Sports talk with Lantz-a-lot

College Hoops Rankings

2011-01-31T16:08:00.000-08:00

Ohio State
Kansas
Texas
Pitt
Duke
UConn
San Diego State
Notre Dame
BYU
Louisville
Purdue
Georgetown
Kentucky
Villanova
Texas A&M
Missouri
Syracuse
Wisconsin
Minnesota
Washington
Utah State
Illinois
Vanderbilt
Arizona
North Carolina

Conference Breakdown: Big East

2010-12-11T10:48:00.000-08:00

1. Georgetown
2. Pittsburgh
3. Syracuse
4. Villanova
5. Connecticut
6. Notre Dame
7. Louisville
8. West Virginia
9. Marquette
10. Seton Hall
11. Cincinnati
12. Providence
13. St. Johns
14. South Florida
15. Rutgers
16. DePaul

The Big East will be strong as usual and yet again very deep. Top to Bottom the Big East will be very good. Right now the Big East has 6 teams in the AP top 25 including UConn, Georgetown and Notre Dame. Don't be surprised if St. Johns has a good year under new coach Steve Lavin. The conference will most likely get their usual 7-8 teams in the NCAA tournament. Pitt, UConn and Georgetown should all be much improved from last year and Syracuse and Villanova bring back good cores to be top ten teams. This race will be an exciting one to watch with so many good teams in the Big East. I think that the big three of Chris Wright, Austin Freeman and Jason Clark for Georgetown will be too good to stop. All three guys are tremendous shooters and have big game experience. The Big East will have another great season of basketball.

First Team:
G – Kemba Walker, CONN
G – Austin Freeman, GTOWN
G – Jeremy Hazell, HALL
F – Kris Joseph, SYR
F – Rick Jackson, SYR

Second Team:
G – Chris Wright, GTOWN
G – Corey Fisher, NOVA
G – Ashton Gibbs, PITT
F – Kevin Jones, WVU
F – Antonio Peña, NOVA

Third Team:
G – Scoop Jardine, SYR
G – Ben Hansbrough, ND
G – Brad Wanamaker, PITT
F – Jimmy Butler, MARQ
F – Tim Abromaitis, ND

Honorable Mention:
Jason Clark, GTOWN
D.J. Kennedy, SJU
Herb Pope, HALL
Marshon Brooks, PROV
Corey Stokes, NOVA

Conference Breakdown: Big Ten

2010-12-06T13:44:00.000-08:00

1. Michigan State
2. Ohio State
3. Purdue
4. Illinois
5. Wisconsin
6. Northwestern
7. Minnesota
8. Michigan
9. Indiana
10. Penn State
11. Iowa

The Big Ten may surprisingly be the best conference this year. Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Illinois and Minnesota are all in the top 25 and are all well coached. I'd say that as far as top guns goes the Big Ten is the best right now. They may not be as deep as the Big East, but they have a lot of fire power at the top. Northwestern and Wisconsin should also have strong campaigns this season. If Robbie Hummel had stayed healthy I would have considered Purdue as one of my favorites to reach the Championship. They are still a good team with E'twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson and still have a very good chance of winning the conference. I believe it will be a battle to the end to see who wins the conference. Don't be surprised if Illinois threatens for the title as well. I think that Michigan State, Ohio State and Purdue are elite teams and will fight it out. In the end Michigan State has too much experience and too much talent and too good of a coach.

First Team:
G - Kalin Lucas, MSU
G - E'Twaun Moore, PUR
F - Draymond Green, MSU
F - Jared Sullinger, OSU
C - JaJuan Johnson, PUR

Second Team:
G - Demetri McCamey, ILL
G - Talor Battle, PSU
F - Jon Leuer, WIS
F - John Shurna, NW
C - Mike Tisdale, ILL

Third Team:
G - Verdell Jones III, IND
G - Michael Thompson, NW
G - Durrell Summers, MSU
F - David Lighty, OSU
F - Mike Davis, ILL

Week 5 College Basketball Rankings

2010-12-06T12:55:00.000-08:00

Duke Blue Devils 8-0
Ohio State Buckeyes 6-0
Pittsburgh Panthers 9-0
Kansas Jayhawks 7-0
Kansas State Wildcats 7-1
Syracuse Orange 7-0
Baylor Bears 6-0
UConn Huskies 7-0
Michigan State Spartans 6-2
Georgetown Hoyas 8-0
Villanova Wildcats 6-1
Tennessee Volunteers 6-0
Missouri Tigers 6-1
Illinois Fighting Illini 8-1
San Diego State Aztecs 8-0
Purdue Boilermakers 7-1
Kentucky Wildcats 5-2
Memphis Tigers 7-0
Minnesota Golden Gophers 7-1
BYU Cougars 8-0
Washington Huskies 5-2
Notre Dame 8-0
UNLV Rebels 8-0
Florida Gators 6-2
Texas Longhorns 6-2

Early look at college hoops

2010-12-01T20:14:00.000-08:00

Top five teams that I think can go the distance this year:

Duke - It's obvious the defending National Champs will contend for another title this year. The thing is, they might have gotten even better. Possibly the best player in college basketball Kyle Singler is back for his senior season alongside fellow senior Nolan Smith. They also add Kyrie Irving, a tremendous Freshman point guard who can do it all for the blue devils. They are going to be a tough team to beat and I like Coach K's chances of making another deep tourney run.
Michigan State - It seems like Sparty is in the Final Four every year. Tom Izzo has proved that he can consistently guide his team through the NCAA tournament year in and year out. The Spartans bring back star point guard Kalen Lucas as well as a tremendous supporting cast. Forward Draymond Green can stroke it and provide a presence inside. Korie Lucious has shown that he can hit big shots and Darrell Summers can light it up too. State has a tough schedule which should help them even more in the long run.
Kansas - Yes the Jayhawks lost a lot from last year (Sherron Collins, Cole Aldrich and Xavier Henry) but they have guys that will fill right in. It will be tough to stop the Morris twins down low as they will bang and bruise opponents. Talented passer Tyshawn Taylor will rack up the assists and provide strong perimeter defense. They also have freshman recruit Josh Selby, who is suspended for the first 9 games, who is a human highlight reel and could possibly be comparable to John Wall. Bill Self also has a lot of role players who will play tough defense and hit open shots. The Jayhawks are a very tough and strong defensive club, which are good qualities for a championship team.
Ohio State - Freshman Jared Sullinger should fill right in for Evan Turner and will score and hit the glass for the Buckeyes. Ohio State is a deep team and they have a lot of balance. They have the big guys as well as the shooters like Jon Diebler. David Lighty has a chance to be the leader and go to guy for this squad, his play will be huge for OSU. Thad Matta has taken teams far into the tournament before and with a solid roster like this, he could do it again.
Kentucky - How could a team still be a National Championship contender after losing it's entire starting lineup which included John Wall and Demarcus Cousins? Easy. John Calipari simply recruits the best Freshman class in the country. Terrence Jones and Brandon Knight will be All-American caliber players their first year (and probably only year) at UK. Those two along with fellow freshman Doron Lamb will put together an explosive offense. Jones could possibly be the most athletic player in the country and can shoot, rebound or slam it home. The only problem for the Cats will be lack of experience come March.

Week 13 Rankings

2010-11-27T21:12:00.000-08:00

Oregon Ducks
Auburn Tigers
TCU Horned Frogs
Wisconsin Badgers
Stanford Cardinals
Ohio State Buckeyes
Arkansas Razorbacks
Oklahoma Sooners
Michigan State Spartans
LSU Tigers
Boise State Broncos
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Virginia Tech Hokies
Nebraska Corn Huskers
Missouri Tigers
South Carolina Gamecocks
Alabama Crimson Tide
Nevada Wolf Pack
Texas A&M Aggies
Florida State Seminoles
Utah Utes
Mississippi State Bulldogs
West Virginia Mountaineers
Northern Illinois Huskies
Arizona Wildcats

Dropped Out: NC State (21), Iowa (24)

Next 5: Hawaii, UConn, Maryland, UCF, NC State

Week 12 Rankings

2010-11-21T15:57:00.000-08:00

Oregon Ducks 10-0
Auburn Tigers 11-0
Boise State Broncos 10-0
TCU Horned Frogs 11-0
Wisconsin Badgers 10-1
LSU Tigers 10-1
Stanford Cardinals 10-1
Ohio State Buckeyes 10-1
Oklahoma State Cowboys 10-1
Michigan State Spartans 10-1
Alabama Crimson Tide 9-2
Arkansas Razorbacks 9-2
Oklahoma Sooners 9-2
Virginia Tech Hokies 9-2
Missouri Tigers 9-2
Nebraska Corn Huskers 9-2
South Carolina Gamecocks 8-3
Texas A&M Aggies 8-3
Nevada Wolf Pack 10-1
Utah Utes 9-2
NC State Wolfpack 8-3
Florida State Seminoles 8-3
Arizona Wildcats 7-3
Iowa Hawkeyes 7-4
Mississippi State Bulldogs 7-4

Dropped Out: Miami (21), Northwestern (23), USC (24)

