College Basketball: Conference USA Predictions

First of all how can Conference USA be considered a mid-major when you have a Memphis team that has a high profile head coach, can recruit 5 star athletes and compete at the highest level. You have schools with solid basketball traditions that will spend money like UTEP & UAB. I put this league in the major category.

Go ahead, say this league is just Memphis and the rest, fine. But I can’t imagine the rest of the league not benefitting from the Tigers’ success. Remember, Memphis made some major coin going to the NCAA title game for the league. Memphis won’t run the table in C-USA this year but they are still the best team.

Best Team In Conference USA – Memphis Tigers:
Memphis may have lost Derrick Rose, Chris Douglas-Roberts and Joey Dorsey but the cupboard isn’t bare. Robert Dozier and Antonio Anderson return from last year’s NCAA runner up team. Memphis needs to find a point guard and a banger in the paint to get rebounds and do the dirty work on defense but the Tigers have the best talent and depth in the league and should win it. Though they won’t go undefeated.

Best Player In Conference USA: Robert Vaden – UAB:
Vaden followed Mike Davis from Indiana to UAB and made an impact averaging 21.1 PPG and leading the league in 3’s. He’s back after testing the NBA waters and should top those numbers this season.

Team That Could Surprise: UTEP Miners:
Stefon Jackson can score, he averaged 23.6 points per game last season but the big difference in El Paso is they have size this year. 7 footer Kareem Cooper comes in after transferring from Memphis. If Cooper produces it could propel UTEP up the C-USA ladder.

Who Goes Dancing: Memphis, UAB, Tulsa

Who Plays For Number 66: UTEP

Conference USA Notes: Did you know that Tulsa ended the 2007-08 season with a win. The Golden Hurricane won the College Basketball Invitational and I’m sure that banner raising ceremony will be special. SMU head coach Matt Doherty is feeling some heat under his britches to improve the Mustangs. The ‘Stangs are young this year with 1 senior and rest sophomores & juniors so improvement may have to wait a year. Memphis has won 42 straight C-USA games. Expect that to end this year.

Photo Courtesy: The Birmingham News

Hall Talk

Bye, Bye Me-Angelo!

This may not mean a whole lot to anyone outside of Atlanta Falcons fans and Oakland Raiders fans, but apparently the Legendary (in his mind) Cornerback DeAngelo Hall is no longer with the Raiders.

Check out the story from the San Fransisco Chronicle here

((thanks Chronicle and SFGate.com and the AP for the photo))

Hall doesn't leave poor, $8 million for 8 games, but he does leave looking for work. The big question mark is what team would be willing to take on a guy who really believes he is the second coming of Deion Sanders while playing a lot like Lewis Sanders.

DeAngelo will forever be know in Atlanta as Me-Angelo and for his monumental temper tantrum in 2007 against the Carolina Panthers and Steve Smith. He's now known in Oakland as a guy who got paid way too much to do something he wasn't capable of doing. Who knows, maybe this will humble Hall a bit. He's still young (24) and has great speed and at times has flashed some skills, but in an era where most NFL teams are looking for character guys, he may be out of work for a while. But, hey, he cashed in, let's see how long that lasts.

Who Will Phil - In At Tennessee

There is big time pressure on Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton on this hire. So let’s help the man out, here’s some names to consider to become the Vols next head football coach:

Butch Davis: High profile name that’s a great coach and recruiter which is a combo you must possess to have success at Tennessee. On the flip side, why would he leave unfinished business at North Carolina to start over at UT?

Lane Kiffin: Sources have told OSG that Tennessee covets the former Oakland Raiders coach. I’m not sure if it’s Hamilton or if the infatuation lies within the deep pocketed boosters. Kiffin is an offensive coach who can recruit and is high profile. He will come at a high cost financially but money doesn’t seem to be an issue at Tennessee. I’m not sure Kiffin would be a good hire for the Vols. It’s one thing to recruit South Central LA, it’s another to recruit the South.

