Another week of college football is in the books, and some changes to the Tenacious Ten are definitely necessary after this past weekend's games, mainly because Georgia gave South Carolina a great lesson in "Payback's a Bitch 101". In non Tenacious Ten news though, the other USC lost to Washington State in a game that featured less excitement than a ten year old girl soccer league, Michigan beat Notre Dame in the "What Team Do I Hate More Bowl?", and BYU proved that Mormons can run for more than 500 yards against Texas without the help of caffeine, cocaine, or performance enhancing drugs. Let's get to this week's Tenacious Ten.
1. Alabama--- Bye week
I wrote a few months back that Nick Saban might actually be the devil. Well, if he's not the devil, than he obviously sold his soul to the devil because there's no other explanation for why Alabama got a bye week before "The Game of the Century" (This Game of the Century thing really needs to stop. By my count, this is about the 24th game of the century and we're only 13 years in to the century). Saban and his right hand man, defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, have had this game circled on their schedule ever since Johnny Football came into Tuscaloosa and beat the Crimson Tide last year, and it will be interesting to see what kind of schemes they have drawn up to stop him. Smart may've also sold his soul to the devil this week to gain inside information on how to stop Johnny Football 2.0. In terms of Alabama's players over the bye week, the only notable news was AJ McCarron had sex with Katherine Webb a few times (Sorry I messed up that reference last week. But in all honesty, who has time for editing. That isn't important...)
2. Oregon--- Beat Virginia 59-10
I almost considered dropping Oregon from the two spot because they didn't score 60 points last week. But then I remembered they played Virginia, a fairly decent ACC football team, and beat them in Charlottesville by 49 points. That's pretty damn impressive. Thomas Jefferson may've built the University of Virginia, but Marcus Mariota may be the most impressive person to walk on that campus now. He is taking huge strides in his second year at the position, and with how bad defenses are in the Pac-12, he is going to put up Heisman caliber numbers all year. Not to be overlooked is Oregon's defense, who for the second week in a row, played great. The Ducks don't have many tests on their schedule so look for their torrid offensive pace only to improve as the year goes on.
3. Ohio State--- Beat San Diego State 42-7
Yeah, I know Braxton Miller got injured and could have lingering knee issues. Yeah, I know San Diego State lost to Eastern Illinois by 21 points two weeks ago. However, I also know that Kenny Guiton is the best damn backup quarterback in the land. The Ohio State offense doesn't skip a beat when he comes into the game. He's a folk legend in Columbus thanks to the performance against Purdue last year, but when you break down the highlights from last Saturday, you can tell Guiton could be the starter at almost every other school in the country. Plus, with all the weapons around him in Urban Meyer's offense, you could run a completely inept quarterback (I don't know, someone like Mark Sanchez... Oh wait a minute, let's not get too unrealistic here. Okay, Brandon Weeden... Never mind, scratch that too. Blaine Gabbert... Never mind, he may be the worst player to ever play the position) and put up a lot of points. A road trip to Cal will be a slightly more difficult test for Ohio State, but even with Kenny Guiton under center, it should still be an Easy A.
4. Clemson--- Beat South Carolina State 52-13
After having a brutal game against Georgia to start the season, Clemson took it back a couple notches and played a school that I didn't know actually existed until last Saturday. Most impressively, Clemson didn't suffer any big game hangover at all, as they asserted their dominance right from the get go. Tajh Boyd would be getting a lot more press if it wasn't for Teddy Bridgewater, Johnny Manziel, etc., but he shouldn't be forgotten in the elite quarterback discussion. As long as Clemson doesn't take their foot off the gas pedal (Hold on, grab the wall... Crap, let's get back to sports here before we go too far down that path) like they have in years past (Hello NC State, Maryland, Duke, etc.) they should stay unscathed up until their test against Florida State.
5. Texas A&M--- Beat Sam Houston State 65-28
Johnny Football is proving this year he is more Johnny Quarterback than Johnny Athlete. The first two games, Manziel's proven he can be much more of a traditional spread quarterback, rather than the hectic Chinese fire drill he was too often last year. However, all the marbles in the SEC West are going to be on the line this Saturday in College Station. Manziel has been really laid back about the stakes of the game, and for the sake of the Aggies, he better be able to stay emotional composed. Should Saban and the Tide be able to rattle him early, the wheels may start to come off the track. That could mean turnovers. That could mean stupid penalties. Most importantly, it could mean an A&M loss. If the Aggies want to beat the Tide two years in a row, though it's going to come down to their defense. Through two games against less than stellar competition, they've given up 59 points. Alabama has just slightly a little more firepower than Rice and SHSU, so the defense is going to have to show up, or it will be a long, long day.
6. Georgia--- Beat South Carolina 41-30
Georgia may have a loss. But that loss was to Clemson and solely because of one bad snap on a field goal. Between revenge for that and the good, ole fashioned beat down the Dawgs suffered in Columbia last year, Georgia came ready to play. As someone who went to Athens last week, let me just attest to how impressive Todd Gurley really is. The man is a human wrecking ball, but luckily for all of us, he's wearing a lot more clothing than Miley Cyrus' music video. He shredded the "elite" South Carolina defense and ran through holes bigger than the gap between Michael Strahan's front teeth. Just for fun, Georgia ran Keith Marshall and some fullback who I've never heard of in my entire life right through the mile wide holes, too! On top of that, Aaron Murray showed just how inexperienced the Gamecock secondary is, especially when he threw an 85 yard touchdown pass on 3rd and 13 (Don't get me started on that play). It doesn't get any easier for Georgia, as they have LSU coming to town at the end of the month. Most importantly for Georgia, they know they control their own destiny in the SEC East now. And should the defense improve just slightly, Georgia should play themselves right back into national title contention.
7. Louisville--- Beat Eastern Kentucky 44-7
After Kentucky lost to Western Kentucky the previous week, I thought Eastern Kentucky might have had a shot at pulling off the miracle upset... Just kidding. Louisville and Teddy Bridgewater came back right where they left off and nearly held on for a shutout victory. I know I raved about him at length last week, but it should be obvious by now that Bridgewater is the real deal. He's the hottest player in the country not named Todd Gurley. He has a top five draft pick slot all lined up (Hello Cleveland! The "Tank for Bridgewater" shirt is already being sent to the stores). However, if Bridgewater wants to gain legendary status and win a national title, he's going to have to keep the spectacular play up. If the first two weeks have shown me anything, it's that many teams, especially outside of the SEC, have the potential to run the table. The Cards are going to have to do that, and do it very impressively, should they want to go to Pasadena this January. Louisville basically plays an FCS team in the Kentucky Wildcats this week, so look for another huge week from Teddy B. and another huge margin of victory for Louisville (Look on the bright side, Kentucky fans. This loss won't be nearly as difficult to deal with as the one to Robert Morris).
8. Stanford--- Beat San Jose State 34-13
I'm not going to lie. I didn't watch a single play, a single highlight, or see a single statistic from this game. Stanford is probably being unfairly penalized by me again, but I blame their west coast location and the lack of me having the Pac-12 network in my dorm for this consecutive drop in the Tenacious Ten. It is NOT laziness on my own personal part to look information up about the Cardinal. Once they actually start playing some national televised games, though, I promise I'll start give David Shaw and his team some more credit. But for right now, let's just move on. If anyone in Palo Alto, California or a Stanford fan is reading this, feel free to complain. But on the other hand, congrats on stumbling upon this page. That must mean my professional, amateur blogging career is finally getting off of the ground.
9. LSU--- Beat UAB 56-17
While LSU did look impressive for the second week in a row, something with them doesn't sit right with me. I guess I just personally think Texas A&M and Alabama are superior teams. LSU's standing didn't improve this week when the Sports Illustrated report about Oklahoma State named Tigers' coach Les Miles. If the man wasn't facing enough scrutiny already for allowing a democracy to govern suspensions on his football team, trying to endure one of the most daunting schedules in college football, and facing issues with his cow-like diet, LSU might be up a couple spots. Unfortunately, all aforementioned problems are serious issues down in Baton Rouge. LSU will gain a leg up on one of their western division competitors after this weekend, but tough times lie ahead for Tigers.
10. Florida State--- Bye
After Famous Jameis Winston made one of the best college football debuts of all time, he got to take a week off and let all the attention and headlines digest. For a player with so much hype, it was huge for him to have a week to let it all sink in, so he can get on with the rest of his career. Expectations are going to be high for the Seminoles the rest of the year, and just like Clemson, they aren't going to have too many challenges leading up until that important matchup. The Seminole defense seems to be solid once again, too, which is a characteristic many top teams lack this year. Time will only tell whether or not this is the year where Florida State returns to the highest of echelons in the college football world.
Next team up: Michigan--- Beat Notre Dame 41-30
Let's be honest, I hate Michigan. I think Brady Hoke is a bag of goo who eats at Golden Corral and Asian Star Buffet way too often. I think he is also one of the most ignorant people I've ever heard speak. The real reason I want to talk about Michigan, however, is the interview between Kirk Herbstreit/Eminem/Brent Musburger. If you haven't already watched the most awkward thing to ever air on broadcast television, go ahead and look that gem up. Why on Earth they didn't cut to commercial sometime during that debacle is beyond my understanding. Beyond all that ridiculousness though, it should be noted that for the first time in awhile Devin Gardner gives Michigan a legitimate quarterback. Coupled with the unimpressive play of Nebraska and other Legend division powers, the dream B1G Championship matchup between Michigan and Ohio State might finally become a reality.
