Bleacher Report - Articles by Beau Kiklis

Cincinnati Bearcats Favorites To Win the Big East

Beau Kiklis — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:01:29 -0500

There isn't enough to be said about the Cincinnati Bearcats. They began their 2009-10 campaign unranked, but with high expectations for a team that failed to make the dance last year.

They are currently playing with a 10 man rotation: three of them are freshman, two are sophomores, three are juniors, and two are seniors.

Cincinnati brings the perfect balance of leadership, experience, and youth. Head coach Mick Cronin has been at the helm since 2006. One thing he hasn't done yet: bring a team to the NCAA Tournament. Cronin had his first winning season with the Bearcats last year.

If its one thing that Cincinnati lacks, it's tournament experience. They've been decent on offense, but not good enough. If the Bearcats wants to make a statement this year, they are going to have to put up more points. On the otherside of the ball, they have been solid. They are a defensive ball team. Combine that with an improved offense and this team can is capable of a Big East championship.

There is no question that Deonta Vaughn is the leader of this team. The senior led the Bearcats in scoring as freshman, he was first team all Big East as a sophomore, and last year he made all Big East for the third straight year. He provides leadership, experience, and scoring.

Cincinnati is blessed to have a player like this leading their team. Yancy Gates, Rashad Bishop, Lance Stephenson, and Cashmere Wright are the supporting cast.

Gates, the 6-9 sophomore forward, gives Cincy good size on the block, as well as scoring and rebounding ability. He is a major cause for the buzz around the basketball program.

The 6-6 junior Rashad Bishop, provides a spark on the offensive end and has great size for his position.

The number one high school basketball player last year, Lance Stephenson, is the key to this teams success. His athleticism and explosiveness on offense gives this team more of what they already have: size, athleticism, and youth. He is one of four starters averaging in double digits.

Cashmere Wright is an emotional leader for this Bearcats team. The red shirt freshman guard is a great athlete. His stats may not say much, but his speed and basketball IQ make him a key to this team. He allows Cincy to move Deonta Vaughn to the two guard, making him even more dangerous.

6-0, 6-1, 6-5, 6-6, and 6-9. Cincinnati has great size. Although they lack a true center, they make up for it with the NBA style small forward in Lance Stephenson. At times, this team is capable of playing the four guard offense, similar to the 2006 Villanova Wildcats, who reached the Elite Eight.

This is a very solid basketball team. Cincinnati almost has all the pieces to the puzzle. They lack tournament and winning experience, but after this year, the Bearcats will become a powerhouse in the Big East.

I believe that Cincy will be a contender this year, but I also think that they are a year or two away from making it onto the national map. With that being said, I wouldn't be surprised to see the Bearcats earn a top seed (1-4) in the tourney this year. But in years to come, this team could possibly be in national championship talk. That is if Lance Stephenson will stick around.

The 2009-10 schedule gives Cincy plenty of opportunities to prove themselves. They've already won their first two games at the Maui Invite against two ranked opponents, Vanderbilt and Maryland. They are currently leading in the championship game against Gonzaga 45-39. They return home for a challenging game against Miami (OH) on December 10.

Followed by trips to Xavier and UAB, two very solid opponents. They schedule lightens up before their first Big East game against UConn on December 30.

After a date at Rutgers, Cincy will host Pitt on January 4. Three weeks later, they travel to Louisville on January 24.

The tough Big East schedule continues when they play Syracuse and UConn in the same week in February. Cincy concludes its season with three games that could potentially make or break their season.

February 27 at West Virginia, March 2 vs. Villanova, and March 6 at Georgetown.

This is by no means an easy schedule. Here's a complete schedule .

If Cincy can make it out of the non-conference schedule unscaled, they will be in good shape headed into the rigorous Big East schedule.

Now it's time to make some predictions:

Cincy will start this season 21-0 before losing to Notre Dame on the road. After their hot start, they will finish up the season 4-4, losing two of their last three to Villanova and Georgetown.

Cincy will be eliminated in the second round of the Big East tournament and earn a four seed to the dance, where the will be ousted in the second round.

This years team simply isn't ready to take their program to the next level, but I strongly believe that within the next few years they will make a sweet 16 or elite eight run.

After all, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about this team. Keep a close eye on Cincy over the next few years—the program is developing rather fast.

In addition, Cincy has already signed an ESPNU top 100 player. Justin Jackson, rated a 93 on ESPN.com has signed with the Bearcats. The 6-8 power forward will join his teammate at Arlington Country Day School in Florida, Kelvin Gaines, the 19th best center in the nation according to ESPN.com. The 6-10 center is rated a 90 on ESPN.com, and could make an immediate impact upon his arrival at Cincinnati.

ACC Basketball: Predicting the Final Stretch

Beau Kiklis — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 23:24:29 -0500

Its hard to believe, but selection Sunday is just 25 days away. Still many questions remain in the ACC.

Going team by team and predicting their remaining games, including the ACC tournament and whether or not that team will make the tourney.

North Carolina:
vs. NC State, Win
@ Maryland, Win
vs. Georgia Tech, Win
@ Virginia Tech, Win
vs. Duke, Loss
Regular Season: 13-3
Clearly the top team in the ACC. As usual they will spilt the season series with Duke.

Duke:
vs. Wake, Win
@ Maryland, Loss
@ Virginia Tech, Loss
vs. Florida State, Win
@ North Carolina, Win
Regular Season: 10-6
Duke has been playing poorly of late. I think the trend continues with back-to-back losses at Maryland and Virginia Tech.

Clemson:
@ Georgia Tech, Loss
vs. Virginia Tech, Win
@ Florida State, Win
vs. Virginia, Win
@ Wake Forest, Loss
Regular Season: 10-6
Clemson escaped Boston College with great help from Terrence Ogelsby. Clemson has a tough time at the Georgia Dome and looses a heart breaker to Wake.

Wake Forest:
vs. Georgia Tech, Win
@ Duke, Loss
vs. NC State, Win
@ Virginia, Win
@ Maryland, Win
vs. Clemson, Win
Regular Season: 11-5
Wake regains its balance after stumbling slightly. They will lose to Duke. Duke doesn't lose to the same team in one season.

Boston College:
@ Miami, Win
vs. Florida State, Win
@ NC State, Win
vs. Georgia Tech, Loss
Regular Season: 10-6
Georgia Tech gave BC a tough time earlier in the year. BC handles Miami and Florida State, as they stay hot off their upset over Duke.

Virginia Tech:
@ Virginia, Loss
vs. Florida State, Win
@ Clemson, Loss
vs. Duke, Win
vs. North Carolina, Loss
@ Florida State, Loss
Regular Season: 8-8
After playing the soft part of the schedule already, Virginia Tech struggles to maintain as competition increases. FSU, Clemson, Duke, UNC, and FSU again isn't the ideal way to close out ACC play. Considering VT is only 6-4 in the ACC during the easy stretch doesn't say much, but overrated.

Florida State:
vs. Miami, Loss
@ Virginia Tech, Loss
@ BC, Loss
vs. Clemson, Loss
@ Duke, Loss
vs. Virginia Tech, Win
Regular Season: 7-9
FSU, another overrated ACC team. Like Virginia Tech they have the toughest games ahead.

Miami:
@ Florida State, Win
vs. BC, Loss
@ Virginia, Win
@ Georgia Tech, Win
vs. NC State, Win
Regular Season: 8-8
Miami has lost too many close games this year. They will get their footing and string together some wins as the schedule softens up.

Maryland:
vs. North Carolina, Loss
vs. Duke, Win
@ NC State, Win
vs. Wake Forest, Loss
@ Virginia, Win
Regular Season: 8-8
Maryland has a moderate schedule to end the season, but they do just enough to improve their ACC standing.

NC State:
@ North Carolina, Loss
vs. Virginia, Win
@ Wake Forest, Loss
vs. Maryland, Loss
vs. BC, Loss
@ Miami, Loss
Regular Season: 5-11
NC State's struggles continue. The schedule gets tougher and State fails to keep up with the rest of the league for the second straight year.

Virginia:
vs. Virginia Tech, Win
@ NC State, Loss
vs. Miami, Loss
vs. Wake Forest, Loss
@ Clemson, Loss
vs. Maryland, Loss
Regular Season: 3-13
Virginia is just too young. They will beat VT, which will be a great win for their program.

Georgia Tech:
@ Wake Forest, Loss
vs. Clemson, Win
@ North Carolina, Loss
vs. Miami, Loss
@ BC, Win
Regular Season: 3-13
Georgia Tech's struggles continue. They will beat Clemson and BC to end the season on a positive note. Georgia Tech had traditionally owned BC since they joined the ACC in 2005.

Final ACC Regular Season Standings:
1. North Carolina 13-3
2. Wake Forest 11-5
3. Clemson 10-6
4. Boston College 10-6
5. Duke 10-6
6. Miami 8-8
7. Virginia Tech 8-8
8. Maryland 8-8
9. Florida State 7-9
10. North Carolina State 5-11
11. Virginia 3-13
12. Georgia Tech 3-13

ACC Tournament:
Duke vs. Georgia Tech: Duke
Miami vs. Virginia: Miami
Virginia Tech vs. NC State: NC State
Maryland vs. Florida State: Florida State

North Carolina vs. Florida State: North Carolina
Boston College vs. Duke: Boston College
Wake Forest vs. NC State: Wake Forest
Clemson vs. Miami: Miami

North Carolina vs. Boston College: Boston College
Wake Forest vs. Miami: Wake Forest

Wake Forest vs. Boston College: Wake Forest

NCAA Tournament Bids:
Wake Forest (Automatic)
North Carolina (At Large)
Clemson (At Large)
Boston College (At Large)
Duke (At Large)
Miami (At Large)
Maryland (At Large)
Florida State (At Large)

Wake Forest, North Carolina: One Seeds
Clemson: Three Seed
Boston College, Duke: Four Seeds
Miami: Eight Seed
Florida State: 10 Seed
Maryland: 12 Seed

Wake Forest: Sweet 16
North Carolina: Natl. Champs (As of today, may change)
Clemson: Second Round
Boston College: Sweet 16
Duke: Elite Eight
Miami: Second Round
FSU: Second Round
Maryland: First Round

Freshman of the year: Sylven Landesberg, UVA
Coach of the Year: Al Skinner, BC
Sixth Man Award: Greg Paulus, Duke
Most Improved: Terrence Ogelsby, Clemson
Player of the Year: Tyler Hansbrough

All ACC First Team:
Tyrese Rice, BC
Jeff Teague, Wake
Tony Douglas, FSU
Jack McClinton, MIA
Tyler Hansbrough, UNC

All ACC Second Team:
AD Vassallo, VT
Sylven Landesberg, UVA
Kyle Singler, Duke
Ty Lawson, UNC
Gerald Henderson, Duke

All ACC Honorable Mention:
Grevis Vasquez, MRL
Gani Lawal, GT
Malcom Delaney, VT
Trevor Booker, Clem
Wayne Ellington, UNC
Brandon Costner, NC State
Jeff Allen, VT
Joe Trapani, BC
Rakim Sanders, BC
KC Rivers, Clem
Terrence Oglesby, Clem

All ACC Frosh Team:
Reggie Jackson, BC
Sylven Landesberg, UVA
Al-Faroquo Aminu, Wake
Iman Shumpert, GT
Ed Davis, UNC

Early Bird Prediction for 2009-10 Season:
ACC Champ: Boston College
Coach of the Year: Paul Hewitt, GT
Sixth Man Award: Biko Paris, BC
Most Improved: Reggie Jackson, BC
Player of the Year: Kyle Singler, Duke

1. Boston College
2. North Carolina
3. Duke
4. Wake Forest
5. Clemson
6. Georgia Tech
7. Virginia
8. Florida State
9. Virginia Tech
10. Maryland
11. Miami
12. NC State

Boston College Team Report: Eagles Jump Back Into NCAA Tournament Race

Beau Kiklis — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 09:33:52 -0500

Boston College found itself on the verge of falling out of contention for an NCAA Tournament bid, but with a win against Duke, BC bounced back in a big way.

