While the College Football weekend starts with a bang on Thursday, that does not mean that the College Football weekend stops on Thursday. Now, a look ahead to Saturday's action:
(9) Missouri vs. Kentucky
This would be a much more compelling basketball match-up than football. Either way, Missouri defiantly showed that they have put their come from ahead loss to South Carolina behind them. Kentucky, they're just running out the string at this point
Missouri 42 Kentucky 10
Game Type: One-Sided
(7) Auburn vs. Tennessee
Auburn just keeps on rolling on moving up the polls. They continue to move light years ahead of where they were last year. While I thought Tennessee would put up a fight last week, i'm getting less convinced of their ability to make things interesting as the season moves on.
Auburn 35 Tennessee 7
Game Type: One-Sided
(3) Florida State vs. Wake Forest
At this point, Florida State is in line to be the best team to not be able to play for a national championship. They've spent much of the year utterly dominating teams that are much better than they one they have this weekend.
Florida State 70 Wake Forest 14
Game Type: Run Up The Score
Kansas State vs. (25) Texas Tech
Probably the best of the 9am games. Kansas State has taken a major step back since last year but I think they still have some fight in them. Even though they are 4-4, on a good day they can give a good team a fight for their money (like they did against Baylor). After the last couple weeks, i'm becoming less and less sold on Texas Tech. They've made some nice strides in their first year under Kliff Kingsbury but they're probably a couple years away from being an elite team. This is likely Tech's last week in the Top 25 for awhile
Kansas State 35 Texas Tech 24
Game Type: Mild Upset
Mississippi State vs. (11) Texas A & M
Granted, Texas A & M is playing a team better than UTEP this week. With that said, they likely go through this game relatively unchallenged.
Texas A & M 56 Mississippi State 21
Game Type: One-Sided
BYU vs. (21) Wisconsin
While this match up isn't being talked about much, I think this could be one of the better games this weekend. BYU is a tough team but i'm feeling better about the Badgers as the season moves on.
Wisconsin 42 BYU 31
Game Type: Much Closer than what the final score indicates
Kansas vs. (15) Oklahoma State
The second match up of Saturday that would be much more compelling if it was basketball. Since its not, its just another game that's over by the end of the 1st quarter.
Oklahoma State 56 Kansas 0
Game Type: Run up the Score
(23) Arizona State vs. Utah
Arizona State should definitely be on upset alert and not take this game lightly. If Utah can pull of a win against Stanford, I think they got another upset in them on Saturday.
Utah 35 Arizona State 21
Virginia Tech vs. (14) Miami FL
ACC Battle between teams hoping to get more out of this season. Virginia Tech while once ranked is looking to bounce back from losses to BC & Duke. Miami is coming off a very expected blowout loss to Florida State. I'm not quite sold on either of these teams but someone has to win, in this case Miami.
Miami 17 Virginia Tech 10
Game Type: Close game but very sloppily played
Houston vs. (19) UCF
A Marquee battle in the American Athletic Conference or the closest it comes to this. UCF is currently on track to make it to their first BCS-bowl ever. Houston is looking to prove that their 7-1 record has some legitimacy to it. This conference (whatever name its been under) seems to always be chaotic and nobody asserting their dominance. Houston pulls off the upset and continues this trend.
Houston 31 UCF 24
Game Type: Surprisingly Entertaining
(24) Notre Dame vs. Pittsburgh
While Notre Dame is not going back to the title game, they've done enough to prove that overall they are on the rise and that their days of only winning 5-7 times a year may be behind them. Pittsburgh is just another average team that has a ceiling of being barely bowl eligible.
Notre Dame 31 Pittsburgh 10
Game Type: One-Sided
(10) LSU vs. (1) Alabama
Alabama has been the team to beat and is looking to three-peat. A very good LSU team is looking to give them their best shot. Going out on a limb here but I think LSU pulls off an upset and throws complete chaos into the finale of the BCS.
LSU 31 Alabama 24
Game Type: Best Game All Week
(16) UCLA vs. Arizona
Late nite Pac-12 battle that will likely have lots of offense. Personally, UCLA is a bit over-ranked and Arizona is a bit of a wild card here. A chaotic Saturday continues here with lots of offense and another upset.
Arizona 59 UCLA 42
Game Type: What is this defense you speak of
(17) Fresno State vs. Wyoming
Fresno State continues its quest to get to its first ever BCS bowl. Wyoming does very little to stand in their way.
Fresno State 63 Wyoming 21
Game Type: Run up the Score
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Do They Have a Chance: Casey, Clemens & Durham
Now to continue the alphabetic quest of who's a Hall of Famer and who will not be.
First up, Sean Casey
Sean Casey had a pretty nice career in the player and seems to have a nice-post laying career as an MLB Network analyst and thanks to baseball-reference I know he can be found on twitter as @TheMayorsOffice.
