Monday, November 30, 2009
Project Playoffs:
Week 13 standings and seedings
Standings in realigned conferences with seedings for a 16-team playoff. Click here for a full explanation of Project Playoffs.
Southeast
1 Florida (12-0)
10 Georgia Tech (10-2)
12 Miami (9-3)
Clemson (8-4)
Georgia (7-5)
South Carolina (7-5)
Florida State (6-6)
South Florida (7-4)
Central Florida (8-4)
Southern
2 Alabama (12-0)
11 LSU (9-3)
Ole Miss (8-4)
Tennessee (7-5)
Auburn (7-5)
Mississippi State (5-7)
Southern Miss (7-5)
Vanderbilt (2-10)
Memphis (2-10)
Mid-South
3 Texas (12-0)
4 TCU (12-0)
Oklahoma State (9-3)
Arkansas (7-5)
Oklahoma (7-5)
Texas Tech (8-4)
Texas A&M (6-6)
Baylor (4-8)
UTEP (4-8)
Northwest
5 Boise State (12-0)
6 Oregon (9-2)
Oregon State (8-3)
BYU (10-2)
Utah (9-3)
Air Force (7-5)
Washington (4-7)
Colorado (3-9)
Washington State (1-11)
North Central
7 Cincinnati (11-0)
9 Ohio State (10-2)
Notre Dame (6-6)
Michigan State (6-6)
Purdue (5-7)
Michigan (5-7)
Louisville (4-8)
Illinois (3-8)
Indiana (4-8)
Atlantic
8 Virginia Tech (9-3)
North Carolina (8-4)
Kentucky (7-5)
East Carolina (8-4)
Wake Forest (5-7)
North Carolina State (5-7)
Duke (5-7)
Virginia (3-9)
Maryland (2-10)
Northeast
13 Penn State (10-2)
14 Pittsburgh (9-2)
West Virginia (8-3)
Boston College (8-4)
Rutgers (8-3)
Connecticut (6-5)
Navy (8-4)
Syracuse (4-8)
Army (5-6)
Midwest
15 Iowa (10-2)
Nebraska (9-3)
Wisconsin (8-3)
Missouri (8-4)
Northwestern (8-4)
Minnesota (6-6)
Kansas State (6-6)
Kansas (5-7)
Iowa State (6-6)
Southwest
16 USC (8-3)
California (8-3)
Stanford (8-4)
Arizona (7-4)
UCLA (6-6)
Fresno State (7-4)
Arizona State (4-8)
Hawaii (6-6)
New Mexico (1-11)
Friday, November 27, 2009
Better late than never - Five Things
1. I'd like to apologize to Houston Nutt. As one of the charter members of the posse wanting him out of Fayetteville, I was convinced he was completely over his head in the SEC. At one point, I even said he was the "worst coach in the SEC when it comes late-game management."
Les Miles proved me wrong.
You've all seen it by now. Trailing OM by 2, LSU hits a Hail Mary into easy field goal range. Miles, however, doesn't have the kicking team ready. He actually signals for a spike to stop the clock. But with only 1 second on the clock, it was obvious that was a losing decision before the QB even took the snap.
So congrats, Nutt. You're now the second-worst coach in the SEC when it comes to late-game management.
1A. Are you on Twitter? Are you following InsidetheBCS? You should be because it is pure hilarity, kind of like Les Miles in the final seconds of the Ole Miss game.
The Twitter feed is the brainchild of the new PR agency the BCS has hired. A PR agency headed by Ari Fleischer, the former press secretary for George W. Bush. Yes, that's right. Fleischer has now been a spin doctor for two incompetent organizations.
The PR firm also launched PlayoffProblem.com to spin against people who favor a CFB playoff system.
Obviously, this means war for Project Playoffs.
2. Last Saturday, I took a day off. With Arkansas playing in that dump of a stadium in Little Rock at an unTebowly hour, I elected to head to my in-laws for an early Thanksgiving. Since they live in NEA, we trekked through Central Arkansas en route. Stopping at Chik-Fil-A in Conway (which is, without a doubt, the busiest restaurant in Conway and perhaps the nation), I was struck by the number of people wearing Arkansas Razorback gear. It was odd.
