Big Ten Bowl Woes Continue

As an Ohio State fan it pains me to write that the Big Ten has been awful in bowl games recently. (Which is not news in itself.) As a matter of fact I just read a stat that the Big Ten has gone 1-9 in Rose Bowls over the last 10 trips, with their only victory coming in 2010 (A 26-17 Ohio State victory over Oregon).

But if that weren't enough, the Big Ten's struggles in New Year's Day Bowl are enough to drive even the most causal midwestern football fan nuts. In the past three years, the Big Ten is only 4-13 on New Year's Day. In addition, the conference is a mere 4-20 versus Top 10 nonconference opponents since 2006. (Stats courtesy of the Big Ten Network).

So there's absolutely no mystery to why the Big Ten has been looked at as a joke when it comes to cfb the past several years. And to this point the teams in the conference who already played haven't done the Big Ten any favors.

Minnesota looked like this year's Cinderella team, winning 8 games despite the uncertain health of their head coach, Jerry Kill, and a roster that was in constant flux. Yet in there game versus Syracuse they couldn't pull off a victory against a  6-6 team from the ACC.

Then there is Michigan. I will say that I half expected true freshman Shane Morris to struggle mightily when he got the call to replace the injured Devin Gardner at QB for the Wolverines. If only because he was making his first career start on a neutral field in front of a national audience Well, to my surprise (and probably the rest of the nation as well) he performed better than expected, completing  more than 63% of his passes. Yet someone forgot to tell the rest of the Michigan team, especially the defense, to show up as well, as they gave up a whopping 420 yards total offense to Kansas State in a 31-14 loss.

So the Big Ten is now 0-2 this Bowl Season. Based on recent historical trends, that doesn't come as a big shock. So how will the conference fare in the rest of their games? I pull out my crystal ball to offer a prediction (if not quite accurate, however) on all the games in the conference from here on out:

Gator Bowl Georgia vs. Nebraska: Huskers and Bulldogs are both without their starting qbs. Unfortunately of Husker fans, Bulldog backup does a fairly decent impression of Aaron Murray in this one. Georgia 35. Nebraska 17

Capital One Bowl, Wisconsin vs South Carolina: I don't really know why, but I feel the Big Ten gets their first win of the 2013-2014 Bowl season here. Badgers run all over Gamecocks, negating any advantage that Jadeveon Clowney gives them on defense. Wisconsin 24, South Carolina 17

Outback Bowl, LSU vs Iowa: When will the Bowl committees stop scheduling mismatches like this one? LSU is without starting QB Zach Mettenberger, but I just think Tigers have too much speed. LSU 31, Iowa 20

Rose Bowl, Stanford vs. Michigan State: This is going to be a throwback to the Rose Bowl of the 60's and 70s that features smashmouth football, with the team gaining the most yards on the ground winning the 100th version of the granddaddy of the all. I give a slight edge to David Shaw's Cardinal in this one. Stanford 21, Michigan State 17

January 3, Orange Bowl, Ohio State vs Clemson: Well I would like to make an objective prediction but, to be honest, I just don't know. Buckeyes defense (or what passes for their defense these days) is banged up, and without lineman Noah Spence. On the other hand Urban Meyer has yet to lose in a BCS Bowl game. But Tajh Boyd will be looking to send a statement to all NFL draft scouts on hand, and Buckeyes' secondary may be more than willing to oblige. Honestly, this could be a shootout, and one that could go to the team who has the ball last.

I guess the bottom line is unless I am horribly wrong, the Big Ten doesn't do much to help its nonconference reputation today.

2013 NCAA Sweet Sixteen: Florida Gulf Coast U Cinderella No More

The second round of the NCAA tournament is officially over, and it is now on to the Sweet Sixteen.

A few observations regarding this past weekend's games as we look forward to Thursday:

Florida Gulf Coast University can no longer be considered a Cinderella story.

The Eagles, a 15 seed in the South region, had already pulled off the improbable victory when they beat the Georgetown Hoyas on Friday.

