It's Never Overkill When It Comes to Firing Charlie Weis

For those of you who can't stand Notre Dame or Charlie Weis...you're going to want to pick up a copy of the Chicago Tribune today. Pretty much the whole sports page is dedicated to why the fat-ass coach should be fired. Read to your own delight here and here....and here.

Yet perhaps the most damning article about Weis was written by Teddy Greenstein a few weeks back. In describing how Wies has alienated pretty much everyone who cares about ND Football, Greenstein tells an absolutely absurd story of Weis trying to recruit Terrelle Pryor. Highlights of that trip include...

"Do you want to take a picture of my Super Bowl rings?"

"Why send him (to USC's QB camp)? If he's with me for one day he'll be good, two days he'll be great and three days he'll be incredible."

"He says to Terrelle: 'Call me tomorrow at 6. I'll be watching where Brady Quinn gets drafted.' "

Are you kidding me fat-ass? Taking a picture of your Super Bowl rings? How are these actions not supposed to alienate high school coaches? And if that is only one coach of the hundreds of thousands around the country, how many more has he pissed off? Do you honestly believe that coach will ever send a kid to play for Charlie Weis?

When it comes down to it, the fat-ass needs to be sent scurrying back to the NFL with his tail between his legs. The only thing he has done for that school is increase the number of people that hate Notre Dame. Sure, he has great recruiting classes, but ND is the epitome of why those rankings are a joke. Weis' 2006 class was ranked #8 by Rivals.com...and as Greenstein points out, it contains not one great player, and 7 are no longer with the program. Also, his 2008 class was highlighted by QB Dayne Crist...a player that won't have an impact on the program until his 4th year. Weis' classes may be ranked high, but they are lacking in impact players and the head coach has shown no ability to develop players. At this point, ND needs to cut its losses and admit they were wrong...a difficult task for most Irish faithful.

Enjoy the ND vs USC Beatdown Highlights!

F&BT Giving Thanks

Happy Thanksgiving to all our loyal F&BT readers!  On behalf of WildHawks and I, we would like to wish you a safe and happy holiday.  It's been quite a football season thus far, and we've truly enjoyed ourselves with this little-known blog.  As we approach bowl season, I thought it would be a good time to step back and look at the life of the blog and the Big Ten season, and take note of everything that we're thankful for...

I'm thankful for February 5th, 2008, when we gloriously launched this little procrastination project known as First and Big Ten. 

I'm thankful for nearly four months later when we posted our first actual football-related post. 

I'm thankful for reserving the right to be lazy.

I'm thankful for Terrelle Pryor joining the Big Ten, even though that would come back to bite me in the ass when he beat UW.

I'm thankful for Mike Barwis turning into a celebrity in the offseason, only to have the players he made bigger, faster, stronger, and better conditioned suck when it came to...you know..."playing football". 

I'm thankful that the Big Ten started their Oddysey back to respectability.

I'm thankful that we linked to a real-life, respectable and big-time blog...SportsByBrooks.

I'm thankful that the Big Ten Network got picked up by major cable carriers across the country.

I'm thankful that The Journey followed the Illinois football team, even though I predicted it would show their fall back to earth.  It was a great show, and gave you every reason why the Illini struggled this year...not enough energy/urgency playing the game.  It came up every week, with coaches imploring/screaming at their players to get more excitement at halftime.  It also gave us J. Leman, BTN star!

I'm thankful for Joe Tiller's career, and it going out on the right note.

I'm thankful for MY BOY #85 David Gilreath.

I'm thankful for Big Ten running backs.  Shonn, Javon, Beanie, Evan, PJ, John Clay, Tyrell.  They reminded us weekly that this is a smashmouth football conference.  They are easily the best collective group of running backs in a conference.

I'm thankful for Joe Paterno, and his Nittany Lions putting him back on top...where he belongs.

I'm thankful for yearly doormats becoming respectable football teams...Illinois last year and the Minnesota Golden Timmays! this  year.

I'm thankful for Jim Delany respecting tradition and bucking the calls for adding a team to the Big Televen and a college football playoff.

I'm thankful for all the new, exciting coaches that have joined the Big Ten in the last few years.

I'm thankful for WildHawks joining me in this endeavor to write about college football.  His posts may have been few and far between at times, but he came through when I needed him to and he's definitely funnier than I am.

Finally, I'm thankful for you...the loyal F&BT readers.  Most of you are friends and family, and we certainly can't thank you enough for your support.  I wasn't sure how this would turn out, or what exactly I would write about for an entire year, but somehow this has worked out.  To all the people that I include in these stories, I apoligize if they have embarrassed you.  To all the commenters, it makes my day to see the emails pop-up when you leave your comments.  To everyone who calls me every Saturday and Sunday to see what I thought of the latest Big Ten news, thank you.  I was pretty sure that we would've failed by now, but as I look back, I can't believe where we stand.  We've been linked to a major blog, a small group of people read this thing regularly, we've written 72 posts, and since we started keeping track in Week 3...we've had over 1,000 page views.  

