It's Not Easy Being This Good

In the wake of football season entering hibernation mode, the tennis world ushered in its 2006 season with its first major - the Australian Open. As is becoming second nature, Roger Federer played with a giant target on his back and once again, emerged victorious, lucky number 7 Grand Slam title for the 24-year-old from Basel, Switzerland. Naysayers will claim Roger won a watered down draw with top talents Andre Agassi andRafael Nadal withdrawing due to injury in addition to Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt making early exits. Such close-minded folks don't understand that keeping your body in great shape while combatting the elements is an integral part of the game that never derails the true champions.

Back to the match that was much harder than the 5-7, 7-5, 6-0, 6-2 score indicated. Making uncharacteristic mistakes and visibly frustrated from the tenacious unknown entity Marcos Baghdatis, Federer dropped the 1st set and fell down a break in the 2nd. The most unfathommable of victories was ever so slowly becoming a reality for the 20-year-old native of Cyprus. Federer looked vulnerable, on the precipice of a Buster Douglas KO'ing Tyson upset. Just when things looked bleak, Roger ducked into his on-court telephone booth and Super Roger emerged to turn the tide. The well ran dry for the likable Baghdatis in his coming out party, but not before adding his name to the short list of young stars poised to usher in a new era for the ATP Tour. It would have been the first chink in the armor of Roger, who has distanced himself from the tennis pack in dominating fashion. A quick recap of the Maestro's tour de force the past 2+ years reveals the growing gap between Federer and the field.

Cracking through with his 2003 Wimbledon championship, Federer followed up with a 4th round showing at the U.S. Open and closed the year pummelling Andre Agassi to win the Tennis Masters Cup. He compiled an eye-popping 76-4 record in 2004, capturing the Australian, Wimbledon and U.S. Open crowns, then defended his Tennis Masters Cup by dispensing Lleyton Hewitt in straight sets. 2005 only got better with an otherworldly 81-4 record, repeating at the All-England Club and Flushing Meadows and losing in the semis in both the Australian and French. The French looms as his Slam albatross, an inevitable triumph considering he took Rafael Nadal, arguably the finest clay-courter on tour, to the wire at Roland Garros in last year's semifinals. So far, he's perfect for 2006 with two titles in his pocket.

But the most telling sign that it's Roger's world and we're lucky to breathe his same rarefied air is how he relishes playing on the biggest stage. Relinquishing a mere 3 sets in 7 appearances in a Grand Slam Final isn't just dominant, it's downright cruel. Roger wouldn't bat an eye outgazing pressure in a staring contest. The tennis world is a floating volley in Roger's reach and he's slamming the competition emphatically. History is in the making as Roger could become the greatest champion to pick up a racket. His game blends textbook fundamentals, dogged determination and a flair for the theatric as he glides effortlessly around the court going through the motions of victory. He makes the game look easy utilizing any playing style necessary to befuddle his opponent. Federer's brilliance against his peers is on par with Tiger Wood's annual PGA romp and keeps pace with Lance Armstrong's cycling prowess. The competition must look like Herschel Walker to the maestro matchman.

Pop Quiz

After another disappointing, yet tantalizingly close loss, this time at the hands of Georgetown, the Irish hoops team stands 1-5 in the Bigger East. Not exactly the strongest first impression to give our new conference mates. I feel like a teacher at wits end with my class. All the students do their homework, follow the rules and try their damnedest, yet end up making careless mistakes come test time. Similarly, this Irish hoops team has the talent and tenacity to be a darn good team, but keep finding new ways to lose ballgames. Difficult assignments versus two Top 10 teams (Villanova and West Virginia) and always athletic Louisville will require more than an all-nighter to pull off a victory. Like any good prof testing the mettle of his pupils and to give fans a small dose of success with this season, I present you with a pop quiz.

1. Which movie best exemplifies the Irish season thus far?

A. Twilight Zone
B. Groundhog Day
C. 12 Angry Men
D. Hustle & (No) Flow
D. All of the Above

2. More astonishing Colin Falls tidbit?

A. 79% of his shot attempts are of the 3-point variety (at 41% a clip)
B. 35% of his 2-point shots find their target
C. The fact that there's such a disparity between the two

3. What song does Mike Brey serenade the locker room to try and cope with the mounting losses?

A. You Can't Always Get What You Want
B. Don't Stop Believin'
C. Going Down The Road Feeling Bad

4. Name your favorite close game the Irish have won this season?

A. IPFW 65-63
B. Wofford 74-71
C. None

5. Best Coach Brey fashion statement?

A.Cool, Slicked Back Mike
B. Suave, Slicked Over Mike
C. Doesn't matter as long as a mock is involved

Extra Credit:
Who came first? Kevin Pittsnogle or Cletus Spuckler

NFL Championship Week Picks

Championship week. Great week of football, right? Hard fought, competitive games between evenly matched teams, right?

Well, I'm not so sure about that. Is it me or is "Championship Weekend" usually a bit of letdown? Compared to the Divisional Playoffs (which usually have a couple great games), there have been a lot of duds in the championship round.

Seems like a lot of championship games fall into one of these two categories:

1. Blowout - One team has spent so much energy just getting to the championship game that they lay an egg and get blown out in the championship game (see Minnesota 01, Jacksonville in '96)

2. Choke job - Favored team at home melts down under the pressure and does everything it can to give the game away (see Philly 2001-2003, Minnesota 99, Pittsburgh 02, 05, 94, 98), Jacksonville (01))

Come to think of it, there have really only been three championship games in recent years that were truly memorable.

1. Giants-49ers - 1991 - The Montana injury/Matt Bahr last second field goal game. A truly great game between the two best teams in the NFC.

2. Colts-Steelers - 95 (96?) - The Jim Harbaugh Hail Mary game. One of the most compelling games I've seen. Indy was the ultimate Cinderella story that year. I still remember a lot of the prominent names from that team(Quentin Coryatt anyone?). If Aaron Bailey (yes I had to look him up) had caught that ball in the end zone, you'd have to toss it into the conversation for "greatest play in NFL history".

3. Minnesota-Atlanta - 99 - Probably one of the worst choke jobs I've ever seen. Minnesota was sick that year. Everyone was getting ready for a phenomenal Minnesota-Denver Super Bowl until Gary Anderson missed that chippie and opened the door for a Falcons comeback. We were freshmen in college that year and watched the game in a cramped dorm room on about a 7" tv, but it was still pretty freaking exciting.

Anyway, why am I bringing all this up? Well, championship games aren't always the great matchups that they're hyped up to be. Everyone thinks these two upcoming games will be closely contested games between evenly matched teams. You know what that means don't you? I wouldn't be surpised if one or both of these games was a huge dud, and one of the old familar storylines (blowout) could come into play here. Just something to keep in the back of your mind.


Before I get to my picks, my bro chimed in from sunny Naples with a few thoughts of his own. I thought he had some interesting points to make, so I figured I'd share his picks.

Via email:

"As for the playoffs, I’m going in the opposite direction as you. I really like Denver to beat the Steel. I know everyone is pumped up about the Steelers and Roethlisberger but Denver just clobbered New England. Everyone is saying the Patriots gave it away, but isn’t that what football is all about? Denver forced fumbles and made big interceptions and won the game going away. Champ Bailey made a hell of a play and Denver doesn’t need to apologize for Troy Brown muffing punts or Adam Vinatieri blowing kicks. Enough with the excuses for Tom Brady and Bellichick. They got stomped by a better team. I also think Pittsburgh is a little overrated. Their postseason wins this year are more fortunate than impressive. Wildcard victory over a Palmer-less Bengals. Division victory over an obviously rusty Colts team that was also battling the Dungy situation. And I can’t get that final regular season game (an extremely meaningful one) against Detroit out of my head. You’re telling me a Super Bowl caliber team goes into the last game of the season desperately needing a win and squeaks it out against DETROIT? Get a tee time for next weekend Hines Ward. I like Denver 31-17.

I really like Seattle in the NFC. I think everyone who picked the Redskins last week thinking that they were the next 2001 Baltimore Ravens is a little bitter towards Seattle. Maybe that bitterness is affecting their judgment because I’m looking at this game and picking Seattle all the way. First of all, it’s going to be raining. Hasselback looked fine in the rain last week but we don’t know about Delhomme. Second, I really like how balanced Seattle is on O. They didn’t explode against Washington but they did more than anyone was expecting. Carolina is hot and they’re a great team but the Deshaun Foster injury concerns me. Is Nick Goings an every down back? If they can’t run, that means it’s up to Delhomme to win the game and something tells me you might see a lot of navy jerseys around Steve Smith. No way he gets off again this week. He’ll see triple coverage and if he doesn’t Holmgren should be fired. Seattle 27-24.

That’s all I got.

Kenny"



Good thoughts. I'm officially nervous about my picks now, and fully anticipate losing yet another football parlay to the good people of sportsinteraction.com this weekend.

ok, on to the picks.

Pittsburgh at Denver (Line: Denver -3.5)

Pick: Pittsburgh +3.5

I'm starting to get nervous about this pick because only a week ago I had Indianapolis blowing out the Steelers. Now everyone suddenly thinks they're the second coming of the '85 Bears. The Steelers have become the trendy pick to win the Super Bowl. That makes me uneasy. This is the same Steelers team that was up and down throughout the regular season, and never gave the impression that they were capable of making a run to the Super Bowl. Then, they beat a rusty Colts team led by the biggest choker in sports, and now everyone is falling all over themselves trying to praise Cowher and the Steelers.

