You know what I'm sick of? All the whining about all the LeBron-to-the-Knicks talk. Yes, two more years of it might seem endless, but at least now the discussion has some substance:
The Knicks cleared the 2010 cap room last week; tonight, LeBron plays at the Garden. I mean: If you're not going to talk about it NOW, when ARE you going to talk about it?
Today's SN column lays out the case: If your team isn't a contender, basically all you have to fall back on is the future -- what your team MIGHT do or COULD do.
"Wait 'til next year" is a tried-and-true component of the sports-fan ideal. In this case, "Wait 'til TWO years from now!" is simply an extension of that.
Meanwhile, Andy Reid starting Donovan McNabb on Thursday simply means that Kevin Kolb sucks too much to take the job from hi. It doesn't mean that McNabb won't be ejected from Philly this offseason.
Last night, I watched Florida get worked over by Syracuse. The Gators play zero defense, and their offense -- basically limited to tons of 3s and subsequent attempts after those 3s miss the mark -- is missing both size and athletes. We're such a long way from 2 years ago.
(Meanwhile, given that UConn obliterated Wisconsin by the Badgers' ranking -- 19 -- why are they not given more consideration for No. 1? I'm still waiting for the on-court result from UNC that would justify a No. 1 ranking, let alone a unanimous No. 1 ranking. There appears to be no analoge to college football's "resume ranking" -- what you did on the field/court this season is what matters. UNC has proven nothing; let me see what happens after the Maui tournament is over.)
I'm a sucker for college football awards season -- not just the Heisman, but the other awards, like the ones for positional excellence, and even the Maxwell, which is sort of the "poor man's Heisman." If you're asking me if I think Tim Tebow is a better all-around player than both Graham Harrell and Colt McCoy -- his fellow Maxwell finalists -- I'd say yes. Not sure how Sam Bradford and/or Michael Crabtree and/or Percy Harvin didn't make the Maxwell finalist list.
Meanwhile, some of the positional awards are very compelling: Andre Smith or Michael Oher for the Outland? Michael Crabtree or Jeremy Maclin for the Biletnikoff? (I'm stunned that Percy Harvin didn't make the Biletnikoff finalist list -- he might be the most talented player in the country, regardless of position. Did the Biletnikoff folks not like he can run the ball, too?)
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Obamaball: Sunday Hoops Over Church?
Can you blame him? I know a lot of folks who had a near-spiritual connection to their weekly Sunday morning run.
Coaches Poll Must Reveal Individual Ballots One Week Early To Avoid BCS Shenanigans
Demand the AFCA release all coaches' individual Top 25 ballots for next week's poll, when it will matter just as much as in the final week of the season.
The Coaches' Top 25 poll has always been a little sketchy.
Coaches have agendas and vendettas. They are hopelessly conflicted. Some coaches don't even fill out the ballot themselves. No reasonable fan thinks that the coaches actually watch enough games on a Saturday to know who to rank and where to rank them.
Most appallingly, there is almost no transparency: The coaches who vote insist that only their final ballot of the season -- the one that impacts the direct selection of the BCS Top 2 -- be revealed to the public. In other years, that is offensively opaque, but we as fans deal with it.
This season, that is a problem. A huge problem. A Big 12-sized problem.
Because provided that the Big 12's Big 3 -- Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech -- all win out, there will be a 3-way tie for the Big 12 South, triggering a tiebreaking process that ends with the winner of the Big 12 South being determined by BCS ranking -- one-third of that from the Coaches' poll.
Effectively (and not to diminish Missouri's role in the Big 12 title game): One-half of the national championship pairing could very well be determined by next weekend's vote.
Unfortunately, under current Coaches' Poll guidelines, we will never know whether some coaches tank one team or another to help a buddy -- or hurt a rival.
The point is: There is no transparency, and it will taint whatever the result might be. (We can all disagree on a playoff system, but the point of last week's post about an Obamafied playoff is that, at the very least, we get more transparency in the system.)
That's why -- in the event the 3-way-tie scenario is engaged -- the American Football Coaches Association (which administers the Coaches' Poll) must reveal how coaches voted in next week's poll, and not merely the season-ending poll a week later.
Now, that's a little like asking the banking industry to write its own bailout plan -- the AFCA's interest is in placating its coaching fraternity, not in a fair process. It is a trade association, not an independent polling group. (Where-oh-where is the Nate Silver-538.com of college football?)
That's why it wasn't able to insist on weekly transparency of coaches' ballots (the coaches scuttled that idea quickly), and that's why it shouldn't be part of the BCS process.
But it is, and fans and the media should insist -- demand -- that coaches' full ballots be revealed next week. If coaches wanted to be a part of this BCS process -- and all voting coaches opted into it -- they should be prepared to back up their ballot every week, and especially next week.
Given thatboth ESPN and USA Today are sponsors of the Coaches' Poll, it is their journalistic obligation to pressure the poll to reveal individual coaching ballots next week. (Let's set aside, for now, that their sponsorship enables this opaque ridiculousness to continue every season.)
We all suspect that shenanigans go on when it comes to the coaches poll -- a coach's first priority is to his program, not poll integrity. (See Jim Tressell's ludicrous 2006 abdication of his responsibility to the integrity of the sport, by not picking between Florida and Michigan.)
The only way we know for sure that some buddy of Mack Brown's -- as Pete Thamel suggested in today's NY Times -- doesn't rank Oklahoma, say, 20th in order to assure that Texas finishes ahead of OU (or vice versa in the case of Oklahoma) is to open the ballots up NEXT WEEK.
There are CFB sports-media voices with a hell of a lot more power than mine -- Wetzel, Thamel, Forde, Herbstreit, Mandel, Posnanski, Barnhart -- that can put the pressure on the AFCA to commit to releasing the ballots next week.
Any coach who doesn't like that is free to resign from the poll; that's as tell-tale of a sign as any that they were never going to take it as seriously as the fans, media and players do.
(In fact, the ideal would be that we pressure the AFCA to release the ballots AFTER the poll comes out next Sunday, so we can see just how tainted some ballots were. But I'd sooner push the transparency argument now, before it's too late, to get the most accurate and responsible result possible.)
By the way, if Oklahoma loses at OK St next week and makes this debate moot, the coaches are free to keep their ballots hidden from view, as usual. I'm only talking about this in the event that the 3-way-tie/BCS-tiebreaker situation is triggered.
(And, of course, a Missouri win in the Big 12 title game or an SEC implosion of one form or another changes things drastically. But we can only deal with the issue at hand.)
I'm not arguing for this to expose coaches who vote in the poll as unworthy of the responsibility -- even though I suspect many are. That's for another day.
But if this is the system we've got to deal withh, all I want is a little accountability -- a little transparency -- within the current structure to ensure the integrity of a process with little of it to begin with.
Demand the AFCA release all coaches' individual ballots for next week's poll, when it will matter just as much as --- perhaps more than -- the final week of the season.
It's a sketchy enough system as it is. Don't let the coaches get away with robbing fans and the sport of understanding how and why one team is advancing while another is staying home.
-- D.S.
The Coaches' Top 25 poll has always been a little sketchy.
Coaches have agendas and vendettas. They are hopelessly conflicted. Some coaches don't even fill out the ballot themselves. No reasonable fan thinks that the coaches actually watch enough games on a Saturday to know who to rank and where to rank them.
Most appallingly, there is almost no transparency: The coaches who vote insist that only their final ballot of the season -- the one that impacts the direct selection of the BCS Top 2 -- be revealed to the public. In other years, that is offensively opaque, but we as fans deal with it.
This season, that is a problem. A huge problem. A Big 12-sized problem.
Because provided that the Big 12's Big 3 -- Oklahoma, Texas, Texas Tech -- all win out, there will be a 3-way tie for the Big 12 South, triggering a tiebreaking process that ends with the winner of the Big 12 South being determined by BCS ranking -- one-third of that from the Coaches' poll.
Effectively (and not to diminish Missouri's role in the Big 12 title game): One-half of the national championship pairing could very well be determined by next weekend's vote.
Unfortunately, under current Coaches' Poll guidelines, we will never know whether some coaches tank one team or another to help a buddy -- or hurt a rival.
The point is: There is no transparency, and it will taint whatever the result might be. (We can all disagree on a playoff system, but the point of last week's post about an Obamafied playoff is that, at the very least, we get more transparency in the system.)
That's why -- in the event the 3-way-tie scenario is engaged -- the American Football Coaches Association (which administers the Coaches' Poll) must reveal how coaches voted in next week's poll, and not merely the season-ending poll a week later.
Now, that's a little like asking the banking industry to write its own bailout plan -- the AFCA's interest is in placating its coaching fraternity, not in a fair process. It is a trade association, not an independent polling group. (Where-oh-where is the Nate Silver-538.com of college football?)
That's why it wasn't able to insist on weekly transparency of coaches' ballots (the coaches scuttled that idea quickly), and that's why it shouldn't be part of the BCS process.
But it is, and fans and the media should insist -- demand -- that coaches' full ballots be revealed next week. If coaches wanted to be a part of this BCS process -- and all voting coaches opted into it -- they should be prepared to back up their ballot every week, and especially next week.
Given that
We all suspect that shenanigans go on when it comes to the coaches poll -- a coach's first priority is to his program, not poll integrity. (See Jim Tressell's ludicrous 2006 abdication of his responsibility to the integrity of the sport, by not picking between Florida and Michigan.)
The only way we know for sure that some buddy of Mack Brown's -- as Pete Thamel suggested in today's NY Times -- doesn't rank Oklahoma, say, 20th in order to assure that Texas finishes ahead of OU (or vice versa in the case of Oklahoma) is to open the ballots up NEXT WEEK.
There are CFB sports-media voices with a hell of a lot more power than mine -- Wetzel, Thamel, Forde, Herbstreit, Mandel, Posnanski, Barnhart -- that can put the pressure on the AFCA to commit to releasing the ballots next week.
Any coach who doesn't like that is free to resign from the poll; that's as tell-tale of a sign as any that they were never going to take it as seriously as the fans, media and players do.
(In fact, the ideal would be that we pressure the AFCA to release the ballots AFTER the poll comes out next Sunday, so we can see just how tainted some ballots were. But I'd sooner push the transparency argument now, before it's too late, to get the most accurate and responsible result possible.)
By the way, if Oklahoma loses at OK St next week and makes this debate moot, the coaches are free to keep their ballots hidden from view, as usual. I'm only talking about this in the event that the 3-way-tie/BCS-tiebreaker situation is triggered.
(And, of course, a Missouri win in the Big 12 title game or an SEC implosion of one form or another changes things drastically. But we can only deal with the issue at hand.)
I'm not arguing for this to expose coaches who vote in the poll as unworthy of the responsibility -- even though I suspect many are. That's for another day.
But if this is the system we've got to deal withh, all I want is a little accountability -- a little transparency -- within the current structure to ensure the integrity of a process with little of it to begin with.
Demand the AFCA release all coaches' individual ballots for next week's poll, when it will matter just as much as --- perhaps more than -- the final week of the season.
It's a sketchy enough system as it is. Don't let the coaches get away with robbing fans and the sport of understanding how and why one team is advancing while another is staying home.
-- D.S.
Monday 11/24 A.M. Quickie:
BCS, Favre, McNabb, T.O., Turner, More
You think picking the BCS 1-2 is a problem? Try picking the champ of the Big 12 South.
It's a mess, and it could totally screw up not just the Big 12 title picture, but the entire BCS title picture -- given that Texas and Oklahoma both still have substantial BCS ranking leads over Florida. That's the lead of today's SN column.
(And, yes, as a Florida fan I am freaked: I am NOT taking it for granted that beating FSU next week and Alabama a week later will ensure Florida is one of the Top 2 in the BCS. The computers absolutely hate Florida, and it is crushing their BCS hopes right now.)
Meanwhile, I compliment Brett Favre in the column. Yes, without even retching. The Jets are the NFL's hottest team, arguably the best team in the AFC (now that they have beaten the previous best-in-the-AFC and last season's best-in-the-AFC in back-to-back weeks, both on the road). I even surprise myself by linking "Favre" and "MVP" in the same sentence. Ugh. I hate myself.
Otherwise, is Donovan McNabb done in Philadelphia? Sure feels like it... T.O. is hitting his stride just in time for the annual Thanksgiving game... Michael Turner may be the Fantasy Player of the Year... Matt Forte is the latest Greatest Rookie RB Ever (Have we ever had a rookie RB class this good or this deep? I can't remember one.)... Matt Cassel isn't better than Tom Brady, but he certainly deserves to be a starter in the NFL, which he won't be when Brady comes back.
Fire Charlie Weis. Today. Do you need to wait for USC to hang 60 on Notre Dame to do it? Why? I guess it makes it that much easier. This guy is one of the worst big-school college football coaches of the last 20 years. When JoshMcRoberts - d'oh McDaniels leaves the Pats to go be a head coach for another NFL team, that O.C. job in New England will be a nice soft landing spot for Weis.
CBB Weekend: Memphis ain't what they were last year, but let's not forget that Xavier is arguably the best "mid-major" program in the country over the last decade. (Yes, that includes Gonzaga.) And what the hell is wrong with USC? Oh, right: Tim Floyd is still the coach... Meanwhile, Blake Griffin jumps ahead of Stephen Curry on my POY ballot.
NBA: Who saw T'wolves over Pistons in Detroit coming?... Look at Shaq's rookie numbers and then revisit your expectations for Greg Oden, who Shaq ate up on Saturday... The Lakers put 8 players in double-figures last night and are the best team in the league, unquestionably.
Myron Rolle was down to Florida State and Florida, and picked FSU, which disappointed me. Then he said it was because of FSU's academics, which shocked me (as it would shock anyone, certainly in comparison to UF). But he has made the most of the experience and parlayed it into a Rhodes Scholarship -- he has taken a football-first school and single-handedly said "No way," and I would argue that if you combine on-field and off-field, Rolle is the greatest player in the history of FSU's football program, including Charlie Ward, Deion Sanders and Derrick Brooks. Any of 'em. Rolle is as good of a player as anyone who has ever suited up for FSU, and he is certainly the finest student to ever compete in athletics for the school, too.
Is it too late to put Rolle on your Heisman ballot? Wouldn't it be amazing if he swooped in and won the award? Hmm... that might be my new campaign....
Complete SN column here. More later. I wrote a post last night about the Big 12's BCS mess, and it's coming at noon ET.
-- D.S.
It's a mess, and it could totally screw up not just the Big 12 title picture, but the entire BCS title picture -- given that Texas and Oklahoma both still have substantial BCS ranking leads over Florida. That's the lead of today's SN column.
(And, yes, as a Florida fan I am freaked: I am NOT taking it for granted that beating FSU next week and Alabama a week later will ensure Florida is one of the Top 2 in the BCS. The computers absolutely hate Florida, and it is crushing their BCS hopes right now.)
Meanwhile, I compliment Brett Favre in the column. Yes, without even retching. The Jets are the NFL's hottest team, arguably the best team in the AFC (now that they have beaten the previous best-in-the-AFC and last season's best-in-the-AFC in back-to-back weeks, both on the road). I even surprise myself by linking "Favre" and "MVP" in the same sentence. Ugh. I hate myself.
Otherwise, is Donovan McNabb done in Philadelphia? Sure feels like it... T.O. is hitting his stride just in time for the annual Thanksgiving game... Michael Turner may be the Fantasy Player of the Year... Matt Forte is the latest Greatest Rookie RB Ever (Have we ever had a rookie RB class this good or this deep? I can't remember one.)... Matt Cassel isn't better than Tom Brady, but he certainly deserves to be a starter in the NFL, which he won't be when Brady comes back.
Fire Charlie Weis. Today. Do you need to wait for USC to hang 60 on Notre Dame to do it? Why? I guess it makes it that much easier. This guy is one of the worst big-school college football coaches of the last 20 years. When Josh
CBB Weekend: Memphis ain't what they were last year, but let's not forget that Xavier is arguably the best "mid-major" program in the country over the last decade. (Yes, that includes Gonzaga.) And what the hell is wrong with USC? Oh, right: Tim Floyd is still the coach... Meanwhile, Blake Griffin jumps ahead of Stephen Curry on my POY ballot.
NBA: Who saw T'wolves over Pistons in Detroit coming?... Look at Shaq's rookie numbers and then revisit your expectations for Greg Oden, who Shaq ate up on Saturday... The Lakers put 8 players in double-figures last night and are the best team in the league, unquestionably.
