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Evaluating the SEC West

Posted by Brett Kincaid on August 31, 2011

This is the second of our three-part SEC preview.  Click here for yesterday’s look at the SEC East.  We will release our overall projections and predictions on Friday. 

The best football in all of the land is played in four states that occupy the SEC West.  Without question these teams possess the highest level of talent, best coaches, and most complete teams compared to all other teams in the country.  The past two national champs have come from the SEC West, and it’s very likely one of these teams will play for all the marbles again this year.

Alabama, Arkansas, and LSU draw all the headlines, but Mississippi State is lurking as a potential darkhorse team for 2011.  Auburn will not repeat as champions, but they will be able to score points again this year.  Mississippi is rebuilding, but they have an experienced offensive line and talented running backs that will keep them in ballgames this year.

But the focus should remain on those top three teams.  Alabama has a defense that may be better than the 2009 Tide.  Arkansas has its most complete team since the late 1980s.  LSU once again has loads of talent, but the off-the-field troubles in Baton Rouge may override the optimism pulsing throughout Louisiana.

Overall, it looks like the SEC West will consistently produce the best football week-in-and-week-out during the 2011 football season.

Alabama

In many ways it’s just another season in Alabama.  The Crimson Tide finds itself inside the top five of seemingly every preseason poll with many expecting another trip to the BCS title game.  Head coach Nick Saban has another NFL-caliber defense and a stud running back expected to approach 1,500 yards on the ground.

In other ways, though, this season is unique among any other season that starts with high expectations.  On April 27, 2011, the city of Tuscaloosa suffered a tragic loss of life that put an exclamation point at the end of a turbulent spring storm season that affected everyone including us in Arkansas.  In the hometown of Bama Nation, this year’s Alabama Crimson Tide football team carries the hopes of thousands if for no other reason than to provide a rallying point for a rebuilding community.

This version of the Crimson Tide should provide many more highs than lows for their loyal fan base.

Alabama returns 8 starters on defense, needing to find replacements for 2 defensive linemen and one linebacker.  That’s it.   Consider that Alabama has been able to rotate their line regularly, new starter Damian Square is expected to step in seemlessly.  Add in monster JUCO transfer Quinton Dial and sophomore Ed Stinson, and Bama shouldn’t find it too difficult to stop the run or get to the quarterback.  The stars of this defense reside in the secondary, though, with NFL-ready cornerbacks Dre Kirkpatrick and Dee Millner returning for the 2011 campaign.  Safety Mark Barron may be the most talented player on the Crimson Tide roster.

Offense remains the big question for Saban.  Trent Richardson steps in as the new starter at running back with the departure of Mark Ingram.  Can he handle the load at a position without much depth?  Gone is Greg McElroy and his 70% completion rate, and in steps the duo of redshirt freshman Philip Sims (no relation to the NFL Hall of Famer) and sophomore A.J. McCarron.  Without Julio Jones at wide receiver, who will step up to cover their mistakes?  The offense at Alabama has far more questions than answers.  One thing is for certain, though: They all have talent.  Success for Bama is a matter of combining that talent with the mental toughness they’ll need to overcome mistakes early in the season.

While the Crimson Tide get Arkansas and LSU at home this year, the rest of their schedule is pretty difficult.  An early season road trip to Penn State will test the mental toughness I mentioned.  Other road tests include games at Florida, Mississippi, Mississippi State, and Auburn.  Like most every other SEC school, Alabama is all but guaranteed three non-conference wins with the trip to Happy Valley a tossup as of right now.  The Tide will lose at least one conference game, and two seems likely given the difficulty of their schedule.

If the defense is as good as advertised, though, Alabama may find themselves winning a lot of low-scoring games this season – maybe enough to get to New Orleans.

Arkansas

Check Adam’s in depth Arkansas preview.  Defense (Wednesday) and Offense (Thursday).

In short, this could be the best defense at Arkansas in decades.  The offense has to find 2 new tackles and hope Tyler Wilson can emerge into the star many believe he can be at quarterback.  With Knile Davis done for the year, Ronnie Wingo, Jr. can’t make any more excuses.  It’s his show, and he needs to own that position.  Dennis Johnson should be a nice compliment to Wingo.  The receiving corps is the best in the nation top-to-bottom, and the special teams are certainly the best they’ve been since I was in grade school.

Auburn

My, my how seasons change.  A year ago the War Eagle Tigers were crowing about Cam Newton and his ability to lead Gus Malzhan’s offense.  Gene Chizik said all the right things, talking about how the defense would take a big enough step in 2010 to allow the War Eagle Tigers to compete for an SEC West crown.  And none of us knew how important the figure $180,000 would become.

Five months later the War Eagle Tigers had a national title, even if the trophy is temporarily leased until it’s vacated in the next 18 months or so.  With only 8 total starters returning on both sides of the ball, those days of glory will seem but a distant memory this season.

This year the Auburn fans will need to play “Remember When?” several times throughout the fall.  A brutal schedule and a revamped offensive line coupled with an inexperienced quarterback have all the ingredients teams need to reach mediocrity.  While Michael Dyer is a stellar running back, he won’t have much help from tested players.  Rogers high school alum Lee Ziemba leaves a big (literally and figuratively) void at left tackle, something new starting quarterback Barrett Trotter would like to see resolved quickly.

As depleted as the offense appears the defense may be in worse shape.  With only one starter coming back on the defensive line, two linebackers and but one member of the secondary (a good one in Neiko Thorpe), Auburn will be learning on the job this year defensively.  Last year’s group was hardly a force to be reckoned with, but they obviously had enough juice to get the job done.  This year they’ll find it difficult to do the same thing.

The Auburn schedule provides little relief for a group of green players in the SEC.  Back-to-back road trips to South Carolina and Arkansas start October, only to be followed by a home game against Florida then yet another road game at LSU.  A home game against Mississippi State and road contest at Clemson are both tough wins to predict for a rebuilding team, especially with those games in September.

Malzahn proved his fast-paced offense could score in the SEC.  Even in the B.C. Era (Before Cam) the Tigers had an offense that could put points on the board.  With wholesale changes on offense this year, though, it’ll be hard to produce at the clip the past two Auburn teams produced.  I suspect the War Eagle Tigers will find a way to pull off a few surprises, but anything more than a lower-tier bowl game would be a reach this season.

LSU

La Chapeau has his hands full this season in Baton Rouge.  Les Miles has once again fielded a team with tons of talent and question marks at the quarterback position.  He’s Houston Nutt with talent.  That talent guarantees Miles a few more wins than it does the Mississippi coach, but his bewildering time management strategies leave most of us as confused as he looks.

The obvious story of the offseason in Tiger Country is the arrest and subsequent suspension of starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson.  Linebacker Joshua Johns also faces felony assault charges and will not see the field until further notice.  Underreported in the wake of the arrests is the suspension of hard-to-defend Russell Shepard who lines up at WR, RB, and occasionally QB in Wildcat formations.  He will miss this Saturday’s opener against Oregon and more games in September according to sources in Louisiana.

What does all this mean?  It means the Tigers have a lot to overcome if they expect to compete for conference and national titles.  The benching of Jefferson may be addition-by-subtraction, but new starter Jarret Lee has looked as lost as a blind man on a tilt-a-whirl during his SEC action.  JUCO transfer and former Georgia quarterback Zack Mettenberger has loads of talent but has also proven to be an off-the-field distraction and certainly isn’t ready to lead a team right now.

With all critical personnel returning to LSU this year, save All-American cornerback Patrick Peterson, the Tigers looked like a lock to contend.  Given all the distraction, personnel changes, and uncertainty with their coaching staff, one cannot help but wonder just how focused this team will be in September.  The Tigers start with a huge game against Oregon then get to recover against in-state foe Northwestern State (of the FCS).  LSU then goes back-to-back on the road against Mississippi State and West Virginia.  Surviving that stretch unbeaten seems like a tall task with a full complement of players, and it looks downright impossible given all the holes Miles must fill.

The Tigers will get on track at some point, though, and I expect them to finish strong.  Say what you want about The Hat, but he gets his team playing good football in November.  LSU only hits the road twice after Halloween, including a home contest against Arkansas on the day after Thanksgiving.

All the issues remind me of last year’s North Carolina team.  There’s no telling how long LSU will be without two playmakers on offense.  Stumbling out of the gates at a 2-2 or potentially 1-3 start could submarine the entire season.  Ultimately I expect LSU to salvage a solid campaign ending up nowhere worse that the Cotton Bowl come January.

Mississippi

Hotty Toddy

Only two things could have made Arkansas fans even happier last season: 1) Arkansas managing to win the 3 games they lost and 2) Mississippi managing to lose the five games they won.  Both teams did their best to do both of those things, but it was not to be.  This year’s Mississippi team looks a bit better than the 2010 version, although that’s a low bar to meet.  After a humiliating loss to Jacksonville State last year in Oxford, the sky is the limit for Hootie and the Black Bear Rebels.

One of the keys to an Ole Miss revival is the offensive line.  The Rebs look to have one of the best in the country, which is important given the immaturity they’ll feature at quarterback.  Nutt has shown that he can ruin the best of quarterbacks, so the signal caller takes a backseat in importance at Oxford.  Randall Mackey created an interesting paradox by delaying his destruction as a player after getting arrested.  That means Brandon Brunetti will get the start on Saturday against BYU.  As for the running back position, Brandon Bolden could start for anyone.  He’s back this year, and that will certainly give the offense some stability.  Enrique Davis has big play ability, and he’s back to give the Rebels a formidable one-two punch.  At receiver…well…does it matter?  It’s a Houston Nutt offense.  Rebel receivers are glorified blockers.

Defensively you just have to scratch your head.  The Rebels were supposed to have one of the premiere defensive lines in the league last year but they floundered.  The rest of the Black Bear Rebs followed their lead, creating a terrifying unit.  Tyrone Nix has some skills (as displayed at Southern Miss and again at Mississippi in 2009), but they better be on full display early.  Nutt has brought in Keith Burns to help add a spark, meaning Nix’s replacement is in the building if when Nutt decides to shift blame.  Perhaps this is the year Kentrell Lockett puts it all together.  He certainly looks the part of an SEC defensive end.

