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09 February 2011
You wouldn't think it, but we get hundreds (if not thousands) of emails a week from StadiumDrives.com readers. Some of them tell us how great we are, others how bad we are. Often, we'll get tips of stories. Sometimes, sites will even let us know that they stole our work, it was a hit on their site and thank us. Others just write in for advice or have questions about their life. I decided to give the old inbox a cleaning again and pick out some of the best (and worst) emails.* If you can't decipher our e-mail address from the sidebar and would like to send something in, send it via Twitter to @JoshCohron.
What the hell happened to your (expletive) website and that stupid (expletive) fake mailbag you used to do? Have the 5 people that used to read the site actually found the rest of the internet to waste their time on? Go (expletive) yourself, (expletive). - A female, Anytown, USA
That was nice. I'm glad I got welcomed back so warmly. I'll be honest, I don't even know if this site still works. Much like... nevermind. Let's move on.
Is your mother a prostitute? - @scott_ish
Wow, I'm really getting welcomed back with open arms. What am I, getting interviewed by the Miami Dolphins? I would think of a comeback to this, but @scott_ish said that the Heat wouldn't make the playoffs this year, so I don't need to make fun of him any further.
Is Danica Patrick truly attractive or is it that she appears hot because she is the only vagina relief in a field of 42 wangs? - @TylerKY
I actually covered a similar question last year, but there's not much content today, so I can answer this again.
Under no circumstances is Danica Patrick attractive. Take the GoDaddy.com (or .co, whatever the hell that was) ad from the Super Bowl. They always have some tagline at the end, "Continued on our website... WARNING: WEB CONTENT IS UNRATED!" Who in their right mind would want to go see that tiny, unattractive woman in anything construed as "unrated?" Danica Patrick is about 4'5" and if you saw her walking down the street and didn't know who she was, you would think she's a 6... at best. Her most attractive quality is that she's rich.
There are attractive women in sports, like say, Ana Ivanovic (pictured to the right). She's much hotter than that pea-sized woman driver.
Why can't Scotty Hopson dribble? - Grubby
Blame the hair. Or Will Smith. Or Will Smith's hair.
MFK: The Progressive insurance woman, Pam Ward, and Condoleezza Rice - @dougdeweese
First off, @dougdeweese is a must follow on Twitter. Second, this question may be the toughest I've ever received.
M: Condoleezza Rice (She's bound to be worth a lot of cash.)
F: Progressive Insurance woman (One time might be worth a discount on some car, boat or RV insurance.)
K: Pam Ward (I'm not going to M or F a dude.)
Tiger Woods was quoted this week at the Dubai Classic as saying that his 'game' was coming together. By 'game', do you think he is referring to ability to better manage his ladies so they don't find out about each other this time? Or is this a golf ability reference?" - @swgullett
Hell, why not both? I would think that both facets of his game would have to be better than they've been in the last 18 months.
Take golf, he's finally recovered from knee surgery and doesn't have the distraction of trying to hide 84 lovers from his wife and kids. If you were playing golf, wouldn't your mind be clearer without the fear of some Perkin's waitress telling the world you banged her? I know mine would. Not to mention, he's only 35 years old. With all the steroids in the world now, he can be a top-flight golfer for at least 10-15 more years.
As for the ladies, I'd say he's gotten better at being discreet about things. I haven't heard about him bedding a woman since he got divorced, have you? But, if I were famous, I think I'd want people knowing about my conquests. Say you're at Kroger buying some Tostito's or something. You're about to check out and you see all those gossip magazines. The, you see Blake Lively on the cover and the headline reads, "My Torrid Affair With Josh Cohron." Hell yes. Sign me up. My friends and my mom (not a prostitute) would be so proud.
When is Calipari going to start recruiting more KY born white boys? That's how you win championships!! - @AlexHolt1
I could answer this question, but I certainly wouldn't do it any sort of justice. I'm going to let StadiumDrives.com super-friend, @JimmyFromPP answer this one.
Yeah, this is Jimmy... from Pippa Passes. I like being the one to answer the questions instead of waiting on hold for 90 minutes to get to talk to the GREAT Oscar Combs. I could not agree with you MORE, AlexHolt1. Jon Hood hit the BIGGEST shot of the game against Florida at the end of the first half, then he barely gets back in the game!!! What the hell!!! Maybe Calipari just doesn't like white boys. But, I'll tell him something. He can bring in the best players in the country, but NO UK TEAM has EVER won a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP without a KENTUCKY born white boy on that team! Check your facts, COACH! I'll take your answer off the air. Shoot, I mean, um... talk to you guys later. Check me out on that Twitter!!!
I think a semi-racist rant from a guy from Pippa Passes is a fabulous way to end this mailbag. If more than 6 people read this, I'll do another one next week. Thanks, as always, for the questions.
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09 January 2011
Can we please stop the pity parade for Enes Kanter?
Sure, it's disappointing (although not exactly surprising) the Turkish big man has been ruled permanently ineligible to play for Kentucky. And yes, the decision has brought out the conspiracy theorists in Big Blue Nation, who seem to think that the NCAA, as well as most refs, broadcasters, writers and analysts, are out to get them. Interesting how the fanbase of one of the most popular programs in the history of the sport has managed to convince themselves that the world is against them...
But lets not shed too many tears for Kanter. We're talking about an 18-year old who played professional basketball in Turkey, has been treated like royalty by the UK fanbase since setting foot on campus, and is about five months away from a huge payday in the NBA Draft. Yes, he won't get to play in an NCAA Tournament or experience the joy of making a run to the Final Four. But something tells me he'll survive, especially once he puts his name on that first NBA contract.
