Bleacher Report - Articles by Dave Walker

Bengals Hurting After Loss To Texans

Dave Walker — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 20:23:34 -0400

All week the National media was talking about the Bengals. They were called “The Cardiac Cats” after winning three straight division games in the final moments. But, after Sunday's loss, they may be called the “Banged Up Bengals.”

The fighting Bengals led 17-14 at the half after a late surge that included a Carson Palmer touchdown pass, a Chris Crocker INT, and a long field goal by Shayne Graham. It was their first lead of the game, and it was short lived at that.

The second half belonged to the Texans, as they would score on the first possession of the second half and ultimately go on for the win.

Matt Schaub threw for nearly four hundred yards and four touchdowns, and running back Steve Slaton seemed to be the answer to many of the blitzes the Bengals threw at them.

The loss at home versus Houston seems to be the lesser of the bad news for Cincinnati. The AFC leader in sacks, Antwan Odom, was knocked out of the game on Houston's first play when Schaub hit Owen Daniels to take a 7-0 lead. Odom, who had 8 sacks entering the game, tore his Achilles tendon on the play, which was not the first injury to be sustained on the defensive front.

Earlier in the game, defensive tackle Domata Peko was helped off of the field with an apparent injury. This, coupled with the loss of Odom, had a definite affect on the defense of the Bengals.

Schaub seemed to have no problems with the Bengals attempt to get pressure on him. As mentioned before, the Texans were ready for every blitz. They responded with either a slip screen to Slaton, or a quick slant to Andre Johnson.

The offense was also not without its problems. Cedric Benson failed to reach 50 yards on the day, and two fumbles by the short-term tight ends seemed to spell the Bengals doom.

In the second half a turnover, three straight three-and-outs, and another turnover sealed their fait.

Palmer seemed to be getting his timing back with his receivers, but some suspect play calling and penalties doomed him and the offense.

At 4-2, the Bengals are now tied with the Steelers for first. Up next they play host to the “Monsters of the Midway”, the Chicago Bears.

The big questions will be who may fill in on the front line, especially if Peko can't go. Will Shirley get his jersey flipped and be given a shot at DT again? Is rookie Michael Johnson ready to step in for Odom? Are the Bengals headed for a downward turn?

I guess you can only tune in to week seven NFL to find out....

Da Bengals: Who Dey Think Dey Gonna Be In First Place?

Dave Walker — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:29:29 -0400

They have been called the cardiac cats. They have been called a pretender and not a contender. After the first week, they were called the same old Bungels.

But after five games in the 2009 season, you can call them the first place team in the AFC North.

At 4-1, the Bengals are a tipped pass-fluke touchdown away from being unbeaten. However, many skeptics say they are also a few plays away from being 0-5.

After another come-from-behind win against Baltimore, the Bengals find themselves in a place where they haven't been in a while, in first place.

So how have the Bengals accomplished this fast start? It is simple; solid defense, a good ground game, and a veteran quarterback who can make plays when it counts.

The biggest change on this team is on the defense. Mike Zimmer has taken a group of guys that "nobody else wanted" and turned them into one of the better units in the AFC.

Up front it starts with the pass rush. Antwan Odom has been the man to attack opposing quarterbacks, while Robert Geathers and Frostee Rucker have been a solid combo opposite of Odom.

Up the middle, Peko, Johnson, Fanene, and Sims have shut down the run and also gave a push on the inside. The bottom line is that there is solid depth here.

The linebackers have been great as well. The group of Rivers, Maualuga, Jones, Jeanty, and Johnson have been among the best linebacking units in the NFL. They are sure handed tacklers, they can cover pretty well, and have put pressure on the opposing quarterbacks in passing situations.

The secondary is also a unit that has also played well. JJ, Johnathan Joseph, has had several picks when it really matters, including the one that was taken back for six against Pittsburgh.

On the other side, Leon Hall has come into his own and matured beyond his years. The real key in my opinion is the play at Nickleback. Morgan Trent has not been beaten for the big play. As a rookie he has been able to limit the opposing slot receiver to the average play, which is huge considering the way Hall and Joseph have played.

The safeties are also solid and deep. Roy Williams, despite his misplay on the Cover 2 against Denver, has been a valuable asset, while Ndukwe and Crocker are ball-hawking safeties that can make the big hits.

The bottom line is that this is the type of defense that a Marvin Lewis team should have been playing five years ago.

On the ground, the first round pick the Bears let go, Cedric Benson, has been Rudi Johnson like. We all remember what a boost a 1,000 yard power back like Johnson was back in 2003. Now Benson is on pace for a 1000-plus yard season.

As long as Palmer has a big-game back that he can count on for 80-to-100 yards a game on the ground, the Bengals will have an offense that is able to mix it up well.

Speaking of Palmer, it doesn't get much more clutch than leading your team to three straight game winning drives late against the teams in your division.

Palmer hit Caldwell late against the Steelers after getting two fourth down conversions. A week later, he ran for a crucial fourth down conversion in an overtime win against the Browns. Then, to top it off, he lead an 87-yard drive down the field to beat the vaunted Baltimore Ravens defense.

Granted, Palmer has been what the experts call, "a turnover machine," but he has stepped up when he has needed to.

Child please! That is what Ochocinco may be saying so far into this article. The resurgence of Mr. Ochocinco has been a catapult to their 4-1 start.

Chad has over 350 yards and three TD's, which is almost as many yards and TD's as he had all of last season. Chris Henry is again sparking the deep plays, while Brian Leonard has proven why the coaches made a smart move by not cutting him.

The season is only a third of the way home, but by starting 4-1 with three division wins, the Who Deys couldn't have gotten off to a better start.

With remaining games against the Raiders, Chiefs, Chargers, Vikings, Bears, Lions, Texans, Jets, and everyone in their division, the playoffs seem to become a more realistic goal each and every week.

But as Jim Mora would say, "Playoffs? You gotta be kidding me, Playoffs? "

What We Know Halfway Through the College Football Season

Dave Walker — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 01:57:00 -0400

For the most part, the 2009 college football season is at its halfway point. We have seen top teams go down, Heisman winners get injured, and legendary coaches be asked to step down. But the big question is, what have we learned so far?

The first thing that is apparent to me is that Florida is as good as advertised. Many thought that the trip to Death Valley would be the death of an unbeaten season for the Gators. They went in, played a solid team game, and walked out of Baton Rouge a winner.

The bottom line, they are the best team in the country and look headed for a rematch with Alabama in the SEC Title game.

Another thing to take notice about is the fact that no one has separated them self in the Heisman race. Tebow and McCoy are the front-runners, but in my opinion, they haven't been excellent on the field. Instead they have been good, but isn't the award handed out to the best player in college football?

Javid Best had a brief run as the "it guy" but since has dropped down. The Oklahoma State Cowboy trio have been average at best. (At least the ones who are still playing are.) Sam Bradford has missed most of the season, so he is out. Who's the front runner?

Honestly, and I hate to say this, I give it to Jimmy Clausen. He has put up solid numbers and been a leader on his team. Take him away and the Irish are maybe a one or two win team right now. I also think that Noel Devine will be in the mix as long as West Virginia keeps winning.

One of the big story lines in my part of the country is whether the U is actually back. I moved down here for the 2007 season, and the talk was if Miami was back after they destroyed a bad Texas A&M team at the Orange Bowl. The answer came after they were rolled by the Sooners the next week. The same thing happened last year when they got on a roll late in the season, and then tripped up at N.C. State.

This year it is different. They are off to a nice 4-1 start with wins over FSU, Georgia Tech, and Oklahoma. I think nine or 10 wins is a real possibility, and if Virginia Tech slips up, watch out for the Canes as they may make a run towards Tampa. The U is back.

Speaking of FSU, what is going on in Tallahassee? They were picked to win the ACC, but 2-4 is not a place you want to be at the midway point. What happens if the Noles fail to make a bowl game? Is Bowden gone if that happens?

Another team that has been a disappointment is Illinois. Weren't they in the Rose Bowl just two seasons ago? Now they are facing back to back losing seasons and Ron Zook is walking the plank up in Champaign. Maybe the Gators were right, he can recruit but can't coach or control his players.

On the other hand there have been several surprises. Cincinnati is the defending Big East Champs, but were given no love by the so called experts, including myself. They returned only one defensive starter from last years team, and many thought that it would be enough to send them to the middle of the pack. Tony Pike and the Bearcats have proven they are legit and will be in contention for the conference crown until the end.

The other team I am surprised about is Oregon. After they lost their opener and looked awful offensively, I put a fork in them. Since then all they have done is end Utah's winning streak, kill Cal, and start unbeaten in Pac-10 play.

I know they were predicted to be at the top of the standings, but still, after the whole fighting the fans incident they went through, it would have been easy to give up.

The team Oregon lost to in their opener, Boise State, is up to their same old tricks. They appear to be back on track to run the table and grab another at-large BCS berth. Once again, this will bring up the question as to if they deserve a chance at a National Title game.

Most people believe they do not, based on their schedule, and I agree. They aren't going from Rocky Top to between the hedges each week in conference. Instead, they are traveling to San Jose State and the Wolf Den of Nevada. Plus, outside of playing Oregon, they play nobody. I am sure they have problems scheduling the big boys, but there has to be at least four of them that will bite.

TCU is also on the watch list as a possible unbeaten non-BCS school, but as good as their defense is, they don't seem to have enough offense to run the table in a tougher Mountain West Conference.

As far as conference front runners are concerned, Iowa and Ohio State are headed on a collision course in the Big Ten, Virginia Tech seems to be the cream of the crop in the ACC, while the winner of next week's Red River Rivalry game will have the upper hand in the Big 12. The Big East is anyone's guess, The Pac 10 appears to be USC and Oregon, and in the SEC it is all Bama and the Gators.

My final thought on the first half of the season is about the SEC title game. Say that Florida and Alabama go unbeaten, while everyone else in the major conferences lose at least once. They play a close game with the winner getting it done on the final play. The million dollar question would be does the loser go to Pasadena as well?

If history does repeat itself, you can find former Michigan coach Lloyd Carr and he will tell you what will happen...

Chicago Cubs: Next Year Will Have to Wait Again

Dave Walker — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 18:29:33 -0400

For the first time since 2006, the Cubs will be sitting at home for the postseason after what many Cubs fans will consider a disappointing season.

Heading into the 2009 campaign, the Cubs and Brewers appeared to be the favorites in the division, with many thinking this could be their year.

But then the season actually started.

Injuries to Aramis Ramirez, Big Z, and many important role players and starters could be to blame for the mediocre season.

Then again, they are the Cubs and may have not won any more games with these guys in the lineup.

So the big questions will be what to do to the roster before 2010 happens.

First and foremost the Cubs are going to be looking for an outfielder. Milton Bradley did everything but help the Cubs out in 2009 and will not be missed.

The next thing that needs to happen is the Cubs need to score more runs. Ramirez may be near the end of his career, so would picking up a young third baseman with power be out of the question?

The final thing is get the bullpen together. If Marmol cannot get his control together, he is as good as Dave Dravecky out there.

Now I am sure there are other issues such as who will be in the rotation if they can indeed deal the hot headed Zambrano, and if someone out there actually wants Rich Harden.

As a Cubs fan, this season was one of the most frustrating since 2002.

I would rather have them look like crap on paper and lose 100 games than to have a let- down season.

But, luckily, I have a sense of humor, and I have five things the Cubs can do before 2010 to make their team better, or at least entertaining to watch.

Number One

They can place Ronnie "Woo-Woo" Wickers in Right Field.

Why will this help you ask?

It is just like little league when you were chanting: "Hey batter-batter, swing batter," or for you 1980s movie buffs exactly like having a very loud Cameron from Ferris Bueller out in right.

Ronnie will upset so many opposing batters that they may swing too hard and pop out weakly to the infield. Another plus is that Ronnie may have a better glove than Milton Bradley did out there.

Number Two

Have "Major League" manager Lou Brown come into the clubhouse and give Marmol a vision test. According to Brown, "Seeing is the most important thing."

However, his former center fielder Willie Mays Hayes said, "I don't think it is that important."

Good thing the Cubs center fielder doesn't speak English. Maybe Marmol can borrow Gregg's glasses cause he sure pitched like he needed new ones.

Number Three

Bring back Steve Bartman, kill a goat in the bleachers, and sacrifice Leon Durham all on opening day.

If you are one those who believe in curses, this should do it. No more goat curse, no more tubby first baseman "Bucknering" it in the playoffs, and no four-eyed fans stealing outs in the playoffs.

Now all we've gotta do is put together a decent team...

Number Four

We can have journeyman catcher Crash Davis purposely flood the field the night before every game.

Just remember, you can't lose if you don't play.

Number Five

The final piece to the puzzle is finding a kid named Henry Rowengartner, breaking his arm, and hoping his tendons heal too tight.

Yeah right!

There is a better chance of telling Gary Busey he is Chet Steadman a pitcher for the Cubs and having him believe it.

What can I say, at least the teams in those classic movie references won. At least I have that.

See you April of 2010 in Atlanta.

2009 ACC Football Preview: Chopping Up The Competition

Dave Walker — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 20:19:12 -0400

The ACC made some strides last year, mainly at the end. An FSU loss to Florida was the only loss for the ACC against the SEC in the last week of the season. Virginia Tech won the Orange Bowl and put an end to the ACC’s eight game losing streak in BCS games. Georgia Tech made major strides with their flexbone offense and have Yellow Jackets fans drooling at their potential.

The bottom line is that the ACC is competitive from top to bottom. Last year anyone could beat anyone at any time, and this year should be no different.

Virginia Tech could be the toast of the conference. Frank Beamer has assembled solid offensive and defensive lines, and look for some big games out of tailback Darren Evans.

Georgia Tech will be right on their heels in the Coastal Division. A solid running game paced by All ACC back Jonathan Dwyer should supply all the firepower needed for the Jackets to run over ACC competition. North Carolina and Miami have the ability to surprise anyone on any given week, and should make it to Bowl games.

In the Atlantic last season it seemed like someone controlled their own destiny about every three hours. This year, I expect Florida State to return to its dominating form. Last year the Seminoles had one of the nation’s youngest offensive lines, and it was productive. This year they will be the anchor of a solid FSU offense. Right behind them will be Clemson. C.J. Spiller will finally get the load at running back; people are excited about the potential of quarterback Willy Korn. N.C. State, Wake, and Maryland will also be headed to bowl games.

ACC Atlantic:

Florida State 2008 Record 9—4 (5—3)

The offseason has been all about 14 wins that the program may have to vacate due to academic fraud. It is a black eye to say the least for a program that showed signs of being back to its form from a few years back.

Leading the way is the offensive line. Three sophomores and two juniors including All Conference guard Rodney Hudson lead a unit that is athletic and can provide a thump up front. Christian Ponder seems ready to take another big step.

Last year he managed games, and threw for over 2000 yards, and had the ability to move around and scramble when he needed to. The Hurricanes will remember that fondly.

The main issues will be replacing the receivers and Antone Smith at tailback. Look for the ‘Noles to be fine on the outside, and Jermaine Thomas to have huge numbers. Thomas averaged seven yards per carry last year, and with Smith gone, will undoubtedly get between 20—25 carries.

The defense will have to rebuild. Only three starters from last year return. Gone are NFL draftee Everette Brown and Rhodes Scholar Myron Rolle.

Look for linebacker Dekoda Watson to step up and be a leader in the middle. The coaching staff is hoping that Markus White can step up at end and be a pass rushing force that the ‘Noles so badly need.

In the secondary it will be all about who can fill Rolle’s shoes. Look for either Ochucko Jenije or Dionte Allen to step up and take that job. If the defensive unit under Mickey Andrews can get all the parts moving as one, look out for a dominating Seminoles defense in 2009.

The outlook in Tallahassee is bright. A solid line, star potential tailback, and veteran quarterback should be enough to lead them to a division title. Florida State trips up at UNC and the swamp, but earns a birth in the ACC title game. The Seminoles go 11—2 (7—1) and unbeaten within the division, and upset Virginia Tech in the Championship game. Seminoles head down the road to Miami and the Orange Bowl.

Clemson 2008 Record 7—6 (4—4)

Dabo Swinney took over midway through the 2008 season for Tommy Bowden. The season, one most fans would prefer to forget, had its ups and downs, but the Tigers have a lot of potential in 2009 to make a run at another bowl game.

Gone are playmakers James Davis and Aaron Kelly. Also gone is quarterback Cullen Harper. But, the Tigers have two good things going for them on offense.

One; they have C.J. Spiller. Spiller had to split time with Davis the last several season, and now has his chance. Two; they have all five lineman back and are all over 300 pounds. To make a run at FSU, the Tigers will need consistency in the passing game.

Jacoby Ford will be asked to step in as the No.1 target, and others will have to step up behind him. At quarterback it could be one of three guys, but the leading candidate is Sophomore Willy Korn. A former two time South Carolina player of the year has the speed and athleticism to make big things happen in Clemson. Look for the offense to be a solid, run based unit.

The defense looks to be set in place. Eight starters return from last year’s unit. The strength could be in the secondary where both corners return.

Brandon Maye is a solid middle linebacker capable of making big plays in both the passing and running game, and the line is anchored by 300 pound tackles Jarvis Jenkins and Brandon Thompson. If the Tiger defense can get a few big plays in the big games, watch for them to make some noise in the Atlantic.

Many question if Dabo Swinney is the guy in Clemson. This will be his chance to prove the naysayers wrong. Look for big things on the ground, a solid defense, and plenty of wins. Miami, FSU, Georgia Tech, and an upset loss at Maryland will prove to be the only “L”s on the season. Clemson goes 8—4 (4—4) with a 3—2 division mark and earns a trip to the Music City Bowl.

North Carolina State 2008 Record 6—7 (4—4)

Russell Wilson certainly lived up to his potential being named the first team all conference quarterback as a freshman last year. The Wolfpack certainly arrived during the last four games of the year winning all four and earning a trip to the Papajohns.com Bowl. This year expect the Wolfpack to earn it second straight bowl appearance.

Leading the way again will be Wilson. He has the ability to make plays with his feet, and has a strong arm, but does lack some accuracy. Hoping to help him out in that category this season are junior receivers Owen Spencer and Jarvis Williams. The two combines for over 1100 yards and nearly 60 catches last year.

