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Blog Hawgs Twitter Style College Football Weekend Preview–11/2/12

Posted by Adam Butler on November 2, 2012

My therapist says I should keep writing the Blog Hawgs Twitter Style College Football Weekend Preview.

He thinks it’s helping me cope with the Hogs’ Season of Discontent. I’m skeptical.

Next week I am supposed to work on no longer displacing my anger onto John L. Smith. My shrink agrees that the Hogs would at least be a more palatable 5-3 (ULM, Mississippi) if Paul Petrino had been a merely competent Offensive Coordinator this season. In the meantime, he says venting is healthy.

Who am I to go against doctor’s orders?

The only rules for this column are that the fake user names can’t be longer than 15 characters (but may or may not be registered, already), the Tweets cannot exceed 140 characters, and I have to end each one with a smarmy hash tag.

Washington at California:  @ArborDay: Sark Huggers vs. Bark Huggers. #onesqueeze

Missouri at Florida:  @MizzOops: Dorial Green-Beckham averaged 3.6 yards per grab on 7 catches last week. #hisnameislongerthanthat

Oklahoma at Iowa St.:  @UpinflAmes: Big Game Bob has officially become Big Game Bomb. #5yearsago

Texas A&M at Mississippi St.:  @BAC: New drinking game: Take a shot each time the announcers say “Johnny Football”. #ifyouhaveadeathwish

Vanderbilt at Kentucky: @Franklin&Wins: Explain to me why James Franklin shouldn’t be high on the Hogs’ Wish List. #don’tsleeponhim

Michigan at Minnesota: @LittleDebbie: The Men of the Land of 10,000 Lakes v. The Man of  the Land of 10,000 Cakes. #Dessert4Breakfast

Troy at Tennessee: @NoSlack: Dooley probably needs to win out to survive. With Troy, Mizzou, Vandy & UK left, he might. #BobbyPetrinodoesnotlikethis

Tulsa at Arkansas: @CutMeLou: 22 Days Until the Season From Hell is over. #butwho’scounting

New Mexico St. at Auburn: ABigKiehlof$$: The Tigers shouldn’t be a 3+ TD favorite against Santa Fe High School. Load up. #KaChizing

Georgia Tech at Maryland: LBCya: Injuries are forcing the Terps to play a LB at QB this week. What’s Auburn’s excuse? #Turtlesareinthesoup

TCU at West Virginia: HangingBad: WVU is still ranked in both polls despite being outscored 104-28 the last 2 weeks and having the 118th-ranked defense in ’12. #recount

Mississippi at UGA: 50thState: Mississippi is one Freeze head scratcher vs. TAMU from a 3-game SEC win streak after losing 16 straight. #That’sHug(h)e

Pitt at Notre Dame: @Te’O–Yeah, You: ND’s magical season has to seem Too Short for the Irish. #OKTownBeatdown

Texas at Texas Tech: WeBeatKan’tsas!: Mack may be sacked if his defense doesn’t start recording a few. #BrownV.Bored

Nebraska at Michigan St. StrapUp: This might actually be an entertaining Big Ten game. #miraclesnevercease

Iowa at Indiana: LittleBigTen: I’d rather listen to “Pontoon” on a 3-hour loop than watch this game. #Mmmmcomatosin’

Illinois at Ohio St. @Ugh: Urban is poised to slither through an undefeated season. #goodthingtheywereCBusted

Oregon at USCW: @SlowLane: That was a good Kiffin bed soiling last week, Chuck, and I called it, brutha! #likeclockwork

Bama at LSU: @HoneyBadgered: Zach Mettenberger is averaging 177 YPG passing vs. teams NOT named Bama. #youdothemath

Oklahoma St. vs. Kansas St.: @Falco: Collin looks to make Eine Kleine Nachtmusik in Manhattan. #heishavingaclassicalseason

 

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

The New Tradition

Posted by Brett Kincaid on August 13, 2012

This is the 12th in our series of 30 Thoughts About Razorback Football in 30 Days

If we have learned anything in recent years it’s that tradition is no longer King of College Football. The resistant nature of the game has its high points (rivalry games unlike any other) and its low points (slow integration in Southern football).

Tradition oozed from the pores of college football fans like the sweat the players share on a Saturday afternoon. It dominated the game for more than 100 years, guaranteeing fans and players something reliable each fall.

