Your All Gator Bait

They have you just where they want you. Focused on the Big 12 Championship and how slighted the Texas Longhorns should feel. Your praying that USC backs into the National Championship, and wondering whether or not Charlie Weis is still employed. What thoughts you have about the Southeastern Conference, surround that of the undefeated Crimson Tide and their mastermind head coach, Nick Saban. For all you Sooner, Longhorn, 'Bama, and Trojan fans, I've got one thing for you:

YOUR ALL JUST MORE GATOR BAIT!

Time to dispell the Big 12:

First off, the angry Texas Longhorns fans. "Ohhhh, we got jobbed because we waxed the Sooners on a neutral field." Wa, wa, wa, stop crying. You know even Mac Brown and Colt McCoy have come out and called a spade a spade, if they'd taken care of business in Lubbock, we wouldn't have gotten into this mess to start with. Simply put, it's probably wrong that your watching a team you beat with the same record in the Big 12 title game, but they'd have that same argument in Lubbock if you had moved on. Furthermore, don't think you get off the hook (lame pun, totally intended) that easy. You played absolutely no one in your non-conference battles, and when I say no one, I mean (5-7) UTEP, C-USA Rice, (6-6) Florida Atlantic. I mean really, what did you think would happen when the computers threw those teams in and came out with a higher seeded Oklahoma team. The Sooners welcomed a TCU team that finished the season ranked #11 in the BCS. They thumped Cincinnati, 52-26, who are the Big East champs and currently ranked #13 in the BCS. So when you dry up all your tears Longhorn fans, blame your athletic director because when Florida Atlantic shows up on the caller ID, you shouldn't be answering the phone, your the Texas friggin Longhorns.

The Sooners, well your going to win the Big 12 Championship, get a Heisman Trophy in Norman, and then become the next team to feel the wrath of the SEC. No? Okay, we'll see. Why don't you confirm with Buckeye nation how it feels to play the SEC in a National Championship. Underdogs or as favorites, they got tortured. In one of those bouts, they had had a Heisman winner as well, Troy Smith. But your probably right, you aren't a soft and slow Big-10 team, and you have hung at least 35 on opposing defenses in every game you've played. However, the Gator defense hasn't allowed more than 31 points the entire season. The bottom line is, Florida has played in tougher places than Stillwater, College Station, and Manhattan. You lost the biggest game of your season at a neutral site, and only after weeks of crying did supposed "Big Game Bob" stop his campaign to talk you into the Big 12 championship game. What do I have against Oklahoma? Could it be that they legitimized teams like Boise State two years ago at the Fiesta? Could it be that they ended the Heisman campaign of Graham Harrell, my preseason Heisman pick? Maybe. This is my problem with the Big 12, and the Sooners get unfortunately lumped in, why is it that every other two division conference goes to head-to-heads to determine their winner, yet you don't? Don't sleep on Chase Daniel.

Out West:

I'm a big fan of Pete Carroll and USC. I think giving up timeouts to wear your home jerseys could be the funniest thing of the '08 college football season, but you shot yourself in the foot, Plaxico style. The Trojans, like the Longhorns, needed one win to take care of business, and they screwed it up. Corvallis might not be the easiest place to play, and I'll agree I thought there was no way you'd lose that game after torching the Buckeyes, but you did. In 6 of your 11 games this season you've allowed 3 points or less including three shutouts and giving up just a field goal to both Notre Dame and Ohio State. When they thought you'd cough it up at Arizona State, you shut up out 28-0. Maybe no one else is impressed that you beat the state of Washington teams, a combined 125-0, but I'm impressed. Some aren't impressed that they covered the biggest spread of the past forty years for a Notre Dame team, 38-3, but I'm impressed. Unfortunately the 2008 PAC-10 is as soft as downey. The silver lining for USC should be that everyone in the country wants to see them in the title game and they'll get another shot to embarrass the Big 10, and lately that's been a theme of these bowl games.

First Up:

Some of these teams will get to actually become Gator Bait, and the first one on that list is Alabama and Nick Saban. Percy Harvin or no Percy Harvin. The Tide are better than EVERYONE thought they were. They haven't lost a game this season, they finished their regular season schedule with zero losses, need me to say it in any other way? They are the only remaining undefeated Division 1 team with any substance, yes, that's right Boise, Utah, and Ball. 'Bama is very good, they have an experienced quarterback under center, John Parker Wilson, dominating receiver in freshman, Julio Jones, and two tough running backs in Glen Coffee and Mark Ingram. They've boasted monster wins at Clemson, Georgia, and LSU. They held four of their last five opponents to under 10 points. That defense is the second ranked defense against the rush and the third ranked overall. The downside, their offense is the 28th ranked in points scored this season and a 22nd ranked rushing offense. To beat a team like Florida, that averages 450 yards a game and 45 points, your going to have to put some points on the board.

The eventual National Champions:

The Florida Gators. For the second time in three years, they'll hoist the crystal football. Since, their 31-30 defeat to Mississippi in week four, the Gators have been on a tear. In their eight straight victories since that loss the Gators have in a word, dominated. The 41-30 victory 'Bama had at Georgia seems a little downgraded since Florida beat that same Bulldog team by 39 at their place as well. While at the Swamp, Tim Tebow & Co. smashed LSU 51-21, a team Saban and Alabama beat in overtime. Florida en route to the SEC championship game defeated Steve Spurrier by 50 points in November, they outscored in state rivals Florida State and Miami to the tune of 71-18. Tim Tebows Heisman campaign includes 25 touchdown passes, two interceptions, and 2,300 yards passing. Tebow's second straight run at the trophy also includes 507 yards rushing and 12 rushing touchdowns. The Florida offense averages 237 yards rushing per game and allows just 275 yards per game on defense, which is good for the seventh best defense in the country. The Gators have four backs who have rushed for over 500 yards and five backs who have scored 4 or more touchdowns. Reciever/Running Back Percy Harvin has rushed for over 500 yards and caught 35 balls for almost six hundred yards. Find the defense in the country that can hold down this offense. If not for the missed PAT against Ole' Miss, they are the top ranked team headed into this weekends title game with Alabama.

