Drofdarb Sports

Enough From The Armchair Quarterbacks – I Can’t Take It Anymore

Drofdarb — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 21:17:16 +0000

(I know it’s been awhile since I posted anything on here but if you follow me on Twitter, this probably isn’t a surprise)

I’ve heard enough from the armchair quarterbacks and need to address some of the issues.

Coach Pete is disgusted with the armchair quarterbacks too

Photo via Idahostatesman.com, Joe Jaszewski

Joe Southwick Haters:
It amazes me how many people are still bitching about Joe Southwick. He’s not Kellen Moore and he never will be. Get over it. In fact, chances are slim we’ll ever see a quarterback like Kellen again. Joe is clearly the best quarterback on the roster and he’s performed well after struggling in his first career start in a very hostile environment (who wouldn’t?). Do some of you people honestly believe the coaches wouldn’t play the best available option? Oh, and whoever is heckling him at the grocery store should probably stop.

Taylor Kelly Lovers:
Did you see him play last night against Oregon? After ASU quickly capitalized on Oregon’s turnover (a 28 yd TD pass), Kelly finished the night: 9/17, 65 yards, 2 Interceptions, sacked 5 times and 16 carries for 38 yards. Are you still crying that Coach Pete didn’t offer him a scholarship? Recruiting is a tricky process – sometimes you hit and sometimes you miss. The coaches evaluate and offer who they believe the better/best prospects are and they obviously thought Hedrick was the better option (if you buy into recruiting rankings, he was the higher rated recruit). Quit bitching.

Chris Petersen Critics:
Coach Petersen (you know, the guy with a 78-7 career record who has brought the program to new levels, winning two Fiesta Bowls in the process) has done more than enough to earn the benefit of the doubt from “Bronco Nation”. He’s had to replace how many assistant coaches over the last couple seasons and all the program does is continue to win. There are about 115 other programs in the country that would die to have him as their head coach.

Is the offense scoring points like we’re used to seeing? No. Are they struggling in goal-line situations? Yes. Are they hitting as many long passes as we’d like to see? No (even Kellen struggled with this). Has the running game been inconsistent? Yes.

On the other hand, the re-tooled, young defense has played outstanding, the special teams coverage units have been excellent (even the kicking game looks improved from last season), players are gaining experience and God forbid, the games have actually been close and exciting!

The team is 5-1 and possibly in line to earn a BCS Bowl birth if they can win out. The offense and defense should continue to improve and evolve through the next six weeks and who knows what the team will look like by the end of the season.

Some of you (not all of you) need to quit acting like a bunch of spoiled brats. Sit back down in your chair and appreciate what we have.

/End Rant

Enjoy the blackout and sick unis on Saturday! Go Broncos!

Humpday’s Happenings & Hyperlinks – 12/14//11

Drofdarb — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:06:52 +0000

Links and videos from recent happenings around the sporting world. If you come across good articles, videos, etc. – please pass them along, I’d love to take a look.

College Football:

Despite controversy, BCS title game rematch headlines bowl rankings – Stewart Mandel [SI]

I'm not happy about it but I'm sure I'll watch the Honey Badger's rematch with Alabama

Bowl season brings choice matchups, duds – Pat Forde [Yahoo!] I was going to rank my 10 favorite bowl matchups but I’m getting sick and tired of college football with all scandals, politicking, polls, BCS, etc. Sadly, it seems I’m slowly turning my back on my “favorite” sport.

This Time, Pac-12 Expansion Could Be in Another Country – Pete Thamel [NYTimes] Can you say college football games in Asia??

Sandusky maneuver puts accusers through wringer – Dan Wetzel [Yahoo!]

McMurphy’s Law: KSU, BSU being left out proves there’s no BCS without BS – Brett McMurphy [CBSSports] Can we please have an eight or 16 team playoff already??

If you didn’t see the catch by Montana State wide receiver Elvis Akpla last weekend you need to watch it now – if you have already seen it I know you’ll watch it again:

Soccer:

The evolution of Cesc Fabregas – Michael Cox [Soccernet] An intriguing look at Cesc’s evolution from Arsenal back to Barcelona.

Surfing:

Billabong Pipeline Masters: Day One – Marcus Sanders [Surfline]

Billabong Pipeline Masters: Day Two – Marcus Sanders [Surfline] Hopefully you got to watch Day 1 or 2 when the waves were PUMPING and the locals were putting on a show.

