WiscoSportsTalk

Marquette is Winning the Close Ones

Now that Marquette has won eight of their last nine games and are on the good side of the tournament bubble, they can really look back at the effort at the end of the last 3 games as what helped them get into the big dance.

79-76 (OT), 63-61 (OT), and 84-83 (OT). That’s what you’ll see when you look at MU’s schedule and results for its last three games. As you can see, the Golden Eagles have played in overtime three times in a row, one shy of the NCAA record. Even more astounding, they have won all of these games.

In the first game against Cincy, it was Lazar Hayward- who was having one of his worst games of the season- that hit a game-tying 3 pointer at the end of regulation to send the game to OT. He then proceeded to lead the team in OT to a big win against a tough team on the road.

A few days later, it was Jimmy Butler against St. Johns. The same man who hit a fade-away game winning jumper against UCONN on the road did the same thing in Queens, NY against the Red Storm.

And Saturday, it took a total team effort to put down a pesky Seton Hall team in beautiful Newark, NJ. All five of MU’s starters reached double figures, led by Lazar hayward who had 23. Darius Johnson Odom and David Cubillan also had strong efforts with 16 points each.  DJO would not be denied on his way to the hoop late in regulation.

Bottom line, MU has a lot of clutch players on their team, and that’s why they have won 8 of 9 and hopped off the bubble a little bit. They still have two important games against Notre Dame and Louisville coming up to finish the season plus the Big East Tournament. But, as it stands now, the Golden Eagles have played their way into the big dance.

For a year in which MU lost 3 of their top four players from the year before, and projected starting point guard Junior Cadougan to a major injury, they have really fought hard. Kudos to Lazar Hayward, Jimmy Butler, DJO, Maurice Acker, and David Cubillan.

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Badgers Go About Business as Usual

There is absolutely nothing significant to report about Wisconsin’s 78-46 thrashing of Indiana.  The game was close for about the first five minutes, and from there, the Badgers were essentially on cruise control for the remainder of the game.

Actually, I stand corrected.  Seeing an irate Tom Crean get ejected in the 2nd half was pretty awesome.  My how the mighty have fallen, Tom…

All jokes aside, the Badgers are entering a fairly easy stretch of games to close out the Big Ten regular season; at the Kohl Center against Iowa on March 3rd, and then a road finale at Illinois on March 7th.  Iowa should be a breeze, but Illinois is underrated in many aspects and already showed they could beat UW in their own home a few weeks ago.

While I’m not one to cheer for injury (and I’m still not), the Badgers caught a bit of a break yesterday when it was discovered that Purdue forward Robbie Hummel is out for the season with a torn ACL.  The Boilermakers and Badgers went 1-1 against each other this season, with Hummel playing a significant role in each game.

In essence, the road to the Big Ten tournament title game just got a bit easier for the Badgers.  Purdue struggled last season without Hummel, and the weight of the entire season now rests on the shoulders of E’Twaun Moore.

All the Badgers can do now is take care of business and come prepared for the Big Ten tournament.  But who am I kidding?  Would you expect anything less from a Bo Ryan lead team?

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The Next Three Games Loom Large for Marquette

