As the first month of 2011 comes to a close, I wouldn’t even know it if there wasn’t the constant reminder of the date and time on the bottom right hand corner of my laptop and the fact that the Super Bowl is just eight days away (I’ll get to that in a week). Every night when I sit down to watch an NBA game that starts at 7 pm, it feels like I’m watching a playoff game. This is partly because the sun is still up and it is 70 degrees out, and I will never ever complain about this. I think it’s also because I am the definition of a student of the game when it comes to the NBA. I would say I follow college football, college basketball and NFL more than the average person. When it comes to the NBA, I would put myself in the 98th percentile. To illustrate this, let me tell you that I have watched a majority of at least fifteen Minnesota Timberwolves games because of the purchase of the NBA League Pass. Why? Because watching Kevin Love is an absolute treat (I am convinced he would have been a rival to Bob Pettit if he had played in the late 1950’s) and because Michael Beasley is playing like we expected him to when he was a freshman at Kansas State. You give me any two NBA teams, I can name you a good reason to watch the game and I’ll happily hand over two and a half hours of my day. For me, the NBA League Pass is a wet dream. You’re telling me that I can watch any and every NBA game?!?! Sign me up! In fact, for three years running I have been signed up, and loved every minute of it. For most people, when College Football ends and the Super Bowl champion is decided, it’s a time of mourning. For this guy, it just allows me to dive further into the NBA, and continue to learn about the sport I enjoy the most. So, after watching countless hours of NBA action over the first half of the season, what exactly do I know? Well, I’m not sure.
THINGS I KNOW
I know: The NBA is more talented now than it has been in over 20 years. In my NBA Preview I mentioned that right now we are in a Golden Age in Point Guards. Well as a whole, the NBA is currently in a Diamond Age. That’s a fact. Want proof? Here’s proof: In an attempt to make a list of the top 25 players based strictly on this season alone to compare to the 1986-1987 season which is commonly considered the Golden Age of the NBA, my first skim through of all current rosters left me with 41 players. 41 players can make quality arguments to make the top 25. That isn’t because there is an overall lack of great players. It’s because that many players are THAT good. After some evaluation, I narrowed it down to 25 current players to compare to the top 25 players that played in 1987.
2010-2011: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard, Derrick Rose, Carmelo Anthony, Blake Griffin, Amare Stoudemire, Kevin Love, Rajon Rondo, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Russell Westbrook, Pau Gasol, Manu Ginobili, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Monta Ellis, Eric Gordon, Lamar Odom, Steve Nash, Carlos Boozer
1986-1987: Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish, Moses Malone, Julius Erving, Isiah Thomas, Dominique Wilkins, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, Karl Malone, John Stockton, Alex English, Patrick Ewing, Adrian Dantley, Joe Dumars, Dennis Johnson, Tom Chambers, Rolando Blackmon, Mark Aguirre, Fat Lever
The current list isn’t even including Shaquille O’Neal, Jason Kidd, Tim Duncan, Chauncey Billups, Ray Allen, and Vince Carter, who are all at the twilight of their careers and all future Hall of Famers (comparable to Kareem, Moses and Dr. J in the 80’s list.) Now you know why I love the NBA so damn much.
I know: I need to stay neutral when talking about the Heat. You have to understand, it’s hard for me to stay level headed when talking about Miami, especially when there was so much hype before the season. Then they were so disappointing at the beginning of the season, starting 9-8. Since then, they went on a 23 game run where they were the hottest team in the league and currently sit at 32-14. Before the season I was talking about how people were going to hate me because I loved the Heat so much. I was even planning a trip to the victory parade. One month into the season I was talking about how I wished LeBron had never left Cleveland. I even wrote an imaginary answer to him as if he was asking me “What should I do” like he did in his Nike commercial. Right now I could easily hop back on the Heat Championship Bandwagon, but I’m going to choose not to. Why? Because, even though LeBron, Wade and Bosh have looked absolutely unstoppable playing together at some points, they still have their weaknesses (lack of depth, times where they play with no chemistry, unproven point guards, offensively challenged big guys highlighted by the atrocious Erick Dampier.) To conclude, I will say this: If the Heat play as well as they have since their 9-8 start, in particular their blowout wins at Cleveland, at New York and at Los Angeles and defining close wins at Washington where they had no business winning and at Portland where LeBron went off for 44 points and looked like he was truly embracing being a villain, they could not only make the NBA Finals, but they can rip through the league like we have never seen before… Damn it, just when I was doing good not hyping them up too much I ruined it with that last statement!
I know: We shouldn’t write off the Lakers just yet. I made that mistake last year with the Celtics and I’m not going to do it again. It’s kind of like 3 years ago when I decided to throw out my Sega Genesis. I had a PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo 64. The Sega Genesis was outdated; the graphics were poor and games on the newer systems were much more advanced. It was lost in the shuffle compared to the newer, flashier game systems I had, so I let it go. About two weeks after the Sega was gone, I realized I made a HUGE mistake. I had lost old reliable. I could no longer enjoy playing Sonic the Hedgehog, WWF Royal Rumble or Shaq Fu (secretly one of the most fun video games in the history of video games.) That’s what teams like the Lakers and Celtics are. They are the Sega Genesis of the NBA. Just when you write them off for looking beat down and disinterested, just like the Celtics looked last year and the Lakers have at times this year, you remember that they play solid defense and terrific team ball, they have a great coach and they have a ton of playoff experience. I threw out my Sega and regretted it. I hoped that the Cavaliers would play Boston in the playoffs last year and I ended up regretting it. I’m not going to write off the two time defending champs. Plus they have a guy named Kobe Bryant who is an absolute assassin, and even if he is hurting he will rip your heart out and eat it in during the playoffs.
I know: There is only one legitimate title contender is Texas. Sorry Mark Cuban, go out and spend money on a player besides a Center and I’ll consider taking you seriously as a Championship contender. In all seriousness, I do like the signing of Tyson Chandler and I like the way the Mavericks started off the season, but I like San Antonio more. Obviously San Antonio has proven this year that they can sustain a good start and in years past they have proven they win in the playoffs. Wait a second, that happened last year in the first round when 7 seed San Antonio beat the 2 seed Dallas. The thing that is different about this Spurs team compared to the Spurs teams of the past three seasons is that they have a lot of guys who can make plays. I like the young faces (DeJuan Blair, George Hill and Gary Neal) that complement the Spurs big three (Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili). If Duncan, Parker, and Manu can remain rested throughout the season, they will be a force in the west. 39-7 starts usually don’t lie.
THINGS I THINK I KNOW
I think I know: Blake Griffin will be considered one of the five best players in the NBA at this point next season. Originally, I planned on writing here that Blake Griffin would be a top five player in five years. That is a given, so I had to change it. In my 2010 NBA Preview, when talking about Blake Griffin I claimed “He can dominate like no power forward has.” It was a bold statement for sure and possibly… eh most likely correct. Right now Griffin is averaging a staggering 22.6 ppg, 12.8 rpg, 52% shooting. Only six rookies ever have had better numbers than Griffin (Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlain, Walt Bellamy, Elvin Hayes and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Shaquille O’Neal. FYI- Those six will all be in the Hall of Fame.) Single handedly Griffin has made the Clippers a top three watchable team in the league, he somehow managed to get Baron Davis to care about playing basketball, which is a minor miracle and with the help of Eric Gordon the Clippers are surging in the Western Conference playoff picture. He already has a top ten dunks video on YouTube halfway through his rookie year (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gG4W0L41FI). The fact that his defensive effort and ability is appalling needs to mentioned, in fact it’s equally as bad as his offensive is good. But let’s not dwell on the bad. Let’s focus on the fact that I was right. Blake Griffin will most likely be a top five player next season, if not by the end of this season... And within five years Blake Griffin may be dominating the league like no power forward ever has. And to go along with this…
I think I know: If the NBA Draft Lottery was fixed (as many people suggest) and Blake Griffin would’ve ended up being drafted by Oklahoma City #1 in 2009, the Thunder would be the best team in the league. Griffin is going to end up being worth at least 20 wins by himself in Los Angeles, and Oklahoma City is already a 50 win team. The glaring absence for this Thunder team is the lack of an inside scorer/consistent rebounder (surprisingly Nick Collison and Nenad Kristic don’t give the Thunder those qualities.) Griffin supplies both of those. Plus he makes Oklahoma City easily the most athletic team in the NBA, starting at power forward with Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha, Kevin Durant, and Serge Ibaka. This doubles as the most exciting starting line-up in the league. In fact it almost guarantees you at least three “Holy **** I’ve never seen that in a basketball game before!” moments every game. If only the draft lottery was actually fixed.
I think I know: The Knicks are better off not acquiring Carmelo Anthony before the trade deadline. New York needs to wait for July when they can acquire Carmelo Anthony and not have to break up their nucleus, which is playing better than expected. Right now the Knicks are 24-22 and in sixth place in the Eastern Conference. I understand that Carmelo Anthony could make a huge difference for this Knicks team and push them into the same category as the elite Eastern Conference teams like Boston, Orlando, Miami and Chicago. He could also screw over the Knicks season. In all likelihood, the Knicks would need to give up some combination of the following players: Wilson Chandler (Second best scoring option on the team, good rebounder at the small forward position, adamantly wants to stay in New York), Landry Fields (If it weren’t for Blake Griffin he may be the Rookie of the Year), Danilo Gallinari (Lights out shooter, a good third scoring option), Raymond Felton (Having a career year and seems to be flourishing under D’Antoni’s coaching style). Why break up a nucleus that has ignited Madison Square Garden like no Knicks team has in over a decade? Carmelo seems intent on not wanting to sign an extension with New Jersey or any other team, and I can’t really blame him. He wants to be a Knick and play with Amare Stoudemire and potentially another big name star. So Knicks fan shouldn’t be so eager to get their hands on Carmelo. Good things come to those who wait, and that’s exactly what New York should do.