No, people wearing Hog stuff isn't odd, per se, in Conway. What was odd was that the game was on TV and these people weren't watching ... yet felt compelled to sport the logos. Arkansas fans aren't the only ones who do this. I've seen countless other fans doing the same thing. But if you're a fan, shouldn't you — I don't know — be watching the game!?!
3. As if the Oregon uniforms weren't bad enough
4. Recurring Items
The SportsJournalists.com Top 25 is here.
Awful Announcing: Your Week Thirteen College Football Announcing Schedule
5. M8B Prediction
Will Arkansas (+3.5) cover the spread against LSU?
(Views expressed by the Magic 8 Ball do not necessarily reflect the views of this blog, the blog owner nor this post's author. Advice from the M8B is for entertainment purposes only and not for actual wagering ... especially since the Magic 8 Ball is 8-6 this season.)
Les Miles proved me wrong.
You've all seen it by now. Trailing OM by 2, LSU hits a Hail Mary into easy field goal range. Miles, however, doesn't have the kicking team ready. He actually signals for a spike to stop the clock. But with only 1 second on the clock, it was obvious that was a losing decision before the QB even took the snap.
So congrats, Nutt. You're now the second-worst coach in the SEC when it comes to late-game management.
1A. Are you on Twitter? Are you following InsidetheBCS? You should be because it is pure hilarity, kind of like Les Miles in the final seconds of the Ole Miss game.
The Twitter feed is the brainchild of the new PR agency the BCS has hired. A PR agency headed by Ari Fleischer, the former press secretary for George W. Bush. Yes, that's right. Fleischer has now been a spin doctor for two incompetent organizations.
The PR firm also launched PlayoffProblem.com to spin against people who favor a CFB playoff system.
Obviously, this means war for Project Playoffs.
2. Last Saturday, I took a day off. With Arkansas playing in that dump of a stadium in Little Rock at an unTebowly hour, I elected to head to my in-laws for an early Thanksgiving. Since they live in NEA, we trekked through Central Arkansas en route. Stopping at Chik-Fil-A in Conway (which is, without a doubt, the busiest restaurant in Conway and perhaps the nation), I was struck by the number of people wearing Arkansas Razorback gear. It was odd.
No, people wearing Hog stuff isn't odd, per se, in Conway. What was odd was that the game was on TV and these people weren't watching ... yet felt compelled to sport the logos. Arkansas fans aren't the only ones who do this. I've seen countless other fans doing the same thing. But if you're a fan, shouldn't you — I don't know — be watching the game!?!
3. As if the Oregon uniforms weren't bad enough
4. Recurring Items
The SportsJournalists.com Top 25 is here.
Awful Announcing: Your Week Thirteen College Football Announcing Schedule
5. M8B Prediction
Will Arkansas (+3.5) cover the spread against LSU?
(Views expressed by the Magic 8 Ball do not necessarily reflect the views of this blog, the blog owner nor this post's author. Advice from the M8B is for entertainment purposes only and not for actual wagering ... especially since the Magic 8 Ball is 8-6 this season.)
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Seminole Memory Lane: Florida Week
By John Kriz
Gator Week! What a week when we are preparing for the annual game with the Gators. This is what college football is all about! If a player was caught wearing ANYTHING orange, he would be assigned DAWN PATROL. Dawn Patrol occurred before the sun would rise, before classes, and preferably before breakfast! A coach would meet you on the field with his beloved whistle and you would run until he was tired. Needless to say, you did not want to run Dawn Patrol.
Game day brought several traditions that I believe are still in place today. First, the Training Table pre-game meal would serve Gator meat. Each player was given a piece whether he asked for it or not. And yes, it did taste like chicken!
Pre-game, all the players literally put on war paint. By the time you went out on the field for pre-game warm-ups and finally when you ran out on the field, you had an adrenaline rush that has yet been compared to anything else I have experienced since.
On a side note, my last game was played on Florida Field. I have my game helmet from that day and you can see a Gator blue paint streak on it. Now what I don’t tell a whole lotta folks is that paint streak is located on the lower part of the back of my helmet. How the heck it got to that location is indeed a mystery of the ages.
Gator Week! What a week when we are preparing for the annual game with the Gators. This is what college football is all about! If a player was caught wearing ANYTHING orange, he would be assigned DAWN PATROL. Dawn Patrol occurred before the sun would rise, before classes, and preferably before breakfast! A coach would meet you on the field with his beloved whistle and you would run until he was tired. Needless to say, you did not want to run Dawn Patrol.