If the Golden Eagles have the misfortune of missing out on the big dance for the first time since 2005, they will most likely be looking back at this three game stretch as where the ship sank.
MU’s next 3 games are all against strong, but not elite competition. The three teams- South Florida, Pitt, and Cincinnati- are all pretty much in the same bout as the Golden Eagles. They all sit in the middle of the Big East standings are considered bubble teams for the tourney at this point (although Pitt may be in the best position of the four teams).
The first game, Saturday vs. USF, could be the most important of the three. The Bulls are hot of late, and could be considered as one of the big surprise teams in the NCAA this year. After going just 9-22 last year, USF has pulled it together this year and has garnered wins against the likes of #7 Georgetown and #23 Pittsburgh. They are a tough team and very much alive for a tournament selection; and a win at the Bradley Center Saturday would be big on their resume. Led by a strong front court of Augustus Gilchrist and Jarrid Famous, South Florida could create match-up problems for MU. The Golden Eagles will need another big performance from their back court to counter the Bulls’ paint presence.
On Thursday, Marquette travels to the Zoo to take on the perennially strong Pitt Panthers. After starting out the season very strong, Pitt hass cooled down -losing four of their last 7 games. Of the Panthers’ six losses this year, only 1 has come at home. The Zoo is considered one of the hardest venues to win in for opposing in the Big East, and will provide a major challenge for Marquette. If the Golden Eagles are able to win this game, it would certainly boost their chances come Selection Sunday.
The final of the three games is against the Cincinnati Bearcats. UC plays hard every night and are led by uber-talented Freshman Lance Stephenson. Stephenson and forward Yancy Gates will be matched up on Lazar Hayward and Jimmy Butler respectfully, creating one of the most intriguing 2 on 2 match-ups MU has seen this season. Hayward and Butler must win these individual battles if MU has any hope of countering the Bearcats rebounding advantage (Cincy comes in 4th in the Big East in team rebounding).
After these three games, the Golden Eagles travel to St. Johns and Seton Hall before closing out at home against Notre Dame and Louisville. All these are important, but this three game stretch against other bubble level teams will really separate MU from the pack; this could be a good or bad thing depending on how they do.

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Badgers Looking to Close Out Big 10 Season on a High Note

Despite the heartbreaking loss to Illinois on Tuesday, the Wisconsin Badgers still have a great chance to take home the Big 10 regular season title and continue to reach their goal of winning the Big 10 tournament.

I was as devastated as any Badger fan when they succumbed to that rare home loss against a surprising Illini team, but I see little use in panicking.  Sometimes a wake-up call like that can actually be a good thing for a team that wasn’t expected to do anything special this season.

Since Jon Leuer went down with a fractured wrist, the Badgers are 5-2 and have displayed the kind of effort that seems to come naturally to Bo Ryan coached teams; continue to work hard and go about your business.  No team handles adversity quite like the Badgers. Since Kalin Lucas went down, Michigan State has struggled to regain its swagger.  Ohio State was a mess without Evan Turner.

Not the Badgers.  Bo Ryan has instilled the confidence in his players to carry on and pick up the slack when a fellow teammate gets hurt. It’s rare to find a coach who can build such confidence in his team, but Ryan has earned his living doing that exact thing for the Badgers since he was hired.

The Badgers will also have the benefit of a fairly easy schedule to close out the season. Tomorrow they square off against an Indiana team that is still deep in the process of rebuilding.  After that, UW won’t face a ranked opponent unless Illinois earns a spot in the top 25 before March 6th (UW’s final regular season game at Illinois).

It’s going to be a close race to crown the regular season champion, but if the Badgers can continue their consistent play and rebound from a rare hiccup at home, I think they’ll bring home the bacon.

Just imagine how strong this team will be going into March Madness if Jon Leuer comes back to full strength.  Don’t look now, but the Badgers have the fortitude and attitude to make a strong run at the Final Four this year.

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Badgers Win in the Outdoor Hockey Classic

Vibrant and unique are two words that come to mind when describing the atmosphere at the 2010 Camp Randall Outdoor Hockey Classic. The outdoor game was held for the first time ever at Camp Randall Staduim, where around 55,000 fans watched the third-ranked Badgers skate away with a 3-2 win over Michigan .

A classic mixture of both football and hockey chants swarmed the stadium making the frosty, 20 degree air seem harmless. Both Wisconsin and Michigan were playing very fast paced, up-tempo hockey. This was partly due to a high energy crowd, but also because of the cooler and thus, faster ice surface they were playing on.

Ranked third in the country, Wisconsin has been playing very solid hockey. A powerful fore check, coupled with a deep bench, have helped the Badgers earn top 5 credit. However, what won it for them on Saturday night was captializing on power play opportunities. Brendan Smith was able to net two power play goals in the final 6 minutes, not only giving Wisconsin the win, but also igniting a massive celebration in Madison.

With the largest crowd ever to attend a Wisconsin Badger hockey game and the second largest crowd ever to attend a colligate hockey game, The Hockey Classic was truly an amazing event for both players and fans alike. Hopefully Badger fans will see the University host another Hockey Classic at Camp Randall, until then keep an eye out for the Badgers in the post season.

