First and Big Ten

The NCAA Takes Fans for Idiots...Oregon RB Blount Turns Table on NCAA

2009-09-04T10:26:00.006-05:00

In the biggest sham since Reggie Bush called himself an amateur college athlete, the NCAA implemented a new initiative this year trying to promote sportsmanship where the teams engage in a pregame handshake. The thought is that the NCAA will be able to soften its image slightly and show that these student-athletes are in fact rational humans totally in control of their emotions. The college football player isn't like those shady NFL guys getting arrested all the time and making it rain at a local establishment near you. No, these are just kids having fun and playing for the love of the game! They're not crazy! Look...they even shake hands BEFORE the game.

This would seem like a good plan on its surface and might in fact somehow work if only...you know...the college football players weren't crazy athletic people with a penchant for violence. NCAA meet LeGarrette Blount, Oregon starting running back. You may remember him for such quotes in the newspaper as "We owe (Boise State) an ass-whuppin'." And LeGarrette Blount may be eight kinds of crazy...but he ain't no liar! And when he says he'll whoop some ass...he's gonna whoop some ass. Game or no game.

After Boise State completely shut down the vaunted Ducks offense, making Blount look slow and ineffective all night (8 carries for -5 yards), things got a little wild in the postgame. A Broncos D-lineman said a few things...Blount took offense...and then did what any rational person would do. He sucker-punched the dude. Obvi!

LeGarrette Blount is taking a beating for his actions, as he should, and ESPN is having a field day with this one (they conveniently used this to put Dr. Phil on their College Football Live show to talk about anger management or something), but Blount is merely a fraction of the issue here. And really, there are two big ones that I see:

1) Despite forcing the players to shake hands PRIOR to a game, the NCAA can't really tell us what to think about their student-athletes without the student-athletes telling us themselves. Coaches spend all week building up a hatred for an opponent, and you're telling me that these kids want to shake hands BEFORE they try to beat up the other team on the field? Give me a break. We're fans. Short for fanatic. We waste a decent portion of our lives working up a hatred for an opponent that we hope some 18-22 year old kids will act upon for us once a year. You really think we can't see through some half-hearted handshake that you forced sometime to take part in? Please, this postgame handshake was one of the things I liked about college football, and it is good enough sportsmanship as it is. Players have the choice to show a geniune respect for their opponent by seeking them out after the game. At least it's genuine.

2) Some of these "student"-athletes never cease to amaze us with their total loss of perspective. Did Blount really think any of the 10 ESPN cameras wouldn't catch him hitting the Boise State guy? Did he really think he could punch his teammate and not have him be pissed? And what about someone getting ready to "allegedly" throw a chair at you (as Blount alleged was his reason for going after the fans) makes you want to jump into the stands towards that person? Jeff Pearlman has an excellent article up on SI.com about Brandon Marshall and his loss of perspective on the reality that 1,000 yard receivers are a dime a dozen. And few are remembered famously after their career. Well, the list of great college running backs who get forgotten is 10x as long, and apparently LeGarrette Blount hasn't learned that yet, or wasn't taught it at JUCO. Some of these athletes think they're destined for the NFL no matter what, and don't quite care for the details of the rest of their life. And details like "not punching a teammate or opponent on national television" can directly affect their status in the League. You think teams won't throw up some HUGE red flags on Blount after this? HE PUNCHED HIS TEAMMATE!! And in an instant, boom...there goes a senior year's worth of highlights due to suspension.

This whole sequence reminded me of former Wisconsin running back Booker Stanley. Stanley was a decent running back, who provided some production despite being 3rd string. Yet he had incredible off the field problems, including beating the crap out of a dude at the Mifflin Street Block Party in Madison. I was there; I saw the fight; Booker destroyed the dude. And he got arrested. You might think that he would cool it a little bit, maybe take it easy for a while and...oh, I don't know...worry about his status on the team. Nope, not Booker. There I was standing in line at the KK that very same night, when some big dude behind me starts talking loudly...."I'm not a fighter, but I hit like a Mack truck. I'm serious, I will hit you like a Mack truck." Yep, Booker Stanley. Any perspective and he might not have been so surprised when Bielema threw his ass off the team.

Football Season is Upon Us!

2009-09-04T00:57:00.004-05:00

Congratulations sports fans...you made it. The college football season is officially underway! The Big Ten kicked off their season tonight as well with Junior Varsity scrimmage in Bloomington, Indiana.

What's that? Huh? That wasn't a scrimmage? Those weren't JV teams? Oh...well...this is akward.

Turns out that was an actual Big Ten team taking the field tonight, as Indiana was able to hold off Eastern Kentucky. The game actually came down to the last play as Eastern Kentucky had their last ditch Hail Mary pass batted down at the buzzer. Now, this game never should have come down to the last play, as Indiana should have run away with this one. But they didn't. They struggled. Bill Lynch admitted that they struggled in the postgame presser, but rightly so, he focused on the positives that the Hoosiers can build on this year. And there were a few positives, namely Ben Chappell and the dangerous wide receiver combo of Tandon Doss and Damarlo Belcher. The 5-yard hitch route was wide open all night, and IU took advantage by getting the ball into their playmakers hands. Doss and Belcher did the rest and in the process showed a bright future for IU on the outside.

Unfortunately, that was about it for the positives. The offensive line was unable to control the LOS for most of the game. The Hoosier's new downhill running game from the Pistol formation looked like it was running up-hill all night, and finished with a paltry 73 yards. And defensively, well, let's just say that the Colonels didn't struggle to move the football on IU, amassing 388 yards total. That and the fact that IU's middle linebacker looks like he is a safety doesn't quite forbode well for the Hoosiers when Big Televen season rolls around.

In reality, there were two great things about this game for Indiana. First, they won. And a win is a win in college football. Only five more until they're bowl eligible. Second, it was only the first game and many of the mistakes can be corrected. As excited as we can be as fans that the season has started, watching the IU/EKU and the Boise/Oregon games tonight reminded me that this is week one....not week 12. Both games featured multiple turnovers, tons of penalties, and overall sloppy football.

Temper your expectations football fans, because the game on the field might be ugly...but the fact that you are even watching football again is oh so beautiful!

Familiar Faces at the Top: Predicting the Big Ten in 2009

2009-08-30T17:41:00.004-05:00

During the latter half of this decade, only two teams have been able to call themselves Big Ten Champions on the gridiron...and we here at F&BT don't think that will be changing this year. Penn State and Ohio State have claimed either outright or shared titles every year since 2005. Despite some high profile losses for both teams, WildHawks and I think that they will be sitting at the top of the Big Televen again this year. Here's how we're predicting the Big Ten will look at the end of the season:

1) Ohio State - Lots of high profile, face-of-the-franchise type players are missing from last year's team...but the highest profile player is back in Terrelle Pryor. All the accounts from the off-season have Pryor taking a bigger leadership role on the team, and improving his passing as well. If the Buckeyes can find some offensive playmakers from the unproven RB's and WR's to compliment Pryor, their offense will be tough to stop. On defense, the LB's will be green, but the DL should be good enough to protect them and keep opposing O-lines from getting to the second level. Look for the Buckeyes to be representing the Big Ten in another BCS game this year.

2) Penn State - Daryll Clark and Evan Royster help give the Nittany Lions the best offensive backfield in the BT this year, but their top 3 wideouts from last year are gone. None the less, we still think this will be one of the better offenses in the league this year. On the defensive side, Linebacker U continues to churn out future Sunday players at the linebacker position, as PSU will feature two of the best Big Ten LB's in Navorro Bowman and a healthy Sean Lee this year. The DL lost their two best pashrushers to the NFL, but the Lions typically churn out great pass-rushers every year, and they will need it to be an elite defense again this year.

3) Illinois - The Illini should have the most prolific offense in the Big Ten this year...but the key word there is should. Something makes us think that the words "Juice...Rejus...Touchdown Illini!" will be said quite often this year. And with Florida transfer Jarrod Fayson added to the receiver mix this year, defenses won't be able to focus solely on Rejus Benn. On the defensive side, my sources say that the team is flying around to the ball and seem much more intent on gang-tackling this year. We'll see if that continues when the season starts, but for the Illini to do anything truly special again, the team chemistry will need to improve.

4) Iowa - Picking the Hawkeyes this high is looking shakier and shakier as long as Jewel Hampton stays out of the depth chart. I'm not quite sold on Iowa without him, as they used solid defense and Shonn Greene to a solid 9-win season in 2008. Ricky Stanzi will continue to be one of the better BT quarterbacks, but the offense requires a good run game to function. The defense should be solid, although the anchors of the defense the past few years are gone with the graduation of Mitch King and Matt Kroul. If they can't find suitable replacements, look for their outstanding LB core to take on more blocks in the running game.

5) Wisconsin - Color me an optimist, but this Badger team will come to exemplify the term "addition by subtraction" this year. Gone are several multi-year starters that no doubt provided valuable service to the UW, but seemed to get a little casual and more concerned with their future as their careers came to a close. Filling the void are young, hungry and talented players looking to turn around a dismal 2008 season, especially on defense. The QB play should be better, because it can't really be any worse. Look for the Badgers to reverse the trend of declining victory totals in the Bielema era.

6) Michigan State - It continues to confound me how all the experts can predict that Michigan State could make a move in the Big Ten this year, while completely dismissing the fact that they are losing almost all of their offensive production from 2008. Gone are workhorse Javon Ringer and multi-year starter Brian Hoyer at RB and QB respectively. Yet because Mark Dantonio has a serious manner and gives a stable interview...Sparty has turned a corner. It is ridiculous to me. While Dantonio will do good things eventually, I haven't seen anything to think that Sparty has turned the corner from their letdown ways. It took Wisconsin pulling an even worse letdown and the worst season in Michigan history for the Spartans to avoid losing 5 out of their last 6 games last year. Go ahead and think they've turned the corner...I'll wait until they actually do prove it.

7) Northwestern - While both WildHawks and I love what Pat Fitzgerald is doing at NU, this just isn't going to be a repeat of 2008 for the Wildcats. The bottom line is that Mike Kafka is no CJ Bacher...and a CJ Bacher type player is required to run that offense. While Kafka performed admirably filling in for Bacher last year, it was clear that the offense wasn't the same without the passing of Bacher. While the defense will keep NU in many of their games, I don't see Kafka being able to pass well enough to put a lot of points on the board.

8) Minnesota - Recruit all you want Timmay!, but at some point you are going to have to do something with those recruits. 2009 will not be that year. Despite finally getting out of that abominable Metrodome and moving into the outdoor TCF Bank Stadium this year, Minnesota has made a few mistakes this off-season which will hamper them. First, they went from a spread offense that was beginning to show results for them and highlighted their proven QB/WR combo of Adam Weber and Eric Decker. Second, they replaced Ted Roof, the D-coordinator who left for the same job at Auburn, with Kevin Cosgrove. You may recall Cosgrove from his days getting shown the door at Wisconsin and giving up ridiculous amounts of points at Nebraska. It baffles me how he keeps getting DC jobs at major universities.

9) Michigan - Rich Rod won more in his second year at every school he has coached. Thus it would be easy to expect that his second year at Michigan would see a large increase in victories as well. But nothing has really gone according to plan since RR took over the helm in Ann Arbor, and we don't think this year will go to plan either. First there was the Justin Boren "family values" comments as he transferred to OSU, followed by the worst season in school history, RR's plan to play 3 QB's this year, and just this weekend allegations that Michigan coaches are violating NCAA rules for practice time per week. Not just allegations, but player allegations. Can anyone say disaster?

10) Purdue - Hope waits...until next year at least. I don't see much going well for Purdue in Coach Danny Hope's first year. Same offense, but new QB, RB and WR's will spell trouble for the Boilermakers. And defense...well, that never really has been their thing.

11) Indiana - While they could also fall under the same "addition by subtraction" category as Wisconsin does by getting rid of athletic but troubled Kellen Lewis, we still don't see Indiana doing anything this season. Biggest questions for IU this season are 1) how many more future conference home games will the AD sell to the highest bidder? and 2) who is going to be the next head coach when Bill Lynch gets fired after this season?

Are You Ready for Some Football?

2009-08-27T21:26:00.001-05:00

Welcome to Season II of First and Big Ten!

Now, WildHawks and I are fully aware that any self-respecting blog will continue to hone their craft through the long, lonely off-season; but let us assure you...we stopped respecting our blog-selves long ago. Looonnng ago.

In fact, we are fairly confident that we might be the worst bloggers on the internet. Be that as it may, we're going to continue giving you our thoughts and insights throughout this college football season. You might notice a few changes in the blog this year as well, as we learned a few things over the past year. While we are as passionate as ever about the entire Big Ten Conference and its oddyssey back to respectability, we learned how hard it is to focus on 11 different teams every week. Basically, Adam Rittenberg is good at covering the whole league, and we don't have the time to do it as well as he does. So, you might see us focusing on a few of our favorite teams more often this year (Wisconsin, Iowa, Northwestern), and of course a few of the teams we love to hate (Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State).

Another change you'll see this year is more of the Linking Laziness posts, where we direct you to some friendly websites that are much better at this blogging thing than us. We've got our list of favorite blogs on the right side of the page, so why don't we start there.

Recently, friends of F&BT and fellow sophomore bloggers at Over The Pylon have redone their website and posted a preview of the Big Ten Conference.
Fear not Badger fans, you've now got a decent blog dedicated to all things Bucky. Check out Bucky's 5th Quarter to get your Badger fix somewhere other than here.
Indiana continues its run as the joke of the conference by selling a conference home game for $3M. Let me repeat..selling a CONFERENCE HOME GAME! Thankfully, I'm not the only one disgusted by this, as Indiana blog The Crimson Quarry shares my views.

That's it for tonight. Just a little taste of what's to come in Season II here at F&BT. The goal is to have posts up about 3-4 times a week, and maybe some Linking Laziness more often than that. Keep checking throughout the season, and we promise to underwhelm you.

Needing a Little Inspiration?

2009-01-31T20:50:00.004-06:00

Even though I sat outside in shorts and a t-shirt today because it was 68 and sunny, I know that all of you back in Big Ten Country are suffering through the doldrums of a brutally cold winter. I did it for 24 years of my life and trust me...it sucks. Going out just becomes a chore, and your pants always get wet near your feet cause the slush is out to get you. It's usually around the month of February when people start needing a little inspiration to know that they can get through it all. And I have that inspiration for you.

Meet Yogi Roth.

Courtesy of one of my favorite writers, Bruce Feldman, we get the story of Yogi and his journey to spread the teachings of Pete Carroll and his Win Forever mentality. This truly is a great story, and speaks to the influence that college coaches have on young mens' lives. My buddy Z has raved about Carroll before, and I'm beginning to learn why. I wish Yogi was writing an actual blog and we could get updates every day, but for now, the only access I have found is Feldman. Click here for an update from Day 4 of Yogi's journey (scroll down to the bottom). Enjoy F&BT fans, and know that winter is almost over...unless it snows in late April again like last year.

And We're Back!

2009-01-31T17:55:00.001-06:00

Question: How many comebacks can one blog have?

Answer: As many as I want...deal with it.

Just kidding...sort of. But I can't promise that there won't be more significant stretches without posts throughout this offseason. First of all, the offseason is brutally long. Second of all, well, I've been getting my ass kicked at work worse than Indiana did all season long. As for this past stretch of no contact, all I can tell you is that I was burned out. I'm sure I wasn't the only one either, as the entire state of Wisconsin probably felt my pain. What do you really expect from someone who cares an unhealthy amount about a bunch of 18-22 year olds and has his mood swing wildly based upon their performance once a week?

In the end, the losing was too tough on me, and the winning was usually worse. The frustration from beating an FCS team by having them miss 3 extra points put me near the edge. And while the layoff before the bowl game gave me enough time to back away from that edge and convince myself that all could be saved with a solid performance, I now realize that all I was doing was giving myself room for a running start before I jumped. And what a fall it was. Filled with the rage and frustration of an unfathomable Badger performance against FSU, not to mention about 8 of those large beers from Redmond's in Chicago, I vented to the blog from my blackberry. I said some things I didn't mean (I still love you Dave Doeren), and even re-reading the post didn't make me feel better. What I needed was time. Time to unwind. Time to forget about the 2008 season. Time to rationalize the growth that the UW coaching staff needed to experience. Time to self-reflect about the level of interest I give Wisconsin football.

So that is what I did. I put on some Hootie and The Blowfish, and just gave myself time away from all things Big Ten football. I stopped reading Adam Rittenberg's excellent ESPN.com Big Ten blog. I stayed off the Wisconsin message boards. I literally stopped thinking about Big Televen football and F&BT all together. Until last week.

I saw a top story on ESPN about the Fighting Timmays! of Minnesota scheduling USC for a home and home and immediately the passion returned. I was pumped. I am pumped. This fanatacism for Big Ten football is a good thing. I want to follow a bunch of 18-22 year olds. I want to share my passion with you on this blog. Sometimes it will hurt more than words can express, as it did when I didn't speak for hours after both the Michigan and Michigan State losses, but I want it to hurt. And I want it to make me happier than it should too. The passion ride through the peaks and valleys is what I want...and what I'll keep bringing you here at F&BT. Enjoy the ride, and look for updates at least once a week throughout the offseason. And if I miss a week...deal with it.

Alamo Bowl Happenings

2008-12-29T21:41:00.004-06:00

In a game that was the most lobsided point spread this bowl season (Mizzou -12.5), the Northwestern Wildcats are currently holding their own against Chase Daniel and Missouri. I was flying back to the West Coast yesterday, and didn't get a chance to do an Alamo Bowl Preview post...so I'll just direct you to Lake The Posts, an excellent blog dedicated to Northwestern Football.

LTP does an excellent job previewing the game and giving you some of the key matchups. Although, he did predict the Cats to lose this one.

As for the actual game that is happening as I type, the Cats are bringing the wood. Bowl Season in CFB (....hold on...RIDICULOUS TOUCHDOWN CATCH BY ROSS LANE FOR NORTHWESTERN...it's under review but should be held up. This thing is tailor made for Sportscenter....back now.) Bowl Season in CFB is where we finally get to see if these video game Big 12 offenses are legit. And watching this game, Northwestern seems to be proving that Missouri at the least is not. The Cats are flying to the ball on defense and laying some wood with every hit. They seem to be one step ahead of the Tigers and are giving the receivers no room for YAC yards.

Clearly, Pat Fitzgerald has his team fired up and mentally ready to play this game. About the only thing that has gone wrong to this point is a costly pick thrown by Bacher in the 3rd Quarter and a botched punt (supposed to be kicked out of bounds but wasn't) that Maclin took to the house. Other than that, the Cats are outplaying the Tigers in every respect and this is a great game to be watching. About the only thing I could use right now is that terribly awesome sound effect that NU plays at their home games.

Champs Sports Bowl Preview: My 100% Chance of Hating the Tomahawk Chop

2008-12-27T14:30:00.001-06:00

Wisconsin kicks off the Big Televen bowl season today vs Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl. For those of you familiar with the Seminoles from their days as college football's national enemy #1 and/or Atlanta Braves you will know that one thing will happen every time they play, regardless of how much they suck...they will play that stupid Tomahawk Chop chant non-stop. I'm currently driving in a car on my way to a downtown Chicago Badger bar with my brothers and the Teradactyl, and I'm already preparing for the tomahawk chant to be the death of me this afternoon. If you want to get wasted today, take a drink every time you hear that played. And be prepared to drink about 35 beers.

All the analysts can talk about leading up to this game is the power vs. speed matchup...which has been the theme of every Wisconsin bowl game since I can remember. And call me a homer, but it is a tired argument. Speed isn't what kills the Badgers, and they have shown in their previous bowl games that it isn't that big of a factor. Auburn twice, Arkansas, and Tennessee all had speed advantages over the Badgers...and only once (1st Auburn game) did UW have trouble with the speed.

To me, the key to this game is the wide receivers and defensive backs. FSU will be looking to exploit the significant height advantage that their receivers have, especially in the red zone. Technique and positioning will be critical for the badger corners throughout the game, and that consistency has been an issue throughout this season. As for the UW receivers, this game needs to be their coming out party. They've quietly but surely have progressed greatly this season, and I think the opportunity to have a breakout game will be there for them today. FSU will be loading up the box with at least 8 guys today, and on obvious passing downs they will be keying on the TE's. Tight Ends are featured in UW's offense and have been a problem for the Noles all season. Look for them to be a focus for FSU, opening up potentially great matchups for the Badger receivers on the outside.

At the end of the day, expect both teams to try and do what they do best early on. Both defenses will be, or should be, bringing pressure on quarterbacks that haven't shown great ability to handle it yet. Both offenses will try to control the clock on the ground, and big plays will probably be the difference. We all know what that means...the tomahawk chop chant. As the final second ticks off, I predict that good ol' ON WISCONSIN will be playing loud and proud throughout Orlando. PJ Hill and that sexy John Clay will do enough to overcome the decided home field advantage the noles will have...and MY BOYS! Gilreath and Toon will make at least 3 big plays to get Bielema's record against coaches over 80 to 2-2.

Watching the Heisman

2008-12-13T19:33:00.002-06:00

So I'm sitting here on a Saturday night watching the trophy ceremony for a college football award that used to mean something...the Heisman ceremony. I say used to because this trophy is officially a joke. Not only do they invite only 3 people this year, but they don't have any seniors at the ceremony. Absolutely terrible. I'm all for an underclassman winning the award, but it almost makes this thing a joke. It used to be an award that was given to someone who earned it not just over a season, but a career. And not a career putting up video game statistics against weak defenses (**cough*big12*cough**). Players earned it through performances in big games, leadership on and off the field, and an unrelenting competitiveness that made that person indispensable to his team. This year...it's a joke.