I'll never promise that I won't be lazy at times, and most likely the comedy factor of blogging will escape me, but I'll keep writing and giving you my thoughts on the Big Ten.  You keep reading...and make sure to tell your friends.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Does This Count as Halftime Entertainment?

The story speaks for itself.

[Insert punny comment] In the last UM game at the Metrodome, two Hawkeyes went out with a bang. Whammy.

First Team All-First and Big Ten Team

Don't be confused by the title of the post, Buckingham and I spent countless hours perfecting our all-conference honorees. Without further ado, here are the answers:

QB: Clark - PSU
RB: Greene - Iowa
RB: Ringer - MSU
WR: Benn - IL
WR: Decker - MN
TE: Graham - IL
OL: Bulaga - Iowa
OL: Miller - MSU
OL: Ohrnberger - PSU
OL: Kemp - UW
OL: Shipley - PSU

DL: Maybin - PSU
DL: Kirlew - IU
DL: King - Iowa
DL: Wootton - NU
LB: Laurinitis - OSU
LB: Brit Miller - IL
LB: Angerer - Iowa
DB: Davis - IL
DB: Jenkins - OSU
DB: Wiley - MSU
DB: Philips - NU

PK: Swenson - MSU
P: Mesko - UM
KR: Williams - PSU


Offensive POY: Greene - Iowa
Defensive POY: Laurinitis - OSU
Frosh: Pryor - OSU
Coach: Paterno - PSU


Notes: OL is tough to predict...just based on hype. Punter had to be Zoltan Mesko because of both name and amount of time spent on the field. Purdue sucks.

Both Sides of the Bowl Selection Coin

Growing up a Northwestern fan, I always resented the bigger schools with larger fan bases because they always screwed the Wildcats when they were fortunate enough to make a bowl. Take 2000, for example when NU beat Mighigan in one of the Big10's best games ever and earned a share of the Big10 title. At season's end though (and yes, I am still bitter), Michigan, loser of the head-to-head matchup, was selected for the Citrus Bowl. The teams had identical records, both conference and non. To make matters worse, OSU (a pseudo-institution of higher learning) enjoyed it's Aussie fries in Tampa despite finishing 5-3 in the Big10 (NU was 6-2). This chain of events sent a legitimate Big10 title team to the f-ing Alamo Bowl (only to get crushed by preseason #1 Nebraska, but that's neither here nor there).

["...probably because this whole world is against me" - Costanza...most likely a cynical Wildcat fan. Extra Credit: Elaine went to NU]







Many people assume that because of a school's size or the fact that it is a traditional powerhouse, it is more "bowl attractive". However, since 1995, Northwestern has had no trouble selling its full ticket allotment to the Rose ('96), Citrus ('97), Alamo ('00), Motor City ('03), and Sun ('05) bowls. NU's fanbase, while smaller and more distributed geographically, consistently splurges to see their Cats in the postseason.

Having said all that, being an Iowa fan makes things difficult this year. I've already made up my mind that (assuming we beat the Goophers), I'm going to the bowl because it'll probably be the Outback, and Tampa sounds a lot nicer that Chicago around Jan. 1st. In order to accomplish this though, I will have to sacrifice my Cats to the Alamo bowl again (assuming they beat Illannoy, which I believe they will, injuries or not). Because the Cats beat Iowa and will have a better overall record (again, assuming all goes to my plan tomorrow), I'll surely be labeled a hypocrite. And rightfully so. Perhaps I've sacrificed my juvenile idealism when it comes to bowl selection, but I can't get time off from work to go to an earlier game in San Antonio. Prioritizing work over fun...sounds like a life-lesson's "at work" here (pun intended). Is this what being a borderline-adult is all about? Anyway, to all you fans of the bigger school's (myself half included), remember, when you jump (literally screw over) Northwestern for a better bowl despite not having a better record and/or losing to the Cats, please take a moment to reflect on your good fortune and the fact that money and athletic reputation control the system.

Linking Laziness

It's not that I'm lazy...well, sort of, but I reserved that right long ago...it's just that I'm still sick and this has been one hellacious week for yours truly. With that, I fully admit that the posting has been lackluster, and I'm a little surprised that most of you (if any) are still coming back to read this blog. Let it be known, it is greatly appreciated.

So instead of rocking your world with some crazy insight, I'm gonna get lazy and give you some links. Two to be exact...but they caught my eye.

First up, the Joey T. farewell tour has commenced in West Lafayette. The guys over at Boiled Sports have each given their thoughts on the Joe Tiller era at Purdue, and they've got some good stuff. Personally, I can appreciate J's Perspective in Part 3 the most, considering that I am a Badger fan and was at the game. Without a doubt the greatest college football play that I have ever witnessed, and probably only because my team won. J brings to light the devastation it caused for the losing squad that night, and how that carried over into the remainder of the Joe Tiller era.

Second, something that I've noticed has been missing this week but couldn't put a finger on it. Lake the Posts nails it for me, in describing how little fanfare the Illinois @ Northwestern game is getting in the Chicagoland media. Granted, Illinois is down this year and Northwestern headlines will rarely sell papers...but it has been silent this year, and especially this week. Even though I'm on the West Coast now, I still read the Chicago Tribune every day, and I'm gonna agree with LTP that the hype machine needs to get revved up. Love fests for each other don't fuel a rivalry, so get the mouths going and get fired up for that Sweet Sioux Tomahawk!

