Bleacher Report - Articles by Michael Inglis

Chomping at the Bit: Why It's Wrong To Call Tim Tebow a Two-Time National Champ

Michael Inglis — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 18:56:21 -0400

Turn your television on to ESPN, tune into a college football game, or listen to your local sports talk show and you'll here it. . .

You know, that historically misleading piece of information in regards to Tim Tebow. That piece of information of course is that Tebow is a two-time national champion.

Ouch! I cringe every time I hear that phrase, it's like the nails on the chock board feeling.

Maybe it is the same feeling LSU fans (or SEC fans) get when someone mentions USC won the national championship in 2003.

Or in another sport, maybe it is the feeling many fans get when Barry Bonds is mentioned as the all time Home Run King.

Are all of these milestones/achievements true? Yes.

But they are also all misleading, there is a story behind the story.

By why does everyone claim or credit Tebow with two National Championships?

Gator fans will tell you it is because he was an integral part of the the 2006 offense. He was used mainly as a short yardage running back and finished second on the team in rushing yards. We'll go more in depth into his stats later on.

However, the truth is he gets credit for two national championships because he is such a great player and person. Mentioning a second title next to his name only enhances the legacy that he'll leave on the college football.

Tim Tebow is an all-time great, a once in a generation player. I've got no problem giving him his due, but mentioning two national titles next to his name is just wrong. (unless of course he wins another one this year)

We've all heard the saying that goes something like this,

"When the team is winning the quarterback gets all the credit, and when they're losing he gets all the blame."

That statement is true, well unless you're Chris Leak. He definitely got all the blame when they were losing, but Tebow got all the credit when Leak led the Gators to the 2006 title over Ohio State.

A few weeks ago, I was watching a San Fransisco 49ers documentary and being as young as I am, I don't remember the Niners of the 80s or early 90s. So I asked my Dad, how many Super Bowls does Steve Young have? He replied by saying, "one."

This intrigued me, so I decided to do some research of my own. I found out that Young actually has three rings.

So why did my dad say one? It was obvious, because he was only "the man" on one of those teams, 1994.

In fact, it isn't just my dad who says this, he is widely recognized by the football world as a one-time Super Bowl Champ.

No one with any credibility is going to say he has as many Super Bowls as Tom Brady or one more than John Elway.

In fact, Young contributed as much if not more to the 49ers in 1988 and 1989 than Tebow did in 2006 to the Gators.

Young actually started six games, going 5-1 in that span with 13 TD and nearly 2,000 total yards. However, he doesn't get the credit Tebow does.

In Tebow's freshman season he touched the ball 122 times for 827 yards and 13 touchdowns. However, 518 of those yards came in four games against UCF, Kentucky, Vanderbilt, and Western Carolina.

Which means in Florida's nine other games against adequate competition Tebow touched the ball on average 7.66 times for 34.33 yards.

I'm sorry but touching the ball roughly eight times for 34 yards as a backup is not enough in my book to be credited with a championship.

It should also be noted that 10 of his 13 touchdowns came from either one or two yards out, or against Western Carolina. If you're wondering, Western Carolina is a FCS Division l school that went winless in the Southern Conference (SoCon) in 2006. Florida won 62-0.

I'm not trying to diminish what the great Florida Gator QB has accomplished, but rather shed some light on the misconception that he is a two-time national champion.

Tim Tebow deserves everything he gets but he didn't get Florida the 2006 National Championship. Chris Leak did, and that is how history should view it.

SEC Football's Biggest Misconceptions Heading into the 2009 Season

Michael Inglis — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:56:32 -0400

The 2008 College Football season was another success for the SEC. The Florida Gators won the National Championship, Alabama held the number one ranking for much of the season, and Ole Miss emerged as one of the great surprises of the season. Other teams struggled like Auburn, Tennessee, and LSU. Bad quarterback paly and dissapointing defenses or running games all contributed to poor seasons. So what is ahead for the 2009 Season? At this point all we can do is guess or form educated opinions on what might happen. As we all know what we think prior to the season starting can often be drastically different from what actually happens. So here is my crack at some of the biggest misconceptions involving SEC Football right now. Only bad thing is that we will have to wait until December to see whose right.

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Can Randy Moss Pass Jerry Rice As the Greatest Receiver Ever?

Michael Inglis — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:56:56 -0400

Jerry Rice is widely considered the greatest wide receiver to ever step onto a football field. He will undoubtedly be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2010, his first year of eligibility.

I wont argue that Randy Moss' legacy could ever reach the heights of Rice's. What separates these two, most notably, is their playoff resume.

Rice's 11-catch, 215-yard performance in Super Bowl XXlll alone sets the two apart. He would go on to win three Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers, and appeared in a fourth with the Oakland Raiders.

Moss' image and legal problems will further set the two apart. He has walked off the field before a game's conclusion, fake-mooned the Green Bay Packers' crowd, and quit on the Oakland Raiders. He's had numerous off-the-field incidents as well, including bumping a traffic officer with his car.

Rice never had such problems. As a result, he is held in higher esteem.

What Moss has a chance of doing, though, is becoming the greatest regular-season wide receiver ever. That means being the career leader in receiving yards, receptions, and touchdowns. Rice holds all of those records as of now, and by a wide margin.

The First 11 Years

The New England wide receiver just finished his 11th year in the NFL at age 32. Rice finished his 11th season in 1995, at age 33. Let's compare:

Rice: 942 receptions; 15,123 yards; 146 touchdowns

Moss: 843 receptions; 13,201 yards; 135 touchdowns.

Advantage: Rice by 99 receptions; 1,922 yards; and 11 touchdowns.

Obviously, Moss is behind in every statical category—not dramatically, but by a decent amount.

Rice went on to play nine more seasons in the NFL (1996-2004). In those nine seasons he managed to rack up 607 receptions; 6,518 yards; and 51 touchdowns.

I believe Moss can catch and even pass Rice in perhaps all of these categories for several reasons.

He's playing with Tom Brady, he doesn't get hurt, and he has yet to show signs of a diminishing skill set.

Rice missed 14 games in 1997, and he had to suffer through a year with Jeff Garcia at quarterback before Garcia blossomed in the NFL.

The biggest question is, how much longer does Moss want to play. He probably has another three, four, or five years of top-notch football left in him.

The Odds

Passing Rice in receptions: Moss is 707 short. If he played nine more seasons, he would have to average 78.55 receptions/season.

Will he do it? I give him a 50 percent chance of doing so.

Prediction: 1,473 receptions for his career, leaving him 76 short of the record.

Passing Rice in yards: Moss is 9,694 yards short. If he played nine more seasons, he would have to average 1,077 yards/season.

Will he do it? I give him a 60 percent chance because he's playing with Brady.

Prediction: 21,101 yards, leaving him 1,794 yards short of the record.

Passing Rice in touchdowns: Moss is 62 touchdowns short. If he played nine more seasons he would have to average 6.88 touchdowns/season.

Will he do it? I give him a 90 percent chance of doing so. Again, he's playing with Brady.

Prediction: 218 touchdowns, surpassing the record by 21.

As I've stated before, age is working against Moss as time goes on. How long will he continue to produce like a top-notch receiver?

Terrell Owens will turn 36 during the upcoming season, and most experts expect he has one or two 1,000-yard seasons left in him. If Moss can produce like that up to 38 years old, then he has a better chance than what I stated in my article of obtaining those prestigious records.

Regardless of what happens, though, both Rice and Moss stand head-and-shoulders above the competition as the greatest statistical wide receivers ever.

If You Think Shaq Handed Kobe His Three Rings...Well, You're an Idiot

Michael Inglis — Wed, 27 May 2009 03:38:37 -0400

If you ask someone who knows anything about basketball how many rings Kobe Bryant has, they'll probably give you the correct answer—three.

Now ask that same person how many would he have if he didn't play with Shaq and they'll probably tell you zero.

I won't argue that Shaq is a top 10 player of all-time and the most dominating force since Wilt Chamberlain.

However, how many would the Big Aristotle have without Kobe? The answer to that question is one. That's right, one, which would be with Miami. Kobe deserves just as much credit if not more for the Los Angeles Lakers' three-peat.

Don't believe me? Let me prove it to you.

In the 1999-2000 season, Bryant lead the team in assists and steals (not to mention his 22.5 ppg) as the Lakers went on to win 67 games.

The Lakers ran into some trouble against the Portland Trailblazers in the Western Conference Finals. It all came down to Game Seven, in which "Mr. Second Fiddle" had 25 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, and four blocks. O'Neal finished with 18 points and nine rebounds.

The Lakers went on to win 89-84 in the biggest comeback in Western Conference Finals history.

Anyone seriously think that the Lakers could have beat the Blazers that night without Kobe? I don't think so. No Kobe equals no championship.

But they did beat the Blazers and went on to play the Indiana Pacers in the finals.

In Game Four, with the Pacers looking to even the series up at two games apiece, Shaq fouled out in overtime. Bryant would go on to score eight points in OT as the Lakers won 120-118.

The Lakers went on to win the series in six games.

In 2000-2001, Bryant again lead the team in assists, while he saw his points per game jump to 28.5.

This time they breezed through the playoffs, going 15-1 and beating the Philadelphia 76ers in the Finals.

Shaq would once again win the NBA Finals MVP, but Bryant wasn't too shabby in the playoffs either, averaging 29.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 6.1 assists per game.

Compare that to Michael Jordan's playoff stats in 1991-1992 (second championship), in which he averaged 31.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 8.4 assists.

However, nobody would dare say Jordan doesn't deserve credit for his team's success.

The last of the Lakers' championships would occur the following season (2001-2002). Once again, Kobe lead his team in assists as they finished with the second best record in the West, behind the Sacramento Kings.

They would meet the Kings in the Western Conference Finals and the series went the distance—seven games.

