Here's my list for my favorite movies of all-time.
1. Back to the Future
2. Top Gun
3. Home Alone
4. Braveheart
5. Saving Private Ryan
6. The Outlaw Josey Wales
7. Dumb and Dumber
8. Forrest Gump
9. Dazed and Confused
10. Rookie of the Year
JB
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
College Football - Week 11
Cam Newton was the story in the offseason, then he was the story on the field in October, now he's the story off the field in November. I was a little surprised by the lack of coverage it received nationally last weekend, but I think it was handled just right because as I said he is innocent until proven guilty. It will be interesting to see where the new allegations that Cecil Newton told Mississippi State it would take more than a scholarship will go. As well as Cam Newton telling State that the money was too much to pass up at Auburn. And then there's the 'I don't know how credible he is' Kenny Rogers giving a first hand account that Cecil Newton told him it would take $100-180k to secure Cam's services. As far as the academic cheating at Florida, I really don't think that has anything to do with the story about him possibly getting paid to sign. Auburn fans have given us all great examples on how to over-react and get defensive and how to misinterpret a story, but let's just put it all on the back-burner, it's crunch time in football.
Kentucky's got a shot to get bowl-eligible at home vs. Vanderbilt. They've got to do it, and I think they will. Vandy has done nothing lately other than get blown away, I don't see why it should be any different here. The Cats run all over them. Arkansas is playing UTEP and LSU is playing Lousiana-Monroe...so I am picking the SEC in those games. None of these games interest me very much but the remaining four SEC games have plenty of interest.
The day is getting started with Ole Miss at Tennessee. This game is extremely important for both teams, and UT has no margin for error if they want to go to a bowl game this year. This is what makes this game exciting...they are in the bottom 3 of the SEC but there's no doubt both teams are going to scratch and claw for a victory. Where was I but Ole Miss has the second bast rushing attack in the SEC (only 136 years/game behind Auburn). Tennessee's rushing defense is rubbing elbows with the worst teams in the SEC (Ole Miss being one of them). And that goes for almost every other category you can think of as well, these two teams are floundering at the bottom of the SEC, and that's why they aren't winning. But Tennessee's got two things going for them: they are at home and they've found a new QB, Tyler Brey. Tennessee's got to have this one, and they haven't given up which is important. Ole Miss has been sloppy and inconsistent all year. I'm going with the Vols by a field goal in this game.
Next up, Georgia at Auburn. The stakes are really great for both teams, but at the same time they both have margin for error. With Georgia, they want to get bowl-eligible...they can lose this game but if they do they've got to beat Georgia Tech in two weeks at home. For Auburn, they want to clinch the SEC Western Division Championship...they can lose as well but if they do they've got to beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa in two weeks (provided Bama doesn't lose to MSU and LSU doesn't lose to Ole Miss or Arkansas). Obviously Auburn is better in almost every phase of the game statistically having doubled Georgia's win output at this point in the season. It will be interesting to see how Mark Richt plays it, is he going to try and outscore Auburn with his talented offense, or is he going to try and grind it out running the ball and milking the clock in a game of keep away. Could the Cam Newton situation be a distraction - I'm not sure but I don't think it will be, mostly because I think Gus Malzahn relies more on running his plays than counteracting the defense. The games between these two are always close, and a lot of times there is an upset, but I think Auburn has too much on the line and they come out firing. Auburn wins 45-28.
Mississippi State at Alabama. Both teams have the same record. Again, Mississippi State has the same record as Alabama on the second Saturday in November. While Alabama is stretching out their legs and wiping their eyes from that defeat at LSU I'm not sure they are aware of what kind of team in coming to town tomorrow. Alabama players probably don't remember when State was good, but even with that said Bama's streak over MSU is only 2...and they've only won 2 of the last 4 games. Putting all that aside, this game is always pretty close. It wasn't last year with Bama winning 31-3, but two years ago State lead then #1 Alabama 7-5 with a couple minutes to go before the half...then it got out of hand. State won in '07 and '06 in Tuscaloosa. In '05 an undefeated Alabama team came to Starkville and struggled to put points on the board before pulling away in the 4th quarter and winning 17-0. But none of that has anything to do with this year's game. This year's game will be about two teams from opposite ends of the spectrum in the preseason, one who has overachieved and one who has underachieved.
-Who has the advantage when State has the ball?
