Oregon v LSU: Part Deaux

The BCS standings are more disputed than the appetizer selection at Outback steakhouse on a redneck Thanksgiving.

But if everything continues to go in this direction that is so inevitably appears to be then the BCS is in good shape. Louisiana State and Oklahoma State are on the path to meet at the Superdome in New Orleans. They, and Houston which could win 20 games this year and not go to the Championship Game, are the only undefeated teams in the nation. But what if it doesn’t?

Oklahoma State, assuming that they win out to go undefeated, deserves a spot in the National Title game on January 9^th. Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon are as good a combination as we’ve seen in college football.

What if, by most sort of fluke, the Cowboys trip up over the course of the last two weeks? (They are sort of lucky, or unlucky depending on how you look at it, due to the conference realignment. There is no Big XII Championship game because the league does not field enough teams.)

Who is going to go play LSU? It will be a rematch, for whom a second chance is given would be the sole factor now.

Alabama or Oregon? Houndstooth apples or third-alternate oranges?

You probably couldn’t go wrong with either, but Oregon (in my respectfully omnipotent opinion) should get their number called.

The Ducks are the best coached team in the nation, hands down. Their class is only equivalent to their skill and only slightly behind their unbridled speed. The Ducks did lose to LSU 40-27 at Cowboy Stadium on the opening weekend of the college football season, but they have come a long way ever since.

They “made Stanford look like a JV team,” said respected analyst Kirk Herbstreit. And the Tide had their shot, midseason form in the game of the century, at home, and they couldn’t pull it off.

Oregon is arguably the best and deepest team in the nation. Chip Kelly’s team is ready to go down to Louisiana and take on what can only be assumed to be a pro-Tiger crowd. It will be Oregon versus LSU; Part Deaux.

Classic ‘Carrier Classic’

America’s pastime is baseball on a chilly October night. It’s traditional and elegant; it’s Joe Buck and the St Louis Cardinals. But America’s present-time is most definitely college basketball. It’s innovative and eloquent; it’s Gus Johnson and the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Where else would you expect the most influential man in the free world, President Barack Obama, watching the biggest game on the opening weekend of college basketball? As only Andy Samberg can put it; on a boat.

The first-ever, ironically named ‘Carrier Classic’ could not have been better.

It pitted two of the most successful programs, Michigan State and North Carolina, led by two of the best coaches in the game, Tom Izzo and Roy Williams, on the flight deck of the ship that accomplished the most successful mission in the US’s fight against terrorism.

The USS Carl Vinson was the ship that took Osama Bin Laden’s body out to sea. It showed genuine creativity and a good-hearted spirit. The 4.5 acre top of the flight deck hosted just 7,500 fans, most of who continue to serve this country. The referees of the game all had a military background. And the players were wearing camouflage-like jersey to smooth out the icing on the top.

The game, although not very close on the scoreboard, but like every other college game it kept you hooked until the very last buzzer. It honored some of the most distinguished and unselfish people the only way they knew how; with a game and what a beautiful game it is.

Collin Klein is a Heisman sleeper

The kid from little Loveland, Colorado is getting no love.

Junior Collin Klein in undoubtedly the most unstoppable force at Kansas State. He’s leading the most surprising team in the nation to one of the most prolific seasons in school history. There are 5 or 6 players that are, in number of popular votes, ahead of the Wildcat quarterback.

Klein goes to school in the Little Apple (Manhattan, Kansas) but he has at least earned a trip to the Big Apple.

He has 34 total touchdowns through just 10 games. And he’s done it in one of the best, most physical conferences (Big XII) in America. Klein has, on average rushed for 100 yards and 3 touchdowns per game. He leads the nation in rushing touchdowns, and that includes all the running backs. He’s also rushed for more than every quarterback than one (Chandler Harnish from NIU) and he’s 150 yards ahead of Denard Robinson.

Not to mention his even less notarized passing skills. Klein has thrown for 10 touchdowns, or as many as AJ McCarron (Alabama quarterback) and John McEntee (UCONN quarterback and trivial-gun-slinger extraordinaire).

