College Football Week 3 Quick Picks

                                               Week 3 Picks



 #1 Alabama (2-0) at Arkansas (1-1): What was supposed to be the game of the weekend has now lost pretty much all of its luster due to a little school named Louisiana-Monroe, and the head injury to the Hogs' Sr. QB Tyler Wilson. Now, this is going to be an absolute bloodbath. Bama's D that lost six starters has looked...just as good if not better than last year's unit. Keep an eye on CB Dee Millner to come away with one or two picks. Alabama 42, Arkansas 13.

UNC (1-1) at Louisville (2-0): I'll refrain from discussing UNC's NCAA issues, or discussing my failed two month stint living in Lawville (you have to pronounce it like you have marbles in your mouth). Sticking with the foosballl only, Teddy Bridgewater is really good. The UNC D has some playmakers, including Stafford County's own Tim Scott (Colonial Forge) playing corner. He has two picks on the year, but Bridgewater has yet to throw any, completing 82% of his passes so far. This could be close, especially after Carolina lost to a shitty Wake Forest team last week. Bridgewater, and safteies Hakeem Smith and Calvin Pryor will be the difference makers for LVL. Louisville 24, UNC 21.

USC (2-0) at Stanford (2-0): Stanford has won four in a row against the men of Troy, but they also don't have that Luck dude anymore. I expect this one to be close, as USC showed last week against Syracuse that they still have some question marks on D. That being said, they have too many weapons on the other side of the ball. I think Shayne Skov and Chase Thomas will lead the way in stopping Silas Redd, but the Barkley-Woods, and Barkley-Lee combos will be good for at least 3 touchdowns. USC 35, Stanford 24

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Florida (2-0) at Tennessee (2-0): To simplify this one without getting swayed by the wit of the signs from Knoxville on the set of college gameday (to recap: lots of quality jorts barbs and a Nickelback reference referring to Will Muschamp's musical choices), I like Tyler Bray much better than Jeff Driskel. With everything else pretty much being even, I think this and having homefield is worth enough for the Vols to get the win. Orange Pants 21, Jorts 17

Notre Dame(2-0) at Michigan St. (2-0): I'm a homer. I'm not going to hide the fact that I'm a homer. I am scared shitless of Notre Dame's lack of experience in the secondary, but I'm also not scared of Andrew Maxwell or his receivers. I will preface this pick by saying as long as Brian Kelly doesn't do Brian Kelly type of things and get in the way, I pick the Irish in an upset. Dealing with two horrible personal losses this week, Sr. LB Manti Te'o will be all over the field. Notre Dame 17, Michigan St. 13.

Early Top 5's

There haven't been too many significant games,  and with starters only playing 2-3 quarters due to being up by 50 at halftime, the stats are slightly skewed. That being said, some have stood out more than others after two weeks.

Offense:
1. Braxton Miller, Soph. QB Ohio St.
2. Matt Barkley Sr. QB USC
2. Le'Veon Bell Jr. RB Michigan St.
4. Taylor Martinez Jr. QB Nebraska
5. DeAndre Hopkins Jr. WR, Clemson
5. Marquise Lee Soph. WR, USC
(Miller and Bell have been absolute workhorses so far, rushing for 302 and 280 yards respectively. Barkley to Lee sounds like it might bring a Heisman in the early going, while Martinez came back to earth last week against a resurgent UCLA defense. Hopkins has proven so far that Clemson has two future high draft picks at receiver, stepping up without Sammie Watkins).

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Defense:
1. Jarvis Jones Jr. LB, Georgia
2. Bjorn Werner Jr. DE, FSU
3. Ross Rasner Sr. S Arkansas
4. Morgan Breslin Jr. DE, USC
5. Terrence Garvin Sr. S/LB WVU
(Jarvis Jones needs a nickname. We'll just go with J twice for right now. Whatever you want to call him, Jones has 16 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 1 Int, 2 forced fumbles, 2.5 TFL's and 2 PBU's on the season. On a D that is still missing 4 starters, he literally put his team on his back last week against a fired up Mizzou unit. Werner has 5 sacks already, albeit against glorified D8 schools. Rasner has good numbers on a D that doesn't have much else, while Breslin and Garvin also have been impressive).

Trade Deadline Victors and Epic Failures

I'm breaking almost a nine month silence on the sports blog I'd created and then promptly ignored. The combo effect of having a bunch of free time again, coupled with just a general sense of narcissism wanting to see my own name attached to something I wrote have miraculously led me back. So without further ado, my look at the trade deadline winners and losers

                                                            Winners

New York Yankees: Some may scoff, but I really thought stealing Ichiro away from the Mariners might have been the best deal anyone made. He's aging, and his slash and run style losses effectiveness when one is about to turn 39. Howevvvaaaa (Stephen A. Smith voice), I'm fairly certain I could hit a HR out to right field in Yankee Stadium, and its always been said that Ichiro can hit for much more power than he shows in games. Throw in the fact that he's still a better than average defensive outfielder, and gives the Yanks a much needed stolen base threat, and I feel like he's going to be a major part of the Yankees going anywhere in October.

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Los Angeles Angels: I'm going to keep this one as simple as possible. I challenge anyone to name a better 4-man playoff ready pitching rotation that what the Halos have going right now in picking up Zack Grienke. They can now throw Weaver, Grienke, Wilson, and Dan Haren out there, while let's say they matchup with the Rangers foursome of Matt Harrison, Yu Darvish, Ryan Dempster, and Derek Holland. Their bullpen worries me, as evidenced by the slow-pitch softball games that broke out in Arlington the last four days, but with Trout, Pujols et al ensuring that they won't get shut down offensively very often,  I'd say they're my favorites to win the AL pennant.

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San Francisco Giants: As of right now, I'm predicting an Angels-Giants World Series. The problem in San Fran was that Melky Cabrera, Buster Posey, and Pablo Sandoval were the only people in the lineup that would scare me as an opposing manager. Now, in adding Hunter Pence and Marco Scutaro, you get a top 10 NL outfielder and a scrappy utility-type middle infielder. They now have a better offense than their championship team of two years ago.

                                                      

                                                             Other Winners

Detroit Tigers: Adding Anibal Sanchez and Omar Infante will help shore up a major problem area at 2B, and Sanchez gives them another potential Doug Fister type addition to an already strong staff.