Alabama is holding teams to 70 less yards then State is averaging per game.
Alabama's weakness is their secondary, State is averaging 107 yards passing a game, 11th in the SEC..nowhere near 10th place.
Alabama is tied for 9th with 1.6 sacks a game, State is first in sacks allowed at .8 a game.
Alabama is leading the SEC in interceptions, State only INT in the last 7 games has been an unimportant one vs. Alcorn State.
Bama is allowing 16.2 points per game, State is scoring 15.8.
-Who has the advantage when Alabama has the ball?
Mississippi State is giving up 6 less yards than Bama is averaging per game.
Both Alabama's passing offense and State's passing defense is ranked 5th in the SEC.
State is 7th with 2.2 sacks a game, Bama is 11th in sacks allowed at 3.4 a game.
Bama has turned the ball over the least of any SEC team, but State is near the top in turnovers gained.
State is allowing 16.4 points per game, Bama is scoring 28.
What does all this mean?
Despite State's ability to run, it will be much tougher in this game, however, Chris Relf or Tyler Russell should have plenty of time to throw the ball. State hasn't thrown for many yards, but they haven't really had to...they also haven't been throwing interceptions. State should be able to move the ball enough to get to their 15-16 point average. Alabama should be able to run and throw the ball just as well as they have all year. The key for State's defense is pressuring Greg McElroy, getting sacks and forcing him into bad throws which he tends to do. If State can bring pressure with the blitz and force a couple INTs they've got a shot to win this game. At the beginning of the season never in a million years would I have picked State to win this game. I was close to feeling this way about the Florida game too, but I picked State. Something about this team, their grit and determination is special. Not to mention they have the motivation to play for Nick Bell. After two weeks of preparation I think Mullen will come out with a good game plan and the players will be ready to execute. It's a big stadium but State has already played at Death Valley and the Swamp so they are used to it. Alabama played a hard fought game at LSU last week. Mississippi State 17 Alabama 16. Go Dawgs!
Who would've thought that the SEC East would come down to South Carolina at Florida? Well, I did. That said I had South Carolina winning this game to advance to the SEC Championship Game, and I'm not going to change my pick. I've stuck with the Gamecocks all year long and even after that poor poor performance vs. Arkansas last week I still think they will muster enough to get the job done. It's never happened for them, but this has got to be the year and I think it will be.
Baylor over Texas A&M, UNC over VA Tech, and Florida State over Clemson.
JB
Kentucky's got a shot to get bowl-eligible at home vs. Vanderbilt. They've got to do it, and I think they will. Vandy has done nothing lately other than get blown away, I don't see why it should be any different here. The Cats run all over them. Arkansas is playing UTEP and LSU is playing Lousiana-Monroe...so I am picking the SEC in those games. None of these games interest me very much but the remaining four SEC games have plenty of interest.
The day is getting started with Ole Miss at Tennessee. This game is extremely important for both teams, and UT has no margin for error if they want to go to a bowl game this year. This is what makes this game exciting...they are in the bottom 3 of the SEC but there's no doubt both teams are going to scratch and claw for a victory. Where was I but Ole Miss has the second bast rushing attack in the SEC (only 136 years/game behind Auburn). Tennessee's rushing defense is rubbing elbows with the worst teams in the SEC (Ole Miss being one of them). And that goes for almost every other category you can think of as well, these two teams are floundering at the bottom of the SEC, and that's why they aren't winning. But Tennessee's got two things going for them: they are at home and they've found a new QB, Tyler Brey. Tennessee's got to have this one, and they haven't given up which is important. Ole Miss has been sloppy and inconsistent all year. I'm going with the Vols by a field goal in this game.
Next up, Georgia at Auburn. The stakes are really great for both teams, but at the same time they both have margin for error. With Georgia, they want to get bowl-eligible...they can lose this game but if they do they've got to beat Georgia Tech in two weeks at home. For Auburn, they want to clinch the SEC Western Division Championship...they can lose as well but if they do they've got to beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa in two weeks (provided Bama doesn't lose to MSU and LSU doesn't lose to Ole Miss or Arkansas). Obviously Auburn is better in almost every phase of the game statistically having doubled Georgia's win output at this point in the season. It will be interesting to see how Mark Richt plays it, is he going to try and outscore Auburn with his talented offense, or is he going to try and grind it out running the ball and milking the clock in a game of keep away. Could the Cam Newton situation be a distraction - I'm not sure but I don't think it will be, mostly because I think Gus Malzahn relies more on running his plays than counteracting the defense. The games between these two are always close, and a lot of times there is an upset, but I think Auburn has too much on the line and they come out firing. Auburn wins 45-28.
