CFB Week 1 “Previews”

Posted: August 30, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: CFB Weekly Picks, MB 2013 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

As we have already established, a favorite MegaBracket pastime is to “preview” upcoming events with a plethora of random information. The college football season is no different as the sheer number of games played each week allows us to pick games at random and learn a little more about the colleges, players, coaches, and towns involved. Several different MB members contribute throughout the season with previews of their own. Each week’s collation will be published in one easy-to-find post.

[Ed. Note: If you would like to add your own contribution, simply e-mail it in and we will include it in the appropriate week’s previews.]

Furman @ Samford – Saturday, September 1 @ 3:30 pm CDT

Author: Ryan

In celebration of the start of the greatest time of year, and to honor the new President of my association, the head golf coach at Furman, I give you my first preview of the year, Furman at Samford, The I Don’t Remember Why We Are Picking This But I Am Glad We Are Game Of The Week.

We are going to do these “Tale of the Tape Style” this year, but without columns because that seems hard.

Mascots

Furman – Paladins.  This technically means a paragon of chivalry, a heroic champion, or any of the 12 peers of French emperor Charlemagne’s court.  Their actual mascot is a knight on a horse named Sir Paladin, and he rides Fury.  He is all kinds of awesome and looks like he could kick the crap out of Traveler at USC.  The Paladin name was first used by a sports writer in the 30s to describe the basketball team, and stuck for them, but did not become the official nickname of all teams until 1961.

Samford – Bulldogs.  This technically means slobbery dog that makes Jimmy noises all day long.  Their mascot is a costumed bulldog (real bulldogs are hard to come by) named Spike.  Samford used to be called Howard College, and I assume they were Bulldogs back then, but I have no idea.

Advantage – Paladins.  Always Paladins.  (Side note – I was 100% convinced a Paladin was a bird before today).

Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)

Furman – Cornerback/Special Teams Coordinator Antonio Goss.  A former 49er and Ram, Goss was a back-up linebacker for 2 49ers (one Joe Montana-led and one Steve Young-led)  Super Bowl teams and was the Special Teams Captain at the XXIX game.

[Ed. Note: Goss beat out Furman’s Kickers & Punters coach out for this award even through Bob Price is the happiest old guy ever. Either happy or pooping.]

Samford – A little bit more NFL playing and coaching experience to choose from here, but the obvious choice is Head Coach Pat Sullivan, the 1971 Heisman Trophy winner at Auburn.

Advantage – Heisman always beats Special Teams Captain.

Best Player Names

Furman – Tie – Dakota Derrick (Back-up QB) and Dakota Dozier (All-Conference OT).  With any luck these two have their very own cable access western.

Samford – Tie – Trett Hardman (Back-up QB turned TE) and Armando Bonheur (F OL).  The best Buddy Cop/Porno flick ever made.  Hey Armando, what did you say you wanted to do to my sister? http://samfordsports.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=3496&path=football

Advantage – Hardman & Bonheur.  This wasn’t even a fair fight after that photo.

Locations

Furman – Greenville, SC (long known as The Textile Capital of the World). It could be named for Revolutionary General Nathanael Greene, or Isaac Green.  Apparently they don’t know.  The Lynyrd Skynrd plane crash took off from Greenville after a show there, before running out of fuel in Mississippi.  Greenville’s most famous residents include Kevin Garnett, Lucas Glover, Shoeless Joe Jackson, and Jesse Jackson.

Samford – Homewood, AL (a suburb of Birmingham).  It has one of the highest population densities in Alabama.  The Homewood High band has played in the Tournament of Roses parade more than any other band in the state of Alabama.  Children’s Author and Poet Charles Ghigna lives there.

Advantage – Furman.  Greenville seems to have a lot on Homewood.

Notable Alumni

Furman –Thomas T. Goldstein, Jr., a Physicist, but one that invented the first video game; Jimmy’s favorite singer Amy Grant; Herman Lay, the founder of Lay’s (which became Frito-Lay); US Soccer player Clint Dempsey; QB Ingle Martin; Sam Wyche; Golfers Brad Faxon and Bruce Fleisher; and Chick Golfers Dottie Pepper, Beth Daniel and Betsy King.

Samford – Coaches Bobby Bowden and Jimbo Fisher; NFLer Cortland Finnegan; and Actor Tony Hale (Buster on Arrested Development).

Advantage – Furman is responsible for Video Games and Doritos.  I don’t think anything could top that with our group.