One thing I've noticed about the Steelers under Cowher is that they don't play well in the role of the favorite. When the Steelers are counted out or a heavy underdog, they always seem to take it personally and come out with something to prove. But the minute you put the "favorite" label on their backs, they melt down. Steeler fans will tell you the exact same thing. My roommate from law school is a diehard Steelers fan, and he was actually disappointed last year when the Steelers wrapped up home field advantage. I don't know if it's a psychological thing or related to their style of play, but the Steelers do not handle the pressure of being a favorite all that well.

Ok, so why am I picking the Steelers again? I just think they're the better team in this game. The teams playing the best at the end of the year usually end up winning these games, and I just feel like Pittsburgh is playing great football. Remember, the Steelers went 15-1 last year. In the last two years, they are 29-7. Roethlisberger has been absolutely money the last month and half of the season, and the Steelers D is possessed right now. Polamalu is an animal. I thought he was the best safety in football LAST year. This year, he's become an even better pass defender, and one of the best tacklers in the game. I am terrified of Polamalu. Denver should be too.

There's been a lot made out of this "three road games in a row" stuff. Seems like the "experts" are worried that the Steelers can't get up for this game after the Indy game. Hello!! This is the AFC Championship game! You think they won't be able to get up for this game? Seriously? There was some concern that New England wouldn't be able to get up for the Pittsburgh game last year following the big Indy win. That speculation was quickly put to rest in the 1st quarter. The Steelers will be up for this game.

As for Denver, I was at the UC game last week and didn't watch the Denver-New England game until the 4th quarter, so I can't really get a read on these guys. I just don't get that "Super Bowl" vibe out of this Denver team. They don't really have a great defense, they don't really have a great offense, they don't have a gamebreaking player on either side of the ball. To be a championship team, something has to stand out. Nothing stands out with this team. Very good team, great record, but I just think they're going to run into a red hot Steelers team and lose.

(For the record, since I really have no clue on either of these games, this could easily be the "blowout" game with Denver whipping a worn out Steelers team.)

Pittsburgh 23 Denver 14



Carolina at Seattle (Line: Seattle -4.5)

Pick: Carolina +4.5

I've been going back and forth about this game.

Couple thoughts:

1. Is Carolina really this good, or are New York and Chicago just not that great? Since I've never really been all that impressed with the Bears or the Giants, I'm tempted to go with the latter. Still, when you watch Carolina, you can't help but be impressed with the personnel on their team. Their D is really athletic and aggressive, and that o-line has been dominant. Delhomme has morphed into the modern day Phil Simms, and Steve Smith is one of the most exciting players I've ever seen in football. You can double cover the guy all you want. He will bust open at some point, and you know Carolina will take advantage of it. Last time I checked, Jerry Rice was a pretty good football player. I'd guess that he was double covered a time or two in big games. Did he still find a way to make big plays? You bet.

2. Either Seattle's Defense is really underrated, or Washington's offense was just pitiful. I'm going with the latter. Washington was totally inept on offense last week. They had no push up front to establish a running attack, so Seattle could just pin their ears back and try to put pressure on Brunell. We'll see how good Seattle's D is when they're facing 3rd and 2 situations instead of 3rd and 11.

3. Seattle offense. This is the one area that concerns me with regard to picking Carolina. Seattle's offensive line is really good. They have good balance. Hasselback can make plays, and I think they can run the ball on Carolina no matter who is playing RB for Seattle. The Bears did move the ball consistently on Carolina. If Seattle wins this game, I'm going to look back at this point and kick myself.

3. Coaching matchup. John Fox vs. Mike Holmgren. I know, I know. Holmgren has the ring. Holmgren has won 2 NFC Championships (one of them as a road underdog). I can't knock Holmgren's success. Still, when it comes down to coaching, I'm picturing a fired up John Fox on the sideline pumping his guys up while Holmgren picks at his moustache and stares at his playsheet. I like the Fox matchup here. Remember, this is virtually the same Carolina team that went into Philly two years ago and won.

4. East Coast bias. Hey, I'll admit it. East coast bias is at work here. There's something about Seattle as a football team and as a city that I have a hard time respecting. Maybe it's Ichiromania. Maybe it's the pansy Starbucks thing. Maybe it's the whole trendiness of the Seattle area. It might even be the presence of Tyrone Willingham in that state. I know Seattle supposedly has the loudest stadium in the game, but I just can't buy into this notion that Seattle is a great football town. Seattle football fans strike me as the kind of fans who love doing "The Wave," and go crazy when the scoreboard lights up with "NOISE!!". I don't respect that city or that fanbase.


Carolina 27 Seattle 23

Big East Report

Since we’re starting to get into the meat of the Big East season, I thought I’d try to make some sense of this superconference with some quick thoughts on all sixteen teams in the league.

First, a couple thoughts on the new conference.

1. One thing I absolutely love about the new league is all the games on tv. You can turn on the tv literally any night of the week, and there is a Big East game on the dial. Connecticut-Syracuse, Pitt-DePaul, Louisville-St. Johns. Great stuff. Since there are so many teams in the league and the C-USA has been rendered to a mid-major at best, the Big East is getting tons of air time this year. Plus, Ohioans like myself have been getting more ESPN full court Big East games on the local stations. As a diehard Big East fan who likes to follow all the teams in the conference, I’m pretty much watching all of these games. Hands down the best new feature about the league is the extended tv coverage if you ask me. The more Bill Raftery I have in my life, the merrier.

2. The competition is phenomenal. Every night there are upsets, near upsets, and defining games. The middle of the league changes on a nightly basis. The stretch run in the Big East is going to be incredible with so many teams battling for NCAA births, and some teams even fighting just to get into the Big East tournament at the Garden.

3. The trouble with this league is that it seems highly unlikely that it will last past the five year agreement. You can already sense the rumblings, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see teams start griping about wanting out of the league by next year. Too many teams, too many egos, unbalanced scheduling. There are some decent teams in this league that are going to be pretty freaking depressed when they find themselves in 13th place in the standings. Every school in the league (other than South Florida) has decent tradition, and you gotta imagine that fans of Seton Hall and Providence are going to reach the point where they want to throw their hands in the air and get out. I don’t know if the league is doomed, but it feels like it might be. How can I embrace a league that we don’t know will exist in five years?


One other thing regarding Notre Dame. Listen, I understand the complaints about Mike Brey from ND fans. Even though I'm a Brey supporter, I'm not oblivious to the problems of recent ND teams. Believe me, I get it. The defense STINKS. The big men are soft. The team is unathletic, and hasn’t really shown that “play like your hair is on fire” attitude.

The last couple weeks have led to a lot of questioning of Brey and the state of the program. Every win gets the fanbase excited and feeling like the program is headed in the right direction. Every loss has fans questioning the program and especially Brey.

My two cents on this. Can we just wait and see how the season plays out before we start making these sweeping generalizations about the program? Why do we have to judge the entire season and the program after every win and every loss? It's a long season with ups and downs throughout. Did we get off to a slow start? Yes. Has this team performed poorly in big games this year? Yes of course. Still, hasn’t every Brey ND team gone through this type of malaise at some point in the season before rebounding with some big wins? Last year, everyone had written ND off before we responded with big home wins over BC and Connecticut. Bottom line, Brey has been the head coach at ND for five years, and has finished with no worse than a 9-7 record in the league in any of those years (only coach in the league to do that the last five years by the way). Until I see this team out of the hunt for an NCAA bid, I’m going to hold out hope that the season can be a successful one.

I know fans are starving for a tournament team and getting impatient, but I’m willing to wait and see how this season turns out before making a conclusion about the program. There are plenty of big games left on the schedule, and ND has a lot of chances to make some noise in the Big East. If ND steals a win at Marquette and comes back home to beat Georgetown, that 0-3 start will be a distant memory.

Ok, on to my rankings of the Big East teams:

1. Connecticut

Hands down the most talented team in the Big East, and definitely in the conversation for the most talented team in the nation. I’ve had a chance to watch their last three games (G’Town, Cincy, Syracuse), and they’ve been impressive. Armstrong, Gay, Rashad Anderson, Marcus Williams, Boone. They have size, point guard play, a talented wingman, and perimeter shooters. And oh by the way, they have Jim Calhoun. 2 NCAA titles for UConn in the last seven years. No reason to think they won’t be in the hunt for a third title this year. This team is still a little flaky at times, but Calhoun always seems to find a way to get his team rolling at the end of the season. I fully expect them to be playing in Indianapolis this March.

2. Villanova

If I had to pick my favorite team to watch this year, it’s Villanova. I love watching Foye and Ray. I actually think Nova will run into some trouble spots in the Big East because of all the physical play and size in the league, but I think they’ll be a real tough out in the NCAA tournament.

One other interesting ND parallel at work here. Jay Wright. Very successful at a small east coast school, hired by a Big East team, had some rough periods before putting it together the last couple years. Sound familiar? Did Wright suddenly become a better coach the last couple years? I suppose it’s possible, but I think Foye, Raye, Lowry, and Nardi have had a little say in Nova’s success lately. Talent matters. When a coach has great players, he suddenly can look a lot better than he did a couple years ago.

