Bleacher Report - Articles by Ryan Eshleman

FIFA World Cup 2010: Surprises in Qualifying Rounds (Revisited)

Ryan Eshleman — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:22:08 -0500

While the World Cup always hosts countries like Brazil, Italy, and Germany, many spots in the Finals are up for generally any nation who has the resources and mindset to take them.

In my article FIFA World Cup 2010: Flops and Surprises in Qualifying Rounds , I took a look at the nations that were struggling or thriving more than expected. Now that qualifying is over, I will look at those June observations and re-evaluate how those teams performed down the stretch.

All observations are old. New comments are in bold italics .

Big Qualification Flops (From June 16, 2009)

Poland (Did Not Qualify)

-Third in Group Three of UEFA (three points behind Northern Ireland and five points behind Slovakia)
-Finished fifth in the group, above only San Marino
-Lost 3-2 to Northern Ireland, 2-1 to Slovakia, and tied Slovenia 1-1
-Made the two previous World Cups
-Remaining games: Northern Ireland, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Slovakia
-Lost three of the four, tying Northern Ireland for their only point after June

Czech Republic (Did Not Qualify)

-Fourth in Group Three of UEFA (five points behind Northern Ireland and seven points behind Slovakia)
-Finished third in the group, four points behind Slovenia
-Lost 2-1 to both Poland and Slovakia, tied 0-0 with both Slovenia and Northern Ireland
-Made 2006 World Cup and sported one of the Cup's youngest rosters
-Remaining games: Slovakia, San Marino, Poland, Northern Ireland
-Tied two and won two, leaving them with 16 points after having only eight through June

Portugal (Qualified)

-Third in Group One of UEFA (four points behind Hungary and seven points behind Denmark)
-Finished second in the group, leaving them with a playoff against Bosnia-Herzegovina
-Lost 3-2 to Denmark, tied 0-0 with Sweden twice and Albania once
-Made the two previous World Cups and took fourth place in 2006
-Remaining games: Denmark, Hungary, Hungary, Malta
-Beat Hungary both times, defeated Malta, and drew with Denmark
-Beat Bosnia-Herzegovina 2-0 on aggregate to qualify

Sweden (Did Not Qualify)

-Third in Group One of UEFA (four points behind Hungary and seven points behind Denmark)
-Finished third in the group, one point behind Portugal
-Lost 1-0 to Denmark, tied 0-0 with Portugal twice and Albania once
-Made the two previous World Cups and made the Round of 16 in 2006
-Remaining games: Hungary, Malta, Denmark, Albania
-Won three of four, losing only to Denmark. Finished with 18 points, nine more than they had in June

Mexico (Qualified)

-Fourth in CONCACAF (one point behind Honduras)
-Finished second in CONCACAF with 19 points
-Lost to Honduras 3-1 and to El Salvador 2-1
-Made the four previous World Cups and made the Round of 16 in 2006
-Remaining games: USA, Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, and Trinidad and Tobago
-Won four of five, tying only Trinidad and Tobago

Since June, two more teams expected to make the World Cup stumbled.

In four games after June, Croatia only lost to England, but could not finish with more points than Ukraine for second place.

Russia lost 2-2 on aggregate on the "away goals rule" to Slovenia in their playoff.

Costa Rica lost 2-1 on aggregate to Uruguay in the CONCACAF/CONMEBOL playoff.

France was a near miss, but defeated Ireland in overtime to qualify.

Big Qualification Surprises

Chile (Qualified)

-Second in CONMEBOL (one point behind Brazil)
-Finished in the exact same position
-1-0 win over Argentina
-Hasn't made a bid since 1998
-Remaining games: Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador
-Tied Venezuela and lost to Brazil, but won their final two matches

Honduras (Qualified)

-Third in CONCACAF (five points behind Costa Rica)
-Finished third in CONCACAF
-3-1 win over Mexico
-Hasn't made a bid since 1982
-Remaining games: Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, USA, El Salvador
-Won three of the five, losing to Mexico and USA

North Korea (Qualified)

-Second in AFC Group B (four points behind South Korea)
-Finished second in AFC Group B
-1-0 win over Saudi Arabia
-Hasn't made a bid since 1978
-Remaining game: Saudi Arabia
-Tied Saudi Arabia to qualify
-Ranked 106th in the world by FIFA/Coca-Cola
-Now ranked 91st in the world by FIFA/Coca-Cola

