CFB Week 9 MB-views
Posted: October 25, 2012 Filed under: CFB Weekly Picks, MB 2013 | Tags: Clemson, Emporia State, Missouri Western, Rhodes, Sewanee, Wake Forest Leave a comment »Clemson @ Wake Forest – Thursday, October 25 @ 6:30 pm CDT
Author: Ryan
A little FBS action this week with Clemson at Wake Forest.
Mascots
Clemson – Tigers. The name came from their first football coach, who borrowed it from his old school, the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama (Auburn). Someone has dressed up as The Tiger since 1954 and another as the Tiger Cub since 1993. The all-time push up leader as The Tiger is Mike Bays, who was The Tiger from 1994-1997 and did 2,216 push-ups, about 2,000 more than I have ever done. Clemson’s original colors were red and blue, but when the first football team was formed they decided purple and orange were much manlier colors.
Wake Forest – Demon Deacons. Their athletic teams were originally known as Baptists and The Old Gold and Black, but the school newspaper editor used the term after a big win over Duke back in 1922, and it stuck. The first Deacon mascot was some guy who decided to dress up and ride a ram into a game in 1941. I bet he had all the ladies. He is now terrifying.
Advantage – Wake Forest. If you steal your mascot from Auburn you are not going to win.
Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)
Clemson – Not anyone named Dabo. Clemson has a very fancy coaching page, but not a lot of info on each coach. So the winner here is Robbie Caldwell, a former head coach at Vandy, who was an awesome guy to listen to at press conferences.
Wake Forest – OL Coach Jonathan Himebauch. Hemebauch was a two-year starting center at USC who went on to spend time in the NFL, NFL Europe, CFL and XFL (that’s hitting for the cycle). He also coached for a number of years in the CFL before coming to Wake, and was the O Line coach for two CFL Championship teams in Montreal.
Advantage – Wake Forest. I mean, they have a coach who played for the Los Angeles Xtreme, who still have a working website. You never know when it might come back.
Best Names
Clemson – LB Quandon Christian. But enough of that. Clemson may have hired the Glamour Shots chick from Napoleon Dynamite. This is a freshman I guess. This is a neck. This guy’s smile is awesome. Now way this is a kicker. Holy shit. And look who stopped going after high school girls and moved on to college chicks.
Wake Forest – NG Godspower Offor. I’m not even looking for anything else after Gods Power. Tommy want wingy!
Advantage – Wooderson’s suit and tie.
Location
Clemson – Clemson, SC. Calhoun, SC bordered the Clemson campus, and in 1943 its name was changed to that of the university, Clemson. The city is home to the South Carolina Botanical Gardens and pretty much nothing else other than the university. Nearby Anderson and Greenville have many more attractions.
Wake Forest – Winston-Salem, NC. The fourth-largest city in NC, it had a population of 229,617 in 2010. Winston-Salem is known as the Twin City for obvious reasons, and Camel City for its tobacco history and serving as the home area for the RJ Reynolds company (Camel Cigarettes). Salem was founed first in 1753 and Winston after that after Salem sold some land to newly formed Forsyth County in 1849 to form a county seat. The towns were officially incorporated as Winston-Salem in 1913. In 1929 the Reynolds Building went up in town and at 21 floors it was the tallest building south of Baltimore. The building was the prototype for the Empire State Building, and each year on Father’s Day the Empire State Building staff sends the staff at the Reynolds Building a card. Krispy Kreme opened their first donut shop in Winston-Salem in 1937. Notable residents include NASCAR owner Richard Childress, Sportcaster Howard Cosell, Musician Ben Folds and Baseball Player Mark Grace. Quite a few movies have been filmed in Winston-Salem, including Mr. Destiny, Eddie, and Leatherheads.
Advantage – Wake. This one wasn’t even fair.
Notable Alumni
Clemson – Robert H. Brooks, founder of Hooters of America, which took the restaurant nationwide; golfers Jonathan Byrd and Lucas Glover; TV host Nancy O’Dell; former senator Strom Thurmond; and many many NFL players, including CJ Spiller, Brian Dawkins and The Fridge.
Wake Forest – Maya Angelou (faculty member); former senator Jesse Helms; many NBA players including Tim Duncan, Chris Paul and Muggsy Bogues; sportscasters Billy Packer and Dr. Jerry Punch; Super Tecmo Bowl superstar Ricky Proehl; golfers Arnold Palmer, Bill Haas, Jay Haas, Billy Andrade, Curtis Strange, Lanny Wadkins and Webb Simpson; Sopranos creator David Chase (did not graduate); and actor Carroll O’Connor (Archie Bunker).
Advantage – I’m calling this one a draw. The Fridge, Arnold, Hooters. Too much good stuff.
Decision
Unlike real life, Wake is the favorite to me.
Missouri Western @ Emporia State – Thursday, October 25 @ 6:00 pm CDT
Author: Bristol
Mascot
Missouri Western– Griffons. From the Missouri Western website – “A griffon is a mythical creature that is half lion and half eagle. It was chosen in 1918 as the mascot of St. Joseph Junior College, the institution which later became Missouri Western State University. The Griffon was selected because it was considered a guardian of riches, and education is viewed as a precious treasure. Its wings are spread in the shape of the state of Missouri to signify the union of the college with the state university system in 1977.” The current edition of This Week in Griffon Athletics has a good picture of Max the Griffon.
Emporia State – Hornets. The mascot is Corky the Hornet. The ESU website calls him a “somewhat humonized hornet”. I call him something you might see in a terrible movie on SciFi (not you SyFy, never you).
Advantage – Griffons. Sorry Corky but a half lion and half eagle whose wings form Missouri beats a “somewhat humonized” hornet. But, as they say, life goes on.
Best Player Name
Missouri Western – Tie – freshman DB Michael Jordan and freshman DL Arbanas Elliot. Other things I like: Tarrell Downing’s dreads, Shane Simpson’s multi-colored goatee, Sean Holloran’s Amish beard and Ben Pister’s beard.
Emporia State – Freshman WR Anthony Buffalomeat.
Advantage – Buffalomeat. The pictures are good but lots of teams have good pictures. No one else has Buffalomeat.
Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)
Missouri Western – Head Coach Jerry Partridge is in his 16th season at Missouri Western and is the school’s all-time leader in wins. The school had never made the Division II playoffs he led the 2006 team there. He served as a graduate assistant at both Notre Dame and Missouri and was on the Notre Dame staff during its 1988 national championship season. Coach Partridge also spent time at Murray State and Austin Peay.
Emporia State – Head Coach Garin Higgins was a four-year letterwinner at QB for Emporia State, leading the team to 3 playoff appearances including a national runner-up. He has also spent time at Northeastern State, Northwestern Oklahoma State and Minnesota State. Northwestern Oklahoma won a national title in 1999 while he was the offensive coordinator and twice finished as runner-up while he was the head coach. He went 51-9 at NWOSU and coached future Dallas Cowboy Patrick Crayton. OL coach Matt Walter is known to his athletes as ‘The Punisher’ for his grueling strength, speed and agility training. Weird – he doesn’t have crazy eyes at all.
Advantage – Emporia State. The Punisher would tear Dr. Lou into tiny piethes.
Location
Missouri Western – St. Joseph, MO. As of the 2010 census, St. Joseph had a total population of 76,780, making it the eighth largest city in the state and third largest in northwest Missouri. St. Joseph is located on the Missouri River, but is perhaps best known as the starting point of the Pony Express and the death place of Jesse James. It was the westernmost point in the United States accessible by rail until after the Civil War. In 1882, on April 3, the outlaw Jesse James was killed at his home, originally located at 1318 Lafayette, now sited next to The Patee House. The building is now known as the Jesse James Home Museum. It has been relocated at least three times, and features the bullet hole from that fateful shot. Notable people “born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with St. Joe” include news anchor Walter Cronkite, actor Timothy Omundson (Lassiter on Psych), Kansas State football coach Bill Snyder and actress Jane Wyman.
Emporia State– Emporia, KS. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 24,916. Emporia was founded on February 20, 1857, drawing its name from ancient Carthaginian Africa. In 1953, Emporia was the site of the first Veterans Day observance in the United States. The 1987 CBS miniseries Murder Ordained, which was the dramatization of an actual event in Emporia involving the 1983 death of Sandra Bird, was filmed in Emporia. Her husband, Rev. Tom Bird, was convicted of first-degree murder in her death and served 20 years in prison. The Braum dairy store chain, based in Oklahoma City, originated in Emporia in 1952 under the name Peter Pan. Notable people include NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer, former NFL QB Jim Everett, professional golfer J.L Lewis and legendary North Carolina basketball coach Dean Smith.
Advantage – Emporia. I’ve been to the Jesse James Museum and it was very interesting, but Ryan will kill me if I pick Bill Snyder’s town over Dean Smith’s town.
Notable Alumni
Missouri Western – St. Louis Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein; NFL TE Gijon Robinson; and Iowa State football coach Paul Rhoads.
Emporia State – Oklahoma State baseball coach Frank Anderson; Kansas State baseball coach Brad Hill; former Olympic champion and world record holder in the shot put Al Feuerbach; and former NFL lineman Leon Lett (did not graduate).
Advantage – Emporia State. Where I’m going, I don’t need Rhoads.
Decision
Emporia State dominates – I am SO PROUD of them.
Rhodes @ Sewanee – Saturday, October 27 @ 1:30 pm CDT
The Edmund Orgill Trophy is awarded to the winner of the annual football game between Rhodes College and the Sewanee: The University of the South. The rivalry between Rhodes and Sewanee is the longest continuously running rivalry in college football in the Southern United States. The game has been played every year since its inception in 1899. The trophy was not added to the series until 1954.
Author: Bristol
Mascot
Rhodes – Lynx. The Lynx nickname was selected as Rhodes’ mascot in 1923 by then college president Charles E. Diehl, who is said to have liked the cat’s uniqueness. With the exception of Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, Rhodes remains the only American college with the nickname “Lynx.”
Sewanee – Tigers.
Advantage – Lynx. If you are going to have some type of feline as your mascot, you might as well try to be original.
Best Player Name
Rhodes – Tie – WR Jonathan Wiener and QB Blake Box.
Sewanee – Tie – freshman WR Rutledge Schock and junior OL Atticus Frank.
Advantage – Rhodes. Wiener and Box are always a winning combination.
Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)
Rhodes – Offensive line coach Gordon Ellingsworth is in his 31st season at Rhodes. He is a 1970 graduate of Augstana College in Illinois (alma mater of MegaBracketeer Chris), where was a TE and OT, catching passes from future NFL Pro Bowl QB and 1981 NFL MVP Ken Anderson. Coach Ellingsworth was also a four-year starter on the baseball team and was named team captain and team MVP as a senior. He was the head baseball coach at Rhodes for 13 seasons and the women’s golf coach for 3 seasons.
Sewanee – Head Coach Tommy Laurendine was a two-year starter at QB for Lenoir-Rhyne and was named the 1988 and 1989 South Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Year and was a 1989 Domino’s NAIA Player of the Year Finalist. Before taking the head coaching job at Sewanee, Coach Laurendine made stops at West Georgia College, Northwest Whitfield HS, West Alabama, Southern Arkansas, Washington & Lee and Lenoir-Rhyne.
Advantage – Rhodes. Coach Ellingsworth’s connection to a MegaBracketeer and Ken Anderson win out.
Location
Rhodes – Memphis, TN. Memphis had a population of 646,889 at the 2010 census,making it the largest city in the state of Tennessee, the third largest in the Southeastern United States, and the 20th largest in the United States. The area was first settled by the Mississippian Culture and then by the Chickasaw Indian tribe. For 10,000 years they occupied the bluffs along the river, building a large mound on the bluff. Memphis was founded in 1819 by John Overton, James Winchester and Andrew Jackson.The city was named after the ancient capital of Egypt on the Nile River. In 1857, the Memphis and Charleston Railroad was completed, the only east-west railroad across the southern states prior to the Civil War. Into the 1950s, it was the world’s largest mule market. The Lorraine Motel in the city was the venue of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. on April 4, 1968, the day after giving his prophetic I’ve Been to the Mountaintop speech at the Mason Temple. The World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest held in Memphis is the largest pork barbecuecooking contest in the world. Memphis is the home of founders and establishers of various American music genres, including Memphis soul, Memphis blues, gospel, rock n’ roll, Buck, crunk, and “sharecropper” country music (in contrast to the “rhinestone” country sound of Nashville). Musicians like Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Sam & Dave and B.B. King all got their start in Memphis in the 1950s/60s. Novelist John Grisham grew up in nearby DeSoto County, Mississippi, and many of his books are set in Memphis. As you might imagine, Memphis has too many notable people to name.
Sewanee – Sewanee, TN. The population was 2,361 at the 2000 census. The university, formally known as The University of the South, hosts the Sewanee Writers’ Conference each summer. Nearby St. Andrew’s-Sewanee School, one of the oldest boarding-day schools in the South, is a private school for grades 6 through 12 with a student population of 100 boarding and 150 day students. The Sewanee Review, a literary magazine, has been published in Sewanee continuously since 1892. The Templeton Library, which is to be the repository of the papers of financier Sir John Templeton, a native of the area, was recently built there. It is no longer a library, it now houses several private apartments.