Boston College recovered from back-to-back losses to Wake Forest and Clemson, after those games saw the Eagles falter in the second half.

BC was down by as many as 13 against Duke in the first half, but they capped off opening half on an 8-0 run. The second half, meanwhile, belonged to Tyrese Rice, who has proven to be a very streaky scorer.

He can score whenever he wants, and he does a nice job of not forcing it.

Freshman guard Reggie Jackson scored the go-ahead basket on a floater in the lane, and the Eagles never trailed from that point on. He also gave BC its first lead of the second half on a catch and shoot fade-away three.

BC moved to 7-5 in ACC play, and are now just a half-game behind Duke for second place.

Of the Eagles' four remaining games, only one of their opponents is ranked in the top half of the league, as Florida State comes to town. BC then plays Miami on Saturday at the U, followed by the Eagles' final two games against North Carolina State and Georgia Tech.

Rice went over 2,000 points in his career after scoring 21 against Duke, and is ranked seventh on BC's all-time list.

Jackson, meanwhile, broke out of a slump by scoring 15 in BC's big win over the Blue Devils, scoring in double figures for the first time since putting together back-to-back 10-point efforts against North Carolina State and Maryland earlier in the season.

BC shot a season high 59 percent from the field against Duke. It was the second time in four games that BC shot over 50 percent from the field, the other instance coming in a win against Virginia.

BC has dominated the all-time series against Miami, but has dropped the last two meetings to the U.

Rice led BC in points (22), rebounds (6), assists (6), and turnovers (6) against Duke.

Joe Trapani also broke out of a slump by putting up 20 points against Duke, this after scoring a combined 24 points in the previous two games for BC.

With the win against Duke, BC helps its chances of getting an at-large bid to the tourney.

Laugh at BC if you wish, but the Eagles are a very dangerous team. BC has beaten Duke, UNC, UAB, and Virginia Tech—all four are in the RPI top-50.

Boston College probably shouldn't have lost to Clemson, but they let Terrence Oglesby do way too much, and it cost them the game.

Assuming Boston College wins their next four contests to close out the regular season, BC could be looking at a seed somewhere between a No. 4 and No. 7.

If BC wins three of their final four games, they should be in very good shape. 10-6 is a great mark in ACC play, considering the ACC projected them to finish 11th.

My prediction for BC is 11-5 in ACC play, the No. 4 seed in the ACC tournament, and a No. 5 seed for the NCAA tournament.

Boston College-Wake Forest: Game Preview

Beau Kiklis — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 09:57:34 -0500

Sunday, February 8th, 2009
4 PM
Boston College @ Wake Forest
TV38/Raycom

Boston College enters tomorrows game with a five game winning streak. The streak matches BC's longest win streak in ACC play since first joining the league in 2005-06 when they won their first five league contests.

Boston College is 7-1 all time against Wake Forest. Wake Forest gained its first victory over BC one month ago when they defeated the Eagles at Chestnut Hill.

Tyrese Rice is averaging 21 points, three rebounds, and three assists per game in five career games verse Wake. He has shot 60 percent from the field and 65 percent from behind the arc.

BC has a 1-2 record against nationally ranked foes. BC lost to Purdue and Wake Forest. They defeated the then number one team North Carolina.

BC is averaging 76 points per game this season. Tyrese Rice, Rakim Sanders, Joe Trapani, and Corey Raji are all averaging double figure scoring.

BC has scored 80 points in 13 of its 24 contests; they are 13-0 in those games.

The charity stripe has been BC's best season this year. They have made the most trips to the line in the ACC. After nine league games, BC is shooting 80 percent from the line.

BC is allowing just 69 points a game this season, while holding opponents to 40 percent shooting from the field. When BC out rebounds their opponent they are 13-2.

BC is outscoring their opponents in the first, second, and overtime periods.

When BC shoots 40-49 percent they are 12-2. When they shoot 50 percent or higher, they are 5-0.

When BC shoots a better percentage than their opponent, they are 15-0. When BC leads at the half they are 14-0 and when they are tied or losing, they are 4-6.

When BC holds their opponent to 60-69 points, they are 7-0.

When the BC bench outscores the opponents bench, they are 10-1.

The Demon Deacons are coming off a setback loss to Miami. The Deacs are looking for their first defeat of BC at the Joel.

It will be interesting to see of McFarland reclaims the starting job at center after David Weaver replaced him in the starting lineup against Miami.

The key to Wake's success has been accurate shooting. Four of their five starters are shooting over 50 percent, while the the 5th starter, Williams, is at 48 percent.

Wake holds opponents to just 37 percent shooting. That is tops in the league and third in the nation.

This season Wake Forest is 1-1 after a loss. When Wake Forest scores first they are 13-1.

When the opponent shoots more free throws than Wake, they are just 1-3.

This will be a very tough game for Boston College. As we saw last month, BC doesn't match up well with Wake Forest. Wake has the size advantage over BC, not to mention the talent. BC however has shown signs of greatness, when they defeated North Carolina.

It will interesting to see how Wake responds to getting beat down by Miami in the second half.

For BC to win:
Rice, Sanders, Jackson, Trapani, Raji: Combine for 65
Southern and Dunn: Combine for eight points and eight rebounds.
As a team: BC needs to score more than 80.
BC has to get to the free throw line more than Wake does.
BC needs to score first.
BC needs to shoot 40-50 percent from the field.
Rice needs to stay on the floor and out of foul trouble.
BC bench needs to outscore Wake bench.
BC needs to shoot a higher percentage than Wake.
BC needs to withstand the Wake runs and hold them under 75 points.
Control tempo, slow the game down.

For Wake to win:
Score more than 80 points
Wake needs to get to the line more than BC.
Wake's bench needs to outscore BC's.
Contain Rice.
Control tempo; Wake needs to get out and run.

Boston College has been playing some solid basketball of late. They do, however, have problems maintaing leads.

They nearly blew a 20 point first half lead to Virginia. They blew a 10 point lead over Virginia Tech twice (@VT, vs.VT), they blew a 20 point first half lead to NC State, a 10 point lead of Georgia Tech, and a 10 point lead over Miami.

BC needs to stay consistent with their attack. This will be BC's first real challenge in a some time now.

Wake Forest needs to get out and run on BC. If Wake controls the tempo BC has no shot.

If Wake comes out of the gates a little slow, I wouldn't be surprised. They were completely dominated by Miami in the second half. We will see if it carries over.

As well as BC has been playing of late, I think the Demon Deacs are pretty upset, and sorry BC, but they are going to take it out on you.

With that being said, I wouldn't be surprised if BC pulled this one out late.

Wake 80-BC 67.

Jackson Begins New Era At Boston College

Beau Kiklis — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 18:26:24 -0500

Reggie Jackson was literally an unknown prospect heading into last spring. He was considered the biggest surprise of any west coast recruit. He was then regarded as the No. 2 guard in the west.

He has a seven-foot wingspan. He was listed as an athlete with superior quickness. He was said to rarely force the action. He was also said to have devastating defensive ability, due to his size.

Jackson was ranked No. 94 in the ESPNU 100. In 2008, he was named Gatorade Player of the Year in Colorado.

Jackson had considered Nevada, Wyoming, Texas A&M, and Marquette. He ultimately chose Boston College and he made this decision wisely, considering he has seen this world many a times.

He has lived in Italy, England, North Dakota, Georgia, and Florida, before he and his family settled in Colorado as a sixth grader.

Jackson was also a tremendous football player. He earned all conference first team and all city second team as a senior. BC has seen its share of solid freshman—Jared Dudley, Tyrese Rice, former Eagle Shamari Spears, Rakim Sanders, and now Reggie Jackson.

Picking BC means that Jackson could easily go down as one of BC's all-time leading scorers. He is averaging eight points a game.

As the likely successor of Tyrese Rice, Jackson attains many of the attributes as Rice does. He can drive, dribble, shoot, play solid defense, and make the big play when his team needs it.

As I watch him play, I have flash backs of Rice's freshman year. During Rice's freshman year, BC had reached a pinnacle. Rice averaged nine points a game his freshman year.

Jackson's abilities could be the difference for BC this year. He has made many big plays and shots this year for BC.

BC has been playing their best basketball of late. Fresh off a triumphant victory over Virginia Tech, BC has been firing on all cylinders.

This season could be the beginnings of another dominating era of BC basketball. Since the graduation of Craig Smith, BC basketball has been down. There is no better season than this one to put BC back on the map.

BC has a senior leader, like Craig Smith, in Tyrese Rice. They have little experience in Rakim Sanders, Joe Trapani, Josh Southern, Corey Raji, and Biko Paris, but all of these sophmores have the talent to carry this team.

Jackson is the next point guard at BC. He has the abilities to be a tremendous college basketball player.

With Jackson in the mix for the next four years and the experience gained by the sophomore class, this season could be a new beginning for BC basketball.

If BC were to place fourth to sixth place this year in the ACC, it would be a great sucess considering where they were picked to finish.

Next year and the year after, I believe BC can only get better. Those teams will be Jackson's teams, just like the last two years have belonged to Rice.

There is no telling if BC will continue to play at this rate, but we do know that they have the ability and potential to compete at the top of the ACC.

Is Boston College Basketball Back?

Beau Kiklis — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:46:31 -0500

Questions surround Boston College basketball everyday.

Is BC in a rebuilding year?

Is BC basketball back this year?

Will BC's underclassmen match the talent of Dudley, Marshall, and Smith?

Boston College defeated Maryland last night 76-67. Boston College probably played their best half of basketball in the second half last night. They outscored Maryland 47 to 27.

BC was able to defeat Maryland with balanced scoring and solid play from their big man Josh Southern.

So, is BC in a rebuilding year? Some say so, but I beg to differ. BC doesn't have a single freshman in the starting lineup. BC essentially returned all five starters from the end of last year's season and Joe Trapani would've started had it not been for the transfer rules.

It's safe to say that if Rice continues to score, assist, and steal at this rate he could be considered an All-American candidate.

BC has to win this year. There isn't any guarantee that they will be better next year without Rice. But with that being said, everyone has stepped their game up nicely this year.

BC basketball isn't back yet—not the way they played the first half last night. A few years ago that would've never happened to a BC team. If BC can become consistent, they will be a tough team to beat.

Remember, BC blew early leads against Miami, Virginia Tech, and North Carolina State. They also blew a late lead to Georgia Tech. If BC can figure away to maintain leads and play like they did in the second half against Maryland they will be a tough team to overcome.

BC basketball is back if Southern continues to play like he did against Maryland. BC will get the scoring from Rice, Trapani, Jackson, Sanders, and Raji. Combine that with limited turnovers BC will be back this year.

My prediction is that they are on their way right now, but they still are not there yet.

I think that BC's sophomore class could go down as one of the best classes in school history. If they continue to improve and play the way they are now, they could be a deadly team in a few years.

Sanders could easily be the next Jared Dudley when you compare them inch for inch. Joe Trapani is by far the most talented of the class. He leads the team in rebounding and is second in scoring. Corey Raji provides BC with grit and excellent offensive rebounding. He has shown the ability to score, but has been plagued by a groin injury this season.

Josh Southern has been by far the most improved player this season for the Eagles. Al Skinner knew Southern was going to be a key part this year. He has really stepped up nicely. He hasn't tried to do too much, but at the same time I would like to see he try to score on the post a little more.

