BLOGPOLL ROUNDTABLE: PARADIGMBLOG EDITION

by Orson on Sep 29, 2005 12:07 PM EDT

Delayed answers to this week's Blogpoll roundtabling, found this time at ParadigmBlog.

In between attempting to kneecap old biddies wearing Michigan State gear on the street, Brent asks us the following questions of the non-burning variety:

1. We are now 1/3 of the way through the season and things are starting to shake out. With that in mind, who are your picks to win each of the BCS conferences, as well as your choice for an at-large berth from a non-BCS league (none is an option)?

ACC: Virginia Tech. Rippin' and rompin' and scaring the poop out of everyone in the conference at this point.

Big 12: Texas Longhorns. A tasty dinner AND the most compelling Mack Brown team yet thanks to Gene Chizik's baby thug D. Bevo wants a veggie burger.

Big 10: Michigan State. Drew Stanton is playing with his eyes closed right now, and may be able to get away with it for the rest of the year.

Big East: USF! Unless Jim Leavitt is struck by lightning--a likely occurrence considering Tampa's spot as the lightning capital of the world--the Bulls look as good as anyone does in this wretched excuse for a BCS conference. At least they'll give Notre Dame a sure W in four out of their next five bowl games...

Pac 10: USC. Ride that Trojan 'till it breaks.

SEC: Alabama's the rising suspect here, but that offense--struggling against a woeful Arkansas team--has a raging Florida D coming into town this weekend. Hard not to like meanass men in crimson for the title, though. We'd give our eyeteeth to see them lose this weekend.

At-large:Notre Dame. Of course they'll end up with a bid. It's inevitable. They'll lose two and still get the bid and pound the Big East rep. With Louisville out of the running--and they are now out---ND's reputation and fanbase will easily secure the slot barring a third victory. (OMG SOOOO CUTE! As Brian would say...) Dick Ebersol lights a cigar with hundred dollar bill on this one and Weis' baptism as the next savior of South Bend comes full circle.

2. What team currently out of the Top 10 (AP or Coach's, doesn't really matter), has the best chance of ending up in the title game?

Cal All hinges on the USC game, but no one else in the Pac-10 is going to match Cal for scheme, personnel, and coaching. A win against the Trojans and a clean slate and title game slot is Tedford's.

3. When you're watching a game, what type of fan can you absolutely not tolerate being around?

The Sports Sociopath. The guy who posts thirty-seven replies back and forth with a rival's fan on a message board about how "No, I'll be focking UR wife in the AZZ after da game." The guy who's not happy unless a victory leaves tire tracks on the opponent's back. (Clarification: coaches like this are great; fans who are, well, aren't. ) The guy who's looking for a fight but too chickenshit to throw a punch and land in jail like an honorable hooligan. The guy who loves the rivalry before THE GAME. The man who makes comments that make you start scanning his girlfriend for signs of obvious physical abuse.

Yeah, that asswipe. He's the one we'd create a separate pen for in our football utopia.

Bonus: A sizable portion of Michigan fandom is in full meltdown mode (myself especially). Some have chosen to sequester themselves for this weekend's game against MSU to avoid scaring children, causing long-term psychological damage to those in the near vicinity, and most especially to avoid jail (I'm not saying this is me per se). Anyways, we need some help. Give us some ideas for replacements for LLLyd Carr (3 L's for the number of losses per year, and no O this year either). Assistant coaches, head coaches elsewhere, etc. Please, give us something to look forward to.

Norm Chow. Yours for a song after a year or two with the Titans. He should be the first person they call if Carr gets the concrete shoes, and if not, Bo Schembecler ends up in Lake Michigan, too.

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Comments

Your sociopath fan definition is overbroad, unless you mean that each apply. I say this because there are some opponents I wouldnt mind seeing lose 44-0, all on safeties if need be. Of course, outside of that and occassional flashes of unexpected loathing for individual gator-killers, I do see your point. I think you describe a kind of testerone-junky who doesnt really know shit about football except who wins and that muscelly guys like him (or who he wants to be) play it. I think they have a pen for these guys already – the frat house.

by Jim K on Sep 29, 2005 12:20 PM EDT reply actions

USF killed Louisville, but it is still not a mature program that gives me confidence they won’t lose 2 or 3 in the Big East openning the door for Louisville again, who I still think wins the conference.

by Stranko Montana on Sep 29, 2005 1:13 PM EDT reply actions

SEC: UGA
ACC: FSU
BIG12: TEX
BIG10: OSU
BIGLEast: LOU
PAC10: USC
AT-LARGE (Non-BCS): None

by Randal on Sep 29, 2005 1:23 PM EDT reply actions

I appreciate your willingness to post comments that are critical of your fellow Gator fans:

“The guy whos not happy unless a victory leaves tire tracks on the opponents back.”

Thus the infatuation with SOS and the hope with Urb’s arrival that games of 50-3 will return with regularity.

Sorry my Vols gave you such hope at halftime for a tire-track sighting only to have your hopes and those of all of Louisiana dashed on the banks of federally-funded (at least the funds that didn’t get siphoned off by local Louisiana criminals, I mean politicians) levees.

