Note: This excersize is geared towards an examination of each of the Big Ten teams in honor of Nebraska joining the Big Ten. These videos represent traditions of the conference and are meant to provide a window into each of the different schools.
INDIANA
The Old Oaken Bucket is played yearly between Indiana and Purdue. Each year, the chain attached to that bucket adds a link, a P for the Boilers or an I for the Hoosiers depending on the victor of the game.
It is called "The Greatest TV Timeout In All Of Sports". At the under 8minute timeout in the second half, the Indiana band plays the William Tell Overture as the cheerleaders run the court with all manner of flags, making pyramids and generally rousing the crowd. This is followed by the fight song "Indiana Our Indiana" which is sung at full throat by the entire crowd at Assembly Hall.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Predictions: Big East
The College Football Preview Show picks are back again this week with the Big East. This week we will be going team by team and explaining our selections, which is the format we will use henceforth since we aren’t selecting multiple conferences at a time.
1. Neal: South Florida Lars: West Virginia
For the second year in a row I have the Bulls as surprise picks to win the Big East. Skip Holtz is a phenomenal coach and I think this team will be light years ahead of where they were last season. BJ Daniels showed marked improvement as a passer in the new offensive scheme by the end of last year and I think the South Florida offense breaks out this year on the way to their first Big East Championship. Lars believes West Virginia will be the victor based on the success of Dana Holgorsen’s spread offense and the high level of talent in Morgantown. The Mountaineers were statistically the best squad in the conference last season and will be a tough matchup for everyone on their schedule.
1. Neal: South Florida Lars: West Virginia
For the second year in a row I have the Bulls as surprise picks to win the Big East. Skip Holtz is a phenomenal coach and I think this team will be light years ahead of where they were last season. BJ Daniels showed marked improvement as a passer in the new offensive scheme by the end of last year and I think the South Florida offense breaks out this year on the way to their first Big East Championship. Lars believes West Virginia will be the victor based on the success of Dana Holgorsen’s spread offense and the high level of talent in Morgantown. The Mountaineers were statistically the best squad in the conference last season and will be a tough matchup for everyone on their schedule.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Predictions: Non-AQ and Independents
Here are mine and Lars’ predictions for the non-AQ conferences and independents from the College Football Preview. My predictions are in blue while Lars’ predictions are in red.
MAC West
Western Michigan Northern Illinois*
Toledo Toledo
Northern Illinois Western Michigan
Central Michigan Central Michigan
Eastern Michigan Ball State
Ball State Eastern Michigan
MAC East
Miami (OH)* Ohio
Ohio Temple
Temple Miami (OH)
Bowling Green Kent State
Kent State Buffalo
Buffalo Bowling Green
Akron Akron
The MAC is top heavy in both of its’ divisions this year. Lars is more confident that NIU can recover after losing a star RB and head coach in the same year but I am more hesitant. Western Michigan has an established coach and a bevy of returning starters and I like them to win their division. I take Lars’ tact with my choice of Miami (OH) despite the fact they also lost a head coach. The Red Hawks though have a ton of starters returning and I think they will make a second run to the conference title under former Michigan State OC Don Treadwell.
Sun Belt
Florida International* Troy*
Troy Florida International
Arkansas State Louisiana Monroe
Louisiana Monroe Middle Tennessee State
North Texas Arkansas State
Western Kentucky North Texas
Middle Tennessee State Florida Atlantic
Florida Atlantic Western Kentucky
Louisiana Louisiana
Lars and I disagree again here on who will come out as the conference champion. Lars makes the safer pick here with Troy who has won a share of the last five conference titles but I think FIU will make a repeat run this year under Mario Cristobal. The really bold prediction here is Western Kentucky jumping up to the middle of the conference despite only winning their first game against FBS competition last season. I think the Hilltoppers have momentum and could pass MTSU, FAU, and Louisiana while they are rebuilding this year.
WAC
Hawaii* Hawaii*
Nevada Nevada
Louisiana Tech Fresno State
Fresno State Louisiana Tech
Utah State Idaho
San Jose State San Jose State
Idaho Utah State
New Mexico State New Mexico State
If you listen on the podcast or live last Monday, you heard me announce my frustration that Lars stole my upset pick here. Great minds do think alike I suppose. Hawaii is flying a little under the radar this year but Lars and I both believe this will be another great year for the Warriors. We flip flopped Idaho and Utah State, but the WAC will have quite bit of parity this season with many veteran teams returning and normal powers like Fresno State in rebuilding mode. Predicting anything past Nevada is very difficult so don’t be surprised if this gets jumbled quite a bit during the year.
