Wisconsin vs. Ohio State
Hmm, let’s jump into this with two questions: who will win, and why is Wisconsin, with a perfect record, not ranked?
Let’s start there first.
The Badgers were 7-6 last year, in a most disappointing season which had a 4 game losing streak in the middle of that year. Much was expected of this team, and little returned. But why no love for the Badgers?
Ok, they beat Northern Illinois 28-20, ok I get it, a little too close but a win is a win, right?
They beat Fresno State in overtime 34-31 at home… not bad, I mean, Fresno is a quality team, but still, an overtime win is kinda close.
Beating Wofford 44-14? Now that’s just wrong!
But beating Michigan State at home 38-30 is better…still close for comfort.
And beating Minnesota on the road 31-28 is still close, but again, a win is a win.
These are some wins that many would wonder about, and considering that Minnesota is their best win so far, I can see why the jury is still out on the Badgers. But five wins is still a heck of a lot, I think they deserved to get on the top 25 because those are decent wins…except that Wofford one.
(oh, and just to throw this in, Wisconsin lost 4 games on the road…)
So now we have Ohio State, ranked in the top 10, with that embarrassing loss to USC, one I really thought they could win. They were scared at the beginning of the season to Navy, but since those first two games, have taken charge. Shutting out Toledo and Illinois, the defense of the Buckeyes are proving that they are taking no prisoners. And a 33-14 win over Indiana on the road helps their conference record…
(on a side note, why don’t the Big 10 add one more team and create a conference championship…)
Do I think Ohio State can lose… sure. This Wisconsin team is clearly better than last year, but I don’t see them going undefeated…that mantle rested with Penn State and they dropped it. Ohio State has far more to gain with a win, even though a possible 6-0 Wisconsin team will vault them in the standings. And remember, Ohio State beat them last year only by 3 points…but it was a road game for the Buckeyes. OSU by 8.
Showing posts with label Wisconsin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wisconsin. Show all posts
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Wisconsin vs Florida State in Champs Bowl
Champs Sports Bowl
Wisconsin vs. Florida State
This is one of seven bowl games played in the state of Florida, and it seems obvious that a Florida team would be in it. I mean, a lot of these bowls were created with certain regional teams in mind, but at the same time, many bowls are held out of the “cold zones” to entice fans of northern states to come on down and “warm up” a bit.
No sin in that, especially when you have an entire conference like the Big 10 up there. Those guys deserve some of that warm sunshine or warmer temps too, right? Thus the game we have, Wisconsin vs. Florida State.
This is a good matchup, between BCS bowl teams, and is actually a very interesting story within itself if you look at the resumes of both teams. Let’s start with Wisconsin out of the Big 10.
There was a lot of talk that the Big 10 would have a team in the National Championship, and there was much talk that Wisconsin would be a top 10 team for sure. There were high expectations as the team started out 1-0 by beating Akron 38-17, then capturing their second win against Marshall 51-14. Everything was working smoothly for this team, and it seemed this might be the second best team out of the Big 10.
A trip to Fresno State, then ranked in the top 25, and a win there, gave a lot of weight to the Badgers team as they were now 3-0, looking for more wins as they entered the conference schedule. With lowly Michigan on the ropes, it should have been an easy win to start the conference season right.
Nope.
In a stunning game, Wisconsin lost to Michigan 27-25 and may have lost more in their spirits. An embarrassing loss lead the Badgers into two more top 25 matchups back to back, neither of which they could overcome. A loss to then #14 Ohio State 20-17 and then a loss to then #6 Penn State 48-7 broke their spirits. In three conference games back to back to back, they lost them all, dropping to 3-3. No BCS hopes, perhaps no BCS bowl either.
And it got worse as they lost to Iowa 38-16 as it seemed that Wisconsin hit rock bottom. Whatever goals this team had, they were gone. All that was left was to TRY to get to a bowl, to salvage a disappointing season.
This turnaround started with a win over Illinois, but was stopped again with a loss to top 25 foe Michigan State 25-24. At 4-5, Wisconsin needed at least two more wins to become bowl eligible, with only 3 games left. It seemed they started to get it together, with a win over Indiana 55-20 and then Minnesota 35-32 to finally qualify for a bowl. Their final game against Cal-Poly seemed to show the problems the Badgers still had, barely beating this team in OT 36-35.
Five teams were ranked throughout the course of the year, but Wisconsin beat only one, that being Minnesota. But there were several close games, proving that this team can compete. We shall see.
Florida State used to be the king of the ACC, dominating it every year and sweeping their conference foes away like dust. It was always the “big” game against Florida that was larger than the conference itself, even though Florida was from the SEC. But things have changed for this team, not many being good.
There was no great expectation for Florida State to win it all, but maybe to challenge for the ACC title. But the way the Seminoles went about it seemed… odd.
The first game of the young season pitted them against Western Carolina University…MY old stomping grounds, and they were pulverized 69-0...ouch. But here is something odd… most teams play ONE Division 1AA team… but Florida State scheduled two in a row. Playing UTC and beating them 46-7 made it look like FSU was scoring without measure. Some were even talking of their greatness.
But this came down to earth quickly on the first REAL game, against Wake Forest, where they lost 12-3. Amazing, they scored over 100 against lesser foes but could only manage 3 against a real Division I foe.
