The Catholic Seven

It has been awhile and a lot has happened since I last penned a post onto this blog. Conference realignment is just as exciting then as it is now. My disdain for the Big East isn't a secret if you thumb through some of my older posts. However the reasons for hating this league have evolved in a years time. My disdain for the Big Least was born through the BCS system. An 8-4 UConn team won the Big East and took a BCS spot away from deserving teams cemented my hatred of this league. However my hatred blinded me from the reality of the situation. Historically powerful basketball teams were being ignored to a point of open revolt. Today my disdain for this league stems from the desperate growth of the league to have enough teams to have a championship game in football at the cost of losing the best basketball leauge in the history of college basketball.

Phase One
Syracuse and Pitt announced that they would be leaving the Big East and heading together for the ACC. This came a year after WVU announced its decision to leave for the BigXII. WVU leaving hurt football tremendously. Losing Pitt isn't a death nail, but you do lose a traditionally strong football and hoops program. Losing Syracuse is HUGE. Syracuse was a founding member of this league and put basketball first. Pitt came in later as did WVU when the emphasis was put on football expansion. Losing Syracuse is like the SEC losing Alabama or the B10 losing Ohio State. Syracuse leaving sent the Big East into panic mode. Especially since the league was losing two more teams to the ACC. Virginia Tech, BC, and Miami left years earlier.

Phase Two
Louisville pledged its loyalty to the league up until it agreed on a deal to leave the league for the ACC. Rutgers. Louisville joined the league with Cincinnati, USF, Marquette and DePaul after the first batch of teams jumped to the ACC a few years prior. Louisville became the first member of the last class to join the league to jump ship. Rutgers was invited to join the league back during the founding announced that it was leaving to join the B10. Cincinnati, Louisville, and UConn all fought for the ACC spot with the Cards winning out. The Big East had to face the reality that it had lost its best football members in consecutive years.

Phase Three
Who remains then?
1. UConn
2. Cincinnati
3. USF
4. Temple (who was invited back after being kicked out)

Four teams does not make a conference. Following the WVU defection the Big East put in a plan to recruit more schools. All of these moves were football centered. Boise State, TCU, and San Diego State all agreed to come and then backed out leaving the following schools to make up the Big East.

1. UCF
2. Memphis
3. SMU
4. Tulane
5. Houston
6. Navy
7. ECU

UConn and Cincinnati have made it clear that they want out of this mess and quick.

These phases of change were all driven by football factors. Money talks and thanks to the devaluation of the league the TV shares have dropped drastically. The one thing that is saving the Big East is its basketball tradition. Until...

Phase Four
Notre Dame announced that it too would be going to the ACC in all sports except football. The flood gates were officially destroyed as the Irish saw the writing on the wall and left. There interests were being ignored in the football expansion arena. To answer this "betrayal" the league went after Tulane to get its numbers back up in hoops. One sizable sect was being ignored in all of this and that was the so called "Catholic Seven". Marquette, DePaul, Georgetown, St Johns, Providence, Villanova, and Seton Hall were forced to sit back and watch the league destroy itself in order to make some money in football. They finally rose together and said enough is enough, we are leaving to form our own hoops league. The Big East officially died.

Money Talks?

Don't hate the league because they are terrible in football, hate the league because they ignored their roots and thus cost them the very thing they wished to preserve. The Catholic Seven sent a message to the league that they had stripped too much away from what used to be great about the league. Critics will argue that you cannot make money as a hoops centered league. I agree with that statement but when you are replacing WVU, Pitt, Cuse, Louisville and Rutgers with Tulane, SMU etc the argument can be made for focusing on hoops. Observe-

ESPN is reporting that NBC Sports made an offer to the Big East for a television contract that is worth between $20-$23 million per year. That sounds pretty good for a league made up of mediocrity.  However ESPN is also reporting that the Big East had asked ESPN for a $300 million a year contract that was quickly turned down by the network for obvious reasons.  Football drives the ship?

Fox made an offer to the Catholic Seven that would net the new league $30-$40 million a year for a hoops centered league. The number could change based on who else joins the league but as of now the deal seems better than the one NBC offered to the Big East. There is more watchability in the basketball centered league than that of the Big East.

The Name
The Catholic Seven and the remaining Big East teams are fighting over the future of the Big East name.   The remaining Big East teams shouldn't even fight for it. The majority of the original Big East teams make up the Catholic Seven. They should rightfully keep the name. It would be an insult to the history of the league to allow this mockery of a league to keep that name. It should live on in an entity that has life and potential. The Catholic Seven have such potential whereas the remaining Big East teams have joined to form the new Conference USA.

Who Else?
If the Catholic Seven are smart they will target Dayton, Xavier, St Louis, VCU, Creighton and possibly  BYU to join the league. The A10 and the MVC are the two stand out basketball first conferences. A merger would make a premier basketball conference that would be fun to watch and would make the tv contract worth every penny. Who really wants to watch Tulane v SMU in prime time? A Georgetown Butler match up would draw more viewers than the best Big East match up.

The Big East is dead and the name should be given to a league that has a pulse and common sense. Quality is more important than quantity is a message that the Big East clearly doesn't understand or care about. They have only themselves to blame. The future is bright for the Catholic Seven and as a fan of college hoops I hope they thrive. I wish nothing but the worst for the Big East. Your greed and ignorance is your downfall. You robbed college hoops fan of great basketball. The divorce is coming soon but if you want a taste of what the new Big East will look like tune into the Conference USA tournament this spring. This is your future....

From Swaziland, With Love

January 2012 has been interesting to say the least. We have crowned our BCS champion, the Cats are ranked second in the nation, the GOP primary season has begun and the UK women's team just beat Tennessee! Not a bad month. Thanks to some friends passionate interests I have decided to jump on board the Saints bandwagon- how can you hate Drew Brees? All of this is of course great news, but to me it is certainly a blessing to have so many distractions this month. Yes indeed, January is a lonely month.

Rachel has been in Swaziland for about 11 days now. Wow, 11 days? It feels like 11 months. We are just about to the halfway point which is GREAT, but of course I am grateful of the opportunity she has to do good things in a part of the world that is certainly not the most desirable of places to be.
I have heard many heartbreaking stories of her trip abroad, many of which I can't repeat without getting emotional. Luckily I have heard many stories of great compassion in the midst of great horror. Good and bad are both alive and well in Swaziland.

I miss her a tremendous amount (if you ask my coworkers they will most certainly acknowledge this). At least we got engaged before her departure. That brings a certain level of peace to the whole assignment. It's still quite difficult though, especially in communicating. Skype is often unreliable which leads to me showing my temper and cursing like a sailor at my Mac. We get to talk every day, most of which is through email which has become my best friend this month. I am so very proud of the work she is doing over there and cannot wait for her to return.

Being me, I decided to make myself an expert on all things Swazi. What did I discover?
-They have the highest HIV infection rate of any country on the continent. 1 out of every 4 is infected.
-Swaziland is an ABSOLUTE monarchy, the last on the continent.
-The men like to have multiple wives and mistresses.

HIV and the multiple wives obviously are linked together. Rachel was telling me that its commonplace for a man to have many wives- a status symbol. They teach safe sex in the clinics, but safe sex only goes so far in a culture that has multiple partners. Monogamy might save lives. Who knows. She sent me a picture of condom distribution machine in the bathroom there. It basically said if you have unprotected sex you will kill someone. I guess they aren't getting the message. The king enacted a no sex ban a few years ago. He made all virgins wear an arm band when in public. Obviously it didn't go over well and the ban was lifted. The king did liberate some of these women from that ban and made wives out of some of them- he has 14.

Now for His Majesty King Mswati III....
The king is an absolute ruler who dissolved political parties, government and basically democracy. His people live on roughly 60 cents a day while he lives in total opulence. The king has over 7 palaces and a fleet of luxury cars. He has a jet so that he can fly around the world on the dime of his people, most of which barely make a dime a day.

The king owns a large stake in the media and industrial sectors which lines his pockets while his people starve. He even made it a CRIME to take photos of his houses, security forces, luxury cars, plane, etc because he is tired of negative stories getting out. God save the king indeed.

