After one month of the college season, the Stiles Points Top 16+1 makes its debut...
1. Oklahoma (4-0) - Sooners have looked solid, but their big day is coming against Texas in a couple of weeks... 2. Alabama (5-0) - the Tide is back...they took out Clemson and Georgia - 2 preseason Top 10 teams...Nick Saban was worth every penny... 3. Missouri (4-0) - the Tigers are under the radar so far...they have a tough one this week at Nebraska...beware the children of the corn!... 4. Penn State (5-0) - the Nittany Lions whooped Oregon State a few weeks back...I like Penn State a lot this year... 5. LSU (5-0) - the Tigers had a tough battle with Mississippi State... 6. Texas (4-0) - Colt McCoy (photo), remember him?...he is now a veteran QB who is totally in charge of this team... 7. BYU (4-0) - the Cougars are going to run the table...remember this... 8. Southern Cal (2-1) - despite the disappointing loss at Beaverville, this is still a force of a team... 9. Texas Tech (4-0) - the Red Raiders make it 4 Big 12 teams in the Top 10... 10. Auburn (4-1) - the Tigers offense is hurting big time, but they have a lockdown defense...
11. Georgia (4-1) - yep, they fell down 31-0, but I have to give the Dawgs credit for fighting back...by the way, lose the black jerseys!!!... 12. Florida (3-1) - the Gators have a great offense, but their defense has holes, which Houston Nutt exploited... 13. Ohio State (4-1) - okay, the Buckeyes are 2-0 with Terrelle Pryor...but the wins came agains Troy and Minnesota... 14. South Florida (5-0) - just like last season, the Bulls are slowly moving up... 15. Kansas (3-1) - the Fighting Manginos lost on the last play to S. Florida two weeks ago... 16. Utah (5-0) - Utah keeps chugging away... +1 Michigan (2-2) - an incredible win for Rich Rodriguez and the Wolverines...Steven Threet may not be the perfect QB for the spread offense, but he is one of the toughest SOBs I have seen...
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actress Heather Locklear, who sought medical help for depression this year, was arrested this weekend outside the coastal city of Santa Barbara, the California Highway Patrol said on Sunday.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the 47-year-old star of television shows such as "Melrose Place" was arrested on Saturday night.
Celebrity website TMZ.com said she was booked on suspicion of driving under the influence of prescription drugs, and that she was released without having to post bail.
A California Highway Patrol official confirmed the arrest but gave no details. A spokeswoman for Locklear was not immediately available.
Locklear checked into an Arizona medical facility in June suffering from anxiety and depression.
News reports said on Saturday that a witness saw Locklear driving erratically when leaving a parking lot. A California Highway Patrol officer later found her car parked on a highway and blocking a traffic lane in Montecito, near Santa Barbara, about 90 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
The officer believed Locklear was under the influence and arrested her, according to reports.
Locklear gained TV stardom on 1980s drama "Dynasty." In the early 1990s, she joined the cast of another nighttime hit drama, "Melrose Place."
Washington @ Dallas Sunday, September 28 - 4:15 (EST) Fox Texas Stadium - Irving, Texas Dallas -12.4
Summary Most people are not surprised that Dallas is 3-0 coming into this game...but some are surprised the Redskins are sitting at 2-1...two weeks ago, Fox studio analyst Jimmy Johnson was dissecting the NFC East...he commented there are three good teams and one bad team - yep, the Redskins were his bad team...in fact, he even took a shot at new head coach Jim Zorn...
The Redskins lack gaudy numbers as they are ranked 14th both offensively and defensively in the league...quarterback Jason Campbell has thrown only 4 touchdowns (3 to Santana Moss) but 0 INTs...
Dallas on the other hand has the number one rated offense and third best scoring offense...defensively, the Cowboys are rated 10th best...Tony Romo has been getting all the press, but he has thrown 5 TDs and 3 INTs - which is just average on paper...what makes the Cowboys tough is the weapons on offense, especially at running back with Marion Barber and the rookie Felix Jones...finally it seems as if T.O. "gets it" as he is sacrificing stats in order to win, which was evident last Sunday against Green Bay...
The teams split their two meetings last season...however, in the game at Dallas, T.O. scored four touchdowns...
Washington Redskins Jason LaCanfora of The Washington Post writes how the Redskins will be facing another 3-4 defense in which they have had problems with... "The last time the Washington Redskins faced a 3-4 defense, Coach Jim Zorn was less than pleased with the results." ...
ESPN NFC East blogger Matt Mosley writes about the impact of Jason Taylor's injury... "The Eagles, Browns and Packers haven't been able to get pressure on Romo, and he's burned them all with long passes. Taylor's absence will force defensive coordinator Greg Blache to blitz more Sunday, and that's not the strength of the Redskins' defense." ...
David Elfin of the Washington Times writes about the match-up between Terrell Owens and Shawn Springs... "Although he yields three inches and 11 pounds to the six-time All-Pro, Springs prefers covering big, strong receivers rather than smaller, quicker wideouts." ...
Dallas Cowboys Tim Cowlishaw of the Dallas Morning News writes about the impact of rookie running back Felix Jones... "An offense that sent seven Cowboys to the Pro Bowl and returns all of those players in 2008 once again got a huge lift from rookie Felix Jones on Sunday night." ...
