tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45387913777085102222024-03-13T00:25:41.217-07:00College Football Analysis From The CabBartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.comBlogger225125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-476365992679627302012-06-20T07:58:00.000-07:002012-06-20T08:04:50.790-07:00Rethinking This Clemens ThingYesterday I listened a bit to Clemens' lawyer Rusty Hardin talk some about the case on talk radio (I think it was on the <em>Matt Patrick</em> <em>Show)</em>. After listening I began to think that perhaps Clemens was the innocent victim in a govt push to discredit him (for whatever reason). Hardin is convincing no doubt but then again that is his job. If you are involved in some silly shit and caught with your pants down (so to speak), <em>and </em>have a very healthy bank account then perhaps you should give Rusty a call. <br />
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Did Clemens get away with steroid use and perjury? Perhaps. Perhaps not. He did play in an era where steroid use was in vogue. Look at some of the sluggers from the late 90's. You can't tell me that quite a number of them were not on something. Or you could I guess but I wouldn't believe it. As far as I can tell Clemens did not develop the type of body that is associated with steroid use, but again, he did play in that era. Doping was likely accepted and par for the course among a certain set of players.<br />
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One thing I did learn from the talk show conversation between Hardin and Patrick was that Clemens got crossways with the esteemed gentlemen of Congress who were "leading the investigation" into steroid use in baseball. That probably had something to do with all the hoopla.<br />
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If Clemens is guilty, well then he got away with it. If not, then he was victimized by a govt out of control. His reputation is tarnished either way. His character is suspect and his legacy will always have an asterick beside it. Unfortunately there is very little he can do about it.<br />
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Apparently one (handsome) Henry Waxman (D-CA) was one of the busybodies behind this "investigation" into steroid use in baseball. It is not surprising that he (and others) would be influential in going after someone who did not play ball (no pun) with said investigation. Perhaps this Waxman should just keep hanging with the Hollywood crowd and leave the rest of us be. Didn't he have a part as one of the mutant vampire type beings in the Will Smith film <em>I Am Legend? </em><br />
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If I am not mistaken there is a resemblance here. I could be wrong.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-30426213423012745422012-04-07T16:58:00.000-07:002012-04-07T16:58:07.628-07:00What is up with the Hogs?What the hell is going on in Fayetteville? Houston Nutt and now Bobby Petrino? Scumbags both. Petrino does win though........<br />
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I guess they will hire Todd Graham next.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-34181142175428158702012-01-22T13:58:00.000-08:002012-01-22T13:58:22.435-08:00JOPA is GonePaterno passed away today. Rest his soul. It is a darn shame that the "Sandusky Affair" ruined the legacy of perhaps the most influential coach in the college ranks. Whether JOPA was complicit in some sort of cover up is a moot point. His reputation is ruined forever. It matters little if his name is cleared at a late date. Same type thing with Pete Rose, Roger Clemens, etc. They are seen as damaged goods and their real accomplishments to their respective sports is of little consequence. <br />
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They do say that one "oh shit" can erase a whole lot of "attaboys." So true.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-65171970820180861402012-01-08T08:10:00.000-08:002012-05-21T12:42:21.829-07:00Last Bowl Game May Be Worth WatchingTonight Arkansas State squares off with NIU in the GoDaddy Bowl (the what?). Might be a good game. Arkansas State has had a stellar season and may well be a top 25 team. NIU can play some ball also and perhaps should be included in the top 25 also. Of course, after one year, ASU's coach has won (with the prior coach's recruits) and moved off to "greener" pastures. If Ole Miss can be considered "greener." Coaching the Rebs will flat destroy a career. Hard place to win. Be that as it may, I am looking forward to the last bowl game of the season and am hoping for an Indian err Red Wolves victory. Don't think it will happen but that is who I will be pulling for. <br />
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Of course tomorrow night the BCS "National Champion" will be crowned. Hoping for an LSU victory but the Bama crew are wanting a bit of revenge. Whether or not this is the "correct" match up for D1 "national champion" is debatable, but it should be a good game none the less.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-17396568792324398552012-01-07T16:08:00.000-08:002012-01-07T16:08:49.120-08:00IAA National Champion CrownedNorth Dakota State earned a tough win this afternoon over a very good Sam Houston State club in the IAA Championship game. It was football played the way it was supposed to be. I was pulling for the local team but having watched both this year I had a strong feeling that NDSU would be able to take this game. They earned the title of National Champion the right way.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-74674876408971502262012-01-07T05:23:00.000-08:002012-01-07T05:23:44.830-08:00The Cotton That Should Have Been SugarThe Hogs got off to a fast start before the Wildcats got their bearings in last night's Cotton Bowl. It became a pretty good game all around after KSU got some momentum going. The Hogs are hands down the better team here. KSU is a very good team sure but is too one dimensional. If a team can stop their QB from running all over creation, then there is a good chance for a victory over the Wildcats. <br />