Next 5: Northern Illinois, Miami, Hawaii, West Virginia, Florida

Week 11 Rankings

2010-11-13T22:35:00.000-08:00

Oregon Ducks 10-0
Auburn Tigers 11-0
Boise State Broncos 9-0
TCU Horned Frogs 11-0
Wisconsin Badgers 9-1
LSU Tigers 9-1
Stanford Cardinals 9-1
Ohio State Buckeyes 9-1
Nebraska Corn Huskers 9-1
Michigan State Spartans 9-1
Oklahoma State Cowboys 9-1
Alabama Crimson Tide 8-2
Arkansas Razorbacks 8-2
Oklahoma Sooners 8-2
Virginia Tech Hokies 8-2
Missouri Tigers 8-2
South Carolina Gamecocks 7-3
Nevada Wolf Pack 9-1
Iowa Hawkeyes 7-3
Texas A&M Aggies 7-3
Miami Hurricanes 7-3
Mississippi State Bulldogs 7-3
Northwestern Wildcats 7-3
USC Trojans 7-3
Utah Utes 8-2

Dropped Out: Arizona (20), Florida (24), UCF (25)

Next 5: Arizona, NC State, Florida St, Northern Illinois, Temple

Big East Expansion

2010-11-09T18:59:00.000-08:00

The Big East Conference is finally looking to expand for football. This season the 8-team football conference is struggling and currently doesn't have a single ranked team. Teams that have had success in the past few years such as West Virginia, Cincinnati, USF and others have stuggled to get wins. Since losing Miami, Virginia Tech and Boston College, the conference has slowly lost its status of being a big time football conference. The conference has not had a team play in the National Championship since Miami was in the league and lost to Ohio State in 2002.

The conference needs not only to add a big time program but also needs to get bigger. Another possibility is to have a conference championship game. The Big East has shown interest in a few schools so far and the list is expected to grow. They said that they will look to add two teams to make a total of ten. Here's a look at possible candidates that could fill the need. The list is in order based on how much their addition would make sense.

UCF - The Knights have been a strong contending team for the last few years and are currently ranked 23/25. They have produced NFL players and held their own against some of the stronger teams in the country. Right away UCF would make the Big East better. They would compete with any team in the league. Geographically it makes perfect sense. Right now USF is the lone southern team in the conference. Adding another Florida team would help USF to not feel so out of place and would also make the USF-UCF rivalry stronger.
Villanova - Nova makes a lot of sense because they are already in the Big East for basketball and have been one of the best teams in it. Their football team isn't half bad either as they won the FCS Championship last season. Being in Philadelphia would help the Big East since it is such a large market. It may take a few seasons for Nova to establish themselves as a good FBS program, but it can be done. The Big East has already done this with UConn, taking a basketball powerhouse and turning it's football program from an FCS team to a contender in conference.
Notre Dame - Adding the Irish would be a life saver for the Big East. ND has a rich history and a lot of success. They would be a perfect fit for the Big East. They are already in the conference for every other sport. However, Notre Dame has said repeatedly that they will remain independent. No matter how much it would make sense, the realism of this is slim. They have too many rivalries and a lot of money coming from the contract with NBC. If I'm the Big East I make a serious move and tell ND to join for football or remove them from the conference altogether.
TCU - This would help the Big East the most at this time. TCU is currently 3rd in the BCS and is undefeated. They played in a BCS bowl last year and look as if they will be a National contender for years to come. The Big East needs someone like TCU. The Horned Frogs need the Big East as well, as the winner of the conference is guaranteed a BCS bowl spot. Geographically it makes no sense however. Texas is nowhere near the East and travel costs would be high. Also the school wants all olympic sports to also join the conference and the Big East has said that they do not want to add on to it's 16 teams for basketball.
Temple - The Owls were in the Big East for football not too long ago. Then their football program was not very strong. Now the program has totally turned around under head coach Al Golden. They dominated the MAC last year and are doing it again this year. They also beat UConn this season and nearly upset Penn State on the road. They play at Lincoln Financial Field and again play in the large market of Philadelphia. Temple would be fine with being a football-only school as it's other sports are in the A-10.
Houston - It seems as though Houston is a back up plan for TCU. Again geographically they are not a fit. However the Big East may be more focused on getting better than staying closer to the East. Houston has had a solid program the last few years and would benefit greatly from moving to a stronger conference.
Memphis - The Big East has already taken teams from Conference USA when Louisville, Cincinnati and USF joined and it has paid off. With the exception of this season, Memphis has had a good football team. They attract solid recruits and they would reestablish rivalries with the former C-USA teams.
East Carolina - Staying in C-USA, why not take the team that won the conference the past two seasons. ECU has wanted to join the FCS and their resume is very good. In recent years they have shown that they can beat ranked teams and just this year beat NC State. However they do not have the market that the conference is looking for.

These teams make sense for different reasons. Only two will be taken and the conference is looking to get better so it may want a team that will give them more credibility right away. That is where TCU makes sense. It would give the Big East much more credibility as well as help themselves by joining an automatic BCS qualifying conference. The big question is whether the Big East would expand all the way out to Texas to add the Horned Frogs or Cougars of Houston. Another question is whether the Big East would allow the schools other sports teams to join the league.

In the end I think that UCF and Villanova will be the two teams that join. They make the most sense all in all. UCF has been begging for the opportunity to join a BCS conference and Villanova is already a powerhouse of the Big East in basketball. There definitely is a chance for TCU to join still. The Big East needs TCU and they need the Big East. Whether they can get over the issue of location and letting their other sports teams join may decide it.

Week 10 Rankings

2010-11-09T13:43:00.000-08:00

Oregon Ducks 9-0
Auburn Tigers 10-0
TCU Horned Frogs 10-0
Boise State Broncos 8-0
Wisconsin Badgers 8-1
LSU Tigers 8-1
Stanford Cardinals 8-1
Ohio State Buckeyes 8-1
Nebraska Corn Huskers 8-1
Michigan State Spartans 9-1
Oklahoma State Cowboys 8-1
Alabama Crimson Tide 7-2
Iowa Hawkeyes 7-2
Utah Utes 8-1
Arkansas Razorbacks 7-2
Oklahoma Sooners 7-2
Virginia Tech Hokies 7-2
Mississippi State Bulldogs 7-2
Missouri Tigers 7-2
Arizona Wildcats 7-2
Nevada Wolf Pack 8-1
South Carolina Gamecocks 6-3
Texas A&M Aggies 6-3
Florida Gators 6-3
UCF Knights 7-2

Dropped Out: NC State (22), Florida State (23), Baylor (24)

Next 5: Kansas State, Miami, San Diego St, North Carolina, Pittsburgh

Week 9 Rankings

2010-11-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

Oregon Ducks 8-0
Auburn Tigers 9-0
Boise State Broncos 7-0
TCU Horned Frogs 9-0
Alabama Crimson Tide 7-1
Wisconsin Badgers 7-1
Utah Utes 8-0
Oklahoma Sooners 7-1
Ohio State Buckeyes 8-1
Nebraska Corn Huskers 7-1
Stanford Cardinals 7-1
Missouri Tigers 7-1
LSU Tigers 7-1
Iowa Hawkeyes 6-2
Michigan State Spartans 8-1
Arizona Wildcats 7-1
Oklahoma State Cowboys 7-1
South Carolina 6-2
Arkansas Razorbacks 6-2
Mississippi State Bulldogs 7-2
Virginia Tech Hokies 6-2
NC State Wolfpack 6-2
Florida State Seminoles
Baylor Bears
Nevada Wolf Pack

Dropped Out: Miami (23), USC (24), Hawaii (25)

Next 5: Hawaii, Syracuse, Northwestern, Pittsburgh, Maryland

NFL Playoff Predictions

2010-10-24T22:47:00.000-07:00

AFC

New York Jets 13-3
Pittsburgh Steelers 12-4
Indianapolis Colts 11-5
Kansas City Chiefs 10-6
New England Patriots 12-4
Baltimore Ravens 11-5
Tennessee Titans 10-6
Houston Texans 9-7
Miami Dolphins 9-7
San Diego Chargers 8-8

NFC

Atlanta Falcons 12-4
New York Giants 11-5
Green Bay Packers 10-6
Seattle Seahawks 10-6
New Orleans Saints 10-6
Washington Redskins 9-7
Chicago Bears 9-7
Minnesota Vikings 9-7
Philadelphia Eagles 9-7
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 8-8

Division Winner

Wild Card

Week 8 Rankings

2010-10-23T23:00:00.000-07:00

Oregon Ducks
Auburn Tigers
Boise State Broncos
TCU Horned Frogs
Michigan State Spartans
Alabama Crimson Tide
Wisconsin Badgers
Utah Utes
Missouri Tigers
Oklahoma Sooners
Ohio State Buckeyes
LSU Tigers
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Stanford Cardinals
Florida State Seminoles
Arizona Wildcats
Iowa Hawkeyes
South Carolina Gamecocks
Oklahoma St Cowboys
Arkansas Razorbacks
Virginia Tech Hokies
Mississippi St Bulldogs
Miami Hurricanes
USC Trojans
Hawaii Warriors

