Kurt Warner Has Outlasted the AFL

Here's an interesting timeline:

1971 - Kurt Warner is born
1987 - The AFL begins
1995 - The Iowa Barnstormers are added to the AFL
1995 - Kurt Warner signs a contract with the Iowa Barnstormers
1997 - Kurt Warner makes AFL history as one of the best AFL quarterbacks to date
1998 - Kurt Warner signs a contract with the St. Louis Rams
1999 - Kurt Warner achieves NFL MVP, Super Bowl MVP, and a Super Bowl Ring
2001 - Kurt Warner is named NFL MVP
2009 - AFL season cancelled
2009 - Kurt Warner plays in NFC Championship game (and possibly the Super Bowl)

Kurt Warner has officially outlasted the AFL.

John Wooden Quote of the Day

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."

-John Wooden (1910-Present)

The Biggest Rivalries in College Sports

Before I even begin, let me get this part out of the way: I will forget/omit/leave out/ignore/not care about/miss some rivalries, by accident or on purpose. That's the nature of these lists and exactly what prompts discussion. That said, if you think there's one I've missed, definitely leave your comment, but don't get all riled up about it...Simply leave your comment, with your argument as to why, and be ready for someone else to tell you why you're wrong.

Secondly, I have not decided on a certain total number (like Top 10 or Top 20) and we'll see how long it goes, but they ARE ranked in order of most storied/most hated/most traditioned/most whatever I decide. Because there are so many ways to measure this sort of generalized topic, I have no real metric (or conglomeration of metrics) that I am using...just my own intuition and opinion, so once again, you are welcome to let me know where I've gone wrong.

Now, without further ado, the list...

1. Duke-North Carolina (basketball) - This rivalry is so big, I'm guessing someone from North Carolina will come on here mad because I've written Duke first (and some Duke fan will use that fact to support his argument of Blue Devil superiority). It is certainly the most bitter in-state rivalry ever known.

2. Ohio State-Michigan (football) - If you disagree with me on this one, read "The Ten Year War," by Joel Pennington and then tell me it isn't the most heated rivalry in college football. At one point, in 1968, #2 Ohio State scored a touchdown against #4 Michigan late in the fourth quarter to go up 50-14 and Woody Hayes sent his team onto the field to go for TWO points. Michigan was obviously furious and after the game, when Woody was asked why he did it, he famously replied, "Because I couldn't go for three." Now that's cold...

3. Alabama-Auburn (football and baseball) - After the first two rivalries, the list gets tight, but the hatred between these two schools is palpable before gameday. This is one of the experiences on my checklist-for-life...I've heard of wars more amicable than this.

4. Army-Navy (football) - Not only is this one of the most storied rivalries in football, but the series is almost dead even, which just adds to the tradition of this great game. Plus, Lee Corso LOVES this game and who can argue with Lee Corso!

5. Harvard-Yale (football and rowing) - Okay, the rowing part is kind of a joke (although it IS officially the oldest collegiate athletic competition), but the football part is not. This is the third-oldest football game ever played and is still a bloody battle on the field. I don't think there's a series with more 6-3 finals in all of college football, which means defense (and vicious hitting) rules the day more often than not. It's know as "The Game" for goodness sake.

6. Minnesota-Wisconsin (hockey) - It's hard to put any hockey rivalry ahead of most football and basketball matchups simply because of the sport's more limited fanbase, but if there is one, this is it. These two teams have been playing each other a long time and have hated each other just as long. If you want to see the best hockey game ever played, watch this game every year. And if that doesn't convince you, check this out: Minnesota believes they lead the series 142-74-15, while Wisconsin has it down as 142-75-15...they can't even agree on their records. Also, both schools have 5 NCAA titles to their name, an even-steven tie.

7. Oklahoma-Texas (football) - The "Red River Shootout," as it is commonly known, is not called so because it is played near the Red River. In fact, the game is played in Dallas, almost exactly half-way between the two schools, making it one of the few rivalries in college sports that is played at a truly neutral location. No, it is called the "Red River Shootout" because technically, whichever team's state wins the game, well, um, they own the Red River that separates the two states for that year. I think that's bigger than a trophy...but that's just me.

