Sunday, September 09, 2007

Sunday 09/09 A.M. (Very) Quickie:
I Was SO Wrong About VA Tech

Gainesville, FL -- First things first: I was SO wrong about Virginia Tech. They will not beat LSU at LSU. They will not win the national title. Not my Worst. Prediction. Ever., but an early-season K.O. on that particular front. Let's just get that out of the way now.

OK: LSU is the unquestioned No. 1 team in the country, until proven otherwise. I cannot understand how any voter will be able to continue to rank USC ahead of LSU this week. The Tigers are REALLY good.

(Don't look for me to deliver some kind of bullish pronouncement about Florida, after seeing them in person. It was a Tale of Two Halves: In the first half, they looked unstoppable. In the second half, they looked downright atrocious, particularly the young defense.)

Other shallow notes from yesterday:

It was reasonable for Michigan fans to think "It can't possibly get worse" than the loss to App State. Amazingly, it did.

I'm not in favor of firing Lloyd Carr. I'm in favor of Carr quitting. (Michigan should be rooting for LSU. If the Tigers win a national title, it would be that much easier for Les Miles to figure he can't possibly do any better and jump to Michigan.)

Notre Dame shouldn't be afraid of the word "rebuilding," because if you you only have 4-5 wins and you're NOT rebuilding, you have a serious marketing problem.

OK, so TCU is not this season's Boise State.

Big day for underrated "South" teams on the road against Top 25 opponents:

South Carolina: You have got to love that Spurrier went into Athens and came away with a win over a trendy-hot Georgia team. Get those Gamecocks in the Top 20, stat.

Same with South Florida, which went into Auburn and beat the Tigers, a jewel of a non-conference win for a Bulls team that has had signature wins over WVU and L'ville in the last two seasons.

Oklahoma is legit.
Nebraska is not.

Oregon is also for real, despite the easy reaction of saying, "Well, they only beat Michigan at Michigan," which suddenly has zero cachet.

Not only should Washington's win over Boise State get the Huskies ranked in the Top 25 (Top 20?), but it might have been the school's biggest "statement" win since the early 90s.

More tomorrow.

-- D.S.

42 comments:

TJ said...

Mark May, you make a hatred burn in me. That is all for now.

Broggara! said...

So, officially, USF IS the second best team in Florida. And we don't even have a kicker! GO BULLS!

Natsfan74 said...

I bet on VT to win that game. I was soooo wrong. LSU is the best team in the nation. I now expect them to roll through the SEC without anyone slowing them down. Maybe Alabama?

Matt T said...

I was at the Georgia game. Very disapointing result.

Before going into the tunnel at the half Spurrier stopped and waved to the UGA student section just so he would be booed.

I wouldn't be surprised if they beat a few more teams this year.

Michael said...

i don't know how much you can really put into an evaluation of the Gator's second half. It was was a young team with a five touchdown lead that didn't know how to stay focused. I don't think any can stop that offense. Urban said it best when he said that they went to the locker room with that lead at the half and the look on everyone's face was "ok now what do we do"

How much does Cincy and USF winning out of conference this week legitimize the depth of the big east?

TJ said...

I'm with Michael. The 3rd quarter at the Swamp was actually a weight off my mind--will allow the coaches to actually coach the team this week and avoid a bunch of young players with the idea they're invincible getting fat and happy.

@broggara! Congrats. My brother goes to USF, and when I called him after the game he was going absolutely nuts. He'd been looking forward to and talking about the Auburn game ever since January. While not an impressive a victory as the one over WVU last year, it's a huge step into the limelight to beat a ranked SEC team on a day Miami is embarrassed and FSU struggles with UAB. Just a great great day in Tampa.

Unknown said...

Just out of curiosity...

If I told you that Team A beat team Team B by a score of 48-7 and the game was at Team A, your first question would be; "Is Team B any good?"

Then I would say that Team B beat East Carolina 17-7 at home in Week 1, and you would reply; "What's the big deal then? Clearly Team B isn't any good."

The heroin sheik said...

I was making back and forth drunken call with my best friend last night and after watching what USF did to auburn my buddy is convinced that UF is going to be playing USF for the title this year. I think he is crazy but I do think USF could win the big East. His argument is that they have a relentless D and a creative offense with a good running game. Of course UF proved last year that you can win it all without a good kicking game. I was pleased to see that game last night after the lackluster UF win. It was one of the better games I have seen in recent memory. Of course I used to live next door to their St Pete campus so I am kinda biased.