But it seemed to wake up the Seminoles as they began a four game winning streak. Rebounding against Colorado at home 39-21, then winning two away games against Miami 41-39 and against NC State 26-17 had them in the right direction. A big win over Virginia Tech brought the Seminoles to 6-1, and 3-1 in conference play. They were now being mentioned as one of the elite ACC teams to beat.
Florida State then fell into a checkered finish, wining one, losing the next to finish the season. A tough loss to Georgia Tech away 31-28 led to a win over troubled Clemson 41-27 before repeating the trend, losing to Boston College 27-17 in their home, and then winning against ranked Maryland 27-3. The final game of the season, against Florida, wasn’t much of a battle, losing 45-14, but the Seminoles did manage to qualify for a bowl, and have a pretty good season.
At least eight teams on FSU’s schedule will be in a bowl, and at least 6 were ranked this year, this was a very tough schedule, excluding the two Southern Conference teams at the beginning of the year. The Seminoles had a very tough season, playing through the very competitive ACC and playing a potential National Champion.. They are quite battle tested.
Of the two teams, one could argue that Wisconsin has underachieved, even though they did play a tough schedule, but Florida State’s schedule was, in my opinion, a bit harder. Coming out of the ACC with just a few losses is not bad, but one wonders if this team is as good as the record. We have not seen the Florida State of old, but then again, where has Wisconsin gone?
In a game in Florida State’s…well… state, I think the Seminoles are favored, but not by any large stretch of the imagination. We will see if Wisconsin can start to regain the respect they had at the beginning of the year. I think this will be a very nice game to watch, with Florida State slightly favored. We shall see.
Wisconsin vs. Florida State
This is one of seven bowl games played in the state of Florida, and it seems obvious that a Florida team would be in it. I mean, a lot of these bowls were created with certain regional teams in mind, but at the same time, many bowls are held out of the “cold zones” to entice fans of northern states to come on down and “warm up” a bit.
No sin in that, especially when you have an entire conference like the Big 10 up there. Those guys deserve some of that warm sunshine or warmer temps too, right? Thus the game we have, Wisconsin vs. Florida State.
This is a good matchup, between BCS bowl teams, and is actually a very interesting story within itself if you look at the resumes of both teams. Let’s start with Wisconsin out of the Big 10.
There was a lot of talk that the Big 10 would have a team in the National Championship, and there was much talk that Wisconsin would be a top 10 team for sure. There were high expectations as the team started out 1-0 by beating Akron 38-17, then capturing their second win against Marshall 51-14. Everything was working smoothly for this team, and it seemed this might be the second best team out of the Big 10.
A trip to Fresno State, then ranked in the top 25, and a win there, gave a lot of weight to the Badgers team as they were now 3-0, looking for more wins as they entered the conference schedule. With lowly Michigan on the ropes, it should have been an easy win to start the conference season right.
Nope.
In a stunning game, Wisconsin lost to Michigan 27-25 and may have lost more in their spirits. An embarrassing loss lead the Badgers into two more top 25 matchups back to back, neither of which they could overcome. A loss to then #14 Ohio State 20-17 and then a loss to then #6 Penn State 48-7 broke their spirits. In three conference games back to back to back, they lost them all, dropping to 3-3. No BCS hopes, perhaps no BCS bowl either.
And it got worse as they lost to Iowa 38-16 as it seemed that Wisconsin hit rock bottom. Whatever goals this team had, they were gone. All that was left was to TRY to get to a bowl, to salvage a disappointing season.
This turnaround started with a win over Illinois, but was stopped again with a loss to top 25 foe Michigan State 25-24. At 4-5, Wisconsin needed at least two more wins to become bowl eligible, with only 3 games left. It seemed they started to get it together, with a win over Indiana 55-20 and then Minnesota 35-32 to finally qualify for a bowl. Their final game against Cal-Poly seemed to show the problems the Badgers still had, barely beating this team in OT 36-35.
Five teams were ranked throughout the course of the year, but Wisconsin beat only one, that being Minnesota. But there were several close games, proving that this team can compete. We shall see.
Florida State used to be the king of the ACC, dominating it every year and sweeping their conference foes away like dust. It was always the “big” game against Florida that was larger than the conference itself, even though Florida was from the SEC. But things have changed for this team, not many being good.
There was no great expectation for Florida State to win it all, but maybe to challenge for the ACC title. But the way the Seminoles went about it seemed… odd.
The first game of the young season pitted them against Western Carolina University…MY old stomping grounds, and they were pulverized 69-0...ouch. But here is something odd… most teams play ONE Division 1AA team… but Florida State scheduled two in a row. Playing UTC and beating them 46-7 made it look like FSU was scoring without measure. Some were even talking of their greatness.
But this came down to earth quickly on the first REAL game, against Wake Forest, where they lost 12-3. Amazing, they scored over 100 against lesser foes but could only manage 3 against a real Division I foe.
But it seemed to wake up the Seminoles as they began a four game winning streak. Rebounding against Colorado at home 39-21, then winning two away games against Miami 41-39 and against NC State 26-17 had them in the right direction. A big win over Virginia Tech brought the Seminoles to 6-1, and 3-1 in conference play. They were now being mentioned as one of the elite ACC teams to beat.
Florida State then fell into a checkered finish, wining one, losing the next to finish the season. A tough loss to Georgia Tech away 31-28 led to a win over troubled Clemson 41-27 before repeating the trend, losing to Boston College 27-17 in their home, and then winning against ranked Maryland 27-3. The final game of the season, against Florida, wasn’t much of a battle, losing 45-14, but the Seminoles did manage to qualify for a bowl, and have a pretty good season.
