Um...Right...

So, yeah. 0-4 ain't so bad, right? In my defense, Minnesota was up big early, as was Northwestern, and South Carolina. All then proceeded to choke. So it goes. This just goes to show how unpredictable these bowl games are. And then there's Miami-LSU game. Miami was not present for this one, outside of the first quarter...well, part of the first quarter. Could you tell they weren't too happy to be there? Oh well. I'm just glad LSU represented the SEC well be essentially running through, around, and over Miami's defense. Gotta love it. There's always tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, let's quickly do my picks so you all can run out and bet against them. It's a sure thing!

Mienike Car Care Bowl

NC State vs. South Florida. I don't think anyone is watching. No, seriously. How did they get put on New Year's Eve? I want to call NC State in a close one because they at least play in a real conference. However, NC State is always up and down. The odds of them showing up for four quarters is quite slim. But who says they need four quarters to beat South Florida? Oh well. I think no matter who I pick, anyone watching this game loses. South Florida 21 - NC State 20.

Liberty Bowl

Fresno State vs. Tulsa. Hmm...Tulsa...they might win. So which Fresno will show up? This game will be in the national spotlight, so one tends to think the old Fresno will show up. Of course, they still have to beat Tulsa. I think they'll do it. I do, sort of, like QB Paul Pinegar. Of course, he made many bad decisions against USC, but scouts seem to like him. There must be something to that, right? All and all, I just don't think Tulsa's any good. Maybe I'm biased because they haven't beaten anyone of note and Fresno came awfully close. So it goes. Fresno 37 - Tulsa 34.

Houston Bowl

TCU vs. Iowa State. I am really, really tempted to pick Iowa State. I liked the Cyclones, but they faded late (and early). This team can score points on anyone, if they feel like it. TCU I have yet to see play. I think the Big 12 may represent in this game, but honestly, I hate the Big 12 and want TCU to win. Without any sort of factual basis for this other than Iowa State's late season collapse, I declare TCU to be the winner because they once had LT. So there. TCU 21 - Iowa State 19.

*How does a team get 19? Well you'll have to watch to find out!

Well, Actually....Yes, That's Exactly What They're Saying

In this morning's paper I found a quote from Alabama RB Ken Darby. He said that he is tired of hearing the storyline played out in the media repeatedly of the match-up between Alabama's defense and Texas Tech's offense. "Basically, you're saying we're more of a defensive team than an offensive team. You're saying our offense sucks, that Brodie sucks, you're saying our recievers suck, I suck, and our offensive line sucks." (*The paper has [stinks], so I took an educated guess.) Well, Mr. Darby, yes. Yes, we are saying that. You and Brodie have a little bit of talent--I'll grant you that. But the recievers and offensive line do, in fact, suck. On the whole, the Alabama offense sucks. And finally, yes, we are saying that Alabama is more of a defensive team (1st in scoring defense) than an offensive team (81st in scoring offense).

After this quote and Brodie's "we won the [Auburn] game 18-0 after the first quarter," one thing is certain. Though Darby and Brodie do have some talent, they are both apparently clueless.

Let's Try Again

So I didn't fare so well today. It happens. GaTech didn't show up, and despite my gut feeling, I picked Oregon just to be different. It was more of a spite pick against Oklahoma for depriving Auburn of its shot at the national title. Oh well. I've decided to enjoy bowl season a bit more, and since I don't believe anyone is actually reading this, my analyses are going to become completely non-factual and more opinionated. Of course, I watch a lot of football and know more than the average person about most teams, so my opinion will at least be somewhat educated. There are tons of games coming up, and I simply don't have the patience on my vacation time to treat each of them with equal consideration. Slacking off from law school is completely different than slacking off from my vacation time. Let's be honest here. So here we go.

Music City Bowl

Minnesota v. Virginia. I haven't seen Minnesota do much against any good teams. Luckily, they are playing Virginia. Virginia, like GaTech, cannot decide if it's good or not. Minnesota likes to run the ball to compensate for the fact that they cannot throw it. Virginia, meanwhile, doesn't care how the ball gets down the field, as long as it happens. Minnesota also believes that defense is when you put the scout team on the field to make a few tackles and let your running back rest. I like this strategy. Primarily out of spite for Virginia's beating of a downtrodden Auburn team nearly a decade ago 19-0 in the opener, I pick Minnesota. Minnesota 34 - Virginia 21.

Sun Bowl

Northwestern vs. UCLA. Northwestern has fallen off the face of the earth after threatening to make some noise in the Big Ten. Across the country, UCLA has fallen back into obscurity after convincing some people (obviously not poll voters) that they really were good. Never trust a Bruin. I don't know about you, but this game would seem much more interesting to me if it were played in mid-October instead of now. As it is, I'll watch it just for the shoot-out. These teams don't even recruit defenders. I swear some of UCLA's "linemen" are made of cardboard...but that's just a theory. Northwestern 42 - UCLA 34.

