Bleacher Report - Articles by Brandon Buell

Buell's Eye: Championship Week Picks

Brandon Buell — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 23:03:00 -0500

The rumor is true: "Championship Week" does, in fact, produce champions. However, not every "champion" is guaranteed a BCS Bowl berth. A run for the Rose is on the table, six schools look to stay undefeated, and a dynasty in Gainesville, Florida is only two victories away from being unveiled. In all ten Top 25 match-ups this weekend, the underdog goes for a knock-out punch. Meanwhile, I go with my gut. After a 14-4 effort in Rivalry Week, my season's record moves to 214-54. I'll need my instincts to come through for me this weekend to steer me away from a very obtainable 5-5 posting, especially if every game winds up being as close as predicted. At least one upset will take place. Four Pac-10 programs go into their respected Bowl games after this weekend with identical 9-3 records. And, the BCS is under scrutiny once again as five undefeated Universities stake their claim as to why they belong in the Title game at season's end.

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Buell's Eye: Rivalry Week Picks

Brandon Buell — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:41:58 -0500

Rivlary Week is upon us! Leno vs. Letterman. Country music vs. Rap. Moms vs. Grass Stains. Husbands vs. Mother-in-Laws. And the Detroit Lions vs. the Thanksgiving Day meal, although lately the winner of that one has been on the table. Yes, it's Thanksgiving weekend, the rivlaries abound and conference championship and bowl game placements are up for grabs. Almost every game this weekend features a rivalry, a potential upset with a spoiler that has already pulled an upset somewhere along the road this season or has shown they have the ability to get it done. Last week produced a 16-4 record, taking my overall season record to an even 200 wins and 50 losses.

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Buell's Eye: Week 12's College Football Picks

Brandon Buell — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:10:41 -0500

Week 12 features not only the greatest rivalry in College Football, but the greatest rivalry, filled with unmatchable history and tradition, in all of sports. Last weekend saw the continuous onward march of the top teams, keeping all six undefeated programs' untainted record intact. USC made history in all of the wrong ways. Iowa ensured that they would not see a BCS Bowl this season after their 9-0 start with their second consecutive loss. Houston, Arizona and South Florida all took huge steps backward, as well. And, the Ohio State Buckeyes punched their ticket for yet another Rose Bowl appearance. My worst week, so far, occurred in Week 11 with a 16-6 record, leading to my 184-46 record overall. This weekend, look for three more upsets to take place while Oregon looks to meet up with Ohio State in a run for the roses, and let the first of the major rivalries begin!

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Buell's Eye: Week 11's College Football Picks

Brandon Buell — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:46:29 -0500

In Week Eleven, there are at least 15 of the 22 games that could easily go either way, involving more than half of the Top 10 teams, as well. Well, that's my opinion, at least, and it's been wrong 40 times this season. After going 18-4 in the tenth week, improving my overall season record to 168-40, Week Eleven could be quite challenging. This weekend, the University of Florida and Steve Spurrier reunite, TCU looks to continue their unbeaten season in a major match-up with a ranked intra-conference foe, and four other undefeated schools look to stay that way. And in this edition, you get just the facts. Enjoy!

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Buell's Eye: College Football's Week 10 Predictions

Brandon Buell — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:03:10 -0500

Here we are in Week Ten and seven undefeated programs still remain, although, arguably, the best team in the land at the moment may actually be a one loss team that resides in the state of Oregon. While we all know the undefeated trend is doomed to continue, this weeked is one that the majority of the top teams in the land should walk away pretty easily with a victory. Yet, if history serves me right, these same type of weekends notoriously produce the craziest of upsets. Week Nine proved to be good to me, allowing me to go 19-1 and improve my record on the year to 150-36, overall. However, if history truly is an indicator of habits being created, then those unforeseen match-up outcomes are going to catch up to me this week. No worrying on this end, though, as I am only picking two upsets this Saturday out of 22 total weekend games.

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Buell's Eye: Week Nine's College Football Picks

Brandon Buell — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:53:28 -0400

Only two teams stumbled last week in upset losses. Others failed to impress against opponents that many anticipated them to dominate, including No. 1 Florida and No. 2 Alabama. In Week Nine, 20 games await while "Prime Time" is the "right time" as No. 5 USC and No. 10 Oregon and No. 3 Texas and No. 14 Oklahoma State square off and No. 22 South Carolina travels to hostile Neyland Stadium to play a hungry Tennessee Volunteers squad. Last weekend featured a 17-5 record for me, taking the season total to 131-35. Trick or treat, Week Nine will exhibit four upsets by the end of Halloween night, containing a Top 10 team with National Title aspirations, in its wake.

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Buell's Eye: Week Eight's College Football Picks

Brandon Buell — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:41:19 -0400

Love it or hate it, the BCS is upon us. Love them or hate them, the Florida Gators remain ranked at the top. Alabama may have jumped over the Gators in the Associated Press Poll, but come the mid part of the season, the BCS Standings undeniably take precedence. Last weekend featured the #4 and #7 team falling out of the Top 10 after upset losses while Kansas fell from the list of unbeaten schools by losing to a 1-4 Colorado Buffalo team. Just like with this upcoming weekend, Week 7 provided many toss-up match-ups, leading to my 12-6 record and 114-30, overall. Seven unbeatens remain, one will fall on Saturday, and five upsets overall will take place as the BCS Standings arrive just in time to get completely reshuffled.

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Buell's Eye: Week 7's College Football Picks

Brandon Buell — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:48:26 -0400

While Week 6 answered some of the questions still left behind after the start of this 2009 season, Week 7 is destined to dispose of even more as 6 of the 18 games feature match-ups between ranked teams. And, as destiny often does, it is sure to catch up with me this weekend after last week's 16-2 record, only 7 total points away from going undefeated. My overall record rose to 102-24, while a tough week for predictions is dead ahead. Five of the Top 10 teams are on the list to play another ranked opponent, preparing the main course as those high hope programs fight for their spot at the head of the table.

