BlogNet News WisconsinYeah, it’s early. But I think someone nicknamed parc0023 hit the nail on the head with a comment on the NCAA not changing the BCS,
Nobody wants to see the National Championship decided on the field anyway.
‘Zactly.
(a tip of the conservative cap to my buddy Chris at TWSB)
Two stories here. First the NCAA will add apair of bowl games.
The NCAA announced Wednesday that its Postseason Football Licensing Subcommittee had given the OK to 34 bowls this season – two more than last season.
The new games are the Congressional Bowl in Washington, D.C., and the St. Petersburg Bowl in St. Petersburg, Fla. The subcommittee did nix one bowl, the proposed Rocky Mountain Bowl in Salt Lake City.
The St. Petersburg Bowl. What an imaginative name. Couldn’t they get Tropicana to sponsor that, too?
Then BCS officials reject a playoff proposal.
Even a four-game playoff scenario was too much for the BCS.
Bowl Championship Series officials rejected a plan Wednesday to turn the much-criticized system for deciding a national champ into a four-team playoff, starting in the 2010 season.
The BCS format will remain the same until at least the 2014 season.
Great. We won’t know who is truly the college champion for six years.
And I do hope we have disputed games every year for the next six.
Trop could host newest bowl game
[The St. Petersburg] bowl would pit the Big East against Conference USA, and Wednesday brought new details, such as $30 tickets. (The Outback Bowl, with higher-level teams, charges $65). Tropicana would be configured with the field running from home plate to rightfield with seating for as many as 44,000.
Wonder what will happen if a punt hits the catwalks?
But wait, there’s more.
The St. Petersburg Bowl isn’t the only potential addition as proposals will be heard Wednesday in South Florida from the Congressional Bowl, which would pit Navy against an ACC team in Nationals Park in Washington, and the Rocky Mountain Bowl, featuring teams from the Mountain West and Western Athletic in Salt Lake City. Only St. Petersburg’s would be produced by ESPN.
Three more bowls. Great.
Yes, some of these guys will be stars. Some will also be flops. Ryan Leaf, anyone? It’s a crap shoot at best and yet these guys are analyzed ad nauseum. Mock drafts abound.
Don’t count me among those on the edge of their seats waiting for the next pick.
Two of my favorite players retire the same day (a tip of the conservative ball cap to grumps, who as a Packer fan, obviously doesn’t think as highly of Sapp as we Buccaneers fans do).
Warren Sapp’s 13-year NFL career officially ended when his retirement was posted on the Oakland Raiders’ Web site.
Sapp said immediately after last season that he was through playing, but did not file the paper work. The posting on the team’s site was the first official word that the star defensive tackle was done.
In January, the 35-year-old Sapp posted a two-word message on his Web site: “I’M DONE!” He had told teammates and coaches his plans after the season finale against San Diego.
Packer fans are understandably upset at Sapp for what they consider a cheap hit that injured tackle Chad Clifton.
But when the Bucs were in the “Black and Blue” division, I enjoyed watching Favre and Sapp trash talk back and forth.
The game will be duller without these two great players.
The most storied quarterback career in NFL history is coming to a close.The Green Bay Packers have confirmed a story first reported by FOXSports.com that Brett Favre, the NFL’s all-time career passing leader, has decided to retire.
Why now? After perhaps his best seaon in a while? Maybe he doesn’t see the team going farther next year. Tougher schedule. More teams gunning for you. Maybe he’s just tire of getting hit.
Some wonder if something else was involved. Who knows? We’ll have to wait and see what comes out.
I thought something was up when Chris Mottram at The Sporting News spotted a page on the Packers web site announcing Favre’s retirement.
And then I saw an interview the last couple of days with Mike McCarthy (I wish I could remember which Milwaukee station did it. Anyone?) where he gave the oddest answer to the retirement question and again I thought something’s up.
I’m not a Packer fan. But #4 was one of my favorite players and I will miss him.
Just one thing from the game: do we now have a famous girlfriend jinx?
