BFD Sports

I can barely hit the green on a normal hole. I can only imagine...

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:57:50 -0400

I can barely hit the green on a normal hole. I can only imagine how bad my slice would be here.

Must have been a slow day at the office. I approve.

Fri, 17 May 2013 13:44:24 -0400

Must have been a slow day at the office. I approve.

Metallica rocked AT&T Park with awesome national anthem on Friday night

Sun, 05 May 2013 17:58:10 -0400

Metallica rocked AT&T Park with awesome national anthem on Friday night:

More times than not it’s the horrendously over-the-top or out of tune versions of the national anthem that get the most play in our world. I’d like to change that right now by drawing your attention to the incredible full … Continue reading →

Jets Make Another QB Mistake by Releasing Tebow

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 19:11:39 -0400

The Jets made another QB error today by releasing Tim Tebow and not Mark Sanchez. Don’t get me wrong, this is not a statement that Tebow should be a starter. It’s just that he definitely has more long term value than Sanchez does. Tebow probably lacks the chops to be an NFL starter anywhere, but used effectively (i.e., like his freshman year at Florida), he could be a potent force in short yardage situations (a situation the Jets struggled in) and in the red zone (a situation the Jets were even worse at). I understand the myriad of issues that goes with the Jets being forced to eat Sanchez’s contract, including the cap hit, but Sanchez can’t play. Period. The fact the Jets drafted Geno Smith certainly tells me that even the Jets don’t see Sanchez as being a viable long term option at QB.

So, why did they do it? Well, even the Jets are sick of Tebow mania. When they underutilized him last season, they only made the situation worse. Tebow became a sideshow when he could have been an effective force for a team that struggled every way offensively. You could even argue that passing on Tebow as a starter once they benched Sanchez was a decent move, but then they should have never listed him as the number two QB on the depth chart. That only made the situation worse.

In all honesty, I think the Jets took a step forward by drafting Geno Smith and signing veteran free agent David Garrard. That being said, they still mishandled the Tebow situation from start to finish. Just watch the Patriots sign him and find ways to get him the ball in the end zone. If you don’t believe me, they even got Mike Vrabel, their starting linebacker for several years, quite a few touchdowns during his time as a Patriot. I guarantee that someone will pick him up for dirt cheap and find a way to use his talents, especially if he is willing to play positions other than QB.

I just hope Tebow gets in against the Jets and scores a TD just to show the Jets how poorly they used him. He probably will never be a starter in league ever again, but I’d be shocked if he doesn’t make an impact somewhere - especially will the emergence of the read-option throughout the league.

Because This Is Awesome Of the Day

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 16:35:19 -0500

Because This Is Awesome Of the Day:

Inspiring DB with only one hand intercepts pass in International Bowl, then signs with UCF

By Cameron Smith | Prep Rally – 10 hours ago

On Wednesday, Shaquem Griffin signed a letter of intent to play football at the University of Central Florida. He signed the letter with his right hand. On Tuesday, he made a near-miraculous one-handed interception in his final football game as a high schooler, the International Bowl. He picked off the pass with his right hand as well, earning a spot on ESPN’s Top 10 plays for the interception you see below.

The distinction in doing both acts one-handed is not trivial. Rather, Griffin intercepted a pass and signed his name with his right hand because he only has a right hand. Unlike every other top recruit, Shaquem Griffin doesn’t have a left hand. Inspiringly, it has hardly slowed him down.

As chronicled by Max Preps and other outlets, Shaquem Griffin was born with a condition called Amniotic Band Syndrome, where his amniotic sac wrapped around his wrist, cut off circulation and severely affected the development of his left hand in the womb. Except for that condition, Griffin was born in good health along with his identical twin brother, Shaquill Griffin.

The brothers have grown up together and remained inseparable. They would be very difficult to tell apart if it wasn’t for the fact that Shaquem had his left hand amputated at the tender age of 4.

While the Griffins’ mother, Tangie Griffin, said she worried about the decision to amputate her son’s stunted, painful hand, Shaquem said he was desperate for her to do so.

“Absolutely [Tangie Griffin made the right choice],” Shaquem told MaxPreps. “I wanted to have fun in my life. I wanted to do what Shaquill and all the other kids could do. I wanted to do the things I love.

“I adapted pretty fast so if kids noticed, they’d ask and I’d tell them and that was pretty much it. I never want people to feel nervous around me so I’m glad when they do ask.”

As it turns out, Shaquem learned to do the things that Shaquill and the other kids did, like tie his own shoes, even earlier than his twin. When Shaquill signed up to play Little League and flag football, Shaquem signed up with him, regardless of his handicap.

From there, both twins flourished … together. In fact, they are so inseparable that they flat out refused to play for any program that didn’t want them both. While both brothers received individual offers to a number of top programs, the most prominent schools that recruited them as a pair were Boston College, South Florida and Central Florida. They decided together that Central Florida was the right place, close enough to home so that their parents could easily see them compete together.

Clearly, the real winner here is the UCF football program. They’re not getting one great athlete, they’re getting two, both of whom will push each other to achieve whatever they want, together.

Shaquem problem doesn’t think this awesome. He probably expected this. That’s why I know this kid will be a winner.

Is Alcohol a Performance-Enhancing Drug?

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 16:44:30 -0500

Is Alcohol a Performance-Enhancing Drug?:

Is Alcohol a Performance-Enhancing Drug?

Posted by Ross Pomeroy at Mon, 04 Feb 2013 15:14:18

August 30th, 1904, 2:30 p.m., St. Louis, Missouri: The time and place for the marathon race of the Third Olympiad.

The day was sweltering, with temperatures rising past ninety degrees. The 34 runners weren’t breathing the air that day; they were drinking it. As they took their places at the start line, they stretched and heaved with nervous anticipation, knowing that they would be forced to plod along dirt roads studded with rocks, and to surmount seven towering hills. The racers’ brows dripped with perspiration before the race was even underway. Their sweat-drenched clothes clung to their bodies. At the crack of a gunshot, the contest commenced. It quickly degenerated into a debacle.