Kieren Perrow Wins Billabong Pipe Masters – marcus Sanders [Surfline]

Ten Best Barrels Of Pipe Masters (video) – [Surfline] Can you imagine catching any one of these bombs? (Based on zero experience) I’m guessing it’s pretty much Heaven on Earth!

Hawaiian Scrapbook: Random sightings from around the Billabong Pipe Masters – Jeremiah Klein & Marcus Sanders [Surfline]

The Mechanics of Pipeline – Sean Collins [Surfline] This is a really interesting read if you’re into this kind of thing..

John John Florence wins 2011 Vans Triple Crown of Surfing – Jon Coen [ESPNSurf] If you aren’t already familiar with his name you better get used to hearing it for the next several years.

The SURFER Profile: John John Florence – Sean Doherty [SurferMag] In case you need to read up on Mr. Florence.

Billabong Pipe Masters Day 2 Highlights:

Day 1 Highlights and Day 3 Highlights if you want to see those too!

Any good articles or videos I missed? Happy Humpday Everyone!

The Triple-Dub – What To Watch And Why

Drofdarb — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 07:18:44 +0000

Your weekend viewing guide - The best games of the weekend and why you should watch.

The Triple-Dub: December 9th-11th

Billabong Pipe Masters in Memory of Andy Irons:

John John Florence at Pipeline Masters

Photo via espn.com/joliphotos.com

Pipe Masters is considered the Super Bowl of surfing – if there’s one event you want to watch, this is it. The contest started yesterday with 10-12 ft waves (that’s pretty big) and the swell is expected to be around for a couple more days with the waves expected to get better. They made it through the first 2 Rounds with Round 3 scheduled to start at 8 AM HST (1 PM ET). How the hell am I going to watch a surfing event in Hawaii you ask? Not to worry, the contest is streamed live on the internet. Sit back, relax and enjoy the insanity. Other than an obvious favorite like Kelly Slater, keep your eye on Jamie O’Brien and John John Florence who both call Pipe their home break. The waves are supposed to be good on Saturday too so they should finish the contest.

College Football:

-Saturday Dec 10th
Army Black Knights (3-8) vs Navy Midshipmen (4-7) (Fed Ex Field – Landover, MD) 2:30 PM ET – CBS

This isn’t exactly must-see TV but with no other college football games this weekend, chances are I’ll be watching. Not to mention, these guys deserve our thanks and respect for protecting our great country – the least we can do is watch and cheer for them on the football field.

English Premier League:

It isn’t the best slate of games this weekend but since the college football regular season is over you need something to watch, right? Without going into detail, here are the televised games this weekend:

-Saturday Dec. 10th
Everton (5-1-7 – 16 pts) @ Arsenal (8-2-4 – 26 pts) (Emirates Stadium – London, England) – 10:00 AM ET – FSC

Wolverhampton (4-2-8 – 14 pts) @ Manchester United (10-3-1 – 33 pts) (Old Trafford – Manchester, England) 10:00 AM ET – ESPN2

QPR (4-4-6 – 16 pts) @ Liverpool (6-5-3 – 23 pts) (Anfield – Liverpool, England) – 10:00 AM ET – Fox Soccer Plus

-Sunday Dec. 11th
Tottenham (10-1-2 – 31 pts) @ Stoke City (5-3-6 – pts) (Britannia Stadium – Stoke, England) – 11:00 AM ET – FSC

What are you watching this weekend?

Humpday’s Happenings & Hyperlinks – 12/7//11

Drofdarb — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 07:16:33 +0000

Links and videos from recent happenings around the sporting world. If you come across good articles, videos, etc. – please pass them along, I’d love to take a look.

First and foremost – Happy Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

College Football:

The First 48 Hours – Andy Staples [SI] A behind the scenes look at Rich Rodriguez’s first 48 hours at Arizona.

Mark Cuban’s BCS Buster would turn anticlimactic season into thriller – Andy Staples [SI] This was written last week and would have applied to last weekend’s games. It’s a great non-playoff idea from Cuban.

Washington State Head Coach Mike Leach

Photo via Spokesman.com

Mike Leach is the new coach at Washington State: Rejoice and be glad – Chris Brown [SmartFootball] Good thoughts on some important hires Leach will need to make in order to be successful.