Mississippi State at Alabama. Both teams have the same record. Again, Mississippi State has the same record as Alabama on the second Saturday in November. While Alabama is stretching out their legs and wiping their eyes from that defeat at LSU I'm not sure they are aware of what kind of team in coming to town tomorrow. Alabama players probably don't remember when State was good, but even with that said Bama's streak over MSU is only 2...and they've only won 2 of the last 4 games. Putting all that aside, this game is always pretty close. It wasn't last year with Bama winning 31-3, but two years ago State lead then #1 Alabama 7-5 with a couple minutes to go before the half...then it got out of hand. State won in '07 and '06 in Tuscaloosa. In '05 an undefeated Alabama team came to Starkville and struggled to put points on the board before pulling away in the 4th quarter and winning 17-0. But none of that has anything to do with this year's game. This year's game will be about two teams from opposite ends of the spectrum in the preseason, one who has overachieved and one who has underachieved.
-Who has the advantage when State has the ball?
Alabama is holding teams to 70 less yards then State is averaging per game.
Alabama's weakness is their secondary, State is averaging 107 yards passing a game, 11th in the SEC..nowhere near 10th place.
Alabama is tied for 9th with 1.6 sacks a game, State is first in sacks allowed at .8 a game.
Alabama is leading the SEC in interceptions, State only INT in the last 7 games has been an unimportant one vs. Alcorn State.
Bama is allowing 16.2 points per game, State is scoring 15.8.
-Who has the advantage when Alabama has the ball?
Mississippi State is giving up 6 less yards than Bama is averaging per game.
Both Alabama's passing offense and State's passing defense is ranked 5th in the SEC.
State is 7th with 2.2 sacks a game, Bama is 11th in sacks allowed at 3.4 a game.
Bama has turned the ball over the least of any SEC team, but State is near the top in turnovers gained.
State is allowing 16.4 points per game, Bama is scoring 28.
What does all this mean?
Despite State's ability to run, it will be much tougher in this game, however, Chris Relf or Tyler Russell should have plenty of time to throw the ball. State hasn't thrown for many yards, but they haven't really had to...they also haven't been throwing interceptions. State should be able to move the ball enough to get to their 15-16 point average. Alabama should be able to run and throw the ball just as well as they have all year. The key for State's defense is pressuring Greg McElroy, getting sacks and forcing him into bad throws which he tends to do. If State can bring pressure with the blitz and force a couple INTs they've got a shot to win this game. At the beginning of the season never in a million years would I have picked State to win this game. I was close to feeling this way about the Florida game too, but I picked State. Something about this team, their grit and determination is special. Not to mention they have the motivation to play for Nick Bell. After two weeks of preparation I think Mullen will come out with a good game plan and the players will be ready to execute. It's a big stadium but State has already played at Death Valley and the Swamp so they are used to it. Alabama played a hard fought game at LSU last week. Mississippi State 17 Alabama 16. Go Dawgs!
Who would've thought that the SEC East would come down to South Carolina at Florida? Well, I did. That said I had South Carolina winning this game to advance to the SEC Championship Game, and I'm not going to change my pick. I've stuck with the Gamecocks all year long and even after that poor poor performance vs. Arkansas last week I still think they will muster enough to get the job done. It's never happened for them, but this has got to be the year and I think it will be.
Baylor over Texas A&M, UNC over VA Tech, and Florida State over Clemson.
JB
Thursday, November 11, 2010
2010-11 SEC Basketball Predictions
I don't do much research for college basketball, but I would be remiss if I didn't make some predictions on the blog.
