SEC items of interest
Big things on tap this week nationally, and intriguing things happening around the SEC. Let's explore four of them.
Nick Saban facing a rare two-game losing streak to Ole Miss. Saban's late-game eruption at Lane Kiffin last week was every bit as much for focus for Saturday's trip to Oxford as it was for anything that happened against Western Kentucky. Saban having a two-game losing streak to anyone this side of the AFC East feels about as common as back-to-back holes in one. Sure, it can happen, but it's not flippin' likely. Here's betting Saban has his team's attention for the first survive-and-advance test in the treacherous SEC West. We know this, if Ole Miss can't find a running game, that Alabama defense will make it a long afternoon for Chad Kelly.
LSU's quarterback carousel. The start to the season for the LSU offense has been downright disastrous. They have arguably the best running back in the country and at least two future NFL wide outs and the Tigers scored one offensive touchdown against Wisconsin and was shuffling against Jacksonville State before Danny Etling was inserted at quarterback. Brandon Harris looks like this year's Jeremy Johnson and the question has to be why Les Miles and offensive coordinator Cam Cameron have not been able to find and/or develop an adequate option at quarterback. This team is too good to be this mediocre.
Which team emerges from Auburn-Texas A&M. With Ole Miss' injuries and LSU's limitations, the winner between the Tigers and Aggies could join an Arkansas team as potential movers in the topsy-turvy SEC West. The Aggies have a quarterback they can trust; the Tigers have their best defensive line in more than a decade. The winner takes a step forward; the loser will have to fight to get to seven wins, and that could make a coaching change at either locale possible.
Will the Vols and Dogs handle their business? OK, UT and UGA has fashioned similar resumes: Each has a pretty impressive showing against a recognized ACC foe at a neutral site that was not entirely neutral; each also has a sleep-walking performance against a smaller program that very well could have been a disastrous loss in each case. Yes, App State is better than most people realized - including the UT players - and Nicholls State took advantage of a Georgia team that was simply not ready to play. As the calendar hits the midway point of September, UGA has an SEC road game it has to expect to win at Missouri. UT has one more cupcake before the must-have date with Florida. And fans of each are still not completely sure what the Vols and Dogs are just yet.
Georgia wide receiver Isaiah McKenzie (16) muffs a punt return against Nicholls in the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 10, 2016, in Athens, Ga. Georgia won 26-24. (AP Photo/Brett Davis)Fab 4 (times two) picks
OK, the best thing you can find when hunting for entertainment is the worst team in college football. Good teams have bad days every now and then, but it is much more rare for bad teams to have good days. Talent can slump; lack of talent, however, seldom changes.
With that in mind, we are starting to see teams that truly are terrible. And as we frequently have to remind ourselves, hunting entertainment with picks is not the same thing as looking for entertaining games.
First, let's pick a couple of games because of specific match-ups that are appealing.
Georgia minus-6.5 over Missouri. Look at the differences in talent between the two rosters, and Missouri needs way more than a touchdown to balance these teams. Yes, it's in Columbia, but also know that there are still plenty of good seats available, and in their two trips to Missouri, the Bulldogs have two wins by a combined 75-20 margin.
Miami minus-2.5 over App State. Yes, the Mountaineers were impressive against a Tennessee team that was very one-dimensional. Yes, the game is in Boone, N.C., which, in addition to being a great little home-field edge will be an overwhelming culture shock to a collection of Hurricanes who are mainly from South Florida. Still, Miami can throw it, and Brad Kaaya is a future NFL quarterback. Will this one be close? Most likely, but you have to believe Miami simply has too much talent not to win the game.
Texas A&M plus-3.5 over Auburn. Sorry, but it feels like the wrong team is favored in this one, no? This one simply is math. This feels like a field goal game, so the 3.5 price is nice. Plus, in an entertaining short SEC series that has been dominated by the road team, there's value in backing the better quarterback in a tight game like this. And Trevor Knight is far and away the best quarterback in this game.
South Carolina-East Carolina under the 50. Man, that at first looked like a misprint. Is that supposed to be 30? Nope, it's 50, which means it's awfully appealing for a South Carolina team that makes plays defensively and mistakes offensively.
Washington State minus-24 over Idaho. Ah the first wave of betting against a team as much as betting on a team. Now add in the motivation of a Mike Leach-coached offense that has struggled in the first two weeks. Yes please. This one feels 61-17.