[Ed. Note: There is no official category for random university info, but this is too interesting not to include somewhere: The Sewanee Tigers were pioneers in American intercollegiate athletics and possessed the South’s preeminent football program in the 1890s. Their 1899 football team had perhaps the best season in college football history, winning all 12 of their games, 11 by shutout, and outscoring their opponents 322-10. Five of those wins, all shutouts, came in a six-day period while on a 2,500-mile (4,000 km) trip by train. Ten of their twelve opponents, including all five of their road trip victims, remain major college football powers to this day.]
Advantage – Memphis in the biggest rout ever in this category.
Notable Alumni
Rhodes – Joseph Williams Vance, Jr., an officer in the United States Navy decorated with the Bronze Star Medal for action in the Battle of Makassar Strait during World War II during which he gave his life; actress Dixie Carter; former NFL TE Tom Mullady (1979-84); and John Bryan, former CEO of Sara Lee.
Sewanee – Video game designer Brian Reynolds, who played a major part in designing Civilization II and led the development of FrontierVille on Facebook; former NFL GM Phil Savage; Samuel F. Pickering, Jr., Professor of English at the University of Connecticut and inspiration for Mr. Keating in the film Dead Poets Society; and former Kentucky basketball coach Joe B. Hall.
Advantage – Sewanee.
Decision
Rhodes dominates as Sewanee barely avoids the shutout with a late point.
Wabash @ Ohio Wesleyan – Saturday, October 27 @ 12:30 pm CDT
Author: Bristol
Mascot
Wabash – Little Giants. Wabash first received the nickname “Little Giants” by an Indianapolis News sportswriter named Mellet. It came out of a discussion between Mellet and Francis Cayou, Wabash coach, on a train late that season. They were discussing the wonderful performances of the Wabash team of 1904 – nearly always against much bigger schools with much larger players. The mascot’s name is Wally Wabash. He’s on Twitter and wears striped overalls. Also, this.
Ohio Wesleyan – Battling Bishops. The nickname “The Battling Bishops” dates to 1925; before then Ohio Wesleyan University’s teams were simply known as “The Red and Black,” or sometimes as “The Methodists.” Ohio Wesleyan is affiliated with the United Methodist Church, and long has produced many of its bishops. By April, 1925, according to that issue of the alumni magazine, the present name had finally been derived. “Ohio sports writers have been at a loss,” the magazine reported. “There are countless colleges throughout the country claiming red and black as their colors, and 14 Methodist colleges in Ohio alone.” Pi Delta Epsilon journalism fraternity therefore sponsored a contest, and the winning nickname, “The Battling Bishops,” was “placed before the sports writers of the state as the teams’ official title.” Senior Harold Thomas of Lima submitted the winning entry. Here is a picture of their mascot. Is it just me or is that small child staring into the camera with a look like she knows this is the end of road?
Advantage – Tie. Despite the presence of the Annexation of Puerto Rico, I can’t go against a name as awesome as the Battling Bishops.
[Ed. Note: What happened to Rick Moranis? He hasn’t done a real movie since 1996 and only 1 since Little Giants. His IMDB page is incredible. I think I speak for most people when I say we need more Rick Moranis. Can we at least get Strange Brew 2?]
Best Player Name
Wabash – Tie – freshman OL Willie Strong (What is Willie? Willie Strong!) and sophomore DB Tadhq (needs a few more vowels) Hannon. Also, meet awesome, awesomer, and awesomest.
Ohio Wesleyan – Tie – sophomore DB Getner Fabe and sophomore TE Calvin Cagney. We might want to think about bigger jerseys next time on picture day.
Advantage – Wabash. OWU only had Cagney – if they had Cagney and Lacey, they would have won easily.
Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)
Wabash – Head coach Erik Raeburn is in his 5th season at Wabash after spending 8 seasons as the head coach at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, IA (if you can’t go to college go to Coe!). In 12 seasons as a head coach, Raeburn’s teams have won at least a share of a conference title 5 times and made 5 playoff appearances. He was an assistant at Mount Union for 6 seasons from 1994-1999, during which the school made 6 playoff appearances and won 3 national titles. Assistant coach Aaron Selby spent 3 years at Drake as an assistant coach and was a defensive graduate assistant at Texas last season.
Ohio Wesleyan – Defensive line coach Keith Rucker spent portions of 7 seasons in the NFL, playing for the Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, Washington Redskins, and Kansas City Chiefs. He was an All-America selection during each of his 3 seasons with the Bishops, highlighted by first-team Kodak honors in 1991 and Associated Press Little All-America citations in 1990 and 1991. He also was a 7-time All-America honoree in track & field, winning 4 national championships in the shot put and discus. He was inducted into the Ohio Wesleyan Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003. Fellow assistant Todd Alles played at Ohio State and spent two different stints on staff there as well as time at Alabama.
Advantage – Ohio Wesleyan. Coach Rucker’s NFL experience (169 tackles, 6 sacks) trumps Raeburn’s D-III success.
Location
Wabash – Crawfordsville, IN. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 15,915. Crawfordsville was named in honor of Colonel William H. Crawford. In November 1832, Wabash College was founded in Crawfordsville as “The Wabash Teachers Seminary and Manual Labor College”. Today, it is one of only three remaining all-male liberal arts colleges in the country, and has a student body of around 900. Both the first official basketball game in the state (Crawfordsville versus Lafayette, March 16, 1894) and the first official intercollegiate basketball game (Wabash versus Purdue, also in 1894) occurred at the city’s YMCA. Notable people include actor Dick van Dyke, James W. Marshall (a gold miner who set off the California Gold Rush), New York Times puzzle writer Will Shortz and the Ultimate Warrior.
Ohio Wesleyan – Delaware, OH. Delaware was founded in 1808 and was incorporated in 1816. The population was 34,753 at the 2010 census. In 1812, when the capitol of Ohio was moved from Chillicothe, Delaware and Columbus were both in the running and Delaware lost by a single vote to Columbus.Among some of the earliest settlers were the parents of Rutherford B. Hayes, the 19th President of the United States. Ohio Wesleyan University was founded in 1844. During the Civil War, Delaware was the home to two Union training camps. Notable natives include Charles W. Fairbanks (26th Vice President of the United States – VP for Teddy Roosevelt), actress Clare Kramer (Bring It On, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and President Hayes.
Advantage – Crawfordsville. I’m giving Dick van Dyke and the Ultimate Warrior the edge over Rutherford B. Hayes. Also, the first basketball games were played in Crawfordsville and basketball is sort of popular in Indiana.
Notable Alumni
Wabash– Robert Charles, the inventor of the Happy Meal; James Bert Garner, inventor of the gas masks used in World War I; Thomas Riley Marshall (28th Vice President of the United States under Woodrow Wilson); Oscar-winning actor Dean Jagger (for Twelve O’Clock High); Union General Lew Wallace, who also authored Ben Hur; and former NFL TE Pete Metzelaars.
Ohio Wesleyan – Frank Sherwood Rowland, 1995 Nobel Prize winner for chemistry for his research on the depletion of the Earth’s ozone layer; actress Wendie Malick (Just Shoot Me); actor, director, screenwriter, playwright, and composer Melvin Van Peebles (and father of Mario Van Peebles); actress Patricia Wettig (City Slickers, thirysomething); actor Clark Gregg (Iron Man, The Avengers); Rev. Norman Vincent Peale, author of The Power of Positive Thinking; and longtime baseball executive Branch Rickey, who signed Jackie Robinson for the Brooklyn Dodgers and then called up Robinson to break the MLB color barrier.
Advantage – Ohio Wesleyan. A solid list of Battling Bishops led by Branch Rickey and Mario Van Peebles’ dad.
Decision
A rare tie. The tiebreaker would be decided in a tag team match pitting Rick Moranis and the Ultimate Warrior against Rutherford B. Hayes and Branch Rickey.
Defateds & Undefeateds – Week 9
Posted: October 22, 2012 Filed under: MB 2013 | Tags: Defeated, Mismatch, Undefeated, Winless Leave a comment »Eleven more undefeated teams fell from the ranks last week sending us into Week 9 with 43 unbeaten squads. Meanwhile, a full one-third of the 48 previously winless teams earned their first victory, leaving 32 “defeateds”.
Teams in red have completed their regular season.
Undefeated (43 – 54 last week)
FBS (11; 12 last week)
Alabama, Florida, Kansas State, Louisville, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Ohio, Ohio State, Oregon, Oregon State, Rutgers
FCS (2; 4 last week)
Cal Poly, Lehigh
D-II (10; 11 last week)
Ashland, Bloomsburg, CSU-Pueblo, Emporia State, Henderson State, Minnesota State, New Haven, Shippensburg, Tuskegee, Winston-Salem
D-III (15; 19 last week)
Coe, Concordia (IL), Heidelberg, Hobart, Johns Hopkins, Linfield, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Middlebury, Mount Union, Ohio Wesleyan, St. Thomas (MN), Trinity (CT), Waynesburg, Widener, Wisconsin-Oshkosh
NAIA (4; 6 last week)
Georgetown (KY), Marian, Missouri Valley, Morningside
CIS (1; 2 last week)
McMaster
Winless (32 – 48 last week)
FBS (2; 3 last week)
Massachusetts, Southern Miss
FCS (3; 7 last week)
Austin Peay, Rhode Island, Valparaiso
D-II (4; 9 last week)
Fort Lewis, Lock Haven, Pace, Seton Hill
D-III (17; 21 last week)
Anderson (IN), Beloit, Claremont-Mudd-Scrips, Hiram, Luther, Maine Maritime, Maranatha, Marietta, McDaniel, Misericordia, Olivet, Pomona-Pitzer, Puget Sound, St. Lawrence, St. Vincent, Tufts, Western Connecticut
NAIA (5; 7 last week)
Bethel (KS), Bluefield (VA), Concordia (MI), Haskell, Point
CIS (1; 1 last week)
Alberta
Battle of Undefeateds (Record, Point Differential) – [4]
FBS (1)
Mississippi State (7-0, 22.29) @ Alabama (7-0, 32.71)
D-II (1)
Bloomsburg (8-0, 16.50) @ Shippensburg (8-0, 30.25)
D-III (2)
Heidelberg (7-0, 33.86) @ Mount Union (7-0, 54.29)
Middlebury (5-0, 21.20) @ Trinity (CT) (5-0, 22.80)
Miscellaneous Notes
- 1o worst point differentials for winless teams:
- Misericorda (D-III) – 49.29
- Haskell (NAIA) – 41.29
- Pace (D-II) – 40.71
- Concordia (MI) (NAIA) – 37.57
- Bethel (KS) (NAIA) – 37.17
- Anderson (IN) (D-III) – 34.00
- Austin Peay (FCS) – 34.00
- Fort Lewis (D-II) – 33.29
- Bluefield (NAIA) – 33.00
- Western Connecticut (D-III) – 32.14
- 1o best point differentials for undefeated teams:
- Mount Union (D-III) – 54.29
- Widener (D-III) – 40.29
- Henderson State (D-II) – 37.00
- Morningside (NAIA) – 35.14
- Heidelberg (D-III) – 33.86
- Alabama (FBS) – 32.71
- Oregon (FBS) – 30.86
- Coe (D-III) – 30.29
- Shippensburg (D-II) – 30.25
- Winston0Salem (D-II) – 30.13
- 1o best point differentials for winless teams:
- St. Vincent (D-III) – 13.57
- Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (D-III) – 14.17
- St. Lawrence (D-III) – 17.14
- Tufts (D-III) – 17.40
- Seton Hill (D-II) – 18.00
- Beloit (D-III) – 18.38
- Pomona-Pitzer (D-III) – 19.17
- Southern Miss (FBS) – 19.43
- Luther (D-III) – 19.43
- Olivet (D-III) – 20.71
- 1o worst point differentials for undefeated teams:
- Waynesburg (D-III) – 7.63
- Oregon State (FBS) – 9.67
- Ohio Wesleyan (D-III) – 10.43
- Louisville (FBS) – 10.57
- Lehigh (FCS) – 10.75
- Concordia (IL) (D-III) – 11.71
- Ohio (FBS) – 12.86
- Ohio State (FBS) – 14.75
- Rutgers (FBS) – 15.14
- Notre Dame (FBS) – 16.43
- Previously unbeaten Harvard led Princeton 34-10 two minutes into the 4th quarter, but the Tigers scored the game’s final 29 points to win 39-34. Princeton scored with 13 seconds left to cap the furious rally.
- Previously winless Davidson defeated our Campbell Fighting Camels 28-21 at Campbell. Davidson scored twice in the 1st and 3rd quarter to build a 28-0 lead. Campbell scored 3 TDs in the 4th quarter but the rally fell short and Davidson picked up their first win of the season.
- Unbeaten Mount Union (D-III) recorded its NCAA-record tying 6th consecutive shutout with a 51-0 whitewashing of Otterbein, who was #25 two weeks ago.
- Pittsburg State (D-II) was ranked #1 two weeks ago before a 31-21 loss to then-#8 Northwest Missouri State. This week the Gorillas lost 63-14 at home to #13 Missouri Western.
- West Virginia (FBS) was ranked #5 two weeks ago before being demolished in back-to-back weeks: 49-14 by then-unranked Texas Tech and 55-14 at home to #5 Kansas State.
