ejthetiger+
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Observations after a full weekend of college football viewing
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Louisville looked every bit back to their 2004 form with their slaughter of Oregon State. The game made me think that Beaver coach Mike Riley, the ultimate Mr. Nice Guy, will simply not be able to produce much more than ‘Weedeater Bowl” status for this program, especially since previous coach Dennis Erickson’s thugs have mostly graduated. Louisville travels to South Florida to face an improving Bulls team this weekend in what will be a true measurement of Jim Leavitt’s program.
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Anyone else underwhelmed by Virginia? I sure am, they seem to be limping along and failed to get the cash for the second straight game this year as Syracuse took them to the final seconds. Al Groh is highly touted as a recruiter but I am not a blind believer of this program. They play erratic football.
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As I mentioned on my Saturday releases, has anyone noticed how Ron Friedgen’s Maryland program has stumbled as more and more of HIS recruits now take the field. Perhaps his predecessor, Ron Vanderlinden, wasn’t so bad after all as it was HIS players that the Phat Fridge took to back-to-back 10 win seasons. Keep an eye on Rich Rodriguez’s West Virginia Mounties, they are slipping under the radar screen due to significant graduation losses but are 3-0 with two road dog wins at Syracuse and Maryland. And it was no accident.
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Michigan finally exploded and looked good in their home win and cover over Eastern Michigan but now must travel to Madison to meet the Badgers, whose defense is starting to take the form of 2004. Or is it? John Bunting’s North Carolina team was completely inept in their home opener against Wisconsin Saturday and you have to wonder how they can move the ball this week against an angry North Carolina State team seeking revenge for last year’s loss to the Tar Heels in a game that they felt was a HEIST. Too bad for UNC fans that Bunting beat Miami and went to a bowl last year, getting his head out of the noose, as now his incompetence will only do more long term damage. That game last Saturday isn’t gonna get Tar Heel fans to love football over hoops, it was PATHETIC!
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Speaking of coaches that are not getting it done, SMU’s Phil Bennett is at the top of that list. After an upset over TCU the Mustangs went right back to form getting blown out at Texas A&M against a good looking Aggie team that will contend for the Big 12 title. While everyone thinks Texas will win the South and beat Oklahoma, they tend to overlook the Aggies who will HOST the Horns at season’s end.
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I think Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron is a screaming baboon and idiot. There, I said it. He will FAIL at Ole Miss, mark my words. It won’t be long before Ole Miss will regret showing David Cutcliffe the gate after his successful run at Oxford. And Vanderbilt is certainly the real deal as QB Jay Cutler is one of the best I have seen all season. Vandy’s schedule will be brutal in the second half but they have what it takes to surprise some of the big boys and Cutler will keep them in nearly every game.
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Miami may be the scum of the earth in college football but they are also a talented team with a super fast defense and, as usual, come up big in the clutch. Once again the Canes came through in a must win game at a hostile environment. Then again, did you really think Clemson coach Tommy Bowden could handle too much prosperity? Still, Larry Coker’s team must get the offense clicking consistently and the 13.5-point line for their home opener against fellow scumbag program Colorado raises some eyebrows. The “Scum Bowl” will be interesting viewing. Hide the women and children!
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Ohio State was not at all overwhelming in their win over San Diego State. The Buckeyes have a big revenge home game against Iowa, who seems to be down a notch from last year. But until Jim Tressel’s team develops offensive consistency how can you REALLY trust them with a step out play? San Diego State may be a surprise team to keep an eye on now that their brutal early portion of their schedule is over.
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The Pitt/Nebraska game was unwatchable, and a testimony to the idiocy of BOTH programs coaches. Talk about picking your poison. Pitt’s special teams are a great indictment of Dave Wannstedt’s incompetence. And as for Bill Callahan’s west coast “offense,” well, the Solich “Neanderball”approach is looking better and better these days.
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Oklahoma is officially and obviously in trouble and down a notch…or TWO and I am glad I downgraded them from a “1” to a “3” on my game day selections last week. Props to Karl Dorrell for the outstanding job he has done at recruiting top-notch athletes and getting them to play. UCLA is not going away, they are loaded with tons of talent.