Hungary (Did Not Qualify)

-Second in Group One of UEFA (three points behind Denmark)
-Finished fourth in the group, above only Albania and Malta
-0-0 tie with Denmark
-Hasn't made a bid since 1986
-Remaining games: Sweden, Portugal x2, Denmark
-Won only their last game of the four

Slovakia (Qualified)

-First in Group Three of UEFA
-Won their group with 22 points
-2-1 wins over Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, and Poland
-Has never made a bid
-Remaining games: Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, Slovenia, Poland
-Went 2-1-1 to finish qualification

Northern Ireland (Did Not Qualify)

-Second in Group Three of UEFA (two points behind Slovakia)
-Finished fourth in the group, five points from playoff qualification
-3-2 win over Poland, 0-0 tie with Czech Republic
-Hasn't made a bid since 1986
-Remaining games: Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic
-Tied two and lost one. Finished with 15 points

Besides these surprise qualifiers, a few other teams surprised us by making it to the 2010 World Cup Finals.

Slovenia beat Russia 2-2 on aggregate by the "away goals rule" to qualify for only the nation's second time.

Algeria beat Egypt 1-0 in a tie-breaking game to earn their third trip ever to the World Cup Finals.

While favorites like Portugal, France, and Argentina snuck into the Finals at what seemed like the last minute, there were still some surprise qualifications and misses.

2010 will again provide some titillating soccer and thrilling controversy. I surely can't wait, and I'm fairly certain I'm not alone.

UVA's New Hope: "Hey Tony! We Like The Things You Do!"

Ryan Eshleman — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:38:57 -0400

While I have no idea whether or not he fancies Frosted Flakes, I do know Tony Bennett has a few things in common with our old friend Tony the Tiger, besides the fact that they share a name.

Tony the Tiger, through commercials and songs, has been a great motivator for many children (and I'm sure families) to give in once more at their consumer-driven habits and to buy an over-priced—yet incredibly tasty, I must admit—cereal.

Tony Bennett, through mastermind coaching, was a great motivator at Washington State University for three seasons.

In WSU's 2005-06 season, they finished dead-last in the Pac-10 with a 4-14 record, 11-17 overall. Dick Bennett, father of Tony, retired after that season, leaving the reigns to his son. In his first season as head coach, Tony led the Cougars (close enough to Tigers) to a second-place finish in the Pac-10 with a 13-5 record, 26-8 overall.

During that season, Washington State was ranked in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 1983. They were picked to finish last in the conference, but ended up earning a #3 seed in the NCAA tournament.

After this season, Bennett was named National Coach of the Year by nine organizations.

The very next season, Bennett took WSU to the Sweet Sixteen for the second time in the school's history, where UNC beat the Cougars handily.

While Bennett's last season with the Cougars wasn't ideal, barely finishing with winning record, he still heads into UVA with a little momentum. He now has a reputation as a coach who can "turn it around," which is what the Cavaliers need badly.

UVA finished 4-12 in the ACC and 10-18 overall. They won only one game away from home the entire year.

They do, however, return their top six scorers and top five rebounders. They will have four seniors on the roster to provide leadership.

So with a team that nearly stays the same and only grows a year older, what can make the difference?

Bennett will bring a new fire to the sideline and garner respect from his players. He will push them on the basketball court and encourage them to succeed in the classroom. His resume proves he is capable.

Can Tony Bennett have Virginia looking at the Cavaliers in the next few years saying, "They're GRRRREAT!"

Green Bay Packers: Chokes in 2008 Serve As Lessons Learned for 2009

Ryan Eshleman — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 15:45:44 -0400

"We rate men by what they finish, not by what they attempt." - Anonymous quote

Twenty-eight points kept the Green Bay Packers from finishing 13-3 in 2008.

Instead they went 6-10.

The Packers were 0-7 in games decided by four points or less. Those deficits totaled 21 points, meaning if the Packers had been able to erase those deficits and score another point in each game for a win, those 28 points could have made a seven game swing in their season.

What made the difference in the Packers' lack of ability in closing out games? And what can be done to ensure this won't happen again?

First we'll look at those seven games and exactly what made the difference in the outcome of those games.