That is why the rest of the countries elite is just Gator Bait.

Hokies v. Eagles IV

Rivalries aren't rivalries until both teams are relevant. When Matt Ryan led the Eagles to a fourth quarter comeback in Blacksburg, Boston College v. Virginia Tech became a rivalry. In their last three meetings, the Eagles have won twice, once down at Tech and once on Chestnut Hill. However, the Hokies only win came when it mattered most, when the stakes were a trip to Miami and the Orange Bowl. On December 6th, the stakes are for that same bowl of oranges that eluded Boston College last season. The winners of the ACC's Atlantic Division, Boston College, will play the winners of the ACC's Coastal Division, Virginia Tech. Because the rest of the college football world is focused on the mess that has become the BCS, were headed to Tampa Bay to catch the 2008 ACC Championship game:

To the preview:

October 18th, 2008 To get where your going, you've got to know where you've been. The Eagles beat a ranked (#17) Tech team back in the middle of October at Boston College. Despite quarterback Chris Crane throwing three interceptions, two which were returned for touchdowns, the Eagles bested the Hokies 28-23. A 21-point second quarter was enough for the Boston College defense which allowed just two field goals in the second half. 1st year running backs Montel Harris and Josh Haden ran for 99 yards on 24 carries while senior receiver Brandon Robinson caught four balls for almost 100 yards. That stingy Boston College defense, which has become a staple of their season, allowed just nine points on three field goals the entire game. Led by their junior future Butkus award winning linebacker, Mark Herzlich, who finished the game with 13 tackles including 8 solo. This wasn't a flashy Matt Ryan type victory, this was a grind it out game with two defenses dominating the opposing offenses. The Eagles won, and would eventually set up this rematch by finishing off the season with four straight victories.

About those defenses This is the part where you Georgia Tech fans are set straight. Take your higher BCS ranking, and have fun at the CarQuest Bowl. The Boston College defense is a top 10 defense and so is the Virginia Tech defense, as for the Yellow Jackets see #22 defense. The Hokies and Eagles boast a couple of the nations best defenses. They allow under 280 total yards a game. Boston College has given up only 1048 yards rushing on the season, and in their regular season finale, they gave up -6 to Maryland. In Virginia Tech's final 4 games of the season they let up just 399 yards on the ground and averaged 215 total yards per game. Not to mention that against the Hokies, Georgia Tech's 1,000 yard rusher, Jonathan Dwyer, ran for just 28 yards on 10 carries. Of course by now, either by reading my columns or listening to five minutes of BC football talk, you know that the Eagles lead Division 1 in interceptions (25) and interceptions returned for touchdowns (5). Both defenses are among the nations top ten in least amount of first downs allowed per game, Virginia Tech averages the third least at 13.8, better than USC, Penn State, and Florida. Any questions about what type of score we'll have at the end of this one?

Beamer Ball meet the 20-6 record of Jeff Jagodzinski The countries favorite head coach, Frank Beamer let me introduce you to the ACC's hottest coach over the past two seasons, Jeff Jagodzinski. Coach Jags has lost just six games over two seasons with the Eagles. His offense elevated the game of Matt Ryan which one would say can be attributed to some of the success that he is experiencing today. This season he's taken 5th year senior and first time BC starter, Chris Crane along with backup redshirt freshman quarterback, Dominque Davis, to a 9-3 record and a second straight trip to the ACC title game. Of those 20 wins, Jagodzinski's Eagles have won games in Blacksburg, Death Valley, Winston-Salem, Raleigh, and at Bobby Dodd. He's 2-0 against his predecessor Tom O'Brien, which to BC fans, means somethings. He's 2-0 in must win games that resulted in trips to Florida and the ACC Title Game. He's 1-0 in bowl appearences, a 24-21 victory over an up and coming Michigan State Spartan team. Can Jagodzinski recruit? Well true freshman, Montel Harris, has something to say about that. The freshman running back has had a monster start at Boston College after not being recruited in the state he lived in, Florida. For a second year head coach, who has had his Eagles ranked as high as #2 in 2007, Jadgodzinski is off to a tremendous start.

Will the Eagles repeat what went on in Jacksonville, just a year ago? A 16-16 tie after three quarters was good, 14 unanswered points in the fourth by the Hokies sent the Eagles packing and them to the Orange Bowl. This Boston College team isn't the same as last years. For starters, they have no quarterback who will be a top five selection in the NFL draft and spent more than half the season as a Heisman Trophy candidate. The Eagles have never been a national story in 2008 and weren't ranked any higher in the BCS than they are today. However, they have a better shot at getting to the Orange Bowl than they ever have. Again, this defense is flat out filthy. From Mark Herzlich and Mike McLaughlin, the dominant BC junior linebackers, to defensive tackles Ron Brace and B.J. Raji, they are bigger stronger and faster. The defense is playing better than close to any defense in the country, they've shut down teams when they had to, they've consistently given the offense great field position (a must with a freshman quarterback now at the helm), most important, THEY SCORE. The Boston College defense has literally scored in eight straight games. From blocked punts to returned interceptions, they've put points on the board, and we haven't even mentioned how many times they have given short fields to their offense. If anyone thinks that Virginia Tech is coming in and hanging 30 or more on this defense, question that.