Last Week’s Battle of Undefeateds (Record, Point Differential) – [1]
NAIA (1)
Morningside (6-0, 36.00) @ Hastings (6-0, 13.33)
Last Week’s Battles of Defeateds (Record, Point Differential) – [2]
D-III (2)
Marietta (0-6, -30.33) @ Wilmington (OH) (0-6, -44.00)
Anderson (IN) (0-6, -39.33) @ Earlham (0-6, -27.50)
Last Week’s Mismatch – Undefeated vs. Winless (Record, Point Differential) – [1]
NAIA (1)
Concordia (MI) (0-6, -35.17) @ Marian (IN) (6-0, 22.17)
Camel Foe – Week 8, Davidson
Posted: October 17, 2012 Filed under: Camel Foe | Tags: Camel Foe, Campbell, Davidson, Fighting Camels Leave a comment »The Fighting Camels return home this weekend for a homecoming tilt with Davidson College. The Camels are licking their humps after a 44-0 thrashing at the hands of the San Diego Toreros last weekend in southern California. The Camels were thoroughly outclassed by San Diego, managing just 79 yards of total offense and 6 first downs while allowing 516 and 26. QB Dakota Wolf completed 14 of 23 passes but gained a paltry 58 yards. Kurt Odom led the team in rushing with 24 yards on 7 carries. However, things could be looking up this weekend with Davidson rolling into Buies Creek as one of only 7 remaining winless FCS teams.
Davidson College
Location: Davidson, NC (population: 10,944 as of 2010 census)
Established: 1837 by the Presbyterians. The college (and the town) was named after Brigadier General William Lee Davidson, a Revolutionary War commander.
Enrollment: ~1,900
Nickname: Wildcats. The nickname was bestowed upon the football team by Atlanta sportswriters in 1917 after Davidson upset undefeated Auburn. [Ed. Note: SEC speed!] Wildcats replaced references to teams as the “Red & Black”, “Preachers”, and “Presbyterians”.
Mascot: Will E. Wildcat.
Affiliation: The Wildcats participate as a member of the Southern Conference in most sports. Sports that compete in other conferences besides football include men’s and women’s swimming and diving in the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association, Field Hockey in the Northern Pacific Field Hockey Conference and women’s lacrosse in the National Lacrosse Conference.
Random Fact #1: Davidson has the second smallest enrollment of any school in Division I football.
Random Fact #2: According to The Princeton Review, Davidson is ranked among the top twenty colleges nationally for the following categories: “Best Overall Academic Experience For Undergraduates,” “Professors Get High Marks (#1),” “Professors Make Themselves Accessible (#16),” “Students Study the Most(#10),” “School Runs Like Butter (#4),” “Town-Gown Relations are Great (#3),” “Easiest Campus to Get Around (#3),” and “Best Quality of Life (#16).”
Random Fact #3: The men’s basketball program reached the Elite Eight in 2008, defeating Bo Ryan’s open mouth and the Wisconsin Badgers in the third round. The Wildcats lost to the eventual champion Kansas Jayhawks 59–57 in the Elite Eight, capping off an incredible run that saw the rise of Stephen Curry to national prominence.
Random Fact #4: Davidson’s two-man golf croquet team has won the National Collegiate Croquet Championship back-to-back in 2007 and 2008. It also brought home the national trophy again in 2010.
[Ed. Note: Collegiate croquet? Tell me more, United States Croquet Association – “So you’ve never heard of NCAA-sanctioned collegiate croquet tournaments? Never seen the student body turn out en-masse to cheer their colleagues as they try to outwit their opponents on a carpet of green perfection? Never heard the cheerleaders gasp and scream as the team captain makes a 50-foot hit-in?” I haven’t, but I (and MB) will in the future.]
Notable Alumni:
- Laeta Kalogridis, Screenwriter and Hollywood Film Producer (Avatar, Shutter Island)
- NBA player Stephen Curry (did not graduate)
- longtime college AD Terry Holland
- NASA astronaut Tom Marshburn
- John Belk, former head of Belk, Inc and former mayor Charlotte, NC
- author Patricia Cornwell
- Woodrow Wilson, the 28th President of the United States (did not graduate)
Notable natives of Davidson, NC:
- NASCAR crew chief Alan Gustafson
- NASCAR driver David Streeme
- NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin
- former MLB pitcher John Candelaria
Oh yeah, the Football Team:
- Davidson is 0-6 (0-3 in the PFL) and have been outscored 189-77 on the season. They have no common opponents with the Camels thus far.
- Davidson was picked 9th in the preseason coaches poll, ahead of only Valparaiso. Valpo also remains winless on the season so keep your eye on a potential Pillow Fight of the Week November 10 if both teams keep losing. The Fighting Camels also play Valpo before then so hopefully they don’t spoil a winless matchup that late in the season.
- Davidson leads the all-time series between the two schools 3-1. The Fighting Camels won 26-20 at Davidson in OT last year. Davidson had won the previous three meeting by increasingly competitive scores: 49-0, 24-7 & 28-27.
- Davidson had its closest loss of the season last week in a 34-24 defeat at the hands of Jacksonville.
- WR Lanny Funsten caught a PFL record 17 passes in last Saturday’s contest, totaling 246 yards against Jacksonville. Funsten also broke school records for career receptions and career yardage during the game. The 17 receptions tied a Davidson record while he fell 2 yards shy of the single-game yardage record.
- QB Jonathan Carkhuff threw to others besides Funsten as well, completing 34 of 53 throws for 404 yards.
- LB Patrick Moynahan led the defense with 13 tackles.
- The Wildcats are averaging just 40.7 yards/game, 121st and last in FCS. They are averaging 1.7 yards/carry and have just 1 rushing TD.
- Carkhuff ranks 9th in FCS with 268.0 passing yards/game and 6th in completions/game with 27.5.
- Funsten is T-11th in receptions/game (6.7) and 16th in receiving yards/game (90.0).
- Head Coach Tripp Merritt Merritt was born with spina bifida occulta, which resulted in deformities in his lower spine and nerve damage in his left leg. To this day he has no reflexes in his left leg and back pain surfaces when he tires, sometimes causing a slight limp. His doctors didn’t have an optimistic outlook, telling his parents “He’ll never be able to run.” Merritt’s father was an assistant high school football coach and not one to give up hope easily. He worked with his young son, helped him improve his mobility and stamina. That and sheer determination allowed young Tripp to make his way onto the playing field as early as second grade – football, basketball, baseball. His athletic career continued at Burns High School in Shelby, N.C., where he lettered three times in football and baseball. He now runs three or four miles a day.
- The team runs the Air Raid offense under offensive coordinator Matt Mumme, son of longtime college coach and passing game tactician Hal Mumme. Matt was Tim Couch’s backup at Kentucky.
- Stat Leaders:
- Passing
- Carkhuff – 165 of 278 for 1,680 yards with 9 TD and 9 INT (46.3 attempts/game)
- Rushing
- Spencer Perry – 55 carries for 253 yards
- Chris Gorman – 1 TD (23 carries, 63 yards)
- Receiving
- Funsten – 40 receptions, 540 yards, 3 TD
- Reese Williams – 3 TD (23 receptions, 241 yards)
- Defense
- Moynahan – 65 tackles and 9 TFL
- Lewis McAlister – 2 sacks
- 4 players have 1 INT each
- Adam Dulberger 4 pass breakups
- Passing
- Best Name Nominees:
- WR Desi Dockery, QB Bates Taylor, WR Se’Vaughn Carter, DB Toms Bernhard-Callahan, K/P Chazzo Habliston, WR Houegnon Attenoukon, OL Joey Esposito
- The winner – Chazzo (and his bowtie and serial killer stare)
- The best – Joey Esposito [Ed. Note: I don’t care how many times we’ve already linked to You’re the Best. We’re going to keep doing it.]
Prediction:
Two teams with a combined record of 1-11 so at least one of them will get a win. The Camels have still yet to score in the 1st quarter this season. But what better weekend than homecoming? Davidson is averaging 12.8 points/game, the Camels 10.8. Campbell is allowing 35.8 points/game to the Wildcats’ 31.5. Davidson at least has an effective passing game with an excellent receiver although Campbell has been better defensively against the pass. If Davidson had a serviceable running game I would like their chances a bit more. Home field advantage has not mattered much to Campbell this season, but I think it tips the scales in their favor in this battle of two very bad teams. I foresee a happy bunch of Camels celebrating a 20-19 homecoming victory.
CFB Week 8 MB-views
Posted: October 17, 2012 Filed under: CFB Weekly Picks, MB 2013 | Tags: All the Quakers, Anderson (IN), Cheese Bowl, Concordia (WI), Dakota Wesleyan, Doane, Earlham, Fighting Quakers, Hustlin' Quakers, Lakeland, Marietta, Wilmington (OH) Leave a comment »An early post this week as your weekly authors are both heading to Chicago for the weekend.
Doane @ Dakota Wesleyan – Saturday, October 20 @ 7:00 pm CDT
Author: Ryan
This week I am going closer to home for the preview with the big Doane-Dakota Wesleyan battle.
Mascots
Doane – Tigers. Specifically Thomas the Tiger, named after school founder Thomas Doane. Check Thomas out here, he looks like a lame tiger.
Dakota Wesleyan – In a shocker, Tigers. Unfortunately this is the only information on the DWU Tigers.
Advantage – Doane. Thomas the Tiger is better than nothing.
Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)
Doane – Unfortunately my boy Tommie Frazier is no longer an option, as he would have dominated this category. I’ll have to settle for Assistant Coach Rodney Boykin and his playing experience with both the Lincoln Lightning and Omaha Beef in arena ball. It has also been announced that Boykin will be the Special Teams Coordinator for the brand new Lincoln Haymakers indoor team, who will begin play next spring in the CPIFL. See you in the spring.
[Ed. Note: The CPIFL is made up of several formers members of the APFL, which was in MB 2012 & 2013, as well as a few other teams. It will definitely be in MB. Also, the Lincoln Haymakers used to be the Council Bluffs Express, so they have that going for them. Which is nice.]
Dakota Wesleyan – Tie – Head Coach Ross Cimpl and Linebackers/Special Teams Coach Jason Glasco are both former coaches and players at the University of Sioux Falls who were hired to make DWU a contender. Glasco was a three-year starter at Safety for USF, and also All-State First Team in High School playing for Sioux Falls Roosevelt, Alma Mater of the guy writing this. Cimpl was team captain at USF in 2005 and 2006 and was named NAIA Special Teams Player of the Year in 2005. In his time as an assistant coach at USF the team’s record was 42-1.
Advantage – Tie. The discovery of a brand new indoor football league is good enough to match up with my high school.
Best Player Name
Doane – DB Ben Muff, LB Brock Diffendaffer, and DB Franky Khanthavixay. Unfortunately Doane does not have any player photos.
Dakota Wesleyan – LB Francisco Rangel, OL and former New Kid on the Block Jonathan Knight. Logan Burwell is gonna redshirt and try to put on a couple hundred pounds.
Advantage – Doane. I always have a soft spot for Muff.
Location
Doane – Crete, NE. Founded in 1871 and named after Crete, IL. I can tell you from experience they have a lovely collection of gas stations, bars and fast food restaurants (including an Amigos, Jimmy’s favorite). Crete is mentioned in the song Tarkio Road (8 weeks on the charts in 1971) by Brewer and Shipley. Crete’s notable resident is Oregon Basketball Head Coach Dana Altman, who was born and raised there. Almost all members of the Doane football coaching staff choose to live in Lincoln, about a 30 minute drive away, so it’s got that going for it. Crete is also home to a Nestle/Purina plant.
Dakota Wesleyan – Mitchell, SD. Incorporated in 1881 Mitchell was named for Alexander Mitchell, President of the Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Paul Raildroad (also known as The Milwaukee Road). Mitchell is the home of the famous Corn Palace, home to basketball games, a museum, community events and many Kenny Rogers concerts attended by my mom. According to Wikipedia, Mitchell is home to many state champion trees, whatever that means. Notable Mitchell residents include NBAer Mike Miller (he has his own energy shot now!), former Colt Defensive End Ordell Braase, former Democratic Presidential Nominee George McGovern, Gary Owens (the voice of Space Ghost, which is awesome, and many other things), and Jared Reiner (born in Mitchell but grew up in my parent’s hometown of Tripp, SD – no way I was skipping a Tripp reference).
Advantage – Dakota Wesleyan. This one wasn’t really fair. Space Ghost, Mike Miller’s Hair, Corn Palace and prize winning trees were too much.
Notable Alumni
Doane – As mentioned Tommie Frazier was once the head football coach; actual alumni include Zernon C.R. Hansen, former CEO of Mack Trucks, Poet/Writer Weldon Kees, and J.R. Artozqui, QB for the Copenhagen Towers, who just entered his third season with the team and I quote is “determined to lead the Towers to the Mermaid Bowl.” Danish American Football Federation.
[Ed. Note: If that site ever gets an English translation, we are absolutely picking the Mermaid Bowl.]
Dakota Wesleyan – Sticking with former famous coaches, Adam Morrison’s dad John was basketball coach at DWU when Adam was young. Actual notable alumni include many South Dakota governors and congressmen and nobody very fun.
Advantage – Mermaid Bowl.
Decision
Doane takes this one in a close battle.
Anderson (IN) @ Earlham – Saturday, October 20 @ 12:30 pm CDT
Two of my three previews once again highlight Battles of Defeateds.
Author: Bristol
Mascot
Anderson (IN) – Ravens. Formerly the Tigers, AU’s nickname was changed to the Ravens in 1937.The current mascot is Rodney the Raven. Rodney, normally portrayed by a costumed character, is usually represented as a stylized raven with black feathers, yellow legs, and an orange beak. Rodney has his own Facebook page.
