Sports Updates Cont.
Quick updates to inform you on the sports world.
*2007 Michigan Football Preview*
On New Years the Wolverines season ended on a bad note with a 18-32 loss to USC, but Michigan fans have a lot of things to look forward to. What I’m looking forward to and probably every one else too is Ryan Mallett. Who’s Ryan Mallett? Currently he’s a high school senior in Texas, and he will be attending Michigan for next season. The 6 foot 7 quarterback has the strongest arm anyone has ever seen. When I saw him at the Michigan camp this summer he was throwing the ball over 80 yards, in the NFL throwing the ball over 65 yards is considered a strong arm. Ryan probably won’t start over Chad Henne, but I do think he will get a good amount of playing time because he’s the kind of player that you don’t see very often.
One of the biggest questions for 2007 is the Wolverine defense, they started off strong then had a major breakdown in there last 2 games. The even bigger thing that people are wondering about is the secondary. The defense is very deep at both safety positions, but the corners are Michigan’s Achilles tendon. Returning Starter Morgan Trent has been bashed in news papers when after the Rose Bowl the big topic was “USC receivers targeted Morgan Trent”. I believe he will be the hardest worker this off season and comeback to surprise people with how much he has improved. The other corner is up in the air right now. Michigan is still in the running for one of the top corners in the nation, Ronald Johnson, they also have some younger players who could step up into a starting role.
* * * * * *
December 3rd, 2006, 10:58 pm
*What Really Happened Sunday Night**
Right after it was announced that Ohio State will be playing Florida for the National Championship, the BCS came out with their new logo. The colors were orange and blue. Then Florida’s coach Urban Meyer called up the BCS President and asked if they could change the name of the bowl game to, “The Deserving Bowl.” The President granted his request and asked if Meyer needed anything else. Meyer said no, his explanation being, “Since we deserve to be at this bowl, that means were the number-2 team in the nation. We are ranked ahead of Michigan so we should be a better match for OSU.”
!http://static.flickr.com/116/313630935_5ab8255737_t.jpg!
*Bowl Championship Series or Bad College Season?*
It’s a matter of time before we re-call our troops and execute mission, BCS-Freedom. The BCS is as corrupt as the cigarette companies. They give what the people want, not what is best for them. Once people realize the BCS is corrupt, we’ll get a new system.
!http://static.flickr.com/113/313630933_35f08967d7.jpg!
*This article is not 100% true. Whoops.
* * * * * *
December 2nd, 2006, 10:38 pm
*UCLA 13, USC 9*
The UCLA Bruins defense played the best four quarters of defense anyone has seen this year. The Bruins allowed only 9 points to a USC Trojan offense which averages 30 points per game. The Bruins defense completely shutdown Trojan offensive weapons Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith.
The Bruins quarterback Jared Cowan played an outstanding game. He had 112 yards passing and rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown. His stats might not show the kind of game he had but his leadership did. He took some of the hardest hits I have ever seen, but he bounced back up like nothing ever happened. Nothing the Trojans did could rattle him. On the first TD of the game it was all Cowan. He set up the Bruins score by running all over the Trojan defense.
With only one minute left to play on the Bruins 20 yard line, the Trojans were threatening to score and take the lead. As John David Booty was throwing the ball Eric McNeal batted Booty’s pass into the air and then made a tremendous play by leaping and intercepting the pass. This was the play of the game and secured the Bruins upset over the Trojans.
*Florida 38, Arkansas 28*
In this wild game, five different players threw for a TD and freshman wide receiver/running back Percy Harvin was the game changer. Harvin had 105 rushing yards on 6 attempts and one TD, receiving he had 5 catches for 62 yards and 1 TD. Arkansas’s playmaker Darren McFadden was held in check by the Gator defense. McFadden was 1 for 3 passing for 2 yards, 1 TD, 1 interception, 72 yards rushing on 21 attempts, and 2 catches for 27 yards.
The Razorbacks were down 7-17 at halftime but turnovers gave the Razorbacks another chance, but the Gators were just too much for the Razorbacks to handle. The play of the game was a 67 yard TD run by Harvin to open up the fourth quarter which put the dagger in the heart of the Razorbacks.
*Michigan or Florida?*
The most important thing Florida has done by winning is giving them a chance to play Ohio State for the National Championship. The USC loss earlier today opened the doors for Michigan and Florida and gave them a chance to win a National Title. Who deserves to play in the Title Game, Michigan or Florida? Michigan is the most deserving when their only loss came to the number 1-ranked Ohio State and Florida’s loss came to number 11-ranked Auburn. The only problem is that the Bowl Championship Series ranking system doesn’t really care who is the most deserving. Michigan will not play for a National Title simply because they did not play a game this week. The BCS rankings are selling out deserving football teams for what the people want to see. If Michigan isn’t playing Ohio State on January 8th then this will be the downfall of the BCS rankings and the beginning for a playoff system.
* * * * * *
December 1st, 2006, 11:45 pm
*Championship Weekend in College Football*
The biggest game this weekend will not determine who wins the conference. Instead it will determine who plays #1 ranked Ohio State for the National Championship. The University of Southern California will play rival University of California, Los Angelos. If USC beats UCLA then they will play OSU for the National Championship. Every Michigan fan will be rooting for UCLA to win, because if they do than Michigan will go to the National Championship game.
The game I will be watching is Florida vs. Arkansas for the SEC conference title. Arkansas has one of the best play makers in the country in Sophomore sensation Darren McFadden. McFadden is a very special player. He’s big, strong, and fast. This season he has 1485 rushing yards and 17 total touchdowns. The Gator defense led by linebacker Brandon Siler will hope to shutdown McFadden. The Gators are allowing only 69 rushing yards per game, so this will be a test for the Gator defense and McFadden. This will be the games biggest match up and look for this match up to be the difference maker.
My predictions for the games this weekend:
USC 42, UCLA 10
USC has too many weapons for the UCLA defense to control. Look for Dwayne Jarret to and John David Booty to have big games.
Actual Result: USC 9, UCLA 13
Arkansas 32, Florida 24
Arkansas’s Darren McFadden is just to versatile for the Gator defense to control. Look for McFadden to have a memorable game and boost his Heisman chances.
Actual Result: Arkansas 28, Florida 38
* * * * * *
December 1st, 2006, 4:00 pm
*Bengals 13, Ravens 7*
On a cold, rainy night the Cincinnati Bengals and the Baltimore Ravens squared off in a defensive battle. The Bengals held Ravens star running back Jamal Lewis in check. Lewis had 61 yard on 17 carries. The Ravens also shutdown the running game for the Bengals but Carson Palmer threw a touchdown pass to T.J. Houshmandzadeh on a flea flicker. Both defenses dominated this game while neither offense could find there groove.
The Ravens finally jumpstarted there offense and with 1:01 left to play Steve McNair threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Derrick Mason. On the Ensuing kick off the ravens tried to get the ball back on an onside kick. Bengal Keiwan Ratliff recovered the attempt which secured the win for the Bengals.
The Ravens are now 9-3 and can clinch the AFC North title winning 3 of the last 4 games (assuming the Bengals will win the rest of there 4 games). The Bengals are now 7-5 in the remaining 4 games they play 3 tough teams in the Indianapolis Colts, Pittsburgh Steelers, and the New England Patriots.
Filed on 01/13/2007