At least eight teams on FSU’s schedule will be in a bowl, and at least 6 were ranked this year, this was a very tough schedule, excluding the two Southern Conference teams at the beginning of the year. The Seminoles had a very tough season, playing through the very competitive ACC and playing a potential National Champion.. They are quite battle tested.
Of the two teams, one could argue that Wisconsin has underachieved, even though they did play a tough schedule, but Florida State’s schedule was, in my opinion, a bit harder. Coming out of the ACC with just a few losses is not bad, but one wonders if this team is as good as the record. We have not seen the Florida State of old, but then again, where has Wisconsin gone?
In a game in Florida State’s…well… state, I think the Seminoles are favored, but not by any large stretch of the imagination. We will see if Wisconsin can start to regain the respect they had at the beginning of the year. I think this will be a very nice game to watch, with Florida State slightly favored. We shall see.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Wisconsin Football Blog
Wisconsin Football
I think I have written about 50 blogs in the last month, this stuff is fun!
Before I get to the Wisconsin issue, I wanted to say that I am currently blogging on 3 sites, but my main concentration of blogs will be on blogspot, so if you like my sports blogging, check me out there.
Well, with a day of exciting football, I decided to check the standings. Of the 119 teams in the FBS (Division I), there are still 116 teams eligible for a bowl. So I wondered, can Wisconsin make it to a bowl?
If you asked me this a month ago, I would have personally guaranteed it. But today, I am really wondering about this. Let’s examine this debate:
At the moment, Wisconsin is the second worst team in the Big 10 Conference at 0-4. They are tied with Indiana but their overall record of 3-4 is slightly better than Indiana’s 2-5 mark.
What’s going on Wisconsin?
The year started out pretty decent, defeating Akron 38-17. We all saw Wisconsin being a big player in the Big 10, and I thought they would be the second or third best team in the conference.
Mopping up Marshall 51-14 just made things clearer, and even though anyone could argue that they had not played any major games yet, this still was a very strong football club.
But the Fresno State game in California was an eybrow-raising game. Yes it was against a #21 ranked team, so it wasn’t supposed to be easy, but you wondered if maybe it was just the travel that slowed Wisconsin down, or was it something else.
At 3-0 nobody’s gonna complain, but the season was still young.
Then there’s that Michigan game.
I watched that game when Wisconsin was up with a healthy lead, and I swear it just looked like they played not to lose. I realize playing in Michigan during their 500th home game was very emotional for the Wolverines, but I remember sitting in the living room telling someone that if Wisconsin scores anymore points, the game would be over. It was already late in the game and it just looked like Michigan had given up.
And then it just seemed that Wisconsin turned off the “play” button. Michigan came back, and forced the Badgers to scramble for their lives, and even though they tied the game, they ended up losing 27-25. And somehow, I think from the way they played, Wisconsin lost much more than the game…they may have lost their heart.
Folks, this is NOT the Wisconsin team I am used to seeing. Something broke in their machine, and apparently they don’t know how to fix it. And even though they were 3-1, it was a loss that clearly showed some flaws with the team. Remember, the week before, they barely escaped Fresno State.
You could tell that there was some effort to try to get this back when they played Ohio State, then ranked #14. Any wins over Ohio State is a feather in your cap, and with the Buckeyes coming off a loss to USC, they could be quite touchable. This was a home game Wisconsin had to have, but ended up losing a close one 20-17. This is a loss you can actually wear, rather than the loss to a rebuilding Michigan, but no loss has a flavor you want to remember. Now Wisconsin was 3-2, with two losses in their conference. They had to pick it up or they’d be in big trouble.
But the next game was no easy task, playing Penn State. Is Penn State THAT good, crushing the Badgers 48-7? I’ll admit, playing two ranked teams back to back, and conference games at that, can be hard, but with 3 losses the Badgers now had their backs to the wall, and it’s only half way through the season. Surely they can win their next game and get back on track.
But that’s where we are now, a day after Wisconsin loses to Iowa 38-16 and now Wisconsin is on the ropes. With five games left, they MUST win at least 3 to qualify for a bowl….and while I’m at it, WHY are you playing Cal-Poly? What’s THAT about?
So let’s scratch that and say Wisconsin has to win at least 3 of the last 4 games to qualify for a bowl. Of those games, the Michigan State game could be huge because at this moment they are the only team left on the schedule that is ranked. I would like to say that Wisconsin should get 3 wins since they are playing Indiana, Minnesota and Illinois, but I am now assuming that.
If Wisconsin gives up another game they should have won, they may not be going bowling this year. The game against the Spartans is an away game, hard to win at Michigan State when they have big bowl implications too. But the Spartans have stumbled often near the end of the year, so this game is slightly possible. If so, then there is a slight chance that these Badgers could win their last 5 games and finish 8-4. Not bad but below the original expectations.
But be careful. Illinois is pretty decent, and at this moment Minnesota is 6-1. It is theoretically possible they could be 9-1 before they see you…and they’d be standing in your way for a possible bowl. We’ll see how that turns out.
Anyway, gotta fly, check out my blogs on http://raidersaint.blogspot.com
I think I have written about 50 blogs in the last month, this stuff is fun!
Before I get to the Wisconsin issue, I wanted to say that I am currently blogging on 3 sites, but my main concentration of blogs will be on blogspot, so if you like my sports blogging, check me out there.
