1078 replies to this topic

[mdak06]

They are absurd. Shouldn't have rankings until October.

Agree completely. I think that they exist so that everyone has something to talk about / analyze / complain about / etc. but I don't like them.

I think that it creates false ideas in folks' minds for the polls that come later. When a team loses a game, then people think "well, it should really only drop them X number of spots in the rankings," even those initial rankings were basically just speculation. If the initial rankings didn't appear until after the first five weeks of play, then at least they'd be based on something the team had actually done, not on what people are guessing the team might do.

If they really wanted to do something early, I'd prefer to see a somewhat generalized list. Perhaps the coaches and AP sportswriters could submit an alphabetical list of their expected top 20 teams, as well as an alphabetical list of 10 other teams they think have a chance to make it into the top 25. That would leave plenty of room for conversation.

[BSLChrisStoner]

How many teams do you think are capable of a National title run?

Which teams interest you... maybe as Top 25 teams, with capability of beating anyone on a given Saturday?

What games are you already circling?

I haven't decided how many teams are capable of a National title run. Part of me thinks maybe 8-10 teams, but as I write it, I'm wondering if even that many teams have a chance.

There are a number of Top 25 teams which interest me. I'll be watching Wisconsin and DOB. Lots of people on the FSU bandwagon. Are they ready to emerge once more? Can Clemson improve their defense? Can they handle the larger expectations?

Some people think Michigan State is a sleeper. How does Nebraska do in their 2nd year in the BigTen? How do West Virginia and TCU look in the Big 12? For them, Florida and Texas are coming off a couple of down years. Do they remind people that they should not be forgotten?

[BSLMikeLowe]

I haven't decided how many teams are capable of a National title run. Part of me thinks maybe 8-10 teams, but as I write it, I'm wondering if even that many teams have a chance.

There are a number of Top 25 teams which interest me. I'll be watching Wisconsin and DOB. Lots of people on the FSU bandwagon. Are they ready to emerge once more? Can Clemson improve their defense? Can they handle the larger expectations?

Some people think Michigan State is a sleeper. How does Nebraska do in their 2nd year in the BigTen? How do West Virginia and TCU look in the Big 12? For them, Florida and Texas are coming off a couple of down years. Do they remind people that they should not be forgotten?

I will be too.....in person! I got tickets to see the Badgers play in Corvallis on Sept 8.

[PD24]

SI: Lane Kiffin now a strength for USC, not a hindrance
http://sportsillustr...l?sct=cf_t11_a0

I'm going to really enjoy watching Lane's team dominate college football this year.

The guy got a raw deal in Oakland. He took a bad Tennessee team and had a respectable year while bringing in a top recruiting class. He got offered his dream job at one of the top 5 premier football schools in the country and got to move his wife to Cali....

I just never understood all the hate for him.

He'll dominate at USC for the next decade.

[SportsGuy]

I haven't decided how many teams are capable of a National title run. Part of me thinks maybe 8-10 teams, but as I write it, I'm wondering if even that many teams have a chance.

There are a number of Top 25 teams which interest me. I'll be watching Wisconsin and DOB. Lots of people on the FSU bandwagon. Are they ready to emerge once more? Can Clemson improve their defense? Can they handle the larger expectations?

Some people think Michigan State is a sleeper. How does Nebraska do in their 2nd year in the BigTen? How do West Virginia and TCU look in the Big 12? For them, Florida and Texas are coming off a couple of down years. Do they remind people that they should not be forgotten?

Probably no more than 6-8 teams have a realistic chance.

[BSLChrisStoner]

CBS Sports: Conference Previews

Pac12: http://www.cbssports...tes-remain-same

ACC: http://www.cbssports...-big-stage-wins

Big East:http://www.cbssports...time-bcs-payoff

Big Ten: http://www.cbssports...at-center-stage

Big 12: http://www.cbssports...forget-oklahoma

SEC: http://www.cbssports...arting-with-lsu

Mountain West: http://www.cbssports...-on-the-way-out

MAC: http://www.cbssports...aining-football

[BSLChrisStoner]

Yahoo / Rivals: Potential 'BCS' Busters...
http://sports.yahoo....s-crashers.html

Boise State, Ohio, Louisiana Tech, BYU, UCF

SI: The new busters
http://college-footb.../?sct=cf_t11_a0

[BSLChrisStoner]

ESPN / KVV: Who's afraid of the Honey Badger?
http://m.espn.go.com...yId=8240140

[Oriole85]

I'm going to really enjoy watching Lane's team dominate college football this year.

The guy got a raw deal in Oakland. He took a bad Tennessee team and had a respectable year while bringing in a top recruiting class. He got offered his dream job at one of the top 5 premier football schools in the country and got to move his wife to Cali....

I just never understood all the hate for him.

He'll dominate at USC for the next decade.

Al Davis is tough to work for, he knew that going in. He was very difficult with AD, fair or unfair -- AD ran things in that organization --- so of course, he's going to get the boot. It was a bad fit and Davis made a bad choice hiring him there, only having been a coordinator at the college level previously.

The Tennessee thing was a nightmare PR-wise. He was only there for a single year and they had an average season. How can you ask a kid to commit, when you bail after a single season?

USC might be a top 5 school, but what's Tennessee?(not now but at the time he was hired). I believe Lane Kiffin called it either a top-10 or top-15 program.