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It is interesting that neither of these teams were in a "BCS" game. Interesting that numbers 6-9 in the BCS standing were relegated to lesser bowls. (Boise State in particular). Of course it can certainly be argued that the Cotton is every bit as prestigious, historically, than any of these BCS games. Doesn't pay as much though. <br />
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I will say it again; A very poor system we have in D1 ball.<br />
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Incidentally today the IAA National Championship game will be played. Go SHSU. The champion will be decided the right way......Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-1812251667912596032012-01-05T15:20:00.000-08:002012-01-05T15:20:39.766-08:00BCS Bowls That Shouldn't Have HappenedLast night the Orange Bowl was played and victory went to the Mountaineers. Is the ACC that bad? Sure doesn't seem to add up to much. At least the two teams in this particular bowl were their respective conference champions. Still...A BCS Bowl for schools not in the top ten? C'mon.<br />
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The Sugar was ridiculous. Neither team should be in one of the premier (and highest paying) games. Neither Michigan or Virginia Tech are top ten squads and certainly should have played in lesser bowls. <br />
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Such is the system we have in Division I ball.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-18388181200209445302012-01-02T16:07:00.000-08:002012-01-02T16:07:07.604-08:00Thoughts on the Coogs and Today's Other Early GamesIt is half time now in the Rose Bowl and my thoughts return to the earlier contests. Congrats to South Carolina in making the Huskers look a bit foolish. Does a heart good. The Gator Bowl? Should not have even been played. Ridiculous game. Now this Rose match up is a very good game at this point. Oregon is decked out a bit less silly this time around but that headgear is distracting. I think that Wisconsin will end up with a victory when the smoke clears. We will see shortly........<br />
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The only other game of significance was something called the Ticket City Bowl (the what?). Houston, after their untimely loss to USM, was relegated to this minor contest facing a very average PSU squad. The game itself was fairly interesting. Keenum threw for a lot of yards but one gets the feeling that they were not spot on. If they were I would imagine the margin of victory would have been greater. There are already those that are saying "yeah but...." concerning the game. As in "yeah but PSU did not have their starting QB in the game." True enough but they could not score on anyone anyway this season with their starter and that was also before the distraction of the "Sandusky Affair" reared its' ugly head. To be blunt, PSU was just not very good long before it became apparent that Jerry enjoys "educating young boys" as it were. Allegedly of course. The whole thing became a historic distraction and I certainly feel sorry for the players that had to endure such.<br />
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Now if Houston had run the table, would they have been a good pick for a BCS game? Perhaps. They would not be able to play on the same field (3 games out of 4) with LSU, Alabama, Oregon, Wisconsin or Oklahoma State but they certainly would be able to hang with the likes of WVU, Georgia, Va Tech, Clemson, Stanford, etc. They had their chances but one bad game in a non AQ conference destroys chances of national respect. Just ask Boise State this year. The Broncos (along with the Coogs and possibly a couple others) are every bit as good and likely even better than a whole lot of teams in "big time" bowls this year. Yes, even better perhaps than at almost half of the BCS bowl field. <br />
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Looking forward to the Fiesta later this evening. There are those that believe the Cowboys are really the team that deserves to meet the Tigers in the BCS "National Championship" game. They may have a point. That will be proven (or disproven) before the evening is through also. Stanford is no joke but probably just not quite one of the truly elite teams this year. Andrew Luck notwithstanding. I look for the Cowboys to take it in rather convincing fashion. <br />
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Hopefully this BCS system goes away sooner rather than later.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-1701557961569461392012-01-01T06:21:00.000-08:002012-01-01T06:32:33.649-08:00The Most Stupid Of Games of the Bowl Season Have ConcludedThere are just too many bowl games. It borders on the ridiculous. Thankfully the most nonsensical bowls of 2011 are now written in the books.<br />
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A very silly game was the MAACO Bowl. Boise State, a top ten team, being relegated to meeting a 6-6 Arizona State squad? Just goes to show what lengths the BCS will go to keep a non AQ school out of the big party. The BCS fears a team like BSU which is fully capable of further exposing the current system as fraudulent. Of course next year BSU will find themselves in an AQ conference. Wonder which will be the next non BCS school to "bother" the BCS.<br />
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The Music City Bowl had two 6-6 teams battling to see who was the most mediocre. Wake Forest proved to be just a tad worse than Mississippi State. At least there was a lot of fans in the seats. A boon to the Nashville economy sure but just not what a bowl game is supposed to be. <br />