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Buell's Eye: Week 6's College Football Picks

Brandon Buell — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:54:29 -0400

Maybe we're starting to see the true side to the Top 25 College Football teams in the country heading into Week 6. Then again, maybe not. After going 13-4 last weekend, my record on the year moves to 86-22. Several teams waved goodbye to their BCS Title dreams after Week 5, including the Oklahoma Sooners, California Golden Bears, Georgia Bulldogs, and the Houston Cougars. On the other side of the coin, there is fresh blood and unbeaten teams entering the rankings this week. Three upsets will take place, including two programs suffering their first losses of the season, and a primetime SEC showdown between two top ranked undefeated schools features a premiere player who hopes to be on the right side of the sidelines.

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Buell's Eye: Week 5's College Football Picks

Brandon Buell — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:02:46 -0400

Now, that was some College Football. In a weekend where I got throttled, 17-7, taking my yearly prediction totals to 73-18, we saw the #4, #5, and #6 teams all lose in the midst of seven total upsets. Tim Tebow got knocked out of a game with a concussion and will try to recover before taking on the undefeated, #4 LSU Tigers in two weeks, while outside of the Top 3 teams, inconsistency and unpredictability reign as it is anyone's game after the first four weeks of this young College Football season. Week 5 has arrived and there are some key match-ups this weekend that will undoubtedly affect the BCS landscape, overall.

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Buell's Eye: Week 4's College Football Picks

Brandon Buell — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 01:19:38 -0400

Let's recap, shall we? 1) USC stumbled big time. 2) Florida beating Tennessee was a little too close for their comfort. 3) BYU saw their BCS hopes dim quite a bit. 4) Virginia Tech escaped in late miracle fashion. 5) Miami and Cincinnati remain surprising, hot, and undefeated. 6) The nation's longest winning streak was snapped as Utah finally fell. 7) Washington reached the Top 25 after not winning a game in 2008. 8) Michigan tied their win total from last season. And, that was only Week 3. This week, reach in your pocket, and pull out a coin. You might as well flip it as Week 4 arrives because many match-ups this weekend could go either way. After suffering five losses from my picks in the crazy Week 3, my overall season's record moves to 56-11, and here's to hoping that Week 4 treats me a little better, even though I see four big upsets looming on the horizon.

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Buell's Eye: Week 3's College Football Picks

Brandon Buell — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:09:37 -0400

Ah, yes, the resurgence of certain College Football programs is upon us: Michigan takes down the Fighting Irish in Ann Arbor to crack the Top 25 poll at #25 after their 3-9 season in 2008. The #20 Miami Hurricanes try to prove they're back after defeating Florida State in Week 1 with a Thursday night match-up against the (2-0) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, a game that already has ACC Championship implications in only the third week of the 2009 season. #19 Nebraska travels to Blacksburg, Virginia to try and add to their (2-0) start against the #13 (1-1) Virginia Tech Hokies. The Top 10 has some new names so far this season and Week 3 is a huge step in continuing this year's new found success for many schools that are on the rise and in the polls. Last week brought home a 20-3 record in my second week's picks, as I sit at 38-6 overall, missing the Wolverines winning at home against Notre Dame, not even thinking about Houston showing up to beat Oklahoma State, and watching Vanderbilt fall pretty short in my upset pick against LSU. In Week 3, bring on the upsets!

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Buell's Eye: Week 2's College Football Picks

Brandon Buell — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:58:42 -0400

After an eye-opening Week 1 in College Football, the first game jitters are out of the way for the Top 25 teams, except for one, and I go into Week 2 with an 18-3 record after my opening weekend's Top 25 match-up predictions. Included in the 3 missed picks were Oklahoma being upset by Brigham Young, Oregon losing to Boise State for the second straight year, and Florida State coming up short at the last second against Miami in an instant classic game of that Sunshine State rivalry. The first weekend of the season showed us the resurgence of several heralded programs that have struggled in recent years, injured a Heisman Trophy Winner and a top-ranked University's dream of a National Title, displayed the surprisingly inept offense of the once-ranked Oregon Ducks with one punch, and established credibility for certain "BCS Busters." Heading into Week 2, we see two of those rising, traditionally-rich programs face off in an early-season bout, while another rivalry featuring Top 10 schools kicks off in Columbus, Ohio.

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Cat's Out the Bag: 2009 Jacksonville Jaguars Season Could be Year To Forget

Brandon Buell — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 21:40:49 -0400

Last season was supposed to be a memorable one for the Jacksonville Jaguars. Well, in a sense, it still was. It just wasn't in the way that the team, the players, the coaches, and the fans had anticipated. After going 5-11 in 2008, without many highlights or positives to write home about, 2009 needs to be a year in which the Jaguars get back on their feet and headed in the right direction. Unfortunately, it won't be.

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Buell's Eye: Week 1's College Football Picks

Brandon Buell — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 01:35:13 -0400

In Week 1 of the 2009 College Football season, the nation sees the return of two Heisman Trophy winners hoping to lead their respected teams to another BCS National Championship appearance, along with other Top 25 match-ups that already have National Title hope implications. The schedule begins with a Thursday night competition between two ranked opponents out West and ends with a Monday night rivalry showdown between Florida intra-state rivals. The College Football season has finally arrived, and in timely fashion, here are Week 1's Top 25 College Football match-up predictions.