Look for Wilson to lead the team in rushing behind an effective line that returns three starters. If Russell Wilson can continue to mature, look for the Pack to be an offensive force in the ACC for the next three years.

On defense N.C. State looks to continue to make strides in their defense against the run. Up front two big tackles in Alan Michael Cash and LeRoy Burgess hope to plug up holes. Willie Young returns at end after recording six sacks last year. The secondary will have to retool a bit, as they center their efforts in providing DeAndre Morgan with some support.

Morgan has lock down corner ability, and if the Wolfpack can find an equal on the other side, could have a huge season. Look for this unit to play solid all year long.

The Wolfpack play two very tough out of conference games against Pitt and South Carolina. Look for both to come up in the “L” column. In conference the Pack will lose to FSU, Virginia Tech, Clemson, and be upset at Wake. In the end N.C.State goes bowling again at 6—6 (4—4) and 2—3 in the division earning a trip to the Emerald Bowl.

Wake Forest 2008 Record 8—5 (4—4)

Jim Grobe has done a great job of sculpting a consistent bowl contending team each year in Winston—Salem.

This year if the Demon Deacons are to make it a fourth straight bowl game, they are gonna need a big effort from the offense. The offensive line has struggled at times, especially early in the year, and with injuries. The line has eight players that saw action last year and are going to have to be solid.

If they can move the pile, look for a slew of backs to take advantage, including senior Kevin Harris, who had a strong outing in the Bowl game, and Josh Adams. Riley Skinner has to be more consistent at quarterback. If he can manage the game, not make mistakes, and find ways to be effective in the red zone, watch out for the Demon Deacons again in 2009.

The offense needs to be good because no one knows what they are going to get out of the defense. Seven starters are gone from a solid unit in 2008. NFL draftee Aaron Curry leaves the biggest hole at linebacker. The question is who will fill his shoes, and the shoes of the six others who graduated.

The defensive line is expected to be the key. If they can get enough pressure up front, along with good run support that could ease the transition at Linebacker and in the secondary.

Wake Forest will be good enough to make it four in a row in an ACC full of teams that are equal. Look for the offense to step up, and the defense to get better with each game. The Deacons lose non conference games to Navy and Baylor, and are beaten in the ACC by BC, Clemson, FSU, and Georgia Tech. Wake Forest is bowl eligible at 6—6 (4—4) with a 2—3 division mark and head back to the EagleBank Bowl.

Maryland 2008 Record 8—5 (4—4)

No one has lost more than the Terrapins. Head Coach Ralph Friedgen will have to replace seven starters on defense and five on offense. The Terps do have two big reasons to think they will be fine on offense. Returning at quarterback is Chris Turner. Turner was third in the ACC in passing yards per game.

Turner will have the luxury of throwing to return game specialist and speed burner Torrey Smith. Watch for him to gather a 2000 yard all purpose season.

In the backfield is Da’Rel Scott. Scott amassed 1100 yards last year and was first team All ACC. The big question may be up front. The Terps must replace three starters here.

On defense All ACC Linebacker Alex Wujciak led the way with 133 tackles a year ago. He will have to be continuing this type of production to help ease the younger players into the starting lineup. The secondary will also need to mature, and whether they do or not could be the difference in bowl eligible, and watching the games on TV.

The Terrapins seem to find ways to win games every season. This year should be no exception as the Terrapins will land another bowl bid. Cal will get revenge in the opener, and conference losses to Wake, NC State, Virginia Tech, FSU, and Duke will set them up. Maryland goes 6—6 (3—5) and 2—3 in the division and earn the Humanitarian Bowl.

Boston College 2008 Record 9—5 (5—3)

Rounding out the Atlantic is BC. The Eagles are an example of consistency in the ACC over the past five years with at least nine wins and bowl trip each year. This, however, will not be one of those years. Frank Spaziani takes over as head coach for Jeff Jogodzinski after he was fired for interviewing for the Jets Head Coaching position.

Now, along with a new coach, a new team must rise up and begin the road back. The quarterback position is up for grabs. It could go to either Dominique David, who was erratic at times last year, or, redshirt freshman Justin Tuggle. The offensive line could be a strength, led by All ACC tackle Anthony Costanzo. Montel Harris should continue to build off of his 900 yard season at tailback.

If the Eagles are to make a run at a bowl game, getting Harris the ball is a must.

The defense must rebuild as well. The losses along the front line will be the most impacting. Look for the key to be the play of tackles Kaleb Ramsey and Damik Scafe to step up against the run if the Eagles are to bolster a strong D. Returning ACC Defensive Player of the Year Mark Herzlich provides both leadership, and sure handed tackling ability.

The Eagles should look solid at times, but not for long enough to make a dent in the ACC standings.

In a tough ACC conference you need experience and skill. While there are defiantly players with skill on the team, they lack leadership at key roles. The Eagles will start 2—0 with wins over Northeastern and Kent St, and win their fourth game over Wake, but it will be a goose egg afterwards. Boston College struggles to 3—9 (1—7) with a 1—4 division record and will be looking to build towards the future.

ACC Coastal Division:

Virginia Tech 2008 Record 10-4 (5-3)

The Hokies just win under Head Coach Frank Beamer. Beamer enters his 23rd year with a mark of 177—89—2. This year he will have his chance to add another conference title to his resume. Back is an offensive line that is deep and has experience.

Blake DeChristopher and Ed Wang will be opening holes all season for tailback Darren Evans. Evans ran for over 1200 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, and is just a sophomore. Look for him to have a breakout season.

At quarterback it is Tyrod Taylor’s job. Taylor, a dual threat, can throw it or run it, as combined for 1800 yards last season. Now the Hokies do need to find a target to throw the ball too. Watch for freshman Austin Fuller to stand out in the pack.

Defense is where you win championships when you play Beamer ball. The defensive line will be as good as it gets. End Jason Worilds finds his way in on almost every play, and watch for big tackle Cordarrow Thompson to have an all conference season.

The linebackers have youth and talent and will look to learn from senior backer Cam Martin. In the secondary corner Stephan Virgil is back after picking off six passes last year. Virgil is joined by hard hitting safety Kam Chancellor.

When you look at the schedule, you look no farther than the opener against Alabama in the Georgia Dome. If they win this, and I think they will, watch for them to steam through the ACC. I see only one stumble at Georgia Tech in October, as Virginia Tech will go 11—2 (7—2) with a 4—1 division mark and win the Coastal division.

However I predict the FSU upset in Tampa to keep VaTech out of the BCS. The Hokies will head to the Gator Bowl.

Georgia Tech 2008 Record 9-4 (5-3)

The question going into last season was whether the option would work in the ACC.

Short answer, yes.

The Jackets averaged over 270 yards on the ground per game, ranking them fourth in the country. Leading the attack is Junior back Jonathan Dwyer. A Dwyer posse both power and speed, and led the way with 1395 yards on the ground and was also named the ACC Player of the Year.

Joining him in the backfield is Roddy Jones who ran for nearly 700 yards, and Louisville transfer Anthony Allen. Taking the snaps is Junior Josh Nesbitt. Nesbitt has the ability to turn the corner, and to make the great pitch. The one downfall for the Jackets may be the line, which can be best described as shaky with the loss of both starting tackles.

On defense safety Morgan Burnett is an All American safety that will provide all of the leadership. Burnett was a ball hawker last season with seven INT’s, one of which was taken back. He is joined in the secondary with two returning starters, and am impressive youngster Jerrard Tarrant could be a difference maker.

Derrick Morgan is the only returning starter on the line. Morgan notched seven sacks last year, and will look to add to his totals this year. Look for this unit to be average at best, but good enough to win games.

Paul Johnson will keep the success rolling in 2009. The running game will keep teams on their heels and catch them off guard, and the defense will play just well enough to win. Look for Georgia Tech to get it done against everybody except FSU and Miami. The Yellow Jackets finish 10—2 (6—2) and 4—1 in the division. Georgia Tech returns to the Chick-Fil-A Bowl to get revenge on the SEC.

North Carolina 2008 Record 8—5 (4—4)

Butch Davis has brought the Miami style of recruiting to North Carolina, and that was seen last year with their first bowl trip since ’04. The key on offense is whether quarterback T.J. Yates can stay healthy. Yates missed six games last year, but had a freshman year two years ago.

Gone are the big play receivers from a year ago, but watch for TE Zack Pinalto to get the opportunity to grab 40—50 catches. The offensive line should be okay, but there were some concerns inside the tackle the spring.

The defense is what will make or break the season. Speed best describes this unit. Leading tackler Quan Sturdivant returns, but moves to tackle. Replacing him on the outside is speedster Zach Brown, who ran a 4.28 forty this spring. The secondary is anchored by safety Deunta Williams who can place a hit and cover.

The area that causes the most concern is up front. Can the returning unit from a year ago get more pressure to the quarterback? If they can, watch out VaTech and GaTech.

The Tar Heels are ready for a breakout season. Unfortunately they play in the same division as the VaTechs and GaTechs of the world. Miami gets them in a revenge game from last year’s barnburner and nine wins for the Tar Heels. North Carolina finishes 9—3 (5—3) with a 2—3 division mark and is going to the Champ Sports Bowl.

Miami 2008 Record 7—6 (4—4)

Many last year were talking about how the U was back. At times they looked the part. At other times they looked young and inexperienced. This year new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple will get his chance to inject some offense into the offense.

Sophomore Quarterback Jacory Harris will get the start this year, after splitting time with Robert Marve last year. Harris at times made big throws, and at other times looked like a freshman. The Hurricanes will have to solid backs in Javarris James and speedster Graig Cooper.

Cooper ran for over 800 yards last year. If the Hurricanes are going to challenge in the ACC, the offensive line must be more physical and start knocking guys off of the ball like the old days. It will be up to them as to whether the Canes make a bowl this season.

On defense the U is back. They showed signs of dominance last year in big games, but played down to their opponents in others. Sean Spence at middle linebacker will be a name that everyone knows when the season is over.

Spence had 7.5 tackles for a loss last season as a freshman. The defensive line has three or four NFL type talents including Marcus Robinson. Watch for him to hit double digits in sacks. The secondary also looks strong with quick athletic guys all over. This is a deep, speedy, athletic unit that must stop opponents and put up points for the Hurricanes to break through this year.

The schedule this year is a monster. Oklahoma, USF, and the ACC. Enough said. Miami will have the defense to win, but I just don’t see the offense being able to get enough done. FSU, Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, Wake, and USF all get wins over the Canes. Miami finishes 7—5 (5—3) with a 4—1 division mark and head to the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

Virginia 2008 Record 5—7 (3—5)

Change is in the air in Charlottesville. There are a slew of new assistants and a new spread offense being worked out on offense. Who will take the snaps in the new system could be up for grabs. Jameel Sewell appears to be the favorite after missing last season due to academics.

Their returning leading receiver from last year had only 12 catches, and they are still hoping that running back Mikell Simpson can give them some pop on offense. The strongest part of the offense may be the line that returns four starters from last year’s club.

On defense the Cavaliers are weak at linebacker. They are hoping that either of their inside backers can step up, whether it be Darnell Carter or Darren Childs. Senior Denzel Burrell will hope to aid them as he is a strong outside backer.

The defensive line and secondary both look to be in good hands. Watch for a kid named Rodney McLeod to emerge as the leading INT and pass break up man. He is athletic and has the quickness to defend anyone in the ACC.

The Cavaliers have the benefit of playing some weak non—conference opponents, except for CU. They will develop offensively and improve throughout the year. Look for them to get six wins. Cavaliers beat William and Mary, upset TCU at home, win at Southern Miss, win over Indiana, Duke, and BC. Virginia finishes 6—6 (2—6) with a 1—4 division mark. Unfortunately I see no Bowl game for them.

Duke 2008 Record 4-8 (1-7)

Can David Cutcliffe turn things around at Duke?

Last year they showed some signs of improvement. They nearly beat both Wake and Northwestern, which would have earned them bowl eligibility. Senior quarterback Thaddeus Lewis leads the attack that spreads it out and looks for big chunks of yardage.

Other than Lewis, the offense doesn’t look to have many parts in place. They will need someone to emerge in the backfield, and have to find someone to provide Lewis with a target. The O—line is also lacking depth and experience, returning just two starters. Watch for Desmond Scott to step up at back and be an all purpose weapon for the Blue Devils in ’09.

On defense the Blue Devils have one of the best lineman in the conference in Senior Vince Oghobaase. He should be able to be a force in both the pass rush and run defense. The good news is that front four should be solid; the bad news is that may not matter with the inexperience at Linebacker and in the secondary.

Matt Daniels returns to safety after an injury sidelined him for much of last season, and the Devils do have an experienced outside backer in Vincent Rey. The bottom line for this unit is that they have to step up from the start to compensate for the inexperienced offense. If they don’t, it will be a long year in Durham, yet again.

When you have to rebuild off of a successful 4—8 campaign, you can’t expect to make many strides. Duke will win some games, gain some experience, and scare a team or two, but they won’t get six wins.

Duke loses to Richmond in the opener, then beats Army, North Carolina Central, and upsets Maryland. Duke goes 3—9 (1—7) and winless in the division with hopes to get six wins next year.

In the ACC nothing is a given. FSU could be as good as many think they are, they may not?

Then again maybe the U is back in Miami?Are the Hokies primed for a National Title shot? All are good questions. What do you the ACC fan think?

Who are your sleepers and disappointments? Do you see a National power emerging from the ACC in 2009?

Surprises and Bold Predictions For the 2009 NFL Season

Dave Walker — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:14:29 -0400

Last year’s NFL season gave us another action-packed, hard hitting block of 20-plus weeks. It also gave us some pleasant, and not so pleasant, surprises.

Who would have ever thought the Miami Dolphins would go 11-5 and win the division after going 1-15 the year before?

No one could have predicted the Arizona Cardinals going to the Super Bowl, especially when all the experts thought they would be one and done in the playoffs.

It was supposed to be America’s team in the Big game, and they failed to even make the playoffs. This is simply the NFL, and as ESPN analyst Chris Berman says, “That’s why they play the game!”

This year will be no exception. There will be one or two surprise teams that weren’t supposed to be playoff bound heading to the postseason. One player will rise out of obscurity and be every fantasy owner's steal. There will be a Super Bowl contending team that misses the playoffs.

I am not a genie, a psychic, or a palm reader, but I am going to attempt to predict some of those surprises. Thus, I give you ten things to look for as a surprise in this year’s 2009 NFL season.

The Kansas City Chiefs Will Challenge the Chargers In the West.

Yes, those Chiefs that went 2-14 and only scored 291 points last year.

Most who read this will say that picking up Matt Cassel will not be enough to turn it around, and they are right.

But watch out for a much-improved defense to help out the struggling offense. The addition of Tyson Jackson at end will help the pass rush, which already has Tamba Hali and Glenn Dorsey. Look for veteran leadership out of Mike Vrabel at Linebacker, and an improved secondary.

On offense, Tony Gonzalez is gone, but watch for Dwayne Bowe to have a break out year, and Larry Johnson to return to form. The schedule could give them a bit of a problem, but then again they do play in the West, which could be weak again this year.

Kurt Warner Will Have Another Pro Bowl Caliber Year

Warner had a Pro Bowl year last year, throwing for nearly 4,600 yards and 30 touchdowns. Many people are saying that the Cardinals will have a flop of a season.

Then there are some that are saying Matt Leinart is heading into the season more hungry than ever, since he has been MMA training in the offseason.

The bottom line is that it’s Kurt Warner—he's been to three Super Bowls and numerous Pro Bowls. He has the game’s best receiver tandem in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. No running game? No problem. He had no running game last year and they still won their division. Look for him to hit the air for over 4000 yards and 35 touchdowns this year, and earn a trip to Miami in late January.

There Will Be Another Team That Challenges the Lions at Going 0-16.

The Lions truly were the sister of the week for everybody in the NFL. Dan Orlovsky stepping out of the back of the end zone for a safety, and still trying to come back in and make a play will forever be the image I have of the 2008 Lions.

This year, someone else will challenge the Lions for futility. I am going to narrow it down to two teams. First, I'm going on a limb with the Denver Broncos. I still think Brandon Marshall will be gone before training camp is over. I also think that Kyle Orton doesn’t have what it takes to win games in the AFC.

They have a solid defense, but will they be able to completely shut down teams? A tough schedule will help, as I think Denver has what it takes to be embarrassing team No. 1 in 2009.

The number two pick for awful team of 2009, is the awful team from 2008, the Lions. Matthew Stafford will not get the job until at least mid-season, thus Daunte Culpepper will be throwing the picks for the first few weeks. This, paired with a realistic shot at starting 0-6, have the Lions circling November 1 versus the Rams as their hope for win number one.

The Cincinnati Bengals Will Make the Playoffs.

Even if I weren’t a Bengals fan, I would have no problem putting them in the playoff picture. They get Carson Palmer back, Cedric Benson seems ready to prove the naysayers’ wrong, and the defense looks to be the best it has ever been under Marvin Lewis.

Offensively, the line appears to be the big picture. Will Andre Smith be the force at tackle that Willie Anderson was for years? Will the other lineman gel together and be able to protect Palmer.

On defense, they may have drafted a potential monster at end in Michael Johnson. Scouts at one point had him as a top ten pick, but Johnson has been said to be lazy at times on the field. Since joining the Bengals, the coaches have had nothing but praise for him. Combined with defensive tackles Antwan Odom and Tank Johnson, and Geathers at end should form a good pass rush.

Perhaps the most interesting spot on defense is at linebacker, where the Bengals stole Rey Maualuga in the second round. Together with last year's first-rounder Keith Rivers, along with the addition of safety Roy Williams, the Bengals' defense should be tougher, much like the other teams in the AFC North.

Raiders Head Coach Tom Cable Will Make it Through the Season.

Cable is an Al Davis guy, which says it all. He does have some guys that can make plays, and they will make just enough to be competitive in ’09.

Look for Jeff Garcia to step in and take the reins, win a few the Raiders probably weren’t supposed to, and to help keep Cable’s head just above water.