3. West Virginia

The man, the myth, the legend. Kevin Pittsnogle. The hillbilly hero. I have a lot of respect for West Virginia's decision to play some tough out of conference opponents. They will benefit from that down the road. There's another program in the Big East that I would like to see playing that type of nonconference schedule, and I'm pretty sure you know who that is.

Talk about a magical year for West Virginia sports. Elite Eight run for the hoops team, Sugar Bowl champions, great start for the 2005-06 team. There hasn’t been this much excitement for Mountaineer sports since Major Harris roamed the streets of Morgantown!

One other note about Pittsnogle. From Wikipedia Encyclopedia's profile of Pittsnogle:

"Kevin Pittsnogle inspired the verb "Pittsnogled" (past tense) deriving from the observable facts and events that led to Pittsnogle going from reserve center to cult hero in the space of a few frantic weeks leading up to the 2005 NCAA Elite Eight. His former high school basketball team manager, Justin Turner, defines the term as this: "When you're closely guarded and a man is in your face with his hand up and you shoot a 25-footer and you nail it in their face — then they have officially been Pittsnogled."

Brilliant!

4. Pittsburgh

Laugh all you want about their style of play. They might win ugly, but all Pitt does is win. If you watch them closely, they do a lot of the little things on the defensive end and on the glass that good teams do. They challenge every pass into the lane and on the perimeter. They come to play every night. They know their roles. They get a ton of second chance opportunities on the glass. They score in transition. Are they pretty? No, but they aren’t a fluke either. Pitt probably doesn’t have the talent to make a deep NCAA run, but I don’t see how you can complain about a 25-5 type season if you’re a Pitt fan.

Maybe I should put Pittsburgh ahead of West Virginia, but I’ll give the Mountaineers the edge based on the big win at Nova.

5. Syracuse

Kind of a Jekyll and Hyde team. Maybe they don’t have the transcendent Coleman/Owens/Wallace/Anthony player that Boeheim always seems to get, but let’s not kid ourselves. Syracuse still has talent. Lots of size plus McNamara and Devendorf in the backcourt. Wouldn’t be surprised to see them playing in the Sweet 16, but also wouldn’t bat an eye if they went out in the first round. Feels like a 5/6 seed type team, but nothing more than that. Devendorf will be a serious thorn in ND’s side for the next four years.

6. Louisville

This is the first spot where the league really drops off. Seems like there are five safe bet tournament locks in the Big East followed by a bunch of incomplete teams. I gotta admit that I’ve been way off this year about Louisville. I actually had them as a sleeper Final Four team, but Palacios has been terrible and Dean’s been banged up. Not sure if too many people will agree with Louisville at #6. They’ve been terrible in the league so far, and really haven’t done anything to show they are a good team at any point this year.

Why do I have them at #6? One reason. Rick Pitino. Having watched the guy for all those years at UK and now at U of L, I have as much respect for Pitino’s coaching abilities as I do for any coach in America. I don’t want to jump off the bandwagon and then watch Pitino turn this ship around, so I’m sticking by Louisville’s side for now.

7. Georgetown

To be honest, I didn’t think much of Georgetown until last weekend. I thought they were way overrated last year, and pretty much wrote them off before this season. Seemed like there was a concerted effort last year by the media to promote JTIII before he had actually proven himself as a coach.

After watching UConn-Gtown game last weekend, I’m starting to change my tune about the Hoyas this year. I like their toughness, and they have some serious size. That game had an old school 80s Big East type feeling, and Gtown was right there until the end of that game. Gtown will be a matchup problem for ND next week. They don’t shoot the ball well from the outside (have they ever?), but the guards are quick and get to the bucket.

It’s great to have the Hoyas relevant again. They look like they have some good young talent with more on the way (including Doc Rivers’ son, Jeremiah Rivers). JTIII turned out to be a good hire after all. Only needs to add one thing to his look.

8. Rutgers

The RAC Attack. Maybe the most inexplicable phenomenon in the Big East. Rutgers is about as mediocre as it gets in the Big East, but as soon as they walk into the RAC, Rutgers turns into 1990 UNLV. It’s incredible. Seems like it happens every year. They could be 3-17 playing Duke at home, and I wouldn’t even bat an eye if Rutgers won the game.

Strange team. Seems like they’ll fade, but Quincy Douby is a legit stud.

9. Cincinnati

As the four readers who actually read this blog already know, I grew up a diehard UC Bearcats fan. Although I’m now living it up in Columbus and have even adopted Ohio State as my hometown hoops team, I still follow the UC program closely and have watched a good chunk of their games this year.

Two things:

1. The current team. UC has had a real nice start considering all the turmoil in the program, but they’ve reached a critical point in the season. Injuries/transfers have piled up, and they are pretty much running on fumes at this point. A walk-on football player played extended minutes the other night against Syracuse. Ronald Allen, big man from an NAIA school in New Orleans who was displaced following Hurrican Katrina, is the 7th man. UC has only two guys taller than 6’6” on the entire roster right now. You gotta wonder if this team can stay afloat. Eric Hicks is solid, James White has become a stud this year, and Devan Downey is going to be a monster at UC (if he doesn’t transfer), but after that, UC has next to nothing in the tank. Andy Kennedy has done a real nice job, and the team plays hard, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see UC fade in the second half of the season.

2. The future. There’s been a strong push among UC fans to try to get Andy Kennedy hired as the permanent head coach at UC. The logic is that AK would provide stability, and that Downey will stick around if Kennedy is still there. I agree that he’s done a nice job, but I’m not so sure I agree with this move. The general trendline for interim coaches (other than Jamie Dixon) is downward following initial success. Happened with Lavin. Happened with Ellerbe. Happened with Mike Davis. They win initially with the talent that they inherit, the school decides to hire the coach on a permanent basis, and then the program flounders when the recruits stop coming in. It makes more sense to hire someone who has taken the reins of a program and shown that he can build it from the ground up. Andy Kennedy hasn’t proven he can do that. Remember, this is the same Andy Kennedy who got turned down for the Louisiana-Lafayette job last year. I’m not sure I’d be handing him the keys to the UC program just yet.

10. Marquette

No real commentary on Marquette. I ranked them one spot ahead of ND for now simply based on the fact that they have better wins than the Irish at this point. Marquette has beaten UConn and DePaul (on the road). If the Irish win at Marquette on Friday night, I’ll gladly adjust these rankings.


11. Notre Dame

I hate putting ND at 11th in the Big East because I think we’re a better team than that, but we haven’t really proven that we deserve a better spot yet. All hope is not lost because we have been competitive in every loss, but it would have been nice to come out on top in a couple of those losses. Turn that Pitt double OT loss into a win, and we’d be in pretty good shape.

For the record, if we beat Marquette and Georgetown, I feel totally comfortable moving us all the way up to #7 (if not #6).

12. St. Johns

Another program that I would like to see rebound and become relevant again. I’ll support any team featuring Anthony Mason, Jr. Couldn’t the Johnnies work this ex-Knicks’ sons angle? Are there any young Starks or Oakley children out there ready for hoops?

The talent has been upgraded, but they still have a ways to go. Could be a team to watch in the future.

13. DePaul

DePaul is horrible, and getting worse. Home losses to Rutgers, Bradley, Bucknell, and Marquette. Blowout loss at Cincy and freaking Old Dominion. Now Wilson Chandler is injured. They might contend for last place in the Big East.

Why am I ragging on DePaul so much? BECAUSE WE LOST TO THESE CLOWNS! Inexcusable. That loss is going to look worse and worse for ND when DePaul finishes up at like 11-19.

14. Seton Hall

Another bad team playing in an NBA arena with no fan enthusiasm. Seems like Louis Orr’s days are numbered at Seton Hall. Interesting rumor regarding the replacement. There has been a lot of rumbling that P.J. Carlesimo is interested in coming back to Seton Hall. I have no idea how true this rumor is, but I would love to see PJ come back to college hoops. I gotta think it will be hard for PJ to ever get another NBA head coach job following the Sprewell incident, so college might be his best option.

15. Providence

Another one of those proud 80s programs that has completely fallen apart of late. Whatever happened to God Shammgod? Is he still in the NBA? Was he ever in the NBA? Can the Friars squeeze another year of eligibility for the Lord?

16. South Florida

Can we just make them a “football only” school in the Big East? About the only intriguing note about South Florida are all the rumors about Bob Huggins taking over that program next year. Personally, I think Huggins would be a steal for South Florida. Most of his recruiting in recent years has been in the south. He can bring in a bunch of athletic types, he’ll have virtually no academic standards, and he’ll be motivated to stick it to all the other squads in the Big East. If anyone could hold their own in the Big East at South Florida, it’s Bob Huggins.

Beware of the Graves-yard

Ok, there's weight gains, there's really large weight gains, and then there's what happened to Danny Graves this past offseason. These pictures are beyond disturbing. I honestly have no idea how an "athlete" puts on about 100 pounds and suddenly starts looking like a chick all in the matter of one offseason, but Danny Graves has managed to pull it off. Between the shoulder length hair, the black hairband, and the grandma earrings, the guy honestly resembles a 40 year old fat lesbian. Unless he's auditioning for a position with the National Organization for Women, I am totally baffled by this new look.

The close up (don't even try to tell me that looks like a man).