Bottom line, Kanter is a professional athlete, and the ruling is correct. No matter which way fans want to spin it, or how much whining they want to do, nothing changes the fact that Kanter was paid to play basketball. I realize some of his salary was earmarked for education, and that's great. It certainly seems he and his family had good intentions. But he still was paid as a professional - period. And allowing kids to play professionally overseas and then maintain their amateur status in the US would seem to open the doors for all kinds of debauchery from agents, hanger-ons and erstwhile "managers" who already clutter up the recruiting underworld.
I know in the wake of the Cam Newton and Ohio State decisions, Kanter's ruling seems arbitrary and unfair. But each case is different, and while everyone may not agree on the rulings, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to compare them. In Newton's case, all that has been proven (key word) is that Newton's father solicited money from Mississippi State to secure his son's services. Whether or not Newton knew about it isn't really the issue, although that seems to be what people want to focus on. The bigger issue there is that Newton is at Auburn, not Mississippi State. Therefore, any money asked for by Newton, or his father, wasn't actually delivered, because Newton chose not to go to school there. In fact, the NCAA has said as much. Their ruling on his eligibility is rooted in the fact that, while his dad may have had poor intentions, no money was actually given to Newton. Now, whether or not you believe Auburn was offered the same deal by Newton's father is another matter that's up for debate. But as of right now, there is no evidence to support that claim.
As for the ruling on the five Ohio State players who received "benefits" and were still able to play int he Sugar Bowl...again the case is different. Should the players have been allowed to play? In my opinion - no. They should have been suspended immediately. But just because they were ruled eligible and Kanter is ineligible doesn't signify the existence of a grand conspiracy against Kentucky. Again - Kanter is a paid professional. The Buckeye players, while guilty of poor judgment and what I consider to be low morals, sold or traded merchandise for benefits. While I certainly don't agree with the NCAA's ruling for the Ohio State players, the two cases and subsequent rulings are not really related.
Besides, am I the only one who felt the "Free Enes" campaign was a little disrespectful to the current players? After all, Kentucky is 12- 3 and the odds-on favorite to win the SEC, despite playing essentially a six-man rotation. Freshmen Terrence Jones, Brandon Knight and Doron Lamb are leading the team in scoring, and former bench-warmer Josh Harrellson has been surprisingly productive, making up for a lack of athleticism with hustle and determination. But despite their efforts, the headlines continued to be dominated by the eligibility questions surrounding a guy who had never played a minute. Nobody is saying that Kanter wouldn't have helped this team. But in case you haven't noticed, we've got a team that's doing pretty well without him.
So let's just agree to move on, now that we know Kanter won't be playing this year. There is no anti-UK conspiracy. The sky isn't falling, and the world isn't ending. We've got a team talented enough to play with anyone in the country, and Kanter is months away from being a millionare. There are no losers here.
Except for the fans who can't let it go.
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27 December 2010
I'll be honest, I haven't watched a single bowl game yet. There is nothing about two mediocre teams playing that gets me excited. If watching average football is your thing, more power to you, but I'm not going to waste my time watching Florida International and Toledo playing for extra Hot-N-Ready pizzas. Thankfully, there are some games worth watching coming up this week, and next week and the National Championship will be played sometime before the 2011 season starts (hopefully). When college football is being played, you need to be gambling on the games. That's why I'm here with 15 picks not guaranteed to make you any money. Gamble anyway, what the hell else are you going to spend all that Christmas cash on?
East Carolina +7 vs. Maryland; Anytime you can get points against a team that is forcing its fat head coach out the door and just lost its offensive coordinator, you take them. I couldn't tell you a player on ECU's roster, but I know that Maryland won't be up for this game. How much is Ralph Friedgen going to want to be outside coaching when he's already been canned? The Pirates will beat the Terps, so look at the +240 on the moneyline as a great investment.- Illinois +1 vs. Baylor; This is the Texas Bowl! When ranking Texans' favorite football teams, where would Baylor rank? I'd guess there are 2 NFL teams, 14 college teams and 4 high school teams that have a better following than Baylor. It will be an embarrassment when there are more Illinois fans than Baylor fans in the crowd. Also, for some unknown reason, Ron Zook's squad has been pretty good against the number this year. I'll take the Illini by a touchdown.
- Oklahoma State -5 vs. Arizona; Arizona comes into this game having lost their last four games of the season. When they take the field on Wednesday, they won't have won a game since before Halloween. I wouldn't exactly call that a "winning environment." Oklahoma State has a man for a coach and should be able to pass the ball all over Arizona's porous secondary. Bet the Cowboys to win big in this one.
- Tennessee +1.5 vs. North Carolina; This seems like easy money to me. The game is being played in the state of Tennessee and Tennessee finished the season really well. They won their last four games (all by double digits) and found their QB of the future in Tyler Bray. That young team has had a month to get better, while UNC has had a month to think about all the places where things went wrong this season. Plus, North Carolina beat William & Mary and Duke by only a combined NINE points. That's just embarrassing. The Volunteers will roll in this one.
- Miami -3 vs. Notre Dame; Miami should roll over ND in the This Game Mattered When The First George Bush Was President Bowl. In all seriousness, Notre Dame is slow and Miami is fast. The Hurricanes will win by a touchdown.
- Georgia -6.5 vs. UCF; After an abysmal start without AJ Green, the Bulldogs finished the season winning 5 of their last 7 games. I know that people sometimes talk about "SEC speed" too much and act as if the only fast people in the world play football at SEC schools, but I can tell you this: Georgia's football team is faster than UCF's football team. The Knights will be completely out-classed and will lose by double digits.
