Hot Seat Mascot Of The Year Voting is Heating Up!

Somewhat unbelievably, at least to the ole MMQ, the Hot Seat Mascot voting has turned into a virtual war between Lucy Pinder (which I must say, has a tremendous montage of photos out there that will help keep us warm all year) and Jenn Brown (who also warms the cockels of my heart). 
See what I did there?

Anyway, There's only 4 days left to vote and in case you were still having trouble deciding, I've included a couple extra photos of each mascot here.  Lucy is a fine finalist....


And Jenn is just Jenn...And I can see here on ESPN every week!

This will more than likely be my last post until after the holiday (Christmas, not New Year's) and there will most certainly be one more FMQ post with respect to the bowls.  I have been watching the lines and there's been relatively little movement, meaning the money is not coming in at all (doubtful) or coming in rather even.  The line that's really tough for me to figure out is the Alabama  - LSU line.  I would have handicapped that almost like a home game for LSU.  Maybe somebody knows something I don't.......

The Bowl Picks, More on Rudy and an Olio of Christmas Delights!

In case you were wondering, yes, I did get in a Bowl Pool.  So far, I'm not winning, but I didn't have a lot of points in play this past weekend.  There will be additional wagering on the bigger bowls with some teams that I have a better read on.  But, if you're still able to get in a Bowl Pool and are looking for insight, you can reference the MMQ's sheet below.  And I highly recommend that after referencing, you forget everything you see and just do your own thing!

Now!  On to MUCH MORE IMPORTANT AND RELEVANT MATTERS!
 
1.  With all due respect to the Domers (JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS!)
 
It seems that their favorite folk hero, Rudy, is actually nothing more than a cheap charlatan that was charged and paid a hefty fine for pimping his own name, the Notre Dame Mystique, and taking advantage of the gullibility of a bunch of blind fans.  It seems that he came up with his own Sports drink company and associated sports drink called "Rudy", and he claimed it was outselling Gatorade "2 to 1" where it was marketed.  At the end of the day, Rudy paid over $300K in fines and was charged with presenting false information to investors...
 
Ha-ha...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!
 
I know you ALL love a good laugh on behalf of the Domers on a Monday Morning!
 
You're all Welcome!
 
2.  Penn State's problems continue....I would hate to be a Penn State fan right about now.  The abyss is staring them in the face and it's hard to see past it.  Quick Summary:  McGloin and a little used wide receiver Drake got in a fracas after practice where Drake laid out McGloin with one punch, resulting in a concussion and a seizure.  Sheesh....How much worse can it get for PSU?  I remember feeling a lot like that in 2007-2008...Those were dark times and I truly hope that Penn State comes out of this deal better than when they went in...It's sad, really, when you compare it to OSU and see how little pain they've actually felt for a whole lot more wrongdoing with respect to actual football.  Again, I'm not trying to compare the two, but it just really pisses me off....
 
3.  If you haven'st seen the M-Zone's take on David Brandon's North Pole Assignment and the new look for Santa, well, you have to visit.  That's all I'm gonna say...Again, nobody does it better than Yost and the crew!  ( Somehow, the Tie-Dye is my favorite!)
 
4. M-GoBlog has a great diatribe on the $2,000 student athlete stipend.  While I'm not for it (entirely) I get why it needs to happen.  Somewhere along the way, things have gotten so out of hand with respect to the revenue generating sports, the product that University's are allowed to market (exploit) and sell for millions of dollars in exhange for a "salary" of a scholarship and the rules the NCAA puts on the student athlete vs. the institutions is mind boggling.  I like to think of it simply as this:  Michael Dell, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerburg and others came up with great ideas in college, left and pursued their dreams and fortunes.  What, exactly, keeps an athlete from "owning" what he puts out there on the field?  In other words, if DeRob is having an awesome season and people want to buy his jersey, why doesn't he see a dime of that money?  Is it different than what the entrepreneurs did?  I know it is, but it's a fuzzy line and I for one believe it's high time to address it.  Of course (And back off, because I have daughters!) you have the whole Title IX thing that keeps non-revenue budget sucking sports alive in order to keep a level playing field, which is simply wrong and falls into the reverse descrimination category, right along with reduced requirements for minorities.  My guess is that we will eventually see the reduction of college athletics and the loss of scholarships simply because more of the smaller schools will find that they cannot make ends meet. 
 
5.  And finally, and I really thought I would be through with having to write this clown's name once he left the collegiate ranks because I frankly got tired of hearing it then, TEBOW LOST!  Even better, if you haven't seen it, SNL did a great spoof that you simply have to watch...Jesus tells Tebow to take it down a notch!  I really love the part where Jesus let's Tebow know that he wouldn't be able to help out against Touchdown Tom and the Pats because he had some Christmas shopping to do!  Classic...
 
Enjoying the Ride....
 
The MMQ

David Brandon - STOP WITH THE UNIFORMS!

I wrote this initially back in June when the announcement came out about the “Night Game Throwback Uniforms” and I didn’t post because I wasn’t really sure how I felt yet about the whole thing.  I mean, a one time jersey that represented something special kind of had a certain appeal to the part of me that isn't "Old Fogey".  I mean, Penn States uni's have always been the same and while you know who they are, I guess it can get a little...boring?  But really, it's the product that's in the uni's that's important.  And again, I was really sure how I felt till I actually saw the uniforms.
Guess What?

NOW I’M SURE!

(Originally written on June 13, 2011)

When Money Makes the Decisions

This is what the Notre Dame – Michigan Ann Arbor Night Game Jerseys are going to look like….Where does the MMQ stand?