Independence Bowl

South Carolina vs. Missouri. This is Steve Spurrier's first bowl game since returning to the college ranks and Brad Smith's last as Missouri's QB. Mizzou has had an up and down year, and Smith has played well at times, but on the whole, Missouri just isn't that good. Then there are the Gamecocks. Yeah, Spurrier's great and all, but is it humanly possible to generate any more hype for South Carolina? Pretty soon, these guys are going to think they may actually win the SEC East. I'd like to note that both Auburn and Alabama absolutely blasted the Gamecocks. But anyways. I think Missouri sucks and couldn't put together four quarters of football to save its life. If there's one thing that South Carolina is, it's motivated...and well-coached...okay, so two things. These two factors equal confidence, and confidence will allow Spurrier to scrape out another close victory over an athletically superior team. South Carolina 27 - Missouri 24.

Peach Bowl

LSU vs. Miami. Don't even get me started on LSU. (see previous articles) They didn't get the shaft by ending up in Atlanta; they got lucky. LSU is overrated in about a billion ways, but they are still a solid team, especially defensively. With JaMarcus Russell, it was possible for LSU to beat Miami, though unlikely. Without Russell, LSU is dead in the water. Unless Miami comes out completely flat, (a la UNC game), the Hurricanes should be able to have their way with the LSU offense. Miami's pass defense is ridiculously good, and LSU QB Matt Flynn will learn this quickly. LSU's defense is not too shabby either, which will create problems for a young and injury-depleted Hurricane offense. This one should be a low-scoring, defensive struggle with special teams (particularly kick returns) playing a big role. However, without Russell, I believe LSU's offense is absolutely crippled. LSU 10 - Miami 20.

Holiday Bowl Prediction

I've decided that "Pacific Life Holiday Bowl" is too long. Out of simple laziness, it returns to its roots. I think there is little doubt that this is one of the more anticipated match-ups in the bowl season, with Oregon (10-1) facing Oklahoma (7-4). Oregon got the shaft and was left out in the cold by the BCS, but I'm certainly not going to argue the merits of that decision. Oregon beat no one significant on its way to ten wins. Fresno State is the best win to its credit. Meanwhile, Oklahoma clearly took a step backward this year, but breaking in a new QB is tough, just ask Auburn. They have made strides recently however, and despite the new QB, their losses are to TCU (10-1), UCLA (9-2), Texas (12-0), and Texas Tech (9-2). That's not too shabby.

Oregon likes to throw the ball around a good deal. This seems to be okay for the Sooners, as the pass efficiency defense is currently twenty-sixth in the country. However, I am not a big fan of Big 12 defenses. For all the hype they recieve, I don't think they are worth a grain of salt. Of course, they are better than the Pac-10, on the whole, so this may be a moot point. Basically, Oregon will score some points on Oklahoma, without a doubt. The questions are A) "How many?" and B) "Can Oklahoma keep up?". I'd answer, "In the twenties," and, "Only if Adrian Peterson has a monster day." This seems to be a favorite upset pick of the media, as everyone seems to believe Oregon will pull a Cal or Oklahoma will use this game as a stepping stone to its "Sooners are Back!" Sports Illustrated Cover next year. I think both teams are overrated, but what's new. I have a hard time believing that the Sooners can stop the Oregon passing attack, or that QB Rhett Bomar can actually create a formidable passing option for the offense. Hence, I will not pick the upset, but I do think it will be close. Oregon 28 - Oklahoma 27.

Emerald Bowl Prediction

Today, Georgia Tech (7-4) squares off against Utah (6-5). The Yellow Jackets have been up and down all year, following strong performances with flops. When they put it together, they can play with any team and have a shot to win. Of course, that means they have to put it together. Utah, meanwhile, has played a cupcake of a schedule and still walked away with five losses. The offense puts up big numbers despite the departure of QB Alex Smith, but it does so in the Mountain West, where Vandy would be a threat to win the title every year. Georgia Tech will give Utah fits, as it is the first smash-mouth defense that Utah has faced all year. Utah is simply not that physical. They haven't had to be. If Tech can get some sort of offense, it should be able to ride its defense to victory. Assuming, of course, that it shows up. Georgia Tech 21 - Utah 13.

Are You Serious?