The frontal view (side left--just to prove that it is indeed Danny Graves).

Does that look like a major leaguer to you? Me neither. Good luck with that Indians fans. I would die to see the look on Mark Shapiro's face when he checks his email and sees those photos in his inbox.

Well, now that I mention it...........

NFL Quick Picks

Before I get to the NFL Playoff quick picks for this weekend, I have to admit that it still makes me ill to even think about the NFL after what took place last weekend. It's gotten to the point where every time I turn on the tv, I'm half-expecting breaking news that Carson Palmer's leg has actually fallen off.

First, the injury. Was it a dirty hit? Probably not. Could it have been avoided? Oh, you bet. Pretty sure the NFL warns every defensive player in the league to never hit a quarterback below the waist. Well, not only did Kimo drive his shoulder pads into Palmer's leg, he even wrapped his arm around the leg. Watch the replay. It happened. I have no doubt that Kimo was aiming at the lower half of Palmer's body. I don't think he meant to hurt the guy, but I thought it was a cheap shot that certainly heightened the risk of injury.

Second, the reports. When the injury first happened, I kind of just assumed it was a sprain and that Palmer would be fine. Then the reports started trickling in from the locker room. Possible ACL tear. Possible MCL tear. Uh oh. Panic ensues. Phone calls, checking the internet, Bengals.com. Just looking for any kind of update. At this point, the game became secondary. You knew it was only a matter of time before the Steelers took control of this game. I just wanted to check on #9 and find out the extent of that injury.

Third, the aftermath. ACL tear. MCL tear. Palmer comes out the next day, and announces that he'll be back by training camp. Bengal Nation breathes a sigh of relief. Then, rumors start swirling later in the week that the injury was more serious than Palmer or the Bengals were letting on. ACL was shredded. Dislocated knee cap. The word "career-threatening" started getting tossed around. It got to the point where the surgeon held a press conference to discuss the injury, and then held another one to clarify what had been reported. No one really knew what to believe. Where does Palmer stand now? I'm hopeful that the rehabilitation goes well, but I think it's safe to say that Palmer's future is a huge question mark at this point.

Needless to say, the city of Cincinnati has been in a state of panic all week. I just got into town last night for tonight's UC-Syracuse game (big game by the way), but you get the feeling that this town has been like a morgue since Sunday. Everyone seems to have that "I can't wait for next year, but what if......." attitude right now about the Bengals. You almost get the impression that the Palmer injury has the potential to strike a final death blow to Bengal fans if Palmer never comes back to be the same player he was before the hit. Now that we've tasted success, I'm not sure if I could get off the mat yet again if this franchise goes back into the tank.

So where do we go from here? Well, for starters, the defense needs to continue to add playmakers, especially at DT and Safety. The offense should be explosive again if Palmer and Henry come back, but we really won't know until next year. With a brutal schedule ahead next year, it's hard not to think the Bengals will take a step back.

One other thing-Chad Johnson--Time to grow up, and start playing like a champion.

Who Dey.


On to the NFL picks:

WASHINGTON at SEATTLE (Line: Seattle -9.5)

Pick: SEATTLE -9.5

Ugh. I hate that pick, but I have to say that I was not impressed with Washington at all last week. They weren't even trying to move the ball on offense, and probably would have eventually lost that game to Tampa Bay if that Tampa receiver had caught that ball in the end zone to tie it up. Washington has a solid D, but I think they'll need to score to stick around in this game.

I am not all that sold on Seattle either, but they're rested, playing at home, and should be able to score enough points to win this game comfortably.

As for Shaun Alexander, he's not the MVP of this league. Period. Has anyone seen the holes this guy runs through? Alexander doesn't even get touched until he's four yards down the field. I think he's a nice back, but I'm not buying this MVP talk.

There isn't any doubt in my mind who the MVP of the league is this year. I don't even need to say his name, but you know who I'm talking about:

Cut that Meat! Cut that Meat!


SEATTLE 31 WASHINGTON 13




NEW ENGLAND at DENVER (Line: Denver -3)

Pick: New England +3

Seems like one of those games where you talk yourself into liking Denver, but can't do it. New England will find a way to neutralize Denver's running game, and put the game in Jake Plummer's hand. In the end, Jake Plummer is Jake Plummer. Put Plummer in a pressure situation against an opportunistic defense like New England, and he's a ticking time bomb.

As for Tom Brady, what else can I say? The guy NEVER throws a pick in a bad situation. He can make every throw on the field, and always seems to find an open man. Brady is as clutch as it gets in sports. I have no doubt that he'll play well tonight.

One other interesting note about Corey Dillon. I read Bill Simmons' new column from Friday, and couldn't help but laugh about this line:

"They struggled running the ball all season, capped off by a discouraging effort against the Jags in which Corey Dillon was moving with the zip of a woman trying to walk on ice in high heels."


Welcome back Corey Dillon. The most overrated running back in the league has shown his true colors again. It was only a matter of time. Whenever the Bengals needed a big 3rd and 1 conversion, you could count on Dillon tiptoeing up to the line and getting stuffed.

New England 27 Denver 21




Pittsburgh at Indianapolis (Line: Indy -9.5)

Pick: Indy -9.5

You didn't think I would pick Pittsbugh after what happened last week, did you? The Colts could put 50 up tomorrow, and that won't be enough for me.

Bengal Nation will be foaming at the mouth when the Steelers come to Cincy next year. I highly recommend that Kimo Von Oelhoffen come up with a fake injury and not make the trip.

Indianapolis 35 Pittsburgh 17



Carolina at Chicago (Line: Chicago -3)

Pick: Carolina +3

Why is everyone so high on the Bears? Am I missing something? Every time I think of Chicago, I am reminded of the Bengals walking into Soldier Field and completely drilling the Bears. The Bears went to Pittsburgh toward the end of the season and got rolled. Don't believe the hype. The Bears are not that good.

On the other hand, I was impressed with Carolina last week. They run the ball well, and Delhomme is an underrated QB. I feel pretty confident in saying that Carolina will shut down the Bears offense.

Carolina 21 Chicago 17

Who Dey

Just picked up a little Skyline for lunch, and I'm headed off to the bar to watch the first Bengals playoff game in 15 years!

Who Dey! I gotta admit that I wish I was in Cincy right about now.

Go Bengals! Don't have a good feeling about this game, but I'm just happy to be a part of NFL playoff football.

Fiesta Bowl Update

We Is ND hit Tempe by storm, and we have a few photos to highlight the weekend's festivities.

One of the highlights of the trip was seeing the Band of the Fighting Irish, under the direction of Dr. Kenneth Dye, outduel The Ohio State Marching Band at the Battle of the Bands. Yes, that is right, there is a new TBDBITL in town...

We frequented many of the local watering holes, and can honestly say that if Notre Dame had to be located in any other city, Tempe would probably be the first choice. There were some great fans out there, but only one displayed such a great enthusiasm for We Is ND. And for that, we reward the young man with his picture on this great website. What were the chances that the guys tailgating right next to us would have a We Is ND sock-wearer amongst them.

Finally, after 17 straight hours of drinking on January 2nd, we can neither confirm nor deny what we saw. But take a look at this photo, evaluate his mediocre performance in the National Championship game, and judge for yourself who we were partying with.

The Irish may not have won the game, but we had a blast and are already booking our reservations for 2007 in the National Championship. In Charlie we Trust...

2006 Championship Anthem

Just like the Super Bowl Shuffle preceded the '85 Bears date with destiny, who says it's too early for Notre Dame to adopt a song that unifies the team and fans cheering them back to the Fiesta Bowl? On the flight to Tempe, a mix with Will Smith's "Gettin Jiggy With It" came on and insperado struck. Last I checked, the Irish like dancing jigs. They also like the now fighting leader of the Irish, Coach Charlie Weis. Why not fuse the two into dance and merriment?

Gettin Charlie With It
to the tune of "Gettin Jiggy With It"

On your mark, ready, set let's go
Game plan pro
You know, I know, we go psycho
When the touchdowns score
We just can't sit, we gotta get Charlie with it, that's it.
Now come on shout it out loud - We Are N.D.
Got a coach to make us proud.
We gotta QB
Arm's got a lot of sling in it
Throws to his boys to win
Everybody's lookin at him dancin a jig
Here with this Brady kid
Hails from Dublin, Ohi
Orchestrating the comebacks
Heisman run is the next stop
Charlie's lickin his chops
Yo, the sky's the limit
With Irish style all in it
Gettin Charlie with it

Chorus

Na Na Na Na Na Na Na
Na Na Na Na Na Na
Gettin Charlie with it

Stay tuned for two more verses. By the Blue Gold game, this puppy will be sweeping South Bend by storm. Ya heard.

The Mighty Quinn

Trick question: Which Quinn walks around campus sporting his Dublin Coffman H.S. (OH) letterjacket earned by accurately throwing balls at his target? Here's the story, of a man named Brady...right? Not so fast my friend! Difficult as it is to recover from the Sun Devil hangover after such a riveting football season (actually credit Rula Bula's with the hangover), it's basketball season now and the Quinn leading his Fighting Irish on a quest to the promised land is Chris.

In the Big East opener, The Mighty Quinn led the Irish into a hostile environment at The Zoo and clawed his way to a Peterson Events Center record 37 points. Two frantic end-of-game comebacks to force an extra period were triggered by clutch shooting and passing from #2. Unfortunately, career highs in points, assists (9) and minutes (49) weren't enough in a double-overtime, 100-97 defeat at Pittsburgh's hands.