Dropped Out: West Virginia (21), Texas (22)

Next 5: Nevada, Northwestern, Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Syracuse

Week 7 Rankings

2010-10-17T13:49:00.000-07:00

Oregon Ducks 6-0
Boise State Broncos 6-0
Oklahoma Sooners 6-0
TCU Horned Frogs 7-0
Auburn Tigers 7-0
LSU Tigers 7-0
Alabama Crimson Tide 6-1
Michigan State Spartans 7-0
Ohio State Buckeyes 6-1
Wisconsin Badgers 6-1
Utah Utes 6-0
Nebraska Corn Huskers 5-1
Iowa Hawkeyes 5-1
Florida State Seminoles 6-1
Stanford Cardinals 5-1
Arizona Wildcats 5-1
Oklahoma State Cowboys 6-0
Missouri Tigers 6-0
South Carolina Gamecocks 4-2
Arkansas Razorbacks 4-2
West Virginia Mountaineers 5-1
Texas Longhorns 4-2
Virginia Tech Hokies 5-2
Mississippi State Bulldogs 5-2
Miami Hurricanes 4-2

Dropped Out: Nevada (20), Florida (21), Air Force (23), Michigan (24)

Next 5: USC, Northwestern, NC State, Nevada, Kansas State

Week 6 Rankings

2010-10-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

Oregon Ducks 6-0
Ohio State Buckeyes 6-0
Nebraska Corn Huskers 5-0
Boise State Broncos 5-0
TCU Horned Frogs 6-0
Oklahoma Sooners 5-0
Auburn Tigers 6-0
Alabama Crimson Tide 5-1
LSU Tigers 6-0
Utah Utes 5-0
South Carolina Gamecocks 4-1
Arkansas Razorbacks 4-1
Michigan State Spartans 6-0
Florida State Seminoles 5-1
Stanford Cardinals 5-1
Iowa Hawkeyes 5-0
Wisconsin Badgers 5-1
Arizona Wildcats 4-1
Oklahoma State Cowboys 5-0
Nevada Wolf Pack 6-0
Florida Gators 4-2
Missouri Tigers 5-0
Air Force Falcons 5-1
Michigan Wolverines 5-1
West Virginia Mountaineers 4-1

Dropped Out: Miami (14), Northwestern (25)

Next 5: Northwestern, NC State, Miami, Texas, Oregon State

Week 5 Rankings

2010-10-03T23:43:00.000-07:00

Alabama Crimson Tide 5-0
Oregon Ducks 5-0
Ohio State Buckeyes 5-0
Boise State Broncos 4-0
TCU Horned Frogs 5-0
Nebraska Corn Huskers 4-0
Oklahoma Sooners 5-0
Auburn Tigers 5-0
LSU Tigers 5-0
Utah Utes 4-0
Arizona Wildcats 4-0
Florida Gators 4-1
Arkansas Razorbacks 3-1
Miami Hurricanes 3-1
Iowa Hawkeyes 4-1
Michigan State Spartans 5-0
Stanford Cardinals 4-1
Michigan Wolverines 5-0
Wisconsin Badgers 4-1
South Carolina 3-1
Oklahoma State Cowboys 4-0
Florida State Seminoles 4-1
Nevada Wolf Pack 5-0
Missouri Tigers 4-0
Northwestern 5-0

Dropped Out: USC (19), Penn State (22), NC State (23)

Next 5: Air Force, Texas, West Virginia, USC, Kansas State

Week 4 Rankings

2010-09-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

Alabama Crimson Tide 4-0
Ohio State Buckeyes 4-0
Boise State Broncos 3-0
Oregon Ducks 4-0
TCU Horned Frogs 4-0
Florida Gators 4-0
Nebraska Cornhuskers 4-0
Oklahoma Sooners 4-0
Wisconsin Badgers 4-0
LSU Tigers 4-0
Auburn Tigers 4-0
Stanford Cardinals 4-0
Utah Utes 4-0
Arizona Wildcats 4-0
Arkansas Razorbacks 3-1
Miami Hurricanes 2-1
Iowa Hawkeyes 3-1
South Carolina Gamecocks 3-1
USC Trojans 4-0
Michigan Wolverines 4-0
Texas Longhorns 3-1
Penn State Nittany Lions 3-1
NC State Wolfpack 4-0
Michigan State Spartans 4-0
Nevada Wolf Pack 4-0

Dropped Out: West Virginia (23), Georgia Tech (25)

Next 5: Florida State, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Air Force

Week 3 Rankings

2010-09-19T21:43:00.000-07:00

Alabama Crimson Tide 3-0
Ohio State Buckeyes 3-0
Boise State Broncos 2-0
Oregon Ducks 3-0
TCU Horned Frogs 3-0
Nebraska Cornhuskers 3-0
Texas Longhorns 3-0
Florida Gators 3-0
Arkansas Razorbacks 3-0
Oklahoma Sooners 3-0
Wisconsin Badgers 3-0
LSU Tigers 3-0
Utah Utes 3-0
Arizona Wildcats 3-0
South Carolina Gamecocks 3-0
Auburn Tigers 3-0
Stanford Cardinals 3-0
Iowa Hawkeyes 2-1
Miami Hurricanes 1-1
USC Trojans 3-0
Michigan Wolverines 3-0
Penn State Nittany Lions 2-1
West Virginia Mountaineers 3-0
Michigan State Spartans 3-0
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 2-1

Next 5: Oregon State, Oklahoma State, Missouri, Nevada, Temple

Penn State 2010 Football preview

2010-04-26T17:08:00.000-07:00

The Penn State Nittany Lions are coming off of a successful year going 11-2 and coming away with a good bowl victory over LSU. However, many PSU fans were thinking that it was "their" year to make a run at a championship. Unfortunately the Lions finished third in the Big Ten and were left out of a BCS Bowl game. Many believe that this years team has little hope for success. With losses at QB, LB, TE and others, they could be right. I look forward to the season for the Lions and I see a lot of potential on the 2010 team.

Offense
The key for Penn State is replacing Quarterback Darryl Clark. Right now there is really no front runner for the job as sophomores Kevin Newsome and Matt McGloin battle for the spot. Also incoming Freshman Paul Jones shows a lot of promise at the spot as well. I believe that Newsome will get the nod in the end, at least for the first game or two, since he got some snaps last year and scored two rushing touchdowns. The offensive line lost a few important parts and seemed a bit unorthodox in the spring game. They will need to get stronger to make the new quarterback's life easier.

Evan Royster decided to return for his senior season at Tailback to try to break the Penn State All-time rushing record. PSU's ground game could be one of the best in the nation this year with Royster as well as proven backup Stephfon Green. Junior Brandon Beachum and Freshman Curtis Dukes will also battle for some carries. Penn State also returns Fullback Joe Suhey, who was a key part in the Lions offense last season. This core of backs can not only run, but they are also a vital part of the passing game, which should ease some pressure off the new Quarterback.

This years Receiving core for the Nittany Lions is as strong as ever. Jr Derek Moye and Sr Graham Zug return as PSU's leading receivers last season. WR Chaz Powell was moved to Cornerback partly to give some depth at the corner position. Also he may have been moved because of Sophomore wideout Curtis Drake, who showed potential at the end of last season. Drake should join Moye and Zug to make a three headed monster that could be very dangerous. There is a slight problem with Tight Ends however. Both Mickey Shuler and Andrew Quarless graduated and moved on to the NFL leaving big question marks at the position.

Defense
Many Lions fans may be very concerned about the defense for the upcoming season and they have the right to be. Losing DT Jared Odrick, CB AJ Wallace, and LB's Sean Lee, Navarro Bowman and Josh Hull hurts a lot. However, they don't call it "Linebacker U" for nothing and there are still big time players returning on the defensive side.

This seasons defensive line is very strong even with the loss of Odrick. They return the other three starters from last season including Juniors Jack Crawford and Eric Latimore, as well as Senior Ollie Ogbu. They also have a lot of depth behind them to keep the D-line fresh as possible. Some Scouts are raving over Crawford's potential and think that he could be a high round draft pick in next years draft if he comes out. Defensive end Kevion Latham also fared well in the spring game.

"Linebacker U" would have really liked to have seen Bowman return for his senior season. They were well prepared for his departure and will find players to fill in the void of the three backers that are gone from last season. State College's own Nate Stupar may be the next great Linebacker for the Lions. The junior had 7 tackles and an interception in the spring game. Beside him will be Senior Bani Gdabyu who played a key role in all 13 games last season. Penn State also brough in two of the nations top Linebacker recruits in Khairi Fortt and Dakota Royer. As is usually the case, PSU has strong talent in Linebackers and they have depth and options for this coming season.

The secondary returns a lot of talent from last years squad. Both starting safeties Drew Astorino and Nick Sukay return as well as cornerback D'Anton Lynn. Sophomore Corner Stephon Morris saw some action last season and should fill in well. Also as mentioned earlier the Lions moved athletic slot receiver Chaz Powell to cornerback to add some depth. Look for these defensive backs to make some huge plays this fall.

