Ten more fun college football facts!

Before I get this started I want to wish a speedy recovery to Stephon Johnson. The USC running back dropped a bench press bar on his throat and was seriously injured. Reports say that he is doing better, and he was able to reach out to his fans via twitter to thank them all for the well wishes!

Now back to my non-sense. I got such a positive feedback on my fun facts that I searched all day an found ten more that you might find interesting. These are from bleacherrepot.com and many other wonderful sports sights. So thanks to them for having research readily available for me. So here we go, these are in no specific order!

1. Tim Tebow goes to every coaches meeting..
2. Yale has won the most national championships, but hasn't won one since 1927.
3. West Virginia is the winningest football program to never have won a championship.
4. When playing for USC Trojans' defense you have to earn the right to wear number 55.
5. Kansas has played the most games ending in ties.
6. BYU is the only team to win a national championship without beating a team that finished in the top 25.
7. University of South Florida has never been shutout in the regular season, but did lose a bowl game 14-0.
8. The green V on the back of Fresno State's helmet is to honor the agricultural industry of San Joaquin Valley.
9. Jake Locker, quarterback for Washington University, is faster than Tim Tebow, and considered a better pro prospect than Sam Bradford according to some NFL scouting reports.
10. Mike Kafka, quarterback for Northwestern, has the highest completion percentage in the nation. (Minimum 100 attempts)

Now 3 bonus facts.

1. Landry Jones holds Oklahoma University's record for most passing TD's in a game with 6.
2. Maryland Terrapin quarterback Chris Turner, is the most sacked quarterback so far of 2009.
3. University of New Haven has a 44 year old defensive tackle that made the team as a walk-on.

Well there you go. I hope this was slightly educational and highly entertaining. Live like no one is watching and make use of you useless knowledge, or your extra time.

PS. Winningest is not a word!

Here's to Nick!

Last night the Anaheim Angels beat the Rangers to wrap up the American League West. The victory was bitter sweet for the team because someone was obviously missing. The Angels young starting pitcher, Nick Adenhart, was killed by a drunk driver earlier this year. It has been a long road for the Angels an a huge burden was lifted last night.

The Angels celebrated after the game as if they had just won the World Series. It was well warranted. They have been busting their ass to wrap this spot up, and you can believe they had a little extra motivation. During the post-game celebration something spontaneous and unscripted happened that many are starting to question. As the Angels were dousing each other with beer and champagne, they took out the Adenhart jersey that they carry with them everywhere and soaked it with beer. People were calling this insensitive, due to the circumstances of Nick's death. But I think those people are overlooking the sentiment. Nick, in death, as he was in life was just a member of the team. No special treatment and no exemptions, except maybe the pause at Adenhart's corner locker still intact for a brief moment of silence. The team was just celebrating with their teammate. After the shower in the locker room the whole team ran out to the mural on the outfield wall, to pay homage to the young man who they say guided this team with his competitiveness. It was a sight to behold, even for a closet Rangers fan.

To all the naysayers,, don't make assumptions and comments about things you and I could not possibly understand. We aren't in that locker room, we don't know the emotion. Did it look bad given the circumstances, sure. But who are we to judge, it wasn't a P.R. move. It was an automatic response, thanking a teammate for his contribution. Live like no one is watching, and this one Nick Adenhart, is for you.

Are you confused yet?

Well, well, well. Two official things happened this weekend; One college football got more muddled and two, my fantasy football team shit on itself. College football is an enigma, wrapped in a riddle, wrapped in stupidity. I have decided over the last two weeks to throw out any preconceived notions about this season and just roll with it. About my fantasy football team, we went from looking great to, with Welker being a coward and now Gore out for three weeks, looking like trash. I am saddened deeply by these sad turn of events. The NFL weekend was fairly interesting. I am a huge Brett Favre guy, and seeing him throw that game winning pass was close to euphoria. Also my Broncos might be the worst 3 and 0 team in the NFL. If it weren't for an act of the football gods in week one and two favorable opponents, we might be 0 and 3. I am watching the Dallas Cowboys get out coached by air right now which is actually quite interesting. I didn't have a bad week in the college pick 'ems, I went 8-2. John and Elysa went an impressive 6-4, and Jess went 5-5. That makes me 32-10 overall. John is 25-17, Elysa is 22-20, and Jess is 19-11. So we are all above .500 and all still having a great time. (Except of course for John who is still wondering what happened to the glory days of Maryland, you know Women's Basketball season!) Not to mention I am 3-1 in upset picks this year. The only bad thing about this season is that I have to keep switching band wagons. It started with BYU and TCU. Then I hopped on the Miami train. But that went south in a hurry. I am tentatively rooting for the Houston Cougars, but I refuse to give my heart away to these ever so fickle "BCS-Busters". But with all that non-sense spewed, here is the BUS top 25. This one made my head hurt, hard!

BUS Top 25-

1. Alabama
2. Florida
3. Texas
4. LSU
5. Cincinnati
6. Boise State
7. Houston
8. TCU
9. Virginia Tech
10. Oklahoma
11. USC
12. Ohio State
13. Iowa
14. Penn State
15. Miami
16. Oklahoma State
17. Michigan
18. Kansas
19. BYU
20. Georgia
21. Nebraska
22. Cal
23. Mizzou
24. USF
25. Stanford

There are four undefeated teams in NCAA DIV-I that are not in the top 25, they are Texas A&M, Auburn, Wisconsin, and UCLA. They all have games this weekend or next weekend that will prove what they are made of. We here at Belly up also want to wish a speedy recovery to Tim Tebow. Now five college football facts that might surprise you:

1. Auburn is tied with Florida for the most offensive yards in the nation, and the Tigers have played slightly better defensive teams.
2. UCONN is the second ranked defense in the nation in sacks, 3 behind USC.
3. Iowa and Michigan are tied for the number one spot in the Big 10.
4. Stanford is winning the PAC-10
5. New Mexico is 0-4 but lead the nation in tackles.

