This week, college football teams around the country will showcase their special Nike Pro-Combat uniforms. Nike has completely redesigned the jerseys of 10 schools (LSU, Miami, Mizzouri, Florida State, Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, TCU, Virginia Tech and Ohio State) all the way from the helmet and jersey to the dry fits and cleats. It's a win-win for both parties since Nike gets free advertising and the players and fans get to see new jerseys. Especially for teams like LSU and Ohio State with really conservative jerseys. Not only do the jerseys add a new look to the programs but the jerseys are up to 40% lighter than the normal ones.
I mean, it might not sound like much, but these jerseys are DOPE. And don't sleep on the gloves. Each team has their logo one the palm of the gloves. Dopeness.
Miami, Mizzou, FSU Oklahoma, Florida, Texas TCU, Virginia Tech, Ohio State
In Depth looks and slogans for each school: LSU: Cochon De Lait [Pig Roast] Miami: The U Knows Mizzou: Beast Mode Florida State: Fear the Spear Oklahoma: Stake Our Claim Florida: Fear the Mission Texas: Texas Fight TCU: Don't Back Down Virginia Tech: Ut Prosim [...so that I may serve] Ohio State: Earned
Yesterday's picks didn't really go to well for me. Duke had no answer for Nova's guards and couldn't make a shot into the ocean. [Seriously.] The Blue Devils shot fucking horrendous from the field. And even worse, the same three point shooting that got them to this point really let them down as they only shot 5-27 from behind the arch. Nova balled, Duke didn't.
Oh Memphis. Damn. Purdue tho???
I'm still shocked over this one because it felt like an easy pick. The defense for Memphis just didn't show up. They gave up 100 points for the first time in the John Calipari era. The first time...and in a game of this magnitude. Tyreke Evans balled like I thought he would [33 points] but he didn't get much help. Oh well. Hope you don't have them winning it all. Because then you lose.
Now onto the second half of the Sweet 16:
Game 1: Arizona (12) vs. Louisville (1), 7:07 pm
This one is pretty easy to predict. Louisville is the #1 overall seed for a reason. Terrance Williams balls and he is about to go off tonight. I think if they still had Jerryd Bayless they would have a shot. But they don't. Sorry 'Zona.
Game 2: Syracuse (3) vs. Oklahoma (2), 7:27 pm I'm gonna have to go with 'Cuse on this one. I have this on my bracket and I'm sticking by it. Jonny Flynn is going to show Willie Warren how to be a premiere college point guard. Ow. Devendorf and Rautins are gonna knock down every shot they see. Blake Griffin's gonna get his insane numbers but I'm not sure his supporting cast will really step up against this tough-minded Syracuse team.
Game 3: Kansas (3) vs. Michigan State (2), 9:37 pm
I'm going with my man (nh) from back home, Sherron Collins and the returning Champs on this one. Michigan State doesn't have the firepower in my opinion, even though they have some pretty tough defense. Fuggg it.
Game 4: Gonzaga (4) vs. North Carolina (1)
Another easy one to call. UNC is really about to blow out Gonzaga out with this one. I know Lawson is about to show that his second half against my Tigers was not a fluke. And who, exactly, does Gonzaga think is about to hold Tyler Hansbrough? Danny Green?? Wanye Ellington???? Come on Bulldogs. Carolina by 10+.
I'm thinking that might picks for tonight are more secure than last night's. I'm goin 4-0 tonight. Ow.
Oh yeah, and Wale x UCB Concert tonight at the Loft. Owwwwww.
Too bad I won't be seeing any of these games, or the Wale joint because I'm hitting up with Hawks/Celtics game tonight with Wonderboy and the boys. Watch out.
[Note: And it's sof'ing messed up that Kentucky fired Billy Gillespie after just two years. It's damn near impossible to turn a program around in two years with limited scholarships. That's part of the reason what the Devil Nick Saban did in Alabama so special. You gotta be reasonable.]