1. As a Traditionalist, they suck.
2. Never, EVER at any point in time did the COLLECTIVE team jersey ever have stripes on the sleeves. Yes, some guys had sweaters in some picture from before the turn of the century that sported some “faint” stripes.
3. When have you ever seen them on any old clips?
4. Solid blue on the Jersey would have been fine, with the small number on the helmet that Michigan sported at some point in the 60’s…
5. We will forever have to look at that on ESPN classic, win or lose, and that bothers me.

If you want to call it a retro style, then call it that, but do NOT CALL IT A retro uniform. Admit what it is – a money grab by the athletic department and a chance (NOT) to sell some of the retro jerseys at M-Den and other places. Except that I think whoever invests in these things is going to have a difficult time moving them…Kind of like the Big Chill Hockey jerseys that are still sitting on the shelves from the Big Chill.


So far, I’ve enjoyed the David Brandon athletic directorship. But if he continues to let his “corporate” side make decisions (like this one) then I may have to start a little campaign to get him to wake up and realize that there are just some things you don’t do for the sake of a dime in the grand scheme of things.

Today’s Addition:

That last paragraph really sums it up: It’s a sick money grab by making “special” jerseys for re-sale and to play up to the “bling” generation of let’s eff with tradition.

Now, while I sort of felt like a one time a year or one time every 5 years might not be a bad thing and it would sort of keep the “special” uniforms “special”, when you start doing it THREE TIMES A YEAR it’s no longer special….It’s stupid.  Domers, Sparty and now the Sugar Bowl....

I don’t care how much it’s helping the bottom line….Knock it off!

Thanks for letting the ole MMQ vent on this one…And I really hope we get back to traditional uni’s with a simple Sugar Bowl logo on the sleeve and THAT’S IT!

How I Miss Saturday When There’s Nothing On…

The first Saturday after Championship Saturday is always tough. I make it a point to turn on Army-Navy (except they keep moving the time of that game back!) and I also might turn on an FCS game just to see if the fans are really in attendance to see how their team is doing in the play-offs. BTW – Way to go Wayne State!


(However – think about that for a minute: WSU snuck into the play-offs and is now playing for the Championship…Still want a full playoff at the FBS level? I CERTAINLY don’t want one that let’s a 3 or 4 loss team in and win the whole thing…which is inevitably where a play-off goes. And I’m sorry, but I don’t like the one and done mentality infiltrating college football…It would ruin the experience. Even though it’s more or less a one and done deal now….)

Anyway, back to being a little melancholy that it’s all over, I didn’t even get a chance to watch the Hypesman, er, Heisman live due to another commitment. I haven’t even seen that award show in a couple of years. Something about it being too stattish and not going to the most “exciting” guy in college football. 1997 was the last year they got it right…

Griffin is as deserving as anyone else…I only hope that De-Rob has a great season next year to get some votes…I think he deserves a reservation to wear a coat and tie in New York.

Stuff you should be reading about, however, can all be found in the handy links below:

1. Looking for the latest Plus -1 formats that are being considered by the big boys? As always, Frank the Tank has connections and insider info. Don’t be surprised if the #4 option comes out of the heap with one additional BCS bowl that you’ve never heard of. Something tells me it will be in the South-east (that’s the MMQ’s hunch) for the revenue and proximity to fanbases.  But will the result be any more satisfying?  Check today's BCS Mess for the analysis....

2. What’s the deal with the re-treads? I was going to go heavy into this but Connelly (a guy without a real job) beat me to it. I get some of the hires and have already called out the brilliance of landing Urban Legend…but the other re-runs? I mean, Gatorland was doing cartwheels upon hearing that Charlie was headed out of town…More on that in a minute.

3. Genuinely Sarcastic writes his prose in a way that I wish I could write…Well thought out, insightful and with feeling. When I read his stuff I know that I’ll never be able to write for a living, and that makes me sad…But I do enjoy reading his stuff when it’s out…It’s a great tribute to the trials and tribulations that we’ve all gone through as fans, not to mention what the seniors who had to live through for the last 5 years of this crazy roller-coaster ride.

The BCS Mess

Based on what Frank the Tank wrote, I’m eagerly (but not too eagerly) waiting for the next phase of the BCS and what form it may take in the future. I see issues with the plus one format, but then I remind myself that all the formats have issues. There isn’t one that will satisfy every quirk a college football season can throw at you. Based on the 5 seeded rank BCS games plus a national title (and assuming the old bowl tie ins), the MMQ has the 2011 season (assuming the teams that are already in BCS bowls) looking like this.

(PLEASE NOTE! I picked based on the first pick going to LSU because they are the #1 seed and used the reverse order of the NCAA Basketball Brackets 1 vs. 16 mentality where there weren’t auto tie-ins. I believe this is in the spirit of how Frank is describing it….If it’s not, I’m willing to listen to arguments.) They are, in order of seeding and rank:

1. SUGAR: LSU vs. last at Large (Michigan or Baylor. I only waiver here in that Baylor is closer to the Sugar and has the Heisman winner on the team, which would put people in seats but Michigan was ranked lower. I didn’t take Laters as their record was worse than Michigan with 3 losses. I don’t think the PTB would let that happen and I don’t think LMU wants to play the Laters)
2. BCS NEW: Alabama vs. At Large (Va-Tech – Kstate – Boys State. I personally think in this format, K-State might have received the nod over VA-Tech. But again, that’s the MMQ talking. Alabama wants to win this game, the BCS bowl wants Asses in Seats)
3. FIESTA: Oklahoma State vs. at Large (Stanford – they have to go here as they are a top 4 rank and therefore must receive an at large bid)
4. ROSE: Wisconsin vs. Oregon (auto tie-ins)
5. ORANGE: WVU vs. Clemson (Auto tie-in for the ACC and probably (future) Beast. This could have easily been where Boy’s State would have ended up thereby knocking WVU out...But this year, they're in)

Championship: 1 and 2 after the bowl games.

