January 4, 2009

Geaux Utah!!!!

Sugar Bowl
I am back from the Sugar Bowl where I watched college football history made. I think I summed it up best after the first quarter when, to the hearing of the Alabama fans surrounding me in Utah's corner they could not sell, I said "Unbelievable!" The very cordial Alabama fan to my right said "You got that right!"

If you saw a goofy looking Utah fan with a handle bar moustache and a goaty on Bourbon street after the game it was most likely me.

New Orleans was great, from the hotel in Metairie to Bourbon street after the game. The win was almost as sweet as the Hand Grenade that started four laps of this historic location. Nothing should be that sweet, nor have that much lime flavor.

The Game
Paul Kruger, before the game, stated that he was disappointed he would miss the opportunity to play against Andre Smith. Dare I say one was afraid to face the challenge and risk an NFL career?

Utah caught Alabama in a favorable match up early and ran a hurry up offence that did not allow them to make adjustment or substitutions until we had a quick 14 point lead. This was enough to leverage into a victory. Utah gave up the run from the start, running a two minute offence Alabama could not answer. Stuff the line, cover our top two receivers and we should be done right? Enter Frank Brown.

Even I expected Utah to try to run, but Ludwig silenced all of his Utah critics by this excellent tactic. Alabama did out rush us with their 31 yards. This is where Utah made the biggest statement of the game. Dare I say Alabama was not ready for a MWC rush defence? Indeed TCU is a far better defence than Utah's, especially against the run. I expected Alabama to get near 150 yards rushing.

My bad...
While I admit fully to my own Utes/MWC homerism, I will state that I believe the first half of the first quarter are determined by pure emotion. One team was ready to go for the jugular, the other to sit back and enjoy a leisurely outing. I had stated Utah could win 2 out of 7. I will up that to 1 out of 2. I was also wrong about the score, though I stuck to my heart in my pick'em. I am close to my goal of 60% of the max possible points while staying true to my passions.

I am swapping my 32 and 12 point picks. I had Texas picked to beat Ohio State as my 32 point pick. I am now picking Ohio State as my 12 point pick. Florida over Oklahoma is now my 32 point pick. The reasons for this will be explained below.

Where do we go from here?
My ideal post season, including all years from 2004 to present, was defined here. This year Utah would have hosted Boise State in a play-in game for the opportunity to play Oklahoma in the Fiesta bowl. Florida and Texas would have played in what is now the BCS National Championship Game, with a plus one to determine the final outcome.

But the real question is Could Utah win the Associated Press National Championship this year, with the system as is?

The post game Utah chant, reminicient of one notoriously used by USC, of UN-DE-FEAT-ED is the greatest argument for this case. Unlike Auburn of 2004, Utah is the only remaining undefeated team. This is despite them facing 5 bowl eligible teams in the regular season and ending with a convincing bowl game against a team that was #1 for most of the season, before losing in the final minutes of the SEC championship game.

Oklahoma, Florida, Texas and USC are the only teams left that can reasonably be ahead of Utah.

Oklahoma soundly beat TCU, a team that demonstrated it is competitive with Utah. This team is the hardest for Utah to defend against so they must lose a second game to Florida.

Unlike Florida, Utah jumped on Alabama early and never looked back. No need for end of game heroics like Florida needed in the SEC championship game. While the three point difference in win margin using the common opponent of Alabama is mitigated by the fallacy of the victory chain, I certainly like Utah's odds against a vastly under rated Ole' Miss.

Texas' loss to Texas Tech is more suspect now that Ole' Miss exposed the Big 12 south's defences for what they are. A loss to Ohio State eliminates them and undermines Oklahoma's credibility.

USC was beginning to garner some momentum as a possible alternate for objecting pollsters after the rose bowl, but the Oregon State argument is convincing. Also, when was the last time USC beat an SEC team in a bowl game(never, with 2 losses in the 80's)? For that matter when was the last time the beat Utah in a Bowl game(1993, and I was actually a Michigan/FSU fan then before attending the U starting in 1998)?

If Florida beats Oklahoma in a close game and Ohio State upsets Texas the question will become whether the AP voters have the audacity to throw the BCS system a curve ball.

I know who my vote would be for.

Closing
Utah knocked Alabama in the chops and sent them home with a loose tusk (aka tusk-a-loosa) . What is a Ute? Dare I say they are the ones who hunted the Wooly Mammoth to extinction?

U
T
A
H
U-T-A-H
Fight Fight Fight!!!
UN-DE-FEAT-ED!!! (clap, clap, clap clap clap) (times 3)
WERE #1!!! (times 3)
(round of Utah man, with altered ending...) Screw the BCS!!! (ignore extra two syllables)

Dare I say, "WE... JUST BEAT... THE HECK OUT OF YOU!!!"