For some inane reason, someone thought it was a good idea to have horses precede the racers. Before long, competitors were choking on clouds of dirt and dust that were kicked up by their hooves. Wild dogs were also on the loose that day, and chased many of the runners off the course.

When all was said and done, over half of the field succumbed to the fumes, heat, and utterly ridiculous conditions. The man who survived the fastest was Thomas Hicks, at a time of 3:28:53. It remains the slowest winning time in an Olympic marathon ever.

Despite the slogging pace, Hicks almost didn’t make it. Demoralized and lagging in the final stages, he begged his managers to let him concede, but they did not. Instead, they gave him three egg whites, strychnine, and a large helping of brandy. This questionable sustenance allowed Hicks to finish the race, but almost killed him in the process. No wonder, because strychnine — then known as a stimulant, but today used as a pesticide — can, even in very small doses, cause vomiting, muscular convulsions, and rapid death by asphyxiation.

What was it that drove Hicks from the jaws of defeat into the arms of victory? Egg whites, though rich in protein, aren’t known to give sudden athletic boosts and, given its side effects, strychnine hinders athletic performance more than it helps — but what about alcohol? After all, Greek competitors in the original Olympic Games would commonly imbibe wine potions to augment their performance. Centuries later, Roman chariot riders fed their horses honeyed alcohol to make them run faster.

Despite its use in the ancient world, and though alcohol is the most commonly consumed drug amongst athletes, today, no serious competitor would think to throw back a few drinks before a competition. Even in small quantities, alcohol can impair reaction time, motor control, balance, information processing, and judgment — all essential sporting skills.

So then why has everyone, at one time or another, heard the phrase “I play better when I’m drunk?”

Granted, the imbiber uttering this platitude often isn’t referring to basketball, football, or anything very physiologically demanding, but they are usually talking about a game that’s at least partially skill based, such as bowling, billiards, darts, or even baseball.

There’s no hard evidence to back the common assertion of alcohol-improved performance, but anecdotes abound. You probably can point to a few yourself. Most notably, in 1998 pitcher David Wells threw a perfect game for the New York Yankees while self-reportedly “half-drunk, with bloodshot eyes, monster breath and a raging, skull-rattling hangover.” Is it possible that alcohol could, in some small way, enhance performance?

Well, we know that performance in any skill-based game is at least partly affected by one’s psychological state. For example, it is widely accepted that the reason why athletes under-perform under pressure is because they “think too much.” It’s thought that this disquieting state causes minor deviations in repetitive athletic tasks, such as shooting or swinging motions, adversely affecting sports performance. Athletes execute repetitive tasks better when they do so automatically, without thinking, relying simply on muscle memory.

Now, I wonder, what’s a great way to return someone to a calmed, unthinking state? I think you can guess the answer: A nice cold one.

In an article written in 2010, two sports psychologists somewhat humorously unveiled their Optimal Altered State theory:

“It is our contention that certain individuals—specifically, competitors who are average/good but not exceptional in a particular sport—perform best in competitive arenas that allow the easy consumption of alcohol (darts, bowling, pool, etc.) when they reach what we term their Optimal Altered State, or OAS. Now, clearly this is not the moment we see someone doubled over talking to the toilet bowl for comfort, or standing atop a building yelling that they know the secrets of the Woodstock festival. We are talking about that point—this may be one drink for some people; four or five for others—where you have consumed just enough alcohol to make you feel supremely gifted.”

These experts stress that their theory is not an endorsement of drinking, merely an acknowledgement that “the positive psychological effects of imbibing moderate amounts of alcohol might outweigh the negative physical effects” in certain instances.

This may very well be true. After all, it was three egg whites, strychnine, and a nip of liquid confidence that propelled Thomas Hicks to an Olympic gold medal on a swelteringly hot August day in St. Louis more than a century ago.

(Primary Source: Distilled History)
(Image: {{PD-US}})

I have some evidence from my personal life. Here’s a chart I made a couple years ago after bowling.

Brewers announce uniform design winner

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 13:00:35 -0500

Brewers announce uniform design winner:

By Mark Townsend | Big League Stew – Mon, Jan 28, 2013 5:33 AM EST

Congratulations to Ben Peters of Richfield Minn. (Milwaukee Brewers)

It’s official. After two months of sfiting through submissions, tallying votes and weighing the opinions of an esteemed panel of judges, the Milwaukee Brewers announced the winner of their “Design a YOUniform” contest on Sunday morning.

Naturally, the fans and judges ended up going in a different direction than I was leaning when they revealed the three finalists. They decided it was Richfield, Minn. resident Ben Peters who impressed them the most, and after seeing his design come to life at the reveal it’s difficult to argue with their pick.

The cream-colored button-up jersey and navy blue cap look terrific. As does the fancy patch with the barrelman logo that will go on the left sleeve. That’s the detail Peters seems to be most proud of.

“I’ve always loved vintage designs and the Barrelman logo was always a neat look” said Peters. “I wish I knew the name of the person who originally designed the Barrelman logo because I would like to thank him for inspiring me.”

Here’s a closer look at said patch:

(Milwaukee Brewers)All in all it’s really is a nice uniform, and the Brewers will look good sporting it during two of their exhibition games this spring. The first will be on March 22 in Phoenix at Maryvale Baseball Park against the Chicago Cubs, which Peters and one guest will be flown in to attend. The other will be on March 30 at Miller Park when they face the Chicago White Sox.

We should also note who some of the more prominent judges involved in the selection process were. At the head of that list was Brewers reliever John Axford, who had the duty of announcing the winner at the Brewers “On Deck” event. General Manager Doug Melvin and Brewers chief operating officer Rick Schlesinger were also involved along with representatives from New Era and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

What a cool promotion.

Ray Lewis may have used banned substance to recover from torn triceps

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 12:46:53 -0500

Ray Lewis may have used banned substance to recover from torn triceps:

thebfd:

Posted by Mike Florio on January 29, 2013, 12:08 PM EST

The good news is that linebacker Ray Lewis may not be facing many questions about a 13-year-old controversy during media day. The bad news is that there’s a fresh topic into which the assembled reporters will want to delve when Lewis and the Ravens gather at the Superdome for the annual exercise in journalistic hysteria.