Batten down the hatches — here comes the Pirate of the Palouse – Bud Withers [SeattleTimes] This one is full of great quotes. I’m so excited Leach is coaching again especially up here in the Pacific Northwest!

Boise State names Mark Coyle from Kentucky as new athletic director – Brian Murphy [IdahoStatesman] It doesn’t have the quote in this story but Coyle stated his number one goal is keeping Chris Petersen – I like him already!

Boise State, 4 others to join Big East in 2013 – Brett McMurphy [CBSSports] It isn’t ideal but I think it needed to be done.

USA Today Coaches Poll Ballots Released: Coaches liked Alabama, One Coach Had Oklahoma State Ranked 5th – Ty Duffy [TheBigLead]

Petersen Rails against BCS (w/ audio) – Dave Southorn [IdahoPress] Chris Petersen isn’t very happy with the BCS system and I can’t blame him – the audio is pretty awesome. Here’s another link with more info about how coaches voted for Boise state and Gary Patterson being upset with Petersen [IdahoStatesman]

Boise State Senior Day 2011 Introductions – [YouTube]

The Biggest Travesty Of The Bowl Season – Eric Adelson [ThePostGame] And it has nothing to do with Oklahoma State or Boise State.

2011 Bowl gifts to participants [SportsBusinessJournalDaily]

FDA-approved hangover pill promises to take edge off holiday partying – Nicole Lyn Pesce [NYDailyNews] This is for those of traveling to Bowl games this year! (HT DanWetzel)

Kitam Hamm is using football to get out of gang-infested Compton – Jeff Benedict & Armen Keteyian [SI] This is a great story.

I wouldn’t consider myself much of a Chip Kelly fan but this video is pretty awesome:

Surfing:

The Eddie Opening Ceremony – Todd Prodanovich [SurferMag] Hopefully they’ll get a big enough swell to run the event before the end of the holding period (Feb. 29th).

North Shore Quiver Check: Reef McIntosh – Mike Ciancuilli [Surfline]

John John Florence Wins Vans World Cup – Mike Ciancuilli [Surfline] As always, Surfline has awesome photos and coverage of the event.

Interview: John John Florence – Mike Ciancuilli [Surfline] John John has been killing it on the North Shore this winter and Pipe Masters is next (possibly as soon as tomorrow). Pipeline also happens to John John’s home break – I can’t wait for this contest.

Cory Lopez takes his daughter, Alana surfing:

(HT Daniel Russo)

Other:

Son’s milestones grow with the memories – George Schroeder [RegisterGuard] Schroeder is a columnist for the Register Guard and SI contributor. This is well worth the read.

Any good articles or videos I missed? Happy Humpday Everyone!

College Football Week 14 Recap – The BCS Sucks And Everyone Knows It

Drofdarb — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 07:23:35 +0000

Despite having no impact on the national championship participants, the weekend actually turned out to be a somewhat exciting. Southern Miss crushed Houston’s BCS dreams beating the Cougars 49-28 and forcing Case Keenum to struggle and throw two interceptions in the loss. Georgia gave LSU all they could handle for the first 30 minutes before the Tigers blew the game open winning 42-10. Kellen Moore and the Broncos cruised on Senior day against New Mexico State 45-0. Oklahoma State embarrassed Oklahoma 44-10 to win the Big-12. Wisconsin avenged their regular season loss to Michigan State beating the Spartans 42-39 in one of the more exciting Big Ten games I’ve seen since these two teams last played.

BCS Bowls:

The BCS Bowl match ups were announced on Sunday night – the Rose Bowl and Fiesta Bowl should be good but the other three are pathetic. I’m not even getting started on Virginia Tech getting a Sugar Bowl invite over Boise State (and even Kansas State). The BCS sucks and we all know it.

