Sunday, September 30, 2012

The Bartender Cabbie System College Football 2012 Top 25 Is Out of The Closet

After five weeks of play of the 2012 season there are things that are known and a lot of teams are still hard to figure out. That being said it is high time for the (Bartender Cabbie System) rankings to be released. Without further adieu....


1. Alabama: The best team hands down. They may yet be seriously challenged this season in SEC play, but probably not.

2. Oregon: Not just a good PAC12 team, but a good team period.

3. FSU: This might be the year that FSU challenges for a "national title" game. Would be dominant in any conference other than the SEC and, this year, the PAC 12.

4. Georgia: The Bulldogs are back and could possibly be in the big game at the end of the season.

5. Kansas State: Really? Yes. Bruising running game that is beginning to evolve beyond that. The Wildcats have something that a lot of teams with a more prolific offense do not have; the ability to play defense.

6. South Carolina: Excellent running game. Had a bit of a scare Saturday against SEC doormat Kentucky. There are chinks in the armor here otherwise they would be number 4 or 5.

7. Texas: This team appears to be righting the ship. The Longhorns have an excellent young QB and this team has the ability to play some defense.

8. Florida: Some would say I would be ranking this team a bit high. I don't think so. They are on their way back. How unfortunate.

9. Notre Dame: The Irish are back. Pretty darn good offense. They seem to be able to play some D too.

10. LSU: This year's group of Tigers should be in the top 5 but the team just can not get it together for some reason. They are fortunate to be undefeated at this point. Placing the Tigers at 10 may be a bit generous.

11. West Virginia: Would easily be a top 10 team with that offense but the defense is beyond suspect.

12. Oregon State: A good season is building with the other team from Oregon. They may surprise a few folks and make it in the top 10 before all is said and done.

13. Oklahoma: A better team than one might think and has a legitimate shot at making it into the top 10. Maybe even the top 5 if things go well.

14. USC: Not as good as originally advertised, but better than some now believe. Would probably beat Stanford 4 of 5 times.

15. Clemson: Not a top ten team to be sure, but a top 20 one no doubt. Will play in a major bowl.

16. Ohio State: The best team in the woeful Big Ten. About all that can be said here.

17. Louisiana Tech: Yep. This team is for real. I would put them up against anyone outside the top 10 and they would have a legitimate shot at winning. Some would say they are the best team in Louisiana. They might have a point.

18. Northwestern: Have had a cupcake schedule so far and it doesn't really get much tougher. They do meet Nebraska down the road but miss out on Ohio State this year. May be ranked a bit high but 5-0 is 5-0 at this point.

19. TCU: Well coached and a pretty good all around club. Might not be the TCU of the last couple of years though. They have the ability to move up in the rankings but could also very well be moved out of the top 25.

20. Cincinnati: This team is probably better than most think. A bit under the radar right now but that may change. They are likely a better team than Louisville, a team which has not convinced me that they are top 25 material.

21. Mississippi State: A pretty good football team. May be a bit under rated here. Maybe slightly over rated. Time will tell.

22. Nebraska: A pretty good football team for the Big Ten. Probably not Ohio State good but may be able to move up into the top 15 at some point.

23. Stanford: The Cardinal victory over USC was somewhat of an anomaly probably. The loss to Washingon was somewhat unexpected. They will suffer another couple of losses this year likely. It is hard to have a consistent winner at this high level academic school and any spot in the top 25 proves they are winners.

24. Ohio: The Bobcats are the team to beat in the MAC and I would rate them higher than some of the other teams in the lower quarter of the AP Poll. This team would be able to surprise some of the big boys of college football on a good day.

25. Rutgers: OK. I will give them credit where credit due. They are undefeated at this point. Ranking the Knights in the top 25 might be just a bit generous though.

There are some other teams that received some consideration but for various reasons did not make it into the Bartender Cabbie Top 25 for 2012. It will be interesting to see how well the Bartender Cabbie Rankings stack up against the AP, Coaches, and the ridiculous Bowl Championship Series ranking.

Other teams that may find their way in:

1. Nevada: May be the best team in the Mountain West and very well may find their way into the final rankings when all is said and done.
2. Boise State: Rebuilding and certainly not what we have become accustomed to seeing. I won't count Coach Peterson out yet though.
3. Oklahoma State: Rebuilding also. May surprise some folks this season though.
4. Tulsa: A long shot perhaps but will make some noise in CUSA.
5. San Jose State: Having a very good albeit under the radar year thus far. Better than anyone would expect.
6. Utah State: Some folk know darn good and well that this is a good team. Others will learn the hard way.
7. Texas Agriculture: A well coached team with a very good young QB. May surprise a few folks before all is said and done.
8. UCLA: Uh OK. Maybe.
9. Michigan State: Needs some work. Could turn things around. Or not.
10. Michigan: Pride may find them working themselves back into the top 25 but I doubt it.
11. Louisville: They are ranked in the AP Poll but I am just not convinced quite yet.They may be better than I think but I have watched them play twice and am just not sold. Perhaps I just need a little time?

Hope you enjoy the Bartender Cabbie College Football Rankings for 2012. Criticism, debate, and downright argueing are welcome.













Week 5 2012 College Football Recap

I did not watch a lot of football yesterday as I intended. I actually had almost a full Saturday off work and other things just came up. Did flip around and catch bits and pieces of the evening games......

It looks like the Sun Belt continues to put in a good showing against BCS teams. Middle TN surprisingly beat Georgia Tech in rather convincing fashion. The conference schedule gets in full swing for the most part and I will have to put MTSU in contention. They do have another tough non conference outing with Mississippi State down the road and it will be interesting to see how they hold up there.

Is WVU a top 10 team? Their offense certainly is ready. Defense? Not so much. A team will not win a "national championship" (or likely a conference one) with such a porous defense. Just ask Art Briles, Kevin Sumlin, and Mike Leach. All of them had teams with prolific offenses but a defense that could not stop a high school team. The final results were always predictable.......