So I just finished watching the Michigan-Nebraska game. Wow. That was certainly not what I expected. I still think Michigan played better than Nebraska, but Nebraska certainly played very hard. Add that heart to incorrect calls at opportune times and Nebraska squeaks one out. I'll take a loss for some entertaining football. The reason I post now has very little to do with most of the game and everything to do with how it ended. Are you kidding me? Cal-Stanford all over again...only BETTER!! For anyone that has not seen this ending, you need to watch Sportscenter all day tomorrow. There are two keys to this play, in my opinion. First, the non-call of the refs when all the Nebraska players rushed the field. This would have given Michigan an extra play and some extra yardage. Of course, it might also have been off-setting due to some Michigan players on the field as well. We'll call that one a push. However, as Michigan tight end Tyler Ecker recieved the pitch from RB Mike Hart and raced down the field, he had two guys to beat. Right next to him was WR Steve Breaston, clearly calling for the ball. Breaston is one of the best return men in college football. So why did Ecker not pitch the ball? We may never know. If he does pitch it, Michigan wins. Oh well. Maybe Ecker got caught up in the moment and wanted to see how far he could make it. That's great. However, as it became apparent that these two defenders (the ONLY two defenders) were both going after him, it would have been wise to at least pitch the ball to keep it alive. I guess Ecker thought differently. He allowed himself to be tackled, taking the ball to the ground in a death grip. Breaston, a mere three feet away, could only hang his head in disappointment. If Ecker, while being tackled, simply threw the ball in bounds...anywhere...Michigan wins. What the hell was he thinking? Shame, shame on you, Tyler. Were you not paying attention the day ya'll practiced that one? Eight pitches pulled off brilliantly, and you go and blow it. It's a good thing you're a senior, or there'd be some seriously pissed-off upperclassmen. For now, simply hang your head and realize you just gave Michigan its first five-loss season in quite some time.

Alamo Bowl Prediction

Yeah, so I skipped a few games in the meantime. So it goes. I was not too enthused to preview most of those games, and some I didn't even get to watch. I was going to get in the BC - Boise State preview, but alas, it is already 7-0. Oh well. So we've made it to the Alamo Bowl already. This matches two teams, Michigan (7-4) and Nebraska (7-4), with identical records. However, these teams are nowhere close to identical. Michigan has lost several games in the waning seconds, and it has not been beaten by more than a touchdown by any team. Along the way, the Wolverines posted a victory against Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions, proving that they are capable of winning against the big boys, as I have said all year long. Meanwhile, Nebraska was lucky to be 7-4. It has been up and down all year. It nearly beat Texas Tech (had he only fallen down...), and pounded Colorado. However, the Big Red has also lost to Kansas and Missouri. The near loss to K-State speaks more to the inconsistency of this team.

Nebraska is capable of playing with Michigan for a while, but Michigan is a vastly superior team. I believe this game is similar to the Auburn - Wisconsin game where the two teams appear much more similar on paper than in reality. Michigan should be able to run, even on a respectable Nebraska run defense. QB Chad Henne should make enough plays to keep the Huskers honest and open up some running room for RB Mike Hart. Nebraska, though, will have a hard time running on Michigan simply because that's all they can do. The passing offense of Nebraska continues to be pathetic, allowing Michigan to load up the box and put the game on the shoulders of Husker QB Zac Taylor. Michigan 24 - Nebraska 10.

Motor City Bowl Prediction

This game matches Akron (7-5) against Memphis (6-5). Akron has not played anyone worth a grain of salt yet. Memphis has at least played a few challenging games. Akron likes to pass, and Memphis likes to run behind RB DeAngelo Williams. Luckily, Memphis' pass defense and Akron's rush defense are both pretty bad. This is strength on weakness for both teams' offenses. I believe Memphis is going to win this game with DeAngelo Williams. He should have a big day, and the Tigers should roll. Memphis 24 - Akron 17.

Hawaii Bowl Prediction

I could think of a lot of teams that would not mind being in Hawaii right now. It seems unfair that Nevada and Central Florida ended up there. I don't think they will appreciate it as much as Minnesota or Wisconsin would, but hey, that's life. This game could prove to be a good one. Of course, that's if you like mediocre football. Luckily, when two mediocre football teams come together, the untrained eye can hardly tell that both teams suck. The rest of us can just lie to ourselves.

Both teams run pretty balanced offenses, with Nevada possessing a more potent offense than the Golden Knights. Defensively, Nevada can be beaten with the pass more often than on the ground, but UCF will have to do both if it wants to get a win. I believe that Nevada's run defense will be able to bottle up UCF's running backs for most of the evening, allowing the DE's to go after QB Steven Moffett. This will hopefully force Moffett to think quickly and lighten the load of the Nevada secondary. UCF is quite capable of an upset, particularly if RB Kevin Smith finds a way to a big night. I was initially tempted to call the upset because Nevada was run all over on several occasions this year. However, UCF has been on the slide, struggling against Houston, UAB, and Rice before losing to Tulsa. I think the team was simply fatigued. If the rest helps to put some energy back into this team, UCF may be able to dispatch of Nevada. Based on all these factors, I think it might be closer than most think. Nevada 31 - UCF 28.