I hope you're excited about the rematch because I'm not

Photo via zimbio.com

-Jan. 2nd
Rose Bowl – #5 Oregon Ducks (11-2) vs #10 Wisconsin Badgers (11-2) – 5:00 PM ET – ESPN

Fiesta Bowl – #3 Oklahoma State Cowboys (11-1) vs #4 Stanford Cardinal (11-1) – 8:30 PM ET – ESPN

-Jan. 3rd
Sugar Bowl – #13 Michigan Wolverines (10-2) vs #11 Virginia Tech Hokies (11-2) – 8:30 PM ET – ESPN

-Jan. 4th
Orange Bowl – #15 Clemson Tigers (10-3) vs #23 West Virginia Mountaineers (9-3) – 8:00 PM ET – ESPN

- Jan. 9th
BCS Title Game – #1 LSU Tigers (13-0) vs #2 Alabama Crimson Tide (11-1) – 8:30PM ET – ESPN

Ok, so I’m getting into it a little bit. How in the hell did #5 Boise State get left out of the BCS bowls? The Broncos missed a game winning field goal and lost 36-35 to TCU. The Hokies lost twice to Clemson by a combined 48 points. Boise State’s best win was 35-21 against #16 Georgia while Virginia Tech’s was 37-26 against Georgia Tech. Yeah, that makes sense. Oh that’s right, bowl games are all about politics and nothing to do with what actually happens on the field. I hate you, BCS.

Heisman Top 5:

1. Baylor QB Robert Griffin III – 72.4%, 3,998 yds, 36 TDs, 6 Ints, 644 yds rushing, 9 TDs
2. Boise State QB Kellen Moore – 74.1%, 3,507 yds, 41 TDs, 7 Ints
3. Stanford QB Andrew Luck – 70%, 3,170, 35 TDs, 9 Ints, 153 yds rushing, 2 TDs
4. Houston QB Case Keenum – 71.7%, 5,099 yds, 45 TDs, 5 Ints, 25 yds rushing, 5 TDs
5. LSU DB Tyrann Mathieu – 53 solo tkls, 17 assisted tkls, 6.5 tkls for loss, 1.5 sacks, 6 forced fumbles, 4 fumble recoveries – 2 for TDs, 2 Ints, 7 pass break ups

Others considered: Wisconsin RB Montee Ball, USC QB Matt Barkley, Alabama RB Trent Richardson, Virginia Tech RB David Wilson & USC WR Robert Woods.

The Upset Top 20 Ballot:

1. LSU (13-0)
2. Oklahoma State (11-1)
3. Alabama (11-1)
4. Boise State (11-1)
5. Stanford (11-1)
6. USC (10-2)
7. Oregon (10-2)
8. Wisconsin (11-2)
9. Arkansas (10-2)
10. Kansas State (10-2)
11. South Carolina (10-2)
12. Georgia (10-3)
13. Michigan State (10-3)
14. Michigan (10-2)
15. Clemson (10-3)
16. Virginia Tech (11-2)
17. Baylor (9-3)
18. TCU (10-2)
19. Houston (12-1)
20. Oklahoma (9-3)

Any thoughts on the final regular season weekend of college football, the BCS match ups, my Heisman Top 5 or Upset Top 20 Ballot?

The Triple-Dub – What To Watch And Why

Drofdarb — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 07:30:59 +0000

Your weekend viewing guide - The best games of the weekend and why you should watch.

The Triple-Dub: December 2nd-3rd

The coaching rumor mill is in full gear and I’m in annual panic mode because Chris Petersen is reportedly a candidate at UCLA, UNC, Texas A&M and any other BCS job that opens in the next several weeks. Even though he has always stayed despite being a candidate for every job opening every season I still manage to worry about it every year. Anyway, here’s what I’ll be trying to enjoy on the last real weekend of college football this season:

College Football:

-Friday
UCLA Bruins (6-6) @ # Oregon Ducks (10-2) – Pac-12 Championshp Game – (Autzen Stadium – Eugene, OR) 8:00 PM ET – Fox

(Former) UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel getting carried off the practice field

Photo via espn.com

The only reason UCLA is in the Pac-12 Championship Game is because USC is ineligible. As a result, the Bruins are 31 point underdogs making it the largest spread in college football post-season history (conf. championship games & bowls). UCLA has already fired Rick Neuheisel after another dismal season but is allowing him to coach the game – don’t be surprised to see him open up the playbook on Friday night. That said, I still think the LaMichael James and the Ducks to roll. It’s the first ever Pac-12 championship game so something historic is bound to happen!