Jon Gruden: Yeah right.

Mike Gundy: Would be a good fit but Boone Pickens will take care of this Oklahoma State alum if you know what I mean. Gundy isn’t going anywhere.

Will Muschamp: Is there any list Muschamp won’t be on? He’s the hot young assistant that could go anywhere (Clemson, Washington, Tennessee) just got to come up with the moolah. Forget the fact he’s never been a head coach, Muschamp has been a defensive coordinator in the SEC and has ties with high school coaches all over the south. The only negative is that at Tennessee, they love offense and Muschamp is a defensive guy.

Mike Leach: Has a great offensive mind and players love to play for him. Leach has a different shall we say quirky personality which might rub Vol fans the wrong way.

Chris Petersen: He’s great at Boise but Tennessee might be over his head.

Tim Brewster: If he can revive what was a dreadful Minnesota program from the dead like Brewster has this season, he deserves more than just a courtesy look. Brewster has recruiting skills and has had some success in the South. May not be the big name hire but Brewster is a winner and might be a good fit.

David Cutcliffe: "I'm at Duke, staying at Duke," There you have it.

Tommy Tuberville: What a way to say $@&^ you to Auburn fans, boosters, etc. than to go to Tennessee after all, Tuberville hasn’t coached in the SEC East yet. Tuberville has too much class to do that.

Turner Gill: Buffalo is nice in December

Todd Graham: Stay in Tulsa

There you go, talk amongst yourselves.

David Frost Trial Update/Closing Arguments

Neco Cockburn's coverage from the Ottawa Citizen newspaper continues with closing arguments from the defense and the Crown ((that's the Canadian term for government-based prosecutors)).

The biggest revelation brought about by the defense and their lead attorney, Marie Henein, is that David Frost did not invent group sex among hockey players. More specifically, according to Henein, group sex "is common in the hockey world."

Good to know...

Both sets of attorneys wanted to cause question with some of the witnesses in the case. Frost's lawyers are looking to discredit the Crown's female witnesses who were brought to the stand to give details about Frost's control over his players and the incidents recounted covering group sex with Frost and his players.

The Crown is looking to discredit defense witnesses who were the former players testifying they knew of what was going on since they were, indeed, former players who have been under Frost's guidance since the age of 11.

From the article...

"The players, ((Crown attorney Sandy)) Mr. Tse said, were unwilling to give any details about incidents involving Mr. Frost that would put him in a bad light. One of the players, he said, was 'seeking to protect' Mr. Frost."

"Ms. Henein said testimony from the women was inconsistent, and questioned their credibility - at one point raising a theory that one of the women had heard about the case involving Mike Danton (formerly Jefferson) and wanted to help him. Mr. Danton, one of Mr. Frost's players, was sentenced in 2004 to seven years in prison for trying to hire a hitman to kill Mr. Frost, who was by then his agent.

Ms. Henein also said the women's allegations may have been influenced by collusion, noting they had been friends since Grade 2 and had talked to each other about the case.

Mr. Tse, however, said their recollections of the events contained "details of truth," citing their memories of discussing with each other the possibility of a threesome, details of the alleged events, and one woman saying she slipped a bottle of bubble bath into her coat on her way to her first threesome."

Judge Geoffrey Griffin is set to render a verdict November 28.

Part One With Coach Majors

We're, kind of, backtracking here but the give-and-take with Coach Johnny Majors is a beautiful thing... he's not going to get dragged down in to the whole Fulmer thing...

Until something happens...

There's an old saying about animals and a barn door or unbirthing a baby...
This is an "unbirthing..."
Coach Majors even goes third-person...
((HT again: WVLT-TV))

Johnny Majors Almost Comments On Fulmer

WVLT-TV gets all the credit for this one...
Daryl Hobby of Volunteer TV caught up with the former UT coach outside a golf warehouse...