Myron Rolle was down to Florida State and Florida, and picked FSU, which disappointed me. Then he said it was because of FSU's academics, which shocked me (as it would shock anyone, certainly in comparison to UF). But he has made the most of the experience and parlayed it into a Rhodes Scholarship -- he has taken a football-first school and single-handedly said "No way," and I would argue that if you combine on-field and off-field, Rolle is the greatest player in the history of FSU's football program, including Charlie Ward, Deion Sanders and Derrick Brooks. Any of 'em. Rolle is as good of a player as anyone who has ever suited up for FSU, and he is certainly the finest student to ever compete in athletics for the school, too.
Is it too late to put Rolle on your Heisman ballot? Wouldn't it be amazing if he swooped in and won the award? Hmm... that might be my new campaign....
Complete SN column here. More later. I wrote a post last night about the Big 12's BCS mess, and it's coming at noon ET.
-- D.S.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Sunday 11/23 (Not-So-Very) Quickie:
Big 12 Gahhh!, BCS Jockeying, Rhodes Rolle
Well, what the hell do we do about the Big 12 now?
Granted, Oklahoma could lose to Oklahoma State. That would put Texas Tech -- the team Oklahoma just beat by 100 -- back in the Big 12 South driver's seat.
Or, if Oklahoma beats OK St, they could lose to Missouri in the Big 12 title game. That might actually put Texas back in the BCS driver's seat -- despite not winning its own conference division.
(I would imagine that Mack Brown is in full spin mode this morning.)
The thing we can all agree on is that the Big 12's Nth-stage tiebreaker system -- the three teams' BCS rankings -- is the most absurd thing ever.
Yes: Coaches from non-Big 12 conferences should be voting on the Big 12 South -- by far, the heavyweight of college football -- to determine its champ. Or the Harris Poll. Frankly, I trust the computers on this one WAY more than the humans.
At the very least, it would be nice if the Big 12 convened the coaches from the 3 teams to hammer out a more reasonable way to pick between them -- maybe let the Big 12 Coaches decide, or a combination of Big 12 coaches and computer polls.
The fact is: It is an intractable problem, even if Oklahoma loses next week -- and especially if the Big 12 South champ loses to Missouri in 2 weeks.
Here's one thought: What if we've all been wrong about the Big 12 -- that they are all great teams, but none of them are a Top 2 team? What if the NCG should be the Alabama-Florida winner versus... Utah?
I pride myself on clever ideas for solving weird sports problems; I'm willing to admit I'm at a loss here. Make your own suggestions through the Comments.
(Sort of makes you glad for the situation in the SEC, where -- as long as Bama and Florida win their rivalry games next week -- the winner of the SEC CG goes to the national title game. My nightmare is that for some reason, the BCS title game does not include this game's winner. And, as Bama has a lock on the NCG if they win the SEC CG, you know what I'm talking about here.)
Sneak-peek of my BlogPoll ballot: (1) Oklahoma; (2) Alabama; (3) Florida; (4) Texas; (5) Utah; (6) USC; (7) Texas Tech; (8) Boise St.; (9) Penn St.; (10) Ohio St.
(This is a little unfair to Texas; if the Longhorns got to play Texas Tech in Austin instead of Lubbock, they might have beaten them -- although not nearly the way Oklahoma beat them. And I'm sure Texas fans are frustrated into rage right now, saying: "BUT WE BEAT OKLAHOMA!!!")
Myron Rolle won that Rhodes Scholarship: Let's take a minute from the CFB craziness to celebrate that. What a wonderful story.
In all the Big 12 mayhem, one BCS thing we know for sure: Utah will be a part of it. This isn't just a non-BCS team riding a soft schedule to an unbeaten season (Ball St, even Boise St to a lesser extent); this is one of the best teams in the country, just like they were in 2004.
I feel bad for Boise St -- they are one of the Top 10 teams in the country, but have virtually no shot at a BCS bowl that they deserve. Right now, the 4 at-large teams look like:
(1) Utah;
(2) a 2nd team from the Big 12 (presuming one Big 12 team is in the BCS title game);
(3) the Alabama-Florida loser (presuming the winner is automatically included in the BCS title game, there is no way the Sugar Bowl doesn't take the SEC runner-up, presuming that a 1-loss Bama or 2-loss Florida are both still in the Top 10);
(4) USC (presuming Oregon St wins the Pac-10 next week). If Oregon St loses and USC sneaks into the Rose Bowl, Ohio State would be the 4th at-large BCS bid.
NBA Match-Up of the Day: Shaq destroyed Greg Oden. O'Neal had 19 and 17 -- you have to believe he was motivated to school the young kid -- and Oden had 5 points and 5 fouls and 1 rebound in 14 minutes.
CBB Star of the Day: Blake Griffin -- 35 pts, 21 reb... and Oklahoma had way more trouble with Gardner-Webb than they did with Texas Tech.
The BCS standings later today will be so intriguing.
-- D.S.
Granted, Oklahoma could lose to Oklahoma State. That would put Texas Tech -- the team Oklahoma just beat by 100 -- back in the Big 12 South driver's seat.
Or, if Oklahoma beats OK St, they could lose to Missouri in the Big 12 title game. That might actually put Texas back in the BCS driver's seat -- despite not winning its own conference division.
(I would imagine that Mack Brown is in full spin mode this morning.)
The thing we can all agree on is that the Big 12's Nth-stage tiebreaker system -- the three teams' BCS rankings -- is the most absurd thing ever.
Yes: Coaches from non-Big 12 conferences should be voting on the Big 12 South -- by far, the heavyweight of college football -- to determine its champ. Or the Harris Poll. Frankly, I trust the computers on this one WAY more than the humans.
At the very least, it would be nice if the Big 12 convened the coaches from the 3 teams to hammer out a more reasonable way to pick between them -- maybe let the Big 12 Coaches decide, or a combination of Big 12 coaches and computer polls.
The fact is: It is an intractable problem, even if Oklahoma loses next week -- and especially if the Big 12 South champ loses to Missouri in 2 weeks.
Here's one thought: What if we've all been wrong about the Big 12 -- that they are all great teams, but none of them are a Top 2 team? What if the NCG should be the Alabama-Florida winner versus... Utah?
I pride myself on clever ideas for solving weird sports problems; I'm willing to admit I'm at a loss here. Make your own suggestions through the Comments.
(Sort of makes you glad for the situation in the SEC, where -- as long as Bama and Florida win their rivalry games next week -- the winner of the SEC CG goes to the national title game. My nightmare is that for some reason, the BCS title game does not include this game's winner. And, as Bama has a lock on the NCG if they win the SEC CG, you know what I'm talking about here.)
Sneak-peek of my BlogPoll ballot: (1) Oklahoma; (2) Alabama; (3) Florida; (4) Texas; (5) Utah; (6) USC; (7) Texas Tech; (8) Boise St.; (9) Penn St.; (10) Ohio St.
(This is a little unfair to Texas; if the Longhorns got to play Texas Tech in Austin instead of Lubbock, they might have beaten them -- although not nearly the way Oklahoma beat them. And I'm sure Texas fans are frustrated into rage right now, saying: "BUT WE BEAT OKLAHOMA!!!")
Myron Rolle won that Rhodes Scholarship: Let's take a minute from the CFB craziness to celebrate that. What a wonderful story.
In all the Big 12 mayhem, one BCS thing we know for sure: Utah will be a part of it. This isn't just a non-BCS team riding a soft schedule to an unbeaten season (Ball St, even Boise St to a lesser extent); this is one of the best teams in the country, just like they were in 2004.
I feel bad for Boise St -- they are one of the Top 10 teams in the country, but have virtually no shot at a BCS bowl that they deserve. Right now, the 4 at-large teams look like:
(1) Utah;
(2) a 2nd team from the Big 12 (presuming one Big 12 team is in the BCS title game);
(3) the Alabama-Florida loser (presuming the winner is automatically included in the BCS title game, there is no way the Sugar Bowl doesn't take the SEC runner-up, presuming that a 1-loss Bama or 2-loss Florida are both still in the Top 10);
(4) USC (presuming Oregon St wins the Pac-10 next week). If Oregon St loses and USC sneaks into the Rose Bowl, Ohio State would be the 4th at-large BCS bid.
NBA Match-Up of the Day: Shaq destroyed Greg Oden. O'Neal had 19 and 17 -- you have to believe he was motivated to school the young kid -- and Oden had 5 points and 5 fouls and 1 rebound in 14 minutes.
CBB Star of the Day: Blake Griffin -- 35 pts, 21 reb... and Oklahoma had way more trouble with Gardner-Webb than they did with Texas Tech.
The BCS standings later today will be so intriguing.
-- D.S.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
College Football Saturday Live-Blog
What Oklahoma is doing to Texas Tech right now is absurd. It will be very hard for me to not rank Oklahoma as my No. 1 team on my BlogPoll ballot tomorrow. (BTW: Charlie Weis should be fired tomorrow.)
Florida takes care of business. Ohio State takes care of business. If Ole Miss beats LSU at LSU, does that make Florida's 1-point loss to them less of a nasty mark -- or does it make Florida's blowout win over LSU less of an impressive feat? Man, remember when UNC was supposed to be good this season? Poor Vandy: In Tennessee's worst season ever, the Dores still can't win.
Currently watching Florida work over The Citadel. Unfortunately, anything but a blowout will negatively affect Florida's perception among voters. So: Blowout away! 35 points in the first 16 minutes is a good start. They need to probably go 60+ while shutting Citadel out.
Florida takes care of business. Ohio State takes care of business. If Ole Miss beats LSU at LSU, does that make Florida's 1-point loss to them less of a nasty mark -- or does it make Florida's blowout win over LSU less of an impressive feat? Man, remember when UNC was supposed to be good this season? Poor Vandy: In Tennessee's worst season ever, the Dores still can't win.
Currently watching Florida work over The Citadel. Unfortunately, anything but a blowout will negatively affect Florida's perception among voters. So: Blowout away! 35 points in the first 16 minutes is a good start. They need to probably go 60+ while shutting Citadel out.
Obama's CFB Playoff? Curtis: No We Can't
Well, as long as the New York Times was going to reject my Obama-CFB Playoff op-ed, I'm glad they published one by my friend Bryan Curtis, one of the very best sports columnists in America.
(We have two distinct takes: Curtis dislikes the playoff idea generally; I want to borrow Obama's "open-source" campaign tactics to implement one.)
-- D.S.
(We have two distinct takes: Curtis dislikes the playoff idea generally; I want to borrow Obama's "open-source" campaign tactics to implement one.)
-- D.S.
Saturday CFB Picks and Viewing Guide
Viewing Guide:
1:30 Florida-Citadel (Game Plan)
8:00 TexasTech-Oklahoma (ABC)
Wasn't able to post predictions for today's games yesterday. Here you go:
(2) Texas Tech over @(5) Oklahoma
(4) Florida over Citadel
(7) Utah over (14) BYU
(8) Penn State over (15) Michigan St.
(9) Boise St over Nevada
(10) Ohio St over Michigan
(16) TCU over Air Force
(17) Ball St over C. Michigan -- Locked Wednesday
Ole Miss over @(18) LSU
(19) Cincinnati over (20) Pitt
(21) Oregon St over @Arizona
(22) UNC over NC St
Georgia Tech over (23) Miami -- Locked Thursday
(25) Maryland over Florida St
1:30 Florida-Citadel (Game Plan)
8:00 TexasTech-Oklahoma (ABC)
Wasn't able to post predictions for today's games yesterday. Here you go:
(2) Texas Tech over @(5) Oklahoma
(4) Florida over Citadel
(7) Utah over (14) BYU
(8) Penn State over (15) Michigan St.
(9) Boise St over Nevada
(10) Ohio St over Michigan
(16) TCU over Air Force
(17) Ball St over C. Michigan -- Locked Wednesday
Ole Miss over @(18) LSU
(19) Cincinnati over (20) Pitt
(21) Oregon St over @Arizona
(22) UNC over NC St
Georgia Tech over (23) Miami -- Locked Thursday
(25) Maryland over Florida St
Saturday 11/22 (Very) Quickie
As first pronounced yesterday, the Knicks are SO getting LeBron in 2010. There couldn't be a bigger done-deal in the NBA. Cleveland fans are going to HATE the next 2 days -- and 2 years.
Otherwise, it's all lead-up to Oklahoma-Texas Tech.
More later
-- D.S.
Otherwise, it's all lead-up to Oklahoma-Texas Tech.
More later
-- D.S.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Gilbert Arenas: Losing "For The Better"
"I don't want to see them struggle, but if this is one of those years where we don't make the playoffs or we finish in last place... that's what happened to San Antonio and that's how they got Tim Duncan and look at them now... and that's for the better." -- Gilbert Arenas
You all know how I feel about this, and I'd react even if it wasn't from my favorite NBA player about my favorite NBA team:
I am a vocal proponent of the idea of tanking for draft position, under two conditions: (1) You weren't going to make the playoffs anyway, and (2) there is a transcendent talent available to you.
Unfortunately, the Wizards only qualify for (1), and Arenas' argument is undercut by his ignorance that there isn't a Tim Duncan or LeBron James in the 2009 draft pool. There isn't even a Derrick Rose, who -- for now -- seems pretty tank-worthy.
On the contrary, the draft class doesn't look quite as bad as the last time the Wizards drafted No. 1 overall (2001 -- Kwame Brown...ugh), but it is pretty unspectacular. A quick glance at DraftExpress tells the story: Ricky Rubio? Blake Griffin? DeMar DeRozan? BJ Mullens?
Not a single player in the draft class is transcendent in the way that Duncan or LeBron were -- maybe DeRozan, but shoot-first NBA swingmen aren't exactly hard to acquire. (Um, and the Wiz happen to have Caron Butler at the position.) Rubio plays Arenas' position; Griffin is undersized -- at best, the next Carlos Boozer. Maybe that's worth it.
If there was a game-changing center like Greg Oden or Tim Duncan available, then yes. The Wizards are desperate for a super-center, or at least a rebound-maniac power forward. But BJ Mullens? Yeah: Whoopee.
There is also the perfectly reasonable chance that the Wizards could end up with the league's worst record (OKC will have a say about that) and still not get the No. 1 pick. (And if OKC gets the first pick, there goes Griffin off the board.)
Arenas wasn't wrong on the theory; he was simply very wrong on the reality of the 2009 draft pool.
But does it matter? The Wizards are in for a terrible season, a Lottery season.
Is it really so wrong to look ahead to next year after watching 10 percent of the season fly by with just 1 win, to try to look for the silver lining in a disappointing Lottery year?
It might offend you that he did it 3 weeks into the season, but he's not wrong. Just ask Cavs fans if they regret tanking the season to be in a position to draft LeBron. Who could?
-- D.S.
You all know how I feel about this, and I'd react even if it wasn't from my favorite NBA player about my favorite NBA team:
I am a vocal proponent of the idea of tanking for draft position, under two conditions: (1) You weren't going to make the playoffs anyway, and (2) there is a transcendent talent available to you.
Unfortunately, the Wizards only qualify for (1), and Arenas' argument is undercut by his ignorance that there isn't a Tim Duncan or LeBron James in the 2009 draft pool. There isn't even a Derrick Rose, who -- for now -- seems pretty tank-worthy.
On the contrary, the draft class doesn't look quite as bad as the last time the Wizards drafted No. 1 overall (2001 -- Kwame Brown...ugh), but it is pretty unspectacular. A quick glance at DraftExpress tells the story: Ricky Rubio? Blake Griffin? DeMar DeRozan? BJ Mullens?
Not a single player in the draft class is transcendent in the way that Duncan or LeBron were -- maybe DeRozan, but shoot-first NBA swingmen aren't exactly hard to acquire. (Um, and the Wiz happen to have Caron Butler at the position.) Rubio plays Arenas' position; Griffin is undersized -- at best, the next Carlos Boozer. Maybe that's worth it.
If there was a game-changing center like Greg Oden or Tim Duncan available, then yes. The Wizards are desperate for a super-center, or at least a rebound-maniac power forward. But BJ Mullens? Yeah: Whoopee.
There is also the perfectly reasonable chance that the Wizards could end up with the league's worst record (OKC will have a say about that) and still not get the No. 1 pick. (And if OKC gets the first pick, there goes Griffin off the board.)
Arenas wasn't wrong on the theory; he was simply very wrong on the reality of the 2009 draft pool.
