Plaxico Come Back-ico!

Remember when Plaxico Burress used to play football?  You might.  Remember when he discharged a personal weapon into his leg at a nightclub, and was subsequently arrested for it?  I am sure you do.  Rumor has it from his agent Drew Rosenhaus, that Plaxico Burress is in great shape and is excited to return to the field once he is released from prison on June 6th.  Supposedly he has been working out 5x a week and has high hopes for the upcoming season.

However, will Plaxico be the same player that he was in 2008, when he caught the game-winning touchdown in the Super Bowl but was arrested that November?  Michael Vick's comeback serves as inspiration and motivation for Burress.  Although Michael Vick is a more notorized public figure then Plaxico, everyone loves a comeback kid.  Take a look at all the press Michael Vick has received since his return.  He seemed to be the hot topic of the football world for the entire year, putting Peyton Manning and Tom Brady on the back burner.  Vick even has an endorsement deal from Unequal Technologies, a company which specializes in pads and protection for sports players.  Clearly Michael Vick has rebounded, and Plaxico can do the same by performing well on the field and keeping his cool off of it.

Such a comeback is by no means guaranteed though.  Michael Vick's first season back from prison was subpar and he barely got on the field.  Plaxico will take some time to adjust to the speed of the NFL again, and develop a good connection with his quarterback.  That quarterback will probably not be Eli Manning.  Although the Giants seem to want Burress back, in all honesty they don't have much need for him.  The New York Giants have a solid set of receivers with Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, and Mario Manningham.  There simply isn't room for Burress as these players are all young and will continue to develop, while Plaxico has already played the best football of his career.  The worst case scenario for Burress would be similar to that of Donte Stallworth.  Stallworth was suspended for the 2009 season for committing DUI manslaughter, and served most of his 30-day sentence once he plead guilty.  Following his reinstatement for the 2010 season, he proceeded to catch only two passes as a Baltimore Raven in 2010.  Stallworth clearly has not regained his form since his arrest, but if reports are true, that will not be the case with Plaxico.

So, whichever team it may be, rumor has it the Pittsburgh Steelers would welcome Burress, bring Plaxico Back-ico to the NFL!  Who cares if about his stupidity back in 2008?  Plaxico Burress seems motivated to rejuvinate his career and redefine his life, so I hope to see him back on the football field in 2011 (assuming there is no lockout).  Besides, then I can wear his jersey again :)

Superbowl XLV Reflection

Superbowl XLV: Packers 31 Steelers 25

This matchup between two of the NFL's storied franchises lived up to it's billing.  Two teams with a similar road to the Superbowl: one of adversity.  The Pittsburgh Steelers were without QB Ben Roethlisberger for the first four games, as he was suspended for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy.  The Green Bay Packers endured injuries throughout the season to Aaron Rodgers, Nick Barnett, Ryan Grant, Jermichael Finley, and Al Harris, to name a few, and overcame injuries to veterans Charles Woodson and Donald Driver in the Superbowl itself.  The way that the Packers handled this adversity throughout the season was exceptional.  Backups that were used mainly for special teams had to step into key roles on offense and defense.  Aaron Rodgers had to carry even more of the offensive load on his shoulders when Ryan Grant went down with a season-ending injury in Week 1.  When Donald Driver went down with an injury, unheralded Jordy Nelson stepped in to the tune of 9 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown. 

On paper, the Steelers were a stronger team, with a better running game and superior play on both lines.  However, this Green Bay Packers team is filled with playmakers that made a difference.  The star players for the Packers played exceptionally, while the top players for the Black and Gold were neutralized.

Pittsburgh
Troy Polamalu - 3 tackles, no QB hits. He was hardly around the football.
James Harrison - 1 tackle, 1 sack, 3 QB hits, but was neutralized for most of the game
Ben Roethlisberger- 25/40 for 263 yards, 2 TD but 2 Int.  Roethlisberger played well, but not well enough

Green Bay
Nick Collins  - 4 tackles, 1 pass deflection, and an interception return for a touchdown.  Lived up to his Pro Bowl selection
Greg Jennings - 4 catches for 64, 2 TD, but made the most of his seven targets
Aaron Rodgers - 24/39 for 304 yards, 3 TD no Int.  Rodgers played a great game and picked apart the second best defense in the NFL.