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The Meineke Car Car Bowl of Texas (or whatever it is called this year) was essentially a home game for the Aggies as was designed. Northwestern and TAMU deserved no post season whatsoever but there they were none the less. TAMU won this one which surprised me frankly. Not that they are without talent; top 10 talent, but they have just not been able to get it together this season. Coaching was likely to blame but that has been (possibly) rectified. Not that it will matter much. The SEC and perennial mediocrity loom large for the Aggies. Sumlin should have stayed in Houston where he was building a power. Or not. It has not been proven that Sumlin can win without a Keenum behind center. That type of player does not just come along every day. <br />
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The Pinstrip Bowl was a semi home game for Rutgers. Not much of interest to anyone but die hard fans. A 6-6 regular season for Iowa State is a success but that still does not mean it is worthy of a post season bid. The better team won.<br />
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The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl (the what?) is thankfully over. This one was perhaps the most ridiculous game of the season. Perhaps any bowl at any time. UCLA had to get a waiver from the NCAA to compete in a bowl game with a losing record. Didn't Western Kentucky have a winning season? They or any D1 school with a winning record should have been a suitable replacement for UCLA. It would not have mattered much as far as attendance goes most likely. Did you see the "crowd" in the stands? Almost non existent. UCLA lost this one but Illinois sure tried to give it away. Neither team was deserving of a post season trip. <br />
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We have already established that the BCS has left Boise State out in the cold, but what about KSU and Arkansas? They will square off in the Cotton, which is historically every bit as prestigious as the Sugar or Orange Bowls. but does not have near the payoff as a BCS game. This year, both KSU and the Hogs, are ranked higher than any team that plays in either the Sugar or Orange. Such is the system.....<br />
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An eight win season really should be the minimum requirement to become bowl eligible. The only possible exception would be a team with a lesser record, who is conference champion, allowed in with less than eight wins (but no less than seven). Of course that would lessen the number of bowls but a good many of those are just a waste of time and attract very few fans.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-61391600417825814632011-12-30T04:35:00.000-08:002011-12-30T04:35:44.837-08:00More Bowl TalkLast night this season's edition of the Alamo Bowl was written in the history books. There was just not much defence played. Was there? Baylor is a very good team but the defense has been suspect all season. One can easily see why the Bears were not in a "BCS" game year. Perhaps it is an Art Briles thing? Remember he came from the University of Houston where stellar offense and atrocious defense has been perfected. I wonder if Baylor could have traded their defense with that of Texas. Now that would be a team that would be very difficult to stop. Oh well......victory was theirs none the less.<br />
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Today there are a slew of bowl games on tap. Only one team in the bunch is a top 25 squad (Oklahoma). Is anyone really all that interested in Iowa State vs Rutgers? C'mon. Oklahoma va Iowa? Probably the best game of the day will be the Tulsa/BYU match up. BYU has had a pretty good season and Tulsa, with Kinne behind center, is a good CUSA team. Might be worth watching. Or not.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-62192349904829410222011-12-29T09:09:00.000-08:002011-12-29T09:09:03.417-08:00Mack May Be On The Hot Seat Next SeasonThe Longhorns had a less than stellar year. A trip with a win to the Holiday Bowl just don't cut it for Texas fans. I would guess that Mack better reach a "BCS" game next year or at least one of the top tier non BCS games (Cotton or whatever they now call the "Citrus") or there will be blood.<br />
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There are a handful of teams that have fan expectation of competing for a "National Championship" year in and year out. Texas is one of them. The last time the Longhorns had a shot was a couple years back when Colt was "injured" in the title game with the Tide. Subsequently they were routed. Since then?......<br />
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It is interesting that some of these schools just have expectation of being in serious competition every year for the National Title. Florida, LSU, Bama, Auburn, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, Notre Dame (strange isn't it?), Texas Agriculture (stranger still), USC, Ohio State, Michigan and perhaps Oregon must be among the elite or a coach won't be around long. The fans at WVU, Va. Tech, Wisconsin, Arkansas, PSU, Miami, FSU, with perhaps UCLA (hard to believe I know), and Michigan State are almost as unrealistic. Boise State and BYU (Notre Dame lite) are somewhat special cases with often unrealistic expectations from their fan base. At any rate, only two teams play for the title every year. <br />
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It is damn hard to get there.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-59515146330399731682011-12-29T04:15:00.000-08:002011-12-29T04:15:57.823-08:00The Holiday BowlTexas pulled this one out of the hat. It was difficult to watch two very mediocre teams go at it. I actually thought that Cal would find a way to score a few more than the Longhorns. Texas has a very good defense but a barely competent offense. The Longhorn D certainly won another one for them. It would have been interesting to see just how far the Horns would have gone this season if they had any kind of offense at all. Their defense kept them in games resulting in a few wins that they probably should not have.<br />
