sMAC

Ok, I am over it, at least for the next three days. By 8:00pm last Saturday Michigan State was the only Big Ten team without at win, for that Sat. My early prediction of Eastern Michigan up rising was a late field goal from being true, Wisconsin was lead by faith into a big OT win, Iowa rebounded with a big win, Minn. shot down AF and Michigan is back in the national championship hunt. You laugh, but every web-site that covers college football has Rich Rod as coach of the year and Forcier being a Frosh Heisman winner. Stop shrugging that comment off UofM fans because you are saying it under your turtle necks.

Back to the rambling, even though my Sparty's crumbled like a bag a of chips, I did well in my pools. I am slowly gaining strength, I called a Uconn win (because we play with .5, no pushes), which didn't happen, however the win by a safety wasn't enough for UNC to win by 4.5. I picked South Carolina because I didn't think Georgia would win by more then a TD, I was right. So it wasn't that bad.


Now, they may be calling it revenge week, I am calling it, "Whooooooooo Are you...Who, Who?". This will make or break some teams. Cincy goes to Oregon (State) and with a win Cincy takes a step closer to "buster" even though they are BCS its knowns as a weaker BCS conference. I think this is a bigger game then the BYU game, BYU is America's fav to bust up this BCS system. Look at it though, if BYU wins and doesn't bleep up, they go undefeated. But if Cincy wins, and goes without a bleep,they already beat one contender in their BCS league and will play a Big Ten team, among other BCS players WVU, Pitt, L'ville, and South Fl. Teams all better then UNLV, San Diego State, Wyoming, and New Mexico, who play in a non-BCS conf. I keep hearing, well BYU will have beat Sooners (who could finish 9-3 now) and FSU, seriously, FSU! They lost their first game and almost lost to a FBS team. They could finish second to last in their division within their conference, making them finishing 9 of 12 in their conference. Tradition and past years amazing records doesn't get you into the BCS bowl series, ask UGA, Texas, USC, or any other big football school that hasn't got in. If BYU wins it could be a big of win as if they beat Colorado State!

Why else is it my "Who are you week?" You may laugh at me but, EMU goes into Michigan and if Michigan wants to make people really wonder about their season, blow out the Huron, woops Eagles. Laugh, English knows some of these guys, right. who are already saying that want to make him proud. He's motivated to show that he should of been looked at more for this job, he was L'ville's D cord. last year. which played against WVU that was still running Rich Rod's system. Granted Pat White ran for a ton of yards but he had a few more years then TF. Then State plays ND right after this game which could show; how bad State is, how much that ND game wasn't as big as they thought (especially if UM doesn't blow out EMU).

Best Game you won't see: Last week I called WVA vs ECU for this game and I was pretty right. WVU lead ECU by 1 at half and then WVU went to score 14 in the 2nd half, while shutting out ECU to win. This week I see UCONN vs Baylor. Baylor had a week off their upset at Wake Forest and UCONN lost a hard game against UNC. If Baylor wins they have two weaker games after this and could go into Oklahoma 4-0 and Sooners could be 2-2 or 3-1 (Bradford, is supposed to be out 2-4 weeks = 2 weeks would put him out of Miami game and if 4 weeks that could take him to the Baylor game).

Upset Special: Shhh, I called Houston win and New Hamp over Ball State. I said Clemson and Purdue, which both almost came close. I am giving you Navy over Pitt, Idaho over SDSU, K'State over UCLA and last but not least....Shock makes into in the WNBA championship! House Divided here (Shock play ATL right now)! But my real one I am keeping close to my heart!

Week 1

Thank you "U" and FSU for ending my Labor Day weekend with a memorable game. In what was an overload of college football, I was able to watch this game from kickoff to last incomplete pass. Leave it to the ACC to cap this first week with the best game, whose conference saw Duke and UVA lose to FCS teams and have the inability to beat anyone who matters.

For me, I am in three pools, and had as good of a weekend as did the ACC. My straight up pick pool with confidence went 7-7 (I gave Sooners 14, Ill 13, UGA 6), which could of gone the other way, but my plea for a Bama and Baylor wins went unheard. I did ponder the BYU upset, but nobody slipped me the memo that Bradford would get hurt.

Then there was my straight up picks, no confidence or spread at risk. I went 14-2, thank you Iowa and 2 blocks, and OSU's hardest 2 points. Don't tell anyone, I said BAMA! but again I missed the Bradford memo!