One year ago, there was genuine concern that a sophomore could win the award and what that would do to the integrity of it. Obviously, Tim Tebow deserved that award and put up ridiculous numbers to back up his performance. My problem comes directly after that happened. Almost immediately, the talk started of a repeat and the consensus was that if he didn't top his 2007 numbers...he couldn't win it again. Then the Big12 turned into a joke of a defensive conference, and all of a sudden players in a BCS conference were putting up huge numbers. They are Heisman locks right? Wrong.

If one player in that conference was putting up such huge numbers, then he clearly would deserve to win it. But in the Big12, at least 3 players (McCoy, Bradford, and Harrell) put up video game numbers...and a majority of the offenses were running up yardage totals. In a sense, you were the odd man out if you weren't putting up stats in that conference, rather than standing out for those stats.

If you can't tell by now, I don't think McCoy or Bradford should get the Heisman. But it's not all about their stats not being legit. It's just that, a certain player did something that none of the others did, he did this.... (feel free to skip to the 2:15 mark)

You don't see that leadership in many people...and you don't see that type of pledge get backed up as well as Tebow backed it up. The man dominated. He showed leadership and exceptional ability that was not matched this season. He deserves the Heisman...again.

F*** it Dude...Let's Go Bowlin'

2008-12-07T19:11:00.004-06:00

A quick link to update you on the Big Ten Bowl plans for this Holiday season. Look for analysis later tonight/throughout the week as we dive into each and every Big Televen matchup...

Rose Bowl: Penn State vs. USC

Fiesta Bowl: Ohio State vs. Texas

Capital One Bowl: Michigan State vs. Georgia

Outback Bowl: Iowa vs. South Carolina

Alamo Bowl: Northwestern vs. Missouri

Champs Sports Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Florida State

Insight Bowl: Minnesota vs. Kansas

A few quick notes...the Big Ten did not fulfill all of its bowl relationships, as 7 teams were bowl eligible but 2 were selected for the BCS games...as expected, Iowa jumped ahead of Northwestern in the bowl selection process even though they had a worse record and won head-to-head...we should find out how the Big Ten stacks up against the two best conferences in the country this year, as BT teams play 3 games against the Big 12 and 2 against the hated SEC...Michigan, Illinois, Purdue, and Indiana all suck.

MAILBAG: Thoughts on BigTen Bball...No Thanks.

2008-12-07T14:50:00.003-06:00

First, let me just say that Ross Gellar is an F&BT Mailbag All-Star. He consistently shares his thoughts on what he wants to see in the blog, and occasionally, will write an email funny enough to be posted in it's entirety. Here is his latest query in the mailbag...

Ross Writes:
Dude, good stuff with the Minnesota bathroom incident. Brings new meaning to the TDT mantra, "Gopher deez nuts".
I was wondering when the 'ol First and Big Ten blog was going to switch from the grid iron to the hardwood? Just change the graphic on top and go crazy. Clearly there's enough to write about in the basketball world right now...Indiana is playing with the equivalent of Edina's JV team...Wisconsin has a player named Keaton and he's actually not that terrible...the ACC owned us for the 10th year straight...Northwestern's "Princeton offense" and high school gym deserve serious mockery...all 12 of Iowa's black students are on the basketball team...there's some good stuff out there.

That Iowa line is good stuff that's hard to top, so I just went and posted the whole thing. Rest assured F&BT fans, we probably won't be delving into the world of college basektball all that often, as this is a football blog. With that said, we will take notice of the happenings on the hardwood, because, after all...we are normal human beings/sports fanatics. We even have an offer out to a new writer to give us a weekly post about the Big Televen basketball scene...so stay tuned.

In the meantime, look for some season review articles, lots of linking laziness, bowl previews, a full documentation of WildHawks bowl trip with the Hawkeyes, and a hefty amount of recruiting analysis.

UPDATE: Metrodome Sex Cougar Won't Let Story Go Away

2008-12-02T00:18:00.006-06:00

As WildHawks so graciously informed us last week, a 38-year-old married cougar and a 26-year-old with a girlfriend sent the metrodome out with a "bang" at the Iowa v. Minnesota game a few weeks ago. As funny as the story was at the time, it's taken on a life of its own since then. Seriously, this story is like Mike Gundy press conferences on YouTube...it's a gift that keeps on giving.

Highlights include:

Ironic Newspaper Headlines..."Dome Incident..." It's almost too easy.
MySpace photos of the culprits hitting the internet (courtesy of SportsbyBrooks)
One woman fired from their job as an administrator at an assisted living center.
Allegations of a drug being slipped in a drink, without any...you know...details to back it up.
And, one cougar who can't stop pumping out quotes to keep the story alive.

"I don't know who this man is. I just found out his name in the paper"

"I don't deny that it did happened, because, obviously, there are police reports"

"Everybody thinks something was slipped into my drink....Right, and that's what my lawyer and I are working on."

There's really only two people missing from this story, the guy having sex and the cop that found them. The guy hasn't spoken about it yet, but SbB has an idea where he may be...

Meanwhile, we haven’t yet heard from our hero, Ross Walsh. He’s probably too busy wading through the high-five processional outside his house.

As for the cop, well, the police spokesman in Minneapolis offered this little nugget regarding the woman-as-a-victim theory...

"All I can say is the actions went on for some period of time with many witnesses on hand and no one reported either party was objecting."

Touche, sir.

'Who is Leonard Taylor?'

2008-12-01T21:16:00.007-06:00

I really had a hard time deciding to post about this or not, because it is certainly not too much of a laughing matter for Mr. Taylor and his family...but this conversation with Fuzz pretty much put it over the top...

Fuzz: Who's Leonard Taylor?
Buckingham: Ahh...former Wisconsin defensive back in the late nineties.
F: Slash...
B: Slash crazy former player who wants to kill Barry Alvarez...
F: ...and Maria Sharapova?
B: Yep, and Maria Sharapova.
F: I mean, talk about going off the deep end. The guy just threatened to kill two of your favorite people on earth, how you feelin' about that?

Well, I'm feeling like this...that's about the only time you'll ever hear "Barry Alvarez" and "Maria Sharapova" in the same sentence. All it took was someone going 100% bat-shit crazy to make it happen! Also, feeling sorry for Leonard Taylor, who apparently has been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic and stopped taking his meds a few months ago. When you think about it, that would be the only explanation for leaving 29 messages on Alvarez's voicemail last week....allegedly....and threatening to not only kill King Barry, but conveniently letting Barry know that he wanted to marry/kill Maria Sharapova and her family. Allegedly.

Threatening Barry is one thing (I'm confident in his ability to defend himself because he's a badass), but I WILL NOT put up with you threatening MY GIRL! Maria! No one messes with my top 5 celebrities and gets away with it.

Click on the comments to see my current Top 5 Celebs...

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

2008-11-30T12:35:00.005-06:00

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

2008-11-28T12:33:00.002-06:00

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?

2008-11-26T12:45:00.004-06:00

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

2008-11-24T18:16:00.005-06:00

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

2008-11-21T12:38:00.004-06:00

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

2008-11-21T02:14:00.005-06:00

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!!

2008-11-21T02:05:00.002-06:00

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

2008-11-19T00:50:00.003-06:00

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

2008-11-14T19:30:00.003-06:00

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

2008-11-14T02:33:00.004-06:00

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

2008-11-12T23:54:00.004-06:00

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

2008-11-10T22:49:00.003-06:00

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

2008-11-07T08:38:00.002-06:00

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

2008-11-07T03:23:00.003-06:00

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.

2008-11-07T03:08:00.002-06:00

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

2008-11-03T23:52:00.005-06:00

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

2008-11-03T22:54:00.004-06:00

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...)

Celebrating a 21st Bday...Family Style

2008-10-29T00:19:00.004-05:00

Lil Bro#2 turns 21 at midnight tonight...a great big F&BT SHOUTOUT! to him. My parents and Big Bro drove out to Iowa City and surprised him at a dinner with all his buds, sort of a tradition in the family. Previous trips included place like downtown Chicago, Madison WI, and Oktoberfest all the way over in Germany. (seriously)

So, in turning 21, you'd think a normal college aged kid would ask for booze or just pull a Randy Moss and ask for Straight Cash Homey! But not Lil Bro#2. That'd be too simple. Nope, the lone Hawkeye fan/student in the family just wants some love for his team on the blog....and to have his family finally eat dirt now that he has bragging rights for a whole year. So here goes, buddy...

The Badgers suck this year. Go Hawks.

Enjoy it while it lasts.

Also, your Beer of the Month subscription should be arriving soon. I figured that would be a little more useful over the next 6 months.

The Crew Goes to UW Homecoming 2008, Ridiculousness Ensues

2008-10-28T23:16:00.003-05:00

That always terrible lingering hangover is finally gone, and I've gotten a chance to sort out some of the happenings from my amazingly great weekend in Madison, WI. The whole crew was back, all 6 roommates, Big Bro, Lil Bro#2, a great group of lady-friends, a wife, a girlfriend...and supporting his Illini on the road, Whetst1.

There were many reasons for this to be a great weekend: it was UW Homecoming, my first time back in the Midwest in a while, the first time all 6 roommates were back in Madtown at one time, and a weekend full of 4 different birthdays to celebrate. After pickling our brains in alcohol for two solid days, the stories could go on forever. So I've decided to shorten it to a tally of events, and let you, the loyal F&BT readers, use your imaginations...

2: # of days in Madison
9: the number of bars we visited over two days, not counting repeat visits
1: amazing tailgate put on by my parents and aunt & uncle, including birthday cake
3: the number of times I went to The KK (fake one) this weekend
2: the number of times I went to The KK (fake one) in my entire college career. Why the difference? I honestly have no idea, but everyone seemed to be going there this weekend. And it was shot-tastic fun every single time.
1: Heisman Trophy winner seen at the KK (and his fullback from back in the day too!)

2: number of nights I ate Ian's Pizza late-night

2: number of nights I randomly ran into CJ while heading to/from Ian's

2: number of stories told about Muskrat at dinner Friday after his girlfriend (who was visiting/meeting us for the first time) asked for college stories about him

947: number of stories about Muskrat that couldn't be told at dinner, or in front of his girlfriend...ever.

1: unfortunate attempt at "Extreme Walking" by Fuzz and I

2: total number of face-plants we took before deciding our "Extreme Walking" prime was behind us

1: inappropriate dinner eaten at a way-too-nice-for-hoodies-and-baseball-hats restaurant by the crew

8: bottles of wine at said dinner

4: number of times I started to cry from laughter at dinner

3: number of times Fuzz had to have a conversation with himself so that dinner didn't come back up

547: number of "Your balls are ready at the bar!" jokes made by Lallycakes at dinner

2: number of phones lost this weekend

1: number of co-ed beds slept in by an alumni this weekend
1: number of times an alumni wet a co-ed's bed this weekend
1: number of iPhones ruined from being urinated on while in a co-ed's bed
2: bushes napped in outside a bar by a roommate during the game
3: number of roommates that actually went into the game, and made it to the family tailgate afterwards
1: number of roommates who still can't remember where they slept on Saturday

Overall, I'd say it was a great weekend. And if this tally didn't prove it, I have backup proof. My company made me take a "Health Assessment" today at work so they can control our Health Insurance costs. Coming off a weekend like this, the chances of me passing the "Alcohol Assessment" portion of the test fell somewhere between slim and Purdue's bowl hopes. Sure enough, this is what it spit out...."You reported an alcohol drinking pattern that would be of concern."

The "of concern" part was legit in bold. Well, no shit health assessment. I went to UW. At least I passed on part of the checkup...

"Congratulations on always wearing your seatbelt!" Damn right. See you guys next year in Madison for Homecoming '09!

Homecoming 2008 Awards!

Least Valuable Player: Tobnuts. MIA the entire weekend...and he lives in Madison.

Most Valuable Player: Whetst1. Not only did he come up to support his Illini, but he held his own with the young'ins all weekend. Plus, he had to sit next to me all game and listen to me yell "The Juice is LOOSE!" after every one of his picks. Props, Whetst1.

Runner-up: Fuzz. The weekend stories are never as good without him in them.

Most Ridiculous: Kenny G. He didn't pull out the fake saxaphone playing, but pretty much all his antics made up for it. Not bad for a lil' guy.

Ruminations on Week 9

2008-10-28T00:06:00.004-05:00

Homecoming 2008 in Madison has come and gone...and the damage was extensive. I'll have a tally of the weekend's events up soon, but for now, just know that it was a great weekend. All the old college crew was back, and the parents even brought a cake to celebrate my birthday at the tailgate. Due to obscene amounts of drinking, this is the first weekend that I didn't see any other Big Ten games than the Badgers, so my ruminations are based entirely on box scores and game recaps...

1) Defense is still king in the Big Ten. Forget all these new spread offenses taking over the league, defense is all the rage in the Big Ten. For evidence, see Penn State at Ohio State on Saturday night in the Most Important Big Ten Game this week. Ohio State had the more hyped defense coming into the game, but it was Penn State that proved to be opportunistic enough for the victory on this night. Holding OSU to an average of 2 yards per carry, and forcing two turnovers by the phenom, Terrelle Pryor, the Nittany Lions kept control of their own BT Title destiny.

2) Bad day to be a senior. Travis Beckum, broken fibula, career over. Tyrell Sutton, broken wrist, career over. It's the worst way to have your career ended, especially when you've been the face of your program for a few years. For Beckum, coming back to school meant turning down millions in the NFL for a chance to play as a Badger 12 more times. With a pre-season hamstring injury, a couple lackluster games, and now a season-ending injury, his senior year can be considered nothing more than a disappointment. Both players should go on to NFL careers, and both will have a good shot a future success, but unfortunately for them, and even for us fans, it won't be on the Big Ten gridiron.

3) Little Brother is all grown up. Sparty finally got victory against Big Brother Michigan. Granted, Michigan had to be at its lowest point in decades for it to happen, but a win is a win in rivalry games. Especially in a rivalry that coach Mark Dantonio has made such a focal point in offseason workouts for the Spartans. Javon Ringer got back to his normal self and Brian Hoyer even bounced back to have himself a game. But the best part of the day for MSU fans had to be the postgame chanting, as those in green rained "Lit-tle Sister" down on the home crowd.

4) Off the Schneid. Or slide. Or losing streak. However you want to say it, two BT teams without a win in the past 5 weeks got wins on Saturday. Wisconsin took down Illinois on the Badgers Homecoming game, and Indiana took down Northwestern on the Hoosiers homecoming game. Huge wins for both teams as fans were starting to become restless with the coaching staffs. Brett Bielema and Bill Lynch are breathing easier this week, but as is always in the Big Ten, another big game awaits.

SHOUTOUTS! New Header and a Birthday

2008-10-23T01:29:00.003-05:00

Notice anything different with the blog? We've had quite a few changes in the past few weeks that I thought I should update you on, all of which help us progress towards the smallest hint of blogging respectability.

First, well...WildHawk is finally posting! He's been putting some good stuff up the past few weeks, so check him out. He's good for a post a week right now, but something tells me that he'll have more views to share in the coming weeks. Call it a hope.

Second, we've been added to the YardBarker Network. This is a blog readers heaven, with over 600 some blogs to read. Everytime we post, it gets posted on YardBarker now...so that's pretty sweet. They also help supply our advertisements on the blog, so check those out to your right and all the way at the bottom. We're not in this for the money, but anything that can earn us a couple pennies never hurt. Click on the Ads, support your bloggers.

C) Notice the title header? Thanks to great friend of the blog, and quasi-fellow blogger at Wrigleyville Confidential, Rollo Tomasi (a.k.a. The Mayor of Christmastown), we've upgraded from my pathetic MS Paint skills to the wondrous powers of Photoshop. Rollo even threw in a bit of his own flair...see if you can find it.

Fourth, a happy birthday to good F&BT friend Whetst1! He's not quite over the hill yet, but he's clearly lost enough brain cells in his age that he agreed to venture to Madison with me this weekend for the UW/IL game. Did I mention it's homecoming weekend? Look for some great posts next week detailing some of our shenanigans. I may even let Whetst1 write one. Either way, Happy Happy buddy. Get your liver ready!

Brewster: Hey, Everybody! Come See How Good I Look!

2008-10-21T14:56:00.004-05:00

There has been no bigger surprise in the Big Televen this year than Timmay! Brewster and his Minnesota Golden Gophers football team, and it's about time that F&BT talks about them. This is hard for us to do, because the Goofers are a border state and BT rival of both WildHawk and my alma maters. But even for a rival, it's hard not to take notice of what the Gophers have done so far this year. It seems like ever since he has been hired, ol' Timmay! has been channeling his inner Ron Burgundy and begging people to come look at how good it is at Minnesota. Saying something about Big Ten titles and National Championships from the Paleozoic Era, Brewster was mostly selling hype. But sell he did, and a bunch of JUCO players were dumb enough to buy it. Dumb like a fox, as it turns out.

Taking advantage of a cast-off head coach, Brewster hired Ted Roof, the fired HC at Duke and formerly excellent d-coordinator, to come to Minnesota and revamp his defense. Roof gets a lot of credit here, as he should, but those dumb enough to sign on JUCO players have provided the biggest boost on that side of the ball. Brewster took the risk of alienating the current players by bringing in so many JUCO guys, yet he turned that into motivation for the current players to step up their game and in the process changed the culture at Minny. Suddenly, a potentially potent offense led by Adam Weber and Eric Decker have a half decent defense to help them out. Goodbye shootouts, hello consistent football.

Whetst1 brought this up in the comments on a previous post, but looking at the Fighting Timmay's! schedule...what game isn't winnable? Standing at 6-1, the Gophers go to a Purdue team that is struggling this week, followed at home by a Northwestern team whose offense isn't its usual explosive self. That is followed up by the reincarnation of 2007 Notre Dame...err Michigan...at home. Three W's in those games puts them at 9-1 with their two rivalry games ahead, @ Wisconsin and vs. Iowa, both of whom are not as good as they have been in the past. While you can never count on season records in a rivalry game, you have to think the Gophers would be fired up to get back at their rivals for the losses in the past few years. Scary to say it, but can we really be looking at an 11-1 Minnesota team?

For the love of Lake Minnetonka, I sure as hell hope not. That would put Minny in either a BCS or Jan 1 bowl game vs the SEC...scenarios which appear disastrous any way you put it. I know the Big Ten is down, but having a 1-11 team from a year ago reverse their record and go 11-1 and be 1st or 2nd in the league would just be embarrassing. It kind of happened last year with Illinois, and we know how that Rose Bowl turned out. Anyway, I don't think Minny has it in them to go 11-1. And here's why...do you trust them?

I mean really, really trust them? I don't. At some point they'll have to come back to earth, or they'll give up a few turnovers and have an off day. Plus, for a team so down last year, how will they handle success? If they keep winning, eventually they'll get noticed nationally and I don't trust them enough to handle that pressure. I'm thinking 9-3 for the Gophers with losses to Northwestern and Iowa, but ideally they'd be 8-4 and my Badgers could beat them too. Either way, the Big Ten is officially on notice that Timmay! is selling more than hype now, and the Gophers are looking to make a splash.

Cannonball!

Ruminations on Week 8

2008-10-20T01:04:00.002-05:00

Another week of Big Ten play, and the title picture is coming into more focus. It's looking like Penn State and Ohio State are the class of the league, and it's hard to argue for anyone else. Here's the thing about these two teams, they show up for the big games...every week. Think about it for a second. Every team gets jacked up to play Ohio State...it's their chance to prove that they belong in the elite of the Big Ten. Yet Ohio State has only lost one BT game in the past two years. That's quite the streak. Other teams in the Big Televen have done a decent job of making it to big games and getting themselves to the point where they are successful enough to have a big game, but they disappoint. Northwestern had a big game last week against MSU...lost. MSU had a big game this week against OSU...blown out. Wisconsin had a big game against...nevermind. Here are some other ruminations on Week 8 in the Big Ten:

1) Yeeeaaaahhh, about all those articles claiming that Sparty isn't going to have their October slide.... I hope you were holding on tight Spartan fans, because I'm pretty sure Ohio State just pushed you down that slide. Actually, they shot you out of a cannon down that slide. The Buckeyes came out to play in the Most Important Game of the Week in the BT, and put this one away early. Terrelle Pryor found his running legs early in this game and put the OSU offense on his back in the first few drives, and all of a sudden it was 28-0. It didn't get much prettier for Sparty, as Javon Ringer got robbed, or at least had his "money-makers" taken away on Saturday. We'll see how the Spartans respond this week with Big Brother up next. The Wolverines are just plain awful this year, but with Michigan State, you can never underestimate the mental midget factor, and that could play huge this Saturday.

2) Winning cures all evil. Just ask Iowa and Penn State. Both programs have had their share of off-the-field trouble in recent years, but as the victories pile up, the problems fall farther into the distance. Just think, a few months ago everyone was calling for Kirk Ferentz head as he was being investigated for inappropriate conduct in a sexual assault investigation. Now...the Hawkeyes are on a hot streak and are back in their offensive stride with a dominant O-line and bruising back in Shonn Greene. A few months ago ESPN was calling out JoePa for his lack of control of the Penn State program. Now...they're calling for him to have the right to decide when he should leave. Turns out the saying is true...winning cures all evil.

3) The wheels have officially come off. Indiana and Wisconsin seem to have hit a pothole greater than any of those you'll find on I-94 in the winter. Indiana has lost their last 5 games. Wisconsin their last 4. Worse yet, both teams have seemed to regress in the last few weeks. Neither coaching staff seems to know what is happening to their teams, as their once promising seasons are crumbling before them. This much is true, both head coaches are up against something that they have never experienced in their careers...and how they respond will largely determine their longevity at their respective schools.