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As it stands now. I would put the Longhorns perhaps the fifth (maybe sixth) best squad in the Texas college ranks. Yes I am counting IAA Sam Houston State in the mix. They would have a better than even shot at beating them this year. <br />
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Mack is well liked by the Texas faithful but there are some rumblins'. He needs to get his boys to step it up next season or it could well be his last.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-38795063766334158202011-12-27T06:36:00.000-08:002011-12-27T06:36:58.381-08:00Ho HumLast night Mizzou beat a rather forgettable North Carolina team in the Independence Bowl. Perhaps the bowl execs should have picked teams that "travel well." There was almost no one in attendance. It could be that even the fans of either team did not want to make the trip to Shreveport to watch two mediocre teams battle it out. Oh well.......I didn't watch much of it either.<br />
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Tonight the Belk Bowl (the what?) "must" be played. Louisville and NC State both come in at 7-5 and it should be a fine match up. A" drop everything and watch" type of contest. The game is to be held in Charlotte so there might be a few State fans in the seats. <br />
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Before I forget, we also have the Little Caesars Bowl on this evening. The powerhouse WMU Broncos meet with the 6-6 Purdue Boilermakers. This might actually be a pretty good game and Detroit is within driving distance of the fan base of both schools but still it is unlikely that Ford Field will be sold out. After all that would require a trip to Detroit. Who wants to do that?<br />
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Let's see....Wednesday night the Military Bowl kicks off with Toledo and Air Force going at it. AFA is the best of the service academies this year, but that does not say a whole lot. A pretty good MWC team is about what we have with the Falcon squad. Probably not much more than that. Toledo is a good MAC team but that might be all. Pretty similar records and someone has to win. Toledo is probably the better team. They <em>may </em>be a bit better than their record. This one might actually be a good game, but really....Should it even be played at all?<br />
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The Holiday Bowl is another ho hum game. It has traditionally been a bowl for those that are just not quite up to snuff though. There will be fans in the seats most likely. Both schools have a large fan base and a lot of them are some pretty affluent folk. They may have nothing better to do than brave the frozen tundra in San Diego to watch a game. Wish I could join them. The game itself is borderline garbage, but a trip to San Diego would be something to look forward to.<br />
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Some of these "bowl" games are just a waste of time. I suppose someone makes some money somewhere, but do we really need to see such uninteresting match ups in the post season?Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-72193068152841522482011-12-25T04:41:00.000-08:002011-12-25T04:41:50.234-08:00WAC 0-3 in 2011 BowlsLast night USM beat a fairly decent Nevada Wolfpack team to send the WAC to 0-3 for the bowl season. LA. Tech gave TCU all they could handle the other night but came up short and Utah State let one slip away against Ohio earlier in the bowl season. It is quite possible that the WAC is the weakest link in D1 ball. I do believe the Sun Belt and MAC are tougher conferences.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-80348345149471291082011-12-25T04:37:00.000-08:002011-12-25T04:37:30.529-08:00Where is the Blue/Gray Game When NeededI miss the Blue/Gray game. If you remember it was played on Christmas Day for years and gave some of the lesser lights in the game a chance to showcase their talent before NFL scouts. It was fun to watch. I miss it.<br />
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I suppose it is customary in Western society to wish others a Merry Christmas and I do so now.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-11708833949124205042011-12-22T14:32:00.000-08:002011-12-22T14:32:21.202-08:00Coaches with Character and Cowardice IssuesA couple of coaches have been called out by ESPN. If the college football gods at that particular network are saying someone is a scumbag (well they stopped just short) then I guess one can take it to the bank. Can you guess who is tops on the scumbag list? Yep Todd Graham and Brian Kelly. I would submit, in the particular case of Graham, that he is not only scum but a coward. He did not have the decency to tell his players at Pitt that he was leaving. Perhaps he was frightened. He should be.<br />
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Those commentators are only saying what we observers of the college football world have been saying all along. <br />
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Character matters!!!Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-63343902189191268002011-12-22T08:47:00.000-08:002011-12-22T08:47:56.341-08:00Craig James Senator?Craig James, late of ESPN, is running for the U.S. Senate. He is a scumbag sure but if it gets his blabbering mouth off college football broadcasts then I say "go for it."Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-53127363307328171422011-12-22T05:39:00.000-08:002011-12-22T05:39:19.606-08:00WAC 0-2 At This PointThe Mountain West finally got a victory under their belt with TCU's hard fought victory over the LA. Tech Bulldogs. It looked for while like TCU was not up to par. Perhaps they just didn't want to be there? They did find a way to win though. They are by far the better team but Louisiana Tech has nothing to be ashamed of. TCU is probably every bit as good as say a Stanford or Clemson. <br />