-Saturday
#24 Southern Miss Golden Eagles (10-2) @ #6 Houston Cougars (12-0) – Conference USA Championship Game – (Robertson Stadium – Houston, TX) 12:00 PM ET – ABC

A win for Houston sends them to their first ever BCS game and likely sends Case Keenum to New York for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. Southern Miss looked like they were on a collision course with the Cougars but they lost to 2-9 UAB two weeks ago losing and lost some credibility. Keenum and wide receivers Edwards, Johnson and Carrier should be too much for Southern Miss but we have seen crazier things happen.

#14 Georgia Bulldogs (10-2) vs #1 LSU Tigers (12-0) – SEC Championship Game – (Georgia Dome – Atlanta, GA) 4:00 PM ET – CBS

The Bulldogs lost to Boise State and South Carolina but have proceeded to win ten straight games and the SEC East to get a shot a LSU and the SEC championship. As exciting as it would be to see the Bulldogs upset LSU – I think they have a decent chance – the Tigers will still most likely play Alabama for the BCS National Championship. Pretty sweet, huh? We can all thank the awesome, logical BCS for essentially making this weekend irrelevant. Thanks guys!

New Mexico Lobos (1-10) @ # Boise State Broncos (10-1) (Bronco Stadium – Boise, ID) 6:00 PM ET – The Mtn.

Kellen Moore & Doug Martin - Enjoy watching them Bronco fans

Photo via zimbio.com

I don’t expect this to be much of a game, the Broncos are favored by 49 points. Really I’m hoping they’ll try to score 100 on Saturday – we’ll see. I’m most excited because it’s senior day and the last time well see Kellen Moore, Doug Martin, Nate Potter, Billy Winn, Shea McClellin, Tyrone Crawford, George Iloka, Hunter White and 13 other seniors play on the The Blue. On top of that, I hate to say it but it could also be Coach Petersen’s last game in blue and orange too. *Takes one step closer to the edge*

#10 Oklahoma Sooners (9-2) @ #3 Oklahoma State Cowbooys (10-1) (Boone Pickens Stadium – Stillwater, OK) 8:00 PM ET – ABC

A couple weeks ago this game had national championship implications but the Sooners lost to Baylor and then Cowboys lost to Iowa State. Now the winner will get the Big-12′s automatic BCS birth and the loser will have to hope for an at-large selection. Even though the game doesn’t have the luster it once did, these two are huge rivals and should go toe-to-toe on Saturday night. If you like offense – who doesn’t? – this game is for you. Oklahoma State averages 49.8 points per game and Oklahoma averages 43 so expect to see some points on the scoreboard at Bedlam.

#5 Virginia Tech Hokies (11-1) vs #20 Clemson Tigers (9-3) - ACC Championship Game - (Bank of America Stadium – Charlotte, NC) 8:00 PM ET – ESPN

Clemson already crushed Virginia Tech 23-3 back on October 1st but the Hokies will get a chance to redeem themselves in the conference championship game. The Tigers were on a nice run to start the season starting 8-0 but then they Clemson’d themselves and have lost three of the last four games. I have no idea who will win the game – Hokies are favored by a touchdown – but it doesn’t matter because they’ll be playing the Big East champion in the Orange Bowl. I don’t know about you but I can’t wait for that one!

#15 Wisconsin Badgers (10-2) vs #13 Michigan State Spartans (10-2) – Big Ten Championship Game – (Lucas Oil Stadium – Indianapolis, IN) 8:17 PM ET – Fox

This game is also a rematch but the prior meeting was actually a game with the Spartans prevailing on a 44 yard Hail Mary as the clock expired. The Badgers are 9 1/2 point favorites and will likely be looking to avenge the heartbreaking loss that ended their perfect season. That said, don’t expect Michigan State to go down without a fight as the winner goes to the Rose Bowl. This could actually be a somewhat entertaining Big Ten game – that doesn’t happen very often.

What are you watching this weekend?

Humpday’s Happenings & Hyperlinks – 11/30/11

Drofdarb — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 07:53:46 +0000

Links and videos from recent happenings around the sporting world. If you come across good articles, videos, etc. – please pass them along, I’d love to take a look.

This is far and away the most tedious post I “write” every week and it’s starting to burn me out. This week is a little light on links – not sure if there haven’t been any or I just haven’t been paying attention. Anyway, we’ll see how this evolves – if you have any suggestions, don’t hesitate to leave them in the comments section!