What do these stats mean...nothing. Live like no one is watching, and dare I say Case Keenum for Heisman?

PS. The most misspelled word in my blog is Cincinnati! Thank goodness for spell check!

Scary Pick ems!

The picks this week are scary, college football has been an absolute mess this year! For the fourth week in a row a top 5 time has been upset. I have heard some grumblings, mostly from me, over rated teams. But I really believe that my prediction is coming true. The talent in college football is starting to spread out and teams are getting beat. Hopefully the polls will be progressive enough to keep up! Well we are picking ten tough games this week and hopefully we will be able to get some shake up.

1.) Fresno State at Cincinnati- Cincinnati has not stopped impressing me. Their offense is outrageous and they are putting up ridiculous numbers. But Fresno State isn't so bad on offense either. Both of these teams are ranked in the top 10 in the nation in offense. Fresno State boasts the nation's leading rusher, while Cincinnati is lead by the gun of Tony Pike and Marshawn Gilyard's versatility. This will be a shoot out and I just don't think Fresno can keep up. I am picking Cinci. Lys picked the Bearcats, because she thought they were kitties, Jess took 'em too. John took Fresno State, but no one is really sure why.

2.) North Carolina at Georgia Tech- North Carolina is 3-0 and getting no respect. They have an unrelenting defense that will eat you alive. The Tarheel offense however is hit or miss. They looked good against the Citadel and East Carolina but looked down right awful against Uconn. We will finally get to see what this North Carolina team is made of when they travel to Georgia Tech this weekend. The Yellow jackets are the unfortunate underachievers. The offense seems to get worn out as the game gets long. By the fourth quarter the option offense seems to take a toll on Georgia Tech. This is unacceptable and can only be blamed on the coach. I believe that Tech will catch a hot streak and it will start with this game against the Tar Heels. I am taking GT, and so is everyone else!

3.) Arkansas at Alabama- Alabama, as most of you know, are the number one team in the BUS rankings. They are consistent on defense, and their offense is coming together nicely. The Tide have actually upgraded at the quarterback position in my opinion. Greg McElroy is much more than the game manager that John Parker Wilson was last year. Mark Ingram at running back is a beast, he leads the team in both rushing yards and receptions. Alabama plays safe and is well disciplined, like any Nick Saban team. Arkansas is number 2 in the nation in total offense. They have a weapon at quarterback in Ryan Mallet, the Michigan transfer. He is a special kid and this team is looking for a big win. The Razorbacks hung tough with Georgia last week and will be tough to beat. But Alabama really is one of the best teams I have seen play this year. I am taking Bama. Lys and Jess took Alabama too. John is taking the Razorbacks, out of spite for my top 25.

4.) Cal at Oregon- The Ducks are trying to get things on track after being punched in the mouth by Boise State in week one. Both of their wins have been tough fought battles and they really don't look to great, except for the fact they have the greatest uniform combinations in all of college football. Cal is literally running over everyone. Jahvid Best is the best running back in the nation, and Kevin Riley isn't to shabby at quarterback. Despite the will of Jeremiah Masoli at quarterback for the Ducks, I am taking Cal. John, Lys, and Jess all took Oregon.

5.) TCU at Clemson- Neither of these teams have proven anything this year. We all know my love for TCU runs deep, and I really think that eventually they will be the first "non-BCS" team to win a national title. But they have a lot to prove this year. Clemson played Georgia Tech close but couldn't close the deal. TCU needs this win and I think they will get it. I am taking TCU along with John. Lys and Jess took Clemson.

6.) Colorado State at BYU- This could end up being a good game. Colorado State is very talented and very dangerous. If it wasn't for the ass whipping that Florida State put on BYU last week, this would've been my upset pick. But BYU will be looking to smack the hell out of someone and that just happens to be Colorado State. It will be really close or the Cougars will blow the Rams out, either way I am taking BYU. So is everyone else.

7.) Texas Tech at Houston- These two teams are exactly the same. Both are high-powered offenses and both have tough defenses. Both teams have quarterbacks that were standouts at Abilene High schools. The difference is that Houston is at the top of its game and Tech is rebuilding. It is a question of confidence. Taylor Potts, the quarterback for Tech, is more talented than Case Keenum, quarterback for Houston. But Case is a third year starter and his team believes in him and Taylor Potts is a first year starter in a rebuilt team trying to find it's way. I played college football for Case Keenum's father ,and if Case has half the resolve his father does, I can not pick against him. I am going with Houston. Lys and Jess picked Tech. John picked Houston because, "they beat Oklahoma State and mostly because fuck Kreig."

8.) Rutgers at Maryland- This is the "Why the hell would you pick this game" game. This will be a pillow fight between two four year old girls. I am taking Rutgers. Lys took Rutgers because she hates John. Who knows why Jess took Maryland. John of course picked the Terps, because it is the only thing he feels strongly about other than Asian porn.