According to Sports Illustrated, Lewis contacted a company owned by a former male stripper to obtain a deer-antler velvet extract after tearing his triceps in October.

Mitch Ross of S.W.A.T.S reportedly videotaped the phone call from Lewis.

“Spray on my elbow every two hours?” Lewis asked Ross regarding the extract, via Philly.com. (Quotes from the conversation don’t appear in the free online version of the Sports Illustrated article; presumably, Philly.com gleaned the info from the full article.)

“No,” Ross said. “Under your tongue.”

Later, Lewis asked Ross to “just pile me up and just send me everything you got, because I got to get back on this this week.”

The problem for Lewis is that the extract contains IGF-1, which is on the NFL’s list of banned substances. For the NFL, the problem is that Lewis will retire after Sunday. So there’s really nothing that can be done — unless Lewis admits to it on Tuesday and the league puts the investigative process into the highest gear possible.

Even then, it’s impossible that the matter would progress through all available appeals before Sunday night.

Ray Lewis doing something greasy? Who would have thought.

Ravens' John Harbaugh pranks parents on Super Bowl teleconference

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 14:49:20 -0500

Ravens' John Harbaugh pranks parents on Super Bowl teleconference:

Oh, Johnny. What a jokester.

Ravens’ John Harbaugh pranks parents on Super Bowl teleconference

Gary Mihoces, USA TODAY Sports12:45p.m. EST January 24, 2013

A prank caller made his way onto the national teleconference held by Jack and Jackie Harbaugh, parents of opposing Super Bowl coaching brothers Jim Harbaugh of the San Francisco 49ers and John Harbaugh of the Baltimore Ravens, on Thursday morning.

“Question from Baltimore: Is it true that both of you like Jim Better than John?” the caller asked in a serious tone.

Jackie Harbaugh immediately began to speak: “We do not … “

But fortunately for the parents, their daughter, Joani, younger sister to the brothers, also was on the call. She recognized John’s voice.

“Is that John?” interrupted Joani, wife of Indiana University basketball Coach Tom Crean.

“Is that John Harbaugh?” asked Jack Harbaugh. “Hey, John, mom was ready to come right through this phone. I’m so happy that Joani recognized your voice.”

John chimed back in.

“You’ve got the fighting spirit up. That’s the way it should be, alright. That’s all I needed to hear. I just needed to know that,” he said.

Replied Jack: “Hey, John, she grabbed my arm and she was reaching for the phone.”

The parents, both in their 70s, live in the Milwaukee area. Jack was a coach in high school and college for more than four decades. Deluged by calls from the media, the parents joined their daughter on the teleconference held by the NFL in advance of Super Bowl XLVII, which will be played Feb. 3 in New Orleans.

The parents say they will be neutral on Super Bowl Sunday, just as they were during the 2011 season when John’s Ravens beat Jim’s 49ers in a Thanksgiving night game.

“I know one is going to win and I know one is going to lose, but I really would like it to end in a tie. Can the NFL do that?” wondered Jackie.

Jack’s feelings?

“I think we experienced that a little bit (on) Thanksgiving in the game where the two played together,” he said.

“I do recall coming down to the locker room, and I peeked into the Raven locker room … ecstatic, guys jumping up and down and the smile on John’s face and the thrill of victory. … And I thought to myself, ‘This looks like it’s really pretty well taken care of itself.’

“(I) walked across the hall and went into the 49er locker room … quiet and somber and (I was) looking into some offices, and finally I saw Jim all by himself, no one around him. … And I realized that’s where we were needed. … We know we’re going to experience that next week.”

Jackie said John went out to the 49ers bus to find Jim after their last matchup .

“It just was again the epitome of how everybody in the family feels about each other and always tries to raise one another up. These are difficult times in football and everything when you’re playing against your own brother,” she said. “But at the end of the game, it’s still about family and your feelings for one another.”

The game is being called the Harbowl and the Brobowl. Shouldn’t mom and dad have naming rights? What would they like it called?

“For me, it’s the Lombardi Trophy game,” said Jack.

Said Jackie: “I’d prefer it to be called the Super Bowl.”

Shut Up and Swing, Mickelson: We Only Broke Five Bones, Not Six

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 02:06:00 -0500

Shut Up and Swing, Mickelson: We Only Broke Five Bones, Not Six:

A great look at the intersection of sports and business.