Projected Starters:

Offense
QB- Kevin Newsome
HB- Evan Royster
FB- Joe Suhey
WR- Derek Moye
WR- Graham Zug
WR- Curtis Drake
TE- Andrew Szczerba

Defense
LB- Nathan Stupar
LB- Bani Gbadyu
LB- Chris Colasanti
DE- Jack Crawford
DT- Devon Still
DT- Ollie Ogbu
DE- Eric Latimore
CB- D'Anton Lynn
CB- Stephon Morris
S- Nick Sukay
S- Drew Astorino

Analysis:
Penn State lost a lot of good talent from last years team, as they normally do. However Lions fans should be very excited about this seasons team. If they can find a quarterback, who can get the job done, I believe the Lions could be potent on offense. With an excellent group of receivers and a great group of running backs, the offensive production should be similar to that of last season. Heisman candidate Evan Royster will be trying to break as many PSU rushing records as possible and try to work his way up NFL scout's draft boards. The defensive line will make it very hard for teams to run and will provide much needed pressure on opposing teams QB's. It will be tough to pass on the Lions with constant pressure and experience in the secondary. The schedule will be gruesome and many questions may be answered after the Lions play down in Tuscaloosa against defending Champion Alabama.

Projected Record: 10-3

College Hoops Week 16

2010-02-28T20:59:00.000-08:00

Syracuse Orange
Kansas Jayhawks
Kentucky Wildcats
Duke Bluedevils
Kansas State Wildcats
Purdue Boilermakers
Ohio State Buckeyes
Villanova Wildcats
New Mexico Lobos
Butler Bulldogs
West Virginia Mountaineers
Michigan State Spartans
Tennessee Volunteers
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Pitt Panthers
BYU Cougars
Georgetown Hoyas
Temple Owls
Wisconsin Badgers
Vanderbilt Commodores
Baylor Bears
Texas A&M Aggies
Maryland Terrapins
UTEP Miners
Xavier Musketeers

2010-02-21T15:36:00.000-08:00

Kansas Jayhawks
Kentucky Wildcats
Syracuse Orange
Purdue Boilermakers
Duke Blue Devils
Kansas State Wildcats
Villanova Wildcats
West Virginia Mountaineers
Butler Bulldogs
Pitt Panthers
Ohio State Buckeyes
New Mexico Lobos
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Georgetown Hoyas
Michigan State Spartans
BYU Cougars
Texas Longhorns
Wisconsin Badgers
Temple Owls
Tennessee Volunteers
Vanderbilt Commodores
Richmond Spiders
Northern Iowa Panthers
Missouri Tigers
UAB Blazers

College Hoops Week 14

2010-02-15T07:39:00.000-08:00

Kansas Jayhawks
Kentucky Wildcats
Villanova Wildcats
Syracuse Orange
Purdue Boilermakers
Duke Blue Devils
Kansas State Wildcats
Gonzaga Bulldogs
West Virginia Mountaineers
Michigan State Spartans
Georgetown Hoyas
Butler Bulldogs
Ohio State Buckeyes
Wisconsin Badgers
Texas Longhorns
New Mexico Lobos
BYU Cougars
Pitt Panthers
Temple Owls
Vanderbilt Commodores
Tennessee Volunteers
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Richmond Spiders
Virginia Tech Hokies
Texas A&M Aggies

College Hoops Week 13

2010-02-07T10:41:00.000-08:00

Kansas Jayhawks
Syracuse Orange
Kentucky Wildcats
Villanova Wildcats
West Virginia Mountaineers
Purdue Boilermakers
Duke Bluedevils
Georgetown Hoyas
Kansas State Wildcats
Wisconsin Badgers
Michigan State Spartans
Texas Longhorns
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Tennessee Volunteers
Butler Bulldogs
Ohio State Buckeyes
BYU Cougars
New Mexico Lobos
Northern Iowa Panthers
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Pitt Panthers
Temple Owls
Vanderbilt Commodores
Cornell Big Red
Virginia Tech Hokies

Super Bowl XLIV

2010-02-07T10:23:00.000-08:00

This years Super Bowl features the top two teams in the NFL this year, no question. Both teams had a chance to go undefeated this year. They also have some very high powered offenses. Big name QB's Peyton Manning and Drew Brees.

A city that not too long ago was in shambles from hurricane Katrina. New Orleans has backed behind this team and the Saints have given inspiration to all. No matter where fans come from I do believe that inside everybody's hearts that a part of them would like to see the Saints win. I know I will definitely be rooting for New Orleans and I'll be wearing my Reggie Bush jersey. Now the entire city is rockin black and gold and win or lose, New Orleans is proud of their team.

Also on the other side, one player of the Colts is playing for more than a city. Pierre Garcon is playing for an entire country. Garcon is from the island nation of Haiti. Haiti was recently struck by a destructive earthquake. Relief efforts have been coming in left in right to the small country. Even among mayhem and shambles, the country will be rooting for their own son. Garcon has family in Haiti and he has a little extra inspiration for Super Bowl XLIV.

I expect a high score shootout for this super bowl. Brees and Manning will be throwing the ball all over the place. My prediction for the game is Saints 34 Colts 31.

College Hoops Week 12

2010-01-31T18:24:00.000-08:00

Kansas Jayhawks
Syracuse Orange
Villanova Wildcats
Kentucky Wildcats
Michigan State Spartans
West Virginia Mountaineers
Purdue Boilermaker
Texas Longhorns
Georgetown Hoyas
Duke Bluedevils
Kansas State
BYU Cougars
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Tennessee Volunteers
Temple Owls
Wisconsin Badgers
Butler Bulldogs
Baylor Bears
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Ohio State Buckeyes
Vanderbilt Commodores
Pitt Panthers
New Mexico Lobos
Ole Miss Rebels
Northern Iowa Panthers

College Hoops Week 10

2010-01-18T08:43:00.000-08:00

Kentucky Wildcats
Texas Longhorns
Villanova Wildcats
Syracuse Orange
Kansas Jayhawks
Duke Blue Devils
Tennessee Volunteers
Michigan State Spartans
Kansas State Wildcats
Pittsburgh Panthers
West Virginia Mountaineers
Georgetown Hoyas
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Purdue Boilermakers
BYU Cougars
Wisconsin Badgers
Temple Owls
Clemson Tigers
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Ohio State Buckeyes
North Carolina Tar Heels
UConn Huskies
Mississippi Rebels
Baylor Bears
Northwestern Wildcats

College Hoops Week 9

2010-01-10T16:09:00.000-08:00

Kentucky Wildcats
Texas Longhorns
Villanova Wildcats
Syracuse Orange
Kansas Jayhawks
Purdue Boilermakers
Tennessee Volunteers
Duke Blue Devils
Michigan State Spartans
West Virginia Mountaineers
Georgetown Hoyas
Kansas State Wildcats
UConn Huskies
Wisconsin Badgers
North Carolina Tar Heels
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Pittsburgh Panthers
BYU Cougars
Temple Owls
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Mississippi Rebels
Baylor Bears
Clemson Tigers
Florida State Seminoles
Notre Dame Fighting Irish

NCAA Football 10 Projections

2009-12-15T10:36:00.000-08:00

To figure out who would win all the big bowl games I decided to play NCAA Football 10 on my Xbox 360. I played the BCS bowls including the National Championship, as well as the Capitol One Bowl because it features two teams that could easily be in the BCS. Unfortunately for Cincinnati, I can't get rid of their coach. Oh well haha. They were all great games and I can't wait to watch them all.

Capitol One Bowl

Penn State - 22

LSU - 20

Players of the Game:
Jordan Jefferson QB LSU - 2 Total TD's (1 Rush, 1 Pass)
Evan Royster HB Penn St - TD
Nokia Sugar Bowl

Florida - 31

Cincinnati - 24

Player of the Game:
Tim Tebow QB Florida - 4 Total TD's (3 Pass, 1 Rush)

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl

Boise State - 42

TCU - 27

Player of the Game:
Jeremy Avery HB Boise St - 3 Total TD's

Orange Bowl

Iowa - 20

Georgia Tech - 17

Player of the Game:
Daniel Murray K Iowa - Game Winning FG as time expired

Rose Bowl

Ohio State - 45

Oregon - 38

Players of the Game:
Tyrelle Pryor QB Ohio St - 3 Total TD's (2 Pass, 1 Rush)
Jeremiah Masoli QB Oregon - 3 Pass TD's

College Hoops Week 5

2009-12-14T08:53:00.000-08:00

Kansas Jayhawks
Kentucky Wildcats
Syracuse Orange
Texas Longhorns
Purdue Boilermakers
West Virginia Mountaineers
Georgetown Hoyas
Villanova Wildcats
Tennessee Volunteers
Duke Blue Devils
North Carolina Tar Heels
Michigan State Spartans
Florida Gators
UConn Huskies
Ohio State Buckeyes
Washington Huskies
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
New Mexico Lobos
Butler Bulldogs
Memphis Tigers
Clemson Tigers
Mississippi Rebels
Temple Owls