In what was a very evenly matched Superbowl, the Packers made more big plays, forcing three turnovers while the Steelers couldn't force one.  Relentless pressure on Ben Roethlisberger resulted in an errant throw and an interception return for a touchdown, and an early Packers lead caused the Steelers to go away from their strong running game and revert to a passing game that clearly misses Santonio Holmes.  It seemed like the Packers just wanted to win this game more.  Their final regular season games were essentially elimination games, as they sported an 8-6 record after 14 games and needed to win out to make the playoffs.  This Green Bay team played with a swagger and confidence that was unmatched, and rode that confidence to a Superbowl XLV victory!

Michael Vick: A Rebranding

What do Bob Barker and Michael Vick have in common? They both do their part to control the pet population! 

Jokes like these were a norm in August 2007, when Michael Vick was convicted of federal felony charges for instigating an illegal interstate dog fighting ring.  Vick plead guilty to these charges and was sentenced to 21 months in prison at Leavenworth, a Federal Penetentiary, followed by two months of house arrest.  Following his stay in prison, Vick was released by the Atlanta Falcons, as owner Arthur Blank had no interest in keeping him around.  Vick then signed with the Philadelphia Eagles before the start of the 2009 NFL season and was reinstated in Week 3 of that season by Commissioner Roger Goodell.  His role expanded from that of a back-up, distraction, and running threat in 2009 to arguably one of the top quarterback's in the NFL in 2010, leading the Philadelphia Eagles to an NFC East Division title and earning himself a spot in the Pro Bowl as the starting quarterback for the NFC. 

Clearly Michael Vick's talent on the football field never left during his hiatus from the game, but will his sponsorships ever return?  Before his dog fighting scandal with Bad Newz Kennels, Vick was endorsed by Nike, Coca-Cola, Kraft, and even graced the cover of an EA Sports Madden NFL video game. Today? His first television appearance for a product occurred last month when he appeared in a commercial for a Nissan car dealership.  But today, Michael Vick signed his first official endorsement deal since his return from prison.  The company?  Unequal Technologies, a provider of football pads Vick wore throughout the season.  When Vick missed time with a rib injury in the middle of the season, his return to the field coincided with a protective vest designed by Unequal.  Later in the year he began wearing shoulder and thigh pads made by the company. 

I strongly believe that Michael Vick can follow this endorsement with more prestigious ones in the future.  He may not win back top companies such as Nike and Coca-Cola, but Vick is working to reestablish his image off the field, and has already showed improvements on the field from last season.  In December 2009, Vick became the Ed Block Courage Award recipient for the Eagles, an award voted by teammates. The award honors players who "exemplify commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage." Vick said of the award, "It means a great deal to me. I was voted unanimously by my teammates. They know what I've been through. I've been through a lot. It's been great to come back and have an opportunity to play and be with a great group of guys. I'm just ecstatic about that and I enjoy every day."  Judging from that statement, Vick clearly understands how fortunate he is to be back on the field, and to be labeled in a positive light.  This self-recognition is the first step toward rebranding himself.

Scandals such as the one Vick through will stick for a while, but I think people in today's society are more forgiving toward such actions.  Many people forgive Bill Clinton for being unfaithful to his wife, as he is still revered in many circles for his accomplishments during his presidency and highly sought after for fundraisers and events to the tune of millions of dollars.  Tiger Woods is redefining his image by simply focusing on the game of golf and staying out of the media spotlight.  Doing that alone will help his image down the road, even if some of his bigger sponsors never return.  Michael Vick's accomplishments on the football field will eventually over shadow his actions in his dog fighting ring.  Surely organizations like PETA will never support him, but if he just goes to work everyday and performs on the field, endorsements will keep coming his way.  Rebranding takes determination and hard work, and keeping a clean image off the field coupled with strong performances on the field will get Vick back to the top. 