Atlanta Braves: As a Cubs fan, I know the streaky nature of Paul Maholm. I like the Reed Johnson pickup more. He's the prototype for a 4^th OF, someone who leads the league in pinch hits, and will play outstanding defense. If Maholm gives them what he's been giving the Cubbies the last month, they may catch the Nats.

Cincinnati Reds: Marshall-Broxton-Chapman. Sounds a lot like the template for how the Cards did business last season.


                                                         Call Me Maybe

Chicago White Sox: The Youka was on fire, but has come back to earth a bit. Francisco Liriano is a little too inconsistent for my liking. They could have used some bullpen help.

Pittsburgh Pirates: They took chances on Gaby Sanchez coming back from his struggles early in the year whiie Garrett Jones has been playing well, and again rolled the dice with Toronto's hyped prospect that has never done much in Travis Snider. That being said, the Bucos had to something, and getting Wandy Rodriquez covers them for when the inevitable Eric Bedard injury happens.

Arizona Diamondbacks: I really like getting proven playoff vet Scott Podsenik. And Chris Johnson is an upgrade from Ryan Roberts. But with the moves that the Dodgers, and especially the Gigantes made, I don't know if it will be enough.

L.A. Dodgers: This all depends on whether Hanley reverts back to the Hanley of old. Hopefully he can take Matt Kemp's Maturity Seminar and start raking. Shane Victorino could also have an impact, and at the very minimum is an upgrade over Bobby Abreu.

                                                      Big Fat Losers

Baltimore Orioles: The O's magically avoided their traditional June/July swoon, and ...did....absolutely.....nothing. There's a reason people hate Peter Angelos

Boston Red Sox: I don't have enough time to try and analyze this train wreck. So I'll keep it simple. Craig Breslow does not win you a championship.

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Tampa Bay Rays: TB is really limited monetarily. And with Evan Longoria coming back to DH, they didn't think they had to do anything. I would have tried to grab a bat, but maybe they can get Johnny Damon or something. If they win, it will be because of pitching anyway.

Texas Rangers: As an unabashed Cubs homer, I love Ryan Dempster. I also don't think his stuff is going to play very well in Texas, and that he's heading for about a 7-something ERA in the playoffs. They need to either move Alexi Ogando do the rotation, or plan on winning a bunch 12-10 games

                                              
Washington Nationals: I would have preferred the Nats to get some kind of Strasburg insurance if they're insisting upon this absurd innings limit that they seem to be holding onto (More on this at a later date).

Oakland A's: No one expected them to get this far, so they basically can't complain unless they go 0-57 the rest of the way. They don't really lose, they just don't get into the winners category either.

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College Basketball Preview:h Epic Guitar Solo

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This was going to be written along with the rest of my college preview, but I either got lazy, or decided to watch a couple of games first to make the analysis a little more potent(I'll let you decide). Without further ado, here's the guitar solo, or the grand finale of my humble little college basketball preview where I pick my favorite team to win it all.     



10. Baylor Bears
Last Year: 18-13
League: Big 12
Studs:  Quincy Acy Sr.F, Perry Jones Soph. F, Quincy Miller Frosh. F
Baylor has gotten off to a 6-0 start with Jones missing the first 5 of these games. They haven't beaten anybody of merit other than San Diego St, but they look as though their guard play is much improved with the addition of Pierre Jackson from the junior college ranks. It seemed like last year it was the "4 dudes stand around while this dude with the crazy ass name LaceDarius goes one on three" offense, while this year they have multiple options with both Perry and Anthony Jones, Acy, and Frosh. Quincy Miller, who has been one of the best freshman in the country so far. The major strength the Bears have is depth inside, which no one in the Big 12 is going to be able to hang with. Kansas has Thomas Robinson and Jeff Withey, Mizzou has Ricardo Ratliffe and a bunch of guards, and A&M has the numbers but not the same height and length. I still feel like the Big 12 is Baylor's to lose, and if Perry Jones can regularly score 27 a game like he did in his debut the other night, and Jackson can run the offense without turning the ball over, they might have a Final 4 run in them.

9. Florida Gators
Last Year:29-8
League:SEC
Studs: Kenny Boynton Jr G,  Erving  Walker, Sr. G. Patric Young F Soph.
Florida is off to a 5-1 start, and their loss to Ohio St. on the road doesn't look quite as bad now after Duke got curbstomped in Columbus on Tuesday night. We knew going in that the Gators guards would be the key, and so far the quartet of Boynton, Walker, Mike Rosario, and Bradley Beal are combining to shoot 42 percent from deep and are scoring 67 percent of the teams points. Beal has been especially impressive, as he was described as the next "Ray Allen." He's does a lot more than just shoot though, averaging 6.5 rebounds and 1 block so far. The Gators will struggle against any team with size, because as talented as Young is, he can't do it all by himself. The emergence of 6'7 Soph. Will Yeguete may very well be the key to the Gators whole season, as if he gives them another banger to take the pressure off of Young having to do all of the dirty work by himself, then Florida can let the guards shoot them deep into March.


8. Pitt Panthers
Last Year 28-6
League:Big East
Studs: Ashton Gibbs Sr G, Nasir Robinson, Jr. F, Travon Woodall  Jr. G
Pitt stays here for now even though they lost to my #39 ranked Long Beach St. squad (Westside mutherfucka). I still like the potential here, although losing Woodall, who may be the MVP of the team so far for a month is going to cause them to drop in the rankings quite a bit. "Tre" is averging 8.3 assists so far and shooting 46% from three, arguably out playing Gibbs. They have a bunch of scrappy overachievers as per usual, with Robinson, Lamar Patterson, Khem Birch, and Dante Taylor all having their moments so far on the boards and defensively. I'd like to see Gibbs use Woodall's abscence to take over and make this his team, as he's going to have to now handle the ball and score. This honestly could be good for the Panthers as they head into Big East play. They'll probably still flame out like they always due in March, but this will be another quality regular season team that will finish at the top of the Big East, with the potential to ride a Gibbs hot streak into a Final Four berth.