Of course Rachel is not there to study its politics or to fight the system. She is there to make a difference in the lives of the Swazi people. She has seen some terrible things, but I know the type of person she is. She treats every patient with respect and honor- more importantly compassion. Speaking from someone who has received that compassion, her patients are very lucky to have her there. I am so proud of her and I miss her very much.

I am also very happy that she is there with friends from home. I am thankful for their help when she needed it most. I am thankful for the locals who are assisting them. I appreciate their kindness and I greatly appreciate the respect that they show my fiancee. The culture isn't the most honorable, therefore I am glad that there are honorable men helping them. I am grateful for that.

Keep up the good work Rach! I love you so much!

Had to get that out there! Don't worry, we will be back to sports soon enough. Some things are just more important. The Swazis should be very blessed. Don't get too attached to her though, I expect her back here in 2 weeks!

Oh and by the way, did Louisville beat Providence?


Didn't think so!

A Michigan Man

"We have to go out and hire a Michigan Man at Michigan." You can replace the school with any school in America and use that line freely in regards to replacing coaches in college football. The mystique of hiring a coach who knows the school is one that seems to really only be prevalent in college football. It's a notion that does not make a lot of sense to me especially given the recent ludicrous uproar out of State College, PA. Despite the silliness of  it, fans and AD's alike bow to the idea of hiring a "Michigan Man".

A friend of mine made a good point to me yesterday- he said that most people who make up that rare breed of people destined to become football coaches already know the history of the BIG college football schools. Do they really need to be bred there to appreciate or comprehend that history? I never went to Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State or Notre Dame but I recognize their unique status in the realm of college football. I never played defense at Nebraska but know enough about what the "Black Shirts" means to the players and fans.

Sure, "Michigan Men" have a leg up over most coaches if they are coming "home" to coach. They know the ground, they know the recruiting bases, they know the front office staff. Doesn't matter how long you played or coached at a school either- if you were there one year, you are a "Michigan Man." There has been great success by coaches coming "home" to coach. Look at Brady Hoke this year at Michigan. Steve Spurrier is the all time classic example. Success is great if you are a "Michigan Man".

Then again being a "Michigan Man" brings great pressure. Lloyd Carr was allowed to retire (forced out) when success at Michigan escaped him. Frank Solich at Nebraska was fired for going 9-3. You have to win every single game because you know that is expected of you. It's a ludicrous philosophy.

Do I think that new Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien will be successful at Penn State even though he isn't a "Michigan Man"? Who knows. Under the most normal of circumstances it is hard to tell. Given the recent troubles at Penn State it is hard to say if anyone can win there now. However, him not having any ties to the school has riled up an already insane fan base. I'm not going to go into that scandal, but come on... did you really think they were going to hire someone from that regime?

"Michigan Men" are the norm in college football- especially in the storied Big Ten. It's not really that way in the SEC. The SEC is the king of college football right now but only 3 of the 12 schools in the SEC have a "Michigan Man" as its head coach. UK and newly hired Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze have a "Michigan Man" as a head coach and are both at the bottom of the SEC pecking order. Auburn took a HUGE risk and hired Gene Chizik who coached there for 2 years. The fans hated that hire but Auburn wanted to hire someone with ties. It worked out for them, but it very well could not have.

For some reason college football is transfixed by the pageantry of hiring a "Michigan Man". College basketball doesn't really have that problem. Look at the top programs in hoops history- UK, KU, UNC, Duke. Of those only UNC has a "Michigan Man" in Roy Williams. Kentucky has the most tradition of anybody. Only Joe B. Hall and Tubby Smith were "Michigan Men". When it came time to hire a new coach after the failed Gillispie saga, UK went and hired the best man they could in John Calipari who had no ties to UK. Sure they wanted Billy Donovan who was an assistant here eons ago, but they chose the better man. A large segment of the UK fan base wants Travis Ford or John Pelphrey to come home and be the next head man. That's never going to happen. Those guys are not good enough to coach here. I don't care how good they were as players.

College football is a different beast and the top historical schools want to keep the tradition in house when they hire new coaches. Sometimes you have to part ways with the old coaching tree and plant new ones. Maybe that is why the Big Ten is so stuck in the past. Hopefully Urban Meyer can break the mold. Wait, what? Oh yes I forgot, he too is a "Michigan Man".....

BCS Conference Primer

College basketball is divided into four distinct segments: Non-conference, conference, conference tournament, and then a post season tournament. Every team takes part in a conference tournament except those from the Ivy League and thanks to the addition of two more post season tournaments, most teams play in all four segments of the season. The first segment has come to an end and as always it has provided us more questions than answers.

1. Who is the fairest of them all?: Syracuse, Ohio State, Kentucky, UNC have all proven their mettle. Each team has flaws that need to be ironed out in the conference season. However, these four teams play at a level that sets them apart from their peers.

2. Which conference is the "best"?: Everyone is biased towards the "BCS" leagues, but the great thing about college hoops is that the sexy league isn't always the best. The A-10, CUSA, Horizon, and even the OVC all have teams that can ball. The question is can they crack the top tier? That won't be too hard because the Pac12 is... well, I will wait.

3. Which "surprise" team will spiral out of control: The obvious example of this conundrum would be the Clemson team from a couple of seasons back that started the season undefeated before not making the NCAA tournament. Conference play can be a mysterious beast. Honestly there isn't a team in the top ten that looks like that Clemson team. However one team certainly looks like they could trip up just a little bit in conference play- Baylor. Baylor is undefeated and has some decent wins under their belt, but they haven't truly been tested. Sure they were tested by WVU and MissState but those were at neutral sites. They struggled defensively against BYU on the road and when you look at who they have to play in the Big12 on the road they could easily struggle some more. Are they a tournament team? Of course, just expect some of the luster to vanish.

With that said let's look ahead to the conference season. Here are some bold predictions for the journey ahead. Let's keep it simple: BCS leagues first...

ACC

Predicted Winner: One has to expect UNC to be the team that comes out on top in the ACC. They have been tested and have shown resilience. The UNLV game was their mulligan and had a lot of factors that led to the loss in a neutral gym that just happened to be in Las Vegas. The loss to UK was one of those "good" losses people like to talk about. Had Anthony Davis not blocked that shot, UNC is in a different boat. Luckily this isn't college football.

Dark Horse: Everyone wants to say Duke. Screw it. Duke is not that impressive. Austin Rivers is a hell of a talent, but for some reason doesn't live up to the hype. Call it my old Kentucky hatred of Duke but something about this Duke team doesn't inspire confidence. Who is my dark horse team you ask: UVA. The Cavs are off to a surprising 13-1 start under Tony Bennett and have a great win against Michigan under their belts. The win over LSU on the road may end up being a surprisingly good win later on in the season. Will it happen? Probably not. But everyone remembers Maryland right?

Big12

Prediction: Mizzou for the win. Two teams in this league are undefeated and Mizzou has that panache that makes them the flavor of the month. Out is Mike Anderson and in is Frank Haith. Haith was given a shot at making the U into a basketball school. We all know how that usually turns out, and so too did Haith. He jumped ship and headed to Mizzou and inherited a crazy talented team that has embraced the new system. Not to mention this is Mizzou's last hurrah in the Big12...

Dark Horse: This is a different Big12. Football showed us that. I'm taking Baylor. I know, I just said they are my pick to "collapse". Let me be clear. I can see this team losing games on the road in the league. However in a tournament setting, this is a dangerous team. One game scenarios are scary, and Baylor has the athletes to compete. They don't quite have that Mizzou magic though.

Big East

Prediction: The obvious pick is Syracuse. Bernie Fine drama aside, Cuse can ball. Veteran coach, a down league, great talent equals success. Undefeated run? Good lord no. It's the Big East. Tournament victory? More than likely.

Dark Horse: When UConn has its act together they can be tough to beat. When they are so-so they lose for the first time in like a century to Seton Hall. The defending national champs lost Kemba Walker but kept Jeremy Lamb. How can you not be impressed with him? Add to the mix highly talented and highly recruited super frosh Andre Drummond and sophomore Shabazz Napier and you get a potent combination of youth and "veterans".

BigTen

Prediction: Ohio State is LOADED and Thad Matta is REALLY good at what he does. The only thing that hurts them is Jared Sullinger's back. If the back is healthy- they win. If it isn't healthy, they win by less. Come March, the Buckeyes are going to be scary good.