Perhaps Cable's biggest advantage in keeping the job is that no one else really wants the job. I mean, they have certainly gone from a Commitment to Excellence to a Certainty of Failure in just a few years.

Steven Jackson Will Win the NFL Rushing Title.

Sure, the Rams will only improve marginally in the first season under Steve Spagnuola, but the defensive minded coach will want to play ball control.

Jackson, when healthy, is one of the best in the game. He had 1,000 yards last year, while missing four games and part of another.

Look for him to get Eddie George-like games with 25 plus handoffs. He will go for over 1,600 yards, maybe more, and beat Adrian Peterson, who won’t be "Favre" behind.

The Atlanta Falcons Will Make the Super Bowl In the NFC.

The dirty bird may be returning to Miami for another shot at Super Bowl glory. Another year of experience will do Matt Ryan well, along with a big target in Tony Gonzalez, a defense that is as good as any in the NFC, and Michael “The Burner” Turner at tailback.

Watch out for the Falcons to make some big noise and challenge for the NFC Title.

The Dallas Cowboys Will Not Make the Playoffs.

I know I am now the most hated person in the world, but they are still a Wade Phillips team. I am not sold on receivers Patrick Crayton and Roy Williams. Plus, the defense just doesn’t appear to have the toughness it takes to win games in the NFC East.

Rashard Mendenhall Will Be the Steelers' Leading Rusher.

Willie Parker has been solid for years, but look for a younger Mendenhall to get the bulk of the carries by season’s end and run for close to 1,000 yards. He will emerge as their starter in the playoffs, and be the future of the organization.

Parker is just a bit too injury prone for me to think that his time is not up. Mendenhall missed most of last season with an injury, so at least he will be fresh.

Both Brett Favre and Michael Vick Will Be Starting Quarterbacks In the NFL at Some Point This Season.

Now, the Favre prediction is a pretty safe bet. The guy wants to play; he has been rehabbing the bicep, throwing to high school kids, and is looking sharp according to Viking people.

But the Vick prediction is out there. I think that he will be reinstated, but that no one will pick him up. Look for him to join the upstart UFL and run all over the competition. An NFL team will see this and pick him up for the stretch run. Most likely it will be a team that is at the bottom of the league, thus Vick starts at some point late in the NFL season.

Again these are just my Cinderella predictions. Chances are I may be lucky to have one or two of them come true. But, what do you think? Who are your surprise teams and players?

Tebow, McCoy, Bradford, and Devine? Oh MY! 2009 Heisman Predicitons

Dave Walker — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:55:34 -0400

We are months away from the Heisman Presentation in downtown New York, but it is never too early to hype up the candidates, and this year there is no shortage of them.

This year the winners from the past two Heisman's will undoubtedly lead the pack. Sam Bradford had a fantastic Heisman winning season, throwing for over 4700 yards and 50 touchdowns. Two years ago it was Tim Tebow tearing up the record books, over 4000 all purpose yards and 55 Touchdowns.

Both are expected to make a run at a second Heisman this fall, but there will be many others that have something to say about that. There will be the gunslinger from Austin, the Best breakaway back in the Pac Ten, a mountaineer looking to Devine the critics, and a Golden Domer who is ready to lead the way. It should be a very interesting year for fans and voters.

Here is a look at My top ten, in alphabetical order.

Junior Running Back, California, Jahvid Best.

Best is just that in the Pac Ten, the best. Last year, despite missing one game, Best ran for 1580 yards and 15 touchdowns. This, despite having little help in the vertical game, and inconsistent play at quarterback. This year look for Best to have just as good of a year. Games against Maryland, Eastern Washington, and Minnesota will help him pad his stats early before the heart of the Pac Ten season. Watch for him to grab more balls out of the backfield, and be a solid contributor in the return game. Look for 2500 all purpose yards, 20 touchdowns, and possibly a Doak Walker award when it is all said and done.

Junior Quarterback, Oklahoma, Sam Bradford.

The defending Heisman winner is back and hoping to continue to break records in Norman. Bradford is also hoping to get the Sooners over the hump and win another National Title. Last year, his 4720 yards and 50 touchdowns were good enough to win the Heisman, but Bradford could not deliver in the title game. This year, a new offensive line could pose some problems for the award winning QB, but look for Bradford to continue to step up and make big plays. He has an all conference tight end back, along with running backs Chris Brown and DeMarco Murray. Bradford will throw for nearly 4000 yards, 35 touchdowns, and get invited back to NYC for a chance at the repeat.

Junior Quarterback, Notre Dame, Jimmy Clausen.

Irish eyes will be once again eyeing a BCS game this fall, and one of the big reasons will be because of the play of Jimmy Clausen. Clausen threw for over 3000 yards last year to go with his 25 touchdown passes. This, despite having a rush offense that was ranked near the bottom nationally. Clausen has a veteran offensive line, a big play receiver in Golden Tate, and a very manageable schedule. Look for Clausen to get out of the box quick, with big games against Nevada, Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue. His biggest game will be on National TV October 17th, against a rebuilt USC defense. If he has a strong outing here, look for him to be a front runner heading into the season's second half. Clausen should throw for close to 4000 yards and 30 TD's this season.

Junior Running Back, West Virginia, Noel Devine.

Devine could easily be one of the bigger dark horses in this race. As a sophomore last year he ran for nearly 1300 yards and 4 TD's. This year, with the graduation of starting quarterback Pat White, look for Devine to be the center piece of the offense and get into the end zone more. With new QB Jarrett Brown in the mix now, look for Devine to be used as a safety valve in the passing game. The schedule early should allow for Devine to get off to a great start. A 1500 yard season on the ground to go with 15 TD's should be do-able, and Devine may find himself in the running come late November.

Senior Quarterback, BYU, Max Hall.

Hall may be a long shot to win the trophy playing in the Mountain West, which just seems to never get any respect. Last year, Hall threw for nearly 4000 yards, and 35 touchdowns. Hall will have the benefit of going head-to-head with last year's winner Sam Bradford in the opener. A solid showing, and better yet, a Cougar upset could easily thrust Hall into the top spot. But tough games with Florida State and conference foes TCU and Utah could hamper the statistical output. Nonetheless, look for Hall to air out 4000 yards and at least 35 TD's again, as Hall and Cougar fans hope voters fall in love with the play of Max Hall.

Junior Running Back, Oklahoma State, Kendall Hunter.

This is a spot where one of the big three from the Cowboys will be. QB Zac Robinson, WR Dez Bryant, or Hunter could all get the nod. I look for Hunter to have a monster season. Last year, Hunter led the Big 12 in rushing with over 1500 yards, and also had 16 touchdowns. With the big play ability of the Cowboys offense, look for defenses to try and defend against the big play, allowing Hunter to rack up enormous chunks of yardage. Look for his best game to be in the biggest game at Oklahoma. Hunter will go for over 1800 yards, 15 touchdowns, and be in the running when it is all said and done.

Senior Quarterback, Texas, Colt McCoy.

McCoy enters the season as a front runner after last seasons effort. McCoy threw for nearly 4000 yards, 34 touchdowns, and ran for over 500 yards and 11 touchdowns. Now that is Tebow like. This season, the pressure is on the gunslinger, as many are taking Texas to go and play for the National title, and why not? There is a veteran line, solid defense, and they have Colt McCoy. Look for Colt and the Longhorns to put up big numbers throughout their first five games leading up to the Red River rivalry game on the 17th of October. Both teams should be undefeated, so the winner of this game, either Bradford or McCoy, will have a leg up on the other. McCoy throws for 3500 yards, 40 TD's, and runs for 350 more and 5 TD's.

Senior Quarterback, Florida, Tim Tebow.

If there is one player the last 30 years that actually is giving Archie Griffin a run for his money, it's Tim Tebow. Tebow engineered the Gators to their second title in three years last year, throwing for over 2700 yards and 30 TD's. He also ran for nearly 700 yards. Where many really felt he made the difference, was with his speech after the Ole Miss loss, where he said that no one would play harder than Tebow down the stretch. He was right, as the Gators went off, and dominated the remainder of their schedule. A manageable schedule, along with an arsenal of weapons, will lead to another huge Tebow year. 3200 yards passing, 33 TD's, 600 yards on the ground and 15 TD's here, as Tebow goes to NYC again.

Junior Running Back, Penn State, Evan Royster.

Royster is a definitely the long shot on the list. Not many see the Big Ten as that deep or good of a conference this year, so look for Royster to pile up the touches and the yards. Last year, Royster ran for over 1200 yards and 12 touchdowns. Plus, this year, with the departure of both starting receivers, Royster is the leading returning receiver. In a Joe Paterno offense, the running back gets plenty of touches. This year, look for Royster to go for over 1400 yards on the ground, 200-300 yards in the air, and at least 15 touchdowns as he keeps Penn State in the running for the Roses.

Junior Wide Receiver, Oklahoma State, Dez Bryant.

There is no way to keep this explosive offensive weapon off of the list. Last year, he caught 87 balls for over 1400 yards and 19 touchdowns. He also can have a big impact in the return game, where he added several hundred more yards to his total. With Bryant, Hunter, and Robinson all back, look for him to have another spectacular season. Opponents will be looking to stop him from making the big play, so expect a lot of catches, but for not as many yards per catch. Nonetheless, Bryant goes for 1200 yards receiving, 500 yards in the return game, and adds 16 touchdowns to run away with the Belitnikoff award.

I am sure this list will be debatable to say the least. Left off of this list were Zac Robinson of Oklahoma State, Jevan Snead of Ole Miss, Jonathan Dwyer of Georgia Tech, and DeMarco Murray of Oklahoma.

Also, there are some guys on the defensive side of the ball that should be mentioned as possible dark horses. Watch out for George Selvie of South Florida, Jerry Hughes of TCU, Javier Arenas of Alabama, and Sean Spence out of Miami.

These are just predicitions, so I am sure that I will be looking back in December and saying what happened. But what do you think? Will Tebow join the ranks of the Archie Griffins? Is Colt McCoy due? Can Bradford defend? Will a running back run away with it? As always, your comments are greatly appreciated.

WWE Vs UFC: Is One Superior to the Other

Dave Walker — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 14:07:51 -0400

There are millions of fans out there that are fans of the WWE, and why not? It is athletic, butt-kicking action, with soap opera like story lines and beautiful bikini-clad women.

There are also millions of fans that are fans of the UFC. Like the WWE, it looks to grab that testosterone male graphic, and does so with brutal knockouts, non-stop action, and great pay-per view build ups.

But, is one organization more popular than the other? One can argue both points.

For those of you who have been living under a rock for the last 25 years, the WWE as we know it, was founded by Vincent Kennedy McMahon Jr. He took the best wrestlers out of all the regional promotions, brought them to then the World Wrestling Federation, and expanded to all over the country, and even the world.

WWE saw its zenith in the mid-'80s when Hulk Hogan became a household name. Wrestlemania soon emerged as the "Super Bowl" of wrestling, and others like the Macho Man Randy Savage, Andre the Giant, and Rowdy Roddy Piper became mainstream superstars.

Currently the WWE is still going strong. This past April, Wrestlemania 25 took place in Houston, TX. The WWE made $6.9 million in tickets sales, and weekly more people watch Monday Night Raw than any other cable show.

On the other side of the tale of the tape is the more upstart UFC. The UFC was created back in the early '90s as a tournament to find out who the best martial artists were in the world. The first Major event was held in Denver in late 1993, where Royce Gracie won.

The UFC has gone through a lot of changes since then. More rules, more controversy, and more fighters. The UFC has a slew of big names including, B.J. Penn, Matt Hughes, Brock Lesnar, and Georges St. Pierre just to name a few.

Recently UFC 100 took place in mid July. Tickets to the event were sold out before they even went on sale. The expected buyrate for the pay-per view is just over one million homes, just a few thousand more than bought Wrestlemania 25.

So which is better?

You can easily argue that the WWE is more rich in tradition. Many people who grew up in the '80s remember being little Hulkamaniacs. We remember when Hogan body slammed the Giant, Savage battled the Dragon, and the Undertaker tombstoned his first victim.

This may not be the case so much in the UFC. There have been a number of stars that have emerged in the business, likie the Chuck Liddels and Tito Ortiz's, but with this sport it hasn't quite been around long enough to give fans that nostalgic feeling.

Point goes to WWE.

A big strength the UFC has these days is that they are able to hype and build up the events. The recent Frank Mir-Brock Lesnar match at UFC 100 had that big fight feel. It was almost like the days when Mike Tyson got in the ring, it was electric.

It just seems to me that when it comes to injecting the big fight feel into an event, UFC gets the job done better, whereas WWE just seems to repeat matches over and over.

Point goes to the UFC.

The cage fighters also seem to be better at getting guys on TV, and making new stars. You never know who may win a fight, since one punch can change everything. In the WWE, it is the same guys. You have your Triple H's, John Cenas, and Undertakers that do not get out of the way for other guys.

Point goes to the UFC.

Points also would go to the UFC for not being scripted, the best action, and best pay-per views.

The WWE gets the nod in the pageantry category. I love the entrances of the superstars more than the actual wrestling these days. There is nothing like Pyro, and rock music, and loud pops to get you excited. The WWE also gets credit in having more live events. They seem to have at least one show a night, and have TV shows that air four nights a week.

Points to the WWE.

The bottom line is you can debate these two companies all you want. WWE is sports entertainment, UFC is sport, but that doesn't seem to matter. What does matter is that they seem to be doing good business, entertaining millions, and giving that 18-34 male demo some whoop ass action that we desperately need.

But what do you think? There are so many other points I could have made for both companies. Which one do you like more? Which one do you feel will prosper more in the future?

Smelling Roses in January: 2009 SEC Football Preview

Dave Walker — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:34:44 -0400

Dominance is the one word you can use to describe the SEC. Three years in a row the National Champions have come from this league. Plus, since the inception of the BCS they have won more BCS games than any other conference. Will their dominance end this year? Probably not.

Once again the conference is chalk full of talent from top to bottom. Leading the way are the defending champs, the Florida Gators. Tim Tebow is back, along with a supporting cast that will make the Gators a tough team to beat. Watch out for an always solid Georgia team, along with a Tennessee team that will right the ship this season.

In the West, things are a bit more foggy, as LSU, Ole Miss, and Alabama can all make a claim to be the top dog. Ole Miss comes in the favorite, returning QB Jevan Snead and a veteran defense. LSU may finally have their quarterback issues settled with Jordan Jefferson, who looked solid in a bowl win over Georgia Tech last year. Rounding out the contenders is Alabama. Coach Nick Saban can recruit, and we will see yet another dominant defense on the field in Tuscaloosa.

If there is one thing to bet on though, bet that no one will come out unscathed from the conference season.

SEC East

Florida 2008 Record 13-1 (7-1) Defending National Champions.

Another year, another chance of a National Title. It's just another day in the life of a Gator fan. This year, just as in the past, the Gators are a favorite to get back to the big game. Tim Tebow is back for his senior season after throwing for over 2700 yards and 30 TD's. Tim Tebow is also the leading rusher returning from last season, with 700 yards and 12 TD's. So what can't Tebow do? Well, one thing is for sure, he won't need to play any wideout. The Gators are stacked at the skill position with guys like David Nelson, Deonte Thompson, and All Conference TE Aaron Hernandez. But, look for the big plays to come from the speedy Brandon James. Now, when the Gators aren't hurrying it up to the line and going to the air, both Jeffery Demps and Chris Rainey are equally good at hitting the hole. The only thing that may slow them down is the loss of both starting tackles from a year ago. Overall, watch out for the Gator offense again this year, as the only thing that will slow them down are the Gators themselves.

Loaded again. That is how to describe Charlie Strong's defense. Middle Linebacker Brandon Spikes is back after a 93 tackle campaign last year. Up front, Carlos Dunlap looks to better his 9.5 sack performance from '08. In the secondary, pick your poison. Joe Haden at right corner, or Janoris Jenkins at left. Then, if you decide to throw it deep to the middle, Ahmad Black is there, looking to add to his seven picks, two returned for TD's, from last year. Stacked and ready to make plays, the Gators will be rock solid on defense once again.

Normally when making predictions, you want to think outside the box. But, this year, it is just too hard to go against such a talented team. The Gators will lose one game, I am saying the game at LSU on October 10th will be there only slip up as they head to and win the SEC title.

My pick, Gators go 12-1( (7-1) unbeaten in the division and head out to Pasadena for the BCS title game once again.

Tennessee 2008 Record 5-7 (3-5)

The Lane Kiffin era is ready to roll in Rocky Top. The big question, are the players ready to roll with the new coach, and new system? But enough about Kiffin. This is a team that greatly underachieved last season, and they will have a better year without question. Jonathan Crompton seemed to impress the coaches this spring, and will be taking the snaps again this fall. The Vols need a big season out of their backfield. Montario Hardesty will look to secure the job, but all eyes are on Bryce Brown, the top tailback prospect in the nation. With Brown, the coaches feel he gives them speed and size that is needed to be a blueprint in the offense. When they decide to throw it, watch for freshman Nu'Keese Richardson to provide the big play that was lacking last year.

Defensive guru Monte Kiffin joins his son as the defensive coordinator, and that alone should have opposing offenses shaking. His schemes will look to free up playmakers up front like Chris Walker and Ben Martin. In the middle, Nick Reveiz will have to step up, but where they are really strong at is at strong safety. Returning is Eric Berry, the all SEC pick from a year ago. If Kiffin's defense can get the pressure on the edges. look for him to be at the top of the league in INT's.

Turning the program around will not be as easy as apple pie. The Vols do need to gel before getting into the heart of the SEC season. Look for them to beat Western Kentucky and UCLA early. Florida will beat them by double digits, but after that a close loss at Alabama, and another close loss at Ole Miss will be it.

The Vols go 9-3 (5-3) with a 4-1 division mark and earn a trip to the Outback Bowl.

Georgia 2008 Record 10-3 (6-2)

Gone are Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno, but back are several key players that spent last year on the sidelines with injuries. Tackle Trinton Sturdivant is back from a torn ACL last season, and looks to anchor down a line that returns everyone. At quarterback, Joe Cox is going to be handed the ball. The word is that he doesn't have the arm of Stafford, but is smart and knows how to manage the game. Sophomore receiver A.J. Green will look to hit the 1000 yard mark, a mark he missed by just 37 yards last year. The big question might be at tailback. It could go two ways, either Caleb King, or redshirt freshman Carlton Thomas. Word out of Athens is that he has the speed and elusiveness to be the next Knowshon Moreno.