As a hall of fame candidate, not so much. He did lead the league in something once. Unfortunately, it was in double plays. He was a slightly above average hitter who didn't help things any with his glove (-7.4 dWar) lifetime. Not surprisingly, none of his comparables are in the hall of fame (David Segui, Mike Greenwell, Kevin Millar, etc.) His similar list also includes some active players (Lyle Overbay & Nick Markakis). I'd be surprised if he even gets a vote.
Verdict: Nope
Roger Clemens:
If voting was based on twitter creativity name (@rogerclemens) i'm pretty sure that would not help his case. Its safe to say other criteria factors prevented him from getting in on the first go around getting 37.6% of the vote.
This is another case where eventually the stance on Steroid use and Hall of Fame softens (even if it isn't this year and he gets in). He's one of the greatest pitchers of this generation. He led the league in ERA+ 8 times (the last time being at age 42, he won 7 Cy Youngs, 1 MVP and was in the top 10 in Cy Young voting five other seasons. He was worth 5 wins above replacement an absurd 14 times. By all numerical measures, Clemens is a slam dunk hall of famer. Out of his top 10 similar pitchers, the only ones not already in the hall of fame (Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux & Tom Glavine) are either on the ballot for the first time this year or have not been retired long enough to be eligible.
Verdict: Yes, once PED rage cools off
Ray Durham:
Durham had a nice career and he's a player I personally like as he did play relatively well (122 OPS+) when the Brewers acquired him for the 2008 stretch run that resulted in their first playoff appearance since i've been alive. Bottom line is that Durham's another slightly above average hitter with an underwhelming defensive profile (-5.7 dWAR).
Surprisingly, two of his similars (Larkin & Sandberg) are in the hall of fame. However, he falls short in measures such as Gray Ink, Hall of Fame Monitor, etc. Still, I think is HOF case is weak at best.
Verdict: No
First up, Sean Casey
Sean Casey had a pretty nice career in the player and seems to have a nice-post laying career as an MLB Network analyst and thanks to baseball-reference I know he can be found on twitter as @TheMayorsOffice.
As a hall of fame candidate, not so much. He did lead the league in something once. Unfortunately, it was in double plays. He was a slightly above average hitter who didn't help things any with his glove (-7.4 dWar) lifetime. Not surprisingly, none of his comparables are in the hall of fame (David Segui, Mike Greenwell, Kevin Millar, etc.) His similar list also includes some active players (Lyle Overbay & Nick Markakis). I'd be surprised if he even gets a vote.
Verdict: Nope
Roger Clemens:
If voting was based on twitter creativity name (@rogerclemens) i'm pretty sure that would not help his case. Its safe to say other criteria factors prevented him from getting in on the first go around getting 37.6% of the vote.
This is another case where eventually the stance on Steroid use and Hall of Fame softens (even if it isn't this year and he gets in). He's one of the greatest pitchers of this generation. He led the league in ERA+ 8 times (the last time being at age 42, he won 7 Cy Youngs, 1 MVP and was in the top 10 in Cy Young voting five other seasons. He was worth 5 wins above replacement an absurd 14 times. By all numerical measures, Clemens is a slam dunk hall of famer. Out of his top 10 similar pitchers, the only ones not already in the hall of fame (Randy Johnson, Greg Maddux & Tom Glavine) are either on the ballot for the first time this year or have not been retired long enough to be eligible.
Verdict: Yes, once PED rage cools off
Ray Durham:
Durham had a nice career and he's a player I personally like as he did play relatively well (122 OPS+) when the Brewers acquired him for the 2008 stretch run that resulted in their first playoff appearance since i've been alive. Bottom line is that Durham's another slightly above average hitter with an underwhelming defensive profile (-5.7 dWAR).
Surprisingly, two of his similars (Larkin & Sandberg) are in the hall of fame. However, he falls short in measures such as Gray Ink, Hall of Fame Monitor, etc. Still, I think is HOF case is weak at best.
Verdict: No
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
The Mid-Week Football Preview
This week seems to be a pretty spread even week for football with the weekly Thursday night game and even some intriguing Top 25 match-ups before we get to the weekend.
Redskins vs. Vikings
While watching the Monday night game and watching Seneca Wallace impersonate an NFL Quarterback (hopefully the Packers can find someone...anyone to fill in at QB), they were trying to spin this game as a battle of two super-stars (Peterson & RGIII). While technically true, the description sort of covers up the fact that this match up is a complete clunker.
While RGIII & the Redskins started off the season under-performing, they have started to show signs of life in recent weeks which is more than what could be said about the Vikings. Personally, only reason I have interest in this game is to see if Garcon can help my fantasy team improve upon 5-4 record and fifth place ranking. The Redskins may be 3-5 but this game is still important to them as they are still within striking distance in the NFC East and can still make a season out of 2013 yet.
Redskins 30 Vikings 14
Normally, the weekday college football games have tend not to be appointment television but for this week, Thursday has a couple of good matchups on display.