Decision

Furman takes this one 3-2, which will surely lead the Paladins to victory.

 

Sioux Falls @ St. Cloud State – Thursday, August 30 @ 6:00 pm CDT

Author: Bristol

Why not steal Ryan’s idea and do the other weekly previews the same way…

Mascots

Sioux Falls – Cougars. Way to be original – no one else ever would have thought to use Cougars as their mascot. However, bonus points for this behind the scenes video on what it takes to be Cooper the Cougar.

St. Cloud State – Huskies. And I thought USF was unoriginal. But, Blizzard the Husky looks like this and has a Facebook page and a Twitter account. (Also, how about the blatant rip-off of the Montreal Canadiens logo by St. Cloud State?)

Advantage – Blizzard the Husky – Facebook, Twitter and Blizzard molesting college chicks in hockey sweaters beat a two-minute clip on some random local TV station.

Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)

Sioux Falls – A tie between Coach Tiny (their name, not mine) and Ryan Grubb. Grubb played football at good ol’ BVU (Buena Vista University, my alma mater) while I matriculated in beautiful Storm Lake, IA. He was a four-year starter and team captain at BV before coaching at Kingsley-Pierson High School and South Dakota State. Coach Tiny is Coach Tiny and that’s all he needs.

St. Cloud State – Steve Grimit. All. The. Jowls. Grimit played football and wrestled at Western Illinois (or we like to call it, Willinois) and qualified for the Division I Wrestling National Championship and was a football c0-captain.

(Honorable Mention: Head Coach Scott Underwood. Underwood is from Marion, IA, played at Augustana College in Sioux Falls and has had coaching stops at Augustana, the University of Sioux Falls, and the University of North Dakota. Alas, he has so few jowls…)

Advantage – Sioux Falls. Are you kidding? No one beats Coach Tiny. No one.

Best Player Names

Sioux Falls – Bo Bearshield. Best Hair – Evan Colfack.

St. Cloud State – Tie – Viliamu Sioka Latu & Shaquille Theus. Best Hair – Bo Putrah.

Advantage – Sioux Falls. Shaquille Theus would win if this were basketball but how do you defeat a Bearshield?

Locations

Sioux Falls – Sioux Falls, SD – “The Best Little City in America” and the hometown of a certain co-writer of the weekly football previews. The John Morrell meat packing plant celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2009. Notable residents and natives include actress January Jones; entertainment reporters Pat O’Brien and Mary Hart; World War II fighter pilot Joe Foss; NFL coach Mike Martz; and actor David Soul (Hutch from Starsky & Hutch).

St. Cloud State – St. Cloud, MN – “The Granite City” was named after a city of the same name in France (strike one). It’s first mayor was a slaveowner in the free state of Minnesota and many southerners moved to St. Cloud with their slaves after the Dred Scott decision was declared unconstitutional in 1857 (strike two). Courtroom scenes from The Mighty Ducks were filmed in St. Cloud (one strike removed). Notable natives and residents include former MLB player Jim Eisenreich, and two Jeopardy champions.

Advantage – Sioux Falls. If being the hometown of an original MB member (and Pat O’Brien) isn’t enough, Sioux Falls squares off against the northern slave capital of the United States.

Notable Alumni

Sioux Falls – None listed anywhere that I could find.

Update: (from MB member and Sioux Falls native Ryan)

The only notable USF Alumni is the Head Coach of the most dominant force in MegaBracket Indoor Football, the Sioux Falls Storm.
  • He has led the Storm to a record of 140-28 in ten seasons.
  • 6 Titles.
  • Record 40-game winning streak (they say the longest professional winning streak).
  • 3 undefeated seasons.
  • Before taking the Storm job he was the QB coach at USF for five years.  In that time the were 67-3 and won three NAIA titles.
  • As a QB at USF he led the Cougars to a title in 1997 and was an All-American.
  • He also teaches at my old high school now – apparently highly successful independent indoor football coaching doesn’t pay the bills.

St. Cloud State – Actor John Hawkes (one of the great “That Guys”); Jodi Huisentruit, a local TV news anchor who went missing in Mason City, IA in 1995 – if you are from where and when I was from, this was a HUGE story. She has never been found; professional wrestler Lars Anderson; Minnesota Twins TV play-by-play announcer Dick Bremer; and Richard Dean Anderson. That’s right – fucking MacGyver went to St. Cloud State.