Conference USA West
Houston Houston*
Tulsa Tulsa
Rice Southern Methodist
Southern Methodist Rice
Tulane Tulane
UTEP UTEP
East
Southern Miss* East Carolina
Central Florida Southern Miss
East Carolina Central Florida
Marshall Alabama Birmingham
Alabama Birmingham Marshall
Memphis Memphis
The return of Case Keenum to Houston has Lars thinking that the Cougars will win the Conference USA Title this season and we both agree that they are easily the class of the Western division. However, I think Southern Miss will grab the East and come out victorious with superior defense, though it could just as easily be Central Florida, who won the conference and beat Georgia in their bowl game last season and also return a slew of talented players.
Mountain West Conference
Boise State* Boise State*
Texas Christian Air Force
Air Force Texas Christian
Colorado State Colorado State
Wyoming San Diego State
San Diego State Wyoming
UNLV New Mexico
New Mexico UNLV
Both of us think Chris Peterson and Kellen Moore are headed for another conference title and the most likely choice for a BCS buster. We talked up Air Force on the show and Lars even picked the Falcons to jump TCU in the standings. However, I am a firm believer in Gary Patterson’s defense, and even with a little rebuilding year I think the Frogs will still be an incredibly difficult team to beat. The one other note is Lars’ (and Phil Steele’s) bold prediction that Mike Locksley’s New Mexico squad will escape the basement of the WAC. Despite all of the high profile transfers the program has had, I still am not convinced the Lobos will find success under the former Illinois Offensive Coordinator.
Independents
Notre Dame Notre Dame
Navy BYU
Army Navy
BYU Army
As former KRUI host Mike Rabon would say, “Bold strategy Cotton”. I don’t necessarily think Army will field a better team this year than BYU, but the schedules are not even comparable in difficulty. BYU will have to travel to five Ole Miss, Texas, Oregon State, and TCU (played in Arlington) as well as host UCF and Utah. With so many tough teams right out of the gate I have a hard time seeing the Cougars get bowl eligible while the Black Knights have a decent shot with their cushy slate of opponents. We both agree that Notre Dame is the class of the independents but you will have to listen to the podcast to see if we think the Irish are headed back to the BCS.
MAC West
Western Michigan Northern Illinois*
Toledo Toledo
Northern Illinois Western Michigan
Central Michigan Central Michigan
Eastern Michigan Ball State
Ball State Eastern Michigan
MAC East
Miami (OH)* Ohio
Ohio Temple
Temple Miami (OH)
Bowling Green Kent State
Kent State Buffalo
Buffalo Bowling Green
Akron Akron
The MAC is top heavy in both of its’ divisions this year. Lars is more confident that NIU can recover after losing a star RB and head coach in the same year but I am more hesitant. Western Michigan has an established coach and a bevy of returning starters and I like them to win their division. I take Lars’ tact with my choice of Miami (OH) despite the fact they also lost a head coach. The Red Hawks though have a ton of starters returning and I think they will make a second run to the conference title under former Michigan State OC Don Treadwell.
Sun Belt
Florida International* Troy*
Troy Florida International
Arkansas State Louisiana Monroe
Louisiana Monroe Middle Tennessee State
North Texas Arkansas State
Western Kentucky North Texas
Middle Tennessee State Florida Atlantic
Florida Atlantic Western Kentucky
Louisiana Louisiana
Lars and I disagree again here on who will come out as the conference champion. Lars makes the safer pick here with Troy who has won a share of the last five conference titles but I think FIU will make a repeat run this year under Mario Cristobal. The really bold prediction here is Western Kentucky jumping up to the middle of the conference despite only winning their first game against FBS competition last season. I think the Hilltoppers have momentum and could pass MTSU, FAU, and Louisiana while they are rebuilding this year.
WAC
Hawaii* Hawaii*
Nevada Nevada
Louisiana Tech Fresno State
Fresno State Louisiana Tech
Utah State Idaho
San Jose State San Jose State
Idaho Utah State
New Mexico State New Mexico State
If you listen on the podcast or live last Monday, you heard me announce my frustration that Lars stole my upset pick here. Great minds do think alike I suppose. Hawaii is flying a little under the radar this year but Lars and I both believe this will be another great year for the Warriors. We flip flopped Idaho and Utah State, but the WAC will have quite bit of parity this season with many veteran teams returning and normal powers like Fresno State in rebuilding mode. Predicting anything past Nevada is very difficult so don’t be surprised if this gets jumbled quite a bit during the year.
Conference USA West
Houston Houston*
Tulsa Tulsa
Rice Southern Methodist
Southern Methodist Rice
Tulane Tulane
UTEP UTEP
East
Southern Miss* East Carolina
Central Florida Southern Miss
East Carolina Central Florida
Marshall Alabama Birmingham
Alabama Birmingham Marshall
Memphis Memphis
The return of Case Keenum to Houston has Lars thinking that the Cougars will win the Conference USA Title this season and we both agree that they are easily the class of the Western division. However, I think Southern Miss will grab the East and come out victorious with superior defense, though it could just as easily be Central Florida, who won the conference and beat Georgia in their bowl game last season and also return a slew of talented players.
