Monday, March 1, 2010

Bracketology - March 1

It's March 1 so it's time to talk hoops. I am pleased to announce that Matt Borman has been hired as Chop Culture's resident bracketologist. Matt has been projecting the March Madness bracket since 2006. Over the years, Matt has outperformed Joe Lunardi (ESPN), the New York Post, the Sporting News, SI, and CBS Sportsline, among others.


The results of Matt's final bracket from the last four years are as follows (fourth category is Matt's grade according to The Bracket Project Scoring System (bracketproject.blogspot.com), fifth category is where Matt finished in rankings according to all brackets TBPSS found online):


2006 – 61 teams correct, 25 seeds correct, 45 seeds with in 1 line, 278, 17 of 23



2007 – 61 teams correct, 30 seeds correct, 54 seeds with in 1 line, 297, 2 of 30



2008 – 64 teams correct, 24 seeds correct, 53 seeds within 1 line, 293, 49 of 53



2009 – 64 teams correct, 28 seeds correct, 54 seeds within 1 line, 302, 39 of 60



Matt will project the final NCAA Tournament bracket each week, leading up to his final projections on Selection Sunday (March 14). Without further ado, below is Matt's bracket for this week.

Midwest (St. Louis)


1 Kansas

16 Quinnipiac / Lehigh


8 Northern Iowa

9 Louisville


4 Vanderbilt

13 Murray St.


5 Gonzaga

12 UConn


3 New Mexico

14 Oakland


6 Xavier

11 Illinois


7 Baylor

10 Virginia Tech

2 Purdue

15 Morgan St



East (Syracuse)


1 Duke

16 Belmont


8 Texas

9 Utah St.


4 Tennessee

13 Notre Dame


5 Butler

12 Old Dominion


3 Ohio State

14 Akron


6 Richmond

11UNLV


7 Wake Forest

10 Florida


2 Villanova

15 Coastal Carolina



West (Salt Lake City)


1 Syracuse

16 Stony Brook


8 Florida St.

9 Missouri


4 Texas A&M

13 Sam Houston St.


5 Maryland

12 UAB


3 Pitt

14 Wofford


6 Wisconsin

11 Mississippi St.


7 Cal

10 UTEP


2 Kansas St

15 North Texas



South (Houston)


1 Kentucky

16 Jackson St.


8 Georgia Tech

9 Oklahoma St.


4 Temple

13 St. Mary’s


5 Georgetown

12 Cornell


3 Michigan St

14 Weber St


6 BYU

11 Siena


7 Clemson

10 Marquette


2 West Virginia

15 UCSB


Last 5 In: UAB, Illinois, UConn, Notre Dame, St. Mary’s

Last 5 Out: Dayton, Rhode Island, Minnesota, Ole Miss, Washington


*Conference champions in bold


Seeds only version:

1s: Kansas, Syracuse, Duke, Kentucky

2s: Purdue, Kansas State, Villanova, West Virginia

3s: New Mexico, Pitt, Ohio State, Michigan State

4s: Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Temple

5s: Gonzaga, Maryland, Butler, Georgetown

6s: Xavier, Wisconsin, Richmond, BYU

7s: Baylor, Cal, Wake Forest, Clemson

8s: Northern Iowa, Florida State, Texas, Georgia Tech

9s: Louisville, Missouri, Utah State, Oklahoma State

10s: Virginia Tech, UTEP, Florida, Marquette

11s: Illinois, Mississippi State, UNLV, Siena

12s: UConn, UAB, Old Dominion, Cornell

13s: Murray State, Sam Houston State, Notre Dame, St. Mary's

14s: Oakland, Wofford, Akron, Weber State

15s: Morgan State, North Texas, Coastal Carolina, UCSB

16s: Quinnipiac / Lehigh, Stony Brook, Belmont, Jackson State


Tuesday, February 23, 2010

100 Certainties

My blog turns two years old today. I'm not sure if it's a birthday or an anniversary, but two human years is at least 14 years in blog years. I wanted to do something special for the occasion.