I think that BC can be a contender this year in the ACC and if the underclassmen continue to develop at this rate they should be better next year, when Reggie Jackson assumes the starting point guard duties for Rice.

Jackson is a good looking freshman. He has the ability to shoot and drive. He has also shown great defensive abilities.

I would say that BC is solid the next two years, making the NCAA tourney. The third year will be BC's best team in school history. That year I predict BC to break the school record in team wins (28)—and possibly win the ACC tournament for the first time in school history.

Why Boston College Is in a Slump: Two Keys to BC's Success and Failure

Beau Kiklis — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 10:16:26 -0500

It's safe to say that Boston College has gotten a little ahead of themselves after upsetting the then-unbeaten North Carolina Tar Heels. Who knows if the players are reading the news clippings or not, but there are two keys to BC's success and failure.

BC has gotten solid play out of senior guard Tyrese Rice; his points are down, but his assists and rebounds are up, while he has limited his turnovers. It's safe to say that Rice is gonna have a big game every night. Rice scores most of his points in bunches. He's the player that BC needs to sink a three to cap off a huge run.

I remember watching Rice as a freshman. He was never afraid to shoot a three from anywhere on the court. He made his name known well when he played a great game in a home loss to Duke.

There is no question that BC basketball has been on a rapid decline since the departure of Craig Smith. Even with Jared Dudley as a senior, the Eagles were still unable to match the past success with Smith.

This leads us to our first key to a BC win: solid play from Josh Southern. By solid play I mean not committing fouls, but remaining aggressive. Southern needs to be around his average of five and five; if he could average eight and eight, BC would be in great shape.

Southern needs to stay aware. He has turned the ball over too many times by dropping passes and throwing passes out of bounds. Southern needs to get the free throw line more because he is a decent free throw shooter for a big man.

In BC's upset win, Southern had four points and five rebounds. He was 2-2 from the line and didn't turn the ball over. Courtney Dunn had three points and three rebounds. He also didn't turn the ball over. Combine the two, and it's seven points and eight rebounds. That's what BC needs to get out of their two big men.

In BC's loss to Harvard, Southern turned the ball over once and had six points and five rebounds, but he failed to get to the charity stripe. Courtney Dunn had 0 points and 0 rebounds. He also turned the ball over once.

The second key to a BC victory is a solid game by three of these: Rakim Sanders, Tyrese Rice, Joe Trapani, Corey Raji, or Reggie Jackson.

In BC's win over North Carolina, it was Jackson, Sanders, and Rice. The three combined for 64 points. In BC's win over Providence, it was Rice, Raji, and Trapani. The three combined for 48. In BC's win over UAB, it was all five of them (Sanders, Rice, Trapani, Raji, Jackson). The five combined for 72 of BC's 83.

In BC's loss to Miami, it was Sanders, Rice, and Jackson combining for 53, but Trapani and Raji combined for just 12, and Southern failed to score.

For BC to win, they have to be near perfect. The way they have been playing, I would say that they need about 65 to 70 points from Sanders, Trapani, Raji, Rice, and Jackson. Combining that with a combination of eight points and eight rebounds from Southern and Dunn (or Evan Ravenel) should lead to a BC victory.

One final note: BC turned the ball over just 11 times against UNC, compared to 16 against Harvard and Wake Forest.

If BC can limit the turnovers to under 12, get eight and eight from the big men, and get a combined 65 points from Trapani, Rice, Sanders, Raji, and Jackson, they will not lose another game in ACC play. BC needs to play near perfect because they lack size and rebounding.

I thought BC would have been better this year, but it looks like we have to wait one more year for BC to return to dominance. Jackson will be the next point guard at BC, and he has the chance to be better than Rice in my eyes.

BC goes down to the Georgia Dome tomorrow to battle the winless in ACC play Georgia Tech Jackets. BC might have run into Tech at the wrong time. Tech is bound to win sooner or later; they simply have too much talent.

Boston College--Wake Forest Review

Beau Kiklis — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 01:52:47 -0500

The Eagles of Boston College knew what they had to do, win. If BC wins out they will represent the ACC Atlantic title. BC and Virginia Tech are the only remaining teams that can control their own destiny.

A game that BC probably should have won easily turned into a struggle when 5th year senior Chris Crane went down with a broken collar bone. Prior to the injury Crane had a good game going for himself.

Enter redshirt freshman Dominique Davis, who had played in just two games prior to his entry in the game. It was a struggle for Davis the whole game when he fumbled twice and both fumbles lead to Wake Forest Touchdowns.

Davis was able to settle down and make enough key throws late in the nine play, 70 yard drive, which was capped off by a Davis sneak for a TD. Davis finished the game 13-23 for 103 yards. BC keeps its hopes alive by winning.

For Wake Forest, they have been eliminated from Orange bowl contention. Wake Forest had just one offensive score on the night and they were fortunate it wasn't a BC blowout.

BC can go to the ACC championship game with a home win against Maryland next week. If BC looses than Florida State will represent the Atlantic division.

For BC there is much work to do...Davis needs to work on his ball security and decision making. Davis made some promising throws.

I believe that if Chris Crane wasn't injured in this one, well it would have been a blowout. I don't think Crane would have fumbled on those plays. As for the punt block...we knew it would happen eventually the way that they were flying into the backfield.

Montel Harris had a quite game, BC must of thought that Haden would be more successful against the Wake D.

I took away 5 things from this game:

1. BC's defense can stop anyone at anytime
2. The game never should have been close
3. Wake's offense is the most overrated in a while
4. Davis showed signs of greatness, but needs alot of work
5. It looks like Crane's season is over (I don't know how collar bone injuries work).

I want to leave the rest of this article open to discussion.

ACC Football: A Speech for All ACC Supporters and Haters...Final Prediction, Too

Beau Kiklis — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:15:17 -0500

Sure, you can say the ACC has been down the past few years, but you cannot say that it hasn't been competitive. The ACC is easily the most equal conference in the nation.

If Duke had an ACC win, then that shows a lot. If every week the three teams that get ranked lose, then it is very equal.

The ACC has created an interesting season rather than a predictable one. The ACC may not be great for its talent, but it is sure great for its competitiveness.

It may not be drawing in huge crowds of fans and prime time TV events, but it has created a competitive environment.

Every game, every week is worth watching. One can guarantee a good game to watch on any given day in the ACC.

With this being said, the ACC is still wide open and up for grabs. So, who wants it more? These teams went through two a days in 100 degree heat, these teams hit hard, if the ref gets in their way, they hit him too.

The ACC has to sweat just like they do, hit just like they do, and play like they can. This is the mindset the ACC needs. College football thinks the ACC is a little-girl conference, which it has shown to be, but someone needs to ask them, whats wrong with y'all?

The ACC still has a chance to prove they are in a decent conference in this final week and bowl season.

The ACC Coastal Division
1. Virginia Tech 5-3
2. North Carolina 5-3
3. Georgia Tech 5-3
4. Miami 5-3
5. Virginia 3-5
6. Duke 1-7

The ACC Atlantic Division
1. Boston College 5-3
2. Maryland 5-3
3. Wake Forest 4-4
4. Florida State 4-4
5. Clemson 4-4
6. NC State 2-6

The Remaining Games and Picks
Clemson @ Virginia: Clemson
NC State @ UNC: UNC
BC @ Wake: BC
Duke @ VT: VT
FSU @ Maryland: Maryland
Maryland @ BC: BC
Miami @ NC State: Miami
UNC @ Duke: UNC
Virginia @ Virginia Tech: VT

As you can see, not that many games remain...The ACC will be decided by tie breakers. As you can see, I predict a rematch of last years Dr. Pepper ACC Championship Game.

At the beginning of the year, I predicted an FSU-Miami showdown in the ACC championship game.

I predict BC will win the ACC Championship Game this year. They won't go just to play this year, they will go to win.

The ACC has showed that they have the abilities to be a good conference. The ACC had a tough year with the non-conference games vs. teams from other BCS conferences, but throughout the ACC campaign, they have made each other stronger and tougher. They have built clear eyes and full hearts.

I'm usually not big on the whole "which conference is the best" thing, but let's just say the ACC needs this one, so this one goes out to all the ACC fans, supporters, athletes, coaches, and especially haters:

Stop reading the news clippings. You're small and you're going to be smaller every week. There ain't going to be no growth spurt between now and the bowl game.

You're going to use your minds! You're going to play with your heart! And that is what you're going to use to win those games against BCS teams...

What's wrong with y'all? Y'all are playin' like some little girls! Y'all act like you never played football before! These guys are nothin'!

They bleed just like we do, and sweat just like we do. They went through two-a-days. We went through two-a-days in 110 degree heat. I want you to hit everything that moves!

If the ref gets in your way, you hit him! They're cheatin' us too! They're against us, too. This is our team. This is us! Let's go right now! Let's get it off now and let's go!

So Haters, Take Two Steps Back!

Boston College - Wake Forest Preview, Winner Plays For Atlantic Title

Beau Kiklis — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:45:01 -0500

It's simple, the winner of this one will go on to play for the ACC Atlantic division title. These teams are coming from different stories and different sides of the ball.

Wake Forest came into this year with high expectations. They had a solid start to their season, but since then it has been all down hill.

Wake Forest was praised for their offense in the preseason, with the return of Junior quarterback Riley Skinner, a third year starter, and sophomore running back Josh Adams, who rushed for 953 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. Wake currently ranks 101st in the nation in total offense and 98th in scoring offense.

On the other hand Skinner has had a decent year for himself. He's completed 64% of his passes for 1,882 yards and has more than twice as many TD passes (11) as interceptions (5). Skinner has yet to have that true breakout game (350, four TD).

His top passing performance this year was 232 in an OT win verse Duke. He has yet to pass for more than two TDs in a game this year. You can't put the weight on Skinner, especially considering the lack of a rushing attack.

Josh Adams and Freshman Brandon Pendergrass are averaging just 3.6 and 3.3 yards per carry, respectively. They have combined for just six touchdowns. Adams has missed two of the last three with an ankle sprain.

On the receiving note, Wake has had a bit of a bright spot...DJ Boldin has caught 63 for 622 and three TDs. The problem for Boldin has been a break out game. His game high for receiving yards this season is just 89 in an OT win verse Duke.

The O-line hasn't helped at all. Wake's O-line ranks 102nd in the nation in sacks allowed per game...On average, Skinner goes down two and 1/2 times a game.

On the other side of the ball Wake has been more than solid. Wake is 28th in the nation in total defense and 18th in scoring defense. Wake has been better against the run (27th), than the pass (48th).

Cornerback Alphonso Smith is top in the nation amongst interception leaders with 5 picks. Kevin Paterson has added in four picks. Wake is ranked 3rd in turnover margin (+ 14). Aaron Curry is ranked 21st in the nation for tackles for a loss. The reason for Wake's success on defense: They start seven seniors and two juniors and eight members of Wake Forest's starting defense have at least 20 career starts.

Bottom line: After beating Clemson on October 9th, the Demon Deacons were 4-1 overall and 2-0 in the ACC. Since that time, Wake Forest is 2-3 with one of those victories coming in overtime against Duke (the other win was 28-17 over Virginia).

Wake not only lost 26-0 to Maryland but also lost to Navy earlier in the season. Last week, they lost to North Carolina State. The bottom line: Wake Forest is not playing very good football.

For BC, the people in Las Vegas weren't impressed by BC's win at FSU. Wake comes into the game as a two point favorite. BC has also struggled on offense this year, but it's understood. BC is still in the process of getting Chris Crane broken in. However they have shown a strong running attack with two true freshman Montell Harris and Josh Haden.

BC's success has come with the defense and special teams. BC has been intercepting balls left and right. They intercepted Claussen four times and Ponder three.