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Surprise! Oklahoma, Georgia Tech Will Shock College Football, Play for BCS Title

Brandon Buell — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:12:23 -0400

Simply put, not picking the Florida Gators to repeat as National Champions in 2009 is stupid.

Fresh off their third national championship in a 13-1, truly dominating 2008 season, they're already poised for another national title run with Mr. Tim "Superman" Tebow under center leading, orchestrating, and encouraging the offense.

The Gators' schedule this year is easier than 2008, with the only tests being an Oct. 10 matchup at LSU, an Oct. 31 showdown versus Georgia in Jacksonville, and the intrastate rivalry game against Florida State in "The Swamp" to end the regular season.

LSU is not as dominant now as they have been in recent years, Georgia is Matthew Stafford-less, and the Seminoles are still a year away from being a true threat in the national title scene.

SEC matchups against Tennessee, Arkansas, and South Carolina should not pose much of a threat either.

Of course, Florida's only loss against Mississippi last season did come as a surprise, but it obviously did not keep them from playing for the heralded trophy come January.

So, if they're running through the regular season unscathed, how do they miss the national title game?

There is nothing quite like a late-season loss in your conference championship game to ruin a season. A stunning last-second defeat to Alabama or Mississippi in the SEC Championship this season will keep the Gators on the outside looking in.

Not to worry, Gator Nation, you'll still easily make a BCS bowl berth and will probably even get the opportunity to pick on the Buckeyes from Ohio State once again.

But who will take Florida's place in the BCS National Championship Game?

That answer may surprise you.

Although the Oklahoma Sooners start off the season ranked third in both the Associated Press and USA Today polls, the Florida versus Texas pick for the national title game seems to be the popular prediction.

Not so fast my friends.

It's dangerous to pick against a Sooners team led by head coach Bob Stoops and Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford, especially when they're seeking to avenge not only their 10-point defeat to the national champion Gators, but also their other 10-point loss last season against their Red River Rivalry buddy in the Texas Longhorns.

How many times this decade alone has Oklahoma been the team to beat all year long, only to fall short at season's end?

That fire has been ignited and burning for several years now, and last season only stoked it more, finally making it ready for this season's feast.

Yes, Oklahoma controversially beat out Colt McCoy and the Longhorns to play in the BCS title game last season, sparking Texas' own desire for revenge this year. However, Texas will join the likes of Florida and Ohio State come season's end, finding out what other BCS bowl they will play in.

As for the Sooners' regular season, tough matchups versus Brigham Young in the season opener, at Kansas in October, at Nebraska, at Texas Tech, and versus Oklahoma State in November will prove tough competition, but they will not knock down "Boomer Sooner" this year.

That will lead the way to a dominant Big 12 title game victory and a win against their surprise competitor in the BCS Championship.

As for that unseen, unpopular pick to play the Sooners, where on Earth will they be coming from?

Although Lou Holtz's recent biased pick for Notre Dame to find total resurgence and play for the national title game in 2009 raised eyebrows all across the nation, mine may do much of the same, especially since my pick calls the ACC home.

No team from the ACC has played for the national title since Florida State defeated Michael Vick's Virginia Tech Hokies 46-29 in 1999.

Remember that when the Miami Hurricanes played in consecutive title games in 2001 and 2002, winning against Nebraska and then losing to Ohio State, they were still part of the Big East Conference.

This year, finally, the ACC will proudly display one of their 12 universities in the very last game of the college football season.

But it will still lose.

When Paul Johnson took over at Georgia Tech last season after leaving the Navy Midshipmen, he brought the spread-option offense with him, leading the Yellow Jackets to a surprising 9-4 record and a Chick-fil-A Bowl appearance.

With his starters returning, Georgia Tech is set to run through their schedule without much trouble. Tougher matchups versus North Carolina in late September, at Florida State and versus Virginia Tech in October, and at home against intrastate rival Georgia to end the regular season will not down the Jackets this season.

Instead, it will take them to a victory in the ACC Championship Game, setting up two undefeated programs for the BCS National Championship Game as other one-loss teams fall just short.

Final Prediction: Oklahoma beats Georgia Tech 44-24.

Buell's Eye: Major League Baseball's 2009 Predictions

Brandon Buell — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:40:11 -0400

In recent years, Major League Baseball has undeniably seen its share of variety.

New teams and faces have taken the stage, and history books have not just been rewritten, but they have been replaced.

It started in 2001 when the Yankee Empire, who had just won three straight World Series, was replaced by the fastest team to go from expansion to champion—the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The 2002 season marked the sighting of Angels in the outfield in a classic seven-game World Series between Anaheim and Barry Bonds’ San Francisco Giants.

In 2003, inexperienced youth conquered veteran winning machines as the Florida Marlins won their second World Championship in seven years the over 26-time World Series Champion New York Yankees.

The Bronx Bombers fell short once again in 2004 in record-breaking, ultimate choking fashion as they lost a three-game lead in the American League Championship Series to the ever-popular, ever-cursed Boston Red Sox.

Big Papi, Manny Ramirez, an unmatchable starting rotation and first year coach, Terry Francona, led the Red Sox past the Yankees and on to a sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals in the Series, erasing 86 grueling years for Red Sox fans and Red Sox Nation.

Not to be outdone, the White Sox of southside Chicago had their own curse to break as their unorthodox fearless leader, Ozzie Guillen, knocked off the Astros in 2005 in what was Houston’s first ever World Series appearance.

It was the Sox’s first championship since 1917, erasing haunting memories from their own cheating scandal in 1919 involving “Shoeless" Joe Jackson.

2006 saw the return and resurgence of two of the oldest and most prestigious baseball franchises: the St. Louis Cardinals and the Detroit Tigers. The Cardinals celebrated their 11th World Series title, outlasting the Tigers, who hadn’t had a winning season since 1993.