Fort Worth Bowl Prediction

This game pits Houston against Kansas. All year long, people have been knocking the Big12, particularly the Big 12 North. I am one of these people. The Big 12 is just plain sad. Either way, I think the Jayhawks can defeat Houston. Kansas' defense has been solid all year, but the offense has been horrid. Houston's offense is the money-maker, but it wouldn't be anything to brag about if they played in a tougher conference. Is Houston good enough to win this game? Of course they are. However, if this game was played ten times, Kansas wins eight or nine of them. Houston's defense allowed 14 points againts lowly Tulane and 16 to Mississippi State. Fourteen points should be enough for the Kansas defense. If the Jayhawks continue to stuff the run (as they've been known to do), it will make life difficult for Houston QB Kevin Kolb. Kansas wins in an ugly game. Kansas 16 - Houston 10.

Coincidence? I Think Not...

The two bowls being played on December 22nd are the Las Vegas Bowl and the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. I find it quite odd, or perhaps suggestive, that the Las Vegas Bowl will be immediately followed by a game sponsored by a credit union.

But anyways, we shall head into the match-ups. These early bowl games are difficult because rarely has anyone seen the teams play more than once, if at all. These games are no exception. I have seen each team play exactly once. I didn't (or couldn't bear to) watch the games in their entirety, but at least I know what their uniforms look like. That's something, right?

Las Vegas Bowl

This game features a team that I consider an overachiever at 6-5, BYU, and one that drastically underachieved this year at 7-4, Cal. BYU is currently 8th in scoring offense, and it loves to throw the ball all over the field. Cal, on the other hand, relies heavily on the running game behind RB Marshawn Lynch. This game should be fun to watch. Cal's pass defense is hardly something to brag about, but BYU's is worse. Both teams should be able to throw at will. On the bright side, though, Cal held Oregon to 20 in regulation and USC to 35. It also kept Stanford to 3 points. That's not bad. Cal should beat BYU, but BYU has a much more explosive offense. Consequently, an upset here would not shock the world. I think it will be a fairly close game, but ultimately, the better athletes at Cal will win out. Cal 38 - BYU 28.

Poinsettia Bowl

This match-up between Navy and Colorado State should be a sleeper. I don't think anyone really cares about this game. These are two mediocre teams. Neither has a win over a quality team. The brightest spot for either team is that Navy currently has the nation's number one rushing attack. Go Navy. Colorado State has no chance of stopping Navy's running game. The Rams are ranked 104th in run defense. Can anyone say 'mismatch'? This one should be over by halftime. Navy 35 - Colorado State 21.

GMAC Bowl Prediction

This game is a battle of the giants. UTEP (8-3) and Toledo (8-3) hail from the mighty Conference USA and the tenacious Mid-American Conference, respectively. If either team played in the ACC or SEC, they would not have reached six wins. Regardless, they do not play in either conference, and they did reach six wins. So, like it or not, here they are.

Most are billing this as a good ole shootout, and I see no reason to think it will be otherwise given these teams propensities to find the endzone early and often and the GMAC's history of high-scoring affairs. It should be fun to watch. UTEP relies much more heavily on the pass (6th nationally) than Toledo, but the Rockets make up for this with a very good rushing offense (12th nationally). Both teams should score plenty of points. Toledo's pass defense is good enough to keep UTEP in check for most of the night, and the Miners' run defense will not offer much resistance to the Rockets' running backs. This should allow Toledo to build a steady lead as the game progresses. However, as with most pass-heavy offenses, UTEP will never be out of striking distance. It can put up some points in a hurry.

This is one of the better pass defenses that UTEP has faced all year. Tulsa gave the Miners fits and nearly pulled out a victory. Toledo has a better offense than Tulsa, and should be able to match the Miners point for point. If the defense does its job for the Rockets, Toledo will win this game. Still, it could go either way.

Finally, we must factor in some intangibles. Toledo ended the season with an emotional, double-overtime victory over Bowling Green. Meanwhile, UTEP slid into December with losses to UAB and Southern Methodist. However, they've had a month off to remember how to play football. When teams slide, it's always extremely difficult to measure how they'll fare in the post-season. I think UTEP will be a little flat, the Toledo pass defense will keep Miners' QB Jordan Palmer in check, and the Rockets leave Mobile with a close victory. Toledo 34 - UTEP 31.

It's Not Just the Media...

I would not consider myself a college football elitist, but I have found that most of the general population is ignorant of not only the majority of teams and conferences, but sometimes of even their own team. That's just sad. I understand that not everyone has the time or resources (or desire) to follow college football as closely as others, and I do not fault anyone for his or her lack of knowledge--as long as they don't pretend they know what they are talking about. I won't yell at someone who acknowledges that they don't know everything. Or, in my new language, as long as they don't have insufficient knowledge and yet treat it as sufficient, I won't yell at them. If they do, however, they bear the burden of their mistake.

