Podcast: BCS and National Championship Preview

Title: BCS and National Championship Preview

A full, in-depth look at the scenarios that can affect the National Championship picture in college football.  I’ll clarify the chaos that exists in the BCS and college football right now.

Link: http://bobsportsblog.podomatic.com/entry/2010-11-17T16_03_28-08_00

Joe Paterno Turns Back the Clock

On September 16, 1966, Joe Paterno earned his first win as a college head coach.  This Saturday, November 6th, 2010, Joe Paterno earned his 400th win as a college head coach.  400 wins.  This is the highest win total for any head coach in the history of FBS football.  On Saturday night, Paterno was, as usual, one step ahead of everyone else, as he turned back the clocks a night early.

Joe Paterno defines Penn State football.  He defines the motto, “Success with Honor.”  He built the Penn State program into what it is today: a top 10 program in the history of college football, a program with one of the most loyal fanbases in college football, and a program that can support and fill a 107,000 seat stadium on a weekly basis.  Joe Paterno is the best coach in the history of college football, and regardless of how long one may think he has left at this level, he commands nothing less than the utmost respect.

Stats tell only half the story with Joe Paterno, but it is an impressive half of a story: 400 wins, a 75% winning percentage, a 27-13 bowl record, 2 National Championships, 5 undefeated seasons, 45 years as head coach, and 61 years on the Penn State coaching staff.  Joe is statistically one of the greatest head coaches of all time.

The other half of the Joe Paterno story means just as much to Penn State fans: High graduation rates, development of players’ character, philanthropy with the university (donated millions to renovate the on-campus library), loyalty to Penn State, interactions with the fans, and over a half century of dedication to the university he loves.

On Saturday evening, at Beaver Stadium, Penn State beat Northwestern and gave Joe his 400th win in impressive and compelling fashion.  After falling behind 21-0, Penn State scored in the final minute of the half to cut the deficit to 14, with the Lions set to receive the ball to begin the 2nd half.  As soon as the 2nd half started, the game belonged to Penn State.  The crowd was as loud as I’ve ever heard it at Beaver Stadium, the players constantly pumped up the crowd, and the defense thrived upon the atmosphere.  The Northwestern team could neither stop the Penn State offense nor move the ball on the Penn State defense.  Penn State scored 35 unanswered points to defeat Northwestern 35-21 in front of a crowd of over 104,000.

When the final whistle sounded, the players lifted Joe into the air and rushed the field.  After nearly 10 minutes of celebration, the still packed Beaver Stadium was addressed and was shown a Joe Paterno tribute video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2Hlyge3hWQ).  Then, Joe addressed the crowd, and said, “People ask me why I’ve stayed here so long, and you know what, look around.  Look around.  I stay here because I love you all!”  After thanking President Spanier, all the players that have played under him, his coaches, and the fans, Joe concluded, “Now that the celebration is over, lets go beat Ohio State!”

A coach who built a program around intensity, toughness, ethics, honor, and passion, Joe Paterno is always looking forward to the next game.  Here’s to win number 401.

Rick Reilly, Have a Clue about Boise

Rick Reilly is a columnist for ESPN.com, and he makes periodic appearances on ESPN.  He thrives upon composing humorous and entertainment based sports stories that don’t always hit the main issues themselves.  I have been a strong critic of Reilly’s style for a very long time.  He is a national pundit in every sense of the word; he focuses far too much on general stereotypes and often says things without processing them and the consequences of his statements.

For example, in one ESPN feature, Reilly inadvertently disrespected every US soccer player by speculating about how good the national team would be if players such as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Ryan Miller, and other star athletes played soccer instead of their own sports.  He sent the message that our current players weren’t the best the country could produce, and I took major offense to that belief and subsequent statement on national television.

In another feature, Reilly degraded the entire Philadelphia fanbase by arguing that Donovan McNabb was mistreated in Philly.  He stated that the fans should be apologizing to McNabb, and that nothing makes them happy. Of course, as with most pundits, one of his major points was that the fans threw snowballs at Santa Claus.  Hey Rick, that happened in the 1960s, get over it.  The fact that he simply stated that Philadelphia fans are not classy was unfounded and unprofessional.