4) You can have your Quarterbacks in the Big 12...the best Running Backs in the country are in the Big Ten. Beanie Wells. Javon Ringer. Shonn Greene. Tyrell Sutton. Evan Royster. Stephon Green. The conference may have gone to more spread systems in recent years, but the running back talent in the Big Televen is unmatched by any conference out there. And the youth at the position keeps the forecast positive for years to come. John Clay. Jewell Hampton. Sam McGuffie. Jason Ford. (**note: I purposely left PJ Hill off this list. If you disagree, or want to know why, email the blog and I'll you.)

Wisconsin @ Iowa Game Blog: Battle for the Heartland Trophy

2008-10-18T14:18:00.005-05:00

The Heartland Trophy

9:10am UW’s first drive gets a couple nice first downs, but Sherer was off the entire drive…hopefully nerves. Josh Oglesby is getting dominated on a consistent basis, which is not a good sign.

9:17am 7-0 Iowa. Shonn Greene got to the second level pretty much any time he wanted. Major props to Iowa’s offensive line, which had their way with the Badgers. They got a 3-4 yard push every play and covered linebackers almost every play. It could be a long day if this keeps up.

9:19am Am I crazy to think that the BTN is slightly validated now that both Presidential candidates are airing commercials on the network? Not picking sides…but we’ll keep score. Obama 1 positive, 0 neg. McCain 0 pos, 1 neg.

9:24am Kyle Jefferson doesn’t look the same this year. Just caught an easy out pattern in his chest and fell down immediately. It looks like he doesn’t trust his hands as much as he did last year.

9:25am UW O-line dominated again, as the Badgers can’t get a 2nd-2 or a 3rd-2.

End of 1Q 7-0 Iowa. It’s been all Hawkeyes in the first 15 minutes. Both lines are dominating the line of scrimmage, and that really will be the key today. In these old-school Big Ten games, whoever controls the line of scrimmage and limits turnovers usually wins the game. Neither team has a turnover yet, but chalk up the LOS battle to the Hawkeyes in the first quarter.

9:43am Sherer apparently has a problem throwing the ball away. That’s twice when he’s been pressured and pretty much thrown it straight to a Hawkeye. Note to Dustin…don’t do that.

9:45am Obama 2 positve ads, McCain 1 negative ad

9:51am Another overrated part of football, that Barry Alvarez used to stress all the time, is the hidden yardage. In these throwback games, special teams yards can make all the difference. Wisconsin is about to start their 3rd drive of the day at the 20 yard line or worse. Lots of punting so far, but Iowa is secretly gaining a lot of yards.

9:59am Shonn Greene just showed why Iowa has missed him while he went back to JUCO. He ran through a bunch of arm tackles by the Badgers, including from both safeties, and gave the Hawkeyes a 14-0 lead.

10:03am SHOCKER ALERT! The most fragile fat-ass in college football is hurt again. PJ Hill just limped his way off the field, and hopefully into a backup role for the rest of his career.

10:06am These announcers are excellent, and I’m actually really enjoying listening to them. They are correctly pointing out the little things that make a difference, like when Glen Mason says “Sherer is adding an extra pump before all his passes, causing him to be slightly late.” Or Chris Martin saying, “70,000 people knew where Dustin Sherer was going with that ball. He stared down Beckum the entire time.”

10:13am Travis Beckum…welcome to the game. Nice to see you finally appear with 2 mins left in the half.

10:14 Holy Shit! Sherer threw the ball away!! Wait…hold the celebration, penalty for illegal formation, our 2nd of the day. That’s on the coaching…how do these guys consistently not know where to line up?

10:16am Finally, the Badgers are on the board. In probably their best drive of the day, Wisconsin gets a field goal from Phillip Welch to make it 14-3 Iowa.

10:21am Bielema is calling timeouts at the end of the half. This appears to be crazy considering his offense can barely move the ball. But give the man credit, he’s not conceding anything to his alma mater. But he could give Gilreath a shot at one more punt return, which is always dangerous.

HALF 14-3 Iowa. Well, that certainly wasn’t the Badgers best half of football. The lines for Iowa are in complete control of this game. The Badger linebackers haven’t made many plays, but to their credit they’ve been getting covered up pretty well by the Hawkeye o-line getting to the second level. So what snap, irrational judgements can I make as of right now….Shonn Greene has too many double letters in his name, and he belongs in the NFL. Dustin Sherer is not a D1 quarterback, maybe not even D1AA (FCS). PJ Hill is finally where he belongs…on the bench.
Not to toot my own horn…but here’s some proof on my hidden yards comment. Iowa only has 30 more yards at halftime. UW leads in Time of Possession, by 3 mins and has run 13 more plays that the Hawkeyes. UW has converted 44% of 3rd downs to Iowa’s 25%. Both teams have 10 first downs. Iowa leads this game 14-3. Hidden yards are the difference in this game. Toot fucking toot.

10:47am Damnit Comcast…my screen goes grey for a split second about every three seconds. You have no idea how annoying this is. Big stop by the Badger D.

10:48am My BOY! #85 David Gilreath just got a seam…but got tackled by the kicker. I don’t think anyone in college football has been caught by the kicker as much as DG…but I still love him. Badgers have come out to play in the second half….and penalty. That’s more like it.

10:52am A pass to Beckum leaves the Badgers with 4th-3, and Phillip Welch nails his second field goal of the day. 14-6 Iowa. Now that I think of it, with as terrible as Phillip Welch was throughout the spring and particularly in the spring game, he’s my most improved for the Badgers this year.

10:58am Obama 3 positive ads, McCain 1 negative ad.

11:04am Another stalled drive in the red zone for the Badgers, but Welch proves reliable again chipping another field goal in to cut the lead to 14-9 Iowa. UW is looking much improved, but field goals will not win this game. We need some tugs.

11:08am Personal foul on Casillas the thug for late hit on the passer. I swear to you, there is no dumber player in the Big Ten than Jonathon Casillas. Not book smarts, but just general stupidity. He is second on my list behind PJ Hill of people I hate that everyone else loves.

11:10am Shonn Greene. Touchdown. Demoralizing is an understatement. The Hawkeyes caught the Badgers in a blitz and ran a perfectly executed draw play. Greene went untouched for 52 yards and his 3rd touchdown.

11:20am So there were just offsetting penalties on a punt…and I’m pretty sure the refs messed that one up, because they moved the Badgers back 15 yards. Which is wrong if the penalties are offsetting. Either way, some guy named Paki just blocked the punt…and Brad Nortman’s miserable freshman season continues. Excellent.

11:23am IT’S OFFICIAL…the wheels have come off of Bucky’s Bandwagon. Play action with a ridiculous 1-handed catch by a big TE for the Hawkeyes. One move and he’s taking it to the house. 28-9 Iowa.

11:27am Josh Oglesby…welcome to college football. I know you were thrown into the LT position by an injury to Carimi…but please try to get a hand on someone…anyone. Two plays in a row, you got beat off the edge without touching the guy…not good.

END 3rd Quarter 28-9 Iowa. This one is pretty much Britney’s career right now. The wheels came off, you know it’s over, but there is part of you that won’t give up hope on that epic comeback. I hate that part of myself right now.

11:41am Sherer stares down Beckum on 3rd down for the 84th time today…aaaaannnnddd picked. Anyone surprised?

11:46am Obama 3 positive ads, McCain 2 negative ads

11:47am Christina Aguilera just made another hit record to rub it in Britney’s face…. Errrr, Shonn Greene just ran for his 4thTouchdown today. 35-9 Iowa. Anyone that wants to tackle him today is welcome to join the Badgers.

11:51am Sherer stares down Beckum…Pat Angerer picks him off. Where have I seen this before? By the way, Pat Angerer, Iowa’s MLB, is having himself a GAME! 16 tackles and two picks so far. I’m sure there is some joke about being angry right here, but I’m too dejected to think of it. Where’s my drink?

11:58am Field Goal…38-9 Iowa. Obama 4 positive ads, McCain 2 negative ads. Tolzien in the game, white flag waved. And as I say that…Zach Brown Touchdown. Granted he carved up the backups for Iowa, but good for him. He’s been forgotten with the success of Clay, and he’s reminding the coaches why he’s a valuable commodity. 38-16 Iowa.

FINAL 38-16 Iowa. Shonn Greene went for over 200 yards and 4 TDs. Pat Angerer had 16 tackles and 2 INTs. I’m gonna go out on a limb and name them the players of the game. Wisconsin continues its downward spiral, dropping to 0-4 in conference play and 3-4 overall. Iowa wins two conference games in a row for the first time in a while. Obama outspent McCain 2-1, but McCain went all negative and Obama was all positive. Shonne Greene gave his O-line props during the postgame interview, and rightfully so, he wasn’t touched very often today.

FNT: Friday Night Trashtalk

2008-10-17T22:22:00.006-05:00

Buckingham: Well Hello there WildHawk...you ready to get this Friday Night Trashtalk going?
WildHawk: Let's do it
Buckingham: Alright, so basically this is going to be a semi-regular segment on the blog where we take a look at all the Saturday games, and talk trash to each other/fans of the teams. No holds barred, cage-match style. Witty banter and jokes are welcome.
WildHawk: Old-school rules?
Buckingham: 1 rule...there are no rules…except for rule #2, which is limit the swearing...we're part of the Yardbarker Network now!
WildHawk: Noted
Buckingham: And on that note...f*ck Iowa. Just kidding, we'll get to that later.

INDIANA @ ILLINOIS

Buckingham: Let's start her off with some easy targets here...Indiana @ Illinois. Go...
WildHawk: Well Indiana just plain sucks, and Illannoy only plays offense (plus doesn't have a coach, only a head recruiting coordinator)
Buckingham: Tru dat...I mean, I just plain feel bad for making fun of Indiana.
WildHawk: Yeah, sorta like staring at a freak on the sidewalk.
Buckingham: If you were the only fan left on earth, and you had to pick a football coach for your team, and the only two options were Bill Lynch or a bumb off the street...who do you pick? … I go with option C...none of the above. I'd rather have anarchy on the team than either of those two options.
WildHawk: …or D, get rid of the football program altogether. Only problem this year is they don't have basketball to fall back on.
Buckingham: Thank you Kelvin Sampson!!
WildHawk: With Sampson, they traded one season with a good player for the entire program. But I digress…
Buckingham: Illinois is going to put up about 500 yards of offense in this game, but then they'll sadly realize that Juice is still their quarterback and that Mendenhall hates their program. There is nothing like alienating your best NFL prospect in ages as soon as he steps off campus.
WildHawk: How hard would it have been to keep his brother on the team? Hell, I bet he could start on defense (and he was a RB, no?)
Buckingham: That is cooorrrreeeccct! Winner of this game?
WildHawk: Illannoy, but even Illini fans won't be able to be cocky after.
Buckingham: Agreed...Illini W this week.

PURDUE @ NORTHWESTERN

Buckingham: Moving on...Purdue at Northwestern?
WildHawk: Purdue is a mess with a lame-duck coach, but the Cats never throw a ball more than 5 yards.
Buckingham: I've heard mustaches aren't very popular in Evanston except on women...so Tiller could be in trouble. Curtis Painter probably more...that Wildcat defense should be coming after him.
WildHawk: I hope so. Plus Purdue's D is no good. I like Northwestern by default....but closer than it should be.
Buckingham: Yeah, I have a feeling that lame-ass Wildcat noise that every college in the country who has "cats" in their name uses will be played often.
WildHawk: Fact. Also, is it just me, or is Tiller playing a sick joke on Painter, surrounding him with no one? I always thought Painter was overrated, but this is cruel.
Buckingham: I wrote about this before, but Tiller is just straight up being a dick. How many years ago do you think he stopped caring?
WildHawk: Funny how 3 years ago, when they were going to have 2 straight years without OSU or Michigan, they started to blow, despite decent talent and hype (also, as of last year, I could change the school in question to Iowa for this and I'd still have a good point).
Buckingham: I'm guessing that you're taking the Cats...but what's the over/under on passes thrown within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage?
WildHawk: I'm guessing CJ will throw about 35 times, 25 of which will be either behind the line or within 5 yards, this despite 3 senior WRs and a line that hasn't given-up many sacks.
Buckingham: I'll put the over/under at 30 combined passes within 5 yards.
WildHawk: under...barely
Buckingham: Cats take this one with their defense.
WildHawk: Agreed.

MICHIGAN @ PENN STATE

WildHawk: How about scUM/PSU?
Buckingham: PSU....147....Michigan....0
WildHawk: Sounds like Ditka will be suiting-up for Paterno, but seriously, my crystal ball says this will be another embarrassment for the Wolverines.
Buckingham: At this point, if Michigan has less than 4 turnovers in any game...it should be considered a success. Do you think they can set a record for worst turnover margin in NCAA history?
WildHawk: Perhaps. I just hope none of them die.
Buckingham: Don't talk about Paterno like that WildHawk...he's young at heart.
WildHawk: Hahahaha. Sigh.
Buckingham: I'm gonna say that Paterno will be asleep by the mid-3rd quarter...and Rich Rod will be on the phone with his agent looking for an escape route.

OHIO STATE @ MICHIGAN STATE

Buckingham: Do you think Michigan State will crumble this week? (note: I couldn't even type that without chuckling a bit in anticipation of your response)
WildHawk: Of course
Buckingham: Letdown. I was hoping for something along the lines of...Does a bear shit in the woods? Does Charlie Weis refuse to pass up an all-you-can-eat at the OCB? Is Lindsey gonna relapse before she realizes going lesbian is only awesome if your partner is hot?
WildHawk: I should hire you as a ghostwriter; those are pretty good. Let's be honest, they barely beat an Iowa team at home who was playing like they were trying to lose. They're simply not that good. I hate OSU, but they have a defense and a better coach. Ringer won't have 100 yards, and OSU will win by more than people think.
Buckingham: Yeah, I'm loving all the "not this October" articles popping up right now. Here's the thing about Sparty...they need to flop in a big game before the slide starts. This is really their first big game/opportunity to provide us with comedic material.
WildHawk: And you know what, even if Iowa and Northwestern take it in the neck tomorrow, I'll still laugh my ass off.
Buckingham: oh absolutely...how could you not? I've been saving up "money-maker" jokes all year for this game…but it'll be even better when Michigan beats them the next week. Granted I can't talk much, but it'll still be good.
WildHawk: And that's why I love college football. Anyone can root for their team, but it takes a real fan to hate certain teams with the same passion.
Buckingham: Who ya got?
WildHawk: Kidding? Gimme the Buckeyes
Buckingham: I'll take MSU in the first 25 minutes of the game...and the Suckeyes doubling Sparty's point total in the last 35
WildHawk: Interesting. I respect the detailed pick.

WISCONSIN @ IOWA

Buckingham: So I guess that leaves only one game left...which team is gonna suck more on Saturday...yours or mine?
WildHawk: Beats me. I'd say it's 50/50. Last time you guys had a QB making his first start against Iowa, Donovan torched us.
Buckingham: True...but we also have a QB on our roster that beat out Sherer in spring/fall camp...yet made every Badger fan long for Tyler Donovan. I feel dirty just typing that.
WildHawk: Sick. I think it's simple: win the turnover battle, win the game.
Buckingham: The bad news for you is that we have a guy named John Clay who is a sexy piece of man meat. And no, I don't regret typing that…my man-crush is that great.
WildHawk: ...and he almost picked-up the Iowa hat!
Buckingham: Still stings a little doesn't it?
WildHawk: I dunno, I'm happy with Shonn and Jewel Hampton (a real diamond in the rough...whammy)
Buckingham: I thought you'd bring up the Jewel of every Hawks-eye (stretching on that one)
WildHawk: I'll accept it.
Buckingham: Can we just talk about something else though...underage drinking! More specifically getting caught for it, and pissing off your parents…even more specifically, pissing off your dad/football coach.
WildHawk: Yikes, now the youngest Ferentz. Ouch.
Buckingham: Did you see that press release Kirk put out today?
WildHawk: No, good?
Buckingham: I mean, my dad would be mad...but this took it to a whole new level. I can not even imagine how much hell his life is going to be for the next six weeks. There are punishment press releases that coaches put out that seem like they're really not worried (see Zook, Ron), and then there is the press release that all parents probably wish they could put out when their kid does something stupid. Kirk had that chance, and unlike Iowa's offense, did not waste it.
WildHawk: At least he isn't overpaid. (Sidenote: So Zook doesn't suspend guys who hit women?)
Buckingham: (Nope, bitches should know that when the Zooker gets poked in the eye, he won't be as nice as Eddie McGee.) Back to the topic...if either team has to go to the untrustworthy left-handed backup QB...who wins?
WildHawk: Wisconsin…no question. Jake isn't a D1 QB, plain and simple.
Buckingham: Wasn't he the savior of the program as a redshirt frosh? That turned out well for you. So, who wins if the starting QB's stay alive?
WildHawk: If he's the savior, then I'm Mickey Mouse. I like Iowa, obviously. Regardless, it's gonna be close.
Buckingham: I'm taking my Badgers. Unless the fat-ass (PJ) plays too much, then we're screwed. Actually, I got a 4 in the college pick'em last week, so we're probably screwed anyways if I'm picking the Badgers. Either way, it's gonna be an old school Big Televen football game, and it'll be great to watch.
WildHawk: Hahaha, sadly I didn't win a week for the first time in a while. That being said, I can honestly say I respect Wisky...one of the only non-Iowa/NU Big10 teams I don't despise.
Buckingham: Ditto for Iowa.

Wow...we suck at talking trash.

Criminal Comedy Hour

2008-10-17T00:16:00.003-05:00

Well, it's about that time of year again...when players on disappointing teams start getting in trouble with the law because they've lost focus on their season. It happens almost every year to teams that aren't performing as well as they were supposed to...and this year it happens to be Michigan and Illinois. So here you go, the Criminal Comedy Hour courtesy of F&BT.

How do you know the Michigan Hockey Team absolutely sucks? Even the Wolverine football team can beat them. Allegedly.

What do you tell a woman lying on the floor? Nothing...Eddie McGee already told her once, and then threw her down. Bitches should know not to poke a man in the eye...it hurts.

Doth Mine Eyes Deceive Me? - a macro/micro view of Michigan Football

2008-10-16T12:36:00.005-05:00

I never liked Lloyd Carr. Despite somehow always being on the good side of every Big10 officiating crew, the guy would whine and bitch like crazy...all the time. Regardless of my dislike, I did respect the UM program. Plus, Ann Arbor is a great town, and the Big House is a must see for any Big10 fan. With the arrival of RichRod though, I no longer respect Michigan.

The Rodriguez hire, in my opinion, seems eerily similar to IU's bball hire of Kelvin Sampson, and we all know how that turned out. Sure, Rodriguez wasn't actually on NCAA probation when lured to the Big10, but he was a known scumbag. Let's not forget, even before his incredible kickoff return in the US Army All American game, every college in the country coveted Noel Devine. And, even though it looked like he'd have to go to prep school because he couldn't qualify, somehow he magically ended-up at West Virginia.

I talked with my brother (a scUM alum), and he feels a tough-to-describe, but nonetheless bad feeling about the state of Wolverine football. True, this is most certainly a rebuilding year, but come on, Toledo, a sub .500 MAC team...at home. Michigan lost a lot of quality players last year, and the new spread attack just doesn't feel like their style. Combined with the fact that I don't see RichRod lasting too long in Ann Arbor, I think scUM will become the Miami or Florida State of the Big10, a once-storied program that's lost its identity. Sure, they'll win some big games in the next few years, but I just don't think it'll be the Michigan we've known and respected over the last couple decades. [Having said all this, I still prefer Michigan over Illannoy]

The Journey: I'm starting to See a Trend

2008-10-15T00:45:00.005-05:00

So I've finally caught up watching Illinois Football: The Journey episodes from about the last four weeks. That's the beauty of DVR...that my laziness doesn't punish me. Well, at least not always. And in this case, I actually think my DVR is rewarding me. By watching all the episodes one after the other, I've started to pick up a few trends in the show:

1) J Leman is a certifiable BTN STAR! I know that I've posted about his appearances on the show before, but he has taken it one step further and shown slow white guys everywhere what a magical Rose Bowl season can do for them. I mean seriously...no one has capitalized on the Illini's Rose Bowl run more than J Leman. He went from a no-name outside Chambana to a national name and now a college football gig at the BTN. At first, I made fun of him for it, but after consulting blog friend Whetst1, I realized that it was good for J. He's not making the NFL, so he might as well move on. Now, if he could only get a haircut and a suit that fits...he'd be in business.

2) Ron Zook is pretty much awesome. After watching this show, who wouldn't want to play for this guy? He comes across as genuine as can be, shockingly intelligent, and certifiably bad-ass. The guy has a motor that doesn't stop, and you can tell that there isn't much in life that gets him down. Plus, he can water-ski with the best of them, and that's double points in my book.

But probably the most important reason that my laziness in watching the show has been a reward, is that watching all the shows in a row has allowed me to see...

3) Intensity has been a consistent problem for the Illini. It's a fact with this team. Every show that has gone into the locker room before a game or at halftime has shown coaches 100x more fired up than the players. Every week, they are harping on them to get their intensity up, and get their passion to higher levels. Watching 3 or 4 episodes in a row, it seems to me that this is a team that forgot where the program was two years ago. Loaded with young talent that didn't suffer through the 2-9 seasons, this Illini team seems like they forgot all the work that went into last year's Rose Bowl season. The energy isn't there. The passion isn't there. The fire isn't there. And not shockingly, the wins aren't there. If I had watched all those episodes before the Illinois vs. Minnesota game, well, let's just say I would've scored better than the 4/50 I did in the F&BT College Pick'Em Challenge this week.

Ruminations on Week 7

2008-10-13T00:45:00.004-05:00

The hangover was something fierce on Saturday, but at least I wasn't alone. The entire Wisconsin team looked like the last two emotional losses had caught up to them as the Nittany Lions embarrassed them on national television. I took solace in the fact that my buddy Fuzz was having a worse day than me...he attended the Arkansas at Auburn game where his first team lost; he watched the Badgers get embarrassed by Penn State for the second year in a row, and Mizzou got upset by a team coached by a man who is 40. Rough day for sure...drink it off Fuzz, and remember that next week is only 7 days away.

