Red Card Top 10 (11/1)
- Hey everyone, again many thanks for the thoughts and prayers over the last week for my mom. It really does mean a lot. I also appreciate all the kind words about the site. Every once and awhile Ill be talking to someone and they will tell me that they read the blog and like it, and it makes this all worth it. Thanks.
-Im visiting FSU this week to see a friend and take in their homecoming week and football game (get ready Diez family). Lets hope this Husker makes it through the weekend 
- For those that watched the Rally to Restore Sanity (and or Fear), how did you feel about it? Did you like the tone of the message? If you had to organize a rally, what would you make it about and how would you deliver your message?
- As always, I have a music recommendation for you this week. Nothing by N.E.R.D. is the new wave of hip-hop. If you have not heard any of their work before, here are Spaz and Rockstar. Check them out, and thank me later.
The 56 year title-drought is over. The Giants win the pennant.
- Congratulations to the San Fransisco Giants on winning their first World Series since moving to the San Fransisco. It had been 56 years since the Giants had last won a World Series, which ranked as the third longest drought in baseball. Having been to their ballpark (and having seen Barry Bonds hit #757), I am happy for Giants fans. They are good baseball fans. I was rooting for them to win it after they knocked out my Braves, and as it turns out, the Braves gave them their toughest series of the playoffs BY FAR.
The BCS's Daddy.
- Before I jump into the Top 10, I wanted to again talk about the hit by Nebraska safety Courtney Osborne on Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert. First of all, it was fumble and a clean hit. There was nothing malicious about it. In fact, Gabbert lowered his body into the hit. The fact that play was not reviewed and determined a fumble is beyond me. Somebody should be suspended this week, that refereeing crew and the ABC commentators that dont know what helmet-to-helmet contact is. They were awful, so they get a RED CARD. Great hit by Osborne, that was the hardest hit I have seen live in years. Great win by the Huskers.
- Now we can jump into this weeks Red Card Top 10.
- Oregon. Right now, nobody is going to beat them. USC gave everything it had, at home, with College GameDay there, and still lost by 20. Once this team turns of the after-burners, just say goodnight, because they are going to blow you out.
- Auburn. Again, I worry about their defense, but with the way that Cam Newton and their offense is playing, they dont need no stinkin’ defense. In fact, Newton should just throw to himself every play for a TD.
- TCU. The Horned Frogs are for real, and finally have a legitimate test to prove it, going to Utah and playing the 7th ranked Utes. Look for Andy Dalton to continue to lead this team to victories. All he does is win, win, win no matter what, got money on his mi…..nevermind, DJ Khaled has no room in the Red Card Top 10.
- Utah. The Utes having been flying under the radar until this week, when they host TCU. Winner takes all.
- Boise St. Im not as high on the Broncos as most of the country is, but that is ok. They will inevitably move up in the polls after this weekend.
- Alabama. They havent beaten a ranked team yet. Again, I have a huge feeling that the Tide are in for a “statement game” against LSU in Baton Rouge. If they win this game the way I think they will, watch out world.
- Nebraska. I think at this point, Nebraska is the best 1 loss team in the country NOT named Alabama. The Huskers are balanced on offense, and are playing outstanding defense, especially in the secondary. Since Bo Pelini has been Nebraska’s coach, the Huskers are a combined 7-1 in the month of November, so look for them to once again hit their stride this month.
- Ohio State. Forgotten is the Wisconsin loss, now the Buckeyes seem to be playing team football at the right time of year. They have a chance to win the Big 10 now that Michigan State lost. Next up: Penn State.
- Oklahoma. The Sooners regained their stride by destroying Colorado. Big deal. This week they host Texas A&M, who would love nothing more than to play spoiler to OU’s title run.
- Stanford. The 10th spot came down to Wisconsin and Stanford. Right now, I think the Cardinal are the better team. And while you can disagree with me, I dont think you can disagree with the way that Andrew Luck is playing right now. This team is for real, and they will have to prove it with #15 Arizona coming into Palo Alto. Huge game for the BCS.
Cam Newton may have caught himself the Heisman after this TD catch.
- Another week went by in the Heisman race, and you saw more of the same. Here are my top 3 Heisman contenders:
- Cam Newton, QB, Auburn. “Straight cash homie.” – Randy Moss. That not only describes Newton as a quarterback, but he also got to display his Moss-like hands with a TD catch against Ole Miss.
- LaMichael James, RB, Oregon. More of the same from James, as he ran for 239 yards and 3 touchdowns against USC. He already has 1220 yards and 14 TD’s on the year.
- Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford. Whoa, has Luck come on strong since the loss at Oregon. He already has amassed 1920 yards and 20 TD’s through the air, and rushed for another 345 and 3 TD’s. Both are better than Kellen Moore, which is why he gets the nod this week at #3. I hope Im not jinxing him as he gets ready to take on #15 Arizona.
- On the edge of contention: Kellen Moore, QB, Boise St. Derron Thomas, QB, Oregon.
