Everyone who follows college football knows that the Southeastern Conference is by far the strongest conference in the nation. It is home to such traditional powers as Alabama, LSU, and Florida. Even its second tier programs (Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee, and Arkansas) are traditionally stronger than most top programs in other conferences. Even though the quality of football is the strongest in the world outside of that Sunday afternoon league, one could argue that the SEC is more well know for the “passion” (and I use that term loosely) of its fans than the actual football being played on the field.
Being born and raised in the South, I realized early in my life that I was a minority. Not because of my race, but because I prefer the NFL over college football. In the mind of most of the people that I have encountered, that is absolute lunacy. Down here, college football is king, and nothing else matters (although NASCAR provides a nice way for some to pass the time until spring practice begins). Those of you reading this that are from non-SEC states may feel that I am exaggerating, but trust me, I am basing these statements on people I know or have interacted with personally. I once worked with a guy who would walk up to me daily and tell me whose colors I was wearing on a particular day. Needless to say, it would always be an SEC school. For instance, if I wore an orange shirt to work, he would say, “Why are you wearing that ugly Tennessee shirt today?” or if I happened to wear burgundy (or crimson), he would make a comment about his hatred for Alabama. I found this hilarious, especially considering the fact that he did not go to an SEC school. What amazes me even more is the fact that outside of Peyton Manning, the die-hard SEC fans rarely follow their favorite players once they move on to the NFL. It’s all about their favorite college team and the players that are currently there.
Although, I think it’s a little silly and have always gotten a kick out of watching the battle for fan supremacy in this region. I can honestly say that it is predominately good natured and light hearted banter between family, friends, or co-workers. That all changed earlier this week.
A lot of colleges have campuses have landmarks that are meaningful to its students, alumni, and the overall sense of community of the campus. On the Auburn campus, that place is Toomer’s Corner. This is where two 130 year old Oak trees reside that serve as the landmark for the celebration of all big football victories. This season, thanks largely to college football’s highest paid player, Auburn celebrated many big victories at this historic landmark. This season, the Auburn faithful managed to see a win over their hated rival (Alabama), a SEC championship win, and a win in the national championship game. Needless to say, Toomer’s Corner was the place to be this year.
Unfortunately for Auburn fans, it was also the place to be for Harvey Almorn Updyke Jr. Updyke is an Alabama fan who was arrested last week for poisoning the 130 year-old Live Oaks on Auburn’s campus with a lethal dose of herbicide. Updyke is no college kid playing a prank on the rival school. THIS MAN IS 62 YEARS OLD! The only thing related to this story that is stupider than a 62 year old man poisoning some trees, is how it was discovered that the poisoning occurred. Apparently Updyke was careful when he committed the crime, because he wasn’t caught in the act. Instead of simply getting away with it and watching the trees die a slow (and what would possibly appear to be a natural) death, this idiot called into the Paul Finebaum Radio Network (dedicated to almost exclusively to SEC sports, which is a brilliant idea) as “Al from Dadeville” to tell of the crime.
I am hoping that by making this phone call he wanted to get caught, because if he thought he would get to brag about this on syndicated radio (where all calls are recorded) and use a form of his real name (Al is short for his middle name of Almorn) and say where he really lives, he is even dumber than I originally thought that he was. Needless to say, the call was traced and he was arrested. He is and should be facing jail time for this crime, with a little bonus time for being a moron.
Just to further prove how intense the rivalry is between Auburn and Alabama, I found it interesting that after this event happened, Alabama immediately began guarding the Bear Bryant (he is Elvis to Alabama football fans) statue around the clock, to avoid what they felt would be retaliation on the part of Auburn fans.
To all of my fellow residents of the southeastern United States, let’s get a little perspective on life and college football’s place in it. It is a fun sport to watch and a nice diversion from real life for 3 or 4 hours each Saturday afternoon or evening in the fall, but it isn’t important enough to go to jail for. If you find yourself condoning the actions of Updyke, thinking about (or have thought about) committing a criminal act to hurt the rival of the school that you root for, or if you are not speaking to someone in your family simply because of their allegiance to another college football team, you should stop reading this blog and seek help immediately. Simply put, IT’S NOT THAT SERIOUS!
The one question that I do have, is whether or not Updyke is an Alabama alum. It is bad enough that he did what he did, but if he did so strictly has a fan with no real ties to the University, that makes it even worse.