- Florida State +3 vs. South Carolina; Remember what happened the last time South Carolina played in the Georgia Dome? If you don't, you need to watch more football. Auburn did whatever they wanted to Spurrier's Gamecocks on the first Saturday in December. By the middle of the third quarter, SC had quit and Spurrier was on a golf course in his mind. I'll take Jimbo Fisher and the Seminoles over the Cocks. Bet the 'Noles on the moneyline for a bigger profit return.
- Texas Tech -9.5 vs. Northwestern; Northwestern probably has the highest academic prestige of any of the bowl teams. Thus, their football team actually had to spend the first half of the month studying for finals. Texas Tech, on the other hand, gives their final exams in coloring books. All this to say, Texas Tech got to spend the month practicing a lot more football than Northwestern did. I like Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald, but he's got his hands full with the Red Raiders. I'll take Tech by 2 TDs.
Florida -7.5 vs. Penn State; First of all, let's all thank the Outback Bowl for ending their stupid tradition of starting the game at 11AM on New Year's Day. Whose eyes can function well enough to watch a football game that early on January 1? Thankfully, we now have an extra 2 hours before we have to see Joe Paterno's face in HD. Secondly, Urban Meyer is NOT losing his last game at Florida. There's just no chance of that happening. Next year, I'll be referring to Penn State football games as "Weekend at Bernie's." Because Joe Paterno may be dead. Florida wins this game going away and covers easily.- Alabama -10 vs. Michigan State; You are a moron if you think that Nick Saban is going to lose to a team he formerly coached. Hell, I think 'Bama could beat the Dolphins this year, even with their three losses. Michigan State had a fine season, but outside of Wisconsin, who did they beat? They lucked out and didn't have to play Ohio State and got embarrassed by Iowa. Also, by law, I am required to mention SEC speed somewhere when talking about this game. The Crimson Tide will throttle the Spartans by 20+.
- Mississippi State -4 vs. Michigan; As of Christmas morning, it had officially been 3 months since Michigan covered the spread in a football game they played. Sadly, Santa didn't bring me what I wanted; Rich Rodriguez being fired. Thankfully, there's still time for this to happen. This game features two teams going in different directions. Dan Mullen has the Bulldogs playing really well (until he leaves for a better job) and RichRod has the Wolverines playing as poorly as any Michigan team of my lifetime. Also, have I mentioned SEC speed?!? Michigan won't play hard for their lame duck coach and Mississippi State will beat them by 2 TDs+.
- Wisconsin +3 vs. TCU; This may be my favorite bet of all of the games. Wisconsin is one of the best teams in the country and they get to play against a team whose signature win came against Utah (who was humiliated by Notre Dame the next week). People keep talking about TCU's defense as if they are the Steel Curtain. Give me a damn break. Kentucky's defense would have looked good against the teams on TCU's schedule. I fully expect the Badgers to win by 10 points or more. Bet Wisconsin on the moneyline and start counting your winnings.
- Stanford -3 vs. Virginia Tech; I don't hate the BCS as much as most people, but I do have a big problem with Virginia Tech being able to play in this game. If we're going to be stuck with the BCS for the next couple years, there should be a rule that if a team loses to a 1-AA team (like VT did to James Madison), it forfeits the right to play in a BCS game. Sure, VT has won 11 games in a row and they played well at the end of the season, but that still doesn't discout the fact that they couldn't beat James Madison (or Boise State, for that matter). Andrew Luck is far and away the best player in this game and should throw for a ton of yards. The Cardinal will win by a touchdown in what is hopefully Jim Harbaugh's last game as Stanford head coach.
LSU -1 vs. Texas A&M; I love this game almost as much as I love the Wisconsin game. LSU is going to annhilate TA&M. Have I mentioned SEC SPEED!!!! LSU will win by a bunch in this one.- Auburn -3 vs. Oregon; This game opened with Oregon as a 3 point favorite. Within 12 hours, the line had shifted and Auburn was a 3 point favorite. That means that the people who know things in Vegas are very high on the Tigers. What's not to love about Auburn? They have the best player in college football on their team and they have SEC speed. With a combo like that, how could they be beaten? Plus, Auburn has been unbelievable against the spread this year. And, the SEC doesn't lose in the BCS Championship game. Great effort, Oregon, you'll be relevant again in about 20 years. Auburn 45 Oregon 31.
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06 December 2010
As sports fans, there's a few words we're all going to hear way too much of over the next three weeks.
"No. I told you I wasn't interested - go away."
Wait- sorry. That was what I heard this past weekend. No - the complaint we're going to all hear, and eventually get sick of, is that there are too many bowl games. This year, there are 35 bowls, meaning 70 of the 120 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision will enjoy some sort of postseason. And for reasons beyond my grasp, this seems to anger a lot of people. I understand if you don't have a rooting interest in the Beef 'O'Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl - few people do. But really, does it bother you that much that it exists?
Now I'm not saying I'll be tuning into the uDrove Humanitarian Bowl, or calling friends over to watch the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. Chances are, I won't care who wins the AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl, and I don't foresee myself laying down any bets on the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl (I'll leave the gambling tips to Cohron anyway). But that doesn't mean those games don't matter. If it makes the kids on those team feel good, if it serves as some sort of reward after a long season...well I can live with that. I may not watch or particularly care, but who am I to say it's not important? And if it really bothers you that much that 6-6 teams can go to a bowl, then I have a suggestion - don't watch. Deal?
But with all that being said, there's probably only a handful of games that are going to garner national attention. Here's a look at five games you should check out, regardless of who you root for.
Capital One Bowl - Jan. 1: Michigan State vs. Alabama.