AND DOWN THE STRETCH THEY COME!!

For those of you still paying attention to the Inaugural F&BT College Football Pick'Em Challenge, the final week of the season is upon us and the race for first place is about as tight as you could expect after a 13 week season. Here's the leaderboard heading into the final week...

1) Whetst1 - 476
2) WildHawks - 472
3) Bobby Petrino - 435
4) Buckingham - 389
5) Kenny G - 361
6) Lil Bro #1 - 347

WildHawks is carrying the banner for the F&BT bloggers...even though he got a girlfriend and forgot all about our little blog and his priorities. Whetst1 is out to prove that Illinois fans actually can be smart, despite choosing to cheer for the Illini. And Kenny G is going to owe me $20 when he doesn't pass me this week.

Make sure to get your picks in this week and look for an interview with the winner next week!

Ruminations on Week 12

Sorry for the delay in getting this post up, I've been sick with a cold since Sunday. I wish I could say that I saw a bunch of the Big Ten games this weekend, but I really only saw 7/8ths of the Battle for the Axe in Madison. I spent my Saturday at the wine country bus tour of all bus tours, and have been paying the price since. It actually was a ton of fun, but it did cause me to miss most of the Saturday games. I did DVR the Badger game however, and I got to see most of it. But with all the injuries (thank the Lord that Kyle Jefferson is ok) and penalties, my DVR cut off the game with about 5 mins left on the clock. This frustrated me like crazy, because I purposely set the DVR to record for an extra 30 minutes...plus I didn't get to see if Bielema gave a repeat performance of last year. Anyways, here are some ruminations for the Big Ten this week...

1) Great Comeback for the Badgers. WildHawk (remember him?) texted me this while on my Bus Tour, so I knew the Bagers were doing something good on Saturday. Alas, their performance on Saturday was a great comeback, but it also signaled more than that. It solidified their comeback not just from a 21-7 halftime deficit, but from a season that looked lost just 4 weeks ago. The college football season really is a marathon, and it reminds us that all judgements on a season should be withheld until after the season. Four weeks ago, fans throughout the state were calling for Bielema's head. This week, they're feeling great about their Badgers and hoping that there's a way to get to the Alamo Bowl. Thank God I kept my pants on.

2) Penn State is in trouble if Daryll Clark doesn't shape up soon. I know that the Nittany Lions have more playmakers than VH1 does terrible reality shows, but Clark is the one that makes them click...and he hasn't been clicking for a few weeks now. In the beginning of the year, he was limiting mistakes and B'ing his L all over the competition's T's. Now, he's a turnover waiting to happen and taking the term "my own worst critic" to a whole new level in the press. The guy needs to calm down, let his playmakers make plays around him, and assert his leadership positively in the huddle. If he does, MSU is in for a sticky day in Happy Valley. If he doesn't and PSU falls behind, the hook could be quick this weekend.

3) How many times has Terrelle Pryor "established" himself this season? Yes, that is a serious question. I know that he was a crazy-famous recruit and was bound to live in the spotlight for most of his career, but this has really gotten ridiculous. Let me be clear, I think Terrelle Pryor has been great this year, and OSU wouldn't be as dangerous as they are without him. But this media lovefest is out of control. First, he proved that he "wasn't scared" in the USC game that was a blowout. Then, he proved how composed and "big-game" he could be in the comeback at Wisconsin. After his shaky performance against Penn State, he proved that he "can handle adversity" against MSU. This week, he had his "coming out" party against Illinois. Really? It's taken all season for his coming out party? I would argue that the UW game was his coming out party...and the rest has been a typical year for a college freshman quarterback. I think Pryor is ridiculous....but he's trumped by the media coverage that deifies him every week.

4) I'm not ready to say goodbye. Approaching week 13 means one thing...this season is almost over. For fans like me, this is always the hardest time of the year. On one hand, it it usually the most exciting. On the other, it means that my Saturdays will be empty for the next 7-8 months. And this year in the Big Ten, it means saying goodbye to the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Joe Tiller in West Lafayette, and possibly...though I sure as hell hope not...to Joe Pa in Happy Valley. The Metrodome is a shithole that most won't miss, but I had some great times there in college, they still served beer there during games, and my Badgers were crazy successful there. Tiller revolutionized the Big Ten by bringing back mustaches, introducing the Spread offense, and making Purdue relevant. And Joe Pa...well...we all know what he's done at Penn State. And it's not just Penn State, it's what he's done for the Big Ten, and more importantly, for College Football in general. We all can't thank him enough...and that's why I'm not ready to say goodbye. Here's to hoping JoePa gets a new hip and a new contract for 2009.

Who I Like Tomorrow...Big Ten Picks Week 12

Besides cheering for Navy this weekend, here's who I like in the Big Ten:

Purdue @ Iowa: Considering their massive victory over Penn State last week, it's hard not to like the Hawkeyes in this one. Shonn Greene has continued to dominate, and Purdon't doesn't have the defense to stop him this week. It really is too bad too, because Joe Tiller deserved to go out a little better than this. Curtis Painter may be back, but that won't be enough to do it for the Boilermakers. Iowa struggles early, due to an extreme victory hangover, but run away with it late. And if you're an Iowa student, you've been warned not to rush the field.