The schedule presents significant challenges for Ole Miss this season.  Saturday’s home opener against BYU is not a good place to start.  A road trip at Vanderbilt kicks off conference season, which has never been an easy one for Nutt.  Georgia at home will probably tell the tale this season, but I’m afraid the Black Bear Rebels like the song.  The Mississippi Coach always finds a way to beat at least one team he shouldn’t, so Alabama and Arkansas better be on their toes when they visit Oxford in October.  Getting back to a bowl game this year, though, will be a struggle for the Rebels.

Mississippi State

Two years ago I wrote about my affection for and belief in Dan Mullen.  I believed then that he would inject life into a moribund program and bring Mississippi State back to relevance in the SEC.  Since then the Bulldogs have challenged the big boys of the SEC, won two consecutive Egg Bowls, and blown out Michigan in the Gator Bowl.

The 2011 season brings an opportunity for Mississippi State to take a major step.  With LSU on the verge of meltdown, the Bulldogs have an eye on the inside track to the upper half of the SEC West and an outside shot at Atlanta.  They have winnable road games and both Alabama and LSU in Starkville.  The Bulldogs are not quite ready to be considered a serious threat, but I think anyone that takes MSU lightly will look up at the scoreboard wondering, “What happened?” late in the 4th Quarter.

Eight starters return on offense including quarterback Chris Relf.  So does playmaker Chad Bumphis at wide receiver, but the Bulldogs need to replace 2 starters on the offensive line.  All-SEC center Quentin Saulsberry returns to anchor that unit up front.

The defense returns seven starters, and Fletcher Cox and Josh Boyd should anchor a stout front seven.  The Bulldogs ranked third in rush defense in the conference last year.  I’d expect they have a similar season this year, and the secondary hopes to steal some of the headlines.  While the Bulldogs were mere pups in the defensive backfield last season, all four starters return for 2011.  Corey Broomfield looks to be the leader of that crowd.

Mississippi State has the type of schedule a team needs to make a run from the back of the preseason pack.  They open with a road game at Memphis – which should have far more maroon than blue in the stadium – then a trip to Auburn, which is entirely winnable.  MSU catches LSU at home in the third game of the season, and given LSU’s troubles, teams that play the Tigers early have a real shot of coming up with a win.  Road games at Georgia and Arkansas look to be the most challenging, while home games against South Carolina and Alabama are hardly gimmes.

If the Bulldogs have taken a bigger step than I believe they have (entirely possible), I think Dan Mullen’s crew may be the darkhorse SEC contender of 2011.

Posted in SEC Preview, Sports | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

Texas A&M Officially Announces Its Intention to Leave Big 12

Posted by Adam Butler on August 31, 2011

Buh-Bye.

We have been all over this, (no, REALLY) and now, after the requisite behind-the-scenes mechanations, the Aggies are leaving for the greener pastures of the SEC, effective June 30, 2012.

The last part hasn’t been announced, yet, because Texas A&M and the SEC want to retain some (not so) plausible deniability. But,as we have maintained throughout, there is no way TAMU makes this move without a wink and a nod from the SEC.

Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

My Day Away

Posted by Jeff on August 31, 2011

It all started with what I thought was an innocuous comment.  It was another 100+ degree day.  I was sad that we were not able to take a vacation this summer.  And I kept hearing commercials for local casinos offering getaway packages.  I said, “I need a day away.”  That’s it. I was just thinking about how nice it would be if there was a little mini-resort somewhere near here that had waiters that would bring me food and drink.  Maybe some good TV or a movie.  Whatever.  Just a complete distraction from worries and the summer doldrums.

So the bitterest among you (Adam) may be wondering why a school teacher in the middle of summer break really needs a day away from it all.  Fair question.  Some details: My parents have moved to Arkansas from Iowa.  They are currently living in my basement.  It has been good for the most part.  I certainly have gotten to know them even better than I did before.  Apparently 41 years is not enough to really get to know a family member.  You need to be separate from them for 23 years and then live with them again.  That opens up new discussions.  Mom and dad moved from a small town in Iowa and sold the house they lived in for 39 years.  The amount they sold it for is great for this economy and that town.  It’s not great for finding a decent house in a nice neighborhood in or around Fayetteville.  (Stupid Streets of Gold.)  They’re still shopping.

Also factor in my job change.  After 16 years in Bentonville I crossed 540 to Rogers High School.  It’s a great opportunity for me to get a foot in a new door.  However the concern of taking a new job after all that time set in for me in June and with a couple months off to stew about it, I was having trouble keeping my mind clear.  After making up nine snow days and the legislature moving the allowable start date for schools in Arkansas to August 15th, my lone fringe benefit was quickly sliding away.

A day away.  Just wanted one.  Cue the wonderful wife.  On a Thursday, MeMe told me I needed to clear my schedule for Friday.  I was a little surprised and curious.  That morning she told me to get in my car and follow her.  Yes ma’am.  She took me to a luxury apartment in north Fayetteville.  I really had no idea what was happening.  When we got there she had breakfast for me.  Two donuts from Rick’s and a coffee from Arsaga’s.  We went in the apartment and the table was covered with newspapers, magazines, and snacks.  In fact, I was later told that one of the magazines (Hooten’s) was suggested by BK.  It seems my wife decided to ask some friends what I might like to do on a day away.  Good call, BK.  I had not yet picked up Hooten’s.  Next she showed me a well-stocked fridge with all of my favorites in it and she informed me that she’d be back at noon with lunch.

Then she left.  I turned on the TV, grabbed the paper and happily munched on donuts and coffee.  I was a little shocked at what all she had done to prepare for this but instead of arguing about the silliness and excess of it all, I decided to take advantage.  I clicked on the Today Show, read the fish wraps until my fingers were inky black and downed my coffee.  After that I read about the Hogs, and the 7A West.  And then at noon, Slim Chickens arrived.  The day just kept getting better.  When it was 5 o’clock somewhere I headed to the fridge.  And when MeMe came back, I told her that my day away had been perfect and took her out for some sushi.

A day away.  No kids.  No parents.  Just a man trying to clear his mind with some simple pleasures.  All provided by a great wife.  It was fun.  I strongly recommend that you try it.  My wife is not available for catering though.  Sorry.

Posted in Commentary | 6 Comments »

Red Swarm–2011 Arkansas Defensive Preview

Posted by Adam Butler on August 31, 2011

Defense Wins Championships.

Saying that phrase is cliché’ is like suggesting “Throwing someone under the bus” and “Jumping the Shark” have, well, Jumped the Shark. But, like most oft-used expressions–it’s true.

Contrary to popular belief, last year proved the point. Yes, Auburn and Oregon averaged 42 and 49 points per game, respectively, but it was the Tigers’ sometimes suspect defense that brought home the hardware, holding The Ducks 30 points below their season average on the way to the BCS championship.

The good news for Arkansas is that after being downright offensive when head coach Bobby Petrino and defensive coordinator Willy Robinson took over in 2008, the Razorbacks defense has the swagger and talent to be one of the best units in the nation.

Dismiss the thought as blatant homerism if you must but consider: Arkansas returns 7 starters from a defense that was the SEC leader in 3rd down conversion percentage (8th in the nation) second in the SEC in sacks (2.85) (12th in the nation) 3rd in the SEC tackles for loss, (7.31)(13th in nation) and 20th in the nation in passing yards allowed per game.

While stats can admittedly be deceiving, peers and pundits can often be a good talent barometer, too. . And, for the first time in a long time, they have forecast thunder and lightning from the Razorbacks defense as six different Razorback defenders have been named to either the AP or Coaches All-SEC teams. (DE Jake Bequette, LB Jerry Franklin, safety Tramain Thomas, defensive end Tenarius Wright and linebacker Jerico Nelson).

Interestingly though, two guys who aren’t on either list–JUCO defensive tackle transfer Robert Thomas and blue-chip cornerback turned occasional enigma Darius Winston–may be the key to Arkansas’ defense climbing from good to great. (SEE BELOW)

Rather than provide a position-by-position, 3-deep breakdown of the defense I have instead limited my analysis to a more reader-friendly format. You can thank me later.

Arkansas’ Defense Will be Dominant If…..

JUCO transfer Robert Thomas is as good as advertised. Yes, I have been guilty in the past of over-hyping physically freakish JUCO transfers in this space. The name Anthony Leon comes to mind. But Thomas seems different. Longtime observers of Arkansas practice–guys that can unblinkingly be dubbed experts in the field of Razorback football–have emerged from Fall practices touting Thomas as not only a great player–but the best player on the Arkansas roster.

If Thomas “merely” produces well enough to make the postseason All-SEC lists, Arkansas should have one of the Top 20 overall defenses in the country. If–as some trained, but typically conservative observers think–he is a SEC Defensive Player of the Year caliber talent, then the Arkansas defense could be one of the best in the country–the type that goes on the road in the SEC in hostile venues and emerges with wins.

Arkansas’ Defense Will Be a Disappointment If…..

It does not continue to develop swagger on the road.

Let’s be honest. Arkansas has enough talent on both sides of the ball (and on special teams) and enough meat on the bone during the middle of the year that it should have another very solid season. But, the true measure of this team will be how it performs during two road trips–Tuscaloosa and Baton Rouge–that bookend the SEC season.

If–as Arkansas believes–it has the luxury of having the most interior line depth it has had on campus in many years–the Hogs should be able to stop the run without loading the box (ie bringing an 8th defender close to the line of scrimmage). This would force Bama and LSU to throw the ball down the field to be successful. That is not something that those run-dominant offenses want to do.

The Hogs played well enough and made enough crucial defensive plays to win on the road against a trio of emerging programs last season (USCE, MSU and Texas A&M) and another traditional blue blood (UGA) but spit the bit during two halves (2nd half at Auburn and 1st half of the Sugar Bowl) dredging up old memories of lumbering running backs breaking off career long runs.

To avoid similar dream-ending snafus, the rotating defensive tackle sixtet of Thomas, Byran and Dede Jones, Alfred Davis, Zach Stadther and Lavunce Askew will have to be a force. The good news for Razorback fans is that it should be.

The One Defensive Player Arkansas Can Least Afford to Lose Is…..

linebacker Jerry Franklin.

Franklin has spent time in and out of Head Coach Bobby Petrino’s doghouse during his career at Arkansas. But, in the meantime, he has managed to lead the UA in tackles for 3 straight seasons–a feat that has only been accomplished one other time at Arkansas since 1960.

Franklin won’t wow you with any facet of his game. He isn’t the fastest linebacker you’ve ever seen and he isn’t the hardest hitter you will run across. But, there is something to be said for knowing where you need to be, getting there and making the tackle–even if it’s ugly.

