Week 8 NCAA Ruminations

A lot of thoughts here. Connor is taking a nap. I don't have an editor and I don't have any staff writers. I don't have time to write "paragraphs". Tick...the clock is ticking....here we go...

Dear Heisman voters, please remove Tim Tebow from your ballots now. If it weren't the first interception he threw that was returned for a touchdown against Miss St., perhaps the second one will suffice. If you are looking for a replacement, try the Gator defense that has been picking up Mr. Everything's slack. Yeah yeah, tying Herschel Walker for most rushing TD's is something but you all ready gave Tim one Heisman...let's leave it at that.

I know you all know my propensity to, well hate Notre Dame. And I know they are 5-2 on the year. And I know they are never really out of a game it would seem. And I know they have hapless Washington State coming to South Bend to get win 6. I probably didn't need to mention South Bend since, if you've been playing attention, you probably also know that Notre Dame is saving significant money in travel this year - since they pretty much don't. Two road games all year so far - one of which was a hour and a half away in Lafayette. The other a loss to an increasingly sucky Michigan. Navy comes to South Bend after that. Are there any road games left? Yes, actually - a trip west to Stanford to finish the year but more importantly to Pitt in three weeks - NOW a team on the road with a pulse and a running game to boot. A three loss Irish is likely not one for the BCS. That's a biggie.

If we are just looking at non-BCS teams, is there any reason TCU isn't ranked ahead of Boise? If we are looking at all of them, is there any reason TCU isn't ranked 4 behind Florida, Bama, and Texas?

If we continue playing that game we've got to look at Cincinnati ranked behind USC - why? USC struggled with Oregon State at home. Cincinnati handled the Beavers on the road. Cincinnati won all of its games to date. USC lost to a now 3-5 Washington.

Starting with LSU at #9 and going through West Virginia at #20. Throw a dart. They are all about the same.

Kansas State: Beat UMass by 4. Lost to Louisiana-Lafayette. Lost to UCLA. Handled Tennessee Tech. Beat Iowa State by 1. Lost 66-14 to Texas Tech. Beat Texas A&M 62-14. Then beat Colorado yesterday. Huh?

Texas Tech lost to Texas A&M 52-30. Huh?

Dear Michigan, Reality is a big, fat, cold carp upside your head isn't it?, Love, Ultimate Bill

Dear South Florida, I know, it doesn't seem fair but you DO have to play games in October and November. Love, Ultimate Bill

Wow! Rutgers is 5-2. Schiano has maintained the success he built a few years back hasn't he? Wait a minute, Halloween is next weekend and they've only played two league games? And they lost those? Hold on...the wins? Howard, Florida International, Texas Southern, Army, and Maryland. Seriously? That's a schedule? It's allowed? A d1A team can play THAT bad an out of conference schedule? Sad part is, Maryland was probably only the third most challenging of those wins.

Speaking of which...

Dear Ralph Fridgeon, Thank you. Thank you SO much! Love, Al Groh

Anyone else notice that Temple is undefeated in MAC play?

Is it me or is the officiating particularly dreadful this year? In addition to the moribund SEC crews propensity for stifling ANY kind of celebration what-so-ever, it seems they don't know how to use video players either. In the Florida at Miss. St. game, Gator linebacker Dustin Doe intercepted a Miss. St pass and returned it to the endzone, being sure to, in heavy traffic, high step and hold the ball out before crossing the goal line. Two points - 1) Football players are really, really stupid and 2) the fumble was painfully obvious without the replay yet the replay official did not see compelling evidence to overturn the on field TD call. (The fumble was recovered by Miss. St.). For what is supposed to be the best league in football, the officiating sure doesn't match. Outside the SEC if anyone caught the USC/ Oregon State game you would have witnessed the most blatant face-mask of all time. If you did not watch that game and missed the play, you'd be no different than the officials working that game.

I think Auburn is REALLY looking forward to the Furman game on Nov 7. That might be their last remaining possible win.