My Prediction: Eagles 24 Hokies 17

Keep It Real-l-l-l-l-l Friday

I hope the tryptophan has worn off and your ready to make the final push toward the New Year. We here at LynchyRightNow.Com, can barely contain ourselves. Since the return of Tony Romo the Cowboys are winners of three straight, the Boston College Eagles play for a shot at the ACC title on Saturday (we'll be in attendance), and the Celtics are 13-2. As the children say, it doesn't get much better than this.

GET AFTER IT . . .

Okay, so I caved in. You can call me a sell out, in fact I would prefer you call me that. The next several sentences will be dedicated to Canada's pastime, Hockey. I'm a Massachusetts native, in this commonwealth 24/7/365, all my life. In the 2000's, George Jetson's world hasn't come true. No flying cars, no meals in pill form, and unfortunately no Playboy spread of Judy, instead every New Englander has been awarded with the collective greatest winning streak of major professional sports teams any town has ever seen. Three Super Bowls, two World Series, and one NBA Finals, you could say it has been pretty good to us. The only thing were missing? Lord Stanley's Cup.

Timeout: For more insightful hockey talk check out: http://stanleycupofchowder.blogspot.com/

Well, after all those curse busting, banner raising, championship parades, it's time to bring the worlds most coveted trophy back to The Bean. (Part of me wants to argue I'd rather have a Heisman Trophy winner, but were in puck mode.) The black & gold Boston Bruins are currently 14-3 with 4 overtime losses. Their record is good enough for first place in the Northeast division, a division that includes three Canadian franchises and Buffalo, I like it. They've won four of five this month including two against division rivals, Toronto and Buffalo. Veteran center, Marc Savard, is tied for second in the league in total points (27), with 8 goals and 19 assists. The pride of Flint, Michigan, goalie Tim Thomas, has the leagues second best goals against average in 14 games. So I'm doing my part, the Bruins have the leagues 21st best attendance average (15,859) in one of the best sports markets in the country. I'm putting the word out there and I'm even slapping down some coin, I want the Bruins to make a deep run in the playoffs, and raise a black & gold banner to the rafters. Sh*t, this is title town baby and the B's are back, KEEP IT REAL!

The NBA's greatest talent, Lebron James, will become a free agent the summer of 2010. The whole world will in fact witness the most fantastic bidding war for a single athlete since Ronaldinho to AC Milan. Wether he ends up in the Big Apple or not, he won't be in Cleveland. You know who feels bad for the state of Ohio? Not this guy. Call it eminent domain if you will, taking land for the good of the city. Lebron in New York is good for everyone but Cleveland, in some ways it is even good for Cleveland. Like KG in Boston or Kobe in L.A., Lebron in that city, resurrects some things, primarily basketball in The Mecca. The NBA is on it's way back from the dead. During the post-Jordan era, poor marketing, the San Antonio Spurs, and the Shaq v. Kobe quarrel painted a bad portrait of the league. Today, with the dominance of a young Laker team led by their veteran leader Kobe Bryant, a resurgence of basketball in Boston, and Chris Paul's arrival in the South, the NBA has but one piece of the puzzle remaining: Improve New York Hoops. Throughout the next 10 years, if he hasn't already, James will become the face of basketball globally. That face needs to be playing in front of a fan base like New York's and in an arena like Madison Square. If Cleveland wants to reap the benefits of the NBA's popularity, they'll quiet down. KEEP IT REAL, Lebron belongs in New York.

Congratulations Ball State. The Cardinals just completed an undefeated season at 12-0. They defeated Western Michigan 45-22 to complete their record setting season this past Tuesday night. Ball State's historic run included three wins against Michigan, one against Illinois, one against Miami, and one against Kentucky. Wait . . I should clarify something. They Beat Eastern Michigan, Central Michigan, and Western Michigan. They didn't beat Illinois, they beat Northern Illinois. As for Miami, that would be Miami of Ohio not The U and their win against Kentucky was in fact against Western Kentucky. So, were curious why Ball State isn't getting more love than their #15 ranking? That's why. It may be a tough task to remain undefeated throughout the rigors of college football, but if your going to play in Division 1A, schedule some Division 1A opponents, would you? You want to be the next Boise State and you want that kind of respect, go into Oregon and beat them in their place. That is the type of win that impresses pollsters. KEEP IT REAL, Ball State this is your formal invitation to the Purina One Dog Food Bowl.

Buy Out Charlie Weis! Buy Out Charlie Weis! Buy Out Charlie Weis! Come on, everybody sing together. Normally, I don't jump on the firing band wagon, unless it involves Marvin Lewis, Bobby Petrino, Wade Phillips, and or Norv Turner. However, this Weis wagon will be driven by me. He and his team lost to SYRACUSE, the same Syracuse football team that ranks 103rd in total defense in the country. They've watered down their schedule for 2008, and could only add 3 more wins than they had in 2007. This supposed offensive genius, is the head coach of the NCAA's 57th ranked offense. I'm just going to put it out there, if the Patriots admitted to taping the defensive signals, wouldn't Weis have benefited the most? If you know what they are going to do, it's pretty easy to look like a genius when you are calling the plays. Two years removed from one of Notre Dame's best quarterbacks, Brady Quinn, and Weis' offenses look very, very, very average. I've said it before, if I'm a five-star high school recruit, I'm playing in So Cal, Gainesville, or Austin. His offense looks big and slow, if I wanted to watch Big 10 football, I'd turn on Ohio State, not Notre Dame. Weis is overpaid, over hyped, and has underperformed. Weis out at ND.

