Sportz' BCS Update - 11/9

A few upsets and some confidence building wins (well, my confidence) and here is how my BSC playoffs look now. Two conferences dominate the top five seeds:

#1-Alabama (SEC Champ)
#2-Texas Tech (Big XII Champ)
#3-Texas
#4-Florida

#12-Pitt (Big East Champ) at #5-Oklahoma 3p
#11-Florida State (ACC Champ) at #6-USC (Pac10 Champ) 6p
#10-Boise State at #7-Penn State (Big Ten Champ) 12p
#9-Ohio State at #8-Utah (Top ranked non-BCS Champ) 9p

First round - 12/20
Second round - 12/27
Semifinals - 1/3
Championship - 1/10

Realigning the NFL Won't Solve Anything

Mike Florio of PFT and SportingNews wrote about radically re-aligning the NFL back to something like we had prior to 2002. Move back to three divisions in each conference.

I understand why he'd want to do this. We could have a bad Denver/San Diego team in the postseason but the Bills/Jets/Patriots/Colts/Ravens missing the playoffs.

Still, that is just the way it is. In baseball we see it all the time. With the realignment in the NBA, we have had bad teams with a lofty seeding. The NFL can't shake that either.

Even the old "three-team" format can't prevent this. In 1999, the Seahawks were 9-7 and won the AFC West. The three wildcard teams that year (Bills, Dolphins, Titans) were better. In 1990, the Bengals won the AFC Central with a 9-7 record. The Seahawks had the same record and missed the postseason. The 1988 Seahawks won the AFC West at 9-7 while the Colts and Pats sat home with the same mark.

But the best example was in 1985. The Cleveland Browns won the AFC Central with an 8-8 record. The Denver Broncos were 11-5 and missed the postseason.

See, it happened with three-divisions, too. Sure, the liklihood of is greater in a four-division format but that's just the way it is.

IF for some reason we did realign back to three divisions ... here we go:

AFC EAST: Bills, Dolphins, Jets, Patriots, Ravens
AFC CENTRAL: Browns, Bengals, Steelers, Colts, Titans, Jaguars

AFC WEST: Chiefs, Broncos, Raiders, Chargers, Texans

NFC EAST: Cowboys, Redskins, Eagles, Giants, Panthers

NFC CENTRAL: Bears, Lions, Packers, Vikings, Buccaneers, Falcons

NFC WEST: Cardinals, Rams, Niners, Seahawks, Saints

Don't worry about why I did any of it. It will never, ever, ever happen.

Sportz' BSC Update - 11/6

I hate the BCS and no problem saying so. So, as I do every year, I'm delving into my yearly "BSC" playoff picture.

I have 12 teams make the BSC: the champion from the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big XII, SEC and Pac10. I also make it mandatory that the highest rated non-BCS school gets a playoff spot. The remaining five spots go to at-large teams ... with the cutoff point at three schools from one conference.

There are seeds and the games are played at the higher seed's home. The top four seeds get a first round bye. Obviously, I'm guessing on who would win the conference championship games.

#1-Alabama (SEC Champ)
#2-Texas Tech (Big XII Champ)
#3-Penn State (Big Ten Champ)
#4-Texas

#12-Maryland (ACC Champ) at #5-Florida noon
#11-West Virginia (Big East Champ) at #6-Oklahoma 3p
#10-Boise State at #7-USC (Pac10 Champ) 6p
#9-Ohio State at #8-Utah (Top ranked non-BCS Champ) 9p

I used the BCS standings to seed the teams. I did flip-flop Ohio State and Boise State since the Buckeyes have already played at USC this year.

Despite Not Being Elite, the Race For the ACC Championship Will Be Fun

No ACC team will be in the hunt for the National Championship. No ACC deserves to go to a BCS game.

But one will.

So the 2008 ACC football season is meaningful for one program who is in the guts of one of the wildest conference seasons ever.

No one outside the area cares, I'm sure, but pretty much every team enters November with a chance at a BCS bid. What other league can say that?

