It’s on to week 11 for my column, and since last week I was able to write about my Red Sox winning the World Series, this week I can focus on the next great Boston team … The Celtics. The Big Three are mopping up the league right now. Yes, I know the season has just begun, but this team looks possessed, and that is all due to the addition of the greatest competitor on the planet, Kevin Garnett. Ray Allen and Paul Pierce are nice players, and that’s about it. KG is out for blood for 82 games, he’s relentless, fearless, and it’s starting to rub off on the other Celtic players, namely Allen and Pierce. Those two, while being centerpieces of some good teams, never had to carry a team. Allen’s best year came in Seattle (2005-2006) when he was teamed with Rashard Lewis attempting to earn a contract. Pierce’s best came when he was teamed with Antoine Walker, which got them to the Eastern Conference finals. Garnett, on the other hand, had to single handedly compete in the superior Western Conference, and he did just that. Garnett is going to take this team to the next level … with his play and his attitude. I’ll go ahead and say that the Celtics will make the NBA Finals to challenge the Spurs. I don’t think they will win, but with Garnett leading the cause against Duncan and company, it will be a great series.
On to college football …
With last week’s abysmal performance, Matt Ryan has dropped out of my Heisman Hopeful list. It has been a combination of his poor play lately (and currently ranked at #60 on the nations passer rating rankings) and everyone else having great weeks. Darren McFadden … holy shit?!?! Are you kidding me? I don’t want to say that I forgot about how great McFadden was, but with Arkansas struggling like they had been, awards tend to fade into the background with them. One more note on McFadden, and this might be the scariest of all. The New England Patriots currently have the San Francisco 49ers 1st round draft pick, which, if the season ended today would be the fifth overall pick. Scouts have McFadden going between the 4th and 7th picks. Can you imagine plugging McFadden into that lineup? They could score 50 points a game and I wouldn’t be surprised.
Dennis Dixon and Tim Tebow are currently playing on a different level outside of any other quarterback in college football. They are both carrying their teams with their arms and legs. Their teams are winning (Tebow not as much but it’s not his fault) and scoring points in bunches.
Sam Bradford and Graham Harrell need/deserve some love. With Harrell putting up monster numbers in Tech’s offense, Bradford has become the forgotten man in the Big 12, and he just might be the better quarterback.
I’ve also put in some fringe guys who I feel could make some noise. Don’t give me any shit for Jorvorskie Lane, he has scored a ton of touchdowns and is the only reliable player in big games for A&M … plus he’s a fat running back, and here at Saw*Kick that counts for something.
The Heisman Memorial Trophy
- Dennis Dixon (QB – Oregon) Last Week: 13-22 passing for 189 4 TD/0 INT; 11 carries/57 yards/0 TD’s in a 35-23 win over Arizona State
- Tim Tebow (QB – Florida) Last Week: 22-27 passing for 281 3/1; 6 carries/35 yards/2 TD’s in a 49-22 win over Vanderbilt
- Graham Harrell (QB – Texas Tech) Last Week: 37-46 passing for 433 3/0 in a 38-7 win over Baylor
- Darren McFadden (RB – Arkansas) Last Week: 34 carries for 321 yards and a touchdown in a 48-36 win over South Carolina
- Sam Bradford (QB – Oklahoma) Last Week: 21-30 passing for 284 yards 5/0 in a 42-14 win over Texas A&M
On the Fringe:
Colt Brennan (QB - Hawaii)
Chase Daniel (QB - Missouri)
Jorvorskie Lane (RB - Texas A&M)
Michael Crabtree (WR - Texas Tech)
Todd Boeckman (QB - Ohio State)
This year in picks, I’ve been pretty damn good. Here is the breakdown:
Week 2: 42/51
Week 3: 47/64
Week 4: 43/58
Week 5: 37/55
Week 6: 35-53
Week 7: Bye
Week 8: 36/53
Week 9: 35/53
Week 10: 42/53
Overall: 317/440 for a 72% ratio
Considering how insane college football has been this year, I don’t think that 72% on games is too shabby. But I will always try to get better, and judging from my fantastic performance last week, it’s going to happen.
