Bleacher Report - Articles by Nate Brooks

The 10 Games That Will Shape the Rest of the 2009 Season

Nate Brooks — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:26:09 -0400

Six months ago I wrote an article about the 10 games that I thought would shape the 2009 college football season.

After some shake down, preseason contenders falling off, new contenders emerging, and a few upsets, it's time to revisit my list, keep a few, chunk a few, and produce a new outlook on the fresh 2009 season.

10. Ohio State @ Penn State on Nov. 7

Penn State has cruised thus far this season and will soon meet some tough competion in the form of Iowa and Michigan, but the Nittany Lions should be able to weather the storm. With no real challenge lying ahead of the Buckeyes, this game should serve as a de facto Big Ten Championship Game for the second year in a row.

9. Nebraska @ Oklahoma on Nov. 7

Both teams national championship hopes have taken a hit with early season losses to ranked opponents, but it has been well documented in the past that it is better to lose early than to lose late. While this game may not have national championship implications anymore, there could still be a BCS at large bid for the taking when these two meet.

8. TCU @ Clemson on Sept. 26

With Utah and BYU out of the BCS picture, TCU is the Mountain West's best chance to have a team reach a big money BCS game. With Boise State's win over Oregon, this is TCU best chance to achieve a similar signature win.

7. Ohio State @ Michigan on Nov. 21

For the first time in a long time, fans outside of the Great Lakes region can put this game back on their radar. R-Rod appears to have the Wolverines back on track with a spread offensive that may give the Buck Nuts fits in the Big House.

6. USC @ Notre Dame on Oct. 17

We all know the deal with the BCS made with the devil. No matter what, if the Irish finish in the BCS top eight, they're in.

Given the rest of the schedule, if the Golden Domers can take down the Trojans in South Bend, they will be well on their way to a BCS Bowl Game. Add in the chance that Boise or TCU might be there and you're looking at the Big XII or SEC losing one of those BCS at large bids they normally receive.

5. LSU @ Alabama on Nov. 7

Many different scenarios could play out before this matchup. Worst case, this matchup will probably determine the SEC West champion. Best case, this matchup will probably determine the SEC West champion. The only difference could be the teams' rankings as both LSU and Alabama play tough matchups before Saban Bowl III.

4. USC @ Cal on Oct. 3

While the conference itself doesn't get much love and can sometimes be perceived as weak, college football fans have got to love the way they run their conference: a true round-robin, everyone plays everyone in-conference season.

With the Bears mauling everything in sight, this matchup with the Trojans could be for the Pac-10 title and could send USC on a road trip for bowl season for the first time since 2004.

3. Oklahoma vs Texas on Oct. 17

Texas has the national championship game dead between their horns. As the Longhorns and Sooners return to the scene of last year’s battle, the smell of funnel cakes and Shiner Bock will be in the air as new "BFFs" Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford (hopefully) play each other one last time in their college uniforms.

2. Florida @ LSU on Oct. 10

If Tim Tebow is Superman, then LSU paints their yard lines in kryptonite. Tebow has struggled in Death Valley. The Gator Haters in Baton Rouge won't make it easy, but if Meyer and Co. can walk out of Tiger Stadium with the W, you can go ahead and pencil them into the SEC Championship Game.

1. SEC Championship Game on Dec. 5

Florida vs. Alabama/LSU/Ole Miss. Whoever it may be, whether one team has one loss or both teams have one loss going into the SEC Championship—as per the norm with the BCS, if all other major college teams have one loss—the winner of the SEC Championship game can go ahead and buy their tickets to California one second after the clock expires.

A College Football Playoff Idea That Could Work

Nate Brooks — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:40:48 -0400

Like most college football fans, I feel the need for a playoff in Division I college football. Also like other fans, I have an idea as to how to manage this playoff.

While some will agree and some will disagree, this is my plan.

A 32-team Tournament starting the first weekend in December running through the first weekend in January.

We will start by merging the FBS and FCS together to become Division I.

