Saturday, July 31, 2010

#19 LSU

#19 LSU
2009-2010: 9-4...lost to Penn State in the Capital One Bowl

LSU was one of the most prominent schools during the mid-2000's. Nick Saban, of course, led the Tigers to a National Championship in 2003. Les Miles did the same after Saban fled and failed in the NFL in 2007. LSU, however, has almost fallen out of the sky since 2007. Now they return Jordan Jefferson to start at Quarterback for his junior year after a decent Sophomore campaign. LSU's offense was abysmal last season. (Out of 119 teams, of course) LSU ranked 97th in passing offense and 90th in rushing. Jefferson should be much improved and the LSU defense should be a bulwark as always. LSU has sleeper potential in the SEC West while many look at Alabama as an unbeatable juggernaut, fear the Tigers.

2010-2011 Outlook:
Key Game: SEC competition is ridiculous for LSU this season, they have far too many key games to name just one.
Predicted Record: 8-4, 4-4 (losses at Florida, versus Alabama, versus Ole Miss, and at Arkansas)

Saturday, July 24, 2010

#20 Arkansas

#20 Arkansas
2009-2010: 8-5...defeated East Carolina in Liberty Bowl

The hogs may have the best quarterback in the nation in 6-7 Ryan Mallett. Mallett entered last season with little expectations, but this year everyone knows what to expect from the Pigs' signal caller. Greg Childs returns to lead the receiving corp. With the great passing weapons Arkansas has, they can be expected to compete in the loaded SEC. With Alabama and LSU having to visit Fayetteville, Arkansas has its toughest competition at home this season.

2010-2011 Outlook:
Key Game: September 25th versus Alabama (With a lack of quality in the non-conference schedule and few of the best of the SEC on the schedule for Arkansas, this game may decided the fate of the Hogs.)
Predicted Record: 10-2, 6-2 (losses at Georgia and at Auburn)

Thursday, July 22, 2010

#21 Florida State

#21 Florida State
2009-2010: 7-6...defeated West Virginia in the Gator Bowl

The first year removed from the Bobby Bowden era will be one with a lot of hopes in Tallahassee. Jimbo Fisher brought in some great recruits to join the great players Bowden had set up for Fisher. This includes Quarterback Christian Ponder. The Heisman dark horse has a great opportunity to lead the Seminoles to a New Years day bowl. Florida State also has a junior running back returning in Jermaine Thomas. The Seminole offensive has a great opportunity to get the Noles far this season. The question come on defense and of course the turn over from the retirement of Bobby Bowden. The Noles may not be strong enough defensively for their high powered offense to win games.

2010-2011 Outlook:
Key Games: November 13th vs. Clemson (may decided the Atlantic Division in the ACC)
Predicted Record: 8-4, 6-2 (losses to at Miami Florida, vs North Carolina, at Oklahoma and vs Florida)

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

#22 North Carolina

#22 North Carolina
2009-2010: 8-5...lost to Pittsburgh in Meineke Car Care Bowl

North Carolina enters 2010 with a lot of expectations. Fans immediately began hyping their Tar Heels when the basketball team failed to reach the NCAA tournament in the spring. There has been a lot of talk about possibly a National Championship berth for UNC, but that may be considered irrational by some (hand raising motion). North Carolina certainly has the talent to do well this season. They have nine returning starters on what was a terrific defense. Tyler Yates (dear god) returns for a third season as the signal caller (Quarterback). If Yates can remove his shaky play in clutch situations and decrease his interception total (15 compared to 16 touchdowns in 2009) the Tar Heels could have a great season. The defense will be there and keep North Carolina in every game. UNC's offensive may not be able to answer the call and win these close affairs, unfortunately.

2010-2011 Outlook:
Key Games: September 18th versus Georgia Tech: An early test for the Tar Heels may make or break their ACC chances.
Predicted Record: 9-3, 6-2 (losses to LSU, Georgia Tech, Miami Florida)

Monday, July 19, 2010

#23 Cincinnati

#23 Cincinnati Bearcats
2009-2010: 12-1...lost to Florida in the Allstate Sugar Bowl

Cincinnati is now dealing with the loss of their Head Coach Brian Kelly, Quarterback Tony Pike, and Wide Receiver Mardy Gilyard. UC does have a somewhat proven Junior Quarterback in Zach Collaros and a very gifted Wide Receiver corp to replace Gilyard's presence. Cincinnati's entire season may lean on how Butch Jones performs in his first season. If UC's offense can play as well in Coach Jones's system as they did in Kelly's, they will be hard to stop in the ever-weak Big East. UC returns a hefty portion of their defense, losing only Safety Aaron Webster and Middle Linebacker Andre Revels. Expect Cincy's defense to improve in '10-'11. UC's team looks strong to challenge for another BCS Bowl appearance as the school chases its elusive first BCS Bowl victory.