Brey's bunch certainly depends on the senior guard's calm, yet fiery presence, evidenced by a near devastating loss with Quinn sidelined against IPFW. And, lest we forget, Chris single-handedly keeping Notre Dame close with 20 of his 26 points in the 2nd half in the tough loss to [cough] Michigan. The man with boyish features is the catalyst ND will depend on in the 16-team super conference that is now the Big East.

3 Encouraging Signs from the Pitt game:
1.Obviously, Quinn seizing the reins of leadership and pulling the proverbial "Jump on my back boys" routine made famous by everyone's favorite sparkplug. His confidence grows with each clutch game- very necessary for a team still searching for their identity.
2.10 team turnovers in 50 minutes of play. Great to see them playing smart, error-free ball. Hope it's more trend than aberration. I suppose it is less difficult making perimeter passes rather than working the ball into the paint, but I digress.
3.Bounce back ability. Anyone else a little surprised with the spunk of this team after nearly being upended last Friday by Wofford? I expected something more along the lines of a blow out, but taking the #22 ranked team to the wire on the road certainly bodes well for games to come.

3 Discouraging Stats from the Pitt game:
1.Timid Torin Francis' line: 29 minutes, 7 points, 3-11 FG, 1-4 FT, 1 PF. Uggh. The last one is most peculiar. Explain to me how your team commits 32 fouls and your biggest player accounts for a measly one of them. Bang Torin! Release the slumbering giant within.
2.Luke Zeller hoisting more 3's (10) than Quinn (9). Can't say I'm a fan of 6'11 white guys stepping behind the arc unless their name rhymes with Roy Nerfy. Certainly not a good idea softening Zeller up for the rugged Big East. It's literally a step back in the wrong direction and only stunting his progress.
3.Rick Cornett fouling out in 14 minutes of action. That's impressive, in a Chris Dudley kind of way. Don't get me wrong, I'm as big a Rick Cornett fan as there is. He's a head-banned, high-energy and aggressive big man with effective post moves, yet his proclivity for fouling relegates him to Brey's doghouse - not the place to be if you're looking for minutes. The Irish need his veteran leadership and scoring ability in conference play.

Time to get back to the winning ways this weekend versus DePaul. A Quinn named Chris shall lead the way.

Update

Just wanted to get a quick update on the website to let all our "fans" know what is coming in the next few days/weeks.

Apologies for not having anything up here since December 29, but it's been a pretty crazy week out in Tempe. Should be some Fiesta Bowl updates coming in the next few days (Please bear with us. I'm still hungover from Monday night).

Also, look out for an early look at the 2006 favorites in our preseason top 10 college football poll. There will be some expected names, and possibly a few surprise teams included and a couple surprise teams excluded.

We got some decent feedback in Tempe on the "Quick Picks," so that might become a regular feature for the big weekend hoops games coming up over the next few months.

And it's getting to be about that time to dust off that old ball and glove for some baseball team/fantasy previews. The five best words in sports: "Pitchers and catchers report today." Should be some baseball stuff coming in the near future.

Quick Picks

It suddenly occurred to us that there is no freaking way we'll be able to provide in-depth previews of the rest of the bowl games. We're off to Tempe tomorrow, so time to scale down the bowl picks and make some "Quick Picks" on the fly for the rest of these bowl games (except the Fiesta Bowl and Rose Bowl). No stats, no breakdowns, just pure stream of consciousness writing and gut feelings for all 14 of these games. Apologies in advance to the four actual readers that we have (if that), but this is the best we can offer.

Next year, we will be more on the ball with getting the picks up early and often(or if you like it we'll just make the "quick picks" a regular feature).

Still planning a big preview of the Fiesta Bowl and hopefully the Rose Bowl next week when we get back.

Holiday Bowl – Oregon vs. Oklahoma (Line: Oregon -3.5)

Doug: Oregon -3.5. Seems like everybody is on the “Cal didn’t show up in the Holiday Bowl last year after they got passed over by the BCS, so Oregon won’t either” bandwagon. I’m a little skeptical of that. Oklahoma did not impress me this year at all, even with Peterson. Oregon 31 Oklahoma 20

Matt: Oklahoma +3.5. I really didn't know who to take in this one. Oklahoma has been improving all year, and Rhett Bomar finally seems to be a competent QB. Not sold on Oregon even though they've been winning without Clemens. It's the Holiday Bowl, so... Oklahoma 41 Oregon 37

Music City Bowl – Virginia vs. Minnesota (Line: Minnesota -5)

Doug: Minnesota -5. The Cavaliers are the biggest frauds in college football year in and year out. The next big game they win will be the first. Minnesota will be fired up and run the ball all over Virginia. Minnesota 24 Virginia 17

Matt: Minnesota -5. When are all of Al Groh's recruiting classes going to actually do something. The fact that two of his assistants got head coaching jobs is a little odd, and just shows how much these teams underacheive. Lawrence Maroney goes over 200 on the ground. Minnesota 27 Virginia 18

Sun Bowl: Northwestern vs. UCLA (Line: UCLA -3)

Doug: UCLA -3. Should be an entertaining game if you like offense. Had a chance to go to the OSU-Northwestern game earlier this year. Northwestern doesn’t even pretend to play defense, and their special teams are terrible. UCLA has the better athletes, and will find a way to win this game. UCLA 45 Northwestern 31

Matt: UCLA - 3. Believe me, i think UCLA is one of the most overrated teams in the country. Their fans would probably be more excited to find a new trendy restaurant that serves a good shrimp cocktail than win the Sun Bowl. But Brent Musberger would probably look pretty good right now to Randy Walker at the two deep in the secondary. UCLA wins in a shootout. UCLA 42 Northwestern 37

Independence Bowl: South Carolina vs. Missouri (Line: SC -4.5)

Doug: South Carolina -4.5 - Three words: Steven Orr Spurrier. I’d bet Spurrier doesn't even acknowledge Missouri football, and probably can't even point out the state on a map. Quick sidenote on Spurrier: Can he even name 10 schools out of the SEC conference? Does he just fill in his coaches poll ballot with 10 SEC teams and leave the rest blank? South Carolina 31 Missouri 17

Matt: Missouri +4.5. I was starting to warm up to the 'Ol Ballcoach again. Then he had to go run his mouth about ND and their schedule and vote them lower than any coach in america. I think the good Brad Smith shows up, but it's not enough to save Gary Pinkel's job. He gets the 'pinkel' slip after the season. Missouri 18 South Carolina 13

Peach Bowl: Miami (Fla.) vs. LSU (Line: Miami -7.5)

Doug: Miami (Fla.) -7.5. Three more words: Les Miles. The white Ty Willingham. Most overrated coach in the country. I have never been impressed with Les Miles as a coach. With Saban in the NFL, the LSU program will decline rapidly over the next few years. Put that in pen. Miami will be fired up and ready to roll. 7th Floor Crew for life! Miami 27 LSU 10

Matt: Miami (Fla.) -7.5. No Jamarcus Russell? No way. Miami 31 LSU 13

Meineke Bowl: South Florida vs. NC State (Line: NC State -3.5)

Doug: South Florida +3.5. Upset alert! NC State has not distinguished themselves at all this year. Seems like a program in decline. On the other hand, this is a statement game for South Florida. When in doubt, I’ll go with the team that needs to win this game more. South Florida 21 NC State 17

Matt: NC State -3.5. If Chuck Amato loses this game he should be forced to listen to taped recordings of his own voice until spring ball. USF had the chance to play West Virginia for the Big East title and couldn't beat UConn. They are not a good program. Hang that on the bulletin board Jim Leavitt. NC State 27 USF 10

Liberty Bowl: Fresno State vs. Tulsa (Line: Fresno State -7)

Doug: Fresno State -7. How the heck did this game get a December 31 bowl slot? This matchup has December 23rd bowl game written all over it. Needless to say, I’m not that excited about the Liberty Bowl this year (especially compared to last year's Louisville-Boise State epic battle), and I feel sorry for the good people of Memphis for having to host it. I’ll go with Pat Hill’s fighting moustaches. Fresno State 31 Tulsa 14

Matt: Tulsa +7. I can't help but feel that Fresno State's season ended in the Coliseum against USC. As hard as the 'stache will try, I don't think Fresno gets up for this game. Tulsa played well down the stretch and has to be pumped after the turnaround from three years ago. Tulsa 37 Fresno State 34

Houston Bowl: TCU vs. Iowa State (Line: TCU -3 )

Doug: TCU -3. Virtual home game for TCU. I learned all I needed to learn about ISU’s character during that gag job against Kansas at the end of the year that deprived them of a spot in the Big 12 North title game. TCU 20 ISU 10

Matt: TCU -3. Iowa State has no backbone. Couldn't close out an awful Big 12 North. Again. TCU is an incredible loss against SMU from playing in the BCS. TCU 37 Iowa State 14

Outback Bowl: Iowa vs. Florida (Line: Florida -1)

Doug: Florida -1. Iowa is just not a very good team this year. Look up their results. I can’t even believe they are playing in this game. Florida is a legit top 15 team this year, and should be even better in the coming years. No way Urban Meyer loses this game. Won’t happen. Florida 24 Iowa 7