It's one thing to have America's Team play every Thanksgiving Thursday, it's quite another to have the Detroit Lions play on that same day. I'm all for tradition, but having to watch the anything from the state of Michigan on Thanksgiving is torturous. The Lions have drafted poorly, played poorly, and been managed directly into the NFL abyss. At some point enough is enough, the world should have had to suffer through another Lions debacle on the day we remember to give thanks. To start off, the winless Lions were welcoming a 10-1 Titans team into their place. By the time America tuned in, midway through the second, the Lions were already down 28-3, and we hadn't even sniffed that turkey in the oven. Final score, 47-10. About 50 fans were remaining in the facility, 25 with bags on their heads, 15 holding "Bailout Detroit" signs, and the last ten stuck in the line for the bathroom. This is the Thanksgiving tradition we want to see? The Macy's parade, the Dallas Cowboys, and feeling so full that you need to unbuckle are the only traditions we need. Can the Lions, and can the city of Detroit, KEEP IT REAL!

Lastly, of course the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Arizona Cardinals late Thursday night. Take whatever you know or think you know about the NFL, and throw it out the window. The Cardinals were prepared to take that next step, the step that both the Giants & Jets took last weekend, seriously be considered as a contender. The Eagles had been a part of the first tie game in the NFL since 2002, they benched their veteran quarterback in a three point game the week prior, just before getting polished off by 31 points, and they'd also suffered through a week of media attention that had the head coach getting fired and their quarterback in his last season with the franchise. So who wins? The Eagles. The Cardinals and their MVP candidate, Kurt Warner, are sitting on the division lead and with a win they would clinch, yet what happens? They get straight up blown out. McNabb throws for four touchdowns, gives the Eagles fans something to cheer about and probably delays the inevitable for another couple weeks. The Eagles are bad, the Cardinals are terrible outside of Arizona, and I'm tired of the McNabb/Reid show. Congrats Kurt Warner, your in the NFL's second worst division and can't even finish it off the right way, IN PHILLY! Keep It Real!

That's all for this week folks, and always remember Keep It Real! Happy Thanksgiving!

Tryptophan Ready

Thanksgiving, the time of year for football, giving thanks, and a tryptophan hangover that'll put you to sleep for a month. As I was thinking of a Thanksgiving special for the readers of LynchyRightNow, one thing came to mind, thanks. So, who deserves some real thanks in today's world?

Let's get after it . . .

Hmmm, right. Here's the first one. NFL owners, who are asleep at the wheel. I'm going to hold off on ripping Al Davis of the Oakland Raiders, the man looks like beetlejuice, on a bad day. However, special thanks from the family of Marvin Lewis to Bengals owner, Mike Brown. Not many guys can refrain from firing a guy who has led his investment to 16 wins in three seasons while his players are arrested more often than Amy Winehouse. Mike Brown, pass the stuffing and thank you. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, I'm just going to put it like this, Andy Reid is running a franchise that has been a .500 team and missed the playoffs three times since their trip to the Super Bowl. From a Cowboys fan, as long as Reid is in charge this team is mediocre at best. Thank you Jeffrey Lurie.

Thank you very much to the 2008 BCS. Do I like the BCS? No. I believe it has ruined parts of college football, made it 100% about money, and quietly given jobs to entirely to many former college football players and coaches. Jesse Palmer (The Bachelor) and Lou Holtz to name a couple. But like most terrible things in life, eventually somebody realizes how absurd they really are, George Bush, Windows Vista, and Seinfeld. This year is in fact, the year we discover how absurd the BCS has become. Southern California blew out every team they played by 50 points, slipped up at Oregon State and their season is shot. Texas Tech shocked a top ranked Longhorn squad, and now the Longhorns could be on the outside looking in. Penn State dominated their schedule, including an Oregon State team that they may end up facing in the Rose Bowl, yet they have no shot at a National Title. Thanks, to the 2008 college football season (and in small part to President Elect Obama, who has made a point to mention this system) for showing the entire country how to eliminate three of the countries top programs from title contention. I'll have canned cranberry sauce, please.

Thank you to the Notre Dame basketball team. The men's basketball team is ranked #8 in the country, as of Tuesday. In one week they've beaten the Hoosiers by 38 points and dropped the higher ranked Longhorns in the Maui Invitational. The Fighting Irish hoops squad is widely considered a favorite to make a deep tournament run in March. So, why am I thanking them? Their play this week has if only for a second, taken the focus off the Fighting Irish football team. The same Fighting Irish football squad that should have the biggest problem with the BCS system. Why? The one loss Southern California football team won't be going to the National Championship or the Rose Bowl without help, so the only thing they can do . . . HANG 70 on the Irish in their regular season home finale. The USC defense has a top five defense in the country, they've given up more than 20 points only twice the entire season, and have yet to allow more than 23. Against Washington & Washington State, the Trojans were 2-0 and outscored the opponents by a combined 125-0. With that said, thank you to the Irish hoops team, for delaying the upcoming Irish football beatdown, things don't look good for Charlie Weis, not at all.

The Detroit Lions really should get thanks. They have officially restored my belief that at least one team can go 0-16 in an entire season. The ghost of Matt Millen is still haunting this franchise, it just sucks that Millen won't be around to see his dream come true, a win less team in Detroit. The man responsible for drafting four wide receivers in the top ten in four separate drafts was fired this season, unfortunately he really has nothing to do with how the players perform on the field, so after 12 weeks, the Lions are 0-11. The firing of Millen wasn't the only excitement for the Lions this season, they had a quarterback run out of the back of the endzone, signed a free agent quarterback off a scrap heap, and traded their top offensive weapon. You think they'll win a game? The Titans will throttle them on Thanksgiving, Adrian Peterson comes to Detroit after that, they get Indy with an improving Colts team, Drew Brees in the midst of a record breaking season, and go to Lambeau in the final week. Thank you for restoring hope that I will see a team go 0-16. Pass the carrots.

