Archive for November, 2008

BCS Standings: OU Leapfrogs Texas

The integrity of the BCS has once again sparked a wildfire of incendiary debates. If any year calls for change, it has been 2008. I don’t even think Danica McKellar (or Winnie Cooper if you prefer) can decipher the logic math behind BCS computer rankings.

In the final regular season BCS poll, Oklahoma has jumped Texas for a spot in the Big 12 Championship game against Big 12 South’s Missouri. Looks like their 45-35 campaign was fruitless.

1. Alabama, .9713
2. Oklahoma, 9351
3. Texas, .9223
4. Florida, .8851
5. USC, .8076
6. Utah, .7844
7. Texas Tech, .7805
8. Penn State, .7373
9. Boise State, .7034
10. Ohio State, .6340

So what does this mean going forward? Why bother to offer a prognostication? Now parity truly comes into play. If Florida manages to beat ‘Bama, will they leapfrog Texas despite the sizeable BCS average margin the ‘Horns hold over the Gators? Or will Texas get their chance to prove themselves against the Sooners once more?

Personally, I’d love to see an all-Big 12 BCS title game. But an SEC/Big 12 matchup would be nice too…a chance to establish once and for all — which conference is the best conference?

Popularity: 16% [?]

5 Unsexy Heisman Candidates for 2008

It’s hard to criticize the purpose and prestige of the Heisman Trophy without sounding disrespectful of John W. Heisman and the Downtown Athletic Club (DAC). I think the word I’m looking for is “disappointed”. With the obvious nepotism influence from all the media exposure today, the top candidates are assigned some degree of “the right stuff at the right time”. It just seems that all of the variables that go into picking the best college football player have been abandoned…it’s now the “which quarterback is kicking ass on the team with the best record” award. Boooring. As a fan of Big 12 teams, this shouldn’t pose a problem for me. But it does.

So where’s the objectivity? Who’s to say the candidate’s team record is even a variable? The DAC doesn’t…not really. Ok. A winning record helps…and should help as it is often a reflection of the candidates’ accomplishments. But use NFL Barry Sanders as an example. He’s arguably one the best running backs ever…top 3 or 5. But the Lions were horrible and yet no one ignored the fact that Barry was a great player on a mediocre team.

I digress…a little.

RECORD, SCHMECORD. If you go back to previous Heisman winner team records, there are a handful of players that won the prestigious award with more than 2 losses.

• Ricky Williams — Texas, 9-3 (1998)
• Ty Detmer — BYU, 10-3 (1990)
• Tim Brown — Notre Dame, 8-4 (1987)
• Bo Jackson — Auburn, 8-4 (1985)
• Marcus Allen — USC, 9-3 (1981)
• Paul Hornung — Notre Dame, 2-8 (1956)

PRO “ACCOMPLISHMENTS”. Don’t even get me started on this one. I’m not the only one who’s ever spouted the words “Heisman curse”. Only 8 Heisman winners are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. However, to the credit of previous Heisman campaigns there have been a bunch of finalists that have flourished at the next level. Just check out the finalists the year Herschel Walker won the Heisman (1982). I will admit that I’m placing too much focus on pro potential when the award is for the best college player. But it helps (a little) get the point across.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Jason White. Eric Crouch. Chris Weinke. Danny Wuerffel. Forget the ones that are still in “the league” struggling or have been subjected to bench warming duties. Ok, ok…back to the pro potential argument, but you get the point.

WHO ELSE IS THERE? The Heisman Class of 2005 may be the exception. The two best college players were arguably Reggie Bush and Vince Young. They were certainly two of the most exciting to watch.

Ok, Mr. Know-It-All. Who do you like for Heisman consideration this year?

[1] MICHAEL CRABTREE, WR — Texas Tech. Hate the Red [over]Raiders all you want. Michael Crabtree is already a top consideration…just the most underappreciated one. He’s got T.O.’s strength (head-to-head with physical corners, breaking tackles), Andre Johnson’s “go get it”, and a dabble of Lynn Swann’s grace. Forget that Texas Tech passes a bunch more than most teams; his numbers don’t overshadow his talent. Just watch him and you’ll agree. I’ll try not to hold this against him.