Making Franklin even more indispensable is that during his career he has logged playing time at each of the three linebacker positions and his backups at middle linebacker Terrell Williams and Braylon Mitchell don’t have much SEC experience.

The Player With the Most Potential For Arkansas Fans to Either Love or Hate Is…..

Darius Winston.

Arkansas fans love to hate cornerbacks–even the good ones. Recent examples include Ahmad “Batman” Carroll, Lawrence Richardson and Ramon Broadway. Winston is well on his way to adding his name to this list.

Don’t get me wrong. I think the proverbial light bulb came on at the end of last year for Winston. He was left on an island during the second half of the Sugar Bowl and he availed himself well in both pass coverage and run support (an area where he had been lacking earlier in his career). I expect him to be an asset this season.

Now, though, the question with Winston is whether he can become a consistent force that takes away half of the field. If the answer is no, and he again displays tantalizing glimpses of greatness only to be followed by head-scratching missed assignments, Arkansas fans have shown they will turn on him.

Likewise, if he is perfect 99 times, and gives up 1 deep ball, Arkansas fans will turn on him. So, the moral of the story is that Arkansas fans are going gripe about Winston and any other defensive back that has the audacity to play a very visible position less than perfectly.

That’s why Winston might as well make the leap, live up to his five-star talent, become a early-round NFL draft pick at some point in the future and wonder, on the way between trips to the bank, why Arkansas fans can’t wrap their minds around the fact that cornerbacks aren’t the only players that occasionally get beat by the guy across from them who also happens to be a scholarship SEC athlete.

Arkansas’ Defense Will Put The Razorbacks in Position to Win the SEC West If…..

it gives up fewer than 45 combined points at Alabama and LSU.

If you think that’s a stretch, consider that Arkansas gave up 47 combined to those teams a year ago, and although those games were played in Arkansas, both Alabama and LSU have significant concerns at quarterback.

Bama is relying on a 2-quarterback system with a redshirt freshman (Phillip Sims–no relation to former NFLer and current CBS NFL analyst Phil Simms) and a A.J.McCarron, a guy who was so bad in mop top up duty last year that Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban LITERALLY spanked him on the sidelines.

Meanwhile, in Red Stick, the Tigers will be relying on a would-be 3-year starter that just allegedly hit his first target in years (Jordan Jefferson), a loyal redshirt senior with some experience, albeit mostly of the interception-throwing, character-building variety (Jarrett Lee), and a JUCO transfer who, depending upon whom you ask is either a sexual batterer or a kid who just happened to grope an unwilling women the first time he drank alcohol (Zack Mettenberger).

In other words, neither Bama nor LSU’s offense should be vintage. If the Hogs are going to return to a BCS game and/or contend for the SEC West (and thereby the BCS) title they will have to capitalize by limiting big plays and ending the annual game of “What If?” that Razorback fans seemingly have had to play every time Arkansas has had a chance at a national championship since 1964.

Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: , , , | 5 Comments »

Madden Day 2012

Posted by Brett Kincaid on August 30, 2011

Welcome to my Man Cave

Today is Madden Day 2011, and for the first time I took vacation time to enjoy it.  It’s been a couple of years since I picked up the Gen X male’s essential football game, so I really have no baseline to measure changes and advancements.  I just have to trust EA at their word when they say Madden 2012 is an improved product.

Two things that I immediately wanted to test were the Online Gaming and the Franchise Mode.  Advances in technology and broadband speeds make online gaming far more achievable than I ever imagined.  I played my friend Jermaine this morning, handing him a 17-7 defeat as the Houston Texans over the Carolina Panthers.  I think Jermaine took it easy on me, most obviously by taking Carolina.  Who would do that in their right minds?  It’s Carolina.  I wouldn’t take Carolina in an NCAA game.

Anyway, the gameplay was excellent.  I expected intermittent slow downs and jumps, but everything ran smoothly on my end.  Jermaine blamed a critical interception thrown by Scam Newton on an Internet hiccup, but I don’t know.  I mean, it’s Scam Newton.  The Virtual Cam Newton probably saw a check for $180,000 in the virtual stands and got distracted.

The setup for online play is a bit cumbersome.  Once I figure it out, though, I’m sure it will run much more smoothly.  I am completely incapable of explaining it to you since this was my first time to play any of these games online.  It involves more buttons than the average pair of Levi’s 501 jeans.  I think I could do it again, but I’m not certain.

As for the Franchise Mode, this shows promise.  I am a Texans fan, but I opted to run a franchise with Cleveland.  For some reason I feel like it’s bad juju to play a video game consistently with my favorite team.  If Virtual Matt Schaub separates his shoulder, I’m convinced real life Matt Schaub will certainly do the same.

Selecting the Cleveland Browns allows me the fun of running Peyton Hillis 40 times per game.  One of the first things I noticed about gameplay on Madden 2012 is that you can actually run the football.  The offensive line opens up real holes, creates cutback lanes, and the guards actually pull and make seal blocks on the edge.  That is a huge advancement from some of the earliest iterations of the franchise.

The passing is quick, and I like that.  You cannot sit in the pocket forever, shifting from side-to-side while your receivers get open.  Much like the NFL you only have a couple of seconds to decide where to put the ball.  Players that can read defenses and approach each play with a specific strategy will be rewarded.  If you haven’t put the ball in the air within 3 seconds, you’re toast.

Probably the most welcome change I noticed was the kicking interface.  The complicated timing system of the old version which required using the analog sticks has been trashed.  We’re back to the glory days of the triple-X hit.  Welcome home, old friend.  I missed you.

I’ve only played 3 games thus far, so I have tons to learn.  I can say that it appears to be a very advanced game.  Like many of you, I can easily remember playing Madden on Sega Genesis, then Super Nintendo, then the original PlayStation.  This new version for the PS3 includes features we never even considered back then.  If only it came with a device that made wives encourage their husbands to play the game.  Once we reach that level of sophistication, I think it’ll be time to call the Nobel folks.

Posted in Commentary, Sports | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

ESPN’s Rick Reilly Picks Arkansas to Win National Title

Posted by Adam Butler on August 30, 2011

Let’s just say that if this scenario plays out, I will have scoreboard on my wife’s family in The Land That Doth Have No Trees for many, many years (BK’s comment below is right–talk about a big-time shout out from Reilly to Grub’s).

If you could choose any team to beat for a NC, who would it be? I think mine would be Alabama–just because their fans are so obnoxious and it would be fun to see the excuses they would come up with and how they would try to justify claiming a(nother) faux National Championship.

Posted in Sports | 5 Comments »

Evaluating the SEC East

Posted by Brett Kincaid on August 30, 2011

This is the first of our three-part SEC preview.  We’ll look at the SEC West tomorrow then release our overall projections and predictions on Friday. 

The SEC East has got to be wondering what happened.  For years the East dominated the league with Floirda, Georgia and Tennessee annually three of the four best teams in the SEC.  Alabama, LSU, and Arkansas would cycle in and out of elite status, but none of those teams even could hold a candle to the dominance of the SEC East.

The script has flipped, though, and the SEC West is now the premiere division in all of college football.  While I do believe 2010 was a bit of an aberration, the overall talent top to bottom in the East does not match that of the West.  South Carolina and Georgia both look like they are a step ahead of where they were last year, but neither is a lock to win 10 games this year.  Florida could break out because of its talent, but tons of questions remain with a new regime in Gainesville.  Tennessee has the pieces in place offensively but needs marked improvement on defense if they hope to compete for a division title.  Kentucky has settled in as a very steady 7-win team, but they don’t have the horses to compete this season.  Vanderbilt contiues its fight for relevance, and a .500 team this year seems like a longshot.

Overall, it’s easy to see the SEC West has the better talent as a whole.  The SEC East, though, is still the second-best division in college football.  Half of these teams would contend for conference titles in all the other BCS conferences, and the other half would be assured bowl seasons – even Vanderbilt.  Even in weak years, the SEC continues to produce a better quality of football than any other conference.  Whlie the SEC East may be down compared to their Western brethren, the East is loaded with talented players and coaches.

Florida

The Gators said goodbye to Urban Meyer last year while also saying goodbye to seven defensive starters.  In comes Will Muschamp, the former Texas Longhorns coach-in-waiting and SEC veteran, to revamp a Gators program that is just three seasons removed from a national championship.  Muschamp immediately recognized that time is of the essence in Gainesville.  He hired Charlie Weiss and Dan Quinn away from the NFL to coordinate the offense and defense, respectively.

On the field, John Brantley returns at quarterback after a dreadful 2010 as a starter.  Brantley was the number one high school quarterback when he signed with Florida, and I expect he’ll blossom under the tutelage of Weiss.  A solid running game will certainly take some pressure off Brantley, something that Urban Meyer never developed.

Jeff Demps returns for one more year, and he should get more snaps than ever as a traditional running back.  Senior Chris Rainey also returns, and he has blazing top end speed.  The combo of Demps and Rainey could provide the Gators with stability they haven’t seen in years.  The big concern offensively for Gator fans should be the offensive line.  Four starters must be replaced, and in the SEC that is a huge concern. 

Defensively the Gators must rebuild as only four starters return.  The 2010 Gators survived on a solid defense while their offense struggled, but they may not have that luxury this year.  Jelani Jenkins and Jon Bostic bring back the most experience at the linebacker positions.  The defensive line needs a complete overhaul, and the secondary will miss the experience and talent of Janoris Jenkins who was dismissed from the team. 

The schedule is typical Florida: never leaving the state for a non-conference game.  In the SEC, the Gators are fortunate to get both major rivals – Tennessee and Alabama – at home.  September sets up well for Florida with only one road game at Kentucky.  That is a winnable game for Florida, which would allow the Gators to compete for the SEC East title.  On the flip side, Florida has road games at LSU, Auburn, and South Carolina including back-to-back roadies before their Open week. 

Florida may not be much better in 2011 than 2010, but they have the building blocks in place to return to power.  Like most young teams, Florida needs a fast start in order to build some confidence.  You can never count Florida out because of its talent, but I expect they are a year away from competing for a division title.  The Gators close with four of five games in state, setting the stage for the Gators to surge into bowl season and heading back to the top in 2012.

 

Georgia

Familiarity breeds contempt.  That is the only explanation for the sudden and angry turn by many Georgia fans against Mark Richt.  After back-to-back subpar seasons, Richt is coaching for his job this year.  The defense will end up telling the tale of the Georgia Bulldogs this season as they begin Year Two of the transition to a 3-4 scheme.  Offensively Georgia has plenty of talent and an emerging start at quarterback.

