Unlike past weeks, there were no major upsets last weekend. Color me shocked, as I figure Boise State would be residing in the number 4 spot right about now. Of course, we come into a weekend that would have looked great around week 2, but seems to have lost some of its luster now. More on this later. Now, on to the Touchdown.
1) No. 1 Florida at No. 4 LSU – 8:00 on CBS
You know, two weeks ago I would have figured this would have been a laugher, complete with Les Miles curling up in the fetal position at midfield for every Florida fans enjoyment. Oh the changes we’ve seen in those two weeks.
Most important was the shot to the head that Tebow took in the Kentucky game, leaving him questionable for this game. This means that John Brantley and his college career of 58 pass attempts might get to lead the defending National Champions into one of the harshest opposing stadiums in college football.
I think there is something else important at play here. With all the upsets of week 4, LSU catapulted to 4th and everyone promptly dismissed them (myself included). We figured the pretenders would be vanquished by Georgia and all would be right with the world (minus Boise State moving to the number 4 spot). However, LSU proved themselves worthy of the spot, by beating Georgia.
Even if Tebow starts, he won’t be at 100% and probably won’t be carrying the ball as much. With that, this game comes down to the team that can stop the run. Both teams have very good defenses, yet LSU relies on their defense to keep games close for their anemic offense.
Florida only needs a few chances and their run game can with this for them. I think they beat LSU but it’s going to be a lot closer than anyone will be comfortable with.
2) No. 3 Alabama at No. 20 Mississippi – 3:30 on CBS
The two teams are going in two opposite directions. Alabama is the best team not from Florida or Texas and have been beating every opponent silly. Ole Miss, on the other hand, lost to South Carolina and had issues against Vandy. Bama is not the team you want to face when you are having issues.
Over the last two games, we’ve learned by Mack Brown picked Colt McCoy over Jevan Snead. Against South Carolina, he couldn’t complete a pass. Against Vandy, he completed them, just to the other team. Ole Miss is a dangerous team because they have one of the best defenses in the nation. If the offense starts to click again, you better watch out.
Alabama just seems like a team willing to crush everyone in their path. They can beat you by running and passing the ball on offense. The defense is pure Saban, nasty and smart. Teams can’t sit back and wait for the Alabama defense to make a mistake.
If Jevan Snead gets back on track, this game could be very good. If his struggles continue, it’ll be a long game for Ole Miss. Unfortunately for Ole Miss fans, you can’t work out your problems against a team like Alabama. Alabama wins it. Roll Tide!
3) Michigan at No. 12 Iowa – 8:05 on ABC
Just when I jump on the Michigan bandwagon, they lose. Granted, I pretty much predicted they would lose, but that’s not the point. You know what this means? It means that if you are a LSU fan, you should be making hotel reservations in Pasadena.
This game really is a toss-up. Michigan has a really good, but young team. Nearly every game has been close, which either means they have trouble putting away teams or really are a middle of the road team making the best with what they have. Forcier is an extremely talented QB who has a great future in front of him.
Iowa needs to keep doing what they have been doing, which is play strong defense and serviceable offense. Stanzi needs to keep the ball out of the hands of the Michigan secondary. While a team like Arkansas State can’t capitalize on those mistakes, Michigan can.
In a close game, the Iowa home field crowd, experience, and coaching will make this a win for Iowa.
4) No. 13 Oregon at UCLA – 3:30 on ABC
I asked the Duchess which game I should put at number 4 and she said “Ducks”, so here we go. Actually, it’s a pretty good pick for someone’s whose college football knowledge comes exclusively from reading the Touchdown.
After Oregon’s disastrous opening game that would have sent lesser teams into a tail spin, they’ve ripped off 4 straight victories and are suddenly the team to beat in the Pac 10. The only question for this game is if Jeremiah Masoli will be able to play, after his knee injury against the practice squad….er, I mean, Washington State.
UCLA has been impressive so far this season, but are hoping to bounce back after last week’s loss to Stanford. They are going to need all hands on deck, so they better be praying to whatever deity to get back safety Rahim Moore, who suffered a concussion last week. He will help immensely in trying to slow down the Oregon passing attack.
However, with UCLA’s inability to move the ball through the air, it makes them pretty one dimensional. Like most good teams, Oregon can stop one dimensional teams. Oregon wins it and showcases why they are the best in the Pac 10.
5) Boston College at No. 5 Virginia Tech – 12:00 on ESPN360
I didn’t expect to be writing about this game, so it either means there is a lack of good games this week or BC is a little surprising. Seriously, the highlight of my day normally involves me giving crap to some BC fan. It’s not hard when you work in Boston.
Anyway, after the loss to Clemson, BC has been able to won back-to-back conference games, but they seem to have found some offensive rhythm. Competent QB play was the only thing holding them back from being a force to be reckoned with. If you add that in with the solid running game, BC should have no issues with moving the ball.
Virginia Tech, as always, is good on both sides of the ball. I have to say I’m most surprised at the offense, with Tyrod Taylor actually showing the ability to move the ball through the air. I just don’t understand this team. They beat up on Miami, but have issues putting away Duke.
I think the same thing happens here. BC sticks around for the whole game, but VT finally puts them away late to win it.
6) Notre Dame vs. the Bye Week
As per usual, ND makes some critical errors and bone-head plays, but somehow pulls this one out in the end.
Extra Point:
7) Once again, we visit one of my least favorite weeks in the college football season. It’s the “we’ll give you one or two interesting games, but the rest are crap” week. Unfortunately, the Duchess can spot these weekends and it becomes a shopping weekend.
The problem is that other then the LSU/Florida tilt, there is no real game I want to watch. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll watch what’s on and probably enjoy myself, but there isn’t any game that gets me excited. A cursory glance at next week and there are about 4 games I’m excited about.
I do admit that not every weekend can have classic match-ups. However, when you sandwich this in between week 5 (with the Georgia/LSU, Miami/Oklahoma, and USC/Cal games) and week 7 (RED RIVER SHOOTOUT), it gets tough to get excited about Oregon/UCLA. Don’t worry though, I will.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Trent's Touchdown - Week 5
Another week, another handful of upsets and shake-ups in the polls. If I were a team in the top 10 and facing a marshmallow opponent, I would be very scared (I’m looking at you Cincinnati). While the football fan in me loves this, there are drawbacks, but more on this later. Now, on to the Touchdown.
1) No. 8 Oklahoma at No. 17 Miami – 8:00 on ABC
When the season started, I thought this game might be slightly interesting, with an up and coming Miami team facing a massively overrated Oklahoma team. Of course, all that was before the Sam Bradford injury, Oklahoma’s loss to BYU, and Miami running rough shod over the ACC also-rans before losing to Virginia Tech.
While Oklahoma fans are wetting themselves over blowout wins against powerhouses Tulsa and Idaho State, I don’t think you should start looking forward to the Red River Shootout in two weeks. I’ll say what I said a couple of weeks ago, Miami has the ability to key in on what you do best and eliminate it.