Not too many people predicted Alabama would be sporting three losses on their resume, or watching the BCS bowls from home. But such is life in the SEC, where the Tide were stunned by South Carolina, stumbled against LSU and then blew a huge lead against arch-rival Auburn. Still, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who question's the Tide overall talent, or Nick Saban's coaching ability. The Tide are still loaded with NFL draft picks, and they boast three of the best skill position players in the country in WR Julio Jones and RBs Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson. The Spartans on the other hand, surprised many by riding a power rushing game and veteran QB Kirk Cousins to 11 wins and a share of the Big 10 title. Their upset of Notre Dame with a last-second fake field goal was one of the most memorable moments of the year, and aside from a loss to Iowa, they played the entire season with a confidence and swagger not often seen in East Lansing. But with bowl season comes the age old question...can the power of the Big 10 overcome the speed of the SEC? The Spartans will be looking to gain a measure of pride for their conference, while the Tide are hoping to move past the loss to Auburn and salvage a somewhat disappointing season. Look for Sparty to hang around, but in the end, I think Alabama just has more talent. Prediction: Alabama 31, Michigan State 17
Hyundai Sun Bowl - Dec 31: Notre Dame vs. Miami
I know, I know - why bother? Two 7-5 teams that haven't been relevant on the national stage in years. Two teams that are constantly over-hyped, and who have combined for 32 losses over the last three years. But even for someone who couldn't care less about either team, this is still an intriguing match-up, for a couple of reason. First off, whoever wins will no doubt ride that momentum to lofty spot in next year's pre-season rankings, which will again likely lead to disappointment. But beyond that, there are good storylines for both teams. For Notre Dame, first year coach Brian Kelly hasn't quite found the magic he used to lead Cincinnati to back-to-back BCS bowls, but his problems go much deeper than that. His admitted negligence and poor judgment that led to the death of student Declan Sullivan, who was filming a practice during heavy winds, is a situation that isn't going to go away, and you have to wonder how an image-conscious school like Notre Dame will handle that going forward. For Miami, it's certainly far less serious, but interesting nonetheless. Their open coaching position will have a huge impact on the coaching carousel, and the hire of a big name could have far-reaching effects on recruiting, where former coach Randy Shannon failed to reel in enough five-stars to keep fans happy. No matter what happens, this is a big game for two big-time programs who drastically need something positive to take out of this year. Prediction: Miami 27, Notre Dame 21
All-State Sugar Bowl - Jan. 4: Ohio State vs. Arkansas
Hmm...where have we seen this storyline before? Ohio State, in a BCS bowl, against an SEC team...sound familiar? The last time we saw this, LSU was pounding the Buckeyes for the national championship in 2007, just a year after Florida smoked the Buckeyes for the 2006 national title. But times have changed. The Buckeyes boast arguably the best athlete in the country in QB Terrelle Pryor, although the jury is still out on his future as a passer. They haven't always looked impressive this year, but they still found a way to win at least 10 games for the sixth consecutive year, and they head into the bowl riding a five-game winning streak. Meanwhile, Arkansas may be even hotter, having won six straight, including a huge win over LSU to end the season. QB Ryan Mallet throws the ball was well as any QB in the country, and he has a stable of offensive weapons, plus a solid running game led by sophomore Knile Davis. However, despite the offensive talent of Arkansas, it's their defense that concerns me. Auburn and QB Cam Newton hung 65 points on the Hogs this year, and while Pryor isn't the same caliber of player as Newton, he's still a big, athletic, dual-threat QB that can cause problems. Additionally, Mallet is known to have a bit of a temper, and you wonder if he'll be able to maintain his composure if the Hogs' offense struggles early. Look for a very competitive game, but I expect the Buckeyes to come out ahead. Prediction: Ohio State 28, Arkansas 24
Rose Bowl Game presented by VIZIO - Jan. 1: Wisconsin vs. TCU
Once again, a mid-major is looking to make a statement in a BCS game. However, the argument is a little dulled this year, since TCU has already agreed to join the Big East in 2012, meaning an automatic BCS bid will be theirs for the taking. Nevertheless, this remains an interesting game, although neither team really has much national appeal. TCU has a veteran offense led by QB Andy Dalton, who won't dazzle you but rarely makes mistakes. However, as is often the case with Gary Patterson's teams, the strength of the Horned Frogs is their defense. They lead the nation in points allowed per game, and held eight of their opponents to 10 or fewer points this year. They'll need every bit of that defense against the Badgers, who put up points like a video game this year, putting up six games of 40 or more points, including three games with at least 70 points. QB Scott Tolzien is a solid passer, but the secret to the Badgers' success lies in their running game, as RBs John Clay, James White and Montee Ball have all rushed for at least 800 yards this year. Coach Bret Bielema drew some criticism this year for the lopsided scores, but there's no doubt the Badgers are a well-coached team who are playing as well as anyone in the country right now. Don't expect the Badgers to hang 70 on the Frogs, but then again, TCU likely hasn't seen an offense as physical as as Wisconsin. Look for the size of the Badgers to eventually wear down TCU. Prediction: Wisconsin 27, TCU 20
BCS National Championship - Jan. 10: Auburn vs. Oregon
One thing we know for certain - both teams will score plenty of points. The Ducks led the nation in points per game this year at just a shade under 50, while the Tigers checked in at 6th with over 42 points per game. Both teams boast a Heisman Trophy finalist, with Auburn QB Cam Newton the likely favorite over Oregon RB LaMichael James. Both teams have a plethora of offensive weapons, as 12 Ducks and 11 Tigers have scored touchdowns this year. And both teams boast second-year coaches who would love the long-term security offered by a national championship trophy. No matter which way you slice it, this game is going to be fun. Despite constantly swirling rumors regarding his recruitment, Newton has been an absolute monster this year, reeking havoc on defenses with both his running and passing abilities. Freshman RB Michael Dyer is a load, while veterans like Onterio McCalebb, Mario Fannin, Darvin Adams and Terrell Zachary have all found the endzone plenty this year. For Oregon, James has proven to be nearly impossible to tackle, racking up over 1,600 yards and 21 touchdowns, despite sitting out the first game of the season. QB Darren Thomas is equally dangerous throwing and running the ball, and the up-tempo attack of the Ducks has left some opponents faking injuries on the field just to catch their breath. The real key will be the defenses of both teams. Neither defense is great, but which one will be able to get a stop when it matters most? This certainly has all the makings of a terrific game, and I expect a close match throughout. However, look for Cam Newton to be the difference, as Oregon simply hasn't seen a QB like him all season. Prediction: Auburn 45, Oregon 37
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03 December 2010
Can someone explain to me why the hell (Michigan Athletic Director) Dave Brandon needs to wait until after Michigan's bowl game to determine Rich Rodriguez's future? If Michigan happens to beat a mediocre opponent in a crappy bowl, does that somehow take the taint off of the Rich Rodriguez era at Michigan? (The answer is no.) All Brandon is doing is prolonging the inevitable and hurting Michigan's recruiting. If a new coach is hired in the next week, he could start recruiting players for next year. Instead, Rodriguez will continue to recruit players who aren't good enough to compete in the Big 10. My only hope is that Jim Harbaugh has secretly accepted the job and is just waiting until after Stanford's bowl game to make the announcement. Anyway, it may be the last week of the season, but there's still money to be made. Let's get to the winners...