Earlham – Hustlin’ Quakers. They originally had been the Fightin’ Quakers; although the name was meant tongue-in-cheek, it was changed in the 1980s to the Hustlin’ Quakers after the college’s board of regents decided that it was inappropriate for Quakers to fight. Perhaps the Quakers’ most notable football game was against Japan’s Doshisha University Hamburgers in 1989. Here is a video of the unveiling of the new mascot, Mr. Quaker, in 2011. The atmosphere in that gym is indescribable.
Advantage – Hustlin’ Quakers. Sorry, Rodney, but you had not shot. Especially after learning the Hustlin’ Quakers played the Hamburgers in 1989.
Best Player Name
Anderson (IN) – Tie – sophomore LB Dominique Speed and sophomore DL Hunter Prol.
Earlham – Tie – freshman OL Dooley Gabriel and senior DB Dakota McElley.
Advantage – Anderson. Linking to Fred Dryer might be cheating, but it also makes you a winner.
Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)
Anderson (IN) – Head Coach Bobby Ladner was recruited to LSU as a fullback before transferring to Belhaven. He was a four-year letterwinner at Belhaven, serving as a team captain twice and was named All-Conference twice. He is the school’s all-time sack leader with 36. He’s also looking awkwardly at you. Assistant coach Jeff Maxwell was a four-year letterwinner at Belhaven as well, playing for Coach Ladner. He started two seasons at wide receiver and one at safety and looks a little bit like Adrian Beltre.
Earlham – Head coach Neil Kazmierczak played TE and LB at Michigan State from 1983-86. His collegiate coaching resume includes stops at Stanford, Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan, St. Mary’s College (CA), DePauw, Butler and Marian in addition to Earlham. At a glance, he could pass as a goateed Will Ferrell. Defensive line coach Mark Hoffman dares you to fuck with him.
Advantage – Earlham. I’m going to have night terrors about Coach Hoffman.
Location
Anderson (IN) – Anderson, IN. A city of just over 56,000, Anderson is the headquarters of the Church of God (Anderson) and home of Anderson University, which is affiliated with that denomination. Highlights of the city include the historic Paramount Theatreand the Gruenewald Historic House. The city is named for Chief William Anderson, whose mother was a Delaware Indian (Lenape) and whose father was of Swedish descent. Anderson grew to such proportions that a Cincinnati newspaper editor labeled the city “The Pittsburgh on White River.” Other nicknames were “Queen City of the Gas Belt” and (because of the vulcanizing and the rubber tire manufacturing business) “Puncture Proof City.” Notables residents include MLB player Adam Lind, actor James Rebhorn (Independence Day) and American pop punk band The Ataris.
Earlham– Richmond, IN. Richmond has a population of nearly 37,000 and is sometimes called the “cradle of recorded jazz” because some early jazz records were made here at the studio of Gennett Records, a division of the Starr Piano Company. The city was connected to the National Road, the first road built by the federal government and a major route west for pioneers of the 19th century.It became part of the system of National Auto Trails. The highway is now known as U.S. Highway 40. Also notable was the fact that Hoagy Carmichael recorded “Stardust” for the first time in Richmond at the Gennett recording studio. On April 6, 1968, a natural gas explosion and fire destroyed or damaged several downtown blocks and killed 41 people; more than 150 were injured.The book Death in a Sunny Street is about the event. Notables Richmondites include singer Baby Huey, former NFL running back Timmy Brown, 3-time NFL championship coach of the Baltimore Colts and New York Jets Weeb Ewbank, former NFL Rookie-of-the Year Paul Flatley, former NBA head coach Del Harris, award-winning sports reporter Mike Lopresti, cult leader Jim Jones, professional golfer Bo Van Pelt and aviation pioneer Wilbur Wright.
Advantage – Richmond. A more impressive list of natives gives Richmond the edge.
Notable Alumni
Anderson (IN) – John Pistole, current director of TSA; former Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodger Carl Erskine; John E. “Jumpin’ Johnny” Wilson, Negro Leagues baseball player and member of the Harlem Globetrotters; and Gary Gerould, play-by-play announcer for the Sacramento Kings.
Earlham – Rolin Roscoe James, founder of the Sigma Pi fraternity; author Marc Reisner; Ralph Waldo Trueblood, co-inventor of the telephotographer, the first device used by newspapers for sending pictures by wire; Zack Warren, who ran the Boston Marathon while juggling in 2 hours, fifty-eight minutes; Jim Fowler, star of Wild Kingdom; and actor Michael C. Hall (Dexter).
Advantage – Earlham. Too much random awesomeness to not win.
Decision
The Quakers hustle their way to a 4-1 win.
Marietta @ Wilmington (OH) – Saturday, October 20 @ 1:00 pm CDT
More winless teams – and more Quakers.
Author: Bristol
Mascot
Marietta – Pioneers. The earliest confirmed use of the nickname is from the College’s Blue and White in October of 1927; a large headline announced that the “Pioneers” were able to break even in their league games for that season.
Wilmington (OH) – Fightin’ Quakers. That’s all I could find, but that’s all they need.
Advantage – Fightin’ Quakers. If the Pioneers were not just ordinary pioneers maybe they would have a chance. But probably not.
Best Player Name
Marietta – Tie – Freshman OL Mitch Smotherman and freshman DL Julio Fat, who is incredible.
Wilmington (OH) – Tie – sophomore DB Joe Joe Knecht, who is seducing you with his eyes, and senior WR Kostas Koyfis, who is half-Swedish and half-Greek.
Advantage – Marietta. Fat Smotherman for the win.
Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)
Marietta – Head coach Jeff Filkovski led Allegheny College to the 1990 Division III National Championship and named both AP Little All-American at QB and Football Gazette’s Division III Offensive Player of the Year. He has coached at Holy Cross, Thomas More, Cincinnati, Heidelberg and with the Cologne Centurions of NFL Europe. Honorable mention goes to defensive coordinator Randy Awrey who was MVP of the national title game in 1975 for Northern Michigan and is a member of the NMU Hall of Fame.
Wilmington (OH) – Offensive line coach Todd Murgatroyd. He looks like a Murgatroyd. His coaching resume includes time at Tennessee, Hawaii, Kent State, Youngstown State, Urbana and Ohio State. Honorable mention to running backs coach Will Isaac, the 3rd all-time leading rusher in Wilmington College history (2,191 yards).
Advantage – Marietta. A couple of national titles beats the Murgatroyd.
Location
Marietta – Marietta, OH. The population was 14,085 at the 2010 census. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. It was a station on the Underground Railroad before the Civil War. Between 100 BC and 500 AD, the Hopewell culture built the multi-earthwork complex on the terrace east of the Muskingum River near its mouth with the Ohio. It is now known as the Marietta Earthworks. Developed over many years, it had a large enclosed square, within which were four platform mounds, used for ceremonial purposes and elite residential; another square, and a larger conical mound used for burials. A walled, graded path led to the river’s edge. In 1860, oil was first drilled in the Marietta region. Oil booms in 1875 and 1910 made investors rich, leading to the construction of numerous lavish houses in the town, of which many still stand. Notable residents include Althea Flynt (wife of Larry Flynt), former MLB player (from 1884-1903) and manager Chief Zimmer and Charles Dawes, the 30th Vice President of the United States.
Wilmington (OH) – Wilmington, OH. The city slogan is “We Honor Our Champions” although no word on how the town of 12,520 honors its winless football team. In the early 1950s the city became home to a number of U.S. Department of Defense facilities, most notably the Clinton County Air Force Base. The city also serves as corporate home to R+L Carriers, a trucking and shipping company. In the mid 90’s, the annual Banana Split Festivalwas started, to commemorate the town’s alleged creation of the famous treat in Wilmington in 1907. In addition, each year the city hosts the Clinton County Corn Festival, an homage to the agricultural tradition of the county. Located in the downtown business district is the historic Murphy Theater, which can be seen in the film Lost In Yonkers, part of which was filmed in the city in the early 1990s.The theater saw the marriage of actor John Ritter and wife Amy Yasbeck on September 18, 1999, with the marquee simply stating “Congratulations John and Amy.” Notable residents include former Chicago Cubs owner Charles Murphy and General James W. Denver, founder and namesake of Denver, CO.
Advantage – Wilmington. Marietta had this one right up until the wedding of John Ritter and Amy Yasbeck. It’s no wonder their chemistry was so good in Problem Child.
Notable Alumni
Marietta – former MLB pitcher Matt DeSalvo; Ban Johnson, the founder of the American League in 1887; former MLB pitcher Terry Mulholland; former MLB pitcher Kent Tekulve; and former MLB manager Jim Tracy.
Wilmington (OH) – former MLB umpire Satch Davidson, who was behind the plate when Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s career HR record; actor Gary Sandy (Andy Travis from WKRP in Cincinnati); novelist William Todhunter Ballard; and a crapload of state and national politicians.
Advantage – Marietta. Pitchers > Umpires. Especially Kent Tekulve and his baseball cards.
Decision
Marietta wins a close battle thanks to Kent Tekulve’s sunglasses.
Concordia (WI) @ Lakeland – Saturday, October 20 @ 2:00 pm CDT
“Cheese Bowl”
The Cheese Bowl has been played since 1992 between these two schools. Concordia leads the all-time series 18-17 and won the Cheese Bowl 28-23 last season after losing the previous three contests to Lakeland.
Author: Bristol
Mascot
Concordia (WI) – Falcons. Freddy the Falcon has his own LinkedIn page.
Lakeland – Muskies. Become Musko the Muskie’s friend on Facebook.
Advantage – Musko.
Best Player Name
Concordia (WI) – Tie – sophomore DB Clerson Lalanne, junior DL Widchero Cherident and sophomore DL Uzziel McDermit.
Lakeland – Tie – sophomore DB Yaphay Harvey, sophomore RB Todd Szymuszkiewicz, and sophomore DL Trevor Tanck.
Advantage – Lakeland. A Tan(c)k beat an Uzzi(el) every time.
Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)
Concordia (WI) – Defensive coordinator Adam Walker played QB at Carthage College before playing in 2 games as a replacement player for the Minnesota Vikings during the 1987 NFL strike. Walker had 5 carries for 24 yards and 2 receptions for 3 yards. He spent 13 season as a high school coach and spent time at Carthage before coming to Concordia. Assistant DL coach Arnie Garber played Boss Hogg on the Dukes of Hazzard. Assistant OL coach Denny Galipo has a terrific mustache.
Lakeland – Another school with all the coaches on one page. The winner here is WR coach Eric Treske who spent two years playing in the CIFL. He was a four-time letterwinner at Wisconsin Lutheran and an all-conference pick at WR/TE.
[Ed. Note: The CIFL had not previously been included in MB because their website was unusable. That problem seems to have been fixed, so welcome aboard, CIFL!]
Advantage – Concordia. Even though they were replacement games, the NFL trumps the CIFL. Plus, Boss Hogg.
Location
Concordia (WI) – Mequan, WI. The name “Mequon” is thought to have come from the Native-American word “Emikwaan” or “Miguan,” meaning ladle.This refers to how the Milwaukee River curves like a ladle in the Mequon area. The first Lutheran church in Wisconsin was built in the area in 1840. Mequon is located near Lake Michigan, approximately 20 miles north of Milwaukee. Notable natives and residents include current Milwaukee Bucks head coach Scott Skiles, NBA player Mike Dunleavy, Jr., actress Halle Barry, Marquette head men’s basketball coach Buzz Williams, and many other professional sports figures who spent time in Milwaukee including Hank Aaron, Kareem Adbul-Jabbar, Ray Allen, Paul Molitor and George Karl.
Lakeland – Sheboygan, WI. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Sheboygan River, about 50 miles north of Milwaukee and 64 miles south of Green Bay. The city’s motto is “Spirit on the Lake” and nicknames include “The Bratwurst Capital of the World” and “The City of Cheese”. Sheboygan was founded in 1846. Since 1995 Sheboygan has been the site of 8-and-20-foot-tall (2.4 and 6.1 m) rocket launches for a local high school program called Rockets for Schools. The Sheboygan Jaycees have an annual fund-raising festival called Bratwurst Days, which includes the Johnsonville World Bratwurst Eating Championship. Sheboygan hosts the annual Dairyland Surf Classic, the largest lake surfing competition in the world. Notable natives and residents include comedian Jackie Mason, basketball coach Rick Majerus, former NFL player Bill Schroeder and two former governors of Wisconsin.
Advantage – Mequon. Two great city names, but all of the Milwaukee sports figures (barely) beat out the World Bratwurst Eating Championship.
Update:
A protest was filed on behalf of Sheboygan in the location category. After further research the following information was unearthed regarding Sheboygan’s Brat Days
- Grand prize for the brat eating contest (although calling it a “World Championship” is a stretch, if not out-and-out lie) is $500 and a year’s supply of brats
- Brat Days is a 3-day festival of fine food and fine music
- Past notable headliners include:
- 2011 – Spin Doctors
- 2009 – Bret Michaels
- 2008 – Slaughter
- 2006 – Firehouse
- 2004 – Gin Blossoms
- 2001 – Blue Oyster Cult
- Wait for it….
- 2000 – Eddie Money
(Turns microphone on)…Upon further review the call in the preview is reversed. Their is incontrovertible Internet evidence that Eddie Money once played Brat Days. Sheboygan is the winner.