Matt: Florida -1. Florida program is in mini-shambles after Urban's first year. Mega-prospect qb Josh Portis appears to be headed out the door, and Urban has Chris Leak running an offense that doesn't quite fit his talents. Throw in a loss against Spurrier and a tiny bit of doubt about Meyer's credentials (Let's just say the words Utah and Bowling Green don't get much respect in SEC Country) and this is a big game for Florida. They'll win. Florida 20 Iowa 17

Cotton Bowl: Texas Tech vs. Alabama (Line: Texas Tech -4 )

Doug: Alabama +4. I already know how Matt is betting on this one. Matt might as well just change his name to Mike Leach Jr. In fact, I think it's possible that Matt is the biggest Texas Tech apologist in America outside of Lubbock, Texas. I’ll go with the opposite just for giggles (although it still makes me uneasy to bet on a Shula). Alabama 23 Texas Tech 21

Matt: Texas Tech -4. I can't wait for this one! Did I miss something? Is Bear Bryant coming back to coach? Is Shawn Alexander lining up at RB with Dennis Riddle? Did Tyrone Prothro's leg miraculously unsnap? No? Oh, well then how is Alabama going to score 4 points let alone cover! Ok, so I'm exaggerating just a bit. Let me take off my Red Raider shaded goggles. I don't think Alabama's defense will slow down Cody Hodges enough to make up for Alabama's awful offense. Texas Tech 27 Alabama 6

Gator Bowl: Louisville vs. Virginia Tech (Line: Virginia Tech -8.5 )

Doug: Louisville +8.5. The last few Virginia Tech games I saw left a bad taste in my mouth about that team. The Vick Brothers are quickly becoming the most overrated QB tandem in football history. Va Tech wins, but Louisville covers. Va Tech 31 Louisville 27

Matt: Virginia Tech -8.5. No Brian Brohm? No way. Virginia Tech 34 Louisville 17

Capital One Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Auburn (Line: Wisconsin +11 )

Doug: Wisconsin +11. I think Auburn wins this game, but I refuse to throw away 11 points like that, especially against a Big 10 team. Auburn 17 Wisconsin 10

Matt: Auburn -11. I realize that is it is a Big 10 team with their legendary coach in his last game. I just don't think Wisconsin is good enough to stay with Auburn. Auburn 41 Wiconsin 18

Sugar Bowl: West Virginia vs. Georgia (Line: Georgia -7 )

Doug: Georgia -7. Seems like there is some momentum to pick a West Virginia upset. I’m not buying it. I am not convinced that West Virginia is a great team, and there is no way they are beating Georgia in Atlanta unless they are a great team. WVU lost to Va Tech by double digits at home. Georgia might be one of the four or five best teams in America this year. Dawgs roll. Georgia 31 West Virginia 13

Matt: Georgia -7. I was all ready to pick West Virginia to cover in this game. When I watched them against Pitt they were unstoppable rushing. But this isn't Pitt in Morgantown. UGA in Atlanta is a whole 'nother story. The fact that WVU is soooooo one dimensional on offense (118th in pass) means Georgia is going to be flying all over the field stopping the run. Throw in the fact both RB and QB are freshman, and this could get ugly. Georgia 27 West Virgina 13

Orange Bowl: Penn State vs. Florida State (Line: Penn State -9.5)

Doug: Florida State +9.5. Give Bobby Bowden and company a month, and I think they’ll hold up just fine. Wouldn’t be surprised to see FSU win this game outright. I think Penn State is a good team this year, but they are probably less talented than FSU when you break it down. I like Penn State to pull it out, but I think the game will be close. Penn State 20 Florida State 14

Matt: Florida State +9.5. I know that this Penn State is a play away from being undefeated. But there is just something that I can't put my finger on that hasn't made me a true believer in this team. Maybe it's the missed tackle by Northwestern. Or the fact that this team was so dreadful the past two years. I think FSU has more speed than anything Joe Pa saw in the Big 10, and wouldn't be surprised to see a FSU upset in Miami. I'm not that brave to predict it, but it will be closer than the experts think. Penn State 26 Florida State 24

Emerald Bowl

Utah (6-5) vs. Georgia Tech (7-4)

SBC Park, San Francisco, California

Line: Georgia Tech -9

Doug: Georgia Tech -9

Kind of a strange bowl game since it's played in a baseball stadium. Guess it was the only way to squeeze a bowl game into the San Francisco market.

Although I think Georgia Tech is clearly the better team and will win this game, the spread is kind of a crapshoot. When in doubt, I’ll go with the better team and hope for the rout. Utah has not had one impressive moment this season. That program is spiraling back down to earth now that Urban Meyer is gone, and Georgia Tech is hands down the best team they’ve played all season. On the other hand, Georgia Tech has been underrated all year, and probably deserved a better bowl. Reggie Ball is a playmaker at QB, and has that whole “I’ve been at Georgia Tech for about nine years” thing going for him. If the Yellow Jackets show up in this game, I see them blowing out Utah.

Since I don’t really have much to add about this game, I’ll just say that I am already about excited about seeing Barry Bonds show up at spring training about 25 pounds lighter. I wish I could be a fly on the wall in the equipment room when Bonds shows up to complain about his hat being too big.

I’m sure the media will joke around about it with some lame jokes, but I would love to see somebody actually call the guy out and put his feet to the fire.

"Excuse me, Barry. You say you accidentally used steroids one time? Well, why is it that the first year that you will be tested for steroids, you showed up looking like Randy Winn? Seems suspicious. You care to explain this?"

My guess is that no one in the media has the guts to do it.

If Bonds ever breaks the all time home run record, it will be a sad day for baseball.


Georgia Tech 31 Utah 14


Matt: Georgia Tech -9

Another one of those games that has most of America yawning while those diehards in Utah and Atlanta analyze the punt protection of the opponents and count down to kickoff. I don't know if it really relevant to the outcome of the game or not, but i'm giving Utah two more years of 6-5 or 7-4 before they go back to 4-7 on a regular basis with an occasional 6-5 record and Emerald Bowl appearance. It just seems like a tough place to win and I think they caught lightning in a bottle with Urban Meyer, the hype he brought from Bowling Green and his spread offense.

As for the game, let's not forget that Georgia Tech went in to Jordan - Hare and beat Auburn this year. Add up all the wins in the history of the Utah program and they might approach how big of a win that was. Utah has not really had an impressive win, doesn't have a true playmaker on offense like a Calvin Johnson, and doesn't have an experienced qb like Reggie Ball. Add it all up and this one is an M+M'er as my idol Dickie V would say.

And if you're not convinced, their coaches name, Kyle Whittingham, is just a little too close for comfort to Ty Willingham. I'll take a former Cowboys coach in Chan Gailey.

Georgia Tech 36 Utah 17

MasterCard Alamo Bowl

Michigan (7-4) vs. Nebraska (7-4)

Alamo Dome, San Antonio, Texas

Line: Michigan -11

Doug: Nebraska +11

As I stare at the two teams in this game, it's almost stunning to see Michigan and Nebraska in the freaking Alamo Bowl.

Michigan. Hail to the Victors. Bo Schembechler. Winningest college football program of all time. The Helmets. The Big House.

The Alamo Bowl?

Nebraska. Tom Osborne. Tommy Frazier. The triple option. Fourth winningest college fooball program of all time. The great offensive linemen. The Blackshirts. The Sea of Red (ND fans remember it well.)

The Alamo Bowl?


Wow. It just doesn't feel right to see a Michigan-Nebraska game before January 1.

Lots to discuss:

1. Nebraska

After visiting Lincoln, Nebraska in the fall of 2001 for the ND-Nebraska game, I have developed a tremendous amount of respect for the Nebraska program and their fans. Maybe the nicest fans in college football. They have a lot of appreciation for the history of the game and its traditions, and were very respectful of ND and our fans (even though we were pitiful at the time). You'll never hear a bad word out of me about Nebraska football after that experience (which was one of the best trips I've ever been on and probably ever will go on).

I can't confirm this, but I would bet that it is killing Nebraska fans to see how far their program has fallen in recent years. I'd have to imagine that there is a lot of concern about the direction that Bill Callahan has that program headed. On paper, they improved this year. However, when you take a closer look, there are some major problems with this team. Nebraska has struggled to score points, rank nearly dead last inthe nation in run offense, and have performed poorly on the road for two straight years.

Most importantly, Nebraska has lost its identity. The trademark smashmouth offense/physical intense defenses of the Tom Osborne era have been replaced by a West Coast offense that has turned Nebraska into a soft, inconsistent also-ran.

Maybe year three will be the year that Callahan puts it together. Maybe Callahan really does just need to "get his own players." (Where have we heard that before? There are some eerie similarities between the Callahan era at Nebraska and the Willingham era at Notre Dame.) Maybe this game will be the game that springs Nebraska football back to prominence for the next decade.

I'm just not convinced.


2. Michigan

Michigan also seems to be at somewhat of a crossroads. For all that he has accomplished at Michigan, Lloyd Carr has fallen into a steady routine of losing to ND and Ohio State over the last five years. It also hasn't helped that he's lost three out of his last four bowl games. I doubt that Lloyd is in any serious jeopardy of losing his job, but I imagine things are little uneasy in Ann Arbor these days.

