Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Realistic Expections for Mississippi State

As a Mississippi State football fan, I've got to be realistic. As most State fans are, we just want to go to a bowl game. But if we start winning we're going to want more than that. What are some realistic goals and expectations for Mississippi State football? We're not supposed to be that good with the 11th best stadium and budget in the SEC, but State can be good and we don't have to soak in mediocrity like so many fans think we do.

The goals over a 10 year span should be:

1 SEC Championship
2 Western Division Championships
8 Bowl games (that may sound excessive for State, but 10 teams in the SEC go to bowls every year)
75 wins

Realistic expectations over a 10 year span:

1-2 Western Division Championships
6 Bowl games
65 wins

The last 10 years look like this:

0 Western Division Championships
2 Bowl games
42 wins

State's record against SEC teams in the past 10 years (since 2000):

Vanderbilt: 3-1
Kentucky: 5-5
Florida: 2-3
Ole Miss: 4-6
Alabama: 3-7
Auburn: 2-8
Arkansas: 1-9
Georgia: 0-2
Tennessee: 0-4
South Carolina: 0-5
LSU: 0-10


I don't expect State to equal Alabama, LSU, and Florida. But I can expect that we will upset them every now and then...maybe make a run at a Western Division crown like in 1998. Of course, in '98 LSU, Auburn and Alabama weren't nearly as good as they are now. Those teams have been dominating the the 2000s, although Alabama has had their ups and downs. But still, State can sneak in there like Arkansas does every now and then. Those poor records against teams like South Carolina and Arkansas are embarrassing...State should be able to win 40-50% of their games against 2nd tier SEC teams.

Knowing each year that we aren't going to compete for a national championship doesn't bother me. A dream season for State would be taking every game to the final minute, and getting a couple upsets of teams like LSU, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Auburn, and Tennessee...and ultimately making it to the SEC title game with a 10-2 or 11-1 record. And then winning the SEC and playing in the Sugar Bowl. I can't imagine a better season than that, and I would be completely content for an 8-4 season that included a big upset of one of those teams.

One thing I think that needs to be done is expanding the stadium to a horseshoe. Make 15,000 more seats. Think big, be big. That would bring more money to MSU and Starkville. I loved Starkville when I lived there, but to get the best recruits the town could have a little more. With the enrollment increasing by 50% over the next few years Starkville will grow and the stadium needs to as well.

As for this season I think a reasonable goal would be 8-4, but I think the expectations should be 6-6. Just get us to a bowl game, I think we have enough talent to accomplish that.

I love SEC football, and I can't imagine how much more I would love it if State was a contender every year. But I'm also ok with only being a contender every 5th year and competitive every week.

JB

Monday, August 30, 2010

Toughest Schedules

This is football week, so the whole week I'm going to post college football-related material. Today I'm going to do the toughest schedules in the SEC and a couple of teams nationally that have really tough schedules. I'm basing this off of my predictions for the upcoming year.

Strength of schedule in conference:

My formula for this is done by taking my preseason power rankings (August 18th post) and tallying each opponent based on their rank. So if their game was against LSU they would get 7 points (LSU is 6th), if it was against Arkansas they would get 10 points (Ark. is 3rd). If they are playing the game on the road I multiply the number by 1.25, so if they play LSU on the road then the game counts for 8.75 points.

Team Points
Mississippi State 70.5
Alabama 62.75
LSU 61.75
Auburn 61
South Carolina 60
Arkansas 59
Tennessee 57.5
Vanderbilt 56.75
Ole Miss 56.75
Georgia 55.25
Kentucky 51.5
Florida 47.75

Strength of Schedule Non-Conference:

My formula for this was the same as the conference schedule. I ranked the entire SEC's non-conference opponents 1-30 (3 teams played ULM, 2 played Clemson, etc.). I did not include any FCS games because those should be easy wins (each team played one FCS team except Vandy - the team that should). Since the toughest non-conference game would get 30 points if I did it the same way I made the cut-off the top 20, and the games against 20-30 counted as 1 point. To make it the eqivalent to the SEC point structure I divided the total points by 2. So if a team played Clemson (worth 14 points), they would get 7 points. Here is my top 20 non-conference opponents:

1. Oregon
2. North Carolina
3. Houston
4. West Virginia
5. Penn State
6. Georgia Tech
7. Clemson
8. Florida State
9. Texas A & M
10. UConn
11. Northwestern
12. Southern Miss
13. Wake Forest
14. Louisville
15. Colorado
16. South Florida
17. Duke
17. Fresno State
19. UAB
20. Memphis

Team Points
LSU 18.5
Vanderbilt 16.5
South Carolina 13.25
Mississippi State 12.75
Georgia 11.75
Tennessee 11.625
Florida 11.125
Alabama 11
Arkansas 8.5
Auburn 8
Kentucky 5.375
Ole Miss 2.625


Toughest complete schedule in the SEC 1-12:

1. Mississippi State, 83.25
2. LSU, 80.25
3. Alabama, 73.75
4. South Carolina, 73.25
4. Vanderbilt, 73.25
6. Tennessee, 69.125
7. Auburn, 69
8. Arkansas, 67.5
9. Georgia, 67
10. Ole Miss, 59.375
11. Florida, 58.875
12. Kentucky, 56.875


I did not cook the books to make it look like a tough year for State. I came up with formula on my own, in my head and I thought it was fair so then I calculated it up and that is what I came up with. You may say that was a real waste of time but I created an excel spreadsheet in about 2 minutes and then entered the data so it really wasn't that bad. Here is my Top 10 toughest schedules in the nation for 2010 and some of their toughest games:

1. Mississippi State; vs. Auburn, at LSU, vs. Georgia, at Houston, at Florida, at Alabama, vs. Arkansas

2. Iowa State; at Iowa, vs. Texas Tech, vs. Utah, at Oklahoma, at Texas, vs. Nebraska

3. LSU; vs. N. Carolina, vs. West Virginia, at Florida, at Auburn, vs. Alabama, at Arkansas

4. Minnesota; vs. Southern Cal, at Wisconsin, vs. Penn St., vs. Ohio St., vs. Iowa

5. Alabama; vs. Penn St., at Arkansas, vs. Florida, at S. Carolina, at LSU, vs. Auburn

6. South Carolina; vs. Georgia, at Auburn, vs. Alabama, vs. Arkansas, at Florida, at Clemson

7. Miami, FL; at Ohio St., at Pittsburgh, at Clemson, vs. Florida St., vs. N. Carolina, at Georgia Tech, vs. Virginia Tech

8. Oregon State; at TCU, at Boise St., vs. Southern Cal, vs. Oregon

9. Florida State; at Oklahoma, vs. BYU, at Miami (FL), vs. N. Carolina, vs. Clemson, vs. Florida

10. UCLA; vs. Houston, at Texas, at Oregon, vs. Southern Cal


On a side note I'd like to put my two cents in on USC's probation. If they are being stripped of all of their 2004 & 2005 accomplishments then who is the national champion for 2004? Obviously USC deserved to be the national champion in '04, but I have maintained that there should shave been a split national championship with them and Auburn. Auburn was the SEC Champion in '04 and went 13-0, they had 4 first round draft picks on that team in Carnell Williams, Ronnie Brown, Jason Campbell, and Carlos Rogers. They had a top receiving core and top offensive line, and their defense only gave up 11.3 points a game including holding defending national champs LSU and top 10 Georgia to under 10 points. If Auburn had done this last year or this year there is no question they would've gotten a shot at the title, but in 2004 there wasn't as much respect for the SEC as there is today even though it was just as tough. A low preseason ranking worked against Auburn getting into the National Championship Game, and losing to USC in the regular season in 2002 and 2003 didn't help the argument for a split...and USC dominance over Oklahoma. But that Auburn team is still the best team I have ever seen, their only close game was against LSU and they dominated everyone in all facets of the game every game. So I think Auburn should be awarded the 2004 National Championship...better late than never even if Tommy Tuberville has been cast aside to Texas Tech.

JB

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Tolerance

One of America's greatest qualities is tolerance. The freedom we have in the United States allows us to do what we want (as long as it's legal), look the way we want (as long as we have clothes on), belong to whatever religion we want to, choose a vocation we feel like choosing, cross state lines at will. Bottom line is we are free to live our own lives without the interference from the government or other people who don't necessarily like the way we are. However, some of this tolerance has morphed into a sentiment of intolerance in the name of being tolerant.

The Advocates for gay marriage would like for their opponents to change their mind and allow for it. Environmentalist believe anyone who doesn't buy into global warming is foolish and they should be forced to used certain practices to reduce greenhouse gases. Folks that don't want to be politically correct are disgusted with those that do, and they don't care to associate with them. My point is that even though we claim to be tolerant by not judging others, we are intolerant of other people's opinions if they don't fit into the model we want.

One of the biggest examples of this is universalism, the idea that there are multiple paths to Heaven, and that no religion is absolutely correct. This ideal seems to be gaining steam, maybe because of the attitudes of 'tolerance' by America. There are many people who simply believe that there are many gods and we are all correct by worshiping the one we do because they all exist. Or maybe they believe there is one God but he has many different names, and there are just varying opinions on how to get to Him, but they are all right.

Well these ideas are certainly not the basis for any religion that I know of so I guess they need to start a new one. For the Christians in America and around the world Jesus clearly says in John 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me". The entire Christian faith is based on the fact that Jesus Christ is the son of God and he was sent to Earth in the form of a man to die for all mankind's sins. He was resurrected on the third day and if you believe all this then you will have eternal life in Heaven with Jesus and God the Father. So there is no way Christians can believe that there is more than one way to Heaven.

The majority of Americans claim to be Christians. If that is correct, then none of them should buy into the theory that there is more than one way to get to Heaven. If they do, they are no longer Christians because Jesus, the reason for Christianity, clearly said this cannot be true. So if you don't believe Jesus then he is a liar and if he is a liar then everything Christians believe is based on lies. 1 John 5:10 says, "Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son". So either you believe Jesus, or you are not a Christian.

The unfortunate thing is that folks who believe there is more than one way do so in the name of tolerance, then they become intolerant of people who believe something different. These people want to live in a utopia where we can all just get along. They don't want disagreements or one group not accepting another groups beliefs. Please don't be sucked into the vacuum of thinking a certain way because you believe you're being tolerant of others. You can be tolerant but still disagree with them, there is more than one way to think.