You may recall that I posted a list of 75 Things that Are Certain in Life about two years ago -- it was one of my first posts ever and also one of my most popular (the 12 people that read this blog really enjoyed it). BDF and I created the original list in 2005, and then modified a few things for the 2008 version (we didn't need to modify much because these things are certain). We have come up with 25 new certainties to round out the list at 100. 100-76 are new and 75-1 are exactly the same as listed two years ago. Enjoy and all feedback is welcome.

100 Things That Are Certain in Life

100. "Jersey Shore" is the first TV show ever to jump the shark before its first episode.

99. White people really like stuffwhitepeoplelike.com.

98. Free chips and salsa at Mexican restaurants is always a consideration when deciding where to go out to dinner.

97. Your mom friended me on Facebook. Yeah she did.

96. If you own a Snuggie, and it's not as a joke, and it wasn't a gift, and you're seriously wearing it for warmth and the freedom to use your hands, then I decree that you be locked in a drafty living room for 24 hours with nothing but a box of Snackwells, a crossword puzzle, and a "Murder She Wrote" marathon on USA network.

95. Three things that should be separate: 1) church and state, 2) socks and sandals, 3) cell phone and mp3 player.

94. F_ck you, Jay Leno. F_ck you.

93. I don't find loin cloths all that comfortable, but the Native Americans got it right with the moccasin.

92. The last time "SportsCenter" showed me a good set of highlights without mindless commentary and hackneyed attempts at humor was the same day MTV last played a decent music video.

91. They said I couldn't get through the first 28 years of my life without ironing a single article of clothing, but I proved them wrong.

90. Bill Buckner would be a rich man if he had trademarked his own brand of nutmeg in 1986.

89. I have a sneaking suspicion that Bret Michaels does not really want to find a wife. I'm on to you, Bret.

88. Memo to "The Office": "Wayne's World" called. It wants its "that's what she said" joke back.

87. Tim Tebow is either the most self-righteous athlete of our generation or the most genuine. I can't decide yet.

86. General Tso shared his chicken recipe with a lot of people.

85. It is impossible to overhype "The Wire" when describing the show to someone who has never watched it.

84. Fantasy football is the lowest form of athletic participation. Even in a football video game, you get to call the plays and control the buttons.

83. Never be on time for a surprise party. Be early or late.

82. Of all the men in the world who wear half a can of hair mousse per day, I only trust one: Mel Kiper, Jr.

81. If you wear overalls to a court appearance, then logic suggests that you also eat your own boogers.

80. I used to wear wristbands during sporting events because they look cool; now, I wear them because I have the sweat glands of a man twice my age.

79. It's amazing how many "Jeopardy" contestants are underemployed.

78. Grocery shopping while you're hungry significantly increases your risk of buying Hot Pockets, mini corn dogs, and tater tots. Be responsible. Be an adult.

77. I am bummed that, under a new state law, I can no longer sext while driving unless I'm at a stoplight.

76. Work productivity during the first two days of March Madness is like Tiger Woods' marriage and golf game: subpar (ZING!).

75. If you ever owned a Nintendo, you will never forget the codes for Contra or Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out.

74. An Easter basket without Cadbury Eggs is like a Christmas stocking full of coal.

73. Puffy had something (read: everything) to do with 2Pac’s murder.

72. First 5 minutes of every O.C. episode: cereal and bagels in the Cohen’s kitchen, discussion of how a family crisis was averted, a witty line by Seth. Maestro, cue the theme song.

71. It is impossible to look cool while exiting the back seat of a 2-door car.

70. I want to create a crime scene investigation show to investigate why CBS has 12 crime scene investigation shows.

69. I would not have been able to control my excitement if there had been a Salute Your Shorts: The College Years.

68. No one will ever convince me that Creed is not a Christian rock band.

67. If wearing tights is a requirement of all superheroes, then I am content as a mortal being.

66. Any man who thinks that Friends is funnier than Seinfeld should keep that opinion to himself. Any man who thinks Will & Grace is funnier than Seinfeld should be publicly caned.