The Camp Randall Outdoor Hockey Classic, proved to be great for the city, the school, but most importantly… the game of hockey.

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Where Marquette Stands…

The end of January and beginning of February is an interesting time in college basketball. Other than the Superbowl, the NFL season is pretty much over and peoples’ interest is starting to shift over to the hardwood. It’s also the midway point through conference schedule and teams are really starting to show their true colors. Right now is a good time to sit back and gauge what you see in your favorite teams.

So what about Marquette? They’re in the middle of the pack in the Big East with a 13-8 (4-5) record. At first glance, you may look at this win/ loss ratio as NIT worthy. But this is the BIG EAST, by far  the best conference in college basketball. Of those 9 games played in conference, six of them have been against top 20 teams. Thats a pretty damn hard schedule. Its not as if all those games have been losses either; the Golden Eagles took down an elite Georgetown team on January 6th and recently went out to Hartford, CT and beat the Huskies. And the games MU has lost… A buzzer beater at West Virginia, two games to No. 2 Villanova by a total of 4 points, a close game (76-71) at the Carrier Dome to the fifth ranked Syracuse Orange, and MU’s worst performance of the season in Chicago in a another buzzer beater loss to lowly DePaul.

Next question, whats the road ahead look like for MU? Well it’s a lot easier than the one they’ve traveled thus far. Of the nine conference games left, they have only one against a ranked team (No. 17 Pitt). Thats not to say it’s the easiest schedule, they still have to face the Notre Dames, Louisvilles, and Cincinnatis of the world. But the rest of the games are definitely should-wins. If the Marquette takes care of business in the final month plus of the regular season and makes a splash in the always trilling Big East tourney, they will be looking at a top 25 ranking and a definite spot in the big dance. If this happens, they’ll be looking back to the time when they were 3-5 in conference, were slipping a little bit, and were saved by monster performances by their big three (Lazar Haywood, Jimmy Butler, and Darius Johnson-Odom) in a tough win vs UConn as the turning point of the season.

The lack of any legit big man has been a problem that Marquette seems to be forced to deal with every year, but when they get good performances out of their big three they can compete with anyone in the country. If Marquette plays their cards right they’ll be a tough out in the tournament, no matter who they play.

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VIDEOS: Digger Phelps is a Dancing Fool!

After watching Digger hit the dance floor with a (smokin’ hot) Clemson basketball cheerleader, I developed a whole new found appreciation for the man, the myth, the DIGGA. Then I started searching YouTube for other Digga vids and found out soon enough that Digga is a DANCING FOOL!

The man’s got some sick moves for an old-timer college basketball commentator. Check out these six vids of Digger breakin it down hard.

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Thoughts from NCAA Bowl Season

Terrelle Pryor’s performance

Ohio State just might have found their quarterback. The former #1 high school recruit in the country played his best football game of the year in the Rose Bowl. Terrelle Pryor was more accurate and precise with his decisions then he has ever been, going 23 of 37 for 266 yards and 2 touchdowns while also running for 72 yards.

One look at the 6’5’’ Pryor with his arm strength and 4.5 speed and you realize this performance was a long time coming. His biggest weakness has always been his ability to make decisions and read defenses, which isn’t surprising given his true sophomore status, but he definitely made strides in that area, routinely moving to his secondary options while being very accurate downfield.

What people forget is how Vince Young struggled throwing the football his first year in Austin and up to this point in both of their careers, Young and Pryor have taken eerily similar paths. Young broke out in a Rose Bowl win over Michigan his sophomore year and then went on to lead Texas to a National Title the next season. Only time will tell if that is how Terrelle Pryor’s story will be written, but he sure took a big step on 1/1/10.

TCU/BOISE: Boise = college football’s Gonzaga

• Why isn’t Chris Peterson wanted more by big-time programs? His name doesn’t seem to come up when a Michigan or Notre Dame is looking for a head coach and you have to wonder why. Boise quarterback Kellen Moore’s only offer was from Peterson’s Broncos and he has been tremendous as a freshman and sophomore, throwing for 39 TDs and just 3 picks this season while going over 3,300 yards and completing over 60% of his passes his past 2 years.Peterson’s gutsy calls with the game on the line have become a Boise State staple and the man seems cool and calm on the sidelines, all traits needed for a big-time college coach.

