The Meaningful Collateral

Two point Oh chat

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:04:52 PDT

Moving out of mom's basement

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 21:14:14 PDT

The Meaningful Collateral has moved.

Our new URL is http://www.themeaningfulcollateral.com

Please come visit! We just put our LeBron James fathead up and we're dying to show it off!

NFL Week 3 preview podcast

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 19:15:53 PDT

Segment 1 - 16:04
Segment 2 - 22:27

Cast: Galen Clavio, Scott Caulfield, Sean Bartel, John Koluder

Straight facts: Our first-ever NFL preview podcast, as we break down all 16 games on the docket for this week.

If you're too careful, your life can become a funckin' grind

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Sat, 22 Sep 2007 19:11:46 PDT

(The following post is courtesy of Love Without Nagel, who's currently busy subduing 1,000 hungry cannibals with a green talisman and a copy of Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises")

Randy Shannon is not my hero.

Randy Shannon is not in a coaching situation I want to be in.

Randy Shannon is not Jimmy Johnson, Butch Davis or Larry Coker. Randy Shannon is a coach I want to hate.

Randy Shannon is a not necessarily a hard luck coaching guy that I want to give credit to, but I can respect him. Typically a guy like this leaves Miami for a better job. By better I mean, the Assistant Head Coach of Big Ten North. Instead, the Miami brass identified him as the new head man at Miami. I felt a twinge of anger/ulcer when this word came from Donna Shalala (who, by the way, sounds like a Gloria Estafan/Miami Sound Machine back up singer).

I called his team out in my latest column on my other wildly popular website, smokeymctrees.com. Now I feel like Mike McDermott driving Kinish's truck for extra dough after I lost it all against Teddy KGB.

Randy Shannon is different from all the other Miami coaches in his era. He is neither white, nor privileged, nor arrogant. What he is, however, is a true grinder. A man that can actually bring Miami some respectability. A man who seems to have the judge's game clocked after seeing half a hand.

I was not so sure about this, since his team got waxed by a good Oklahoma team, but I am certain about it after seeing his team destroy an up and coming Texas A&M team.

For those of you not in the know, Randy Shannon has had some hardships. Shannon lost his father via murder at age three, and his sister and two brothers are dead from AIDS. These are not hardships anyone deserves. He has been a member of the 1987 Hurricanes National Championship team, and a member of the Dallas Cowboys (barf). His loyalty led him back to Miami, when he was hired in 1991 by D. Er and rode it out until becoming defensive coordinator in 2001.

Shannon, after the 34-17 pasting of A&M, can now feel like Mike McD picking up Worm from the joint. He paid his dues; they are all square. He has the Miami program moving in the right direction. Believe me, it angers me to say it. I even mocked him earlier in the year when he not only banned names from the back of those ugly jerseys, but also banned rap songs from certain dormitories and, above all, guns owned by players.

No, no, no, don't get me wrong; I will not root for Miami and their privileged fan base. What I will do, however, is root for a man who is not expecting a biased edge from big brother (the NCAA). After the Texas A&M win, Randy Shannon seems to be a man who has a never-ending string of boats against Teddy KGB, and he plays it straight up.

The Weekend Taser

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 12:06:54 PDT

We like simple math here at TMC. For instance, the following equation:

Out-of-control Florida State football player + article containing a quote such as "I'm going to get your (expletive deleted)" + overly aggressive cops = Good Blog Entry

WHEN BROADCAST RIGHTS ATTACK: Looks like Fox sports reporter Jay Glazer, who aired an unedited copy of the Patriots-Jets "spy tape" last week on Fox NFL Sunday, could be fired by the network unless he reveals his source. Why, you ask? Well, the NFL never authorized the leak, and now they're leaning on Fox and their billion-dollar investment. We're officially extending Jay Glazer an invitation to join TMC as a regular contributor if Fox fires him.

YOUR TARGETING IS OFF, SIR: New York Post writer Phil Mushnick takes off on ESPN's Ron Jaworski. I can't say that I'm as sold on Jaws as many other SBA writers are, but it boggles my mind that one could smack around Jaworski's commentary and never say a word about Tony Kornheiser's weekly fish-out-of-water performances.

The Game They Shouldn't Play - Week 4 UPDATE!!!

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 12:13:19 PDT

As a (so called) wrtiter who relies on a passion for sports and a cynical view of the world for inspiration, it is nice to know that people are taking time out of their hectic schedules to read The Meaningful Collateral. I especially apprecate SI.com's Phil Guidry for going Stephen Colbert on my analysis of the San Jose State/Utah State Game of the Week. This only further proves that TMC is the first place you should visit for any and all of your weekly sports fix.

TMC Thursday Night Podcast

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 21:40:20 PDT

Segment 1 - 15:20
Segment 2 - 7:48

Cast: Galen Clavio, Scott Caulfield, Sean Bartel, John Koluder
Topic: College Football preview

Let the echoes sleep in

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 11:17:56 PDT

It's Thursday in America, and what better way to celebrate than by dissecting the rigor-riddled corpse of Notre Dame football?

First, courtesy of The Big Lead, comes this link to one of the best ideas I've seen in a while. I don't know how long they'll let this stay up, but...damn. It's definitely nice to see ESPN finally come clean with how they really want their website to look.

Meanwhile, the "real" media has been hitting the Irish (and their fans) fast and furious over the last week. Of course, we all know about the 0-3 start to the season. We know that the Irish haven't scored an offensive touchdown. We heard this week that exiled former starter Demetrius Jones (the guy who didn't get on the bus to Ann Arbor) wants to transfer to football powerhouse Northern Illinois, except the Notre Dame athletic department won't release him from his scholarship. And of course, running under all of this is the subtle (and not so subtle) accusations of racism, due to Notre Dame's unceremonious dumping of Ty Willingham for subpar results and recruiting. That has ultimately become the main story...but should it really be so?

We've seen a wide variety of articles, columns, and other written and televised statements from the "real" media decrying Charlie Weis as a fraud --- a gastrically-bypassed con-artist who got to two BCS bowls simply because he had Willingham's players. Now that those players are gone, the "real" media claims, Weis' offensive system has been exposed for the ineffective machinery that it is, his team's defense is non-existent, and the Irish are on the hook for millions of dollars thanks to the 10-year contract extension they handed Weis in his first year. Should Weis be fired? Should the Irish officially apologize to Willingham? The questions and accusations seem to never end with this situation.

