NCAA Football - Week 1 Betting Picks

I have been known to throw down some money on NCAA football games. I have had some great success and if you do your homework, the first two weeks of the season could be very good for you. I have listed some of my picks against the spread for the Week 1 college football schedule. Good luck and please bet responsibly.

Oregon (+4) at Boise State (-4) - My pick is Boise State

I predict big things for Boise State this season. Oregon did have a decent year last season, but the Broncos are playing on their blue turf and expect a high scoring game. I would say that Boise State has them beat by at least 6.5.

Navy (+21.5) at Ohio State (-21.5) - My pick is Ohio State

Ohio State is out to get respect again, after getting rocked in their last few BCS games. Chris Spielman may be trying to warn the Buckeyes to "not sleep on Navy," and he's right, but I have the Buckeyes by 4 touchdowns against the Midshipmen.

Akron (+27.5) at Penn State (-27.5) - My pick is Penn State

This game could get ugly. Penn State should score and score early. They should have the spread covered by halftime. This will be a blowout.

Western Michigan (+7) at Michigan (-7) - My pick is Michigan

It kills to me bet with Michigan, but I would say that the line is near perfect. They will probably keep it close and keep it around 10 points. Michigan is going through a scandal with Rich Rodriguez by having his players workout too much. It depends if this lights a fire under their asses or play with their tail between their legs.

Nevada (+14.5) at Notre Dame (-14.5) - My pick is Notre Dame

Jimmy Clausen looked great against Hawaii and he'll have all of his deep threats back once again. This is my lock of the week (I need a better word than that). Charlie Weis lessened his schedule and should have a double-digit win total. Notre Dame will win by at least 17 points.

Georgia (+5.5) at Oklahoma State (-5.5) - My pick is Oklahoma State

Georgia won't look like a dominant team early this season. You can't lose Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno and look good. Oklahoma State will be a nice sleeper team in the Big 12 and should win by 7.

UConn (-3.5) at Ohio (+3.5) - My pick is Connecticut

I know that I have been picking the home teams to cover so far this week, but I like UConn to win in Athens, OH. They have a nice program there, it took a few years, but UConn should win some games this season. They should win by a touchdown.

Virginia Tech (+6.5) at Alabama (-6.5) - My pick is Alabama

The Hokies sure look like a nice upset pick here, but I can't do it. I have bet on the Hokies at the beginning of the season the last two seasons and they haven't looked great the first game. Alabama did lose some line pieces on both sides of the ball, but Julio Jones will rock Va Tech's secondary and Mark Ingram should have a nice game on the ground. I would love if this spread swayed about a point more towards Va Tech, but I like Alabama by 7, if it gets higher than 7, bet the under. Keep an eye on the status of both Jones and Ingram, they could end up ineligible, so please keep an eye on this. If they end up being suspended for this game, Va Tech becomes the strong favorite.

Buffalo (+8) at UTEP (-8) - My pick is Buffalo

This is my upset pick of the week. I think that Buffalo has turned things around and this spread is because of their past reputation. Turner Gill has the program playing great and I wouldn't be surprised if they won this game outright, but for right now, I will take Buffalo with the points.

Mississippi (-16) at Memphis (+16) - My pick is Mississippi

If Jevon Snead wants to out-play Tim Tebow for the SEC Player of the Year and/or Heisman, he will need to start the season with a blow-out at Memphis. I would think that they could win by at least 24 points and this spread is quite low. I would parlay this game with two more to improve your payout.

Cincinnati (+6) at Rutgers (-6) - My pick is Cincinnati

Rutgers lost two keys to their offensive success over the last few seasons. Mike Teel and Kenny Britt are both gone, but Rutgers have recruited well. Tony Pike and the Cincinnati Bearcats came off an appearance in a BCS game, so they have a lot of momentum. I am taking the under and think Cincinnati will make this an extremely close again in Piscataway, NJ.

I hope you enjoy our picks. They are for entertainment purposes and please bet responsibly.

New Obsession: FootyTube

My new obssession is Footytube.com, where you can see highlights and football analysis from just about any football club. Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ham, Hull City, and just about any other club that you want to know more about. I don't know why I didn't know about this before, but I can't stop watching this now. Here are some nice clips that I found on Footy Tube.