The field will be made up all 25 Conference Champions and the top seven ranked teams that didn't not win their conference.

The higher seeded team will have home field until the national semifinals which will rotate yearly based on the bidding system that is used in college basketball to determine a host cost.

Seeding will be determined by standing in the BCS polls. If a playoff participate is not ranked then the tie breaker will be win-loss record.

In the case that multiple teams are not ranked and have the same win-loss record, then conference win-loss record will be used, if conference win-loss record cannot break the tie, then seeding will default to a coin flip.

Based off of last years conference champions and final polls this is how a First Round matchup would look.

No. 32 Harvard @ No. 1 Oklahoma

No. 17 James Madison @ No. 16 Montana

No. 25 Albany @ No. 8 Penn State

No. 24. Colgate @ No. 9 Boise State

No. 21 Northern Iowa @ No. 12 Cincinnati

No. 28 Eastern Kentucky @ No. 5 USC

No. 20 Liberty @ No. 13 Oklahoma State

No. 29 Eastern Carolina @ No. 4 Alabama

No. 27 Jacksonville @ No. 6 Utah

No. 22 Appalachian St @ No. 11 TCU

No. 19 Central Arkanasa @ No. 14 Georgia Tech

No. 30 Troy @ No. 3 Texas

No. 26 Cal Poly @ No. 7 Texas Tech

No. 23 South Carolina St @ No. 10 Ohio St

No. 18 Grambling St @ No. 15 Virgina Tech

No. 31 Buffalo @ No. 2 Florida

The first round wouldn't be much to talk about, as with almost any college tournament. The exceptions would be the East Carolina-Alabama contest, seeing as East Carolina has already defeated one of the higher seeded teams earlier in the year.

Assuming no upsets happen, this is how the second round would look and this is when it would get good.

No. 16 Montana @ No. 1 Oklahoma

No. 9 Boise State @ No. 8 Penn State

No. 12 Cincinnati @ No. 5 USC

No. 13 Oklahoma State @ No. 4 Alabama

No. 11 TCU @ No. 6 Utah

No. 14 Georgia Tech @ No. 3 Texas

No. 10 Ohio State @ No. 7 Texas Tech

No. 15 Virgina Tech @ No. 2 Florida

As you can see the matchups have gotten better.

In this round I predict two upsets. TCU wins the rematch with Utah, and not as big an upset, the Buckeyes take down the Red Raiders in Lubbock.

This is how your national quarterfinals would look.

No. 8 Penn State @ No. 1 Oklahoma

No. 5 USC @ No. 4 Alabama

No. 11 TCU @ No. 3 Texas

No. 10 Ohio State @ No. 2 Florida

In this round I see only one game going to the visitors, that would be the 5-4 matchup.

At this point we have reached the national semifinals which will now be played at a neutral site determined from the bidding system a few years earlier.

Our final four matchups would be:

No. 5 USC @ No. 1 Oklahoma

and

No 3. Texas @ No. 2 Florida

For illustration purposes I am going to stop picking winners and progressing the rounds as you can see where this is going.

While we may have ended up with the same results as last year, all teams had a fighting chance, and who knows maybe Penn State could have knocked off Oklahoma.

The Top Five NFL Options For Michael Vick

Nate Brooks — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 15:24:27 -0400

Now that Michael Vick has paid his debt to society for financing a dog fighting ring, he has received a partial blessing from NFL King Pin Roger Goodell, and will be allowed to sign with an NFL team immediately. While this is good news for Vick and his fan(s, if there are any?), it could be a public relations nightmare for a team in desperate need for a former three-time Pro Bowl quarterback.

With that being said, what teams out there could use Vick in a productive manner and still manage to keep the PR machine moving and the fans happy?

Option No. 1—Oakland Raiders

Al Davis is willing to spend an ungodly amount of money to bring big name talent to Oakland, no matter what the player’s past history may contain. Not to mention the Raider faithful don’t care who you are and where you came from as long as you can get the team back into the playoff race. I also understand that if the Raiders cannot sign Michael Vick, Al Davis is looking to offering Nelly a contract after seeing his blazing speed in the 2005 remake of “The Longest Yard."