This story has led me to a suggestion for the ticket offices at all twelve SEC schools (except for maybe Vanderbilt). When you mail the season tickets to your fans each year, please include a pamphlet highlighting things to do in your town and the surrounding cities when football season is over. This should include such things as museums, theaters, various workshops and classes, and nice restaurants to visit. Basically things that could diversify the interests and hobbies of your fan-bases.
Also,
To the Auburn faithful, I am in no way making light of the love that you have for your campus and your famous landmark. But please stop leaving "Get Well Soon Signs" and flowers on the trees. THEY ARE TREES, they can't read, and I seriously doubt that the flowers are boosting thier spirits because THEY ARE TREES!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Saturday, February 5, 2011
IT’S GAME TIME!
Is it just me, or does anyone else find it ironic that the city of Dallas is covered with a white powdery substance during the week when all of the world’s eyes are fixated on that city? Kind of reminds me of the Cowboy’s heyday in the early 90’s, when America’s eyes were also fixated on Dallas Texas and “America’s Team”. Shout out to Michael Irvin.
I must say that I am interested in how the NFL reacts to the terrible weather that is putting a damper on the usually festive mood that surrounds the Super Bowl each year. I am watching closely because I live in Atlanta, which has hosted two previous Super Bowls. However, our bid for a third has been repeatedly denied due in large part to an ice storm that took place in late January 2000. Never mind the fact that the game was actually played in a comfortable 72 degree dome (where all football should be played in my opinion), and that it had one of the most amazing endings in Super Bowl history, the NFL simply will not award another Super Bowl to my great city. Although I think the most important thing about Super Bowl week in the actual SUPER BOWL, there are obviously those who feel as though the partying and corporate schmoozing that goes on is more important than the actual game. To those people, I say enjoy the snow, while we real football fans (who largely can’t afford tickets) enjoy the actual game.
Now, what you all have been waiting for….
THE SUPER BOWL (Steelers vs. Packers) – This game will feature the #1 and #3 ranked defenses in the league this year. Logically, this would lead you to believe that this game will be a low scoring defensive slugfest. If you believe this, you are absolutely WRONG! While the defenses on both sides are extremely good, both of these quarterbacks are great, and great usually beats good where I’m from. This game will be an absolute track-meet with both teams scoring in the 30’s. Trying to pick a winner is this game will be like splitting hairs. In a way these teams are mirror images of each other, which will make for a highly entertaining game. Let’s take a look at some of the key positional matchups in this game:
Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger v/s Aaron Rodgers - Ben Roethlisberger has proven to be the best clutch quarterback in the NFL today. A fact that has Steelers’ fans absolutely giddy about the possibility of winning a 7th Super Bowl. However, Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers is quickly becoming THE BEST QUARTERBACK IN THE NFL! (I know that a lot of you won’t believe that I said that, considering the big football related man-crush that I have had on Peyton Manning, but I think that Rodgers is quickly surpassing him and all of the other usual suspects that are in that conversation). There was once a time when the Packer fan-base was split over Rodgers and a certain diva quarterback who wears #4 t-shirts in Wrangler commercials they way people were split over Michael Jackson and Prince in the 80’s. Looks like Rodgers has brought them all together to sing his praises in unison.
Running Back
No need to compare the running backs in this game because neither team will be able to run the ball, nor will they try very hard to establish the run. Look for both QB’s to throw for nearly 400 yards.
Wide Receiver
Mike Wallace is an absolute beast and is one of the five fastest players in the entire league, along with Chris Johnson, Devin Hester, DeSean Jackson, and…. Darius Heyward-Bey (one day when he actually catches a pass we will be able to see how fast he is with a football in his hands).
I know this isn’t comparing apples to apples and it is crossing sports, but who was the better draft pick, Darius Heyward-Bey (taken 7th overall by the Oakland Raiders when Michael Crabtree, Percy Harvin, Jeremy Maclin, Kenny Britt, and Hakeem Nicks were still available) or Marvin Williams (taken 2nd overall by the Atlanta Hawks when point guard was their obvious need and Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Monte Ellis were all available).
I digress, I just love finding time to point out how terrible of a draft pick Marvin Williams was, and the fact that he has lived up to expectations by becoming a terrible NBA player (considering how high he was picked). By the way, Williams chimed in with a stellar 9 point effort Friday night (two below his career average of 11).
Sorry about that, but I had to vent. Now back to the regularly scheduled blog, already in progress….