But does it matter? The Wizards are in for a terrible season, a Lottery season.
Is it really so wrong to look ahead to next year after watching 10 percent of the season fly by with just 1 win, to try to look for the silver lining in a disappointing Lottery year?
It might offend you that he did it 3 weeks into the season, but he's not wrong. Just ask Cavs fans if they regret tanking the season to be in a position to draft LeBron. Who could?
-- D.S.
LeBron to the New York Knicks a Done Deal
LeBron James to the New York Knicks is a done deal. They got rid of Jamal Crawford. They got rid of Zach Randolph. All they needed to land LeBron was the cap room, and now they've got it. Damn, he's going to look good in a Knicks uni. (And I say that as a hater of both LeBron and the Knicks.) It's a "when" not an "if" - and the "when" is Summer 2010. -- D.S.
Total Rumor: Chiefs and Vikings Like Vick?
So I get a lot of tips from readers -- most of the time it's a link to something interesting, but sometimes someone sends me a first-hand (or Nth-hand) story. One I got today was from a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy (etc... the chain of evidence seemed plausible to me) who claims Michael Vick told him directly that:
The Chiefs and Vikings have contacted Vick's agent about playing for them when he gets out of prison.
Now, this isn't much of a stretch: Despite Tyler Thigpen's fairly remarkable play recently, both teams could use a solution at QB. (Perhaps KC reached out to Vick's team before Thigpen heated up.) There are a couple other teams that could use Vick, too (especially if they want to have a "Wildcat specialist" QB!) Just felt obligated to pass along this totally unfounded, Nth-hand story.
Take it with your own brand of skepticism, but a team's interest in Vick is worth debating among that team's fans, whether or not it's true now -- for QB-weak teams you have to believe it'll be true eventually. So: Would you want YOUR QB-depleted team to pursue Michael Vick?
-- D.S.
The Chiefs and Vikings have contacted Vick's agent about playing for them when he gets out of prison.
Now, this isn't much of a stretch: Despite Tyler Thigpen's fairly remarkable play recently, both teams could use a solution at QB. (Perhaps KC reached out to Vick's team before Thigpen heated up.) There are a couple other teams that could use Vick, too (especially if they want to have a "Wildcat specialist" QB!) Just felt obligated to pass along this totally unfounded, Nth-hand story.
Take it with your own brand of skepticism, but a team's interest in Vick is worth debating among that team's fans, whether or not it's true now -- for QB-weak teams you have to believe it'll be true eventually. So: Would you want YOUR QB-depleted team to pursue Michael Vick?
-- D.S.
New BCS Deal Stifles College Football Playoff Hopes; BCS Can Still Be Improved
Consider this a follow-up to yesterday's blueprint for change. Stipulating to the realities that the BCS system is in place for at least another half-decade, here are a few positive changes we can make to the current system.
Despite Barack Obama throwing his weight around, don't expect a college football playoff before the end of the BCS contract in 2013, if then. (Yes, really: If then. Make no assumptions.)
There is, however, the opportunity to remedy two significant issues with the BCS system: Who gets included and who picks them.
(1) Implode the "Big Six + Notre Dame" cabal and include any school that cracks the Top 10, regardless of conference affiliation. That both Utah and Boise State could both run the table and both end up in the Top 8, let alone the Top 12 (BCS cut-off ranking), yet one be excluded from a BCS bowl seems the height of ridiculousness.
Allow any team in the Top 10 automatic inclusion in a BCS bowl, regardless of conference affiliation -- even if that means the Big 12 gets 4 spots. (You can already hear the ACC and Big East crying foul -- buy them off by guaranteeing them BCS-sized payouts, even if neither league places a team in the Top 10. As for Notre Dame, shut them out and dare them to gripe.)
(2) Implode the current ranking system: The coaches have a hopeless conflict-of-interest. No one can still say who, exactly, the Harris poll voters are -- and what their qualifications are. The computers are a mish-mash of formulas. There is absurdly little transparency across all of them. Meanwhile, the activist AP poll -- which pulled itself out of the BCS because it didn't want to "make news" -- continues to... make news, by naming its own champ.
The solution: Create one, big, open-to-anyone national poll, and put the selection of the Top 10/BCS teams in the hands of the fans -- and anyone else who wants to participate. (At the very minimum, put the selection of the Top 2 -- the two teams playing for the title -- in the hands of the fans.)
The Obama campaign and the realities of social media have finally illuminated the pathway to having a national Fan Poll to determine the Top 10. This is something that I have been publicly promoting since at least 1997 -- it is entirely feasible, and the sheer scale ensures that no single constituency can impact the overall outcome. Trust the fans -- they know better than the self-proclaimed experts. (As a microcosm, just look at the BlogPoll -- when fans take Top 25 ballotting seriously, you get a very efficient outcome.)
You can sense that much of the current fan frustration about the BCS comes from a lack of a playoff, yes, but also from this lack of transparency, this lack of openness, this lack of control. My two minor suggestions to the current system help to remedy those concerns.
Sorry, Mr. President. Sorry, critics. Sorry, fans. You will not see a college football playoff for at least half-a-decade. But however naive you find my suggestions, it can't possibly be more naive than bellowing about a playoff when the nearest playoff will come halfway through the next decade.
What you can demand is a new openness in your current and flawed BCS system. And that's as good of a place to start as any.
-- D.S.
Despite Barack Obama throwing his weight around, don't expect a college football playoff before the end of the BCS contract in 2013, if then. (Yes, really: If then. Make no assumptions.)
There is, however, the opportunity to remedy two significant issues with the BCS system: Who gets included and who picks them.
(1) Implode the "Big Six + Notre Dame" cabal and include any school that cracks the Top 10, regardless of conference affiliation. That both Utah and Boise State could both run the table and both end up in the Top 8, let alone the Top 12 (BCS cut-off ranking), yet one be excluded from a BCS bowl seems the height of ridiculousness.
Allow any team in the Top 10 automatic inclusion in a BCS bowl, regardless of conference affiliation -- even if that means the Big 12 gets 4 spots. (You can already hear the ACC and Big East crying foul -- buy them off by guaranteeing them BCS-sized payouts, even if neither league places a team in the Top 10. As for Notre Dame, shut them out and dare them to gripe.)
(2) Implode the current ranking system: The coaches have a hopeless conflict-of-interest. No one can still say who, exactly, the Harris poll voters are -- and what their qualifications are. The computers are a mish-mash of formulas. There is absurdly little transparency across all of them. Meanwhile, the activist AP poll -- which pulled itself out of the BCS because it didn't want to "make news" -- continues to... make news, by naming its own champ.
The solution: Create one, big, open-to-anyone national poll, and put the selection of the Top 10/BCS teams in the hands of the fans -- and anyone else who wants to participate. (At the very minimum, put the selection of the Top 2 -- the two teams playing for the title -- in the hands of the fans.)
The Obama campaign and the realities of social media have finally illuminated the pathway to having a national Fan Poll to determine the Top 10. This is something that I have been publicly promoting since at least 1997 -- it is entirely feasible, and the sheer scale ensures that no single constituency can impact the overall outcome. Trust the fans -- they know better than the self-proclaimed experts. (As a microcosm, just look at the BlogPoll -- when fans take Top 25 ballotting seriously, you get a very efficient outcome.)
You can sense that much of the current fan frustration about the BCS comes from a lack of a playoff, yes, but also from this lack of transparency, this lack of openness, this lack of control. My two minor suggestions to the current system help to remedy those concerns.
Sorry, Mr. President. Sorry, critics. Sorry, fans. You will not see a college football playoff for at least half-a-decade. But however naive you find my suggestions, it can't possibly be more naive than bellowing about a playoff when the nearest playoff will come halfway through the next decade.
What you can demand is a new openness in your current and flawed BCS system. And that's as good of a place to start as any.
-- D.S.
Friday 11/21 A.M. Quickie:
Texas Tech, Michigan, Giants, Lakers, More
"Playoff-ish": You all know that's my catch-all description for any college football game where both teams have national-title aspirations. I'd say Texas Tech-Oklahoma qualifies, and it leads today's SN column.
Picks come out later today, but I'm inclined to pick Texas Tech, even with the game in Norman. Tech's offense is playing at a higher level than anyone else -- even Oklahoma. And its defense might be the best in the Big 12 -- which is sort of relative, given how porous those defenses are.
(That said: It IS college football, which has an Occam's Razor of sorts: Whatever the biggest clusterf--k situation can be, usually happens. So even if Texas Tech beats Oklahoma, watch them lose to Missouri in the Big 12 title game.)
Meanwhile, Texas Tech's hoops team put up 167 on a college named "East Central." While it's fun to see such a pinball score, Pat Knight's team won by 50+, meaning that the 90-point second half was probably the worst exhibition of sportsmanship of 2008. What a d'bag.
That eye-popping total might just eclipse UCLA's choke-job in NYC against Michigan. I love Ben Howland and I'm almost always bullish on UCLA (see last year's November-to-March prediction they would win the national title), but their greatest strength -- defense -- means that their games will almost always be close, and close means the opponent has a puncher's chance.
The Lakers are unstoppable. The Pistons with AI aren't as much of a threat to the Celtics as the Nuggets with Billups (or, by extension) the Pistons with Billups.
I'm unmoved by Hank Steinbrenner's deadline for CC Sabathia to accept the Yankees' absurd offer. I'm a little more intrigued by the Nationals' interest in Mark Teixeira -- and the Maryland native's interest in the Nats.
(Speaking of DC baseball, I grew up on Thomas Boswell -- the guy is a baseball-columnist institution. But his support of Ryan Howard over Albert Pujols for NL MVP -- his argument -- was his tipping-point moment of his irrelevancy. Posnanski gave him what I would label a sympathetic evisceration.)
Looking ahead to Sunday: I am most intrigued by the Pats-Fins game, for a few reasons: (1) it has playoff implications; (2) they have one of the best rivalries in the NFL; (3) Miami revealed the "Wildcat" in their early-season clobbering of the Pats; will they go back to it again?
That said: I recognize that Giants-Cards is, on paper, the best match-up of the weekend. But since both teams are playoff locks, is it really bigger than Pats-Fins? Or even Titans-Jets, where the Titans look to continue their unbeaten season and the Jets are trying to stay one step ahead of the Pats-Fins winner?
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Picks come out later today, but I'm inclined to pick Texas Tech, even with the game in Norman. Tech's offense is playing at a higher level than anyone else -- even Oklahoma. And its defense might be the best in the Big 12 -- which is sort of relative, given how porous those defenses are.
(That said: It IS college football, which has an Occam's Razor of sorts: Whatever the biggest clusterf--k situation can be, usually happens. So even if Texas Tech beats Oklahoma, watch them lose to Missouri in the Big 12 title game.)
Meanwhile, Texas Tech's hoops team put up 167 on a college named "East Central." While it's fun to see such a pinball score, Pat Knight's team won by 50+, meaning that the 90-point second half was probably the worst exhibition of sportsmanship of 2008. What a d'bag.
That eye-popping total might just eclipse UCLA's choke-job in NYC against Michigan. I love Ben Howland and I'm almost always bullish on UCLA (see last year's November-to-March prediction they would win the national title), but their greatest strength -- defense -- means that their games will almost always be close, and close means the opponent has a puncher's chance.
The Lakers are unstoppable. The Pistons with AI aren't as much of a threat to the Celtics as the Nuggets with Billups (or, by extension) the Pistons with Billups.
I'm unmoved by Hank Steinbrenner's deadline for CC Sabathia to accept the Yankees' absurd offer. I'm a little more intrigued by the Nationals' interest in Mark Teixeira -- and the Maryland native's interest in the Nats.
(Speaking of DC baseball, I grew up on Thomas Boswell -- the guy is a baseball-columnist institution. But his support of Ryan Howard over Albert Pujols for NL MVP -- his argument -- was his tipping-point moment of his irrelevancy. Posnanski gave him what I would label a sympathetic evisceration.)
Looking ahead to Sunday: I am most intrigued by the Pats-Fins game, for a few reasons: (1) it has playoff implications; (2) they have one of the best rivalries in the NFL; (3) Miami revealed the "Wildcat" in their early-season clobbering of the Pats; will they go back to it again?
That said: I recognize that Giants-Cards is, on paper, the best match-up of the weekend. But since both teams are playoff locks, is it really bigger than Pats-Fins? Or even Titans-Jets, where the Titans look to continue their unbeaten season and the Jets are trying to stay one step ahead of the Pats-Fins winner?
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Carl Joseph and Myron Rolle
Have you ever heard of Carl Joseph? This might be some of the most dramatic sports footage I have ever seen. Meanwhile: you can hate FSU, but how can you hate Myron Rolle? Rhodes him!
(Speaking of wildly successful outliers, here's a very interesting Q&A Malcolm Gladwell did with ESPN the Mag. Hmm: Gladwell's next NYer piece is about college QBs?)
(Speaking of wildly successful outliers, here's a very interesting Q&A Malcolm Gladwell did with ESPN the Mag. Hmm: Gladwell's next NYer piece is about college QBs?)
College Football Playoff? Yes We Can
The following was submitted -- and summarily rejected! -- as an Op-Ed piece off of Obama's interview on "60 Minutes" this past Sunday. It was meant for a wider, non-avid-sports-fan audience. On Monday, there were several clever reactions to Obama's interview (this one I particularly liked), but they were more along the lines of "I want to be your Playoff Czar!"; none really offered a new direction for discussion. That's what I was hoping to do here. I openly recognize that there are lots of holes to shoot in this, but consider the larger point of populism.
College Football Playoff? Yes We Can.
"We should be creating a [college football] playoff system. So I'm going to throw my weight around a little bit." -- President-elect Barack Obama on "60 Minutes," November 16
To: President-elect Obama
From: The Head of College Football Playoff Transition Team
Nothing needs more of the "change" you talk about than college football's system for determining a national champion.
Your support for a long-desired 8-team playoff system is achievable. However, the existing institutional inertia -- even resistance -- is substantial. To create a college football playoff, you will have to answer two key questions: Which schools are included? And who gets to
decide which teams make the playoff?
The answers lie in the same populist, "bottom-up" solutions you used so effectively on the campaign trail.
Let's review the existing system: The two top-ranked teams in the Bowl Championship Series ("BCS") play for the national title.
The BCS comprises the teams represented by the six "power" conferences who negotiated the original BCS deal: The SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-10, Big East and ACC, plus Notre Dame. Upon annual review, a lone representative of non-"power" teams may be allowed into the group,
with an unbeaten season (and some luck).
The system is, by its very definition, exclusionary. This season, two non-"power" teams -- Utah and Boise State -- are both undefeated and ranked in the Top 10 nationally. Only one will break through the class ceiling, and even then, there is no talk that either would be one of two teams selected to actually compete for the national title.
An even larger source of contention is the process to select the two teams that play for the national title. The top two teams are derived from a combination of two "human" polls (conducted among college football coaches and select outside experts) and the average of a
batch of rankings determined by computer algorithm. (Google, it ain't.)
The polling is opaque. Coaches are inherently biased. Experts can only watch so many games at once. Numbers baked into a computer program can never tell the whole story. Ultimately, sorting among half-a-dozen -- or more -- worthy contenders is perennially maddening to fans. The Associated Press thought so little of the BCS process that it removed its own poll of college football writers from the formula.
So how to bring the country together and deliver the playoff everyone wants? The solution is to "open-source" it.
It starts by curbing the current BCS cabal. Mandate a one-time opt-out of the current system for any school or conference interested in a playoff.
From there, create a pool of willing playoff participants. But it can't be based on the same old power-conference politics.
Open the playoff system to any team that wants to be a part of it. That allows any conscientious objectors to a playoff -- university presidents or conference commissioners -- to opt out, for any reason. Their teams will simply not be eligible to participate in the playoff. Left intact are the schools with a commitment to a playoff.
Next, we need a more structurally sound and sustainable system to determine the 8 playoff teams. For starters, eliminate the current bloated bureaucracy of ranking teams through a hazy mix of conflicted coaches, so-called experts and soulless computers.
Instead, tap into the renewable energy of the fans themselves. Replace the current convoluted ranking system with a nationalized "Fan Poll," open to any registered fan to submit their own Top 8 ballot. Give fans themselves the biggest stake in this new process and its outcome; trust their interest in taking it seriously. These results would create a self-fulfilling mandate -- what outraged coach or pundit could seriously disagree with a nation of fans weighing in?
