Well I don't have to deal with the modding HERE now. I am one very busy dude. I've been hacking TV for a couple years and a hacking site out there sucked me right in like Johnny with a stiff one and a $50 bill at the bar over at Sam's Town.
All kidding aside, some of you that remember me may know I'm friends with Dave Cokin and we have been conversing for a few years so here's a little bit I wrote to him just today about the LSU/Or.St. game on Saturday.
Hope you like it and as always.... GOOD LUCK!
OK Dave... you got a bit from me on the Pac-10 a while ago. I was very high on the Beavers in my Pac-10 report mostly because they are returning an experienced offense with QB Derek Anderson now a senior and "hopefully" ready for prime time. It took USC's Carson Palmer 3 years to come into his own and I'm counting on Anderson much for the same reasons. If he can add a little more accuracy, better judgment and field generalship to his mobility and that cannon of an arm he posesses, he will be a QB to reckon with. I believe he still owns most of Oregons High School QB records when he played for Scappoose.
The Beaver secondary at the corners was their weak spot last year, mostly due to inexperience, certainly not lack of speed. Their LBs can also do sub 4.4 40s and so can their DE's. Yes they are a fast bunch. Hopefully a year of seasoning has improved them. It should. This game to them is EXTREMELY important to Oregon State, more than LSU's season opener is to them vs. a "so called" 2nd rate Pac-10 team they probably think they should walk right over. The Beavers have a very positive attitude about their chances this year, having perhaps the best schedule in critical home field conference games since I can remember. I see this year as a peak year for their football program. Their defensive secondary remains the big question but their offense will be volitile and explosive. They represent the fruits of ex-coach Dennis Erickson's recent recruiting efforts and most are now seniors.
To make a long story short, I think 18 points is too many for LSU to spot Oregon State. Even if the Tigers prove to be a good team again this year, it's not unusual to sputter a bit at the start of the season. LSU is playing a highly spirited opponent in their opener, a setup similar to the USC Trojans last week, who's first game was somewhat less than dominating against the Hokies. As last season's "other" #1 team, LSU, may win this game but I can't see 3 TDs separating them, probably not even 2. It could even be worse than that still so a small play on the moneyline just might be a prayer that gets answered (but keep it small.) Oregon State agreed to play this game with LSU only on the condition that it would be nationally televised. So just what do they want to showcase on national TV -- a 3 TD embarassment? I don't think that's what they have in mind. But they got their TV wish so I'll take some of that action. I'm in for the flop, the turn and the river too. I'll take the points and likely the whole pot against the squares on the LSU side. They probably think I'm bluffing.
Dave's private picks for Saturday:
> 146 Rutgers
> 164 Vanderbilt
> 178 Maryland
All kidding aside, some of you that remember me may know I'm friends with Dave Cokin and we have been conversing for a few years so here's a little bit I wrote to him just today about the LSU/Or.St. game on Saturday.
Hope you like it and as always.... GOOD LUCK!
OK Dave... you got a bit from me on the Pac-10 a while ago. I was very high on the Beavers in my Pac-10 report mostly because they are returning an experienced offense with QB Derek Anderson now a senior and "hopefully" ready for prime time. It took USC's Carson Palmer 3 years to come into his own and I'm counting on Anderson much for the same reasons. If he can add a little more accuracy, better judgment and field generalship to his mobility and that cannon of an arm he posesses, he will be a QB to reckon with. I believe he still owns most of Oregons High School QB records when he played for Scappoose.
The Beaver secondary at the corners was their weak spot last year, mostly due to inexperience, certainly not lack of speed. Their LBs can also do sub 4.4 40s and so can their DE's. Yes they are a fast bunch. Hopefully a year of seasoning has improved them. It should. This game to them is EXTREMELY important to Oregon State, more than LSU's season opener is to them vs. a "so called" 2nd rate Pac-10 team they probably think they should walk right over. The Beavers have a very positive attitude about their chances this year, having perhaps the best schedule in critical home field conference games since I can remember. I see this year as a peak year for their football program. Their defensive secondary remains the big question but their offense will be volitile and explosive. They represent the fruits of ex-coach Dennis Erickson's recent recruiting efforts and most are now seniors.
To make a long story short, I think 18 points is too many for LSU to spot Oregon State. Even if the Tigers prove to be a good team again this year, it's not unusual to sputter a bit at the start of the season. LSU is playing a highly spirited opponent in their opener, a setup similar to the USC Trojans last week, who's first game was somewhat less than dominating against the Hokies. As last season's "other" #1 team, LSU, may win this game but I can't see 3 TDs separating them, probably not even 2. It could even be worse than that still so a small play on the moneyline just might be a prayer that gets answered (but keep it small.) Oregon State agreed to play this game with LSU only on the condition that it would be nationally televised. So just what do they want to showcase on national TV -- a 3 TD embarassment? I don't think that's what they have in mind. But they got their TV wish so I'll take some of that action. I'm in for the flop, the turn and the river too. I'll take the points and likely the whole pot against the squares on the LSU side. They probably think I'm bluffing.
Dave's private picks for Saturday:
> 146 Rutgers
> 164 Vanderbilt
> 178 Maryland