Main Pool Update: Week 8

HolyMackeral! Did you see Holy Mackeral's performance? 16 out of 22 for the week's best and a move up the overall standings into 4th. TheMack only sits four points behind the leader GeauxBoyGeaux who had his 8th straight double digit week! At the opposite of the spectrum we have the shameful 5 point performance that took Missing Wanting Needing Bill from the top spot into 10th place. It was painful to watch!

Best Picks
Sunny the Conquerer and Kiffin with Clemson.

Worst Picks
I'm giving myself a special nod for thinking "geez Hawaii can AT LEAST cover 25 points at home, right?" Also, the handful of us thinking UVA stood a chance against the Yellow Jacket running machine.

Head to Yahoo! to see the results

Elimination Pool Week 8

And then there were three:

Here are the Picks for Week 8 Elimination (Lot of GT fans!)

Week 7 NCAA Ruminations

Remember this movie? Throw in Jason Robards, a little Ray Bradbury, and a dude that looks an awful lot like Lee Greenwood and you've got a cautionary tale about desire! (Not a bad flick for a cool evening nearing Halloween). At any rate, the tale serves as a relevant warning to those young men who play football for academic universities and those old men who lead them...Reality came a-callin' this week in NCAA football.

Truth

Let's start with the truth of NCAA football in Week 7 of 2009. There's only one: ALabama is THE bad boy on the block. No one, to date, even compares. Yes, I know, Mark May and his merry band of blowhards were practically falling over themselves about USC AND Notre Dame. (Lou Holtz said it best to Mark May, "I think if Notre Dame actually won that game you wouldn't be nearly as complimentary" - seriously, Mark May is an idiot). At any rate - no one, not Florida, Not Texas, not Cincinnati, not Iowa, and most certainly not Southern Cal are playing anything close to the level of football the Tide is playing right now. If, after Florida nearly lost to the Razorbacks in the swamp, a mere three weeks after Bama absolutely manhandled them, the Tide doesn't get the majority of #1 votes in today's polls, then the voters simply aren't paying attention. Truthfully, Florida hasn't deserved the top spot all season.

Reality - the cold slap in the face

Texas - you took out Bradford early and you still could have lost to a 3-3 Oklahoma squad. The Longhorns haven't looked good against a team with a pulse all year long. The Big 12 is too tough for them to get through unscathed - especially when Colt McCoy came back down to earth.

USC - you let Notre Dame back in the game. First thing I read this morning...the likely title game will involved the SEC champ and USC. Everyone is assuming USC got it's annual gaffe out of the way and will cruise the rest of thre year. Really? Are we simply going to dismiss Oregon now? Really? Considering that USC, SHOULD have controlled the Irish offensive game but if not, at least run roughshod over it's porous defense. Neither really happened. USC is due for another loss. Notre Dame just isn't THAT good.

Notre Dame - sorry Charlie. Really, at some point you HAVE to look at a coach when he literally LOADS his team with top talent from all over the country and just can't win a big game. Here are the numbers...(courtesy of Tom Deinhart) "Since the start of the 2007 season, Notre Dame is 14-17. Weis is 1-15 against teams that finished the season with a winning record. And he's 1-9 against teams that finished ranked." Wow.

Virginia Tech - you STILL can't control the ball when needed. Tyrod really doesn't seem coachable at this point. He doesn't seem to know when to reach for the extra yard, opting for the sideline or a slide EVERY time. He doesn't seem to know when he should put his head down and run upfield (you can't pull off the miracle throw EVERY time). And, truth be told, Bud Foster shares some of the blame for the loss to GT. Paul Johnson put on an absolute clinic on triple option in the second half and VT had NO answer at all.

Florida - You're the University of Florida. You have superman at quarterback. You are the #1 team in the country (in theory). You're best downfield threat? Riley Cooper. Your best backfield threat? No one. It is painfully clear that neither Demps, Rainey, or Moody, even combined, come anything close to providing the threat that Percy Harvin did for the Gators last year. They might go undefeated into the title game because the schedule is that soft, but the Gators WILL run into a team that can outlast its defense and lookout - they will fall hard.