Bryant would once again come up big. He scored 30 points, added 10 rebounds, and dished out seven assists as the Lakers won by six.

Anyone seriously think the Lakers would still have beaten the Kings without Kobe's near triple-double? I don't think so. No Kobe equals no championship.

In the Finals, the Lakers swept the New Jersey Nets, and once again Shaq won the MVP Award. Kobe wasn't too bad either, averaging 27 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, while shooting 51.4% from the floor.

Not too bad for a guy who wouldn't have accomplished anything without the Big Fella, huh?

It was also in this series that Bryant would begin to gain his reputation as clutch. In fourth quarters alone, he shot a staggering 63% from the field, while scoring 12 and 11 in the final quarter of games three and four.

USA Today recognized his greatness, saying: "Never before has a player on the winning team put up the numbers and had the impact that Bryant had against the Nets and not been selected series MVP."

It's clear that Kobe wouldn't have any rings without Shaq, but what seems to get lost is just how important he was to the Lakers' success. He wasn't some average contributor, he was, at times, the best and most important player on the team.

It's clear that Shaq didn't just hand Kobe his three rings, he went out there and got them himself.

And if you think differently...well, you're an idiot.

Seven Things You Should NEVER Say On B/R

Michael Inglis — Mon, 18 May 2009 16:52:42 -0400

Bleacher Report is a great website to write about your opinons or discuss your point of view on hot topics. However, many times you may express your point of view but expect to be completly disagreed with, and most times insulted. Even if you write an article that makes a lot of good points filled with facts and good observations. So, I have compiled seven topics that I feel you should never mention because it will get you riduculed like the little moron you are truly are. *Disclaimer: Much of the slide show is meant to be sarcastic, so keep everything in context. The purpose of this article is to poke fun at some overzealous fans. Enjoy and feel free to leave a comment.

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Josh Beckett and Joe Mauer Headline the All-Overrated Team

Michael Inglis — Mon, 11 May 2009 05:47:28 -0400

In every sport there are players who are overrated, and Major League Baseball is no different. Before we get started let me explain what I mean when I call someone overrated. It doesn't mean they stink, or they should try to find another occupation, or his current team should let him go. It means the perception of the player doesn't match the reality of his game. Many of us may view these players as upper tier ball players but they simply aren't. Now, lets take a position by position look at MLB's most undeserving players.

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If Alston Is Suspended the NBA Should Announce They Love the Celtics

Michael Inglis — Thu, 07 May 2009 01:23:09 -0400

I'm sorry, I just can't wait until the morning to find out if Orlando Magic point guard Rafer Alston is suspended for slapping Celtics guard Eddie House.

I have to write this now to get it off my chest.

If he does get suspended, that won't bother me. What bothers me is the inconsistency of the NBA front office.

So far this postseason Dwight Howard has been suspended for an elbow to the head (Karl Malone did that every night), Kenyon Martin has been fined for tossing Dirk Nowitzki to the floor, and three different coaches have been fined for criticizing the referees.

However, Rajon Rondo was not fined nor suspended for slapping Brad Miller's face, which at least should've been a flagrant one. He also was not fined or suspended for tossing Kirk Hinrich into the scorers table and then throwing an elbow.

So basically it's acceptable to hit someone in the face to the point they need stitches, throw opposing players into the scorer's table, and throw an elbow (or punch, not sure what that was) as long as it misses its intended target.

In my opinion, Rondo should not have been suspended for the Miller incident, possibly fined though. He should have been suspended for the Hinrich incident though. Only because the NBA has set a precedent for suspending players for things less severe.

If it was up to me I wouldn't suspended anyone unless it was an extremely dirty play or there was a fist fight. The NBA and for that matter the NFL has just gotten too soft for me.

Back to Rondo and the precedent I was talking about. How can the NBA suspended Robert Horry for a hip check, but not even fine Rondo for his incident with Hinrich.

You be the judge, which was worse: The first one is of Horry, the next two are Rondo, and fourth is Kenyon Martin's 25,000 dollar elbow.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RDYD0EUBzY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6JpEx_CqOc&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBpPzYpg5bw&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dC-pzv34c50

If you think Rondo shouldn't have been fined or suspended for either of those I would love to hear why.

While I'm writing this I'm watching the Lakers game and Derek Fisher has been tossed for a flagrant too, and Kobe took a cheap shot at Ron Artest which resulted in Artest being tossed.

Knowing David Stern and Stu Jackson, they will probably suspended Artest, while Fisher and Kobe will get nothing.

The NBA, where favoritism happens.

Kevin Garnett Proves He's Not Just "The Big Ticket"—He's a Big Jerk

Michael Inglis — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 18:11:02 -0400

When you hear the name Kevin Garnett, what comes to mind?

You're probably thinking of a great NBA center, an amazing defensive player, and a leader who elevated the Boston Celtics to a Championship last year. You probably even felt happy for him last year when he beat the Lakers in the Finals, because if anyone deserved a title, it was him.

However, if you've been watching the Celtics and Bulls' first-round matchup, you've probably formed a new opinion of the Big Ticket. Words like jerk, dim-witted, and moron come to mind.

Anyone who has watched this series has seen an injured, well-dressed Garnett doing one of two things: 1) screaming obscenities, usually at Bulls' players or 2) pumping his chest with his chin stuck out like he's actually done something.

Maybe he should've gone to college for a few years, just to learn how to express himself without a slur of obscenities with every sentence. I feel bad for the mom sitting behind the bench with her young child.

After Brad Miller was assaulted by Rajon Rondo, Garnett started screaming "choke" as Miller missed his foul shots that would've tied the game up. Pretty big talk coming from a guy who got eliminated in the first round seven straight years. It only took the addition of two other Hall of Famers to get him over the hump. Yeah, you're bad, you're real bad.

Also, should he really be this excited that the defending champions are struggling to beat a team that finished .500 and is led by a rookie point guard? You would think that a veteran player like himself would be humbled by this series. But you scream and holler all you want, Garnett.

Perhaps all of his antics are just his way of justifying his inability to play hurt. Michael Jordan wouldn't be sitting on the bench in the playoffs. That's because great players suck it up and play no matter what. Not exactly Willis Reed-like, are you Garnett?

The sad part is everyone knows that the Celtics can't win another NBA title without Garnett. Admit it, Boston fans, you know it too. So make sure you tune in throughout the playoffs so you can catch Garnett's antics when the Celtics get eliminated.

I wonder what his choice of words will be then.

What Mike Leach Said That Made Him Everyone's New Favorite Coach

Michael Inglis — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:18:25 -0400

Mike Leach is officially the best coach in sports today!

Over the weekend he watched his star wide receiver Michael Crabtree fall all the way to the 10th pick, which San Francisco owned.

According to several sources he fell in the draft because Browns head coach Eric Mangini and the organization didn't like his attitude when he visited the team prior to the draft. The Browns had the fifth overall pick but ended up trading down.

But the Browns don't know who they're messing with...Mike Leach was all over them like Charles Barkley on a doughnut.

"Michael Crabtree has been more successful as a receiver than that guy as a coach at this point," Leach said of Mangini, according to media reports of a conference call. "Part of the reason is [Crabtree's] too shy to be like that."

Leach said Crabtree isn't a "diva."

"My definition of a diva is someone who's loud and self-absorbed," Leach told reporters. "Michael Crabtree is the furthest thing from loud that I've seen...Let's see how all those non-divas do up in Cleveland this year."

How do you like them apples Cleveland?

Not only did he say it was a mistake for Cleveland not to draft him, but he called out Mangini's coaching career. I love that he didn't even address Mangini by name. Then he takes it a step further and calls out all of the Browns' non-divas.

You've got to love this, a coach going to war for his players. Actually, they aren't even his players anymore. What you have to love even more is that he didn't do it the politically correct way, he went right after the Browns.

Leach wasn't done just yet though.

Graham Harrell went undrafted over the weekend as Stephen McGee (QB) of Texas A&M, who didn't start much his senior year, was picked up by the Dallas Cowboys in the 4th round.

Big mistake NFL, now you must feel the wrath of Mike Leach.

"I'm happy for Stephen McGee," Leach told The Dallas Morning News. "The Dallas Cowboys like him more than his coaches at A&M did."

Ouch! Another double shot insult. I little jab at McGee and a big right hook across the Cowboys chin!

Leach would go on to say that the NFL drafts quarterbacks notoriously bad.

So what have we learned ladies and gentlemen?

Don't mess with Mike Leach, he's the man.

Lebron Who? Dwight Howard and Magic Are Headed to the NBA Finals

Michael Inglis — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 20:14:36 -0400

The Orlando Magic are the most underrated team in this years playoffs. In fact, they have been the most underrated team the entire season. One would think that this team is mediocre at best they way they get mentioned, or the lack there of from the media.

Orlando won 59 games! That's more than Miami, Atlanta, Denver, Houston, San Antonio, Utah, Portland, Dallas, and New Orleans.

Yes, I know they play in the Eastern Conference so you're probably thinking it's easier for them to win more games then some of the Western Conference teams I mentioned.

However, the Magic had a tougher schedule then five of the eight teams in the Western Conference playoffs.

Orlando is also 26-13 against teams in the playoffs, which includes a 6-3 record against the big three. (Boston, Cleveland, and Los Angeles)

So why is no one talking about Orlando being in the NBA Finals? Let's take a look at the road they have ahead of them.

First Round Match up: Philadelphia 76ers

The Magic won the season series 3-0, which included two victories in Philadelphia. Elton Brand is out for the season which makes this an even tougher task for Philly.

Prediction: 4-1 Orlando

Then more than likely they will face the Boston Celtics. However, don't sleep on those Bulls, I've got a feeling they'll give Boston all they can handle.

Second Round Match up: Boston Celtics

The season series was tied at two games a piece but the big news here is that Kevin Garnett will not be participating. That's huge!