As a daily reminder of how much I dislike college football idiots, I make it a point to read the Sports Sound-Off in the Mobile Register. Today, I found this little nugget of wisdom. "I hear Texas-El Paso and Toledo are trying to get a game with Auburn...Wouldn't that be something if UTEP beat Auburn?" Yeah, it would. In fact, it would signify the coming of the apocalypse. Now, generally, there is nothing wrong with statements like this. They are just opinions and 'any given Saturday'...yada yada yada. However, UTEP? Are you kidding me? This is one of the worst 8-3 teams you could ever find...right up there with Tulsa, the only team UTEP beat this year with more than six wins. UTEP has beaten four teams with a winning record--three of which were 6-5 in a seriously depleted Conference USA. UTEP's glorious victories came over the likes of New Mexico State (0-12), Tulane (2-9), Marshall (4-7), and Texas Southern (a I-AA team that still managed to go 0-10...that's just special). The "quality" win was over Tulsa, whose victims went 35-54, for an average record of 4.4-6.75. That's just stellar. And then there's Auburn, a 9-2 team in a strong SEC West whose only losses were in the season opener to GaTech as the Tigers broke in a new quarterback and attempted to find a new running back, and to LSU by a missed field goal. I'd say that's pretty respectable. How about quality wins? Well, the dominating victory over Alabama speaks volumes, as does the shoot-out victory over Georgia. But let's not forget the 48-7 pounding of Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks. But hey, games are games. Let's look at some stats too. How about this one. The highest ranked defense UTEP has played against was Marshall (35), followed by Tulsa (37). Meanwhile, Auburn has faced Alabama (2), LSU (5), Georgia Tech (10), and Georiga (11). And yet, Auburn ranks 15th in scoring offense while UTEP falls at 21st. UTEP scores fewer points on far inferior defenses. Complement those stats with the fact that Auburn is ranked 6th in scoring defense and UTEP is ranked 53rd. Ouch. So, long story, short, there is no way UTEP would win against Auburn. Unless the entire team came down with the flu and UTEP found a way to re-recruit Barry Sanders, Doug Flutie, T.O., and Randy Moss, UTEP couldn't even make it close.

Basically, the whole reason for this rant is that it shows how many people look solely at records when they run their mouths, and it frequently comes back to bite them....ahem ahem, Alabama fans. You may have been 9-1, but you were blind if you thought you had a chance against Auburn. But that is another argument for another day.

New Orleans Bowl Prediction

Unfortunately, I do not have much time currently to go through every bowl game, so this task will have to wait. However, I do have enough time to discuss this match-up, though it only needs a brief explanation.

Arkansas State is horrible and quite easily the worst team in the post-season. 'Nuff said. Southern Miss is a solid, though not great, football team. They play a good game, even in losing. The Golden Eagles should not have much difficulty with Arkansas State. USM 31 - Arkansas State 10.

Thank You, Stewart Mandel

SI.com again comes through with some quality, frank answers. This is a question posed to Stewart Mandel in his Mailbag.

"I'm tired of the mostly East Coast journalists telling us that Penn State is college football's 'story of the year.' Did Penn State lose Nick Saban and Alley Broussard before the season began? Did Penn State survive two hurricanes and numerous displacements? Did Penn State have to rearrange its schedule? Did Penn State have to play a 'home game' at Arizona State? Did Penn State play three overtime games this year? Did Penn State go on the road and beat a then-undefeated Alabama team in November?"

Mandel's Answer: "Did LSU win its conference?"

Thank you, Mr. Mandel. I could not have said it better myself.

Five Thoughts...

1. How to Beat USC
The Trojans have some major firepower. They could score on fifteen men. They are that good. However, I think their defense has adopted that fact as a philosophy. They are not immune to giving up big plays on special teams and through the air. Teams with a moderate defense and some major aerial firepower can stop USC. Texas may be the one to do it. Vince Young can throw and he can run, and Texas can play some defense. Of course, we thought the same thing last year about Oklahoma. Texas could win if you gave it Miami's defensive speed and Notre Dame's guts. If it plays without comparable assets of its own, Texas may not stand a chance.

2. Did Oregon Get Shafted Out of the Fiesta?
No. Who have you beaten? And don't say Fresno. Be happy to be in the Holiday Bowl.

3. Gary Barnett and Colorado
I feel for this guy. I really do. He's been caught in all sorts of controversies and scandals, and I can't say that he's the best guy in the world (nor can I say he's not), but the way his resignation played out was disgraceful. Rumors start floating around that he's on the hot-seat and may get the axe. Next thing you know, rumor is he's fired. Stories come out saying that "it's news to him." Soon thereafter, a story pops up on CBS.sportsline saying he's been let go. Simultaneously, there's an article on ESPN.com saying it's just a rumor and nothing has been confirmed yet. Get your stories straight. It's almost as if each was in such a rush to beat the other to the story that it didn't matter if they were right. Educated guesses were sufficient. Does this remind anyone of a certain presidential election? Just wait for the official word, people. My night will not be planned around this firing, and I think that goes for most of the people that would find out from either ESPN or CBS. Barnett probably resigned just to end the damn speculation. The media needs to have a little respect.

