Happy New Year!

All of us here at Kanan Sports wish you and yours a happy and prosperous 2011!

College Football Predictions - Bowl Season

Pro Football Predictions - Week 17

-Kanan

College Football is a Privilege, Not a Right

Let me summarize the coverage and ‘analysis’ of the Ohio State scandal: “I am absolutely outraged that the NCAA is not suspending these players for the Sugar Bowl, this shows the NCAA is only about money!  And by the way, why shouldn’t these players be able to receive some kind of compensation, the universities are obviously making money off of them!” 

Mark May even went as far as to suggest that in a dictionary they should add ‘(NCAA)’ next to their entry for hypocrisy.  Might I humbly suggest adding ‘(ESPN)’ as well?  Nah, there’s nothing hypocritical about spending so much energy condemning the BCS, which they also spend so much time and money trying to sell us, that’s just business, and there’s nothing wrong with business… unless you’re the NCAA.

I actually wrote about why we shouldn’t pay college athletes, I encourage you to read it as it is one of my better thought out entries (as opposed to this crap).  Obviously these players violated the letter of the law and should not play in the Sugar Bowl, but where the fuck was this outrage with Cam Newton?  That blew over pretty quickly.  In fact the running joke throughout ESPN’s programming was ‘they should’ve said their dad did it,’ well I’m glad we can joke about that now.

What actually upsets me is this painting of college athletes as victims who need to resort to breaking the rules to ‘help their families.’  Did Terrelle Pryor’s mom really need a tattoo for her son?  These cookie-cutter analysts insist there should be a way for players to be compensated, arguing at the unfairness of Ohio State receiving royalties from selling player likenesses.  They couldn’t be more wrong!

Playing College Football is a privilege, not a right.  If players don’t feel a full scholarship is fair compensation for their services, then don’t fucking play.  It is the National Football League that requires players to be two and a half years out of High School to be eligible to play, not the NCAA.  If players don’t find that fair, maybe they can sue the NFL, it worked wonders for Maurice Clarett.

College Football Predictions – Bowl Season

Pro Football Predictions – Week 16

-Kanan

The Five Stages of Grief

The Kübler-Ross model, commonly known as the five stages of grief, was first introduced by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in her 1969 book, On Death and Dying.  Applying this model to the College Football coaching carousel we get:

1. Denial – "There’s no way Will Muschamp would ever leave Texas, it’s just a rumor."
2. Anger – "I HATE YOU, WILL MUSCHAMP, I HOPE YOU AND YOUR PRECIOUS GATORS LOSE EVERY FUCKING GAME!"
3. Bargaining – "Okay, we got a lot of money, we’ll make Will Muschamp a good offer and Mack Brown will agree to step down after next season."
4. Depression – "I'm so sad, why bother with anything?  Football is dead to me!”
5. Acceptance – "Oh well, guess this is what it’s like to be a Notre Dame fan..."

If you haven't yet, join my College Football Bowl Pick 'Em league on Yahoo, its fun and free, no password required! http://y.ahoo.it/F8ddHadi

College Football Predictions – Bowl Season

Pro Football Predictions – Week 15

-Kanan

The Greatest Rose Bowl That Never Was

Seems like even the staunchest BCS bashers are okay with the Auburn and Oregon National Championship Game. Part of me is disappointed that the pro-TCU ranting wasn’t anywhere nearly as loud as the pro-Boise State was prior to their loss to Nevada. I think that is because deep down, pundits know TCU recruits better athletes, has a championship history, and has “sold-out” to the BCS by agreeing to join the Big East.

But I digress. There should be outrage about the BCS this year, and it’s not being written about because it is a non-AQ doing the screwing. You see all the bitching and moaning about the BCS made an impact on the BCS team selection guidelines. The revision came in 2009 and it makes the Rose Bowl automatically select a qualified non-AQ team if the Rose Bowl loses a team to the National Championship Game. That is how we ended up with TCU playing Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl.

That clause that sent TCU to Pasadena just happened to rob us of a traditional Pac-10/Big Ten Rose Bowl, which this season would have matched Stanford and Wisconsin, the 2 most exciting teams in College Football not named Auburn or Oregon. Not that TCU and Wisconsin isn’t a good matchup, but considering TCU showed defensive vulnerability late in the season against San Diego State, the Badgers may run all over the Horned Frogs. 

Which matchup would you rather see? Vote on the poll on the right!

It wasn’t just the Rose Bowl that was affected; the TCU selection trickled down to give us unexciting matchups in the Fiesta Bowl (oklahoma vs UConn) and the Orange Bowl (Virginia Tech vs Stanford). Under the old provision we would have likely ended up with the following matchups: Rose Bowl – Stanford vs Wisconsin, Fiesta Bowl – oklahoma vs TCU, and Orange Bowl – Virginia Tech vs UConn, the Sugar Bowl and National Championship Game remaining the same. All of which would have been more evenly matched!