But last night's game against San Diego State was supposed to be harder. The Eagles were supposed to be tired and emotionally drained from Friday's upset. Yet it appears someone forgot to tell the kids from Fort Myers, Florida, that they were tired. In fact, as the game's end drew near, it appeared that the Aztecs were the ones who had tired legs.

The Florida Gators better not underestimate this team or they will become its next victim.

Ironic thing is their star player, guard Sherwood Brown, started as an unknown walk-on freshman. Now it's safe to say the senior might be more popular than Johnny Manziel.

The University of Michigan Wolverines might be playing the best basketball of anyone in the tournament so far.

That had to be said, even if it pains me to say that as an Ohio State fan.

What's worse is that I have to admit that even though I didn't give the Wolverines much of a chance entering the tournament. I figured the way they ended the regular season--losing 5 of their last 11 games--would surely mean an early exit.

Yet John Beilein has been able to get his charge to believe in one another and step up when it matters. In Saturday's win versus VCU, four Wolverines scored double digits--led by the freshman center Mitch McGary.

What's ironic is that a coworker asked me today who I thought was the best team after two rounds and I answered Arizona. If the U of M keeps shooting like it has been, I may have to change my answer.

The Pac-12 is the surprise conference of the tournament so far.

I'll be honest, I didn't give any team from the Pac-12 much of a chance to make it beyond the first round in 2013. Mostly because I believed that after UCLA, the conference was really weak.

Boy, was I wrong. Turns out the only Pac-12 team that was weak this year was UCLA.

Oregon and Arizona, the two remaining teams from the Pac-12 in the Sweet Sixteen should give Louisville and Ohio State, their two respective opponents, all they can handle.

The Big Ten is the best conference in the tournament in 2013. Period.

Charles Barkley's claims that the Big Ten is overrated nothwithstanding, this conference has four teams in the Sweet Sixteen (more than any other conference), and has a cumulative record to date of 10-3.

Not only that, but it boasts names such as Thomas, Craft, Oladipo, Zeller, Payne, Appling, Burke, and Hardaway just to mention a few.

And speaking of Charles Barkley, I'd like to briefly address the exchange that occurred following the Ohio State-Iowa State game yesterday afternoon. Many people think I have a problem with the fact that he disagreed with a charge that Aaron Craft took late in that game. Not at all. What I have a problem with is the fact that he trivialized an otherwise classic showdown by saying the refs cost Iowa State the game.

Fact of the matter is, the call(one subject to split second human error, and no video replay) didn't determine the outcome of the game. The Cyclones had their chances, both on offense, and defense, in the final minute of that game. Barkley's insistence on being bull-headed might work with the NBA crowd, but it is obvious he doesn't understand the college basketball audience.


Finally, the West Region might be harder to navigate than it looks, even with four of the five top seeds falling by Sunday.

Ohio State, the lone top seed remaining, needed some last minute heroics from point guard Aaron Craft to escape from Dayton as 78-75 winners over Iowa State.

Arizona, the Buckeyes' opponent on Thursday night, doesn't appear to be any easier. The Wildcats appeared to be hitting on all cylinders this past Saturday while dispatching of Harvard 74-51. And Sean Miller, former pupil of Ohio State coach Thad Matta, is certain to game plan for the Buckeyes.

It's March. And it's Madness. Indeed.

An All-Big Ten Final Four?

VCU, thanks a lot. Shaka doesn't seem so smart right now, pardon the pun.

Actually, it wasn't really his fault. You see, Smart's Rams ran into the buzzsaw that was the Michigan Wolverines basketball team. With the hot shooting Trey Burke and Glenn Robinson, Jr, and a tenacious defense, VCU didn't stand a chance.

And my bracket may not stand a chance, either.

Having watched the Big Ten all season, I fully realize they could put four teams (Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State, and Michigan State) in Atlanta. After all, they are three of the most talented squads-plus an Ohio State team that plays some of the best defense in the country.