Dark Horse: It's been a while but here it comes... Indiana. The Tom Crean experiment is starting to come to life as a Frankensteinesque beast that has a knack for defeating top teams at home. They have a good road win at NCState but that's about it. However, BigTen teams are on notice about trips to Assembly Hall. By the way, number 15 Michigan is down 11 against the Hoosiers in B-town.

Pac12

NOTE: This is the first season in a long while that this league has been absolutely putrid. No teams in this league are considered "threats". The best team in the west you ask? Probably Gonzaga or UNLV.

Prediction: Cal was DRUMMED by Mizzou and by UNLV. However this Cal Bears team might be the best of the worst out west. I hate everything about Cal which is said because I respect Coach Montgomery. You can blame your football team for my hatred.

Dark Horse: Thank goodness for the greater San Francisco area because if not for this lovely little piece of geography the Pac12 would be terrible. Stanford is my dark horse and could easily be my main prediction. This conference is too unstable. It all comes down to who doesn't suck the most. Maybe President Obama's brother in law can sneak Oregon State into the Pac12 title game.

SEC

Prediction: You know who I am going to pick and why- Kentucky. Seriously, it's the SEC.

Dark Horse: There are a few teams that can emerge and win the SEC title. Vandy is the obvious choice assuming that Festus comes back and is good to go. Outside of that one could say Mississippi State and Florida. I am too biased to right this.

Conference play is here! One more football game to go and it's all basketball all the time. With that said....

WVU scored 70 points. They really aren't a Big East team now.

A Split National Champion?

Irony is a funny thing.

Almost immediately after Oklahoma State beat Stanford in overtime last night the talking heads started throwing out the idea of a split national champion IF Alabama beats LSU. ESPN has to have lively debate and programming to fill 24 hours worth of airtime but come on, seriously? There is no way that Oklahoma State is worthy of any national championship designation under the system we have now.

You can make the argument all you want that under a playoff system they are worthy of the crown. Under a playoff system ANY team is worthy of it. Unfortunately we have the BCS and this isn't 2003. That's where the irony comes in.

The BCS was designed to pit the 2 best teams against one another for the title of best team in college football. We have all theorized that the system is flawed and so on and so forth. However we never quite had that smoking gun to blow the conspiracy sky high. Then 2003 came. The regular season came to an end and it was time to pick who goes where. USC won the Pac10 with their only loss coming against Cal in triple OT. LSU won the SEC with its only loss coming in a blowout to Florida. Oklahoma was undefeated entering the Big12 title game against lowly Kansas State. K-State surprised everyone and annihilated Oklahoma. USC and LSU finished their seasons strong while Oklahoma failed to win their conference championship. The BCS picked Oklahoma and LSU to play for it all while USC was sent to the Rose Bowl.

USC beat a very good Michigan team convincingly while LSU defeated Oklahoma. LSU won the BCS title but for the first time in the BCS era the AP gave its vote to USC. The title was split which is funny because thats what the BCS was designed to prevent.

Now return to 2011/2012. LSU is back in the mix and again is the SEC champion and this time is undefeated. Oklahoma State won the Big12 with one loss. Alabama did not win their division with one loss. Oklahoma State just beat a good Stanford team. Now you can see the connection to 2003. Take a step back though....

LSU and Alabama are the two best teams period. Their defenses are phenomenally good. Oklahoma States defense is non existent really, and has been all year. Stanford was the first elite offense they have faced all year and they put up a lot of points. But they played Baylor... No. Stanford has multiple weapons, Baylor has RGIII. Oklahoma State is a good team but they are in no way deserving of a split anything.

If Alabama beats LSU in what I think will be a close game, the Tigers deserve a share of the crown over Oklahoma State. Call me a homer, but NO league compares to the SEC.

If only we had a playoff to sort this all out...

Kentucky v Louisville....

Happy New Year!! Another year another win. Kentucky hosted the 4th ranked team in the land yesterday and again foiled the New Years Eve plans of Cardinal nation. Kentucky was led by freshman "beast" Michael Kidd Gilchrist who contributed 24 points and 19 rebounds in 39 minutes of play. Anthony Davis continued to be a block machine by adding 6 blocks to his resume. The rest of the team did what was needed to win. Did we learn anything? Yes and no. More importantly we can put this game behind us and celebrate our win.

Some takeaways...

1. Tony Greene...

Tony Greene was only one of the officials on hand yesterday but my animosity for him is almost legendary. Due to his reputation, I am clumping them all together. The officials were terrible. Fans love to say that every ref is against them. These refs were neither with us or against us. They were worried about being in the background of a SportsCenter shot looking helpless during a brawl Ala UC/Xavier. EVERYTHING was called. The game was robbed of any momentum. My fiancee fell asleep at one point. 52 fouls were committed between the teams. Both teams were cordial and honorable towards one another. This game was in NO danger of becoming another Over the Rhine brawl.

2. Russ Smith

I was crazy impressed with the Bronx native yesterday. His 30 points kept Louisville in this thing and his fiery determination was fun to watch. How he came off the bench I don't know, but knowing slick Rick's love of four year players, it will be fun to watch him grow.

3. Pitino

After the game Rick told what few reporters were around (and his post game show audience) that he would be shocked if Louisville made the tournament. This from the same guy who said he would retire in 2017 then said he never said that. Rick isn't who he used to be. He can still coach, but his comments after, well anything, are just bizarre. Louisville is a tournament team barring a collapse. Which is doubtful.

4. Jones

Terrence Jones was terrible. Terrence Jones saved us. You take your pick there. A lot of people are in the camp that Jones was a non factor with his 2 points but I take a different angle. I LOVED Jones attitude on the court. He had the right attitude in this game and was caught often on camera screaming and encouraging himself and his team. Besides, those 11 rebounds helped.

5. Blocks

Anthony Davis was his typical efficient self blocking shots yesterday. Louisville's Gorgui Dieng tied with Davis for 6 blocks too. Dieng looks like the player he is supposed to be and will only get better. Louisville's defense is GOOD. Dieng is a critical component to their success. After all, they held us to 69 points in Rupp.

What's Next?

Kentucky actually travels to Louisville to play Arkansas Little Rock in Freedom Hall on Tuesday night. Hopefully the crowd will be better than years past in the former home of the dirty birds. It will be our last tune up before starting SEC play at home against South Carolina on Saturday.

Hoosier Daddy?

Indiana did it again at Assembly Hall. The Hoosiers upset Ohio State on Saturday with stellar play by its starting 5. With that said, think god no one got hurt because the rest of the team was a non factor. Doesn't matter because right now they are a solid NCAA tournament team. Unless they pull a Clemson....

Game of the Upcoming Week

A lot of good match ups this week but one stands out- Michigan State v Wisconsin. Sparty "upset" Indiana at home while Wisconsin got upset at home. You heard that right. Wisconsin lost at the Kohl center. Both teams are looking to prove something in this slug em out Big Ten defensive show down.

It's going to be a sad week as my fiancee leaves tomorrow for a month in Africa. Here we go....

L Yes: My Louisville Primer

A happy New Years Eve to all! It's been a great week. For starters, I unwrapped my MacBook Air which is freaking sweet. It's a joy to be back on the keyboard again! A lot of exciting things are happening as the new year begins. Yesterday I ran into a good friend while shopping with Rachel and am SERIOUSLY considering taking up him up on his offer of a new direction. My fiancee Rachel is leaving for Africa in two days which promises to be an awesome trip for her and a lot of worrying for me. All of that can wait though for today is a very special day. Today is Louisville game day!

All the build up to this game got me thinking. What does Louisville mean to me? We all know the rivalry and its key moments, but growing up in Eastern Kentucky it wasn't that big of a deal to most of us. Yeah we knew the Cardinals, we knew the city, so on and so forth. Truth of the matter is, I didn't REALLY care about this rivalry until I got to college at UK. Even then it took some time.

Growing up on the Ohio and West Virginia border meant that trips to Louisville were very rare. Why go? Cincinnati and Columbus were easier to get to and bigger. The only time we really went to Louisville was for KYA or Key Club events. The point- we had no reason to even care about them.

We all thought of Louisville as a separate entity that clashed with the very core of Kentucky. I am not saying that I don't enjoy big cities- I do! I've been to some of the worlds best. We just viewed Louisville as an outlier in our state. Because of our location so far east, I considered Louisville to be Western Kentucky. It was 3 plus hours away and culturally divided from us.

