BCS for Dummies

I know the into may sound familiar, but keep reading.

The BCS-it is three harmless consonants that, when put together, become the most feared acronym in the college football universe. It is a combination of computer code, a calculus exam, and a beauty pageant. Teams are thrown into a mixture of logarithms and equations while having to please voters in multiple polls by 'looking their best' every week. The BCS has her favorites, and they are from the so-called BCS conferences. Still, the BCS likes to flirt with those outside her normal boundaries.

Let's take a look at the top ten teams in the BCS poll:

1.Oklahoma
2.Oregon
3.Boise State
4.Auburn
5.TCU
6.LSU
7.Michigan State
8.Alabama
9.Utah
10.Ohio State

So, why does this poll differ so much from the AP Top 25 or the USA Today Top 25?

NOTE: THIS IS THE BORING DEFINITION

First of all, the BCS rankings have three factors that determine a team's positioning. The Harris Poll (which replaces the AP Poll), The Coaches Poll, and the Computer Rankings all have one-thirds say in each team's ranking.

Through the Harris and Coaches, or USA Today, polls teams are ranked by the voting members from 1-25. Inversely, teams that are ranked 25th get one point, 24th gets two points, and so on. In the end, the team's scheduled points are divided by the overall possible points they could have received which is 2,580 points in the Harris Poll and 1,475 points in the Coaches Poll. Therefore, if a team is voted number one by all voters in the Harris Poll, there tally would be 2,580/2,580 which equals 1.000.

The computer ranking is trickier because it adds multiple aspects. Strength of schedule, quality of wins, and win/loss goes into calculating six categories of rankings. Say a team has a ranking of 1,2,2,2,2,5 in the respective categories. The computer rankings drops the highest and lowest rankings (1,5) and averages the rest to rank the team as the 2nd best in the nation. To determine the ranking, just divide 24 (the points the team would have received) by 25 (the maximum possibility of alotted points).

Now enter in the simple equation (Harris+Coaches+Computer/3). If the team was number one in the Harris and Coaches with all of the number one votes and number two in the computer rankings, the team would have an average of .987.

NOTE: THIS IS THE REAL DEFINITION

If you happen to still be reading after that definition, let me put a more accepted spin on the BCS.

The BCS is a woman. Do not let anyone tell you otherwise. It is a woman who is looking for love. She may not be the most committed woman, as she needs a new flame each year, but, nevertheless, she has her own needs. She has the class of the Bachelorette with the re-run capability of Tila Tequila, and the fight for her love has never been more dramatic.

The BCS places more value on 'her' conferences. The six conferences (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, Pac-10, SEC) are automatically admitted to her treasured 'galas'...or bowls. They are the stronger, more attractive teams that have to endure many trials and obstacles to obtain her love. The endurance and passion that they show for her sake entice her to value them more.

Then, there are the Cinderellas (Boise St., TCU, Utah). They are those nice, charming guys who are subject to the BCS's flirtation and have high hopes year-after-year to only be diminished into the friend zone. They are those guys that all of her friends like, but do not hold the value and prestige as the older, socially acceptable guys. As much as these Cinderellas feel cheated and betrayed, make no mistake. The BCS is hurting from their hurt and is close to a transition.

She is now caught between history, temptation, and reputation. The love affair with the SEC is becoming steady. The 'friend' is turning into the flame. Countless other upstanding 'men' are proving that they deserve her love in the Big 10, Big 12, and Pac-10. Will the love affair continue? Will she become committed to one man (Alabama) for longer than a year? Will the sweet, charming friend overcome the strong, attractive men? Or, will this just be Armageddon?

There are many questions to be answered, but one thing is for certain. It is sure to make great television.

A Much Needed Loss

Sitting in the South Carolina student section amid the reverberations of sandstorm and the many unnecessary cock references, I experienced a long lost feeling. It was that odd feeling in the pit of my stomach that is the midway point between anger, depression, and disgust. It was a feeling that I had known to mask during the Dubose, Franchione, and Shula eras as well as Saban’s first year.

As the fans swarmed the hedges, booing the announcements to not storm the field while chanting ‘You can’t stop us’, I soaked in the unthinkable Alabama loss. I had not experienced that feeling since the ’08 SEC Championship game, and I had forgotten how bad it hurt. I believe the players had as well.