(5) Baylor vs. (12) Oklahoma
This one has a compelling argument for Big 12 matchup of the year. We have ourselves an aspiring up and comer with an outside national championship shot versus an established old school program. While Baylor has gotten to the #5 ranking on the back of a soft schedule, I think this game is their coming out party.
Baylor 63 Oklahoma 42
(2) Oregon vs. (6) Stanford
Not to be outdone, the Pac-12 is having their game of the year two hours later. While Stanford is having another excellent season, I just don't think they (or anyone else in the Pac 12) has the firepower to outlast Oregon. While I think Stanford will make it tough for Oregon early on, the Ducks likely dominate the second half.
Oregon 49 Stanford 28
(20) Louisville vs. Connecticut
Yes, weird games happen on Friday night and this timeslot is known for many an upset (as Louisville can attest to). However, that requires the opposing team to have something resembling a competent team.
Louisville 56 Connecticut 3
Redskins vs. Vikings
While watching the Monday night game and watching Seneca Wallace impersonate an NFL Quarterback (hopefully the Packers can find someone...anyone to fill in at QB), they were trying to spin this game as a battle of two super-stars (Peterson & RGIII). While technically true, the description sort of covers up the fact that this match up is a complete clunker.
While RGIII & the Redskins started off the season under-performing, they have started to show signs of life in recent weeks which is more than what could be said about the Vikings. Personally, only reason I have interest in this game is to see if Garcon can help my fantasy team improve upon 5-4 record and fifth place ranking. The Redskins may be 3-5 but this game is still important to them as they are still within striking distance in the NFC East and can still make a season out of 2013 yet.
Redskins 30 Vikings 14
Normally, the weekday college football games have tend not to be appointment television but for this week, Thursday has a couple of good matchups on display.
(5) Baylor vs. (12) Oklahoma
This one has a compelling argument for Big 12 matchup of the year. We have ourselves an aspiring up and comer with an outside national championship shot versus an established old school program. While Baylor has gotten to the #5 ranking on the back of a soft schedule, I think this game is their coming out party.
Baylor 63 Oklahoma 42
(2) Oregon vs. (6) Stanford
Not to be outdone, the Pac-12 is having their game of the year two hours later. While Stanford is having another excellent season, I just don't think they (or anyone else in the Pac 12) has the firepower to outlast Oregon. While I think Stanford will make it tough for Oregon early on, the Ducks likely dominate the second half.
Oregon 49 Stanford 28
(20) Louisville vs. Connecticut
Yes, weird games happen on Friday night and this timeslot is known for many an upset (as Louisville can attest to). However, that requires the opposing team to have something resembling a competent team.
Louisville 56 Connecticut 3
Monday, November 4, 2013
Do they have a Chance? Biggio, Bonds & Borowski
On to the continuing saga of who has legitimate hall of fame hopes and who doesn't:
Leading off, is someone who was on the ballot for the first time last year and received 68% of the votes, lets see if Craig Biggio is worthy of going over 75%.
Craig Biggio spent his entire 20 year-career in Houston as one of the Killer B's along with fellow Hall of Fame hopeful Jeff Bagwell. If nothing else, the guy had a high pain tolerance as he got hit by 285 pitches in his career leading the league in this five times.
One thing that goes against him looking at the details is that while he did win four gold gloves, his career defensive WAR comes in at -3.9 which leaves the perception of maybe he get over-rated somewhere along the line. Also, the OPS+ came in lower than most of the other hopefuls (112) but some of that may be forgiven since he spent much of career at second base which is not known for its offense.
One thing in his favor is that many of his BR comparables are in the hall of fame (Yount, Morgan, Molitor, Almoar, Ripken, Robinson & Brett) with another active player likely to get in with decent offensive numbers and a better defensive reputation than what the numbers indicate (Jeter). My gut says that if he played a position known for its offense (i.e. First Base) he wouldn't have much of a case but based on past precedent for middle infielders, I think he gets in even if I wouldn't vote for Biggio if I had a Hall of Fame vote.
Verdict: Likely in within the next couple years
Barry Bonds:
Its safe to say that either Bonds or Clemens is the most polarizing & controversial player on the ballot. Whats not controversial is that Barry Bonds was pretty good at baseball. The guy led the league in OPS+ nine times, by the end of his career pitchers were scared to give him anything even close to the strike zone. Even at 48 years old, I think Bonds would be a productive player.
Obviously, the fact that he got 36% of the vote in his first year had more to do with things that happened off the field than on. The three players with the highest similarity scores are Mays, Aaron & Ruth. My take is this is the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of Ethics. Whatever issues people may have with Bonds is at some point going to come secondary to this guy was a once in a generation or more talent.
Verdict: They can't keep him out forever, In.
Joe Borowski:
This is one of those "huh, they put him on the ballot?" type reactions. He had a couple good seasons 2002-2003 but other than that a very average player. His 2007 season makes for a compelling argument to devalue the save as he led the AL in saves despite having an era north of 5.00.