7. Vanderbilt Commodores
Last Year:23-11
League: SEC
Studs: John Jenkins Jr. G.  Jeffery Taylor Sr. F. Festus Ezeli. Sr. C
Dear Festus,

Please come back. We've already lost twice and we need you inside or our season will be ruined by January. We're letting other teams shoot 46% from the field and we've already lost twice, with a good chance to lose tonight at Louisville which will probably take us from number 7 in the Brody preseason poll to out of the top 25 in the national poll that actually matters. John and Jeffery can't do it all by themselves. Calipari is already talking shit to me about how Anthony Davis is going to block 25 shots when we play them. Billy Donovan is texting me that his team and his hair are better than me. I'm going to flip out. We need you now more than ever.
Sincerely,

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Coach Stallings                             

6. Duke Blue Devils
Last Year: 32-5
League: ACCG
Studs: Austin Rivers Frosh. G, Seth Curry Jr. G, Mason Plumlee, Jr. F
This was going to be suprisingly complimentary and positive until I witnessed the ass kicking the Buckeyes put on the Dookies Tuesday. It exposed all of their flaws, and the flaws that they've had pretty much since the days of J.J. Redick. Mainly, that Duke always lives by the three and dies by the three. Right now, they have one person who can get his own shot without spotting up, and that's an inconsistent freshman in Rivers. Mark Titus talks about him having a "punchable face," and I can only nod my head in agreement with the ESPN.com writer. His shitty body language has gotten better, but I get the impression his team doesn't like him very much. When they're clicking, the Curry's, Dawkins' and Ryan Kelly's of the world can light it up, enabling Duke to beat anyone, but when they're off, it's going to be ugly. I'm still not scared of the Plumlee's and unless they step up, and Rivers turns into Kyrie Irving, Duke will be second in the ACC and will lose in the Sweet 16.


5. Syracuse Orange
Last Year:27-8
League: Big East
Studs: Kris Joseph Sr. F, Scoop Jardine, Sr. G, Brandon Triche, Jr. G
In the midst of all the Bernie Fine controversy, Cuse arguably has the best team they've had since the Carmelo days. The main reason is their depth. They don't have a 1st Team All-American on the roster (although Joseph has been really good so far), but they can bring guys like Dion Waiters, C.J. Fair, and James Southerland off the bench, offsetting any foul trouble concerns and letting Boeheim play whoever has the hot hand. Jardine and Triche are the major keys, and if they step it up and can knock down shots from the perimeter, combining with all the size in the middle of their 2-3 zone, then Cuse is a legit national title threat. I'm very curious how it turns out tonight against Florida, as they have the guards to test the zone.

4. UCONN Huskies
Last Year:32-9 (National Champs)
League: Big East
Studs: Jeremy Lamb, Soph. G, Shabazz Napier, Soph. G, Andre Drummond, Frosh. C
The loss to UCF notwithstanding, UCONN still has the potential to be extremely good this year. One reason is the emergence of Lamb into maybe the best player in college ball, instead of just Kemba's loyal sidekick. Napier has also improved greatly, and now with Ryan Boatright back from suspension, they have the guard play that you need. Chemistry might be an issue, as Alex Oriakhi has been bitching on twitter about playing time already. Drummond is obviously a huge talent, but his numbers haven't been that great so far other than his 2.9 blocks a game. This happens in the pros all the time, as once a team wins a championship, the dreaded "disease of more" rears its ugly head. People want more shots, more playing time etc, forgetting the sacrifices they made to win it all. It will be interesting to see what direction Calhoun goes with his rotation
and whether the Oriakhi's and the Roscoe Smith's of the world can handle losing minutes after starting on a National Title team.

3. Ohio St. Buckeyes
Last Year:34-3
League: Big 10
Studs: Jared Sullinger, Soph. F, William Buford, Sr. G, Aaron Craft, Soph. G
It's amazing that this is a team that only has one senior and one junior, yet they play like they have all upperclassmen. Craft might be the most improved player in all the land, and so far the slimmed down Sullinger has averaged 19 and 10 boards. There's so much talent on the bench, it bears watching whether Thad Matta extends his rotation and plays 9-10 guys instead of the 7 that he usually employs. It's working right now with 7, and as Deshaun Thomas continues to be that third scorer to go along with Buford and Sullinger, and Craft continues to be an absolute pest on defense, the Buckeyes have to be a clear cut favorite in the Big 10, and right now is probably the best team in the country.


2. Kentucky Wildcats
Last Year:29-9
League: SEC
Studs: Terrence Jones, Soph. F, Doron Lamb, Soph. G, Anthony Davis, Frosh. C

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Don't get me wrong, I still don't like Coach Cal and am not a big fan of Kentucky much like in years past. I can't wait for Carolina to beat their asses tomorrow on their own floor. I did however catch myself smiling as a basketball fan watching the second half of their game against Kansas a couple of weeks ago. It's as though Calipari had a gigantic cattle prod, with he used to collectively poke the whole team into playing an absolute dominant half of basketball. They have size, athleticism, speed, swagger, shooting, and could honestly go undeafeated if they beat UNC. They are also very young and with that, prone to having a bad game or 5. I think the two most important "glue guy" type of players that will determine their fate will be Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Darius Miller. Miller isn't shooting the ball well (24% from deep) and has lost his starting spot as a senior, which isn't always easy to take no matter how much of a team guy you are. He was the SEC tourney MVP last year, and has played with a who's who of NBA players in the last two seasons. If they get him going, he and Lamb give Kentucky the shooting they need. MKG will be the defensive stopper that can lock down four positions. I'm really hyped to see how he does against Harrison Barnes tomorrow. The ceiling is unlimited, but I hope Calipari finds a way to fuck it up.

1. UNC TarHeels
Last Year:29-8
League: ACC
Studs: The Whole Roster
I'm going to divide my UNC analysis into two parts, what my head says and what my heart says.

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Heart: When Harrison Barnes came back to school, it all but wrapped up the national title race before the season even started. Kendall Marshall is the best college point guard passer since Jason Kidd. John Henson is a freak of nature who will average 15 rebounds and 5 blocks a game. Tyler Zeller is going to average 20 and 10, and P.J. Hairston and James Michael McAdoo will dominate playing 15 minutes a game. Dexter Strickland will be the "Dex Factor" all year, and will shut down whatever guard he needs to. Carolina won't lose in the ACC and is going to romp to the championship with ease.