65. No matter who wins the Masters, Jim Nantz will call it a “win for the ages.”

64. 1988: Honda CRX & Oakley Razors = cool. 2008: Honda CRX & Oakley Razors = divorced man with a mullet and black jean shorts. But still cool.

63. Anyone who says he or she has never sung along out loud to a Kelly Clarkson song while driving is either lying or doesn’t have a radio.

62. I hate to say it, but Will Ferrell has peaked and is quickly plummeting into Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler territory.

61. If you root for Duke or UNC basketball but cheer for a different school in college football, I have no respect for you and your bragging privileges are void.

60. TNT knows drama, but I have no use for the channel unless it is airing the NBA Playoffs or a 24-hour marathon of A Christmas Story.

59. I will support my son’s creative imagination until he puts Dungeons & Dragons on his Christmukkah wishlist. Then I will choose a sport and make him practice that sport 15 hours a day.

58. You know you would do Blanche Devereaux from Golden Girls if no one would find out.

57. The only thing that will keep Travis Henry from impregnating more women is a court-ordered vasectomy.

56. Our brave soldiers didn’t fight for your freedom so you could own “You Got Served” on DVD.

55. If a car has more than two anti-Bush stickers on its bumper, it’s probably either a ‘93 Ford Escort or a ‘94 Geo Prism.

54. You can learn a lot about people from their IM away messages and buddy profiles. Unfortunately, those people are in high school and you are in your mid-twenties.

53. God forbid there is ever a sitcom featuring Patrick Duffy and Suzanne Sommers as a married couple living in a big house with their kids from previous marriages. Wait a minute, this did happen. Worst. Show. Ever.

52. Women say I go to Hooters for the girls. Yeah, I don’t like chicken wings, Philly cheese steaks, burgers, fried shrimp, or seasoned curlies. Oh, and I especially don’t like cold draft beer and being surrounded by 25 big screen TVs showing nothing but sports.

51. No high school clique will ever participate in as many extra curricular activities as the Saved By the Bell crew from Bayside.

50. If you have ever performed a karaoke rendition of “Hungry Eyes,” you do not deserve to sit at my table.

49. No self-respecting person would ever ask the following questions to a co-worker: 1) Is it Friday yet?, 2) Hot enough for you out there?, 3) Are you working hard or hardly working?, 4) Are we having fun yet? NO EXCEPTIONS.

48. Henley shirts (no collar, three buttons—circa 1994) will make a fashion comeback, and I hope I’m alive to see it.

47. No, I didn't watch American Idol last night.

46. The people at Frito-Lay keep wowing me with their new and exciting flavors of Doritos.

45. Under no circumstances shall a man purchase, consume, or physically touch a bottle of Mike's Hard Lemonade.

44. Every Thanksgiving, one person in everyone's family will ask why the Detroit Lions always play on Thanksgiving.


43. Reality TV went too far when it introduced competing nanny shows.

42. If you're drinking tea sweetened with Splenda, Sweet 'N Low, or Equal, you aren't drinking sweet tea -- you're drinking lies.


41. Few things in life are worse than realizing Supercuts gave you the “Lloyd Christmas” haircut.


40. If you watch the Full House episode where D.J. oversleeps for the SATs the night before you have an important exam, you will not enjoy a pleasant night’s sleep.

39. "A Shot of Love" with Tila Tequila is a grievous embarrassment to my generation. It has replaced "The Maury Povich Show" as the show I'd least like to watch with my parents.


38. Women over the age of 40 who wear sleeveless blouses are either attractive enough to know they can pull it off or fat enough not to care.


37. Regardless of what context the word “charisma” is used in, I will think of Brad’s horse on Hey Dude whenever I hear it.


36. Jean shorts (jorts) should only be worn under the following circumstances: your name is “Stone Cold” Steve Austin or you work at a rural convenient store that sells Sun Drop and Cheerwine.


35. It is universally known that if you simultaneously cuss, smoke a cigarette, and wear sunglasses inside, you are cool.