Ultimately, though, it's all B.S. story-flogging by a media that have inexplicably refused to realize one simple fact: Notre Dame simply isn't a bellwether football program anymore. In fact, one could go so far as to say that Notre Dame isn't even that relevant in college football anymore. What relevance they do possess is due to nothing more than the sports media's inability to let go of past glories --- glories that themselves were artificially pumped up by the media themselves.

Among other things, Willingham's tenure in South Bend was ended early due to poor recruiting. Although Weis' first two classes were very highly ranked, he's been highly criticized for having those classes be ineffective so far. If anything, Weis should be congratulated for being able to draw those top recruits to Notre Dame in the first place. What the heck has Notre Dame done in the last decade that would make a top player want to go there? The Irish have lost their last NINE bowl games, stretching back to the 1995 Fiesta Bowl. Despite having the BCS bowl selection code written specifically to get the Irish into a top bowl, they've only played in three such contests since the BCS started - the 2001 Fiesta, 2006 Fiesta, and 2007 Sugar - and have lost all three by an average margin of 24.3 points.

What advantage does a player receive in going to Notre Dame? It's not tradition --- we've effectively eliminated history and tradition from the minds of America's youth in all areas, let alone sports. It's not location, either. Anyone who's ever been to South Bend and decided that they wanted to spend five years there probably isn't smart enough to pass the entrance exam for Notre Dame.

And it's certainly not the "Notre Dame mystique", or "football played the right way" that could draw top talent to South Bend. Of all the attributes for Notre Dame football that the media bandies about, it's this one that is easily the most laughable. The water is no different in South Bend than it is elsewhere. Notre Dame's ascension to prominence in the late 80's and early 90's was built on the same sort of cheating chicanery that Oklahoma, Florida State, the entire SEC, and other programs utilized. The list has grown rapidly over the last 15 years, be it Kim Dunbar, the O'Leary mess, the Willingham firing, et cetera. No, the water is no different in South Bend...and for Notre Dame fans and media lackeys to have ever assumed otherwise demonstrates a naivete that borders on the idiotic.

If we look at the current situation from an honest perspective, we can easily see that the current feeding frenzy regarding Charlie Weis is yet another manifestation of the "real" sports media's inability to realize that the glory days of Notre Dame are over. It's not the fault of any one person, be it Charlie Weis, Ty Willingham, or even Bob Davie. The decline of Notre Dame football has been a truly collaborative effort, involving all levels of the Irish athletic and administrative programs. Much of the blame can be laid at the altar of Notre Dame's hubris, which declared many years ago that Notre Dame was bigger than any conference or team in college football. By remaining steadfastly independent, and by segregating themselves on television from the rest of college football, Notre Dame set themselves on a path towards obsolescence in the minds of many young fans and youth football players. The Irish were always able to pull in a certain number of recruits each year that "dreamed of playing for Notre Dame since they were children". Well, who exactly dreams of playing for Notre Dame now? The 17 and 18-year-olds of today were 3 or 4 years old the last time the Irish even won a bowl game. Because of these and other factors, the failure of Notre Dame on the football field SIMPLY ISN'T NEWS. That ship sailed long ago. But the media continues to pump this program up like it's a serious national contender, subjecting the vast majority of college football fans to news they don't want about a program that doesn't deserve the attention anymore.

Even if the Irish rebound this year and make it to a bowl game, the equation will not have changed. By taking themselves out of college football's mainstream and setting themselves on a pedestal, Notre Dame sealed their future as an afterthought on the national scene among talented high school players outside the midwest. I fully expect that someday soon, the self-serving and arrogant braintrust at Notre Dame will approach some conference and beg to be admitted as a member...and after the decades of self-importance in South Bend, it would be the most appropriate thing in sports history if that conference told them to take a hike.

Wednesday Night podcast

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 17:42:55 PDT

Wednesday night podcast (11:32)

Cast: Galen Clavio, Warren Whisenant
Topics: Miami-Texas A&M game, college football, Tank to Cowboys

Maybe Donovan thought people should criticize Carson Palmer for this ...

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 16:19:53 PDT

I'm not sure I can add much to this one ...

Mike Babcock, you're on notice

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 10:12:51 PDT

Okay, this has spread like wildfire throughout SBA today, but it's worth re-posting here. Some Michigan fan from the northern part of the state decides to burn his daughter's favorite UM hat in protest of the Wolverines' season-opening loss. Bonus points for getting the little girl to sob like a kitten in the background.

The Game They Shouldn't Play - Week 4

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 07:59:51 PDT

As the posts come flying off the shelf, I thought I would take this opportunity to chime in.

The background: They call me "The Hebrew Hammer". The nickname was given to me by none other than TMC's own Love Without Nagel. At the time I was led to believe it was homage to my roots and witty sense of humor, but in reality LWN just thinks I am neurotic. He's right. I have multiple (yes, more than one time I wasted my parent's money) degrees in Sports Marketing/Management, but I hate people who wear their degrees as badge. Sure, I've had the opportunity to work all over the sports business but I that doesn't mean I have all the answers. I have worked in college athletics for two years and the only thing I know for sure is that I am much better suited to not have a boss.

In a world of sports over-stimulation fueled by seventeen ESPN networks, every sports fan assumes they can write and talk about sports. Every fan believes they have all of the answers when it comes to their team. With this in mind, I have decided to dedicate my efforts to educating people on the flip side. What about those games you don't want to hear about? That is why I have titled my weekly posts: "The Game They Shouldn't Play". I am talking about the worst games of the week that, frankly, have no business even being played. The games that ESPN will never dub "The Game of the Century" for the sixth time. The games that scroll across the ticker endlessly while you struggle to find out the score of a game that actually matters, or determine who (and where) the hell Gardner-Webb is. Games where people come to see the drum line (just admit now that you love Nick Cannon) first and the football second. Those are the games I want people to love to hate.

