Friday, December 15, 2017

The Bowl Picks and Other Stuff

20 Years Ago – This Happened!

The Heisman Trophy Voting was in and the hardware went to none other than Charles Woodson from the University of Michigan!

I know I posted on Monday about the discussion 20 years later, but Dr. Sap has a pretty good recap with highlights of how it all went down in 1997.  Marcus Ray was right when he stated that Charles didn’t have a speech prepared – he was winging the whole thing. 
Phil Fulmer had this to say about Charles possibly winning the award:


Sensing that perhaps his QB was losing his lead in the race, Volunteer Coach Phillip Fulmer showed everyone his true colors when he said this about Woodson potentially winning the award: "To me, there's no question in my mind that Peyton's the best player in the country," Fulmer said. "I think he's the best player and the best representative. I keep hearing this about Woodson. I don't know. Maybe they're trying to create competition there to create interest. That's what I hope. All I know is that it would be a travesty."
Nice.
To his credit, Michigan Lloyd Carr responded much more professionally: "I read the quote from Fulmer, which if it's accurate is extremely tasteless," Carr said. "I just think I have respect for the people who have been given a vote, and it's their choice. For someone to try to influence them, who has something personal to gain, is absolutely in poor taste."

Fulmer’s comments were the worst and I do believe that he was the coach that voted Michigan 4th in the coaches poll after getting pantsed by Nebraska in the Orange Bowl

Phil Fulmer:  May you forever walk the football desert….

And YOU Were Hoping That The Playoff Was Killing The Bowls

Not even close.  Great article about the “Health” of the bowl system and how the Play-Off and ESPN buying the failing non-profit bowls and putting them into the CFP money fodder machine is actually saving the bows! 

So, yeah, ESPN is slowly taking over the sports world.  Whether you like it or not. 


The MMPG

Tuesday in Texas was ugly in a lot of ways, it was good in a lot of ways, and finally, it was a thing of beauty

The Ugly:

I’m sick to my stomach about Wagner’s ankle and hope his injury isn’t serious.
Michigan is still shooting really bad.  Again, I hope this is the mid-season slump that they’re in a little early and everything improves from here.  Michigan goes cold so often I never know when, if ever, they’re going to heat back up.  But they make points when they counted, leading us to:

The Good

Michigan actually won the rebounding battle that no one expected to win against that tree at Texas named Mo Bamba, a 5-star recruit. He had a really lousy game, so, thanks.  And maybe Michigan had something to do with that.    

Wagner, MAAR and Matthews made key shots at key times, when momentum could have changed…Especially MAAR: The Trey Burke like top of the Key, way too high, off the glass 3-pointer he dropped.  And yes, I heard him yell “GLASS!”   Jump to the 1:05 mark (or the 5:00 mark on the game clock in the 2nd half) of the complete game film below and enjoy!


The Beauty

Winning on the road against quality teams is tough.  Whether or not Texas is any good at the end of the season, this gritty win should go a long way towards supporting Michigan’s chances if they’re on the bubble.  I suddenly feel better about this team’s chances, but we have to know more about Mo Wagner.  Hopefully it’s just a minor sprain that they can tape the crap out of it.

Michigan Hoops blog is stating that based on non-con opponents RPI and where Michigan may end up (depending on wins), that he believes 11-12 wins in CONFERENCE are probably necessary to get firmly off the bubble.  It’s hard for me to believe (that would give Michigan 23 or 24 wins, maybe 25 depending on many they win in the B1G Tourney) that a team with that many wins in the B1G doesn’t make the tourney.  Obviously, this is to blame on really SOFT NON-CONFERENCE scheduling.  And Michigan has to take more of a Sparty approach in the future to avoid this kind of crap.  

I just saw a sickening stat that made me throw up a little bit...In my pants. 

MAKE YOUR FREE THROWS!

Michigan is shooting 62.7 percent from the line, a figure that ranks 335th out of 351 teams. It is the worst percentage for a Beilein team in his 26 seasons as a Division I head coach.

There’s a little-known tie-breaker I use when I’m filling out my brackets for the NCAA Tourney.  If I get to a head to head match-up that looks pretty even on paper, the one stat I fall back on is FT%.  And I always take the team with the higher FT%, always. Got make ‘em from the Charity Stripe. 