J. Nave
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
The Tenacious Ten--- Week 1
After enduring the rigors of the first couple weeks of college, I've decided to return to the blogosphere. Sure, the time spent typing this could probably be spent for wisely, but where's the fun in that? Plus, the first weekend of college football is in the books, and I believe that's a cause for celebration and reflection, also known as some opinions and thoughts, which I think should be more widely adopted than Mark May's or any other biased former player ESPN puts in a suit.
I've hypothesized the best way to entertain my loyal fan base, yet not take up too much of my precious free time, is to give my top ten teams after each week of play. Since I'm such a creative person, I've opted for the title of "The Tenacious Ten" (Top ten is too cliché, power rankings is way over used, and tenacious is just fun to say... You earn bonus points if you just said tenacious when I said it was fun to say. Plus, the alliteration would make my English teachers very happy). Some weeks The Tenacious Ten might look a lot like the AP poll (which it does this week, but I swear on my left nut I started typing this before it was released) and others it may look like I've never watched football before. But after all, it is my blog, and if you disagree, start typing your own damn thoughts on the Internet. It's really not that hard.
1. Alabama--- Beat Virginia Tech 35-10
I know. Alabama didn't look very impressive. They barely gained 200 yards of total offense. AJ McCarron and TJ Yeldon were getting no help from their depleted offensive line. Christion Jones was single handedly responsible for 21 of their points. The thing is they still won by 25 points over a "Power Five" conference team. Tuscaloosa is still the undisputed Playboy Mansion of the college football world, and it's not going to be easy to gain entrance and compete with the Tide. Saban's bunch is not unbeatable, but with a bye week to prepare for the Battle in College Station, they will have plenty of time to improve some glaring weaknesses and take a monumental step towards the three-peat.
2. Oregon--- Beat Nicholls State 66-3
Gone is Chip Kelly, but the fastest offense in college football is still humming right along. Marcus Mariota, a Heisman candidate who backed it up in week one, looks like a much improved passer, and he displayed much more swagger as a play caller. De'Anthony Thomas looks ready to be a featured back in Eugene, and I'm not sure there's a defensive back in the country who can tackle him in the open field. The defense, always a weakness for the Ducks, also seems to be consistently improving, too. The only question is will new coach Mark Helfrich be as analytical as Kelly once the schedule gets tougher. He's going to have to because the Ducks are going to face much tougher challenges than Nicholls State in the weeks a head.
3. Ohio State--- Beat Buffalo 40-20
The first ten minutes for the Buckeyes made them look like definite National Championship contenders. They looked like they could beat Alabama by four touchdowns. They looked like they could've beaten the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars by at least double digit margin. However, the remaining fifty minutes? Not so much. Granted they were missing some starters in the secondary, but the Bucks have some weaknesses with depth at the position and need to find help ASAP. The offense is going to score points. In fact, as Kirk Herbstriet predicted, they could easily score 40 or more a game. As the underclassmen on the defensive line continue to mature and as the cavalry returns on the backend, there should be some noticeable improvement on that side of the ball.
4. Clemson--- Beat Georgia 38-35
I hate writing this, but Clemson is for real. Tajh Boyd may look like a fatass, but he can throw a football. Sammy Watkins may be a pothead, but he can flat out run. Dabo Swinney may be an uneducated redneck, but he has finally proved he can win the big games. The defense has some questions, but like Ohio State and Oregon, they should be able to make up for any weaknesses. The biggest challenge for Clemson, though is going to be Clemson. In fact, "Clemsoning", AKA "Michiganing", AKA choking, is such a real thing it's prominent on Urban Dictionary. Unfortunately, this team may be mature enough to prevent a possible letdown once ACC play. The showdown with Florida State in October
5. South Carolina---Beat North Carolina 27-10
Yes, Jadeveon Clowney didn't do anything. Yes, he's out of shape. Yes, they need to develop more offensive weapons. However, as someone at the game in the 105 DEGREE HEAT INDEX can attest to, Clowney's conditioning shouldn't be such a big deal (Also, dear Jesse Palmer. If you're going to critique the man so much, why don't you say it to his face? I'm sure it won't go over too badly for you). Either way, the defense managed to limit a very good offense to ten points and proved it's more than a one man wrecking crew. Mike Davis looks ready for a breakout season. Connor Shaw and Dylan Thompson both proved they are more than capable quarterbacks once again. A big test at Georgia this week should provide for a great game, but as the past few years have proven, it's not necessarily going to decide the SEC East. Look for a big game for Clowney, though, as he tries to bounce back from a rather underwhelming start.
T6. Texas A&M--- Beat Rice 52-31
You may not like JFF, but you have to respect the man's accomplishments: Heisman trophy; Putting the Aggie football program back on the map; Running an under-the-table autograph scheme with thousands of dollars; Making the NCAA look like the fraud it is and being the catalyst that will likely lead to its demise. All of that from a current college sophomore and twenty year old? That's impressive no matter your opinion on whether he's guilty or not. He proved against Rice he is going to have another fantastic year, but A&M's biggest problem is going to be defense. They were missing half of their starters, but play like that will lead to total decimation at the hands of Alabama, LSU, etc. Also, if Johnny's "I am Sasha Fierce" diva side keeps flashing from time to time, it could be just another unnecessary obstacle Kevin Sumlin has to deal with.
T6. Stanford--- Bye
The Cardinal didn't play, so they fell a few spots, which I'll admit isn't very fair. Here's a prediction though that'll show just how good I expect Stanford to be this year: Kevin Hogan will be a Heisman finalist and an eventual top 10 pick in the draft a few years from now. The man embodies all of the qualities of Andrew Luck, but he's not quite nearly as nerdy as the graduated, architecture major. Stanford's defense will be the stalwart again, and David Shaw has proven he can coach just as well as former coach John Harbaugh. Granted they haven't played a single down yet, but I expect big things in Palo Alto this fall.
8. Louisville--- Beat Ohio 49-7
Teddy Bridgewater is the BEST player in college football, and if you watched the game on ESPN this past Sunday, you'd know color commentator Matt Millen would agree (That was the creepiest TV obsession I've heard since the whole Brent Musburger-Kate Upton incident). Anyways, you did read that last sentence right. The BEST player in college football. In fact, I wouldn't hesitate to draft him over Jadeveon Clowney if I was an NFL executive (Good thing I'm not. That pick would probably not be too popular for many people and organizations). Ohio is a top tier team in the MAC, but they got embarrassed by the Cardinals. Charlie Strong is proving he can be an elite coach game by game, and the tenacity displayed by him is matched, if not exceeded, by the team. Unfortunately for Louisville, they're going to have to go undefeated to make the BCS Championship (Louisville should go undefeated more than any team in the country in my opinion), and even then, that might not be enough.
9. LSU--- Beat TCU 37-27
In the other marquee game of the weekend, LSU showed that they have the potential to challenge and dethrone Bama in the SEC West. Zach Mettenberger, whose ability to play football used to be as erratic and unpredictable as a game of Russian roulette, has suddenly developed into an effective game manager who can make plays with his arm. Cam Cameron (His parents must've hated him. And if they didn't then they deserve the award for worst parents of the year) looks to have been a great addition to the staff, as I can't remember a game where LSU looked as potent on offensive as they did Saturday night. They have a tough scheduled, but Les Miles' team is going to be tough to beat.
10. Georgia--- Lost to Clemson 38-35
I don't care if they lost Saturday. Any team with Aaron Murray, Todd Gurley, and Keith Marshall on the roster is a top ten team. The questions about their defense proved to have merit to them, as Clemson ran up and down the field with very little resistance. It's obvious the football gods don't like Georgia right now either, as their best wide receiver, Malcolm Mitchell, is done for the season, and they have to regroup for the other top ten team in the state of South Carolina. Georgia's going to have to show up, and with the motivation from last week's defeat and last year's embarrassment in Columbia, they should. Whether that'll be enough to power them to win, though remains to be seen.
Next team up: Florida State--- Beat Pittsburgh 41-13
There was a ton of hype living up to the collegiate debut of Jameis Winston, and the man didn't disappoint. First off, we have to focus on the best part about Jameis: His name. Not Jamison, not James, not Jake, but Jameis. Kudos to whoever came up with that nickname, and double kudos for whoever thought of the slogan "Famous Jameis" first (His parents and friends must've loved him unlike the very poorly named Cam Cameron). The Seminoles finally made their return to the BCS last year, and with Jameis at the helm, they should have a great chance of making it back this year. Here's hoping Famous Jameis keeps his stellar play up, so the showdown with Clemson in mid October can be everything it looks like it will be as of right now.