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South Carolina had an empty tank for their game against Alabama, who now must be reconsidered as an SEC contender. David Shula’s dominance over the Old Ball Coach was no accident and Bama is much improved, finally putting it all together after a sloppy start. They now host an Arkansas team that was butchered at USC. It will be interesting to see if the Hogs can rebound with a decent effort. If not, Houston Nutt may have a for sale sign on his lawn. This game is a HUGE test of reality for BOTH programs. For me to be convinced that Bama is truly the real deal, they must win this game and cover.
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John L. Smith is a jerk and an assclown and nearly gave away Michigan State’s game at Notre Dame. Sparty won despite this buffoon and now travels to Illinois for a possible trap game. If MSU and their paranoid fans want to be taken seriously they must take care of business against Ron Zook’s hard working Illini. This will be one to watch, as it will be an excellent barometer for both clubs. Can Zook get his team to rebound after their loss at Cal? Sparty has talent but does he have heart? “Show Me” says the Tiger to John L.
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Speaking of the real deal, Virginia Tech is ALL THAT with its second straight 45-0 win. Georgia Tech QB Reggie Ball has been ill and limited in practice and I think Chan Gailey’s Yellow Jackets may well get a reality check in Blacksburg this weekend. Beamer ain’t screwing around this year with his loaded Hokies.
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Rich Brooks was a brainless hire by Kentucky while Terry Hoeppner is an OUTSTANDING hire by Indiana. For these two basketball schools, Indiana is clearly the program on the upswing. Brooks now must host Florida, who may use the Tennessee win as a springboard for bigger and better things down the road. The Kentucky papers said that the Wildcats quit on Brooks, and from what I saw it was hard to dispute.
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The Oregon Ducks took care of business against a tough Fresno team last week and now host USC. Oregon will be a hostile environment and you have to begin to wonder if there is a line that can be posted high enough for the Trojans. That 21.5-point line looks tempting but how can you stand in front of a freight train?
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Florida State is winning ugly but winning and their defense made nice adjustments at Boston College last week. BC travels to Clemson in a game of jilted wannabe’s. I won’t go near it. The Seminoles, meanwhile, are improving each week and gave us a nice “3” win on gameday. Winning at BC was a character and reality check that Bobby Bowden’s crew passed impressively.
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I am not quite ready to write off Tennessee just yet. Remember last year when they rose from the dead to play in the SEC title game? Further, LSU was NOT at all impressive at Arizona State in their lucky win and cover, (which I was fortunate to have). This game is not at all an automatic gimme. The LSU pass defense looked totally hopeless against the Sun Devils and the offense was inconsistent.
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Only Rutgers coach Greg Schiano could screw up a game against lowly Buffalo, which he did, as his Scarlet Knights won most unimpressively. If this buffoon doesn’t bowl rest assured he is gone. I have seen them twice and they are so SLOW they appear to be playing in slow motion.
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Keep an eye on Minnesota and Glen Mason. I have seen all three of their games and they have an abundance of talented athletes. This week they host Purdue in a “Show Me” game. Minnesota’s vaunted run offense will face a stern test against Purdue’s highly touted run defense. This may be the best game in the Big 10 card all weekend. Mason has always flirted with Big 10 contention and MUST win this game to be taken seriously as a conference contender.
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I was wondering what happened to Trev Alberts and did a search and found out that ESPN fired him. Their loss. Alberts had both passion and intelligence and the morons at ESPN tried to make him into a clown with fake and contrived arguments with Mark May, the shallow jerk that SHOULD be fired. Perhaps Fox Sports Net will pick up Alberts. After all, lobotomy Billy Ray Smith couldn’t spell cat if you spotted him the C and the T.
