67 years ago

Thanks to DP for the reminder. . .

NCAA Football Playoff

Those who know me, know that I have NEVER advocated a playoff system for NCAA Football. I hate the BCS, as it professes to be a panacea for what fans perceived to be a failed Bowl system. I would rather have the old bowl system than the BCS, and also a playoff system than the BCS. The BCS has failed, year in and year out, and the rule makers try to change the rules to overcome a problem from that year, only to have another problem creep up the following year. Personally, I believe the entire season is a playoff, and the old bowl system created the best thing in sports: the argument. I love talking to Nebraska fans about how the speed of the Michigan linebackers would have dismantled Scott Frost and the option, not to mention "the kick" against Missouri that kept their season alive and the Tom Osbourne sympathy votes to create a split championship.

This year is different. As every year is different. I think there are five teams with a legitimate claim to face off against Florida for the National Championship.

Oklahoma: Will get the shot, won the toughest conference this season.
Texas: Some would say were robbed of the opportunity to play for the Big 12 Championship.
Alabama: Already had their shot at Florida, but having your only loss against the best team in the country is a good argument.
Penn State: Were one bad week from being undefeated in an improved Big Ten season. Florida had one bad week too, remember?
USC: Another dominant team with one bad week in their results.

With all this in mind, there is a way to keep the best of both worlds. I am not the first to come up with this idea, but this is how I'd like to see it:

Take the 11 conference champs.
Then take 5 at-large teams.

Done.


Now, the rankings are from my ranking system (see below), but there will always be the arguments for who should have and should not have made it in. Just like the Basketball tourney. But the first round is played at the higher-ranked team's home field, then you move out to the bowl venues. Second round the week before New Years, national semis New Years Day, and the National Championship on January 8.

This solves my problem with dumping the Bowl system altogether, solves the problem of including everyone who "deserves" a shot, and even gives the smaller conferences a chance at the title, which is what everybody wants right?

Ratings through games of December 12

	Team	W-L	Rating	Conf
1	Florida	12-1	97.4	SEC
2	Texas	11-1	96.5	B12
3	Oklahoma	12-1	96.4	B12
4	Southern Cal	11-1	96.1	P10
5	Alabama	12-1	95.1	SEC
6	Penn State	11-1	94.9	B10
7	Ohio State	10-2	93.6	B10
8	Boise St	12-0	92.6	WAC
9	Utah	12-0	91.6	MW
10	TCU	10-2	91.1	MW
11	Texas Tech	11-1	89.8	B12
12	Iowa	8-4	86.5	B10
13	Ball St	12-1	84.4	MAC
14	Missouri	9-4	83.7	B12
15	Oklahoma St	9-3	83.4	B12
16	Cincinnati	11-2	82.8	BigE
17	Pittsburgh	9-3	82.6	BigE
18	Mississippi	8-4	81.7	SEC
19	Oregon	9-3	81.5	P10
20	California	8-4	80.8	P10
21	Georgia	9-3	80.0	SEC
22	Florida St	8-4	79.4	ACC
23	Michigan St	9-3	78.8	B10
24	Brigham Young	10-2	77.3	MW
25	Oregon St	8-4	77.0	P10

It's Great, To Be, A Michigan Wolverine

First a quick update: I predicted a 30-24 win for Florida. Final score, 31-20 Florida. Very close, but I ended up on the wrong side of the line. Fail. I thought Florida was the best team in the nation, and Alabama found that out.

Meanwhile, up in Hell East Lansing, Travis Turnbull put the finishing touches on a weekend home-and- home sweep of Sparty, netting a hat-trick in a 5-3 comeback win at Munn. Caporusso put the finishing touches on by scoring the game winner with 1:36 to go in the game. This is one night after a 6-1 drubbing in front of the Yost faithful. Michigan is ranked #14 right now, not where they want to be by any stretch, but MSU is unranked, far from the Sparty hockey teams of the last few years. Miami is the class of the CCHA, but Red has the boys working their way up to greet them. They are off until the GLI fires up Dec. 27. Speaking of working their way up the ranks...