Here are my other ruminations on week 7 in the Big Ten:

1) The Spread HD is an elite offense this year. According to Lil' Bro #1, it's even better in person. The one question mark heading into the season was the quarterback position, and Daryll Clark has provided answer after answer. He looks like the most dynamic player in the offense and is the reason the Spread HD runs so clearly. Sure, the Big 12 has some great offenses and the SEC has some great athletes...but Penn State's offense can run with the best of them this year.

2) Minnesota didn't get the message. They were supposed to be terrible this year, but apparently no one told the Gophers. Yours truly even picked them to go winless in the Big Ten. Yet here they stand, 2-1 in conference games and bowl eligible 7 weeks into the season. Props to Timmay! and his Gophers. You did to Illinois what the Illini did to the Big Ten last year, and you've earned the respect of the conference, and this blogger, in doing so.

3) Sparty isn't sliding this October. Not yet at least. In the most important game of the Big Ten last week, Michigan State again rode the money-makers of Javon Ringer over an undefeated Northwestern on the road. Ringer wasn't alone this week though, as Brian Hoyer showed some veteran savvy and poise that gave Michigan State's offense a much needed second dimension. Ohio State looms on the horizon as MSU has one of the biggest October home games in recent history next week.

4) How did we lose to them? Really Michigan? Really? You're going to let a bad Toledo team do that to you in your house? How did this team beat Wisconsin? Things have certainly hit rock bottom in Ann Arbor as Michigan can't seem to put things together yet. Worse yet, they have yet to show any significant improvement from the start of the season. Other than a great 2nd half against Wisconsin (which will haunt Brett Bielema for a long time), Michigan really has yet to play consistent football.

The Mailbag is Answered!

2008-10-10T20:23:00.006-05:00

I'm finally getting around to answering the Mailbag question posed by friend of F&BT Ross Gellar a few weeks ago after Wisconsin's monumental loss to Michigan.

Ross' Question: Which team in the Big Ten has been the most disappointing over the last 5 years?

I wanted to give myself some space from the game as I knew I would be highly emotional about the Badgers for a few weeks, and I was right. Immediately, I was all about Ross' logic: he did some research, his argument made sense, I was vulnerable and impressionable (drunk), and most of all...I had lived almost all those losses as a student.

And after thinking about it for a few weeks, I can't say that the Badgers have been the most disappointing since 2003. Sure, it has been tough being a Badger fan and being so close, but not as bad as it has been for others. Think about it for a second. Would you rather be OSU or Michigan, and get to a big bowl game only to get embarrassed? That would suck just as much. Trust me, the Badgers have been fortunate to win their bowl games, and winning that last game does wonders for the mood of players, coaches, and fans alike throughout the offseason. Plus, they have won 47 games from 2003-2007. So that's my argument against the Badgers.

Here are a few other schools I looked at:

MICHIGAN: I thought they had to have some disappointing seasons over the last few years. The Alamo Bowl year came to mind, and I thought there had to be others. But I was wrong. Michigan is 46-17 over the last 5 years. Only once did they win less than 9 games, when they went to the Alamo Bowl with 7 wins. It turns out that Michigan just suffered from the Ohio State Syndrome...pulling Suck-Jobs in bowl games.

PURDUE: They always seem to fade in the years they are supposed to be good, or at least towards the end of Orton's career at Purdon't. But the more I thought about it, are expectations at Purdue really that high that they can be utterly disapointed every year? No, they're not. Purdue is 37-26 over the last 5 years, including 21-19 in the Big Televen. I'd say that's where Purdue fans should expect them to be, thus they shouldn't be disappointed.

IOWA: If this question were only about the last 3 years, Iowa takes this title running away (...from the cops!). Sure, they're only 1 game over .500 in the last three years. Yes, they were supposed to have excellent recruiting classes that should have been paying off right about now. Absolutely, those classes have been decimated by off-the-field incidents and injury. But as bad as it has been the last three years for Iowa, they had great years in '03 and '04, with a 20-5 record in that time. The Hawkeyes are 23-17 in the BT the last 5 years, which isn't great, but certainly not the most disapointing in the last 5 years.

And the most disappointing team in the Big Ten over the last five years is....

MICHIGAN STATE!

Congratulations Sparty, you've got an award courtesy of F&BT. I know WildHawk is loving this right now, as MSU is his most despised team in the conference. And you know what, even if I were an MSU fan over the last five years...they'd be my most despised team too. There are no two ways about it, it's been rough being a Spartan fan since 2003. Your recruiting is always fairly decent, plenty of HS talent resides in your state, you always open the season with some creampuff victories, optimism resides in your heart....and then the wheels come off. Next thing you know John L. Smith is yelling at Jack Arute, you blow a couple games, and your headed to the Alamo Bowl...or no bowl at all, as was the case in 2004-6. Seriously Sparty? The only 2 bowl games you've been to in the last 5 years is the Alamo Bowl ('03) and the Champs Sports Bowl ('07). You lost both times.

Yes, being a Spartan fan has been rough. You're 29-32 over the last five years, and even worse, you're 15-25 in Big Ten games. 10 games under .500!! To top it all off, Big Brother instate rival has enjoyed a good deal of success on the other side of the state. Basically, being a Michigan State fan is like being any other female sideline reporter not named Erin Andrews. Erin is Michigan, you're anybody else. You'll never be as good looking, and while they are enjoying unparralled success, you're toiling at some mediocre football game that few people are watching. Probably a Michigan State game.

This One Time on the Band Bus...

2008-10-10T02:16:00.004-05:00

Is it me, or does the Wisconsin Marching Band make you think that all those band camp stories from the American Pie movies are pretty much dead on? The letter sent out by the school this week verified what we all knew was probably true...people got drunk and stupid on a bus like college kids do, and someone shockingly got offended. This isn't a post to make fun of the offended party...we're not that mean. No, F&BT merely wants to highlight the stupidity of the band members. As fun as the trip may have been, any time you have to start a story with, "This one time, on the band bus...", you should probably just quit talking right there. Unless you're as hot as Alyson Hannigan....then you may continue of course.

Alas, the 5th Quarter will be happening this Saturday night, as the band has been reinstated. And if you think about it, Brett Bielema has got to be the happiest person on earth. Of the two major home games which would be recruiting target weekends, to not have a band at either game, which adds an incredible amount of electricity to the stadium and makes the students exponentially more engaged in the game, would have been disastrous. Props to Mike Leckrone and Lori Berquam for getting the band back on the field.

Another Reason I Love College Football: "We're Still Pretty Good!"

2008-10-09T01:17:00.008-05:00

So WildHawks had 3 posts yesterday...count 'em...Uno, Dos, 3. Are you kidding me? This guy hasn't posted in weeks, and all of a sudden...Boom! I won't lie that he was about to get fired next week if he didn't post. I didn't want to have to do it, but my inner Donald Trump had been tugging at me for a while. And then there he was, with three posts in one day. Ladies and Gentlemen, he's back.

"Just when I thought you couldn't get any dumber, you go and do something like this....and TOTALLY redeem yourself!"

One of WildHawks' posts made me chuckle at first, and then I realized that he was right, and it was one of the reasons I love college football. His post about Iowa football, and that he thinks they're still pretty good. I mean think about that, they're still pretty good?! They're 3-3 overall and 0-2 in a mediocre conference and their biggest win is against...Iowa State?

Yet there goes WildHawks, proclaiming that they're still pretty good. And you know what? He's right. And that's what I love about college football. As a diehard fan, don't you find yourself rooting for your team no matter what? Don't you continue to see the great plays and block the bad ones from your memories? Every time your team takes that field, there's no chance they don't live up to their potential and probably dominate that game right? I know that's how I feel. I know that's how a lot of college football fans feel. We're blinded by our love for our team, and for better or worse, we're going to always view them through those team-color tinted glasses. It's a beautiful sight.

That's the thing about college football, every team is dangerous on any given week. Sure, throughout the course of the season, talent will most likely rise to the top. But for 3 hours on a Saturday, Oregon State is better than USC. Michigan is better than Wisconsin. Duke is better than anybody. Vanderbilt can beat Auburn (and get their O-coordinator fired after 6 games). Even at 3-3, Iowa is a scary football team. I know I'm not looking forward to playing them. They run the ball well, they have a great D-Line, and they are built schematically to stop teams like my Badgers. As terrible as their record is, Iowa will always be a tough game for Wisconsin, because their styles are so similar.

And that's why I love college football. A mediocre team can be a terrible matchup for a great team, and that great team may well come crumbling down. People thought last year and all the upsets was crazy and once in a lifetime. I thought it was awesome and expect it to happen again this year.

Why? Because at 3-2 and 0-2 in the Big Ten, my Badgers should be done for the season, but I also think we're still pretty good! And through these Cardinal Red glasses I'm wearing...their game against Penn State this week is going to be a beautiful sight.

F&BT Pick'em

2008-10-07T14:56:00.003-05:00

Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I'm pretty good at this. I mean, the numbers speak for themselves. Whammy.

Grail Knight: "You have chosen wisely"

On that note: 3 posts in a row! I'm on a roll baby!

Finally, A Northwestern Post!!!

2008-10-07T14:34:00.003-05:00

Please, contain yourselves. I know everyone's been on the edge of their seats, craving some purple love....well, the wait is over. Let's talk Wildcat football:

Off to their best start since 1962, the Northwestern Wildcats still aren't getting a lot of respect. And despite my loyalty to the Cats, I think this is justified. I won't say I expected them to be undefeated at this point (I thought they'd lose in Iowa City), but I'm also not at all surprised with this start. Let's face it, Northwestern hasn't played anyone (Duke is improved, but still Duke, and a W at Iowa doesn't mean what it used to). Having said that, this week should be big. Because a lot of media-types love the idea of fellating Michigan State, this will be the perfect game to spring the Wildcats onto the national stage.

Thanks to an improved defense, the Wildcats are no longer completely dependant on a high-scoring offense. Mike Hankwitz has done wonders in his first year as DC (sidenote: thanks for firing him Bielema). At this point, the Purple Nation is just waiting for the offense to catch-up. With a bye-week behind them, the Cats had time to heal and sharpen their claws. I look forward to them pouncing on Sparty. Mark my words, the offense will have that clicking moment sometime in the next couple games, at which point Northwestern will shock the conference (nay, the nation) on their way to the Outback Bowl. [I also predicted my Cubs would play in the World Series, so take this one with a grain of salt]

My 100% Bias Post: I Still Think Iowa's Pretty Good

2008-10-07T14:01:00.005-05:00

While watching (or attending) every Hawkeye game this year, I can't help but think the team is pretty good. However, a couple days after the game I wonder if I'm totally nuts. Here's what I know so far:

Stanzi > Christensen. Sure, Ricky needs some time to develop, but there's no doubt he has a far greater upside than Jake.
Shonn Greene is a beast. If he is healthy, he could be the best back in the Big10.
The Hawkeyes have played well enough to be 6-0 (3 losses by 9 points combined is tough to stomach)
Turnovers and Red Zone Inefficiency will kill a team's momentum, confidence, and record.

Thinking about this team makes me feel like Ed Norton in Fight Club or Bruce Willis in 12 Monkeys, constantly questioning my sanity. Obviously, after a 3-3 start, I've got to re-think my initial projections. I can honestly see this team winning-out if they can take care of the goddam ball in the red zone. But, who knows, that could be crazy-talk. Maybe they won't win another game.

PS - Last week's game did nothing to improve my opinion of Michigan State. I still think they're the most consistently overrated team in the Big10 and maybe the nation (possible contenders are Clemson and Arizona State). I have no respect for MSU, and I'll take that to my grave. Remember Rob Lowe's plan to "stop the trucks...stop Tommy Boy", well, without a Javon Ringer freakout, MSU is not a nationally ranked team. In fact, they're incredibly mediocre. Stop Javon Ringer...stop Sparty!

Ruminations on Week 6

2008-10-06T23:16:00.003-05:00

Another week...another brutal Wisconsin loss that I don't want to talk about. It's a good thing that plenty of other things happened this week for me to discuss. Here are my ruminations on Week 6 of Big Ten play:

1) Quarterbacks, Quarterbacks, Quarterbacks. Where to start with these guys this week? The Juice got loose, Terrelle became a man, and Darryl Clark did what he does. Even Brian Hoyer made some plays on Saturday. On the opposite end, Curtis Painter found his way to the bench in the second half against Penn State and Allan Evridge tried his hardest to get there. Tell me who predicted that both Todd Boeckman and Curtis Painter, the most experience/hyped QB's in the league would both be on the bench during Week 6 games?

2) Timmay! has a W. The Minnesota Golden Gophers have their first conference win of the Tim Brewster era after scraping past Indiana on Saturday. Brewster has himself a stud in Eric Decker and the defense is much improved under the Ted Roof (see what I did there? under the roof? yep, been saving that one). Granted, Indiana has regressed faster than Michael Richard's stand-up career, but a win is a win is a win. And for Timmay!, it's a first in the Big Ten.

3) Tiller is different on his way out. If you Joey T wasn't retiring this year and he still had recruits, high school coaches, etc. to please, do you think Curtis Painter gets benched in the second half last week? Do you think Tiller even talks about benching him the week before even though he didn't? I sure don't. I know from some good sources that Tiller and Kyle Orton had some major differences is style during Orton's senior year (Orton thought they were too conservative and was vocal about it...real vocal). Yet Orton never saw the bench, even though Tiller could barely stand him by the end of the season and Purdue's season had spiraled downward. If Tiller was retiring do you think Orton sees the bench? I'd bet on yes.

4) Alright, let's talk about it. Props to Ohio State this week, and especially Terrelle Pryor and Beanie Wells. Those two are a potent combination that rival any combo in the nation. But this rumination isn't about them, it's about my Badgers. This defeat was bad, but not as bad as last week. They were competitive, even Beanie came out and said he had never been hit so consistently hard on every play throughout a game, and they gave the UW faithful a great, albeit disappointing, show on Saturday night. I can live with losses like this....oh who am I kidding? That sucked. It leaves the Badgers staring at 0-2 in the Big Ten with arguably the league's best team coming next week. The biggest challenge of the season for the coaches could be to keep this team motivated...clips from last year's PSU debacle should help.

Straight Cash Homey!

2008-10-02T23:28:00.005-05:00

Lee Evans is getting P-A-I-D. The former Badger wide receiver and current Buffalo Bill just signed a 4-year $37M deal to remain with the Bills, and be the 3rd highest paid receiver in the league. Evans is a Badger favorite and happens to be immortalized in the Wisconsin Football Offices to this day. As you get off the elevator to enter the Football Offices, you're greeted by a large picture of Evans running up the tunnel after a game with his arms spread, kind of like those old Michael Jordan posters, giving high fives to the students as he leaves the field. All the students are in black and white and Evans' uniform and helmet are in color. It's an awesome sight.

He also happens to be part of the second best Wisconsin football play that I've ever seen in person. The first is the Scott Starks fumble for a touchdown at Purdue in 2004. But Schabert-to-Evans on that beautiful out n' up in the rainy Madison night is a very close second. For all you Badger fans looking for a pick-me-up after the game last week, check out this story from Jim Polzin at the Capital Times which looks back at the last time Ohio State came to Madison.

After reading that, aren't you just fired up for Saturday night?

We've Got Ourselves A MAILBAG!!

2008-10-02T01:00:00.005-05:00

Pop the champagne...we've got a mailbag folks! Our first ever question came from my college buddy "Ross Gellar". Now, typically, the way mailbags work is that someone asks us a question and we answer it...but every blog does that. I'm going to try and change this up a bit, and pose all questions to you...my 15 readers. Use the comments section to let me know your answer! And if you want to be heard in this blog or have a question of your own...email me at firstandbigten@gmail.com!!

Ross' Question: Which team in the Big Ten has been the most disappointing over the last 5 years?

F&BT fans...I want to know what you think. Look for my answer to this question in the near future, but in the meantime...give Ross' answer to his own question a little thought. Forewarning, Ross Gellar is a Badger fan and sent this in on Saturday after Michigan did something terrible to the Badgers. Enjoy.

Ross' Answer:
There are so many ways to subjectively consider this question. Look at some of the worst performing teams over the past 5 years and you could say that Indiana or Northwestern have been the most disappointing. Minnesota's 1-11 season last year was terrible and disappointing for their fans. And certainly, Ohio State laying two eggs in the last two national championship games is disappointing for the entire Big Ten. Those are persuasive arguments.

But how is Wisconsin simply not the most disappointing program in the last five years. In 2005, this team lost to Northwestern and then had two, count 'em, two opportunities to go to the Rose Bowl. Both were losses in back to back weeks to Penn State and Iowa. The year before that it was the same story. Go to Michigan State and win and you go to Pasadena at worst. In consecutive weeks they choked!

And the 2003 team underperformed its way to 7-6 record.

Last year, the team was ranked in the top 5 (admittedly way overrated, but isn't not living up to a high ranking the definition of sports disappointment?) and lost in a cataclysmic manner in Illinois. Then they got waxed in State College the next week. Show you are a second-class citizen in the Big Ten by losing to Ohio State and you have yourself a berth in the Outback Bowl (which you lose to a declining program in Tennessee). Fantastic.

Today's loss to Michigan is really just a continuation of the past 4 years. This team was given a golden opportunity...a loss by OSU opened the door for them to beat a down Michigan team then have the Big Ten's other best teams at their place. But, in typical Wisconsin fashion, we can't win the big game.

You might interject right now, haven't they won 3 Rose Bowls in the last 15 years? Yes that's true. But we haven't sniffed the Rose or any other BCS bowl since the 1999 season. Every time we have, we have had a massive meltdown. So, I don't define disappointment as being terrible (Indiana, Northwestern or Minnesota) or getting to a championship game and then choking. Hey, at least Buckeye fans got to spend their December's under the (misguided) belief that they had a championship caliber team on their hands! With the Badgers, we are good enough to have the opportunities but never quite good enough to actually seize them.

That's why, in my opinion, the University of Wisconsin has been the most disappointing program in the Big Ten in the last 5 years. And don't get me started with why...I think it boils down to not having a playmaker at the most important position on the field. Sorgi, Stocco, Donovan, Evridge....game manager, game manager, game manager. Give me someone who can win the big game, not just get me there!!!

An Oddysey: Recapping the Big Televen's Progress in Changing the National Perception

2008-10-01T00:31:00.003-05:00

I can't say that it was a good run through the non-conference schedule for the Big Ten Conference, but to borrow the motto of my old boss, "It could be worse!"

Let's recap the steps I thought the 11 Big Ten teams needed to take to improve the image of the conference:
1) Win the games you should ABSOLUTELY Win.
2) Win the games you are supposed to Win.
3) Beat Notre Dame.
4) Win MOST of the BCS Buster games.
5) Be Competitive in the Marquis Matchups.
6) Represent in the bowls.

Step #6 can't be accomplished until after the season, but as the non-conference schedule pretty much finishes up, I see a lot of lost opportunities for the Big Ten.

Step #1: Win the game you should ABSOLUTELY Win. CHECK. No Appalachian State this year. No North Dakota State this year. Good job on this one.

Step #2: Win the games you are supposed to Win. Almost a CHECK. The only hiccup here was Indiana's loss to Ball State. However, it can be somewhat disregarded in this category as Ball State is a significantly improved team this year and is actually undefeated right now. So, I will consider this part of Step #4 the BCS Busters. Witht that, Step #2 is a CHECK.

Step #3: Beat Notre Dame...FAILED. Let's face it, Notre Dame still isn't a great football team. Clausen isn't fully matured, their two-deep depth chart is littered with freshman, and Charlie Weis is still fat and sucks. But they absolutely embarrassed Michigan and Purdue this year, and that speaks volumes about the Big Ten's depth and competitiveness this year. The worst part is that this isn't the biggest failure of the Big Ten this non-conference season.

Step #4: Win MOST of the BCS Busters games...3-2 record...CHECK. Well, 3-3 if you count the Ball State beatdown of Indiana. However, UW beat Fresno, Iowa beat Iowa State, and Penn State dominated Oregon State. Iowa was even competitive at Pitt, although it turns out Pitt is a terrible team this year again. Michigan was embarrassed by Utah, and let's just move on...this step was a relative highlight for the Big Ten.

Step #5: Be competitive in the Marquis Matchups...FAILED. Sure, MSU was competitive at Cal, and Purdue took Oregon to the wire in overtime. The problem with those two games is that both could've and probably should've been wins...especially the Purdue game. You can't blow a 20-3 lead and consider it a success. The other major this step was a failure was that the most recognizable team in the conference laid an egg in a primetime game...again. USC absolutely embarrassed OSU in the colisseum, and the whole country watched.

So, looking back on the non-conference slate, I've got to give the Big Ten a C+ for their progress. The good news is that they took care of business in the games they should have won, and they managed their BCS Buster games relatively well. The big thing that has held them back is the primetime games. As long as Notre Dame plays on NBC and beats the Big Ten...as long as OSU keeps flopping on big stages...as long as Big Ten teams continue to lose non-conference games played at 8 EST on ABC...they won't gain too much ground in their oddsey back to respectability.

But in my old boss' words..."It could be worse!" The Big Ten could be the Big East or the ACC...that's just terrible football right there.

F&BT College Pick'Em Challenge Update

2008-09-30T10:03:00.003-05:00

It was an absolutely brutal week for just about everybody in the league last week. The schedule of games was much tougher and the results showed. WildHawk stayed atop the leaderboard with another winning week based on some gutsy, but accurate calls. Alabama over Georgia, WildHawk? That is corrrreeect!

Whets1 made another strong move as well this week and got himself into second place behind WildHawk. There's still plenty of time to get yourself back into this race...so if you haven't picked in a few weeks, you're not out of it completely!