Dropped Out: Texas A&M 17, Cincinnati 18, UNLV 19, Wisconsin 22

Next 5: Texas A&M, Kansas St, UNLV, Cincinnati, Illinois

College Hoops Week 4

2009-12-08T17:13:00.000-08:00

Kansas Jayhawks
Texas Longhorns
Villanova Wildcats
Kentucky Wildcats
Purdue Boilermakers
Syracuse Orange
West Virginia Mountaineers
Duke Blue Devils
Tennessee Volunteers
Florida Gators
North Carolina Tar Heels
Ohio State Buckeyes
Georgetown Hoyas
UConn Huskies
Michigan State Spartans
Washington Huskies
Texas A&M
Cincinnati Bearcats
UNLV Rebels
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Butler Bulldogs
Wisconsin Badgers
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Memphis Tigers

Dropped Out: Clemson 19, Louisville 20, Florida State 22

Next 5: Clemson, Northwestern, Mississippi, Vanderbilt, Illinois

Final NCAAF Poll

2009-12-08T16:53:00.000-08:00

Alabama Crimson Tide
Texas Longhorns
TCU Horned Frogs
Cincinnati Bearcats
Florida Gators
Boise State Broncos
Oregon Ducks
Ohio State Buckeyes
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Iowa Hawkeyes
Penn State Nittany Lions
Virginia Tech Hokies
BYU Cougars
LSU Tigers
Pittsburgh Panthers
Miami Hurricanes
Oregon State Beavers
West Virginia Mountaineers
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Stanford Cardinals
Wisconsin Badgers
Arizona Wildcats
Central Michigan Chippewas
USC Trojans

Dropped Out: Cal 19, Houston 22, Clemson 25

BCS Bowl Predictions

2009-12-05T20:40:00.000-08:00

Rose Bowl:

Ohio State Buckeyes
vs.
Oregon Ducks

Sugar Bowl:

Florida Gators
vs.
Cincinnati Bearcats

Fiesta Bowl

Boise State Broncos
vs.
Iowa Hawkeyes

Orange Bowl:

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
vs.
TCU Horned Frogs

Nat. Championship:

Alabama Crimson Tide
vs.
Texas Longhorns

NFL Playoff Prediction

2009-12-03T13:56:00.000-08:00

AFC

Indianapolis Colts 15-1
San Diego Chargers 12-4
New England Patriots 12-4
Cincinnati Bengals 11-5
Pittsburgh Steelers 11-5
Denver Broncos 10-6

NFC

New Orleans Saints 16-0
Minnesota Vikings 14-2
Dallas Cowboys 11-5
Arizona Cardinals 10-6
Philadelphia Eagles 10-6
New York Giants 10-6

Week 13 Poll

2009-12-02T19:31:00.000-08:00

Florida Gators
Texas Longhorns
Alabama Crimson Tide
TCU Horned Frogs
Cincinnati Bearcats
Boise State Broncos
Ohio State Buckeyes
Oregon Ducks
Iowa Hawkeyes
Penn State Nittany Lions
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Virginia Tech Hokies
BYU Cougars
Pittsburgh Panthers
LSU Tigers
Oregon State Beavers
Miami Hurricanes
USC Trojans
California Bears
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Houston Cougars
Stanford Cardinals
West Virginia Mountaineers
Clemson Tigers

Dropped Out: Utah 19, Mississippi 24

Next 5: Wisconsin, Utah, Central Michigan, Northwestern, Rutgers

College Hoops Week 3

2009-12-01T17:43:00.000-08:00

Kansas Jayhawks
Texas Longhorns
Duke Blue Devils
Villanova Wildcats
Purdue Boilermakers
Kentucky Wildcats
Syracuse Orange
West Virginia Mountaineers
Michigan State Spartans
North Carolina Tar Heels
Washington Huskies
Tennessee Volunteers
Florida Gators
Ohio State Buckeyes
UConn Huskies
Georgetown Hoyas
Gonzaga Bulldogs
Texas A&M Aggies
Clemson Tigers
Louisville Cardinals
Butler Bulldogs
Florida State Seminoles
Cincinnati Bearcats
UNLV Rebels
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

Dropped Out: Michigan 15, Minnesota 17, Illinois 20, Maryland 22, Notre Dame 23, Arizona St 24, Cal 25

Next 5: Marquette, Portland, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Memphis

Week 12 Poll

2009-12-01T17:05:00.000-08:00

Florida Gators
Texas Longhorns
Alabama Crimson Tide
TCU Horned Frogs
Cincinnati Bearcats
Boise State Broncos
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Ohio State Buckeyes
Pittsburgh Panthers
Oregon Ducks
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Iowa Hawkeyes
Penn State Nittany Lions
Virginia Tech Hokies
Clemson Tigers
LSU Tigers
BYU Cougars
Oregon State Beavers
Utah Utes
Miami Hurricanes
USC Trojans
California Bears
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Mississippi Rebels
Stanford Cardinals

Dropped Out: Wisconsin 16, Rutgers 25

Next 5: North Carolina, Houston, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Central Michigan

College Hoops Week 2

2009-11-22T19:53:00.000-08:00

Kansas Jayhawks
Michigan State Spartans
Texas Longhorns
Duke Blue Devils
Villanova Wildcats
Kentucky Wildcats
Purdue Boilermakers
Syracuse Orange
West Virginia Mountaineers
Tennessee Volunteers
Butler Bulldogs
North Carolina Tar Heels
Connecticut Huskies
Washington Huskies
Michigan Wolverines
Ohio State Buckeyes
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Louisville Cardinals
Georgetown Hoyas
Illinois Fighting Illini
Clemson Tigers
Maryland Terrapins
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Arizona State Sun Devils
California Bears

Next 10: Miami, Georgia Tech, Gonzaga, Memphis, Kansas State, VCU, Mississippi, Xavier, Marquette, Dayton, Temple

Week 11 Poll

2009-11-15T13:33:00.000-08:00

Florida Gators
Texas Longhorns
Alabama Crimson Tide
TCU Horn Frogs
Cincinnati Bearcats
Boise Sate Broncos
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Ohio State Buckeyes
Pittsburgh Panthers
LSU Tigers
Oregon Ducks
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Penn State Nittany Lions
Stanford Cardinals
Iowa Hawkeyes
Wisconsin Badgers
Virginia Tech Hokies
Clemson Tigers
BYU Cougars
USC Trojans
Miami Hurricanes
Utah Utes
Oregon State Beavers
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Dropped Out: Houston 15, Arizona 17, West Virginia 24

Next 5: North Carolina, Houston, Arizona, Mississippi, West Virginia

TCU for BCS Champ?

2009-11-12T08:41:00.000-08:00

Here we go again. Another year of college football and another year of BCS controversy. Just as in past years, Non-BCS teams are deserving a shot at a title. Most likely, just as in past years, they will not get that shot. Currently TCU sits at number 4, Cincinnati at No. 5 and Boise State sixth in the BCS poll. They are behind Powerhouses Florida, Alabama, and Texas. There are six undefeated teams left, but only two spots for the National title game. Now Florida and Alabama have to play for the SEC Championship, so there will only be at least 5 undefeateds by the end of the regular season. It is clear that if Bama and the Gators remain undefeated, then the winner of that game will definitely be in the Championship. However, that second spot should be up for grabs. Even though Texas is a great team and has had a good unbeaten season, I am not sure if they are the best team in Texas. I would kill to see Texas play TCU for the rightss as "Best in the Lonestar State", but that's not happening. With only a few weeks left there are sure to be more upsets, but if the season ended today I believe all 3 of those underdogs have legitimate arguments for being in the Nat. Championship. Lets compare:

Boise State Broncos: 9-0
6th in BCS, AP and USA Today polls.
Key Win(s): Oregon

We all remember that Fiesta Bowl where the Broncos stunned the nation beating giant Oklahoma. This years team may even be better than that 2007 team. Kellen Moore is among the best QBs in the nation as a Sophomore, throwin 27 Tds already. The problem is their schedule. The only "tough" game that they had this year was home against Oregon in the first week. Oregon was 16th then in the USA today poll and now they're 13th in the BCS poll with a popular beatdown of USC. That was a while ago and who knows if Oregon is the same team now as they were week one. They cruised past their other opponents with one exception at Tulsa.

Result: Fiesta Bowl
Boise is probably the weakest of these teams. Their schedule is not strong at all and their hopes of a title are tiny if any.

Cincinnati Bearcats: 9-0
5th in BCS, AP and USA Today polls
Key win(s): @Rutgers, @Oregon St, @USF

The Bearcats have been possibly the most exciting team to watch in college football this season. Their passing offense is unbeleivable whether Tony Pike or Zach Collaros is at Quarterback. Mardy Gilyard is probably the best WR in the nation and Armon Binns is a great second threat. They haven't really had any problems so far with the exception of a 2-point win over UConn. They have beaten two ranked teams so far (Oregon St and USF) as well as Rutgers who has only 2 losses, all on the road. They are not finished yet as they still have to play 25th ranked West Virginia and at Pitt, who may crack the top ten, to end the season.

Result: Orange Bowl
So far Cincy has been the best team to compete with Texas for a shot. They have a better shot than TCU and Boise because they have three good wins already, but they still have to play two more ranked teams, which will be very difficult.