Mac Engel of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram writes how double teaming T.O. does not work... "Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo has grown accustomed to seeing Pro Bowl receiver Terrell Owens draw two defenders, but Sunday night he had never seen anything like Green Bay’s sellout coverage. Owens had two shadows on every play — run or pass." ...
Jean Jacques-Taylor of the Dallas Morning News is surprised that Cowboy fans are shocked about T.O.'s hustle... "No one, though, has ever questioned his effort or intensity. Not Jeff Garcia. Not Andy Reid. Not Donovan McNabb. And very unlike Randy Moss, whose inconsistent effort is among the reasons Minnesota and Oakland got rid of the game's best receiver. That's why it's hard to figure out why so many of you seem shocked at T.O.'s hustle in the Cowboys' 27-16 win over Green Bay the other day." ...
ESPN NFC East blogger Matt Mosley writes how Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is building a $1.3 billion legacy... "On that dreary morning, more than 1,600 workers were on the property, which seems like a lot. Jones' football temple -- scheduled to open in 2009 -- appears to be about 70 percent complete. A couple blocks away, the Texas Rangers' Ballpark -- one of several Camden Yards knock-offs that sprang up in the 1990s -- looks like a three-bedroom, two-bath by comparison." ...
Tbone of The Zone Blitz took the time to respond to questions about the NFL, presidential politics, and if Sarah Palin is hot...I want to thank Tbone for his time...
Q1. Who do you think will be the first head coach fired this season? Why? A. This is an interestingly sad question. Because there are so many good candidates (and I mean "good candidates" in a bad way). You have to look at all the coaches who are winless -- Romeo Crennel, Scott Linehan, Rod Marinelli, Herm Edwards, Marvin Lewis and Gary Kubiak. I think most of these guys get most of the season, if not all of the season. The first three (Crennel, Linehan, and Marinelli) are the odds on favorites.
Marinelli probably gets some extra time to see how things go without Matt Millen. But not too much time. They may want to clean house by the end of the year. Linehan could go because the Rams appear to be a mess. Crennel could go because the Browns are not nearly what fans had hope. It comes down to a matchup of Crennel vs. Linehan. It really is a dead heat. Crennel is my choice, but both could be gone within a month. The only thing that can save Crennel is a super hot streak by Brady Quinn, which leads into your second question.
Q2. If you were the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, would you put Brady Quinn in as the starting quarterback against the Bengals? A. Yes. You drafted him to start. Derek Anderson has been terrible this season. Okay, terrible maybe too strong. How about not so good? Anderson needs to return to his 2007 season. Yes, he has played three pretty good defenses -- Dallas, Baltimore and Pittsburgh. But 26 points? Not good enough. Someone gets the blame. It's Anderson. Sorry, Derek. Besides, I have said it before, Quinn can be great. A loss this weekend, and the Browns' playoff hopes are officially over. Anderson had three games. Like I said, you drafted Quinn to start. The time is now.
Q3. Do you think the Dallas Cowboys are for real? What are your thoughts about Tony Romo so far? A. The Cowboys are for real. They are the closest thing we have to the 2007 Patriots. They're not going to go undefeated. But they are a potential 14-win team. Only one team can stop them in the playoffs, and that's the Giants. Romo? It's a love-hate relationship. I think he and the Manning brothers are the best in the league. Peyton is hurting and will get better as the season goes on. Eli is Aikman-like in that all he will do in the future is win. Stats will never be great for Eli, but the wins will continue to come. And by the way, Tom Brady is out of the league, so he doesn't get in my top three.
Back to Romo. He has been compare to Favre many, many times. Favre makes terrible decisions a few times a game. Romo has meltdowns every few games. Like Sunday against the Packers. He was great at times, and he was terrible at times. He's had his bad game against the Packers, so he should be good for a few games. And this is what will happen to Romo in the playoffs. Will he have his lousy game in the Cowboys' first playoff game, second or in the Super Bowl. And will Dallas as a team be able to overcome his bad game? His girlfriend hot. You have to play that one video of her. HOT. And by the way, the next great NFL quarterback is going to be Jay Cutler.
Q4. Real quick - best player in the NFL and why? A. Tom Brady was. I always put him and Peyton at the top. But the way the Patriots are playing without him, you have to wonder whether he isn't the best. With him out, I go with a healthy Peyton Manning, which should be midway through the season. Q5. Obama or McCain? a. Obama. But I was a Hillary backer in the primary. She was the best candidate for the job and still is.
Q6. Sarah Palin - is she a babe? A. She is a 44-year-old babe. She's the kind of woman who would get my attention if I saw her out. The best way to put it is that every guy would wish his wife looked that hot at 44.
Q7. What are your thoughts about Brett Favre with the Jets? Will they make the playoffs? A. Favre is a diva. He loves the attention. What really bothers me about him is that everyone just LOVES him. Madden, Peter King, Kornheiser, and many, many more. Get a room, guys. Jeez. I do not hate Favre. In fact, I like him. But it is hard to root for him when you know the media will fall all over itself if he makes the playoffs. Plus, he makes STUPID mistakes. STUPID. If anyone other than Peyton Manning or Tom Brady (each of whom would get passes because of past greatness) made the mistakes Favre makes, the media would be very unforgiving. Will the Jets make the playoffs? I am not even going to bother quoting Jim Mora. Just know that me and Mora share the same sentiments. Besides, I do not think Man-genuis (Mangini) is all that. Q8. Jim Brown or Walter Payton or Barry Sanders? 1. Jim Brown. 2. Barry Sanders. 3. Walter Payton.