34. Chris Rock’s stand-up is funny, but he will never be in a funny or even watchable movie.


33. If you have ever waited in line at midnight for a new video game system, Harry Potter book, or Star Wars Movie, then chances are you probably don’t get enough exercise.


32. I cannot imagine a scenario in which I would turn down a toasted bagel.


31. If you don’t have a Foxtail or a Nerf product in your garage, you are a Communist.


30. Skip Bayless is the belly button lint of ESPN.


29. No one reads your blog. (BLOGGER'S NOTE: this one is ironic but true)


28. There have been plenty of times when I felt ripped off. But when I found out that Jerry Levine was not cast as Styles in “Teen Wolf Too” I felt like I got the wind knocked out of me. Stuart Fratkin? Are you freakin' kidding me?


27. If you didn’t swallow and/or throw up your first dip, you are a better man than I had previously assumed.


26. To qualify as a huge reggae fan, you must own more than just Bob Marley’s Legend album.


25. TGIF was on life support for several years beforehand, but the pilot of Sabrina the Teenage Witch constituted assisted suicide on our beloved Friday night lineup.


24. Steve Winwood's 1986 album “Back in the High Life” is the ideal background music for any 80s romantic comedy. A couple on the beach, the guy cracks a corny joke about what they've just experienced, the girl rolls her eyes and smiles, and they hug and walk into the sunset. "Finer Things" or “Higher Love” plays as the credits roll.


23. You really can’t blame Ellen DeGeneres for wanting to bone Anne Heche or Portia de Rossi.


22. I'm hoping the next installment of the Real World includes a jock who gets wasted a lot, a sensitive guy, an angry African-American male, a shy girl, a sorostitute, a feminist and a gay dude. I am quite certain that I won't be disappointed.


21. Fruit Stripe gum is by far the best tasting gum for 90 seconds.There must be a way to harness the goodness for a longer period.


20. Punk’d will never get played out…until the second season.


19. Any time a sitcom adds a new character that comes to live with the family after the show has been on the air for 5 or more years, you can count on the show's demise within 2 months. (See The Brady Bunch, Diff'rent Strokes, Cosby Show, and Growing Pains).


18. The following are the only times when a Canadian tuxedo (acid wash denim jacket/jeans, white T-shirt, hi-tops) is appropriate: a Marty McFly look-a-like contest, a Styx/Reo Speedwagon concert, and casual Fridays at the office.

17. The Fray went from being the most underrated band in the world to being the most overrated band in the world in a matter of days.

16. No matter how full I am after a huge holiday meal, I will eat at least one piece of pie followed by a small plate of leftovers before bedtime. Stuffing sandwich, anyone?

15. I will not rest until every state passes legislation making it a misdemeanor to wear a Polo knit shirt under a Polo Oxford. I don’t care where you prepped.

14. The wifebeater is the best name ever for an article of clothing. How did this term become socially acceptable?

13. John Stamos’s hair is the most underrated actor of our generation.

12. Depression is the only possible human emotion that can result from listening to Coldplay.

11. Girls over 25 who still dress punk aren’t really punks. They are just mad at their dads.

10. If you schedule your wedding during college football season, you cannot get pissed when none of your buddies show up. If I am going to miss my team's big game, I need you to guarantee me 6 hours of open bar, an endless supply of crabcakes, and a plethora of single gals ready to party.

9. You might be a redneck if you say “cold beer” as if it’s one word.

8. You assumed Joey would choose Dawson, but were somehow relieved that she ended up with Pacey.

7. People who make up hypothetical rule changes to sports need to stop talking about sports and go back to playing magic cards.

6. Country Music Television (CMT) will play your music video if you wear a cowboy hat, even if your song is more of the “Pop” music persuasion.

5. No son of mine will ever wear Keds or Osh Kosh B’Gosh. Bowl cuts will also be prohibited.

4. I do not possess the proper equipment necessary to scientifically determine who sucks harder – Color Me Badd or All-4-One.

