Big East Title Decided Tonight?
Before I get started, let me get this out…
USC LOST???
I watched that game while bouncing back and forth from it and the Mississippi Valley State vs. Alabama State U on ESPNU. And I keep wondering why EPSN never talks about the BLACK college games on the other EPSN stations.
I mean, if you interrupt the MVS/ASU game to update everybody about the big Pac 10 game, that’s cool, but why is it that the game on EPSN never even mentioned that there WAS in fact another game on their family of networks.
It’s like the SWAC and MEAC teams are the proverbial “red head step child”.
Don’t get me wrong, the USC vs. Oregon State game was very entertaining, and on the scope of National Championship Title hopes, quite immense. But do you totally ignore even an UPDATE of the game on your other network? Come on ESPN, that sounds pretty….well…bigoted to me.
But that USC game was AWESOME, and it shakes everything up…even for the Big East. And there are two undefeated teams there, one is South Florida, who will play NC State, and then there is Uconn.
Tonight Uconn travels TO Louisville to determine if that 4-0 record is for real, or just “smoke and mirrors”. I have actually been to Louisville and it is a great city (is the Gault House still there?) and the last few years Louisville has been an explosive offensive team…problem is, their defensive is IMPLOSIVE.
So let’s size it up. Connecticut has scored about 123 points this year, and allowed 50. Sounds nice, but the Hofstra game was not impressive, and the Temple game may have shown some weakness in the Huskies with that overtime win.
Overtime…against TEMPLE?
The beat down against Virginia seems legit, unless we find out that Virginia finishes like 3-8, but I will give Connecticut credit for a good win. The Baylor game was good too, but it seems that the Huskies can handle their business at home pretty well. That overtime win against Temple was on the road…maybe a flaw…..
Now with Louisville, this team seems to have fallen a bit since they had Michael Bush (and the broken leg game that broke my heart). This was supposed to be the team that scares the BCS big boys. This was the team that started making noise a few years ago with that game vs. Florida State in the pouring rain. They need that…I hate to say this word…SWAGGER…back.
And they can get it with a win against Connecticut.
I’m not gonna count the Kentucky loss too much against them, the SEC is very tough and when it comes to state rivals, throw everything out the window….ask ECU about that when they played NC State.
Still, it was an embarrassing loss, losing 27-2. Still, they picked it up with a win against Tennessee Tech 51-10, although I can’t say it was very impressive. The game against Kansas State however, was pretty good. A 38-29 win against a Big 12 team is not bad. So is this team ready to take on the Huskies and win?
The Huskies has this cat (Brown) that looks like he can get 2000 yards this year. Connecticut is number 6 in the nation in rushing and Louisville is 26th. We’re talking about a difference of 80 yards per game so it’s a little closer than you think. But when it comes to passing…ugh!
Louisville is in the 70’s in the nation, and Connecticut is in the 90’s. I can see why Uconn is so low since they focus much more on running, but you’d think Louisville would be much higher.
A lot of stats are pretty even for these teams, from passing yards to penalty yards, so you might toss a coin to decide who can win this. But there is a flaw with Connecticut. Last year they lost 4 games, and during the regular season, all 3 were AWAY games, losing by a margin of 110-40.
But Louisville went 6-6 last year and lost some key games. Losing to Utah is ok because those guys are pretty good, but losing to Syracuse….yikes! And those losses INCLUDE one to Connecticut by a score of 21-17.
This game is huge because on a national spotlight, the Big East needs to show that it is worth of the BCS chat, especially with Southern Cal falling down hard. It’s up for grabs now, with the SEC likely to beat each other up. Can Oklahoma run the tables? Whether they can or not, Uconn is in a perfect position to go undefeated…but not unless they get by the Cardinals of Louisville.
This is gonna be good! But in the end, I think home field advantage helps Louisville and they win a much needed boost by a touchdown. We’ll see, and oh, don’t forget to check out my “Greatest Running Backs EVER” blogs.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Greatest NFL RBs ever...#25 and #24
Greatest Running Backs #25 & #24...
So finally we can get to the meat of the debate of who is the greatest NFL running back ever…or as far as 2008. These records can change year to year, so certainly what I am sharing is not the carving in stone gospel.
If you’re not hip to this subject on my blog, bounce back a few and check them out. My top 25 all time is a result of a formula that rewards running backs that played on championship teams, has great individual stats, has individual awards, and can survive the test of time.