8. Kentucky-Louisville (basketball) - Many rivalries occur due to location and this matchup is no different. The only two major higher learning institutions in the state, these two teams are bitter rivals. So much so, that from 1959-1983, these two teams didn't even play due to the hatred...Now that's hate. Add to that the recent Rick Petino fiasco (he coached for Kentucky and then went to Louisville) and you've got fuel for the blazing fire that rages inside the state of Kentucky.

9. Florida-Georgia (football) - I almost had this as an honorable mention, but a story that broke earlier this year made me put it back into the mix. When schools are closing due to sports, it's a big deal, and when it occurs during a regular season game, well, it's a rivalry.

That'll do it. I guess nine is the magic number. In my mind, these are in a league of their own and when I think of who might be next on my list, I can think of a boat-load that all kind of tie as "next." Hence, I think it's the top 9 and then "the rest."

For the sake of those that are left, here are some honorable mentions, this time in no particular order: Notre Dame-USC (football), USC-UCLA (football), Indiana-Purdue (basketball), Florida State-Miami (football), California-Stanford (football), Mississippi State-Ole Miss (football), and Clemson-South Carolina (football).

The Big 12 - My Question Answered

Back at the end of October, I posed a semi-rhetorical question about the Big 12. Could the Big 12 quarterbacks (and Big 12 offenses) really be THAT good, or is it possible that the Big 12 secondaries (and Big 12 defenses) are just that bad? At the time, I truly didn't have an answer to that question. But since the bowl games, I feel like I have some statistics that make the answer to that question a little clearer...Read on.

Below are the average regular season points and total yards of each Big 12 bowl-eligible team:
Oklahoma - 54.0 / 562.1
Texas Tech - 44.6 / 536.2
Texas - 43.9 / 476.4
Missouri - 43.2 / 497.5
Oklahoma State - 41.6 / 489.3
Kansas - 32.7 / 431.3
Nebraska - 36.2 / 458.3

Now, let's take a look at the points scored and total yards of each team in their bowl game:
Oklahoma vs. Florida (SEC) - 14 / 363
Texas Tech vs. Ole Miss (SEC) - 34 / 469
Texas vs. Ohio State (Big Ten) - 24 / 468
Missouri vs. Northwestern (Big Ten) - 30 / 311
Oklahoma State vs. Oregon (PAC-10) - 31 / 469
Kansas vs. Minnesota (Big Ten) - 42 / 446
Nebraska vs. Clemson (ACC) - 26 / 361

Now the difference between their averages and their bowl game performances:
Oklahoma - (-40) / (-199.1)
Texas Tech - (-10.6) / (-67.2)
Texas - (-19.9) / (-8.4)
Missouri - (-13.2) / (-186.5)
Oklahoma State - (-10.6) / (-20.3)
Kansas - +9.3 / +14.7
Nebraska - (-10.2) / (-97.3)

Every team in the Big 12 except one, when playing other top tier teams from the SEC, Big Ten, PAC-10, and ACC, fell dramatically in their offensive production.

The average drop in points was 13.6 (a HUGE double-digit decrease).
Their average drop in yards was 80.6.

You can draw your own conclusions from these stats, but as far as I'm concerned, the drop in offensive production against good teams outside the Big 12 gives far more credibility to the argument that the Big 12 defenses just simply weren't that good.

Not to take everything away from the talent that exists at quarterback in the Big 12 (because there IS talent), but I still believe Tebow got hosed out of his second Heisman because of McCoy and Bradford's inflated stats against weak secondaries.

Ksquared's Picks for the Next Round of the NFL Postseason

I have decided that this will be short and sweet so I don't embarrass myself too much...There is so much parity in the NFL anymore, any one of these teams could win the whole darn thing. Here goes nothin'...