1. Oct. 5, 2008 vs. Atlanta Falcons (24-27)

Tied 17-17 with 10:08 left in the fourth quarter.

Gave up a field goal and threw and interception on their own end of the field.

Unsuccessful onside kick at 2:00 when down 24-27.

Gave up a first down on 3rd-and-1 on a third straight running play to end the game.

Who was guilty?

Verdict: Aaron Rodgers for a horrible decision and Trammond Williams for not hitting Turner's body on the tackle on third-and-one.

2. Nov. 2, 2008 vs. Tennessee Titans (16-19)

Tied 16-16 with 8:58 left in the fourth quarter.

Had a 1st-and-10 at the Titans' 45 yard-line with 2:51 to play and went three and out.

Had Tennessee in a 3rd-and-6 and a 3rd-and-4 in overtime and gave up first-downs on both, leading to a Rob Bironas field goal.

Who was guilty?

Verdict: Run defense for allowing LenDale White to run for seven yards on a third-and-four to put Tennessee in field goal position.

3. Nov. 9, 2008 vs. Minnesota Vikings (27-28)

Winning 27-21 with 5:56 left in fourth quarter.

Allowed Adrian Peterson to run for 40 yards on four carries on a touchdown drive.

Missed a 52-yard field goal with 31 seconds remaining.

Who was guilty?

Verdict: Run defense for a poor clutch performance and Crosby for knocking the field goal wide right

4. Nov. 30, 2008 vs. Carolina Panthers (31-35)

Winning 31-28 with 1:56 left in fourth quarter.

Steve Smith catches a 54-yard hail mary pass from Jake Delhomme to set up a one-yard TD run by DeAngelo Williams.

Aaron Rodgers throws an interception with 1:11 left.

Who was guilty?

Verdict: Brandon Chillar for giving up on the bomb and Charles Woodson for having horrible position. Also, Aaron Rodgers for a poor decision on 2nd-and-10.

5. Dec. 7, 2008 vs. Houston Texans (21-24)

Tied 21-21 with 5:56 left in fourth quarter.

Green Bay gets to Houston's 22 yard-line with 3:02 left to play, but get a holding penalty and sacked for nine yards to force a punt.

Texans drive from own three yard-line to the Packers' 22 yard-line and make FG.

Who was guilty?

Verdict: Offensive line for ruining a great drive late in game and Nick Barnett for bad coverage on the tight end on the Texans' last FG drive.

6. December 14, 2008 vs. Jacksonville Jaguars (16-20)

Winning 16-14 with 5:45 left in fourth quarter.

Jacksonville drives 80 yards for a touchdown.

Aaron Rodgers throws an interception on second down with 46 seconds remaining.

Who was guilty?

Verdict: Defense for bad coverage and bad tackling on that final defensive drive and Aaron Rodgers for the overthrow interception on second down.

7. Dec. 22, 2008 vs. Chicago Bears (17-20)

Winning 17-10 with 7:14 left in fourth quarter.

Chicago drives 51 yards for a touchdown on one pass play and seven run plays.

Crosby's 38 yard FG blocked at the end of regulation.

Bears drive 47 yards into field goal position and make a 38-yarder in overtime.

Who was guilty?

Verdict: Run defense for allowing 48 yards on seven carries from Forte on final TD drive, special teams for poor push on FG attempt, and Aaron Rouse for a stupid unnecessary roughing penalty in overtime.

We can all agree Green Bay was in every one of these games almost until the final whistle. So let's tally up who we've blamed for these seven chokes.

Run defense: 5

Pass defense: 4

Aaron Rodgers: 3

Special teams: 2

Offensive line: 2

Now we can evaluate the problems and see what Green Bay has done or can do to address them.

Run defense: In changing to a 3-4 scheme, the Packers are putting even more pressure on the defensive line to stop the run. DT B.J. Raji and LB Clay Matthews were taken in the first round of the draft and both, especially Raji are known for their prowess against the rush.

Pass defense: This is the area that still scares me the most. Green Bay obviously has two 12-year veterans at corner with Al Harris and Woodson, but Al Harris is losing a step and the rest of the youthful unit can be unpredictable.