The problem last week is that as much as I don’t like Virginia Tech, they are pretty well balanced offensively and can survive by letting their defense and special teams win games for them. What Miami needs to do is key on Oklahoma’s running game, and put the game in the hands the QB.
The problem OU has is at the QB position. Landry Jones hasn’t really faced any tough competition. I think my old high school team would have put up a better fight than Idaho State. Can the freshman actually put together a good game against a good defense? I say no. After a tough game, Miami pulls it out, but barely.
2) No. 7 USC at No. 24 California – 8:00 on ABC
This is like the scheduling Gods are making up for what looked like a snoozer last week in prime time. Two good games that I have the misfortune of not being able to switch between,
This game really comes down to overcoming a loss. USC did it last week with a moderately impressive bounce back against Washington State. USC coming though against a relatively weak opponent is one thing, but Cal needs to come back from an absolute embarrassment handed to them by a team that pretty much threw in the towel after week 2.
Let’s be frank for a minute. USC is doing anything this year. They might be able to pull out the Pac 10 championship, but they aren’t going to be in the hunt for the National Championship. They need to rely on Joe McKnight and the defense.
For Cal, all you need to do is contain Jahvid Best and you’re all set. Oregon did it and made Cal look like a Pop Warner team. The problem is that USC and Cal will probably be 1-2 in the Pac-10. Pac-10 teams this year either have no talent (Washington St), need a year before they are ready (Washington), or have no discipline (Oregon).
As for this game, USC wins and does it with defense, though everyone will fall all over themselves to tell us how well Matt Barkley did.
3) No. 4 LSU at No. 18 Georgia – 3:30 on CBS
Tell me I’m not the only one who thinks that LSU is only 4th for lack of any other team they could put there. They barely escaped with road wins against Washington and Mississippi State. While I may be Washington water carrier, I know they are a limited team that is in a rebuilding year and Mississippi State is Mississippi State.
Georgia has gotten a bit of an unfair rap, but they tried to slug it out with a Big 12 team. You can’t get into a shootout with a high-flying Big 12 team. You need to let your speedy defense contain the offense while you play your game. I thought everyone learned this after Ole Miss dismantled Texas Tech and Florida beat up on Oklahoma last year.
LSU has been getting lucky on the road against opponents they should beat. While I may not like Georgia all that much, they are too good of a team to let LSU push them around. However, like most SEC match-ups between the middle of the pack teams, this one should be close, but Georgia wins it.
4) No. 22 Michigan at Michigan State – 12:00 on Big Ten Network
Laugh all you want, but Michigan State is 16 points away from being 4-0. While Michigan is 4-0, all their games have been played at home. Add into that the fact that super freshman Tate Forcier is coming off an injury; this could be an interesting game.
Michigan State needs to do the one thing they have failed to do all year, stop the passing game. Even if they do that, then they have to contend with the Michigan running game. While MSU is more than willing to let this dissolve into a shoot-out, they just don’t have the horses to win it by doing that.
MSU has one shot at this. They need to rattle Forcier early and they need to keep the crowd in it. This young Michigan team may get rattled by a hostile crowd and could buckle under the pressure MSU will surely try and put them under. I think Michigan pulls it off, but they probably let MSU hang around longer than they should.
5) No. 9 Ohio State at Indiana – 7:00 on Big Ten Network
I think Indiana is a lot better than people give them credit for, while Ohio State is overrated. Seriously, OSU gets Illinois last week and Terrelle Pryor looks like he would have trouble leading a high school team. Add on to that what Indiana did against Michigan on the road last week.
Indiana could have packed it in at any time and no one would have said a word about it. But they kept in the game and kept battling back and gave a big scare to the Wolverines. Beating OSU is fairly easy. Well, easy to plan, not exactly easy to implement.
Put the game in Pryor’s hands. Make him pass the ball. If Indiana can do that, they will be fine. Offensively, Indiana needs to play their game, take the shots when they come, and don’t do anything stupid. They beat Ohio State in yet another upset.
6) No. 21 Mississippi at Vanderbilt – 7:00 on ESPN U
I love how last week everyone was falling all over themselves praising Ole Miss and this week people are saying they need to look out for Vandy. Oh, the fickle winds of fate. Here’s a tip, if you have a talented team in the hands of Houston Nutt, you’re screwed.
Extra Point:
7) I’m taking the flip side of the coin and say this parity thing in college football is no good. How about we spread the upsets throughout the season instead of bludgeoning us about the head with them early in the season. If I were an Alabama fan, I would be wondering when McElroy’s knee was going to blow out.
The one thing about this parity thing that sucks is that I have to deal with these severely flawed teams moving into the top 5 or top 10. LSU is ranked 4th just because they are lucky enough not to have lost yet. Virginia Tech is ranked 6th and are the highest ranked 1 loss team. Seriously? I need some ACC team to wax VT so I don’t have to actively avoid the Orange Bowl again this year.
I think my main problem is that I have to deal with Oklahoma and Ohio State being back in the mix. I always feel like both teams are extremely overrated and become cannon fodder in the National Championship Game for whatever SEC school decides to win the conference. I just need to hope that Texas dispatches Oklahoma in a few weeks. I also need to stop using the Extra Point to rant against Oklahoma and Ohio State. Even if it is so much fun.
1) No. 8 Oklahoma at No. 17 Miami – 8:00 on ABC
When the season started, I thought this game might be slightly interesting, with an up and coming Miami team facing a massively overrated Oklahoma team. Of course, all that was before the Sam Bradford injury, Oklahoma’s loss to BYU, and Miami running rough shod over the ACC also-rans before losing to Virginia Tech.
While Oklahoma fans are wetting themselves over blowout wins against powerhouses Tulsa and Idaho State, I don’t think you should start looking forward to the Red River Shootout in two weeks. I’ll say what I said a couple of weeks ago, Miami has the ability to key in on what you do best and eliminate it.
The problem last week is that as much as I don’t like Virginia Tech, they are pretty well balanced offensively and can survive by letting their defense and special teams win games for them. What Miami needs to do is key on Oklahoma’s running game, and put the game in the hands the QB.
The problem OU has is at the QB position. Landry Jones hasn’t really faced any tough competition. I think my old high school team would have put up a better fight than Idaho State. Can the freshman actually put together a good game against a good defense? I say no. After a tough game, Miami pulls it out, but barely.
2) No. 7 USC at No. 24 California – 8:00 on ABC
This is like the scheduling Gods are making up for what looked like a snoozer last week in prime time. Two good games that I have the misfortune of not being able to switch between,
This game really comes down to overcoming a loss. USC did it last week with a moderately impressive bounce back against Washington State. USC coming though against a relatively weak opponent is one thing, but Cal needs to come back from an absolute embarrassment handed to them by a team that pretty much threw in the towel after week 2.
Let’s be frank for a minute. USC is doing anything this year. They might be able to pull out the Pac 10 championship, but they aren’t going to be in the hunt for the National Championship. They need to rely on Joe McKnight and the defense.