Northwestern @ Michigan: In what could be a battle of backup backfields, this is probably the hardest Big Ten game to pick this week. On one side, Michigan has played like crap all year, but showed a team we've rarely seen last week in a victory over Minnesota. It was basically like Turtle on Entourage going from single for 4 years on the show to hooking up with Meadow Soprano. It just doesn't make a lot of sense, and you have no idea what to expect when you watch the show the following week. Also, Northwestern hasn't really shined on offense without CJ Bacher and Tyrell Sutton. Bacher may be back this weekend, but how effective will he be coming off a pulled hammy. In the end, I like Northwestern in this one. I have to think that Ohio State running up the score pissed them off just enough that they play with an edge this week. And that edge will dump Turtle so fast that he'll be single again this week.

Indiana @ Penn State: Blowout. Not going to be exciting at all. There really is no better medicine to cure a heartbreaking loss than playing Indiana. Seriously, the only good thing I can say about Indiana is that their players have come to the defense of a coach who deserves to be defended. I may think Bill Lynch is overmatched, but he got the job out of necessity and by all accounts is a great guy. Students shouldn't be holding up bed sheets saying "Fire Bill Lynch". For shame, Hoosiers. If you really don't like Bill Lynch that much, act like the rest of the students/fans and don't show up to the games. Anyways, Penn State by at least 35 in this one.

Ohio State @ Illinois: Buckeyes, meet revenge. Sweet, sweet revenge. And enjoy it, too. Illinois' upset last year gave the Fighting Zooker's some legitimacy, and sparked their Rose Bowl run. Look for the Buckeyes to come out for vengeance, and go all Mel Gibson in The Patriot on Illinois' ass. There is no doubt that the Illini will be able to get amped up for this game, which has been a problem this season, but I don't think it will be enough for four quarters. As soon as the game starts turning against them, the Illini will crumble and OSU will take this one with ease. Juice will probably throw at least 2 picks, and Jeff Cumberland will punch out 2 teammates and 3 student managers in a fit of rage when he can't find his cell phone. All in all, a bad day for the Illini is in store.

Minnesota @ Wisconsin: The Most Important Game in the Big Ten This Week is also the annual Battle for Paul Bunyan's Axe. In a rivalry that is as close to simmering over this year as any year in my lifetime, two talented yet recently underperforming teams will throw out the records and beat on each other for 3 hours. Both teams will be missing their best offensive players (Travis Beckum and Eric Decker), but only one team has a proven backup that can fill in admirably. At the end of the day, both teams' offenses match up well against the opposing teams' defense. But in this case, Wisconsin will be able to control the clock with their ground game and run all over the Gophers. It will be back and forth, but the Badgers should take control towards the end of the 3Q and into the early 4th. Don't switch the game off though, because big things could be in store for the postgame. Rumors have it that Bret Bielema may plant the Axe on the Gophers sideline (not normal) in order to let his players run through the Gophers sideline to grab the Axe. Also, I'm praying like crazy that Bielema repeats his 2007 sprint across the field to pull another drive-by hand-shake with Timmay! This has some huge possibilities, that I'm certainly going to love.

An Idiot's View of the Big Ten Conference

While trying not to shamelessly plug our own website, I was looking through the "Big Ten News" section on the right side of F&BT today, when I noticed an absolutely ridiculous headline...

How To Overhaul Big Ten Football!

Over at the Bleacher Report, they have an article up today about what the Big Ten needs to do avoid becoming irrelevant in the world of college football. What?! First of all, this is a ridiculous idea to write about, as the Big Ten is about as far from irrelevant as it can get. Just because the rest of the country hates us, doesn't make us irrelevant...it makes us hated. But as a fan of any team who has stayed on top too long will tell you, being hated makes you as relevant as ever.

For those of you who were too lazy to click on the link, I'll sum up the recommendations of this idiot writer:

1) Add Notre Dame to the Big Ten
2) Split into 2 divisions and have a title game
3) Re-invest profits from the Big Ten Network into high-school and junior high football programs throughout the Midwest, hold summer camps, and build up a talent base from the bottom up.

The first 2 are patently absurd to me. The 3rd one makes sense. For argument's sake, let's go through them one-by-one.

First, Notre Dame. This is an old argument from people who don't know jack about the history of the Big Ten. We tried. They didn't want to join. End of story. If anything, they would join the Big East, the conference in which all their other sports are affiliated. Also, Jim Delany has stated numerous times that adding a 12th team is not on the horizon....so this whole argument is pretty stupid. The writer's idea was that since both ND and the BT were down, they could join forces and revive themselves. This is as ass-backwards an argument that I can think of, but that should be expected from someone who obviously doesn't know much about the Big Ten.