Aaron Rodgers: I have few concerns with Rodgers and fully expect him to continue to mature and put the Packers in positions to win games. His mistakes will become fewer and he will be smarter every time he gets under center.

Special Teams: Shawn Slocum will be the new special teams coordinator for Green Bay. Whether he brings a different mentality or not is yet to be seen, but special teams is always hit or miss and mistakes happen, so not a lot of blame can be put here.

Offensive line: The Packers are bringing in six new offensive linemen into camp, five of whom are rookies. I like to see this because the competition will be intense and hopefully the best talent can be pooled for a very solid starting lineup for the fall.

Overall, Green Bay does not have a lot of pressing needs to take care of. They looked very good last year until the final eight minutes of every game.

With maturation of a quarterback, new additions to the coaching staff, and heated competition in training camp, the Packers should come out of camp focused to make a run at winning the NFC North Division for the second time in three years.

FIFA World Cup 2010: Flops and Surprises in Qualifying Rounds

Ryan Eshleman — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:34:54 -0400

Now that we are officially within one year of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Finals, it's safe to say that excitement is building around the anticipation of this huge world event taking place in South Africa.

Qualifying will be finished by Nov. 18, and then the world will be in a frenzy of ticket buying and flight arranging until the start date of June 11, 2010.

But this World Cup could have a little different flavor than those of recent years past. The only surprise misses of 2006 were Greece and Denmark (both in the same group), and Greece solely because it had won EURO 2004 by surprise. In 2002, there were really no surprise misses at all.

In 2010, qualification has been all jumbled up, and the possibilities of surprise teams left out and put in are endless. Here's a look at the biggest names that could well miss the tournament, succeeded by a look at the unproven countries searching for that one breakthrough bid. There are different qualification procedures for the six FIFA confederations and complicated seedings, so those rules can be found here.

Big Qualification Flops

Poland

Third in Group Three of UEFA (three points behind Northern Ireland and five points behind Slovakia)

Lost 3-2 to Northern Ireland, 2-1 to Slovakia, and tied Slovenia 1-1

Made the two previous World Cups

Remaining games: Northern Ireland, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Slovakia

Czech Republic

Fourth in Group Three of UEFA (five points behind Northern Ireland and seven points behind Slovakia)

Lost 2-1 to both Poland and Slovakia, tied 0-0 with both Slovenia and Northern Ireland

Made 2006 World Cup and sported one of the Cup's youngest rosters

Remaining games: Slovakia, San Marino, Poland, Northern Ireland

Portugal

Third in Group One of UEFA (four points behind Hungary and seven points behind Denmark)

Lost 3-2 to Denmark, Tied 0-0 with Sweden twice and Albania once

Made the two previous World Cups and took fourth place in 2006

Remaining games: Denmark, Hungary, Hungary, Malta

Sweden

Third in Group One of UEFA (four points behind Hungary and seven points behind Denmark)

Lost 1-0 to Denmark, Tied 0-0 with Portugal twice and Albania once

Made the two previous World Cups and made the Round of 16 in 2006

Remaining games: Hungary, Malta, Denmark, Albania

Mexico

Fourth in CONCACAF (one point behind Honduras)

Lost to Honduras 3-1 and to El Salvador 2-1

Made the four previous World Cups and made the Round of 16 in 2006

Remaining games: USA, Costa Rica, Honduras, Trinidad and Tobago

Big Qualification Surprises

Chile

Second in CONMEBOL (one point behind Brazil)

1-0 win over Argentina

Hasn't made a bid since 1998

Remaining games: Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador

Honduras

Third in CONCACAF (five points behind Costa Rica)

3-1 win over Mexico

Hasn't made a bid since 1982

Remaining games: Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, Mexico, USA, El Salvador

North Korea

Second in AFC Group B (four points behind South Korea)

1-0 win over Saudi Arabia

Hasn't made a bid since 1978

Remaining game: Saudi Arabia

Ranked 106th in the world by FIFA/Coca-Cola

Hungary

Second in Group One of UEFA (three points behind Denmark)

0-0 tie with Denmark

Hasn't made a bid since 1986

Remaining games: Sweden, Portugal x2, Denmark

Slovakia

First in Group Three of UEFA

2-1 wins over Czech Republic, Northern Ireland and Poland

Has never made a bid

Remaining games: Czech Republic, Northern Ireland, Slovenia, Poland

Northern Ireland

Second in Group Three of UEFA (two points behind Slovakia)

3-2 win over Poland, 0-0 tie with Czech Republic

Hasn't made a bid since 1986

Remaining games: Poland, Slovakia, Czech Republic

Will our 2010 FIFA World Cup have a drastically different look than it has in many years?