J. Nave
I've hypothesized the best way to entertain my loyal fan base, yet not take up too much of my precious free time, is to give my top ten teams after each week of play. Since I'm such a creative person, I've opted for the title of "The Tenacious Ten" (Top ten is too cliché, power rankings is way over used, and tenacious is just fun to say... You earn bonus points if you just said tenacious when I said it was fun to say. Plus, the alliteration would make my English teachers very happy). Some weeks The Tenacious Ten might look a lot like the AP poll (which it does this week, but I swear on my left nut I started typing this before it was released) and others it may look like I've never watched football before. But after all, it is my blog, and if you disagree, start typing your own damn thoughts on the Internet. It's really not that hard.
1. Alabama--- Beat Virginia Tech 35-10
I know. Alabama didn't look very impressive. They barely gained 200 yards of total offense. AJ McCarron and TJ Yeldon were getting no help from their depleted offensive line. Christion Jones was single handedly responsible for 21 of their points. The thing is they still won by 25 points over a "Power Five" conference team. Tuscaloosa is still the undisputed Playboy Mansion of the college football world, and it's not going to be easy to gain entrance and compete with the Tide. Saban's bunch is not unbeatable, but with a bye week to prepare for the Battle in College Station, they will have plenty of time to improve some glaring weaknesses and take a monumental step towards the three-peat.
2. Oregon--- Beat Nicholls State 66-3
Gone is Chip Kelly, but the fastest offense in college football is still humming right along. Marcus Mariota, a Heisman candidate who backed it up in week one, looks like a much improved passer, and he displayed much more swagger as a play caller. De'Anthony Thomas looks ready to be a featured back in Eugene, and I'm not sure there's a defensive back in the country who can tackle him in the open field. The defense, always a weakness for the Ducks, also seems to be consistently improving, too. The only question is will new coach Mark Helfrich be as analytical as Kelly once the schedule gets tougher. He's going to have to because the Ducks are going to face much tougher challenges than Nicholls State in the weeks a head.
3. Ohio State--- Beat Buffalo 40-20
The first ten minutes for the Buckeyes made them look like definite National Championship contenders. They looked like they could beat Alabama by four touchdowns. They looked like they could've beaten the Cleveland Browns and Jacksonville Jaguars by at least double digit margin. However, the remaining fifty minutes? Not so much. Granted they were missing some starters in the secondary, but the Bucks have some weaknesses with depth at the position and need to find help ASAP. The offense is going to score points. In fact, as Kirk Herbstriet predicted, they could easily score 40 or more a game. As the underclassmen on the defensive line continue to mature and as the cavalry returns on the backend, there should be some noticeable improvement on that side of the ball.
4. Clemson--- Beat Georgia 38-35
I hate writing this, but Clemson is for real. Tajh Boyd may look like a fatass, but he can throw a football. Sammy Watkins may be a pothead, but he can flat out run. Dabo Swinney may be an uneducated redneck, but he has finally proved he can win the big games. The defense has some questions, but like Ohio State and Oregon, they should be able to make up for any weaknesses. The biggest challenge for Clemson, though is going to be Clemson. In fact, "Clemsoning", AKA "Michiganing", AKA choking, is such a real thing it's prominent on Urban Dictionary. Unfortunately, this team may be mature enough to prevent a possible letdown once ACC play. The showdown with Florida State in October
5. South Carolina---Beat North Carolina 27-10
Yes, Jadeveon Clowney didn't do anything. Yes, he's out of shape. Yes, they need to develop more offensive weapons. However, as someone at the game in the 105 DEGREE HEAT INDEX can attest to, Clowney's conditioning shouldn't be such a big deal (Also, dear Jesse Palmer. If you're going to critique the man so much, why don't you say it to his face? I'm sure it won't go over too badly for you). Either way, the defense managed to limit a very good offense to ten points and proved it's more than a one man wrecking crew. Mike Davis looks ready for a breakout season. Connor Shaw and Dylan Thompson both proved they are more than capable quarterbacks once again. A big test at Georgia this week should provide for a great game, but as the past few years have proven, it's not necessarily going to decide the SEC East. Look for a big game for Clowney, though, as he tries to bounce back from a rather underwhelming start.
T6. Texas A&M--- Beat Rice 52-31
You may not like JFF, but you have to respect the man's accomplishments: Heisman trophy; Putting the Aggie football program back on the map; Running an under-the-table autograph scheme with thousands of dollars; Making the NCAA look like the fraud it is and being the catalyst that will likely lead to its demise. All of that from a current college sophomore and twenty year old? That's impressive no matter your opinion on whether he's guilty or not. He proved against Rice he is going to have another fantastic year, but A&M's biggest problem is going to be defense. They were missing half of their starters, but play like that will lead to total decimation at the hands of Alabama, LSU, etc. Also, if Johnny's "I am Sasha Fierce" diva side keeps flashing from time to time, it could be just another unnecessary obstacle Kevin Sumlin has to deal with.
T6. Stanford--- Bye
The Cardinal didn't play, so they fell a few spots, which I'll admit isn't very fair. Here's a prediction though that'll show just how good I expect Stanford to be this year: Kevin Hogan will be a Heisman finalist and an eventual top 10 pick in the draft a few years from now. The man embodies all of the qualities of Andrew Luck, but he's not quite nearly as nerdy as the graduated, architecture major. Stanford's defense will be the stalwart again, and David Shaw has proven he can coach just as well as former coach John Harbaugh. Granted they haven't played a single down yet, but I expect big things in Palo Alto this fall.
8. Louisville--- Beat Ohio 49-7
Teddy Bridgewater is the BEST player in college football, and if you watched the game on ESPN this past Sunday, you'd know color commentator Matt Millen would agree (That was the creepiest TV obsession I've heard since the whole Brent Musburger-Kate Upton incident). Anyways, you did read that last sentence right. The BEST player in college football. In fact, I wouldn't hesitate to draft him over Jadeveon Clowney if I was an NFL executive (Good thing I'm not. That pick would probably not be too popular for many people and organizations). Ohio is a top tier team in the MAC, but they got embarrassed by the Cardinals. Charlie Strong is proving he can be an elite coach game by game, and the tenacity displayed by him is matched, if not exceeded, by the team. Unfortunately for Louisville, they're going to have to go undefeated to make the BCS Championship (Louisville should go undefeated more than any team in the country in my opinion), and even then, that might not be enough.
9. LSU--- Beat TCU 37-27
In the other marquee game of the weekend, LSU showed that they have the potential to challenge and dethrone Bama in the SEC West. Zach Mettenberger, whose ability to play football used to be as erratic and unpredictable as a game of Russian roulette, has suddenly developed into an effective game manager who can make plays with his arm. Cam Cameron (His parents must've hated him. And if they didn't then they deserve the award for worst parents of the year) looks to have been a great addition to the staff, as I can't remember a game where LSU looked as potent on offensive as they did Saturday night. They have a tough scheduled, but Les Miles' team is going to be tough to beat.
10. Georgia--- Lost to Clemson 38-35
I don't care if they lost Saturday. Any team with Aaron Murray, Todd Gurley, and Keith Marshall on the roster is a top ten team. The questions about their defense proved to have merit to them, as Clemson ran up and down the field with very little resistance. It's obvious the football gods don't like Georgia right now either, as their best wide receiver, Malcolm Mitchell, is done for the season, and they have to regroup for the other top ten team in the state of South Carolina. Georgia's going to have to show up, and with the motivation from last week's defeat and last year's embarrassment in Columbia, they should. Whether that'll be enough to power them to win, though remains to be seen.
Next team up: Florida State--- Beat Pittsburgh 41-13
There was a ton of hype living up to the collegiate debut of Jameis Winston, and the man didn't disappoint. First off, we have to focus on the best part about Jameis: His name. Not Jamison, not James, not Jake, but Jameis. Kudos to whoever came up with that nickname, and double kudos for whoever thought of the slogan "Famous Jameis" first (His parents and friends must've loved him unlike the very poorly named Cam Cameron). The Seminoles finally made their return to the BCS last year, and with Jameis at the helm, they should have a great chance of making it back this year. Here's hoping Famous Jameis keeps his stellar play up, so the showdown with Clemson in mid October can be everything it looks like it will be as of right now.
J. Nave
Monday, August 5, 2013
Why the Ohio State Buckeyes Will Go Undefeated (Again)
Well, a few weeks ago I promised a weekly blog update for the rest of the summer. However, being a teenager and it being the summer, it seems my work ethic completely disappeared for a few weeks. In an attempt to prepare myself for the upcoming college workload, and to ensure my fingers will be capable of typing some lengthy papers the next four years, I decided to make my long awaited return.
I must admit that it feels great typing this too. Perhaps it's because I'm typing on a laptop for a change. That means I'm only a coffee shop away from being a professional amateur blogger! More than likely though, it's because of the fact that we are now under four weeks from the start of the college football season. These last few weeks have not been too kind to the sporting world, as there's been far too much coverage on when Alex Rodriguez opens a medicine cabinet or when Johnny Manziel visits his neighborhood Applebee's. In addition, a University of Florida linebacker got arrested for barking at a police dog, and Carlos Hyde starred in the most disputed video since the last Bigfoot sighting. If that's not bad enough, lawsuits are tearing apart the fabric of the NCAA, and as a result, EA Sports will not continue making college football video games (Let's have a moment of silence for my favorite video game series of all time... Thank you). A return to the focus on the actual games is going to be much welcomed by all college football fans, but especially the avid fanbase that supports the Ohio State Buckeyes. Why? Because Buckeye Nation is going to have the chance to dethrone the SEC in Pasadena, California.