Pure awsomeness. Michigan beats the #4 team in the country for the second time this season. First it was then #4 UCLA, now Dook. Too bad this one doesn't count for the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, it would have tied it up. Beilein has these guys playing well, both offensively and defensively. DeShawn Sims scored 28, and Michigan outrebounded Duke 35-34, something that was missing and probably cost them the Maryland game the other night. I'm not going to go into the details of this game beyond that, I just want to mention one thing. College basketball fans "storm the floor" waaaaaaay too much. The fans will run onto the court for anything any more. But I think for a team that hasn't been to a Tourney in 10 years, has been the fourth or fifth best team in the STATE for many of those years, to beat the #4 team in the country, to beat DOOK, at home, well, I think this one was OK.



As the local Kalamazoo sports guy Andy Pepper said, "After the football season these guys endured, I'm surprised they didn't take the hoops home with them."

Fail

Because a) Western couldn't beat Ball State in the season finale, b) Buffalo(!) could in the MAC Championship game, and c) Western couldn't beat a dead horse in Mount Pleasant, Western will be home for the holidays, despite winning 9 games. Because Buffalo beat previously undefeated Ball State at Ford Field, they will be taking the spot previously taken by the Broncos most probably against UConn in Toronto in the International Bowl.

Good work Ball State. Nice job Broncos.

UPDATE: Uh, Western is going to the Texas Bowl against Rice. Not sure how I missed that. It must be finals time.

Tigers Hot Stove

The latest rumors have Dumb-rowski chasing Kerry Wood from Cubs fame to backstop the bull pen. Just what they need -- another guy to fill up the M*A*S*H unit back there.

Pittsburgh is looking at Matt Joyce and Jeff Larish in return for Jack Wilson. Wilson is no better then Renteria at the plate, but can wield a mean glove in the 6 hole. The Tigers don't need offense, they need defense and pitching, so I don't hate this move. They are also reportedly looking at Adam Everett from the 'Stros. A little better at the plate, but loses a little as a shortstop. Renteria has a reputation as a solid defensive shortstop, but the Tigers didn't see it last year. He was an error machine. Everett wouldn't be bad, depending on how much scrilla DD is going to throw at him.

More to come from Las Vegas.

The Weekly Game of the Century

Just thought I'd take time out from studying to preview this week's Game of the Century. Despite the SEC sort of dropping back to the field as far as conference strength goes, they are still the top conference in the nation, and the top two team in th conference square off today.

The polls have them 1 and 2, so they make the Game of the Century for this week. The line is 9 1/2 for Florida. 9 1/2 is a lot of points, for a matchup on a neutral field between two teams that match up against each other very well. Alabama's front seven will try try and confuse and get to Te-God much like Michigan did almost a year ago. Florida has a lot of speed on the outside, but will Te-Jesus have the time to get the ball out to them? On the other side of the ball, will Florida be able to stop Coffee enough as Alabama shoves him down their throat play after play after play, only then going outside to Jones for a big play?

The keys to watch for:

Alabama needs Te-bitch to look like this during the game.


Watch Florida to run the bubble screen and a lot of quick slants to offset the blitz packages Saban throws at them. Urban wants them running, not thinking.

Prediction:
I hate predictions. They aren't worth the pixels they are written on. That said, Alabama slows down the offense pretty well today, but the Gator defense picks them up with a JP Wilson mistake. Florida 30, Alabama 24.

Piss poor

National TV + WMU Football = choke job.


Each and every time. The Broncos went down to Muncie and got their butts handed to them, as if it was ever in doubt. Starting with the 1999 MAC Championship Game, where Western had a 24-7 lead over Marshall, and lost 34-30. The next year, more of the same, losing to Marshall 19-14. They have been on the national stage a couple times since then, including a walloping by Central in Mt. Pleasant two years ago.

Oh well, at least Michigan is good, right? Right?

