AlabamaGameday

Far Too Late To Post An LSU Wrapup

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:31:00 +0000

But here it is anyway:

LSU has some fantastic athletes, but were physically whipped by Alabama. It's also pretty obvious Tiger players are coached to flop like Croatian soccer players when the team needs to stop the clock for a bit. LSU used about 12 timeouts in the second half.

All due respect to the greatness that is Julio; I certainly hope he's not short-arming catches and trying to draw flags instead of completions, all with an eye toward a future NFL payday.

You pass to set up the run. You run to set up the pass. It's that simple, Guy Who Just Wants To Give It To Ingram.

God bless ya, Leigh Tiffin.

LSU Week - Get Up & Dance

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:54:00 +0000

Week 9 Afterthoughts

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:57:00 +0000

We took the weekend off, along with Alabama, and didn't make any picks for the week. The tally so far this season gives Tony a slight edge (30-8) to my (31-13). The rest of the season should be very interesting and we can both be thankful we don't actually gamble on these picks.

• After picking USC to be upset in recent weeks, it finally happened this week. Who would have guessed Oregon would be the one to pull that stunner?

• Georgia looked terrible against Florida. As usual, they have not lived up to the preseason hype. Georgia has some talent, but doesn't play with much discipline. How long before fans become disgruntled with coaching? They should also ban wearing black. It does not serve them well.

• Speaking of wearing black, Tennessee wore some interesting Halloween costumes this weekend and is beginning to look more and more like a football team. Lane Kiffen's letter from Mike Slive was leaked to the press also. Think discipline is a joke? Read this.

• The AP poll and the BCS standings both got it wrong. Texas should not have jumped Alabama. Texas should have jumped Alabama AND Florida.

• A friend from Iowa emailed to comment that it would be cool to see Alabama play the Hawkeyes for the title this year. He's right. It would be cool. It would also be nice to remember how to score and make it past LSU this weekend.

Monday Morning Thoughts

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:46:00 +0000

• Alabama was outcoached in all phases of the game Saturday, and only the heroic efforts of Terrence Cody prevented a loss that would have ended our perfect season.

• Coach Saban called out offensive coordinator Jim McElwain in his post-game comments. Unlike those who want to start Mark Ingram at quarterback, Saban wants his team to throw downfield more, to open up the running lanes. You can bank on this happening against LSU.

• Florida is like Michael Jordan in his prime; they get the benefit of the doubt on iffy calls. It's not worth screaming about; it's just how it is. The way to stop that is to leave no doubt who is the better team.

• Auburn remains awful. Only now, their fans know it too.

NCAA Picks - Week 8

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 13:40:00 +0000

There are several big games this week, with the UA - UT match-up being at the top of our list. Last week was a good week for picks with Tony taking the edge by picking the upset in the Georgia Tech game. I almost matched him by calling an upset of Notre Dame over USC but amazing stupidity managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in that one. We both gave Auburn the nod against Kentucky at home and neither of us were particularly upset at being wrong on that one.

On to the picks:

Tennessee at Alabama
Sleepwriter: Alabama has struggled passing for two weeks. UT has been spectacularly bad in passing on the road this season with 2 TDs and 8 INTs. I just have a hunch that McElroy has worked through his hitch and lights it up this week. Defensively, Alabama is giving up 65 yards a game and UT is giving up 272 per game. On the road, Ut is giving up 5.1 yards per play. Ingram is averaging 6.7 yards per carry. The numbers would suggest an Alabama victory and I tend to agree. Granted, you can't just use stats - games are played on the field. Despite losing 7 in a row in the 90s, Alabama still leads this series by 8. Make it nine and Alabama 35-10.

TonyOrlando: Alabama is the legit no. 1 team in the country, BCS aside. Tennessee is a team with a father-son combo doing a mixed job of coaching. Monte Kiffin has a good amount of talent to work with and has assembled a solid defense. On the other hand, son Lane is the head coach. In a rivalry of streaks, this one continues. Alabama 30 - 12

Auburn at LSU
Sleepwriter: Welcome to the Grand Delusion. Not much else to say about this one. Auburn has a better coach and will keep it close early against a more talented LSU team, but the home team should prevail and may pull away late. If they keep it close, anything can happen. If not, LSU 42 -17.

TonyOrlando: A good coach with minimal talent vs. a team loaded with talent and a borderline retarded coach. Both teams are in the process of coming back to earth, and this one will be a race to the bottom. LSU 32 - 7

Arkansas at Mississippi
Sleepwriter: There will be a lot of pride on the field in this one. You can bet Houston Nutt will have his team ready against his former school. Arkansas has been moving the ball consistently lately, but Ole Miss plays better "D". In the SEC, that is often the deciding factor. Ole Miss 28-24.

TonyOrlando: This actually oughta be a pretty good game. Both teams need a win here, but as SleepWriter said, the SEC is about defense, and Bobby Petrino don't play defense. Ole Miss 24 - 12

Oregon State at USC
Sleepwriter: Good grief. Why do I even want to touch this game? Bama man Mike Riley's Beavers have won two of their last three against USC, however they have not won at USC since 1960. USC plays excellent defense and has a solid passing game. Oregon State is near the bottom of the PAC 10 in passing defense, but is 7-0 coming off bye weeks in the Riley era. Something has got to give. Common sense would dictate that USC wins this one, but I am going to toss that out the window and call an upset for the former Tider. Heck, why not? Beavers 24-USC 21.