I think I know: Jimmer Fredette will be a good NBA player. I know that this doesn’t really relate to the whole current NBA theme I have going on, but he needs to be mentioned because he SHOULD win the Naismith Award this year, and there is a very good chance he can lead BYU on a tournament run similar to runs players like Carmelo Anthony and Stephen Curry have led. His ball-handling skills are severely underrated, his craftiness around the basket is awesome to watch, and as of right now I don’t know where his shooting range ends, because he nails at least one insanely, borderline stupid, deep three every game. Do I think he is going to score at the rate he does now in the NBA? Not necessarily, but I do think he can give a team some really good minutes at either point guard or shooting guard. I’ll put it this way: I’d feel better with him at point guard of the Heat than I do with Mario Chalmers, Carlos Arroyo or Eddie House.
THINGS I DON’T KNOW
I don’t know: Why God’s hatred for the Blazers has surpassed the Clippers. It’s quite a claim and here is the evidence that I am correct:
-Bill Walton’s inability able to stay healthy after the 1977 Championship season at a time when the NBA was weak. Portland should’ve had at least one or two more titles.
-The #2 Pick from Kentucky, Sam Bouie. The #3 Pick from North Carolina, Michael Jordan.
-Clyde Drexler being thrown to the wolves (Michael Jordan) in the 1992 NBA Finals.
-Zach Randolph, Rasheed Wallace, Bonzi Wells and Shawn Kemp playing on the same team in the late 1990’s/early 2000’s. They most likely set the record for technical fouls, and combined children.
-The #1 Pick from Ohio State, Greg Oden. The #2 Pick from Texas, Kevin Durant.
-Greg Oden’s dong picture.
-Clippers drafting Blake Griffin.
-Finding out Brandon Roy’s ligaments and tendons in his knee are made out of tissue paper.
I don’t know: How am I going to dress for the March 10th meeting between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat, a game which myself and my good friend Collin Stucko will be going to. Quickly, I must mention that Collin won our first annual confidence picks pool for the College Football Bowl Games. Here is his prize: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEw3Sd8Ll0c . Anyways, we will be in attendance for the much anticipated rematch between the Lakers and the Heat and I am not sure what I will be wearing to this spectacle. I do know that I am going all out and I expect the same from my good friend Collin. Thanks to various family members Christmas gifts, I have plenty of options to consider. I should also add that this won’t be my first Heat game of the year. Monday I will be going to the Cavaliers at Heat game. I’m just living the dream.
I don’t know: Who is going to win the NBA Title. But I do know that as of right now there are five teams that can win it. Obviously Los Angeles as the defending champions fall into this category. The Boston Celtics do as well. The remaining three teams are the Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, and San Antonio Spurs. A lot can and will change between now and April when the playoffs begin. By the way, just mentioning the playoffs gives me a fuzzy feeling inside, because they could easily end up the best playoffs of the decade. Here is how one could break down each of these five teams.
Here is how these teams break down:
1-Best/5- Worst ranking each category based on Playoffs alone.
Point Guard- 1: Boston, 2: San Antonio, 3: Los Angeles, 4: Orlando, 5: Miami
Shooting Guard-1: Los Angeles, 2: Miami, 3: San Antonio, 4: Boston, 5: Orlando
Small Forward- 1: Miami, 2: Boston, 3: Orlando, 4: Los Angeles, 5: San Antonio
Power Forward- 1: Boston, 2: Los Angeles, 3: Miami, 4: Orlando, 5: San Antonio
Center- 1: Orlando, 2: San Antonio, 3: Los Angeles, 4: Boston, 5: Miami
Bench- 1: Los Angeles, 2: Boston, 3: Orlando, 4: Miami, 5: San Antonio
Coaching- 1: Los Angeles, T2: Boston, T2: San Antonio, 4: Orlando, 5: Miami
Star Power- 1: Miami, 2: Los Angeles, 3: Boston, 4: San Antonio, 5: Orlando
Boston- 19, San Antonio- 28, Los Angeles- 17, Miami- 26, Orlando- 29
I don’t know: How many times I need to bring it up before someone does something about it… Please bring it back!!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UooitEU6AtE
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
College Basketball Podcast
Phil "Poncho" Ostroski comes to The Captain's Corner to discuss College Basketball.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
NFL Conference Championship (Plus Podcast)
I’ve been on a month long column hiatus, and for a good reason. I was enjoying every second of my winter break and even though I don’t consider this work (It’s fun, I don’t get paid for it, and it’s easy for me) I still decided to hold off on writing a column. With that being said, I have one question: How the hell did we get here? We’ve reached the NFL’s final four, and the last time I wrote anything for my blog, there were legitimate cases why I wouldn’t be talking about any of the teams left.
Let’s start with my Chicago Bears who for the last four months I have been very critical of, and for good reason. Here is a short list of things that I don’t like about the Bears.
-Jay Cutler is Brett Favre Jr. Translation: He could make plays that win your team a game, but he could also mistake his arm for a cannon and throw into triple coverage when your team is protecting a three point lead. On top of this, the offensive line “protecting” Cutler nearly got him killed week four when they allowed nine sacks in the first half.
-Lovie Smith is only one level of excitement higher than Jim Caldwell. If you aren’t aware, Lovie Smith is peeling an orange level exciting and Jim Caldwell is watching paint dry exciting. It bugs me. I can’t imagine how Colts fans feel. Also, has there ever been a worse coaching decision than Caldwell’s inexplicable time out versus the Jets? I’ve played Madden with some people who know nothing about football, and they wouldn’t dare calling a time out in that situation. It defied common sense.
-They’ve been exceedingly lucky this year. I’m a believer in the theory that it is better to be lucky than good, but the Bears seem to make a habit of this. Week 1 versus Detroit Calvin Johnson’s game winning touchdown somehow gets overturned and ruled an incomplete pass. Week 3 versus Green Bay the Packers committed what seemed to be like 100 penalties and the Bears won by three. In Week 11 at Miami the Bears defense had to deal with the grueling task of playing against backup quarterback Tyler Thigpen, who is actually worse than Chad Henne. Then they get dealt the 8-9 Seattle Seahawks in their first playoff game. This is after the Seahawks put everything into a home win versus New Orleans two weeks ago. Their luck has to run out eventually, right?
On the other side of the ball Sunday at Soldier Field will be the Green Bay Packers. Really you couldn’t ask for a better NFC Championship matchup (unless you were a Saints, Falcons, Eagles or Seahawks fan). It’s the oldest rivalry in the NFL. The two teams split their two regular season meetings. Both teams are playing their best football of the season. It’s going to be a war. And if it weren’t for a Packers win over Chicago in week 17 this matchup wouldn’t be possible. Once upon a time Green Bay was 8-6 and slipping out of the playoff picture. Now they are the Vegas favorites to win the Super Bowl. Again, how the hell did we get here?
In the AFC we have the New York Jets visiting Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers. How about this for a fun fact: This season Mark Sanchez has already defeated the last three AFC quarterbacks who have won a Super Bowl (Tom Brady- two times, Peyton Manning- one time, Ben Roethlisberger- one time, and potentially a second time) and there is a chance he could do it three consecutive weeks in a row. Maybe it’s time we stop doubting this guy, huh?
Both of these teams had their issues coming into the playoffs though. The Jets lost three of their last five games coming into the playoffs including the well documented 42 point beat down in Foxborough. The Steelers remained consistent and even ended the regular season by winning six of their last seven games. The only problem is their team is as beat up as Ronnie and Sammi’s relationship is. Ben Roethlisberger’s body is close to being totally broken, and his nose is completely on the right side of his face. Accountable for this problem is the Steelers offensive line which is now made up of any 300 plus pound men who live in Pittsburgh.
NFC Championship
Halas, Lombardi, Butkus, Nitschke, Payton, Favre. It’s the most storied rivalry in football, and somehow these teams have only played in one playoff game ever and it was in 1941. I didn’t watch that game, so I have no idea how much that game was built up, how much trash talk was dished out prior to the game or how the game was played. I do know that as a football fan this meeting is something to be excited about. The NFC Championship should be decided at cold and snowy Soldier Field. It just makes sense. The Bears have yet to play a flawless game and look unbeatable. I don’t know if that means it’s bound to come or like I mentioned above, they are lucky. The Packers and Aaron Rodgers in particular are clicking in a scary way… well scary if you are a Bears fan like I am. Last week in Atlanta, where the Falcons had lost only twice in the last three seasons, the Packers put on an offensive clinic for the ages on their way to a 48-21 blowout win. Aaron Rodgers- 31-36, 366 yards, 4 total touchdowns. Um, that’s really really good! The Bears looked impressive as well in a 35-24 win over Seattle. That 11 point win was at one point a 28-0 lead before Mike Martz inexplicably dialed up a Halfback Pass. Hey Mike, it’s no time to be cute when you are up 28-3. How about we run the ball? That’s a good idea. The bottom line is both of these teams are getting hot at the right time. Rodgers has been lights out, and Cutler is coming off his smoothest game of the year. It’s a toss-up, and especially because the poor weather conditions could help contain the high octane Packers offense, but ultimately I trust Rodgers more than I trust Cutler. Damn it!