Lions Stay On Pace for 0-16

Drew Stanton awaits his next chance to get in the game

17-0 lead in first quarter, 21-17 deficit by the end of the first half. The absolutely pathetic referees in this game didn't cost the Lions, but they sure as hell didn't help. Maybe it would have been different with a roughing the passer call as Garcia got off another shitty pass while getting hit. Maybe it would have been different if the Tampa DB's weren't allowed to manhandle CJohnson as often as and wherever they wanted. Maybe it would have been different if Tampa was actually forced to get a play off before the play clock went out.

But then again, maybe not.

Who cares any more. This league is a fucking joke. Congratulations Roger Goodell, you took the golden egg, broke it, and it is almost ready for breakfast.

F the NFL

How are these guys paid as referees? A win in the NFL is meaningless any more as no game, and I mean that, no game that I have seen this year has been anything closely resembling a "fair" game. I am not calling this a conspiracy (although one could make a pretty damning collection of NYJets games that show that Fa-rve gets the benefit if every dispute) but just that these idiots are too old, slow, and senile to call a game correctly. Give me a bunch of guys out there from practice squads who know how the game is played, send them through ref school, and get them out there.

Case in point: Drew Stanton (WTF!) drops back, is under pressure, gets a pass off at the same time he is being hit. The idiot calls both intentional grounding and roughing the passer. What? He hadn't thrown the ball yet, and he was trying to get the ball downfield to someone, BUT HE WAS GETTING HIT.

I hate this league.

Michigan Stuns Top Ten Team

Oh, if only to have written this Saturday afternoon, not Friday morning. As it is, the Michigan basketball team rallied from 8 down at half to advance to the finals of the 2K Sports Classic by beating #4 UCLA.

I watched as long as I could, but fell asleep in the second half after Michigan made their run to take the lead. As I drifted away, I thought that was better, to go to sleep then and then read about the UCLA run in the morning. I woke up to see a message board post that they were still up 3 with two to go, and then checked the final score this morning. They looked stout on defense, with Beilein running a 1-3-1 defense against the Bruins, forcing 17 turnovers. Michigan countered by taking care of the ball, with only 9 turnovers. When was the last time a Michigan team played a full game with only 9 turnovers? They get #8 Dook and Coach K's nose tonight at Madison Square Garden for the final.

Meanwhile in northwest Canada, the Red Wings looked dominant for the first 15 minutes of the first period, and then cruised to a 4-3 win over Edmonton. The Wings were outshot 15-12 in the first, but were up 3-0. Osgood looked good when he needed to throughout, and the Wings just keep rolling along. They did this without Holmstrom, who was a late scratch with back spasms. Enter Tomas Kopecky. He filled in admirably, sticking his rear end in front of the net on power plays, scoring one and having a significant hand in another.

CORRECTION: Michigan was only down 6 at half, 29-23, not 29-21. I was tired.

Tigers reportedly Interested in Hoffman

Ugh. The dismantling of the Tigers continues. According to the Freep, Dombrowski is reportedly interested in signing all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman. In his defense, he is only interested in signing him for one year, because DD believes the farm will produce a closer for the 2010 season.

Putting aside my absolute disdain for the "closer" position for a second, the last thing the Tigers need is a guy in the bullpen who is almost as old as Chris Chelios, who has never won a single thing in his career, who has blown more big-time saves over the last 7 years, in the bull pen. Please, DD, disregard Hoffman, and dump some overpriced offense you have handy, and get some young arms. Get some young, starter arms, and move some of the failed starters into the pen.

DD is quickly eating into his free pass for taking the worst team in baseball to the World Series.

It's Ohio State week. What?

Never in my lifetime has an Ohio State week snuck up so silently. The boys over at Michigan Against the World have some solid thoughts on the program two years ago versus now.

But from an outsiders viewpoint, and I mean outsider in that I never went to Michigan, I never played for Michigan, and never met Bo or any other coach for that matter, Michigan- Ohio State week is just as meaningful. I remember the tears when I found out two years ago, on the eve of the biggest game in the history of the greatest rivalry in sports. I remember thinking that there was no way that Michigan was going to lose, not that year, not that way. I remember growing up when I started hunting, and my brother would make fun of me when I told him it was the Ohio State game today, and I wouldn't be going out. This was it. It was Ohio State. At that time it was an annual beatdown, but the other way from where it is now, and especially this Saturday. I wouldnt have missed it for anything. Watching Tim Biakabatuka roll up 300 yards, watching Desmond Howard do the Heisman in the endzone.