If your campaign proved anything, Mr. President-elect, it was that the power of the Web to efficiently enable the actions of a massive collection of motivated, individual people. Harness that again: The sheer volume of participants will ensure that no single constituency will dominate; a free market of fans -- with limited, helpful regulation from your National Office of College Football Playoff -- will deliver the wisest, fairest, most transparent group of 8 playoff teams each season.
A college football playoff powered by populism inclusively puts the process in the hands of whoever wants to create the change they want: Whether you are a university trustee or a fan on the couch, only participate if you care to -- but, in the end, everyone choosing to take part is motivated by a vested interest in the best outcome possible for the sport.
After that, it's easy: Three rounds, three weeks, one champion: In a way you and the country might recognize, a "Champ We Can Believe In."
-- D.S.
(Update: Smart overview of the landscape from Josh Levin at Slate. Wilbon weighed in Tuesday.)
College Football Playoff? Yes We Can.
"We should be creating a [college football] playoff system. So I'm going to throw my weight around a little bit." -- President-elect Barack Obama on "60 Minutes," November 16
To: President-elect Obama
From: The Head of College Football Playoff Transition Team
Nothing needs more of the "change" you talk about than college football's system for determining a national champion.
Your support for a long-desired 8-team playoff system is achievable. However, the existing institutional inertia -- even resistance -- is substantial. To create a college football playoff, you will have to answer two key questions: Which schools are included? And who gets to
decide which teams make the playoff?
The answers lie in the same populist, "bottom-up" solutions you used so effectively on the campaign trail.
Let's review the existing system: The two top-ranked teams in the Bowl Championship Series ("BCS") play for the national title.
The BCS comprises the teams represented by the six "power" conferences who negotiated the original BCS deal: The SEC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-10, Big East and ACC, plus Notre Dame. Upon annual review, a lone representative of non-"power" teams may be allowed into the group,
with an unbeaten season (and some luck).
The system is, by its very definition, exclusionary. This season, two non-"power" teams -- Utah and Boise State -- are both undefeated and ranked in the Top 10 nationally. Only one will break through the class ceiling, and even then, there is no talk that either would be one of two teams selected to actually compete for the national title.
An even larger source of contention is the process to select the two teams that play for the national title. The top two teams are derived from a combination of two "human" polls (conducted among college football coaches and select outside experts) and the average of a
batch of rankings determined by computer algorithm. (Google, it ain't.)
The polling is opaque. Coaches are inherently biased. Experts can only watch so many games at once. Numbers baked into a computer program can never tell the whole story. Ultimately, sorting among half-a-dozen -- or more -- worthy contenders is perennially maddening to fans. The Associated Press thought so little of the BCS process that it removed its own poll of college football writers from the formula.
So how to bring the country together and deliver the playoff everyone wants? The solution is to "open-source" it.
It starts by curbing the current BCS cabal. Mandate a one-time opt-out of the current system for any school or conference interested in a playoff.
From there, create a pool of willing playoff participants. But it can't be based on the same old power-conference politics.
Open the playoff system to any team that wants to be a part of it. That allows any conscientious objectors to a playoff -- university presidents or conference commissioners -- to opt out, for any reason. Their teams will simply not be eligible to participate in the playoff. Left intact are the schools with a commitment to a playoff.
Next, we need a more structurally sound and sustainable system to determine the 8 playoff teams. For starters, eliminate the current bloated bureaucracy of ranking teams through a hazy mix of conflicted coaches, so-called experts and soulless computers.
Instead, tap into the renewable energy of the fans themselves. Replace the current convoluted ranking system with a nationalized "Fan Poll," open to any registered fan to submit their own Top 8 ballot. Give fans themselves the biggest stake in this new process and its outcome; trust their interest in taking it seriously. These results would create a self-fulfilling mandate -- what outraged coach or pundit could seriously disagree with a nation of fans weighing in?
If your campaign proved anything, Mr. President-elect, it was that the power of the Web to efficiently enable the actions of a massive collection of motivated, individual people. Harness that again: The sheer volume of participants will ensure that no single constituency will dominate; a free market of fans -- with limited, helpful regulation from your National Office of College Football Playoff -- will deliver the wisest, fairest, most transparent group of 8 playoff teams each season.
A college football playoff powered by populism inclusively puts the process in the hands of whoever wants to create the change they want: Whether you are a university trustee or a fan on the couch, only participate if you care to -- but, in the end, everyone choosing to take part is motivated by a vested interest in the best outcome possible for the sport.
After that, it's easy: Three rounds, three weeks, one champion: In a way you and the country might recognize, a "Champ We Can Believe In."
-- D.S.
(Update: Smart overview of the landscape from Josh Levin at Slate. Wilbon weighed in Tuesday.)
Thursday 11/20 A.M. Quickie:
Ball St, Moose, AI, Oden, Twitter, More
So Shaq is on Twitter. What do you think it would take to get him to follow me? (If you're on Twitter, you can follow me @danshanoff)
OK, I love that Ball State is having an undefeated season. I'm sure Whitlock is beside himself. But there's a huge difference between appreciating their unbeaten season and finding them BCS-worthy, which they are not. That's near the top of today's SN column.
If all it takes to be BCS-worthy is being undefeated, then any/every BCS-conference team -- particularly the ones who can't crack the BCS -- would be smart to drop out of their conference, join the MAC or Sun Belt or Whatever and go unbeaten.
Now, compare Ball State's unbeaten season -- on the back of a terrible strength of schedule (see Hawaii a year ago) -- to Utah. Utah has arguably played a tougher schedule than USC. The computers have Utah ranked at No. 4.
Would Utah be unbeaten if they played in the Big 12? Doubt it. Would they be unbeaten if they played in the Pac-10? The Mountain West's success againt the Pac-10 this season would suggest that they very well might. I'd love to see Utah vs. USC in a BCS bowl, just to prove it.
This is a big weekend for the Utes: If they beat rival BYU in SLC, they should be BCS-bowl-bound. And they are worthy. Unlike Ball State, which is a great story, but not a BCS story.
(Hell: Ball State still has to beat Western Michigan next week, though the MAC title game should be a breeze.)
Meanwhile, I'm partial to Mike Mussina -- I saw him pitch in person a ton when I was growing up going to Orioles games and I saw his final game at Yankee Stadium. But I think that anyone who can get to 270 wins in this era -- in this era -- deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. I think he'll get there.
I put what could be my lamentation of the year in the column today: With the Dec. 1 deadline for Cubs bids, it is the shame of our generation that we couldn't harness the power of the Web to put together a million people putting up $1,000 each to make a billion-dollar play for the team. It would have been very hard for MLB to dismiss a massive fan-ownership effort. It's a missed opportunity.
Kudos to mega-Blazers fan Henry Abbott for pointing his readers to this yesterday: Greg Oden's plus-minus is not very good. In fact, it's kind of terrible. So I checked out last night's game stats: Sure, 11 pts, 10 reb, 4 blocks in 17 minutes seems good. But he had a +9 +/- in a 42-point Blazers win. That's not good. (FWIW, +/- is probably the most accurate broad-stroke single way to gauge a player's impact.)
I just can't buy Michigan State as a Final Four team, and I was thinking that long before last night's ugly win over IPFW.
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
OK, I love that Ball State is having an undefeated season. I'm sure Whitlock is beside himself. But there's a huge difference between appreciating their unbeaten season and finding them BCS-worthy, which they are not. That's near the top of today's SN column.
If all it takes to be BCS-worthy is being undefeated, then any/every BCS-conference team -- particularly the ones who can't crack the BCS -- would be smart to drop out of their conference, join the MAC or Sun Belt or Whatever and go unbeaten.
Now, compare Ball State's unbeaten season -- on the back of a terrible strength of schedule (see Hawaii a year ago) -- to Utah. Utah has arguably played a tougher schedule than USC. The computers have Utah ranked at No. 4.
Would Utah be unbeaten if they played in the Big 12? Doubt it. Would they be unbeaten if they played in the Pac-10? The Mountain West's success againt the Pac-10 this season would suggest that they very well might. I'd love to see Utah vs. USC in a BCS bowl, just to prove it.
This is a big weekend for the Utes: If they beat rival BYU in SLC, they should be BCS-bowl-bound. And they are worthy. Unlike Ball State, which is a great story, but not a BCS story.
(Hell: Ball State still has to beat Western Michigan next week, though the MAC title game should be a breeze.)
Meanwhile, I'm partial to Mike Mussina -- I saw him pitch in person a ton when I was growing up going to Orioles games and I saw his final game at Yankee Stadium. But I think that anyone who can get to 270 wins in this era -- in this era -- deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. I think he'll get there.
I put what could be my lamentation of the year in the column today: With the Dec. 1 deadline for Cubs bids, it is the shame of our generation that we couldn't harness the power of the Web to put together a million people putting up $1,000 each to make a billion-dollar play for the team. It would have been very hard for MLB to dismiss a massive fan-ownership effort. It's a missed opportunity.
Kudos to mega-Blazers fan Henry Abbott for pointing his readers to this yesterday: Greg Oden's plus-minus is not very good. In fact, it's kind of terrible. So I checked out last night's game stats: Sure, 11 pts, 10 reb, 4 blocks in 17 minutes seems good. But he had a +9 +/- in a 42-point Blazers win. That's not good. (FWIW, +/- is probably the most accurate broad-stroke single way to gauge a player's impact.)
I just can't buy Michigan State as a Final Four team, and I was thinking that long before last night's ugly win over IPFW.
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Obamaball: "Throw Long and Deep"
Continuing coverage of the intersection of Barack Obama and sports...
In a meeting with business leaders yesterday, Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel told the group the administration would "throw long and deep" to tackle big issues like health care and energy. That's a strong metaphor, in an industry (politics) that deploys sports language regularly.
Emanuel is a Chicago guy, so naturally the first thing you think of when you hear "throw long and deep" is Rex Grossman flinging it out there. Let's hope Obama's "throw long and deep" is less Grossman-esque (or even Favrian) and more Elway-ish.
-- D.S.
In a meeting with business leaders yesterday, Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel told the group the administration would "throw long and deep" to tackle big issues like health care and energy. That's a strong metaphor, in an industry (politics) that deploys sports language regularly.
Emanuel is a Chicago guy, so naturally the first thing you think of when you hear "throw long and deep" is Rex Grossman flinging it out there. Let's hope Obama's "throw long and deep" is less Grossman-esque (or even Favrian) and more Elway-ish.
-- D.S.
Debate: Geek-as-Jock vs. Jock-as-Geek
So this highlighted the "geek-as-jock" thing, but aren't we already at "jock-as-geek" -- look at Gilbert Arenas, Rod Benson, Greg Oden, Chris Bosh, any pro athlete who talks about playing fantasy football, any athlete who blogs or acknowledges Facebook, etc.
-- D.S.
-- D.S.
Wednesday 11/19 A.M. Quickie:
Erin Andrews, Curry, Muschamp, More
I lead today's SN column with Erin Andrews. (God: Do I hate the link-baiting that goes on with posts about EA... and, yet, here I am. I'd like to think I make a fairly intelligent point about her.)
Meanwhile: Blake Griffin vs. Stephen Curry may very well turn out to be the single-best individual matchup of the college basketball season. How did this end up as an NIT game OUTSIDE of NYC?
I give a big thumbs-up to Texas locking in Will Muschamp as Mack Brown's successor, but there's that little nag in the back of my head: You're going to put a coach with zero head-coaching experience at the helm of Texas? It's not without risk. (In the column, I labeled this the "Bob Stoops vs. Urban Meyer" debate, which I think is accurate.)
OK, so LeBron is not coming to Brooklyn because the NETS are not coming to Brooklyn. I still think he's a lock for New York.
Ball St vs. Central Michigan -- as far as MAC regular-season games go, this is about as big as it gets.
I cannot believe the Yankees are so desperate that they're going to overpay for AJ Burnett, whose inevitability for the DL is so obvious that even I can see it.
More later.
-- D.S.
Meanwhile: Blake Griffin vs. Stephen Curry may very well turn out to be the single-best individual matchup of the college basketball season. How did this end up as an NIT game OUTSIDE of NYC?
I give a big thumbs-up to Texas locking in Will Muschamp as Mack Brown's successor, but there's that little nag in the back of my head: You're going to put a coach with zero head-coaching experience at the helm of Texas? It's not without risk. (In the column, I labeled this the "Bob Stoops vs. Urban Meyer" debate, which I think is accurate.)
OK, so LeBron is not coming to Brooklyn because the NETS are not coming to Brooklyn. I still think he's a lock for New York.
Ball St vs. Central Michigan -- as far as MAC regular-season games go, this is about as big as it gets.
I cannot believe the Yankees are so desperate that they're going to overpay for AJ Burnett, whose inevitability for the DL is so obvious that even I can see it.
More later.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Google Rules: Life Magazine Photo Archives
There is some amazing stuff in here. Try searching phrases like "Muhammad Ali" or "basketball." Wild.
Tuesday 11/18 A.M. Quickie:
Cuban, AL MVP, T-Mac, NFL Refs, More
I think the consensus is that while Mark Cuban's outrage at the SEC is entertaining, taking on the government isn't usually a winning strategy, as outlined in today's SN column.
Quickie scandal management is predicated on a few simple steps: Admit to something. Fix it. Move on. Whether it is allegations of insider trading or confirmation of NFL reffing screw-ups, the playbook is simple.
(It's particularly questionable in Cuban's case: It's not like he's facing jail time. What's a couple million in fines? Hell, David Stern pings Cubes for that every season.)
Meanwhile, the AL MVP race is by far the most up-in-the-air of any in this fairly straightforward MLB awards season. Split ballots may yield a very interesting winner.
NBA: T-Mac's knee is pretty messed up, as is my preseason pick of the Rockets winning the NBA title. So I'd rather concentrate on the breakout season being had by the Spurs' Roger Mason.
CBB: Stephen Curry -- so on fire, it's ridiculous. 14/19 FG, 9 assists, 4 steals (on top of 10 steals in the season-opener). Blake Griffin is pretty good, too. I can't stand that the Establishment has already determined that Tyler Hansbrough is going to win Player of the Year.
Finally, can we all agree that the Steelers-Chargers outcome wasn't fixed -- Occam's Razor would suggest that, as usual, it was inept officiating, pure and simple. At this rate, the NFL won't have any officiating crews left for the Super Bowl.
Tons more in today's SN column. More later.
-- D.S.
Quickie scandal management is predicated on a few simple steps: Admit to something. Fix it. Move on. Whether it is allegations of insider trading or confirmation of NFL reffing screw-ups, the playbook is simple.
(It's particularly questionable in Cuban's case: It's not like he's facing jail time. What's a couple million in fines? Hell, David Stern pings Cubes for that every season.)
Meanwhile, the AL MVP race is by far the most up-in-the-air of any in this fairly straightforward MLB awards season. Split ballots may yield a very interesting winner.
NBA: T-Mac's knee is pretty messed up, as is my preseason pick of the Rockets winning the NBA title. So I'd rather concentrate on the breakout season being had by the Spurs' Roger Mason.
CBB: Stephen Curry -- so on fire, it's ridiculous. 14/19 FG, 9 assists, 4 steals (on top of 10 steals in the season-opener). Blake Griffin is pretty good, too. I can't stand that the Establishment has already determined that Tyler Hansbrough is going to win Player of the Year.
Finally, can we all agree that the Steelers-Chargers outcome wasn't fixed -- Occam's Razor would suggest that, as usual, it was inept officiating, pure and simple. At this rate, the NFL won't have any officiating crews left for the Super Bowl.
Tons more in today's SN column. More later.
-- D.S.
Monday, November 17, 2008
Nate Silver: $700,000 Book Deal
My man-crush continues: Though if he was really good, wouldn't PECOTA have predicted it?
New York Times Shutters Play Magazine
Here are the details. That's really too bad. I had enjoyed contributing (you can find the archive on the right). I'm particularly grateful for the chance to have published this.
-- D.S.
-- D.S.
Mark Cuban Insider Trading Allegation Reax
From a sports standpoint, the question is whether the allegations turn out to be conviction-worthy, does David Stern suspend Mark Cuban's ownership of the Mavs, a la MLB and Steinbrenner?
(Different circumstances between Cubes and the Boss, but same principle: In the event an owner is convicted of a crime, does the sport commissioner have the authority to exile the owner?)
-- D.S.
(Different circumstances between Cubes and the Boss, but same principle: In the event an owner is convicted of a crime, does the sport commissioner have the authority to exile the owner?)