Is LSU a top 10 team? Hard to say. Right now I will have to say no. The talent is there I think, but there is a mystifying lack of discipline and ball control. The contest last night should have been nothing more than a scrimmage but the  Louisiana Tigers had to fight hard to beat the IAA Tigers of Towson. Towson is rated 13 in the FCS poll, so they are not a team that will just roll over. They are certainly better than Idaho and may be about on par with North Texas, but still.....

The Crimson Tide did have a bit of trouble with Ole Miss last night but I don't think their number one ranking is in jeopardy. Right now I will have to go with Bama/Oregon as 1 and 2.

The Hogs are dismal and TAMU may (perhaps) be a bit better than expected. Georgia appears to be the real deal, their troubles with a pesky Tennessee squad notwithstanding.
South Carolina had some troubles also but came out in the third and starting playing a bit of ball. I watched a few minutes of this one and I don't have a problem putting South Carolina in the bottom half of the top 10.

The Longhorns are good. Much much better than last year. Right now they are a top 10 team and no mistake. David Ash is going to be an excellent college QB.

Boise State is not top 25 right now. Sorry. They may be back later in the season but right now it appears they are still in learning mode. I don't expect Coach Peterson to be out of the conversation for more than 1 season though.

Is the Big Ten the Big East? Not quite. Well maybe. Just not a good conference this year. Wisconsin is a disappointment, Nebraska is only pretty good. Michigan State is one dimensional, Michigan not so good, etc. etc. Ohio State may be the only bright spot but they are under sanction and irrelevant.

Oregon is the only team in the PAC 12 that is really good. It is easy to forget Oregon State, but they seem to be building a good season. I am not sold on any Arizona team quite yet. USC and Stanford are top 15 teams but certainly not top 10. One or the other might be back though. Other than Alabama (and Oregon perhaps) there does not seem to be any really dominating teams in D1 this year. There likely will be some top 10 teams with 2 (3?) losses before all is said and done.

Is it time now to consider Louisiana Tech, Ohio, Nevada, Cincinnati, and perhaps even Utah State (well maybe not) in the top 25. Yes. Past time for at least one of them. I am still not sold on Louisville being a top 25 team.

Frank Beamer's team seems to be doing what it does best. He always has talent and seems to find a way to lose with them. Perhaps he should look in the mirror?
FSU may yet be a team to talk about when a "national championship" conversation begins. They are a good team and right now I would put them no lower than number four.

KSU was off as was Oklahoma. Even though the Sooners did lose to KSU I am not convinced that they are not a top 10 squad. I think they will be back. Oklahoma State has a good young QB and may find a way into the top 25 again when all is said and done. Or not.

This season is shaping up to be a pretty fun. With a lot of parity (and a good deal of mediocrity), there will be more surprises along the way. Gotta love it!




Saturday, September 29, 2012

General Blabbering On A Saturday Morn with Random Tarts

Another Saturday and another day of some (hopefully) good college football. It is a bit surprising that Stanford fell off Thursday and let a woeful Washington team win the game. I had doubts that Stanford was a top ten team (or top 15), but certainly did not see that one coming. After watching LSU scrimmage with the Huskies a couple weeks back, I was pretty certain that they did not have any way of matching the Cardinal. Oh well, that is what makes the college game so fun and interesting. Just not quite sure what a bunch of kids are going to do one day to the next.
I fear that the Ducks may be the only real power team in the PAC12. They may be good enough to go for the top spot at some point.

The new boss at work is a very recently retired Marine. This could get interesting. Already have heard words about "instilling discipline," "looking sharp," etc. etc. I understand the mindset but I have noticed that in the real word military style discipline just does not work long term. It can be hard enough for any veteran to adjust to civilian work life, much less a person that knows no other professional lifestyle than long term military service. I hate to admit that I am sort of looking forward to the day that someone teaches the man that what will fly with a bunch of 21 year old Lance Corporals is not the same as dealing with grown folk. I am pretty sure I won't be faced with a "I thank you for your service but fuck off" conversation with the guy, but you never know. I can assure you that he will be having that conversation with others sooner rather than later though. Oh well. He wouldn't be the first military retiree to learn that lesson I'm sure.

I have been thinking a bit this morning about the freedoms that are being lost in our country. A conversation with Jayhawk got me pondering the subject. Nope, the country ain't what it once was.
When politicians can get things passed that restrict how big a soft drink I can buy, the size hamburger I can eat, well things are going just a bit too far. This type thing, once started, probably knows no end.

Oh well. Enough. How about some random tarts?





Thursday, September 27, 2012

Censorship Coming. Mark It.

There has been a lot been said in the last few days about Muslim unrest, terror attacks, etc.etc. Recently a lot of it has been focused on some video that supposedly has caused the most recent problem. OK. I am sure that this "film" is offensive to those who practice Islam and perhaps they have reason to be in in a bit of a tizz. I wouldn't know (or care). That should not be enough to attack an embassy and kill diplomats and other employees of course, but we are dealing with savages here. Or do you disagree?

What are we to do? Are we in the United States supposed to censor our speech so as not to offend? There are those in this country who think so. Something wrong there.....

Our country was founded, so to speak, on "offensive" speech. Many of our forefathers made a habit of twisting the tail of the British Lion. I am sure that a whole lot of folk were afraid of John Bull back then and feared such speech and expression. In this age it seems there are those who are afraid of offensive speech no matter the "victim." Just recently at work I watched some nonsense "training" video about being careful to not offend co workers. Of course one is not going to run out and yell "nigger, nigger, nigger" at work (good way to get an ass whipping), but something as harmless as saying "that's not kosher" or "this computer program is stupid" could be construed as offensive.  Or so those actors on the video told us.......

The whole PC thing in this country has gotten out way of hand. In this land if someone wants to write "fuck a Pope" in an op ed, some film maker wants to damn a major religion, or some nut job "minister" wants to publicly burn a Koran, well then, so be it. Go for it and have fun with all that.

On a related note; it sure seems odd that our leadership is bending over backward to let the Muslims know that official policy is that the offending video is reprehensible and in no way reflects the opinions of most citizens of this country. As if that will do any good. I also hear that the "president" of Egypt has said that offending Islam is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Really. I have some news for him......