Cmon Dan no mention of your alma mater. Have you totally renounced Northwestern. It was a great comeback and to end it on a sack for a safety was pretty sweet.

If UCF plays Texas solid next week the argument could be made that the best teams in FL are in this order: UF, USF, UCF, FSU, UM, FAU, FIU.

Time to crack some beers and watch some roiders.

Melbye said...

I was wondering if I was the only one thinking that Les Miles has to have the Michigan job on his radar right now?

But a Bayou Bengal National Title would be the best scenario for all involved. Tiger fans can be happy and let go easily and Big Blue has a big new name to rejuvinate a flat lined program.

Unknown said...

My pont is...
VIRGINIA TECH = MICHIGAN

Ok, well maybe they aren't equal. But if you watched the Mich/AppSt. game and the VT/East Carolina games you could easily see that App St. was a better team than East Carolina. If you saw any of Mich/Oregon and VT/LSU you watched the latter of each pair beat up the former.

So if we are all saying how Michigan should never have been ranked and that they suck, why aren't we saying the same thing about VT?

Sure they didn't lose to ECU in Week 1, but do you think they would've beaten App St.? I don't. So they lost by 41 to LSU and Michigan lost by 32 to Oregon. Those are both beatdowns.

After watching 2 weeks of VT I can't help but think that they shouldn't have been ranked at all either.

The heroin sheik said...

Guy, you have a good point. I think it is hilarious that everyone was all on the VT bandwagon for this season because of the shooting and now they have almost no chance at a title. Thats what bandwagon fans deserve. I am glad everyone is so sick of us Gators because I think it has kept the bandwagon fans away. I guess it has something to do with how obnoxious and cocky we can be.

Unknown said...

COLT BRENNAN

There. That needed to be said. Guy throws for 548 yards and 4 TD and rushes for a 5th TD and throws a game winning TD in OT all during an away game at a school 4030 miles from home and he can't even get into the Quickie.

Poseur said...

All week long, the talk was how the VT-LSU game was going to be an epic matchup. Now that LSU has smacked around the Hokies, we already have the postgame justifications of: "the Hokies weren't that good." What a shock.

I went to LSU, my brother went to VT. I think someone is getting a phone call today...

Natsfan74 said...

I'm a huge Colt Brennan backer. I've seen him play live, and he's every bit as good as his numbers look.

But, last night was actually a bad game for him. His stats were good, but I watched the game and saw the interceptions, the fumble, and the consecutive plays where he threw the ball right into defensive linemen's hands that were both dropped. His numbers hide the fact that he played one of his worst games ever. Last night, 500 yards was truly a result of a "system", and not the result of exceptional play.

tOSU vs. Washington next week could be a much better game than expected. UW is still underrated, and tOSU is overrated.

Unknown said...

natsfan-

I watched as well and they said he was having trouble gripping the ball because of the humidity.

Let's also remember the 4030 mile road trip for this game. Maybe it's just me but I don't think a team should have to travel half way around the world to play a conference game. If you go to LaTech and you have to make the trip you don't care because you end up in Hawai'i for a short vacation. But the other way around is brutal.

Big D said...

Since there's no NFL post yet, this can go here:

Cleveland might be the worst team in the NFL. In less than 6 minutes, they've fumbled a punt (and committed FOUR penalties on the same punt), thrown an INT, committed an offsides on a 3rd & 5 (which negated a 3 yard sack), and nearly gave up 15 yards on an Unsportsmanlike after stopping the Steelers on 3rd down.

Pittsburgh's average starting position is the Cleveland 19.5 yard line. Needless to say, the Browns aren't having a good day.

Charlie Frye's day-to-day / week-to-week starting job is looking awful tenuous, at best...

Unknown said...

big d-

I know that you are no Steelers fan despite your recent change of scenery, so how do you plan on getting your game? Sunday Ticket? Online? Sports Bar? Dish?

Big D said...

Behold the power of ESPN NFL GameCast & Yahoo StatTracker...

Haven't got satellite TV here, and if I went to a bar there would be roughly 34 TV's - every single one turned to the Steelers/Browns debacle.

Unknown said...

I love StatTracker/GameChannel. The fact that it is the same window is crazy. I'm trying to decide if it is better than the Baseball StatTracker/GameChannel. We should vote on this at the end of the day when we have had enough time with both.