Comments:

Geaux Utah!!!!
Sugar Bowl I am back from the Sugar Bowl where I watched college football history made. I think I summed it up best after the first quarter when, to the hearing of the Alabama fans surrounding me in Utah's corner they could not sell, I said "Unbelievable!" The very cordial Alabama fan to my right said "You got that right!" If you saw a goofy looking Utah fan with a handle bar moustache and a goaty on Bourbon street after the game it was most likely me. New Orleans was great, from the hotel in Metairie to Bourbon street after the game. The win was almost as sweet as the Hand Grenade that started four laps of this historic location. Nothing should be that sweet, nor have that much lime flavor. The Game Paul Kruger, before the game, stated that he was disappointed he would miss the opportunity to play against Andre Smith. Dare I say one was afraid to face the challenge and risk an NFL career? Utah caught Alabama in a favorable match up early and ran a hurry up offence that did not allow them to make adjustment or substitutions until we had a quick 14 point lead. This was enough to leverage into a victory. Utah gave up the run from the start, running a two minute offence Alabama could not answer. Stuff the line, cover our top two receivers and we should be done right? Enter Frank Brown. Even I expected Utah to try to run, but Ludwig silenced all of his Utah critics by this excellent tactic. Alabama did out rush us with their 31 yards. This is where Utah made the biggest statement of the game. Dare I say Alabama was not ready for a MWC rush defence? Indeed TCU is a far better defence than Utah's, especially against the run. I expected Alabama to get near 150 yards rushing. My bad... While I admit fully to my own Utes/MWC homerism, I will state that I believe the first half of the first quarter are determined by pure emotion. One team was ready to go for the jugular, the other to sit back and enjoy a leisurely outing. I had stated Utah could win 2 out of 7. I will up that to 1 out of 2. I was also wrong about the score, though I stuck to my heart in my pick'em. I am close to my goal of 60% of the max possible points while staying true to my passions. I am swapping my 32 and 12 point picks. I had Texas picked to beat Ohio State as my 32 point pick. I am now picking Ohio State as my 12 point pick. Florida over Oklahoma is now my 32 point pick. The reasons for this will be explained below. Where do we go from here? My ideal post season, including all years from 2004 to present, was defined here. This year Utah would have hosted Boise State in a play-in game for the opportunity to play Oklahoma in the Fiesta bowl. Florida and Texas would have played in what is now the BCS National Championship Game, with a plus one to determine the final outcome. But the real question is Could Utah win the Associated Press National Championship this year, with the system as is? The post game Utah chant, reminicient of one notoriously used by USC, of UN-DE-FEAT-ED is the greatest argument for this case. Unlike Auburn of 2004, Utah is the only remaining undefeated team. This is despite them facing 5 bowl eligible teams in the regular season and ending with a convincing bowl game against a team that was #1 for most of the season, before losing in the final minutes of the SEC championship game. Oklahoma, Florida, Texas and USC are the only teams left that can reasonably be ahead of Utah. Oklahoma soundly beat TCU, a team that demonstrated it is competitive with Utah. This team is the hardest for Utah to defend against so they must lose a second game to Florida. Unlike Florida, Utah jumped on Alabama early and never looked back. No need for end of game heroics like Florida needed in the SEC championship game. While the three point difference in win margin using the common opponent of Alabama is mitigated by the fallacy of the victory chain, I certainly like Utah's odds against a vastly under rated Ole' Miss. Texas' loss to Texas Tech is more suspect now that Ole' Miss exposed the Big 12 south's defences for what they are. A loss to Ohio State eliminates them and undermines Oklahoma's credibility. USC was beginning to garner some momentum as a possible alternate for objecting pollsters after the rose bowl, but the Oregon State argument is convincing. Also, when was the last time USC beat an SEC team in a bowl game(never, with 2 losses in the 80's)? For that matter when was the last time the beat Utah in a Bowl game(1993, and I was actually a Michigan/FSU fan then before attending the U starting in 1998)? If Florida beats Oklahoma in a close game and Ohio State upsets Texas the question will become whether the AP voters have the audacity to throw the BCS system a curve ball. I know who my vote would be for. Closing Utah knocked Alabama in the chops and sent them home with a loose tusk (aka tusk-a-loosa) . What is a Ute? Dare I say they are the ones who hunted the Wooly Mammoth to extinction? U T A H U-T-A-H Fight Fight Fight!!! UN-DE-FEAT-ED!!! (clap, clap, clap clap clap) (times 3) WERE #1!!! (times 3) (round of Utah man, with altered ending...) Screw the BCS!!! (ignore extra two syllables) Dare I say, "WE... JUST BEAT... THE HECK OUT OF YOU!!!"