Here’s this week’s Humpday’s Happenings & Hyperlinks Lite Edition.

College Football:

The Forde-Yard Dash: Handing out pre-bowl awards – Pat Forde [Yahoo!]

Say farewell to the regular season with TV finale Power Rankings – Andy Staples [SI]

Is Nike’s Influence On The University Of Oregon Football team Bordering On Interference? – Andrew Sharp [BusinessInsider]

Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer

Photo via usatoday.com

New coach Urban Meyer will help Ohio State wake from nightmare – Stewart Mandel [SI] Unless of course he has already changed his mind…

Judging Urban Meyer’s ESPN tenure – Richard Deitsch [SI] Read this – Deitsch calls it like it is.

Illegitimate BCS process holds game hostage – Dan Wetzel [Yahoo!] You probably want to read this one too – the BCS is garbage and college football deserves better.

Craig James is Not a Boise State Broncos Fan – Ty Duffy [TheBigLead] Of course most of us already knew that but it’s nice to see others are noticing as well. And if you’re bored, read the comments. #FireCraigJames

Surfing:

John John Florence goes looney across the bay from Sunset (sequence) [Surfline] John John already rips the North Shore, how good is he going to be in five or ten years??

How To Surf Sunset With Hank Gaskell [SurferMagazine] Pipeline/ Backdoor isn’t the only wave on the North Shore you know..

My Sportsman (of the Year): Kelly Slater – Kostya Kennedy [SI] I wouldn’t mind seeing him named SI’s Sportsman of the Year.

Mark Healey is insane and awesome. Watch his section from “Surprise Excitement Party”:

(HT TransworldSurf)
Betting:

Ask So Money: Former offshore employee, star handicapper answers reader questions [BeyondTheBets] This is great information whether you’re new to sports betting (like me) or not.

“Should I buy picks?” Before you decide, here are 3 secrets touts don’t want you to know [BeyondTheBets] Very good information.

Any good articles or videos I missed? Happy Humpday Everyone!

Mountain West Roundup – Week 13 Power Rankings

Drofdarb — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 07:21:39 +0000

Previous weeks: Preseason, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12

Obviously I didn’t get around to writing the Week 12 Power Rankings – I think I was still too upset about Boise State’s loss to TCU but we’re back this week! Boise State took care of Wyoming to all clinch second place in the conference and other than that it was a relatively uneventful week for the conference.

1. #18 TCU 9-2 (6-0) – The Horned Frogs were off last week – likely basking in their MWC Championship glory after defeating Colorado State 34-10 and clinching the conference title. Congrats Frogs. This week: vs UNLV 2:30 PM ET – Versus

2. #7 Boise State 10-1 (5-1) – Kellen Moore had a terrible start against Wyoming throwing a pick-6 on the Broncos’ first drive of the game. He made up for it by connecting with Matt Miller on a 46 yard Hail Mary to give the Broncos a 13-6 lead at halftime and they never looked back. This week: vs New Mexico 6:00 PM ET – The Mtn.

3. Wyoming 7-4 (4-2) – Quarterback Brett Smith had a sub-par game on Saturday thanks to the seemingly revitalized Bronco defense. Smith only threw for 78 yards, 1 TD, 1 Int and rushing for another 37 yards in the loss. This week: @ Colorado State 2:00 PM ET – The Mtn.

4. San Diego State 7-4 (4-3) – As Ronnie Hillman goes, so do the Aztecs. Hillman carried 32 times for 193 yards and 2 touchdowns leading the Aztecs to a 31-14 win over the lowly Rebels last Saturday. This week: vs Fresno State 8:00 PM ET – CBS Sports Network

5. Air Force 7-5 (3-4) – Quarterback Tim Jefferson and wide receiver Zack Kauth connected on touchdown passes of 33, 40 and 50 yards to beat Colorado State 45-21 and become bowl eligible. This week: None, season finished.

6. Colorado State 3-8 (1-5) – The Rams rank 95th in scoring defense (32.1 ppg) and 102nd in scoring offense (21.6 ppg) – not a good recipe for success. This week: vs Wyoming 2:00 PM ET – The Mtn.

7. New Mexico 1-10 (1-5) – An even worse recipe for success is ranking 119th in scoring defense 41.4 ppg) and 120th in scoring offense (13.1 ppg) – we’ll see what kind of miracles Bob Davie can work in Albuquerque the next few years. This week: @ #7 Boise State 6:00 PM ET – The Mtn.