Oh well, all we can do now is sit back and enjoy the bowls. And to enjoy the Bowl Season even more, I invite you to join the Kanan Sports Bowl Pick ‘Em game. To join simply go to http://y.ahoo.it/F8ddHadi and sign up with your Yahoo account, no password is necessary.

Pro Football Predictions - Week 14

UFC 124 Predictions

-Kanan

Confession: Good for the Soul, Better for Eligibility

I don’t like the NCAA’s ruling Cam Newton eligible after finding that his father did try to get payment for Cam to go play at Mississippi State, I’m certainly not in the minority in this opinion.  The idea that Cam isn’t guilty because he didn’t know and wasn’t involved in his father’s scheming opens a dangerous precedent, and comparisons to the Reggie Bush situation are inevitable.

Maybe, just maybe, Newton deserves a lighter penalty than Bush for the simple reason that the Newtons collaborated with the investigation.  I don’t buy for an instant that Cam didn’t know what his father was doing, but for what it’s worth, he didn’t vehemently deny any wrongdoing the way Bush did.  Reinstating eligibility was the plea bargain for the confession.  Personally I just miss the days when rich white families adopted talented underprivileged kids and steered them to their university.

I think South Carolina is going to win the SEC Championship game, but I’m having trouble telling if it simply is what I wish will happen.

The news that the USA didn’t get awarded the 2022 World Cup surprised me more than it should have.  We’ve spent 16 years kinda, sorta, but not really caring about soccer and it really shouldn’t surprise us that soccer kinda, sorta, doesn’t really like us. 

Soccer’s popularity is slowly and steadily increasing in this country, and as demographics shift, who knows what could happen, but in the next 12 years I don’t see the sport gaining level of cultural relevance that puts it anywhere beyond 4^th best after football, basketball, and baseball.

Also, check out the stadiums that Qatar is building!

College Football Predictions – Week 14

Pro Football Predictions – Week 13

-Kanan

Understanding Ohio St President Gordon Gee

“If you think otherwise, then stop reading. You’re too naive to save.”

Can somebody please tell me how Dan Wetzel’s convoluted article about how Ohio State President Gordon Gee’s comments regarding Boise State and TCU not deserving to play for the National Championship ends?  I stopped reading right where he told me to stop, and not a moment too soon as his argument is about as confusing as he claims the BCS to be.

Not really, the man just assumes entirely too much.  Let’s forget about his assumption that he is right and if you disagree, well he just doesn’t want to hear from you, and look at what Mr. Gee said. 

Gordon Gee points out, from his experience having been a president at both a Big Ten and an SEC school, that those teams have to go through a gauntlet (slight exaggeration, but okay) and that every week they play very fine schools.  He further states his belief that if you don’t play a comparable schedule, then you don’t deserve a spot in the National Championship game.  He does make the very offensive mistake of calling Boise and TCU’s opponents Little Sisters of the Poor, which I just found out doesn’t even have a football team.

Dan Wetzel interprets this as: “Gee clearly has no idea what he is arguing about, or for, let alone how the BCS formula works, why it exists or how a playoff could actually operate.”  Bold stuff!  “Gee may think he’s arguing for the BCS, but he’s actually arguing against it.”  Really? Tell us more Captain Extrapolation!

See you can go from “I disagree” to “You’re stupid and you don’t know what you’re talking about,” but that’s a pretty shitty thing to do if you are over the age of 18.  Nowhere in Mr. Gee’s statements can we really gauge his grasp on the BCS or its formula. 

To me his statements are not much different than when Nick Saban said on National TV (minute 2:45 on) that, and I’m paraphrasing, it is not about the quality of team that Boise and TCU have, but consideration has to be given to the difficulty of what others have to go through to get to a 12-0 record.  Or as Dan Wetzel would put it: Nick Saban has no idea what he is arguing about, or for, let alone how the BCS formula works, why it exists or how a playoff could actually operate.

Wetzel actually gets to something that sort of resembles a point at around the 17^th paragraph when he says that the reason Gee is actually arguing against the BCS is because the system would, and could be about to, let a 12-0 WAC (or MWC) team play for its National Championship game, which is exactly what Gee is against.  BUT THEN WHAT IS THE BCS OUTRAGE ALL ABOUT?!

If the BCS system is capable of allowing teams like Boise or TCU to play for the National Championship then it is not systematically excluding any team.  The system is designed to make it difficult for them to get there, but that is a fair compensation for playing weaker schedules.  Yay, I got to my point in the 9^th paragraph!!!!  But I won’t ask you to stop reading, even if you disagree with me, because I got more to say.

