Yearly Archives: 2006

On Notice!

Hi, I’m Nick’s brother. My idea is to start this blog’s second weekly feature: On the night of or day after the slate of games, I’m going to post an On Notice board that gives you a precise, 8 point recap of the day’s key actions. Without further ado, here’s the first edition:

  1. Michigan State University – You’re on notice for blowing a 16-point 4th quarter lead against the most overrated team since last year’s BEST TEAM EVAR?? USC team.
  2. Drew Stanton – Your incompetence will somehow be attributed to Charlie Weis’s playcalling and Brady Quinn’s “mental toughness”. Seriously, 3 turnovers on the last 3 drives?
  3. Brent Musberger – Removed his lips from Weis’s ass just long enough to say that an obviously rattled Brady Quinn was “mentally tough”.
  4. Lee Corso – For saying that Stanton’s incompetence keeps ND in the national title race. Hate to say it, Lee, but USC would’ve hung 70 on the ND defense tonight.
  5. University of Colorado – Um…guys…if you’re beating UGA 13-0 in the 4th quarter, try to play some defense next time. Also, you only get 4 downs in football.
  6. Boston College – For losing to NC State on a last second drive, saving Amato’s job until he loses to another MAC team.
  7. MSU Defense – You guys looked really good for about a quarter…what happened? Everyone knows that ND refuses to run the ball – either keep blitzing (GT style) or prepare to get reamed by their offense. Guess what – any QB can look really good when he has all day to throw.
  8. VPISU – You’re up next on the GT schedule – there’s nothing I’ve seen that would make me believe that you should lose, except that first-year starters don’t play well against GT. It won’t be 51-7 again, though.

Almost

I was almost completely wrong about CU @ UGA. But, hey, when you need a last minute TD to beat a team that lost to Montana State….

Also, I guess Matt Stafford is no longer the second coming of Christ.

Looking Over the Slate

I immensely enjoyed our game last night. I had not seen us beat UVA since I got here, so seeing us destroy them was great. Even better was seeing Calvin Johnson hit in-strike over the middle…wow. I also liked the 70’s unis. What a night. The only thing better would be a win at VPI next week, giving us our best win so far and putting us in the driver’s seat for the division.

Poor Virginia, though. I don’t think they’re the best oppenent we’ve beaten this year – I think Troy could probably take them by a touchdown or two. Did you see their “passing offense”? That guy made Reggie look positively awesome (Reggie’s never been as bad as that guy was). I think my brother summed it up best: “These guys couldn’t score against air.” The UVA QB threw everywhere but at his receivers, and in the off chance he actually got it to them, I think they were so surprised they just dropped it.

Our receivers are okay this year – we’re lining up playmaker Rashaun Grant in the slot and have shown depth behind Calvin. Our running game could use some work, though – I like that we’re trying to use the option, but Reggie pitches too soon and Choice seems to have trouble turning the corner and running upfield.

Our kickoff coverage still sucks, but it’s getting better.

I’ll now try to sum up all of Saturday’s games that will be on TV, since for the first time I’ll actually be able to watch them all. Onward!
Noon games:

  • UNC @ Clemson (ACC regional): Watch one of the many trainwreck ACC teams this year get destroyed by Clemson.
  • Colorado @ UGA (SEC regional): About the only way Colarado wins is if Ralphie gets loose and tramples the entire UGA team. Additionally, as a Tech fan, I’m conflicted by who to root for here, by which I mean, should I root against UGA (and for CU), or just not watch it all. The latter seems a better option.
  • Cincinatti @ VPI&SU (ESPNU): Virginia Tech wins again. Over/under on unsportsman like penalties in this game is approximately 15 for both teams.
  • Wisconsin @ UMich (ESPN): Michigan cruises again. Man, the games today suck, but I think I already elaborated on that.
  • Minnesota @ Purdue (ESPN2): I always enjoy rooting for Purdue. They’re the Big Ten’s version of Georgia Tech: an engineering school focused on academics. Tech has a better football history, of course, but hey.
  • Louisville @ Kansas St. (FSN): Petrino-ball continues.