9.) Miami at Virginia Tech- Virginia Tech looks good. The offense is lead by quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who has matured into a fantastic leader. The Hokies played well in week one against a very good Alabama team and beat a pretty good Nebraska team. But with all that said I love Miami. I am drinking the Randy Shannon Kool-aid. This man has taken a program in turmoil and turned it into a team of quality young men. The leader of these men is Jacory Harris. Jacory is as laid back as he is talented. I think Miami will win this game. And everyone agrees with me.

Upset Alert!!!!!!!!

10.) Washington at Stanford- Both of these teams are talented and underrated. Both teams are well coached. I think that Washington has more talent, but I am not convinced they have gelled on offense. They played LSU tough and beat USC, but they are not where they need to be. Stanford is both mentally and physically tough, and they will be ready for this game. I am not sure that Washington can survive the emotional let down they will face after such a big win last week. Stanford will upset Washington. Lys and Jess disagree, but John is on board.

So here is how the picks break down:

ME---------John--------Lys-------Jess
Cinci------Fresno------Cinci-----Cinci
GT---------GT----------GT---------GT
Bama-----Ark----------Bama-----Bama
Cal-------Ducks-------Ducks------Ducks
TCU-----TCU--------Clemson-----Clemson
UH------UH----------Tech---------Tech
BYU----BYU----------BYU---------BYU
RU-----Terps--------RU-----------Terps
UM-----UM----------UM-----------UM
UPSET ALERT!!!!
Stan---Stan--------UW----------UW

Well that's how we see it. Enjoy your Saturday! Live like no one is watching and pick your team, not your nose!

A Public Service Announcement

I was going to interrupt your regularly scheduled program, then I realized I was the regularly scheduled program. My name is Randy, and I'm Nathan's brother, and I'm going to post a story that I wrote for one of my classes that Nathan wanted me to post. Tomorrow he will post something about sports, I am sure.

When In Rome

It all started because of football: my two brothers (John and Nathan) and myself were watching the Terrapins game, who just happen to have an awful front line--though you couldn't tell my brother John that, and he wouldn't believe you if you did, anyway. But, for the record, the Terrapins have an awful front line. I commented on how the linemen reminded me of the phalanx in ancient military tactics, to which Nathan responded (because he's not the best in history): "So what is this--Roman Elephants versus the Maryland Terrapins?" That comment brought on a lengthy debate on who had elephants--Rome or Carthage, the Terrapins lost their game, and before you knew it we were in Rome, on vacation (but more just to sort out Nathan's history).

Rome is, by the way, much more hot than San Antonio. So we went straight from the plane to the Pantheon, thinking maybe a tribute to the gods, or at least Apollo, would fix things up a bit--make things cooler. We spent a while roaming about the Pantheon and couldn't figure out what to do before deciding that the Pantheon didn't work and headed to St. Peter's Basilica, thinking maybe we had picked the wrong deity or something.

In the end, neither location made Rome cooler (literally). We went on to the Circus Maximus, which isn't really a Circus after all, but more just a big race track (who knew?). Nathan had thought that there would be elephants at the circus, and it made sense to me, so we spend some time waiting for the circus, or a parade, or something--anything really that might have elephants--until John told us "I told you so" and convinced us to go see the Colosseum. Nathan asked if that was where the elephants were, and John followed the map.

The Colosseum didn't have any elephants, but it was awesome: A big football stadium, basically. We all realized that and started talking about how great it would be if Rome had a football team and what they would be called when Nathan said, "The Roman Elephants of course." Then, remembering the point of the trip: "Oh yeah. Where are the elephants?"

John sighed. "They're not here. That's just it Nathan, Rome didn't have the elephants; Carthage did."

Nathan was of course yammering along with him, mocking him the way we did when we were kids. "Well, you know what? Elephants or no elephants, the Terrapins lost that game."

"And so did Carthage," said John.

Then we went home and made like the whole thing never happened, except every once in a while Nathan mentioned his new favorite football team, the Roman Elephants.

The End.

Okay, that's all of that. Hope you enjoy it.

More Shake-up!

Well we have come to the end of another great weekend in sports. College football on Saturday was fantastic. We had upsets and close games. It was so much fun to watch, especially since USC lost. I have to say that I was disappointed in the top 5 teams which is why you will see a lot of moves in the BUS Top 25, coming later.

The biggest disappointment to me this weekend was BYU. They are still a damn good football team. But if you are from a small conference and you want to make noise in the BCS, you have to bring it every single week. BYU looked ill-prepared and out of sync. It was a poor display of their talent and the loss to Florida State cost them the chance at a BCS bowl game. The game that was the most intriguing for me was the Virginia Tech match-up with Nebraska. Both of these teams played well and it literally came down to the wire. Florida and Texas left a lot to be desired, but they overcame adversity and won, which is all we ask of champions! This coming Saturday is full of intriguing match-ups and the picks might not be so easy!

The NFL weekend was crazy. My Fantasy team is 2 and 0 for the first time ever thanks to Frank Gore's billion yards rushing. Also having a fantasy explosion where Chris Johnson and Drew Brees. Which reminds me, are the Saints playing in a Madden game because their numbers are ridiculous. My Broncos are 2 and 0 as well due to some luck and the poor Cleveland Browns. The Browns' offensive line made the Broncos' front 7 look like pro-bowlers. Super Bowl any one? Right now the Miami Dolphins look like they are working to get back on track.