Well, with a day of exciting football, I decided to check the standings. Of the 119 teams in the FBS (Division I), there are still 116 teams eligible for a bowl. So I wondered, can Wisconsin make it to a bowl?
If you asked me this a month ago, I would have personally guaranteed it. But today, I am really wondering about this. Let’s examine this debate:
At the moment, Wisconsin is the second worst team in the Big 10 Conference at 0-4. They are tied with Indiana but their overall record of 3-4 is slightly better than Indiana’s 2-5 mark.
What’s going on Wisconsin?
The year started out pretty decent, defeating Akron 38-17. We all saw Wisconsin being a big player in the Big 10, and I thought they would be the second or third best team in the conference.
Mopping up Marshall 51-14 just made things clearer, and even though anyone could argue that they had not played any major games yet, this still was a very strong football club.
But the Fresno State game in California was an eybrow-raising game. Yes it was against a #21 ranked team, so it wasn’t supposed to be easy, but you wondered if maybe it was just the travel that slowed Wisconsin down, or was it something else.
At 3-0 nobody’s gonna complain, but the season was still young.
Then there’s that Michigan game.
I watched that game when Wisconsin was up with a healthy lead, and I swear it just looked like they played not to lose. I realize playing in Michigan during their 500th home game was very emotional for the Wolverines, but I remember sitting in the living room telling someone that if Wisconsin scores anymore points, the game would be over. It was already late in the game and it just looked like Michigan had given up.
And then it just seemed that Wisconsin turned off the “play” button. Michigan came back, and forced the Badgers to scramble for their lives, and even though they tied the game, they ended up losing 27-25. And somehow, I think from the way they played, Wisconsin lost much more than the game…they may have lost their heart.
Folks, this is NOT the Wisconsin team I am used to seeing. Something broke in their machine, and apparently they don’t know how to fix it. And even though they were 3-1, it was a loss that clearly showed some flaws with the team. Remember, the week before, they barely escaped Fresno State.
You could tell that there was some effort to try to get this back when they played Ohio State, then ranked #14. Any wins over Ohio State is a feather in your cap, and with the Buckeyes coming off a loss to USC, they could be quite touchable. This was a home game Wisconsin had to have, but ended up losing a close one 20-17. This is a loss you can actually wear, rather than the loss to a rebuilding Michigan, but no loss has a flavor you want to remember. Now Wisconsin was 3-2, with two losses in their conference. They had to pick it up or they’d be in big trouble.
But the next game was no easy task, playing Penn State. Is Penn State THAT good, crushing the Badgers 48-7? I’ll admit, playing two ranked teams back to back, and conference games at that, can be hard, but with 3 losses the Badgers now had their backs to the wall, and it’s only half way through the season. Surely they can win their next game and get back on track.
But that’s where we are now, a day after Wisconsin loses to Iowa 38-16 and now Wisconsin is on the ropes. With five games left, they MUST win at least 3 to qualify for a bowl….and while I’m at it, WHY are you playing Cal-Poly? What’s THAT about?
So let’s scratch that and say Wisconsin has to win at least 3 of the last 4 games to qualify for a bowl. Of those games, the Michigan State game could be huge because at this moment they are the only team left on the schedule that is ranked. I would like to say that Wisconsin should get 3 wins since they are playing Indiana, Minnesota and Illinois, but I am now assuming that.
If Wisconsin gives up another game they should have won, they may not be going bowling this year. The game against the Spartans is an away game, hard to win at Michigan State when they have big bowl implications too. But the Spartans have stumbled often near the end of the year, so this game is slightly possible. If so, then there is a slight chance that these Badgers could win their last 5 games and finish 8-4. Not bad but below the original expectations.
But be careful. Illinois is pretty decent, and at this moment Minnesota is 6-1. It is theoretically possible they could be 9-1 before they see you…and they’d be standing in your way for a possible bowl. We’ll see how that turns out.
Anyway, gotta fly, check out my blogs on http://raidersaint.blogspot.com
Friday, October 3, 2008
More bewares to college football!
Beware to thee, college football teams….
I shoulda done this earlier, because maybe some of my warnings might have been heeded.
Before I get to that, I hope you guys take a look at some of my older blogs, especially my continuing series of “Greatest Running Back EVER” in the NFL. It’s pretty interesting, if I do say so myself.
Anyway, this blog is to throw out some early warnings to some college football teams this week. What should have been proven is that ANY team can fall. When Ohio State lost to USC, everybody had thrown the Buckeyes under the bus, and proclaimed the Trojans not only a National Championship, but an undefeated season…
How’s that working out.
One thing is so true about college football; it’s unpredictable. And that should continue for the next couple of months too. So there are some warnings I hope to throw out there for some of the teams this weekend. I say to you…BEWARE!
It’s kinda late, but South Florida should have taken greater heed than they did. Last year we remember that they climbed as high as #2 in the nation before taking a hard spill. When I watched the game last night, I heard that they said that they “learned” from last year…
That’s cool, but learning does not mean you can change it. When I was a kid growing up, we used to play sandlot football in a big field. One day, one of the older kids had come back from football practice, with his gear on. He wanted to play, so he did, and I tried to tackle him while he was wearing all that armor…
Lesson learned as I flew into the street, wondering how hard I would land.
But learning that lesson does not mean I can tackle that guy if he is wearing all that gear, and I am in regular clothes. It just means I’ll be launched into the air, or trampled underfoot again.
