Welcome to Week 4, where College Gameday is in Fargo, North Dakota, and the prime-time ABC game features an 0-2 American Athletic Conference team. This is probably the worst viewing week of the year, but it is still a weekend of football, and that is good.
Saturday September 21, 2013
There is nothing quite like Saturdays in the fall...
11:45 AM: College Gameday (ESPN):
Even if Gameday is covering a North Dakota State game, it's still worth it to tune in. NDSU is actually a good team: they beat Kansas State earlier in the year, and are a perennial power int he FCS (Div. 1AA).
12:00 PM: North Carolina @ Georgia Tech (ESPN):
Just keep the TV on ESPN after Gameday is over, because this is a great game. With a win here, Georgia Tech would move to 2-0 in the ACC. They seem like an early favorite to win the Coastal Division. Watch for: How UNC's defense can stand up against Tech's option attack.
3:30 PM: Tennessee @ #19 Florida (CBS):
Both of these teams need a win in the worst way, coming off of embarrassing non-conference losses. Tennessee got destroyed by Oregon, and Florida put up an embarrassing performance against Miami. Watch for: Freshman cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III shut down Tennessee's passing attack.
3:30 PM: Michigan State @ #22 Notre Dame (NBC):
This is my co-marquee game of the week. Michigan State is 3-0, not having played any tough teams, and Notre Dame is 2-1, and needs a big win badly to solidify their ranking. If you only watch one game, this is the one. What to watch for: Michigan State has arguably the best defense in the country, and they get their first test this week against Tommy Rees and Notre Dame's dynamic group of receivers
7:00 PM: #23 Arizona State @ #5 Stanford (FOX):
This is my other marquee game of the week, and it is a good one. Arizona State is coming off a controversial but good win over Wisconsin, and now they travel to Stanford. The Cardinal hasn't had a stiff test so far this season, and this is a game that impacts the Pac12 in a major way. Watch for: Stanford to gladly sit back and pound the ball between the tackles all game.
7:45 PM: Auburn @ #6 LSU (ESPN):
This is the first test for LSU as they face an Auburn team that is 3-0 on the season, but has yet to play a ranked team. Though there is a large ranking discrepancy, I think this will be a much closer game than the experts think. Watch for: LSU's "new" offense, which is much more pass-oriented than in years previous.
That is it folks! Some other games to keep your eye on are: #15 Michigan @ Connecticut, Missouri @ Indiana, and Kansas State @ Texas. Hopefully next week will have a better slate of games! 'Til next time.
Showing posts with label Notre Dame. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Notre Dame. Show all posts
Friday, September 20, 2013
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Will the Notre Dame vs Michigan Rivalry Be Missed?
1887-1909: Michigan and Notre Dame play 9 times, Michigan wins 8 games.
1942-43: They play both of these, each team winning once.
This takes us to 1977. At this time in history, Michigan and Notre Dame have played 11 times, and only twice in the last 50 years. This is not the picture of a rivalry, but instead of two teams in the same basic geographic region that decide to play each other occasionally. Nothing to see here.
But that would not be the case for long. In the late '70s, Michigan athletic director Don Canham wanted to sell more season tickets, so he decided to add a premier opponent to the non-conference schedule. The idea of Michigan playing Notre Dame though was very far-fetched. When asked about the possibility of playing the Fighting Irish, Canham said "Our Catholic students will be sitting in Michigan Stadium cheering for the Irish, and I do not want that to happen". Even though the teams played back in the days of legendary coaches like Fielding Yost and Knute Rockne, Canham went first to Alabama and Bear Bryant to see if he could start a series with them, but Bryant didn't want his team to travel that far north. Next, Canham talked to (then independent) Penn State about a series. After that backfired, Notre Dame posed the possibility of a series to Canham, who agreed under some set circumstances: each team would get to keep 100% of the ticket money for the series. Both sides agreed, and this set a precedent for non-conference scheduling: pay for a team to come play you, and you keep all of the ticket money. Michigan started to bring in over $2 Million in ticket money, just from the Notre Dame game. This series changed the scheduling in college football. The teams played 25 times in a 37 year period, which is not bad at all. A bit of a rivalry began to build.