-- D.S.
Obamaball: President Obama vs. World Leaders PLUS Obama on "60 Minutes" Talking College Football Playoff
The NYT's Christopher Clarey has a fantastic piece today about the sporting passions of world leaders that Barack Obama might want to know about, given his own love of playing hoops.
Meanwhile, did you catch Obama on "60 Minutes" last night, promoting his 8-team playoff? He's still light on details -- who's included, how to do rankings, how to implode the BCS cabal -- but I love that this is his signature issue in sports. He's a fan just like you and me.
-- D.S.
Meanwhile, did you catch Obama on "60 Minutes" last night, promoting his 8-team playoff? He's still light on details -- who's included, how to do rankings, how to implode the BCS cabal -- but I love that this is his signature issue in sports. He's a fan just like you and me.
-- D.S.
Monday 11/17 A.M. Quickie:
Romo, Titans, Ties, BCS, Dirk, Obama, More
Yeah, yeah: The Cowboys snagged a win in D.C. behind Tony Four-Fingers. And the Titans are still undefeated. But can we all agree that the most surreal storyline of the NFL weekend was...
Donovan McNabb didn't understand/know/realize that NFL games can end in ties? Now, he may have a point, buried under the ignorance: The idea that NFL games end in ties is ludicrous.
Yeah, those fans who paid through the nose to see a result would really be offended if they had to stick around for a bonus extra quarter or two until there is a win/loss result.
Meanwhile, among other things you'll find in today's SN column:
NFL: The Giants are No. 1, Albert Haynesworth edges Kurt Warner as my up-til-today MVP, Steve Slaton may be the best of an insanely good crop of rookie RBs, Williams and Stewart are the new White and Johnson and it's hard not to enjoy what the Dolphins are doing right now.
CFB: OK, OK...I changed my BlogPoll ballot to this: TX Tech, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Okla. Again, I'm happy to hide my obvious impulse to rank Florida as high as No. 2, because they have their fate in their own hands. Teams like Texas and Oklahoma need the propping up.
NBA: Dirk went crazy last night in NYC, though for performance of the night, I think Amare may give him a run for his money.
CBB: So Duke escaped with a win over Rhode Island, but remember the name Jimmy Baron. He could be the best pure 3-point shooter in college hoops.
As usual on Mondays, there's a ton more in the column. Check it out here. More later.
-- D.S.
Donovan McNabb didn't understand/know/realize that NFL games can end in ties? Now, he may have a point, buried under the ignorance: The idea that NFL games end in ties is ludicrous.
Yeah, those fans who paid through the nose to see a result would really be offended if they had to stick around for a bonus extra quarter or two until there is a win/loss result.
Meanwhile, among other things you'll find in today's SN column:
NFL: The Giants are No. 1, Albert Haynesworth edges Kurt Warner as my up-til-today MVP, Steve Slaton may be the best of an insanely good crop of rookie RBs, Williams and Stewart are the new White and Johnson and it's hard not to enjoy what the Dolphins are doing right now.
CFB: OK, OK...I changed my BlogPoll ballot to this: TX Tech, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Okla. Again, I'm happy to hide my obvious impulse to rank Florida as high as No. 2, because they have their fate in their own hands. Teams like Texas and Oklahoma need the propping up.
NBA: Dirk went crazy last night in NYC, though for performance of the night, I think Amare may give him a run for his money.
CBB: So Duke escaped with a win over Rhode Island, but remember the name Jimmy Baron. He could be the best pure 3-point shooter in college hoops.
As usual on Mondays, there's a ton more in the column. Check it out here. More later.
-- D.S.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
CFB BlogPoll Top 25 Ballot, Version 1
The BlogPoll ballot uploader is on the blink right now, so I'll post it when I can. I'll put my list below by hand. Meanwhile, the new AP and Coaches' polls are out.
Two observations: (1) I cannot believe that the coaches continue to put Bama over Texas Tech (although in the instant-history world of pollsters, Bama's win last night trump's TT's bye.), and (2) thank god the Coaches flipped Texas ahead of Oklahoma -- the reverse made no sense, given that OU, um, LOST TO TEXAS HEAD TO HEAD. Just needed to shout that...again...
BTW, two AP voters ranked Florida first. Eh... no. Only legit if they have done their ballots the entire season based on the lone criteria "Who is playing the best right now?" If you involve any season-long "resume" rationale in your balloting (which you have to in the case of Florida), you simply can't put the Gators at No. 1 ahead of Texas Tech. Over Bama? Well... um, yes:
(1) TX Tech; (2) Florida; (3) Texas; (4) Alabama; (5) Oklahoma; (6) USC; (7) Utah; (8) Boise St; (9) Penn State; (10) Ohio State; (11) OK St; (12) Mizzou; (13) Georgia; (14) TCU; (15) Ball St; (16) Cincy; (17) Oregon St; (18) LSU; (19) Michigan St; (20) BYU; (21) Pitt; (22) Maryland; (23) Central Michigan; (24) Miami; (25) Northwestern. Yeesh: It gets grim after the top 12.
- D.S.
Two observations: (1) I cannot believe that the coaches continue to put Bama over Texas Tech (although in the instant-history world of pollsters, Bama's win last night trump's TT's bye.), and (2) thank god the Coaches flipped Texas ahead of Oklahoma -- the reverse made no sense, given that OU, um, LOST TO TEXAS HEAD TO HEAD. Just needed to shout that...again...
BTW, two AP voters ranked Florida first. Eh... no. Only legit if they have done their ballots the entire season based on the lone criteria "Who is playing the best right now?" If you involve any season-long "resume" rationale in your balloting (which you have to in the case of Florida), you simply can't put the Gators at No. 1 ahead of Texas Tech. Over Bama? Well... um, yes:
(1) TX Tech; (2) Florida; (3) Texas; (4) Alabama; (5) Oklahoma; (6) USC; (7) Utah; (8) Boise St; (9) Penn State; (10) Ohio State; (11) OK St; (12) Mizzou; (13) Georgia; (14) TCU; (15) Ball St; (16) Cincy; (17) Oregon St; (18) LSU; (19) Michigan St; (20) BYU; (21) Pitt; (22) Maryland; (23) Central Michigan; (24) Miami; (25) Northwestern. Yeesh: It gets grim after the top 12.
- D.S.
Quickie Vocab: USChadenfreude -- Whoops
UPDATE: Yeah, yeah... I totally blew the number of at-large teams. I look forward to USC's inclusion in the BCS as an at-large team. That's a big fat "D'oh!" to me, and thanks to the many of you who emailed and Commented to correct me.
USChadenfreude: Not only will USC not play in the Rose Bowl when they lose the Pac-10 title tiebreaker to Oregon State, but they won't even play in a BCS bowl.
(Of the 2 at-large spots, one will go to the Alabama-Florida loser, from the Sugar Bowl, which will lose the SEC title-game winner to the BCS title game; the other at-large spot will go to Utah or Boise State. That puts USC in the "Pac-10 No. 2" spot for the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 30. Hey, at least it will be a good game -- it's against the No. 3 team in the Big 12.)
USChadenfreude: Not only will USC not play in the Rose Bowl when they lose the Pac-10 title tiebreaker to Oregon State, but they won't even play in a BCS bowl.
(Of the 2 at-large spots, one will go to the Alabama-Florida loser, from the Sugar Bowl, which will lose the SEC title-game winner to the BCS title game; the other at-large spot will go to Utah or Boise State. That puts USC in the "Pac-10 No. 2" spot for the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 30. Hey, at least it will be a good game -- it's against the No. 3 team in the Big 12.)
Sunday 11/16 (Very) Quickie
Barack Obama loves a CFB playoff and isn't afraid to tell the world on "60 Minutes." See post below...
Florida may have a loss, but no team in the country -- including Texas Tech -- is playing better right now. That doesn't mean anything in terms of rankings or national titles, but it sure will be interesting to see if anyone can stop them: Offense, defense, special teams...all clicking at a best-in-the-nation pace right now.
That said, my first-glance BlogPoll ballot this week looks much like last week: Texas Tech, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma. I can afford to be magnanimous about Florida's placement, because they'll have their chance to vault the field in 4 weeks.
(Florida is not in the same boat as the other 1-loss teams: UF controls its own destiny. If UF wins the next 2 games, then beats Alabama in the SEC CG, there is no question they will make the national title game. Meanwhile, Texas needs Texas Tech to lose. And Oklahoma needs to beat Texas Tech, then hope voters don't realize that OU lost head-to-head to Texas. USC has virtually no hope. Hell, they need Oregon State to lose before they even enter the discussion. Their case comes least close to "controlling own destiny." See my post later this morning.
CFB Late Night: So much for "revenge." Bama and USC took care of business more than anything. (But USC remains so screwed -- check back later today for a new vocabulary word.)
College Hoops: UNC wins without Hansbrough... Gonzaga (my "tier 2" pick to win the national title, behind "tier 1" pick, Louisville) rolls... Freshman Watch: Tyreke Evans (19 pts), Demar DeRozan (14 pts)...
NBA: Who is Anthony Morrow? He just set the record for points scored by an undrafted rookie in his first season. 37, to go with 11 rebounds. He just got made. Meanwhile, Devin Harris is on fire.
MMA: Brock Lesnar is your new UFC champ, and his wide crossover appeal could usher the sport to new heights.
-- D.S.
Florida may have a loss, but no team in the country -- including Texas Tech -- is playing better right now. That doesn't mean anything in terms of rankings or national titles, but it sure will be interesting to see if anyone can stop them: Offense, defense, special teams...all clicking at a best-in-the-nation pace right now.
That said, my first-glance BlogPoll ballot this week looks much like last week: Texas Tech, Texas, Alabama, Florida, Oklahoma. I can afford to be magnanimous about Florida's placement, because they'll have their chance to vault the field in 4 weeks.
(Florida is not in the same boat as the other 1-loss teams: UF controls its own destiny. If UF wins the next 2 games, then beats Alabama in the SEC CG, there is no question they will make the national title game. Meanwhile, Texas needs Texas Tech to lose. And Oklahoma needs to beat Texas Tech, then hope voters don't realize that OU lost head-to-head to Texas. USC has virtually no hope. Hell, they need Oregon State to lose before they even enter the discussion. Their case comes least close to "controlling own destiny." See my post later this morning.
CFB Late Night: So much for "revenge." Bama and USC took care of business more than anything. (But USC remains so screwed -- check back later today for a new vocabulary word.)
College Hoops: UNC wins without Hansbrough... Gonzaga (my "tier 2" pick to win the national title, behind "tier 1" pick, Louisville) rolls... Freshman Watch: Tyreke Evans (19 pts), Demar DeRozan (14 pts)...
NBA: Who is Anthony Morrow? He just set the record for points scored by an undrafted rookie in his first season. 37, to go with 11 rebounds. He just got made. Meanwhile, Devin Harris is on fire.
MMA: Brock Lesnar is your new UFC champ, and his wide crossover appeal could usher the sport to new heights.
-- D.S.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Barack Obama to Push for 8-Team College Football Playoff on "60 Minutes"
Barack Obama will re-affirm his personal endorsement for an 8-team playoff in college football on "60 Minutes" on Sunday night.
What he doesn't do, of course, is explain how you'd pick those 8 teams:
*The Top 8 teams from some sort of composite ranking? Who gets to do the ranking?
*Guaranteed spots for the "big" 6 conferences? Any conferences? How is that fair?
*How do you convince obstructionists from the Big Ten and Pac-10 to participate? (Or, like me, are you willing to dare them to opt out and simply put together a playoff without them?)
*As hard as it is to pick from 3 or 4 teams for 2 spots in a title game now, try solving how you differentiate teams 9 through, say, 15 from 5 through 8. You're pushing the mess down -- and expanding it.
But it remains quite fantastic that Obama has made this his signature sports issue. But as with all lofty campaign ideals, the success is in the details.
-- D.S.
What he doesn't do, of course, is explain how you'd pick those 8 teams:
*The Top 8 teams from some sort of composite ranking? Who gets to do the ranking?
*Guaranteed spots for the "big" 6 conferences? Any conferences? How is that fair?
*How do you convince obstructionists from the Big Ten and Pac-10 to participate? (Or, like me, are you willing to dare them to opt out and simply put together a playoff without them?)
*As hard as it is to pick from 3 or 4 teams for 2 spots in a title game now, try solving how you differentiate teams 9 through, say, 15 from 5 through 8. You're pushing the mess down -- and expanding it.
But it remains quite fantastic that Obama has made this his signature sports issue. But as with all lofty campaign ideals, the success is in the details.
-- D.S.
CFB Saturday Viewing Guide and Live-Blog
If you can hang 56 points on the 3rd-ranked defense in the country, perhaps you should disregard that pesky 1-point loss what feels like a lifetime ago and consider the possibility that Florida is the best team in the country. It's fine if you don't want to, yet. They have the opportunity to simply keep destroying people. If they do that 4 more times, they're champs. (Four games feels simultaneously like forever and nothing.)
Gary Danielson just made a great point on what could turn out to be a very important issue: There is no "debate" between Oklahoma and Texas if OU beats Texas Tech next week. Texas beat Oklahoma head to head, on a neutral field no less. With all else equal, that's the only thing that matters. There are 4 teams with legit BCS title game chances: The Alabama-Florida winner (if both win out through the SEC CG), Texas Tech (if they win out) and Texas (if TT doesn't). That's it. Oklahoma should have beaten Texas when they had the chance. (Ask USC if they wouldn't have wanted a chance to play Texas head-to-head to establish their bonafides.)
Of course, the Coaches Poll inanely already has Oklahoma ahead of Texas. what you never hear in the complaints about the BCS is that both the Coaches' Poll and Harris Poll are staffed by hopelessly conflicted participants (Coaches) or bonafide-free shills (Harris).
You all know I love Tim Tebow, but the most talented player on Florida is Percy "Oh, Mercy!" Harvin, and it's not even close. Sort of like Leinart and Bush in 2004 or '05, the QB gets the glory, but the RB/WR/Whatever is the unstoppable superstar. If you aren't watching the Florida game, be sure to see Harvin's 80-yard TD run on the first play from scrimmage of the 2nd half at the Gators 20. Oh, yikes.
Also paying attention to Oregon State-Cal... USC doesn't have much of a claim to the BCS title game if they can't even win their own conference, which the Beavers have a bee-line on.
How 'bout those Northwestern Wildcats? I don't care that Michigan sucks this season. I don't care that it was an ugly game. 8-3 is 8-3. Huge season-ender next week coming up against rival Illinois. Most fans thought 8 wins was realistic for NU; 9 wins would be a great season.
Well, Tubby McGoldendome sure escaped in this one vs. Navy. What a comeback by the Middies. Weis didn't DESERVE to win that game -- ND fans shouldn't give him all that much credit for merely surviving. The last 2 minutes were one ND snafu after another. Way to "coach," Coach. Man, I hate Notre Dame.
Too little, too late for Clemson. Same with Rutgers.
If Georgia loses to Auburn, does that make Florida's win over Georgia less impressive? Yes. (Update: Good thing they eked it out.)
Meanwhile, just a heads-up: Expect me to hammer that a low/close score between Florida and South Carolina is a result of Florida playing the No. 3 defense in the country. And putting up a lot of points? On the 3rd best D in the country? That'll be a talking point. (Oh, and if Florida loses? Will it matter? Their national-title dreams will be over anyway.)
Update: It's already an ass-kicking, and the Gators offense hasn't done jack.
Kansas is giving Texas a game in Lawrence -- at least halfway through the 2nd quarter. (Update: So much for that.)
Is it wrong to be openly rooting for Notre Dame to lose? Never.
I really had high hopes for a Northwestern win at Michigan, but the weather (and NU's playcalling) is spiking that.
Noon: Northwestern at Michigan (ESPN2)
3:30: South Carolina at Florida (CBS)
8 p.m.: Eh...maybe Bama-MissSt.
Gary Danielson just made a great point on what could turn out to be a very important issue: There is no "debate" between Oklahoma and Texas if OU beats Texas Tech next week. Texas beat Oklahoma head to head, on a neutral field no less. With all else equal, that's the only thing that matters. There are 4 teams with legit BCS title game chances: The Alabama-Florida winner (if both win out through the SEC CG), Texas Tech (if they win out) and Texas (if TT doesn't). That's it. Oklahoma should have beaten Texas when they had the chance. (Ask USC if they wouldn't have wanted a chance to play Texas head-to-head to establish their bonafides.)