South Florida kinda reminds me of ECU in that neither could really handle the fame of the top 25. I am not saying South Florida is not good, I am saying that to truly be considered for a National Championship, you have to prove it every game. Last night, at home, they could not do it.
Beware Duke, for those roses you smell from early success may not be roses at all, rather scented plastic dressings. Shame on the coaches for jumping on one of their players after he dove in the end zone. It’s not like YOU have seen a winning season anytime soon, so enjoy the moment like the Duke fans…you may not see it again for awhile. I am not ready to crown you as the ACC elite, you gotta prove it….you were warned….
Take heed Penn State, lest you fall from the heights of the undefeated…
I actually LIKE Penn State, so I’m not gonna clown them, but liking a team does not mean they are guaranteed to go undefeated. In a conference that actually is pretty tough, but has no conference championship, every game matters. I certainly don’t see Northwestern’s undefeated season to continue much longer, but Penn State has an excellent chance to get in the top 5 if they can beat Purdue. But this is an away game, can the Nittany Lions come up with a high scoring game as they have done so far this year?
Be careful NC State…lest we see a pack of pups, rather than wolves. This game might be the LAST hope for postseason for you. You can lose 2 more games and still have a chance to win 6 quality wins and HOPE for a bowl…but now you face a team that your coach bailed out on, and that win vs. ECU didn’t quite wake you up as you thought it would…your postseason life is on the line now…
Warnings to West Virginia AND Rutgers. Was all that talk last year about your greatness just lightning in a bottle? The Big East needs teams to step it up in a big way, and South Florida fell flat to Pittsburgh. West Virginia gets an embarrassing loss to ECU and Rutgers gets trucked by UNC…what’s up with that? The Big East is still up for grabs, but the loser of this game is DONE…well, West Virginia might have a little more hope, but not much.
Beware Kentucky….you have been called out for that 4-0 record you boast. You and Vanderbilt are the temporary darlings of the SEC, but you’ve been midcard in the SEC for eons. Now you have to go TO the home of the #2 team in the nation…save up all your clippings of the 4-0 start because next week it will be a bit different….
Caution to #7 Texas Tech….there are major concerns about your sudden abundance of prosperity. The Big 12 seems to score 4000 points a weekend, and Texas Tech is one of those reasons. But with NO valuable wins, are you REALLY as good as the ranking? I admit, I like Texas Tech, and if they are on tv, I will be watching, but if they start reading the headlines of themselves, they will fall like South Florida and ECU. Yes you are playing Kansas State, but if you have already looked over that, then you are assured a loss this weekend.
Be careful Michigan…playing enhanced ball one weekend does not mean you are “back in the race”. A very poor performance by Wisconsin was why you won. And playing in the 500th game gave you incentive when Wisconsin apparently pumped the brakes on you. But outside of that, your team still has MAJOR issues, and this home game will determine if in truth you are for real, or just a flash in the pan this year.
Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt, canst thou defend thy house?
You better if you want to keep this magical season going. Your schedule has not been as weak as some other top 25 teams, so you deserve the ranking. But NOW things get a bit different. You now have to wear the thin veil of the elite, knowing that it can be here today, gone tomorrow. Don’t do like Georgia and get too emotional at home, and then forget how to play ball. Learn from that, or fall like they did.
You have been warned Connecticut….I scream it from the tops of the mountains!
Impressive you have been the last 5 games…but the polls show that your 5-0 record is BARELY noticed. Now with two key players out with broken bones, how can you continue the streak. With UNC just coming off a huge win vs. Miami, and now playing at home against you, how can you “bring it” to the Tarheels’ place? Granted UNC is not a top caliber team, but they have had some impressive signs, and are not going to lie down for you. You won’t go undefeated this season…and it may be proven this weekend.
Beware Wisconsin…and shame on you!
You had that game against Michigan, you had the Badger foot over the Wolverine neck…and you let him go, you gave him hope by playing conservative. When I saw that game near the end, I said to someone, “if Wisconsin scores even a field goal, they will win”. That was when you had 19 points…and just stayed there.
When you get a chance to crush the spirit of your opponent, DO IT, or else you give them a chance.
To every Wisconsin fan, I want to share this quote from a cartoon character. If you have ever watched G.I. Joe, there is a very candid statement by Destro, and it goes as the following, said to Cobra Commander when the failed to destory New York….
“Your stupid attempt to disintegrate New York has given our enemies the two commodities they must NOT be allowed…TIME and HOPE…
Nothing undermines our cause more greatly than FAILURE to execute our threats!”
It’s just a cartoon folks, don’t get excited. But there is a real message for teams like Wisconsin. When you have a team “on the ropes” you must FINISH them because if you don’t, they will start thinking that they have a chance. You will have given them time and hope. And when your threats to crush their spirit have failed, you give them exactly that.
Consider those ideas when you see the Buckeyes come to town, because they are coming to crush your spirit. They need this win to stay in reach of a possible National Title game….will you give it to them, make them earn it, or take it away from them?
So many games….so many warnings to pass out, but I think I have said enough. I am really excited for this weekend, this is fun stuff.
Anyway, gotta go, check out my “Greatest Running Backs EVER” blogs as I continue to count it down to number 1.
Laters!
I shoulda done this earlier, because maybe some of my warnings might have been heeded.
Before I get to that, I hope you guys take a look at some of my older blogs, especially my continuing series of “Greatest Running Back EVER” in the NFL. It’s pretty interesting, if I do say so myself.