4. Heisman Voting.
Just give it to Reggie. Seriously. Vince Young is great. Matt Leinart is better. Reggie is something special. I've been a doubter, but I had the advantage of seeing him play against Notre Dame, Fresno State, and UCLA. It's his. Every now and then a player comes along who can electrify crowds, and Reggie is one of them. People will pay good money just to see him play. Will he shatter a thousand records or even be a good NFL player? I don't know. I don't care. All I know is that he's the most exciting athlete in college football.

5. Santa Claus
Over Thanksgiving I had the honor of visiting Santa Claus, Indiana--home of Jay Cutler. You would think they would publicize this more, but it seemed they were more preoccupied with some guy that looked like an offensive lineman from Nebraska.

Things I Never Want To Hear Again

So we have reached the end of year another regular season of college football, and I must say I enjoyed it thoroughly. Of course, unless Auburn goes 0-11, that's pretty much a gimme. Still, it's been fun. Unfortunately, due to the fact that sportscasters and sportswriters have way too much time/space to kill during their weekly show or column, the same topics kept popping up over and over. So here are some things that I hope to not hear for at least another nine months.

1. LSU Having More Talent Than Everyone Else
So LSU finishes 10-2 (pre-bowl), won the SEC West by the skin of its teeth, and was blown out of the SEC Championship game by Georgia. Yes, there have been a few injuries. However, at some point, you have got to quit talking and actually play some games. Not one single game this season by LSU impressed me. After playing twelve games, you would think they would find some sort of consistency--especially with all that talent. Long story short, I'm still not a believer, and even if they had JaMarcus, they'd be damn lucky to make it out of Atlanta with a win over Miami, but then again, Miami hasn't been the model of consistency either.

2. LSU and the Words "Hurricane," "Katrina," or "Heart" in Any Combination.
Yeah, Katrina sucked. Yeah, it'll take a long time to get over it completely. But using it as an excuse? Nah. Better luck sticking with the "talent" angle. Just call me heartless.

3. The SEC Having Horrible Offenses
Let it go, people. They weren't pretty to start the season, but they got better. Auburn hit its groove, then Georgia caught on. Vandy put up some points, and even Arkansas and Kentucky managed to find the endzone a few times at the end of the year. And then, well, there was Alabama. Of course, I'm sure this is a sign of the defenses being weak, right? I guess it's only fair that it works both ways.

4. Bama's Horrible Offense
Haha. Sorry. I was just kidding. Yes, they are horrible and every time they take the field I'm sure Bear Bryant winces, but I can't get enough of it. And they really thought they could win a national championship? Delusions of grandeur. Let's try third in the SEC West.

5. New One-shoulder Nike Uniforms
These things kept popping up all over the place in high-profile games. Personally, I think they are ugly as sin. However, I'm tired of hearing commentators talk about the uniforms and not the game. This ain't a fashion show, fellas.

6. Michigan Being Overrated
I have been an avid Michigan defender all year, but everyone seems to want to bash them. I don't get it. Everyone recognizes the strength of the Big Ten this year, and Michigan's losses have come at the hands of Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ohio State by a total of 17 points. Any of those games could have gone either way. Need I remind you that Penn State is 10-1 for a reason--a Maize and Blue reason. The Wolverines can play with anyone at any time. Overrated--I think not.

7. Weak Non-Conference Schedules
Since when do we judge teams by their weakest opponents? This seems to be a new trend in college football, primarily because it was a convenient excuse to justify Auburn being kept out of the BCS Championship last year. I guess people heard it recited so much they assumed it must be fair. Without even going into last year, this is inherently unfair. The Pac-10 is a joke. After USC, the conference drops to UCLA and Oregon (two teams that would have at least three or four losses in the ACC, Big Ten, or SEC), and then falls like a rock to Cal, Arizona State, etc. If you're going to tell me that a Pac-10 (or Big XII) team can play cupcakes in its own conference and it's okay, but if you schedule those outside the conference it's not? Excuse me? Let's think about this a bit. What seems harder, playing four teams with ten wins or nine with five? Hmm. Well, if your team is good enough for the media to have employed this argument against you (or for you), you should have no problem dispatching with a five-win team. Hypothetically, if Washington State were to go 11-0, but every team they played was 6-5, can you look me in the eye and tell me that's more impressive than if Ole Miss were to go 11-0 and beat four one-loss teams and seven teams with four or more losses? No, you can't. At best, I'd listen if you argued it was a push due to the struggles of getting up against a decent opponent each week. I say, if you are never tested against the big boys, the mediocre ones don't matter. So I'm tired of it. A team is better or they aren't. Don't feed me this crap about playing the Citadel or Temple. Judge a team by who they beat that was worth a damn.