So what must he have done this time to perturb me enough to write a blog entry?  This entry is a response to Rick Reilly’s article on ESPN.com, “Broncos Can’t Buck this Trend” (http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=5725597).  I recommend reading it, but if you would rather not, here is a general summary.  Reilly believes that Boise State should be ranked above Auburn and Oregon, and should claim the top spot in the BCS rankings.  He feels that the Broncos are consistently disrespected, and argues that the resume of the Broncos trumps that of any other college football team.  If he wants to make that argument, that is fine, but my problem is with the lack of logic and intelligence with which he did so.

First, Reilly argues that Boise should be ranked above Auburn, and gives the stat that Auburn has 13 less wins in the last 5 seasons than Boise.  I have 3 problems with this statement.  First, and most obvious, the rankings are not based upon past years, the rankings are solely based upon what has happened this year.  Second, Auburn plays in the SEC, and doesn’t play Louisiana Tech and Idaho on a yearly basis.  Instead, the Tigers play LSU, Alabama, Florida, and Arkansas on a yearly basis.  Just a hunch, but I feel that playing Idaho and Louisiana Tech each year might lend itself to a few more wins per season than a team playing in the SEC.  So explain the thought process behind that stat, Rick.  Finally, the personnel is completely different at Auburn from even 2 years ago.  Head coach Gene Chizik was hired in 2009 after Tommy Tuberville was fired, and Heisman contender Cam Newton is a first year starter at Auburn.  But clearly, Rick Reilly thought all that through when he decided that the basis for his Boise State over Auburn argument was a difference of 13 wins in the last 5 years.

Second, Reilly defends the Broncos by arguing that they beat Oregon 19-8 last season at home, and that the Ducks undeservingly sit ahead of Boise.  Hey Rick, who was the starting quarterback for Oregon last year?  That’s right, it was Jeremiah Masoli, now the quarterback of Ole Miss.  Rick, meet Darren Thomas, the 2010 starter for the Ducks, who is tearing up the Pac 10 and everyone else right now.  When you make an argument about a head to head matchup, and the starting quarterback isn’t the same for the losing team in a previous season, that is stupid and inane, and has no bearing on anything whatsoever.

Third, Rick Reilly argues that Boise State plays and beats whoever is throw at them.  He states that Boise State beat San Jose State 48-0, and Wisconsin, who beat Ohio State and Iowa, only beat San Jose State by 13.  Compelling argument Rick, but I have a question, where are Wisconsin, Ohio State, and Iowa ranked in the BCS?  10, 11, and 18, respectively.  How about Boise? Number 3.  What exactly are you arguing, Rick?  That Boise should be ranked higher than Wisconsin? Done.  Higher than Ohio State? They already are.  Higher than Iowa?  They have been all year.  How your stat makes an argument that Boise State should be ranked above Auburn and Oregon is beyond me.

Fourth, Reilly argues that since Boise crushed Wyoming 51-6, who almost beat Air Force, who almost beat Oklahoma, Boise could absolutely beat Oklahoma.  Again, my question to Rick is, where is Oklahoma ranked?  That’s right, 9th, 6 spots behind Boise.  Is it me, Rick, or are your arguments becoming less and less relevant as your article continues?

If you didn’t think it could get worse, it did.  He then stated, with regards to Boise State beating Oklahoma, “Oh wait, it already did [happen].”  Rick, that was January 1st, 2007.  Jared Zabransky and Ian Johnson are not playing for the Broncos anymore, and Paul Thompson and Adrian Peterson are not playing for the Sooners anymore.  A comparison to a game 4 years ago is completely ridiculous, and is embarrassing to you as a journalist, Rick.

Finally, Reilly argues that Boise would “carve up” the ACC because the Broncos “whipped” Virginia Tech on the road (I have a hard time calling a 33-30 game a “whipping,” and it technically was not a home game for Tech, either).  But Rick, tell me, what team in the ACC is ranked higher than Boise State, thus in your mind disrespecting the Broncos?  None.  Get your facts and logic straight, and then come back to me.