TonyOrlando: Ah, crap. I gotta stay up and watch this one? USC 38 - 17

Texas A&M at Texas Tech
Sleepwriter: Football karma is still riding aTm pretty hard these days. Unfortunately, fate has a mind if its own. Alabama fans have long forgiven aTm for stealing away future Wal-Mart greeter Dennis Somethingorother. In common opponents, Tech smashed Kansas State 66-14. Kansas State, on the other hand, did the same to aTm, 62-14. Tech should, therefore, win this game 200 to negative 3. However, since you can't technically have a negative score, this one should be a massacre Texas Tech 62-7.

TonyOrlando: A&M is still recovering from the Franchione era, while Tech's pirate schtick seems to be wearing thin. Tech probably takes this one, and the rest of the world collectively yawns. Tech 32 - 20

Alabama Hockey Rolls Emory

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:56:00 +0000

Last night, I took a break from my usual Friday activites and spent the evening with my son. We started off with a couple of baskets of buffalo wings and some cheese fries in Lee Branch and then tested my road rage in high school football traffic while enduring an hour long trek down Hwy 119 to the Pelham Civic Complex where we took in a game of University of Alabama Hockey. Yes, you read that right.

Alabama has a hockey team, which plays at the club level in the American Collegiate Hockey Association. Last night, the "Frozen Tide" faced off against Emory University. Alabama scored early on the way to a 17 - 4 victory over the Eagles. Not only was it an impressive win, but it was a family friendly evening. Children's tickets are $4 and children under 14 are free if they are wearing a Pelham hockey jersey. Adult tickets are $5. So, for under $10, my son got to see the first hockey game he will remember attending. We have not been to a game since the Bulls left Birmingham when he was very young. We will definitely go to more games this season. Concessions at the facility are reasonably priced and feature hot dogs, burgers, coffee and, among other things, fried okra. Only in Alabama.

Undefeated Alabama is on the road next against Arkansas and then returns to Pelham for the first weekend of November with games on Friday the 6th and Saturday the 7th. They are home again the following weekend against Florida State for two games. So, if you are a Tide fan and love fast sports with a lot of hitting, you should consider supporting Alabama Hockey. You can find more info at www.bamahockey.net. Since it is a club sport, at the moment, it is supported by fans and a nonprofit booster club which means donations to the cause are deductible.

The team will be making an appearance at Nino's, Eli Gold's Italian restaurant in Pelham. Check the web site for a time and date on that.

NCAA Picks -Week 7

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 13:52:00 +0000

After a pretty good week of picks last week, I have struggled to find any interesting games this week. Tennessee doesn't play this week, as they take their annual week off prior to playing Alabama, so that leaves fewer SEC games to pick from. I prefer to list conference games before going to lesser leagues, but I refuse to make a pick in another Georgia game this season — narrowing my choices even more. This week, three of my six are non SEC games but I think these games are all going to be good.

South Carolina at Alabama
Sleepwriter: It's been a strange week for Spurrier's warriors, with one staring offensive lineman allegedly leaving the team and the second leading rusher being suspended. Alabama's defense has made more than one QB struggle this season, and Coach Spurrier is known for pulling QBs under pressure. Look for visors to fly if Garcia struggles. South Carolina is hoping for an upset, which would make this the biggest game in school history but the team that struggled in wins against Kentucky and Ole Miss (granted that was an upset) and lost a shootout against an increasingly bad Georgia team may find their hopes dashed early if Alabama gets over the red zone shyness from last week. Alabama 42 - 17.

TonyOrlando: Homecoming in Tuscaloosa brings a pretty good Gamecock team to town. As late as a week ago, this looked like a pretty good South Carolina team, but it appears those wins were not as quality as first thought. Alabama needs to find the offense it had in earlier weeks (throw to someone besides #8), but should roll. Alabama 27 - 10.

Kentucky at Auburn
Sleepwriter: Auburn was finally exposed last week, and Kentucky will come up with a good game plan for this one. However, the game is at Auburn and Kentucky has given up more than 100 points in the last three games. Granted, those games were all against better teams than Auburn, but Kentucky is already looking forward to basketball. In a close game with a ton of penalties, this one could go either way and I wouldn't mind missing this one. Auburn 32 -28.

TonyOrlando: Auburn did come back to earth last week, but figures to bounce back against the Wildcats. Don't tell anyone, but I'm honestly impressed with this coaching staff. It'll be interesting to see how this team does after a couple years recruiting against Saban. Auburn 30 - 20.

Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech
Sleepwriter: What can you say about this one? Both teams are having pretty good ACC seasons, but VT has played better defense and that will be the winning factor in this one. As any tv announcer with a Master's degree in the Bleeding Obvious will tell you, the key to victory is preventing the other team from scoring as much as you. So, how much more simple could it be really? Virginia Tech 35 - 32.

TonyOrlando: Virginia Tech has been on a tear since their opening week loss to Alabama, and it's not inconceivable there's a rematch down the road. Virginia Tech will try to make a statement today, but you know what? For the heck of it, I'm calling upset. Georgia Tech 30 - 28.

Oklahoma vs Texas
Sleepwriter: A good rivalry game on a neutral field. Oklahoma has had a rough patch this season with their star QB being injured early in the season. Texas is solid, although not as strong as in the last few seasons. However, since I now predict a potential UA - UT BCS title match, I have to go with the orange cows in this one. Texas 28 - 20.

TonyOrlando: It's a shootout, not a rivalry. I hate political correctness. Anyway, Texas looks very good this year, Oklahoma has struggled but has their Heisman-winning QB back, and this oughta be a good one to watch. Texas 32 - 24.