Option No. 2—Cincinnati Bengals

With the quarterback health problems the Bengals have had in recent years a durable and proven quarterback might just be what the Bengals need to become competitive in the AFC North. It doesn’t hurt that Marvin Lewis has every bail bondsman in Cincinnati on speed dial.

The fans should also be able to take comfort in the fact that Michael Vick has never been accused of killing any cats.

Option No. 3—New England Patriots

With the emergence of the NFL’s latest evil empire there is no doubt that Bill Belichick would love to bring another Sith Lord into the fold to battle the rebel forces that have been building down in Miami. Soon the Wildcat will fall to the Dark Side.

Option No. 4—Detroit Lions

What a great heartfelt story this would be, a team broke and down on its luck, signs a quarterback who is broke and down on his luck, and together they revive a city that is broke and down on its luck. There could be a huge move deal here, something comparable to “Friday Night Lights."

It might even have a similar ending, the Lions coming up a yard short in the Michigan State High School Championship.

Option No. 5—Green Bay Packers

This option could work if the Packer’s are willing to fit Michael Vick with a training leash that gives him a “gentle” shock if he tried to leave the city limits. Seriously, how much trouble could he really get into in Green Bay? Although, Brett Farve is a dog lover and has power comparable to Chuck Norris.

The Michael Vick saga continues, and where it will end no one knows. The team that signs Michael Vick may have found there missing piece, which hopefully will make the fan backlash worth it.

My College Football Playoff Idea...Everyone Has One

Nate Brooks — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 03:17:21 -0400

Like most college football fans, I feel the need for a playoff in Division I college football. Also like other fans, I have an idea as to how to manage this playoff.

While some will agree and some will disagree, this is my plan.

A 32-team Tournament starting the first weekend in December running through the first weekend in January.

We will start by merging the FBS and FCS together to become Division I.

The field will be made up all 25 Conference Champions and the top seven ranked teams that didn't not win their conference.

The higher seeded team will have home field until the national semi-finals which will rotate yearly based on the bidding system that is used in college basketball to determine a host cost.

Seeding will be determined by standing in the BCS polls. If a playoff participate is not ranked then the tie breaker will be win loss record.

In the case that multiple teams are not ranked and have the same win loss record, then conference win loss record will be used, if conference win loss record cannot break the tie, then seeding will default to a coin flip.

Based off of last years conference champions and final polls this is how a First Round matchup would look.

No. 32 Harvard @ No. 1 Oklahoma

No. 17 James Madison @ No. 16 Montana

No. 25 Albany @ No. 8 Penn State

No. 24. Colgate @ No. 9 Boise State

No. 21 Northern Iowa @ No. 12 Cincinnati

No. 28 Eastern Kentucky @ No. 5 USC

No. 20 Liberty @ No. 13 Oklahoma State

No. 29 Eastern Carolina @ No. 4 Alabama

No. 27 Jacksonville @ No. 6 Utah

No. 22 Appalachian St @ No. 11 TCU

No. 19 Central Arkanasa @ No. 14 Georgia Tech

No. 30 Troy @ No. 3 Texas

No. 26 Cal Poly @ No. 7 Texas Tech

No. 23 South Carolina St @ No. 10 Ohio St

No. 18 Grambling St @ No. 15 Virgina Tech

No. 31 Buffalo @ No. 2 Florida

The first round wouldn't be much to talk about, as with almost any college tournament. The exceptions would be the East Carolina vs Alabama contest seeing as East Carolina has already defeated one of the higher seeded teams earlier in the year.

Assuming no upsets happen, this is how the second round would look and this is when it would get good.