We can count on Africa to give us something we haven't seen before. But how will Europe play out, and will North Korea win its final game?

Only time will tell, but as we wait and watch, one can only wonder what these surprises might do to the future of international football.

Andy Murray Wins Queen's Club For The Queen

Ryan Eshleman — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 17:31:59 -0400

Queen Elizabeth II was 12-years-old when a Brit had last won the Queen's Club. Seventy-one years ago, in 1938, Bunny Austin raised the trophy in the name of Great Britain.

Whether or not the Queen pays attention to the tennis being played in the city in which she resides, the country has surely long-awaited a native winner of the AEGON Championships. While this tournament obviously doesn't have the weight of Wimbledon, it is the next biggest tournament that Great Britain holds annually.

Andy Murray of Scotland has finally turned these probably dwindling hopes into cheers throughout the nation as the country begins to realize their new hope for a grand slam.

The closest Britain has come to winning this tournament since 1938, was 10 years ago when Pete Sampras beat Tim Henman in a three-setter that took over two and a half hours to complete.

Murray not only kept the country from sweating as much as it did on that June day in 1999, but actually finished the deal with a victory. His 7-5, 6-4 win over James Blake on Sunday reminded everyone in the world of his promise and his quick ascent to super-stardom.

This was Murray's fourth ATP Tour win of the year and the twelfth of his career. His 40-6 record in 2009 is proving he has what it takes to compete at the highest level.

Murray performed exceptionally well in his first AEGON Championships final experience. Blake had been in the final of the tournament once before but was quickly shown to be out-matched.

Blake served only one ace to Murray's seven, and was clearly manhandled by Murray's serve, winning only six return points on the first serve over the course of the match. Murray converted on all three of his break chances, leaving Blake with more ground to make up than he could handle.

Overall, the match was well-played on both sides, but the better player won. Murray's grit and assertiveness carried him to yet another title and more confidence heading forward.

Both players look forward to resuming their play at Wimbledon on June 22, where Andy Murray will look to follow one more footstep of Austin's and represent the British in the final there.

Nebraska Dominates Second Half, Takes Roar Out of Tigers

Ryan Eshleman — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 05:10:14 -0500

After Nebraska's 26-21 win over Clemson, let's take a look at how my pregame predictions played out.

Nebraska

Strengths

Passing game is 14th-best in the nation

236 yards and 2 touchdowns through the air, along with an interception

Second-best pass defense in the pass-heavy Big 12

Clemson had 206 yards and 2 TD through the air, but threw 2 interceptions

Hold opponents to 35.3 percent on third-downs

Clemson was 3-for-16 (19 percent)

Best time of possession average in Big 12—34 minutes per game

Held the ball for 34:11

Weaknesses

Big 12-worst -10 turnover margin

Lost the turnover battle 2-3

59.92 penalty yards per game

81 penalty yards

28 fumbles on the year, 15 of which were lost

3 fumbles, two of which were lost

Keys

Use the great WR corps they have to keep Clemson's pass defense off-balance

6 receivers had at least 2 catches

Secure the football

Eh, three turnovers.

Limit defensive penalties to put Clemson in third-down situations

Gave Clemson 2 free first-downs on third-down penalties

Clemson

Strengths

Passing defense ranked 10th in the country

Held Nebraska 50 yards below season passing average

Allowed only 16.6 points per game this season

Allowed 26 points

Most passing yards of any ACC team

Threw for 206 yards

Exceptional kick-off coverage—net of 45.1 yards

Net of 46.3 yards against the Huskers

Weaknesses

13 fumbles lost and 14 interceptions thrown

Lost no fumbles but threw two interceptions

Worst third-down conversion percentage in the ACC with only 31.1 percent

3-for-16 (19 percent)

No pressure on the QB—ACC-worst 14 sacks

Zero sacks

Keys

Look for WR Aaron Kelly as a deep threat

Kelly caught 6 balls for 74 yards and a TD

Take care of the football

Turned it over twice

Get pressure on Joe Ganz so he can't pick apart the secondary

Actually got some good shots at Ganz but no sacks

Matchup to Watch

Nebraska wide receivers vs. Clemson's secondary

Nebraska's passing game looked pretty good against a great secondary

X-Factor

Nebraska TE, Mike McNeill

With Clemson's secondary preoccupied by the Cornhusker's wideouts, look for McNeill to take advantage and have a great day against the Tiger linebacker—especially in the red zone.

