklahoma will be good enough to get here, but they can do more.

I think a strong Wisky doesn't drop more than 2 games this year and earns one of the at-large bids to pull this out.

If bowls are able, they try to stick to their appropriate teams, and baring total disaster, two SEC teams will be eligible for this one. It's just that the other one I have picked will be in the MNC as well. Florida should bring a very balanced offense with Tebow, Harvin, and (finally) a group of capable RBs. The secondary has cost them in the past

Second Guess: Georgia vs Mizzou

MNC

Them: Florida vs. Ohio State
Me: Georgia vs. Oklahoma

I think both of these teams arrive with one loss. No idea who. But 2 losses between them. Oklahoma has one loss that they shouldn't in October or November and Georgia just has to go down to somebody... anybody really. The teams have never met so this would make for an interesting one.

Second guess: OSU vs. USC

Legit Teams that have a shot at BCS Bids:

Pac 10
USC
Oregon
ASU

ACC
Va Tech
Clemson
Boston College

Big Ten
OSU
Wisconsin
Michigan
Illinois

SEC
Florida
LSU
Georgia

Big XII
Texas
Oklahoma
Mizzou
Texas Tech

Big East
West Virginia
Louisville
UConn
USF

Mid-Major
TCU
FSU
BSU
BYU

Players We're Friggin' Excited About

2008-03-26T15:33:00.004-05:00

Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree

Obviously these two aren't one player like we normally do. But they are you see. Because of Graham Harrell's 5700 yards of passing, almost 2000 of that was from the bad mofo Michael Crabtree. For Crabtree to have 2000 yards of receiving, Harrell has to throw 2000 yards too him plus the slew of other able-handed receivers that the Pirate Mike Leach fields.

The make or break deal for these two will actually be sitting on the bench while Harrell and Crabtree are putting on the fireworks show. They both need a good defense to come in and finally stop the Texas, Oklahoma, Mizzous, and Oklahoma States of the Big XII from being able to score as much as they do. Ruffin McNeil improved the D last season, but they need even more strides as a team if they are going to finally challenge for the South.

Crabtree embodies the term "jailhouse break"

Stuff College FootBloggers Like

2008-03-26T11:23:00.007-05:00

In honor of the Stuff white people like and the other stuff people are liking in their respective colors...

I present stuff college football bloggers like

Profanity: Profanity is what separates bloggers from the Professionals. Why you ask? Because we can say whatever the &%#$ is on our minds.

For instance....

Team A is down at the half and Erin Andrews says "this team came out the locker room calm and seems like they've settled down and are ready to play." Whereas I can say "Team A pulled their head out of their @*# and decided to play." Which do you think is more accurate?

Perfect Example:

That's quality right there folks. Would it been nearly as funny if he had said "Boom! Head shot sucker?"

Not at all. Sportscenter won't show you that. But we will. Repetitively.

Girl Scout Thin Mints: The early months of the year when those pesky little uniformed girls bug us at every major retail store does have one perk: the crack cocaine known as thin mints. You think a sleeve will last you a good few days... Hah!!! Try a few seconds, serf. The Girl Scouts of America have been owning us since before Al Gore invented this thing.

Cliches: Some things just don't ever get old. i.e. the Auburn chop block.

I don't think I'll ever not think an Auburn Chop Block joke is funny

Or the A&M nut squeeze

You see as a result of this... all aggies grab their junk. It's a proven fact.

or here

All Red Raiders.... well you know... with a bell.

Cliches are only old when they're against your team. And that's probably because they're true.

Erin Andrews: Because bloggers the only people who actually appreciate her for her sideline reporting.*

Cheap Bad Beer: Whether it's Orson and Kanu throwing down the Icehouse, or references to Old English, bloggers know all about cheap beer. We like to remember back to the times where we couldn't afford real beer (you know, like keystone) and went for quantity instead of quality. Of course we'd justify it by saying we really like it despite the fact we threw up the first swig of every bottle or can. Cheap alcohol was our friend through the toughest losses in college and was always there for us when that wainch dumped us.

Lou Houlthz: Lou is a constant in our life. When the week has been long and we need some relief, Lou is there. Not only does he remind us of our childhood cartoon favorite, Sylvester the Cat he comes into our living rooms every Thursday with his Locker Room Talk bringing a message of hope that puts Obama to shame.

How can that not just sent shivers down your spine? Let me tell you something. After one of those talks I feel like I could knock Kimbo Slice out in under 30 seconds. Or at least live after the encounter. One or the other. Regardless, bloggers love Lou almost as much as we love...

Lee Corso: Whether it's checking out Lee's current skin color, or guessing if today is Merkin day, Lee's a constant mainstay of blogging materials. I don't think we could blog about anything if that goofy schmuck didn't stick something on his head ever single Saturday. Heck I wouldn't even wake up before noon if it wasn't for Corso or the fact that I live in the CST and games start at 11 here. Stinking Daywalkers.

Jorts: They're just comfortable. We don't need all the pocket space of cargos. Just leave us alone.

Photoshop and MS Paint: Photoshop does what movies could never do to books. For instance what if I said " Hey, it would be hilarious if I drew a picture of a Spartan kicking Charlie Weis into a pit like in 300, " after MSU beat ND? You'd say "man that would be funny."

But it's nowhere near as funny as actually seeing it.

Or "Dude, Phil Fulmer and Mark Mangino should wrestle. That would be awesome."

Boom.

Infinitely funnier than me describing it. Thank God for people like LSUFreek that make said things come true.

*That's a lie.

PSU continues to have its head up its...

2008-03-26T10:28:00.005-05:00

Assumption that they can actually force JoePa to do anything. (See what I did there?)

Here's another article talking about why and when PSU wants Joe to put up the clip board.

I still find it humorous that a team with 29 wins in 3 seasons is looking to out their coach.

If my coach literally dead and still giving me 9 wins a season, Give the SOB a raise. He's doing as good as or better than 80%* of coaches in the country.

Seriously ask people @ A&M, Arkansas, Washington, and the like. They would hire Osama if he put up 9 wins a season for three years w/ a conference title thrown in there.**

*That statistic is totally made up. But it sounded really good.
** That's probably not true either, but go with it

Excuse Me. I'll be in Tallahassee.

2008-03-26T08:14:00.002-05:00

Coach Bobby Bowden and Lou Houlthz will be putting doing a Q&A at FSU's annual coaches' clinic. The awesomeness that is Bobby Bowden combined by the senility of Lou could only be improved by one thing.

Being moderated by JoePa.

Sadly that won't happen.

The next best thing will though. Coach Chuck "the Chest" Amato will be the moderater. While the article doesn't explicitly say it... Chuck will in fact be wearing sunglasses.

I just peed a little out of joy.