Shut Up and Swing, Mickelson: We Only Broke Five Bones, Not Six

Golfer gets clubbed in culture war over Entrepreneurial America

by KEN BRAUN

~~~~
Welcome to the culture war: Entrepreneurial America versus its opponents. One side understands what causes the creation of prosperity, jobs and wealth; the other doesn’t. Each of us is in one camp or the other, but most don’t know or bother to think about it. Professional golfer Phil Mickelson was probably one such person.

This week he found out the price for discovering which side he’s on.

He has never revealed a strong bias in politics. The second-highest money earner in PGA history, his combined prizes and endorsements in 2011 reportedly paid him $62 million. Yet despite allegations that he was playing politics when discussing “drastic changes” in his life in the face of tax hikes, a federal campaign finance search on his last name in his home state (CA) reveals not a single donation to any candidate or cause for his entire professional career (dating back to 1992.)

Absent political motives, we must assume that he gave a truthful account of his business worries, not realizing the offense that would be taken by the enemies of Entrepreneurial America.

If you’re with him, then it all makes sense. All else being equal, when government policy - or anything else - makes success less rewarding, successful people change behavior or redefine success itself. They adapt. They didn’t succeed by being complacent.

Raise their taxes, and they will go where taxes are lower and/or find different ways to find fulfillment. Highly successful people don’t suffer as much from tax hikes as those who benefit from the wealth they create: they have options. If you’re an entrepreneur, grew up with one, or just understand them, this isn’t news.

But this is a mystery to the enemies of Entrepreneurial America. They assume that the successful will continue producing success and wealth no matter what government obstacle is thrown at them, and that Mickelson is no different. “He won’t quit golf,” they say. “He won’t move. We’ll just get more money from him.”

Consider his 2009 season, in which he missed several tour events because first his wife and then his mother were stricken with breast cancer. Behavior can and often does change when the relative value of success is reduced and there are other options that become comparatively more valuable. If the reward for spending yet another year away from his family is reduced by millions of dollars in 2013 and beyond, does it seem possible that a man with this history and wealth might just hang it up and take the easy life?

Yes it does. If he walks away, he closes down or downsizes what is basically a highly successful small business. There are numerous charitable causes that will get much less money, coaches and business assistants who will lose work, and who knows what else.

Of course, the taxpayers will get less from him than they did before his taxes were raised. Everybody loses - but Phil least of all.

At a minimum, does it seem plausible that such a man would leave California so as to mitigate the damage on him and this enterprise? Absolutely.

Similar versions of Mickelson’s “drastic changes” are being made by successful entrepreneurs and CEOs every day. His home state of California is experiencing a multi-billion-dollar exodus of jobs and capital because of punishing taxes aimed at making successful people and businesses “pay their fair share.”

Many of the workers at those California companies don’t have the mobility to chase their jobs. Their company will survive elsewhere, but they will be much worse off because of a policy sold as HELPING middle class people just like them.

There may be two sides fighting the culture war over Entrepreneurial America, but employees stand to lose the most if the enemies win. The enemies deem it rude - whining even - to speak such truth, and they ARE winning.

Under pressure, Mickelson now says he should have kept his mouth shut. He is far from alone: The CEO of Whole Foods was hit with a boycott threat last week when he criticized the damage done to businesses when government nationalized health care; the Papa John’s Pizza CEO faced same when he explained what his business would do to avoid the cost of government health care mandates; and there are others.

Perhaps the most laughable spectacle is those who nit-picked Mickelson’s numbers and concluded that his taxes would not rise to 62 percent - as he claimed off the cuff when talking to a reporter - but instead would rise to “only” 52 percent of his income.

“Shut up and keep swinging, Phil. We only broke five of your bones, not six, you moron.”

Such is the state of Entrepreneurial America. Those who know the score - the successful people who create wealth and jobs - are shown that they will be publicly flogged as political hacks for speaking basic economic truth.

As former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said in another context: “This is no time to go wobbly.” American workers need them to find their voice anyway.

~~~~~
Mr. Braun is the Director of Policy for Job Creators Solutions.

Maloofs nearing deal to sell Kings to group that plans to relocate franchise to Seattle

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 16:47:00 -0500

Maloofs nearing deal to sell Kings to group that plans to relocate franchise to Seattle:

Looks like Seattle is about to get the Sonics back. I’m hoping it works out better than when we got the Browns back.

The Maloof family is finalizing an agreement to sell the Sacramento Kings to a group that hopes to move the franchise to Seattle for the 2013-14 season, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

The deal will sell the Kings for approximately $500 million to a group led by hedge-fund manager Chris Hansen and Microsoft chairman Steve Ballmer. The group is seeking to relocate the franchise to Seattle’s KeyArena for the 2013-14 season.

The Seattle group’s plans, with support of the NBA, is to play two seasons in KeyArena before moving into a new Seattle arena, sources said.

No agreement has been signed, but one source with knowledge of the talks described the deal as “first and goal at the 1.” The Maloofs’ history of changing course late in negotiations still has some uneasy about getting the sale completed. The Maloofs previously neared a deal with Sacramento leaders to help finance a new arena in the city before backing out.

The Maloofs are expected to keep an extremely small percentage of the team, but will have no real input or say in the franchise, sources said.

Once the sale is completed, the Seattle-based group will have until March to file for relocation. NBA commissioner David Stern has been a big proponent of the Hansen-Ballmer group, and league officials will work diligently to help the franchise move to Seattle if the sale is finalized, sources said. The Seattle-based group is determined to not have the franchise spend a final lame-duck season in Sacramento.

The prospective Seattle ownership plans are to change the Kings’ name and logos back to the original proprietors of the city’s NBA history: the Sonics. “Same name and logos,” a source working with the group told Y! Sports.

When owner Clay Bennett moved the Sonics franchise to Oklahoma City in 2008, he left behind the name, logos and history.

The Kings’ status in Sacramento has been tenuous since the arena deal fell apart near the end of last season.

Source

The Fox NFL broadcast factory

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 16:43:00 -0500

The Fox NFL broadcast factory:

A really cool look into the behind the scenes work done at Fox to broadcast NFL games.

PA Governor, lawsuit challenge NCAA's handling of Penn State sanctions

Wed, 02 Jan 2013 12:57:25 -0500

PA Governor, lawsuit challenge NCAA's handling of Penn State sanctions:

kevinrmcguire:

The state of Pennsylvania will file an anti-trust lawsuit against the NCAA, seeking a dismissal of all Penn State sanctions levied last summer. Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett claimed the NCAA has operated beyond their authority in punishing Penn State following the release of the Freeh Report, an independent investigation paid for by Penn State’s Board of Trustees to detail the responses taken in the Jerry Sandusky scandal.

“I believe that the NCAA has no authority and operated outside of their own bylaws to issue these sanctions,” Corbett said in a stern press conference.

Penn State was punished by the NCAA in the form of significant scholarship reductions, a four-year postseason ban and a $60 million fine. In addition, Penn State was forced to vacate over 100 wins from the NCAA record books, a move regarded by some as a way to punish and tarnish the reputation of former head football coach Joe Paterno, who has been tied to the Sandusky scandal along with former university president, athletic director and official.

“They punished past, present and future students, student athletes, local residents and citizens of Pennsylvania,” Corbett said. “I found myself asking the question: ‘Why would the NCAA involve themselves in something already being handled in the courts?”

Continue reading full story on Examiner.com.

Poor Chipper. I guess that’s what happens when a former...

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 11:34:00 -0500

Poor Chipper. I guess that’s what happens when a former baseball star tries to get his kids into basketball.

Cash-Strapped Southern Miss Tries To Wring More Money Out Of Its Schedule, Considers Canceling BYU Series

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 10:26:00 -0500

Cash-Strapped Southern Miss Tries To Wring More Money Out Of Its Schedule, Considers Canceling BYU Series:

An absolutely fascinating look into the financial side of small time division 1 football.

