tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-111751542024-03-18T03:54:54.163-05:00Braves & BirdsMichaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.comBlogger1596125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-30006411809711562892014-06-11T16:42:00.001-05:002014-06-11T16:44:30.435-05:00Lionel Hutz Takes a Stab at Insulting the World. Unintentional Hilarity Ensues.I have sometimes wondered whether Clay Travis is: (1) a smart guy who makes intentionally dumb arguments to provoke a reaction; or (2) a genuinely dumb guy who has managed to stumble into success in the manner of Forrest Gump through a combination of trolling, luck, and accessibility to fellow simpletons. I've pondered the same question with respect to Paul Finebaum and concluded that he fits into category number one because he comes across as a thoughtful person in his unguarded moments and his grasp of the language - both written and spoken - is strong.<br />
<br />
Travis just convinced me that he fits into category number two with his <a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/college-football/outkick-the-coverage/the-hater-s-guide-to-the-world-cup-for-lazy-americans-061114" target="_blank">embarrassing screed about the 31 non-'Murican countries in the World Cup</a>. A smart person can write paragraphs of more than one sentence and make funny jokes, even when trolling to try to generate a reaction. Travis's piece is so bad on every level that I would call it career-ending if this were not Fox we're talking about, a media entity that has parlayed unfunny, xenophobic commentary into a political and cultural force. So no, I won't be asking the question "how did anyone with a brain or integrity publish this?" Instead, I'll Fisk it, safe in the knowledge that I can't drive much traffic to Fox and Travis by publishing on a blog that I haven't updated in a year and a half.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The 2014 World Cup is here which means it's now fashionable to hate other countries. Or at least allowable. Yeah, yeah, I know that everyone claims the World Cup brings us together for a global symphonic medley of "We are the World," but really, let's be honest, it's also a great excuse to hate other countries that are trying to beat you in soccer. Particularly the countries that screw us in every World Cup despite the fact that we continue to give them malaria nets to protect their people from mosquitoes. (Yeah, I'm looking right at you Ghana, don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about). </blockquote>
<br />
<br />
Hahaha malaria jokes in the first paragraph! Dammit, Ghana, why are you not grateful for the foreign aid that we give and just forget about that whole "plucking human beings from West Africa for decades so we could enslave them" thing. And the use of second person in this first paragraph is immediately terrifying because it forces us to contemplate the fact that someone outside of the U.S. could read Travis's drivel and attribute it to Americans who don't trumpet their ignorance for clicks.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Let's be honest, the United States is the most loved and hated team in the World Cup. Often, just like your marriage, simultaneously. And we're really hated by FIFA officials who you know will work their damnedest to screw us in every game. Plus, every now and then it's fun to live up to the stereotype of the ugly American walking around the Louvre in flip-flops, jorts, and your two time World War champs tank-top while swilling from an open wine bottle, which you stole off a street vender outside Notre Dame.
</blockquote>
<br />
<br />
Most loved team in the World Cup, Clay? Find another country where the fans say "gee, after our team is eliminated, I'm all about the United States winning!" And yes, I'm sure that the French would be interested in your t-shirt implying that the U.S. won World War I and France did not. Good luck with that.<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
So that's why Outkick's hater's guide is a perfect way to welcome the 2014 World Cup.
<br />
<br />
The problem is that we Americans are lazy and hardly know any geography outside our own country. <br />
<br />
So I decided to do the hard work for you and give a handy guide on why you should hate the 31 other countries that comprise the World Cup this year. And by "do the hard work," I mean type on a computer screen without doing any actual research myself.
So it's possible that my reasons to hate a country make no sense or are inaccurate.
<br />
<br />
But, who cares, in the spirit of global hate, it's Outkick's hater's guide to the World Cup.
</blockquote>
Always a good idea to describe a piece for which you presumably got paid as making no sense and being inaccurate. And kudos for swearing off research, given how <a href="http://www.wikipedia.org/" target="_blank">very hard it is to learn basic facts about the larger countries in the world</a>.<br />
<blockquote>
<br />
Australia
<br />
<br />
Australia is a former penal colony. (Despite the fact that you're giggling a bit, a penal colony has nothing to do with a penis). This means that every Australian is descended from people that Britain decided were so dangerous they couldn't even be kept in the same hemisphere with everyone else. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
Plus, did you know that Australia was once mostly a virgin continent inhabited by giant kangaroos? And then do you know what those rotten Aussies did? They killed all the giant kangaroos!
You want your kids to hate Australia forever? Just tell them this. They killed the giant kangaroos.
Bastards.
</blockquote>
What makes me think that Clay was the jackass in the back of the room in first-year Criminal Law who giggled every time the professor mentioned the Modern Penal Code?<br />
<br />
"Every Australian" is descended from the people who came over from Great Britain. Australia was uninhabited before the White people arrived? Can't this muppet learn about Aboriginal people the way that most ignorant Americans do, namely by watching <em><a href="http://fitsnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/crocodile-dundee.jpg" target="_blank">Crocodile Dundee</a></em>? Does it not occur to Clay that assuming that Aboriginal people are not Australian is just a wee bit racist? Does this occur to him and he doesn't care? I return to the question that started this post. <br />
<br />
<blockquote>
Iran
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The women of Iran are not allowed to watch their soccer team play in person. And there's currently a controversy in the country over whether or not women are wearing too sexy of veils. Plus, they're trying to build a nuclear bomb to destroy the world.
As if that wasn't enough this is the only country in the world where it's considered a measure of progress when one of their leaders admits that the holocaust actually happened.
Seriously, they were praised for this.
</blockquote>
The Iranians don't want to destroy the world, Clay. There's really one country that they're thinking of when they try to build a nuclear weapon. Man, you should listen to the neocons on Fox News more. (I'll take sentences I never thought I would type for $100, Alex.)<br />
<br />
Kudos for knowing enough about world history to acknowledge the existence of the Holocaust. It's capitalized, though, sport.<br />
<blockquote>
Japan
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Are we just supposed to forget that they sneak attacked us? What would happen if we beat Japan in the World Cup and Clint Dempsey scored a winning goal and said, "That was for Pearl Harbor, bitches."
Would this be an international controversy or the funniest trash talk ever? I'm going with both.
You know that creepy guy in your office who likes the online porn that makes you really uncomfortable? Yeah, that's the entire country of Japan. At some point the Japanese soccer team is going to come out wearing their new uniforms: Slutty Hello Kitty.
</blockquote>
My kingdom for a listing of Clay's web history.<br />
<br />
Pearl Harbor jokes about Japan? Cutting edge stuff, Clay. Did a joke about immolating hundreds of thousands of people during the bombing campaign get left on the cutting room floor? Do you have a t-shirt bragging about Curtis Lemay's exploits? It would go great with your jorts.<br />
<blockquote>
South Korea
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Did you know that there's an ongoing controversy over whether or not Japan will apologize for making the women of Korea sex slaves during World War II? This is a real story.
These two countries really hate each other. Because they made grandma a sex slave.
There are lots of weird things that go on in South Korea, but, honestly, North Korea is so weird that no one even pays attention to South Korea.
</blockquote>
"They" made grandma a sex slave? This was some sort of cooperative effort between Japan and Korea? Lord, please let a Korean read this piece and then serve Clay some kimchi turned up to 11.<br />
<blockquote>
Algeria
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
I'm going to be honest with you guys, I don't know anything at all about Algeria. I'm not even sure I can put it on the right continent.
Moving right along.
</blockquote>
You know that hilarious shirt idea you suggested about the U.S. winning two World Wars? Guess where our <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Torch" target="_blank">first large-scale land campaign</a> started when we won the second of those two World Wars. Yup, that country your ignorant ass can't place on a continent, let alone a map. My seven-year old can place Algeria on a map, you cannot, and Charles Woodson deserved the Heisman. Go blue.<br />
<blockquote>
Ghana
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The only thing I know about Ghana is that they f--- us every year in the World Cup. I hate these mother-------.
</blockquote>
They fuck us by having beaten us in two World Cups? And how does one get fucked "every year" in a quadrennial event? Remember, you write for a living.<br />
<blockquote>
Ivory Coast
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
This African country is located on the Ivory Coast.
</blockquote>
What, no hilarious joke about how their soccer team is nicknamed the Elephants and Elephants have big dicks? If you're gonna go blue, go all the way. Or just make a joke about Alabama fans. Either way.<br />
<blockquote>
Cameroon
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Once a monkey stole the crown of Cameroon's king and as a result every monkey in Cameroon was slaughtered. But they still couldn't find the crown. Which is still missing.
If you find the king's crown then no matter where you are born in the world you become Cameroon's king.
(Note: all of this is made up. I don't know anything about Cameroon).
</blockquote>
Like the Hillsborough affidavits that were edited by the Yorkshire police to cover their own mistakes, I'd love to see the original version of this text. What odds would I get that Clay went all the way with his monkey metaphor concerning a West African country?<br />
<blockquote>
Nigeria
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa. Which means it has the most screwed people in all of Africa. There is also a presently rising tide of Muslim fundamentalism. Boy, does this place sound fun. </blockquote>
Right, because there is no difference between any of the countries in Africa. Every one is equally terrible, regardless of whether they are one of the world's leading oil producers (Nigeria) or are in the throes of a genocidal civil war (not Nigeria). And just like most African countries, those Black people are just so hard to tell apart, right Clay?<br />
<blockquote>
Costa Rica
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
This is that place you thought you were going on Spring Break, but then you actually ended up in Cancun.
</blockquote>
Yes, if you are an idiot who cannot tell the difference between the names "Mexico" and "Costa Rica."<br />
<blockquote>
Honduras
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Last winter, my wife and I told my mother-in-law that we wanted to spend Christmas in Hawaii and let her take care of the vacation planning. Instead of Christmas in Hawaii she booked us for New Year's in Honduras, which meant I couldn't go because, you know, that's RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF BOWL SEASON AND I HAD TO WORK.
So I did research on Honduras. Turns out, Honduras has the highest murder rate in the world.
Awesome.
My family survived.
But yours probably won't if they go to Honduras.
</blockquote>
I had some hope for your kids, Clay, based on the fact that your wife went to a school with actual books and learnin', but I guess not. Or, in the alternative, you couldn't think of a joke here and made up this implausible, thoroughly unfunny story based on the fact that Honduras and Hawai'i both start with an "H."<br />
<blockquote>
Mexico
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
We've been kicking Mexico's ass since Santa Ana dressed up like a woman and tried to escape his ass-kicking at the Battle of San Jacinto.
The only reason Mexico's even in the World Cup is because we carried their broke ass team here.
How bad is Mexico? When Mexicans get to El Paso, Texas, they kiss the ground.
El Paso.
</blockquote>
Mexico's "broke-ass" soccer players make more than ours do, genius. If you want to sympathize with the Mexican soccer fans who chanted Osama bin Laden's name after 9/11, imagine this paragraph going viral south of the border.<br />
<blockquote>
Argentina
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
I know two things about Argentina:
1. When they escaped from Germany at the end of World War II, many Nazis fled to Argentina and were safe there.
2. Lionel Messi is from Argentina, but Argentinians don't like Messi because he isn't Argentinian enough.
</blockquote>
An Eichmann reference! I bet he'd appreciate your blithe dismissal of just about every non-White group on the planet.<br />
<blockquote>
Brazil
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
I'm sick of hearing about how awesome Brazil is in soccer. You know what Brazil isn't awesome in? Everything else. Congratulations, while the rest of the world was putting in electricity, you spent your time focusing on dribbling a soccer ball made out of cow testicles. </blockquote>
Fifth-largest country in the world, seventh-largest economy, and all they do is dribble a soccer ball made out of cow testicles. And perhaps a Tennesseean shouldn't be making jokes about <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_Valley_Authority" target="_blank">natives not doing enough to generate electricity and needing help from another entity to do so</a>.<br />
<blockquote>
Chile
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
I mean, I've tried for a long time for this not to be case, but every time I see the word Chile, I think about eating chili.
</blockquote>
Too stupid to even warrant a rejoinder.<br />
<blockquote>
Colombia
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The entire country exists to make cocaine.
Which, to be fair, is better than what Colombia existed to do before cocaine was cultivated -- grow bananas.
</blockquote>
I'm personally shocked that Clay didn't use this opportunity to weigh in on the upcoming Colombian runoff elections and the vexing question of whether meaningful peace with FARC is possible ... so then he could make a howler about how FARC makes him think of farts, which is what happens when he eats chili! Connections!<br />
<blockquote>
Ecuador
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Ecuador is most famous for inventing the ceiling fan.
This is not true.
But you believed it.
Moving right along.
</blockquote>
At this stage, no one should believe anything that you bang out on your unfortunate keyboard.<br />
<blockquote>
Uruguay
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
I always get Uruguay and Paraguay confused. One of these countries is going to have to change its name.
I nominate Uraguay because if you read it really fast it looks like shorthand for u r gay. (Little known fact: "U r gay," is the state seal of Alabama.)</blockquote>
Clay Travis, the writer who spends an entire column proudly proclaiming his own ignorance and then takes a shot at Alabama fans for "U r gay." This whole column is the "U r gay" version of international relations.<br />
<blockquote>
Belgium
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The entire country exists to make waffles.
Also, how are you located in Europe and yet you've never done anything throughout recorded history? Seriously, what has Belgium ever done except make waffles? Do they even have local history text books?
</blockquote>
Aw Clay, you shouldn't be so dismissive of Belgium. You'd find that your views of Africa would have a receptive audience among Belgians ... <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belgian_Congo" target="_blank">who lived over a century ago</a>.<br />
<blockquote>
Bosnia and Herzegovina
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
I'll never forgive these bastards for turning Anderson Cooper's hair white before its time.
You remember that, right, when Anderson Cooper was crawling along on the ground dodging missiles and there was some war going on that Channel One was covering?
I still have no idea what that war was about.
</blockquote>
Yes, that war that Clay has, in a novel fashion, blamed on Bosnia. "I'll never forgive those Jews from starting World War II and causing my grandpappy to have to spend two years in an unnamed North African country!"<br />
<blockquote>
Croatia
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Every few years produces an NBA player. The rest of the time it doesn't really exist. </blockquote>
They wear checkerboard uniforms! You're a Tennessee fan who probably thinks that checkboards are the height of class and sophistication! Christ, you were one Google Images search away from knowing something about another country!<br />
<blockquote>
England
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
What America would be like if none of our ancestors had the balls to cross the Atlantic.