Arkansas at Florida
Sleepwriter: Could this be the week that Florida tumbles? Maybe. The Arkansas QB has proven to be the real deal this season, but this is the SEC and Petrino has to learn to play defense AND offense. So far, both teams have shown a few flaws but Florida has played better "D" this season. Arkansas has stepped up in the last few weeks, but can they pull two big upsets back to back? Florida 42 - 38.

TonyOrlando: Arkansas has absolutely no defense. Florida has the best defense I've seen this year other than Alabama's. Arkansas has a very good quarterback. Florida has Tim Tebow. In the Swamp. I think the jury is still out whether Tebow has recovered fully, but he'll do whatever it takes to beat the Hawgs. Florida 24 - 10.

USC at Notre Dame
Sleepwriter: The media hype on this one will be overwhelming, but the game should prove to be fairly low scoring. Notre Dame was Lou Holtz' favorite for the BCS this season, but that is not going to happen as we saw early. USC is always the media darlings but they are only slightly more exciting than sitting through a 2 - 2 tie in pro soccer. Although they are favored, I am reversing my position on this game and picking an upset in a low scoring old school war. Notre Dame 17 - 13.

TonyOrlando: Wow, upset, huh? Not so fast my friend: Jimmy Clausen is a good quarterback, but Charlie Weiss is a buffoon, while Pete Carroll is the best college coach of the last decade. This is a reloading year for USC, but they head into South Bend and put on a show for the Irish fans, and continue to work their way back into the national title conversation. USC 28 - 17.

The SEC: What We Know At This Point

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 19:13:00 +0000

SEC West

Alabama: Alabama is one of the more complete teams in the country. Excellent defense, solid offense and great coaching. Offense still is gelling, but you can't score on this team.

LSU: Luck is beginning to run out for the Tigers. Talent is not what it once was, and coaching has never been strong under Miles. LSU may be on the point of a long slide downward.

Auburn: The Other Tigers have been exposed. Though they appear to be well-coached, there's not much talent or depth there. Also, is there a coaching controversy brewing?

Arkansas: A semi-great QB does not make up for a total lack of defense. Petrino may be a good coach, but he can't hope to outscore everyone, every time.

Ole Miss: They're going to remain pretty good under Houston Nutt, but he's not the wizard he's hyped to be. Ole Miss as a rising SEC power is more media myth than reality.

Miss. State: Just awful. Give them a couple years to rebuild, but there's no reason to think this team will be anything other than a doormat for a while.

SEC East

Florida: As good a defense as Alabama. Tim Tebow is truly great, but if he can be contained, and he can be, this offense won't score a lot of points.

Tennessee: Winning despite themselves. Very good defensive coaching and a QB that has moments of above-averageness make them look good in a weak division.

Georgia: On the way out. Mark Richt is being exposed as a hype machine; a self-marketer of Tubevillian skill. This is an undisciplined, undercoached team, and it's about to get even worse.

Kentucky: Can't move to the next level in a very weak division. Cheap blocking schemes won't make up for a lack of talent.

S. Carolina: Looking very good right now, but one Spurrier tantrum away from tanking. A crushing loss to Alabama and he'll force them to learn a completely new offense by the next game.

Vanderbilt: It's Vanderbilt. They've never been very good, they never will be very good, and they'll keep on turning out solid citizens and blowing the grade curve for the rest of the league.

NCAA Picks - Week 6

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 05:49:00 +0000

There are a lot of big games this week with championship implications. This is what we live for here in the SEC. Last week, I did picks in a solo flight and ended up 3 - 3 for the weekend. This week, Tony is back and although we both play fairly conservative the picks may surprise you.

Auburn @ Arkansas
TonyOrlando: Tiger fans are assuring themselves the 5-0 start is no fluke, and that Auburn is back. They're ignoring a weak schedule and depth issues to reach this conclusion. Arkansas has been erratic, with no defense and a pass-happy offense that Alabama shut down with heavy pressure. Much as I want the Tigers to lose, I think Chizik and Co. learned from the Alabama game.
Auburn 24 - 13

Sleepwriter: I tend to agree. However, Arkansas has played far superior competition so far this season than Auburn. Chizik has certainly noted their weaknesses, but game day experience may be a factor. Auburn beat a terrible Tennessee team last week by four. Arkansas whipped a Texas A&M team that is still recovering from the football karma. If this game was in Auburn, I would pick them but it isn't. In a wild one,
Arkansas 35 - 28

Georgia @ Tennessee
TonyOrlando: Auburn exposed UT last week, and Georgia will kick the Volunteer while they're down. The Dawgs are awful this year, but have enough talent to overcome bad play and worse coaching. The most underachieving team in recent SEC memory will take this one, an the downward spiral of the Volunteers continues.
Georgia 32 - 12

Sleepwriter: I keep picking Georgia and they disappoint me. This week, I think the lesser of two awfuls wins. There is not a lot to say about this one except we may not have to suffer through the hillbilly national anthem much this week.
Georgia 28 - 10

Kentucky @ South Carolina
TonyOrlando: Kentucky played hard (and dirty) against Alabama last week, after being blown out by Florida the week before. Which team shows up against the Ol' Ball Coach? The latter, I think. This one might be a shootout, but I expect the Gamecocks to pull this one out.
S. Carolina - 28 - 20

Sleepwriter: I agree completely. Kentucky played a dirty game with lots of personal penalties. They have a solid coach, but they lack on field composure. In a shootout between two coaches I predicted would call it quits after the season this game could go either way.
S. Carolina 32 - 17