The college pick-ems went like this: Jess went 7-3 again and won the week, she is now 14-6 over two weeks. Lys, John, and I all went 6-4 taking us to 16-16, 19-13, and 24-8 respectively. Now for the top 25;

BUS Top 25

1. Alabama
2. Florida
3. Texas
4. Cal
5. Penn State
6. LSU
7. Miami
8. Ole Miss
9. Boise State
10. Cincinnati
11. TCU
12. Oklahoma
13. Virginia Tech
14. USC
15. Ohio State
16. Oklahoma State
17. Michigan
18. FSU
19. Houston
20. Kansas
21. BYU
22. Georgia
23. Washington
24. Nebraska
25. UNC

Well that is it! Live like no one is watching and enjoy Randy's guest blog tomorrow. Live like no one is watching and love what you do!

What a start!

Well the college football weekend is off and running. Last night's game between Georgia Tech and Miami, was full of big hits and swagger. The young stout defense of the 'Canes absolutely shut down the offense of Georgia Tech. Miami's offense is lead by Jacory Harris who is one cool customer. His calm demeanor might come from the talent he has around him, but one thing is for sure, this Miami team might be the best all around team in the ACC and they have a chance to prove it next week against Virginia Tech. But let's get down to this week's games.



Utah at Oregon: These two team's are strange. I think Oregon might be better than they have showed so far. I am still waiting for the dangerous, Jeremiah Masoli to bust out and bananas, but he hasn't yet. This Oregon offense is a "lame duck". (Great Pun! Self high-five!) Utah is not the same team they were last year. The Utes still have a very physical defense but their offense has not shown the same fire power it did last year. With all that said Oregon is a team in disarray. I think Utah will win this one. Elysa took the Ducks and so did Jess. And now to hear from John:



"Oregon is going to be mad that they lost against Boise, but I think Utah will pull it out. ( I like Oregon but they are in the Pac-10 and that is one strike against them."

Tennesse at Florida: Let me save you the suspense, we all picked Florida. The spread is 30 and I think it might be uglier. Lane Kiffin recruited some good talent, but Tennessee is a long way from being the caliber of Florida. Urban Meyer has a score to settle, and just the right guys to get it settled.

Michigan State at Notre Dame: Both of these teams are looking to avenge losses from last week. People are bailing out on Notre Dame too quickly I believe. This is still a good offensee and an improving defense. Last week the Irish ran into a surging Michigan team with a lot to prove. Jimmy Clausen and that offense will have to get back on track, and the defense will need to continnue to get better. Luckily they will be facing a Michigan State team that seems to be going the other way. Their defense has never been great and with the loss of Javon Ringer ans Brian Hoyer on offense, the Spartans are struggling to find some identity. They were outplayed by a talented Central Michigan team and barring some kind of trasformation they will be outplayed again this week. I am going with Notre Dame, so is John and Jess, Lys picked Mighigan State.

Cincinatti at Oregon State: Cincinati is one of the most overlooked offensive teams in the nation. The only team this year that has outscored the Bearcats this year, is the Florida Gators, and only by one point. The difference is that Cinci has played a conference opponent in Rutgers, Florida has played High School teams. Going to play in Oregon State has always proved a problem for high powered offenses and ranked opponents, just ask USC. The Beavers have a spark plug at running back in Jacquizz Rodgers, who leads the team in receptions, rushing yards, and kick return yards. There isn't much to say about either team's defense and this should be a track meet! I am picking Cincinatti and so is Lys. John and Jess picked Oregon State, with John adding this expert analysis, "Go Beavers!"

Texas Tech at Texas: This wil not be last year, unfortunately. Tech's defense is not as good as it was last year and the Longhorns have only gotten better on offense. Tech has the same offense and teh same coach, so anything is possible. But I have to admit that Texas looks good and Tech looks average again. I am picking Texas, but I am looking forward to being wrong. John picked Texas, because "Fuck Kreig!", and Jess picked Texas as well. Lys is sticking with Tech.

USC at Washington: Washington has improved on offense, most noticeably in confidence. Steve Sarkesian, USC's offnesive coordinator last year and now Washington's head coach, has brought a swagger to this team. Jake Locker, the Huskies' quarterback, is a fantastic athlete and a playmaker. But they are not there yet. USC is stout again on defense. They are having a problem at quarterback, as last week's hero Matt Barkely has a bruised throwing shoulder. But if they choose to start Aaron Corp, he will bring a dimension to the USC offense they have never really had as far as I can remember, and that is mobility at quarterback. Joe Mcknight at running back for the Trojans is all I need to say. He is such a physically gifted athlete. USC has to come to play or they will get upset by a hungry Washington team. JOhn picked Washington (just kidding, we all picked USC.)

Florida State at BYU: Both of these teams have a lot to prove. BYU needs to win soundly to make some noise. But Florida State will play for the chance to prove that they deserve to be considered for a spot in the top 25. A loss for either team means that they will slip into college football anonymity. BYU will be considered a fluke, and FSU will be considered another offseason overrated. I think it willl be a good game, but BYU really needs Max Hall and that Cougar offense to take this game over. I am taking BYU with John and Jess, and Lys picked FSU.
The next two games are Lys's picks. And they are Cal at Minnesota and FAU at South Carolina. We all picked Cal and we all picked South Carolina.

And now for the Upset Special!

Nebraska at Virgina Tech: Nebraska looks good on both sides of the ball, but once again they haven't really played anyone. Virgina Tech got beat by Alabama and haven't really look as good on offense as we thought. Nebraska quarterback, Zac Lee, leads the Big 12 in passing accuracy. Which is a feat in itself considering that Colt McCoy is the most accurate passer ever in the conference. I think this might not even be a game, and I am taking Nebraska. Lys took Nebraska and John and Jess took Virginia Tech, with hopes of legitimizing the ACC which both of their teams, Maryland and Miami respectively, play in.

