College Football Week 1

Jacksonville State Cheerleader

The College Football season started off with a few surprises, a highly anticipated game and pretty much status quo. The biggest surprise was to our friend on the side. Football Championship Division school, Jacksonville State went on the road to Oxford, Mississippi and defeated the SEC school in overtime. Ole Miss started Oregon transfer Jeremiah Masoli and perhaps karma caught up the Rebels...The Big East had a poor showing over the weekend. Pittsburgh lost at Utah in OT, UConn -who many felt could pull the road upset - had a poor showing at Michigan, Cincinnati lost on the road at Fresno State, and Louisville lost to Kentucky. Perhaps the best showing by the conference was by Syracuse who won at Akron....Two traditional powers meet this weekend as Michigan travels to Notre Dame. Hard to predict the winner here, but also try determining who had the "better" win a week ago. Was it Michigan's victory at home over UConn or Notre Dame defeating in-state rival, Purdue at South Bend? I'm not sure Notre Dame will be able to stop the mobile Denard Robinson at quarterback. But the intangibles will be the home field advantage of Notre Dame. Michigan has some momentum, but will it last if they get down early?.....The Pac 10 had a strong outing in the first week. Oregon more than dominated at home over New Mexico, Arizona went on the road and defeated a sound Toledo team, and USC had issues on defense, but they continued to look strong at Hawaii. They also sprinkled in their share of lower division teams, but the Pac 10 may be one of the more successful conferences in the nation in 2010....Be prepared to hear often of the coaching battle taking place this Saturday in Norman, Oklahoma. Head Sooner Coach, Bob Stoops will face his younger brother, the Defensive Coordinator of Flordia State, Mark Stoops. 

College Football Week 4

While many top 20 teams continue to fall, the ladies of Alabama support the Crimson Tide as they continue to stay in the top 5. Alabama has proven to be worthy of their ranking. However Florida and Texas are my two teams that may find themselves being knocked off in the within the next three weeks. Florida must play at LSU in two weeks while Texas takes on Oklahoma in the Red River ShootOut in three weeks.

Talk in the press box following the Hawkeye upset of Penn State focused on ABC's decision to carry the Iowa - Michigan game on the 10th. Other options for the prime time game that week include Baylor at Oklahoma as well as Florida at LSU. However CBS has the first option for the SEC showdown, and if they pass, the broadcast would move to ESPN as ABC cannot show an SEC game in prime time. If that game does appear on cable the broadcast team of Musberger and Herbstreit will be live in Baton Rouge. However a matchup of undefeateds in Iowa City would be tough for ABC to pass up.

A score that went with little notice over the weekend had Idaho beating Northern Illinois in Dekalb. This is the same NIU team which upset Purdue the week before and pushed Wisconsin to the final minute. Idaho moves to 3-1 in the WAC and makes a statement for the improved football competition in the non-BCS conference. A potential key match-up comes in the second to last game of the season when the Vandals travel to Boise to take on the top 10 Broncos.

Sittin in the Principal's Office

On the last day of March, I thought it was time to bring back one of our more popular posts, "Sittin' in the Principal's Office." For a background on the meaning of this, go to our first post with this title. Otherwise, off we go...

I am now one who uses Twitter (www.twitter.com/mengelbert). I signed up to have a better understanding of the popular social networks. I have yet to sign up for Facebook, and this blog is my only other attempt. Twitter does have a place in the social network world. It started out by asking people, "What are you doing?" Those who I have begun to follow have used it to promote ideas and projects they are working on as well as to keep fans informed on how they are living their lives. As much fun as I've had following the life of Al Roker, why should I care that he had 3 1/2 hours of sleep after returning from covering the floods of North Dakota. And Bob Costas telling me that he is disappointed in Alex Rodriguez' use of steroids isn't front page news. But what Twitter and many of these other on-line forms of communication--email included--does take the place of is interpersonal communication. The days of one on one, face to face interaction is being replaced by those who coward behind a keyboard. (Look for the NCAA to make rules regarding Twitter.)

Oklahoma women's basketball center Courtney Paris stated that if she doesn't win the national championship she will pay back her scholarship. The intention is nice, but as long as she earns her degree and represents her University well, she has done everything that should be asked for in returns for a college education. She's made the final four, so drop this story. Let her play basketball and compete hard every minute she is in the game. That is enough for me.

March came in like a Lamb and is going out like a Lion.

Hawkeyes Host NCAA 1st and 2nd Rounds

For the first time in over ten years, Carver Hawkeye Arena played host to the 1st and 2nd round games of the Women's NCAA BB tournament. Number 1 seed of the Oklahoma City Regional, Oklahoma played 16 seed Prairie View A&M in the first game and number 8 seed host Iowa played 9 seed Georgia Tech in the second. Oklahoma overcame a sluggish start to advance, but the Hawkeyes could not build off the momentum of the nearly 6,000 fans encouraging the Hawkeyes. Iowa was downed 76-62. Oklahoma and Georgia Tech move on to play Tuesday night at 8:30 on ESPN2.