That is, a country made up of ninnies. </blockquote>
Also: a country that, like the U.S., gets to wear the "we won two World Wars" shirt. In fact, they even have a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Hosf86OLxM" target="_blank">song about it</a>. But all the same, they must be ninnies.<br />
<br />
Note how Clay excludes anyone from non-European descent from being "us."<br />
<blockquote>
France
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The only country on this list who welcomed the Nazis when they conquered their country. Honestly, making fun of France is too easy. So let's just leave it with this -- Texas is bigger than France. </blockquote>
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Resistance" target="_blank">You dumb motherfucker.</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands_in_World_War_II#Collaboration" target="_blank">You historically illiterate boob.</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_collaborationism_with_the_Axis_powers" target="_blank">You utter fool.</a><br />
<blockquote>
Germany
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The entire country believed they were the master race seventy years ago.
Seventy. Years. Ago.
And we're just supposed to forget about this?
They started two World Wars that caused the death of hundreds of millions of people. Either tried to kill or did kill your grandpa. But all's forgiven now, they have rustic beer gardens!
I hate these bastards.
And so should you. </blockquote>
I just threw up in my mouth when I realized that Clay is <a href="http://www.bobdylan.com/us/songs/god-our-side" target="_blank">paraphrasing Dylan</a>. <br />
<blockquote>
Greece
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Peaked over two thousand years ago. Since this time has been trying to reclaim their past glory.
And failing.
The entire country is bankrupt. </blockquote>
They also hate the Germans, so you might be able to make some friends on the Aegean. Also, congrats for not making a "Greeks are all fagz!!!" joke, although I suspect that it's more down to your shallow knowledge of stereotypes as opposed to discretion and taste.<br />
<blockquote>
Italy
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The Romans gave us democracy, roads, stunning works of art and many ancient texts that continue to illuminate modern life. Then came the Renaissance. My how Italy flourished!
Modern day Italy has given us pizza and spaghetti.
That's what you call a cultural decline. (And I'm even having to define pizza broadly).
</blockquote>
Now you've pissed off the Greeks by claiming that the Romans gave us democracy. That would news to, among others, the Founding Fathers, so you don't even know our own history. And you might want to read up on Silvio Berlusconi, because you would likely revise your opinion on modern Italy when you realize how much you have in common with a shameless, sexist public figure whose success was and is inexplicable.<br />
<blockquote>
Netherlands
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
A mostly flooded country filled with windmills, prostitutes, and hallucinogenic mushrooms.
So, yeah, it's pretty awesome.
I can't even hate this country.</blockquote>
Do you base your views of Europe on <em>Eurotrip</em>? Do you realize that 90% of the people reading this column would vote for you to get the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FELzYuCvoo0" target="_blank">full treatment at Club Vandersexx</a>?<br />
<blockquote>
Portugal
The only thing I know about Portugal is that Cristiano Ronaldo is from here.
This is probably more than most of you know about Portugal.
</blockquote>
Was Christopher Columbus the only explorer covered in your grade school? Are you going to be confused when you realize that Brazilians don't speak Spanish?<br />
<blockquote>
Russia
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Currently embroiled in a semi-war with a breakaway republic that doesn't want to be part of Russia. Rinse and repeat for the past thousand years.
Also, despite the fact that she plays a Russian on television, Keri Russell is not actually from Russia. </blockquote>
By referring to Ukraine as a "breakaway republic," you have now managed to insult a country that didn't even make the World Cup. You have truly achieved the Platonic ideal of an offensive column. And no, I'm not referencing Dana Plato, so keep your witty "child stars are a wreck, amirite!?" joke in your holster.<br />
<blockquote>
Spain
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
Discovered America thanks to Christopher Columbus.
Is presently debating whether to join the globalized world or continue to take mid-day naps while everyone else works. (Note: this is a real debate in the country).
</blockquote>
A writer who brags about doing zero research before tossing around a collection of dated and often racist stereotypes probably shouldn't be mocking the work ethic of anyone else.<br />
<blockquote>
Switzerland
</blockquote>
<blockquote>
The only country on this list that is hoping for a tie.
Perpetually unaligned except they are in favor of hiding rich people's assets.
</blockquote>
If only you had trusted this article to the Swiss and told them that it should never see the light of day.Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com56tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-54564459526479826982012-12-23T08:33:00.001-05:002012-12-23T08:33:23.814-05:00An Exercise in Juxtaposition<embed src="http://www.101greatgoals.com/wp-content/uploads/jw-player-plugin-for-wordpress/player/player.swf" height="495" width="635" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" flashvars="&fbit.height=471&fbit.link=false&fbit.pluginmode=FLASH&fbit.visible=true&fbit.width=635&fbit.x=0&fbit.y=0&file=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DIfQeE-Jcd2Q&gapro.height=471&gapro.pluginmode=FLASH&gapro.visible=true&gapro.width=635&gapro.x=0&gapro.y=0&googima.ad=undefined&googima.height=471&googima.pluginmode=HYBRID&googima.position=over&googima.visible=true&googima.width=635&googima.x=0&googima.y=0&image=http%3A%2F%2Fi.ytimg.com%2Fvi%2FIfQeE-Jcd2Q%2F0.jpg&logo=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.101greatgoals.com%2Fwp-content%2Fthemes%2Ftutorial%2Fimages%2F101watermark.png&mediaid=280108&plugins=tweetit-1h%2Cfbit-1h%2Cviral-2h%2Cgapro-1h%2Chttp%3A%2F%2Flp.longtailvideo.com%2F5%2Fgoogima%2Fgoogima.swf&tweetit.height=471&tweetit.link=false&tweetit.pluginmode=FLASH&tweetit.visible=true&tweetit.width=635&tweetit.x=0&tweetit.y=0&viral.allowmenu=true&viral.bgcolor=0x333333&viral.fgcolor=0xffffff&viral.functions=embed&viral.matchplayercolors=true&viral.oncomplete=false&viral.onpause=false&viral.pluginmode=FLASH&logo.link=http://www.101greatgoals.com&logo.file=http://www.101greatgoals.com/wp-content/themes/tutorial/images/101watermark.png" /> <iframe width="512" height="288" src="http://www.hulu.com/embed.html?eid=jgpci-5bsn3oc0t7-xls6a" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-90768029519469483062012-11-26T08:09:00.001-05:002012-11-26T08:09:36.480-05:00My Ballot Prepares for Hurricane Danielson<!-- SB Nation BlogPoll Top 25 Ballot --> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 10px auto; padding-left: 0px; width: 340px; padding-right: 0px; background: #fff; padding-top: 0px" id="blogpoll-rankings-ballot"> <h2 style="padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; font-size: 10px; padding-top: 0px"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/rankings/college-football-blogpoll-top-25"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" alt="SB Nation BlogPoll Top 25 College Football Rankings" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/samsung-blogpoll-top25-ballot.png" width="340" height="84" /></a></h2> <div style="border-bottom: #ddd 1px solid; border-left: #ddd 1px solid; border-top: #ddd 0px solid; border-right: #ddd 1px solid"> <h3 style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 5px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; padding-top: 5px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://bravesandbirds.blogspot.com/">Braves & Birds</a> Ballot - Week 13</h3> <table style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 5px 5px; width: 327px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial; color: #333; font-size: 11px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid" class="blogpoll-result" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"><tbody> <tr> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Rank</th> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Team</th> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Delta</th> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">1</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/notre-dame-fighting-irish">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">2</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/florida-gators">Florida Gators</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">3</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/alabama-crimson-tide">Alabama Crimson Tide</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -1</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">4</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oregon-ducks">Oregon Ducks</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">5</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-bulldogs">Georgia Bulldogs</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -2</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">6</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/stanford-cardinal">Stanford Cardinal</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 1</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">7</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/kansas-st-wildcats">Kansas St. Wildcats</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -2</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">8</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/lsu-tigers">LSU Tigers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">9</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oklahoma-sooners">Oklahoma Sooners</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">10</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/texas-a-m-aggies">Texas A&M Aggies</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">11</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/south-carolina-gamecocks">South Carolina Gamecocks</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 6</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">12</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/ohio-st-buckeyes">Ohio St. Buckeyes</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -1</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">13</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/nebraska-cornhuskers">Nebraska Cornhuskers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 2</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">14</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/florida-st-seminoles">Florida St. Seminoles</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -6</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">15</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oregon-st-beavers">Oregon St. Beavers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -1</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">16</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/clemson-tigers">Clemson Tigers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -3</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">17</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oklahoma-st-cowboys">Oklahoma St. Cowboys</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 1</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">18</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/ucla-bruins">UCLA Bruins</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -2</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">19</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/tcu-horned-frogs">TCU Horned Frogs</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">20</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/michigan-wolverines">Michigan Wolverines</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -1</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">21</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/texas-longhorns">Texas Longhorns</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 1</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">22</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/utah-state-aggies">Utah State Aggies</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -1</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">23</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/arizona-st-sun-devils">Arizona St. Sun Devils</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">24</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/vanderbilt-commodores">Vanderbilt Commodores</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">25</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/kent-st-golden-flashes">Kent St. Golden Flashes</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding-bottom: 4px; line-height: 14px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px" colspan="3"><strong>Dropouts</strong>: Louisville Cardinals, San Jose St. Spartans, Mississippi St. Bulldogs, Arizona Wildcats</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p style="margin: 1px 2px 5px 7px; font-size: 12px">SB Nation BlogPoll <a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/rankings/college-football-blogpoll-top-25">College Football Top 25 Rankings</a> »</p> </div> </div> <p>Alabama has opened as a 7.5-point favorite over Georgia in the SEC Championship Game.  If the contest is close, then CBS will get what it has always wanted in that game: a tight game with direct national title implications between two historical powers with large fan bases.  Viewers remains glued to their sets, ratings are high, advertisers are thrilled, and Mike Slive grins to himself.</p> <p>However, if the game is a blowout and Gary Danielson finds himself needing material to occupy the fourth quarter, we should all prepare for a huckster spending an extended period of time advocating for another all-SEC national title game.  Florida put themselves into that position by winning impressively in Tallahassee on Saturday, changing their impression from a punchless team that won a series of close games to a wily team that saved its best performances for its biggest games, save for one turnover-fest in Jacksonville.  In truth, Florida deserves to be ahead of Georgia at this stage and, depending on how much value one places on the quality of opponents beaten as opposed to margin of victory, possibly Alabama, as well.  Now, if Alabama wins on Saturday, then the Tide will have a fairly solid case to pass Florida.  If Georgia wins, they will also have a case, although not quite as strong as Bama’s.  </p> <p>The major point is that even after Saturday, there won’t be a whole heck of a lot to separate those three teams.  Since Danielson operates from the presumption that the SEC is the best conference in the country by leaps and bounds (despite the fact that this is <a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbc12.htm">not at all clear-cut this year</a>) and he has clearly reached a decision at some point that pandering to his viewers is the way to security and popularity, I’d bet that he looks at Florida being on par with Bama and Georgia and decides that the SEC Championship Game should be a play-in game to meet the Gators in Miami.  The chart comparing the quality of opponents beaten – a tactic that Danielson used in 2006 when it was convenient to argue for Florida over Michigan and then ignored last year when that metric supported Oklahoma State over Alabama – very well might make a reappearance.  Notre Dame’s repeated close wins will get prominent discussion, as will the fact that the Irish’s schedule looked tougher before the season than it actually played out.  And in the end, Danielson will achieve that most unlikely of results: he’ll make me sympathetic to Notre Dame.</p> Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-24238548152590344062012-11-20T08:14:00.001-05:002012-11-20T08:14:49.946-05:00My Top 25 is Paging David Gordon<p> </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 10px auto; padding-left: 0px; width: 340px; padding-right: 0px; background: #fff; padding-top: 0px" id="blogpoll-rankings-ballot"> <h2 style="padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; font-size: 10px; padding-top: 0px"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/rankings/college-football-blogpoll-top-25"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" alt="SB Nation BlogPoll Top 25 College Football Rankings" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/samsung-blogpoll-top25-ballot.png" width="340" height="84" /></a></h2> <div style="border-bottom: #ddd 1px solid; border-left: #ddd 1px solid; border-top: #ddd 0px solid; border-right: #ddd 1px solid"> <h3 style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 5px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; padding-top: 5px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://bravesandbirds.blogspot.com/">Braves & Birds</a> Ballot - Week 12</h3> <table style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 5px 5px; width: 327px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial; color: #333; font-size: 11px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid" class="blogpoll-result" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"><tbody> <tr> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Rank</th> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Team</th> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Delta</th> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">1</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/notre-dame-fighting-irish">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">2</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/alabama-crimson-tide">Alabama Crimson Tide</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">3</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-bulldogs">Georgia Bulldogs</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">4</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oregon-ducks">Oregon Ducks</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">5</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/kansas-st-wildcats">Kansas St. Wildcats</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">6</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/florida-gators">Florida Gators</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">7</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/stanford-cardinal">Stanford Cardinal</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">8</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/florida-st-seminoles">Florida St. Seminoles</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">9</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oklahoma-sooners">Oklahoma Sooners</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">10</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/texas-a-m-aggies">Texas A&M Aggies</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">11</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/ohio-st-buckeyes">Ohio St. Buckeyes</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">12</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/lsu-tigers">LSU Tigers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">13</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/clemson-tigers">Clemson Tigers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">14</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oregon-st-beavers">Oregon St. Beavers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">15</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/nebraska-cornhuskers">Nebraska Cornhuskers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">16</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/ucla-bruins">UCLA Bruins</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">17</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/south-carolina-gamecocks">South Carolina Gamecocks</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">18</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oklahoma-st-cowboys">Oklahoma St. Cowboys</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">19</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/michigan-wolverines">Michigan Wolverines</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">20</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/louisville-cardinals">Louisville Cardinals</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">21</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/utah-state-aggies">Utah State Aggies</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">22</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/texas-longhorns">Texas Longhorns</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">23</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/san-jose-st-spartans">San Jose St. Spartans</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">24</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/mississippi-st-bulldogs">Mississippi St. Bulldogs</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">25</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/arizona-wildcats">Arizona Wildcats</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p style="margin: 1px 2px 5px 7px; font-size: 12px">SB Nation BlogPoll <a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/rankings/college-football-blogpoll-top-25">College Football Top 25 Rankings</a> »</p> </div> </div> <p>I have been going through some reflection on how exactly I rank teams.  It started with a never-ending Twitter debate with <a href="https://twitter.com/ramzy">Ramzy Nasrallah</a> on Thursday that started as I was wrapping up my day at the office, continued as I was driving out of Midtown towards the Regal 24 at Shallowford, and only ended when the previews ended and <em>Skyfall</em> started.  The argument was over how far Alabama should have dropped when they lost to Texas A&M and the main point of contention concerned my tendency to use computer rankings like Sagarin and SRS.  The argument from Ramzy (bolstered at the outset by Brian Cook before Brian almost certainly got tired of the petty sniping) is that those rankings may be predictive, but they are not good at telling us who has actually had the best season.  