Prediction: Packers 27 Bears 21
AFC Championship
This game becomes a lot more difficult to predict due to the fashion in which the Jets won last week over New England. I mean the Jets really walked all over the Patriots. The Jets defense put their foot down and stopped the explosive New England offense. It’s a good thing the Jets won too. They were doing a lot of trash talking and would’ve need to put their foot in their mouth if they lost… Okay, I had to get at least three Rex Ryan foot jokes in. The Jets defeated Pittsburgh on December 19th in a very close game that could’ve been won on the final play by Pittsburgh. I think the key in this game each teams ability to protect their quarterback. For Pittsburgh, it’s going to be difficult enough for an offensive line which is decimated, plus the Jets can unleash all types of blitzes on Pittsburgh. What really stood out in the last round though was the Jets coverage downfield. They were getting pressure on Brady with only three rushers mainly due to the fact that their defensive backs were suffocating the Patriots receivers. If they can cover as well as they did against New England, and get pressure on AND bring down Roethlisberger with only three rushers like they did with Brady, the Jets will be going to the Super Bowl. Much like the NFC Championship game, I won’t be surprised by any result in this one. I just think the Jets make more plays on both sides of the ball, and Rex Ryan moves another step toward reaching the top of the football world. Step toward… That’s kind of a foot joke.
Prediction: Jets 20 Steelers 17
Paul Clark and I discuss Jersey Shore and the Conference Championship games.
Let’s start with my Chicago Bears who for the last four months I have been very critical of, and for good reason. Here is a short list of things that I don’t like about the Bears.
-Jay Cutler is Brett Favre Jr. Translation: He could make plays that win your team a game, but he could also mistake his arm for a cannon and throw into triple coverage when your team is protecting a three point lead. On top of this, the offensive line “protecting” Cutler nearly got him killed week four when they allowed nine sacks in the first half.
-Lovie Smith is only one level of excitement higher than Jim Caldwell. If you aren’t aware, Lovie Smith is peeling an orange level exciting and Jim Caldwell is watching paint dry exciting. It bugs me. I can’t imagine how Colts fans feel. Also, has there ever been a worse coaching decision than Caldwell’s inexplicable time out versus the Jets? I’ve played Madden with some people who know nothing about football, and they wouldn’t dare calling a time out in that situation. It defied common sense.
-They’ve been exceedingly lucky this year. I’m a believer in the theory that it is better to be lucky than good, but the Bears seem to make a habit of this. Week 1 versus Detroit Calvin Johnson’s game winning touchdown somehow gets overturned and ruled an incomplete pass. Week 3 versus Green Bay the Packers committed what seemed to be like 100 penalties and the Bears won by three. In Week 11 at Miami the Bears defense had to deal with the grueling task of playing against backup quarterback Tyler Thigpen, who is actually worse than Chad Henne. Then they get dealt the 8-9 Seattle Seahawks in their first playoff game. This is after the Seahawks put everything into a home win versus New Orleans two weeks ago. Their luck has to run out eventually, right?
On the other side of the ball Sunday at Soldier Field will be the Green Bay Packers. Really you couldn’t ask for a better NFC Championship matchup (unless you were a Saints, Falcons, Eagles or Seahawks fan). It’s the oldest rivalry in the NFL. The two teams split their two regular season meetings. Both teams are playing their best football of the season. It’s going to be a war. And if it weren’t for a Packers win over Chicago in week 17 this matchup wouldn’t be possible. Once upon a time Green Bay was 8-6 and slipping out of the playoff picture. Now they are the Vegas favorites to win the Super Bowl. Again, how the hell did we get here?
In the AFC we have the New York Jets visiting Pittsburgh to take on the Steelers. How about this for a fun fact: This season Mark Sanchez has already defeated the last three AFC quarterbacks who have won a Super Bowl (Tom Brady- two times, Peyton Manning- one time, Ben Roethlisberger- one time, and potentially a second time) and there is a chance he could do it three consecutive weeks in a row. Maybe it’s time we stop doubting this guy, huh?
Both of these teams had their issues coming into the playoffs though. The Jets lost three of their last five games coming into the playoffs including the well documented 42 point beat down in Foxborough. The Steelers remained consistent and even ended the regular season by winning six of their last seven games. The only problem is their team is as beat up as Ronnie and Sammi’s relationship is. Ben Roethlisberger’s body is close to being totally broken, and his nose is completely on the right side of his face. Accountable for this problem is the Steelers offensive line which is now made up of any 300 plus pound men who live in Pittsburgh.
NFC Championship
Halas, Lombardi, Butkus, Nitschke, Payton, Favre. It’s the most storied rivalry in football, and somehow these teams have only played in one playoff game ever and it was in 1941. I didn’t watch that game, so I have no idea how much that game was built up, how much trash talk was dished out prior to the game or how the game was played. I do know that as a football fan this meeting is something to be excited about. The NFC Championship should be decided at cold and snowy Soldier Field. It just makes sense. The Bears have yet to play a flawless game and look unbeatable. I don’t know if that means it’s bound to come or like I mentioned above, they are lucky. The Packers and Aaron Rodgers in particular are clicking in a scary way… well scary if you are a Bears fan like I am. Last week in Atlanta, where the Falcons had lost only twice in the last three seasons, the Packers put on an offensive clinic for the ages on their way to a 48-21 blowout win. Aaron Rodgers- 31-36, 366 yards, 4 total touchdowns. Um, that’s really really good! The Bears looked impressive as well in a 35-24 win over Seattle. That 11 point win was at one point a 28-0 lead before Mike Martz inexplicably dialed up a Halfback Pass. Hey Mike, it’s no time to be cute when you are up 28-3. How about we run the ball? That’s a good idea. The bottom line is both of these teams are getting hot at the right time. Rodgers has been lights out, and Cutler is coming off his smoothest game of the year. It’s a toss-up, and especially because the poor weather conditions could help contain the high octane Packers offense, but ultimately I trust Rodgers more than I trust Cutler. Damn it!
Prediction: Packers 27 Bears 21
AFC Championship
This game becomes a lot more difficult to predict due to the fashion in which the Jets won last week over New England. I mean the Jets really walked all over the Patriots. The Jets defense put their foot down and stopped the explosive New England offense. It’s a good thing the Jets won too. They were doing a lot of trash talking and would’ve need to put their foot in their mouth if they lost… Okay, I had to get at least three Rex Ryan foot jokes in. The Jets defeated Pittsburgh on December 19th in a very close game that could’ve been won on the final play by Pittsburgh. I think the key in this game each teams ability to protect their quarterback. For Pittsburgh, it’s going to be difficult enough for an offensive line which is decimated, plus the Jets can unleash all types of blitzes on Pittsburgh. What really stood out in the last round though was the Jets coverage downfield. They were getting pressure on Brady with only three rushers mainly due to the fact that their defensive backs were suffocating the Patriots receivers. If they can cover as well as they did against New England, and get pressure on AND bring down Roethlisberger with only three rushers like they did with Brady, the Jets will be going to the Super Bowl. Much like the NFC Championship game, I won’t be surprised by any result in this one. I just think the Jets make more plays on both sides of the ball, and Rex Ryan moves another step toward reaching the top of the football world. Step toward… That’s kind of a foot joke.