TCU Horned Frogs: 9-0
4th in BCS, AP and USA Today polls
Key win(s): @Clemson, @BYU

Does anybody remember Texas Christian University? The place where Ladainian Tomlinson made his marks. The place where the Horned Frogs are winning in convincing fashion. TCU has had one heck of a season. They managed to go to Clemson, who is one of the hottest teams in college football now, and come away with a close victory. Then they crushed Brigham Young, who many thought would win, on the road as well. Andy Dalton is having a stellar season at QB with the fourth highest passer rating in the country. However the Frogs have a very tough test this week against 16th ranked Utah, which will put their BCS hopes on the line.

Result: Sugar Bowl
Honestly TCU should get a chance at the National Championship, but they most likely will not without some help. If they do beat Utah and win out, this team may go down as the best TCU team ever.

Odds are that it will be Texas to play Florida/Alabama in the title game. However there is still a few weeks left and anything can happen. Cincinnati has the toughest road left and it would not be a shocker if they end up losing to WVU or Pitt. Boise State really does not have much of an opportunity, but should be happy to make a BCS bowl again. If TCU can beat Utah, then they're pretty much a BCS lock and just need to pray for an upset or two in their favor. Texas does still have to play a solid Kansas team and winning the Big 12 Championship will not be a piece of cake. If Texas does lose a game, then TCU would probably be next in line for a shot at the title. Cincinnati controls a lot of their fate; if they manage to go undefeated, then they definitely beat out TCU and maybe even Texas. There is still some football to be played and it will be exciting to see how things turn out.

Week 10 Poll

2009-11-07T17:17:00.000-08:00

Florida Gators
Texas Longhorns
Alabama Crimson Tide
TCU Horn Frogs
Cincinnati Bearcats
Boise Sate Broncos
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
USC Trojans
Ohio State Buckeyes
Pittsburgh Panthers
LSU Tigers
Miami Hurricanes
Utah Utes
Iowa Hawkeyes
Houston Cougars
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Arizona Wildcats
Oregon Ducks
Penn State Nittany Lions
Virginia Tech Hokies
Wisconsin Badgers
Clemson Tigers
BYU Cougars
West Virginia Mountaineers
Stanford Cardinals

Dropped Out: Oklahoma 19, Notre Dame 20, Cal 21

Next 5: Nebraska, Auburn, Oregon State, USF, Temple

Some Fun Salary Facts

2009-11-05T09:59:00.000-08:00

Just thought I'd play around with some salary figures...

2009 Payroll of: Yankees=$201 Million
Equivalent to Combined Payrolls of:
Marlins+Padres+Nationals+Athletics=$201.2 Million

2009 Salary of: Alex Rodriguez=$33 Million
Equivalent to Combined Payroll of:
Florida Marlins=$36.8 Million

2009 Salary of: Derek Jeter & Mark Teixera=$42.2 M
Equivalent to Combined Payroll of:
San Diego Padres=$42.8 M

2009 Salary of: Rodriguez, Jeter, Teixera, AJ Burnett, CC Sabathia=$106.9 M
Equivalent to Combined Payroll of:
Philadelphia Phillies=$113 M

With $201 Million You could buy:
10 Million Filet Mignon Dinners
300 Ferraris
50 trips to the Moon to stay at the first hotel in space opening in 2012
3 of the most expensive Private Jets in the World
Single handedly remake the Titanic Movie

Nick's Week 9 Poll

2009-11-02T19:50:00.000-08:00

Florida Gators
Texas Longhorns
Alabama Crimson Tide
Cincinnati Bearcats
TCU Horn Frogs
Boise State Broncos
Iowa Hawkeyes
Oregon Ducks
LSU Tigers
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Penn State Nittany Lions
USC Trojans
Ohio State Buckeyes
Houston Cougars
Pittsburgh Panthers
Miami Hurricanes
Utah Utes
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma Sooners
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
California Bears
Arizona Wildcats
Virginia Tech Hokies
Wisconsin Badgers
BYU Cougars

Dropped Out: West Virginia 20, South Carolina 23, Ole Miss 24

Next 5: USF, Texas Tech, Clemson, Auburn, West Virginia

2009-10-28T13:23:00.000-07:00

BCS Preview

Rose Bowl:

USC Trojans (11-1)
vs.
Iowa Hawkeyes (11-1)

-USC beats Oregon and wins Pac-10, Iowa loses to Ohio state but wins Big Ten

Sugar Bowl:

Florida Gators (12-1)
vs.
TCU Horn Frogs (12-0)

-Florida loses to Alabama in SEC championship, TCU beats Utah goes undefeated

Fiesta Bowl:

Boise State Broncos (12-0)
vs.
Penn State Nittany Lions (11-1)

-Boise State goes undefeated but schedule is too weak, Penn State beats the Bucks and wins out

Orange Bowl:

Cincinnati Bearcats (11-1)
vs.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (12-1)

-Cincinnati loses at Pitt for only loss, GT wins out including ACC championship game

BCS National Championship:

Alabama Crimson Tide (13-0)
vs.
Texas Longhorns (13-0)

-Alabama beats LSU and then Florida for SEC title, Texas wins out including Big 12 championship game

Nick's Week 8 Poll

2009-10-26T17:39:00.000-07:00

Florida Gators
Texas Longhorns
Alabama Crimson Tide
Cincinnati Bearcats
USC Trojans
Boise State Broncos
Iowa Hawkeyes
TCU Horn Frogs
LSU Tigers
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Oregon Ducks
Penn State Nittany Lions
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Virginia Tech Hokies
Ohio State Buckeyes
Houston Cougars
Pittsburgh Panthers
Miami Hurricanes
Utah Utes
West Virginia Mountaineers
Oklahoma Sooners
Arizona Wildcats
South Carolina Gamecocks
Ole Miss Rebels
Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Dropped Out: BYU 16, Texas Tech 20, Nebraska 24

Next 5: BYU, Cal, Wisconsin, Kansas, Georgia

Nick's Week 7 Poll

2009-10-18T12:34:00.000-07:00

Alabama Crimson Tide
Florida Gators
Texas Longhorns
USC Trojans
Boise State Broncos
Cincinnati Bearcats
Iowa Hawkeyes
Miami Hurricanes
TCU Horn Frogs
LSU Tigers
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Penn State Nittany Lions
Oregon Ducks
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Virginia Tech Hokies
BYU Cougars
Ohio State Buckeyes
Houston Cougars
Utah Utes
Texas Tech Red Raiders
Pittsburgh Panthers
West Virginia Mountaineers
Ole Miss Rebels
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Oklahoma Sooners

Dropped Out: Kansas 16, South Carolina 21, USF 22, Auburn 25

Next 5: Kansas, Arizona, South Carolina, Michigan, USF

Nick's Week 6 Poll

2009-10-10T21:45:00.000-07:00

Florida Gators
Alabama Crimson Tide
Texas Longhorns
Virginia Tech Hokies
Boise State Broncos
USC Trojans
Ohio State Buckeyes
Iowa Hawkeyes
LSU Tigers
Miami Hurricanes
Cincinnati Bearcats
TCU Horn Frogs
Oregon Ducks
Penn State Nittany Lions
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Kansas Jayhawks
BYU Cougars
Oklahoma Sooners
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
South Carolina
USF Bulls
Houston Cougars
Utah Utes
Auburn Tigers

Dropped Out: Ole Miss 16, Mizzou 22, Wisconsin 25

Next 7: Pitt, Arizona, Ole Miss, Missouri, Arkansas, Notre Dame, West Virginia

Nick's Week 5 Poll

2009-10-04T19:37:00.000-07:00

Florida Gators
Texas Longhorns
Alabama Crimson Tide
LSU Tigers
Boise State Broncos
Virginia Tech Hokies
USC Trojans
Ohio State Buckeyes
Miami Hurricanes
Cincinnati Bearcats
TCU Horn Frogs
Iowa Hawkeyes
Penn State Nittany Lions
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oregon Ducks
Ole Miss Rebels
Kansas Jayhawks
BYU Cougars
Auburn Tigers
Oklahoma Sooners
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Missouri Tigers
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
USF Bulls
Wisconsin Badgers

Dropped: Houston 12, Georgia 16, Cal 19, Michigan 23

Next 5: Georgia, South Carolina, Notre Dame, Houston, Stanford

Nick's Week 4 Poll

2009-09-22T13:12:00.001-07:00

Florida Gators
Texas Longhorns
Alabama Crimson Tide
LSU Tigers
Boise State Broncos
Virginia Tech Hokies
Oklahoma Sooners
USC Trojans
Ohio State Buckeyes
Cincinnati Bearcats
TCU Horn Frogs
Houston Cougars
Penn State Nittany Lions
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Iowa Hawkeyes
Georgia Bulldogs
Miami Hurricanes
Ole Miss Rebels
California Bears
Kansas Jayhawks
BYU Cougars
Oregon Ducks
Michigan Wolverines
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

NBA Draft 09

2009-06-25T10:50:00.000-07:00

Wow its been a while since I've posted. Actually its been exactly a year; my last was the 08 draft. I did okay with that one but hopefully this year I'm better. Besides Blake Griffin, there are no franchise changers really in this draft. However it is a very complete draft. Someone drafted 25th could easily be just as good as whoever is drafted 11th. I believe that I have the first ten players correct. They may not be for the right team, but I believe that these ten players will be the first ten picks. There has been some controversy that Memphis will trade their number 2 pick, but they should keep it and take a player that fits. Minnesota is also still thinking of packaging some of their four first round picks and possibly move up. But without anymore trades this is what I think:

1. LA Clippers - Blake Griffin

Griffin is the consensus first pick. Just as LeBron was a lock back in 2003, more or less so is Griffin. He has all around talent and has the body of Goliath. He is a double-double machine and hopefully will make the laughing stock of the league a better team. He is a good replacement for Elton Brand and LA will build around this guy.