My counter is that the predictive power of the Sagarin Predictor comes from its interpretation of past results, so it is in effect a referendum on the season to date.  </p> <p>The debate led me to start thinking about my rules for rankings.  Specifically, what are the circumstances under which Team A should jump Team B when Team B has a superior record.  How much of a difference in strength of schedule is required to make that jump?  How much of a difference in margin of victory is required?  To me, those are the two relevant factors: whom did you beat and by how much?  Ramzy argued at one point that college football produces relatively small sample sizes, so using a computer rating is a fool’s errand.  My response would be that if we are dealing with a small sample size, then we need to use all available data, so casting aside margin of victory – a factor that supports Alabama because they were not forced to win a close game until November – is a poor decision.  But how much should we use it?  I still have Bama a spot behind Notre Dame, despite the fact that the Tide would be a double-digit favorite on a neutral field.  So what are my rules for using Sagarin?</p> <p>And how much should I use the eye test?  I am a big believer in the idea that basing assessments on how a team looked to me is a terrible idea because there are all sorts of issues with human perception that cause us to make bad judgments.  One pretty spiral or form tackle can become our mental representation of a team, causing us to overrate them.  And yet, there is at least one instance in which I am letting the eye test affect my ranking of a team.  Florida is 10-1, they have played a brutal schedule, and according to both the Sagarin Predictor and SRS, they would be a one- to two-point favorite over Georgia on a neutral field.  As a friend pointed out to me yesterday, Florida’s yards per play margin has been better than Georgia’s in each of their five games against common opponents.  Still, I have Florida behind Georgia because every time I see Florida, their offense is appalling.  I cannot fathom the idea that a team could need a fourth quarter rally against Louisiana-Lafayette, culminating in a walk-off blocked punt touchdown, and then play for the national title a few weeks later.  Florida’s yards-per-play margin is worse than Georgia’s overall, but how much of that is down to playing a much tougher SEC schedule and not bullying overmatched non-conference opponents in the same way?  How much value do I give to the fact that Georgia beat Buffalo worse than Florida beat Bowling Green?</p> <p>To sum up, I’m trying to think of rules to govern my irrational preferences, but I’m finding it hard to tie myself to the mast in a rational way. </p> Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-6433765216516989092012-11-06T08:43:00.001-05:002012-11-06T08:43:53.453-05:00The Top 25 Mishmash<p> </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 10px auto; padding-left: 0px; width: 340px; padding-right: 0px; background: #fff; padding-top: 0px" id="blogpoll-rankings-ballot"> <h2 style="padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; font-size: 10px; padding-top: 0px"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/rankings/college-football-blogpoll-top-25"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" alt="SB Nation BlogPoll Top 25 College Football Rankings" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/samsung-blogpoll-top25-ballot.png" width="340" height="84" /></a></h2> <div style="border-bottom: #ddd 1px solid; border-left: #ddd 1px solid; border-top: #ddd 0px solid; border-right: #ddd 1px solid"> <h3 style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 5px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; padding-top: 5px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://bravesandbirds.blogspot.com/">Braves & Birds</a> Ballot - Week 10</h3> <table style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 5px 5px; width: 327px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial; color: #333; font-size: 11px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid" class="blogpoll-result" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"><tbody> <tr> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Rank</th> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Team</th> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Delta</th> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">1</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/alabama-crimson-tide">Alabama Crimson Tide</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">2</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oregon-ducks">Oregon Ducks</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">3</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/kansas-st-wildcats">Kansas St. Wildcats</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">4</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/notre-dame-fighting-irish">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">5</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/lsu-tigers">LSU Tigers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">6</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oregon-st-beavers">Oregon St. Beavers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">7</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/florida-st-seminoles">Florida St. Seminoles</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -1</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">8</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/florida-gators">Florida Gators</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -1</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">9</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oklahoma-sooners">Oklahoma Sooners</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 10</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">10</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/south-carolina-gamecocks">South Carolina Gamecocks</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -2</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">11</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-bulldogs">Georgia Bulldogs</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -1</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">12</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/ohio-st-buckeyes">Ohio St. Buckeyes</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 2</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">13</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/louisville-cardinals">Louisville Cardinals</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">14</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/texas-a-m-aggies">Texas A&M Aggies</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -1</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">15</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/clemson-tigers">Clemson Tigers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -3</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">16</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/stanford-cardinal">Stanford Cardinal</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">17</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/tcu-horned-frogs">TCU Horned Frogs</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">18</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/nebraska-cornhuskers">Nebraska Cornhuskers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -1</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">19</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/texas-longhorns">Texas Longhorns</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">20</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/ucla-bruins">UCLA Bruins</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">21</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/texas-tech-red-raiders">Texas Tech Red Raiders</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -10</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">22</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/usc-trojans">USC Trojans</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">23</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oklahoma-st-cowboys">Oklahoma St. Cowboys</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -2</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">24</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/michigan-wolverines">Michigan Wolverines</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">25</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/utah-state-aggies">Utah State Aggies</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding-bottom: 4px; line-height: 14px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px" colspan="3"><strong>Dropouts</strong>: Boise St. Broncos, Arizona Wildcats, Mississippi St. Bulldogs, Louisiana Tech Bulldogs</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p style="margin: 1px 2px 5px 7px; font-size: 12px">SB Nation BlogPoll <a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/rankings/college-football-blogpoll-top-25">College Football Top 25 Rankings</a> »</p> </div> </div> <p>Not too much of interest this week, other than my regular complaint that when a team loses a close game against a higher-ranked team, then they should not drop.  LSU played #1 Alabama at home, out-gained them by a significant margin, led into the final minute, and this is a reason to drop them?  If you want to know why I like computers, then this is a good illustration.  (One counter: the Sagarin Predictor has LSU at #11, penalizing the Tigers for close games against inferior opponents, most notably the inexplicable 12-10 win over Auburn.  I gave consideration to putting LSU above Notre Dame before remembering the Auburn game.)</p> <p>I’ll also renew my point about Michigan and Ohio State.  Ohio State is #5 in the AP poll, while Michigan is #28.  Sagarin has the teams as being totally even.  Again, here’s the question: if you flipped the two teams’ schedules and then knocked Braxton Miller out of a game in Lincoln in the second quarter, what would the two teams’ record be?  (One counter: Ohio State fans can make the legitimate point that Miller is a bigger guy than Denard Robinson and is therefore less likely to get knocked out for an extended period of time.  Also, Ohio State was not totally unprepared for an injury to their quarterback as Michigan was when their offense ground to a halt against the Huskers.)</p> <p>By the end of my ballot, I was just alternating Pac 12 and Big XII teams.  Both conferences are just packed with good, but not great teams.  If Oregon and Kansas State both stay unbeaten, then we are going to get a lot of parsing between the middle classes of those two conferences.  I haven’t given a great deal of thought to the resumes of Oregon and K-State; I’ve kept the Ducks at #2 because they look great every week.  If the time comes, then I’ll give the two teams a harder look.  One thing that I will say is that Oregon deserves to be punished for their non-conference schedule, almost as a moral matter.  Without any central entity to force teams to play quality opponents, we rely on the programs themselves to do the honorable thing and schedule attractive games.  This is important for both maintaining fan interest and allowing voters and computers to draw meaningful connections between conferences at the end of the year.  In a startling reversal of fortune, Kansas State actually comes across as the more respectable program in a comparison with Oregon because the Wildcats scheduled Miami.  The Canes are not a good team this year, but there is at least a visible intent on the part of K-State to play a game that fans around the country would watch.  If the Ducks and Wildcats remain unbeaten, then I suspect that we will hear the names Arkansas State, Fresno State, and Tennessee Tech a lot during the month of December.  I’ll also add in a note to Mike Slive: both K-State and Oregon are going to get a bounce from the fact that they played nine-game conference schedules.  What would Alabama’s schedule look like with another conference game instead of Florida Atlantic?</p> Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-8542909702068268622012-10-30T07:15:00.001-05:002012-10-30T07:15:20.026-05:00The Drinks are Ready and the Dogs are Going to War<!-- SB Nation BlogPoll Top 25 Ballot --> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 10px auto; padding-left: 0px; width: 340px; padding-right: 0px; background: #fff; padding-top: 0px" id="blogpoll-rankings-ballot"> <h2 style="padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; font-size: 10px; padding-top: 0px"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/rankings/college-football-blogpoll-top-25"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" alt="SB Nation BlogPoll Top 25 College Football Rankings" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/samsung-blogpoll-top25-ballot.png" width="340" height="84" /></a></h2> <div style="border-bottom: #ddd 1px solid; border-left: #ddd 1px solid; border-top: #ddd 0px solid; border-right: #ddd 1px solid"> <h3 style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 5px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; padding-top: 5px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://bravesandbirds.blogspot.com/">Braves & Birds</a> Ballot - Week 9</h3> <table style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 5px 5px; width: 327px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial; color: #333; font-size: 11px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid" class="blogpoll-result" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"><tbody> <tr> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Rank</th> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Team</th> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Delta</th> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">1</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/alabama-crimson-tide">Alabama Crimson Tide</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">2</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oregon-ducks">Oregon Ducks</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">3</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/kansas-st-wildcats">Kansas St. Wildcats</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">4</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/notre-dame-fighting-irish">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">5</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/lsu-tigers">LSU Tigers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 3</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">6</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/florida-st-seminoles">Florida St. Seminoles</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">7</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/florida-gators">Florida Gators</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -3</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">8</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/south-carolina-gamecocks">South Carolina Gamecocks</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 13</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">9</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oregon-st-beavers">Oregon St. Beavers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -4</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">10</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-bulldogs">Georgia Bulldogs</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 14</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">11</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/texas-tech-red-raiders">Texas Tech Red Raiders</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -2</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">12</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/clemson-tigers">Clemson Tigers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">13</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/texas-a-m-aggies">Texas A&M Aggies</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">14</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/ohio-st-buckeyes">Ohio St. Buckeyes</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 1</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">15</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/boise-st-broncos">Boise St. Broncos</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">16</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/louisville-cardinals">Louisville Cardinals</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_up" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_up.gif" /> 2</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">17</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/nebraska-cornhuskers">Nebraska Cornhuskers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">18</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/arizona-wildcats">Arizona Wildcats</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">19</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oklahoma-sooners">Oklahoma Sooners</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -13</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">20</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/stanford-cardinal">Stanford Cardinal</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -6</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">21</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oklahoma-st-cowboys">Oklahoma St. Cowboys</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -2</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">22</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/usc-trojans">USC Trojans</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -12</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">23</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/mississippi-st-bulldogs">Mississippi St. Bulldogs</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><img alt="Arrow_down" src="http://s3.amazonaws.com/assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/arrow_down.gif" /> -7</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">24</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/louisiana-tech-bulldogs">Louisiana Tech Bulldogs</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">25</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/ucla-bruins">UCLA Bruins</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="padding-bottom: 4px; line-height: 14px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px" colspan="3"><strong>Dropouts</strong>: Michigan Wolverines, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Texas Longhorns, Wisconsin Badgers</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p style="margin: 1px 2px 5px 7px; font-size: 12px">SB Nation BlogPoll <a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/rankings/college-football-blogpoll-top-25">College Football Top 25 Rankings</a> »</p> </div> </div> <p>The <a href="http://www.bobdylan.com/us/songs/cats-well">title</a>, in case you are keeping score at home.</p> <ul> <li>In the department of fun with <a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbc12.htm">Sagarin</a>, Rich Rodriguez’s Arizona team now has two wins over teams in the top 30, which is as many such wins as can be claimed by the entirety of the ACC.  Notre Dame has four top 30 wins, which equals the Big Ten’s tally for the year.  Suffice it to say that I haven’t seen much this year to shake my belief that the ACC and the Big Ten are a tier below the Pac Twelve and Bix XII and two tiers below the SEC.</li> <li>According to the Sagarin Predictor, Harvard would be favored over one-third of the ACC: Maryland, Boston College, Wake Forest, and Virginia.  Now I could walk back from that stat by pointing out that a computer ranking will always struggle to put a value on FCS teams and especially Ivy League teams because of the lack of connections between the Ivy League and FBS programs, but that stat is too much fun for such caveats.  If FSU would not have lost to NC State, then we would have had a very interesting debate as to whether a team can contend for the national title on the back of a schedule that started with two FCS opponents and then wound its way through a truly dreadful conference.</li> <li>And speaking of the Noles, I have had a good time watching Danny Kanell <a href="https://twitter.com/dkanell13">go to war on Twitter</a> to argue that the SEC is overrated.  If ever there were someone who could speak from experience about a weak conference producing national title contenders, it would be someone who played for Florida State in the 90s when the ACC looked like, well, like it does right now.  Kanell infers some sort of bias that has the SEC on top of the conference ratings again, while <a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbc12.htm">Sagarin</a> has the league second behind the Big XII and SRS has the <a href="http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/2012.html">SEC first</a>.  Oh those computers and their pesky objectivity.  (To Kanell’s credit, he does engage Twitter followers, so at least he’s willing to defend his hard-to-defend statements.)</li> <li>Speaking of the SEC, there’s really no good way to separate the LSU-Florida-South Carolina-Georgia quartet without putting a team behind a team that it beat.  There’s an argument to be made that Georgia is the best of the four when its defense comes to play, but it is also one of the two in the group that was on the losing end of a blowout.  LSU and Florida have the most limited offenses of the four, but they are also the ones who have been in every game.  My confidence in Alabama as the best team in the country remains unshaken, but it’s worth noting that the Tide have not played any of the foursome who are chasing them in the conference.  It’s hard to imagine LSU moving the ball on Bama this weekend, but the Tigers do come in with the advantage that they are more battle-tested.</li> </ul> Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-48661024015239035642012-10-22T06:23:00.001-05:002012-10-22T06:23:30.084-05:00Texas & Arsenal: Does Anyone Buy a T-shirt for Turning a Profit?<p>When I started writing college football columns while studying for the bar exam in the summer of 2000, part of the appeal was to get feedback from readers.* Having just spent three years learning through the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socratic_method">Socratic Method</a>, the idea of having other fans test my arguments and theories appealed to me.