Pop, there goes my spread! Yes, welcome to my first time betting with spread. 4-8! Who would of thought Kiflin wouldn't let up on the gas, a under .500 coach would of pulled that big of win in Auburn and Vandy could shut out anyone. Then I fell into the SEC thought of our top teams are better then anyone, any where. Thanks, LSU, all those miles away were to much.

NEXT WEEK:

Again Big Ten's name sake is on the line. The two biggest rivals take part in the weekends two biggest games for the Big Ten. This might be the only time they cheer for each other. If OSU and UofM can't win, its over for the B10. But, like a double edge sword, if they both win, it's a USC team with a Frosh and ND in its down years.

UGA faces USCarolina, this is a huge game for both teams. Either team couldn't put many points up in the first week. If either of these teams go 0-2, look for fans to call for change. Even after two decent years for UGA people are sniffing around for possible greener grass.

You would think UCLA vs Tenn would be another big game to determine conference strength, but nope. Ucla and Tenn are teams going into two different directions. Stanford vs Wake, is a good game to determine if the P10 is possible gaining strength or if ACC can prove worth. Surprise, Western Mich. vs IU, yes, here is why. IU struggled against a very decent FCS team and WMU was blown out by UofM. So, if IU wins, it's a positive should of...if Western Wins, the bottom of the B10 is strong as the top of the MAC, which is like explaining to SEC fans that Georgia Southern belongs in the SEC.

Best game you won't watch: ECU vs West Virgina. ECU almost blew it against App. St and the team formerly known as Rich Rod struggled against Liberty.

Upset Special: New Hampshire over Ball St., Purdue vs Ducks, Houston vs Ok St., Clemson vs GT ( ps: My son and I ran around the GT football field this summer when some at the stadium left a gate open! Top Ten Father - Son moment)!

MAC

With just a week until the kick off of the 2009-2010 college football season I am going to knock out the BEST preview and predictions. I am in three college pick pools this year, last year I finished in the top 3 of all of them. Due to some conference and team bias I missed being number one ( I am in a pool with a SEC fan).



To Start the Preview I am going to start with the MAC. To me the MAC is one of the biggest players in D-1 or Bowl Division Series, despite not having a team in thought of "sneaking" into the BCS bowls. The MAC is a player because they schedule SEC teams and create bumps in the Big Ten. It's pretty funny listening to the pundits down here rip the Big Ten's Schedule. They think that since a couple SEC teams are going against top tier teams in the big 12 / pac 10 teams they all are playing these great schedules. Well, the Gators open with Charleston Southern and Ole' Miss opens with Memphis. This is the first year since I've been down in Georgia they aren't opening against Georgia Southern. The Mac put five teams into a bowl game last year and are regulars in Big Ten schedules. The MAC is just like your MWC and WAC but play in the Mid-West and compete with the Big Ten like the other two compete with Pac-10 and Big 12. The only non-automatic BCS conference that the SEC competes with is the Sun Belt (the ACC is like a 2nd cousin to the SEC; Gators play FSU and UGA plays Tech for the same reason you go to family reunions, you have to). So here it goes;



Records: This is not the year the MAC produces an undefeated team nor one loss team. Just based on non-conference and with the competitiveness among the conference no team will have less then a three loss season. Central opens against Zona, then MSU, and then faces BC (which they could win, but they have Buff and Western too). Buffalo, last year MAC conference championship team plays Pitt (at home, which could cause Pitt trouble), @ UTEP, @ UCF, then starts the conference run @ Temple (hail mary) and then visits Western. Don't look for Ball State to be even close to what they were, coaching changes, and they lost basically everyone.



The Obvious: Central Michigan, Western Michigan and Buffalo are the ones to look at. They are all returning off a bowl game and bringing QB's back with great experience. Western has the more favorable schedule, they open at Michigan where they could make a quick statement. Then they go play a weak IU team. I'd think WMU could break into the top 25 with two road wins vs big 10 teams. They have CMU and Buff at home, the only unfortunate thing is they play MSU at Spartan Stadium, instead at Ford Field. WMU upset the Fighting Illini at Ford Field, in one of the most under played / under sought games last year. CMU is the Tebow of the MAC and has been there before. The MAC has 5 new coaches, but remember, the MAC is a breading ground of coaches. Saban and Urban both coached in the MAC and now hot prospect Kelly. Buff's Gill is the next hot coach if he can win, never believe a coach when they say they are here to stay.