The live shot is quite priceless for the fact that Majors says what he wants to say without saying anything direct...



WVLT's coverage of the press conference is below...



Did it just get cold in here, or is that just us...???
We gather the translation of Coach Majors has something to do with a door and Fulmer's backside...

College Basketball Predictions: Sun Belt Conference

The Sun Belt got 2 teams in the NCAA Tournament last year, South Alabama and Western Kentucky. The Hilltoppers made a Sweet 16 run and got Darrin Horn a job at South Carolina. Getting 2 in the big dance might be a chore this year.

Best Team In The Sun Belt - UALR Trojans:

All 5 starters return from a UALR team that won 20 games last season, the Trojans 1st 20 win season in over 10 years. UALR doesn't score much though, no one averaged double figures in points last season.

Best Player In The Sun Belt: Desmond Yates - Middle Tennessee

His nickname is "Boogie" and Boogie Yates did a lot of that last season for the Blue Raiders. Yates is the top returning scorer in the Sun Belt (16.0 PPG). He can hit the mid-range jumper too. Yates can create space between him and the defender to get his shot off.

Team That Could Surprise: North Texas Mean Green:

UNT has the best backcourt in the league is sophomore Josh White (13.9 PPG) and senior Collin Dennis (13.6 PPG). They can both shoot and in the Mid-Majors, a pair of talented guards can get you a league title.

Who Goes Dancing: UALR & Middle Tennessee

Who Plays For Number 66: South Alabama & North Texas

Sun Belt Notes: This is the league where former big time coaches can rehab their career. John Brady takes over at Arkansas State after leaving LSU during the middle of last season. Mike Jarvis has resurfaced at Florida Atlantic after a 5 year exile. After not having a home court since Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans will move back to the rebuild Lakefront Arena. The Privateers open their new home hosting NC State from the ACC. On the Wolf Pack bench will be former UNO head coach Monte Towe who left in 2006. Last year the UNO upset NC State at the RBC Center.

Photo Courtesy: MT/goblueraiders.com

Breaking News: Fulmer Will Not Return To Tennessee

Phil Fulmer's tenure as Tennessee Head Coach is over. Fulmer stepped down as head coach of the Vols.

Saying that he loved Tennessee so much he hated to see her divided, Fulmer agreed with the UT administration that this would be his last year as head coach.

Fulmer was very emotional during the news conference and was overcome a few times and had to collect himself.

Fulmer signed a new 7 year contract this past summer worth $2.5 million this season. UT is also on the hook for a $6 million buyout if Fulmer was let go after this season. UT is currently 2-6 on the year. Looks like UT found someone to write a large check to fulfill that obligation.

Photo Courtesy: Harry How/Getty Images

College Basketball Predictions: Western Athletic Conference

For the last few years, Nevada has ruled the pack in the WAC. That trend looks to continue as the title will go through Reno once again but Utah State could challenge it things fall their way.

Best Team In The WAC - Nevada Wolf Pack:

The only thing better in Reno other than the gambling and legal brothels is Nevada basketball. Mark Fox has built a mid-major power in Reno and will continue their run of championships simply because the Wolf Pack have the best talent in the league.

Best Player In The WAC: Armon Johnson - Nevada:

He is the reigning WAC Freshman of the Year after averaging 11.5 PPG and 4 boards per as well.

Team That Could Surprise: New Mexico State Aggies

NMSU boasts a talented player in sophomore Herb Pope. He was inconsistent last year as a freshman even though he wasn't cleared to play till mid season. Pope is a former High School All-American who could be the most talented player in the WAC before he leaves Las Cruses. Pope has a supporting cast that is young. Watch out for the Aggies.

Who Goes Dancing: Nevada, Utah State, New Mexico State

Who Plays For Number 66: San Jose State

WAC Notes: Mark New Years Eve on your calendar WAC fans. That is when Nevada hosts North Carolina and the Tar Heels could be #1 in the country then. Its a big test not only for the Wolf Pack but for the league going up against the best in the ACC. The secret to Utah State's success is to protect their house. Last year the Aggies went unbeaten, 17-0, at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum and are 142-17 at home the last 10 seasons. It's by far the best home court in the WAC.