Advantage – In the biggest rout ever on any planet in any contest, St. Cloud State.

Update: USF at least has a notable alumnus now, but unless Jesus went there, they aren’t beating MacGyver. And probably not even then.

Decision

Sioux Falls takes this one 3-2, but if it had been any other town, MacGyver would have propelled St. Cloud State to the win regardless of the score.

 

Chadron State @ Montana State – Thursday, August 30 @ 8:05 pm CDT

Author: Bristol

Mascots

Chadron State – Eagles. Portrait and action photos of Elmo Eagle.

Montana State – Bobcats. Champ the Bobcat likes to flex and point.

Advantage – Chadron State. Let’s see – generic mascot? Check and check. Wearing a football uniform? Check and check. Pictures doing mascot-y things? Check and check. Alliteration? Check and no check. Elmo Eagle wins by a letter.

Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)

Chadron State – Craig Jerslid. “Coach Jersey” has coached at some awesome schools – South Dakota Tech, Butler Community College, Northwest Mississippi College, and Hutchinson Community College. He was a starting defensive back at Colorado State, including their 9-4 season in 1990 which ended in the Freedom Bowl. (You know why America sucks now? No Freedom Bowl.)

Montana State – Demo Odems. Odems was a four-year letterwinner at WR for the University of Iowa. He played for the Texas Terminators and Grand Rapids Rampage in the Arena Football League and was named Ironman of the Game in Arena Bowl XV in 2001. He as coaching stops at Lancaster HS in Lancaster, TX, Lyndon B. Johnson HS in Austin, TX, Arkansas-Monticello and Wisconsin.

Advantage – Montana State. A guy who played in one Freedom Bowl or a guy who played for Freedom University? No contest.

Best Player Names

Chadron State – Tie – Frantzlee LaCrete and KamRon Tomlinson. Happiest Guy – Josh Borm. Best Hair is difficult – I’m going with Robert Jackson first, Clay Cundall second and Tyler Wright third.

Montana State – Tie – Orenzo Davis and twin brothers Kazz and Kruiz Siewing. Most Republican-like Hair – the aptly named Luke Halliburton. (I don’t make this stuff up folks, I just report it.)

Advantage – Chadron State – High-top fade always defeats Republican hair.

Location

Chadron State – Chadron, NE – the county seat of Dawes County sits near the Museum of the Fur Trade. Notable residents include actor Justin Bruening, the lead role in the failed new Knight Rider series in 2008; and Leslie Lynch King, Sr., the biological father of Gerald Ford.

Montana State – Bozeman, MT – the county seat of Gallatin County is the 4th-largest city in Montana. The area around Bozeman was once known as the Sweet Pea capital of the nation and held a Sweet Pea Carnival from 1906 to 1916. The movie A River Runs Through It was filmed in and around the city. Notable people include two-time Academy Award-winning actor Gary Cooper; musician John Mayer; actress Daniella Deutscher (Julie Connor from Hang Time); and entreprenuer/rich guy Ted Turner.

Advantage – Montana State. Hang Time > new Knight Rider. I mean, it’s not like we’re talking about The Hoff here.

Notable Alumni

Chadron State – former NFL wide receiver Don Beebe; current NFL running back Danny Woodhead; former Golden State Warriors GM Larry Riley; and William David Sanders, a teacher killed in the Columbine school massacre.

Montana State – former NFL and college head coach Dennis Erickson; TV sportscaster Craig Kilborn; Pro Football Hall of Fame kicker Jan Stenerud; 1996 Olympic silver medalist in the hammer throw, Lance Deal; and former Purdue head coach Joe Tiller.

Advantage – Montana State. Don Beebe vs. Jan Stenerud is close but Joe Tiller seals the deal.

Decision

Montana State claims a 3-2 come-from-behind on the strength of Hang Time and Joe Tiller’s mustache.

 

Oklahoma Panhandle State @ Missouri Science & Technology – Saturday, Septmber 1 @ 6:30 pm CDT

Author: Bristol

Mascots

Panhandle State – Aggies. I can’t find anything about an actual mascot but OPSU does have the Firestone Meat Laboratory.

Missouri S&T – Miners. Joe Miner to be specific. Please use the Joe Miner graphic correctly. Not sure how – here are some tips. He carries a pick ax and a slide rule and terrifies your children.

Advantage – Missouri S&T. Joe Miner has his own meat laboratory and it’s much more frightening than OPSU’s.

Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)

Panhandle State – Devin McDonald. Coach McDonald played this spring for the Louisiana Swashbucklers of the Professional Indoor Football League (in MB, of course). He played collegiately at Navarro College and Angelo State before spending last season as a student assistant at Angelo State.

Missouri S&T – Tie – Gerold Rodriguez and Luke Rayfield. Rodriguez was a wide receiver and kick returner at Arizona and UNLV and is the cousin of former NFL player J.P. Losman. Rayfield has an amazing shaved head/beard with no mustache combination happening.

Advantage – Panhandle State. Rayfield’s look had a slight advantage over the Louisiana Swashbucklers, but Rodriguez being related to J.P. Losman lost it for Missouri S&T.

Best Player Names

Panhandle State – Tie – Neptune Joseph and Jihad’ Wright. Best Hair/Most Awesome – Allston Hadley (3rd from the top on the left side.

Missouri S&T – Smook Thomas. Best Hair – tie between Jack Miller and Logan Turk.

Advantage – Pandhandle State. One player named Neptune and another as big as Jupiter beat out Smook and that one guy from Two-A-Days.

Location

Panhandle State – Goodwell, OK – a town of 1,293 way out in the panhandle of Oklahoma. Was named Goodwell because a good well was found there. Nice work, everyone. Goodwell is the home of the No Man’s Land Museum which has been preserving the Oklahoma Panhandle’s heritage since 1934.

Missouri S&T – Rolla, MO – the county seat of Phelps county and home of the headquarters of the Mark Twain National Forest, the only United States National Forest in Missouri. The town was named when new settlers from North Carolina voted to name it after Raleigh, NC, but they chose to spell it as if they had lived in Missouri all their lives. Notable people from Rolla include Civil War Union General Samuel Curtis and Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Shannon Miller.

Advantage – Missouri S&T. I’ve been through Rolla many times and I never thought I would says this, but Rolla wins easily.

Notable Alumni

Panhandle State – NAIA All-American running back Jim Holder, the only Aggie in the College Football Hall of Fame; and former NFL safety Earl Eubanks.

Missouri S&T – 2004 World Series of Poker champion Greg “Fossilman” Raymer; Jack Dorsey, the creator of Twitter; and astronauts Thomas Akers, Janet Kavandi and Sandra Magnus.

Advantage – Missouri S&T. 3 astronauts and the guy who created Twitter seem a little more impressive than two football players no one outside the panhandle have ever heard of.

Decision

On the strength of Joe Miner’s creepiness, Twitter and how depressing Goodwell, OK seems, Missouri S&T ekes out a 3-2 victory.

 

Camel Foe – Week 1, Shorter University

Posted: August 30, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Camel Foe, MB 2013 | Tags: , | Leave a comment »

Our critically acclaimed (meaning, enjoyed by at least 2 of the original 8 MB members) series Camel Foe returns for its second season in MB 2013. Each week we shine the MB flashlight on the upcoming opponent of our beloved Campbell University Fighting Camels. We mix together some actual football information with our usual mix of random facts to concoct a delicious appetizer for the week’s college football smorgasbord. Without further ado, let’s learn a little about the Camels’ season-opening opponent, Shorter University.

Shorter University

Location: Rome, Georgia (population: 36,303 as of 2010 census)

Established: 1873 as the Cherokee Baptist Female College

Motto: Light, Truth

Enrollment: 3,500

Nickname: Hawks

Affiliation: Currently transitioning from the NAIA and the Southern States Athletic Conference to NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference. This school year is Gulf Coast’s first as a full member of Division II although it will remain ineligible for NCAA championships for the next 2 seasons.

Random Fact #1: During the 1920s, the college constructed the first indoor swimming pool in the United States.

Random Fact #2: The college became co-educational in the 1950s and also began sports programs in the NAIA during that decade.

Random Fact #3: As of October 2011, the university requires all employees to sign and adhere to a “Personal Lifestyle Statement” that includes the following principles:

  • They will be loyal to the mission of Shorter University as a Christ-centered institution affiliated with the Georgia Baptist Convention
  • They will not engage in the use, sale, possession, or production of illegal drugs
  • They will reject as acceptable all sexual activity not in agreement with the Bible, including, but not limited to, premarital sex, adultery, and homosexuality
  • They will not use alcoholic beverages in the presence of students, and will abstain from serving, from using, and from advocating the use of alcoholic beverages in public (e.g. in locations that are open to use by the general public, including as some examples restaurants, concert venues, stadiums, and sports facilities) and in settings in which students are present or are likely to be present. Neither would they promote or encourage the use of alcohol
  • They will actively engage in a local church

Random Fact #4: Due to clause #4, it is unlikely any of the executive members of MB will ever apply for a job at Shorter University

Notable Persons:

  • NCAA basketball coach Bill Foster, one of 16 coaches to win at least 500 games
  • Benton Gill, lead singer of the band Crisis

Well, that was impressive. Let’s throw in notables from the city of Rome as well.