I am not anti-non-BCS schools (double negatives make everything better), just anti-pathetic competition. So without further delay, I'd like to roll out my first-ever Game That Shouldn't Be Played:

San Jose State at Utah State

The inaugural pick was a tough one, with a juicy little Thursday night match up between Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee State screaming for attention. While I have to seriously consider any matchup including MTSU, Western Kentucky already has two wins and a couple of players in the NFL, including Kansas City wideout Bobby Sippio and Cincinnati fullback Jeremi Johnson. That, in my opinion has way to much potential. Sippio, incidentally just finished dominating the Arena Football League (125 receptions for 1,739 yards and 53 touchdowns). Can an NFL team really be impressed by that? Success in the AFL is like a baseball player dating Alyssa Milano. Sure, it looks great at first but then you realize she's dated your entire team and your crotch itches. Given that potential, and given the fact that San Jose State and USU are a combined 0-6 coming into the weekend, the decision was practically made for me. Nothing gets my attention quicker than losses, and lots of them.

What we know: Non-BCS teams look for respect by scheduling big-time opponents. If you are San Jose State, you take big money guarantees and start your season at Arizona State, at Kansas State, and at Stanford. I certainly give them credit for not being afraid to take on three quality BCS programs. Let me rephrase that. Two programs that used to be good and one (Stanford) with a coach who can't seem to shut his mouth. Jim, schools with revenue-generating football programs do anything and everything to get their marginally qualifying students (academically) through school so they can play. Dexter Manley can give you a call if you don't believe that --- just don't ask him to write you a letter. Let's all congratulate Jim Harbaugh for being the first person to uncover this trend and to publicly badmouth his alma mater in the process. Jim, if it weren't for Michigan, you would have never have been the mediocre NFL quarterback that we grew to know and expect interceptions from.

Meanwhile, San Jose State has managed to score just 17 points in 3 games, forcing head coach Dick Tomey to already start making comments like "We competed better tonight and that for me is something to build on as we continue on this season." Competed? What high praise for your winless football team! "Hey guys I know we got our asked kicked but I couldn't be more proud. Lets build on our mediocrity next week in hopes that we can go out there and continue to piss away our season." San Jose State is destined to be a favorite of mine all year if the coach has already thrown in the towel. Bless you sir.

Utah State: Right now you are thinking 'Hey, wait! I saw Utah State on Sportscenter in Week 3! They can't be that bad!' Well you would only be half right. Utah State was the team being beaten like a rented mule by Oklahoma last week. The defeat dropped Utah State to 0-3 after loses to UNLV and mighty Wyoming in the first two weeks. Despite playing in the decent WAC, Utah State is like the creepy uncle of BYU and Utah --- everyone knows about it but no one wants to talk about it. For your personal education, Utah State is located in Logan, Utah. How about we let the good people of Logan describe their locale in their own words:

"A thriving community of nearly 50,000, Logan boasts and exceptionally high quality of life for its size"

Hammer: A high quality of life for its size? What does that entail? Running water? Indoor plumbing? Does that mean I don't have to wait three hours in line for bread? I'm intrigued....

"Nestled in a beautiful valley, Logan offers unmatched vistas and geography"

Hammer: Oh I see. Logan is in the middle of no where and no one can find it on a map. Seriously...I've tried and I still can't find it.

The Matchup: You know the records, but what might be more telling is the totally anemic offenses of both teams. San Jose State is managing just 190.3 yards a game, while Utah State is averaging a robust 222.3 yards per contest. Something has to give, right?

In the end, San Jose State just doesn't have the offense. Senior quarterback Adam Tafralis (who is also their leading rusher) is 33-of-57 for 303 yards (101.0 ypg), with three INT and one touchdown for the ENTIRE year. Is Knute Rockne running the offense? Don't expect a repeat of the famed 1979 USU-SJSU game, which ended in a 49-49 tie, the second highest scoring tie game in NCAA history. With both of these teams destined to battle it out for last place in the WAC, it's a shame that someone has to win. Maybe they can go for that tie....hey, anything is possible during high school football.

Prediction:
The Utah State Aggies take this one on homecoming 24-13 in front of 2,104 jacked up fans.

Enjoy the game!

Sport Blog America

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 11:23:02 PDT

Looking at what other blogs are bringing you today:

ALL ON THE FIELD has an interesting Q&A with former New York Yankee (and author of "Ball Four") Jim Bouton.

DEADSPIN: Apparently the University of Central Florida's new stadium is named "Bright House Network Stadium". What exactly is a "Bright House Network"? You may well ask. Oh, also they apparently didn't build any drinking fountains in the stadium, and they ran out of water during this past weekend's 97-degree football Saturday against Texas.

THE BIG LEAD: The folks over at TBL unveil the debut episode of their NFL power rankings.

AWFUL ANNOUNCING has the broadcast teams for the upcoming week in college football. Wait, Scott Zolak is doing color commentary for CSTV? Why wasn't I notified of this earlier?

MY BRAIN SAYS RAGE is none too pleased with Andy Reid, particularly in light of the Eagles' loss to Washington last night.

LION IN OIL brings us a day in the life of a USC walk-on.

WITH LEATHER uncovers a Mack Brown-Mike Brown connection. Who knew?

KISSING SUZY KOLBER: They seem a bit conflicted about this whole "Take out Tom Brady's knees" thing.

MONDESI'S HOUSE wants Merril on Monday nights.

Byron Leftwich To The Falcons?

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 18:44:23 PDT

That's the word from some guy who met Chris Mortensen in a dark alley. The Falcons want to add depth behind Joey Harrington. Here's a novel idea: how about adding quality IN FRONT of Joey Harrington? Boomer Esiason could be talked out of his studio job, I'm sure. Give the man a helmet.

Bengal fan's pain on a level few can understand

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 18:48:49 PDT

Remember when you had your wisdom taken out? That day when you broke your arm? When you had food poisoning?

Child's play. Try watching a soon-to-be journeyman QB ripping your defense for five touchdowns. How did it feel? Oh, let Bengal fan count the ways:

Bengals fan after Derek Anderson TD Pass #1

Bengals fan after Derek Anderson TD Pass #2

Bengals fan after Derek Anderson TD Pass #3

Bengals fan after Derek Anderson TD Pass #4

Bengals fan after Derek Anderson TD Pass #5

Chargers-Pats

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 18:26:12 PDT

As much as I've laced into the Boston sports media/cheerleading squad this week, I have to take a break and agree with the Sports Guy's take on the Chargers.

"Yeah, they have talent. Yeah, they have Tomlinson. Yeah, they can make some plays on defense. But they have the worst receivers of any potential playoff team. They have the worst coaching staff of any potential playoff team. And if that's not enough, their quarterback hasn't proven he can deliver in a big game yet. Everyone glossed over these problems heading into the season because it was boring to pick the Colts or Patriots, so the Chargers became the "sexy" AFC pick, even though they choked at home last January and decided to put their 2007 season in the hands of Norv Turner and Ted Cottrell. There are real questions about them now, only we didn't hear anyone asking them Sunday night."