Left out (but in the top 14): Arkansas, USC (for obvious reasons), Va Tech (most likely) and Boy's State.
So, after digesting all that (take a minute – it took me 10 minutes just to make sure I got it right per Frank’s information, and I’m still not 100% sure I got it…) Also note that the Rose, Fiesta, and Orange DON’T CHANGE. Only the Sugar that locks in the old SEC champ and the new BCS Game split up the current National Title game of LMU and Satan. But, based on who LMU and Satan would play, does anything change?

I guess where I’m going here is that unless the Fiesta split up Stanford and Okie State (And I did this according to how I would pick given the opportunity), it doesn’t really change much. But at least the fans get something of what they are looking for. And there is always the opportunity for LMU or Satan to cough one up and let someone else in the title game. Which is what it would take to get LMU and Satan out of it, anyway…

Idle Thoughts From Saturday

-Joe Pa gets fired and his health is failing him…
-What a sad ending to an otherwise great story.
-I just wish he would have had better advisers around him telling him how to handle issues.
-Which goes to show you – Don’t surround yourself with yes men.
-Michigan Sugar Bowl Packages can be found here.
-If I win the lotto in the next three weeks, everyone reading this is GOING TO NEW ORLEANS!
-Seriously. Put it on your calendar.
-I DON’T CARE IF IT’S SOLD OUT!!!!
-Your MMQ will find a way!
-Little know fact: This was one of the fastest sellouts of a bowl for Michigan.
-Only one that was faster: 2007 Capitol 1 Bowl against Florida and the 1997 Rose….
-Which, like...........Okay!
-I mean, Lloyd's last game against Heismann winner Tebow and the National Title…
-What more do you need?
-Sparty Tours and Tix still available!
-But, you probably already knew that, didn’t you?
-Domer tours packages and tix also available!
-Probably knew that one, too, didn’t ya’?
-I know, I know...Your ole' MMQ likes to stick it to 'em even after they've been stuck....
-Heh-heh….Charlie Weis at Kansas…
-Do you think $warbuck$ made a phone call to get them on the schedule?
-I know Charlie would like to play the Domers…
-Of course, after the USF fiasco, my guess is legacies and former coaches are off the menu for Domer football schedules…
-Some of these coaching hires….
-WHAT ARE PEOPLE THINKING?

The Hot Seat

Voting is running tight amongst the top three weekly winners! As the MMQ could have predicted, Jenn Brown, Katarina VanDerham and Lucy Pinder are literally running neck and neck. It wouldn’t surprise me to see some lead changes in the coming two weeks before we finally get a winner. Remember: The polls close on December 24th so keep voting for your favorite!

Instead of the usual hot seat list, I wanted to look at and rank the latest hires by some of the schools that are out there. I’m basically looking at Connelly’s ranking from SBNation …But I don’t agree with the order in every case…

The GOOD

1. OSU: Already commented on this one…Hire of the year – decade – century. Ohio has to be the only school that can fire a liar and end up with a coach of the year before the NCAA rules on anything…Which, by the way, what’s taking so long for the NCAA to rule on the issues???
2. WSU: Leach is going to do great in the PAC 12. And I guess I’m just still amazed that Craig James has a job at ESPN. I still can’t figure out why ESPN still listens to and lets James on the air after everything that went through and came out during the legal process, but whatever.
3. North Carolina: Larry Fedora. Former Southern Miss coach that beat previously undefeated Houston. But that’s not all he did…I think this is a good move for North Carolina and the ACC in general…
4. Ole Miss: Hugh Beckmann. Here’s a guy that’s done more with a Hollywood movie (he was the high school coach that “discovered” Michael Oher in “The Blind Side” and parlayed it into a collegiate coaching career. I hope he does well, actually. I am actually thinking about putting this one above Larry at North Carolina.
5. Illinois: Tim Beckmann. This one scares me and this might be an even better hire than 4 and 5 above, based on the region and the team. Tim was able to recruit and win at Toledo. He’s basically just moved to a better neighborhood and may create issues for everyone else that’s already there…But until the Illini prove it consistently, it's a wait and see game.
6. Texas A&M: Kevin Sumlin. Had this guy not been coaching a 6 year starter, I’m really curious as to how high his stock would have been for open spots. The SEC is no place to cut your teeth in the FBS world…Good luck to him and A&M in their newest endeavor. But this could be a transitional hire at best…

The BAD

1. New Mexico: Bob Davie. Yes, he was the “last” successful coach the Domers had, but was he that much of a success? And while I still think any coach is handed an impossible recipe at Notre Dame, Davie has simply been in the booth too long and I’m not sure this was the best thing for either party involved.
2. FAU: Carl Pelini. I’m not sure this is a match made in heaven, either. I was surprised that FAU considered Carl and even more surprised that Carl took the job. I figured he’d be more of a “Big Name” School kind of guy…So, while this is good for Carl, it might be bad for FAU
3. ASU: Rich Rod. If he could just keep his mouth shut about his divorce from Michigan, I think ASU fans would be a lot happier. As it is, they’re already complaining that all this guy ever does is talk about Michigan…And that isn’t a great way to start a new job. My guess is Rich doesn’t find the success he’s searching for at ASU and he’ll be the next candidate for an open Beast job when it becomes available.
4. UCLA: Jim Mora. Another NFL re-tread and as ANYONE KNOWS THAT FOLLOWS college football, this rarely, if ever, works. The only guys I would even think about taking a chance on doing something like this would be Dick Vermeil and maybe Pete Carroll - again. Otherwise, stay inside the collegiate coaching ranks…

THE UGLY

1. KANSAS: Under the category/heading of, “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?” Charlie Weis as a re-treaded collegiate head coach has to be one of the dumbest moves of all time. I mean, the guy is clearly not cut out to be a college coach. He can’t recruit and he certainly can’t motivate the guys he does recruit. I’m sure the Domers and it’s fans are just loving the fact that they are now paying a guy to be head coach of a team that they probably can’t even get on the schedule…But it would sell tickets if they could. I don’t see this lasting long and with Charlie’s health, well, it may be even shorter than Urb’s last year of retirement….