84 receptions, 1,072 yards, 18 TDs

[2] BRIAN JOHNSON, QB — Utah. If there’s a solid, pro-ready QB in college football, it’s Brian Johnson. He willed the Utes to win in big game situations. No matter what you think of TCU and BYU, they still provided big pressure situations for Johnson. And he came through. I realize it’s tough to compare his accomplishments to the three Big 12 QBs…and Tim Tebow. No doubt those guys have impressed with their big numbers and “will his team to win” performances. Brian Johnson has done the same with what he’s got. And I’d put my chips on the ability of Johnson at the next level.

2,636 yards, 24 TDs, 68.3% completion pct

[3] NATE DAVIS, QB — Ball State. If there’s another solid, pro-ready QB in college football, it’s Nate Davis. He has great awareness and field vision…a point guard on the football field. He’s got a powerful arm, but a weapon whose intensity he controls very well. He’s impressive with the long ball (even on the run), but more importantly he places the ball with precision in the short game. He’s like a Swiss Army knife. And as a bonus, the first NFL team to call Nate Davis up to their roster also get mobility. Not normally something I really care about, but I like the fact that he is a pass-first, pass-second QB. Surely some video geek doing nothing in his dorm can hook Nate up with a proper highlight video. His performance against Indiana is as good as it gets for now.

3,095 yards, 25 TDs, 67.3% completion pct

[4] PAT WHITE, QB — West Virginia. Pat White is the closest thing to the Heisman norm as dictated by recent winners. Pat White is a QB with a great set of abilities including great arm strength and accuracy. But he’s not afraid to tuck it up and run. In last week’s win over Louisville, White rushed for 200 yards breaking the QB rushing record of former Missouri QB Brad Smith (4,292). He’s obviously a product of the system Rich Rodriguez left behind. Don’t get me wrong…he has the tools to play QB at the next level. Unfortunately his predecessors have either experienced short-lived lives as QBs or have proven that a move to WR have been beneficial.

1,226 passing yards, 17 passing TDs, 65.4% completion pct, 786 rishing yards, 7 rushing TDs

[5] LESEAN “SHADY” McCOY, RB — Pitt. This guy is the real McCoy (that was too easy). Seriously, though, if you’ve never seen Lesean run the ball, you’re missing out. The best way to describe his running style is…um…imagine the light bike scene in Tron (about 1:08). That should do it. Lesean McCoy broke Tony Dorsett’s freshman rushing TD record (14) and rushed for over 110 yards per game. Going into tonight’s Backyard Brawl against West Virginia, he’s already chalked up 16 scores. He’s only a sophomore. So, if he doesn’t catch your attention this season, he will in the future.

1,125 yards, 18 TDs, 5.0 yards/carry

I know none of these guys will win. The current Heisman Trophy candidates are all great athletes and have been effective leaders for each of their respective teams. Without taking anything away from their accomplishments, I just believe that the purpose of the Heisman Trophy has been lost over the years as TV coverage favors the sexier teams in the bigger conferences. For those of us disenchanted college football fans, I really don’t care who wins the award anymore.

Popularity: 17% [?]

That Just Happened — Despite BCS Confusion, The Eagles Still Suck

Last week, I did my best to suggest that an all Big 12 BCS title game was on the horizon. But because I refuse to give the SEC any credit this season, I had to consult the BCS guru, Chris Dufresne of the Los Angeles Times, for some unbiased guidance. Now that the weekend is done, Chris shows us the light with his explanation of why an all Big 12 BCS title game is now even more likely to occur…with a little help from the stars, of course.

Mike Leach didn’t predict the storm brought on by OU. Even if you thought Oklahoma would win, there’s no way you saw the 44-lb hammer come down.

The pride and prestige of winning the National Championship is represented by the beautiful Waterford Crystal football awarded to the winner. That’s all well and good, but some teams find it more rewarding to fight for other trophies — oars, oaken buckets, skillets. Check out SI’s photo slideshow of college football’s unusual trophies.