86-years was literally a lifetime for most Red Sox fans, but after breaking the curse in 2004 Boston won another World Series championship in 2007.

The Colorado Rockies were on fire at the right time, ending their season on a tear, winning their first playoff series and National League pennant in franchise history, only to fall short of the experienced Red Sox in a short-lived World Series.

And finally, last season continued its production of brand new teams in the spotlight, as the Tampa Bay Rays shed their demons, stepped out of the American League basement, and impressively strolled into the World Series against the Championship-plagued city of Philadelphia.

Phillies’ shortstop Jimmy Rollins, made good on his guarantee and citizens of the “City of Brotherly Love” rejoiced for the first time since 1983.

So, with the last several years being truly unpredictable, whose turn will it be in 2009 to surprise baseball fans and hoist the World Series trophy?

Well, loosen your face muscles, because this list of predictions is sure to raise some eyebrows and drop some jaws:

American League

East: New York Yankees

Central: Cleveland Indians

West: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Wild Card: Minnesota Twins

National League

East: New York Mets

Central: Chicago Cubs

West: Los Angeles Dodgers

Wild Card: Cincinnati Reds

Playoff outlook

ALDS

Yankees vs. Twins (Yankees in 4)

Indians vs. Angels (Indians in 5)

ALCS

Yankees vs. Indians: Yankees in 6

NLDS

Mets vs. Reds (Mets in 5)

Cubs vs. Dodgers (Dodgers in 5)

NLCS

Mets vs. Dodgers (Dodgers in 7)

World Series

Yankees vs. Dodgers (Yankees in 6)

World Series MVP: Mark Teixeira

American League Awards

Cy Young: (CLE) Carlos Pavano (18-4, 2.42 ERA)

MVP: (CLE) Grady Sizemore (.323, 31 HR, 129 RBI)

Manager: (CLE) Eric Wedge (91 Wins)

National League Awards

Cy Young: (NYM) Johan Santana (20-6, 2.55 ERA)

MVP: (LAD) Manny Ramirez (.304, 35 HR, 144 RBI)

Manager: (CIN) Dusty Baker (Wild Card)

Buell's Eye: Opening Day

Brandon Buell — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 18:19:03 -0400

Opening Day

From the leather to the fresh cut grass, and all the way to each ballpark across the nation, there is just something that is perfect and pure about “Opening Day.”

Some look at it simply as the end of the winter and the start of spring; life renewed.

Other see that renewed life as the defining characteristic for their beloved team that failed to make the playoffs the year before.

For me, and especially stemming from the recent era that baseball is so eagerly trying to forget, “Opening Day” exhibits the meaning, passion, principles, and fundamentals that this game is truly still all about.

I have lived and breathed the game of baseball since before I could walk, back when my father would tell me about the heyday for his Pittsburgh Pirates, led by some ballplayer—his favorite—named Roberto Clemente. I would hear stories about his legacy, his roots, and his indescribably strong arm in right field when a long drive off of a wooden bat would take him back to the warning track for a running catch, followed by his immediate throw back to home plate on the fly when nobody was even expecting it.

I heard about this new up-and-coming star, this skinny and tall promising outfielder named Barry Bonds, just trying to follow in his own father’s giant footsteps.

The game was pure. It involved bunting the ball, stealing bases, and moving runners over. The home run was impressive, but it wasn’t the first story on Sportscenter the next morning. Pitchers dominated the mound for nine innings or more, players stayed on the same team for the duration of their career, and ballparks were named after local heroes and real people, not the highest incorporated bidder.

Thirty-plus years and thousands of drug tests later, this game has undoubtedly changed. Yet, through it all, “Opening Day” still holds true to its meaning, and there is plenty to cheer about.

It’s still about the leather. They still mow the lawn and drag the infield, and it still marks the start of another year in true baseball enthusiasts’ minds.

Last year, America celebrated its past time by watching the first pitch on television, live from Japan at 6 o’clock in the morning, Eastern Time.

This year, America gets to celebrate it normally, on a Sunday night, in true American fashion, live from Philadelphia, home of the reigning World Series’ champions.

Bringing it back home to the States is where it belongs, and focusing on the small, simple, and pure aspects of the game is exactly what baseball needs to do to return to its glory days.

Putting so much importance on the long ball and the numbers on the back of the baseball card had the same affect on the game that aggressively and blindly lending money had on the econom. It’s what got us in trouble in the first place.

Although we could always use more walk-ons like David Eckstein and comeback stories like Josh Hamilton’s, not every player is as big of a let-down as Alex Rodriguez and Miguel Tejada.

There are 30 Major League Baseball teams, each with 40-man rosters and three Minor League organizations. There are stories to be celebrated and players to be cheered for on each and every level.

They are still making leather.

They are still cutting grass.

There can still be joy in Mudville.

And there will always be a time to celebrate “Opening Day”.

Buell's Eye: How to Fix The Big Ten Conference In College Football

Brandon Buell — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:56:51 -0500

Apparently, I am the only one bothered by the fact there are 11 teams in the Big TEN Conference. So, I decided to make it public:

As if it would actually suffice, someone decided to include a hidden "11" in the conference's logo (see above).

In 18 years, since Penn State joined the Big Ten in 1990, that was the best idea?

Sad.

The truth of the matter is this:

It's time for the oldest college athletic conference in Division I to join the rest of the country. The day of running through the tackles, "North to South," black and blue, leather helmet-wearing football is dead.

Go dig it up in a graveyard in the middle of Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Ask Michigan, (3-8), about Appalachian State.

Ask Ohio State about Florida, LSU, and USC.