Game day brought several traditions that I believe are still in place today. First, the Training Table pre-game meal would serve Gator meat. Each player was given a piece whether he asked for it or not. And yes, it did taste like chicken!
Pre-game, all the players literally put on war paint. By the time you went out on the field for pre-game warm-ups and finally when you ran out on the field, you had an adrenaline rush that has yet been compared to anything else I have experienced since.
On a side note, my last game was played on Florida Field. I have my game helmet from that day and you can see a Gator blue paint streak on it. Now what I don’t tell a whole lotta folks is that paint streak is located on the lower part of the back of my helmet. How the heck it got to that location is indeed a mystery of the ages.
Letters to Ramon: Week 13
"No A&M-Texas game? It's the Thursday night upset special - or possibly a miserable blowout that everyone turns off in the 2nd quarter." -- Aggie Mark
"I don't think LSU loses two in a row, and I don't think they lose to us three years in a row, but I'm to far out of it to matter so I'm picking with my heart." -- Brian R.
"Love me some Clemson..." -- Robb O.
"I'm still chasing that point from the Cincinnati Thursday night game when I was in Nowhere, Mississippi. Aaaargh!" -- Danny K.
"Oklahoma - now I have to say that's its awesome that we're still the favorite. Bet a lot of this group will pick the upset, but it's in Norman... been an odd season on the road but 29-game win streak at home.Even Switzer and Wilkinson didn't do that." -- Sean O.
"Breaking my longstanding rule of not betting on Arkansas." -- E-Man
"And the Fighting Texas Aggies to turn the BCS on it's ear as night falls on Thanksgiving!" -- Aggie Jason
"Is Les Miles a dumb ass or what? He is so over-rated." -- Yo Sal
"Stanford – This might be a first ever for me. I’ve lost faith. That’s probably a sign that we’re ready for a change. I think (hope) God will punish me by making me miss out on the 3 points from an Irish win. Either way, confession is in order." -- Wuje the younger
"Of course you are forgiven for the major faux pas of not including the Florida State - Florida game as one of the game picks of the week. Forgiven yes.... not forgotten - you better watch your six (military lingo for watch you back!!!) I do realize you want my pick for that game as well.... UPSET OF THE WEEK - FSU over UF!!" -- Seminole Prognosticator
"Following the same logic… vote against Arkansas = a win for Arkansas." -- Jason C.
"And, as long as we're talking rivalries: Mizzou over Kansas! GO TIGERS!" -- Dorian W.
"Thanks for no Iron Bowl, I would hate to possibly have to pick uat...." -- Jeff K.
"I’d like to see us take another one down there, especially since a Cotton Bowl berth may be on the line (I REALLY don’t want to go to Memphis or Shreveport), but I did not like the way MSU ran over all us last week. It will interesting to see how LSU bounces back from that Ole Miss fiasco." -- Jeff G.
"Pitt - Because there has to be one decent team playing at Heinz Field [/disgruntled Steelers fan]. Oklahoma State - Stoops already has Touchdown Jesus on his mind. Stanford - Even the Pope thinks Weis should be fired. " -- Hog Tattoo
"Matt, are you and your family members trying to monopolize the top tier?" -- School of Noise
"Clemson smokes SC (but if SC wins, then the SEC is much stronger than the ACC)." -- Steve N.
"I can't believe you have left off the biggest and most intense backyard brawl of all. Regardless, Trey and I will be there Friday afternoon, supporting our Tigers while Lee and Kathy will be getting over being at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in NY. Anyway, here are my miserable picks (sure will be glad when this year is over and I can start anew with the Basketball NCAA picks): 1) West Virginia (hard choice given my love for the city of Pittsburgh, but the female Mountaineer is getting stronger each week with those pushups); 2) Clemson (because those Tigers can be tough except last year when they let Bama embarass them); 3) Oklahoma State (I just have no faith in OU's abilities this year); 4) Arkansas (because Miles is by far the poorer coach, notwithstanding the better talent); and 5) Stanford (and yes, Weiss is toast... hope they offer Coach Little Bit, $aban, a Pot full of Gold to go there since he no longer owns the Alabama football recruits in state). Just remember, Trey and I were there at Jordan-Hare 20 years ago to witness the undefeated Tide ranked 2 nationally go down to a more determined group of Tigers. History can repeat itself... just have to have faith, baby." -- Big O
"Having to "watch" the games on espn gamecast on your phone while driving across Kansas pretty much sucks. However, the fact that that's even possible - pretty cool." -- Private Smith
"I don't think LSU loses two in a row, and I don't think they lose to us three years in a row, but I'm to far out of it to matter so I'm picking with my heart." -- Brian R.