I am bit of a rookie soccer fan. I really started to get into it about 3 years ago when Zidane headbutted Materazzi in the chest in the World Cup Final. I caught a few matches in the World Cup before that, but that game really turned me into a fan. I'll admit that I haven't kept up my enthusiasm much, but it peaks as big tournaments approach.

Here are the clips.

Why You Shouldn't Draft These Players

Going into your fantasy football draft, you have a few players already planned that if they are available, you're going to pick them. You may have an allegiance to them because they are on your favorite team or your favorite fantasy football analyst picked them to have a big year. If you're on the fence about a few players, here are reasons why you shouldn't pick certain players. I'm just talking you guys off the ledge, not pushing you off. All of these players will probably be great, but they all have possibilities of an epic fail this year.

Tom Brady - Did you see how his knee bent last year? Also, I'm pretty sure he's using all of energy on Gisele Bundchen, wouldn't you?

Aaron Rodgers - Before last season, he was known as "injury-prone," one full season and that suddenly disappears?

DeAngelo Williams - Jonathan Stewart is a touchdown vulcher...even if he's only 70% healthy, he'll still get touches in the red zone.

Michael Turner - see DeAngelo Williams, but add in Tony Gonzalez as the touchdown vulcher.

Jay Cutler - It's hard to throw a football with a pacifier in your mouth.

Peyton Manning - He spent the off-season filming commercials and Marvin Harrison is currently sitting on a couch somewhere.

Adrian Peterson - Brett Favre is in town and he's the NFL version of Stephon Marbury, he's a ball hog.

Donovan McNabb - He looks like he's been eating a lot of Chunky Soup lately...probably an extra 15 pounds of beef and potatoes in his mid-section.

Matt Cassel - I hear Scott Mitchell called and he said that he wishes him the best this season.

Thomas Jones - He had more candles on his last birthday cake than touchdowns he has left in his career.

LaDanian Tomlinson - Emmit Smith looked good in a Cardinals uniform right? Jerry Rice was great for the Seahawks, right? Tomlinson will probably look good in a Texans uniform next year too.

Chad Pennington - Does he have any ligaments or tendons left in his arm?

Brian Westbrook - The Eagles have already ear-marked a spot on the injury report for him, right between Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis.

David Garrard - If he can somehow be able to throw from his back, maybe he can throw a few touchdowns.

Maurice Jones-Drew - When Warrick Dunn went to the only option in the backfield he had his worst year.

Calvin Johnson - He should probably play quarterback and throw passes to himself.

Chris Johnson - LenDale White will eat him by Week 4.

Brandon Jacobs - You should probably pick him early or he will go to your draft and give you a power-bomb courtesy of Captain Insano.

Eli Manning - You may have a better year if you draft Archie.

Steven Jackson - Remember when he was a first-round pick? Back when the Rams played like an NFL team...it's been awhile.

Kyle Orton - Did you see his pre-season games? That's probably why he's still available.

Matt Schaub - Do you think he will be healthy all year this season? Didn't you ask youself that the last two seasons?

Marion Barber - I'm sure Felix Jones won't take any touchdowns away from him this year...even though Jerry Jones is in love with him. Nah, go ahead and draft him, yeah....yeah.

Ben Roethlisberger - After getting punished last year by an awful offensive line pass protection, they have improved it right? No? Okay, stay away from Big Ben.

Kevin Smith - He plays for the Detroit Lions.

Tony Gonzalez - The Falcons were 31st in the NFL at throwing to the tight end last season.

Terrell Owens - He will be a contestant for "I Love New York" by mid-season. No one will notice that he is gone.

Brandon Marshall - An emotional, hot-headed, receiver always does well when their team is bad. I'm sure he will keep his composure and not demand a trade. Oops!

Trent Edwards - I'm glad that he has that Stanford degree to fall back on. I hear J.P. Losman already landed a new job.

JaMarcus Russell - Al Davis bet the farm on him, but he looks like he has eaten all of the animals.