Those are the picks for this week. I may do really horribly considering some of these games are absolute toss ups, but I am sticking with it. Just a reminder Lys picked based on the hotness of the quarterbacks of the respective teams! One player to watch is Ryan Mallett, the quarterback for Arkansas. Mallett started a few games as a freshman at Michigan under Lloyd Carr. After the hiring of Rich Rodriguez, Mallet, a pocket passer, decided to transfer. He is pretty good. Live like no one is watching and always root louder than the other guy!

This week's picks:
NATHAN++++++JOHN++++LYS+++++++++JESS
UTAH++++++UTAH+++++OREGON++++++OREGON
UF++++++++UF+++++++++UF++++++++++UF
ND++++++++ND+++++++++MSU+++++++++ND
CINCI+++++ORST++++++++CINCI+++++++ORST
TEXAS++++TEXAS+++++++TT++++++++++TEXAS
USC++++++USC++++++++USC++++++++++USC
BYU+++++BYU+++++++++FSU++++++++++BYU
CAL++++++CAL+++++++++CAL+++++++++CAL
USCAR++++USCAR++++++USCAR+++++++USCAR
UPSET!!!!!
NEB++++++VT++++++++NEB+++++++++++VT
Enjoy your Saturday!

Thursday night extravaganza!

Tonight has a great football game brewing! Georgia Tech will be traveling to Miami. It is highly unfortunate that the ACC is such a bad conference but these two teams are on the rise. It will be an interesting game to say the least.

I like Randy Shannon and the job he is doing in Miami. He is about character and accountability and changed the image of that program. They are young and talented and have a lot to prove over the season. Last year Georgia Tech ran for almost 500 yards on this Miami defense. Miami has improved on defense looking very good against Florida State. Georgia Tech has three talented tailbacks and Josh Nesbitt at quarterback. Georgia Tech struggled throwing the ball last week against Clemson and in doing so became one dimensional. Miami has a much more talented secondary, and if this young Miami team can lock in that option they might be able to pull this off. I, however, am on the Georgia Tech band wagon. I love that option offense, and it might rain tonight which is perfect weather for the ground and pound of the triple option. I am going with Georgia Tech. Elysa also picked Georgia Tech, she is going with a new strategy this week in which she picks based on the attractiveness of the quarterbacks on the teams. Jess is picking the hometown Hurricane's. John didn't pick this one which is ok because it is just for fun and doesn't count against our over all record.

On a totally different note. I think we are all overreacting to T.O.'s latest comments! This is relatively mild compared to what is usually said by this over-eccentric man. So let's just let his one go and keep an eye on him! Live like no one is watching and dontstopliving.org .

a+ Weekend!

What a weekend we had in sports. We got to see some great football, Tiger dominated, Serena Williams almost killed a lady on live T.V., and Roger Federer choked. Not to mention the Monday night games were spectacular. Before we gear up for another great week starting Thursday, let's take a look back at the best and worst of the weekend!

The weekend was strange to say the least. Let's start with my Broncos. Last year the Broncos were in the top 5 in offense and the bottom five in defense. So what did we do in the offense, we got rid of our Pro-Bowl quarterback, fired our offensively genius coach, re-vamped our defense, and hired Dennis The Menace as our new coach, who also happens to be an offensive genius. Add all that up and we win the game 12-7 on a play that should have been an interception. Where in the hell did our offense go, and who is playing defense! Speaking of Jay Cutler, he is fitting in well with the history of Bears' quarterbacks. i think he threw 1,000 picks in the Bears' loss on Sunday. Chicago also lost Brian Urlacher for the season, and those are big shoes to fill. Drew Brees threw 6 touchdowns, but it can not be an official stat because they were playing the Lions, who have now lost 18 games in a row. Now that is consistency. The Patriots and the Chargers had trouble stopping mediocre offenses. Also on a sad note, Jake Delhomme looks really, really garbage! Donovan McNabb broke his ribs, which doesn't mean he won't play but I am crossing my fingers to see some Vickage!

Now some quick shout-outs! The Cowboys won without incident, St. Louis is still a bad football team, and Oakland might have enough talent to make up for their lack of coaching! Oh yeah and T.O. is still garbage, if you are an NFL receiver you don't drop balls on third down! Live like no one is watching and remember no one puts baby in a corner!

I would like to give

Feel the Shift! BUS Top 25

This can be verified, a few of years ago the NCAA passed a new scholarship and I said that the power in football would shift just a little. The top schools would get the good recruits, but there would be some great players that would slip to "Non-BCS" schools. We are starting to see it already. Last year, Utah had better atheletes than Michigan and were a better football team than Alabama. Dan Lefevour, Central Michigan quarterback, is one of the best in NCAA and would be a Heisman contender at any other school. These are just a few examples of exquisite individuals, and good football players that go somewhere other than USC, Ohio State, Texas and Oklahoma. That is why we are seeing improvements in the play of teams in the "Mid-Major" conferences to invoke a basketball term. The coaching has always been comparable but the talent is finally catching up. That is why we are seeing Houston outscore Oklahoma State, and Central Michigan out play Michigan State. We all know my affinity to underdogs so I am just eating it up. And it is also why you will see the difference in my top 25 and the AP poll. Mostly because I am awesome and can do what I want. So here are the pick results and the top 25.