Look Out: Eastern Michigan; Why? They uprooted CMU two years in a row and their new head coach. Here is why, English has a pretty good balance of young guys and vets. If and I strongly emphasis If they can beat Army at home and go into Northwestern and win they'd be 2-0. English is familiar with NW, being the brains of the UofM Def. The third game is a visit back to the team that wanted nothing to do with him. Toledo shocked them at the Big House and don't tell me it's different this year ( look for this during the big ten preview). Eastern could very well come out 2-1, before opening with the other up and coming Temple. Like I said the MAC is a coaching breeding ground. He improved L'ville's D last year, their head coach is the reason they struggled. UofM's D was not the same last year as it was with him. Eastern Michigan makes a statement this year with a upset victory at ARK. (Why? English practiced a whole year with ARK.'s new QB, Mallet).

East: Buff
Temple
BGSU
Ohio
Akron
Kent State
Miami (OH)

West: Central
Western
Eastern
Northern Ill.
Toledo
Ball State

Conf. Champs: Central

Bowl Teams: CMU, WMU, Buff, Temple, Eastern

Update

It's been a long time but I am getting back on the horse. Here are a few things to look forward to:

The Rose Garden: The Beloved Fred Rose is going to add some flavor and hopefully some solidarity to the blog.

College Football Pre-Season Review: I am working on the MAC first.


The D report: It's funny how scared people are of a white boy with two kids, when he sports a hat or shirt with the old English D on! But that has nothing to do with it!


Tied together: I will make more connections of the south the the north: It's pretty funny explaining hockey to southerners!

Jump on...

Yes! We did Detroit! Ha Ha Ha (tongue sticking out at you with thumbs implanted into my cheeks, while my other 18 fingers wiggle at you!) We got Matthew Stafford! Mr. Late Night, with appearances on Fallon, Letterman, and I think Chelsey Lately ( E!), is now Mr. Lion. Welcome to the class of former Mr. Lion QB's, (Pete, Ware, and Harrington).

However, my excitement doesn't fall there. As documented, Stafford was not who I thought the Lions should invest into. My excitement lays with the Lions finally following the "plan". Lions staff laid out a full fledged plan, compared to Millen' previous drafts of throwing darts at the board, hoping the BEST athlete would pan out. This year stated they'd draft the anti-Millen, a player who fits their needs and system. Did anyone see Jesus in that draft? I don't think David Cooperfield was in the third round. Did Barry Sanders re-enter the draft after visiting the fountain of youth (I am sure he'd hold out if the Lions drafted him).?

So back to the plan, come on, you know we both thought taking a TE in the second round and another TE in the 7th was the apart of the plan. I am proud of the Lions taking 2 TE's in this year draft, which was supposedly one of best TE drafts in many years and one of the weakest OB drafts. If I were GM, CEO, Pres. or whatever I would of formulated my plan around one of the best aspect of the offense, the TE. Take a good look at our WR on the roster now, Travis Taylor (9 yrs.), Bryant Johnson (7 yrs.), and Ronald Curry ( 8 yrs.) are our most experienced WR's contract wise. With that loaded WR core there was no need to deepen or even risk a higher WR pick, with a young WR.

Especially when the young guns are Free Agent Demir Boldin, Eric Flower (1), Chris Hannon (1), Steve Sanders (1), Franklin Williams (2), Adam Jennings (4), and Calvin Johnson (3)! So, let's get some up the middle guys catching and pass blocking guys in the draft. We needed TE to replace Jake Nordin (1), Sean Conover (4), Will Heller (8), Casey FitzSimmons (B.C.) and no better then a second round pick and seventh round pick to back the other small school TE we have out of Bucknell and Nothern Ill. P.S., I heard either TE was that outstanding at blocking, which I guess is fine for a young QB or old.



Did you know the Falcons are laughing at us and thanking us! The Lions had the first pick of day two, but the Lions followed the plan and thought to trade it. It was predicted for us to pick Lawrence Sidbury DE, but we traded. Well, he fell to the fourth round and to the Falcons. Yeah, it didn't make sense to me either to draft a DE to upgrade the Lions DE's of; Ikaika Adma Francis (3 Hawaii), Cliff Avrill (2 Purdue), Rudolph Hardie ( 1 Howard), Dewyone White (7 ), and Jared DeVires (11 Iowa). Why did I put there colleges? Well, it's supposedly one of the biggest down falls to Sidbury was he playes at Richmond. Richmond played on a highly competitive team that won and he dominated.



Then all the talk down here is how the Falcons ( Matt Ryan, shhhhhh) stole this pick! I hope our new WR out of PSU lifts our specials teams! I don't think this new Falcon Admin. has a clue how to change a franchise. Oh, hold up, wait a minute, they do!