Neither team will ever have the other as their main rival, which slightly diminishes the importance of the game: Michigan has Ohio State and Michigan State, and Notre Dame has USC, and in the '80s and '90s had Miami. And this takes us to 2008. Over the 37 years previous, the game had always had an edge, maybe some mistrust, but it never really was a rivalry. Here is what has happened the last 5 times these teams have played:
2008: Enter: Rich Rodriguez, new coach, Michigan. Notre Dame forces 6 turnovers in a taunting victory over Michigan.
2009: Michigan engineers a last second drive to beat Notre Dame by 4. This is starting to heat up.
2010: Enter: Brian Kelly, new coach, Notre Dame. Michigan once again scores a touchdown in the last minute to beat the Irish by 4.
2011: Enter: Brady Hoke, new coach, Michigan. First night game in Michigan Stadium history, College Gameday, ESPN, special uniforms, and a 21 point comeback by Michigan, topped off by the game winning touchdown with 8 seconds left.
2012: Notre Dame wins by 7 by scoring a go-ahead touchdown with just minutes to play.
Now, THAT is a rivalry, folks. A classic rivalry, no. But this sure does make it seem like it. Those are 5 of the best games you will ever see, and we are hoping for more of the same this weekend, which takes us to today. At the game last year, a letter was slipped to the Michigan AD on the sideline that said Notre Dame was ending the series with Michigan. The 2014 game next year will be the last of the series for as far as we know. Here is what Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly had to say on the matter: "I don't see the game as one of those historic Notre Dame rivalries".
And he is 100% correct. It is more recent than the other teams it has history with. But the question is, will this rivalry be missed more than others would have been? My answer is yes. The Michigan-Notre Dame game had begun to turn heads throughout the nation to this game. I live in "SEC Country" and even people down here talk about this game. It's gotten to be a BIG DEAL! All the alternate jerseys, night games, and trick plays are brought out for this game. It will truly be missed. But don't take it from me, take it from the Notre Dame fan-base themselves!
I polled about 20 people I know that call themselves Notre Dame fans, and asked them the following question: "If you were to take the following list of teams, and rank them, #1 being the biggest rival Notre Dame has, and #7 being the weakest rival, what would your ranking of these teams be: USC, Indiana, Michigan State, Stanford, Navy, Michigan, and Purdue."
I have made a table where I averaged the scores that everyone gave for those teams (with lowest being the best):
| Rank | School | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | USC | 1.25 |
| 2 | Michigan | 2.13 |
| 3 | MSU | 3.75 |
| 4 | Stanford | 4 |
| 5 | Navy | 4.75 |
| 6 | Purdue | 5.13 |
| 7 | Indiana | 7 |
As you can see, USC and Michigan are the clear 1 and 2 rivalries. Michigan State and Stanford are about tied at 3-4, and Navy and Purdue at 5-6. No love for Indiana, at all. Maybe these results would have been different 5 years ago, but now, this is the second most important rivalry that Notre Dame has, by a long shot. And as for Michigan, Ohio State will always be number 1, but as former Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson said "Notre Dame is our number 2, while Michigan State is our number 3". So there you have it, both sides of the rivalry, and both sides think that this is an important enough to become the second-most important game, which, with these teams and their schedules, is pretty impressive.
But it's what Notre Dame has done with the rest of the schedule that has many fans upset. They have entered a contract with the ACC where they play 5 games a year against ACC teams. They decided to retain the USC rivalry along with... Michigan State, Purdue, and Navy. Um, what? I can tell you that both fan bases would much rather see Michigan on that schedule. Michigan head coach Brady Hoke had a similar reaction to this, and even said Notre Dame was "chickening out of the rivalry".
Whatever your opinion, I just want you to know that I, and much of the college football world, want this rivalry to happen. Though it might not be the most traditional or historical for either team, it has become an annual game that is marked on the calender, prepared for months in advance, and talked about for weeks. So just keep in mind when you watch Michigan and Notre Dame kick it off this weekend: this is one of the last times you will see a game played between these two great traditional football powers. The college game has lost one of its best rivalries, so enjoy it while you can. 'Til next time.
Should Michigan and Notre Dame Continue Their Rivalry?
College Football Week 2 Viewing Guide
The week 1 viewing guide was a success, and I think I will be making this a weekly series for the remainder of football season, and maybe even carry it into college basketball. Sadly there are not any good games on Thursday and Friday this week, except for maybe Wake Forest @ Boston College on Friday night. I am just going to jump straight to Saturday, which is full of great games that ends with an epic battle at the Big House.
Saturday September 7th, 2013
It's the first weekend in September, and you can now officially say that it is football season.