Q9. Your updated Super Bowl teams. A. At the start of the season, I said the Manning brothers. I am sticking with it. Peyton and the Colts may limp into the playoffs at 10-6, but never count Peyton Manning out. Eli will play in a few more Super Bowls. Eli is not stats-great. He is becoming win-great. If I were to make win, place and show picks, they would be: AFC -- 1. Indy; 2. Denver; 3. New England (after Belichick figures things out). NFC -- 1. NY Giants; 2. Dallas; 3. Green Bay (just ahead of New Orleans).
There are four big games this weekend, therefore, I asked some friends and fellow bloggers to give their thoughts on the games...
Zach ofThe Big Picture Wisconsin 34 Michigan 6 - Remember when this would decide the Rose Bowl? Georgia 17 Alabama 14 - Georgia's blacking out Sanford Stadium...will fans need to get blacked out after this one? Penn State 31 Illinois 21 - Juice is gonna be on the run like OJ. Dallas 31 Washington 14 - Cowboys and Indians...very politically correct.
Graig ofThe Money Shot Wisconsin 20 Michigan 6 Georgia 16 Alabama 12 Penn State 38, Illinois 21 Washington 24 Dallas 23
Munch of WKNR Radio - Cleveland Wisconsin Georgia Penn State Dallas
Triple H - The Hickory Hornet of Hermitage Wisconsin 20 Michigan 7 - Wisconsin is always one of the most overlooked teams...hard to imagine a Michigan team 1-3... Alabama 27 Georgia 23 - Both teams look like national title contenders... Penn State 34 Illinois 16 - Penn State looks like the class of a weak Big-10...Illinois has been unimpressive... Dallas 30 Washington 20 - Redskins have improved immensely...still too much talent in Dallas...
G2 of Campbell, Ohio Wisconsin 24 Michigan 14 - Michigan has been off a week, but it is not enough for a victory over the Badgers... Alabama 31 Georgia 28 - this is Alabama's coming out party... Penn State 16 Illinois 10 - It is a "not so Happy" Valley for the Fightin' Illini...Illinois just not as good as advertised... Washington 34 Dallas 24 - it is hard to buck the Cowboys, but Dallas is in for a game...Redskins in an upset...
The Geek of Youngstown Wisconsin BIG 31-17 Georgia 17-14 Take the points but Penn State wins 35-28 Washington 35-34
rstiles of Stiles Points Michigan 23 Wisconsin 21 - Michigan eliminates turnovers and starts the "new" season off with a W... Georgia 31 Alabama 21 - the Bama offense is not clicking on all cylinders... Penn State 31 Illinois 21 - Penn State dominates because Illinois has no running game... Washington 31 Dallas 27 - don't sleep on he Skins...
Illinois @ Penn State Saturday, September 27 - 8:00 (EST) ABC Sports Happy Valley, Pennsylvania - Beaver Stadium Penn State -14.5
Summary Miami may have the oranges, but Illinois has The Juice...junior quarterback Juice Williams has led the Illini to the 17th best offense in football...Juice has thrown seven touchdowns and five interceptions...he has also accounted for two touchdown runs...once again, the knock on him is his inconsistency at throwing the ball...Juice has carried the ball as much as the team's top running back Daniel Dufrene (Juice 46-219 yards; Dufrene 45-300)...the team's dangerous wideout Arrelious Benn has only 15 receptions for 150 yards and zero TDs...the defense is ranked 75th, however, they have two stud linebackers in Brit Miller and Martez Wilson...Miller already has six sacks and Wilson with 4.5...Illinois has a good field goal kicker in Matt Eller who is 4 for 5 with a 51 yarder already this year...
The Penn State defense has not allowed a point in the first quarter this year...nationally, the Nittany Lions have the 7th best defense and the 6th best offense...the offense has averaged 538 yards per game and has scored 28 touchdowns led by Youngstown, Ohio native Daryll Clark at quarterback...Clark has thrown seven touchdowns and only one interception...he has also rushed for two touchdowns...like Illinois, Penn State has a solid place kicker in Kevin Kelly who is 4 for 5 this year including a 52-yard field goal...
Illinois Fighting Illini Here are the Illinois game notes for the Penn State game...
Loren Tate of the Champaign News-Gazette writes about the Illini's rough road ahead... "The Big Ten emerged from the major portion of the nonconference football schedule with a 7-7 record against teams viewed here as "worthy" – it was a mistake to include Syracuse in that grouping – and a 24-1 record against the rest. Indiana's 42-20 loss to Ball State was the only conference loss to what is loosely described as a midmajor." ...
Terry Bannon of the Chicago Tribune writes about the Illinois defense... "It'll be a chance for Illinois' defensive line to show the nation its potential. It is a mixture of late bloomers, a position switcher and, more recently, highly sought after young players who have embellished Ron Zook's reputation as a recruiter." ...
Penn State Nittany Lions Here are the Penn State game notes for the Illinois game...(photo of Youngstown, Ohio native and starting quarterback Daryll Clark)...