Once I got to UK I started to go to Louisville more. I enjoy the city of Louisville very much. Coming from a baseball family made me appreciate the Slugger Museum and its history in the sport that built my family. I appreciate the role the city played in Western Expansion. I LOVE the water front walking trails and the cleaned up downtown. It's a nice place to visit. It just doesn't feel "Kentucky".

So what of the school? I of course visited Louisville's campus when in high school along with all the other state schools. I had a very open mind. I knew that Louisville had a top tier Poli Sci program and offered many scholarships particularly to those from back home. I wanted to check it out. Upon arriving, I knew this place wasn't for me. The campus was atrocious. They were doing a lot of renovating and such, but the idea of an urban campus wasn't for me. It just didn't feel right.

The rest is history- I chose the school I was going to go to all along and had a great ride there. It was there that my hatred for the Cards began. Being at UK was awesome- minus the TERRIBLE basketball during my tenure. Every university has students that are fans of other schools. I would proudly rock Nebraska red during football season. Did I love the Cats football team? Of course, but family first! I would also notice a lot of other red walking around too. Ohio State scarlet was everywhere. That's ok though. When is the last time UK played OSU or Nebraska? Another shade of red caught my eye though...

CARDS

There was a significant population of Louisville fans at UK which always confused me. They would rock their gear even when we weren't playing. They were especially annoying when we did play them. Student tickets for solid blue fans were wasted on L fans. I always wanted to ask them why they just didn't go to Louisville. It would make sense right? If you are a fan of terrible Big East football and Cards basketball why come to UK? Seeing them and hearing them just infuriated me.

Over time you started to learn more about them and what they thought of the Kentucky fan base. They love to call us hillbillies, rednecks, inbred, degenerates, etc. I'm used to that. Anytime I say I'm from Ashland I get looked at as if I am those things. Comes with the turf. Louisville fans kick it into overdrive. I wish they could see their own fan base and the ridiculousness of it.

Let's use an analogy- Kentucky is Panem from The Hunger Games. Louisville is the "Capitol". They view the rest of the state as inferior to them. It's true though- when people think of Kentucky they think of Bourbon, KFC, and The Derby. Industries that are located in Louisville but forged throughout our state.

They love to point out that basketball is also synonymous with our state and take credit for that too. They must be thinking back to the old ABA days when the Kentucky Colonels played in Louisville. No offense to the sane Cardinal fans, but when people think about basketball in this state one team ALWAYS comes up and it's not the Cards.

It's nice to be passionate about your team. It's great to love your city. The way they do it is almost cult like though. The Big Blue Nation has its nuts too, but we don't claim to be better than what we are. Louisville is a nice city, but it's not New York. The way that they look down upon the rest of the state is why I can't stand them. We may be redneck and dumb but they parade around with a bird that has teeth and throw up the international symbol for being a loser. Let's embrace our faults and move on because we are all Kentuckians and we are all in this together.

Unless you want to leave the Commonwealth and join Indiana because we will totally help you move.

Prediction:

Kentucky 82 Louisville 68

A Funny Thing Happened in Virginia...

Well what a weekend.....

Over the weekend Rachel and I traveled to Williamsburg, VA for a small holiday vacation. Williamsburg has always been a special place for me and I have frequented it many times over the year. It also a place of shear beauty. The plan had been in the works for a couple of months. Secrecy was the name of the game. I was in love with the plan I had created and could not wait to implement it! Of course, the plan did not go as according to plan. A few hiccups caused a quick audible that actually worked out well. In the end, the play was a success and we got engaged. The following is a recap of the proposal day.

The day began at home in Ashland. We stayed in Ashland Friday night to cut down on the drive Saturday. I thought the jig was up Friday night as my parents passed on the ring behind closed doors. When we opened the door, Rachel was standing there. I quickly had to hide the ring in my back pocket. I played pretty good prevent defense to keep her from finding the ring which was quite noticeable in my pocket.

We met up with Ranjo and his fiance at their hotel on our way out of town. Rachel was the only person in the room who did not know what was coming which in itself was kind of fun! From there we began our MUCH easier drive to Williamsburg. Last year we were delayed by a massive snow storm. Our 7 hour drive ended up being a 13 hour nightmare. This year we were met by warm sunny skies. Everything was going as planned.

We arrived on time to our condo in the city. They tried to rope us into some real estate meeting to perhaps one day purchase a condo there. They quickly became disinterested in us when we laughed at them for asking us if our income was at least $50,000. Relieved though, we headed to our condo and changed for our evening.

The plan was simple: Busch Gardens Williamsburg is transformed at Christmas time into Christmastown. Christmastown takes FULL advantage of a park that is annually voted as the most beautiful theme park in North America. No rides were open as Busch Gardens becomes one big experience full of international foods, world class entertainment, and of course international shopping. It would be the perfect primer for our evening.

As Rachel was getting ready I went over the handling of the ring box. I knew I couldn't take it into the park- security would have asked me to empty my pockets or felt it and inquired about it. I knew I had to leave it in the car somewhere safe and out of view. I also had to be careful about the walk to the car. She can't feel the box. I decided to hide in my left jacket pocket which is easily accessible to me. As I opened the door I took the box out slowly, using my body to disguise my action and dropped it into the little compartment on the driver side door. Step one complete...

We began our drive to Busch Gardens by just talking. I don't remember about what- I was focused on the task at hand. We approached Busch Gardens and immediately something seemed wrong. I noticed that the area was quite dark. I was put at ease when I saw a massive light display. Whew. Ok, calm it down, right? Wrong. There was a huge road sign saying that the park is temporarily closed due to it being at capacity. We get up to the gate and the lady tells us that they are closed and that we need to turn around. I was furious because now we were off plan. I didn't know what to do. I could not have anticipated this. I have been coming to this park since I was 12 and NEVER once been turned away due to a crowd. It was bizarre. It was time to scramble.

I DID NOT want to go into Colonial Williamsburg this early. There would still be a lot of people there. I needed at least two more hours. My first thought was a movie? It was a risky play but it hit me that Williamsburg had a Movie Tavern and Sherlock Holmes had just opened. I threw that out to her and she said sure. Ok, audible in motion. In the end though it fit because Movie Tavern is where we went on our first date which also on the 17th of the month. All is well.

I told Rachel when the night was over that I remembered nothing about the movie. I couldn't really tell you what happened which is a shame because I wanted to see it! The movie ended around 9:45 which put us on schedule. We made the short drive to Colonial Williamsburg and parked the car. We parked on the far end of the Duke of Gloucester Street and began the walk. We walked down the cauldron fire lit streets and admired the crystal clear sky and scenery. It was a perfect night to say the least. Not to cold at all.

I was freaking the hell out as we walked closer to the objective. Ground zero was to be the apothecary shop. It seemed appropriate considering Rachel's field of study. There of course was a photographer taking professional pictures of the store fronts and he was at that end of the street taking pictures of the apothecary store! Audible number two was in the works. The closest unique building was the capitol. Luckily it was lit up by fire cauldrons so the scene looked really good. I decided that was going to be the new target.

We approached the west wing of the capitol which looks like the front of it due to its location on the long street. We held each other for a few moments and admired the stars. I was delaying it as long as I could. Not because I didn't want to, but because I was so nervous and timid. I bit down and told her that I loved her very much. She was looking up at the stars when I said that so I took that moment and fell to one knee. I told her I had a question to ask her. She turned to look at me and saw I was on one knee. She then said...

"Right now??"

I asked her to marry me and then she dropped this one...

"Are you sure??"

Needless to say I had achieved my goal of total surprise. She of course said yes. She reached out for the ring and then proceeded to drop my great grandmothers ring. Of course there was little light so we had to look for the ring. Typical though! We found the ring and we worked to place it on her finger. To achieve TOTAL surprise we had to forgo ring sizes. Luckily we got it on, but it needs to be sized.

We agreed upon a 2 day blackout period. We would go dark and not tell anyone about this until we left so that we could enjoy the trip. All in all, it was a heck of a night.

So there you go, the plan, the story, the outcome. It was a great weekend. I didn't know that the Colts won their first game, the Packers lost, Jones got hurt in our game, and that Kim Jong Il died. For me, that's saying something. It was the best vacation I have ever been on.