Head: Pump the breaks, losing to UNLV and allowing them to get whatever shot they wanted all over the court does not make you a national championship contender. Losing Leslie McDonald's shooting and leadership is going to hurt more than they realize. Marshall still can't shoot, Barnes is still a little inconsistent, and Zeller is still getting bullied inside. McAddo looks lost, Reggie Bullock isn't all the way back from injury, and God help us if teams decide to play "Hack a Shaq" defense on Henson.

The answer, as always lies somewhere in the middle. Carolina is still really good, and still has to be considered a firm Championship contender. There are little things that worry me however. Tomorrow will tell a lot. In terms of how I actually feel about the TarHeels chances, I'd go with the heart argument. I've never been very good at using my brain, so why start now.

College Basketball Preview: Verse 3

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20. Wisconsin Badgers:
Last Year: 25-9
League: Big 10
Studs: Jordan Taylor, Sr. G, Josh Gasser, Soph. G, Mike Bruesewitz, Jr. F
I feel stupid picking Wisconsin here, but then again I feel stupid for not putting them higher. No matter what they lose, they seem to always plug guys in to run their swing offense and end up ranked most of the season. Jordan Taylor is back and he's a potential All-American. Mike Bruesewitz had a nice NCAA tourney, and he has cool hair. Other than that, you're guess is as good as mine. Gasser could be very important, as he blended in for the most part, but had his moments like posting a triple-double in one game, and hitting a buzzer beater against Michigan. If Gasser plays the Jeff Ament role to Taylor's Vedder, then don't sleep on the Badgers.

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19. UCLA Bruins
Last Year: 23-11
League: Pac 10
Studs: Reeves Nelson, Jr. F, Joshua Smith, Soph. C, Lazeric Jones, Sr. G
It's good to see the Pac 12 back to being somewhat relevent once again. Two years ago was brutal, as the Mountain West was arguably better. Zona made some noise last year, and now they've got 4 teams in my Top 25. As for the Bruins, they have maybe the best frontline outside of UNC and Kentucky. Smith will be huge, literally and figuratively, but if he can keep his weight down and his stamina up, he'll be a difference maker. Nelson has a nice David Lee type of game, and his 14 and 9 from last year will go up with Tyler Honeycutt gone. The guards are the key. If they get anything from Jones, and newcomers Norman Powell and De'End Parker, this will be the best UCLA team since the Kevin Love-Russell Westbrook days. 

18. Xavier Musketeers
Last Year: 24-8
League: Atlantic 10
Studs: Tu Holloway, Sr. G, Mark Lyons, Jr. G, Kenny Frease, Sr. C
Why Terrell Holloway changed his name to Tu, I do not know. Why he came back to school is because he has a chance to carry the flag for the next potential mid-major juggernaut and have an iconic senior season to boot. Getting Brad Redford back is large because he can hit 3's, and last time I checked this is a pretty important aspect of college basketball. Frease is suspended right now, but if/when they get him back, they'll have the guards and a big man to make a nice little run and get back in the Sweet 16, if not further.

17. Florida State Seminoles
Last Year: 23-11
League: ACC
Studs: Bernard James, Sr. C, Michael Snaer, Jr. G, Ian Miller, Soph. G
I'd say I'm swinging for the fences here a little bit with this pick, but in actuality, the rest of America is just not paying attention. It's almost hurting FSU that the ACC has been so horrid outside of Chapel Hill and Durham the last couple of years that it has put a bias in peoples brains that their can't be another good team from this conference. Last time I checked, the Seminoles went to the Sweet 16 last year, only lost Chris Singleton (who they played most of the season without anyway), and Derwin Kitchen. Everyone else is back, they are a matchup problem for everyone they play against with their size, and have two highly regarded guards in Snaer and Miller that are poised to make the leap. As a Carolina fan, they scare the shit out of me.

16. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Last Year: 25-10
League:WCC
Studs: Elias Harris, Jr. F, Robert Sacre, Sr. C, Marquise Carter, Sr. G
Pretty amazing that a college basketball preview paying homage subliminally to Seattle grunge rock has Gonzaga only 16th. (To be fair, they're located in Spokane. So I should have said this about Washington. My bad). The Zags best player probably should be in the NBA by now, but Elias Harris regressed quite a bit last year. If he's healthy, and can regain his play of his freshman year, the Bulldogs will run through the WCC. Throw in Bobby Sacre, John Stockton's kid, and a couple of highly regarded freshman guards in Gary Bell and Aussie Kevin Pangos, and just sit back and watch the Zags put together they're usual 25 win season.

15. Arizona Wildcats
Last Year: 30-8
League: Pac 12
Studs: Kyle Fogg, Sr. G, Jordan Hill, Jr. F, Jesse Perry, Sr. F
This is the only team that I've had the chance to see play, and so far I'm not impressed. I think this ranking is about right however, because the pieces are definitely in place for Arizona to win the Pac 12. Jesse Perry has had double-figure rebound games in the first two, proving maybe that he can pick up where Derrick Williams left off. Zona is loaded with freshman, and I like what I've seen out of Nick Johnson and Angelo Chol so far. They still need to get athletic wing Kevin Parrom back (he got shot), and when they do, they'll be rolling. Lots of depth, Sean Miller as a coach, and the number one recruiting class next year have people in Tuscon thinking championships again.

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14. Michigan Wolverienes
Last Year: 21-14
League: Big 10
Studs: Tim Hardaway Jr. Soph. G, Jordan Morgan, Soph. C, Zach Novak, Sr. G
This really has no reason to be in this post, but I can't wait for "White Thunder", aka Mitch McGary to suit up in the Maize and Blue next season. He broke a damned backboard already and he's like 17. Anywhoo, This seasons Michigan squad will feature Tim Hardaway Jr, a taller and better scoring version of his famous father. Hardaway had a break out freshman campaign, and good be a First Team All Big 10 player if things break right. Morgan showed flashes of being a legit big man, and with a plethora of role players that can all shoot, as Beilein's teams tend to need in his system, Michigan can maybe challenge Ohio St. and be an Elite 8 team.