Keep playing solid football Mr. Vick and keep working on turning your life around. Your teammates, coaches, friends, sponsors, and me, believe in you.

Minnesota Vikings to LA? A viewpoint on a potential move

As you may know, the Minnesota Vikings lease on the Metrodome expires at the end of the 2011 football season.  Many Minnesota citizens and even some politicians have called for the financing of a new stadium, but that will cost at least $900 million dollars.  Independent gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner suggested a proposal through which the team would pay 40 percent of the cost to finance the new stadium, while the state would issue forty year bonds for approximately $32 million a year and fans would bear part of the burden, most likely through higher ticket prices.  However, Horner was not elected.  Mark Dayton is pushing for a new Vikings stadium, but how possible is that after what happened to the Metrodome?

An article released on ESPN today states that 'replacing the snow-damaged roof of the Metrodome would likely take five to six months, raising the possibility of affecting next season's schedule for the Minnesota Vikings.'  Depending on the timing of these repairs, they could extend to late summer and the August start of the NFL exhibition season.  State lawmakers are trying to produce a proposal with a new location, stadium type, and a financing plan.  As feasible as this may be, there is no chance the Vkings will be playing in the Metrodome in 2012.

Unfortunately, I think these efforts are a waste of time.  Lets send the Vikings to the promised land: Los Angeles!  Yes the Los Angeles Vikings sounds ridiculous, and some mascots would have to be changed, but the Raiders was not fitting for LA either.   Los Angeles has not had an NFL franchise since 1995, when the Rams moved to St. Louis and the Raiders to Oakland.  In more serious news, two parties have approached the Vikings about a potential relocation, one being AEG who is currently working on designing the LA Event Center, which could house a football team and would be located near the Staples Center.  One can find out more about the LA Event Center here, and below are pictures of several designs:

Besides AEG, Los Angeles Real Estate billionare Ed Roski has been in talks with the NFL for awhile about bringing a team back to Los Angeles.  Roski is willing to finance a stadium largely with his own money.  Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to sign a bill which would approve of an environmental exemption to build such a stadium.  Roski plans to start courting teams after the Super Bowl.  Could and should Ziggy Wulf listen to these firm's offers?  I believe so.  The Minneapolis-St. Paul market is at a population of just under 3 million people, much less then that of the 17 million in the Greater Los Angeles area.  Higher ticket prices in LA could make the team more profitable, and would be a more attractive destination for players to play.  Another benefit to the Vikings potential move to LA is the division alignments.  Division alignments would not be skewed by this potential move.  Here are my proposed division alignments for 2012 with the divisions affected:

        NFC North                                NFC West           
     Chicago Bears                         Arizona Cardinals
      Detroit Lions                          Los Angeles Vikings
  Green Bay Packers                    San Francisco 49ers
    St. Louis Rams                          Seattle Seahawks

The St. Louis Rams would move into the NFC North, as the Bears and Packers are much more regional then the Seahawks, 49ers, and Cardinals.  The Los Angeles Vikings would then be playing against Western opponents.  This would be a simple shift and would not require an elaborate restructuring like when the Houston Texans entered the NFL.  So here's to the Vikings moving to LA?  Time will tell whether or not it will actually happen, but judging by the potential designs of the new stadium I surely hope it does!

Update on Patriots-Jets: Halftime reflection

Looks like the boys from New York are backing up all the trash talk from earlier in the week as the Jets are up 14-3 on the Patriots at halftime.  In terms of yardage this has been a pretty even ballgame, the Jets have 157 total yards to 127 for the Patriots.  However, a key interception by Tom Brady in Jets territory stalled a Patriots drive, and a fumbled fake punt led to a Jets touchdown to Braylon Edwards with less then a minute left in the first half.  As much as I love Braylon and David Harris, I can't say I'm rooting for them to continue with their antics as it would hurt to see the Patriots lose this game. 