Thoughts on the Major Bowls

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 18:24:00 -0500

Thursday, December 27th

Bridgeport Education Holiday Bowl

Baylor vs. No. 17 UCLA

UCLA, after coming just short on their bid to reach the Rose Bowl, UCLA has a chance to finish with a ten win season that could help springboard them into the title hunt for next year. They have to get passed a pesky Baylor team that can score a lot of points and knocked off Kansas State. Despite only having seven wins, Baylor is a tough team. This one should be a good one.

PICK: Despite Baylor’s explosive offensive, I think UCLA wins the game in a shootout.

Saturday, December 29th

Valero Alamo Bowl

No. 23 Texas vs. No. 13 Oregon State

This is one of the few early bowl match ups featuring two ranked teams. Both teams got off to hot starts, but got stifled by better competition. As result, both teams sank in the rankings. Still, these are two talented clubs seeking bigger and better things in 2013. A win here could springboard them into next season.

PICK: Texas ended poorly by stirring up a QB controversy and losing their last two games. I pick Oregon State to get it done.

Monday December 31st

Chick-fil-A Bowl

No. 8 LSU vs. No. 14 Clemson

This is a battle of strength vs. strength. Clemson has one of the most high powered offenses in the land while LSU features one of the best defenses.

PICK: Clemson’s worst game was against in-state rival and SEC opponent South Carolina, but I think Clemson’s offense gets it done against LSU. If LSU falls behind, I don’t think they have the offensive fire power to come back.

January 1st

Capital One Bowl

No. 7 Georgia vs. No. 16 Nebraska

Nebraska falls to the Capital One after being straight embarrassed by Wisconsin in the Big Ten Championship game. Georgia fell here after their last minute push to beat Alabama was stuffed in the SEC Championship game.

PICK: Georgia wins this one, and it won’t be close. Nebraska managed to come up smallest this year when the stage was biggest. The got dumped by Wisconsin, Ohio State, and UCLA. Although I believe Georgia isn’t as good as their record, they showed up strong against Alabama and I don’t see them letting a Big Ten team upset them two years in a row in a bowl game.

Outback Bowl

No. 10 South Carolina vs. No. 18 Michigan

Its hard to say either team had a bad season. Michigan had four loses, and three of those were to teams ranked in the AP Top 5. South Carolina’s two losses were to teams who finished in the BCS top ten. Both teams were close to being great this season, but came just a little short in key positions.

PICK: Michigan played it’s strongest game against Ohio State, but their offense is pretty abysmal. South Carolina is a different offensive without Marcus Lattimore carrying the rock. I think this is going to be a close game. The winner is going to be who can get themselves going offensively. I’m picking Michigan in a close one.

The Rose Bowl Game Presented by Vizio

Wisconsin vs. No. 6 Stanford

As my college offensive line coach/offensive coordinator used to always tell us, A team with nothing to lose is dangerous. Wisconsin completely shelled Nebraska. Those who fail to take the Badgers seriously do so at their own peril. I know that Stanford’s defense is a run stopper, but they haven’t played a rushing attack like Wisconsin. If this were the NFL playoffs, I would say Wisconsin is a team to look out for. They are hot at the right time.

PICK: Stanford takes it, but not easily. Wisconsin has a lot of things going for them; there are signs pointing towards them upsetting the Cardinal. But, with their head coach now at Arkansas, it may be a bigger challenge than they can handle.

Discover Orange Bowl

No. 15 Northern Illinois vs. No. 12 Florida State

There’s been a lot of chatter about how undeserving NIU is. However, as I said in an earlier post, NIU is no less deserving than many teams in the BCS games this year or any other BCS buster from the past. If I were Florida State, I’d beware the Huskies. If they take this game likely, they’ll get embarrassed.

PICK: I have to pick NIU. With the exception of Hawaii against Georgia, the busters have always preformed well. Expect a close game, if nothing else.

Allstate Sugar Bowl

No. 21 Louisville vs. No. 3 Florida

The Big East doesn’t get much respect, and that’s for good reason. Louisville, though, is truly a good team and probably much better than their No. 21 ranking. However, they are truly over matched against Florida. Florida, if it weren’t for an eight turnover performance against Georgia that lead to their only loss, they would have played Alabama SEC title game and may be playing for the National Championship.

PICK: Florida is simply too much for Louisville to handle. Remember when Florida played Cincinnati a couple years ago in the Sugar Bowl? Yeah, it’s going to be like that. The only saving grace for Louisville is that Florida’s offense is terrible. That may keep them in the game.

Thursday, January 3rd

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl

No. 4 Oregon vs. No. 5 Kansas State

This one is going to be an offensive slugfest. With two high powered offenses going against average-at-best defenses, expect a lot of fireworks. Both teams suffered late season losses that derailed their chances at the BCS National Championship game. This game, however, should be a good one.

PICK: In a battle of offense, it’s hard to pick against Oregon. Although both offenses are impressive, Oregon has enough speed to run circles around K State. I’m thinking a game that’s relatively close, but never in doubt, similar to Oregon’s match up against USC earlier this year.

Friday, January 4th

AT&T Cotton Bowl

No. 9 Texas A&M vs. No. 11 Oklahoma

This bowl has essentially been a BCS bowl the past few years. It has often featured two highly ranked teams. A&M was ineligible for the BCS since the SEC is only allowed to place two teams into the BCS. Oklahoma got boxed out when NIU got into the Orange Bowl. This should be a close game. Both teams only lost to highly ranked teams; in fact, Oklahoma’s losses are both to BCS top five teams. A&M took down Alabama in one of the most stunning upsets of the year.

PICK: In the battle of former conference foes, Landry Jones and the willy Sooners take down Manziel and the young gun Aggies. Should be a thriller, though.

Monday, January 7th

Discover BCS National Championship

No. 1 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Alabama

Alabama is favored to win their second straight National Title. However, despite generally winning ugly, Notre Dame always seems to find a way to win. Expect a close, low scoring game. Notre Dame is built like an SEC team. It has a stellar defense and a potent rushing offense. Should be an old school, hard nosed game similar to the days of old. Be ready for a great one. Or, Alabama might just blow Notre Dame out of the water.