"Love me some Clemson..." -- Robb O.
"I'm still chasing that point from the Cincinnati Thursday night game when I was in Nowhere, Mississippi. Aaaargh!" -- Danny K.
"Oklahoma - now I have to say that's its awesome that we're still the favorite. Bet a lot of this group will pick the upset, but it's in Norman... been an odd season on the road but 29-game win streak at home.Even Switzer and Wilkinson didn't do that." -- Sean O.
"Breaking my longstanding rule of not betting on Arkansas." -- E-Man
"And the Fighting Texas Aggies to turn the BCS on it's ear as night falls on Thanksgiving!" -- Aggie Jason
"Is Les Miles a dumb ass or what? He is so over-rated." -- Yo Sal
"Stanford – This might be a first ever for me. I’ve lost faith. That’s probably a sign that we’re ready for a change. I think (hope) God will punish me by making me miss out on the 3 points from an Irish win. Either way, confession is in order." -- Wuje the younger
"Of course you are forgiven for the major faux pas of not including the Florida State - Florida game as one of the game picks of the week. Forgiven yes.... not forgotten - you better watch your six (military lingo for watch you back!!!) I do realize you want my pick for that game as well.... UPSET OF THE WEEK - FSU over UF!!" -- Seminole Prognosticator
"Following the same logic… vote against Arkansas = a win for Arkansas." -- Jason C.
"And, as long as we're talking rivalries: Mizzou over Kansas! GO TIGERS!" -- Dorian W.
"Thanks for no Iron Bowl, I would hate to possibly have to pick uat...." -- Jeff K.
"I’d like to see us take another one down there, especially since a Cotton Bowl berth may be on the line (I REALLY don’t want to go to Memphis or Shreveport), but I did not like the way MSU ran over all us last week. It will interesting to see how LSU bounces back from that Ole Miss fiasco." -- Jeff G.
"Pitt - Because there has to be one decent team playing at Heinz Field [/disgruntled Steelers fan]. Oklahoma State - Stoops already has Touchdown Jesus on his mind. Stanford - Even the Pope thinks Weis should be fired. " -- Hog Tattoo
"Matt, are you and your family members trying to monopolize the top tier?" -- School of Noise
"Clemson smokes SC (but if SC wins, then the SEC is much stronger than the ACC)." -- Steve N.
"I can't believe you have left off the biggest and most intense backyard brawl of all. Regardless, Trey and I will be there Friday afternoon, supporting our Tigers while Lee and Kathy will be getting over being at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in NY. Anyway, here are my miserable picks (sure will be glad when this year is over and I can start anew with the Basketball NCAA picks): 1) West Virginia (hard choice given my love for the city of Pittsburgh, but the female Mountaineer is getting stronger each week with those pushups); 2) Clemson (because those Tigers can be tough except last year when they let Bama embarass them); 3) Oklahoma State (I just have no faith in OU's abilities this year); 4) Arkansas (because Miles is by far the poorer coach, notwithstanding the better talent); and 5) Stanford (and yes, Weiss is toast... hope they offer Coach Little Bit, $aban, a Pot full of Gold to go there since he no longer owns the Alabama football recruits in state). Just remember, Trey and I were there at Jordan-Hare 20 years ago to witness the undefeated Tide ranked 2 nationally go down to a more determined group of Tigers. History can repeat itself... just have to have faith, baby." -- Big O
"Having to "watch" the games on espn gamecast on your phone while driving across Kansas pretty much sucks. However, the fact that that's even possible - pretty cool." -- Private Smith
This week's games
The games come a day early this week to help anyone going out of town for Thanksgiving, and it's nothing but rivalry games filled with drama and vitriol from top to bottom. So for $800 and the Ramon Escobar Trophy, the perfect centerpiece of any Thanksgiving table and one of the reasons the pilgrims came to America, select your winners and e-mail them back to me by 5 p.m. Friday.