Pardon the point-by-point analysis, but I found nearly everything included in this article to be completely ridiculous and unprofessional in nature.  There was no logic involved, it was simply a biased opinion based upon readily available and popular facts that were thrown together in a way that made no sense whatsoever and negated every one of the points he tried to make.

The fact is that Boise is lucky to be ranked #3.  Missouri is undefeated with more quality wins than Boise State, and Alabama I have ranked ahead of Boise because of 3 quality wins that trump Boise’s top win over Virginia Tech.  So please, Rick Reilly, and all other national pundits who want to make an argument about Boise State, you can make the argument, but before doing so, please, have a clue.

Podcast: 10/25 Sports Blitz

Title: Sports Blitz

In this Bob Long’s Sports Podcast, Chris and I discuss the controversial call in the Steelers Dolphins game this weekend, preview and predict the World Series, analyze the future of the Philadelphia Phillies, and analyze the most recent BCS standings.

Link: http://bobsportsblog.podomatic.com/entry/2010-10-25T18_20_00-07_00

Most Intimidating Big Ten Stadiums

Lets have some fun with this Friday feature.  I am going to list the toughest Big Ten Football Stadiums for opponents to come into and win.  The criteria combines attendance numbers, loudness, fan support, and past history of opponents in the stadium.

1. Iowa’s Kinnick Stadium- A bit of a surprise pick at number 1 for some, Kinnick Stadium has it all in terms of intimidation.  While 70,000 fans is smaller than, say, Beaver Stadium or Michigan Stadium, Kinnick can get just as loud as any stadium in the country.  In addition, the Iowa fans are fanatical.  For most fans, Iowa football is what they live to see, and the gameday atmosphere at Kinnick is absolutely unbelievable.  Combine the atmosphere with the fact that the team has been unbelievable at home recently (Northwestern is the only team to beat Iowa at home in 3 seasons [in 2009 Ricky Stanzi was not playing]), and Kinnick Stadium provides a very intimidating atmosphere on gameday.

If the atmosphere only ended on the field at Kinnick for opponents.  However, the intimidation extends to the locker room, as Kinnick has an all pink visitor’s locker room.  Everything is painted pink in the locker room, and this is both an intimidation tactic and a tactic to disrupt the focus of the opposition.  Kinnick Stadium is the most intimidating football stadium in the Big Ten.

2. Penn State’s Beaver Stadium- Known as one of the loudest venues in the country, Beaver Stadium falls at number 2 in the Big Ten.  Beaver Stadium is the 2nd largest stadium in college football, and officially holds just over 107,000 fans, although 109,000 fans isn’t surprising for a big game.  Beaver Stadium is known for its whiteouts, when the students all dress in white in a show of solidarity and intimidation.  The waving of the white pom-poms for a night whiteout game is one of the most intimidating sights in college football.  Whitehouses also occur once per year, where the whole stadium wears only white.  ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit stated in 2005 that Penn State had the best student section in the country.  Undoubtedly, the support has waned recently in Happy Valley, which is the reason why Beaver Stadium is not first in the list, but it is nonetheless still one of the iconic venues in college football and a very intimidating stadium.

3. Ohio State’s Ohio Stadium- Known to many as “The Horseshoe,” Ohio Stadium is one of the loudest, biggest, and most recognizable venues in college football.  The Horseshoe seats just over 101,000 fans, and is a difficult place to play based on both the deafening volume of the stadium and the consistent quality of the Buckeye teams playing inside it.  Just as Iowa and Penn State are the primary football option for people living in those areas, Ohio State is the main attraction for Ohio State fans (Cincinnati and Cleveland are in the bottom and top of the state, respectively, while Columbus is right in the middle).  Therefore, the Ohio State fans are diehard fans and very loyal to the team, and aren’t afraid to make noise on gameday at the Horseshoe.

4. Wisconsin’s Camp Randall Stadium-  Some might argue that this venue is being shortchanged in this list.  I have heard more than one person report that Camp Randall Stadium can be the loudest venue in the Big Ten, bar none.  Number 4 on this list, in this conference, is not a knock, however.  Wisconsin has only lost 4 times at Camp Randall Stadium since 2003, including 3 of these losses to teams in the top 15.  The Badgers’ dominance at Camp Randall is extremely impressive, as is the fan support.  At just over 80,000 fans, Camp Randall can provide the same atmosphere at Beaver Stadium or The Horseshoe, and as is the case with all the schools and stadiums mentioned above, Wisconsin fans are fanatical about their Badgers.