3. It’s acceptable for a true NCAA basketball fan to shed a tear during “One Shining Moment.”

2. Your entire wardrobe should not come from Foot Locker. Enough already with the mesh hats and retro jerseys.

1. No matter how perfect you think your sideburns are, Brandon Walsh’s sideburns wipe their ass with your sideburns.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Ramblings

  • I do not have Winter Olympics fever. I don't think I can name any U.S. Olympians other than Shaun White, Lindsay Vonn, and Bode Miller. I don't want to say there are no great athletes in Vancouver, but if curling is a sport then so is sweeping your kitchen. One curler from Canada is pregnant. Currently pregnant! Name one other sport where you can compete at the highest level on an international stage while you're pregnant.

  • I haven't watched MTV in 2010. It hasn't been nearly as difficult as I expected to go cold turkey. If "Jersey Shore" is the best MTV has to offer, I think this temporary self-ban on the network could easily turn into a permanent life decision. I don't get the fascination with "Jersey Shore" -- why bring them back for a second season and how is it possible that they have any leverage in negotiations? They are getting $180,00 each next season. Seriously? I think they would have accepted free rent, a fridge full of PBR, and unlimited meatball subs at Jersey Mike's. What else would they do? Go back to living at home and working at Gadzooks? Now they are trying to capitalize on their fame -- apparently "The Situation" wants to launch a cologne that smells like money. That might be the worst idea since Michael Jordan sold a cologne that smelled like sweat.

  • John Mayer should stop Tweeting and giving public interviews immediately.

  • "Friday Night Lights" finished up its fourth season on DirecTV last week. I don't want spoil the storylines for those of you waiting to watch on NBC -- I will say it was a very good season. In honor of the finale, enjoy 5 minutes of Tim Riggins quotes (from all seasons).


  • This dunk by rookie DeMar DeRozan was the best of the night, but the 2010 Dunk Contest was the weakest in five or six years.


  • Best Super Bowl commercial: E-Trade milkaholic


  • UVa basketball has had more lowlights than highlights over the last few years, but Louis Farrakhan's grandson gave us something to cheer about last week. I think everyone in the building expected the guard to go for a layup on this one.

  • Check out this trailer for a mockumentary about the world of Rock, Paper, Scissors tournaments.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Screech Needs Money

Dustin Diamond, who played Screech on 'Saved By the Bell" and then disappeared until his appearance on "Celebrity Fit Club" in 2007, has written a tell-all book about his time at Bayside High. Read the story below and then I'll provide my thoughts on Screech's revelations.

http://www.11points.com/TV/11_Most_Scandalous_Saved_by_the_Bell_Revelations_in_Screech%27s_Autobiography

1. Why did Screech wait until now to make these claims? A: He is broke, desperate, and a complete asshole.

2. Why did Screech only name one of the 2000 women that he allegedly slept with? A: She's was a person of power and now she's dead and cannot refute his claim.

3. Is it possible that Zack used steroids before The College Years? A: Yes, Zack got ripped before The College Years. Although I think Screech is generally full of shit, this allegation has a Jose Canseco feel to it -- sleazy but somehow a little bit credible. Maybe Screech was the Canseco to Zack's Mark McGwire (in other words, injected him in the ass with steroids).

4. Is it possible that Neil Patrick Harris "got gay" with Ed Alonzo (owner of The Max)? A: I'm not sure what "getting gay" means, but I know that Ed Alonzo and NPH are best friends. NPH would have been a teenager in the early 90s and was not openly gay at that time. Screech probably saw the "Top Chef" episode with NPH and Max and decided to throw some more dirt into the book. I call bullshit on this one.

5. Why does Screech hate on Kelly Kapowski more than anyone else? A: Obviously, he is bitter and jealous that she slept with every guy on the show except for him. There's other fish in the sea, Screech. 2000 other fish.

6. Do I believe that A.C. Slater raped a girl? A: This a tough one because there is an actual news story from 1993. The writer from 11 Points made a good point -- if a celebrity was accused of date rape today, it would be all over the Internet. Back then, the story was not very widespread. I just don't think Slater would rape anyone, particularly in his parents' guest house.