Mountain West Conference worthy of BCS status?

Future BCS Conference?

• With TCU, Utah, BYU, and Nevada having consistent, quality seasons, the realization among the college football community is that maybe the Mountain West Conference is ready for BCS status. A playoff has been pushed extremely hard among FBS programs but to no avail. Maybe this can be a consolation prize for those programs that feel slighted by not being invited to the party. If Boise State were added to the Mountain West that would give them at least 4 schools capable of 10-11 win seasons. That seems to spell BCS.

Wild Outback Bowl – Northwestern vs. Auburn

• What a crazy game to start the new decade. Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka put up video game numbers (47/78, 532 yards 4 TDs 5 INTs) in the Outback Bowl, but it wasn’t enough as Northwestern would miss a field goal to win the game and then went for the win in overtime after their kicker was injured on the final play of regulation.The fake field goal reverse came up 3 yards short of a game-winning touchdown and Auburn won, 38-35. What stood out most to me was what the Big 10 has done in bowl games; Penn St. defeated LSU, Wisconsin took down Miami, Ohio State dismantled Oregon and now Northwestern almost beating Auburn.

  I’m a firm believer in bowl games not meaning too much other than a reward at the end of a solid-or-better season because Penn St. would have to beat LSU, Florida, Georgia, Auburn, Alabama, etc. week in and week out instead of Indiana, Purdue, Minnesota, Illinois, and this year Michigan. Nonetheless, the Big Ten definitely improved themselves in the eyes of spectators.

Tim Tebow’s farewell; What might have been with Carlos Dunlap

• Leave it to Superman to bid the college football world adieu with the best passing performance of his career (at least statistically). Tebow set Florida single game records for completions and yards in a game, going 31-35 for 482 yards and 3 scores. Those numbers surpassed even the Fun N’ Gun-era of Florida quarterbacks. Many people have said he has answered the NFL critics but I disagree.
  

  On to NFL stardom or clipboard DJ?

  Production doesn’t guarantee future success and Tebow’s problems are rooted mostly in his mechanics, which cause him to be a little later with the football. The windows for receivers in the NFL are that much smaller. If he improves his backswing and tightens up his release, he could have a future as an NFL quarterback but those are very tough flaws to correct.

  On a side note, Florida must wonder what might have been with Carlos Dunlap. Their stud defensive end tallied 2 sacks and was consistently in the Bearcat backfield. Maybe he makes a bigger difference against Alabama in the SEC title game than I originally thought, but that’s water over the bridge now.

Bobby Bowden’s last hurrah

Quick congrats to Bobby Bowden. Not many people can say they created a powerhouse and that is what Bowden did when he came to the once all-girls university in 1976. Arguably the team of the decade in the 90s, Bowden’s Seminoles had 14 consecutive Top-5 finishes.

His team has fallen a bit since a 2005 Orange Bowl loss but Florida State seems like they might be on their way back with one of the nation’s best quarterbacks going into next season, Christian Ponder, ready to lead the ’Noles back to prominence. A great ambassador for college football, Bowden will be missed.

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Champs Sports Bowl Preview: Wisconsin vs. Miami

In a return to a place where they were lambasted one year ago by another Florida school, the Wisconsin Badgers will play the Miami Hurricanes in the Champs Sports Bowl.

While both teams have had resurgent seasons, they get it done in different ways. Wisconsin wants to run the ball and use play action to get the ball to their tight-ends and young, developing wide receivers whereas the Hurricanes prefer to let their speed do the work and get athletes in space – depending on their quarterback to deliver the football accurately. Let’s take a look at the match-up:

WHEN WISCONSIN HAS THE BALL…

Wisconsin will try and pound the ball using the best running back in the Big 10 this season, John Clay-who has run for 16 touchdowns-to run right at another fast Miami defense. Running right at the Hurricanes will neutralize their speed advantage somewhat and focus on making linebackers take on bigger blockers while trying the tackle Clay and backup Montee Ball.

