Too early for college football? ('09 Version)

I just took a look at Florida's schedule. On consecutive Saturdays in October, they're playing LSU, Arkansas, Miss. St. and Georgia. LSU & Miss. St. are away games & the Georgia game is in Jacksonville. If they go thru that stretch undefeated, they deserve to repeat as National Champs!

LSU, Arkansas, Miss St and GA..Is there a decent QB between them?  Cavendre - Do you have a typo?  Anyway, the only team I believe with a QB is Mississippi...

I think they play Mississippi at home...Gators will be tough.

GO JETS!

Baah Ben


.............Anyway, the only team I believe with a QB is Mississippi....

GO JETS!

This coming from a guy who thought a #1 draft pick wasn't that great.  

PB - Just because your boy was picked number one doesn't mean squat...Since when does Detroit know what they are doing?  Hey, if he makes it, he'll be the first #1 pick Detroit's chosen to do so since who? I'm thinking Barry Sanders?

I will be more than happy to eat crow and say I was wrong about him and you were correct.....if it ever happens.  The odds are in your favor after all the mistakes the Lions have made, but why not one more? 

But, in the meantime, my comment was who's returning in the SEC at QB that's better than the kid from Mississippi or Tebow?

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Baah Ben


?

.......I will be more than happy to eat crow and say I was wrong about him and you were correct.....if it ever happens..............
  

Since you said (more than once) that he wouldn't even be picked in the first ROUND, I should think you'd have already eaten a good sized portion of crow.  pb 

I also felt Stafford would not be a top pick, so Ben and I will have to share a crow.  Dark meat or light, Ben ?   And I still agree with him, knowing Detroit's lousy record on Draft Day, that Stafford will not be the big star they need. 

Looking forward to the '09 season and the resurgence of the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame-----
10-2 or better.  This is the year the boys turn it around.  

PB - I thought he wasn't any good.  I still think he isn't any good.   If Detroit is right this time, it will be their first time in a long time.

But, he was the number one pick so let me clear my throat of feathers and say to you congratulations.  

Are you willing to go on record as saying he is going to be a successful starting quarterback?  Or, do you want to reserve your opinion of him until it all plays out?  

I'm ready to eat crow again, if this guy turns out to be any good.  Hey, Ryan took over a horrible team so I see no reason why you can't step out now in support of your guy rather than wait until it all plays out. 

You won the first match..How about a rematch?  

   

the ancient mariner

Looking forward to the '09 season and the resurgence of the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame-----
10-2 or better.  This is the year the boys turn it around.  

And if they don't, will ND be in the market for a new head coach?

Ancient - Let's do the white meat...We an use Jeff Zeider's BBQ sauce; it's excellent.  Hey, Pork rules...for now.  Let's see if he steps up to the plate now and gives us a second chance.

You are a good person so I wish you only good things with a bad program..Notre Dame.  Don't you think the problem is ND is preceived to be too tough academically? True or not.  Maybe its too religious?  An icon of the past..Not the future.  Don't you think Rutgers, Louisville, Boise State etc can recruit better? Years ago, they wound never be rivals in the recruiting wars with ND.  

There's just something not right there in the eyes of those that count - the high school students.  A lot of them want to go elsewhere. Everyone thought that bringing in Charlie would solve the recruiting issue.  Yeah they have the NBC contract, but I don't think either is workiing..Do you?

Maybe a different coach will do it..Maybe a guy like Gruden?  I will tell you who might turn it around...The Thurbanator!  He'd get the administration to lower the standards a wee bit and most importantly, get the City of South Bend to build a few more holding cells! Then, he's ready to roll!  Bring on Duke baby!  

Love Urban..He said he was bringing accountablity to the program; he was gonna run a program different than my former dearly beloved Hurricanes and the Nole's, too.  I just love keeping track of all the Gator arrests and dropping of the news articles at my next door neighbor door.   