EAST
1. Florida
2. Kentucky
3. Vanderbilt
4. Tennessee
5. Georgia
6. South Carolina
WEST
1. Mississippi State
2. Alabama
3. Ole Miss
4. Arkansas
5. LSU
6. Auburn
SEC Champion: Florida
SEC Tournament Champion: Mississippi State
NCAA Tournament teams:
1. Florida
2. Kentucky
3. Mississippi State
4. Vanderbilt
5. Tennessee
NIT:
Georgia
Alabama
Ole Miss
JB
EAST
1. Florida
2. Kentucky
3. Vanderbilt
4. Tennessee
5. Georgia
6. South Carolina
WEST
1. Mississippi State
2. Alabama
3. Ole Miss
4. Arkansas
5. LSU
6. Auburn
SEC Champion: Florida
SEC Tournament Champion: Mississippi State
NCAA Tournament teams:
1. Florida
2. Kentucky
3. Mississippi State
4. Vanderbilt
5. Tennessee
NIT:
Georgia
Alabama
Ole Miss
JB
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Should We Call it the SEC or Cam Newton Saga?
I would be remiss if I didn't give my take on the Cam Newton/Cecil Newton/Auburn/Mississippi State/Florida/Meyer/Mullen/Bond/SEC/everyone scandal that is gripping the southern college football world. Let's briefly go through this.
ESPN.com presents a story in which John Bond claims to have been contacted by a former teammate who was seeking to collect money for Cam Newton's signature on a letter of intent : basically that is just a story that may or may not have anything to do with Cam Newton, Auburn, or Mississippi State. Let the NCAA investigate and find an answer to the insinuation that Newton is being paid.
FoxSports.com reported that Cam Newton was caught cheating three times while at Florida and was on the verge of expulsion before he transferred to Blinn Junior College: this has nothing to do with anything other than trying to smear Cam Newton's reputation. The guy who wrote this story also wrote an article urging Heisman voters not to vote for Cam Newton because of these accusations.
ESPN.com reported last night that Mississippi State recruiters spoke to Cecil Newton and Cam Newton on separate occasions. Cecil allegedly said it would take more than a scholarship to get him to play at State. Cam allegedly said he wanted to come to State but it was too much money to pass up not to go to Auburn. This is big news, and as far as I'm concerned, it's the only story.
This rounds up everyone, throws them into a pit, a bell has rung, and it's an ugly fight. The referee is Mike Slive, but he's MIA, and so no one can stop this massive spilling of blood. He could stop all this with a public announcement but he seems to be lost on the golf course. Something stinks real bad, and it's coming from Birmingham, Alabama, in the direction of Slive's office.
A little background: Slive became commissioner of the SEC in 2002 and made it his #1 goal to get all SEC members off probation. Part of this initiative was to enact a Philip Fulmer rule by which coaches must follow a chain of command in reporting possible violations rather than reporting directly to the NCAA. So the coach tells the A.D. who reports it to the SEC office. If the SEC office deems it serious enough, it reports it to the NCAA.
There is reason to believe Mississippi State has taped recordings of what Cecil and Cam Newton said to the recruiters. The reason is why would you tell the media about these conversations unless they actually took place? Mississippi State brought all this to the attention of the SEC, and I would think they gave the tapes to the SEC as well.
So if the SEC was in possession of tapes with these conversations that would have thrown up red flags that you could see from China then why didn't Mike Slive say anything about it? If he presented them to Auburn, why in their right mind would Auburn have played him one snap this year without clearing his eligibility with the NCAA first? Unless Jay Jacobs is writing checks with the Auburn athletic department checkbook then my only conclusion has to be that Slive withheld the tapes from Auburn and tried to cover it up. Sweep it under the rug and keep his dream of no teams on probation alive.
Did Dan Mullen alert the media of this story? I don't know, but if what I've said in the previous two paragraphs is true then he certainly had reason to nudge some people in that direction. Perhaps after handing over all the information to the SEC and them doing nothing about it, getting beat by Newton and Auburn, and then watching Auburn ascend to the top of college football being undefeated and Cam Newton as the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy he felt justice had to be done. What Urban Meyer has to do with the whole thing I don't know.
I hope Cam Newton is innocent of all wrong-doing and that Auburn goes on to win the SEC and National Championship. But, I have a feeling that where there's smoke there's fire and Auburn may be in trouble. But what I really want to know is did Mike Slive withhold information from Auburn and the NCAA regarding what Mississippi State submitted to the SEC. I think that is a bigger scandal in all this than if Cam Newton accepted money. First I want to know that, then let's find out whether or not the Newton's did actually get money, how did Cecil Newton's church pay for those repairs, etc. My head's spinning, it's been one crazy ride. Hopefully, it will be sorted out in the next week or two.