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There was some speculation that Dykes was under consideration for the Houston job but it appears he (says) he is with Louisiana Tech for the long haul. We will see.<br />
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Tonight is the MAACO Bowl (of Las Vegas) and we will get to see one of the better teams in the land playing 6-6 Arizona State. The television folk were trying to play this one up. That is their job sure, but for us fans this a ho hum game to say the least. Boise got ripped off in the grand scheme of things but that is nothing unusual. Most likely the only way for ASU to hang tough would be if the Bronco players just don't show up enough to give effort. I am sure they don't really want to be there but I think that the coaching staff and seniors will not allow any "drop off" in play. <br />
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Next year the Bronco's will be in a "BCS" conference. OF course with the departures from that league it is now no more of a power than CUSA (assuming it ever was). I have heard it called "Mountain West East" a time or two. There is some truth to that. <br />
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By the way, thus far I am not doing real well in Bowl predictions. There is time to step up though. Like TCU, perhaps I just didn't want to "be there" with the early games.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-60060492724009915092011-12-21T06:12:00.000-08:002011-12-21T06:12:35.939-08:00Another One in the BooksThe Beef O' Brady Bowl (the what) is in the history books. I watched part of the game but had to switch over to <em>Bomb Patrol Afghanistan</em>. That is an interesting program and I watched the whole hour in its' entirety. Then back to the game. Score still the same. Did not miss much apparently. <br />
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Marshall with a game time 6-6 record has improved to 7-6. FIU was predicted to win the SBC but had somewhat of a meltdown. FIU is probably the better team but did not come through last night. The Sun Belt is beginning to get the respect from the "major" conferences in the past few years. There have been too many "upsets" for it to be otherwise.<br />
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I would submit that any 6-6 school from any conference is not bowl worthy. There were very few fans at the game last night and it seemed really like a waste of time for all concerned. It is hard to get excited about at 6-6 club. The minimum wins should be eight to qualify for a post season bid. <br />
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On a related note; it seems that FIU HC Mario Cristobal is being considered for the job at Pitt. "Stay where you are" would be my advice to him. <br />
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Tonight TCU meets WAC Champion Louisiana Tech. There are those who say that this is a complete mismatch and it well may be. At least the Horned Frogs are going to play a legitimate conference champion and bowl worthy opponent. Boise State got ripped off with a truly "who cares" game. None of the "big time" schools want any piece of BSU or TCU for that matter. It tends to be embarrassing for the BCS. Can't have that.<br />
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Next year TCU will be in the Big Twelve and BSU has chosen to play in the Big East. To get any respect at all schools have to flee to a BCS Conference. This works out well for TCU. The Big Twelve is a geographic fit. BSU and SDSU to the Big East? That is stupid. <br />
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Among the other faults of the corrupt BCS system is that it damages regional rivalries and affiliations. It needs to go.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-75468836646116229182011-12-19T07:21:00.000-08:002011-12-19T07:21:04.837-08:00Late CongratsCongrats to St Xavier (Ill) in their victory over Carroll (MT) in the NAIA National Champhionship Game. These small schools are certainly under the radar but a title means every bit as much to them and their fans as those in the "big time." I hope some money was spent in the little town of Rome, GA. Times are hard.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-89816528497310167962011-12-18T07:36:00.000-08:002011-12-18T14:51:21.479-08:00And The Rest of the 2011 Bowl PredictionsI have not started off all that well in predicting the early bowls but....does it really matter? On to the rest of the predictions for this season.<br />
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10. Independence Bowl. NC vs Mizzou: This one is just not interesting to say the least. I am glad that each team here has won more than six games though. Probably a toss up but I will go with Mizzou to win.<br />
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11. Little Caesars Bowl: WMU vs Purdue: Another stinker. Purdue at 6-6 does not deserve to be here. WMU? Marginal. I have watched Purdue lose to Rice this season and that says a lot. A whole lot. Go with the Broncos here.<br />
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12. Belk Bowl. Louisville vs NC State: And yet another game that should not be played. NC State is marginally the better team here and should win. I will go with the Wolfpack in a close one.<br />
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13. Military Bowl. Toledo vs Air Force: Air Force has had a decent year and Toledo was somewhat of a disappointment. The Rockets are the better team and will win this one.<br />