Thank you to the NFL and quarterbacks like, Tyler Thigpen, Shaun Hill, JaMarcus Russell, Dan Orlovsky, and Senaca Wallace. You have all single handily made it evident that inmate #19078942 a.k.a. Michael Vick will be given a second chance in he NFL. At the end of the day, he could outplay any one of those quarterbacks given five months to work out in NFL facilities and in the right system. Maybe Vick isn't Jason Campbell and maybe he will have some rust (sad pun, totally intended) from being in prison, but one thing we never doubted about Vick was his athleticism. I'm completely sold that some owner in the NFL will give him a shot, with the amount of NFL quaterbacks that get injured in a season, Kyle Orton, Tom Brady, Tony Romo, Matt Schaub, Brodie Croyle, Jon Kitna, and Matt Hasselbeck, one of those owners could see the benefit in having a backup the caliber of what Michael Vick may be. Sure it'll take an apology or two and an owner with brass balls to pull the move off, but it will happen and Michael Vick has injuries to Thank on this Thanksgiving. Pass the turkey!

Hope you all have a Happy Thanksgiving! GOBBLE! GOBBLE!

Six Days Away . . .

Boston College is on their way back to The Heights,victorious after their defensive battle in Winston-Salem on Saturday afternoon. The Maryland Terrapins are returning to their dorms after being beaten thoroughly in College Park by the visiting Seminoles. With the Terrapins loss, they have played their way out of the ACC title game on December 6th and with the Eagles win they are still alive for that same title. An Eagles win against the Terrapins this weekend will send them to Tampa Bay, a Terrapins victory launches Florida State straight to the ACC title game.

Now that you know the situation, we're six days away from an epic ACC showdown:(If I seem to be showing my rooting interest and extreme excitement for all things ACC football, deal with it.) Time to get you prepared:

1. The Boston College offense is in trouble. On BC's final possession of Saturday's game, the Eagles went on a 9 play, 78 yard drive resulting in the go ahead touchdown. Excluding that game winning drive, the Eagles had 65 plays for just 152 yards throughout the entire game. If your scoring at home, that's less than 3 yards per snap. The Boston College offense will be without 5th year senior, Chris Crane, who was knocked out of the game and the season with a broken collar bone on Saturday. An offense that scored a touchdown just once, in 15 possessions, will now be led by redshirt freshman quarterback, Dominique Davis. Davis' numbers weren't all that bad, despite the two turnovers that resulted in Demon Deacon touchdowns, the young quarterback went 13 of 23 and had 103 yards passing. With an inexperienced man under center, the Eagle offense will be forced to rely heavily on their freshman running backs, Josh Haden and Montel Harris. The freshman duo has rushed for over 1,000 yards and average nearly 5 yards a touch. Fortunately for the now young offense, the visiting Terrapin defense is ranked 58th against the rush (1,446) through last weekend and gave up another 172 yards on the ground this past Saturday to Florida State. On a more positive note, BC head coach Jeff Jagodzinski, has rarely asked his offense to go out and win the game for him, an offense ranked 55th in the country in scoring per game will do that to you.

2. How different does a landscape change in one week? Headed into week 11, the Florida State Seminoles were the top ranked team in the ACC Atlantic (#20), welcoming Boston College to their place and looking to take command. By days end, they were on the outside looking in. Boston College had taken their top ten defense into Tallahassee and knocked Florida State off in their backyard. At the start of week 12, the Maryland Terrapins were coming off a huge win against ACC rival and #16 ranked North Carolina, on a game winning field goal. With Florida State falling to Boston College, Maryland took over as the ACC Atlantic's top ranked team(#22) and controlled their own destiny with those same Seminoles visiting College Park in the coming week. By Sunday night, the Terrapins had lost to the Seminoles and coupled with a Boston College victory over Wake Forest, have eliminated themselves from a shot at the ACC title. Which brings us right to week 13, the AP poll has the Boston College Eagles ranked as high as #20, and you guessed it, the ACC Atlantic's top ranked team. The Seminoles visit non-conference foe, Florida, in an in-state rivalry game and await the result of Maryland vs. Boston College. Maryland has been reduced to road block status, while Boston College plays to advance to the title game. Given the play of both Florida State and Maryland as top ranked ACC Atlantic teams, the odds may be stacked against our friends on Chestnut Hill.

3. A top 10 ranked defense, means more than you think. As unfortunate as an injury to your starting quarterback is, Boston College has the most prolific defense this side of the Mason-Dixon. Linebackers, Mike McLaughlin and Mark Herzlich, or as I'm dubbing them, Hawk & Animal (The Road Warriors a.k.a. The Legion of Doom) are as good as any two linebackers in college football, period. Herzlich and McLaughlin have combined for over 155 tackles on the season, 6 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, and a partridge and a pear tree. If you hadn't watched any BC game this season, and just tuned into watch this past Saturdays at Wake Forest, you would have came away with one sentiment, Mark Herzlich changes the way an offense plays. He pressured Riley Skinner into bad plays, intercepted the 6,000 yard passer twice, and took one all the way back for six. By the way, his other interception led to a late first half field goal, proved to be the difference in the game. Now it isn't all just Hawk & Animal that make the BC defense, their interior lineman, tackles Ron Brace and B.J. Raji, are two of the fiercest DT's in the entire ACC. The Eagles 8th ranked defense gives up just under 280 yards of offense per game, they've yet to give up a 100 yard rushing game since the third week in October, and given their offensive struggles can account for two of their last three wins, ENTIRELY. Boston College is ranked within the top twenty in rushing yards allowed, passing yards allowed, yards allowed per game, yards per play, and total yards. The most telling stat, Boston College leads the entire country in interceptions on the season (23), led by senior strong safety, Paul Anderson and of course, junior linebacker, Mark Herzlich, who have five a piece. For a Maryland offense that hasn't scored more than 17 points in a game since late October, led by a quarterback who has thrown nearly as many interceptions as he has touchdowns, the Terrapins should be careful coming up North.