For Cal, all you need to do is contain Jahvid Best and you’re all set. Oregon did it and made Cal look like a Pop Warner team. The problem is that USC and Cal will probably be 1-2 in the Pac-10. Pac-10 teams this year either have no talent (Washington St), need a year before they are ready (Washington), or have no discipline (Oregon).
As for this game, USC wins and does it with defense, though everyone will fall all over themselves to tell us how well Matt Barkley did.
3) No. 4 LSU at No. 18 Georgia – 3:30 on CBS
Tell me I’m not the only one who thinks that LSU is only 4th for lack of any other team they could put there. They barely escaped with road wins against Washington and Mississippi State. While I may be Washington water carrier, I know they are a limited team that is in a rebuilding year and Mississippi State is Mississippi State.
Georgia has gotten a bit of an unfair rap, but they tried to slug it out with a Big 12 team. You can’t get into a shootout with a high-flying Big 12 team. You need to let your speedy defense contain the offense while you play your game. I thought everyone learned this after Ole Miss dismantled Texas Tech and Florida beat up on Oklahoma last year.
LSU has been getting lucky on the road against opponents they should beat. While I may not like Georgia all that much, they are too good of a team to let LSU push them around. However, like most SEC match-ups between the middle of the pack teams, this one should be close, but Georgia wins it.
4) No. 22 Michigan at Michigan State – 12:00 on Big Ten Network
Laugh all you want, but Michigan State is 16 points away from being 4-0. While Michigan is 4-0, all their games have been played at home. Add into that the fact that super freshman Tate Forcier is coming off an injury; this could be an interesting game.
Michigan State needs to do the one thing they have failed to do all year, stop the passing game. Even if they do that, then they have to contend with the Michigan running game. While MSU is more than willing to let this dissolve into a shoot-out, they just don’t have the horses to win it by doing that.
MSU has one shot at this. They need to rattle Forcier early and they need to keep the crowd in it. This young Michigan team may get rattled by a hostile crowd and could buckle under the pressure MSU will surely try and put them under. I think Michigan pulls it off, but they probably let MSU hang around longer than they should.
5) No. 9 Ohio State at Indiana – 7:00 on Big Ten Network
I think Indiana is a lot better than people give them credit for, while Ohio State is overrated. Seriously, OSU gets Illinois last week and Terrelle Pryor looks like he would have trouble leading a high school team. Add on to that what Indiana did against Michigan on the road last week.
Indiana could have packed it in at any time and no one would have said a word about it. But they kept in the game and kept battling back and gave a big scare to the Wolverines. Beating OSU is fairly easy. Well, easy to plan, not exactly easy to implement.
Put the game in Pryor’s hands. Make him pass the ball. If Indiana can do that, they will be fine. Offensively, Indiana needs to play their game, take the shots when they come, and don’t do anything stupid. They beat Ohio State in yet another upset.
6) No. 21 Mississippi at Vanderbilt – 7:00 on ESPN U
I love how last week everyone was falling all over themselves praising Ole Miss and this week people are saying they need to look out for Vandy. Oh, the fickle winds of fate. Here’s a tip, if you have a talented team in the hands of Houston Nutt, you’re screwed.
Extra Point:
7) I’m taking the flip side of the coin and say this parity thing in college football is no good. How about we spread the upsets throughout the season instead of bludgeoning us about the head with them early in the season. If I were an Alabama fan, I would be wondering when McElroy’s knee was going to blow out.
The one thing about this parity thing that sucks is that I have to deal with these severely flawed teams moving into the top 5 or top 10. LSU is ranked 4th just because they are lucky enough not to have lost yet. Virginia Tech is ranked 6th and are the highest ranked 1 loss team. Seriously? I need some ACC team to wax VT so I don’t have to actively avoid the Orange Bowl again this year.
I think my main problem is that I have to deal with Oklahoma and Ohio State being back in the mix. I always feel like both teams are extremely overrated and become cannon fodder in the National Championship Game for whatever SEC school decides to win the conference. I just need to hope that Texas dispatches Oklahoma in a few weeks. I also need to stop using the Extra Point to rant against Oklahoma and Ohio State. Even if it is so much fun.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Trent's Touchdown - Week 3
This may sound strange, but the freshman quarterback’s out there definitely showed some poise and resilience in Week 2. With Kyle Parker nearly leading Clemson back while on the road in Georgia Tech to both Matt Barkley and Tate Forcier leading their teams back in 4th quarter rallies to win, these freshmen are making an impact. Makes you wonder why upperclassmen can’t get it done. But more on this later. Now, on to the Touchdown.
1) Tennessee at No. 1 Florida – 3:30 on CBS
Everything in me tells me this is going to be a blow-out, but for some reason I can’t buy into it. For one thing, you have Lane Kiffin’s remarks about beating Florida and Urban Meyer’s recruiting practices. The last thing you want to do is give Florida any bulletin board material.
For a second thing, the Tennessee quarterback is Jonathan Crompton. I would say I don’t trust him, but that pretty much goes without saying seeing as he is the Tennessee QB. Maybe Vols fans can help me here, but I can’t remember a Tennessee QB that was ever trustworthy.
But if you look past all the pesky facts, you have to think this will be a hard fought game. Tennessee has the whole “nobody believes in us” thing going for them. Plus, minus the diarrhea of the mouth, Kiffin is a good coach. Add on to that that Florida has pretty much had extended practice the last two games, this could equal something exciting. The defending champs will win, but expect some interesting stuff.
2) No. 14 Georgia Tech at No. 20 Miami – 7:30 on ESPN on Sept 17
Am I the only one who thinks that it’s unfair that you have three good teams in the ACC Coastal Division vying for the title while the winner of the Atlantic Division will be whoever messes up the least? Okay, just wanted to make sure.
I, for one, am a little shocked that Miami has started their turnaround this early. They will have problems with well-rounded teams, but they are good at keying to the run and shutting it down.
GT loves to run the ball. I nearly spit out my beer when I saw Nesbitt’s passing numbers against Clemson last week. I seriously thought the folks in the stat’s area at ESPN were making a joke. Plus, GT seems to lack the ability to finish off teams. That Clemson game should have been over by the half.
Miami will need to spread the ball on offense and limit dumb mistakes. If they key on the GT running game, they should be able to stop it. Expect it to stay close, but Miami will pull away with this one to give them a leg up on the rest of the ACC.
3) No. 19 Nebraska at No. 13 Virginia Tech – 3:30 on ABC
Man, if I keep putting ACC teams on this list, people might actually think it’s a good conference. However, you need to give VT credit for the non-conference schedule.
However, this game comes down to defense. You have the really good defense of VT and the “could be good in the future” defense of Nebraska. Nebraska really needs to be able to stop the run on the first few series and they should be good, thanks to the need of Tyrod Taylor to prove to people that he can throw.
On offense, Nebraska needs to be able to have a balanced attack, but willing to attack via the air at will when the VT defense steps up and stops the run. The good thing for Nebraska is that VT has an offensive style consistent with the middle of the road teams in their own division, so they should be used to it. They win, but it’s nowhere near as close as the score will indicate.