11:45 AM: College Gameday (ESPN):
Tune in at 11:45 to see what Corso, Herbstreet, and the guest picker have to say about Saturday's games. Or you could be like me and watch all 3 hours. This week, the crew are live from Ann Arbor, Michigan for the Notre Dame @ Michigan game.
12:00 PM: #12 Florida @ Miami (FL):
This is a must watch. This classic rivalry comes to Miami in what should be a great game of football. It will be chippy, aggressive, and vulgar, as neither of these teams like the other very much. Though Florida is ranked, and Miami isn't, I expect these two to play to a very close game. Watch for: electrifying Miami running back Duke Johnson.
12:00 PM: Cincinnati @ Illinois (ESPN 2):
This is a good one to have on "last" during the UF-Miami game. Cincinnati is making the rounds of the Big Ten, after dismantling Purdue last week. Illinois is also coming off of a win, and this could be a major game to kick-start both of these teams' seasons. Watch for: Illinois 4th year starter quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase who threw for a career high 416 yards last week.
3:30 PM: #2 Oregon @ Virginia (ABC/ESPN2):
This will be Oregon's first major test in the post-Chip Kelly era. Watch for: If Oregon can hold up in a hostile environment, and if Virginia's defense can do anything to stop their offense.
4:30 PM: #6 South Carolina @ #11 Georgia (ESPN):
Georgia opened against Clemson, and lost a tight one, while South Carolina took care of business against UNC. This is almost a must-win at this point for Georgia if they want to think about a BCS bowl. An absolutely decisive game for week 2, and Athens, GA with be crazy. This is another must see game. Watch for: South Carolina's two quarterback system, which seems to work for some reason. Also: obligatory Jadeveon Clowney mention.
6:00 PM: Syracuse @ #19 Northwestern (BigTenNetwork):
Syracuse is another team that is making the rounds in the big ten after losing close to Penn State last week. The "Battle of Really Good Journalism Schools" (I totally made that up) was a good game last year, and will be again this year. Watch for: Northwestern's two best players, Kain Colter and Venric Mark were both banged up in their last game. If they aren't available, this is a totally different game.
7:00 PM: #15 Texas @ BYU (ESPN 2):
A crucial year where Texas head coach Mack Brown could be on the hot seat, this is Texas' first real road test of the year. Watch for: BYU's defensive unit is a strong one, and see if they can neutralize Texas' edge speed.
7:00 PM: West Virginia @ #16 Oklahoma (FOX):
The story of last year for West Virginia was the inability of being able to stop anyone. They could put up points, but their defense was very bad, and it appears to be the same this year. Will they be able to score enough to make a statement in Norman? Watch for: OU's quarterback situation, as whoever starts could have a very short leash.
8:00 PM: #14 Notre Dame @ #17 Michigan (ESPN):
This is my marquee game of the week (if you only watch one, watch this one). It is only the second night game at Michigan in their history. They played the first night game two years ago, and if you don't remember: THIS happened. These two teams have played some incredible games over the last few years, and this is a guarantee to live up to the hype. Watch for: Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner's ability to make plays with his arm and his legs.
What a great Saturday! I can't wait for the Michigan-Notre Dame game... if history is any indication, it will be a great one! The games are only getting better every week! 'Til next time.
Saturday September 7th, 2013
It's the first weekend in September, and you can now officially say that it is football season.
11:45 AM: College Gameday (ESPN):
Tune in at 11:45 to see what Corso, Herbstreet, and the guest picker have to say about Saturday's games. Or you could be like me and watch all 3 hours. This week, the crew are live from Ann Arbor, Michigan for the Notre Dame @ Michigan game.
12:00 PM: #12 Florida @ Miami (FL):
This is a must watch. This classic rivalry comes to Miami in what should be a great game of football. It will be chippy, aggressive, and vulgar, as neither of these teams like the other very much. Though Florida is ranked, and Miami isn't, I expect these two to play to a very close game. Watch for: electrifying Miami running back Duke Johnson.
12:00 PM: Cincinnati @ Illinois (ESPN 2):
This is a good one to have on "last" during the UF-Miami game. Cincinnati is making the rounds of the Big Ten, after dismantling Purdue last week. Illinois is also coming off of a win, and this could be a major game to kick-start both of these teams' seasons. Watch for: Illinois 4th year starter quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase who threw for a career high 416 yards last week.