Mountain West Conference
Boise State* Boise State*
Texas Christian Air Force
Air Force Texas Christian
Colorado State Colorado State
Wyoming San Diego State
San Diego State Wyoming
UNLV New Mexico
New Mexico UNLV
Both of us think Chris Peterson and Kellen Moore are headed for another conference title and the most likely choice for a BCS buster. We talked up Air Force on the show and Lars even picked the Falcons to jump TCU in the standings. However, I am a firm believer in Gary Patterson’s defense, and even with a little rebuilding year I think the Frogs will still be an incredibly difficult team to beat. The one other note is Lars’ (and Phil Steele’s) bold prediction that Mike Locksley’s New Mexico squad will escape the basement of the WAC. Despite all of the high profile transfers the program has had, I still am not convinced the Lobos will find success under the former Illinois Offensive Coordinator.
Independents
Notre Dame Notre Dame
Navy BYU
Army Navy
BYU Army
As former KRUI host Mike Rabon would say, “Bold strategy Cotton”. I don’t necessarily think Army will field a better team this year than BYU, but the schedules are not even comparable in difficulty. BYU will have to travel to five Ole Miss, Texas, Oregon State, and TCU (played in Arlington) as well as host UCF and Utah. With so many tough teams right out of the gate I have a hard time seeing the Cougars get bowl eligible while the Black Knights have a decent shot with their cushy slate of opponents. We both agree that Notre Dame is the class of the independents but you will have to listen to the podcast to see if we think the Irish are headed back to the BCS.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
On NCAA Rules and Paying Athletes
There has been much talk recently, mostly in response to the meltdown at Ohio State, about whether or not the NCAA should start compensating athletes monetarily for their time playing sports. You can find some good pieces supporting the initiative here and here,
I am not in the camp which supports paying players. I give Jim Delaney more support than anyone not in his immediate family, but I will fight him to the death over his idea to increase compensation to players. There are a few reasons to this:
1) It is not practical
2) It is not moral
3) They do not deserve it
I am not in the camp which supports paying players. I give Jim Delaney more support than anyone not in his immediate family, but I will fight him to the death over his idea to increase compensation to players. There are a few reasons to this:
1) It is not practical
2) It is not moral
3) They do not deserve it
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Know Your Rights: A Sports Fan's Guide to the First Amendment
Realize that the writing done here is not done by someone with a legal degree and that you should consult your states' rights and a legal professional in the event of an actual legal dispute.
There seems to be a severe lack of understanding about our First Amendment rights as fans. For the majority of us, there is always a level of apprehension about what types of behaviors are legally permissible when we attend games. What can legally get you kicked out of a stadium and when should you stand your ground?
Our own lack of knowledge is compounded by the fact that per mar and stadium security are almost never trained in First Amendment legal issues and their enforcement of rules tends to actually infringe on fans' First Amendment rights. Based on legal precedent (stare decisis) most stadium conduct codes are constitutionally vague and overbroad and in some cases infringe on the fans right to freedom of speech.
There seems to be a severe lack of understanding about our First Amendment rights as fans. For the majority of us, there is always a level of apprehension about what types of behaviors are legally permissible when we attend games. What can legally get you kicked out of a stadium and when should you stand your ground?
Our own lack of knowledge is compounded by the fact that per mar and stadium security are almost never trained in First Amendment legal issues and their enforcement of rules tends to actually infringe on fans' First Amendment rights. Based on legal precedent (stare decisis) most stadium conduct codes are constitutionally vague and overbroad and in some cases infringe on the fans right to freedom of speech.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Post Spring Bowl Picks
Every week I will be putting up an updated bowl prediction out there. It will include all the BCS and Big Ten bowls. Every few weeks I will include all of the bowls. The selection order for the BCS is:
1) National Championship
2) National Championship
3) Bowl that lost a representative to the first NC pick
4) Bowl that lost a representative to the second NC pick
5) Fiesta Bowl
7) Orange Bowl
Monday, May 2, 2011
An Early Look at the B1G
With the NFL Draft ending this past weekend we have a full four months without football. Here are some early observations on the upcoming Big Ten season and a brief look at each team to look over while you wait for August. Please note that the number of wins represents a reasonable best and worst case scenario, the real number of wins is anywhere between and including those two numbers. I will do full previews of each team later this summer.
Leaders Division
The Leaders is clearly the weaker of the two Big Ten divisions on paper coming into this fall. Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Illinois each look like they will be taking a substantial step back from where they were last season, Indiana and Purdue haven't gone to bowl games since 2007, and Penn State remains a huge question mark. This division could be very messy when all is said and done in 2011.
Leaders Division
The Leaders is clearly the weaker of the two Big Ten divisions on paper coming into this fall. Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Illinois each look like they will be taking a substantial step back from where they were last season, Indiana and Purdue haven't gone to bowl games since 2007, and Penn State remains a huge question mark. This division could be very messy when all is said and done in 2011.
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