4) No. 3 USC at Washington – 3:30 on ABC
Yeah, yeah, I know what you’re thinking, but I think this has the possibility to be the best game on Saturday. Of course, it could be another USC blow-out. But, let’s break this thing down.
USC proved during the OSU game that they can stop the run but still have some issues stopping an inconsistent QB. Jake Locker is not Terrelle Pryor. If fact, the two should never be mentioned in the same sentence, as it insults Locker. Locker also has one of the top-flight offensive geniuses in his corner in Steve Sarkisian.
USC has a question mark at QB. Matt Barkley took a nasty hit in the OSU game and has a sore shoulder. Aaron Corp is looking to take his place if needed. This is a two pronged issue for USC. You can have either a less than 100% Barkley going for you or Corp, who may try to do too many things to prove he should be the starter.
Washington is making leaps and bounds in the defensive area and could disrupt a USC offense that is still trying to find its rhythm. Put a gun to my head, and I’ll take USC. Sit with me on Saturday and I’ll be rooting for Washington.
5) Florida State at No. 7 BYU – 7:00 on local channels
Mad props go to BYU as well for their non-conference schedule. They want to be taken seriously and FSU and Oklahoma will make people see them in a whole new light
This is really a tale of two programs. BYU is surging. Max Hall and the BYU offense is making people sit up and take notice. They have a defense that is able to keep good offenses in check and won’t make stupid mistakes. Even if the did, Hall is more than capable to win a shoot-out.
FSU on the other hand is looking pretty lame. The loss to the youthful Miami is one thing, but the near loss to Jacksonville State was just sad. I was embarrassed just watching it. Christian Ponder reminds me a lot of Drew Weatherford, good arm and good stats, but will fold like a lawn chair when the going gets tough.
BYU wins and wins big. They get more publicity and FSU starts to fade even earlier than normal and people being the “Does Bowden still have it?” discussion sometime during the 2nd quarter blowout loss to Georgia Tech.
6) Texas Tech at No. 2 Texas – 8:00 on ABC
I’m going to start listening to AC/DC’s “Rock and Roll Train” on a continuous loop starting sometime on Friday. When I start watching the game, I’m going to squint and pretend I see Harrell and Crabtree. I will also pretend that Texas is the same flawed team they were last year as they blow-out Texas Tech and I start debating whether to watch Eureka or Supernatural on my DVR.
Extra Point:
7) Sometime during Matt Barkley’s drive against OSU last week, I started wondering why freshmen QB’s were given the helm of some teams. Teams like USC have no problem recruiting, but they have three guys right now who could start and they would have no problems. Plus, they have top flight QB’s like Mitch Mustain transferring there from relatively safe spots like Arkansas (of course, if I got replaced by Casey Dick, I would leave too). Normally, you transfer to lesser schools (see Jevan Snead), not into fierce competition. Mustain’s idiocy got me thinking.
I say we petition the NCAA to let Mitch Mustain transfer again to Ohio State and not only not lose another year of eligibility, but let him start next week for them. OSU has a good team with a horrid QB. Mustain is not going to do anything but ride the pines for the rest of his time at USC. This is win-win for everyone. Plus, I might stop hating OSU. Okay, I probably won’t, but it’s worth a shot.
1) Tennessee at No. 1 Florida – 3:30 on CBS
Everything in me tells me this is going to be a blow-out, but for some reason I can’t buy into it. For one thing, you have Lane Kiffin’s remarks about beating Florida and Urban Meyer’s recruiting practices. The last thing you want to do is give Florida any bulletin board material.
For a second thing, the Tennessee quarterback is Jonathan Crompton. I would say I don’t trust him, but that pretty much goes without saying seeing as he is the Tennessee QB. Maybe Vols fans can help me here, but I can’t remember a Tennessee QB that was ever trustworthy.
But if you look past all the pesky facts, you have to think this will be a hard fought game. Tennessee has the whole “nobody believes in us” thing going for them. Plus, minus the diarrhea of the mouth, Kiffin is a good coach. Add on to that that Florida has pretty much had extended practice the last two games, this could equal something exciting. The defending champs will win, but expect some interesting stuff.
2) No. 14 Georgia Tech at No. 20 Miami – 7:30 on ESPN on Sept 17
Am I the only one who thinks that it’s unfair that you have three good teams in the ACC Coastal Division vying for the title while the winner of the Atlantic Division will be whoever messes up the least? Okay, just wanted to make sure.
I, for one, am a little shocked that Miami has started their turnaround this early. They will have problems with well-rounded teams, but they are good at keying to the run and shutting it down.
GT loves to run the ball. I nearly spit out my beer when I saw Nesbitt’s passing numbers against Clemson last week. I seriously thought the folks in the stat’s area at ESPN were making a joke. Plus, GT seems to lack the ability to finish off teams. That Clemson game should have been over by the half.
Miami will need to spread the ball on offense and limit dumb mistakes. If they key on the GT running game, they should be able to stop it. Expect it to stay close, but Miami will pull away with this one to give them a leg up on the rest of the ACC.
3) No. 19 Nebraska at No. 13 Virginia Tech – 3:30 on ABC
Man, if I keep putting ACC teams on this list, people might actually think it’s a good conference. However, you need to give VT credit for the non-conference schedule.
However, this game comes down to defense. You have the really good defense of VT and the “could be good in the future” defense of Nebraska. Nebraska really needs to be able to stop the run on the first few series and they should be good, thanks to the need of Tyrod Taylor to prove to people that he can throw.
On offense, Nebraska needs to be able to have a balanced attack, but willing to attack via the air at will when the VT defense steps up and stops the run. The good thing for Nebraska is that VT has an offensive style consistent with the middle of the road teams in their own division, so they should be used to it. They win, but it’s nowhere near as close as the score will indicate.
4) No. 3 USC at Washington – 3:30 on ABC
Yeah, yeah, I know what you’re thinking, but I think this has the possibility to be the best game on Saturday. Of course, it could be another USC blow-out. But, let’s break this thing down.
USC proved during the OSU game that they can stop the run but still have some issues stopping an inconsistent QB. Jake Locker is not Terrelle Pryor. If fact, the two should never be mentioned in the same sentence, as it insults Locker. Locker also has one of the top-flight offensive geniuses in his corner in Steve Sarkisian.
USC has a question mark at QB. Matt Barkley took a nasty hit in the OSU game and has a sore shoulder. Aaron Corp is looking to take his place if needed. This is a two pronged issue for USC. You can have either a less than 100% Barkley going for you or Corp, who may try to do too many things to prove he should be the starter.
Washington is making leaps and bounds in the defensive area and could disrupt a USC offense that is still trying to find its rhythm. Put a gun to my head, and I’ll take USC. Sit with me on Saturday and I’ll be rooting for Washington.