We hit our second straight "2" Game of the Week with Mizzou over Troy and have another one for you this weekend. We also like a Thursday Night game more than is normally the case. <o></o>
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<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com
fficeffice" /><o></o>Louisville looked every bit back to their 2004 form with their slaughter of Oregon State. The game made me think that Beaver coach Mike Riley, the ultimate Mr. Nice Guy, will simply not be able to produce much more than ‘Weedeater Bowl” status for this program, especially since previous coach Dennis Erickson’s thugs have mostly graduated. Louisville travels to South Florida to face an improving Bulls team this weekend in what will be a true measurement of Jim Leavitt’s program.
<o
></o>Anyone else underwhelmed by Virginia? I sure am, they seem to be limping along and failed to get the cash for the second straight game this year as Syracuse took them to the final seconds. Al Groh is highly touted as a recruiter but I am not a blind believer of this program. They play erratic football.
<o
></o>As I mentioned on my Saturday releases, has anyone noticed how Ron Friedgen’s Maryland program has stumbled as more and more of HIS recruits now take the field. Perhaps his predecessor, Ron Vanderlinden, wasn’t so bad after all as it was HIS players that the Phat Fridge took to back-to-back 10 win seasons. Keep an eye on Rich Rodriguez’s West Virginia Mounties, they are slipping under the radar screen due to significant graduation losses but are 3-0 with two road dog wins at Syracuse and Maryland. And it was no accident.
<o
></o>Michigan finally exploded and looked good in their home win and cover over Eastern Michigan but now must travel to Madison to meet the Badgers, whose defense is starting to take the form of 2004. Or is it? John Bunting’s North Carolina team was completely inept in their home opener against Wisconsin Saturday and you have to wonder how they can move the ball this week against an angry North Carolina State team seeking revenge for last year’s loss to the Tar Heels in a game that they felt was a HEIST. Too bad for UNC fans that Bunting beat Miami and went to a bowl last year, getting his head out of the noose, as now his incompetence will only do more long term damage. That game last Saturday isn’t gonna get Tar Heel fans to love football over hoops, it was PATHETIC!
<o
></o>Speaking of coaches that are not getting it done, SMU’s Phil Bennett is at the top of that list. After an upset over TCU the Mustangs went right back to form getting blown out at Texas A&M against a good looking Aggie team that will contend for the Big 12 title. While everyone thinks Texas will win the South and beat Oklahoma, they tend to overlook the Aggies who will HOST the Horns at season’s end.
<o
></o>I think Ole Miss coach Ed Orgeron is a screaming baboon and idiot. There, I said it. He will FAIL at Ole Miss, mark my words. It won’t be long before Ole Miss will regret showing David Cutcliffe the gate after his successful run at Oxford. And Vanderbilt is certainly the real deal as QB Jay Cutler is one of the best I have seen all season. Vandy’s schedule will be brutal in the second half but they have what it takes to surprise some of the big boys and Cutler will keep them in nearly every game.
<o
></o>Miami may be the scum of the earth in college football but they are also a talented team with a super fast defense and, as usual, come up big in the clutch. Once again the Canes came through in a must win game at a hostile environment. Then again, did you really think Clemson coach Tommy Bowden could handle too much prosperity? Still, Larry Coker’s team must get the offense clicking consistently and the 13.5-point line for their home opener against fellow scumbag program Colorado raises some eyebrows. The “Scum Bowl” will be interesting viewing. Hide the women and children!
<o
></o>Ohio State was not at all overwhelming in their win over San Diego State. The Buckeyes have a big revenge home game against Iowa, who seems to be down a notch from last year. But until Jim Tressel’s team develops offensive consistency how can you REALLY trust them with a step out play? San Diego State may be a surprise team to keep an eye on now that their brutal early portion of their schedule is over.
<o
></o>The Pitt/Nebraska game was unwatchable, and a testimony to the idiocy of BOTH programs coaches. Talk about picking your poison. Pitt’s special teams are a great indictment of Dave Wannstedt’s incompetence. And as for Bill Callahan’s west coast “offense,” well, the Solich “Neanderball”approach is looking better and better these days.
<o
></o>Oklahoma is officially and obviously in trouble and down a notch…or TWO and I am glad I downgraded them from a “1” to a “3” on my game day selections last week. Props to Karl Dorrell for the outstanding job he has done at recruiting top-notch athletes and getting them to play. UCLA is not going away, they are loaded with tons of talent.