Of course, the Coaches Poll inanely already has Oklahoma ahead of Texas. what you never hear in the complaints about the BCS is that both the Coaches' Poll and Harris Poll are staffed by hopelessly conflicted participants (Coaches) or bonafide-free shills (Harris).
You all know I love Tim Tebow, but the most talented player on Florida is Percy "Oh, Mercy!" Harvin, and it's not even close. Sort of like Leinart and Bush in 2004 or '05, the QB gets the glory, but the RB/WR/Whatever is the unstoppable superstar. If you aren't watching the Florida game, be sure to see Harvin's 80-yard TD run on the first play from scrimmage of the 2nd half at the Gators 20. Oh, yikes.
Also paying attention to Oregon State-Cal... USC doesn't have much of a claim to the BCS title game if they can't even win their own conference, which the Beavers have a bee-line on.
How 'bout those Northwestern Wildcats? I don't care that Michigan sucks this season. I don't care that it was an ugly game. 8-3 is 8-3. Huge season-ender next week coming up against rival Illinois. Most fans thought 8 wins was realistic for NU; 9 wins would be a great season.
Well, Tubby McGoldendome sure escaped in this one vs. Navy. What a comeback by the Middies. Weis didn't DESERVE to win that game -- ND fans shouldn't give him all that much credit for merely surviving. The last 2 minutes were one ND snafu after another. Way to "coach," Coach. Man, I hate Notre Dame.
Too little, too late for Clemson. Same with Rutgers.
If Georgia loses to Auburn, does that make Florida's win over Georgia less impressive? Yes. (Update: Good thing they eked it out.)
Meanwhile, just a heads-up: Expect me to hammer that a low/close score between Florida and South Carolina is a result of Florida playing the No. 3 defense in the country. And putting up a lot of points? On the 3rd best D in the country? That'll be a talking point. (Oh, and if Florida loses? Will it matter? Their national-title dreams will be over anyway.)
Update: It's already an ass-kicking, and the Gators offense hasn't done jack.
Kansas is giving Texas a game in Lawrence -- at least halfway through the 2nd quarter. (Update: So much for that.)
Is it wrong to be openly rooting for Notre Dame to lose? Never.
I really had high hopes for a Northwestern win at Michigan, but the weather (and NU's playcalling) is spiking that.
Noon: Northwestern at Michigan (ESPN2)
3:30: South Carolina at Florida (CBS)
8 p.m.: Eh...maybe Bama-MissSt.
Saturday 11/15 (Very) Quickie
"What recession?" That's a worthwhile question when you hear the Yankees offered CC Sabathia $140M over 6 years. No, seriously: WHAT? No pitcher is worth that.
Missing the playoffs must have freaked the Yankees out entirely. I thought they were going to be more thrifty, not less. The funniest part will be when CC pitches like he did in the AL last season, not the NL and the Yankees miss the playoffs again.
Meanwhile, think the AI-Billups trade is working out for the Nuggets? They won in Boston, which is just about as big a win as exists in the NBA this season. (Meanwhile, the Pistons beat the Lakers in LA -- AI had a big game, but Rasheed was on fire.)
CBB Openers: So I think playing PG is going to work out for Stephen Curry. In addition to 29 points, Curry had 10 assists (and 9 steals!)... More studs: Blake Griffin (24 and 18)... Hasheem Thabeet (23 and 17)... James Harden (24 pts)... DeJuan Blair (17 and 13)... Freshman Watch: Al-Farouq Aminu (21 and 10 in his debut)...
Shocker...or not: Wasn't it just a year ago that Kentucky lost a couple of November games to vastly inferior teams? Maybe they were just learning Billy Gillispie's system. So what's his excuse this year, as Kentucky lost to VMI? UK has one of the best big men in college hoops, Patrick Patterson, and in 27 minutes, the guy got 4 shots. Looks like last season was no fluke in Lexington.
CFB Last Night: Cincinnati takes the lead for the Big East title. Brian Kelly is one of the best coaches in the country. I cannot believe he won't be a hot commodity this offseason, particularly if the Bearcats win the Big East's BCS spot. He seems to have a sweet spot in the Midwest (before Cincy, he was at Central Michigan) -- let me be an early voice to say it: Notre Dame should hire Brian Kelly as soon as Charlie Weis loses the Navy game today.
More CFB coming later today...
-- D.S.
Missing the playoffs must have freaked the Yankees out entirely. I thought they were going to be more thrifty, not less. The funniest part will be when CC pitches like he did in the AL last season, not the NL and the Yankees miss the playoffs again.
Meanwhile, think the AI-Billups trade is working out for the Nuggets? They won in Boston, which is just about as big a win as exists in the NBA this season. (Meanwhile, the Pistons beat the Lakers in LA -- AI had a big game, but Rasheed was on fire.)
CBB Openers: So I think playing PG is going to work out for Stephen Curry. In addition to 29 points, Curry had 10 assists (and 9 steals!)... More studs: Blake Griffin (24 and 18)... Hasheem Thabeet (23 and 17)... James Harden (24 pts)... DeJuan Blair (17 and 13)... Freshman Watch: Al-Farouq Aminu (21 and 10 in his debut)...
Shocker...or not: Wasn't it just a year ago that Kentucky lost a couple of November games to vastly inferior teams? Maybe they were just learning Billy Gillispie's system. So what's his excuse this year, as Kentucky lost to VMI? UK has one of the best big men in college hoops, Patrick Patterson, and in 27 minutes, the guy got 4 shots. Looks like last season was no fluke in Lexington.
CFB Last Night: Cincinnati takes the lead for the Big East title. Brian Kelly is one of the best coaches in the country. I cannot believe he won't be a hot commodity this offseason, particularly if the Bearcats win the Big East's BCS spot. He seems to have a sweet spot in the Midwest (before Cincy, he was at Central Michigan) -- let me be an early voice to say it: Notre Dame should hire Brian Kelly as soon as Charlie Weis loses the Navy game today.
More CFB coming later today...
-- D.S.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Michael Lewis Revisits Mike Leach
Wow, two Michael Lewis links in less than 24 hours... My friends at NYT's Play Magazine caught up with Michael Lewis, whose seminal NYT Magazine article about Mike Leach a few years ago basically launched Leach's street cred -- and foreshadowed this season's breakthrough.
College Football Preview and Picks
This week is about maintaining BCS position. Alabama will be trying not to get Croomed, like they did a year ago. Texas and Florida are competing on style points, but both playing teams good enough to pull an upset. Talk about revenge games, how about USC vs. Stanford? Meanwhile, the ACC is a complete mess -- unlikely to find clarity, but it'll help.
(1) Alabama over Mississippi St
(3) Texas over @Kansas -- Worth Watching
(4) Florida over (25) South Carolina -- Game of the Week
(6) USC over @Stanford -- Revenge much?
(7) Utah over @San Diego St
(8) Penn State over Indiana
(9) Boise St over Idaho
(10) Georgia over @Auburn
(11) Ohio State over @Illinois
(12) Missouri over Iowa St
(13) Oklahoma St over @Colorado
(14) Ball St over Miami (Locked Tuesday)
@Maryland over (16) UNC -- Upset Special
(17) BYU over @Air Force
(19) Florida St over BC
(20) LSU over Troy
(23) Tulsa over Houston
(24) Wake Forest over @NC St
Other Games of Note:
Navy over Notre Dame -- Ha ha ha
Northwestern over Michigan -- Remember '95!*
Oregon St over Cal -- OSU in P10 driver's seat
* - I flipped on ESPN Classic last night just in time to see the final 1:30 of Northwestern's 19-13 win over Michigan in the Big House in 1995.
Many CFB fans remember that epic NU-UM 54-51 shootout in 2000, but the '95 game was, for me, probably the greatest feeling I have ever had at a sporting event.
Beating Michigan -- let alone at Michigan -- affirmed everything my friends and I had been feeling that entire dream season: That this Northwestern team was for real.
Not just bowl-eligible for-real, but win-the-Big-Ten-no-you-must-be-kidding-me-holy-sh*t-you're-not for-real.
I was in the stands in Ann Arbor that day and watching the end of the game last night brought back a flood of memories of how I felt at the end of that game: Disbelief and utter joy.
(1) Alabama over Mississippi St
(3) Texas over @Kansas -- Worth Watching
(4) Florida over (25) South Carolina -- Game of the Week
(6) USC over @Stanford -- Revenge much?
(7) Utah over @San Diego St
(8) Penn State over Indiana
(9) Boise St over Idaho
(10) Georgia over @Auburn
(11) Ohio State over @Illinois
(12) Missouri over Iowa St
(13) Oklahoma St over @Colorado
(14) Ball St over Miami (Locked Tuesday)
@Maryland over (16) UNC -- Upset Special
(17) BYU over @Air Force
(19) Florida St over BC
(20) LSU over Troy
(23) Tulsa over Houston
(24) Wake Forest over @NC St
Other Games of Note:
Navy over Notre Dame -- Ha ha ha
Northwestern over Michigan -- Remember '95!*
Oregon St over Cal -- OSU in P10 driver's seat
* - I flipped on ESPN Classic last night just in time to see the final 1:30 of Northwestern's 19-13 win over Michigan in the Big House in 1995.
Many CFB fans remember that epic NU-UM 54-51 shootout in 2000, but the '95 game was, for me, probably the greatest feeling I have ever had at a sporting event.
Beating Michigan -- let alone at Michigan -- affirmed everything my friends and I had been feeling that entire dream season: That this Northwestern team was for real.
Not just bowl-eligible for-real, but win-the-Big-Ten-no-you-must-be-kidding-me-holy-sh*t-you're-not for-real.
I was in the stands in Ann Arbor that day and watching the end of the game last night brought back a flood of memories of how I felt at the end of that game: Disbelief and utter joy.
Friday 11/14 A.M. Quickie:
Jets, CFB, LeBron, MLB FA, FJM, More
See the post below: I remain bummed over the end of the FireJoeMorgan era, although as I noted, the "FJM Treatment" by other bloggers about dumb-ass columnists will live on, thankfully.
Meanwhile, um, yeah, so that was kind of a good game last night between the Pats and Jets. Arguably the best game of the first 11 weeks of the NFL season.
At first it was shocking to see the Jets lead by so much. Then it was comforting to see the Pats surge back. Then it was shocking again to see the Jets actually pull it out. Obviously, it led today's SN column.
For the anti-Favre contingent, it's hard not to look at the win at Foxboro, the 7-3 record, the first place status in the AFC East, the best-Jets-regular-season-win-ever? superlative and nod in approval.
Looking ahead to the weekend, with Jerry Jones' guarantee of the playoffs, that doesn't put too much pressure on the Cowboys and Tony Romo to win in DC on Sunday night, does it?
(Meanwhile, in my public Yahoo celebutard sports blogger fantasy league, I had a surplus of WRs and needed RBs, so I basically traded Brandon Marshall for what I thought was a rising, surprising BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who promptly ran for about 10 yards on 2 carries...about 58 yards less than QB Matt Cassel ran for. I was already out of playoff contention, but that might be a nice little window into why.)
CFB: Preview coming at midday, as usual, but without a truly marquee game, it's really a competition between Texas and Florida over style points against good comp. I'd give Florida the edge in opponent -- the Gators are the only BCS contender playing a Top 25 BCS team this week, although playing at Kansas is no cakewalk for UT.
NBA: Near-triple-doubles from LeBron don't do anything for me anymore. However, checking Derrick Rose's stats in the boxscores is probably one of the first 3 players I look for in the morning, when the Bulls are on the schedule. What a real deal he's turning out to be.
College Hoops: So Stephen Curry is my pick for Player of the Year. Louisville is my pick to win the national title. And Florida opens their season on ESPNU tonight as part of a tip-off weekend that sees basically every team launch their season (if they didn't earlier this week). Happy times.
Complete SN column here. More later. To those of you who won't check in after this until Monday, have a great weekend. I'll be posting through the weekend, as usual.
-- D.S.
Meanwhile, um, yeah, so that was kind of a good game last night between the Pats and Jets. Arguably the best game of the first 11 weeks of the NFL season.
At first it was shocking to see the Jets lead by so much. Then it was comforting to see the Pats surge back. Then it was shocking again to see the Jets actually pull it out. Obviously, it led today's SN column.
For the anti-Favre contingent, it's hard not to look at the win at Foxboro, the 7-3 record, the first place status in the AFC East, the best-Jets-regular-season-win-ever? superlative and nod in approval.
Looking ahead to the weekend, with Jerry Jones' guarantee of the playoffs, that doesn't put too much pressure on the Cowboys and Tony Romo to win in DC on Sunday night, does it?
(Meanwhile, in my public Yahoo celebutard sports blogger fantasy league, I had a surplus of WRs and needed RBs, so I basically traded Brandon Marshall for what I thought was a rising, surprising BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who promptly ran for about 10 yards on 2 carries...about 58 yards less than QB Matt Cassel ran for. I was already out of playoff contention, but that might be a nice little window into why.)
CFB: Preview coming at midday, as usual, but without a truly marquee game, it's really a competition between Texas and Florida over style points against good comp. I'd give Florida the edge in opponent -- the Gators are the only BCS contender playing a Top 25 BCS team this week, although playing at Kansas is no cakewalk for UT.
NBA: Near-triple-doubles from LeBron don't do anything for me anymore. However, checking Derrick Rose's stats in the boxscores is probably one of the first 3 players I look for in the morning, when the Bulls are on the schedule. What a real deal he's turning out to be.
College Hoops: So Stephen Curry is my pick for Player of the Year. Louisville is my pick to win the national title. And Florida opens their season on ESPNU tonight as part of a tip-off weekend that sees basically every team launch their season (if they didn't earlier this week). Happy times.
Complete SN column here. More later. To those of you who won't check in after this until Monday, have a great weekend. I'll be posting through the weekend, as usual.
-- D.S.
FireJoeMorgan Shuts Down: End of an Era
What an unpleasant surprise to see a new post from the guys at FireJoeMorgan, only to realize it was a "goodbye" blog-retirement post. While I appreciate their reasons, needless to say they and their work will be missed.
One of the most influential and universally respected voices in the sports blogosphere: The "FJM Treatment" turned into a recognized form among bloggers critiquing inane commentary from mainstream sports columnists. Not a bad legacy to leave, guys. All best to Ken, Dak and Junior.
-- D.S.
One of the most influential and universally respected voices in the sports blogosphere: The "FJM Treatment" turned into a recognized form among bloggers critiquing inane commentary from mainstream sports columnists. Not a bad legacy to leave, guys. All best to Ken, Dak and Junior.
-- D.S.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Obamaball, Cont'd: "Just Give Me The Ball"
From Ryan Lizza's definitive piece on the election from this week's New Yorker:
"Obama, who is not without an ego, regarded himself as just as gifted as his top strategists in the art and practice of politics. Patrick Gaspard, the campaign's political director, said that when, in early 2007, he interviewed for a job with Obama and Plouffe, Obama said that he liked being surrounded by people who expressed strong opinions, but he also said, 'I think that I'm a better speechwriter than my speechwriters. I know more about policies on any particular issue than my policy directors. And I'll tell you right now that I'm gonna think I'm a better political director than my political director.' After Obama's first debate with McCain, on September 26th, Gaspard sent him an e-mail. 'You are more clutch than Michael Jordan,' he wrote. Obama replied, 'Just give me the ball.'""Just give me the ball." Amen.
Thursday Night Football
It's not a game between ranked teams, but I could see ranking the winner of VA Tech and Miami tonight. I really want to take Miami (a U win makes Florida's strength-of-schedule rating that much better), but how can you pick against VA Tech on a Thursday night? They own that.
Meanwhile, the spectacular Michael Lewis has a must-must-read on the economic catastrophe. In his usual way, you're like "Well of COURSE we're all screwed. (And how did we let it get to this?)"
-- D.S.
Meanwhile, the spectacular Michael Lewis has a must-must-read on the economic catastrophe. In his usual way, you're like "Well of COURSE we're all screwed. (And how did we let it get to this?)"
-- D.S.
Thursday 11/13 A.M. Quickie:
Pats, Jets, Celtics, Lakers, Fight, Maddon
Expect a media overload on Pats-Jets today. Sigh. But what if you hate both the Patriots AND Brett Favre? What are you supposed to do then? That's today's SN column lead. (Watch CSI, I guess.)