Predicted Finish (Coaches Poll)

1. Nevada

2. Utah State

3. New Mexico State

4. San Jose State

5. Boise State

6. Louisiana Tech

7. Hawai'i

8. Fresno State

9. Idaho

Photo Courtesy: John Byrne/nevadawolfpack.com

AP CFB Top 25 ((Week of November 2nd))

1. Alabama (46)(9-0) 1600 2
2. Texas Tech (12)(9-0) 1528 6
3. Penn St. (6)(9-0) 1525 3
4. Florida (1)(7-1) 1398 5
5. Texas(8-1) 1353 1
6. Oklahoma(8-1) 1324 4
7. USC(7-1) 1250 7
8. Oklahoma St.(8-1) 1198 9
9. Boise St.(8-0) 1030 11
10. Utah(9-0) 1028 10
11. TCU(9-1) 958 12
12. Ohio St.(7-2) 898 13
13. Missouri(7-2) 830 14
14. Georgia(7-2) 808 8
15. LSU(6-2) 746 15
16. Ball St.(8-0) 594 18
17. BYU(8-1) 536 17
18. Michigan St.(8-2) 456 22
19. North Carolina(6-2) 418 21
20. West Virginia(6-2) 303 NR
21. California(6-2) 288 NR
22. Georgia Tech(7-2) 286 NR
23. Maryland(6-2) 242 25
24. Florida St.(6-2) 128 16
25. Pittsburgh(6-2) 96 NR

Others Receiving Votes:
• Northwestern 88,
• Tulsa 72,
• Kansas 60,
• Minnesota 23,
• Oregon St. 16,
• Cincinnati 16,
• South Carolina 10,
• Louisville 8,
• Air Force 6,
• Arizona 3,
• South Florida 1,
• Cent. Michigan 1

BCS Poll ((Week of November 2nd))

1. Alabama (9-0) 0.9700 2
2. Texas Tech (9-0) 0.9400 7
3. Penn St. (9-0) 0.9300 3
4. Texas (8-1) 0.8500 1
5. Florida (7-1) 0.8300 8
6. Oklahoma (8-1) 0.8200 4
7. USC (7-1) 0.7600 5
8. Utah (9-0) 0.7000 10
9. Oklahoma St. (8-1) 0.6700 9
10. Boise St. (8-0) 0.6500 11
11. Ohio St. (7-2) 0.5600 12
12. TCU (9-1) 0.5400 13
13. Georgia (7-2) 0.5400 6
14. Missouri (7-2) 0.4900 14
15. BYU (8-1) 0.3700 20
16. LSU (6-2) 0.3700 19
17. Ball St. (8-0) 0.3600 16
18. Michigan St. (8-2) 0.3400 21
19. North Carolina (6-2) 0.2600 22
20. Georgia Tech (7-2) 0.1900 NR
21. California (6-2) 0.1100 NR
22. Florida St. (6-2) 0.0900 15
23. Maryland (6-2) 0.0800 NR
24. Northwestern (7-2) 0.0800 NR
25. West Virginia (6-2) 0.0800 NR

Oh, My Goodness... Oh, My Goodness...

Wes Durham's play-by-play call is beyond sweet...
Florida State has the chance to put Georgia Tech away- again. The Yellow Jackets haven't found a way to beat the Seminoles since 1975...

Until this...
You've got to be f'n kidding me...

((HT: ESPN/ABC/Georgia Tech-ISP Sports Network/Georgia Tech Sports Today))

Kafka-esque Victory for Northwestern

Nothing like a fill-in at QB to get you an upset over nationally-ranked Minnesota...
Mike Kafka had runs for 53, 38, and 30 yards in the 24-17 win over the Golden Gophers.