Ohio State - ummm...I don't even know what to say about that.

ACC - the only unbeaten team in league play is...wait for it...THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

Big Ten - Iowa will lose to Ohio State and muck everything up for you.

I'm not ready to say anyone is a sure bet for the title game at this point. Bama is the lead horse with a big messy pack running way behind. Should be interesting!

Main Pool Update: Week 7

GeauxBoyGeaux, Missing Wanting Needing Bill, and BigOrange are starting to form a lead pack. After week 7, they each sit with 81 points. Missing is the only player to have posted double digits in every week of the pool. The next best behind the three sits at 78. On the other end of the spectrum, Penn Wagers and Rich Rod is the Devil decided not to play this weekend.

Best Pick
The bookies nail the line on UT/Oklahoma. As for the pool, those with faith in the Hoosier state - anyone that took Purdue (Go Boilers!) and Notre Dame (Go Jimmy Limo!) were awarded handsomely with one point for each one.

Worst Pick
Our no shows. Anyone taking UNLV, Central Florida, or Missouri.

Head to Yahoo! to see the results

Elimination Pool Week 7

With five straight weeks of gimme games, people were starting to be concerned with the elimination pool. One participant, who shall remain nameless (but who's name rhymes with issing anting eeding ill) went so far as to suggest that off line games be eliminated from consideration for this pool. Panic had set in.

But you see, my little BUCFPites, your administrator had, in the words of Axl Rose, a little patience. I knew the NCAA Gods would not let harmony rule the day. Week 7, the bloodiest day in BUCFP history, proved me right. Only five remain after the onslaught - fair thee well.

Very nice story about the Cinci Bearcats and a special fan...

Resurgent Cincinnati Inspired by Bond With Young Cancer Patient (Click for Article)

Week 6: Special Report

Come with me, and you'll see, a whole WORLD of interesting football,

It's Week 7, almost heaven, as we get into the thick of fall...

Here it is...

The Week 7 Viewing Guide: Oompa Loompa Style

Noon: #2 Texas vs. #20 Oklahoma (Neutral Site - Cotton Bowl)

Oompa Loompa, doompadee doo

I have a perfect puzzle for you

Oompa Loompa, doompadee dee

If you are wise you will listen me

What do you get where the Red River flows?

A team that goes as Sam Bradford goes

The Sooners have lost twice by one point each

So beating the Longhorns is quite...a...reach

I don't like the look of it

Oompa Loompa, doompadee down

What do you do if you are Mack Brown?

You will wonder what happened to you

When the Boomer Sooner go Boom!

Sooners go Boom!

#6 USC @ #25 Notre Dame:

Oompa Loompa doompadee doo
I've got another puzzle for you
Oompa Loompa doompadah dee
If you are wise you will listen to me

What do you get when you coach in South Bend?
Pressure and hype that just never ends
All of your players really must go to class
And once a year a team...kicks...your....

The way that that the Trojans do

Oompa Loompa doompadee dice
This could be so big for Chuck Weiss
But I will live in happiness too
Like the winning Trojans will do

6PM: #4 Virginia Tech @ #19 Georgia Tech

Oompa Loompa doompadee doo

I've got another puzzle for you

Oompa Loompa doompadah dee

If you are wise you will listen to me

What do you get when the option is tripled?

Run by some dudes whose muscles are rippled

You get a team with an offense perplexing

To rival coaches it is...so...vexing

Unless you are Bud Foster!

Oompa Loompa doompadee dokie

Life in the ACC's nice for a Hokie

On this evening a Ramble will wreck

When the Hokies beat Georgia Tech

7:30 PM: #22 South Carolina @ #2 Alabama

Oompa Loompa doompadee doo

I've got another puzzle for you

Oompa Loompa doompadah dee

If you are wise you'll listen to me

What do you get if you are a big worrier?