>>> Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium

5. Michigan’s Michigan Stadium- Known to many as “The Big House,” Michigan Stadium is currently the largest college football stadium in the country.  Created in the classic “bowl” design, Michigan Stadium extends straight back from the field itself with no second or third levels.  The atmosphere of playing inside this type of stadium is very intimidating for players.  However, the Big House does not get as loud as any of the above 4 stadiums simply because of the design.  Because there are no second levels (like Beaver Stadium and Ohio Stadium), and the seating extends straight back at a low angle in the bowl shape (instead of more upright at a higher angle like Kinnick Stadium), the sound has a tendency to go straight up, and some of it never reaches the field.  In addition, Michigan has struggled even at home recently, in the midst of its downturn.  Michigan has lost by double digits 6 times in the past 3 years at Michigan Stadium.  The Big House is still one of college football’s most iconic and recognizable venues, but it falls at 5th on this list.

Stadiums 6-11:

6. Michigan State’s Spartan Stadium- Capacity: 75,000

7. Purdue’s Ross Ade Stadium- Capacity: 62,500

8. Illinois’ Memorial Stadium- Capacity: 62,800

9. Indiana’s Memorial Stadium “The Rock”- Capacity: 53,500

10. Northwestern’s Ryan Field- Capacity: 49,250

11. *Minnesota’s TCF Bank Field- Capacity: 50,300

* This is the first season that the Minnesota Golden Gophers are playing at TCF Bank Field.  Previously, the Gophers shared the Metrodome with the Twins and Vikings.  To this point, the Gophers are 0-4 in their new home.

>>> Nebraska will join the Big Ten in 2011.  Memorial Stadium, in Lincoln, seats over 81,000 fans and is a deafening, intimidating college football stadium.  Memorial Stadium will fit right in with the other iconic Big Ten venues.  If the Huskers were in the Big Ten today I would put Memorial Stadium between Wisconsin’s Camp Randall Stadium and Michigan’s “Big House.”

Hold Your Horses

Last night, Boise State defeated the Virginia Tech Hokies 33-30 at FedEx Field in Washington D.C.  The game had huge implications for the National Championship picture, as Boise State has only 1 more game that should realistically give the Broncos any trouble.  In 2 weeks, Oregon State will travel to the Smurf Turf to face Boise State in what will be Boise’s last BCS school matchup until potentially the bowl game.  Most assume this game to be a victory for Boise, who will face an Oregon State team who will most likely be unranked after this weekend’s loss to TCU.

Therefore, I will write this blog under the assumption that Boise State will go undefeated in the regular season.  Should the Broncos earn a spot in the BCS National Championship Game if they do so?  Part of me feels bad saying this, but absolutely not.  The Broncos will not have done nearly enough to put together a compelling resume that would top a 1 loss or even a 2 loss SEC, Big XII, or Big Ten team.

The big issue for me is about strength of schedule.  It is a exaggerated example, but a middle of the road college football team playing the best high school teams would still hammer the competition and post an undefeated record.  While the WAC isn’t filled with high school teams, it is one of the lesser conferences in the country, and the fact that Boise State does (should) have 8 easy games on the schedule each year makes it difficult for me to give the team credit as a National Championship contender.

For the purposes of this post I will assume that Ohio State loses 1 game this season and still wins the Big Ten.  I will also assume that Alabama loses one game and still wins the SEC.  Finally, I will assume that Boise State will be the lone undefeated school this season.  Which of those teams should go to the National Championship? I would immediately eliminate Boise State.  With an undefeated season, Boise State will have 2 solid wins: Virginia Tech and Oregon State, with the Virginia Tech game considered the only quality win.  Ohio State, on the other hand (judging by the schedule), with 1 loss, would have 4-5 quality wins, and even more solid wins.  Alabama would have 6 quality wins and 9 solid wins even with one loss.  The simple fact is that Boise State does not have to deal with the week-in week-out grind that BCS conference teams do.