Dwight Howard is going to be able to man handle whoever Doc Rivers decides to put on him. In the two games that KG didn't play in this year against the Magic, Howard averaged 21 points, 18 rebounds, and 4.5 blocked shots.

Prediction: 4-2 Orlando

Now comes the big match up against "King" James and the Cavs. Orlando won the season series against the Cavs 2-1.

On January 29th the Magic beat Cleveland by 11 and on April 3rd they won again, this time by 29 points. Orlando lost a heart breaker in Cleveland by four on March 17th.

The point being, Orlando matches up very well with Cleveland and that's what the playoffs are all about, matchups. Mike Brown's team will have a hard time guarding Howard with Varejao and Ilgauskas.

Orlando has a good game plan when facing Cleveland. Which is, let Lebron do it all and shut down everyone else.

Lebron took an average of 20 shots per game this season. However, against Orlando he took 27 the first game, 27 the second game, and 20 the third game in which he only played three quarters do to the score. Stan Van Gundy is going with the game plan that not even Lebron can do it all.

Prediction: 4-3 Orlando.

If everything goes right in the West then Orlando is on a crash course with Kobe and the Lakers.

20 Predictions That Are Sure To Happen in 2009

Michael Inglis — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:43:33 -0400

20. Gary Sheffield will hit his 500th home run. Considering he only needs one more this is a safe bet. However, he'll need to find a team to play for first, probably an American League team.

19. Jordan Zimmerman will win the National League Rookie of the Year Award. The Nationals' fifth starter has a career record of 15-5 with a 2.74 ERA in the minors. He looked good in spring training and lets be honest...there is no pressure pitching for the Nats.

18. Brade Lidge will blow at least five saves. He was perfect last year, but don't get too use to that.

17. The Cubs will win the NL Central. With five guys who will hit at least 20 HR and four proven starting pitchers, the Cubs will run away with the Central. Their bullpen isn't bad either, with Kevin Gregg, Carlos Marmol, and Jeff Samardjzia.

16. Mark Teixeira will have a career year with the Yankees. Not only has Teixeira been an All Star player much of his career, but he's been consistent. Look for close to 45 HR and 130 RBI, with over a .300 batting average.

15. David Ortiz will begin his decline this season. You may not notice a big dip in his HR and RBI total this year but look out for his batting average, OBP, slugging percentage, and OPS.

14. Jeff Francoeur will improve on all of his 2008 totals. He was so bad last year the Braves sent him down to Double A. With an offseason to get his head right, this 25 year old outfielder should improve on his .240 average, 11 HR, and 71 RBI. Or at least for my Braves sake he better.

13. The New York Mets will not blow 29 saves. Hell if the Mets would've just blown 20 saves last year they would've won the division by six games. So smartly the Mets went out and got two proven closers in JJ Putz, and Francisco Rodriguez. The Mets weakness last year could be their strength this year.

12. Joba Chamberlain will struggle. No I'm not talking about his ability to eat or drink alcohol, I'm talking about his pitching. His velocity has been reported to be in the low 90s and he's never pitched more then 100 innings in the majors. Coming off of arm surgery and mechanical problems, Chamberlain is sure to struggle as a starting pitcher.

11. Matt Holiday will struggle with the Oakland Athletics. Not only did Holiday leave a great hitters ballpark in Colorado, but he went to a pitchers ballpark in Oakland. Holiday will miss the mile high city.

10. Ryan Howard will strikeout at least 170 times. Good thing for Howard is that when he actually does hit the ball it goes pretty far. If it didn't, you might be seeing him at your local Burger King.

9. The Mets and Phillies will have a brawl. These two teams just can't keep their mouth shut. Jimmy Rollins has said the Phillies are the team to beat, K Rod said the same thing this year. Cole Hamels has also got into the conversation. Phillies winning the World Series put a sour taste in the Mets mouth, so look for a mid to late season brawl.

8. Johan Santana will win the Cy Young Award. It's a miracle that he won 16 games last year with the bullpen he had. With a much improved bullpen and Santana still being on the top of his game he could run away with this award.

7. The Florida Marlins will make a serious run at the NL East crown. Quietly the Marlins have one of the best offenses in the league. They have two guys who hit at least 32 HR, two more who hit at least 22, and another one hit 17. Their starting rotation is young but they gained a lot needed experience last year.

6. Red Sox starting rotation will struggle. As great as Josh Beckett is he has really only had two great years (2005, 2007). Wakefield is mediocre and it's almost guaranteed he'll have an ERA over four and the No. 5 spot is being battled out by three guys who have been hurt the past few years.

5. All of Cliff Lee's numbers will be worse. He's not an elite pitcher but he had an elite year last season. He very well may have another good season, but it wont be anywhere close last season.

4. Jamie Moyer will not win 16 games again. He's 46 years old, not exactly the ripe age for any athlete. He had a bad postseason and a bad spring training...perhaps a sign of things

3. Angels win the AL West. They could win this thing by more than 10 games.

2. Devil Rays WILL make the playoffs. Carl Crawford missed 53 games and hit for his lowest average since his rookie year. Evan Longoria missed 44 games and was a rookie. Scott Kazmir missed seven starts. Despite all that, the Rays still won the division. Expect better from all of those guys.

1. Cubs WILL NOT win the World Series. Did anyone hear that the odds of filling out of perfect NCAA bracket is one in nine quintrillion? That's the same odds as the Cubs winning the World Series.

Step Right Up and Show Your Baseball IQ, Predictions For The Upcoming Season.

Michael Inglis — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 22:20:24 -0500

Spring Training is starting to get underway and now is the time of the year where every fan feels like their team has a chance at winning it all. So now is the time to lay your predictions on the table and in October you can look back and see how right or completely wrong you were.

Before I tell you my playoff teams and results, remember to keep in mind some of the things that happened last season.

A team went from worst to first (Rays).

A World Series contender turned out to be terrible (Mariners).

The Billy Goat curse struck again (Cubs).

And a New York team collapsed again (Mets).

With all of that in mind, let's get started already!

My American League playoff teams are the Tampa Rays, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

Rays: They have arguably the best starting rotation in baseball and their young position players are only going to mature. Their one problem could be their bullpen.

Yankees: Once again they spent a ton of money, but this time I think it pays off. When Andy Pettitte is your fourth starter then you've got a pretty good staff. The offense they have is almost unfair, with guys like A-Rod, Jeter, Damon, Teixeira, and Cano. Also, once you get to the ninth inning it's over.

Tigers: The Central is wide open, and even the Royals should compete. The Tigers' starting rotation isn't bad with guys like Verlander, Bonderman, and Galarraga. Their offense is more then capably, and I think they'll have a bounce back year.

Angels: A good starting rotation that includes Saunders, Lackey, Santana, and Weaver. Their offense has a nice mix of speed and power. The big question is how will the closer position pan out with Francisco Rodriguez gone to the Mets? If I had to pick a sleeper team for AL West, I'd go with Oakland.

Now it's time for the National League playoff teams. My picks are the Philadelphia Phillies, Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs, and the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Phillies: The champs have a pretty good starting staff, but the real strong point of this team is the offense and bullpen. With guys like Romero, Madson, and Lidge in the bullpen the Phillies could make it a six-inning game.

Braves: Their starting rotation is the big question mark, but with three guys who could easily win 15 games a piece it should work out. The offense should do enough to win close games with guys like Jones, Johnson, Escobar, and McCann.

They also have two closer to come in and shut the game down in the late innings.

Cubs: The Cubs' starting rotation is right up there with the Rays, lead by Carlos Zambrano. Of the eight other position players five have the potential to make the All Star team, so they should be just fine.

Diamondbacks: This team just missed the playoffs last year, and with a lot of young position players they have the potential to really shine this season. Their rotation starts two of the best pitchers in the game with Webb, and Haren.

World Series: Cubs defeat the Angels in six. Rejoice Cubbies, the curse is over!!!

The notables who missed the cut:

Red Sox's: Could possibly win 90 games or more but the loss of Ramirez will hurt more than most people think, Lowell is turning 35 and coming off an injury, and Lester and Matsuzaka are the only reliable starters right now.

Mets: Not sold on their starting rotation after Santana and is playing in a division that has four teams who will beat up on each other.

Dodgers: Will be in the mix up to the end, and I could be wrong on these guys, but their starting pitching doesn't impress me, and who knows how hard Manny is going to play after he only gets $25 million.

Steroids or Not, Alex Rodriguez is Still the Best

Michael Inglis — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:02:43 -0500

We have all heard by now that three-time MVP and future home run king tested positive for steroids back in 2003.

A lot of fans have lashed out at him, made their jokes, and most importantly deemed him a cheater. However, lets get one thing straight: A-Rod is still the greatest baseball player that many of us have ever seen. By the end of his career it is very likely he'll have close to 850 home runs and 3,500 hits.

Anyone who thinks all of A-Rod's success is only because he took steroids in 2003 is either a Yankee-hater or delusional. Those people would have to say he has been using the juice his whole career.

Unlike Barry Bonds, A-Rod's stats are consistent year in and year out.

For instance, in 1996, his first full major league season he hit 36 HR, 123 RBI, with a .358 BA. Last season he had 35 HR, 103 RBI, and .302 BA.

The year in question, 2003, wasn't even close to his best season.

I understand a lot of people don't like A-Rod or the Yankees. I myself don't like the Yankees because they've beaten my Atlanta Braves a few times in the World Series. My greatest sports memory is when the Red Sox came back from being down 3-0 in the ALCS—because I hate the Yankees.

However, let's not let that cover up the truth. A-Rod is a once in a lifetime player.

The best part about this information coming out now is that he is still in his prime—which means with the tougher steroid penalties and testing we should know for a fact that he will play the rest of his career steroid-free.

If A-Rod goes out there for the rest of his career and puts up his usual numbers then it's obvious he didn't need steroids.