Alabama @ Ole Miss
TonyOrlando: A win against the Tide puts them right back in the SEC title picture. A loss drops them out of the top 25. Houston Nutt loves to be the underdog, and will have the house rocking when the Tide comes to call. But superior execution will prevail, and the Tide continue to make their case.
Alabama 31 - 24

Sleepwriter: You can spin it however you want. On the one hand, Ole Miss has beaten one top 5 team since 1977. On the other, Houston Nutt is a coach known for upsets. However, Alabama has proven to be one of the best teams in the country by being consistent and the Ole Miss attack has not lived up to some of the preseason hype. It will be close early (probably thanks to a trick play or two), but Alabama should pull away after the half.
Alabama 42 - 24

Florida @ LSU
TonyOrlando: The Resurrection of Tim Tebow takes place in Death Valley, appropriately enough. In a battle of two overrated teams, the one with less talent and better coaching beats the one with more talent and worse coaching. The Gospel of St. Tim adds another chapter this week, and likely secures a second Heisman.
Florida 26 - 20

Sleepwriter: Either #1 or #4 falls this week. If, as I suspect, Tebow is ready to play, the Gators should walk away with this one. Make no mistake, Florida has looked beatable this season, but I think they probably have a better game plan. LSU has a lot of young talent but they have had to pull two "sure win" games out of the hat in the closing moments twice this season. People don't bring cake to pity parties, but as long as they serve corn dogs, it might sting a little less after this one.
Florida 42 - 27

Alabama at Kentucky Postgame Thoughts

caseyweeks12@gmail.com (bamafreak12) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:22:00 +0000

via www.newsday.com

Alabama came through to expectations with a 38-20 win over the unranked Kentucky Wildcats at their home stadium to make the Tide's record 5-0 on the year with 2 conference wins. McElroy threw 26 balls, 15 of which were caught. Those tosses added up to 148 yards and 2 TD's with no pickson the game. Greg McElroy still hasn't lost a game as starting quarterback in his life (high school and college).
Ingram gets his career-high game running in 2 TD's and 140 yards rushing.

With Alabama still undefeated nearing the middle of the season, many players have shown their abilities. Trent Richardson has shown that he is a capable freshman running back that can be used in many situations. Colin Peek has become one of the main targets for Greg McElroy, showing he really knows how to get open and has some hands. Julio Jones has not had his breakout game this year because of all of the defense he is getting from the defense, but this just helps everyone else get open and even the running game.
Maybe we will find a hidden gem in the depth chart later in the year, who know?
ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!

NCAA Picks - Week 5

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 14:16:00 +0000

This week could turn out to be a week of upsets. At least, that is what I am predicting. If I am right, it's a gamble that paid off. If I am wrong, it's still a great weekend of college football which beats almost any other kind of weekend you could have. Almost...

No. 3 Alabama at Kentucky
Sleepwriter: In the first true road game of the season, look for the Tide to roll. Alabama has scored at least 34 points in every game this season and today should be no different. After the beat down from Florida last week, Kentucky will be ready to play but just doesn't have the depth to hang with Alabama. They should score but Alabama 38 - 17.

No. 4 LSU at No. 18 Georgia
Sleepwriter: This is a tough pick because LSU is not as impressive as its ranking and Georgia is a team that rarely lives up to expectations. Although they should be favored, slightly, and they have a better defense, this could be the week that dumb decisions get the best of the Tigers. In a slight upset, Georgia 28 -24

Auburn at Tennessee
Sleepwriter: Let's be honest, if there was a way both teams could lose, I'd pull for that. Auburn has spent the week whining (shocking) about not being ranked. Neither team has looked impressive this season. Auburn's only real test has come from West Virginia and they got a few lucky plays late in that one. Auburn has a better coach and Tennessee has looked terrible at QB which should be a factor against Auburn's better secondary. In a game that could go either way, home field could be the winning factor and I may regret saying UT 20 - 17

No. 15 Penn State at Illinois
Sleepwriter: Last week I was thinking the BCS title could come down to an old school match up between Penn State and Alabama. That was before Iowa effectively took Penn State out of the hunt. They should bounce back this week. Illinois usually pulls a couple of upsets each season, but they got blanked by Ohio State - the Georgia Bulldogs of the north. Penn State 35 - 24

No. 25 Georgia Tech at Mississippi State
Sleepwriter: Mississippi State hung solid last week against LSU and Georgia Tech beat a ranked powder blue North Carolina team. Tech has definitely played better opponents thus far, but MSU is at home. Common sense says Georgia Tech wins this one easily, but I predict a close game, and a potential upset. MSU 24 - 21.

Texas A&M vs. Arkansas
Sleepwriter: Neutral field. Rivalry game. aTm is undefeated against unranked opponents and Arkansas is 1-2 against some pretty good teams. Arkansas has given up a lot of points in their last two games, but they should be ready to play this week. In what should be considered a minor upset, Arkansas 32 - 24.

The Sensation known as Trent Richardson

caseyweeks12@gmail.com (bamafreak12) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 19:53:00 +0000

Check out this 52-yard touchdown run against the Razorbacks where he breaks four tackles and also outruns two more men, just showing his abilities.

Well, I will admit at first I thought he was just another ordinary running back for Alabama, but I could not help but notice his abilities as of late. Yes, he did good against North Texas, but come on, it's North Texas we're talking about. I think he really proved his dominance last Saturday against the Razorbacks with an average of 7.2 yards per carry.

