Heisman Watch
Checking up on the Indiana - Iowa game early this afternoon, I noticed an interesting discussion on the ESPN GameDay message boards. The message was clearly left by a crazy, PAC-10 fanatic. According to the PAC-10 loon, Troy Smith is a mediocre quarterback at best who is only up for a Heisman because the field is so weak, and Smith can in no way compare to the USC QBs of late (e.g., Leinhart). I was tempted to reply to the joker, but decided it best not to dignify such nonsense with a response. Honestly, if Leinhart only had two interceptions (and he actually had 8 last year - I checked) it is because USC plays the weakest schedule of any "top" NCAA football team in the country. Leinhart is doing alright down in Arizona now, but I think Troy Smith will be a phenomenal pro-QB. He can run, move in the pocket, throw, I bet he can even tackle. I am a huge fan! And I dare anyone to come up with a better Heisman candidate.
Something about the Big, Blue, D
Michigan pulled out a 17-10 win in (Un)Happy Valley. And while the game seemed locked up at 17-3, with under 5 in the 4th quarter, Penn State and their 3rd string quarterback tried to make a game of it. But in the usual case of too little too late, it was simply not enough.
Sadly, in my opinion, this game will likely catapult UMich to a No. 2 ranking with the new polls are released. Something I find deeply troubling. Even more disturbing in my opinion though is the notion that Ohio State is a 1A team and Michigan is a 1B team (at least according to the ABC commentators who are clearly on some form of narcotic). I remain unconvinced that Michigan has been tested enough to be a No. 2. Likewise, I would be loathe to see USC in that position. Frankly, I would like to put Florida or another SEC team into the No. 2 slot. Their schedules are crazy hard and far more competitive. But since when do pollsters listen to me?
Also with regards to Michigan's defense, I get that they are good. (Holding Penn St. to negative rushing yards is pretty amazing.) But does that mean they need to become the decapitation squad? I understand that QBs have to take some pain. But the "bear hug of love" that Morelli received was clearly a late hit. Michigan deserved a penalty for it. I forget who made the tackle, all I remember was that he was big. Ok. So it was hard for him to stop... but he shouldn't have had his arms around the QB. I have less to quibble about the hit on Clark. But I think the Michigan defense could and should exercise a little more care in not winning by eliminating players. They seem to be doing it a lot lately, and it takes the luster off of their wins.
Invincible No More
Finally, the sports pundits have tired of the fad that is USC. The past couple years of USC adulation have been painful for this PAC-10 hater to watch. But the commentators are finally, finally calling it like it is. USC scraped by in this game. Booty call interceptions. 21 unanswered points by Arizona St. And this was the easy part of their schedule. With Cal, Oregon, and a revitalized Notre Dame still on their schedule, Pete Carroll & Co. should start worrying just a bit.
Crazy in the MidWest
Indiana over Iowa? You have got to be kidding me. At least that's what I thought. But at 31-28, Indiana pulled out a win to break into the top half of the Big Ten rankings at 2-1. I cannot remember the last time this happened. Sadly though, given they face Ohio St next weekend, their euphoria will be short lived. It will however be interesting to see what No.15 Iowa's response to this game will be. Iowa's next game entails a visit to AA. I am personally hoping they'll want some revenge after getting stomped on by Indiana. And here's to hoping they get it!
Random Aside
Surprisingly, the Ohio State/Michigan State game did not depress me as much as I had expected. In fact, it was a rather existential, out of body type experience. That said, there is a lot about Drew Stanton that reminds me of Troy Smith. And watching Ohio State play, reminded me of what I aspire for MSU to be. And I really believe they could be, if they could only stay healthy and play a clean game.
They also showed a clip of Lorenzo White during the game. Oh Lorenzo, how I loved thee. The last time (and technically the only time in my life) that Michigan State went to the Rose Bowl was when Lorenzo White was the star RB. This was back in 1988, well before the BCS turned the Rose Bowl into an utter travesty. It has been almost 20yrs since Michigan State's last trip to Pasadena. Even Northwestern has gone more recently. The only schools who have had to wait longer are Indiana, Illinois, Minnesota, and Iowa. But Iowa did go to the Orange in 2003 and Illinois to the Sugar in 2002. So bottom line, State fans are due a good bowl game!
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7 comments:
Come on, powder puff players like Anthony Morelli need to go back to high school! Seriously, why is he so skinny? He's an athlete, its OK to eat!
BTW I'm predicting a thorough thrashing of Iowa next week. I think its a maxim in sports that you can't loose to the Hoosiers and hang with the Wolverines.
Regarding the decapitation squad: Point taken. Hopefully, in the future, our defense will sack opposing quarterbacks with more thoughtful sympathy, and lower them gently to the ground while whispering sweet nothings in their ears to soothe and comfort them.
Haha. The sarcasm is appreciated, but the hit on Morelli was a delayed hit. And while he might suffer from Ally McBeal-ism, its still not cool.
Also I think it is one thing to bruise up the other team, and it is another to make sure they can't play anymore. Michigan did the same thing a couple years ago in the State game. Not cool! It's like when the Wisconsin QB got choked. Not cool...
I actually think it's not at all like OSU choking Stocco. Differences: (1) Choking a player is unlawful assault and battery, whereas the incident here is questionably a violation of the rules of football, if that. (2) Choking requires malice and an affirmative act of carrying out that malice physically. That malice is self-evidend from the act of choking itself. In this case, no malice on the part of the Michigan defensive back was evident from the hit. At best, his momentum simply carried him forward and the hit was accidental. At worst, it was a late hit of the quarterback after release of the ball: something that the rules of college football allow when - temporally - the hit is proximate to the time of the release of the football. This is an important point, because this is not the case in NFL. The NCAA rules to this effect are a recognition of the fact that certain hits are simply a collateral effect of the physical nature of the game, and to penalize them unless they are eggregious would be to make defensive backs play with more caution than is practicable. I was really personally upset over the choking of Stocco, so I wantd to go on record as saying that these instances are very distinguishable.
Unrelated, but I really enjoy your blog... Keep it up :-)
Looks like someone's been paying attention in their Torts class!
Incidentally, whenever I hear the words "malice aforethought" or "injunction" from Ben, I instantly doze off. Its like a pavlovian effect.
I like your blog too!
Ben, your lawyer-speak is good. Since you broke out the big guns like 'unlawful assault and battery' and 'affirmative act', not to mention all the SAT words like 'eggregious', etc., I feel like I must cede the point to you.
While the intene in the Stocco situation may have been different, don't you think it kind of takes away from a vistory when the win is over the 3rd string as opposed to the 1st string team? Personally, my Michigan hating aside, I can't help but wonder what the game would have been like if Morelli hadn't been out the 2nd half... ya know?
PS. Thanks for liking my blog! It is a great way to get out my Saturday afternoon football agression. You guys need one too!
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