Outside of Wallace, the Steelers’ receivers are rather pedestrian. Hines Ward is still a good player and a reliable third-down receiver, but he doesn’t scare anyone at this point in his career (actually I’m not sure if he ever did). Rodgers on the other-hand has the league’s best group of receivers at his disposal, which is led by Greg Jennings. Four of his receivers had 45 catches or more. This means that he can spread Pittsburgh’s defense out with four or even five receivers (that are legitimate threats), which will prove to be a huge advantage because the Steelers do not have four or five competent cornerbacks to cover this group. Look for both Jennings and James Jones to make a big play at some point during this game.
Defense
These are both hard-hitting and ridiculously athletic 3-4 defenses who run zone blitz schemes designed to confuse the quarterback by coming at him from every conceivable angle with players that they are not accustomed to seeing coming on a blitz. As a matter of fact these were the top two teams in the league this year at knocking the quarterback’s block off (the Steelers led the league with 48 sacks, and the Packers were second with 47). They were also second (Packers) and fifth (Steelers) in interceptions. As I stated earlier, conventional logic would suggest that these stats would lead to a low scoring defensive struggle, but as I also stated earlier, that will not be the case. However, this game will turn on a defensive play. One quarterback will make a big mistake that the defense will capitalize on. There will be a sack-fumble or a pick-six in this game that will make all of the difference. Many would assume that this play will be made by Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, Clay Matthews, or Charles Woodson. Those assumptions would be incorrect. The player that will make the Straight Cash Homey!!!! game-changing play of the game will be Green Bay cornerback Tramon Williams. This play will propel him to game MVP status (I bet you didn’t see that one coming).
The Bottom Line
This game will have everything that a football fan looks for in a Super Bowl, and for the fourth consecutive year, football fans will be treated to a phenomenal championship game. This will be the game in which the legend of Aaron Rodgers will begin to be built. Look for him to have a monster game and lead the Packers to victory.
My Prediction: Packers 38 – Steelers 31
One other thing….
I would be remised, if I didn’t give the proper credit to Jerry Jones and Roger Goddell for figuring out a way to take even more money from football crazed (and not all that intelligent) fans. They are giving people the opportunity to pay $200 per ticket (must purchase a minimum of four tickets) to stand outside of Cowboy’s Stadium and watch the game on HD televisions. That is absolutely foolish to me, but they are selling like crazy and even appearing on the secondary ticket market for around $330. Love or hate him, Jerry Jones is one brilliant businessman or should that be a Business, Man.
Also….
I usually don’t get into the Super Bowl commercials (I usually use that time to “refuel” with soft drinks of course), but I can’t wait to see what my little homey, the ETRADE baby comes up with this year. Those commercials are awesome!
I must say that I am interested in how the NFL reacts to the terrible weather that is putting a damper on the usually festive mood that surrounds the Super Bowl each year. I am watching closely because I live in Atlanta, which has hosted two previous Super Bowls. However, our bid for a third has been repeatedly denied due in large part to an ice storm that took place in late January 2000. Never mind the fact that the game was actually played in a comfortable 72 degree dome (where all football should be played in my opinion), and that it had one of the most amazing endings in Super Bowl history, the NFL simply will not award another Super Bowl to my great city. Although I think the most important thing about Super Bowl week in the actual SUPER BOWL, there are obviously those who feel as though the partying and corporate schmoozing that goes on is more important than the actual game. To those people, I say enjoy the snow, while we real football fans (who largely can’t afford tickets) enjoy the actual game.
Now, what you all have been waiting for….
THE SUPER BOWL (Steelers vs. Packers) – This game will feature the #1 and #3 ranked defenses in the league this year. Logically, this would lead you to believe that this game will be a low scoring defensive slugfest. If you believe this, you are absolutely WRONG! While the defenses on both sides are extremely good, both of these quarterbacks are great, and great usually beats good where I’m from. This game will be an absolute track-meet with both teams scoring in the 30’s. Trying to pick a winner is this game will be like splitting hairs. In a way these teams are mirror images of each other, which will make for a highly entertaining game. Let’s take a look at some of the key positional matchups in this game:
Quarterback
Ben Roethlisberger v/s Aaron Rodgers - Ben Roethlisberger has proven to be the best clutch quarterback in the NFL today. A fact that has Steelers’ fans absolutely giddy about the possibility of winning a 7th Super Bowl. However, Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers is quickly becoming THE BEST QUARTERBACK IN THE NFL! (I know that a lot of you won’t believe that I said that, considering the big football related man-crush that I have had on Peyton Manning, but I think that Rodgers is quickly surpassing him and all of the other usual suspects that are in that conversation). There was once a time when the Packer fan-base was split over Rodgers and a certain diva quarterback who wears #4 t-shirts in Wrangler commercials they way people were split over Michael Jackson and Prince in the 80’s. Looks like Rodgers has brought them all together to sing his praises in unison.