Prediction: Jets 20 Steelers 17
Paul Clark and I discuss Jersey Shore and the Conference Championship games.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Jersey Shore Podcast
Immediately after the Season Three premier of Jersey Shore, Paul Clark and I discuss what just transpired, and what we expect to see throughout the season.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Bowl Preview Podcast and Confidence Picks
Pauley Clark- 1- Ohio, 2- Texas Tech, 3- Kentucky, 4- Stanford, 5- UTEP, 6- Fresno State, 7- Louisville, 8- Air Force, 9- Miami FL, 10- Kansas State, 11- Auburn, 12- Clemson, 13- Arkansas, 14- South Carolina, 15- North Carolina, 16- North Carolina State, 17- LSU, 18- Miami of Ohio, 19- Wisconsin, 20- Georgia, 21- Missouri, 22- Maryland, 23- Toledo, 24- San Diego State, 25- Baylor, 26- Florida, 27- Mississippi State, 28- Alabama, 29- Oklahoma State, 30- Hawaii, 31- SMU, 32- Nevada, 33- Nebraska, 34- Oklahoma, 35- Boise State
Sonny “The Captain” Giuliano- 1- Troy, 2- Pittsburgh, 3- Southern Mississippi, 4- Fresno State, 5- Arkansas, 6- Stanford, 7- Miami FL, 8- Clemson, 9- Georgia Tech, 10- Georgia, 11- Auburn, 12- North Carolina, 13- LSU, 14- Kansas State, 15- North Carolina State, 16- Baylor, 17- San Diego State, 18- Texas Tech, 19- Toledo, 20- South Carolina, 21- Maryland, 22- Alabama, 23- Mississippi State, 24- Miami of Ohio, 25- SMU, 26- BYU, 27- Missouri, 28- Florida, 29- Hawaii, 30- Wisconsin, 31- Oklahoma State, 32- Nevada, 33- Oklahoma, 34- Nebraska, 35- Boise State
Dr. Collin Stucko- 1- Nevada, 2- Middle Tennessee, 3- South Florida, 4- Troy, 5- Fresno State, 6- Baylor, 7- Army, 8- Oklahoma State, 9- Maryland, 10- Missouri, 11- Toledo, 12- Tulsa, 13- Southern Mississippi, 14- Georgia Tech, 15- BYU, 16- Boise State, 17- San Diego State, 18- West Virginia, 19- Syracuse, 20- Georgia, 21- Miami FL, 22- Florida State, 23- Michigan, 24- LSU, 25- Oklahoma, 26- TCU, 27- North Carolina, 28- Penn State, 29- Pittsburgh, 30- Ohio State, 31- Alabama, 32- Texas Tech, 33- Stanford, 34- Nebraska, 35- Auburn
Copy and Paste Links
Bowl Preview Podcast Part 1
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/audioPop.jsp?episodeId=429431&cmd=apop
Bowl Preview Podcast Part 2
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/audioPop.jsp?episodeId=429459&cmd=apop
Sonny “The Captain” Giuliano- 1- Troy, 2- Pittsburgh, 3- Southern Mississippi, 4- Fresno State, 5- Arkansas, 6- Stanford, 7- Miami FL, 8- Clemson, 9- Georgia Tech, 10- Georgia, 11- Auburn, 12- North Carolina, 13- LSU, 14- Kansas State, 15- North Carolina State, 16- Baylor, 17- San Diego State, 18- Texas Tech, 19- Toledo, 20- South Carolina, 21- Maryland, 22- Alabama, 23- Mississippi State, 24- Miami of Ohio, 25- SMU, 26- BYU, 27- Missouri, 28- Florida, 29- Hawaii, 30- Wisconsin, 31- Oklahoma State, 32- Nevada, 33- Oklahoma, 34- Nebraska, 35- Boise State
Dr. Collin Stucko- 1- Nevada, 2- Middle Tennessee, 3- South Florida, 4- Troy, 5- Fresno State, 6- Baylor, 7- Army, 8- Oklahoma State, 9- Maryland, 10- Missouri, 11- Toledo, 12- Tulsa, 13- Southern Mississippi, 14- Georgia Tech, 15- BYU, 16- Boise State, 17- San Diego State, 18- West Virginia, 19- Syracuse, 20- Georgia, 21- Miami FL, 22- Florida State, 23- Michigan, 24- LSU, 25- Oklahoma, 26- TCU, 27- North Carolina, 28- Penn State, 29- Pittsburgh, 30- Ohio State, 31- Alabama, 32- Texas Tech, 33- Stanford, 34- Nebraska, 35- Auburn
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Bowl Preview Podcast Part 1
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/audioPop.jsp?episodeId=429431&cmd=apop
Bowl Preview Podcast Part 2
http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/audioPop.jsp?episodeId=429459&cmd=apop
Time To Go Bowling
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! Christmas songs are on the radio. Holiday cheer is being spread. The Christmas tree is beautifully lit and decorated in my living room. People are kissing under the mistletoe and roasting chestnuts on an open fire (Yupp, I just turned back the clocks 50 years, because I have never once seen either of those two Christmas traditions occur in real life.) It’s a winter wonderland outside… oh wait, I’m not in New York anymore. No winter wonderland for me. But that’s okay, because I’m filled with the Christmas Spirit. Not only is it Christmas season, but it is Bowl Season too. This year my interest in the college football bowl games is higher than usual. Why? I’m not quite sure. Maybe it is because I wrote a totally awesome paper on why College Football should turn to a playoff in English class for college. Maybe it’s just because I have watched more college football this year than I ever have. Whatever the reason may be, I am just as ready for Bowl Season as I am for Christmas Season.
Just to remind everyone, I do still have a serious problem with the BCS. I feel that my playoff system solves all problems, including world peace, lack of oil and global warming. In case anyone was wondering, this is what the Playoff Bracket would look like.
Holiday Bowl- 1. Auburn vs. 16. Alabama
Music City Bowl- 8. Arkansas vs. 9. Michigan State
Alamo Bowl- 5. Stanford vs. 12. Virginia Tech
Outback Bowl- 4. Wisconsin vs. 13. Missouri
Insight Bowl- 6. Ohio State vs. 11. LSU
Independence Bowl- 3. TCU vs. 14. Nevada
Chick-Fil-A Bowl- 7. Oklahoma vs. 10. Boise State
Liberty Bowl- 2. Oregon vs. 15. Oklahoma State
Because it’s the season for giving, I’m going to give the BCS a break. And I’m going to enjoy the BCS. In fact, there is something I will be able to enjoy about each bowl game, all 35 of them. Here are the bowl games in order of when they will be played. You will also notice that all of the winners will have a number between 1 and 35 next to them. This is my confidence level in the game (35 being most confident, 1 being least confident.) Yes indeed, the Captain is going all out with this bowl preview. That is my present to all of you readers. A totally kick-ass College Football Bowl Game preview, which I guarantee will be the best one you read (well, at least top 10.)
New Mexico Bowl- BYU vs. UTEP (December 18, 2 p.m. ESPN)
-The fact that this is the first game of the bowl season excites the hell out of me. The only other thing about that game that excites me is BYU runningback JJ Di Luigi.
Winner: BYU (26)
UDrove Humanitarian Bowl- Northern Illinois vs. Fresno State (December 18, 5:30 p.m. ESPN)
-Northern Illinois had a terrific season. Going 10-2 in the regular season, 8-0 in MAC conference play. However, Coach Jerry Kill decided to “chuck a deuce” and leave the Huskies to coach for the Gophers of Minnesota. Fresno State is bowl eligible for a fourth straight season. Three of their four losses were to WAC powerhouses Hawaii, Nevada and Boise State. Fresno State running back Robbie Rouse was a 1,000 yard rusher this season, and I expect him to lead the Bulldogs to victory. The key in this game is Fresno State coach Pat Hill. He will be coaching with a lot of confidence due to the fact that Dave Wannstedt is no longer coaching. Pat Hill has taken over the number one ranking for Best Mustache by a Coach.
Winner: Fresno State (4)
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl- Ohio vs. Troy (December 18, 9 p.m. ESPN)
-A must see match-up between MAC and Sun Belt. Can’t get much better than that, right? Well the night cap on the first night of bowl season may be a good one. Unfortunately, it’s between two teams that don’t matter much.
Winner: Troy (1)
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl- Southern Mississippi vs. Louisville (December 21, 8 p.m. ESPN)
-Former Florida Defensive Coordinator Charlie Strong is taking the Cardinals to a bowl game in his first season as head coach. Hopefully he can get his Louisville defense to play the way his Florida defenses had in the past. Southern Miss has scored over 30 points in all but two games this season.
Winner: Southern Miss (3)
MAACO Las Vegas Bowl- Utah vs. Boise State (December 22, 8 p.m. ESPN)
-This one is simple. Boise State is overwhelmingly better than Utah, and they are pissed off. I don’t care what conference they come from, or who they played. Boise State is good enough to play in a BCS bowl, and win a BCS bowl this year. Utah doesn’t stand a chance in this game, especially without their starting Quarterback Jordan Wynn. Utah has a ten game bowl winning streak going into the Las Vegas Bowl. I’m willing to put 35 points on Boise State and say the streak doesn’t extend to eleven games.
Winner: Boise State (35)
S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl- San Diego State vs. Navy (December 23, 8 p.m. ESPN)
-San Diego State burst onto the scene with a close loss to TCU in the middle of the season and they were a competitive team in the Mountain West Conference (Finished 5-3, tied for third in the conference). This is their first bowl appearance since 1998. Navy seems to be bowl eligible every year (8 straight bowl appearances) and this year is no different. A 9-3 record is their best regular season finish since 2006. They are a model of consistency, which makes since considering it is a military school. However, I like the upstart Aztecs in this game to get the win and continue to turn the program around. By the way, don’t sleep on the San Diego State Basketball team. Come March I assure you I will be saying the same thing.
Winner: San Diego State (17)
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl- Hawaii vs. Tulsa (December 24, 8 p.m. ESPN)
-Annually, the Hawaii Bowl is one of my favorite bowl games to watch. The delight of Christmas Eve combined with a Bowl Game is terribly satisfying. This year will be a special treat. Plenty of points will be scored in the Hawaii Bowl, as for both teams have good offenses and suspect defenses. If the over/under in this game was 100 it might be tempting to bet over. Hawaii is playing a home game, and they have won the Hawaii Bowl three times since 2002.
Winner: Hawaii (29)
Little Caesars Bowl- Toledo vs. Florida International (December 26, 8:30 p.m. ESPN)
-There is one bright spot to this game. December 26th marks my return to New York, and more importantly, the Big Room, where more sports have been watched than any other room in the history of rooms or sports. Did that make sense? The unfortunate news is this is a matchup between two relatively bland teams. Fun fact about Toledo: Their opening game versus Arizona, they scored just two points. They are probably the only team in the country who could brag about this.