  • Professional wrestler Arn Anderson (that’s more like it)
  • NFL running back Ronnie Brown
  • Former NFL running back Larry Kinnebrew
  • Florida head football coach Will Muschamp
  • Former NFL player and coach Dan Reeves
  • Ellen Wilson, First Lady of the United States (first wife of Woodrow Wilson)
  • George Stephen Morrison, Rear Admiral in the United States Navy and father of singer Jim Morrison; Admiral Morrison was part of the crew of the minelayer Pruitt stationed in Hawaii and witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor from that vessel

Oh yeah, the Football Team:

  • In 2011, Shorter finished 6-4 overall and 3-3 in the Southern States Athletic Conference, its 7th final season in that conference and in NAIA after starting football in 2005
  • Shorter played just 4 home games in 2011, splitting those contest while finishing 4-2 on the road
  • Shorter runs an offense similar to Air Force, putting an emphasis on the QB and FB positions – they ran the ball 486 times in 10 games last season, while throwing it just 89
  • The Hawks lost their top 2 QBs and top 3 FBs from 2011
  • The leading returning rusher is slotback Roderick Jones who ran for 400 yards on just 34 carries, a ridiculous 11.8 per carry
  • The team’s leading receiver last year had 7 catches for 161 yards and 3 TDs. For the season. He also graduated meaning someone will have to step up and replace those 0.7 catches per game in the offense
  • Shorter returns 5 players on defense who garnered all-conference accolades in 2011, including NAIA All-American ILB Demery Hawkins
  • Best Name Nominees:
    • Jovann Shabazz, SaDarrius Rooks, K-Sun Manzano, Terrian Beavers, Quay Boddie, Marktavious Dasher, Santavious Bryant, Maurice Bloodser
    • The winner – K-Sun Manzano (I’m not telling him he didn’t win)

Prediction:

This is an interesting match-up as a team new to Division II (and in just its 8th season) takes on a non-scholarship FCS program in just its 5th year. We may learn a little as to whether you get better players in NAIA or D-II with partial scholarships rather than at an FCS school with no scholarships. On the field, we will see a match-up of strengths as the experienced and talented Shorter defense takes on second-year starting QB Braden Smith and the Camels offense. On the flip side, the Camel defense and Hawk offense each return only a few starters and match up schemes that are not widely in vogue – the option offense of Shorter vs. the 3-3-5 defense of Campbell. The key to this game will likely be how well the inexperienced Shorter offense runs the option and how well the inexperienced Camel defense can defend it. Expect a fast game as both teams prefer to run the ball, with Shorter especially using the pass as an afterthought.  The x-factor in this game is that Shorter will have to deal with the excitement surrounding the first night game ever played at Barker-Lane Stadium. I don’t think you can prepare yourself in practice for the atmosphere in Buies Creek on a Thursday night. The rabid Camel fans help propel the team to a 1-0 start on the season – Campbell 27, Shorter 21.

 

 

Campbell Fighting Camels Football Preview

Posted: August 24, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Camel Foe | Tags: | Leave a comment »

For the 2nd consecutive season, MB is adopting the Campbell Fighting Camels as our obscure football team to highlight and follow throughout the season. Each week during the season, we will give a preview (MB-style, of course) of their upcoming game and opponent in our section entitled Camel Foe. This week, we will take a look back at the 2011 season and a look ahead at 2012, the 5th season since Campbell reinstated football in 2008.

2011 In Review

Campbell finished 6-5 in 2011 and 5-3 (4th place) in the Pioneer Football League, marking the first winning season and highest PFL finish since restarting the program in 2008. Campbell finished 1st in the PFL in rushing (18th in all of FCS) to claim its 3rd consecutive conference rushing title and had 5 of the league’s top 20 runners. The Camels placed 11 players on the all-PFL lists with 2 first-team selections, 2 second-team selections, and 7 honorable mentions.