Badger quarterback Scott Tolzien has proven himself to be an accurate passer capable of using the play action game to hit emerging sophomore wide receiver Nick Toon-who caught 52 balls for over 700 yards-and tight ends Garrett Graham and Lance Kendricks downfield. He lacks arm strength but can be effective if used correctly. The Canes have been inconsistent at times stopping both the pass and the run this year. Miami corners have struggled limiting the big play and with the Badgers weapons at all three skilled positions, they seem likely to approach their points per game average of 32, although Wisconsin has struggled against the two top defenses they have seemed this year (Iowa and Ohio State), scoring just 26 points in those two games. They will need to run the ball effectively to win this game.

WHEN MIAMI HAS THE BALL…

The Canes quarterback Jacory Harris is their main weapon, showing a solid arm with good touch and athletic ability. Harris has proven to be accurate when given time but, like most quarterbacks, will rush throws and make poor decisions under duress. Even though they have a quality stable of running backs including Javarris James and Graig Cooper, the Miami offensive line has been inconsistent and has kept the talented backfield from being even more productive.

Wide receiver Leonard Hankerson has given Harris a threat to stretch the field with and has been what Nick Toon has meant to Scott Tolzien. The secondary is where the Badgers are the weakest and the Canes receiving core could have a big impact. Miami will try to isolate their athletes in space and on the edge, allowing them to go one-on-one in the open field, which is what they do best. Wisconsin’s defensive line is underrated with J.J. Watt and O’Brien Schofield having the ability to play at the next level. Whether or not the Miami offensive line can succeed against the Wisconsin front seven will be a key factor in determining the outcome of the game.

Positional Advantages:

UW     Pos     Miami
QB             √
√           RB
WR           √
√            OL
√            DL
LB            √
DB            √
SPECIAL       √

PREDICTION…Wisconsin 28, Miami 27
This seems like a classic speed vs. strength showdown but Wisconsin has playmakers on both sides of the ball that will help some against the big speed advantage for Miami. The keys to the game will be how the Wisconsin secondary can defend against the Miami passing attack and how well the Badgers will use the run and play action game. It should be a fairly close game, with Wisconsin’s d-line forcing Harris into a few turnovers to pull off the mild upset.

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Wisconsin Badgers Basketball Team Gets Beaten Down by Mid-Major UW-Green Bay

Question: How do the Wisconsin Badgers respond after a home win against the Duke Blue Devils?  Answer: They drive through a blizzard and get beaten down hard on the road by mid-major UW-Green Bay, losing 88-84 in overtime.

No, the transitive property is not viable in sports. UW-GB would lose to Duke ten out of ten times.  What happened to the Wisconsin Badgers last night? Bryquis Perine had 22 points to lead the UW-GB Phoenix while Rahmon Fletcher chipped in with 18 points.  Perine is a Milwaukee native who lead Milwaukee Vincent to a state title his senior year.  Trevon Hughes poured in 27 to lead the way for the Badgers while Keaton Nankivil had 26 points and 10 boards.  This was a sloppy game for the Badgers as they committed 18 turnovers and seemed to be reaching rather than moving their feet all night.

What is going on in Madison?  They beat the Duke Blue Devils and then follow it up with this performance?! Last night was UW-GB’s first EVER victory over the Badgers. The Badgers are supposed to go into the little guys’ house and win by 15. This game was not televised outside of Madison and Green Bay and you will not find many video highlights of the game because the little guy can’t afford it!  But I am sure that the 9,759 on hand didn’t see the same Badgers team that they had seen up until last night.

Here are a few thoughts from the game:

1. Turnovers kill.
2. Missed free throws hurt (Badgers were 29-40).
3. Jason Bohannon, where are you? This is a guy who is supposed to be hitting threes from the moment he steps on the floor, and he just is not getting it done. 25% from behind the arc (1-4) will not cut it (actually, Bohannon was 1-4 in the game as well).  Still UW-GB showed up to play and took this game from the Badgers. They deserve the credit.

So, what does this mean for UW-GB in the Horizon League?