McNeill caught three balls for 27 yards, but was targeted and missed on a third-down in the redzone.

Prediction

Nebraska 28, Clemson 27

I expect this to be a close game, with Nebraska's strength through the air on both sides of the ball helping them squeak it out.

This was a great game, with Nebraska pulling it out behind 4 FG, 26-21.

Georgia Tech-LSU: Tigers Wreck The Ramblin' Wreck

Ryan Eshleman — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 04:29:05 -0500

After LSU's 38-3 drubbing of Georgia Tech, let's re-visit my preview to see how things played out.

LSU

Strengths

Defense allows only 32.1 percent of third-down conversions.

GT was 3-for-15 (20 percent).

Allow only 3.3 yards per carry.

GT ran 40 times for 164 yards (4.1 ypc).

Score TD on 73 percent of Red Zone trips.

LSU scored touchdowns on five of their six red-zone trips (83.3 percent).

4-0 all-time record in the Peach/Chick-fil-A Bowl.

Make that 5-0.

Weaknesses

They've thrown 18 interceptions and only took away seven on defense.

Threw none and made one.

Allowed second-most points per game in the SEC.

Only allowed 3 points.

Coming off consecutive losses.

Didn't show in the start of this one.

Minimal return threat.

Two 18-yard punt returns.

Keys

Make Georgia Tech throw the ball by stopping the run and getting them in third-and-longs.

GT faced third-and-at-least five eleven times.

Keep GT out of the Red Zone—they haven't hit a 40-yard FG all year.

GT got there three times but only got three points from it (24-yard FG).

Watch out for Morgan Burnett—this sophomore safety does everything for the Yellow Jackets on defense.

Made 14 total tackles leading the Yellow Jackets.

Be smart with the football—the more they have it, the less their defense gets pounded by a great running game.

Zero Turnovers.

Georgia Tech

Strengths

Good pressure on QB; they had 33 sacks in 12 games—these sacks come from everywhere. No player has more than seven.

Two sacks by Johnson.

Third-ranked rushing game in the nation—Jonathan Dwyer has 1,398 yards on only 190 carries and has added 12 TD.

They ran for 164 yards on 40 carries.

Allow only 18.8 points per game.

Ouch...38 points allowed.

12-6 all-time head-to-head record against LSU.

Now 12-7.

Weaknesses

One-dimensional on offense; it's all about the run.

Amen. Only threw the ball 25 times.

Fewer than 100 yards per game through the air.

Only 150 yards in the air when they were behind the entire game.

Poor kicking game—11 of 19 on Field Goals.

1-for-1 (24-yarder).

Second-fewest first downs per game in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Twelve first-downs (seven in second half).

Keys

Do what they do well—run the ball.

Well, they tried a lot.

Get pressure on the quarterback and then look for the interception—LSU gives it up.

Minimal pressure and no takeaways.

Start the game strong to help carry momentum from recent big wins.

Lost the first quarter 7-3 and the second 28-0.

Matchup to Watch

Obviously, the GT running game against a good LSU run defense.

LSU wins by keeping Dwyer from breaking any long TDs.

X-Factor

ACC Coach of the Year Paul Johnson

With all four of GT's final four regular season games against Top 25 teams, Johnson led the Yellow Jackets to three gritty wins and a No. 14 ranking in the nation.

He was the X-Factor, but the wrong kind. Running the ball on fourth-and-eight from their own 22? It was the second quarter and they were only down by 18.

Prediction

GT 26, LSU 23

Georgia Tech is hot right now, and I'll give them the nod with the third-ranked rushing game in the nation. Also, LSU has a -4 turnover margin to GT's +5.

Yikes. LSU won the turnover battle by three, making their huge win easy.