Cavendre..If they get off ot a slow start, do you think they will fire him in mid season?  How long is Gruden's contract with ABC for? 

GO JETS

No Gruden, No Urban Meyer's------I will stick with Charley------

Nd has the 2nd highest rate of graduates among scholarship athletes. Only USNA is ahead by a small fraction. 

ND has had the highest # of Kids in the Scholar Athlete program every year for the last 10.

ND graduates more black athletes than any other college 90+%-------Oklahoma (I think) was low at 40+%

Forbes article of top schools in the country for average high salary-----ND 8th---5 Ivys ahead of them. Stanford and MIT all within $1.87 of each other.  Dartmouth #1, by the way.    

So, yes, they have a higher standard for accepting kids. and those selected have to go to the same classes as every one else, take and pass the same tests----no soft subjects for athletes.  No training tables either---same grub.  Roadfood stuff. 

The fact that there are Catholic Priests running the place is not a factor ---many non Catholics play ball even 3 Mormons (not morons) accepted in the last 9 months----soon ND will rival BYU. 

I go with Charlie Weis-----that's what happens when you are a die-hard fan---since 1936.  

10-2 minimum this year.  Go Irish !!!!!! Go Knute !!!
Hey-----Knute and Ara were not Irish nor Catholic.   Let's go Gipp one for the winner, hic !!!!

Ancient - Do they have both Duke and MIT on their schedule this year?  Just kidding..Good luck.

I'm telling you Urban can get it done....But not with required classroom attendence

I believe football played in college should be between two teams whose students are in college to get an education.  It ain't that way no mo'.
So I don't care for the Meyers' and Carrolls and Bowdens of this world ----- Florida has had 16 football players arrested since Meyer has been there----that's a great record.  Bush's family lived in amansion for his 4 years at USC------and 2 of Pete's boys were arrested on Nantucket this past week. 

I don't like the schools who use kids and if they get hurt dump them---no play no scholarship.  ND says you have 4 years even if you get hurt the first practice, you still have your 4 years----so they don't win them all, that's ok with me, neither does Army and Navy and a few others I like-----

and I don't like the Yankees either.   



 

College football players?  Education?

I think there were 24 Gators involved in something that was associated with the law...

Jeez - I thought Reggie Bush was independently wealthy before he got to USC?

Now as far as the Yankees go.....They can't beat the Angels!

Good luck with ND...It would be nice for them to get back in the mix.  It's been a while. 

You Guys are all just jealous that you don't have JoePa
 
BTW, Who is older, Zio Mariner or JoePa? 

Never to early.Cant wait!

Jeez look whose back---where ya been Paisan ???

Joe Pa and I are pretty close --- I saw him play in HS so that's a clue.   Have to wiki him and see when his birthday is. 

But then I also shook hands with Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey and Jackie Robinson----they spoke about it all the rest of their days.

Also received a dime from John D Rockefeller ---

Have to compare notes with JoePa one of these days.   

Ben---it wood B nice to see ND at 10-2 or better
--I will light a candle or two.

ND going 10-2 - well, ok, let's look at this - BEST case scanario:

Nevada: not a walk-over. ND may win by 10 points if they're clicking on all cylinders, but no more. (MY Predict: ND 24, NEV 17) (1-0)

Michigan: Michigan falls flat, you may see a repeat of last year. Again, I see a rebounding Michigan, but maybe ND can take their NEV win and roll another in the Big House with a still rebounding MICH expect to be an also-ran in the Big 10: ND 27, MICH 20 (2-0)

Mich St.: Mich St looking for another solid year and a chance for a Big Ten championship, will eat up ND to hand ND their first loss and the first opportunity to knock-down Charlie Weiss. Mich St. 30, ND 17. (2-1)

Purdue: A Chance for ND to rebound, except they're on the road and Purdue makes a run early. However, ND won't lose to the future last place Big Ten team: ND 33, Purdue 24. (3-1)