Vinny Pezzimenti of the State College Centre Times writes how Joe Paterno will determine when it is time to retire... "I don’t know what makes Joe Paterno tick. I’m not sure if any of us do. But wouldn’t you think this guy would coach in a full body cast if he had to?" ...
Ron Musselman of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes how Penn State must bottle up the Juice... "Williams is a great scrambler -- he already holds the school record for career rushing yards by a quarterback with 1,550 -- but still needs to improve his passing accuracy." ...
Bernard Fernandez of the Philadelphia News writes about the return of two suspended Penn State players... "Evans and Koroma have sat out the last three games since the Sept. 2 raid on their apartment. Police at that time responded to a call about loud noise at their apartment, and investigators said in court papers that a small amount of marijuana was found. The two players were charged Sept. 17 with marijuana possession. Penn State coach Joe Paterno said last week the fate of Evans and Koroma was "out of my hands" and ultimately would be determined by the university's Office of Judicial Affairs." ...
Summary Nick Saban has the Tide rolling again as they enter the Black Out at Sanford Stadium with a 4-0 mark...this will mark only the sixth time that these two teams are meeting as nationally ranked teams...interestingly, Georgia has won all five previous encounters...Bama has the 14th ranked defense in the country as they have allowed only four touchdowns all year...last week against Arkansas, the Tide brought back two interceptions for touchdowns and held the Hogs to only 92 yards rushing...the Alabama offense is ranked 57th nationally...
On the Georgia side, the Bulldogs defense, led by coordinator Willie Martinez, is ranked 24th nationally...the Dawgs offense is a bit better than Alabama as they are ranked 22nd...of course, the offense is led by Heisman candidate, running back, Knowshon Moreno...and what seems like his 8th year at Georgia, wide out Mohammed Massaquoi...
The ESPN College Gameday will be doing their show live from Athens this Saturday at 10:00 a.m.
Alabama Crimson Tide Here are the Alabama game notes for the Georgia game...
Christopher Walsh of the Tuscaloosa News writes how Alabama is getting used to the national attention... "'What's the dude's name, the old dude?' junior cornerback Javier Arenas about who he liked on the show. Um, Lee Corso?" ...
Jon Solomon of the Birmingham News writes in his blog "Solomon's Wisdom" about Bama quarterback John Parker Wilson... "There was an edge to John Parker Wilson's voice this week when a reporter made the premise that Alabama hasn't needed the vertical passing game yet." ...
Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes that legendary Georgia broadcaster Larry Munson retired on Monday after calling Bulldog football for 43 years... "Due to declining health, Munson gave up traveling to road games last season and worked only Georgia’s two home games this season. According to a statement released by the school Monday evening, Munson decided over the weekend to stay home and watch Saturday’s game between Georgia and Alabama with family and friends." ...
Below is a 4:42 tribute to Larry Munson...the best is his call of Lindsay Scott's touchdown over Florida in 1980...
Chip Towers of the Atlanta Journal Constitution writes how Georgia has had a problem with penalties this season... "The veracity of those penalties aside, the 12 Georgia was flagged for Saturday night were added to the 31 fouls they had already been penalized for this season. So for those keeping count — and the NCAA is — that is 43 penalties for 357 yards this season, which ranks the Bulldogs last among 119 Division I schools." ...
Wisconsin @ Michigan
Saturday, September 27 - 3:30 (EST)
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Wisconsin -7.5
Summary Both teams are coming off a bye week...the Wolverines are coming into the game 1-2 after their agonizing loss in South Bend to Notre Dame 35-17...despite committing six turnovers, Michigan's offense did show some signs of improvement as Sam McGuffie rushed for 131 yards and Steven Threet did a good job managing the game and moving the ball...Michigan held Notre Dame to 260 total yards while racking up 388 of their own...
Wisconsin stands at 3-0 and are ranked 9th in the A.P. and 8th in the USA Today Coaches poll...the Badgers are coming off a "muscle" win at Fresno State 13-10...Wisky had a balanced attack as they passed for 150 yards and rushed for 154...112 of those 154 rushing yards came from P.J. Hill (photo, left)...this is the first of three consecutive big games for Wisky...next week the Badgers head home to play Ohio State then host Penn State the following week...
Wisconsin Badgers Here are the Wisconsin game notes for the Michigan game...
Nate Carey of the Madison Capital writes how the bye week came at the right time for the Badgers... "Wisconsin (3-0), which slipped a spot in The Associated Press poll to No. 9 but remains No. 8 according to the coaches, opens its quest for its first Big Ten championship since 1999 on Saturday at Michigan (1-2). And Bielema believes the week of rest was exactly what the doctor ordered." ...
Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press writes how Michigan will be using starters on the practice squad to prepare for Wisky... "Michigan will work early this week by using some of its regulars to practice against the defensive starters, simulating Wisconsin's physical pounding style." ...
MTV once ran one of the greatest series of commercials involving Jimmy the Cab Driver...Jimmy McBride was a fictional greaseball cabbie from Boston who would talk to his riders about MTV videos...
Over the next few weeks, Stiles Points is bringing back some of the best Jimmy the Cab Driver commercials...in this clip, Jimmy describes to this old lady how MTV does the thinking for you...