Those Charger wideouts make you long for the days of Tony Martin and Mark Seay, which is telling you something. God forbid anything happens to Gates. Then they would be really screwed. The Charger model kind of reminds me of the Chiefs and their inability to place any talent on the outside complementing Tony Gonzalez at TE.

Then we have the Norv Turner factor. How do you place such a promising team - and a job anyone would want - in the hands of this man? Were they choosing between Norv Turner and Tony Siragusa? Was Barry Switzer unavailable? Jerry Glanville passed on the opportunity?

Switching gears to MLB:
Maybe this "5 players with 90 RBI" feat isn't as special as I thought. We might have to look at 5 with 100.

As it turns out, the Phillies are very close to this achievement. Howard (115), Utley (97), Burrell (90), Rollins (85), and Rowand (84). 90 is very doable for both Rollins and Rowand.

The Yankees are almost in the exact same situation, needing Posada and Cano to cross the 90 RBI threshold (requiring 5 or 6 more RBIs from each player). After that Hinske hit, I'll just be glad if Posada can recognize his teammates.

The Colorado Rockies are not far off either (good lord -- now we know it's not that special an achievement). Holliday (122), Atkins (103), Hawpe (96), Troy Tulowitzki (86), and Todd Helton (79). They will of course miss on account of Helton, who used to drive in 130 a year ... before pulling a Will Clark and deciding that 15 homers and 80 RBI would be just fine.

The World According to Jon

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:10:45 PDT

Lions quarterback Jon Kitna on how he returned from a second-quarter concussion in Detroit's 20-17 overtime win against Minnesota.

"I never felt anything like that, and for it to clear up like that and go right back to normal as I can be, it's nothing short of a miracle. I just definitely feel the hand of God. That's all it was. You can't explain it".

Come on Jonny, you know the real reason: There's no way the big guy could allow Tarvaris Jackson to be 2-0.

Or Matt Millen finally signed that deal with the devil. One or the other.

Baby Commisioners and their adorable screwups

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 18:54:35 PDT

These new commissioners are so cute when they’re young. And yet, sometimes so scatterbrained dealing with NFL coaches.

On NBC’s Sunday night NFL pre-game show, Cris Collinsworth criticized new-NFL commissioner Roger Goodell saying he “blinked” when given the chance to suspend Patriots head coach Bill Belichick for his team being caught videotaping New York Jets defensive coaches on the sidelines. Perhaps Collinsworth was harsh on the new commish because he remembers all too well what happened when another new commish stumbled in a similar way near 20 years ago.

Flash back to January 10th, 1988, the morning of the AFC Championship game between the Buffalo Bills and Collinsworth’s Cincinnati Bengals. That year, the Bengals prolific offense was the talk of the NFL, including a new wrinkle: Using the no-huddle offense outside of the 2-minute drill. Opponents complained incessantly because they couldn’t make defensive substitutions, and when they did, the Bengals would run a fast play to catch them with 12 men on the field, forcing a penalty.

No one complained more than Marv Levy, the Bills’ verbose head coach.

“Oh, it’s unethical,” he cried time and again. “It’s unfair” “unreasonable”, basically calling it cheating. He beat his chest much of the second half of the year, mainly after Cincinnati pounded Buffalo 42-21 late in the season, a win that would eventually give the Bengals the home-field advantage for the AFC title game.

So, the week of the rematch, Levy continued his harangue. Only this time, he had a new, unlikely ally: Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who’d only been on the job for a few weeks. And suddenly, after all of Levy’s complaining, after all of his whining, Tagliabue would decide on what so many considered a non-issue: Banning the no-huddle offense.

In hindsight, it seems so silly. But Tagliabue was still a baby commish. And Levy took full advantage before learning a valuable lesson:

No one should take advantage of the baby commish.

The morning of the game, Tagliabue made his first significant ruling at commish: The Bengals no-huddle offense is out; they MUST allow the Bills to replace players. If they try the no huddle, the team will face an unsportsmanlike penalty.

Understandably, the Bengals weren’t happy, having a significant part of their offense taken away. It didn’t really matter: The Bengals, without the no huddle, comfortably won 21-10, giving Cincinnati it’s second Super Bowl appearance. After the game, the silly no-huddle ban was lifted, Tagliabue never admitting his mistake but wouldn't said he was correct. He was, of course, nearly a newborn
leader, and Levy took advantage of him; it was as easy as taking candy from a ... well, you get the idea.

But, oh, if the story only ended there.

The next season, in the midst of a losing streak that nearly cost the team it’s AFC East division title, guess what team started using the no-huddle offense EVERY play? Of course: Marv Levy and the Bills. No more was it “unethical” or “unfair” – it was “just the best way for our offense to run”.

Sure thing, bumski. Glad to know you’re playing the selective memory game. How’s your nephew Alberto Gonzales doing?

The Bills used the offense to win four straight AFC titles before getting smacked in each Super Bowl, then quickly faded into obscurity (in a strong piece of irony, the 1991 Bengals dumped the no-huddle offense against Buffalo since the Bills ran it so well, instead running the then-45-second play clock down every play before snapping the ball. It didn’t work: The Bills won 35-16).

Years later, the no-huddle offense is part of all levels of football, and teams trying to substitute while a squad no huddles? You know the risk, and you don’t complain. Banning the no huddle? That’s about as ridiculous as … well, as ridiculous as taking a video camera to tape the other team’s defensive coaches.

Nineteen years later, Goodell will keep catching flack for allowing Belichick to coach while making sure Michael Vick, Pac-Man Jones and Odell Thurman stay out of football.

To be fair, while the no-huddle offense is one Tagliabue’s most glaring errors in his 18+ seasons, his commissionership is hailed as a success. And in two decades we may say the same about Goodell.

Just as long as he doesn’t take calls from Marv Levy. Now give Roger back his applesauce and warm milk.

Monday morning view

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 10:43:15 PDT

Stories from around the sports world:

- Norv Turner is ruining Christmas in San Diego.

- In Oakland, they've shockingly discovered that Josh McCown isn't an adequate signalcaller.