The Camels opened last season with a 41-14 loss to Old Dominion before whitewashing The Apprentice School 76-0. They then started the conference season with losses to Jacksonville (57-21) and Drake (31-14). The 1-3 start was erased as Campbell reeled off a 5-game winning streak during which they averaged 37.6 points per game and scored less than 35 just once. The victims were Butler (38-23), Marist (35-21), San Diego (48-24), Davidson (26-20) and Morehead State (41-31). The win over San Diego was the Toreros only conference loss on the season as they tied with Drake for the conference title at 7-1. However, the Camels stubbed their toe at Valparaiso to halt the winning streak, losing 34-31 in the Crusaders’ only win of the year and that program’s first conference win since the 2008 season. The campaign came to a close with a 42-35 loss to Georgia State. Overall the season was a rousing success with the 6 wins not only representing the highest total since the 2008 restart, but also nearly equaling the win total of the 3 previous seasons (7). The 5 PFL wins did exceed the 2008-2010 combined total of 4. The Fighting Camels outscored their opponents on the season for the first time, doing so by 109 points (9.9 per game).

2012 In Preview

The Fighting Camels return just 9 starters from last year’s squad, 5 on offense and 4 on defense. Not surprising for a  program in its 4th year, the 2011 team had a lot of seniors who had logged a lot of playing time building the program from scratch. Those players’ efforts paid off in a winning season in year 4 and the task of repeating that winning season will fall on a large group of new starters.

The returning starters on offense are highlighted by senior quarterback Braden Smith. Smith was twice named PFL Offensive Player of the Week and set school records for yards (1,965), touchdowns (14), completions (179), attempts (313), and total offense (2,254). He also doubles as the leading returning rusher from 2011, totaling 289 yards and 8 touchdowns on the ground. Backup QB Dakota Wolf returns as well, giving the Camels an experienced reserve at the sport’s most important position.

The Camels lost the 3 top rushers from last year’s team and will be looking for new face to step up as they pursue their 4th straight PFL rushing title. Junior Kurt Odom ran for 288 yards on just 57 carries (5.1 avg) and is expected to be the top running threat in 2012. After having 5 players rush for at least 288 yards last season, Campbell will look to develop depth in the backfield in order to maintain a top-notch rushing attack.

Campbell lost two four-year starters at wide receiver and will need new players to step up there as well. Junior WR Chad McMichael is the team’s leading returner, having grabbed 16 balls for 156 yards last season. Odom had 12 catches, while no one else who returns had more than 5. Coach Steele mentioned South Carolina transfer Riley Gallaher (redshirted for the Gamecocks in 2011) as a potential leader of the receiving corps. Junior Alex Green returns as the starter at TE with experienced backup Christian Rogers back as well. Green had just 5 catches in 2011 as the tight end serves mostly as a blocking weapon in the run-heavy Camel offense.

The offensive line was also decimated by graduation, returning just one starter, senior tackle Daniel Ritter. Nick Beaver and Dalton Brown each have started a handful of games in the past and will be counted on to steady the new group and pave the way for another effective running game.

The Camels averaged 34.5 point per game last season but will likely be hard-pressed to match that number as they replace much of the offense from 2011. It is likely that more responsibility will fall on the shoulders of QB Braden Smith, especially early in the season as the backfield and line are revamped.

On defense, the headlining returners are preseason all-PFL picks Brandon Chandler at safety and Steth Monroe at corner. Chandler was second team all-conference in 2011 and honorable mention the two years before that. He forced three fumbles and broke up four passes last year while also totaling two interceptions, returning one for a touchdown. In addition, he averaged 20.6 yards on kickoff returns and 11.9 yards on punt returns. Monroe was honorable mention all-PFL last season after grabbing four interceptions and leading the league with 15 passes defensed.

The Camels play a 3-3-5 defense and return as many as 3 starters in the defensive backfield. Junior Jeff Swinton (8 starts) is the 3rd returning starter while senior Paul Pizzuti (1 start) give the Camels another experienced option at safety, although the two are expected to compete for one spot. The other safety spot and one corner will be manned by new starters. Two starting linebackers graduated as well, although veteran Mike Rudisill returns after starting all 11 games last season, making 48 tackles and grabbing two interceptions.

The defensive line with have two untested players alongside junior Taurean Lynch, who started 5 games last year. With just 5 starts among the returners, defensive line might be the biggest question mark heading into the 2012 season for the Fighting Camels.