Reggie Bush - Kim Kardashian broke up with him, his year has already started horribly, do you think its going to get better?

Larry Johnson - Todd Haley loves to pass the ball, the Arizona Cardinals running attack was putrid last year.

Willie Parker - Don't turn around, Rashard Mendenhall is right behind you.

Chad Ocho Cinco - I'm sure all that UStream experience will be handy on the field.

Joseph Addai - When your team drafts a top player at your position, how do you take it?

Braylon Edwards - Maybe he will get an endorsement for "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter," on top of his "5-Hour Energy" endorsment money.

Darren McFadden - He plays on a team where his coach broke the face of an assistant. Sounds like a good team atmosphere for a break-out season.

Michael Vick - A few months out of prison and all the pressure to perform well to resurrect his career...you think he'll be pretty calm and clear-minded?

Brady Quinn - Express and Limited Corporations are located in Ohio, maybe he can pose for some modeling campaigns on the sideline when he's holding a clipboard by mid-season.

Review: "Munson" by Marty Appel

Thuman Munson was a great catcher and team captain for the New York Yankees. He was tragically killed in a plane crash during the prime of his career. He had a great rivalry with Boston Red Sox catcher, Carlton Fisk, it even got personal a few times. Marty Appel has written a book about Munson and I decided that my brother, a big Red Sox fan should read it and write a review. It's a great book and I knew that he couldn't say anything bad about it. It proves that Munson's greatness can unite people, even if they bleed Red Sox crimson.

I am a Red Sox Fan.

I usually run away from anything having to do with George Steinbrenner and his hated "Evil Empire" in New York. However, as painful as it is to admit, I liked Marty Appel's Munson published by Doubleday. My reasons for liking this book had nothing to do with Munson's career as a Yankee. I could have cared less about his "American League Rookie of the Year" honors in 1970, his seven All-Star Game appearances, three Gold Gloves awards, 1976 American League Most Valuable Player Award or anything even slightly associated with the pin-stripe wearing Yankee captain. My reasons for loving this book had nothing to do with baseball at all. I liked it because of Appel's insight on Thurmon Munson the husband, father, friend and man.

Red Sox Nation may frown upon this but I have to be honest with myself about this book. This was a great read, and I enjoyed the insight and anecdotes that have never been told since the Yankee captain perished over 30 years ago. This book could not have been written by anyone else, and could only have been told by Appel who was a friend and biographer for Munson, and former Yankee PR director. Who better to give an inside look at the man, than someone who was there with him and who had direct access to his family, friends and teammates?

After reading Munson I have to admit that while I don't want to see another Yankee enter the Baseball Hall of Fame, but I do feel that the Hall needs more Thurmon Munson's in it. His love of family, friends and community kept pulling him home to Canton, Ohio, and in the end he died far to short in the town he loved so much. His whole reason for taking up flying was to allow him more time at home with his family and friends that he loved so much. Why did I pick this book up and read it? As a Red Sox fan I am not sure, but I am glad I did. I came away from it with a huge respect for him as a man, husband and father. I just wish number 15 had not worn the pin stripes for those years and had made his wish for playing with the Indians become a reality. Maybe that would have made reading this book about a Yankee captain a little easier for this Red Sox fan, and the world may still have this beloved captain.

-Gran Roberts

2009 NFL Preview: NFC West

I recently went through the entire NFL season and predicted every game. I will be using this information as part of my 2009 NFL Preview. NFC West will be the first division that we look at. Will Arizona run away with this division again? Can the Rams turn things around? With Hasselbeck healthy, can Seattle make the playoffs? Can Singletary straight out the 49ers? Check out our NFC West Preview.

Arizona Cardinals- (Projected Finish 10-6)

Arizona made an historic run last season to make it to the Super Bowl. They were just one play away from beating the Pittsburgh Steelers, but luck wasn't on their side. Kurt Warner's play was the difference between Arizona being a 6-10 team and an NFC Champion. If you subtract the game against the New England Patriots, Warner had one of his best seasons and Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald were the reasons for his comeback. The wide-receivers were great and even the tight end, Leonard Pope improved as more of an offensive threat. Their running game needed to be improved, so they cut ties with Edgerrin James and drafted Beanie Wells out of Ohio State. Tim Hightower will still be a factor, but they hope that Wells can stay healthy.