Winner: Toledo (19)
AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl- Georgia Tech vs. Air Force (December 27, 5 p.m. ESPN2)
-If you enjoy games with a lack of passing and a lot of rushes, specifically a number of option plays: Welcome to your wet dream! The over/under of passes in this game is officially set at 10.5. These two teams are the number one and two rush offenses in the country. It’s tough to make a prediction when the teams are practically identical, so I’m going to take a chance on Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech Coach Paul Johnson had six wins over Air Force when he coached at Navy, and Air Force is a little worse against the run than Georgia Tech. Like I said… Wet dream for fans of the run!
Winner: Georgia Tech (9)
Champs Sports Bowl- West Virginia vs. North Carolina State (December 28, 6:30 p.m. ESPN)
-This is my candidate for sneaky good bowl game of the year. Both of these teams had BCS aspirations, and had they won their respective conferences they most likely would be squaring off in the Discover Orange Bowl. The difference maker in this game is North Carolina State Russell Wilson, who could be playing his last game for North Carolina State. Wilson had over 3,000 yards passing, and 26 touchdowns this year.
Winner: North Carolina State (15)
Insight Bowl- Missouri vs. Iowa (December 28, 10 p.m. ESPN)
-This game lost a lot of its attractiveness after Iowa suspended Derrell Johnson-Koulianos (I always have to do a double take when I am listening to an Iowa game, because when I hear the announcer say “Koulianos” it sounds a similar to my last name, “Giuliano”) and Adam Robinson, their leading receiver and rusher respectively. Iowa didn’t end the season in ideal fashion anyways. Missouri was underrated all season within the Big 12 all season, which is hard for a 10-2 team to manage. Coach Gary Pinkel has turned Missouri into a yearly Big 12 contender.
Winner: Missouri (27)
Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman- Maryland vs. ECU (December 29, 2:30 p.m. ESPN)
-This one intrigued me simply because I had no idea who or what Northrop Grumman was. So I did some research. Northrop Grumman is not a person. Rather, it is a company which is the fourth largest defense contractor, and largest builder of naval vessels. That was a mild disappointment to me. I imagined Northrop Grumman to be a heroic war hero who took down an entire militia after his troop was ravaged by typhoid or small pox. It turns out they are just ship builders. Ironic considering Pirates live on ships, and the East Carolina mascot is a Pirate. If East Carolina didn’t have the worst defense in the country, I would pick them based on the fact they are Pirates. But I have to go with Maryland in a high scoring affair.
Winner: Maryland (21)
Texas Bowl- Baylor vs. Illinois (December 29, 6 p.m. ESPN)
-Neither of these teams finished the year on a good note. Baylor has lost their last three games, and Illinois has lost three of their last four, only winning in the “Losers Walk” game at Wrigley Field. By the way, I would totally love seeing a bowl game there. In this game I like Baylor. They have a special quarterback in Robert Griffin III, whom Paul Clark and I both enjoy.
Winner: Baylor (16)
Valero Alamo Bowl- Oklahoma State vs. Arizona (December 29, 9:15 p.m. ESPN)
-With the exception of Oregon and Stanford, the Pac 10 has been extremely disappointing this year. There were high hopes for Arizona at the start of the year, and they finished the season as badly as any team who is in a bowl game. Oklahoma State is extremely explosive, and was very close to playing in the Big 12 Championship. This game is a given in my opinion.
Winner: Oklahoma State (31)
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl- Army vs. SMU (December 30, Noon ESPN)
-Army became Bowl eligible this year for the first time in 14 years. However, they are playing an SMU team which will be playing in their home stadium. June Jones is taking the Mustangs to a bowl game for the second time in his three years with SMU. Don’t forget, SMU played BCS buster TCU earlier in the year, and led in the 2nd half of that game.
Winner: SMU (25)
New Era Pinstripe Bowl- Kansas State vs. Syracuse (December 30, 3:20 p.m. ESPN)
-I like that this game is being played at Yankee Stadium. Its gives the game an old school feel that I enjoy every once in a while. I think on ESPN Classic they should show the game in Black and White, and run the game on a ten second delay so the announcer can be a little bit ahead of the play just like all announcers are any time you see clips of old games. I can’t figure out why NFL Films can’t fix this. The bottom line in this game is the Big 12 was tremendous this season, and the Big East was awful. Advantage Kansas State.
Winner: Kansas State (14)
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl- UNC vs. Tennessee (December 30, 6:40 p.m. ESPN)
-Tennessee had to win their last four games of the season to become bowl eligible, only because their six losses were to bowl eligible teams, including one to the number two team in the country Oregon. North Carolina had high hopes this season, but due to a butt load of suspensions they got off to a 0-2 start and never totally recovered. I’m not big on either team, but I think North Carolina will end the year on a good note. Get it? A good note… it’s the Music City Bowl. A good note. Ugh, nevermind.
Winner: North Carolina (12)
Bridgeport Education Holiday Bowl- Nebraska vs. Washington (December 30, 10 p.m. ESPN)
-Right here is an example of why it would be so much better if I ran the sports world. Remember when these two teams met in September? Nebraska beat the hell out of Washington, 56-21. Jake Locker, the expected number one pick in the 2011 NFL Draft at the time had an absolutely dreadful performance (4-20, 71 yards). Well guess what everyone; we get to watch this highly anticipated rematch! I’d like to say kudos to those of you who have the power to choose bowl matchups, you prove year in and year out that I, Sonny Giuliano, a college freshman could create better bowl matchups than you could.
Winner: Nebraska (34)
Meineke Car Care Bowl- Clemson vs. South Florida (December 31, Noon ESPN)
-As a new South Floridian, this is a game where I should be backing the Bulls. They beat the bottom feeders of the Big East and Miami. Otherwise their wins over Florida Atlantic, Western Kentucky and Stony Brook are underwhelming at best. I’ll go with Clemson, and coach Dabo Swinney in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. It’s fun enough just to say Dabo Swinney. I can’t wait to root for him. Sorry South Florida.
Winner: Clemson (8)
Hyundai Sun Bowl- Miami FL vs. Notre Dame (December 31, 2 p.m. CBS)
-If only this were Catholics vs. Convicts again. I’d be much more intrigued with that then a matchup between two 7-5 teams. I never got to witness Catholics vs. Convicts. What I get to witness is one team who just fired their coach and the other with a defense that has 11 guys slower than me. Tough choice, but I’ll go with the convicts.
Winner: Miami FL (7)
AutoZone Liberty Bowl- UCF vs. Georgia (December 31, 3:30 p.m. ESPN)
-There has been talk that Central Florida could be a potential tenth team for the Big East. This is their chance to prove they are worthy. Georgia had a down year, but their season really turned around when star wide receiver AJ Green returned. Central Florida had a tremendous year, finishing 10-3 and winning the Conference USA. I like Georgia to finish the season with a winning record by defeating Central Florida in a game that could go either way.
Winner: Georgia (10)
Chick-Fil-A Bowl- Florida State vs. South Carolina (December 31, 7:30 p.m. ESPN)
-South Carolina proved themselves as a legitimate contender in the SEC this year. I am not going to look too deep into their blowout loss against Auburn in the SEC Championship. Auburn was clearly the better team, and had the best player on the field. Florida State has some good wins this year (Miami, Florida, Maryland) and first year Coach Jimbo Fisher led the Seminoles to the ACC Championship game, but I don’t want to undervalue the SEC or South Carolina.
Winner: South Carolina (20)
TicketCity Bowl- Northwestern vs. Texas Tech (January 1, 12 p.m. ESPNU)
-For an hour this will be the marquee game on New Year’s Day. Then three better games start, and the Ticket City Bowl will get lost in the shuffle. The only way it would make an appearance is when the other three games are at halftime, or if God forbid all three other games are at commercial, which is one of the great catastrophes in television.
Winner: Texas Tech (18)
Outback Bowl- Florida vs. Penn State (January 1, 1 p.m. ABC)
-Both of these teams had high hopes heading into this season, and both were disappointing. The deciding factor in this game is its Urban Meyers last game as Florida’s coach, and they win this one for him. He took this Florida program to another level. They owe it to him to get the win.
Winner: Florida (28)
Capital One Bowl- Alabama vs. Michigan State (January 1, 1 p.m. ESPN)
-There were plenty of new coaches this season who were worthy of winning coach of the year. Only one had a heart attack mid-season, and continued to coach his team. That was Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio. Michigan State had a fantastic season, going 11-1 in a difficult Big Ten, when they were picked to finish near the bottom of the conference, and then got completely shafted (just wait until you get to Connecticut vs. Oklahoma) and left out of the BCS. Alabama was the heavy favorite to win a second National Title in a row. Hopes were high, and they finished fourth in the SEC West. I’m not sure whether to expect a pissed off Alabama team, or an Alabama team that doesn’t care, similar to the one that got rocked by Utah two years ago. If Alabama comes to play, they are the more talented team on the field.
Winner: Alabama (22)
Gator Bowl- Mississippi State vs. Michigan (January 1, 1:30 p.m. ESPN2)
-Here’s a fun game to play: Who is going to be coaching their respective team longer, Dan Mullen or Rich Rodriguez? It’s a tough call, but I’m going to say Rich Rodriguez. I think Dan Mullen’s terrific season at Mississippi State, plus a bowl win is going to land him a high profile coaching job. I’m very surprised he didn’t get the opportunity at Florida. Rich Rod is finally getting some pieces to turn this team into a contender. I think he needs a little more time. Whether he makes it to next year or not, I still think he has the edge over Mullen. Not in the game however, Mississippi State rolls.