Sappy post complete. As the week goes on I will get back to the things that aren't as important as marriage- sports. The new MacBook is coming soon! For now, I am very happy to be engaged to an amazing woman!

Indiana. Yup. It Happened.

It was an interesting weekend in the world of college hoops. The top 2 teams fell, there was a brawl, and the NBA Commissioner became the evil emperor. With that little primer, let's dive into it...

Kentucky @ Indiana: Many people were worried about this game when the schedule was released. Were we worried that we WOULD lose? No. Were we worried that we COULD lose? Most definitely. Kentucky had to play its first true road game of the year in front of a raucous and blood thirsty crowd on Saturday and left with a hard loss. Gone was the undefeated season, the number one ranking, and reason. Many fans went into freakout mode after the loss. The fact is Indiana out played us. For one game, Indiana played better. Does that mean that they are the better overall team? No!

Give credit where credit is due though. Tom Crean has done a heck of a job in rebuilding the Indiana program. A few years ago they were playing with just one player who had any starting experience. Now they were able to keep a Zeller home and have landed a top recruiting class for next season. Indiana is certainly on its way back and this win helped to notify the world that Hoosier Hysteria coming.

For the Cats, it was a different story. Individually, certain players shined and redeemed themselves while others just added fuel to the fire of a rabid fan base.

Praise:

Marcus Teague: Teague was TERRIBLE in the first half. His Indiana homecoming was anything but memorable. Coach Cal lashed out at Teague in front of the cameras which meant that his playing time was going to be severely restricted in the second half. Instead, Teague came out firing in the second half and helped to keep us in this game. Teague showed a lot of maturity when faced with adversity.

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist: MKG again played like a crazy man and showed tremendous leadership on the court. When we needed a key layup or shot, MKG went out of his way to take over the game. He continues to shine as a special UK player.

Eloy Vargas: ELOY! Davis being in foul trouble and Jones being non-existent provided us the opportunity to sweat nervously as Eloy stumbled onto the court. The Eloy we saw was not the bumbling Centaur we are all so used to. Eloy put in great minutes and played stellar defense. This could be a special year for him as well.

Darius Miller: Senior leadership came through in the second half. He had a mistake on the last play that we can overlook, this time...

Jeers:

Terrance Jones: What was going on there? His lack of production on the court didn't bother me as much as his lack of enthusiasm on the bench. The camera caught him too often hunching over in his chair, looking apathetic, and lost in space. Everyone has bad days on the court, that is still no excuse to look like you don't care on the bench. Not every team will have UNC on their chests. Hopefully it was a fluke. Let's hope the Jones we all love shows up next time.

Kentucky fought back in a hostile environment when down by 10. They showed a lot of poise and determination. The free throws hurt as did the lack of a foul on the last play. However, this YOUNG team showed a lot of growth in Bloomington. This is a good loss. It's one that we can all dissect and then ask the question, "Ok, how do we not let that happen again?"

Polls

Polls are worthless in basketball. It doesn't matter what you are ranked. Kentucky fans are sometimes too caught up in the vanity of a high ranking. Being ranked number 1 is nice, but not important. The new polls came out today and the pollsters had us ranked number three behind Syracuse and Ohio State. Cuse is undefeated and OSU lost on Saturday. Wait... Don't complain. Ohio State went to Lawrence to play a tough Kansas team without Jared Sullinger. Understandable loss. With that said, don't be bitter about it. We beat Kansas, remember that. RPI is very important. Even with our loss, our RPI remains solid. One last thing- We are still ranked higher than Louisville. Boom.

The Brawl

Xavier and Cincinnati decided to beat the hell out of each other in a fight that called their annual crosstown rivalry short on Saturday afternoon. The suspensions came down for the UC players that threw sucker punches and the Xavier players who too were involved in the fight. Throwing sucker punches is inexcusable UC. However, going on national TV and telling the nation that you were going to "zip them up" is also moronic Xavier. Mick Cronin made it clear that the punishments would be severe. He also expressed sincere apologies to anyone who would listen. The punishments came out today... 6 games maximum. Geez. Charges need to be filed and Yancey needs to be booted from the team. This is one rivalry that needs to be put on ice for a while.

All in all, another great weekend of college hoops. Don't jump UK fans, it will all be ok come March. Maybe.

The Big East (South, North, West)

Some notes before I go off on a tirade. The old trusted HP computer has been out of commission for the last few weeks. A new computer is coming on Christmas Day. It's been hard being quiet during a fun and controversial regular season. I hope to be back to full speed before the BCS Bowls. I will be blogging more religiously during the college hoops season. With that said- there is ONE story that has gotten me to a keyboard. ONE story that makes my blood boil. ONE conference. The Big East.

The Big East is one of the lucky six to control an Automatic Qualifying (AQ) bid to a BCS bowl. The winner of this conference goes to a multi million dollar BCS bowl no matter what its record is. The Big East is the worst conference in football. Three teams are defecting from the Big East, 2 of which are considered to be the perennial powers. Every conference has dabbled in expansion during 2011. Every conference has then made moves to ensure survival. For a while it was the Big 12 that appeared to be on the verge of extinction. After all, the Big East poached TCU when they were hot. Then Oklahoma and Texas decided to stay, Pitt, Cuse, and WVU decided to go and just like that the Big East was on life support. The dilemma became too big to ignore. In the end, the Big East chose to expand- a lot. They added a lot of quantity, but did they add quality? The answer is no. The Big East also chose to throw its basketball tradition down the drain too. So what did they do? Observe...

Where?

Football and Basketball Big East States: Ohio, Kentucky, Connecticut, New Jersey, Florida, Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois, D.C, New York, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Texas, Idaho, California.

Makes sense right?

Let's break it down...

Football

The sport that drives the madness. The Big East is losing WVU, Syracuse, and Pitt. They will be adding (In Football Only) Boise and San Diego State. They will also be adding in both sports Houston, UCF, and SMU. They could potentially be adding Air Force or Navy. So what does it all mean? Nothing.

Boise State: This is the ONLY good thing about this expansion. Boise gets into a (for now) BCS AQ conference. Boise does lift the profile of the league a little bit. Will they keep winning without Moore? Will they be able to compete against "better" competition week after week? I guess we will see.

Houston: Coach Sumlin has done a GREAT job over the last four years at Houston. However, he has done all that with his standout quarterback Case Keenum. Good things are happening at Houston under Sumlin. Except now Sumlin appears to be heading to the SEC with Texas AM. What happens to Houston now?

SMU: The Pony Express. Remember them? The school made headlines in the 80's for its NCAA violations and were levied with the death penalty. SMU has been irrelevant ever since. June Jones has done a hell of a job with the Mustangs taking them to consecutive bowl games after starting his first season 1-11. He has rebuilt the Stangs and has made them a force in the CUSA. This could be a competitive team in the Big East moving forward. HOWEVER, June Jones is rumored to be heading to the PAC12. So what happens to SMU now?

San Diego State: Brady Hoke is at Michigan now but Rocky Long has picked up the pieces and is actually doing quite well. The Aztecs are a competitive team in the Mountain West and actually could compete in the Big East. Maybe.

Central Florida: UCF has actually been on the uptick lately under head coach George O'Leary. The Knights have been to several CUSA title games and have appeared in bowls on a yearly basis. This year was the first losing season in some time. From a facilities standpoint, The Knights are on a BCS level. New football and basketball facilities have sprung up on campus and are considered to be some of the best in FBS and D1 athletics. The talent level has also gone up. The Knights tried to get into the Big East before but were overlooked for USF. The Knights now have the chance to compete in a BCS league and look to be ready. The only problem is that the NCAA is sniffing around campus and they might be onto something. Welcome to the big time boys...

Basketball

The Big East IS a basketball conference. The size of the league makes it so strong. The quality of the teams makes it stronger. Top to bottom the Big East is a basketball FIRST league. The new expansion does not help its basketball image. Instead, it deeply hurts the league. Losing Pitt, Syracuse and WVU hurts a lot. Adding SMU, Houston, and UCF doesn't replace the loss. Even if they get Navy or Air Force, you aren't adding ANYONE of the caliber of the teams that you are losing. San Diego State would have been a good addition but they are only coming in football. The only decent team you are adding is UCF, but again, they are under investigation by the NCAA. So instead of drudging through the terrible teams the Big East is adding in basketball, let's look at who they should have gone after in basketball only.