Get your picks in this week!

Ruminations on Week 5

2008-09-30T00:18:00.002-05:00

Well, as you can tell from my immediate reaction post on Saturday, I had a rough weekend. I'm still not over it, and don't think I will be unless UW can upset OSU this weekend. Either way, there was at least one inexcusable loss this weekend...and that tops the list of my Ruminations on Week 5:

1) Michigan did something this weekend. Let's just move on...what? You think this blog is biased? You're right, but fine. Michigan did something great this weekend. Greater than any other time in the history of football games at the Big House, they came back from a 19 point 1st half deficit against a supposedly 9th ranked Wisconsin team. They won after giving up 5 turnovers in the 1st half. Their highly talked about conditioning program came through as they were clearly in better shape than the Badgers.

2) Did this game really tell us anything? Penn State pulled away from Illinois to win by 2 touchdowns. Are you surpirsed? I had a feeling this was coming, considering the dropoff in Illinois' tackling and defensive communication this year and the improvement of the Nittany Lion attack. Derrick Williams came through on his recruiting hype finally, and even though it took a while (4 years), it was as timely as could be. In the end, this game told us that Penn State may be the class of the league this year...and that the Illini aren't where they were as a team a year ago. So, did this game really tell us anything?

3) Better with Beanie. Is there any doubt than Beanie Wells would have had an impact in the USC game? Wells came out on a limited basis and ran all over the Gophers this weekend, at the same time rejuvenating the Buckeyes for their Big Televen title run. Wells did his best Knowshon Moreno impression...err Matt Bernstein impression...and hopped over a Gopher defender in the secondary. OSU is a decidedly more potent team with Beanie in the backfield.

4) We're almost bowling...and it's only Week 5. Northwestern and Michigan State both improved to 5-0 this weekend. Historically two teams plagued by disappointing early season losses, both squads have taken care of business in 2008. The Spartans have hopped on the back of Javon Ringer and his "money makers", and he has delivered in a big way. The durable tailback is running his way to the Heisman ceremony if he keeps this pace up. Northwestern has taken an opposite route and ridden the success of their defense in 2008. New coordinator Mike Hankwitz has the Wildcats playing with a passion that true fans haven't seen since the days of Pat Fitzgerald the linebacker.

5) More of the same. Indiana, Iowa Minnesota, Purdue...welcome to more of the same. 2008 is sure looking like a lot of previous years for these four teams. Actually, it's not for Minnesota. Nothing could look as bad as 1-11, but they didn't play with much emotion in Columbus last week...and that should look familiar. Indiana's defense is nowhere to be found. Iowa couldn't get passed Northwestern again, and stalled deep in Wildcat territory with a 1st and Goal at the end of the game. Purdon't lost to ND...almost as inexcusable as the Badgers loss to Michigan.

The Absolute Worst Way to Lose....Ever

2008-09-27T18:32:00.004-05:00

A forewarning that this post is not going to be family friendly or acceptible at most work places. I thought about saving it for tomorrow when I may be more rational or have some perspective. Nope.

Fuck.

I mean....Fuck. It can't possibly be worse than this. There's no worse way to lose...we've set a new record. Michigan's upset of my Wisconsin Badgers is absolutely to worst way to lose in the history of sports.

Blowout...I'll take it. It's a slow, painful death. Late touchdown to seal it...fine. We didn't deserve to win. Going for the endzone down 7 and failing...it's ok. We probably should have won, but we didn't. I can live with all of those....but I don't know if I can live with this. This was brutal.

As a preface, I woke up this morning and watched the NU @ Iowa game. Iowa was driving with just over a minute to go in the 4th quarter and failed to get a touchdown from 1st and goal from the 8. The 4th down pass was batted down at the line of scrimmage, and Iowa lost. Knowing WildHawk was at the game, and that he hadn't decided who to cheer for, I texted him looking for his first reaction to the 4th down stop..."Happy or Disappointed?"

"Disappointed"

Well, that sucks. I felt bad for him, as it was homecoming and all. But it was a great game to watch, and I knew that Iowa fans probably felt horrible as they were so close having 1st and Goal. Little did I know that they would get off easy. Little did I know that I was about to watch the worst Wisconsin loss of my life.

The first half couldn't have gone better. Sure, we missed an easy field goal early, but Michigan was fumbling everytime that I looked up. Short fields, crazy momentum, a silent 109,000 fans. Life was good. The offense wasn't converting too many touchdowns, but 19 points is 19 points. And the way our defense was playing...19 should have been enough. 3 should have been enough.

The second half was a different story. Michigan dominated the TOP, as the Wisconsin defense wasn't able to get off the field. Offensively, Wisconsin got complacent. Conservative playcalling and the offensive line disappearing led to only 1 drive in the entire 3rd quarter. You think the defense may have gotten tired? They were on the field the entire 2nd half. Most of that is their fault for not stopping 3rd downs (paging Matt Schaunessy...please don't rough the passer on 3rd down...thanks). Part of it though was the offense. This is when Wisconsin is supposed to be at it's best. With a lead in the 3rd and 4th quarter, the big ugly's up front and our pounding running backs should dominate the game. Turns out Gabe Carimi decided to have arguably his worst game as a Badger. Nice timing.

But none of this should have mattered. The reason this was the absolute worst way to lose was the last Wisconsin drive. After Allan Evridge's fourth (FOURTH!!) turnover, Wisconsin drove down the field. My Boy! #85 David Gilreath made a fantastic catch to get the TD, and UW was going for the 2-point conversion. Easy pass to an open Travis Beckum in the endzone...hello overtime. Ace's Bar in San Francisco was going nuts...beer being sprayed, the entire place jumping up and down...flag on the field. Beckum lined up in the wrong spot and covered the TE when he should've been off the line of scrimmage. Fuck.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Can I be mad at Beckum? A guy who has won so many games for us? A player that has done nothing but give his all? A player who put himself into the game when the coaches were holding him out because, like Superman, he knew his team needed him? I can't. I can't do it. I can't be mad at Travis Beckum.

But he is the reason that this was the absolute worst way to lose ever. Think about it...your favorite team in your life has given up the biggest comeback in your opponent's storied history; they drove down the field to score a TD with a chance to tie; they tie the game on a 2-point conversion. Only, it doesn't count. The play is called back by a penalty and you lose the game. The reason this is the absolute worst way to lose it that we thought we had it tied...it was basically overtime already...only we were about to lose. The exhilaration of winning turns to the deep depression of losing with one stupid penalty. Fuck.

Bill Simmons on EPSN.com has already developed some levels of losing...and this is at a minimum "The Stomach Punch Game"...if not it's own new category. We had overtime...stomach punch...we lose. Fuck.

I knew Wisconsin wasn't a BCS championship caliber team this year, but this is unexcusable. For the love of Lloyd Carr even Notre Dame was able to beat Michigan. They gave us 5 turnovers in the first half...THE FIRST HALF!! And we couldn't capitalize. While there is plenty of blame to go around...Evridge's 4 turnovers, Evridge's ability to repeatedly throw behind receivers, dropped passes, defense couldn't get off the field, our O-line disappeared, stupid penalties, failure to capitalize on turnovers...it really comes down to one thing. Coaching.

Brett Bielema needs to find a way to keep his team into the game for 60 minutes. Two games in a row now, the Badgers have come out fired up and dominated the first half, only to struggle in the second half of football games. The offense gets stale. The defense can't get off the field. The sideline gets quiet and loses energy. That's coaching....plain and simple. Now, I like Bielema. He's kind of an asshole (dancing across the field at Fresno when we won), but being a Badger fan I love that about him. But he has some coaching deficiencies that he needs to recognize, accept, and improve...similar to the way he expects his players to improve on their deficiencies. Keep the players fired up all game. Make the necessary halftime adjustments even if you're winning. Manage the team to not get too high and not get too low.

But for now...fuck. That was awful. My mom even called me to see if I would talk to my Dad because he was having a hard time getting words out. I was too. I couldn't even begin to describe the feelings of thinking that you had overtime...and then having a loss. Terrible. Absolutely terrible.

At least we get Beanie Wells and Terrelle Pryor next week.

Fuck.

F&BT Conversations: WildHawk and the Dual Fan Phenomenon

2008-09-26T00:32:00.007-05:00

I was at a wedding this past weekend with a bunch of college buddies (sidenote: congrats Heff & your new ball n' chain), when a pretty good fandom question was posed...who do you cheer for when both your teams are playing each other?

At first, this thought was preposterous to me. You have one team, you follow that team, you base your mood off their successes/failures, and your life is complete. Well, through this conversation, I realized how rare my situation really was. I grew up a Wisconsin fan. I went to UW for college. I'm still a Wisconsin fan. But I'm rare, and I'm realizing it. Fuzz grew up an Auburn fan because his Grandpa played football there. He also grew up a Mizzou fan because both his parents went there. He's a Wisconsin grad and loyal Badger fan. Kenny G grew up a Minnesota fan and went to Wisconsin. Our very own WildHawk grew up a Northwestern fan and graduated from Iowa.

As I've realized, the dual fan phenomenon is growing and these dual fans are everywhere...and they need a voice. Welcome to the second installment of F&BT Conversations. This week we interview supposed blogger (only two posts and counting) on this very site WildHawk, on all things Northwestern and Iowa, and being a fan of both teams.

So, this is awkward...how have you been while you've not been blogging on our website?
Well, I've been okay. As you know, I haven't been blogging much, instead trying to figure out my life. Hating my job is probably the biggest issue, considering I spend a lot of my time there.

Explain for our readers how you became a Northwestern fan?
Both of my parents went to Northwestern for graduate school. Having said that, they weren't really good fans (let's be honest, up until the mid '90s, it was tough. I went to grade school with another big fan (in fact, I believe he was already interviewed for this very site). His dad took us to a lot of games, and I got hooked. Plus, 1995 helped a lot, especially having witnessed the majority of the games.

Was it hard always rooting for a team that sucked more than the movie Click?
I guess everyone's aware of my deep hated for that movie. I only had to endure a couple of years of sucking before the Cats became competitive. I consider myself extremely lucky to not be older.

When you made the decision to go to Iowa, did you feel like Brutus stabbing Ceasar (aka NU fan brethren) in the back?
Nah. The simple answer is I couldn't get into NU. Plus, it's really close to home (sidenote: it's not like Iowa was my #1 school either. Go RedHawks! - kidding). (admission: I forgot WildHawk went to Miami Ohio first...my bad)

What was people in Iowa's reaction when they found out you were a NU fan? Were you ridiculed?
People in Iowa have very little respect for Northwestern, but then again, I think that sentiment is shared by all the other ten schools. People in Iowa City are pretty liberal and accepting, even of me. Plus, the fact the the two teams are almost dead even in football and basketball over the last 10-15 years seriously hurts their ability to gloat.

Head-to-head games...who do you cheer for?
I still don't know. My first idea was to root for the team that had more on the line, the team that needs the win more. I've also considered just rooting for the home team.

What are the pros and cons of having 2 teams to root for?
Pros: More chances to win any given week, more games to watch, more research to doCons: Playing each other, tough when both suck, more time necessary for research

You're going to be back in Iowa City for the game this weekend, how do you see the game playing out? Bold prediction?
Both defenses have been strong this year. CJ Bacher is really slumping for the Cats, and Jake Christensen just plain sucks-ass. Given the fact that Stanzi is starting for the Hawks and it's at Kinnick, I'm thinking 20-13 Hawkeyes. Who knows though, if CJ finally has his breakout game of the year, he and Sutton could lead to a lot of points for the Wildcats.

Quick Hitters:

Best Northwestern game you ever attended?
3-way tie: NU/Notre Dame '95, NU/Penn State '95, and NU/Michigan '96
Best Iowa game you ever attended?
Toss Up: Iowa/Michigan '03 or Iowa/Ohio State '04
Who has hotter girls?
Iowa....more talent than an outsider would expect

Who has a better campus?
Tie. Northwestern is better aesthetically, but Iowa has better town (bars).
Who has better gameday experience?
Iowa, no question.
Rate this blog on a scale of 1-10. How much better would your writing make it?
Hahah, I'd give it an 8 - it's good, but needs a consistent fan base. Who says I'd make it better? (I do...please start writing WildHawk...please)
Favorite tv show?
Californication/House/Entourage/The Office/Colbert Report
Favorite fast food chain?
Popeye's or Wendy's (Panchero's in Iowa City, but too local)
Is this the Cubs year?
Yes.
Finally, both Rashidi Wheeler and Randy Walker died while you were an NU fan...and Iowa city has had 2 natural disasters (tornado and flood) hit since you became a fan...do you want to take any blame for these and maybe admit that you're bad luck?
I won't take any blame, but it has sucked. Still, there's been a lot of good times too. That tornado senior year really was unbelievable, at est until I had to pull a tree out of my car window and saw a dumpster fly. Also, looking around my room now, I still can't believe a Wildcat was on the SI cover, and it's been 13 years.

Thanks for the input WildHawk...it's about time you had some input into this blog! Kidding buddy, but your writing would be appreciated as often as possible (once a week?)! F&BT fans have a fever WildHawk...and the only prescription...is more blogging!

Alright, that was lame. Have fun this weekend in your old stomping grounds and go Iowa...or Northwestern...whichever you choose.

MY BOY! 2 Simple Rules for Picking a Favorite New Player

2008-09-23T23:29:00.008-05:00

A little over a year ago, I was sitting in a Badger bar in Chicago, IL with my roommate Fuzz getting mentally prepared for the second UW football game of the 2007 season. We had already seen one week's worth of game film on the Badgers and had some sort of idea what the team would look like. But that wasn't enough, we needed someone to cheer for more than the star players. We both hated PJ Hill, so he was out. Tyler Donovan didn't inspire tons of confidence. We needed a player to call our own, to ride out the highs and lows with, and to cheer for with unbridled obnoxiousness. We created...MY BOY!

MY BOY! isn't a new concept. People have been doing it for a while, we just happened to give it a name and take it to a new level. There are rules for choosing your boy are simple, and have been developed over many a fine drink:

1) MY BOY! has to be a new contributor. Youth is served with your boy. Pick them as a young contributor and watch as they grow into a great player. Your boy can't be a proven player. Anyone expected to be an all-american, or a returning team leader is not to be considered. He has to play some, offense, defense or special teams, and he can be a starter. But he has to be a freshman or a new contributor.

2) MY BOY! sticks as your boy for as long as he is with the team. Highs and lows...he's your boy. If you picked him young, and he happens to become a heisman candidate...congratulations. Rub it in everyone's face. If he fumbles in the big game or misses a tackle that goes for a touchdown...he's your boy. Defend him to no end.

So there we were, sitting in Redmond's...picking our boy. Fuzz went with Aaron Henry. Freshman DB out of Florida, good wheels, solid recruiting buzz, and big enough to hold his own as a freshman. Myself, I went with David Gilreath #85. Freshman WR from MN, short, quick, and a dangerous return man. Neither figured to start at the beginning of the season, but both figured to see some PT. This turned out to be a fantastic idea! Right off the bat it started paying dividends. MY BOY! Gilreath was returning the opening kickoff...

"MY BOY #85 TO THE HOUSE!"

This turned out to be an every game phrase for me...numerous times per game.

So there you go, the rules for creating MY BOY! Rules are obviously subject to change, and all recommendations are welcome. But these first two should get you started. As we enter into Big Ten play this week, F&BT highly encourages you to gather with your friends...indulge in a few libations...and pick your boy! Cheer him on with unabashed passion. Scream for him at quiet times during the game. Make ridiculous predictions about the great play he is about to make.

Use the comments...and tell us who's MY BOY! for you.

F&BT College Pick'Em Challenge Update!

2008-09-23T01:13:00.004-05:00

It's been a rough couple of weeks for a few of us in the F&BT inaugural College Pick'Em Challenge. The schedule was decidedly tougher two weeks ago, and a few strategies were followed. Most people played it straight and put the harder games as lower confidence levels. But some of you, including my current roommate Kenny G, chose the interesting strategy of not picking games at all. Many of you followed that same strategy, but looks like it worked about as well as the Emmy's having 5 reality show hosts run the show. Dis-as-ter. Also, for the record, I will usually not make fun of any of you by name or your picks on the blog, but Kenny G is an exception. He is fully aware that I write this blog, and knowingly refuses to read it. "I'm not really a blog guy," he says, "...plus, I know when you're writing it and I can just ask you what you're posting and get everything that you're going to write. So there's really no reason for me to read it."

Well, touche Kenny. But from now on I will be making fun of you until you start reading. Have fun playing your saxophone.

As for the F&BT College Pick'Em Challenge standings, a few bad weeks have put me out of the medals for now. Lil Bro #1 had a couple strong weeks after which he usually sent a text along the lines of "What happened in the Picks this week? I can't see the standings." Thank God this stopped and he's no longer in first. That honor goes to the always difficult to find Bobby Fischer...I mean WILDHAWK! Seriously, is anyone harder to find these days than WildHawk? He hasn't posted in a while, and has rebuffed most of my attempts to get him to write. But alas, at least he's still making picks.

Keep making your picks each week and ranking them from your most confident game (10) to your least confident game (1). There's still plenty of time to make a move for the medal stand!

Ruminations on Week 4

2008-09-22T00:18:00.003-05:00

So after a week off from the blog...I'm back. I happened to skip probably the worst week for blogging, seeing as how there was some good comedic material after OSU's drubbing at USC, Michigan got embarrassed, Oregon hung tough, and Wisconsin won a nail-biter which I attended in Fresno. But alas, the college football schedule has moved on and so have I, here are some thoughts on the lackluster week 4 lineup of games that happened last weekend:

1) That One Guy is named Terrelle Pryor. We can call him by his name now. Two R's, Two L's, Terrelle. Get ready to hear it a lot. If you weren't sick of him from the recruiting hype...or the preseason hype...or the "he only got two series versus Ohio" questions...or the "can he start yet?" questions...well, America, get ready to be sick of Terrelle Pryor. In his first start at Ohio State he managed only four touchdown passes. I haven't confirmed it yet, but I believe ESPN has dedicated an award for him. Award Name suggestions welcome in the comments below.

2) Ringer to the Rescue. Where would Michigan State be without this guy? Seriously, it's a valid question this year. Brian Hoyer hasn't shown anything yet, and the defense is slowly improving, but Ringer is BMOC in East Lansing. After putting up over 200 yards against the Golden Domers, Ringer has many people talking Heisman for him. And you know what...this time I'm buying the hype. PJ Hill and Juice Williams I wasn't buying, but Ringer may just do it. If MSU lives up to the preseason billing and makes some noise in the Big Televen, it will be on the back of Ringer. And that could just earn him a trip to NYC for the ceremony. However, I will caution that he has to hold up the entire season. MSU is just starting the physical Big Ten play portion of the schedule, and don't expect Ringer to hold up if he rushes 39 times every game.

3) Congrats Joey T. For a guy who can't wait to get on a ranch in Wyoming, Joe Tiller sure is a heck of a coach. After winning his 85th game at Purdue, Tiller is now the winningest coach in school history. On behalf of F&BT, congratulations Joe.

4) "If you think you have two QB's, you probably don't have any". Iowa Hawkeyes...please take note. Kirk Ferentz is dying to give someone the starting job, and any time that Jake Christensen or Ricky Stanzi want to take it will be fine by him. Neither QB has been able to put together two good games in a row and Iowa will continue to struggle until one of them can. And until then, we'll say that they don't have a QB.

Sorry for the Lack of Posts

2008-09-17T13:49:00.000-05:00

I've been noticeably absent from posting this week, and for that I apologize. But for once, it's not because I am lazy. I've been sick this week and also mourning the loss of a good friend. Look for the posting to resume soon.

Rest in peace, Brian. We'll be seeing you again.

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

An Oddysey: BIG WEEK in the Big Ten

2008-09-11T22:20:00.004-05:00

In case you didn't hear...there's a couple big games in the Big Ten this weekend. It was almost a tough choice for the Most Important Game in the Big Ten This Week (seen on the right), but alas, THE GAME OF THE CENTURY 2008 Edition! is happening this weekend. There has never been a better week for the Big Televen to stake their claim as a respectable conference. This is the week to turn around the "down" label that has plagued the conference since the infamous National Championship Game Suck-Job #1. Ohio State learned the hard way this week just how negative the rest of the country feels about the Big Ten. After a poor performance against Ohio last weekend, the buckeyes dropped from 2nd to 5th in the polls. After a Win! Rarely do teams drop after a win, no matter how ugly. Sadly, that is the state of the Big Ten's national perception. But fear not, 3 big time games provide an opportunity for the Big Ten to earn their way back into the nation's good graces:

Ohio State @ USC
This game has been hyped, talked about, disected, and predicted like no other game this year. And the crazy thing is, the circumstances keep changing. Tuesday we heard that Beanie Wells would be playing, and that he wanted 45 carries. Wednesday he practiced well. Thursday...he's doubtful. President Bush just declared the state of Ohio a disaster zone due to massive flooding from all the tears. USC on the other hand comes in with the full arsenal of talented skill players and an experienced defense. Call me stupid, but I don't expect a ton of points in this game. Ohio State will struggle without Beanie to pound the rock. Boeckman will show his big game struggles again, and the USC defense will be flying all over the field. On the other side of the ball, USC looked unstoppable against Virginia. But the OSU defense is better than Virginia's, and the USC O-line is young/inexperienced. Expect the Buckeyes to blitz early and often and try to throw the Trojans off their game. Ultimately, the Trojans will pull away, but not until a late touchdown seals it. USC over OSU 24-10.

Oregon at Purdue
Yards, Points. Yards, Points. That's pretty much how this game should go on Saturday. Both offenses are wide open and capable of putting lots of yards and points on the board. Both defenses leave much to be desired. Purdue will come out fired up, as they will for most games this being Joe Tiller's final year, and it will be on Oregon to match their intensity. After a long trip from Eugene, I don't think the Ducks will have it in them early. Expect Purdue to take a first half lead behind the arm of Curtis Painter, but the Ducks to come storming back. Don't be surprised at the final score. Oregon over Purdue 45-37.