There are fantastic coaches and unbelievable talent strewn all through this conference, no different than the others. Yet, changing the style of play is not the only thing in need of change to bring this conference back to the elite status that embodies the Big XII and the SEC Conferences.

The mission, should they choose to accept it: bring in a 12th team, establish a conference championship game, and return to prominence.

Wait, I know. I know. I can already hear the complaints.

"What about the name, the 'Big Ten', when you have twelve teams?"

"What about replacing that 12th team in the conference they came from?"

And...

"Won't adding a championship game on to the end of each season ruin rivalries, such as Ohio State vs. Michigan?"

These are great questions and arguments, but here are better answers and options:

1) First of all, you ruined the name of the Big Ten Conference when you added the 11th team.

So, just call it the "Midwest Conference" and move on.

2)There are several options of obtaining a 12th team and replacing them in their old conferences. Remember, the ACC recently stole Boston College, Virginia Tech, and Miami from the Big East to solidify their conference and establish a championship game.

The shifting after that was simple.

The Big East replinished itself by taking teams from the C-USA. The C-USA went out and found teams from other conferences. And, the trickle-down effect continued.

Today, there is a reason why College Football is so "crazy" these days with all the upsets that we're witnessing. That type of shifting creates new rivalries with new scheduling, a stronger and more equal balance through out the football footprint, and we see a rise of certain teams because of it.

It's about building programs, watching the WAC take down the Big Ten, and giving teams, coaches, and student athletes opportunities they never had. Change can be good, after all.

If you don't like it, go join the Big Ten in the middle of their graveyard shift.

Here's a hint: You'll find them in Ann Arbor.

In reality, the dream option would be, of course, to have Notre Dame join the Big Ten. Unfortunately, this will never happen because the Fighting Irish have it made far too well with all of the publicity, notoriety, and funding they receive from being "Independent." (Look it up. It's ridiculous).

They are college football's, the BCS', and the founding fathers' favorite son, and always will be, even if it hurts daddy to watch them during their poor performances.

So, instead, here are your options:

Take Iowa State from the BIG XII and move them into the new and improved "Midwest Conference". They are the school out of that conference with the best location to satisfy the former Big Ten. Plus, I don't think the Big XII will really miss them, do you? This established 12 teams in the former Big Ten, the new "Midwest," creates a championship game, and adds a little spice to the in-need-of-improvement Iowa vs. Iowa State rivalry.

Back in the Big XII, you have your choice. Since Utah, BYU, and TCU like to have good looking records without having to play anyone of importance to get there, take one of them out of the Mountain West Conference and force them to play some tougher competition. Besides, you already have Texas, Texas Tech, and Texas A&M in that conference as it is, why not add Texas Christian?

A number of teams from the Mid-Major conferences would be fine candidates to replace the old team in the MWC. So, let the trickle-down effect begin and watch these forgotten conferences begin to matter even more.

Note: I would mention taking Pittsburgh out of the Big East as an option to re-create the old rivalry of Pitt vs. Penn State, but I think the Big East deserves to be, and needs to be, left alone for awhile!

3) Now that you have created a better balance, what happens to the state of the new "Midwest Conference" with the added championship game at the end of the season and the inter-conference rivalries?

Well, Iowa vs. Iowa State now matters outside of Iowa.

Michigan vs. Michigan State might even start to matter outside the great state of Michigan.

Remove the headstones, and there might be some playable turf left.

If you're a proven team, you won't mind playing for your own conference's title, no matter if you're in a BCS, or a playoff, format. That extra game will help to solidify your presence at, or near, the top of the charts.

And yes, Ohio State vs. Michigan is the greatest rivalry in all of College Football, and one of the greatest in all of sports.

Period.

No one in Ohio, Michigan or the rest of the country wants to disturb that and diminish it into what the rivalry between Oklahoma and Nebraska has turned into.

Yet, losses against Florida, LSU, or USC like Ohio State has had, or losses against Appalachian State and Toledo like Michigan has had, is actually and truly what will diminish a program, a conference, and a rivalry.

So, follow my simple and easy instructions to reconstruct yourself into a powerhouse of a university and conference, and here's to the future.

Until then, dot the "I," "Hail to the Victors," and enjoy the best rivalry in college football this Saturday at noon.

Buell's Eye: Manny Ramirez, A True American Hero

Brandon Buell — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:45:25 -0500

Have we now seen our worst economic time in American history?

If the days during the Great Depression were given a name, what will they call the moment we’re currently living in?

Companies are merging like two out of control vehicles on the highway, the federal government is bailing out select doomed businesses, the Dow Jones is dropping like a Terrell Owens reception, and major players in the automobile industry could soon be joining the unfortunate billion-dollar companies that have already gone belly-up.

The "Regular Joes"—including Joe the Plumber—are selling their gas-guzzling SUVs, foreclosing on their homes, and finding a price, any price, to remove the shirt off their back.

Our proud, world-dominating country is in peril.

Meanwhile, Manny Ramirez and Scott Boras are finally about ready to clear their own personal agendas to listen to “serious financial offers” for the 36-year-old slugger, comparable to what he might actually be “worth.”

Reportedly, The Wall Street Journal estimated that number would be in the ballpark of $27 million, based on a formula that calculates how many wins a free-agent player is worth.

Compare that number to how many accounts and client relationships the employees at Lehman Brothers would have been responsible for. I’m certain it’s probably pretty accurate and justifiable to the amount written on their unemployment checks.

But, wait, this is just another example of "Manny being Manny," right?

This coming from the man who is the epitome of textbook fielding out in left field, wouldn’t hustle to first base for the esteemed Boston Red Sox and their adoring fans, and who shoved Red Sox traveling secretary, Jack McCormick, to the ground over an argument about possibly not being able to allot enough game-day tickets to the adverse and invaluable Mr. Ramirez.