13. Mississippi State Bulldogs
Last Year: 17-14
League: SEC
Studs: Dee Bost, Sr. G, Renardo Sidney, Jr. F, Arnett Moultrie, Jr. F
Alright so MSU has already lost to Akron. And this is probably way too high for them to be ranked. I almost changed my whole rankings and reevaluated ever writing about basketball ever again. But then I realized, it's one game. This pick is based upon potential anyway, and I never said they would be undefeated heading into the SEC slate. The reason I have them this high is because I'm drinking the Renardo Sidney koolaid. I'm banking on him finally getting it together, being a dominant force, and combining with UTEP transfer Moultrie to cause some havoc mixing it up with the Kentucky's and Vandy's of the world. Dee Bost is undervalued, as I remember him going blow for blow with John Wall in the SEC Championship two years ago. Throw in a 6'8 freshman shooter in Rodney Hood, and you have a team that is being slept on, that could be dynamic, throwing another wrinkle in what could be a 5 team SEC race.

12. Memphis Tigers
Last Year: 25-10
League: Conference USA
Studs: Joe Jackson, Soph. G, Will Barton, Soph. G, Wesley Witherspoon, Sr. F
All the hype surrounding Memphis is with their sophomore class. The key for the Tigers is Witherspoon however. He started out last year as the best player on the team, then got suspended, turning into a role player. He's a talented underachiever that hasn't fufilled expectations( there seems to be a theme here with he extolling the virtues of these type of players. Maybe it's like looking in a mirror for me), but if Memphis gets anything from him, in addition to all of the sophomores getting a lot better with a year under their belt, Memphis could be in the Final Four.

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11. Louisville Cardinals,
Last Year: 25-10
League: Big East
Studs: Peyton Siva, Jr. G, Kyle Kuric, Sr. G, Chane Benahan, Frosh. F
It's argued that Louisville was a year ahead of schedule being as good as they were last year. Losing freshman Wayne Blackshear to injury will hurt them, but they get back Jared Swopshire after a medical redshirt, so this should cancel this out a bit. Elsewhere, Louisville is stupid deep, they have the best white boy dunker in the country in Kuric (Notre Dame's Scott Martin is still having nightmares), and a bunch of quality wings to go along with him. Two large variables to keep an eye on will be; how good can Peyton Siva be as a point guard and as a leader, and can they get Gorgui Dieng to protect the rim like Terrance Jennings did. If Siva and Dieng can do this, and Benahan becomes a go to scorer like he has been in the exhibition games, then Louisville will be a national factor.

College Basketball Preview: Verse 2

                                                               Verse 2

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30. Temple Owls
Last Year: 26-8
League: Atlantic 10
Studs: Ramone Moore, Sr. G, Scootie Randall, Sr. F, Juan Fernandez, Sr. G
Temple returns a wealth of experience, specificly at the guard position. They can go 5 deep in the backcourt with the above mentioned, plus Aaron Brown and Khalf Wyatt. The key will be replacing the production of Lavoy Allen inside. If Rahir Jefferson improves, and if Michael Eric can come back from the injury that ended his season, Temple could definitely give Xavier a run in the A10. Bill Cosby nods approvingly.

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29. Cincinnati Bearcats
Last Year: 26-9
League: Big East
Studs: Yancy Gates, Sr. F, Dion Dixon, Sr. G, Sean Kilpatrick, Soph. G
I never really bought in on Cincy being any good last year, as they cracked the top 25 without playing anyone of consequencet. They suprised me however by going 11-7 in league play, and now bring back the core group from that team. They need Gates to consistently dominate, and PG Cashmere Wright needs to score the ball more for Cincy to move up.

28. Missouri Tigers
Last Year:23-11
League: Big 12
Studs: Marcus Denmon, Sr. G, Kim English, Sr. G, Ricardo Ratliffe, Sr. F
Mizzou would be a lot higher if Laurence Bowers had not gone down with an ACL injury. They're bringing in Frank Haith from Miami, meaning they have to learn a different system. Denmon was one of the most efficient guards in all the land last year, and Flip Pressey has the tools to be the best point guard in the Big 12. If Haith can get the seniors to buy in, and Mizzou finds someone to help Ratliffe down low, they might not slip as much as I think they will.

27. Michigan State Spartans
Last Year: 19-15
League: Big 10
Studs: Draymond Green, Sr. F, Keith Appling, Soph. G, Adreian Payne, Soph. C
This just feels like one of those years where no one excepts much from Michigan St, yet they'll somehow go on some run and get hot in March after losing 12 games in the regular season. No one is talking about them that much, which I'm sure after last years high expectations, is right where Izzo wants to be. Green is an outstanding player even though he's not gettting much NBAt love from the mock drafts of the world. He's an all-around threat, and is also a better leader than any of the seniors last year. If Payne and a slimmed down Derrick Nix can make this a vintage "kick everybody's ass on the boards" type of sqaud, and Appling can handle the point, I wouldn't bet against ole Sparty.

26. Kansas Jayhawks
Last Year: 35-3
League: Big 12
Studs: Thomas Robinson, Jr. F, Tyshawn Taylor, Sr. G, Elijah Johnson, Jr. G
This is where Kansas should be ranked. Not 13 or 12 like the preseason polls say. I wouldn't be suprised if Kentucky beats them by 30 next week. They have Robinson, an inconsistent underachiever in Taylor, and a low impact recruiting class. I know everyone is saying "but it's Kansas." It doesn't matter. Even I feel stupid having them this high. This feels a lot like when Carolina was terrible two years ago. Sometimes the blue bloods fall, and when they do, they fall hard. Sorry Kansas, it's not going to be a good year in Jayhawk land.

25. Alabama Crimson Tide
Last Year: 25-12
League: SEC
Studs: JaMychel Green, Sr. F, Tony Mitchell, Jr. F, Trevor Releford, Soph. G
I never really saw Bama play last year, but from what I've read they were prettty good. The run in the NIT was a nice stepping stone for what should be an even better year for Anthony Grant's team. Green played really well for the National Team this summer, and Releford had a steady hand as a first year point guard. The key will be how well freshman Levi Randolph and Trevor Lacey get acclimated to what will be a great SEC this year.

24. Marquette Golden Eagles
Last Year: 22-15
League: Big East
Studs: Darius Johnson-Odom, Sr. G, Jae Crowder, Sr. F, Vander Blue, Soph. G
This is the portion of the program where Marquette alum and father to be Dan Brody reads where I pick Marquette, then checks out to go do lab work or something. (He's a Chem grad student at Pitt, and also my brother, for those scoring at home). I love Buzz Williams, and DJO would be a top 10 pick if he was 6'6 instead of 6'2. Marquette has a lot of new pieces to incorporate into their offense, but the talent is there. Obviously the Big East is loaded, but Marquette will be a factor come March.

