It's always nice to have possibilities-- even if they're ridiculously far-fetched. The SEC is focused just as much on the divisional rivalries as the national title talk. Same with the Big Twelve (soon to be ten) and Big Ten (soon to be twelve). The Pac Ten has had USC and now Oregon (#1? The Ducks? Really?) in the conversation. Even the Big East has had far fetched moments over the years with Louisville, Rutgers and West Virginia riding into November unblemished. Even last year, Cincinnati was unbeaten and in the national title conversation--albeit as a punchline. But not for the ACC. Once again, National title talk regarding the Atlantic Coast conference is complete before October even ends-- Florida State's loss to North Carolina State gives everybody in the league at least two losses. Say what you will about parity (and it's not just a fulltime resident in this conference, it pays a mortgage and has a summer home as well)... but it's always nice to have a lead dog entering Closing Month.
Alma Mater Update-- one week after emerging victorious from Morgantown, Syracuse's road to redemption continues with a game at defending league champ Cincinnati and Bearcats quarterback Zach Collaros (20 TD passes in two months-- SU's QB Ryan Nassib probably won't get to 20 over his career). Can the Orange remain in Big East contention? And with a two game roadtrip-- when will they roll out a new batch of those Dome Dogs they sell at the stadium (I'm waiting for the tagline-- "NOW WITH MORE MISCELLANEOUS!")
Maryland meets Wake Forest-- one key in the Terps turnaround this fall has been that they are +8 in turnover differential... best in the ACC. The Demon Deacon defense has allowed over 40 points a game during their 5 game losing streak (and coughed up 48 in their lone league win)... why is Danny O'Brien salivating? Terrapins triumph, 45-24.
Virginia entertains Miami-- every year I get seduced by the glare of South Beach... the charm of the Hurricane offense... the speed of the U secondary and the recruiting of Randy Shannon-- only to see it crumble against the Florida States and Georgia Techs of the world. No matter how impressive the Canes may look Saturday against the rebuilding Cavaliers, I must remind myself not to get sucked in-- damn those numerals look rather cool! Cavaliers crumble, 31-12.
Virginia Tech is idle-- Blacksburgians, enjoy some fall foliage... drive up to Washington, VA and COOTER'S FISH FRY (Ben Jones owned and operated, and I once met Sonny Shroyer/Enos there-- he still has the same laugh)... and bask in the fact you have the hottest team in the conference- and may not lose again until the Orange Bowl.
Navy defeats Duke, Georgetown falls at Fordham, Howard slips to Norfolk State, James Madison regroups against UMass.
Last week: 2-5. Overall: 30-17.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Redskins Rehash-- Hitting the Lottery with a Pick Six...
While nobody will say that Sunday's Redskins-Bears game was an artistic delight-- if anything it resembled Super Bowl V when the Colts and Cowboys couldn't get out of their own and each other's way en route to a 3 point decision-- it counts as another win... and the Skins have equalled their victory tally from last year by midseason. Postseason possiblities are dancing in heads all around the Beltway- with the caveat that the 2008 team started stronger (6-2) and faded to .500.
Turnovers told the tale-- Four interceptions by DeAngelo Hall (and a 92 yard return for a TD) grabbed the headline, but the Bears also fumbled twice in the second half... meaning that they turned the ball over on six of seven possessions after intermission. The Skins didn't make things easy on themselves, turning the ball over three times.
Donovan and Distance-- Mr. McNabb completed 17 of 32 passes for 200 yards; a touchdown pass to Santana Moss was tempered by a pair of interceptions, including a pick six that put the Bears on the board. Still, #5's more than just a passer-- he's a field general you have a security with you haven't had with others in this role for the past decade (Brad Johnson-1999 the last good QB they've had).
Taking the Torain-- it took a while for Ryan Torain to warm up... as the Redskins runningback gained 44 yards on 12 carries over the first three quarters-- before churning out 81 yards on 9 fourth quarter attempts. Although he fumbled at Bears 21, this is the type of performance Shanahan ball hinges on: solid play until the opponent its worn down during the latter stages of the game. #26 jerseys, anyone?
Mosscooley-- the receiver conglomerate combined for 12 catches and 115 yards plus a touchdown; the rest of the team tallied 5 grabs for 85 yards. Seasonal monopoly?: 77 of 142 catches... and 940 of 1761 receiving yards. Not the best case for a "boy they are spreading the ball around" statement.
Dissecting the Division-- the Giants win over Dallas means the Skins are in second place instead of first; although a better division and conference record means they have the second wildcard over Philadelphia, Green Bay and New Orleans. The Cowboys? At 1-5 they are 15th in the NFC... half a game better than San Francisco...at least they have the World Series.
Third Down and Out-- again the Skins have issues moving the chains, converting on just 2 of 13 third downs. The teams 25% ranks 31st in the league-- thank goodness they were facing Chicago (32nd at 17.9% for the season, 2-for-10 Sunday) this past weekend.
What's a Haynesworth-- the 100 million dollar man returned after a two game absence (although RR often jests at his on-the-field issues, we think of Mr. Haynesworth and his family in this troubling time)... and posted his best game of the season: 3 tackles and a sack plus holding up Jay Cutler for London Fletcher to cause a fumble on the goal line. He was on the field for 33 of the 60 Bear plays from scrimmage.
Tracking the Triumvirate-- Fred Davis tallied two catches for 28 yards, Malcolm Kelly remains on track to shine in 2011 and Devin Thomas was not active for Carolina against San Francisco.
Gano Good again-- another week, another missed field goal-- this time from 36 yards out. Perhaps a tryout during the bye week?
Turnovers told the tale-- Four interceptions by DeAngelo Hall (and a 92 yard return for a TD) grabbed the headline, but the Bears also fumbled twice in the second half... meaning that they turned the ball over on six of seven possessions after intermission. The Skins didn't make things easy on themselves, turning the ball over three times.
Donovan and Distance-- Mr. McNabb completed 17 of 32 passes for 200 yards; a touchdown pass to Santana Moss was tempered by a pair of interceptions, including a pick six that put the Bears on the board. Still, #5's more than just a passer-- he's a field general you have a security with you haven't had with others in this role for the past decade (Brad Johnson-1999 the last good QB they've had).
Taking the Torain-- it took a while for Ryan Torain to warm up... as the Redskins runningback gained 44 yards on 12 carries over the first three quarters-- before churning out 81 yards on 9 fourth quarter attempts. Although he fumbled at Bears 21, this is the type of performance Shanahan ball hinges on: solid play until the opponent its worn down during the latter stages of the game. #26 jerseys, anyone?
Mosscooley-- the receiver conglomerate combined for 12 catches and 115 yards plus a touchdown; the rest of the team tallied 5 grabs for 85 yards. Seasonal monopoly?: 77 of 142 catches... and 940 of 1761 receiving yards. Not the best case for a "boy they are spreading the ball around" statement.
Dissecting the Division-- the Giants win over Dallas means the Skins are in second place instead of first; although a better division and conference record means they have the second wildcard over Philadelphia, Green Bay and New Orleans. The Cowboys? At 1-5 they are 15th in the NFC... half a game better than San Francisco...at least they have the World Series.
Third Down and Out-- again the Skins have issues moving the chains, converting on just 2 of 13 third downs. The teams 25% ranks 31st in the league-- thank goodness they were facing Chicago (32nd at 17.9% for the season, 2-for-10 Sunday) this past weekend.
What's a Haynesworth-- the 100 million dollar man returned after a two game absence (although RR often jests at his on-the-field issues, we think of Mr. Haynesworth and his family in this troubling time)... and posted his best game of the season: 3 tackles and a sack plus holding up Jay Cutler for London Fletcher to cause a fumble on the goal line. He was on the field for 33 of the 60 Bear plays from scrimmage.
Tracking the Triumvirate-- Fred Davis tallied two catches for 28 yards, Malcolm Kelly remains on track to shine in 2011 and Devin Thomas was not active for Carolina against San Francisco.
Gano Good again-- another week, another missed field goal-- this time from 36 yards out. Perhaps a tryout during the bye week?
Monday, October 25, 2010
College Football corner-- moving from snapshots to portraits...
Moving month always wraps up with an "oh, yeah" moment... by this time schools have played seven or eight games, so the September snapshot is replaced by a more accurate portrait of how good or bad a team might be. This also means the revealing of frauds who build gaudy records routing I-AA schools before having their heads handed to them by like competition. (ahem, Texas). And while Florida State and Virginia Tech appear to be on a collision course for the championship, there's a rare balance between the Atlantic (schools are a combined 11-11) and Coastal (12-12) divisions.
Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse remains in Big East contention with 19-14 win at West Virginia... easily the best win for the program since a November 2008 victory over Notre Dame (and even that was tempered by the fact my college roommate broke my glasses while giving me a high five). The defense pitched a shutout for the final three quarters and picked off Geno Smith three times... while backup runningback Antwon Bailey stepped up nicely when Delone Carter left with a hip injury in the second quarter. More importantly, the Whale Nachos at Sign of the Whale in DC were rather money.
Maryland won on the road for the first time since September 2008...jumping out to a two-touchdown first half lead before holding on for dear life at Boston College 24-21. Instead of wondering how they'll get to six wins and bowl eligibility, coach Ralph Friedgen's team has a division race to occupy themselves with. Terrapin Triumphs-- three takeaways and no giveaways... the team owned third down; the offense converting 10 of 19 attempts while the defense held BC to 6 of 15 success. Terrapin Troubles-- 7 penalties is something they'll focus on this week... and although BC has the best run defense in the league, 43 yards on 33 carries is far from ideal. Next up-- Saturday against Wake Forest.
Virginia started slowly against Eastern Michigan before turning a 17-14 halftime lead into a 48-21 rout of the Eagles. New to Kippy and Buffy's tailgate: a nice Malbec with sharp cheddar. Cavalier Congrats-- way to dominate the second half (31-7) after a sluggish start. Marc Verica threw two touchdown passes with no interceptions. UVa used the big play in the second half-- scoring on a 70 yard kickoff return and a 56 yard pass... only 3 penalties for 20 yards. Cavalier Catastrophes-- 290 yards allowed on the ground... and a so-so first half
won't help them during their final five game ACC stretch. Next up-- Saturday against Miami.
Virginia Tech surprised-- no I dare say shocked-- everyone in Blacksburg by doing what they hadn't done all year... pitching a first quarter shutout against Duke en route to a 44-7 drubbing of the Blue Devils... as VT is playing the best football in the ACC. Hokie Highlights-- nice to see a knockout punch in the first half... Tyrod Taylor threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns... the defense held Sean Renfree to 12 of 32 passing and the Blue Devils running game to 92 yards... special teams (BEAMER BALL!) boasted a 61 yard punt return by Jayron Hosely and held Duke to -1 on their punt returns. Hokie Humblings--
up 37-7 late in the third quarter you're going to keep Tyrod Taylor in there? Do not tempt injury in the latter stages of a rout... I'd rather see Taylor in a baseball cap on the sidelines this week than see him with crutches on the sidelines next week. Next up-- Thursday November 4th against Georgia Tech.
Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse remains in Big East contention with 19-14 win at West Virginia... easily the best win for the program since a November 2008 victory over Notre Dame (and even that was tempered by the fact my college roommate broke my glasses while giving me a high five). The defense pitched a shutout for the final three quarters and picked off Geno Smith three times... while backup runningback Antwon Bailey stepped up nicely when Delone Carter left with a hip injury in the second quarter. More importantly, the Whale Nachos at Sign of the Whale in DC were rather money.
Maryland won on the road for the first time since September 2008...jumping out to a two-touchdown first half lead before holding on for dear life at Boston College 24-21. Instead of wondering how they'll get to six wins and bowl eligibility, coach Ralph Friedgen's team has a division race to occupy themselves with. Terrapin Triumphs-- three takeaways and no giveaways... the team owned third down; the offense converting 10 of 19 attempts while the defense held BC to 6 of 15 success. Terrapin Troubles-- 7 penalties is something they'll focus on this week... and although BC has the best run defense in the league, 43 yards on 33 carries is far from ideal. Next up-- Saturday against Wake Forest.
Virginia started slowly against Eastern Michigan before turning a 17-14 halftime lead into a 48-21 rout of the Eagles. New to Kippy and Buffy's tailgate: a nice Malbec with sharp cheddar. Cavalier Congrats-- way to dominate the second half (31-7) after a sluggish start. Marc Verica threw two touchdown passes with no interceptions. UVa used the big play in the second half-- scoring on a 70 yard kickoff return and a 56 yard pass... only 3 penalties for 20 yards. Cavalier Catastrophes-- 290 yards allowed on the ground... and a so-so first half
won't help them during their final five game ACC stretch. Next up-- Saturday against Miami.
Virginia Tech surprised-- no I dare say shocked-- everyone in Blacksburg by doing what they hadn't done all year... pitching a first quarter shutout against Duke en route to a 44-7 drubbing of the Blue Devils... as VT is playing the best football in the ACC. Hokie Highlights-- nice to see a knockout punch in the first half... Tyrod Taylor threw for 280 yards and three touchdowns... the defense held Sean Renfree to 12 of 32 passing and the Blue Devils running game to 92 yards... special teams (BEAMER BALL!) boasted a 61 yard punt return by Jayron Hosely and held Duke to -1 on their punt returns. Hokie Humblings--
up 37-7 late in the third quarter you're going to keep Tyrod Taylor in there? Do not tempt injury in the latter stages of a rout... I'd rather see Taylor in a baseball cap on the sidelines this week than see him with crutches on the sidelines next week. Next up-- Thursday November 4th against Georgia Tech.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Presto's Picks-- it's just a fantasy...
Fantasy football is the rage in the NFL-- drawing eyeballs to the league that normally wouldn't care about Sunday afternoons. Instead of wins and losses, its stat-crunching and roster mashing. That's why I'm glad there's no fantasy football in college. Yet. As of now.
Alma Mater Update-- the Orange visit West Virginia and must contend with an option offense, a 3-3-5 defense and burning couches. Will SU get its first legit win of the season? Apologies to Maine, Akron, Colgate and South Florida.
Maryland visits Boston College-- theres a window of opportunity in College Park: the Terps next two opponents are a combined 4-9 (1-5 ACC) while their four November foes are 17-9 (8-5 ACC). The Eagles can run (Montel Harris leads the ACC in rushing) and stop the run (90 ypg and 2.8 ypc pace the conference) but little else. Reality check for the Terrapins: Maryland's dropped ten straight road games and has an even more banged up offensive line (Pete DeSouza done for the year after a traffic accident) than usual. Coach Friedgen is expected to break out the duct tape, spackle and rubber bands this afternoon. Terrapins tumble, 29-27.
Virginia entertains Eastern Michigan-- a nice breather from ACC play for the Cavaliers (0-3 in conference action). The Eagles have won just once this fall (last weekend in overtime against Ball State) and have allowed 43 points a game. No matter who may be playing quarterback for UVa, this looks like the makings of a rout. (Public Service Announcement: with the weather turning cooler, Kippy and Buffy recommend a nice Cabernet Franc to enjoy with your brie while tailgating). Cavaliers roll, 42-14.
Virginia Tech plays Duke-- can anyone stop the Hokies? Since beginning the season 0-2, Frank Beamer's bunch has laid waste to anyone and everyone-- winning five straight by double digits. Duke looks like the conference cellar-dweller we're accustomed to... despite Sean Renfree's occasional brilliance running the pistol offense. Hokies keep the tradition of allowing early scores alive, rallying to rout the Blue Devils 53-14.
Elsewhere--
Navy slips to Notre Dame, Georgetown gets by Sacred Heart, Howard humbles North Carolina A & T, James Madison falls at Villanova.
Last week: 3-3. Overall: 28-12.
Alma Mater Update-- the Orange visit West Virginia and must contend with an option offense, a 3-3-5 defense and burning couches. Will SU get its first legit win of the season? Apologies to Maine, Akron, Colgate and South Florida.
Maryland visits Boston College-- theres a window of opportunity in College Park: the Terps next two opponents are a combined 4-9 (1-5 ACC) while their four November foes are 17-9 (8-5 ACC). The Eagles can run (Montel Harris leads the ACC in rushing) and stop the run (90 ypg and 2.8 ypc pace the conference) but little else. Reality check for the Terrapins: Maryland's dropped ten straight road games and has an even more banged up offensive line (Pete DeSouza done for the year after a traffic accident) than usual. Coach Friedgen is expected to break out the duct tape, spackle and rubber bands this afternoon. Terrapins tumble, 29-27.
Virginia entertains Eastern Michigan-- a nice breather from ACC play for the Cavaliers (0-3 in conference action). The Eagles have won just once this fall (last weekend in overtime against Ball State) and have allowed 43 points a game. No matter who may be playing quarterback for UVa, this looks like the makings of a rout. (Public Service Announcement: with the weather turning cooler, Kippy and Buffy recommend a nice Cabernet Franc to enjoy with your brie while tailgating). Cavaliers roll, 42-14.