However, some have argued that Boise State proved that it could beat a top 10 team, so therefore should be put in the National Championship Game because they can “beat anyone.”  These people are either forgetting or ignoring the fact that bringing the best performance in 1 or 2 weeks is completely different than needing to bring it 9 or 10 times a season like an Alabama or Ohio State does.  Boise State has shown the ability to come out and play well in big games over the past few years.  They have shocked BCS schools.  However, the difference between Boise and these other schools is the fact that Boise can cruise through 75% of their season in order to prepare for one game on the schedule.  Alabama can’t do that.  If the Tide looked ahead 3 weeks to a game against Florida, then the team would get beat by either Penn State or Arkansas.  If the Tide came out flat in either of these games, the team would lose.  That is the big difference.  Boise State can and has cruised through past games.

Last season, the Broncos beat a very mediocre Nevada team 44-33.  After Boise took an early lead, Nevada staged a 2nd half comeback that fell just short, and included a stretch of the game where Boise could not stop the Nevada offense.  In addition, Boise played a game against Louisiana Tech in which the Broncos won 45-35.  Finally, Fresno State posed a challenge to Boise, as the Bulldog offense scored 34 points on the Bronco defense.  33 points, 34 points, and 35 points.  That is the amount of points that the Bronco defense gave up in 3 regular season games against opponents that could not be considering anything but mediocre.  However, in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl against TCU, Boise State won 17-10 (in Andy Dalton’s worst performance of his career as TCU quarterback).  Now why did Boise’s defense give up 33, 34, and 35 points to WAC opponents, and only 10 to then undefeated TCU?  Either, these mediocre WAC teams have much better offenses than top 10 ranked TCU, or more reasonably, Boise State cruised through these regular season games even though they came out flat, and thereby were incredibly fresh when the bowl game came.

The big question is, how would Boise State have done against LSU, Georgia, and Florida if the Broncos played these teams instead of the WAC teams mentioned above?  Boise State came out very flat in these games, and cruised through to victory, but if the Broncos played top teams in these weeks, there is no way they would go undefeated.  In fact, I would be surprised if the Broncos won 2 of these 3 games against the SEC teams listed above.  Therefore, while Boise State is able to win its bowl games, and win the 1 big regular season game each year, there is no way to know or assume that Boise State could beat Alabama, Florida, LSU, and Georgia in the regular season and then still come out fresh for a big non-conference game and a bowl game.  Assuming this and putting the Broncos in the National Championship Game under such an assumption is not fair to a 1 loss team out of the Big Ten or SEC, because the Broncos can come out flat in many games under their current schedule and still go undefeated.

Alabama, on the other hand, rarely had the option to come out flat.  Did the Tide come out flat when they beat Virginia Tech by 10 points in the opener last season?  Were they flat when they beat Ryan Mallett and the powerful Arkansas offense 35-7?  The closest the Tide came to playing flat was the Tennessee game, which was decided by a blocked field goal by the Alabama special teams.  However, Alabama had to bring it every week, and did so to earn themselves an undefeated season and a spot in the National Championship Game.

The big issue when deciding who will go the the National Championship Game is which teams had the best regular season, and the criteria go beyond solely record.  The criteria include record, strength of schedule, style points, etc.  If Boise State goes undefeated like last year, but only plays 1 or 2 quality opponents, it is extremely difficult to justify their schedule over a 1 loss SEC team or Big Ten team.  In addition, when the defense gives up 30+ points in multiple games to WAC opponents, it becomes even more difficult to justify this team’s success over a 1 loss BCS school, who didn’t have the opportunity to look past 8 conference games a year and only prepare for the big games.  As I said above, assuming that Boise State would go undefeated in the SEC, especially considering the Broncos struggles early in the game at times with WAC teams, and their struggles on defense with WAC teams, is simply not logical, and is unfair to the BCS conference teams.