Washington: The Huskies are not there yet, and may not repeat as the PAC-10 bottom, but it won't be a pretty season. Travelling to South Bend will compound their problems ND rolls in an impressive manner, ND 31, WASH 10 (4-1)

USC: This game won't be close as some think after the Washington game, as the over-inflated Irish get to stay home, yet another week, and are feeling relaxed, now ranked (4-1) in the polls for the first time in a long while. This loss will wipe them out of the top 25 - making things worse for their ranking, is the declining records of the teams they have beat so far. USC 38, ND 24 ( an improvement over last year's enbarassment) (4-2)

Boston College: ND licks their wounds and handles a BC team that isn't as sturdy as last year's team. Claussen is brilliant against BC's secondary. ND 35, BC 21 (5-2) depending on BC's record ND can mange to enter the bottom of the polls again.

Washington St.: Another Pac-10 bottom feeder, and thei 4th home game in a row, ND sweeps the Wazzou; ND 31, Wash St. 17 (6-2)

Navy: Don't need to say a lot. ND will not lose this game. Score is unimportant. ND improves to 7-2 and climbs into top 20 - with some SEC teams screaming foul play, as only Nevada and BC of ND's wins are posting a winning record (BC is only 5-4), and neither team is ranked.  (7-2)

Pittsburgh: No matter what Pittsburgh team shows up, if the season described above is actually happening, Claussen will be in full form and ND wins by 11. (8-2) Beating a middle of the road Big East team, ND is getting higher ranking but the nay-sayers have grown louder, and the impending BCS berth will be in full controversy mode.

UConn: Probably a win there. Still a work-in-progress at UConn. (9-2)

Stanford: end of season let down? not if they want their BCS birth. (10-2)

ok. but this really isn't reasonable. Right now BC and Pitt are almost neck and neck with ND ome preseason polls. Nevada is a sleeper team, Michigan could be a sleeper (even though analysists haven't mentioned them in the Big Ten race),  Given these points, 10-2 is the absolute best you can hope for, but realistically a 9-3 or 8-4 season, no-bcs birth is in the future. This, though, is a great improvement over a team that lost to Syracuse - at home.

Even at 10-2, if Michigan, BC, and Pitt aren't solid teams, in their respective leagues (which is not expected to happen) the 10-2 is worthless with wins over a non-bcs team and unranked teams. With that record, against those teams, ND wouldn't deserve a BCS bowl bid. IMO, the only way ND can go to BCS is 11-1 - that's a win over Mich St or USC. 

It's not the juiciest schedule for BCS ranking points, but, given the large # of home games and soft scheduling, they actually could go 10-2. But, I strongly doubt it. Clausen should have the break out year Weis has invested in, but not THAT break out - I'm simply not sure he has the horses around him to make it happen - despite a prolific bowl against University of Hawaii.

I predict 9-3.; No BCS game and Weis is out at season's end with no real wins over the last few years to talk about - but a bunch of bad losses.   





 

Scorereader - OUTSTANDING!

He'sssssssssssssssss Backkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk.  Everytime I see that mountain of pastrami and corned beef, those globs of swiss cheese and that kinish....I get sick to my stomach.   
 
JOPA?  Is he still with us?  Everyone else these past few weeks is dropping like flies.  Joe, were you out to the funeral in LA?  Just wondering where you've been....  
 
It's gonna be exciting seeing that old geezer running around for the 100th season in a row in those ridiculous sneakers!  So, what's your prediction for the old man this season?  _________________________Are they any good?
 
I wish Bama had a QB..Maybe they do?  I probably am one of the few people in Florida who like the coach; I think he is the best coach in college football.  I really do.  Better than Thurban IMHO.
 
Football is just around the corner....

Hey cut me a break, I'm on vacation.   But I have to keep an eye out, or youse guys will be voting Bobby Bowden Coach of the Year!
 