So while I had the privilege of watching guys like Burke and Hardaway and Victor Oladipo and Adrian Payne week after week, I was weary that this conference may have beaten each other up. Which is why I did fill out an all Big Ten Final Four.

If Michigan's win today is any indication, they may all be beating up on each other again in couple of weeks.

BCS Mess: Wisconsin's Luck, Georgia's Heartbreak

In a few hours the BCS selection committee will announce its matchups for the 2012-2013 bowl season. It is expected that Notre Dame and Alabama will meet in the BCS National Championship game in Miami, while the other known game is the Rose Bowl, where Wisconsin will meet Stanford in Pasadena, California.

Unfortunately the loser of last night's SEC championship, Georgia, won't be playing in the BCS. That spot will more than likely go to Florida, who, like Alabama last year, didn't even make it to the conference championship game.

And never mind that Wisconsin, the Big Ten's participant in the Rose Bowl the last two years, didn't even finish first in their own division. Actually at 4-4 in the Big Ten, they barely finished third in the Leaders division, a game a head of Purdue (3-5), two games behind Penn State (6-2), and three games behind Leaders division champs Ohio State (8-0).

But wait a minute, how is this possible? A team that struggled to finish with a .500 record in its own conference, has an 8-5 overall record, and has had three different starting quarterbacks during the season is going to the Rose Bowl? While undefeated Ohio State (12-0) will be watching at home?

The short answer is simple: Ohio State and Penn State were ineligible for postseason play, thus making Wisconsin the Leaders Division's representative in last night's Big Ten title game in Indianapolis. And Wisconsin went on to win the championship game by defeating a Nebraska team that believes the word defense is not in their vocabulary.

The longer answer, however, is a bit more complex. You see, Ohio State was banned from postseason play this year because its former head coach, Jim Tressel, lied to the NCAA. And the NCAA, not wanting to be embarrassed itself, decided to make an example out of Ohio State. Never mind the fact that the suit-wearing individual who levied the bowl ban more than likely doesn't watch football. Nor does he realize that the revenue of a potential OSU-ND national championship game would dwarf that of a Stanford-Wisconsin Rose Bowl. Ohio State broke the rules, so they must pay the consequences.

But it makes me absolutely sick that Wisconsin is going back to the Rose Bowl for a third straight season. And it doesn't even matter that Ohio State will be watching from home this January. Look I get it, the last two seasons, like it or not, the Badgers deserved to be there. In 2010, they tied Ohio State for the Big Ten Title, but, because they had already beaten them head to head, they went to the Rose Bowl. Then, last season, not only were they clearly Big Ten Champions at 11-1 but they were one Kirk Cousins hail mary away from playing LSU in the BCS National Championship.

Watching last night's conference championship between the Badgers and Huskers, however, made my stomach turn. Not only did Bret Bielema's team finish third in their division, but they backed their way into the title game, losing two of their last three games. Not to mention if you asked over 70% of college football fans in the nation to name Wisconsin's starting quarterback they probably wouldn't get it right. That's because during the course of the season they had started three different guys at the position, and the guy who played last night, Curt Phillips (a fifth-year senior), was starting in only the fourth game of his college career.

All of this happened only a few hours after Georgia, who would probably knock the tar out of both Nebraska and Wisconsin (and will more than likely face Nebraska on New Year's Day), lost their only chance to play in the BCS when they fell 32-28 to Alabama in the SEC championship. And though it should be known I don't particularly care for teams from the SEC, I do have respect for teams that play well.

So while fans argue if Alabama and Notre Dame should be in the BCS Championship, if an undefeated Ohio State squad deserves consideration for the AP National Title, or if Ohio State could beat either Alabama or Notre Dame, I have another question for my readers. Does a Wisconsin squad that didn't even finish above .500 in its conference deserve a BCS bid over an 11 win Georgia team that quite possibly gave No. 2 ranked Alabama its toughest game all season?