And your Coach is a man named Steve Spurrier

What will he do when the Tide fights the Cocks?

Here is one bet that is...a...lock

They'll get nooooooo

They'll get nooooooo

They'll get nooooooo

They'll get nooooooo

They will get no touchdowns

Oompa Loompa Doompadee Daban

The Ball Coach is good but he's no Nick Saban

Nick will live in happiness too

Like the Tide in

Tuscaloosa do

Main Pool Update: Week 6

BigOrange, inpired by his beloved Vols smaching of Georgie, takes the top spot away from GeauxBoyGeaux who was, no doubt, mouring his beloved Tigers' loss to the Gators. Missing Wanting Needing Bill sticks around in second place. Very tight race. Only 6 points separate the top ten spots.

Best Picks
Texas A&M

Worst Picks
Ole Miss pickers and the Nutley no-show!

Elimination Pool Week 6

No surprises here. The tougher games are coming though...

Week 5 NCAA Ruminations

In this episode:
1) SEC Officials - The Debbie Downers of NCAA Football
2) Hapless Cal
3) Luck of the Irish? Sort of..
4) The Folly of the Early Death Knell
5) NCAA vs. Pro: NCAA still wins

1) SEC Officials - The Debbie Downers of NCAA Football
WOW! DID ANYONE ELSE SEE THE LSU/GEORGIA GAME YESTERDAY!!! WHAT AN AMAZING GAME! IT WAS JUST AWESO....{Whistle} {Flag thrown from sideline}

I just got nailed 15 yards for excessive celebration.

So, if you didn't have the pleasure of watching LSU score in the last minute to deflate the puffy heads of 85,000 screaming Bulldawgs yesterday, you missed one heck of a game (perhaps you were watching one of the other two nailbiters...more on that later).

Three excessive celebration penalties were called in this game. Two of which occurred in the last three minutes. Not ONE of those "celebrations" was even close to excessive. The last of the three, a penalty called against AJ Green, played a crucial role in LSU's ability to position itself for a score with under a minute to play. After scoring the go-ahead TD on a reception at the 1:06 mark, Georgia's Green leapt into the stands, kissed three women, chugged a bourbon and coke, smacked an LSU fan in the face, jumped on top of a railing, dropped trou, and mooned the national television audience. Oh wait - THAT would be excessive celebration. In contrast, AJ Green, was mobbed by his teammates, exchanged high fives and headslaps, and proceeded back to the huddle for the conversion attempt. Was there a lot of excitement? Yes. Excessive celebration? If you are a Quaker, maybe.

The official explanation from the officials...“Following a brief team celebration, Green made a gesture to the crowd calling attention to himself.” To be honest, I didn't see it on the video replays but I'm sure that is possible. The reason I think that is possible is BECAUSE IT HAPPENS ON EVERY SINGLE PLAY IN A COLLEGE FOOTBALL GAME. Seriously- watch a defender make a tackle and see what he does. Watch a running back gain 7 hard fought yards and see what he does. Since when does "calling attention" mean excessive celebration? Obviously the SEC officials decided they were going to crack down on the issue this year because this isn't the first game we've seen this happen (in the Florida Kentucky game a Florida defensive lineman was nailed for doing what basically amounted to a brief version of "the hand jive").

Now, I'm not a fan of the "look at me" actions. I'd much rather see a kid get a first down, hand the ball to the ref, and go back to the huddle as if that is exactly what he meant to do. To me, that would be MUCH more demoralizing to the opponent. But that said, a little emotion isn't going to kill anyone and for crying out loud, after what could have been the game winning touchdown - a little leeway please.

The two really big problems I have with yesterday is 1) a discretionary call regarding a non-timed incident (not while the clock is running) should NEVER impact the game in the way that call did and 2) CONSISTENCY is key. Given what passed for excessive with AJ Green, there should have been about, oh 75 flags yesterday. Now the league is standing behind the officials but there better be some behind the scenes meetings telling them to knock it off.