No. 16 Montana @ No. 1 Oklahoma

No. 9 Boise State @ No. 8 Penn State

No. 12 Cincinnati @ No. 5 USC

No. 13 Oklahoma State @ No. 4 Alabama

No. 11 TCU @ No. 6 Utah

No. 14 Georgia Tech @ No. 3 Texas

No. 10 Ohio State @ No. 7 Texas Tech

No. 15 Virgina Tech @ No. 2 Florida

As you can see the matchups have gotten better.

In this round I predict two upsets. TCU wins the rematch with Utah, and not as big an upset, the Buckeyes take down the Red Raiders in Lubbock.

This is how your national quarterfinals would look.

No. 8 Penn State @ No. 1 Oklahoma

No. 5 USC @ No. 4 Alabama

No. 11 TCU @ No. 3 Texas

No. 10 Ohio State @ No. 2 Florida

In this round I see only one game going to the visitors, that would be the 5/4 matchup.

At this point we have reached the national semi-finals which will now be played at a neutral site determined from the bidding system a few years earlier

Our final four matchups would be:

No. 5 USC @ No. 1 Oklahoma

and

No 3. Texas @ No. 2 Florida

For illustration purposes I am going to stop picking winners and progressing the rounds as you can see where this is going.

While we may have ended up with the same results as last year, all teams had a fighting chance, and who knows maybe Penn State could have knocked off Oklahoma.

The ABCs of LSU Football

Nate Brooks — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:49:48 -0400

Every young child learns their ABCs as they grow up. They are the foundation of all education, and no child can learn anything without first mastering them.

The same goes for any LSU Tiger: Just learning the lore of Death Valley or the correct way to pronounce "Geaux." is fundamental. The ABCs of LSU football are also a strong foundation of your fanhood.

A is for Alabama, a hated rival.

B is for Billy Cannon, our Heisman winner.

C is for Championships, in which we have three.

D is for Death Valley, where teams fear to play.

E is for Earthquakes, for which our stadium has caused.

F is for Fans, the best in the nation.

G is for Geaux, means go; it's as simple as that.

H is for the Hat, he has our back.

I is for World War I, the only event to stop an LSU season (1918).

J is for Joe Alleva, our Athletic Director.

K is for Kentucky, home of the Blue Grass Miracle.

L is for Les Miles, the head coach of our team.

M is for Mike the Tiger, he is always on the prowl.

N is for Nick Saban, foe once friend.

O is for Ole Miss, they can "Geaux to Hell."

P is for Pros, we have produced many.

Q is for Quick, you have to be in the SEC.

R is for Reed, first name Josh, our only Biletnikoff Award winner.

S is for Southeastern Conference, where we are charter members.

T is for Tailgating, won't find any better.

U is for Undefeated in the BCS.

V is for Victories, we have 701.

W is for White, the color of our HOME uniform.

X is for 10 (X), the number of SEC Championships we own.

Y is for Yard Lines, we mark every five.

Z is for Zydeco, the songs of the south.

Now you know your ABCs, next time won't you cheer with me?

GEAUX TIGERS!

The Ten Games That Will Shape the 2009 College Football Season

Nate Brooks — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:41:45 -0400

The 2008 college football season gave us a lot of thrills, chills, spills, and, as always, controversy. As the 2009 season approaches—only 155 days to go if you are counting—here are the Top 10 games you can look forward to making a splash in 2009.

And for those of you who have your hopes up...I'm sorry, but the 2009 battle for the Apple Cup didn't make the list.

10. Oklahoma @ Miami on Sept. 12

Miami continues to scale the mountain back to the national spotlight, and what better test for the Hurricanes then one of the true forces in college football: the Sooners.

This early season showdown will also show if the Sooners are ready to compete for another shot at the BCS National Championship.

9. Florida State @ BYU on Sept. 19

The Cougars try to prove, once and for all, that they deserve to play with the big boys when they host tradition-rich BCS power Florida State. All eyes will be on FSU as they attempt to regain face following this spring's inquiry into violations that could place the team on probation.

8. Utah @ TCU (Game day TBD)

Both of these schools will be coming into the season with BCS-busting on the brain, and maybe even national title hopes for Utah.