If the saying ‘what does not kill you only makes you stronger’ is true, the Crimson Tide national championship hopes are far from dead. In fact, I believe that a loss betters our championship chances. Actually, it gives Alabama the opportunity to grow into the championship team it can be. South Carolina uncovered the flaws that lost Alabama the game, commitment and complacency. Alabama, as Nick Saban pressed after the game, needs to be committed to this program and no longer be complacent as the seemingly dominant Alabama team.

From the stands, one could tell that the Alabama team, and even the fans, possessed no real sense of urgency. It was as though everyone believed the football gods would come down from the heavens to right what was wrong. Instead, Garcia received the blessings by playing uncharacteristically good and utilizing two of the best skill players in the conference in Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery while the Gamecock defense rebounded after allowing Cam Newton 400 plus yards to holding the best running back tandem in the country, Ingram and Richardson, to 64 yards.

Dissecting Alabama’s schedule at the beginning of the year, the loss seemed inevitable. Alabama played the toughest three week stretch of any team in the nation that included two top twenty teams, one top ten team, and two games on the road. Only Lou Holtz’s 1990 Notre Dame Fighting Irish have fought through a similar scenario without a blemish.

They will go on to play five SEC schools with bye weeks after South Carolina, including two that will possibly remain in the top ten. Disturbingly, one saw what Spurrier could do with an added week’s time so any of those games look more dangerous.
To make it through this schedule, the team needed a wake-up call. Say what you want about the SEC. It is not as weak as I, and many others, had thought. This week showed that this is the SEC of the early 2000s that would beat each other out of the national championship game.

The public is not used to that evenly matched SEC. They are accustomed to the perennial powerhouse conference that would always end with two teams battling in Atlanta for the bid to greater glory. Alabama is hands down more talented and better coached than any other team in the conference, but passion, desire, and execution trump complacency any day of the week.

McElroy made a vow after the game that he will not allow this team to lose another game. As much as I hate to say it, his statements sounded Tebow-esque in reference to his vow after the Ole Miss loss, only without the tears. The situations are similar as well. Both teams were favorites. Both teams were outplayed. Florida went on to win the national championship. May Alabama do the same. Of course, the football gods will need to do some work to the top six, but Alabama is far from out of the race. One thing is certain. I would hate to be the Ole Miss team that comes into Bryant-Denny stadium on Saturday.

The Utah Effect

Sore subject for Alabama fans, but I find it relevant to this year's situation.

"Out of their element, out of their league-and still perfect."-Associated Press describing Utah after the 2009 Sugar Bowl

In their element and league but just shy of perfect, the Alabama Crimson Tide went into the 2009 Sugar Bowl as heavy favorites. Jaded from their 31-20 loss to a hated Florida Gators team and a hated Tim Tebow, many expected the Tide to roll into New Orleans and roll over the smaller, slower, and undermanned BCS-buster Utah. As the game panned out, the reverse took place. A pathetically apathetic Tide team gave up twenty one points in the first eleven minutes. Despite Nick Saban's best efforts and a hell of a punt return from Javier Arenas, Goliath was only able to pull within four before ultimately losing 31-17.

After exceeding expectations in Nick Saban's second year, this was embarrassing. Check off a perfect regular season, a stout defense that allowed around eleven points a game, and playmakers such as a powerful, young receiver in Julio Jones, the veteran running back, Glen Coffee, and freshman phenom Mark Ingram. What did Utah have? Ask anyone outside of the Mountain West, and they probably could not tell you. Apparently, they had a defense, a quarterback, and more heart than Alabama could imagine. They sacked John Parker Wilson eight times. Brian Johnson threw for 336 yards and three touchdowns. Ultimately, the mentality of the 'fight in the dog' overcame the size of the SEC dog in the fight.

Speaking of mentality, a new one emerged on that night. It was not the one of BCS-busters having championship say. Earlier Utah and Boise State teams had proven that. The mindset was one more of discredit from the 'other' side. As I am sure Oklahoma feels towards Boise State, Alabama fans discredited the Utah team. Excuses protruded from every Bama faithful tongue. The Tide were not motivated to play in a Sugar Bowl when they could have been at the National Championship, especially against lowly Utah. No matter, fact is fact. Utah outperformed the Tide in every aspect of the game, including soul. At the end of the day, they were the only undefeated team in the nation and were never in a position to even make the National Championship game.