2010-2011 Outlook:
Key Games: September 25th vs. Oklahoma: this game may put UC on the map and show the nation who they are. November 13th at West Virginia and December 4th versus Pittsburgh: May have to win both to get Orange Bowl bid.
Predicted Record: 11-1, 6-1 (loss at West Virginia)

Saturday, July 17, 2010

#24 Utah

#24 Utah Utes
2009-2010: 10-3...defeated California in the Poinsettia Bowl

Utah has had more success than any other team in bowls. They have won nine straight, so when bowl season comes, pick the Utes. Utah returns starting quarterback Terrance Cain and running back Eddie Wide. The Utes also have a chunk of their offensive line returning. The Utes can be expected to target a BCS berth. If they can play solid defense, Utah may be able to hit that target for a bingo!...is that how you Americans say it? Hit the target for a bingo?

2010-2011 Outlook
Key Game: November 6th vs. TCU: This game will probably decide the Mountain West and may include a BCS berth for the victorious team
Predicted Record: 9-3, 7-1 (losses to Pitt, TCU, and Notre Dame)

Friday, July 16, 2010

#25 West Viriginia

Thus begins a series of naming out the preseason top 25, beginning with number 25 West Virginia.....

#25 West Virginia
2009-2010: 9-4...lost in Gator Bowl to Florida State

The West Virginia Mountaineers have been one of the bastions of consistency in College Football's Big East Conference. They are a contender in the conference every year and won the conference in 2008 en route to a Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma. West Virginia may have lost quarterback Jarrett Brown, but their system of offense allows for another to step right in for Brown. The key to the entire Mountaineers offense is the O-Line. WVU relies heavily on the O-Line because they rely heavily on the running game. Senior Running Back Noel Devine can certainly be a difference maker and a complete stud. He can make plays where there shouldn't be one; nonetheless. Devine will need help from the hogs up front. The Offensive Line for WVU returns four starters from last season. This will help make the O-Line sturdy and successful. With a successful Offensive Line come a successful season for West Virginia.

2010-2011 Outlook:
Key Games: November 26th at Pittsburgh (The Backyard Brawl may have Orange Bowl implications)
Season Record: 9-3, 5-2 (losses at LSU, versus South Florida, and at Pittsburgh)

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

2010 FIFA World Cup

Everyone in the world was watching. The biggest sporting event in the world definitely had some winners and losers. Spain obviously was the biggest winner of them all, taking home the trophy coveted by all 32 participants and the millions upon millions of fans cheering for their teams at home. Here are the other winners and losers of the FIFA World Cup:

Winners:
-South Africa: Don't get me wrong, it was a disappointing tournament for the nation, but the countrymen showed such enthusiasm throughout the tournament even when their team had been eliminated. It was one of the most exciting World Cups simply because South African gusto made it such.

-Landon Donovan: The biggest name for the United States (aside from Tim Howard perhaps---) had quite a showing at the World Cup. He scored three times and all were crucial goals: one energized the USA's comeback against Slovenia, another tied Ghana, and the final and signature goal won the USA's game against Algeria.

-Beautiful Soccer: It may sound strange, but it is true. Many people criticized the way Spain played the game. They passed and moved the ball with such grace and aptitude it was astounding. The team they played in the finals, Holland, played a much different style. The Netherlands played rough and tumble, in-your-face soccer. Spain played much like team's in the past with beautiful, flowing soccer worthy of World Cup victory.

-Diego Forlan: The Uruguayan stud came into this tournament as somewhat of a doubt. No one was confident in his ability, but he showed people what he could do. He may be the purest ball striker in soccer and may give Lionel Messi, Xavi, and Christiano Ronaldo another competitor for best player in the world.

-Ghana: Most African nations disappointed, but Ghana did well to reach the Quarter Finals and should have reached the Semi Finals. Ghana was the only African Country to make it out of the group stage and played their hearts out to beat the USA and should have defeated Uruguay. This came after Ghana reached the round of 16 in Germany.

-Wesley Sneijder: Another player who can compete for best player in the world. His outstanding tournament makes him more valuable than players such as Messi and Ronaldo who struggled mightily even though their teams were counting on them. Sneijder may have not won the title, but his five goals were a key reason to why Holland made the finals.

-1-0 finals: Spain won every game in the knockout stage 1-0

Losers:

Superstars: The known names coming into this tournament (namely Lionel Messi, Christiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Wayne Rooney, Drogba) all struggled to have great tournaments. Players such as Forlan and Sneijder who were not as well known were the most talked about and played the best. The stars did not shine the brightest in South Africa.

-African Nations: Aside from Ghana the African continent struggled. Africa expected big things from Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and even host South Africa. Only Ghana escaped from the group stages for the African continent.