Aaron Murray was a first team Freshman All-American last year.  He has enough mobility in the pocket to allow plays to develop, which will be even more important in 2011 with the absence of A.J. Green.  The Dawgs return three linemen with experience but have yet again lost Trinton Sturdivant to an ACL injury.  (Sturdivant has become a punch line, but it’s actually a sad story.  As a freshman Sturdivant looked like the second coming of Orlando Pace and Joe Thomas.)  The runningback position remains a concern for Georgia.  Washaun Ealy has left the program, and budding star Caleb King is lost for the year due to injury.  Finding an answer at RB will solve many of the offensive concerns.

Defensively the Bulldogs need to take a big step this year.  Only 3 linebackers have any significant experience and the line has turned over after a solid 2010 campaign.  Bacarri Rambo returns (Isn’t he 27 years-old?) and compares favorably to some of the great safeties in the SEC.  The rest of the secondary needs to raise its game to help shoulder the burden while younger, inexperienced players in the front seven adjust.

The Bulldogs schedule eases after a brutal opening combo of Boise St. and South Carolina.  Fortunately for the Dawgs both of those games are in Georgia.  Three consecutive games away from home – Tennessee, Vanderbilt, and Florida (at Jacksonville) – all look like potential wins for Georgia, but one has to worry about the Bulldogs growing road weary in the back half of the season.

Mark Richt is still a very good coach, and Georgia still has a ton of talent on its roster.  Fourteen wins in 2 seasons won’t get it done, though, and Richt knows it.  I expect Georgia to compete for the SEC East title this year.  In fact, I’m tempted to pick the Dawgs to win both their September games against Top 15 teams.  The key to Georgia’s success will be whether or not the defense can make the leap with players that have been in the system but not logged much game time.  Georgia always has solid special teams units, and that should save them in at least one close game this year.

 

Kentucky

Most folks are surprised to learn that Kentucky has been to five consecutive bowl games.  That’s a testament to the steady program built by former coach Rich Brooks and his successor Joker Phillips.  It’s also a statement about the level of talent those two were able to recruit to the basketball-loving campus.  Unfortunately for Wildcat fans this year, a lot of that talent is in the NFL while Phillips and his coaching staff try to coach up a lot of inexperienced players.  New full-time starting quarterback Morgan Newton does not have the advantage of Derrick Locke and Randall Cobb to help bail him out of tough spots.  One positive for Newton is his excellent interception numbers, only throwing four passes to the wrong colored jersey in 119 attempts.  Newton and new starting RB Raymond Sanders have the advantage of playing behind four returning starters on the offensive line.

Defensively Kentucky has always held their own without ever emerging as a team that strikes fear in the hearts of their opponents.  No one is going to confuse the Wildcats with the Crimson Tide, but UK does return 10 starters on defense.  In the SEC it’s hard to overvalue the importance of experience.  It is very important that the defense keeps Kentucky in games while the offense finds its rhythm.

Kentucky should be 3-0 heading into its Lexington showdown with Florida.  That looks like the swing game for the Wildcats season.  Win that one, and it’s not heard to see 7 or 8 wins.  Lose it, and a sub-.500 record and sitting home during bowl season looks more likely.  Kentucky doesn’t leave the Bluegrass State until October, and the non-conference schedule provides 3 absolute wins and one likely win against a rebuilding Louisville.  Unfortunately for Kentucky they face SEC road games at South Carolina, LSU, Georgia, and an improving Vanderbilt team.  Winning just one of those games is no easy task.

I believe Joker Phillips will continue to build Kentucky into a team that competes for SEC East titles.  This year is not that year, though.  A winning record and a sixth consecutive bowl game appear to be solid, attainable goals for a team adjusting to new talent on the offense.  The Wildcat defense holds the keys to a bowl game or breaking their impressive streak.

 

South Carolina

Rarely has the national public expected as much from a South Carolina football team as they do right now.  Coming off their first ever SEC East division title, the Gamecocks look to improve upon their status as “sacrificial lamb” for the eventual SEC West champion.  This year South Carolina has a legitimate chance to run through their division and will contend for a BCS bowl game – perhaps even a national title.

Stephen Garcia is back (He MUST be a Ph. D by now) to lead Steve Spurrier’s offense.  Garcia probably qualifies as the most frustrating quarterback in recent memory.  He shows unbelievable poise and talent at times, and at others he looks like a freshman.  His off field problems are legendary, and it was not certain he would even return this year.  SHead Coach Steve Spurrier says the boy has pulled his life together and become a man.  If that is the case, the offense could be scary.

Marcus Lattimore burst onto the scene as a freshman with a dynamic season carrying the football.  Alshon Jeffery has emerged as one of the premiere receivers in the conference.  An experienced offensive line completes what appears to be the first Spurrier-esque offense since he arrived in Columbia.

If Carolina is going to return to Atlanta, they’ll need that offense to produce while the defense adjusts to a ton of new personnel.  Defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson is one of the best in the business, and he’ll need to prove it this by overhauling the front seven.  Six starters return, but the front line needs the most help.  Devin Taylor is a playmaker, and Travian Robertson has potential to be an all-league player.   Heralded freshman Jadevon Clowney (the nation’s #1 high school recruit last year) will be counted on to make an impact, as will linebacker Shaq Wilson who missed all of 2010 due to injury.  The secondary has loads of talent, led by Stephon Gilmore at cornerback.  This group needs to play brilliantly while the new starters up front get accustomed to SEC football.  No one questions the talent, especially on the defensive line.  The question is whether or not (or how quickly) they pick up Johnson’s schemes.

Carolina should get off to a fast start with five of their first six games at home – the lone roadie in that span is between the hedges at Georgia.  The Gamecocks loaded up on some cupcakes in the early non-conference slate with Clemson looming at the end of the year.  While they leave the state for the bulk of October, South Carolina closes with three straight games at home.

The drawback to this schedule is the difficulty level of their road conference games.  They travel to Athens, Starkville, Knoxville, and Fayetteville this season, and each of those teams has the ability to knock South Carolina off its quest for back-to-back division titles.  They play three of those games on the road, culminating with a trip to Reynolds Razorback Stadium in November.

On paper South Carolina looks like the best team in the SEC East.  They combine an overall friendly schedule with a ton of offensive firepower and a talented (but inexperienced) defense.  Assuming the questions are answered on defense, the overriding concern for me is mental toughness.  Carolina has not shown much of that historically.  Can they handle the expectations?  They never have in the past, so what makes us think they will now?

 

Tennessee

I have a lot of respect for Derek Dooley.  He inherited a program in chaos and turned 2010 into a bowl season that not many expected.  Now Dooley has to pay the piper.  Expectations have been raised, and that means anything less than a bowl game will be viewed as a disappointment.  While I expect the Vols to be a better football team, managing more than six or seven wins could be a challenge. 

Quarterback Tyler Bray has talent (and arrogance) befitting an SEC starter.  What he does not have is a group of receivers with any meaningful experience.  Tennessee’s top 3 receivers from 2010 are gone.  Tremendous talent is on campus, though, and that has fans excited on Rocky Top.  Justin Hunter reeled in seven touchdown passes as a freshman, and classmate Da’Rick Rogers looks the part of an all-SEC receiver. 

The passing game will need to rely on a running game as it gets adjusted, and that could prove to be a problem.  Tauren Poole returns after a 1,000-yard season but the offense as a whole was mediocre running the ball.  Improved line play and the emergence of another threat out of the backfield – perhaps freshman Marlin Lane – are critical to the development of the UT offense.  All starters return on the offensive line after 3 true freshmen saw extended playing time in 2010.  That continuity and experience alone mean Tennessee could improve its win total this year.

Unlike years past, though, the Tennessee defense needs a lot of improvement.  Only 5 starters return from a team that allowed an eye-popping 5.7 yards per play last year.  Four of the Vols returning starters come in the defensive backfield which will need to play air-tight coverage.  An entirely new linebacking corp and only one starter returning up front mean Volunteer fans should expect some growing pains early.

Tennessee has a manageable schedule if their goal is to make another bowl run.  It is not, however, conducive to a legit shot at the SEC East this year.  While Tennessee only has 2 road games before Halloween, those two are at Florida and at Alabama.  In addition to that the Volunteers play the SEC’s other top teams, hosting LSU and traveling to Arkansas.  The non-conference slate includes three rent-a-wins and one tricky game against Cincinnati.  The Bearcats travel to Knoxville, though, which should help Tennessee pick up the win.  Two of their final three games are on the road, which is not the way I’d prefer to end the season.

I definitely think we could all look up in October and say, “Tennessee is leading the SEC East?”.  I have no confidence we’ll do that in November.  The Vols needs to sweep their non-conference slate and defend their home field in conference games against Georgia, South Carolina, LSU, and Vanderbilt.  Splitting those games puts Tennessee on the road to another bowl game.  Sweeping those makes the Volunteers the story of the year in the SEC.

 

Vanderbilt

Listen to me, folks: There is something happening in Nashville.  New head coach James Franklin is a dynamo that will turn Vanderbilt into an annually competitive football team.  He is a recruiting powerhouse, and offensive guru, and an exceedingly likeable personality. 

Unfortunately for Vandy fans, that won’t happen in 2011.

While 19 starters return for the Commodores, it doesn’t help if the returners do not have much talent.  Vandy has been absolutely horrible offensively.  You’d think the forward pass was illegal in the city of Nashville.  Incumbent starting quarterback Larry Smith averaged only 3.9 yards per attempt.  Smith can run the football, but Franklin needs a passer to make his system work.  Jordan Rodgers will get some looks, but according to reports he has not impressed in camp.  With an experienced offensive line, I do expect growth from the QB position (whomever the starter may be) thanks in large part to capable running backs like Warren Norman and Zac Stacy.

Eight starters return on a defense that was simply worn down by the end of 2010.  Vandy has always had talent on that side of the ball, but even the best defenses in football run out of juice when they’re on the field for 2/3 of every game.  Linebacker Chris Marve could start for any team in the league.

Vanderbilt could shoot out to a 3-0 start, including a home upset of Mississippi.  Then reality sets in for Vandy.  They have road trips to South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee and Wake Forest.  The Dores also get home games against Georgia, Arkansas, and Kentucky in addition to the early home contest against Mississippi.  Sweeping their non-conference games (not an easy task for Vandy this year) and sneaking out 2 more wins to get to .500 would be a good goal.  If they manage a 6-6 record this year, Vandy could very likely get back to a bowl game and set the foundation for a very bright future.