No Ifs, Ands or Buts about it: 

Gotta.  Make.  Free – Throws.  PERIOD.

Quick Simmons Observation:  The guy can’t play defense.  He’s going to need to figure out what Michigan is about or lose out to guys that can’t shoot but understand that Michigan will give up the low post, but no free looks at 3-pointers.  They have to be contested. 

You Didn’t Seem All That Excited About Patterson

Well, this is true.  Like I said, I think there were times in his highlight reel that he was taking some unnecessary risks.  I don’t mind that as long as it’s working, but when it isn’t and the train goes off the rails, yeah.  I’d like a steady hand and someone that makes the check down reads and completes passes.  It’s hard to believe that Jake Ruddock is going to have been the best QB to play under Harbaugh in 4 seasons.  But that’s where it stands. 
You Don’t Think Fisher Was an “A” Hire?
Nope.  And I’ll gladly place a bet that says that Texas A&M has buyer’s remorse sooner rather than later.  But A&M had to have their guy.  Fisher’s last 3 seasons in Tallahassee have been a “disappointment” (He was 25-12 in those 3 seasons) and if you read any of the blogs, there weren’t a ton of tears shed by the fans with Fisher’s departure.  Everything will look different next season and we’ll see who is good and who’s going through the motions.  But it will be fun to watch Taggart and Fisher for the next couple of years.
The Bowl Picks
Every Year I do this as a way to get the betting to a positive if I’m down.  I’m down this year as The Army Navy Game did nothing to pad my account (I should have looked at the weather and I would have definitely changed my bet on the OVER).  Anyway, The Matrix with the Puke Factor and all (Ignore that 2016 - This is 2017!  Too lazy to retake the picture...):


So, there’s actually an interesting bowl game on tomorrow, right in the “Sweet Spot” of the day at 3:30!  This should be a great excuse to get out of Christmas Shopping if asked!  Oregon’s new Coach Cristobal will be in his first game and I suspect that Oregon will be pumped up and ready to play.  However, Oregon’s all time leading rusher is sitting the game OUT!!!  Boise State it is!  That was an easy pick. 

As for the rest?  Always go with the team closest to the venue that might bring in some fans.  Look for pissed off teams (Sparty) that may feel they were slighted and should be playing on New Year’s Day.  Undefeated teams (UCF) are going to be motivated to put a mark on their program’s history.  Other than that, it’s a crap shoot.  Some years, I’ve done great.  Others…Not so much.  Especially ATS
I’m a curious fellow by nature and decided to start looking up where some of the names of these bowls came from.  I hope this isn’t wasting your time!
And this is a Camellia.  I had no idea what the thing was. 







And this is Jose Gaspar, a Pirate that lived in Florida near Tampa. 


His nickname was “Gasparilla” and is now the name used for the Gasparilla Pirate Festival
that they hold annually in late January.  And a link to Jose if you want to learn more!

I’ve been told I’m a bit naïve at times for not knowing what something is.  I had no idea this was a “thing”, so I guess sponsoring a bowl for advertising works!  Cheribundi Tart Cherry Juice is real.  I like FAU getting 17 in this game and will wager some dough. 






Frisco” is the name of a metropolis in Texas.  Okay – maybe not a metropolis.  But it’s right here on the map just north of the Big “D” – Looky:







Because they have a mascot and I think you know where Idaho is, I’m putting in a picture of the mascot. 






Etc. – Dedicated To The Debacle In East Lansing
The Michigan House Speaker Calls For MSU President Simon to Resign
Finally.  At least someone is paying attention to what the hell is going on.  I’m sure she won’t, but at least someone is suggesting it.    
Wetzel Comes Down HARD On Sparty And The Nassar Mess
And is starting to ask the questions who knew what and when did they know?  As Dan stated, heads should be rolling all over the place…
The News Also Chimes In As Sparty’s Dean Of Osteopathic Medicine Takes A Leave
Strempel, probably the guy that did the most to enable Nassar, is stepping down from his Dean’s position.  The howls are growing louder from the victims and students alike.  Protests are planned on the day the board of trustees meets to vote on a raise for Simon…

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