Wisconsin at Fresno State
Pat Hill has been building this game as the biggest game in Bulldog Stadium history. Fresno State is known for their motto of "anyone, anytime, anywhere". Well, the Bulldogs are finally getting a big-name program to come into their house. The fans will come from all over the Valley to support the Bulldogs, and Wisconsin fans may show up too. (sidenote: yours truly will be there, and judging by the booster event in San Fran tonight, there will be tons of badger fans). I fully expect the Badgers to come out just as fired up as the Bulldogs. Look for the Badgers to go on offense first if they can, and use their big O-lineman and a punishing tailback trio to beat up the Fresno D right off the bat. Fresno will look for the big play early to get their fans into the game right away...and don't be surprised if the trick plays come out of the bag. Eventually though, the Badgers will pull away. Allan Evridge will start throwing on first down to soften the D, and after four quarters of pounding, the Wisconsin O-line and running backs will take control in the fourth. Badgers over Bulldogs, 31-21.

Other Games:
Michigan over the Domers 17-7
Penn State over Syracuse 56-10
Minnesota over Montana State 34-21
Michigan State over FAU 35-14
Illinois over Lousiana Lafayette 42-21
Iowa over Iowa State 21-17
Northwestern over SIU 27-10

F&BT Conversations: Former USC WR John Zilka

2008-09-10T23:37:00.008-05:00

There aren't many things that we do well here at F&BT, and interviewing famous people or college football insiders is definitely not one of them...but we are good at knowing people. And I just happen to know someone who played a little college football. Granted it was at the opponent of Ohio State this weekend, but it's college football none-the-less. In the very first edition of F&BT Conversations, I bring you my conversation with former USC wide receiver and LFHS Scouts alumni...John Zilka.

JZ, thanks for your time. First, some background info, how did you end up playing at USC?
During the summer going into my senior year of high school, I had briefly met the Director of Football Operations on a visit to USC, and inquired about the potential of walking on. He seemed refreshed that I wasn’t asking about a scholarship and was from Chicago, so that might have helped me stand out in his mind. It was a short meeting, basically a meet and greet. I went back home, played my senior year of football, and then kind of forgot about playing football. However, in May, after finally deciding to attend USC, I talked with former LFHS coach Willie Snead about potentially walking on at USC. I was skeptical at first (since I missed 4 games due to injury my senior year, and let’s be honest it was USC), but he told me so many high school players think they can’t play D1 football because they can’t get a scholarship, however they forget that most schools will take a look at you to walk on because there is no risk to them. Since I had already been accepted to the school, they would not have to pull any strings, and it was worth a shot. So we put together some gamefilm and sent it out there, Willie talked to some of the staff, and then I got a call in mid-June to show up at training camp in August. Honestly, that is the story. No tryouts, no nothing. I’m sure USC being 6-6 the year before and me being from Chicago helped me stand out. It still amazes me how it happened.

SC was 6-6 the year before you showed up on campus, and 48-4 while you were there...what did your presence do and how do you explain your obvious impact on SC football? The numbers don't lie, why don't you personally get more credit?
That amazes me everyday. Just like the film don’t lie, the numbers don’t lie. I can’t quite figure it out. You mean to tell me Palmer, Leinart, Bush, White, Williams, Tatupu, Polamalu, and Jarrett had more impact then me? You’d be kidding yourself to think that way.

You grew up a Northwestern fan, how do the conferences compare? How do the fan bases compare?
The Big Ten has bigger fan bases, bigger stadiums, and bigger TV audiences than the Pac-10 without a doubt. With the popularity of spread offenses and more teams throwing the ball, the conferences scheme-wise are not much different anymore. However, the Pac-10 has supremely better skill players, with better overall talent and speed, which is why the Pac-10 generates such high offensive numbers. Much of that has to do with better weather, and being able to groom skill players in high schools. If the Big Ten wants to get back to competing nationally, they need to find more talented skill players. The talent level between the Big Ten and other conferences is widening every off-season.

Favorite part about playing college football at USC?
Two things: scout team period during practice and pre-warmups on gamedays. With the scout team, I got the chance to run 30 plays a day at WR, and make plays against our #1 defense. That’s really what made me a better player by the time I was a senior. It was my chance to play football and get passes thrown to me. Secondly, I loved going out to the field on gamedays before the official warmups (with just pants and cleats, no shoulder pads/jersey) and playing catch with teammates. We just fooled around on the field throwing the ball, Coach Carroll did it, it was awesome. I’ll never forget doing that before the game at the Orange Bowl vs. Oklahoma, there was so much buzz in the stadium.

OSU receiver Ray Small had some harsh comments about the atmosphere around the USC program, what was your reaction?
I think it has been blow out of proportion. OSU players will say their program is superior, USC players will say their program is superior. LSU will say their program is better than both. It’s pointless since everyone is biased. And the culture clashes of Midwest Ohio vs. SoCal vs. the Deep South changes everything as well. All I can say is that I enjoyed my experience at USC, and how Coach Carroll ran his program. He made it fun and loose, but also focused. His record speaks for itself, so I think it works.

What do you expect SC to try and do against OSU this weekend? What do you expect OSU to try and do against SC? Any bold predictions?
First off, it doesn’t matter what OSU does, because it’s not about them. If SC plays to its gameplan, they will win. Offensively, SC will spread the ball to all its playmakers, and use their speed to their advantage. I expect SC to focus on stopping the run defensively, and forcing the OSU QB to throw the ball, turning them one-dimensional. If SC gets ahead early and forces OSU to pass the ball, it will be a long day for the Buckeyes. I expect OSU to play better than they have shown the first 2 weeks, but SC in LA will prevail, 27-13.

Quick Hitters:
Are the song girls really that hot in person?
Some are, some aren’t, just like anything else.
Did you ever hang out with them?
No, but I was in classes with them if that counts. (F&BT Judges....count it!)
True or False: you have held the Heisman Trophy?
Yes, but not the one for Carson, Matt, or Reggie. I held Mike Garrett’s (first SC Heismen, current SC Athletic Director), and I held it in his dining room at his house in Pasadena. I went to a barbeque party hosted by his daughter there, who was dating someone in my fraternity during the summer after my freshman year. I walked into the dining room, where people were playing the drinking game “asshole” and there it was. It’s pretty heavy. And I have held the championship Crystal Ball. And kissed it. And held it like a running back. Pretty sweet.
If you saw Reggie Bush at a party tonight, would you say hello? Matt Leinert? Carson Palmer?
Carson wouldn’t remember me, so no. Reggie and Matt? If they were in front of me getting a drink at the bar, then yes. If they were in the VIP section and I had to fight security, then no. I’m not gonna be “that guy.”
Is Pete Carroll really that awesome or is it an act?
He’s that awesome and then some, 100% real. Has such an amazing philosophy on everything, and carries it out daily. So much of his outlook on football translates to life and business. He’s been a great role model.
True or False: your senior year of high school was your most fun season of football because your fellow receivers were the coolest people on earth?
Very true, without a doubt the coolest I’ve ever met, especially #80. He was so great I had to steal his number when I could at USC. They’ve all gone on to do great things.
Do you read college football blogs often? How much does this one suck?
I read USC football blogs, www.insidesocal.com/usc and http://www.uscripsit.com/. My blog of choice is SportsbyBrooks. By far, the best funny sports blog, better than Deadspin by a mile now. I really don’t read opinionated sports blogs because people are so biased to their cause they can’t think straight. It’s worthless. (F&BT Note: Zilka did not actually say we suck...we'll take that as a compliment)
Favorite TV show?
In terms of current shows: Reality- The Hills, Drama-Brothers & Sisters, Comedy-The Office, Crime-CSIs. And I’m now getting into Gossip Girls, good stuff.
Best fast-food chain?
In-N-Out Burger. I’m a homer for SoCal, always have been. And I’ve been wearing In-N-Out t-shirts since 3rd grade.
Best Ed Orgeron story? (crazy former Ole Miss head coach/USC d-line coach, notoriously intense and prone to taking his shirt off in meetings while yelling)
Coach O ran the scout team plays, making sure we ran the correct plays vs. the defense. One play I screwed up a route, and he unleashed some expletives my way, “Who the F (he used the full word) ran that route? Zilka? F-ing Zilka? Get him out of there! I don’t want another horse shit walk-on at WR anymore!” I was on a knee for the rest of scout ream period, trying not to look at Coach O as he gave me stern looks periodically.
And finally, do you remember that time when you got into the game during the Orange Bowl your freshman year against Iowa and we T.P.'d your Mom's house and threw oranges at the front of the house?
I do, that was quite the compliment. But then it rained and all the TP stuck to the ground, and I had to clean it all up. By myself.
That was awesome.
Thanks guys.

No, thank you JZ. Have fun on your trip back to the "Best Coast" this weekend, run a few "fade" routes for us, and Go Big Ten!

The Journey: J Leman Refuses to Give It Up

2008-09-09T22:32:00.007-05:00

Am I wrong? Is it not weird that he's all over this show? The guy was a great player last year, and certainly deserved to be honored as one of the school's 10 best linebackers on Saturday...but what in the name of Glenn Mason is he doing on this TV show again? (sidenote: Glenn Mason is an announcer for the BTN now. Do you think he rubs it in people's faces in Minnesota when he eventually goes there for a game? Do you think the BTN ever assigns him to a Gopher game? I would definitely watch Mason talk about how far Minny has fallen since he left and Timmay! took over.) Anyway, the interview with Leman wouldn't have been bad at the alumni luncheon...if that was the first time we saw him. But good ol' J managed to make his own uninvited, incredibly awkward entrance in the scene where the equipment manager was comparing the old-school helmets to the current ones. Leman just sort of walked into the picture, out of nowhere, stood there, smiled, and gave his qualified approval of the old-school uniforms. All this after showing up in the intro of the first episode to talk about the 2007 season and what he expects from the 2008 Illini. My big thing is, why?

This isn't 2007. I feel bad for Leman that he's not on an NFL roster right now, but showing up on a BTN program at your old school on a weekly basis is like going on The Surreal Life to revive your acting career...it's nothing but downhill. Just like the Surreal Life cast members are pretty much doomed to only appearances on other terrible VH1 shows (Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, anyone?), J Leman may be doomed to nothing more than a college legend that couldn't let go. This guy should be working to shape the next phase of his career or life, not hanging on to a team and program that is clearly moving on without him. And that's what it seems like Leman is doing, hanging on. It's fine if he is there to work out while waiting for another shot at the NFL, or if he's getting enough credits for his degree. But J, please...please!...try to avoid the cameras that are following the team. It makes you look a little sad, and takes some of the luster off your great college career.

On the other hand, I almost would love the show even more if the BTN kept showing him every week...kind of in the way that you cheer for crashes in NASCAR.

Other quick-hit thoughts from this weeks show:
1) Juice Williams is a dad? I legitimately did not know this. Also, did anyone else get the feeling that his girlfriend let him get away with not doing many of the chores just because she knows a payday is coming sometime soon?
2)The Zooker says "dad-gum" quite often. Pretty much in every speech he gave, it was "dad-gum this" or "dad-gum that". Does he never swear in general or is he simply just aware of the cameras?
3) Those throwback unis were sweet. I feel like this is true for a lot of teams, and makes you wonder why some teams ever upgraded in the first place?
4) The Zooker was dead-on in his speeches at halftime and after the game. The guy is a great motivator and certainly knew exactly how to handle those situations. Props.

Ruminations on Week 2

2008-09-09T00:08:00.010-05:00

Frankly, Week 2 in the Big Televen wasn't exactly the most dificult slate of games. Considering the upsets that have happened in the last two years across college football, anytime a conference can go 11-0 on a Saturday, it's a good day. And it was a good day for most teams, here's a few things that stood out to me:

1) The "Spread HD" is legit. I thought Jay Paterno had jinxed his self-named offense when he came up with Spread HD. Yet after two weeks and 111 points, I'm a believer. Daryll Clark is Michael Robinson V2.0, the receivers have clearly established themselves as the best in the Big10, and Even Royster has been running untouched quite often. The Big Ten is on notice, JoePa has himself a team, and a great shot at being the lone all-time wins leader.

2) Minnesota has DOUBLED it's 2007 win total. Pop the sparkling wine Gophers, you have double the joy...and it's only week 2. This was no pushover either, Bowling Green had just upset ESPN darling Pittsburgh the week before and the game was on the road. I picked it for the Most Important Big10 Game last week, and Minny came through for the conference. I definitely don't like Minnesota to win many games inside the conference, but it's looking good for a non-conference sweep. Congrats Timmay! Let's see how you handle this unparralled success that two wins has brought you.

3) Indiana has bowl chances. Not bad Kellen, not bad at all good sir. But the Hoosiers haven't played anyone yet, and like many teams in the Big Televen, I still don't know what to make of them. Lewis does look like a stud, and I can't help but get the feeling that Indiana could be capable of pulling off some crazy offensive outputs like they did with a certain superhero named Randle El. Wait and see.

4) Fan bases are too quick to hype. Stop it people. Please, just stop it. P.J. Hill for Heisman? Try 18 carries for 57 yards against Marshall. Not a Heisman candidate, please shut up now. Martez Wilson on the Butkis Award Watchlist? He's not there yet, and hadn't started a game when he was put on that list. That's absurd. Stop it. That One Guy at Ohio State? Didn't play when the game was in doubt, and no, that is not a news story. He's a true freshman who isn't ready yet, that's not news. Please stop trying to make it news.

Wisconsin v. Marshall: Finishing with a Flourish

2008-09-08T02:42:00.004-05:00

Fifty-one unanswered points. Usually, this is the sign of a ridiculous game that everyone should stop paying attention to before it's over. But when you're favored by at least 2 touchdowns, we should all expect this kind of offensive output, and a team shouldn't be down by 14 when the output starts.

But that is exactly where Wisconsin found themselves on Saturday, down 14-0 to a lowly Marshall football team that clearly didn't belong on the same field. If there was ever a team that looked ahead to the next week, Wisconsin was it on Saturday. Actually, Ohio State was it on Saturday, but Wisconsin did their best impression of that team. It took a long pass down the sideline to much-hyped but seldom-used Lance Kendricks to ignite the Badgers into a second quarter/rest of game run that would lead to 51 unanswered points. Generally, I still don't know what to make of this team, or how they will finish the season. But based on two weaks of terrible scheduling, these are my thoughts:

1) Travis Who? Travis Beckum sat out for the second week in a row against Marshall, and the Badgers didn't miss a beat. Garrett Graham proved once again that he needs to be guarded...period. Lance Kendricks proved that the Badger coaches know what they're talking about when they switch positions for certain players. On the other hand, Beckum's injury worries me...a lot. Brett Bieliema is notoriously coy with injuries, and this situation screams of deception. Last year it was Andy Crooks as a TE with a hamstring problem, this year it is Beckum. Crooks was supposed to be ready "next week" for about the first 6 weeks of the year...until you never heard about him again. It's only been 2 weeks for Beckum, but I considered myself legimately worried. Here's to hoping that he's 100% for the trip to Fresno.

2) There's a reason our CB's are always 10 yds deep. Except that no one knows why. Mario Goins seemed to take a few pages out of Allen Langford's DB manual and allow numerous 6-10 yard gains be completed right in front of him. Niles Brinkley replaced him and fared a little better with 2 INT's...but only the first one was a great play. The second one was a gift, and he should thank Marshall for that gift. Look for Goins to keep getting significant time, but don't think that allowing 6-10 yard gains on 1st and 2nd down will be acceptable in conference play.

3) 51 Unanswered Points is ALWAYS Impressive. I will never underestimate the fact that UW can put up a lot of points. Ever since Paul Christ returned to campus, the offense has been flowing like the salmon of capestrano (Dumb & Dumber reference for ya'll). Points and yards aren't as hard to come by as they used to be, but 51 unanswered cannot be underestimated. It will always be impressive. Yet it reminds me that UW games this year will always be close in the first half. The strength of the team is the O-line and 3 talented backs, and that combination leads to perceived slow starts and blowouts at the end of the day. Slowly but surely, UW will put up points...and PJ Hill will give way to Zach Brown and John Clay's fresh legs in the second half. Defenses will not be able to keep up with that level of depth, however the first half will always be closer than you'd think. It won't be until the second half that you will see the results of the pounding Badger running game.

4) John Clay is 240 lbs of Man Crush. There's no other way to put it, he's a beast, and every Badger fan cannot help but love him. Watching him dish out forearm shivers in teh 4th quarter gave me nothing but joy on Saturday. Bowling over DE's for 2 TD's, dominating linebackers, and doing it all with fresh legs. What don't you like? Man-crush is the only way to describe my feelings for him. I texted my friend Fuzz after the game to express my man-crush on J. Clay, and his response...."Andy Roddick...move over". Anyone who has seen Roddick at the US Open this week knows how incredible this statement is, and should know that John Clay is the real deal. Beware the Man-Crush in the 4th Quarter.

The Journey: Zooker is a TV Star!

2008-09-05T00:52:00.004-05:00

So I watched The Journey: Illinois Football this week, and I have to say...what the hell was J Leman doing in the intro? Seriously, shouldn't he be in an NFL camp somewhere? Yet there he was, talking up Illinois and their magical season from 2007. It shocked me to be honest. In a TV show that is supposed to highlight Illinois' 2008 football season, why would they show someone no longer on the team?

That wasn't the only thing that caught me a little off guard about the show; in fact, most of the show itself caught me off guard. Granted, I never watched an episode of the Minnesota Basketball version of The Journey, but here are a few surprising tidbits from my viewing:

1)That they went straight up to the Mizzou game in episode 1. Maybe I was expecting something more along the lines of HBO's Hard Knocks, but I expected the BTN to highlight more of the preseason camp portion of the season. Show me more practice time. The Oklahoma Drill was excellent, but I wanted more. Show me the annual trip to the waterpark...even ESPN picked up on that one!

2)That they didn't highlight the coaches more. Zook works out non-stop, but we only get one shot of him on a stair-stepper!?! (sidenote: a stair-stepper, really? I pictured Zook as more of a weightlifter/stationary bike guy. The stair-stepping really dropped him down a notch or two in my book.) Why did we only get one shot of the coaches watching film? I wanted some practice film breakdown, some team meeting film teaching...something!

3)Player Profiles. Or lack thereof. I guess I was expecting there to be 3-4 players highlighted, their stories told and characters somewhat developed in the first episode. Then we would follow those players throughout the season. One would be the star (Juice), one would have overcome an injury/adversity, one would have been outgoing (Brit Miller), and one would have been an up-and-coming freshman stud who had to earn playing time but broke through by the end of the season. I didn't get it. Sure, they interviewed the center, Juice, Rejus, and Will Davis...but we didn't get any character development. And they followed some freshman to class (a B.S. football player only type class), but I didn't even pick up his name. If they want us to fall in love with these players, they need to tell us more about them.

As it turns out, J Leman was cut by the Vikings, thus had some time on his hands (which goes further to prove how Illinois' sum was greater than its parts last year). But that doesn't mean I wanted him on The Journey. I think my wants are simple. I want to watch this show; I want to like this show; and I want to love the subject of the show. But I need more BTN, I need more. I want the drama to unfold in front of me. I want clever editing that makes awkward silences in places that you can tell there weren't akward silences. I want position battles, coaches yelling, and obligatory shots of sorority girls at the pre-game Block. Basically, I want a full contact version of The Hills with football pads. Is that too much to ask?

F&BT College Pick'Em Challenge: Week 1 Results

2008-09-04T00:39:00.003-05:00

It certainly wasn't a good week for the participants in the Inaugural F&BT College Pick'Em Challenge. The top scorer was none other than good friend Sober, who reigns king with a total of 37 points out of 55. Yours truly tied for second, so I'll only allow Sober to give me crap this week.

Make your week 2 picks and be sure to check the rules for how to score correctly. A refresher for those of you unfamiliar (*cough* Lil Bro #1 *cough*):
1)Pick the winner of all ten games listed.
2) Rank the games in order of your confidence level in the team you picked winning. 10 being your most confident game. 1 being your least confident game.
3)Scoring: You get points equal to the confidence level of every game you correctly pick. For example, in week 1 if you picked Alabama over Clemson, and assigned a confidence level of 1o....you will receive 10 points.

You can still sign up for the league if you haven't yet. It's ok if you're lazy, you'll fit right into this group.

ESPN.com College Football Pick'Em
Group Name: First and Big Ten
Password: bigtenfootball

Good luck...

Ruminations on Week 1

2008-09-03T00:31:00.003-05:00

Christmas in August has come and gone, and week 1 wasn't too nice to the Big Televen. The conference's oddysey back to respectability will be covered in a later post. Instead, here are a few things that caught my eye over a glorious weekend of college football:

*Note: This past weekend was an anomaly in that it was a holiday weekend and I had a guest visiting for the weekend. WildHawk has been out of commission for a few days preparing for some "real life" stuff, but will be back tomorrow. Anyways, in the future we will have detailed reviews of some Big Ten games of the week/games we attended/our favorite games. Unfortunately, week 1 didn't give us the chance to do that, but we promise to have it in the future. And if not, well, we already reserved the right to be lazy...

1) Does Illinois call that defense? Granted, Missouri has a very talented offense and will put up a lot of points this season. But I just don't see them keeping their #6 ranking throughout the year. That Mizzou defense didn't scream #6 to me, and in fact, I think both teams will go in opposite directions this year. Last year's game featured two underrated teams that went on to have magical seasons...this year's game could be the opposite. I have a feeling that this loss to Mizzou won't look nearly as good as it did last year. As mentioned in the Illinois preview, Illinois lost a lot through the middle of their defense, and it showed in the Mizzou game as they gave up numerous big plays. It will be a long year if the defense can't pick it up a bit.