Since the Lions had no choice really to take Stafford, I don't blame them. After numerous discussion with Lions' fans, I think we are all in agreeing. We've have come to accept this pick. If he pans out great, if not, oh well! I don't blame the Lions for this pick this year and I don't think it should be held against them if he doesn't pan out. No other team would trade to get him because they didn't want to pay him what we did. It's ridiculous he has the highest guaranteed money ever. I wish I'd get paid that money guaranteed without ever teaching a kid to read. Imagine a school district paying a teacher a sum of money without doing a damn thing. You really think a community would go for that? That's another point, however.

Well, I just hope this plan isn't similar to how the Ford's are planning on saving their most important franchise. Don't worry Stafford and our 2 new TE's, the Lion's have been failures for years, but Ford Detroiter's haven't!

Merry Draft Eve

It's picture perfect for the Lion fans. For people outside of the Lions fan base, last year was the worse NFL football year for any team in history. Well, for us Lion fans last year wasn't the worst year for the Lions. As a Lion fan of recent history (Super Bowl era) it's real hard to determine which year was the worst year, since there are so many. This year was like an addict hitting rock bottom, but nobody can really figure out the intervention.

For every horrible year we had there was the uplifting possibility of the draft, be quiet, every Millen intervention brought hope. This weekend is like the Super Bowl for Lions fans, yes Thanksgiving is a wonderful football experience but right now everyone outside of the Mitten is calling for the NFL to pull the plug on that tradition. This weekend we are usually calling each other discussing which player is going to take us to the next level, which player will make it okay. How right we were, the next level, WIN LESS! Millen Anonymous was not working.

Now, the night before this year draft I should be calling everyone in anticipation of the next great pick. I should be excited like Dolphin fans of last year. Instead I am discussing with my wife about buying Falcon tickets and pondering her theory about the Lions taking on the Vick Experience.

So why I am not calling you or you are not calling me figuring out this years intervention? Well, because, nobody cares! Detroit is split, the only thing they know is they don't want Sanchez. Hmmm, they might want Stafford but they don't want the second best QB possible a better QB then Stafford. If Lions don't take Stafford, he could go after Sanchez. It's not a debate about whose better right now, it's the fact that nobody else wants Stafford at number 1. This is what kills me!

I really don't care if Stafford turns into the next John Elway ( I really don't want to wait another 20 years before we win 2 super bowls). I don't care if ESPN shows all his great clips of arm strength. Hey, Detroit, I watched a lot of Georgia games on the Lincoln Financial, Detroit's equivalence to Channel 20. He does have a gun, but his gun was throwing way over receivers, he wasn't throwing over their heads, he over throw their routes. Watch those ESPN clips closely, look at the coverage he is throwing into double coverage and the receivers going UP and pulling the pass down. Stafford has good stats, but he doesn't find his rhythm until the second half, want proof, watch the last year's capital bowl. Stafford was MSU's best player in the first half, so MSU focused on the run game and opps Stafford found his receivers.

Stop, don't go there. The Lions will be so far behind in the first half that Stafford's second half magic won't help. Stafford took over in the second half because Knowshun would own the first half that the adjustments other teams made were to focus on the run game. So teams pulled their safeties and corner backs up, which allowed Stafford to go deep. I wish and hope Kevin Smith could create that, but he's a pounder. Stafford is 15 years too late, he'd be a great pick if we had Barry.

Even though it makes some sense to draft Stafford, why isn't any team trying to make a move with us. Why, less then 24 hours to the first pick we haven't signed him? Go ahead tell me the fact no team wants to pay that money for a first pick. Okay, hold on, so let me get this right, no team wants to pay that kind of money for the number one pick. Am I the only one that thinks that this is poetic justice for the Lions? Teams are willing to move up to get Sanchez, which could be 5 or 10 picks less then the Lions. If the Lions don't pick Stafford then it makes teams with lower picks us ponder who to take, but supposedly it's a no brainier for us? Shh, I'm not a Sanchez lover either. But someone explain to me why we are the only team that HAS to take him, when nobody else wants him.

Okay let's put this into perspective. We are going to prom and we got the in on asking the best date possible. Wouldn't you think it'd be a no brainier and all of the boys in our group would be jealous? They'd be in our ear talking about how the wished they could have our date and would do anything to switch. All we'd hear is man, how lucky we'll get and how much she'll put out!

Instead, its like our parents made the match for us with the family friends girl. Yeah she's cute and it could work out. After we announce our date all the other boys are fine with it, nobody is truly jealous or willing to switch dates. Then to make matters worse, all the boys are taking their dates to places that are fancy but fit high school guys budgets, were we have to take our date to a place that fits the budget of Tiger Woods and hot as the latest Lindsey Lohan binge!