The actual outrage should, of course, come from undefeated teams that are left out of the National Championship game.  This outrage, however, cannot come from any undefeated team.  Nick Saban is correct in saying that consideration should be given to teams whose path to 12-0 is inherently difficult (read: teams from AQ conferences and Notre Dame).  A playoff system is unfair in that it rewards teams for having weak schedules, not only by making it easier to go undefeated, but by keeping those players in better physical condition by the end of the season.  The only team that can be legitimately outraged is the 2004 Auburn Tigers.

Wetzel believes that money is the reason a playoff system hasn’t been implemented; he believes that wealthy bowl organizers want to continue to profit handsomely, even at the expense of the schools.  He’s right, but who is being naïve now?  Money just so happens to be the reason for EVERYTHING! 

Blaming something on the power brokers behind the scenes is just a very cheap way to gain support for your argument.  Hey, that Kanan guy is only writing this because he makes money if people click on ads on his blog!  Oh wait, so does Wetzel, only he makes more, so he’s the evil one!

Yes, bowl organizers are making a lot of money, and I will agree that requiring schools to purchase seats at face value is egregious, but the fact is that the bowl system has not always been the cash cow it now is.  Indeed College Football history is littered with failed bowls.  To think that a playoff system will be by its very nature a fair one where nobody profits more than anybody else, is, well, naïve.

College Football Predictions - Week 13

Pro Football Predictions - Week 12

-Kanan

Why a College Football Playoff is Unfair

Using a playoff system to crown the College Football National Championship would be just as unfair as critics of the current BCS system accuse it of being.  The cover story in last week's Sports Illustrated looked to expose the money trail leading to those so-called power brokers who are blocking the implementation of a playoff.  The article echoed the popular belief that the BCS system is unfair because it allows for the possibility of an undefeated team to be excluded from playing for the National Championship.  A proposed playoff system in which teams from all conferences, not just the major AQ ones, can compete for the National Championship rewards teams playing  the least challenging schedule at the expense of those facing a more competitive field.

Critics of the BCS, like the authors of the article, argue that the importance of regular season games in the current system should mean that every team's wins should be valued equally.  That means that in the scenario where Oregon, Auburn, Boise St., and TCU all go undefeated, not allowing all four teams to play for the National Championship is unfair.  Because football is a violent sport that takes a gruelling toll on the body of players, those that are given the most opportunities to rest and avoid contact will have an advantage over those who don't. 

During last week's game between Boise State and Idaho many of Boise's starters were no longer playing by the beginning of the 4th quarter, for a team like the Broncos this has been the rule not the exception.  Boise gains two very big, and very overlooked, advantages: they rest players and they provide valuable experience to back-up players.  Compare that to Auburn's situation: while the Tigers have the opportunity to rest players during a few non-conference games, they also play the bulk of their schedule against SEC opponents, widely accepted to be the toughest, most physical teams in College Football.  Is it fair that a fresh and rested, comparatively speaking, Boise State be given the opportunity to eliminate a bruised Auburn squad en route to the championship game?

Despite the immense talent inequalities found throughout College Football, it is reasonable to believe that the top 30 or so teams are capable of winning one game against a higher ranked opponent.  Given that parity it is unfair that teams can keep their players in peak physical condition throughout the season due to lack of competitiveness.

College Football Predictions - Week 12

Pro Football Predictions - Week 11

-Kanan

How the Heisman was Lost

Cam Newton will not be this season’s Heisman Trophy winner.  It may seem hard to believe given that he is widely considered to be the frontrunner for College Football’s most prestigious award.  Unfortunately for Newton, he must overcome two very difficult obstacles to win the Heisman: he must carry Auburn to an undefeated season, and more importantly, he must be acquitted in the court of public opinion of all wrongdoings during his recruitment from Junior College.

Despite being ranked in both pre-season polls (#22 AP, #23 Coaches) there is no denying that Auburn has been the surprise team of the season, few outside the plains thought they would rise to the verge of a National Championship bid.  There is also little doubt that Cam Newton is responsible for Auburn’s success this year, he means more to his team than any other one player means to his team, the very definition of Most Valuable Player. 

Newton is currently projected well ahead of Boise State’s Kellen Moore and Oregon’s LaMichael James, both of whom are merely considered to be the best players on otherwise still very good teams, in the Heisman race.  Moore, and James to a certain extent, have something Newton doesn’t, and that is victories over their best regular season opponents.  Even though Auburn boasts victories over very good Arkansas and South Carolina teams, their biggest game remains the season-ending Iron Bowl in Tuscaloosa.  With today’s prisoner-of-the-moment sports media, it is almost impossible for a player to lose late in the season and still get the votes needed to win the Heisman.  It is not impossible for Auburn to go through the season undefeated, but their most difficult test looms, and off the field distractions will make Auburn’s remaining games significantly more difficult.