It's going to be very hard for me to watch any of the Big Ten bowl games this season, but not because Ohio State won't be there. There is a definite possibility that the Big Ten only wins one or two bowl games this season and even that is in doubt. And there might be a few things worse than sending the conference's fifth best squad to the Rose Bowl, but you won't hear me mention them here.

Random thoughts on the Red Sox, the Jets backup QB, and...SEC dominance

So much has been made recently of the Boston Red Sox struggles. Now I will admit that I am not a Red Sox fan, and in fact, I actually prefer the Yankees. But I feel I have to say a few things about this topic.

First off, I want to make it clear that I think Red Sox fans have become spoiled. If their team doesn't have a legitimate shot of making the playoffs, they whine like no other fan base I know. Look, I get it, being a Cleveland fan I understand you want your team to win. Heck, I think fellow Cleveland sports fans can agree with me when I say we want our teams to be competitive.

But I digress. The point I am trying to make is that you need to give manager Bobby Valentine a chance. Don't blame Dustin Pedroia or Josh Beckett's struggles on a divided clubhouse, saying if the front office hired a different manager things would be better. He hasn't even had a full season, and this is the same team a few years removed from a World Series title. I'll be honest, I don't fully understand the impact a manager has on team chemistry in baseball, but I think it would be rash to fire any manager after one bad season unless he won less than 20 percent of his games(and this is not the case.)

So my advice to all the Sox fans is suck it up, your stuck with Bobby V for another year. And if you aren't, well don't complain when Mike Hargrove(hired as his replacement for 2013) can't right the ship in a year's time either. If you really want someone to blame, how about a front office that paid 100 million way back when to Japan just for the rights to negotiate with Daisuke Matsuzaka. So what has your ace been up to recently? He has a record of 0-3 with a 6.65 ERA in 5 starts. And to think a few years ago Boston management ponied up 100 large just for the rights to negotiate with him.

Bottom line is that whatever is wrong with Red Sox Nation now, firing Bobby Valentine isn't the solution.


...Moving right along, I have had enough of the talk about the Jets backup quarterback. So much so that this is the last time I talk about him. Ever. In fact I am so fed up, that, while not mentioning his name, I told Skip Bayless to tell ESPN to take their hero worship of a guy who will be a career backup elsewhere, the nation tires of it. The Broncos won last season because they ran the ball well, and despite everyone's knock on their defense, they actually stepped up when it counted. Peyton Manning will improve Denver, no doubt. But that is for another blog.

Finally, when will the SEC dominance in college football end? I wasn't aware it had ever begun. Yes, teams like Alabama and Florida have won four of the last seven national championships, but, taken as a whole, the SEC is not much better than the rest of the nation. As a matter of fact, the SEC was slightly better than the BIG 10 last year in bowl games, going 5-3 vs the latter's 3-4 record.

Fact of the matter is, because the Southeast has won the last six national titles, they are automatically considered the premiere conference in that nation. But let's go a little bit deeper into the conference. A Georgia squad that was a preseason title favorite in 2011 lost an overtime thriller to Big Ten runner up Michigan State. Florida, playing in the Gator Bowl against Ohio State(a rematch of their '06 BCS title game), ended up a 24-17 winner over a Buckeye squad featuring one of the worst offenses in the nation last year. Arkansas won rather handily over Kansas State.  Finally, while Auburn beat Virginia handily, Vanderbilt would fall to Big East champ Cincinnati.

But because they keep winning the big one, the media will continue to harp on the SEC as the elite league in the FBS. And while I am supposed to root for USC to end their dominance, I am not feeling it. Especially for a team that has its scholarships cut and then uses a loophole created by the NCAA to offer a scholarship to former PSU running back Silas Redd. But for all the talent they have on offense, the Trojans had better have watched last season's BCS title game. Cause offense wasn't really the reason Bama won their second title in three years.

So, when will the SEC's dominance of college football come to an end? I am not entirely sure. One thing is for certain: even if they don't win the BCS this season, don't expect them to all of a sudden fade into the background.