The football team selected 4 captains today. This isn't usually news. This isn't usual.
For the first time in years there is a QB competition and the coaches have yet to name a starter. In fact, the word is a sesaon long starter may not be named until as late as the week following the CMU game, or week three.
The players haven't waited to chime in. They selected Greg Jones, Blair White, Ross Weaver, and ...
Kirk Cousins.
So there is at least the intriguing storyline of Kirk Cousins the captain, of the bench. Keith Nichol leader of the team, sort of.
http://freep.com/article/20090827/SPORTS07/90827064/1055/MSU-names-four-football-captains
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Americans love Futbol
Or not. Because idiots like Skip Bayless wouldn't have a clue what athletic looked like if it hit them in the face. Actually he might. He was probably punched in the face, repeatedly, throughout his childhood by athletes. The point is guys like Skip Bayless try to curry favor with rednecks everywhere by making outdated and simple jokes about soccer. In about 10 years he is going to look like Strom Thurmond, both in ideology and skin folds.
Back to the point. Football is number 1. College football follows the script of college basketball. More drama, more heart, and more at stake week to week than the corresponding professional level. For all the problems with the Bowl system and the push back on a playoff system I can agree with one argument in favor of the current system; don't slip up. Most teams can't afford to lose a single game, especially late in the season. Every week every game is important, like a playoff. The playoff system would only require getting in the top 10 or so, making a loss here or there acceptable with a chance to enter a playoff later. The season finale would probably trump march madness (please never have a playoff for football!) but the regular season would be left to the truest of fans.
MSU - I am a Spartan fan. That means I am cautiously optimistic. I like the general direction of the team but I've seen it before. I like the coach and the long term trend but I can't get too high, lest I be let down again. The schedule sets up nicely for a big, BIG season. I'm cautiously optimistic. Let's just say I'm long msu football but I wouldn't take msu as a trade.
Lou Holtz (sorry DP) may have gone too far this time. He picked ND to be in the championship game this year with Florida. He did qualify his statement by saying that ND "is not the second best team in the country" but that ND's schedule sets up nicely (see: cake walk) and that "they have the best chance of being 12-0 of any team other than Florida*" in the country. Really?? Did you watch that team the last two years? "They are returning XX players." Ok. So are the detroit lions. Is that good or bad? I think ND will be much better than last year, based on the schedule and improvement of the feathered boa. They will NOT be in the national championship unless 3 team forfeit. I'll eat my hat with ketchup.
I am worried about:
1. MSU at Illinois. This is a team that lost a lot of close games last year and has a running QB. Things happen w/ running QB's, for instance, large losses to PSU and OSU last year.
2. MSU at ND. I don't think ND is that good but I question MSU's ability to run the ball. I like te way our db's and lb's match up against the irish receivers but I just wonder about holding a lead or grinding out a game this year. I also wonder what kind of pressure we'll get on the qb. The pass rush is yet unproven.
3. Iowa. The hawkeyes DOMINATED our lines last year. Both offensive and defensive domination. Although Greene is gone I don't think it matters who runs behind that line. Although King and Kroul (sp?) are gone the D line will be very good still. Stanzi was impressive last year (as a guy getting 10 seconds to make decisions should be) and will only be better this year. Iowa is going to be good.
4. Either: Minnesota, Wisconsin, or CMU. Yes that CMU. With scrambling QB see above. Same can be said for MN, potentially, and the fact that it is Halloween and the new stadium will be rocking. Wisconsin is so so, but at home, is pretty good and has a stable of running backs.
Don't forget PSU. I don't think they will be as good as last year. A lot of the defense was lost and the offense will take a while to get rolling. Unfortunately for MSU PSU has all season to get it right. Also, there are plenty of returning starters on the nittany offense, including 37th year senior Daryll (and his other brother Daryll) Clark.
*I decided " 's were best despite the fact that the entire passage is paraphrased. In fairness his esses were sloppy and he slurred like a champion that day.
Back to the point. Football is number 1. College football follows the script of college basketball. More drama, more heart, and more at stake week to week than the corresponding professional level. For all the problems with the Bowl system and the push back on a playoff system I can agree with one argument in favor of the current system; don't slip up. Most teams can't afford to lose a single game, especially late in the season. Every week every game is important, like a playoff. The playoff system would only require getting in the top 10 or so, making a loss here or there acceptable with a chance to enter a playoff later. The season finale would probably trump march madness (please never have a playoff for football!) but the regular season would be left to the truest of fans.
MSU - I am a Spartan fan. That means I am cautiously optimistic. I like the general direction of the team but I've seen it before. I like the coach and the long term trend but I can't get too high, lest I be let down again. The schedule sets up nicely for a big, BIG season. I'm cautiously optimistic. Let's just say I'm long msu football but I wouldn't take msu as a trade.
Lou Holtz (sorry DP) may have gone too far this time. He picked ND to be in the championship game this year with Florida. He did qualify his statement by saying that ND "is not the second best team in the country" but that ND's schedule sets up nicely (see: cake walk) and that "they have the best chance of being 12-0 of any team other than Florida*" in the country. Really?? Did you watch that team the last two years? "They are returning XX players." Ok. So are the detroit lions. Is that good or bad? I think ND will be much better than last year, based on the schedule and improvement of the feathered boa. They will NOT be in the national championship unless 3 team forfeit. I'll eat my hat with ketchup.
I am worried about:
1. MSU at Illinois. This is a team that lost a lot of close games last year and has a running QB. Things happen w/ running QB's, for instance, large losses to PSU and OSU last year.
2. MSU at ND. I don't think ND is that good but I question MSU's ability to run the ball. I like te way our db's and lb's match up against the irish receivers but I just wonder about holding a lead or grinding out a game this year. I also wonder what kind of pressure we'll get on the qb. The pass rush is yet unproven.
3. Iowa. The hawkeyes DOMINATED our lines last year. Both offensive and defensive domination. Although Greene is gone I don't think it matters who runs behind that line. Although King and Kroul (sp?) are gone the D line will be very good still. Stanzi was impressive last year (as a guy getting 10 seconds to make decisions should be) and will only be better this year. Iowa is going to be good.
4. Either: Minnesota, Wisconsin, or CMU. Yes that CMU. With scrambling QB see above. Same can be said for MN, potentially, and the fact that it is Halloween and the new stadium will be rocking. Wisconsin is so so, but at home, is pretty good and has a stable of running backs.
Don't forget PSU. I don't think they will be as good as last year. A lot of the defense was lost and the offense will take a while to get rolling. Unfortunately for MSU PSU has all season to get it right. Also, there are plenty of returning starters on the nittany offense, including 37th year senior Daryll (and his other brother Daryll) Clark.
*I decided " 's were best despite the fact that the entire passage is paraphrased. In fairness his esses were sloppy and he slurred like a champion that day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)