BCS Predictions

Here are the predictions of who will play in the BCS games this year...my predictions are a little different than what most "experts" have called for...anyone can predict Alabama, Ohio State, Florida, Texas for the national title...I decided to stick my neck on the line...in other words, like Bill Rafftery would say, "ONIONS!!"...

First off, Alabama will not make a BCS...they have only 2 players returning on defense...there is no way a team will win the title, let along make a BCS game with that young of a defense...I know I stated Alabama would go 12-1, but I want to change that to 10-2...

Florida is another team that will not win the BCS title...you don't replace Tim Tebow and players like Joe Haden and Brandon Spikes...same goes with Texas...they lose Jordan Shipley, Colt McCoy and Sergio Kindle...and Ohio State is banking on a quarterback who has played one fabulous game so far...Oregon will not flow with Jeremiah Masoli gone...

Well here is my call:
Fiesta Bowl - Oklahoma vs. Pitt - the Sooners and Panthers win their conferences

Rose Bowl - Stanford vs. Ohio State - Stanford takes the PAC-10 and Ohio State gets an at-large bid

Sugar Bowl - Auburn vs. Nebraska - Auburn shocks everyone and takes the SEC title...Nebraska gets the at-large bid

Orange Bowl - The U vs. Florida - The U wins the ACC and Florida gets an at-large bid

BCS Title Game - Boise State vs. Iowa - this is a game that BCS officials dread...they do not want either team close to this game, but at the end of the season, these two will be the only undefeated teams standing...when it is all done, Boise State shocks the world!!!...

Tennessee: Rocky Top reeling

First Down - The Volunteers are the Michigan of the South...a once dominant program who stuck with their former coach one or two years too long...like Lloyd Carr, Phil Fulmer should have retired a year earlier than he did...Lane Kiffin would have turned this program around if he stayed, but his bolt to USC has left Rocky Top in disarray...Derek Dooley has the bloodlines (his pappy is Vince Dooley) but it will take him at least two years to bring the recruiting to where it once was...

Second Down - Bryce Brown was the USA Today high school player of the year just two years ago...but Brown did nothing in his first year at Tennessee and he is leaving to go play at Kansas State next year...I am just a bit puzzled why Dooley will not let him out of his scholarship...seems like Dooley is being a bit of a hardass with the kid...

Third Down - The Vols schedule is Murderer's Row...they get Oregon at home followed by Florida a week later...then in October, they start a four game stretch where they play at LSU, at Georgia, home to Alabama, and at South Carolina...

Fourth Down - to make matters worse, the Vols two top receivers got hurt in summer practice...

Hail Mary - Remember the days when Jamal Lewis, Peerless Price, and others dotted the Tennessee roster...

Prediction - 6-6...after getting shafted by Kiffin, the Vols players will play hard and win just enough games to make a bowl appearance, something that will not be happening in Los Angeles...

Notre Dame: Another rebuilding year

First Down - The Irish start over again...look for Notre Dame to have an above average season under Brian Kelly, which is good...don't forget, the Irish had great starts during the first season under Ty Willingham and Charlie Weiss...but that was all puff pastry and did not last...Kelly will not have as good of a first season record as the other two coaches, but he will build a better foundation that will last...

Second Down - wide out Michael Floyd and tight end Kyle Rudolph are legitimate weapons...Armando Allen is a solid running back, but the Irish need sophomore running back Cierre Wood to live up to all his high school hype...

Third Down - Notre Dame's defense lacks speed...this was their downfall last season...it will take time to recruit players who can run down opponents...

Fourth Down - Unlike Rich Rodriguez when he took over at Michigan, the Irish quarterback cupboard is not bare...Dayne Crist is a very capable quarterback who can operate the team...

Hail Mary - Can Brian Kelly sing Danny Boy?...

Prediction - 7-5...the Irish will lose a game they shouldn't have and win a game they shouldn't have...Kelly builds his foundation this year...

Pitt: The sleeper team for the BCS?

First Down - Dave Wannstedt has his offense loaded except at one position -- quarterback...Bill Stull has moved on so the reigns go to sophomore Tino Sunseri...Sunseri threw only 17 passes last year...also in the picture could be Pat Bostick or even freshman Mark Myers from Cleveland St. Ignatius...