2. Memphis Grizzlies - Hasheem Thabeet

Memphis is still thinking of trading this pick. It makes no sense however. Thabeet is perfect for the Grizz. Rarely do you find a 7'3" guy who knows how to rebound and play defense so well. At UConn he swatted away every ball that came near him on defense. The one thing I'd say is that he has to bulk up if he wants to be a dominant player some day.
Could also pick: Ricky Rubio or Stephen Curry

3. Oklahoma City Thunder - James Harden

Even though Harden is not the third best player in this draft, he is just what OKC needs. He's a great shooter with some decent size. He can play the two and Durant will be back at the 3 where he belongs. This pick is a 50-50 nearly; they easily could pick Rubio because he is the next best and a great point guard. However if they did take Rubio, they would have to move Russell Westbrook to the 2, where he may not be as strong.
Could also pick: Ricky Rubio

4. Sacramento Kings - Ricky Rubio

If anyone saw the Olympics, then they know how good this kid is. He is being compared to Stockton and Pistol Pete and he is only 18 years old. Sacremento really needs a point guard and they would love if Rubio fell to them. His ballhandling and passing will make other players on the Kings better. I don't think he turns this team around, but with another good player I think Sacremento can compete. They also seem to like Tyreke Evans here.
Could also pick: Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry, James Harden or Jonny Flynn

5. Minnesota T-Wolves - Tyreke Evans
Could also pick: Stephen Curry, James Harden or Jonny Flynn

6. Minnesota T-Wolves - Stephen Curry
Could also pick: Tyreke Evans or Jonny Flynn

7. Golden State Warriors - Jordan Hill
Could also pick: Tyreke Evans

8. New York Knicks - Jrue Holiday
Could also pick: Jonny Flynn

9. Toronto Raptors - Demar DeRozan
Could also pick: Jonny Flynn or Jrue Holiday

10. Milwaukee Bucks - Jonny Flynn
Could also pick: Jrue Holiday

11. New Jersey Nets - Terrence Williams
Could also pick: Dejaun Blair, Earl Clark or Gerald Henderson

12. Charlotte Bobcats - Gerald Henderson
Could also pick: Terrence Williams or Earl Clark

13. Indiana Pacers - Dejaun Blair
Could also pick: Brandon Jennings, Ty Lawson or Earl Clark

14. Phoenix Suns - Earl Clark
Could also pick: Ty Lawson, Brandon Jennings, Dejaun Blair or Tyler Hansbrough

Mock Draft

2008-06-25T19:55:00.001-07:00

2008 NBA Mock Draft

1. PG - Derrick Rose - Memphis

Rose is one of the best guards that the draft has come by in a while. His quickness and strength for his position is unbelievable. For the Bulls it makes a lot of sense because Kirk Hinrich is not a true point guard and Chris Duhon is not good enough to be the bulls longterm point guard. Derrick Rose will most likely start right away and make an impact. He has already been the floor general at Memphis and lead them to the championship game, whose to say he can't do the same thing for the Bulls?

2. SG - O.J. Mayo - USC

Yes, Michael Beasley is the next best player in this years draft, but not quite what the Heat need at the moment. Now that they know Shawn Marion is returning next season, they do not need another Power Forward. Mayo provides them with an NBA ready guy who can hit the outside shot and go strong to the hoop. I see this fella helping this team soon. (Miami could also trade this pick and possibly get Jerryd Bayless).

3. PF - Michael Beasley - Kansas State

The T-Wolves kind of have it easy because in my mind there are three franchise players in this draft Rose, Mayo, Beasley. Whoever is left for Minnesota is who they take. Most likely I believe that it will be Beasley. Now they could consider Brook Lopez here, but Beasley is a more diverse player. He has range, rebounds well, and blocks shots. They will most likely move Big Al to the center position because Beasley is not a center, but the duo could be dynamic in the future.

4. PG - Russell Westbrook - UCLA
Could also possibly take Brook Lopez
5. PF - Kevin Love - UCLA
Could also possibly take Brook Lopez
6. SF - Danilo Gallinari - Italy
Could also possibly take Eric Gordon
7. PG - Jerryd Bayless - Arizona
Could also possibly take Eric Gordon

8. C - Brook Lopez - Stanford

Could also possibly take Kosta Koufos

9. SG - Eric Gordon - Indiana

Could also possibly take Brook Lopez

10. SF - Joe Alexander - West Virginia

Could also possibly take Darrell Arthur

11. C - Kosta Koufos - Ohio State

Could also possibly take Bayless or DJ Augustin

12. PG - DJ Augustin - Texas

Could also possibly take Anthony Randolph

13. PF - Anthony Randolph - LSU

Could also possibly take Brandon Rush

14. C - DeAndre Jordan - Texas A&M

Could also possibly take Darrell Arthur or Randolph

Finals

2008-06-06T17:56:00.000-07:00

Not to brag or anything, but I can't say I didn't tell you all. My prediction for the NBA Finals was Celtics vs. Lakers. And really what could be better?

The Big Three vs. Kobe
Bostons 16 championships vs. LA's 14
9 time champion Phil Jackson vs. first timer Doc Rivers

The old rivalry is back and better than ever. Now nothing was better than Bird against Magic, but this comes pretty close. There is no doubt that the best two teams are playing for the title since both were number 1 seeds.

The thing is however, how they've gotten there. The lake show swept thru Denver, beat a tough Jazz team in 6, and walked right over defending champion Spurs in just 5 games. LA has yet to lose a game at home and will get three games in a row (games 3,4 and 5) at home for the finals. Kobe has been, well he's been Kobe, averaging 31.4 ppg in the postseason shooting just about 46% from the field.

Pau Gasol has played well too 17.6 points and 8.9 boards a game. The Defense has been fair also as Gasol is averaging 2.3 blocks, almost a full block better than regular season) and Derek Fisher and Bryant have combined for over 3.5 steals a game.

Then there is Boston, bean town, home of the Celts. The same Celtics who had the second worst record a season ago. Now they are in the finals for the first time since '87. Their playoff run has been entertaining to say the least.

They squeeked past the Hawks (the youngest team in the NBA) in seven games. Boston was supposed to sweep them, but Atlanta put up a fight, literally. During one of the games a brawl was started between Zaza Pechulia and Kevin Garnett. The second round, whoa, what a test. The Celtics held host to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavs. The series was hectic and came down to a game 7 in which Paul Pierce and King James combined for 86 points. The Celtics would hold on and with the exception of Game 7 gave LeBron trouble defensively. In the Eastern Conference Finals the Celtics played great ball winning in 6 games including two games at the palace in Auburn Hills, their first road wins of the playoffs.

Kevin Garnett has been sensational putting up MVP type numbers and showing passion like no other. He has averaged a double-double in the playoffs putting averages of 21.2 ppg and 10 rpg. Also he has played outstanding defense with 1.1 blocks and 1.24 steals a game. Paul Pierce amazed everyone with his 41 point performance and has done whatever he can to win his first title.

Even though Ray Allen hasn't had great playoff numbers, he did start to pick it up in the later games of the Detroit series. He really cam alive in game three where he hit 5 threes. The bench has been solid (Posey especially) and Perk and Rondo have had some nice games.

The Lakers have a very deep bench and they are not afraid of running the floor. They also can hit the outside shots when it counts.

It will be a fantastic series with the Garden screaming, "Beat LA, Beat LA!"

NBA Live 08 Playoffs

2008-04-29T18:16:00.000-07:00

So i like video games. NBA live is a pretty fun game and since ESPN makes predictions for NFL games using Madden, why can't I make them with Live 08. Now these are not my predictions, but what the computer tells me when the games are simulated. Heres what it looks like:

First Round

West: Lakers over Nuggets 4 games to 2
Jazz over Rockets 4 games to 1
Spurs over suns in 7 games, 4 to 3
Hornets over Mavs 4 games to 2

East: Celtics over Hawks 4 games to 2
Wizards over Cavs 4 to 1
Magic over Raptors in 7, 4-3
Pistons over 76ers 4 games to 2

Semi's

West: Lakers sweep Jazz 4-0
Spurs sweep Hornets 4-0

East: Wizards over Celtics in 7
Pistons over Magic 4-2

Conf Finals

West: Lakers over Spurs in 7

East: Pistons over Wiz in a 4-0 sweep

Finals

Lakers 4 Pistons 2

HaHa. It is entertaining watching this because theres no way this is gonna happen. I agree with the first round except for Cleveland/Washington. C'mon seriously, the Wizards have never won a playoff series and Agent Zero is disabled with his injuries. Also just to throw this out there the other team has LeBron, enough said. He took the Cavs to the finals with a team half as good as this years.