4. If Maryland can run the ball, be afraid. Now that you know about the vaunted Eagle defense, let me introduce you to someone you may not know, Maryland's top rusher, Da'Rel Scott. Scott is the second leading rusher in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He's rushed for close to 1,000 yards, averages 18-20 carries a game at five yards a clip. Scott has gone over the century mark four times this season, including two of the last three games against conference rivals. In two of Boston College's three losses this season, they've lost after allowing opponents over 100 yards on the ground, including a 100+ yard game against Georgia Tech's Jonathan Dwyer, the ACC's leading rusher. However, more bad news for the Terrapins and Scott, in their last three road games, all conference showdowns, the Terrapins have had an anemic rushing attack. In a 23-13 loss against Virginia Tech in Blacksburgh, Scott ran the ball just 10 times for 11 yards. In a 31-0 loss to Virgnia on the road, Scott ran the ball, 11 carries for under 40 yards. Lastly, in a win over Clemson at Death Valley, Da'Rel averaged 1.7 yards a carry. If the 1-3 road Terrapins plan on blocking Boston College's second straight trip to the ACC title game, they better have some tricks up their sleeves.

The time is 3:30 Saturday afternoon, the place is Boston, Massachusetts. You know the story, you know what is at stake. Be there, because you know I will.

Gobble! Gobble! K.I.R.F.

Tip of the cap to the golfer J.P. Hayes, who recently disqualified himself from the PGA Tour due to an accident which happened while playing in a recent tournament. Hayes pulled out a ball from his golf bag which he couldn't use during the tournament and while he didn't get caught using it, Hayes stood up and excused himself after making the wrong play. He will not get a PGA tour card and unfortunately has to wait for sponsor exemption to play in 2009 PGA golf events. Over the last several days he's been commended for his ownership and ability to "do the right thing." HOWEVER, in the words of Chris Rock "I'm not giving you credit for sh*t you supposed to do." Maybe the rest of golfers on tour wouldn't have turned themselves in unless they were caught, maybe five out of ten people wouldn't return a lost wallet without taking the cash out first, and maybe you don't give extra change back when the cashier gives you more than they should, but your supposed to. I ask what in the world have we come to when we pat a guy on the back for doing things he should do, you should visit your grandmother in the hospital, you should not take an extra ten minutes on your lunch break, and of course, you should turn yourself in when you realize you've broken the rules, even if it is inadvertent. KEEP IT REAL FOLKS!

Biggest week in college and pro football yet.

Texas Tech and Oklahoma play in Norman this weekend and you don't get much bigger than that. Graham Harrell, Michael Crabtree, and Sam Bradford all look to add to their heisman resumes. If Tech wins they remain in the drivers seat for a shot at the National Title. If the Sooners win, the Big 12 South becomes utter chaos, riveting.

Boston College at Winston-Salem (Wake Forest) Don't laugh, the wild card in all this, one team from the ACC is guaranteed to play in a BCS bowl game. Following their win at Florida State the Eagles head to Wake Forest, a win at Wake puts them one game from a second straight appearance in the ACC Championship Game. You know I'll be watching.

New England on South Beach (Miami Dolphins) after stunning the Patriots earlier this season the Dolphins have improved to 6-4 and with a win this week, they would overtake them in the AFC East. The Patriots could be in first place by Sunday night, a win and a Jets loss puts them right back atop the division.

Favre and the Jets head to Tennessee I'm still not buying it Brett, I don't care that you eeked out a win in overtime against the Patriots after surrendering an 18 point lead earlier in the game. Tennessee is big and physical, by the way they haven't lost yet either. The Titans win this game, convincingly.

Sidenote: Woohoo, Adam Jones has been reinstated. Sense any sarcasm? I like Pacman as a player but as a person ehhhh NOT SO MUCH. He still has to sit out another two games and won't return till December, so as far as I'm concerned . . . . . . . MOVING ALONG. KEEP IT REAL!

More football on the slate. For those of you who've been living under a rock for the past four days, the Eagles and Bengals finished with a 13-13 tie on Sunday. This sparked Donovan McNabb, Philly quarterback, to inform us he had no idea you could even end the game in a tie. Really Donovan? Several things need to be addressed here. One, Andy Reid does a poor job of preparing this team to win football games. If you need two overtimes to put away a team like Cincinnati led by Ryan Fitzpatrick, you deserve to get a notch in the loss column. I guarantee the Broncos, Patriots, Colts, Giants, and Titans all are well aware that a game ends in a tie if you don't win it in the first overtime. Two, all this garbage about 50% of players in the league not knowing about this is straight BS. I heard that former, yes FORMER, Baltimore Ravens head coach, Brian Billick agreed that 50% of players probably didn't know the rule. This coming from a guy who continued to march Kyle Boeller out there at quarterback when he had a hall of fame defense on the other side of the ball. A guy whose team gave the Miami Dolphins, the dreadful Miami Dolphins their only win in their 1-15 season of 2007. So stop it, as my buddy Joe said, if he's saying 50% of players don't know that, I'm taking the over EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK. KEEP IT REAL!