I do feel bad that Boise State can not do too much about the scheduling problem that they have, and wish that things could change.  However, I am not here, and the BCS Committee is not here, to play favorites or simply give the proverbial “David” a chance.  It is a shame for Boise, but even though the team won all its games, and did everything it could, I can’t with a clear conscience put the team in the BCS National Championship Game simply because of this.  I can’t put them in when a 1 loss Ohio State or Alabama clearly has a more solid schedule strength, has more solid wins, and has cruised through and played less games flat than Boise.  I just can’t.  It is a shame for Boise, but until they join a BCS conference, or a playoff system is instituted, there is no way to know and would be wrong to assume that Boise can be a top tier team over the course of a full season, which is necessary to earn a spot in the National Championship Game.

Big Ten Splits into 2 Divisions

The addition of Nebraska to the Big Ten for the 2011 season excited many because of the opportunity for the conference to have a long-awaited conference championship game.  With the addition of the 12th team, however, the conference was forced to split into 2 divisions.  The two divisions are not named at this point (I recommend East and West).  The divisions are split as follows:

1st Division (West)                            2nd Division (East)

Michigan                                            Ohio State

Michigan State                                   Penn State

Nebraska                                           Purdue

Iowa                                                  Wisconsin

Northwestern                                     Indiana

Minnesota                                          Illinois

The scheduling of the 2 divisions will work as follows:

-Teams will play each of the other 5 teams in its division every year

-There will be 3 inter-division games for each team each year

-These 3 inter-division games will be split into 2 categories

1) Rotating Crossover-meaning that 2 inter-division teams will play a proverbial home and home, then the teams will play different inter-division teams in future years.  (ie. Penn State will host Iowa in 2011, will travel to Iowa in 2012, then the teams will face different inter-division teams the following 2 years).  Each team has 2 rotating crossover games per year.

2) Protected Crossover-meaning that the inter-division teams will play each other every single year, regardless of the year.  (ie.  Ohio State and Michigan will play each other every year).  Each team has 1 protected crossover game that will last indefinitely.  The protected crossover game is a big rivalry game for most Big Ten teams.

-The winner of each division will play one another in a Big Ten Championship Game the weekend after the conclusion of the regular season.  If there is a tie for 1st in a division, the head-to-head tiebreaker will be utilized to decide the winner.

PROTECTED CROSSOVER MATCHUPS

(EAST) vs. (WEST)

Ohio State vs. Michigan (It was priority A for the Big Ten committee to make sure these teams play every year)

Penn State vs. Nebraska (I am very excited about this new rivalry)

Indiana vs. Michigan State (Michigan State, more than any team, got snubbed of a big rivalry game with the new format)

Wisconsin vs. Minnesota (The Battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe, and the longest rivalry in Division 1-A Football)

Purdue vs. Iowa (Will always be a good game and will become a good rivalry)

Illinois vs. Northwestern (The only 2 Illinois schools at the Big Ten, and the teams will play at Wrigley Field this season)

MY THOUGHTS:

I think the divisions were split equally and in a very entertaining way.  The (West) has perennial powerhouses Nebraska, Iowa, and although not recently, Michigan.  The (East) has perennial powerhouses Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin.  I also think the Big Ten did a great job with the inter-conference scheduling.  With 3 inter-division games available per year, and some big rivalry games on opposite side of the division line, the decision to include 1 protected crossover game gives the Big Ten the ability to protect important rivalries such as Ohio State Michigan and Wisconsin Minnesota.  The decision to include 2 rotating crossover games gives the conference the ability to be flexible with its scheduling from year to year, so that the same teams don’t all play each other each year.  This will prevent scheduling from becoming too stale.

In terms of Penn State specifically, as a diehard fan myself I am thrilled with the way the division split worked.  Penn State will play Ohio State and Wisconsin inside the division every year.  In addition, the protected crossover game will be Penn State vs. Nebraska.  This is very important because Penn State, since its inclusion in the Big Ten in 1990, has lacked a true rival.  As an elite program in the Big Ten, Penn State’s biggest games were against Michigan and Ohio State.  However, neither of these teams called Penn State a true “rival” because of the rivalry already shared by Michigan and Ohio State.  Therefore, when Nebraska entered the Big Ten, I saw this as a perfect opportunity for Penn State to create a true rivalry.  It makes perfect sense.  Both programs are elite programs nearly every year.  Both teams are the furthest teams from “Big Ten Country,” if you will.  Finally, Nebraska and Penn State are the last 2 teams to enter the conference.