Undefeated or not, Newton’s biggest obstacle in the Heisman race will be the allegation that his father sought payment from Mississippi State to get him to commit to the Bulldogs.  Unfortunately the right of ‘Innocent Until Proven Guilty’ is not one that Cam Newton will benefit from, not just because of the recent Reggie Bush incident, but just as importantly because of his own actions.  Newton’s arrest and criminal charges for possession of a stolen laptop while at Florida hurt his personal character.  Allegations of academic cheating during his time as a Gator don’t help either.  Whether it is fair or not, Newton’s previous troubles will make Heisman voters, and the public at large, hesitant to believe Newton’s innocence in any wrongdoings. 

During the 11/11/10 episode of College Football Live on ESPN, the host mentioned that 80% of Heisman voters in the company still plan to vote for Newton.  John Tamanaha of NBC Sports argues that rumors should be left off the Heisman equation when considering Newton.  Both are very noble sentiments, and the right thing to say, however when it comes to player eligibility, a requirement to win the Heisman, allegations and rumors are extremely relevant and deserve consideration, especially when the NCAA and even the FBI have launched investigations.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the Heisman Trust refuses to accept votes for Newton to avoid a future Bush-like embarrassment.

It is a shame because in terms of on-field performance Cam Newton is the best Heisman candidate.  Kellen Moore will likely win the Heisman.  Moore’s Broncos are all but guaranteed another undefeated season, however TCU is next-in-line should Auburn or Oregon lose.  Boise State will likely not be invited to play for the National Championship and the sports media will give the Heisman to Moore as consolation.  In the case they do end up playing for the National Championship, the sports media will blitz them with awards, including a Heisman Trophy for Moore.  LaMichael James, for all his amazing talent, will continue to be perceived as a cog in the very powerful machine that is Oregon’s offense.  Fortunately for James nothing cures a Heisman snub like a National Championship.

College Football Predictions - Week 11

Pro Football Predictions - Week 10

NBA Predictions - Week 4 (Lines Not Available)

Boxing Prediction

-Kanan

How Strong is the SEC?

I don’t think Boise State deserves to play in the National Championship game, and frankly I’m not too comfortable with the idea of TCU doing so, though I prefer them over Boise.  This is the fight I’ve been preparing for since the pre-season rankings were released, and now consensus in the sports media (led by ESPN) is that a WAC or MWC schedule has nothing to do with whether a team deserves to play for the Championship.  Arguing that the quality of a College Football team is not dependent on the quality of it’s conference is not only wrong, but it also contradicts the idea that SEC teams merit special considerations because of their schedule.

For years now there seems to be only one thing that College Football analysts and commentators unanimously agree on: the Southeastern Conference is hands down the premier conference in College Football.  That belief went as far as to vault a 2-loss LSU team from #7 to #2 and into the BCS Title Game after winning the SEC Championship against an unranked Tennessee team.  As of right now there are three SEC teams in the Top 10, however the likelihood of an undefeated team coming out of the SEC is slim; only Auburn remains unbeaten with a trip to Alabama still on their schedule. 

If the SEC is indeed the best conference then it follows that a win versus an SEC opponent carries more significance than a win versus a WAC or MWC team. The idea of equality is nice, but not all wins are created equal, and that is what fuels rankings, both human and computer.  Yet the sports media insists on measuring teams based on the 'eyeball' test!  

I don’t believe the SEC is the best conference this season, my pick is the Pac-10, but it is a toss-up for second best conference between the Big Ten and SEC.  An SEC win should remain more valuable than than a WAC win.

Saying that a team like Boise State deserves to play for the National Championship regardless of their schedule, after years of insisting on the idea of the SEC’s superiority, makes about as much sense as “Keep Your Government Hands Off My Medicare!”

College Football Predictions – Week 10

Pro Football Predictions – Week 9

NBA Predictions – Week 3 (Lines Not Available)

Boxing

-Kanan

What is Ailing the Longhorns?

With the Longhorns third loss of the season, and second at home to a double digit unranked opponent, things are looking pretty bleak in Austin this year.  The problem is pretty obvious: the offense isn’t scoring any points, and root cause is Greg Davis’s system, or lack thereof. 

Given that Texas routinely recruits some of the top talent in the state, rebuilding years should still be fairly successful, and they are, many programs would kill for a 3-loss season.  Texas recruits great players, but great players aren’t always the right players.  The trend, however, has been to recruit the best player available and mold the offense around their talent, and that is a symptom of not having a system guiding recruiting needs.

Cedric Golden wrote on Statesman.com that the Longhorns should return to what they do best: the spread.  I agree.  The problem is that the success of the Texas spread offense was predicated by very (in Young’s case extremely) athletic quarterbacks, and as of right now, Garret Gilbert is not that kind of QB.  He is tremendously talented, and in time he could develop into a great spread QB, but right now he seems like Chris Simms 2.0.  Meanwhile, Darron Thomas, a less touted recruit from Houston, is near-flawlessly running a high octane spread in Oregon, he would have been a great candidate to run a Texas spread system, if Texas was committed to an offensive system.