Second Down - Whomever is the quarterback, they have a stud wide receiver to throw to in Jonathan Baldwin...the 6'5" junior wideout is flat out the best receiver in the nation...he is a playmaker who causes match-up problems for cornerbacks...

Third Down - the sleeper for this year's Heisman Trophy is running back Dion Lewis...sure, the knock on him is that he is only 5'8", but this kid is something special...and with defenses having to also focus on Baldwin, there should be plenty of holes for Lewis...Lewis is also aided by left tackle Jason Pinkston who has NFL potential...

Fourth Down - The defense has a sure fire first round pick in d-end Greg Romeus...the leader on the defense is safety Dom DeCicco...the Panthers allowed 20 points per game last year...

Hail Mary - Will Pitt ever go back to those classic uniforms and helmets from the Tony Dorsett era?...

Prediction - 10-2...Pitt has 2 tough non-conference games when they open at Utah, which could be a problem and at home against The U...the conference title will come down to the game on November 11th at Connecticut...Pitt has the talent but they seem to always stub their toe against a lesser opponent...in the end, they take the Big East...

Iowa: the Hawkeyes rise to the top

First Down - Iowa was so close to a perfect season last year...but those hopes ended when quarterback Ricky Stanzi broke his leg in the 10th game of the season...with Stanzi healthy, the Hawkeyes can run the table...

Second Down - one of the most under-rated big time receivers is Derrell Johnson-Koulianos (photo, right) who hails from Campbell, Ohio...DJK and partner Marvin McNutt can stretch defenses...

Third Down - Iowa has two possible first team All-Americans on defense: safety Tyler Sash and defensive end Adrian Clayborn...Clayborn is a sure fire NFL first rounder next season...

Fourth Down - the schedule breaks favorably for Iowa as they only have four away games...Penn State, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and in-state rival Iowa State all come to Iowa City this year...the only major hurdle comes on September 18th when Iowa plays at Arizona....Wildcats head coach and Iowa graduate Mike Stoops could cost his alma mater a shot at the national title...

Hail Mary - How many offers from the NFL will Kirk Ferentz get after this season?...

Prediction - 12-0 - the Hawkeyes make it to Glendale to play for the title...if Butler can make it to the title game in basketball, why not Iowa in football?...

Alabama: Another solid year

First Down - Let's get right to the point, Alabama will not win the BCS title this year...the Tide will be dang good, but there is no way they can replace three stud defensive players who have moved onto the NFL: Terrence Cody, Rolando McClain, and Javier Arenas...these three players were leaders on the field who made plays when the team needed it most...remember Cody's blocked field goal against Tennessee...the Tide does get Dont'a Hightower back at linebacker after suffering a season ending injury last year...

Second Down - Mark Ingram is a battering ram...he will have an All-American season, but will not win the Heisman...Heisman voters are critical of current winners who can possibly win the award twice...

Third Down - Bama get Florida at home on October 2nd...but the next week they have to travel to South Carolina...be very careful my friend -- this smells of a trap game...

Fourth Down - All the focus will be on Ingram, but the player who may shine brightly this year is sophomore running back Trent Richardson who would be an All-American on any other team...

Hail Mary - It's nice to see Penn State and Alabama playing again...where is former Bama linebacker Barry Krauss who made that memorable goal line stop against Penn State in the 1979 Sugar Bowl to preserve the Tide's 14-7 win and national title...

Prediction - 12-1...South Carolina picks off the Tide...

Ohio State: Will the real Terrelle Pryor please stand up

First Down - Terrelle Pryor had a super game in Ohio State's victory over Oregon in the Rose Bowl...was his Rose Bowl performance the type of play Ohio State fans will see for 13 straight games or will the Pryor from the USC and Purdue games slip in its ugly head?...

Second Down - the combination of Saine and Herron allow Ohio State to keep a fresh back in the game and pound away at defenses...this is the key to Tresselball...

Third Down - Interesting fact - former Wisky coach Barry Alvarez is the only Big Ten coach to beat Tressel in back-to-back years...it is highly doubtful that Purdue's Danny Hope will be joining Alvarez in that feat...