This latest great offender of Islam (this film maker) is not the first or last person who will offend those practitioners of the religion of peace. Happens all the time and these backward folk kill over it.

The day that Americans give a damn about what is offensive to others is the day that we no longer truly exist as a free country. With that being said, I would not be surprised in the least if there is some govt action restricting the speech of our citizens before all is said and done.

Won't be surprised at all.

Monday, September 24, 2012

Three Biguns for the Hogs

The Arkansas Razorbacks are in disarray. After four games the season is done. Finished. Petrino and a demi hooker can be thanked for that.
Now they have John L. Smith as a head coach and he too has some issues. Some major (to say the least) financial difficulties. There is no way that any normal person could have a "head in the game" with that kind of money trouble. No way!! Is it time for a new HC, perhaps even one to take over before the season has really gotten into full swing? Could be.

If the University of Arkansas is inclined to take my advice, I have three recommendations for them. Might take a lot of money but there could be a payoff.

My third choice would be Big Ralph Friedgen,  fairly recent HC of the University of Maryland. Friedgen got the axe a couple years back for some reason or another. Strange. He was a consistent winner. Who the hell wins with the Terps? No one. He seems to be an East Coast type and it might take a lot of money but.........He is rumored to be a bit temperamental but what the hey. I doubt he is bankrupt. He probably wouldn't be wrecking a motorcycle while carting around a bimbo.

Second choice would be Big Tom Amstutz. Tom was a consistent winner at the University of Toledo and a pretty good all around guy. He is a northern guy though and it might be hard to entice  him south. Hard to say. He is in "retirement" but perhaps some mad money could change that.

The first choice would be Big (Big) Mark Mangino. Now Mangino is controversial sure, something the Razorbacks might shy from at this point, but he is a proven winner. He is reported to have a very abrasive personality, but that can be a good thing. He did a very very good job as the head football coach at Kansas. Who the heck does that? Shame of Kansas for letting him go just because he "offended" some of the Jayhawk players. The heck with those whiners.

What do these men have in common? Well for one they are all men of a certain girth. A defibrillator and some nitro glycerin tabs should always be handy. Maybe some baby asperin. Just in case. They also all prove they can win consistently at places where it is not very easy to do. Kansas and Maryland in particular can chew a good coach up and spit them out.

There may be some other coaches that currently have decent gigs that might be interested. I have heard Briles name tossed around a bit. The legend (in his own mind) John McClain reportedly said Briles is a "Texas guy" and should not even consider it. Perhaps. McClain is an idiot though and anything he says should be discounted.

If the Hogs choose to wait until the end of the season to make a change then so be it. They would be missing an opportunity. A change has to be made before long.

Why not now?

Week 5 2012 College Football Predictions

There are no match ups this week that will draw the hype that some of the games of week 4 did. Does not mean they are not important? Any slip up by a ranked opponent can ruin their chances of competing for a national/conference title. Last week I ran 8-2 for a total of 34-6 for the season thus far. Hoping to continue the streak this week.


1. Stanford vs Washington: Does Stanford deserve a number 8 ranking? Maybe or maybe not. Either way it is doubtful that the Huskies will give them much of a test. The only time I watched Washington this year I came to the conclusion that they are one inept football team. Go with Stanford. They are inoffensive as far as a PAC 12 team goes.

2. Hawaii vs BYU: BYU is not a very good team. Nor is Hawaii. The Cougars are marginally better and I will pick them to win here.

3. Virginia Tech vs Cincinnati: Va. Tech needs to continue to win to help erase the beat down they suffered in week 2. Cincinnati is trying to gain some respect. Hard to do as a member of the Big East. Beating the Hokies would be a step in the right direction. This is a toss up and I will go with the team from Ohio in a close one.

4.  Clemson vs Boston College: The Tigers need this one after getting sort of embarrassed by FSU last week. BC needs this one also. Clemson is the better team and will win here. They may have to be on their game to avoid humiliation though.

5. Louisiana Tech vs Virginia: The competition level steps up a bit (a little bit) for the Bulldogs this week. UVA is not a good BCS conference team and Louisiana Tech is a good WAC team. They may be about even here. I will go with the team from Louisiana to win this one in a close game.

6. Florida St vs South Florida: Other than both teams being from Florida, this is not what I would call a rivalry game. FSU is legitimate top 5 and USF is not very good. I will go with the Seminoles here. It could get ugly.

7. Nevada vs Texas State: Nevada may be the best team in the Mtn West. They may also be a team to consider for top 25 ranking. Texas State is doing pretty good so far in their first year of D1 football, but will not have enough in the tank to win here.

8. Boise St vs New Mexico: Boise is rebuilding. They may not be the best team in the Mountain West this season. Not real sure they deserve to be ranked yet in the top 25. That being said, New Mexico should pose very little challenge. I would go with the Broncos.

9. LSU vs Towson: Would it be unfair to pad my personal stats a bit? Probably. The teams in "Big Time" college ball do it all the time though. When in Rome.......Go with LSU in a scrimmage. They need the practice.

10. Arkansas vs TAMU: This would have been billed as a "big game." Hasn't turned out that way. TAMU is going nowhere in the SEC but the Hogs might be lucky to win another game this season. I would go with the team from College Station.

Have a good week and enjoy the games.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

Week 4 2012 College Football Recap

There were some great games yesterday and as usual there were a few surprises.

I would imagine the Sun Belt is getting tired of moral victories. FIU came close to taking down a "top 25" team in Louisville last afternoon and ULM again fell just short of another victory over a BCS conference foe. WKU looked quite good in the beat down of CUSA Southern Mississippi. I would have thought that USM would have found  a way to come out in the winner column.
Right now the SBC is up for grabs. With the exception of FAU, South Alabama and perhaps Middle Tennessee State, there is some parity. Troy beat UNT in a close one, but I would not count out the Mean Green quite yet. On the contrary. I would look for ULM, Troy, UNT, FIU, WKU, and perhaps Arkansas State and/or the Ragin Cajuns to all have a shot at the top spot.