Looking at Tom Brady's stats, he is 10/17 for 99 yards and an interception.  Lets see if he can get the ball a bit more downfield.  The Jets are pretty talented in the secondary with Darrel Revis, Antonio Cromarite, and Dwight Lowery back there playing defense, but if anyone can slice this secondary up it is Brady.  I am looking forward to a strong second-half showing from Brady and the Pats that hopefully will lead them to victory!

Update on Patriots-Jets: The end of a streak... and Wide Left!

Well... All good things must come to an end, and Tom Brady's streak of pass attempts without an interception just did. At least he was intercepted by former Michigan Wolverine David Harris!  Tom Brady had not thrown an interception since Week 6 against Baltimore, a span of 12 games and 323 pass attempts.  However, Brady and the Patriots looked pretty good on their opening drive despite one errant pass.  The combination of the 'Law Firm' and a 'Woodland Creature' running the football has been pretty effective, and should set up some pass plays later in the game.  Tom Brady is blessed with so many weapons on this football team, and is not limited to Wes Welker, Deion Branch, Brandon Tate, Sam Aiken, Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez, Alge Crumpler, etc.  Expect Brady to keep spread the ball around throughout the game. 

I am currently sporting my new Tom Brady shirt, which I received as a Christmas present from my wonderful girlfriend.  We will see whether this shirt is good or bad luck for the Patriots... who just went up 3-0 following a missed field goal by Nick Folk with a made kick of their own by Shayne Graham...

Playoffs! Take 2!

Thanks to those who read yesterday's blog predicting who would win today's football games between Baltimore and Pittsburgh, and Atlanta and Green Bay.  At this time Baltimore is up 21-7 at haltime, who would have guessed that?  Baltimore has not scored 21 points in its last five meetings with Pittsburgh, yet is has 21 at halftime.  Looks like my 24-13 prediction in favor of Pittsburgh will not work out, but Pittsburgh could mount a comeback to win this game.  Never count Ben Roethlisberger out in the playoffs.  He is a proven winner.

Anyways, today I focus on the New England Patriots vs New York Jets and Seattle Seahawks vs Chicago Bears games.  The Patriots enter this game sporting an eight game winning streak, inculding a 45-3 stomping of the Jets on December 6th.  The Jets are fresh off a thrilling 17-16 victory over the Indianapolis Colts, yet lost three of their last five regular season games, including a 38-34 loss at Chicago, 10-6 loss at home to Miami, and the aformentioned loss to the Patriots.   They did pick up a big win @ the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15, so maybe that win coupled with last weeks can motivate the Jets to put their best foot, sorry Rex, forward against the Patriots tomorrow.  I looked at quarterbacks in yesterday's game (ironic that Joe Flacco threw a pick right as I wrote this), so today I'll look at defense as a predictor of who will win these games, starting with the Jets and their games against the Patriots and in the playoffs over the past two years.

Team Opp  Year  YA  Int FF FR Sk PA  W/L
NY Jets    Patriots    2009       299      1        0       0      0       9          W
NY Jets @Patriots    2009       410      0        2       1      2      31          L
NY Jets    Bengals    2009       281      1        2       1      3      14         W
NY Jets @Chargers 2009       344      2        2       0      2      14         W
NY Jets @Colts       2009       461      0        2       1      2      30         L
NY Jets    Patriots    2010       291      2        1       1      1      14         W
NY Jets  @Patriots  2010       405      0        0       0       3     45         L
NY Jets  @Colts     2010       312      0        0        0      1      16         W

Patriots   @Jets        2009       254      0        2       0       2      16         L
Patriots       Jets        2009       226      4        1       1       2      14         W
Patriots      Ravens    2009       268      1        1       1      0       33         L
Patriots   @Jets        2010       336      0         0       0      3      28         L
Patriots       Jets        2010       301      3        1       0       1      3           W

A glaring statistic from this data is the difference between the Jets defensive performance at home and at the Patriots.  In both games at the Patriots the past two years, the Jets have allowed over 400 yards and given up at least thirty points.  In two losses to the Jets in 2009 and 2010, the points the Patriots gave up was 28.  One can expect this game to be closer than last months encounter, but the Jets don't have an answer for the Patriots offense on the road.