Memphis: Pitino kept them out when the league expanded a few years ago and now it has come back to haunt him. Memphis brings instant credibility to a league desperately looking to hold onto a little dignity. Josh Pastner is young and looks to be building his own program there. This would have been a slam dunk pickup.

Xavier: Would they have left the A10? Maybe, maybe not. Xavier is a good fit for the league- a BASKETBALL school in Cincinnati. It fits geographically and culturally. More so then Houston.

Temple: Oh Temple, the team you dumped already. Temple basketball (and football) is back on the rise. The thing is, would they want to come back? It would be nice to get the old Philly teams back together again.

Reality: They never would have accepted any of those teams. Memphis maybe, but Memphis football is terrible. Conference expansion is all about football. The league is going to take a backseat in basketball because of the economics of college football which is a shame.

But there is more...

The New Big East

The Big East is a joke. The new expansion is a joke. You want to give a BCS bowl bid to the winner of the league whose teams are Louisville, Rutgers, Connecticut, Cincy, Boise, SMU, Houston, San Diego State and forgive me if I forgot another mediocre team over a third more deserving team from the Big Ten or the SEC? It doesn't make sense. Especially to the BCS who seem to worship at the church of money. Connecticut could not sell out their allotment of tickets to the Fiesta Bowl last year. They had to eat the bill. Louisville v Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl... who remembers that? The ratings for games involving Big East teams are the lowest of the BCS bowls. Who is going to tune in to watch SMU play Oregon?

They better pray that when the BCS meets next year to determine their next evolutionary step that they vote to keep the Big East AQ bid. If they don't, they are going to be hurting for cash. BCS bowls bring in A LOT of money to a league. Those new Big East schools are going to need it. Why?

Boise to South Florida: 2,628 miles

San Diego State to Rutgers: 2,740 miles

Houston to Cincinatti: 1,056 miles

It REALLY hurts to be San Diego State...

to Boise: 954 miles

to Houston: 1,469 miles

to SMU: 1,361 miles

to Cincinnati: 2,170 miles

to Louisville, 2,074

to Orlando: 2,431

to Connecticut: 2,518 miles

The Big East was a joke in football before and will probably be more of one now. Losing Pitt, WVU, and Cuse hurts a lot because you lose a healthy football fan base. The rest of the schools are basketball schools (Hell Pitt, WVU, and Cuse are too). UConn, Cincy, and Louisville have all been to BCS bowls but are more known for their basketball programs. Ask the fans, they will agree. Basketball is the life blood in Storrs. I say it again, they better pray that they hold on to their AQ bid because if they don't, they are in trouble.

Poor Boise State. They can NEVER catch a break. Maybe they should get a deal like Notre Dame and get an AQ Bid if they finish ranked 14 or higher. Then again, we wouldn't be looking to hard at crazy expansions had Notre Dame just decided to bring their football team into the Big East with their other athletic programs.

007 SkyFall and Other Notes

Home from work sick is no fun, but what is fun is the news out of Pinewood Studios in London. Early this morning, Eon Productions announced that filming for the 23rd James Bond action adventure will start TODAY. The film will be called "SkyFall" and will star Daniel Craig as James Bond, Dame Judi Dench as M, Javier Bardem as the antagonist, Naomie Harris as Eve, Bernice Marlohe as Severin. Ralph Finnes, Albert Finney, and Ben Whishaw will also star. The official synopsis released today is as follows
From Eon Productions:
"Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost."

The film is the first since Die Another Day to be named after a non Fleming novel or short story. The only Fleming titles remaining are Risico, Property of a Lady and the Hildebrand Rarity.

It's about freaking time! It has been almost four years since we have been treated to a Bond film, and that is the longest gap without naming a new Bond actor in history. It will have NOTHING to do with the other two films. The Quantum agency appears to be dead... for now.

Personally I cannot wait for this movie to come out. I am a huge James Bond fan. The release year is also significant. 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the James Bond film franchise. 50 years, 23 films, 6 James Bonds... Nobody does it better.

Other Notes:

The game to end all games is this weekend. Yay. You have heard enough about it. I have heard enough about it. I don't care anymore. Let them play the game then we can talk.

Here are some LONG OVERDUE conference predictions.

ACC
Predicted Winner: Clemson- Even though they got beat by Georgia Tech this weekend, Clemson is in the driver seat to win it all in the ACC. They have two games against weak ACC opponents before their rivalry game with USC which now really doesn't mean anything.

Dark Horse: VaTech- BeamerBall is back at the right time. They are quietly 8-1 on the year. If they win out, they go to the title game where they will look to yet again represent the ACC in the Orange Bowl.

BigEast
Predicted Winner: Who knows
Dark Horse: Who knows
Explanation: This is the worst conference in major college football. That it even has a BCS bid is a joke. 4 Teams could win this thing, including Louisville. Either way, this conference is dying and should be stripped of its AQB.

Big12
Predicted Winner: Oklahoma State- The 'boys are undefeated as they march towards Bedlam. There isn't a team on their schedule that scares me before that point. If they beat Oklahoma they win the Big12 and WILL play for a national championship.

Dark Horse: Oklahoma- They stumbled HARD against Texas Tech but they still have Bedlam coming up. If they can survive AM and Baylor, Bedlam will be right up there with LSU/Bama in terms of big time attention.

BigTen
Predicted Winner: Nebraska- The Huskers are the frontrunner again after stumbling in Madison. They have two tough games remaining. Both are must wins for Big Red. One is against Michigan at Michigan and the other is....

Dark Horse: Penn State- NO ONE is talking about JoePa. They are the luckiest team in America and thanks to Wisconsin losing at OSU are the clear favorite in their division. The next three games for the Lions are HUGE. They face Nebraska, OSU, and Wisconsin. They must win two games, pref against OSU and Wisconsin. For now, JoePa is in control of his own destiny.

Pac12
Predicted Winner: Stanford- They have some tough games ahead, but I feel that the winner of the Oregon Stanford game will go on and win the first ever Pac12 Title game. Stanford has a non conference game against Notre Dame at the end of the season that be for a berth in the BCS title game if all goes according to plan.

Dark Horse: Oregon- Beat Stanford and you're in the driver seat.

SEC
Predicted Winner: Whoever wins Saturday. Let's be honest. The SEC West has all the power. Whoever wins Saturday beats whoever the East sends to Atlanta. Easily. The loser will get a BCS bowl bid as an at large. This game is for the SEC and a berth in the BCS title game.

It's going to be another good weekend.

A New Big 12 Thursday

It's been a while and A LOT has happened. We have a top four that has cemented themselves at the top of the polls, a BIG surprise team in the ACC, zero Boise talk, and the ongoing soap opera that is conference realignment. The college football season is in full stride now and every weekend provides some sort of drama. Be it the drubbing that Nebraska took in Wisconsin, the hopes of the new generation of Florida Gators going down a week before a pivotal game against LSU, and on a personal note the utter collapse of the Kentucky football team. It's good to sit back and watch...

The New Big 12
Conference realignment has been the off the field issue that has kept fans of college football entertained between weekends. Texas AM has joined the SEC with Mizzou soon to follow. Naturally all predicted the demise (again) of the Big 12 conference. Oklahoma and Texas decided to stay put and quelled the fires for now. The Big 12 is down to 9 members currently. If Mizzou officially bolts, they will be down to 8. Again, not panic mode just yet. Still it appeared that the Big 12 was the conference on life support. Until....

The Big Least
Syracuse and Pitt made surprise announcements that they will be bolting the Big East and heading to the ACC. In terms of basketball, it was a small blow to the conference. In terms of football, it was a direct hit. Cuse and Pitt are bolting. Not great but ok in football right? WVU was privately rejected by the SEC, Pitino wants the Ville to stay in the league, and no one else really said anything. All is well. Until today...

TCU's Run From the Alter
TCU announced today that they will NOT be joining the unstable Big East and will instead join the newly revitalized Big 12. This move makes total sense to anyone with a brain. Dallas to Stoors, CT is an expensive trip for the tennis team to have to make. Dallas to Austin is logical. If Mizzou leaves though, the Big 12 will have to get some new blood to be viable. Some think they already have a team in mind...