JB

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Dipping Sauces

I really love dipping sauces. They give your food a great new taste from the same old one you've been eating for years. Can anyone eat a chicken tender without dipping it in something? How about a french fry? Hey, you can dip anything you want into any one of dozens of dipping sauces. I love to invent new sauces all the time and see what food I can add great flavor to.

There are two kinds of dipping sauces, the ones you need to buy in the store, and the one's you can make yourself. Steak sauce, B-B-Q sauce, and honey mustard are certainly ones you should just buy at the store. I don't like to use steak sauce but if I do then A-1 is obviously the best, I like Williamson Brothers B-B-Q sauce (although it's hard to get outside of Atlanta), and O'Charlie's honey mustard is the best.

The next is the sauce you make yourself, and this is where the fun part is. It's great to be able to create a great dipping sauce to enhance the flavors, and since you made it yourself the personal satisfaction is nice. The basic guidelines I like to follow are the base of the sauce is either mayonnaise, sour cream, or cream cheese (white refrigerated substances). This may sound gross but this is what they use at the restaurants you just don't see it come together. Here are some of my favorites.

Abner's: half mayo, half ketchup, dab of Worcestershire, and enough pepper to make it look like Abner's sauce (or Zaxby's). Obviously good with chicken tenders, french fries also, tater tots, etc.

Tarter: Mayonnaise, relish, just a pinch of horseradish and garlic powder. I like to substitute the relish for pickled jalapenos for a spicy kick. Used for seafood dishes.

Crab cake sauce: Good amount of sour cream, little bit of garlic powder, little bit of Tony's or red pepper, and chives or green onion. Goes with crab cakes...sandwich or just as a dipping sauce.

Goes with anything sauce: Good amount of sour cream, fair amount of garlic powder and onion salt, some chives and maybe add a little pepper for the kick. Goes with a lot of stuff, it's like a ranch but with a different taste so you can use if for anything you like ranch with.

Blue Cheese dressing: Little bit of mayonnaise, a little more sour cream, just a bit of milk, blue chesse crumbles, onion powder and garlic powder. Tastes incredible, great on anything really...obviously good for buffalo wings and salad.

Volcano: I got this idea from the "volacano taco" at taco bell. Just mix sour cream and Texas Pete and beat it until it's smooth and looks redish-pink...very hot but very good. Goes with tacos or anything you want to make your forehead sweat.


Places that have great dipping sauces:

Ranch: Little Caesars, Taco Mac, Zaxby's, KFC

Honey Mustard: Arby's, Little Doey's, Oby's, Chili's

Zaxby's, Abner's, & Guthrie's (all their original sauce, yet all pretty much the same suace)

Chick-Fil-A sauce

Arby's has the best lineup of sauces there is, they are all good.


I'm sure I missed a few along the way, but I just can't think of everything. Those are the ones that really stick in my memory. I hope you are inspired to use and create dipping sauces.

JB

Friday, August 27, 2010

The Braves & The Colts

The Atlanta Braves and the Indianapolis Colts have been very similar in that they have been the most consistent regular season teams for the longest period of time in both their respective sports. Both of them have only won one championship despite winning at a high level, and making the playoffs ever year for over a decade. There are a lot of people who say their accomplishments don't mean that much since they didn't win multiple championships. Well, I disagree with those people because I think being one of the best for many consecutive years is better than winning a couple championships and then fading out after only a few good years.

The Colts are not my favorite football team but the Braves are my favorite baseball team. I was able to follow them with excitement every season from 1991 to 2005 because I knew they had a shot at winning the World Series. Some people argue that they would prefer the Florida Marlins to the Braves because during that stretch the Marlins won two World Series even though they didn't make the playoffs in any other year. Well if I was a Marlins fan I would've been pretty bored watching a poor team during all those in between years. Sure, it would've been great to watch them win it all, but I would've lost interest during all the losing seasons...it's very hard to keep up with a baseball team that can't win.

Every October during the 14-year run I was excited to root for the Braves in the playoffs. The intensity of the games were great, and the Braves actually won as many games as they lost. Even though they only won the World Series in 1995, their postseason record during their run was 62-62. Considering the level of competition was much greater, that is a pretty good record...not to mention how flukey a game baseball is in the playoffs. So I was happy to accept the Braves having a chance every year, even though they virtually always came up short.

The Colts are the same way, although their run isn't over. Payton Manning has created a tradition of winning since his 2nd year in the league. You always know the Colts are going to make the playoffs, and most of the time they will get a bye. Just the sheer fact they've been able to keep it up this long is incredible with free agency and the salary cap. Think of all the teams that come and go while the Colts stay in the hunt, even the Patriots have fallen out of the playoffs a couple times. Of course the Patriots are better having combined Superbowls and consistent winning just like the Yankees were to the Braves, but don't deny how good the Colts have been.

Bottom line, I'll take steady regular season winning in lieu of an on and off again team that wins a couple championships but can't make the playoffs for another 10 years.

JB

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Greatest Songs

I put out my greatest artist list, greatest albums, and now greatest songs. All three are very different categories. With the artist, it's their body of work including all of their albums, and you need a big enough sample like 4 or 5 albums to judge them if they're going to be in your top 20. You may be able to hide 5 bad songs per album under the greatest artist category but not in the greatest albums; to get on that list you've got to put it into every song and create a great collection of songs. But with great songs you don't have to do anything except create the magic once. Just one great songs gets you on this list, so it's obviously going to be bigger than the other lists. I spent all summer in 2004 coming up with the 100 greatest songs, but here is my new, updated, and very different Top 100 (which took over 6 weeks to come up with).

100. "Bluesy Revolution" by Hootie & The Blowfish
99. "The Light in Your Eyes" by LeAnn Rimes
98. "Crying Shame" by Jack Johnson
97. "Drive In Drive Out" by Dave Matthews Band
96. "The Wind Cries Mary" by Jimi Hendrix
95. "Heard it in a Love Song" by The Marshall Tucker Band
94. "Three Libras" by A Perfect Circle
93. "Watch the Wind Blow By" by Tim McGraw
92. "I Alone" by Live
91. "Jimi Thing" by Dave Matthews Band
90. "Love Song" by Third Day
89. "Let Me Let Go" by Faith Hill
88. "Downbound Train" by Bruce Springsteen
87. "Let Her Cry" by Hootie & The Blowfish
86. "Running Out of Days" by 3 Doors Down
85. "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears For Fears
84. "Tell Me I Was Dreaming" by Travis Tritt
83. "Long Trip Alone" by Dierks Bentley
82. "Stuck with You" by Huey Lewis & The News
81. "Was I Right or Wrong" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
80. "Heartbroke Every Day" by Lonestar
79. "Dixieland Delight" by Alabama
78. "Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)" by Chris Tomlin
77. "Forever December" by Matchbox 20
76. "The Chair" by George Strait
75. "Wish I Didn't Know Now" by Toby Keith
74. "Twice as Hard" by The Black Crowes
73. "One Headlight" by The Wallflowers
72. "Something's Missing" by John Mayer
71. "Down Came a Blackbird" by Lila McCann
70. "Don't You Forget About Me" by Simple Minds
69. "Heard the World" by O.A.R.
68. "I Told You So" by Carrie Underwood
67. "Let it Rain" by Eric Clapton
66. "Country State of Mind" by Hank Williams, Jr.
65. "Come Undone" by Duran Duran
64. "I Just Died in Your Arms Tonight" by Cutting Crew
63. "The Best of What's Around" by Dave Matthews Band
62. "Midnight Rider" by The Allman Brothers Band
61. "Crazy" by Pat Green
60. "On the Coast of Somewhere Beautiful" by Kenny Chesney
59. "Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver
58. "Cortez the Killer" by Neil Young
57. "Little Wing" by Derek & The Dominos
56. "Bring It on Home" by Led Zeppelin
55. "Creola" by Jimmy Buffett
54. "Honeysuckle Blue" by Drivin 'N' Cryin
53. "Will You Still Love Me" by Chicago
52. "Dream On" by Aerosmith
51. "No Quarter" by Led Zeppelin
50. "Lead Me to the Cross" by Hillsong United
49. "More Like Her" by Miranda Lambert
48. "The Mountains Win Again" by Blues Traveler
47. "Push" by Matchbox 20
46. "She's Got the Rhythm (And I Got the Blues)" by Alan Jackson
45. "About an Hour Ago" by O.A.R.
44. "Run to the Water" by Live
43. "Ten Years Gone" by Led Zeppelin
42. "Feelin' Good Again" by Robert Earl Keen
41. "Black" by Pearl Jam
40. "What I Need to Do" by Kenny Chesney
39. "Havana Daydreamin'" by Jimmy Buffett
38. "Crush" by Dave Matthews Band
37. "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin
36. "Fall of the Peacemakers" by Molly Hatchet
35. "Lenny" by Stevie Ray Vaughn
34. "Gravity" by A Perfect Circle
33. "Drive" by The Cars
32. "Smokey Mountain Rain" by Ronnie Milsaps
31. "Backstreets" by Bruce Springsteen
30. "Who'll Stop the Rain?" by CCR
29. "Like Red on a Rose" by Alan Jackson
28. "All Along the Watchtower" by Jimi Hendrix
27. "Even Flow" by Pearl Jam
26. "True" by Spandeu Ballet
25. "Who Needs Pictures" by Brad Paisley
24. "Cry Freedom" by Dave Matthews Band
23. "Right Where I Need to Be" by Gary Allen
22. "She's Got Me Wired" by Patrick Smith Band
21. "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
20. "Prove it All Night" by Bruce Springsteen
19. "Dirty Pool" by Stevie Ray Vaughn
18. "Shine On You Crazy Diamonds" by Pink Floyd
17. "Offering" by Third Day
16. "Let's Fall to Pieces Together" by George Strait
15. "Lie in Our Graves" by Dave Matthews Band
14. "Tin Cup Chalice" by Jimmy Buffett
13. "Melissa" by The Allman Brothers Band
12. "All I Need to Know" by Kenny Chesney
11. "Since I've Been Loving You" by Led Zeppelin
10. "It's Not My Cross to Bear" by The Allman Brothers Band
9. "Neon Moon" by Brooks & Dunn
8. "My Home's in Alabama" by Alabama
7. "Tuesdays Gone" by Lynyrd Skynyrd
6. "Layla" by Derek & The Dominos
5. "Sweet Emotion" by Aerosmith
4. "Amarillo by Morning" by George Strait
3. "52-50" by O.A.R.
2. "Whipping Post" by The Allman Brothers Band
1. "Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen


I created this list 6 weeks ago on my itunes and added and subtracted little by little. Of course, the songs I'm really into right now made their way onto the list, however, I didn't feel that I should include them because they may not be on the list a year from now if they just don't have staying power. So I discounted any songs I've gotten into in the last calendar year. Below is a list of the songs that I thought could make the top 100 but were disqualified for this reason.