The defense has a lot of talent, but will that talent rise to the occasion? Middle Linebacker Rennie Curran is one guy that will. Curran racked up 115 tackles and led the team with three sacks. What the Dogs are hoping is that ends Demarcus Dobbs and Justin Houston step up and get some pressure. That will set up big plays for Curran and the secondary, which will feature Brandon Boykin, a playmaker with a huge vertical and speed to match.

Georgia plays a relatively tough schedule. The opener at Oklahoma State will be interesting, and important as they play their next two in conference. I look for the Bulldogs to get pummeled in Stillwater, lose a close one at Tennessee, get white washed by Florida, and lose a heartbreaker at Georgia Tech.

Georgia goes 8-4 (6-2) with a 3-2 division mark and earns a trip to Atlanta and the Chick-Fil-A Bowl.

South Carolina 2008 Record 7-6 (4-4)

Three out of the last four years have been bowl season in Columbia. This season the Gamecocks will struggle, but play just well enough to earn a another bowl berth. Sophomore quarterback Stephen Garcia hopes to be able to play up to his big recruit status from two years ago. Garcia, who has been suspended three times by coach Spurrier, says those times are behind him, and folks in Columbia hope he is right. The bottom line is the offense needs to improve greatly. If Garcia can mature, watch for senior wideout Moe Brown to have a big game week in and week out. Jarvis Giles, a young tailback, is fast and has the ability to take it to the house on any play. Watch for him to emerge as the starting tailback by mid season.

The defense will have to replace the Jasper Brinkley's of the world. Replacing him will be All-SEC linebacker Eric Norwood, as he moves from outside to the middle. South Carolina will rely on several newcomers to the secondary, as they look to replace Captain Munnerlyn, and Emanuel Cook. Though there are some holes to fill, look for this unit to solidify after a few games.

The Gamecocks schedule is brutal on paper. Even an out of conference game with Sun Belt power Florida Atlantic will be tough. Look for them to start strong with a win over N.C. State, but fall to Georgia the following week. Losses against conference powers, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, and Ole Miss, plus a rivalry game loss to Clemson.

South Carolina struggles to a 6-6 (3-5) record with a 2-3 division mark, but makes the post season with a berth in the Papajohns.com Bowl.

Kentucky 2008 Record 7-6 (2-6)

This year the Wildcats will look to make their fourth straight bowl apperance. They also will look to add the flavor of the week offense in the, "Wildcat formation." This makes things very interesting for some of the younger players. Randall Cobb played some QB last year, and is a perfect fit to run some of the offensive sets. When not optioning and shuffling the ball around, look for tailback Alfonso Smith to step up and have a big season. Also, watch out for Charles Woodson, oops, I mean corner Trevard Lindley. Lindley has the speed to play at the next level, and may take some snaps, catch some passes, or even throw a few.

The Wildcats are solid on defense. Lindley returns for his senior season after shunning the NFL draft. Along with him is middle linebacker Micah Johnson. Look for him to lead the team in tackles and add a few sacks. With Lindley at one corner, it will be up to Randall Burden to cover the other half of the field. If he can, Kentucky could be a difficult team to pass against.

The bottom line this year is that there just isn't enough here to challenge the big dogs of the league. Watch for Kentucky to put a scare into at least one top opponent, if not more. They will record wins over Miami OH, ULM, Mississippi St, Eastern Kentucky, and Vanderbilt.

Final record for Kentucky will be 5-7 (2-6) with a 1-4 division spot. Sorry, no bowl game this year.

Vanderbilt 2008 Record 7-6 (4-4)

The streak ended last year. The Commodores ended a 53-year bowl-winless streak by beating BC 16-14 in the Music City Bowl. Now head coach Bobby Johnson and crew look to keep the momentum going. Vandy returns 19 starters from a year ago, including tough bruising tailback Jared Hawkins. Up front the Commodores are big and experienced. The anchor is right tackle Thomas Welch, the 310 pounder can open up huge holes on the right side, along with his counter part 315 pound guard Eric Hensley. The QB spot could go to either last years starter Mackenzi Adams, or sophomore Larry Smith who stole the job late last season.

D.J. Moore must be replaced on defense. The All-SEC corner shut down opponents, and now look for senior Lyron Lewis to step up and fill his shoes. The big question from this unit is will they be able to bend, but not break? The name of the game is to limit big plays, and hope at the same time you can find a way to make one yourself.

The SEC is tough. Vanderbilt knows this. To say that they will struggle at times would be an understatement. Look for the Commodores to pick up wins over Western Carolina, Mississippi State, Rice, and Army.

A tough season for Vandy 4-8 (1-7) with no division wins.

SEC WEST

LSU 2008 Record 8-5 (3-5)

Les Miles is hoping that last year was just an illusion. The Tigers seemed to just find ways to lose games, and a lot of the blame was put on sophomore QB Jarrett Lee. They seem to have this problem solved with the emergence of Jordan Jefferson last year. With a QB in place, look for tailback Charles Scott to have another thousand yard season, as he will look to go to the left side behind massive tackle Ciron Black. Also look out for QB recruit Russell Shepard to get into the mix, either at wideout, or QB in certain formations. The big question for the Tigers is who will step and block on the line other than Black? Miles is hoping that another top recruiting class will give him that answer in fall practice.

The defense returns its top three tacklers a year ago in the form of Harry Coleman, Kelvin Sheppard, and Perry Riley, all starting linebackers. Watch out for Lazarius Levingston on the left side, as teams will be looking to block down on returning sack leader Rahim Alem on the other side. The secondary will be basically new, and that may be a good thing. This years group will look to grab more than just 8 INT's all year.

In the SEC West every division game will be a battle. Look for LSU to rise out of the ashes and win the West, via an Ole Miss win on November 21st. The Tigers will slip up in Georgia on October 3rd, and lose a close one at Bama in November. They will beat Florida in Death Valley, but no such luck in Atlanta for the conference title game.

LSU has a great bounce back season at 10-3 (6-2) with a 5-1 division mark, and stays in state for the Sugar Bowl.

Mississippi 2008 Record 9-4 (5-3)

Last year was the bounce back season that nobody anticipated, which culminated in the upset win over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl. This year, big things are expected, and the Rebels seem to have the team to back it up. Offensively, the line still looks to be a huge strength, despite the loss of Michael Oher to the NFL. All five starters weigh over 300 pounds and will provide QB Jevan Snead all the time he needs to throw the ball. Emerging this year at tailback will be Brandon Bolden. Bolden can run and make big catches out of the backfield. Rounding out the air attack are returning receivers Dexter McCluster and Shay Hodge. The combines for over 1300 yards and nine TD's last season.

The health of Greg Hardy could be a major factor for the output of the defense. Hardy was involved in a car accident early in July, and may miss some time. If he doesn't go, not only do the Rebels lose an All-SEC end, but lose his 8.5 sacks from a year ago. Aiding in the run stop will be big NT Ted Laurent. He recorded 24 tackles in 13 games last year. Veterans return at linebacker and in the secondary, led by ball hawking safety Kendrick Lewis.

It will be another big season in Oxford. Look for the Rebels to get out to a fast 7-0 start before fumbling one to Auburn on the road. Then a Magnolia Bowl barn burning loss to LSU will be the one that costs them a trip to Atlanta.

Rebels go 10-2 (6-2) but with a 3-2 division mark, and head to the Capital One Bowl in sunny Orlando.

Alabama 2008 Record 12-2 (8-0)

The Tide will look to move forward after last year's embarrassing loss to Utah in the Sugar Bowl. Again Nick Saban has stocked the cupboard full of talent. QBing these days will be Greg McElroy. He easily won the job this spring over several highly touted, athletic QB's. McElroy will have a big time guy to get the ball to in sophomore Julio Jones. Jones grabbed 58 balls for over 900 yards and four TD's as a freshman last year. He should have just as good of a year, if not better this season. The line will have to replace three starters, including Outland Trophy winner Andre Smith. A slew of big, athletic guys will fill these openings. On the ground look for freshman Trent Richardson to split time with sophomore Mark Ingram. Richardson could bring the thunder to an already lightning backfield.

On defense the Tide appear to be about as good as they can get. The Tide only lose two starters from a unit that ranked third in total defense. Anchoring the front line is All-American candidate Terrence Cody at nose tackle. Cody, the 6'5" 365 lbs senior, is a force in the run defense and will be a guy that opens up lanes for All American linebacker Rolando McClain to make plays. If that isn't enough, add Javier Arenas to the mix, and you get a speedy ball-hawking corner that is lightning quick in the return game.

Bama is still a force in the SEC West, and they will prove it again. But a tough opener versus Virginia Tech in Atlanta may be a bad way to start out. Look for VaTech to steal one here, but Bama recovers enough to win nine games, with slip ups to LSU and Ole Miss.

The Tide go 9-3 (6-2) with a 3-2 division record and earn a much deserved trip to the Cotton Bowl.

Arkansas 2008 Record 5-7 (2-6)

The Razorbacks appear to be one of the more interesting teams in the SEC. Arkansas was two close losses away from being 7-5. Former Michigan prospect Ryan Mallett appears to be the trigger man in Bobby Petrino's offense. Mallett filled in for Chad Henne back in 2007, throwing for nearly 900 yards in limited action. The Hogs are loaded at the skill positions. Back is running back Michael Smith. The thousand yard rusher was All SEC and will benefit from a huge offensive line. D.J. Williams highlights the passing game. The All-Conference TE grabbed three TD passes last year along with nearly 800 receiving yards. All in all, the Hogs look solid offensively.

Defensively the Hogs need some work. They do return nine starters from last years team, but that defense was dead last in the SEC. All conference tackle Malcolm Sheppard anchors the defense, and outside linebacker Jerry Franklin looks to add to his 87 tackles from a year ago. But if this unit is going to improve, the secondary will have to step up and make big plays.

The Hogs will go bowling, and may end up slaying a dragon if their defense mends its fences. Look for wins over Missouri State, Texas A&M, Auburn, Eastern Michigan, Troy, and Mississippi State.

Hogs are just good enough at 6-6 (2-6) with a 2-3 division mark. An Independence Bowl berth is likely.

Auburn 2008 Record 5-7 (2-6)

Gene Chizik will get his chance to revive the Auburn program that fell on hard time last year. Offensively they were not good, and that may be a nice way to put it. The bright spot is running back Ben Tate. Tate has already amassed nearly 1300 career rushing yards, and may end up being the focal point of the offense. The receiving corps will be unproven and will look to TE Tommy Trott to step up and be a safety valve for whomever they put at quarterback. QB was the position that cost Auburn the most last year. Even after this year's spring game, it is still undecided as to who will take the snaps in 2009.

Again the defense will have to keep Auburn in the game. A 3-2 win over Mississippi State last year is the perfect example. Watch for LB Eltoro Freeman to have a monster season, 100 plus tackles, and at least 5 sacks. A talented secondary is lead by safety Zac Etheridge, and corner Walter McFadden. If the offense can move the ball and help the defense catch their breath, watch out for a sleeper in the West.

The offense will get better, the defense will maintain, but the record will stay the same. Wins over Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State, Ball State, Kentucky, and Furman will be the highlights of the 2009 season.

The Tigers go 5-7 (2-6) with a 1-4 division record, and will be a bowl team in 2010.

Mississippi State 2008 Record 4-8 (2-6)

Bringing up the rear of the SEC this year will be the Bulldogs. New head coach Dan Mullen will bring a better offense to the table in Starkville, but it will take time for them to grasp it. The big key will be to get the big play into the offense. Senior Tyson Lee will look to be Mullen's "little Tebow," and master the offense. If he doesn't watch out for recruit Tyler Russell to step in and take his lumps and be the guy for the future. Tailback Anthony Dixon may be the best friend to whomever is at QB. Dixon ran for nearly 900 yards and seven touchdowns last year, and is a big, bruising, physical back. Depth at wideout, and an offensive line that has been mediocre at times also are concerns.

Just like Auburn, the defense is solid and will have to win games on their own. Middle linebacker Jamar Chaney leads this unit that can be lights out at times. Helping him out is his sidekick K.J. Wright at outside backer. Wright chipped in with 72 tackles last season. The defensive line is very talented and needs to be solid against the run. The secondary was 17th nationally last year against the pass, and looks to be as good as they were last year.

Schedules are everything, and when you are retooling, you better have a few cupcakes to start the year. The Bulldogs have one, then a slew of giants to slay. Look for wins over Jackson State and Middle Tennessee. If they can move the ball, they may be able to add a win or two to their total, but as of now,

Mississippi State goes 2-10 (0-8) and will have a brighter future down the road.

How Long 'Til Hoops Season?: 2009 Big East Football Preview

Dave Walker — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 22:59:17 -0400

When folks talk about the Big East Conference these days, most of them are talking about the dominant play from the basketball teams, not the boys on the gridiron. There really are no teams that stand out this year.

Pittsburgh looks good, but needs to replace LeSean McCoy. West Virginia returns Noel Devine and a good defense, but has a new offensive line. Then there are the Bulls from USF.

Can they have that break through year behind the arm of Matt Grothe? All are relevant questions, and who gets the automatic BCS berth is a toss up. So I will try and give you my best guess...

South Florida 2008 Record 8-5 (2-5)

The question in Tampa is when will be our turn? Every year, the Bulls seem primed to take the next step and grab a conference title and BCS berth. This is their year.

Energenic coach Jim Leavitt will have fire power again on offense, led by senior quarterback Matt Grothe. Grothe threw for close to 3000 yards and ran for nearly 600 more.

Back at tailback is Mike Ford, although the word on the street is that he may be splitting time with senior Moise Plancher. Grothe will also have a fine group of receivers to throw to including special teams stud Dontavia Bogan.

The only question is whether the new offensive line can gel, which seems to be a question throughout most Big East locker rooms.

Georger Selvie is an absolute force on the front line. The 6-4 255lbs defensive end racked up 14.5 sacks last year, and should improve on it this year. Kion Wilson stepped up last year and will get the start at MLB, and should make some impact plays.

In the secondary, look for senior safety Nate Allen to have a great season, along with senior corner Jerome Murphy. The big question will be how many new wrinkles new defensive coordinator Joe Tresey throws in?

Quite simply, the Big East will be clogged from fifth place to first. South Florida just looks to have a more explosive offense, and a one man wrecking crew on defense.

I look for them to come up just short at Florida State, lose a close one at Pitt, and barely beat West Virginia the following week. The Bulls go 10-2 (6-1) and head south to Miami for the Orange Bowl.

West Virginia 2008 Record 9-4 (5-2)

The Mountaineers are an interesting team. It seems that if they could be a little more consistent, they would be a favorite to win the conference. Offensively they have Noel Devine at tailback.

Devine ran for nearly 1300 yards as a sophomore and has speed to break one at any time. Pat White is gone at quarterback, but head coach Bill Stewart feels that both senior Jarrett Brown and freshman Coley White can step in and do the job.

Brown offers them a dual threat, with both his feet and arm, which may come in handy for a team that returns only two starters.

The Mountaineer defense may be the best in the conference. Up front big man Chris Nield is a load in the middle. Nield registered 47 tackles a year ago. Reed Williams will anchor the linebacking corps.

Williams was the MVP of the 2008 Fiesta Bowl. At corner both Keith Tandy and Brandon Hogan look to make it tough for opponents to throw the ball. Look for them to have big years.

West Virginia will be good again. However, those little slip ups, and they will have two, will cost them a trip to Miami in January.

Look for them to be 7-0 heading into the South Florida game. But, they will be 7-1 after that, and cough up one more at Cincinnati. Mountaineers go 10-2 (5-2) and head to the Gator Bowl, with an outside chance at a BCS.

Cincinnati 2008 Record 11-3 (6-1)

Last year was a dream season for Brian Kelly and his Bearcats. They won the conference, and fell short 20-7 against a tough Virginia Tech team in the Orange Bowl. Tony Pike looks like a potential all conference quarterback, if he has enough weapons at his disposal, and he does.

The big one is all-conference receiver Mardy Gilyard. The senior had nearly 2300 all purpose yards last year, and provides the deep threat that may allow the running game to get going.

At tailback, look for Isaiah Pead to step up and steal the starting job early in the season.

Defensively, the Bearcats switch over to a 3-4 base. They also will have to retool, losing three all conference selections. Aaron Webster returns at safety, the only returning starter.

Look for a 60 plus tackle season, plus a few picks. New recruits and young players will fill the lineup for the new look defense.

A rebuilt defense normally means not much success, but when you have an offense that can light up a scoreboard, who cares! The 2009 Bearcats will resemble the potent 2007 Bearcats and head to another bowl game.

A tough loss at Oregon State, a loss at South Florida, and a set back at Pitt will be the only blemishes. Cincinnati goes 9-3 (5-2) and will earn a trip to the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

Pittsburgh 2008 Record 8-4 (5-2)

The Panthers look to many people's pick to win the conference, and why not? They return senior quarterback Bill Stull, have one of the best lines in the conference, and have a veteran coach calling the shots.

Let's face it, the quarterback position is a little iffy. Stull was good at times last year, and was worse at times. Back LeSean McCoy carried a lot of the load last year, and he is gone.

In is freshman Dion Lewis. Many feel he will be as good, if not better than McCoy, but only time will tell. On the outside receiver Jonathan Baldwin and all conference tight end Nate Byham will look to move the ball in chunks.

All American Scott McKillop linebacker is gone, but this is still a solid unit. Ends Jabaal Sheard and Greg Romeus look to put opposing QB's in the ground, while linebacker Greg Williams looks to slide over to middle linebacker and fill the shoes of the departed McKillop.

The secondary, which picked off 16 passes in '08 returns. Watch for Aaron Berry to improve on his three INT's from a year ago.

Pitt has an interesting schedule to say the least, with non conference trips to N.C. State and Buffalo.

Look for them to stumble down in Raleigh, fumble one away against Rutgers, lose the West Virginia game, and lose a squeaker against Notre Dame. Panthers go 8-4 (5-2) and we will send them to the Papajohns.com Bowl to face the ACC.