We’ll continue this little summary until all the major positions have been filled.

FMQ Betting Results:

Army (+7) vs. Navy O/U 58
Sheesh…Had I known ole Army would show up to play against the Middies, well, I would have bet it differently….OBVIOUSLY! However, we mde a couple of bucks on the prop bets to offset the loss….

Take Navy and lay the 7 for $100….LOSE
And take the under for $50 – WIN! Bank: $95
Navy Scores First for $50 – WIN! Bank: $95

This week’s betting cost us $10…Let’s see how we can do in the bowls!

Starting Bank: $1,142.50
Total Win: $190
Bank: $1,332.50

Enjoying the Ride....MMQ

Sugar Bowl Thoughts and Army-Navy Wagers

As soon as I heard that Michigan was heading back to the Sugar Bowl, I let my mind wander back to my senior year in high school when Michigan played Auburn in 1984 in the 50th Sugar Bowl. It was a pretty big deal and I really didn’t know that much about the SEC as we didn’t have constant 24-7 coverage of collegiate football in the local newspaper - and the internet was still Al Gore's wet dream..... All I knew at the time was they had a running back named “Bo”, which frankly I thought was a cheap rip-off of the greatest coach that ever lived….However, it turns out that kid could play!

I remember the build up to the game was huge and the Rose Bowl was ticked because the Sugar was actually a better game on paper that year. Pat Dye was the head coach at Auburn and they had won 10 games heading into the game. Michigan had won 9 games and had a legitimate loss to Washington and a flukey loss to the Illini that year that sent them to the Rose Bowl where a very good UCLA team led by Eric Ball CRUSHED the Illini 45-9….It was not a good start for the Big 10 on New Year’s Day.

However, the Maize and Blue came out led by Steve Smith, the shortest QB ever to play a down for the Maize and Blue and Michigan kept it close and scored the game’s only TD in the first half when Stevie ran it in on an option keeper. What many people don’t remember about that play was that Triando Markaray had caught a pass right before that for a long gain and set up the TD. I really thought the game was in hand as for years Michigan, Bo, and his assistants adjusted and did most of their damage in the 2nd half….

However, it was not to be as the Auburn Defense tightened up and their wishbone running attack was eating up yards. Michigan never gave up a TD, but the Tigers got close enough to kick it through the uprights three times in the 2nd half.

Then, on the game’s final drive, Steve marched the team down the field. Michigan was inside the 50 yard line with about 10 seconds left on the clock. We had a kicker on the sidelines, Pat Moons, that had the stones to make it, given a chance. I was just praying he got a shot. Then, Steve found a wide open Triando Markaray on the side line and hit him perfectly at about the 23 yard line. Inexplicably, instead of going out of bounds, Triando tried to get a few additional yards, made it to the 17 yard line, but failed to step out with any time left on the clock. Moons never got a shot….I remember being crushed as I had figured Auburn would be an easy team for Michigan to beat and it was a loss that stuck with me for awhile….

I told you that story to tell you this one: Later, at the ‘87 Rose Bowl, I was at a hotel party where there were a bunch of former players hanging out. I was walking around meeting guys and I was introduced to Triando Markaray…Of course, it was New Year’s Eve, the MMQ had been tipping a few, and the first thing out of my mouth was, “WHY DIDN’T YOU STEP OUT OF BOUNDS AT THE END OF THE GAME IN THE SUGAR BOWL!????”

Somehow, I don’t think Triando thought it was very funny.

Anyway, the ole MMQ is looking forward to the Sugar Bowl this year and the opportunity to play what has to be one of the last coaching “legends” left. I mean, after Mack Brown, Beamer has to be the next most tenured coach at a major program. And I believe he might be thinking about hanging up the whistle or at least letting the thoughts creep in there.

Which is why it would be nice to take down the Testicle-less Turkeys (What, you didn’t know? Yes, sports fans: A “Hoakie” is a de-balled Tom-Turkey) while Beamer is still there, just to add one more “Beat ‘Em!” to the list of the defeated.

I wish I could go, but logistics and finances will not allow it this year. However, that doesn’t mean I won’t be there in spirit.

With the only action this weekend being the Army-Navy game (yes, I know, the FCS games are on all over the place…And how many of those teams have you followed all year? Can you say “Junkie?”) we’ll go a little easy on the steam this week. However, even if you don’t watch the game, be sure to tune into the opening ceremonies. Its still one of the best shows you’ll see on TV and if you’ve got a patriotic bone in your body, you’ll get more than a few chills.

Army (+7) vs. Navy O/U 58
Two teams that duke it out every year in a traditional rivalry game. Throw out the records (not really that good anyway 4-7 and 3-8) and let ‘em knock heads. Navy has owned Army the last 10 years and unfortunately, I don’t see anything changing this year.
Take Navy and lay the 7 for $100
And take the UNDER for $50
Navy Scores First (pays 1:1) for $50

Starting Bank: $1,342
BET: $200
Bank: $1,142

Enjoying the Ride…MMQ

Championship Weekend Wrap!

Well, I have to admit, it was an exciting Saturday and you’re a happy fan if you’re anyone besides a Sparty. Case in Point:

-Michigan in a BCS Bowl (the Sugar) against the HOAKIES! (Who have to be really surprised!)
-Georgia playing on New Year’s Day (sort of) against aforementioned Spartys!
-Wiscy and Oregon in the Rose!
-Stanford and Okie State in the Fiesta!
-Clemson and WVU in the Orange! (I shouldn’t have put an exclamation point there, but whatever….)
-LSU vs. Alabama in the BCS Championship…We’ll get to that in a minute.