-The Netherlands: One might look at Holland and say, "They made the finals, how are they losers?" Well, the Netherlands has never won the World Cup. They now take on the role of having the most World Cups wins without a title from Spain. Holland has made the finals thrice now, but never come out on top.

-Adidas: The new soccer ball was supposed to be the smoothest ever, but struggling striker's showed the ball was a fail. Maybe someone forgot to test the ball for quality in the conditions of Africa...who knows?

-France and Italy: The two finalists from 2006 did not even make it out of the group stages and they were not in as tough of groups as others (Ivory Coast for example)

-Germany: They looked like the best team throughout the tournament, but fell to Spain in the Semis and had to settle for third place for the second straight cup...at least it wasn't it Germany this time.

-England: Maybe the worst performance of the cup. First they tie the USA and Algeria, failing to win maybe the easiest group in the Cup. Second they are knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in the round of 16 by Germany. Third they rehired their non-English manager for a couple more years...bloody hell.

-World Powers: Many of the teams everyone thought would be there in the end were not. Spain may have been the #2 team in the world, but teams that no one would have suspected to make it far did. Brazil lost in the quarters to the Netherlands. Italy and France did not make it out of the group stages. England lost in the round of sixteen. Germany was said to be too young, but they won 3rd place. Argentina lost in the quarters. Portugal lost in the round of 16. It was a disappointing showing for the teams everyone thought would win....except you, Spain.

In Conclusion: Soccer is far less popular in the United States than everywhere else.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Idiosyncratic First Half

Baseball has been flowing with idiosyncrasy this season. The season's first half has no doubt been overshadowed by players who are team-less (namely LeBron James and Brett Favre), FIFA World Cup (namely Ghana and something known as the Oranje (it is supposedly orange...)), and Kobayashi not partaking in the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest (and subsequently being arrested for pooping on the event). Baseball, nonetheless, has been much more amusing than any of these sporting events, (but maybe in the case of Favre and Bron Bron non-events). The farce known as MLB 2010 has included the following:

-The Sand Diego Padres leading in ERA, Strikeouts, and shutouts in the National League (NL), but there are no Padre pitchers on the All-Star roster.

-Jose Bautista leads the Majors with 22 homers, his previous career high was 16.

-The Mets have 10 losses via walk-off

-Cliff Lee has 6 walks in 103 and 2/3 innings pitched which is less than the 8 Edwin Jackson had in his no-hitter on June 25th

-Nice intro: There have already been 4 no-no's. There were only 2 last season.

-There have also been 2 perfect games (within 20 days of each other), the same amount as last decade (2000-2009...)

-Kansas City has the best batting average in baseball (.283) and the Blue Jays have the most home runs (123), but both are in fourth place in their respective divisions

-Joey Votto leads the NL in Homers and OPS (on-base plus slugging...both of which he is also leading), is fifth in batting average and runs batted in, fourth in runs scored...but he was not selected to the All-Star team....Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel instead took his own 1st baseman Ryan Howard (9th in homers, 20th in OPS (36th in OBP and 15th in slugging), 16th in average, 2nd in RBI's, and 8th in runs scored)

-The Arizona Diamondbacks have struck out an astounding 783 times (117 times more than the second place Florida Marlins)

-The Reds have 26 comeback wins, most in the Majors

-The Cleveland Indians have the worst attendance in the MLB at 16,231 per game...The Indians had a sellout streak of 455 games dating back from 2001 until it was snapped earlier this year. Now Cleveland sports fans worry about LeBron

-Those home run leading Blue Jays have zero walk-offs. The Astros have the least amount of HR's but have walked off twice.

-The Pirates haven't hit a homer with a runner on since Delwyn Young took Stephen Strasburg deep on June 8th in Strasburg's debut to The Show.

-The National League East is 12-24 in extra inning games

-The Pirates were 5-20 in June whilst the White Sox were 18-9

-The Pirates were outscored 1-36 by the Brewers in a series from May 20-22

-The Padres have the MLB's second lowest payroll but have 49 wins and are in 1st place....The Cubs have the 3rd highest and have 37 wins and are tied for 3rd or 4th (however you look at it)

-Ken Griffey Jr. retired

-The Reds, Padres, and Braves lead their divisions in the NL...they finished a combined 40 games back last year.

In Conclusion: Watch Baseball :O

Monday, July 5, 2010

No One Cares about Brett

I would like to take the time to announce that no one cares about Brett Favre retiring. Everyone knows that he will not retire so I would like to extend the offer to SportsCenter and other fine news networks to please stop talking about Brett Favre. No one wants you to stop mid-MLB Highlight in order to talk about Brett Favre wanting to comeback and not win a Super Bowl....but I digress.