This game has defensive battle written all over it. A BC defense that has given up just 17 points in the past two weeks will face a Wake Forest offense that has had trouble moving the ball and scoring points this season. On the other side of the ball, BC's offense has been improving but putting up points against this talented and experienced Wake defense will not be easy.

This game, like most ACC games this season, will likely come down to turnovers. Wake Forest has created nearly twice as many turnovers (29) as they have committed (15) and BC leads the ACC in interceptions (21) so one would expect some big plays and maybe some scoring from the defenses.

BC has played excellent football the past nine quarters while Wake Forest has struggled. BC appears to be the better team right now but this is the ACC where it is impossible to predict anything from week to week.

BC 27-10

Miscellaneous

BC holds a 7-6-1 advantage over Wake Forest in the all-time series. Wake is 3-2 in the last five years against BC.

Fourteen former Wake Forest players currently play in the NFL.

Wake CB Alphonso Smith is second in ACC history in pass interceptions with 19. North Carolina's Dre Bly had 20 between 1996 and 1998.

Wake Forest has been outscored 69-44 in the fourth quarter this season. They have outscored opponents 60-38 in the first quarter.

Wake Forest is eight for 16 in fourth down conversions this season.

2008-09 ACC Predictions

Beau Kiklis — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 12:22:03 -0500

The ACC could easily be considered one of the best college basketball conferences in the nation. The Tar Heels are the easy favorite in the ACC. The Tar Heels have the nation's best player in Tyler Hansburough. The ACC is looking to continue its dominance in non conference play and it will aim towards yet another Big 10/ACC challenge win.

Projected Standings:
1. North Carolina
2. Wake Forest
3. Duke
4. Miami
5. Clemson
6. Boston College
7. Virginia Tech
8. Maryland
9. Georgia Tech
10. NC State
11. Florida State
12. Virginia

Pretty predictable, but take a look at Wake Forest moving up past Duke into that two spot. Boston College also takes a huge leap from last years disappointing season.

The Tar Heels are clearly the best team not only in the ACC, but the nation. The Heels return their six top players from a 36-3 season last year. Tyler Hansburough will lead the Tar Heel attack. The Heels have the complete package with power, speed, and raw talent.

Wake Forest could either be a great team or a team that underachieved. Wake returns all five starters from a team that finished seventh in the ACC last year. James Johnson will look to follow up on a great freshman season.

Duke will try to return to its dominate ways. The past couple of seasons have been disappointing for Duke. At Duke they expect championships and nothing less. Coach K returns four starters and their key sixth man Jon Scheyer. Look for Gerald Henderson to have a big year and step up as a major leader of this team.

Miami is an up-and-coming program. They have showed signs of greatness. The Canes return four starters and seven of their top nine players from last year's 23-11 team. Senior guard Jack McClinton will lead the Miami attack. The pre-season all ACC guard averaged 17 points a game last season.

Clemson returns seven of its top 10 players from last season. Clemson reached the ACC title game last season for the first time since 1962. KC Rivers will lead the Tiger attack. He was selected to the all ACC second team.

Boston College returns three starters from last years 4-12 team. Last year was the first losing season for the Eagles since 2000. The Eagles have a future, with 52 percent of last year's starts were from freshman and sophomores. The Eagles will be led by senior guard Tyrese Rice, who dropped 46 on UNC last year. Keep a close eye on freshman Reggie Jackson and sophomore Rakim Sanders, who started every game last year as a freshman.

Virginia Tech returns nine of its first ten players from last years team that went 21-14. Head coach Seth Greenberg has been named ACC coach of the year two out of the last four years. The Hokies will be lead by AD Vassallo and Jeff Allen. Allen is the future of the program, looking to make a name for himself.

Maryland returns 10 of its top 12 players from a team that finished tied for fifth in the ACC last year. The Terps will look to reach post season play for the 16th straight season. The Terps will be led by junior guard Greivis Vasquez.

Georgia Tech returns three starters from last season's 15-17 team. The Jackets are road tested. They were 4-4 last year on the road and they were only one of four other teams to finish with a road record of .500 or better in the ACC. The Jackets attack will be led by Mo Miller, a sophomore guard.

NC State returns three starters from last season's 15-16 season. NC State showed flashes of greatness last year when they defeated Villanova and Davidson. Brandon Costner will hope to continue his dominance on the court and hope to bring a tournament bid back to Raleigh.

Florida State returns three starters from last year's sixth place ACC team. FSU is on the rise as a program. Last year they made their third straight postseason appearance for only the second time in school history. Senior guard Toney Douglas will lead the Seminole attack.

Virginia is returning three starters from last year's 17 win team. The Cavs will have trouble replacing second round NBA pick Sean Singletary. Senior guard Mamadi Diane will look to take Sean's role as team leader.

The ACC is easily one of the top conferences in the land. Any team could win on any given day. It is very similar to the SEC in football. Any team has a chance to spring an upset any day because of the talent level in the ACC.

Boston College Football: The Most Underated Team Year In, Year Out

Beau Kiklis — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 04:59:10 -0500

Last night the Boston College Eagles defeated No.20 Florida State Seminoles. It was a game where no one really gave BC a chance to win. Florida State had only lost once before on its homecoming weekend. It was a black out, for the FSU fans and players. FSU came out in their intimidating black uniforms, but the Eagles were anything but scared. BC clinched its 10th straight winning season.

Each year, people underestimate the strength of BC football. Last year with Matt Ryan, LV Withworth, Andre Callender, Kevin Challenger, Jolann Dunbar, Jamie Silva, DeJuan Tribble, and the list goes on.

Last year's Senior class was one of the best in BC history. BC wasn't even ranked in the preseason top 25 last year and worked their way up to No.2 in the nation. BC was projected to win eight games last year. Are you kidding me? And you call yourselves college football experts?!

This year BC was expected to win about seven games according to these so called 'experts.' BC is two wins away from winning its second straight ACC Atlantic championship.

BC is rarely given any credit to by the press because they don't bring in five star recruits. BC brings in a certain breed of players, regardless of how many stars are next to their names. A prime example is Montell Harris. A two star recruit who ran all over the FSU defense, which is full of those five star recruits.

BC recruits smart players on offense and big guys on defense (Raji and Brace). BC is easily the most underrated football team in the nation. But how does a team like BC compete with teams like Clemson and FSU?

Clemson is a prime example of a program recruits based on stars. They go out and get five star recruits, who turn out to be flops because they don't play alike or well together.

You can attribute 110 percent of that problem to the worst coach in college football, Tommy Bowden. He spoiled his players and didn't have a clue when it came to building a college football team. Clemson has, however, made a turn for the better by firing Bowden.

BC is looked past every single season. Year in and year out, people forget about them. Every single year, BC slowly creeps back into the top 25. When are these experts going to learn that they should be in the top 25 because they make an appearance every single season.

I think BC likes flying under the radar. They always play underdog, and they like it. Other teams don't even give BC respect. In last nights game, FSU was going to kick a field goal to cut the lead to four.

But quickly the offense came running out onto the field hoping to catch BC off guard. BC wasn't phased. They stood in there and brought the heat and stopped FSU two yards short of the marker. Does FSU think BC is stupid? BC has one of the best defensive coordinators in the land; Frank Spaziani.

BC will continue to fly under the radar. If BC makes the ACC championship game again, well lets just say, they are demanding respect.

Jon Lester Is the Next Big-Time Pitcher in MLB

Beau Kiklis — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:31:45 -0400

It is now safe to put Jon Lester amongst the names of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Mike Mussina, Brandon Webb, A.J. Burnett, Tim Lincecum, Roy Oswalt, and Dan Haren. The list goes on, but it is still a very select list. These are some of the premier pitchers in baseball. Jon Lester is now included in this list.

You could argue that Lester is the best pitcher in the A.L. East. This was Lester's first full year as a major-league pitcher, and the fatigue factor didn't get to him at all; he got stronger when he was tired.

Lester first debuted in the majors two years ago. He was 7-2 with a 4.76 ERA in his first year. The next year, Lester was diagnosed with cancer and was forced to miss a majority of the season. He was 4-0 with a 4.57 ERA. He made a few starts in the playoffs as well, including Game Four of the World Series.

This year, Lester made 33 starts. He was 16-6 with a 3.21 ERA. Lester was nearly traded for Johan Santana in the offseason. I think it is safe to say that the Red Sox made the right decision in keeping Lester.

Lester throws a mid-90s fastball but can pop the mit a 98. He throws a solid two-seamer with a lot of movement. He mixes in his change-up and an 11-5 fastball. He also can fool hitters with a hard cutter.

Lester has drawn a lot of comparisons to Andy Pettitte. One similarity that we are learning about in the playoffs is that Lester is a big-game pitcher.

His first game back from cancer was a win. He won the clinching game for the Sox in the 2007 World Series, and he threw a no hitter earlier this year against the Royals. In the 2008 Playoffs, Lester is 2-0.

Lester has shown signs of being a top-notch pitcher in the big leagues this year. He is still learning and improving as he pitches. Lester will most likely win 20 games next year and probably several more times in his career.

At this rate, Lester should be a Cy Young award winner sometime in his career. He is already a top-gun pitcher in the bigs, but what lies ahead for Lester? As for now, there is no telling, but he is on the track to being a well-above-average big leaguer.

He has just finished his first full season and didn't go through the regular fatigue issues pitchers experience towards the end of their first full season.

Lester could be the difference for the Sox this year and he looks to be the future ace in the Boston staff. Next up for Lester is starting at the All-Star Game.

Is Chris Crane Beginning to Make a Name at Boston College?

Beau Kiklis — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 00:48:38 -0400

Chris Crane led a game-winning drive in the final minute at NC State on Saturday. It was a 13-yard rush with 22.8 seconds remaining that won the game.

His touchdown capped a career game for the fifth-year senior. Crane threw for 428 yards and two touchdowns. Crane also added three rushing touchdowns. His favorite target, Rich Gunnell, had 11 catches for 128 yards.

Crane, who had been struggling all year, finally found his footing against NC State. The game Crane had today was what BC thought they had at the beginning of the year, but it took a while for him to settle in.

Two weeks ago, Crane was booed against UCF, but when the Eagles return home to face Virginia Tech next week, he should be welcomed warmly.

Crane threw the ball 50 times for the first time in his career and for the first time this year. Despite blowing a 14-point lead, the Eagles were able to score late to improve to 4-1 and 1-1 in an open ACC race.

Crane also led the team in rushing yards with forty two yards.

Crane will get his first true test against Virginia Tech next week at home. If Crane can repeat his performance BC, will be on their way to another ACC title game. The schedule is going to get very tough for the Eagles.

October 18	No. 20 Virginia Tech	TBA
October 25	at North Carolina	TBA
November 1	Clemson	TBA
November 8	Notre Dame	TBA
November 15	at Florida State	TBA
November 22	at No. 25 Wake Forest	TBA
November 29	Maryland	TBA

The Eagles have yet to prove anything, but with Crane's performance on Saturday against the nation's leader in interceptions, he could lead the Eagles past many of these opponents.

We saw Crane's great athletic ability when he avoided a sack late in the game. He has above-average speed for a big quarterback, and he can really sling it.

Crane's No. 1 problem was his accuracy, but it has increased greatly since the opener against Kent State. It could still be better, and chances are it will.

Crane has shown great character. He went from being booed by his home crowd to a career game in a hostile environment against his ex-coach, Tom O'Brien. O'Brien has yet defeat the Eagles since leaving in 2005.

The Eagles are now a contender in the ACC, but with a poor defensive performance, questions still remain. It was an uncharacteristic performance by the Eagles defense.

The Eagles will play against their first ranked opponent of the year, and it could be the start of something for the Eagles. If the Eagles can go 6-1 down the stretch, then they will be in serious contention for an ACC Atlantic crown.