5) Florida State at No. 7 BYU – 7:00 on local channels
Mad props go to BYU as well for their non-conference schedule. They want to be taken seriously and FSU and Oklahoma will make people see them in a whole new light
This is really a tale of two programs. BYU is surging. Max Hall and the BYU offense is making people sit up and take notice. They have a defense that is able to keep good offenses in check and won’t make stupid mistakes. Even if the did, Hall is more than capable to win a shoot-out.
FSU on the other hand is looking pretty lame. The loss to the youthful Miami is one thing, but the near loss to Jacksonville State was just sad. I was embarrassed just watching it. Christian Ponder reminds me a lot of Drew Weatherford, good arm and good stats, but will fold like a lawn chair when the going gets tough.
BYU wins and wins big. They get more publicity and FSU starts to fade even earlier than normal and people being the “Does Bowden still have it?” discussion sometime during the 2nd quarter blowout loss to Georgia Tech.
6) Texas Tech at No. 2 Texas – 8:00 on ABC
I’m going to start listening to AC/DC’s “Rock and Roll Train” on a continuous loop starting sometime on Friday. When I start watching the game, I’m going to squint and pretend I see Harrell and Crabtree. I will also pretend that Texas is the same flawed team they were last year as they blow-out Texas Tech and I start debating whether to watch Eureka or Supernatural on my DVR.
Extra Point:
7) Sometime during Matt Barkley’s drive against OSU last week, I started wondering why freshmen QB’s were given the helm of some teams. Teams like USC have no problem recruiting, but they have three guys right now who could start and they would have no problems. Plus, they have top flight QB’s like Mitch Mustain transferring there from relatively safe spots like Arkansas (of course, if I got replaced by Casey Dick, I would leave too). Normally, you transfer to lesser schools (see Jevan Snead), not into fierce competition. Mustain’s idiocy got me thinking.
I say we petition the NCAA to let Mitch Mustain transfer again to Ohio State and not only not lose another year of eligibility, but let him start next week for them. OSU has a good team with a horrid QB. Mustain is not going to do anything but ride the pines for the rest of his time at USC. This is win-win for everyone. Plus, I might stop hating OSU. Okay, I probably won’t, but it’s worth a shot.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Trent's Touchdown - Week 2
So, we’re already one week in and the wacky world of college football is back in full swing. Not only did one of the elite teams of college football lose to a team from the Mountain West, but the reigning Heisman trophy winner is out for a couple of weeks due to a shoulder injury. Of course, let’s forget for a moment I called that (the loss, not the injury). But more on this later, let’s get to the Touchdown:
1) No. 3 USC at No. 8 Ohio State – 8:00 on ABC
As if there was any doubt that this would be the number 1 game of the week. Anyone who actually has any thought that Ohio State can beat USC needs to watch the last week’s games. You can make a case when a less talented team beats a more talented team that it was a case of match-ups. You can’t make that case in the Ohio State/Navy game.
USC is built to thrash any and all comers, even though I don’t think they can make it though the season unscathed. They are able to compete with any team irrespective of conference.
With Ohio State, they are built to play in the Big Ten and that’s it. They cannot match up with the top tier teams of the elite conferences. There main problem is Terrelle Pryor. He is a poor man’s version of Tyrod Taylor, and I don’t want Taylor leading my team into a big showdown, so I would be downright scared with Pryor at the helm.
If this thing is close after one quarter, I’ll be shocked. Let’s just hope it kills the chances of Ohio State to play in the National Championship Game, because I don’t need to see their flaws on display to the SEC team dujour.
2) Clemson at No. 15 Georgia Tech – 7:30 on ESPN on 9/10
After last week’s dismal performance by the ACC, I almost dropped this game down the list. However, this is an early, critical ACC match-up. With the FSU loss on Monday, a win could give Clemson an early 1 game lead over their division foes. Standing in their way is Georgia Tech.
Georgia Tech’s bread and butter is their running attack, led by star running back Jonathan Dwyer. They also employ the scary triple option, which gives teams fits. Clemson’s saving grace is that they have a very good run defense.
Clemson comes in with star running back C.J. Spiller, who is also extremely dangerous on kick returns. GT needs to try and stop Spiller and put the ball in the hands of freshman QB Kyle Parker. While Parker played well in the Middle Tennessee State game, his completion percentage was low and it is unclear on how the new kid will react under pressure situations. I think GT wins, but Clemson keeps it close, losing yet another heartbreaker.
3) No. 18 Notre Dame at Michigan – 3:30 on ABC
I didn’t think ND would make it out of the number 6 spot all year long. However, after last week’s skillful performance, I have to give them props. Last week gave ND fans hope that Jimmy Clausen has turned a corner and will become the QB that everyone was excited about when he arrived as a freshman.
This week will be the first real test for Clausen against a fairly competent team in a very hostile environment. While I don’t think Michigan will win the Big Ten, they will be able to compete and live to play the spoiler, while giving their young QB experience.
I really don’t think that Michigan can run with ND. They might be able to keep it close through a half, but adrenaline will only get you so far. Michigan needs a full game of consistent play; I just think they are too young to do it against a team like ND.
4) South Carolina at No. 21 Georgia – 7:00 on ESPN2
This was kind of a weird one for me to pick. On one hand, it is a classic, early season SEC throw down. On the other, both teams stunk up the joint last week. However, since this game is usually a close, hard fought game, it gets the nod.
Last week, both teams played well defensively, but looked lost on offense, something fans might find strange. However, both teams are still trying to find their offensive rhythm using two QB’s with limited game experience. It is basically going to come down to the team that makes the least amount of errors on offense.
I have to think it’s Georgia, because they are at home and I think they can beat some of the lower echelon team’s in the SEC. If you saw the NC State/South Carolina game, I think SC counts as that right now.
5) No. 9 BYU at Tulane – 3:30 on ESPN2
What’s that smell in the air? Oh yeah, it’s the smell of a trap game. Listen, I don’t care about all the talk, I really don’t think BYU is taking Tulane seriously.
And you know, that’s alright. Good teams can get away with that. However, great teams never deal with it. They just came off a stunning victory against Oklahoma and have their first home game against FSU next week; it is easy to overlook Tulane.
Unfortunately for Tulane, unless they poison Max Hall, they really don’t have a chance in this one. There offense is pitiful, and the BYU defense mixed schemes and pressured an overwhelmed Oklahoma offense all game last week. I think this one is over early.
6) Idaho State at No. 13 Oklahoma – 7:00 on local channels
This one is for all the Oklahoma fans who want to torture themselves. See that guy out there who looks like he’s going to pee his pants? That’s your quarterback for the next couple of weeks. Enjoy.
Extra Point:
7) Even without the BYU upset and the Bradford injury, week 1 was wacky. However, are you really shocked by anything that happens in college football now? I mean, when I woke up and found out that Blount pulled a Ron Artest after the Boise State/Oregon game, I wasn’t shocked by it, but tried to figure out how many games he would get suspended for.
When Jimmy Clausen decided to channel Brady Quinn’s Notre Dame ghost, I didn’t really bat an eyelash. The ACC proves (yet again) that they are an inferior conference, I felt more justified than anything. But this just proves it, that anything that can happen, will happen. We just have to sit back and enjoy the ride.