Not surprisingly, none of his comparibiles are in the hall of fame. The most similar players are Jorge Julio & Brandon League. He's definitely a one and done and likely getting zero votes.
Verdict: No
Leading off, is someone who was on the ballot for the first time last year and received 68% of the votes, lets see if Craig Biggio is worthy of going over 75%.
Craig Biggio spent his entire 20 year-career in Houston as one of the Killer B's along with fellow Hall of Fame hopeful Jeff Bagwell. If nothing else, the guy had a high pain tolerance as he got hit by 285 pitches in his career leading the league in this five times.
One thing that goes against him looking at the details is that while he did win four gold gloves, his career defensive WAR comes in at -3.9 which leaves the perception of maybe he get over-rated somewhere along the line. Also, the OPS+ came in lower than most of the other hopefuls (112) but some of that may be forgiven since he spent much of career at second base which is not known for its offense.
One thing in his favor is that many of his BR comparables are in the hall of fame (Yount, Morgan, Molitor, Almoar, Ripken, Robinson & Brett) with another active player likely to get in with decent offensive numbers and a better defensive reputation than what the numbers indicate (Jeter). My gut says that if he played a position known for its offense (i.e. First Base) he wouldn't have much of a case but based on past precedent for middle infielders, I think he gets in even if I wouldn't vote for Biggio if I had a Hall of Fame vote.
Verdict: Likely in within the next couple years
Barry Bonds:
Its safe to say that either Bonds or Clemens is the most polarizing & controversial player on the ballot. Whats not controversial is that Barry Bonds was pretty good at baseball. The guy led the league in OPS+ nine times, by the end of his career pitchers were scared to give him anything even close to the strike zone. Even at 48 years old, I think Bonds would be a productive player.
Obviously, the fact that he got 36% of the vote in his first year had more to do with things that happened off the field than on. The three players with the highest similarity scores are Mays, Aaron & Ruth. My take is this is the Hall of Fame, not the Hall of Ethics. Whatever issues people may have with Bonds is at some point going to come secondary to this guy was a once in a generation or more talent.
Verdict: They can't keep him out forever, In.
Joe Borowski:
This is one of those "huh, they put him on the ballot?" type reactions. He had a couple good seasons 2002-2003 but other than that a very average player. His 2007 season makes for a compelling argument to devalue the save as he led the AL in saves despite having an era north of 5.00.
Not surprisingly, none of his comparibiles are in the hall of fame. The most similar players are Jorge Julio & Brandon League. He's definitely a one and done and likely getting zero votes.
Verdict: No
Sunday, November 3, 2013
2014 Hall of Fame Ballot, Do They Have a Chance Part I: Alou, Bagwell & Benitez
With Baseball done for the season does not mean that i'm done talking about it. I want to start breaking down the players on the 2014 Hall of Fame ballot, per baseball-reference.
One thing i'm going to work on is looking at the people on here and seeing which ones have a Hall of Fame case and which of these players are only going to the hall of fame if they buy a ticket. Also, i'm working under the assumption that the committee will eventually soften their stance on those tied to steroid use (even if its not this year). During my evaluation, the focus is solely on what they did on the field, not off it.
Unless otherwise indicated, players are going to be evaluated alphabetically and broken down into several postings.
Moises Alou:
At first glance, a good but not necessarily great hitter. He had a couple of top five MVP finishes (ranking third in 1994 & 1998) the only two seasons where he was more than five wins above replacement. While never the best hitter in the league, he was a highly productive player for many years being a productive player until he was 40.
Amongst his top 10 comparable in Similarity Score, the only one in Cooperstown is Chuck Klein and even then I think its a different case as he had a brief stretch where he was very dominant (1931-1933) where Alou was above average for a very long time without being the best.
However, Alou's other comparisons back up my gut instinct as he's grouped with other very productive hitters that are not in the hall of fame (i.e. Ellis Burks, Reggie Smith, Will Clark, Fred Lynn). He at least stays on the ballot for a few years but never gets in.
Verdict: Maybe if they change the name to Hall of Very Good
Jeff Bagwell:
Bagwell was the best player on some pretty good Astros teams with his peak coming in his 1994 NL MVP season when his OPS was an un-worldthy 1.201 and had a WAR greater than 5 in 8 of his 15 seasons.
My initial perception is that his induction is being delayed by things beyond his control (i.e. the inflated power numbers of the 1990s amongst other things). The last few years his Hall of Fame case is growing with him getting a shade under 60% of the vote last year. Out of his top 10 similar players, only one is in the HOF (Stargell) which I find a bit surprising.
This I feel is a bit misleading as there are several in there that are either in year 1 of eligibility (Frank Thomas) or are currently active (Giambi, Big Papi, Pujols, etc.)
Out of the five HOF stat monitors tracked on players baseball-reference pages (Black Ink, Grey Ink, Hall of Fame Monitor, Hall of Fame Standards & JAWS), his numbers are better than the average hall of famer for four of these. I don't know if he'll be in this year but I think he's in within the next five years.