Last year, THE Ohio State University's football team went undefeated. It was the sixth time the Buckeyes were able to accomplish the feat. They were also the only FBS team to finish the season undefeated, after the dismantling of the luckiest football team of all time (Notre Dame) in the title game. Normally, going undefeated in consecutive seasons is a statistical impossibility in any sport, especially major college football. In fact, there's actually a better chance of being stuck by lighting, winning the lottery, and getting a hole in one at the same time than going undefeated in consecutive seasons in the college football (Look it up...). However, a weak schedule, a more talented team, and a tumultuous offseason have laid the groundwork for the Buckeyes to perform the improbable feat.
At first glance, it's hard to tell whether Ohio State plays more Big Ten or more high school JV teams this year. The nonconference opponents, for the second year in a row, lack a marquee game. Buffalo is the annual, lowly MAC school that will benefit from a generous paycheck. San Diego State, who may be the best of the four opponents, could compete like UCF did last year, but will ultimately be overmatched. Cal could normally provide for an interesting matchup, but with so many questions at the quarterback competition, it is hard to see them putting up much of a fight. Finally, Florida A&M is known more for their marching band than their football team, so I don't think much more needs to be said. With Carlos Hyde and possibly Bradley Roby's suspensions being served during this stretch, Urban Meyer will be able to figure out the depth chart issues that will need resolved. Among these is the running back position, where Ohio State has about a half dozen capable players looking to fill Hyde's shoes. Look out for Dontre Wilson, who has run around the world six times during your reading of this article. As for Big Ten play, the Bucks draw Wisconsin and Penn State at home. These two schools seem to be the only capable schools in the Leaders division, but the Badgers should drop off a little while adjusting to Bret Bielema's departure. Ohio State will unfortunately have to travel to the hellhole that is Ann Arbor to face the Wolverines, but with Grant Reed (The kid who named his cancer Michigan... And then beat it) in attendance, the Bucks will continue their domination of that school up north. The toughest test on Ohio State's schedule? The Northwestern Wildcats. A road night game, against a team on the rise, who also features one of the most dynamic players in the country, spells only trouble for the Bucks, especially when you consider they'll face Wisconsin the week before. (Kain Colter is the aforementioned player. The man plays three positions. He will also be a dark horse Heisman candidate should Northwestern have the season many experts are predicting). Oh, and also, there's the matter of the game at Purdue. You know, the team the Buckeyes need a miraculous comeback led by a backup quarterback to win last year (Long live Kenny Guiton!). The Boilermakers are like Saturday Night Live skits most season. Normally, they are the definition of mediocrity, but every once in a while, they deliver something fantastic. Unfortunately for the Bucks, the past few years they've faced Purdue during some of their best games of the year.
The Bucks may've lost some senior leadership on the defensive side of the ball, but the offense is set to put up ridiculous numbers this year. Braxton Miller is set to have a Jennifer Lawrence type of breakout this year (Yeah people know about him already, but it's going to payoff in some hardware this year is what I was going for in that analogy). The number of playmakers he has at his disposal, being counted by LeBron James, is not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven, not eight... The wide receiver position is at its best depth in years with playmakers like Devin Smith and Philly Brown. Tight ends Nick Vannett and Jeff Heuerman have an Aaron Hernandez type versatility to them, except it's limited to only his on the field attributes rather than the more "creative" and criminal off the field ones. Combine that with the running backs mentioned before and the return of Jordan Hall, or Percy Harvin Part II, and you've got an offense that can be the best in the country. Defensively, the Bucks lost the heart and soul in John Simon. However, with the return of Bradley Roby and Ryan Shazier, the defense should be okay. Shazier was named conference preseason defensive player of the year, and if all goes according to plan, he could become as heralded as James Laurinaitis and AJ Hawk.
Most importantly though, I believe the biggest factor in Ohio State going undefeated again is going to be the offseason troubles. The old adage of taking one step backwards to take two steps forward is going to be illustrated perfectly in Columbus because Urban Meyer is like Frank Underwood (House of Cards reference there. Not sure how many people got it, but if you don't watch that show, next time you turn on Netflix, which will probably be tonight, go ahead and give it a chance. It was nominated for an Emmy for nothing). He encounters a problem, analyzes the issue, and then provides the solution that will make a majority of people happy and earn him some great benefits down the line. Last year, as featured in the excellent ESPN Training Days series, he publicly doubted the skill of the team and used the bowl ban as key motivating factors in his first season. These moves led to the fruition of the excellent leadership skills, as the senior class felt a need to rise to the occasion. This year, look for pride to be one of the mantras of the team. Over the past few weeks, Buckeye football players have only made the news in negative ways. However, once Meyer gets control of his troops, he will make them realize they have an obligation to live up to the expectations set by the fans/media and the tougher obligations set by himself. Off the field incidents damage any legacy the Bucks make on it, and once this message is imprinted in the players heads, look for better play on the field.
It's definitely not going to be easy for the Buckeyes to go 13-0 this year (The thirteenth game will be the Big Ten Championship where they would probably face either Michigan, Northwestern, or Nebraska). Last year, Notre Dame got luckier than an Irishman on St. Patrick's Day to end up finishing with an unscathed regular season. For the Bucks to do it again, they will need the occasional break or call to go their way. However, simply due to the fact that they are clearly the best team in the Big Ten, I see Pasadena being filled with scarlet and gray on January 7th (Who they'll play? That'll come next week). Hell, even if they lose one game the Buckeyes will just end up in Pasadena about a week earlier for the Rose Bowl. Either way, it is going to be a very fun fall in old Columbus town.
J. Nave
As always, if you like the piece go ahead and share it with your friends, family, coworkers, archenemies, pets, etc. Any publicity is good publicity!!!
I must admit that it feels great typing this too. Perhaps it's because I'm typing on a laptop for a change. That means I'm only a coffee shop away from being a professional amateur blogger! More than likely though, it's because of the fact that we are now under four weeks from the start of the college football season. These last few weeks have not been too kind to the sporting world, as there's been far too much coverage on when Alex Rodriguez opens a medicine cabinet or when Johnny Manziel visits his neighborhood Applebee's. In addition, a University of Florida linebacker got arrested for barking at a police dog, and Carlos Hyde starred in the most disputed video since the last Bigfoot sighting. If that's not bad enough, lawsuits are tearing apart the fabric of the NCAA, and as a result, EA Sports will not continue making college football video games (Let's have a moment of silence for my favorite video game series of all time... Thank you). A return to the focus on the actual games is going to be much welcomed by all college football fans, but especially the avid fanbase that supports the Ohio State Buckeyes. Why? Because Buckeye Nation is going to have the chance to dethrone the SEC in Pasadena, California.
Last year, THE Ohio State University's football team went undefeated. It was the sixth time the Buckeyes were able to accomplish the feat. They were also the only FBS team to finish the season undefeated, after the dismantling of the luckiest football team of all time (Notre Dame) in the title game. Normally, going undefeated in consecutive seasons is a statistical impossibility in any sport, especially major college football. In fact, there's actually a better chance of being stuck by lighting, winning the lottery, and getting a hole in one at the same time than going undefeated in consecutive seasons in the college football (Look it up...). However, a weak schedule, a more talented team, and a tumultuous offseason have laid the groundwork for the Buckeyes to perform the improbable feat.
At first glance, it's hard to tell whether Ohio State plays more Big Ten or more high school JV teams this year. The nonconference opponents, for the second year in a row, lack a marquee game. Buffalo is the annual, lowly MAC school that will benefit from a generous paycheck. San Diego State, who may be the best of the four opponents, could compete like UCF did last year, but will ultimately be overmatched. Cal could normally provide for an interesting matchup, but with so many questions at the quarterback competition, it is hard to see them putting up much of a fight. Finally, Florida A&M is known more for their marching band than their football team, so I don't think much more needs to be said. With Carlos Hyde and possibly Bradley Roby's suspensions being served during this stretch, Urban Meyer will be able to figure out the depth chart issues that will need resolved. Among these is the running back position, where Ohio State has about a half dozen capable players looking to fill Hyde's shoes. Look out for Dontre Wilson, who has run around the world six times during your reading of this article. As for Big Ten play, the Bucks draw Wisconsin and Penn State at home. These two schools seem to be the only capable schools in the Leaders division, but the Badgers should drop off a little while adjusting to Bret Bielema's departure. Ohio State will unfortunately have to travel to the hellhole that is Ann Arbor to face the Wolverines, but with Grant Reed (The kid who named his cancer Michigan... And then beat it) in attendance, the Bucks will continue their domination of that school up north. The toughest test on Ohio State's schedule? The Northwestern Wildcats. A road night game, against a team on the rise, who also features one of the most dynamic players in the country, spells only trouble for the Bucks, especially when you consider they'll face Wisconsin the week before. (Kain Colter is the aforementioned player. The man plays three positions. He will also be a dark horse Heisman candidate should Northwestern have the season many experts are predicting). Oh, and also, there's the matter of the game at Purdue. You know, the team the Buckeyes need a miraculous comeback led by a backup quarterback to win last year (Long live Kenny Guiton!). The Boilermakers are like Saturday Night Live skits most season. Normally, they are the definition of mediocrity, but every once in a while, they deliver something fantastic. Unfortunately for the Bucks, the past few years they've faced Purdue during some of their best games of the year.