This year is different. This year, must be different for the OSU fans as well. There is very little build up to this game, there is very little banter going back and forth, there is very little in the way of the old worn out jokes you always hear this time of year, that are so old and so bad, yet you laugh like it was the first time you'd ever heard it.

How do you get an OSU grad off the porch?
Pay for the pizza.

What does an OSU grad call a UM grad?
Boss.

This year is the first year since I became of drinking age that I have no plans for the game. I will have it on in the background, as I finalize my secured transactions homework or work on my business organizations outline. Finals are coming up, you know. But it won't have the same feeling that it should.

There is only one question left. Will McSweatervest go for 2 to make it an even 50?

Bo

It was two years ago today. Michigan was gearing up for the biggest game in Michigan-Ohio State history, and the man simply known as "Bo" left us for better heights.

Those who stay will be Champions. This still holds true for the current and all succeeding groups.

Lions Stay On Pace for 0-16

This team is terrible. Only six to go. With the first overall pick that won't be tainted by some expansion team swooping in and taking it like last time (FU, Houston), and with Roy Williams doing his best Herschel Walker impression, the Lions are set to make a decade long run starting in 2010. Which just happens to be when we graduate from law school. That year is gonna be our year!

Then Pittsburgh becomes the first team ever to win 11-10. DP can have his 16-0 season, the Steelers won a game with a wierd score! WOO HOO!

BRONCOS!

Western rolled into Detroit and beat Illinois at Ford Field 23-17 today. This is the second straight year they beat a Big Ten team. They beat Iowa at Kinnick last year, and beat another BCS school the year before by beating Virginia at Virginia.

Too bad they can't win in Mt. Pleasant.

Ever.

Opening for The Answer

Allen Iverson makes his Piston debut tonight. Through the first half, he is 3/3 from the floor, and 6/6 from the stripe for 13 points. He is dishing like he's dishing and taking like he's been with this team for years. Not a bad start, eh?

No way

You gotta be kidding me.

Allrighty then...

With the election over, let's get to some good news, eh?

The Red Wings finished their west coast swing at 3-1-1 after beating Vancouver Sunday night 3-2. They get five full days off before hosting the Brodeur-less New Jersey Saturday night. Mickey will be giggling when they play Billy Joel at the Joe around 9ish.

The Pistons get "The Answer" they were looking for in a trade with Denver. Chauncey and Dice go to Denver, AI comes to Detroit. I think it's a good move, although I have watched zero basketball so far this season. I'll dive into this more after finals when I get to see how he plays with the Stones.

!!!BREAKING NEWS!!!

The Lions are not good.


That is all.

Wings Beat Hawks in Shootout

I just checked the score, because I detest the shootout enough that I never watch it. The final was 6-5, and despite the high score, both goalies played well. There was just a ton of scoring chances, something Mike Babcock won't like a whole lot. Pavel Datsyuk scored a goal that will end up on youtube by tomorrow, and I'll update it here when it does. These guys are just awesome to watch.

Penn State beats OSU at the 'Shoe

And the disappointment in Brent Musberger's failing voice is palpable. Every sentence he said during this game had the phrase, "the young Terrel Pryor." "The young Terrel Pryor" was 6 of 10 on third down, not OSU. "The young Terrel Pryor" was starting a drive at the 31 yard line, not OSU.



Kirk Herbstriet wasn't exactly ecstatic either. JoePa gets his first win at the 'Shoe since 1978. He and Penn State are killing all kinds of streaks this year. Maybe they can end the Ohio State Big Ten streak of losing in the NC game. They'll get there at 12-0 with a Texas and/or Alabama loss.

Paul Bunyan Goes to East Lansing

Two wins, six losses. We knew this season was gonna be tough, but this is not good. Now, Big Blue is one loss away from ending the nation's longest bowl and non-losing season streaks. It's OK, because we can see the light at the end of the tunnel, but now that it's upon us, it stings a bit.