His explosiveness is key, and he loves to run right at people, just like Roy Upchurch, and that is what we love to see. "Alabama freshman running back Trent Richardson has been named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week, following his performance against the Arkansas Razorbacks last Saturday afternoon in Tuscaloosa."- Rolltide.com

That is just one more to his impressive stats, which show that he went to the same high school as Emmitt Smith, and broke all his rushing records. Wow, watch out for the freight train coming by folks, looks like we don't need to recruit a running back for a few more years.

What are your thoughts on this?

Week 5 Statistical Mathcup

caseyweeks12@gmail.com (bamafreak12) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:08:00 +0000

The Crimson Tide (4-0) goes up against the Kentucky Wildcats (2-1) on Saturday, October 3rd for the Tide's 2nd conference game. Kentucky is going right through the heart of their schedule, having played Florida last week. Here is the statistical matchup of the two teams:

Average Points per game: UA- 40.5 KEN- 26.5
Opponents: UA- 13 KEN- 22.7
Average First Downs per game: UA-23.5 KEN- 19.3
Against: UA-11.25 KEN- 18
Rushing yards per game: UA- 234.2 KEN- 166.3
Against: UA- 47.2 KEN- 185.7
Passing yards per game: UA- 256.2 KEN- 171.3
Against: UA-155.2 KEN- 168
Average Yards per play: UA- 6.9 KEN- 5

Yes, Kentucky has had a harder schedule, having just played Florida, but the statistics speak for themselves. What do you guys think the score will be, I say 34-21 ROLL TIDE ROLL!

Week 4 Post-Mortem

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:53:00 +0000

A few notes on last weekend's games:

If you haven't already heard everywhere else, Dont'a Hightower will miss the rest of the season with his knee injury. Our best wishes go out to him.

Coach Saban is committed to the Wildcat formation, so the cloud-of-dust crowd can pipe down. And after the touchdown pass out of that formation, every team Alabama plays has to practice even more to defend it.

The Tide hasn't had this kind of offensive firepower in a long time. Teams that stack the box will pay for it with the deep threat. Teams that spread the defense will get pounded by the running game.

Saban was adamant that you, the fans, are a part of the team. Your noise, your emotion, your excitement are what the players feed off of and work for. Bicker all you like about the music, whether to sit or stand, and what to wear. But when it's third down, get loud.

Richardson Rolls

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:16:00 +0000

NCAA Picks - Week 4

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 15:05:00 +0000

Last night saw the end of the run for Ole Miss, and now that game is much less important for Alabama. The Razorbacks will try to air it out against the Tide this weekend, and Alabama will attempt to avoid yet another special teams breakdown. Here's a look at this weekend's games...

LSU at Mississippi State
TonyOrlando: Come on, seriously? I mean, any given team and all, but...
LSU 34 - 10

Sleepwriter: I agree. LSU will have a couple of inexplicable play calls, but they won't be able to give this one away as a gift, even with a big purple bow on it. LSU 35-17

Arkansas at Alabama
TonyOrlando: Georgia and the Hogs played an Arena football game last week, but Arkansas faces a team that plays defense in Tuscaloosa this week. Ryan Mallett threw for over 400 yards last week, and while he'll connect at times, expect the Tide to put him on his ass more than once. Alabama 24 - 13

Sleepwriter: Arkansas has no running game and can't play defense. It is raining in T-town, so Mallett will connect on some nice plays (still not sure how his former team let him get away) but Alabama plays good D and should figure out this one dimensional team early. Alabama 35 - 21

Miami at Virginia Tech
TonyOrlando: This should be a great matchup. Miami has a great passing attack, and Va Tech showed great defense against Alabama. Conditioning will be a factor here. Miami 17 - 10

Sleepwriter: Agree again. Tech has a good defense but Miami has looked surprisingly good so far. Much more well rounded. Miami 24 - 13

Florida at Kentucky
TonyOrlando: Kentucky has looked great at times this season, and Florida didn't exactly look like world-beaters against Tennessee last week. Still, The Wildcats just don't have the horses to run with Florida, and you can expect St. Tebow to dominate the highlight reel. Also, get ready to see the stupid video of him screaming at his team, "Look at me! Look at me!" Florida 31 - 17

Sleepwriter: Bear Bryant was on the sidelines in the bluegrass state the last time they won the conference. As much as I like them, they won't make a claim for the East today. The only question is which number will be higher - the total points in the game or the total number of times the tv announcers daydream about Tim Tebow as the media man crush continues. Florida 31 - 21

Ball St. at Auburn
TonyOrlando: Preparation for the big letdown continues this week as Auburn whips another sub-par team and pretends 4-0 means something in this case. Auburn 31 - 3

Sleepwriter: Surely someone on the plains has contacted Balfour with a snappy ring idea already, but starting 4-0 is only prolonging the inevitable crash back to earth. Today will be a good opportunity for the winged tigers to run up the score on a bad team, pretend it means something and whine about tradition. Auburn 45 - 10

Quick Monday Thoughts

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:29:00 +0000

Alabama looked spectacular Saturday against mediocre competition, yet still muffed a kick return. They have to get that fixed. Still, a very sharp looking team headed into conference play.

Alabama is deep, thankfully. Players have taken the week off for illness and injury, and had people step up in their place. But all hands are needed now that the pre-season is over...

Texas gets our first place vote; Alabama second. Florida right now doesn't look as good as either of those teams, St. Tebow notwithstanding...

Arkansas apparently does not play defense, nor does Georgia. Alabama plays excellent defense. You do the math...

Auburn and Tennessee are better-looking than we anticipated. That's not to say either team is back, just that the implosions of last year seem to have stopped.