Virginia Tech plays Duke-- can anyone stop the Hokies? Since beginning the season 0-2, Frank Beamer's bunch has laid waste to anyone and everyone-- winning five straight by double digits. Duke looks like the conference cellar-dweller we're accustomed to... despite Sean Renfree's occasional brilliance running the pistol offense. Hokies keep the tradition of allowing early scores alive, rallying to rout the Blue Devils 53-14.
Elsewhere--
Navy slips to Notre Dame, Georgetown gets by Sacred Heart, Howard humbles North Carolina A & T, James Madison falls at Villanova.
Last week: 3-3. Overall: 28-12.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Redskins Rehash-- homecoming?
Aren't you supposed to schedule cupcakes for homecoming? The Redskins held their first annual homecoming game and brought the Indianapolis Colts to Landover-- I know Fed Ex is dipping its toe into the college game so here's a pointer: you schedule a major pushover for homecoming. Like Rutgers... Washington State... Temple... or lately, Syracuse (gosh that hurts). Heading into the season I would have put the Tampa Bay game as my homecoming date.
Still, a thrills-chills-and-spills 27-24 loss to the Colts had plenty to chew on...:
Donovan and Distance-- Mr. McNabb passed to for 246 yards... and although he tried to stretch the field was unable to do so against the Colts lay-back defense--averaging under 10 yards per completion. His two interceptions were costly-- as one set up the Colts first touchdown and the other ended the Skins final scoring threat. But he's much better than Jason Campbell was-or is (rating of ten against San Francisco).
Taking the Torain-- Ryan Torain rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns...cementing his status as the Skins tailback for the moment. Clinton Portis, we hardly knew ya.
Hog of Famer-- Russ Grimm received his HOF ring at halftime... and here's hoping Joe Jacoby gets into Canton soon as well. Perhaps with Ray Guy. I mean-- if Jan Stenerud has a mustard jacket, why not the best punter of his generation?
Dissecting the Division-- wins by Philadelphia and the New York Giants kept those two teams tied atop the NFC East. The Giants have the better division record (0-0 to 0-1) so they win the tiebreaker-- with the Skins third and Dallas (1-4) last. White Shoes Moment: "You see? On our way to the Super Bowl baby! By the way, Glee's the best show on TV."
How to grade the D-- granted, there's a bit of a grading curve when facing the Colts. But Peyton Manning carved out 234 passing yards in the first half with plenty of open space in the secondary looks... before the running game pounded out 170 yards to the tune of 6.8 per carry.
But three fumble recoveries helped keep the Skins in the game despite being outgained early and often. The work in progress continues.
Miss me blind-- the game was also kept close thanks to a pair of rare misses by Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri... his first two misses of the season... from 38 and 48 yards(blocked). Graham Gano also missed from 48... doesn't it seem like he misses from somewhere at least once a week? He's 1 for 4 from longer than 45-- so maybe it's a matter of the team recognizing his range.
London Calling-- with Rocky McIntosh out for the game, London Fletcher came up huge with 14 tackles (7 solo) to pace the D. The best player ever to never make a Pro Bowl continues to shine.
Tracking the Triumvirate-- Fred Davis equalled his total for the season... tallying 3 catches (for 23 yards). Malcolm Kelly continues to enjoy his offseason while Devin Thomas has found a home with Carolina. And he's wearing an actual wide receiver number (80 instead of 11). Perhaps that's what was wrong while he was with Washington.
Fly the Flags at Full-Mast-- 7 penalties for 53 yards will not help you against the league's elite... although they're not in Maryland Terrapin Territory (Terps are 11th in the ACC in penalty yardage).
Still, a thrills-chills-and-spills 27-24 loss to the Colts had plenty to chew on...:
Donovan and Distance-- Mr. McNabb passed to for 246 yards... and although he tried to stretch the field was unable to do so against the Colts lay-back defense--averaging under 10 yards per completion. His two interceptions were costly-- as one set up the Colts first touchdown and the other ended the Skins final scoring threat. But he's much better than Jason Campbell was-or is (rating of ten against San Francisco).
Taking the Torain-- Ryan Torain rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns...cementing his status as the Skins tailback for the moment. Clinton Portis, we hardly knew ya.
Hog of Famer-- Russ Grimm received his HOF ring at halftime... and here's hoping Joe Jacoby gets into Canton soon as well. Perhaps with Ray Guy. I mean-- if Jan Stenerud has a mustard jacket, why not the best punter of his generation?
Dissecting the Division-- wins by Philadelphia and the New York Giants kept those two teams tied atop the NFC East. The Giants have the better division record (0-0 to 0-1) so they win the tiebreaker-- with the Skins third and Dallas (1-4) last. White Shoes Moment: "You see? On our way to the Super Bowl baby! By the way, Glee's the best show on TV."
How to grade the D-- granted, there's a bit of a grading curve when facing the Colts. But Peyton Manning carved out 234 passing yards in the first half with plenty of open space in the secondary looks... before the running game pounded out 170 yards to the tune of 6.8 per carry.
But three fumble recoveries helped keep the Skins in the game despite being outgained early and often. The work in progress continues.
Miss me blind-- the game was also kept close thanks to a pair of rare misses by Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri... his first two misses of the season... from 38 and 48 yards(blocked). Graham Gano also missed from 48... doesn't it seem like he misses from somewhere at least once a week? He's 1 for 4 from longer than 45-- so maybe it's a matter of the team recognizing his range.
London Calling-- with Rocky McIntosh out for the game, London Fletcher came up huge with 14 tackles (7 solo) to pace the D. The best player ever to never make a Pro Bowl continues to shine.
Tracking the Triumvirate-- Fred Davis equalled his total for the season... tallying 3 catches (for 23 yards). Malcolm Kelly continues to enjoy his offseason while Devin Thomas has found a home with Carolina. And he's wearing an actual wide receiver number (80 instead of 11). Perhaps that's what was wrong while he was with Washington.
Fly the Flags at Full-Mast-- 7 penalties for 53 yards will not help you against the league's elite... although they're not in Maryland Terrapin Territory (Terps are 11th in the ACC in penalty yardage).
Monday, October 18, 2010
College Football Corner-- the Preston Jinx...
This is the second year I've produced pregame features for the Maryland football broadcasts. The Cover Story looks a major issue-- something larger than the game itself (ex: the new AD, the bye week). The Prime Focus explores an aspect of the game in heavier detail (ex: red zone defense, the penalty problem). Unfortunately, more often than not my feature is radio's version of the Sports Illustrated cover. I focused on the new-look defense and the Terps allow 52 points at Cal. I examined the high-flying ground game and Maryland is held to minus ten yards at West Virginia. Last week I looked at boost the explosive play (12 of 50+ yards this fall) has helped the Terps only to see Clemson use two such plays to put the game away in Death Valley. I was going to work on a report regarding the new stadium expansion and press box-- but don't want to place 50,000 plus lives in my hands on the chance my feature makes the stands collapse. Some journalists dream of having an effect on their environment-- be careful what you wish for.
Alma Mater Update-- not the best of homecomings... as the Orange fell to Pitt 45-14. I'm still not convinced Panther coach Dave Wannstedt could coach his way out of a paper bag, but I've learned a slow secondary and poor decision making by your quarterback is the great equalizer. To top things off, an underwhelming seafood chowder made me yearn for mediocre wings. There's always basketball.
Maryland outgained Clemson by over 100 yards yet suffered an implausible defeat; the Terps lost 31-7 in a game marked by Tiger big plays. Again, my apologies-- I will try to reverse jinx the team this week. Terrapin Triumphs-- Danny O'Brien threw for 302 yards... and caught a touchdown pass. The defense held Clemson to 2.1 yards per carry and 38% passing. Terrapin Troubles-- 10 penalties... 4 for 14 third down conversions... and allowing a kickoff return for and 87 yard touchdown while surrendering a 61 yard interception return for a score. A 41 yard punt return set up the Tiger's other second half touchdown. Next: Saturday at Boston College.
Virginia was routed in Chapel Hill--losing 44-10 at North Carolina. And there's no defense for the defense-- UVa is allowing 39 points a game in ACC play. And Kippy's cousin talked about bringing Pepper Jack Cheese, of all things, to the next home game (so gauche). Cavalier Congrats-- Keith Payne reversed his diminishing return trend, rushing for 107 yards and a touchdown... and the offense converted 3 of 6 fourth downs--that has to mean something. Cavalier Catastrophes-- five turnovers. Getting outscored 17-0 after halftime. All three quarterbacks throwing an interception (and freshman Ross Metheny tossed just one pass). Next: Saturday against Eastern Michigan.