7. "Free" by Zac Brown Band
6. "A Little More Country Than That" by Easton Corbin
5. "Assassin" by John Mayer
4. "Love Your Love the Most" by Eric Church
3. "Heartbreak Warfare" by John Mayer
2. "The Truth" by Jason Aldean
1. "What Country Is" by Luke Bryan

Probably no chance anyone who sees this would not axe at least 25 songs off here, but that's why it is my list. When you get bored, go through your music library and pick out your Top 100 songs...it's really hard, and it's even harder to rank them.

JB

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

2010 NFL Predictions

I am not a huge NFL fan, just a casual fan. My interest is pretty much based on how good the Falcons are. If they are good I'll be interested in the whole league. If they're not, I'll just watch the Falcons' game and fall asleep in the 2nd quarter; and I won't keep up with anyone else until the playoffs. So, I don't exactly do much homework before making my predictions, although I do have more interest this year since the Falcons are expected to have a good team again. I didn't go through the entire NFL schedule and pick each game like I did for college football, but I did look at each team's schedule to come up with these records, however they are not exact so much as just about how good I anticipate them to be.

NFC

SOUTH
1. Falcons, 12-4
2. Saints, 11-5
3. Buccaneers, 6-10
4. Panthers, 5-11

NORTH
1. Vikings, 12-4
2. Bears, 8-8
3. Packers, 7-9
4. Lions, 4-12

EAST
1. Cowboys, 11-5
2. Giants, 10-6
3. Redskins, 7-9
4. Eagles, 6-10

WEST
1. 49ers, 11-5
2. Cardinals, 7-9
3. Seahawks, 5-11
4. Rams, 3-13


NFC Playoffs

1st Round
6 Giants vs. 3 49ers
5 Saints vs. 4 Cowboys

Divisional
5 Saints vs. 1 Vikings
3 49ers vs. 2 Falcons

Championship
2 Falcons vs. 1 Vikings


AFC

SOUTH
1. Colts, 13-3
2. Texans, 10-6
3. Titans, 8-8
4. Jaguars, 6-10

NORTH
1. Ravens, 10-6
2. Bengals, 9-7
3. Steelers, 8-8
4. Browns, 4-12

EAST
1. Patriots, 12-4
2. Dolphins, 9-7
3. Jets, 7-9
4. Bills, 3-13

WEST
1. Broncos, 10-6
2. Chargers, 9-7
3. Raiders, 8-8
4. Chiefs, 5-11


AFC Playoffs

1st Round
6 Chargers vs. 3 Ravens
5 Texans vs. 4 Broncos

Divisional
3 Ravens vs. 2 Patriots
4 Broncos vs. 1 Colts

Championship
2 Patriots vs. 1 Colts




Superbowl

Colts vs. Vikings

COLTS WIN



JB

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Middle East

The other day a helicopter flew over the house and shook the picture frames on the wall and rattled the TV. A few hours latter another helicopter came over the house and did the same thing. It's very rare for something like that to happen, but when it does I know that it is just our military practicing or testing out the chopper. I don't have to worry about that helicopter belonging to another country, a country that is invading, or has invaded, and that the people in the helicopter would like to kill me for my beliefs.

What if I lived in Israel? Israel has a great military and is technologically advanced but since they live right next door to countries that want to exterminate them, I might be a little timid when that helicopter flies over. Israel is surrounded by Muslim countries, and those countries are loaded with extremist who want to wipe out the Jewish homeland, Israel.

Does Islam teach its followers to be civil and respectful of other religions? --it's hard to tell because the Koran may say one thing but Muslim leaders teach another. But does it really matter what Islam teaches? Should we, as Americans, hang our hopes on Islam being a peaceful religion and the radicals who inflict terror on others will fade out? I don't think we should allow them to figure things out on their own as long as they are seeking ways to kill people outside their borders.

The biggest threat Iran, Saudi Arabia, and other Middle Eastern countries pose is their desire to build a nuclear weapon. Their immediate target is Israel, because it is home of the Jews. Israel is surrounded, and they are a small nation. The United States must protect Israel because of this, and I believe it is our duty to protect them as a Christian nation. This entire conflict goes back thousands of years. When Abraham went against God's wishes and had a son, Ishmael, with his maidservent, Hagar, that act went on to create the Arab race. His promised son, Issac created the Jewish race. Decedents of Ishmael and Issac flourished because of God's promise to Abraham that his offspring would build many nations. The Arab people have always resented the Jews, and their conflicts remain today. Because of this, I do not believe this problem will ever end, the Arab people will always be hostile...especially towards the Jews.

So with countries like Iran getting close to having a nuclear weapon, what should we do? How does America respond to their emerging strength? Should we just leave them alone and secure our borders to protect ourselves? I don't believe this would be a good idea at all. Our stance during the 1930s was isolationism, and because of this Hilter was able to build up a great power in Germany and create the Axis powers. For years while this was going on we sat on the sidelines, and then Japan made the mistake of invading Pearl Harbor....who knows where we'd be if they hadn't done that.

Many people question George W. Bush's motives for invading Iraq and continuing our presence there long after we had overthrown Saddam Hussein. Some claim that his 'Axis of Evil' is just a fabricated illusion for Americans to buy into. I think Bush made plenty of mistakes, just like all presidents, but one of them isn't giving us a presence in the Middle East. As long as we are strong over there, Iran will always have a fear of us. If we leave, they will gain momentum and power as they aim for Israel...then America. It may sound awful to always have our military stationed there, but that is the reality of the world today.

There is one thing in American politics that goes beyond partisanship, and that is protecting our country. The strength of our military has always been one of our strongest assets, and I believe sending billions of dollars to continue our presence in the Middle East is well worth it. There are so many areas to cut back within our own borders, we shouldn't think about taking away one cent from our military budget. We can peel back the layers of bureaucracy and take away some of the money we waste on government.

There are people all over the globe who have devoted their entire lives to finding ways to kill off America. Most of these people are in the Middle East. We are the most powerful nation in the world, and with that power comes the ability and responsibility to protect the world from evil. We must realize just how fragile our power is, how quickly it can be taken away. America is the greatest country in the world because of all the great things we do for others, and one of those great things is protection. If we don't protect ourselves and others we are looking at a disastrous outcome.

JB

Monday, August 23, 2010

Jeff Francoeur

Jeff Francoeur is a hard player to figure out. He is so athletically gifted that you think he will snap out of the funk that has consumed him for 3 years at any moment. He has the potential to be a 5-tool player, but at this point the word 'potential' can't be used with him anymore. "Frenchy" has been playing in the major leagues for 5 years now, is it time to throw in the towel? What type of player is he?

Francoeur is one of my favorite players. He is a great guy and was a hometown hero when he played for the Braves. In 2006, I was at Six Flags with a bunch of kids and we saw Jeff there with his girlfriend at the time (now his wife). It was a off day for the Braves and he was getting off a roller coaster. I told the kids he was Jeff Francoeur so they ran up to him and he signed autographs for them and was incredibly nice to them. Based on my experience meeting him and other people's descriptions of him, they match to show me he is a great person. So nothing I have to say has to do with me not liking him.

When he came up in the summer of 2005 he was dubbed "The Natural", and he hit .300 with 14 home runs for the rest of the season. He almost led the league in outfield assists despite only playing half of a season. He was the 5-tool player everyone had hoped for. Then in 2006 Jeff hit .260 with 29 HR and 103 RBI...this was a great year, especially for a 2nd year player; he missed that 5th tool with the average but you figured he correct that in '07. He did get the average back up in 2007 hitting .293 and he had 105 RBI, but he only had 19 HR so his power was little down...still a really good year. By this point Jeff had cemented himself as the Braves right fielder and he was offered a long-term contract (similar to what Brian McCann signed), however, he declined as he wanted to prove he could improve his numbers and be worth more money. But in 2008 Jeff stunk up the place, only hitting .239 with 11 HR and 71 RBI. He had always been a free swinger, but now he looked lost and it was a terrible season. During the next offseason he worked out extensively to improve his power numbers, however things were worse in 2009. Jeff was horrible for the first half of the year, hitting .250 with 5 HR and 35 RBI and looking absolutely lost at the plate. He was always a fan favorite but now it was too awful to watch. I always love to watch him play but by the summer of '09 I conceited that Jeff should be traded, for his and the Braves sake. Indeed he was traded to the New York Mets and revived his season hitting .311 with 10 HR and 41 RBI the rest of the way. Even though he hit well, I never thought he could've accomplished that in Atlanta because of the pressure he was under, so I still agreed with the trade. In the offseason he was awarded a $5 million salary through arbitration.

In 2010 Jeff started out strong but has since floundered to a mediocre .230 average, and his power numbers are on pace to be the same as the last couple of years. He was even the subject of trade rumors near the deadline as the Mets didn't feel like he is an asset any longer. Jeff has actually hit two game-winning homeruns recently, but it almost feels like luck when he gets a big hit. He is now going to finish out the season as a platoon player in right field, and he will likely be non-tendered by the Mets this offseason.

So where is Jeff Francoeur going to go? What is he? If you think about it, he was good for 2 1/2 years before the '08 season, and he was good for the last half of '09. So in 5 years of play he has been good for 3 and bad for 2. But, of course, that doesn't cut it in the major leagues. He is still only 26 years old, but he's had the same overzealous hitting mindset his entire career...can he turn it around? If he doesn't turn it around then how can he be anything more than a platoon player; or a bench player that comes in for defensive replacement and occasional pinch hitting.