I saw my UWM (UW-Milwaukee Panthers) squad play Tuesday night and show very little effort while losing to Marquette by 20 points.  I hate everything about UWM’s swing offense. Butler has been losing a few games but against some very tough competition (Georgetown, Minnesota; Ohio State is next).  Detroit has beaten Albany…I guess that counts. Wright State almost beat Washington.  There is a lot to see here once conference play really gets going, but I see Butler and UW-GB as the class of this conference. The best case scenario is that two teams make the tourney, but Butler has to notch some wins in non-conference play.

After Butler and UW-GB, I see Wright State, Loyola, Detroit and UWM fighting for a home playoff game in the first round of the Horizon League Tournament.

Badger Nation should feel ashamed that their team is being discussed with the likes of the Horizon League!

In attendance at last night’s game in Green Bay were:

Packers (inconsistent) Kicker Mason Crosby

Packers Tackle (and GQ Model) Mark Tauscher

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Thoughts from a Crazy Conference Championship Weekend

Florida vs. Alabama Game:  Crimson Tide Dominates

• One of the best weekends in football just wrapped up and there are a lot of things that caught my eye. First though, I want to get to the most anticipated match-up in, well…a year, since the last time Alabama took on Florida in the SEC Championship game. For the second consecutive year, and only the fourth time ever that a #1 ranked team squared off against a #2 ranked team before a bowl game, Alabama showed that they would not be denied. Greg McElroy, a quarterback who has been overlooked his whole life, started as a back-up to Chase Daniel in high school and only got a scholarship offer from Alabama because Tim Tebow declined his.

  McElroy proved his worth to the Tide by being on-time and accurate all night, including a beautiful touch pass to his tight-end from 17 yards out. He also showed an unknown dimension, “gracefully” tight-rope walking the sideline for a key first down to set-up Bama’s first score.

  Demonstrating his toughness, he threw a block, and also scrambled to the three-yard line to set-up Mark Ingram for the third of his three touchdowns. But in spite of all this (including Ingram’s performance which I will touch on later), I was most surprised and disappointed in the play of the nation’s #1-ranked defense.

  The Gators surrendered the most yards ever under Urban Meyer and looked like they thought they could just throw their jock out on the field and waltz into Pasadena. Obviously not having a future first-round pick in defensive end Carlos Dunlap (suspended) on the field hurt the Gators, but it might not have mattered much had he played as poorly as Brandon Spikes and the rest of the Florida front seven played.The Gators’ defense was battered all night as Ingram had over 80 yards after contact and the Tide ran for 251 yards. And yes, Tim Tebow did play in this game. He was OK, totaling 310 yards and a touchdown pass, but for the first time I can remember, he could not will his team to a win. Nonetheless, Bama looked very impressive.

Is his NFL future at Tight End?

Where is Tim Tebow’s NFL Future?

• In the aftermath of the Florida-Alabama SEC Championship game, the question becomes (after the Sugar Bowl), what happens with Tim Tebow? I don’t believe he is an NFL quarterback, despite his legendary toughness and leadership qualities. He has solid arm strength but has an elongated motion, causing his throws to be late and defenders to hit his arm during its backswing.

  Tebow also has average accuracy. Even with those negatives, counting out one of the best college football players of all time will be tough. I think he has a chance to become a similar player to Dallas Clark of Indianapolis with his similar size, strength, and speed. Tight End is his most likely position in the pros. Nonetheless, he has been a great ambassador to college football.

Mark Ingram:  Will Alabama Get its First Heisman?

• Even though no Alabama player has ever won the Heisman Trophy, that streak should end this week. Running back Mark Ingram had a big day with over 180 total yards and 3 TDs against Florida and has done it all year, totaling over 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns, both Alabama records.His toughness, vision, and ability to break tackles reminds me of another former #22 from an SEC school, Emmitt Smith. His talent and big-game performance, along with his consistent production all year (when healthy) should result in Bama’s first Heisman winner.
  

  Mark Ingram may be Alabama's first Heisman winner ever

C.J. Spiller:  Best NFL Prospect?

• Clemson finished 8-5 overall with a loss in the ACC Championship Game but C.J. Spiller continues to impress and could be the first running back taken in the NFL Draft next spring. His size, speed, and explosiveness make him a prototypical NFL back.He has had an inconsistent season (18 yards against South Carolina and then 230 against Georgia Tech), but his ability is not in question. Big games against Miami, TCU, and Georgia Tech show that he can get it done against the top teams.