The Cardinals defense will be better in 2009. Karlos Dansby had a great year last year and so did Adrian Wilson. Players like Alan Branch and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie are a year old and should improve even more.

It is crucial for the defense to step up, since Arizona will be tested a few times this year. They play Indianapolis and Carolina at home, but they have to travel to New York Giants, Chicago, and Tennessee. Those will not be easy games for the Cardinals. They should win the division, though improved a little, but is still very weak compared to other divisions. They will have a target on their backs this season, something that is very new for Arizona.


Seattle Seahawks- (Projected Finish 7-9)

The injury bug took a chunk out of the Seahawks in 2008. Matt Hasselbeck dealt with a back injury throughout the year last season. Their wide-receiving corps were a few men short since Nate Burleson, Bobby Engram, and Deion Branch all miss considerable time. They have all their offensive weapons this year and have even added T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Edgerrin James, and rookie wide-receiver, Deon Butler. They should be much better and will be able to put a lot of points on the board.

Lofa Tutupu will be the anchor of this defense and it should be pretty good. They added Aaron Curry through the draft and will look nice next to Patrick Kerney. Their weakest part of the defense is their secondary. They don't have the depth that most teams have. Kelly Jennings and Marcus Trufant are good, but after them, there is a drop-off. Teams should be able to pass all over them unless they get can get a consistent pass rush.

Seattle has a very hard non-divisional schedule. They have to play Dallas, Chicago, Tennessee, Tampa Bay, and Indianapolis, all of those games will not be gimmes. They have a distinct advantage with their home field, but many of their tougher games are on the road. I predicted them to be 7-9, but there is probably a 2 game margin of error with that prediction. They will be in a lot of close games, but it will probably take 10 games to make the playoffs in the NFC.

San Francisco 49ers- (Projected Finish 6-10)

Mike Singletary will have an entire season to improved the 49ers, since he took over mid-season last year. He is a disciplined coach and expects the most out of his players. When it played with the Chicago Bears, he was a field general and I expect him to add a few wins to this year's win total. His quarterback situation is still a mess. Alex Smith is back from injury, but Shaun Hill has been named the starter. You never know what Singletary will do, if both of those quarterbacks see time and struggle, Nate Davis may get a shot. Frank Gore is expected to have a great year, since the wide-receiving corps lacks star power. Their first-round draft pick, Michael Crabtree, still hasn't sign with the team, so Josh Morgan, Arnaz Battle, and Isaac Bruce will be the starters.

Patrick Willis is a superstar on defense and should be a Defensive Player of the Year contender in 2009. He has been nothing but phenomenal since they drafted him two seasons ago. Takeo Spikes, Dre Bly, and Nate Clements are the three veterans expected to help out this young defense. Ricky-Jean Francois is a rookie out of LSU and could help out a lot, if he can stay motivated.

The 49ers' first-half of the schedule is very difficult. Their first eight contests have games againt the Colts, Falcons, Vikings, Titans, and Cardinals. The second-half of their schedule is more manageable and should see some wins toward the end of the year.

St. Louis Rams- (Projected Finish 3-13)

The Rams may have trouble at quarterback this season, unless Marc Bulger regains his 2006 form. They don't have much of an insurance policy, since their only back-up with any NFL game experience is Kyle Boller. They may need to rely on RB Steven Jackson even more than in past years. He will have to carry the load, since Rams don't have much of a receiving corps either. Donnie Avery is their only receiver with any experience as a starting receiver. They lost Torry Holt to free-agency and didn't replace his productivity well, they signed WR Tim Carter to fill his spot.

Coach Steve Spagnuolo help lead the New York Giants defense into the playoffs the last few seasons. He loves to blitz and does it very often, but as the new coach of the Rams, he may not have the personnel to accomplish his goals on defense. The best players on defense are still very young. Chris Long, Adam Carriker, and James Laurinaitis are their young gems, but they don't have much experience. They lack depth at any position and will have a rough time all season keeping the ball in front of them.

