College Football Week 1 preview

Hooray! College football is back once again! This year, I plan to take a different approach to my posts. Each week I will break down the top game of the week into detail and then give my prediction. In addition, I will give my prediction about the other major games being played during the week. Also, I am opening a group on ESPN College Pick em'. The group will be called "Evan's Blog Group", and anyone is welcome to join and pick games with me (my entry is Evan5880). Now that I've mentioned that, let's get started.

WEEK ONE'S BIG GAME

#3 OREGON (0-0) vs #4 LSU (0-0)
8:00 PM ET ABC

This year's Cowboys Classic features two national title contenders. The Oregon Ducks come to Cowboys Stadium with a renewed vigor after losing their first chance at a national title. Last year's offense was an nearly unstoppable force leading the nation in scoring (47.0) and total offense per game (530.7). This year looks to be no different. The Duck's high-powered offense is led by returning Heisman candidates LaMichael James and Darren Thomas and looks poised to be more efficient and move even faster (if that's even possible). Although the offense looks to be good, there are major questions on defense. Last year, the Ducks defense was a major key to their success and held a high powered Auburn offense to 22 points in the BCS title game. Unfortunately, the Ducks lost several key players including MLB Clay Mathews and all three starters on the defensive line. New leaders will have to step up if the Ducks want to have any chance to succeed this year.
LSU has been a consistent winner in the SEC, and this year, it would appear that this trend will continue. Les Miles has once again put together a top-notch squad that will be a force to be reckoned with in the SEC. LSU's defense has always been a top-ten defense and, with seven returning starters, will have no problem keeping it's opponents off the scoreboard. The offense, however, has some questions. Last year's offense was disappointing, but the squad has eight returning starters and looks to be more efficient this year. That was until QB Jordan Jefferson was arrested. Now Sophomore Zach Mettenberger will have to shake off his inexperience and step up to lead this team. Whether he can or not is yet to be seen.

THE VERDICT: Oregon 35, LSU 21
The roads to New Orleans goes through Dallas, but unfortunately only one team can continue on their path. That team will be OregonThis game would be better if Jefferson was playing, but without him, it would seem that LSU may be overmatched. LSU's offense will have trouble scoring without its senior leader, and the tiger's defense, though a stout SEC squad, will not be able to keep the high-powered and experienced Ducks from scoring.

THE OTHER GAMES

#5 Boise State (0-0) vs #19 Georgia
8:00 PM ET ESPN
Winner: Boise State

Colorado (0-0) vs Hawaii (0-0)
10:15 PM ET ESPN2
Winner: Hawaii

UCLA (0-0) vs Houston (0-0)
3:30 PM ET
Winner: UCLA

Northwestern (0-0) vs Boston College (0-0)
12:00 PM ET ESPNU
Winner: Northwestern (close game though)

That's all for this week. Leave a comment and I'll see you all next week!

March Madness

It's time for one of my favorite sporting events: The NCAA tournament. It's time to find out who is the best basketball team in the nation. This year will be slightly different. instead of 64 teams we now have 68 teams that make the bracket. I took the liberty of publishing my prediction for the NCAA tournament. Here it is.

Now I apologize if this is hard to read (HTML was not cooperating). I have Ohio State, Kansas, Pittsburgh, and San Diego State as my final four. Here's why.

Ohio State: Ohio State has looked good all year and is the number one overall seed in the bracket. They are extremely talented and well coached. I also believe they have the next great player in Jared Sullinger, and what impresses me most is that they move the ball around and get other players involved in the offense besides Sullinger. Look for Ohio State to make a deep run in the bracket.

Kansas: It's pretty hard to make a bracket without including Kansas somewhere. Kansas is a perennial power that looks very good again this year. I expect a deep run from Kansas as they eye another title.

Pittsburgh: The Lions have a sensational basketball team this year. Any time that wins the Big East regular season title must be great. They have a lot of great play makers and are extremely well coached. They should have no trouble getting to the final four.

San Diego State: No I am not kidding. I think the Aztecs will upset Duke and get to the final four. I like what Steve Fischer has done with the program there and I believe they are an excellent team. The Aztec's only losses on the year have come to BYU, a extremely talented top tier program. I look for the Aztec's to ride their Cinderella story to the final four.

Final Four Games:
Ohio State def. SDSU

As much as I love SDSU, I have to go with the Buckeyes. Ohio State is just too talented to be stopped by the Aztecs.