Heard this at a Men’s conference I went to on Saturday. Ready?
Which team won Super Bowl I?
Which team had the MVP in Super Bowl I?
Which team won Super Bowl II?
Which team had the MVP in Super Bowl II?
Which team won Super Bowl XXXI?
Which team had the MVP in Super Bowl XXXI?
Did you get them all? 
I am pretty far behind in the two contests I’m entered in. Therefore, I’m picking the Giants over the Patriots 35-31.
In the real world? Patriots 49, Giants 24.
New England-San Diego probably went the way everyone except San Diego fans thought it would go, although San Diego made more of a game of it than it should have been.
In the NFC the Giants once again beat a better team on their home turf. Green Bay, in spite of playing on the storied Frozen Tundra, is not a cold weather team. And before you bring up Seattle, that wasn’t the biting cold of Chicago or yesterday’s game. They looked like Tampa Bay playing in the cold.
So in going with conventional wisdom, I wind up 1-1. Just can’t get that perfect record in the playoff picks. Always miss one.
So what about the Super Bowl. I know what I have to do in my two contests; Giants because most people will pick NE and if I’m right I’ll move up more than if I pick NE.
But which team do I really think will win?
The Giants? They’re on a tear. Beating the teams, even though they don’t look impressive.
New England? 18-0 is an even more impressive tear and they’ve beaten the Giants already (but see Green Bay for how much that helped).
Brady vs. Manning
NE receivers vs. beat-up Giants secondary
Belichek vs. Conglin
Giants running game vs. porous (?) NE run defense
This has the makings of another exciting Super Bowl. Or New England could blow the Giants out.
If we’ve had this much hype for the NFC championship game, how much will we have if the Pack go to the Super Bowl?
Apparently, even the criminal element are dedicated fans according to an article in today’s Metro section.
From my picks Friday, I got three right and one wrong, San Diego beat the Colts.
For the championship games, I’m going with the obvious, to most people anyway.
New England dispatches the Chargers, especially if Tomlinson and Rivers can’t answer the bell.
The Pack beats the Giants in a shootout.
Here are my picks for the pro games this weekend. This week’s games are worth 4 points each in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and WISN “upickem” games.
Saturday:
Seattle @ Green Bay. Green Bay’s storied season continues. GB 24, Sea 20.
Jacksonville @ New England. New England is just too good. Belichek solves the running game of the Jags. NE 35, Jax 21.
Sunday:
San Diego @ Indianapolis. San Diego doesn’t get off to a fast start again and can’t catch up to the Colts. Ind. 28, SD 24.
Giants @ Dallas. Giants are playing well and Dallas hasn’t been. The good news for Dallas is that Tony Romo won’t cry at the end of this one. Giants 31, Dallas 27.
The St. Petersburg Times website
reports that Mike Alstott, known as the A-train and very popular in Tampa Bay and was not used to the fans satisfaction, probably not be back in 2008.
Bucs fullback Mike Alstott is known for his straight-ahead running style and he didn’t dance around a question about his future Wednesday.
A more formal announcement may come later, but Alstott gave every indication his 12-year career is likely over.
Alstott, a six-time Pro Bowler had neck surgery in 2003 and more problems the beginning of the year.
As Brian Fraley asks, who besides fans of OSU and LSU care about this game?
Well, OK, I sorta care because I’m in four picking contests.
The Dummocrats have one. I’m third (sorry I can’t link to the Yahoo game) and don’t expect to move more than one up or a couple down. There I picked OSU over LSU 45-43. In Triple overtime, of course, because that’s the only way LSU loses.
In the JSOnline game I picked OSU over LSU 24-21, because I need to catch-up, and I see most people are voting LSU. I am 20 of 31 picking, with 30 points (BCS bowl games count 6 points each).
Same in the WISN game. I’m also 20 of 31 with 30 points. I picked OSU 24-23.
In my other game, I’m also third (again a Yahoo game) with no expectations of moving up or down very much, at the moment. I’m 23 of 31 in that game. I picked LSU 35-24, which is really how I think the game will wind up.