3:30 games:

  • Penn St. @ Ohio St. (ABC): Is this really the best game available at this time slot for ABC? Since the alternative is another likely blowout (ISU @ Texas), probably.
  • Alabama @ Arkansas (CBS): Go Razorbacks!
  • Rice @ FSU (ESNPU): Why? Maybe FSU’s offense will look good for the first time this year.
  • Arizona St. @ Cal (FSN): The game isn’t at ASU, so there probably won’t be much to look at here. Cal probably wins.

Everything else:

  • WVU @ Eastern Carolina (4:30, ESPN2): Yarr! ECU loses, though. At least WVU’s offense is fun to watch.
  • UCLA @ Washington (7:00, TBS): UCLA dares to find out if it is indeed harder to “push across” U-Dub’s “line than to pass the Dardenelles.” And yes, I know where and what the Darndenelles are.
  • Miami (OH) @ Syracuse (7:00, ESPNU): Everyone hates it, but I think Otto the Orange is an awesome mascot.
  • USF @ Kansas (7:00, FSN): FSN continues on their parade of crappy Big 12 teams against Big East oppenents. Neither KSU or KU will win, likely.
  • UK @ UF (7:45, ESPN): I’d be a lot more interested if this were a contest between each schools’ basketball team.
  • ND @ Mich. St. (8:00, ABC): I’d prefer Notre Dame lose most of the time, and I still sorta do. But if they build up another winning streak, they’ll a) make us look better and b) build up some momentum heading into Los Angeles. I think they’re the ones with a chance of beating USC this year.
  • NCSU @ BC (8:00, ESPN2): Watch Chuck Amato continue his quest to get fired!

That’s all, folks. Also, Tito, I hope the Harris Poll voters thing the same way the AP guys do. And if your schedule is better, then the computers will help you out. If those two things happen, then you’ll be ahead of USC in 2 of the 3 polls. Also, while USC may play more ranked teams than you guys, if you beat both UGA and UF you should gain ground in the coach’s poll, and you’re only down by 60 votes to begin with. (Hopefully, that will also be UF’s only loss – I’d, of course, like to see UGA lose at every oppruntunity.)

The Love Affair Continues

This morning, my roommate and I watched SportsCenter. Lou Holtz and Mark May both had the audacity to claim that USC is the second-best college football team in the nation (Ohio State being the first). While Mark May gave Auburn credit as the third-best team, Lou Holtz didn’t even seem to have Auburn in his top five. He was very critical of their offensive production against LSU. ESPN always touts LSU as having one of the best defenses in the country, and rightfully so. The Tigers have held nearly all of their opponents in recent years to low scores (see the 2006 Peach Bowl). This in mind, how can they fault Auburn for only putting up 180-something yards against LSU?

In additon, they touted USC’s schedule as something difficult. Cal was dominated by Tennessee, who lost to Florida by one point. If Auburn beats Florida and USC beats Cal, which team has more proved their dominance? Also, one of the sportscasters made the claim that USC would play more ranked teams by the end of the year. In that time, Auburn will have played LSU, Florida, Georgia, and Alabama away. USC will have played Cal, Arizona State, and Notre Dame at home. I’ll give them Notre Dame, but that still doesn’t compare to our lineup. Sure, their nonconference schedule is tougher than ours, but is there really that much of a difference between playing Arkansas and Nebraska and Washington State and Tulane? Is there much of a difference between Arizona and Buffalo? Not enough of one to rank USC above Auburn.

Speaking of Buffalo, I’m predicting a 117-0 victory for the Tigers over the Bulls. I’m sporting my sombrero to the game, due to the ridiculous nature of our scheduling such an opponent. Tune in Sunday to see if Laura watched any of the Notre Dame vs. Michigan State game and to read more griping about USC’s place of privilege with the voters.