Notable Alumni
Concordia (WI)– former NFL player John Scardina (also played during the 1987 strike); minor league SS Ty Schill; and Rev. Ken Klaus, speaker on The Lutheran Hour worldwide radio broadcast.
Lakeland – Wisconsin state senator Calvin Potter; former NFL TE Pat Curran (106 catches from 1969 – 1978); and former NFL LB Ron Ferrari (4 sacks in 68 games from 1982 – 1986).
Advantage – Lakeland. Two real NFL players are much more impressive than a fake one and a minor league SS.
Decision
Lakeland wins the MB-view 3-2. Will they take the Cheese Bowl as well?
Update:After the protest, Lakeland wins 4-1 and more importantly, the people of Sheboygan were the big winners, seeing Eddie Money in 2000 and then getting more cowbell in 2001.
Undefeateds & Defeateds – Week 8
Posted: October 15, 2012 Filed under: CFB Weekly Picks, MB 2013 | Tags: Defeated, Mismatch, Undefeated, Winless Leave a comment »The ranks of the unbeaten and winless continue to thin as the season progresses. 54 undefeated teams remain as for the second week in a row, exactly 25% of the unbeaten squads fell. Meanwhile, 22 previously winless teams earned their first victory, leaving 48 “defeateds” across the divisions we follow.
Undefeated (54 – 72 last week)
FBS (12; 16 last week)
Alabama, Cincinnati, Florida, Kansas State, Louisville, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Ohio, Ohio State, Oregon, Oregon State, Rutgers
FCS (4; 9 last week)
Cal Poly, Harvard, Lehigh, Tennessee State
D-II (11; 15 last week)
Ashland, Bloomsburg, CSU-Pueblo, Emporia State, Henderson State, Minnesota State, New Haven, Ouachita Baptist, Shippensburg, Tuskegee, Winston-Salem
D-III (19; 22 last week)
Coe, Concordia (IL), Heidelberg, Hobart, Illinois Wesleyan, Johns Hopkins, Linfield, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Middlebury, Mount Union, Ohio Wesleyan, Salve Regina, St. Thomas (MN), Trinity (CT), Waynesburg, Wesleyan, Widener, Willamette, Wisconsin-Oshkosh
NAIA (6; 7 last week)
Georgetown (KY), Hastings, Marian, Missouri Valley, Morningside, William Penn
CIS (2; 3 last week)
Calgary, McMaster
Winless (48 – 70 last week)
FBS (3; 4 last week)
Eastern Michigan, Massachusetts, Southern Miss
FCS (7; 13 last week)
Austin Peay, Davidson, Grambling State, Rhode Island, Savannah State, Valparaiso, Weber State
D-II (9; 16 last week)
Azusa Pacific, Benedict, Fort Lewis, Lock Haven, Nebraska-Kearney, Northeastern State, NW Oklahoma State, Pace, Seton Hill
D-III (21; 27 last week)
Anderson (IN), Beloit, Claremont-Mudd-Scrips, Colby, Earlham, Hiram, Luther, MacMurray, Maine Maritime, Maranatha, Marietta, McDaniel, Misericordia, Olivet, Pomona-Pitzer, Puget Sound, St. Lawrence, St. Vincent, Tufts, Western Connecticut, Wilmington
NAIA (7; 9 last week)
Bethel (KS), Bluefield (VA), Concordia (MI), Culver-Stockton, Dordt, Haskell, Point
CIS (1; 2 last week)
Alberta
Battle of Undefeateds (Record, Point Differential) – [1]
NAIA (1)
Morningside (6-0, 36.00) @ Hastings (6-0, 13.33)
Battles of Defeateds (Record, Point Differential) – [2]
D-III (2)
Marietta (0-6, -30.33) @ Wilmington (OH) (0-6, -44.00)
Anderson (IN) (0-6, -39.33) @ Earlham (0-6, -27.50)
Mismatch – Undefeated vs. Winless (Record, Point Differential) – [1]
NAIA (1)
Concordia (MI) (0-6, -35.17) @ Marian (IN) (6-0, 22.17)
Miscellaneous Notes
- 1o worst point differentials for winless teams:
- Savannah State (FCS) – 46.33
- Misericorda (D-III) – 45.83
- Wilmington (D-III) – 44.00
- Haskell (NAIA) – 41.29
- Pace (D-II) – 40.71
- Anderson (IN) (D-III) – 39.33
- Bethel (KS) (NAIA) – 37.17
- Fort Lewis (D-II) – 36.83
- Northwest Oklahoma State (D-II) – 35.43
- Concordia (MI) – 35.17
- 1o best point differentials for undefeated teams:
- Mount Union (D-III) – 54.83
- Widener (D-III) – 46.17
- Calgary (CIS) – 40.33
- Henderson State (D-II) – 38.14
- Heidelberg (D-III) – 37.17
- Morningside (NAIA) – 36.00
- Alabama (FBS) – 33.00
- Oregon (FBS) – 32.33
- Shippensburg (D-II) – 32.00
- William Penn (NAIA) – 29.86
- 1o best point differentials for winless teams:
- St. Vincent (D-III) – 11.50
- Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (D-III) – 14.20
- Southern Miss (FBS) – 16.83
- Nebraska-Kearney (D-II) – 16.86
- Benedict (D-II) – 17.14
- Tufts (D-III) – 17.25
- St. Lawrence (D-III) – 17.83
- Beloit (D-III) – 17.86
- Weber State (FCS) – 18.57
- Davidson (FCS) – 18.67
- 1o worst point differentials for undefeated teams:
- Waynesburg (D-III) – 8.57
- Oregon State (FBS) – 8.80
- Lehigh (FCS) – 9.00
- Ohio Wesleyan (D-III) – 10.83
- Wesleyan (D-III) – 11.50
- Louisville (FBS) – 12.00
- Ohio (FBS) – 12.86
- Concordia (IL) (D-III) – 13.00
- Hastings (NAIA) – 13.33
- Rutgers (FBS) – 13.50
Last Week’s Battles of Undefeateds (Record, Point Differential) – [5]
D-II (2)
Henderson State (6-0, 39.83) @ Harding (5-0, 23.60)
New Haven (5-0, 33.40) @ Bentley (5-0, 16.00)
D-III (2)
Otterbein (5-0, 20.80) @ Heidelberg (5-0, 40.40)
Bethel (5-0, 22.00) @ St. Thomas (5-0, 19.20)
NAIA (1)
Cumberlands (6-0, 27.50) @ Georgetown (KY) (6-0, 33.33)
Last Week’s Battles of Defeateds (Record, Point Differential) – [5]
FCS (1)
Georgia State (0-6, -27.50) @ Rhode Island (0-5, -26.20)
D-II (2)
Pace (0-6, -43.00) @ Saint Anselm (0-6, -27.17)
Nebraska-Kearney (0-6, -18.50) @ Lincoln (MO) 0-6, -24.00)
D-III (1)
Morrisville State (0-5, -20.60) @ Western Connecticut (0-5, -37.80)
NAIA (1)
Sterling (KS) (0-5, -17.20) @ Bethel (KS) (0-5, -34.80)
Last Week’s Mismatches – Undefeated vs. Winless (Record, Point Differential) – [2]
D-III (1)
Tufts (0-3, -12.00) @ Trinity (CT) (3-0, 21.33)
CIS (1)
Calgary (5-0, 38.40) @ Alberta (0-5, -27.40)
Camel Foe – Week 7, San Diego
Posted: October 12, 2012 Filed under: Camel Foe | Tags: Campbell, Fighting Camels, San Diego Leave a comment »After a week off, the Fighting Camels return to action with a cross-country trip to beautiful San Diego, CA.
University of San Diego
Location: San Diego, CA (population: 1,301,607 as of 2010 census, the 2nd-largest city in California and 8th-largest in the United States)
Established: 1949 as the San Diego College for Women. The San Diego College for Men and a law school were opened in 1954 and all were merged into a co-ed institution in 1972.
Enrollment: ~8,300
Nickname: Toreros. Torero comes from the Spanish term toro, the bull, and from the word torear, to fight bulls. All of the contestants in the ring are called toreros. Torero is a general term describing a bullfighter and signifies courage, honor and fidelity. Before 1961, the USD nickname was the Pioneers.
Mascot: Diego Torero is the mascot and has a terrific mustache.
Affiliation: San Diego is a football-only member of the Pioneer Conference. Most sports compete in the West Coast Conference. The women’s softball program competes in the Pacific Coast Softball Conference and the women’s swimming and diving teams compete in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation.
Random Fact #1: The philosophy of USD’s founder and her fellow religious folks relied on the belief that studying in beautiful surroundings could improve the educational experience of students. Thus, the university’s buildings are designed in a 16th-century Spanish Renaissance architectural style, paying homage to both San Diego’s Catholic heritage and the Universidad de Alcalá in Spain.
Random Fact #2: The Kroc School of Peace Studies opened in fall 2007. The Joan B. Kroc (wife of McDonald’s financier Ray Kroc) Institute for Peace & Justice was established thanks to Mrs. Kroc’s gift of $75 million “to not only teach peace, but make peace”.
Random Fact #3: In 2007, Toreros’ quarterback Josh Johnson threw for 43 touchdown passes and just 1 interception, a school record. Johnson was taken in the fifth round of the NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Johnson, who was recruited to USD by former head coach Jim Harbaugh (2004–06), is the first USD football player to be drafted by an NFL team. In 2012, Johnson signed a free-agent contract with the San Francisco 49ers, the team currently led by Harbaugh, the 49ers’ head coach, although Johnson was released prior to the start of the season.
Random Fact #4: Athletics facilities include the Jenny Craig Pavilion, made possible by a multi-million dollar gift from the weight loss tycoon.
Random Fact #5: The 13th-seeded Toreros upset the University of Connecticut in the first round of the 2008 Men’s NCAA Basketball Tournament on March 21, 2008. This marked the first time USD had advanced in the tournament, as well as the first time UConn was eliminated in the first round while coached by Jim Calhoun. It was the first NCAA Basketball Tournament win for any San Diego-area university.
Notable Alumni:
- Los Angeles Lakes head coach Mike Brown
- former NBA GM and head coach Bernie Bickerstaff
- former MLB GM Bill Bavasi
- former MLB OF Brady Clark
- former NBA head coach Eric Musselman
- actor Jim Parsons, Sheldon from “Big Bang Theory”
San Diego is a big place, so we’ll stick to 10 San Diegans.
- NFL Hall of Fame RB Marcus Allen
- actor James Avery, Uncle Phil from “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”
- actress Mayim Bialik, Blossom from “Blossom”
- Oakland A’s GM Billy Beane
- Miami Dolphins RB Reggie Bush
- screenwriter, director and producer Cameron Crowe
- actor Robert Duvall
- actor Ted Danson
- actress Cameron Diaz
- Wyatt Earp
[Ed. Note: I only made it to the end of the E’s before I had ten. I’m sure there are many more awesome people I left out.]
Oh yeah, the Football Team:
- San Diego is 2-3 (1-1 in the PFL), with losses coming to undefeated and ranked Cal Poly (a scholarship program), undefeated and ranked Harvard and conference foe Drake. Their wins are over D-II Western New Mexico and PFL opponent Valparaiso.
- San Diego committed 6 turnovers last weekend in losing to Drake 38-10. Drake was a 35-7 victor over Campbell two weeks ago.
- The all-time series between the two schools is tied at 1-1. Campbell won 48-24 last year in Buies Creek while San Diego triumphed 43-7 in 2008.
- QB Mason Mills threw for 216 yards and a TD last week but also tossed 4 interceptions, while Kenn James ran for 98 yards and Logan Smith had 8 receptions for 99 yards.
- Zach Devaney led the defense with 7 tackles while Zach Dunaj added 6 tackles and a sack.
- Junior WR Sam Hoekstra leads the PFL in punt returns (11.8) and senior kicker Ernie Collins is tied for first in the conference in field goals made (1.20/gm) and second in points scored (6.4/gm).
- San Diego was picked in the preseason to win the PFL, a task made much more difficult following the loss to Drake (picked 2nd in the preseason).
- Collins is 6-8 on FG this year including a career long of 51 yards and two others of 48 yards. He also handles the punting duties, averaging 39.5 yards on 21 attempts.
- In the loss to Harvard this season, Mills set USD records for pass completions (38) and attempts (63) while throwing for 354 yards and 1 TD.
- Head Coach Ron Caragher was a four-year letterwinner at UCLA and an assistant at UCLA and Kentucky prior to being hired at San Diego.
- Offensive line coach Hank Fraley spent 10 seasons in the NFL, starting 123 games for the Eagles, Browns & Rams.
- Stat Leaders:
- Passing: Mills – 121 of 184 for 1,253 yards with 9 TD and 8 INT
- Rushing: James – 50 carries for 268 yards (1 TD); Darrion Hancock 2 TD (34 carries, 132 yards)
- Receiving: Brandon White 31 receptions, 341 yards, 4 TD
- Defense: Dunaj 38 tackles and 2 fumble recoveries; Steve Gargiulo 3.5 TFL and 2 sacks; Drew Harris 2 INT; Troy McClelland 4 pass breakups
- Best Name Nominees:
- QB Bo Stompro; RB Bug Rivera; FB Luke Holler; DT Josh Huckleberry; OL Tarez Lemmons
- The winner – Bug Rivera
Prediction:
San Diego, the preseason conference champion pick, likely has a bad taste in their mouth after losing to Drake by 4 touchdowns last week. If you believe in revenge, they may also remember last year’s shellacking in Buies Creek. Regardless, the Toreros’ only losses have come to two undefeated and ranked teams and the (now) PFL conference favorite. Meanwhile, the Fighting Camels have struggled to continue the momentum from last year’s winning season. A long trip across the country to face an angry San Diego squad is not the tonic Campbell needs. San Diego will not come close to replicating the 6-turnover performance of a week ago and will get back on track with a victory. On the flip side, our Camels will drop to 1-5 as the season heads into the second half. It says here the final score will be 33-14.