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14. Holiday Bowl. California vs Texas: Ho hum....The Longhorns have a good defense and a horrible offense. I would imagine that IAA Sam Houston State would have a good chance of beating them. The Bears are well coached buy just not that good either. Someone has to win though and I will go with Cal.<br />
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15. Champs Bowl. Florida State vs Notre Dame: At least these two teams have won 8 games. That should be the minimum to qualify for the post season. FSU did not live up to the pre season hype but they are building. The Irish are just darn lucky to be here. I will go with the Seminoles in this one.<br />
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16. Alamo Bowl. Washington vs Baylor: If the Bears had not had a mid season melt down then would be looking at a BCS appearance. A very good team. Washington? Not so much. I will go with Baylor here with relative ease. I think right now Baylor could play with anyone.<br />
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17. Armed Forces Bowl. BYU vs Tulsa: This may be a good game. BYU has actually had a good season and perhaps don't get their due. Tulsa is a good CUSA team but probably not much more. It may be close but I will go with Tulsa to upset the Cougars.<br />
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18. Pinstripe Bowl. Iowa St vs Rutgers: This might be a good game. It probably should not be played but it may be fun to watch none the less. Iowa State at 6-6 actually has had a successful season. .500 for the Cyclones is a pretty good season. Rutgers is a pretty good Big East team but that really does not say a lot. I will go with the Cyclones here in a close one. <br />
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19. Music City Bowl. Mississippi State vs Wake Forest: Two 6-6 teams going head to head. Interesting. I suppose since both schools are within driving distance of Nashville that the game will put some money into the community. At least that is something. The game itself? Trash. I will go with Wake Forest to edge the powerful Bulldogs. <br />
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20. Insight Bowl. Iowa vs Oklahoma: The Sooners will win this one hands down. They are probably better than their record. Iowa may not be as good as theirs.<br />
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21. Car Care Bowl: TAMU vs Northwestern: This one is stupid. At least it is not named after a furniture store this year. What are the Aggies even doing in a bowl? Northwestern also for that matter. The Aggies should win this game but probably won't. Horrible team for some reason. At least Sherman is gone and that has to help somewhat. Go with the Wildcats to edge the crew from College Station. <br />
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22. Sun Bowl. Georgia Tech vs Utah: This might be a decent game. Utah did not do real well this year and Georgia Tech has proven again to be pretenders. Go with the Utes in a close one.<br />
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23. Fight Hunger Bowl. UCLA vs Illinois: Well I have seen it all now. A team with a losing record playing in the post season. Illinois imploded this year and UCLA is just horrible. Go with Illinois. It may be close.<br />
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24. Liberty Bowl: Cincy vs Vandy: May be a pretty good game. Both schools are within driving distance of Memphis so there may be somewhat of a crowd. U of C is probably the better team but I think that Vandy will find a way to win.<br />
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25.Chick fill a Bowl. Virginia vs Auburn: The Cavs have improved greatly this season and Auburn fell off. That was to be expected though. This will be a close game and I will go with Virginia to win in an upset.<br />
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26. Ticket City Bowl: Houston vs PSU: PSU can't score. Houston can. Houston has some issues, as usual, on defense but should be able to run up the score here. Go with the Cougars. I feel bad for the PSU players. This season has been a disaster for them. I don't mean on the field of play.<br />
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27. Gator Bowl: Ohio State vs Florida: The Gator used to be a big time bowl. Not so much anymore it seems. Two 6-6 teams going at it. It appears that the locals just want to fill the stadium instead of having a quality match up. I will go with the Gators. I don't know why. <br />
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28. Capital One Bowl. Nebraska vs. South Carolina: This may be good. Both team are pretty decent but far from even approaching greatness. Both are well coached and it will come down to who makes the fewest mistakes. It is a toss up and I will go with South Carolina simply because I dislike the Cornhuskers. So much for objectivity.<br />
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29. Outback Bowl. Michigan State vs Georgia: This is a good game. Both are very good teams that had a few hick ups along the way. Georgia started out slow and that hurt them. MSU may be the better team here. Hard to say. Another toss up? I think so. MSU will find a way to beat the boys from Athens.<br />
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30. Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs Oregon: Another excellent match up. Both of these teams could, on a good day, be able to hang with Bama or LSU. I think the team from the frozen tundra will find a way to win here.<br />
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31. Fiesta Bowl. Stanford vs Oklahoma State: I actually think that Oklahoma State should be in in the "big game" but wasn't asked my opinion. The Cowboy are the better team here and will win. It may not be easy though.<br />