And just so you know, don't challenge me in a Bracket. Because:
A lot happened during my hiatus for Spring Break 09...mostly a lot of boring ass preseason baseball, Kobe/Lebron/D.Wade playing insane basketball, the epic SIX overtime game between Syracuse and UConn and the launching of March Madness. F'ing right.
I've been waiting since the end of College Football for March Madness and it's finally here. The best thing about this year is that with no team being able to maintain the #1 ranking during the season, there's no real team that's head-and-shoulders better than everyone else. Here's my short version of my bracket, starting with my Agreements, Disagreements, Surprises and Sleepers:
Agreements:
The #1 Seeds: I had North Carolina, Louisville and UConn in my Final Four since the beginning of the year so I had to agree with them getting the top spots. My fourth team, Oklahoma got the 2-seed in the South so I'm not too mad.
I was glad to see that my man Jonny Flynn and 'Cuse got rewarded for their heroic performance in the Big East Tourney by being given the 3-seed in the South. They should be smooth sailing until the third round against Oklahoma...
Kansas got the smooth 3-seed in the Midwest despite falling to Baylor in the Big 12 Tournament. They should make it all the way to the Elite 8 against Louisville.
HOW does LSU get the 8-seed and have to play BUTLER?? I thought that our dominance in the SEC would have been enough to get a more manageable 6- or 7-seed but we get the dreaded 8/9 match up. I was watching the Selection Show mad like:
But hey, at least it's not a 5/12....
I don't think Arizona should have made it this year. I'm a Jarryd Bayless fan but he's gone and so is Lute. Finishing the year unranked with a 19-13 record doesn't really scream "NCAA Tournament." It seems like they got in off of past seasons' performances and took a spot away from another deserving team. But that happens every year.
How can you leave out St. Mary's?? The lack of a tough conference schedule isn't really their fault. A 20-6 record (with 3 of the L's coming from Gonzaga) should have been enough to get them in the Big Dance.
Surprises:
North Dakota State. After their performance, I'm not surprised they were chosen, just surprised they were able to do it. This was their first year of NCAA Tournament eligibility and they were able to grab a spot. Impressive. Especially when a school like Northwestern has never made the Tourney....even in 71 tries.
And finally, I don't really agree/disagree about Penn State not making the Tournament, I'm just surprised. The Big 10 was shockingly good this year which made success for all of the teams impossible.
Sleepers:
VCU: Eric Maynor is a beast and he's done this before,
Siena: a fast, running team, comparable to the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, and
LSU: Gotta go with the Tigers...even though they would have the Tar Heels in round two. Oh well, the season was fun while it lasted.
Basically, this year's Tourney is wide open and it should be one of the most enjoyable in recent memory. And when your team loses, I don't want to hear anything. Just stfu. S-T-F-U!!
It really didn't take me too long to make my pick for the game. I'm going with Florida for a number of reasons:
First off, Tim Tebow.
Love him, hate him, but you have to respect him. I was one of the people clowning him for that rant after the Ole Miss loss but he delivered on his vow to be the hardest working player on the hardest working team in the country.
The addition of Percy Harvin and the loss of DeMarco Murry
Percy Harvin is possibly the most dangerous offensive threat in college football and even though Florida was able to beat Florida without him, it can't hurt to have him. Now that he's 95% healthy, I'm sure that an overrated Oklahoma defense will have trouble keeping tabs on him. As far as Murry, Oklahoma has a stable of quality running backs that they could plug in his place. It's going to be on kickoff returns, where he is averaging 28 yards per return, where the Sooners will suffer.
SEC Loyalty
I'm a huge LSU fan so even rooting for Florida feels pretty weird, but it's the right thing to do. Outside of just being loyal to the conference, having a rough and challenging schedule really prepares you for games like the National Championship. Not saying the Big 12 is weak (it's not the Big 10!) but top to bottom, the SEC does well in games of this magnitude. An SEC team has won four of the last ten BCS National Championships and this game will be the fifth.