CFB Week 7 MB-views
Posted: October 11, 2012 Filed under: CFB Weekly Picks | Tags: Eddie Money, Georgia Southern, Lincoln (MO), Morrisville State, Nebraska-Kearney, Western Connecticut, Wofford Leave a comment »This segment has a new title this week. Instead of using the word preview in quotes, we’re calling them MB-views. Just like the Big Ten, it’s all about the brand here at MegaBracket and this segment definitely reflects the way we look at college football, sports, and life in general.
St. Francis (IN) @ Marian – Saturday, October 13 @ 12:00 pm CDT
Author: Ryan
Nebraska-Kearney @ Lincoln (MO) – Saturday, October 13 @ 2:00 pm CDT
One of three Battles of Defeateds in this week’s picks and one of two featured in the previews.
Author: Bristol
Mascot
Nebraska-Kearney – Lopers. Lopers is short for “antelope,” the standard American name for the animal more specifically called a pronghorn. You can be friends with Louie the Loper on Facebook or have Louie appear at your next event. If you have 8 minutes of your life you really want to waste you can watch “Louie Loper Learns a Lot”, an educational parable.
Lincoln (MO) – Blue Tigers. They became the Blue Tiger in the 1970s when a radio announcer wanted to find an easy way to distinguish the Lincoln Tigers from the Mizzou Tigers. The school color of navy blue sparked the name “blue tiger,” and it stuck. Check out the mascot, Stripes, in a bizarre mating ritual with the Missouri Southern Lion.
Advantage – Lopers. I didn’t watch the educational parable but it can’t be as bad as the homoerotic dancing going on with Stripes. Also, no one has ever or would have ever confused the Lincoln Tigers with the Missouri Tigers. Although they do have the same number of SEC wins this year.
Best Player Name
Nebraska-Kearney– Tie – junior WR Shad Bride (auditioning for the role of Jeff Spicoli), sophomore FS Tyler Tinglehoff and sophomore RB Ricky Trinidad (yes, just an excuse to get an Eddie Money song in the post). I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.
Lincoln (MO) – Tie – senior DB O’Hara Fluellen and junior WR Devoyius Mark.
Advantage – UNK. Unless Linlcon (MO) had somebody named Steve Shakin, they weren’t winning this one.
Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)
Nebraska-Kearney – Offensive coordinator/QB coach Andy Siegal. Siegal wrestled and played football for Hamline and played professionally for the Tampa Bay Shockers. I could find anything on the internet about a football team with such a name. Siegal’s coaching stops include Southern Miss, Southern Arkansas, Quincy, East Mississippi Community College, College of the Sequoias and Dodge City Community College. Most recently, he was Director of League Development for the World Professional Football League. I was excited to add another random league to MB, but according to their Facebook page, it doesn’t seem as if the league actually exists yet. And probably never will.
Lincoln (MO) – Offensive line coach Dustin Washburn helped lead the West Texas Roughnecks to the Indoor Football League playoffs in 2010 and student assistant Brandon Kirksey has an amazing photo, but the winner is head coach Mike Jones. Jones is in his 2nd year as Lincoln’s head coach after spending time at Southern University and Hazelwood East HS in St. Louis. However, he is best known for making “The Tackle” to secure Super Bowl XXXIV for the St. Louis Rams over the Tennessee Titans by tackling Titans WR Kevin Dyson on the 1-yard line in a 7-point victory. Jones played 12 seasons in the NFL, totaling 9 sacks, 8 interceptions and 4 touchdowns in 183 games. He was a running back at Missouri, leading the team in scoring as a junior and a senior.
Advantage – Lincoln. Even in MB, a Super Bowl-winning tackle outweighs the World Professional Football League.
Location
Nebraska-Kearney – Kearney, NE. Kearney is a town of just over 30,000 which lies on Interstate 80 in south central Nebraska. One of Kearney’s greatest strengths is its rich heritage, which has been preserved in museums, many of which reflect its location of being on the Mormon, Oregon, California Trails, the Pony Express and the Lincoln Highway. Kearney is home to the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument, which spans Interstate 80 at mile marker 274. The structure is two-stories of fascinating interactive exhibitory that traces the history of the Great Platte River Road from Oregon Trail days to the fiber optic future world of tomorrow. On December 8, 2000, while on a visit to Kearney, President Bill Clinton toured the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument. Jack Nicholson was also filmed in a scene at the Archway for the movie About Schmidt. Also, my cousin’s wedding reception was held there. Before Kearney was named Kearney, it was called Dobytown and it was located 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of the present-day Kearney. Later the city was moved and renamed after the nearby Fort Kearny (with an extra “e” added, but pronounced the same). Notable people include former NFL player Kyle Larson; radio personality Charlie Tuna; and actress Leslie Easterbrook (Lt. Debbie Callahan from Police Academy).
Lincoln (MO)– Jefferson City, MO. Jefferson City is the capital of Missouri and home to slightly more than 43,000 people. Jefferson City was chosen as the new state capital in 1821 while Thomas Jefferson was actually still alive. The village was first called Lohman’s Landing. When the legislature decided to relocate there, they proposed the name “Missouriopolis” but later settled on Jefferson City. [Ed. Note: I really wish they had gone with Missouriopolis.] Jefferson City was selected as the site for a state prison and, in 1836, the Missouri State Penitentiary was opened. The prison was home to a number of infamous Americans, including: former heavyweight champion Sonny Liston, assassin James Earl Ray, and bank robber Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd. During the American Civil War, Jefferson City was occupied by Union troops. Notable residents include former MLB pitcher Tom Henke; WNBA player Maya Moore; NFL players Justin Gage and Justin Smith; and Cedric the Entertainer.
Advantage – Kearney. The arch defeats the prison and Police Academy beats Cedric the Entertainer.
Notable Alumni
Nebraska-Kearney – Former New York Jets player Randy Rasmussen; Tim Schlattman, the Co-Executive Producer of Dexter; New York Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain; and actress Marg Helgenberger (CSI).
Lincoln (MO) – Actor/comedian Joe Torry; 8-time NFL Pro Bowl selection Lemar Parrish, who finished his 13-year career with 47 interceptions and 13 total touchdowns (4 punt returns, 4 interception returns, 3 fumble returns, 1 kickoff return, 1 blocked field goal return); and CFL Hall of Fame member Leo Lewis (not the Leo Lewis who played for the Vikings in the 80s).
Advantage – Marg Helgenberger.
Decision
Kearney wins 4-1. Not a fair fight since they had tie-ins (albeit tenuous) to Eddie Money and Scrubs.
Wofford @ Georgia Southern – Saturday, October 13 @ 5:00 pm CDT
Author: Bristol
Mascot
Wofford– Terriers. Boss (costumed mascot) and Blitz (live mascot) are the Official Boston Terriers of the Wofford athletic department.
Georgia Southern – Eagles. They were known in the early 1900s as the “Culture”, then Blue Tide from 1924 to 1941 and either Professors or Teachers until 1959, when Eagles was selected in a campus-wide vote. GSU is the permanent home to three American bald eagles named Glory, Freedom and Seattle. In 1997, a contest was held to name the costumed mascot, now known as Gus. Gus is Ready.
Advantage – Gus, Glory and Freedom. But not Seattle.
Best Player Name
Wofford – Tie – sophomore LB Qay Bell, freshman S Philemon Permis and senior LB SeQuan Stanley. Zach Bobb seems awesome. Since he’s from Georgia, I would have assumed Bobb was his middle name.
Georgia Southern – Tie – freshman QB Vegas Harley, junior LB Carlos Cave and freshman slotback Shun Tribble.
Advantage – Georgia Southern. You aren’t beating Vegas Harley, quite possibly the greatest name this side of Razor Shines, and the tribble episode of Star Trek.
Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)
Wofford – Head coach Mike Ayers is in his 25th season as Terriers head coach. He has guided Wofford from NAIA to NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I FCS. The team made the playoffs twice in Division II and 5 times in FCS, including the last two seasons. Ayers was the head coach at East Tennessee State for three season before earning the same job at Wofford. During the 1987 season, East Tennessee State knocked off North Carolina State. He won the 2003 Division I-AA National Coach of the Year Award. Honorable mention goes to offensive coordinator Wade Lang, who has also been at Wofford for the past 25 years, 23 of them as offensive coordinator. The Terriers run a triple-option “Wingbone” offense that has led the nation in rushing the past 2 seasons after finishing second the 2 years prior.
Georgia Southern – Head coach Jeff Monken was a part of Paul Johnson’s staffs at Georgia Southern, Navy and Georiga Tech. As a result, Georiga Southern also runs the triple option offense, meaning this week’s game will see its fair share of running plays. GSU is the only school to reach the FCS semifinals in each of the past two seasons. Monken played WR at Millikin University and made coaching stops at Hawaii, Arizona State, Buffalo, Morton (IL) HS, and Concordia (IL) before his first tour of duty at GSU. Honorable mention goes to special teams coach and defensive line assistant John Scott, Jr. who played professionally for the Greensboro Prowlers of afl2 and was named the team’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2000.
Advantage – Georgia Southern. The unstoppable option offenses are a tie, so the win goes to the team with a coach who was a Prowler.
Location
Wofford – Spartanburg, SC. Spartanburg is the 4th-largest city in South Carolina at just over 37,000. The city is part of a 10-county region known as “The Upstate” and is also home to South Carolina-Upstate, the alma mater of my wife. Spartanburg’s nicknames include “The Hub City” and “Sparkle City” and its motto is “Historically Southern, Culturally Modern”. The city was incorporated in 1831, at the time of the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Cowpens, a pivotal fight of the American Revolution that took place only a few miles away. The city is home to Retrofest, the Southeast’s largest disco festival held at Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium on the first Saturday in February. Wofford is the yearly site of the Carolina Panthers’ training camp. Notable natives include blues musician Pink Anderson, the inspiration for the “Pink” in Pink Floyd; former NFL running back Stephen Davis; pro wrestler George Gray, the “One Man Gang”; 8-time Mr. Olympia record holder Lee Haney; the Marshall Tucker Band; NASCAR champion David Pearson; and former MLB MVP Al Rosen.
Georgia Southern – Statesboro, GA. The city of more than 28,000 was chartered in 1803, starting as a small trading community providing the basic essentials for surrounding plantations. Statesboro inspired the blues song “Statesboro Blues”, written by Blind Willie McTell in the 1920s, and covered in a well-known version by The Allman Brothers Band. During the Civil War and General William T. Sherman’s famous march to the sea, a Union officer asked a saloon proprietor for directions to Statesboro. The proprietor replied, “You are standing in the middle of town.” The soldiers destroyed only the courthouse—a crude log structure that doubled as a barn when court was not in session. Notable people include former MLB pitchers Joey Hamilton and John Rocker; Toronto Blue Jays 3B coach Marty Pevey; and actor Danny McBride (Kenny Powers).
Advantage – Spartanburg. It’s all about the wife tie-ins this week.
Notable Alumni
Wofford – ESPN anchor and reporter Wendi Nix; Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson; PGA golfer William McGirt; and Former Air Force head coach and member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Fisher DeBerry.
Georgia Southern– Daniel Cathy, president of Chick-Fil-A; Hala Moddelmog, CEO of Arby’s; country singer Luke Bryan; NFL Pro Bowl kicker Rob Bironas; actress Patrika Darbo; former Detroit Pistons head coach Michael Curry; former Chicago Bears RB Adrian Peterson (the other Adrian Peterson); and former Dodgers and Cardinals pitcher John Tudor.
Advantage – Georgia Southern. Tudor was on the 1988 World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers so that’s an automatic win.
Decision
Georgia Southern rolls behind Vegas Harley, John Tudor and patriotic eagles.
Morrisville State vs. Western Connecticut – Saturday, October 13 @ 11:00 pm CDT
Another battle of winless teams.
Author: Bristol
Mascot
Morrisville State – Mustangs. The only information I could find about their mascot is that his name is Humpy and he rides a zipline.
Western Connecticut – Colonials. Here is their logo and a video of Colin Colonial dancing with a WCSU student.
Advantage – Humpy. I’m pretty sure Colin Colonial gets humpy with all the girls at WCSU and will inevitably lead to a lawsuit.
Best Player Name
Morrisville State – Tie – freshman RB Jaquan Cesar and freshman DB Ahczar Walker.
Western Connecticut – Tie – sophomore OL Dino Koumoutseas, freshman WR Parriss Woods and freshman WR Tecumseh Champlain.
Advantage – Western Connecticut. Tecumseh Champlain is the winner here.
Coaching Staff (Most Awesome Member)
Morrisville State – Wide receivers coach B.J. Lovett. Lovett was a WR for Morrisville State when it was still a 2-year junior college. He then transferred to Michigan State where he started as a junior and a senior, earning Most Outstanding Offensive Player honors in 2003. Following his playing career at Michigan State, Lovett spent time in the NFL with both the San Diego Chargers and Cleveland Browns and also played in the Arena Football League with the Dayton Warbirds.