Posted in SEC Preview, Sports | Tagged: , , | 5 Comments »

The Football Binge Survival Guide

Posted by Brett Kincaid on August 29, 2011

Don't Be This Guy

It’s finally here!  The season kicks off on Thursday, the Hogs play on Saturday, and we have college football all the way to Monday night.  If you have not begun to make preparations, you are far behind the curve.  Much like the games themselves, preparation is the key to success for a college football connoisseur.  Seasoned veterans know this.  For newlyweds just now facing the challenge of football season as a married man or long married men looking to make the leap, it’s a new season and your time to shine.

This is our attempt to help you navigate the world of the football binge.  It is riddled with landmines and pitfalls, but you can do it.  We have done it.  By heeding our advise – based on years of trial and error – you, too, can enjoy the college football season while simultaneously enjoying a happy home life.

I have learned that planning your weekends in advance can lead you to the biggest success.  You need to make sure one weekend of football does not come at the cost of a week of iciness at home with the wife.  In most cases, any man worth his stones can arrange at least one all day binge per month while still not missing any important games on non-binge weekends.  By successfully planning your fall weekends you can definitely enjoy a fulfilling season with tons of football and a happy home life.

There are three principles you must follow if you have any hope of pulling off a successful football season and home life simultaneously:

  • PLAN YOUR SEASON
  • PRESENT YOUR PLAN
  • LIMIT YOUR FAYETTEVILLE GAMES

Following these rules will not guarantee success, but it will certainly increase your odds.  If you are a thoughtless pig all the time, stepping your game up during football season won’t get you too far.  If you have a spouse that acts like your mother, then you have bigger problems – AND this won’t work for you.  However, if you have a good, healthy relationship with your wife this plan will get you to the college football life you want.

PLAN YOUR SEASON

It is easy to identify one big weekend per month that has the best games.  Once we get into conference season, it’s easy to argue that EVERY weekend is big.  I understand that and once lived by that mantra.  As a married man and father, though, it has become much more important to identify THE weekends of September, October, November, and December that require my full attention.  The importance of picking your spots guarantees success both on and off the field during the fall.

Example Schedule for a Razorback Fan

  • September 24 – Hogs at Alabama
  • October 22 – Hogs at Mississippi
  • November 12 – Tennessee at Hogs
  • December 3 – Championship Weekend

September 24 – Hogs at Alabama:  This is a perfect setup.  The game is out of town, so you have the ability to easily catch the Hogs AND all the remaining games that matter that weekend.  There are several big games that weekend (LSU at West Virginia, Oklahoma St. at Texas A&M, and Missouri at Oklahoma to name a few) but the Hogs/Tide will probably feature the two highest ranked teams.  This means a 2:30 CBS kickoff is all but guaranteed, meaning you can easily bookend that with marquee games.  There are also 2 Pac-12 conference games in Arizona that night (Oregon at UA and USC at ASU), meaning a quad-header is on the table.

There is a huge temptation to binge on the first weekend.  While it has become tradition for the BlogHawgs, I definitely discourage the practice by rookies or second-year players.  This is a veteran move only to be attempted by skilled practitioners.

October 22 – Hogs at Ole Miss:  This is a tough call.  The Hogs/Aggies weekend would typically be the choice here, but that presents the always tricky back-to-back binge weekend.  I strongly advise against that.  (More on the Aggies/Hogs later.)  The month of October also includes the Hogs OPEN weekend (not to be confused with a BYE weekend).  I can see your wheels turning.  DO NOT WASTE A BINGE WEEKEND HERE!  That leaves you with three other options, one of which includes a home game.  Always try to avoid a binger on home game weekends in the event you get to go to that game.  So that leaves us with Ole Miss and Vanderbilt.  Generally speaking, it’s a good idea to avoid binging on weekends where your favorite team plays a patsy.

That leaves us with Arkansas at Mississippi.  Clearly, this game sparks passion within the fan base.  That’s a great element to the shared experience of binging on football.  Looking at the rest of the schedule, you’ll see plenty of potentially great games.  That’s Alabama/Tennessee weekend, one of the better SEC rivalry games.  You’ve also got Auburn/LSU and USC/Notre Dame that weekend.  By identifying three other marquee television games that likely will not conflict with the Hogs/Rebels (very likely an early kickoff game) you’ve ensured a very strong Saturday of college football.

November 12 – Vols at Hogs:  You’ll notice we violate one of the main tenets of the plan.  Unfortunately the schedule works against us as fans – but not the Hogs as a team – with three consecutive games in Arkansas during November.  So we have to dig a little deeper to find our binge weekend.  Given all the other elements, Tennessee appears to be the strongest option in this Sophie’s Choice.

The first November weekend is against South Carolina in Fayetteville.  Both teams will almost certainly be inside the Top 20, and that’s Homecoming weekend.  November 19 has the Hogs taking on Mississippi State in Little Rock.  You simply cannot schedule a binge weekend during a Little Rock game.  The following week is Thanksgiving week, which immediately disqualifies the LSU game.  (Most fans have developed traditions around this annual post-Thanksgiving game, further marking this as a terrible weekend to binge.)

So that brings us back to Tennessee.  For the non-NWA Hog fan, this presents a difficult back-to-back roadie.  Heading out of town in back-to-back weekends creates a potential hostile environment at home.  That close to the holidays it’s not worth the risk.  Finally, the Tennessee/Arkansas weekend provides a great slate of games nationally.  Take a look at these matchups:

  • Alabama at Mississippi St.
  • Oregon at Stanford
  • Miami (FL) at Florida St.
  • Nebraska at Penn St.
  • Auburn at Georgia
  • TCU at Boise St.
  • Florida at South Carolina

That is a tour de force of college football action.  Regardless of the kickoff time for Arkansas/Tennessee, you will be treated to a full slate of meaningful games that weekend.  For someone who loves the game it’s hard to justify missing this weekend of televised games.

December 3 – Championship Game Weekend:  In addition to the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta (where you may actually be if things go right), all other BCS conference championship games are that weekend.  This includes the inaugural championship games of the Big 10 and Pac-12.  It goes without saying that this is a weekend designated for college football.

PRESENT YOUR PLAN

It’s been said that communication is the key to a happy marriage.  Never more is that true than during the football season.  Remember – your wife knows you love it.  You are not fooling anyone.  Confront the season directly. Let her know that you’ve thought about the season and have developed a plan.  This has multiple benefits, but there are a few key ones to note:

  • It lets your wife know that you care about her schedule.  Planning = Love
  • A clearly researched and presented proposal is not easy to summarily reject.
  • A schedule allows your wife to make contingency plans on those weekends.  That is far better than dropping the bomb on Thursday of Binge Week, catching her off guard and increasing the likelihood of arguments.
  • Most importantly, this let’s your wife know you want to spend quality time at home with the family.

Planning is huge, communication is even bigger.  Sharing your plan early makes life much easier at home.  It’s best to remember that you’re not in college anymore.  Doing that allows you to act like you’re in college at least one Saturday per month during the season.

LIMIT THE GAMES YOU ATTEND

This is the most difficult principle for some to observe.  If you live in NWA and plan to attend all the games at Reynolds Razorback Stadium, you can apply these same principles to make sure you get to The Hill as often as you want.  Otherwise you may want to go ahead and skip this section.

For non-NWA fans the travel to and from Fayetteville takes up a ton of time which may require sacrificing binging with your buddies.  By following these principles you can guarantee at least 2 trips to RRS each season.  It takes discipline, but you will see a noticeable uptick in your enjoyment of the college football season.

For me it’s only worth the time and effort to attend an SEC game.  I understand the value of playing some soft teams early in order to work out the kinks for the football team.  But please don’t expect me to attend.

Evaluate the home conference slate.  Then select one game per month that you deem to be worthy of attending.  There will always be one October game.  You’ll then have to choose between September and November.  In even numbered years, Alabama always heads to Fayetteville in September.  That’s a n0-brainer.  In November of odd-numbered years you generally get South Carolina in addition to one of the rotating SEC East teams.  I usually like to catch an SEC East team outside of South Carolina, but that’s not always possible.

Pick your two games, and put them on your schedule.  By building those into your binge schedule, you can limit your back-t0-back football weekends to no more than 1 per season.  This is critical.  The more often you’re gone (whether at the game or at the bar), the more frustrated your wife will become.  Eliminating back-to-back weekends like that makes life much easier.

OTHER TIPS

Up Your Game – Your behavior during the week affects your ability to enjoy binge football weekends.  Be attentive.  Volunteer to go to the grocery story.  Pick up or drop off your kid(s) when you don’t have to do it.  Take care of dinner occasionally.  Mow the yard and take out the trash without being asked.  Upping your game at home makes it much easier to enjoy your games on the weekend, especially if you’re already a high-performer in the offseason.

Treat Binge Week like Game Week - If your team has a big game coming up, do you want to hear about your starting quarterback out partying during the week?  Of course not.  You shouldn’t either.  During the lead up to your binge weekend (or travel weekend), stay home as much as possible.  Avoid the Thursday Temptation.   Those games are often not very compelling, and you can just as easily watch it at home.  Treat Game Week like a pro so you can play like a champion.

Take Your Wife to a Game – Treating a game like a family trip has tremendous upside.  It almost certainly increases the number of games you get to attend.  It also gets you credit for quality time with the wife while still enjoying football.  That’s a helluva combo.  Even better, take your wife (and kids if they’re old enough) to Dallas for the Southwest Classic.  It’s a mini-family vacation, it involves football, and – as mentioned – you get credit for quality time while enjoying football.  Win-win

Schedule Family Time for the Open Weekend - Last year I took my wife out of town on the Hogs only open weekend.  It was one of the smartest things I’ve done in married life.  I still enjoyed parts of the games that weekend (like the Tenn-LSU final seconds and most of the Oregon-Stanford game), but most importantly I devoted that weekend to time with my wife.  It’s an oasis in the college football desert for football widows.  Honor that, and you’ll have a strong second half.

Watch Other Games at Home - Look, your wife expects you to want to watch your favorite team if they’re on television.  She’s no dummy.  For games not on your binge schedule, let your wife know what time the game starts and tell her you’d like to watch at home.  That way you get the joy of watching your game while still spending time with your family, tackling necessary chores around the house.