- There are some HUGE BCS match-ups this week, so lets take a look at the games that will impact the National Title picture the most (rankings are based off of the current BCS standings).
- #3 TCU at #5 Utah. It will never get bigger than this for the Mountain West Conference. The winner of this game will receive a huge boost in their chase for the National Title and will have that marquee win on their resume. TCU comes into this game the favorite, and for good reason. The Horned Frogs have beat folks up and down the field all year. They rank 9th in points scored and 1st in points allowed. That is a recipe for success. They match-up against a Rocky-like Utah team who has also flourished this year ranking 6th in points scored and 3rd in points allowed. The Utes just keep punching away and have so-far knocked out every opponent. With both teams being so close statistically, the key match-up to watch will be between TCU coach Gary Patterson, and Utah coach Kyle Wittingham. Both are extremely good at what they do, but you have to like Patterson in this game. With all the pressure at home to win for Utah, I like TCU to come out hot and win the game. Prediction: TCU 28-17. Confidence: 6.
- #6 Alabama at #10 LSU. With both teams trailing unbeaten Auburn in the SEC West, look for this game to be an absolute slugfest. Alabama comes in fresh, and is looking to beat its first ranked team this season to help their BCS resume. LSU comes in with their intense crowd and a chip on their shoulder from their close loss at Auburn. Look for the key match-up in this game to be LSU’s front 7 against the Alabama offensive line. If the Tigers can get pressure on Greg McElroy like South Carolina did, then this will be a very close game. If they dont, then look for Alabama to control the clock and win the game by 3 touchdowns. Prediction: Alabama 26-14. Confidence: 8.
- #15 Arizona at #13 Stanford. With both teams chasing Oregon in the race for the Pac-10 title, this game between ranked foes essentially is a knockout game. Both teams are hot right now and are exploding on offense. Andrew Luck has been sensational this year for Stanford, and leads a talented group on offense that ranks 5th in points scored. Arizona, on the other hand, is shading toward the defensive side of the ball, coming in at 7th in points allowed. Naturally, this will be the match-up to keep a close eye on. If Stanford can score early, look for them to roll in this game. If not, look for Arizona to keep it very close and maybe win. Prediction: Stanford 35-28. Confidence: 6.
- #18 Arkansas at #19 South Carolina. This may be the most even game of the weekend. Both teams have very capable offenses and good defenses. The difference is that South Carolina plays in the SEC East this year and needs this game to play in the SEC Championship, more than Arkansas, who is buried underneath Auburn, Alabama, and LSU in the SEC West. With the game being so even, the key match-up Im looking for is at the QB position between Arkansas Ryan Mallet and South Carolina’s Stephen Garcia. Whichever QB plays better, their team should win. Prediciton: South Carolina 35-33. Confidence: 4.
-#21 Baylor at #17 Oklahoma State. This also serves as an elimination game in the race to play Oklahoma for the Big 12 South title. Baylor has come out of nowhere this year to become the darlings of the conference. QB Robert Griffin III has been a world-beater this year and is on pace to THROW for 3300 yards at the pace he is going right now. Not only is he ultra-dynamic with his legs, but he also has evolved as a QB that is throwing the ball at an amazing clip right now. Oklahoma State is still an offensive juggernaut and is looking to get Kendal Hunter and Justin Blackmon some more Heisman publicity. If Baylor can get pressure on OSU QB Brandon Weeden, then the Bears will have a shot to beat Oklahoma State in Stillwater, if not, it could be a shootout of epic proportions. Prediction: Oklahoma State 56-51. Confidence: 5.
C'mon Vikings! Randy only likes protein shakes!
- Now lets take a look at what we learned from the NFL in week 8:
- Randy Moss was released over not liking the catering? Really? He must have slept with Childress’s daughter to get cut after 4 weeks on the team, especially after the Vikings gave the Patriots a 3rd round draft pick for him. “We want good people on this team” was Childress’s reason for cutting Moss. Every NFL team has character flaws on it, get real coach. RED CARD.
- The whole Vikings team/organization looks like it is in the same type of chaos that Dallas is in right now. The owner is reportedly not at all pleased with how things are being run by the front-office/coaching staff. Look for whole-sale changes by week 10 if the ship is not righted.
- Wow, did Brett Favre take a shot to the chin on Sunday, literally. How he didnt break his chin is incredible. How much more can his body take before he calls it quits?
- On a positive note for the Vikings, it looks as if Tavaris Jackson is ready to play if Brett dies on the field. He looked pretty good in the 4th quarter against the Pats.
- I bet the Cowboys wish they had Tavaris Jackson right now after John Kitna’s abysmal performance against the Jags. That team looks completely lost. RED CARD.
- Im about as big of a Mike Shanahan fan as there is, but benching Donovan McNabb in favor of Rex Grossman for the 2 minute drill due to a lack of “cardiovascular endurance” is the dumbest thing he has ever done. Yes, even more dumb than drafting Maurice Clarett. RED CARD.