Jerry Crowe of the Los Angeles Times writes how the term Tommy John surgery has kept the old southpaw's name out there...John admits that some of the younger people think Tommy John was a doctor..."But what keeps his name fresh in the minds of sports fans is not his pitching exploits, nor is it his current position as manager of the Bridgeport Bluefish of the independent Atlantic League of Professional Baseball. It is this: He was the first to undergo an ulnar collateral ligament transplant, a career-saving procedure more commonly known as Tommy John surgery." ...
The Zone Blitz has an interesting story about Don Ultang, who died on September 18th...Ultang along with John Robinson, won a Pulitzer Prize for a series of photos that show a brutal attack on Johnny Bright (photo, right), an African-American football player, during the Drake University-Oklahoma A&M football game on Oct. 20, 1951, in Stillwater, Oklahoma...the photo was shot for the Des Moines Register...the attack became known as the "Johnny Bright Incident."...at the time, Bright was seen as the country's first black Heisman Trophy candidate. The photographs highlighted the racial tension in the years preceding the civil rights era, made the cover of Life magazine and won Ultang and Robinson the Pulitzer Prize...
The Big Picture has his latest edition of "Who Would You Do" tournament...today's match-up is the 8th seed Hannah Storm vs. the 9th seed Tina Cervasio...I voted for Cervasio...
G Money from The Money Shot gives his worst of the weekend wrap-up...
Zell's Pinstripe Blog has a nice wrap-up of the final game at the great Yankee Stadium...
The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals are both 0-3 and face each other this upcoming Sunday...I predict the losing coach will be fired after the game...
The New York Yankees are 85-71 but because the standard is so high in The Bronx, it is considered a poor season...
I think it is funny that people do not want to see a team like the Milwaukee Brewers or Tampa Bay Devil Rays make the World Series...I have friends who stated it would not be an exciting World Series with teams like that...but these are the same people who complain if the New York Yankees are in the World Series...
Being that the U.S. team was so young, I think it helped that Tiger Woods did not participate in this year's Ryder Cup...Tiger's presence would have put more pressure on the players competing for the first time...
Needing a touchdown and field goal, why didn't Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin attempt a field goal instead of going for it on fourth down?...dumb move...
Is it just me or is Gilbert Arenas always hurt?...this dude just got a restructured contract and he is already out for the first 6 weeks of the NBA season...
As a Michigan fan, my biggest fear is that the Wolverines do not become Nebraska or Florida State - a once powerful college team that has underachieved...
Ohio State will not win the Big Ten...look for Penn State or Michigan State to win the conference....
Say what you want, but I love Les Miles...
I still say the New England Patriots will make the playoffs...the road will not be easy, but they will end up 10-6...
On Friday I posted a photo of a Carolina Panthers cheerleader who looked like she was 50-years-old...through the comments section, I now know she is TopCat Jana...her profile does not give her age, but it states that she is a college student...here is TopCat Jana's profile and sorry if I stated she looked 50-years-old...
TopCat Season: 3rd Hometown: Lawndale, NC Education: Queens University of Charlotte Occupation: Student Future Goal: Obtain master's degree in social work and raise a family Hobbies: Dancing, riding horses, shopping, and spending time with family and friends Favorite Charity: St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Favorite TV Show: Grey's Anatomy Favorite Food: My daddy's chicken and ribs Favorite Music: Country and dance Favorite Quote: Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away. Most Important Thing In Life: God, family, friends and health Achievements: UCA all-star cheerleader, Winterfest Queen (2003) and making the TopCats
Every week Sports Illustrated always has some glam shots of NFL cheerleaders from the recent weekend's games...while perusing through the latest set of photos, I came across the photo below of this Carolina Panthers cheerleader...does anyone have a guess how old she is?...I don't have a clue, but she looks to be at least 50...they must be hurting down in Charlotte for women...
I love watching classic football games...every Friday night, the NFL Network plays the entire telecast of a classic NFL game...tonight, the 1995 NFC Championship: Green Bay Packers vs. Dallas Cowboys (1/14/1996) is on...Emmitt Smith carries the Cowboys to a dramatic come-from-behind victory over the Packers as Dallas scores 14 unanswered fourth-quarter points to secure a trip to Super Bowl XXX...
The game can be seen at 9:00 p.m. (EST) and again at 2:00 a.m. (EST)...
There are four big games this weekend, therefore, I asked some friends and fellow bloggers to give their thoughts on the games...
Zach ofThe Big Picture Florida 35 Tennessee 20 - Gators show why they're the pride of nation's best conference... Michigan State 28 Notre Dame 21 - Charlie Weis will be in pain watching Javon Ringer run wild... LSU 6 Auburn 3 - Ugh, defense wins championships?... Dallas 35 Green Bay 27 - A NFC Championship preview? We think so...
Graig ofThe Money Shot Florida - How can you trust Phil Fulmer in a big game? Michigan State - It's September so you know the Spartans haven't quit on the season yet. LSU - No team that won 3-2 last week is beating the defending champs. Dallas - Time for Aaron Rodgers to face a little adversity.