Virginia Tech allowed another first quarter touchdown before storming back against Wake Forest, rolling 52-21. This time it was the second half that had the inaccurate snapshot (VT outscored 7-3 after intermission). Hokie Highlights-- 605 total yards... and no turnovers. Holding Wake to zero return yards (BEAMER BALL!) ... converting 12 of 17 third downs... Tyrod Taylor's continued maturing as a passer (292 yards and two touchdowns)... Hokie Humblings-- I dream of a day when VT pitches a first quarter shutout... and three fumbles (although they recovered all three drops) isn't what you dream about. Next: Saturday against Duke.
Alma Mater Update-- not the best of homecomings... as the Orange fell to Pitt 45-14. I'm still not convinced Panther coach Dave Wannstedt could coach his way out of a paper bag, but I've learned a slow secondary and poor decision making by your quarterback is the great equalizer. To top things off, an underwhelming seafood chowder made me yearn for mediocre wings. There's always basketball.
Maryland outgained Clemson by over 100 yards yet suffered an implausible defeat; the Terps lost 31-7 in a game marked by Tiger big plays. Again, my apologies-- I will try to reverse jinx the team this week. Terrapin Triumphs-- Danny O'Brien threw for 302 yards... and caught a touchdown pass. The defense held Clemson to 2.1 yards per carry and 38% passing. Terrapin Troubles-- 10 penalties... 4 for 14 third down conversions... and allowing a kickoff return for and 87 yard touchdown while surrendering a 61 yard interception return for a score. A 41 yard punt return set up the Tiger's other second half touchdown. Next: Saturday at Boston College.
Virginia was routed in Chapel Hill--losing 44-10 at North Carolina. And there's no defense for the defense-- UVa is allowing 39 points a game in ACC play. And Kippy's cousin talked about bringing Pepper Jack Cheese, of all things, to the next home game (so gauche). Cavalier Congrats-- Keith Payne reversed his diminishing return trend, rushing for 107 yards and a touchdown... and the offense converted 3 of 6 fourth downs--that has to mean something. Cavalier Catastrophes-- five turnovers. Getting outscored 17-0 after halftime. All three quarterbacks throwing an interception (and freshman Ross Metheny tossed just one pass). Next: Saturday against Eastern Michigan.
Virginia Tech allowed another first quarter touchdown before storming back against Wake Forest, rolling 52-21. This time it was the second half that had the inaccurate snapshot (VT outscored 7-3 after intermission). Hokie Highlights-- 605 total yards... and no turnovers. Holding Wake to zero return yards (BEAMER BALL!) ... converting 12 of 17 third downs... Tyrod Taylor's continued maturing as a passer (292 yards and two touchdowns)... Hokie Humblings-- I dream of a day when VT pitches a first quarter shutout... and three fumbles (although they recovered all three drops) isn't what you dream about. Next: Saturday against Duke.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Presto's Picks-- Homecoming Man in Motion...
October is often the month where schools hold their respective homecomings-- in fact my alma mater is doing just that this Saturday. Georgetown's class of '85 celebrates its 25th anniversary... which means the characters from St. Elmo's Fire make their way back to campus. Thankfully I've kept tabs on the gang after they sent Billy on a bus to New York City...:
Alec Newbary (Judd Nelson)-- after leaving the Democratic Congressman for the Republican Senator, Alec became involved in the whole Iran-Contra scandal and did 10 years in a Federal Penitentiary. When he was released, he realized the records he fought Lesley Hunter (Ally Sheedy) over had no place in the CD age. Runs a K Street Lobbying firm that doesn't advocate anything-- they're simply on the take to drive up cover counts at Capitol Hill restaurants.
Billy Hicks (Rob Lowe)-- learned that playing a crappy saxophone wearing a ripped T-Shirt didn't play well as well in New York. Fathered several children in the Big Apple before returning to DC a few years later. Finally got a solid job with Wendy handing out welfare checks; until welfare reform under President Clinton eliminated his position and his then-welfare status. Runs a nick-knack antique store on M Street.
Wendy Beamish (Mare Willingham)-- sunk all of her inheritance from her father's greeting card chain into producing an album of Billy's recordings. Project never reached completion as there were drunken arguments over the proposed title "In the Hicks". Now owns the charcoal drawing store on Wisconsin and Prospect Street titled "Everyone knows it's Wendy".
Kirby Keger (Emilio Estevez)-- still chasing Andie MacDowall's character, although she's been happily married for 20 years and has three children. Has attended Georgetown Law and Medical school but is 3 credits shy of each degree. Is also 3 credits shy of a Masters in English, Accounting, Mathematics, History, International Relations and Sports Marketing. Still thinks he has a shot at Andie MacDowall, although he's a TA for her oldest daughter's Freshman Biology class. (he's 8 credits shy of a Masters in Biology).
Kevin Dolenz (Andrew McCarthy)-- after his "meaning of life" series, Dolenz rose to the ranks of Style Columnist at the Post... but his hard-edged moroseness never rang with readers and he was in danger of losing his job-- until he was transferred into the puzzle division. Ever wonder why the Post has the most depressing crossword? Even the Sudoku makes one want to end it all.
Jules (Demi Moore)-- after her near-suicide and death of her stepmother, Jules turned her life around. Four husbands and quite a bit of alimony later, she lives in Potomac with a summer residence in Dewey-- and a boat to take her in between. Still hasn't buried her stepmother.
Lesley Hunter (Ally Sheedy)-- after her breakup with Alec and dissing of Kevin, Lesley followed her dreams and became an influential and successful architect. Finally found happiness when she met a radio announcer/sports blogger at Tony & Joe's on the Georgetown Waterfront.
Alma Mater Update-- Can the Orange improve to 2-0 in Big East play? A consistently uneven Pitt comes to the Carrier Dome... led by Dave Solazzo lookalike Dave Wannstedt. SU on Homecoming is always a mystery-- my junior year we lost to a bad Tulane team while my senior year saw a thrilling upset of #3 Florida.
Maryland at Clemson-- for whatever reason, the Terps have recently had the Tigers' number...case in point last year their lone ACC win came over a Clemson team that would reach the ACC title game. And Ralph Friedgen has fared well in Death Valley during his tenure at College Park... plus the Paper Tigers have wins over North Texas (?) and Presbyterian (??). Look for 60 minutes of thrills, chills and spills-- with at least one 50+ yard play providing another toll booth passed on the road to redemption. Terrapins triumph, 27-24.
Virginia vs North Carolina-- old-school Cavalier fans will tell you it's the Tar Heels, not the Hokies or Terps that they regard as their #1 rival. TJ Yates is off to another solid start-65% passing, 8TD to 1INT- and the Heels looked to have moved past the mess that was a September where 82 of the 85 scholarship players were under investigation of one sort or another. Cavaliers crumble, 33-17.
Virginia Tech vs Wake Forest-- two teams going in opposite directions. The Hokies have won four straight games all by double digits while the Demon Deacons have dropped four in a row and haven't been able to stop anybody when it's mattered (they even allowed 48 points to a Duke team that's also lost four straight). I see another Tech victory; of course coming after allowing the customary touchdown or two in the first quarter. Hokies rally again (sigh), 28-17.
Elsewhere--Navy over SMU, Georgetown blasts Bucknell, Howard nips North Carolina A&T, James Madison gets by New Hampshire.
Last Week: 4-2. Overall: 25-9.
Alec Newbary (Judd Nelson)-- after leaving the Democratic Congressman for the Republican Senator, Alec became involved in the whole Iran-Contra scandal and did 10 years in a Federal Penitentiary. When he was released, he realized the records he fought Lesley Hunter (Ally Sheedy) over had no place in the CD age. Runs a K Street Lobbying firm that doesn't advocate anything-- they're simply on the take to drive up cover counts at Capitol Hill restaurants.
Billy Hicks (Rob Lowe)-- learned that playing a crappy saxophone wearing a ripped T-Shirt didn't play well as well in New York. Fathered several children in the Big Apple before returning to DC a few years later. Finally got a solid job with Wendy handing out welfare checks; until welfare reform under President Clinton eliminated his position and his then-welfare status. Runs a nick-knack antique store on M Street.
Wendy Beamish (Mare Willingham)-- sunk all of her inheritance from her father's greeting card chain into producing an album of Billy's recordings. Project never reached completion as there were drunken arguments over the proposed title "In the Hicks". Now owns the charcoal drawing store on Wisconsin and Prospect Street titled "Everyone knows it's Wendy".