Greg Davis appears to have no system in place and because of that Texas cannot recruit players that fit into an established offensive scheme.  Texas ran the spread quite successfully from late 2004 through 2009, so that can be considered a ‘system,’ but it is easy to forget that early in Vince Young’s career he was forced into the same run-first pro-style offense ran by Applewhite, Simms, and Mock before moving to the zone-read spread.  To their credit, Texas did aggressively recruit Ryan Perrilloux, a great fit to continue running the Young’s offense, but seemingly gave up pursing that kind of player once he chose LSU over Texas.

Putting more emphasis on the running game is actually a great idea, but the right players were not in place this season, that is why a return to the spread is needed to salvage this season.  Even if Gilbert is not an ideal spread QB, the Texas running backs have the necessary speed.  Ironically enough, Texas’s top incoming recruit, Malcolm Brown, looks to be the stud running back needed this year.

It is the inconsistency that is the most frustrating!  I know Davis isn’t going anywhere as long as Mack Brown is coaching, so I won’t call for his firing.  Unfortunately, as long as there is no established scheme on offense Texas will continue to go through frustrating transition seasons while the offense adapts itself to its talent.  Call me crazy, but I think it should work the other way around.

College Football Predictions – Week 9

Pro Football Predictions – Week 8

NBA Predictions – Week 2

-Kanan

College Football Mid-Season Review

I am the only Texas fan I know who wasn’t outraged at the release of the initial BCS standings, which placed oklahoma at #1.  It is a gut reaction, of course, you never want to see your rival succeed and be ahead of you.  The reason I wasn’t surprised was because I’ve seen this movie before, in fact, the sooners have been ranked #1 in the BCS more weeks than any other school, yet they have only won one National Championship in four tries.  The story goes like this: ou beats Texas in the Red River Shootout, Texas then goes on to finish the season in stellar fashion, boosting the sooners’ rankings, so weirdly enough ou being ranked #1 is a compliment to Texas.

The other reason I’m not upset about oklahoma being ranked #1 is this: Have you seen the Oregon Ducks lately?  Oregon simply looks better than any team in College Football, period.  The Ducks are not just doing it on offense, they are also playing very good defense, and while Stanford is their only ‘major win,’ they still have to face very good teams in Arizona and USC, as well as Oregon State, who pollsters insist is a top team.  Even an undefeated oklahoma will have trouble holding rank over an undefeated Oregon.

Boise State is quickly becoming a victim of their weak schedule, at least in the poll that matters.  The press is going to have a heck of a time justifying ranking a 1-loss Nevada team just so the Broncos have another ranked victory, but they will nonetheless try.

Why is Boise State ranked ahead of TCU?  Right, because they beat them last year, but this is a new season and TCU has played better teams in the Mountain West.  That will change if they beat Utah, who isn’t getting any press love because they sold out and are moving on to the Pac 12.  It’s no surprise TCU is considering a move to the Big East, which makes about as much geographic sense as them being in the Mountain West.  My guess is, if the Big 12 survives, they’ll join the Big 12, but my guess is also that the Big 12 has about 3 more years of life.

I still very much believe Michigan is on the right track and will upset Ohio State this year.  Even in their losses their offense has been amazing, people calling for Rich Rod’s job clearly aren’t remembering what his West Virginia teams were about.  The Big Ten is surprisingly deep this year, but the way Iowa is playing, they will run the table.

Auburn is the biggest surprise in the SEC, well maybe second biggest after what’s happened to the Gators.  Cam Newton is a tremendously talented player, unfortunately, it often seems like he’s the Tigers’ only offensive weapon, his Heisman stock hinges on him being able to keep Auburn undefeated.  Alabama is still the best team in that conference, it will come down to the Iron Bowl to determine the champion.  Thankfully the computers will vault a 1-loss Bama team over Boise, TCU, or Utah.

The ACC and Big East remain nationally irrelevant, which isn’t very surprising.  Florida State looks good one week and lousy the next, but they’re still on track to reclaim the ACC, and boost ou’s ranking while at it.

College Football Predictions – Week 8

• #7 Michigan State -6 at Northwestern – Spartans could be caught looking ahead to Iowa next week, but I doubt it.
• #4 Auburn -6 over #6 LSU – Auburn has proven a tough place to play, and LSU is a team that should have 2 losses.
• #15 Iowa -6 over #13 Wisconsin – The Badgers played great against the Ohio State, but I expect them to be hung over and lose big to Iowa.
• Texas Tech -3 at Colorado – I expect the Red Raiders to give a nice farewell gift to Colorado and win big.
• #11 Missouri +3 over #1 oklahoma – ou’s defense, despite their shutout of Iowa State, isn’t great, I expect Mizzou’s balanced offense to give them trouble.
• #16 Nebraska -6 at #14 Oklahoma State – Nebraska’s defense will contain the Cowboys, and Martinez will bounce back and have a big game.
• Miami -6.5 over North Carolina – UNC’s off field issues will finally catch up to them and the ‘Canes will win big.
• Georgia -4 over Kentucky – The Wildcats beat South Carolina, but Georgia is much improved with AJ Green back, they should cruise on this one.
• Notre Dame -7 at Navy – The Irish are not losing again this season, Navy is not as good as it has been the past couple of years.
• Penn State -9.5 at Minnesota – Minnesota just fired their coach, that usually leads to a big loss.