The Rams aren't expected to do a complete turnaround this season. They didn't go out and sign any big-name free agents and are looking for the draft to build their team. If they can get three wins this year, they should take it. They will have a hard time scoring points and keeping points from being scored. Spagnuolo will try and help the defense any way he can, but unfortunately he doesn't have Michael Strahan or Osi Umenyiora on his team.

Angels Acquire Scott Kazmir

As if the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim didn't already look great this season, but they just got better. They just acquired Scott Kazmir from the Tampa Bay Rays for two Double-A minor-league players. Was this a Rays salary dump? The Angels needed pitching help and if he can pitch like he did at the beginning of last season, they should be the favorite to win it all this year.

The Angels are sending Alexander Torres and Matthew Sweeney to the Tampa Bay Rays to acquire Kazmir. Torres is a 21-year old pitcher with a big arm and Sweeney will probably end up being a 1B or DH eventually, they are both in Double-A. It is a small price to pay for Kazmir, who has struggled this season with an ERA around six. But he has a 51-41 career record with a 3.85 ERA with strikeout power. Kazmir does have is injury-prone and doesn't last long into games, due to him being a strikeout pitcher. If the Angels pitching coaches can turn Kazmir into a finesse pitcher who can use his strikeout power on occassion, he'll be able to last longer into games.

People forget that Kazmir is still only 25 years old. His name has been in baseball's lexicon since he was a young prospect with the New York Mets. He was traded in one of the worst trades this decade, when the Mets sent him to the Rays for Victor Zambrano. He can still learn how to keep himself healthy and be a possible #1 or #2 starter for the Angels. John Lackey is a free agent after this season and they could let him go, since they will be paying Kazmir about $10 million over the next two years, plus an option for a third.

I like the deal for the Angels, they have money to spend and the Rays do not, so this deal had to happen. Yes, the Rays could have held onto Kazmir and traded him for more in return, but they needed to dump Kazmir's salary and wasn't guaranteed a similar deal would have been offered this off-season, since the economy has yet to rebound. I think the Angels are now the team to beat in the American League.

Mike Birbiglia Is A Funny Dude

I was listening to the Bob & Tom morning show a couple years ago and I heard a guy named Mike Birbiglia on it a few times and found him hilarious. I went out and bought the "Two Drink Mike" album and it was worth the $15 dollar purchase at Best Buy. His stand-up is well done and his timing is nearly perfect. He'll also be in Columbus, OH on October 1st, so I am anxiously awaiting his performance here. If you haven't heard of this guy, I've posted a few Youtube videos for you to watch Mike Birbiglia do his thing.

Mike Birbiglia has been featured in about every kind of media out there. He has animated videos online, he has record albums, filmed a Comedy Central special called "What I Should Have Said Was Nothing," he has a piece on the "Bob & Tom" radio show called "My Secret Public Journal," and he had an off-broadway one-man show called, "Sleepwalk With Me." He won a bunch of awards for his performance and some rumors circulated that he could actually move his show to Broadway, but that haven't happened yet. Birbiglia is everywhere, plus he often appears on late-night talk shows to do a few minutes of material.

Check him out in a town near you, he's currently hitting up college campus towns. He's being promoted by Comedy Central in the "I'm In The Future Also" comedy tour. Here are a few clip of Mike Birbiglia, Enjoy!

A former student of mine, Julie Salinas, just sent me a link to a New York Times piece on "Statistical Slumps."

All White Boy Fantasy Football Team

Since our name is "America's White Boy" we embrace white boys representing in professional sports. I use the term "white boy" meaning guys who are "country" and kind of don't fit into the normal stereotypes of being a cocky, big city athlete. Who will make the pasty, pale, All-White Boy Fantasy Football Team? Check it out.

This team is going to be realistic, so for example, I won't have Tom Brady and Peyton Manning on the team, since you wouldn't be able to get both of those players in a draft. Plus, Tom Brady is too city and any man who can land Gisele Bundchen, doesn't fit our definition of a "white boy." Here is the list...