After this game, one of these schools can kiss that dream good-bye, the winner will be one step closer to being invited to the BCS party.

7. Louisiana State @ Alabama on Nov. 7

This game should serve as the SEC West Title Game. Nick Saban and Les Miles should have their QBs in place, and always its a classic match-up of a cerebral game manager and a psychotic game changer.

Oh, and let's not forget how Bayou Bengal faithful feel about their old coach.

6. Georgia @ Oklahoma State on Sept. 5

Both schools have the talent to make it to the BCS National Championship, but play in though conferences. This early-season match-up could determine a BCS at-large spot down the road.

Oklahoma State returns a nice core of players who were in the Top 15 for a good part of last season, while Georgia will be finding a new identity.

This game will show if the Dawgs did enough in the spring to recover from their personnel losses...after all...they do still have A.J. Green.

5. Alabama @ Virginia Tech on Sept. 5 in the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Classic

For the second year in a row, Chick-fil-A is sponsoring a huge match-up to the begin the season in the Georgia Dome.

Last year's win for Alabama was a major factor leading to that No. 1 ranking the Crimson Tide enjoyed most of the season. If the Hokies win this game, they could be staring down the National Championship the rest of the season.

4. Utah @ Oregon on Sept. 19

Utah will be gunning for national respect and a ranking high enough and early enough to get them to the BCS Championship Game.

An early win over the always-crafty Ducks will help them do just that. Oregon, on the other hand, will be building on last season as they try to unseat USC and the kings of the Pac-10.

3. Florida @ LSU on Oct. 10

Tim Tebow's final trip to Tiger Stadium will no doubt be one for the ages. With the expectation of the '08 game, the Tigers and the Gators battle always battle each other tough normally with conference and national implications. 2009 should be no different.

2. USC @ Ohio State on Sept. 12

Don't expect this game to turn out like the '08 game did. With a more seasoned Terrelle Pryor and the crowd in the Horseshoe, Ohio State proved in the Fiesta Bowl they will not lay down.

USC will also be breaking in a new QB this game, which really doesn't mean much, as USC is an NFL QB factory.

1. Oklahoma @ Texas on Oct. 17 from the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, TX

Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy return for one last heavyweight match up in The Red River Shootout. The air is always hostile and given the manner in which the BCS played out last season, the atmosphere will be even more hostile.

This game once again will play into the division, conference, and national title pictures. Only next year, I'm sure more people will pay more attention to the scoreboard.

Top Ten Reasons Les Miles Hates You (Humor)

Nate Brooks — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:58:52 -0400

Leslie Edwin "Les" Miles, is by most opinions insane when it comes to coaching the game of football. Known for his always crisp and clean white LSU hat and even more for his psychotic play-calling, he has earned the nickname, "The Mad Hatter."

It would appear, while watching him on the sidelines every Saturday in the fall, that he hates everything except his "damn strong" football team.

That is not the case, folks, he is actually a fun-loving guy, but there are some things and people he does hate.

Here are the Top 10 signs Les Miles hates you:

No. 10 - You are Ohio State fan.
No. 9 - You think Bo Schembechler was just "All Right."
No. 8 - You think THE Death Valley is location at Clemson.
No. 7 - You like cocktail parties.
No. 6 - You are Kirk Herbstreit.
No. 5 - You are friends with Ryan Perrilloux.
No. 4 - You think Houndstooth hats are cool.
No. 3 - You don't think Lane Kiffin is effin funny.
No. 2 - You think Crimson Tide is anything else but a bottle of Boone's Farm Strawberry Hill.
No. 1 - You are Pete Carroll.

The Sky Is the Limit for LSU's Rising Stars

Nate Brooks — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 12:39:52 -0400

There is an unusual buzz this time of year on the campus of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA. March Madness has taken hold, LSU's basketball team has made it back to the NCAA Tournament.

While this is all good and fun, if the basketball team makes it past the first round, they will meet up with North Carolina in the second round. Once the Tarheels dismiss the Tigers, the Bayou Bengal faithful can get back to what really matters... FOOTBALL!