Make it:  Patriots 34   Jets 17

Like the Patriots and Jets, the Seahawks and Bears have already played this season, resulting in a 23-20 for the Seahawks @ Soldier Field.  Is this Week 6 matchup indicative of how both these teams are playing today? No.  Should it give Seattle even more confidence coming off its win against the New Orleans Saints? Yes.  However, playing in Chicago is totally different then in Seattle.  Lets take a look at Matt Hasselbeck's performance in away playoff games and Chicago's defense in home playoff games.

Year   Opponent   Passing  Yards  TD/INT  W/L
2004    Green Bay   25-45      305      0 / 1        L
2007     Chicago      18-33      195      1 / 1        L
2008    Green Bay   19-33      194      1 / 0        L

Matt Hasselbeck has never won a playoff football game on the road, and recently he has been ineffective to the tune of less than 200 passing yards in his past two road playoff starts.  Can the magic from last week continue against a strong Bears defense?  Lets take a look at the Bears defense at home in their last few trips to the playoffs.

Year   Opponent  YA   Int  FF  FR  Sk  PA  W/L
2006     Seattle      306   1     0     0     3    24    W
2006       NO        375    1     4     3     3    14   W
2005       Car         434   1     3     0     1    29    L
2002       PHI        336    1     0     0     2    33    L

These statistics show that the Bears defense gives up a lot of yards against good football teams, but how relevant are these statistics to this year's Chicago team?  Not much.  The 2010 Bears ranked 9th in total defense, allowing 314 yards/game.  They forced 23 fumbles and recovered 14, and intercepted 21 passes.  I think the Bears D gets it done and overcomes a few Jay Cutler turnovers in what should be another tight game.

Make it: Bears 17   Seahawks 13

Playoffs? Talking about Playoffs?

Hello everyone, hope you enjoyed yesterday's blog about the Big Ten conference and my propositions to change the division names.  Today we segway, not like this, into the realm of the National Football League and tomorrow's divisional round games between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens, and Green Bay Packers and Atlanta Falcons.  I anticipate two tight, evenly matched games tomorrow and a clear winner for both games does not come to mind.  If I were betting on these games, I would probably resort to my girlfriend's opinion, as much to my chagrin she seems to be correct about everything lately. For a more practical take on tomorrow's games, lets take a look at some statistics to try and predict the outcomes.  I feel that quarterback play is extremely important to succeeding in the NFL playoffs so below are analyses of each quarterback's past playoff performances.

Saturday January 15th, 2011

4:30 PM ET

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Past five matchups:

Dec 5, 2010 PIT 13 BAL 10

Oct 3, 2010 BAL 17 PIT 14

Dec 27, 2009 PIT 23 BAL 20

Nov 29, 2009 BAL 20, PIT 17

Jan 18, 2009 PIT 23 BAL 14

As one can tell, defense dominates the Steelers-Ravens series.  One intangible in favor of the Steelers is the fact that the Steelers have won the last six games between the two in which Ben Roethlisberger has played. 
However, the Ravens did beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh already this year, so they know what it's like to win a bigtime rivalry game on the road.  One red flag stands out to me for Baltimore: Joe Flacco's past playoff performance; he has not played well enough to win games for Baltimore. Below is a list of his past playoff passing performances.

Year  Opponent  Passing  Yards  TD  INT  Rating
2008     MIA         9-23        135     0       0      59.1
2008     TEN         11-22      161     1       0      89.4
2008     PIT           13-30      141     0       3      18.2
2009      NE           4-10        34       0      1       10.0
2009     IND          20-35      189     0       2      48.4
2010      KC          25-34      265     2       0      115.4

Flacco has only thrown for 200 yards once and has only thrown three touchdowns in six postseason starts.  Although his receiving core is improved this year and I cannot see him repeating his performance from January 2009, I still do not think Flacco has what it takes to beat the Steelers with his arm.  If the Ravens are going to win this football game it will be on the shoulders of their defense or in the hands of Ray Rice.  Ben Roethlisberger's playoff success and ability to extend plays outside the pocket gives the Steelers an advantage in what Terrell Suggs refers to as 'WWIII'

Make it:  Steelers 24  Ravens 13

As for the night game...