Those days appear to be coming to an end.

When Arkansas moved to the SEC 20 years ago, the conference did its best to gin up a legitimate rivalry for the Hogs in their new home. For years Arkansas and Ole Miss had played semi-regularly in non-conference games, but the rivalry paled in comparison to the hatred Razorback fans held for Texas.

Rivalry games are steeped in conference tugs-of-war, and the Rebels never merited the hate of the Longhorns. Considering this, the conference added LSU to the Arkansas schedule on the final weekend of the regular season – the traditional weekend set aside for the sport’s great rivalry games.

While it is impossible to create a rivalry from nothing, I give credit to the conference and both schools for doing all they could to make the Hogs v. Tigers regular season finale become must-see TV. The creation of the Golden Boot gave the players a tangible reward for victory, and while initially ridiculed, both fan bases began to refer to the season’s last game by its appointed name–Battle for the Boot.

Every other year the Razorbacks and their fans could count on spending the Friday after Thanksgiving in Little Rock playing a meaningful game – even if the division championship had already been decided.

The Boot remains, and the Hogs/Tigers continue to play (for the time being) on the Friday after Thanksgiving in a trophy game. The key difference this season is the location. No longer will we celebrate the day after Thanksgiving in Central Arkansas. That distinction now goes to Northwest Arkansas, where an empty campus gets to play host to the Battle for the Boot. Arkansas fans will again get to embrace the old-new rivalry with Ole Miss in Little Rock.

Until the Hogs moved to the SEC, the game against the Rebels had always been played in Little Rock of Memphis. As both teams relocated the games to their respective home sites, the old tussles between the Hogs and Rebs quickly faded in our memories (except for the added vitriol that The (former) Mississippi Coach from 2008-2011 added to the mix). 

Now that the game has returned to Little Rock, I expect Hog fans – and Rebel Black Bear fans – to embrace this new tradition. Given the nature of the rivalry the past few years, the intensity will be ratcheted up quite a bit even if T(F)MC no longer haunts either sideline.

That doesn’t mean I like the fact that the venue of the LSU game was changed. I don’t. Tradition means something to me, even if it’s “just” 20 years old – a mere child in the arc of college football history.

But, I do like the notion of relighting the fire of Ole Miss and Arkansas at War Memorial Stadium. Even when both teams are down, the battle of the tailgate parties will rage. Perhaps we can generate a trophy for that. Mississippi deserves to win something, occasionally.

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Erin Andrews on “Jimmy Kimmel Live”

Posted by Brett Kincaid on September 28, 2011

Because we want you all to have a good day…

Posted in Pop Culture, Sports | Tagged: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Select 17 – Week 5

Posted by Brett Kincaid on September 26, 2011

Lots of movement this week in the Select 17 after the first really big weekend of the college football season.

Alabama jumped Oklahoma for the top spot, pushing the Sooners down to #3 behind LSU who settled into the #2 slot this weekend.  It’s a coin toss between those two.  I went with Alabama after watching them dismantle a high-powered offense.  LSU has earned it, though, and these two will have a chance to settle it on the field in November.

Clemson enters this field this week after moving to 4-0 despite trying to give away a victory to Florida State.  Oklahoma State solidified its place in the top 10 thanks to a huge road win at Texas A&M last week.  The Aggies managed to stay ranked this week, though, sitting at #17 – just one spot behind our Arkansas Razorbacks.  One of those two teams will be eliminated from the rankings next week.

We’re operating without one ballot this week thanks to a vacationing voter.  We expect to be back to the full compliment of 9 voters next Monday.

To the results….

Rank Team Votes LW
1 Alabama (4) 132 2
2 LSU (3) 130 3
3 Oklahoma (1) 122 1
4 Wisconsin 111 4
t5 Boise St 95 6
t5 Stanford 95 5
7 Oklahoma St. 90 9
8 Nebraska 76 10
9 Virginia Tech 68 11
10 South Carolina 61 13
11 Oregon 58 14
12 Florida 51 15
13 Clemson 41 NR
t14 South Florida 22 t16
t14 Baylor 22 t16
16 Arkansas 18 7
17 Texas A&M 15 8

Others Receiving Votes:  Michigan 7, Texas 4, Florida St. 4, Arizona St. 1, Georgia Tech 1

 

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Thursday Night Lights

Posted by Brett Kincaid on September 15, 2011

How many times in your life have you heard this statement?  “I sure wish I was in Starkville tonight.”