</p> <p>* - <i>The columns were for PigskinPost.com, which was subsequently bought by CollegeFootballNews.com. Thus, the columns themselves are gone, although I can occasionally find pasted versions of the piece that I did </i><a href="http://soccer.loop48.com/modules.php?name=News&file=print&sid=100"><i>comparing college football teams to European soccer clubs</i></a><i>. That piece needs a little updating, which I suppose is the point of this little mental exercise. </i></p> <p>Over the course of the next two years, I wrote pieces roughly once a week and three columns stood out as generating the most heat. One was a piece in which I had the temerity to state that I personally believed that Alabama had paid for the services of Albert Means. Needless to say, I learned the lesson that Alabama fans’ support of their team runs on the hotter side of the spectrum. A second was a piece that I wrote criticizing the NCAA’s penalties levied against the Crimson Tide, a column that led the same people who derided me as a biased, yellow journalist to proclaim that I was one of the few people writing about SEC football who had any credibility. Go figure. And the third was a piece defending Mack Brown at the height of the “Mack can’t win the big one” meme after Texas lost the 2001 Big XII title game to Colorado.* My thesis was simply that Mack had taken Texas well beyond where it had been under his predecessors and that a number of coaching legends – Bobby Bowden, Tom Osborne, Joe Paterno, Dean Smith, and Mike Krzyzewski, to name a few – had all had the “can’t win the big one” tag, which just establishes that the label is a crutch for lazy analysts. Despite repeated losses to Oklahoma, Texas fans were quite happy with Brown ten years ago and they wrote in to say that they loved the sentiments of the piece. </p> <p>* - <i>For those younger readers, there was in fact a time when Colorado fielded a competitive football team that could, on occasion, win championships.</i></p> <p>I suspect that I would not get the same reaction today if I wrote a piece defending Mack. In his fifteenth year in charge in Austin, Brown has all of two conference titles and off to a 2-2 start in conference play, title number three does not appear to be over the horizon. Brown is now 5-9 against Bob Stoops. Stoops recently added a picture of a scoreboard reading 63-21 to the 55-17, 65-13, and 63-14 shots that no doubt hang over his rocky mantelpiece. It’s one thing to lose to a rival; it’s another to be humiliated on a semi-regular basis at a neutral site.  Texas then followed that humiliation with a 56-50 win at home against Baylor, further cementing the fact that the gap between the Horns and their traditional whipping boys in Waco is too small for comfort.  </p> <p>And yet, despite the fact that 2012 will mark a third straight season in which Texas is clearly outside of college football’s top tier, the consistent popularity of Texas football ensures that the UT athletic department remains <a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/story/2012-05-15/texas-athletics-spending-revenue/54960210/1">the most profitable program in college sports</a>, earning roughly 12% more in revenue than second-place Ohio State. Mack Brown’s teams may struggle to bring hardware to Austin, but Horns fans have remained steadfast in their willingness to pay high ticket prices and make huge donations for the privilege to see their teams lose to Oklahoma. If the ultimate referendum on a program is winning conference titles and contending for national titles, then Brown’s Texas has been a mild disappointment (at least once the measuring stick is Texas’s natural advantages and not the tenures of John Mackovic, David McWilliams, and Fred Akers). If the ultimate referendum is the willingness of fans to part with their cash, then Brown’s Texas is unparalleled in its success.</p> <p>In this respect, Texas has a direct comparator across the pond (and a fitting one, given the state’s <a href="http://www.texasgunlaws.org/">love for firearms</a>): Arsenal Football Club. Arsenal are one of the three most popular clubs in the English Premier League (Manchester United and Liverpool are the other two, although the latter is debatable), the most popular sports league in the world. In Deloitte’s most recent <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU6NApL1usQY4S3a9QWQdcfdzb5bR1TGBzjyPUCd69eDUn390a3Zm7Ax-P0_JqA-wLCpekZEmXo7LAUKEz-osI9jV_Pv6bEPSUGHvqz2HBeHuEFJYJADujiynLfMdoLQD_1OValQ/s1600/10+Arsenal+Money+League.jpg">money league rankings of European clubs</a>, Arsenal finished fifth in revenue generation behind Real Madrid, Barcelona, Manchester United, and Bayern Munich.</p> <p>However, while Arsenal generate cash like other superclubs, they don’t win on a commensurate level. Arsenal have not won a major trophy since the FA Cup in 2005; they haven’t won the Premier League since 2004; and they have never won the Champions League. By contrast, in the same time period, the four clubs above them on the revenue list have won major trophies (their domestic league, their primary domestic cup, or the Champions League) regularly. Barca have nine major trophies since 2005-06, Bayern Munich have six, Manchester United have five, and Real Madrid have four. In short, Arsenal are great at revenue generation, but they have not been able to turn those financial advantages into trophies in the cabinet. Does that sound familiar, Texas fans?</p> <p>Texas and Arsenal supporters find themselves in a similar bind: “am I supposed to buy a t-shirt based on my team’s profits from last season?” Texas fans like the fact that their team wins consistently under Mack Brown, but rightfully wonder whether a program with the recruiting and financial advantages that Texas enjoys should be winning a conference title every six or seven years. Arsenal fans like the fact that Arsene Wenger keeps their club in the Champions League and has created a youth system that churns out top quality players, but they wonder whether they should be entitled to a major trophy every now and again, especially as they are paying the highest ticket prices in Europe. Both fan bases are stuck on the question considered by Andy Staples – <a href="http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/writers/andy_staples/10/09/college-football-power-rankings-week-6/index.html">what do we do with a coach who is good, but not great?</a> – but they have the overlay of their teams being financially successful. Does all that lucre mean that we give our coach more time because our team is healthy or does it mean that the coach is squandering an advantageous position?</p> <p>No analogy is perfect, least of all one between two different sports on different continents. Soccer clubs can win by pouring money into talent acquisition. If Arsenal spent more in the transfer market and they upped their wages so as to retain players like Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie, then they would win titles. Although Nevin Shapiro may disagree, the NCAA has rules against paying for talent, so the effect of Texas spending money is more indirect. DeLoss Dodds can spend on the stadium, workout facilities, academic centers, and the best coaches that money can buy, but all of that expenditure is an indirect way around paying the players directly. On the other hand, Arsenal’s problem is that their owners do not plough money into the club. <a href="http://swissramble.blogspot.com/2012/10/arsenal-song-remains-same.html">The Swiss Ramble explains</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>The price of Arsenal’s self-sustaining model has been to regularly sell the club’s best players, while charging the highest ticket prices in the country, so this is not quite the financial Utopia that has often been portrayed in the media. For the fans, it must be particularly galling that the club’s two majority shareholders, Stan Kroenke and Alisher Usmanov, are both billionaires, but there is little sign of either making any investment into the squad.</p> </blockquote> <blockquote> <p>Arsenal’s financial results are undoubtedly impressive and they have done well to consistently finish in the top four, but whether the current strategy is enough to bridge the gap to the leaders and actually win an important trophy is debatable.</p> </blockquote> <p>Texas, on the other hand, has no issue with <a href="http://sports.espn.go.com/colleges/texas/story/_/id/8078136/wild-life-times-texas-longhorns-benefactor-joe-jamail">wealthy benefactors spending money on the program</a>. In the end, Arsenal fans who do not want to blame Arsene Wenger can point their fingers at the club’s owners for not giving him money to spend as the billionaire owners at Chelsea and Manchester City do; Texas fans who do not want to blame Mack Brown can point their fingers at the NCAA’s efforts to restrain a free market. </p> Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-65792632575545461322012-10-22T06:12:00.001-05:002012-10-22T06:12:06.540-05:00Ranking Based on Records Instead of Resumes<!-- SB Nation BlogPoll Top 25 Ballot --> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 10px auto; padding-left: 0px; width: 340px; padding-right: 0px; background: #fff; padding-top: 0px" id="blogpoll-rankings-ballot"> <h2 style="padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; font-size: 10px; padding-top: 0px"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/rankings/college-football-blogpoll-top-25"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" alt="SB Nation BlogPoll Top 25 College Football Rankings" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/samsung-blogpoll-top25-ballot.png" width="340" height="84" /></a></h2> <div style="border-bottom: #ddd 1px solid; border-left: #ddd 1px solid; border-top: #ddd 0px solid; border-right: #ddd 1px solid"> <h3 style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 5px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; padding-top: 5px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://bravesandbirds.blogspot.com/">Braves & Birds</a> Ballot - Week 8</h3> <table style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 5px 5px; width: 327px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial; color: #333; font-size: 11px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid" class="blogpoll-result" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"><tbody> <tr> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Rank</th> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Team</th> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Delta</th> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">1</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/alabama-crimson-tide">Alabama Crimson Tide</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">2</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oregon-ducks">Oregon Ducks</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">3</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/kansas-st-wildcats">Kansas St. Wildcats</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">4</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/florida-gators">Florida Gators</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">5</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oregon-st-beavers">Oregon St. Beavers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">6</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oklahoma-sooners">Oklahoma Sooners</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">7</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/notre-dame-fighting-irish">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">8</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/lsu-tigers">LSU Tigers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">9</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/texas-tech-red-raiders">Texas Tech Red Raiders</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">10</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/usc-trojans">USC Trojans</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">11</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/florida-st-seminoles">Florida St. Seminoles</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">12</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/clemson-tigers">Clemson Tigers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">13</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/texas-a-m-aggies">Texas A&M Aggies</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">14</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/stanford-cardinal">Stanford Cardinal</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">15</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/ohio-st-buckeyes">Ohio St. Buckeyes</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">16</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/mississippi-st-bulldogs">Mississippi St. Bulldogs</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">17</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/michigan-wolverines">Michigan Wolverines</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">18</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/louisville-cardinals">Louisville Cardinals</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">19</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oklahoma-st-cowboys">Oklahoma St. Cowboys</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">20</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/boise-st-broncos">Boise St. Broncos</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">21</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/south-carolina-gamecocks">South Carolina Gamecocks</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">22</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/rutgers-scarlet-knights">Rutgers Scarlet Knights</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">23</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/texas-longhorns">Texas Longhorns</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">24</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-bulldogs">Georgia Bulldogs</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">25</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/wisconsin-badgers">Wisconsin Badgers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p style="margin: 1px 2px 5px 7px; font-size: 12px">SB Nation BlogPoll <a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/rankings/college-football-blogpoll-top-25">College Football Top 25 Rankings</a> »</p> </div> </div> <p>We have reached the point in the season where it starts to become enjoyable to pick on the human polls for slavish obedience to records and names as opposed to actual resumes.  When you look at the reasoning behind some of the placements in the AP and Coaches Polls, you understand why fans are so excited for the idea of a committee to pick playoff participants, regardless of the fact that we do not know who will be on the committee, what their criteria will be, or whether we have any good reason to think that a small group of humans will do a better job than a larger group.  To wit:</p> <ul> <li>Georgia is five spots ahead of South Carolina.  Yes, the same South Carolina team that beat the Dawgs like a drum two weeks ago.  Why is South Carolina behind Georgia?  Because the Cocks’ record is one game worse than that of the Dawgs.  Is it possible that South Carolina playing at Baton Rouge and Gainesville might have something to do with that disparity in record?  According to <a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbt12.htm">Sagarin</a>, South Carolina has played the #23 schedule in the country while Georgia has played the #65 schedule.  It seems likely that Georgia will lose in Jacksonville this weekend, run the table against Ole Miss, Auburn, Georgia Southern, and Georgia Tech, and thus finish 10-2 without beating a single ranked opponent.  In other words, they will have repeated their 2011 season almost exactly.  Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative and Mark Richt.  The fact that Georgia could pull of consecutive ten-win seasons without a victory over a ranked opponent says a lot about the lack of depth in the SEC (certainly relative to past years), Georgia’s fortunate draws from the West, and that “we played an SEC schedule” doesn’t mean anything in certain instances.</li> <li>Ohio State is #9 in the AP Poll based on … what, exactly?  One-score wins over Cal, Michigan State, Indiana, and Purdue?  As with Georgia, Ohio State is where they are based on their name and their record, ignoring the quality of their performances.  Here’s a simple hypo: if Michigan (ranked eleven spots behind Ohio State in the AP Poll) and Ohio State switched schedules, then what would their records be?  Michigan would be unbeaten and Ohio State would be 5-2, right?  So then why the gap between the two?  For the record, the Sagarin Predictor agrees with me here, as it has Michigan as a field goal better than the Bucks on a neutral field.  </li> <li>Another example of paying too much attention to a record: Texas A&M.  The Aggies are 5-2 with the two losses being tight games against top ten Florida and LSU.  Otherwise, they handed Louisiana Tech their only loss, won at Ole Miss, and have blown out everyone else on their slate.  Hand Mississippi State’s schedule to A&M and they are almost certainly unbeaten.  So why are the Aggies nine spots behind the Other Bulldogs?  According to Sagarin, the Aggies would be a ten-point favorite on a neutral field.</li> </ul> Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-20084615685584082832012-10-09T13:21:00.003-05:002012-10-09T13:21:35.984-05:00Two Trips Down Memory LaneI wrote a pair of recent columns for SB Nation Atlanta and the common thread, as best I can tell, is their focus on the past, which is par for the course for me. The first is a <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/2012/10/8/3463896/cardinals-vs-braves-nl-wild-card-2012" target="_blank">defense of Braves fans</a> for littering the field with debris during the eighth inning of the loss to the Cardinals on Friday night. The dreadful invocation of the infield fly rule is getting more attention because of the reaction, so mission accomplished. <br />
<br />
I was interested to see what the local reaction would be and what I got this morning on Mayhem was Chris Dimino saying that the reaction was borne out of playoff frustration (maybe, although I walked out of the game with a hop in my step as a result of Braves fans giving a finger to MLB, so I certainly didn't feel that way) and Nick Cellini claiming that 75% of the fans didn't know what had happened (utter BS based on my experience, as everyone is Section 431 knew what had been called; Cellini's claim struck me as a quintessential sports radio attempt for attention by being outlandish). My happiness with the reaction of Braves fans come from being prickly about the criticism of the city as not caring about the Braves during the playoff debacles in the late 90s and early Aughts. My opinion was colored by experience.<br />
<br />
Likewise, my column about the Georgia-South Carolina game is <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/2012/10/9/3477854/georgia-vs-south-carolina-2012-reaction-georgia-tech?login=1349805625" target="_blank">an extended analogy between that loss and the third straight loss to Georgia Tech in 2000</a>. Both were blowout losses against programs that Georgia had historically dominated. I'll be interested to see how this loss plays out. On the one hand, Georgia needs South Carolina to lose the next two games to have a realistic shot at winning the East.* However, if that happens, then the egg that Georgia laid in Columbia becomes even harder to explain. If South Carolina does well in its next two games (say, a win and a close loss) and finishes 11-1, then the loss can be rationalized, but would the implication also be that South Carolina has passed Georgia as a program? After all, this was not supposed to be a once-in-a-decade South Carolina team. Georgia returned more starters this year and has recruited better over the past five years. <br />
<br />
And lastly, is winning the East an imperative for Georgia if the reward is a date with Alabama, a team against which Georgia fans will likely have little confidence in light of Georgia's pattern in big games over the past several years? So, assuming that "Georgia runs the table, South Carolina loses twice, Georgia beats Alabama and then Oregon, and then Mark Richt ascends to heaven as a beam of pure energy" is off the table, wouldn't the best result this year be that Georgia runs the table and ends up in a BCS Bowl against some hapless Big Ten team? Or maybe Georgia goes 10-2 and gets to accomplish the same thing?<br />
<br />
* - <i>I suppose that a Florida win over the Gamecocks in the Swamp would do
the trick by itself because it would create the possibility for Georgia
to beat the Gators in Jacksonville and then end up in a three-way tie in
the East. However, the tie-breaker for three teams at 7-1 and 1-1
against the other two would be the BCS Standings, so Georgia would have
to be hoping that neither South Carolina, nor Florida win their in-state
rivalry games at the end of the season, as a win in either of those
games would likely push the winning team ahead of Georgia in the human
polls.</i>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-71476949614473956412012-10-05T08:53:00.003-05:002012-10-05T08:53:34.900-05:00Lashing Myself to the Mast<span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial;"><br />If any of you have
had the misfortune of reading me for any extended period of time, <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/2012/10/5/3458552/october-it-just-doesnt-matter" target="_blank">this paragraph could come off of an assembly line</a>:
<br />
</span><br />
<blockquote>
<span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial;">As the Braves futilely chased the Nats over the course of the
summer, I got grand visions of revenge in my head. For all of those
years in which the Braves lost to inferior teams (often teams that did
not win their divisions), they would get their revenge this year by
turning the tables. Then it occurred to me that these dreams made me a
hypocrite. If it was wrong to view the Braves as a failure for winning
106 games and then losing in the NLCS, then it would be no better to
proclaim them kings for beating a team that finished ahead of them, fair
and square. Winning in the playoffs would be a nice coda to the season,
but it should not be the end-all, be-all. Playoff success is mostly
about luck and just because our coin kept coming up tails when we called
heads, that means neither that our odds are suddenly better on the next
flip, nor does it mean that we should be too emotionally invested in a
game of chance.