Over in the IAA Southland Sam Houston State fell to a pretty good UCA squad. That was somewhat surprising, but I certainly will not count out the Bearkats quite yet. I imagine they will make the playoffs but they will probably fall just short of competing for the FCS (IAA) National Championship.

Could a case be made for Oregon to jump Alabama as the number one team in the land? Perhaps. It is rather hard to take the PAC 12 that seriously at times, but the Ducks finally look like the real deal. Alabama has had really nothing more than scrimmages in their outings and have not been tested by anyone. The match ups with the Hogs and Wolverines was supposed to show us something, but both of those teams have been exposed, to say the least. Right now I would still go with Bama for the top spot, but there are a couple of legitimate challengers.

I had a feeling that the Tigers of Auburn would give the Tigers of Baton Rouge all they could handle. LSU better get on the stick if they want to compete with Georgia, Alabama, SC, or perhaps even Florida.

Notre Dame, after years of mediocrity, finally has a team to take seriously. They are a legitimate top 15 team and perhaps even top 10.

Florida State finally solidified their ranking as a top 10 team. Clemson (and perhaps VA. Tech) are the only other teams to take seriously in the ACC.

KSU is probably the most under rated team in college football. They showed us something in the hard fought smash mouth football that was played yesterday in their victory over the Sooners. KSU is beatable by a team with a very tough defense and they will probably find that opponent before all is said and done, but I would certainly put the Wildcats in the top 10 right now. As far as Oklahoma goes, I am not counting out a top 10 finish for them either. Both should be right there when the conference race gets sorted out.

I am not sold on WVU or Texas quite yet. Both are top 25 sure, but I don't believe that either is a top 10 team. Texas looks like they may have their QB situation sorted out though and WVU does have an excellent man behind center. One man does not make a team they say. I have heard that somewhere.

I would like to give the folks at Missouri some friendly advice. You won't win in the SEC sporting ridiculous foofoo uniforms. Just won't happen. Get back to the basic gear with the big "M" on the helmet and good things may happen. Till then? The bottom third of the SEC for you.

The Razorbacks are dismal. Horrible. John L. Smith may not have been the best hire after all. He apparently has some major financial troubles that have to be a personal distraction. It may well take Arkansas years to recover from the Petrino fiasco. Scandal and distraction like that can near destroy a program for quite a while. Right now, I would try to find someone else to lead the team. I mean right now as in immediately. This season is done already and it is time for them to start building for the future. Is Mark Mangino available?

With another victory I would be prepared to included Louisiana Tech in the top 25. Same with Ohio and maybe Rutgers. Hell Louisville is there. Why not one of these teams.

Ohio State may not be quite as good as I expected. They were challenged in their last two outings by inferior competition. UAB gave them all they could handle Saturday.

I am already looking forward to next week. Might even slide on over and watch the "Bayou Bucket" in Reliant Stadium.

Have a good week.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Iron Maidens The Trooper. Not The Trooper by Iron Maiden.

There are a lot of things going on right now in the country and the world, not the least of which is the Arab Spring which seems to be turning out just about like most of us thought it would. Also right now the ULM Indians err Warhawks are leading Baylor early in the game. At this moment I am not particularly interested. I do however seem to have some interest in The Iron Maidens rendition of Iron Maiden's The Trooper.
Enjoy.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Space Shuttle Endeavour Ellington Flyby. The End of An Era

My friend went to Ellington Field yesterday morning and took this vid. Pretty nice. I was actually in the general area and saw the plane/shuttle flying around circling the base. I took a couple of pictures, but none came out as nice as this.
I saw the very first Space Shuttle launch from my vantage point on the flying bridge of the USCGC Courageous. With the aid of the "big eyes" it looked like it was just across the street. Quite a sight which I really did not appreciate at the time. Now the era ends and I am a witness to both the beginning and ending so to speak. Somewhat humbling.

What is to become of NASA and our space program? I don't know but there are sure a lot of foreign spies hovering around the Clear Lake area of Houston. We must have something worthwhile in the works.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Predictions for Week 4 2012 College Football

There were quite a few good games last week along with a few surprises. There is still a whole lot of  big time/small fry type games this week, but that has pretty much been par for the course for a number of years. Things should start to sort themselves out in the next couple of weeks as most get teams get into the meat of their schedule. Time is short today so.......

1. Rutgers vs Arkansas: The Hogs are terrible. Flat out. Not the worst team in a BCS conference (Colorado wins that honor), but darn close. It is amazing that "experts" had the Hogs rated at number 8 before the ULM debacle. They rolled over for the Crimson Tide in week 3. Will they stage some sort of come back? Doubtful, but if they do Rutgers may be the team to help them get the ball rolling. Rutgers is 3-0 at this point, but no win was convincing and they have played nobody worth mentioning. Will the Knights roll down south and nail the Razorback coffin shut? They might. I will go with the Knights here in a very close game.

2. Baylor vs ULM: The Bears travel to Monroe to take on a very good (for the Sun Belt) team. ULM should have beaten Auburn last week and it took overtime for War Eagle to prevail. Are the Warhawks good enough to beat a Bear team that is without RGIII? Yes. Will they? Hard to say. This game is a toss up and I will go against my gut and put ULM in the winner circle.

3. TCU vs Virginia: TCU has not been tested yet and their last outing was a not very convincing victory over Kansas.  I have watched UVA this year and they are not a very good team. TCU may not be the TCU of the last two years (or maybe they are) but they should be able to handle things here. Go with the Frogs.

4. Memphis vs Duke: Duke will likely find themselves in ACC cellar and the Tigers will do the same in CUSA. Duke is the better team here and will win. Memphis may be just about as bad as Colorado.

5. Virginia Tech vs Bowling Green: The Hokies will get healthy against this MAC squad this week but it already just a bit late for all that. Any talk of  VA. Tech competing for the national championship would be much like the braying of a donkey. That being said, they should win this one.


6. NW Oklahoma State vs UTSA: UTSA is technically in D1 after apparently being rushed into the WAC as it was dissolving. However a real D1 team does not play a D2 school. That being said, the Roadrunners need to win this one. It gets somewhat harder from here on out. I would go with the team from San Antonio here.