Western Connecticut – Information was only readily available for head coach Joe Loth, but pictures of all coaches are on one page. It appears offensive coordinator/OL coach Drew Owens just ate a lemon. Loth was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter at defensive back for Otterbein and still holds the school’s career interception record with 13. He has worked as an assistant at SMU, Western Connecticut, Capital and Rhode Island and had previous stops as head coach at Kean and Otterbein. He spent the past 3 seasons as a wide receivers coach in the CFL. Coach Loth has his work cut out for him at WCSU – the 0-5 start this season has extended the Colonials’ losing streak to 26 games, their last win coming during the 2009 season.
Advantage – Morrisville State. One word – Warbirds.
Location
Morrisville State – Morrisville, NY. Morrisville is a village of 1,545 and was named for its founder, Thomas Morris. It was originally called Morris Flats. The First National Bank of Morrisville, Morrisville Public Library, and Old Madison County Courthouse are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In the 1980s cartoon series, The Real Ghostbusters, Morrisville was the hometown of Ray Stantz.
Western Connecticut – Danbury, CT. Danbury is a city of 80,893 in southwestern Connecticut and is the seventh largest city in the state. The city was named for the place of origin of many of the early settlers, Danbury, Essex, in England, and has been nicknamed Hat City, because it used to be a center of the hat industry, at one point producing almost 25% of America’s hats. Originally called Paquiack (“open plain” or “cleared land”) by local American Indians,the settlers chose the name Swampfield for their town, but in October 1687, the general court decreed the name Danbury. During the American Revolution, Danbury was an important military supply depot for the Continental Army. On April 26–27, 1777, the British under Major General William Tryon burned and looted the city. The central motto on the seal of the City of Danbury is Restituimus (Latin for “We have restored”), a reference to the destruction caused by the Loyalist army troops. The Kohanza Reservoir, one of the many reservoirs built to provide water to the hat factories, broke on January 31, 1869. The ensuing flood of icy water killed 11 people in half an hour, and caused major damage to many homes and farms. Notable people from Danbury include singer Tracy Chapman (Fast Car); actor Jonathan Brandis (seaQuest DSV); Charles Ives, one of America’s most influential composers; former NASCAR driver Jerry Nadeau; and author Rex Stout.
Advantage – Danbury. However, it was closer than the experts thought because Morrisville was the home of one of the Ghostbusters.
Notable Alumni
Morrisville State– Could not find any.
Western Connecticut – Radio personality and Howard Stern Show writer Fred Norris; Chris Rhodes, member of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones; and Sonic Youth musician Thurston Moore (did not graduate).
Advantage – Western Connecticut by default. Here is the downside to previewing a game with small D-III schools.
Decision
Western Connecticut wins this one 3-2. Can they snap their 26-game losing streak on the gridiron? Either way at least one of these teams get a win.
Undefeateds & Defeateds – Week 7
Posted: October 8, 2012 Filed under: CFB Weekly Picks | Tags: Defeated, Mismatch, Undefeated, Winless Leave a comment »A full quarter of the 96 unbeaten teams from last week suffered their first loss leaving 72 remaining undefeated teams. On the other side of the ledger 18 teams notched their first win of the season, leaving 70 squads victory-free.
Undefeated (72 – 96 last week)
FBS (16; 23 last week)
Alabama, Cincinnati, Florida, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech, Louisville, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Ohio, Ohio State, Oregon, Oregon State, Rutgers, South Carolina, Texas-San Antonio, West Virginia
FCS (9; 11 last week)
Alabama A&M, Cal Poly, Harvard, Lehigh, Montana State, North Dakota State, Old Dominion, Tennessee State, Wofford
D-II (15; 18 last week)
Ashland, Bentley, Bloomsburg, CSU-Pueblo, Emporia State, Harding, Henderson State, Minnesota State, Missouri Western, New Haven, Ouachita Baptist, Pittsburg State, Shippensburg, Tuskegee, Winston-Salem
D-III (22; 33 last week)
Bethel (MN), Coe, Concordia (IL), Gettysburg, Heidelberg, Hobart, Illinois Wesleyan, Johns Hopkins, Linfield, Mary Hardin-Baylor, Middlebury, Mount Union, Ohio Wesleyan, Otterbein, Salve Regina, St. Thomas (MN), Trinity (CT), Waynesburg, Wesleyan, Widener, Willamette, Wisconsin-Oshkosh
NAIA (7; 7 last week)
Cumberlands (KY), Georgetown (KY), Hastings, Marian, Missouri Valley, Morningside, William Penn
CIS (3; 4 last week)
Calgary, Laval, McMaster
Winless (70 – 88 last week)
FBS (4; 8 last week)
Eastern Michigan, Massachusetts, Southern Miss, Tulane
FCS (13; 16 last week)
Austin Peay, Bryant, Central Connecticut State, Davidson, Gardner-Webb, Georgia State, Grambling State, Hampton, Missouri State, Rhode Island, Savannah State, Valparaiso, Weber State
D-II (16; 18 last week)
Azusa Pacific, Benedict, Brevard, Fort Lewis, Lincoln (MO), Lock Haven, Minnesota State-Moorhead, Nebraska-Kearney, Northeastern State, NW Oklahoma State, Pace, Quincy, Saint Anselm, Seton Hill, Southern Nazarene, Western State
D-III (27; 33 last week)
Anderson (IN), Beloit, Buena Vista, Claremont-Mudd-Scrips, Colby, Earlham, Hamilton, Hiram, Howard Payne, Luther, MacMurray, Maine Maritime, Maranatha, Marietta, McDaniel, Misericordia, Morrisville State, Nichols College, Olivet, Pomona-Pitzer, Puget Sound, St. Lawrence, St. Vincent, Tufts, Western Connecticut, Wilmington, Wisconsin-River Falls
NAIA (9; 11 last week)
Bethel (KS), Bluefield (VA), Concordia (MI), Culver-Stockton, Dakota State, Dordt, Haskell, Point, Sterling
CIS (1; 2 last week)
Alberta
Battles of Undefeateds (Record, Point Differential) – [5]
D-II (2)
Henderson State (6-0, 39.83) @ Harding (5-0, 23.60)
- This is the 2nd straight week Harding has hosted a fellow unbeaten team – they defeated Southern Arkansas last week
New Haven (5-0, 33.40) @ Bentley (5-0, 16.00)
D-III (2)
Otterbein (5-0, 20.80) @ Heidelberg (5-0, 40.40)
Bethel (5-0, 22.00) @ St. Thomas (5-0, 19.20)
NAIA (1)
Cumberlands (6-0, 27.50) @ Georgetown (KY) (6-0, 33.33)
Battles of Defeateds (Record, Point Differential) – [5]
FCS (1)
Georgia State (0-6, -27.50) @ Rhode Island (0-5, -26.20)
D-II (2)
Pace (0-6, -43.00) @ Saint Anselm (0-6, -27.17)
Nebraska-Kearney (0-6, -18.50) @ Lincoln (MO) 0-6, -24.00)
D-III (1)
Morrisville State (0-5, -20.60) @ Western Connecticut (0-5, -37.80)
NAIA (1)
Sterling (KS) (0-5, -17.20) @ Bethel (KS) (0-5, -34.80)
Mismatches – Undefeated vs. Winless (Record, Point Differential) – [2]
D-III (1)
Tufts (0-3, -12.00) @ Trinity (CT) (3-0, 21.33)
CIS (1)
Calgary (5-0, 38.40) @ Alberta (0-5, -27.40)
Miscellaneous Notes
- 1o worst point differentials for winless teams:
- Savannah State (FCS) – 47.40
- Wilmington (D-III) – 46.40
- Misericorda (D-III) – 45.83
- Pace (D-II) – 43.00
- Haskell (NAIA) – 41.33
- Fort Lewis (D-II) – 39.40
- Western Connecticut (D-III) – 37.80
- Buena Vista (D-III) – 37.60
- Northwest Oklahoma State (D-II) – 37.17
- Concordia (MI) – 36.80
- 1o best point differentials for undefeated teams:
- Mount Union (D-III) – 53.40
- Widener (D-III) – 46.17
- Heidelberg (D-III) – 40.40
- Henderson State (D-II) – 39.83
- Calgary (CIS) – 38.40
- North Dakota State (FCS) – 35.80
- Gettysburg (D-III) – 35.00
- Coe (D-III) – 33.80
- New Haven (D-II) – 33.40
- Georgetown (KY) (NAIA) – 33.33
- 1o best point differentials for winless teams:
- Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (D-III) – 9.00
- Tufts (D-III) – 12.00
- St. Vincent (D-III) – 12.20
- Beloit (D-III) – 17.17
- Sterling (KS) (NAIA) – 17.20
- Missouri State (FCS) – 17.83
- St. Lawrence (D-III) – 17.83
- Nebraska-Kearney (D-II) – 18.50
- Southern Miss (FBS) – 18.80
- Northeastern State (D-II) – 19.17
- 1o worst point differentials for undefeated teams:
- Oregon State (FBS) – 6.50
- Ohio Wesleyan (D-III) – 9.20
- Waynesburg (D-III) – 9.67
- Lehigh (FCS) – 10.00
- Linfield (D-III) – 11.25
- Louisville (FBS) – 12.40
- Ohio (FBS) – 14.00
- Montana State (FCS) – 14.00
- Tennessee State (FCS) – 14.33
- Rutgers (FBS) – 14.60
- The highest combined point differential in an undefeated matchup this week is 63.43 between D-II Henderson State (39.83) & Harding (23.60)
- The lowest combined point differential in a winless matchup is -70.17 between D-III Pace (-43.00) & Saint Anselm (-27.17)
- The largest mismatch in point differential is 65.80 between CIS Calgary (38.40) & Alberta (-27.40)
Last Week’s Battles of Undefeateds (Record, Point Differential) – [8]
FBS (3)
LSU (5-0, 26.40) @ Florida (4-0, 17.75)
West Virginia (4-0, 20.50) @ Texas (4-0, 26.25)
Georgia (5-0, 26.20) @ South Carolina (5-0, 25.40)
FBS (1)
Youngstown State (4-0, 21.75) @ North Dakota State (4-0, 34.50)
D-II (1)
Southern Arkansas (4-0, 20.00) @ Harding (4-0, 28.75)
D-III (3)
Concordia (Moorhead) (4-0, 16.00) @ Bethel (MN) (4-0, 27.25)
Amherst (2-0, 18.00) @ Middlebury (2-0, 26.50)
Willamette (4-0, 19.00) @ Whitworth (5-0, 10.20)
CIS (1)
Montreal (5-0, 27.80) @ Laval (5-0, 31.00)
Last Week’s Battles of Defeateds (Record, Point Differential) – [5]
FCS (2)
Gardner-Webb (0-4, -31.50) @ Liberty (0-4, -8.00)
Grambling State (0-4, -19.75) vs. Prairie View A&M (0-5, -25.20)
D-III (3)
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (0-3, -7.67) @ Occidental (0-3, -37.67)
Knox (0-5, -21.20) @ Beloit (0-5, -20.20)
Tufts (0-2, -14.50) @ Bowdoin (0-2, -18.00)
Last Week’s Mismatches – Undefeated vs. Winless (Record, Point Differential) – [9]
FCS (1)
Cal Poly (4-0, 13.75) @ Weber State (0-5, -20.60)
D-II (4)
Bentley (4-0, 17.50) @ St. Anslem (0-5, -30.60)
Missouri Western (5-0, 26.40) @ Northeastern State (0-5, -20.20)
D-III (3)
Mount Union (4-0, 50.25) @ Wilmington (0-4, -41.50)
Wesleyan (2-0, 20.50) @ Colby (0-2, -31.50)
Trinity (CT) (2-0, 12.50) @ Hamilton (0-2, -22.00)
NAIA (1)
Hastings (4-0, 10.25) @ Dakota State (0-6, -20.17)
Block 2 Pennant Race
Posted: October 6, 2012 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »Saturday Update
The championship race has cleared up considerably heading into the final day. 8 users remain mathematically alive although the 2nd playoff berth will almost assuredly come be won by 1 of 4 users (Jimmy, Danny, mxknkl or skizzow). Long Island defeated Lancaster 9-3 in Game 4 of the Atlantic League championship series to extend that matchup to a deciding Game 5 Sunday afternoon. Bristol has clinched the 16 points for the CFB Week 6 picks which has eliminated Ryan, Doug & Chris from Block 2 contention. Today, the Atlantic League and the Shriners Open will end while Minnesota could sweep the Western Conference Finals in the WNBA to put those points in Block 2.
Current Standings
- Jimmy 697
- Danny 689 (-8)
- mxknkl 687 (-10)
- Bristol*~ 683 (-14)
- skizzow 673 (-24)
- abittner 647 (-50)
- JP 630 (-67)
- Greg 607 (-90)
* – Bristol has already clinched a playoff spot. If he wins Block 2, the second place finisher will earn the playoff berth.
~ – Bristol has clinched the 16 points for CFB Week 6 picks. Points will be awarded once the week is complete at the completion of Sunday’s Montreal-Laval game in the CIS.
Remaining Points Available
Atlantic League – Game 5 of the championship series begins Sunday at 4:05 pm CDT. The 5 point Event Win bonus will also be awarded.