Kafka totalled 217 yards- a new record for quarterback rushing for the Wildcats...

But it took a Brendan Smith pick returned for a score to get the duke and send the home team um, well... home... with a loss...with less than 30 seconds left in regulation...

Here you go...Dave Pasch and Andre Ware upstairs...
((HT:ESPN/the youtube))

Fear The Wann-stache!!!

And then there was the victory by Pitt over Notre Dame in South Bend...
The Panthers haven't been this excited since Tyler Palko blurted out a word he wasn't supposed to the LAST time they beat the Irish...
((HT:NBC Sports/the youtube))

Guns Up: Texas Tech Shoots Down #1 Texas

Saturday was a defining moment for the Texas Tech football program. Could the Red Raiders get a signature win and continue a dream season or put up a fight but even with maximum effort, not get the job done.

With guns blazing, Texas Tech got the job done in a classic game with a classic ending involving 2 Heisman Trophy candidates Graham Harrell and Michael Crabtree.

"The basis of this offense is the vertical passing game." Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell said. "That's just a vertical that we threw behind, and we practice that every day in practice. We practice going over the top on the fade, and we practice the throw behind. On that one, the corner wasn't looking, and if he isn't looking, throw it behind his head like Coach (Leach) says and let your receiver make a play and that's what I did. (Michael) Crab(tree) made an unbelievable catch, and not only did he make an unbelievable catch, he made an unbelievable run after that and got into the zone and got us a win."

"We run a fade route all the time, but this time Graham (Harrell) saw me running, and he connected with me for the score." Wide Receiver Michael Crabtree said.

This was a great college football game and the ending took it over the top. Its great to see 2 great quarterbacks, Graham Harrell and Colt McCoy go up against each other and both put on a good performance. McCoy struggled in the first half but got it going in the 2nd half and almost pulled it off.

Texas Tech has now positioned itself for a BCS title game berth. Alabama and Penn State stand in the way and the Red Raiders still have Oklahoma State and Oklahoma on the schedule.

For once, Lubbock, Texas is among the top of the college football elite.

Photo Courtesy: AP

KAMC-TV's David Collier looks like he's about to get killed doing his late night live shot after the game Saturday... hope he got hazard pay...

((HT:KAMC-TV/everythinglubbock.com))

He Has A Laser Beam That Shoots Out Of His Crotch

It's Captain Compete... and the USC Yearly Halloween Prank...
((HT: The University of Southern California and the youtube...))

Plancher Family Looking Into Previous Collapses

Iliana Limon's coverage of the death of University of Central Florida football player Ereck Plancher continues in the Orlando Sentinel.

The attorney for the Plancher family, J.D. Dowell, is looking in to filing a wrongful-death lawsuit against the school. Word out of Orlando this weekend is that the family is reinforcing their opinion that Ereck never told his parents or any oither family members that he knew of, or had, sickle-cell trait- the diagnosed cause of his death during a practice in March.

Plancher collapsed during an off-season workout under the supervision of UCF coaches, including Knights Head Coach George O'Leary.

Limon also divulges that the family knew of two other times Plancher collapsed during his practices on the UCF campus. UCF officials maintain that Plancher tested positive for sickle-cell trait during an examination, but privacy laws keep the university from telling anyone, family included, those results at any time.

Central Florida officials initially said that there were no issues where Plancher was concerned. They changed those statements when the autopsy results revealed the sickle cell issue.

"I haven't seen anything that would indicate Ereck knew he had sickle-cell trait," Dowell said in the Sentinel article. "I'm not suggesting UCF or someone else did not tell him. The forms that he filled out when a student-athlete first arrives at UCF actually had that question. He was asked if he had sickle-cell trait and he checked no when he first entered the school."

Dowell said he does not have Plancher's complete medical records from UCF and there may be other documentation indicating the school told Plancher about the trait.