Verdict: Probable Hall of Famer
Armando Benitez:
Every year it seems like a handful of players end up on the HOF ballot just for kicks and giggles and my first impression is that Benitez is one of these players. Granted his OPS+ of 140 is much better than what I remember, he even had a few separate seasons where he was actually pretty dominant. The numbers indicate he was better than what I remember.
The standards for a closer go beyond "oh he's better than I remember" with only two seasons with a WAR above 3. A couple all star games and a shade below 300 saves ain't gonna get you into Cooperstown. All of his baseball reference comparison players were also players that had sustained success as a closer but with no HOF shot (i.e Tom Henke, Troy Percival).
One thing i'm going to work on is looking at the people on here and seeing which ones have a Hall of Fame case and which of these players are only going to the hall of fame if they buy a ticket. Also, i'm working under the assumption that the committee will eventually soften their stance on those tied to steroid use (even if its not this year). During my evaluation, the focus is solely on what they did on the field, not off it.
Unless otherwise indicated, players are going to be evaluated alphabetically and broken down into several postings.
Moises Alou:
At first glance, a good but not necessarily great hitter. He had a couple of top five MVP finishes (ranking third in 1994 & 1998) the only two seasons where he was more than five wins above replacement. While never the best hitter in the league, he was a highly productive player for many years being a productive player until he was 40.
Amongst his top 10 comparable in Similarity Score, the only one in Cooperstown is Chuck Klein and even then I think its a different case as he had a brief stretch where he was very dominant (1931-1933) where Alou was above average for a very long time without being the best.
However, Alou's other comparisons back up my gut instinct as he's grouped with other very productive hitters that are not in the hall of fame (i.e. Ellis Burks, Reggie Smith, Will Clark, Fred Lynn). He at least stays on the ballot for a few years but never gets in.
Verdict: Maybe if they change the name to Hall of Very Good
Jeff Bagwell:
Bagwell was the best player on some pretty good Astros teams with his peak coming in his 1994 NL MVP season when his OPS was an un-worldthy 1.201 and had a WAR greater than 5 in 8 of his 15 seasons.
My initial perception is that his induction is being delayed by things beyond his control (i.e. the inflated power numbers of the 1990s amongst other things). The last few years his Hall of Fame case is growing with him getting a shade under 60% of the vote last year. Out of his top 10 similar players, only one is in the HOF (Stargell) which I find a bit surprising.
This I feel is a bit misleading as there are several in there that are either in year 1 of eligibility (Frank Thomas) or are currently active (Giambi, Big Papi, Pujols, etc.)
Out of the five HOF stat monitors tracked on players baseball-reference pages (Black Ink, Grey Ink, Hall of Fame Monitor, Hall of Fame Standards & JAWS), his numbers are better than the average hall of famer for four of these. I don't know if he'll be in this year but I think he's in within the next five years.
Verdict: Probable Hall of Famer
Armando Benitez:
Every year it seems like a handful of players end up on the HOF ballot just for kicks and giggles and my first impression is that Benitez is one of these players. Granted his OPS+ of 140 is much better than what I remember, he even had a few separate seasons where he was actually pretty dominant. The numbers indicate he was better than what I remember.
The standards for a closer go beyond "oh he's better than I remember" with only two seasons with a WAR above 3. A couple all star games and a shade below 300 saves ain't gonna get you into Cooperstown. All of his baseball reference comparison players were also players that had sustained success as a closer but with no HOF shot (i.e Tom Henke, Troy Percival).
What a 32-Team NCAA Football Bracket Would Look Like
Yesterday, was a beautiful day here on the coast that I got to spend outside with both Heather & Zeplen. After starting out with lunch at Rooster Creek, we ended up walking the Bob Jones trail and hanging out in downtown Avila Beach (apparently there was a wine festival being held at the golf course as well). After a 6-mile walk, we had dinner at Tanner Jacks before calling it a night.
Today, we're camped out at home and i'm watching RedZone as I type this.
With the BCS about to go and be replaced with a 4-team playoff, I say why stop there. With this article i'm imaging what the matchups (if March is March Madness, i'm calling this December Delerium) would be if they last gasp.....32 teams into the playoffs.
Some critics may say this dilutes the system but I say allowing every 6-6 team to play in an exhibition game already does the trick.
The rankings aren't very scientific, for this version taking the top 25 teams from the most recent poll plus the top 7 in the also receiving votes section.