Apparently, shoving an innocent employee wasn’t enough.

Now entering the ring, the current state of the economy!

Okay. Okay. Let’s be fair. Manny did later apologize. Therefore, if a picture is worth a thousand words, saying I’m sorry is apparently worth $27 million. Eventually, Ramirez will be worth so much that he’ll claim the baseball diamond is too small for him.

Granted, he is a future Hall-of-Famer, one of the greatest hitters ever to step into the batters’ box, and is absolutely impressive and entertaining to watch. They created SportsCenter in Bristol, CT and distributed water coolers in offices all over the United States for athletes just like him.

Of course, the same could be said for Barry Bonds. He certainly has showed his genuine concern for the game of baseball in recent years.

Now, Ramirez and Boras are showing their concern for the current economy—a ballplayer paid to hit a ball and wear a jock strap, and a pencil pusher paid to represent him so he can collect his percentage.

Never mind the workers on the oil rigs, in the assembly lines, the steel mills, the classrooms, the real-estate offices, or the patient humble and forgotten peasants in the welfare line. Even if their voices could be heard, they would probably interfere with the contract negotiations.

The average American citizen can’t afford to keep his home full of memories, put gasoline in his car to get to the job he isn’t sure he’ll still have tomorrow, or get a loan to dig themselves out of the enormous hole that the stack of bills they can’t pay and the debt they can’t fathom have them buried in.

Yet, on the other hand, Manny Ramirez will keep his mansion, have his driver pay for the gasoline in his limousine, and will inevitably be handed a worthy $18,500 an inning to drop a routine flyball and saunter to first base after grounding into a double play.

Please, don’t fret though, fans. He’ll be up again soon to redeem his mistake with a three-run blast to deep center, as the remaining capable fans cheer and applaud their hero, the same way they did in San Francisco as, arguably, the greatest record in sports was reduced to nothing more than an asterisk.

In the meantime, the rest of us can be found at home, finding other ways to survive till tomorrow, searching for reasons to give thanks around the table on Thanksgiving, and discussing the easiest way to explain to our children why the Christmas tree and stockings are so bare and empty this year.

Buell's Eye: College Football in Central Florida is History in the Making

Brandon Buell — Thu, 29 May 2008 05:38:17 -0400

In the inaugural Tangerine Bowl in 1947, played at what is now known as the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium, Catawba defeated Maryville 31-0. Not all that impressive, even for the 9,000 fans in attendance.

And where in the world is Catawba? Well, at least all the proceeds went to charity, earning the game its nickname as the “Little Bowl with the Big Heart.

61 years later, the game still contributes to charity, exhibits a new name and sponsor (Capital One), and continues to call the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium home. Yes, it has developed quite a bit along the way, and currently it offers the largest pay-out of any of the non-Bowl Championship Series bowls at $4.25 million per team.

“In what is labeled as a ‘tourist town,’ Orlando has accelerated its stature by becoming a major player in the national market for college football,” stated Steve Hogan. He is the Executive Director for Florida Citrus Sports, a non-profit organization that heads up not only the Capital One Bowl, but the Champs Sports Bowl, as well.

With those two bowl games played just days apart in the Central Florida area, that proves to be a little more impressive, doesn’t it? That should probably bring in a little more than 9,000 fans, too.

Establishing Central Florida as that “major player” in college football is the end result of a long, arduous process that has involved a plethora of different phases and faces along the way.

“We are fortunate that we are able to watch four major teams, in two highly important games, at the same location so close to home. Nowhere else in the country can people say that they have that privilege.”

From 1947-1982, the Tangerine Bowl blossomed in Central Florida. In 1983, it transformed into the Florida Citrus Bowl, merging with CompUSA as a sponsor in 1994, and then Ourhouse.com in 2000.

When the new millennium rolled around, Capital One arrived on the scene and wound up becoming the exclusive sponsor in 2003 for the game that consists of the No. 2 team in both the Big Ten and the Southeastern Conferences.

The new millennium also delivered the birth of a second bowl game in Central Florida: the Champs Sports Bowl.

Originally in Miami, this game didn’t don its name until the 2004 season. Before then, Blockbuster, Carquest, MicronPC, and Mazda all took turns backing the game that entertains the No. 4 team from the Atlantic Coast and the Big Ten Conferences, and was once known as the “Sunshine Classic.”

Despite the continuously revolving door of sponsors, corporations, and contractual agreements that has unpacked its bags at the Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium, Florida Citrus Sports continues to reign as the mainstay company. They decide who may enter, and who may go.

In addition, they also continue their involvement with the “Florida Classic,” the annual meeting between Bethune-Cookman College and Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.

When a bid to transform the Capital One Bowl into a fifth BCS bowl game was unsuccessful, action was taken to convert the minor setback into positive momentum.

They cited the aging conditions of the stadium that was built in 1936—back when it was known as the Orlando Stadium—as the reason. Then the Orange County Commissioners voted to fund the renovation of the Florida Citrus Bowl, which is designed to be completed by January of 2011.

“The entire lower section will be gutted and taken away,” Hogan said. “We’ll have new concourses, restrooms, aisles, seats, and many other new-age upgrades.”

Improvements to the playing site in Orlando go hand-in-hand with the recent advancement that has landed Central Florida on the map in the college football world.

“This renovation removes all obstacles, with adjustments made and money spent, helping to solidify Orlando on top of the list for future considerations in the way of what we went after in 2004,” continued Hogan.

With the Champs Sports Bowl and the Capital One Bowl having contracts with ESPN and ABC, respectively, that type of national television exposure certainly does help to congeal the city of Orlando, particularly since both games are played after Christmas and with the Capital One Bowl becoming known as a New Year’s Day tradition.