So, of everything I saw, and I saw most of the Wiscy – Sparty game, I was hoping and praying that the B1G 10 Championship wasn’t a complete blow out and it would be the game that everyone was talking about and I was also hoping that Sparty would lose….And did they ever in classic Sparty fashion!  So both my wishes came true.  The B1G was the only game worth a crap after about 10.

Dantonio made some great calls in that game and then, THEN he tries to block the punt with 1:57 and time outs left???? Can SOMEONE (anyone) explain that to me? And then Sparty gets the big return that’s completely nullified and they don’t even get the ball! Stupid, Stupid, and More Stupid….I’m not even sure there’s a qualifier I can put on how stupid this was….But let’s try, shall we?

1. If you’re going to block the punt, why even have a returner back catching the ball?
2. If you’re going to go for the block, you better make DAMN sure at that point in the game that you can get it. Get the ball, take out the kicker, but get in there with a 90% confidence that you can touch ball and block the thing…
3. Otherwise, set up the return and play the 60 yard or so field with the two minutes and timeouts you have left….

Dantonio called a brilliant game right up to that point. Then he came out and said he called for the block attempt. If that’s true, then he truly is an idiot of immense proportions that needs a refresher in basic football….

Wiscy wins, which the ole MMQ can stomach a lot easier than Sparty being the inaugural winner of the B1G 10 Championship…Sorry Sparty! Have fun in Tampa!

The BCS Mess
Championship Saturday in Review:

Okie State vs. MUCH Laters: Okie State just turned the heat up on what was supposed to be a BCS Championship Season for Stoops and company. For the first 5 weeks of the season, all anyone heard was Oklahoma…If that’s true and Oklahoma is still what they were originally said to be, why didn’t Okie State’s SOS numbers in the computers support them a little better? And why didn’t the voters support them a little more? One Iowa State loss after the death of the women’s basketball coach and you’re pretty much done for the season? Well, okay then….

Va Tech – Clemson: Well, the FMQ blew this one…Or maybe Beamer did. It was obvious that A-Little-Dabo-‘ll-do-ya had his kids more than ready to play…Beamer, not so much. So, will that be the team Michigan sees in the Sugar? More on that in a minute.

Oregon – UCLA: Are you kidding me? How in the world does Kelly’s Heroes only score 49 on that defense that gave up over 50 to Utah? Anyone? Another FMQ nightmare scenario….

LSU – Bulldogs: the Dawgs stood firm for the first quarter, but then the LSU slow grind just wore them down…Richt’s job is safe for another year with a 10-3 finish, but so much more was expected.

So, am I happy with the re-match? What’s the difference? Meaning if you’re reading between the lines, I’m not happy but I realize it’s the system we’re stuck with….I understand why the rule was put in where “you don’t have to be the (a) conference champion to compete for the National Title (Thanks Domers.) But I also understand that Okie State’s 1 loss is so much worse than Satan’s. If Okie State would have just taken care of business, we’re not having the discussion. So, it is what it is. Let’s just enjoy what we currently have, but I’m willing to bet something in the system changes sooner rather than later….

BCS Rankings

1. LSU – Shame they have to attempt (and probably will) beat the same team twice.
2. Satan’s Warriors – Of course, Satan is probably already making deals with the Devil for a victory…Can you imagine if he loses to the Hatter twice in one season? Tuscaloosa will scream for a new coach…Miles?
3. OKIE STATE Cowboys: I really like the Fiesta Matchup. I think it’s fitting that two of the better teams this year are playing each other and wouldn’t it be nice if there was a “plus 1” this year for the winner of this one and the LMU - Satan victor? Thought so….
4. Stanford – Mr. Lucky still has a shot at the Heismann….but it’s a long shot.
5. Oregon – Nice Rose Bowl Match-up…Still not sure Wiscy can handle Oregon’s speed….
6. Arkansas – Name the last time an SEC team was in the top 6 of the BCS and didn’t make a BCS bowl….I couldn’t do it, either.
7. Boy’s State – hee-hee…HAHAHAHAHAHA! I especially loved Herbstreit’s “Dis” of the Sugar for overlooking Boise State. That was priceless and should be sent to every recruit that’s thinking about going there. And I’m sure that was a not to subtle nudge to Boise to consider (seriously) a Big 12 or Big East nod. They need all the teams they can get.
8. K-State: No 2nd Big 12 team into the BCS? Could it be that they simply aren’t getting enough support?
9. Southern Cal – Would have been in the Rose Bowl, maybe…
10. Wiscy – See Oregon above. But this game might be closer than anyone thinks…
11. Va Tech: Fifth place and you drop 6 spots after getting blown out in your Championship game…but that keeps you in a BCS spot…
12. Baylor – I can’t believe how far THIS TEAM fell in the pecking order….Alamo Bowl? Really? Against Washington??
13. MICHIGAN: Heh-heh….He who laughs last, laughs well….
14. Laters – New Year’s day….Not Bad….
15. Clemson – BCSing on their own night in the Orange!
16. Dawgs – I like the MSU and Doggy matchup…two underachievers looking to beat each other’s brains out….
17. Sparty: Speaking of Underachievers….Heh-heh….HAHAHAHA! But at least you’re on New Year’s day!
18. TCU: Too bad, so sad…
19. Houston…Wow. Think Sumlin’s distractions hurt the team prep?
20. Nebraska – Capitol 1 bowl bid…Not bad for 1st year in the B1G 10…
21. SMU – Mullen’s last year in Purple? Or whatever color that is…
22. PSU – I’m not surprised how far this team fell…I was actually thinking Motor City…
23. WVU: Best of the Big East in a BCS game!
24. Texas – At least they’re bowling…
25. Auburn – Ditto

The Bowls

Too many, too boring, and in some cases, named so poorly that it makes you wonder if people are just trying to make you laugh...(think I'm kidding?  Say them out loud in the office.  People will laugh!) 