Rutgers 2008 Record 8-5 (5-2)

Greg Schiano continues to put good, homegrown football team out on the field in Piscataway. The Scarlett Knights started 1-5 but would rally to win their last seven. The big question will be how to replace the team leader, in quarterback Mike Teel.

A pair of seniors look to be competing for the job, but watch for freshman D.C. Jefferson to steal the show and end up starting. The Knights also have to replace a pair of wideouts in Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood.

Tim Brown is the only returning starter and will look to fill the void the pair leaves behind. The big strength will be the O-line, as they return all five starters, which makes returning tailback Kordell Young a very happy man.

On defense it is yet again another Big East team looking to rebuild. Ryan D'Imperio will have to be the big play guy at linebacker, while the Knights try to find the right combos up front.

In the secondary, safeties Zaire Kitchen and Joe Lefeged will set the tone with jaw breaking hits, and solid tackling.

This may not be as good of a team as last year, but they will be bowling in December. A tough loss to Cincinnati in the opener, followed by a nonconference loss at Maryland, then setbacks to South Florida, West Virginia, and an upset loss at UCONN will leave them just barely in the bowl mix.

Scarlett Knights go 7-5 (3-4) and earn themselves a trip to the St. Petersburg Bowl.

Connecticut 2008 Record 8-5 (3-4)

The Huskies continue to make strides as a young program in the FBS. Back to back bowl seasons have put the program on the map, but this year may not be a three-peat. Gone is the starting quarterback, which means it could be anyone's game once camp starts.

Whomever it may be, there is one thing for sure, he will have receivers to throw to in the new no-huddle look. Leading the way is sophomore Kashif Moore who led the team with 27 receptions.

Also, getting into the fold will be freshman Gerrard Sheppard, the speedster from Baltimore. The running game wasn't a problem last year with Donald Brown, but he NFL bound.

Now the job appears to either Andre Dixons or Jordan Todman. The winner of that battle will have a veteran line to run behind.

The defense will benefit from a rotating system up front. Ends Lindsey Witten and Marcus Campbell will take over as the starters and try to wreak havoc on opposing QB's.

The force in the middle is MLB Scott Lutrus. He recorded 106 tackles last season and earned second team all conference honors. The secondary looks to be in good shape, and will be led by senior safety Robert Vaughn.

It will not be a third straight bowl trip for the Huskies this year. A tough non conference, along with the always tough Big East games will be too much to overcome. They will win games over Ohio, Rhode Island, Louisville, Syracuse, and upset Rutgers on Halloween.

Louisville 2008 Record 5-7 (1-6)

How the times have changed in Louisville. Three or four years ago they were always picked to finish atop the Big East. Now, fans wonder if they will even win a Big East game.

Look for JC All American Adam Froman to take the snaps. Froman threw for nearly 4000 yards last year for Santa Rosa College.

He does have weapons, though. Wideout Scott Long returns from an injury, and Doug Beaumont returns as the leading receiver from a year ago.

The ground game will be in good shape with Big East rookie of the year Victor Anderson taking the handoffs. But when you get down big early, how many times can you give the ball to Anderson?

New coordinator Brent Guy has a lot of work to do on defense, and he has the veterans to do it. Linebackers Jon Dempsey and Antwon Canady look to be big threats as the Cardinals look to add more pressure to the opposing QB.

Other than budding star Johnny Patrick, the Cardinals must replace three starters in the secondary, which could bring the implied attacking defense to a whimper.

Louisville may be better than last year when it is all said and done. They have the weapons offensively, but can the defense mature fast enough. Look for wins over Indiana State, Kentucky, Southern Miss, Arkansas State, and Syracuse.

Syracuse 2008 Record 3-9 (1-6)

The Orange beat Notre Dame in South Bend last year. If that win would have came ten years ago, maybe it would have meant something. New head coach Doug Marrone will have the task of leading the Orange back to respectability, but it won't be easy.

One piece of the puzzle emerged last year in QB Cameron Dantley. At times he was solid, at other times not. But he has starting experience, which will go a long way in this years Big East.

At tailback, if Delone Carter is healthy, he can be a big difference maker in whether the Orange win one game or five. Carter has got speed and quickness to the outside that will be needed behind an offensive line that is sub par.

The highlight on defense is tackle Arthur Jones. The first team all conference tackle is quickly moving up the lists in most defensive categories for all-time school records.

The Orange will also return experience in the secondary and at linebacker. But, again, this has been a defense that has mediocre at best, so how much does experience matter in this situation.

This will not be what Syracuse fans want to hear, but they will be a very bad team, possibly one of the worst in the nation. Maine.

Yes, Maine will be the only team they beat, as the Orange go 1-11 (0-7) and continue the futility in upstate New York.

2009 Mountain West Football Preview: Who Will Rise to the Top?

Dave Walker — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 18:21:28 -0400

January 2, 2009 was supposed to be the day Alabama showed the world why the Mountain West didn't belong. Instead, Utah dismantled the Crimson Tide 31-17 to finish unbeaten...the only one left.

This year, the Utes look to continue their magical run, but it will be difficult. Gone is playmaking QB Brian Johnson, and in could be an inexperienced junior or a redshirt freshman.

In is BYU QB Max Hall. Hall threw 35 TD's last season during the Cougars 10-3 season.

Gary Patterson and TCU have retooled after an impressive 11-2 season, which ended with a win over then unbeaten Boise State.

These appear to be the big dogs in the conference, but do not overlook improving squads from Colorado State, UNLV, and Air Force.

BYU (2008 Record: 10-3, 6-2)

Bronco Mendenhall continues to bring success to this Cougar program.

38-13 with the team entering his fifth season, Bronco has continued the tradition of airing it out in Provo. Leading the attack is All-Conference and Heisman candidate Max Hall. The senior continues to put up big numbers year in and year out. Unfortunately for Hall, several of his top receivers are now gone. Look for TE Dennis Pitta to go for 1,000 yards, at least seven TDs and be in the running for All-American.

Also watch out for McKay Jacobson at wideout. When the Cougars go to the ground, they will do so with Junior Harvey Unga. Unga will look for his third straight 1,000-yard season. Up front, the Cougars have a plethora of 300-pounders to open up holes and protect their All-Conference QB.

On defense, Mountain West career sack leader Jan Jorgensen will look to set the tempo. The Cougars' secondary lacks experience to say the least, returning only Scott Johnson at safety from a unit that had their problems. The strength could be at linebacker where they return three seniors, including Matt Bauman and Shawn Doman.

The bottom line is no one will go unbeaten in the Mountain West this year, including my pick for conference champs. BYU will open with a strong performance at Oklahoma, but will fall short. Look for yet another heart-breaking loss versus Florida State, but all will be forgotten after that. Both games versus TCU and Utah are at home, and look for the Cougars to win both of these games.

My final prediction: 10-2 (8-0) and a trip to the Las Vegas Bowl.

Utah (2008 Record: 13-0, 8-0)

The Utes had quite the run last year and many feel they should have been given a shot at the BCS National Championship. This year, look for Oregon to knock them out of title contention on Sep. 19.

The strength of the Utah offense is their line. Four 300-pounders, including All-American candidate Zane Beadles will have to be a major force in the run-blocking scheme. Utah will have to be able to maintain the run due in part to the loss of every starting receiver and QB Brian Johnson. Look for Matt Asiata and Eddie Wide to have big seasons in the backfield, while whomever they start at quarterback gains some experience.

The Utah defense will again be solid. Anchored by All-American candidate Stevenson Sylvester, this force in the middle had 73 tackles last season, and three sacks in the Sugar Bowl.

Also watch out for Nai Fotu. He may or may not be ready for the season after knee surgery, but if he is, look for the Utes defense to be at the top of the league. The Utes look strong at safety, but the losses of both starting corners could make the secondary vulnerable in the pass defense early.

No one expected Utah to go undefeated last year, and the same can be said about this year's team. But can they defy the experts? I say no chance. Look for the Utes to get off to a 2-0 start. Oregon will defeat them in September, but look for them to roll through conference play until BYU slows them down on Thanksgiving weekend.

My prediction: 10-2 (7-1) with a trip to the Poinsettia Bowl.

TCU (2008 Record: 11-2, 7-1)

The Horned Frogs continue to win each year. This year will be no exception.

Junior QB Andy Dalton will be much improved and ready to take the next step this year, and taking that step with him will be wideout Jimmy Young. Young had 59 catches last year for just under 1,000 yards. Look for him to have a breakout year and be a top candidate for All-Conference.

The O-line is back, which will help aid in the development of this passing tandem. In the running game, Ryan Christian is penciled in to start, but watch out for freshman Waymon James. If given a chance, he could make a name for himself this year.

The Horned Frogs' defense is the strength of the team.

Jerry Hughes, the All-American end, led the nation with 15 sacks last season. Hughes is one of only four starters returning, but look for big things out of MLB Daryl Washington and 300-pound DT Kelly Griffin.

TCU has a very difficult 2009 schedule. An opener in Virgina, trips to Clemson and BYU, plus a game versus Utah.

Those will be their only setbacks, though, as the Horned Frogs finish 8-4 (6-2) and head to the Humanitarian Bowl.

Air Force (2008 Record: 8-5, 5-3)

The Falcons should again be competitive inside the conference. This is mainly due to the veteran line that returns four of its five starters from last year. On the ground, Asher Clark will look to take the majority of the carries, and he may be doing that a lot. QB Tim Jefferson could be at QB, depending on if he can get his grades up to par. If he is, look for this offense to click and improve on their 26.8 points-per-game average.

The defense returns seven starters from a team that gave up 22.2 points per contest. Given that they allowed 38.6 each game in their final three games, says that the talent is there to stop the opponent. Leading the way is linebacker Ken Lamendola. He led the team with 118 tackles last year, and is joined by a returning secondary that had six interceptions in '08.

It won't be easy for the Falcons in 2009, and sometimes it won't be very pretty. Somehow, someway, they will get it done. Look for them to be competitive in road losses to Minnesota, and Navy, but lose decisively to the big three: TCU, BYU, and Utah.

My prediction: 7-5 (5-3) with a trip to the New Mexico Bowl.

UNLV (2008 Record: 5-7, 2-6)

This may be the season that Rebels fans need to get them over the hump.

Omar Clayton is electric at quarterback and is 100 percent healthy after a knee injury ended his '08 campaign. Clayton has big play target to throw to as well. Leading the way is Ryan Wolfe, who had 88 catches last season. An experienced line should give Clayton all the time he needs to throw or run out of the pocket, and that may be a good thing, since they are looking for someone to step in and play tailback.

The front seven on defense will be solid.

Returning linebacker Starr Fuimaono looks to regain his 2007 form. Starr missed all, but two games last season with a knee injury. Also helping him out will be big End Isaako Aaitui, who weighs in at 300 lbs. The secondary is where they must improve if they are to take the next step. Look for JC transfer Kenny Brown to provide a spark and help improve a young, but improving secondary.

From five wins, you would like six or seven. I can see six as a realistic chance. Wins over Sacramento State, Hawaii, Wyoming, New Mexico, Colorado state, and San Diego State will get them there.

My prediction: 6-6 (4-4) with a trip to the Armed Forces Bowl.

Colorado State (2008 Record: 7-6, 4-4)

Steve Fairchild orchestrated the biggest turnaround in the Mountain West with a four-win improvement and a Bowl trip in 2008.

The guy taking the snaps in Ft. Collins is a mystery. Three young guns with limited experience look to make a name for themselves in fall practices. Whoever wins the job will have Rashaun Greer to catch the ball. Greer, a second team All-Conference wideout led the team with 63 catches. An experienced line will help lead the way for tailback John Mosure, who finally gets his chance to step in.

They say defense wins championships.

Giving up over 30 points a game as they did last year will not help the Rams ascend to the top. Ricky Brewer and Mychal Sisson return at linebacker and look to provide leadership, as well as big plays. Watch for a revamped secondary which includes two sophomores coming into the mix.

In many ways you can say that the Colorado State program is heading in the right direction. All they need is stability at the quarterback position and on defense.

That will not happen this year, though, as I see the Rams winning just five, with wins over Weber State, Idaho, San Diego State, New Mexico, and Wyoming; finishing 5-7 (3-5).

But, on the bright side they will win their last two, gaining some momentum for 2010.

San Diego State (2008 Record: 2-10, 1-7)

New coach Brady Hoke will not have as good of a team as he did last year, when his Ball State Cardinals were headed towards uncharted territories, before Hoke resigned to come West.

Now he is here, and he has little in the cupboard. Ryan Lindley will be taking snaps, and looking to stay off of his back. If he can avoid the rush, he will have a solid receiver in Vincent Brown to throw to. The offensive line needs much improvement if they are going to win more than two games, and senior tailback Atiyyah Henderson needs to average more than 45 yards a game on the ground if they are to move the ball.

On defense, it's more of the same.

The Aztecs look to improve on their fourth quarter performances. They gave up 146 points in the final quarter, or an average of 12 per game. Hoping to stop the opposing offense is NT Jonathan Soto. The 370-pounder has All-Conference written all over him if he steps up and plays to his potential.

Aztec football will rely on the recruiting of Brady Hoke.

Not recruiting any lineman or any JC transfer players is not a good start. Plus, playing in a conference loaded with solid teams will not help Hoke and the Aztecs get off to a good start. Look for squeaker wins over Southern Utah and Idaho, a win over New Mexico State, and conference squeakers over New Mexico and Wyoming at home.

My Prediction: 5-7 (2-6) with a better future ahead, hopefully.

Wyoming (2008 Record: 4-8, 1-7)

The Cowboys will struggle again this year, trying to win a game in the conference.

Former Missouri offensive Coordinator Dave Christensen will take a stab at turning the Cowboys back 15 years to the Joe Tiller days.

Who will start at QB remains a mystery. Many feel that it will one of the newcomers, Robert Benjamin or Austyn Carta-Samuels. Running the ball and catching it out of the backfield should be Darius Terry. Terry could have a breakthrough year, but it all depends on how fast the everyone picks up the new offense.

A lot of pressure will be on the defense.

This is a unit that returns eight starters including All-Conference tackle John Fletcher and honorable mention candidate Mitch Unrein. This should stabilize the run defense. In the secondary, look for Tashaun and Marcell Gipson to lock down the corner spots. If this unit can come together, watch out, the Cowboys could be the surprise team this year.

Not much is expected in Laramie this year. They do get the Longhorns at the War, but Colt McCoy will probably go for 300 yards and 4 TDs in the first half. Look for the 'Boys to beat Weber State and New Mexico.

They will play tough though, and stay close in more games than they are blown out in: 2-10 (1-7).

New Mexico (2008 Record: 4-8, 2-6)

Former Illini coordinator Mike Locksley will look to revive a Lobo program that has struggled the last several years.

Locksley has a young QB in Brad Gruner, who looks to pick up the new offensive system that will be out of the spread. A trio of wideouts, led by Bryant Williams will try to take advantage of this new system.

Only three starters return on defense from last year's team.

The Lobos also will go to a 4-3 base this year, with a lot of blitzes called to help add to the only 21 sacks it scored last year. Look for senior end DeAndre Davis to have a big year and hit double-digit sacks because of this. Also watch out for some of the Locksley recruits to step up in the secondary. The new head coach wants become quicker and more athletic in this area.

"New Era, New Energy, New Mexico," was the catchy slogan created by the athletic department after Locksley's hire. Unfortunately, there isn't much there, and they have a brutal schedule. Trips to Texas A&M and Texas Tech, with a home game versus Tulsa will not help.

Look for a win over New Mexico State to be the lone win. 1-11 (0-8)

Ohio State, Minnesota and More: 2009 Big Ten Football Preview

Dave Walker — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 20:47:44 -0400

In just a few weeks the Big Ten's best will gather in Chicago for Big Ten Media Day. Many of the same questions asked last year will appear this year . Can the Big Ten match up better with other power conference teams in the bowl season? Will Terrelle Pryor be able to lead Ohio State to the title? Will the Rich Rodriguez style be a good fit in Michigan?

Many experts are asking these valid questions. But, if you ask me, the same teams will be there again but in a different order this year.

IOWA 9-4 (5-3) The Hawkeyes are my pick to win the Big Ten. Junior quarterback Ricky Stanzi leads an offense that leaned on Shonn Greene's legs last year and now will look to the arm of Stanzi to help them move the ball. Replacing Greene is Jewel Hampton, who did run for over 400 yards last year in a limited role. The offensive line is solid, with three starters returning, including Bryan Bulaga, Julian Vandervelde, and Kyle Calloway.

Where the Hawks may struggle is in the passing game. The big question is who will step up and catch the ball. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos was the leading receiver last year with 44 catches and three scores, but the Hawks will need more production this year out of their receivers with Greene gone.

On defense, replacing Mitch King is a must. The 2008 Defensive Player of the year leaves a big hole up the middle, that many Big Ten foes will try to expose. Where Iowa is strongest on defense is in the secondary. Last year they had 23 INT's and gave up just 9 passing touchdowns. Junior corner Amari Spievey will be a candidate for All Big Ten.

Overall the Hawks seem like the most stable of last year's big guns. Their two toughest games are road contests with Penn. St and Ohio St. A win in Happy Valley on September 26th will be the one that gets them to Pasadena in the end, as I have Iowa going 11-1 (7-1) and going to the Rose Bowl.

Ohio State 10-3 (7-1) The Buckeyes will be the team on the outside when it is all said and done. The big game with USC, and a trip to Penn State will be their big stumbles on an otherwise straight march through the Big Ten. Several key offensive starters departed from last year, including Chris Wells and Brian Robiskie. Returning is all world playmaker Terrelle Pryor at QB. Expect him to help out the running game, one that may be a running back by committee type style. The line had its issues last year at times, but look for a more physical style this year.

Defensively the question is how do you replace your best? Gone are James Laurinaitis, Marcus Freeman, and Malcolm Jenkins. Strong safety Kurt Coleman will provide leadership from the secondary. Up front 3 starters return and look to replace Freeman. With Laurinaitis gone, teams will look to batter the Bucks up the middle, and test if they are the "solid as usual D."