I didn't want to say his name, but Oklahoma defensive back Dominique Franks is dumb as shit. When reporters asked where Tebow would rank as a quarterback in the Big 12, he said fourth. Behind Bradford, Colt McCoy and Graham Harrell. He also said Tebow was ugly and he can't read good. Nah, he didn't but that was dumb as hell. Nobody even knows who the fuck Dominique Franks is! It's never a good idea to wake a sleeping giant. And like Skip said, I can't wait until Tebow hits the corner and Dominique Franks gets JACKED UP!! by Tebow. Oh boy.
[Note: For the record, I do not agree with mohawks. Except on this guy]
Everybody, and I mean everybody, saw this one coming. His numbers were just TOO great this year: 48 passing touchdowns to only 6 interceptions, nearly 4,500 passing yards, a 12-1 season...beastly. But what does it all mean?? Bradford and his Sooner teammates are set to face Tim Tebow and the Florida Gators on January 8th in the National Championship but does anyone remember the last time an Oklahoma Quarterback won the Heisman and then went on to play an SEC team in the Championship...?? Expect more of the same this year. Don't get me wrong, Sam Bradford is the truth. The numbers don't lie and plus he's only the second sophomore to ever win the award. The other, you ask? Mr. Tebow. I said all that to say this, congrats Mr. Bradford, but your reign on the top is going to be short like leprachauns.
It's been a crazy year for college football and now that the Tide has been ROLLED, it's time to get ready for the Bowl Game Series.
[Note: I'm not detailing all of the bowl games, just the major ones and the ones I'm watching. Owwww.]
December:
31: -MY LSU Tigers vs. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Chic-Fil-A Bowl. (7:30)
WTF?? How the hell did we land this one?? I know we had a disappointing year defending our 2007 National Championship, but does that deserve a pairing with Georgia Tech in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GEORGIA?! Damn. I guess us playing in all those Sugar Bowls (7) has come back to haunt us. Even though it's essentially a home game for the Jackets, I still feel like we can beat them in their home state city.
January:
1: -UGA Bulldogs vs. Michigan State Spartans in the Capital One Bowl. (1 pm)
I was probably one of the people least surprised by Georgia's mediocre season, but it's I still have faith in them against Michigan State. Don't get me wrong, Javon Ringer could cause some problems but I feel like Stafford x Moreno x Massaquoi are even more dangerous. Plus, with this being the possible last game for these three together, I'm looking for big numbers.
-Penn State Nittany Lions vs. USC Trojans in the Rose Bowl. (4:30)
Oh damn. This might be one of the games I'm really looking forward to. USC, who has arguably more talent than any other team in the nation, is going against a Penn State team who was one loss away from the National Championship. I have to go with USC on this one. Their roster is too deep (pause) for Penn State to match up with, plus they're looking to prove that this should have been their year. Should be pretty high scoring, for USC at least.
-Cincinnati Bearcats vs. Virginia Tech Hokies in the Orange Bowl. (8:30)
This should also be a good one because I'm a fan of Tyrod Taylor. [Especially after they tried to T him]. I know that a 9-4 record from Tech doesn't jump out at you but they lost those four to some really good teams. Also, I think that Cincy might be a little bit of hype. This is the one game that I'm choosing to go with the underdog even though I'm not too sure it's gonna happen.
2: -Ole Miss Rebels vs. Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Cotton Bowl. (2 pm)
I usually go with the SEC team but...Texas Tech is gonna smash Ole Miss in this one. I could have easily seen Texas Tech in the National Championship while Ole Miss has more fluke wins than a little bit. Crabtree is about to go OFF on this overrated defense. Should be one of the more lopsided bowl games this year.
-Utah Utes vs. Alabama Crimson Tide in the Sugar Bowl. (8 pm)
This should be another one-sided game. Alabama is another team that could have been in the big dance, but fell short at the end. Utah was able to go undefeated but they really only beat two quality teams. It's hard for me to say it, but Bama fucking killed half of the [SEC] teams they played this year. Bama's gonna give Utah the business by at least 3 TD's. Yurp.