Mallo-Cup of Youngstown Florida 27 Tennessee 14 Notre Dame 21 Michigan State 10 LSU 21 Auburn 17 Dallas 31 Green Bay 21
Triple H - The Hickory Hornet of Hermitage Florida 33 Tennessee 23 - The Gators look like they might be the class of the SEC this year...I’m not sold on Tennessee at all, especially after the debacle against UCLA Michigan State 24 Notre Dame 20 - The Spartans are still smarting after the Irish’s miraculous come-from-behind win in ’06...ND was the surprise team of the week last week... LSU 13 Auburn 9 - Auburn’s defense looks scary good...LSU probably is a more balanced team…this should be a slugfest... Green Bay 28 Dallas 24 - Both teams come into the game with red-hot explosive offenses…this should be an entertaining game to watch...I’ll take Green Bay because it’s in Lambeau...
Ignatius of Niles Florida 17 Tennessee 14 - Michigan State 28 Notre Dame 10 LSU 17 Auburn 14 Dallas 28 Green Bay 17
Lehman of Niles Florida 31 Tennessee 17 - Too much Tebow... Notre Dame 21 Michigan State 13 - Win one for the "Gimp"... LSU 44 Auburn 9 - LSU has a massive O-Line... Dallas 31 Green Bay 27 - Cowboys pull out another wild west shootout...
Tbone of Youngstown Tennessee 33 Florida 27 Notre Dame 28 Michigan State 16 Auburn 23 LSU 21 Dallas 41 Green Bay 34
rstiles ofStiles Points Florida 38 Tennessee 29 - the Vols will strike early, but in the end, Tebow is the difference... Michigan State 28 Notre Dame 13 - the thrill is gone for the Irish... Auburn 16 LSU 14 - this is what I call a "muscle game"... Green Bay 27 Dallas 24 - Rodgers puts the Brett Favre mystique to rest...
ESPN's Chris Fowler writes about the SEC's big games... "I am looking forward to the annual sumo match that is LSU versus Auburn. Just like Georgia-South Carolina, this SEC series has followed a strong pattern of close, tight games decided in the final plays." ...
There are four big games this weekend, therefore, I asked some friends and fellow bloggers to give their thoughts on the games...
Zach ofThe Big Picture Florida 35 Tennessee 20 - Gators show why they're the pride of nation's best conference... Michigan State 28 Notre Dame 21 - Charlie Weis will be in pain watching Javon Ringer run wild... LSU 6 Auburn 3 - Ugh, defense wins championships?... Dallas 35 Green Bay 27 - A NFC Championship preview? We think so...
Graig ofThe Money Shot Florida - How can you trust Phil Fulmer in a big game? Michigan State - It's September so you know the Spartans haven't quit on the season yet. LSU - No team that won 3-2 last week is beating the defending champs. Dallas - Time for Aaron Rodgers to face a little adversity.
Mallo-Cup of Youngstown Florida 27 Tennessee 14 Notre Dame 21 Michigan State 10 LSU 21 Auburn 17 Dallas 31 Green Bay 21
Triple H - The Hickory Hornet of Hermitage Florida 33 Tennessee 23 - The Gators look like they might be the class of the SEC this year...I’m not sold on Tennessee at all, especially after the debacle against UCLA Michigan State 24 Notre Dame 20 - The Spartans are still smarting after the Irish’s miraculous come-from-behind win in ’06...ND was the surprise team of the week last week... LSU 13 Auburn 9 - Auburn’s defense looks scary good...LSU probably is a more balanced team…this should be a slugfest... Green Bay 28 Dallas 24 - Both teams come into the game with red-hot explosive offenses…this should be an entertaining game to watch...I’ll take Green Bay because it’s in Lambeau...
Ignatius of Niles Florida 17 Tennessee 14 - Michigan State 28 Notre Dame 10 LSU 17 Auburn 14 Dallas 28 Green Bay 17
Lehman of Niles Florida 31 Tennessee 17 - Too much Tebow... Notre Dame 21 Michigan State 13 - Win one for the "Gimp"... LSU 44 Auburn 9 - LSU has a massive O-Line... Dallas 31 Green Bay 27 - Cowboys pull out another wild west shootout...
Tbone of Youngstown Tennessee 33 Florida 27 Notre Dame 28 Michigan State 16 Auburn 23 LSU 21 Dallas 41 Green Bay 34
rstiles ofStiles Points Florida 38 Tennessee 29 - the Vols will strike early, but in the end, Tebow is the difference... Michigan State 28 Notre Dame 13 - the thrill is gone for the Irish... Auburn 16 LSU 14 - this is what I call a "muscle game"... Green Bay 27 Dallas 24 - Rodgers puts the Brett Favre mystique to rest...
Eric Hansen of the South Bend Tribune writes how Charlie Weis has loosened up a bit... "Last Thursday he even let a few PG-rated verses of rapper Pastor Troy's "Crank Me Up" encroach the typical Bruce Springsteen/Bon Jovi musical dominance played during practice to simulate crowd noise. Between each of Weis' favorite tracks, the players got their turn." ...
Andrew Mouranie of the Lansing State Journal writes how MSU head coach Mark Dantonio notices a difference with this year's Notre Dame team... "The improvement of Notre Dame (2-0 this season, 3-9 last season) can be traced to many different facets. However, the play of the two safeties that Dantonio was referring to, Kyle McCarthy and David Bruton, as well as the big-play capability of new go-to wide receiver Golden Tate are big contributors." ...
Randy Rosetta of the Baton Rouge Advocate writes about the battle between the Tiger offense and the Tiger defense... "As the LSU offense prepares for what it will face this week from a small, but lightning-fast and aggressive Auburn defense, the focus will be mostly on concocting the right schemes and determining favorable matchups." ...