JB
ESPN.com presents a story in which John Bond claims to have been contacted by a former teammate who was seeking to collect money for Cam Newton's signature on a letter of intent : basically that is just a story that may or may not have anything to do with Cam Newton, Auburn, or Mississippi State. Let the NCAA investigate and find an answer to the insinuation that Newton is being paid.
FoxSports.com reported that Cam Newton was caught cheating three times while at Florida and was on the verge of expulsion before he transferred to Blinn Junior College: this has nothing to do with anything other than trying to smear Cam Newton's reputation. The guy who wrote this story also wrote an article urging Heisman voters not to vote for Cam Newton because of these accusations.
ESPN.com reported last night that Mississippi State recruiters spoke to Cecil Newton and Cam Newton on separate occasions. Cecil allegedly said it would take more than a scholarship to get him to play at State. Cam allegedly said he wanted to come to State but it was too much money to pass up not to go to Auburn. This is big news, and as far as I'm concerned, it's the only story.
This rounds up everyone, throws them into a pit, a bell has rung, and it's an ugly fight. The referee is Mike Slive, but he's MIA, and so no one can stop this massive spilling of blood. He could stop all this with a public announcement but he seems to be lost on the golf course. Something stinks real bad, and it's coming from Birmingham, Alabama, in the direction of Slive's office.
A little background: Slive became commissioner of the SEC in 2002 and made it his #1 goal to get all SEC members off probation. Part of this initiative was to enact a Philip Fulmer rule by which coaches must follow a chain of command in reporting possible violations rather than reporting directly to the NCAA. So the coach tells the A.D. who reports it to the SEC office. If the SEC office deems it serious enough, it reports it to the NCAA.
There is reason to believe Mississippi State has taped recordings of what Cecil and Cam Newton said to the recruiters. The reason is why would you tell the media about these conversations unless they actually took place? Mississippi State brought all this to the attention of the SEC, and I would think they gave the tapes to the SEC as well.
So if the SEC was in possession of tapes with these conversations that would have thrown up red flags that you could see from China then why didn't Mike Slive say anything about it? If he presented them to Auburn, why in their right mind would Auburn have played him one snap this year without clearing his eligibility with the NCAA first? Unless Jay Jacobs is writing checks with the Auburn athletic department checkbook then my only conclusion has to be that Slive withheld the tapes from Auburn and tried to cover it up. Sweep it under the rug and keep his dream of no teams on probation alive.
Did Dan Mullen alert the media of this story? I don't know, but if what I've said in the previous two paragraphs is true then he certainly had reason to nudge some people in that direction. Perhaps after handing over all the information to the SEC and them doing nothing about it, getting beat by Newton and Auburn, and then watching Auburn ascend to the top of college football being undefeated and Cam Newton as the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy he felt justice had to be done. What Urban Meyer has to do with the whole thing I don't know.
I hope Cam Newton is innocent of all wrong-doing and that Auburn goes on to win the SEC and National Championship. But, I have a feeling that where there's smoke there's fire and Auburn may be in trouble. But what I really want to know is did Mike Slive withhold information from Auburn and the NCAA regarding what Mississippi State submitted to the SEC. I think that is a bigger scandal in all this than if Cam Newton accepted money. First I want to know that, then let's find out whether or not the Newton's did actually get money, how did Cecil Newton's church pay for those repairs, etc. My head's spinning, it's been one crazy ride. Hopefully, it will be sorted out in the next week or two.
JB
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
2010 Election
The 2010 election was all about the American people saying to Washington, 'get us out of this mess, and stick to the economy'.
After the democrats took complete control of the House, Senate, and Presidency in 2008 they used it as a mandate to reform America based on a liberal agenda. The problem was, that wasn't what America wanted. They wanted new people in charge that would be a change from the morons running Washington in the years prior, and so American gave the democrats a shot.
In the depths of a recession the democrats tried to pass all of their liberal legislation and it didn't work. The American people do not want any of that, they want the economy fixed. The time for health care isn't when millions of people are out of work.
So last week's election was all about finding a way to throw the politicians out who aren't dedicated to fixing the economy. President Obama has a real chance to work with congress to make steps in the right direction. All of the liberal law-making must be cast aside, it wasn't the time after '08 and it still isn't the time. America has spoken that we just want the economy fixed...focus on that.
Hopefully the next two years won't be a stalemate between congress and the president. If both parties are willing to find some actual solutions to our problems we can can move forward. That is what America wants.