Anyway, this blog is to throw out some early warnings to some college football teams this week. What should have been proven is that ANY team can fall. When Ohio State lost to USC, everybody had thrown the Buckeyes under the bus, and proclaimed the Trojans not only a National Championship, but an undefeated season…
How’s that working out.
One thing is so true about college football; it’s unpredictable. And that should continue for the next couple of months too. So there are some warnings I hope to throw out there for some of the teams this weekend. I say to you…BEWARE!
It’s kinda late, but South Florida should have taken greater heed than they did. Last year we remember that they climbed as high as #2 in the nation before taking a hard spill. When I watched the game last night, I heard that they said that they “learned” from last year…
That’s cool, but learning does not mean you can change it. When I was a kid growing up, we used to play sandlot football in a big field. One day, one of the older kids had come back from football practice, with his gear on. He wanted to play, so he did, and I tried to tackle him while he was wearing all that armor…
Lesson learned as I flew into the street, wondering how hard I would land.
But learning that lesson does not mean I can tackle that guy if he is wearing all that gear, and I am in regular clothes. It just means I’ll be launched into the air, or trampled underfoot again.
South Florida kinda reminds me of ECU in that neither could really handle the fame of the top 25. I am not saying South Florida is not good, I am saying that to truly be considered for a National Championship, you have to prove it every game. Last night, at home, they could not do it.
Beware Duke, for those roses you smell from early success may not be roses at all, rather scented plastic dressings. Shame on the coaches for jumping on one of their players after he dove in the end zone. It’s not like YOU have seen a winning season anytime soon, so enjoy the moment like the Duke fans…you may not see it again for awhile. I am not ready to crown you as the ACC elite, you gotta prove it….you were warned….
Take heed Penn State, lest you fall from the heights of the undefeated…
I actually LIKE Penn State, so I’m not gonna clown them, but liking a team does not mean they are guaranteed to go undefeated. In a conference that actually is pretty tough, but has no conference championship, every game matters. I certainly don’t see Northwestern’s undefeated season to continue much longer, but Penn State has an excellent chance to get in the top 5 if they can beat Purdue. But this is an away game, can the Nittany Lions come up with a high scoring game as they have done so far this year?
Be careful NC State…lest we see a pack of pups, rather than wolves. This game might be the LAST hope for postseason for you. You can lose 2 more games and still have a chance to win 6 quality wins and HOPE for a bowl…but now you face a team that your coach bailed out on, and that win vs. ECU didn’t quite wake you up as you thought it would…your postseason life is on the line now…
Warnings to West Virginia AND Rutgers. Was all that talk last year about your greatness just lightning in a bottle? The Big East needs teams to step it up in a big way, and South Florida fell flat to Pittsburgh. West Virginia gets an embarrassing loss to ECU and Rutgers gets trucked by UNC…what’s up with that? The Big East is still up for grabs, but the loser of this game is DONE…well, West Virginia might have a little more hope, but not much.
Beware Kentucky….you have been called out for that 4-0 record you boast. You and Vanderbilt are the temporary darlings of the SEC, but you’ve been midcard in the SEC for eons. Now you have to go TO the home of the #2 team in the nation…save up all your clippings of the 4-0 start because next week it will be a bit different….
Caution to #7 Texas Tech….there are major concerns about your sudden abundance of prosperity. The Big 12 seems to score 4000 points a weekend, and Texas Tech is one of those reasons. But with NO valuable wins, are you REALLY as good as the ranking? I admit, I like Texas Tech, and if they are on tv, I will be watching, but if they start reading the headlines of themselves, they will fall like South Florida and ECU. Yes you are playing Kansas State, but if you have already looked over that, then you are assured a loss this weekend.
Be careful Michigan…playing enhanced ball one weekend does not mean you are “back in the race”. A very poor performance by Wisconsin was why you won. And playing in the 500th game gave you incentive when Wisconsin apparently pumped the brakes on you. But outside of that, your team still has MAJOR issues, and this home game will determine if in truth you are for real, or just a flash in the pan this year.
Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt, canst thou defend thy house?
You better if you want to keep this magical season going. Your schedule has not been as weak as some other top 25 teams, so you deserve the ranking. But NOW things get a bit different. You now have to wear the thin veil of the elite, knowing that it can be here today, gone tomorrow. Don’t do like Georgia and get too emotional at home, and then forget how to play ball. Learn from that, or fall like they did.
You have been warned Connecticut….I scream it from the tops of the mountains!
Impressive you have been the last 5 games…but the polls show that your 5-0 record is BARELY noticed. Now with two key players out with broken bones, how can you continue the streak. With UNC just coming off a huge win vs. Miami, and now playing at home against you, how can you “bring it” to the Tarheels’ place? Granted UNC is not a top caliber team, but they have had some impressive signs, and are not going to lie down for you. You won’t go undefeated this season…and it may be proven this weekend.
Beware Wisconsin…and shame on you!
You had that game against Michigan, you had the Badger foot over the Wolverine neck…and you let him go, you gave him hope by playing conservative. When I saw that game near the end, I said to someone, “if Wisconsin scores even a field goal, they will win”. That was when you had 19 points…and just stayed there.
When you get a chance to crush the spirit of your opponent, DO IT, or else you give them a chance.
To every Wisconsin fan, I want to share this quote from a cartoon character. If you have ever watched G.I. Joe, there is a very candid statement by Destro, and it goes as the following, said to Cobra Commander when the failed to destory New York….