The Eagles will have to beat Wake Forest and Florida State on the road if they want a chance. The season is still in its beginning stage, but next week we will learn if the Eagles are contenders or pretenders.

Red Sox-Angels: ALDS Preview

Beau Kiklis — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 08:15:49 -0400

Wednesday will mark the third time these two teams have met in the ALDS since 2004. In 2004, the Red Sox swept the Angels on their way to winning the World Series for the first time since 1918. Last year, the two met again in the ALDS, and again the Red Sox swept the Halos.

The last three times that the Red Sox have reached the World Series, they have started their World Series run against Anaheim. This year, the Angels will be looking for revenge.

The Red Sox could also be playing with a bit of a chip on their shoulder as well, loosing eight of nine to the Angels in the regular season. Most of these matchups took place in mid-to-late-July, when the Red Sox were in the midst of dealing with Manny Ramirez.

The last time the Red Sox played the Angels was the last time that Manny wore a Red Sox uniform.

The 2008 Red Sox will get a huge test by heading out west for a best-of-five series. Not only are the Red Sox on the road, they are playing the best team in the majors. Game one could be a pitching dual for the ages.

Toeing the rubber for L.A. will be John Lackey. Lackey had a typical year for his standards. He was 12-5 with a solid 3.75 ERA. Boston will hand the ball to Josh Beckett, who was without question the best pitcher in baseball last year.

Although he didn't win the Cy Young award, he was unstoppable in the postseason. He shut down the Cy Young award winner for 2007 twice in the ALCS.

The Angels, who have been known for their small ball, could be cutting the ball in half all over the field. They have added Torii Hunter and Mark Teixeira. The Red Sox have taken a step back on offense by trading away Manny Ramirez.

The Angels' bullpen will be the more dominant, as usual. The Red Sox's bullpen has struggled all year, but Hideki Okajima and Justin Masterson have stepped up as big time set-up men for closer Jonathon Papelbon.

The concern for the BoSox is health. J.D. Drew and Mike Lowell have been battling injuries all August and September, but it hasn't slowed the team too much; however, it may have prevented them from winning the A.L. East.

The Angels don't have too many concerns. If there is a concern for the Angels, it will be their competitive edge. The Angels haven't played a meaningful game in some time.

Who will win and why

The Boston Red Sox have dominated the L.A. Angels in the postseason in the past few years. The tides changed this year, with the Angels taking eight of nine in the regular season, but the Angels' competitive edge is way down since then.

The Red Sox have been playing their best ball in the past two months. The Angels will go up 2-0 in this series, but when the series heads back to Boston, the Red Sox will look to their fans for some rejuvenation, and they won't look back, winning the final three games of the series.

Boston Red Sox Miscellany: Prospects and MVP Talk

Beau Kiklis — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 06:20:41 -0400

The 2008 Boston Red Sox have had many great surprises and many disappointments. The Red Sox farm system has come up big for Boston, and some of the free agent pickups have been let downs.

Jason Varitek had a subpar year for his standards. He struggled all season and never settled into a groove at the plate. His defense, as always, was astonishing. He did a great job with the starting pitchers this year. It is safe to say that he wore down this season as his age is beginning to show in his performance.

It will be interesting to see if the Sox renew Varitek's contract; the market is weak and the Sox aren't ready to start anyone out of the system yet. One possibility could be George Kottoras.

Julio Lugo was the biggest disappointment in Boston in quite some time. He was brought in last year for a five-year deal and it is safe to say the Sox missed on him. He made 16 errors in 81 games for Boston.

He didn't contribute anything at the plate and really was a huge drawback in the first half of the season. Lugo suffered an injury and handed the job over to prospect Jed Lowrie, who will most likely be the next shortstop in Boston.

Mike Lowell was a leader in Boston this year. He was easily the best player with experience on the team. Lowell suffered many injuries, but kept his head and still put in a OK season. He did what he had to do to help the team win ball games.

David Ortiz never settled in this year. He faced a multitude of injuries and it stalled his power numbers very much. Manny Ramirez was a cancer, and I think that it is safe to say that the trade helped this team very much.

Jason Bay came in and was loved immensely by the Boston faithful. He fit in perfectly with Boston and has contributed very much to the team. He has given the team the push that they needed to make the postseason.

If you told anyone that Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis would be the MVPs of the 2008 Boston Red Sox before the season began, they might have had a hard time believing you. Youkilis has begun to take the bat off his shoulder and put the ball into the bleachers.

Youkilis is on pace right now to have 27 home runs and 114 RBI this season. Pedroia has set the tone, hitting all over the lineup and notching over 200 hits this season. Pedroia has gotten most of the attention for AL MVP. He started off his career by winning the Rookie of the Year and now he is chasing the AL MVP title and the batting title.

I would have to say that Youkilis is the Red Sox 2008 MVP because of the RBI production and on-base percentage. Youkilis has turned in stellar defensive performances at first and third base.

Dustin Pedroia should win AL MVP. He leads the league in hits, multi-hit games, batting average, and runs scored. He leads in many other categories, as well. Pedroia has been tops in the league with his defense. He makes superior diving plays and makes the routine plays as well.

Youkilis and Pedroia are MVPs for the regular season, but the true MVP will show up come October.

MLB Playoff Picks: Early Bird

Beau Kiklis — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 11:56:34 -0400

Last season, people were in belief that the Indians would win it all, especially after going up 3-1 against the Boston Red Sox, but we all know how that story ended.

Last season, the Red Sox swept away the L.A. Angels, and the Indians took the series from the New York Yankees. In the N.L., the Diamondbacks breezed past Chicago and Colorado continued its hot streak by sweeping the Phillies.

In the LCS, the Boston Red Sox fell back three games to one and pulled off another amazing comeback to reach the World Series. The Rockies swept Arizona to move into the World Series. The 2007 World Series was a similar story to the 2004 series for the Sox. It ended in a dominating sweep by the BoSox.

Who will be this years champ in the MLB?

There is no easy pick. All these teams in contention have the ability to not only reach the World Series, but win it.

Predictions

National League

East
Philadelphia Phillies 92-70
New York Mets 90-72
Florida Marlins 85-77
Atlanta Braves 72-90
Washington Nationals 63-99

Central
Chicago Cubs 98-64
Houston Astros 86-76
Milwaukee Brewers 85-77
St. Louis Cardinals 83-79
Cincinnati Reds 77-85
Pittsburgh Pirates 68-94

West
L.A. Dodgers 87-75
Arizona Diamondbacks 81-81
Colorado 73-89
San Francisco 72-90
San Diego 61-101

No Surprises in the NL here. Houston does over pass a falling Milwaukee.

NLDS
Chicago Cubs—New York Mets
Cubs 3-0
Philadelphia Phillies—L.A. Dodgers
Dodgers 3-2

NLCS
Chicago Cubs—L.A. Dodgers
LA Dodgers 4-3

Manny Ramirez leads the Dodgers to the World Series.

American League

East
Tampa Bay Rays 95-67
Boston Red Sox 94-68
New York Yankees 88-74
Toronto Blue Jays 87-75
Baltimore Orioles 71-91

Central
Chicago White Sox 88-74
Minnesota Twins 88-74
Cleveland Indians 81-81
Kansas City Royals 77-85
Detroit Tigers 75-87

West
LA Angels 100-62
Texas Rangers 80-82
Oakland Athletics 77-85
Seattle Mariners 58-104

ALDS
LA Angels—Boston Red Sox
Red Sox 3-0
Chicago White Sox—Tampa Bay Rays
Rays 3-1

ALCS
Tampa Bay Rays—Boston Red Sox
Rays 4-2

The Tampa Rays show people once and for all that they are the team to beat and that they are a very good team.

World Series
Tampa Bay Rays—L.A. Dodgers
Rays 4-0

The AL will continue its dominance over the NL in the World Series, just like the All-Star Game. This may seem like an odd pick, but let's face it: The Rays are for real.

After taking two series from the Red Sox within the past two weeks, you gotta love 'em. I figured that the Sox would take those series, but because they didn't, I have to go with the Rays.

The Angels don't cause any damage because they are caught off guard. They have not played a big game in quite some time now.

The Dodgers will be led by sweet swinger Manny Ramirez, who is showing the nation how bad National League pitching is. Manny has 14 home runs since joining the Dodgers and he is hitting .400.

I Hate to break it to you Cubs fans, but it looks like you are going to have to wait until next year. The Mets will get in because of the lack of competition in the National League, but they won't contend.

The Tampa Rays will take home the 2008 World Series crown. This will be the beginning of a new era for the Rays. A new stadium should be on its way and maybe for the first time we will see some Florida baseball fans...Well, we might have to hold off on that one.

The only thing that will stop the Rays is themselves. They lack some much-needed pitching, but guys like Matt Garza have come up big for the Rays in big games. However, only the Dodgers have allowed fewer runs than the Rays up to this point in the season (only included projected playoff teams).

October is right around the bend and it should be one for the making!

Boston Red Sox Prospect Report: Introduction

Beau Kiklis — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 08:54:46 -0400

Over the past couple of years, the talent that the Boston Red Sox have produced through their farm system has been great.

Jonathon Papelbon, Jed Lowrie, Dustin Pedroia, Kevin Youkilis, Justin Masterson, Jacoby Ellsbury, Manny Delcarmen, and Jon Lester. That's not to mention traded players like Hanley Ramirez, Anibal Sanchez, or David Murphy.

Ever since the Sox changed ownership in 2002, the team has changed for the better.

The Red Sox have begun to have great success with the draft. They have drafted many great players who have reached the show or are on their way to the big club in a couple of years.

If we look at the players that the Red Sox have been drafting, they have all followed certain trends. The Red Sox look for persistent hitters and pitchers who throw strikes (with the exception of Daisuke Matsuzaka, who may have been more of a financial signing).

The Red Sox have drafted players with a high on-base percentage, and also what we are seeing is some speed. The best example of a typical Red Sox player is Kevin Youkilis. Youkilis, who attended the University of Cincinnati, had an on-base percentage of .549 in college. He set the tone for the type of player the Red Sox are looking for.

However Youkilis wasn't drafted by Epstein, but instead Dan Duquette. Dustin Pedroia, who was drafted in 2004, had an on-base percentage of .645 in college.

On-base percentage is easily the most important stat to look at when looking at young prospects. If a player can reach base, he most likely has a good eye, is a patient hitter, and can score more runs.

The Red Sox are first in the league this year for on-base percentage. They are also second in the league in runs scored. They are second only to the Texas Rangers. A good on-base percentage is best over .375.

As for pitching, the keys stats to look at are earned-run average, innings pitched, BB/9, BR/9, H/9, K/9, and K/BB.

The ERA is best under 4.00. Earned-run average can be misleading for relievers because of inherited runners, but for starters it is best under 4.00.

Innings pitched is important to see how effective a starter is. An effective starter should be able to throw over 200 innings in a season and have around 30-35 starts. Walks per nine innings is best under 2.5. Base runners per nine innings is best under 12.0. Hits per nine innings is best under 9.0. Strikeouts per nine innings is best over 7.5. Strikeouts to walks is best over 3.0. Only the best pitchers in the majors are going to achieve all of these, but a solid pitcher will achieve most of them.

Over the next few months, including the offseason, we will review the Red Sox's top prospects and try to predict who will be the most successful of them based on these sabermetrics. We will review one position at a time.

Jed Lowrie and Justin Masterson: The Next Big Names for the Boston Red Sox?

Beau Kiklis — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:45:42 -0400

Jed Lowrie is one of many great players in the past four or five years to come out of the Boston farm system. Kevin Youkilis, Johnathon Papelbon, Jon Lester, Manny Delcarmen, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Clay Bucholz, and now Jed Lowrie and Justin Masterson.