7.  LSU vs Auburn: LSU is a good team and Auburn apparently is not. Are the rather quirky Tigers really the number two team in the land. Perhaps. Perhaps not. At least LSU is playing a major opponent in this one. A conference foe at that. I would go with the Louisiana Tigers to beat the ones from Auburn, Al. It might be closer than expected.

8. FSU vs Clemson: This one is the game of the week. FSU may be the real deal and be a challenger for "national champion.' Of course they have been saying that for a while now. They have not been tested yet and will find that test this weekend. Clemson is not Alabama or LSU good, but they may be Ohio State or USC good. Who will win this one. I will go with FSU in a hard fought, close game.

9. SDSU vs San Jose State: This game is a toss up. Both schools have hard luck it seems but the team from San Jose has perfected it. I have watched only minutes of either team and I will have to go with the Aztecs.

10. Oklahoma vs KSU: This is the other "game of the week." So far not a lot is known about the Sooners. They just have not been tested at all. KSU is a good, but not great team. I would put them probably about on the same level as a Florida, Tennessee, or perhaps Texas Agriculture. Are the Sooners a dark horse in the race to be in the big game?They might be. Stoops teams do have a way of shooting themselves in the penis and ruining their chances. KSU has a knack of ruining someones season for them. If the Sooners can stop the Wildcat run game they will win. If not? There is a good possibility they will lose. KSU is fighting mad after getting embarrassed last season. I will go out on a big limb, a very big limb,  here and predict a KSU upset.

So far my record stand at 26-4. Better than most "experts" if I say so myself. However, things get harder as the season gets in full swing and I have some very risky games this week. We will see how it all plays out.

Have a good week.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Scratching My Head About The Papi

Am I the only one who is wondering just what the Pope is doing in Lebanon? There are Christians there of course who may be interested in the possible comforting affect that a visit from a pope can give; but good Lord.........The place has been hijacked by the scum of the Earth. There are moderate elements in Lebanon, perhaps the silent majority, who want to just live in peace with all neighbors, regardless of religion, etc but the country has become a very dangerous spot.

There is a fine line between courage and stupidity...........Out of deference and respect I will go with courage. At this time at least.

A Few Thoughts On Week 3 College Football 2012

I guess I should start out by letting it be known that I am a closet Sun Belt Conference man. Have been for years. Don't tell anyone. I guess it has something to do with hoping the best for those schools not taken seriously in the world of "big time" college ball. That is probably why I always enjoyed Mountain West (ex WAC)  Boise State football; their ridiculous blue field notwithstanding.

Yesterday the Sun Belt again let some folks know that they are to be taken seriously and don't just show up for a payday. North Texas had a very commendable outing against KSU. If you remember they exposed LSU a bit in week one also. I would imagine they will be a force in conference play.
ULM almost did it again. It took overtime for Auburn to come away with a victory. Troy gave Mississippi State all they could handle, and WKU came away with an overtime victory at Kentucky. Some of the others did not fare so well however including (my favorite) Ragin Cajuns who were pummelled by a mad as heck OSU squad. Still the Cajuns are one of the better teams in conference and should be there at the end.

It is really no great surprise that Stanford again put the wood to USC. They have won, I believe, four in a row against the Trojans, but this time did it without Andrew Luck behind center. I kind of knew that USC was a bit over rated after watching them have some problems with a very mediocre Syracuse squad in week two. It is kind of cute though that the Trojan faithful really thought that their team was on the same level as Bama, LSU, or perhaps even Florida State. That being said, USC will bounce back and is still a legitimate challenger for top spot in the PAC 12. Enough about the Trojans challenging for a national championship though. I don't want to hear it.


Is Notre Dame back? Unfortunately this appears to be the case. They are at least a legitimate top 20 team this season. Top 10? I won't go that far quite yet.

You had to know that VA. Tech would blow one against a team that they should have no problem with. It is easy to count on a Frank Beamer led squad to just not show up for at least one game every year. There was no excuse for the loss yesterday to a horrifically bad Pittsburgh squad. I for one don't want to hear anymore about VA. Tech being a challenger for "national champion." The whole notion is ridiculous.

Which team in D1 college ball perhaps gets the early season honor of being the worst team. I would go with Colorado. This is one inept football team.

Which team might be the biggest disappointment. The Hogs of course, but there are those who would likely say that Wisconsin is running a close second. Even though the Badgers are 2-1, they just don't look good.  Utah State (a good team for the WAC), gave them all they could handle. Last week the Aggies of Utah State beat Utah. The Utes turned right around and beat BYU. They Aggies will compete with Louisiana Tech for top spot in the almost defunct Western Athletic Conference. The Hogs and Badgers? Every game will be a tough one.

I have often said that the SEC may not always have the best team in college ball, but they are always the best conference. This year they have the best team in the D1 football (Bama), and two or three others that are, at the very least, top 5 (LSU, Georgia and just perhaps South Carolina). The rest of the conference? Some pretty good and some just horrible. I still will go with the SEC being the toughest league, top to bottom, in Division I football. The Big XII (with ten teams) may be nipping at their heels a bit. None of the major players in the Big XII has really been tested yet, although KSU certainly looks one dimensional and  beatable.

I hope you enjoyed the games yesterday as much as I did and you will look for my week four predictions early this week. After three weeks I stand at 26-4. I would have run the table yesterday had not those silly Notre Dame folk upset things. I have never liked the Fighting Irish much. Who does?





Wednesday, September 12, 2012

How Ya Liking That Arab Spring Now?

It did not take an Ivy League grad in International Studies to know that the "Arab Spring" would become a strategic disaster. It may have taken an Ivy League grad in International Studies to think that the same Arab Spring was a wonderful thing though.

Most just regular folk knew that allowing strongmen to take their feet off the neck of the populace in the Arab world would result in chaos and eventual war.