However, Boise State is now in that position. The mindset is more prevalent than ever. Top-ranked BCS conference teams and fans believe they could trounce the Broncos if given the chance, but they are hesitant of that chance. The stakes are higher. If you lose, talk will continue for years to come. If you win, so what? You were supposed to dominate as Georgia did against Hawaii. Had Hawaii won, Georgia still would not be able to live down the fact. Alabama has not been able to live down the fact. While one side discredits the fact, the other side revels in the fact and always resort to it. Honestly, Alabama discredits Boise State, but, at the same time, Broncos faithful always resort to the Utah game in argument. Considering this is a much improved Alabama team and Boise State is better than the typical 'SEC' mindset, are we both in the wrong?

'The Utah Effect' is real. It can be seen on a daily basis through general conversation, chat rooms and discussion boards, and ESPN segments. We, as college football citizens, have bred this mindset. By season's end, there will either be revelry in 'upset' or jubilance through shutting down this BCS-buster revolt.

Luck of the WAC

Next article for the Boise State student media.

Everyone loves a Cinderella story, but no one loves seeing Cinderella in the starring role.

Up 17-0 in the first quarter, Boise State had set the tone to the blockbuster BCS buster game of the first week. In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, I, along with most of the campus, were glued to the television in complete shock. Most, including myself, were ready to celebrate the dashing of Boise's hopes. No one expected this. Where I was watching the game along with twenty of my fraternity brothers, there was a mixture of disbelief, open swearing, and amazement. Also, there seemed to be a repetition of one particular word. Luck.

Luck is defined as the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities. To us in the Southeastern Conference, Boise State is the figurehead of luck. All other BCS-busters that had risen to fame had been put in their place. Take for example, teams such as Utah, BYU, Hawaii, older TCU teams, and various other teams had all achieved success only to have it taken away at some point down the road. Still, no one has achieved the success of Boise, and Boise has not had their throne taken. Time and time again, they escape defeat. The Fiesta Bowl of old, The TCU game, and, finally, the Virginia Tech barn-burner of the opening week all seem to prove that some force is working in your favor.

To us, it is not that you are overly talented or menacing. You are a mediocre team that relies on...luck. Somehow, it always works out in your favor. Credit can not be given because you are not a good team that handles their business. To us, you could not go out against a ranked team such as Penn State and dominate them in all aspects of the game. Honestly, you are that annoying thorn in the foot of the NCAA. Consistently there, in media talk and coverage, and always the source of pain. Pain referring to the fact that you are not supposed to be there, and we can not seem to get rid of you.

Well, Broncos, luck has turned against you. You have finally been defeated. It may not have been on that blue turf. It was not even against you at all. The lowly/perrenial-powerhouse FCS James Madison dukes have defeated not only Virginia Tech, but you in all of your Cinderella grandeur. By upsetting Virginia Tech by more points than you could pull away, your luck has taken a drastic free-fall into the dark side. Unless you pull off 70+ against Oregon State, that national championship berth that was in arm's length is now just a distant mirage. You may jump TCU, depending on your performance against Oregon State and for the rest of the year. Do not expect to keep a first place position in the BCS come season's end if a one-loss Alabama, Texas, Oklahoma, or Oregon is breathing down your neck. Face it. An FCS team just ended your shot at the title.

SEC Swagger

My second article in cooperation with Boise State media:

When someone asks about dominance in college football, one automatically thinks of programs such as the Miami 'U' of the 80s, the Nebraska of the 90s, the USC of the 00s, and, especially for us down here, the Bear Bryant era. Well, dominance has been a key part of the college football world today, but it has not been biased towards one team. In fact, it is comprised of a conference of juggernauts who, basically, have kicked butt and taken names when it comes to non-conference play. It is the SEC, and it is the crowning achievement of college football having won the past four national championships. What is the key to this success? There are many variables, but I believe one to be most significant and more idealistic.

Let's look at some facts courtesy of Pat Forde at ESPN.com.