Pro Football Predictions – Week 7

• Steelers -3 over Dolphins – Pittsburgh is just too good.
• 49ers -3 over Panthers – San Francisco finally got their win, and Carolina will have to wait for theirs.
• Seahawks -6 over Cardinals – Seattle looks better than expected and plays much better at home.
• Bears -3 over Redskins – Cutler will be back in form and Chicago will begin winning again.
• Cowboys -3.5 over Giants – Desperate times call for desperate measures.

UFC 121 Prediction

• Brock Lesnar over Cain Velasquez – He may have survived Carwin, but he will dominate Velasquez.

NBA Predictions – Week 1 (lines not available)

• 10/26 Miami over Boston – No way the Heat start with a loss.
• 10/26 Portland over Phoenix – Trailblazers will be in rare, full health mode, and the Suns begin life after Stoudemire.
• 10/27 Dallas over Charlotte – Homer pick
• 10/27 Denver over Utah – I’m not expecting much out of the Jazz without Boozer.
• 10/28 Orlando over Washington – The Magic will keep up with the Heat until their first matchup… the next day.
• 10/29 Dallas over Memphis – Dirk’s first 40 point game of the season, bank on it!

-Kanan

Why We Shouldn't Pay College Athletes

One of the biggest stories in sports this week was a Sports Illustrated article in which former football agent Josh Luchs revealed in detail how he paid many College Football players while they were still in school.  After the Reggie Bush scandal, it was widely assumed that this practice was prevalent and Bush had simply gotten caught, the article, with its list of names and corroborated stories, validated that assumption.  As a fan I’m hoping the spotlight on this problem will lead to more vigilance and tighter enforcement of the rules from schools, conferences, and the NCAA.

One popular “solution” to this problem is that schools should pay College Football players, especially since they make money from them.  This doesn’t just undermine the spirit that college athletes are amateurs playing for the love of the game; it more importantly undervalues a college education.  The plight of the student athlete is one I’ll never have the fortune of knowing first hand, but it isn’t difficult to see that the needs of athletes on scholarship are met well beyond paying for tuition. 

Scholarship athletes are exactly that, on scholarship, the cost of a player’s education is in fact the payment that they receive in exchange for their efforts on the playing field.  It is difficult to measure the value of a college degree, but my starting salary out of college was higher than the sum cost of my four year education.  I was fortunate, of course, but the value of your education is what you make it to be, and paying players would simply confirm to them that they are at the school to play, not to learn.  Some athletes have what it takes to go pro and make millions, and you can see them treat academics lightly, but consider last year’s Heisman runner up Toby Gerhart, he earned a degree in management sciences and engineering, from STANFORD!  Toby was also drafted by the Minnesota Vikings and is just waiting for Adrian Peterson’s overdue injury to become a featured running back.

Nobody will argue that balancing academics with athletic obligations is easy, these are two draining commitments and players are not above being overwhelmed.  Those who argue for paying players point out that it is ridiculous to expect student athletes to add a job on top of their commitments, and it is, but the resources available to scholarship athletes are not limited to paying tuition.  Consider the importance of nutrition for athletes, their meals are obviously provided by their programs.  Housing is not an issue, books are covered, and athletes don’t exactly have trouble finding dates, the college essentials are provided.

Some athletes, and I don’t want to get into a socioeconomic discussion, do come from low income families and do bear a financial burden.  This important need is not covered by their scholarships, and it is the key argument for paying players.  There is no straightforward answer to money problems, but I believe there are ways to obtain short-term relief without breaking the rules and jeopardizing your school: student loans are an option, offseason part-time employment is another, or simply capitalizing on your athletic gifts as soon as professional leagues will allow.  The high profile cases, Reggie Bush and those mentioned in the SI article, don’t seem to be need based cases, but rather players looking to maintain a celebrity lifestyle.

I believe hard work in the classroom or on the field, but preferably both, will eventually pay itself off with a lucrative career on or off the field, but preferably both.