In the ATLANTIC DIVISION, the freaking Maryland Terrapins lead with a 3-1 mark. This team lost to Middle Tennessee earlier this year! In the COASTAL DIVISION, Georgia Tech already owns a 4-2 record and the lead. Here are the standings along with their tiebreakers within their divisions:

ATLANTIC

Maryland (3-1): W: Wake Forest, Clemson, NC State

Wake Forest (3-2): W: Florida State, Clemson. L: Maryland

Florida State (3-2): W: NC State. L: Wake Forest

Clemson (2-3): W: Boston College, NC State. L: Maryland, Wake Forest

Boston College (2-3): W: NC State. L: Clemson

NC State (0-4): L: Maryland, Clemson, Boston College

COASTAL

Georgia Tech (4-2): W: Duke. L: Virginia, Virginia Tech

Miami (3-2): W: Virginia, Duke. L: North Carolina

Virginia (3-2): W: Ga Tech, North Carolina. L: Miami, Duke

Virginia Tech (2-2): W: Ga Tech, North Carolina

North Carolina (2-2): W: Miami. L: Virginia, Virginia Tech

Duke (1-3). W: Duke. L: Ga Tech, Miami

As you can see, it is up in the air. In the ATLANTIC DIVISION, only 1.5 separate first from fourth (and 4th place BC still gets a crack at 1st place Maryland). In the COASTAL DIVISION, Georgia Tech lead but the only team they've topped within the division is last place Duke. The Jackets have a huge game at North Carolina this Saturday before hosting Miami.

Only NC State and Duke are really out of a shot at a BCS bid. Everyone else kind of controls their own destinies.

I'm sure Tampa is gripping for a Georgia Tech-Maryland title tilt.

This Commercial Needs to Stop!!!!

Please ... for the love of God ... make this commercial go away!!!

As I watch ESPN every morning before I go to work, I see the above commercial about 17 times in that period. It was one thing when it was just my sports shows, but now the commericals have leaked over to shows my wife watches to.

That "I had no idea my gold jewelry was worth so much money" feels like nails on a chalkboard!

Stuff Like This Is Why Baseball Lost Me

You wouldn't know it now, but I grew up a HUGE baseball fan. Baseball was my love as my uncle played, coached and managed in the Major Leagues and my grandfather was Pete Rose's knothole (Little League) coach.

For the last 15-20 years, though, my love for baseball just isn't there anymore. I do like watching it from time to time, but it rarely pulls me in. Heck on Monday night, I watched the Colts-Titans Monday Night Football game (which I had no vested interest in) and not Game 5 of the World Series.

What happened in that Game 5 as I switched to it now and then was just pitiful. You all know what happened, so I won't go back into it.

I see it as Bud Selig gripping to have the Rays tie that game up so he could shut it down and not have to have a rain-shortened game end the World Series. I understand that, but there are rules in baseball in the regular season that also apply to the post-season (Joe Buck even stated that during the game).

Yet Selig admits that he wouldn't let a game end that way. What? Are we making rules up as we go now?

What if the Phillies were up 10-2 again? Would he have said it was cool to end it now? I mean, it does seem like a tough deficit but this is baseball were anything can happen as long as you haven't used all your outs.

I've been using this statement in other areas in my life: I'm not complaining as much about what just happened but the underlying circumstances that lead to it.

Halloween is Friday night. The World Series could still be going on then. That is freakin' ridiculous. Northern cities aren't fit for baseball on Halloween. There were snow flurries in Colorado during last year's "Winter Classic".

My view of World Series of late are players shivering in the dugout, players wearing hats with earflaps, long-johns and fans huddled under blankets. Ya know, a football game atmosphere.

I just said "my view". That's because you need to be in your 30s to actually watch these things. The games start at 8:37pm and end around midnight. The next generation of fans (kids) aren't watching these games finish. Most people who have a first shift job aren't watching these games finish either.

It isn't an overstatement either. I was a sophomore in high school during the 1991 World Series and missed several of the great finishes of those games. I did see the entire Game 7 ... but missed Kirby Puckett's awesomeness in Game 6. I would wake up to go to school and watch SportsCenter in the morning to see what happened in the game that previous night.

I'm far from a purist. I think more teams should be in the playoffs and want a 7-game divisional series. I do think some games/days should be shaved off the schedule and the playoffs started in September. Why can't we have a World Series day game on Saturday? Oh yeah, college football fans won't watch.

Well, many fans aren't watching right now anyway. It's like catching Saturday Night Live, Letterman or Leno: you see the first third of the show to see if anything interesting is happening, then shut it down and ask someone tomorrow if anything cool happened later on.

Pheeling Phor Philly

With the Philadelphia Phillies on the brink of winning the World Series, I just wanted to congratulate the people of Philly.

This will be their first major professional championship since 1983. That year, the Sixers swept the Lakers for the NBA title. Since then, the Phillies lost the 1993 World Series, the Flyers lost the 1987 and 1998 Stanley Cup Finals, the Sixers lost the 2001 NBA Finals and the Eagles lost Super Bowl XXIX.

The Villanova Wildcats did win the NCAA Tournament in 1985.

The Phillies have been extra sad. In 125 seasons of Phillies baseball, their only World Series title came in 1980. Last year, they became the first franchise to lose 10,000 games.