“Your stupid attempt to disintegrate New York has given our enemies the two commodities they must NOT be allowed…TIME and HOPE…
Nothing undermines our cause more greatly than FAILURE to execute our threats!”
It’s just a cartoon folks, don’t get excited. But there is a real message for teams like Wisconsin. When you have a team “on the ropes” you must FINISH them because if you don’t, they will start thinking that they have a chance. You will have given them time and hope. And when your threats to crush their spirit have failed, you give them exactly that.
Consider those ideas when you see the Buckeyes come to town, because they are coming to crush your spirit. They need this win to stay in reach of a possible National Title game….will you give it to them, make them earn it, or take it away from them?
So many games….so many warnings to pass out, but I think I have said enough. I am really excited for this weekend, this is fun stuff.
Anyway, gotta go, check out my “Greatest Running Backs EVER” blogs as I continue to count it down to number 1.
Laters!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
How the mighty have fallen
How the mighty have fallen…
Did I tell you guys how much I LOVE football??
Today after watching all those great college football games, I had to take some time to talk about it. I hope some of you read some my blogs on the “greatest running backs ever”, I will update that as the days go on.
And I say this to many readers, I love sports but I try to be kind in what I say sometimes. If I get out of line, I apologize because sometimes sports can bring out great emotions. There are lots of things I can get ticked off about, but in general I love sports enough to talk about it. I mean, just like you, I have my favorite teams and players, and then there are those I don’t care for. I hope you understand.
Anyway, we were talking about the college football upsets.
It makes sense to share a biblical quote since today is Sunday (as I write this) and the title is “how the mighty have fallen”. This is actually a scripture quote from David when King Saul was seeking to kill him. But King Saul’s son, Jonathan, did not want to kill David, but at the same time did not want to disobey his father.
As the scriptures go, the Philistines fought against Saul and his army and eventually killed them all. This once mighty army had fallen in complete defeat to an enemy that should have NEVER beaten them, but because there was unrighteousness and disagreement, the army of Saul was divided on the king’s commandment to kill David. It was one of the elements to their down fall.
Fast forward to the upsets of 2008 (as of Sept 27th).
It appeared the sign was on the wall when Southern Cal lost to Oregon State. The signs were there even then. USC had lost there 2 of the last 3 times, and USC had lost to Stanford in a game they should not have lost. Whereas a lot of folks might have thought the Trojans “untouchable”, they indeed were…especially away from home.
And then on Saturday, many armies fell….
Florida losing to Ole Miss…who saw THAT happening. I sure didn’t. Everybody was talking about how Florida might be in the top 2 or three, but they also said that every SEC game was going to be a war. I see the SEC as a candy shop…every game looks soooo good to watch. But nevertheless, the Gators fall flat on their face…
Better than on the sword, as King Saul voluntarily did….
And let’s not forget Georgia, who had aspirations of being the number one team in the nation, with a HOME game against Alabama. We knew that would be a big fight, but Georgia never seemed to get it out of gear until it was too late to catch up. Could it be that they were more impressed by the fans and the “blackout” than the job they needed to do on the field? Sometimes the mark of a true champion is those that can stay the course when things go off to the left OR the right. Some teams can’t handle success too well, and get caught up in the moment. It cost Georgia that number one spot.
How the Wisconsin Badgers have fallen…what happened there?
I watched this game and noticed how long that 6-0 score sat there, thinking that if Wisconsin does not play more aggressively, they will give Michigan hope. When you play an away game vs. a big opponent, you MUST control them or they will get hope. When the score was 19-0, I remember saying that if Wisconsin scores one more touchdown, they would win the game because Michigan would have their hearts broken and could not possibly amount an attack.
But Wisconsin failed to do that. In fact, it almost seemed like they were playing not to lose. They gave Michigan hope, and once the “on” button was flipped, they kept moving forward. Apparently Wisconsin turned the switch off, and could not get it started again. It turned out to be a most embarrassing loss for this team, and they will pay for it when they see the next number beside their name.
Oh Wake Forest, what happened to you?
The best team in the ACC may fall out of the top 25 entirely, reducing the entire conference to a much lesser power than already believed. I watched this game thinking that if Wake could just get ahead by a touchdown or two, then they could almost mail it in because the option is a failure when a team is behind by more than two scores. But it also works this way: if the option works, then the team controls the clock much more than the opponents (in this case, Wake Forest) would like.
Beaten at home, in celebration of this new BB&T structure (of which I am NOT a fan of…I have personal and moral issues against BB&T), but I was a fan of Wake Forest and their style of play. But offense has been a major issue with this team the last few weeks. We even saw this when they beat Florida State. When I saw that their QB had 5 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, that kinda was problematic…it surfaced when the interception party started. So Wake Forest, the best team of the ACC, has fallen.
And so has Clemson.
It is quite possible that there may be no ACC team on the top 25 poll, a most embarrassing situation for the conference (although I think Virginia Tech or Maryland might get up there). Wasn’t Clemson supposed to be the best team in the ACC? Weren’t they as high as #8 in the nation? What a tumble! Even if Maryland turns out to be better than we thought, Clemson still has to take this one on the chin because this is a very crippling loss to the program.
But who has fallen harder than ECU?
This team started out knocking out Virginia Tech, and making all kinds of noise. Remember they beat Boise State in a bowl last year, so they are on big roll. Then the next week they knock off West Virginia, and now the entire nation is singing praises of the Pirates possibly in the BCS.
Then they barely win in Tulane, and the signs were there…ECU could not handle fame.
