Oregon Uniforms Top the List

Pasadena isn't necessarily know for its fashion scene. They usually leave the trends, and slow moving traffic to the people of Los Angeles. But in an odd Rose Bowl, one that was played on January 2nd, both those came west for the Grand-Daddy of them All. 

The Rose Bowl Parade is nothing new, as the traditions of the game run as deep as Mariana's Trench. But the sense of style, in the form of new uniforms and slick metallic gleamed helmets, was all the buzz. (If Tweeting and Twitter make a buzz, then what do bees make?But thats for another day.)

Yet the uniforms were nothing more than a cover up.

Oregon is arguably one of the best teams in the nation. They consistently bring in talent, and aren't in the process of slowing down anytime soon. (On and off the field.) But while the plethora of skill and swag the Ducks have there is one thing they is the overriding factor in why they are where they are right now. And that is coaching.

The Ducks are the most well coached team in college football. Chip Kelly knows how to get players to commit to the program, to come to Eugene and to buy into his system, and he knows how to coach football in this day in age.

They play fast and they win. Oh, and they look the part. 

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.

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.

'Luck' be the Lady

Architectural designer or #1 overall pick?

Sounds like a tough decision… I guess it actually was, because Stanford QB Andrew Luck has made the decision to return to college for his redshirt-Junior year (I've been corrected, good research sir) and get his degree.

Although it seems like the right decision in a world where athletes tend to make the wrong decisions, I definitely see it differently… IT MAKES NO SENSE.

Hear me out, okay!

Everyone is gawking over Andrew Luck like you’re pig roast in Arkansas. Your stock is literally as high as it’s ever going to be while at Stanford. You declare yourself eligible for the draft and go as the #1 pick to the Carolina Panthers, sign a contract somewhere in the thin Bel-Air range of $55 million, and probably play as a rookie in ahead of Matt Moore and Jimmy Clausen.

Instead you stay in Palo Alto, go to the tutors for a 4^th year and graduate. Learn an entirely new system under a new coach. Go to the NFL, maybe, if there isn’t a lockout already happening or you got hurt like Sam Bradford did. Then your future is up in the air.

PROS>CONS. Isn’t that what we learn in college, especially at a prestigious university like Stanford, is how to make the right/logical/rational/smart/I’m just using the thesaurus now/wise/coherent/keen decisions in life??

[This makes absolutely no sense to me. Jim Harbaugh is undoubtedly leaving, so you put the extra work of learning a new system and new leadership. You just broke every single record in the Stanford record book, including team records. (This is the first year ever Stanford has won 11 games) So you put the bar ridiculously high for your expectations. And finally you go back to get your degree. When will that come in handy? After college, when you are looking for employment? I don’t think you’ll have to worry about retiring to a stress free life with that $55 million in the bank, possibly.

I don’t want to say it, but maybe he knows something we don’t. Something he isn’t telling us….]

Thanks to Peter, for making these crazy ideas come out of me.

College Bowl Pick'em ROUND 2

A year ago TODAY I predicted the outcomes of all 34 college bowl games. And how did it turn out you may ask… um…. eh…. not so well in fact.

I was 15-19, very un-‘Swami’-like.

But I feel I have learned from my mistakes and have vowed to do better. In the 10 games I was most unsure about I went 2-8; I gotta do better in the close games to be successful. And venue has no barring, last year I focused on that too much; this year I will look at it as if every game is being played on the moon.

So here we go… ALL 35 GAMES… 35 being the most confident and 1 the most unsure.

35. I put Fresno State in this spot last year, but this year they don’t fail me.

34. Hawai’i wins the Hawai’I Bowl. They are unreal offensively, and have only lost to USC, Boise State and Colorado. Makes sense to me.

33. Southern Miss has scored 30+ points every game this year except 2. But Louisville has potential, they are 6-6 by winning their last game of the year. Could be a trap game.

32. Nevada has no problem with Boston College. BC started the season 2-5 before winning 5 straight over 5 weeks to end the season HOT. The layoff hurts them and hopefully the Wolfpack doesn’t get complacent thinking they could be the in Title game if they had only beaten Hawai’i.

