Why I Have Come to Despise the SEC

Oregon vs Arizona Sate
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

A few years ago I really enjoyed watching SEC games but the conference is seriously starting to bug me and I don't think I am alone here. Here is why I think they are making a mockery of the game by deftly taking advantage of some regional advantages and exploiting the BCS system which benefits their schools a great deal but isn't that great for the fans or players.

1. Cream-puff scheduling - Congratulations Georgia you are the sole SEC team who played a Top 25 ranked non-SEC team on the road this season. I'll give Alabama some credit for playing Va Tech at a neutral site (though they have a decided home field advantage) and Vanderbilt gets credit for inviting Georgia Tech to their house. The SEC has figured out that with their love from the media and the perceived strength of the conference that there is no reason to challenge themselves outside of the conference. I'll give Tennessee credit for scheduling UCLA, Cal and Oregon in a 6 year span but going 1-3 has probably made them to rethink the idea of playing good out of conference competition.

2. Crooked refs - I mean for anyone who watched the Florida game versus Arkansas does this even need to be argued? And this is just one of about 5 games this year in the SEC that could be argued were swung by creative officiating that seemed to favor certain teams.

3. Scheduling I-AA or Sun Belt teams in November. Thanks jerks like I really want to see Alabama play UT-Chatanooga. November is for rivalry games and intriguing conference match-ups (see the Pac 10 for example). It is not for glorified scrimmages. If I was a season ticket holder I would be livid about this trend. If the Ducks decide to bring in PSU the week before the Civil War I'd be irate.

4. Can anyone please explain to me why Florida and Alabama haven't played each other in the regular season the last two years? I mean it isn't hard SEC you play a 8 game schedule - you play your 5 division teams every season that means you can play the other 6 teams every other year alternating sites. Seems fairly cut and dry to me. Oh but wait that would mean that it would be harder for Bama and Florida to go through the season undefeated if they had to play each-other wouldn't it?

Memo to the SEC you and the BCS that you control are making the sport less exciting but keep making that money.

Quick Oregon/Arizona Prediction

Madelyn at home
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

Of the two defenses I like Oregon's more Stanford performance notwithstanding but I really worry about Oregon's road play and what should be a rocking crowd. Biggest worry for Oregon is the health of the players on the terrible sod of Wildcat Stadium. Foles has been not as hot the last month and has a propensity for mistakes. Oregon 44 UA 34.

The Rose Bowl

Holding Madelyn
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

This is a picture of my new daughter Madelyn (Mady). She was born on 10/21/2009 and after some scares with her lungs and a week in the NICU she has been acclimating to life at our home and is bringing our family lots of joy. I obviously haven't been able to keep up with my poll but have been able to at least catch all the Oregon games along with some others along the way. The next 3 weeks will prove very interesting as 4 teams still have an excellent chance of representing the Pac 10 in the Rose Bowl and none of them are named USC. I am excited for what I hope to be a new era of parity in the Pac 10 where the championship can come from any team not just the one that plays at the LA Coliseum . . .

Life Happens

WSU Game Day
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

Quick update - haven't been able to keep my poll/blog updated because of some exciting news. The birth of my second daughter Madelyn occurred three weeks early on 10/21/2009. She spent a week in the NICU with lung problems but is home and doing great now. We won't be returning to Autzen until the Civil War but hope the Ducks can regroup from the Stanford loss to make it to the Rose Bowl!

Week Six Review and Pac 10 Power Poll

Halloween Greetings!
Originally uploaded by pete4ducks.

Week six was probably highlighted by Oregon State jumping right back in to the Pac 10 race and exposing Stanford in the same process. The Beavs looked faster than the Trees at almost every position and the Beavs were able to finally breakout Quizz Rodgers who had an historic day. The Beavs now get a week off before they travel to USC in what could be somewhat of a trap game for the Trojans. In between Notre Dame and USC road games playing an unranked team coming off a bye? Story sounds a bit familiar though the Trojans should never overlook USC as they have lost 2 of 3 to the Beavs. Oregon had a monumental performance by its’ defense and LaMichael James went for 150+ for the second time as Oregon sent UCLA’s season to the crapper. Now Slick Rick has a QB controversy on his hands and Cal coming to town after a bye week and two humiliating losses. Which team gets back on track here? I say Cal wins and UCLA may put an end to the Prince era at QB. ASU got what could be a rare win for them with a 14 point win in the Palouse. Versus any other opponent in the conference ASU’s pathetic turnover problems would have doomed them to a blowout loss but WSU was unable to capitalize on the sloppy ASU play. ASU now faces a UW team that can both score and give up points and yards in bunches. They’ll need to do a better job of ball control in a matchup that both teams need to win in order to feel good about getting bowl eligible. Speaking of Washington the football gods blessed them with a crazy kicked ball interception that led to them winning a game they were severely outplayed in. The Dawgs now are 3-3 and are smelling bowl berth.

1. USC (1) – Two weeks to prepare for an improved Notre Dame team is nice. The Domers are being confident in the media will be interesting to see if they can compete with the Trojans for the first time since 2005.

2. UO (2) – Nice team win for the Ducks who are sporting their best defense in recent memory. Bye week comes at a great time but there are still major questions about Masoli’s knee that remain unanswered.

3. Cal (4) – Were they able to right the ship during the bye week? The nice thing about how the schedule breaks out the rest of the way is that they’ve already played USC and UO and should have a legit shot to fight for third place in the conference. The loser of the UCLA/Cal game will probably go in to full rebuilding mode and may go a different direction at QB.

4. OSU (7) – Oregon State crushed Stanford in a game that wasn’t as close as the scoreboard showed. Looks like Riley is again working his second half magic. Two weeks to prepare for USC and a win there puts them back to controlling their own destiny for a Rose Bowl.

5. LSJU (3) – Just when they were about to become everyone in the media’s darling they get steamrolled in Corvallis. The schedule is really stiffening up and a bowl is not yet guaranteed as they travel to Tucson in a battle between two squads coming off tough losses.

6. UW (8) - Are they destiny’s team this year at home? The Dawgs pulled off a miracle against the Wildcats and now must avoid the same hangover on the road that got them beat in Palo Alto. Luckily they play a sloppy uninspired ASU team who won’t have a lot of fan support.

7. UA (6) – The Cats were up 11 with 2 minutes to go and lost. Nick Foles evidently audibled to a screen pass on the strange ball that deflected off the foot and in to the air and gave Washington the winning points. Probably should run their Nick but the Cats have to be happy with his ability to move the ball down the field. Had The Cats won they’d likely be in the Top 25 sporting only a loss to Top 15 Iowa on the road. Need to mentally regroup for Stanford in what will be more of grinder type game than a shootout.

8. UCLA (5) – UCLA’s season could be derailing. It boggles my mind of how a team who should have pick of the litter of recruits from Southern California can have such a bad offense so consistently and it is typically been because of busts at the QB position. If UCLA struggles early with Prince I think Rick and Norm will move on and go with Richard Brehuat as the starter for the rest of the year.

9. ASU (9) – If they beat UW they’ll become perhaps the worst 4 win team in a BCS conference. A loss and a poor attendance umber for the Husky game and you’ll start to hear a lot of grumbles in Tempe about Erickson’s status.

10. WSU (10) – Last chance for a Pac 10 win is 11/14/09 versus UCLA in Pullman.