When Boston fans were feeling cursed, I defended the city of Philly but citing their woes. Now you will get back to the big time.

Redskins Mid-season Report Card

QUARTERBACK: A. Jason Campbell has done an outstanding job learning Jim Zorn's West Coast Offense. We have broken a team record for pass attempts without an interception. Seriously, how amazing is it that any quarterback has started eight games and not throw a pick? Now how much more amazing is it that it is a guy who is learning his seventh system in eight years? His fumbling has returned, which worries me.

RUNNING BACK: A+ I was worried that WCO would mean less Redskins Offense. Run. Run. Run. Big play. Turns out that Zorn has dedicated himself to the run and Clinton Portis is having an MVP season. Portis leads the NFL in rushing and has tied O.J. Simpson's record for five straight games with at least 120 yards rushing. The Ladell Betts injury sucks and Shaun Alexander is showing me nothing.

WIDE RECEIVER/TIGHT END: B Santana Moss started off with a bang, cooled off, and has now reasserted himself. Teams are scared to let him get going. Antwaan Randle El is having a pretty good year too, albeit nothing outstanding. Chris Cooley is as solid as they come. Rookies Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly have done nothing.

OFFENSIVE LINE: B I am satisfied with the line, though Campbell has been seeing a lot of pressure. Injuries at tackle have hurt. Still, this unit is blocking for the NFL's leading rusher.

DEFENSIVE LINE: C- They are doing a nice job stuffing the run, but do they know what a quarterback looks like? We still can't sack anybody unless they hold onto the ball for an hour.

LINEBACKERS: B London Fletcher is freakin' amazing. Rocky McIntosh and Marcus Washington are better than solid.

SECONDARY: A That grade is a bit inflated, but this unit has done an outstanding job despite all the injuries they've had to deal with. This secondary has held down the Giants, Saints, Cowboys, Eagles, Cardinals and Browns passing attacks. Chris Horton is an absolute steal!

KICKING: D. Scott Suisham is nice, but our punting still sucks.

SPECIAL TEAMS: C- We've allowed a couple of kick returns for TDs and Antwaan Randle El just isn't getting it done as a punt returner.

COACHING: B I must admit that I wasn't sold on Jim Zorn. Oddly, it was how he handled the loss to the winless Rams that sold me. I wanted to see him handle some adversity and he really kept his "stay medium" attitude.

Mike Singletary Is the Best Coach to Ever Hold a Whistle

Mike Singletary is my favorite coach to ever coach anything!

Why haven't we had a coach walk right into a job and completely call out a player before? And this wasn't something where a coach was out of line by placing blame on a player (coaches usually shoulder the blame publically).

How would you like to be Vernon Davis right about now?

By the way, I'm getting ready to run through a wall for Coach Singletary.

Where Have You Gone, Zubaz Man?

Why was this ever in style??? And why did I have some UNC Zubaz shorts back in the day? Ugh!!!

Phillies Need to Bring Back the Pinstripes

Congrats to the Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays for getting to the World Series.

One request: the Phillies need to change their jerseys back to the days of their 1980 World Series championsip.

We need these jerseys back in our lives!

Sportz' NFL 7/17 Mark Review

With the NFL season 7/17 (or 41%) over, it seems like a good time to look at what we've seen. BTW, I have no idea who that guy is in the picture:

NFC EAST

Surprise: Washington Redskins. The Redskins have to be the division's biggest surprise. Who had them at 5-2 and leading the wildcard standings?

Disappointment: Dallas Cowboys. The Boys were supposed to be dominate. A record of 4-3 and getting spanked by the Rams say otherwise.

Who's gonna win: New York Giants. Of all the teams in the division, the G-men seem to be the most consistent. Yeah, we can point to that Browns game last week but I think they've shown to be the division's top team.

NFC SOUTH

Surprise: Atlanta Falcons. Rookie quarterbacks aren't supposed to lead a 4-2 team. Michael Turner and Roddy White have turned into top tier players.

Disappointment: New Orleans Saints. Those Saints have had all kinds of injuries that they haven't had a chance. Still, it is surprising to see them deep in the division basement.

Who's gonna win: Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Carolina is a very good team but Tampa seems to be putting it all together right now. As long as Jeff Garcia can stay happy and healthy, they are the team to beat.

NFC NORTH

Surprise: Chicago Bears. Not a huge surprise, but who knew that they'd look like the favorite to win the division? With Kyle Orton at QB no less?

Disappointment: Minnesota Vikings. They were the darkhorse to win the NFC this year and have really been inconsistent. That vaunted defense has just looked horrible this year.