These bowls are bowls that I might watch if the TV is on and there is absolutely nothing else to watch type bowls…

NEW MEXICO (se habla ingles?) – Temple and Wyoming
IDAHO POTATO (Or the “What Did We Do To Deserve This?”) – Ohio vs. Utah State

R+L CARRIERS (‘Cause Truckers Need a Bowl, Too!  I mean, besides the one the Suckeyes go to)  SDSU vs La Lafayette

BEEF O’BRADY’S (Isn’t Beef O’Brady’s enough of an insult?) Fla. Intl vs. Marshall
POINSETTA (Or the San Diego County Credit Union – Seriously) TCU vs. La Tech
MAACO (Or the “You Wonder why Paint Jobs Cost So Much) Boy’s State vs. ASU
Hawaii Bowl: (Hard to make fun of this one…Hawaii at Christmas AIN’T ALL BAD!) Nevada vs. Southern Miss
INDEPENDENCE BOWL: (Or the “Shreveport La REALLY needs a bowl, Too!) Missouri vs. UNC
Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl (Or the We’re the LAST TEAM IN THE B1G that no one else wanted vs. the MAC): Purdue vs. Western
BELK BOWL: (or the “What the Hell is a Belk?) Lousivill vs. NC State
MILITARY BOWL: (so the Armed Forces get a team to the Bowls, too) Toledo vs. Air Force
HOLIDAY BOWL: (‘Cause there’s nothing else to do on December 28th) California vs. Texas (How the mighty have fallen…)
CHAMPS SPORTS BOWL (Because there needs to be a Bowl for Losers Like the DOMERS – JEEZ I HATE THESE GUYS!) Domers vs. FSU
ALAMO BOWL: (‘Cause San Antonio needs to raise the prices on River Walk before New Year’s Eve) Washington vs. Baylor
ARMED FORCES BOWL: (So Army has a place to play, too) BYU vs. Tulsa…Wait a minute, Armed Forces is in the name for God’s Sake!
PINSTRIPE BOWL: (Or the “How Much Longer do you Think They Can Make This one Last?) Rutgers vs. Iowa State
MUSIC CITY: (‘Cause not everyone visits Opryland for the Music and low prices) Mississippi ST. vs Wake Forest
INSIGHT BOWL: (I didn’t think I could actually get tired or run out of ideas for calling these fleabag bowls something funny, but I did.) IOWA vs. Oklahoma
MEINEKE CAR CARE BOWL: (‘Cause guys like Pimpin’ their ride) Texas A&M vs. Northwestern
SUN BOWL: (Why not? El Paso should get a bowl, too!) Georgia Tech vs. UTAH
LIBERTY (Nashville’s got a bowl, we’re keeping ours!) Cincinnati vs. VANDY
KRAFT FIGHT HUNGER BOWL: (Cause no one had taken the name, “KRAFT FIGHT HUNGER BOWL.com yet) Illinois vs. UCLA
COMPASS BOWL: (So we know which way were going) SMU vs. PITT
GO DADDY: (Why the Hell not?) Arkansas State vs. No. Illinois

The rest of these are decent bowls worth tuning in for….

CHIC-FIL-A: Virginia vs. Auburn
TICKET CITY: PSU vs. Houston…PSU fell a LOT further than anyone thought….
OUTBACK: Sparty vs. Georgia
Capitol One: Nebraska vs. South Carolina
GATOR (Taxslayer.com) : Suckeyes vs. Gatorland…(Think Urb will be on the sideline?)
COTTON: K-State vs. Arkansas
ROSE: Wiscy vs. Oregon
FIESTA: Stanford vs. Okie State
SUGAR: MICHIGAN vs. Va Tech
ORANGE: West Virginia vs. Clemson
National Championship: The Hatter vs. Satan…

THE MMQ’s

So, each week I write about something in all the games I either watch or attend. I figured, why not hand out some MMQ awards in the process?

1. Game of the Year: I’m a little biased here, but Michigan – Domers has to be an all timer for one of the Best Evers, Instant Classics, call it what you will…
2. Best Play of the Year: Same Game - DeRob Scooping up the fumble at the end of the 3rd quarter and scooting in for 6….It might not have been the biggest or longest, but it changed the complexion of that game.
3. Best Comeback: I wanted to say Michigan – Domers again, but I saw a few more games than that. NC State coming back from 27 down to beat Maryland has to be the one.
4. Nickname of the Year: Honeybadger…I had to actually look it up when I first heard it.
5. Coach of the Year: Brady Hoke. Nobody saw this coming…Well, one guy.
6. Disappointment of the Year: So many to choose from – Texas A&M, FSU, Laters, Sparty, Nebraska, Texas, Tennessee, Gatorland, Gophers, ASU, Arizona, DOMERS…I can’t pick one. Let’s just give them all the nod, call it “Ragu” (you know, “it’s in there!”) and remember that not all pre-season prognostications are everything they are cracked up to be.
7. Biggest Laugher of the Year: Just happened. The fact that Boy’s State didn’t get a BCS nod and Lowly Va Tech did…That just cracks me up. Boy’s State needs some fans besides Pat Forde….
8. Biggest Cheater of the Year: Satan, who else? Let’s oversign some more!
9. Worst overturned play of the Year: Fitz’s TD against ohio…
10. Best Coaching Hire: (So Far – And I don’t know how you top it) Urban Legend.

