College Football Picks

That's right kids, they're back! It's picks time!

I finished a pedestrian 39-34-2 last year, for a .520 winning percentage. Not the 55% you need to break even. Man i suck...

This year i'm trying to stick to picking 7 games each week. Last year i was kinda all over the board on how many picks i would make.

On a side note, picking the first week is always the hardest because i haven't seen anyone play yet. Also, you should know i'm not nearly as informed and prepared going into the season as i was last year. It happens.

On to the picks!

South Carolina -14.5 over N.C. State (W)
South Carolina is at home. Also, this game is tonight (Thursday), so i just threw it in there to have something to root for tonight.

Hawaii +35 over Florida
To be clear, i am not picking Hawaii to win. I am picking them to cover a 35 point spread, which is ridiculous. Then again, it is Florida and Hawaii lost their QB and coach... Screw it, i just changed my mind. Florida -35 over Hawaii (W).

Michigan -3.5 over Utah (L)
A lot of people are calling this a trap game for a Michigan team that a) lost their 4-year QB, b) lost their 4-year RB, c) lost their coach, and d) is installing a new system. Especially since they managed to lose at home to Appalachian St. last year. And Utah should be good this year. All that being said, i think Michigan will have enough to beat Utah by 4 or more...

Nebraska -14.5 over W. Michigan (W)
Bo Pelini is the coach Nebraska should have hired last time they were looking for a coach when they hired Bill Callahan instead. Pelini has restored the defense to where it should be, and their QB Ganz should have a good year. Memorial Stadium will be rocking.

Clemson -4.5 over Alabama (L)
I think Clemson could have a great year, and this is where it will begin. Plus they are at home, which is actually a tough place to play.

Missouri -9.5 over Illinois (W)
Consider me one of the people who doesn't think Illinois can repeat what they did last year. I've seen the Zook up close and personal, and he is a terrible game coach. Terrible. I can't even describe to you how bad he is. Example A is the stampeding Iowa put on a Zook-led Florida team in the Outback Bowl in 2003. They will miss Mendenhall. And Missouri should be good.

Tennessee -7.5 over UCLA (Monday night) (L)
Ok, i will admit i changed this pick Friday morning. I'm not sure what i was thinking. Tennessee rolls...

So there you go. I managed to pick all favorites. Next time i'll do better...

Press Conference

Ok, so it isn't exactly a press conference, but it is an interview. And it is awesome.

The always best-dressed* Craig Sager was being interviewed and had an interesting story to tell about Ted Turner, Jane Fonda, and TBS's broadcasting line-up. Listen and enjoy...



*Not actually best-dressed. Actually, worst-dressed. Like, every time he's ever been on television in his life.

(H/T to AA for the find...)

College Football Previews

Unlike last year, when i devoted entire posts and previews to each of the BCS conferences, i'm doing a more stream-lined version this year. The reason for this is two-fold: One, you probably don't really care about most of what i have to say except for the actual picks (if you even care for those), and two it's a little late to get rolling on all of those in too much depth since the football season starts in two days (two days!).

So, with that said, here's a streamlined college football preview, where i pick the winners of each conference and various other things.

Big Ten: Ohio St. Obviously. Should roll through the Big Ten, with only Wisconsin giving them any trouble.

Big Twelve: Oklahoma. Poised for a great year behind QB Sam Bradford.

Pac 10: USC. Self-explanatory.

ACC: Clemson. Great backfield. North Carolina isn't ready yet, and Miami and FSU are still struggling a bit.

Big East: W. Virginia. Let's see if this team can continue to burn me anytime i pick them to do anything...

SEC: Georgia. After claiming the #1 ranking in both polls, there has been a lot of backlash about their schedule and inexperience at key positions. I like Stafford, love Moreno, and think they can pull it off.

National Championship Game: Georgia vs. Oklahoma. Georgia will probably have a loss, but with the SEC strength can probably still get in. I like Georgia to win it as well.

Heisman Trophy Winner: Sam Bradford. Had a fantastic freshman season, should really breakout this year. Don't look for Tebow to repeat, he's no Archie Griffin. That's still a taboo.