“We are fortunate,” concluded Hogan, “that we are able to watch four major teams, in two highly important games, at the same location so close to home. Nowhere else in the country can people say that they have that privilege.”

We’re Talking Baseball: Roger Maris, Hank Aaron Still Rule as Home Run Kings

Brandon Buell — Mon, 19 May 2008 17:00:16 -0400

There are certain events in our history that require one certain question during conversation.

“Do you remember where you were when ‘it’ happened?”

For the older generation, the ‘it’ is Pearl Harbor. For my parents’ generation, it is President John F. Kennedy being assassinated. For mine, it’s September 11^th.

But as for me, the subject matter is normally sports-related. On the night of Aug. 7, 2007, I was shooting pool at McGregor’s Bar in downtown Mt. Dora, Florida. The game was being televised, and I saw the entire event live.

I remember the pitch. I saw the swing. And I watched as number 756 flew over the outfield fence off of Barry Bonds’ wooden bat.

I felt nothing. For ten minutes I stood there, emotionless.

Holding the pool cue, I stared at the television as Bonds rounded the bases, celebrated with the brainwashed fans of San Francisco, and destroyed the significance and meaning of the most important record in all of sports.

To be fair, there was a time when I celebrated all of Barry’s accomplishments. He is, after all, one of the greatest baseball players to have ever graced the field.

The problem is, however, that he is the greatest player to have ever tainted the game.

He chased after Hank Aaron to steal his title and wear his crown of the “All-Time Home Run King.”

He already overtook the throne that Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire apathetically kicked Roger Maris out of belonging to the “Single Season Home Run King.”

But, simply put, he, and they, cheated.

Unfortunately, and obviously, we are beginning to realize just how many players took anabolic steroids and performance-enhancing drugs—two terms that should never roll off our tongues as swiftly and comfortably as those do today.

And no, I don’t care if anyone chooses to blow up the record-setting ball, brand it with an asterisk, blow it into orbit, or instead, innocently inscribe the names of those players in the record books next to Maris and Aaron—pretending that they are just as much heroes that those two men were in their day.

Ask any fan—any real baseball fan.

If we can easily state that certain players cheated, then we should be able to easily reinstate Maris and Aaron as the record holders—the “Kings”—even if it’s only in our minds.

In addition, sometimes actions really do speak louder than words, or in this case—numbers.

Let me explain.

If you remember when history was made in 1998, Roger Maris’ family was there to celebrate with and to be congratulatory of Sosa and McGwire.

When Bonds lifted his hands in triumph and trotted around the bases amidst the fireworks erupting, the cameras clicking, and the lights flashing, taking all the time he wanted on the field as he embraced the title, the crown, and the throne—Aaron had taken the time to record a message that was shown on the ballpark’s monitor that night to congratulate him.

Yet, in the middle of Congressional hearings, McGwire sobbed, and Sammy needed an interpreter as their magnificent careers were reduced to shambles.

And, although he has been given chance after chance and opportunity after opportunity, Bonds refuses to come clean and remains unapologetic with no remorse.

When it comes to humbleness versus humiliation, it will produce the same result and the same winner every time.

So, on Saturday, May 17, 2008, the former home run king, Hank Aaron, was asked to speak at the commencement for Concordia University. He spoke words of wisdom that a true hero is capable of.

“This is advice from an old man who has been a lot of places, seen a lot of things,” he started. “Be careful before you make choices. Avoid shortcuts. They are quick fixes and unrewarding.”

His use of vocabulary is probably taking effect somewhere outside of the Concordia University campus.

I believe it was meant to.

Aaron even went as far as saying beforehand to reporters, “I still consider myself the home run king.”

And folks, that is the one and only reality of this situation—at least until somebody comes along and legitimately replaces Mr. Aaron and Mr. Maris.

Give them back the crowns that they worked so hard to earn. After all, we are still a people that want a deserving king, aren’t we?

Buell's Eye: "Continuing the Legacy," an Exclusive Barry Larkin Interview

Brandon Buell — Sun, 18 May 2008 19:57:47 -0400

Growing up in Cincinnati, Barry Larkin was a Reds fan. He watched the team. He followed their season. He idolized their shortstop—his hero—Dave Concepcion.

While playing for Cincinnati, Concepcion took Barry under his wing—the veteran protecting the rookie—and taught him one invaluable lesson after another, helping to prepare him for his future as a longtime Red.

“Davey pressed upon me the basic principles of the game,” stated Larkin. “The whole reason why we are here is to teach those basic principles.”

The we, is Champions Sports Complex, Barry’s longtime dream to help with player development and growth. And here, is Orlando, Florida.

The Complex sprawls 92,000 square feet and was established nearly five years ago. It contains four basketball courts, eight volleyball courts, an indoor baseball/softball field, automated batting cages, a weight room, an arcade, and even an outside area designed for football, soccer, and lacrosse. Also inside is the “Game Day Café”, a full-service restaurant operated by Barry’s wife.

One of the more notable additions is an educational room, where kids can go to study and actually take tests, some of which can help detect any sign of possible learning disability, benefiting them inside the classroom in the future.

Larkin serves as President and CEO of Champions Sports Complex, as well as still acting as the Special Assistant to the Washington Nationals General Manager, Jim Bowden. This mostly relates to helping with players in the Nationals’ farm system.

In addition, Barry has become known as one of the “Ambassadors” of Major League Baseball, a lot of which has to do with his work and teachings with different teams and organizations, such as traveling to Italy to work with European teams, and helping out with the Chinese National team, as of late.