March Madness

With the clocks shifted to allow more daylight, Colin has decided to take advantage of it by practicing his jump shot in the driveway. He did acknowledge that he and Daddy were on the same team, Drake, and we were taking on Michigan. Of course we won and tomorrow we will take on Illinois as well as Tubby's Team.

However there is someone in Long Beach, California who doesn't believe Title IX should include one sport.

And other financial issues have hit the state of Michigan.

Finally, the last two days have shown outstanding

basketball. The NCAA Tournament is remembered for its last-second shots and heroic play, but I hope it can match the excitement the last two days have brought. Syracuse and UConn played to six OTs, then the Orange turned around after last night for another OT win against West Virginia. Kansas falls to the #9 seed, Baylor and then Baylor defeats Texas tonight to advance to the Big 12 Champsionship game. Oklahoma is defeated by Oklahoma State with controversy to end the game. The final 2.3 seconds did not start giving the Sooners two opportunities to win-each missed.

College Football Week 14

The Big Ten may have 11, but it's not as screwed up as the Big 12--I'm looking for some one's take on the Big 12 South. What did Texas do to lose the right to play for the championship? Their only loss is at Lubbock on a last second play to Texas Tech. The Red Raiders are also tied for the league lead, but lost badly at Norman. Oklahoma's one loss is to Texas, by ten points on a neutral field. The argument for the BCS is that the regular season is the playoff. Then Texas beat Oklahoma and the Longhorns should be on their way to play for Missouri and beat them for a second time this year. Sure, I'd rather see Oklahoma play for the conference and national title, but Texas has earned the right more than the Sooners.

Georgia drops the ball--Not only have the Bulldogs underachieved against the top teams of the conference, and now state, but the Georgia Radio Network may have had the biggest disappointment of the day. On a day that found in-state rival Georgia Tech win for the first time in seven years over the Bulldogs, but it was disappointing to hear (or not hear) the in-game ceremony for former Georgia radio announcer of 43 years, Larry Munson. At the end of the first quarter Munson was brought to the field to be honored with a video tribute in front of the sell-out crowd. However for those of us listening to the network that so many had enjoyed his calls, we were treated to the usual three minutes of commercials. What made Munson famous were his calls on the radio, and for the network that he worked for not to listen in and sell-out to advertisers was uncalled for.

Big Ten, not Penn State thanks Oregon--Oregon's win in the Civil War over in-state rival Oregon State will most likely send the Southern California Trojans to play in the Rose Bowl for the fourth consecutive year. Had the Beavers won, they would've received the invite to play Penn State and USC had gone to another BCS bowl game. Penn State would've been heavily favored over Oregon State in a re-match the Nittany Lions won by 31 in week 2. But it will be a home game for the Trojans and look for another USC win over the Big Ten in the Rose Bowl.

Faster, Stronger, Bigger Ducks--Did anyone else think it was a men versus boys match-up between Oregon and Oregon State. The Ducks were faster, stronger and bigger than the conference leading Beavers. Oregon State looked more like the team we've seen over the last five years than the team that beat Southern Cal.

Bowl Predictions--My bowl predictions with one week to go. Look for the Big Ten to lock their teams in this week.

Rose Bowl--Penn State v USC
Fiesta Bowl--Ohio State v Texas
Capital One Bowl--Iowa v Georgia
Outback Bowl--Michigan State v South Carolina
Alamo Bowl--Northwestern v Missouri
Champs Sports Bowl--Minnesota v North Carolina
Insight Bowl--Wisconsin v Kansas

The Capital One is very interested in bringing the Hawkeyes back to Orlando. The match-up with Georgia would showcase two of the best running backs in college football. Shonn Greene of Iowa and Knowshon Moreno of Georgia. The Outback is another possibility for the Hawkeyes and look for LSU to be the opponent if Iowa lands here. South Carolina also has a large fan following, but it wouldn't be necessary if Iowa is invited to Tampa. LSU has a bigger name and will be a good draw for ESPN.

Finally, I'm watching the Bears and the Vikings while writing this up. It sure is nice to see the retro uniforms of Minnesota. Except for them playing indoors, these unis are reminiscent of the Bud Grant, Purple People Eaters era of the 70s and 80s. Or where have you gone Tommy Kramer?

Wrong Type of Bedlam

Saturday when Oklahoma State hosts in-state rival Oklahoma in the Bedlam Series, less than a capacity crowd may be on hand at Boone Pickens Stadium. In what is becomming a disturbingly popular trend, fans looking to attend the Cowboy's home game must purchase season tickets.

A year ago Iowa State and its Athletic Director, Jamie Pollard was the first to mandate access to the in-state rivalry game with Iowa was by season ticket access. 49,516 were in Jack Trice Stadium that day to witness one of the biggest upsets in the series history. The Cyclones connected on five field goals, one with :05 in regulation to upset the heavily favored Hawkeyes. The crowd was short of capacity by less than a thousand, but with standing room, the attendance could've approached 54,000. A reliable source said regarding the game, tickets were made available secretively as the Cyclones did not sell 49,000 season tickets.