JB
After the democrats took complete control of the House, Senate, and Presidency in 2008 they used it as a mandate to reform America based on a liberal agenda. The problem was, that wasn't what America wanted. They wanted new people in charge that would be a change from the morons running Washington in the years prior, and so American gave the democrats a shot.
In the depths of a recession the democrats tried to pass all of their liberal legislation and it didn't work. The American people do not want any of that, they want the economy fixed. The time for health care isn't when millions of people are out of work.
So last week's election was all about finding a way to throw the politicians out who aren't dedicated to fixing the economy. President Obama has a real chance to work with congress to make steps in the right direction. All of the liberal law-making must be cast aside, it wasn't the time after '08 and it still isn't the time. America has spoken that we just want the economy fixed...focus on that.
Hopefully the next two years won't be a stalemate between congress and the president. If both parties are willing to find some actual solutions to our problems we can can move forward. That is what America wants.
JB
Monday, November 8, 2010
Week Ten
Les Miles is unbelievable. Just when you think he's called too many trick plays, or that he can't possibly convert another fake punt, he does it and it works. In fact, beyond all logic and understanding he has LSU sitting at 8-1 and with three games to go they've got an outside shot at the National Title Game. I am shocked to be honest.
I will make the assumption that South Carolina didn't play with much effort vs. Arkansas knowing they had already earned a SEC Championship play-in next week at Florida. I hope for them that was the case because that was a beat down. Arkansas did finally find a running game and they will be a force down the stretch, luckily for Auburn they have already beaten the Hogs. I thought before the year that USC would lose this game because of the look-ahead, but yet I changed my pick on Friday. Maybe I should just stick with my preseason picks.
The SEC West is the best thing going in college football right now. You are looking at 5 teams ranked the Top 17 of the AP poll...that is amazing, way better than the 2008 Big 12 South. And so for Auburn to have the chance to clinch the division with one game remaining I think that should mean they are #1. There really is no debate. It doesn't really matter, but they should be #1. Thanks to all the horrible competition some of the teams played I made it to a 6-2 record in the SEC this week, losing the only two games that were really in doubt. So that's 61-15 this year. I went 2-0 nationally, makes it 34-22 for the year. Here are my power rankings.
1. Auburn, 10-0 (6-0) - They get better every week. Next week vs. Georgia is a chance to lock up the West.
2. LSU, 8-1 (5-1) - As much as I tried to hold them back they have acended to the top.
3. Alabama, 7-2 (4-2) - Now that pretty much all of their goals have been dashed, how will they respond? I know they will be ready for the Iron Bowl, but how about next week against a Mississippi State team with the same record.
4. Mississippi State, 7-2 (3-2) - That's right, the same record as mighty Alabama. Now the fight for #3 in Tuscaloosa next week.
5. Arkansas, 7-2 (4-2) - I'm to #5 and no SEC East teams yet, just goes to show you how good the West is this year. They looked like a complete team at South Carolina. UTEP next week, then two big games at MSU and vs. LSU to end the season.
6. South Carolina, 6-3 (4-3) - If the Gamecocks were ever going to win the East this is going to have to be the year. I'm not sure a 3 loss team will ever again be able to play their way into the Championship Game.
7. Florida, 6-3 (4-3) - They've beaten Georgia and creamed Vandy, I'm not sure if they are back but despite all the bad play they have had just enough to make it a huge game next week vs. South Carolina.
8. Georgia, 5-5 (3-4) - It's going to be a close call in terms of bowl eligibility this year for the Dawgs. I don't know if they can do it, they have a huge hill to climb next week at Auburn.
9. Kentucky, 5-5 (1-5) - They did it again, 4 non-conference wins. Now a win next week vs. Vandy and they're bowl eligible again.
10. Ole Miss, 4-5 (1-4) - Not a very impressive showing vs. ULALA, but they got the win and now need 2 out of 3 down the stretch. Next week at Tennessee is huge for them.
10. Tennessee, 3-6 (0-5) - Nice win at Memphis, I'm sure it was nice to get that losing monkey off their back. But there's another monkey on the other shoulder that stands for they are still the only SEC team without a conference win. Great chance at home vs. Ole Miss to get one next week...battle for #10.
12. Vanderbilt, 2-7 (1-5) - It's getting pretty bad to watch. What I thought was a hard-fighting team in September has turned into an awful team. I'm afraid Robbie Caldwell's future is very much in doubt.