Name=========Week 2==========overall
John========== 8-2=============13-9
Elysa========= 3-7 ============ 10-12
Jess==========7-3==============7-3
Nathan========7-3=============18-4

And now for what you all have been waiting for the week 2 BUS top 25!

BUS Top 25:

1. Florida
2. Texas
3. USC
4. BYU
5. Boise State
6. TCU
7. Ole Miss
8. Penn State
9. LSU
10. Georgia Tech
11. Cal
12. Oklahoma State
13. Oklahoma
14. Kansas
15. Utah
16. Alabama
17. Ohio State
18. Miami
19. Michigan
20. Mizzou
21. Viriginia Tech
22. Baylor
23. Georgia
24. Nebraska
25. Houston

Well there you go! Enjoy the rest of the day with the NFL, and will reluctantly post my thoughts on these over paid babies in the morning! Live like no one is watching and remember to punch a USC fan right in arm!

analysis!

Here is the analysis of the games! I will just put the analysis here and the picks are already up! Enjoy your Saturday!

1.) TCU v Virginia- Virginia lost to William and Mary last week, enough said. Their offense looked shaky, only putting up 14 points. The Cavaliers will be facing an even tougher, faster defense in TCU. The Horned Frogs need to find some offense. Both their leading rushers and their second leading receiver are all gone. TCU.

2.) USC v Ohio State- USC is always so talented. (BOO) It seems like every year they have something new. The Trojan offense is extremely potent, but the deffense still has something to prove after losing so much at the linebacker position. They do have hard hitting safety, Taylor Mays to pick up the slack in both the running and passing defense. Ohio State also lost a lot on defense and it showed last week against Navy. Unless the Buckeyes can confuse freshman quarterback, Matt Barkely it might be a long night for that defense. USC.

3.) UCLA v. Tennesee- This will be a game of over-hyped underachievers. The Vols got off to a slow start last week against Western Kentucky, but once they got rolling you could see all the talent on that Tennessee offense. UCLA will be over matched athletically but better coached. The Vols will just be too much! Tennessee

4.) South Carolina v. Georgia- South Carolina, like most SEC teams, has a stout defense. However their offense continues to look confused by Spurrier's offense. This is the opposite of how a Spurrier coached team usually looks. Georgia got punched in the mouth last week by a good Oklahoma State team, but I really believe they are going to be alright. Joe Cox will continue to improve at quarterback which will be helped by sophomore sensation, A.J. Green at wide receiver. I think Georgia will blow this game wide open. UGA.

UPSET ALERT!!!!

5.) Michigan v. Notre Dame- Notre Dame's offense looks like it is finally coming into it's own. Jimmy Clausen seems to have figured everything out and is going to be good. The Irish defense kept Colin Kaepernick in check last week which will help against Michigan's two mobile freshman quarterbacks, Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson, from right here in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Michigan's offense was firing on all cylinders. Notre Dame will have their work cut out for them. This will be a huge game with a lot of scoring! Michigan.

Once again for all the picks check the earlier blog. This will be a fun week of football! I will also have analysis of my first flag football practice. Live like no one is watching!

Pick ems week2 2009

Nathan+++++++++++Elysa=========John======Jess

TCU+++++++++++++Virginia+++++++TCU======Virginia
USC==============USC=========USC======USC
Iowa==============ISU==========Iowa=====Iowa
Stanford===========Wake========Wake======Wake
Pitt==============Pitt===========Buffalo====Pitt
Michigan State=======MSU=========MSU======CMU
Tennessee==========Tennessee=====UCLA=====Tennessee
Georgia============South Carolina===UGA=====UGA
LSU===============Vanderbilt=====LSU======LSU
UPSET ALERT!!!!
Michigan===========Notre Dame====Michigan====Michigan

These are the picks this week! I will have analysis following shortly. I just had to get these up by the start of the game so ya'll didn't think we cheated. Jess is our guest picker and is a super model and administrative assistant from here in south Florida. Live like no one is watching and enjoy the games. These are late because I was coaching little league flag football!

NFL football

Along with college football there is also an NFL season starting. We all know that I love football but often come disenchanted with the antics of NFL players. But I feel obligated to take a paragraph to get you ready, and throughout the season run down the week.

This is going to be an interesting season in the NFL. It will be illustrated by the dynamic story lines that have unfolded in the offseason. The Patriots have revamped an aging defense with often inexplicable trades,, like the Richard Seymour to Oakland trade. Now I rarely doubt Bill Belicheck but he seems to be going wack-o on us right in front of our eyes. His offense is marked by it's dominance and they only seem to be adding pieces that will make them better. The Bengals, a team marked by it's inability to live up to expectations, looks like it might be putting things together. The Raiders look like they will suck, again. In fact the whole AFC East is looking pretty shaky. Including the Chargers who may have missed their window. It seems the only coach that could get the full potential out of that team was Marty Schottenheimer, and they fired him after a deep play-off run. And let's not mention the garbage that is my Denver Broncos. Another team that might be done is the Indianapolis Colts. They have restructured their coaching situation and it looks like Peyton Manning is not happy. Mike Vick is back and the Cowboy might have a shot with fewer distractions. Get fired up for NFL football.

The season kicks off tonight with a grudge match that should be fun to watch between the Steelers and the Titans. Should be fun to watch. Also as a side note there is a pretty good college game on tonight between a struggling Clemson team and Georgia Tech. Live like no one is watching and read the Yahoo! Sports story about Dick Vitale. It is amazing!