With all the idiots that seem to come out of these elite schools, it appears that it would be in the nation's best interest to close them and send their students to truck driving or bartender school where they might become useful members of society.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Two of The Greatest Entrances in Film History

Two of the best entrances in the history of film occurred in the same movie and within a minute of each other. Floyd Gondolli's (Phillip Baker Hall) entrance into Jack  Horner's (Burt Reynolds) party and Todd Parker's (Thomas Jane) entrance into the same party a minute later are both epic.
This  Boogie Nights proved to be a watershed event for a good many talented actors. Marky Wahlberg, Thomas Jane, John C Reilly, Don Cheadle, Julianne Moore, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, and Melora Walters were all in this movie and most have gone onto a great deal of success. This work was good to the older actors also. Phillip Baker Hall's performance as Floyd Gondolli certainly got him more character actor work and Burt Reynolds certainly showed that he was still a force in the acting game. Can't forget William Macy whose work as Little Bill was epic, and the performance from Robert Ridgely (RIP) was a home run for his final work.

 I would also be remiss to not include Alfred Molina as Rahad Jackson. His manic performance is something to see. Joanna Gleason, Heather Graham, Nicole Ari Parker, Luis Guzman, and Robert Downey Sr. also had roles. I am sure I am forgetting a few notables.

Boogie Nights is a movie based on the "Golden Age" of the adult film genre in the late 70's and early 80's. There was one actual "adult film" actor from that era (represented by Veronica Hart), and later eras (including Skye Blue, Lil Cinderella, Tony Tedeschi, Summer Cummings, Lexi Leigh, and the well known Nina Hartley), who had roles in this mainstream hit.

It is a rather fun film to watch. Oh. The entrances? Check it out.


A Day Remembered

I guess everyone over the age of about 22 remembers where they were and what they were doing on the morning of the attack on our country by an evil little group of Mohammedans.
 As for me, I remember so well I could repeat to you the business conversation I was having with a colleague as we learned of the "man caused disaster." Another person from the office went to get a television at the Evil Empire and, believe it or not, they were almost sold out. I suppose other businesses in the area also sent people to buy one.  Unreal.

I am reminded of the event every time I see an "old" movie that shows the NYC skyline. On a rare occasion where I see the events replayed I find myself furious. I find myself believing we have done very little to avenge these attacks on our soil. I find myself believing that a large number of Muslims at least tacitly approved of these cowardly crimes. I know that large numbers of "Palestinians" and those on the so called "Arab Street" approved. Their savage celebratory dancing, for all the world to see, was plastered on my television screen. Perhaps that would by why I have no sympathy for the plight of those in these lands. I don't think I am alone here.

I am further amazed by some of these "911 truther" types. As if any sitting administration would know in advance of these planned attacks and not take proactive steps to avert it. Even worse are those Americans who believe that it was actually perpetrated by those in govt. People who think like this are bizarre, queer, and quite frankly, mentally deranged. There is no hope for the terminally stupid and these type people are, if anything,  near as bad the attackers. They are fifth columnists and are to be pissed upon.

It is also high time for our service members to be withdrawn from the lands of Islam. It is also important to let the Mohammedans know, in uncertain terms, that any further trifling with America or American interests will be dealt with in devastating fashion. No Marshall Plan scenario, no "sowing the seeds of democracy," humanitarian aid, etc. etc. None.

All the anger and frustration that many of us feel is likely not healthy but is perhaps necessary.  It is more important to remember those who lost their lives on this day and the American and allied service members who have died warring with this scum.

 Still the events of 11 years ago today are impossible to forget and even harder to forgive. Is it even necessary to attempt to forgive? Not in this case.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Week 3 2012 College Football Predictions

So far so good as far as these predictions go. 17-3 in the first two weeks is better than a whole slew of "experts" on analysing the game. Not to jerk my own joint here.........

Last week was pretty interesting. The Hogs have dropped from 8th to out of the top 25 altogether. Don't know where all the hype came from. That is probably the "big story" of the second week of games. So without further blabbering; on to the predictions for week 3.

1. Rice vs La. Tech: Rice had a nice win on a last second field goal over a pretty darn bad Kansas team. La. Tech wins in their debut against a possibly improved Houston Cougar squad. Which team is better? I would go with La. Tech here. It may be a good close game.

2. WSU vs UNLV: Mike Leach is at WSU and will build a team that can compete in the PAC 12. Probably not this year but sooner rather than later WSU will be a team to watch. They had a tough one against a top IAA team last week but should have enough to beat UNLV. Go with WSU.

3. FSU vs Wake Forest: So far the FSU schedule has been a joke. Almost criminal. At least Wake Forest has a victory over a D1 (albeit ACC) opponent to this point. The "experts" are predicting FSU will be right there at the end. (The same folks who had Arkansas ranked as high as 8th and KSU ranked around 24th). I have not watched either the Demon Deacons or the Seminoles this year but I will go with "expert" opinion and pick FSU here.

4. Lamar vs Hawaii: The IAA squad from Beaumont, TX travels to the land of fun and sun. Wonder how many Cardinal players will miss the plane home. Ever been to Beaumont? Hawaii is not a good team apparently but should be able come away with a victory over this rather new IAA squad. I believe they just reinstated football a couple years back.

5. Houston vs UCLA: UCLA had some trouble with Rice in week one and came right back and beat the Cornhuskers to start the season 2-0. Makes you wonder. Houston is not the Cougar team of 2011. Not even close, but they did show that they can actually play the game in their last outing. I will go with UCLA here. May be closer than expected.

6. Notre Dame vs MSU: This is probably what would be considered the "game of the week." Notre Dame may deserve their top 25 ranking (or not), and MSU looks to be a good team for the Big 10. Of course I thought the same of Wisconsin. I did watch MSU beat a rebuilding Boise State squad, but the only thing I really see that the Spartans have is a very good running game. I would go with MSU here.

7. Sam Houston State vs Baylor: SHSU is the class of the IAA Southland Conference and is one of the best teams in lower division ball. That can be dangerous for a rebuilding BCS conference team. Baylor is without RGIII but has an exceptional coaching staff. So does Sam Houston for that matter and I would imagine that it will be a matter of time before the staff is lured away for better money and "greener pastures." Be that as it may, the game may be pretty good but I would imagine that Baylor will find a way to win. It could be a close one.