Host Friends and Spouses for a Game - Odds are that your wife likes to host people at your home.  Pick one of your non-binge weekends and have people over to your house.  Make sure your buddies bring their wives and kids.  Create a family friendly environment, too.  That’s very important.  Go ahead a enjoy a cold one while watching the game, but also take time to interact with your kid(s) while enjoying the game.  (This is a great activity for road games you expect your team to win.)

Planning.  Preparation.  Execution.  Create a gameplan Coach Petrino could appreciate, and you can have a BCS-level season even if your team doesn’t.

Posted in Sports | Tagged: , , | 4 Comments »

Damn You, Aggies!

Posted by Brett Kincaid on August 27, 2011

We are supposed to be taking a break from BlogHawgs this weekend, spending time with our families before football occupies our Saturdays from here to January.  I managed to do that until an hour ago when I started getting messages about those damn Texas Aggies.  We have two sources that told us an announcement of the Aggies to the SEC would come next week.  David Sandhop with the Aggie Websider now Tweets that the Ags could be members-elect of the SEC on Thursday.

@HopWebsiderDavid Sandhop
Admin at A&M told me the university is shooting for presser next Thursday to announce move to SEC if all goes as planned. #gigem

No word if there is an SEC conference call or meeting set up already for member university presidents, but our understanding is that must occur before any application for membership can be approved.  I have reached out to some of our SEC folks to see if there are any meetings scheduled.

 

Sandhop has been very reliable on this, so I’m inclined to trust him – especially since we have other sources that have indicated this is possible.  I am curious, though, about scheduling a presser when no SEC presidents’ meeting has been announced.  Perhaps Commissioner Slive has stopped the leaks in Birmingham.

 

Back to our previously scheduled family weekend…

 

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One for the Road

Posted by Brett Kincaid on August 26, 2011

As we pack up and head for the weekend, here are links to a few of our most popular stories of the week.  We appreciate the fact that you choose to spend time here.  We’d be babbling on about these topics to ourselves no matter what.  It’s gratifying to know at least a few folks find it entertaining.

The War of Aggie SECcession

One Pheauxne Call

Ray Buchanan, Jr. Picks Arkansas over Mississippi

2011 NFL Preview – The NFC

2011 NFL Preview – The AFC

2011 NFL Preview – Playoffs

This week’s One for the Road comes from Grantland.com, the now essential site for sports fans looking for more than a game story.  It comes from John Brandon, the Grantland college football writer, who takes a refreshingly honest look at former Ohio St. University football coach Jim Tressel.  Rather than touting Tressel as a “good but flawed man” as so many other have, Brandon cuts right to the core of that flawed argument.  Tressel and coaches just like him all over college football chose the path of least resistance.

Coach, you did your job and did it well (until maybe at the culmination of each year, when you ran into a team of equal recruiting prowess and were handed your ass). But here’s the thing: If you’d had any interest in doing something that transcended your job description, something that might impress — rather than your choir of Buckeye faithful, someone like St. Peter, that something you could’ve done, particularly, would’ve been taking a kid whose head was ballooning and who was in dire need of tutelage concerning what it means to be a decent person and teammate and who before he ever attended a single college two-a-day was flashing signs of assholehood by ignoring the designated signing day all the other players abide by and waiting until every last ounce of attention was focused on him alone before bestowing the promise of his presence upon Columbus — taking that kid, Coach, and guiding him away from assholehood. That’s what you could have done.

It’s a great read.

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One Pheauxne Call

Posted by Brett Kincaid on August 26, 2011

Last night we told you that LSU starting quarterback Jordan Jefferson was on the verge of arrest.  Turns out we were right.  Jefferson and teammate Joshua Johns – a linebacker for the Tigers – have been arrested and charged with second-degree battery.  This is a felony offense, despite the fact Jefferson only connected on 4 of 16 punches (ZING!).

LSU has suspended both Jefferson and Johns indefinitely.  Backup quarterback and former starter Jarret Lee will presumably start for LSU next Saturday against #3 Oregon.  As always, we are remiss to not point out there was a serious crime committed here.  One of the victims reportedly has multiple broken vertebrae and faces significant medical rehabilitation.

The man who was kicked suffered “extreme physical pain and unconsciousness,” the warrant says.

The warrant says the basis for the arrests of Jefferson and Johns includes “physical evidence of the attack and subsequent identification of the accused by an eye witness to the attack.”

Second-degree battery is a felony offense that carries a maximum five-year prison sentence upon conviction.

From a purely football perspective, this has serious implications on a team looking to compete for a BCS berth and the national title.  Jefferson has been wildly erratic throughout his career, but as a junior with several starts under his belt the expectation has been that Jefferson would emerge as a true team leader. No one expected that he’d be more likely to lead at least one teammate to the gray bar motel.

Posted in Sports | Tagged: , , , , | 6 Comments »

One More Week

Posted by Brett Kincaid on August 26, 2011

How did this happen?  We are inside of one week until the college football season kicks off.  The first weekend of the CFB season extends to Labor Day night, meaning we only have 2 days to recover before the NFL season begins with a whale of game featuring New Orleans at Green Bay.  Buckle up, folks.  We’re about to jump on a rocket ride for the next 20+ weeks heading through the BCS and NFL playoffs.  In no time we’ll look back in December and say, “Doesn’t it feel like football season just started?”

For our readers, our goals is to keep you entertained and informed heading into the season.

Next week you can expect an SEC preview followed by a thorough breakdown of the Razorbacks.  Next week also marks the return of the BK v. AB college football pick ‘em.  We’re adding a new wrinkle to our tout service this year with both college and professional football.  More on that next week, but I think you’ll enjoy it.

If you have tips, ideas, or thoughts about the upcoming season that you’d like to see BlogHawgs cover, please email us at bloghawgs@gmail.com.

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Irene No Care-a

Posted by Brett Kincaid on August 26, 2011

If Jim Cantore comes to your town, you need to leave.  Living by this rule will save your life one day.

Hurricane Irene is barreling towards the U.S. eastern seaboard after ripping through Bermuda the Bahamas earlier this week.  The force of the store – currently a Category 3 – is projected to inflict billions of dollars of damage from North Carolina to Massachusetts.  The sports world is not immune to the potential damage and certain disruption.

Both the Boston Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies have altered their home series this weekend, moving Sunday games to day-night doubleheaders on Saturday.  The Giants-Jets NFL preseason game has been moved from a 7:00pm start to a 2:00pm kickoff in order to give fans more time to get home safely before the bulk of the storm hits.

The U.S. Open – the final Grand Slam tennis event of the year – also has been forced to make contingency plans as it prepares to ramp up in Flushing Meadows, New York.  The MLS and PGA have their eyes on the sky this weekend, too.

For our fans in the eastern United States – I’m as surprised as you are to learn we have fans – get your hurricane survival kit ready.  Don’t ignore the lessons from Katrina & New Orleans.  You need plenty of drinking water, flashlights/lamps with batteries and backup bulbs, ready-to-eat foods like granola bars and fruit, and a fully charged cell phone with battery backup if possible.  Also, make sure you have a portable radio with multiple batteries.  You will almost certainly lose power at some point.

As for me… I’m off to buy stock in Energizer and Duracell’s parent companies.

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Geaux to Jail

Posted by Brett Kincaid on August 25, 2011

BlogHawgs.com has a Louisiana source tonight that suggest LSU Tiger quarterback Jordan Jefferson has a real problem on his hands regarding a bar brawl last week.  This source tells us an arrest could be coming for the “star” quarterback.  (By “star” quarterback, I am of course referring to the opposing defense’s best player on the field.)  Numerous news reports place Jefferson and other LSU football players at a Baton Rouge night spot – Shady’s Bar – last Friday night when a fight broke out in the Shady’s parking lot.  The events that led to the fight remain unclear thanks to disputed accounts, but no one appears to be willing to deny that Jefferson was a part of the altercation.

Investigators reportedly have met with Jefferson in the past 36 hours collecting evidence that includes a DNA sample.  According to our source in Louisiana, things do not look good for Jefferson.  Despite all the speculation, it is important to note that Jefferson – nor anybody else – has been arrested or charged with a crime…yet.

Of particular note from ESPN.com’s story today, staff at Shady’s Bar profess that one of the victims – Andrew Lowery – “threw the first punch” in the melee outside the bar.

Two employees of the bar where LSU quarterback Jordan Jeffersonand three teammates are accused of injuring four people in a parking lot brawl said Thursday that one of the victims “threw the first punch” shortly after he had been escorted outside by staff.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Shady’s Bar general manager John Peak and door manager Jordan Neldare offer versions of the bar fight that differ from details in a police report released Thursday. Neldare said he was outside and witnessed the fight firsthand but had not yet been interviewed by police.

…

Neldare said he ran to (a) co-worker and corralled him away from the brawl, back toward the bar entrance, where he then noticed Jefferson, standing by himself and looking upset while the fight was still taking place.

“I’m not saying (Jefferson) wasn’t in the fight. I’m not saying he was, but I did see him standing alone while stuff was still going on,” Neldare said.

We cannot confirm nor deny at this point whether or not Neldare and his unnamed coworker have yet received LSU season football tickets.

The #4 Tigers take on the #3 Oregon Ducks next Saturday.

UPDATE I (10:04 PM): As if this weren’t bad enough, LSU must now face Oregon without multi-talented WR Russell Shepard.  The junior has been ruled ineligible for next Saturday’s tilt in Dallas thanks to an unrelated NCAA matter.

“Russell Shepard has run afoul of some NCAA regulations,” Miles said. “I can only tell you that the things that were done there were innocent. They were issues of protocol, but they’re serious enough for him to have been ruled ineligible. We’ll seek reinstatement and hope that goes well. I can tell you the issue was a nondescript interview with an NCAA person about a series of issues. It was there that he answered honestly. The violation was Russell ran afoul of protocol.”

 

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NFL Playoff Predictions

Posted by Brett Kincaid on August 25, 2011

Predicting the outcomes of an entire football season in the preseason is actually a pretty dumb idea.  So many things can happen that could make your predictions look foolish by Week Four.  Rarely does someone nail it.  Most of the time you’re lucky to bat .500 at the end of the season.

Luckily for you, I’m dumb enough to do it.

A few things before we get started:

I based much of my predictions on one major component: continuity.  With no OTAs during the off season and a very limited training camp, teams with minimal turnover that played well in 2010 have a greater likelihood to succeed this year relative to any other year.  I know that maxim typically holds true in any season, but I do believe it will be even more relevant this year.