Is Wisconsin football on its Way Back Up?

• Wisconsin football has struggled the past few years, but this season might prove to be the turnaround that the program needs. After a 51-10 whipping of Hawaii in which John Clay ran for 172 yards and 3 TDs, the Badgers are 9-3 and face a 9-3 Miami Hurricanes team in a return trip to the Champs Sports Bowl. The ‘Canes quietly had a good season this year. They won an impressive victory over the ACC winner Georgia Tech.Wisconsin does not have a signature win this season and with the majority of their starters returning, a victory over the ‘Canes could jumpstart them to a strong 2010 and maybe propel Clay to some 2010 Heisman consideration.

Ndamukong Suh May Actually Deserve the Heisman

• I believe Mark Ingram will win the Heisman, but Ndamukong Suh is the best defensive player in college football since the last defender to win the Heisman, Charles Woodson. This guy should be the #1 pick in the NFL draft. Suh turned in the most dominant defensive performance I’ve ever seen in a big game, totaling 12 tackles and 4.5 sacks as he shredded double teams with power and showed lateral quickness to bring down Texas runners. This guy seems like the real deal, an absolute beast at arguably the most important position on defense.
  

  Suh put in the most dominating defensive performance since....(still thinking)....

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Big East Men’s Basketball Preview

Yes, the Gophers and Badgers are both in the Big Ten. But we can’t ignore THE best conference in college basketball.  I may be buying into the ESPN bias of showing like eight games a week on their family of networks, but this IS the best conference in the nation.

The Big East should be showcased, and I have no problem with that.  Also, Marquette (in Milwaukee) does fall into the category of WiscoSota sports, but I don’t drink their milkshake. It tastes like shit. Either way, all teams and players in the Big East (at least the good ones) will get their due in this season preview.

Player of the Year

Luke Harangody F/C Notre Dame- The most unsexy pick and player in college basketball.  He will most likely get his 25 and 12 a night.  I would think defenses would key on him, but Notre Dame has done a good job of surrounding this Big Man with shooters and heady players.  I see him having another big year while Notre Dame will be fighting for an NCAA tourney bid.

Considerations would also have to go to Scottie Reynolds from Villanova, Desean Butler from West Virginia, Lazar Hayward from Marquette ( look for a big year without any other experienced scorers on the team)  and Greg Monroe from Georgetown.

Newcomer of the Year (transfer or frosh)

Lance Stephenson G/F Cincinnati- This kid is not afraid to shoot the ball and he does…alot.  I watched him play in High School, and he basically was jacking shots from any and everywhere. He was not very efficient either, which is certainly not a good combo.

BUT, Stephenson and Devin Ebanks from West Virginia are probably the most athletic players in the Big East.  Lance uses his body well taking it to the rack and absorbing contact while finishing.  It will be interesting to see if he gets the calls early on in the season.  Another player to keep an eye on is freshman Dominic Cheek from Villanova.

Coach of the Year

Bob Huggins (Thuggins) West Virginia-  Its really a toss-up for me between Thuggins and Jay Wright from Villanova.  Both coaches have solid squads, and whoever finishes with the most wins should get Coach of the Year.  Also, if Rick Pitino can work some magic in Louisville, then he should be in the conversation as well.

The “Thuggins” reference comes from the fact that he recruits players who have questionable backgrounds, and at Cincinnati he had a 28% graduation rate. Not every player makes it to the NBA, Thuggins. Two notable NBAers that Thuggins has recruited are Kenyon Martin and Michael Beasley (was recruited by Thuggins but never played for him).

Most Imporoved Player

Kemba Walker G from Connectcuit-  This award could go to a number of different players because the league lost a lot of talented upperclassmen last year. These new guys will have their chance to shine.  The Huskies are looking to replace much of their team from last year and Kemba is the perfect guy to step up.

Kemba is a lightning-quick point guard who can get to the rack and hit the open J.  Last year he came off the bench in a small role, but now he has the reins to the team and it will be interesting if he can lead them.  Also, I feel like Mike Rosario from Rutgers will improve greatly in his all-around game.