1) No. 3 USC at No. 8 Ohio State – 8:00 on ABC
As if there was any doubt that this would be the number 1 game of the week. Anyone who actually has any thought that Ohio State can beat USC needs to watch the last week’s games. You can make a case when a less talented team beats a more talented team that it was a case of match-ups. You can’t make that case in the Ohio State/Navy game.
USC is built to thrash any and all comers, even though I don’t think they can make it though the season unscathed. They are able to compete with any team irrespective of conference.
With Ohio State, they are built to play in the Big Ten and that’s it. They cannot match up with the top tier teams of the elite conferences. There main problem is Terrelle Pryor. He is a poor man’s version of Tyrod Taylor, and I don’t want Taylor leading my team into a big showdown, so I would be downright scared with Pryor at the helm.
If this thing is close after one quarter, I’ll be shocked. Let’s just hope it kills the chances of Ohio State to play in the National Championship Game, because I don’t need to see their flaws on display to the SEC team dujour.
2) Clemson at No. 15 Georgia Tech – 7:30 on ESPN on 9/10
After last week’s dismal performance by the ACC, I almost dropped this game down the list. However, this is an early, critical ACC match-up. With the FSU loss on Monday, a win could give Clemson an early 1 game lead over their division foes. Standing in their way is Georgia Tech.
Georgia Tech’s bread and butter is their running attack, led by star running back Jonathan Dwyer. They also employ the scary triple option, which gives teams fits. Clemson’s saving grace is that they have a very good run defense.
Clemson comes in with star running back C.J. Spiller, who is also extremely dangerous on kick returns. GT needs to try and stop Spiller and put the ball in the hands of freshman QB Kyle Parker. While Parker played well in the Middle Tennessee State game, his completion percentage was low and it is unclear on how the new kid will react under pressure situations. I think GT wins, but Clemson keeps it close, losing yet another heartbreaker.
3) No. 18 Notre Dame at Michigan – 3:30 on ABC
I didn’t think ND would make it out of the number 6 spot all year long. However, after last week’s skillful performance, I have to give them props. Last week gave ND fans hope that Jimmy Clausen has turned a corner and will become the QB that everyone was excited about when he arrived as a freshman.
This week will be the first real test for Clausen against a fairly competent team in a very hostile environment. While I don’t think Michigan will win the Big Ten, they will be able to compete and live to play the spoiler, while giving their young QB experience.
I really don’t think that Michigan can run with ND. They might be able to keep it close through a half, but adrenaline will only get you so far. Michigan needs a full game of consistent play; I just think they are too young to do it against a team like ND.
4) South Carolina at No. 21 Georgia – 7:00 on ESPN2
This was kind of a weird one for me to pick. On one hand, it is a classic, early season SEC throw down. On the other, both teams stunk up the joint last week. However, since this game is usually a close, hard fought game, it gets the nod.
Last week, both teams played well defensively, but looked lost on offense, something fans might find strange. However, both teams are still trying to find their offensive rhythm using two QB’s with limited game experience. It is basically going to come down to the team that makes the least amount of errors on offense.
I have to think it’s Georgia, because they are at home and I think they can beat some of the lower echelon team’s in the SEC. If you saw the NC State/South Carolina game, I think SC counts as that right now.
5) No. 9 BYU at Tulane – 3:30 on ESPN2
What’s that smell in the air? Oh yeah, it’s the smell of a trap game. Listen, I don’t care about all the talk, I really don’t think BYU is taking Tulane seriously.
And you know, that’s alright. Good teams can get away with that. However, great teams never deal with it. They just came off a stunning victory against Oklahoma and have their first home game against FSU next week; it is easy to overlook Tulane.
Unfortunately for Tulane, unless they poison Max Hall, they really don’t have a chance in this one. There offense is pitiful, and the BYU defense mixed schemes and pressured an overwhelmed Oklahoma offense all game last week. I think this one is over early.
6) Idaho State at No. 13 Oklahoma – 7:00 on local channels
This one is for all the Oklahoma fans who want to torture themselves. See that guy out there who looks like he’s going to pee his pants? That’s your quarterback for the next couple of weeks. Enjoy.
Extra Point:
7) Even without the BYU upset and the Bradford injury, week 1 was wacky. However, are you really shocked by anything that happens in college football now? I mean, when I woke up and found out that Blount pulled a Ron Artest after the Boise State/Oregon game, I wasn’t shocked by it, but tried to figure out how many games he would get suspended for.
When Jimmy Clausen decided to channel Brady Quinn’s Notre Dame ghost, I didn’t really bat an eyelash. The ACC proves (yet again) that they are an inferior conference, I felt more justified than anything. But this just proves it, that anything that can happen, will happen. We just have to sit back and enjoy the ride.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Trent's Touchdown - Week 1
Oh man, it’s the best time of the year not associated with a bearded fat man. That’s right; it’s the beginning of college football season. I’m not sure what I’m more excited about, the fact that I get college football every Saturday until December or that I just found out that someone uploaded the second season of Ashes to Ashes to YouTube (take that BBC America). More on my giddy enthusiasm later. Now, on to the Touchdown.
1) No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 7 Virginia Tech – 8:00 on ABC in Atlanta
Oh man, this game is causing this Clemson fan to have flashbacks to last years opener in which Alabama demolished the Tigers in route to a BCS bowl. I think if you look at this, you’ll have pretty much that same result as last year.
Even though Bama has a new QB in Greg McElroy, there defense is coming back with eight starters, and that will be the key for them all year. Now, VT will have the same starting QB they had last year, but Tyrod Taylor isn’t exactly Steady Eddie. Plus, they lost their running back to an ACL tear and get a redshirt freshman in the backfield. Good times….if you’re the Bama defense. I seriously think Bama takes this with ease.
2) No. 13 Georgia at No. 9 Oklahoma State – 3:30 on ABC
I’m a little excited about this game, because I get to see one of the reasons I changed my opinion about the Big 12, Oklahoma State. Yes, expect me to carry the Cowboy’s water all season long in the Touchdown.
Oklahoma State comes in with one of the most explosive offenses in the country with QB Zac Robinson, RB Kendall Hunter, and WR Dez Bryant. Expect them to light up the scoreboard. On the flip side, I would expect Georgia to play steady ball feeding the ball to their RB’s and trying to stretch the field with AJ Green.
The Cowboy’s problem is the same as every Big 12 team with a good offense. They face a good defense and they buckle like a belt (see Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech from last year). I think Georgia can keep it close, but the Oklahoma State offense will carry the day.
3) No. 16 Oregon at No. 14 Boise State – 10:15 on ESPN on 9/3
You know its college football time when you see blue turf. This is a rematch of last year’s opening game between the two, in which Boise State beat Oregon on their home field. It’s for that reason that Oregon is fired up for this one.
Oregon’s starting QB, Jeremiah Masoli, was very effective last year but was inconsequential in last year’s game when he was knocked out of the game by a late hit and he’s looking for a little payback. Although the Duck’s lost their starting running back to the NFL, the back-up did gain 1,000 yards and is ready to carry the load.