<o
></o>South Carolina had an empty tank for their game against Alabama, who now must be reconsidered as an SEC contender. David Shula’s dominance over the Old Ball Coach was no accident and Bama is much improved, finally putting it all together after a sloppy start. They now host an Arkansas team that was butchered at USC. It will be interesting to see if the Hogs can rebound with a decent effort. If not, Houston Nutt may have a for sale sign on his lawn. This game is a HUGE test of reality for BOTH programs. For me to be convinced that Bama is truly the real deal, they must win this game and cover.
<o
></o>John L. Smith is a jerk and an assclown and nearly gave away Michigan State’s game at Notre Dame. Sparty won despite this buffoon and now travels to Illinois for a possible trap game. If MSU and their paranoid fans want to be taken seriously they must take care of business against Ron Zook’s hard working Illini. This will be one to watch, as it will be an excellent barometer for both clubs. Can Zook get his team to rebound after their loss at Cal? Sparty has talent but does he have heart? “Show Me” says the Tiger to John L.
<o
></o>Speaking of the real deal, Virginia Tech is ALL THAT with its second straight 45-0 win. Georgia Tech QB Reggie Ball has been ill and limited in practice and I think Chan Gailey’s Yellow Jackets may well get a reality check in Blacksburg this weekend. Beamer ain’t screwing around this year with his loaded Hokies.
<o
></o>Rich Brooks was a brainless hire by Kentucky while Terry Hoeppner is an OUTSTANDING hire by Indiana. For these two basketball schools, Indiana is clearly the program on the upswing. Brooks now must host Florida, who may use the Tennessee win as a springboard for bigger and better things down the road. The Kentucky papers said that the Wildcats quit on Brooks, and from what I saw it was hard to dispute.
<o
></o>The Oregon Ducks took care of business against a tough Fresno team last week and now host USC. Oregon will be a hostile environment and you have to begin to wonder if there is a line that can be posted high enough for the Trojans. That 21.5-point line looks tempting but how can you stand in front of a freight train?
<o
></o>Florida State is winning ugly but winning and their defense made nice adjustments at Boston College last week. BC travels to Clemson in a game of jilted wannabe’s. I won’t go near it. The Seminoles, meanwhile, are improving each week and gave us a nice “3” win on gameday. Winning at BC was a character and reality check that Bobby Bowden’s crew passed impressively.
<o
></o>I am not quite ready to write off Tennessee just yet. Remember last year when they rose from the dead to play in the SEC title game? Further, LSU was NOT at all impressive at Arizona State in their lucky win and cover, (which I was fortunate to have). This game is not at all an automatic gimme. The LSU pass defense looked totally hopeless against the Sun Devils and the offense was inconsistent.
<o
></o>Only Rutgers coach Greg Schiano could screw up a game against lowly Buffalo, which he did, as his Scarlet Knights won most unimpressively. If this buffoon doesn’t bowl rest assured he is gone. I have seen them twice and they are so SLOW they appear to be playing in slow motion.
<o
></o>Keep an eye on Minnesota and Glen Mason. I have seen all three of their games and they have an abundance of talented athletes. This week they host Purdue in a “Show Me” game. Minnesota’s vaunted run offense will face a stern test against Purdue’s highly touted run defense. This may be the best game in the Big 10 card all weekend. Mason has always flirted with Big 10 contention and MUST win this game to be taken seriously as a conference contender.
<o
></o>I was wondering what happened to Trev Alberts and did a search and found out that ESPN fired him. Their loss. Alberts had both passion and intelligence and the morons at ESPN tried to make him into a clown with fake and contrived arguments with Mark May, the shallow jerk that SHOULD be fired. Perhaps Fox Sports Net will pick up Alberts. After all, lobotomy Billy Ray Smith couldn’t spell cat if you spotted him the C and the T.
We hit our second straight "2" Game of the Week with Mizzou over Troy and have another one for you this weekend. We also like a Thursday Night game more than is normally the case. <o
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