2) Hapless Cal
Every year, same old Cal. How do you bounce back from the thrashing by Oregon? By getting thrashed, at home, by USC. Two weeks, 6 points. Way to hold it together guys! This is with a healthy Jahvid Best! Best alone should be worth two TDs a game - he's that good. The luster should be WAY off of Cal Coach Jeff Tedford's resume. You've GOT to look at coaching in these situations. Thank goodness for Washington State because without them Cal, two weeks removed from a #6 ranking, would be dead last in the Pac10.

3) Luck of the Irish? Sort of..
Along with the late game fireworks from Athens yesterday, Notre Dame and Washington gave us their own version of Notre Dame's weekly drama with an overtime thriller capped by, yet again, another Notre Dame victory. Giving the Irish their due, at the end of the day winning games counts for something and the fact that Notre Dame, for the most part, ends up on the happy side of the equation can't be chalked up entirely to luck. It can, however, be chalked up to the competition. To wit..

106, 55, 66, 92, 84: What are those numbers? Those are the national rankings, in total defense for Notre Dame's 5 opponents to date: Nevada, Michigan, Michigan State, Purdue, and Washington. The best defense played, Michigan's, doesn't even rank in the top 50 and that happened to be the Irish's lone loss. Coming up? USC's 3rd ranked defense followed by Boston College and its 20th ranked defense. Let's get through those games before we get too high on the Irish.

4) The Folly of the Early Death Knell
Quick, tell me which conference is over-rated? Now, which is the best? I bet you said the ACC for the first and the SEC for the second. Right? If not, most people would as would most commentators. Let's look at the numbers shall we? As of this writing, the Week 5 polls are not out, still, consider the following: the ACC has three ranked teams: #6 Virginia Tech, #17 Miami, and #25 Georgia Tech. The SEC has five #1 Florida, #3 Alabama, #4 LSU, #18 Georgia, and #21 Mississippi. Did you notice something? THREE TEAMS OUT OF THE TOP FOUR? Who's over-rated again? No let's look at the Big East. The league has eight teams, six of which have no more than one loss. How many teams are ranked? One. Cincinnati at #10. We say it time and time again, let the season play out some. The ACC is all ready out of the national title hunt according to many. Why? The SEC is unstoppable according to many. Why? The Big East - a few say it has some contenders but not many. Why? Repeat after me: No polls until mid October at the EARLIEST.

5) NCAA vs. Pro: NCAA still wins
LSU at Georgia; Washington at Notre Dame; FSU at BC - three mid-afternoon games. All decided in the last minutes. All playing out on three different channels. Who else was with me as I flipped back and forth between all three?

I defy you to show me anything remotely as excited as that in the NFL.

Main Pool Update: Week 5

DOWN GOES FRAZIER! DOWN GOES FRAZIER! Ok, it isn't quite that but Missing Wanting Needing Bill finally proved he's human with a sub-par (and by that I mean, as bad as me) 7 points, halving his total from last week. This opened the door and 2007 champion GeauxBoyGeaux marched right in with a week's best 12 points. In other news, are lovable cellar dweller, The Ugly Mutt, checked in with a nice 11 point week. He's not out of the cellar yet, but he's about halfway up the steps.

All in all it was a very bad week for the pool. We still might be getting gimme Elimination picks (and there may be more in the weeks to come) but the games and the competition are getting better!

Best Picks
The Ugly Mutt and BigTenChamps for taking Duke to cover on VT.

Worst Pick
The Ugly Mutt, Back Again, BigTenChamps, and Missing Wanting needing Bill for Illinois. Seriously people, Illinois is awful

Head to Yahoo! to see the results

Elimination Pool Week 5

Well, Boise State didn't exactly blast UC-Davis into the stone age. In fact, were there a line on this game, it is HIGHLY unlikely they would have covered at all. Regardless, the entire lot of survivors put their trust in the Broncos and are rewarded with another week in the pool!

Check out the wheels on this Buckeye...

Also, check out the mullets in the crowd.