Running Back
No need to compare the running backs in this game because neither team will be able to run the ball, nor will they try very hard to establish the run. Look for both QB’s to throw for nearly 400 yards.
Wide Receiver
Mike Wallace is an absolute beast and is one of the five fastest players in the entire league, along with Chris Johnson, Devin Hester, DeSean Jackson, and…. Darius Heyward-Bey (one day when he actually catches a pass we will be able to see how fast he is with a football in his hands).
I know this isn’t comparing apples to apples and it is crossing sports, but who was the better draft pick, Darius Heyward-Bey (taken 7th overall by the Oakland Raiders when Michael Crabtree, Percy Harvin, Jeremy Maclin, Kenny Britt, and Hakeem Nicks were still available) or Marvin Williams (taken 2nd overall by the Atlanta Hawks when point guard was their obvious need and Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Monte Ellis were all available).
I digress, I just love finding time to point out how terrible of a draft pick Marvin Williams was, and the fact that he has lived up to expectations by becoming a terrible NBA player (considering how high he was picked). By the way, Williams chimed in with a stellar 9 point effort Friday night (two below his career average of 11).
Sorry about that, but I had to vent. Now back to the regularly scheduled blog, already in progress….
Outside of Wallace, the Steelers’ receivers are rather pedestrian. Hines Ward is still a good player and a reliable third-down receiver, but he doesn’t scare anyone at this point in his career (actually I’m not sure if he ever did). Rodgers on the other-hand has the league’s best group of receivers at his disposal, which is led by Greg Jennings. Four of his receivers had 45 catches or more. This means that he can spread Pittsburgh’s defense out with four or even five receivers (that are legitimate threats), which will prove to be a huge advantage because the Steelers do not have four or five competent cornerbacks to cover this group. Look for both Jennings and James Jones to make a big play at some point during this game.
Defense
These are both hard-hitting and ridiculously athletic 3-4 defenses who run zone blitz schemes designed to confuse the quarterback by coming at him from every conceivable angle with players that they are not accustomed to seeing coming on a blitz. As a matter of fact these were the top two teams in the league this year at knocking the quarterback’s block off (the Steelers led the league with 48 sacks, and the Packers were second with 47). They were also second (Packers) and fifth (Steelers) in interceptions. As I stated earlier, conventional logic would suggest that these stats would lead to a low scoring defensive struggle, but as I also stated earlier, that will not be the case. However, this game will turn on a defensive play. One quarterback will make a big mistake that the defense will capitalize on. There will be a sack-fumble or a pick-six in this game that will make all of the difference. Many would assume that this play will be made by Troy Polamalu, James Harrison, Clay Matthews, or Charles Woodson. Those assumptions would be incorrect. The player that will make the Straight Cash Homey!!!! game-changing play of the game will be Green Bay cornerback Tramon Williams. This play will propel him to game MVP status (I bet you didn’t see that one coming).
The Bottom Line
This game will have everything that a football fan looks for in a Super Bowl, and for the fourth consecutive year, football fans will be treated to a phenomenal championship game. This will be the game in which the legend of Aaron Rodgers will begin to be built. Look for him to have a monster game and lead the Packers to victory.
My Prediction: Packers 38 – Steelers 31
One other thing….
I would be remised, if I didn’t give the proper credit to Jerry Jones and Roger Goddell for figuring out a way to take even more money from football crazed (and not all that intelligent) fans. They are giving people the opportunity to pay $200 per ticket (must purchase a minimum of four tickets) to stand outside of Cowboy’s Stadium and watch the game on HD televisions. That is absolutely foolish to me, but they are selling like crazy and even appearing on the secondary ticket market for around $330. Love or hate him, Jerry Jones is one brilliant businessman or should that be a Business, Man.
Also….
I usually don’t get into the Super Bowl commercials (I usually use that time to “refuel” with soft drinks of course), but I can’t wait to see what my little homey, the ETRADE baby comes up with this year. Those commercials are awesome!
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