As they always do, Michigan has talent. Mario Manningham will be a stud at Michigan, Avant is solid, they still have some very good offensive linemen, and the RBs are talented. Still, for all the hype about the talent at Michigan, I'm not sure if I'm sold on a couple of these guys.

Chad Henne--Perhaps the most overrated QB in the country this year (if not the last five years). Henne has been receiving praise for two years now, but I'll be the first to admit that I am not impressed by the guy at all. Not a very accurate passer, hasn't played well in big games, seems to have a knack for throwing a killer interception. He's only a sophomore, so there's time to improve, but I'd like to see this guy lead his team to victory in a big game one time before we start talking about him as a great quarterback.

Steve Breaston--Another all-world talent who really hasn't developed at all as a wide receiver. I think he's a decent kick returner, but Breaston was being talked about as the next Rocket Ismail when he first showed up at Michigan. He hasn't developed into the playmaker that they were expecting.

Michigan's defense has also been up and down all year. At times they've looked great, but teams have moved the ball on them when they needed to.

All in all, Michigan just hasn't been a great team this year. You could make the case that they are only a few plays from a big season, but those close losses might be more indicative of inconsistent play and questionable leadership than bad luck.

Summary:

I'm really looking forward to this game, and expect a Michigan victory. However, I'm not sure what to make of this line. I just have a hard time taking this year's version of Michigan at - 11 points in this game. They haven't shown me enough this year to lend me to believe that they can blow out a team like Nebraska. Nebraska is a very mediocre team this year, but their defense has been solid. I see no reason to think that Michigan won't let Nebraska hang around in this game before pulling it out in the end.

Michigan wins, but Nebraska covers the points.

Michigan 23 Nebraska 14


Matt: Nebraska +11

My colleague Doug provided an excellent analysis of this matchup and all I can do is echo some of his thoughts. It is odd, but also hilarious, to see Michigan and Lloyd playing on December 28th. Of course, last year the Irish were playing about the same time of year, but now that Charlie is here I'm feeling confident that the Irish will have a permanent date on New Year's Day for years to come.

Michigan had an up and down year, but if you look at the teams I think the advantage in talent has to go to Michigan. They have a balanced offense (165 rushing ypg; 218 passing ypg), whereas Nebraska has a pass first - pass often offense (91 rushing ypg; 229 passing ypg). So basically, Nebraska passes for 10 more yards a game than Michigan but can't run the ball (110th ranking) whereas Michigan can mix in a running game. Hmmm....

Flip around to the defensive side of the ball and things look pretty similar. Both teams have decent defenses (Nebraska 24th - 326 ypg; Michigan 42nd -348 ypg.) Michigan's pass defense is good enough to slow down an average qb in Zac Taylor, although he is coming off two big games and Michigan's secondary is coming off a shaky second half against the Ohio State. Both teams have given up big days to an opponent's offense (Michigan St and OSU; Kansas, Tx Tech and an unfathomable 523 yards to Missouri), so I expect a mini-shootout to develop in this one. I like Michigan to win, but they are not going to cover.

Michigan 27 Nebraska 24

MPC Computers Bowl

Boston College (8-3) vs. Boise State (9-3)

Bronco Stadium, Boise, Idaho

Line: Boston College -2.5

Doug: Boston College -2.5

The MPC Computers Bowl. Formerly known as the Humanitarian Bowl. Coming at you live from the smurf turf in Boise, Idaho! Bowl fever...catch it!

As far as I'm concerned, this game is the most intriguing bowl thus far for several reasons.

1. Dan Hawkins

As you already know, Hawkins is departing for Boulder, Colorado following the season. If you've never gotten a chance to hear Dan Hawkins, do yourself a favor and try to find an interview with the guy on the internet somewhere. Maybe the nicest guy in college football. Hard not to root for him.

While I'm sure Hawkins is loved by his current BSU players, it's hard to really tell how the team will react to him leaving when it comes to the bowl game. On one hand, they might be fired up, play with emotion, and give him the send off that he deserves. On the other hand, there's no real accountability to win for the guy anymore. Once you know he's gone, you lose that fear/respect a little bit because you know he won't be around anymore.

The BSU players are saying all the right things, but sometimes the "win one for the coach" idea ends up having a negative effect on the team. Something to definitely watch out for.


2. BC in Boise

Other than seeing ND get selected for the Fiesta Bowl, there was nothing more satisfying than seeing those punk Super Fans of BC relegated to Boise for the MPC Computers Bowl. After BC bailed on the Big East for the ACC and sold out their conference brethren, I couldn't be happier about them getting snubbed by all the good southern bowls. Nothing against the good folks of Boise, but it's not exactly a hot destination for too many people these days (other than maybe radical anti-government types). Considering the fact that BC doesn't travel all that well as it is, I am fully expecting no more than 1000 BC fans in attendance. In fact, that number might even be giving BC too much credit.

Needless to say, the BC "fanbase" is not really excited about this game. Not sure if fan apathy will carry over to the BC players, but it's certainly possible. It has happened before.

On a side note, it completely baffles me that BC fans expect to play in better bowl games. Based on what? Their outstanding tradition? Nope. Large fanbase willing to travel outside the Northeast? Nope. Marquee players? Nope. Big tv ratings? Nope. BC is a decent program, but there is no reason to think they are attractive to big bowl games.

3. Tom O'Brien

Tom O'Brien is not exactly the most likeable guy out there. O'Brien makes Tom Coughlin seem pleasant. Still, there's no denying that he's done a nice job at BC, and the five game bowl winning streak is moderately impressive for a program of BC's caliber. None of those bowl games were considered elite bowl games, so O'Brien has shown the ability to get his teams ready to play for these lesser bowls that the fans are disappointed about.

4. The game

Although this game is a home game for Boise State, I think BC will come away with the win. Boise State has played three quality opponents this year, and lost all three games. Makes you wonder if they are really even any good. I watched them get smoked by Georgia in the opener, and was not impressed.

BC has been tested in the ACC all year long, and pulled off a couple very nice road wins over Clemson and Maryland. Their D is very solid, and they have a huge offensive line that will grind the Broncos D into mush by the fourth quarter.

Reluctantly, I'm going with the Eagles.

BC 31 Boise State 24

Matt: Boise St. +2.5

This game is so tough to call. You've got two different dynamics at work here. First, what is Boise State's mindset. If they tuned into the Colorado bowl game yesterday, they heard Dan Hawkins talking about his new team and how he could turn it around. Are they really going to be playing hard for a guy who is leaving when the game is over. Or will they put it all on the line for a coach that took the program to another level after Dirk, i mean Dirk, no wait, this Dirk left for ASU. My gut feeling is that Boise St comes out fired up playing for a coach they all love in front of their home fans.

The second thing to watch is how BC comes out after being pissed off they were sent to Boise for the holidays and passed over by the southern bowls. As much as i dislike BC, their fans, and their coach, i think Tom O'Brien has them ready to play, unless Boise St. comes out blazing and BC falls behind and the crowd gets into it. If that happens, watch out, BC might mail it in and start preparing for the plane ride home so they can go join all their fellow Bostonites and talk about how Red Sox and how the whole world revolves around the Sawx and Yanks.

Here is what the game boils down to. If BC can shut down Jared Zabransky and the Boise St. passing game, they should win. If Boise can slow down the L.V. Whitworth and Andre Callender rushing tandem, they've got a good shot. Don't ask me to analyze why one of these will happen. I'm taking Boise St. They get ahead early, get the crowd into it, and BC is forced to throw more than they want to. Look for Zabransky to have a big day and go out on a high note in what has been an up and down season for him.

Boise St. 34 BC 32

Insight Bowl

Rutgers (7-4) vs. Arizona State (6-5)

Chase Field, Phoenix, Arizona

Line: Arizona State -10

Doug: Arizona State -10

This is one of those games where I really want to start typing with a lot of exclamation points, pick a Rutgers upset, head to a bar decked out in scarlet, and whoop it up for every Rutgers first down. Maybe it's the rags to riches Rutgers story, maybe it's the upset potential, maybe it's the pure dislike for all things Pac-10. I REALLY want to pick Rutgers to win this game. I really do.

Three big factors at work:

1. Motivation

Out of all the bowl games, I think the motivation factor (which is huge in bowl games) for Rutgers might rate the highest out of all the bowl teams. This is Rutgers we are talking about. Freaking Rutgers. One of the worst Division I-A programs in the country. A perennial doormat.

Some stats for you to chew on:

1. Rutgers has had four winning seasons since 1984. Four in twenty one years.
2. Rutgers hasn't appeared in a bowl game in 27 years. Ironically, their last appearance in the now defunct Garden State Bowl in 1978 was against Arizona State.
3. They lost 25 consecutive games in Big East conference play from 1999-2003.


You think they might be a little excited about this game? Me too. The Insight Bowl is the biggest thing to happen to Rutgers football since the 70s. Pretty sure they'll be fired up. If anything, I'm expecting them to be a little tight to start the game. Imagine, a team that is too nervous to play in the freaking Insight Bowl.

2. Talent

With all due respect to Tres Moses, in terms of talent alone, I gotta think Arizona State has the big edge here. The Sun Devils have a pretty potent passing attack (led by standout WR Derek Hagan), and they have scored on pretty much everybody they've played. At times, ASU has looked outstanding. If they show up ready to play, I could very easily see them running Rutgers off the field.