Kirby Keger (Emilio Estevez)-- still chasing Andie MacDowall's character, although she's been happily married for 20 years and has three children. Has attended Georgetown Law and Medical school but is 3 credits shy of each degree. Is also 3 credits shy of a Masters in English, Accounting, Mathematics, History, International Relations and Sports Marketing. Still thinks he has a shot at Andie MacDowall, although he's a TA for her oldest daughter's Freshman Biology class. (he's 8 credits shy of a Masters in Biology).
Kevin Dolenz (Andrew McCarthy)-- after his "meaning of life" series, Dolenz rose to the ranks of Style Columnist at the Post... but his hard-edged moroseness never rang with readers and he was in danger of losing his job-- until he was transferred into the puzzle division. Ever wonder why the Post has the most depressing crossword? Even the Sudoku makes one want to end it all.
Jules (Demi Moore)-- after her near-suicide and death of her stepmother, Jules turned her life around. Four husbands and quite a bit of alimony later, she lives in Potomac with a summer residence in Dewey-- and a boat to take her in between. Still hasn't buried her stepmother.
Lesley Hunter (Ally Sheedy)-- after her breakup with Alec and dissing of Kevin, Lesley followed her dreams and became an influential and successful architect. Finally found happiness when she met a radio announcer/sports blogger at Tony & Joe's on the Georgetown Waterfront.
Alma Mater Update-- Can the Orange improve to 2-0 in Big East play? A consistently uneven Pitt comes to the Carrier Dome... led by Dave Solazzo lookalike Dave Wannstedt. SU on Homecoming is always a mystery-- my junior year we lost to a bad Tulane team while my senior year saw a thrilling upset of #3 Florida.
Maryland at Clemson-- for whatever reason, the Terps have recently had the Tigers' number...case in point last year their lone ACC win came over a Clemson team that would reach the ACC title game. And Ralph Friedgen has fared well in Death Valley during his tenure at College Park... plus the Paper Tigers have wins over North Texas (?) and Presbyterian (??). Look for 60 minutes of thrills, chills and spills-- with at least one 50+ yard play providing another toll booth passed on the road to redemption. Terrapins triumph, 27-24.
Virginia vs North Carolina-- old-school Cavalier fans will tell you it's the Tar Heels, not the Hokies or Terps that they regard as their #1 rival. TJ Yates is off to another solid start-65% passing, 8TD to 1INT- and the Heels looked to have moved past the mess that was a September where 82 of the 85 scholarship players were under investigation of one sort or another. Cavaliers crumble, 33-17.
Virginia Tech vs Wake Forest-- two teams going in opposite directions. The Hokies have won four straight games all by double digits while the Demon Deacons have dropped four in a row and haven't been able to stop anybody when it's mattered (they even allowed 48 points to a Duke team that's also lost four straight). I see another Tech victory; of course coming after allowing the customary touchdown or two in the first quarter. Hokies rally again (sigh), 28-17.
Elsewhere--Navy over SMU, Georgetown blasts Bucknell, Howard nips North Carolina A&T, James Madison gets by New Hampshire.
Last Week: 4-2. Overall: 25-9.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Redskins Rehash-- on a Rollercoaster...
Please keep your hands inside the car at all times. A 16-13 overtime win over Green Bay (one of the NFC favorites) with defending AFC champ Indianapolis coming to Fed Ex Field for a Sunday Night Showdown! Put your sunglasses as well as any and all valuables away where they can't fall out. Unlike the Gibbs II Regime which was optimism clouded with reality, or the Maroon and Black Era which was turned into pessimism clouded with reality... the Shanahan Era is a pendulum thus far. Beating Dallas! Woo hoo! Losing to Houston-aww. Collapsing at St. Louis! Damn, I knew this wouldn't work. Back to back wins over Philly and Green Bay! All right!! (White Shoes' World Interruption: "You know, the Eagles technically won that game-- you take away the first three drives and it's 12-0 Philly. Think about it".) Before things settle in (aka better personnel, the learning of new offensive and defensive systems), be prepared for extremes. This team will look incredibly good and incredibly bad week to week-- and even half to half. Enjoy the Redskins Rollercoaster... but do not stand at any time and keep the safety bar down..
Second Half Shakeup-- for the first time all season, the Skins outscored the opposition after intermission... and outgained the Packers 302 yards to 179 after halftime. Complete reversal of the first four weeks where they were outscored 54-13 after the break.
Donovan and Distance-- Mr. McNabb threw for 357 yards, 225 after halftime. What's nice to see is how the team is stretching the field with long throws... something that wasn't done at all last year. Whereas Jason Campbell may have been efficient in defeat, Donovan McNabb is effective in victory.
Zach Attack, and PA problems-- Two changes behind the scenes recently deserve mention: this summer the team fired Director of Media Relations Zach Bolno. I don't know what the situation was, but I'm sorry to see him go-- Zach was a class act and it's a shame an NFL team decided to change it's media relations guy so close to the regular season when finding a similar gig is unlikely. There's also been a change in the press box PA announcer-- but the person manning the mic now isn't the one they originally hired. As I understand, the Redskins waited until the new announcer showed up at Fed Ex Field on opening day and told her they didn't know she worked for a competing radio station... and said they would go in a different direction. I don't know all of the particulars, but these are just two instances where the public perception of the franchise suffers.
Band-aid on the Run-- With Clinton Portis on the shelf with an injured groin, the ground game managed just 51 yards on 21 carries... an average of 2.4 per carry. Ryan Torain did catch four passes out of the backfield, though.
Double L helps deliver the W-- Laron Landry's interception set up the game-winning kick. The safety also notched 13 tackles and forced a fumble. Credit Defensive Coordinator Jim Haslett with recognizing Landry's a better fit at the strong safety spot instead of the free safety position he languished in last year.
Dissecting the division-- the Skins 2-0 division record means they own the tiebreaker with Philadelphia and the New York Giants among the NFC East's three 3-2 teams. The Giants have the better division record (0-0 to 0-1) than Philly while Dallas has sole possession of the cellar at 1-3. And they don't even look that good. White Shoes' World: "You see-- the division is completely set up for the Eagles to win... you take their loss to Washington away, and they have a better record than the Redskins!"
Tracking the Triumvirate now a solo showcase-- the release of wide receiver Devin Thomas means the 2008 draft second round trifecta is now merely tight end Fred Davis... who failed to catch a pass for the second straight week (his running total for the year is 3 receptions for 73 yards)-- he did notch a tackle on special teams, though.
Second Half Shakeup-- for the first time all season, the Skins outscored the opposition after intermission... and outgained the Packers 302 yards to 179 after halftime. Complete reversal of the first four weeks where they were outscored 54-13 after the break.
Donovan and Distance-- Mr. McNabb threw for 357 yards, 225 after halftime. What's nice to see is how the team is stretching the field with long throws... something that wasn't done at all last year. Whereas Jason Campbell may have been efficient in defeat, Donovan McNabb is effective in victory.
Zach Attack, and PA problems-- Two changes behind the scenes recently deserve mention: this summer the team fired Director of Media Relations Zach Bolno. I don't know what the situation was, but I'm sorry to see him go-- Zach was a class act and it's a shame an NFL team decided to change it's media relations guy so close to the regular season when finding a similar gig is unlikely. There's also been a change in the press box PA announcer-- but the person manning the mic now isn't the one they originally hired. As I understand, the Redskins waited until the new announcer showed up at Fed Ex Field on opening day and told her they didn't know she worked for a competing radio station... and said they would go in a different direction. I don't know all of the particulars, but these are just two instances where the public perception of the franchise suffers.
Band-aid on the Run-- With Clinton Portis on the shelf with an injured groin, the ground game managed just 51 yards on 21 carries... an average of 2.4 per carry. Ryan Torain did catch four passes out of the backfield, though.
Double L helps deliver the W-- Laron Landry's interception set up the game-winning kick. The safety also notched 13 tackles and forced a fumble. Credit Defensive Coordinator Jim Haslett with recognizing Landry's a better fit at the strong safety spot instead of the free safety position he languished in last year.
Dissecting the division-- the Skins 2-0 division record means they own the tiebreaker with Philadelphia and the New York Giants among the NFC East's three 3-2 teams. The Giants have the better division record (0-0 to 0-1) than Philly while Dallas has sole possession of the cellar at 1-3. And they don't even look that good. White Shoes' World: "You see-- the division is completely set up for the Eagles to win... you take their loss to Washington away, and they have a better record than the Redskins!"