2) Bye Bye Beanie. Well, at least that's what the Heisman Trophy was saying to Wells as he hopped off the field with the help of coaches. Granted it's only week 1, but Wells will undoubtedly be held out next week, and his yardage total will suffer without two cupcake teams on the schedule. Also, and this is totally speculative, but I think he will be out for the USC game...or at least be severely limited. USC has a habit of taking advantage of severely limited players.

3) Bruising Badger Backs. Sixty three carries. 404 yards rushing. Welcome to the good ol' days of Wisconsin football. P.J. Hill, a player that I have thought was overrated for two years (fat, soft, and unathletic may or may not have come out of my mouth when describing him in the past), was nearly unstoppable. Zach Brown showed he can be a change of pace back. And John Clay, well, according to my buddy Fuzz, "If I had to develop a prototypical physical specimen of a running back...it'd be John Clay." Obviously, this was against a weak Akron team, but the Badgers showed a glimpse of what other Big Ten (11) teams can expect this year.

4) We're Not on YouTube Anymore Toto. Michigan rolled out a bunch of freshman at the skill positions on offense, including YouTube legend Sam McGuffie. Mission Backfired. The Wolverines offense was anemic and the running game was the reason. McGuffie and Co. couldn't run for more than 1.3 ypc and certainly had a hard time leaping over people. Granted they had an almost entirely new offensive line starting, but Michigan has been recruiting well for years...this much of a drop off was not expected. However, Michigan's defense didn't show up until the second half, juuuussst a little late to help the Wolverines cause. Coach DickRod should hope that someone learns his offense, anyone learns his offense, and learns it soon.

5) Optimism in Iowa. No Hawkeyes were arrested on Saturday, which itself should have promoted optimism. But Hawkeye fans had other reasons to celebrate...they beat someone. It was only an FCS (1-AA) team, but beat them they did. In true Iowa fashion, Lil' Bro #2 texted me following the win: "Remember the name Jewel Hampton, he's gonna run circles around you guys for the next 4 years." I tried my hardest to let him enjoy his win and newfound RB prodigy, but I couldn't help remember a similar text from two years back: "Jake Christensen is gonna tear you up once he becomes our starter." Good luck with that.

An Oddysey: The Big Ten's Climb Back To Respectability

2008-08-29T02:13:00.002-05:00

Newsflash: The Big Ten is down. Way down. And in case you didn't know it, an SEC fan is always there to remind you.

As I wrote earlier this week, the Big Ten's demise started in the fall of 2006 when Ohio State and Michigan were overhyped by ESPN for an entire year. Think about it...how long was the build up to "The Game of the Century" in 2006? Five weeks? Six weeks? ESPN built that game up for a long time in order to bump their ratings. And you know what, they should have. It was two good teams, and they had the rights to the game. The problem I have with it, is immediately after the game, when Michigan lost...ESPN kept hyping them. Because they put up a good game on the road, the voters kept them at #2. And the downfall of the Big Ten began.

Florida jumped Michigan in the polls. Florida destroyed Ohio State in the National Championship game. USC destroyed Michigan in the Rose Bowl. Those two teams from the "Game of the Century"...they got embarrassed. And so did their conference. All it took was a top 5 ranking for Michigan the following year, an historic upset by The Little Football Team That Could (App St.), a few more losses in games that should've been won...and there you have it. The Big Ten is down.

But fear not F&BT fans, the Big Ten is not down for the count. It is a long, steep climb back to respectability, but foundered by the hope of a season anew, the Big Ten can make the oddysey by following these few steps:

1) Win the Game You Should ABSOLUTELY Win. Big Ten teams play 9 FCS (1-AA) opponents this year. We all learned last year not to take those for granted, but on this climb up the BCS ladder of respectability...these are must wins. No more Appalachian State. No more North Dakota State. Win these games. Period.

2) Win the Game You Are Supposed To Win. Big Ten teams play some weak non-conference teams this year, and believe me...they are supposed to win these games. MAC teams included. Western Kentucky. Ball State. Central Michigan. FIU. Northern Illinois. Bowling Green. Florida Atlantic. Ohio. Syracuse. Duke. Temple. Miami Ohio. Toledo. Akron. Marshall. Eastern Michigan. Florida Atlantic. Louisiana-Lafayette. Western Michigan. Troy. All wins, and we're on the right pace.

3) Beat Notre Dame. Everyone hates Notre Dame anyways, and we all loved it when they sucked last year. Another sweep of the Domers doesn't necessarily help the Big Ten...but losses could hurt.

4) Win MOST of the BCS Buster Games. Wisconsin @ Fresno. Iowa @ Pitt. Iowa vs Iowa St. Michigan vs Utah. Penn St vs Oregon St. These are games versus "name" teams in college football that are either in, or close to, the Top 25. Solid BCS teams or WAC upset artists...taking three or four out of these 5 games is a solid foundation.

5) Be Competitive in the Marquis Matchups. OSU @ USC. Purdue vs. Oregon. Michigan State @ Cal. Illinois vs Missouri. These are the nationally televised games that the entire country will be watching. A split would be excellent, but a competitive game in all four is a must for the Big Ten.

6) Represent in the Bowls. This is where Big Ten fans need to drop their rivalry biases and cheer for their conference brethen. At no other point in the season will the nation be focusing on conference affiliation. The Big Ten needs some key bowl wins to capitalize on the momentum from their season-long climb up the respectability ladder.

If the Big Ten follows these six steps back to respectability, the season will be fun, exciting, and fulfilling. But SSSHHHHHH!!! Any chest-puffing, bragging, and big win crowing will decimate any respect the Big Ten earned throughout the season. And we all know what happened the last time our teams were too hyped...

3rd Time's a Charm - Ohio State Football

2008-08-28T22:26:00.004-05:00

Ohio State football will be good this year. Real good. Deal with it.

Nearly every pre-season publication has them ranked in the top 3 teams in the country. They return an absurd 18 players off of a National Championship participant team. They had one of the best recruiting classes in the country last year, including landing way-too-often-talked-about Terrelle Pryor. From now on, I refuse to write his name in this blog until he does something ridiculous. We'll call him "That One Guy". As inauspicious and damning as someone's name can get.

Yes, Ohio State will be good this year. Deal with it.

If you really want an Ohio State Preview, look somewhere else...anywhere else, because they are literally everywhere. They are probably one of the most talked about teams this preseason. Instead, I'm going to give you the reason why Ohio State straight up pisses me off:

"The" Arrogance. Nothing bothers me more than when some idiot stresses the "The" before saying Ohio State. Why? So it's not confused with all those other Ohio State Universities? This is ridiculous, and that sense of arrogance directly affects their play.
National Championship Game Suck-job, First Edition. Yeah, I know that I can't talk because my team has never made it there, but come on. Respect yourselves and take your opponent seriously. Troy Smith, Ted Ginn and Co. sucked dick in the game because they got way too arrogant and didn't take Florida seriously. They probably walked around all week stressing the word "The" before describing anything...including "The" suck-job they were about to pull.
National Championship Game Suck-Job, V2.0. I don't discredit them as much for the game against LSU because they no doubt took it seriously, and it was closer than people think. My problem with this game occurred early, maybe the first punt return. As the OSU returner was about to head out to catch the punt, who else but "The" arrogant Ted Ginn is standing on the sideline, looking like a punk, and giving this kid advice. Hey Ted, you already effed up one title game, why are you on the bench trying to ruin another?
Jim Tressel. The only reason he pisses me off is because he lets idiots like Ted Ginn stand on the sidelines and mess with his players before a big game. When you're in the National Championship game that you got embarrassed in last year, wouldn't you want your team focused? Wouldn't you limit distractions? I completely understand letting former players/famous people onto the sidelines, but keep them out of the box reserved for current players. And certainly don't let idiots like Ted Ginn give them advice. Other than that, I actually love Tressel. I think the sweater vest is classy and he's never really done anything that bad...except for enable those...
Cheatin' Sumbitches. How does a program that had it's highest profile recruit driving a "borrowed" car with "gifts" in the back report said car stolen, then take back the stolen claim, only to have all of America know he did it because of the gifts...how does that not draw any interest from the NCAA? How does it's most recent Heisman Trophy winner have to sit out a few games because he was suspended for taking cash? How much dirt does OSU have on Myles Brand and the NCAA? Why does no one else bring this up ever?

So there you go. My rant on OSU. Despite all my dislikes for Ohio State, I will be cheering for them this year. We all should. For the sake of the Big Ten, Ohio State needs to beat USC. For the sake of the Big Ten, Ohio State needs to get back to the title game...and actually win it. Just keep ol' Teddy Ginn away from "That One Guy" on the sidelines.

Minnesota Football: Nowhere To Go But Up!

2008-08-28T20:52:00.005-05:00

Tim Brewster can sell a ketchup popsicle to a lady in white gloves. That's the only way I can rationalize the recruiting classes he has pulled in the last two years. Seemingly out of nowhere, the Gophers have hauled quite their share of 4 star recruits, largely due to Brewster and his relentless optimism.
"Coach, how many games did you lose last year?"
"Doesn't matter, we don't live in the past. But did you know that Minnesota football has won 18 Big Ten Championships, had um-teen All-Americans, and won 6 National Championships?"

For a coach that doesn't live in the past, Timmay! Brewster is quick to pull out the glory statistics from prior to the 1950's. Whatever he's selling up there, it's working...kind of. His class last year ranked in the Top 20 in the country. But this week, reports came out this week that Minnesota's freshman football players had the lowest ACT average of all the Big Ten teams with a 17.2 average. 17.2! That is patently absurd, and will be covered in a later post. Also, some of the highly ranked recruits have had trouble staying on campus thus far. Arguably the star of this year's class, QB MarQueis Gray has yet to pass the NCAA Clearinghouse. Three others from this year's class are not with the team either, two of which did not gain admission to the University. Five out of the 8 recruits Brewster added to last year's class are no longer with the team either. And for icing on the cake, Brewster brought in 8 JUCO players who are traditionally academic risks (thus why they went to JUCO in the first place).

Why take such risks on players with great football talent but probably will struggle academically? Because Minnesota football was absolutely terrible last year. T-E-R-R-IBLE. While 2008 looks better, it's only because it can't possibly be worse. The Golden Gophers return a legit quarterback in Adam Weber, and a rising star in wide receiver Eric Decker. The duo will be the pulse of the offense for the gophers, and where they go, the gophers go. Complementing Weber and Decker, Jack Simmons returns for a 5th year at tight end. (True Story: he played on my little bro's bball team as a youth. One day I scrimmaged with them, and when guarding Simmons he dribbled through my legs before scoring. Slightly embarrasing...and I was older than him)

On the defensive side of the ball, welcome to Junior College. Former Duke coach Ted Roof will look to improve the nation's worst defense from last year with the help of numerous JUCO players. DT Tim McGee, DE Cedric McKinley, LB Simoni Lawrence, CB Tremaine Brock, and S Trae Simmmons will all be counted to play extensive minutes, if not start. They may not be worst in the nation this year, but they certainly won't be the best. Expect another long season if the defense can't find ways to get off the field on 3rd down.

And to be honest, this defense will have trouble getting off the field on 3rd down. This defense will have trouble getting off the field on any down. So much so that when I play against them in NCAA 2009, I don't think I have ever punted. Not once. And that's how I think the season will go for the Gophers this year. Weber and Decker will put up some points, Brewster will provide insane amounts of hilarious quotes, and the defense will give up points. On the bright side, they have the potential to increase their win total by 400%. That's not a typo, it's just a matter of them only winning one game last year. Look for the Gophers to sweep their non-conference games...and get swept in their conference ones. Better luck next year Timmay!

Not So Happey Valley: Penn State Football Preview

2008-08-28T00:07:00.003-05:00

It's true. This offseason, you were likely to find as many stories about Penn State football players in the blotter as in the sports section. Thankfully for Nittany Lion fans, football season is here and players once again have an outlet for all their rage (hitting each other with pads on, rather than pulling knives and making terrorist threats at each other). The product that the fighting JoePa's put on the field this year will surely get Penn State some good press too.

Led by possibly the most dynamic receiving core in the Big Ten and a group of electrifying running backs, Penn State is rolling out their offense with their self-titled "Spread HD" in 2008. RS Junior Daryll Clark's long wait is finally over as he is the annointed starting Quarterback. Considered a throwback to the Michael Robinson days of three years ago, Clark carries the burden of trying to live up to the massive expectations of Lion faithful. Don't be disappointed when he doesn't folks. Anthony Morelli didn't exactly light up the scoreboard the past two years, and Clark couldn't beat him out. Also, Robinson didn't exactly excel his first year on the job. It was his second year as a starter when he led PSU to the Orange Bowl.

Clark will have an arsenal of weapons at his disposal though. Evan Royster and Stephon Green, 4.2 speed and all, will provide a fierce 1-2 punch out of the backfield. And as I said before, the receivers may be the best group in all of the Big Ten. Derrick Williams, Deon Butler, and Jordan Norwood combine the speed and big play ability that will ignite the famously rowdy student section in Happy Valley.

However, the fans won't have nearly as much to cheer for on the defensive side of the football this year. With the loss of Sean Lee to a season ending ACL injury, the string of dominant linebackers at "Linebacker U" could be in trouble. The D-line will be thin after Paterno kicked two linemen off the team this summer due to the aforementioned legal troubles, but DE Maurice Evans is a certifiable beast. Expect him to throw around O-lineman like rag dolls and draw double-teams all year. The secondary is experienced and will be the strength of the defense. Lead by Anthony "Did you say something to my woman? Get 'em boys!" Scirrotto, the Nittany Lion secondary should feature two senior safeties and three potential corners with at least 3 years in the program.

So where do the fighting (literally) Nittany Lions figure into the Big Ten race? Well, while I think the Nittany Lions may be good, when you actually name your own offense, as Jay Paterno did with the "Spread HD", you're asking for trouble. Several things come to mind when I hear about the "Spread HD"...
(Receivers)"Hung (out to) Dry"
"Huge Dud"
"Horribly Deficient"
"(I was) High...Definitely (when thinking of this)"

Yep, Jay Paterno just jinxed the shit out of his offense. Look for Clark to struggle, the defense to take a step back from 2007, and Joe Paterno to make approximately 6,427 sarcastic responses to questions about his retirement. He didn't become the best quote in the Big Ten without practice folks. Penn State will lose 2 games they aren't supposed to, win 1 that they shouldn't, and finish 4th in the Big Ten. Joe Pa will not retire, and Happy Valley won't be so happy during another loooong, long off-season.

Swiss Cheese Defense or Solid Wisconsin Cheddar

2008-08-27T22:28:00.010-05:00

Two years ago, Wisconsin went 11-1 and missed out on the BCS because Ohio State and Michigan were both heading to the BCS already. With a decent amount of starters returning, hopes were high around the Badgers that another good record and possible BCS berth were possible in 2007. But looking at a few factors, I predicted that last year wasn't the Badgers year...but 2008 would be. They had numerous sophomore starters on both sides of the ball back in 2006, and two years worth of experience, coupled with a favorable schedule and attrition across most other Big Ten teams rosters, I figured 2008 would be the Badgers year. Well guess what folks, it just may be.

Now, not everything went according to my plan. All of Ohio States proven stars stayed in school. Jack Ikegwuonu turned pro. Most of the defensive line got hurt in the offseason. Lance Smith stole his girlfriends stillettos and got himself booted from the First Offender's Program and football team. And Virginia Tech was, albeit smartly, removed from the 2008 schedule.

They may not have the fast track to a Big Ten title, but don't think the Badgers won't make a run for it. Behind an experienced and talented offensive line, P.J. Hill, Zach Brown, and John Clay will pound the football enough to make any old-school football fan proud. And just when that 8th or 9th defender moves into the box, play action all day. Whether it's Travis Beckum slipping behind the linebackers or David Gilreath (my boy 85!) and Kyle Jefferson getting over the top of defensive backs, new QB Allan Evridge should have some wide open targets to hit.

But as WildHawk might say, that's where Bucky's problems start. As with Jake Christensen at Iowa, Wisconsin will be trusting its offense to left handed quarterback Allan Evridge, which is pretty much comparable to letting Will Ferrell's character in Old School guard your beer at a party. (It's so good! Once it hits your lips...)

But the question marks don't end there for Wisconsin. After fielding a stellar defense in 2006, UW's defense turned into swiss cheese in 2007. Holes. All. Over. The defensive line couldn't get pressure...a freshman cornerback led in sacks for most of the year. The linebackers were consistently out of position and over-running plays. The secondary couldn't communicate to each other, let alone tackle. Worst of all, they had no leadership...proven by the fact that a certain SS continued talking smack after big hits that happened 40 yards downfield. Can the defense which returns 9 starters turn it around?

Recently promoted Defensive Coordinator Dave Doeren hopes so. The DL should be much improved after some young players got valuable reps in bowl practices/spring practices and Mike Newkirk moves back to his natural position at Tackle. The outside linebackers, Casillas and Levy, should be strong with 2 years of experience under their belts. Casillas is hurt currently with a sprained knee, but should be back soon. Worst case, he'll be a step slow and won't over-pursue 15 plays a game. The middle linebacker spot should benefit from an upgrade in the athleticism department as Jaevery McFadden steps in for returning starter Elijah Hodge. McFadden isn't a natural MLB, but his speed and aggressiveness should help against the 8 spread teams the Badgers face this year. Finally, and certainly not least, the secondary will be better for the sole reason that it couldn't be worse. Returning SS Aubrey Pleasant? Sit down and stop talking crap 40 yards downfield after every play. Jay Valai, welcome to the starting Strong Safety spot. Shane Carter, he who led the Big Televen in INT's last year, returns as the ball-hawking Free Safety. And while the corners are young and/or coming off injuries, all signs in the spring game pointed to a talented group.

So, can the Badgers give Ohio State a run for their money? Not unless the Buckeyes pull a move like Michigan last year. The Badgers have a brutal schedule, even with lowly Cal-Poly replacing Va Tech. A tough road game at Fresno State, and then opening the Big Ten with: @Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, @Iowa, Illinois, @Michigan State. First of all, it's been a while since any Big Ten team beat OSU and Mich in back to back weeks. After that, the Penn State- Iowa- Illinois-MSU gauntlet provides 4 physical weeks of football. The Badgers simply aren't deep enough to survive that stretch unscathed. I expect the injuries to mount and the pounding to take its toll, and they will lose at least once if not twice in those four. And even if they do survive that schedule, the Badgers will probably not get much national respect. Think about it, they're going to be ramming the ball down opponents throats once they have the lead in the second half. That will lead to some boring 4th quarter football in Madison. Thankfully, that glorious 5th quarter awaits the faithful. And look for the UW Marching Band to be playing the 5th quarter in Florida in January...again.

Who are the Iowa Hawkeyes?

2008-08-26T13:48:00.008-05:00

[Full Disclosure: I graduated from Iowa]

If I were to personify the Iowa Hawkeyes, I'd see the team as either The Riddler from Batman or Matthew Lesko, the "get free money from the government" guy because this team is literally covered in question marks. Can Jake Christensen live up to his recruiting hype? Does the offensive line actually exist? Who, if anyone, will emerge at running back? Can any of the receivers stay healthy (or on the team)? Is the defense good enough to carry the offense? Over/Under .500 in field goal percentage?

I remember the high point of New Year's Day 2005. The Hawkeyes had just beaten an LSU team with the likes of JaMarcus Russell, Joseph Addai, Early Doucet, and Dwayne Bowe on a hail mary to win the Capital One Bowl. And, only a month later, the Hawks would sign one of the best recruiting classes in the nation (and certainly in school history). Iowa fans were on cloud 9 and believed it was time for Iowa to go from a respected member of the BigTen, competing for a conference title every now-and-then, to a powerhouse, joining Michigan and Ohio State in the conference's upper echelon.

Oh how things have changed. The Hawkeyes are 19-17 since then. And that illustrious 2005 recruiting class...a total bust. The majority of the class doesn't even play football for Iowa due to academic problems, transfers, and career-ending injuries. From there, the problems only get worse. You name it, it's gone wrong in Iowa City:

Sex Scandal? Check.

Theft/Credit Card Fraud? Check.

Numerous Underage Drinking Violations? Check.

Natural Disasters? Check.

To be honest, if not for some real cupcake opponents since 2004-2005, the Hawks wouldn't be anywhere near .500. So where do they go from here? Kirk Ferentz insists the off-the-field issues are being dealt with, and so far, there haven't been many new problems (having said that, the old ones are still pending).

So what's in store this year for Iowa? I have no idea...no one does. Sadly, they really remind me of the Chicago Bears. Despite my hopes and dreams, I have a sick feeling that Jake Christensen just is not a BigTen quarterback. He gets happy feet in the pocket, is too short to see over his o-line, has limited mobility, is inaccurate, and generally showed NO signs of improvement last year. I know he had a bad line and receivers with no experience, but even when the blocking was okay and someone was open, I felt like Jake missed more than anyone in the conference. Hell, some of his throws were so bad, even the defense couldn't get them. [Also, I know this might be total crap, but don't trust left-handed, white QBs. Besides Steve Young and Mark Brunnell, none that I can remember have been much better than average]. Just about everyone on the offensive line returns, but after last year, I'm not convinced that's a good thing. LT Bryan Bulaga could be the next Hawkeye great on the line, but after a freshman year with injuries, who knows? As for three 5-stars from the '05 class, OT Dace Richardson's career is over, OG Dan Doering cannot live up to his hype, and OG/C Rafael Eubanks was moved to guard because he isn't even the best center on the team now. Center Rob Bruggeman could be a bright spot, but OG Seth Olsen is overrated and OT Kyle Calloway basically sucks (he got consistently beat like a ginger step-child last year). Also, like my Bears from the NFL, the Hawkeyes have no proven running back (sure Shonn Greene looked like a stud in '06, but can he survive a full year and avoid fumbleitis?). The receivers are average, don't let Hawk fans tell you otherwise. Andy Brodell is finally healthy, but who can forget all of his game-changing (and game-blowing) drops from years' past. If people want to polish his knob because he had one good game against Texas in the Alamo Bowl that's fine with me, just don't act surprised when he gets cement hands. Derrell Johnson-Koulianos has the athleticism to be a star, but can he get open and hang on? Trey Stross is insignificant because he's always hurt. Lastly, Paul Cheney and Colin Sandeman have shown flashes, but the jury's still out. I can only hope the addition of WR coach Erik Campbell (from Michigan, where he coached David Terrell, Braylon Edwards, Mario Manningham, etc.) will help, but until a game is played, I'm not going to assume that's the case.