Meanwhile, as healthy as the NBA seems to be right now, here's a quick temperature-taking of the league:
What will make more news: The fantastic game between the defending champ Celtics and the previously unbeaten Hawks, which went down to the buzzer? The almost-as-fantastic game between the unbeaten Lakers and one of their top competitors in the West?
Or the bit-more-than-a-scuffle-bit-less-than-a-melee during the Rockets-Suns game, which featured T-Mac throwing Steve Nash to the floor? I'm betting it's the latter.
(Let's not let those three games obscure two big events: Dwight Howard's first triple-double, which featured 10 blocks, and the Wizards' first win of the season. Finally.)
Jake Peavy to the Braves? That's a big move for Atlanta. And they needed it. The Phillies rule that division; the Mets already have an ace in Johan; and the Marlins seem to stay competitive despite that lowest-in-league payroll.
Which moron MLB award-voter didn't give Joe Maddon his first-place vote for AL Manager of the Year, instead voting for Ron Gardenhire? What a d'bag.
(UPDATE: I hear the offender in question was Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. Isn't Pluto a generalist columnist? What special insight qualifies him to vote on baseball awards?)
You didn't hear it here first, but UCLA freshman guard Jrue Holliday is going to be a huge stud, particularly if he gets the shots he deserves.
(Totally not true fact: "Jrue" was a baby-name finalist for No. 2. You get all the value of the "J" first name, combined with the phoenetic advantage of the fine name "Drew," which was thrown out there very early on in the name discussions, but quickly dismissed by me because all I could picture was Drew Magary.)
Did you see Gilbert's Obama tattoo? Yikes, that had to hurt. And whoever said that he probably should have done it in a different order on his fingers was right. It looks like "In Believe We Change," not the other way around.
This was... Yikes.
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Meanwhile, as healthy as the NBA seems to be right now, here's a quick temperature-taking of the league:
What will make more news: The fantastic game between the defending champ Celtics and the previously unbeaten Hawks, which went down to the buzzer? The almost-as-fantastic game between the unbeaten Lakers and one of their top competitors in the West?
Or the bit-more-than-a-scuffle-bit-less-than-a-melee during the Rockets-Suns game, which featured T-Mac throwing Steve Nash to the floor? I'm betting it's the latter.
(Let's not let those three games obscure two big events: Dwight Howard's first triple-double, which featured 10 blocks, and the Wizards' first win of the season. Finally.)
Jake Peavy to the Braves? That's a big move for Atlanta. And they needed it. The Phillies rule that division; the Mets already have an ace in Johan; and the Marlins seem to stay competitive despite that lowest-in-league payroll.
Which moron MLB award-voter didn't give Joe Maddon his first-place vote for AL Manager of the Year, instead voting for Ron Gardenhire? What a d'bag.
(UPDATE: I hear the offender in question was Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer. Isn't Pluto a generalist columnist? What special insight qualifies him to vote on baseball awards?)
You didn't hear it here first, but UCLA freshman guard Jrue Holliday is going to be a huge stud, particularly if he gets the shots he deserves.
(Totally not true fact: "Jrue" was a baby-name finalist for No. 2. You get all the value of the "J" first name, combined with the phoenetic advantage of the fine name "Drew," which was thrown out there very early on in the name discussions, but quickly dismissed by me because all I could picture was Drew Magary.)
Did you see Gilbert's Obama tattoo? Yikes, that had to hurt. And whoever said that he probably should have done it in a different order on his fingers was right. It looks like "In Believe We Change," not the other way around.
This was... Yikes.
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Wednesday 11/12 A.M. Quickie:
49ers, Lakers, Hawks, Ball St, Curry, More
There are a lot of interesting storylines floating around this morning, but there wasn't anything really dominant. I realize now that I should have led today's SN column with my college hoops preview.
At the very least, I could have tied in last night's Davidson exhibition to my pronouncement that Stephen Curry is my preseason pick for National Player of the Year. I don't think there has been as much of a must-see player in years. (Any nominations for alternatives?)
As far as "Who's No. 1?" I put it out there on Monday: You can have UNC; I'll take the rest of the field. If you're forcing me to go somewhere beyond "Anyone But UNC," I'll say Louisville.
(You know what that means, right? It means that I'm destined to fulfill my own prediction by taking Louisville on my bracket, regardless of their region/seeding/etc. See UCLA last year.)
Now I'm feeling even lamer that I didn't lead with college hoops. Anyway, also on the radar:
The 49ers are a joke: Now Mike Singletary and Mike Martz are blaming the refs for the Monday Night Debacle.
The Lakers are unstoppable: But who saw the undefeated Hawks coming? Weren't they supposed to be a one-season wonder, especially without Josh Childress?
(What a monster game from Al Horford, one of my Top 5 favorite players in the NBA. The short list: (1) Gilbert Arenas, (2) Jordan Farmar, (3) Al Horford, (4) David Lee, (5-tie) Joakim Noah/Corey Brewer. That's not necessarily the same as the list of players I love to watch.)
Ball State is a nice story, but not BCS-worthy: It's a moot point unless (a) BSU beats Central and Western Michigans, back to back, AND (b) Utah and Boise State both lose.
Tim Lincecum wins NL Cy: And, as you can imagine, immediately afterward, I saw the wisdom of this pick -- then jump on my newly established high-horse to mock that Sun-Times BBWAA voter who didn't even put Lincecum in his Top 3.
OK, I admit I was being silly about Sabathia, but at least I'm not stupid enough to argue that the fact Brandon Webb had more wins than Lincecum means that he is better. If Lincecum was on the D'backs, he may have won 25 games or more; the fact that he was able to put together the record he did on a team as bad as his is supposed to be in his FAVOR.
Free Stephen Curry!: Curry scored 41 points last night in an exhibition on some ridiculous FG shooting. Here's the campaign: Free Stephen Curry! Let him do what he does best, not attempt to balance being a distributor PG with being the most lethal and mesmerizing scorer in college hoops since Chris Jackson.
Get the new Free Darko book. While you're at Amazon or Barnes and Noble, buy the Drew Magary book ("Men With Balls") and the Gasaway/Pomeroy book ("College Basketball Prospectus"), too. You won't be disappointed with any of them.
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
At the very least, I could have tied in last night's Davidson exhibition to my pronouncement that Stephen Curry is my preseason pick for National Player of the Year. I don't think there has been as much of a must-see player in years. (Any nominations for alternatives?)
As far as "Who's No. 1?" I put it out there on Monday: You can have UNC; I'll take the rest of the field. If you're forcing me to go somewhere beyond "Anyone But UNC," I'll say Louisville.
(You know what that means, right? It means that I'm destined to fulfill my own prediction by taking Louisville on my bracket, regardless of their region/seeding/etc. See UCLA last year.)
Now I'm feeling even lamer that I didn't lead with college hoops. Anyway, also on the radar:
The 49ers are a joke: Now Mike Singletary and Mike Martz are blaming the refs for the Monday Night Debacle.
The Lakers are unstoppable: But who saw the undefeated Hawks coming? Weren't they supposed to be a one-season wonder, especially without Josh Childress?
(What a monster game from Al Horford, one of my Top 5 favorite players in the NBA. The short list: (1) Gilbert Arenas, (2) Jordan Farmar, (3) Al Horford, (4) David Lee, (5-tie) Joakim Noah/Corey Brewer. That's not necessarily the same as the list of players I love to watch.)
Ball State is a nice story, but not BCS-worthy: It's a moot point unless (a) BSU beats Central and Western Michigans, back to back, AND (b) Utah and Boise State both lose.
Tim Lincecum wins NL Cy: And, as you can imagine, immediately afterward, I saw the wisdom of this pick -- then jump on my newly established high-horse to mock that Sun-Times BBWAA voter who didn't even put Lincecum in his Top 3.
OK, I admit I was being silly about Sabathia, but at least I'm not stupid enough to argue that the fact Brandon Webb had more wins than Lincecum means that he is better. If Lincecum was on the D'backs, he may have won 25 games or more; the fact that he was able to put together the record he did on a team as bad as his is supposed to be in his FAVOR.
Free Stephen Curry!: Curry scored 41 points last night in an exhibition on some ridiculous FG shooting. Here's the campaign: Free Stephen Curry! Let him do what he does best, not attempt to balance being a distributor PG with being the most lethal and mesmerizing scorer in college hoops since Chris Jackson.
Get the new Free Darko book. While you're at Amazon or Barnes and Noble, buy the Drew Magary book ("Men With Balls") and the Gasaway/Pomeroy book ("College Basketball Prospectus"), too. You won't be disappointed with any of them.
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Barack Obama Plays Hoops On Election Day
I will never get tired of linking to video footage of Barack Obama playing basketball, particularly when the footage is from the final day of the campaign -- Election Day.
Mayne Street Debuts: Kenny Maye Is Funny (But Scott Van Pelt Might Be Even Funnier)
Very solid -- and slickly produced -- premiere episode of ESPN's new digital short series "Mayne Street." It was billed as "Office"-ish, but it's more "This Is SportsCenter," Extended Cut.
(That's not to say it isn't funny -- btw, Mayne is highly respected as a funnyman, but Van Pelt actually steals the scene.)
And it comes in at a highly digestible 5 minutes. (Just curious: It took 3 credited writers to script 5 minutes? Can I get in on that gravy train?) Anyway: If ESPN was ever going to get into sit-coms, this is the way to do it.
(Solid, mildly related DS trivia: Six years ago, I had a pitch meeting with ESPN Original Entertainment for a sit-com. Complete with a pilot script! Lamentably -- for me -- even though it preceded it by years, it was sort of close to "My Boys" on TBS -- without the female lead character. It had a different recurring female character, but she was more periperhal. When that show came out, I came close to weeping at the missed opportunity.)
But I digress! Good start for Mayne and Co.
-- D.S.
(That's not to say it isn't funny -- btw, Mayne is highly respected as a funnyman, but Van Pelt actually steals the scene.)
And it comes in at a highly digestible 5 minutes. (Just curious: It took 3 credited writers to script 5 minutes? Can I get in on that gravy train?) Anyway: If ESPN was ever going to get into sit-coms, this is the way to do it.
(Solid, mildly related DS trivia: Six years ago, I had a pitch meeting with ESPN Original Entertainment for a sit-com. Complete with a pilot script! Lamentably -- for me -- even though it preceded it by years, it was sort of close to "My Boys" on TBS -- without the female lead character. It had a different recurring female character, but she was more periperhal. When that show came out, I came close to weeping at the missed opportunity.)
But I digress! Good start for Mayne and Co.
-- D.S.
Tuesday 11/11 A.M. Quickie:
Cards, Holliday, Pierce, NL Cy, Free Darko
Remember the old Quickie gimmick "Quickie Vocab?" I believe its finest hour was "T.O.-nanism."
Anyway, I have a new one: "Single Out," found in the lead of today's SN column. Definition: Vociferously blaming someone else for your own failings.
For the second straight game, Mike Singletary blames someone other than himself for the 49ers losing. Last time, it was Vernon Davis.
This time, it's Mike Martz, the "genius" who decided the Niners were better off running Michael Robinson than Frank Gore, from the Cards 2-yard-line with the game on the line.
Beyond that, we are living in a world where not only are the Cardinals winning on Monday Night Football, but they are 6-3 with the biggest division lead of any team in football. Whaaa?!
Meanwhile, other names to know today:
Matt Holliday: Billy Beane knows that Holliday will command premium trade value from a contender next July at the trade deadline. (Or, if it's the A's in contention, more power to 'em.)
Tim Lincecum: Or should that be Brad Lidge? (Or, in my fantasy world, CC Sabathia?) NL Cy announced today. If they included postseason results, Lidge would be a lock. Instead, it's likely going to be Lincecum. Good debate to be had there.
Paul Pierce: 22 in the 4th, leading the Celtics past the Raps. (BTW, how about OJ Mayo? 33 last night, affirming Sunday's 31-point binge. The guy can score. The Grizz still stink, but they are telegenic.)
Kyle Singler: 19 and 10 in Duke's romp over Presbyterian in the college hoops season opener.
(At some point this month, we'll dig into the absurdity of my affection for Jon Scheyer. Short version: He is Redick-like in his ability to inspire loathing, yet I can't help but root for him. Perhaps that's because he is the best Jewish basketball player in college hoops. No, that's exactly why. Otherwise, I'm quite sure I would hate him as much as the rest of you do.)
Free Darko: I am trying to get a post up today in honor of the release date of FD's new book, which is spectacular. Seriously, if you like the NBA, you need to own it. Amazing essays, fantastic graphics. In FD fashion, it really is like no other sports book you've ever seen. (And I mean that literally -- the aesthetics of the thing are remarkable.)
BlogPoll feedback: Thanks for the reality check. I flipped Alabama ahead of Florida, from 4 to 3. I kept Texas ahead of both, behind Texas Tech at No. 1. I can afford to be magnanimous about Florida in relation to Alabama because the Gators will have their chance to leapfrog Bama by playing them head-to-head on the field in a month.
(Totally random note: Does anyone out there have the new MacBook that just came out last month? Thoughts? Looking for first-hand feedback. Only from those who have actually bought it please; I'm totally fluent in the criticisms of the Mac fanboys who are disappointed by it, but didn't actually buy it.)
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Anyway, I have a new one: "Single Out," found in the lead of today's SN column. Definition: Vociferously blaming someone else for your own failings.
For the second straight game, Mike Singletary blames someone other than himself for the 49ers losing. Last time, it was Vernon Davis.
This time, it's Mike Martz, the "genius" who decided the Niners were better off running Michael Robinson than Frank Gore, from the Cards 2-yard-line with the game on the line.
Beyond that, we are living in a world where not only are the Cardinals winning on Monday Night Football, but they are 6-3 with the biggest division lead of any team in football. Whaaa?!
Meanwhile, other names to know today:
Matt Holliday: Billy Beane knows that Holliday will command premium trade value from a contender next July at the trade deadline. (Or, if it's the A's in contention, more power to 'em.)
Tim Lincecum: Or should that be Brad Lidge? (Or, in my fantasy world, CC Sabathia?) NL Cy announced today. If they included postseason results, Lidge would be a lock. Instead, it's likely going to be Lincecum. Good debate to be had there.
Paul Pierce: 22 in the 4th, leading the Celtics past the Raps. (BTW, how about OJ Mayo? 33 last night, affirming Sunday's 31-point binge. The guy can score. The Grizz still stink, but they are telegenic.)
Kyle Singler: 19 and 10 in Duke's romp over Presbyterian in the college hoops season opener.
(At some point this month, we'll dig into the absurdity of my affection for Jon Scheyer. Short version: He is Redick-like in his ability to inspire loathing, yet I can't help but root for him. Perhaps that's because he is the best Jewish basketball player in college hoops. No, that's exactly why. Otherwise, I'm quite sure I would hate him as much as the rest of you do.)
Free Darko: I am trying to get a post up today in honor of the release date of FD's new book, which is spectacular. Seriously, if you like the NBA, you need to own it. Amazing essays, fantastic graphics. In FD fashion, it really is like no other sports book you've ever seen. (And I mean that literally -- the aesthetics of the thing are remarkable.)
BlogPoll feedback: Thanks for the reality check. I flipped Alabama ahead of Florida, from 4 to 3. I kept Texas ahead of both, behind Texas Tech at No. 1. I can afford to be magnanimous about Florida in relation to Alabama because the Gators will have their chance to leapfrog Bama by playing them head-to-head on the field in a month.
(Totally random note: Does anyone out there have the new MacBook that just came out last month? Thoughts? Looking for first-hand feedback. Only from those who have actually bought it please; I'm totally fluent in the criticisms of the Mac fanboys who are disappointed by it, but didn't actually buy it.)
Complete SN column here. More later.
-- D.S.
Monday, November 10, 2008
What Should Nate Silver Do Next?
Some of us recognized the greatness on May 30. Others recognized it today. Either way, Gawker's Hamilton Nolan has some very solid advice for Nate Silver on his professional future. (And it ain't in baseball -- unless Mark Cuban pulls an upset, buys the Cubs and hires Silver as his Theo.)
Arenas and Obama: You Read It Here First
When you read about Gilbert Arenas' new Obama tattoo, remember where you first read about their connection. (It even inspired a T-shirt.)
-- D.S.
-- D.S.
Alabama-Florida, TX Tech-Oklahoma Is College Football's De Facto 4-Team Playoff
As usual, Matt "Doc Saturday" Hinton has the best 10,000-foot BCS breakdown. The upshot: Alabama-Florida in the SEC title game and, in two weeks, Texas Tech-Oklahoma has all the de facto goodness of a 4-team, 2-game playoff to decide who plays for the national title. Sorry, Texas.