The Fighting Camels also lost their starting kicker, punter, and long snapper to graduation in 2011. Senior kicker Sam Eberwein does have experience, however, having played in 21 career games. With a brand new punter and long snapper, questions abound as to whether the new starters can prevent a drop-off in those areas from 2011.

In an exciting development for the program, lights were installed at Campbell’s Barker-Lane Stadium / Ed Gore Field in the offseason. The permanent lights will allow more options for practice times and greater flexibility with game times and other sporting events. The lights will be put to use immediately as the Fighting Camels open the season with the program’s first night game, Thursday, August 30th @ 6:00 pm CDT versus Shorter University, an NAIA school in Rome, GA. In all, Campbell will play 4 home games at night, with the Virginia-Wise, Davidson and Drake contests also being held under the lights.

Overall, the Camels definitely face a bit of uncertainty heading into 2012 having lost so many starters and major contributors from last season. Fellow coaches in the PFL showed a lot respect for the job Coach Steele is during by picking them to finish 5th in the conference, the highest preseason spot in the program’s 5 years. With a coach named Steele – first name, Man Of  (Scrubs joke) – MB trusts the Camels will put together another solid season as they rise up the PFL ranks. After all, they aren’t called the Fighting Camels for nothing – just ask Iowa’s basketball team.

Other Fighting Camel Football Links

Fayetteville Observer – Campbell Looks to Build on First Winning Season

GoCamels.com – Five Questions with Head Coach Dale Steele

GoCamels.com – 2012 Season Outlook

GoCamels.com – This is Campbell Football

 

MB College Football Weekly Picks

Posted: August 22, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: CFB Weekly Picks, MB 2013 | Tags: | Leave a comment »

With the dawning of a new college football season approaching in just over a week, I thought I would take a moment and give some insight into how the games are chosen for the weekly picks. The first week’s picks page has 30 games listed, while later weeks will range from 30-40 based on the quality of the week. Following is the breakdown for how the games are selected.

  • All Iowa games – 5 of the original 7 MB members are alumni of Iowa and 5 of the 7 are from the state of Iowa
  • All Nebraska games – 1 original MB members is an alumnus while another attended for a time, and 1 member is from the state of Nebraska
  • All Buena Vista games – 2 original MB members are alumni of BV
  • All Campbell games – they are called the Fighting Camels. Enough said.
    • The author’s fascination with the Fighting Camels began in March of 1993 as Campbell University won their conference tournament and advanced to the NCAA Division I basketball tournament. They faced the top-ranked and top-seeded Duke Blue Devils and lost in a blowout. However, as a 15-year old obsessed with sports and blessed with a good sense of humor and a love of the obscure (the combination of which, of course, led to MB itself), I immediately fell in love with the Fighting Camels. It’s the same combination that caused my favorite baseball player ever to be Razor Shines. But I digress…
  • All Montana State games – 1 original MB member is a current employee of MSU
  • All Iowa State games – several original MB members have a pathological hate for the Cyclones
  • All Oklahoma games – 2 original MB members currently live in Norman, OK
  • All Sioux Falls games – 1 0riginal MB member grew up in Sioux Falls, SD
  • All Texas State games – 1 original MB member is a current employee of Texas State
  • Sun Belt Game of the Week – one game per week selected from the Sun Belt Conference, based on rotating the games among the teams and finding the most intriguing game
  • MAC Game of the Week – one game per week selected from the Mid-America Conference, based on rotating the games among the teams and finding the most intriguing game
  • Armed Forces Game of the Week – one game per week selected from among Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard & Merchant Marine, based on rotating the games among the teams and finding the most intriguing game
  • FCS Game of the Week – one game per week selected from FCS, typically a match-up of rated teams
  • D-II Game of the Week – one game per week selected from Division II, typically a match-up of rated teams
  • D-III Game of the Week – one game per week selected from Division III, typically a match-up of rated teams
  • NAIA Game of the Week – one game per week selected from NAIA, typically a match-up of rated teams
  • CIS Game of the Week – one game per week selected from CIS, typically a matchup of rated teams
  • All games in which both teams are ranked in that week’s FBS Associated Press poll
  • All nationally televised (ESPN, ESPN2, ABC, etc.) games on days other than Saturdays
  • A large numbers of rivalry / trophy games or games with nicknames
    • We have compiled a list of nearly 150 football games that fall into this category and will include most of them in the picks category. Time permitting, we will also include a weekly piece that includes information about the game and/or teams

We are open to including other games that may have special significance to fellow MB members. Send us an e-mail or a tweet or leave a note in the comments for any teams or games that you wish to see included in the weekly picks.