College Football Predictions – Week 7

• Illinois +7.5 at #11 Michigan St – The Illini were very impressive last week, and I have a feeling Sparty is still hungover from last week’s big win.
• Pittsburgh +1 at Syracuse – Pitt has some tough losses, but they still have the talent that had them ranked earlier in the season.
• North Carolina State -7.5 at East Carolina – The Wolfpack looks pretty impressive, this is an opportunity to become bowl eligible.
• #14 Iowa -3.5 at #24 Michigan – Iowa is back to form from their tough loss at Arizona, their defense is good enough to contain Robinson.
• #13 Arkansas +3.5 at #7 Auburn – This will be a close game so I’m taking the points.
• UTEP +2.5 at UAB – Oddsmakers don’t have a lot of faith in the Miners outside of the Sun Bowl, but I still think they’re on a mission to win Conference USA now that Houston is out of contention.
• #12 South Carolina -5 at Kentucky – No hangover here, the Gamecocks already experienced a tough loss on the road, they’ll be ready.
• #22 Florida -7.5 over Miss St – I just don’t think Urban Meyer will lose 3 in a row and back-to-back at home.
• Baylor -1.5 at Colorado – The Bears lost a tough one last week, but Colorado doesn’t have the firepower that Texas Tech does.
• #1 Ohio State -4 at #16 Wisconsin – I’m sure the Buckeyes won’t let themselves be ambushed like Alabama.
• Notre Dame -24 over Western Michigan – The Irish are actually pretty darn good, their offense is looking forward to finally putting up some points.
• USC -2 over Cal – I like the Trojans to win in a shootout.
• Miami -19.5 at Duke – Perfect bounce-back game for the ‘Canes!
• #17 Florida State -21.5 over Boston College – BC has had a rough season so far, and the Seminoles will be looking to win big.
• #18 OK State +3 at Texas Tech – The home team has won the last 8 meetings between these two, time to break that streak.

Pro Football Predictions – Week 6

• Texans -4.5 over Chiefs – Houston lost big last week and this is actually a must win for them.
• Bears -7 over Seahawks – Jay Cutler will be back and the Seahawks are no good on the road.
• Saints -4.5 at Bucs – Bounce back game for New Orleans.
• Broncos +3 over Jets – Gut pick, Denver is very good at home.
• Titans -3 at Jaguars – VY on MNF FTW!!!!

-Kanan

The Timely Return of His Airness

Legendary Washington Wizards guard Michael Jordan is finally a playable character in a video game, and not a second too late!  I was never a big fan of MJ, to the surprise of no one, but I can appreciate finally being able to play him in this year’s NBA 2K11 because I never could.  Growing up the NBA was second to none, but Basketball games lacked all of the league’s personality by not featuring Jordan (Of course I just wanted the chance to beat MJ).  The lack of a game to extend the fan’s brand engagement, like Madden with Football and FIFA with “Football,” surely played a part in the NBA’s popularity decline.  It’s hard to believe that Jordan is still a relevant figure in a sport whose culture notoriously skews young, and yet he’s still the ultimate ‘get.’ 

I found it amusing how EA (and I like EA) is scrambling to compete against the 2K series, it delayed the release of its game NBA Elite 11 and its now trying to revive NBA Jam.  A few years back EA took 2K out of the Football game business by signing an exclusivity deal with the NFL, and while NBA games will never be the cash cow that Madden is, Karma is still kind of a bitch.  I give this game a solid ‘alright.’

My college picks last week also get a solid ‘alright,’ I went 8 for 13 for 62% picking against the spread, but only went 33.33% picking the pros.  Alabama has been a good team for a while now, but I did not expect them to destroy Florida like they did last week, they’re truly a scary team.  Fortunately my National Championship pick, Oregon, is an equally scary team, any of you AP clowns still want to see Boise State play for the National Title?  I didn’t think so.

College Football Predictions – Week 6

• Baylor +1.5 at Texas Tech – A couple of years ago Baylor came oh so close to upsetting the Red Raiders and sending Texas to the Big XII title game, like most of my wishes this one’s also a few years late.
• #1 Alabama -7.5 at #20 South Carolina – The Gamecocks’ strength is the running game, something Alabama doesn’t have any problems with.
• #18 Stanford -10 over USC – Last week showed that the Trojans have clearly checked out of this season early, Stanford wins big at home to prove they’re still one of the elite teams in the nation.
• #13 Arkansas -6 over texas a&m – I wonder how the crowd will split at Dallas Cowboys stadium, traditionally a sooner stronghold. Hogs are done licking their wounds and are dedicating the rest of their season to gaining a BCS at large.
• #17 Michigan -4.5 over #16 Michigan State – Finally, a spread the Michigan defense can cover!  Robinson is going to run all over the Spartans.
• #12 Florida -6 over #9 LSU – I don’t think the Gators can make enough mistakes for the Tigers to steal another win.
• #25 Northwestern -9 over Purdue – The Wildcats like to keep games close, but without Marve I think a 10 point win over Purdue is doable.
• #8 Auburn -6.5 at Kentucky – Cam Newton is a great athlete, and enough to beat Kentucky by at least a touchdown.
• Iowa State +6 over #10 Utah – Anybody else get the impression that Utah isn’t getting all the Boise and TCU hype because they ‘sold out’ and are moving to the Pac 12?  It’s okay, they’re losing this one anyway.
• #3 Oregon -36.6 at Washington State – Screw it, make it 48!