Fourth Down - the key to this season is keeping Pryor healthy...if Pryor gets hurt, Ohio State does not have a proven back-up who can step in...

Hail Mary - Did you ever wonder what color of underwear Tressel wears on game day?...

Prediction - 10-2...Buckeyes have another double digit win season...

Michigan - Rich Rod has to produce

First Down - Rich Rodriguez's future in Ann Arbor is very simple - he has to go either 8-4 or 7-5 and beat Ohio State...time has run out for excuses and stating that he has to get "his type" of players to operate the spread offense...

Second Down - pundits may think Michigan has no chance at beating Ohio State...however, last year's score was 21-10 and Tate Forcier's five turnovers doomed Michigan...a porous defense all season long tightened up and held Terrelle Pryor to 67 yards passing...also, Ohio State is ripe to get picked off soon in the series...an underdog Michigan team has never spoiled an Ohio State season while Jim Tressel has been the coach in Columbus...complacency and arrogance may bite the Buckeyes soon in this series...

Third Down - if Michigan is going to have any success this season, the defense has to improve...often times last season, the Michigan offense would score a touchdown only to have the defense allow the opponent to match the score in a matter of minutes...the secondary is very young and that is Rodriguez's fault for recruiting marginal players academically who have since been dismissed from the team (Witty, Turner, Dorsey, Cissoko)...

Fourth Down - Michigan opens the season and their newly renovated stadium on September 4th against Connecticut...is it possible that one year from now U.Conn's Randy Edsall may be back in Ann Arbor, but this time as the new head coach of Michigan?...

Hail Mary - I always wondered, with the last name of Rodriguez, does Rich Rod speak fluent Spanish?...

Prediction - 7-5 - Michigan will win seven games, but one will be against I-AA U.Mass....so in actuality, it is only six I-A wins...can someone get me Randy Edsall's phone number?...

A new Labor Day tradition?

Michigan vs. Ohio State in September???...accordining to Detroit Free Press columnist, that would make sense...

Drew Sharp

A new start

It's been a few months, but Stiles Points is ready to start running again...we got some new tires and did some work under the hood...

Ideally, I would like to post everyday, but realistically that cannot happen because of my job...and, I don't plan on quitting my job anytime soon...so I would like to post at least 2-3 times a week and if time permits, maybe more...

With football season ready to open and the baseball playoff races heating up, this is the best time to put some gas in this machine and start rolling again...

Sit back and enjoy..

Second round steals

With the first round of the NFL Draft over, here are some steals in the second round...these players were worthy of being first round selections:
- Taylor Mays, safety, USC (photo)
- Golden Tate, wide receiver, Notre Dame
- Briance Price, defensive tackle, UCLA
- Jimmy Clausen, quarterback, Notre Dame
- Greg Hardy, defensive end, Ole Miss
- Sergio Kindle, outside linebacker, Texas

I Wanna Be A Cowboy

Who can ever forget one of the best songs from the 1980s - I Wanna Be A Cowboy - by Boy's Don't Cry...there are so many great lines in the song, but the best one is at the end when he says, "My name is Ted, and one day, I'll be dead"...

Here are the words, then kick back and enjoy the video:
Riding on the range,
I've got my hat - on,
I've got my boots - dusty.

I've got my saddle
On my horse.
He's called....T-t-t-t-t-trigger
Of course.

I wanna be a cowboy
and you can be my cowgirl
I wanna be a cowboy
and you can be my cowgirl
I wanna be a cowboy

Riding on the chuck wagon,
Following my man.
His name is Ted,
Can you believe that?
Camping on the prairie
Plays havoc with my hair.
Makes me feel quite dirty,
Though we all do sometimes

I wanna be a cowboy
and you can be my cowgirl
I wanna be a cowboy
and you can be my cowgirl
I wanna be a cowboy

Looking like a hero,
Six-gun at my side,
Chewing my tobacco.
Out on the horizon,
I see a puff of smoke.
Indians on the warpath,
White man speak-em
with forked tongue.
Or not.

I wanna be a cowboy
and you can be my cowgirl
I wanna be a cowboy

My name is Ted,
And one day I'll be dead yo yo.