However, if he comes out this year and in the future and hits 20 HR and only drives in 80 then you can come tell me how dumb I am for thinking steroids didn't effect his game a great deal.

With or without steroids Alex Rodriguez is one of the greatest baseball players in the history of the game.

Why Can't Tom Brady Make the Players Around Him Better Like Peyton Manning Does?

Michael Inglis — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 18:41:07 -0500

There seems to be a lot of articles on Bleacher Report about who the better quarterback is, Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. This is an interesting topic even for me, and I'm not of fan of either the Colts or Patriots. However, what I find more interesting then the never ending question is the arguments that both sides use to try and prove which player is better.

I'm here to offer an outsider's opinion.

The biggest argument I see by Patriot fans is that Manning has played with much better wide receivers, which of course include Reggie Wayne, Marvin Harrison, and Dallas Clark.

To settle this dispute we need to answer the following question Is Manning more of a product of great WR or are his WR more of a product of him?

Harrison's first two seasons without Manning he averaged 68.5 receptions for 851 yards and seven TD. He played in all 32 games.

When Manning arrived in 1998, through 2006, Harrison averaged 98.33 receptions for 1,333 yards and 12 TD.

You can see Harrison's production increased by 482 yards, 30 receptions, and five TD on average per year.

Now, let's look at Peyton's stats with Harrison and without Harrison. Most of you probably know Peyton has never played a season without Harrison on the roster but I'm counting 2007 and 2008 as the seasons without him because he only played in 5 games in 2007 and he was terrible this past year.

With Harrison (1998-2006) Peyton averaged 4,176 yards passing, 30.5 TD to 15.4 INT with a 94.4 QB rating. He also completed 64 percent of his passes.

Without Harrison (2007-2008) (and probably will be without him the rest of his career) Peyton averaged 4030 yards passing, 29 TD to 13 INT with a 96.5 QB rating. He also completed 66.1 percent of his passes.

The stats show that Manning is just as good with Harrison as he is without him. You can also come to a logical conclusion that Harrison has benefited more from Manning than vice versa.

The other big gun for Manning is Reggie Wayne and he has played his whole career with Manning. A lot of Patriot fans or anti Manning fans like to point out that he has always had TWO great WR to throw to.

However, he has only had three season in which both guys were at the top of their game. Manning has played 11 years and only three of those years did he have two great WR to throw to. Yet he still has nine season of more than 4,000 yards passing which is an NFL record.

Brandon Stokley, who is a former Colts WR, had his only 1,000-yard season in his career with Manning. His second highest season total is 635 yards.

Does anybody remember Marcus Pollard? He was the starting tight end for Manning for seven years. During that time he averaged 35 receptions for 455 yards and 5 TD. Since he's left the Colts, he's averaged 29 receptions for 296 yards and 2 TD.

To wrap this side up, let me just mention Edgerrin James. He was a stud running back from the moment he stepped on the field for the Colts. However, even this year when the Colts basically had no running game, Manning won the NFL MVP.

Conclusion: Harrison is more of a product of Manning not the other way around. Manning can put up great numbers with just one good WR at his disposal, and he can do it with or without a running game. The stats also point out that he makes little known WR into good players.

Now it's Tom Brady's turn. Has he made the WR around him better?

The four seasons the Troy Brown was a starter before Brady took over in 2001 he averaged 46 receptions for 592 yards for 3 TD. The four years after Brady took over he averaged 64 receptions for 684 yards and 3.25 TD.

That's a little bit better but not the dramatic difference we saw in Harrisons', Stokley's, and Pollard's numbers.

Deion Branch averaged 64 receptions for 831 yards and 4.25 TD per 16 games with Brady. With Seattle he averages 65 receptions for 899 yards and six TD per 16 games.

There is no WR that has gotten significantly better with Brady as QB like they have with Manning.

Randy Moss was an All Pro and Hall of Famer way before he got to New England. Moss has posted at least 1,000 yards with four different QB. It just goes to show that he doesn't need Brady to be successful. However, Brady didn't have a breakout season until he got Moss.

There is the Wes Welker factor, though. In two seasons with Miami, he average 48 receptions for 560 yards. With NE, he averages 111.5 receptions for 1170 yards.

That is the only WR I can see that had a significant increase in numbers with Brady as QB. However, as I'm writing this I've realized that Welker put up nearly identical stats this year with Cassell as he did last year with Brady. So maybe Welker doesn't need Brady to be successful either.

These stats and facts I've provided led me to the conclusion that the notion that Manning only puts up better stats because he has Harrison and Wayne is false. It also leads me to believe that Brady can only put up great stats with an already established great WR.

Now it's time to give Brady some love. I do believe that Manning is the better QB, meaning his physical skills are superior to that of Brady, but I also believe that Brady is the better football player. By that, I mean he has the intangibles, and that is supported by his playoff numbers.

Brady has three rings to Mannings' one, and has a much better post season record. He also has better post season stats which is directly related to each players individual performances. Something I don't like to hear though is that Manning is a choke artist in the playoffs.

How many Super Bowl winning QBs are choke artist?

He has had bad games and very good games. He's posted a perfect passer rating and has gone as low as 35. He's also had games where he's passed for 460 yards and four TD, and then another bad game. So let's just say he's inconsistent. However, most of the teams he lost to were just better than the Colts.

He lost to Titans who went onto the Super Bowl, he lost to the Pats who went on to win the Super Bowl and he lost to the Steelers who went on to win the Super Bowl.

The year he won the Super Bowl he beat Denver at home, then beat the Ravens on the road and New England at home. Why doesn't anyone say Brady choked in this game. He was up 21-3 and he threw the game ending interception.

If that was Manning, he never would've heard the end of it.

Brady has won three Super Bowls in large part because he is a great QB who is clutch. However, some of it has to do with luck as well.

We all remember the tuck rule right? What if that had gone the other way? What if Adam Vinatieri had missed the field goal against the Rams, or the Panthers? What if Mike Vanderjagt hit that field goal against the Steelers?

I'm not trying to make excuses for Manning, he has flat out played bad in some playoff games but he's also played really well too. There is a lot more to winning a Super Bowl then what the QB does. That's why Trent Dilfer, and Brad Johnson have rings. It's team effort.

These are just my thoughts on the controversial QB debate that will rage on forever. I'm curious though, what if Manning catches Brady in rings? What will Pats fans say then?

Why Kurt Warner Is Better Than Brett Favre

Michael Inglis — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 21:12:25 -0500

Brett Favre is recognized by many fans and experts as the greatest quarterback to every play the game of football. He has countless records, such as most career touchdowns, most career passing yards, and most career completions. Even with that being said, he is still not better than Arizona Cardinals' quarterback Kurt Warner.

Kurt Warner posts a higher QB rating—93.8 to 85.4. Twice Warner has had a QB rating over 100, something Favre has never done in 17 tries.

Warner has a 65.4 completion percentage to Favre's 61.6. Five times Favre's completion percentage was below 60, something Warner has never done.

When Warner has played at least 11 games he averages 31 TD per year. Over the course of Favre's career, he averages 27 TD.

Warner has the highest passing yards per game at 261 in NFL history. Favre is at 238 yds/game.

But what really makes Warner better than Favre? It's the playoffs.

In 10 career playoff games, Warner has a 97.3 QB rating, 23 TD, 12 INT, 64 completion percentage, and averages 299 yds passing per game. He also holds the No. 1 and 2 spots for most passing yards in the Super Bowl. He is 8-2 (80 percent) in those games with a Super Bowl.

In 22 career playoff games, Favre has a 85.2 QB rating, 39 TD and 28 INT, 60.7 completion percentage, and averages 241 yds passing per game. He is 12-10 (54 percent) in those games with a Super Bowl.

The only thing that Favre has on Warner is that he has played longer. When given the opportunity Warner is more efficient and an overall better QB than Favre is. And if he can get a win over the Steelers he will have the edge in yet another category...rings.

Top 10 Players of the BCS Era: Is Tim Tebow No. 1?

Michael Inglis — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 04:24:23 -0500

The BCS era started in 1998 and runs through today. With all of the Tim Tebow talk of late I've decided to take a look back at the greatest players of the BCS era. I've narrowed them to what I think is the 10 greatest players in this time period. Is Tebow really the greatest player in the history of college football or even this era? Lets find out.

Begin Slideshow

The Sooners Defense Is Ready To Dominate Tebow and The Gators, Huh?

Michael Inglis — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 14:24:46 -0500

Lately I've been reading a lot of articles on the Florida Gators' and Oklahoma Sooners' homepages, and one of the big discussions seems to be the Sooners' defense.

My question is, what defense? I wasn't aware they had one. Is this a new development that I'm not aware of?

OU has had only one good defensive game all year long and that was against Texas Tech. Well, two if you want to count the game against 1-11 Chattanooga. Actually, they held 0-12 Washington at bay, too. Wow, maybe I'm wrong. OU has a "great" defense.

On some of the message boards, I get the impression OU fans don't even think that their defense is bad at all. What!!!!

Let's run by some points totals OU has surrendered:

45 points to a one-dimensional Texas offense

35 points to Kansas.

41 points to Oklahoma State

Now, if you mention these scores to the OU faithful, they will probably counter it with "Well, those are great offensive teams." Then they will usually add something like, "Maybe the SEC should learn what offense is, you redneck."

I would agree that those three teams are good offensive clubs, so I guess my next question is, what happened against Kansas State (35 points), Nebraska (28), and Texas A&M (28)?

Another thing I've heard is that OU has pulled all of their starters by the third quarter.

Bob Stoops sure as hell didn't pull his starters in the Texas game. The Sooners only beat Kansas by 14 in a game that was tied at halftime, so obviously he didn't pull his starters then, either. And in the season finale against Okie State, the game was within a touchdown half way through the fourth quarter. To top it off, 28 of Kansas State's points were scored in the first half.