Sadly, for how bad the offense sounds, the defense could be really good. DTs Mitch King and Matt Kroul are proven and highly regarded. Plus, much like my gut feeling that Jake isn't a D1 QB, I think DEs Adrian Clayborn and either Christian Ballard are the real deal and will be playing on Sundays. LB A.J. Edds might be as good as Chad Greenway when his career is over, but for now he remains vastly underrated. Whoever claims the other linebacker spots will be a little green but incredibly athletic. As for the secondary, I hope CB Amari Spievey will surprise. He worked his ass off to get back to Iowa City (grades), and was a JUCO All-American in his year away. CB Bradley Fletcher is experienced but beatable, and CB Jordan Bernstine (if healthy) can be a star. The safeties are really solid but not too flashy.

As for punting, P Ryan Donahue has the leg to be All-BigTen. Kicking, however is a different story. As far as I can tell, Daniel Murray sucks. My money is on freshman Trent Mossbrucker to take over, but who knows how that'll turn out?

All-in-all, this team is a total mystery. The schedule doesn't get much easier, so that's a plus. If the o-line can make improvements from last year, Shonn Greene can live up to his potential, and Jake Christensen (or his replacement!) can manage something from the QB position, the team could win 8, 9, or even 10 games. But, that's a lot of "if"s. Say things go wrong and the offense looks like it did last year, then some serious changes will have to be made in the off-season. My prediction is 7-5: a lower-tier bowl game, a step in the right direction , and something to build on.

All Things Television

2008-08-26T01:13:00.007-05:00

First things first...I got the BTN today!! That's what I'm talking about Comcast...it took you a while, but you finally came around. You finally came around, and I love you for it. Don't screw it up.

Now, on to some more good news for the Big Ten Network. After a contentious Friday afternoon in which the Executive Vice President of Time Warner attempted a not so subtle low blow on Mark Silverman and the BTN, Time Warner and the year old Network struck a deal late Monday night. Big Televen fans in Ohio and Wisconsin will now be able to watch their Buckeyes and Badgers play their opening game. Don't kid yourself people, this is huge. Time Warner was one of the last cable carriers within the Midwest to pick up the BTN, and don't think they didn't know it. But even bigger in this whole scenario, the BTN showed that it can put cheap shots and bullshit negotiating tactics behind them to serve their customers. Props.

Coupled with the news that a deal with Mediacom, serving mostly Iowa and some southern Illinois, is immenent...that leaves pretty much only Charter Communications holding their ground. Ya know Charter, Custer once took a stand too...and that one didn't work out so well.

In other news, ESPN just paid $2.25 BILLION for the rights to broadcast all SEC football games after CBS takes the marquis game. The mistake that ESPN made in this deal, and this is key here, is that they paid waaaay too much. Everyone affiliated with college football knows that SEC people can't count past 6. So expecting them to be able to count all the way up to $2.2B is just ridiculous. Secondly, ESPN is a main reason that SEC fans hate the Big Ten. It's true, ansd they're about to get a taste of their own medicine. The whole "Big Ten is down" thing started in the fall of 2006. Knowing they had the TV rights to a potential epic game of Ohio State and Michigan, ESPN had all 10 talking heads hyping up both teams all season. Even after Michigan lost to the Buckeyes, they remained #2 in the country based on all the hype that ESPN gave that game and their gutsy performance on the road. Now, we all know what happened after that. Florida jumped Michigan in the polls, and proceeded to trounce Ohio State in the BCS National Championship. Michigan didn't fare much better in the Rose Bowl against USC. All of a sudden, the two teams that ESPN had hyped all year and forced down college football fans' throats in order to improve their own ratings had been crushed on the two biggest stages possible.

And wouldn't you know it, the very same conference that claimed a Big Ten bias due to ESPN's force feeding has signed on for a 15 year curse of the talking heads. And true SEC fans know it too. As Orson Swindle, writer at EDSBS.com and Florida Gator fan, so eloquently put it,

"ESPN’s love is herpes for the fan of any team: once acquired, it never really goes away, and though contracting it is a sign that you did something right, it also burns and flares up when one least expects it."

Good luck with those sores in your nether regions SEC fans...they are the first sign of the dreaded "overrated" label.

Inaugural F&BT College Pick'Em Challenge!

2008-08-25T23:11:00.003-05:00

For all of you F&BT fans out there who think we're idiots...here's your chance to prove it. Welcome to the inaugural season of the F&BT College Pick'Em Challenge! Graciously (read: free) hosted by ESPN.com, all you loyal F&BT readers or, more likely, friends of ours that we force this blog upon, now have your shot at proving how much smarter you are than us. Sign up for ESPN fantasy (it's free), go to the College Football Pick'Em page, search the private groups, and join the F&BT group.

Group Name: First and Big Ten
Password: bigtenfootball

The standings will be posted weekly in the blog, and the overall winner at the end of the season will get their 15 minutes of fame, courtesy of an interview in this very blog. So fire up the brain cells, do some research, and pick the winners of a few games every week. Then rank them in order of your confidence level that the team you picked will actually win. Basically, if you can't figure it out...well, you're probably an SEC fan.

Think your smarter than us? Prove it.

Michigan State Football: Fool's Gold

2008-08-25T08:47:00.003-05:00

It's no secret that I consider the Michigan State Spartans not only the most disappointing team in the Big10, but also the nation. On one hand, MSU always seems to recruit pretty well (at least top half of the conference on average), and they always have solid NFL prospects: Plaxico Burress, TJ Duckett, Derrick Mason, Muhsin Muhammad, Charles Rogers, Jeff Smoker, Drew Stanton, and Devin Thomas, to name a few. However, on the other hand, East Lansing has become a head-coaching revolving door in recent years and despite having some of the cockiest fans in the Big10, MSU hasn't had back-to-back winning seasons since '89-'90! And, they've been to only 1 New Year's Day bowl in that span.[Don't mention to those Spartan faithful that Northwestern has won/shared 3 conference titles since then.]

I've noticed two major problems with Michigan State since I started following the Big10 (early-mid '90s):

1) MSU plays second fiddle in its own state. Regardless of what you hear from a Spartan fan, the Maize'n Blue dominate the state of Michigan. Whether it's recruiting, academics, or location, don't let the warrior physique fool you, Sparty is the little brother.

2) Inconsistency. Fact: the Spartans will win a couple big upset games every year, then lose to a couple teams they should beat. I believe this has to do with why MSU fans seem so full of themselves...they only notice the big wins! Is it just me, or does MSU seem to beat Notre Dame a lot lately? Also, they always give the Wolverines a run for their money, often times emerging the victors over The Victors. But, MSU always seems to drop games to inferior talent (Indiana, Northwestern, Minnesota, etc.).

I'm sure they wouldn't want to hear it, but I pitty Spartan fans. Expectations are always high in East Lansing, and rightfully so. They recruit in the middle-to-top half of the Big10, even beating out Michigan/Notre Dame/Penn State for recruits their fair share of the time. This recruiting success translates to MSU possessing a handful of dangerous weapons just about every year. That being said, they always manage to lose winnable games. At least when you root for a crumby team, expectations aren't high. I'd probably have a John L. Smith-esque breakdown myself if my team always had high hopes but consistently disappointed.

So can they turn it around this year and add to the momentum from last year? If recent history is accurate, I say no. Sure the Spartans return QB Brian Hoyer, RB Javon Ringer, and Mark Dell (who impressed as a true freshman WR), but they lost their game changing WR Devin Thomas, TE Kellen Davis, and underrated DE Jonal Saint-Dic, to name a few. Head coach Mark Dantonio does seem to fit in East Lansing, but I could've said the same for John L. Smith and Bobby Williams at some point in recent years. Michigan State will finish 5-7, maybe 6-6. They have to travel to Cal and Penn State (both losses), host Eastern Michigan and Florida Atlantic (both wins), and won't win more than half against Nortre Dame (improved), Indiana (improved), Iowa, Northwestern (improved), OSU (best in conference), Michigan, Wisconsin (2nd best in conference), and Purdue. To be honest, this shouldn't surprise any Spartan faithful. Look for them to make a big deal out of potential wins against Notre Dame, Iowa, and Michigan, then totally forget to mention blowing games against Northwestern and Indiana. It happens every year.

Welcome Back to Earth...an Illinois Preview

2008-08-25T00:06:00.005-05:00

I think that title pretty much sums up F&BT's thoughts on Illinois this year, and generally describes their Rose Bowl experience from last January. The beating from USC confirmed what most outside of Chambana already knew, that Illinois isn't there yet...but they're not far away. Well, they are this year, but they should be elite again next year. Why aren't they elite this year? Well I thought you'd never ask!

1) The Juice is loose...and that's not a good thing. Williams came in as an overhyped recruit and was instantly designated as the face of the program. Asked to do too much too early, he struggled his freshman year. The thing is...he struggled last year too, only the bar was set so low from his freshman year that people only saw the improvement. He flat out sucked in the Penn State game, and was benched in the second half. But I will give him some credit, he was a stud in the Ohio State game. Unless he becomes a consistent stud, expect the Illini to remain in the second tier of the Big Ten.

2) The schedule won't be so friendly to the Illini. Remember when Illinois was upsetting those teams last year out of nowhere? Well, a trip to the Rose Bowl and a couple upset wins will put you on someone's radar. Unfortunately for the Illini, two teams they upset at home last year, Penn State and Wisconsin, will be looking for retribution on a Jason Bourne level when the Illini come visiting in 2008. In case the Illini haven't heard, Happy Valley and Madison tend to be a little rowdy on gameday.

3) Key defensive losses. Make no mistake about it, Illinois lost three good players at three of the more important defensive positions. The two safeties not only serve as the last line of defense, but call all the coverage and formation audibles before the snap. Communication and cohesiveness are key, and the Illini's two veteran safeties from last year's team are being replaced by inexperienced youngsters. Similarly, J Leman called the defense last year, and pretty much made this team tick. Illini fans feel safe with Brit Miller stepping over into the Mike linebacker spot with his superior speed and veteran experience, but be careful Illini fans, J Leman played the Mike spot last year for a reason. He was good.

The news in Chambana isn't all bad this year however, as the Illini have just a few things going for them.

1) Rejus! Rejus! Rejus! Arrelious Benn is a friggin' stud, and you can't even argue otherwise. It's like watching Varsity Blues when he catches the ball. He'll catch the ball and people just start falling off him in way that makes you say, "Nope, that's not realistic...hollywood sucks at sports action scenes!" Except it's real...and it's Rejus Benn. Just ask Penn State.

2) Illinois is a physical football team. Lots of teams that switch to running a spread offense tend to lose sight of the concept that football is a physical game. It's almost as if some offenses think they're playing two-hand touch. Get the defense in space, and try not to let them touch you. Not Illinois. Illinois will try to trick you with some misdirection, and just when you turn your head back around...BAM! Run over by a Mack truck. Props to Ron Zook and Mike Locksley for keeping that physical edge built into this offense.

3) The gameday atmosphere is on the up-and-up. Excellent tailgating lots. A rejuvenated fan base. Renovated stadium. And something to actually cheer about. Yep, Illinois football Saturdays are moving up the list of Road Trips Worth Making.

So there you have it..my thoughts on Illinois. Illinois' season will be like the career of Vince Vaughn...breakout with Swingers, make a bunch of crappy movies while learning how to act, and claim your spot in the upper echelon with a classic like Wedding Crashers. Unfortunately, Illinois is in the crappy movie part of that cycle. 2008 won't be able to match the drama and excitement of 2007 or Swingers, but Illini fans can rightly expect to go bowling again in '08...possibly even a January 1 bowl in Florida. But more realistically, 2008 will be a year of growing pains for a program that made a monumental leap out of the cellar in a one-year span. Back-to-back highly ranked recruiting classes has raised the talent level, but F&BT cautions Illini fans that faster and more athletic does not necessarily mean better. Until Illinois becomes less reliant on youth in the two-deep, they'll remain just under the elite level of the Big Televen. Don't be discouraged by 4 or 5 losses in 2008, this will be at team to reckon with in 2009.

Stand Back People...We're Professionals

2008-08-16T12:51:00.005-05:00

Wisconsin has been getting some love from the distinguished gentlemen over at Every Day Should Be Saturday. Granted it's not actually love for the football team, but love is love people. And in the crazy minds of beligerent Badger fans, probably only rivaled by Gary Busey on his best days, there's no better way to show love than telling someone to "Eat S#!t".

But just in case all you self righteous fans get a little offended, know this...Wisconsin has the most active student section if college football for reasons other than "Jump Around" or swearing at each other...

The Rundown

2008-06-27T20:37:00.002-05:00

THE DEAL IS DONE!!! The Big Ten Network and Comcast have stopped acting like bickering frat boys at Purdon't...er Purdue... long enough to make a deal. This is nothing but good news for everyone that doesn't live in Iowa, where Comcast does not operate. Sucks for them. Of course, rather than praise the Big Ten for going out on a limb and having balls large enough to take on major cable companies, certain national media members chose to talk about the possibility of an SEC network. Mandel conveniently forgets that starting a tv network requires actual brain function. Something we all know SEC players and fans lack. That's a problem for those SEC boys if they're thinking of following another Big Ten innovation.

Not only do they still not have access to the BTN, but the state of Iowa is drowning. Iowa City was actually hit pretty hard. Any and all help for the University is appreciated...including monetary donations and any ideas on reviving the football program.

I'M RON ZOOK!!! WATCH ME WORK OUT!!! WOOO!!! FOOBALL!! WOOO!!! I'M GONNA BE A BIGGER WORKOUT STAR THAN THAT BUTCH-LADY ON BRAVO!!The BTN will follow Illinois' fall back to mediocrity this year in the second installment of their "Journey" series. Over-under on number of times the Zooker is shown lifting weights....10.

Amateur porn and college football...all in one convenient location! Wisconsin is instituting a "Show and Blow" policy at Camp Randall in 2008. This is wrong for so many reasons, namely that it won't stop anyone from drinking. Police say they issue 10-15 tickets per game, and this program only applies to people cited at previous games. Eight home games with 10 people each cited, puts it around 80 people subjected to "Show and Blow" by the end of the season....out of the 80,000 person capacity at the stadium. F&BT is positive this program is worthless...yet here's to hoping that we don't get arrested for instituting our own "Show & Blow" program on our next visit to Madtown.

...And Leaving on a Good Note

2008-05-27T23:37:00.002-05:00

Anyone who has followed the Big Ten Football for the past 10 years surely remembers the name Adam Taliaferro. Adam was a freshman cornerback at Penn State when he broke his neck and was paralyzed in a game versus Ohio State. I still remember watching that play over an over again on ESPN and thinking at how innocent the entire play looked. It didn't seem like that much damage could have been done in the snap second tackle.

But alas, Adam was paralyzed and his struggle to walk again was highly publicized. He provided motivation to teammates and ignited fans in Happy Valley with every appearance. And now, nearly 8 years after that tragic day, Adam is persevering again and getting his law degree.

From those of us at F&BT, congratulations Adam!

Bad News First...

2008-05-27T23:09:00.002-05:00

There's usually only two types of news stories to come out of a college football program this time of year...recruiting news, and current players getting into trouble. Unfortunately for the Big Ten, this week brought two stories from the latter category.

Bench warrants were issued for two former Iowa players for sexual abuse charges. These are some pretty serious charges, so we'll hold off on the jokes about the players. But that won't stop me from making fun of the school...do you know what IOWA stands for? Idiots Out Wandering Around. Fitting, isn't it?

Also in the news this week, Minnesota released its speedy return man Harold Howell due to academic reasons. If you've been following Tim Brewster's recruiting the past few years and you're surprised....well, then you've probably never figured out what the Gopher fans were spelling after they sing their fight song.

Click with Caution

2008-05-21T23:54:00.002-05:00

WARNING: This may enduce extreme excitement and strange feelings in your pants.

http://www.easports.com/downloads/easports/ncaa09/images/Wisconsinallred.jpg

Graphics look nasty. I can't wait.

From the "I Wish I Would've Proposed This Myself" File

2008-05-21T22:52:00.002-05:00

The Big12 commish proposed getting rid of a redshirt year in college football and giving all student athletes five years of eligibility.

I'll admit it, when WildHawk first emailed me this story, I thought it was brilliant. Why doesn't this make sense? But after thinking about it for a while, I thought that maybe I had overreacted to another football article while passing the time at work. This happens often, and I wouldn't have been surprised if my initial reaction was too extreme in this case as well, but I've been thinking about this all day now, and it just makes sense. Period. Let me explain.

The main argument to redshirt a player is that they are not prepared for the elite level of college football, or that their position happens to be stocked with talented upperclassmen and must wait their turn for stardom. This bothers me for a few reasons, but mostly that it pigeon-holes a freshman player after only a few weeks on the college football scene. It gives that player no chance to prove himself after the first 2-3 weeks of training camp. We can all agree, college football is a big jump from high school ball, and takes time to adjust for most freshman. But players progress throughout the season, and allowing players 5 years of eligibility gives them the opportunity to progress throughout their freshman year and a chance to possibly improve their standing on the depth chart. Maybe even enough to get some PT towards the end of the year, and put themselves in a much better position to succeed later in their careers with more game experience.

Now, having said all that, there are some negatives I see. You know those players that seem like they have been around for 10 years, but it's really only 3? Well, imagine if that 3 years was actually 5. I would have hated the Mike Hart's, Chad Henne's, Paul Posluzny's, and Kyle Orton's of the world at least 10 times as much. At least. But you know what, college football would be better for that. Think about it, without players and teams to hate, college football wouldn't be as fun. And if that hate can be increased by having those annoyingly-old-but-not-yet-graduated-players play an extra year...well, I'll take it. On the bright side, the players that are pure college players...the ones with no shot at the NFL, but they give so damn much on the football field that they become great college players...those guys will get to play longer. And I'm all for that. Plus, I won't have to waste hours trying to decide who to redshirt in Dynasty mode of NCAA Football 2009.

Don't Call It a Comeback

2008-05-21T22:30:00.003-05:00

We were always here...but not really. Actually, since nothing quite football related has been posted on this college football blog yet, this is still considered our grand opening. What can we say, we have done a little too much celebrating the launch of our blog...rather than actually launching it. You'll notice that our last post was months ago. Our bad.

Actually, there are some legitimate reasons that we haven't posted.
1) We are lazy. Despite what you may think, this is a perfectly legitimate excuse in the blogging world. This isn't a 9-5 for us, and we are our own bosses in this little venture, so we fully reserve the right to be lazy.

2) We are not tech savvy. If you can't tell, the links to our very first post don't even work. In fact, I have even searched for our own blog and was not able to find the correct link. I paid $10 to GoDaddy.com for a domain that I couldn't even set up right. At least that money will help fund more of their wholesome commercials. (I'll be shocked if that link works, but thought I'd try.)

3)I moved across the country. Granted, this was more recent, but it's been in the works for a little while, and has been taking up a lot of my time. Have no fear, WildHawk is still located in the heart of BigTen country, and I promise to spend most of my time researching BigTen Football.

So there you go, 3 terrible reasons why the worst bloggers on the net have not posted a single football article on their college football blog. Although, I'm pretty sure no one has seen this site yet, so I don't feel all that bad. In the end, we subscribe to the Field of Dreams way of life...if you build it, they will come.

Originally, the "they" part was supposed to be readers. Turns out "they" are the actually blog posts about football. Stay tuned.

BuckBuck

Web Problems

2008-02-07T19:06:00.000-06:00

Sorry sports fans, but we're having a few technical problems with the site. We're working through them right now and should have some recruiting news, analysis, etc. As we said in the first post, we're new at this and will be running into problems along the way. To quote the most famous alum from our high school, Vince Vaughn, from Wedding Crashers ... "I'm sorry. OK, I'm sorry that I'm NOT sorry!"

A New Era Begins!

2008-02-05T18:47:00.000-06:00

That's right sports fans...you have a new outlet for your college football addiction! Welcome to First and Big Ten: two slow white guys views on the most storied conference in college football.

We started this blog as an effective, efficient, and glorious method of procrastination. We may not know much about anything, but we sure do know how to procrastinate. And what better topic to focus on than college football in the Big Ten (eleven) conference. Neither of us are writers, and some would even argue that we have a worse sense of humor than the famously blunt Dwight D. Schrute, but we'll be posting as often as possible on a variety of topics related to Big Ten Football.

Now you might be asking yourself what would make us credible sources on Big Ten Football, and in a word..."nothing." But for a conference known for slow athletes and a ridiculous amount of rivalries with Notre Dame, who better to trust than two slow white guys who hold a disdain for the Domers? Picture us as the possession receiver/heady safety who are on the team as much for our heart and g.p.a as our 40 times. Essentially, we're the John Zilka's and Zach Hampton's of college football, and we're damn proud of it. Combined, we have two actual diplomas from Big Ten universities, and have family members that have attended or worked at 10 of the 11 institutions.

So recline back in that uncomfortable office chair, open a random email to quickly bring up on the computer screen should your boss walk by, and enjoy our lack of insight!

BuckBuck and WildHawk