Klein has led his team, in his first year as a starter, to an 8-2 record. And more than a friendly pat on the back he should be in the conversation for the Heisman Trophy.

Sportsmag Packages 11/11/11

Sportsmag Packages.

Jon Embree's team is young but on Saturday it will be all about the seniors. Twenty-eight senior will graduate after this season but they have left their legacy here in Boulder. Embree asked the underclassmen to write letters to the seniors, and how they turned out... you'll just have to watch and see.

The Pac-12 is the 'Conference of Champions' and the first two ever champions to be crowned in the new conference were both from Boulder. The men's and woman's cross country squads swept the field in Tempe and are excited for the opportunity to take this momentum with them into the NCAA Nationals.

Amy Barczuk was invited to play at the U-23 National Soccer Camp. The junior is an up and coming star for the Buffs with the potential to play for the stars and stripes in the future. But her journey has come with hard work and a lot of family support.

A Streak of 3-D

“There was no interference from that…. Um…. Yay-hoo,” said the referee following an incomplete pass by Tyler Hansen on third down.

While all the fans at the game were disappointed, the popular voters at home were thankful even noticeable grateful that he still had his clothes on. What could have been a disaster in the second-EVER 3-D broadcast turned out to be nothing more than a meaningless prank.

The streaker, if we true fans can even call him that came onto Folsom Field could have single handedly (I refrain, too easy of a joke) made ESPN question its production value. And how could a little thing, a small infraction like that, have such big implications for the largest network in the sports arena?

All kidding aside, 3-D television doesn’t seem to be the next new thing. It won’t sizzle, but it won’t take off either.

Fans at home, and sometimes people even at the stadium get caught doing it, watch the two-dimensional version of the contest to their bemusement. There is no reason to think that people will want to bring this into their home; it may be an interesting improvement of technology but only a step forward to something more dramatic.

The ‘Wall-E’ shaped cameras may start to replace fingerprint covered binoculars. People will come back, they can’t stay away. HD, 3-D or Heavy-D (R.I.P. and he will be missed), by Dwight’s dimension definition, they paved the way and yet there is more to come.

Conference Mixup could spell trouble for BCS

If you trade Pogs with your freckled-face neighbor who has (gasp) a trampoline you would be able to understand what is going on with the conference realignment in the NCAA.

But since none of us are living in the 20^th century (knowing now that trampolines are way too dangerous) and we can’t help but dissect the ever-changing scenarios that exist with new teams in new conferences we are hidden from the mass implications of these occurrences. They are putting filters over our eyes to prevent us from realizing what is happening on the largest, most-polar issue of college athletics.

Teams look to find a home in conferences that make no sense numerically, geographically or phonetically. They’re plighting a rearrangement in hopes of finding a sense of cohesion amongst its past and the future. And yet, what everyone is overlooking is a BCS stir up.

The closer we find ourselves to ‘Super-Conferences’ the closer we are to getting rid of the BCS. (‘No, he did not just say “NO BCS,” did he?’)

As teams and Universities come together the more power these grouping will have. They will be able to pursue what they believe to be right. The Presidents of these Universities have, rightly or wrongly, a final vote in the direction of where their grouping interests lie. And it would not be hard to gain the majority of said group in favor of a playoff system.

Overthrowing several conferences, now of equal reputation and stature, could be possible. Prior to a mixup, getting major conference to vote ‘pro-BCS’ would be difficult. Even though the SEC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-10, Big East, ACC all want a playoff, they probably wouldn’t go for it. They would not be willing to give up an at-large selection when they believe their conference deserves a second, even third nomination.

But with only a few major contenders, made relatively equal, they may find the incentive to take down the BCS.

Conferences would not lose the money they are extremely worried about losing, and almost most importantly, they would satisfy millions of college football fans who have been pleading for this for numerous years. It’s a transition to a win-win, and evolution to a new era of college football.