Tracking the Triumvirate now a solo showcase-- the release of wide receiver Devin Thomas means the 2008 draft second round trifecta is now merely tight end Fred Davis... who failed to catch a pass for the second straight week (his running total for the year is 3 receptions for 73 yards)-- he did notch a tackle on special teams, though.
Third Down and Out-- Okay, so 5 of 17 isn't that much of an improvement on the Skins' season-long struggles moving the chains, but the defense held Green Bay to just 2 of 13 on third down. And don't forget the Skins then held strong on a fourth and goal from the one in the first half that changed the game's momentum.
Seventh Heaven-- Chris Cooley and Santana Moss each caught 7 passes against the Packers... the duo's tally of 52 combined catches is over 50% of Donovan McNabb's completion total-- let's just say #5's found his go-to guys. MossCooley's contributions have allowed Anthony Armstrong a chance to shine, though-- the newcomer caught a 48 yard strike from McNabb in the fourth quarter to turn a plodding ten point loss into anybody's game.
Whaddaya Gano?-- less than a month after missing two late field goals against Houston, and less than a game after missing a field goal against the Packers, Graham Gano kicked a 33 yarder to give the Skins a three point victory. He also made attempts of 25 and 47 yards... and puts the "we have to get rid of this kicker" conversation off the table for one more week. Enjoy the rollercoaster, folks.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
College Football Corner-- Superconference to the rescue...
Last second touchdowns. Top ranked teams tumbling. Fake field goals in the fourth quarter. Just another Saturday in college football's best conference, the SEC. The last four national championships have been won by a school from the Southeastern Conference (last school to crash the party? Texas in 2005). Watch the CBS HD. Listen to Verne Lundquist spin a southern tale. Enjoy petty rivalries between men and institutions that hate each other (LSU-Nick Saban, Houston Nutt- Arkansas). Deal with dueling nicknames (Mississippi State-Georgia a battle of the Bulldogs, LSU-Auburn a Tiger-Tiger tale). All the rest of college football is background noise.
Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse continued its march towards a Big East Championship with a 13-9 win over South Florida. Much was made about how this was the Orange's "first ever win over the Bulls"-- they didn't even play until 2005 (when Greg Robinson was lobotomizing the program). I'll go out on a limb and say if they played in the 90's, 80's or 70's... SU would have at least one win against USF. Next up--Pitt this Saturday in an old-school Eastern Independent clash.
Virginia fell at Georgia Tech 33-21...as the Cavaliers rebuilding mode takes over their previous Cinderella perspective. Cavalier Congrats-- scoring 21 points against former coach Al Groh's defense (he's the Defensive Coordinator in Atlanta)... holding the Yellowjackets to -1 yard return yards is nice, and Keith Payne reversed his downward trend by tallying 56 yards and two touchdowns. The defense notched an interception as well as a fumble recovery. Cavalier Concerns-- allowing 477 yards rushing...7 penalties... 3 for 12 on third down. Wait until next year. Next up-- Saturday against North Carolina.
Virginia Tech allowed another first quarter touchdown to Central Michigan but bounced back to rip the Chippewas 45-21. Frank Beamer's team despite a disastrous early September is poised to make its annual run towards the ACC Championship game. Hokie Highlights-- the running game rambled for 230 yards on 28 carries... over 8 yards a carry. Tyrod Taylor gained over 100 yards on the ground and through the air... and BEAMER BALL! returns in force as Jayron Hosely returns a punt 80 yards for a touchdown. Hokie Humblings-- another slow start as the D allows a touchdown the first time CMU had the football... and 0 for 8 on third down won't help you in ACC play. Next up-- Saturday against Wake Forest.
Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse continued its march towards a Big East Championship with a 13-9 win over South Florida. Much was made about how this was the Orange's "first ever win over the Bulls"-- they didn't even play until 2005 (when Greg Robinson was lobotomizing the program). I'll go out on a limb and say if they played in the 90's, 80's or 70's... SU would have at least one win against USF. Next up--Pitt this Saturday in an old-school Eastern Independent clash.
Virginia fell at Georgia Tech 33-21...as the Cavaliers rebuilding mode takes over their previous Cinderella perspective. Cavalier Congrats-- scoring 21 points against former coach Al Groh's defense (he's the Defensive Coordinator in Atlanta)... holding the Yellowjackets to -1 yard return yards is nice, and Keith Payne reversed his downward trend by tallying 56 yards and two touchdowns. The defense notched an interception as well as a fumble recovery. Cavalier Concerns-- allowing 477 yards rushing...7 penalties... 3 for 12 on third down. Wait until next year. Next up-- Saturday against North Carolina.
Virginia Tech allowed another first quarter touchdown to Central Michigan but bounced back to rip the Chippewas 45-21. Frank Beamer's team despite a disastrous early September is poised to make its annual run towards the ACC Championship game. Hokie Highlights-- the running game rambled for 230 yards on 28 carries... over 8 yards a carry. Tyrod Taylor gained over 100 yards on the ground and through the air... and BEAMER BALL! returns in force as Jayron Hosely returns a punt 80 yards for a touchdown. Hokie Humblings-- another slow start as the D allows a touchdown the first time CMU had the football... and 0 for 8 on third down won't help you in ACC play. Next up-- Saturday against Wake Forest.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
College Football Corner-- Every Night, all the time...
"We'd play at 3:15am if they told us to."-- Oregon coach Chip Kelly.
It may come to that one of these days. The end of baseball's regular season means there's room for alternate programming on weeknights... which means Tuesday and Wednesday night football. Now I have grown to appreciate the Thursday night game, although recently it appears as though all Jesse Palmer and Craig James do is argue over whose teeth is whiter. But midweek games in a sport that owns the weekends? Really? Middle Tennessee against Alabama-Birmingham? That's why I was thankful for 50+ games in the first place per weekend-- so I could avoid the Sun Belt showcases. Oklahoma State playing on a Friday? I'm sorry, but this is the Big Twelve! It aint intramurals... and isn't Cowboys coach Mike Gundy a man? In his 40's? Go after him! I'd even be okay with Thursday and Friday night primetime games because the academic week is largely complete-- and you can't say that a Tuesday or Wednesday night prime time college football game isn't a tiny bit disruptive to student athletes and students in general.
Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse begins Big East play with a trip to Tampa Bay to take on South Florida. Now most of us know that Tampa Bay is most definitely not in the southern part of the state; unfortunately all of the other directional names were taken when it was USF's turn. Another big day is expected at Sign of the Whale; while one of my fellow alums (we'll call him "McLovin") is bemoaning the Metro weekend schedules you can believe there will be wings and an SU victory on the menu.
Maryland is idle this week-- and it couldn't come at a better time. Coach Ralph Friedgen's bunch is banged up and needs the week off to heal. After the off weekend they play 2-2 Clemson, 2-2 Boston College and 2-3 Wake Forest. There's a chance for something special here. As an aside, check out Patrick Stevens' D1scourse.com for a very insightful look at how injuries have affected the team over the last few seasons.
Virginia visits Georgia Tech in a major swing game for both schools-- we know the Cavaliers aren't in the class of Florida State or USC, but can they compete with the rank and file of the ACC? The Yellowjackets were expected to be the class of the conference this fall but have stumbled to Kansas and NC State-- and can ill afford another league loss while they're chasing Virginia Tech. A disturbing trend for UVa: after rushing for 114 yards against Richmond to open the season, Keith Payne's production has declined each week. Cavaliers come up short, 24-16.
Virginia Tech tangles with Central Michigan in what would be a virtual bye week were it not for three letters...J-M-U. While the Chippewas are unbeaten against schools from Virginia this year (33-0 opening weekend win over Hampton), they've looked bad in each successive game with the exception of a 52-14 thrashing of winless Eastern Michigan (no longer the Hurons, they've been the Eagles for some time). Hopefully Frank Beamer's bunch will come out and play a solid first quarter; they've been outscored 41-14 in that period this season. Hokies rally after allowing two first quarter scores, 37-10.
Navy slips at Wake Forest, Georgetown wins over Wagner, Howard falls at Furman, James Madison bounces back with a W against Towson.
Last week: 5-2. Overall: 21-7.