Quarterbacks

Peyton Manning
Jake Delhomme

Manning and Delhomme were easy picks at quarterback. Manning is Southern and probably owns a few John Deeres and Delhomme is cajun and he sounds like assistant coach from "The Waterboy." Jay Cutler could fit this role too, but probably couldn't land him and Manning on the same team.

Running Backs

Jacob Hester
Peyton Hillis

This is weakest part of the team, there aren't any John Riggins or even a Travis Jervey. You can pick these guys in one of the last rounds. Hester could vulture some touchdowns from Tomlinson and Darren Sproles in San Diego. Hillis could see signficant time in Denver this season, but they are both definitely white boys.

Wide Receiver

Wes Welker
Kevin Walter
Jordy Nelson
Brandon Stokley

There some decent white boy options at wide receiver. Welker will get 100 receptions and Walter had a great year for the Texans last year. Nelson is a sleeper for me this year and Stokley is good for some points, if he stays healthy, plus he's a family friend of the Mannings, +1 white boy points.

Tight Ends

Chris Cooley
Jeremy Shockey

This position is probably the most easy to fill. Cooley fits our definition, heck he accidently took a picture of his wang and he posted it on his blog on accident. Shockey has an american flag/bald eagle tattoo on his arm, that alone puts him on our team. I wouldn't be surprised if he had a Miller High-Life girl tattoo on his other arm somewhere. He also ended up in the hospital this off-season after sitting by the pool and drinking in the heat for too long. He would probably be in the inaugural class of the White Boy Hall of Fame.

Kicker

John Kasay

I would have picked John Carney here, because he is four years older than Kasay, but Carney will be out of a job once Garrett Hartley comes back from suspension. They have both kicked forever and I think I've had either him or Carney on a fantasy team for the last 15 years. If Morten Anderson comes back this year at all, substitute him on your team.

Defense

Minnesota Vikings

I picked them because of one person, Jared Allen. The guy is a walking advertisement for Budweiser and Kodiak tobacco. He is such a mountain man/country boy that I would bet that he hangs out with Ted Nugent. Also, Chad Greenway is on the team, he played college ball at Iowa, I'm sure he can use a 22-gauge shotgun before he knew how to read.

I hope you like our team, it was a lot of fun to put it together. Let me know if anyone actually makes this squad their actual team. If you do and prove it, maybe I can put together a prize pack and send it to you.

Big Ten Preview: Penn State Nittany Lions

Yes, we are predicting that Penn State will win the Big Ten this year. Yes, I will probably be beat up in the alley by my house in Columbus, OH. Yes, Joe Pasquali wrote this piece. Yes, Joe Paterno is still the coach. I agree with Joe, Penn State are going to be good and the conference will be close, but the game against Ohio State will decide the Big Ten Championship. Enjoy the finale of the Big Ten Preview.

Finishing #1 in the Big Ten
Penn State Nittany Lions (Predicted Finish 11-1)

Summary- The Lions from Happy Valley will be repeating as Big Ten Champions this year. Too many things are looking in Penn State’s favor to think otherwise. Nine offensive and nine defensive starters return, a schedule that is very kind, and off years for other Big Ten Powers. The stars have all aligned for Penn State to repeat and be playing in Pasadena once more.

Offense (A-)- Evan Royster and Daryll Clark return to lead an offense that lead the Big Ten in scoring last season. It was a unit that was not only balanced but very explosive for the Nittany Lions. For a mobile quarterback such as Clark and running back with the potential as Royster, a key component is the offensive line. Penn State only returns two of their big uglies up front; if there is any question mark on the offense the line would be it. The only thing I foresee hurting them from putting the ball in the end zone is conservative play calling. (See Ohio State game 2008)

Defense (B)- It will be a cold day in you know what when Linebacker U has an off year on the defensive side of the ball. No other school has reloaded like Penn State at the linebacker position over the last ten years, and this year poses to be no different. Sean Lee is returning from an injury that kept him sidelined last year and will prove to be a difference maker. Look for fellow LB Navarro Bowman to have a big year as well. The one weakness of the Penn State defense will be against the pass. Maybin and Gaines were great pass rushing defensive ends that harassed opposing quarterbacks often. Lydell Sergeant and Tony Davis were two solid CB’s with big play potential. These losses will hurt PSU more than anything else in 2009.