Re: Bama. I’m thinking the Tide isn’t all their record says. Their D may keep it close but I don’t see Prothro going over the back of any Gators to catch a pass while bear hugging said d-back. Plus it’s only a matter of time until Shula starts coaching.

by Mike on Sep 29, 2005 3:49 PM EDT reply actions

“Plus its only a matter of time until Shula starts coaching.”

Hear, hear. Every Tide fan’s worst nightmare is putting the offense and the pass game in a game of catch-up.

by Orson Swindle on Sep 29, 2005 3:55 PM EDT reply actions

that’s actually only a runner up to the nightmare involving joe kines and a car wreck.

by Todd on Sep 29, 2005 4:16 PM EDT reply actions

This comment “Ride that Trojan till it breaks.” probably got a rise out of boifromtroy.

Here’s what I posted on boi’s blog re: these questions:

ACC – Virginia Tech – will be a big hit for TV ratings (NOT)
Big LEast – West Virginia – who cares?
Big Ten/Eleven – Ohio State – who can score on them?
Big 1/Little 11 – Texas, unfortunately – someone, please someone beat Texas – Im no OU fan but itd be a huge laugh for them to play their game of the year in 2 weeks to rain on the Mack Brown and his parade of best player in Americas.
Pac Ten – USC
SEC – Florida (Why not Vandy? Just kidding. At halftime of LSU/Vols I was thinking my Vols would be playing the Dores for bowl eligibility and a trip to Shreveport at the end of the season. I know the Michigan guys is depressed but the thought of playing Vandy for bowl eligibility would make one want to live next to a levee in New Orleans.)
At Large – Notre Dame (I hope not – pending losses to your Trojans and my Vols, Georgia(nah – the QB will mess up enough to lose 2 somewhere along the line) – prob Miami or FSU (because pollsters love them almost as much as they love ND)

2. What team currently out of the Top 10 (AP or Coachs, doesnt really matter), has the best chance of ending up in the title game?

ND – a 10-1 Notre Dame (with wins over USC and Tennessee, both in SB on NDBC TV in the latter half of the season) will have them ranked as the top 1-loss team. Just depends how many teams remain undefeated. The networks would love a ND/Texas matchup.

3. When youre watching a game, what type of fan can you absolutely not tolerate being around?

One more interested in the scene than whats happening on the field, or the adult fan that tries to lead the section in cheers exulting the crowd to stand-up, make noise, etc. Im all for noise and cheering just not when directed by some goober.

Bonus: Next Michigan coach?

Lee Corso or any ex-coach that broadcasts on ESPN. Hey, they did wonders for Woodson winning the Heisman, why not give them a shot in the Big House. (By the way that last comment is the obligatory Im a Vol fan and feel Woodson cheated Peyton out of the Heisman because of an ESPN conspiracy comment.

by Mike on Sep 29, 2005 4:53 PM EDT reply actions

I don’t know. Shula gets a bad rep. Probation is as probation does — you can’t win without players and without depth. That’s changing now. If Gene Stallings had to deal with this when he came in, that 7-5 ‘90 season would’ve been 1-10. He can also recruit the hell out of Alabama high schools, and it was the lights-out recruiting of Bill Curry that got Bama to the promised land last time.

by Newspaper Hack on Sep 29, 2005 4:54 PM EDT reply actions

The best summary of Shula’s rep thus far at Bama comes from our interview with Warren St. John: “He hasn’t had a whole lot of chance to do much good or bad.”

That all changes this weekend.

by Orson Swindle on Sep 29, 2005 5:02 PM EDT reply actions

I was sandwiched between two sociopathic football fans for the entire season last year. Dear god I wanted to kill those two!

by Azher on Sep 30, 2005 1:33 AM EDT reply actions

Hey – just wanted to give you the heads up on the UT Vmag’s blog…behind-the-scenes of the behind-the-scenes mag. It won’t be “giving away the farm” by any means…but there will be photos, clips and commentary from all of us here who are getting the access and what we get to see. It’s really cool stuff. We are seriously with Mack nd the guys in the locker room, on the plane to Ohio State, everywhere. We’d love to get in your blog roll if possible…just let us know. Take care.

by Vmag Insider on Sep 30, 2005 4:21 PM EDT reply actions

I swear, sometimes I think I’m the only person who doesn’t believe in Jeff Tedford. But I don’t believe in Jeff Tedford.

by Mark Hasty on Sep 30, 2005 11:02 PM EDT reply actions

“I swear, sometimes I think Im the only person who doesnt believe in Jeff Tedford. But I dont believe in Jeff Tedford.” – Wow. The truth is in the numbers, my friend.

2001-2002: 1-10 (Holmoe)
2002-2003: 7-5 (Tedford era, Year 1)
2003-2004: 8-6 (Victory over Virginia Tech in Insight Bowl)
2004-2005: 10-2 (Only regular season loss is nailbiter to USC in L.A.)
2005-2006: 8-4 (Lost star quarterback, running back, receivers, etc., yet replaced with young talent. No. 1 scoring defense in Pac-10)
2006-2007: Loaded.

by Jason on May 18, 2006 6:35 PM EDT reply actions