The Bucks may've lost some senior leadership on the defensive side of the ball, but the offense is set to put up ridiculous numbers this year. Braxton Miller is set to have a Jennifer Lawrence type of breakout this year (Yeah people know about him already, but it's going to payoff in some hardware this year is what I was going for in that analogy). The number of playmakers he has at his disposal, being counted by LeBron James, is not one, not two, not three, not four, not five, not six, not seven, not eight... The wide receiver position is at its best depth in years with playmakers like Devin Smith and Philly Brown. Tight ends Nick Vannett and Jeff Heuerman have an Aaron Hernandez type versatility to them, except it's limited to only his on the field attributes rather than the more "creative" and criminal off the field ones. Combine that with the running backs mentioned before and the return of Jordan Hall, or Percy Harvin Part II, and you've got an offense that can be the best in the country. Defensively, the Bucks lost the heart and soul in John Simon. However, with the return of Bradley Roby and Ryan Shazier, the defense should be okay. Shazier was named conference preseason defensive player of the year, and if all goes according to plan, he could become as heralded as James Laurinaitis and AJ Hawk.
Most importantly though, I believe the biggest factor in Ohio State going undefeated again is going to be the offseason troubles. The old adage of taking one step backwards to take two steps forward is going to be illustrated perfectly in Columbus because Urban Meyer is like Frank Underwood (House of Cards reference there. Not sure how many people got it, but if you don't watch that show, next time you turn on Netflix, which will probably be tonight, go ahead and give it a chance. It was nominated for an Emmy for nothing). He encounters a problem, analyzes the issue, and then provides the solution that will make a majority of people happy and earn him some great benefits down the line. Last year, as featured in the excellent ESPN Training Days series, he publicly doubted the skill of the team and used the bowl ban as key motivating factors in his first season. These moves led to the fruition of the excellent leadership skills, as the senior class felt a need to rise to the occasion. This year, look for pride to be one of the mantras of the team. Over the past few weeks, Buckeye football players have only made the news in negative ways. However, once Meyer gets control of his troops, he will make them realize they have an obligation to live up to the expectations set by the fans/media and the tougher obligations set by himself. Off the field incidents damage any legacy the Bucks make on it, and once this message is imprinted in the players heads, look for better play on the field.
It's definitely not going to be easy for the Buckeyes to go 13-0 this year (The thirteenth game will be the Big Ten Championship where they would probably face either Michigan, Northwestern, or Nebraska). Last year, Notre Dame got luckier than an Irishman on St. Patrick's Day to end up finishing with an unscathed regular season. For the Bucks to do it again, they will need the occasional break or call to go their way. However, simply due to the fact that they are clearly the best team in the Big Ten, I see Pasadena being filled with scarlet and gray on January 7th (Who they'll play? That'll come next week). Hell, even if they lose one game the Buckeyes will just end up in Pasadena about a week earlier for the Rose Bowl. Either way, it is going to be a very fun fall in old Columbus town.
J. Nave
As always, if you like the piece go ahead and share it with your friends, family, coworkers, archenemies, pets, etc. Any publicity is good publicity!!!
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
A Look Around College Football--- SEC (Part 1)
A couple nights ago, the Stanley Cup Final came to an end. After an exhilarating series (which the Athletic Acumen just happened to predict the result of and prophesied about exactly how exciting it would be... No big deal), the unfortunate "downtime" in sports begins for the next six to eight weeks. There's the MLB regular season, and while I played baseball for 14 years and am a passionate baseball fan, it just drags on for far too long. It's kind of like a game of Risk. The game starts out with a lot of excitement and everyone is jockeying to take an early lead (First two to three weeks of the season). Then, the game begins to drag on as all the weaker players get eliminated (May-Early September). Finally, you get down to the final two players who go into an all out war to see who will be declared winner, and who all will have to regroup and get ready for the next game (Mid September-World Series). There have been proposals to shorten the regular season, but as America's Pastime, I don't see this happening anytime soon. I guess there's also WNBA basketball going on right now, but I'm pretty sure not a single reader of my blog is a WNBA fan. Actually, I'm 100% sure because I'd see you as one of the five fans at each of the games. Oh, and Major League Lacrosse is in full swing, too (If you can name five franchises in the MLL without looking them up, contact me and I'll give you a prize. I don't even know if they have five teams).
With that being said, the next few weeks I'm going to try and come out with a new post every week. This should be attainable because for one thing it's summer and I'm bound to have an hour of free time here or there, and secondly, I'm going to write about my favorite sport: College football! While there may not have been as tumultuous as an off season as last year's, there's still plenty to discuss. One coach has been called Satan a few times making me question if he actually could be. One Heisman trophy winning quarterback has achieved Jesus status in his home state, but has left me wondering whether he is more interested in partying or winning football games. One conference is trying to seek its eighth straight national title. Oh, and all these story lines are courtesy of just one conference: The SEC.
Whether you're willing to admit it or not, the kings of the college football world have built themselves quite a fortress in the southeastern United States. The king of kings happens to be Alabama coach Nick Saban, who has led the Crimson Tide to three of the past four national titles. That stretch would be impressive in professional sports, but in a sport where you lose a majority of your leaders from year to year, it is downright magic. In fact, could it be devilish magic? The past few months Saban has been called the devil by Vanderbilt's head coach James Franklin and Florida's offensive line coach Tim Davis. If we get a trinity here in the final weeks of the off season, I"m going to be convinced. Think about this for a few minutes: Tim Tebow, star quarterback of the Florida Gators and the most religious athlete this side of Jerusalem, was recruited by the University of Alabama (Jesus' temptation in the desert). During his first couple seasons, he experienced great success and defeated Saban en route to a National Championshp (Jesus' ministry, miracles, and removing demons from those possessed). However, he would soon fall and be crushed by Saban in the following year's SEC championship (Jesus' crucifixion and descent into hell). But have no fear, Tebow would bounce back and go on to crush Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl and go on to gain a playoff victory in the NFL (Jesus' resurrection and further teachings). Those last few sentences are downright scary when you think about them. Plus, Saban and Satan are only one letter apart! All jokes aside, Saban is one hell of a football coach, and his team is going to have a great chance to gain a third straight title this fall. They are going to have have to get past an urban legend to do that, though.
The one man who has able to beat Satan- I mean Saban- last year was Johnny Manziel, or as the folks in College Station like to call him, Johnny F------ Football (JFF from here on out). JFF rose from the ashes of a delinquent who had no chance of seeing the field into a Heisman winning quarterback. He put up straight video game numbers and created a football folklore that the state of Texas had never seen before (Considering football is life or death at any level in Texas, that's quite the accomplishment). Unfortunately for JFF, I'm not to sure what he's been doing these past few months to prepare for the target he's going to have on his back. The man has been featured in a country music video (Granger Smith- Silverado Bench Seat), thrown out a couple first pitches, partied with rappers weekly, sat courtside at an NBA game, attended Game 2 of the NBA Finals, and takes only online classes at Texas A&M to avoid autograph requests. Now I know the Heisman trophy brings some fame with it, but a few of those things scream "I'm letting my fame get to me, and I don't need to work hard to have success" (Oh, and maybe "impermissible benefits" there NCAA...). JFF is going to have unrealistic expectations for him this fall. The media is going to be bad enough, but his biggest critics are going to be Texas' passionate football fans. He's already taken some heat for saying he wants out of College Station and that could only get worse if the Aggies struggle out the gate. A game against the Crimson Tide on September 14th is going to go a long way in deciding the SEC title, and if tradition holds, maybe the National Title, so JFF needs to be ready to play. He's going to have another solid season, but I don't see anywhere near the accomplishments of last year, including winning another Heisman. Plus, I have a feeling a certain man adorned in Scarlet and Gray is going to garner that honor anyways (And I'll talk about that next week).
The only question that remains now is who gives the SEC their best chance of capturing title number eight? Alabama's going to be the favorite, and a lot of pressure will be on AJ McCarron to keep the title in Tuscaloosa. Luckily for him many Alabama starters return, including T.J. Yeldon, who is looking to be the latest in the great pedigree of backs the Crimson Tide has established. As long as the Tide can replace losses on the offensive line and a couple key losses on defense (Dee Milliner in particular), they should win the West. Texas A&M and LSU will be the two main challengers, but key losses on the offensive line could cripple Manziel's scrambling magic, and LSU has to go to Tuscaloosa this year, where they have not had much success. A possible dark horse in the West is the Ole Miss Rebels. Hugh Freeze is becoming one of the sexiest names in coaching, and with another stellar recruiting class coming in, the best tailgating school in the nation could soon become a perennial top 25 football team, too. Teams won't be able to sleep on the Rebels this year, and if I had to peg a team to pull a shocking upset, it'd be them in a heartbeat. In the East, a three team race seems inevitable between Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. I see Florida falling off last year as out of all the top 10 teams, the Gators were far by the least inconsistent. Soccer teams provide more excitement on offense, it shouldn't take a punt return touchdown in the final minutes to beat Louisiana-Lafayette, and Jeff Driskel throws the football worse than any other starter in the nation. The title may come down to an early September game between Georgia and South Carolina. While Jadeveon Clowney may be a legitimate Heisman candidate, Georgia just has too many weapons on offense. Aaron Murray could have a huge year, Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall provide one of the most dynamic backfields in the country, and as long as some of the high profile recruits live up to the hype defensively, Georgia should be able to return to the SEC Championsip game. The question is, will they finally be able to break through and win one?