Bottom line in Columbus, they are still a top dog. At 10-2 (7-1) with losses to only Penn State and USC, look for the Buckeyes to secure an at large BCS bowl. I am gonna say Sugar Bowl. They will beat Iowa on November 14th, but a USC loss will be the difference. A share of the conference crown will go to Columbus.

Penn St 11-2 (7-1) Joe Paterno keeps churning out winning teams up at State College. After a four win campaign in '04, the Lions have had four winning seasons with 11, 9,9, and 11 wins respectively. Quarterback Daryll Clark and tailback Evan Royster return. They will be the stars of this offense. All the big play receivers left. The Nittany Lions will look to a tandem of junior receivers to set the pace. The O-line is lead by Junior Center Stefan Wisniewski, an all Big Ten selection a year ago.

The question with this unit will be at right guard where freshman Matt Stankiewitch takes over. Look for the combo of Clark and Royster to pace the Lions and gain them all the points and yards they need to compete in the Big Ten.

The defense loses seven starters from its championship unit including all four defensive backs and defensive end Aaron Maybin. Look for linebackers Sean Lee and Navorro Bowman to make up for the losses the new secondary gels. Look for Jared Odrick to be the big run stopper up front, for a defense that will bend but not break, and again be just good enough to win most of their games.

A cupcake schedule out of conference will net the Lions four easy wins, but when Iowa comes calling in late September, look for the young defense to struggle, and Royster to be bottled up. A let down game at Northwestern on Halloween will fuel an angry Nitanny Lion team, as they stun Ohio State the next week. 10-2 (6-2) will send Joe Pa to Orlando and the Capital One Bowl on New Years Day.

Minnesota 7-6 (3-5) The Gophers will look to forget its second half collapse from last year. The late game loss at home versus Northwestern sent Minnesota in a tailspin. This year many of the same faces return. Junior quarterback Adam Weber is back to star in their wide open attack. Catching most of the balls is all-world receiver Eric Decker, who will be back healthy after an ankle slowed him down at the end of the season.

Improvement is needed on the ground. Tailbacks DeLeon Eskridge and Shady Salamon must improve on their 3.1 yards per carry average from last year. The O-line will get better via Notre Dame transfer Matt Carufel and junior college transfer Jeff Wills.

To say the defense needs to improve would be an understatement.The pass defense may or may not be with Tramaine Brock, thus senior corner Traye Simmons will have to improve. The question is who helps him out? Look for the front seven to be vastly improved, despite the departure of Wille VanDeSteeg. They will look to erase the memory of a 200 yard effort from Northwestern's backup QB.

TCF Bank Stadium will inject new blood into the Gopher program. Look for them to start out fast with wins over Syracuse and Air Force, but stumble against a better Cal team. The Gophers will be good enough to win 5 league games, with losses coming all on the road at Iowa, Penn St, and Ohio State. 8-4 (5-3) will send Minnesota to Tampa and the Outback Bowl.

Northwestern 9-4 (5-3) Coach Fitz has brought a lot of energy and optimism to a program that fell on hard times after the death of Randy Walker. There are many questions on the offensive side of the ball. Mike Kafka takes over at QB. Kafka has the running ability, as was seen in the Minnesota game last year, but the question is whether he can make the throws.

Then the question after that is who will be catching the ball? Gone are the veteran receivers from last year and in are a group of unproven guys looking to get a chance to play. The strength of the offense is the line, where four of five starters return, including Sophomore Al Netter. Stephen Simmons is penciled in at tailback, but look for incoming freshman Arby Fields to make an impact.

The Cats defense will be where they win games. Defensive end Corey Wootton returns and gives Northwestern a much needed pass rush. In the secondary, Sherrick McMannis is a shut down corner, along with solid safeties Brendan Smith and Brad Phillips. The linebacking unit should also be a solid group, led by middle linebacker Nate Williams.

An easy out of conference will aid Northwestern's march to back to back bowl games. Set backs to Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois will be it. The Cats will go back to back nine win seasons at 9-3 (5-3) and will head to the Champ Sports Bowl, since they were in the Alamo already the year before.

Illinois 5-7 (3-5) The Illini followed up a Rose Bowl trip in 2007 with a less than stellar performance in 2008. Returning is Juice Williams at QB and Arrelios Benn at wide out. These two will have huge years. Benn, a playmaker on special teams, will be a key to setting up the offense in positive field position where quarterback Williams and running back Daniel Dufrene can run free. The question is whether a retooled line can aid the big play offense to score enough to compensate for a defense that is mediocre at best.

On D the loss of Vontae Davis at corner is the least of issues. Off-the-field issues have left several question marks as to who will play defense. Martez Wilson appears to be the big play guy at linebacker, but can he make enough of them?

The one thing we know is that Ron Zook can recruit. What has been the problem is being able to coach these young talents. An early win over Missouri will give them confidence, but losses at Ohio State, Minnesota, and Cinncinnati, plus setbacks at home versus Penn St and Michigan will leave Illinois at 7-5 (4-4) headed to the Alamo Bowl.

Wisconsin 7-6 (3-5) The Badgers continue in mediocrity. Last year they were flying high heading into the season looking to improve on their nine win campaign of 2007. Questions at quarterback, wide receiver, and running back will keep the Badgers near the middle of the pack. Dustin Sherer takes the helm at QB this year, and many wonder if he can make the throws. John Clay is a solid sophomore back, as he looks to fill the shoes left by P.J. Hill.

The receiving corps is lead by David Gilreath, and tight end Garret Graham. Never a question is the line and ever since the days of Barry Alvarez you could guarantee two things: Winning football and 300 pound lineman.

Defensively the Badgers need a lot of help up front. Central Michigan transfer JJ Watt could be the best up front, since he plays both inside and out. The secondary may be the most stable. Returning corner Niles Brinkley could be all conference, if teams decide to go at him.

Basically it comes down to this. If Brett Bielema doesn't get them back to winning 8-9 games a year, fans may stop jumping around before the fourth quarter, and start jumping on him. I look for Wisconsin to trip at home versus Fresno State, on the road at Hawaii, and lose against Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio State, and Northwestern. 6-6 (4-4) will be good enough to get them to the Insight Bowl.

Michigan State 9-4 (6-2) The Spartans attempt to maintain the momentum from last year's campaign. But gone are QB Brian Hoyer and all world back Javon Ringer. That equals big problems in East Lansing; Kirk Cousins may take the snaps, and he is more of the option guy than Hoyer, so look for several option looks to add to the offense. Ashton Leggett will fill Ringer's shoes. The 200 plus pounder will need every ounce to get through a line that returns only two starters.

A bright spot is on the outside with several experienced receivers returning, including Blair White and B.J. Cunningham. The question is can their QB get the ball to them?

On the other side of the ball the defense will be better than last year. With pass rusher Trevor Anderson creating havoc, the veteran secondary looks to make big plays. Among the returning starters is corner Ross Weaver. Look for him to have a break out year. Even with a better, deeper defense, the question remains, how many points will they give up?

Mark Dantonio has a good thing going in East Lansing. This is just simply a rebuilding year. 5-7 (2-6) will not get the job done and they will be left watching bowl games at home.

Michigan 3-9 (3-5) Rich Rodriguez looks to get the maze and blue back to form this year and bounce back from one of Michigan's worst years. Offensively, it is all about who will take the snaps. Right now it looks to be Tate Forcier. But by the end of camp who knows? One thing is certain, Brandon Minor is a 1000 yard back looking to erupt. If given the ball enough, he could easily have a career year. At wideout watch out for sophomore Martavious Odoms. A Florida native, he struggled in the cold, but should have a big year catching the ball and returning it.

The vaunted defense will be the same solid group it always is. Last year a poor offense was a bigger enemy than the opposing offense. Brandon Graham is a load at DE, and Obi Ezeh will lead a talented group of Linebackers. In the secondary Safety Stevie Brown is back, and corner Donovan Warren is a superstar waiting to be.

This year will be better than last, it has to be right? Look for the maze and blue to hang tough with the big dogs, and beat up on Indiana and Purdue. 5-7 (2-6) will be the mark, with a top tier team being born in 2010.

Indiana 3-9 (1-7) Bill Lynch may not be there when they beat Purdue for the bucket on November 21st. That's because he has a team that is overmatched pretty much everywhere. One of the few bright spots could be tailback Darius Willis. He combines power and speed and could be the only reason to watch a Hoosier game. The receiver corps are young and untested as is QB Ben Chappell.

The line is a solid group of big guys, and are strong run blockers. But, you can't run the ball when you are 40 points down now can you?

Linebacker Matt Mayberry and end Jammie Kirlew are the leaders on D. In the secondary the return of injured safeties Nick Polk and Austin Thomas could aid in the maturation of several young corners.

Bottom line is 3-0 against cupcakes, 1-7 in the Big Ten, and a loss to Virginia. Bill Lynch is gone by season's end, and Darius Willis goes for 1200 yards. There are better days ahead for Indiana football.

Purdue 4-8 (2-6) Joe Tiller is no more, and that will lead to a difficult season in West Lafayette. At QB it is untested senior Joey Elliott's job to lose. Although he only threw 15 passes last year, he is gonna have to be the guy on a team that is quarterback thin. The O-line is experienced and big, returning four starters from last year's team. All of the skill positions lack experience however. Dan Dierking will take the hand offs and a plethora of receivers will compete for the starting jobs.

Defensively the Boilers should be okay. Returning end Ryan Kerrigan looks to set the pace for any opposing team wanting to run the ball. The real question here is if the secondary will be able to break up passes. Last year they allowed better than 50% pass completion percentage to opponents. Looking to step up are corners Brandon King and David Pender.

New coach Danny Hope will do that this year, hopefully. With a group of young, untested players, success is a bit further in the future. Two and ten with a goose egg in the Big Ten will leave Boiler fans waiting for basketball season by early October.

Mediocre In The Middle: First Half Impressions Of The NL Central

Dave Walker — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 14:33:12 -0400

So NL Central fans, here we sit at the All-Star break, wondering whether or not our team is gonna make a run in the second half, hoping that we are a buyer and not a seller at the trade deadline. But before we can look ahead at the second half, we must first look back at the first half.

So far it looks like mediocre is the word of the day. The Cardinals looked dominant at times, but then would find a way to lose a chunk of games, as did the Cubs and Brewers. At times the Crew looked like they would break through this season, then would hit the road and lose. Then the Cubs.... Well, as a Cubs fan it pains me to say, the pic of Big Z celebrating will not be a snapshot taken in 2009.

The easiest way to look at the Central is to start at the bottom.

The Pirates bring up the rear at 38-50, 9.5 games out of first. It seems the Buccos have been insignificant in division races since the days of Doug Drabek and Bobby Bo. The team certainly has some young talent.

The LaRoche brothers are a solid duo at the plate, and Zach Duke is having an All-Star year. But, they tend to trade everyone away. What is up with that? In fact looking at their roster, outside of the names I mentioned, how many other Pirates could you name? I feel sorry for Pirates fans. It just looks like an organization that is never gonna committ to putting a solid team on the field.

In 5th place are the Reds at 42-45, five games out. A few weeks ago the Reds looked as if they could make a run at the title. Now with the injury to Bruce, who knows who will step up at the plate. The starting pitching, if healthy and on, rivals the best in the division even without Volquez. They include Arroyo, Owings, Harang, and Cueto. Plus they also have a solid bullpen. In my opinion Dusty just needs something to pull it all together, and they could make a run and at least make things interesting in Cincinnati.

In one half of our third place tie, are the Cubs at 43-43, 3.5 games out. The North siders are easily the vote for most disapointing team in the first half, many had them going to the World Series this year.

The main problem has been with injuries. Aramis Ramirez, Ryan Dempster, Derek Lee, Reed Johnson, and a cast of hundreds have spent time on the DL. On the bright side, they seem to be healthy again. The rotation in the second half will have Zambrano, Lilly, Dempster, Harden, and surprise rookie Randy Wells. The big question is whether the bats will ever wake up. But, even if that happens, will they be able to play consistent enough to keep pace with the rest of the pack?

The other half of our dynamic duo in thrid are the Astros at 44-44, 3.5 games off the pace. This is a team on paper that has one of the better lineups in the league. With big bats like Lance Berkman, Carlos Lee, and Miguel Tejada, it's not hard to see why. But, the big question in Houston is with their pitching. Wandy Rodrigues has been the best pitcher, not Roy Oswalt, and any team using LaTroy Hawkins as either a set up guy or closer, is gonna get burned sooner or later. If the 'Stros are gonna get back to the post season it all depends on the Oswalts, and the Hamptons getting back to form.

In second place are the Brewers at 45-43, 2.5 games out. As I mentioned before, most people expected big things for the Crew after last year's post season run. Inconsistent just seems to be the word that follows this team around. At times they have looked great, and other times not good at all.

At the plate, Fielder is murdering the ball. Several young prospects have made names for themselves, including Casey McGehee. But the problem remains what is standing out there 60 feet 6 inches away. Yovani Gallardo has without a question been the best pitcher, leading the team in wins, ERA, and Strike outs. Trevor Hoffman remains a shut down closer in the bullpen closing 20 of 22 attempts. But unless the Brewers can get someone other than the Loopers, Suppans, and Dave Bush's of the world to pitch, it looks like last year will have to hold Brewers fans over until 2010.

The best of the mediocre are the Cardinals at 49-42. The big question for them in the second half will be whether teams still pitch to Albert Pujols. Many of the experts seem to think walking him will completely stop their offense. What they are forgetting is that there are solid table setters in front of him, that make it impossible to walk him. Guys like the Skip Schumakers and Colby Rasmus's of the world.

On the mound, Adam Wainwright has established himself as the ace. What remains to be seen is if Cris Carpenter can continue pitching strong, and whether Joel Piniero and Kyle Lohse can have some strong outings. The only concern Cardinals fans should have are about the young players being able to continue grinding it out over the last half of the season, because we all know it is a long one.

Bottom line, the Cardinals look to be the best team. If anyone challenges them in the second half, I think it will be the Houston Astros, not the Cubs or Brewers. Plus, watch out for Dusty's boys in Cincinnati, they could be a major spoiler. Pirates fans, well, maybe you should call Jackie Moon over in Flint. I heard he has a washing machine he'll trade you for both LaRoche's.

Opening Day: America's Past Time at Its Best

Dave Walker — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 15:54:04 -0400

Tomorrow is one of the best days to be a sports fan. The championship game in NCAA basketball is on, we are one night removed from Wrestlemania (if that's your thing), and most importantly, it is opening day.

Opening day is one of those days we look forward to every year. Whether your team is looking to bounce back after a bad year, or you're looking forward to a pennant run, it all starts here at 0-0.

Opening day has been filled with magical moments. Bob Feller threw the only no hitter on opening day, and I would bet my life that this will never happen again. Karl (Tuffy) Rhodes went deep three times in an opening day Cubs win back in '94.

Plus, numerous new stadiums have been unveiled over the decades.

This year will be no different. Surely someone will come up with a memorable hit to win a game. Fans of all 30 teams will show up to the park with hope that this is their year, and fathers and sons will enjoy what is truly one of the magical events in America's favorite past-time.

This year, the only thing that could make tomorrow a little more magical would be for the new Yankee Stadium to open up. But at least we will have baseball to look forward to again. Amen.

I am not one to make accurate predictions, but what the hey.

My sleeper team this year in the NL is the Giants. I think their pitching will take them a long way. In the AL it will be the Kansas City Royals. They are due for a successful season.

My division winners are:

AL: Yankees, Twins, Athletics, and wild card the Royals

NL: Braves, Cubs, Giants, and wild card Mets.

World Series: (I am a Cubs Fan) Yankees vs Cubs.

Enjoy opening day and the 161 days that follow...

No Home Court for the Michigan State Spartans Courtesy Of The NCAA

Dave Walker — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 11:57:39 -0400

In just hours thousands will gather just down the road from the Michigan State campus at Ford Field to watch the National Semifinal between UCONN and Michigan State. The big question is, how many students/actual Spartan fans will be able to get/afford a ticket.

The NCAA Final Four has grown to almost a Super Bowl like status. The first priority for the NCAA is to make sure corporate sponsors, like the ones our government has bailed out, get their allotment of tickets, then it is up to the University.

When it comes to your good ol' Alma mater, they get a certain allotment as well. This year each school gets just over 3200 tickets. Of these tickets, many go to people in the athletic department, player's guests, and donors.

So no luck there unless you coach the Frisbee team, are a close personal friend to Tom Izzo, or donate your life savings each year to Michigan State basketball.

But, the NCAA does find a way to get those Spartan green, or Tar Hell blue faces on TV. They give 400 floor seats to each school to provide for students. That is so the CBS cameras can pick up the excitement of the less than 1 percent of the student body that is there.

The bottom line is Ford field seats 71000 for this event. When each school is given just over 7200 tickets, that isn't even ten percent of the crowd.

I believe in college basketball half of the excitement is the students chanting and causing problems for the visiting team. It's not fair to the fans and students of these institutions to have such a limited ticket base to such a big event.

If you even double the amount of tickets per institution it would make for a better atmosphere.

But, then again, it's all about the money, and sponsorship, and making sure you get to keep those six-figure salaries out in Kansas City.

NCAA Tournament: Choose Your Seat, There Are Plenty Of Them

Dave Walker — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:12:35 -0400

I am currently watching the NCAA Tournament, with the Oklahoma-Syracuse game being played in my area. This game is being played in Memphis. As I sit, I notice two things.

One, there are a ton of empty seats, and two, there is plenty of Carolina blue, since they play the next game.

This made me think of whether or not people are even going to these games?

In 2002 I went to first round games at the TWA dome in St. Louis. The big draws were Kentucky, Marquette, Kansas, and Stanford. Regionally Kansas and Tulsa were the closest two teams there, and it showed because the fan base stood out in the crowd, and Kentucky brought in quite a few, including Ashley Judd.

The bottom line with my experience here is that there were between 25 and 30 thousand people a session.

Flash forward to 2007, United Center in Chicago for the first round. I was there covering the Badgers, who drew huge, being just 2 hours away. Also in this group was Kansas, Kentucky, UNLV, and Georgia Tech.