8. San Diego State vs North Dakota: I know nothing at all about North Dakota. Really very little about the Aztecs either for that matter. I did watch a few minutes of the Aztec beat down of West Point and it appears that SDSU is at least competent. Pretty good QB it seems to me. They did lose to a ridiculously inept Washington squad in the opener though. That makes me wonder. I am pretty certain SDSU will have little difficulty with the IAA squad from North Dakota though.

9. Alabama vs Arkansas: This would have been the "game of the week" for real had not the Hogs been exposed by a pretty darn good Sun Belt Conference squad. Now it looks like it will just be another tune up for the Tide. Surprises happen of course, but the Razorbacks will be greatly overmatched here.

10. ULM vs Auburn: What an excellent win for the Indians (err Warhawks) last week. Even though the Hogs are my personal favorite SEC team I found myself rooting for the kids from Monroe, La. If an over matched team comes to your stadium and flat beats your ass, then you deserve to have fans turn on you. That's my thoughts on that subject anyway. Can ULM sustain the momentum? Hard to say. Auburn has been exposed and unless there is a major shift in War Eagle fortunes, I would wager that a new coaching staff will be in place next season. ULM has had some votes for top 25 and I don't know if I would go quite that far yet, but I do think they will make a game of it. Auburn will probably win here, but it will be close. Go with Auburn. Hope I am wrong.

Have a good week and enjoy the games.



Sunday, September 9, 2012

A Few Thoughts On Week 2 2012 College Football

First and foremost thoughts and prayes that Tulane safety Devon Walker recovers from his severe injury suffered in the game in Tulsa. The young man could have very well died on the field of play.

There we some pretty interesting games last week and some major surprises. Or were there?

I have said before and I will say again that scheduling top lower division teams can lead to embarrassment. Just ask both Colorado and Colorado State. Same can be said for scheduling Sun Belt (WAC, MAC) teams also. These sure wins are not so sure. Might want to ask the Razorback faithful about that this morning and be prepared to dodge hot coffee.
 Personally I never believed the Hogs were a top 10 team in the first place. They lost some players from last year and the off season fiasco involving the former nameless HC and a semisorta hooker had to take a toll. After Hogs starting QB Wilson went out with injuries, the two teams looked to be pretty even. ULM wanted it; they came prepared for it; and they deserve the victory.

Rice had a nice win on a last second field goal over a moribund  Kansas team. I imagine the Jayhawk fans are wishing for a Mark Mangino right about now.

The Houston Cougars showed some improvement as they fell just short of Louisiana Tech. Tech will compete for the WAC crown (with Utah State) and if the Coogs improve they might just find a way to compete in CUSA. Or not.

Is Kansas State the real deal? Perhaps they are. Their bruising QB put the wood to Miami and his back up didn't look half bad either. KSU may be the most under rated team in D1 football this year. (It has been proven that the Hogs may be the most over rated. Well them and Michigan.)

Both TAMU and Mizzou were welcomed to the SEC this year. It took Georgia until the fourth quarter to start playing ball with the Tigers and TAMU certainly had their chances to win their opener against a very mediocre Gator team. As per usual procedure, the Aggies blew it in the second half of play.

Oklahoma State? Who knew. You lose against one of the teams in Arizona then you may have a problem. They might have a chance to get healthy against the Cajuns next week. Or not. I wouldn't count the boys from Lafayette out quite yet.

Auburn at 0-2? Things don't get any easier for them. Pretty tough schedule upcoming. Who is on tap next week? None other than SEC killer ULM. Now wouldn't that be fun if..............?

It is looking like LSU and Bama (along with perhaps USC  or Oklahoma) are the teams to beat this year. LSU bounced back from a rather wishy washy opener with N. Texas and pummelled a laughable Washington squad. It was little more than a scrimmage. The Tide just had a practice session with WKU. USC? They had their troubles with a pesky Syracuse squad and just didn't look like a national championship contender quite yet. They have the talent though and will be a factor. Oklahoma? Jury is still out. They are still having scrimmages tuning up for the real season. Anyone else? Oh yes, this is supposed to be the year that FSU breaks out. They have been saying that for quite a while now. Ain't happening.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

It Is Hard For Me To Say But There Are Some Damn Good Points Here

Brilliant at Breakfast: Where no one cashes in on unpaid writers

I have had some disagreements in the past with this guy. To say the least. He has hit the nail on the head here though about the current state of our country. I don't agree with all of this, but certainly concede he has made some excellent points here.

Not sure I can forgive Jurassicpork for blocking me at the tweeting spot. I lambasted him for it though and feel better.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Week 2 2012 College Football Predictions

The opening week of the 2012 season had a couple of interesting games; Alabama/Michigan of course, Auburn/Clemson, Va Tech/Ga Tech. BSU/MSU and perhaps the Ohio/PSU games come to mind. For the most part it was a typical opening week where the high and mighty try to run roughshod over the smaller programs. This week may be even worse in that regard.

So far I am running at 80 percent. Who knew that the University of Houston would have fallen so far so quickly? Not the experts. They were 3 or 4 TD favs over D1 newbies Texas State. The Coog offensive coordinator resigned. We can assume it was over this embarrassment.

Predictions

1. LA. Tech vs U of H: The Coogs were embarrassed and it will probably be a very long year for the Cougar faithful. It is hard enough to sell out tiny Robertson Stadium in a good year. No one comes to the games when things are not going so well. Funny, in a football crazy state like Texas, (some of the) non marquee programs have trouble keeping asses in the seats. Oh well, as for the game. I would be very surprised if Houston can handle the Bulldogs. Likely La. Tech would have beaten TAMU last week and have had to delay their opener until the 2nd week due to the storm. LA. Tech is a good WAC team (only), but, judging from the Cougar performance last week, I would go with the Bulldogs.