Okay, so I'm sometimes a bit of a homer when it comes to things like this next one, but your just going to have to deal with it. I recently read a story that had Tony Romo purchasing a movie ticket for a homeless man sitting outside the theater. Earlier this season we all heard the story how Romo pulled over on the side of the road, after flying back to Dallas on a return flight from Cleveland, and assisting a stranded motorist in changing a tire on their disabled vehicle. After reading the story that put Romo in the movies watching a flick with this homeless man, I'm convinced, Tony Romo is still in awe of being in the NFL. I always wondered what it would be like for me, to be a professional athlete. I'd probably have a fans mentality and seek out autographs, get players cell phone numbers so we could party, and probably buy frivolous things with my money, it's just what I'd do. Romo however, is taking a different route. For the average guy, which was what Romo used to be when he was backing up the likes of Drew Bledsoe, he probably never thought he'd date country music stars and pop icons. Romo probably never imagined being able to attempt a side job as an amateur golfer. Finally, he probably never thought he'd have the type of bank account which he does. So everyday when we see Romo with Jessica Simpson and ask why? Keep in mind, she wouldn't be into any of us and for Romo who was so used to being the average guy, he probably thought the same thing, until she was. When you see a guy like Romo changing tires and helping the homeless see a new movie, I'm sure on some level Romo is still in shock that he's who he is, and does these things as thanks for who he has become. Ask yourself, have you ever pulled over and changed a tire for someone else? I haven't. KEEP IT REAL!

Shhh, don't look now but Trail Blazers rookie center, Greg Oden, is averaging 10 points and 8 boards a game. He isn't even 21 and he's got the one thing you can't teach . . . HEIGHT! Keep it Real!

Last item on the docket:

I can't stand Drew Rosenhaus, when I say can't stand I actually mean loathe. Of every person involved in any way with the NFL, Drew Rosenhaus is the person I dislike the most. I fortunately was able to get most of Thursday morning off from work, ten minutes before I headed to said job I was able to watch a 10-minute interview on ESPN with Mr. Rosenhaus, fun stuff. The purpose of Rosenhaus being interviewed was to give his and his client, Chad Johnson, view of what transpired to result in Johnson being deactivated for last nights game against the Steelers. Rosenhaus blabbed on about how Johnson will play hard the next five games, he's disappointed with his role in the offense, and he also told us that Chad HAD to play with a back up quarterback all season as well. I'd normally rear into Chad about how he annoys the sh*t out of me and I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one. Truth is, Chad needs someone to speak for him, because every time he speaks, nonsense comes out. Unfortunately for the world, Rosenhaus is his mouthpiece, as he was Terrell Owens' and every other football player making major dollars. I won't deny that Drew is great at his job, but does anyone else make you feel more dirty listening to them speak? He makes excuses for his players, commends their horrible behavior as role models and does nothing to have fans embrace those athletes. Rosenhaus is the most uber of agents, and athletes can't get enough of him. I on the other hand, have had enough of him. Please, stay out of the cameras and KEEP IT REAL!

GET READY FOR SOME THANKSGIVING FOOTBALL . . . .

Six & Four Contenders

I don't know the exact number, but I can't imagine that there has ever been a time in the NFL where nearly 25% of the league has the same record and their still alive in the playoff race. Eight teams are 6-4, this is who the are and what the are:

Miami Do we need any further validation that Bill Parcells can turn a franchise around? The 2007 Miami Dolphins finished the regular season with one victory. The '08 version of the Dolphins are headed into week 12 and they have 600% more wins than they did just a year ago. Thanks to the late offseason addition of former Jet quarterback turned Jet castoff, Chad Pennington, the Dolphins are 6-4 and staring down the barrel of the New England Patriots. Despite their struggles against Oakland last weekend, the Dolphins have beaten the Pats in Foxboro, the Broncos in Denver, and sit 2-1 in their conference with (3) conference games remaining. Former first round draft pick, Ronnie Brown, is finally healthy and paired with Ricky Williams the duo has rushed for over 1,000 yards in their first ten games. 3rd year receiver Greg Camarillo and the darling of Columbus, Ohio, Ted Ginn, have combined for 87 receptions and 1,046 yards. Their defense led by NFL sacks leader (13.5) and resident big mouth, Joey Porter, allow just 313 ypg. That same defense allows the tenth fewest points per game in the league at 19.7, the same defense that dumped future Hall of Famer, Jason Taylor in the offseason. With a win against New England, the Dolphins would be sitting in line for a shot at the Wild Card.

Indianapolis "Just when I thought I was out, you pull me back in" When they were 1-2, they then proceeded to win two straight games and pull back to 3-2. The Colts would follow up their two wins with two more losses and again we would put the Colts on the brink. Peyton and Co. then ripped off three straight wins against New England, Pittsburgh, and Houston to improve to 6-4. To say they've been a roller coaster would be an understatement. However, if we've learned anything from Tony Dungy and Archie's son, they aren't out until their out. Their next four games are against four teams with losing records, including back-2-back games against Cincinnati and Detroit, who have a combined 1 victory. With Jacksonville and Tennessee in weeks 16 & 17, the Colts could still finish off 10-6 which would most likely be good enough for a playoff birth. So much for the Colts being over and out.

