Day One

Wow, that was a brutal non-call in the SC-Vandy game.  The kid almost caught the ball one-handed, but that was a clear penalty.  I am not saying the refs are told to keep highly-ranked SEC teams highly ranked but...
Vanderbilt played a gutsy game.  Gamecock fans had better enjoy being in the top ten because they will not remain if Shaw is hurt or if they do not block better and cover better deep.
BYU proved that they need more respect.  They have a tough schedule but can make some noise.  And I'd love to see UCLA back but Rice stinks so we need to see some more.
More games tonight.  Don't sleep on the battle of Philly, which is usually better than last season's Temple rout.

It's Back

Finally.  The off-season from hell has ended and football kickoffs tonight.  The marquee game is South Carolina at Vandy and while I think the Gamecocks will win by 17 I am rooting for a more competitive game.  I am also intrigued by tomorrow night's Boise at MSU game as we all expect Boise to drop a notch this season and here they are matched against one of the best defenses in the country.  Still, it's Boise.

Another Year, Another High Ranking for FSU

Let's see Herbstreit is picking Florida State to win it all, so too Phil Steele.  The Noles have a bunch-load of returning starters and one of these years they will return to prominence, right?  The odds are in their favor that they can actually win a mediocre conference for the first time since 2005.  Right? 
But wait, Herbstreit and Steele and others are picking FSU to win the national championship.  Hey that may happen but every year, like clockwork, FSU is picked high and every year they disappoint.  Yes they were incredible back in the day but that success is a thing of the past.  Last year they went 9-4 and Steele make apologies for those four losses.  But they beat Louisiana Monroe, Charleston Southern, Duke, Maryland, North Carolina State, Boston College, Miami, Florida and Notre Dame.  There was not a top program from 2011 in the bunch.  They lost to Wake Forest, at home, and Virginia last year.  Can they please win 10 games and a conference title first before we start picking them as the best in the country? 

Why SI?

I understand that Sports Illustrated is facing a dilemma.  Young adult males do not read anything anymore and yet SI needs them to not only boost circulation but for ads for stupid products other folks do not use (I'm talking to you Axe For Men).  But the latest attempts from them just do not cut the mustard.  The recent college football preview issue is almost unreadable.  There is little substance and the decisions for what made the cut editorially are sometimes laughable.  There are only three little sections on each expected top 25 school and so some write-ups spend a good chunk of preview on the impact freshman fighting for the 4th WR job and not the lines or coaching staff or schedule or any of a million more worthy subjects.  There is absolutely no reason to keep that issue hanging around as a reference.
The problem is that the staff of writers are not 21-year-olds used to twitter and blogging.  They are better served with longer length.  So either let them write or do not bother with a preview.  What currently stands does not take advantage of SI publishing this magazine in August, whereby they trump the bigger preview mags with timely information, nor the talent of the writers who should best the 21-year-old bloggers.

View From Bennett Ave

Having a preseason poll for college football is one of the dumbest aspects of sports.

View From Bennett Ave

I find it funny that there are so many opinions swirling around out there about Tyrann Mathieu's motives for checking into the rehab center John Lucas helps run in Houston.  Mathieu does have a problem even if some of us knock the significance of marijuana usage.  But the young man needed to stay clean for his team and for his future and could not do so.  Therefore he has a problem.  LSU was right in tossing him as they could not trust him and as I said before they should have been harder with failed tests one and two.  Clearly this is a problem that college football and all sports is dealing with and there is a need for the right blend of toughness and support and an increase in knowledge for us all.  The key right now is in his staying clean and not in our conjecture on where he will land.

Big East Moves Forward

I do not know new Big East commissioner Mike Aresco personally.  He does have the required vowel at the end of his name and so he must be a fit for the conference.  Seriously, I like the hire but will know a bit more, like all of you, once he actually does something.
While the focus with both the hire and the future of the conference is with a new television deal, the real work to be done is with public relations.  The public thought the old Big East stunk and stunk it did in terms of perception.  But in terms to play on the field the Big East was holding its own until the most recent seasons when everything bottomed out.
But the new Big East should wipe the slate clean.  The conference will certainly provide markets but what is really needed are wins.  Big football wins over top competition.  And while the conference never did get anything for generally running a clean ship, they cannot reverse course and break every rule in the book to catch up with the others.  A couple of their programs have some red flags but for the conference the need is to play hard, recruit hard and win without cheating.   And to do that they must retain good coaches and identify others.