My Top 5:
1. Auburn, 10-0
2. Oregon, 9-0
3. Boise State, 8-0
4. TCU, 10-0
5. LSU, 8-1/Stanford, 8-1
There is just a thin sheet of paper seperating TCU and Boise and last year's Fiesta Bowl is written on it. TCU's performance at Utah was quite impressive. But by the same token Boise State's performace vs. Hawaii was pretty impressive too. I'm staring at that Top 5 and wondering about a 4-team playoff. And then I'm looking at LSU and Stanford who have won all their games except LSU lost at #1 Auburn and Stanford lost at #2 Oregon. So part of me wonders if they would be #1 and #2 if they had played those games at home, and perhaps they could be included in a 6 or 8 team playoff that would be quite exciting. But, of course, there are still 3 weeks of regular season football remaining and a lot is still to be determined. But I like that Top 5/6, those are some solid teams.
Even after a close loss last night the Hawks are 6-1, the best record in the Eastern Conference. Good start for my team.
Last night I had a chicken sandwich that was very good. I covered the chicken in homemade Chick-Fil-A sauce (honey mustard & BBQ sauce) and then put sliced avacados over it, and a little mayo on a kaiser roll. Very good.
JB
I will make the assumption that South Carolina didn't play with much effort vs. Arkansas knowing they had already earned a SEC Championship play-in next week at Florida. I hope for them that was the case because that was a beat down. Arkansas did finally find a running game and they will be a force down the stretch, luckily for Auburn they have already beaten the Hogs. I thought before the year that USC would lose this game because of the look-ahead, but yet I changed my pick on Friday. Maybe I should just stick with my preseason picks.
The SEC West is the best thing going in college football right now. You are looking at 5 teams ranked the Top 17 of the AP poll...that is amazing, way better than the 2008 Big 12 South. And so for Auburn to have the chance to clinch the division with one game remaining I think that should mean they are #1. There really is no debate. It doesn't really matter, but they should be #1. Thanks to all the horrible competition some of the teams played I made it to a 6-2 record in the SEC this week, losing the only two games that were really in doubt. So that's 61-15 this year. I went 2-0 nationally, makes it 34-22 for the year. Here are my power rankings.
1. Auburn, 10-0 (6-0) - They get better every week. Next week vs. Georgia is a chance to lock up the West.
2. LSU, 8-1 (5-1) - As much as I tried to hold them back they have acended to the top.
3. Alabama, 7-2 (4-2) - Now that pretty much all of their goals have been dashed, how will they respond? I know they will be ready for the Iron Bowl, but how about next week against a Mississippi State team with the same record.
4. Mississippi State, 7-2 (3-2) - That's right, the same record as mighty Alabama. Now the fight for #3 in Tuscaloosa next week.
5. Arkansas, 7-2 (4-2) - I'm to #5 and no SEC East teams yet, just goes to show you how good the West is this year. They looked like a complete team at South Carolina. UTEP next week, then two big games at MSU and vs. LSU to end the season.
6. South Carolina, 6-3 (4-3) - If the Gamecocks were ever going to win the East this is going to have to be the year. I'm not sure a 3 loss team will ever again be able to play their way into the Championship Game.
7. Florida, 6-3 (4-3) - They've beaten Georgia and creamed Vandy, I'm not sure if they are back but despite all the bad play they have had just enough to make it a huge game next week vs. South Carolina.
8. Georgia, 5-5 (3-4) - It's going to be a close call in terms of bowl eligibility this year for the Dawgs. I don't know if they can do it, they have a huge hill to climb next week at Auburn.
9. Kentucky, 5-5 (1-5) - They did it again, 4 non-conference wins. Now a win next week vs. Vandy and they're bowl eligible again.
10. Ole Miss, 4-5 (1-4) - Not a very impressive showing vs. ULALA, but they got the win and now need 2 out of 3 down the stretch. Next week at Tennessee is huge for them.
10. Tennessee, 3-6 (0-5) - Nice win at Memphis, I'm sure it was nice to get that losing monkey off their back. But there's another monkey on the other shoulder that stands for they are still the only SEC team without a conference win. Great chance at home vs. Ole Miss to get one next week...battle for #10.