If that wasn't bad enough, this guy also wants to hold a Conference Championship game. Why? So we don't have as long of a layoff between our final game and the bowl game? To make more money? While both might make sense, the only realistic reason would be the money. But we have the BTN now, and that should be enough to tide us over for a while. The whole myth about too long of a layoff is a common excuse for the team that has pulled 2 straght Suck-Jobs in the NC game. Also, and this is key here, but why would we want to guarantee another loss for one of our top 2 teams in their last game? The Big Ten has put 2 teams into the BCS numerous times over the last 10 years, probably as often as any conference out there. Why would we change that? The payout from going to multiple BCS games will make up for the lost money from a Conference Championship game, so the money argument is gone.

Finally, the 3rd point actually makes sense, and it is the smartest thing that this guy said in the entire article. Investing in the youth of our country is never a bad thing, especially when it involves a great sport such as football that can teach kids life-long lessons. Cultivating the talent in the Midwest is one thing, but helping develop that talent from a young age is another thing. Clearly, the South and West Coast have figured this out. Granted, their climate lends itself to spring football (hard to play when it's snowing in March!), but the Midwest states can do more to create talent. I'm all for this part of the plan.

But when it comes down to it, the reason we all love the Big Ten is the vast amount of traditions and historic nature of the conference. Three yards and a cloud of dust. Football at its purest, slowly being assimilated by advanced idealogies. Football in the cold weather, football in the rain, football as it was meant to be played. This is what is great about the Big Ten. This is why I love it. And I firmly believe that the Big Ten will come back to dominate the college football landscape at some time, and hopefully sometime soon. As with everything in life, conference strength is cyclical, and the Big Ten happens to be in a down cycle. But the pieces to bring us back to the top are getting in place. A lot of the struggle can be attributed to coaching turnover. In the last 4 years, the following schools have gotten/will be getting new coaches: Illinois, Purdue, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Michigan, Michigan State, Indiana, Minnesota. That is 8 out of 11 teams in 4 years, and when there is that much turnover in a conference...it is bound to struggle. The good news is that a plethora of good recruiters/excellent coaches have entered the league, and within a few years, will be fielding excellent teams that are sound fundamentally and more athletic than we're used to seeing. And when it all comes to fruition, I'll watch with a sh_t-eating grin as the ESPN pundits say the SEC/Big12/Pac-10 need to rework their structure.

For now, I'll keep my Big Ten as it is. And if you don't like it, move to the South like all the other idiots.

A Long Awaited Wisconsin Article

Many of you have been asking me about my thoughts on the Badgers this year, and more specifically about the coaching staff. Ross Gellar has sent a few emails, Sober sent a text or two, even my dad has been bugging me to put my thoughts down about the Badgers. Surprisingly, Fuzz has been noticeably absent in his phone calls and emails on Saturday mornings, but then again I haven't actually heard from him since he disappeared on Saturday night of Homecoming weekend in Madison. So, what do I think of Bret Bielema and the 2008 Wisconsin football team so far?

Keep your pants on folks, this season ain't over yet.

I think it's always a little ridiculous to start judging a team/coach in the middle of the year, because a million things can happen throughout the course of a college football season. With that said, for those of you calling for Bielema's head....shut up. This is not the SEC. We do not murder people over a football game. We do not fire coordinators 6 weeks into a season. We do not run coaches out of town when they are/or should be legends (technically, Lloyd Carr retired and was o.k. doing that). So for those of you calling for Bielema's head after the losses this year...shut up. The guy is a good football coach. He's learning how to be a great one. I'm willing to let him learn.

Now, has it been frustrating as ever to watch some of these games? Absolutely. I couldn't talk for a few hours after both the Michigan and Michigan State games. Both were just inexcusable losses. And yes, they can be blamed on the coaches. But neither loss was a fireable offense, especially when you're only 38 years old and have an absurd career winning percentage. Right now, Bielema is not the best coach in the Big Ten. In fact, he may be the second worst in the Big Ten this season, ahead of only an overmatched Bill Lynch at Indiana. But good things are happening around the program, and Bielema should get credit for those things too. It's all part of the humbling learning process that head coaches go through. Bielema just happens to be going through his on a much bigger stage than most.

So for now, keep your pants on Badger fans. This season is not over yet, and a 7-5 Alamo Bowl appearance is not the end of the world. So what is going well right now for the Badgers?

1) The receiving core is developing and turning into a force. Behind MY BOY! #85 David Gilreath, and my future BOY! #1 Nick Toon...the Badger receiving core is beginning to make some plays. Not too much was expected at the beginning of the year out of this group, but they sure have come on strong in recent weeks. Nick Toon finally got a chance and his play has earned him the opportunities that he continues to capitalize on every week. Gilreath showed tons of potential last year, and looked legit in the spring, but was slow out of the gates this year. But after his amazing touchdown catch at the end of the Michigan game, he has been nothing short of great for the Badgers. One thing to remember, is that this is an extremely young group, and while their development may have seemed slow this year, they are developing...and they will soon be an asset to the Badger O.