Yet again, the SEC could have as many as SIX teams finish in the top 15-20 at the end of the season. With steady improvements being seen at Vanderbilt, the aforementioned Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and a inevitable bounce back at Auburn, the conference will only get better. What team ultimately ends up surviving the week to week onslaught and (almost) guarantees themselves a shot to represents the SEC in the National Championship could be more chaotic than ever. How appropriate for the final year of the BCS.
J. Nave
Look for a Big Ten preview next week, including topics like
-Can Braxton Miller win the Heisman, and can the Buckeyes go undefeated again?
-Did Brady Hoke gain or lose weight over the off season?
-The state of Wisconsin football after Bret Bielema's departure.
-Will Bill O'Brien's miracle work continue?
-Can Northwestern win a championship in something other than chess?
With that being said, the next few weeks I'm going to try and come out with a new post every week. This should be attainable because for one thing it's summer and I'm bound to have an hour of free time here or there, and secondly, I'm going to write about my favorite sport: College football! While there may not have been as tumultuous as an off season as last year's, there's still plenty to discuss. One coach has been called Satan a few times making me question if he actually could be. One Heisman trophy winning quarterback has achieved Jesus status in his home state, but has left me wondering whether he is more interested in partying or winning football games. One conference is trying to seek its eighth straight national title. Oh, and all these story lines are courtesy of just one conference: The SEC.
Whether you're willing to admit it or not, the kings of the college football world have built themselves quite a fortress in the southeastern United States. The king of kings happens to be Alabama coach Nick Saban, who has led the Crimson Tide to three of the past four national titles. That stretch would be impressive in professional sports, but in a sport where you lose a majority of your leaders from year to year, it is downright magic. In fact, could it be devilish magic? The past few months Saban has been called the devil by Vanderbilt's head coach James Franklin and Florida's offensive line coach Tim Davis. If we get a trinity here in the final weeks of the off season, I"m going to be convinced. Think about this for a few minutes: Tim Tebow, star quarterback of the Florida Gators and the most religious athlete this side of Jerusalem, was recruited by the University of Alabama (Jesus' temptation in the desert). During his first couple seasons, he experienced great success and defeated Saban en route to a National Championshp (Jesus' ministry, miracles, and removing demons from those possessed). However, he would soon fall and be crushed by Saban in the following year's SEC championship (Jesus' crucifixion and descent into hell). But have no fear, Tebow would bounce back and go on to crush Cincinnati in the Sugar Bowl and go on to gain a playoff victory in the NFL (Jesus' resurrection and further teachings). Those last few sentences are downright scary when you think about them. Plus, Saban and Satan are only one letter apart! All jokes aside, Saban is one hell of a football coach, and his team is going to have a great chance to gain a third straight title this fall. They are going to have have to get past an urban legend to do that, though.
The one man who has able to beat Satan- I mean Saban- last year was Johnny Manziel, or as the folks in College Station like to call him, Johnny F------ Football (JFF from here on out). JFF rose from the ashes of a delinquent who had no chance of seeing the field into a Heisman winning quarterback. He put up straight video game numbers and created a football folklore that the state of Texas had never seen before (Considering football is life or death at any level in Texas, that's quite the accomplishment). Unfortunately for JFF, I'm not to sure what he's been doing these past few months to prepare for the target he's going to have on his back. The man has been featured in a country music video (Granger Smith- Silverado Bench Seat), thrown out a couple first pitches, partied with rappers weekly, sat courtside at an NBA game, attended Game 2 of the NBA Finals, and takes only online classes at Texas A&M to avoid autograph requests. Now I know the Heisman trophy brings some fame with it, but a few of those things scream "I'm letting my fame get to me, and I don't need to work hard to have success" (Oh, and maybe "impermissible benefits" there NCAA...). JFF is going to have unrealistic expectations for him this fall. The media is going to be bad enough, but his biggest critics are going to be Texas' passionate football fans. He's already taken some heat for saying he wants out of College Station and that could only get worse if the Aggies struggle out the gate. A game against the Crimson Tide on September 14th is going to go a long way in deciding the SEC title, and if tradition holds, maybe the National Title, so JFF needs to be ready to play. He's going to have another solid season, but I don't see anywhere near the accomplishments of last year, including winning another Heisman. Plus, I have a feeling a certain man adorned in Scarlet and Gray is going to garner that honor anyways (And I'll talk about that next week).
The only question that remains now is who gives the SEC their best chance of capturing title number eight? Alabama's going to be the favorite, and a lot of pressure will be on AJ McCarron to keep the title in Tuscaloosa. Luckily for him many Alabama starters return, including T.J. Yeldon, who is looking to be the latest in the great pedigree of backs the Crimson Tide has established. As long as the Tide can replace losses on the offensive line and a couple key losses on defense (Dee Milliner in particular), they should win the West. Texas A&M and LSU will be the two main challengers, but key losses on the offensive line could cripple Manziel's scrambling magic, and LSU has to go to Tuscaloosa this year, where they have not had much success. A possible dark horse in the West is the Ole Miss Rebels. Hugh Freeze is becoming one of the sexiest names in coaching, and with another stellar recruiting class coming in, the best tailgating school in the nation could soon become a perennial top 25 football team, too. Teams won't be able to sleep on the Rebels this year, and if I had to peg a team to pull a shocking upset, it'd be them in a heartbeat. In the East, a three team race seems inevitable between Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. I see Florida falling off last year as out of all the top 10 teams, the Gators were far by the least inconsistent. Soccer teams provide more excitement on offense, it shouldn't take a punt return touchdown in the final minutes to beat Louisiana-Lafayette, and Jeff Driskel throws the football worse than any other starter in the nation. The title may come down to an early September game between Georgia and South Carolina. While Jadeveon Clowney may be a legitimate Heisman candidate, Georgia just has too many weapons on offense. Aaron Murray could have a huge year, Todd Gurley and Keith Marshall provide one of the most dynamic backfields in the country, and as long as some of the high profile recruits live up to the hype defensively, Georgia should be able to return to the SEC Championsip game. The question is, will they finally be able to break through and win one?
Yet again, the SEC could have as many as SIX teams finish in the top 15-20 at the end of the season. With steady improvements being seen at Vanderbilt, the aforementioned Ole Miss, Mississippi State, and a inevitable bounce back at Auburn, the conference will only get better. What team ultimately ends up surviving the week to week onslaught and (almost) guarantees themselves a shot to represents the SEC in the National Championship could be more chaotic than ever. How appropriate for the final year of the BCS.
J. Nave
Look for a Big Ten preview next week, including topics like
-Can Braxton Miller win the Heisman, and can the Buckeyes go undefeated again?
-Did Brady Hoke gain or lose weight over the off season?
-The state of Wisconsin football after Bret Bielema's departure.
-Will Bill O'Brien's miracle work continue?
-Can Northwestern win a championship in something other than chess?
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Making a Case for the NHL
A few weeks ago, I saw the new Star Trek movie. To be completely honest, I'm the farthest thing from a "trekkie" and ended up seeing the movie because the tickets to Fast and Furious 6 were solid out, but I was thoroughly impressed with the film (Not going to waste a lot of time reviewing the movie because you can find much better summaries than the one I would write elsewhere on the Internet, but I need to mention the fact it stars the talented and very underrated Benedict Cumberbatch as Khan, who's acting is worth the price of admission). Anyways, towards the end of the film, the famous "Boldly go where no man has gone before" was spoken by Spock, and all of a sudden, my intelligent Vulcan friend encouraged me to do something that would be very, very bold: Write about the NHL playoffs.
For some reason, the NHL receives absolutely no attention. Fewer fans go to hockey games than any other major professional sport. ESPN would never in a million years lead with a hockey story. Worst of all for the NHL, Tim Tebow and LeBron James don't play in the league. While it is an uphill battle for the NHL, things do seem to be pointing up. Initial television ratings have been near record highs thanks to great series, especially the seven game marathon between Chicago and Detroit. Playoff atmospheres are rocking in places other than Hockeytown. Perhaps best of all, Sidney Crosby jokes are becoming more popular on social media (Look up Boston pilot joke if you're not sure what I'm talking about). The NHL, unlike the NBA, has absolutely no parity from top to bottom. The Finals match-up was basically set in stone after the injury to Russell Westbrook, and every year, it's pretty easy to narrow serious contenders down to a handful. Last year, the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup as an #8 seed! Meanwhile in the NBA this year, the Milwaukee Bucks, the #8 seed in the East, got swept by the Heat and raised questions over whether a team of actually bucks could play better basketball.