Baltimore Ravens at Tennessee Titans - Saturday, January 10th - 4:30 pm ET
Tennessee 13 - Baltimore 10

San Diego Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers - Sunday, January 11th - 4:45 pm ET
Pittsburgh 20 - San Diego 17

Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers - Saturday, January 10th - 8:15 pm ET
Arizona 32 - Carolina 28

Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants - Sunday, January 11th - 1:00 pm ET
New York 24 - Philadelphia 17

Arizona is my only true upset, but it is a biggy...

Why I picked how I did:
I like Tennessee because of the amount of time to prepare.
I like Pittsburgh because of the immense home field advantage.
I like the Cardinals because they are more motivated than any team in the playoffs.
I like New York because nobody should pick against Tom Coughlin in the postseason.

And done!

So did the BCS get it right? How about the AP?

After all was said and done, if we all take a step back and look at this thing from what we have to work with, did the BCS get it right? How about the AP poll, which doesn't necessarily have to agree with the BCS (although in this case it did)?

Here is the final AP poll:
1. Florida (48)
2. Utah (16)
3. USC (1)
4. Texas
5. Oklahoma
6. Alabama
7. TCU
8. Penn State
9. Ohio State
10. Oregon
11. Boise State
12. Texas Tech
13. Georgia
14. Mississippi
15. Virginia Tech
16. Oklahoma State
17. Cincinnati
18. Oregon State
19. Missouri
20. Iowa
21. Florida State
22. Georgia Tech
23. West Virginia
24. Michigan State
25. Brigham Young

From top-to-bottom, in my opinion, I think this is pretty darn close to how the teams stack up.

Here's my own FINAL top 25:
1. Florida
2. USC
3. Utah
4. Texas
5. Oklahoma
6. Alabama
7. Penn State
8. Ohio State
9. TCU
10. Boise State
11. Oregon
12. Texas Tech
13. Georgia
14. Mississippi
15. Oklahoma State
16. Virginia Tech
17. Cincinnati
18. LSU
19. Oregon State
20. Missouri
21. Iowa
22. Florida State
23. Georgia Tech
24. West Virginia
25. Brigham Young

Added: LSU
Dropped: Michigan State

When you really look at it, there's not a whole lot of changes. I think Georgia Tech is a good team and LSU absolutely crushed them, and seeing as LSU's schedule was one of the toughest in the country, I have them FAR above the AP. Because of LSU's addition, someone had to get kicked out and I think Michigan State is the worst of the other 25 teams. I also dropped TCU below Penn State and Ohio State. Other than that, the only other changes were flip-flopping Virginia Tech-Oklahoma State, Oregon-Boise State, and the big one, Utah-USC. This last one I struggled with, but in my mind, put those two teams on the field and USC comes out victorious.

Bottom-Line: The BCS got the National Champion right, even if it didn't get the National Title game right, but in no way does that excuse the fact that a playoff in some sort would be beneficial for the fans, the media, and the sport in general. I don't care what it is...a plus-1, a four-team system after the bowl games, an 8-team system instead of bowl games, Ksquared's new conferences and playoff system, anything! Look at the top four teams in the AP and my poll - Florida, Utah, USC, Texas...Give or take Oklahoma and you've got a pretty sweet semi-finals, no matter how you cut it.

One last note: I predicted Florida to have 446 total yards with 1 turnover, Oklahoma to have 374 yards with 2 turnovers, and Florida winning the Title. In the end, Florida had 480 total yards with 2 turnovers, Oklahoma had 363 yards with 2 turnovers, and Florida won the Title. How's that for ending the year on a high-note?

As we close out the College Football season, thank you to everyone who follows and reads this blog...You are the reason I do this, truly. Though it is obvious my first love is college football, I will find other things to write about going forward (including college recruitment and Spring games), so stay tuned!!!

Ksquared's BCS National Championship Bowl Prediction

FINALLY!