Tribute to EMHS Soccer 2007

Ryan Eshleman — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 07:14:03 -0500

With my senior year of high school coming to a close, I'm starting to look back on my high school career and remember the best and worst of times. An obvious highlight of my high school career was being the sweeper for Eastern Mennonite High School's Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division I soccer championship team. We’re a Div. II-size school, but we’ve always played up and made it our goal to win a Div. I championship. As a junior, I couldn't have enjoyed a better season. So, as a tribute to the team and the feat, here's to remembering a great season.

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Coming Through In The Clutch: The Top 10 Clutch Performances By Champions in 2008

Ryan Eshleman — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 06:52:18 -0500

Only one team can end the season on a win. We call them champions. 2008 has been full of clutch performances from teams and individuals who have claimed this title. They proved themselves over and over by making plays when it counted. This list will contain the obvious and subtle clutch plays made by this year's champions. So here's a look at The Top 10 Clutch Performances By Champions in 2008.

Begin Slideshow

Come Bowl With Me, Part II: Gator Bowl—Nebraska-Clemson

Ryan Eshleman — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:30:11 -0500

Gator Bowl
January 1, 2009
Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, Jacksonville, FL
University of Nebraska vs. Clemson University

The second bowl game I will attend this season is the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1 in Jacksonville.

This game should be a great one because of the matchups on both sides of the ball.

Let's take a quick look at each team's strengths, weaknesses, and keys to success.

Nebraska

Strengths

Passing game is 14th-best in the nation

Second-best pass defense in the pass-heavy Big 12

Hold opponents to 35.3 percent on third-downs

Best time of possession average in Big 12—34 minutes per game

Weaknesses

Big 12-worst -10 turnover margin

59.92 penalty yards per game

28 fumbles on the year, 15 of which were lost

Keys

Use the great WR corps they have to keep Clemson's pass defense off-balance

Secure the football

Limit defensive penalties to put Clemson in third-down situations

Clemson

Strengths

Passing defense ranked tenth in the country

Allowed only 16.6 points per game this season

Most passing yards of any ACC team

Exceptional kick-off coverage—net of 45.1 yards

Weaknesses

13 fumbles lost and 14 interceptions thrown

Worst third-down conversion percentage in the ACC with only 31.1 percent

No pressure on the QB—ACC-worst 14 sacks

Keys

Look for WR Aaron Kelly as a deep threat

Take care of the football

Get pressure on Joe Ganz so he can't pick apart the secondary

Matchup to Watch

Nebraska wide receivers vs. Clemson's secondary

X-Factor

Nebraska TE, Mike McNeill

With Clemson's secondary preoccupied by the Cornhusker's wideouts, look for McNeill to take advantage and have a great day against the Tiger linebacker—especially in the red zone.

Prediction

Nebraska 28, Clemson 27

I expect this to be a close game, with Nebraska's strength through the air on both sides of the ball helping them squeak it out.

Joe Paterno's Top 5 Penn State Moments

Ryan Eshleman — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:57:31 -0500

Joe Paterno is one of the greatest college football coaches of all-time. After Joe Paterno agreed to a contract extension today through 2011, I thought it would be fitting to look back and remember some of his greatest moments as a Nittany Lion coach. Of course, there are many, but five is plenty for the time being. I'd love comments suggesting others that should have or could have been included. His retirement or passing will call for a better list, but for now, I give you Joe Pa's Top 5 Pennsylvania State University Football Moments. I hope there are many more to come.

Begin Slideshow

Come Bowl With Me, Part I: Chick-fil-A Bowl—Georgia Tech-LSU

Ryan Eshleman — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:10:37 -0500

Chick-fil-A Bowl
December 31, 2008
Georgia Dome, Atlanta, Georgia
Louisiana State University vs. Georgia Institute of Technology

The first stop on my short but exciting bowl tour will be the Chick-fil-A Bowl on Dec. 31 in Atlanta.

This matchup especially excites me as I anticipate attending the game.

A team from Georgia is playing in their home state, and this promises the atmosphere of the city will be intensely anxious. Also, LSU fans travel well and the team loves to play at the Georgia Dome—they're 6-1.

Here's a quick look at strengths, weaknesses, and keys to victory for each team.