That's it for me preview this season. Of course, i will resume my picks each week. Hopefully i can do better than i did last year on that front...

You Have Failed At Life

This week's winner (loser) of my You Have Failed At Life feature is none other than:

You've probably heard by now that the LPGA is requiring all players to learn English by the end of 2009 or face losing their tour card. While i can understand (sort of) their interest in having their players know the language, it still seems a bit harsh. Not exactly a beaming declaration of the support of diversity...

LPGA, You Have Failed At Life.

Gene Upshaw And The CBA

In what is quickly becoming this site's fourth feature, though unintentionally, here are a few words from ESPN's TMQ regarding Gene Upshaw and what he did for the NFLPA:

"Eugene Upshaw, 1945-2008: Gene Upshaw died young last week, and many of the same people who had denounced him while he was alive praised him after he was dead. When their words could be heard and inflict hurt, they slammed him; when their words could not be heard, they were gracious. As TMQ argued a year ago in detail, Upshaw did a fabulous job for players -- winning 59 percent of the richest pot of gold in sports is hardly to be sneezed at. In 1993 the NFLPA, under Upshaw's leadership, adopted cooperative bargaining as its core tactic. Since then, adjusting to today's dollars, NFL payments to players and retirees are up from $1.3 billion to $3.8 billion, an increase of about 13 percent per year. How many professions do you know where pay rises an inflation-adjusted 13 percent annually? Recently, the NFL owners voted unanimously to exercise a clause that lets them opt out of the Collective Bargaining Agreement two years early. When that same deal was signed in 2006, Upshaw was roundly ridiculed by sports pundits, and by retired NFL players, as a lapdog, because he worked cordially with the owners rather than calling a strike. That the owners unanimously opted out, after having time to think about what they had agreed to, is the proof the NFLPA, not the owners, won the 2006 negotiating round. If some lapdog union leader had agreed to a weak deal, the owners wouldn't be opting out, would they? Upshaw had a difficult personality, and the NFLPA gets self-inflicted bad press because its public-relations operation is among Washington's worst. But in terms of substantive accomplishment, the NFLPA under Eugene Upshaw provided magnificently for its members, including for its retired members. My advice to all who play touch football with Upshaw in the afterlife: watch for the trap block; even in paradise, this guy is unlikely to ease off."

TMQ is what it is, a sometimes interesting, sometimes incessantly rambling column about the NFL. That said, i thought it was a nice summary of some of the things Upshaw accomplished before passing.

Happy Friday!

This picture just kills me...

see more pwn and owned pictures

Enjoy your weekend everybody...

(H/T to Failblog)

RIP Gene Upshaw

I'm not one to usually post about deaths, as i try to keep this site light and funny, but i felt i should mention this one. NFL Players Association head Gene Upshaw passed away due to pancreatic cancer. In relevance to two stories i've written before regarding the NFLPA and the upcoming CBA (here and here), Upshaw's passing creates even more questions than answers.

Upshaw was known as a really tough nosed guy who stood up for his players under almost all situations (well, current players, let's not get started on retired players), and had a knack to drive a hard bargain in negotiations with the NFL. He was to have seen the NFLPA through it's current negotiations for a new CBA then retire. Sadly, Upshaw did not make it that far.

The NFLPA is now in an interesting place, as it's greatest and loudest voice has passed. Regardless of who they bring in to take his place (look for former Viking Robert Smith), that person will not have near the experience Upshaw had. Because of this, expect the NFL to attempt to drive a hard bargain in regards to the player revenue pool and a rookie salary structure, which i believe will be the NFL's number 1 issue.

If the NFL does indeed attempt to drive a hard bargain and take advantage of the new NFLPA head (keeping in mind Roger Goodell has done exactly this with regards to issues like player suspensions, drug testing, etc.), expect the NFLPA to scoff at those demands. They are still a strong organization and not willing to bow to the NFL's wishes.

They have two years to come to an agreement, but the passing of Upshaw does nothing to help the NFLPA's stance. Let's hope it doesn't affect their ability to come to an agreement on a new CBA...