3:30 PM: #2 Oregon @ Virginia (ABC/ESPN2):
This will be Oregon's first major test in the post-Chip Kelly era. Watch for: If Oregon can hold up in a hostile environment, and if Virginia's defense can do anything to stop their offense.
4:30 PM: #6 South Carolina @ #11 Georgia (ESPN):
Georgia opened against Clemson, and lost a tight one, while South Carolina took care of business against UNC. This is almost a must-win at this point for Georgia if they want to think about a BCS bowl. An absolutely decisive game for week 2, and Athens, GA with be crazy. This is another must see game. Watch for: South Carolina's two quarterback system, which seems to work for some reason. Also: obligatory Jadeveon Clowney mention.
6:00 PM: Syracuse @ #19 Northwestern (BigTenNetwork):
Syracuse is another team that is making the rounds in the big ten after losing close to Penn State last week. The "Battle of Really Good Journalism Schools" (I totally made that up) was a good game last year, and will be again this year. Watch for: Northwestern's two best players, Kain Colter and Venric Mark were both banged up in their last game. If they aren't available, this is a totally different game.
7:00 PM: #15 Texas @ BYU (ESPN 2):
A crucial year where Texas head coach Mack Brown could be on the hot seat, this is Texas' first real road test of the year. Watch for: BYU's defensive unit is a strong one, and see if they can neutralize Texas' edge speed.
7:00 PM: West Virginia @ #16 Oklahoma (FOX):
The story of last year for West Virginia was the inability of being able to stop anyone. They could put up points, but their defense was very bad, and it appears to be the same this year. Will they be able to score enough to make a statement in Norman? Watch for: OU's quarterback situation, as whoever starts could have a very short leash.
8:00 PM: #14 Notre Dame @ #17 Michigan (ESPN):
This is my marquee game of the week (if you only watch one, watch this one). It is only the second night game at Michigan in their history. They played the first night game two years ago, and if you don't remember: THIS happened. These two teams have played some incredible games over the last few years, and this is a guarantee to live up to the hype. Watch for: Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner's ability to make plays with his arm and his legs.
What a great Saturday! I can't wait for the Michigan-Notre Dame game... if history is any indication, it will be a great one! The games are only getting better every week! 'Til next time.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
2012-13 College Football National Championship Preview
It's truly amazing that a whole season comes down to just one game. Four quarters of football to decide who gets to hoist the championship trophy and call themselves the best. This year is truly a game for the ages, featuring the Alabama Crimson Tide versus the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Alabama is searching for their third title in four years, while Notre Dame is searching for their first in the last 24 years. Regardless of who you are cheering for, grab some popcorn, because this is going to be a good one! Here is my game preview for the 2013 BCS National Championship Game:
When: Monday, January 7th, 8:00pm EST
The Essentials:
What: Alabama (12-1) vs Notre Dame (12-0)
When: Monday, January 7th, 8:00pm EST
Where: Sun Life Stadium, Miami, Florida
Line: Alabama -9.5
TV: ESPN
ALABAMA:
The Resume: Alabama boasts a 12-1 record, with their lone loss coming to Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M. Even with that loss, The Crimson Tide still boast 5 wins against ranked teams. They started the year off strong, drubbing #8 Michigan 41-14 in Dallas. They followed that game with two consecutive shutouts: the first a 35-0 win over Western Kentucky, and the second a 52-0 road clobbering of Arkansas. They proceeded to handily beat their next five opponents, Florida Atlantic, Ole Miss, Missouri, Tennessee, and Mississippi State. This set up a matchup at #5 LSU, who would take Alabama to the wire, forcing the Crimson Tide to mount a comeback drive in the final minutes of the game. But right after the LSU game, Alabama returned home and lost to Texas A&M. They followed their loss with consecutive 49-0 wins over Western Carolina and Auburn. They made it to the SEC Championship Game against #3 Georgia and won 32-28 in a back and forth affair, in what was a pseudo semifinal game, with the winner moving on to face Notre Dame.