- Auburn -5 vs. South Carolina; I don't have to tell you how good Auburn has been this year, but they've also been very good against the number. Off the top of my head, the last time they didn't cover was against Kentucky and that game was almost two months ago. Obviously, Cam Newton has had a roller coaster type week. I'll say what I said when the allegations broke, he just wants to be on the football field where there are no distractions and he can just do what he does best. South Carolina played Auburn close in September, but that was as well as they could play and they still didn't win. Add in the fact that Marcus Lattimore hasn't been healthy in a long time and it could be a long day for the Gamecocks. Auburn wins this going away and easily covers the 5.
- Virignia Tech -3.5 vs. Florida State; It was very easy to rip Virigina Tech after the first two weeks of the season. They stepped on their dicks against Boise State and then embarrassed themselves by losing to James Madison. Since then, they've rattled off ten wins and have dominated the weak ACC. Their closest game against ACC competition was a 28-21 win against Georgia Tech, and no other ACC team has kept a game within double digits. Florida State backed their way into this game, as North Carolina State lost to Maryland last week. Sure, FSU looked good last week against Florida, but this isn't a great Florida team. Virginia Tech will have their way with the Seminoles and will win by a TD or more.
- Nebraska +4 vs. Oklahoma; Simply put, I don't trust Bob Stoops in a big game. I fully expect Choke-lahoma to show up tomorrow night and screw up their shot at a BCS bowl game. Nebraska damn near upset Texas last year in the Big XII Championship and I expect the Cornhuskers to show up big again tomorrow night. I'll take Nebraska to win straight up, but feel very comfortable with the 4 points.
- Boise State -38 vs. Utah State; Boise absolutely blew it last weekend and most rational sports fans were glad to see it. All the morons who said they could have been undefeated in a legitimate conference should never be able to speak about sports again. Nevada's stadium looks like a high school stadium and Boise cracked under the pressure. I don't think Boise would do so well in SEC or Big 10 stadiums that hold 90k+ people. Regardless, this is a bounce-back, feel good game for the Broncos and they'll annihilate Utah State. Boise may win by 50.
- UConn +2 @ South Florida; How bad is the Big East? Connecticut can clinch the conference title and a BCS bowl berth on Saturday and they're an UNDERDOG to South Florida! What a shitty conference. I fully expect the Huskies to play well just because they don't have to be in Storrs, CT in December. UConn will win easily, so bet them on the moneyline.
- Fresno State + 5 vs. Illinois; In a battle of two morons coaching bad teams, you always take the home moron getting points. So, yes, I'll take Larry Redmon Pat Hill over Ron Zook. I highly suggest you not watch this game, because in a matchup of morons like these two, the viewer definitely loses.
Last week: 2-4
Season: 43-31-4
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24 November 2010
Let me give you one piece of advice about this weekend's gambling: Do not, under any circumstances, bet the Auburn/Alabama game. There is absolutely no telling what is going to happen in that game. Could Auburn prove they really are the #1 team in the country and win by two touchdowns? Yes. Could Alabama realize they are loaded on both sides of the ball, figure things out and play up to their lofty preseason ranking? Absolutely. Might Nick Saban take a dive just because he doesn't want to watch TCU or Boise State in the BCS Championship? Certainly possible. Hell, it's possible a Mississippi State booster runs on the field and gives Cam Newton $180k just to come play against Ole Miss the next night. Even Vegas doesn't know what's going to happen. Alabama is a 4.5 point favorite. Typically, teams with good home crowds (like 'Bama) get between 3.5 and 4.5 points just for playing at home. Let me repeat, DO NOT GAMBLE on this football game. Also, Happy Thanksgiving. Let's get to some winners...
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Ohio State -17 vs. Michigan; I may sound like a broken record, but this broken record gives away money. Michigan is closing in on two months of not covering, so there's no reason to think anything will change on Saturday. Ohio State is superior in every aspect of the game. It's almost unfair to let Jim Tressel coach against Rich Rodriguez. That's like racing the fat kid in elementary school, you know he can't win. Ohio State will get an early lead and the Michigan players will quit playing hard because they know they're going to a bowl game with a different head coach. Ohio State will embarrass Michigan by 3 TDs+. So long, RichRod! Thanks for ruining what used to be known as the greatest football program in the country.