It may come to that one of these days. The end of baseball's regular season means there's room for alternate programming on weeknights... which means Tuesday and Wednesday night football. Now I have grown to appreciate the Thursday night game, although recently it appears as though all Jesse Palmer and Craig James do is argue over whose teeth is whiter. But midweek games in a sport that owns the weekends? Really? Middle Tennessee against Alabama-Birmingham? That's why I was thankful for 50+ games in the first place per weekend-- so I could avoid the Sun Belt showcases. Oklahoma State playing on a Friday? I'm sorry, but this is the Big Twelve! It aint intramurals... and isn't Cowboys coach Mike Gundy a man? In his 40's? Go after him! I'd even be okay with Thursday and Friday night primetime games because the academic week is largely complete-- and you can't say that a Tuesday or Wednesday night prime time college football game isn't a tiny bit disruptive to student athletes and students in general.
Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse begins Big East play with a trip to Tampa Bay to take on South Florida. Now most of us know that Tampa Bay is most definitely not in the southern part of the state; unfortunately all of the other directional names were taken when it was USF's turn. Another big day is expected at Sign of the Whale; while one of my fellow alums (we'll call him "McLovin") is bemoaning the Metro weekend schedules you can believe there will be wings and an SU victory on the menu.
Maryland is idle this week-- and it couldn't come at a better time. Coach Ralph Friedgen's bunch is banged up and needs the week off to heal. After the off weekend they play 2-2 Clemson, 2-2 Boston College and 2-3 Wake Forest. There's a chance for something special here. As an aside, check out Patrick Stevens' D1scourse.com for a very insightful look at how injuries have affected the team over the last few seasons.
Virginia visits Georgia Tech in a major swing game for both schools-- we know the Cavaliers aren't in the class of Florida State or USC, but can they compete with the rank and file of the ACC? The Yellowjackets were expected to be the class of the conference this fall but have stumbled to Kansas and NC State-- and can ill afford another league loss while they're chasing Virginia Tech. A disturbing trend for UVa: after rushing for 114 yards against Richmond to open the season, Keith Payne's production has declined each week. Cavaliers come up short, 24-16.
Virginia Tech tangles with Central Michigan in what would be a virtual bye week were it not for three letters...J-M-U. While the Chippewas are unbeaten against schools from Virginia this year (33-0 opening weekend win over Hampton), they've looked bad in each successive game with the exception of a 52-14 thrashing of winless Eastern Michigan (no longer the Hurons, they've been the Eagles for some time). Hopefully Frank Beamer's bunch will come out and play a solid first quarter; they've been outscored 41-14 in that period this season. Hokies rally after allowing two first quarter scores, 37-10.
Navy slips at Wake Forest, Georgetown wins over Wagner, Howard falls at Furman, James Madison bounces back with a W against Towson.
Last week: 5-2. Overall: 21-7.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Redskins Rehash-- a different reality...
Whenever the Redskins play the Eagles, I enter a two week journey into an alternate reality of one of my best friends. Known by the wonderful nickname "White Shoes", the ultimate Eagles Apologist spews a ridiculous amount of half-truths and suppositions upon suppositions...: "We were the far superior team-- the only thing the Cardinals had was more touchdowns"... "who cares if we lost two of our linebackers to injury-- our backups are ten times better!"... and "I respect the Jonas Brothers". I can't wait to hear how the Eagles "virtually won" this game even though the NFL doesn't count "virtual wins" as of 2010. For those living in reality, the Redskins held off a late Eagle rally to triumph 17-12 in Donovan McNabb's return to his old stomping grounds. And the Jonas Brothers still suck.
Dissecting the Division-- the Skins win catapults the club to first place in the NFC East... at 2-2 their 2-0 division record beats out the New York Giants (0-0) and Philadelphia (0-1). Idle Dallas (1-2) spends a week licking its early season wins. White Shoes World: "Don't you see? We have the rest of the division right where we want them!"
What's a Haynesworth?-- the 100 million dollar man posted his biggest day of the season... notching 4 tackles and helping set his teammates up for success. As far as we know he participated in every sideline meeting and didn't hold his gamecheck at his house for more than a few days before depositing. White Shoes World: "He's going to blow up that team-- can't you see Haynesworth's not a fit for the 3-4? The Eagles should send him an NFC East Division Champ T-shirt out of gratitude!"
Third Down and Out-- although 5 for 11 isn't too good... the Skins did a much better job of moving the chains than they did last week (1 for 10 against the Rams)-- and held the Eagles to 5 of 14 on third down. White Shoes World: "third down is so overrated... there's no correlation to moving the chains or getting one's defense off the field compared to how good your team actually is. Plus, David Bowie's untalented."
Tracking the Triumvirate-- Fred Davis had a drop that would have resulted in a first down... and Devin Thomas had a 24 yard kickoff return. I guess that means once again Malcolm Kelly had the best week of the lost second round of 2008. White Shoes World: "Yet another reason why the Eagles basically won that game-- our 2008 receiver pick DeSean Jackson caught three passes and even had a two yard carry! We draft so much better than you guys."
Can't spell D without DeAngelo-- games are 60 minutes (or more) with 140 plus plays... but DeAngelo Hall can be credited with a direct hand in both Skins wins. Hall's returned fumble for a touchdown was the team's only touchdown in the victory over the Cowboys and his interception in the end zone won the game against the Eagles. It's nice to have a playmaker on defense. White Shoes World: "So basically the Redskins are 0-4 if you don't include those two plays... meanwhile the Eagles are 2-0 when Vick plays a full 60 minutes... you really can't count either loss as a loss so thus we're 4-0 and on the way to the Super Bowl! I hope the Jonas Brothers play halftime."
Donovan and Distance-- Mr. McNabb completed 8 of 19 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown... directing the team to touchdowns on their first two positions and points on their first three drives. Although his second half numbers weren't impressive, #5 was able to make clutch plays with his feet. White Shoes World: "Don't you see? He went 2-for-11 with a pick in the second half! If you throw out the first three drives, they couldn't do anything against my Eagles!"
Dissecting the Division-- the Skins win catapults the club to first place in the NFC East... at 2-2 their 2-0 division record beats out the New York Giants (0-0) and Philadelphia (0-1). Idle Dallas (1-2) spends a week licking its early season wins. White Shoes World: "Don't you see? We have the rest of the division right where we want them!"
What's a Haynesworth?-- the 100 million dollar man posted his biggest day of the season... notching 4 tackles and helping set his teammates up for success. As far as we know he participated in every sideline meeting and didn't hold his gamecheck at his house for more than a few days before depositing. White Shoes World: "He's going to blow up that team-- can't you see Haynesworth's not a fit for the 3-4? The Eagles should send him an NFC East Division Champ T-shirt out of gratitude!"
Third Down and Out-- although 5 for 11 isn't too good... the Skins did a much better job of moving the chains than they did last week (1 for 10 against the Rams)-- and held the Eagles to 5 of 14 on third down. White Shoes World: "third down is so overrated... there's no correlation to moving the chains or getting one's defense off the field compared to how good your team actually is. Plus, David Bowie's untalented."
Tracking the Triumvirate-- Fred Davis had a drop that would have resulted in a first down... and Devin Thomas had a 24 yard kickoff return. I guess that means once again Malcolm Kelly had the best week of the lost second round of 2008. White Shoes World: "Yet another reason why the Eagles basically won that game-- our 2008 receiver pick DeSean Jackson caught three passes and even had a two yard carry! We draft so much better than you guys."
Can't spell D without DeAngelo-- games are 60 minutes (or more) with 140 plus plays... but DeAngelo Hall can be credited with a direct hand in both Skins wins. Hall's returned fumble for a touchdown was the team's only touchdown in the victory over the Cowboys and his interception in the end zone won the game against the Eagles. It's nice to have a playmaker on defense. White Shoes World: "So basically the Redskins are 0-4 if you don't include those two plays... meanwhile the Eagles are 2-0 when Vick plays a full 60 minutes... you really can't count either loss as a loss so thus we're 4-0 and on the way to the Super Bowl! I hope the Jonas Brothers play halftime."
Monday, October 4, 2010
College Football Corner-- Division Delusions...
The start of conference play used to mean the beginning of round-robins (or near-round robins for the Big Ten, Pac Ten and SEC) where everybody played everyone as a precursor to the HUGE November games (Oklahoma-Nebraska, Ohio State-Michigan, Texas-Texas A&M, USC-UCLA) that more often than not decided who would play where January 1st. The Superconference Era ushered in the 90's brought Divisional alignments into the fray; and while some leagues do it right others are lost.
The SEC's East and West make sense (each division has two non-competers, Vandy-Ky and Miss-Miss St) as does the Big XII North and South (although things will change with Colorado and Nebraska departing). Meanwhile, the ACC does divisions a disservice. While "Atlantic" and "Coastal" are cute names (if they expanded further I'd assume they'd title a third division "Conference").