1-Alabama
32-Washington
16-UCLA
17-Fresno State
8-Clemson
25-Texas Tech
9-Missouri
24-Notre Dame
4-Ohio State
29-Ole Miss
13-South Carolina
20-Louisville
5-Baylor
28-BYU
12-Oklahoma
21-Wisconsin
3-Florida State
30-Houston
14-Miami
19-Central Florida
6-Stanford
27-Georgia
11-Texas A & M
22-Northern Illinois
7-Auburn
26-Texas
10-LSU
23-Arizona State
2-Oregon
31-Minnesota
15-Oklahoma State
18-Michigan State
In looking at this, most of the teams that would deserve a shot make at and for the most part mediocrity is avoided (despite three teams from the American Athletic conference getting in). For all apologies to Michigan, Ball State & Duke fans, there isn't exactly anyone with a compelling case for a championship despite being excluded. Based on how I think these matchups go down, the Sweet 16 would be as follows:
1-Alabama (No Challenge From Washington)
17-Fresno State (Nice battle of CA, UCLA hasn't gotten a marquee win)
25-Texas Tech (Beneficiary of Clemson clemsoning on the big stage)
9-Missouri (Manti Teo' is not walking through that door, neither is his girlfriend)
4-Ohio State (Ole Miss is no match)
20-Louisville (South Carolina is the better team but they lose games they shouldn't and I think Bridgewater would have a big game
5-Baylor (BYU is no match)
12-Oklahoma (Wisconsin has the offense to keep up but haven't proven themselves to be able to beat tourney worthy teams)
3-Florida State (This one is over by end of 1st quarter)
19-Central Florida (Miami not as good as their record or ranking)
27-Georgia (Just not sold on Stanford)
11-Texas A & M (Easy win over MAC team
7-Auburn (Texas is improved but not championship worthy)
10-LSU (One of more entertaining 1st round games but ASU not quite there
2-Oregon (Not even close)
18-Michigan State (Defense wins this game)
Now Off to who gets to move on from here
1-Alabama (No way Fresno State would have to prepare based off of their oppositions)
9-Missouri (Texas Tech doesn't have a marquee win and don't stumble into Clemsoning V 2)
4-Ohio State (Pretty easy win here)
5-Baylor (Scoreboard operator earns their money in this one)
3-Florida State (UCF is a good team, Florida State is a juggernaut)
11-Texas A & M (Winston vs. Maziel matchup setting up for monster ratings...just saying)
10-LSU (Dominated them once, will do so again)
2-Oregon (Last of the one-sided matchups)
Two teams or 32, one consistent college football theme is that the SEC trumps all with 4 teams in the Elite Eight....does it keep going like this, lets see.
1-Alabama (Missouri is a nice story but nice stories don't get you into the final four)
5-Baylor (First loss in the Urban Meyer era)
11-Texas A & M (Johnny Football Strikes again)
2-Oregon (First team to 50 wins)
As much as i'd like to see a Baylor-Oregon final (something that would strike fear into people that are defensive coordinators, their families and anyone who even likes the concept of defense), Baylor is no match for Alabama. Even though Texas A & M has the offense to keep up with Oregon, their defense does not.
Assuming Alabama & Oregon win out and all the other undefeateds lose at least once the BCS may stumble into gasp....getting the two right teams. Either way, I think five weeks of December delreium is a much more entertaining way to get to this.
At this point, Alabama continues their dynasty as being in the SEC makes them more battle tested and prepared to play for and win the championship. Which is why Alabama's this week national championship pick.
Today, we're camped out at home and i'm watching RedZone as I type this.
With the BCS about to go and be replaced with a 4-team playoff, I say why stop there. With this article i'm imaging what the matchups (if March is March Madness, i'm calling this December Delerium) would be if they last gasp.....32 teams into the playoffs.
Some critics may say this dilutes the system but I say allowing every 6-6 team to play in an exhibition game already does the trick.
The rankings aren't very scientific, for this version taking the top 25 teams from the most recent poll plus the top 7 in the also receiving votes section.
1-Alabama
32-Washington
16-UCLA
17-Fresno State
8-Clemson
25-Texas Tech
9-Missouri
24-Notre Dame
4-Ohio State
29-Ole Miss
13-South Carolina
20-Louisville
5-Baylor
28-BYU
12-Oklahoma
21-Wisconsin
3-Florida State
30-Houston
14-Miami
19-Central Florida
6-Stanford
27-Georgia
11-Texas A & M
22-Northern Illinois
7-Auburn
26-Texas
10-LSU
23-Arizona State
2-Oregon
31-Minnesota
15-Oklahoma State
18-Michigan State
In looking at this, most of the teams that would deserve a shot make at and for the most part mediocrity is avoided (despite three teams from the American Athletic conference getting in). For all apologies to Michigan, Ball State & Duke fans, there isn't exactly anyone with a compelling case for a championship despite being excluded. Based on how I think these matchups go down, the Sweet 16 would be as follows:
1-Alabama (No Challenge From Washington)
17-Fresno State (Nice battle of CA, UCLA hasn't gotten a marquee win)
25-Texas Tech (Beneficiary of Clemson clemsoning on the big stage)
9-Missouri (Manti Teo' is not walking through that door, neither is his girlfriend)
4-Ohio State (Ole Miss is no match)
20-Louisville (South Carolina is the better team but they lose games they shouldn't and I think Bridgewater would have a big game
5-Baylor (BYU is no match)
12-Oklahoma (Wisconsin has the offense to keep up but haven't proven themselves to be able to beat tourney worthy teams)
3-Florida State (This one is over by end of 1st quarter)
19-Central Florida (Miami not as good as their record or ranking)
27-Georgia (Just not sold on Stanford)
11-Texas A & M (Easy win over MAC team
7-Auburn (Texas is improved but not championship worthy)
10-LSU (One of more entertaining 1st round games but ASU not quite there
2-Oregon (Not even close)
18-Michigan State (Defense wins this game)
Now Off to who gets to move on from here
1-Alabama (No way Fresno State would have to prepare based off of their oppositions)
9-Missouri (Texas Tech doesn't have a marquee win and don't stumble into Clemsoning V 2)
4-Ohio State (Pretty easy win here)
5-Baylor (Scoreboard operator earns their money in this one)
3-Florida State (UCF is a good team, Florida State is a juggernaut)
11-Texas A & M (Winston vs. Maziel matchup setting up for monster ratings...just saying)
10-LSU (Dominated them once, will do so again)
2-Oregon (Last of the one-sided matchups)
Two teams or 32, one consistent college football theme is that the SEC trumps all with 4 teams in the Elite Eight....does it keep going like this, lets see.