1. Over the past four years, after four, crowned, SEC bred national championship teams, there has been another SEC team denied a chance at that championship game. For those eight teams ('08 '09 Alabama, '06 '08 '09 Florida, '07 Georgia, and '06 '07 LSU), they have been 39-1 in non-conference play. They have a combined 10 losses in conference play.

2. Teams such as Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky, Mississippi, and South Carolina have managed to beat teams that finished in the top six since the '07 season.

3.The four top-tier title games? Not even close. The average margin of victory being 16.8 points and the closest at 10. There has not even been a second half deficit.

4. Most power ranking polls have up to seven SEC teams in the top 25. Alabama faces six of these teams.

Not impressed? Of those forty non-conference games, thirteen teams were ranked. So, over a fourth of the non-conference games were in no way cupcakes. The one loss in out of conference play was Alabama's loss to Utah in the '08 Sugar Bowl. With a decent non-conference schedule and a staggering conference schedule, the SEC (not entirely including low-tier programs such as Vanderbilt, Kentucky, etc. etc.)has developed something irreplaceable and hard to describe. It may encompass more, but I would like to call it swagger for the purpose of this article.

This swagger is not one of haughtiness but, rather, confidence. Confidence that comes from handling non-conference cupcakes that teams like Boise State include in their conference schedule resume. Also, I believe this has come about due to the mental and physical readiness and stability that these teams must bring to the table week in and week out in conference play. There is no doubt that the SEC breeds and recruits some of the best athletes in the nation, but the fire these athletes are put under does develop a mental attitude. An attitude that has carried over into the thought process that "We are the SEC. We are better than any other conference, and we will show you why." It started with that '06 Florida team and has had an avalanche effect ever since.

Now, staring down a repeat title, Alabama has obtained the same mindset. Hopefully, it will carry them through an extremely stressful year including a non-conference battle against Penn State. Other teams such as Flordia, LSU, Georgia, Arkansas, and South Carolina all have the same aspirations and exhibit the same mindset.

As for Boise State, they have a swagger of sorts, but it can be described as more of an underdog, 'we are out to prove something' attitude. It is one that should not be tampered with in its own rights, and I hope that this season may be the year where we could see the two competing mindsets battle on the field. Who knows? Just maybe, it could be settled, Alabama vs. Boise State, in Tempe, Arizona for the national championship game. One trying to maintain their beliefs and swagger, and the other trying to solidify their swagger and place among the elites of college football.

The BCS and Boise

Hey guys. Here is the article that I wrote in cooperation with the Boise State student media. I hope you enjoy.

The BCS. It is three harmless consonants that, when put together, become the most feared acronym in the college football universe. It is a combination of computer code, a calculus exam, and a beauty pageant. Teams are thrown into a mixture of logarithms and equations while having to please voters in multiple polls by 'looking their best' every week. The BCS has her favorites, and they are from the so-called BCS conferences. Still, the BCS likes to flirt with those outside her normal boundaries. It has never been more prevalent than this year with a certain team from Boise, Idaho.

The love affair started back in 2006. Everyone knows the cinderella story of that Fiesta Bowl night. The BCS received a taste of something other than normal dominance from their usual courters. This taste was much more dramatic and provided Fourth of July fireworks. Also, America had Boise's back. America always approves of a good underdog, and Boise State became, in some ways, America's team. Thus, a rocky, tumultuous relationship ensued.

Over the last two years, Boise State has been among the final contestants in the final 'rose ceremony'-literally last year. Feeling betrayed from a 12-0 ninth place BCS ranking going into the bowl season in '08, the Broncos set out to prove to the BCS that they deserved her title. Thirteen wins later, they were in fourth place. They were on the outside, looking in to the national championship again. How could this happen? Many blamed it on the ease of schedule in which they scored at least thirty four points in every game but two. Then again, they had beaten, in the first week and fistfight of the year, #16 Oregon who was heading to the Rose Bowl. That same Oregon team barely beat Purdue and Utah in the following weeks before bursting out of their shell. It seemed for every positive Boise State claimed, there was a negative staring it in the face.