Looking back, I would say that between 20 and 25 thousand showed up to each session.

Now to the current situation. The NCAA has been trying for years to actually "regionalize" the regionals, so that teams can play closer to home. This year it was especially important with the slumping economy. But, in looking at the bracket, do you think they succeeded? I say no.

The main example being the Miami bracket last weekend. They barely drew 10 thousand a session. The closest team geographically was Wake Forrest, and the big draw was Syracuse, which is all the way up in Northern New York state.

I know you cannot make everyone happy, but it was a joke. Fans in South Florida are fair weather as it is, so don't expect them to come to the games, and I am sure that a trip to South Florida from say Cleveland, Syracuse, Arizona, and Utah is just pocket change.

My thoughts are maybe they should stop the groups of 8 teams in one city and make them 4 teams to one city. You get 16 cities involved, rather than 8, and make it easier to geographically place teams in the first and second rounds.

The Regional semis are another story, but I think that this would help bring in more fans to these games if the fan could jump in the car and drive a few hours instead of hop a flight across the country.

Maybe the NCAA should look into this in the future, because it is all about putting butts in the seats.

Ten Guarantees for This Year's NCAA Tournament

Dave Walker — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 19:52:47 -0400

The brackets are out. The bitching has started. Dicky V is ready to spoon the Dukies. It is Selection Sunday, and I have 10 guarantees for this years tournament.

Guarantee No. 1

A No. 12 seed will definitely beat a No. 5 seed. It happens every year. This year the most popular 12 seeds to win will be Western Kentucky over Illinois and/or Arizona to beat Utah. However, Purdue losing to Northern Iowa, and Florida St. losing to Wisconsin are a bit more of a reach.

Guarantee No. 2

Home teams will advance. When you look at the bracket, don't just look at games, teams, and seeds. The most important thing these days is where the game is at. Villanova gets their first two games on their home court in Motown Philly. North Carolina is in Greensboro, along with Duke, and both Gonzaga and Washington are nearby in Portland. Look for all five teams to make the Sweet 16.

Guarantee No. 3

None of the No. 16 seeds will beat the No. 1 seeds. That should be common sense by now. In fact, none of them will be within 30 points.

Guarantee No. 4

All four top seed will NOT make it to the Final Four. Last year was the first time ever that all four top seeds advanced. This year, there is too much parity in college basketball.

Pitt appears to be in the best shape, as they would appear to be a more physical team than Duke. Out in the West, I like Memphis over UConn, and say the Midwest will have the Cinderella team, with North Carolina being the other top seed to advance.

Guarantee No. 5

The Kansas-North Dakota St. game will be a buzzer beater. I know there are a lot of Jayhawk fans out there, but listen, the Jayhawks are not that good.

The Bison head coach, Saul Phillips, is a graduate of the Bo Ryan school of patience, and boring basketball. They actually beat Wisconsin at the Kohl Center a few years back. Watch out for this one to be a major bracket buster.

Guarantee No. 6

UCLA will not make the Final Four again. In fact, I predict VCU to beat them in the first round. It will be an East Coast game for a West Coast team, plus VCU is dangerous. Even if they find a way to beat VCU, Villanova looms in the second round.

Guarantee No. 7

A No. 13 seed will beat a No. 4 seed. This one may be a bit of a stretch. However, I think the Cleveland St-Wake Forest game is interesting, as well as the Xavier-Portland State game. Do not be surprised if one of these teams advance to the second round.

Guarantee No. 8

ESPN will overkill the entire bracket, and people all over the world will care less about the tournament by the time it tips off.

I mean, how many times can you analyze the bracket? If our government spent as much time as ESPN does looking at a bracket trying to fix our economy, we would be out of a recession.

Guarantee No. 9

By the end of the early game Thursday, your bracket will be busted. It happens every year. You fill it out, think it is it, then it is dead by 5 PM on Day One.

This has been the case for me most years, except for 2004 when I finished with a bracket that was in the top 10,000 on ESPN, mainly out of luck. But bracketeers beware, there will be a Bryce Drew, a Harold Arceneaux, and an Adam Morrison somewhere is small school land.

Guarantee No. 10

Thousands of people will come down with the flu on Thursday and Friday. That is, unless you work somewhere where they allow you to watch at work. But seriously, wouldn't you rather be at a bar, beer in hand, wings in front of you, yelling with a group of pissed of fans?

These are just some guarantees that I hope will remain as we push towards the showdown in Motown, AKA the Final Four.

Miami Marlins: To Be Or Not To Be?

Dave Walker — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 12:01:17 -0400

In approximately three months, construction is supposed to begin on the new Miami Ballpark in Miami. Capacity is set to be around 37,000, with a retractable roof to help shade fans on those warm summer nights.

But, there is a catch to all this. In fact, there are many catches, and not the ones being made by the left fielder.

The final vote from the city of Miami's commissioners was set to be down and finalized nearly a month ago. But, commissioner Marc Sarnoff decided the Marlins weren't giving enough, and therefore requested a series of financial concessions to the deal.

That night they left with a 2-2 tie, however one commissioner was absent, and has gone on the record as for the proposal.

Another roadblock to the plan is in how the city is going to finance it. A series of hotel taxes were supposed to be enough to help bring in the extra money needed by the city.

But, in case you have been sleeping for the last year, we are in a recession. Hotels aren't making any moolah either, thus funding may hit a snag.

Now the question is, when does all this get decided? Mar. 12, 2009. Wait, is that today? Oh no, it got delayed once again until Mar. 19.

Yes, the fate of the Marlins in general is in the hands of Miami politicians.

If they are smart and give them the stadium, great. Good times are ahead for Marlins fans, and a new stadium brings in additional revenue.

If they are denied, and have to remain in Dolphin Stadium, the question is, will they remain in Florida?

Other South Florida franchises have done less and gotten new stadiums. The Heat had yet to win their title when they built the new arena, and the Panthers were still in diapers when the Bank Atlantic facility was built. Haven't the Marlins won two World titles in 15 years of existence?

With this, being year 16, wouldn't it be nice to give fans a bright shiny new BMW, and not the clunker they have been watching games in for years?

Vote yes county commissioners!

Greatest Games in Northwestern History

Dave Walker — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:38:52 -0400

So since the Alamo Bowl, the only thing I can think of is next season. But, since next season is still months away, I would like to reflect on the best games in Northwestern football history, and of course, they are all Wildcat wins...

No. 10) Oct. 18, 1997, 19-17 win vs Michigan State

I put this game in the top 10, because this Northwestern team was mediocre at best. The Spartans came in ranked 11th, and were looking like the Big Ten front runner. That was until Adrian Autry spurted for 175 yards on the ground, and Anwawn Jones blocked a last second field goal.

A nice win for a team that was trying to replace so many parts from back to back Big Ten Championship seasons.

No. 9) Nov. 11, 1995, 21-10 win vs Penn State

This was the game that made the Cats legit. They had already beaten Michigan, and ran through Wisconsin. Now they had to beat Penn St for the first time ever. I remember this being one of the first times that Northwestern had been given the coveted 2:30 kickoff on ABC.

Darnell Autry opened up the scoring with a two-yard TD and Wally Richardson, yes, Wally Richardson, was not able to match the effort of the Cats D as the Wildcats won, and the fans stormed the field for the first time in my lifetime.

No. 8) Oct. 8, 2005, 51-48 win vs Wisconsin

This was a game that I was supposed to attend, but drank too much the night before. I regret every beer to this day. No. 14 Wisconsin was coming in with all their beer drinking fans, and no one was giving Northwestern a chance.

Tyrell Sutton ran for over 200 yards, including the game winner, a 62-yard scamper as the Cats won 51-48. I especially loved this one because I was living in Madison at the time, therefore, I wore my Darnell Autry jersey to the bar that night:)

No. 7) Oct. 5, 1996, 17-16 win vs Michigan

Oh what a win. Michigan was supposed to come in, get their revenge, and beat us to a bloody pulp.

But, as Lee Corso would say, "Not so fast my friend." I remember watching the stat lines on this new thing called the Internet, since the game was not broadcast in my area.

The Cats fell behind 16-0 going into the fourth quarter. But, behind a Lavelle Brown touchdown and three Brian Gowins field goals, the Cats were able to take a 17-16 lead with 8 seconds left and ultimately beat Michigan for the second year in a row.

No. 6) Oct. 19, 1996 34-30 win at Wisconsin

This was the Dayne game, and not the one where he ran wild, even though he did run for 139 yards. Let's just cut to the last two minutes. Northwestern was down. They had just turned it over on downs.

All Wisconsin had to do was run out the clock. Head coach Barry Alvarez elected to hand it to future Heisman winner Ron Dayne and he coughed it up like a fart kid eating broccoli. Quarterback Steve Schnur would hit D'Wayne Bates with a 20-yard TD to win the game.

No. 5) Oct. 28, 2000 41-35 win at Minnesota

Victory right. Enough said. Minnesota had controlled the game with a 35-14 lead late in the third quarter. But no so fast my friend. Zac Kustok went off, running for two TD's and throwing for two more. This included the famous hail mary touchdown to Sam Simmons.

The play was victory right, a volleyball tip play that had been practiced for situations like this. Final play of the game. Kustok takes the snap, rolls out to his right, fires deep. A crowd of players tip the ball, right into the hands of Sam Simmons. Victory Wildcats.

I heard this one on the radio while I was on a trip to a high school football game. Still to this day, my friend and I say this is the best game we ever heard.

No. 4) Oct. 7, 1995 19-13 win at Michigan

This was as big an upset as the Notre Dame game was that same year. This was not the prettiest game, but with the '95 team it was all about defense and running the ball. seventh ranked Michigan was poised to make a run at a National Championship.

Northwestern was supposed to be a middle of the pack team. Autry went for 100 yards, but it was a two-yard pass from Schnur to Matt Hartl that would tie the game in the fourth quarter, and a Sam Valenzisi field goal would win the game and help send Northwestern to their first Rose Bowl since 1949.

No. 3) Oct. 2, 2004, 33-27 win vs Ohio State

This was a game that the Cats controlled, but being the team the Buckeyes were, they found a way to make it close. The Cats were up by ten late, when the Buckeyes came back to tie it.

Noah Herron would have a walk off touchdown in the first overtime as the Cats would beat the Ohio State University for the first time in 33 years. Brett Basanez threw for over 200 yards and Herron ran for over 100 yards.

No. 2) Sept. 2, 17-15 win at Notre Dame

This was the one that changed it all. No one ever thought Northwestern would beat Notre Dame. In years past the 10-year veteran Ron Powlus had picked the Cats apart. This year it was different.

A solid running game, stellar defense, and a big heart helped Northwestern beat the Irish in South Bend. Steve Schnur threw two touchdown passes, and the defense was able to make Mr. Powlus fall down on an all critical two-point conversion, sealing the Cats first win over the Irish since 1962.

No. 1) Nov. 4, 2000, 54-51 win vs Michigan

If you are a Northwestern fan, you had to see this one coming. This was the best college game I have ever seen to date. This one had it all. Over 1000 yards of total offense. Over 100 points scored. Late game drama.

Northwestern's spread offense had confused teams all year. Their defense, however, confused nobody. This game was Michigan's to win. Late in the game the Cats were moving down the field, down 51-46, with the ball, in the red zone.

After a touchdown was called back, head coach Randy Walker called a timeout to set up what should have been the last offensive play. It was a flair pass to a wide open Damien Anderson, which he dropped.

Michigan was primed to run out the clock. Give it to the A-train, and walk out a winner. Oh wait, there was a phantom fumble, recovered by Raheem Covington.

Several plays later it was Kustok to Simmons...Wildcats win! Best game ever! This one had offense, drama, and even more offense.

Now, there were several other honorable mention games, including the 2001 win over Michigan State, the 2005 win over Iowa, and the 1996 win at Illinois.

Conference Tournament Home Cookin': Do Teams Deserve the Advantage?

Dave Walker — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 14:51:45 -0400

So, like many, I have been watching quite a bit of basketball this past week.

Last night I happened to come across two games. The first was the Charleston-Chattanooga game, which was played in Chattanooga. The other was Siena-Niagara, which was played in Albany, home of the Siena Saints.

Chattanooga was not expected to win the conference tourney, but did. Siena was a favorite, and won. This made me wonder just how big home court is in a conference tournament.

Now, I know that the big conferences aren't going to adopt the "home court to the higher seeds" strategy, simply because there is too much money involved.

However, in the smaller conferences, many of the teams that finish No. 1 in the regular season get home court. Other groups use a predetermined site for their tourneys.

I feel, in the spirit of things, that all conference tournaments should be created equal. All tournaments should be played on neutral courts; that way, the highest chance of the best team winning is created.

But, again, this is just my opinion. There are schools that win on other teams' courts in title games. I just feel that in the spirit of the NCAA Tournament, which is played on neutral courts, the conference title games should follow suit.

Cincinnati Bengals Filling The Free Agent Voids

Dave Walker — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 18:36:48 -0500

Finally it looks like the Bengals have hit the market and they did so in fine fashion.

Late this afternoon they signed veteran wideout Laveranues Coles to what is thought to be a four-year, $28 million contract. Coles will replace T.J. Houshmandzadeh, who left for Seattle on Monday.

In other news, Cedric Benson signed a new two-year deal yesterday. Benson was one of the bright spots last year, hauling in the longest pass, a 79-yarder, and had the longest run of the season against the Super Bowl champion Steelers, a 15-yard scamper.

With the skill players taken care of now, it looks like it is time to address the O-line. We are still in need of a center/guard, and will take a tackle at pick No. 6 to fill the void left by departing Stacy Andrews.

April's draft could be very interesting now. What do the Bengals do in the later rounds? Do they go defensive line? Linebacker? A cover corner? We shall see....

Bottom line is they made a splash, maybe not a huge Albert Haynesworth splash, but a splash nonetheless.

Life After T.J: What the Cincinnati Bengals Need To Do Now

Dave Walker — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 08:40:53 -0500

Every Bengal fan knew it when the free agency period began on Friday. T.J. Houshmandzadeh is probably not coming back.

As a Bengal fan, I am not bitter. I understand he wanted to go back to the West Coast. Plus he was probably tired of the same old song and dance from Mike Brown and the Bengal organization.

I simply say, thanks for your time in Cincy.

The biggest problem now is not at wide receiver. We still have Ocho Cinco, Chris Henry (as long as he stays out of jail), and Andre Caldwell. Plus, Laveranues Coles is visiting today.

The main problem may end up being the running game.

We lost Stacy Andrews, whom should be replaced by the No. 6 pick. Which tackle that will be is still to be determined. However, we are still looking to sign another guard, plus we have not addressed our need for a center yet.

To make things worse, Cedric Benson is visiting his hometown of Houston, TX today. If he leaves, that leaves us with Chris Perry, and that worked out so well last year.

Also we need a backup to replace recently departed Ryan Fitzpatrick.

The bottom line is that there are some solid guys still out there, but don't look for Mike Brown to empty his pockets to try and improve this team. Look for Marvin Lewis to have to make every pick count in April's draft.

No-No Unknowns: Most Unlikely Pitchers to Throw a No-Hitter

Dave Walker — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 04:14:49 -0500

This past weekend I was cleaning out my closet and came across some storage bins containing my old baseball cards. Naturally, I had to stop and take a peek to see what I had. There were some gems, and when I mean gems, I don't mean it in a good way.

There were guys I haven't thought of in years, and guys that had careers so short I wondered how they managed to get their mug on a baseball card to begin with.

As I continued to humor myself, I came across a card that had an imprint on the front, "No Hitter Club '91." My reaction, "This guy threw a no hitter? No F---ing way!"

Thus I looked at the list of players who have thrown no-nos since 1980, and have come up with this list of one hit wonders.

5. Bud Smith - St. Louis Cardinals - Sept. 3, 2001

Bud had a very short major league career. His totals consisted of a 7-8 record across a staggering two seasons.

What he most famously forgotten for is a no-hitter he threw against the San Diego Padres.

Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan would be quoted as saying that he hoped someone would have broken up the no hit bid so he could take Smith out due to his high pitch count. Smith is now retired from baseball and possibly working at a BuyMore.

4. Kevin Gross - Los Angeles Dodgers - Aug. 17, 1992

Gross had a little bit better luck in the majors, compiling over 100 wins over a career that stretched more than 14 seasons. When I talk about those baseball cards, his was one that I found and said no way.

I don't remember much about this no-no. All I know is that I would have never thought Kevin Gross, who I remember as a Phillie, would ever throw a no-hitter.

3. Tommy Greene - Philadelphia Phillies - May 23, 1991

Greene had his best season on the overachieving version of the 1993 Phillies going 16-4. On his infamous day in May, he had pinpoint control...striking out 10 and only walking seven!

Seven walks. Come on. I could throw a no-hitter if I walked that many people. Wow! Thus another member of my "who the hell is this guy" club.

2. Kent Mercker - Atlanta Braves - Threw two no-nos

Mercker was the ultimate one-game wonder, not once, but twice. His first was on Sept. 11, 1991 when he went 6 innings then handed the ball over to the bullpen to finish it.

The second occurred on April 8, 1994. Mercker is still around somewhere. He bounces around the spring training circuit every year, until someone eventually signs him.

1. Juan Nieves - Milwaukee Brewers - April 15, 1987

Who the hell is this guy? The only reason I even know of this is that I lives in Wisconsin for three years and saw a replay of it on Brewers classic.

Juan Nieves? Really? This guy pitched a no no. Now, I know what you are asking, where is he now and how did his career end?

Well, he threw out his arm, like all Brewers pitchers do, and is now the bullpen coach for the Chicago White Sox.

I am sure that there are many other "Did You Know" no hitter guys out there, but these are the one hit no hit wonders of my time.

Feel free to comment on any of the good times you had watching these guys pitch, or if you have any other gems that need to be mentioned in this category of no hit no names.

And, to think I didn't even mention Jose Jimenez, who would have been sixth....

Another Year, Another Joke: Western Illinois Basketball

Dave Walker — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 22:14:33 -0500

It was March of 1997. The Mid Continent Tourney—Moline, Illinois. It was almost a home game for Western Illinois, as they were coming off a thrilling overtime victory over second-seeded Buffalo. Their opponent in the title game was Valparaiso, and Bryce Drew.