As a member of the self-proclaimed "ADD/Steroid Multi-tasker/A-thousand-miles-a-minute/#YOLO" generation, the game of hockey would seem to be much more appealing. Unlike sports like baseball, basketball, and even football, hockey can go on rapidly for minutes at a time, and the interruptions and television timeouts are kept at a minimal. The tactical approach of soccer, the technical skills of lacrosse, the physicality of football, the speed of track, and the gracefulness of dancing make hockey one of the more challenging sports to master. It's one of the only sports where you can witness feats that range from this (Rick Nash Goal), to this (Tuukka Rask), and even something completely insane like this (Goalie Loses Tooth).
Unfortunately, there are only four to seven hockey games left in the lockout shortened NHL season (The lockout, and second one in the last 10 years, is probably one of the reasons the NHL has been desperate for attention), so if you want to watch something far more entertaining than the NBA, I caught you just in time. And man, the Stanley Cup Finals should be one hell of a series. Two 'Original 6' teams in the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins could provide just the spark the sport needs. The only question is, will the NBA fans or sports fans in general be willing to tune in? I know I will be. On one side, you have the Bruins, the 2011 Stanley Cup Champions. Gone from that team is star goaltender Tim Thomas, but in his place is Tuukka Rask, whose highlight tape was featured earlier and is something I really hope you watched. Back though are players like David Krejci, Zdeno Chara, and Nathan Horton who played prominent roles against the Canucks two years back. The #4 seed in the East, the Bruins needed a miracle comeback against the Toronto Maple Leafs (Toronto is kind of like the NHL's version of Cleveland with a little bit of the Chicago Cubs' World Series curse thrown in there for the non-hockey readers) just to get by the first round. Then, they SWEPT the Pittsburgh Penguins, which would've been like the Pacers sweeping the Heat with an average margin of victory of 20 points. If the old addage, defense wins championships is true, the Bruins will be hoisting another Stanley Cup, because the combination of Rask's play and the penalty kill numbers will stifle the Blackhawks' forwards.
However, I'm taking the best team in the NHL this year to win the Stanley Cup. The Chicago Blackhawks won 36 games and finished with 77 points in a 48 game season. They ranked in the top two of both goals and goals against per game. They had the third best penalty kill in the NHL. Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, and Bryan Bickell have wowed fans all season with incredible goal scoring displays, and Corey Crawford is becoming one of the league's top goaltenders. The ultimate intangible though will be the fact that Chicago has home ice. Other than maybe the NFL, the crowds at hockey games are the closest thing to a college atmosphere you can find. The fans, while not as mighty in quanity, are some of the most die hard fans this side of European soccer, and they ramp it up come playoff time. This season, the crowds in every building have been LOUD for the entire 60 minutes, and then they take LOUD to a whole new level come overtime.
By and far, especially since Game of Thrones will not be returning for another 9 months, the best television out there the next week and a half is going to be found courtesy of the NHL. It make take a bold step to turn on the Stanley Cup Finals, but if any of you all find yourself watching NBC tonight at 8:00 PM, I think most of you will be entertained, impressed, and pissed off because you missed the first three rounds of one of the more compelling sports on the planet.
My pick: Chicago in 6
J. Nave
For some reason, the NHL receives absolutely no attention. Fewer fans go to hockey games than any other major professional sport. ESPN would never in a million years lead with a hockey story. Worst of all for the NHL, Tim Tebow and LeBron James don't play in the league. While it is an uphill battle for the NHL, things do seem to be pointing up. Initial television ratings have been near record highs thanks to great series, especially the seven game marathon between Chicago and Detroit. Playoff atmospheres are rocking in places other than Hockeytown. Perhaps best of all, Sidney Crosby jokes are becoming more popular on social media (Look up Boston pilot joke if you're not sure what I'm talking about). The NHL, unlike the NBA, has absolutely no parity from top to bottom. The Finals match-up was basically set in stone after the injury to Russell Westbrook, and every year, it's pretty easy to narrow serious contenders down to a handful. Last year, the Los Angeles Kings won the Stanley Cup as an #8 seed! Meanwhile in the NBA this year, the Milwaukee Bucks, the #8 seed in the East, got swept by the Heat and raised questions over whether a team of actually bucks could play better basketball.
As a member of the self-proclaimed "ADD/Steroid Multi-tasker/A-thousand-miles-a-minute/#YOLO" generation, the game of hockey would seem to be much more appealing. Unlike sports like baseball, basketball, and even football, hockey can go on rapidly for minutes at a time, and the interruptions and television timeouts are kept at a minimal. The tactical approach of soccer, the technical skills of lacrosse, the physicality of football, the speed of track, and the gracefulness of dancing make hockey one of the more challenging sports to master. It's one of the only sports where you can witness feats that range from this (Rick Nash Goal), to this (Tuukka Rask), and even something completely insane like this (Goalie Loses Tooth).
Unfortunately, there are only four to seven hockey games left in the lockout shortened NHL season (The lockout, and second one in the last 10 years, is probably one of the reasons the NHL has been desperate for attention), so if you want to watch something far more entertaining than the NBA, I caught you just in time. And man, the Stanley Cup Finals should be one hell of a series. Two 'Original 6' teams in the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins could provide just the spark the sport needs. The only question is, will the NBA fans or sports fans in general be willing to tune in? I know I will be. On one side, you have the Bruins, the 2011 Stanley Cup Champions. Gone from that team is star goaltender Tim Thomas, but in his place is Tuukka Rask, whose highlight tape was featured earlier and is something I really hope you watched. Back though are players like David Krejci, Zdeno Chara, and Nathan Horton who played prominent roles against the Canucks two years back. The #4 seed in the East, the Bruins needed a miracle comeback against the Toronto Maple Leafs (Toronto is kind of like the NHL's version of Cleveland with a little bit of the Chicago Cubs' World Series curse thrown in there for the non-hockey readers) just to get by the first round. Then, they SWEPT the Pittsburgh Penguins, which would've been like the Pacers sweeping the Heat with an average margin of victory of 20 points. If the old addage, defense wins championships is true, the Bruins will be hoisting another Stanley Cup, because the combination of Rask's play and the penalty kill numbers will stifle the Blackhawks' forwards.
However, I'm taking the best team in the NHL this year to win the Stanley Cup. The Chicago Blackhawks won 36 games and finished with 77 points in a 48 game season. They ranked in the top two of both goals and goals against per game. They had the third best penalty kill in the NHL. Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Marian Hossa, and Bryan Bickell have wowed fans all season with incredible goal scoring displays, and Corey Crawford is becoming one of the league's top goaltenders. The ultimate intangible though will be the fact that Chicago has home ice. Other than maybe the NFL, the crowds at hockey games are the closest thing to a college atmosphere you can find. The fans, while not as mighty in quanity, are some of the most die hard fans this side of European soccer, and they ramp it up come playoff time. This season, the crowds in every building have been LOUD for the entire 60 minutes, and then they take LOUD to a whole new level come overtime.
By and far, especially since Game of Thrones will not be returning for another 9 months, the best television out there the next week and a half is going to be found courtesy of the NHL. It make take a bold step to turn on the Stanley Cup Finals, but if any of you all find yourself watching NBC tonight at 8:00 PM, I think most of you will be entertained, impressed, and pissed off because you missed the first three rounds of one of the more compelling sports on the planet.
My pick: Chicago in 6
J. Nave
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Why Tiger Woods Will Not Win the Memorial Tournament
Out of all the wonderful things Dublin, Ohio offers, the hands down best event of the year is the Memorial Tournament. Businesses and restaurants boom all across town. Media outlets flock to Dublin to catch a glimpse of some of the world's best. Thousands of people who can't break 100 analyze the dozens of swings they see desperately hoping to improve their games. And best of all, a bunch of wealthy Dubliners smashed on $9 beers and $16 glasses of wine get threatened, tackled, and maybe even arrested by cops (A scene I saw at last year's tournament that will be very hard to beat this year). While it's not quite a major, the Memorial always draws one of the best fields of any PGA tournament and offers one of the most difficult challenges on tour. This week many of the world's top golfers are at Muirfield Village competing for not only a win, but also some huge momentum heading into the US Open in two weeks. Tiger Woods is a heavy favorite to win his sixth Memorial and his game seems to be finally nearing peak performance. However, Tiger will not win this week. I repeat, HE WILL NOT WIN. This prediction makes absolutely no sense if you look at the two facts I mentioned a couple of sentences ago (And to be one hundred percent honest, I'm not exactly confident in this prediction), but I just don't see career win number 106 coming Tiger's way this week.
Tiger Woods may have four wins already this year, but a win he hasn't had in nearly five years is why he will not win this week. I'm talking about a major victory, and Tiger's last came in 2008 at the US Open. The man who thinks "winning takes care of everything" (I don't have nearly enough time to prove why this is an absolute ridiculous concept to relate to Tiger...) needs to win a major before he will finally acknowledge he's anywhere close back to his best, and it's obvious all of his attention is being placed on Merion in two weeks. This past week, Woods traveled to Philadelphia to play the course that will host the US Open for the first time, so he could get an experience for the course. With that in mind, I wouldn't be surprised if Tiger takes a complete different approach at Muirfield Village this week. He will be hitting shots he will have to face at Merion. He will be thinking about how this shot or that shot will work at Merion. He will be thinking about who he wants to call up for some fun at Merion. All of his focus is already at Merion, and while a completely unfocused Woods is still probably good enough for a top 10 finish, it will not be good enough for a win with this field.