Pro Football Predictions – Week 5

• Colts -7.5 over Chiefs – Indy is at home, sorry KC.
• Falcons -3 at Browns – A suspiciously easy pick, I wonder if it’s a trap….
• Packers -3 at Redskins – Redskins haven’t won back-to-back and I don’t expect them to start now!
• Raiders +6.5 over Chargers – San Diego is about to get McFaddened!
• Saints -7 at Cardinals – A would be trap game if New Orleans weren’t playing so crappy and Arizona had a starting QB.
• Lions -3 over Rams – I doubt Stafford will play, but Ndamukong Suh will be hunting Bradford all day!
• 49ers -3.5 over Eagles – No Michael Vick means trouble against San Francisco’s D!

-Kanan

Getting Over It

A great majority of my friends are Texas Longhorn fans, and a good portion of that are also Houston Texans fans, and their collective reactions, i.e. their facebook posts, reacting to last week’s losses reminded me of an important lesson I’ve learned through my years as a fan: learn to live with your losses.  A loss is supposed to hurt, that is what makes winning feel so great, there is no virtue in the ‘we-lost-but-we-are-still-the-better-team’ attitude. 

That’s not to say I don’t understand, when your team loses you go through a (hopefully) light version of the grief process, and you’re probably the loudest during anger and denial.  Of course, it may be harder to move on because, again hopefully, this is one of the few grief situations where others will actually tease you about your loss and rub it in.

The thing is: head-to-head outcomes are the definitive way of establishing superiority (with the exception of pro teams throwing wins while resting their starters), and it’s easy to forget that because in football, particularly college, we have to rely on indirect measures.  This, by the way, is the most valid argument for a college football system, which I still oppose.  The point being that when UCLA beats Texas, well they’re better and they have tangible proof.  The bigger point is that the Cowboys beat the Texans, so suck it!

Speaking of sucking, last week’s predictions were pretty atrocious!  I got 9 out of 26 picking against the spread in College football, a measly 34% is what I deserve for being greedy and picking so many games.  Pro Football predictions were a little better, 6 of 11 putting me at 54% for the week.

College Football Predictions – Week 5

• BYU -4.5 at Utah State – Utah St started the season promisingly but has lost their last two games pretty easily, the Cougars haven’t looked great this year, but they have faced much tougher opponents.
• #17 Miami -3 at Clemson – Clemson is coming off a tough loss and a bye week, but Miami will be looking to avenge last year’s loss at home, I also like the Canes coming off a long week.
• Baylor -9.5 over Kansas – KU has been unpredictable this season, but this game is more about Baylor trying to prove themselves at home in their Big 12 opener.
• #2 Ohio State -17.5 at Illinois – I think the Buckeyes know they have to get lots of style points whenever they can because the teams below them are also blowing teams out.
• #21 Michigan State +2 over #9 Wisconsin – The Badgers have not looked very good this year, don’t let last week’s blowout win over FCS Austin Peay fool you, the Spartans are at home and extra motivated with Dantonio’s first game back.
• #19 Michigan -10.5 at Indiana – This is a statement game for the Wolverines, that statement being they can win in the Big Ten and they won’t fall off like last year.
• Georgia -5.5 at Colorado – AJ Green is finally eligible to play, Georgia will be playing for their season.
• Florida State -7 at Virginia – Virginia is 2-1, and their two wins have come against FCS schools, FSU by 2 TDs.
• Notre Dame -3 at Boston College – I’d hate to reward losing, but the Irish will be looking to take out their frustrations on the hapless Eagles.
• Tennessee +16.5 at #10 LSU – LSU’s defense is tough, but their offense doesn’t score enough to give that many points, even at home.
• #18 Iowa -7 over #20 Penn State – The Hawkeyes will be looking to show that they are big time Big Ten contenders.
• #7 Florida +8 at #1 Alabama – The Gators defense is fast enough to keep Ingram and Richardson in check, this is gonna be a close game.
• #4 Oregon -7 over #13 Stanford – The Autzen Zoo is gonna rattle Stanford and force a few mistakes that will allow the Ducks to pull away in the 4^th quarter.

Pro Football Predictions – Week 4

• Titans -7 over Broncos – The Titans showed last week that they’re contenders winning big in New York.
• Bengals -3 at Browns – Cincy will finally live up to their offensive potential.
• Seahawks -1.5 at Rams – Seattle sees the NFC West is up for the taking, this is actually a huge game for them.
• Jets -6 at Bills – Buffalo played New England tough at home last week, but the Jets will overwhelm them with their running attack.
• Eagles -6 over Redskins – McNabb doesn’t have the weapons to make a statement against Vickadelphia.
• Giants -4 over Bears – Somehow this is a must win for the Giants.