8. UNLV 2-9 (1-5) – The Rebels played a good first half against San Diego State taking a 14-7 lead to halftime but just like the Boise State game, they got blown out in the second half. To take the “next step0″, Bobby Hauck and the Rebels need to start playing complete games. This week: @ #18 TCU 2:00 PM ET – The Mtn.

How would you rank the Mountain West teams?

College Football Week 13 Recap

Drofdarb — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 07:42:13 +0000

Week 13 wasn’t nearly as exciting as last week. On Friday, Houston handled Tulsa 48-16 and LSU destroyed Arkansas 41-17. Saturday wasn’t anymore exciting with favorites – Alabama, Virginia Tech, Stanford, USC, Boise State, Oregon, Georgia, Michigan and so on – all taking care of business. The BCS claims every game matters but there’s a handful of games next weekend and the conference championship games for the SEC, ACC, Big Ten, and Pac-12 and regardless of the outcomes, the BCS National Championship matchup is pretty much set. Even if LSU loses to Georgia in the SEC Championship Game, the Tigers will likely still face Bama in a rematch at the Superdome. If we had a four or even eight team playoff, the games next weekend would actually matter as teams would be fighting for playoff spots. Thanks BCS.

Heisman Top 5:

1. Alabama RB Trent Richardson – 263 carries, 1583 yds, 20 TDs, 27 rec, 327 yds, 3 TDs
2. Baylor QB Robert Griffin III – 72.6%, 3,678 yds, 34 TDs, 5 Ints, 612 yds rushing, 7 TDs
3. Houston QB Case Keenum – 73.2%, 4,726 yds, 43 TDs, 3 Ints, 43 yds rushing, 3 TDs
4. Boise State QB Kellen Moore – 72.9%, 3,194 yds, 38 TDs, 7 Ints
5. Stanford QB Andrew Luck – 70%, 3,170 yds, 35 TDs, 9 Ints, 153 yds rushing, 2 TDs

Others considered: Wisconsin RB Montee Ball, USC QB Matt Barkley, LSU DB/PR Tyrann Mathieu, Virginia Tech RB David Wilson & USC WR Robert Woods.

The Upset Top 20 Ballot:

1. LSU (12-0)
2. Alabama (11-1)
3. Oklahoma State (10-1)
4. Boise State (10-1)
5. Stanford (11-1)
6. USC (10-2)
7. Virginia Tech (11-1)
8. Houston (12-0)
9. Georgia (10-2)
10. Oregon (10-2)
11. Arkansas (10-2)
12. Michigan State (10-2)
13. Wisconsin (10-2)
14. Kansas State (9-2)
15. South Carolina (10-2)
16. Michigan (10-2)
17. Baylor (8-3)
18. Oklahoma (9-2)
19. TCU (9-2)
20. Clemson (9-3)

Any thoughts on this weekend, my Heisman Top 5 or my Upset Top 20 Ballot?

The Triple-Dub – What To Watch And Why

Drofdarb — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:13:06 +0000

Your weekend viewing guide - The best games of the weekend and why you should watch.

The Triple-Dub: November 25th-27th

I wasn’t planning on writing the Triple-Dub this week until I got back from some Black Friday shopping and realized there’s a ton on TV this weekend. I apologize for the lack of words but here’s all the sports worth watching this weekend.

The Ultimate Leftover Turkey Sandwich, Anyone?

National Hockey League:

-Friday Nov. 25th
Detroit Red Wings @ Boston Bruins – “Thanksgiving Showdown” – (TD Garden – Boston, MA) 1:00 PM ET – NBC

College Football:

-Friday Nov. 25th
#8 Houston Cougars (11-0) @ Tulsa Golden Hurricane (8-3) (Skelly Field at H.A. Chapman Stadium – Tulsa, OK) 12:00 PM ET – Root Sports

This will be Houston and Case Keenum’s first real test of the season and the winner advances to the Conference USA championship game.

#3 Arkansas Razorbacks (10-1) @ #1 LSU Tigers (11-0) (Tiger Stadium – Baton Rouge, LA) 2:30 PM ET – CBS

I wont be shocked to see the Razorbacks play the Tigers closer than many expect. This could be a good one.