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23. Texas A&M Aggies
Last Year: 24-9
League: Big 12
Studs: Khris Middleton, . G, David Loubeau, Sr. F, Elston Turner, Jr. G
A&M has been consistently solid the last couple of seasons. They haven't been great, but they've been in or around the top 25. Now they lose Mark Turgeon to Maryland, and have questions with the health of new coach Billy Kennedy. I still think they have a chance to be just as good as anybody in the Big 12 outside of maybe Baylor, but Middleton is going to have to take the leap for that to happen. Keep an eye on bigs Ray Turner and Kourtney Roberson. If they can combine for about 15 boards a game, the Aggies will be really good.

22. Cal Golden Bears
Last Year: 18-15
League: Pac 10
Studs: Jorge Guiterrez, Sr. G, Harper Kamp, Sr. F, Allen Crabbe, Soph. G
Cal brings about everyone of merit back from last year's team that probably overachieved a bit. Guitierrez was the glue guy/defensive stopper on the team that gave Duke a run in the round of 32 two years ago. He evolved into one of the better all-around players in the Pac 12 last year, and combined with Kamp and Allen Crabbe forms a really solid nucleus. Minnesota transfer Justin Cobbs impact will go a long way as the Pac 12 race is wide open.

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21. Washington Huskies
Last Year: 24-11
League: Pac 10
Studs: Terrence Ross, Soph. G, Abdul Gaddy, Jr. G, Tony Wroten, Frosh. G
UDub loses one of my favorite college basketball players of the last couple of years in Isaiah Thomas. I really wish he would have stayed in school, but the Huskies are more than set at that position with returnee Abdul Gaddy, and freshman Tony Wroten. The Grunge Capitol also gets Terrence Ross back, who is actually a lot more similar in skill to Jeremy Lamb than people think. Ross may be the POY in the league when its all said and done. Washington will struggle some early with not much inside, but I look for them to have a good March, as they've had the last couple of years.

NFC Midseason Power Rankings

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It took a while longer than I had planned, but I magicly went from working 22 hours a week to being told I can't work my whole shift on Tuesday because I was on pace for about 46 hours for the week on Tuesday. Needless to say, the blog has suffered, but with it now being the midway point of the NFL sesaon, it's time for me to weigh in about the conference of my beloved Chicago Bears, and the conference where the majority of the people would be reading this favorite teams reside. I'm going to go with the same format as my AFC post a couple of weeks ago, with my 16-1 ranking of the teams, followed by my All-Division squads.

16. Arizona (1-6): I think it's safe to say that paying Kevin Kolb big money wasn't the answer. I thought the Cards would be a lot better, but the bigger names on their defense have pretty much done nothing.

15. St.Louis (1-6): The schedule gets easier, and the addition of Brandon Lloyd was a nice touch, but the Rams have dug themselves too much of a hole to do anything. I thought Sam Bradford would be better by now.

14. Washington(3-4): These will be the most satisfying 50 or so words I type throughout this post. I'm literally smiling as I type this. The Skins are heading for about a 5-11 finish as the "Deadly Duo" consisting of Wrecks Grossman (If I ever start a garage band, this is what I'm calling it), and John Beck suprising no one by being catastrophicly terrible. They lost Santana Moss, Chris Cooley, and Tim Hightower within a span of two weeks. If I had to grope around for a silver lining, I'd say that Ryan Kerrigan has been a nice compliment in the 3-4 to Brian Orakpo. But I'd be unsafely stretching it to find much else.

13. Seattle(2-5): After his epic playoff run, I thought Marshawn Lynch would be able to parlay that into a 1,000 yard season. I thought wrong. Whoever thought getting a starting QB with the first name Tavaris was a good idea should not be employed anymore. (Notice a trend here: If your QB sucks, you're team is probably going to suck. I don't need ESPN's "Year of the Quarterback " series to tell me this).

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12. Carolina(2-6): The future looks bright for a team that honestly could be 4-4 if they could close out games. Obviously Cam Newton has been spectacular, but so has Steve Smith, who's destined to be remembered as someone who would have been a first ballot Hall of Famer, if he had a decent QB all these years. Charles Johnson has been quietly living up to his huge contract, and James Anderson, Chris Gamble, have been solid on D.

11. Minnesota(2-6): Take away Jared Allen and Adrian Peterson and they would be 0-16. Outside of Percy Harvin and the other two, they really have nothing else of merit on their roster.

10. Dallas(3-4): I thought Dallas would be a lot higher after they hung with New England for about 59 minutes, but they regressed terribly against the "Dream Team" Sunday night. Sean Lee was having a great year, and now might be out for the year, leaving Keith Brooking and Bradie James as their LB's. This isn't 2006, so that's not good news. DeMarcus Ware can't play 1 on 11.

9. Tampa Bay(4-3): The Bucs are still really young, and they play like it at times. They have a bunch of young playmakers on D, and they need Josh Freeman to play like the Josh Freeman of last year to make the playoffs.

8. Atlanta(4-3): I'm still not sure what to think about the Dirty Birds. Roddy White doesn't look like he's healthy, but Michael Turner, Tony Gonzalez, and Julio Jones have been solid. Sean Weatherspoon has been a tackling machine for the D.

7. Chicago(4-3): I wanted to put my boys in the top 3, but let's let them win a couple more games before they make the jump. Can the front office please fucking pay Matt Forte whatever he wants? For the love of God, I love watching his evolution from decent running back to superstar.

6. Detroit(6-2): I'm starting to hate these guys just as much as Green Bay, which means that they are no longer the "Harmless Detroit Lions". Their pass rush is downright scary, as is that Megatron guy. I'm still waiting for the inevitable Matthew Stafford injury.

5. San Francisco(6-1): I'm still not sold, but I'm getting there. With the division being as terrible as it is, I can see the Niners ripping off a 12-4 or 13-3 record, followed by losing a home playoff game. Alex Smith is still your QB San Fran, just remember that before you get too uppity.

4. N.Y. Giants(5-2): Is Eli Manning really turning into an elite QB? The numbers say so, and he's been playing better than he ever has. The secondary has been playing really well, and with Pierre-Paul, Osi, and Justin Tuck coming back from injury, their pass rush is among the best in football.