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Tennessee -3 vs. Kentucky; Tennessee has beaten Kentucky 25 straight times and Tennessee needs a win to become bowl eligible. What else needs to be said? Tennessee may be down this year, but they still have better players than Kentucky (except for Randy Cobb). The Vols will beat the Cats by at least a touchdown. But, Kentucky fans really shouldn't care... have you people seen Terrence Jones play basketball?
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Florida +2.5 @ Florida State; The last time the Gators lost to the Seminoles, Ron Zook was coaching in Gainesville. Urban Meyer has dominated his in-state counterparts during his tenure at Florida. Saturday should be no different. It's been a very rough year for Florida, but they can redeem it just a little by beating FSU. There are rumors flying that this could be Urban's last regular season game, and everyone knows he's not going out with a loss. Florida wins a good game over FSU and Gator fans start asking around for Jon Gruden's cell phone number.
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Boise State -14 @ Nevada; Boise State continues to dominate their inferior opponents, and nothing will change against Nevada. Don't let the ranking number next to Nevada's name sway your opinion of Nevada football. They are a joke program who is pretending to be a big-time opponent to boost Boise State's resume. Nevada's signature win this season is against Cal. Cal has to beat Washington this weekend just to become bowl eligible. Nevada is not a good football team. I'm sure Boise State can't wait to run it up against a "ranked opponent." The Broncos will win by 30+ and still not deserve to be in the BCS Championship discussion.
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Oregon -19.5 vs. Arizona; The last time we saw the Ducks, they were really struggling to beat the aforementioned Cal Bears. They've had almost two weeks to marinate on that loss, and should come out and be extremely fired up on Friday evening. I expect Chip Kelly to let his Ducks fly (Boo!) and Arizona will be completely overmatched. Oregon wins by 4 TDs or more and covers easily.
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LSU +3.5 vs. Arkansas; This is a "home game" for Arkansas, but it's being played in Little Rock. The University of Arkansas is located in Fayetteville, which is 191 miles from Little Rock. That's just moronic. LSU is coming in with the tiniest of hopes to play for a national title. Hell, it happened in 2007, so why not again? Les Miles has to be preaching that to his team every day and they are totally buying in. Ryan Mallett (former Michigan QB) has the Razorback offense looking great, but they haven't faced a defense quite like LSU's. Even though LSU's QB situation is a mess, they still go into Fayetteville Little Rock and get a win.
Last week: 5-1
Season: 41-27-4
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19 November 2010
Can someone get Nick Saban on the phone for me? I'll get him a lifetime supply of Oatmeal Creme Pies if he'll have the Crimson Tide take a dive against Auburn next weekend. No one wants to see Boise State or TCU in the BCS Championship Game. Let Boise State and TCU play in the Fiesta Bowl to determine the "King of Mediocrity," but let the real teams keep playing for actual national championships. Anyway, I've got a bunch of road favorites for you this weekend. Let's make some money...
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Northwestern +8 vs. Illinois; This game is being played at Wrigley Field. Why? That's a great question. Wrigley Field is an ancient, decrepit stadium that should have been blown up about 20 years ago. But, I guess Northwestern and Illinois are going to get some publicity out of this, seeing as Gameday will be there tomorrow morning. Northwestern is full of smart kids and Illinois is coached by Ron Zook. This doesn't seem like a fair fight. I can almost guarantee that an Illinois player will be seriously injured running into the BRICK WALL located about 6 inches behind the end zone. I'm taking Northwestern to win straight up, but you can take the 8 points and feel good about it.
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Boise State -30 vs. Fresno State; Larry Redmon, I mean Pat Hill brings Fresno in as Boise's next sacrificial lamb (Seriously, Pat Hill and Larry Redmon are twins). After Utah's embarrassment against Notre Dame last weekend, Boise now has the inside track to finish #3 in the BCS rankings behind two teams that play legitimate talent every weekend. Boise will continue to run up the score and try and impress the pollsters and the computers. No one will be watching (UK is on!), but Boise will win by 5 TDs or more.
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Wisconsin -4 @ Michigan; Michigan failed to cover again last weekend, for the sixth game in a row. Picking Wisconsin is almost too easy. I'd really like to meet the people that are continuing to bet Michigan to cover. Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. If you are betting on Michigan to cover, you are officially insane. Wisconsin will win by 14+ and will hopefully put the next-to-last nail in RichRod's coffin.
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Stanford -6.5 @ California; Cal totally blew their load against Oregon last weekend. They played as well as they possibly could and still lost. That means they didn't practice well all week and aren't going to be 'up' for this game. It's a classic letdown game. Plus, the game is at 12:30 local time, so the Cal fans will barely have time to wake-and-bake before the game. Stanford comes in with Andrew Luck and Jim Harbaugh both auditioning for the NFL (and hopefully the Michigan job for Harbaugh), so they'll be on their A game. Stanford wins by double-digits over the Golden Bears.
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West Virginia -4.5 @ Louisville; Teams in the Big East have only played 4 conference games. Georgia has already played 8 SEC games. What the hell is wrong with this awful conference? Do they think that people want to see their crappy games stretched into December? Somehow, West Virginia can still win the Big East, so Grandpa Bill Stewart will have the Mountaineers ready and WVU will beat UL by a TD or more.
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Tennessee -9 @ Vanderbilt; Don't look now, but Tennessee has bowl aspirations. A win against the nerds at Vandy and a 68th straight win against Kentucky, and the Vols are going bowling. Who could have ever seen this coming? Vandy appears to have packed it in for 2010. They've lost five in a row and haven't been closer than 14 in any of those games. Tennessee fans will fill the stadium, so Vandy won't even have home-field advantage. The Vols will get one win closer to a bowl, and win by 2 TDs+.