- Actually, I lied, the dumbest thing he has ever done was to work out JaMarcus Russell as a possible QB option. Guess what, Russell apparently still doesnt care about football, as he weighed in at 286 lbs. That is unbelievable, a Super Bowl winning coach gives you a chance to work out and you weigh as much as a lineman? RED CARD.
- If Shanahan can some how get his locker room back after this whole ordeal, it will have been his best coaching job.
- Ndamukong Suh scored his first NFL TD against the ‘Skins on Sunday. He now has 6.5 sacks, an fumble return for a touchdown, and an INT. Can you say Pro Bowl?
- The shock of the week was the Jets getting shut-out, at home, after a bye-week, to a Packers team coming off an extremely emotional win. Ouch.
- Does anybody do more with less than the Colts offense this year? Every skill position is seemingly banged up and Peyton still goes for 268 yds and 2 TD’s against an emotionally charged up Texans team looking to prove they belong. This just reaffirms that Peyton Manning is best QB since John Elway. High praise.
- Matt Shaub needs to come up with better numbers in big games if the Texans are going to make the playoffs. You cant be considered one of the best if you dont play your best in big games. RED CARD.
- Word to the not-so-wise: if you are going to punch an opposing player, make sure a referee is not right beside him, so that if you do indeed swing and miss, that you dont hit the referee and get ejected from the game. Right Titans safety Donny Nickey?
- If you would have told me before the season that the Rams would be 4-4 after week 8, while starting a rookie QB, I would have laughed in your face. Great job by the Rams. Bradford will be special.
- If you would have also told me that the Bucs would be 5-2 at this point, I would have ignored you, because it seemed unfathomable.
- How warm is that seat after losing to both the Raiders and 49ers, Josh McDaniels?
- Other coaches on the hot seat: Brad Childress, John Fox, Mike Singletary, Chan Gailey, Wade Phillips, and Marvin Lewis. RED CARD.
- Im a big fan of London and Europe in general, but I just dont see the NFL ever working out there. Europeans are much more concerned about soccer to worry about 300 lb dudes hitting each other in the face. 1 game a year is enough.
- How many times will Buffalo lose in heartbreaking fashion this year?
Right now, if Oregon and Auburn win out, no question that will be the National Championship game. What is interesting is TCU/Utah over a 1 loss Alabama if Auburn or Oregon falter. Everybody is assuming that Alabama will jump either one of those schools (and Boise). I don’t think that should happen. Yes, Alabama plays in the SEC but 1) if they want to be in the National Championship, don’t lose to a not so great South Carolina team and 2) I think TCU or Utah could compete in any of the major conferences this year. Combined these teams have wins over Oregon State, Iowa State, Baylor, and Pittsburgh. Pitt is most likely going to be the Big East Champion and Baylor has a shot at winning the Big 12 South. Those wins combined with the fact that the Mountain West is probably better than the Big East should be enough to put either school in the National Title game if Oregon or Auburn stumble.
Also, I’m not sure what you meant by: “Alabama comes in fresh, and is looking to beat its first ranked team this season to help their BCS resume” But Alabama has beaten at the time ranked #18 Penn State, #10 Arkansas, and #7 Florida. Of those, only Arkansas is still ranked.
Also, I don’t blame the Vikings for cutting Moss. His effort as seemed half hearted. Barely jumping for ball and not bothering to run his route if the play isn’t to him. How smart does Belichick look now?
Paul, I must have not been thinking about the ranked team thing for Bama. I messed that up, sorry. I think I mean to say that they are coming off a bye week and are looking to beat a ranked team, but whatever. Belichick always looks smart, and it pisses me off.
Honestly, I find it very reasonable to see a one loss Alabama jump a TCU or Boise State. Boise State beat VT and Oregon State which is great, but the rest of their schedule is basically a pre-season to their bowl game. Hawaii and Nevada are the toughest opponents for BSU while Alabama will have played Arkansas, SC, Florida, LSU, Auburn, and Miss State is even ranked. I don’t think this current BSU team could go through that undefeated, but I think any team in the Top 10 could run the tables on the schedule that BSU has.
On the point that Mountain West is better than the Big East is hard to argue because the Big East is awful and deserves no place in the BCS. However, calling MWC over Iowa State and Baylor as some sort of justification is wrong. Iowa State just sort of sucks but plays well sometimes and Baylor will be tested in the next three weeks, but there not marquee wins for a conference worth an automatic qualifier. College football will be flawed until they get a playoff, even if it just four teams it would be better than the crap that we have to deal with now.
I agree belichick always looks smart, you talk about the colts doing a lit with nothing, how about the pats? Danny woodhead as your running back? You kidding me? But if they need 4 he will get 5.
YankeesJunkie, Im all for a playoff, and I agree, it is the most fair system. That is why the NCAA tourney is so popular, and rightfully so. Thanks for the post.
After last Sunday, the Pats look for real.