The Backyard Brawl
Pittsburgh - West Virginia
6 p.m., Friday, ESPN2
Line: Pittsburgh by 1
Battle of the Palmetto State
Clemson - South Carolina
11 a.m., Saturday, ESPN
Line: Clemson by 3
The Bedlam Series
Oklahoma State - Oklahoma
11:30 a.m., Saturday, Fox Sports Net
Line: Oklahoma by 10
* Underdog worth four points
Battle for the Golden Boot
Arkansas - LSU
6 p.m., Saturday, ESPN
Line: LSU by 3
The Legends Trophy Game
Notre Dame - Stanford
7 p.m., Saturday, ABC/ESPN2
Line: Stanford by 8
* Underdog worth three points
Good luck.
****#****
The Backyard Brawl
Pittsburgh - West Virginia
6 p.m., Friday, ESPN2
Line: Pittsburgh by 1
Battle of the Palmetto State
Clemson - South Carolina
11 a.m., Saturday, ESPN
Line: Clemson by 3
The Bedlam Series
Oklahoma State - Oklahoma
11:30 a.m., Saturday, Fox Sports Net
Line: Oklahoma by 10
* Underdog worth four points
Battle for the Golden Boot
Arkansas - LSU
6 p.m., Saturday, ESPN
Line: LSU by 3
The Legends Trophy Game
Notre Dame - Stanford
7 p.m., Saturday, ABC/ESPN2
Line: Stanford by 8
* Underdog worth three points
Good luck.
****#****
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Pre-Thanksgiving haiku
Since this is Thanksgiving week, I decided to put my haiku in a day
early. I saw an article on Poolsville last week that I just had to make a
haiku on the subject:
A sight at Auburn
Make shift toilet on the field
Corndogs kickin' in
early. I saw an article on Poolsville last week that I just had to make a
haiku on the subject:
A sight at Auburn
Make shift toilet on the field
Corndogs kickin' in
Monday, November 23, 2009
Project Playoffs:
Week 12 standings and seedings
Standings in realigned conferences with seedings for a 16-team playoff. Click here for a full explanation of Project Playoffs.
Southern
1 Alabama (11-0)
LSU (8-3)
Ole Miss (8-3)
Auburn (7-4)
Tennessee (6-5)
Mississippi State (4-7)
Southern Miss (7-4)
Vanderbilt (2-10)
Memphis (2-9)
Mid-South
2 Texas (11-0)
4 TCU (11-0)
Oklahoma State (9-2)
Arkansas (7-4)
Texas Tech (7-4)
Oklahoma (6-5)
Texas A&M (6-5)
Baylor (4-7)
UTEP (3-8)
Southeast
3 Florida (11-0)
6 Georgia Tech (10-1)
14 Clemson (8-3)
15 Miami (8-3)
South Florida (7-3)
Georgia (6-5)
Florida State (6-5)
South Carolina (6-5)
Central Florida (7-4)
North Central
5 Cincinnati (10-0)
9 Ohio State (10-2)
Notre Dame (6-5)
Michigan State (6-6)
Purdue (5-7)
Louisville (4-7)
Michigan (5-7)
Illinois (3-7)
Indiana (4-8)
Northwest
7 Boise State (11-0)
8 Oregon (9-2)
Oregon State (8-3)
Utah (9-2)
BYU (9-2)
Air Force (7-5)
Washington (3-7)
Colorado (3-8)
Washington State (1-10)
Atlantic
10 Virginia Tech (8-3)
North Carolina (8-3)
Kentucky (7-4)
East Carolina (7-4)
Wake Forest (4-7)
Duke (5-6)
Virginia (3-8)
North Carolina State (4-7)
Maryland (2-9)
Northeast
11 Pittsburgh (9-1)
12 Penn State (10-2)
West Virginia (7-3)
Navy (8-3)
Boston College (7-4)
Rutgers (7-3)
Connecticut (5-5)
Syracuse (4-7)
Army (5-6)
Midwest
13 Iowa (10-2)
Nebraska (8-3)
Wisconsin (8-3)
Missouri (7-4)
Northwestern (8-4)
Minnesota (6-6)
Kansas (5-6)
Kansas State (6-6)
Iowa State (6-6)
Southwest
16 USC (7-3)
California (8-3)
Stanford (7-4)
Arizona (6-4)
UCLA (6-5)
Fresno State (7-4)
Arizona State (4-7)
Hawaii (5-6)
New Mexico (1-10)
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