The Offense: This year's Alabama offense is exactly what we have come to expect from them: power running football, and accurate passing. Alabama has two 1,000 yard rushers with Eddie Lacy (1,182 yds) and T.J. Yeldon (1,000 yds). These two backs are both about 6'2" and 210-220 lbs. They are both extremely good runners between the tackles, and look for contact. Lacy has been especially known to act like a hard hitting line backer, except he has a ball in his hands. The offensive line is massive, and is led by All American center Barrett Jones. Their wide receivers have improved throughout the game, and are led by 6'1" freshman Amari Cooper. Alabama's whole receiving corps is very fast, and excels in getting yards after the catch. Who has rein over all of these weapons? That would be a AJ McCarron (above), a 6'4" junior out of Mobile, Alabama. Because of the power running game, McCarron doesn't have to be the star of the offense, he merely has to be a role player, and make the throws expected of him. He has done this to perfection this season, running the offense and cutting down on mistakes. He has only 3 interceptions this year to go along with 26 touchdowns and 2,669 yards through the air. This is a very polished offense which will try to pound the ball against Notre Dame's defense.
The Defense: This defense is really really really good. I'm tempted to leave this category at just that, but I'll give you some more to solidify that statement. Alabama has the number 2 ranked scoring defense, allowing just 10.7 points per game. They play with a typical "SEC style": bid linemen, headhunting linebackers, great corners, and safeties who are good in both the run and passing game. Needless to say, Notre Dame will have their hands full trying to move the ball against this unit.
NOTRE DAME:
The Resume: Notre Dame is the only remaining undefeated team in college football. They started the year off with a 50-10 drubbing of Navy in Dublin, Ireland. They narrowly snuck by Purdue 20-17 (narrowly sneaking by would become the theme for Notre Dame), and then won 20-3 at Michigan State. Rival Michigan came to town (the only mutual opponent between Alabama and Notre Dame), and they got turned away 13-6. They beat Miami 41-3, and then edged out Stanford 20-13 in overtime with a dramatic goal line stand. A three point win against BYU followed, before the Fighting Irish went on the road and took down Oklahoma 30-13. After that huge win came a let down at home as Notre Dame struggled mightily against Pittsburgh, managing to pull out a win 29-26 in triple overtime. They followed that up with two easy wins against Boston College and Wake Forest. Their final game of the season was a thriller in California, as USC took them to the wire, but Notre Dame prevailed, 22-13. Notre Dame seems to have the ability to make teams play down to their own level; but can they do that in the National Championship Game?
The Offense: Notre Dame always has just enough offense to win, and not much more. They have the number 29 rushing attack, but over they only have the number 75 scoring offense. This is a team that is more than happy to put a few points on the board and ride their defense the rest of the way in. Their top running backs are seniors Cierre Wood and Theo Riddick. They are mainly possession backs, chipping away with a few yards per carry, but always with the ability to break a long run. Their offensive line is good, but susceptible to errors with faced with stunts and delayed blitzes. The receivers are led by huge 6'6" tight end Tyler Eifert and 5'11" TJ Jones. Notre Dame's starting quarterback is Everett Golson a mobile 6'1" QB out of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. While he's not a running quarterback, Golson is extremely quick, and is always a threat on draw plays or to escape the pocket and run with the football. This has been his first season as the primary starter, but backup veteran Tommy Rees is often called on in tough situations. He finished games or led game winning drives against Purdue, Michigan, Stanford, BYU, and Pittsburgh. So it is very likely that we might see Rees at some point during the game.
The Defense: Do you remember how I said that Alabama's defense was really really really good? What I didn't say was that they were the best, because statistically, Notre Dame's is the best. They are the number 1 ranked scoring defense in the nation averaging 10.3 points per game. The old saying "Offense wins games, defense wins championships." rings true here, because the #1 and #2 teams have the numbers 1 and 2 defenses. Notre Dame solid through the middle, led in the trenches by huge defensive tackles Stephon Tuitt and Louis Nix II. Their secondary is exploitable: usually solid, but with the right routes can be beat over the top. But their defense is led by senior linebacker Manti Te'o (at right). Te'o year has been so good, that he was one of three players considered for the Heisman trophy. Notre Dame's defense starts and ends with the battle up front. They have a tough task against Alabama's offense, and might have to rely on their offense once again to score just enough to win.
STRAIGHT UP PICK:
This section is usually just me stating who I think will win, but for the national championship it will have two parts:
The Straight Up Fan Poll: I let you, the fans and readers of this blog, decide who they thought would win this game. The final results were: Notre Dame with 28% of the vote, and Alabama was the winner with 72% of the vote.
Straight Up Pick: Alabama. Roll Tide!!!