Well Boise, many heard your cry for foul including the BCS. This year is yours for the taking. You are currently number three in the AP Top 25 and number five in the USA Today poll. You return twenty three of twenty four starters, and your schedule is very reasonable. Virginia Tech and Oregon State, discounting the idea of a slip up, are all that stand in the way of you and a perfect season. The teams ranked before you look vulnerable. Alabama, as much as I hate to say it, will probably not go through their year undefeated. Six SEC schools have bye weeks to prepare for Alabama and a new defense, and the strength of schedule is unmatched. Ohio State, for the past couple of years, has choked away at least one win in the Big Ten. Florida and Texas are still breaking in new quarterbacks to complex offenses. So, the opportunity is there. Show the BCS that you want something real, and may you be the one to receive her love come season's end.

A Brawl a Month Keeps The Low Ratings Away

Hello all. I am blogging to you outside of Ridgecrest South here in overcast Tuscaloosa for move-in day. I am sitting here along with my cohost for Sportscampus (check us out on twitter @Sportscamups), Jordan Eichenblatt, and also new friend and our other radio personality, Ben Rogers. Check out Sportscampus Sundays from 12-2 on 90.7. There will also be podcasts and online coverage.

With that being said, let's jump right into things. What is one thing you think of when you hear Cincinnati Reds? Do the words terrible, horrible, and other synonyms of the preceding words possibly with an adverb attached to further state the severity of the situation such as extremely, tremendously, or, if you're fancy, incredulously. The best answer I have gotten is simply, 'Who?'. Well folks, these are not your typical run-of-the-mill Reds. These are this new decade's dominant, power hitting Reds, and they are out for blood. They will not settle for any blood. They are on the hunt for...Cardinals.

The leader of the pack, Brandon Phillips, said this when asked about the hunt (his feelings toward the Cardinals):

"We have to beat these guys. I hate the Cardinals. All they do is b**** and moan about everything, all of them, they're little b******, all of 'em. I really hate the Cardinals. Compared to the Cardinals, I love the Chicago Cubs. Let me make this clear -- I hate the Cardinals."

Ouch. This is not your typical let's-have-fun game hunt. This is war. This season marks the beginning of the baseball crusades. Better yet, this season marks when the poor rise to power, a coup d'etat or sorts. Will it be successful? Who knows. It makes for some incredible baseball though.

The 'battle of the differing shades of red' has mounted for a while. The perennial powerhouse Cardinals were surprised by the resurgent Reds at the start of the season, but they maintained control and clawed their way back into first place. Then, things boiled over. After the Phillips comment, one could tell that this was going to be resolved one place and one place only, on the field. As Phillips walked up to the batter's box, America held it's breath. Sportscenter had live coverage. I just sat, eyes transfixed, on what would happen next. Phillips gently tapped Cards catcher, Yadier Molina, on the shin guards. It looked to most as a friendly gesture, but one could sense the sadistical undertones. Words were exchanged, faces spat upon, and all hell broke loose.

The brawl, although not the most physical, was enjoyable to watch. Managers La Russa and Baker were right in the middle of things. They have an interesting history to say the least. There were multiple UFC arm, head, and shoulder locks taking place. The Reds's Cueto, pinned against the net, resorted to kicking...with metal spikes. When the smoke, I mean baseball dust, cleared, no one was injured and the game continued to an 8-4 Cardinals win.

The main point gained from this incident is that baseball has become too soft, in my opinion. Being the first REAL brawl of the year, one could not ask for more drama. Two teams, one the perfectionist and one the underdog, battling for what is usually an easy pennant race for the Cards. Baseball needed this. It needs more of this, and I think that teams will respond to the fire shown by these two newborn rivals. The passion for 'America's game' has never been so prominent than it is now in the National League Central division. It is coming down to the wire, and one can only hope this will go down in history as one of the greatest pennant chases ever.

How Boise State Would Do In The SEC

Since Boise State's surprising, cataclysmic upset of Oklahoma in the '06 Fiesta Bowl, the BCS polls and voters have given more respect to teams in less-superior conferences. Other teams, such as TCU and Utah, have benefitted from that very game and have been successful in their own rights (ex. Utah's handling of Alabama in the '08 Sugar Bowl). Then, there are highly praised teams like '07 Hawaii who were given the first week cupcake treatment by Georgia in a 41-10 curb-stomping. I am not saying that these conferences deserve more respect(in fact, I think they may be receiving too much) or should be neglected for their 'easier' path. I just thought it would be fun to analyze how this year's Boise State team would stack up in the SEC.