Kansas def. Pitt

I feel this will be a close game but I give Kansas a slight edge. Kansas has a better offense and defense and more quality wins. Pitt will fight hard, but Kansas will prevail in the end


CHAMPIONSHIP GAME:
Ohio State VS Kansas

Although I like Kansas, I have to pick Ohio State. Ohio State, though not as impressive on the offensive side of the ball as Kansas has a very stout defense. I'm really impressed by the team and think they can shut down Kansas long enough to pull out the championship


Those are my predictions. I'd love to hear what you have to say. Leave a comment.

The Honor Code

One story of major interest is BYU's Brandon Davies' dismissal from BYU. For those of you who are unaware. Davies, a star basketball player of BYU's cinderella team, was dismissed from the team on March 1 for taking part in pre-martial sex with his girlfriend. Now this would seem like a minor offense and would most definitely not result in dismissal from the basketball team and potentially the school itself, but at BYU the rules are a little different. At BYU, students are held to a strict honor code which they all must agree to prior to entrance into the university. In this honor code, it states students must "Live a chaste and virtuous life" (in other words, don't have sex and don't do bad things).

By all technicalities, Davies did in fact deserve his dismissal and would deserve expulsion if he receives it. There are some such as Amare Stoudamire who think otherwise. Amare tweeted

"Don't ever go to BYU, they kick a Young Educated (Black)Brother OUT OF SCHOOL. The kid had premarital sex. Not suspended, Not Release. Wow!"

Now everyone has there opinion about this, but here is mine. I think the university made the correct decision. What Davies needs to hold himself to a higher standard, especially when you are in the public spotlight. If you sign a contract, you MUST obey it. Otherwise, your word means nothing. Also, if the university makes an exception for a "special" student, then it sets a double standard and is unjust compared to those who have been dismissed or expelled for similar behavior. All students are equals and thereby deserve the same just punishments and therefore the University's actions are justifiable.

What Davies needs to do now is take this as a learning experience. He learned why he should never break a contract he signs anywhere in life. I believe he will move on from this and have a great future.

Spring Training

It is terribly sad for me, football is done. But while I suffer through basketball there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Baseball is almost here. The boys of summer will shake the dust off the bats and play America's pastime once again. Until baseball starts again, here are just a few things to pay attention to.

1. Phillies pitching staff. The Phillies have amassed a fantastic pitching staff equipped with some of the finest arms in the game. Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hammels, and Joe Blatton highlight the field. Pay close attention to how this rotation develops. In paticular, pay attention to see how effective this group is. It doesn't matter how many "great" pitchers you have if they cannot be effective and win games. Also, see if the rest of the pitching staff can perform well too. In order to be a great team, the Phillies must be able to hold on to the leads their starters give them. 
2. A item of interest will be the urgency and focus of which Boston performs this year. Last year the Red Sox performed below expectations and missed the playoffs. They have their injured players back now, there should not be any more problems. Unfortunately, the division is not getting any easier for the Red Sox. The Yankees and the Devil Rays are still just as good. The Red Sox, however, still need want to redeem themselves this year. Look for a resurgent Red Sox team to appear during spring training.
3. I'm particularly interested in what Texas does to fill the hole Cliff Lee left in the rotation. Pay attention to who steps up for Texas. If the Rangers cannot figure out a good way to fill that gap look for Texas to falter this year and for the Angels to run away with the AL West

These are just a few things to look at. These are just a few things to start. If anyone things of something else important to pay attention too, by all means comment on this blog. It's almost time for baseball! I'm excited.

The Super Bowl

Hurray! It is almost Super Bowl Sunday. In a couple of days one team will earn the title of being the best football team on earth. This year, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers will fight for the Lombardi Trophy and that coveted title. As your marvelous sports guru, I have dug deep within my mind and determined my Super Bowl Perdiction.
This game will be close. Both of these teams have fantastic defenses. The Steeler defense, led by Troy Palumalu, is (not surprisingly) very strong this year, but the Packers defense is also quite good this year. The defenses seems almost evenly matched. Therefore, the deciding factor comes down to the offense.
Both offenses are outstanding, but I have to give my edge and Super Bowl victory to the Pittsburgh Steelers. One of the most important factors in the Super Bowl is experience. Obviously, this is not the most important factor (just asked Peyton Manning and the Colts how well experienced worked against the Saints), but most of the time, it does have an important impact.A first-time Super Bowl player will show signs of his inexperience. The Super Bowl is a whole new atmosphere, unlike anything he has ever experienced. The seasoned Super Bowl veteran will, however, perform much better. Since he has been there before, the atmosphere is not near as intimidating allowing him to perform at a higher level. The Steelers, in paticular QB Ben Roethlisberger, have far more Super Bowl experience. There nerves will be lower, and they will go to work on the Packers. Riding their experience I give the Steelers a 42-10