Before I get into those top 25, let me share with you another name that didn’t make my list, and why:
Red Grange: 18 points
One of the more legendary names of American football, and certainly a great player, but not on my list of top 25 all time. ESPN had their college countdown of greatest college players ever, and Red Grange made the list as #1.
I am not really in agreement of that.
Grange is not on my list because even without the era adjustment, he still would not be on my top 25 list. He loses 7 points because he played so long ago. Remember folks, the reason I have this era adjustment is to prove that players that played back in the 30s and 40s are not the same athletes who play today. These guys are stronger, faster, and smarter than those before them.
But Red Grange does get points for being on a championship team. Yes this was way before the Superbowl, but I adjusted the points to give 10 points to a running back that played and won a championship. Remember there WERE championships “back in the day”. I credited him with 10 points for every championship he helped his team win, and 5 for every championship game he loss. His total originally came out to be 25 points, but he lost 7 due to era adjustment…thus 18 points…and NOT on my greatest 25 list.
So, having said that, let’s begin with the #25 Best Running Back EVER:
#25 Ladainain Tomlinson: 28 points
There is little doubt that he is one of the best of all time, and I tell you now, if he wins a Superbowl before his career ends, he will jump up at least 10 spots alone! He has been a superb player for the Chargers and is one of the few bright spots on a team that keeps having a tough time surviving the AFC. If they were an NFC team, it is quite possible that he might have had a better chance at a Superbowl, but right now with the way things are in the AFC this year (after 3 weeks) this could be as good a chance as any for him to make his mark in history as one of the greatest running backs ever.
Why not higher? Great LT may be, but with virtually no championship experience, he does not meet the first element of being the GREATEST ever. Nobody is going to question that he is very good, but as I said on another blog, great players make their team great. He has no team accomplishment points because he has been to no Superbowls or AFC Championship games. If he can do that, he can certainly rise up, especially since he is still active.
Why on the list? LT ranks very high in career yards, career touchdowns and yards per carry. Out of a max of 30 points in the individual stats element, he gets 15, which is very good. And remember, he’s still active. He also scores well on individual awards as well. In fact, his score of 28 is just one point above both Chuck Foreman and Joe Perry, who both had 27 points. Yeah, I know both of those guys had a better team accomplishment score, but overall they were just short, and the era adjustment hurt both of them.
#24 Shaun Alexander: 30 points
How can a guy that has only been to ONE Superbowl be considered one of the top 25 running backs EVER? I know that sounds insane but hear me out. As I share this, we are not sure if he has truly retired or not. After giving his heart and soul to the Seahawks, and getting them to their only Superbowl, he has been missing in action because many fear his best days are gone. But when he was there, he was one of the very few things Seattle had to cheer for. There is no doubt the reason they got to the Superbowl was on his now tired shoulders and legs. Say what you will about him, but Shaun was a warrior, even if many never saw it…in years to come, they will.
Why not higher? The easiest answer is similar to LT…not enough team accomplishment points. He did get 5 points for the Superbowl loss, but you’re likely going to find out that a GREAT running back has to make his team great. It’s a team sport, not golf. And as great as he was, his individual stats are barely on the top 30 list. Out of a possible 30, he got 7. Most of his points came from individual awards throughout his career. But he still has time, if he comes back…who knows?
Why on the list? In comparing him to other running backs, he seemed to have more in the body of work than others. He edges out LT because of his championship experience, but if LT can get the Chargers to an AFC Championship or even a Superbowl, that changes the list a bit. Still, Shaun Alexander stacks up points mainly through is body of work and awards. To give you an example, Corey Dillon is not on my list and has 23 points. Yes Dillon has championship experience and his individual stats number is fair, but he has very few individual award points. It’s the whole body of work that makes a running back great. That’s why Shaun Alexander is here.
Ok, so you see how I am working this. I know this isn’t the best list ever, but I wanted to take a stab at this debate and use some intellect on it. Remember guys, just because a guy does not make the list does not mean they “suck”. These are without a doubt some of the greatest running backs in history, and I am trying to isolate the top 25 as of late September 2008. Next year it could change…certainly 5 years from now it may change and what happens 10 years from now?
Some of my favorites didn’t make my own list, but I had to go by the elements that I felt made a player great. So if you’ll tune in next time, we’ll go over the next few players as we count down the top running backs EVER….
Later dudes.
So finally we can get to the meat of the debate of who is the greatest NFL running back ever…or as far as 2008. These records can change year to year, so certainly what I am sharing is not the carving in stone gospel.