3. Philly(3-4): Despite the shitty record, you can't tell me this isn't arguably the most talented team in the NFC. What you saw last week against Dallas is what you can expect the rest of the season, as Andy Reid's teams always seem to gel around this time of the year.

2. New Orleans(5-3): The Saints are still number two even after their meltdown against the Rams last week. Jimmy Graham is now the best TE in football, the offense as a whole has about 5-6 weapons, and S Roman Harper has 4.5 sacks from his Safety spot.

1. Green Bay(7-0): I hate the Packers, and I hate them even more because they are the best team in football. I feel dirty that Aaron Rogers might help me win 700 bucks in one of my fantasy leagues.


All NFC East:

QB: Eli Manning, Giants
RB: Leshaun McCoy, Eagles
RB: Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants
WR: Jeremy Maclin, Eagles
WR: Miles Austin, Cowboys
WR: Hakeem Nicks, Giants
TE: Jason Witten, Cowboys

DE: Jason Pierre-Paul, Giants
DT: Cullen Jenkins, Eagles
DT: Chris Neild, Redskins
DE: Jason Babin, Eagles
LB: DeMarcus Ware, Cowboys
LB: Sean Lee, Cowboys
LB: Ryan Kerrigan, Redskins
LB: Anthony Spencer, Cowboys
CB: Aaron Ross, Giants
CB: Corey Webster, Giants
S:  Kenny Phillips, Giants
S: Antrelle Rolle, Giants

MVP: Leshaun McCoy: Has easily become one of the best running backs in the NFL, and has been the main weapon on the emerging Philly Offense.

Defensive Player of the Year: Jason Pierre-Paul: Not even listed as a starter, Pierre-Paul gets the slight nod here over DeMarcus Ware and Jason Babin. JPP has 9 sacks and 11 TFL's.

Rookie of the Year: Ryan Kerrigan: The Skins are terrible, but Kerrigan has been a bright spot as he and Brian Orakpo have been solid for a D that isn't that bad.

All NFC North

QB: Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay
RB: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota
RB: Matt Forte, Chicago
WR: Calvin Johnson, Detroit
WR: Greg Jennings, Green Bay
WR: Jordy Nelson, Green Bay
TE: Jermichael Finley, Green Bay

DE: Jared Allen, Minnesota
DT: Henry Melton, Chicago
DT: Ndamagong Suh, Detroit
DE: Kyle Vanden Bosch, Detroit
LB: Desmond Bishop, Green Bay
LB: Lance Briggs, Chicago
LB: Brian Urlacher, Chicago
LB: Clay Matthews, Green Bay
CB: Chris Houston, Detroit
CB: Charles Woodson, Green Bay
S: Morgan Burnett, Green Bay
S: Amari Spievey, Detroit

MVP: Calvin Johnson: Megatron gets the nod barely over Aaron Rodgers. At least the Bears get to play both of them twice a year.

Defensive Player of the Year: Jared Allen: 12.5 sacks, 10 TFL's and 3 forced fumbles for the best DE in football. He's also doing it with less help than ever with the "Williams Wall" only consisting of an aging Kevin Williams.

Rookie of the Year: Randall Cobb: He's been quiet lately on a team with too many weapons to mention, but in division without any real impact rookies, he gets the nod.

All NFC South

QB: Cam Newton, Carolina
RB: Michael Turner, Atlanta
RB: Darren Sproles, New Orleans
WR: Steve Smith, Carolina
WR: Roddy White, Atlanta
WR: Robert Meachem, New Orleans
TE: Jimmy Graham, New Orleans

DE: Charles Johnson, Carolina
DT: Peria Jerry, Atlanta
DT: Brian Price, Tampa Bay
DE: John Abraham, Atlanta
LB: Sean Weatherspoon, Atlanta
LB: Curtis Lofton, Atlanta
LB: James Anderson, Carolina
LB: Stephen Nicholas, Atlanta
CB: Jabari Greer, New Orleans
CB: Brent Grimes, Atlanta
S: Roman Harper, New Orleans
S: Sherrod Martin, Carolina

MVP: Cam Newton: Despite the Panthers record, Cam has been spectacular. I thought he would be good, but I don't know if anyone thought he'd be this good, this early.

Defensive Player of the Year: Charles Johnson: Johnson still is kind of under the radar, but he's been making plays and living up to the hype of the big contract he signed.

Rookie of the Year: Newton.

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All NFC West

QB: Kevin Kolb, Arizona
RB: Beanie Wells, Arizona
RB: Frank Gore, San Francisco
WR: Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona
WR: Ted Ginn, San Francisco
WR: Sidney Rice, Seattle
TE: Vernon Davis, San Francisco

DE: Chris Clemons, Seattle
DT: David Carter, Arizona
DT: Justin Bannan, St. Louis
DE: Justin Smith, San Francisco
LB: Patrick Willis, San Francisco
LB: Navarro Bowman, San Francisco
LB: Paris Haralson, San Francisco
LB: Aldon Smith, San Francisco
CB: Carlos Rogers, San Francisco
CB: A.J. Jefferson, Arizona
S: Adrian Wilson, Arizona
S: Kam Chancellor, Seattle

MVP: Beanie Wells: Good lord this division is terrible. Wells gets the edge over Frank Gore just barely. Wells has 506 yards on the ground and 7 TD's for an Arizona team that should be better.

Defensive Player of the Year: Patrick Willis: San Fran's D has been the catalyst to the Niners 6-1 start. The LB's have been playing out of their noggins, and Willis is still the leader of this emerging unit.

Rookie of the Year: Aldon Smith: Smith came out of college kind of undervalued, but he's got 6.5 sacks for San Fran.

College Basketball Preview: Verse 1

cre·scen·do

noun

Music.

a.

a gradual, steady increase in loudness or force.

b.

a musical passage characterized by such an increase.

c.

the performance of a crescendo passage: The crescendo by the violins is too abrupt.

2.

a steady increase in force or intensity: The rain fell in a crescendo on the rooftops.

3.