Charles Goldberg of the Birmingham News writes how the LSU-Auburn game will imapct the SEC title... "The winner of the Auburn-LSU game has represented the SEC West in six of the past eight conference title games while the loser has finished no worse than second in the division. And perhaps this year will be no different." ...
The following is a 1:07 clip of last year's grapefruit call by LSU head coach Les Miles to go for the touchdown instead of field goal to beat Auburn...
ESPNU's Mike Gottfried and Tom Luginbill preview the LSU-Auburn game...
Edward Aschoff of the Gainesville Sun writes how Florida players will be listening to Rocky Top all week... "The scene is so bad that Tennessee's fight song blared throughout the Gators' locker room Monday morning." ...
Bryan Mullen of the Nashville Tennessean writes how the Florida-Tennessee game has lived up to they hype... "The most memorable games had national title implications, solidified the programs as elite, and are branded on the brains of dedicated followers." ...
Alan Schwarz of The New York Times writes about the impact that journalist Leonard Shecter had on how sports is reported in today's society... "What happened on the team train stayed in the family. Shecter, who covered the team for The New York Post, agreed, too. But then he found himself in a jam." ...
Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press writes that after three games, he still does not have a feel for this Michigan team... "After three nonconference games against opponents with different styles and skill levels, the Michigan coaching staff probably expected to have a pretty good feeling for its team." ...
Shannon Shelton of the Detroit Free Press writes how the Spartans players remember their meltdown against Notre Dame two years ago... "Although much of that pain was eased by MSU's 31-14 win last season in South Bend, that victory couldn't completely erase the memory of two Septembers ago." ...
Garrett Hylton of the Miami Herald writes how the Hurricanes are waiting for a receiver to step up... "The Hurricanes have dropped key passes and struggled to get open, particularly in their 26-3 loss against Florida on Sept. 6." ...
Robbie Andreau of the Gainesville Sun writes how Florida's next opponent, Tennessee, got back on track... "After being upset at UCLA in the opener, the Vols looked like a much more complete and confident team in their 35-3 victory over UAB on Saturday." ...
Gary Klein of the Los Angeles Times writes that USC head coach is guarding against a letdown... "USC Coach Pete Carroll said Sunday that he spoke to his team after its 35-3 victory over Ohio State about the need to remain focused in the aftermath." ...
John Shinn of the Norman Transcript writes how the Sooners have a tight focus... "This group was willing to talk about national title aspirations before preseason practices started, but has taken a very workman-like approach this season. The only specific goal mentioned has been to win every game." ...
Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times writes if anyone can beat this USC team... "This supposed game of the century ended up being a referendum on the last eight years. You can stop debating the identity of the best team of the Coach Pete Carroll era, because, in four months, everyone will agree. This will be it." ...
Chris Dufresne of The Los Angeles Times writes that Ohio State may be down, but are they out?... "Ohio State has now suffered, effectively, its third straight humiliating defeat to a Southeastern Conference school." ...
Bob Hunter of the Columbus Dispatch writes how Ohio State is not a national power... "Success against weak Big Ten teams has not only been a means to a bad end in title games, but it might have created something of a mirage of football power." ...
Rob Oller of the Columbus Dispatch writes about the deep differences between Ohio State and USC... "The obvious answer, understood by anyone who was around during the 1970s, is that USC broke more OSU hearts than anyone not named Schembechler. Three times during that decade, Ohio State lost a piece of the national championship by losing to the Trojans in the Rose Bowl. The less obvious but still accurate answer is that while OSU vs. Michigan is a border dispute, OSU vs. USC is a clash of cultures." ...
Doug Lesmerises of The (Cleveland) Plain Dealer writes about the similarities between Pete Carroll and Jim Tressel... "But there's a lot to be said for the right man at the right time for the right job. Asked Tuesday, both head coaches downplayed the differences, but when talking about the hiring process for college coaches last year, Tressel admitted that a regional familiarity was important. You need to know how a place works." ...
Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times writes about how he is tired of hearing about the Buckeyes... "I'm sick of annually watching them awkwardly slog their way to the top of the polls by winning a conference that has become college football's version of the International League. And, yeah, at the end of that 2002 national championship game against Miami? Bad call. That was not pass interference. Period." ...
Pete Thamel of The New York Times writes how the Buckeyes are looking forward to redeeming themselves on the national stage... "For Tressel, whose button-up nature does not make him prone to caring much about perception, the biggest disappointment of those losses in the title game was how poorly Ohio State played." ...
Stewart Mandel of Sports Illustrated about the difference between Pete Carroll and Gentleman Jim... "Start with the most basic premise -- their sideline demeanor. Tressel is the picture of solemnity in his sweater vest and glasses, his expression no different after a touchdown than after an incompletion. Carroll, either in golf shirt or sweatshirt, is the amped-up teenager trapped in a 56-year-old's body, pumping his fist after big plays and slapping players' butts as they come off the field." ...
Many don't know that USC head coach was once an assistant at Ohio State...in fact, he was an assistant on the 1980 staff that lost to USC in the Rose Bowl when Charles White dove over the top for the winning TD...enjoy this 1:50 clip...
There are two big games on Saturday, Michigan @ Notre Dame and Ohio State @ Southern Cal...therefore, I asked some friends and fellow bloggers to give their thoughts on the games...