Baah Ben, get that stomach checked.  There might be something going around
 
Didn't I just read that JoePa got the Numero Uno Quarterback in the Nation
 
Zio Mariner, Didn't JoePa get in trouble many years ago for saying the same thing about Sherril and Switzer?  And YES I would like to see ND's program become the norm for all college sports.  Did I just compliment ND?  I better get back to the pool bar

THis year my girl is a freshman at ND; we got tickets to the U Conn game!

I've been a Pitt fan all my life, and my wife was born singing the ND fight song. I suppose I can root for a tie in week 10... oh wait. No more ties. I guess they will have to play forever.

They will play forever neith the streets of Boston --or is that Pittsburg ???  This will give you another clue as to the my number of days on earth----I saw Marshall Goldberg and the Pitt Panthers play Fordham to a 0-0 tie.  Marshall was some runner, but the Rams had "The 7 Blocks Of Granite",  don't know if Lombardi was on that team or not--have to look it up. 

Marshall is written up in a very thin book called "Greatest Jewish Sport Heros". 

Guiseppe------just read about a 73 yo guy who drowned at a pool party last night here in St Pete---be careful out there it's dangerous. 

But, back to the subject at hand----PSU got a verbal commitment from a very good QB, but there is no clear cut #1 this year ---Belden is rated about 10th.  ND got 2 good ones, so there !!!!!!! JoePa is still a great recruiter----amazing how many guys he signs up over a bowl of home made sketty and meatballs. 

Thanks for the compliment for ND Joe, we will remember you in our prayers. 

Ben----has Joe gotta appetite ????

Saban is a great coach I have to agree with you.  Bama has not had one since the Bear. 

Scorereader---you sure do know college football.  I will print your prognostications and get back to you around Christmas time.  I hope the Irish are headed for the big year I expect-----we gonna see what we gonna see.   

ancient mariner: I have no doubt I will be completely wrong, but maybe not AS wrong as the ESPN analysts - who I beat every year in picks against the spread.

Ben: Penn State will be in the hunt for a Big Ten title. As will Ohio State. Michigan State and Iowa are also in the hunt. Penn State has a great schedule, with Iowa as the Big Ten home opener (and a chance at payback) and Ohio State at home as well. The only road game against a preseason ranked team is Michigan State at the close of the season. Depending on how things go, it could be for a BCS birth - or snub, depending on the happenings around the NCAA. Although, as last year pointed out, it's tough to get through ANY conference unblemished, these days. And any Big Ten team with 1 loss, is NOT going to the Nat'l Championship.

Ancient mariner, you said, " PSU got a verbal commitment from a very good QB, but there is no clear cut #1 this year "  -but that's not true. Senior QB Daryll Clark is the clear starter. The other QBs are Freshman.

Despite the loss of three top receivers ALL to the NFL, they still have some upperclassman receivers, an experienced senior QB, and solid backs for a well-balanced offense, and defense should be better than last year. So, on paper, I like PSU in those home games.

Like A.M., I'm beginning this year with great optimism.

Score, not a bad way to bet!

I started a thread here about trying to beat the spread but didn't get much response. Hey, this is more about food.

Anyway, CFB is my best sport. Maybe this season some of us can compare ideas?

Oh, someone here accused me of being JoePa. :~)
Joe

Score---what we got here is a lack of communication-----I referred to a #1 QB recruit---JoeRogo mentioned that State Penn had just received a verbal from the number #1 QB in the 2010 class-------a lad named Belden, who is very good indeed, but he is not rated #1. 

Poppa Joe you're much, much too young to be confused with JoePa,  and his Brooklyn accent would sound alien in Big D a double ll a s. 
My oh yes !!!!!!!

Ancient - I watched this guy (JoeR) eat his way through a mountain of meat at Harold's.  It was embarrassing..really. 
I see by the tone of these posts that we are in for another JoPa season
This guy is like the NYC German Roach..Been there for centuries entering rent controlled  apts and Trump style condos alike.  It's never going away and neither is JOPA!
 