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the climactic point or moment in such an increase; peak: The authorities finally took action when public outrage reached a crescendo. (http://www.dictionary.com/)

                                                       

It's time for college basketball, and I'm going to start slow with my top 40, beginning today with my 40-31 ranked teams, some of whom I don't know too much about. I'm going to pick up the intensity over the next couple of days as I get into my top 25, as I know a lot more about the majority of those teams. Hence the definition at the beginning of this post. While I might not have much to say about the St.Mary's and the Long Beach State's of the world, I can and will make a lot of noise once we get to the Duke, UNC, and Kentucky portions of the program. Without further ado, my top 40.

40. Creighton Blue Jays
Last Year: 23-16
League: Missouri Valley
Studs: Doug McDermott, Soph. F, Antoine Young, Sr. G, Gregory Echenique, Jr. C
All I know is that Harrison Barnes' ex high school teammate McDermott blew up this summer playing for the U19 national team. Combine that with Young, and former Rutgers player Echenique and you have a team that not only is a threat in the Valley, but also could do some damage nationally. Gonzaga transfer Grant Gibbs will add another option on the perimeter.

 39. Long Beach St. 49ers
Last Year: 22-12
League: Big West
Studs: Casper Ware, Sr. G, Larry Anderson, Sr. F, T.J. Robinson  Sr. F

The 49ers have former Gonzaga and Minnesota coach Dan Monson at the helm, and possibly the best player in the league in Ware. They've been waging war with UC Santa Barbara in the Big West the past couple of seasons, and I look for this year to be breakthrough time. Plus I'd pay money to see both Snoop sitting courside behind their bench at the tourney, followed by Gus Johnson making obscure hip hop references throughout the telecast.

                                              

 38. St. Mary's Gaels
Last Year: 25-9 
League: WCC
Studs: Matthew Dellavadova Jr. G, Rob Jones, Sr. F, Mitchell Young, Jr. F

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The Gaels have been around before, and are once again Aussie heavy with their lineup. Dellavadova was their point guard on the Sweet 16 team two years ago, and Jones averaged 14 pts and 8 rbs as an undersized post player last season. Their RPI will be better with BYU joining the conference.

37. Purdue Boliermakers
Last Year: 26-8
League: Big 10
Studs: Robbie Hummel, Sr. F, Lewis Jackson, Sr. G, Ryne Smith, Sr. G
The major key with the Boilers will be how much Hummel has left after two knee surgeries. If he can regain the form of two years ago, when he was arguably the best player on a team with two future pros (Etwan Moore and Jajuan Johnson), then Purdue can be a factor in the Big 10. They have pretty much everyone back except for Moore and Johnson, so this could be a team that jumps much higher than this ranking.

36. Kansas St. Wildcats
Last Year: 23-11
League: Big 12
Studs: Rodney McGruder Jr. G, Jamar Samuels, Sr. F, Jordan Henriquez, Jr. C

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I picked Kansas St. to go to the Final 4 last preseason, and they basically didn't get their collective shit together until the very end of the year. Losing Jacob Pullen and Curtis Kelly will hurt them, but I think with Frank Martin scaring referees and his players all season, they won't slip as much as people may think. It also might be a matter of addtion by subtraction, as the seniors looked a bit distracted last year. I look for McGruder to break out and become a star, and the Wildcats to finish in the upper half of a wide open Big 12.

35. Butler Bulldogs
Last Year: 28-10
League: Horizon
Studs: Robert Nored, Sr. G, Andrew Smith, Jr. C, Khyle Marshall, Soph. F
As we know from the past two seasons, this is probably way too low of a ranking. The Dawgs have one of the best coaches in the country, and while they've lost a lot, they have a roster littered with deep tourney experience. Hopefully Nored found a jumpshot this summer, because outside of that problem, he's an ideal point guard and leader. Marshall gained valuable experience playing overseas with the U19's, and look for newcomers Roosevelt Jones and Jackson Aldridge to make an impact before all is said and done. Sleep on Butler at your own peril.

34. Oklahoma St. Cowboys
Last Year: 20-14
League: Big 12
Studs: LeBryan Nash, Frosh. F, Keiton Page, Sr. G, J.P. Olukemi, Jr. G/F
I'm taking a big leap of faith in the abilities of Nash with this pick. I think in a balanced league that lost a lot of talent to the NBA, that he'll come in and have a huge impact. Page is smaller than me, but makes plays and has range from 30 feet in. If they get bruiser Darrell Williams back from legal troubles, and contributions from JC transfer Phillip Jurick, they'll have two big bodies to go along with the skill on the wings. I'm loving the Big 12 race already.

 33. UNLV Runnin' Rebels
Last Year: 24-9
League: Mountain West
Studs: Chace Stanback, Sr. F, Oscar Bellfield, Sr. G, Anthony Marshall, Jr. G
New Coach Dave Rice inherits four starters back from a team that was pretty good last season living in the shadows of Jimmer and San Diego St. Rice played on the Rebs' early 90's teams, as has vowed to put the Run back in the Runnin' Rebels. They have a little bit of everything with experienced guards combined with impressive size up front. Stanback has the ability to be conference player of the year, and with their depth, UNLV should compete with New Mexico for the top spot in the conference.

 32. Illinois Fighting Illini
Last Year: 20-14
League: Big 10
Studs: Brandon Paul, Jr. G, D.J.Richardson, Jr. G, Meyers Leonard, Soph. C
Another addition by subtraction team, as the Illini lost a ton, but it could be for the best. All of last years seniors underperformed for much of the season, leaving Illinois with a new group that, best case scenario, will gell and play with much more intensity. Noted Chicago Area talent scout Wayne Brody (my father who goes to a shit ton of high school games in Illinois) says that the class they brought in is really good. I grew up going to Chicago Catholic League games throughout my early childhood, and Illinois brought in 3 players from that conference in Tracy Abrams (Mt. Carmel), Mike Shaw(De La Salle) and Nnanna Egwu( St. Ignatius). This has to count for something.

31. New Mexico Lobos
Last Year: 22-13
League: Mountain West
Studs: Drew Gordon, Sr. F, Phillip McDonald, Sr. G, Kendall Williams, Soph. G
After a great season two seasons ago, New Mexico fell back a bit last season, missing the tournament. They'll be much better now, with Gordon likely battling with UNLV's Stanback for The Jimmer Fredette Memorial Cultural Phenom Player of the Year Trophy (I renamed it). The Lobos are a little guard heavy, and they need senior A.J. Hardeman to help Gordon with the dirty work.