8. Conference Championship Games Need to be Abolished
Now, I have no problems with this argument when it's made intelligently. The problem comes in when there were, no lie, at least six articles within a twenty-four hour period on the topic. We all know the games are for the money. Saying they mean nothing is not true when you have a good conference (i.e. SEC, ACC). In the Big XII it simply amounts to padding your schedule. If you are the best team, you should have no problem winning your conference championship. If nothing else, it ensures that every team will have at least a moderate test somewhere in the season (unless, of course, the team comes from the Big XII North). The only way I could get rid of championship games is if every team played every other team in the conference during the regular season--none of this Big Ten Co-Champs crap. However, this move would signal the death of college football. If every conference has twelve teams and they each have to play each other, this leaves room for one non-conference game. I doubt too many of those match-ups would be thrilling. Most teams would want a breather from their conference schedule and the small schools would like to be able to earn a check to keep their program afloat. Smaller conferences and teams are likely to die without the funds they get for playing big schools. In addition, if the conferences only play each other (except for one game), then we have no idea how good any of these teams are. In theory, Texas is good this year. We have the Ohio State game to back that up. What if we didn't? Can you judge Texas solely by how it performs in the Big XII this year? Hypothetically, if the SEC produced lots of solid two-loss teams who for their non-conference games scheduled Arizona State, Florida State, and Notre Dame, and pulled off the wins, would that not be more impressive than an undefeated Texas in an unproven Big XII? In other words, I'm solidly against it, but mainly, I'm tired of hearing about it.

Well, that brings me to the end of my rants. I would not be opposed to a nice reprieve from these topics for a while. Any other topics, though, are completely fair game.

Good Writing vs. Bad Writing

As an avid college football fan, I do my best to stay abreast of the latest news. Hence, I religiously check ESPN.com, CBS.sportsline.com, SI.com, and CollegeFootballNews.com. I even get my hometown paper, the Mobile Register, so I can get more insight into SEC football. Even without press credentials and being able to actually attend games, I can watch plenty on television, track more on ESPN, and research some on various sites. Essentially, it is not that difficult to know what you are talking about if you put some time into it. And yet, I've recently come across a couple of writers who have a propensity for either making careless mistakes or blatantly miscontruing the facts. These men get paid to know college football. Perhaps their pay needs to be cut.

I'll start with an old favorite of mine--Paul Finebaum. Finebaum is a sports columnist, so he is more than entitled to give his opinion, assuming he can back it up with some sort of facts. He doesn't have to report objectively on anything, which is a good thing, as he never does. He has quite a reputation (mostly in the negative) due to the tendency of his columns to stir up trouble. If it sells papers, then I guess he's doing a good job. My beef with Finebaum is when he crosses the line of biased analysis of the facts and moves into ranting without any substance to back it up. If he legitimately thought that Alabama, when they were 9-0, was the best team in the country, he is clearly blind, but the argument could be made. However, in the November 15, 2005 Mobile Register, he proceeded to make statements that bordered on the absurd. To bring everyone up to date, Finebaum was writing about the upcoming Iron Bowl right after Auburn (8-2) defeated Georgia and Bama (9-1) lost to LSU. He said, "In a season where it hasn't really appeared Auburn could do anything right and Alabama anything wrong, a victory Saturday would give the Tigers and Tide identical 9-2 records." Where should we start with this one? Auburn was 8-2. The loss to Georgia Tech, a solid, blitz-happy team, came in the opener when Auburn not only was breaking in a new quarterback, but also still trying to determine who was going to be the running back. The game wasn't pretty. Since that time, Kenny Irons has emerged as the running back, with Brad Lester not far behind. Irons ran for 147 against Ball State, 111 against Western Kentucky, 182 against Arkansas, 218 against LSU, just over 100 against Ole Miss and Kentucky, and 179 against Georgia. Meanwhile, Cox has settled in as an efficient and capable quarterback. Auburn had the best offense in the SEC and one of the best defenses. The other loss, to LSU, came on a bad night for kicker John Vaughn. Outside of of the two close losses, things really haven't gone that poorly for the Tigers, who were only challenged in one of their wins (Georgia). Meanwhile, the offensively challenged Bama, who had horrible injuries to their offensive line and speedster Tyrone Prothro, struggled to wins over Ole Miss (last second field goal), Arkansas, Tennessee (5-6), and Southern Miss. Comparing these two pictures, I'd say that things were looking pretty good for the Tigers and not so hot for the Tide. But maybe I'm making too much of this comment. Perhaps he was only referring to the bad luck in the LSU game. As if reading my mind, he followed up with, "If that happens, by this time next week Auburn will also be ranked ahead of Alabama in the polls. Strange, huh?" That's only strange if you think that (1) Auburn is still that same team that lost to Georgia Tech or (2) you bleed crimson and white. Finebaum finished up by remarking how Auburn could even finish ahead of Alabama in the SEC West if they won the Iron Bowl--how odd? Who knew that having the same conference record and holding the tie-breaker would push you ahead? That is so strange that one 9-2 team that beat another 9-2 team may be ranked ahead of them in the conference. Mr. Finebaum, do you live with your head in the sand, or are you really that blind to Alabama's obvious weaknesses and Auburn's increasing strength? Perhaps this was the end of Finebaum assaulting our football intellects--but no, here comes more. He decides to throw in his two cents for SEC Coach of the Year. Guess who he thinks deserves it? Bingo!--Mike Shula. But of course, he does note that Steve Spurrier is coming on "like a runaway freight train." I have no problem with either of those statements, but as usual, Finebaum must follow it up with absurd Auburn-bashing. He comments, "Tuberville will be lucky to get a vote." Spurrier has done a great job at South Carolina, and Shula has done a decent job at Alabama. Either may recieve votes. But to truly believe that Tuberville doesn't deserve a vote, which is what Finebaum is certainly implying, is ludicrous. Tuberville had to replace his entire backfield, all first-round draft picks. No one has ever had to do that before (though Pete Carroll may have to try next year). In doing so, he actually improved his offense. That is incredible. For Auburn to replace as many talented players as they did and be 8-2, Tuberville clearly deserves, at least, mention during SEC Coach of the Year talks. Again, Finebaum must be blind or ignorant. Having read many of his columns, I tend to side with the latter.