Zach of The Big Picture Michigan 6 Notre Dame 3 - Sad truth, this game was relevant two years ago... USC 35 Ohio State 17 - California Dreamin would be Buckeyes thinking they've got a shot...
Mallo-Cup of Youngstown Notre Dame 21 Michigan 14 USC 28 Ohio State 17
The Geek of Youngstown Michigan 17 Notre Dame 10 - Michigan wins by default... USC 31 Ohio State 13 - hey man from the looks of O State and their first two opponents, I have to say the USC Trojans...
Triple H - The Hickory Hornet of Hermitage Michigan 28 Notre Dame 6 - neither team has looked terribly impressive thus far, with UM losing to Utah and slipping by Miami (OH) at home, and ND barely defeating a woeful San Diego State team..UM ripped ND, 38-0 at the Big House last year; it won’t be quite as bad this year... USC 42 Ohio State 17 - another season, another dominant USC team…ho-hum...meanwhile, OSU looked very ordinary in hanging on to slip by an average Ohio team...with or without Beanie Wells, look for OSU to struggle against the USC defense...it’s never wise to count out a Jim Tressel-coached team, but this is a mismatch...I don’t understand the national hype...
T-bone of Youngstown Notre Dame 17 Michigan 16 Ohio State 24 USC 23
Lehman of Niles Notre Dame 20 Michigan 13 - Michigan is going through a rebuilding process under Rodriguez and their “Spread Offense” does not have the right personnel and understanding of the offense...on the other hand, Notre Dame has some young talent, and a fast, aggressive defense... Ohio State 24 USC 21 - OSU has the best defense in the country, they are a seasoned team, and they always play to the level of their competition...USC on the other hand, has outstanding athletes on both sides of the ball, and are always well prepared...not to mention, I fervently dislike USC and Pete “I look like Andrew Jackson” Carroll!!!!!!!
G2 of Youngstown Michigan 17 Notre Dame 14 - the Wolverines are struggling but not as mich as the Fighting Irish...it is a battle of the "No-nothings" vs. the "Have nots"... USC 35 Ohio State 17 - Ohio State is just not in the Trojans' class right now -- and will not be!...
rstiles of Stiles Points Michigan 19 Notre Dame 16 - Michigan's defense wins this game... USC 31 Ohio State 14 - Fight On!!!...
Power Sweep Tip Sheet Notre Dame 23 Michigan 10 - the Irish are the most improved team in the country and get legit revenge on a young offense in transition... USC 17 Ohio State 16 - OSU's sluggish performance against Ohio U gives us line value...take OSU with the points...
The Gold Sheet Michigan 17 Notre Dame 16 - in what figures to be a low-scoring affair, would take the points available... USC 31 Ohio State 17 - a slowish Boeckman and the very green Pryor likely overmatched by Trojan defense quicks...
Pointwise Notre Dame 20 Michigan 19 - tight game...go with the points... USC 30 Ohio State 20 - just can't buck Troy in this setup...
ESPN's Chris Fowler gives Ohio State a chance in the big game... "But don't go to sleep on OSU. All my West Coast friends are certain that SC will send a huge message Saturday night. I keep telling them it won't be easy." ...
Youngstown State University was scheduled to play their home open this Saturday at 7:00 p.m....however, that time has been changed to 4:00 p.m. because of one person - Jim "Freaking" Tressel...
When Tressel was the head coach at YSU, often times his games were played at the same time that Ohio State was playing their games while John Cooper was the head coach...YSU never changed the time of their game to accommodate Ohio State football...
One time, Tressel refused to move the time of a YSU-Marshall game even though it was being played at the same time as the Michigan-Ohio State game...this YSU-Marshall game was NOT a playoff game...in fact, YSU was having one of their worst seasons under Tressel that year and was a meaningless game...
It is just funny, now that Gentleman Jim is coaching at Ohio State, the YSU Athletic Department bows down and makes sure it doesn't schedule a YSU game the same time that THE Ohio State plays...this was a courtesy that Tressel refused to do when he was the head man in Youngstown...
Most Ohio State fans say their players show class and don't talk crap before the game...all last season, they chafed in their diapers after former Michigan running back Mike Hart said that he came back for his senior year to beat Ohio State...now what do they think of Ray Small after his comments about USC...
"It's a class thing. Here at Ohio State, they teach you to be a better man. There, it's just all about football."
I guess Small has never seen the police laundry list of criminal activities that Jim Tressel's "better men" have done over the years...maybe he will want to ask Maurice Clarett the next time he is close to the Ohio State pen in Toledo...
Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press writes how Charlie Weiss stated "to hell with Michigan" back in April - now Michigan is waiting for him... "In April, the Notre Dame football coach said, "I've always been one never to make excuses and blow hot air." He then said of the Wolverines: "Then we'll listen to Michigan have all their excuses as they come running in, saying how they have a new coaching staff and there's changes." ...
Here is Fat Charlie's "To Hell With Michigan" comment...
Enjoy this 2:20 clip of the 1979 Michigan-Notre Dame game when the Irish's Bob Crable climbed on top of two players to block the potential game winning field goal...Notre Dame won 12-10 in Ann Arbor...
After one month of the college season, the Stiles Points Top 16+1 makes its debut...
a team...