Louisville
Some seem to think that Louisville will join the Big 12 within the month. The Big East is dying, and all the teams in that league must make a move. Louisville is a Midwest city that could fit nicely in the league. I don't care how bad your football team is, people would much rather pay top dollar to see Oklahoma, Texas, OKState come play football then Rutgers and South Florida. Basketball wise, it's a no brainer also. Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, K-State, OKState, Baylor and Louisville make for a decent college basketball conference. Yearly home games with Kansas in Louisville. That is pretty exciting. Will Louisville go is the issue. We all know that the Big East is....

The League on Life Support
The Big East is left with UConn, Cincy, Louisville, WVU, Rutgers, and South Florida. Three of those schools are newcomers from the last conference expansion a few years ago. There is no logical argument for why this conference should get an automatic BCS bid. NONE. This league is terrible. They Big East wants to add the service academies to the mix. Nothing against our wonderful service academies, but they DO NOT make this conference any better. The best thing for teams like Louisville to do is to go where the opportunities are ripe. West Virginia would be wise to get into the ACC if they can. The rest, eh who cares.

The Top Four
Enough hypothetical talk, time to talk reality. Four teams have emerged as "the best" teams in college football. LSU, Alabama, Oklahoma and Wisconsin are by far the best teams in America. LSU and Bama have to play each other in a couple of weeks while Oklahoma faces Texas in the Red River Shootout on Saturday. Wisconsin appears to have the meat of their schedule behind them. Of those four teams, Bama and LSU play the toughest schedules thanks to the SEC. Oklahoma still has pivotal league games to come. Wisconsin doesn't really have much competition going forward. Oklahoma has the disadvantage of not having to play a championship game which would make an undefeated Wisconsin team more sexy to fill the number two spot. It's a lot of what ifs. What is clear is that these four teams are above and beyond the best in the nation. Which leads us to...

Boise State
This is the first year in quite some time that the talk of Boise or Boise wannabes has been virtually silent. No one is worried about Boise crashing the party this year. The top four teams are really, really good. Boise would need an utter collapse from both Oklahoma and Wisconsin. Boise is a good team, but they do not have to face the schedule that the SEC and the Big12/Ten have to face. Besides, Boise seems to be getting some pressure from an unlikely force...

Clemson. Really?
Yes, Clemson. The tigers have avoided the ACC meltdown that usually greets them early in the conference schedule. Clemson beat a decent Auburn team before beating and dismantling Florida State and Virginia Tech (the two teams I thought would win the league). Clemson is slowly inching into the BCS picture. Granted, October is young, and they have plenty of time to end up playing an SEC team in the Music City Bowl. Unfortunately, one old Music City Bowl foe won't make it to the dance...

Kentucky "Football"
My cats are terrible. One would like to laugh at Louisville for losing to FIU and Marshall. Eh, I am still laughing at them. Kentucky has looked abysmal all year. The offense ranks near the bottom of the FBS schools. Losing to Florida and LSU is not a surprise. The matter in which we lost is. We put up no fight in the Florida game. We looked "better" against LSU, but still. Ugly football. With basketball season tipping off next week, many fans have bolted. Kentucky's remaining games aren't as tough as the first batch, but the odds of making a bowl are slowly slipping away. Yeah it's been ugly in the bluegrass.

Another big week of college football is coming. And college basketball in the bluegrass is just a week away from kicking off. Best time of the year? Perhaps.

A 25 F**king Years Tuesday.

Another Florida v Kentucky game has come and gone. The outcome is again as certain as death and taxes. For the 25th straight year, Florida DOMINATED Kentucky in football. This wasn't shocking to anyone who follows the UK football program. Kentucky is going through its worse season since the 2005 campaign. On this Tuesday after the beating, I was thinking just about how impressive that streak really is. Think about this:
In the same time period, Kentucky has beaten every team in the SEC (except Tennessee) at least once. Kentucky has won road games in Oxford, Starkville, Fayetteville, Columbia, Athens, Auburn and Nashville to name a few. We have been to bowls, won bowls, been ranked, been ranked in the top ten of the BCS, hosted Gameday, and been through our fair share of coaches. What about the Gators?
The year the streak started (1987) Florida went 6-6. 12 out of the 25 years Florida won 9 or fewer games with most of those being 8 and below seasons. Florida has had four coaches during the streak: Spurrier, Zook, Meyer, and now Muschamp. Spurrier put Florida on the map, Meyer won two BCS titles, and Muschamp has stared out strong. What about Zook? Zook went 24-13 as the Florida head coach. 16-8 in the SEC!
Zook and UK played 3 times. They blew us out in his final year, but the first two games were won by Florida by a touchdown or less. I understand us not being able to beat the great Florida teams, or even the good Florida teams. What I don't understand is how we found ways to lose to REALLY bad Florida teams. That is why the streak is so infamous in the Bluegrass State.
OK....

SEC Standings Week Four
East

1. Florida (4-0, 2-0): Florida absolutely rocked Kentucky in a tuneup for the big showdown against the Crimson Tide. I am starting to loosen up on my "South Carolina is the team to beat in the East" stance.

2. South Carolina (4-0,2-0) South Carolina got a good division win over Vandy and will face Auburn next. Again, I think its USC and Florida in the East. Those two have separated themselves from the pact.

3. Vandy (3-1, 1-1): Even with the loss, Vandy is in position to fight for a bowl bid. They get a bad UK team in Nashville later in the year so anything is possible. I could see Vandy finishing in the middle of the East. No one saw that a month ago.

4. Georiga ( 2-2, 1-1) After two straight losses, Georgia has reeled off two straight wins. They beat a bad Ole Miss club on the road and prepare to play Mississippi State next. Mark Richt can cool his seat with a big win over the other dogs.

5. Tennessee (2-1, 0-1): Had an off week last weekend after losing to the Gators. Tennessee has a pretty easy game with Buffalo this weekend.

6. Kentucky (2-2, 0-1): 25 in a row to Florida. Ouch. Kentucky has looked putrid all season. They barely beat the worst team in FBS football (WKU), squeaked by a Central Michigan club that has been beaten handily in recent weeks, and lost to a lowly Louisville team. Kentucky travels to LSU this weekend. Goodnight.

West

1. Alabama (4-0, 1-0): Bama got there first SEC win of the year against western rival Arkansas. They sit on top of the standings due to the alphabet. They get a pretty good Florida team this weekend though.

2. LSU (4-0, 1-0) LSU students invaded WVU classrooms the day before the game and taunted them. I guess it worked. LSU whipped the 'Neers in Morgantown on Saturday. LSU looks to be on a mission after securing the number one ranking. Who do they get next? The Kentucky Wildcats. Fact: due to UK's poor performance, the game will be played at noon instead of the traditional night spot that LSU is known for. We are going to get stomped.

3. Auburn (3-1, 1-0) The Tigers bounced back from a good loss to Clemson by beating up FAU. Auburn gets another top 25 test next as they face the Gamecocks.

4. Arkansas (3-1, 0-1) The Hogs played a spirited game but in the end fell in Tuscaloosa to the Tide. Next up they play a rivalry game with Texas AM who officially joined the league yesterday.

5. Mississippi State (2-2, 0-2): It took overtime to beat LATech on Saturday. Suddenly Mississippi State doesn't look so intimidating. Georiga sure hopes so.

6. Ole Miss (1-3, 0-2):Ole Miss is terrible. They travel to the dog pound at Fresno State which hasn't been kind to Ole Miss. The game of the year for the Rebels will be against UK. Winner avoids being the worst team in the league.

Ugh. Go Cats.

The Weekend Ahead

I really enjoyed "The Social Network". If you haven't read the book, you must read it, especially if you are one of 300 plus million who are subscribers to Facebook. In both versions, they stress how Facebook should be kept clean and simple so the users don't get lost in the overload of content. Today, Facebook rolled out its long anticipated update. Congratulations, you have pulled a Netflix. Both business models were unique and simple. If it isn't broken Facebook, don't fix it. Of course Facebook is a business, and they must do what they can to make money. I get it. Just remember your roots. And please don't let the that happen to Twitter. Please.

OK. Football....

Week four is about to begin which means that conference games begin in full this week. There are a lot of big conference matchups over the next few days. From here on out, The Weekend Ahead will highlight two games per BCS conference. One game will be the "Best" the other will be the "Most Intriguing". As of this moment there are still six BCS conferences, so we better type fast.