Wrap it up!

What a heck of a weekend in college football. It was the most exciting first week I have seen in a long time. There were some great games and some surprising upsets! Michigan and Notre Dame seem to be trying to re-establish their programs and we will see how far they have come when they meet in South Bend this weekend. Oklahoma State looked really good. USC looked shaky on defense, but that will happen when you replace all three linebackers. Ohio State had trouble with the passing game as well as the running game of Navy, which almost sounds bizarre considering Navy is a running team. The Buckeyes will really have to step up to stop the high powered offense of USC this week in the Horseshoe. Two ACC teams lost to Div-IAA teams solidifying the ACC's spot at teh bottom of the BCS conference trash bin despite the phenomenal game between Miami and FSU. BYU looked like a complete team, dominating Oklahoma up front on both sides of the ball. For Oklahoma fans, I know it is a tough break to lose your quarterback and spectacular tight end but neither play defense and BYU converted three 3rd downs on the go ahead drive. I told some of you 2 years ago that the power would start to shift in college football, after the new scholarship restrictions were imposed.

Alright now for the results of the Pick 'Ems and the BUS Top 25. John went 5-7, which is respectable with no time to prepare. Elysa went 7-5, just picking mascots. I got a lucky run, including the upset of Oklahoma, and went 11-1. On to the new top 25, live like no one is watching and argue away!

BUS Top 25

1.) Florida
2.) Texas
3.) Ok State
4.) USC
5.) BYU
6.) Boise State
7.) TCU
8.) Ole Miss
9.) Penn State
10.) Georgia Tech
11.) LSU
12.) Cal
13.) Ohio State
14.) Oklahoma
15.) Kansas
16.) Utah
17.) Alabama
18.) Miami
19.) Notre Dame
20.) Missouri
21.) Michigan
22.) Baylor
23.) Virginia Tech
24.) Georgia
25.) Oregon

Shock and Awesome!

Well yesterday was full of great college football! It seemed like almost every game was worth watching! I am proud of the teams that stepped up and took on ranked teams, whether they won or lost. I was also disappointed in the effort some teams brought to the table. So here are 5 things that surprised me yesterday.

Surprises

5.) BYU Upsets Oklahoma:

This is number five on my list because I called it. I knew that BYU had the stuff to beat Oklahoma. Max Hall is the real deal! For all of those that called me dumb, or told me that it was luck, tell it to the Sooners!

4.) Michigan and ND look good:

Michigan's freshman quarterback, Tate Forcier, is a beast. I hope all of the Michigan boosters where watching what this Rich Rod offense can do with his athlete's in place. Notre Dame finally put things together and Jimmy Claussen was almost perfect! It was a good day for two proud programs.

3.) Oregon loses to Boise:

I am really surprised by this one! I honestly thought Oregon was poised to make a big run this year! I knew Boise was tough but i had all my faith in the Ducks!

2.) Alabama still looks good:

I really hoped and expected the Crimson Tide to fall flat on their faces this year! They lost John Parker Wilson and Glenn Coffee, the two main keys to their mediocre offense last year. I should have known seeing as they lost so little from their dominating defense. Virgina Tech looked good, but just not good enough.

1.) Cal has a good defense:

I kinda figured that Cal would have an explosive offense. But last night the bears defense shut down a pretty good Terps offense. USC fans might want to be careful, Cal is a well coached aggressive defense.

I would like to reiterate a point I have made throughout the offseason, Michigan will be great. All the players making plays yesterday were freshmen! They will win 8 games this season and go to a bowl game. Stay tuned after Monday night for the result to the picks and the new top 25! Live like no one is watching and keep pushing forward!

Boise Blues!

I hope everyone watched the Boise State game last night. Boise Sate proved it's dominance by improving on defense, but so did Oregon. The final score was 19 to 8 in favor of Boise, and these are two prolific offenses! But something even better happened last night, there were some fireworks. So let's get down to the real reason ya'll are reading anything about the game.

After the game Boise State lineman, Byron Hout had a few words for Oregon running back Legarrette Blount who then proceeded to punch Byron right on the "button." When I saw it I was tired and I couldn't believe what I saw, but after further examination of the replay i was 100 percent sure I saw Hout get dropped like a "sack of Idaho potatoes." (Pun definitely intended!) My good friend Thomas hilariously broke the situation down into three distinct points on his facebook page: "(I) really hope somebody else saw "glass-jaw" get knocked out tonight on live tv, if not let me break it down. 1. You already won, don't instigate 2. If you are a big D-lineman, don't go down from one punch. 3. If you are Mr. I will... punch your lights out, don't fight the po leece, you are done for the year now."

After that expert analysis I really don't have to say much else! But I will finish it off with these two thoughts. I never condone violence in any fashion but Hout got exactly what all of us watching thought he deserved, and Lagarette Blount's irrational actions unfortunately might have cost him his season, and his NFL career. Live like no one is watching and talk trash with your helmet on! Quick shout out to Thomas for the idea for this blog and the all the hilarious words in quotes are his directly! Thanks Thomas!

College football Kickoff!

Well college football season is finally here. Elysa is googling mascots and John has put away his asian porn in favor of ESPN.com and a Maryland Terrapins t-shirt. I am really excited about this season because I think there are going to be big surprises. So keeping with tradition here are my picks for the weekend, as well as John's and Elysa.

