Wednesday Stuff

So much crazy shiz going on right now, I figured I should get some thoughts out there on what impacts the Football Challenge.

1. IOWA ?'s
So Norm Parker, who has been the Iowa DC since Paterno was a baby, is retiring after this season. For an Iowa guy, he seems like a pretty good dude and it's a loss that will hurt the Squawks. I don't believe Ferentz has ever replaced a coordinator at Iowa, so this will be something new. The D was bad this year, but over the last 10 it's been the unit that has carried that team to a couple of nice seasons. The other question mark in Iowa City is around the Cap'n, Mr. Ferentz himself. He's always been good buds with Scott Pioli and the Belichick coaching tree, Mr. Pioli fired Todd Haley in KC, this seems like a nice fit. Although, if you're Ferentz, why the hell would you ever leave the Iowa job where he's the richest man in the state and seems to maintain his spot while performing well below expectations over the last few years. I hope it happens, but I HATE IOWA, but to me the Cap'n doesn't look like an NFL coach. We'll see, his name seems to come up with a lot of NFL openings but my question is why? The world may never know.

2. NCAA Coaching ?'s
Okay. So AUB OC and offensive guru Gus Malzahn decides he's had enough of being OC at AUB and takes the HC job at ARKST while also taking nearly a 50% pay cut to make the move? Something smells funny to me on this one. I get the urge to be a HC, but this is the same guy who basically turned down the job at VANDY last year and now he accepts ARKST? I'm wondering if there is something happening or something that did happen at AUB that caused a rift with Chizik. Former Gopher DC, Ted Roof, was also fired from the DC spot on AUB after this season. Chizik is cleaning house...or are these guys leaving voluntarily because Chizik is showing his inner Cyclone side and is a complete d-bag? This is the same staff that won the NC just last season, and now in an expected rebuilding year that went surprisingly well, they are all abandoning ship? Where there's smoke there's fire.

The other oddity just happened today. Coaching turnover at a school is tough and it usually takes a while to dig out of the hole your previous coach puts you in while the learning curve for the new coach takes a year or two as well. So with that in mind, how about the Pitt Panthers. Todd Graham, first year coach who replaced the Wann-Stache, just jumped ship to go to ASU after just one season. This Graham character is a class-act, he texted back to his boss to relay the message to the kids that he's off to Tempe so God Bless. Nice, that's a quality individual. This is the same guy that has now held 4 different HC jobs in the last 6 years. Stability...or not I guess. So Graham is a dbag, and it will be easy to root against the Sun Devils again next year. On the flip side you have the Pitt Panthers and their circus of a situation. First, they fire long time coach Wann-Stache last year and hire the guy who lead MIAOH to the MAC title. Well, then this guy (can't remember his name right now and too lazy to look it up) gets a domestic charge against him and a DUI I believe and he's fired in the matter of 2 weeks before he even does anything at PITT. So the search is on again, and they settle on Graham from Tulsa. I figured this would work for a while as it was Graham's first big-time BCS job. Now he bails, and PITT is searching for their 3rd coach in the last year! This is a train wreck. It's not like it's a bad job either, but apparently nobody can keep it for very long.

3. Senator Craig James
As a Thursday night football viewer, I can say I got an early x-mas present yesterday when Craig James revelaed his plans to run for Senate in TX and stop talking about games on ESPN. Thank you Santa Jesus. The 3 man booth of Rece Davis, James, and Jesse Palmer was like driving 8" nails into your ears for 4 hours at a time. I like Rece, he's fine...Jesse, not so much...but James was by far the worst. The way he got Leach fired, cheated at SMU, and says nothing of value on Thursdays for the last couple of years should make this a National Holiday for all of the College Football world. DEC 13th will forever be the day that Thursday Night football got their mojo back - you could hire anyone and it will be an upgrade. Thanks for the memories Craig, good luck on that Senate thing!

4. NFL Madness
11 of the 16 games from last week fell within 1 score of the line. The madness that is watching NFL games and betting ATS is insane. Of my 4 losses from last week, 3 could have easily and I might argue should have easily been wins. CIN loses on a last second TD from HOU even though they had a large lead the whole game. TEN decides to not throw the ball into the EZ at the end to beat NO and doesn't cover the 3.5 pt spread at the same time. Then DAL blows a 12 pt lead with 3 mins left in the game and loses outright! 3 heartbreakers that didn't go my way, but at the same time I had a last play TD from INDY to cover the BAL line, an extra late TD from SEA to cover the 10 on MNF, and PIT laying off the gas an not blowing out the pathetic Browns on TNF. So I guess I lose 3 and I win 3...you win the weeks where out of the 6 close ones you get 5. Seriously, sometimes it seems like you should just flip a coin and see what happens. I think I'm going to actually add that next year, we'll have a mythical player who flips a coin on 15 games a week and we'll see how bad he beats some of us!

5. NFL Fun Facts and Playoff Run Preview
3 games to go, here a division by division breakdown of what should happen and what is happening:
DAL-NYG-PHI-WAS
DAL can't win on the road and has 2 road games left...they miss the playoffs. NYG aren't elite, but I think they win the division. They have a chance to win out. PHI hasn't won back to back games all year, but I still think they are the team of the century! They have only 5 wins, only 1 of those was at home...wow. WAS sucks, but I seem to pick them and win with them every week. After that pesky 6 game losing streak, I think they figured some things out since the return of the Rex. They continue to get more than a TD against teams that shouldn't give more than a TD to anyone.