Who's gonna win: Chicago Bears. The Packers have fought back with a couple of wins ... but I trust the Bears defense a bit more.

NFC WEST

Surprise: St. Louis Rams. Yeah, that 2-4 record isn't a surprise ... but beating the Redskins and Cowboys in successive weeks sure is!

Disappointment: Seattle Seahawks. Look, this team has been decimated by injuries and is a sad way for Mike Holmgren to leave the Pacific Northwest.

Who's gonna win: Arizona Cardinals. They are the only team in this division worth a crap.

AFC EAST

Surprise: Buffalo Bills. They aren't pretty; they just get the job done.

Disappointment: New England Patriots. They can't help it that Tom Brady is lost for the year. But how does this record setting offense only muster 89 points this season (only the Chiefs have scored less).

Who's gonna win: Buffalo Bills. I need to see them against New England.

AFC SOUTH

Surprise: Tennessee Titans. Who had the Titans as the NFL's last undefeated team? Anyone?

Disappointment: Indianapolis Colts. I hate the "they could be" line ... but the Colts could be 1-5 right now. Two wild comebacks against the Vikes and Texans have them at an ugly 3-3.

Who's gonna win: Tennessee Titans. It's been a long time since I've seen a team with both an offensive and defensive line that was so dominant.

AFC NORTH

Surprise: Baltimore Ravens. Not some huge surprise (they are only 3-3). Who else in this division is doing anything unexpected?

Disappointment: Cleveland Browns. How in the world did this offense look good last season?

Who's gonna win: Pittsburgh Steelers. And they should wrap this thing up in a few weeks.

AFC WEST

Surprise: Denver Broncos. Teams with defenses this bad shouldn't hold division leads.

Disappointment: San Diego Chargers. The Bolts are following the Colts example of a disappointment. Can somebody wake up LaDainian Tomlinson?

Who's gonna win: San Diego Chargers. I'm banking on someone waking him up.

That Miami-Florida State Experiment Didn't Work ... So Let's Realign the ACC

The ACC has the worst division setup ever. For football, they split into two six-team divisions to set up a conference championship game.

Instead of geography, the ACC decided to just divide the teams in no real manner ... aside from trying to have nothing but Miami-Florida State title tilts. That hasn't happened once since the league expanded and doesn't look as if it will happen anytime soon.

So why not just screw the idea and make the divisions better? The fact that the four North Carolina schools aren't in the same division is just stupid.

Sure, the ACC doesn't have an easy geographical divide. If you did a true "North" and "South" division it would split up the four NC teams. The league doesn't really have an East or West either.

So let's just put the four NC schools together ... add in Clemson (since they are in South Carolina) ... then add in Georgia Tech. The other six schools can all go to the other division.

ATLANTIC: Clemson, Duke, Georgia Tech, NC State, North Carolina, Wake Forest
COASTAL: Boston College, Florida State, Maryland, Miami, Virginia, Virginia Tech

Unless you want to have a North and South, but that will split up the NC schools

NORTH: Boston College, Maryland, NC State, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

SOUTH: Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Miami, North Carolina

How about the East/West?

EAST: Boston College, Maryland, Miami, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest

WEST: Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, NC State, North Carolina

Sucks To Be the Cowboys!

As a Redskins fan, my heart goes out to the Dallas Cowboys.

It sucks that we beat them in their yard. And then they barely beat the 0-6 Cincinnati Bengals. And then they lose to the Arizona Cardinals.

It sucks that Tony Romo will be out for a month and that 400-year old Brad Johnson will take his place. It sucks that Felix Jones and Terence Newman are also hurt.

It sucks that they will play the Buccaneers and Giants while Romo is out.

It sucks that Terrell Owens is bitching. It sucks that Greg Ellis is too.

It sucks that Pacman Jones is now out at least a month after being suspended by the NFL. It sucks that Jerry Jones' investigation came up as "all good!"

Man, I am hurting!

Workin' For a Rays-Phillies World Series

FOX Sports would love to see a Red Sox-Dodgers series. So would Major League Baseball. So would advertisers. And I'm guessing, so would you.

Not me. I want the Phillies-Rays in the World Series.

It is a matter of comfort. I don't hate Phillies fans. I don't hate the small amount of Rays fans. I have grown tired of Boston fans over the past couple years (and call it being a "hater" if you want). I really don't hate Dodger fans, but they seem to come out of the woodwork right now.I mean, we just got rid of Chicago fans.Since my Reds suck, I've hitched onto the Tampa Bay bandwagon. Who wouldn't love to see this team come from no where to the World Series?

I also have no hard feelings against Philly and feel sorry that they have just that one championship in 100+ years of baseball.