7. Who did Screech leave out of the book? A: Screech obviously loves Mr. Belding, Miss Bliss, and Tori.

8. It is possible that Screech picked up girls at Disneyland? A: Maybe an occasional awkward make-out session on the tea cups. I don't care how dark it gets on Space Mountain -- there's no way Screech was scoring.

9. Why was Peter Engel meeting with Zack and Kelly behind closed doors? A: Probably because they were the stars of the show. I hate to break it to you Screech, but you were a supporting character. Your role was to be a goofy loser, and you didn't need to be a good actor to pull it off. I absolutely do NOT believe that the genius that is Peter Engel (executive producer of SBTB, California Dreams, and Hang Time) had a bisexual threesome with Zack and Kelly.

10. Will I buy this book? A: No. Probably not. Maybe.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Ramblings

  • I recently bought a Blackberry, and I must say that it has been a life-changing experience. Receiving emails, checking sports scores, and playing the Cash Cab app are all great features of the Blackberry, but by far the best feature of my new phone is Blackberry Messenger (BBM). Remember the summer of 1998 (aka Crazy Summer '98) when you spent hours on the family desktop on AOL instant messenger? Well, so do I. And now, thanks to BBM, I am reliving that feeling. It's more efficient than texting, but BBM is not a novel idea. It basically is IM for your phone -- I'm not sure why it took so long to come up with this feature. You have a list of contacts -- similar to AOL's buddy list. You can tell if the contact has received your message. You can also deny someone from being a contact -- kind of like that guy in high school whose buddy invitation you declined more than once. So, if you have a Blackberry, BBM me sometime (I would give my PIN but I don't really want to publish that on the internet). If you don't have a Blackberry, hit me up on my AOL Instant Messenger handle Chop6789. Sike.

  • I think it's time to acknowledge that Peyton Manning is a better quarterback than Tom Brady. Yes, Brady has three Super Bowl rings, but that doesn't make him a better quarterback. It's like the Dan Marino - Joe Montana debate. There is no question that Marino was a better quarterback, but Montana has the championships and that makes him a better quarterback in the minds of a lot of people. Manning has one Super Bowl (and potentially a second this season), 50,000 career passing yards, 366 touchdowns, 10 Pro Bowls, 5 first team All-Pro selections, and 4 MVPs. By comparison, Brady has three Super Bowl wins, 30,000 career passing yards, 225 TDs, 5 Pro Bowls, 1 first team All-Pro selection, and 1 MVP. Brady has played two less seasons than Manning, but I don't think he will throw for 20,000 yards and 150 TDs over the span of two seasons. Although Manning is a media darling, most football experts have placed Brady ahead of Manning when ranking the best quarterbacks of all-time. That trend seemed to change two years ago when the Patriots lost to the Giants in the Super Bowl -- suddenly, Brady wasn't invincible in big games. Then last season, Brady hurt his knee in the first game and missed the entire season. This season, Brady was healthy and played well, but his team (despite making the playoffs) wasn't as dominant as it has been in recent years. Meanwhile, the Colts cruised through the regular season and Manning had another outstanding season. For the last decade, I have defended Manning over Brady is the debate about the best quarterback in the league. With the Patriots having less team success, it is becoming clear to everyone else that Manning is by far the best player of this era.

  • NBC has become a complete joke. Conan O'Brien is by far the funniest person in late-night television and Jay Leno is by far the least funny person in late-night television (yes, I'm including Jimmy Fallon and Carson Daly on that list). I really hope that FOX picks up Conan and puts his show at 11:35 to compete against Leno and Letterman. I encourage everyone to watch Conan this week (supposedly his last week as host of The Tonight Show) -- he has been ripping NBC during his monologues ever since NBC announced that they would move Leno to 11:35. Unless NBC and Conan miraculously reconcile this week, I think Conan's last week of shows will be memorable. It blows my mind that NBC (1) thought Leno would work at 10 pm (instead of showing scripted dramas or Dateline) and (2) thought canceling Leno's 10 pm show and bringing him back to The Tonight Show was the best solution. Maybe's that why NBC is last in the ratings.