1-Alabama (Missouri is a nice story but nice stories don't get you into the final four)
5-Baylor (First loss in the Urban Meyer era)
11-Texas A & M (Johnny Football Strikes again)
2-Oregon (First team to 50 wins)
As much as i'd like to see a Baylor-Oregon final (something that would strike fear into people that are defensive coordinators, their families and anyone who even likes the concept of defense), Baylor is no match for Alabama. Even though Texas A & M has the offense to keep up with Oregon, their defense does not.
Assuming Alabama & Oregon win out and all the other undefeateds lose at least once the BCS may stumble into gasp....getting the two right teams. Either way, I think five weeks of December delreium is a much more entertaining way to get to this.
At this point, Alabama continues their dynasty as being in the SEC makes them more battle tested and prepared to play for and win the championship. Which is why Alabama's this week national championship pick.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Ranking & Ranting About the NFL Slate
The NFL week got off to an unusual yet surprising start as the Dolphins not only win, but win on a walk off safety, only the third time thats happened since 1989.
For previewing this weekend's NFL action, I decided to do this with a twist. I've decided to countdown the 12 games on Sunday & Monday based on things such as interest, emotional investment & with some contribution to my own fantasy football implications.
12) Titans vs. Rams
With all apologies to those late-90s Super Bowl affectionate out there, there's not much engaging interest here. You have two teams who aren't that interesting, yet ain't absolutely horrible. Basically a battle of two teams with 7-9 written all over them.
Titans 10 Rams 3
11) Eagles vs. Raiders
What's with these super bowl rematches? This time we're going back to a rematch of the 1981 Super Bowl. If standings were judged by hype after playing one game against an over matched defenses, the Eagles would be better than 3-5. The Raiders while still not a serious player have exceeded many people's expectations by getting to 3 wins. With that said, Terrelle Pryor generates enough offense to lead the Raiders to victory
Raiders 21 Eagles 17
10) Vikings vs. Cowboys
Not a Super Bowl rematch, but it is a rematch of the lopsided Hershel Walker trade that spurred the Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins. Probably the last time in a while that the Cowboys and Super Bowl get mentioned in the same sentence. The Cowboys may be a bit underwhelming but at least they don't have sit through Freeman/Ponder/Cassell trio of QBs.
Cowboys 38 Vikings 17
9) Browns vs. Ravens
The matchup between the former Cleveland Browns and their second incarnation. Even though Jason Campbell almost did enough to take down the undefeated Chiefs, any chance they had of relevancy went out the window with Brian Hoyer's injury. The Ravens have not had the most inspiring Super Bowl defense but there's no way they lose this game.
Ravens 28 Browns 10
8) Steelers vs. Patriots
If it was a few years ago, this match-up would be higher on this list. While the Patriots have played their part (even if it hasn't looked pretty in the process), the Steelers seem destined for their first terrible season in a very long time.
Patriots 35 Steelers 14
7) Seahawks vs. Buccaneers
Likely to be one of the more one-sided affairs this weekend. The only reason it ranks this high is to see if Vincent Jackson will be able to score any garbage time touchdowns.
Seahawks 38 Buccaneers 10
6) Chargers vs. Redskins
Very average game between a Chargers team that may get the right to lose in the first round versus a Redskins team that is having a weak follow up to RGIII's rookie season. Main point of interest is to see whether Garcon or Woodhead can put up some numbers.
Chargers 31 Redskins 28
5) Chiefs vs. Bills
Kansas City's defense has given me a few good weeks. However, they didn't do much on the Fantasy side despite picking up a win over Cleveland. Still sticking with them since they get to go up against a weak Buffalo offense.