He just recently requested that the Mets trade him since they no longer consider him an everyday player. In July of 2008 the Braves sent him to AA to work on his offensive game and in 3 games he went 8 for 13, and was quickly called back up due to an injury on the big club. After he got back he said he was very upset about being sent down because of all the time he's devoted to the organization and he felt disillusioned. Well, the simple fact is that I think Jeff has becomed disillusioned about his game. Based on his comments about being sent down in '08 and now wanting to be traded, I can only conclude he doesn't understand his value in the major leagues. He needs to just play his game quietly and finish out the rest of the regular season.

Perhaps Francoeur will sign with a team like the Royals or the Pirates and get to play everyday. Maybe he will be able to turn it around and be a consistent player, even if he doesn't reach his potential. But I have a suspicion that he will become a platoon player for good within the next two years. Then I see him playing in the American League, used as a pinch runner, defensive replacement, and the 4th guy off the bench to pinch hit...getting 80 at-bats per year. I see him retiring at 31 or 32 years old. I hope none of that happens because I would like to see him make a turnaround and come back to the Braves and play in the outfield with Jason Heyward. We shall see.

JB

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Movies

What is the best genre of movies? There are a lot of them out there, so I will help you decide.

16. Romance -- Probably just because I'm a man I don't like this genre. I can't really imagine anything worse to do with two hours than watching a romance movie from start to finish. I don't mind putting romance into the drama but don't make a drama about romance, it just don't do it for me; the worst genre I can think of.

15. Fantasy -- This genre is completely fabricated in someone's mind. Nothing about it is real or could happen. I really don't care for this genre because it offers me nothing more than some nerd's daydreaming come to life on the screen.

14. Horror -- The point of a horror movie is to scare you. And to scare you they almost always take out plot, realism, or any of the things that make a good movie. I equate a scary movie to a popcorn action movie, maybe you were entertained for an hour or two but you really don't care to see it again. The trouble with this genre is more times than not it is not even slightly entertaining whether scary or not.

13. Musical -- People breaking out into song during ordinary everyday experiences doesn't provide much that I can relate to. While I'd probably rather watch a musical than a fantasy or horror film, I find them uninteresting and annoying.

12. Crime -- Crime movies seem to always be nominated for awards, maybe rightly so because they are basically dramas about crime. But usually I don't like crime movies because I'm pretty sure I've never met anyone in the mob, been involved with thugs, nor do I want to relate to the people on screen at all. But I guess it's good to be aware that some of that stuff goes on. My favorite: The Godfather

11. Epic -- Basically, an epic is a drama that is drawn out to allow for more detail in the storytelling. There are very few epics because they are hard to watch in one sitting...some might be as much as 5 or 6 hours long. The best epics are divided into parts so you don't have to watch them in one sitting. The hardest part about watching one is actually starting it. I'm not a huge fan of epics but if I'm really bored then why not? My favorite: Lonesome Dove

10. Science Fiction -- Science fiction can get a bad wrap because it is associated with geeks but it really isn't that bad. I equate geeks more with fantasy movies, which is the cousin of science fiction but not the same thing. Generally, science fiction movies don't have talking dogs or something. Most of the time they are about people who are involved in some sort of unproven science (time travel, set in the future, stop aging, etc.). So while the realism factor isn't there, maybe it could happen or maybe not but at least it isn't wizards and magical rings. So I am a mild fan of science fiction. My favorite: Back to the Future (favorite movie of all time too)

9. Romantic Comedy -- While these movies are basically just chick flicks I don't have a problem with them. You can pretty much always tell what the outcome will be, and the only engaging quality is wondering just how the couple will get together in the end. But I have no problem watching one every now and then, sometimes they are funny.

8. Sports -- There are two kinds of sports movies. One is where the team has to overcome the odds to win the championship and the second is just a story where the background is sports or it is about sports but winning is not the ultimate goal. The championship movies are great if you're a child, but I like the second category which gives me a little something more than a predictable finish. Sports can be a great genre if done correctly, if not then it can be boring and pointless. My favorite: Rudy

7. Action -- There are really several different kinds of action movies. There are superhero movies, terrorist movies, disaster movies, movies where there is limited action but it's intense, and action movies that just blow stuff up. They can cross into science fiction, drama, comedy, western, adventure, etc. But all of these action movies fall into one of these two categories: popcorn action or story action. The popcorn action is solely to entertain you for 2 hours and you don't have to flex one brain muscle. The story action will probably engage your mind enough that you will want to watch it again. Obviously I prefer the story action. My favorite: Top Gun

6. War -- There's not much to say about war movies other than they are about a war. You probably need to be in the mood to watch one, but generally speaking they make good movies so long as the facts are accurate. My favorite: Saving Private Ryan

5. Adventure -- Adventure movies are the cousin of action movies. The difference between them in a nutshell is that the hero or heroine is escaping the bad guy creatively instead of just blowing something up. I find adventure movies to be very entertaining because they are more relate-able (maybe I can swing on a vine in the jungle but I don't have a machine gun) and they tend to be more character driven than action movies.

4. Western -- Westerns are the classic movie genre in my mind. You basically know what it is going to be about--cowboys, Indians, small western towns, etc. What you don't know is whether or not it is going to be boring. The fact is that probably half of the westerns you watch are slow-moving stories that don't amount to much. But for the ones that that move along with a good story, whether serious or somewhat humorous, I really enjoy. My favorite: The Outlaw Josey Wales

3. Comedy -- There aren't many people who don't like some type of comedy movie. It is always good to laugh, it is just a question of your taste. Comedies are all over the map in terms of being rated G, PG, PG-13, or R, so there is something for everyone. I personally don't care whether it is a screwball comedy or there is a story attached, funny is funny and I'm not really watching for the story. But I can do without the sexual humor or the never ending cursing, so I'll stick to PG-13 and lower for my comedy movies. My favorite: Dumb & Dumber

2. Suspense -- There is a big difference between a horror (scary) movie and a suspense (thriller) movie. For one, a horror movie only wants to scare you and takes no consideration into realism or quality, whereas a suspense actually involves a well thought-out story with characters acting out scenarios that could actually happen. I really like this genre, usually these movies keep me interested throughout and I walk away entertained.

1. Drama -- A drama is a serious movie that tells a story. If the movie is going to be a drama, almost always they are trying to make a quality movie. Sometimes it just isn't a good story but you know they are going for realism, plot, and creating solid characters. All of those qualities are important to me so that is why I consider this genre to be one of my favorites.

The point of all this is so when you see a preview for a movie more than likely you will be able to point out which genre it fits into. You can decide which genres you like and that will allow you to make a better educated decision on whether or not to watch the film. Other than that this blog just served as me using up an hour of my time...if you read all the way to now then I have to say you are dedicated to this blog. Thank you.

JB

Saturday, August 21, 2010

What If?

What if there was college football today? As I stated in my blog, "If I Were the King of College Football" on August 9th, I would allow for teams to play Division I-AA games on one of the two weekends before Labor Day weekend. So what if you were set to enjoy football today instead of roasting outside doing chores or flipping around the channels for something to watch.

Imagine half the teams in I-A playing today. That's 6 SEC teams, 6 Big 12 teams, etc. A real chance to check out what that team is going to have this year. Sure, the games wouldn't be that exciting...we know who's going to win, but it's football. And after 6 months of no pigskin its nice to see games that count...a better preseason than the NFL. And there will probably be a couple upsets this week and next, maybe Indiana or Rutgers takes a spill, could get interesting.

And hey, you can even go to the game if you want. Probably wouldn't be a hard ticket to get, but if you want to spend the day in the hot sun go ahead. I think this would be a good idea, and today I'd be looking forward to watching some games instead of wondering what to do with myself.

JB

Friday, August 20, 2010

Best & Worst Sports Personalities

THE BEST

Erik Kasilias - Kasilias is a former lawyer and a member of Mensa. What he's doing on ESPN I don't know. I've never heard him pause to think or say "um" or "ah" between thoughts. It's amazing how he puts together complete thoughts on the fly, he never messes up. Plus he pretty much views everything the way I do, so I love this guy!

Chris Fowler - Fowler is good. He really makes College Gameday what it is. He is serious when the time calls for it and he goofs around too. He's a solid host, and he's pretty good on Thursday Night Football as well.

Colin Cowherd - When you listen to his radio show you almost don't want to like him. He's very arrogant and he states his opinions like they are fact. But yet, you keep listening. He is a master at his craft, without a doubt the 'most talented' sports-talk radio show host in the country. He has great timing, and is right most of the time. It's hard to argue with just how compelling he is by drawing you in and keeping you listening, and he does this by himself for 4 hours a day.

Jim Rome - I'm not sure if anyone ever watches Rome Is Burning since it's on at about 3:30 but it's pretty good. I might catch it 5 times a year, but I'm always entertained. Rome is definitely arrogant but he has pretty good opinions...he comes hard with them and he's taken into consideration both sides of the argument, so he's not just spouting opinions that have no practicality.

Rece Davis - Rece Davis is excellent, just as good as Chris Fowler. He does a great job with college football and basketball. No Saturday night or early Sunday morning is complete without some College Football Final.

Mike Wilbon - Somehow Wilbon seems to bring any controversy back to race, but I might do the same if I was black so I'll just ignore it. Other than that he is pretty entertaining and PTI is probably the best sports debate show on TV. Why he is an analyst for the NBA I don't know, I value his NBA opinion about as much as I do mine...which isn't much.

Lou Holtz - Some people don't like Lou, he's old and he has a lisp. But I love ole Lou, you just have to take everything he says with a grain of salt. He's just throwing out some crazy opinions to piss Mark May off I think. You've got to love his halftime speeches on Thursday Night Football...great TV.

Skip Bayless - Some people may not know who Skip Bayless is because he's on TV during the weekdays when people are at work. He debates a revolving door of people on ESPN First Take (1st & 10). He is fairly arrogant and looks like a cartoon character, but he does have well thought out opinions and he comes hard. He is right almost always when it comes to the NBA...even if I don't care much about the NBA I'll still give him credit for some decent opinions.

Lee Corso - He's like Lou Holtz except in no way does he have the credentials to be an analyst. Luckily for him he got in on the ground floor of College Gameday. I laugh every time when he puts on a mascot head.


THE WORST

Dan Patrick - I think Dan Patrick bows to a picture of himself every night. He went from a goofy Sportscenter host to thinking he was reporting the evening news. His radio show was awful, just him being ultra-serious about sports trying to break stories. Now he's got his ridiculous self on NBC for Football Night in America....an upscale and crappy version of NFL Primetime.