Boise State, on the other hand, had one of the top scoring defenses in the country last year and hasn’t lost a regular season game at home since 2001. Oregon will be the team that ends that streak.
4) No. 20 BYU vs. No. 3 Oklahoma - 7:00 on ESPN in Arlington, TX
Two of the best QB’s in the country get to face off against one another as Max Hall leads the BYU Cougars against Sam Bradford and Oklahoma. As we all know, Oklahoma went on to lose, again, to an SEC opponent in the National Championship Game (they are like Ohio State at this point). I have to try and steer clear of my “Why Oklahoma Sucks” rant.
I think BYU has this one. Now, before you start laughing hysterically, I actually have a good reason for this. While BYU is mega-talented, they have nothing to play for. They want nothing more to take it to Oklahoma and prove they deserve some acclaim. Oklahoma, on the other hand, has to try and avenge the loss from last year and shake the “Ohio State” label that I slapped them with.
Florida was nice enough to write the “How To Beat Oklahoma” handbook last year. Tip Number 1; harass the hell out of Sam Bradford. With four new starters on the offensive line, I expect this will easier than last year. BYU will need to hit early and often when they have the ball and try and disrupt Bradford, which I think they can do. Okay, you can start to laugh now.
5) No. 11 LSU at Washington – 10:30 on ESPN
Normally this game wouldn’t do anything for me, but I love the QB in this game. If you think I’m talking about Jordan Jefferson, just stop reading now. I’m a big time Jake Locker fan.
We should get to see Locker air it out with new coach and former USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian at the helm. I have a strong suspicion that Washington will do better this year than their winless effort last year. However, that is not to say they will beat LSU.
LSU, even with shaky QB play, should take this handily against the poor defense of Washington. There is only so much Locker can do, and while I think they will win some good games this year, this isn’t one of them.
6) Miami at No. 18 Florida State – 8:00 on ESPN on 9/7
Remember when this game used to have National Championship implications for both teams? Remember when we would all eagerly anticipate this game? Now, they are just fighting for the middle of the ACC standings.
Extra Point:
7) While I’m all excited about the return of college football, my wife is on the other end of the spectrum. Her reaction when I mentioned it last week: “oh great, I lose my husband for every Saturday for the next 4 months.” It’s just been so long dealing with prima donna professional athletes, performance enhancing drugs, and contract holdouts that I just want something a little more pure in my sports. Thankfully, we have college football. Yes, it has its flaws, but there is just something about it that makes me feel that this is what sports are all about. Especially when Ohio State and Oklahoma lose.
1) No. 5 Alabama vs. No. 7 Virginia Tech – 8:00 on ABC in Atlanta
Oh man, this game is causing this Clemson fan to have flashbacks to last years opener in which Alabama demolished the Tigers in route to a BCS bowl. I think if you look at this, you’ll have pretty much that same result as last year.
Even though Bama has a new QB in Greg McElroy, there defense is coming back with eight starters, and that will be the key for them all year. Now, VT will have the same starting QB they had last year, but Tyrod Taylor isn’t exactly Steady Eddie. Plus, they lost their running back to an ACL tear and get a redshirt freshman in the backfield. Good times….if you’re the Bama defense. I seriously think Bama takes this with ease.
2) No. 13 Georgia at No. 9 Oklahoma State – 3:30 on ABC
I’m a little excited about this game, because I get to see one of the reasons I changed my opinion about the Big 12, Oklahoma State. Yes, expect me to carry the Cowboy’s water all season long in the Touchdown.
Oklahoma State comes in with one of the most explosive offenses in the country with QB Zac Robinson, RB Kendall Hunter, and WR Dez Bryant. Expect them to light up the scoreboard. On the flip side, I would expect Georgia to play steady ball feeding the ball to their RB’s and trying to stretch the field with AJ Green.
The Cowboy’s problem is the same as every Big 12 team with a good offense. They face a good defense and they buckle like a belt (see Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Texas Tech from last year). I think Georgia can keep it close, but the Oklahoma State offense will carry the day.
3) No. 16 Oregon at No. 14 Boise State – 10:15 on ESPN on 9/3
You know its college football time when you see blue turf. This is a rematch of last year’s opening game between the two, in which Boise State beat Oregon on their home field. It’s for that reason that Oregon is fired up for this one.
Oregon’s starting QB, Jeremiah Masoli, was very effective last year but was inconsequential in last year’s game when he was knocked out of the game by a late hit and he’s looking for a little payback. Although the Duck’s lost their starting running back to the NFL, the back-up did gain 1,000 yards and is ready to carry the load.
Boise State, on the other hand, had one of the top scoring defenses in the country last year and hasn’t lost a regular season game at home since 2001. Oregon will be the team that ends that streak.
4) No. 20 BYU vs. No. 3 Oklahoma - 7:00 on ESPN in Arlington, TX
Two of the best QB’s in the country get to face off against one another as Max Hall leads the BYU Cougars against Sam Bradford and Oklahoma. As we all know, Oklahoma went on to lose, again, to an SEC opponent in the National Championship Game (they are like Ohio State at this point). I have to try and steer clear of my “Why Oklahoma Sucks” rant.
I think BYU has this one. Now, before you start laughing hysterically, I actually have a good reason for this. While BYU is mega-talented, they have nothing to play for. They want nothing more to take it to Oklahoma and prove they deserve some acclaim. Oklahoma, on the other hand, has to try and avenge the loss from last year and shake the “Ohio State” label that I slapped them with.
Florida was nice enough to write the “How To Beat Oklahoma” handbook last year. Tip Number 1; harass the hell out of Sam Bradford. With four new starters on the offensive line, I expect this will easier than last year. BYU will need to hit early and often when they have the ball and try and disrupt Bradford, which I think they can do. Okay, you can start to laugh now.
5) No. 11 LSU at Washington – 10:30 on ESPN
Normally this game wouldn’t do anything for me, but I love the QB in this game. If you think I’m talking about Jordan Jefferson, just stop reading now. I’m a big time Jake Locker fan.
We should get to see Locker air it out with new coach and former USC offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian at the helm. I have a strong suspicion that Washington will do better this year than their winless effort last year. However, that is not to say they will beat LSU.
LSU, even with shaky QB play, should take this handily against the poor defense of Washington. There is only so much Locker can do, and while I think they will win some good games this year, this isn’t one of them.
6) Miami at No. 18 Florida State – 8:00 on ESPN on 9/7
Remember when this game used to have National Championship implications for both teams? Remember when we would all eagerly anticipate this game? Now, they are just fighting for the middle of the ACC standings.
Extra Point:
7) While I’m all excited about the return of college football, my wife is on the other end of the spectrum. Her reaction when I mentioned it last week: “oh great, I lose my husband for every Saturday for the next 4 months.” It’s just been so long dealing with prima donna professional athletes, performance enhancing drugs, and contract holdouts that I just want something a little more pure in my sports. Thankfully, we have college football. Yes, it has its flaws, but there is just something about it that makes me feel that this is what sports are all about. Especially when Ohio State and Oklahoma lose.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Addendum to Yesterday
Because I’m a lazy, forgetful bitch, I totally forgot one of the points I was going to make in my last entry, so I’m making it now. So, consider this an addendum to yesterday’s entry.