These are just some examples of players that have had big days against OU this year:

Robert Griffen of Baylor had 102 yards rushing on 21 carries (4.85 ypc) and two TDs.

Texas' Chris Ogbonnaya had 127 yards rushing on 15 carries (8.5 ypc). Those 127 yards counted for nearly 40 percent of his season total. I guess playing OU will help any player's stat line.

In the same game, Longhorn receivers Jordan Shipley and Quan Cosby combined for 20 receptions and 234 yards receiving.

Kansas State's Josh Freeman passed for 478 yards and three TDs.

Dezmon Briscoe of Kansas had 12 catches for 269 yards receiving and two TDs. Holy Crap!!! 269 yards!!! You would think after the first 150 yards they would try to do something different. The next highest receiver had 24 yards. HEY, OU, COVER No. 80!!!

K State's Ernie Pierce had 11 catches for 176 yards. The previous four games he had just six receptions for 101 yards.

Roy Helu of Nebraska had 157 yards rushing on 16 carries (9.8 ypc) and two TDs. Surprise, surprise, that was his best game of the year.

I think you get the point.

All year long the Sooners have proved that their defense is not very good. Is something all of the sudden going to change against the Gators, who are basically playing a home game on their Jan. 8 meeting?

I'll agree that Oklahoma's defensive stats are a bit inflated because they do play some good offenses. But Florida's offense hasn't exactly been bad this year. In fact, they have as good of an offense if not better than most of the teams OU played in the Big 12 this year.

And Florida did it against better defenses.

Both teams have great offenses that are loaded with playmakers, and both have good, experienced coaching staffs. But only one has a bad defense—and they've proved it all year long.

Official prediction: Florida 41, OU 24

A Year In Review, SEC Awards Are Handed out

Michael Inglis — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:03:27 -0500

Now that the 2008 college football regular season has ended I've decided to take a look back on what is the South Eastern Conference.

Defensive player of year: Eric Berry of the Tennessee Volunteers. In 12 games this year Berry has seven interceptions for 265 yards and two touchdowns. Those two TD might be more than the Vols offense this year. I'll have to check on that and get back to you.

Those seven INT ties him with three others for the NCAA lead. Berry also recorded over 70 tackles this year, and that is from the corner back position.

Even though Tennessee was very disappointing this year that only makes what Berry did all the more impressive. The Vols defense was constantly on field and they still managed to have an upper tier defense this year. Eric Berry was a bright spot on a bad team.

Offensive Player of the Year: Andre Smith of the Alabama Crimson Tide. There was plenty of deserving players to pick from here, like Tim Tebow, Percy Harvin, Knowshon Moreno, and Charles Scott. However, it's time to give the lineman some love.

Smith is a 6-4, 340 pound left tackle who has started every game in his Crimson Tide career. He is a unanimous All SEC first teamer and is projected to be a top 10 pick when he decides to go to the NFL.

Above all Smith won this award because of what he means to Alabama. The focal point of Bama's offense is running the ball and primarily to the left side where Smith plays. He has helped Glen Coffee to a 1300 yard season and freshman Mark Ingram to nearly 700 yards rushing.

He may not be flashy or exciting but he gets the job done better than anyone.

Freshman of the Year: Julio Jones of the Alabama Crimson Tide. This award clearly came down to two of the most hyped and exciting players of the SEC with A.J. Green of Georgia being the other. Jones gets the edge because of his team's success.

Jones finished the regular season with 46 receptions for 723 yards and four TD. To put those stats in perspective, his 723 yards accounted for nearly 40 percent of quarterback's John Parker Wilson's passing yards.

For a team that lost it top two receivers from a year ago, Jones stepped up big for a freshman.

Most Valuable Player: Tim Tebow of the Florida Gators. This one was pretty easy. Tebow is without question the heart and sole of the Gators and not just by his stats. I mean sure he is in the running for another Heisman Trophy and has nearly 40 touchdowns this year but it is his leadership ability that separates him from the pack.

After the Ole Miss loss he declared to the nation that no team would play harder than the Gators for the rest of the season and he wasn't lying. It's one thing to say that, it's another to do it.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, if Tebow can somehow manage to win a second Heisman Trophy and National Championship then he may go down as one of the top five players to every play college football.

Underachiever of the Year (team): Auburn Tigers. To be completely honest there was a lot of teams I could've put here, Georgia, LSU, and Tennessee were all in the mix. Who says the Big 12 isn't tougher after these four schools layed an egg?

Auburn was a top 10 preseason team that finished 5-7. I think that says it all.

Overachiever of the Year (team): Alabama Crimson Tide. They were ranked 24th in the preseason polls and picked to finished third in their own division. Now they are ranked number one in all the polls and have a chance to finish the season as National Champions.

Not bad for a team that went 7-6 last season.

Ole Miss did have a great year as well. They finished 8-4 with some impressive wins over LSU and Florida, both on the road. Watch out for Ole Miss next year.

Game of the Year: Alabama at LSU. Not a whole lot of games to pick from this year compared to last. Remember last year we had Florida at LSU, Arkansas at LSU, LSU at Kentucky, Auburn at Florida, Auburn at LSU, etc.

However, not only did this game feature the number one team in the country in overtime, it also featured an outside story. Something to do with Nick Saban I think.

Hopefully the game of the year will be this Saturday in Georgia.

No, LeBron James, You're Stupid

Michael Inglis — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 19:57:29 -0500

Charles Barkley recently made some strong comments about LeBron James and the fiasco that surrounds him about his free-agent status in 2010. Barkley was quoted as saying,

"If I was LeBron James, I would shut the hell up, I'm a big LeBron fan. He's a stud. You gotta give him his props. I'm getting so annoyed he's talking about what he's going to do in two years. I think it's disrespectful to the game. I think it's disrespectful to the Cavaliers."

King James responded by saying this,

"He's stupid. That's all I've got to say about that," and later said, "I think July 1, 2010, is a very big day," James said when the Cavaliers were in New York. "It's probably going to be one of the biggest days in free-agent history in the NBA."

Sir Charles is completely correct here.

First of all, why is the media even asking LeBron about what he is going to be doing in two years. I've never seen anything like this. Nevertheless, LeBron is stupid for indulging these media outlets by answering their questions.

Instead of telling us how excited you are to be a free agent on July 1, 2010, why don't you tell us how the Cavs are going to make a strong playoff push in the current year, 2008.

Whenever someone from the media mentions New York, he should provide them with this perfect answer,

"I'm not worried about what is going to happen in two years, I'm focused on right now. We are trying to win a championship here with Cleveland. I'll worry about being a free agent when the time comes."

That's all Charles Barkley was trying to say. Maybe LeBron took it too personally because Barkley doesn't sugarcoat things. He tells it like it is.

Is LeBron being disrespectful to his teammates? You bet he is. How would you like to be sitting in that locker room knowing your best player is already entertaining the idea of skipping out on you?

And for those of you who think LeBron doesn't love New York, this is what he said after his 50 point performance against the Knicks last season,

"This ranks really high, because of the place where it happened, in the mecca of basketball, I’ve dreamed about playing well in this building. I mean, it’s overtaken how I ever could dream about—to get a standing ovation in the greatest basketball arena in the world is a dream come true for me.”

Message to LeBron, at least pretend you aren't interested in the Knicks.

This man doesn't just play for the Cavs, he has spent his whole life in the state of Ohio. Yet, he shows up for Cleveland Indians playoff games wearing a Yankee hat. Do that in Philadelphia or Chicago and you might not make it out alive.

He's stated he wants to be the first billionaire athlete and market himself. What city do you think of when you hear money and marketing? Not Cleveland.

King James should worry more about wining NBA Championships than how much money he makes or his marketing ability. As great as he is, a championship is not guaranteed.

Perhaps Barkley was trying to tell LeBron to focus on the game and not the outside distractions because retiring without an NBA Championship would be stupid for someone this good.

College Football: Overrated and Underrated Players and Teams

Michael Inglis — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:21:17 -0500

Overrated

Javon Ringer

The Michigan State Spartan already has over 1500 yards and 20 touchdowns but that's only because he runs the ball nearly every play. He is averaging 32 carries a game at only 4.4 yards a carry.

It's clear Ringer is just an average running back whose stats are inflated by the number of chances he's getting. In five games this year, he has averaged less than four yards a carry. His best games have come against the worst of the worst against Florida Atlantic, Michigan, and Indiana.

Mathew Stafford

I'll admit, he has a cannon for an arm and he's definitely first round material for the NFL. His college career, however, has not been that impressive. Look at these two stat lines and guess which one is Mathew Stafford...

41 TD, 31 INT, 6859 yards passing, 56.5 completion percentage.

43 TD, 27 INT, 7108 yards passing, 56.7 completion percentage.

Stafford is the the one on top. Can you guess who the other stat line belongs too? It's John Parker Wilson who is widely considered a shaky player. Both players are three years starters.

Stafford is super talented but he doesn't produce the way the hype suggest.

Joe Mcknight

Supposedly one of the "great" USC running backs, he doesn't produce anywhere near what you would think. He's never ran for more than 550 yards and he isn't on pace this year either. He did have a huge game against Ohio State but other than that he's really struggled.

Mcknight had seven carries for 10 yards against Oregon State, nine carries for 27 yards against Oregon, and five carries for 16 yards against Arizona.

USC Defense

Giving up less than seven points a game and statistically one of best defenses ever. They have shut outs against Washington State, Washington, and Arizona State. Not exactly offensive powerhouses. Weak schedule equals no respect.

Underrated

Shonn Green

The Iowa running back has gotten some national attention but he takes a back seat to backs in his own conference like Chris Wells, Javon Ringer, and Evan Royster. He has had at least 100 yards rushing in every game this year. Now that's producing.

He's on pace for 1,649 yards with over six yards a carry.

Juice Williams

Last year he got some national recognition because Illinois made the Rose Bowl. However, he was more of a game manager last year. This year, he's improved dramatically in the passing game.