2. Pittsburgh vs Cinc: The Panthers are in disarray also. I don't know what they have in Cincinnati this season, but we are pretty certain what is going on in Pittsburgh. If anything they were humiliated worse than Houston. I sort of blame Todd Graham for the problem. That man is capable of destroying any program then splitting for greener pastures. Sure I know he can win but he is destructive none the less. Folks are fools for hiring him. Reminds me of a "who knew Todd Graham was a douchebag" t shirt that I saw at a Rice game a while back. The game? Go with Cincinnati.

3. Utah vs Utah St: This one may be good. A couple of years ago it would have been a no brainer. Utah State may be the team that could challenge La. Tech for the WAC crown and Utah has sort of fizzled it seems. I doubt they will pose a serious challenge in the PAC 12 this season. At one time I figured they would dominate that below par west coast league. No more. This game will be a toss up and I will go with Utah State in what many would consider an upset of sorts.

4. Miami (Fl) vs KSU: Miami has been down for many years and is no longer talked about when the discussion of national championships is raised. KSU can be a darn good, but boring, football team under Bill (only). This one will be pretty good. KSU has a bruising QB and will (perhaps) make a run in the Big XXII. There is talk that Miami is on the way back. Another toss up and I will go with KSU here. Hard to believe that this might be the marquee game of the week

5. Auburn vs Mississippi State: Can Auburn rebound from a dissappointing loss to Clemson? Probably so. The Bulldogs may have a decent season but in no way are they in any position to challenge the elite of the SEC. Probably on the same level as TAMU or Vanderbilt (better than Ole Miss or Kentucky though). Auburn is in the second tier and still will probably be in a major bowl before all is said and done. War Eagle will be mad. It could get ugly. I would go with Auburn here.

6. Florida vs TAMU: Perhaps this is the "game of the week." TAMU has a new coach and there is a lot of optimism. We will finally see if Sumlin is the real deal. Judging from week one, Florida does not look up for the challenge of making a serious run in the SEC. It might be a close one but I have full confidence in the Aggies to find a way to blow it. They usually do. It is part of the culture. Go with the Gators.

7. WKU vs Alabama: Here we go. WKU comes to town to get paid. The Hilltoppers may well have a shot in the SBC but will not have a prayer here. Wouldn't it be fun though?...........It has happened before. I fondly remember NLU (ULM) humiliating the Tide a few seasons back. Could it happen again? Sadly no.

8. La Lafayette vs Troy: An important SBC match up in week two is on the table. ULL destroyed a IAA Southland school last week while Troy edged UAB. This one has implications in the race to the top to this overlooked conference. The game is a toss up and I will go with the Cajuns by less than a touchdown.

9. UTSA vs TAMU (Commerce): No the roadrunners are not playing the Aggies here but instead are meeting with a TAMU affiliated D2 school. Remember UTSA is just getting their program started but have a good one in coach Coker. He may (or may not) have some character issues but I like the guy anyway. It is a rarity to see even a marginal D1 program play a D2 school but there you have it. I would go with the new(ish) squad from San Antonio here.

10. Washington vs LSU: Do I think that LSU has what it takes to win the SEC? Not sure. I have my doubts. We might learn a little more about what the Tigers really have (or don't have) in this game. Washington is not Oregon or USC but a major program from a major conference should be a bit more of  challenge than North Texas. Remember though; the Mean Green did expose the Tigers to some extent. It could be interesting but I think the Tigers will have the depth to take this one. It may be closer than some folk think though.

Have a good week and enjoy the games.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

Week One 2012 Almost in the Books

The first week of the 2012 college football season is almost in the books with just a handful of games left tonight and Monday. A few things were learned and some major question marks remain.

First and foremost we found out that Alabama is again the real deal. Michigan is probably not the best of the BIG X (MSU, Wisconsin or perhaps OSU are better), but the Tide rolled with ease over a pretty good football team none the less.

Did we learn anything about USC or LSU in week one? Probably not a lot. LSU, as usual, has some obvious chinks in the armor and even North Texas exposed some of them. Not so sure about USC. They are probably the real deal and will be in the hunt at he end.

Did the Irish beatdown of the Naval Academy show us much? Perhaps. Could it be that Notre Dame will be a top 15 team before all is said and done. This may be the year.

A few teams were embarrassed by IAA squads in the opener although nothing that would be considered stunning. Pittsburgh may be a joke and Memphis looks like they are starting just another year of Tiger football. I was going to say Houston, but Texas State is in their first year of D1 ball. Still, the Cougars have already shown just how far they have fallen. Likely going to be a long year for both Houston D1 football schools.

Which conference looks strongest with week one almost done. Hard to say. The SEC may (or may not) have the best team in the land, but they are likely again to prove to be hands down the best league. Some SEC teams extend their scrimmage time with IAA opponents and that does not give a clear picture of just how good a team is. That is not just a SEC thing though. Just look at Oklahoma State and KSU. The PAC 12 (10), with one (perhaps two) notable exceptions looks pretty weak. The Big Ten looks to be the Big Ten. There may some improvement in the ACC, with two or three teams to be taken seriously (FSU and Clemson). The Big East will remain the weak sister of the BCS leagues. It has a lot more in common with CUSA than any of the other BCS conferences.

It does not look like there will be another BCS buster team this year. Boise State may already be out of that particular picture with their opening loss to a good MSU team. The Broncos are in rebuild mode this season and will probably lose two or three. Houston and Tulsa are already done in that regard and TCU has moved into the "big time". I don't see anyone else really unless June Jones' group is for real. We will learn a bit more about them tonight when SMU squares off with Baylor. BYU a BCS buster? No. I don't see any MAC, WAC or SBC schools making the jump into BCS buster material. Shame.

I learned the other night that USC, Notre Dame, and UCLA are the only D1 schools that have not, at any time, scheduled a IAA opponent. I do not like any of these teams but have to give them props here. Placing a IAA school on the schedule kind of cheapens the game frankly. It proves nothing when the "big time" school goes to town and runs up the score. I (almost) always root for the lower division squad when they play a major college team. Once in a great while there is a huge embarrassment that causes severe damage to the big time program's season. That is great fun.

Looking forward to a fun season.