- The Panthers were confused by the Houston offense on Sunday. It could be a long, cold autumn in the NFC.

- Despite the loss, the Titans managed to pressure Peyton Manning, racking up five hits and two sacks. In other news, Jeff Fisher ain't goin' noplace for a while.

- They're suddenly giddy about Jeff Garcia in Tampa.

- Oklahoma University likes their chances on appeal. Sadly, I like their chances as well.

- "If you bathe in a tub of nails, which cut hurts the most?" Ah, to be young and a Detroit Lions columnist (or old, for that matter).

- They've got the airplane glue out, trying to put the pieces back together in Louisville after losing to Kentucky this weekend.

NFL Week 2 wrap-up podcast

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 18:12:49 PDT

Segment 1 - 9:28
Segment 2 - 10:19
Segment 3 - 10:14

Cast: Galen Clavio, Scott Caulfield

Join us on our new NFL podcast feature as we walk you through the highlights and lowlights of Week 2.

Pats Get Out Of The Gate Quickly

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 18:49:56 PDT

The Patriots are up 14-0. And I missed the second TD while walking from the pub to my apartment.

The first drive of the game was pretty stellar. Brady completed 5 out of his first 6 passes, particularly looking for tight end Ben Watson and Wes Welker (notice how Welker, who was less of a name than Donte Stallworth, appears to be a bigger part of the offense?). The key for the Patriots appears to be getting rid of the ball quickly, so as to negate the Charger pass rush. Establish the short passing game via Watson and things will open up, or so the theory goes.

The Chargers have looked a little disoriented so far. Philip Rivers threw a pick (Right to Colvin ... yeesh) on the team's first possession, and then followed it up with another risky throw during the Chargers' second possession (if nothing's there, chuck it Philip).

Meanwhile, the geniuses of MLB have the Yankees-Sox game going at the same time. Johnny Damon made an error in left and the Sox got a run off Clemens in the first inning. For an inning's work, Roger Clemens was paid as much as the sports columnists who tabulate what he earns per pitch because they feel it's excessive and ignore the fact that they too are overpaid.

Back to the NFL for a moment ... I thought it might be a good time to start up our "Worst Coach In The League" poll. If Norv Turner and Cam Cameron are capable of landing NFL head coaching jobs, I figure Ray Handley deserves a second look. Maybe the Bengals will have a vacancy at the end of the season?

Btw, I would like to apologize to the Handley family if that joke was made in poor taste and Ray has by chance, kicked the bucket, and I was unaware of it. Ahh, phew ... Wikipedia shows that he's alive and well and living in the Lake Tahoe area. Do you think Jeff Hostetler would even remember him after all the concussions?

NFL Week 2 midday podcast

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 11:51:45 PDT

NFL Midday podcast update - 10:21

Cast: Galen Clavio, Scott Caulfield

The Sunday Morning 3rd Down Back - Week 3

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 21:34:34 PDT

Greetings from the beautiful Wasatch Front and welcome to my first non-self-promotional post here on The Meaningful Collateral. While my head is dominated by Major League Soccer (since it’s in that realm that I earn my daily wage), come September and the following months my heart is ruled by college football, so that’s what my weekly posting here at TMC will focus on until the post-Thanksgiving conference championship period.

I’ve always considered myself as an “Ed McMahon” rather than a “Johnny Carson,” so I don’t want to brazenly say that I’ll be quarterbacking you through the week-that-was in college gridiron action. Essentially this will be a collection of paragraphs doling out cleverly-named awards and some random thoughts of the previous days’ events (yes, I’ll include Thursday & Friday observation as well, if warranted). I mean, that is the point of blogs, no? You can look for it every Sunday morning, as there’s really nothing else to do on Sunday morning in Salt Lake City (despite the fact us heathens have the run of the town during this time period).

And so, since my most memorable football moment for my friends seems to be my selection of Kevin Faulk in the 4th round of a fantasy football draft around 1999, I invite you to sit back with your Twix and cup of java, relax, and enjoy the first installment of the “Sunday Morning 3rd Down Back”…

The “Justin Wilson ‘I Gare-own-tee It’ Award” goes to: Michigan RB Mike Hart

If you’re going to claim your team will win the following week after being embarrassed at home (for two weeks in a row, for the record), you’d better be the one leading the charge. Hart did just that Saturday, shrugging off his solid-but-ultimately unused efforts against App-State and Oregon to post a solid-and-utterly-dominating performance (35 carries, 187 yards, 2 TDs) in Michigan’s 38-0 beatdown of the Cryin’ Irish. Against this year’s Notre Dame team, that guarantee equals “I will crush a 6-year-old in a Tee-ball home run hitting contest” on the degree-of-difficulty scale, but the kid followed through, so kudos to him. And no, I will not use this space to pile on the Irish (I’d much rather wait until they’re 0-8 to do that), but I will note that I had more rushing yards sitting on my couch watching the game than Notre Dame achieved on the field (-6).

The “1993 Mazda Protégé 'Zoom-Zoom-Zoom' Game-Changing Play of the Week” goes to: Florida LB Dustin Doe

In honor of my pimpin’ ride, I give this one to my damned Tennessee Vols, who mucked things up after seemingly being ready to make a go of it at The Swamp yesterday. After UofF delivered a body blow by going up 28-6 with a buck-and-a-half left in the first half, Smokey gathered its breath quickly by marching downfield for a TD to bring it to 28-13 at the half. Then, after letting the Gators roll downfield, the Vols went all pick-six on Tim Tebow, a 96-yard INT return bringing things to 28-20. Florida then went 3-and-out and gave the Vols the ball back with a chance to silence The Swamp with a grueling, drawn-out, old-school Vols style drive that could change the scope of the game…

Except someone forgot to tell Tennessee QB Erik “The Octopus” Ainge, whose awkward backhanded handoff on the VERY FIRST PLAY OF THE DRIVE was bobbled, then batted up in the air by RB Arian Foster. Enter Mr. Doe, who scooped up the ball for an easy 18-yard TD return with five minutes left in the 3rd. They might as well have stopped the game right then, as the play started Tebow & Co.’s run of 31 unanswered “style points” (including an “Ol’ Ball Coach-style” run-it-up TD with 1:14 left) that brought the final ledger to a somewhat deceptive 59-20 finish.