Winner: Mississippi State (23)
Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO- TCU vs. Wisconsin (January 1, 5 p.m. ESPN)
-The David vs. Goliath matchup is always so interesting. Especially when Goliath is as good as TCU is. TCU has become the consistent non BCS power that teams like Gonzaga and Xavier have in College Basketball. They are facing a challenge unlike any they have ever faced. Perhaps no team has been as hot or dominant as Wisconsin has been in recent weeks. The key to the game is up front. Wisconsin’s offensive line is massive, and TCU’s defensive line in smaller and fast, in true David vs. Goliath form. Although I really like Wisconsin in this game, I wouldn’t rule out TCU winning. They need a statement win to prove that they aren’t just a team that beats up on “the little sisters of the poor.”
Winner: Wisconsin (30)
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl- Oklahoma vs. Connecticut (January 1, 8:30 p.m. ESPN)
-First, can anyone explain to me WHY Connecticut should be in this game? I understand the setup of the BCS, and I get that every BCS Conference gets an automatic bid… But is that how we want it to be? Connecticut was 8-4 in the awful Big East. Not to mention their losses are awful (Michigan, Temple, Rutgers, Louisville). Now they get thrown to the hypothetical wolves. I’m not even buying into the fact that Oklahoma is vulnerable as the heavy favorite. I know they got shocked by Boise State and West Virginia in past BCS games, but this Connecticut team isn’t nearly as good as either of those teams were. Plus Connecticut can’t throw the ball. So if, well when they fall behind, they won’t be able to come back. They are going to be unsuccessful in trying to run the ball and control the game. Oklahoma wins this game easy, and in doing so proves another point why the BCS is so damn screwy. Give me Michigan State, LSU or Boise State in this game please.
Winner: Oklahoma (33)
Discover Orange Bowl- Virginia Tech vs. Stanford (January 3, 8:30 p.m. ESPN)
-With the exception of the BCS Championship Game, this BCS game interests me more than any other one. Take away the awful loss to James Madison, and Virginia Tech is a top 8 BCS team. Take away the second half of the game against Oregon, Stanford is going to the National Championship game. Bottom line is since their respective losses, these two teams have been playing as good as any teams in the country. The difference in this game is Andrew Luck. I, along with most NFL scouts believe he is a sure thing at the next level. Although Tyrod Taylor has had a tremendous career and season, give me Luck.
Winner: Stanford (6)
Allstate Sugar Bowl- Ohio State vs. Arkansas (January 4, 8:30 p.m. ESPN)
-Ohio State seems to win every bowl game they play, unless it is against an SEC team. I think Ohio State is 0-74 against the SEC in bowl games. Unfortunately for Ohio State, Arkansas is a member of the SEC and defeated LSU in the last week of the season to get a BCS spot. Arkansas has plenty of playmakers on offense, and a quarterback who is soon going to be in the NFL. Ohio State’s offense isn’t a slouch though. What it comes down to is I like Ryan Mallet a heck of a lot more than I like Terrelle Pryor. Ohio State is going to fall to 0-75 all-time against the SEC.
Winner: Arkansas (5)
GoDaddy.com Bowl- Middle Tennessee vs. Miami of Ohio (January 6, 8 p.m. ESPN)
-The only hope for this to be a good game is if there are some new GoDaddy.com commercials on display during the game. Candice Michelle getting half naked makes this game my favorite of the bowl season. As for the game itself, Miami of Ohio capped a terrific turnaround season (1-11 last year, to 9-4 this year) with a win over heavy favorite Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship. Middle Tennessee was 3-6 before rattling off three straight wins to end the season 6-6. That to me looks like a team that isn’t good.
Winner: Miami of Ohio (24)
AT&T Cotton Bowl- Texas A&M vs. LSU (January 7, 8 p.m. FOX)
-Of the non BCS games, this one is the most intriguing. You never know what kind of game you are going to get when the Mad Hatter is involved. I will be the first to admit that I was skeptical of LSU at the start of the year, and I am the first to say I wish they could be in the BCS. Texas A&M was another team that exceeded my expectations. They started the season 3-3, and finished strong by winning their last six games. I expect nothing less than a very unpredictable game.
Winner: LSU (13)
BBVA Compass Bowl- Pittsburgh vs. Kentucky (January 8, Noon ESPN)
-Kentucky has two terrific playmakers in Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke. The suspension of Senior Quarterback Mike Hartline will be a difficult void for Kentucky to fill. Almost as difficult as it will be for Pittsburgh to find a coach with as memorable of a mustache as Dave Wannstedt had. Wannstedt gave Pittsburgh as good of a three year stretch as the school had ever had, but it wasn’t enough for him to keep his job. With both teams dealing with difficult losses, I like Pittsburgh to gather themselves and get the victory.
Winner: Pittsburgh (2)
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl- Nevada vs. Boston College (January 9, 9 p.m. ESPN)
-This game means a lot to me. Since 2006 I have been a proud supporter of the Pistol offense in college football, and in particular at the University of Nevada. I recall joining a picking pool where confidence points were given to teams you picked to win. Foolishly, I put a large amount of points on Nevada to win over Miami FL considering a few weeks earlier I saw a formation that I never even dreamed of. Since then, I have had a love affair with the program. As a football fan, I grew up with Colin Kaepernick and Vai Taua. This will be their last game at Nevada. Their legacy will be cemented with a victory in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.
Winner- Nevada (32)
Tostitos BCS National Championship Game- Oregon vs. Auburn (January 10, 8:30 p.m. ESPN)
-I have changed my mind on this about 97 times since the matchup came to be. I love Oregon’s speed on offense. I think Darron Thomas is underrated and if Oregon wins, he may be the key player. I think LaMichael James could have a huge game due to his loss in the Heisman ballot. I think Oregon’s defense might be better than we know. And I absolutely love the uniforms. I also love Auburn’s playmakers, even the ones not named Cam Newton. I think Nick Fairley can cause huge problems for the Oregon offense. Obviously the SEC is much tougher than the Pac 10. Obviously, there are going to be a lot of points scored in this game. It may come down to who has the ball last. Or it could come down which team could get a defensive stop. Despite going back and forth with this prediction, I settled on one thing: Cam Newton has a little bit of the Vince Young from Texas DNA. If he has to, he can will Auburn to a win. Everyone knows I was a huge Vince Young fan, and it takes a lot for me to compare someone to him… Go ahead Cam Newton. It’s your time to establish yourself on the biggest stage just like VY did. For your sake, I hope you don’t go crazy when you get to the NFL.
Winner: Auburn (11)
Just to remind everyone, I do still have a serious problem with the BCS. I feel that my playoff system solves all problems, including world peace, lack of oil and global warming. In case anyone was wondering, this is what the Playoff Bracket would look like.
Holiday Bowl- 1. Auburn vs. 16. Alabama
Music City Bowl- 8. Arkansas vs. 9. Michigan State
Alamo Bowl- 5. Stanford vs. 12. Virginia Tech
Outback Bowl- 4. Wisconsin vs. 13. Missouri
Insight Bowl- 6. Ohio State vs. 11. LSU
Independence Bowl- 3. TCU vs. 14. Nevada
Chick-Fil-A Bowl- 7. Oklahoma vs. 10. Boise State
Liberty Bowl- 2. Oregon vs. 15. Oklahoma State
Because it’s the season for giving, I’m going to give the BCS a break. And I’m going to enjoy the BCS. In fact, there is something I will be able to enjoy about each bowl game, all 35 of them. Here are the bowl games in order of when they will be played. You will also notice that all of the winners will have a number between 1 and 35 next to them. This is my confidence level in the game (35 being most confident, 1 being least confident.) Yes indeed, the Captain is going all out with this bowl preview. That is my present to all of you readers. A totally kick-ass College Football Bowl Game preview, which I guarantee will be the best one you read (well, at least top 10.)
New Mexico Bowl- BYU vs. UTEP (December 18, 2 p.m. ESPN)
-The fact that this is the first game of the bowl season excites the hell out of me. The only other thing about that game that excites me is BYU runningback JJ Di Luigi.
Winner: BYU (26)
UDrove Humanitarian Bowl- Northern Illinois vs. Fresno State (December 18, 5:30 p.m. ESPN)
-Northern Illinois had a terrific season. Going 10-2 in the regular season, 8-0 in MAC conference play. However, Coach Jerry Kill decided to “chuck a deuce” and leave the Huskies to coach for the Gophers of Minnesota. Fresno State is bowl eligible for a fourth straight season. Three of their four losses were to WAC powerhouses Hawaii, Nevada and Boise State. Fresno State running back Robbie Rouse was a 1,000 yard rusher this season, and I expect him to lead the Bulldogs to victory. The key in this game is Fresno State coach Pat Hill. He will be coaching with a lot of confidence due to the fact that Dave Wannstedt is no longer coaching. Pat Hill has taken over the number one ranking for Best Mustache by a Coach.
Winner: Fresno State (4)
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl- Ohio vs. Troy (December 18, 9 p.m. ESPN)
-A must see match-up between MAC and Sun Belt. Can’t get much better than that, right? Well the night cap on the first night of bowl season may be a good one. Unfortunately, it’s between two teams that don’t matter much.