Special Teams (B)- A lot of kickers competing for the starting job including three freshmen. Junior Collin Wagner will most likely get the nod as the man knocking it through the uprights, at least to start. Jeremy Boone is one of the better punters in the Big Ten (42 yard net average) and should be once again this year.

Coaching (A)- Who really knows if Joe Pa is still calling the plays for Penn State, but who cares? This team keeps popping out winning seasons. Yeah, USC smoked ‘em last year in the Rose Bowl, but when did a Big Ten team NOT get smoked by USC.

Big Ten Preview: Ohio State Buckeyes

I have lived in Columbus, OH for the past 3 years and the fanbase here is rabid. I'm sure there are children here with the first name "Tressel." With Terrelle Pryor behind the center, they expect big things this season. They are used to winning, but with their anchors on defense graduating and losing Beanie Wells and their entire receiving corps to graduation or draft, can their expectations be high? Joe Pasquali is here with the preview of the Ohio State Buckeyes, who we have finishing #2 in the Big Ten this year.

Finishing #2 in the Big Ten
The Ohio State Buckeyes (Predicted Finish 10-2)

Summary- Ohio State has a great team this season. Really, they do. Anyone who thinks this will be a complete rebuilding season for the boys from Columbus has apparently never watched a Jim Tressel team. This is a team that has depth, great coaching, and explosiveness in all of the right areas. The Achilles heel for this team is scheduling. A game against USC, playing at Penn State and at rebounding Michigan. Not good news for OSU.

Offense (B+)- Hot and Cold was the Buckeyes offense last season and the 2009 season should bring more of the same. Terrelle Pryor is some kind of athlete at the QB position, but questionable decisions in big games was his downfall. He will have three returning starters on the offensive line in front of him which should help his first full year at the helm go fairly smooth. A lot of young talent occupy the RB and WR positions, it will be interesting to see who steps up as a major threat. The Buckeyes had the 104th ranked pass offense last year, and that was WITH Robiskie and Hartline. To be a National Championship contender, OSU has to be more two dimensional.

Defense (A)- I fear for any quarterbacks that have to play against Ohio State this season. The Buckeyes return all 4 starters from a defensive line that was fairly athletic last year, sacking opposing quarterbacks 28 times. Thorpe winner Malcolm Jenkins will be missed, but the other three members of the Buckeye secondary will be back. Also, it’s not like any team in the Big Ten has a huge threat at the WR position. New faces at two of the three LB positions will be the only question mark for this defense, but I expect them to do just fine.

Special Teams (C)- Since Tressel has been in town OSU has always played pretty top notch special teams, but a new kicker and punter always leave folks wondering who is this kid booting the ball around. Also, should be some new faces when it comes to returning kicks and punts as well.

Coaching (A)- Jim Tressel is one of the best coaches in the country and the best coach in the Big Ten. Conservative play calling against Penn State angered the Buckeye faithful, but anyone who really wants to blame losses on Tressel has to have a reality check. Do you remember a guy named Cooper? Yeah, thought so. Shut up.

Big Ten Preview: Iowa Hawkeyes

Kirk Ferentz is lucky to always have a nice pre-season ranking, but he rarely finishes where they predict. He will miss Shomm Greene this season, but will another running back step up? Iowa brings back a nice defense from last year and should do well against the run this year. Joe Pasquali is here once again to talk about his #3 pick in the Big Ten, the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Finishing #3 in the Big Ten
Iowa Hawkeyes (Predicted Finish 9-3)

Summary- Iowa is expected to have a big season. Last time this was the case pre-season (2007) the Hawkeyes disappointed everyone and went a mediocre 6-6. Out of the starting 22 positions Iowa has 15 returning starters. However, and this is a BIG however, the Hawkeyes have to travel to Columbus, Happy Valley, and Camp Randall. Iowa will lose two of those, if not all three. I do feel someone has to step up and get to nine wins outside of PSU/OSU and I think Iowa has the best shot.