Last season was a rough and bumpy road. The 2007 National Championship Team featured such seasoned seniors like QB Matt Flynn, WR Early Doucet, FB Jacob Hester, DE Kristen Pittman, DT Glenn Dorsey, and S Craig Steltz.

The 2008 edition featured less then stellar starters, the most notable being RSFr Jarrett Lee, who probably owns the NCAA record for interceptions returned for touchdowns in a season (if the NCAA kept such a stat).

There is good news down on the Bayou for the Purple and Gold Nation. There are a handful of players that will ensure the Tigers get back to their winning ways, in hopes of competing for an SEC or maybe even a National Championship.

THE SENIORS

No. 1 WR Brandon LaFell, 6-3, 209 from Lamar HS, Houston TX

LaFell made a splash in 2007, stepping in for the injured Early Doucet. With 118 career receptions for 1,725 yards and 14 touchdowns, becoming the No. 1 receiver could result in big numbers for 2009.

No. 32 RB Charles Scott, 5-11, 233 from Jonesboro-Hodge HS, Saline, LA

With the departure of Jacob Hester, Scott became the feature back in Les Miles offense last year and it paid off. In his junior season he racked up 1,174 yards for 18 touchdowns, three of which came in the 38-3 beatdown of Georgia Tech in the bowl formerly know as the Peach. Another year as the primer back should produce even better numbers.

No. 18 TE Richard Dickson, 6-3, 246 from Ocean Springs HS, Ocean Springs, MS

The No. 18 is sacred at LSU. When the departing senior who wears the number leaves the school, they pass the number on to the underclass who will lead the team.

In 2003, Matt Mauck's final year wearing No. 18, he won a National Championship. Mauck passed the number to Jacob Hester. In 2007, Jacob Hester's final year wearing No. 18, he won a National Championship. Hester passed the number to Richard Dickson.

THIS IS DICKSON'S FINAL YEAR WEARING No. 18, this could spell NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. Superstition aside, he a skillful tight end and a vocal leader.

No. 70 OT Ciron Black 6-5, 352 from Robert E. Lee HS, Tyler, TX

Ciron Black has started 40 consecutive games at left tackle for the Tigers. He is vocal leader offense and has played every meaningful offensive snap in the last three seasons. His experience will be the glue that keep his young QBs together.

No. 24 S Harry Coleman 6-2, 205 from West St Marys HS, Baldwin, LA

Hard-hitting safety who enters his second year as a starter for the Tigers, he lead LSU in tackles for 2009 with 71. By the end of the season you will be mentioning Coleman in the same sentence as Craig Steltz and LaRon Landry.

RISING STARS

No. 9 QB Jordan Jefferson, 6-4, 209 from Desterhan HS, St Rose, LA

This sophomore quarterback was highly touted coming out of high school. Named a national All-American by SuperPrep Magazine, Rivals.com rated him a Top-10 pro style QB.

During the last couple of games last season Jefferson showed glimpses of what made him the 2007 Louisiana Class 5A Offensive Player of the Year. Given a full-time practice and work load he should flourish in Les Miles system.

No. 80 WR Terrance Toliver, 6-4, 194 from Hempstead HS, Hempstead, TX

A skillful possession receiver who gained 2007 SEC All-Freshman team honors. Toliver has been a constant slot target in the Tiger's three-wide set, expect even bigger numbers from him as he moves into the #2 role.

No. 7 CB Patrick Peterson, 6-1, 205 from Ely HS, Pompano Beach, FL

The sophomore cornerback formally known as Patrick Johnson is a shutdown, light outs type of defender who has the speed to go step for step with the best receivers in the country.

A USA Today's Defensive Player of the year during his HS senior season, he will build upon that success, in an attempt to return more pick 6s in his career than Jarrett Lee threw last year.