</span></blockquote>
<span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial;">
And the funny thing is that I was either going to write this column
or I was going to Fisk Dan Wetzel's column claiming that the four-team
playoff is going to make non-conference scheduling better, at least in
part by arguing that he is a stuck record on the same old line:
everything bad is the result of the BCS.
Physician, heal thyself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial;">Part of why I have these "it just doesn't matter" thoughts in my brain is just a Pavlovian reaction to the Braves being in the playoffs. We have seen this dance before and we know how it ends. I got my hopes up in 2010 that an absence from the playoffs would change the Braves' luck, but they lost the NLDS to the Giants in the Braves' typical, excruciating fashion. It would be just like the Braves to come into the game today on a record-setting winning streak in Kris Medlen starts and then to blow the game, most likely on a bloop by one of the assembly line Ecksteins that St. Louis rolls out. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial;">Another reason why I am thinking these thoughts is the identity of the opponent. It still offends my sense of propriety that the Cardinals got to call themselves "World Champions" last year after they entered the playoffs with the fewest wins of any team that made the postseason. Now, here they are again. In prior years, they wouldn't even be in the playoffs, but as the lucky horseshoes in their butts continue to pay dividends, they get a one-game shot against a team that finished six games ahead of them in the standings. I don't want to give the Cardinals the satisfaction of thinking that they have accomplished something big or great if they win today and go on another run that does nothing more that illustrate that the American pro sports method of crowing a champion bastardizes the very word "champion." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: verdana, helvetica, arial;"><br />One last thought: I was unaware until I was writing this last night
that Baseball Prospectus backed off of their position that defense and a
great closer are the keys to postseason success. Apparently, the past
few years have not been kind to the secret sauce theory. Thus, I can't
even get excited about the fact that the Braves are strong in both
categories.</span>Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-3215427670513562772012-10-02T07:52:00.001-05:002012-10-02T07:52:38.307-05:00Jim Delany Hates my Ballot and Wants it to Die<!-- SB Nation BlogPoll Top 25 Ballot --> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 10px auto; padding-left: 0px; width: 340px; padding-right: 0px; background: #fff; padding-top: 0px" id="blogpoll-rankings-ballot"> <h2 style="padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: 10px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; font-size: 10px; padding-top: 0px"><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/rankings/college-football-blogpoll-top-25"><img style="border-right-width: 0px; display: block; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" alt="SB Nation BlogPoll Top 25 College Football Rankings" src="http://assets.sbnation.com/misc/blogpoll/samsung-blogpoll-top25-ballot.png" width="340" height="84" /></a></h2> <div style="border-bottom: #ddd 1px solid; border-left: #ddd 1px solid; border-top: #ddd 0px solid; border-right: #ddd 1px solid"> <h3 style="text-align: center; padding-bottom: 5px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; padding-top: 5px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://bravesandbirds.blogspot.com/">Braves & Birds</a> Ballot - Week 5</h3> <table style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; line-height: 16px; margin: 0px 5px 5px; width: 327px; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial; color: #333; font-size: 11px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid" class="blogpoll-result" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2"><tbody> <tr> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Rank</th> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Team</th> <th style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; background: #ddd; font-weight: bold; padding-top: 2px">Delta</th> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">1</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/alabama-crimson-tide">Alabama Crimson Tide</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">2</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/lsu-tigers">LSU Tigers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">3</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oregon-ducks">Oregon Ducks</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">4</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/florida-st-seminoles">Florida St. Seminoles</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">5</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/kansas-st-wildcats">Kansas St. Wildcats</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">6</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/georgia-bulldogs">Georgia Bulldogs</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">7</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/texas-longhorns">Texas Longhorns</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">8</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/south-carolina-gamecocks">South Carolina Gamecocks</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">9</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oregon-st-beavers">Oregon St. Beavers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">10</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/notre-dame-fighting-irish">Notre Dame Fighting Irish</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">11</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/florida-gators">Florida Gators</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">12</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/ohio-st-buckeyes">Ohio St. Buckeyes</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">13</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/west-virginia-mountaineers">West Virginia Mountaineers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">14</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/usc-trojans">USC Trojans</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">15</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oklahoma-sooners">Oklahoma Sooners</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">16</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/clemson-tigers">Clemson Tigers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">17</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/tcu-horned-frogs">TCU Horned Frogs</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">18</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/louisville-cardinals">Louisville Cardinals</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">19</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/stanford-cardinal">Stanford Cardinal</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">20</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/oklahoma-st-cowboys">Oklahoma St. Cowboys</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">21</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/mississippi-st-bulldogs">Mississippi St. Bulldogs</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">22</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/cincinnati-bearcats">Cincinnati Bearcats</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">23</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/nebraska-cornhuskers">Nebraska Cornhuskers</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">24</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/ucla-bruins">UCLA Bruins</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">25</td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px"><a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/teams/louisiana-tech-bulldogs">Louisiana Tech Bulldogs</a></td> <td style="border-bottom: #ccc 1px solid; border-left: #ccc 1px solid; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 2px; padding-right: 2px; border-top: #ccc 1px solid; border-right: #ccc 1px solid; padding-top: 2px">--</td> </tr> </tbody></table> <p style="margin: 1px 2px 5px 7px; font-size: 12px">SB Nation BlogPoll <a style="color: #c52126; font-weight: bold" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/rankings/college-football-blogpoll-top-25">College Football Top 25 Rankings</a> »</p> </div> </div> <p>If conferences had fight songs, then I have a suggestion for the Big Ten:</p> <iframe height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3vwwFiaSXHk" frameborder="0" width="420" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <p>Matt Hinton had a great comment on Twitter that he often struggles to think of 25 deserving teams to go into his rankings, but this week, there were about 35 good candidates.  I had the same feeling this morning.  I wanted to rank Texas Tech for getting out to a 4-0 start and showing a good defense, but I decided to punish them for playing a terrible non-conference schedule.  I wanted to rank Arizona State, but those wins over Cal and Illinois don’t look especially good right now.  I’ll admit that my feelings about those two coaches also played into my reasoning.  Baylor is a perfectly rankable team.  Miami is 4-1 and getting a lot of production from Stephen Morris.  And how much should I punish Michigan for losing to the #1 team in the country and then losing a tight game at top ten Notre Dame, a game in which Michigan outgained the Irish, but took a Gatling Gun to their own feet when they hit the red zone?</p> <p>Anyway, a few thoughts on the teams that are not dearly departed from my ballot:</p> <ul> <li>It seems way too predictable and easy that we are headed towards another Alabama-LSU showdown.  Neither team is playing especially well right now.  I am starting to see why Nick Saban got so annoyed at the media for puffing his team up, as both the Tide and Tigers seem to have significant motivational issues getting up for anything other than big name opponents. </li> <li>I really ought to punish Oregon for a comical non-conference schedule.  They are truly the exception to the rule that Pac Ten teams play stronger foes outside of the league.  However, they are the exception that proves the rule in the sense that Pac Ten teams generally play tougher opponents because their lukewarm fan bases will not turn out to see North Texas.  Right now, Oregon has the most inelastic demand for tickets in the league, so it would stand to reason that they think that they can get away with playing tomato cans. </li> <li>Don’t think that I didn’t enjoy two separate pieces in ESPN blaming the Big Ten’s current woes at least in part on cheapness with respect to coaching salaries. </li> <li>I listened to the Texas radio feed of the fourth quarter of Texas-Oklahoma State on Saturday night driving back from Athens.  Shockingly enough, they did not mention Joe Bergeron’s fumble on the winning touchdown.  I only learned on the following day that there was controversy concerning the ending of the game.  I also listened to the Wisconsin radio feed of the final five minutes of their game with Nebraska and needless to say, their announcers sounded borderline suicidal that the game ended with Monte Ball fumbling/getting stuffed on fourth and one.  G-d bless homers. </li> <li>So do I make a hat, a brooch, or a Pterodactyl out of Ohio State potentially going unbeaten against a schedule that might not feature a single ranked team?  Let’s see how good the pollsters are at evaluating a team with a big name, a gaudy record, and no big wins.  </li> <li>I will freely admit that my decision to put Louisiana Tech on my ballot and my love of the Sagarin Predictor have <a href="http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/sagarin/fbt12.htm">irreconcilable differences</a>. </li> </ul> Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-24904107846619180622012-10-01T12:39:00.001-05:002012-10-01T12:39:37.144-05:00More Iraq in 2003 than Germany in 1945As you might expect from a football fan who was emotionally scarred by Michigan teams repeatedly shelving the scoring offense, I focused my column this morning on the <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/2012/10/1/3436594/the-dawgs-the-falcons-and-endgame-mistakes" target="_blank">dreadful end-of-game decisions made by Georgia's offensive brain trust and then all involved in the Falcons-Panthers game yesterday</a>. Unless Mark Richt and Mike Bobo were totally confident that their defense could force the appearance of Bad Bray instead of Good Bray or they were engaged in some sort of ten-moves-ahead chess strategy where they are keeping Derek Dooley in Knoxville by not hanging 65 on his Vols, their approach in the fourth quarter was really bad. When you go into the fourth quarter with a two touchdown lead and an offense that had already piled up over 500 yards of offense, you shouldn't have to rely on forcing three late turnovers to hold onto the lead. <br />
<br />
However, compared to Ron Rivera, Richt and Bobo are Bill Walsh and Mike Holmgren. Rivera's decision to punt the ball away when a yard would have ended the game was stupid when he made it. Bill Barnwell <a href="http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8447703/mark-sanchez-getting-better-rest-week-4-news" target="_blank">piles dirt on the grave of a very bad order</a> with some mind-blowing stats, namely that Carolina would have been smart to go for the first down if they had a 35% chance of converting and the Panthers have actually converted on 21 of 24 fourth and ones since drafting Newton. I had a good chuckle imagining things being thrown at TVs all over bars in New Orleans when Rivera made his decision and then Ryan and White made him pay. The Saints continue to pay the karma gods for leaving <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-falcons/2011/12/28/2665887/atlanta-falcons-georgia-bulldogs-2011-season" target="_blank">Drew Brees in at the end of the week 15 blowout last year to get a record that he could have secured at home in the following week</a>. My cup of schadenfreude continues to run over.<br />
<br />
Back to the Georgia-Tennessee, a few more thoughts:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Maybe it's because Tennessee fans have been beaten down by life, but I did not see a single angry word exchanged between Dawg and Vol fans in Athens on Saturday. It was really the best that the SEC can be in terms of a passionate crowd that does not spill over into being Philadelphian assholes.</li>
<li>Jarvis Jones was very quiet. I started watching him later in the game and it was not a case where Tennessee was doubling him. He was just getting handled by the two tackles.</li>
<li>Color me very surprised that Tennessee had so much success running between the tackles. Needless to say, that bodes poorly for stopping Marcus Lattimore on Saturday. I made a joke about the Tennessee running game being a non-diverse sequence of inside zone plays and then they broke out Tyler Bray on the option. Georgia will see a fuller complement of running plays on Saturday, although they won't see a QB who can throw a forty-yard laser while back-pedaling.</li>
<li>Cordarelle Patterson is very fast, his hands are suspect, and his ponytail looks like Max Rebo's nose.</li>
<li>It's hard to say whether Derek Dooley deserves a lot of blame for how Tennessee looks this year. You can make the case that his inability to hold onto Justin Wilcox forced the Vols into the position of having to break in a new scheme, but fundamentally, this just does not look like a very talented defense. The safety play, in particular, is terrible. If Dooley were recruiting well, then holding onto him would make sense, but <a href="http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/teamrank/2013/all/all" target="_blank">eighth in the SEC and behind Vandy</a> isn't going to cut it. (Let's see if Vandy holds onto their class now that the "we're turning things around" bubble is losing air.)</li>
<li>Do we like Alec Ogletree's game because he repeatedly got into passing lanes or do we not like his game because the Vols had success running up the middle?</li>
<li>In the realm of time healing all wounds, the last Georgia game I attended was the 2011 opener against Boise State, where the Dawgs looked like <a href="http://bravesandbirds.blogspot.com/2011/09/organization-men.html" target="_blank">a disorganized team in search of coaching</a>. Needless to say, the impression was different on Saturday as UGA went right down the field on the opening possession without huddling. </li>
</ul>