CHI-DET-GB-MIN
CHI is done. After the bad loss to Jesus last week I think their chips have been cashed. The might lose out...which would include a Metrodome L in the final week. DET is also not going anywhere. This team hasn't played really well since they killed Jesus almost 2 months ago...and they were the last ones to beat him. I think they lose out as well. GB, it's tough to not see 16-0 in their future, but let's let the WIS luck continue. Vagers miss out on their Nat'l Title dreams, Brew Crew sucks in the playoffs and now has everything fall apart, I think it's only a natural progression for the Pack to fall into this same trap. It's basically Super Bowl Champ or bust at this point, so you know what I think will happen and what I'll be rooting for. No D = No Ring. PURPLE - well, we're holding on strong to a top 3 pick, which is really the only goal at this point. I think they beat the Bears but lose the rest...3-13. We're allowing 28 ppg, maybe it's time to revamp the D? Just an idea.

ATL-CAR-NO-TB
ATL will make the playoffs. Easy end to the slate will get them in, but they are not impressive and have been a big disappointment this year. CAR will probably beat TB next Saturday, but lose the other 2 and continue to add more in the draft. NO is scoring a stupid 32 ppg and covered 5 in a row. They win out and go 13-3 for the #2 seed. TB has lost 7 straight, and scores less than the Purple! They've only broke 20 pts once during that streak (vs. the invincible Packers). No wins left, 4-12.

ARI-SF-SEA-STL
ARI has won 5/6, did anyone notice? And they have 3 winnable games left...9-7? They were 1-6, now covered 6 of 7. They only score 19 ppg, but they play D...so they have a chance. SF is a division champ, but I have no faith in this team. Great D, but it's still Alex Smith. Not a lot left to play for, because the Saints will get the #2 seed. SEA is playing really well. They only score 19 ppg too, but they also play great D. in 6 of their 13 games they've held opponents under 20...that's how you win. They have also won 4 of 5. STL is bad. 12 ppg, scored over 20 points 1 time this year...in 13 games!...only 1 time! They have CIN, PIT, SF left...damn it, they probably beat out the Purple for the #2 pick.

BUF-MIA-NE-NYJ
Remember when the Bills were good? Since they have lost the last 6 weeks they can pretty much start planning for next year. MIA, fired coach...start planning for next year. NE, I usually love this club, but their D is really not that good and I think they can't do anything in the playoffs. If it works out, they could/will give the Pack a run, but I don't think they get there. NYJ will cruise into their usual wildcard spot and be a dangerous play in the opening round. They have PHI, NYG, MIA left...not the easiest slate, but I'll pencil them in for now.

BAL-CIN-CLE-PIT
Ravens = division champs. They've handled PIT twice, I like this team. They have more offense than you realize and that D when healthy is the best. CIN still has a shot, but they've lost 4 of 5, 3 of which were in the division. Much better than I expected, but I think the dream is dead for this year. CLE needs to blow it up and start over. I just heard that they haven't scored in the 4th quarter this year...how is that even possible. Lost 6 of 7, only scoring 14 ppg, ugly. PIT just doesn't seem to have it this season. They keep winning, but nothing is impressive and they are banged up all over the place. SF, CLE, STL left...so they could win out, but I think they get a WC spot.

HOU-IND-JAC-TEN
HOU has clinched already, but they look like a scary bet for the playoffs. D improved = wins improve...weird, huh. 7 wins in a row, but missing their QB and now DC Wade Phillips is leaving for a while with health issues...not good omens. IND is 0-13 and contemplating trading their franchise QB and drafting a new one. Dan "I look for open receivers while I'm running on the back line of the end zone" Orlovsky was their QB last week. They shouldn't win all year, but probably will sneak out one. JAC, coach already fired here as well...season over. Another pathetic offense at 15 ppg, only better than the 14 ppg that INDY has put up. I still like TEN as a potential playoff contender if the Jets stumble. IND-JAC-HOU is a nice way to finish considering all 3 of them have nothing to play for. TEN could be a 10 win team and I think they have the tiebreaker over NYJ right now. Stay tuned.

DEN-KC-OAK-SD
Jesus is going to get this team in the playoffs as the division champ. Is there really any doubt? NE, BUF, KC left...but it doesn't matter. 6 in a row, and 7 out of 8...unreal. KC, coach fired, potentially playing Stanzi at QB this week...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! They haven't broke 10 points in a game in 6 weeks! Stanzi will make that streak last 3 more weeks. OAK looked good early and has really struggled lately. But they've played 4 of 5 on the road and have 2 of the last 3 at home. All 3 are winnable and I still think they are a good team...but the NFL and God will not allow them into the playoffs when Jesus is QB on the other side. SD still feels like a mirage to me. 2 wins in a row, but 3 tough games left and basically needing to win out to be considered is not a good bet. SD = dead.

So my official picks:
NFC: GB, NO, SF, NYG...ATL, SEA
AFC: NE, BAL, HOU, DEN...PIT, NYJ

If you're still reading, be sure to send in your picks for this week in the NFL and all 35 Bowl Picks are also due on Thursday.