ACC

Best Game: 11 Florida State @ 21 Clemson: Florida State lost a tough one at home to the Sooners last week while Clemson beat defending national champ Auburn. Clemson is 3-0 at home. I still think Florida State is the team to beat in the ACC, and Auburn isn't exactly what they were last year. Clemson gets humbled in the game formerly known as the Bowden Bowl.

Most Intriguing Game: Temple @ Maryland: Both teams are coming off single possession losses to their rivals. WVU beating Maryland by a touchdown isn't surprising, but Temple playing Penn State to the wire is. Kind of. Recall, Miami's current coach left Temple to head down to South Beach. Temple had a phenomenal season last year and return a lot of key players. Temple has an offense that can score, and score a lot. On the flip side, Coach Edsall is trying to build something in Maryland. There win over Miami on MNF was dramatic and entertaining. Coach Edsall is used to playing in these type of games. Afterall, his UConn Huskies were always overlooked. I like the Temple Owls in this one.

Big 12

Best Game: 7 OK State @ 8 Texas A&M: The Cowboys game on Saturday started at midnight and finished up at 3:30 in the morning. Let's hope that doesn't happen too often. State is the more tested team with a win over BCS Arizona (if you can call them a BCS team). However I have to cheer on future SEC member Texas AM. Besides, I feel bad for them. Three out of their next four games are against ranked teams. The 12th man wins in College Station.

Most Intriguing Game: Kansas State @ Miami, FL: Miami will easily win this game. I only mention it because Kansas State almost lost to Eastern Kentucky. They beat them by three....

Big East

Best Game: 2 LSU @ 16 WVU: Game of the week. LSU is the team to beat right now. Explosive offense and a crushing defense. WVU has that as well, it's just that they're trying to put it all together. LSU wins in Morgantown, but it will be close. And gritty.

Most Intriguing Game: Pitt @ Notre Dame: Old rivals square off yet again in a game that Notre Dame should win but will more than likely find a way to lose. I'm still taking the Irish.

Big Ten

Let's be honest, the Big Ten has no game that could be their best or most intriguing this week. Colorado at Ohio State is it. Snooze.

Pac12

Best Game: 23 USC @ Arizona State: ASU lost a tough road game at Illinois last weekend after upsetting Mizzou at home the week before. ASU is a spotty team, but at home they can be dangerous. I like ASU in this matchup. Mainly because I can't stand Lane Kiffin.

Most Intriguing: The fact that the Pac12 turned down Texas because Texas was being too greedy is the most intriguing thing coming out of the Pac12 this weekend. Texas has proven once again that they simply cannot be trusted.

SEC

Best Game: 14 Arkansas @ 3 Alabama: Both come in undefeated. Alabama comes in as the tested team. Alabama wins at home.

Most Intriguing: Vandy @ 12 South Carolina: Vandy is 3-0. Vandy is 1-0 in the SEC. Vandy is undefeated. Vandy slapped around Ole Miss like they were, well, Vandy. I really wish this game were in Nashville. Unfortunately, it's not. South Carolina is the better team. With that said, Vandy has beaten teams better than them before. They do what UK cannot do- beat the best teams in the SEC. Hell, UK hasn't beaten Florida and Tennessee in 25 plus years. In that same time period Vandy has beaten Tennessee and took a Tim Tebow Florida team to double over time before falling to the Gators. You never know with Vandy....

Hopefully our conferences will still be around on Monday...

Big East Obituary Monday

Week three of the college football season is in the books which means one thing- league play fully begins next week for the majority of teams out there. League play. That term used to be so boring. These days, "league" is an evolving term. The biggest news in the world of college football didn't happen on the field. News broke before the noon games kicked off on Saturday that Pitt and Syracuse will be joining the ACC sooner rather than later. Connecticut announced thereafter that they too will be seeking admission into the ACC. Combine that with the earlier news that A&M is going to the SEC and Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and OK State are all slated to make the move to the PAC12 something this week means we have entered the final stages of total realignment.

None of this is a shock. Nebraska and Colorado started all this when they pulled the trigger and bolted from the Big12. Everyone always assumed that the Big Ten, Pac12 and the SEC would be the three leagues to survive. The fourth "super league" would be made up of all the rest. It looks like the ACC will be that fourth. So what about the Big East teams that haven't declared? Where do they go? Here are my thoughts.

NOTE: I will only focus on Big East teams.

Leaving

Pittsburgh: A decent football team with some tradition. A staple in the lowly Big East though.

Syracuse: Again, a decent football tradition. Big alumni base and recognition. Good fit for the ACC.

Trying to Leave

Connecticut: The defending Big East champion. NOT a football power. They are seeking survival. Geographically, would easily fit into the ACC.

Undecided

South Florida: A team on the rise. The ACC would be a great fit for them. Growing school, good football team, etc. It would add a third ACC team to Florida.

West Virginia: WVU to the SEC seems the most likely course. Out of all the teams up for grabs, WVU is the best bet. Passionate fans and a good football program that could compete in the SEC. Mid level of course, but still a good team.

Rutgers: Rutgers is a team that has popped up on the Big Ten radar for a while. They would really like a team that is close to Penn State and expands the Big Ten eastward. Rutgers would be a good Big Ten fit- academics being the only question.

Cincinnati: A tough fit. Would the Big Ten take another Ohio team? Do they fit in the Big Ten? Do they fit in the ACC? More importantly, is there room? Cincy in the SEC? Too many questions. The argument could be made for the SEC. Expand the brand into Ohio, tv, etc. However, Northern Kentucky and Cincinatti share the same television market. They are already exposed to SEC games thanks to UK. This could be a team left without a chair.

Louisville: Another team that could be left without a chair. Like Cincinnati, they don't have anything that sets them apart in the bidding wars. Louisville would be a good fit for the Big 12, but it looks like that league is folding. Louisville has to get aggressive quick.

Coming

TCU: Poor TCU. They announced last year that they were coming to the Big East to avoid the very scenario they are now in. TCU will be left without a chair, and it's a shame.

That's the football picture. FACT: The Big East is a terrible league in football. What about basketball? We all know football pays the bills. However, Big East basketball is the SEC of NCAA hoops. Syracuse, Pitt, UConn in the ACC with Duke, Maryland, UNC etc.... geez.

What about schools like Villanova, Georgetown, Marquette, St. Johns? Basketball first schools. Where do they land? Likewise in the Big 12- Kansas and Kansas State? A lot of change is coming, and EVERY school will be impacted by it.

SEC Standings Week Three

East

Florida 3-0, 1-0: Good win over division rival Tennessee. Florida and USC look to the beasts of the East.

South Carolina 3-0, 1-0: Close win over Navy. Still the team to beat.

Vandy 3-0, 1-0: Surprise team so far. Demolished Ole Miss at home on Saturday. Not a pushover?

UK 2-1, 0-0: HUGE loss at home to Louisville. We are terrible. The UK/Ole Miss game could determine the worst team in the league.

Tennessee 2-1, 0-1: Showed signs of life in the loss to Florida. Coach Dooley is fighting the Lane Kiffin era and sanctions but is putting a competitive product on the field each week.

Georgia 1-2, 0-1: Big win over a cupcake. Still a dangerous team.

West

LSU 3-0, 1-0: Good win over MSU to kick off league play. Still on top.

Auburn 2-1, 1-0: Win streak finally snapped. Not last years Tigers. Still undefeated in league play....

Alabama 3-0, 0-0: Another big cupcake win. All comes down to LSU/Bama.

Arkansas 3-0, 0-0: I'm impressed with the Hogs. They lose a ton, but still keep putting up big numbers. The Petrino effect.

Ole Miss 1-2, 0-1: Will not call them the worst team in the league yet. Getting close though.

Mississippi State 1-2, 0-2: Two tough losses in league play early for the dogs. Still a mid level west team. Better than Ole Miss....

Skipping the conference picks this week. They haven't changed. One last thought on expansion though....

Notre Dame. If you want to be relevant (or survive) you MUST join one of these super conferences. Independents won't last. I know you have that fancy NBC contract and tradition and blah blah blah. Everyone has a fancy tv contract these days. Quit living in the Lou Holtz Buick station wagon era- modernize or die. Just saying.