My biggest fear was that Nebraska would be too far West to become an arch-rival of Penn State.  However, the protected crossover aspect of Big Ten scheduling made such a rivalry possible, because now each team will play each other every year.  I am really looking forward to the rivalry that will be created between Nebraska and Penn State.  I am really looking forward to seeing the new Big Ten format in action.  Finally, and most importantly, I am excited to see a Big Ten Championship Game in 2011.  Big Ten fans have been waiting for a conference championship game for countless years, and come November next year, we will all finally see the plan come to fruition.  A major step forward for a conference that really needed one.

Podcast: 2010 Preseason College Football Predictions

Title: 2010 Preseason College Football Predictions

Bob Long’s Sports Blog’s inaugural podcast, featuring colleague Chris Pierangeli.  The podcast includes analysis and predictions for the upcoming college football season.  Created on August 25, 2010.

Download Link: http://bobsportsblog.podomatic.com/enclosure/2010-08-29T18_00_39-07_00.mp3

First Team All American Selections

As posted on the blog 2 days ago, the First Team All American Selections included Wesley Johnson (Syracuse), Evan Turner (Ohio State), Scottie Reynolds (Villanova), John Wall (Kentucky), and DeMarcus Cousins (Kentucky).

Second Team All Americans were James Anderson (Oklahoma State), Sherron Collins (Kansas), Jon Scheyer (Duke), Greivis Vasquez (Maryland), and Da’Sean Butler (West Virginia).

My thoughts on the selections?  On the whole I thought the AP did a good job in the selections.  Scottie Reynolds and Wes Johnson were arguably the 2 most productive players in the Big East, although Greg Monroe also had a great year.  Evan Turner was the National Player of the Year.  John Wall was a freshman sensation that brought energy back to Lexington and was, at times, the most explosive player in college basketball.  DeMarcus Cousins was an inside force that helped Kentucky to advance to the top spot in the country.

However, if the AP made a mistake, it was the selection of DeMarcus Cousins.  Cousins averaged 15.1 points per game and 9.8 rebounds per game, which are very impressive statistics.  However, he only played 23.5 minutes per game, or just over half a game per night.  While the production is there, I find it difficult to name someone an All American who wasn’t consistently on the floor.  Every other first team All American selection averaged over 30 minutes per game.  Cousins’ consistent foul trouble and his unsportsmanlike antics at times limited his play and effectiveness.  Therefore, Cousins was a very talented, productive player, but he was not on the floor long enough to be deserving of an All American honor.

So who should have replaced Cousins?  There are several good candidates on the second team.  James Anderson averaged 22.3 points per game with 5.8 rebounds per game.  He would be the primary suitor to replace Cousins, because of both his stats and what he meant to the Cowboys.  He was by far the best scorer on the team and almost singlehandedly led the team to the NCAA tournament.  He was double covered every night and still put up impressive, consistent statistics in the biggest moments, including 27 points and 30 points in the season defining wins over Kansas and Kansas State, respectively. 

Another candidate for that spot is Maryland’s Greivis Vasquez.  He averaged 19.6 points per game and 6.3 assists per game, and most notably led the Terps with 20 points in an emotional win over Duke on Senior Night.  Greivis’ statistics and importance to the team should have been impressive enough to jump Cousins in the voting. 

When comparing these two very deserving second teamers, James Anderson’s season was more impressive than Greivis’ season.  His numbers and his leadership were unbelievably impressive, and he led the Cowboys to the NCAA tournament  because of his ability and poise.  Although both DeMarcus Cousins and Greivis Vasquez had very impressive seasons, Anderson was more deserving of the First Team All American honor than either Cousins or Second Team All American teammate Vasquez.

College Basketball All-America Team

First Team All American:

Wesley Johnson (Syracuse)

John Wall (Kentucky)

DeMarcus Cousins (Kentucky)

Scottie Reynolds (Villanova)

Evan Turner (Ohio State)

Second Team All American:

James Anderson (Oklahoma State)

Sherron Collins (Kansas)

Greivis Vasquez (Maryland)

Jon Scheyer (Duke)

Da’Sean Butler (West Virginia)

Stay tuned tomorrow for my analysis of the picks for the All America Team.