LSU

Strengths

Defense allows only 32.1 percent of third-down conversions

Allow only 3.3 yards per carry

Score TD on 73 percent of Red Zone trips

4-0 all-time record in the Peach/Chick-fil-A Bowl

Weaknesses

18 interceptions thrown and only took away seven on defense

Allowed second-most points per game in the SEC

Coming off consecutive losses

Minimal return threat

Keys

Make Georgia Tech throw the ball by stopping the run and getting them in third-and-longs

Keep GT out of the Red Zone—they haven't hit a 40-yard FG all year

Watch out for Morgan Burnett—this sophomore safety does everything for the Yellow Jackets on defense

Be smart with the football—the more they have it, the less their defense gets pounded by a great running game

Georgia Tech

Strengths

Good pressure on QB; 33 sacks in 12 games—these sacks come from everywhere; no player has more than seven

Third-ranked rushing game in the nation—Jonathan Dwyer has 1,398 yards on only 190 carries and has added 12 TD

Allow only 18.8 points per game

12-6 all-time head-to-head record against LSU

Weaknesses

One-dimensional on offense; it's all about the run

Fewer than 100 yards per game through the air

Poor kicking game—11 of 19 on Field Goals

Second-fewest first downs per game in the Atlantic Coast Conference

Keys

Do what they do well—run the ball

Get pressure on the quarterback and then look for the interception—LSU gives it up

Start the game strong to help carry momentum from recent big wins

Matchup to Watch

Obviously, the GT running game against a good LSU run defense

X-Factor

ACC Coach of the Year Paul Johnson

With all four of GT's final four regular season games against Top 25 teams, Johnson led the Yellow Jackets to three gritty wins and a No. 14 ranking in the nation.

Prediction

GT 26, LSU 23

Georgia Tech is hot right now, and I'll give them the nod with the third-ranked rushing game in the nation. Also, LSU has a -4 turnover margin to GT's +5.

Mats Sundin: The Fix for the New York Rangers' Hidden Problems

Ryan Eshleman — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 09:25:03 -0500

Mats Sundin has proved himself over and over.

From winning three World Championships and an Olympic Gold to receiving nine selections to the NHL All-Star game, this guy has shown he has what it takes to put the puck in the net and lead his team success.

The New York Rangers, along with the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Vancouver Canucks, have been playing with contract offers to Sundin since the summer. New York has now come into the foreground of this muddled picture, showing new interest.

And for good reason.

The Rangers, while sitting atop the Atlantic Division and second in the Eastern Conference, have scored only 88 goals—identical to the number they have allowed. They are 10th in the league in goals scored, but have played more games than any other team.

New York has been held to a goal or less in seven of their 33 games this year—three of those coming against the Dallas Stars, Toronto Maple Leafs, and New York Islanders, who claim three of the four worst goals-allowed totals in the league.

So it's apparent the Rangers could use a new offensive weapon.

They could also use experience.

If New York wants to make noise in the playoffs, three of their biggest obstacles look to be the Boston Bruins, the Canadiens, and the Philadelphia Flyers (an Atlantic Division rival).

Boston has five forwards at least thirty years old, and eight of their total skaters have achieved this age. Montreal has five forwards of at least thirty as well, and nine skaters. Philadelphia sports four forwards and six skaters of thirty years or older.

New York has two and four, respectively.

At the end of last season, Sundin held the second-longest active captaining streak behind Joe Sakic. He was awarded the Mark Messier Leadership Award. Sundin has not only proved he can play great hockey, but also that his age of 37 means he has some fine leadership skills to go along with it.

A concern with the elongated contract discussions is New York's current chemistry and focus.

I find the prospect of a new player coming to the team challenging and catalyzing, rather than inhibiting. Bringing in Sundin would create cap problems for the Rangers, forcing them to possibly cut a player or two from the current roster. Players now have to step up and prove that they aren't the ones to be letting go.

Under-performers like Petr Prucha should be worried. Prucha may be the one to go, considering his salary and limited production. The Rangers had already asked him to go to their American Hockey League affiliate for some time, which he refused to do. If New York decides to dispose of him in the near future, he will not have as much of a choice.

If the Rangers decide Sundin is worth it, changes will be made.

Could Mats Sundin put the New York Rangers over the top and on their way to a Stanley Cup win for the first time since 1994?

The only way to know is to wait and see if he gets the chance.