2) Injuries haven't crippled either side of the ball when they have occurred. Injuries are inevitable in college football, and in past seasons they have decimated the Badgers offense or defense (i.e. Anthony Davis back in the day, PJ last year, WR/CB/DL last year). This year, that hasn't been the case...and you can credit that to coaching and recruiting. Think about all the players that have missed time this year due to injuries. Jonathon Casillas, Mario Goins, Aaron Henry, Kirk DeCremer, Gabe Carimi, Kraig Urbik, Eric Vanden Huevel, PJ Hill, Chris Pressley, Lance Kendricks, Travis Beckum. That's quite the list. And while you can argue that the UW season has been disappointing and that with all those players healthy they would be better...that's just not realistic. In previous years, losing all those players (especially leaders like Casillas and Beckum) for any amount of time would have crippled the Badgers. That is not the case this year. UW is by no means a great team, but it is not because there has been a huge dropoff when backups have had to come in the game. The depth is much improved, and it is mostly young players providing that depth.

3) Wisconsin has a legit rivalry that is getting better and better by the minute this week. In case you didn't know, the most played rivalry in college football resumes this week...and finally, it has the feel of a rivalry again. Minnesota football is back, and Brewster is not downplaying the importance of this game. He tried to build it up last year, and while it didn't work out then, he set the foundation for the incredibly awesome back-and-forth that is going on this week. For the uneducated, last year Timmay! said that he'd be the first one to sprint across the field and grab Paul Bunyan's Axe when Minnesota won. After UW prevailed, Bret Bielema was the one sprinting across the field to shake Brewster's hand for about .2 seconds. Brewsters son talked trash after the game, even though he didn't play and his team lost. Bielema then came out and gave probably his best line to date as a head coach, "You want a rivalry? You got one!" Damn right Bret. That only set up this year, when Gabe Carimi said that he hates Minny, simply because he is from Wisconsin. Rumors are spreading that the Badgers may put the Axe behind Minny's bench (not the norm for the losing team to have it on their bench) just so the Badger players can sprint into the MN sideline and grab it again. Add in a few recruiting battles over the past two years, two competitive teams...and you've got yourself a rivalry.

Enjoy it Badger fans. And keep your pants on too.

Ruminations on Week 11

Not quite as exciting finishes this week, but there were certainly some shocking results to this weeks Big Televen football games. Indiana again proved to be the best medicine for any struggling team this year, and the weather finally became a factor in some games. As the bowl picture starts to take shape, here are some ruminations on Week 11:

1) Bye-Bye BCS Championship. Iowa played the role that they have become so good at in the last few years...spoiler. Penn State, the Big Ten's best and only shot at the BCS National Championship game, couldn't pull out a victory this past weekend, and their perfect season exists no more. On a chilly day in Iowa City, this looked like a great game to be at in person. All 3 of my brothers were actually in attendance, taking in the game from the student section. I get a call at halftime...is it sweet being there in person?

"Nah, we left at halftime...it was freezing. Iowa only has like 2
first downs, they're about to get blown out so we're just gonna watch it on TV
at home."

Good choice guys. Seriously, storming the field like that would not have been fun at all. I'm sure your living room was going crazy.

2) My respect for Pat Fitzgerald went through the roof. Watching the beginning of the ESPN broadcast, they showed Fitzgerald in the pre-game firing up his players. Two words summed it up for me...passionately intense. Even I was getting fired up listening to Fitzgerald scream "Thata way 72! Thata way to fire off the ball, 72! Big Ten Football...FIRE OFF THE BALL!!" I tell you what, Pat Fitzgerald will be one of the best coaches to ever roam a Big Ten sideline by the time he's done. He got the job too early, under the worst circumstances anyone could imagine, but there is no one better for the Northwestern job than him. I thought it 3 years ago, I think it even more today. He'll find a way to be great. The guy loves football. The guy bleeds purple. The guy just gets it. Watching that game, NU came out ready to play, they just couldn't stop the big play. The defense was fired up and laying the wood. They just couldn't get off the field. Offensively, they got too predictable with a backup QB and 3rd string RB. What offense wouldn't? Eventually, Ohio State's talent proved to be too much, but here's to thinking that Fitzgerald's intense passion closes that gap.

3) Not even Timmay! is immune from the big-loss hangover. College football is about the only place where the older you get...the easier it is to get rid of a hangover. Minnesota certainly was entitled to their share of a hangover following that brutal loss to Northwestern. But Timmay! and the Gopher coaches had a great chance to get the team pumped up to take advantage of a down Michigan football team. Instead, the Goofers did what only FCS teams and Wisconsin have been able to do this year...they made Michigan look good. Playing without stud wideout Eric Decker, Minnesota struggled moving the ball all day. Weber was pressured by the Wolverine front 4, and the field goals UM kept kicking proved to be enough for a road victory. I thought Timmay! and his endless positivity would get his group up for this game, but it turns out that Minny couldn't kick the hangover in time.