Then after all that wine and dinning, she tells us or its announced she will not put out until next year prom. We look around and we don't see our bro's cause their dates are all on the 50 yard line getting down and dirty with them.

Since the NFL league is a copy cat league the Lions need to look at a few things.
1) passing on a pick might not hurt you, ask the Vikings
2) Titans took Vince and he's still sitting behind contract extended Kerry Collins. Ask Texans how Mario's world is
3) Matt Ryan started his career against the Lions, the Lions play the Saints in NO, if the Lions played themselves then maybe Stafford would be the right pick.
4) Last year was a stronger QB draft, Hoyer, out of MSU could be the 4th QB picked. So, the QB Stafford played in the Capitol Bowl Game could go 3 QB picks after him. Then again, Hoyer did play against Matt Ryan before he went to Atl.

ps: Lions take Stafford as of 12:11am.

It's time...

It's that time again, the pollen count is higher then days left in the school year and the basketball season is over. Even if the Pistons were good you wouldn't be that concerned until late May early June and I am really not holding my breath on the Hawks either.

Then there is Spring football which is a like Indian Summers. Yeah its nice but, seriously does it really mean anything towards the real season. Yeah get out and enjoy it, but its a tease. Yet, southerns love it like sweet tea and fried chicken. I guess their love for spring games is like northerners explaining their love for hockey in early June ( Go wings!).

Now back to the real time of year, the baseball season. It's the only sport that is played everyday of the week and all day of its season. You can catch a game at 1:00E, then a 4:00W, followed by a 7:00E and finally a 10:00W. Basically, you can catch that first game at the pool, hear that second game at the grill, wind down the day and enter the night with that third game in the garage and fall asleep to that last game.

Although, at this time last year, I was actually more excited about the green/white game then the baseball season. The Tigers were as good as the Nationals and the Braves season was up in arms. This year the Tigers are tied for first, yes its a three way tie but that could very easily change soon and the likeliness of that is actually pretty good too. Not like last were I was saying let's see where they are at the All-Star game.

The Tigers are 7-5, tied for first in the Central with KC and Chicago. But the Tigers are +18 in run difference, which is highest in the central. Why is that good? Toronto is +29, first in the East at 10-4 and Seattle is +10 at 8-5, first in the West. The Tigers won the series against the Mariners and lowered that difference a big bit and the Tigers really didn't contribute to the difference to the Jays as much as other teams did. Last the at this time the run difference was -39 for the Tigers, compare that this year to the Nationals who are at -21 and Baltiomore is at -29. That makes sign that things are little better on both sides of the plate for the Tigers.

Last year the Tigers opened the season against the Royal and were swept. The Tigers are 4-1 at home, losing 1 of those game to the White Sox. The White Sox's owned us of late, so to split that series early is great for our confidence, especially after losing the first game in the series.

Something even more intriguing this time of year is that Inge isn't leading all our hitting stats. Actually, it's the man who is paid to do so, Miguel Cabrera. Miguel is leading the team with HR's (4), BA (.489), RBI's (12), and OBP (.538). Last year at this time he was cold as, well the weather in the north right now. Miguel is putting MVP numbers up, because the hits have been useful and helpful. The home run on opening day to me was a big bail out ( had to put some stupid bail out reference in a Detroit related "article").

Even though the hitting is doing well, the pitching isn't looking to bad either. I said prior to the season that Verlander was the scariest part of the rotation. When Team USA doesn't even want you to play for them, there has to be some sign of WTF? The up side is, he's striking out guys, 20 to be exact. But a ERA of 7.88 and 0-2 record isn't going to carry us. What could carry us and I use the word could strongly, is Galarraga's 2-0 record and 0.68 ERA (technically he's our ace since Jim set it up for him to be our home opener starter) and the Bobby and Rodney show. Combined Bobby and Rodney's ERA is 0.00 in a combined 11 appearances. Rodney has 3 saves already, I don't know if he had saved 1 by now.

Now, the Tigers take on a hurting Angles team. If they can take the series there, they'd head into an actual meaningful early season series with the Royals. Don't tell me early season series can't be meaningful. Look at how this division has played out in recent years. Hell, we lost the Division Championship in the last series of the year in 06. Before playing us the Royals face Cleveland who could of turned it around in NY and White Sox's face Baltimore and red hot Blue Jays.

So if the Tigers can play at .500 or better in the next couple road series before coming home for a few series they'd be on the right track. The Division is up in the air and the Eastern and Western leaders right now aren't the teams predicted to win it. My hopes aren't high right now, but at least they are crushed now like they were last year at this time!