Last week: 3-3
Season: 36-26-4
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18 November 2010
You wouldn't think it, but we get hundreds (if not thousands) of emails a week from StadiumDrives.com readers. Some of them tell us how great we are, others how bad we are. Often, we'll get tips of stories. Sometimes, sites will even let us know that they stole our work, it was a hit on their site and thank us. Others just write in for advice or have questions about their life. I decided to give the old inbox a cleaning again and pick out some of the best (and worst) emails.* If you can't decipher our e-mail address from the sidebar and would like to send something in, send it via Twitter to @JoshCohron.
(Silence) - (All females), (All locations)
I'll let you figure out if I haven't pissed off any females lately, or just no females are speaking to me.
Is Chicago giving South Bend its nickname? - @TylerKY
Wow. Just... wow. This is an @TylerKY-heavy mailbag. Prepare yourselves.
Have you seen Mike Vick this season? He's the best QB in the NFL. - Ken J., Lexington, KY
It's unbelievable how many people actually think Mike Vick is a top-tier NFL QB right now. The guy has started five games this season, and he's now better than Brady, Manning, Brees, Rivers and every other NFL QB that didn't have a dog fighting ring at their house? This is simply ludicrous. Tom Brady has won three Super Bowls, has been invited to six Pro Bowls and has the single-season TD passing record, but you want to tell me that Mike Vick is now the best QB in the NFL. That makes a ton of sense. (Let's also not forget that Brady is married to the best looking woman in the world, which gives him extra points.)
Michael Beasley is averaging 32.6 points over his last five games, does that make him the best player in the NBA?
(Just to clear up any confusion on that last question, the answer is no.)
Please tell me that @JimmyFromPP on Twitter is the real Jimmy From Pippa Passes. - (multiple readers)
It's true! Your favorite call-in show guest has joined the ranks of Twitter. He's struggling to not end every tweet with, "I'll take your answer off the air." One thing is for sure, @JimmyFromPP is a must-follow.
You LOVE John Wall and you LOVE Colin Cowherd. Who wins out as Cowherd continues to rip Wall every chance he gets? - T. Hall, Mt. Airy, NC
It's true. My favorite radio host is going after one of my favorite basketball players for seemingly no reason at all. First of all, John Wall is a stud. There's nothing that Cowherd can say that will take anything away from that. Wall got a triple-double in his sixth NBA game. That's almost unheard of, especially with a mediocre team like the Wizards.
Does Wall turn the ball over a lot? Yes, there's no one that's going to dispute that. But, he's forced to do a LOT for his team. Have you seen this team's roster? Andray Blatche, Javale McGee and Al Thornton all start for them. Wall's supporting cast is awful, of course he's going to turn the ball over. But, that shouldn't take away from how good Wall has been. He's averaging 18/10/4 and when he gets healthy again, you can expect some of those numbers to keep going up, while the turnovers go down.
As for Cowherd, he's a radio host who gets paid to talk for three hours a day. He saw John Wall do the Dougie and decided to rant against him. Wall was the #1 pick in the NBA draft and played for Kentucky, so he's pretty well known nationally. At the very least, Cowherd knew that Kentucky fans would explode and bombard him with email (which they did). It got such a response nationally, why wouldn't Cowherd keep talking about it? His ratings keep going up and his name stays (even more) relevant. He may be wrong, but he's got listeners.
If people really want Cowherd to leave Wall alone, they should leave Cowherd alone about John Wall. When Wall got his triple-double, everyone had to mention Cowherd's name when talking about John Wall's feat. Why bring down Walls' accomplishment? Just let that stand alone.
Can Auburn expect to make it to the BCS Championship if they lose to Alabama or South Carolina? - @TylerKY
We can all hope so, right?
I think Auburn can lose to Alabama and still make the BCS Championship, but a loss to South Carolina would kill their title dreams. People (and computers) wouldn't see a close loss in Tuscaloosa as that bad for the Tigers. If they were able to rebound and drub South Carolina the next weekend in the SEC Championship, Auburn would still be in line to play for the national title. But, if they lose to South Carolina in the SEC Championship, they're done. South Carolina just isn't that good and that would be Auburn's last game that anyone would see of them. At least if they lose to Alabama, they'll have a shot at redemption.
For the record, I don't understand these people who actually want to see a BCS Championship game featuring Boise State and TCU. Do you people value awful football? Do you think that teams should be rewarded for playing in subpar conferences? Do you think that Boise or TCU could make it through even the ACC without a loss? (The answer is no, they couldn't.) You people should start watching the WNBA and Arena Football, just so you can keep up with all mediocre talent.
Let's just all pray to whatever deity in which we choose to believe that Auburn beats Alabama and South Carolina so we can have two legitimate football teams in the BCS Championship.
Oh yeah... how about your Heat? HA! They look awful so far. - Ken J., Lexington, KY
I'm not worried at all about the Heat, mainly because I don't overreact to the first few weeks of the NBA season. That would be like calling Mike Vick the best QB in the NFL after five starts.
If you could get Tom Brady pregnant would you? - @TylerKY
This seems like a great place to end.
Thanks, as always, to all six of you that read. Don't forget to submit a question for Volume 16.
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12 November 2010
A lot of people think that Rich Rodriguez saved his job last week. I sure as hell hope not. Nothing about a game where your defense gives up 65 points (!!!) should make someone think, "Yeah, this head coach really has things on track." I may write a strongly worded letter to the Michigan Athletic Department letting them know I will no longer be contributing my annual $0 if RichRod is back next year. On to the picks...