The “Art Shell Memorial Game Mismanagement Award” goes to: Iowa State coach Gene Chizik

In his first “Cy-Hawk” game, ISU rookie boss Gene Chizik almost went from getting his first win with the Cyclones to getting his first brick through his office window in just one second… a second he helped create:

With the clock running under 30 seconds and the ‘Clones trailing 13-12 with one time out left, Chizik’s offense predictably runs up the middle on second down to set up the game-winning FG try. No fumble, no worries, 3rd down on the 11-yard-line. Clock’s running down for what amounts to a chip shot for the pride of Des Moines, senior kicker Bret Culbertson. So what does Chizik do? He calmly walks over to the closest zebra and calls his last remaining time out… with 6 seconds left. Now I’m no rocket scientist, but I do know that, if you want to end the game with that relatively easy kick (which I’m pretty sure you would), you don’t leave 6 seconds on the clock. I know what you’re saying… “What if something doesn’t go/look/smell right on the attempt?”

Well, then you have your FG team ready on 2nd down, have them hustle their asses out on the field after the run and line up for the try with about 10 seconds left. Let Iowa call the time out to ice the kicker/prep for the block. THAT’S WHAT!!! Instead, Culbertson indeed goes out and nails the FG, putting ISU up 15-13 as the students have visions of storming the field… but only visions, as Chizik’s brilliant clock management has left 0:01 on the clock. What can go wrong in 0:01, you say? Well, how about Hawkeye freshman Darrell Johnson-Koulianos (the first African-Greek-American name I’ve heard of) taking the ensuing squib kick (which was horribly executed, as it made it to DJ-K on the 15 yard line in about .5 seconds) down to the 25 yard line before failing to remember that the game ends if you’re tackled with the ball when the clock expires. Thus, Chizik gets off the hook... and an immediate post-game make-out session with his wife (sadly, picture not included).

The “Golden Compass Directional School of the Week Award” goes to: Central Florida

Even in defeat, I’ll give this award to Central Florida, who opened up its new home of Bright House Networks Stadium (the name of which was oddly excluded in the AP’s game preview and recap… that $1 million per-year naming rights deal is really paying off!) by scaring the bejezus out of #6 Texas in a 35-32 loss. Despite the Golden Knights taking a 24-23 lead at the start of the 4th quarter, UCF QB Kyle Israel’s case of fumble-itis came back to haunt the Mighty O’Learys, as his fumble with four minutes left (which occurred after he had gained yardage to convert a drive-sustaining third down) led to an eventually decisive 46-yard TD scamper by Texas RB Jamal Charles on the very next play.

Even in defeat, the Golden Knights – who went into Raleigh two weeks prior and brought a 25-23 win over NC State back to the O-town – most likely established themselves as the third or fourth best Div-1 team in Florida and the odds on favorite to win Conference USA… for whatever that’s worth (which, after some research, would appear to be an all-expenses-paid trip to Memphis and the AutoZone Liberty Bowl against the SEC’s #6/#7/#8 squad. Conference USA Football – Catch the Fever! Or pneumonia).

The “Snuggle Fabric Softener Folding of the Week Award” goes to: the UCLA Bruins

This one was handed out right here in Salt Lake City as the formerly #11-ranked Bruins – in an apparent attempt to sully the burgeoning reputation of Pac-10 Football – got steamrolled 44-6 by a Utah Utin’ Utes team that were led by their back-up QB (Tommy Grady, who, at a towering 6’7” I predict will be the second coming of legendary Iowa/SD State signal-caller Dan McGwire), their back-up RB, and an offensive line consisting of three regular starters and a couple of missionaries who delayed their two-year journey to Uruguay for the weekend. I tend to disagree with the argument that UCLA lost the game (five turnovers) rather than Utah won it, as the UUUs seized control by taking the inches that the Bruins gave them and turning them into kilometers (24 points off 5 Bruin turnovers). Note to Karl Dorrell: Enjoy that win last year against USC… it could be your only one for quite awhile.

The SM3DB's Weekly Conference Rankings (Top 5 Only Need Apply)

1) SEC – Sure, LSU and Florida looked as dangerous as advertised, but Tennessee is not, Auburn’s already got two losses and an Arkansas team that many considered to challenge the Bayou Bengals in the West went “Woooo Pig Blew-y” late against Alabama (thanks to a pretty miserable pass interference flag in favor of the Fighting Sabans, but I digress). The middle and bottom of the conference is ahead of the Pac-10, and that depth is the only reason the SEC gets the top spot… but it’s getting closer every week.

2) Pac 10 – Despite UCLA’s stumble, I’ll take the USC-Cal-Oregon troika over the top 3 schools in any other conference. If the Bruins and Washington had taken care of business yesterday, you’d likely see this paragraph above the previous one, but they didn’t, so it’s here… for now.

3) Atlantic Coast - The 3-5 slots could be pretty much interchangeable, but I’ll go with the ACC here due to depth reasons – I think they’d have 5 teams in that #10-20 range if they didn’t all have to beat each other up. Boston College looked impressive yesterday in taking down G-Tech in the A-T-L, and with stud QB Matt Ryan racking up huge numbers, the Catholic Eagles will roll through the next 4 games (Army, UMass, Bowling Green, & at Notre Dame) before their biggest threat to the Atlantic Division title, an Oct. 25 visit to Hokieville (which I hope to be in attendance for in Blacksburg). The Ramblin’ Wreck are still a solid squad, and you can also apply that tag to Va Tech (defense only), Clemson, and Florida State (and Miami, when they’re in the mood).

4) Big East – I’ll slot the Big East here despite Llllllvllllle’s loss in Lexington last night. West Virginia might not have much of a defense, but man, what an offense. Llllllvlllle’s still dangerous, Rutgers still has Ray Rice, and South Florida could be this year’s Sneaky Pete. I’m also acting like Syracuse is not in the conference, so as to not bring down the overall ranking (hey, everyone’s got to have a patsy).

5) Big 10 – No, Michigan, shutting out a team with a mediocre offense (for a high school) does not gain you the prestige you've lost across the last two weeks. Wisconsin, now in the Rose Bowl driver's seat, got more than it expected yesterday from The Citadel – in Madison. Oy vey. And forgive me for not yet jumping onto the Penn State bandwagon, but I’d like to see them play a legitimate foe before making my judgment on them. Ohio State had a good result in Seattle yesterday, but the 20-2 win over Akron at The Horseshoe would still make me worry a little bit about the state of the Buckeyes’ offense. BTW, my Hoosiers put up 41 on the Zips yesterday… just sayin’.