NCAA Picks - Week 3

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:12:00 +0000

Last week, Tony and I both ran the table but maybe we just played it safe since neither of us picked an upset. This week poses a few interesting choices in a long list of uninteresting games. All of the picks this week are SEC games, so...

Louisville at Kentucky
Sleepwriter: In a rather uninteresting rivalry game between two basketball schools, Kentucky should not have much trouble this year. Some pundits will tell you that anything can happen in a rivalry game, but the reality is that the favored team usually wins. Kentucky is the better team. I'd be surprised if they didn't win. Kentucky 35 - 10.

TonyOrlando: Kentucky may wind up being the second best team in the East. Plus, the future Mrs. Orlando is a Kentucky girl, so we gotta go with the 'Cats. Kentucky 24-14.

Tennessee at Florida
Sleepwriter: As much as we want the media's man crush on Tebow to end, I never like to see Tennessee win. Tennessee lost at home to an unimpressive UCLA team, yet Lane Kiffin has still not managed to have an unspoken thought. He claims UT will win in Florida, but they are going to be sacrificed to the football gods on Saturday. Florida 50 - 17.

TonyOrlando: Simply put, Kiffin's motivational tactics are going to backfire badly today. Urban Meyer is the type to hang a hundred on a team if he can, and he can against this Volunteer team. Florida 63 - 13.

West Virginia at Auburn
Sleepwriter: Is this the week the Eagle/Tiger Express derails? Maybe. WVU is rebuilding after their coaching change. Before the season, I called this game as an upset with WVU in a close one. However, they have given up 40 points total to Liberty and East Carolina. Granted, East Carolina is better than either Auburn opponent so far, but this game is likely to be muddy and that means run. In a battle of two unknowns, Auburn 27 - 24.

TonyOrlando: I also had this game as a Plainsman loss before the season. But frankly, Auburn is better than many expected them to be, although nobody is quite sure yet how good they are. Auburn's eventual, inevitable fall from grace is postponed for another week. Auburn 24 - 21.

North Texas at Alabama
Sleepwriter: The most interesting thing about this game is that I will be there in a skybox. Actually, it is interesting that McElroy will be facing a former high school coach. However, I think the 2nd and 3rd teams will get a lot of play in this one. Alabama 55 - 10.

TonyOrlando: Last week was much more of a test than anyone expected. Alabama should get things going a lot earlier this week, and get ready for conference play. Oh, and here's hoping your skybox runs out of alcohol and food in the first quarter. Alabama 38 - 9.

MSU at Vandy
Sleepwriter: There was a day when you wouldn't dare pick Vandy to win a game. MSU is improving, but Vandy is more stable. Heck, what can you really say about this game? Vandy 28 - 27.

TonyOrlando: I'm with you. What can you say? Vandy 20 - 14.

Georgia at Arkansas
Sleepwriter: Georgia was embarrassed in week 1, bounced back in week 2, and they have what should have been their first test here in week 3. Arkansas has some talent, but they are not there yet. Then again, Georgia has an amazing ability to disappoint. However, Georgia 32 - Arky - 24.

TonyOrlando: I've played it safe all week, so I'm gonna pick an upset here. Arkansas puts it together for this one, and Georgia continues its slow crawl toward mediocrity. Arkansas 27 - 24.

NCAA Picks - Week 2

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:49:00 +0000

College football arrived last week with a few surprises – like Virginia losing to William & Mary and Oklahoma losing to BYU. Last week, I picked Georgia and La. Tech for opening weekend wins and dropped those but called the MIami win over FSU to finish 4 of 6. Tony missed the FSU call, but was right on target picking Ok. State and Auburn to finish 5 of 6. Neither of us saw Auburn scoring as many points and they did, although it may be way too early to start revising our season predictions.

On to the picks...

UCLA at Tennessee
SleepWriter: Tennessee opened the season against a team playing its first game in Division 1. UCLA has been around a lot longer and has a much richer tradition. Both teams are coming off of bad years. This one is hard to predict. UCLA played a stronger opponent in week 1, but Tennessee appeared to pull things together as a unit. The game is in Knoxville, and that used to be an important factor. Another tough call, as no one knows what to expect from either team. In a passing duel...
UCLA 35 - UT 32

TonyOrlando: While I don't buy the gaudy numbers Tennessee put up last week, they're not exactly cannon fodder for the Bruins, either. I expect the Vols to put up a fight, and we'll get to see what kind of conditioning program the have up in Knoxville.

UCLA 28 - UT 22

South Carolina at Georgia
SleepWriter: I was wrong about Georgia last week. I won't be this week. South Carolina squeaked by with a 7 - 3 win last week. Spurrier will have them motivated, but they are on the road. Georgia played and lost a tough one, but they too will be motivated. The deciding factor this week is the home field. Georgia 17 - SC 14

TonyOrlando: Georgia got embarrassed last week, and South Carolina should be, given their lack of offensive production. Spurrier wants to put in more razzle-dazzle this week, and may have to if he wants to get out of Georgia with a win. I don't think that happens, as the Bulldogs attempt a statement win.Georgia 34 - SC 12

Mississippi State at Auburn
SleepWriter: I never like it when Auburn wins, but win they shall. Mississippi State has a way to go to be the conference spoiler again. Auburn looked much better than expected in week 1 and should be off to a 2-0 start. In what many predicted to be an abysmal season on the plains, they may squeak out a winning season.