This Saturday projected attendance at Stillwater is 39,000 based on season ticket sales, leaving 15,000 empty seats. Unless OU fans want to spend $292 for season tickets for this one game, there should be less than a capacity crowd. However we know there won't be many empty seats for this game. As was the case with Iowa State in 2007, there are ways to distribute tickets to fans of the home team as well as distributing the tickets to brokers who can make the money needed for the University.


The reason for this move is based on financial issues. Iowa State and Oklahoma State cannot succeed in the Big 12, a conference which is not based on revune sharing from their television contracts, without selling out most of their home games. They demand, from their fan base that if they want to be a fan, there is a financial responsibility that goes along with it. And if the fans demand success, they must ante up their level of support.


While I understand and will defend the athletic directors for this unprecedented move, let's not forget who is responsible for letting athletic department budgets escalate. Athletic directors and university presidents have signed off on the sky-rocketing salaries that coaches are being paid today. This "arms race" is out of control and the university brass need to control their spending. Fans demand winning athletic teams and they don't care at what cost. But coaches will still coach as long as their salaries are competitive. Theoretically if Nick Saban is the highest paid coach at $300,000, then other coaches will demand like amounts. But once the athletic directors and presidents began to pay coaches millions of dollars a year, as well as bonuses for bowl games, graduation rates, etc. (which isn't this in their job description?) the financial responsibility rests back on the fan to support the program.


Don't blame the fans for inappropriate spending of university funds, blame university presidents.

Sittin' in the Principal's Office

Alright, not the best shots, but you are looking at Kinnick Stadium on the Thursday prior to the #3 Penn State Nittany Lion's Saturday arrival. Musco Lighting was busy preparing its lights for the national television broadcast.
It doesn't seem long ago that Musco first lit up Kinnick Stadium, but it was over 23 years ago they were brought in for the Michigan - Iowa game. That day (October 19, 1985) the #1 Hawkeyes faced the #2 Wolverines. Today, a game of that magnitude would attract a national prime time audience with ESPN's GameDay. However that wasn't the case then. The game began at 2:30 with CBS showing the game to a split-national audience. Auburn and Georgia Tech was the other game. But one thing hasn't changed, Brent Musberger called that game as he still calls the most prolific games today. However Brad Nessler, Bob Griese, Paul McGuire and Stacey Dales will call the game for ABC Saturday.

Tim Tebow for Heisman
I'm not sure he deserves it this year. There are many other good candidates. Colt McCoy (Texas), Sam Bradford (Oklahoma), Graham Harrell (Texas Tech) are on most voter's lists, and for good reason. Each have led their teams to remarkable seasons, but the returning Heisman winner has received little attention and may not win it again this year. However this article http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/31/sports/ncaafootball/31florida.html?_r=3&pagewanted=2&ref=sports&oref=slogin brings to light the life of a college quarterback. Being a video coordinator, there are few who realize how important video is to a football coaching staff and team members. Tebow here shows the commitment needed to excel at the highest level.

Thanks for Playing
Five openings have occurred in Division I (FBS) College Football. The latest is Ron Prince at Kansas State. I don't have first-hand knowledge of what led to his dismissal, but it is extremely difficult to understand how someone could lose thier position after 2 1/2 years on the job. A new coach's first year is to understand his personnel and recruit players to fit his system Typically the coach takes over with a late jump in the recruiting process. In the coach's second year, the system begins to take place, but often they are doing it with young inexperienced student-athletes. In year three, positive signs should take place, however the coach still doesn't have many experienced players that he recruited. Prince made a commitment to the players and their families to be there until they completed their time at Kansas State. However the athletic director decided it was time to move in a different direction.
I don't feel it is right for any coach to leave for a better job after the same amount of time on the job, but it is worse for the University to rid themselves of a coach after the same period of time. I don't know all the circumstances, but how long will this AD give the next coach to succeed?

Obama for Playoff?
On the eve of the '08 Election, Barack O'Bama explained to ESPN's Chris Berman that he would like to see a college football playoff in college football. The next day prominent coaches like Bob Stoops and Pete Carroll came out in support of a play-off system. Let's forget about John McCain's plea for eliminating substance performing drugs. We wouldn't want to talk about something that isn't good for the body, rather center our focus on a seemingly trivial play-off system.
What i propose is the following. Start the season a week earlier and ensure it is over the Saturday prior to T'Giving. Thanksgiving weekend is Conference Champion Saturday. Each conference will play their title game or determine the champion in their pre-determined way. After those games, seed the conference champions into a 8-team play-off to begin play the first Saturday of December. The following Saturday would be the semi-finals with the title game played the Saturday after January 1. Those teams that don't qualify for the play-offs would then be sent to their conference designated bowl game. This would allow fans and staffs to adequately prepare travel arrangements. If the season were to end today your playoff would look like the following:
#1 Alabama vs #8 Boise State
#4 USC vs #5 West Virginia
#3 Penn State vs #6 Georgia Tech
#2 Texas Tech vs #7 Utah
The conference season remains important. You must win your conference to advance to the field of 8. Many notable top ten teams are absent. Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, are among the list. However now it is important to win every conference game, no matter when it occurs.