To the Big 12: Please call me for consideration in the top 5 once someone other than Kansas and Missouri are atop the Big 12 North. And Texas Tech and Texas A&M, you're not fooling anybody. Thank you.

NFL Week 2 live blog

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Sun, 16 Sep 2007 11:26:51 PDT

It's not a game blog (or a "glog", as the peoples say)...it's a home blog!

Minute-by-minute updates of the games as they happen, live on TMC starting at about 12:55 EDT.

12:35 PM - My picks for today, and short rationales for each:

CIN over CLE - Anything less than a 20-point win for the Bengals will be disappointing.

IND over TEN - Probably will be the closest game of the day, but the Titans don't have the secondary to hold down Manning and company for 60 minutes.

SF over STL - A prime candidate for today's worst game. Frisco is the pick by default, thanks to the Rams losing Orlando Pace.

GB over NYG - There could be 10 combined turnovers in this game. The Giants are too banged up to do much.

NO over TB - Surely the Saints aren't as bad as the Indianapolis game made them out to be.

JAX over ATL - Joey Harrington is still involved with the Falcons, therefore this is a loss.

PIT over BUF - If this game was in Buffalo, I'd probably have picked the Bills.

CAR over HOU - The Texans are much improved, but so are the Panthers.

DAL over MIA - Welcome to the Cam Cameron era, Miami.

SEA over ARI - Seattle establishes themselves as the team with the inside track to the NFC's Super Bowl berth with this win.

DET over MIN - Adrian Peterson is exciting. If the Vikings had anyone else at QB, they'd have a shot in this one.

DEN over OAK - Oakland joins Cleveland in a race for next year's #1 overall pick.

CHI over KC - Could Kansas City play any worse than they did last week? The Bears defense might score 28 points by themselves in this one.

BAL over NYJ - Both teams' quarterbacks are severely hobbled, but the Ravens at least have a ground game and a defense to mitigate that.

NE over SD - Never underestimate the power of Norv Turner to drag a talented team down to a mediocre level.

PHI over WAS - I'll be shocked in the Redskins win any games on the road this year.

1:05 PM - And we're off! Simultaneous game starts in several locations. We're getting the Colts-Titans game here in SoFla...and that's it. Apparently the Colts lost two starting linebackers to injury. Is there a team in the league that could less afford to lose defensive starters?

1:10 PM - We've got our first red zone intrusion of the day, as the Giants use a couple of long passes to get to the Green Bay 19. However, we can always trust in Eli Manning...the Giants fail on third down. Lawrence Tynes comes in to kick the field goal...and it's wide left! Still 0-0.

Meanwhile, the Titans go for it on 4th down at the Indianapolis 40 and blow it. First down Colts.

1:14 PM - The Bengals score the first touchdown of the day, courtesy of a Palmer-to-Rudi Johnson connection from the 13.

The Colts aren't far behind...Manning connects with Harrison for about 30 yards, then Addai pops in from 9 yards out. 7-0 Colts.

1:15 PM - Er, make that 6-0 Colts, as the Titans block Vinatieri's PAT. That's what I get for assuming things.

The Rams have pushed inside the 49ers 10 yard line. Also, Pittsburgh jumps out to a 3-0 lead on the Bills.

1:21 PM - The Rams are all like "In your face, thermocaster!" Bulger to Holt for a touchdown, and St. Louis takes the early lead at home.

There have been plenty of bad things said about this "Kid Nation" reality show that CBS is airing. But the bigger question to me is why are we still calling this "reality television"? What's realistic about 50 kids living in the New Mexico desert with no adult supervision? If they were looking for that many unsupervised kids in one spot, they could've just filmed the Oakland Raiders every week.

1:24 PM - Delhomme-to-Smith for 6 yards, and the Panthers lead 7-0. Also, the Colts defense really looks soft today, with big cushions given to the Titans receivers. This is the problem with such a thin roster...in order to commit to stopping the run, they're having to just forget about tight pass coverage. Of course, just as I say that, they sack Vince Young.

1:25 PM - This "1,2,3,4" iPod commercial is going to drive me to commit a hate crime. It's rapidly approaching "This is ourrrr countryyyy" levels of annoyance.

1:33 PM - Colts got damn lucky, as TE Ben Utecht nearly fumbles in Indianapolis territory, but the Colts recover.

Meanwhile, the Buccaneers drive down the field, take advantage of a 5 for 5 passing effort by Garcia, and hand it to Cadillac for a 1-yard TD plunge. 7-0 Bucs. Also, the Panthers are back in the red zone.

1:40 PM - Heck of a route run by Andre Johnson. Matt Schaub finds him for a 31-yard touchdown, and the Texans aren't going away quite yet. 14-7 Carolina.

Meanwhile, the only thing keeping the Colts defense afloat is the Titans lack of offensive execution. Bironas knocks in a field goal, and it's 6-3 Colts.

1:51 PM - The Steelers lead 6-0 on a pair of field goals, but they should be forced to forfeit this game due to the hideous "third jerseys" they're wearing. Lord, these things are ugly. Yellow helmets and World League-quality color patterns.

What's the deal with the Bengals? Their lead has been cut to 7-6, and the Browns are driving again.

Touchdown Colts...Manning to Clark.

2:17 PM - A quick wrap-around of the action so far:

The Cleveland Browns have officially come to play. It's a back-and-forth game in the Dawg Pound, with Cleveland now up 20-14, thanks to the second Anderson-to-Jurevicius hookup of the game. New Orleans is embarrassing themselves, trailing the Bucs 14-0. Houston has come back to tie the Panthers at 14. And the Falcons/Jaguars game is just bad.

2:25 PM - Pittsburgh goes into halftime up 12-0. The Texans have come back to take a 17-14 lead. Cincinnati is back on top 21-20. The Colts lead 16-6 going into the locker room. That does it for the live blog for now.

Varsity roundup

thermocaster@gmail.com (GC) — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 22:55:43 PDT

The highs and lows from the Saturday that was...

Notre Shame, Shame, Shame: It's a remarkable year when the three Division I-A football programs are a combined 6-3 after three weeks, and neither IU nor Purdue are responsible for any of the losses. Good lord, Notre Dame is just horrific. I was honestly hoping that Michigan would be the ones to fall on their face in this game, just to extend the Ann Arbor agony a bit longer, but watching the Fighting Irish throw up all over themselves for four quarters is an acceptable consolation prize. The Irish are going to be extremely fortunate to finish the season 4-8...and that will require winning their last four games of the season.