Since Epstein has took over as general manager and the team changed ownership, the focus has been on the farm system. Theo Epstein came into Boston and ended the so-called curse in Boston. He stressed to people that a lot more of these would be coming. Sure enough, the Sox won it all again in 2007.

Granted, Jed Lowrie and Justin Masterson are still unproven in this league, but for the time that they have spent with the team, they have put in huge contributions to adding to the team's success.

Jed Lowrie got the call when Julio Lugo went on the 15-day DL back on July 12. Lugo has since been moved to the 60-day DL.

Lowrie was a very successful player in college. He attended Stanford University and did what he does best: get on base. On-base percentage is becoming one of the most looked at statistics in baseball, in terms of scouting and drafting.

In his sophomore year at Stanford, Lowrie had an OBP of .505 and hit .399. Granted, it was college and it was metal bats, but Lowrie did what the Red Sox are now looking for in young prospects: He reached base and scored runs.

Lowrie has also shown that he has a decent glove, and he is very versatile. Lowrie has seen time at shortstop, third base, and second base, and he has made only one error in 59 games.

Though, even with all of his accolades, he still needs a lot of work. His main problem is his throwing accuracy, but he will be able to correct that over the offseason. He was originally going to be a second baseman, but he showed great improvements in his time in the minors.

He has above-average speed, but he won't blow past anyone anytime soon. He showed some great power in college, but it dropped off with the switch to wood bats in the majors, but those home runs have turned into doubles, and he will hit a lot of doubles in his time.

He hits for average from both sides and has great plate discipline, which is a huge attribute to have if you are going to play for the Red Sox.

At this point, it looks as if Lowrie has taken the starting shortstop job from Julio Lugo. Lowrie has already outdone many of Lugo's offensive and defensive statistics. Look for Lowrie to be the starting shortstop for the remainder of the season and for the next season.

At this point, I think it is safe to say that Lowrie will end up around the lines of a Carlos Guillen.

The next big name in Boston, next to Lowrie, could be Justin Masterson. Masterson, who came up through the system as a starter, has been converted to a reliever, due to the problems the Red Sox have been dealing with in the bullpen all year.

Masterson was called up on July 20 as a starter, but he returned to AAA to become a reliever. He has made a huge impact on the rotation and in the bullpen. Masterson had been a reliever prior to being a starter. In 2006, he was converted to a starter.

Masterson was able to breeze through the Sox's farm system in just five years, which is pretty respectable considering how long a lot of those players have spent traveling by bus.

Masterson has a great pitcher's build: big and tall. Masterson throws from the three-fifth's arm slot and uses a swinging motion. He throws a sinker, slider, change-up, and a two-seam fastball. His sinker is his best pitch, and it has a heavy drop to it.

It can be thrown anywhere from 82 to 95 mph. He can catch a lot of hitters off balance with a slider in the low 80s.

Masterson is a groundball pitcher, which will help him get many double plays and get out of jams. Masterson throws his pitches with confidence and is a strong fielder with a solid deceptive pick-off move.

If he is to become a starter, he will need to improve his stamina. Masterson will also need to improve his ability to pitch out of the stretch, especially if he is to be a reliever. Masterson will either be a dominant set-up man or a No. 2 or No. 3 starter.

Masterson has definitely earned his spot as a set-up man in the bullpen this year. He truly earned the spot when he was able to get Alex Rodriguez to ground into an inning-ending double play late in the game in a big spot.

Masterson may return to the rotation, but it all depends on what kind of moves the Red Sox make in the offseason.

It looks like Masterson will end up around the lines of a Derek Lowe.

So, will Lowrie and Masterson be the next big names in Boston? At this point, the fans love them and they have done their jobs better than expected, considering that they are both rookies this season.

Miami's Matchup Against Florida Could Be the Springboard to a New Beginning

Beau Kiklis — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 03:32:27 -0400

The Miami Hurricanes have always been one of the top teams in the nation, year in and year out. However, the past two seasons have been huge disappointments.

It isn't only the results for Miami that have hurt. It was the brawl against Florida International and the firing of Larry Coker, who had done a great job at Miami until everything began to collapse.

Enter new coach Randy Shannon, who was the defensive coordinator under Coker. Shannon promised to bring a new attitude toward the game and bring back the old swagger of Miami football.

In Shannon's first season, the Canes won just five games and failed to qualify for a bowl.

To show that things were changing in Miami, the Canes left the Orange Bowl in a season that they won't hesitate to forget. Maybe a 5-7 season is what Miami needed to realize that people don't respect them—and that they will need to prove a lot of people wrong.

Shannon's impact may not have paid off the first season on the field—after all, he did inherit the remains of Larry Coker's team—but his recruiting class was ranked number five in the nation.

It is said that Shannon has brought in the best linebacking recruits in the nation. Arthur Brown and Shawn Spence made huge impressions by combining for three interceptions in the spring game.

Javarris James and Graig Cooper will provide the flash in the backfield. Together they are like thunder and lightning.

Miami will have to lead with its running game because of the lack of experience at quarterback. Jacory Harris, a true freshman who took the starting job from Robert Marve, had a solid game last week, going 16-26 for 190 yards and a touchdown. Granted, it was against Charleston Southern, but it was a good game for the young QB to get his feet wet.

The Miami rushing attack was good, but not dominant. The team compiled 38 carries for 224 yards and five touchdowns.

On defense, the Canes didn't change their ways. They continued the blitzing style scheme. Shannon did fire last year's defensive coordinator Tim Walton and brought in Bill Young, who was the defensive coordinator for the Kansas Jayhawks. The Jayhawks led the nation in takeaways last year.

The Canes are fast on defense with an experienced front seven. Eric Moncur, Antonio Dixon, and Dwayne Hendricks will lead the Miami attack.

The Canes also have a lot of youth in terms of depth, but many of the backups have shown great potential. Defensive end Allan Brady is one of the many. He has a strong upside, and he fits right into the Canes' style of defense with his speed and pass rush ability.

Shannon knows a 5-7 season isn't what anyone was looking for, so he went out and recruited players who have a winning attitude. Miami is recruiting players from championship teams. It is an interesting method, and it should work. All the players coming in know how to win—they are used to it and want to do it more.

Shannon is convinced that the sense of urgency will be back soon in Miami.

The Hurricanes' schedule is tough. Miami will travel to Gainesville for a showdown with the Gators, and they will also pay a visit to Texas A&M, which is a tough place to play. Miami defeated Texas A&M at home last season.

Miami gets UNC, FSU, Wake Forest, and Virginia Tech at home. They travel to Florida, Texas A&M, Duke, Virginia, Georgia Tech, and NC State. With the exception of traveling to Florida, the Canes schedule is in their favor.

Miami has a chance to reestablish a name for their program. They can put their names back in the national picture. If there was ever a big opportunity, it will be this Saturday when the Canes travel to the Swamp to take on the Gators.

This will be the first time since 2004 that the Canes and Gators will meet. Since then the two programs have gone in very different directions. Miami has won the last six meetings against Florida.

This Saturday could change the face of Miami football for many years to come. A win for the Canes would put them back on the map. Even if Miami plays a close game, people will realize that this team may be back—not back to the national championship contenders, but back in the national headlines.

Miami is 1-0 so far this year. I predict that Miami will win 11 games this year—and if they beat Florida, they will go undefeated. I know that it will be very difficult with the freshman QB, but any multi-skilled QB can be successful. Miami will run all over Florida.

Miami wins this one, 38-33.

Boston College-Georgia Tech: Preview

Beau Kiklis — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 15:47:13 -0400

Boston College will host Georgia Tech this Saturday, Sept. 6. Last year BC defeated Georgia Tech in a game where the Heisman candidacy of Matt Ryan was born. Many picked Georgia Tech to win the match up last year in Atlanta, but BC had different plans.

Matt Ryan was 30-44 with 435 yards and a touchdown in the 24-10 victory over Georgia Tech last year. Things will be different this year. Georgia Tech was a defensive team last year under Chan Gailey, but with new coach Paul Johnson coming over from Navy the philosophy has changed. Georgia Tech will run the triple option offense against a very tough BC run defense.

Boston College will not rely on the passing game as much this year as they did last year. They won't even rely on their offense the way that they did last year. BC last year had the second best run defense in the nation. They will use that to their advantage this year.

Boston College began life with out Matt Ryan last week with a 21-0 victory over Kent State. It was all about the running game for BC. Jeff Smith led the way with 74 yards and a touchdown. Josh Haden had the most attempts with 15. Chris Crane had two rushing touchdowns. James McClusky and Brian Toal also saw time in short yardage situations.

The BC air attack was very passive. Crane didn't throw the ball often, but when he did he made sure passes. Although Crane missed a wide open Brandon Robinson down the field, he made some pretty nice plays.

No one expected Crane to be like Ryan and he wasn't. He made the plays he had to and he did what he had to do to get his team the victory. It is safe to say that the BC team in general did what they had to do to get a victory for their ball club.

Georgia Tech had high expectations last year after winning the ACC Coastal two years ago. It is safe to say that last years performance by Georgia Tech was a disappointment.

Georgia Tech will not rely on their defense this year, but their running game. Paul Johnson runs the triple option offense. Johnson's debut last week against Jacksonville State was a success.

Georgia Tech won 41-14 last week over Jacksonville State. Georgia Tech ran the ball 46 times for 349 yards. They averaged 7.6 yards per carry. Jonathan Dwyer led the rushing attack with 11 carries for 112 yards. Roddy Jones and Josh Nesbitt also contributed heavily to the Georgia Tech running attack.

Like BC the Georgia Tech passing game was passive, but did the job and opened the field for the running game. Georgia passed the ball only 15 times, but completed eight of those 15 times. The Georgia Tech passing game did its job and the running game took care of the heavy load.

It will be two very strong running games duking it out at Alumni stadium in this ACC battle. BC faced Paul Johnson's Navy team two years ago in the Meinke Car Care Bowl. BC won the game on a game winning field goal by walk on kicker Steve Aponivicius. Navy ran all over the BC defense two years ago in the Meinike Car Care Bowl.

They ran for 322 yards and average 5.5 yards per carry. The triple option offense dominated BC the whole game, but the risk of the option is what lost Paul Johnson the game two years ago.

Boston College will be lead by Chris Crane and Josh Haden. BC will pond the ball. The weather is scheduled for a rain storm, which could help BC and Georgia Tech because they don't pass much and the game will be played on astro-turf.

Look for BC to pass a little more than the did last week at Kent State. Both these teams are big on running, but the passing game and special teams will decide this game. Jeff Smith will set the tone early for BC on kick return and defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani, who coached the game against Navy two years ago is very familiar with the triple option and knows how to stop it.

BC will look to Chris Crane to open up the running game with his passing and Josh Haden and Jeff Smith will blow past the Georgia Tech defense. Look for BC's James McClusky and Brian Toal in short yardage situations that could keep drives going for BC.

The Georgia Tech rushing attack will struggle against the tough BC rush defense and they will be forced to pass: Georgia Tech won't play their game.

BC will win this one on special teams, with their passing game, and short yardage rushing situations.

BC 21-10.

Why Clemson Won't Win the ACC Anytime Soon

Beau Kiklis — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 08:15:04 -0400

To play for Clemson is an honor. Only the best of the best play for Clemson. The creme de la creme of high school football players attend Clemson.

Something we've learned about Clemson and many big football programs that attract blue chip athletes is that a lot of these players don't play well together.

Teams like South Florida, Rutgers, BC, Louisville, Boise State, Utah, and Tulsa that don't attract the big recruits win because they recruit intelligent football players. A lot of the players recruited may not have even been studs on their high school teams, but they are players with a high football IQ.

Clemson has the athletes to win an ACC championship, but they can't play as a team. We saw that last Saturday against Alabama.