Idle Thoughts From Saturday

-Houston is LOSING! Big!
-They look like crap, too!
-Maybe this team isn’t so good after all.
-Which is why you can’t have teams like this in Big Bowls.
-Who wants to see that?
-Southern Mississippi just cost Conference USA $7M….
-Or I guess you can say that Houston cost themselves…
-Can Georgia actually pull this off?
-Uh-oh, Honey Badger on the loose!
-Georgia over LSU or even a possibility of covering? Heh-heh…Nope
-Well, we’re seeing which Sparty Team Showed up…
-Okay, maybe not.
-Jeez, does the B1G 10 play defense?
-Clemson came to play.
-Bedlam was kind of anticlaimatic…
-The Laters looked like they really just quit…
-Is that the “Big 12 sticking together?” to possibly get Okie State into the Championship?
-Don’t you love Conspiracy theories?
-Sparty is playing some smart football….pinning them back, set of the return for possible game ending score.
-What’s this!!!????
-Why would you try to block that punt?
-Sparty collapses in classic fashion…Is that too much or will they at least try to add a highlight on the end with an Outback Bowl Win?
-We’ll have to check the ole spread on that one when they come out…
-Haven’t seen anything early yet…..But when I do, the FMQ will be there!

The Hot Seat – Championship WEEK!

Well, here we are! Last week’s nominee, Miss Hough, was just barely edging out Jenn Brown and then all of a sudden over the weekend, a whole slew of votes came in on Lucy Pinder! Now, there may be some tampering going on or someone from overseas is stuffing the ballot box, I dunno. I have the Blog investigators trying to figure out if there’s any hanky panky as this week’s vote will decide who we get to look at for the entire off season in the upper right hand corner of the Blog!

In no particular order, the weekly winners were:

1. Abigail Spencer (by default)
2. Alexa Flutie
3. Analeigh Tipton
4. Katarina Van Derham
5. Ali Larter
6. Jenn Brown
7. Lucy Pinder

That’s it! Here’s a refresher for everyone on the weekly winners (MMQ selections) and hopefully helps brighten your day as we have reached the end of the regular season. 

Be sure to vote and vote often!  I have left the poll open until December 24th in order to give voters extra time to find any additional computers they might have access to in order to cast additional votes for their favorite!

Abigail

                                                                                                    Alexa

Analeigh

Katarina

                                     Jenn Brown

                                                      Lucy Pinder

GONE list:

1. LOCKSLEY – New Mexico
2. Mike Stoops – Arizona…Sorry, I didn’t see this one coming….
3. Nutt – Ole Miss
4. Joe Pa. It gives me no pleasure typing that…
5. Zook - Illinois
6. Fickell - OSU
7. Neuheisel - UCLA
8. Turner Gill - Kansas
9. Wulff - Wazoo
10. Sherman – Texas A&M
11. Erickson – ASU
12. Withers – north Carolina
13. Tom Bradley – PSU interim
14. Pat Hill – Fresno State
15. Larry Porter – Memphis
16. Toledo – Tulane
17. Steve Fairchild – Colorado State

You know what I think?  I think Brady Hoke got a whole bunch of guys fired this year who might otherwise still have jobs....

Hot Seat Rank for 2012

1. Brian Kelly – Champs Bowl this year…If he’s not at least 10-2 next year, he’ll be number 1 on the list. I keep hearing and seeing the comparisons to Michigan and how Hoke took Michigan’s “Athletes” and turned them around…Making Domer Nation very angry with this coach…Heh-heh…

FMQ Betting Results:
I don't really want to comment on this week except to say that I really, really thought we were going to do a lot better than we did.  Hopefully, we can make a big bowl run (think last year) and we'll get a little more on to the positive side of this mess....

Virgina Tech vs. Clemson (+7) – (The ACC Gets 1 Team in a BCS Bowl Game)
Take the Hoakies and lay the 7 for $80
Well, that sucked….What the hell…Beamer’s Boys DESTROY Virginia the week before and can’t get up for the title game? Really?

Bedlam (De-Facto Big 12 minus 3 Championship)

Oklahoma vs. Okie State (-3)
Take Okie State and lay the 3 for $50
One Right: BANK: $95

Wiscy (-9.5) vs Sparty – The REMATCH
Take Wiscy and lay the 9.5 for $60
First, Sparty doesn’t show up, then he shows up! I would have preferred the lay down like early in the game here…..

Ducks (-31) vs. UCLA (The R U Kidding me? Championship)
Take the Ducks and lay 31 for $100
This one simply blows my mind…What, did Kelly grow a conscience over night or something? Why take pity on a team that really, really sucks? Sheesh…

Georgia vs. LSU (-13.5) (The SEC pseudo Championship)
Take LSU and lay the 13.5 for $60
THANK YOU MR. HATTER FOR DOING THINGS RIGHT!
WIN: BANK: $114

Parlays

3 way pays 6 to 1
Hoakies – Ducks – Wiscy for $50
THIS ONE REALLY BURNS MY ASS…If I had taken all of these the other way, WIN!!!!!!

Starting Bank: $1409.50
Total Win: $209
Bank: $1,342.50

Enjoying the Ride....MMQ

Championship Friday!

Well, here we are. Everything is building into a huge climax (not!) and we won’t know who’s playing for the National Title until after this weekend.

Oh, how I wish that were somewhat true.

However, you STILL HAVE TO PLAY THE GAMES! And that’s what the FMQ is hoping and praying for as we look at which potential upset and point spread beaters are lurking out there….

I want to comment on the whole re-match thing, but I want to give Georgia their shot at LSU first. If they can pull off the miracle, well, things could get very interesting in the polls….And what if the Laters could also knock off Okie State? Is there still and chance for Mr. Lucky to slide into the Championship Game against Satan?