Well, sadly this post means two things: the college football season is all but over, and this is my last bowl preview post (at least until next year). This has been a season for the ages, but don't worry: I will be doing a 2012-13 College Football Season Recap soon after the national championship is over. Til' Next Time.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Hello Again, Spurs, and Mobile QBs
Well, I have to say, it's been awhile. I have been very busy, and this has been one of the first times I've actually had to sit down and write out a post. Even though I haven't been posting, the sports world has moved on without me. There is just too much stuff to go back and cover or summarize it all, so I'm just going to approach this now moving forward. I'll be posting more, hopefully every 2 or 3 days, but never longer than a week between posts. I'm going to still do the mailbag, so send anything and everything to straightupsports1@gmail.com
Now that I got all of the necessities out of the way, LET'S TALK SOME SPORTS!!! This is my favorite time of year. College football is down to crunch time, and college basketball is starting to heat up. The NFL is in high gear, and the NBA is starting to roll. The only thing that would make this any better would be some NHL, but they are locked out, and it doesn't seem like anything is happening on that front any time soon.
Resting Spurs: So far in the NBA season all that had really caught my eye was this very odd blocking call, and Stephen A. Smith ranting. But arguably the biggest news of the season broke today when the NBA fined the San Antonio Spurs a whopping $250,000. On Thursday November 29 the Spurs were playing a nationally televised game at Miami when their coach Gregg Popovich decided to send four of their biggest players home to rest after a brutal road trip, playing 6 games in 9 days. Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli, Tony Parker, and Danny Green were the players sent home. The NBA said in an official statement that the Spurs acted in a way that was "contrary to the best interests of the NBA." The Miami Heat ended up pulling the game out 105-100, needing a big run late to seal the win on their home court.
There is turmoil in The City by the Bay: Alex Smith went into this year cemented as the San Fransisco 49ers starting quarterback, but after a hard hit knocked him out the the 49ers week 10 contest against the Saint Louis Rams, Colin Kaepernick stepped into his place. In a 14-0 hole, Kaepernick brought the 49ers back to send the game to overtime, where it would eventually result in a tie. After Smith was unable to start the next week, Kaepernick took the reins of the team, and drove them to two consecutive victories over tough Chicago and New Orleans teams. Alex Smith meanwhile has passed his tests to get back on the field, but has found himself behind one of the hottest QBs in the league right now. Kaepernick has displayed himself as an accurate passer, but is able to escape the pocket and run. The 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh has said that he is going to go with the "hot hand" and make a decision every week. It looks like Kaepernick will start this Sunday against the Rams, but it will be interesting to see how this situation plays out as the 49ers (8-2-1) try to make a push for a playoff berth and home field advantage.
What to Watch: The SEC Championship Game, which pits #3 Georgia against #2 Alabama, kicks off in the Georgia Dome at 4:00PM EST on Saturday. The winner of this game most probably plays for the National Championship against Notre Dame.
The And-One: The Golden State Warriors' Harrison Barnes had this ridiculous dunk over Nikola Pekovic:
Thanks for reading, and comeback sometime next week to check out my college hoops November recap. Enjoy the football! Til' next time.
Now that I got all of the necessities out of the way, LET'S TALK SOME SPORTS!!! This is my favorite time of year. College football is down to crunch time, and college basketball is starting to heat up. The NFL is in high gear, and the NBA is starting to roll. The only thing that would make this any better would be some NHL, but they are locked out, and it doesn't seem like anything is happening on that front any time soon.
Resting Spurs: So far in the NBA season all that had really caught my eye was this very odd blocking call, and Stephen A. Smith ranting. But arguably the biggest news of the season broke today when the NBA fined the San Antonio Spurs a whopping $250,000. On Thursday November 29 the Spurs were playing a nationally televised game at Miami when their coach Gregg Popovich decided to send four of their biggest players home to rest after a brutal road trip, playing 6 games in 9 days. Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli, Tony Parker, and Danny Green were the players sent home. The NBA said in an official statement that the Spurs acted in a way that was "contrary to the best interests of the NBA." The Miami Heat ended up pulling the game out 105-100, needing a big run late to seal the win on their home court.