He's on pace to nearly double his passing yards from last year and his quarterback efficiency rating is up more than 20 points. Unfortunately, Illinois isn't haven a great year so he's not getting the recognition he deserves.

Hakeem Nicks

The North Carolina wide receiver has been producing at a high level for three years now. Nicks is surprisingly producing at his highest level yet while playing with the team's backup quarterback for much of the season.

He's on pace for over 1100 yards and get's an amazing 17 yards every catch. He is also a physical receiver who gets yards after the catch.

FSU

Bobby Bowden has FSU at 7-2 and possibly another ACC Championship. They are solid on defense as always, and this year under Christian Ponder the offense has formed a rhythm and rarely makes mistakes.

FSU could easily be 9-0 if it weren't for a bad performance against Wake Forest on the offensive end early in the season. They also had fumble in the end zone against Georgia Tech that would've been the game winner late in the fourth.

They have gotten better as the season has progressed and could end the season with huge victory over the Florida Gators and a BCS Bowl appearance.

Attention All LSU Faithful: Stop Using Jarrett Lee As Your Scapegoat

Michael Inglis — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 14:24:59 -0500

The 2007 football season has been a rough one for the LSU football team, and perhaps even rougher for their fans.

So far LSU is 6-3 this season, with all three losses being to the upper tier teams of the SEC. It started with an embarrassing 51-21 loss at the Swamp, followed by a 52-38 loss in a shootout against Georgia, and the latest defeat came in heartbreaking fashion to Alabama.

Reading many articles on Bleacher Report before the season, I noticed most LSU fans expected to win the SEC West this year and even the SEC Championship game—something even the star-studded 2006 squad couldn't do.

Most of the preseason talk consisted of the quarterback position because that was their biggest glaring weakness. All Jarrett Lee needed to do was manage the game and not make mistakes. Of course, he has made plenty of mistakes and has become the prime target for fans' criticism.

However, it's time to face the facts and admit LSU's real problem...defense.

Their run defense is just plain bad. Against Florida they gave up 265 yards rushing at 6.5 yards a carry.

Against Georgia they gave up 194 yards rushing at 6.0 yards a carry.

Again, against Alabama they gave up 132 yards on 4.2 yards a carry.

Where is the vaunted LSU defense from a year ago? I believe I know the answer—they are all in the NFL.

The front four for LSU was supposed to be one of the best in the nation, but they have been anything but. Not only are they allowing big yards on the ground, they can't produce any sacks either. In those same three games they have only produced three sacks in 78 chances.

Apparently Glenn Dorsey is a bigger loss than most LSU fans expected. Don't forget he was the best defensive player in the country last year.

The pass defense hasn't been much better either. In those same three games LSU is giving up 225 yards through the air, and both Stafford and Tebow completed more than 65 percent of their passes. John Parker Wilson didn't do as well, but he also isn't nearly as talented as the aforementioned QBs.

LSU can't find anyone to stop the other team's go-to receiver. Percy Harvin had 112 yards and two TDs, A.J. Green had 89 yards and one TD, and Julio Jones had 128 yards.

Whoever was guarding Jones yesterday just got abused all game long, and this is by a true freshman.

Chevis Jackson and Jonathan Zenon never would have allowed that to happen.

LSU has only gotten five interceptions all year.

Overall LSU is ranked in the bottom fourth of the SEC in total defense.

Has Jarrett Lee played well this year? No, but he's played about as well as a redshirt freshman can in the SEC. Even Mathew Stafford, who will probably be a top 10 pick in the NFL Draft, threw just seven TDs and 13 INTs his freshman year.

It's so easy to blame the quarterback when things go wrong, but let's face the facts. LSU's defense is to blame for their mediocre season.

Why LSU Fans Hate Nick Saban: Showdown in Death Valley

Michael Inglis — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 10:37:39 -0500

Tomorrow at 3:30 pm EST the No. 1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide will head to Baton Rouge, LA to face the LSU Tigers.

This SEC West Rivalry is always a big game but this particular game has significant implications and not necessarily on the standings. The big story is the return of Nick Saban to his old ball club, LSU. During his tenure there he turned the program around and won two SEC Championships while capturing the 2003 National Championship.

However, don't expect a warm welcome for Saban, since most LSU faithful utterly detest the man.

But why?

The root of the hate for Saban isn't that he left them for the Dolphins. This was proven when the Miami Dolphins were forced to play in Tiger Stadium against the New Orleans Saints because of Hurricane Katrina. Many LSU fans showed up to applaud Saban and some even wore shirts that read "Welcome Home Nick."

So the root of the hate has to be that he returned to the SEC and with LSU's archrival, Alabama.

William Shakespeare once said, "We hate that which we often fear."

LSU fans are fearing the future. They're fearing the possible success that Alabama will have and they know that Saban can do it because he did it with them.

If Saban can do what he did with LSU with Alabama then that means some down years for the Tigers. And no football fan wants a down year.

The only thing bad about being the best is the fall from grace. The big question is, how far will LSU fall in the next few years and how high will the Tide rise?

Most LSU and college fans in general (I'm talking about the reasonable ones) expected LSU to lose three or four games this year due to the talent they lost. But how LSU plays in the coming years will determine just how valuable Saban was to LSU's program.

Was Saban merely a coach who happened to have success with the Tigers and then Miles did the same? Or was Saban a great coach who was the only man for the job?

We're about to find out.

The Most Puzzling Things about the BCS

Michael Inglis — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 07:18:11 -0500

Losing early in the season is better than losing late in the season?

Why does it matter if you lose on August 30 or Nov. 29? A loss is a loss, regardless of the date that it took place, and the impact should be the same.

How can you go undefeated and not even get a chance to prove you are the best team?

If Utah and Boise State go undefeated they should have a chance to prove they are the best team in the NCAA. Otherwise, the NCAA should just send them a letter before the season starts that says, "No matter what you do you can't possibly play for the National Championship. Sorry, going undefeated just isn't as impressive as it used to be."

How can a one-loss team make the National Championship over an undefeated one?

Never should a one-loss Florida or Alabama team play for the National Championship over undefeated Penn State. Yes, the SEC is stronger, but going undefeated in a major conference is still more impressive than losing one game in the SEC.

Why do style points matter?

Just because a team wins every game by a few points doesn't make them any less of a team than one who wins by 30 every week. I never hear this argument in the NFL, "Your team sucks, you only beat the Lions by seven."

How can you play for the National Championship if you don't win your conference?

Twice this has happened in the BCS era; first in 2001 with Nebraska and then again in 2003 with Oklahoma. How can you finish second out of 10-12 teams but then have an opportunity to finish first out of 119 teams?

Do the best teams or the most deserving teams play for the National Championship?

At the end of last year, Georgia and USC were widely considered the best teams in college football. However, LSU and Ohio State played for the National Championship because they were the most deserving. So in 2007 it was the most deserving that played.

In 2003 Oklahoma and LSU were considered the two best teams and they played for the National Championship. However, LSU and USC were the most deserving teams because USC won their conference while Oklahoma did not. So in 2003 it was the best teams that played.

What Are Style Points, and Are They Overrated?

Michael Inglis — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 04:32:16 -0500

In today's world of college football, there are a lot of factors that go into the equation to determine which teams are the best of the best.

There's strength of schedule, wins and losses, conference strength, statement games, and that overhyped one, style points.

Style points are classified as how much you beat your opponent by. If your favorite team plays someone who isn't very good and only beats them by a small margin, then they will be criticized. However, if your favorite team beats a strong opponent by a large margin, then they will get extra praise.

I'm here to dispel the myth that style points are a legitimate way of determining which teams are the best in the country.

Let's take a look at the BCS Era, which started in 1998 and runs through present times.

The two biggest underdogs in the National Championship game were the 2002 Ohio State Buckeyes (who faced Miami) and the 2006 Florida Gators (who faced Ohio State).

Ohio State (2002) won all of their conference games by 12 points. They also won half of their games by a touchdown or less.

In the National Championship game they played the heavily favored Miami Hurricanes. The previous year Miami won the National Championship and were considered by many the best or at least the most talented team ever.

Miami had won all if its conference games by an average of 22.5 points, which included a 25-point victory over the Gators in the Swamp.

Of course, Ohio State not only stayed in the game but actually won 31-24 in OT.

In 2006, the Florida Gators won their conference games by an average of 7.75 points, which is the lowest of any of the 20 teams that have played for the National Championship. They were led by Chris Leak, who before that game and even after was considered an underachiever by many Florida fans.

On the other hand, Ohio State (2006) won all of their conference games by an average of 26.6 points. They also had the Heisman Trophy winner, Troy Smith, leading them.

In this case, Florida not only won the game but also had the most dominating performance in the BCS Championship Era. Just check the stats out if you don't believe me.

Most critics would say that two instances don't prove that style points are overrated, and I would agree. However, in seven of the 10 National Championship games, the team with the lowest margin of victory during the regular season has won.

What is also interesting is that the 2004 Oklahoma Sooners, who got blown out by USC, had a larger margin of victory than the Auburn Tigers, who went undefeated. Maybe that's why the obviously overrated Sooners got in over the Tigers.

Something else to note is that the SEC, which has had four teams play in and win the National Championship, has the lowest margin of victory of any conference.

I recently read an article where the author was handing out grades for each of the top teams at the time. Somehow an undefeated Alabama team got a B+ while a one-loss Florida team got an A+. Not only did that loss come in the Swamp, it also came to a rebuilding and unranked Ole Miss team. I'm sure many of you read this same article.

Now, the reasoning behind the grades was that Alabama wasn't playing like the number two team in the country. It has almost gotten to the point where losing is actually better than playing close games.

But it is time for that to stop.