Chiefs 21 Bills 7
4) Saints vs. Jets
Saints should win this in a rout. At this point, keeping up to see how much Jimmy Graham is going to be used on Sunday. The Jets are tough to read as they alternate between incompetent and surprisingly good. Ultimately, the Saints are too much for the Jets to handle.
Saints 49 Jets 21
3) Colts vs. Texans
Sunday night game that will likely be a rout but sort of left hanging regarding whether or not Arian Foster will be cleared to play.
Colts 38 Texans 24
2) Panthers vs. Falcons
Having Cam Newton as my starting QB, i'm seeing first-hand that he's setting himself up for a monster season. My opposition is countering with Matt Ryan. The one thing in common are these are two QBs who struggle to handle Arizona's defense. Carolina continues their path towards surprising respectability.
Panthers 31 Falcons 24
1) Packers vs. Bears
Yeah, i'm unapologetic of following games for fantasy purposes only, but all of that gets trumped by what are the Packers up to this weak (especially when playing the hated Bears).
The Packers while not at 100%, have been doing enough to be 5-2 and get into first place in the NFC North. The Packers are catching a break as they are catching the Bears as their injuries keep piling up. GO PACKERS!!!
Packers 35 Bears 21
For previewing this weekend's NFL action, I decided to do this with a twist. I've decided to countdown the 12 games on Sunday & Monday based on things such as interest, emotional investment & with some contribution to my own fantasy football implications.
12) Titans vs. Rams
With all apologies to those late-90s Super Bowl affectionate out there, there's not much engaging interest here. You have two teams who aren't that interesting, yet ain't absolutely horrible. Basically a battle of two teams with 7-9 written all over them.
Titans 10 Rams 3
11) Eagles vs. Raiders
What's with these super bowl rematches? This time we're going back to a rematch of the 1981 Super Bowl. If standings were judged by hype after playing one game against an over matched defenses, the Eagles would be better than 3-5. The Raiders while still not a serious player have exceeded many people's expectations by getting to 3 wins. With that said, Terrelle Pryor generates enough offense to lead the Raiders to victory
Raiders 21 Eagles 17
10) Vikings vs. Cowboys
Not a Super Bowl rematch, but it is a rematch of the lopsided Hershel Walker trade that spurred the Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins. Probably the last time in a while that the Cowboys and Super Bowl get mentioned in the same sentence. The Cowboys may be a bit underwhelming but at least they don't have sit through Freeman/Ponder/Cassell trio of QBs.
Cowboys 38 Vikings 17
9) Browns vs. Ravens
The matchup between the former Cleveland Browns and their second incarnation. Even though Jason Campbell almost did enough to take down the undefeated Chiefs, any chance they had of relevancy went out the window with Brian Hoyer's injury. The Ravens have not had the most inspiring Super Bowl defense but there's no way they lose this game.
Ravens 28 Browns 10
8) Steelers vs. Patriots
If it was a few years ago, this match-up would be higher on this list. While the Patriots have played their part (even if it hasn't looked pretty in the process), the Steelers seem destined for their first terrible season in a very long time.
Patriots 35 Steelers 14
7) Seahawks vs. Buccaneers
Likely to be one of the more one-sided affairs this weekend. The only reason it ranks this high is to see if Vincent Jackson will be able to score any garbage time touchdowns.
Seahawks 38 Buccaneers 10
6) Chargers vs. Redskins
Very average game between a Chargers team that may get the right to lose in the first round versus a Redskins team that is having a weak follow up to RGIII's rookie season. Main point of interest is to see whether Garcon or Woodhead can put up some numbers.
Chargers 31 Redskins 28
5) Chiefs vs. Bills
Kansas City's defense has given me a few good weeks. However, they didn't do much on the Fantasy side despite picking up a win over Cleveland. Still sticking with them since they get to go up against a weak Buffalo offense.
Chiefs 21 Bills 7
4) Saints vs. Jets
Saints should win this in a rout. At this point, keeping up to see how much Jimmy Graham is going to be used on Sunday. The Jets are tough to read as they alternate between incompetent and surprisingly good. Ultimately, the Saints are too much for the Jets to handle.
Saints 49 Jets 21
3) Colts vs. Texans
Sunday night game that will likely be a rout but sort of left hanging regarding whether or not Arian Foster will be cleared to play.
Colts 38 Texans 24
2) Panthers vs. Falcons
Having Cam Newton as my starting QB, i'm seeing first-hand that he's setting himself up for a monster season. My opposition is countering with Matt Ryan. The one thing in common are these are two QBs who struggle to handle Arizona's defense. Carolina continues their path towards surprising respectability.
Panthers 31 Falcons 24
1) Packers vs. Bears
Yeah, i'm unapologetic of following games for fantasy purposes only, but all of that gets trumped by what are the Packers up to this weak (especially when playing the hated Bears).
The Packers while not at 100%, have been doing enough to be 5-2 and get into first place in the NFC North. The Packers are catching a break as they are catching the Bears as their injuries keep piling up. GO PACKERS!!!
Packers 35 Bears 21
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