Saturday January 15th, 2011

8:00 PM ET

Green Bay Packers @ Atlanta Falcons

Past Five Matchups:
Nov 28, 2010 ATL 20 GNB 17 

Oct 5, 2008 ATL 27 GNB 24 
Nov 13, 2005 GNB 33 ATL 25
Jan 4, 2003  ATL 27 GNB 7
Sep 8, 2002 GNB 37 ATL 34

Green Bay and Atlanta have only played five times in the past nine years, and only once in the playoffs in 2003 with Michael Vick at Quarterback.  Judging by the past two matchups between the teams, this seems like a matchup with potential for a very close contest.  Aaron Rodgers and the Packers looked strong against the Eagles defense, while Clay Mathews and friends shut down Michael Vick and a high powered Eagles offense for most of the game.  However, Eagles kicker David Akers missed two medium range field goals due to the poor weather conditions.  The Packers do not have that luxury in the Georgia Dome.  Considering the past two matchups between these teams, I think this game will come down to quarterbacks, just like the Baltimore-Pittsburgh game.  Can Aaron Rodgers lead his team to victory even though the Pack went 3-5 on the road this season?  Lets take a look at Rodgers career stats against the Falcons and playoff stats, compared to Matt Ryan against the Packers.

Aaron Rodgers

Year  Opponent  Passing  Yards  TD  INT  Rating

2008      ATL       25-37      313      3       1      109.4

2009      ARI        28-42      423      4       1      121.4

2010      ATL       26-35       344     1       0      114.5

2010      PHI        18-27      180      3       0      122.5

Matt Ryan

Year  Opponent  Passing  Yards  TD  INT  Rating

2008       GB         16-26      194     2       1      94.1

2008      ARI         26-40      199     2       2      72.8

2010       GB         24-28      197     1       0      107.9

Clearly Aaron Rodgers has outplayed Matt Ryan in both these teams meetings the past three years, but is that enough for the Packers to win at Atlanta?  Can Michael Turner carry the load to the tune of 110 yards on a 4.8 YPC average and a touchdown like he did in Week 12?  Which defense will show up to force key stops and turnovers.  I think the Pack and my main man, Charles Woodson, will make enough plays to swing this game in favor of the men from Green Bay.

Make it: Packers 27  Falcons 23

Doing Away with the Leaders and Legends Divisions: A Solution to a Presumptuous Proposition

Today Big Ten Commisioner Jim Delaney announced that the Big Ten would keep the original football division names decided on December 16th: The Leaders Division and the Legends Division.  Seriously? How arrogant and pompous can you be Mr. Delany?  Keep in mind the Big Ten has not won a National Title since Ohio State did so in 2002, and that traditional powers such as Michigan and Penn St have struggled as of late.  Although the name accounts for the many iconic coaches and athletes that played in the Big Ten, it is far too broad and could be used for many conferences. 

Besides the distasteful name, I see one other glaring flaw in the division scheduling: the rivalries!  Below is a chart, courtesy of Wikipedia that displays the rivalries scheduled to be played each year:

Legends Division        Leaders Division 


Minnesota - Wisconsin 59–52–8       Michigan - Ohio State 57–44–6

Northwestern - Illinois 46–52–5        Iowa - Purdue 33–45–3

Michigan State - Indiana 41–15–2     Nebraska - Penn State 6–7–0

              Overall Inter-Divisional Record 242–214–24

A glaring problem is the rivalries "established" between Michigan St and Indiana, Iowa and Purdue, and Penn St and Nebraska.  Iowa's main rivals seem to be Wisconsin and Illinois, although Northwestern has had their number lately and lies in the same state as Illinois.  In my opinion,  Iowa-Nebraska, Michigan St-Penn St, and Indiana-Purdue would make much more sense.  Iowa and Nebraska are regional rivals considering the large border they share, Michigan St and Penn St have been playing on the last Saturday of the year since Penn St joined the Big Ten, and is always a competitive football game.  Indiana and Purdue are in the same state, yet neither has been historically good at football.  Both lack a strong rival so pairing these two together seems necessary.  Would this mean a division realignment? Yes, as Nebraska and Iowa are currently in the same division, as well as Indiana and Purdue.  Lets take a look at the Brereton Proviso, which includes renaming both divisions.

Ford Division             Owens Division
Michigan                                          Ohio St
Minnesota                                        Wisconsin
Northwestern                                   Illinois
Nebraska                                         Iowa
Michigan St                                      Penn St
Indiana                                             Purdue

Improvements from the previous model include:
(1) Better regional rivalries
(2) Better division names, Why not honor two of the most influential people of the 20th century, Gerald Ford and Jesse Owens, as opposed to looking like a conference full of arrogance? 
(3) Fair scheduling.  Although the Owens division may be a little bit stronger, the traditional power of Michigan, Ohio St, Nebraska, and Penn St are spread out evenly among the two divisions.

Lets be honest. The Big Ten is all about upholding tradition and excellence.  Lets not let our division names do the talking.  These improvements would honor our predecessors, allow for better rivalries, and let the Big Ten focus on what it does best, playing great football!

Michigan Hires Who? A Report on Brady Hoke

Last week, the Rich Rodriguez era ended at the University of Michigan. For many fans, this era was a dark time. A 15-22 record, 6-21 within the Big Ten, 0-1 in bowl games, and most importantly, 0-3 against Ohio State. The allegations against the program for practice violations cast a dark shadow on Rodriguez and his staff, along with the dismissals of highly touted players like Demar Dorsey and Justin Feagin. Seeing former Michigan players blossom at other schools sickens me, as Ryan Mallett, Steven Threet, and Justin Boren are all excelling at Arkansas, Arizona St, and Ohio St, respectively because they did not want to play for Rich Rod.

However, after attempting to lure Jim Harbaugh and Les Miles to return to their alma maters but coming ouy empty handed, Brady Hoke was hired today. For those of you who don't know about Brady Hoke, below is his coaching resume:

• 1983 - Grand Valley State - Defensive Line
• 1984-1986 - Western Michigan - Defensive Line
• 1987-1989 - Toledo - Linebackers
• 1989-1994 - Oregon State - Defensive Line
• 1995-2002 - Michigan - Defensive Line
• 2003-2008 - Ball St
• 2009-2010 - San Diego St
• 2011 - Michigan

Several things jump out from this list. First, he is part of the Michigan family, as he coached the Defensive Line for eight seasons. Second, he has had some success turning around teams in non-BCS conferences. Ball St went from a perennial loser to a Top-25 team for some of 2008, as Hoke's Cardinals, quarterbacked by Nate Davis, went undefeated until losing to Buffalo in the MAC title game. From Ball St, Hoke went on to San Diego State in the Mountain West, and they went from a 4-8 record in his first season to 9-4 his past year, with all their losses coming to bowl teams in Missouri, BYU, TCU, and Utah. San Diego St only lost to TCU by five points at TCU, an impressive achievement considering how strong a program TCU was this year. Hoke's SDSU Aztecs defeated Navy 35-14 in the Poinsettia Bowl.


These achievements should not go unnoticed, but is Hoke ready to coach a premier football program like the University of Michigan? He has never been a head coach in a BCS conference before and has a losing career record. However, he has turned around two programs that have traditionally been terrible. Also, he will have to adjust the Michigan program to his style of football. This may marginalize the value of players that were integral to the team's success during the Rich Rodriguez era, specifically Denard Robinson. It will be interesting to see how Brady Hoke takes the reins of the Michigan football program, and I hope that he can get the players he needs quickly to run his system and return Michigan to its place as a premier college football program.