31. Navy controls the clock and takes down San Diego St. It has been a Cinderella year for the Aztecs, but the Mids won’t mind ringing their bell, both literally and figuratively.

30. Toledo blasts Florida International. It’s FIU’s first ever bowl game, and the big stage slows them down.

29. Boise State beats Utah. Kellen Moore and the rest of the Broncos once again come out fired up think they deserve respect… may hang close to 50 on the Utes.

28. Nebraska has no problem with Washington. The Huskers already beat the Huskies this year… oh the score was 56-21.

27. UTEP beats BYU. I don’t know why people are favoring the Cougars so much. Their last 4 wins have come against CSU, WYO, UNLV and UNM. Some may its risky, but I have a soft spot for the Miners from West Texas.

26. West Virginia rolls past NC St. Both are good teams with near misses several times. WV is just too tough when they play Mountaineer football like Bill Stewart has them playing.

25. Fear the Turtle. Maryland over ECU

24. The Golden Domers could be real good the next couple of years with Tommy Rees and Dayne Crist, and this bowl game could spring them back into form.

23. Pitt past Kentucky. Dave Wannstedt is out, but the Panthers rally to find a way to win.

22. Oklahoma almost stumbles on UCONN. Everyone thinks this one won’t be a contest, I think it will. Oklahoma will obviously win, but not as wide a margin as everyone is thinking.

21. Baylor beats Illinois. Robert Griffin III will use his dual threat to torch the Red Raiders in a shootout in Texas.

20. Northwestern break the 72 year drought by beating Texas Tech. They’re due.

19. SMU is back and beats Army. June Jones has awakened a beast in the Mustang program, and he leads the team to a 2^nd bowl victory in 2 years.

18. You don’t give Denard Robinson 3 weeks off and live to tell about it. Mississippi State is good but remember the first 5 weeks of season, we’ll see Robinson as that player once again.

17. South Carolina easily thumps Jimbo Fisher and the Seminoles. The Gamecocks were in the SEC title game and are yet to get respect. Alshon Jeffery is a hidden star, and Marcus Lattimore will run wide.

16. Miami (OH) has no trouble with MTU. Middle Tennessee always finds a way to jump up and bight me, not this year though.

15. Clemson is inept on offense but the Bulls will give up a few big plays that cost them the game.

14. Missouri too good for Iowa. This will be Ricky Stanzi’s last game as a Hawkeye, but the emotions and Tigers will be too much to overcome one last time. Although it will be close, the only way Stanzi know how to play college football.

13. Air Force will have its hands full with Georgia Tech, but many bruises later comes out victorious.

12. Stanford only lost to Oregon in Eugene.

11. Oklahoma State beats Arizona. Mike Gundy and Mike Stoops will be in constant death glare across the field. But Stoops will blink first as the Cowboys prevail.

10. Ohio State whoops Arkansas. Last year’s Rose Bowl may have secretly jumpstarted a long trend of bowl wins for the Buckeyes. But Ryan Mallett has to play well to keep the NFL scouts hungry.

9. Alabama is just good enough to get past Michigan State. People say the Tide are the most talented team in the nation, and have yet to prove it. Once again they squeak by with a win.

8. North Carolina beats Tennessee. The Tar Heels are no longer just a basketball school.

7. Kansas State bashes Syracuse. Syracuse has had one of their best years since the McNabb era. But KSU is a little better.

6. Troy is victorious against Ohio. I don’t know why but this just feels right.

5. Auburn and Cam Newton beat Oregon. Chip Kelly just has too many youngsters and the lights will be just a little bright. Like Texas in 2005-06, Auburn just seems to be the destined team carried by a superstar.

4. Georgia is better than their record and beats UCF. Mark Richt and the Bulldogs have had an awful year. But 6 wins later and a new UGA the Dawgs will still get it done.

3. Florida wins in Urban Meyers last game, this year. The Gators will come out ready to play, this could be a tough couple weeks of practice in Gainesville.

2. Wisconsin beats TCU. The Horned Frogs looked star struck a year ago, I don’t think Andy Dalton will make the same mistakes. But the Badgers score more on the gridiron than on the hardwood and won’t be slowed down now.

1. LSU slides by Texas A&M. Jerrod Johnson who?