Pittsburgh Panthers (5-5) @ West Virginia Mountaineers (7-3) (Mountaineer Field – Morgantown, WV) 7:00 PM ET – ESPN

California Golden Bears (6-5) @ Arizona State Sun Devils (6-5) (Sun Devil Stadium – Tempe, AZ) 10:15 PM ET – ESPN

Potentially Dennis Erickson’s last game as the Sun Devils head coach.

Saturday Nov. 26th
#13 Georgia Bulldogs (9-2) @ #23 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (8-3) (Bobby Dodd Stadium – Atlanta, GA) 12:00 PM ET – ESPN

Will the Bulldogs get caught looking ahead to next week’s SEC championship game?

Ohio State Buckeyes (6-5) @ #15 Michigan Wolverines (9-2) (The Big House – Ann Arbor, MI) 12:00 PM ET – ABC

With Urban Meyer headed to Ohio State, this could be the Wolverines’ best chance to beat the Buckeyes for the next several years.

Wyoming Cowboys (7-3) @ #7 Boise State Broncos (9-1) (Bronco Stadium – Boise, ID) 2:00 PM ET – The Mtn.

The winner likely secures second place in the Mountain West and it’s the Broncos first home game since the heartbreaking loss to TCU.

#2 Alabama Crimson Tide (10-1) @ #24 Auburn Tigers (7-4) (Jordan-Hare Stadium – Auburn, AL) 3:30 PM ET – CBS

It’s the Iron Bowl, what else needs to be said?

#5 Virginia Tech Hokies (10-1) @ Virginia Cavaliers (8-3) (Scott Stadium – Charlottesville, VA) 3:30 PM ET – ABC/ESPN 2

The Hokies don’t have a quality win, the Cavaliers have been playing and the winner advances to the ACC title game – don’t be surprised if Virginia pulls the upset.

Oregon State Beavers (3-8) @ #10 Oregon Ducks (9-2) (Autzen Stadium – Eugene, OR) 3:30 PM ET – ABC/ESPN 2

I think the Ducks will be motivated after last week’s loss to USC (and because it’s the Civil War) but if they aren’t the Beavers might be able to give them a little trouble.

#19 Penn State Nittany Lions (9-2) @ #16 Wisconsin Badgers (9-2) (Camp Randall Stadium – Madison, WI) 3:30 PM ET – ESPN

The winner advances to the Big Ten championship game. Wait, what!? How bad is the Big Ten??

#22 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (8-3) @ #6 Stanford Cardinal (10-1) (The Farm – Palo Alto, CA) 8:00 PM ET – ABC

It’s Andrew Luck’s final home game and a win likely secures an at-large BCS bid for the Cardinal.

UCLA Bruins (6-5) @ #10 (AP) USC Trojans (9-2) (The Coliseum – Los Angeles, CA) 10:00 PM ET – Root Sports

USC Coach Lane Kiffin and UCLA Coach Rick Neuheisel

A win for UCLA puts them in the PAC-12 championship game and saves Slick Rick’s job but the Trojans are playing as well as anyone in the country and it’s their last game of the season because they’re ineligible to go bowling. Don’t be surprised if Kiffin tries to blowout the Bruins and run Neuheisel out of town.

English Premier League:

-Saturday Nov. 26th
Newcastle (7-4-1 – 25 pts) @ Manchester United (9-2-1 – 29 pts) (Old Trafford – Manchester, England) 10:00 AM ET – ESPN 2

Fulham (2-5-5 – 11 pts) @ Arsenal (7-1-4 – 22 pts) (Emirates Stadium – London, England) 12:30 PM ET – FSC

-Sunday Nov. 27th
Manchester City (11-1-0 – 34 pts) @ Liverpool (6-4-2 -22 pts) (Anfield – Liverpool, England) 11:00 AM ET – FSC

National Football League:

-Sunday Nov. 27
Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3) @ Kansas City Chiefs (4-6) (Arrowhead Stadium – Kansas City, MO) 8:20 PM ET – NBC

-Monday Nov. 28
New York Giants (6-4) @ New Orleans Saints (7-3) (Mercedes-Benz Superdome – New Orleans, LA) 8:30 PM ET – ESPN

What are you watching this weekend while enjoying all the leftovers?