Top 5 Things Wrong With the BCS Rankings

Michael Inglis — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 09:38:35 -0400

1. Why is USC ranked fifth and Florida 10th?

USC lost to an unranked Oregon State team and was down 21-0 at the half. The final score was 27-21. The University of Florida lost to Ole Miss, also unranked, 31-30.

Looking at that, one would think things are pretty even, with neither team having much of an advantage.

However, let's look at their schedules. USC only has one ranked team on their schedule, which was Ohio State whom they blew out.

Florida blew out LSU and still has to play @ Georgia, @ Vanderbilt, and @ FSU.

Why does USC's weak schedule not seem to bother any of the "experts?" Notre Dame was 4-1 and for the first time ever wasn't ranked with that kind of record.

Why? Because everyone recognized their weak schedule. Why does USC get special treatment?

If both teams win out, USC shouldn't be ranked ahead of Florida, but I'd be willing to bet they will be.

2. Why is Oklahoma ranked fourth?

Anyone know what place Oklahoma is in the Big 12 South standings? The answer is fourth!

How can a team be ranked fourth in its own division but somehow be ranked ahead of all of those teams except one in the BCS Rankings?

OU has one loss, while Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech are undefeated.

3. Why is Missouri ranked at all?

Quick, name a quality team Missouri has beaten this year. Can't think of one? That's because the Tigers haven't beaten a quality team.

The best team they have played is Illinois, which is unraked and already has two Big 10 losses.

Nebraska is in the same boat. They've played two good teams (Texas Tech, Oklahoma State) and lost to them both.

The only thing keeping Missouri in the top 25 is the preseason expectations.

4. Why is Florida ranked behind Ohio State?

As I said earlier, Florida lost to Ole Miss, but that was more due to Florida beating themselves. They fumbled several times, leading to Mississippi scores and had a PAT blocked.

Ohio State, on the other hand, was smacked around pretty good (again) by USC and looked lost in every aspect of the game.

In Florida's five victories, they are winning by an average of just under 31 points. That includes an impressive 51-21 victory over then fourth-ranked LSU.

In OSU's seven victories, they are winning by an average of 20 points. Against Purdue they won by 13 but couldn't even produce an offensive touchdown. They also played a close game against 2-5 Ohio.

Did you know Florida is one of only four teams to beat a top 10 oppenent this year?

5. Why is South Florida ranked ahead of Pitt?

These are both one-loss teams and in case you don't know, Pitt beat South Florida on their home field on national television.

Doesn't make sense, because we already know who the better team is.

Surprised Alabama Is This Good? Four Reasons You Shouldn't Be

Michael Inglis — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:42:53 -0400

Alabama's sudden rise to the number two spot in the AP Poll seems to have most of the college football world surprised. However, if you take a deeper look into the situation surrounding the Crimson Tide, you can see just why they've made it this far.

1. Nick Saban

Take a look at what Saban did in his first two years with LSU. In year one, he posted an 8-4 record with a Peach Bowl victory. An 8-4 record might seem pretty nice, but there were some lopsided defeats, including a 34-17 loss to the Auburn Tigers, a 41-9 loss to the Florida Gators, and the embarrassing 13-10 loss to the UAB Blazers.

In year two, which was 2001, Saban led the Tigers to a 10-3 record, which included victories in the SEC Championship and Sugar Bowl.

You might be able to tell that Saban's first year at Bama was very similar to that of his first year at LSU. Bama had an embarrassing lost last year to Louisiana-Monroe and won seven games including their bowl game against Colorado.

Year two for Bama...looks good so far.

2. Last Season

The 2007 football season was one of ups and downs for the Crimson Tide. They won their first three games, then lost two, then won three more, then lost four more, and finally ended their season by beating Colorado.

Now take a look at all six of those losses. Their average loss was by only six points, and they never lost a game by more than seven points.

The point is when a team loses that many games by that little, it's very correctable. A little change here and there, and all of the sudden those seven-point losses turn into seven-point wins. Doing the small things wins big time games.

3. The Returners

With all the talk about the freshmen for this team, we seem to forget they start 18 juniors and seniors. That is not including stud MLB Rolando McClain, who is a sophomore.

John Parker Wilson takes a lot of heat from people outside of Tuscaloosa, but in Bama's two biggest games this year, he is 35 of 46 for 385 yards, three TDs, and zero INTs. He also has rushed for one TD.

Glen Coffee, who is a junior, is on fire. He has over 700 yards and is averaging over seven yards per carry. However, a lot of his success should be credited to the offensive line, which brings me to my next point.

4. The Offensive Line

This is one of best offensive lines in the country, consisting of three-year starter Andre Smith and seniors Anthonie Caldwell and Marlon Davis. Clearly this is the strongest point of the team and a major reason for the their success so far.

Games are won in the trenches, and so far Bama is winning those battles.

Going back and reading some of the preseason predictions for Alabama's season, many people were predicting a 7-6 or 8-5 season for this team. Even though they still have a long way to go, the signs were clearly there to see this team was going to be pretty good.

Top 10 Dumbest Rules in Sports

Michael Inglis — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 07:33:51 -0400

10. In MLB, why doesn't a player get an RBI when he grounds into a double play?

Did he not still hit the runner in? If a player hits it in the air and the runner on third tags up, not only does the batter get an RBI, but he doesn't even get credited with an at bat so it won't hurt his average. That's an added bonus. So if a player grounds into a double play, at least give him the RBI.

9. Why do tennis players get two faults before the other player is awarded a point?

Are we saying that tennis players aren't athletic enough to hit a ball within the boundaries of the court? If a quarterback throws an interception, he doesn't get to do it over again. This is a professional sport. Athletes should be able to do their job on the first try and be penalized if they can't.

8. Why do both teams get warned when a pitcher throws at the batter?

In baseball when a pitcher seemingly beans somebody on purpose, the umpire warns both dugouts and tells them not to hit the batters. When they do this, the team that got hit is at a disadvantage because they can't retaliate without getting ejected. Why not only give the team that threw the ball the warning? Why does the batter get a warning for being hit with a baseball going 90 mph?

7. Why do fans have to be quiet when a golfer is about to take his swing?

Is Tiger Woods not good enough to play with sound? Alex Rodriguez was booed at just about every at bat of the season by his OWN FANS. Still, he hits 40 home runs and drives in 130 runs.

6. Why is there an illegal defensive three seconds rule in the NBA?

There is no such rule in the college game. Defenses should be allowed to set up wherever they want. After all, it is called defense for a reason.

This is supposed to be to prevent a large player, such as a Shaquille O'Neal or a Theo Ratliff, from clogging the lane. But shouldn't that be the defender's prerogative? And if a big man wishes to defend nothing but the lane, the offensive team's remedy should be for the opposing player to feast off of the resulting wide open 10 to 12 foot shots that he will enjoy.

5. Why does a batter get awarded first base if the catcher drops the ball on a third strike?

I thought it was one, two, three strikes you're out in the old ball game. Apparently not. It's only true if the catcher catches the ball. They should add that into the song somewhere.

4. Why does the American League get to use a designated hitter while the national league is forced to have their worst hitter take at bats?

Many times in the National League, a pitcher is forced to come out just because the coach needs a pinch hitter. I don't know about you, but I'd rather have David Ortiz up with the bases loaded then Roy Oswalt. I'm sure Shaq would love a designated free throw shooter for him, or a football kicker would love a designated tackler once he kicks the ball.

3. Why aren't soccer players required to come out of the game when they get hurt?

Now, I don't watch much soccer, but if you have ever tuned to a game you would see that almost every player fakes an injury of great proportions. They will roll around on the ground grabbing some body part like they have just been gunned down by the mafia. However, a few minutes later, they get up and are ready to go. If they are in so much pain, then they should be required to take a seat.

2. Why does the NBA use jump ball instead of alternating possessions?

I understand you do this at the beginning of the game, but why after? If Yao Ming gets tied up with Earl Boykins, who do you think is going to win?

1. Why do we still use the BCS?

The BCS—this is it. It is growing into its maturity. This is going to be the year when the BCS actually works. This is going to be the year that a college football playoff system is the farthest thing from anyone's mind.

But what if BYU ends up as this year's Auburn? Undefeated, but the strength of schedule just wasn't there. I can see the letter now:

Dear BYU,

Congratulations on your remarkable and undefeated season. Your team was truly a treat to watch. Even though nobody could beat you this season, the best we can offer you is a chance to play for third place in the Sugar Bowl.

Sincerely,

The BCS

Honorable Mentions

The 10-game suspension for steroid use (a bat boy got six for drinking milk), end zone celebrations, All Star game decides home field advantage, and guaranteed contracts.

SEC Football: What Each Team Must Overcome To Be Successful This Season

Michael Inglis — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:48:25 -0400

Auburn: The Tigers most glaring weakness in their receving core. Their returning leading reciever is senior Montez Billings, who had just 321 yards and 1 TD last season. This year, as most of us know, Auburn will be running a new offense, the spread.

A big part of the spread is throwing the ball even if it is a run first scheme. Take a look at Florida, Missouri, and Oregon, for example. In a spread offense you will usually have three, four, or five recievers on the field at all times. Hopefully, for Auburn fans, someone will step up.

Another possible weakness is their quarterback situation. Actually, there is no "situation", the man for the Tigers is Kodi Burns. He will be a sophmore this year with very limited experience. Last year, in nine games, Burns completed only 10 of 26 passes for two TD and one INT. He is obvioulsy very raw as a passer. How much he has improved over the offseason will be huge for a team that struggled to score last season.

Although running will be their main focus, unless you have Darren McFadden and Felix Jones on your roster, you can't be one dimensional.

Alabama: The biggest concern for the Tide is on the defensive side. Last year they gave up 22 points per game and every one of them mattered because all of Bama's losses came by seven points or less. They need to sure up their secondary and create a bit more pressure on the QB.