Unknown said...

D-

Also happy that my StatTracker/GameChannel is showing me that my hitters are 4/5 with 3 homers 4 RBIs 4 Runs and a SB in a crutial playoff Sunday against you.

Big D said...

Yeah, thanks for bringing that up...

Hey, my team is just proud to have turned around such a lost season. No matter the outcome, they all played like champions this year, and they've got something positive to build off of for next season...

Unknown said...

Was that you who made the post suggesting we turn it into a keeper league?

The heroin sheik said...

It is a shame that Brennan wont be around next year. UF is playing hawaii the first game of the season. It would have been fun watching what he could do against us and I bet there would be like 150 points combined.

Unknown said...

sheik-

I heard that they wanted to get that game for this year but Florida declined but said yes for the next season. Not saying that they were dodging the Colt, although I guess it's possible, but we can contemplate what could have been.

Unknown said...

Big D-

I have your salvation.

http://streamednfl.blogspot.com

I haven't tried it myself but if it works the world may end.

The heroin sheik said...

Wasn't Romeo Crennel the Defensive Coordinator for the Patriots. If so he should be ashamed by how bad the Browns D is.

The heroin sheik said...

You know the Texans actually look good. I never thought I would ever say those words.

The heroin sheik said...

Did anyone see adrian petersons first td. That guy has some good hands.

Melbye said...

Shiek, you beat me to it. I was going to mention that the Vikings are not that bad. And Peterson is a blurr man, he is fast! And if Taylor's hurt for a couple weeks or so, watch out, he won't give up that starting spot.

L. Jalbert said...

As a Titans fan, Vince Young didn't show me today why the VY experiment should turn different than the Vick experiement in Atlanta (except for the dogfighting part)

78 yds passing in all game?
No TD, 1 INT, 11/18. That won't do against a better team

The heroin sheik said...

Wow the Bucs actually don't look terrible. They are making it hard for seattle to move the ball I am impressed.

Either the Bears and the chargers offenses suck or they have really good d's. First to ten points wins?

The heroin sheik said...

Scratch that about the Bucs. Now the yuks of old are back. It is strangely reassuring to have them stinkin up the joint. Of course I think we are now without Garcia and Cadillac. Nice.

The heroin sheik said...

Hilarious,, we have a qb in Garcia who can put it right in a receivers hands on the run and then they just let go they get tapped by a defender. Maybe four wins.

Detroit looks good if you overlook them letting the raiders back in the game. Calvin Johnson is going to have a long productive career. He is everything they hyped him up to be.

Johnny b said...

Nobody has said this yet but it looks like Randy Moss got good again

L. Jalbert said...

Just finished the Bears-Chargers game,

Cedric Benson and Adrian Peterson were terrible in that game. Rex Grossman looked like the offensive menace on that team today. For a team that relies as much on the running game as the Bears do, they gonna need to get better quick, or the Bears are gonna fall in the standings.

Not A Gunslinger said...

BIG DUD to AP voters, only 4 people put App State on their ballots.

Steve said...

Not sure if any of you are keeping track but on the heels of losing to his wife last year, Simmons is currently 5-8 in his picks whereas the Sportsgal is 10-3. Hilarious.

Andy Roberts said...

Thanks, Dan. Finally you offer a pretty well-reasoned statement regarding ND. Weis will never use the word 'rebuilding' (and he probably shouldn't), but that sure as hell doesn't mean it isn't happening.

It'll take until probably 2009 until we see the real fruits of Charlie's labors.

Melbye said...

Ok, something doesn't make sense? AP website has only 4 votes for App State and on ESPN's website's poll it has them with 19 points? Hmm...answers anyone?

Brian in Oxford said...

yeah, it's two different polls.

TBender said...

After the Schaub INT, it's like a switch flipped and Houston woke up...it was a great opening game.

And the Titans may be running the single wing by the end of the year.

HornsFan said...

Long-time lurker here. Dan, I was expecting more from you on the 'Horns performance this weekend against TCU. Taking TCU out by 21 points is an impressive feat. Has to be one of the best wins of the early season. It seems that everyone's saying "TCU is a pretender," but in reality that was just a gutsy performance in the 2nd half by Texas against a great team. TCU likely won't lose again this season and may still end up in the BCS. Tony Hills completely neutralized all-everything defensive end Tommy Blake (and sure-fire 1st round draft pick next year)in what was one of the better OT/DE battles of the early season.