4) The One-and-Done. It's not just a potent drink at The Blue Velvet in Madison, WI...it's also the working title on Ron Zook's Illinois coaching stint. From a magical Rose Bowl season serving as Zook's lone bright spot...to the verge of a losing season and no bowl game the next...Illinois football is stalling right now. This team has been the model of inconsistency all year, and Zook appears to be losing his patience. After the loss to Wisconsin, he called out his experienced players for making too many mistakes. After this loss to Western Michigan, who is left to call out? The players obviously are not picking up the teachings of this great coaching staff, and their player leadership is lacking. Worst of all, the players apparently don't like each other very much...as Jeff Cumberland recently broke Mikel Leshoure's jaw with a punch. Apparently homey don't mess around when you steal his cell phone. And if you watched The Journey last week, you know that had to be a huge punch to break that big of a guy's jaw.

Two Picks Say a Thousand Words

Well, couldn't help but notice my Hawkeyes and Wildcats in the college pick'em this week. And despite my competitive drive (and the fact that I got killed last week, dropping me to 2nd place for the first time in months), I can't help but pick both my teams...even with Northwestern down to their 3rd string RB and no idea who will start at QB! My reasons are twofold: First, to go against years of fandom for a free league that only 4-5 people care about would be blasphemous; and second, if by some miracle, both teams win after I make the "smart picks", I would hate myself, and it will make both victories a little bittersweet. These betrayals on my part would surely lead to me questioning my very existence.

Looking at the rest of the BigTen this week, I like Wisky over IU after steady doses of Clay and Hill break the Hoosiers. I'll pray the Broncos of Western Mighigan beat the Zooker, but I don't see it happening. I like Minny at home over a beleaguered Wolverine team. Finally, MSU will take care of Purdue because, big drum or not, Purdue sucks. Obviously, you know my two upset picks.

Illinois Football: Consistently Inconsistent

I asked Whetst1 to write a post about Illinois football and the current state of the program. I figure if he can sit through 4 quarters of me yelling about Juice Williams being loose, he can write a blog post. Enjoy, F&BT fans...

Thanks, Buckingham, for the opportunity to post my perspective on the state of Illinois football. Having grown up 20 miles from campus (and living there again now), as well as going to games for over 30 years, I guess I am somewhat qualified. Actually, I could write a 20 page dissertation on the topic, but I doubt anyone would enjoy that. I can sum up my personal experience as an Illinois fan as 'consistent'...I have been there through thick an thin, suffering through the O-fer seasons...often cursing my parents for raising me 20 minutes from Champaign rather than Ann Arbor or Columbus. I can sum up Illinois football during that time as 'inconsistent'. Good years and bad years, rarely able to string together any year-over-year success. Obviously that does not make us unique in this conference... I do find it funny how quickly fans forget how bad their teams once were (or perhaps they are too young to remember). Building a consistent football program is like catching lightening in a bottle. Everyone thinks they just hired the next Barry Alvarez, but it rarely works out that way. Who knows if Ron Zook is the answer, but given the current state of the Illinois program, he is exactly what was needed. So where do I feel the program currently stands?

Talent - on the rise and appears it will be consistently good. Illinois continues to bring in top 30 recruiting classes, year over year, which is what it takes to build a program. You can't rely on a single great class, as there are too many ways for it to fall apart (see Illinois under Ron Turner, or more recently Iowa). As long as Zook is the coach, expectations will be high regarding recruiting. Zook also needs to be mindful of chemistry (yes, Buckingham...Cumberland broke LeShore's jaw over a dispute regarding a cell phone...I think they misunderstood when Zook said we needed to starting fighting like Penn State and Iowa). And finally, Zook needs to remember to look beyond the measurables and recruit some footballers...Martez Wilson has all the ability in the world, but doesn't seem to like to hit people or tackle...kind of important for a linebacker.

Consistency in Effort and Execution - work in progress. I don't think many of the fans I know are surprised at how this season is playing out. Coming off the Rose Bowl, losing the heart and soul of our defense, continuing to play numerous true freshman (I counted last week and at one point we had true freshman with him at both tackle spots, tight end, both wide outs, and both running backs)...explains some of the inconsistency in the present. Need one or two more years to find out if we can be consistent, without a significant drop-off from 1st to 2nd string.

Coaching - work in progress. Zook is not a game day coach (he shouldn't be allowed to do anything but motivate the team). He should hire an assistant to do nothing but manage the clock for him (when I win the lottery, I will be volunteering). Zook has hired a great group of recruiters, but only a handful of coaches. Our inexperienced coordinators make numerous bone-headed calls per game. As some of these assistants move on, hope is Zook fills the spots with some more experienced coaches rather than the on-the-job training.

Overall - Arrows are still pointing up. This is a fragile business and taking a step back in the right direction next year will be critical. It starts with Illinois finishing off this year with a win in a lower-tier bowl game. The schedule won't be easy next year, but the offense should be even better. If Zook can find some playmakers on defense, the pieces should be in place for a good year. Fall short of expectations next year, and we could be back on that slippery slope. 8+ wins with another bowl game and Zook has done his job, as far as I am concerned. But as a life-long Illini fan, I count no chickens...

Lack of Posts...My Bad.

Sorry about the lack of posts this weeks folks. It's certainly been a monumental week for the good ol' US of A. Electing our first African-American president is certainly a big deal. Also a big deal is that he is from Chicago. A.k.a a Big Ten fan...even though he wants a college football playoff. Anyways, he reps my home city, and I certainly love it.