PICK: I have to choose Notre Dame. Notre Dame never wins pretty, but they always found a way to get it done. You also can’t doubt Notre Dame’s strength of schedule. I expect this game to be a close one and a thriller. If the game is close, I have to figure Notre Dame has more experience than any other team in how to pull out a victory.

Great article about the impending college football apocalypse. Turns out it's as real as the Mayan prediction.

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 13:02:43 -0500

Great article about the impending college football apocalypse. Turns out it's as real as the Mayan prediction.:

Since the most cracked pots among us believe the world will end sometime on Dec. 21, let’s take a moment to examine a conclusion of an era that seems far more likely: the end of college football as we know it. Forces have aligned that seem to portend doom. Let us count the ways…

• On the topic of the danger of football, the following passage appeared in The New York Times: “Public sentiment is yearly growing stronger against the brutality of the game, he declared, and the death of a man in order to win a game will result sooner or later in universal condemnation of it as part of college athletics.”

• On realignment, the head of the American Football Coaches Association said this: “It’s like we had this herd of cattle going toward the cliff. We tried to head them off, but none of us were able to do it.”

• On the sudden departure of schools to another conference, a university chancellor said this: “I want to emphasize that this is not a normal case of member withdrawal from an athletic conference. This is a case that involves broken commitments, secret dealings, breaches of fiduciary responsibility, the misappropriations of conference opportunities and predatory attempts to eliminate competition.”

• On television’s outsize influence in college football, the NCAA president said this: “A small number of television networks now can manipulate the college football market the way they wish.”

• On NCAA rule violators, the NCAA president said this: “[It] hasn’t cleaned up the so-called ‘pig-sty.’ But we are working and as we go along we will have less violations. It will take years to completely clean house.”

• On the same topic, the head of the NCAA also said this: “We’re not keeping up with the chase. I’ve talked with our representatives and people I respect and the problem is much worse than I thought.”

• On the class struggle between the haves and have-nots affecting the product on the field, a major football coach said this: “I think the whole thing was brought about by pressure from the small colleges.”

• Meanwhile, that class struggle produced this exclamation from the NCAA president: “The future of the NCAA is at stake. If we don’t start doing something, we’re not going to have an NCAA farther down the road.”

Sounds positively awful, doesn’t it?

Something probably seems a little off about all these statements, though. Sure, NCAA president Mark Emmert loves microphones, but — when read aloud — not all those quotes sound as if they came from his mouth.

That’s because none of them did. None of the above passages appeared in print in 2012. The most recent is nine years old. The least recent is 107 years old. People have been hyperventilating for more than a century over essentially the same issues. Every decade, new voices predict one or more of those issues will bring about the end of college athletics, yet the games go on and the enterprise grows bigger every year.

The New York Times has published quite a few stories recently about the long-term dangers of the brutality of football, but the story excerpted above was published in 1905 after President Teddy Roosevelt met with the most powerful people in college football and demanded changes to the game to make it safer. This prompted a package of rules changes that would render the game unrecognizable within a few short years. One of the most radical changes was the legalization of the forward pass. So when you laugh at people who suggest that kickoffs should be banned to improve safety, remember that people once laughed at the notion of a legal forward pass.

That quote about realignment from the executive director of the AFCA came from 1994, when former Baylor coach Grant Teaff — who still runs the AFCA — lamented the demise of the Southwest Conference to the Houston Chronicle. The other quote about realignment came from Pittsburgh chancellor Mark Nordenberg in 2003 when the remaining members of the Big East sued Miami and Boston College after those schools announced their intention to leave for the ACC. Eight years later, Nordenberg would plunge a knife into the Big East himself when he led the Panthers to the ACC. Conference memberships have always been relatively fluid. They always will be.

While it is completely true that a small number of television networks do essentially control major college sports now, NCAA president John Toner gave the above quote to The New York Times in 1984 after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the universities of Georgia and Oklahoma in their lawsuit against the NCAA’s control of college football television rights. Guess what else happened because of that ruling? Fans of South Carolina, Arizona State, Iowa and dozens of other schools that rarely played on television under the old system can now watch every single game their teams play.

The NCAA president charged with cleaning the pigsty was Karl Leib. He spoke those words to a United Press International reporter in 1949. He was discussing the Sanity Code, which was the NCAA’s first attempt to enforce its rules nationwide. And what was the grave offense the NCAA wished to curb? Scofflaw schools were paying room and board for athletes. So when Emmert or some other guardian of the status quo swears that college athletes will never get paid beyond a scholarship, remember that fewer than 70 years ago, most high-ranking officials in college sports swore that schools would never be allowed to give room and board and that less than 100 years ago, the leaders of college sports swore they would never allow athletic scholarships at all. The other quote about rule-breaking came from NCAA executive director Walter Byers to UPI in 1984. At the time, the SWC schools worked much harder on out-cheating one another than they did at keeping the league together. Until the NCAA adopts my rulebook, schools will continue to cheat. They’ll probably keep cheating even with those lax rules, but it’s harder to cheat when very little is illegal.

Meanwhile, the class struggle that threatens to rip apart the top division in college sports is nothing new. The first quote on the topic came from Ohio State coach Woody Hayes to a UPI reporter in 1953 after schools voted to ban the platoon system and force a return to ironman football because schools at the bottom of the food chain couldn’t afford to carry enough players on their rosters to field separate offenses and defenses. The second statement came from NCAA president J. Neils Thompson to UPI in January 1977 as the most powerful football schools threatened to break away and form their own association. Before the NCAA could rupture, the schools in the uppermost division agreed to split into two subdivisions: I-A and I-AA.

Almost every issue faced by major college football today is essentially a reheated version of an issue faced 10, 20, 50 or 100 years ago. Every time, the game and the people who run it have adapted. Those who romanticize the way things used to be cheerfully ignore the fact that college football has been in flux for as long as it has existed.

College football isn’t doomed. There will always be another conference hopper or scandal or court case that threatens to tear asunder the union of universities and the teams that carry their banners. But the games will go on. They always do.