"I am hopeful that we can find the person who actually told Ereck he had sickle-cell trait and find exactly what he was told about it," Dowell said.

In independent interviews during the past seven months, Plancher's former high school coach, two of his cousins and five friends told the Sentinel that the 19-year-old collapsed twice during workouts at UCF in the year before his death.

They said one severe episode required him to be transported to a hospital by ambulance for treatment.

Several people close to Ereck Plancher and the Plancher family have been interviewed by Mark Fainaru-Wada and the TV types at the four-letter.

The Fainaru-Wada "Outside The Lines" piece is below...
((HT: ESPN/ESPN.com))

The Newest Member of the Family

And, get this, she's already got more hair than the rest of us...
Welcome Kayla Marie to the clan...
She's got her dad's mouth and her mom's looks...
And she's already wondering what she's gotten herself in to...
((HT: Some Wilkerson with a camera))

Meee - chigan Gets Purdoosied, No Bowl For You

1967, the year of the first Super Bowl, Lyndon Johnson was the President, I was born and the Michigan Wolverines had a losing season. It would be Michigan last losing season until.... Saturday.

Purdue defeated Michigan Saturday 48-42 thanks to a trick play, a hook and lateral thus guarenteeing Michigan's first losing season since 1967. Michigan is now 2-7 on the year, 1-4 in the Big 10. Oh yea, Michigan's streak of 33 straight bowl games is over as well. Rich Rodriquez might want to down a bunch of Boilermakers are his favorite watering hole.

The last Michigan coach to led the Maize and Blue to a losing season was the forgettable Bump Elliott in 1967. a year later, Elliott was bumped off and Bo Schembechler took over and you know the rest of the story.

Somewhere up in the heavens, Bo is steaming wondering what the hell is going on and thinking God he didn't live to see this.

Photo Courtesy: JULIAN H. GONZALEZ/Detroit Free Press

College Basketball Predictions: Atlantic 10 Conference

Of all the mid-majors, the Atlantic 10 may be the best top to bottom. Potentially, 6 or 7 A-10 teams could see post season play. 14, yes there are 14 teams in the A-10 (that new math again), back to my thought, 14 could be 1 in the league. A-10 fans, here’s your forecast.

Best Team In The A-10: Xavier Musketeers
The core of Xavier’s 30 win season a year ago, Stanley Burrell, Josh Duncan and Drew Lavender have moved on however there is still plenty of talent. Derrick Brown and C.J. Anderson return and give X a outstanding frontcourt. The challenge for the Musketeers will be in the backcourt but a pair of highly touted freshman, Terrell Holloway and Mark Lyons should fill those roles. Head coach Sean Miller could have move on to bigger and better things but got a contract extension through 2018, that’s job security. Xavier knows they have a good thing with Miller calling the shots.

Best Player In The A-10: Dionte Christmas – Temple
He has been a gift for the Owls. Twice Christmas has led the league in scoring. Last season he averaged 19.7 PPG to lead the A-10. No one has ever led the A-10 in scoring 3 times and Christmas is going for it. He is the best NBA prospect in the league.

Team That Could Surprise – Saint Joseph
How could you not like Phil Martelli, he’s entertaining. Check out his coaches show if you get a chance. Make no mistake, Martelli can coach and has a strong team again this year that’s not getting much pre-season respect. If things fall right for the Hawks they will challenge Xavier for the league title.

Who Goes Dancing: Xavier & Temple

Who Plays For Number 66: Charlotte, St. Joseph’s, Dayton, UMass

A-10 (Actually 14) Points:
The A-10 is a strong league that should get more NCAA bids but with the trend going toward the big conferences, 2 looks like the max. A strong case could be made for 4 out of the A-10. Saint Louis looks like the team on the upswing. Through the Billikens couldn't score last year, they have some more talent this year to go with their outstanding backcourt and a new arena to play in. By the way, do you know what a Billiken is?

Photo Courtesy: AP