George Selvie - the forgotten man

George Selvie
Defensive End - South Florida
6'5", 252 lbs, 4.93 - 40
Two years ago, Selvie would have been a sure fire first round pick...he was coming off a national leading 31.5 tackles for loss and 14.5 sacks...an ankle injury his junior led to a decline in stats...but in 2009, despite being healthy, Selvie's stats dropped to 9.5 TFL and 3.5 sacks...he is considered a tweener at LB or DE but will probably be a third-down rush DE...I have seen Selvie play over the last 3 years and believe he will be a late round steal...he is projected to go after round 5...NFLDraftScout has him rated the 17th best DE...

NFLDraftScout: "Can be a one-trick pony with the outside rush, so tackles easily push him around the pocket. Long arms and closing speed makes it difficult for ballcarriers to escape his grasp. Works had throughout the game no matter how often he's double-teamed."

The Sporting News: "Selvie is one of the fasted defensive ends but most of his production came early in his career. He is best suited to play as an undersized end in a 4-3 scheme."

Lonyae Miller - the other Fresno back

Lonyae Miller
Running Back - Fresno State
6'0", 221 lbs, 4.43 - 40

While at Fresno, Miller was behind the nation's leading rusher Ryan Matthews...had only 354 yards last season...would have been a starter on many other teams...has the size and speed...rated 17th best running back by USA Today...NFLDraftScout has Miller listed as 11th best back...

NFLDraftScout: "Some upside here as he has a rate combincation of size and straight-line speed and has a great deal of tread left on his tires. Quality teammate who handled the demotion behind Ryan Matthews well. Patient runner who will allow the hole to open."

The Sporting News" Projected as 5th rounder..."While it is doubtful he'll ever start at the next level, he showed the talent to do so at the Senior Bowl."

Joique Bell: Division II's best

Joique Bell
Running Back, Wayne State (Mich)
5'11", 220 lbs, 4.68 - 40
First name is pronouced "joyk"...Bell was the Division II Harlon Holl Award Trophy winner last season which is equivalent to the Heisman Trophy...he rushed for 2,094 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2009...he finished his career with 6,728 yards and 89 TDs...the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs have shown an interest...Bell is rated the 12th top running back by NFLDraftScout...

NFLDraftScout: "Lacks breakaway speed or second gear once in the open, but smaller defenders have a tough time tracking him down. Strong runner in trash who keeps legs churning until he's on the ground."

Bleacher Report: "Running back Joique Bell of Wayne State, a Division II school in Detroit, took a chance on a smaller school over bigger local schools like Michigan and Michigan State because they saw him as a safety, and Bell wanted to be a running back. In retrospect, Bell made the right positional choice -- factor in his return totals, and he's top ten in NCAA total yardage no matter the school.

Of course, that's the question: How do we look at Bell's NFL potential when all we have are his numbers against giants like Ferris State, Mercyhurst, Saginaw Valley and Findlay? No offense against those fine schools, or Wayne State itself, but it's generally tough to get a sense how a kid will do against the Baltimore Ravens if he's been facing players whose college careers will be the end of their football days.

That's where the Senior Bowl comes in. After he gained over 2,000 yards in each of his last two seasons, Bell got an invitation to Mobile, Ala., and immediately impressed the pro coaches, scouts and personnel people in attendance. After the third day of Senior Bowl practice, Ravens running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery told the Detroit Free Press that Bell had been, "as offensive skill guys [go], the most impressive guy."

"You see if a guy can make a guy miss when he's in the hole," Montgomery continued. "What I saw ... four times when he had the ball, he was able to front up a guy right in the hole and shake him and get out of there."

Montario Hardesty - a solid back in the NFL Draft

The NFL Draft is less than two weeks away...over that span, Stiles Points will be looking at some of the "sleepers" to keep an eye on...these players will more than likely be drafted late or are overshadowed by others at their position...but it doesn't mean they will not make an NFL team...

Montario Hardesty
Tennessee, Running Back
6'0", 225 lbs, 4.49 - 40
NFLDraftScout has Hardesty rated the 6th best running back...I saw Hardesty play 3-4 times last year and really like how he operated in an NFL style offense under then head coach Lane Kiffin...

Hardesty has a history of injury problems, but when healthy he is a horse - a type of back that I love...he rushed for 1,345 yards last season...