Winner: Troy (1)
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s St. Petersburg Bowl- Southern Mississippi vs. Louisville (December 21, 8 p.m. ESPN)
-Former Florida Defensive Coordinator Charlie Strong is taking the Cardinals to a bowl game in his first season as head coach. Hopefully he can get his Louisville defense to play the way his Florida defenses had in the past. Southern Miss has scored over 30 points in all but two games this season.
Winner: Southern Miss (3)
MAACO Las Vegas Bowl- Utah vs. Boise State (December 22, 8 p.m. ESPN)
-This one is simple. Boise State is overwhelmingly better than Utah, and they are pissed off. I don’t care what conference they come from, or who they played. Boise State is good enough to play in a BCS bowl, and win a BCS bowl this year. Utah doesn’t stand a chance in this game, especially without their starting Quarterback Jordan Wynn. Utah has a ten game bowl winning streak going into the Las Vegas Bowl. I’m willing to put 35 points on Boise State and say the streak doesn’t extend to eleven games.
Winner: Boise State (35)
S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl- San Diego State vs. Navy (December 23, 8 p.m. ESPN)
-San Diego State burst onto the scene with a close loss to TCU in the middle of the season and they were a competitive team in the Mountain West Conference (Finished 5-3, tied for third in the conference). This is their first bowl appearance since 1998. Navy seems to be bowl eligible every year (8 straight bowl appearances) and this year is no different. A 9-3 record is their best regular season finish since 2006. They are a model of consistency, which makes since considering it is a military school. However, I like the upstart Aztecs in this game to get the win and continue to turn the program around. By the way, don’t sleep on the San Diego State Basketball team. Come March I assure you I will be saying the same thing.
Winner: San Diego State (17)
Sheraton Hawaii Bowl- Hawaii vs. Tulsa (December 24, 8 p.m. ESPN)
-Annually, the Hawaii Bowl is one of my favorite bowl games to watch. The delight of Christmas Eve combined with a Bowl Game is terribly satisfying. This year will be a special treat. Plenty of points will be scored in the Hawaii Bowl, as for both teams have good offenses and suspect defenses. If the over/under in this game was 100 it might be tempting to bet over. Hawaii is playing a home game, and they have won the Hawaii Bowl three times since 2002.
Winner: Hawaii (29)
Little Caesars Bowl- Toledo vs. Florida International (December 26, 8:30 p.m. ESPN)
-There is one bright spot to this game. December 26th marks my return to New York, and more importantly, the Big Room, where more sports have been watched than any other room in the history of rooms or sports. Did that make sense? The unfortunate news is this is a matchup between two relatively bland teams. Fun fact about Toledo: Their opening game versus Arizona, they scored just two points. They are probably the only team in the country who could brag about this.
Winner: Toledo (19)
AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl- Georgia Tech vs. Air Force (December 27, 5 p.m. ESPN2)
-If you enjoy games with a lack of passing and a lot of rushes, specifically a number of option plays: Welcome to your wet dream! The over/under of passes in this game is officially set at 10.5. These two teams are the number one and two rush offenses in the country. It’s tough to make a prediction when the teams are practically identical, so I’m going to take a chance on Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech Coach Paul Johnson had six wins over Air Force when he coached at Navy, and Air Force is a little worse against the run than Georgia Tech. Like I said… Wet dream for fans of the run!
Winner: Georgia Tech (9)
Champs Sports Bowl- West Virginia vs. North Carolina State (December 28, 6:30 p.m. ESPN)
-This is my candidate for sneaky good bowl game of the year. Both of these teams had BCS aspirations, and had they won their respective conferences they most likely would be squaring off in the Discover Orange Bowl. The difference maker in this game is North Carolina State Russell Wilson, who could be playing his last game for North Carolina State. Wilson had over 3,000 yards passing, and 26 touchdowns this year.
Winner: North Carolina State (15)
Insight Bowl- Missouri vs. Iowa (December 28, 10 p.m. ESPN)
-This game lost a lot of its attractiveness after Iowa suspended Derrell Johnson-Koulianos (I always have to do a double take when I am listening to an Iowa game, because when I hear the announcer say “Koulianos” it sounds a similar to my last name, “Giuliano”) and Adam Robinson, their leading receiver and rusher respectively. Iowa didn’t end the season in ideal fashion anyways. Missouri was underrated all season within the Big 12 all season, which is hard for a 10-2 team to manage. Coach Gary Pinkel has turned Missouri into a yearly Big 12 contender.
Winner: Missouri (27)
Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman- Maryland vs. ECU (December 29, 2:30 p.m. ESPN)
-This one intrigued me simply because I had no idea who or what Northrop Grumman was. So I did some research. Northrop Grumman is not a person. Rather, it is a company which is the fourth largest defense contractor, and largest builder of naval vessels. That was a mild disappointment to me. I imagined Northrop Grumman to be a heroic war hero who took down an entire militia after his troop was ravaged by typhoid or small pox. It turns out they are just ship builders. Ironic considering Pirates live on ships, and the East Carolina mascot is a Pirate. If East Carolina didn’t have the worst defense in the country, I would pick them based on the fact they are Pirates. But I have to go with Maryland in a high scoring affair.
Winner: Maryland (21)
Texas Bowl- Baylor vs. Illinois (December 29, 6 p.m. ESPN)
-Neither of these teams finished the year on a good note. Baylor has lost their last three games, and Illinois has lost three of their last four, only winning in the “Losers Walk” game at Wrigley Field. By the way, I would totally love seeing a bowl game there. In this game I like Baylor. They have a special quarterback in Robert Griffin III, whom Paul Clark and I both enjoy.
Winner: Baylor (16)
Valero Alamo Bowl- Oklahoma State vs. Arizona (December 29, 9:15 p.m. ESPN)
-With the exception of Oregon and Stanford, the Pac 10 has been extremely disappointing this year. There were high hopes for Arizona at the start of the year, and they finished the season as badly as any team who is in a bowl game. Oklahoma State is extremely explosive, and was very close to playing in the Big 12 Championship. This game is a given in my opinion.
Winner: Oklahoma State (31)
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl- Army vs. SMU (December 30, Noon ESPN)
-Army became Bowl eligible this year for the first time in 14 years. However, they are playing an SMU team which will be playing in their home stadium. June Jones is taking the Mustangs to a bowl game for the second time in his three years with SMU. Don’t forget, SMU played BCS buster TCU earlier in the year, and led in the 2nd half of that game.
Winner: SMU (25)
New Era Pinstripe Bowl- Kansas State vs. Syracuse (December 30, 3:20 p.m. ESPN)
-I like that this game is being played at Yankee Stadium. Its gives the game an old school feel that I enjoy every once in a while. I think on ESPN Classic they should show the game in Black and White, and run the game on a ten second delay so the announcer can be a little bit ahead of the play just like all announcers are any time you see clips of old games. I can’t figure out why NFL Films can’t fix this. The bottom line in this game is the Big 12 was tremendous this season, and the Big East was awful. Advantage Kansas State.
Winner: Kansas State (14)
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl- UNC vs. Tennessee (December 30, 6:40 p.m. ESPN)
-Tennessee had to win their last four games of the season to become bowl eligible, only because their six losses were to bowl eligible teams, including one to the number two team in the country Oregon. North Carolina had high hopes this season, but due to a butt load of suspensions they got off to a 0-2 start and never totally recovered. I’m not big on either team, but I think North Carolina will end the year on a good note. Get it? A good note… it’s the Music City Bowl. A good note. Ugh, nevermind.
Winner: North Carolina (12)
Bridgeport Education Holiday Bowl- Nebraska vs. Washington (December 30, 10 p.m. ESPN)
-Right here is an example of why it would be so much better if I ran the sports world. Remember when these two teams met in September? Nebraska beat the hell out of Washington, 56-21. Jake Locker, the expected number one pick in the 2011 NFL Draft at the time had an absolutely dreadful performance (4-20, 71 yards). Well guess what everyone; we get to watch this highly anticipated rematch! I’d like to say kudos to those of you who have the power to choose bowl matchups, you prove year in and year out that I, Sonny Giuliano, a college freshman could create better bowl matchups than you could.
Winner: Nebraska (34)
Meineke Car Care Bowl- Clemson vs. South Florida (December 31, Noon ESPN)
-As a new South Floridian, this is a game where I should be backing the Bulls. They beat the bottom feeders of the Big East and Miami. Otherwise their wins over Florida Atlantic, Western Kentucky and Stony Brook are underwhelming at best. I’ll go with Clemson, and coach Dabo Swinney in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. It’s fun enough just to say Dabo Swinney. I can’t wait to root for him. Sorry South Florida.
Winner: Clemson (8)
Hyundai Sun Bowl- Miami FL vs. Notre Dame (December 31, 2 p.m. CBS)
-If only this were Catholics vs. Convicts again. I’d be much more intrigued with that then a matchup between two 7-5 teams. I never got to witness Catholics vs. Convicts. What I get to witness is one team who just fired their coach and the other with a defense that has 11 guys slower than me. Tough choice, but I’ll go with the convicts.
Winner: Miami FL (7)
AutoZone Liberty Bowl- UCF vs. Georgia (December 31, 3:30 p.m. ESPN)
-There has been talk that Central Florida could be a potential tenth team for the Big East. This is their chance to prove they are worthy. Georgia had a down year, but their season really turned around when star wide receiver AJ Green returned. Central Florida had a tremendous year, finishing 10-3 and winning the Conference USA. I like Georgia to finish the season with a winning record by defeating Central Florida in a game that could go either way.