Did anyone else notice that Div 1-AA (I refuse to call it F-whatever it is) >James Madison snuck it’s way into the BCS poll? I think it’s great (coming from a Div 1-AA football school), but it definitely shows the obscure nature of the BCS ranking system.

Rob Carr | AP

I feel this photo best describes the ongoing frustration felt by Philly fans everywhere. This one accomplishes the same for Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb. I feel sorry for McNabb. I feel like offering the guy some tissue paper. Not to wipe his tears, but so he can blow his nose. Is it me, or does he sound a little nasally?

Who needs Tom Brady? Matt Cassel is one more 400-yard game (and victory) away from scoring Gisele. It’s highly likely free agency will be kind to Cassel, but what about making Tom Brady the next Drew Bledsoe? History always seems to repeat itself, especially in the NFL (i.e. Favre, Montana). Waiting your turn as an NFL quarterback pays off.

Maybe it’s just me (it usually is)…but everytime I see these pre-game analysts use Madden or some other simulation software to predict a game, I roll my eyes. Now come to find out there are football programs out there using interactive software to plan games and bridge the generation gap between players and coaches. If you think the Patriots video taping sessions are bad, imagine the quarterback waiting for the play call from upstairs while the Offensive Coordinator plays the upcoming scenario on a frikken video game. “What Would Madden Do?”

Speaking of Madden, if I have to hear that “$5 Footlong” jingle one more time…

Popularity: 13% [?]

Big 12 BCS Barn Burner

Gosh, I love alliteration.

With the final weeks of college football upon us, excessive dissection and misguided predictions have troubled many fans. I blame it on the pick ‘em. I’m running through my picks last night with one of my friends. Since I’ve racked up a 65%+ success rate the last 5 or 6 weeks against the spread, all of a sudden I’m the guru. (Excuse me a sec…I’m gonna finish eating my piece of humble pie).

As I explained each of my picks for this weekend (where in the hell did Georgia Tech come from, BTW), the gerbils in my head started running at alarming speeds.

Could there be an all-Big 12 BCS Championship Game?

Yeah. I was sure of it. Let’s assume OU ruins Texas Tech’s spotless season…or they don’t…whatever. If the Big 12 Champion is OU, Texas, or Tech with a 12-1 record (OU still has to play Oklahoma State) and Florida loses to FSU but beats Alabama, the National Championship game could be all Big 12, right? Lest we forget LSU made it in last year with 2 losses. So, who’s to say the computers won’t like Florida enough to leapfrog one of these Big 12 teams for a shot at the title?

I’ve been arguing with my friends about the possibility of an all-Big 12 BCS Championship game. Forget it’s improbability. I’m just asking “is it possible”. Sure. But the explanation above wasn’t good enough for them especially with the two-loss Florida caveat. So this guru decided to consult the real BCS guru: Chris Dufresne of the Los Angeles Times.

I won’t take the time to qualify the guy. I mean [1] he writes for the L.A. Times, [2] trust me, or [3] read this BCS article. I shot Chris a quick email to get his take. His scenario is this:

A three-way tie at 11-1 in the Big 12 South — which means OU beating Texas Tech and then all three teams winning their last games — could do it. Let’s say OU goes to the Big 12 title game versus Mizzou based on highest BCS ranking. Now you have Texas and Texas Tech each at 11-1 waiting in the wings. Missouri with two losses beats Oklahoma in Big 12 game.

Meanwhile in the SEC, Florida loses to FSU next week but beats Alabama in SEC title game. Now, the likely title game is Texas vs. Texas Tech…second and third in Big 12 South.

Chris also added that “the big thing is that since the BCS just altered its own rule that prohibits three teams from one conference playing in the BCS, in my scenario Missouri, Texas, and Texas Tech can all be in BCS games. Mizzou would go to the Fiesta Bowl as auto qualifier.”

Wow. I think my gerbils are dead…resting maybe. Seriously, though…that is a much better explanation. We’ll find out if any of this analysis is worth anything starting tomorrow. Parity is a bitch.