The offense was explosive at points, but dreadful for the most part. Threet ran the ball well at times, and not in others. Threet threw the ball well at times, and not in others. The O-line was awful, and even if Threet could throw, he never had the time to do anything anyway. The reason DickRod is yelling at Threet in this picture is a bad read by Threet on a blitz, he looked right, and only right, and should have been picked off.

Now, Sparty earned this one. There was no "extra second," or a bad pass interference no-call, or blatant holding on the game winning play. The refs were awful, but they were awful on both sides, and definitely didn't cost Michigan the game.

The worst part about this? We're gonna be hearing about it from Sparty fan for the better part of a decade. "Remember when Taylor guaranteed victory? Huh huh.. how'd that work out?"

Try winning more than one game in the second half of the season once, Sparty, then start talking.

Can I make one more point? Those of you who know me, know that I hate almost all national announcers. There are very few that can pull off a neutral call of the game, and most are certified idiots. Chris Spielman was the color man for this one, and I LOVE listening to him. I always learn something new about the game when he calls it. And Sean McDonough knows enough to stay the hell out of his way, and just call the play-by-play. On the other side of the coin, Gary "I've always known SEC football is the best" Danielson was calling the Georgia-LSU game. As LSU was lining up for an onside kick at the end of the game, Gary actually tried to make a point about having to change the rules because now, teams are having their kickers try to bounce the ball up in the air, and they send players in to take out the receiving team, and they might get hurt. Yeah Gary- this is on-thinkable[sic]. This has only been going on for, I don't know, a century? Teams have ALWAYS kicked the ball for that big hop. And the prefix "un-" rhymes with bun, not Don.

Got Hockey?

For the second time since the league expanded to 30 teams, all 30 of them are in action today.

Detroit is at Chicago tonight, and they are unveiling the jerseys they will wear on New Years Day at Wrigley field.

College Football, 15 NHL games, and a World Series game all in one day? I would say awesome, but the World Series holds absolutely no interest for me. And this is coming from a guy who can watch a spring training game on TV from start to finish.

HOSSA!

Finally, Hossa is off the schneid. After scoring #300 in OT the other night against the Rangers, Hossa nets two more tonight, including a highlight reel goal in the first.



Oh, and Zetterberg scored twice too.

5-3 Wings beat Thrashers.

Meanwhile, the vast right-wing conspiracy continues in St. Louis. According to NHL.com, Blues goalie Manny Legacy had to leave after the first period due to an injury after tripping over the carpet laid out for Sarah Palin to drop the ceremonial first puck.

What if sports were the economy?

With apologies to EJ, I promise this will be my only semi-political post...

Courtesy Chicago Tribune, October 28, 2009.
After 101 years of waiting, the Cubs finally have their World Series trophy!



After finishing in a tie with all other 29 teams for first place at 0-0-162, the Cubs can finally celebrate a World's Championship!

"I just can't tell you how good it feels to finally have a championship and to bring here to the North Side of Chicago," said manager Lou Pinella. "We really didn't play all that well, or even that hard, but we didn't need to because the President told us he would give us all a chance to win!"

What Lou was referring to is the Fairness in Athletics Doctrine, or FAD. Earlier this year, President Obama pushed through legislation that forbade any official scorer from declaring any winners or losers in any athletic event. All 30 teams finished with the same record, and in the future, the trophy will be passed from team to team. Chicago gets it in 2009. Detroit and Cincinnati are vying for the trophy next year, with the congressional hearings scheduled to start early February. But the good money is on Cincinnati, because the Lions are scheduled to lift the Lombardi trophy around that time.

"It is finally time, uh, that all fans of every team, uh, not just those of the teams most talented, or hardest working, should get to have their day to raise the trophy," said President Obama. "We pushed this through because the failed policies of the Bush administration are hurting the middle class because when they go to the bar sporting their colors, they get ridiculed and leave the bar, and this hurts the economy."

It was scenes like these that prompted the president to approach senate majority leader Harry Reid to begin talks about eliminating the bad feelings that come from a person's team suffering defeat. "We saw the joy in people's eyes when the Patriots were beaten two years ago in the Super Bowl, and we wanted that all the time," said Reid. "It's not enough to strive to be excellent. Those of us in Washington need to make it reality for everyone!"

Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh calls this a travesty, citing his Pittsburgh Steelers (9-0 currently, 0-0-9 officially) chances at winning this year. "The disparity between the haves and the have nots has been widening ever since Bush stole the election in 2000," said Reid, "and Washington was broken. We needed to step in and make sure everybody gets a fair shake. The Lions have won exactly one playoff game in 52 years, and those fans deserve to see their team win it."

As an offshoot of the doctrine, Michigan resident and Detroit Red Wing fan Dan Blakeslee's lawsuit against the Red Wings has gone all the way to the Supreme Court. "It isn't fair that GM Ken Holland should keep me off of the Red Wings. Just because I'm slow, can't shoot, and have no endurance to even skate up and down the ice one time shouldn't mean that I get left off the team." Blakeslee won his lawsuit, but the judgment was stayed while the Red Wings appeal. Originally, the judgment forced all NHL players to wear weights around their legs and arms, thus making an even playing field, or ice in this case, for everyone who wants to play. The Sixth Circuit upheld the ruling, citing FAD specifically. When asked how Blakeslee is preparing for the games to come, he said, "why prepare? If I get slower, they have to, too. So I am playing video games in the meantime." The NHL is preparing a "hockey skills czar," to oversee the lowest skilled player to play, and bring down the rest of the league to their level. MLB, the NFL, and the NBA are preparing for the onslaught as well, creating positions for similar duties.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are scheduled to skate with the Stanley Cup next June, despite not being an American team and thus, exempt from FAD. The Utah Jazz are slated to take the NBA's top prize, as well.

MSU-UM weekend

The boys over at Michigan Against the World are having fun with the game this weekend...

Check it out.

More Blakeslee Boys on the way

So it turns out the twins, both of them, are boys.

WOO HOO!!!

Fail.

David Ortiz: F
Jason Veritek: F
JD Drew: Check swing D
Jason Bay: C
Dustin Pedroia: A

Pedroia was the only one it looked like wanted to play more baseball. Ortiz was terrible, Veritek looked like Pudge, and JD Drew check-swung his way to critical strikouts. This team looked good for three innings in game 5, a couple in game 6, and exactly zero in Game 7.

Enjoy the time off gents. You've earned it. This may be the first World Series I don't watch since I can remember. Philly? Who cares? Tampa Bay? Move to a baseball stadium and maybe I'll watch.

Extra Fail to MLB for starting the Series THREE DAYS after the end of the ALCS. Can you imagine if this thing ended in five?

Game 7

I've said it before, I'll say it again. There is absolutely nothing in sports like a Game 7. The NFL playoffs like to push the idea that every game is Game 7. Bullshit. It's Game 1 of one. You don't have the back stories. You don't have the team that has been on the ropes, all of the sudden on equal footing.

Picture from MLB.com.


The only thing that would make this one better would be a halfway decent venue. The Trop, in a word, blows. It is sterile, the "grass" looks dead (hint to Tampa: grass is green, not lime), and it is INSIDE. Just for this reason, the Rays deserve to lose. I don't want to watch more baseball next week in this horseshit park.

Go Sawx!

It's been a while.

7 weeks of being laid-off, massive quantities of homework, and I'm back. Still unemployed, but back.

Maybe.

Since UM beat Wisky, let's see what else has happened.

- The NHL has begun. The Maple Leafs got to see a banner raised for the first time since we landed on the Moon. Unfortunately for them, it was in Detroit. But then they beat the Wings, yada yada yada.

- The Lions are 0-5. Who knew? But they traded Roy Williams to Dallas for a 1, a 3, and a 6th round pick. Roy Williams = Herschel Walker.

- UM hasn't won since that comeback. Including at home against Toledo. Ugh.

- The BoSox scored 8 runs in the 7th, 8th, and 9th innings to come back and beat Tampa Bay in a must-win Game 5 in the ALCS. Boston goes on to win this series, and Carlos Pena relives that 9th inning DP over and over and over and over...