“I see it as a responsibility of mine to teach others,” continued Larkin. “I pass on information that Concepcion, Pete Rose, and Eric Davis taught me. Those guys weren‘t just players; they were teachers.” “I asked myself what kind of legacy I wanted to leave, and outside of playing baseball, I wanted to do something substantial, and to socially have an impact.”

Champions Sports Complex is an example of just that. By focusing on every aspect of sports, athletes of any age are able to show up, use any part of the facility at their own time and pace, and work on their game on any given day of the week. It serves as a home to strangers, regulars, and even the occasional professional who happens to stop by. In short, Barry has helped create a learning environment for players eager to learn.

Outside of Larkin, the staff also consists of recognizable faces such as former NBA player Dee Brown, and current Cincinnati Reds outfielder and slugger, Adam Dunn.

Barry has been living in the Orlando area for almost thirteen years now. Even with three Gold Glove awards, twelve All-Star appearances, one MVP award, and a World Series Championship ring in his nineteen year career as a Red, Larkin actually went to the University of Michigan, before any of that, on a football scholarship as a defensive back.

With that type of success in multiple sports, Barry can certainly be looked upon as a credible athlete, role model, and teacher when it comes to impacting someone else’s life.

“I love basketball too, and I’ve watched our U.S. basketball team lose in the past to Puerto Rico and other countries, and it seemed to me that we had lost our idea of fundamentals,” continued Larkin. “What people don’t realize is that professionals are sensational because of the fundamentals. The sensationalism has taken over the professionalism.”

He continued, saying “I want this place to be a training facility to erase that. I want the kids to learn. I want them to grow. I want parents to feel comfortable that their kids are in a safe environment, and I want the city to support what we’re doing here.”

Support for the complex. Support for the kids and the athletes. And support for the game.

The way Concepcion supported Barry in Cincinnati. And for the same reason that the great St. Louis Cardinal shortstop, Ozzie Smith, gave a signed glove to Barry after Smith retired. On the glove it read: “Continue the legacy.”

Contact Champions Sports Complex by calling (407)-351-9700, or by simply visiting their website.

We’re Talking Baseball: A Season of Change, Purpose, and Wrigley Field

Brandon Buell — Sun, 18 May 2008 18:52:19 -0400

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.”

–Ecclesiastes 3:1

Baseball is still just like heaven.

In Field of Dreams, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson’s character mistakes an Iowa cornfield for it. And much like in Iowa, the people in Illinois are just as fanatical, showing up in sellout crowds for every home game at Wrigley Field, rooting for their Chicago Cubs at a timeless ballpark under a blue, cloudless sky for another day game in which all they see is the sun shining down on their precious ivy-covered outfield wall, even though the dark clouds of a 100-year old curse loom low over the stadium.

In Philadelphia, fans boo. In L.A., they show up late enough to see the bottom of the third inning, only to leave early in the top of the seventh to beat the traffic.

No matter how baseball fans choose to show it, how they cheer or jeer, they will be there by the masses—except in South Florida, despite two championships in a seven year span for a fifteen-year old franchise—because of what this game means to them, their team, and their city.

Okay, let me address the obvious:

Yes, I realize steroids were discovered in a few lockers. Yes, I also noticed that Barry Bonds suddenly seemed to gain a few pounds. Correct, I heard that the new best-selling author was actually a U.S. Senator. And just like you, I witnessed Roger Clemens’ career take the fastest decline since M.C. Hammer.

To be honest, how could I miss it?

The newspaper didn’t let me. The Internet wouldn’t allow me to surf around it. And ESPN did happen to mention it quite a few times in vivid detail, including expert analysis and a picture of a beer can.

So, while the media are dedicated to their sole purpose of bringing down the next multi-million dollar star athlete in a continued effort to forever taint the game we love, all the while making sure that everyone that owns a television and a computer sees twenty-seven different angles of it, I decided to change my focus this year, and direct it to what was happening on the diamond and between the chalk lines.

I saw a Cleveland Indians’ pitcher named Cliff Lee start 2008 with a 6-0 record and a 0.67 earned run average, despite the fact that he was sent down to the minors just last year due to struggles on the mound.

I watched Arizona Diamondbacks' pitcher Brandon Webb improve to 9-0, the first time a pitcher has consummated that since Andy Hawkins started 10-0 for the San Diego Padres in 1985.

I came across a 36-year-old switch-hitting veteran that the nation calls Chipper—and Shea Stadium calls Larry—rejuvenate himself by hitting .410 with 11 home runs and 32 runs batted in, through his first forty games for the Atlanta Braves.

Then, my attention was beckoned by Houston Astros’ first baseman Lance Berkman, who was first in the National League in both long balls, with 16, in RBI, with 44, and second in the NL in batting average, hitting .399 in 44 games this season.

I even saw a 25-year-old Diamondbacks pitcher by the name of Micah Owings bat his way onto an all-time list of the highest on base percentage plus slugging percentage, (OPS), with a minimum of 75 plate appearances in which only Barry Bonds, Lou Gehrig, Ted Williams, and Babe Ruth had higher numbers.

Did you happen to catch all of that— oh, sorry; I didn’t mean to interrupt that special on the perjury hearings.

But, let me have your attention, please.

While Chipper Jones won’t finish the season batting .400 for the first time since Ted Williams in 1941, Berkman won’t be the latest player to hit for the Triple Crown since Carl Yastrzemski accomplished the feat in 1967, and odds are we’re not witnessing the next “Babe” in Micah Owings, there will be joy in “Wrigleyville” come October, turning the curse from hell into a blessing from heaven for some of the truest, most die-hard and deserving baseball fans in America.

Yes, everything will inevitably find its purpose. That, my friends, is the beauty of baseball. But, you have to know where to look to change your view. Start by changing the channel. The game is on the other one.