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-28922824085700795312012-09-27T13:29:00.002-05:002012-09-27T13:29:41.707-05:00My Latest RamblingsI wrote a column last night on <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/2012/9/27/3414014/college-football-and-the-nfl-dictatorship-envy" target="_blank">wishing that college football had a dictator like Roger Goodell</a>. I realize that this isn't the week to express Goodell envy, but I have been so non-plussed by the non-conference offerings this September that I am pining for a central authority to force major powers to play one another. People have faith that a selection committee for a four-team playoff will create the right incentives, but these are still human beings who are more affected by the number in the loss column than anything else. I don't get why a committee of ten would be likely to reach a different result than a poll of one hundred, at least in terms of valuing strength of schedule over record. Using computer rankings that account for margin-of-victory would be a good way to align incentives properly so that teams played challenging schedules, but we don't appear any closer to that. Is anyone punishing Texas right now for playing an embarrassing non-conference schedule? Or Oregon?<br />
<br />
My column last week was about my feelings on Keith Brooking, namely that <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/2012/9/17/3342210/i-am-an-idiot-for-being-glad-that-keith-brooking-no-long-plays-for" target="_blank">he was an overrated player when he was here</a> and if that opinion makes me an idiot according to Steak Shapiro, then that is a cross that I am willing to bear. I thought about that issue when <a href="http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8407097/referee-armageddon" target="_blank">Bill Simmons made a telling remark</a> in a footnote last week. He wrote a paragraph about whether the replacement refs would amplify homefield advantage because of their greater propensity to be intimidated by a crowd and then he added the following: "This whole paragraph would have been much more fun to write during the
era of sportwriting when you didn't have to support your arguments with
actual facts." For whatever flaws Simmons has, he does seem to take a data-based approach to most (but not all) sports issues, at least moreso than many popular writers. And then you have sports talk radio, which is pretty much a data-free zone (with a few notable exceptions). If someone in print were going to tackle Keith Brooking's career with the Falcons, they would surely have a more logical take than "he's local and he made a few Pro Bowls." Then again, I was listening to sports talk radio instead of a football podcast, so maybe the joke's on me.<br />
<br />
As always, you can find my SB Nation work <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Michael%20B&B/blog" target="_blank">here</a>. I am writing there once a week. When I get time, I do intend to write a post or two here about the Blaugrana's start to the season. (Short answer: they are playing well, but the next three games - at Sevilla, at Benfica, and home against Real Madrid - will be telling. The lack of depth at center back may prove to be a killer, as they go into this stretch with Pique and Puyol both out. [PSG's inflation of the transfer market is affecting clubs as rich as Barca. The amount that PSG spent on Thiago Silva crushed Barca's attempts to sign him or anyone close in terms of talent.] They look better up front when at least one of Pedro or Tello play to give them some width. Cesc is struggling. Xavi remains irreplaceable. Busquets is having a quietly excellent year. I am concerned that they lack balance at the back because they need [but don't have until Abidal returns, if that ever happens] a defensive left back to cover for a marauding right back. Adriano's defensive issues were on full display last week against Spartak.)Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-44802849010854279242012-09-07T09:26:00.001-05:002012-09-07T09:26:37.463-05:00Why I'm Rooting for MissouriI'm not usually one to go for catchy headlines for my pieces. In fact, I typically struggle to come up with good headlines at all. My writing process is often such that I write the entire piece and then stare at the screen for a few minutes when I'm done trying to come up with a clever title before beating a retreat to BobDylan.com to let the bard do my work for me. <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/2012/9/7/3299517/Georgia-vs-missouri-2012" target="_blank">This piece</a>, however, was an instance where the title came to me first and then the rest of the piece flowed from the title premise. The themes that have been most interesting to me this year have been: (1) SEC offensive regression; and (2) the idea that athletic department budgets are big bubbles that are going to burst unless ticket prices come down and schedule quality goes up. Thus, it was inevitable that I would write something like this:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
There are a pair of good reasons why successful seasons from the
Aggies and Tigers will benefit the SEC. First, if you want to tell a
story as to how the league would lose its perch as the best conference
bar none, it would go something like this: Alabama dominates the SEC.
The league is filled with teams trying to imitate the Tide and falling
short. Bama wins every other national title, which hides regression in
the rest of the conference. All of a sudden, Nick Saban accepts the
richest contract in football history from <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/2012/9/7/3299517/Georgia-vs-missouri-2012#">Jerry Jones</a>
to coach the Cowboys. The SEC is left with a bunch of teams that
squander their talent with second-rate imitations of what NFL offenses
used to be before Tom Brady, Drew Brees, and Aaron Rodgers started
setting passing records. The teams remain stout on defense, but lack
the punch to win big games consistently. In the end, the SEC looks like
it did in the 1980s: a bunch of very good, but not elite teams that
watched as Miami and Florida State passed them because those programs
were better as using their athletes on offense.<br />
<br />
Second, did you happen to glance around at SEC stadia over the
weekend? Florida's imitation of their 1989 offense was watched by whole
sections of empty bleachers at the Swamp. The crowd for Tennessee and
NC State was about 20,000 below capacity at the Georgia Dome. As Pat
Forde notes, <a href="http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaaf--forde-yard-dash--empty-seats-fill-college-football-s-first-weekend.html" target="_blank">there was only one capacity crowd among the eight SEC home openers</a>.
I am not pretending that the state of SEC offenses is the only reason
for this result. Among the factors causing the empty seats are higher
ticket prices (along with required donations for season tickets), a soft
economy, bad non-conference opponents, the ability to buy tickets for
big games online, and the improved experience of watching at home on a
flat-screen TV. Forde points out that attendance was down in other
conferences, so offensive regression cannot be the sole factor.
However, one of the SEC's selling points is the passion of its fans. It
ought to be doing <i>better</i> than other leagues in attendance. The
march towards a more defensive conference has to be included in the list
of explanations for empty seats.</blockquote>
Similarly, it was inevitable that I would turn Chris Brown's piece of Package Plays into <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/2012/8/29/3276318/packaged-plays-an-offensive-innovation-that-even-gary-danielson-can" target="_blank">a plea for SEC offenses to quit it with their homages to Pat Dye</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The query that comes to mind now is when packaged plays will come to
the SEC and which teams will be the ones to first exploit them. <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/2012/1/26/2736116/scott-loeffler-and-creeping-sabanization" target="_blank">SEC offenses have been going backwards in recent years as coaches mimic Nick Saban</a>,
not quite understanding what makes Saban's teams so successful. Gary
Danielson has taken Auburn's and Florida's decisions to move from the
spread to a pro-style approach as the occasion to do a <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/19815283/for-old-new-teams-alike-sec-will-be-full-of-the-unexpected-this-season" target="_blank">victory dance</a>
for his prediction that the spread would recede in the SEC. After all,
we are a whopping one season removed from Auburn winning the national
title with an unstoppable spread and a mediocre, Ted Roof-coached
defense (a pair of redundant adjectives, I know), so why wouldn't Gary
claim victory now? And Auburn and Florida only combined to win three of
the last six national titles using the spread, so the offense is
clearly never going to work against SEC defenses.<br />
<br />
One of the joys of packaged plays is that Danielson's Luddite views
on offense do not justify the SEC ignoring this trend. The SEC can
combine its traditional strengths in recruiting and defense alongside a
cutting edge offensive approach. If Danielson is right that SEC teams
should not use the spread because it is harder to recruit when you run
an offense that is not common in the NFL, then there is no reason why
they cannot use a concept that can be run out of any formation. In
fact, as Brown points out in his piece, NFL teams also run packaged
plays. What better way is there to prepare a quarterback for the NFL
than to say "we trained him to run the same plays and make the same
decisions as Aaron Rodgers?"</blockquote>
I might end up being a stuck record on this subject. I might be giving too much power to Gary Danielson and Tony Barnhart to get inside my head. But this is the direction in which I am going this season. <br />
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-22217923736369144752012-09-07T08:49:00.003-05:002012-09-07T08:49:34.634-05:00Porn for BlutarskyThis is too long to fit into a tweet, so I just want to paste a whole paragraph from <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2012/9/6/3291933/2012-nfl-preview-picks-predictions" target="_blank">Andrew Sharp's excellent NFL predictions</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<b>The Patriots And Packers Will Both Go 13-3 And Lose In The Playoffs. </b>They
are probably the two best teams in football, but neither team's built
to dominate in their freezing cold home stadiums in January, and plus,
it just wouldn't be the NFL if the favorites actually met in the Super
Bowl. While we're here, a reminder: The NFL Playoffs are basically the
NCAA Tournament. It's not even surprising anymore when the best teams
lose. That's just how things work in the parity era. The Giants, for
instance, are Michigan State during the 2000s, the crappy team that
always manage to sneak in to the Sweet 16 and then shock everyone and
end up in the Final Four. This also means that the NFL regular season is
every bit as meaningless as the college hoops season, so keep that in
mind, too.</blockquote>
<br />
It's one thing for a pair of college football apologists from the South to say it. It's another thing entirely when NFL writers start to notice that their playoff system is devaluing the larger part of the season. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-12060522774338208362012-08-16T19:48:00.001-05:002012-08-16T19:48:23.176-05:00The Platonic Ideal of a Michael Column<p>There are certain times where it makes sense to pull out the esoteric stops.  When <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/2012/8/16/3246553/chuck-thompson-sec-espn-college-football-2012">Fisking a writer who spent a chapter of his polemic against the South arguing that SEC football is overrated</a>, it comes in handy to drop C. Wright Mills, Sheeple, Jubal Early, and Joseph McCarthy.  If I’m defending a region against a writer who no doubt believes that we are slack-jawed yokels, it helps to dispel that notion quickly.  If someone came up with a drinking game for my columns, this one would check all of the major boxes:</p> <ul> <li>Using Sagarin and SRS to prove a point;</li> <li>Advocating the use of a big sample size over a smaller one;</li> <li>Mocking Gary Danielson for being a shill;</li> <li>Taking the position that Auburn should have won the national title in 1983;</li> <li>Deploying least one Latin legal phrase;</li> <li>Using numbered arguments;</li> <li>Making at least one ad hominem attack that I just cannot resist, in this case “I guess these are the rigorous research skills and commitment to precise language that one learns as the features editor of <em>Maxim</em>”; and</li> <li>Referencing World War II;</li> </ul> <p>All this column was missing was a James Bond reference, an entire paragraph delivered in sarcastic voice, and at least one shot at Northeastern media figures.  My goal at some point in my life is to check every one of these boxes.</p> Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-70738628657571123252012-08-14T08:23:00.001-05:002012-08-14T08:23:15.339-05:00¿Por qué?Jose Mourinho has decided that <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1133617/real-madrid%27s-jose-mourinho:-call-me-the-%27only-one%27?cc=5901" target="_blank">"The Special One" will no longer do for a nickname</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"In England, I was presented as the 'Special One'," Mourinho told Portuguese TV channel SIC on Monday night.<br />
<br />
"Thanks
to God, things have gone well and, whether you like it or not, I am the
only one who has won the English, Italian and Spanish championships.
So, more than the 'Special One', they must begin to call me the 'Only
One'."</blockquote>
In the same interview, Mourinho also says that his ego has shrunk:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"After having won practically everything, as time has passed I have
become less self-centred and egocentric," he said. "I have always liked
more the joy of other people, those around me. For this, winning with
Inter gave me a special pleasure. These are challenges, not personal
goals. I also think I could have been a good human resources executive." </blockquote>
If Mourinho is newly-humble and is proclaiming himself the "Only One," how big was his ego before? Also, if he is motivated by the joy of those around him (as opposed to, say, being the <a href="http://www.therichest.org/sports/richest-football-coaches-2011/" target="_blank">highest-paid soccer coach in the world</a>), then why wouldn't he take the coaching job at a club like Newcastle that has not won a title in decades? That would seem to be the situation where he could create the maximal joy for those around him, as opposed to delivering Real Madrid a 33rd La Liga title. <br />
<br />
There are those who say that Mourinho's comments are designed to deflect attention from his players so that they can focus on winning titles and he can take the arrows from the media. However, we are in an international break right now and Real are five days from starting the season. There is no need to defuse pressure right now and yet Jose is still mouthing off about being the humblest "Only One" in the world. Maybe, just maybe, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=e7ZUyHd-wY0&NR=1" target="_blank">the chant is right</a>.*<br />
<br />
* - Note: in that clip, Barca fans are singing about Jose in a road match against Villarreal. It was the first song that I heard on the escalators to the upper deck at the Wembley Champions League Final. Jose doesn't need to be in the building to be the target of love songs. I wonder if he likes the contempt of other people as much as their joy.Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-19536697178258938882012-08-14T08:02:00.002-05:002012-08-14T08:02:43.244-05:00A Message Board GemSorry for the lack of posting in the last several months, but time has been short and what time I have had has been spent on writing longer pieces for the Atlanta SB Nation site. Here is the <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/authors/michael-elkon/archive" target="_blank">complete list</a> of what I've been doing. I quite enjoyed writing the piece on <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2012/8/6/3217181/2012-college-football-season-uga-usc" target="_blank">2008 Georgia and 2012 USC</a> because 2007 Georgia remains one of the strangest teams that I have ever followed. The radical transformation that that team underwent before the Florida game was something to behold. So, when USC made a similar turn mid-season, it became obvious that I was going to make an analogy based on a sample size of one.<br />
<br />
One of the pleasures of writing, either on this blog or on SB Nation, is that I get to track the sites that link to my work so I can gauge reactions. The <a href="http://usc.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=521&mid=176550468&sid=995&tid=176550468&style=2&Override=1" target="_blank">discussion about the piece on the USC Rivals board</a> was hilarious as an illustration of message boards generally and of Rivals boards specifically. Most of the response from USC fans was that it is folly to compare USC and Georgia, just in general. Georgia has not had the historical success that USC has had, so a season where Georgia was preseason #1 and was led by the presumptive top pick in the Draft at quarterback cannot possibly be compared to a USC season that will start under the exact same conditions. <i>Res ipse loquitur.</i> My personal favorite was from a poster who goes by the witty moniker of Ribbed Trojan:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
He didn't know how Marquis' name was spelled? He was co-Pac-10 Freshman of the year...<br />
<br />Also,
comparing the wide receivers is ridiculous. AJ Green is great, but he
Massaquoi is no match for Lee. Plus, USC has outstanding tight ends and 2
running backs. Yes, Silas was not on the team when he wrote this.