I’ve noticed recently that Sci-Fi Channel (or Syfy or whatever the hell they are calling themselves this week) has a major hard-on over Nikola Tesla. For those too lazy to click on the Wikipedia link, Tesla was Serbian investor and mechanical and electrical engineer. The reason we have electricity is mostly because of his work. He is also regarded as the inventor of the radio. So, he’s pretty high class, yet not so well known.
Anyway, three current Syfy shows future Tesla or his inventions in some way. First, let’s look at Eureka. Of course you would expect a town full of scientists and eggheads to bow down to anything scientific. So, the town’s high school is named Tesla, and their school mascot is the Coils. Cute.
Then, we move to Sanctuary. In this show, Tesla portrays a former colleague of Helen Magnus and one of his scientific experiments turned him into a vampire. He also pretty much becomes the bad guy at the end of the season. So, not such a positive portrayal.
Lastly, we come to the new Syfy show Warehouse 13. Not only did Tesla help design the actual warehouse, but his inventions are still used by the team. We get the Tesla Gun, which, while horribly temperamental, shoots electrical energy to incapacitate the victim and wipe their short-term memory. Think of it like a low-end taser.
Now, I get the fact that Syfy needs to ground itself in science in order to give us plausible fiction, but why is it always Tesla? Why can’t you give us some other crackpot scientist? I don’t have anything against Tesla, I just want some variety. Of course, I wonder why they are even trying to be plausible. I mean, they didn’t do that in the Syfy movie "Yeti" and I still shudder when I think about that piece of crap.
I’ve noticed recently that Sci-Fi Channel (or Syfy or whatever the hell they are calling themselves this week) has a major hard-on over Nikola Tesla. For those too lazy to click on the Wikipedia link, Tesla was Serbian investor and mechanical and electrical engineer. The reason we have electricity is mostly because of his work. He is also regarded as the inventor of the radio. So, he’s pretty high class, yet not so well known.
Anyway, three current Syfy shows future Tesla or his inventions in some way. First, let’s look at Eureka. Of course you would expect a town full of scientists and eggheads to bow down to anything scientific. So, the town’s high school is named Tesla, and their school mascot is the Coils. Cute.
Then, we move to Sanctuary. In this show, Tesla portrays a former colleague of Helen Magnus and one of his scientific experiments turned him into a vampire. He also pretty much becomes the bad guy at the end of the season. So, not such a positive portrayal.
Lastly, we come to the new Syfy show Warehouse 13. Not only did Tesla help design the actual warehouse, but his inventions are still used by the team. We get the Tesla Gun, which, while horribly temperamental, shoots electrical energy to incapacitate the victim and wipe their short-term memory. Think of it like a low-end taser.
Now, I get the fact that Syfy needs to ground itself in science in order to give us plausible fiction, but why is it always Tesla? Why can’t you give us some other crackpot scientist? I don’t have anything against Tesla, I just want some variety. Of course, I wonder why they are even trying to be plausible. I mean, they didn’t do that in the Syfy movie "Yeti" and I still shudder when I think about that piece of crap.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Tampons, Robin Hood, and Other Thoughts
I was watching the Red Sox/Yankees tussle on Saturday on FOX (because I like to torture myself with horrid commentary) and I heard one of the most inane things ever uttered that didn’t come from the mouth of Tim McCarver. Ken Rosenthal, reporting from some deep, dark area of Fenway, said that it would be a good thing for the Sox to add Billy Wagner because he would be a left handed compliment to Hideki Okajima.
I actually had to rewind to make sure I heard that correctly. That would have been a perfectly normal statement to make if Okajima wasn’t a lefty. Unfortunately for Rosenthal, he is a lefty. Saying this is like saying you need to add Kim Kardashian to the cast of The Ghost Whisper because you need a busty, brunette compliment to Jennifer Love Hewitt. Hey Rosenthal, hand the mic to someone who does their homework.
Another highlight was when McCarver was droning on about some old time baseball story that he likes to bore us with. It wasn’t the story itself, but more the reaction of the Duchess. When telling the story, the camera focused on center field, which had a huge sign for Stop & Shop on it, which is the official grocery store of the Boston Red Sox.
If you live in New England, the Boston Red Sox have an official everything, and those places advertise the fact (i.e. Jordan’s is the official furniture store of the Boston Red Sox). I think the Duchess finally snapped, because all of a sudden she’s like “Can you tell me what the official tampon is of the Boston Red Sox, because I want to buy that?” Its times like this that make me realize why I married her.
Now, I’ve been pretty amped about this summer’s string of good shows. My DVR has been running pretty much every night. However, I finally had an ad make me sit up and take notice. Yes, come September, BBC America is bringing us the third season of Robin Hood. Before you scoff, it’s actually a good show. Not only that, they took a huge chance by killing off Maid Marian at the end of the second season. I personally want to see how they balance Robin’s moral compass with his overall burning desire to kill Gisborne.
Frankly, if I was Robin, I would have put in arrow in the chest of the Sherriff by the second episode and Gisborne not very long after. Of course, you don’t have much of a show after that, but I’ve never really been a big picture sort of guy.
I actually had to rewind to make sure I heard that correctly. That would have been a perfectly normal statement to make if Okajima wasn’t a lefty. Unfortunately for Rosenthal, he is a lefty. Saying this is like saying you need to add Kim Kardashian to the cast of The Ghost Whisper because you need a busty, brunette compliment to Jennifer Love Hewitt. Hey Rosenthal, hand the mic to someone who does their homework.
Another highlight was when McCarver was droning on about some old time baseball story that he likes to bore us with. It wasn’t the story itself, but more the reaction of the Duchess. When telling the story, the camera focused on center field, which had a huge sign for Stop & Shop on it, which is the official grocery store of the Boston Red Sox.
If you live in New England, the Boston Red Sox have an official everything, and those places advertise the fact (i.e. Jordan’s is the official furniture store of the Boston Red Sox). I think the Duchess finally snapped, because all of a sudden she’s like “Can you tell me what the official tampon is of the Boston Red Sox, because I want to buy that?” Its times like this that make me realize why I married her.
Now, I’ve been pretty amped about this summer’s string of good shows. My DVR has been running pretty much every night. However, I finally had an ad make me sit up and take notice. Yes, come September, BBC America is bringing us the third season of Robin Hood. Before you scoff, it’s actually a good show. Not only that, they took a huge chance by killing off Maid Marian at the end of the second season. I personally want to see how they balance Robin’s moral compass with his overall burning desire to kill Gisborne.
Frankly, if I was Robin, I would have put in arrow in the chest of the Sherriff by the second episode and Gisborne not very long after. Of course, you don’t have much of a show after that, but I’ve never really been a big picture sort of guy.
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