Second Round. Now this is the part that really cracked me up. Wizards over Celtics. NO WAY. Yes, I am a Celts fan, but I already told you about the Wizards problems and they wont even make it to the second round. Boston is just way too good to lose in 6 games. Defensive player of the year KG cannot and will not be stopped because nobody in the east can disrupt him.

By the way that SA/NO series would defineately be a good one. However Chris Paul and his crew are too powerful to just lay down and die. I expect it to be at the worst 4-2 Spurs.

The finals is a possibility because the Lake show are that good, plus they get Bynum back as they go further. And the Pistons are pretty solid all around. All in all I have to agree with the Lakers winning it all, but watch out for those spurs.

Bubble Struggle

2008-03-13T12:52:00.001-07:00

So as I was sitting and sulking about my team, something very unusual is happening in NCAA basketball. Everyone's bubble is bursting! As of March 13th Joe Lunardi's bubble teams on ESPN are:

UMass, Illinois St., New Mexico, Arizona State
Ohio State, Florida, VCU, UAB
Dayton, Saint Joseph's, Villanova, Mississippi
Syracuse, Maryland, Virginia Tech, Florida State, Temple, Houston

For the most part, all of these teams need to win to get into the tourney. With San Diego beating Gonzaga to get the automatic bid from the WAC, they will most likely get 3 teams including St. Marys. Then in the Sun Belt conference, South Alabama was knocked out and Western Kentucky went on to win the conference championship. So there are two bubble spots gone due to automatic bids.

How would these teams play with their seasons on the line? Well, not so well.

In the Big East Tournament, Thursday March 12th, Villanova beat Syracuse, most likely ending the Orange's season. However the Wildcats lost against Georgetown, so they are questionable. West Virginia locked themselves in as they beat Providence handily and then pulled off a big upset over 15th ranked UConn.

Teams from the ACC did not have much luck either. Florida State ended Wake Forest's hopes and improved their resume, but they need to beat UNC in their next contest to get in. Miami locked themselves in beating NC State and Boston College pulled off a nice win over Maryland, probably poppin' the Terps bubble. Maryland is one of two teams that beat North Carolina this year.

Out west in the Pac-10 tournament, OJ Mayo and USC got past Arizona State leaving the devils at 19-12. All ASU had to do was win one game and they were most likely in, but it was a crazy day. Washington State beat Oregon, who needed to win probably two games to get in. Now Arizona plays Stanford tonight. Zona is interesting because they play such a tough schedule, but most analysts say this win puts them in.

Very Surprisingly, defending Champs the Florida Gators got rolled by the Tide of Alabama, putting them in a tough spot. Ole Miss needed a win badly and in overtime Georgia won on a buzzer beater putting Miss right on that bubble line.

Dayton lost in the quarters of the A-10 tournament to Xavier, would that end their season? Saint Joes and Temple both won their Atlantic 10 games and need to keep pushing. Charlotte beat UMass in the A-10 also. UAB, who was right on the bubble line, lost to Tulsa in the quarters as well and they will be prayin on sunday. Colorado totally shocked Baylor as they came away the victors and maybe put the boys in Waco in trouble.

What does this all mean? It means it is now a numbers game and the fate of all the teams listed lies in the hands of the tournament commitee.

LeBron or Kobe

2008-03-07T07:51:00.000-08:00

The question that many analysts have been asking for weeks is a simple one, would you rather have LeBron James or Kobe Bryant. Would you want the all-star with 3 rings on his fingers or the most hyped up talent to ever play in the NBA. Both have already left unbelievable legacies in the league and each will continue to dominiat no doubt.

My answer right now would have to be...King James. The Jordan replica just puts on a show every single night that he is on the floor. It seems like LBJ has one or more highlights on sportscenters top ten plays every day. This kid can do it all: shoot, dunk, rebound, pass, and play defense.

And yes he is still a kid, since he is only 23 years old and this year would be his rookie season had he'd of gone to college for 4 years. Everybody knew that he was special when ESPN was covering his high school games. King James single-handedly brought the cavs to the NBA finals including a 48 point performance against the Pistons in the eastern conference finals.

At first I was very skeptical of this kid because who was he to just skip over college and walk right into the NBA. As a matter of fact I was pretty ticked when the Cavaliers took him over my boy Carmelo, who was more proven at the time. But he has grown every year and brings a positive attitude to Clevelands locker room at all times.

LeBron is tops in the league in scoring, but a close second is Kobe. As of today Kobe is the best player on the best team, as the Lakers sit atop the more difficult Western conference. He has one of the prettiest shots in the game and can be unstopable at times. Also Kobe plays stout defense nearly reaching 2 steals a game, and defense is tough to come by these days.

Of course nobody will forget his unheard of 81 points put up against the Raptors, as well as his three championships. Now Bryant gets criticized because he had Shaq on all those championships, but it was Bryant who took games over. What I like about Kobe is the fact that he has stuck it out after a few tough years in L.A. and now has a team around him that could easily win it all.

The whole deal with Kobes off the court issues and his problems with the law do not make him very great in my eyes. He has been good as of late however and has kept his mouth shut (for the most part). I have to tell you I wouldn't mind seeing Kobe and the Lakers win the Championship this year. Considering that he has had to be the veteran leader on this young team and show the newcomers the ways of NBA basketball is impressive.

The fact is however, that James is the better overall player. Now MVP that is another battle, but as of this day King James has all the hype, all the drama, and all the eyes watching his dazzling, jaw dropping game. With his character on and off the court he is a perfect role model for youngsters. Heck, even I have become a fan of the King, LeBron James.

Lantz March Madness Mock

2008-03-04T19:34:00.000-08:00

EAST--------WEST-----SOUTH-----MIDWEST
1. UNC-------1.UCLA---1. TENN----1. Memphis
2. Wisconsin--2. Texas--2. Duke-----2. Kansas
3. G-Town---3. Xavier--3. Louisville-3. Stanford
4. Butler-----4. Indiana-4. Vandy----4. UCONN
5. Marquette-5. Purdue-5. N.Dsme--5. Mich St.
6. Drake-----6. Gonzaga-6. Clemson-6. Wash St.
7. St. Marys--7. BYU----7. UNLV----7. Pitt
8. Miami-----8. Miss St.-8. Davidson-8. Baylor

Basketball better a century ago

2008-02-24T13:24:00.000-08:00

Didn't you love the game back when the toughest team won, and the team that outhustled the other came away the victor. Basketball was its best before the 90's. When there was no three point line, Bobby Knight was throwing chairs, and it was all about defense.

When they decided to make the three point line around 1980, the game of basketball drastically changed. It was no longer a big mans sport, but now the little guy could just chuck it up from twenty feet and get three. If a player gets fouled while shooting the three, he can make it and a freethrow for a four point play. I think this is rediculous because a team could get 9 points on just three shots. The only reason that the NCAA and NBA wanted a three point line was to increase scoring.

Today teams normally need a couple guys that can shoot from long range because the big guys just cant get it done anymore. The three point line is killing basketball. Not only that but players now are so worried about getting their share, they don't care about playing defense. The NBA especially has become a joke becuase of the lack of defense and hustle.

The NCAA will be doing the right thing once they make the three point line as far as the NBA's, but even then not much will change. I miss the basketball played years ago.

Harris, Cuse knockoff #8 G-Town

2008-02-16T19:18:00.000-08:00

Two seconds before the buzzer sounded Orange fans stormed the court after their 77-70 victory over the 8th ranked Georgetown Hoyas early Saturday.

The Carrier Dome was rocking the entire game, especially when Syracuse pulled off to a 21 point lead in the first half. There was so much pandemonium flowing through the dome and the team charged through G-Town with their hearts on the line.

Paul Harris played with a terrific amount of emotion and exploded with 22 points on 5-7 shooting and 11 made free throws. Freshman phenoms Donte Green and Jonny Flynn came to play also combining for 35 points and 13 assists.

The offense however was not really the story, the defense just man handled Georgetown in the first half. Cuse forced the Hoyas into 14 turnovers most being in the first half.

Even the Syracuse bench played well, with Scoop Jardine hitting a tough layin at a crucial point and Rick Jackson hitting two key free throws. Arinze Onuaku played brilliantly scoring 13 points grabbing 4 rebounds and blocking 2 shots before he fouled out with a few minutes left in the game. Jackson filled right in for Onuaku with 4 rebounds and 3 blocked shots.

The Orange totally dominated the boards with a 32-23 rebounding margin over the hoyas. Kristof Ongenaet led the way with 8 rebounds and Harris also had 8. Harris really sparked the dome with his thunderous dunks, he really played hard. It was a total team effort and they keep on improving.

The team seems to really be maturing and making a fine case for an NCAA tourney birth. They play at Louisville Monday catch them on ESPN at 7 o’clock.