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32. Sugar Bowl. Michigan vs Virginia Tech: Boy New Orleans will see the money flowing in this year. Last night there was a larger than usual crowd at the New Orleans Bowl and now this and then of course the big game. Wow. I wonder what the economic impact is for the city with all this going on. Now the Sugar Bowl has always been a bit like Mardi Gras. A lot of boobies will be flashed and some folk will find themselves in Central Lock Up before all is said and done. That will suck for them but it is something they can tell their grandchildren. Oh yes. The game. Michigan will win. Virginia Tech has had a good year sure but they could not find a way to handle Clemson. That says something for sure. I would go with the Wolverines.<br />
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33. Orange Bowl: WVU vs Clemson: This is a BCS game? Oh well. Such is the system. That being said it may just be a good game to watch. WVU may be somewhat the better team but we will see. I go with WVU to win a close one.<br />
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34. Cotton Bowl: KSU vs Arkansas: An excellent match up. The Cotton really is one of the big bowls. Both of these are very very good teams but both have also had just a bit of luck to get where they are. This is a toss up but I think that the Hogs will have a hard time stopping the boring, but effective, offense of the Wildcats. Go with KSU in a very close game.<br />
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35. BBVA Compass Bowl. SMU vs Pitt: Well that P.O.S. Graham had done to the Panthers what he is known for doing. Winning with the prior coaches' players and then scooting. Oh well. This might yet be a good game. SMU is building and Pitt is in dissaray now. I go with the Mustangs to take advantage of that and edge the Panthers in a close one.<br />
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36. Go Daddy Bowl: Arkansas State vs Northern Illinois: A good game most likely. ASU coach has run off to Mississippi for some reason and that may hurt the Indians, err Red Wolves, somewhat. NIU is the better team and will win this one is a close one.<br />
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37. IAA (FCS) Championship Game: North Dakota State vs Sam Houston State: This will be a good game. I have watched both teams this year and have concluded that either would be able to compete in Division I this year. I think, after watching ND State yesterday, that they may be marginally the better team. I will go with the Bison to edge the Bearkats. The FCS (IAA), along with D2 and D3 do it the right way. <br />
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38. BCS "National Championship" Game: LSU vs Alabama: We have been here before. Hopefully there will be a bit more offense this time. LSU is the better team but will they be able to win? We will see. I go with another very close game that the Tigers will pull out of the hat. <br />
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It has been an interesting season for sure. The PSU thing has been a distraction and again the BCS system has caused further damage. It is best to just focus on the games instead of the nonsense.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-83922596471214341562011-12-18T05:59:00.001-08:002011-12-18T05:59:37.287-08:00More on This GrahamIt is being reported that Todd Graham did not have the decency (cajones?) to meet with the Pitt players after deciding to take the job at Arizona State. Typical. Todd Graham a douchebag? Who knew? Well actually I think a lot of folk know this. More learning every day.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-24791346129262294482011-12-18T04:59:00.000-08:002011-12-18T04:59:00.386-08:00The Bowl Season Begins 2011There was some fine Division I football played yesterday. No exaggeration. The MAC is 2-0 thus far and the MWC is 0-2. The Sun Belt is 1-0 and the WAC starts off at 0-1. <br />
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I did not watch much of the Temple/Wyoming game but it appears that Temple played the way they should have played all season. I still submit they are (or should be) the best team in the MAC.<br />
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Ohio surprised me a bit with a come back on the Aggies of Utah St. The last minute or so of that game was exciting and fun football.<br />
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The Cajuns are also a bit of a surprise. I thought that SDSU would handle them even in front of a hostile crowd at the "Mercedes" Super Dome. This coach seems to be the real deal. Wonder how long before he jumps to a "better" program. <br />
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Yep it was a fun day of football what with bowl games and lower division playoff games on tap. <br />
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Next up? The Beef O'Brady Bowl (the what?). This is one that should probably not be played. I will watch though being a fan of both the Sun Belt and CUSA.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-80209493104693854362011-12-17T16:18:00.000-08:002011-12-17T16:18:21.885-08:00Interesting FootballLast night I had two televisions going and watched both the DIII Championship Game and a IAA semi final. Pretty good football games. Congrats (again) to UW Whitewater. <br />
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Today Pittsburg State has won the D2 Championship by taking down Wayne State. Pretty good game also. <br />
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The best game of the day so far though was the ND State/Georgia Southern match up. The Bison pretty much took it to the boys from Georgia. If you recall this is the same Georgia Southern team that gave the Crimson Tide quite a problem a few weeks back. It is glaringly apparent to me that the best teams in IAA are capable of competing very well in the "Bowl Championship Subdivision." I would say that Georgia Southern would give the Georgia Bulldogs one hell of a hard time. It would think that Sam Houston State would certainly give most D1 teams in Texas fits, and I would bet that ND State could beat most of the Big Ten on any given day. Montana would probably have no trouble winning the WAC. <br />