12. Vanderbilt, 2-7 (1-5) - It's getting pretty bad to watch. What I thought was a hard-fighting team in September has turned into an awful team. I'm afraid Robbie Caldwell's future is very much in doubt.
My Top 5:
1. Auburn, 10-0
2. Oregon, 9-0
3. Boise State, 8-0
4. TCU, 10-0
5. LSU, 8-1/Stanford, 8-1
There is just a thin sheet of paper seperating TCU and Boise and last year's Fiesta Bowl is written on it. TCU's performance at Utah was quite impressive. But by the same token Boise State's performace vs. Hawaii was pretty impressive too. I'm staring at that Top 5 and wondering about a 4-team playoff. And then I'm looking at LSU and Stanford who have won all their games except LSU lost at #1 Auburn and Stanford lost at #2 Oregon. So part of me wonders if they would be #1 and #2 if they had played those games at home, and perhaps they could be included in a 6 or 8 team playoff that would be quite exciting. But, of course, there are still 3 weeks of regular season football remaining and a lot is still to be determined. But I like that Top 5/6, those are some solid teams.
Even after a close loss last night the Hawks are 6-1, the best record in the Eastern Conference. Good start for my team.
Last night I had a chicken sandwich that was very good. I covered the chicken in homemade Chick-Fil-A sauce (honey mustard & BBQ sauce) and then put sliced avacados over it, and a little mayo on a kaiser roll. Very good.
JB
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Cam Newton
Cam Newton is a really great football player, and by all accounts he is a pretty good kid. I'm not sure about his father though. With all of the allegations going around about Kenny Rogers contacting John Bond to say it would take $180,000 to secure Newton's services, it will have to be determined to whether Auburn paid him or not. One thing to remember though is that in America we are all innocent until proven guilty.
There are several things that point to the likelihood that Cecil Newton did accept money. The fact that he actually made the decision to go to Auburn over Mississippi State for Cam Newton demonstrates the possibility that he was pulling strings without Cam even knowing about it. By the same token the agent who was asking for money could have been acting on behalf of himself and had nothing to do with the Newtons, and if that's the case this has been blown way out of proportion.
If you ask any college football fan who is the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy their answer would have to be Cam Newton. It's really not even close right now. When the NCAA is involved, who knows how long this investigation will last. There isn't much doubt in my mind that it will go past the Heisman Trophy award ceremony so there is a great chance it will be unresolved and a lingering issue. It would be a travesty if he was not awarded the trophy because of this, if indeed he has not been found guilty of anything by then.
When College Gameday comes on this morning, if they begin talking about other possible candidates then I will know this travesty has already begun. After weeks of proclaiming Cam Newton as the best player in college football there is no reason to say he is no longer the best because there are some allegations against him.
It is important to maintain the idea of innocent until proven guilty. Should the investigation not end until after the award ceremony, then he should be awarded the trophy and it can be taken away afterward if he is found guilty of accepting money. It would also be even worse if Auburn began dropping in the polls because of this. If it's true then they deserve what is coming to them, but we must hold judgment until after a verdict is reached.
JB
There are several things that point to the likelihood that Cecil Newton did accept money. The fact that he actually made the decision to go to Auburn over Mississippi State for Cam Newton demonstrates the possibility that he was pulling strings without Cam even knowing about it. By the same token the agent who was asking for money could have been acting on behalf of himself and had nothing to do with the Newtons, and if that's the case this has been blown way out of proportion.
If you ask any college football fan who is the front-runner for the Heisman Trophy their answer would have to be Cam Newton. It's really not even close right now. When the NCAA is involved, who knows how long this investigation will last. There isn't much doubt in my mind that it will go past the Heisman Trophy award ceremony so there is a great chance it will be unresolved and a lingering issue. It would be a travesty if he was not awarded the trophy because of this, if indeed he has not been found guilty of anything by then.
When College Gameday comes on this morning, if they begin talking about other possible candidates then I will know this travesty has already begun. After weeks of proclaiming Cam Newton as the best player in college football there is no reason to say he is no longer the best because there are some allegations against him.
It is important to maintain the idea of innocent until proven guilty. Should the investigation not end until after the award ceremony, then he should be awarded the trophy and it can be taken away afterward if he is found guilty of accepting money. It would also be even worse if Auburn began dropping in the polls because of this. If it's true then they deserve what is coming to them, but we must hold judgment until after a verdict is reached.
JB
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