There will be at least one surprise team to make the playoffs in each conference, and at least one team to horribly under perform.  I’ve tried to identify those teams, too.  This year looks to be one where traditional powers continue their rise while mediocre teams continue to struggle.  For traditionalists, this is the year for you.

NFC Picks

East – Philadelphia

North – Green Bay

South – New Orleans

West – Arizona

Wild Card – Atlanta

Wild Card – Dallas

The Eagles did the most to improve their position of any other team.  They’ve solidified their defense and special teams while reinforcing a potent offense.  I expect Michael Vick to contend for league MVP honors this year, too.  Green Bay should be just as powerful offensively this year, and it’s hard to imagine they’d run into as many injury problems in 2011 as they did in 2010.  I certainly think the Packers could be even better than their Super Bowl championship team from a year ago.

Arizona will be the cream of the west.  Let’s not forget that the Cardinals won the NFC just three years ago.  Defying all odds, Ken Whisenhunt has changed the culture in the desert.  New Orleans is loaded on offense, and they have one of the best defensive backfields in football.  They lose some electricity on special teams with the departure of Reggie Bush, but the addition of rookie Mark Ingram will strengthen an already potent running attack.

As the wild cards, they are just that: wild cards.  Atlanta seems like a safe pick here.  Matt Ryan has emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the NFC, and the addition of Julio Jones at wide receiver really opens that offense.  That leaves us with Dallas.  There isn’t much empirical evidence to suggest that the Cowboys can carve out a 9-10 win season, but all the context around that team leads me to believe it’s their year to return to post-season play.

Two teams stand out that could also challenge for the post-season:  Detroit and Tampa Bay.  The Buccaneers are a young team that really seems to love playing for their coach.  Unfortunately I don’t see enough playmakers on offense that a team needs to win the close games.  Detroit is very similar to Tampa in that regard, but the playmakers they do have are world class.  Calvin Johnson may be the most dynamic big receiver in the game, and their defensive front could be tops in the conference.  If Nick Fairley hadn’t been injured in camp – after getting no reps in the offseason – I may have given them the edge.

Wild Card Round

Atlanta at ARIZONA

Dallas at GREEN BAY

Divisional Round

Arizona at NEW ORLEANS

Green Bay at PHILADELPHIA

NFC Championship Game

NEW ORLEANS at Philadelphia

——-

AFC Picks

East – New England

North – Baltimore

South – Houston

West – Oakland

Wild Card – Pittsburgh

Wild Card – Indianapolis

New England has become the gold standard for regular season consistency.  Their division is weaker than most think – I truly believe the Jets are overvalued – and Bill Belicheck has veterans galore.  I expect Chad Johnson to turn in a Pro Bowl season.  Houston has never had a better chance than they do right now.  The rest of the division – including Indianapolis – has more questions than answers.  The Texans defense needs to only show marginal improvement in order to qualify for the post-season for the first time in franchise history.

Baltimore has the feeling of a very special team.  The offense has caught the defense in terms of productivity, and they may actually be better this year.  Joe Flacco has emerged as one of the league’s best at quarterback.  Oakland is a stretch here, but you’ve got to do that while making preseason predictions.  As noted in the AFC preview earlier this week, you simply cannot trust Norv Turner.  San Francisco is a year or two away from true viability, and Kansas City should crash back to earth this year.

Pittsburgh is a no-brainer to make the playoffs this year.  (Why do I fear that sentence will come back to haunt me in January?)  The Steelers may very well edge Baltimore for the division title this year, but for now I’m content to label them a Wild Card team.  Indianapolis was a tough choice here.  Looking at other options in the league, though, I cannot think of a reasonable replacement.  You know my feelings on Norv Turner at San Diego, Cleveland is close but plays in a ridiculously tough division, and the Jets are an overrated football team.  They will contend, but ultimately I’ll take old Peyton Manning and his bionic neck.

Wild Card Round

Indianapolis at HOUSTON

PITTSBURGH at Oakland

Divisional Round

Houston at NEW ENGLAND

Pittsburgh at BALTIMORE

AFC Championship

New England at BALTIMORE

———

I have a history of picking teams a year too early.  This applies all across the board, but mostly in the NFL.  Two years ago, I picked Green Bay to win the Super Bowl.  Obviously, they won last year.  Last season I picked Baltimore.  Playing the odds, I’m going back to the well this season.

Super Bowl XLVI

New Orleans v. BALTIMORE

There you go, folks.  Wager accordingly

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The War of Aggie SECession

Posted by Brett Kincaid on August 25, 2011

The first official shot has been fired.  We have word breaking at this hour that Texas A&M has officially filed paperwork with the Big XII that the school intends to leave the conference.  This is a necessary first step for the Aggies to be considered for membership into the Southeastern Conference.

I will have more later, but it appears that the process has indeed started.

UPDATE I (1:51 PM):  From Chuck Carlton at the Dallas Morning News via his Twitter feed:

A&M president Loftin: “… we are working very deliberately to act in the best long-term interests of both Texas A&M and the State of Texas”

Loftin calls it a “100-year decision” repeating a phrase he used a week ago following a board of regents meeting.

UPDATE II (2:44 PM):  From ESPN.com

Texas A&M has officially notified the Big 12 that it will explore its options pertaining to conference affiliation, the university announced on Thursday.

Texas A&M says if it chooses to withdraw from the Big 12, it will do so in accordance with Big 12 bylaws, and would be supportive of the Big 12′s efforts to secure a new member in the conference.

…

The SEC openly pursuing Texas A&M as a member of the Big 12 could open the conference up to litigation under tortious interference, or interference with a written contract.

UPDATE III (4:01 PM):  The cat is out of the bag and now climbing the tree.  Widespread accounts of Texas A&M University’s departure from the Big XII and impending relationship with the SEC have surfaced all across main stream media.  Virtually every sports news site has this story now.

I’d like to take this time for a little self congratulation.  BlogHawgs.com first brought you this story more than two weeks ago.  Only David Sandhop at Aggie Websider consistently trumped our timing.  Thanks to trusted sources and a little elbow grease, we consistently stayed ahead of the out-of-state curve on this story.  While we have a policy to never reveal our sources, we’d be remiss if we did not acknowledge them and say Thank You.  You know who you are.

From August 9, 2011:

Multiple sources in Texas tell me today that a deal to allow Texas A&M to join the SEC has been agreed to in principle.  An additional source – unconfirmed at the moment but typically reliable – tells me all 12 conference members have voted unanimously to accept A&M into the league.  Speculation out of Texas has the Aggies playing football in the SEC during the 2012 season, not in 2013 or 2014 as I first heard.

I final note of thanks to David Sandhop, who doesn’t even know how much we relied on his Twitter feed to confirm our sources.  He runs an Aggie fan page and provides a great service to his readers.  There is a premium feature to his site, but David provides a ton of information for free.  Hats off to him.

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Being Bobby Petrino

Posted by Brett Kincaid on August 24, 2011

It’s not every day one turns to the Arkansas Times for a sports perspective.  In fact, it’s a very rare day.  The Times – more specifically the Arkansas Blog – is a daily staple of my life.  Their news & political coverage generally suits my tastes, and they clearly understand that FREE content creates a loyal customer.

But sports?

This week’s edition proves that smart people who think critically can write about anything.  Case in point, Graham Gordy’s piece on Bobby Petrino.  Gordy does a great job of explaining the complexities of being the head coach of a team like the Arkansas Razorbacks.  I agree with Graham’s assessment:  I wouldn’t want the job either.

“The West Wing” taught me that I never want to be President. “The Sopranos” taught me that I never want to be a mob boss. And reading the sports page, sports websites and message boards everyday has taught me that I never want to be an SEC coach.

“But he’s the most recognized and beloved public figure in the state,” you say. Yes. And still I say, “Not worth it.” “But he made $3.56 million plus perks last year,” you say. And still I say, “He earned every penny and he deserves more.”

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2011 NFL Preview – The AFC

Posted by Brett Kincaid on August 24, 2011

I expect the AFC to once again show itself to be the superior conference from top-to-bottom, but that may not reflect in the records.  Given the parity in the AFC, I’ve sketched out a lot of 7-9, 8-8, and 9-7 records.  Even with that, I expect there to be at least 5 teams with double-digit wins in the AFC playoffs and potentially all six.  There do not appear to be any extraordinary teams this year, but I do see three teams that should separate themselves as the clear elite teams in the entire league – not just the AFC.

There are a lot of questions to be answered after the short offseason and training camps.  The conventional wisdom is that teams with minimal turnover and coaching continuity will be the best teams this year.  I contend that that is always the case.  Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, and New England vie for the conference title each year.  Guess what they all have in common: minimal turnover & coaching continuity.  Oh..and All-Pro  caliber quarterbacks.  That helps, too.


Not a Chance

Cincinnati – The Bungles may be back.  Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco are our, Andy Dalton and A.J. Green are in.  If Cedric Benson is your veteran leader in the locker room, you have issues.

Tennessee – The Titans have players, but this is a team in transition.  Matt Hasselbeck has tons of experience, but he’s proven to be fragile over time.  Jake Locker could be the answer long term, but I have some questions about him.  Chris Johnson’s absence during an already abbreviated training camp makes me doubt hit ability to stay health all year.

Denver – If Jesus really wants Tim Tebow to be a star NFL quarterback, the Broncos will prove me wrong.  I think it’s a safe bet, though, to say Denver has no chance of making the Super Bowl this year.

Buffalo – The Bills have awesome uniforms.  That’s about all I can really say positive about the franchise right now.

Hard to Imagine

Miami – The Dolphins have a real chance to make big movement this year, and Tony Sporano better hope they get it done.  Expect wholesale changes in Miami if they don’t make the post-season.  Reggie Bush can add some flash, but the division and schedule are just too difficult.

Kansas City – The Chiefs were the AFC version of the Chicago Bears last season.  Everything broke their way, and it’s hard to imagine all the breaks falling that way for a second consecutive year.  I think the Chiefs will hang around, but they just aren’t quite championship material yet.

Jacksonville – The Jags seem to be completely dysfunctional, but they almost always manage to hang around all season.  Blaine Gabbard is not quite ready to take over fulltime, but he’s close.  Bold prediction:  David Garrard will not start a game in the final quarter of the season.