Projected Finish

1. West Virginia-Devin Ebanks and Desean Butler will lead this team.
2. Villanova- When you run four guards and one Big, you need quality depth and they have that.
3. Louisville- Pitino will have this team vying for a Big East title by the end of the year.
4. UCONN-Stanley Robinson needs to take his game to the next level.
5. Syracuse- Love the way they play the 2-3 zone.
6. Georgetown- Greg Monroe running the high post should create lanes in the Princeton offense.
7. Notre Dame- Need shooters to make shots to complement Harangody.
8. Cincinnati- Deonta Vaughn looks to improve on his 15.3 ppg last year.  Look for nearly 20 this year.
9. Seton Hall- Jeremy Hazell finished second in the league in scoring at 22.3 a clip.
10. Pitt- Oh how the mighty have fallen. Watch Ashton Gibbs.
11. Rutgers- Mike Rosario is going to take the game by storm.
12. St. John’s- They have Crackbaby (Anthony) Mason Jr.
13. Marquette- Lazar Hayward will have to play out of his mind to help this team win.
14. Providence- Only have four returning players.
15. South Florida- I don’t know what to tell you…they are bad.
16. DePaul- went 0-18 last year.  They’re going to get one this year…right?

I think the Big East will have at least seven teams make The Dance this year. Eight teams is not out of the question, either. The Big East is, after all, THE best conference in college basketball.

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Handicapping the Heisman: Top 5 Heisman Candidates

After current Packer and former Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson’s dominant performance against the Cowboys on Sunday, I began to wonder who would win College Football’s Most Recognizable Individual Award, otherwise known as the Heisman Trophy.

With dominant, former run-first programs such as Michigan and Nebraska switching to the spread offense, no defense is safe with quarterbacks slinging it around 50+ times a game. That has proved to be the case this decade as 8 out of the past 9 Heisman winners have been quarterbacks. That was a trend expected to continue this season as two former Heisman Trophy-winning QBs (Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford) returned, as well as the NCAA’s all-time leading winner, Colt McCoy of Texas.

However, the chances of a QB winning the Heisman are questionable as both Tebow and Bradford have battled injuries and McCoy has seen his numbers, while still good, slide a bit.

Alabama sophomore RB Mark Ingram and Houston QB Case Keenum have both carried their respective offenses while Stanford RB Toby Gerhart has led a very dangerous Cardinal offense. Clemson’s senior RB C.J. Spiller has had big games against some tough defenses, including over 100 yards against #4 TCU in a 14-10 loss.

It is clear that this season has become more about defense and the running game as the majority of the best teams in the country (Florida, Alabama, TCU, Georgia Tech, Pitt, OSU) have used this as a road to prominence in 2009.

Lets take a closer look at the top 5 candidates (in order 1-5) for this season’s award:

RB MARK INGRAM, ALABAMA – 194 car 1297 yds 6.7 ypc 10 td, 25 rec 225 yds 3 td
• carried offense with little passing game, SEC title game (FLA) looms large, 5th in rushing in NCAA

RB TOBY GERHART, STANFORD – 262 car 1395 yds 5.3 ypc 19 td, 8 rec 87 yds 0 td
• big bruising back, huge games against USC and Oregon, 3rd in nation in rush yds, 2nd in TDs

QB TIM TEBOW, FLORIDA - 128 comp 198 att 64.6 pct 1730 yds 12 td 4 int, 171 rush 604 yds 10 td
• became SEC all-time TD leader, everyone knows what he can do

QB COLT MCCOY, TEXAS – 254 comp 351 att 72.4 pct 2628 yds 19 td 9 int, 81 rush 164 yds 1 td
• most wins by QB in FBS (D-1A) history, run/pass threat, extremely accurate, leads NCAA #2 off

RB C.J. SPILLER, CLEMSON - 153 car 836 yds 5.5 ypc 6 td, 24 rec 382 yds 4 td
• versatile and explosive-big play guy, lacks consistency but has had big games for ACC leader

DARKHORSES: Kellen Moore, QB Boise St; Jordan Shipley, WR Texas; Case Keenum, QB Houston

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