The field at the Memorial is full of players ranked at the top in the World Golf Rankings, and their own games will be another reason Woods will not get the job done this week. Two players that stand out to me this week are Jason Day and Rickie Fowler. Day, who recently bought at home in nearby Westerville and has a membership at Muirfield Village, will have a familiarity with the course that will be unmatched by a majority of the players in the field. He has been one of the most consistent placers in majors the last eighteen months, and whenever he shows up to play, it seems like he ends up in contention come Sunday. Fowler, on the other hand, hasn't been nearly as successful as Day, but he was atop the Memorial leaderboard last year. Unfortunately, he fell to the pressure and collapsed during the weekend. The PGA's flashiest dresser claims he learned from the experience, and I think I actually trust him. Fowler is a tour favorite and the Memorial seems to be the perfect time for him to break out of a slump.
Since picking a winner of a golf tournament is nearly impossible unless you pick Woods, I'm going to expand my short list to five. In addition to the two above, I'll take Dustin Johnson, Lee Westwood, or Luke Donald to win this week. Each of the three have been in contention in countless tournaments, but they don't have nearly as many wins as they should. Johnson has always been pegged as an American who has the potential to win many golf tournaments, but has never delivered. Westwood and Donald were both former world number ones, but they did that with consistent top tens and very little hardware collection. All of them are great golfers, but it seems like it's now or never for these three if they want to leave a legendary legacy.
Come Sunday, it won't surprise me if Tiger Woods is in contention to win another Memorial. In fact, I absolutely expect him to be right there. But no matter where he is on the leaderboard, the game's greatest finisher will not get the job done this week. Unless of course, he pulls off a shot like this one:
Since picking a winner of a golf tournament is nearly impossible unless you pick Woods, I'm going to expand my short list to five. In addition to the two above, I'll take Dustin Johnson, Lee Westwood, or Luke Donald to win this week. Each of the three have been in contention in countless tournaments, but they don't have nearly as many wins as they should. Johnson has always been pegged as an American who has the potential to win many golf tournaments, but has never delivered. Westwood and Donald were both former world number ones, but they did that with consistent top tens and very little hardware collection. All of them are great golfers, but it seems like it's now or never for these three if they want to leave a legendary legacy.
Come Sunday, it won't surprise me if Tiger Woods is in contention to win another Memorial. In fact, I absolutely expect him to be right there. But no matter where he is on the leaderboard, the game's greatest finisher will not get the job done this week. Unless of course, he pulls off a shot like this one:
Or this one...
Or this one............
You know what, this Tiger guy may win after all.
J. Nave
Fun Fact of the Week: During the last post, The Athletic Acumen surpassed the 1000 page visit mark. And for those of you who may think I just obsessively check my blog to make the number higher, I've disabled my page views from counting. That means, we are averaging just over 110 readers a post. That is way more than I ever expected when I started this on a cold, February night. A huge THANK YOU goes out to all the loyal readers, the one read standers, and the "I accidentally clicked on the link what am I doingers". It truly feels incredible to have a passion of mine being appreciated by so many people, and as long as you all keep reading, I'll keep typing!
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
LeBron James and his Tywin Lannister Problem... Plus Some Predictions!
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| Courtesy of Picture Push |
Both LeBron and Tywin are notorious for being the best at what they do. No matter what they accomplish, their achievements will be looked down on because of how much we need to hate them, though.
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| Courtesy of Spoiler TV |
Normally, I try and stay as far away from NBA basketball as I possibly can. However, for some reason or another, I have found myself watching quite a bit of the playoffs. Mainly, I was attracted by the Golden State Warriors and their brand of basketball because it was the closest thing to a college team I've ever seen in the league. Their main nucleus, consisting of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, David Lee, and Andrew "The Caveman" Bogut, had not only names I recognized from the college game, but they also played a style of basketball built on three pointers and solid defense, factors I like (If you want to see a great picture of "The Caveman" in action, go ahead and google 'Andrew Bogut Golden State' and look at the second image. It's priceless). I desperately wanted them to advance to The Finals so they could beat the Heat, but unfortunately the San Antonio "AARP" Spurs left Shady Oaks Retirement Home with enough energy to advance. With that being said, as the conference finals begin it seems like the South Beach Super Squad, or the Miami Heat, are the clear cut favorites to win another championship. This notion probably causes a serious emotional response because the Miami Heat are kind of like Nicki Minaj songs; you either love them, or you want to cause severe bodily harm to yourself every time they are mentioned. This sentence and a recent episode of a TV show, however, made me realize that there is a far more accurate symbolism of the relationship between fans and the Heat. We have to take a quick journey into a fake land to find it, though.
For those of you who don't have the great pleasure of watching HBO's show Game of Thrones or reading George R.R. Martin's phenomenal series of books, House Lannister is a royal family in the fantasy land of Westeros that could easily swap places with the Heat. House Lannister is the richest, cleverest, most attractive, most powerful, and most hated family in the Seven Kingdoms. The Heat are the most talented, most valuable, most talked about, and most hated franchise in the NBA. Both of them also share the treasured ability of being equally respected and feared by their opponents, and they have leaders who do the same with such power you have to be in awe.
For the Heat, it is the NBA's seemingly annual MVP LeBron James. For the Lannisters, it is Tywin, the patriarch whose financial pockets are matched only by his manipulative and creative schemes. The similarities between the two men are countless, and I'm disappointed I haven't noticed the startling similarities until now:
1) LeBron definitely has the most superior skills in the game of basketball right now. Tywin has the resources and intelligence to conquer all of the Seven Kingdoms.
2) LeBron has faced enormous pressure his entire career to match the legacy of Michael Jordan. Even for a phenom, becoming an all time great isn't an easy task. Tywin has his own problem of fixing his children's erratic behaviors so the important Lannister legacy will be passed on for generations to come and not become tarnished.
3) Both men are haunted by their pasts. LeBron's "Decision" became one of the most controversial public relations moves of this century and his inability to win a championship for so long. Tywin meanwhile has had to endure the death of his wife and mother, his son being kidnapped, and the incestuous relationship between two of his children (Advantage Tywin in this category).
4) LeBron is hated by an entire state. Tywin is hated by an entire kingdom.
I'll stop the comparisons there because either one, you watch Game of Thrones and your mind is racing to find the other dozens of similarities between the two men, or two, you don't watch the show and are losing interest quickly. No matter your background, you can probably find your own Tywin Lannister to fit the model I just described. There are certain people in the world that we hate because they are set up to succeed in life very easily. We're very jealous of this trait, we grow to expect nothing but absolute and impressive accomplishments out of them, and we slowly develop an extreme hatred towards them. Then, when they finally fail, we celebrate knowing that someone else will finally be able to have his or her own taste of glory. And maybe, just maybe, it will finally be our turn to get a good fifteen minutes of fame. Of course, there are people that support the Twyin Lannisters in the world, especially if they support a similar cause for you. They grow to become idols, and they are looked up at to provide the proper leadership to achieve a goal. However, for those of you who may support a LeBron James or Tywin Lannister figure in your life, just realize like any other human being, they tend to be self seeking. If they betray you, don't come crying to me. I told you so.
Now that I got my serious and "way too close to literary" analysis out of the way, it's time to make some predictions. And yes, I do realize the Western Conference Finals are basically over at this point and game one of the Eastern Conference Finals is under way.
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: SAN ANTONIO IN 5
You know the old expression "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"? That's kind of how I feel about the Spurs. Like I referenced above, the Spurs roster should be enjoying retirement on Florida's beaches, but instead they are on the brink of another Finals appearance. Future Rogaine spokesman Manu Ginobili defies every NBA stereotype out there, Tim Duncan has manhandled Zach Randolph inside, Tony Parker still has the quickness to stay with Mike Conley, and Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard are developing into great role players. I think the Grizzlies will be able to steal one game at home, but Gregg Popovich, the only coach in the NBA who I actually think does something, will once again get his team back to the Finals.
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: MIAMI IN 6
Right now, the Heat are up two in the third quarter of Game 1. However, from here on out, I don't see them struggling. For one, the Heat have too much talent for the Pacers. While I admire Frank Vogel's efforts, his team doesn't have the ability to match Miami shot for shot, and while defense does win championships, Miami simply has too much offense. Indiana will probably steal a game or two, and since I don't have much respect for the Heat's ability to focus and show up for an extended period of time against a lesser opponent, I'm giving the Pacers the benefit of the doubt. Also, a San Antonio-Miami Finals match-up seems like destiny at this point. An underrated dynasty for the past decade vs. the future dynasty of the NBA? LeBron James/Chris Bosh/Dwayne Wade vs. Tim Duncan/Manu Ginobili/Tony Parker? LeBron trying to get his second ring vs. Dan Gilbert trying to pick another superstar with his second number one overall pick? Erik Spoelstra vs. Gregg Popovich? There's simply too much money on the line for the NBA for them not to rig the two series to end up like this.
J. Nave
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