Winner: Georgia (10)
Chick-Fil-A Bowl- Florida State vs. South Carolina (December 31, 7:30 p.m. ESPN)
-South Carolina proved themselves as a legitimate contender in the SEC this year. I am not going to look too deep into their blowout loss against Auburn in the SEC Championship. Auburn was clearly the better team, and had the best player on the field. Florida State has some good wins this year (Miami, Florida, Maryland) and first year Coach Jimbo Fisher led the Seminoles to the ACC Championship game, but I don’t want to undervalue the SEC or South Carolina.
Winner: South Carolina (20)
TicketCity Bowl- Northwestern vs. Texas Tech (January 1, 12 p.m. ESPNU)
-For an hour this will be the marquee game on New Year’s Day. Then three better games start, and the Ticket City Bowl will get lost in the shuffle. The only way it would make an appearance is when the other three games are at halftime, or if God forbid all three other games are at commercial, which is one of the great catastrophes in television.
Winner: Texas Tech (18)
Outback Bowl- Florida vs. Penn State (January 1, 1 p.m. ABC)
-Both of these teams had high hopes heading into this season, and both were disappointing. The deciding factor in this game is its Urban Meyers last game as Florida’s coach, and they win this one for him. He took this Florida program to another level. They owe it to him to get the win.
Winner: Florida (28)
Capital One Bowl- Alabama vs. Michigan State (January 1, 1 p.m. ESPN)
-There were plenty of new coaches this season who were worthy of winning coach of the year. Only one had a heart attack mid-season, and continued to coach his team. That was Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio. Michigan State had a fantastic season, going 11-1 in a difficult Big Ten, when they were picked to finish near the bottom of the conference, and then got completely shafted (just wait until you get to Connecticut vs. Oklahoma) and left out of the BCS. Alabama was the heavy favorite to win a second National Title in a row. Hopes were high, and they finished fourth in the SEC West. I’m not sure whether to expect a pissed off Alabama team, or an Alabama team that doesn’t care, similar to the one that got rocked by Utah two years ago. If Alabama comes to play, they are the more talented team on the field.
Winner: Alabama (22)
Gator Bowl- Mississippi State vs. Michigan (January 1, 1:30 p.m. ESPN2)
-Here’s a fun game to play: Who is going to be coaching their respective team longer, Dan Mullen or Rich Rodriguez? It’s a tough call, but I’m going to say Rich Rodriguez. I think Dan Mullen’s terrific season at Mississippi State, plus a bowl win is going to land him a high profile coaching job. I’m very surprised he didn’t get the opportunity at Florida. Rich Rod is finally getting some pieces to turn this team into a contender. I think he needs a little more time. Whether he makes it to next year or not, I still think he has the edge over Mullen. Not in the game however, Mississippi State rolls.
Winner: Mississippi State (23)
Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO- TCU vs. Wisconsin (January 1, 5 p.m. ESPN)
-The David vs. Goliath matchup is always so interesting. Especially when Goliath is as good as TCU is. TCU has become the consistent non BCS power that teams like Gonzaga and Xavier have in College Basketball. They are facing a challenge unlike any they have ever faced. Perhaps no team has been as hot or dominant as Wisconsin has been in recent weeks. The key to the game is up front. Wisconsin’s offensive line is massive, and TCU’s defensive line in smaller and fast, in true David vs. Goliath form. Although I really like Wisconsin in this game, I wouldn’t rule out TCU winning. They need a statement win to prove that they aren’t just a team that beats up on “the little sisters of the poor.”
Winner: Wisconsin (30)
Tostitos Fiesta Bowl- Oklahoma vs. Connecticut (January 1, 8:30 p.m. ESPN)
-First, can anyone explain to me WHY Connecticut should be in this game? I understand the setup of the BCS, and I get that every BCS Conference gets an automatic bid… But is that how we want it to be? Connecticut was 8-4 in the awful Big East. Not to mention their losses are awful (Michigan, Temple, Rutgers, Louisville). Now they get thrown to the hypothetical wolves. I’m not even buying into the fact that Oklahoma is vulnerable as the heavy favorite. I know they got shocked by Boise State and West Virginia in past BCS games, but this Connecticut team isn’t nearly as good as either of those teams were. Plus Connecticut can’t throw the ball. So if, well when they fall behind, they won’t be able to come back. They are going to be unsuccessful in trying to run the ball and control the game. Oklahoma wins this game easy, and in doing so proves another point why the BCS is so damn screwy. Give me Michigan State, LSU or Boise State in this game please.
Winner: Oklahoma (33)
Discover Orange Bowl- Virginia Tech vs. Stanford (January 3, 8:30 p.m. ESPN)
-With the exception of the BCS Championship Game, this BCS game interests me more than any other one. Take away the awful loss to James Madison, and Virginia Tech is a top 8 BCS team. Take away the second half of the game against Oregon, Stanford is going to the National Championship game. Bottom line is since their respective losses, these two teams have been playing as good as any teams in the country. The difference in this game is Andrew Luck. I, along with most NFL scouts believe he is a sure thing at the next level. Although Tyrod Taylor has had a tremendous career and season, give me Luck.
Winner: Stanford (6)
Allstate Sugar Bowl- Ohio State vs. Arkansas (January 4, 8:30 p.m. ESPN)
-Ohio State seems to win every bowl game they play, unless it is against an SEC team. I think Ohio State is 0-74 against the SEC in bowl games. Unfortunately for Ohio State, Arkansas is a member of the SEC and defeated LSU in the last week of the season to get a BCS spot. Arkansas has plenty of playmakers on offense, and a quarterback who is soon going to be in the NFL. Ohio State’s offense isn’t a slouch though. What it comes down to is I like Ryan Mallet a heck of a lot more than I like Terrelle Pryor. Ohio State is going to fall to 0-75 all-time against the SEC.
Winner: Arkansas (5)
GoDaddy.com Bowl- Middle Tennessee vs. Miami of Ohio (January 6, 8 p.m. ESPN)
-The only hope for this to be a good game is if there are some new GoDaddy.com commercials on display during the game. Candice Michelle getting half naked makes this game my favorite of the bowl season. As for the game itself, Miami of Ohio capped a terrific turnaround season (1-11 last year, to 9-4 this year) with a win over heavy favorite Northern Illinois in the MAC Championship. Middle Tennessee was 3-6 before rattling off three straight wins to end the season 6-6. That to me looks like a team that isn’t good.
Winner: Miami of Ohio (24)
AT&T Cotton Bowl- Texas A&M vs. LSU (January 7, 8 p.m. FOX)
-Of the non BCS games, this one is the most intriguing. You never know what kind of game you are going to get when the Mad Hatter is involved. I will be the first to admit that I was skeptical of LSU at the start of the year, and I am the first to say I wish they could be in the BCS. Texas A&M was another team that exceeded my expectations. They started the season 3-3, and finished strong by winning their last six games. I expect nothing less than a very unpredictable game.
Winner: LSU (13)
BBVA Compass Bowl- Pittsburgh vs. Kentucky (January 8, Noon ESPN)
-Kentucky has two terrific playmakers in Randall Cobb and Derrick Locke. The suspension of Senior Quarterback Mike Hartline will be a difficult void for Kentucky to fill. Almost as difficult as it will be for Pittsburgh to find a coach with as memorable of a mustache as Dave Wannstedt had. Wannstedt gave Pittsburgh as good of a three year stretch as the school had ever had, but it wasn’t enough for him to keep his job. With both teams dealing with difficult losses, I like Pittsburgh to gather themselves and get the victory.
Winner: Pittsburgh (2)
Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl- Nevada vs. Boston College (January 9, 9 p.m. ESPN)
-This game means a lot to me. Since 2006 I have been a proud supporter of the Pistol offense in college football, and in particular at the University of Nevada. I recall joining a picking pool where confidence points were given to teams you picked to win. Foolishly, I put a large amount of points on Nevada to win over Miami FL considering a few weeks earlier I saw a formation that I never even dreamed of. Since then, I have had a love affair with the program. As a football fan, I grew up with Colin Kaepernick and Vai Taua. This will be their last game at Nevada. Their legacy will be cemented with a victory in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl.
Winner- Nevada (32)
Tostitos BCS National Championship Game- Oregon vs. Auburn (January 10, 8:30 p.m. ESPN)
-I have changed my mind on this about 97 times since the matchup came to be. I love Oregon’s speed on offense. I think Darron Thomas is underrated and if Oregon wins, he may be the key player. I think LaMichael James could have a huge game due to his loss in the Heisman ballot. I think Oregon’s defense might be better than we know. And I absolutely love the uniforms. I also love Auburn’s playmakers, even the ones not named Cam Newton. I think Nick Fairley can cause huge problems for the Oregon offense. Obviously the SEC is much tougher than the Pac 10. Obviously, there are going to be a lot of points scored in this game. It may come down to who has the ball last. Or it could come down which team could get a defensive stop. Despite going back and forth with this prediction, I settled on one thing: Cam Newton has a little bit of the Vince Young from Texas DNA. If he has to, he can will Auburn to a win. Everyone knows I was a huge Vince Young fan, and it takes a lot for me to compare someone to him… Go ahead Cam Newton. It’s your time to establish yourself on the biggest stage just like VY did. For your sake, I hope you don’t go crazy when you get to the NFL.
Winner: Auburn (11)
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