Over the past couple of years we have learned a lot about Clemson. The Tigers have either been a team that starts hot or cold. When they start hot, they get overconfident, and when they start cold, they procrastinate and then do what they are supposed to do.

It looks like Clemson is off to a slow start this year. The reason: The media already crowned them ACC champs.

Clemson traditionally has played very well in Death Valley. Being the home team there is one of the biggest advantages in college football.

Unfortunately, the team gets very easily distracted. When they come out for a home game, they get the crowd going, and they go out on defense and force a three and out. This will last for the first couple of drives, and then the Clemson crowd loses its edge—and so does the team.

Clemson will never win an ACC championship under Tommy Bowden. He can't finish the job.

If Clemson wants to succeed they will have to stop spoiling their players. Take things back to the basics and play hard-nosed football. Don't listen to the media.

Clemson relies on too many things to win the ACC. They rely on the media for motivation and praise. They rely on each player to do a job. Clemson can't assume that someone else will do the job. Everyone needs to do the job.

If I was Bowden, I would cut out all the media from the team, and I would move the locker rooms into an old crummy bathroom. I would take everything beneficial away from them. Anything that motivates them—gone.

The Tigers need to learn to work as a team to complete a common goal. They need synergy. They need to start taking responsibility for each other and themselves.

If Clemson is going to win an ACC championship anytime soon, they will need to concentrate on a common goal and take it one step at a time—and then finish the job.

Will the Boston Red Sox Catch the Tampa Bay Rays?

Beau Kiklis — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 07:49:58 -0400

Can the Boston Red Sox catch the Tampa Rays?

Wait, who said that?

That's right, heading into the final month of the season, the Tampa Rays hold a five-game lead over the 2007 World Series Champs. The Rays and Sox have both been playing very good baseball of late. Both have won seven of their last 10.

The Rays have won five in a row and are going for No. 6 against the New York Yankees, who are coming into town for three games. The Red Sox started a series with the Baltimore Orioles last night. The Sox won the game last night, 7-4.

The Red Sox have 25 games remaining, and the Rays have 27. The two clubs will meet six more times. One series in Boston and one in Tampa Bay.

The Red Sox they will most likely have to win every series from here on out. The Red Sox have a much easier schedule than the Rays.

The Red Sox have games remaining against Baltimore, Texas, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Cleveland, and New York. Tampa Bay, obviously, is the best amongst all their remaining opponents.

The combined winning percentage of the these teams, excluding the Rays, is .488. So it is safe to say that the Red Sox have a easy schedule to wrap up the season. Also, 16 of the last 25 games are at home.

The Rays have games remaining against New York, Toronto, Boston, Minnesota, Toronto, and Baltimore. The games with Boston will be the most important, unless the Rays fall off into the wild-card debate, then the games with Minnesota could mean a lot.

The combined winning percentage of these teams, excluding the Red Sox, is .510. The Rays will be playing most of their remaining games against teams with a winning record. Of the remaining 27 games for the Rays, 17 of them are on the road.

There is no question that ever since the Sox acquired Jason Bay, the level of play in Boston has gone up. The Red Sox's record since acquiring Bay is 19-9. Bay has provided a spark for this ballclub. Also, the Red Sox have really started to play well without shortstop Julio Lugo and third baseman Mike Lowell.

It looks like Lowrie, the Red Sox's shortstop, has taken Lugo's job as the shortstop. Lowrie is hitting .280 and has an on-base percentage of .352. Lowrie has 23 extra-base hits.

Lowrie is also a stronger fielder. He has only made one error while seeing time at shortstop, second base, and third base. Lugo was hitting just .266 and had only 14 extra-base hits. Lugo also was a liability in the field. He had 16 errors in 82 games with Boston this year.

With Evan Longoria on the DL, people may have thought the Rays would have been affected by it. However, the Rays have maintained their pace. Longoria hasn't played since Aug. 7.

One month remains and five games separate the Red Sox and Rays. Can the Red Sox pull off a legendary comeback and take the division? Or will injuries plague the Red Sox's chances? One thing is for sure, the Rays are real, and the Red Sox will have to pull out all the stops to pull this comeback off.

I strongly believe that experience is going to play a huge role down the stretch. The Red Sox will take the division. Why? Mike Lowell will return and put some power back into the lineup. Josh Beckett will also return and pitch the way he always does in big games.

J.D. Drew will also return and get on base a lot. Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia will lead this team to a division title. The schedule is also in favor of the Red Sox.

Joe Maddon is one of the best managers in baseball, but he hasn't managed on the big stage yet, and many of these players on the Rays have never played in the postseason or even been in race for a playoff spot. Ultimately, both of these ballclubs will make the playoffs and meet in the ALCS, but who will have home-field advantage?

The Red Sox.

Life Without Matt Ryan: Can Boston College Handle Kent State Saturday?

Beau Kiklis — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 03:08:37 -0400

Boston College begins life with out Matt Ryan Saturday night, but it's more than just Ryan. BC lost fellow NFL first-rounder Gosder Cherilus at left tackle, cornerback DeJuan Tribble, and safety Jamie Silva. Also out of the mix on defense is Jolann Dunbar and Tyrone Pruitt, who combined for 11 interceptions last year.

However, the Eagles are bringing back senior linebacker Brian Toal, who missed 12 games with a shoulder injury. They also return defensive tackle BJ Raji. Raji's brother is currently starring on the basketball team at BC. On offense, the Eagles also lost their two running backs, Andre Callender and LV Whitworth.

Kent State brings a strong running game in its offensive attack. Junior Eugene Jarvis is the nation's top returning rusher with 1,669 yards. He will have a tough time going up against a BC defense that ranked second in the nation in run defense. Julian Eldman, the Kent State quarterback, will have to do his job to open up possibly the best run game in the nation.

On defense, the Golden Flashes return seven starters. Senior linebacker Derek Burell will anchor the Kent State defense.

BC will start a new season with a new quarterback. This is the first time in three years the Eagles have had to deal with that, and the first time in second-year coach Jeff Jagodzinski's tenure.

Chris Crane is said to be faster, stronger, and more athletic than Ryan, but he lacks valuable experience. Crane could very easily make a name for himself. This is a good game for Crane to get his feet wet. We might get to see the BC redshirt freshman backup Dominique Davis. He is a multi-skilled quarterback with great touch, strength, size (6'4"), mobility, and speed.

Also, true freshman running back Josh Haden will make the start. Haden is only 5'8", but runs like he is 6'2". Haden performed well in scrimmages and could get his BC career off to a good start.

Kickoff return man Jeff Smith will be playing his first game in two years after a head injury. You may remember him from a Clemson game two years ago. The speedy Smith will also see some time at halfback.

We will find out what is more important to college football success on Saturday night: a strong running game or a run-stopping defense? Last year, a majority of BC's backups on defense held a powerful Clemson team to only 17 points. Don't be surprised if BC has the No. 1 defense in the land come November.

The Eagles take this one with their defense. BC shuts down the powerful Kent State running game and Chris Crane, Josh Haden, and Jeff Smith set the tone on offense and special teams. Smith will give the Eagles strong field position every time.

BC 31, Kent State 10.
Saturday, Aug. 30th, 7:30, ESPNU, Cleveland Browns Stadium

Red Sox Look to Head Home with a Sweep

Beau Kiklis — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 03:11:50 -0400

Today's game at Yankee Stadium could be the last trip to the Bronx for the Boston Red Sox. With the New York Yankees falling seven games back of Boston in the AL Wild Card standings, their chances of making the playoffs are very slim. Today could be a historic day at the stadium.

If the Red Sox are to revisit Yankee Stadium this year then the Yankees are going to have to complete a historic comeback. Today's pitching matchup is a battle of the aces. Taking the hill for Boston is lefty Jon Lester. Lester has been hands down the most consistent player for the Red Sox this year. Lester is 12-5 with a 3.49 ERA this year.

However, Lester is coming off of his worst start of the year. He lasted just 2.1 innings allowing seven runs on eight hits. It's a start that Lester will want to forget. Lester has had success against the Yankees this year. In three career starts against New York Lester is 2-0 with 4.12 ERA.

Toeing the rubber for New York will be the savvy veteran Mike Mussina. Mussina has also been the Yankees most consistent pitcher. Mussina is 16-7 with a 3.45 ERA. He is trying to get to 20 wins this year to pad his Hall of Fame resume. There is no pitcher in the Hall of Fame that hasn't won 20 games in a single season.

Mussina is coming off his best start of the year at Baltimore. He went six innings allowing four runs. Although he didn't pick up the win, it was a strong performance for Mussina. The Yankees are looking to Mussina to keep their season alive. Last time against the BoSox he threw six shutout innings in a 2-1 victory for the Bombers.

With 30 games remaining, the Red Sox maintain a 2.5 game lead in the AL wild card and are 3.5 games back of the Rays. The Red Sox are still eying the division with six contests vs. Tampa Bay left. A win today for Boston would be huge. Heading into a six-game homestand with a four-game win streak would be a huge boost.

Left fielder Jason Bay, who is 4-for-8 with six RBI in the first two games of the series, has responded well to the pressure. A win today for the Sox could just about put the Yankees away for the season. The Yankees looked at this series as a way to slowly chip away at the wild card lead, but they have only regressed.

A year ago today Mussina had lost his starting role in the rotation. Now he is trying to save his team's season.

Things to Watch

Bobby Abreu walked in last night’s game. He has now reached base safely in 20-straight home games. Xavier Nady extended his nine-game hitting streak last night.
Alex Rodriguez is hitting .360 and 39 RBI in the last 37 games and five of his last seven hits have been doubles.

Mark Kotsay will make his first start for the Red Sox today in right field. A third newcomer on a third day for the BoSox. We'll see if Kotsay responds to the pressure as well as Byrd and Bay. Youkilis reached base last night for the 36th straight game. It is the longest active streak in the majors.

Dustin Pedroia hit his first career grand slam yesterday. He had a season high 4 RBI. It was his 51st multi-hit game of the year. Dustin Pedroia and Kevin Youkilis look to stay in the hunt for the AL batting champ.

Prediction

Jon Lester sets the tone early on the mound and eventually wears Mussina out. The Boston bats will come up big again today against Mussina. Boston takes this one 5-1. Game time is set for 1:05 on NESN and the YES Network.

Who Is Jeff Smith, and Why Will He Lead Boston College This Year?

Beau Kiklis — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 09:20:49 -0400

Jeff Smith emerged onto the national scene as a freshman returning kicks for Boston College. He was selected as a Sporting News second team All-American as a freshman.

Smith's most memorable game was two years ago vs. Clemson, when he had five returns for 213 yards, an average of 42.6 yards. He had one touchdown in that game, and it was a crucial one—a third quarter touchdown that tied the score at 17.

BC would go on to win the game 34-33 in overtime. It was one of the greatest college football games I had ever seen.

Jeff Smith missed all of last year with a head injury. It looked for a while like his career had come to an end. This year Smith is trying to make a comeback, and he is going to have to earn time in a backfield that features freshman Josh Haden, who will have to answer the critics.

If Smith doesn't start at running back, then he will have a huge impact in the return game for BC. Smith is going to have to earn his time. We may not see him right away, but Smith is without a doubt the fastest player on the BC team.

You can see Smith returning kicks on Saturday night at Cleveland Browns Stadium vs. Kent State.

I predict that Smith will be the comeback player of the year in the NCAA. He will get a lot of carries at running back and return a lot of kicks for BC.

BC will also surprise a lot of people this year with solid lines and great skill position players.