THE FRESHMEN

No. 10 QB Russell Shepard, 6-1, 179 from Cypress Ridge HS, Houston, TX

This top rated QB enrolled early and is already learning the Tigers system, or it could be the other way around, LSU could be learning this duel-treat QB's system.

Many great offensives have emerged in the SEC because of just one player. Arkansas' Wild Hog on the shoulders of Darren McFadden, Florida's "Percy Position" after their stellar WR/RB All-Everything Percy Harvin, and LSU will be no different.

Watch for, dare I say, the Wild Tiger? Maybe the "Shepard Shotgun?" Whatever the name the media gives it, Shepard a Parade All-American QB, will change the game in the SEC.

WR Ruben Randle, 6-3, 195 from Bastrop HS, Bastrop LA

The HS QB/WR was the No. 1 recruit coming out of Louisiana this past signing season and it is easy to tell why.

Rating in the top 10 for overall prospects he should slide nicely into the slot role of the Tiger's three-wide system before taking over No. 1 reciever duties later in his career

DB Craig Loston, 6-2, 139 from Eisenhower HS, Houston TX

Regarded by many as the best defensive player coming out of high school this year. Loston will enjoy success on the defensive side of the ball, but is also known for his blazing speed and elusiveness which will lead to many touches in the return game to complement LSU's speed trackster Trindon Holliday.

As we creep towards fall and the Tiger's opening day match-up in Seattle against the U-Dub Huskies, down on the Bayou there is plenty to look forward to during the summer, as the Bayou Bengals are all ready working towards becoming the first ever three time BCS Champions.

The Top 10 Games to Look Foward to in 2009

Nate Brooks — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 09:24:17 -0500

The 2008 college football season gave us a lot of thrills, chills, spills, and as always controversy. As the 2009 season approaches, only 262 days to go if you are counting, here are the Top 10 games you can look forward to making an impact in 2009. And for those of you who have your hopes up ... I'm sorry, but the 2009 battle for the Apple Cup between Washington and Washington State didn't make the list.

Begin Slideshow

Charles Barkley's High Horse Snaps Leg; DUI Charges Pending

Nate Brooks — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 03:29:26 -0500

Everyone knows Charles Barkley; the former NBA Power Forward turned NBA Analyst. He is very outspoken and sometimes very brash in the manner in which he tries to get his point across. He is known for bashing others in the media as well as athletes, coaches, and recently college athletic directors. Barkley himself has now hit a wall.

On Wednesday morning in the Old Town section of Scottsdale, Arizona, police apprehended Barkley after he was observed running a stop sign. Barkley was taken to a mobile command post to give a blood sample after he refused to take a breath test. While he refused the breath test, officers working the case claim Barkley was very respectful and cooperative throughout.

If convicted, Barkley could face one to 10 days in jail, the suspension of driving privileges for 90 days, and a fine of $1,000 or more.

This is just one more thing in the laundry list of problems that have faced Barkley throughout the years. In this contributor’s opinion, this could hurt his plans to run for Governor of Alabama in 2014, a plan which he made public this past October.

Smurf Turf Comes Up Small: Roady's Humanitarian Bowl Lacks Effort, Appeal

Nate Brooks — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 01:29:37 -0500

It's Dec. 7, and the bowl game matchups are flowing like water now. Teams are being selected to play in bowls that the selection committees feel most deserve to play in their bowl game. It's apparent—the better your record, the better your bowl, the better the city, the better the weather.

Bowl games for the casual fans are simple: Turn on TV and watch your team play another team from another part of the country while feasting on holiday treats. For the fans lucky enough to travel to the game, it is a chance to experience a new city, a little winter vacation. For the players of these bowls games, the bowl sponsors and the city treat them like rock stars for a week.

Just think of some of the great locales your team could go to: Hawaii, Orlando, Miami, New Orleans, San Antonio, Las Vegas, or San Diego, just to name a few. The time has come, your team is being announced, congratulations are in order...you're going to Boise, Idaho!