Popularity: 18% [?]

Called Up From The Minors?

In true Derrich fashion…the preface

My BlackBerry Bold includes the phone numbers of just about everyone I call or text and vice versa regardless of how often that may be. So when I get a call from a phone number not programmed to a name in my little black Bold, it generally gets the “ignore” accompanied with an evil cackle.

Well, earlier this week that happened. Not only was it unnamed, it was from a different area code (cue the mystery segue music). It was followed by a voicemail.

“[Anonymous]. Ben Cherington with the Red Sox. Thanks for your message…”

Did I just hear that right? And who’s Ben Cherington? Well he’s the Vice President of Player Personnel with the Boston Red Sox. THE Boston Red Sox. The Curt Schilling bloody Red Sox (well, one sock). The AL MVP Dustin Pedroia Red Sox. I could continue to digress…

Anyway he proceeded to leave his mobile number. Now the debate was whether or not to call the guy and tell him he got the wrong number. A little common courtesy. After rehearsing about 10 times what exactly I would say, I decided to call. Voicemail…something like this.

“Hey, Ben. Just wanted you to know you called my phone on accident in case you need to get a hold of [anonymous]. Well, that and it’s not everyday you get a call from the VP of Player Personnel. Thanks.”

I know. Kinda weak. Despite my guarantee to Ben not to share his number with anyone, I’m sure he will (if he hasn’t already) change his number. Understandable. I mean I doubt it would bring the same attention as, say, if Paris Hilton’s phonebook got loose. Just gotta respect the guy’s privacy.

So that’s it. No happy ending like he hooked me up with some tickets…or he’s sending my son a signed ball by Dusty P…nor was it a prank in Kyle Kendrick fashion saying I was being considered by the Sox to hurl some balls down the 60′6″.

It might happen in Snoop Dogg’s world, but this stuff doesn’t happen everyday in mine. I doubt Ben Cherington will ever read this, but in case he does — hope you got in touch with [anonymous]. Best of luck next season.

Popularity: 14% [?]

Bailout Blunder

“This is about much more than just Detroit. It’s about saving the U.S. economy from a catastrophic collapse.”

These were the words out of Rick Wagoner’s mouth when addressing the Senate Banking Committee (SBC) tonight. It was based on this thought that my initial [ignorant] stance was to give these guys the money with some conditions primarily to preserve jobs that would otherwise be eliminated if these companies go down the drain. After listening to about 2 hours of this hearing, I was reminded of how companies tend to dance around pressing and pertinent issues. When asking for $25 billion, it’s probably a good idea to have some answers.

These companies are bleeding money. That was plainly evident after hearing about the billions of dollars per month (about $3B or so if I heard correctly) spent by each of these companies. And when the executive panel was questioned about the seemingly arbitrary $25 BILLION need, the responses were less then erudite. One of the SBC members (I forget which) immediately jumped on that by reminding the execs of their position in the company suggesting they should know these things…how they arrived at that figure. In defense of the executive panel, there were definitely a few questions posed by the SBC that were a little too detail-oriented.

Finally, Christopher Dodd (D-SEN) brought up executive compensation and accountability. And that sucked the remaining wind out of the auto execs’ sails. At that point, it almost didn’t matter if they offered to work for free. The SBC as a whole was quite skeptical toward the strategy of the companies suggesting they’d be back for more money. But after something like 4 hours of questioning, the execs were on the defensive.

What about the alternative? Yesterday in the New York Times, Andrew Ross Sorkin recounted prepackaged bankruptcy, which provide some (for the lack of a better word) tactless options for the automakers.

Bankruptcy would give G.M. enormous leverage with its debt holders — and, perhaps more important, with the U.A.W., whose gold-plated benefits are one reason G.M. is no longer competitive. A bankruptcy filing would also give G.M. the cover to close plants, rid itself of unprofitable brands and shed dealerships. In fact, unless G.M. files for bankruptcy, state laws would make it prohibitively expensive to shut dealerships.