Mike Greenberg - Greenberg is the definition of a wimp. I listen to Mike & Mike sometimes on my way to work and he's constantly illustrating how he lacks the qualities that make a man. He doesn't have bad opinions necessarily, but he's very prone to hyperbole and he lives and dies with professional sports. I think he loses sleep at night afraid there won't be an NFL season in 2011.

Tim Brando - On TV, Brando is goofy as the host of College Football Today on CBS. On the radio is much more opinionated. I don't think he's too bad even though he thinks he knows everything. His opinions are just ok. What gets to me is the "dubbed by your truly as the riverboat gambler" or "the term I've coined....flies in the ointment" comments he likes to make. I really don't care for the self-promotion...keep the focus on sports.

John Kruk - Kruk always acts pissed off that he is asked a question. It's as if he thinks Karl Ravach asked him the question just so he'd have to waste his breath. Look, you're an analyst, you're supposed to talk about sports. How he got his ugly mug on TV is beyond me...for that matter why are there any baseball analyst, what is the point?

Stuart Scott - After listening to this aging hipster for over a decade I think I can speak for everyone by saying, please don't let him on TV again. We've been revived of his terrible Sportcenter highlight reel calls, but he's still hosting NBA & NFL coverage. He can't look into the camera because he's got a hideous lazy eye and glasses that make it even worse. Can't stand him.

Digger Phelps - So Digger took Notre Dame to one Final Four in the 70s and he gets to be an analyst? It must have been luck because I don't know what he's talking about when he starts rambling about college basketball. Not to mention the terrible tie/highlighter matching...only he could come up with something so silly. Then he puts more effort into shaking his hand (with highlighter) at the camera than giving good analysis.

Steven A. Smith - Maybe black folks like this guy but I certainly don't know any white people who do. The reason I say that is he's always bring race into everything. He seems to have a lot less face time on ESPN now and I'm happy about that. He comes hard with really dumb opinions.

Well, that's it. No more best and worst in sports TV. That is number 4 of 4. Now let the real sports season begin...football, can't wait.

JB

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Top 33 Albums

Album rock is pretty much dead. I guess Green Day is still holding on, but they suck anyway. And there's a few others who still put out music based on the overall concept of an album, but most people don't listen to it anyway with downloading the way it is. Nevertheless, I've made a list of my favorite albums. I've heard plenty of albums, and I own plenty as well that I have listened to over and over. I picked 33 because I went through them and the last 10 or 15 I couldn't really decide which ones I liked better than the others, so I stuck with 33. If the album has more than two tracks that I skip over then it didn't make the cut. If it does have two skip tracks, they are near the bottom, the ones with one skip track are in the middle and the Top 10 is awesome all the way through with the Top 5 being the cream of the crop. That was my basic criteria, which is why there is no Led Zeppelin on here..they have produced some of my favorite songs, but every album has 3-4 songs I want to skip, and I know because I own all of them. Like I did with the Top 20 artist, these are my favorite albums, not the most critically acclaimed...just my personal Top 33.

33. "Toby Keith" by Toby Keith - 1993, great album with some really classic songs. Toby Keith had a great sound back then.

32. "Chasing Daylight" by Sister Hazel - 2003, this is essential Sister Hazel in my opinion. It captures their signature sound and some of their best songs.

31. "In Between Dreams" by Jack Johnson - 2005, just a great album. Moves quickly and flows great. Some solid Jack Johnson here.

30. "Automatic for the People" by R.E.M. - 1992, this album has a unique feel. It kind of took everything that was best about their previous 7 albums, and what was going to be great about their next 5 albums and rolled them into this one.

29. "Deja Vu" by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - 1970, tons of great songs and harmonies. Classic late 60s, early 70s sound.

28. "Cracked Rear View" by Hootie & The Blowfish - 1994, this is just one of my favorites since I bought it way back when. Tons of hit songs...some great pop/rock.

27. "Stories of a Stranger" by O.A.R. - 2005, a couple skip songs on this one but "Heard the World" and "52-50" are just too good. Add in some other really good songs and this one is up there.

26. "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" by The Beatles - 1967, great concept album. It's got some really great songs and they all bring a different approach.

25. "Three Days" by Pat Green - 2001, just a lot of great songs. I just really like it.

24. "Abbey Road" by The Beatles - 1969, this is probably on this list just for the final 8 tracks, it's just cool. The first 9 tracks are good too, even the Ringo song.

23. "Rumours" by Fleetwood Mac - 1977, great combination of vocals, harmony, guitar playing...just a great album. Lots of hit songs and deservedly so, Stevie Nicks at her best.

22. "Up" by R.E.M. - 1998, probably no one has ever heard of this album because R.E.M. had already faded out but this album is what got me into them. Great mellow music...a classic for me.

21. "Frampton Comes Alive" by Peter Frampton - 1976, this is a great rock album. It's live but sounds great, tons of great guitar solos..solid all the way through, with the exception of the only big hit "I Love Your Way".

20. "Away From the Sun" by 3 Doors Down - 2003, underrated album, tons of great songs. They were putting out great material while Creed was getting all the pub.

19. "Offerings II: All I Have to Give" by Third Day - 2003, mix of live songs and studio songs. Interesting approach and it works for me, it's got a little bit of everthing. Great album.

18. "Throwing Copper" by Live - 1994, great sound and distinctive vocals. Awesome album with the exception of a hiccup on "Stage". But 14 songs makes up for it.

17. "Continuum" by John Mayer - 2006, great laid back, blues-based songs. Other than the most famous song, "Waiting on the World to Change", every song is great.

16. "Wish You Were Here" by Pink Floyd - 1975, "Shine on You Crazy Diamonds" is one of the best epic songs there has ever been. And since that is 70% of the album there isn't much more to say.

15. "Shake Your Money Maker" by The Black Crowes - 1990, awesome blues-rock album. Great all the way through, very underrated.

14. "Layla and other Assorted Love Songs" by Derek & The Dominos - 1970, if you like blues or blues-rock then this is pretty essential. It takes an appreciative ear to like an album like this, but if you do then it's a must have.

13. "Texas Flood" by Stevie Ray Vaughn - 1983, SRV has an incredible sound. And "Tin Pan Alley" which was left off the original version, but included on the CD version is one of the best songs. Great album even if you don't care for blues.

12. "Under the Table and Dreaming" by Dave Matthews Band - 1994, saxophone, violin, drums, guitar, all crashing together...unbelievable sound. "The Best of What's Around" is one of the best starts to an album there has ever been.

11. "Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen - 1975, only 8 songs but "Backstreets", "Born to Run", and "Jungleland" are some of the greatest rock songs ever. Not to mention the great ballad "Thunder Road", sax solo in "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" and a great song "Night". Just a great album.

10. "Animals" by Pink Floyd - 1977, this Pink Floyd album takes the cake for me in the Pink Floyd catalog. Book-ended by 1:25 songs, just 3 songs all 10+ minutes long but all equally great. This is so much better than "Dark Side of the Moon" or "The Wall".

9. "Ten" by Pearl Jam - 1991, nobody sounds like Pearl Jam did on this album. This is a classic. "Evenflow", "Alive", "Why Go", "Black", "Jeremy" make for maybe the best 5 consecutive songs ever.

8. "Free Beer and Fried Chickn" by Patrick Smith Band - 2004, nobody has heard of this one either but it's just great jam music. It kind of like Dave Matthews but more upbeat. I love this album.

7. "Thirteenth Step" by A Perfect Circle - 2003, I really like to listen to this album during the fall. Not sure why, just do. Usually I don't like this kind of music, but this album isn't really as loud as you'd figure. It's got great song after great song.

6. "Lonestar" by Lonestar - 1995, awesome country album. It's definitely not for those who don't like country because it's honky-tonks and heartbreak but I love the sound. Too bad Lonestar lost that sound after this; John Rich has a great voice.

5. "Lynyrd Skynyrd" by Lynyrd Skynyrd - 1973, "Tuesdays Gone", "Simple Man", "Gimme Three Steps", "I Ain't the One". Amazing songs and that doesn't include everybody's classic "Free Bird". Southern Rock at its best.

4. "Brand New Man" by Brooks & Dunn - 1991, more honky-tonks and heartbreak but I can't help myself. This is just a great album. One of my favorite albums to listen to while grilling in the summer.

3. "Born in the U.S.A." by Bruce Springsteen - 1984, this album kind of embodies everything that is great about The Boss. It kind of fuses a 80s feel into 70s Springsteen, and it works really well. Every song is solid.

2. "Crash" by Dave Matthews Band - 1996, I do not like "Crash Into Me". The most famous song from this album I really don't care for, however, every other song is so good that it more than makes up for it. I'm talking about great song after great song. This is my favorite album except that it includes "Crash Into Me". If that song were not on there this would be #1.

1. "The Allman Brothers Band" by The Allman Brothers Band - 1969, "Whipping Post" and "It's Not My Cross to Bear" are so good that those songs would put this into the top 15, then you add "Black Hearted Woman", "Don't Want You No More", "Dreams", and "Every Hungry Woman"; this is the best blues-rock album you can get. Every time I listen I like it more....just a great album. The greatest.

Sometimes it's hard to listen to albums now-a-days. You either click shuffle on the iPod, listen to a mixed cd, or the radio. But it's always good to throw on an album when you're on a road trip or at the house. So I've already done my favorite artists, now my favorite albums, so I guess all that is left is my favorite songs which I'll do soon.

JB

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

2010 SEC Predictions/National Top 20

Here it is, my predictions for the upcoming year of SEC Football. When I say I love college football, what I really mean is I love SEC football. The rest of it is like the NFL to me, I like it because it's football but I really love the SEC. So, that is what I care about and that is what I'm going to predict. Beyond that I'll give enough thought for a National Top 20 to see where I end up. Here goes...

EAST

1. South Carolina, 6-2 (10-2) - The Gamecocks have 16 returning starters and 83% of their lettermen returning. They are the only team in the east with a proven quarterback, and I think that Spurrier will be able to finally put it all together in Columbia. They also have another really good defense behind Ellis Johnson and they have 5-star running back recruit Marcus Lattimore joining 9 returning offensive starters. I am predicting a big early season win vs. Georgia, a loss at Auburn, and then another HUGE win vs. Alabama. These great victories would probably land South Carolina in the top 10 by Halloween and looking forward to a monumental game against a top 5 Florida team in mid-November. That is when they overlook Arkansas at home and lose before facing Florida. Even with a loss it still sets up a huge match-up between Florida and South Carolina for the SEC East crown, one I am calling for USC to win and finally get over the hump to the SEC Championship Game. I think they have the talent and coaching to get this done, but with their incredibly difficult schedule they could easily go 6-6 if they fall back into the same mistakes they always make.