JayAnthony Joseph went for 23 points and led a ferocious attack. However, it wasn't to be, as Valpo beat the Leathernecks for the third year in a row, once again keeping Western from its first ever trip to the NCAA tourney.

Little did anyone know, this would be the last great chance for Western to make the big dance

Tonight, the 2008-2009 version went into a home game, needing a win just to make the conference tournament, and lost—putting an end to a 9-20 campaign in Jim Molinari's first season.

Coaches have come and gone.

There was Jim Kerwin who had a great deal of success in the mid 90's, but was never really able to recruit the kids from Chicago, St. Louis, and other metro areas.

Then there was Derrick Thomas. He was supposed to be the guy who could recruit. He did, but just at the junior college level, thus the team never got a chance to gel for more than two years.

Now it is Jim Molinari that will be trying to piece together what is wrong in the unfriendly confines of Western Hall.

9-20 overall. 6-12 in the Summit League. Unacceptable from a school, inside a state that has had so much basketball success. Not just the Illini, but Southern Illinois, Illinois-Chicago, and Bradley. Now, if the team an hour away in Peoria can field quality teams, why can't Western?

Are there any other fans out there that are sick of their basketball alma mater being the sister of the week?

Cincinnati Bengals Bungle Into Free Agency

Dave Walker — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 10:45:32 -0500

So, less than 11 hours into free agency, the Bengals seem to have done, or will be doing, even less than what was expected just a week ago.

A week ago it was all about keeping the players we have. Sign Stacy Andrews, keep Ryan Fitzpatrick, sign Cedric Benson, blah, blah, blah.

According to Geoff Hobson at the Bengals Web site, profootballtalk.com is reporting that Stacy Andrews is now a Philadelphia Eagle. Also, T.J. Houshmandzadeh is on a flight to Seattle.

Bottom line is the Bengals aren't gonna be a team that can afford to pay Redskins-type salaries to star players. But, come on! We need some help! 4-11-1 last year isn't exactly good. Hell, four wins weren't even good enough to make the playoffs in strike-shortened years.

What will the Bengals do now?

Now they need a tackle, which they are expected to draft with the sixth pick. They need a center, a starting tailback, a No. 2 receiver, another starting-caliber defensive tackle, and a safety since we didn't get Crocker signed.

A lot is left to be done, that is a fact. What do Bengals fans think of the team? I am frustrated because they had such an improvement just a few years back. Why haven't they made improvements in areas that need to be improved? I am looking for feedback.

If you are as mad as me, just take a big breath and repeat: At least we have a franchise kicker.

Dodgertown Not Forgotten

Dave Walker — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:31:40 -0500

Today is an exciting day for baseball fans from the East Coast of Florida to the desert heat of Arizona. Fans will line up to get autographs, eat hot dogs, and fathers will bring their sons to the good old ballpark. However, in one Florida town, this will not be the atmosphere for the first time in 60 years.

Dodgertown was the home of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1949 until 2008. Located in Vero Beach, a small oceanfront community located on Florida's Treasure Coast, the stadium site is an old naval base, and had more snakes on it than people when it was built in the late '40s.

Eventually, the stadium and site would become historic—Holman Stadium became one of the first integrated stadiums in the South.

Dodgertown was rich in history. It saw a number of championship teams, Hall of Famers, and thousands, maybe even millions, of fans pass through the gate—a gate that closed forever last March.

Many in Vero Beach wondered, why?

They always did well in attendance. Sure, the stadium was a little bit older, but it had charm. Plus, it was a very fan-friendly facility. So why did they go?

Easy. It is all about the money.

The new Camelback Ranch stadium in Glendale, AZ basically bought away the Dodgers. This new multi-million dollar facility is being said to revolutionize Spring Training facilities. Hey, I think that is great. I have been to several of the newer Major League facilities, such as Bank One Ballpark, and Miller Park, and I love those places.

However, I believe the charm of Spring Training baseball is that of the smaller stadium, one that gives you to better access to the players, and one that won't cost you an arm and a leg to buy a ticket to get into. One that has history.

This year, Florida has also lost the Cleveland Indians to Arizona, and next year will be losing Cincinnati, as they will also be heading out West for a better facility.

I just ask, why? It seems that people are coming to Florida's East Coast to see baseball. The Mets, who are just 35 minutes south of Vero Beach, reached record numbers in attendance. How much more are these new stadiums bringing in for teams like the Dodgers, Reds, and Indians?

I was lucky enough to get the chance to go to Dodgertown last year. Tommy Lasorda managed. I had a Dodger Dog. The Dodgers came back in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Cardinals.

But, this year in Vero Beach, there will be no ninth inning comebacks. No mouth watering Dodger Dogs. No buzz around town about today's game, and certainly not the millions in tourism dollars the Dodgers brought in for this small coastal city. This year, the millions go to an already thriving Glendale, AZ.

The one thing Glendale won't have are the memories of the Jackie Robinsons, the Tommy Lasordas, and the rich history of a stadium remembered for much more than just baseball. And, I'll go on the record as saying I bet those Dodger Dogs don't taste as good in Arizona as they did in that small coastal city of Vero Beach.

But that is just my opinion, I could be wrong, and hopefully the Orioles will come to their senses and sign a deal to come to Dodgertown next year.

Top Ten Draft Day Busts

Dave Walker — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 14:42:13 -0500

So yesterday the news of Michael Crabtree having a stress fracture in his foot reminded me of one Ki-Jana Carter. Being a Bengals fan I remember that this was gonna be the guy to get them back to the top. A speed back with some punch. A winner. A guy from Penn State. It wasn't to be for Mr. Carter.

On the third carry of the preseason he tore a ligament in his knee and was never the same. A draft day bust many would say, but I disagree. When it comes to major injuries like that, you can never predict how good they may have been.

Nevertheless, it made me want to come up with my list of top ten worst draft picks. I give you, in no particular order, my top ten.

No. 10 With the 6th pick in the 1992 NFL draft, the Cincinnati Benglas select, Quarterback, University of Houston, David Klingler.

Klingler was on of those system QB's in college, piling up impressive stats. However in his brief pro career, he totalled just 16 TD's to 22 INT's and winning only 4 of his 24 NFL starts. He now has a PhD in Theology and lives in the Dallas area.

No. 9 With 6th pick in the 1996 NFL draft, the St. Louis Rams select, Running Back, University of Nebraska, Lawrence Phillips.

It is a little known fact that Phillips had a green room set up in prison for draft day. Just kidding. Phillips was a guy with tons of talent, but just couldn't stay out of trouble. He had several okay years, and actually helped Montreal win the 2002 Grey Cup. However, Phillips now sits in a California prison after being convicted on seven counts of assault with a deadly weapon. He will not be up for the NFL draft again until 2019.

No. 8 With the 2nd pick in the 1989 NFL draft, the Green Bay Packers select, Offensive lineman, Michigan State, Tony Mandarich.

All you can say about this guy was how could he suck? He was a monster. He used roids for God's sake and he sucked. As far as stats, I don't know how much he could dead lift, or how many cheeseburgers he could eat in one sitting. All I know is that he will not be remembered as a Packer great. He now runs a photography studio out in Arizona.

No. 7 With the 1st pick in the 1988 NFL draft, the Atlanta Falcons select, Linebacker, Auburn University, Aundray Bruce.

Now being only 28 years old, I don't remember too much, except that this guy was supposed to be a difference maker on defense. He racked up only 32 sacks in 10 seasons, and became more of a serviceable linebacker with the Raiders. I have no clue where he is now, but, I am hoping he and Lawrence Phillips aren't sharing a snuggie.

No. 6 With the 12th pick in the 1999 NFL draft, the Chicago Bears select, Quarterback, UCLA, Cade McNown.

Wow, a Bears draft pick bust? What a surprise. I could have easily put Salaam, or Enis, or some other QB or RB that they have wasted a pick on in the last 10-15 years. I won't touch any of his lackluster stats, but just say that Jim Miller took the same Bears team that McNown had lead the prior 2 years to the playoffs in 2001.

Jim Miller! Come on! But, I do respect the guy. He did get a lifetime ban from the playboy mansion for taking Hef's girl on a Mexican getaway. I bet even Brande Roderick sacked McNown, cause I know everyone else did.

No. 5 With the 1st pick in the 1999 NFL draft, the Cleveland Browns select, Quarterback, University of Kentucky, Tim Couch.

Couch was a standout at Kentucky prior to being drafted by the Browns in 1999. His career stats were not terrible. He threw for over 11000 yards and 60 TD's. But, the fact that he was supposed to be the savior, future, blah blah blah, for the Browns made him a draft day bust. He has attempted many comebacks, and has failed to make a third string spot. I hear he is flipping burgers at a University union somewhere in Kentucky.

No. 4 With the 4th pick in the 1982 NFL draft, the Baltimore Colts select, Quarterback, Ohio state University, Art Schlichter.

I wasn't old enough to remember Art, but have heard plenty about him. Many say he wasted away his talent. I say that he gambled it away. Schlichter was a 4 year starter for Woody Hayes at Ohio State, and the Colts made him their franchise QB with the 4th pick. Stats were mediocre at best. Rumors are swirling that he is sitting at a seat at a penny slot machine in Vegas as we speak....

No. 3 With the 1st pick in the 1992 NFL draft, the Seattle Seahawks select, Defensive lineman, University of Washington, Steve Emtman.

Emtman was yet another victim of the injury bug. He played on the Kingdome carpet which led to a number of knee and lower body injuries. His rookie year was highlighted by a 90 yard interception return to upset the Miami Dolphins. As big a bust as his NFL career may have been, he was inducted into the College football Hall of Fame in 2006. He now volunteers for the AFL team in Spokane.

No. 2 With 3rd pick in the 1999 NFL draft, the Cincinnati Bengals select, Quarterback, University of Oregon, Akili Smith.

This is the reason the Bengals are the Bungels. Akili Smith? Really? Mel Kiper, how did you have this guy rated so high? His NFL stats, 2400 yards passing, 5TD's, and 18 INT's. This guy didn't even make it in the CFL. He was Henry Burris's backup in 2007.

Yes, Henry Burris. A fun fact that as a Bengal fan I am aware of every draft day: The Bengals were offered 9 draft picks by the Saints to move up to the No. 3 spot in 1999. They opted to draft Smith, thus remaining the Bungels.

DRUMROLLLLLLLLLL

No. 1 With the 2nd pick in the 1998 NFL draft, the San Diego Chargers select, Quarterback, Washington State, Ryan Leaf.

Tell me you saw this one coming. I mean, the 1998 draft was all about who the Colts thought would be the better pro. The Colts were right by taking Peyton Manning. Mr. Leaf, infamous for his spout with local media, and throwing temper tantrums on the field, lasted just 4 NFL seasons.

He racked up an impressive 36 INT's and was the butt of many jokes both during the NFL draft each year, and each year when they show the best temper tantrums in sports history. Last I heard he was a coach at West Texas A&M, but I think I remember hearing he got the boot, not sure.

I am sure there are many other memorable busts that people remember. I forgot the other 12 Bengals draft picks from 1990 on that weren't Carson Palmer, plus not Charles Rogers or any other Lions receiver. Feel free to add a comment on some of the other gems that I didn't mention.

Bernie Madoff U: Economics and Athletics

Dave Walker — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 02:08:32 -0500

By now we all know that the economy is in the tubes. Bailout this, and bailout that, stories about how bad things are flood televisions and newspapers on a daily basis. But now stories are starting to surface more often as to how these hard economic times are affecting sports.

Example No. 1 comes from the U, and not Bernie Madoff U.

The Miami Hurricanes football squad play three in-state road games this upcoming season. The first, being a Labor Day prime time game against hated Florida State. This game will be same old same old. Board a private plane, fly to Tallahassee, play the game, fly back. The other two games are going to be different.

Four to five hour trips to Orlando to play UCF, and Tampa, to play USF, will be taken via the bus, to help cut costs. Head coach Randy Shannon said at a fundraiser last week, "This is just a sign of the times, and we will have to adapt." How much will this save? I don't know, but it seems to make sense.

Example No. 2 comes from the desert.

Both head coaches Herb Sendek and Dennis Erickson will be forced to lose 12 days of pay between now and the close of the fiscal year. Across the board many departments at ASU will be doing so in an effort to save around $24 million, or about 1,200 jobs.

Other schools including Clemson, Maryland, and Utah State are also doing something similar, but no word as to which coaches from these schools will be taken the vacation to Wally World with the Griswalds.

The final example comes to us from Big D.

The brand new Texas Stadium appears to be heading towards its opening without a stadium sponsor. AT&T was thinking about jumping on ship last April, but have since backed off. I mean, come on, it wouldn't be the 21st century without having the Fed Ex, Pepsi, AT&T, Papa Johns, Lonestar Beer Texas Stadium...

The bottom line is that no one, and nothing is spared in these tough economic times. Sure, you are still gonna have your high paid free agents making millions more than what they are worth, but those times could be coming to an end, as the fans who pay the hundreds of dollars to see these athletes do what they do slowly start to shy away and save the almighty dollar. So far, it has been athletics at the college level that have been affected the most. I didn't even mention that Stanford is looking at cutting some sports.

In a country that is at war with the terrorists and anything else that threatens our way of life, you have to take a step back and ask, aren't we at war with each other? Is it white collar vs. blue collar? Middle class vs. upper class?

Where do we draw the line with these white-collar criminals stealing millions and then putting their hands out for a bailout? Is the line drawn when you have your favorite sports team renting a high school field because they cannot afford to maintain their current stadium? What do you think?

The Changing Cincinnati Bengals: Who Dey Be in 2009

Dave Walker — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 18:47:28 -0500

Today was a banner day for the Bengals football franchise. They have once again proven that they are not committed to putting a winning team on the field by placing a franchise tag on none other than their place kicker, Shayne Graham.

Granted, Graham has been a very consistent kicker over the last few years, and I will never blame him for us not making the NFL Playoffs in 2006. But, in my opinion, pro football is a business—your goals are to win games, bring in fans, sell merchandises and be profitable.

You do that by putting a quality product on the field. T.J. Houshmandzadeh, even though he seemed to not want to come back to Cincinnati, should have been given the franchise tag.

By using the tag on Graham, the Bengals have left a lot of other classes unanswered.

Who Will Be Catching Passes Next Season?

Earlier today, T.J. told ESPN's Bob Holtzman that he is "90 percent sure" he will be heading to free agency, and that he thinks Chad Ocho Cinco will also be sent packing.

The receiving corps will be led by Chris Henry, assuming he stays out of jail. Antonio Chatman, Jerome Simpson, and Andre Caldwell will round out the group.

It's a gang that doesn't really strike much fear into the secondary of many AFC teams. Crabtree is starting to look mighty appetizing.

Who Will Run the Ball?

Cedric Benson, yet another troubled NFL player, is sitting out there as a free agent. I think he deserves a chance. Sign him for a two-year, incentive-heavy contract, and see if he can be the guy that "Da Bears" thought he was.

If the Bengals neglect to ink him, Chris Perry will be fumbling and bumbling through this season, much like he did back in '08.

Who Will Block?

The offensive line is a big question mark. Do they draft one of the "Smiths" at offensive tackle? And can Stacy Andrews come back and be a solid tackle? Will they even sign him?

Who's Going to be Snapping the Ball to Palmer?

The smart money is that they will draft a center with their second-round pick. Alex Mack from Cal would be a perfect fit if he is still available.

That may be it for the questions.

The defensive side of the ball seems to be somewhat stable.

Geathers, Peko, and Odom shore up the D-line, but will they re-sign Jon Thornton, or do they draft/sign someone else?

At linebacker, Keith Rivers will be back, and hopefully he (and partners-in-crime Jeanty and Dhani Jones) will be looking to break Hines Ward's jaw.

Corners Leon Hall and JJ will anchor the secondary with Ndukwe, and hopefully Cincinnati re-signs Chris Crocker to fill the other safety spot.

The fighting "Who Deys?" may be looking at fans putting bags over the heads by season's end. On paper, especially in the smash-mouth AFC North, they look over-matched across the board.

Right now, no one knows who will block for Palmer, who he will hand off to, who will be catching passes, and what the hell the front office is doing with this franchise. An optimist might say,

"Well, maybe they will make a run at a big-name free agent, like an Albert Haynesworth."

But it's not going to happen. Mike Brown is the worst owner in football, especially now that Bidwell and the Cardinals made a Super Bowl.

It's hard to believe that it was just four years ago that the Bengals went 11-5, won the division, and might have beaten the eventual Super Bowl Champs, if it weren't for Palmer's knee injury.

A whiskey flask was given to me at the end of the '06 season for my birthday. They have been 11-20-1 since then, and unfortunately, so it seems the flask will be brought out on every given Sunday. Let me know what you think about this year's team.

Bracket-Bubble-Bobble-Busting-Bracket-B.S.

Dave Walker — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 18:30:23 -0500

So, here we are in mid February, and the talk of who is in and who is out is heating up. RPIs and conference rankings, along with what color of shoes the team wears, will be under the microscope. I have to say, in my humble opinion, the talk is all a bunch of crap.

The bottom line is a team someone like a Joe Lunardi of ESPN.com says is in now, could lose the next three or four, and be NIT bound when it is over. Another team that is out right now, could go on a run and win out and get an at large. Bottom line, it is way too early to be playing gypsy in the college basketball season.

Example being last night's Northwestern-Illinois game. The brilliant commentators made a comment that, "if Northwestern finishes .500 or better, they will get in." Bullshevick!

Granted, I am a Northwestern fan, but teams that barely get to .500 in their conference don't belong, and why even make a prediction like that, especially with 7-8 conference games and a conference tournament left.

I am sure many of you will disagree with me about all this "hype". But, as a fan, I want to be the one thinking, "Will this team get in, what seed will they be, and Northwestern is NIT bound."

I am so sick of the experts like a Duke Vitale, whoops I mean Dick Vitale, telling me who is in. Just keep your pie hole closed until we get to the end of the regular season and into conference tournaments.

Again, feel free to comment on this. I am sure some will agree to a point, and some will think I am just a bitter a-hole, not to be confused with an A-Rod.