Final BCS Slate; Thoughts on NIU

Sun, 02 Dec 2012 23:28:13 -0500

Well, here’s the final BCS line-up. I was mostly right, save the Wisconsin upset of Nerbraska and NIU sneaking in. My thoughts on NIU are below.

BCS National Championship: Notre Dame vs. Alabama

Rose Bowl: Stanford vs. Wisconsin

Fiesta Bowl: Kansas State vs. Oregon

Sugar Bowl: Florida vs. Louisville

Orange Bowl: Florida State vs. Northern Illinois

Not everyone is happy with this. Kirk Herbstreit is none too pleased.

“Putting NIU in the BCS is an absolute joke”

-Kirk Herbstreit

On the one hand, I don’t disagree with him. He makes some good points as to why NIU shouldn’t be included. Namely, they have no marquee wins against AQ opponents. Frankly, though, if you look back through the history of BCS busters, they haven’t had any huge wins other than teams from their own conferences and their bowl wins. Utah in 2004 (the original BCS buster) had some wins against some bad AQ teams (none of which ended the season ranked). The same is true of Boise State in ‘06 and of Utah in ‘08 and of TCU in 2010. All of their marquee wins came in their BCS bowl game (#20 Pitt for Utah in ‘04, #10 Oklahoma for Boise in ‘06, #4 Alabama for Utah in ‘08, and #4 Wisconsin for TCU in 2010). Utah, Boise, Hawaii and TCU were all the beneficiaries of Utah breaking through in 2004 and increasing the profile of the Mountain West. How Boise broke through in 2006 is kind of mind boggling, to be honest, as they did it from the pitiful WAC which at the time had no talented squads. The fact is, once Utah and Boise broke in, it raised the profile of the conferences they played in allowing Hawaii and TCU to get bids in later years. As of now, the only thing the MAC doesn’t have that those conferences do is that they haven’t had a school make it to the BCS yet. I guarantee you that if NIU finds a way to win against Florida State, the MAC will suddenly be seen as a viable BCS-busting conference in the future. The other conferences got lucky that their BCS buster got the job done on their first shot. And, lets be honest, Utah got a huge softball by getting to play a bad Pitt team that was ranked 20th.

If you look at the BCS picture in general, it was a total joke this year. The fact that an unranked Wisconsin team got in at 8-5 by virtue of a ridiculous upset over Nebraska is football malpractice. The same can be said of the Big East, which has only been saved in recent years by the success of West Virginia, who left the conference this year for the Big 12. For that matter, the ACC has been abysmal against BCS competition as well. To say NIU is less deserving than Louisville or Wisconsin is a false notion. Georgia Tech, who reached the ACC championship game at 6-6 was an upset away from making it to the Orange Bowl themselves. That game was waaay closer than it should have been. The real issue is that all of these conferences (other than the SEC) have suffered from having marquee programs on Bowl bans. The Big Ten championship game would have had a lot more luster if 12-0 Ohio State was playing against Nebraska. The ACC would have looked a lot better if 8-4 UNC was allowed to play Florida State instead of Georgia Tech.

I guess the long and short of this whole thing is that people can complain that Oklahoma got left out, sure. But, that’s no more egregious than the other good teams that got left out because each conference can only send two teams to BCS games. Georgia was way more deserving than Oklahoma, NIU, Wisconsin, Florida State, and Louisville. The BCS games aren’t about deserving; it’s about money and contractual ties. The Utah’s in the world are making these games because it makes a compelling story. The BCS busters have done well because any team with nothing to lose is dangerous; NIU is going to go balls to the wall against Florida State because they’re supposed to lose anyway. If Alabama could lose to Utah in ‘08, which was probably the most legit win by any BCS buster, then every BCS team playing a buster should take notice. Apart from Georgia blowing out Hawaii in ‘07, the Busters have played extremely well. Simply put, you either have to say the whole system is unfair in that the BCS games aren’t played between the top 10 teams in the final BCS rankings or you have to accept that “undeserving” teams are going to play in these games every year. Even many conference champs are undeserving based on the fact that teams that are ranked ahead of them get left out every year. I’m pulling for NIU because I’m sick of this whole deserving/undeserving argument in the first place. The only reason past BCS busters were deserving was because the coaches and media deemed them to be worthy by casting votes for them from an early point in the season. NIU’s only sin is that aren’t undefeated when all the past busters were. I think it’s hard to argue that they shouldn’t be there when NIU is ranked ahead of two conference champs (Louisville is #21 and Wisconsin is NR).

Remember, a team with nothing to lose is dangerous. I’d be on watch if I was Florida State (or Stanford having to play that pesky 8-5 Wisconsin team for that matter). The reason you have to play the games is because anything can happen.

BCS Projections - Take 6

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 15:34:00 -0500

After taking last week off (good thing, too, because Oregon and Kansas State’s losses destroyed everything) it’s time for my final projections. Here we go.

The Rose Bowl - January 1st (Big Ten vs. Pac-12)

Nebraska vs. Stanford

Nebraska continues to get the job done (albeit barely). Wisconsin has looked hapless the last two weeks against Ohio State and Penn State, but still have a shot at the Rose Bowl if they can beat Nebraska. I’m betting Nebraska gets it done.

Stanford has gone from a long shot of even getting into the BCS picture to the probable Pac-12 champ. After upsetting Oregon and slamming UCLA last week (who they will play again this week for the conference title), they are one win away from clinching a Rose Bowl birth. Beware UCLA, however. Jim Mora may have held back last week knowing they would have to play Stanford in consecutive weeks. He may have some tricks up his sleeve.

The Orange Bowl - January 1st (ACC vs. At-Large)

Florida State vs. Rutgers

Florida State looked poised to win against Florida until E.J. Emanuel took a shot to the head so hard that he took a nap on the turf and didn’t return to the game. Whether or not he can play in the ACC championship game, Florida State should have no problem against a 6-6 Georgia Tech team. They get here as the ACC champ.

I’ve said Louisville would end up here all year. Then they’ve looked awful the last two weeks. Rutgers hasn’t been much better (they got shelled by Pitt last week), but they get a chance to duke it out for a BCS bid on Thursday night. I’m betting Rutgers squeaks by with a win and earns a trip to Miami.