2. Florida, 6-2 (10-2) - The Gators are going to be really good again. Even though they only return 63% of their lettermen, their usual competitors Tennessee, LSU, and Georgia are down from their usual standards. Florida has a #1 recruiting class coming in and already has a great line on both sides of the ball. BUT they are going to Tuscaloosa in what is going to be a huge game, maybe even a #1 vs. #2 match-up. While the two teams are pretty evenly matched I think Bama will end up with the win being at home and having the leadership of Greg McElroy. From there I think the Gators rebound in tough home games against LSU, Mississippi State and Georgia. Everything will be setup for a winner-take-all game against South Carolina in the swamp, which I am predicting the Gamecocks to win. Florida narrowly escaped USC in 2006 before winning the national title and I think they could have a similar game this year. Their final game at Florida State could get interesting as well.

3. Georgia, 4-4 (8-4) - Georgia could go undefeated this year or they could miss a bowl game, they are the biggest swing team in the SEC. They've got 10 returning starters on offense, everyone but the quarterback. So I'm throwing a lot of importance on how redshirt freshman Aaron Murrey is going to perform. He was a 5-star recruit so expectations are high but there is always a learning curve in the SEC; but he's got great running backs, a future Top 10 NFL draft pick in A.J. Green, and the best offensive line in the SEC. Then they are bringing in a new defensive coordinator to a mediocre defense with 5 returning starters, so I'm not sure how that will pan out. I basically took them winning at home and losing on the road in September with their young QB, and then just losing at Auburn and against Florida the rest of the way.

4. Kentucky, 2-6 (6-6) - I like Joker Philips and I think he'll keep up the pretty good teams that Rich Brooks established. Randall Cobb might be the best athlete in the SEC, and he will keep Kentucky in some games with his speed and quickness alone. The Cats have just 5 starters on offense, and 6 on D coming back off a team that was just mediocre last year. UK will be hard pressed to get to 6 wins but I think they will pull out the season opener at Louisville because of the Cards poor defense. After that they've got another easy September until Florida comes calling, and I think they are looking at 6 straight losses to put them at 3-6. Then I think the Wildcats will finish strong winning their last 3 games including finally beating Tennessee after 25 straight years of losing.

5. Tennessee, 1-7 (4-8) - I like Derek Dooley a ton more than Lane Kiffin but he has nothing to work with this year. Unless he gets a ton of help from their freshman class I don't see much happening in Knoxville. I think the defense will be pretty good with 6 returning starters and a boatload of incoming talent, but the offense will struggle milady with 3 returning starters (they are replacing QB, RB, and the entire offensive line). All of the O-linemen on UT's roster have a combined 3 starts. After a cupcake game against UT Martin, it's going to be a rough go against Oregon, Florida, UAB, at LSU, at Georgia, Alabama, & at South Carolina. I think they will come out of that with one win (against UAB) and it won't be easy. After that they recover as usual in November to avoid the cellar of the SEC east.

6. Vanderbilt, 0-8 (2-10) - I am terrible about picking Vanderbilt to go 0-8, I probably do it every other year, so yes I did pick them to go 0-8 in '08 when they started 5-0 and went to a bowl game. It is hard for me to pick them to win games when I know the other team has superior talent, but they do manage to eak-out a couple games each season. However, with Bobby Johnson leaving just a month before training camp starts I think it will throw a wrench into what I think is about the same old Vandy. I think they will be competitive, but they won't be able to enter the win column in the SEC. They aren't helping themselves by playing the ever-improving Northwestern and Connecticut, but I've got them winning against Eastern Michigan and then pulling one out at home vs. Wake Forest on the last game of the season.


WEST

1. Alabama 7-1, (11-1) - Nick Saban has Alabama rolling and I don't see it slowing much this year. They have supreme talent at every position and are stacked in every unit. Probably the least talented unit is the quarterback position, but as we all know Greg McElroy hasn't lost a game since the 8th grade and is without a doubt the smartest QB in college football...so things don't look good for everybody else. There only weakness could be only returning 2 starters on defense, but they have great talent. The defense could be a handicap early against a ranked Penn State team but I think Bama ends up winning that game by double digits. After the first 3 games I think the defense will be as solid as ever and ready for the real test that comes at Arkansas, vs. Florida, and at South Carolina. Those 3 games will all be incredibly difficult and I'm calling for them to lose that final game at USC. This is a product of 3 consecutive really tough games, being on the road, and the Gamecocks should be much improved this year. After that I think the Tide cruise all the way to the Iron Bowl which should be tightly contested but I think they will pull it out since it's in Tuscaloosa.

2. Auburn, 6-2 (10-2) - Auburn has high hopes and a favorable schedule. I can almost see them going into the Iron Bowl undefeated, but I'm 95% sure they will lose somewhere in their first 11 games. With 8 returning starters on defense I look for them to improve a lot. Cam Newton should be good but I'm anticipating a struggle against Mississippi State and a loss on the road. The rest of their tough games against Clemson, South Carolina, Arkansas, LSU, and Georgia are all at home until the Alabama game. Most of those games should be tightly contested but I'm giving Auburn the edge with their home field advantage. Based on these predictions, that would mean the Iron Bowl would be for the western division crown with Auburn 10-1 (and most likely ranked in the top 10), and Alabama at 10-1 (and in the top 5). If Auburn doesn't lose to State, they will probably lose one of those other games...I just don't see Cam Newton and Gene Chizik providing enough to run the table.

3. Arkansas, 5-3 (9-3) - This is supposed to be Arkansas' year and I think they will have a good one. Ryan Mallett proved he was legit after last season, and even though he is coming off an off-season injury he should be 100% by the start of the season. Not only is he a huge threat, but Arkansas has the best wide receiving corps in the SEC and I don't anticipate Mallett ever throwing for less than 300 yards. They have 10 returning starters on offense and 7 on defense so a lot of people are jumping on the Arkansas bandwagon after turning their fortunes around last year, but they did have the 6th best turnover ratio in the nation so the ball may bounce differently this year. I have the Hogs losing vs. Alabama in a close game, at Georgia in a closely contested shootout, and another shootout at Auburn. However, that is in their first six games so they would be 3-3, is that enough to tear them apart or be the undoing of Bobby Petrino? I think he will save the rest of their season and finish 9-3 with 17 returning starters and 83% of their letermen returning. The game at home against Alabama on September 25th will be huge, and may mean the difference in winning the division or not.

4. LSU, 4-4 (7-5) - LSU has an incredibly difficult schedule facing North Carolina and West Virginia in the non-conference and going to Florida, Auburn, and Arkansas. Then they've got Alabama coming to death valley...probably the toughest schedule in the nation. The kickoff classic will be a really tough game, I think North Carolina will end up a top 10 team this year. Then after going to Vanderbilt, they face a scrappy Mississippi State team that has given them trouble the past two years. Then it's Big East contender West Virginia and Tennessee at home, but I think they will manage to be 4-1 before the sky starts falling in Baton Rouge. They've only got 10 returning starters coming off a 9-4 team and the recruiting has fallen off a bit from where it was during Miles' first couple years so they don't have as much depth. I predict LSU will lose 3 of the next 4 games to Florida, Auburn, and Alabama and Les Miles will be a lame duck. After losing to Arkansas I think Les Miles ends up getting fired for a disappointing 7-5 season (which is remarkable considering he has the 5th longest tenure in LSU history, 3rd most wins and the best winning percentage). However, after saying all that, I am predicting them to lose most of their swing games; they do have the capability to win each game they play. But with that difficult of a schedule and Les Miles' poor gameday coaching I don't see it happening.

5. Ole Miss, 4-4 (7-5) - The addition of Jeramiah Masoli helps Ole Miss out a lot. Without him I saw Ole Miss as team that would not go to a bowl (4-8) and finish last in the West. The Admiral Ackbars should have a defense that will keep them in games, but Masoli won't have much to work with (only 4 returning starters on offense)...and if he gets in trouble or is injured they are out of play-makers. So I still don't think they are very good, and I have them losing to Fresno State. They have a very easy schedule and miss all 3 top teams from the east which gets them to 4-4. As much as I hate it, I am going to predict they will win the Egg Bowl having a full season to come together as an offense, keeping with the home and home tradition of the past 6 years...but that is the only game against the western division I envision them winning.

6. Mississippi State, 3-5 (7-5) - I think State has a very strong team this year, and having them finish last in the West isn't a reflection on them as much as it is a tough western division, and most likely a strength of schedule that will rank in the top 5. State has 7 returning starters on offense and defense and that doesn't include Chris Relf who had significant playing time last year. I actually have State upsetting Auburn in Starkville on the second game of the season, mostly due to Auburn's new quarterback Cam Newton coming in for his first SEC game against MSU's new defensive coordinator. State will have a very good defensive line and secondary that will disrupt Auburn's run & shoot offense. I have a loss on the road at LSU, but then coming back to Starkville to win a shootout against Georgia. I am going out on yet another limb to say State will beat Houston on the road (Houston's only loss of the season). Then my expectations are less for the November slate, I've have a 7-2 start (and a national ranking) before losing the last 3 games. The Dawgs should be operating with a 2 QB system, with Tyler Russell as a redshirt freshman, so picking them to start out so strong is a risky move but they have the strongest offensive line they've had in a long time which will help out the quarterbacks tremendously.

SEC Championship Game: South Carolina vs. Alabama

Winner: Alabama


I think the SEC West will by far be the stronger division. My preseason SEC Power Rankings (who is the best on a neutral field) are like this:

1. Alabama (National Championship Game)
2. Florida (Sugar Bowl)
3. Arkansas (Cotton Bowl)
4. Auburn (Capitol One Bowl)
5. South Carolina (Gator Bowl)
6. LSU (Chick-Fil-A Bowl)
7. Georgia (Outback Bowl)
8. Mississippi State (Liberty Bowl)
9. Ole Miss (Music City Bowl)
10. Kentucky (Papa Johns.com Bowl)
11. Tennessee
12. Vanderbilt


The preseason polls are basically power polls. The writers and coaches don't really take the time to go through each schedule and dissect how they think each game will turn out. So, they just rank the teams based on how good they perceive them to be, instead of where they believe they will be ranked at the end of the season. That is ok, although if they are going to do that I'd rather them start with the final poll from the previous season. Here is my national Top 20, which is based on where each team will be after the regular season and conference championship games, but before the bowl games...