Furthermore, we get Stanford early before their QB gets too many reps
and we get Oregon at home. Georgia may have had tough games on the road
to end the year.<br />
<br />Defensive line is the most important
position group in college football. If our line ends up marginal, that
could be our achilles heal.</blockquote>
Ah yes, the irony of making fun of me for having to look up how Marqise Lee spells his name ... and then misspelling it yourself. You're a funny one, Ribbed Trojan. The next paragraph says that "Georgia may have had tough games on the road
to end the year." Yes, because it is so hard to <a href="http://espn.go.com/college-football/team/schedule/_/id/61/year/2008/georgia-bulldogs" target="_blank">find a schedule</a> and determine that Georgia's three losses in 2008 came either at home or on a neutral field. Finally, you have an instance of a Trojan referencing Achilles and then confusing "heal" with "heel." This is why I write.Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-75490988239427111252012-08-14T07:42:00.003-05:002012-08-14T07:42:35.899-05:00It's All FootballHere's Jonathan Wilson on the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2012/aug/14/olympics-exposed-flaw-brazilian-football" target="_blank">decline of Brazil</a>, which was on full view in their tepid performance against Mexico in the gold medal match on Saturday:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
A generation has grown up watching Nike adverts showing carefree men
with questionable hair-cuts freestyling through airports, cityscapes and
prison ships and wondering how that equates to Dunga and César Sampaio,
or Edmilson and Gilberto Silva, or Zé Roberto and Gilberto Silva, or
Felipe Melo and Gilberto Silva, sitting doggedly in front of the back
four. Nike's advertising hasn't created the contradiction that lies at
the heart of Brazilian <span class="gia-popupDisciplineTmp" data-discipline_id="FB"><span class="gia-popupAnchor"></span>football</span> culture, but it has highlighted it, perhaps even accentuated it.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Neymar,
poor, overhyped, brilliant Neymar, is compelled to do tricks. It's not
enough that his team wins; he must also perform individual miracles and
live up to the advertisers' ideal. It is his misfortune to live in the
age of an Argentinian genius: he must also confirm to Brazilians with
every breath that he is as good, or at least may soon become as good, as
Lionel Messi. Pelé's pursuit of the line that they are equals not
merely confirms his debased status as a pundit, but is actually
counter-productive, heaping pressure on Neymar and deflecting attention
from far more significant issues.<br />
<br />
The twin pressures on the Brazilian game have resulted in a style of <span class="gia-popupDisciplineTmp" data-discipline_id="FB"><span class="gia-popupAnchor"></span>football</span>
that recalls Arrigo Sacchi's description of Real Madrid in the
galacticos era: it is full of specialists. There are those who dribble
and run and shoot, and there are those who sit back and fill the spaces
to allow them to do so. It's simplistic and effective against weaker
opposition, but vulnerable to more streetwise opponents: even before <span class="gia-popupOrg" data-org_id="MEX"><span class="gia-popupAnchor"></span>Mexico</span> beat them, <span class="gia-popupOrgTmp" data-org_id="BRA"><span class="gia-popupAnchor"></span>Brazil</span> had stuttered against <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/jul/26/brazil-egypt-football-london-2012" title="">Egypt</a> and <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/aug/04/london-2012-brazil-honduras-quarter-final" title="">Honduras</a>, before being extraordinarily fortunate against <span class="gia-popupOrg" data-org_id="KOR"><span class="gia-popupAnchor"></span>South Korea</span>,
who should have had two penalties in the semi-final. It also explains
why so many of Brazil's holding midfielders are tacklers and
distributors like Lucas or shuttlers like Ramires, and so few of them
deep-lying creators in the way Falcão or Gerson once were.<br />
<br />
As <span class="gia-popupDisciplineTmp" data-discipline_id="FB"><span class="gia-popupAnchor"></span>football</span>
elsewhere becomes increasingly about universality, about players being
able to perform a multiplicity of roles, it also feels like an
old-fashioned style. </blockquote>
And here is Chris Brown on <a href="http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8251550/tyrann-mathieu-demarcus-ware-movement-hybrid-defenders-college-football-nfl" target="_blank">the evolution of hybrid defenders</a> in American football:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="dropcap">T</span>he 1990s Cowboys may have set the path,
but it's the current coaching innovators who are molding the idea to
the present. On offense, the trend appears to be so-called "hybrid"
offensive players, primarily the new wave of tight ends like New
England's Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, the Saints' Jimmy Graham,
and Jermichael Finley of the Packers. All are big, tall, and fast <i>downfield</i> receiving threats, and those like Gronkowski <a href="http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7441266/a-deep-look-alabama-running-game-helmed-nick-saban-trent-richardson" target="new">can also block</a>. Then there are the <a href="http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7064975/darren-sproles-rise-space-player" target="new">smaller "space players"</a>
like Darren Sproles who are just as dangerous catching the ball as they
are running with it from the backfield. The meaning of the term "spread
offense" is debatable, but the principle it embodies — that all
available skill players are a potential threat on any given play, and
gone are the blocking-only fullbacks and tight ends who never touch the
ball — is now the standard at every level of football. These
multitalented and multipurpose offensive weapons are merely the latest
embodiment of that.<br />
<br />
In response, Jimmy Johnson's edict — that speed on offense must be
matched with even more speed on offense — has been adopted by defensive
coaches at every level of football. Those hybrid offensive players are
being met with hybrid defenders.</blockquote>
I think I have my theme for the season in both soccer and football: the decline of specialization. <br />
<br />
<br />
Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-67593248857553723422012-05-10T08:59:00.000-05:002012-05-10T08:59:48.112-05:00Hitler, John Junker, DeLoss Dodds, Mike Brown ... Arthur Blank<a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/atlanta-falcons/2012/5/4/2998451/overplaying-your-hand-john-junker-deloss-dodds-mike-brown-and-arthur" target="_blank">This one</a> is from last week, but it was a theme that I had been considering for quite a while. Here is the conclusion:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
I mention all of this as a cautionary tale for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/teams/atlanta-falcons">Falcons</a>.
The local professional football franchise is seeking to replace the
Georgia Dome - a facility that is only twenty years old and is a
perfectly good place to watch a football game - with a retractable roof
facility. The price tag for the new stadium is estimated at $948
million, although that <a href="http://www.ajc.com/news/new-falcons-stadium-cost-1426844.html" target="_blank">seems to be a conservative estimate</a>.
Additionally, the only funding source listed so far has been a
hotel/motel tax. The remaining funding is undetermined, but could very
well come in the form of either additional tax revenue or in the form of
charging fans more for the privilege of supporting the local team
through PSLs and higher ticket prices.<br />
<br />
I feel leery about any analogy that has <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/players/3073/mike-brown">Mike Brown</a> and Arthur Blank in a sequence. Mr. Blank is widely popular in Atlanta for a variety of reasons, two of which are his <a href="http://blankfoundation.org/" target="_blank">various philanthropic endeavors</a>
and his generally good stewardship of the Falcons. That said, the
Falcons risk the same sort of backlash that the bowls, Texas, and
Bengals have all seen for pushing their position too hard. A new
Falcons stadium promises little or nothing for an average fan, save for
fewer seats, higher ticket prices, and the opportunity cost involved
with $300 million in tax revenue going for a private business as opposed
to schools, police, and other public services. The Falcons rely on the
local community for much of their revenue. They ought to consider that
fact when pushing for an unnecessary new stadium.</blockquote>
Arthur Blank faces an interesting quandary. Mike Brown has no reputation to protect, either in Cincinnati or elsewhere. The fact that the Cincinnati Bengals remain in the NFL despite decades of miserly mismanagement is a testament to the cartel nature of the league, one free from the competitive pressures that the possibility of relegation creates in the rest of the world. Brown does not care about his reputation locally, so he has no issue driving a hard bargain with his city and county and then turning a deaf ear when the effects of that bargain affect the services that the local government can provide. <br />
<br />
Blank, on the other hand, has a sterling reputation in Atlanta. His commercial creation - Home Depot - is generally popular, as are his philanthropic endeavors. He has done a good job as the owner of the Falcons. Moreover, he simply has a pleasant demeanor because he smiles and speaks well. If I were casting a movie and wanted to fill the role of doting grandfather, I would pick someone who looks and acts like Blank. Because of that reputation, Blank cannot credibly make the threat that would get him a new stadium: "give me this or I'll move the team." He has too much to lose if he becomes the person known as the guy who killed professional football in Atlanta, a city that loves the sport. This positive reputation works against him.<br />
<br />
That last paragraph, by the way, can operate as a criticism of Liberty Media and Atlanta Spirit. Whereas Blank has roots in the community and therefore wants the Falcons to do well to enhance his local reputation, Liberty Media, as an out-of-state media company, has no such interest. Nor does Atlanta Spirit, which (at least in terms of ownership share) is predominantly composed of individuals from out-of-state.<br />
<br />Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-46145278429506986912012-05-10T08:47:00.000-05:002012-05-10T09:00:40.773-05:00Fisking Buzz BissingerI'm not going to lie; <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/2012/5/10/3011344/ban-northeasterners-from-writing-about-college-football" target="_blank">this</a> was a lot of fun. <br />
<br />
It occurred to me while I was writing that Bissinger and John Feinstein occupy the same place in my head. Both wrote indisputably great sports books in the late 80s. Both are now grumpy old men, writing screeds against college football from the Acela Corridor. In both instances, I read their writing and remember the day when my childhood ended: the day that I read the obituary of Roald Dahl (my favorite author as a boy) obituary and learned that he <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roald_Dahl#Postwar_life" target="_blank">said the following</a>:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
There's a trait in the Jewish character that does provoke animosity ...
I mean there is always a reason why anti-anything crops up anywhere;
even a stinker like Hitler didn't just pick on them for no reason.</blockquote>
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roald_Dahl#cite_note-treg-47"></a><br />
Bissinger also reminds me of Don Draper at the end of last week's <i>Mad Men</i>, left behind in a world where he didn't understand The Beatles in their "Hard Day's Night" stage, let alone their new "Tomorrow Never Knows" style, and having a drink while his actual wife is meditating and his office wife is smoking a joint while writing copy. Buzz sees a world where college football has become a national sport, outpacing baseball in a number of ways. The barbarians are at his gates. For a guy already prone to angry outbursts, his <i>WSJ</i> column was entirely predictable. <br />
<br />Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-65876549076981044732012-04-24T10:31:00.002-05:002012-04-24T10:34:22.705-05:00V-E Day Turns Into The AlamoLast year, Barcelona came home for the second leg of the Champions League semifinal having played three matches against Real Madrid, two on the road and one at a neutral site. Barca had salted away a third straight La Liga title, lost a heart-breaker in the Copa del Rey Final, and then beaten Real 2-0 in the first leg of the Champions League semi. They were like warriors coming home after winning the war, so a hype video using the theme from The Pacific made perfect sense:<br />
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3RF46RktcPM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<br />
<br />
<br />
This year, the Blaugrana enter a Champions League semifinal trailing 1-0 to Chelsea after a disastrous first leg in which Barca spurned at least six good scoring chances and allowed the Blues to score on their only shot of the match. Barca was described as "unlucky," after the match, but luck implies factors outside of their control. Barca's terrible finishing was within their control, as was the ability to mark Didier Drogba in the box when he was Ramires's only passing target.<br />
<br />
Barca then followed that match by being beaten at home by Real Madrid in an entirely deserved fashion. Whereas Chelsea were timid and rode their luck (while Barca were not unlucky, Chelsea were most definitely lucky because they had nothing to do with Busquets and Cesc skying open-goal chances into the stands), Real were powerful, created more good chances, and won their La Liga title in emphatic fashion. In so doing, they ended all sorts of streaks: Mourinho having never won at the Nou Camp, not beating Barca in La Liga in four years, Barca not losing at home in La Liga in almost two seasons, Barca not having lost two meaningful games in a row since the beginning of Guardiola's time at Barca, etc.<br />
<br />
So, when Barca deploy another hype video using the theme from The Pacific, this feels more like a last stand than a victory parade:<br />
<br />
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dTqwWJ8gi90" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
How did this come to pass for Barca? I would point to the complete uncertainty up front. In 2009, Barca won the Champions League with a set front three: Messi on the right, Henry on the left, and Eto'o in the center. Those three combined to score <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/team/squad/_/id/83/season/2008/league/all/barcelona?cc=5901" target="_blank">97 goals</a>, including both of the strikes on that famous night in Rome when Barca started building their resume for being one of the best sides of all-time. In 2010, Barca went out of the Champions League in the semifinals in no small part because they were in the middle of a transition away from Zlatan Ibrahimovic as a striker and towards Leo Messi as a false nine. Ibra started both matches against Inter and was ineffective, in part because he was coming back from an injury and in part because Barca was realizing that he just was not a fit for their style. By the end of the season, the Blaugrana were playing Bojan Krkic as a starter and Ibra was a very expensive substitute. In 2011, Barca again had a stable front three: Messi in the middle, Pedro on the right, and David Villa on the left. Messi dropped off of the front and created space for the other forwards to use. Those three produced <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/team/squad/_/id/83/season/2010/league/all/barcelona?cc=5901" target="_blank">95 goals</a> and Barca won the Champions League again.<br />
<br />
This year has been a lot more 2010 than 2009 or 2011. I don't have any idea who is going to go on the team sheet and neither do most Barca fans. Alexis Sanchez seems like a fairly likely bet, despite his pair of glaring misses at Stamford Bridge, because he provides Messi with a runner. As for the other? Cuenca because he plays as a true winger? Tello because he is a dangerous dribbler? Cesc because he combines well with Messi? Pedro because he is a scorer of big goals (and was very nearly the hero last Wednesday)? Dani Alves because he can play right forward? Barca are 58 matches into the season and they don't know the identity of their front three. Blame new signings, injuries, or a tendency to sit and watch the best player in the world if you like, but here we are.<br />
<br />
The lack of certainty up front has made Barca weaker at the back. Pep always says that Barca is not a very good defensive team when the other team is allowed to have the ball, so keeping the ball and then pressing hard when turning it over is essential. If the front line isn't doing its job, then the back line gets exposed. As Michael Cox explained, Pep has been forced to use quantity up front to make up for a lack of quality, which has created <a href="http://www.zonalmarking.net/2012/04/22/barcelona-1-2-real-madrid-real-on-brink-of-title/" target="_blank">defensive vulnerability</a>: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Whereas Real played their usual 4-2-3-1, Guardiola’s choice of