Tim Hyland, from About.com, in his pre-season poll has the Broncos as the number one team in the nation. According to him:

"No, the No. 1 reason Boise gets the nod at No. 1 is the simple fact that this team returns 21 of 22 starters from a team that ran the table in 2009. The folks in SEC country may not like to hear it, but facts are facts, and Boise State is a legitimate national title contender. They'll prove it by beating Virginia Tech on Sept. 6."

Most people have followed this trend and placed the Broncos as their number one team as well. The AP poll decided it best to place them fifth which is surprising for people on both sides of the legitimacy argument. I, being an SEC and Alabama Crimson Tide fan, understand the 'facts' surrounding Boise State, and in no way do I think they are not legitimate. They are a good team that has the chance to do something great. I just do not believe they could survive a season in the SEC. Here are some other facts. Thanks to Pat Forde of ESPN.

1. Over the past four years, after four, crowned, SEC bred national championship teams, there has been another SEC team denied a chance at that championship game. For those eight teams ('08 '09 Alabama, '06 '08 '09 Florida, '07 Georgia, and '06 '07 LSU), they have been 39-1 in non-conference play. They have a combined 10 losses in conference play.

2. Teams such as Arkansas, Auburn, Kentucky, Mississippi, and South Carolina have managed to beat teams that finished in the top six since the '07 season.

3.The four top-tier title games? Not even close. The average margin of victory being 16.8 points and the closest at 10. There has not even been a second half deficit.

4. Most power ranking polls have up to seven SEC teams in the top 25. Alabama faces six of these teams.

Even though the SEC-and the nation in general-seem to lack the juggernaut teams of the preceding years, the SEC has something irreplaceable and hard to describe. I would like to say swagger, but I do not think that encompasses the whole entity that is the SEC's state of mind, especially when it comes to their play against other leagues. So, here we go:

WARNING: THE FOLLOWING IS COMPLETELY SUBJECTIVE AND SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN PERSONALLY. IT IS THE OPINION, OF ONE TRYING TO BE UNBIASED, OF HOW BOISE STATE WOULD PERFORM IN THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE.

SEC East:

Florida: L 34-24 New 'pocket-pass' quarterback Brantley unleashes a slew of talented wide receivers upon the Boise State defense. Boise State responds, but, not as frequently, against a talented Florida defense.

Georgia: L 40-38 An explosive game. Despite Kellen Moore's amazing performance, I believe talented wide receiver AJ Green and young, explosive running back Ealey will help Georgia pull past the Broncos.

Kentucky: W 42-24 Ease by Kentucky. No promlems here.

South Carolina: W 22-20 Last second field goal pushes the Broncos past a rejuvenated Steve Spurrier unit. I believe this game could go either way.

Tennessee: W 38-17 Tennessee will not be much of a test against the Broncos.

Vanderbilt: W 52-14 It's Vanderbilt, enough said.

SEC West

Alabama: L 36-30 The Boise State offense takes advantage of an inexperienced, yet talented Alabama defense. But, Alabama's experienced offense and barrage of playmakers from every position are too much for Boise's defense who gave up an average of 17.1 points a game last year in the WAC.

Arkansas: L 40-28 The battle of the quarterbacks. Ryan Mallet and company win a shootout.

Auburn: L 27-25 Surprise, surprise. A well-balanced Auburn squad upsets Boise State in the final minutes. This game could go either way.

LSU: W 18-14 Depends on home field advantage. I will give Boise the blue turf and the win. Again, this game could go either way.

Mississippi: W 34-27 Pac-10 transfer Jeremiah Masoli and Ole Miss give the Broncos a scare. A solid Kellen Moore leads the Broncos to victory.

Mississippi State: W 48-18 Cruise control as the Broncos beat down the Dogs.


...This leaves the Broncos at a mediocre 7-5 with a possibility of being as bad as 4-8 in my opinion. Considering that Alabama has to play three of Boise's five SEC losses, it is easy to see how making it through that schedule deserves a championship in itself. Of course, it is impossible for me to account for passion (remember the Boise Fiesta Bowl) or injury. This is just a fun little experiment that I wanted to conduct. IF Boise reaches the national championship game this year, and, IF, they beat an SEC team, they deserve all of the respect in the world for dethroning the BCS dictator, and I vow to write you an apologetic article.