5: -Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Texas Longhorns in the Fiesta Bowl. (8 pm)
I'm not gonna miss one snap of this one. Ohio State has a lot to prove after a couple of trips to the Championship and the first year of a promising, young quarterback, a win over Texas would be huge. Texas, on the other hand, might have even more to prove. They were snubbed by the BCS and were unable to play in the Big 12 Championship, a game that would have allowed them to make it to the National Championship. Led by Heisman candidate Colt McCoy, they are one of the most dangerous teams in the country. This should be a legendary match-up of classic college football teams. But I'm taking Texas. [Sorry Wonderboy.]
8: -Florida Gators vs. Oklahoma Sooners in the FedEx National Championship. (8 pm)
The matchup of all matchups. A fast, quick striking offense facing a powerful and experienced defense. Oklahoma's record-setting offense has never seen a defense like Florida's but at the same time, Florida didn't face an offense like OU's this year. Percy Harvin should be at full strength and we've seen what happens when he is. I'm going with Florida off the strength of being an SEC team and I can't bet against Tim Tebow. I kind of wish it was Florida/Texas, but beggars can't be choosers. Hopefully after he cleans up the country a little bit, Barack will put his foot down and force a college football playoff. Only time will tell.
Should be a fucking awesome Bowl season. Bowlinnnnn'!!
Aight, I don't have much time to post this so I'll get straight to the point. The Big 12 aint shit. Nah, they're good but I usually could care less who wins what in their conference. This is the first year since Vince Young played that I really paid attention to any football out there but it's for a really good reason. The offenses are AMAZING. There are about 5 or 6 Heisman candidates on the offensive side of the ball...but the defenses are terrible. So with tomorrow's game being the biggest game of the year for the conference, I'm going with #2 Texas Tech over #5 Oklahoma. This was a really close decision but I'm giving the edge to Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree, especially with Oklahoma missing two of their starting defenders out for the game.
There will be little to no defense played so I'm expecting a shootout. Bradford's gonna go for 300+ yards but Harrell will go for over 400. Crabtree's gonna go wild tomorrow too. And with all that said...SEC all day.
Oh and Penn State's not losing to Michigan State. Sorry Ohio State.
[Yeah, it's a video game picture...but it's gonna happen. Boomsooka.]
Damn man. It was a big weekend for College Football...well, football in general. After USC got embarrassed by Oregon State, three of the top four teams in the nation lost as well. The most impressive of the upsets wasn't really much of an upset. #8 Alabama put up a HUGE [that'swhatshesaid] 31 unanswered first half against #3 Georgia en route to a 41-30 win...in Athens. [Note: The score doesn't really indicate how much Bama outplayed UGA.] Earlier Saturday, #4 Florida lost to an unranked Ole Miss team. The Rebels just looked better than Florida when it came down to it and even more noteworthy, the game was at the Swamp. Michigan rallied from a 19-0 deficit to upset #9 Wisconsin at home while Clemson got shocked (again) by Maryland [What up, Mook?!]. So much for a shot at the 'ship. After everything was said and done, nine of the top 25 teams lost and six of those losses were to unranked teams. Damn. This really shows that the level of talent in college football is growing and being spread out. There's no clear cut #1 for the second year in a row, which I think is best for college football.
At the end of the day, USC is now #9, Georgia fell to! #11, and Florida is at #12. Oh well. Oklahoma is the new #1, followed by LSU, Missouri, Alabama and Texas. [Note: I'm going by the Coaches' Poll because it has LSU the highest...]
Flicks from Saturday's games...
Hey USC, UGA, Florida, Wisconsin, Illinois, Wake Forest, Clemson, East Carolina and TCU....you loooooose!!
And speaking of upsets, how about Da Bears over the Eagles?! You loooooose!
DC|Chicago|Baton Rouge|ATL
Music Enthusiast.
asamp was right + Clan Eclectic.
Always and forever wavy. On a never-ending quest for the snooks, brews and some [good] new tunes.