Offense (B+)- Shonn Greene was a STUD at RB last year for the Hawkeyes and losing him hurts, but don’t expect a big drop off statistically for Iowa. They will have the best offensive line in the conference anchored by All-Conference Tackles Bryan Bulaga and Kyle Calloway. Ricky Stanzi managed the offense very well last season and made few mistakes; he will need to have another solid season for the Hawkeyes to live up to the hype.

Defense (A-)- Eight returning starters for a defense that slapped around Spurrier’s men in the Outback Bowl last winter, things are looking good in Iowa. Pat Angerer (MLB) and Amari Spievey (CB) are both all conference and two of the best players in the country at their respective positions. This defense ranked 2nd in the Big Ten last year only behind Penn State and should finish towards the top once more. The only question mark is two new starters at DT (Karl Klug and Mark Daniels) and at 258 lbs/267 lbs respectively, may be a bit undersized up the middle.

Special Teams (B)- Daniel Murray is an average kicker who only saw game action half of the season last year, making six of nine kicks. Ryan Donahue was all conference last season at the punting position and matched with a great defense should give opposing teams fits.

Coaching (B)- Kirk Ferentz may be on the hot seat this season. Iowa has pretty big expectations and will be looking for a top there finish. If Iowa slips to a 6-6 or 7-5 season, look for a change to be in order. If they finish 3rd as predicted, he’ll probably get a huge contract. Thus is the world of college football.

Man Dumps 10-Gallons Of Yogurt On Himself To Join ESPN Fantasy Football League

A young man by the name of Blake Hall wanted to get into ESPN's "Fantasy Focus" league really bad. The podcast puts together a 20-team league each year and receives hundreds of submissions from people trying to get in. This year's contests included "What would your wrestler entrance music be?" type of questions, but one man said that he would dump 10-gallons of yogurt on himself for an entry. Check out the video of the yogurt avalanche.

I think the best part about the video is that they don't even catch the first try. The camera man didn't record it, so they have to re-shoot it again. I hope those guys let him in, I'm guessing that they do. Matthew Berry, Nate Ravitz, and Pod Vader have a fondness for yogurt.



Hey guys, that the poor man in the Man's League!

Big Ten Preview: Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State has been very streaky the last few seasons and that did not change last year. They started great, but then hit a wall. Mark Dantonio has a tough task ahead, have they found pieces to replace Javon Ringer and Brian Hoyer on offense? Joe Pasquali is here to breakdown Michigan State in this part of the Big Ten Preview.

Finishing T-#4 in the Big Ten
Michigan State Spartans (Predicted finish 8-4)

Summary- It’s a somewhat put up or shut up year for the Spartans, and I think they will put up. I know that sounds weird since I am predicting them for 8 wins, but they will have to earn ALL nine of them. Games at Notre Dame, Wisconsin, and Illinois, along with welcoming Iowa and Penn State to East Lansing should make a tough year for MSU. It is nice they have so many returning starters, but anytime you got a new QB at the helm a projected 8-4 year can easily become a 6-6 one.

Offense (B-)- Brian Hoyer was no Drew Stanton, but it was nice he knew the offense and managed games fairly well. Handing the ball off to Javon Ringer was mainly his job last season, and he did that pretty well. Ringer will be THE most missed offensive player in the Big Ten this season. He carried MSU on his back last year, rushing for 1637 yards and 22 touchdowns. Should be more of a running back by committee year for the Spartans, which is not always a bad thing.

Defense (A-)- This will be the best Michigan State defense the country has seen in a LONG time. Not usually known for a dominating D, MSU should surprise plenty of fans but few coaches this year. Greg Jones will be a finalist for Big Ten defensive player of the year and should strike fear into opposing offenses. Along with him, Michigan State 8 starters from a defense that ranked in the top half of the nation last year.

Special Teams (A)- Brett Swenson and Aaron Bates are the best kicker/punter tandem in the conference. Swenson was 22-28 on field goals last year, including 6-7 between 40-49 yards.

Coaching (B)- Mark Dantonio is one of the up and coming coaches in the conference and seems to have the Spartans heading in the right direction. I would have given him a higher grade, but 2009 should be tough. We’ll see how he handles it.