If you’re not hip to this subject on my blog, bounce back a few and check them out. My top 25 all time is a result of a formula that rewards running backs that played on championship teams, has great individual stats, has individual awards, and can survive the test of time.
Before I get into those top 25, let me share with you another name that didn’t make my list, and why:
Red Grange: 18 points
One of the more legendary names of American football, and certainly a great player, but not on my list of top 25 all time. ESPN had their college countdown of greatest college players ever, and Red Grange made the list as #1.
I am not really in agreement of that.
Grange is not on my list because even without the era adjustment, he still would not be on my top 25 list. He loses 7 points because he played so long ago. Remember folks, the reason I have this era adjustment is to prove that players that played back in the 30s and 40s are not the same athletes who play today. These guys are stronger, faster, and smarter than those before them.
But Red Grange does get points for being on a championship team. Yes this was way before the Superbowl, but I adjusted the points to give 10 points to a running back that played and won a championship. Remember there WERE championships “back in the day”. I credited him with 10 points for every championship he helped his team win, and 5 for every championship game he loss. His total originally came out to be 25 points, but he lost 7 due to era adjustment…thus 18 points…and NOT on my greatest 25 list.
So, having said that, let’s begin with the #25 Best Running Back EVER:
#25 Ladainain Tomlinson: 28 points
There is little doubt that he is one of the best of all time, and I tell you now, if he wins a Superbowl before his career ends, he will jump up at least 10 spots alone! He has been a superb player for the Chargers and is one of the few bright spots on a team that keeps having a tough time surviving the AFC. If they were an NFC team, it is quite possible that he might have had a better chance at a Superbowl, but right now with the way things are in the AFC this year (after 3 weeks) this could be as good a chance as any for him to make his mark in history as one of the greatest running backs ever.
Why not higher? Great LT may be, but with virtually no championship experience, he does not meet the first element of being the GREATEST ever. Nobody is going to question that he is very good, but as I said on another blog, great players make their team great. He has no team accomplishment points because he has been to no Superbowls or AFC Championship games. If he can do that, he can certainly rise up, especially since he is still active.
Why on the list? LT ranks very high in career yards, career touchdowns and yards per carry. Out of a max of 30 points in the individual stats element, he gets 15, which is very good. And remember, he’s still active. He also scores well on individual awards as well. In fact, his score of 28 is just one point above both Chuck Foreman and Joe Perry, who both had 27 points. Yeah, I know both of those guys had a better team accomplishment score, but overall they were just short, and the era adjustment hurt both of them.
#24 Shaun Alexander: 30 points
How can a guy that has only been to ONE Superbowl be considered one of the top 25 running backs EVER? I know that sounds insane but hear me out. As I share this, we are not sure if he has truly retired or not. After giving his heart and soul to the Seahawks, and getting them to their only Superbowl, he has been missing in action because many fear his best days are gone. But when he was there, he was one of the very few things Seattle had to cheer for. There is no doubt the reason they got to the Superbowl was on his now tired shoulders and legs. Say what you will about him, but Shaun was a warrior, even if many never saw it…in years to come, they will.
Why not higher? The easiest answer is similar to LT…not enough team accomplishment points. He did get 5 points for the Superbowl loss, but you’re likely going to find out that a GREAT running back has to make his team great. It’s a team sport, not golf. And as great as he was, his individual stats are barely on the top 30 list. Out of a possible 30, he got 7. Most of his points came from individual awards throughout his career. But he still has time, if he comes back…who knows?
Why on the list? In comparing him to other running backs, he seemed to have more in the body of work than others. He edges out LT because of his championship experience, but if LT can get the Chargers to an AFC Championship or even a Superbowl, that changes the list a bit. Still, Shaun Alexander stacks up points mainly through is body of work and awards. To give you an example, Corey Dillon is not on my list and has 23 points. Yes Dillon has championship experience and his individual stats number is fair, but he has very few individual award points. It’s the whole body of work that makes a running back great. That’s why Shaun Alexander is here.
Ok, so you see how I am working this. I know this isn’t the best list ever, but I wanted to take a stab at this debate and use some intellect on it. Remember guys, just because a guy does not make the list does not mean they “suck”. These are without a doubt some of the greatest running backs in history, and I am trying to isolate the top 25 as of late September 2008. Next year it could change…certainly 5 years from now it may change and what happens 10 years from now?
Some of my favorites didn’t make my own list, but I had to go by the elements that I felt made a player great. So if you’ll tune in next time, we’ll go over the next few players as we count down the top running backs EVER….
Later dudes.
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