ASU is also significantly more battle tested than Rutgers. ASU has played all the relevant Pac 10 teams, and even played LSU and Northwestern. That's a pretty good schedule when it's all said and done. Taking a closer look at Rutgers' schedule, they were blown out by Louisville and lost by double digits at home to West Virginia and South Florida. Those performances make you wonder how good Rutgers really is this year.


3. Fear of losing

If I was Dirk Koetter, I would be lying awake at night worried about the possibility of losing this game. That has to serve as motivation to get your team fired up. ASU is playing a virtual home game against a program that hasn't won a bowl game in its entire history.

If Arizona State blows this game, Dirk Koetter should just start cleaning out his desk. I don't care that the ink hasn't even dried on a new extension signed last month. If he loses to Rutgers, he loses all credibility as a head coach.


Summary: Not really sure how to call this game. If I take Arizona State to cover the 10 points, it's inevitable that I'll be all hot and bothered when ASU comes out flat, Rutgers makes some early big plays to get some confidence, and the game remains close throughout. If I take Rutgers to cover, I'll be bracing for the disappointment of ASU throwing the ball all over the field, taking early command of the game, and never looking back.

I've been going back and forth on this, and I'm changing my mind. ASU in a rout.

ASU 38 Rutgers 21

Under - 63

Matt: Arizona State -10

I was tempted to pick Rutgers here. I really was. Great story. Coach seems like a good guy. And they have a pretty good offense. But then i remembered, this is Rutgers we are talking about. Just like Allen Iverson has his famous "Practice" speech, I literally said out loud "Rutgers? C'mon man, we talking about Rutgers." They are a nice team. But it's Rutgers. The same team that lost to a dreadful Illinois team, was beat down by South Florida and Louisville, and has all the makings of the classic 'happy to be here' bowl team. Just recently there was an article on espn where one of the players was saying they've been lounging at the pool all day since they've gotten into town. Even though the school is giving students $300 in travel money, and paying for all students tickets, I still think there is only going to be one Scarlet Nation in Phoenix this bowl season. In other words, Arizona State is playing a home game and no amount of traveling Rutgers fans is going to change that.

Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said it best when he said that Arizona State is the best 6-5 team in the country. I don't ususally have much respect for Pac 10 teams not named USC, but I have to give ASU credit in that they went out and played LSU and Northwestern nonconference, thrashing NW and losing on a controversial call to LSU. They are in the Pac 10 so obviously they have an explosive offense even though starter Sam Keller was hurt during the season.

In the end, I think the fear of losing to Rutgers motivates ASU and Rutgers is just happy to be out of New Jersey for the holidays. Rutgers keeps it close for a half, but ASU blows it open in the second half.

Arizona State 45 Rutgers 24

Over 63

Champs Sports Bowl

Clemson (7-4) vs. Colorado (7-5)

Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Florida

Line: Clemson -10


Doug: Clemson -10

This is one of those bowl games that has been in every city in Florida, has had about 37 different names, and 14 different conference affiliations. Yet somehow, the Champs Sports/"insert random corporation based in Florida" bowl manages to piece together decent matchups every year.

In any other year, Clemson-Colorado is a pretty solid matchup for a December 27th bowl game. Two pretty good programs from different parts of the country in a bragging rights type game.

Obviously, this game went into the tank the moment Gary Barnett got canned at Colorado, so it's tough to really get a feel for how it will turn out (although Notre Dame fans can probably take a guess). For the record, I know he's not the greatest guy in the world, but I actually think highly of Gary Barnett as a coach. Barnett taking Northwestern to the Rose Bowl in 1995 still goes down as one of the greatest coaching performances I've ever seen. Truly the Cardiac Kids. Every victory down the stretch was more improbable than the game before. Pat Fitzgerald, Brian Musso, D'Wayne Bates, Darnell Autry, and Steve Schnur. I don't think I'll ever forget those names. I'd even shell out for a DVD recap of that season as long as they included the ABC game footage of Brent Musberger (NU grad) having a weekly heart attack announcing the games. By the time the Rose Bowl game came around, I had bonded with that team so much that I felt like I had been a Northwestern fan my whole life.

Although I think Barnett is a good coach, the Buffs probably won't miss Barnett now that they reeled in Dan Hawkins, who is a true hidden gem out there in Boise. Ok, so maybe he's the ugliest coach in college football. He's certainly not the only one. I think Hawkins will do a nice job at Colorado.

As for Clemson, Tommy Bowden somehow manages to keep his job every year in spite of inconsistent efforts and underachieving. Bowden is one of those guys who looks like he should be a good coach, so he'll always have his supporters. Sort of like Jim Haslett (how that guy never seems to be in jeopardy of losing his job is beyond me). Every year, we hear the same "look out for Clemson" story, and every year they are an easy team to bet against because you can count on them choking away a game they're "supposed" to win.

Until this year. I've bet against Clemson probably four or five times this year (starting with the opener against A&M), and lost every one of them. Either Bowden is putting it together, or his players are winning in spite of him (probably the latter). Clemson is pretty solid this year. Flip around those OT losses to BC and Miami, and Clemson could have been a top 12 or so team. I probably would have picked them to win this game even if Barnett were on the sidelines for Colorado. I have no reason to think Colorado cares at all about this game, so I'll go with Clemson in a major rout.

Clemson 34 Colorado 13

Over - 45

Matt: Clemson -10


ND fans need only look back 365 days to see how well a team performs when they have been through a controversy like the coach getting run out of town. Gary Barnett has been on borrowed time since the tales of CU recruiting practices were told. (Are people really naive enough to think that some form of this doesn't go on at most major football schools during recruiting weekends. I lived with an ND football player and hold a story or two that would make Knute Rockne roll over in his grave.) At least Barnett was able to provide us with the soundbite of the century when he said "Not only was Katie Hnida a girl, she was an awful kicker." Pretty brutal, but i'm sure not far from the truth. Anyway, with Barnett in the rear view mirror and the team having long since packed it in, this one should get ugly in a hurry. The only chance the Buffs have is if Joel Klatt can rely on his 11 years of college experience. (Maybe not 11, but it seems like he took the job after Kordell Stewart graduated. He is a proud member of the Jess Settles Stay in School Club with John Stocco, Luke Recker, Nik Caner-Medley and Chris Rix just to name a few.)

Meanwhile, Clemson is a few plays away from being a BCS contender. Look at their losses:
Miami by 6 in 3OT - Heartbreaker, and they had chances to win
BC by 3 in OT - Gotta beat BC at home
At Wake by 4 - Bad loss, but Tommy Bowden has one of these every year to get the pot simmering
At Georgia Tech by 1 - Tough loss, but not classified as a bad loss

A couple of different bounces and a few breaks and the Tigers are undefeated. Of course a lot of teams can say that, like ND for example, but in this game it wouldn't matter if Clemson was starting me at QB. They roll

Clemson 51 Colorado 10

Over 45

Motor City Bowl

Akron (7-5) vs. Memphis (6-5)

Ford Field, Detroit, Michigan

Line: Memphis -5.5

Doug: Memphis -5.5

With all due respect to the MAC Conference, I like Memphis in this game. I've had a chance to watch Akron a couple times, and haven't been particularly impressed. I have no idea how they pulled off the MAC title, but they aren't the best team in the MAC this year.

Memphis is a solid team with all-world running back (and facebook.com friend) DeAngelo Williams and a pretty good defense.

Time for the MAC to start lobbying for a new destination for their league champ. You're telling me the best game they could find for the league champion was the Motor City Bowl in freakin Detroit? I mean, nothing against Detroit (I would be thrilled to visit there next month if the Bengals were playing a Super Bowl game there), but it's not exactly a great destination for a bowl game. I'd rather play the game in some high school stadium in Ocala, Florida over Detroit.

If anything, move the game to Windsor, Canada. At least the players could enjoy themselves ordering beverages at "The Beer Store" and singing karaoke at "The Crazy Horse Saloon." Great city. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit there sophomore year of college, and have a lifelong devotion to Tim Hortons following a few late night trips to that fine establishment. Much to my delight, Columbus is loaded with Tim Hortons, so I'm never more than a 5 minute drive from some delicious Timbits.


Memphis 30 Akron 21


Matt: Memphis -5.5

Another one of those games that really doesn't get me pumped. Maybe it's the fact it's Akron against Memphis, two schools that don't have any tradition or rabid fans (or any fans? I've lived in Cleveland for three years and never once have seen an Akron fan). Maybe it's the fact that the game is played in Detroit. Was the stadium in Gary, Indiana booked when they were planning? I couldn't think of a worse place to go when your bowl game is supposed to be a reward.

As for the game, when in doubt, go with the best player on the field. And that, by a million miles, is DeAngelo Williams. I've actually never seen the guy play, so that is the only real reason i'll be tuning in.

Since I have nothing else to say about the game, i'll just ask how the hell can Matt Millen keep his job this year? It isn't possible is it? Everyone kinda thought he was a little nutty when he picked three wide receivers in the first round for three straight years. And the Lions are a total joke, they have gotten worse every year. I don't think it is possible for them to be any worse next year. Might as well just bring back Wayne Fontes as coach, Scott Mitchell as qb and let Mel Gray return a few punts just for laughs.

Prediction: Memphis 27 Akron 17