Doesn't it seem like we've waited for a year and a day for this game!?! I'm already starting to look at recruiting classes for next year and we don't even have a National Champion in college football yet...So, without further ado...

January 8, 2009 - Fedex BCS National Championship Game - Miami, FL
#2 Florida vs. #1 Oklahoma - 8:00 pm ET
The Good: What's not to like? Two Heisman trophy quarterbacks, two explosive offenses, and two very disciplined defenses. This is the right matchup for the Championship, regardless of what you read in the media (wait, I am the media, aren't I?)...Anyhow, There aren't two more balanced teams in football and their major common denominator is leadership at quarterback, which just can't be argued. Look for a VERY physical game and a game dominated by speedy special teams play and hard-hitting defense.

The Bad: USC and Utah are left on the outside looking in...And they shouldn't be. I point especially to Rick Reilly's nicely written column about any argument against Utah being the National Champion (and the fact that there isn't one). Other than that, with the BCS being what it is, this game is the best we've g0t, which really isn't all that bad.

The Ugly Prediction: I am siding with the rest of the country on this one. Florida will make Oklahoma pay for a soft secondary and the Gator D will make enough big plays to limit Bradford to a less-than-Heisman performance. Oklahoma keeps it close with an offensive line that continues to create gaps for it's fast running backs, but special teams rules the night and Florida wins that matchup, hands-down.

Florida
Rushing: 122 yards
Passing: 324 yards
Turnovers: 1

Oklahoma
Rushing: 164 yards
Passing: 210 yards
Turnovers: 2

Florida 31 - Oklahoma 26

Ksquared's Dumbest-Day-To-Have-A-Bowl-Game Bowl Prediction

After USC manhandled Penn State, there's no doubt that the Tostito's Fiesta Bowl went to the top of the list as the next most anticipated bowl game. When all's said and done, I truly believe this will be the second most exciting BCS bowl game next to the Florida-Oklahoma matchup. And I can't wait. So, without further ado...

January 5, 2009 - Tostito's Fiesta Bowl - Glendale, AZ
#10 Ohio State vs. #3 Texas - 8:00 pm ET
The Good: These two teams have recently battled twice in a very memorable home/away regular season matchup, with both teams coming away victorious on one occasion. The quintessential rubber match is now...and it should be a good one. Beanie Wells is healthy, Colt McCoy is more confident than ever, Terrelle Pryor is more experienced, both defenses have multiple impact players who will be playing on Sunday next year, Coach Tressel is finally comfortable with the new system under Pryor, Coach Brown is raving mad after another BCS snub.......shall I go on? What's not to like about this matchup? TCU proved Boise State doesn't belong here (the only argument against the game I considered when this matchup was announced) and I can't imagine a better Fiesta Bowl than this one. Because I am in Phoenix, and as is customary in my many sports endeavors, I will be attending this game. I expect a showdown.

The Bad: I have to work the entire day because the stupid television execs and BCS decision-maker big wigs (NOT the Fiesta Bowl) decided it should played on Monday, January 5th. Dumb. That said, it is the only thing I don't like about this game. These teams are evenly matched and though most people expect Texas to dominate this game, I just don't see that happening.

The Ugly Prediction: Ohio State has started FAST the last three big games they've played in (Ginn touchdown return against Florida, Wells run for touchdown against LSU, and a fluid first-drive against USC) and they have lost BIG in all three. I expect an opposite turn-of-events in this game. Pryor's nerves will probably get the best of him early on and the Longhorns' D will come out angry, making for some Ohio State stumbling and bumbling. On the flip side, McCoy's newfound experience and maturity will do well for Texas at the start and they should be able to gain some yards early. And then the fun will truly begin. Texas leads 10-0...Everyone settles into the game and the real battle ensues...It's 17-14 at half-time (either way)...The dog fight is on...It comes down to a few key plays in the fourth quarter (for the sake of a truly ugly prediction, I will go with a rare McCoy interception and a HUGE return by Ray Small)...Drum roll please...
Ohio State 27 - Texas 24