As always, the home team is in caps:
NOTRE DAME over Air Force: Once again I have no rationale for this. It’s just my blind Irish faith. I’m at a loss for words, but I’m typing this in my office at work while wearing a Notre Dame polo shirt, which I have had to endure at least a dozen jokes.
Big 10
OHIO STATE over Illinois: Ron Zook always chokes in big games, and unfortunately this one won’t be any different. And Ohio State fans, please note that I gave Todd Boeckman, who I have openly liked since the season started, some dap in my Heisman fringe guys.
Michigan over WISCONSIN: Both Ohio State and Michigan going into the game with undefeated Big 10 records? Wait, I’m pretty sure I called this back after they throttled Notre Dame, “Last week, Michigan played like the top-five team they were ranked when the year started, and I don’t think they are going to look back the rest of the season” … yup, sure did.
NORTHWESTERN over Indiana: Northwestern is starting to mature very quickly into a team that will contend with the upper echelon of the Big 10 next year.
Penn State over TEMPLE: Penn State is underachieving as always. Could this be Joe Pa’s swan song?
PURUDE over Michigan State: Purdue is not folding this year. I’m confused … well it only makes sense this year in college football.
IOWA over Minnesota: Be happy Fan, your team gets to play the only team in the Big 10 that’s more inconsistent than yours!
SEC
Alabama over MISSISSIPPI STATE
Arkansas over TENNESSEE
Kentucky over VANDERBILT
Auburn over GEORGIA
Florida over SOUTH CAROLINA
LSU over Louisiana Tech
Big 12
Colorado over IOWA STATE
Kansas State over NEBRASKA
MISSOURI over Texas A&M
TEXAS over Texas Tech
OKLAHOMA over Baylor
Kansas over Oklahoma State
ACC
North Carolina over NORTH CAROLINA STATE
CLEMSON over Wake Forest
Georgia Tech over DUKE
VIRGINIA TECH over Florida State
MIAMI (FL) over Virginia
Boston College over MARYLAND
Pac-10
Arizona State over UCLA
Stanford over WASHINGTON STATE
USC over CALIFORNIA (Home Team)
OREGON STATE over Washington
Big East
Rutgers over ARMY
South Florida over SYRACUSE
CINCINNATI over Connecticut
Conference USA
Rice over SMU
Houston over TULSA
East Carolina over MARSHALL
SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI over Memphis
UTEP over TULANE (Home Team)
Central Florida over UAB
Independents
Navy over NORTH TEXAS
Troy over WESTERN KENTUCKY
MAC
Bowling Green over EASTERN MICHIGAN
Kent State over NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Mountain West Conference
NEW MEXICO over Colorado State
UTAH over Wyoming
San Diego State over UNLV
Sun Belt Conference
MIDDLE TENNESSEE over LA-Lafayette
Arkansas State over FLORIDA ATLANTIC
Grambling State over LA-Monroe
Western Athletic Conference
Boise State over UTAH STATE
New Mexico State over SAN JOSE STATE
HAWAII over Fresno State
Notre Dame’s first play from scrimmage …. complete pass to John Carlson who promptly fumbles it … I want to die.
Highlight games arent looking very good. Another crazy week in college football. But, Iowa found a way to win again despite poor play from the QB position. Sad thing is, this team will be playing in a bowl game this year. What a day.
Yeah, I’m definately fucked for this week.
But I will say this … with the season that Notre Dame is having (already a lost cause before the loss to Air Force) I can still be happy that Ohio State lost.
Thank God the chances of OSU playing in the national championship game are greatly diminished.
LSU vs Oregon in national champ game. I think these are the best two teams. Although, I do think Kansas is a very good team.
Wow, so this weekend I reverse jinxed just about every team and person I talked about.
Seriously, I might just turn in a blank column next week.
Well Chase Daniels still performed well….very well actually…
Are you his agent?
Nope…but he is having a really good year that no one seems to realize…
I have a gut feeling that Chase Daniel might be entering the Top 5 zone next week.
And Tim Tebow … holy shit! You can rip on him all you want for being a fat quarterback or however you want to say it, but the guy has skills, and he’s tough as nails.