Meaningful December Games

San Diego – The AFC West looks about as mediocre as the NFC West.  Someone has to win that division, though, and the Chargers should be there in the end.  Phillip Rivers may be an asshole, but they guy is as good as they get at quarterback in the National Football League.  Currently listed as 10:1 odds to win the MVP award.

Cleveland – This team is close.  If the Browns were in the AFC West, they’d probably be favored to win the division.  Sadly for Browns fans, they play in a division with Baltimore and Pittsburgh.  They’ll scare the big boys, but I’m afraid Cleveland just won’t quite have enough juice to get over the hump.

NY Jets –   I really want to take the Jets here, and I’d love to be proven wrong.  But I’m afraid the breaks have been going their way for too many years.  They have proven to be dangerous in the past, and this is a crew that has now been playing together for a while…but I just cannot take them.  I think they finish 9-7 but on the outside looking in for the playoffs.  Interesting fact:  Mark Sanchez led the league in dropped interceptions against last year with 15.  You really want to ride that train?


Super Six

Oakland – Someone has to win that division, and the Raiders may just be that team.  The running game has depth, Jason Campbell is a seasoned NFL veteran at quarterback, and this is a team that seemed to be trending upwards as 2010 ended.  In a wide open division, that’s enough for me to take Oakland.

Indianapolis – Has the decline of Peyton Manning begun?  His neck injury could keep Manning out of the first game against Houston, which could very easily decide the division.  For the first time in quite a while, it looks like the Colts will be playing for their playoff lives late into the season.  I think the last playoff spot will come down to the Jets and the Colts.  They’ll make it one more time.

Houston – The Texans have been the NFL’s “Will they or won’t they?” team for the past two seasons.  They have looked solid in their first two preseason outings, with the hideous defense of 2010 quickly fading to nothing more than a memory.  Much like the 2010 Razorbacks, the 2011 Texans need the defense to rise to slightly better than average in order to make a playoff run.  The offense looks amazing.

New England – Once again, Bill Belichick has pieced together one of the best teams in the NFL.  They have a great schedule and a sense of urgency to get back to the Super Bowl.  I honestly think that team wants it even more just because the game is in Indianapolis this year.

Pittsburgh – Losing the Super Bowl last year has motivated all offseason.  Mike Tomlin is one of the best coaches in the business, and the Steelers have another veteran team.  Expect Pittsburgh to be there when the playoffs start.

Baltimore – The class of the AFC, Baltimore looks poised to make a deep run this year.  The defense has always been the focus, but the offense looks primed for another stellar year.  Both regular season Ravens-Steelers games constitute must-see-TV.  A third game in the AFC playoffs certainly looks possible.

—-

Come back tomorrow for the third and final installment of our NFL preview.  We’ll take a look at the divisional champs, playoffs, and tell you who to expect in Indianapolis and the Super Bowl this February. 

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Too Live Houston….Banned Into C-USA?

Posted by Adam Butler on August 23, 2011

I am trying to get away from internet karaoke, but I had to share an excellent column today from Jim Harris at ArkansasSports 360 examining the connection between The Mississippi Coach and Nevin Shapiro–the vertically challenged, convicted Ponzi schemer who is at the center of controversy at The U.

I’ll let Mr. Harris’ column speak for itself, but I will say I found myself nodding approval when he pointed out the double standard being applied to the media’s interest in The Mississippi Coach’s (then Arkansas’) 2006-2007 phone records. Mr. Harris is also right in opining that this information should scare “The U”-know-what out of Hurricane fans.

How is Miami going to claim it was unaware of Shapiro and his actions, when he was apparently (according to TMC’s records) one of the go-to guys at Miami, if not THE guy?

Miami fans aren’t the only ones that should be worried. If TMC fails to take Mississippi to a bowl game AGAIN, this year, will he, a guy who is nothing if not a remarkable survivor, be headed to the One Chinstrap League known as Conference USA?

I can just hear his first 2012 pregame speech, now….”Guys, there’s lots (SIC) of Lions and Tigers and Bears, but there’s only one Green Wave!!!! Giggity!”

Posted in Commentary, Sports | 6 Comments »

2011 NFL Preview – The NFC

Posted by Brett Kincaid on August 23, 2011

In an effort to please our dozens of readers, we have decided to increase our coverage of THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE this season.  We have actually been asked at least 2 or 3 times over the past 2 years why we don’t follow the NFL more.  The answer has always been quite simple:  We’re very, very lazy.

This year, though, we are turning over a new leaf.  Given my continuous dissatisfaction with the NCAA and its ridiculous rule book, I’ve decided to focus more attention on pro ball.  While those guys may  not get paid as much as an Auburn starting quarterback or a University of Miami … well … just about anyone at The U, at least they get their money direct deposited and not under the table.

This is the first of a three-part NFL preview we’ll roll out this week.  Today I break down the NFC, placing the teams in categories fans can easily understand.  Tomorrow I’ll give the AFC the same treatment, then on Thursday we’ll look ahead to January and the NFL playoffs and the Super Bowl in February.

I think you’ll enjoy some of the new NFL coverage we plan to give you this year.  In addition to the detailed and masterfully crafted football coverage you can only come to expect from BlogHawgs, we’ll take a look at each week from a fantasy football perspective.  And what’s NFL football without gambling?  Am I right?  Adam and I have already set up our “fake money accounts” so we can wager this year to finally prove who is the better tout.

Sit back, buckle up, and enjoy the ride.  Football season is right around the corner.

————-

The NFC has been the weaker of the 2 conferences over the past 15 years, but the gap has narrowed. The Saints are just 2 seasons removed from their first Super Bowl title, and Green Bay took home the Lombardi Trophy last year.  Both teams look poised to make title runs this year, in addition to the (over ?) hyped Philadelphia Eagles.

Quarterback play once again will dictate the Haves and Have Nots of professional football.  The marquee names may be in the AFC, but Aaron Rogers and Drew Brees have quietly become 2 of the most talented and most reliable passers in the game.  New kid on the block Matt Ryan and the reformed Michael Vick round out the upper echelon of signal callers in the NFC.

The conference is top-heavy this year, and that could lead to a few teams posting gaudy records.  I’m not sure our eventual Super Bowl champion will come from the NFC, but there are several teams in the conference that make you hesitate before saying unequivocally that the NFL champion will come from the AFC.  The resurgence of traditional powers coupled with the steady growth of teams without much of a pedigree make this the more enjoyable of the 2 conferences in the NFL.

Not a Chance

Carolina – The Panthers have far too many issues to address in one offseason.  It starts in the front office, though, where the brain trust decided to spend first round picks in back-to-back seasons on quarterbacks.  Well…people who play the position at least.  It’s yet to be determined if they actually have a quarterback on the team.

Seattle – If Tarvaris Jackson and Charlie Whitehurst were your first two options at quarterback, would you feel good about your season?  Didn’t think so.  I refuse to believe in this team until it brings back the old school silver helmets.

Chicago – No team had better luck than the Bears last year.  The shortened training camp and non-existent offseason mean Chicago never solved their offensive line problems.  Throw in the loss of Daniel Manning and the fact Jay Cutler is still your quarterback, and you have the makings of a huge 2011 disaster.  It’s hard to believe this team made it to the NFC Championship Game last year.

Hard to Imagine

NY Giants – This franchise has set adrift ever since its Super Bowl XLII win.  A difficult schedule and a difficult division mean the question, “Is Eli Manning really an elite NFL quarterback?” could be the most oft-asked question on New York sports talk radio.

Minnesota – The Vikings could win 12 games or 4 games, and I’m not sure I’d be that surprised.  This is a team built for the long haul.  That said, it’s hard to imagine Minnesota making a run this year.  I’m not ruling it out, but I won’t be putting any money on the Minnesota McNabbs.

Washington – Welcome to the John Beck Era, Redskin fans.  Wait…what’s that you say?  Rex Grossman still believes he can win the job?  The Super Bowl drought looks to continue in the nation’s capitol.

Meaningful December Games

St. Louis – The Rams were one win shy of the postseason in 2011.  That same fate could befall St. Louis again this year thanks to a schedule that includes Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Green Bay, and New Orleans.  Winning 3 of those games would put St. Louis into the playoffs, but let’s not pack those bags just yet.

Tampa Bay – The Buccaneers have a favorable schedule and a team with a lot of young talent.  This is one of those teams that could catch fire like Kansas City last year and surprise folks with a playoff run.  Conference foes like Atlanta and New Orleans, though, will prevent the Bucs from a division title.

Detroit – The chic pick to make the playoffs, Detroit has a lot to prove before I’m willing to buy in.  This looks like a 7 to 9 win team, which is a huge step forward for a moribund franchise in a moribund city.

San Francisco – The Niners are not back, but they are heading in the right direction.  Quarterback concerns will keep San Francisco out of the playoffs, but a little luck along the way will give fans a reason to show up late into the season – although Kevlar vests are encouraged.

Super Six

Dallas – The Jason Garret Era could prove to be a good one.  The offense has talent and experience.  The defense is better than it has shown.  And the schedule creates plenty of opportunities to pick up at least nine wins.

Atlanta – Matt Ryan is a franchise quarterback, and the addition of Julio Jones provides another option on offense.  The schedule is very good, matching the Falcons up with the NFC North and the AFC South.  If the defense can hold things together, the dirty birds could make a run to Indianapolis.

Green Bay – The defending Super Bowl champs have the chops to pull off another title run.  Their division is weaker than years past, and Aaron Rogers has entered the prime of his career.  Hunger to repeat is always a critical element to watch for the defending champs.

Arizona – The Cardinals benefit from a soft schedule and a potentially wicked offense. More than twelve wins is not out of the question, but I think 11 or 12 is the most likely scenario.  Kevin Kolb gets the chance to prove just how good he is, and Larry Fitzgerald is primed to establish himself as clearly the #1 wide receiver in football.

Philadelphia – The Eagles bandwagon has a few more seats available after their poor showing last Thursday night.  That is a mistake.  Philly has always had a stingy defense, and they upgraded.  Michael Vick has matured into an elite quarterback who has options to play with on offense.  The Eagles will be excellent this year.

New Orleans – It is still hard to believe the Saints have become a perennial power in the NFC, but it’s true.  The offense could actually prove to be more consistent without Reggie Bush, giving meaningful carries to a runner like Mark Ingram who can do some damage between the tackles.  The defense needs only to avoid being awful for the Saints to make a run to Indianapolis.

——–

Check back tomorrow for a look at the AFC.

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