BCS Title Game Preview!

The end of the bowl season has finally arrived. I don't know about you, but I feel that there are way too many bowl games nowadays. Approximately half the teams in Division 1-A get into a bowl game, whether it is the BCS title game or the Magicjack Bowl or Papa Johns Bowl. Personally, I think that there should be half the bowl games but a four or eight team playoff should also be offered. Regardless, the subject of a playoff is for another day. On to the BCS championship game, which pits the 12-1 Oklahoma Sooners against the 12-1 Florida Gators. Both these teams overcame early losses to tough competition (yes, I would consider Ole Miss a solid team following their defeat of Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl) to sneak into the BCS title game. Oklahoma made it to the Big 12 title game via a tiebreaker over Texas, which had beaten the Sooners 45-35 earlier in the season. The Sooners were .01 points ahead of the Longhorns in the BCS standings so by Big 12 rules they advanced to the Big 12 title game which propelled them to the national championship and a #1 ranking. Texas settled for the Fiesta Bowl, in which it needed a last minute touchdown drive to defeat a mediocre Ohio State team.
Florida made it to the BCS championship game in similar fashion to Oklahoma. Following a heartbreaking loss to Mississippi, Tim Tebow pledged that he 'would work harder than any player had ever worked for the rest of the season.' Tebow was true to that pledge (okay, maybe Tyler Hansborough works harder than Tebow) and the Gators obliterated their opponents on their way to the SEC title game in which they defeated then #1 Alabama 31-20. Florida secured the #2 ranking in the BCS standings following the SEC title triumph.
So without further adieu here is the preview for the BCS Title Game:

Offense: Wow both these teams have such explosive offenses. Oklahoma set an FBS record by scoring over 700 points this season, thats over 50 a game. Sam Bradford passed for over 4,000 yards and 48 touchdowns while giving up just seven interceptions on his way to the Heisman Trophy. Receivers Juaqin Iglesias and Manny Johnson lite up secondaries, Iglesias catching 69 balls for 1,092 yards and ten touchdowns. All-American TE Jermaine Gresham is a key part of the passing game, accounting for fifteen touchdowns. Running backs DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown both ran for over 1,000 yards; Brown rushed for 20 touchdowns. The question is, how does Florida stop this team? Well, to make things easier DeMarco Murray is out with a high ankle sprain sustained on the opening kickoff of the Big 12 title game against Missouri. However, Chris Brown is just as capable as Murray, although he was less involved in the passing game throughout the season. Florida's offense is just as explosive as Oklahoma's. QB Tim Tebow has an excellent supporting cast, including speedy receivers Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy. Harvin has electrified fans since he burst onto the scene two years ago, when Florida won its last national title. RB's Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps offer more speed running behind a talented, but young offensive line. TE Aaron Hernandez is also a threat.

Advantage: Its difficult to give either team an edge here but I'd say the edge goes to Oklahoma. Alabama proved that a team can actually contain Florida's offense, but no one has been able to contain the Sooners. Both Quarterbacks are exceptional but Oklahoma has slightly better big play receivers.

Defense: Oklahoma's defense is nothing special, Safety Nic Harris is solid along with LB Ryan Reynolds. However, this team ranks #92 in the FBS in pass defense and gave up 45 points to Texas. Florida boasts a strong defensive unit led by LB Brandon Spikes and CB Joe Haden. This team gave up minimal points to strong offensive teams like Georgia and Alabama.

Advantage: Florida. Their pass defense is much better than Oklahoma's. Oklahoma hasn't played against a QB like Tebow either.

Special Teams: Florida has superior special teams with their speed on kickoffs and field goal kicking. Oklahoma has only attempted twelve field goals all year.

Prediction: Florida 41 Oklahoma 28, This Florida team is too talented all around for the Sooners. Tebow has been here before and knows how to handle the big game atmosphere.