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Now ND State will face off with SHSU in what should be a great game. These "lessor" divisions determine their national champion the real way. The right way. The BCS is ruining "big time" college ball. Give it some time and it will utterly destroy it.Bartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4538791377708510222.post-91201059135734645232011-12-17T05:46:00.000-08:002011-12-17T05:46:55.039-08:00Early Bowl Predictions 2011So far this season I sit at 198-82 in the won/loss column. I will try my hand at some of the early bowl prediction and see where I land.<br />
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Before we get to all that however, I must congratulate UW Whitewater for again besting the Purple Raiders of Mt Union to become the Division III Champs. Also last night I watched the SHSU/Montana game and was quite impressed. The game was not near as close as the score. SHSU shot themselves in the foot with penalties but for the most part had their way with the Grizz. They are probably the 2nd or third best team in the Texas college ranks. Will the Bearkats have what it takes to defeat Georgia Southern (who will win today) for the IAA Championship? We will see. On to the predictions.......<br />
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1. Pittsburg State vs Wayne State: Pittsburg State has been here before. One of the top programs in D2. They will be crowned division champion today. Go with the Gorillas.<br />
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2. Georgia Southern vs North Dakota State: I am going with Georgia Southern here. They gave the much ballyhooed Crimson Tide quite a scare earlier this season. I wish they would have won. North Dakota State is not far removed from D2 and has done a very good job in the IAA ranks. I will go with the team from Georgia to win and meet SHSU in the big game. Any team in the IAA semi finals would be a top 25 team in the ranks of D1 this year.<br />
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Now we come to the bowls. Too many of these games are of the "who cares" variety to be sure. A lot of 6-6 records there. 6-6 does not a post season team make in my humble opinion but no one asks me. I don't know why. That being said.....<br />
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3. New Mexico Bowl. Temple Vs Wyoming: Temple was a bit of a disappointment this year and Wyoming had a pretty good MWC season. A decent MWC team these Cowboys. This may be a good one and I will go with Wyoming in a close one. <br />
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4. Idaho Potato Bowl. Utah State vs Ohio: Utah State had a better than expected year but at 7-5 it is a bit hard to say they deserve a post season bid. Ohio had a good year in the Mid American and possibly deserves to go somewhere. Idaho it is...Utah State will again play above their potential here and win this one. Go with these particular Aggies from Utah.<br />
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5. New Orleans Bowl. San Diego State vs Louisiana Lafayette: Both teams had pretty darn good seasons. The Cajuns are a good Sun Belt team and SDSU is a good MWC team. This might be a good game. A good bit of money will be spent in the French Quarter and it would be nice to be there. Which team is the better? Probably SDSU. The Cajuns loss to Arizona is enough to give anyone pause. I will go with the Aztecs here to win. Hope not though. I am a Cajuns fan through and through. All apologies to Jayhawk.<br />
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6. Beef O'Brady's Bowl. FIU vs Marshall: This one should not be played probably. FIU is marginally deserving of a post season of sorts but Marshall is not. FIU was disappointing this season and I have not heard Mario Cristobal's name being thrown around as much now as the next "savior" of a downtrodden "big time" program. That being said, the Panthers should be able to take it to the Herd. Go with FIU.<br />
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7. Poinsettia Bowl. TCU vs Louisiana Tech: Tech deserves this bowl as the winner of the WAC. That conference race was down to the wire. TCU perhaps deserves somewhat of a better game, but it is not to be so. The Bulldogs may surprise though. They are a pretty good, very under the radar, team. It may be close but I will go with the Frogs here. <br />
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8. MAACO Bowl. Arizona State vs Boise State: This is hands down the most stupid of all the bowl games this year. Boise State belongs in a BCS, or a least a top tier non BCS bowl. Arizona State deserves no post season game at all. It is likely the Bronco players really don't want to be there and that <em>may</em> make the game somewhat closer than it should be. Boise State will win though. Probably rather easily. <br />
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9. Hawaii Bowl. Southern Miss vs Nevada: USM deserves a bowl and I suppose this one is decent. Nevada took it down to the wire in the WAC but fell just short. USM is the better team this year and should win this one. They do have a tendency to play down to the competition though. Remember the UAB game? They will have to bring the team that beat Houston and leave the squad that lost to the Blazers at the airport.<br />
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I will put the rest of the Bowl Predictions up later in the week. Have a good time and enjoy the gamesBartender Cabbiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05623813045706584212noreply@blogger.com0