Oregon at Boise State- This game really has me torn! I am on the Oregon Ducks bandwagon big time. I am enthralled with the Ducks' quarterback Jeremiah Masoli. He is tough guy with a lot of guts! But no one wins in Boise. The blue turf blinds people and they have a tough time performing simple tasks, like winning football games. I have to take Oregon though in the minor upset. Boise will have a great season behind Junior quarterback Kellen Moore. I just don't think they have enough to keep up with Oregon. Oregon. John picked Boise and Elysa picked Oregon.

Georgia at Oklahoma State- I am already all in on the Cowboys. I think their big three is going to practically unstoppable. Georgia has a great defense and will be a formidable opponent. But with the loss of Knowshon Moreno, and Matthew Stafford, Georgia's offense is still untested. We all know that defense is the second or third priority in the Big 12, but Oklahoma State might have just enough to stop an offense that is still gelling. Georgia has a lot of weapons but they probably needed a warm-up game. I am going with OK State. Elysa picked Oklahoma State as well and John went with the Bulldogs.

Alabama at Virginia Tech- Another big game at the beginning of the year. Last year Alabama was in this same position, playing a team from the ACC that is being hyped up. The difference is that Virginia Tech is better then Clemson was last year, and therefore won't be a patsy walk-over. Virginia Tech is a veteran team and is gelling nicely. Alabama lost two straight games last year and lost both John Parker Wilson and Glenn Coffee. There is no doubt they are talented and their defense will be stout as usual. It will be close but I think Alabama will take it. John agrees with me but Elysa is taking the Hokies.

Maryland at Cal- This is a rematch of a great game last year. Maryland came back to beat Cal in the second half. Maryland was a very bi-polar team last year, looking great against ranked teams but struggling against teh opponents they should have beaten. Cal is finally coming into its own. Kevin Riley is the sole quarterback and has looked sharp on occasion. With Javid Best at running back if he gets healthy the Bears could be dangerous. Their defense is still shaky but I think the Bears will be too much for Maryland, although Terrapin quarterback, Chris Turner is a sleeper for one of the best quarterbacks in the nation! I am taking Cal. John took Cal although he hopes he gets this one wrong, and Elysa took Cal because she hates John.

LSU at Washington- LSU is overrated, yeah I said it. They are ok but that means nothing in the SEC. I am excited to see what Washington quarterback, Jake Locker will do now that he is healthy and has an offensive minded coach in former USC offensive coordinator, Steve Sarkisian. I don't think Washington will win this game but I do think they will start to turn that program around this year. I am going with LSU, so is John. John thinks this one "could get ugly." Elysa picked the Tigers too.

Western Michigan at Michigan- Michigan is a team in turmoil. Poor Rich Rodriguez just doesn't seem like he can win off the field. But he now has a few of his own athlete's in place to run his spread offense. Western Michigan is a scary team full of talent. Broncos' quarterback Tim Hiller is a great quarterback and is primed to have a great year. If Western Michigan can win this game it will bode well for their season. The last two teams to beat Michigan in the Big House the first game of the year have gone on to great success. (Appalachian State won their third straight Div I-A national championship on 2007, and Utah went undefeated last year.) With all that said i think Michigan will at least start to get it back on track this year. I am going with Michigan. Elysa concurs, but John thinks Western Michigan will pull of the upset.

Nevada at Notre Dame- This game might sneak up and surprise a lot of people. Because even if both teams play well this one will be really close. Nevada is a very talented team, starting with their quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Colin is a Vince Young style player, with tons of talent and a lot of moxy. The Wolf Pack also run the pistol offense which, if you don't see it every day, can cause some major problems for opposing defense. The Irish defense is a little shaky. But their offense should be lights out. The offensive line is a veteran unit and it is time for Jimmy Clausen to step up or the accept the bust tag. The Golden Domers are stacked at wide receiver with Armando Allen and Golden Tate, but Clausen has to get them the ball. I am tentatively picking Notre Dame. John and Elysa have decided to agree with me.

UPSET ALERT!!!!!

BYU at Oklahoma- You think I am crazy but bear with me. Oklahoma has a lot of weapons on offense. Not to mention their Heisman quarterback, Sam Bradford is returning on a mission. But the Mountain West Conference is built on defense. I call them the mini-SEC. BYU will blitz Bradford all day, and the Oklahoma offensive line will be shaky. If this game where in the middle of the season I think that Oklahoma would win hands down, but the "Stormin Mormons" have a chance to confuse and confound the untested offensive line and wreak havoc for Bradford. I am picking BYU. Elysa agrees but only because she doesn't know what a Sooner was. John is more conventional and staying with Oklahoma.

So here is how the picks break down:

John------------- Nathan------------ Elysa
Boise State----------Oregon---------- Oregon
Georgia------------- OK State-------- Ok State
Alabama------------Alabama--------- VT
Cal (reluctantly)------ Cal------------Cal
LSU---------------- LSU----------- LSU
Western Michigan---- Michigan----- Michigan
Nevada------------- Notre Dame----- Notre Dame
Oklahoma----------- BYU------------ BYU
Bonus Picks
Minnesota-------- Minnesota------- Minnesota ---Minn @ Syracuse
Wake Forest------- Baylor ---------Wake --------Baylor @ Wake
Stanford--------- Stanford------- Wash State------Stanford @ WSU
FSU ----------- Miami (FL)--------- Miami----- Miami @ FSU

Those are the picks for college football week one! Live like no one is watching and enjoy the week long extravaganza! P.S. John picked the FSU- Miami game based on fan hotness.

For those of you who don't know John is my older brother and Elysa is my better-half!