formation was a surprise. He went for the 3-4-3, which meant Dani Alves
pushed very high up on the right, Tello on the opposite flank, and
Adriano on the left of a back three. This was an attacking gamble by
Guardiola – he’s commented before on how dangerous it is to play a back
three without controlling the whole game.<br />
<br />
In a sense, it also hinted at Guardiola’s lack of confidence in
Barcelona’s attacking department – he felt he needed two wingers to
stretch the play on either side, yet also an additional midfielder to
ensure superiority in the centre. This came at the risk of defensive
stability, and Barcelona were particularly vulnerable to breaks into the
channels/wings.</blockquote>
Today's match against Chelsea is no time to batten down the defensive hatches, as Barca need a two-goal win to progress. (1-0 just gets the Blaugrana to extra time.)<br />
<br />
So, here we are at the Alamo, Thermopylae, Bastogne, Rorke's Drift, Shiroyama. Barca are struggling, at least relative to the standard that they have set for the last three years, but even a struggling Barca side can put together a great performance. They are playing for history (first club to retain the Champions League), so it would figure that they will need a last stand to make that happen.Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-85664326190919072392012-04-18T08:52:00.000-05:002012-04-18T08:52:43.833-05:00Hello Blueness My Old Friend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://imagenes.mundodeportivo.com//20120418/18porbn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://imagenes.mundodeportivo.com//20120418/18porbn.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
For the ninth time in the past decade, Barca and Chelsea will meet today in the Champions League. In fact, one of the neat little facts about this year's semifinals is that they pit the two most commonly-played match-ups in European history, with Bayern-Real first and Barca-Chelsea second. The Barca-Chelsea ties have always been very close, tightly-contested affairs, with each one settled by a single goal or less over 180 minutes. A few thoughts in advance of the match tonight:<br />
<br />
1. In 2009, one of the excuses that I and other Cules used to justify Barca's struggles against Chelsea was the fact that the two matches book-ended a La Liga-decider against Real Madrid. The same issue will exist this year, although Chelsea is similarly conflicted in that they played an FA Cup semifinal on Sunday and they have a big match against Arsenal over the weekend. Chelsea are currently fighting for fourth place, the last Champions League spot in England, and they know that attracting new talent to the squad is always harder when you can only offer the Europa League (and where your prior ability to dump bags of cash at the feet of new signings is constricted someone by FFP). In 2009, they were set, with little chance of winning the Premiership and almost no chance of missing out on the Champions League. The teams they played before and during the tie with Barca - <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/team/fixtures/_/id/363/season/2008/chelsea?cc=5901" target="_blank">West Ham and Fulham</a> - were both cemented in mid-table places. Thus, both teams will have significant distractions and the playing field should be even.<br />
<br />
2. At least that's what I tell myself, because the second possibility is that Chelsea are just a very difficult match-up for Barca. They have the defensive midfielders that Manchester United lack, so they can clog the middle and deny Barca the ability to play through them. It would be nice to say to myself "this is the Chelsea team that struggled so much over the course of the season, so they are clearly inferior," but that would only be true if Andre Villas Boas were still in charge. Roberto Di Matteo (or, if you are cynical, John Terry) has Chelsea playing in their <a href="http://www.zonalmarking.net/2012/04/16/chelseas-change-in-defensive-system-under-roberto-di-matteo/" target="_blank">more traditional, defensive style</a>, which remains the right approach against Barca. Two banks of four without the ball and then long balls to Drogba with Mata, Kalou, and Ramires as the runners? That can work very well, as <a href="http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/1050481/cesc-fabregas:-chelsea-a-long-ball-team-again-under-di-matteo?cc=5901" target="_blank">Cesc has fretted</a>. (Kudos to the English rags for turning a statement of the obvious into some sort of insult.) Chelsea can pose a threat without taking too many risks. It's not the way that an expensively assembled side should play, but I've been saying the same thing <a href="http://bravesandbirds.blogspot.com/2006/03/chelsea-are-shite.html" target="_blank">for six years</a>. The Blues are who they are. They tried to play a more aggressive, attractive style, the patient rejected the transplant, and now they are playing the way that gives them the best chance to succeed. It is what it is.<br />
<br />
3. From the Barca perspective, I will be most interested in how the Barca front line stacks up against a tight, talented defense. Three years ago, Chelsea were able to negate a front line that had Eto'o in the middle with Messi on the right and Henry on the left.* Now, Messi will be drifting into the middle between the central defenders and the midfield. Thus, John Terry and Gary Cahill will be confronted with the choice of whether to step out and follow him (thus leaving space for runs for the left and right forwards; that dynamic has led to Messi leading all players in the five big European leagues in assists) or stay back, leaving Mikel and Lampard to deal with Messi. Assuming that Cesc and Sanchez are the forwards, they bring different dimensions as opposed to what Eto'o and Henry did. Sanchez is faster and Cesc has a better ability to link up with Messi than any other Barca forward has had.<br />
<br />
<i>* - Warren Barton hilariously claimed last night on FSC that Chelsea have always done well at denying Messi the space in between the lines. That's where Messi plays now as a false nine, but previously, he was a right winger who attacked fullbacks at pace instead of floating in the middle. Moreover, he was outstanding at Stamford Bridge in 2006, ripping Chelsea apart and drawing a red card that was a major event in the match. In fact, that match is generally seen as the instance where Messi announced himself to the world. Other than all that, you're totally solid, Warren.</i> <br />
<br />
4. From the Chelsea perspective, I'll be interested to see whether they will be comfortable with a 0-0. Milan got a 0-0 at home against Barca and then lost 3-1 at the Nou Camp, but Milan without Thiago Silva were also more defensively suspect than Chelsea. 0-0 wouldn't be a bad result for Chelsea, although as they showed in the second leg in 2009, they can play defensively and still create a ton of chances on the counter. Conversely, of the three crunch games that Barca will play in the next seven days, this is the one for which they will have the most rest. Do they view this as the chance to win the tie early so they can go for broke on Saturday and then have an easier time on Tuesday? Or do they conserve energy and accept a 0-0 if it is tacitly offered. (If Keita is in the lineup, then the latter is a distinct possibility.)<br />
<br />
5. It's also worth watching Xavi's fitness. He is the player who makes Barca go, but he has been struggling with a calf/Achilles issue during the second half of the season. He was subbed after 45 minutes on Saturday with Barca trailing at Levante, a move that Pep said was strategic, but may very well have been to rest his fulcrum for the match today. Real Madrid are suffering because their key midfielder - Xabi Alonso - is<a href="http://www.thefootballramble.com/blog/entry/alonso-tires-madrid-fade" target="_blank"> running out of steam</a>.* Will Barca show signs of the same?<br />
<br />
* - <i>It's interesting that Real Madrid are the deeper side than Barca, but Xabi Alonso has had to make 45 starts this year, whereas Xavi has made only 40 (and this is despite the fact that Barca played in two extra competitions and made a deeper run in the Copa del Rey). If Real's season comes unglued at the end, it may be down to the fact that Nuri Sahin never broke into the lineup to give Mourinho a viable alternative to Xabi Alonso.</i> Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-9196570860237361012012-04-18T08:11:00.001-05:002012-04-18T08:11:26.359-05:00Roy Kramer and Radical ChangeI wrote a piece yesterday at SB Nation about how Roy Kramer <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/2012/4/17/2954556/roy-kramer-radical-change-is-bad-except-when-i-initiate-it" target="_blank">expresses concern about anything more than incremental change when it comes to a college football playoff</a>, but he had no such concerns when he reorganized the SEC in 1992 in a significant, swift fashion:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
What's interesting about Kramer's rejection of "big change" (although
I am quoting Barnhart here, so this might be more of a poke at Tony) is
that he initiated one of the most radical and ultimately successful (as
evidenced by how much it has been copied) changes in recent college
football history: <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/2012/2/20/2812018/fear-of-an-extra-conference-game-1992-edition" target="_blank">expanding the SEC to 12 teams, splitting into two divisions, and initiating the first conference championship game</a>.
Prior to 1992, the SEC was a ten-team league in which each team played
seven conference games and the champion was the team with the best
record at the end. As of 1992, the SEC was a 12-team league split into
two divisions with protected cross-division rivalries and the champion
was the team that won a game between the winners of the East and West
divisions. Florida had to win seven conference games in 1991 to win the
conference; Alabama had to win nine the next year to do the same, the
last of which was a "neutral" site game against the Gators. Bama's
highest SEC hurdle was its last, not unlike what it would face in
winning its next national title in 2009.<br />
<br />
Kramer's change met with resistance from the coaches in the league,
but it was ultimately a complete success such that every major
conference now either has a conference championship game (Big Ten, Pac
Ten, and ACC) or would have one if it could keep 12 stable members (Big
XII, Big East). In fact, the solution that Kramer suggests for the
college football post-season - a four-team playoff comprised of three
conference winners and then the highest-ranked remaining team - is made
possible by the conferences moving themselves into a format where the
league season progresses to a final game and then produces an ultimate
champion. Kramer's solution for the college football postseason is an
incremental change in the same way that the Bowl Alliance and then the
Bowl Coalition were, but Kramer's career was not marked solely by
smaller alterations. His best change was his biggest.</blockquote>
Upon reflection, the salient difference is that Kramer was in charge of the SEC, but not all of college football. As the SEC Commissioner, he could expand the league and create the division structure, albeit with ultimately approval of the SEC presidents and athletic directors. He was not in charge of major college football as a whole. The SEC was merely one voice at the table when the BCS was created, so Kramer would have had a much tougher time implementing a playoff in 1995 and 1998 as opposed to simply creating a bowl structure to guarantee a #1 versus #2 matchup. If that's the case, then he ought to identify the times where significant change is possible and the times where we have to move slowly because the SEC's interests are not wholly aligned with those of other major conferences.<br />
<br />
The post also led to a little <a href="https://twitter.com/#%21/MummePoll/status/192294325110050817" target="_blank">Twitter exchange</a> with Blutarsky about Tony Barnhart. I will admit to having the same reservations about Barnhart's writing, a feeling that was crystallized when Barnhart was apparently <a href="http://outkickthecoverage.com/cbs-and-tony-barnharts-conflict-on-missouri-to-the-sec.php" target="_blank">aware of the SEC inviting Missouri to join the conference and participated in a Q&A about the subject that was packaged to run when the news broke, but did not share this information with his readers</a>. At this stage, reading Barnhart is like reading Pravda during the Cold War: he is more interesting as a gauge of what newsmakers (in this case, major players in the SEC) are thinking and what they want to disseminate. If you accept his writing on that principle, it's worthwhile. In this case, he is disseminating the opinion of Roy Kramer, who doesn't really have a stake anymore and is therefore an interesting analyst of the playoff discussions. <br />Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11175154.post-76684483106549041472012-04-16T08:58:00.000-05:002012-04-16T08:58:25.298-05:00Chemistry is for Laboratories, Urban Meyer EditionHere's my <a href="http://atlanta.sbnation.com/georgia-bulldogs/2012/4/16/2950547/chemistry-is-for-laboratories-urban-meyer-edition" target="_blank">reaction</a> to Matt Hayes' piece on Urban Meyer. In short, I thought that the whole thing was overblown, mainly because Hayes was describing a time period in which Florida was remarkably successful. In fact, the piece serves as an unintentional rejoinder to everything that Kirk Herbstreit says about the emotions and intangibles of college football:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
To summarize the article, Florida's players engaged in various forms
of bad behavior during the 2008 season. The highlights include <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/10146/percy-harvin">Percy Harvin</a> complaining about running stadium stairs and then choking his position coach, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-football/players/36014/janoris-jenkins">Janoris Jenkins</a>
getting into various scrapes with the law, Meyer applying laxer
discipline to his best performers, and Florida players generally smoking
a lot of marijuana.<br />
<br />
And here's the punchline: it's an afterthought in the article, but
Florida won the national championship in 2008. In fact, there's an
argument to be made that 2008 Florida was <a href="http://bravesandbirds.blogspot.com/2010/11/auburn-defense-is-neither-auburn-nor.html">the best team of the Aughts</a>,
as evidenced by the fact that their yards-per-play margin ranked up
with those of 2001 Miami and 2005 Texas, despite the fact that the
Gators played a tough schedule. The Hats Guys of the world (and there
are plenty of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirk_Herbstreit" target="_blank">analogs</a>
in the world of college football) want us to believe that teams win
based on senior leadership, authoritative performances from quarterbacks
in the huddle, and "everyone coming together as a team." According to
this ideology, 2008 Florida should have been terrible, as their players
should have been split apart by inconsistent discipline and a star
player being permitted to commit a battery on a coach. Instead, they
ended the season passing around a crystal football.</blockquote>
The piece then goes on to criticize both John Pennington for using the article as a platform to dump further praise onto Tim Tebow (Tebow being a great college quarterback just isn't enough anymore) and NFL personnel directors for letting the smoke surrounding Florida players cloud their judgment as to just how good those players are. (Good lord, that was a terrible pun on my part.)<br />
<br />
There are additional weaknesses to the piece that I'm sure have been noted by Ohio State fans. For instance, the bit about Bryan Thomas falls flat for two reasons. First, it makes it sound as if a football coach can make a unilateral decision to give a player a medical hardship letter without any involvement from a doctor. Second, Florida wasn't a serial abuser of the hardship rule like their <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703384204575509901468451306.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsForth#articleTabs%3Darticle" target="_blank">buddies in Tuscaloosa</a>. In fact, Florida has been one of the paragons in the SEC in <a href="http://oversigning.com/testing/index.php/recruiting-numbers/" target="_blank">refusing to engage in oversigning generally</a>, a fact that refutes Hayes' argument entirely. <br />
<br />
In the end, the article just struck me as a kitchen sink approach. Hayes took every single negative that he could find about Urban Meyer since Meyer moved from Utah to Florida and then threw them into a piece without providing context. Some of the allegations are indeed pretty interesting, most notably the story about Percy Harvin choking Billy Gonzalez. They reflect poorly on Meyer and well on Hayes' ability to obtain information. However, Hayes then goes haywire when he moves from reporting the stories to claiming that Florida's weaker performances in the last two years are the result of a lack of discipline. It's a fitting result that a guy named Hayes would write a column about the Ohio State football coach and then he would go nuts.<br />
<br />Michaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08365733949431139562noreply@blogger.com2