You wouldn't have been incensced if the coach of your school left after a single average year? Bob Huggins saw the same hate and he left to go to his alma matter.

[PD24]

Al Davis is tough to work for, he knew that going in. He was very difficult with AD, fair or unfair -- AD ran things in that organization --- so of course, he's going to get the boot. It was a bad fit and Davis made a bad choice hiring him there, only having been a coordinator at the college level previously.

The Tennessee thing was a nightmare PR-wise. He was only there for a single year and they had an average season. How can you ask a kid to commit, when you bail after a single season?

USC might be a top 5 school, but what's Tennessee?(not now but at the time he was hired). I believe Lane Kiffin called it either a top-10 or top-15 program.

You wouldn't have been incensced if the coach of your school left after a single average year? Bob Huggins saw the same hate and he left to go to his alma matter.

Of course I'd be pissed as a Vols fan. Kiffin set the back 3-4 years by leaving, but that was only because he had them going upwards so quickly after he got there with his recruiting class.

I'm saying from his point of view, he didn't do anything wrong. He wasn't awful in Oakland considering their team, and he ran into the most difficult owner in sports - BY FAR.

He was doing amazing things at UT, but got his dream job offer. It's not just that USC is a top 5 school, but it's a top 5 school that he worked for and won championships with. It was a perfect storm.

If I was the next Joe Torre, I might get hired by the Cubs and win 94 games my first year, but if the Orioles come calling and they offer me more money to come manage my hometown team, I'd be gone from Chicago in a heartbeat.

It's different with a guy like Urban Meyer because he clearly squirmed his way out of Florida on to bigger and better things, but with Lane, he just followed his heart IMO.

Even Monte has said the same thing about how they expected to be in Tennessee for a while but it was too good to pass up.

If Kiffin would have went 2-10 the past 2 years at UT, he would have gotten the ax. There's no loyalty on either side so I don't see what was wrong with what he did at all.

[Oriole85]

Of course I'd be pissed as a Vols fan. Kiffin set the back 3-4 years by leaving, but that was only because he had them going upwards so quickly after he got there with his recruiting class.

I'm saying from his point of view, he didn't do anything wrong. He wasn't awful in Oakland considering their team, and he ran into the most difficult owner in sports - BY FAR.

He was doing amazing things at UT, but got his dream job offer. It's not just that USC is a top 5 school, but it's a top 5 school that he worked for and won championships with. It was a perfect storm.

If I was the next Joe Torre, I might get hired by the Cubs and win 94 games my first year, but if the Orioles come calling and they offer me more money to come manage my hometown team, I'd be gone from Chicago in a heartbeat.

It's different with a guy like Urban Meyer because he clearly squirmed his way out of Florida on to bigger and better things, but with Lane, he just followed his heart IMO.

Even Monte has said the same thing about how they expected to be in Tennessee for a while but it was too good to pass up.

If Kiffin would have went 2-10 the past 2 years at UT, he would have gotten the ax. There's no loyalty on either side so I don't see what was wrong with what he did at all.

So Al Davis was more difficult than Angelos? -- I guess it must be those July 4th birthdays (Steinbrenner too). Was their recruiting class ranked that high? And even if it was, recruiting RANKINGS and winning don't always go hand-in-hand. I don't think one year of recruiting had them going in the right direction as much as you are saying.

I think he knew he did something wrong, leaving a school so shortly after taking the job, which shows a lack of committment. Again, how can you ask players to buy into something when you yourself aren't buying into it? But in his defense, it was his dream job (or so he says) and who knows when he'll have another shot at it.

Urban Meyer, Nick Saban, so many of those guys are frauds. It's what was referenced about Edsall being a "jerk" and that's why people hated him. You can be a jerk if you're a winner.

You are completely right about no loyalty on either side but he could've used USC as leverage(which all coaches do and really all professionals as well) by asking for a stronger committment from Tennessee so he wouldn't have been gone with a few bad years (or atleast would've been compensated better as a result).

I do think many people in these situations forget that loyalty is a two-way street in all aspects of life, but under a sports lense, it's pointed out when players and coaches leave. A great point was made last year that if loyalty were rewarded on the management side, David Freese would've seen a big pay raise because of his contributions to the Cards championship run.

[CrimsonTribe]

How many teams do you think are capable of a National title run?

Well, there's 14 in the SEC so that's the max.

[Icterus galbula]

The Honey Badger has been dismissed from the LSU football team for a violation of team policy, according to LSU head coach Les Miles.

http://www.wwltv.com... ... 40646.html
http://www.nola.com/... ... honey.html

Details to come...

[Mackus]

Wow! Would they have kicked him off the team if it was just getting caught with weed again?

[Icterus galbula]

From the first link I posted, this update-

Miles would not disclose the reasons for the dismissal, citing privacy reasons.

"I think he's a quality, quality guy who had behavior issues," said Miles. "That's it. I think his time with us was a positive."

[CrimsonTribe]

Shocker. I'm going to miss him.

[BSLChrisStoner]

He wants to play right away, should transfer to Towson. Can play at LSU this year.

[SportsGuy]

What a moron.

[BSLChrisStoner]

CBS Sports: Bruce Feldman mailabag
http://www.cbssports...the-quarterback

[BSLChrisStoner]

Fox Sports Florida: FSU Defense progressing faster than expected
http://www.foxsports...673&feedID=9051