Their loss to NC State proved this, and then a loss at home to Houston sealed the deal. In two weeks, they have gone from possible BCS busters to hopefuls to the Liberty Bowl.
How indeed has the mighty fallen.
And somewhere in the midst of the fallen warriors, the Badgers, the Gators, the Trojans, the Pirates, the Tigers, the Bulldogs and the Demon Deacons, there is a previously fallen warrior who seems to have a grin on their lips….
A Buckeye……
Did I tell you guys how much I LOVE football??
Today after watching all those great college football games, I had to take some time to talk about it. I hope some of you read some my blogs on the “greatest running backs ever”, I will update that as the days go on.
And I say this to many readers, I love sports but I try to be kind in what I say sometimes. If I get out of line, I apologize because sometimes sports can bring out great emotions. There are lots of things I can get ticked off about, but in general I love sports enough to talk about it. I mean, just like you, I have my favorite teams and players, and then there are those I don’t care for. I hope you understand.
Anyway, we were talking about the college football upsets.
It makes sense to share a biblical quote since today is Sunday (as I write this) and the title is “how the mighty have fallen”. This is actually a scripture quote from David when King Saul was seeking to kill him. But King Saul’s son, Jonathan, did not want to kill David, but at the same time did not want to disobey his father.
As the scriptures go, the Philistines fought against Saul and his army and eventually killed them all. This once mighty army had fallen in complete defeat to an enemy that should have NEVER beaten them, but because there was unrighteousness and disagreement, the army of Saul was divided on the king’s commandment to kill David. It was one of the elements to their down fall.
Fast forward to the upsets of 2008 (as of Sept 27th).
It appeared the sign was on the wall when Southern Cal lost to Oregon State. The signs were there even then. USC had lost there 2 of the last 3 times, and USC had lost to Stanford in a game they should not have lost. Whereas a lot of folks might have thought the Trojans “untouchable”, they indeed were…especially away from home.
And then on Saturday, many armies fell….
Florida losing to Ole Miss…who saw THAT happening. I sure didn’t. Everybody was talking about how Florida might be in the top 2 or three, but they also said that every SEC game was going to be a war. I see the SEC as a candy shop…every game looks soooo good to watch. But nevertheless, the Gators fall flat on their face…
Better than on the sword, as King Saul voluntarily did….
And let’s not forget Georgia, who had aspirations of being the number one team in the nation, with a HOME game against Alabama. We knew that would be a big fight, but Georgia never seemed to get it out of gear until it was too late to catch up. Could it be that they were more impressed by the fans and the “blackout” than the job they needed to do on the field? Sometimes the mark of a true champion is those that can stay the course when things go off to the left OR the right. Some teams can’t handle success too well, and get caught up in the moment. It cost Georgia that number one spot.
How the Wisconsin Badgers have fallen…what happened there?
I watched this game and noticed how long that 6-0 score sat there, thinking that if Wisconsin does not play more aggressively, they will give Michigan hope. When you play an away game vs. a big opponent, you MUST control them or they will get hope. When the score was 19-0, I remember saying that if Wisconsin scores one more touchdown, they would win the game because Michigan would have their hearts broken and could not possibly amount an attack.
But Wisconsin failed to do that. In fact, it almost seemed like they were playing not to lose. They gave Michigan hope, and once the “on” button was flipped, they kept moving forward. Apparently Wisconsin turned the switch off, and could not get it started again. It turned out to be a most embarrassing loss for this team, and they will pay for it when they see the next number beside their name.
Oh Wake Forest, what happened to you?
The best team in the ACC may fall out of the top 25 entirely, reducing the entire conference to a much lesser power than already believed. I watched this game thinking that if Wake could just get ahead by a touchdown or two, then they could almost mail it in because the option is a failure when a team is behind by more than two scores. But it also works this way: if the option works, then the team controls the clock much more than the opponents (in this case, Wake Forest) would like.
Beaten at home, in celebration of this new BB&T structure (of which I am NOT a fan of…I have personal and moral issues against BB&T), but I was a fan of Wake Forest and their style of play. But offense has been a major issue with this team the last few weeks. We even saw this when they beat Florida State. When I saw that their QB had 5 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, that kinda was problematic…it surfaced when the interception party started. So Wake Forest, the best team of the ACC, has fallen.
And so has Clemson.
It is quite possible that there may be no ACC team on the top 25 poll, a most embarrassing situation for the conference (although I think Virginia Tech or Maryland might get up there). Wasn’t Clemson supposed to be the best team in the ACC? Weren’t they as high as #8 in the nation? What a tumble! Even if Maryland turns out to be better than we thought, Clemson still has to take this one on the chin because this is a very crippling loss to the program.
But who has fallen harder than ECU?
This team started out knocking out Virginia Tech, and making all kinds of noise. Remember they beat Boise State in a bowl last year, so they are on big roll. Then the next week they knock off West Virginia, and now the entire nation is singing praises of the Pirates possibly in the BCS.
Then they barely win in Tulane, and the signs were there…ECU could not handle fame.
Their loss to NC State proved this, and then a loss at home to Houston sealed the deal. In two weeks, they have gone from possible BCS busters to hopefuls to the Liberty Bowl.
How indeed has the mighty fallen.
And somewhere in the midst of the fallen warriors, the Badgers, the Gators, the Trojans, the Pirates, the Tigers, the Bulldogs and the Demon Deacons, there is a previously fallen warrior who seems to have a grin on their lips….
A Buckeye……
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