MAYBE!

Of course, that would destroy Michigan’s chances of going to the Sugar….so I have mixed feelings, to say the least.
The Bets

We need a good Championship Weekend and let’s just say that the FMQ is still a little miffed at the replay official in the booth in Ann Arbor on Saturday. Where the “indisputable video evidence” was that forced an overturn of that call in addition to a 25 yard penalty AFTER the call is overturned is simply still too difficult for me to comprehend. That would have put them up 10 and the spread was covered...Se La vie...

Virgina Tech vs. Clemson (+7) – (The ACC Gets 1 Team in a BCS Bowl Game)
Wow…Talk about your subtle slap in the face. Clemson embarrassed the Hoakies in their own house in October, 20-3. Now, Vegas thinks Clemson has fallen so far (and they have losing 3 out of their last 4) that they are a TD dog in the ACC championship. My gut tells me Vegas is right, Clemson is Clemson, and Beamer’s Boys are going to roll big in this one. Therefore,
Take the Hoakies and lay the 7 for $80

Bedlam (De-Facto Big 12 minus 3 Championship)
Oklahoma vs. Okie State (-3)
Oklahoma is banged up, but Okie State’s leading receiver isn’t much better. Is this a big brother – little brother thing? And is Big Brother up to the task or will they collapse like a house of cards when the going gets tough? I’d like to believe that Stupor has a trick or two up his sleeve, but youth must also be served. This one is tricky, but I’m staying with the favorite.
Take Okie State and lay the 3 for $50

Wiscy (-9.5) vs Sparty – The REMATCH
So much has been made of the fact that Sparty and Wiscy have played three times in the span of about 14 months. Wiscy wasn’t even close (really) in the first meeting last year. This year, Sparty won on what can only be considered a miracle. Common opponent comparison is a joke…There weren’t many and the only one of value was Nebraska. Wisconsin destroyed ‘em and Sparty laid down to ‘em. They question is: Which Sparty team and which Wiscy team shows up? I haven’t believed in Sparty (ever) and this season hasn’t really proven that much to me, either. It’s tough to beat a team three times, too.
Take Wiscy and lay the 9.5 for $60

Ducks (-31) vs. UCLA (The R U Kidding me? Championship)
Not a lot of thought needs to go into this one. UCLA didn’t even show up against their arch rival. I don’t see how ANYTHING improves in 1 week, even with an out the door head coach that was carted off the practice field ala "Rudy".  Makes great movies, but lousy football teams. On top of that, I’m sure Kelly is going to do everything he can to impress the voters in case true chaos develops over the weekend…I don’t think the Ducks know how to “let up”…
Take the Ducks and lay 31 for $100

Georgia vs. LSU (-13.5) (The SEC pseudo Championship)
This game seems like it should be an easy pick. However, when you start looking at Georgia, you start to see that they have improved defensively every week. Against weaker competition, mind you, but improvement none the less. LSU has pretty much owned everyone that they’ve played and their record against the number this season (9-3) is a bit misleading as the only games they haven’t covered are lopsided spreads (41, 30, 29) that really could have been part of the 2nd string being in those games. As much as I want to take a value play on the Dogs here (I REALLY, REALY DO!) I can’t bring myself to go against the Hat in this game.
Take LSU and lay the 13.5 for $60

Parlays

3 way pays 6 to 1
Hoakies – Ducks – Wiscy for $50

Starting Bank: $1409.50
Total Bet: $400
Bank: $1,009.50

Enjoying the Ride…MMQ

Thursday Thinking....

Just sitting here on a Thursday wondering about things.  Like how so many people "think" that things are controlled and scripted in college football and the bowls.  I was listening on the radio last night to a "rabid" Sparty Slappy that was infuriated with the fact that if Sparty loses the B1G 10 Championship game, they don't make it into a BCS bowl as the 2nd place team.  He wanted to know what good the B1G 10 conference was if it wasn't going to step in and keep Michigan from going to the Sugar Bowl, ESPECIALLY because Sparty beat Michigan!  He seriously believed it was a huge conspiracy to put Michigan in the Sugar...Sad.

It was great listening to an idiot try to rationalize that which cannot be explained when someone doesn't want to listen to facts, which the host was calmly trying to explain.

So many misconceptions about the B1G 10, pecking order and bowls in general.

The BCS's mission is to define the two best teams in the country and put them in a National Championship game.   THAT'S IT.  Everything else after that, bowl wise, has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the BCS.  So many people believe that "where they finish" rank wise is the "pecking order" for the bowls.  Couldn't be further from the truth. Yes, there is an order, but after the champions of each conference satisfy the needs for the big bowls, what happens after that is pretty much a crap shoot.

Bowls want to make money.  The Orange Bowl is getting irritated with having a lousy game and no attendance.  You can probably pencil in the Fiesta there, also.  Oklahoma fans I'm sure are having "Fiesta Fatigue" and would welcome the opportunity to get some new Big 12 blood in there...

Which is why the Sugar Bowl LOVES Michigan.  Big School, travelling fans, and television exposure to new markets.  Without the SEC in there, they get first pick.  And as long as Michigan is in the top 14 of the BCS (doesn't matter who is in front of them or behind them) they want Michigan.  Sparty just doesn't put that many fannies in the seats....Rumor is that both Wiscy and Sparty gave portions of their 15,000 ticket allotment for the B1G 10 Championship BACK to the B1G 10 for distribution. That's bad, Sparty and Wiscy fans...

And you wonder why Bowls love Michigan, OSU, PSU, and Nebraska?

So, yes, Sparty.  Enjoy that Outback Bowl, or possibly (and this would be hilarious) that Gator Bowl.  It's what you earned!