The BCS still sucks and should be replaced.
Recap using the post from a couple of days ago.The main topic of interest is if Seattle and Tampa Bay are truly rested from their time off. Seattle, yes. Tampa Bay, no.
Wash. at Sea. If Seattle’s running game gets going, Washington could have a long day. But the Redskins have looked good the last few weeks. Wash. 24, Sea. 21. Nope. Washington couldn’t build on their hot streak. Rule #2.
Jax. at Pit. The Steelers have not looked good the last few weeks. Jacksonville, on the other hand, looks like a typical Steelers team; emphasis on the running game with a strong defense. Note the Week 15 win by the Jaguars. Jax 21, Pit. Teams scored more points than I anticipated. This was almost a Rule #2.
NYG at TB. Giants are practically unstoppable on the road. The Bucs will need turnovers and their strong rushing game. Oh and Garcia. I have to go against my Bucs. Maybe it will work for them like Spring City Chronicles did for the Packers. Giants 21, Bucs 17. My Bucs got beat worse than I thought. No turnovers for the Bucs. Eli was cool. Giants are still unstoppable on the road. Rule #6.
Tenn at SD. The Titans look good, but I don’t think they go any further, especially playing the best team in the NFC at this moment. SD 35, Tenn. 16. The game wasn’t close either. Rule #6.
Three and one, not too bad.
Oh, and updating my stats. In the Journal Sentinel game, I’m 171 of 260, 175 points (the worst four weeks will eventually dropped). In the WISN game, I’m 175 of 260 with 178 points (same dropout).
UPDATE: I found this on ESPN.com about betting on playoff games. I think I violated all the rules in my picks below
The main topic of interest is if Seattle and Tampa Bay are truly rested from their time off.
Wash. at Sea. If Seattle’s running game gets going, Washington could have a long day. But the Redskins have looked good the last few weeks. Wash. 24, Sea. 21.
Jax. at Pit. The Steelers have not looked good the last few weeks. Jacksonville, on the other hand, looks like a typical Steelers team; emphasis on the running game with a strong defense. Note the Week 15 win by the Jaguars. Jax 21, Pit. 19.
NYG at TB. Giants are practically unstoppable on the road. The Bucs will need turnovers and their strong rushing game. Oh and Garcia. I have to go against my Bucs. Maybe it will work for them like Spring City Chronicles did for the Packers. Giants 21, Bucs 17.
Tenn at SD. The Titans look good, but I don’t think they go any further, especially playing the best team in the NFC at this moment. SD 35, Tenn. 16.
Yes, you read it here. Home field advantage doesn’t help if the opposing team is hot going into the playoffs.
In the Journal Sentinel pro football picking contest (I don’t really know if this link will do anything for you, but it does link to my week 18 picks. UPDATE: No, it doesn’t, so I broke the link. Use the following one. This one has how I did week by week.), I’m way down in 334th place having picked 65% (128 of 256). This week’s picks are worth 4 points each. In the WISN contest (UPDATE: Same here.) (same as the MJS, my stats are here.), I’m only slightly better at 67% (172 of 256) but it’s good for 44th position. Same game so these are worth 4 points each also.
Thirty-six Florida State players won’t be going to the Dec. 31 Music City Bowl against Kentucky because of an academic cheating scandal, other violations of team rules or injuries.
Twenty-five of them, of course, were disqualified because of a large cheating scandal at the university.
Garcia: Snubs will serve as motivation
Quarterback Jeff Garcia, receiver Joey Galloway and fullback B.J. Askew are on the list of alternates, players who will be invited if anyone at their position drops out.
And no one from the Bucs’ defense, which is tied with the Steelers for the league’s best scoring defense, is among the alternates, though occasionally more players are needed.
Talk about your snubs. Watch out 49ers.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally scored their first kickoff return for a touchdown in team history. OK, so it was against Atlanta.
Oh they also clinched the NFC South.
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