1. Boise State, 12-0 (WAC Champion) - I think Boise State has a legitimate shot at the national title. They have 21 of 22 starters returning and 92% of their lettermen returning! The game against Virginia Tech on September 6th is going to be HUGE, but I think the Broncos will pull that game out; VA Tech only has 4 returning starters on defense and 63% returning lettermen. Boise State has experience and something to prove. With an easy schedule aside from a home game against Oregon State remaining I don't see them losing. They definitely benefited from +21 turnovers last year (2nd in the nation), but I think a lot of them were forced because of their supreme talent in the WAC. I think voters will give the Broncos a shot because they proved they belonged last year in the BCS, and with essentially the same players they will make it to the big game.

2. Alabama, 12-1 (SEC Champion) - Alabama will have a chance to defend their national title, this time in Tempe, Arizona. Alabama will be favored in the national championship game, only losing because of their tough schedule. They will get the nod out of the 1-loss teams after back-to-back really good wins against Auburn and then South Carolina in the SEC title game, and because of the reputation the SEC has earned over the past few years.

3. Nebraska, 12-1 (Big 12 Champion) - Nebraska has a light Big 12 schedule being in the North; they don't have to play Oklahoma, and they get Texas at home. With 9 returning starters on offense they will be improved, and they are going to reload on defense. Possible slip-ups might be at Washington and at Texas A&M, and I think they will probably lose one of those games and then rebound to beat Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship Game.

4. Iowa, 11-1 (Big 10 Champion) - Iowa has a good team but they have an even better schedule. All of their tough Big 10 games are at home, and I think they will close out the Big 10 Championship at home in a huge game against Ohio State on November 20th.

5. Ohio State, 11-1 - Ohio State is ranked #2 preseason, and most likely will hit the #1 spot at some point during the year. I have them losing late in the season to Iowa, and falling down to probably #4, then getting leap-frogged by Nebraska after the Big 12 Championship. They could also lose to Miami in September, but for now I'll pick the Buckeyes in that game since it's in Columbus. They have so much talent it's hard to see them losing but they seem to not be able to win the big one. They benefited from +17 turnovers last year so a turnaround in fortunes could cost them a couple games this year. However, they could easy be in the national championship game again.

6. Miami (FL), 11-2 (ACC Champion) - I think Miami is going to be really good this year, and if this were power rankings I would say they are the #3 team in the country. However, their schedule is so tough I think it will get the best of them a couple times. They play at Ohio State, at Pittsburgh, and at Clemson in back-to-back-to-back games and I think they'll end up dropping at least one of them. They might also lose at Georgia Tech or vs. Virginia Tech but I'm calling for them to beat North Carolina to advance to the ACC Championship Game. Miami is back.

7. TCU, 11-1 (Mountain West Champion) - TCU is going to be really good again. I think they have a very strong chance to go undefeated, but I think their late game at Utah will cost them a shot at a national title. However, if they do go undefeated and Boise State does again, how do the voters react to those two teams being at the top (and they have played each other the last two years in bowl games) They've got 16 returning starters and I think their offense will rival their defensive dominance...I definitely see a BCS bowl for the Horned Frogs, and hopefully this year they will be pitted against a BCS school.

8. Florida, 10-2 - The Gators are going to be really good again, I just don't think they can get past Alabama, and with my bold prediction of South Carolina winning the east, they have to have 2 losses and they land at No. 8. If they are in the national championship game again, however, I will not be surprised at all.

9. Oregon, 10-2 (PAC 10 Champion) - The Ducks kicked Jeramiah Masoli off the team but that is about the only position that doesn't have experience. Coming off a 10-3 season in '09 the Ducks will benefit from USC's downturn. Despite an early trip to Tennessee, the first 3 games are pretty light...enough time for the new QB to get his feet wet. There are tough road trips to Arizona State, USC, Cal, and Oregon State and I think they can survive with only one loss but it will be really difficult so I'm calling for a 2nd loss. Still, they earn a second straight trip to the Rose Bowl to play Iowa.

10. North Carolina, 10-2 - Butch Davis has put together a great defense filled with talent and now they have 10 returning starters on offense to go along with it. I think they will lose at Miami, which will prevent them from going to the ACC Championship game. I think they will get some pub for beating LSU and they could be #1 or #2 when they face Miami if they can beat Georgia Tech and Clemson too. In my opinion, there are enough tough games on their schedule to keep them in the top 10 at this point in the season. The ACC should be much improved.

The Rest of the Top 20:

11. Houston, 12-1 (Conference USA Champion)
12. Oklahoma, 11-2
13. Texas, 10-2
14. Pittsburgh, 10-2 (Big East Champion)
15. Wisconsin, 10-2
16. Auburn, 10-2
17. South Carolina, 10-3
18. Virginia Tech, 9-3
19. West Virginia, 9-3
20. Arkansas, 9-3

National Champion: Alabama (reluctantly)



With predictions it is hard to guess the crazy upset that is going to happen and cause a slew of these great teams to have 2 or 3 losses. The bad thing about predictions is you never know who is going to step up, who is going to get injured, what team is going to fold under the pressure, or who's locker room didn't mesh and their talent didn't translate into wins. So you never know what is going to happen, but when you make predictions and you get them right it's a good feeling somewhere deep down. I'll have my NFL predictions ready next week.

JB

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Best Meals to Eat

I love to eat. During the day, I think about my next meal. Sometimes I have a game plan two or three days ahead of time for just what I'm going to do to a meal to make it great. What I eat during a day or a weekend has a major factor on whether I consider it to have been a good day or weekend. Is this stupid? Probably, but I really, really enjoy a good meal. My wife is a great cook and she is cool with all the ways I love to experiment with food by putting hot sauce (#1 is Texas Pete), jalapenos, cheeses, bacon, various kinds of homemade dipping sauces, etc. on the food.

When I see people eating the same meals over and over I feel as though they are missing out on life. It doesn't bother me because I know they probably just don't care but I just can't live like that. But there are so many variations on food you can do. A meal you may have been eating for years could be brought back to life with a dipping sauce or a couple spices. There's nothing like eating a great meal, and here are some of my favorite all-time meals.

Steak & Crab-
This meal is the tops, you can't beat it. For one thing it combines my two favorite types of food--beef and seafood, or as some people call it "surf & turf". But don't just have some crab legs with your steak, you need to melt some cheese over crab meat and mix in some heavy cream, maybe some chives--whatever you like...just get that creamy cheese goodness to go with the solid crab taste. Then once you've given the crab that extra flavor and moisture put it on top of the steak and eat them together. The combination is a taste explosion! Unbelievable! But if you're going to go to the trouble of doing this then you want to buy a decent steak and real crab. It might get pricey, but this meal is the best! Then you've got to go with the classic potato (mashed or baked) and salad for sides. My opinion is that a baked potato is the perfect sidekick to a steak because while you are preparing your potato, the juices and flavors have time to permeate the steak (when on the grill, the moisture is sucked to the center of the steak so you want to let it sit out for 10 minutes before eating).

Country Fried Steak-
Give me a country fried steak and some gravy. How about some green beans, mashed potatoes and a couple biscuits, and you can put some of that gravy on the biscuits too. Top it off with a sweet tea and I'll be eatin' good.

Fish Tacos/Buffalo Wings-
I am a connoisseur of fish tacos and buffalo wings. Each place that serves them has a different take on them and it is fun to try out what they've come up with. Plus they are a couple of the harder meals to prepare on your own, so I like to get these when I eat out.

Crab cakes-
I love crab, so naturally I love crab cakes. I recently made my own and they weren't that hard, and they were very good. Sometimes the key may be to create a great sauce to go along side it, or to go on top of it in a sandwich. Always start with a sour cream base for the sauce with crab cakes and go from there.

Nachos-
I really enjoy some nachos. Load up your plate with some Tostitos and taco meat and top it with melted cheese, sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, green onions, jalapenos, salsa, and Texas Pete..it's a mountain of awesome!

Undoubtedly, the best meals come when you are the hungriest. If I had the capacity I would love to eat a 4-course meal every day, but I just can't do it. The best meals to eat at a restaurant are the ones that serve a little bread, then a cup of soup, then a salad, then bring me my entree. And of course you've got to plan ahead to make this the ultimate meal and top it off with desert. Eating is an experience and if this was served correctly this should take an hour and a half at least. I like to have 10-15 minutes between courses so I can settle in.

I could probably go on forever because I love food, but I'll leave it at this. I'm trying new stuff all the time, variations on food, maybe a great dipping sauce to liven up something. As I do, I'll post them on the blog.

JB

Monday, August 16, 2010

Tim Tebow

It is amazing to me how polarizing people's opinions on Tim Tebow are. When his name comes up there are two questions that arise: do you like Time Tebow the man? And do you think he will succeed in the NFL? If your answer is 'no' to the first question then you probably say 'no' to the second on as well. But even though I think the majority of people like him as a person, the majority says he won't succeed as an NFL quarterback. Well, I think Tim Tebow is a great person and I think he will be incredible in the NFL and I've got plenty of reasons to believe this.

I've always hated the Florida Gaters, but when Tim Tebow played for them I rooted for them. His work ethic, will to win, and leadership was amazing at Florida. Even in his freshman year he was running over defensive lineman, and he's a quarterback! Then he won the Heisman Trophy his sophomore year and a national championship his junior year. And in what was going to be his year to be considered the greatest college football player of all time, an undefeated national championship season his senior year, ended when Florida lost to a great Alabama team in the SEC Championship game. He was so intense, so determined, he won the mental part of the game every week. The amazing thing about Tebow is that he has the heart of 'Rudy', the body of a linebacker, and he plays quarterback. And to top it off he is a true leader. All of this said you have to respect him as a player even if you don't like him.