Boise, Idaho, home to the Humanitarian Bowl, which is sponsored by a truck stop company and played on the blue turf of Boise State University. Boise, Idaho (metro), population 643,650 people. Boise, Idaho, with an average temperature in December boasting an impressive 37.2 degrees. Sounds like Boise, Idaho is the place to be.

For the players, the bells and whistles of the bowl game experience are what make the trips so fun. Your team makes it to the Rose Bowl, you're going to Disney Land. Your team makes it to the Capital One Bowl, you're going to Disney World. Your team makes it to the Alamo Bowl, you're going to the Riverwalk. Your team makes it to the New Orleans Bowl, you're going to Bourbon Street.

Your team makes it to the Humanitarian Bowl, you're going to play in the snow.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing Boise, but the Humanitarian Bowl needs a sponsor capable of producing an exciting bowl experience for the players and fans alike. Roady's Truck Stops, the sponsors for the 2008 Humanitarian Bowl, put forth an effort that can only be described as awful.

Watching the game, you could have sworn that you were watching Boise State play—their logo still standing at midfield, their name still stretched across the end zones. Roady's did a better job of promoting Boise State then they did of promoting their product. The Humanitarian Bowl "Championship" Trophy looked as if it had been built at a do-it-yourself hobby shop.

How are you going to become excited about a bowl game when these little details couldn't even been handled by the sponsor?

Because of a lack of payout, the fact that the bowl requires participating schools to provide their own sponsorship, and teams are required to stay in designated hotels for a set amount of time, the ACC has withdrawn its tie-in with the bowl. In 2001 a 7-4 UCLA squad even turned down the bowl and ended up staying home that year, feeling that was a better option then going to Boise.

A word to the wise for the powers that be over at the Humanitarian Bowl: EFFORT. Put forth the effort to make your bowl game an enjoyable experience for everyone. Find a sponsor that will take care of the game, the city, and teams. Put forth the effort to make teams want to play in Boise in December, or suffer the same fate as the Dixie Bowl, Bluebonnet Bowl, or the Silicon Valley Football Classic.

Where Is the Reward for Vanderbilt?

Nate Brooks — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:52:27 -0500

Where is the love for the Vanderbilt Commodores?

This is a team that hasn't been to the post season since 1982 when they lost to the Air Force Academy 36-28. This team hasn't won a bowl game since 1955 when they beat Auburn 25-13.

Let's put that in prospective, in 1955:

Winston Churchill resigns as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The ninth McDonalds was built
Disneyland Opens
The movie "Oklahoma" is released
Bugs Bunny debuts
Rosa Parks is arrested
The Cleveland Browns won the NFL Championship Game

So congratulations Vanderbilt, you have your first winning season in 26 years, and where do you get to play your bowl game...LP Field just a mere 3.67 miles away from your home stadium.

Whats even worse, you defeat the likes of South Carolina, Ole Miss, and Auburn while another team out there beat teams like lowly Michigan, Washington, and Stanford and they get rewarded with a trip to Hawaii just because of their golden helmets.

WHERE IS THE JUSTICE FOR VANDERBILT?

What Is the Deal With Team SEC?

Nate Brooks — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 05:35:09 -0500

Over the course of the past two years, I have noticed a new practice among fans of teams from the SEC—a publicly known practice of chanting "S...E...C, S...E...C" during the teams' games. I ask these fans of "Team" SEC: Where does this conference love come from?

During an Auburn and West Virginia matchup, who do Alabama fans root for? When Gators and Seminoles tangle, where do the allegiance for the Dawgs lie? When LSU almost lost to Troy, was the champagne on ice in Oxford? Where does this conference love come from?

Rivals are what makes College Football what is it. Outside of a few good rivals in the pro game, College Football delivers heated matchups weekly based solely off the hate that one school has for another. Rivals are the heart of College Football.

It's a safe bet to assume no one in Columbus felt bad when App State downed Michigan. TEAM SEC, it is time to look in the mirror. Be a fan of your school, not the conference. Where does this conference love come from?

Do your part as a College Football Fan, TEAM SEC, and hate thy neighbor.