My second media rant is directed at Dennis Dodd of CBS.sportsline.com. He has put out good articles and he typically does not show much bias. I enjoy reading most of his columns. However, he recently has not done his homework prior to writing, which is simply sloppy. Several weeks ago, he put out an article (as did most of the free world) about the SEC defenses being a product of poor SEC offenses. In this story, he claimed that Alabama had the best offense in the SEC, according to national rankings. This was clearly incorrect, and the entire article was based around this premise. Anyone who can see could tell that Alabama was not the best offense in the SEC. Using official NCAA statistics, the rankings for total offense were as follows: Auburn (31), Georgia (33), Arkansas (47), Florida (53), Vandy (55), LSU (57), and then Bama (59). Hmm...a little off there, I'd say. Maybe he used scoring offense. Let's see: Auburn (24), Georgia (36), LSU (46), Florida (53), South Carolina (62), Arkansas (62), and then Bama (79). It was almost as if Dodd was making up the statistics as he went. He then proceeded to make it worse by saying that the SEC did not even have a running back in the top twenty in the nation. While true, this was a major slant of the facts. The SEC had FOUR backs between 21-29. He could have used this as evidence of his thesis without any problems except that he presented the fact in a manner that leads one to think the SEC does not have any running backs remotely near the top. A little objectivity wouldn't kill you, Dennis. This trend of misconstruing facts and not doing homework continued this week with a "Quick Hit" in his weekly "Notebook." Nearly everyone has heard about Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron and the allegations of attempting to steal Tulane football players. If true, this would be one of the lowest things a coach could do. However, it's not entirely true. As ESPN.com reported on November 29, 2005, one of Orgeron's assistant coaches contacted a Tulane assistant coach about the possibility of Tulane players transferring to Ole Miss in the event the football program was scrapped next year. End of story. The SEC even cleared Ole Miss of any violations. But for some reason, Dodd apparently did not get word. The very next day, he has this to say: "1) Can't believe Coach O had the you-know-what to admit his ethical breach; 2) Can't fathom that Orgeron isn't contrite. [...] This is a clear case for the America Football Coaches Association to censure one of its members." What? Ole Miss goes through the proper channels to see about recruiting players who may end up without a team to play for, and only in the event they don't have a team to play for, and Dodd believes Orgeron should be censured? What kind of logic is he using? He owes Orgeron an apology for calling him out on this. So basically, Dodd, do your homework and check your facts. I don't like sloppy reporting.

I know I have been quite hard on the media lately, so I wanted to end on a good note. I came across this today on SI.com by John Walters, and it made me laugh. He's discussing the criteria for picking an at-large team for the Fiesta Bowl. Primarily, it's funny because it's so true:

"I listened to all the ESPN analysts expound on this topic on Saturday and most of the time they all made sense. However, one factor tht I never heard any analyst mention was name recognition. Quick, name a player from Notre Dame. Easy, right? Brady Quinn, Jeff Samardzija.

How about Ohio State? A.J. Hawk, Ted Ginn, Troy Smith.

Now, name somebody who plays for Auburn. If you instantly -- without a moment's hesitation -- answered "Kenny Irons" or "Brandon Cox," my guess is that you live within 10 miles of a Waffle House."