TCU minus-24 over Iowa State. Iowa State may be the single worst power five team in the country. Sorry Kansas, you have been replaced at the top (or is that the bottom) of the bad list. The Cyclones dropped its opener against an FCS foe and then got so motivated for its in-state rival Iowa, they lost 42-3 only after the Hawkeyes called off the dogs. Another one that feels 61-17. Or maybe even 61-7.
Duke-Northwestern under the 45. Duke has a back-up quarterback who managed all of two touchdowns at home against Wake Forest. Northwestern is so offensively challenged that it mustered only 277 yards and one score last week against Northern Illinois. First team to 16 wins.
Rutgers minus-5 over New Mexico. New Mexico is terrible. Now add to that the travel of flying 3,000 miles for a noon Eastern kick. This line should be closer to 15, and as we all know, when it comes to picks added value equals added entertainment.
Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski looks to the referee for a goal tending call as the team gathers during a timeout in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Utah, Saturday, Dec. 19, 2015, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson) Millions of dollars for a bathroom decision
The Atlantic Coast Conference announced Wednesday that it would move its out of North Carolina, including the conference title game this coming December, in response backlash to the state's controversial House Bill 2.
The law - which is overwhelming supported by the voters in the state - has now cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue because of events lost.
That's a decision that companies and organizations must make. And it's within their rights.
Again we are in a place where sports is part of the bargaining process of social issues. And that's part of the discourse sometimes in regard to fame and power and prestige.
But it also begs the question about balance. What issues should the NCAA be going out on a limb for?
Should they be throwing their weight toward, you know, maybe sexual abuse on campuses like Baylor or misdeeds at place like Louisville, Miami or even in the state of North Carolina?
The NCAA moved like a ninja and the ACC followed along on this because, well, it's the easy stance to take.
Some say the state should be embarrassed about the law, well, the ACC and the NCAA are bona fide experts on embarrassing.
Is it embarrassing how Duke and ACC officials handled the faux rape allegations for the LaCrosse team several years ago?
Is it embarrassing that the NCAA, an organization that in some people's view is a odd blend of the miniature character behind the curtain in Oz and an US aircraft character, can't figure out who is and is not following the rules but can supersede the court proceedings in this matter?
But this issue - bathroom equality - is the one that will mobilize the administrators at the NCAA and the ACC and potentially even the SoCon in a blink of an eye.
Why?
Is it because we have less than 1 tenth of 1 percent affected by these bathroom regulations? No. (And if college sports is all about all-inclusion in matters like this are we going to have the men and women athletes at these events using the same locker rooms at the same time? If we are all about inclusion and treating everyone the same, then should we re-examine the divisiveness that is Title IX?)
Is it because we college sports are in such a glorious, and non-controversial place they are focused on external issues of social import? Nah, not so much.
So here we are, the leaders of college sports taking an easy stance on an issue that affects fewer people than those who battle color-blindness because it's easy.
And that's their right. But how about cleaning up your own houses - paying players, equal playing fields, rule enforcement - before you throw your hollow hats into the political ring.
And what issue is next?
What will the next athlete kneel for - not enough bike lanes in Chattanooga, the perilous plight of the polar bear in the North Pole - and what issue will these hypocritical, morality when it's easy leagues and organizations decide is best for all us?
So it goes.
This and that
- Because we like to help in whatever platform around, here are some early critic reviews of some of the new shows on the TV slate this fall. http://tvline.com/gallery/new-tv-shows-best-worst-2016/#!1/fall-tv-best-worst-chance/
- The NFL jerseys with the name 'Harambe' on the back have been lifted from the banned list. So there's that.
- This national prep player of the week candidate threw for a measly 631 yards last week. Wow. And if you need a more impressive stat, try this one: He has surpassed 7,500 career passing yards in 15 career games. Holy Moly. http://www.maxpreps.com/news/mk_fobxuVUauN9bGvy1CCw/national-high-school-football-stat-stars.htm
Today's question
There's a lot to weigh in on today.
Go after it.
If you need a Rushmore, well, today's Tommy Lee Jones' 70th birthday. Yes, that Tommy Lee Jones.
OK, we could ask for the TLJ movie Rushmore, and feel free with that. But we also want three-named actors Rushmore.
Go.