Auburn 24 -MSU 17

TonyOrlando: What we don't know makes all the difference here. MSU hung points on a Jackson State team. Auburn struggled early with a La. Tech team that occasionally is good. This game will say a lot about the direction of both teams. Auburn has this one at home, where they usually get calls like Michael Jordan did in the lane. I'm dying to call an upset here, and it might happen. But I'm going with the safe pick.
Auburn 24 - MSU 22

FIU at Alabama
SleepWriter: Even with Mark Ingram coming off of the flu bug, Alabama should have the firepower to put FIU out of commission early. I'd look for some of the younger players to get some experience on the field this week.
Alabama 48 - FIU 6

TonyOrlando: FL International has improved year to year under head coach Mario Cristobal (had to get that name in there), but hat's not enough to stay with one of the top teams in the country. Alabama will play lots of guys, and work on improving from last week.
Alabama 44 - FIU 0

Vanderbilt at LSU
SleepWriter: Vanderbilt is a tough team with a good coach. LSU likes corn dogs. After a tough late night game in Washington, LSU will try to screw up this game and fail. Even with a couple of bone head coaching calls, the Tigers should win at home.
LSU 32 - Vandy 24

TonyOrlando: I can't disagree with a single thing Sleepy says above. Hat Miles will do everything he can to remain the Joe Biden of college football, and simply out-talent Vandy.
LSU 28 - Vandy 12

Alabama Fans, Four Fingers Means Something Again

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:09:00 +0000

The end of the third quarter brings a symbolic gesture to football stadiums all over the country. Extending their arms to the heavens, fans and players alike hold aloft four fingers, insisting the fourth quarter belongs to them.

Alabama fans say the tradition began with Coach Bryant, emphasizing a commitment to finishing the game strong. But over the last several years, holding up four fingers became just another sports cliché for Tide fans, less a mission statement than a show for the cameras, as calculated as dumping Gatorade on the head coach after a win.

That changed with the arrival of Nick Saban.

Entering his third season, Saban has drilled into this team the need to finish. This was evident Saturday night against the Hokies, as a Tide team frustrated by a tough defense was patient, calculated, and gradually wore down its opponent.

Working with a new offensive line and starting quarterback, Alabama struggled in the first quarter, as Greg McElroy tried to find a rhythm. The running game struggled as well, as the insertion of the Wildcat formation failed to produce many yards. Alabama kept it close in the first half with the leg of Leigh Tiffin and a smothering defense.

Alabama trailed at halftime, and failed to find the end zone in the third quarter. But they stuck to their game plan, frustrating Tech's running quarterback and overcoming typical Frank Beamer special teams. By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, Alabama's ground game was clicking, and the worn-down Virginia Tech defense had no answers.

In his post-game press conference, Saban stated he wanted Alabama's opponents to experience "six seconds of Hell" each time the Tide lined up. Getting to that point has been a process, as Saban likes to say. He has put together the pieces for this hellish attack over the last two years, and it was on display last night in the Georgia Dome.

In its opening game, Alabama took the best shot of a very good Virginia Tech team, and kept the pressure on. The relentless nature of this Tide team figures to be a regular feature of their games this season.

Especially in the fourth quarter. Get your hands up.

Alabama vs. Virginia Tech - Post-Game Wrapup

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 02:52:00 +0000

Alabama gutted out a hard-nosed win tonight, once again punching an ACC team in the mouth. It was shaky in parts, but Alabama stuck to its game plan, and as a result, the Tide are 1-0 and may move to the #3 spot in the polls.

Some quick observations:

Alabama's offensive line played over their heads, and had to deal with relentless pressure from an athletic Hokie defensive front. Expect to see them get better as the year goes on.

Greg McElroy improved as the game went on. He made smart, safe plays for the most part, and can throw the deep ball. He stood in the pocket when he needed to, and ran when things broke down. He'll be okay.

Ingram is the workhorse everyone thought he was. Hopefully his knee isn't too banged up. We're very deep at tailback, and Richardson in his last-minute carries looks very strong.

Alabama's defense is dominant. They made mental mistakes, but methodically wore out the Tech offense and forced them to become one-dimensional.

Great win for the Tide. Roll Tide...

NCAA Picks - Week 1

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:40:00 +0000

We decided to skip the Thursday night games and kick off our picks with the Saturday schedule. As I predicted in my SEC East picks, South Carolina struggled last night against NC State and I think this sets the tone for the season where Coach Spurrier steps down after having had his fill of mediocre pudding. He's just not cut out for the middle of the pack. We'll see.

The other "big"game on Thursday was the Oregon at Boise State game. The Cowboys extended their home record on the god-awful blue turf against an inept looking Oregon team. Now, they will finish out their season again a bunch of high school teams and whine about getting a shot at the title. Let's hope someone puts an end to the madness before we are subjected to more of that hideous blue.

Now, on to the picks:

No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 7 Virginia Tech
SleepWriter: On this one, I am picking the Tide by 10 points. McElroy will do a fine job and the motivation factor should be huge for the Tide with Deaderick cleared to play. VT is always a tough team but they lost their starting RB and the QB threw for 2 TDs and 7 INTs in 173 attempts last season. He can run, which is a threat, but if he can't pass effectively, the Tide D should rule the day.
UA 28 - VT 17

TonyOrlando: Virginia Tech has a scrambling QB who will be forced to win the game with his arm against this Tide defense. That's not going to happen, and even allowing for the Hokie's emphasis on special teams, points will be hard to come by for VT. Alabama's corps of backs will pile up the yards in this one.
UA 34 - VT 10