CFB Week 6 Picks – Bristol has clinched the 16 points for the weekly title.
Shriners Open – The Shriners Open will end today and provide the last opportunity for a large amount of points in Block 2.
WNBA – The Western Conference Final between Minnesota & Los Angeles could end on Sunday with a Minnesota sweep. This would add the 32 points to Block 1. (Game 3 of the series would be next Wednesday and would put the points in Block 3 if the game is necessary.)
The Contenders
Here is a breakdown of how each of the contenders for the Block 2 title stands in regards to ongoing events.
Jimmy 697 (+8)
- Atlantic League (0) – Champion pick York has been eliminated.
- WNBA (0) – Western Conference champion pick Los Angeles can no longer win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (0)
- Shriners Open (112) – In 9th place after Day 3 at -13.
Danny 689 (-8)
- Atlantic League (0) – Champion pick York has been eliminated.
- WNBA (32) – Western Conference champion pick Minnesota can still win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (0)
- Shriners Open (112) – In 3rd place after Day 3 at -52.
mxknkl 687 (-10)
- Atlantic League (32) – Champion pick Long Island is tied 2-2 in the championship series. Game 5 is today.
- WNBA (32) – Western Conference champion pick Minnesota can still win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (0)
- Shriners Open (112) – Tied for 4th place after Day 3 at -45.
Bristol 683 (-14)
- Atlantic League (32) – Champion pick Lancaster is tied 2-2 in the championship series. Game 5 is today.
- WNBA (32) – Western Conference champion pick Minnesota can still win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (16) – Has clinched the Week 6 title.
- Shriners Open (112) – Tied for 4th place after Day 3 at -45.
skizzow 673 (-24)
- Atlantic League (0) – Champion pick York has been eliminated.
- WNBA (32) – Western Conference champion pick Minnesota can still win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (0)
- Shriners Open (112) – In 2nd place after Day 3 at -53.
abittner 647 (-50)
- Atlantic League (0) – Champion pick York has been eliminated.
- WNBA (0) – Western Conference champion pick Los Angeles can no longer win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (0)
- Shriners Open (112) – In 7th place after Day 3 at -35.
JP 630 (-67)
- Atlantic League (32) – Champion pick Long Island is tied 2-2 in the championship series. Game 5 is today.
- WNBA (0) – Western Conference champion pick Los Angeles can no longer win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (0)
- Shriners Open (112) – In 13th place after Day 3 at +68.
Greg 607 (-90)
- Atlantic League (32) – Champion pick Long Island is tied 2-2 in the championship series. Game 5 is today.
- WNBA (0) – Western Conference champion pick Los Angeles can no longer win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (0)
- Shriners Open (112) – In 10th place after Day 3 at -3.
Event-By-Event Analysis
Atlantic League
- Lancaster and Long Island are tied 2-2 in the best-of-5 championship series. The series will end Sunday barring a rainout.
- If Long Island wins: mxknkl, JP & Greg all pick up 32 points and Greg & JP would gain the 5-point Event Win bonus.
- If Lancaster wins: Bristol earns the 32 points.
CFB Week 6 Picks
- Bristol has clinched the 16 points with 32 correct heading into Sunday’s final game. Ryan & abittner each have 28.
WNBA
- Minnesota leads Los Angeles in the best-of-3 Western Conference Finals. The series will only end in Block 2 on Sunday if Minnesota wins. The game on Sunday begins at 2:30 pm CDT and should be ending during the final round of the Shriners Open.
- If Minnesota sweeps: Bristol, Danny, mxknkl & skizzow would earn 32 points.
- The Takeaway: Jimmy & abittner should be heartily cheering for a Los Angeles win on Sunday. A Minnesota sweep pushes Bristol, Danny, mxknkl & skizzow past Jimmy into the top 4 spots.
Shriners Open
- Standings After Day 3 (made cuts in parentheses)
- Doug -57 (5)
- skizzow -53 (5)
- Danny -52 (5)
- mxknkl -45 (4)
- Bristol -45 (4)
- Ryan -42 (4)
- abittner -37 (5)
- Chris -23 (4)
- Jimmy -13 (3)
- Greg -3 (3)
- tonewil +5 (3)
- Mattyb22 +21 (2)
- JP +68 (1)
- Picks within 5 shots of the lead
- Jonas Blixt -19, T-1st (mxknkl, Bristol, Ryan)
- Brendan de Jonge -19, T-1st (mxknkl, Jimmy)
- Ryan Moore -19, T-1st (Doug, Danny, skizzow, Bristol, Ryan, tonewil)
Parting Shot
With the way the Shriners standings look, the Block 2 championship is likely to be settled among Danny, mxknkl & skizzow. mxknkl needs to stay in the Top 4 of the Shriners and have Long Island win the Atlantic League or have Jonas Blixt or Brendan de Jonge win the Shriners. Danny needs wins by Lancaster and Los Angeles on Sunday while staying ahead of mxknkl in the Shriners Open. skizzow needs to finish at least 2 spots ahead of Danny. After playing 18 holes of my own in the chilly weather tomorrow morning, we will provide updates starting in mid-afternoon. As soon as the championship is decided the news will be broken on Twitter.
Block 2 Pennant Race – Saturday
Posted: October 6, 2012 Filed under: MB 2013 | Tags: Block 2 Championship Leave a comment »Saturday Update
In the Atlantic League championship series last night, Long Island defeated Lancaster 12-5 in Game 3 to take a 2 games to 1 lead in the best-of-5 series. In the MLB Wild Card games, St. Louis defeated Atlanta 6-3 and Baltimore beat Texas 5-1. Winners in the Week 6 CFB Picks were Syracuse (14-13 over Pittsburgh) and BYU (6-3 over Utah State). Happening today are the Shriners Open Day 3, the Atlantic League championship series Game 4 and 29 of the 30 remaining Week 6 CFB picks.
Current Standings
- Jimmy 697
- Danny 689 (-8)
- mxknkl 687 (-10)
- Bristol* 683 (-14)
- skizzow 673 (-24)
- abittner 647 (-50)
- JP 630 (-67)
- Greg 607 (-90)
- Ryan 576 (-121)
- Doug^ 575 (-122)
- Chris 575 (-122)
* – Bristol has already clinched a playoff spot. If he wins Block 2, the second place finisher will earn the playoff berth.
^ – Doug has the edge on Chris for 10th place by virtue of the 3rd tiebreaker, correct bracket event picks (37 to 31).
Remaining Points Available
Atlantic League – Barring rainouts the championship series, worth 32 points, will be complete no later than Sunday evening and be included in Block 2. The 5 point Event Win bonus will also be awarded.
CFB Week 6 Picks – Week 6 picks end on Sunday with the Montreal @ Laval CIS game, so the 16 points to the week’s winner(s) will count towards Block 2.
Shriners Open – The event that is overwhelmingly likely to decide Block 2 is now underway. As with other UvU events, the top 10 finishers earn points on a sliding scale from 80 to 8, with a 32-point bonus for anyone who correctly picks the winner. Thus, 112 points are possible in this one.
WNBA – The Western Conference Final between Minnesota & Los Angeles began last night and ends on Sunday with a Minnesota sweep. This would add the 32 points to Block 1. (Game 3 of the series would be next Wednesday and would put the points in Block 3 if the game is necessary.)
The Contenders
Here is a breakdown of how each of the contenders for the Block 2 title stands in regards to ongoing events.
Jimmy 697 (+8)
- Atlantic League (0) – Champion pick York has been eliminated.
- WNBA (0) – Western Conference champion pick Los Angeles can no longer win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (16) – In a 4-way tie for 5th place with 3 correct.
- Shriners Open (112) – In 7th place after Day 2 at -37.
Danny 689 (-8)
- Atlantic League (0) – Champion pick York has been eliminated.
- WNBA (32) – Western Conference champion pick Minnesota can still win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (16) – In a 4-way tie for 5th place with 3 correct.
- Shriners Open (112) – In 2nd place after Day 2 at -50.
mxknkl 687 (-10)
- Atlantic League (32) – Champion pick Long Island is trailing the championship series 2-1. Game 4 is tonight.
- WNBA (32) – Western Conference champion pick Minnesota can still win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (16) – In a 3-way tie for 12th place with 1 correct.
- Shriners Open (112) – In 3rd place after Day 2 at -49.
Bristol 683 (-14)
- Atlantic League (32) – Champion pick Lancaster is leading the championship series 2-1. Game 4 is tonight.
- WNBA (32) – Western Conference champion pick Minnesota can still win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (16) – In a 4-way tie for 1st place with 4 correct.
- Shriners Open (112) – In 5th place after Day 2 at -46.
skizzow 673 (-24)
- Atlantic League (0) – Champion pick York has been eliminated.
- WNBA (32) – Western Conference champion pick Minnesota can still win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (16) – In a 4-way tie for 1st place with 4 correct.
- Shriners Open (112) – In 4th place after Day 2 at -47.
abittner 647 (-50)
- Atlantic League (0) – Champion pick York has been eliminated.
- WNBA (0) – Western Conference champion pick Los Angeles can no longer win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (16) – In a 4-way tie for 1st place with 4 correct.
- Shriners Open (112) – Tied for 8th place after Day 2 at -35.
JP 630 (-67)
- Atlantic League (32) – Champion pick Long Island is trailing the championship series 2-1. Game 4 is tonight.
- WNBA (0) – Western Conference champion pick Los Angeles can no longer win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (16) – Tied for 1oth place with 2 correct.
- Shriners Open (112) – In 13th place after Day 2 at +7.
Greg 607 (-90)
- Atlantic League (32) – Champion pick Long Island is trailing the championship series 2-1. Game 4 is tonight.
- WNBA (0) – Western Conference champion pick Los Angeles can no longer win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (16) – In a 4-way tie for 1st place with 4 correct.
- Shriners Open (112) – In 11th place after Day 2 at -32.
Ryan 576 (-121)
- Atlantic League (32) – Champion pick Lancaster is leading the championship series 2-1. Game 4 is tonight.
- WNBA (32) – Western Conference champion pick Minnesota can still win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (16) – In a 3-way tie for 12th place with 1 correct.
- Shriners Open (112) – In 6th place after Day 2 at -40.
Doug 575 (-122)
- Atlantic League (32) – Champion pick Lancaster is leading the championship series 2-1. Game 4 is tonight.
- WNBA (32) – Western Conference champion pick Minnesota can still win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (16) – In a 4-way tie for 5th place with 3 correct.
- Shriners Open (112) – In 1st place after Day 1 at -51.
Chris 575 (-122)
- Atlantic League (0) – Champion pick Southern Maryland has been eliminated.
- WNBA (0) – Western Conference champion pick Los Angeles can no longer win the series in Block 2.
- CFB Week 6 Picks (16) – Tied for 1oth place with 2 correct.
- Shriners Open (112) – Tied for 9th place after Day 2 at -34.
Event-By-Event Analysis
Atlantic League
- Lancaster leads Long Island 2 games to 1 in the best-of-5 championship series. As scheduled, the series will end either Saturday or Sunday.
- If Long Island wins: mxknkl, JP & Greg all pick up 32 points and Greg & JP would gain the 5-point Event Win bonus. mxknkl currently trails Danny by just 26 points for the Block 2 lead.
- If Lancaster wins: Bristol, Doug & Ryan earn the 32 points and Doug would gain the 5-point Event Win bonus. Bristol currently trials Danny by just 14 points for the Block 2 lead.
CFB Week 6 Picks
- One or more users will earn the 16 points for winning the week. By the end of tonight’s games only 1 game will remain and we will have a clear picture on who might gain the 16 huge points.
WNBA
- Minnesota leads Los Angeles in the best-of-3 Western Conference Finals. The series will only end in Block 2 on Sunday if Minnesota wins. The game on Sunday begins at 2:30 pm CDT and should be ending during the final round of the Shriners Open.
- If Minnesota sweeps: Bristol, Danny, Doug, Ryan, mxknkl & skizzow would earn 32 points.
- The Takeaway: Everyone except for those 6 (and maybe even Ryan & Doug) should be heartily cheering for a Los Angeles win on Sunday. A Minnesota sweep pushes the foursome of Danny, skizzow, Bristol & mxknkl further away from the rest of the group.
Shriners Open
- Standings After Day 2 (made cuts in parentheses)
- Doug -51 (5)
- Danny -50 (5)
- mxknkl -49 (4)
- skizzow -47 (5)
- Bristol -46 (4)
- Ryan -40 (4)
- Jimmy -37 (3)
- abittner -35 (5)
- Chris -34 (4)
- tonewil -34 (3)
- Greg -32 (3)
- Mattyb22 -26 (2)
- JP +7 (1)
- Picks within 5 shots of the lead
- Jonas Blixt -14, T-1st (mxknkl, Bristol, Ryan)
- Brendan de Jonge -14, T-1st (mxknkl, Jimmy)
- Ryan Moore -13, 3rd (Doug, Danny, skizzow, Bristol, Ryan, tonewil)
- Nick Watney -10, T-6th (Doug, Danny, mxknkl, skizzow, Jimmy, abittner, tonewil, Greg)
- John Huh -10, T-6th (Doug)
- Vijay Singh -10, T-6th (Doug, Danny, skizzow, Bristol, abittner, Chris, Greg, Mattyb22)
- John Daly -10, T-6th (tonewil)
- Scott Piercy -9, T-11th (Danny)
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