There is turmoil in The City by the Bay: Alex Smith went into this year cemented as the San Fransisco 49ers starting quarterback, but after a hard hit knocked him out the the 49ers week 10 contest against the Saint Louis Rams, Colin Kaepernick stepped into his place. In a 14-0 hole, Kaepernick brought the 49ers back to send the game to overtime, where it would eventually result in a tie. After Smith was unable to start the next week, Kaepernick took the reins of the team, and drove them to two consecutive victories over tough Chicago and New Orleans teams. Alex Smith meanwhile has passed his tests to get back on the field, but has found himself behind one of the hottest QBs in the league right now. Kaepernick has displayed himself as an accurate passer, but is able to escape the pocket and run. The 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh has said that he is going to go with the "hot hand" and make a decision every week. It looks like Kaepernick will start this Sunday against the Rams, but it will be interesting to see how this situation plays out as the 49ers (8-2-1) try to make a push for a playoff berth and home field advantage.
What to Watch: The SEC Championship Game, which pits #3 Georgia against #2 Alabama, kicks off in the Georgia Dome at 4:00PM EST on Saturday. The winner of this game most probably plays for the National Championship against Notre Dame.
The And-One: The Golden State Warriors' Harrison Barnes had this ridiculous dunk over Nikola Pekovic:
Thanks for reading, and comeback sometime next week to check out my college hoops November recap. Enjoy the football! Til' next time.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Super Bowl and Some Upsets
This has been the craziest last few days in sports. Good thing I am here to straighten it out.
Today, Sunday January 22nd, former Penn State head coach Joe Paterno passed away at the age of 85 due to complications with lung cancer. Paterno won 409 career games as a head coach, all of them with Penn State. He is the all time winningest coach in college football history. He took the Nittany Lions to 37 bowl games and two national championships, and over 250 of his players would go on to the NFL. "He will go down as the greatest football coach in the history of the game," Ohio State coach Urban Meyer said today. The circumstances surrounding his death are extremely sad.
How do I describe this week in college basketball? Exciting? Crazy? Unstable? How ever you say it, it was awesome for any hoops fan, or anyone that loves to watch a good upset. The first team I would like to highlight is Baylor. The Bears came into this week 17-0 and ranked #3 with two top ten matchups within the Big 12. They lost them both. First, an 18 point whooping at #7 Kansas, followed by a 1 point 89-88 loss at home to #5 Missouri. This gives Kansas 16-3(6-0) the lead in the Big 12, but with a very tough schedule to come, that includes Missouri twice, and Baylor one more. Looks like a great race in the Big 12.
Duke came into the week with a 45 home court winning streak. That streak is no more. Thanks to the giant killer Florida State, Duke suffered their first ACC loss at the hands of the Seminoles. Junior guard Michael Snaer hit a game winning three as time expired to upset the #4 Blue Devils 76-73. A week earlier the 'Noles upset #5 North Carolina 90-57. This is coming from a team that lost to Harvard and Princeton, and lost their first ACC game by 20 to a inconsistent rebuilding Clemson team. But Florida State is 4-1 in the ACC, and might be the hottest team in college hoops right now.
After Baylor went down, there were two undefeated teams left: number 1 ranked Syracuse and Murray State. Then Syracuse lost. Playing in a very hostile environment at Notre Dame, the Irish were in control of the game from the start, out hustling Syracuse the whole game. The Orange, playing without their starting center Fab Melo, who was unable to make the trip due to academic issues, were outmatched in the post. Notre Dame is now 12-8 (4-3 in the Big East), and has suffered this year after losing star forward Tim Abromaitis early in the season to an injury. But this win could spark the Irish, who definitely have to ability to step up this year in the Big East. Syracuse still leads the Big East, however, leaving Murray State as the only undefeated team left in college basketball.
The Super Bowl matchup is set, and I can't wait. Patriots vs. Giants. The New England Patriots, defeated the Baltimore Ravens 23-20 thanks to a Billy Cundiff missed 32 yard field goal with 11 seconds left to send the game into overtime. This will be Tom Brady's fifth career trip to the Super Bowl.
It is very difficult to win games when you go 0-12 on 3rd down conversions. The San Francisco 49ers learned this, losing to the red hot New York Giants 20-17 in overtime. Two fumbles on punt returns for the normally turnover free 49ers led to a crucial touchdown and the game winning Lawrence Tynes field goal in overtime. Tynes also kicked a game winning overtime field goal in 2007 to put the Giants in the Super Bowl against the Patriots, which the Giants won. The stage is set for a great, deja-vu, Super Bowl!
The Super Bowl is set, college basketball is on fire, the NBA and the NHL are getting exciting, and I think I can almost smell spring training! 'Til Next Time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)