What I like about Tebow the most is the man he is off the field. He is a committed Christian who does more than just thank God after the game. He knows that all the gifts (athletic abilities) he's been given are because of God's grace, and his number one mission is to help people come to know Jesus Christ. With all of the distractions that were around him as he was a huge star at Florida, he maintained that focus. It just shows his strong will, desire, and leadership on the field is the same off the field. As a Christian, I find Tebow to be very inspiring. And I know that to non-Christians this can come as a huge turn-off, and maybe that is why a person doesn't like him. But I don't think anyone can say that he isn't trying to impact the world in a positive way, whether you are a Christian or not.

From the moment Tebow won the Heisman Trophy until now analysts and fans have said Tebow has bad mechanics and he won't translate well to the NFL. Over and over and over again I've heard about how he can't do it. When the Denver Broncos selected him in the first round the analysts were largely skeptical about their decision to "waste" a first round pick on him when they probably could have got him in the 2nd round. Well, it has already paid off for the Broncos because they have already made enough off selling Tim Tebow jerseys to pay his salary. He's going to make just over $2 million per season, and with all the fans (including me) he's going to attract to Broncos games it will be well worth the money.

Why does everyone buy into Mel Kiper, Jr., Todd McShay and other's analysis of Tebow? Just because they say he won't work, does that mean it is fact? Don't forget about how these guys said Jevan Snead was a top 10 draft choice about one year ago today....well he didn't get drafted, and then he got cut by Tampa Bay...before training camp started! Tebow probably won't even play quarterback his rookie year so doesn't that mean he has a least a year and a half to work on his throwing motion? With his skill, determination, and strong-will is there any doubt he will be able to master the throwing a football the way they want him to. It's not instincts they are worried about, it's his throwing motion! He was a straight 'A' student, so I also think he can handle an NFL playbook, even though it is completely different from Urban Meyer's system. There is one thing I would never do, and that's tell Tim Tebow he can't do something. With someone that driven, you're only adding fuel to the fire in his belly to be the best.

Tim Tebow is a great person and is unlike any athlete I've ever seen on and off the field. He has transcended sports to become a public figure like few others because of his skills and personality. There is no doubt Tebow will be enormously successful in the NFL. As soon as he becomes as good as Matt Ryan he will have endorsements all over the place and his face will be on everything. He may never win a Superbowl or go to the Hall of Fame, but he will be a success in the NFL.

JB

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Letter from the Editor ---- Me

I really like doing this blog. It seems like there is always something out there for me to give an opinion on...so ideas are always coming to me. I try to keep things versatile, not doing 3 days in a row of any topic. I try to get in food, music & movies, politics, sports, and culture and mix them up so it stays interesting. I don't know how interesting it is, hopefully it's somewhat entertaining. I'm assuming that once football season hits there will be a ton to talk about, but I'll try to throw in un-football related each week...keeps me from getting consumed.

I've been working on my 2010 SEC predictions for a while now, I am trying to get them as accurate as possible...and still come up with some bold predictions. After all, without bold predictions what is the point of doing predictions. And of course I want to see how I did of at the end of the year, and this blog will be my proof I got it right...or my undoing if I'm way off. So I'll post my SEC predictions this week. I'm also working on NFL predictions which I'll post in the next two weeks.

JB

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Best & Worst Sideline Reporters

What is the point of a sideline reporter you ask. I'm not sure. So most of the time the network puts a really good looking female down there and they ask dumb questions to the coaches before and after halftime. So to be a good sideline reporter in my mind just don't ask for the mic unless you've got an injury to report or you're going to ask good questions to the coaches.

THE BEST

Lynn Swann - I guess you could say Lynn Swann pioneered the idea of the sideline reporter. Despite his annoying lisp, he always did a great job and asked the coaches relevant questions. He should be the model for how to be a sideline reporter.

Erin Andrews - Erin Andrews is without a doubt the most famous sideline reporter, maybe the most famous in history. I remember when she was on TBS as the studio host during Braves games, she botched everything she said and Skip Carey would give her back-handed compliments and tease her. She's definitely come a long way since then, transcending sports to become a pop icon. We all know she looks good, but I'll put her under the best because she actually knows something about sports and the majority of the time she won't come on just to say something stupid.

Craig Sager - Sager has the most flamboyant jackets of any person who isn't a nutcase. He obviously would like to get noticed, but he hasn't really made it past TNT & TBS sports. But he's pretty good if you can look past the jackets.

Jill Arrington - What happened to Jill Arrington. She used to be on the CBS SEC college football game of the week. She came before Erin Andrews and was much better. She was better looking than Andrews and knew more about sports...maybe because her daddy played in the NFL. But I guess she didn't want to do it anymore because she is no longer around.

Andrea Kramer - Andrea Kramer is pretty good, she actually knows a thing or two about football. I don't think anyone has every really had a problem with her sideline reporting...she just does her job and stays in the background.

Pam Oliver - She is on the "A-team" at FOX because everyone else sucks...and she's a black woman so it makes them look good. She's does a pretty good job. Sometimes I wish she would go up in the booth and relieve us from the misery that is Joe Buck.

Melissa Stark - She burst onto the scene doing stories for Sportscenter, the next thing you know she's on Monday Night Football for a couple years, then she's went into oblivion at NBC. She was famous for being good looking, that is about all I remember...not much substance but nothing bad so I'll put here up here.

Bonnie Bernstein - Sometimes Bonnie Bernstein can be the female version of Michele Tafoya but most of the time she is pretty forgettable, but that is a compliment for sideline reporters. She typically doesn't say anything annoying or ask for the mike to tell us it looks like Tom Brady has a headache but he may just be scratching his forehead.


THE WORST

Holly Rowe - "Mike, I think Nick Saban is really mad right now. He's yelling at the players and his face is red... it almost matches his shirt, back up to you." That is the kind of compelling reporting you get from her. Dubbed 'Miss Piggy' by Will Duckworth, she is quite possibly the ugliest sideline reporter in the business.

Jim Grey - Mr. arrogant, he thinks he can be a hard-hitting reporter from the sidelines. Then perfect timing he threatens Corey Pavin on Wednesday. This guy is super-serious about sports and defensive to everyone. I thought it was hilarious when the Yankees refused to speak with him after winning Game 3 of the 1999 World Series because of how he berated Pete Rose during a pregame ceremony before Game 2. Who can stand this guy? He is terrible.

Rachael Nichols - I don't know if she has ever been on the sidelines during a game, but I had to include her so I could say she sucks. She looks like a rebellious teenager who dyed her hair red, then is trying to be serious while reporting the fluff that is Brett Favre in July. Has she ever come up with anything good after all that reporting?

Suzy Kolber - "And so I asked Drew, how have you been able to cope with the fans reaction to the news you had a cliffhanger on your nose in the 3rd quarter? His response was astonishing... he didn't even care! Wow, Mike, Brees really puts it all into perspective. He just gets it." Perhaps most famous for Joe Namath hitting on her, she is apart of the worthless entity that is Monday Night Football on ESPN.

Michele Tafoya - She wants so bad to be a respected sideline reporter. I don't know if she tries to make her voice lower or if that is just how she talks. She can come up with some real dumb stuff while on the sidelines, especially at basketball games.

Tony Siragosa - "Yeah guys, I love the way he attacks the quarterback, it's like I used to do! Say, you guys think there will be a buffet after the game, I'm hungry?". Why do you need an analyst on the field level? The fans now get to watch the cheerleaders and this fatso picking his butt during the timeout. I guess it's good he knows football, but when you spend more than 50% of your mic time talking about stupid stuff like how sweaty you are it get you into this category. When it comes to interviewing the coaches at halftime, most of the time he just can't get enough energy to catch up to the head coach.

3 down, one to go....the best and worst sports personalities.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Chipper Jones

It looks as though Chipper Jones has ended his baseball career. He's torn his ACL and is out for the season. Two months ago he was unsure if this would be his last season or not, so with this news things don't look good for him ever coming back. If this is it, that is too bad because he's been the heart and soul of the Braves for 16 seasons.

Chipper Jones was selected as the #1 overall draft pick in the 1990 draft. Bobby Cox was responsible for drafting him, as he was the general manager of the Braves in 1990. He spent the next few years in the minor leagues and was scheduled for his rookie year to be in 1994 but he tore his ACL in spring training. His rookie year was 1995 and he was a major contributor to the Braves World Series Championship. Over the next 8 years he hit at least 25 HR and 100 RBI with a .300 average (except 21 HR and .295 in '97). He won the MVP award with a huge 1999 season.

After playing 8 All-Star caliber seasons at 3rd base, Chipper moved to left field in 2003 to allow for the Braves to sign Vinny Castilla which demonstrated his commitment to the team. In 2005, he moved back to 3rd base once Castilla had left the team. Since this time Jones has struggled with nagging injuries, however he has maintained his excellent hitting when he was in the lineup. After age 34, he hit .324, .337, and .364 in consecutive seasons. That last season, 2008, he won the National League batting title. Over the last two seasons age has taken its toll and he's fallen back to the pack as an average player.

For his career, Jones has 436 HR, 1,491 RBI, and a .306 average. He has the 3rd most homeruns all-time for a switch hitter behind Mickey Mantle and Eddie Murrey. He has never been linked to steroids even though the majority of his career was played during the steroid era in baseball. What none of these statistics show is the great leader he is, and how he has carried the Braves on his back for the majority of his career...and that includes unprecedented winning. Most baseball writers agree that Chipper Jones will be in the baseball Hall of Fame, and I believe he should be because of reasons listed above.

One of the amazing things about his career is that he was drafted by Bobby Cox and has played for Cox during his entire 16 year career. Managers just don't make it that long, and players usually don't stay with a team that long. The Braves record is 1,454 - 1,069 in the regular season and 47 - 44 in the postseason since Chipper began. Chipper Jones is the ultimate Atlanta Braves player, him and Cox are the Atlanta Braves.

It would be really sad to see his career end on an injury. Hopefully the injury can be rehabilitated quickly enough for him to at least play half of a season next year. But my gut feeling is that it will be too much work to try to play again since he was contemplating retirement anyway, and with Bobby Cox retiring Chipper's career is probably over. What makes it worse is that the Braves are in first place and they making one last run for him and Bobby. While his on-field production can be made up for with Omar Infante and Brooks Conrad, his leadership and experience will be missed down the stretch. It's too bad he went down like this.

JB