Most people would say John Parker Wilson is a weakness for Alabama and I'll agree to a point. Right now he is the best QB in the division and has the most experience by far. His stats aren't bad either. He's talented but he doesn't manage the game well. He must stop making crucial mistakes. A second year under Saban will hopefully help him live up to his capabilities.

Just like Auburn, the receiving core is concern. DJ Hall, Matt Caddell, and Keith Brown are all gone. The bright spot is that the Tide did grab Julio Jones, who was ranked as the number one receiver of last years class.

LSU: Jamarcus Russell is the number one pick in the NFL draft. That's okay they have Matt Flynn! Matt Flynn just won the National Championship and was signed by the Packers, but that's alright they still have Ryan Perilloux! Perrilloux is kicked off the team but that's okay LSU still has. . . wait. . . who do they have?

The answer to that question is Andrew Hatch, and Jarret Lee. Hatch is known more for his book smarts than his ability to play football. He played on the J.V. squad at Harvard.

At LSU, he has only completed one pass for nine yards. Lee is a true freshman and is supposed to be pretty good. However, unless Hatch implodes under the pressure, Lee will not play very much this year.

Les Miles is looking for the QB who is least likely to make the big mistake and at this time that guy looks like Hatch.

The only other concern at this time is at the corner back position. Both Jonathon Zennon and Chevis Jackson went to the NFL. Both played big roles in last year's National Championship game and it will hard to replace them immediately. Another possible concern could be at linebacker, where they lost Ali Highsmith and Luke Sanders.

Florida: After the 2006 pounding that the Gators gave Ohio State in the National Championship game, the bulk of their defensive left for the NFL and it showed in 2007.

With new starters at jalmost every position the Gators really struggled to stop the opposing team last year. They gave up 28 points to LSU, 45 to Kentucky, 42 to Georgia, and 41 to Michigan. With one year of experience underneath their belt, the Gators are hoping they can become a formidable defensive group.

I would say the running game is a weakness but even without a go to guy at this point, the running game didn't seem to matter much last year when UF had one of their better offenses historically.

Georgia: Do they have any weaknesses? I'm confident that they will not go undefeated this year but where do they suffer most? Their defense is stellar, Mathew Stafford is coming into his own, and Knowshawn Moreno is a Heisman candidate.

The one problem they could have is at wide receiver, where they lost their top two receivers. However, they did sign A.J. Green who was right behind Julio Jones as the nations best WR coming out of High School.

Tennessee: Even though most people considered Erik Ainge to be a bad QB, he did throw for 50 TD and 19 INT in his last two years.

This year, they will start Jonathan Crompton who underwent arthroscopic surgery over the off-season. He will be a senior this year but has only thrown 78 passes in his career.

The defense for Tennessee last year was very inconsistent. They gave up 45 points to Cal, 59 to Florida, 41 to Alabama, and 50 to Kentucky, even though that was in OT. On the other hand they gave up just 14 to Georgia, 13 to Arkansas, 21 to LSU (but only 14 on defense) and 17 to Wisconsin.

If they want to win the almighty SEC then they must play more consistently on defense.

Arkansas: Where do I begin?

Darren McFadden and Felix Jones are gone so the offense will suffer tremendously.

Casey Dick is far from being an established QB at the college level and Ryan Mallet will have to watch from the sideline this year.

Marcus Monk is also gone. The defense last year was bad and even if they improve some, Arkansas will still be a bad team in 2008.

Kentucky: Andre Woodson, who deserves a lot of credit for putting Kentucky on the college football map, is gone.

He was truly the heart and soul that program has been looking for for a long time. How will they make up for 40 TD through the air? They also lost their top two WR, and their starting running back, Rafael Little.

However, Derrick Locke is more than adequate to replace Little in the running game. He had over 500 yards last year on 5.5 yds/carry.

Defensively the Wildcats were one of the worst teams in the SEC last year, giving up 30 ppg. If that doesn't improve drastically, Kentucky could be in for a rough year when you factor in their offensive woes.

Mississippi State: Last year they snuck up on a few teams and pulled out wins. This year those teams will be looking for payback.

Wesley Carroll did a nice job managing the game last year but he must improve if he is to take Mississippi State to the next level. Sylvester Croom should get a lot of credit for what he has done with this program.

The biggest problem that Mississippi State faces is that they don't recruit well. With powerhouses in the recruiting world like LSU, Alabama, Auburn, Florida, and Georgia, it's tough to have continued success in the SEC. This team actually averaged a loss points-wise last year, a negative 2.4 points per game margin.

Vanderbilt: Vandy hasn't posted a winning season in God knows how long. They've only won 20 games in the past five years. The just aren't going to be very good this year.

Ole Miss: Ole Miss made a nice move by grabbing Houston Nutt even if he is only an 8-4 type coach. But for Ole Miss that would be a blessing. They should improve some, it's hard to go 0-8 in conference play two years in a row.

Ryan Grant Should Shut Up and Report to the Green Bay Packers

Michael Inglis — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:06:29 -0400

The Green Bay Packers' second-biggest problem this offseason has been with running back Ryan Grant.

Last year, he rushed for 956 yards in 10 games, with eight touchdowns. He was a surprising spark for the Packers, who looked lost in the running game for the first six weeks. There is no doubt that Grant provided a major contribution the team's success last year, as they reached the NFC Championship game.

However, Grant and his agent seem to think that a good half of a season means a new contract with a lot of money.

Now, as fans, we hear about athletes holding out all the time because they want more money, and at this point, it's almost become normal. This year, Plaxico Burress, Devin Hester, Anquan Boldin, and others have considered holding out, or have done so, because of contract negotiations.

The difference between Grant and the Burresses of the world is that Grant hasn't earned his money with a solid reputation, while stars like Burress have.

Grant and his agent have called the Packer's newest offer "insulting."

What's insulting is that Grant thinks he deserves a big contract. I can understand why he's dong this, because if he gets hurt or proves to be a one-year wonder, then he'll never get his money. Is he doing the smart thing? Probably. Does he deserve the money? No.

At least not yet.

LSU Football: A Realistic Preview of the Tigers' Upcoming Season

Michael Inglis — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 18:31:25 -0400

If you read my article about Alabama football and the realistic outlook for their upcoming season, then you'll know how this works.

I don't pick wins and losses based on individual games. Instead, I group them into sets of threes. This allows a bit of flexibility while still giving an accurate outcome. At least I hope that's the case—we'll have to wait and see how the season plays out to know the answer to that.

First, let's look at the state of these LSU Tigers. After a great and exciting National Championship season last year, the Tigers look a lot different for the 2008-2009 season.

Key losses include QBs Matt Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux, RB Jacob Hester, WR Early Doucet, DBs Corey Chavous and Jonathan Zenon, LBs Ali Highsmith and Luke Sanders, Mr. All-Everything in Glenn Dorsey, and safety Craig Steltz.

Needless to say, that's quite a bit of talent out the door.

The running game shouldn't have a drop off with the trio they have, starting with Keiland Williams. Quarterback is the big question, with three players competing for the spot who have combined to complete one pass at LSU. One of them will need to step up and play well for LSU to have success this season.

Safety shouldn't be a huge concern, nor defensive line. I would worry a little about linebackers if I were a LSU fan, and a lot about the corner position.

Let's move on to the schedule.

Group 1: Appalachian State, Troy, North Texas

The only game of interest is App. St., which LSU should win fairly easily. There won't be a Michigan sighting for this season opener. I don't really need to say anything about the other two.

After three games, 3-0 (0-0 SEC)

Group 2: @ Auburn, Mississippi State, @ Florida

This stretch will end either 2-1 or 1-2. Playing at Auburn is never easy, but it's especially so when you have inexperienced players at key positions. Auburn should have a strong defense like they did last year, and QB Kodi Burns should provide a spark in that spread offense. I see Auburn winning a close one.

Mississippi State should be a win, especially since it's in Baton Rouge.

This next one was easy. There is no way (well...maybe) that Hatch goes into the Swamp and beats reigning Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow. On top of that, Florida's defense should be improved from last year with a year of experience under their belt.

Update: After six games, 4-2 (1-2 SEC)

Group 3: @ South Carolina, Georgia, Tulane

Coming off the UF loss, Les Miles will have his guys ready to play. South Carolina is a nice team with a young QB, but they struggled to defend the run last year. If that is true this year, LSU could run away with this one, since that will be their strong point.

Georgia at home should be a good one. However, you have to give the Bulldogs the edge here. They are considered a National Championship contender that can beat you with the run or the pass. They have a solid defense as well. Baton Rouge is tough, but Georgia wins this one. The only way LSU wins is if Georgia comes in not ready to play because they are looking forward to Florida a week later.

Obviously, Tulane is a win.

Update: After nine games, 6-3 (2-3 SEC)

Group 4: Alabama, Ole Miss, @ Arkansas

This stretch will end either 3-0 or 2-1. Most importantly, these are all SEC games. As I said in my Bama article, I think LSU beats Bama in this one. I can hear the boos now for Nick Saban, but he should have his team ready to play. The last thing Les Miles wants is for the most hated guy in Louisiana to come into his house and beat him. It should be a close game, but LSU gets the edge here.

Ole Miss at home should be a win. At Arkansas should also be a win. Arkansas might not even make it to bowl eligibility.

The final update after the regular season is 9-3 (5-3 SEC). However, there is flexibility here, and 8-4 (4-4 SEC) is also possible if USC or Bama can squeak a win out. The best case scenario for LSU, if they overachieve, is 10-2 (6-2 SEC).

That Auburn game will be huge for them—if somehow they can win there, that will really put them in a good position if they can win the rest of the games they are supposed to. I'm sticking with the 9-3 record (5-3 SEC) though. I think the winner of the West will end up with a 6-2 conference record. Whether that's Auburn, Alabama, or LSU remains to be seen.

No matter who comes out of the West, I see either Georgia or Florida winning the SEC.

Of course, this is just my viewpoint. Let me know what you think.