-- D.S.
-- D.S.
Monday 11/10 A.M. Quickie:
BCS, Giants, Big Ben, Lakers, JJ, More
As you can imagine, I have BCS on my mind in the lead of today's SN column. This weekend re-affirmed that college football's regular season IS a de facto playoff.
You can love or hate Florida, but you have to admit they are playing amazing right now. What I don't understand is how any fan outside Texas or Oklahoma could not unconditionally love Texas Tech.
They play the most telegenic brand of football -- college or pro -- in the country. Graham Harrell is rightfully atop the Heisman rankings. Michael Crabtree is arguably the best player in the country. And their defense is -- for the Big 12 -- tremendous; they did a better job on Oklahoma State than Texas did, and did a better job on Texas than Oklahoma did.
As much as I would like to see the Big 12 turn into a mini-me version of an epic BCS clusterf--- with Texas Tech losing in Norman to Oklahoma in 2 weeks, I really want to see Texas Tech make it to the national-title game.
If you believe, like me, that the champ of the Big 12 and the champ of the SEC meeting for the national title is the optimal outcome to this particular season, Texas Tech deserves it more than any other team in the Big 12. (I fear that if they do lose to Oklahoma, they will drop behind both Texas and Oklahoma in the BCS standings; I'm sure Texas fans are even more freaked at the outcome that Oklahoma beats Texas Tech, then leapfrogs Texas in the BCS standings.)
Anyway, thank you Penn State, for giving college football fans a true gift -- the closest thing to a 4-team, 2-game playoff in advance of the national title game as we have seen since the BCS was implemented. More on that scheduled to be posted at lunchtime, so check back.
Meanwhile, the Titans may still be unbeaten, but the Giants are the best team in the league. (It's sort of like once-beaten Florida being better than unbeaten Alabama. OK, so that's a stretch.)
I'm not ready to assign credit to Peyton for the Colts' win in Pittsburgh as much as I am ready to assign blame to Big Ben.
In the same way I ask how you can not love Texas Tech, how can you not love the Dolphins' Wildcat formation? It was arguably more successful yesterday than ever. Where are the copycats? The Dolphins -- the DOLPHINS -- are 5-4 and in contention for a Wild Card spot, in large part due to the innovation on offense.
Begrudgingly -- but absolutely fairly -- I would like to point out that I was quite wrong about Matt Ryan's fitness as an NFL QB -- particularly a rookie NFL QB. (I was slightly more bullish on Joe Flacco, and he has also proven to be a capable NFL QB.) Here's a question: Given how sickly the QB situation is in the NFL right now, where would you rank Ryan -- top half? Top 10? Right now, Ryan is No. 8 in QB rating among non-injured QBs. And, after all, he's just a rookie.
OK, two weeks into the NBA season, I have reason to re-think my preseason pick that the Rockets would upend both the Lakers and Celtics en route to the NBA title. Last week, the Celtics beat the Rockets; yesterday, the Lakers absolutely clocked them, particularly defensively. It was almost as if the Lakers took it personally that anyone would even suggest that the Rockets were in a position to dismantle LA from the top of the West. Consider me convinced.
Why I don't get NASCAR, Reason Nth: What's the point of a playoff system if the final race is meaningless? How much cooler would it be if 10 or however many drivers made the playoff, then each week, the guy who finishes last among the group is knocked out of the playoff? Forget points: Go for total elimination-style. It would make the final race meaningful, at least. One of you NASCAR fans out there needs to explain to me why this current system has yielded a good result in this case.
College hoops season tips off tonight: Duke vs. Presbyterian. No, seriously. I consider myself a pretty big CBB fan, and I have to admit I had never heard of Presbyterian as a Division 1 team.
Meanwhile, I put a challenge in today's SN column: You can have UNC to win the title if you give me the field. After the past 3 seasons, I have zero faith in Hansbrough's ability to lead this team -- however absurdly talented it might be -- to 6 straight wins in late March. The facts are on my side, aren't they?
Complete SN column here. More later. Did some posts early this morning that I have scheduled to post throughout the day.
-- D.S.
You can love or hate Florida, but you have to admit they are playing amazing right now. What I don't understand is how any fan outside Texas or Oklahoma could not unconditionally love Texas Tech.
They play the most telegenic brand of football -- college or pro -- in the country. Graham Harrell is rightfully atop the Heisman rankings. Michael Crabtree is arguably the best player in the country. And their defense is -- for the Big 12 -- tremendous; they did a better job on Oklahoma State than Texas did, and did a better job on Texas than Oklahoma did.
As much as I would like to see the Big 12 turn into a mini-me version of an epic BCS clusterf--- with Texas Tech losing in Norman to Oklahoma in 2 weeks, I really want to see Texas Tech make it to the national-title game.
If you believe, like me, that the champ of the Big 12 and the champ of the SEC meeting for the national title is the optimal outcome to this particular season, Texas Tech deserves it more than any other team in the Big 12. (I fear that if they do lose to Oklahoma, they will drop behind both Texas and Oklahoma in the BCS standings; I'm sure Texas fans are even more freaked at the outcome that Oklahoma beats Texas Tech, then leapfrogs Texas in the BCS standings.)
Anyway, thank you Penn State, for giving college football fans a true gift -- the closest thing to a 4-team, 2-game playoff in advance of the national title game as we have seen since the BCS was implemented. More on that scheduled to be posted at lunchtime, so check back.
Meanwhile, the Titans may still be unbeaten, but the Giants are the best team in the league. (It's sort of like once-beaten Florida being better than unbeaten Alabama. OK, so that's a stretch.)
I'm not ready to assign credit to Peyton for the Colts' win in Pittsburgh as much as I am ready to assign blame to Big Ben.
In the same way I ask how you can not love Texas Tech, how can you not love the Dolphins' Wildcat formation? It was arguably more successful yesterday than ever. Where are the copycats? The Dolphins -- the DOLPHINS -- are 5-4 and in contention for a Wild Card spot, in large part due to the innovation on offense.
Begrudgingly -- but absolutely fairly -- I would like to point out that I was quite wrong about Matt Ryan's fitness as an NFL QB -- particularly a rookie NFL QB. (I was slightly more bullish on Joe Flacco, and he has also proven to be a capable NFL QB.) Here's a question: Given how sickly the QB situation is in the NFL right now, where would you rank Ryan -- top half? Top 10? Right now, Ryan is No. 8 in QB rating among non-injured QBs. And, after all, he's just a rookie.
OK, two weeks into the NBA season, I have reason to re-think my preseason pick that the Rockets would upend both the Lakers and Celtics en route to the NBA title. Last week, the Celtics beat the Rockets; yesterday, the Lakers absolutely clocked them, particularly defensively. It was almost as if the Lakers took it personally that anyone would even suggest that the Rockets were in a position to dismantle LA from the top of the West. Consider me convinced.
Why I don't get NASCAR, Reason Nth: What's the point of a playoff system if the final race is meaningless? How much cooler would it be if 10 or however many drivers made the playoff, then each week, the guy who finishes last among the group is knocked out of the playoff? Forget points: Go for total elimination-style. It would make the final race meaningful, at least. One of you NASCAR fans out there needs to explain to me why this current system has yielded a good result in this case.
College hoops season tips off tonight: Duke vs. Presbyterian. No, seriously. I consider myself a pretty big CBB fan, and I have to admit I had never heard of Presbyterian as a Division 1 team.
Meanwhile, I put a challenge in today's SN column: You can have UNC to win the title if you give me the field. After the past 3 seasons, I have zero faith in Hansbrough's ability to lead this team -- however absurdly talented it might be -- to 6 straight wins in late March. The facts are on my side, aren't they?
Complete SN column here. More later. Did some posts early this morning that I have scheduled to post throughout the day.
-- D.S.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
This Week's BlogPoll Ballot, Version 1
Yeah, yeah: It's controversial to rank a 1-loss team ahead of an unbeaten team. Let alone 2 of them. This week's criteria: Resume, comparable opponents, momentum, eyewitness evaluation.
 | ||
| Rank | Team | Delta |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas Tech | -- |
| 2 | Texas | -- |
| 3 | Florida |  2 |
| 4 | Alabama | -- |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 2 |
| 6 | Southern Cal | 2 |
| 7 | Utah | 4 |
| 8 | Boise State | 1 |
| 9 | Penn State |  6 |
| 10 | Ohio State | 4 |
| 11 | Oklahoma State | 5 |
| 12 | Georgia | -- |
| 13 | Missouri | 2 |
| 14 | TCU | 4 |
| 15 | Ball State | 1 |
| 16 | LSU | 3 |
| 17 | Michigan State | -- |
| 18 | North Carolina | 4 |
| 19 | Cincinnati | 7 |
| 20 | Brigham Young | 3 |
| 21 | Western Michigan | 5 |
| 22 | South Carolina | 4 |
| 23 | Florida State | 3 |
| 24 | Pittsburgh | -- |
| 25 | Oregon State | 1 |
Dropped Out: West Virginia (#18), Georgia Tech (#19), California (#20), Kansas (#21), Northwestern (#25).
(Happy to change things around before tomorrow's first BlogPoll deadline -- I can understand why ranking Florida ahead of Alabama will annoy some. I'm happy to flip it, even though I think that as of how they're playing right now, Florida will beat Alabama in the SEC CG in a month.)
Poll Absurdity: Bama Ahead of Texas Tech?!
As if the AP and Coaches polls could be any more ludicrous or less legitimate, they each have Alabama No. 1 ahead of Texas Tech. It's like the voters don't actually watch the games, but simply rely on the "name" -- if the team with Texas Tech's resume was named "Texas" they would be ahead of Alabama, for sure. Oh, wait: They already were. Get over it voters: Texas Tech is No. 1.
The Upside of Penn State's Loss
Even though it might not come across that way over the past month as I have attempted to discount Penn State's legitimacy as a national-title contender, I'm actually quite partial to this team.
I totally buy into the "aw-isn't-it-nice-to-see-the-old-man-succeeding" nostalgia (if not enough to corrupt the national-title process for it). I love Derrick Williams, who may be Percy Harvin and Jeremy Maclin's equal as one of the most exciting and valuable all-purpose players in the country. Of course I love the way they went into Columbus and beat Ohio State. And I love the idea of Penn State -- and Joe Paterno -- in the Rose Bowl, ideally against USC, in a classic match-up that wouldn't look out of place in the late 1970s.
What yesterday's Penn State loss did was free up those of us with a personal stake in the national-title debate to go back to rooting for Penn State again -- to appreciating the dream season that the team, the fans and Joe Paterno are having this season.
The whole BCS debate thing was distracting -- taking away -- from an otherwise amazing year from Penn State. Now we can fully enjoy it.
-- D.S.
I totally buy into the "aw-isn't-it-nice-to-see-the-old-man-succeeding" nostalgia (if not enough to corrupt the national-title process for it). I love Derrick Williams, who may be Percy Harvin and Jeremy Maclin's equal as one of the most exciting and valuable all-purpose players in the country. Of course I love the way they went into Columbus and beat Ohio State. And I love the idea of Penn State -- and Joe Paterno -- in the Rose Bowl, ideally against USC, in a classic match-up that wouldn't look out of place in the late 1970s.
What yesterday's Penn State loss did was free up those of us with a personal stake in the national-title debate to go back to rooting for Penn State again -- to appreciating the dream season that the team, the fans and Joe Paterno are having this season.
The whole BCS debate thing was distracting -- taking away -- from an otherwise amazing year from Penn State. Now we can fully enjoy it.
-- D.S.
Sunday 11/09 (Very) Quickie
I am baffled as to how any college football poll voter could not rank Texas Tech at No. 1.
If there was any confusion whether Texas Tech's win over Texas was some kind of fluke, the Red Raiders just demolished an Oklahoma State team that was not only ranked in the Top 10 of the BCS, but that nearly beat Texas in Austin. TT out-performed Texas on offense AND defense.
That said, after their bye next week, TT faces their toughest game of the season -- at Norman. We'll see if the transitive property holds up: If Texas beat Oklahoma and Texas Tech beat Texas, then Texas Tech should be able to beat Oklahoma. If not, the Big 12 has its own BCS-style controversy. (Let me get out in front of it: For the BCS to base second-order conference division tie-breakers on BCS rankings is LUDICROUS and begging for problems.)
Actually, for me the real question is Who's No. 2? I'm not sure it's Alabama. Yes, a win in Baton Rouge is impressive, but if you've watched LSU over the past few weeks, they're just not that great of a team (corrected: wow, are they missing a good QB...every other piece is solid).
But if they played right now -- or, say, in 4 weeks -- do you really think Alabama would beat Florida? Do you really think Alabama could beat Texas or Oklahoma? (I'm actually more convinced than ever that the Big 12 defenses contribute extensively to making the offenses look great -- I love Texas Tech's offense, but Oklahoma State's defense isn't exactly stout.)
Meanwhile, you see below my insta-reaction to Penn State losing. Hey, why isn't "JoePa gets to go to the Rose Bowl!" considered a perfectly fine consolation to missing out on the national-title game? And if Penn State really considers themselves one of the Top 2 teams in the country (or, at least, they did up until Saturday night), then they should be able to beat USC in the Rose Bowl, right? (Um, it is probably worth pointing out that USC doesn't even control its own destiny for the Pac-10 championship; that would be Oregon State.)
Speaking of USC, who else was unimpressed with the "style" in which they beat Cal, at home no less. I was actually impressed with USC's defense, but what happened to the high-powered offense?
I'm working on my Top 25 ballot now, but here's how I'm looking at the Top 10 right now:
1. Texas Tech
2. Texas
3. Florida
4. Alabama
5. Oklahoma
6. USC
7. Utah
8. Boise St
9. Penn St
10. Ohio St
There is a lot of football left to play, but it looks like we're heading toward a national title game that pits an unbeaten or 1-loss champ of the Big 12 against an unbeaten or 1-loss champ of the SEC. I don't think anyone will argue with that outcome, at least this season.
-- D.S.
If there was any confusion whether Texas Tech's win over Texas was some kind of fluke, the Red Raiders just demolished an Oklahoma State team that was not only ranked in the Top 10 of the BCS, but that nearly beat Texas in Austin. TT out-performed Texas on offense AND defense.
That said, after their bye next week, TT faces their toughest game of the season -- at Norman. We'll see if the transitive property holds up: If Texas beat Oklahoma and Texas Tech beat Texas, then Texas Tech should be able to beat Oklahoma. If not, the Big 12 has its own BCS-style controversy. (Let me get out in front of it: For the BCS to base second-order conference division tie-breakers on BCS rankings is LUDICROUS and begging for problems.)
Actually, for me the real question is Who's No. 2? I'm not sure it's Alabama. Yes, a win in Baton Rouge is impressive, but if you've watched LSU over the past few weeks, they're just not that great of a team (corrected: wow, are they missing a good QB...every other piece is solid).
But if they played right now -- or, say, in 4 weeks -- do you really think Alabama would beat Florida? Do you really think Alabama could beat Texas or Oklahoma? (I'm actually more convinced than ever that the Big 12 defenses contribute extensively to making the offenses look great -- I love Texas Tech's offense, but Oklahoma State's defense isn't exactly stout.)
Meanwhile, you see below my insta-reaction to Penn State losing. Hey, why isn't "JoePa gets to go to the Rose Bowl!" considered a perfectly fine consolation to missing out on the national-title game? And if Penn State really considers themselves one of the Top 2 teams in the country (or, at least, they did up until Saturday night), then they should be able to beat USC in the Rose Bowl, right? (Um, it is probably worth pointing out that USC doesn't even control its own destiny for the Pac-10 championship; that would be Oregon State.)
Speaking of USC, who else was unimpressed with the "style" in which they beat Cal, at home no less. I was actually impressed with USC's defense, but what happened to the high-powered offense?
I'm working on my Top 25 ballot now, but here's how I'm looking at the Top 10 right now:
1. Texas Tech
2. Texas
3. Florida
4. Alabama
5. Oklahoma
6. USC
7. Utah
8. Boise St
9. Penn St
10. Ohio St
There is a lot of football left to play, but it looks like we're heading toward a national title game that pits an unbeaten or 1-loss champ of the Big 12 against an unbeaten or 1-loss champ of the SEC. I don't think anyone will argue with that outcome, at least this season.
-- D.S.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