Race for MegaBlock 1

Posted: August 21, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: MB 2013 | Leave a comment »

As the first MegaBlocks moves towards its conclusion on August 31, let’s get back into the blog swing by taking a look at the race for the Block Championship and the first of the sixteen playoff bids to be handed out.

Top 10 as of Tuesday, August 21 @ 10:00 am CDT

1.  Bristol – 1402

2.  Jimmy – 1216 (-186)

3.  Greg – 1177 (-225)

Ryan – 1177 (-225)

5.  Doug – 1148 (-254)

6.  abittner – 983 (-419)

7.  JP – 966 (-436)

8.  Robbie – 950 (-452)

9.  Chris – 929 (-473)

10. skizzow – 854 (-548)

Bristol is in the driver’s seat at this point with what appears to be a commanding 186 point lead over Jimmy, with Ryan and Greg 225 points behind and Doug trailing by 254. With no one else within 400 points of the leader, the block winner will certainly come from among these five users.

Remaining Block 1 Points

USA Rugby League – 37 points (all events ending in Block 1 include the 5-point Event Win Bonus)

All of the top five except for Doug picked the Jacksonville Axemen to win the league. Doug’s pick, the Philadelphia Flight, was knocked out in the semifinals. Regardless of the results of Saturday’s championship Bristol will tack on 21 points to his lead over Jimmy while Ryan and Greg keep pace. Doug will lose ground by 21 points if Jacksonville loses and 53 if the Axemen win the title. Thus, Doug is cheering for the Boston Thirteens while the rest are rooting for Jacksonville.

Little League World Series – 117 points

Max Remaining Points Among Contenders:

Bristol – 80 (Rooting For: Japan, California; Rooting Against: Mexico)

Jimmy – 84 (Rooting For: Mexico; Rooting Against: Japan)

Greg – 104 (Rooting For: California, Japan, Texas; Rooting Against: Mexico)

Ryan – 72 (Rooting For: Japan; Rooting Against: California)

Doug – 100 (Rooting For: Mexico, Tennessee, California; Rooting Against: Mexico)

With so many combinations and permutations remaining in the LLWS, it’s impossible to break down the gain or loss of points among the contenders. Jimmy’s chance to gain some ground is for Mexico to win its way through the International consolation bracket and win the LLWS over California, who must navigate the consolation bracket on the U.S. side as well. Doug and Greg are in the best shape to make a move as they have the most remaining points and are 1st and tied for 2nd, respectively, in the event to this point.

Western Lacrosse Association- 37 points

Doug, Greg & Ryan are guaranteed to gain at least 21 points on Bristol, as the leader’s champion pick of Victoria lost in the semifinals. If Langley wins the championship series, that trio will gain 53 points on Bristol while Jimmy would gain 32. Thus, Bristol is partisan for the Coquitlam Adanacs while everyone else favours the Langley Thunder.

The Barclays – 112 points

The Barclays is the final User Vs User event in Block 1. A top 5 finish would go a long ways toward wrapping up the block title for Bristol, but if his team falls flat it would open the door for a huge point swing. The maximum point swing possible is 112 if another user finishes first and picks the Barclays winner while Bristol finishes out of the top 10.

National Pro Fastpitch – 69 points

The entire NPF playoffs are contested during the league’s Championship Weekend this Thursday – Sunday, so all 69 points will be in play during Block 1.

Major League Lacrosse – 69 points

The MLL also begins and ends its playoff season this weekend, so the 69 points will all count toward Block 1.

United Soccer League Pro – 48 points

The USLPro quarterfinals and semifinals will be complete by the end of Block 1 for a total of 48 points. The 32 points for the championship match and the 5 point Event Win bonus will count as part of Block 2.

Gulf Coast League – 32 points (estimated)

The Gulf Coast League completes its regular season on August 25 with the playoff schedule to be determined. We estimate the semifinal series will complete by August 31, but that is not certain at this point. Thus, the number of points available in Block 1 from the GCL will either be 0, 16 or 32.

Arizona League – 69 points (estimated)

The Arizona League uses a single-game playoff format. We currently estimate that the playoffs will be held on August 30 & August 31, putting the entire event in Block 1. However, the playoff schedule will not be announced until next week so the number of points available in Block 1 will either be 0, 32 or 69.