No. 11 LSU at Washington
SleepWriter: Washington is on a 14 game losing streak. I don't see that changing this week. LSU is on a downward slope that started early last season, but they should be able to take on the Huskies and represent the SEC proudly. It would be a huge surprise for LSU to lose this one, and that is the only concern - will they go into a late night game complacent?
LSU 24 - Washington 9

TonyOrlando: Les Miles will try his best to bungle this one, but still won't be able to. LSU is still stocked with talent, and Washington will run into a buzzsaw.
LSU 30 - Washington 7

No. 13 Georgia at No. 9 Oklahoma State
SleepWriter: Oklahoma State is ranked higher and the talking heads on ESPN are calling it for them, but I like Georgia. Coach Richt has a chance to make an early statement this season. State is a high scoring team, but they don't play SEC defenses very often. It comes down to who is more prepared to start the season. Georgia in a close game.
Georgia 21 - OK State 17

TonyOrlando: We disagree here. Georgia is all about unfulfilled promise. The Cowboy want to avenge their 2007 loss to the Dawgs, while Georgia has to replace QB Matt Stafford. Mark Richt is 34-3 out of conference, but gets his 4th loss here.
OK State 31 - Georgia 28

Louisiana Tech at Auburn
SleepWriter: Auburn should win this game. Period. However, La Tech always delivers a tough game and, frankly, they have a lot of experienced players. If you don't count the win against 1-AA Tennessee-Martin, Auburn has not won a game against a top division team since September 27 of last year when they squeaked out a 14-12 win over an inept Tennessee team. My head tells me that Auburn should win this game at home, but until I see what they look like this season, I can't pick them with any confidence. I predict a close game.
LaTech 17 - Auburn 9

TonyOrlando: This is tough. Auburn is an unknown with a new coach and reshuffled talent. La Tech is, well, La Tech. Auburn will have a rocky season, but their fans will have false hope after a win here.
Auburn 21 - La. Tech 10

No. 8 Mississippi at Memphis
SleepWriter: I am not buying into the Ole Miss hype. They will not win the West. They are the only team in the West never to have played in the SEC championship game. That won't change this season, in my opinion. But they are my second favorite SEC team and I hope they do well. Memphis is an Ole Miss town, which was a nice surprise when I moved there in 1995. This game should be like a home game for the Rebels and they should have no problem with the Tigers. It could turn into a high scoring affair, but I am not picking a lot of high scores this early in the year.
Ole Miss 32 - Memphis 10

TonyOrlando: Ole Miss is the media darling of the SEC West. Houston Nutt has the Rebels believing, and Jevan Snead is the real deal. Ole Miss wants to make the statement that they're in the hunt for the SEC, and more. While I think those dreams will come back to earth before the season is out, they will start out 1-0.
Ole Miss 34 - Memphis 7

Miami (FL) at No. 18 Florida State
SleepWriter: Stepping out of conference for this one, I have not been impressed with FSU in a while. Miami has a new QB and new coordinators on offense and defense. It makes sense that FSU will win this game. Miami could easily start the season 0-4 (FSU, Ga. Tech, Va. Tech, and Oklahoma) but I think the magic may have worn off at FSU and the NCAA sanctions will only hit them worse over the next few seasons. I may regret this pick, but it is early. In an upset...
Miami 21 - FSU 14

TonyOrlando: One of those games where I hope a rogue asteroid hits the stadium. The only reason I will watch this game is to see the fight that will inevitably break out during the NCAA-mandated pre-game handshake. After that, FSU probably squeaks by.
FSU 17 - Miami 14

2009 SEC Snapshots - SEC East Final Standings

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:47:00 +0000

Wrapping up the SEC East, I am picking Georgia to come in second, which leaves Florida at number 1 in the East again. However, Georgia should have a good year and they have a good coach, so anything can happen to flip things around. For now, I am sticking with what appears to be obvious - Florida will win the East. However, they won't win the SEC or the BCS again this season. It's just not their year.

I predict that Urban Meyer will hang around for a couple of seasons after his golden ticket graduates. Will Tebow finally get to play for Mike Shula? Possibly. Florida should take the East, Kentucky and South Carolina are the most likely for coaching changes, and the Vols are not ready for prime time. There are a lot of unknowns due to young talent but this is still the SEC - America's greatest football conference. Even in a down year for most of the teams, the SEC will flex its muscle in the bowls this season.

2009 SEC Snapshot #6

noreply@blogger.com (sleepwriter) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 13:26:00 +0000

South Carolina is a big question mark this season, but I am picking them in the middle of the conference because the rest of the East will be really bad this season. Tonight's game against NC State doesn't figure into the conference picture, obviously, but it will be a good indicator of how this team has come together with a lot of young players. I predict 3 or 4 wins in the conference, depending on who gets caught napping (Arkansas) and a 7 win season overall. As I say, tonight's game will tell us a lot.

After the season, I predict the "ole ball coach" will hang up his visor and retire to a life of golf and prognosticating. He's just not a middle of the pack coach, but that is where SC lives in the East.

Next up: Nice guys finish second...

Catching Up On Game Week

webmaster@alabamagameday.net (TonyOrlando) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:29:00 +0000

It's almost here. A busy week for the Tide as they finalize prep work for Va. Tech. And what a week it's been...

Brandon Deaderick has practiced with the team, but won't play. We suspect he'd back in the lineup next week. Gentry Estes has done great work covering this story.

Julio Jones and Mark Ingram have been cleared by the NCAA to play. Let that be a lesson to you; fishin' trips are of da debil...

There's still a little time for you to enter the prediction contest at AlabamaGameFace. I'm looking at you, Medlin...

Up tomorrow morning: our own picks.