Although, I don't live there right now. I currently live in the crazy part of the country known as California. And if I didn't appreciate how crazy it was, I figured it out on election day. On our ballot included propositions for the following:

- Same-sex marriage
- Animal rights for chickens and pigs
- Abortion (Notifying parents)
- De-criminalizing Prostitution in San Francisco

...and last but not least...

- Renaming the SF Sewer System the "George W. Bush Sewer System"

Welcome to crazy-town. The rest of this week I've been at a work conference, so I haven't been able to post, but Whetst1 has been working on a post about Illinois for the site. Next week the posting will be more regular.

Ruminations on Week 10

Another week, another Badger game that I don't want to talk about. It's becoming a theme this year...let's just move on. Although I will say, this was my favorite day of college football so far this season. You know it's going to be a good day when your team's game ends on a last second field goal at 1pm...and it's the 3rd best finish of the day so far. And to cap it off, Michael Crabtree went all superman on Texas' secondary with only a few seconds left. Was that not ridiculous? Not only were the idiot students running onto the field about 4 times, but the sheer enormity of the moment blew my mind. Against the #1 team in the country...at home...night game...lead all game and give it up with just over a minute left. As a Big Ten fan, it's hard for me to get real excited watching other games. But there I was, sitting in Lil' Bro #1's girlfriend's house, screaming at the TV..."NO F#*%ING WAY! NO F#*%ING WAY HE JUST DID THAT!" Yes. Yes he did. Props Mr. Crabtree. Here are some other ruminations on week 10:

1) I'd say that turned out "disastrous" to "quite disastrous". Tied at 17, under 30 seconds left in your own territory in a home game. Most coaches take the home crowd into overtime and use their stadium to their advantage. 25 yards in OT is a lot shorter to go than 55 yards in the last 30 seconds. But Timmay! couldn't resist. Go for the score, push the envelope, energize the fans in the stadium with a dramatic Homecoming win. Well, plan backfired. Backfired in a huge way. Backfired in probably the worst way possible. This had to be worse than the blocked-punt-for-a-touchdown-in-the-last-minute loss to Wisconsin back in 2005. This one will sting for ol' Timmay! and the Gophers for a while. Happy homecoming folks!

2) Joe Tiller has massive balls of steel. Looking toward his future home (almost, Idaho is close to Montana) for inspiration, Tiller channeled the Fiesta Bowl miracle and pulled off the ol' Hook n' Ladder to beat Michigan this weekend. The Wolverines never saw it coming, and why would they? No one has enough balls to call that play. Except Joe Tiller. Major, MAJOR props to Joe and the Boilermakers for pulling that off. It made me wish I was a Purdue fan. Alright I won't get that crazy, but it made me wish I was watching that game on television and rooting against Michigan.

3) Not the same old Sparty? I'm definitely biased in this case, because I was cheering against them, but how did Michigan State's performance not suggest that it was not the same old Sparty? Ringer never got on track. Yeah, he had two touchdowns, but they were gifts once the Spartans got inside the 2 yard line. Otherwise, he was held under 55 yards. The defense gave up over 200 yards rushing. The receivers had numerous drops. In fact, the only player that really seemed to be playing well for Sparty was Brian Hoyer. Had his receivers not dropped about 7 passes, his stats would look even better. Nothing about MSU screamed different to me. The only difference was the W. And that was a gift, courtesy of UW and it's overmatched coach Brett Bielema.

4) Bad week for a bye. Penn State got jumped in the BCS standings by Texas Tech after that ridiculous finish in Lubbock on Saturday. Penn State wasn't so much punished as Tech was rewarded, but it's hard to not think that voters easily forgot about Penn State while they Nittany Lions sat at home this week. Style points certainly went in Tech's favor, anti-Big Ten sentiment probably played a factor, but not having any highlights probably hurt PSU the most. Had the Spread HD been putting up 40 some points on an opponent last Saturday, I have to believe that PSU stays ahead of Tech. Either way, they're still in a good spot with a relatively easier schedule than the Red Raiders or Alabama the rest of the way.

Saving the Best for Last

In every family there is always a little competition amongst siblings. Be it looks, grades, parent's attention, or sports accomplishments...there is always competition. My family is certainly no different, with four boys and girl at the end, you can be sure that competitions were waged. Usually, the four boys dominated the conversations. My team made it farther in the playoffs; my g.p.a. was higher; at least I had a girlfriend.

We still argue about such things today. But we all overlooked one fact.

Our baby sister is better than us.

It's true. It's long been known and accepted that she was obviously the most loved by everyone outside our family. I'm also 98% sure that she has never been in trouble for more than 4 minutes with my parents. But, being the men we are, my brother's and I still held onto our accomplishments with pride. In some way, we were the best in the family. Then a month ago, the little sis trumps all of our ACT scores. Took the cake with a 31. And this past week, she became a state champion. Props to the Lil' Sis and her field hockey teammates on winning the Illinois State Championship.

For those of you keeping score at home, here's how it stands for the Lil' Sis:

Most loved...check.
Smartest....check.
Most athletic success...check.

At least I'm the best blogger in the family. (Until she starts a blog...)