NFLDraftScout has this about Hardesty: "Characterized as the consumate teammate. Twice voted team captain. Breaking tackles is one of his best attributes. Lacks elite staight-line speed, but can beat the linebacker to the edge and turn the corner.. Good receiver used on a variety of routes."

The Examiner: "Prior to the combine Hardesty was projected as a 3rd or 4th round draft pick. With this demonstration of athletic ability and proof that he is focused and willing to work and improve, he may very well have vaulted himself into the 2nd round of the NFL draft."

Favorite Quotes

I am starting a new topic called "Favorite Quotes"...every so often I will discuss some of my favorite quotes and its meaning...today, there are two quotes that I always liked...

Quote 1
"Every dog has its day."
When I was a kid, I was watching Scarface and Tony Montana said this quote. But after doing a little research, I found out that it was first spoken in the Shakespeare play "Hamlet" (Act 5, Scene 1)

HAMLET:
Let Hercules himself do what he may,
The cat will mew and dog will have his day."

In "Scarface,", Tony says, "Every dog has his day, huh, Mel? We fucked up. He got away"...

Basically, the most common interpretation is that any person's moment of glory is inevitable...

Quote 2
"I'm Tony Montana! You fuck wit me, you fuckin' wit da best!"
This is another "Scarface" quote...I love this quote because at this point in the movie, Tony's back is against the wall, but his confidence shines as he believes that he is going to take down all these federal agents...and these agents don't realize who they are actually dealing with...Tony Montana is not some run-of-the-mill thug...

Jimmy Chitwood: The Milan Miracle

With Butler's run during the tournament and the Final Four being held in Indianapolis, there has been a lot of talk about the movie "Hoosiers"...Jerry Crowe of The Los Angeles Times writes a feature about the star player in that movie - Jimmy Chitwood . . .  "Maris Valainis, 47 and now living in Southland, is still recognized from his portrayal of the player who made the winning jumper in the 1986 film, one of the most beloved sports movies of all time. The Indiana native's acting career was short-lived, but his cinematic basket is immortal." Jimmy Chitwood

The Summertime Blues

Summer is fast approaching and we will soon be having days of sun, humidity, and things that annoy me...

We have had a few nice sunny days so far this year and already people are annoying me...the first telltale sign that the temperature is going up is when you have to hear someone else's car music...the earth rattling bass of some young punk who has their music blasting and car windows down...I don't want to hear your freakin music!!!!...

Another annoying part of warm weather is the dust!!!...when will the street cleaner come around and clean my street...I can't even open my windows because all the dirt and dust just flows through the air anytime a car goes past...

My final annoyance has not happened yet this year, but it is just a matter of time...guys who wear no shirts and guys who wear no shirts but long jeans...

As Ricky Ricardo would say, "let me splain,"....I don't want to see some dude with his bare chest...I could understand if some young muscular fella does not wear a shirt, but I hate when these old leather skinned or flabby disgusting men walk around with no shirt like they are some stud...PUT ON A FREAKIN SHIRT!!!!...

The topper is when you see men who do not wear a shirt because of the heat but they wear jeans...haven't you ever heard of something called "shorts"...if you are that hot, put on a pair of shorts and light t-shirt instead of walking with a stiff pair of jeans...

Yep, it is that time of the year...the time of dust, music, and leather skinned men...as I sit on my back porch and complain about it, there is one good thing that I can look forward to -- hot women in short shorts...the misery!!!!...

Khalid El-Amin: the dough boy who paid off

Connecticut head coach Jim Calhoun won his first national title with a beefy, cocky sophomore point guard from Minnesota named Khalid El-Amin...El-Amin scored the last four points for the Huskies 77-74 upset of highly touted Duke in 1999...

During his career in the Big East, El-Amin was an easy target for opposing crowds to taunt him with the chant "fatboy" or "doughboy"...that did not detract him as he finished with career numbers of 15.3 PPG and 4.4 APG...

El-Amin was drafted in the second round by the Chicago Bulls and played only 50 games in the NBA over two seasons...he found more success in the European Leagues...in 2006, he was named the MVP for the regular season and playoffs as he led Azovmash Mariupol of the Ukraine Superleague to the league championship...

For more about El-Amin, check out his website - Khalid El-Amin Website