Baltimore I thought I knew something about the Ravens, then their top ranked rushing defense gave up 207 points to the Giants last Sunday. The rookie quarterback, Joe Flacco added two more interceptions to his total (9) and was sacked for the 18th time this season. On the other hand, since their three game slide in early October, this was their first slip up. The Ravens 3-1 record in their division keeps them alive in the playoff hunt. A divisional game in week 14 against the Steelers in Baltimore will most likely determine who wins the AFC North. Despite Flacco's recent play, his rookie season has got off to a great start. He's completed at least twelve passes in every start and hasn't thrown for less than 129 yards in any game. For a team who has struggled as bad offensively over the past several years as the Ravens have, Joe Flacco has been a welcomed addition. At 6-4, winning the division might be the only way the Ravens get in. Games against Philadelphia, Washington, Dallas, Jacksonville remaining don't give Ravens fans much promise.

Denver Question: How does a team that allows 143 yards rushing per game and boasts the 29th best defense in the entire league, have a 2-game lead in their division? Answer: Welcome to the AFC West. The Broncos got off to a great start winning four of their first five games. Then they got beat down by three probable playoff teams before eeking out wins in Cleveland and Atlanta. What do I think of the Broncos? No team, you got it, NO TEAM, with a defense this bad will win much more than a trip to the postseason, thats where it ends. Two things win Super Bowls, a solid defense and a quality running game. Their defense speaks for itself and their rushing attack has only had one hundred yard game this season. Fortunately for the Broncos, they have three divisional games remaining and two of them are at Mile High. Congrats, Norv Turner is coaching one of the most talented teams in the NFL (San Diego) and their in your division, and of course they were going to fall off a bit.


New England Perhaps I should tell you to go back to week 2 of the NFL season when I told you that the Patriots wouldn't trip up as bad as people thought. However, what I and the rest of you didn't see coming was Matt Cassel turning into a $40 million dollar free agent. The Patriots are without an injured all world quarterback, multiple talented running backs, a pro bowl safety and linebacker, and still their a game back in the division. They played about as bad a half of football a team can play last week and were down 24-6 before taking the Jets to overtime. They lost current Eagle cornerback, Asante Samuel to free agency and replaced him with ummmmmmm yea, exactly. Is it so crazy to think, that a year after storming through the NFL regular season with a 16-0 record, the Patriots are trying to prove that they can take everything away and still get to the dance? Returning to the backup quarterback, Matt Cassel, the guy has thrown only 7 interceptions in what should be considered as his rookie year. He is the only NFL quarterback in the history, let me repeat, in the HISTORY, of the NFL that has thrown for over 400 yards and ran for over 60 in one game. Not Steve Young, Mike Vick, or Randall Cunningham, only Matt Cassel. One concern, and I'll mention it because it will come into play, Cassel can't connect on the deep ball consistently. Other than that, this team will play their biggest game of the season this next week in Miami. A win in Miami coupled with the Jets eventual loss in Tennessee will put the Patriots back atop the AFC East.

Washington Their four game winning streak at the end of September seems a long ways away. They've dropped three of their last five games and if not for their wins against Cleveland and Detroit, they'd be hovering under .500. With the play of teams like Tampa Bay and Carolina it looks as if our previous forgone conclusion that three NFC East teams will go back to the playoffs may not be accurate, for Washington this is alarming. The Skins have an impact running back who needs to get healthy, his 1063 yards on the season is good for second among the NFL running backs. When healthy, Portis is one of the games best backs and has the ability to carry the this team toward the playoffs. First year head coach, Jim Zorn, has acclimated the young quarterback, Jason Campbell, to the West Coast offense. The 'Skins have 3 of their 6 remaining games against sub .500 opponents, but their real test will be in week 16 against Philadelphia, a must win.

Dallas A 3-0 start, all the talent in the world, and yet they sit at 6-4. Their pro bowl quarterback sat for a month with a broken finger, the entire secondary was decimated, and their rookie phenom Felix Jones had a partially torn hamstring. How did the Cowboys respond? By trading future draft picks for another malcontent receiver. Not a shocker however, this is the type of thing they do in Big D. When the Cowboys won in Washington this past weekend a couple of things were proven. For starters, they are going to become a running team whether they like it or not. The broken finger of Romo makes him limited, it's obvious, but that may be a better thing than we thought. Passes over the middle, draws, dump off passes into the flat, and yes the occasional haul over the middle for fifteen to twenty. Until he's 100%, this is what you get from Tony Romo. Secondly, Marion Barber is the key to this offense and I'm glad Jason Garett gets it now. The Cowboy running back is the most powerful rusher this side of Brandon Jacobs in the NFL. He finds the end zone, the first down, and the open space in the defense. The Cowboys got him out toward the sideline in the first half, tired the defense and then fed them often up the middle. Defenses fear Romo's mobility and therefore cannot throw eight players, with ears pinned back, in the box. There final four games of the season are against the Steelers, Giants, Ravens, and Eagles, no slouches, if your getting in, your going to have to earn it.

Finally,

Atlanta Matt Ryan and Michal Turner, they are the corner pieces to this puzzle and the Falcons go as far as they go. They don't have an easy game left on their schedule till they get the Rams at home in the final week. Games @ San Diego, @ New Orleans, and @ Minnesota won't be easy for the Falcons and if their looking to get in the playoffs, they'll have to win at least one of those games. This is the readers digest version of Atlanta, they are very good at home 4-1, they've commanded games, they've won games down the stretch, and they've lost close games. This team can pretty much handle everything, and one would hope after living through everything this franchise has been over in recent history. The Falcons will go as far as Turner, Norwood, and the Falcon defense take them.

BAM! Keep It Real Friday 11/21