The End of an Era?

The words Brett Farve and retirement are closer related these days than Starsky & Hutch in the 70s. They complement each other like peanut butter and jelly but never fully accept the other. The annual retirement question had ruled the 'baseball laden' Sportscenter summer for the past couple of years--well, there is one reason I can thank the Lebron James fiasco. Now, on the third of August, may the drama begin. Brett Favre has shadily announced that he plans to retire. I personally would have seen it more fitting if he had his own one hour decision special.

This story seems all too familiar. In fact, last year, Favre announced he would retire as well, only to end up, media in hand, skipping back to training camp. Should we trust Brett Favre anymore? My gut instinct says that he is serious this time, but I believe that the rest of America is tired of the mind games. In my mind, Favre is stuck between his passion for playing football and his passion for his health. Most would call this a mid-life crisis.

No one can doubt Favre's resilient style of play even at the tender age of forty. His rocket arm, incredible vision, and unique way of pulling together a broken play have made him one of the superstars of my generation. As of late, however, Favre can show his weaker, middle-aged side. At the same time, he fires back with his twenties cannon that makes you think he defies aging (ex. winning touchdown pass against 49ers last year).

My advice for Favre, who holds:

Most career passing yards-65,127 (NFL record)

Most career tds-464 (NFL record)

Tied for longest pass(record held by many player) 99 yard pass (NFL record)

Most career interceptions 310 (NFL record)----you have to with an arm like his.

Most NFL MVP awards (tied with Peyton Manning) 3 (NFL Record)

Most career attempts 9,280 (NFL Record)

Most career completions 5,720 (NFL Record)

Most seasons, 3,000 or more yards passing 17 (NFL Record)

Most career wins 169 (NFL Record)

Most consecutive starts 269 (NFL Record)

Most Career starts 291 (NFL Record)

Total NFL records held:11

...and he is near the top in many other categories.

Save the arm. You will regret not being able to play catch with the grandkids one day.

Who Knew Rebels Evolved From Ducks?

I am safely back from LA boys and girls, and I am happy to say that the blogging shall make a fiery return.

Everyone should be familiar with the Darwinian Theory of Natural Selection or Evolution. From amoeba to humans, Darwin's process took millions upon millions of years. Nowhere in that process did it say that white-haired, South-representing, cane-toting, possibly racist rebels evolved from ducks, and, in a matter of just months, it's an absurd concept.

Well, that's exactly what is happening in the college football universe. Jeremiah Masoli, the disgraced Oregon duck, has been given a second chance. After being released from Oregon after two run-ins with the law, he has found grace under Ole Miss coach Houston Nutt. Grace described by Nutt as 'having a hair-trigger.' It is very clear that Nutt will not tolerate any misbehavior and will strike down with the fury of that very red cane upon hearing of any.

Masoli, one of the most explosive quarterbacks in the nation, has one year of eligibility left. Most teams were nervous and shy about courting him, but I believe Houston Nutt and Ole Miss to be a valuable asset for Masoli and vice versa. Nutt will not handle any nonsense, and Masoli can try to salvage his career at a respectable program. Nutt also has the opportunity to be a great mentor in this young man's life. If handled correctly, Masoli may come out as both a better person and player. As a Crimson Tide fan, however, I am nervous about this acquisition.

Ole Miss, over the past decade or so, has been your average run-of-the-mill team, always seeming to meet expectations but never overcoming them. Again, their team is average this year, but having a player of that calibur coming into an above average offense could be the spark they needed. Can Masoli learn the offense? Can he even start? I believe so. I believe the Rebels will utilize a two-quarterback system with sophomore quarterback Nathan Stanley until Masoli proves he can handle the role. The only question I have is if he can dominate the supreme SEC defenses like the Pac-10.

So, SEC West, possibly even the whole SEC, watch out. He may be doing graduate studies in Parks & Recreations, but this field general may make the Rebels offense a force to be feared.

Masoli's only concern. "The heat, it's just something you can't get used to."