Biggest win: There are a myriad of terms that one could use to describe the devastation that Utah delivered to UCLA in the SLow-C on Saturday, but I'll leave the choice of description up to you. What's important is that the air has finally been let out of the sickeningly overinflated Bruin balloon. Number 11, my ass.

Worst loss: I'm calling this a three-way tie. In no particular order:

A) Florida Atlantic 42, Minnesota 39: Can someone please send a note to the Minnesota coaching staff and remind them that they're in the Big Ten? In three consecutive weeks, the Golden Gophers have lost to a MAC team in overtime, beaten a MAC team in overtime, and gotten schooled by a team from the Sun Belt that wasn't even playing college football a decade ago. I can't decide which is worse - giving up seven turnovers to the Owls (and forcing no turnovers yourself) or allowing nearly 500 passing yards to a team which would have trouble beating some Miami-area high schools. It will be a long, dark year for Minnesota in the Big Ten basement, but at least they'll have some company...

B) Duke 20, Northwestern 14: I have to admit that the relative success enjoyed by the Wildcats over the last 12 years has always bothered me greatly, sort of like in Empire Strikes Back when the Emperor tells Vader "There is a great disturbance in the force". Northwestern just isn't meant to be successful, and their insistence on being competitive and occasionally getting to bowl games has violated the very fabric of college football. Luckily, Pat Fitzgerald is there to put things right again. How do you lose (at home, no less) to a team that hasn't won a game against a Division I-A opponent since the week after the last presidential election? (That's November of 2004, for those of you who are slow on the uptake.) Even worse, Northwestern gained nearly 200 more yards of offense than the Blue Devils, yet they couldn't get it done when it counted.

C) Mississippi State 19, Auburn 14: I'm happy for Sylvester Croom and the Bulldogs, but the bigger news here is Auburn in abject free-fall mode. Five turnovers ANYWHERE, let alone on the road, will kill your chances almost every time. Auburn now faces the real possibility of a 5-7 season.

Meh: There weren't that many candidates for our weekly "Most uninspiring win" award. Miami looked positively ugly in a 23-9 win over FIU, and the Hurricanes' offense looks hopelessly limp right now. Texas averted a disaster in Orlando, holding off UCF 35-32. That's about it. Given that Texas is supposedly a top-10 team, the nod goes to the Longhorns.

Serves you right!: Scheduling Division I-AA teams is silly, so when a I-A team loses in such a game, it's only right to point at them and laugh. This week's "winner" is Marshall, who spotted New Hampshire a 24-0 halftime lead, en route to a 48-35 loss in Huntington.

Under the radar: After their win on the road at Georgia Tech, the Boston College Eagles are now 3-0, with all of those wins coming in ACC conference play.

Ranking the conferences:

#1 (tie) - Pac-10/SEC: Both conferences have two premier teams - USC and Cal from the Pac-10, Florida and LSU from the SEC. Both teams have a decent middle pack, although embarrassing losses for UCLA, Auburn, and Tennessee demonstrate why these teams aren't contending. With the sudden resurgence of Alabama and Kentucky, and South Carolina's statement win against Georgia last week, the SEC could ultimately eat itself before the season's done. Meanwhile, Oregon and Arizona State remain the wild cards in the Pac-10.

#3 - Big 12: Gets the nod over the Big 10 mostly due to Oklahoma. Texas probably isn't as bad as their close win versus UCF indicates, but they're also not going anywhere except Dallas for New Year's. Nebraska managed to make the final score against USC halfway respectable, but it's obvious that the Huskers, easily the best team in the Big 12 North, have a ways to go before being able to challenge on the national level. Iowa State shook off a silly home loss to Northern Iowa last week, beating Iowa in Ames 15-13. Texas Tech, Kansas State, Kansas, and Missouri have been average-to-good so far.

#4 - Big 10: I'll say it now - nothing about this conference excites me this year. Penn State has an awesome defense, but their offensive playcalling is atrocious. Ohio State apparently is not planning on playing any first halves this year --- they went into halftime trailing Washington today, before storming back for a big victory. Wisconsin, for all the public adulation they're receiving, hasn't done jack so far this year, and probably should have at least one loss on the resume so far. Iowa, Michigan State, Michigan, and Purdue are hard to read at this stage. Indiana and Illinois are winning games against bad teams. Minnesota may be the worst team in a BCS conference this year.

#5 - Big East: West Virginia is a force to be reckoned with. Rutgers can do a couple of good things. Louisville's plan of emulating Jack Pardee-era Houston Cougars football blew up in their faces at Kentucky. No one else in the conference is even worth mentioning.

#6 - ACC: Is there a team worth watching in this conference? Boston College has started strong, but hasn't hit the tough part of the schedule yet. Virginia Tech finally played a good game this week, albeit against a MAC team. Miami has seriously underwhelmed. Florida State can't seem to do anything except bludgeon their opponents into gradual submission, but is already 0-1 in conference. For all the hype a couple years ago about the ACC becoming the dominant football conference, they have nothing right now to show for it.

Looking ahead: Based on this week's action, here are four games to keep an eye on next week:

Georgia at Alabama: How was Georgia still ranked this week? Your guess is as good as mine. Regardless, they'll have an interesting challenge when they travel to Tuscaloosa to face an Alabama team that's going to be an emotional mountaintop after their last-second win against Arkansas. A big win by Georgia here wouldn't surprise me a bit.

Kentucky at Arkansas: Talk about two teams on opposite ends of the emotional spectrum right now --- Kentucky will be sky-high after knocking off their improbable late-game win versus Louisville, while Arkansas will be reeling from letting the Alabama game out of their grasp. Darren McFadden pulled up lame towards the end of that game, and his health status will go a long way towards determining a winner in this one.

Penn State at Michigan: So was Notre Dame really that bad, or has this Michigan team figured things out after their first two embarrassments? I tend to think it's the former, which could spell serious problems for the Wolverines as they face the best defense in the Big Ten. That said, the Penn State offense needs to figure out how to do more than just bang rocks together in the huddle if they want a chance at a victory in this one.

Michigan State at Notre Dame: 0-4? It's more likely than you think.