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Auburn -7 vs. Georgia; You may not be able to find a line at your local bookie or website, but keep looking around until you find one. Auburn is going to rally around the Cam Newton controversy and throttle the Bulldogs. Cam Newton has to hear all about this when he's not playing football, but when he steps on the field, he can just play without worrying about anything but the game. Plus, Georgia is just a very mediocre football team. Hell, they got beat by Colorado and Colorado just fired their head coach. I have a feeling Georgia's head coach may have the same fate coming soon. Tigers over the Bulldogs by 2 TDs.
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Purdue +12.5 vs. Michigan; Michigan kept up a long streak of not covering last week against Illinois. How could you bet against a streak like that at this point? This could be an absolutely brutal game to watch. As we all know, Michigan's defense is the worst in the country. Sadly, they may make an awful Purdue offense look legitimate. As hard as it is for me to say, I think Michigan will win the game, but they're not going to cover. Michigan wins by 10, in a game that's much closer than it should be.
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Florida -6.5 vs. South Carolina; Since beating Alabama, South Carolina has been a very mediocre football team. They lost to Kentucky, beat Vandy, struggled against Tennessee and got drilled by Arkansas last week. This is a typical South Carolina team. They're good, not great. Spurrier doesn't care enough anymore for them to be a great football team. On the other side of the field, Florida has rebounded well after losing three straight. They put on a clinic against Vandy last weekend and the offense appeared to be clicking again. The Gators will win by 10+ and Steve Spurrier will play some golf.
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Utah -5 @ Notre Dame; Did Utah get exposed as a fraud last weekend? Yes. But, they were just a fraud as the #5 team in the country. They're still a top 20 team. Notre Dame, on the other hand, is just awful. This line makes no sense. Utah gets an opportunity to be on national television and prove to the country they aren't as bad as last week's score says they are. They will roll into South Bend and score at will on a porous Irish defense. Utah will win by 2 TDs or more.
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Oregon -19.5 @ California; Until Oregon doesn't cover a spread, I'll just keep betting them. They were only up 18-6 at half last week against Washington. They ended up winning (and covering) 53-16. This Oregon offense can score at will in the Pac10. Plus, people at Cal don't care about football. They're much more concerned with trying to get to the Northeast for Phish's NYE run. Oregon wins by 30+.
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Boise State -34.5 @ Idaho; I'm not going to write a lot about this, but Boise is on national TV and needs to keep drilling bad teams if they want to be considered legitimate. They may win by 60.
Last week: 5-1
Season: 33-23-4
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05 November 2010
It's a great weekend. You have NBA, NFL, college football and the Breeders' Cup to watch. You don't need to hear me wax poetic about all of that. Go get some beverages and get in front of some TVs. I went 4-2 again last week. Here's hoping you took my advice (especially on Michigan, which was Vegas just giving money away). Let's do this...
Illinois +3 @ Michigan; When was the last time Michigan won a game? Over a month ago. When was the last time Michigan covered a point spread? Over a month ago. This isn't hard to figure out, people. Michigan is a very mediocre football team dealing with a LOT of off the field distractions. Their coach is a bumbling moron who can't stay out of trouble. The Wolverines were also just rewarded with another year of probation, thanks to that same bumbling moron. Speaking of bumbling morons, how the hell is Ron Zook still employed at Illinois? His record at the school is 26-42. You're in luck, Illini fans! Ron Zook will be the smartest coach on the field on Saturday and he will get that coveted 27th win, in Ann Arbor. For the love of everything pure and holy, can Rich Rodriguez get fired soon?- Florida -14 @ Vanderbilt; I went to a Vanderbilt home game once (it was because of a girl). I bought three tickets on the front row for a total of $23. When I got to my seat, I noticed the two sections next to mine were empty save about 12 nerdy looking kids. I came to find out that this was the "student section." Needless to say, Vandy doesn't have a great home-field advantage in Nashville. Florida will win by 20+.
- Alabama -6.5 @ LSU; This game got picked up by CBS as their SEC Game of the Week, so game-time is 2:30 Central Time. That hurts LSU more than their awful QB play. I'm not saying that LSU would win if the game were at night, but it would be a heck of a lot closer. Alabama is hearing the chatter from the media. If they win out, they will still play in the title game (anybody but Boise/TCU/Utah!). Saban's had two weeks to prepare for the Tigers and will lay it on his old squad. 'Bama by 2 TDs (at least).
- Tennessee -20 @ Memphis; Grubby always tells me to never bet on Tennessee. He's usually right, except for this week. Vegas couldn't have set this line high enough. Memphis is AWFUL. Memphis lost to Louisville 56-0. That's the same Louisville team that struggled to a win over 1-AA Eastern Kentucky. Tennessee hasn't had a feel-good weekend since opening Saturday, but that will all change tomorrow as they will pour it on the Tigers. UT wins by 30+.
- Boise State -21 vs. Hawaii; Shockingly, Boise State is playing a team that a perennial power has played. USC beat Hawaii by 13 the first weekend of the season. USC is by no means a great team this year, so Boise knows they'll have to beat the hell out of Hawaii to even get noticed this weekend (and it's still not a given). Plus, think of the poor Hawaii players. They live in one of the most beautiful places in the world and now they're forced to go spend three or four days in Boise, Idaho. That depresses the hell out of me just thinking about it. The Broncos will win the game by 4 TDs, but the guys living in Hawaii are the true winners.
- Oklahoma State -8.5 vs. Baylor; Who the hell would have thought that this game would help determine the team that's going to win the Big XII South? Not this guy. Oklahoma State gets it done this weekend because Baylor is coming off their biggest win in decades. They beat Texas in Austin last weekend for the first time in (I'm not going to look that up, but I'm guessing it's a very long time). Mike Gundy's a man, he's 40 and he'll get at least a double-digit win.