  • Alabama is a well-deserving national champion in college football. You could argue that the BCS worked this season because Alabama beat arguably the second and third-best teams in the nation (Texas and Florida). However, you could also argue that the BCS failed because we have two undefeated teams. Who wouldn't want to see Alabama vs. Boise State now? Next year, Boise State plays Virginia Tech in the regular season on a neutral field -- if they go undefeated again, they deserve a shot at the BCS title game. If there are two undefeated teams from power conferences, they probably won't get it.

  • College basketball is my favorite sport and now that the college football season is over, I can focus on hoops. Things seem more wide open than usual this season -- there are a handful of elite teams, but more "bubble" teams than I can ever recall. My hometown William & Mary Tribe looks poised to make its first ever NCAA tournament appearance after wins over Maryland, Wake Forest, and Richmond. The ACC has not been as good as advertised, but is pretty solid top to bottom. I would rank the conference third behind the Big East and Big 12 right now. Here are my ACC power rankings after a few conference games:
1) Duke - Not enough size to make a deep run in March.
2) Clemson - Needs to protect second half leads.
3) Georgia Tech - Young but talented team with good size.
4) UNC - Already has 6 losses but could easily win the conference.
5) Florida State - Similar to GT but not as talented (despite beating GT last month).
6) Wake Forest - Aminu is an ACC Player of the Year candidate.
7) Virginia - 3-0 in conference play thanks to improved defense.
8) Virginia Tech - Needs a healthy Malcolm Delaney.
9) Maryland - 8th-year senior Vasquez could lead Terps to NCAA bid.
10) Miami - Weak non-conference schedule and no Jack McClinton.
11) Boston College - Has lost four of its last five games.
12) N.C. State - Capable of upsetting most teams in the league.

  • Until further notice, I am not watching MTV. I only needed to see 15 minutes of "Jersey Shore" to be completely embarrassed about the state of MTV's programming. I should mention that I watch a lot of trashy reality TV. I have watched "The Real World" since 1993. I have seen LC grow up before my very eyes. Tila Tequila's show was insulting to reality TV, but I kept with the network despite the fact that it aired a bi-sexual version of "The Bachelorette." Now, "Jersey Shore" is certainly not more offensive than Tila Tequila's show, but I have been looking for a reason to break all ties with MTV. I don't get the point of "Jersey Shore." I always thought the whole point of "The Real World" was to put 7 or 8 strangers from different backgrounds into a house with no TV and see how they interact. Why put 7 meatheads from new Jersey (which includes the girls) that are exactly the same into a house together? I can't promise I won't return to MTV for the next Real World / Road Rules challenge, but for now I am done.

  • Former UVa head football coach Al Groh has been hired as the Georgia Tech defensive coordinator. It seems like a strange move to me. Groh is 65 years old and has not been a college assistant since 1988. I figured he would take a coordinator position in the NFL or take a year off from coaching and get a head coaching job at a lower tier FBS college in 2011. It is a good hire for Georgia Tech -- Groh knows defense, he is familiar with the conference and division, and as a coordinator he won't have to recruit or deal with the media very much (his biggest weaknesses). From Groh's perspective, I am surprised he would take a college job over a pro job. He was apparently offered the defensive coordinator job for the Miami Dolphins (where his old friend and mentor Bill Parcells is in the front office), but he turned it down for the Georgia Tech job. Either Groh does not get along with Miami Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano or he wants to rub it in UVa's face next season. As a UVa fan, Groh doesn't need to prove to me that he can coach defense. I know he can. He needs to prove to me that he can recruit, hire the right people, and execute a game plan. I know he can't.

  • Jennifer Love Hewitt has always seemed like a quiet, reserved girl. And maybe she is. But prepare yourself for a WTF moment in the last minute of this interview with George Lopez.




  • "Southland" premiered on TNT last week (since NBC canceled it to move Leno to 10 PM -- nice move). TNT is replaying season one of the show (only 7 episodes) before airing new episodes. I highly recommend checking out the show if you've never seen it. If you saw last season, the new episodes start in March. The show is on Tuesdays at 10 PM.