I'm all about geography-- and one should divvy up the schools north and south. Clemson, Georgia Tech, Miami and Florida State should all be division rivals--as should Maryland, Virginia and Virginia Tech. Throw Boston College, North Carolina and Duke into the north while placing NC State and Wake Forest in the south (the Wolfpack-Clemson rivalry is the ACC's best kept secret)... and you have a functioning league. I hope the Big Ten will do the same smart thing and place Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Purdue and Indiana in the east while having Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Northwestern, Illinois and Wisconsin in the west.
Virginia Tech rallied from 17 points down on the road to reassert itself as the team to beat in the ACC... outscoring North Carolina State 41-30. The win also means there are no more unbeaten schools in the conference--I'm not saying there should be a national title contender every year from this league, but it's nice to dream. Hokie Highlights-- a running game that churned out 317 yards... special teams opened the second half with a 96 yard kickoff return for a touchdown (BEAMER BALL!)... Tyrod Taylor threw three touchdown passes and split his 12 completions among 8 receivers... Jayron Hosley notched three interceptions: the first set up the first VT touchdown, the second was in the endzone right before halftime and the third set up the game-clinching score. Hokie Humblings-- the sluggish starts continue, regardless of the opponent as the Hokies fell behind early...4 of 12 on third down... and a missed extra point? Next up-- Saturday against Central Michigan.
The SEC's East and West make sense (each division has two non-competers, Vandy-Ky and Miss-Miss St) as does the Big XII North and South (although things will change with Colorado and Nebraska departing). Meanwhile, the ACC does divisions a disservice. While "Atlantic" and "Coastal" are cute names (if they expanded further I'd assume they'd title a third division "Conference").
I'm all about geography-- and one should divvy up the schools north and south. Clemson, Georgia Tech, Miami and Florida State should all be division rivals--as should Maryland, Virginia and Virginia Tech. Throw Boston College, North Carolina and Duke into the north while placing NC State and Wake Forest in the south (the Wolfpack-Clemson rivalry is the ACC's best kept secret)... and you have a functioning league. I hope the Big Ten will do the same smart thing and place Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Purdue and Indiana in the east while having Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Northwestern, Illinois and Wisconsin in the west.
Maryland enters its bye week with twice the wins they had in 2009--thanks to a gritty come from behind 21-16 win over Duke. Coach Ralph Friedgen said this was exactly the kind of game that they would have lost last year. Terrapin Triumphs-- no turnovers again... and one huge interception by Antwine Perez in the end zone that set up the team's first TD of the night. He doesn't make the pick- Duke goes up 12-0 and the Terps maybe never catch fire. Tony Logan added an 84 yard touchdown to his punt return resume and Da'Rell Scott turned a swing pass into a 71 yard score... add a 44 yard catch by Torrey Smith and one can see explosive plays as a huge part of the Maryland Menu this fall. Terrapin Troubles-- the team converted just 4 of 14 third downs... 7 penalties doesn't help things, especially multiple false starts. Next up-- October 16th at Clemson.
Virginia put the Chardonnay and Brie away quickly as the Cavaliers were roasted by Florida State 34-14. Much was made about this fall being the 15th anniversary of UVa's incredible upset of the Seminoles--it's amazing how far both schools have fallen in the last five years. Cavalier Congrats-- Kris Burd notched 118 yards receiving... including a 76 yard TD pass. Jimmy Howell averaged 43 yards per punt. The Sauvignon Blanc served at Kippy and Buffy's tailgate was rather crisp. Cavalier Catastrophes-- 25 yards rushing. 9 penalties. 3 for 13 on third down while allowing the Seminoles to move the chains at will (10 for 16). Next up-- Saturday at Georgia Tech.
Virginia Tech rallied from 17 points down on the road to reassert itself as the team to beat in the ACC... outscoring North Carolina State 41-30. The win also means there are no more unbeaten schools in the conference--I'm not saying there should be a national title contender every year from this league, but it's nice to dream. Hokie Highlights-- a running game that churned out 317 yards... special teams opened the second half with a 96 yard kickoff return for a touchdown (BEAMER BALL!)... Tyrod Taylor threw three touchdown passes and split his 12 completions among 8 receivers... Jayron Hosley notched three interceptions: the first set up the first VT touchdown, the second was in the endzone right before halftime and the third set up the game-clinching score. Hokie Humblings-- the sluggish starts continue, regardless of the opponent as the Hokies fell behind early...4 of 12 on third down... and a missed extra point? Next up-- Saturday against Central Michigan.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Presto's Picks-- Moving Month with Multiple Mirages...
I've gone on record saying that while September is traditionally "Show Me Month" in College Football, October is "Moving Month"-- teams get in position for their November closing runs on bowl bids or conference/national titles. Well this September has shown me a lot-- in fact a little too much. While we've established ceilings and floors for just about everybody in Division I...the over and under scheduling delays the delineation of the middle of the pack. Just how good or bad are these teams? Case in point being Clemson. The Tigers beat North Texas yet fell at #10 Auburn... one could think of 105 Division I schools who would do the same thing. Be ready for a confounding and wide-open first full month of conference play.
Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse has the weekend off after a strenuous September that included wins over Akron, Maine and Colgate...and a 21 point loss at Washington. So no road wins or home losses leaves the Orange a mystery at the moment-- with the road to redemption heading to Tampa next weekend for the team's Big East opener with South Florida. Fire up the wings and save me a seat.
Maryland vs Duke-- Not the same feel on the gridiron that one gets for hoops. The Terps have had more than their share of problems on third down... ranking last in the league in moving the chains and getting off the field. Duke's defense has allowed 44.5 points a game-- but only 39 a contest when you take out the loss to #1 Alabama. The Blue Devils run out of the "Pistol Formation" and lead the ACC in passing yardage. Expect plenty of pistols and points... with the Terps triumphing 37-31.
Virginia faces Florida State-- two first year coaches with massively different expectations... while Jimbo Fisher is charged with returning the Seminoles to past glories (a run like none other in college football), Mike London is building with hopes of reaching six wins and a bowl. The Seminoles, with the exception of getting crushed at #8 Oklahoma, have looked very good this fall. Somehow the brie and chardonnay will go state against a much better team. Cavaliers crumble, 38-14.
Virginia Tech vs #23 North Carolina State-- hard to believe it's the Wolfpack standing as the last unbeaten in the ACC. Or is it? Tom O'Brien is a fine coach whose recruiting pool is much greater than when he led Boston College... and NC State has been a solid if not spectacular football school over the years. But this is Blacksburg. And it's time for Beamerball (please? just one block or return?)--I think. Time to re-assert oneself against the upstarts. Hokies triumph, 20-16.
Elsewhere--Navy grounds Air Force, Howard tops Lincoln, Georgetown over Colgate while
James Madison defeats Delaware.
Last Week: 5-0. Overall: 16-5.
Alma Mater Update-- Syracuse has the weekend off after a strenuous September that included wins over Akron, Maine and Colgate...and a 21 point loss at Washington. So no road wins or home losses leaves the Orange a mystery at the moment-- with the road to redemption heading to Tampa next weekend for the team's Big East opener with South Florida. Fire up the wings and save me a seat.
Maryland vs Duke-- Not the same feel on the gridiron that one gets for hoops. The Terps have had more than their share of problems on third down... ranking last in the league in moving the chains and getting off the field. Duke's defense has allowed 44.5 points a game-- but only 39 a contest when you take out the loss to #1 Alabama. The Blue Devils run out of the "Pistol Formation" and lead the ACC in passing yardage. Expect plenty of pistols and points... with the Terps triumphing 37-31.
Virginia faces Florida State-- two first year coaches with massively different expectations... while Jimbo Fisher is charged with returning the Seminoles to past glories (a run like none other in college football), Mike London is building with hopes of reaching six wins and a bowl. The Seminoles, with the exception of getting crushed at #8 Oklahoma, have looked very good this fall. Somehow the brie and chardonnay will go state against a much better team. Cavaliers crumble, 38-14.
Virginia Tech vs #23 North Carolina State-- hard to believe it's the Wolfpack standing as the last unbeaten in the ACC. Or is it? Tom O'Brien is a fine coach whose recruiting pool is much greater than when he led Boston College... and NC State has been a solid if not spectacular football school over the years. But this is Blacksburg. And it's time for Beamerball (please? just one block or return?)--I think. Time to re-assert oneself against the upstarts. Hokies triumph, 20-16.
Elsewhere--Navy grounds Air Force, Howard tops Lincoln, Georgetown over Colgate while
James Madison defeats Delaware.
Last Week: 5-0. Overall: 16-5.
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