Believe it or not, that’s a true statement.  Tonight’s game between LSU and Mississippi State is the first critical game of the SEC West slate.  No, critical is not an overstatement.  This is a huge game that will have season-long implications on both teams and the rest of the division.  An LSU win solidifies the Tigers as one of the teams to beat in the conference and the nation.  A Mississippi State victory puts the Bulldogs back in the SEC West race after a humbling setback last week at Auburn.  The oddsmakers list LSU as a 3-point favorite on the road, meaning Vegas thinks LSU is at least a TD better than MSU on a neutral field.  But this game is not on a neutral field.  It’s going to be in an electric atmosphere, under the lights at Davis Wade Stadium.  I sure wish I was in Starkville tonight.

Why LSU should win:  The Tigers have a defense that may be as ferocious as the one in Tuscaloosa.  They have allowed just 91 total yards rushing in two games.  The secondary is under construction, but John Chavis has plenty of talent to rotate.  Mississippi State uses the read-option to set up its play action passing attack.  If the Bulldogs cannot run, it makes Chris Relf a drop back passer – hardly his strength.  Offensively, LSU has been good enough.  Jarret Lee is your classic “game manager” quarterback, controlling the offense largely by handing the ball to LSU’s latest stud running backs, Michael Ford and Spencer Ware.  Lee simply needs to hit enough passes to keep the Bulldogs safeties honest, creating space at the second level for Ford and Ware.  A steady rushing attack coupled with the Tigers front seven should keep the cowbells quiet and the Tigers unbeaten.

Why MSU should win:  The Bulldogs fell behind early last week before correcting some mistakes and making a late push.  But for atrocious play-calling in the last 20 seconds of the game, Mississippi State may have pulled out a victory at Auburn.  The MSU defense is not as bad as it showed Saturday, and they certainly have enough talent to contain a vanilla LSU offense.  By eliminating the big plays (Auburn scored on 2 plays over 30 yards) Mississippi State will force Jarrett Lee to engineer sustained drives for LSU to score.  Offensively, Chris Relf has the ability to take over a football game.  He’s got the potential to put up 400 yards of total offense each week, especially with the emergence of Vic Ballard.  Reducing chunk plays for LSU while putting the game in Relf’s hands will have the cowbell nation clanging loudly well into Friday morning.

And the Winner Is…

My love for Dan Mullen is well known.  I want to take the Bulldogs.  All the intangibles are on their side tonight.  Road games in the SEC are brutally tough, and night games are even more difficult.  So … I’m going to take LSU.

Defying the odds, Les Miles appears to have his team focused on a run at SEC and BCS championships.  Jarrett Lee has shown maturity in the past 2 games, bolstered by the confidence that his defense can win the game.  Lee needs to not lose the game.  He will throw at least one interception tonight, but he will also make a critical third-down conversion in each half.  Ford and Ware will wear down the Bulldogs defense in the second half, and the LSU defensive line will eventually win the war of wills.  This has the markings of a slobber-knocker SEC showdown.  I think this will be a game that reminds us all why we love SEC football.  In the end, it’ll be a big road win for the Tigers.  LSU 23, Mississippi State 17

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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 »

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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All the Way Home

Posted by Brett Kincaid on December 1, 2010

Feel free to send to your LSWhoo friends

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Les Miles Strikes Again

Posted by Brett Kincaid on November 23, 2010

I am thrilled that LSU has been able to have some success this season.  It makes it much more likely that Les Miles will stay in the SEC, which means we get more and more of his verbal gems.  This time Smiles gets taken down a path he ought not travel: Erin Andrews.

A retired sportswriter for The Baton Rouge Advocate has stirred up a controversy by asking Les Miles what it’s like “to be interviewed by a sweet, young think like Erin Andrews.”

In case you haven’t seen, the exchange has already made national news on sites like Deadspin.com.

Here’s a little background: Ted Castillo is an 86-year-old man.  LSU allows him to still take part in media events.  According to Deadspin, “He has a reputation for asking off-the-wall questions.”

Miles did recover, but as the article notes he did so one question too late.

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