The Sugar Bowl - January 2nd (SEC vs. At-Large)

Florida vs. Oklahoma

Despite Big Game Bob’s best efforts to lose against OK State last week, they pulled out an improbable comeback victory in overtime. The Sooners are a win against TCU away from essentially clinching a BCS birth.

Unfortunately for Oklahoma, they are going to play a very good Florida team. Florida wins the roulette by not getting into SEC Championship game. Although it is a defacto play-in game for the BCS Championship game, the loser will likely be boxed out from any BCS game. I would have loved to see Florida play Alabama, though. I think Florida would have had a great chance of taking down the Tide.

Fiesta Bowl - January 3rd (Big 12 vs. At-Large)

Kansas State vs. Oregon

Call this the consolation bowl. Call it the shoulda-been-the-national-championship-game-if-we-didn’t-blow-it blow. Irregardless of the title, Kansas State will play Oregon in Arizona after both teams blew it two weeks ago, assuming K-State can beat Texas on Saturday. Texas, after playing on Thanksgiving, has some extra days to prepare for the Wildcats. Beware the Longhorns. Should K-State blow it (again), Oklahoma ends up here and it is likely that Clemson would sneak into a BCS bowl game (likely the Sugar).

BCS National Championship Game - January 7th (BCS #1 vs. BCS #2)

Notre Dame vs. Alabama

Notre Dame went 12-0. Big whoop. I still say they are lucky that Mr. Pryor had a thing for tattoos. In all seriousness, though, they have this spot clinched. Here’s to hoping that the Irish have the defensive fortitude to hold up against an SEC foe.

Alabama lucks out by playing Georgia. Although they are both 11-1, I think that ‘Bama is the much better team. Georgia doesn’t have nearly the defense Florida has and essentially only beat the Gators because Florida fumbled the ball (almost) as much as the Steelers did against the Browns on Sunday. I think Alabama wins comfortably, if not easily. Time to see how good that Notre Dame defense is. Is it good enough to end the SEC onslaught on National Championships? Only time will tell.

BCS Projections - Take 5

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 15:45:00 -0500

Alabama going down to A&M nuked my projections. I couldn’t be happier. I knew they were vulnerable.

The Rose Bowl - January 1st (Big Ten vs. Pac-12)

Old: Nebraska vs. Notre Dame

New: Nebraska vs. Notre Dame

This projection remains unchanged. Nebraska, after beating Penn State last week, remains in the drivers seat in the Big Ten. Other than a suddenly resurgent Wisconsin team that they’ll face in the Big Ten championship game, Nebraska has a pretty light schedule the rest of the way.

Notre Dame lands here for a few reasons. Assuming both K-State and Oregon remain undefeated, ND has no way of cracking into the top 2. As a result, they have to go another BCS bowl and not the national championship game. A look at the BCS standing shows a scenario where no other Pac-12 team will be eligible to be selected as none will end up in the BCS top 14. Oregon State was the league’s best shot, but after falling to Stanford last week and an impending future loss to Oregon on the horizon, the Rose Bowl will have to choose a non Pac-12 replacement after losing Oregon to the big game. Notre Dame is one hell of a consolation prize, though.

The Orange Bowl - January 1st (ACC vs. At-Large)

Old: Florida State vs. Louisville

New: Florida State vs. Louisville

I’ll be shocked if Florida State slips up in the ACC. It even looks like they may be able to beat Florida in the season finale since Florida’s offense has looked completely hapless the past few weeks, even against bad competition. Unless Florida can turn it around, they may find themselves out of a BCS bid.

Louisville, despite their loss last week, still controls its own destiny. If they can beat Rutgers in two weeks, they will earn the Big East’s BCS bid and will wind up here. I predict they get the job done.

The Sugar Bowl - January 2nd (SEC vs. At-Large)

Old: Florida vs. Oklahoma

New: Alabama vs. Clemson

Alabama will make it here as the SEC champ. A disappointment for Alabama, for sure. After their upset loss to Texas A&M last week, they will be barred from a shot at a national championship unless two of the top three find a way to lose in the coming weeks. That is certainty not out of the question, but I find it hard to believe that two of the three will take a loss. The Tide get stuck here and for the first time in seven years, there will be no SEC team in the National Championship game.

Clemson now gets an opportunity to squeak in after Oregon State’s loss to Stanford more or less eliminated them from BCS bowl contention. Oregon State will have to beat Oregon to get back into the mix, and I don’t see that happening. Even if Clemson loses to South Carolina in the final week of the season, they’ll end up here at 10-2.

Fiesta Bowl - January 3rd (Big 12 vs. At-Large)

Old: Kansas State vs. Oregon State

New: Oklahoma vs. Florida

Oklahoma gets here as Kansas State’s replacement. They’ll likely end up at 10-2. However, since the SEC has so many teams in the top 14, there will be hell to pay if Oklahoma goes down somewhere. If Oklahoma loses, I have no idea who will end up here. The BCS gives a waiver to allow a team outside the top 14 if there aren’t enough eligible teams due to over representation in the top 14 from one conference, but I have no idea who end up close to the top 14 should OU fall.

A lot of projectors are predicting that Florida will fall out of the BCS picture. There’s a pretty even split between LSU and Georgia in this game. Both of those teams will end up with two losses, and the thought is that Florida will fall to Florida State in the last week of the season. I’m not sure that will happen. Although Florida’s offense is shaky at best, it’s defense is rock solid. As long as they can hang on and beat Florida State, they end up here. If they fall, it will be either LSU or Georgia. I think LSU is more likely should that happen.

BCS National Championship Game - January 7th (BCS #1 vs. BCS #2)

Old: Alabama vs. Oregon

New: Oregon vs. Kansas State

Unless either of these teams slip up, they’ll end up here as #1 and 2 in some order. I don’t see Notre Dame jumping into the top 2 unless one of them losses. Alabama can sneak in if two of the top three go down. I don’t think that’ll happen, but crazier things have happened in the final weeks of the season. Should be an exciting offensive slug fest.