Masterson Masterful in Relief

Beau Kiklis — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 03:46:54 -0400

Bottom of the seventh inning, one out: Pitching: Manny Delcamen, At Bat: Johnny Damon, Result: Walk. Next Batter: Derek Jeter, Result: Single. Next Batter Bobby Abreu and on deck Alex Rodriguez. Warming in the bullpen: rookie, Justin Masterson. Result: Walk. Bases loaded, one out, and one of the most dangerous hitters in baseball at bat, Alex Rodriguez. Terry Francona comes out and makes the call for the 23-year old rookie.

Masterson had one job. Thrown strikes and pitch to contact, and that's just what he did. It was an 0-for-1 sinker and A-Rod took a hack and hit a weak grounder up the middle that was gobbled up by Boston short stop Alex Cora, who turned the unassisted double play. The boo's came down on A-Rod.

Rodriguez has struggled in the clutch his entire Yankee career. Although last year he had 32 RBI in the eighth inning or later many of them came in April. This year A-Rod has only two RBI in the eighth inning or later. Last night he was 0-for-5. Grant it he is not going to get a hit in every game, but I think it is safe to call A-Rod a choke artist.

Wakefield had another solid start for the BoSox. This was Wake's first start since hitting the DL. Wakefield went five strong allowing three runs. The Sox were able to bang out seven runs with a lot of help from the bottom half of the order. Lowrie, Crisp, Baily, and Cash went a combined 8-for-18 with three RBI and the big bats did what they always do. In Jason Bay's first game in the rivalry, he pulled through going 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI.

As for the Yankees it was a struggle from the get go. Although they had a 1-for-0 lead early their pitcher Andy Pettitte had to work very hard and was never able to get into a groove on the hill. Johnny Damon provided the spark for a dead offense going 2-for-4 with two home runs.

For the Yankees it is go time. Falling back in the AL wild card yet again. The Yankees are now six games back in the wild card and it isn't looking good for the Bronx Bombers. The Yankees will need to win the next two against Boston to maintain pace in the wild card. The Yankees will thrown veteran Sidney Ponson in tonight's match up.

For Boston it was a great night all around. With the Rays losing the Sox are now three-and-a-half back in a division that they still have their eyes on. Also losing was the Minnesota Twins who are now two-and-a-half games back in the wild card. The Sox will send newly acquired right Paul Byrd to the hill. This will be his third start with the Sox and second on the road.

In other news the Sox moved right fielder JD Drew, who is a key component for the team, to the 15 day DL. On that note the Red Sox are showing serious interest in aquiring CF Mark Kotsay from the Braves. Kotsay is hitting .289 this year with an OBP of .340. The Red Sox could use the bat with the loss of RF JD Drew.

The two teams will meet up again tonight at the stadium. Game time is set for 7:07 on ESPN's Wednesday Night Baseball.

Six Attributes To Look For When Picking A Champion in March Madness

Beau Kiklis — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 02:55:25 -0400

Last year it was Kansas who cut down the nets at the NCAA Championship. Kansas achieved something that very few achieved throughout the entire nation. Kansas came from a big six conference, they went to the previous' year's tourney, there coach had at least five tourney appearances, they scored 77 points per game, they averaged a victory margin of 10, and they were no lower than a No. 4 seed.

Kansas, UNC, Duke, and Tennessee were the only four teams in the tourney field last year to achieve these six attributes.

Kansas won it all last year because they—like 15 of the last 17 champs—accomplished all of these attributes.

If you want to learn more on how to win your bracket pool, stay posted until December when I will write more on filling out your bracket in a statistical manner.

Boston College Basketball Preview '08-09

Beau Kiklis — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 11:34:25 -0400

Over the past few years Boston College Basketball has been amazing. With the exception of last year, the teams have been dominant teams.

These teams were great because of leadership and experience. Tyrese Rice follows in the footsteps of Craig Smith, Jared Dudley, Sean Marshall, and Troy Bell. Tyrese Rice is different than all these players. Although he learned how to lead a team from these guys, Tyrese is still very different.

Boston College's senior class this year is Tyrese Rice. The six-foot point guard from Virginia is one of the greats to wear the BC gold and maroon. He led the team in scoring last season with 19.4 points per game as a junior.

Tyrese is entering his senior year, a year where he wants to make a statement for NBA scouts. Tyrese has the potential. Just like Jared Dudley and Craig Smith, Rice is a hard-nosed ball player who can shoot the lights out, jump out of the gym, and take a game over single-handedly.

Boston College is returning two starters from last year. Tyrese Rice of course, and sophomore guard/forward Rakim Sanders, who has the potential to be even greater than Rice ever was.

BC also brings back much experience from a bad season a year ago with the likes of an incredible sophomore class: Sanders, Biko Paris, Josh Southern, Courtney Dunn, Cory Raji, and Joe Trappini. All six of these players could mean that BC will be an incredible team for the next three years.

The Senior class for next year won't be any better: Tyler Roche. He experienced moderate playing time, but doesn't have the leadership skills of Rice. This team will be great, but lack leadership next year.

The incoming freshman class includes Reggie Jackson, Dallas Elmore, and Evan Ravenel. Jackson and Elmore should see substantial playing time their first year. Jackson could even grab a starting role at shooting guard.

Al Skinner has great talent this year and I think BC will have one of its better years in program history. BC won't win a national title this year or next year, but they will go deep. However, when Sanders is a senior, BC will win the National Championship Game.

Al Skinner will run this team with perfection on offense as always and as usual they will be gritty on "D". But if I could add any player to this team from the past, it would be Sean Marshall.

Marshall was an emotional leader who hit a lot of big shots for BC in his time. Marshall set the tone for BC that they weren't going to take any crap from anyone. For example, when he screamed in the face of an all-American point guard, JJ Redick.

The schedule for BC isn't bad. They should be able to breeze through the non-conference undefeated pending the NIT season tip off. The ACC schedule is in their favor. They play UNC, Duke, and Clemson only once time each.

Their main challenge is playing Virginia Tech and Miami, home and away.

This could be a very successful season for BC with the schedule, however they may not get a good seeding in the tourney because of it. The ACC Tournament decides BC's seed.

The Schedule

Nov. 14 vs. Central Connecticut

Nov. 17 vs. Loyola (NIT Season Tip Off)

Nov. 18 vs. St. John's/ Cornell (NIT Season Tip Off)

Nov. 22 @ St. Louis

Nov. 24-28 NIT Season Tip Off, Games TBA

Dec. 2 vs. Iowa (Big 10/ ACC Challenge)

Dec. 6 @ UMass

Dec. 10 vs. Bryant

Dec. 14 vs. South Carolina Upstate

Dec. 20 vs. Providence

Dec. 23 vs. Maine

Dec. 29 vs. San Fransico

Dec. 31 vs. Sacred Heart

Jan. 4 @ UNC

Jan. 7 vs. Harvard

Jan. 10 vs. Miami

Jan. 14 vs. Wake Forest

Jan. 17 @ Virginia Tech

Jan. 20 @ Georgia Tech

Jan. 24 vs. NC State

Jan. 27 @ Maryland

Jan. 31 vs. Virginia Tech

Feb. 4 @ Virginia

Feb. 8 @ Wake Forest

Feb. 10 vs. Clemson

Feb. 15 vs. Duke

Feb. 21 @ Miami

Feb. 25 Florida State

Mar. 4 @ NC State

Mar. 7 Georgia Tech

Mar 12-15 ACC Championship

My early prediction is 20 to 25 wins and 11 to 14 ACC wins.

Why the ACC is Better than You Think

Beau Kiklis — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:19:09 -0400

The ACC has been rated as one of the worst of the BCS conferences. There is no question that the last couple of years the competition level has dropped.

Teams like Florida State and Miami, who used to be national championship contenders, are now just trying to win the conference.

The ACC has January blues. The brand of ball being played from August to December is very good, but the ACC has failed in major bowl games.

The last time an ACC team won a BCS bowl game was Florida State in 1999. They defeated Virginia Tech.

The trend is at QB. When BC was added to the ACC and the divisions were created, the teams that were successful were ones with strong QB play. BC, Clemson, Wake, and Virginia Tech have all gotten very strong QB play and all have competed for the championship.

Look for things to return to the way that they were several years ago in the ACC. Look for Miami, Florida State, Virginia Tech, and Clemson to dominate in the ACC.

Recruiting Roundup

Miami
Florida State
Clemson
Virginia Tech
NC State
North Carolina
Boston College
Georgia Tech
Maryland
Virginia
Wake Forest
Duke

All ACC Offense

QB- Drew Weatherford

RB- James Davis

RB- CJ Spiller

OT- Andrew Gardner

OG- Sergio Redner

C- Edwin Williams

OG- Rodney Hudson

OT- Jason Fox

TE- Ryan Purvis

WR- Preston Parker

WR- Aaron Kelly

All-ACC Defense

DE- Michael Johnson

DT- Vance Walker

DT- Ron Brace

DE- Alex Albright

LB- Dave Philstin

LB- Clint Sintim

LB- Aaron Curry

CB- Alphonso Smith

CB- Victor Harris

S- Myron Rolle

S- Michael Hamlin

All-ACC Special Teams

K- Sam Swank

P- Graham Gano

Projected Order of Finish

Atlantic

Florida State
Clemson
Boston College
Wake Forest
NC State
Maryland

Coastal

Miami
Virginia Tech
North Carolina
Virginia
Georgia Tech
Duke

Florida State

Florida State is returning 16 starters from a team that won just seven games last year. Florida has been a team that has underachieved the past four seasons for their programs standards.

Drew Weatherford will lead this team in his senior year. Drew has one thing that many ACC players don't have, experience. Weatherford will have a breakout year. The third-year starter will lead this team to the ACC Championship game.

Florida State has great talent and experience at the skill positions. The Seminoles will prove they are for real early by defeating Wake Forest with authority.

Projected Record: 9-3 (6-2)

Clemson

Clemson has a very strong team this year, returning 17 starters from a team that was one game from the ACC Championship. They are very talented at the skill positions with Cullen Harper, CJ Spiller, and James Davis.

Clemson's problem is closing games. They have trouble shutting the door on the other team, and I don't think that will change.

Clemson is a first-half home team. When they play at home, they come out firing in the first half and then they lose it in the second half. History repeats itself for Clemson. The only way Clemson wins an ACC title is if they lose Bowden.

Projected Record: 9-3 (6-2)

Boston College

Life without Matt Ryan. Well, its more than just Ryan who is gone. Andre Callendar and LV Withworth are out, too. The two four-year starters at halfback are gone. On defense, Jamie Silva and DeJuan Tribble are out.

Silva and Tribble combined for 11 interceptions last year. However, BC is bringing back Brian Toal and BJ Raji on defense. BC is also returning all starters at wideout. BC has a very inexperienced team, but they will open some eyes.

Chris Crane is bigger, stronger, and faster than Matt Ryan, but lacks the experience. Crane could make a name for himself. BC will surprise alot of people by winning 10 games this year. Coach Jags is for real.

Projected Record: 10-2 (6-2)

Wake Forest

I can't see Wake Forest doing anything big this year. Riley Skinner makes too many bad decisions with the ball.

They are returning 16 starters. Wake faces a tough schedule. They have to play at FSU and Miami. They also have to play Clemson, BC, and Vanderbilt.

Wake will go to a bowl game, but it will be a lower-tier bowl. Wake Forest will be good, but not as good as last year.

Projected Record: 8-4 (4-4)

NC State

Tom O'Brien will improve this team, but he still needs more time for his recruits to grow through his program. When he started, the program was in bad condition and still is.

I think next year will be the year the NC State becomes a solid ACC title contender. This is a building year as was last year for O'Brien. Look for Daniel Evans to have a strong Senior year at QB.

Projected Record: 3-9 (2-6)

Maryland

Maryland will be worse than last year. They struggle to play defense and after all, defense and special teams will win you an ACC Championship.

Projected Record: 2-10 (0-8)