Tactless. But probably necessary.

Popularity: 14% [?]

The Bold & The Beautiful – BlackBerry or Nokia?

Phone geeks beware — you’ll hate my review if you even call it that. This is meant for those of us who don’t spend all day on HowardForums or BGR…both of which I enjoy visiting. On to the comparo…

It’s been awhile since two mobile phones have simultaneously captured my attention like the BlackBerry Bold and the Nokia E71. Like two prized heavyweight fighters…or MMA fighters depending on your disposition, these two devices come to the table with a number of strengths.

It’s hard to compare two evenly matched phones. Both don the QWERTY. Both wear the proverbial camera. Speed comes 3G. Both boast improved stamina with impressive battery life. And both operating systems still show great agility, but can definitely use a refresher.

Round 1: LOOKS. As the title might suggest, the E71 wins this round handily. The Bold is no sloutch. For the sake of comparison, imagine Jennifer Aniston (Bold) and Jessica Biel (E71). Both are women are beautiful, but one of them is likely to piss off your wife or girlfriend more than the other. When comparing pictures of the two [phones] online, I was misled in both instances.

The Nokia looked larger than it actually is, and the Bold smaller. The E71 is sleek with it’s stainless steel finish and neatly placed buttons. And it’s as heavy as it looks adding a sense of quality. The Bold is lighter than past QWERTY BlackBerrys, and is finished off nicely with a chrome bezel and a leather battery cover. The screens are virtually the same size…the Bold a tad wider by virtue of its physique.

Round 2: PHYSIQUE. Typing is pretty easy on both; but if you’re used to the somewhat staggered QWERTY on the BlackBerry, you might find the perfect grid created by the E71’s keyboard frustrating at first. But it’s definitely something you’ll get used to. The Bold is thick. You would think it is more substantial than the Nokia. But you’d be wrong. The E71 is heavy…in an impressive manner: one that suggests great quality. It’s definitely in line with my previous Nokias. I’m ending my nearly two-year relationship with a BlackBerry Pearl (don’t drop this phone), so the Bold and the E71 are much more impressive to me. Go ahead and toss these around.

Round 3: STAMINA. With all of the apps and functions (WiFi, 3G, antenna) on both phones, comparing battery life was nearly impossible to measure accurately (or I’m too lazy to do a proper comparison). BlackBerrys in my experience have always had remarkable battery life. Unfortunately all I remember about my Nokia N70 is how often I had it plugged into the wall. Not so with the E71. It takes alot to knock the E71 down. That said, the Bold battery was right on. The winner of this round is decided with a coin flip.

Round 4: COMMUNICATION. More specifically email. The BlackBerry needs no introduction. So far, my only issue with email on the Bold (using my Hotmail account) is that email reconciliation doesn’t work from both sides. While a deleted email on the Bold removes it from the device and my Inbox, a deleted email from the Inbox does not remove it from the device. A minor (and temporary) glitch, I’m sure. Meanwhile, the E71 was simply frustrating. Most freeemail geeks blame my issue on Hotmail. The only way I could get this email to my phone is to use a push service like Izymail to get my Hotmail on my Gmail, which is ridiculous. Even the latest Nokia Email service won’t spar with Hotmail. Booooo! This one goes to the BlackBerry.

Round 5: PAYOUTS. It’ll cost about the same for either. I bought the E71 unlocked through Dell for $349…and I picked up the Bold from Best Buy with a new 2-year commitment to AT&T for $350.

A proper conclusion to a comparison would be to declare a winner…but I digress. I’m hooked on BlackBerrys. Let’s get that proclamation out of the way. I love having instant access to my email. That’s the most important feature to me, which may be different for you. The E71 is handsome and will cause plenty of double takes, and it is very capable. And while there are many features I may have missed (GPS, radio, music, photo quality), those features I did discuss were at the top of my list. Ok. Fine. I’ll do it. My winner by decision is the BlackBerry Bold…by a tight margin.

Hey, Nokia. Get a better email service…and you win this one.

Popularity: 25% [?]