Scorereader - You are the man.  I'm glad SOMEONE can beat the bookie over a season.  In college football, we always found that the first 3-5 weeks gave us the best chance to find real mistakes in the lines.  There are so many teams that many times they would really screw up the lines. 
 
If you followed the teams over the summer and had any info more than the bookies had, you could find some real bargins.  As the season went one, we found it harder and harder.  By late November, it was a nightmare.
 
My friend has been in GA for nearly 25 years now.  I basically stopped gambling on sports when he had to go to GA.  I moved on unsuccessfully to blackjack where I finally laid it all to rest.
 
Joe - it's "younz" in Pittsburghese
 
Good luck this betting season!  Gambling is the best!  It's even better if you win. 
 
Hey, doesn't Michigan State have a pretty good coach now?  Mississippi, too.
 
 

JoePapa8, The jury is still out on your true identity
 
Once again, I think all us PSU fans are going to have to wait until the Michigan game before we can tell exactly how our season is going.
 
Boy talk about the pot calling the kettle black.  The guy munching down a 2 pound pastrami on rye says I got a big appetite
 
Baah Ben, I found a new sport to bet on while on vacation.
 

 
I checked the fight card to see if Little Jerry Seinfeld was fighting this week, but I guess he lost a fight and ended up in the chicken mofongo.
 

Further thoughts on PoppaJoePa and PoppaJoeRoGo-----

Yesterday I looked up JoePa's birthday and found out the son-
of-a-gun is older than I am-----a whole month older---but how come he has all his hair and most of it is still black ?

Then I checked out another paisan brom Brook-a-lean----
I looked up the Pitt Panther games vs Fordham's Seven Blocks of Granite---3 years of 0-0 ties.  Two of those years 35/36 Pitt was voted National Champions.  Vince Lombardi played in the 36 game vs. Marshall Goldberg (best running back I had seen until Tom Harman) --------the unstoppable force vs. the immovable object.

I was at that game in '36 so I saw them both in person.  My bestest  friend in the world's father was a professor of languages at Fordham and he took us to the Polo Grounds to see the game. 
I, of course, can't remember anything about the game, I even had to look up Lombardi to see if he was in the game.  It was a long time ago.  He played at 5-8/185 ---wouldn't even make water boy today. Block of granite, hell, he was a pebble. Tough though. 

Paisan Guiseppe ------So that's where you were ----but where was that?  I know Chicken Ba-fan-goo is a big Italian dish, but didn't know that was where they got their birds.  If youse keep yer eyes open youse lern sum thin every day !!!!

Joe:
Michigan game?
By all rights,  Michigan should not be anything more than a head game for PSU. But, it really shouldn't be that either, since they broke the succession of losses v. Mich last year. Monkey off back. Iowa and Mich State, right now, look to be more formidable foes. They open with Iowa at home.

Top to bottom, I think Big 12 is back on top, then SEC, then Big Ten. Pac 10 is a one horse league - untill I see something better, ACC is better overall than Pac 10, but ACC can't seem to produce a clear cut winner. No team in ACC will end their season with less than 2 losses in their league including VaTech. The Big East is still struggling. But a new coach at SU should help resurrect that team over the next few years. UConn continues to build, Rutgers has a nationally competitive team, as does the ever up and down Pitt and the only Big East team that seemes to have the capability to win a BCS game: WV. Still, even with the Big East still mopping up after the other BCS leagues, it's still a better conference from top to bottom over the WAC and depleted C-USA and other non-bcs leagues.

Brother Score Reader---now I know what you are up to ---I thought you were a guy who read the musical score and led the 76 trombones down Pennsylvania Ave.  But now I realize it is football scores you are reading, analyzing and figgering out how to make big bucks with. 
-----------Ferrrrrry H'interesting!!!!!!

Go Irish, march right through that line !!!!!!