Remaining Bracket picks

Currently these only show first round picks. These images will be gradually updated between now and tipoff of the first game around noon on Thursday show all of the picks. Teams I've projected to win are in boldface

horrible court design

Judge for yourself.

Bracket Picks: Play-in/"First Four" games

W- Picked winner 

Will add rest of bracket on Wednesday/Thursday.

I Hate Trophy Presentations

So, the Steelers-Jets AFC championship game ended around 9:50 PM. The CBS feed then goes back tothe studio for a few minutes of postgame commentary. Then the feed switches back to Pittsburgh for the AFC championship trophy presentation. Then CBS shows an interview with the losing head coach, Jets head coach Rex Ryan. A couple more minutes of unnecessary postgame commentary in the studio. Finally, CBS goes back to regular programming at 10:14 PM. Thus pushing the show that was to start at 10:00 14 minutes later. Thank you CBS, for an utter waste of time. And thanks to the NFL, for your absolutely pointless ceremony inventing self-aggrandizement.

A.J. Green Sold a Jersey. Big Deal.

Yesterday, the NCAA announced that Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver A.J. would face a suspension of four games due to NCAA rules violations. Specifically:

Green sold the jersey he wore in last season’s Independence Bowl for $1,000, according to the facts of the case stipulated by Georgia.

...

The NCAA did not name the individual who bought the jersey from Green but said the person meets the organization’s definition of an agent -– “any individual who markets or promotes a student-athlete.” That put Green in violation of the NCAA rule against receiving benefits from agents.

Selling a jersey to a non-agent also would violate NCAA rules, which prohibit student-athletes from receiving money for memorabilia.

Green was held out of Georgia's opening game last week pending the results of the NCAA investigation. Therefore, he has already served 1 of the 4-game suspension and has three games left. Unsurprisingly, Georgia will appeal the suspension of its most prominent current player. Even though the appeal is unlikely to succeed.

But, in my book, this story isn't outrageous in the least. I don't really see what Green did wrong. The reason I hold this opinion is the structure of football in this country. Athletes aspiring to become  professional football players must spend three years playing in college as an amateur before being allowed to be drafted by a professional NFL team. There is no choice in the matter. These athletes are forced to be amateurs through no choice of their own.

A common argument is that college athletes are compensated with a free college education. That's absolutely true and such college scholarships are of significant value. However, a professional football contract may often be of greater value. The individual athletes should be allowed to make their own decisions on which option they view as more valuable. Until the system is changed to allow personal career decisions, there is nothing morally wrong about violating NCAA regulations regarding player compensation.

The system is an illegitimate limitation against personal freedom and therefore deserves no respect nor obedience. Such regulations deserve to be ignored and violated without any qualms, misgivings, or compunction of any sort. There is no reason to feel any guilt after doing no wrong.

Green is neither a hero nor a villain, he's simply a person using his skills and talents as a means to make money. It is what every paid employee in the United States rightfully does every day.

65 + 31 = Insanity

"Hey, don't you know it's a waste of your day / caught up in endless solutions" -- A Life of Illusion, Joe Walsh

This quote basically sums up my opinion on proposed expansion of the NCAA Men's Division I basketball tournament. It seems likely that the tournament will expand from 65 to 96 teams. let me count the ways I hate this idea.

The tournament already allows for the inclusion of 34 at-large teams, it usually incorporates the top 40-45 teams would you account for conference tournament champions. There already is a large enough avenue for teams to get in. If they can't avail themselves of these opportunities I'm sure they can find a mirror to yell at. Currently the top 10% get into the tournament. This tournament should be about the best teams and conference champions. It should not be simply an equivalent of a participation badge for the above-mediocre. We don't need to add the Not Invited Tournament (known in an alternate universe as the NIT) to the NCAA tournament.

But, of course the only purpose of an expansion is an expansion of revenue stream. Anyone who tells you differently is a liar or a delusional. The NCAA assumes that more games equals more money. They're probably right. But that doesn't mean an expansion of the tournament will make the tournament better. It's kind of like adding ice to a drink. At first, it seems like a good idea because it makes the drink cold. However, after a while all it does is water it down.

It's kind of hilarious to me that the latest news regarding tournament expansion comes from a USA Today interview with Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delaney [NMS-- correct spelling = Delany; but you're not getting any apologies (I'm childish)]. This from a man who is against a playoff in big-time college football. What a ridiculous dichotomy.

If the tournament does expand, here is what should happen. Coaches like Seth Greenberg Virginia Tech who always try to electioneer their bubble teams into the tournament should get a little karma. All of these coaches who basically push for expansion deserve to have terrible seasons if there is expansion. If there is any karma in the world, next year Virginia Tech will not be good enough to get in even to an expanded 96 team field. It may sound harsh, but if there is to be expansion, teams like Virginia Tech deserve to go 11-19-ish and have their coaches fired. If you're going to ruin it, at least make it a little fun.

Here is a line Nancy Reagan and Dylan Thomas can get behind. Just Say No to an expanded tournament, and Rage, Rage against the Dying of the Light that is the sanity of the current format.

Here's a slogan: 65+0 Or Fight!

Week 6 College Football predictions

Week 5 College Football predictions

Week 4 College Football results

Correct predictions are in green, incorrect predictions are in red.

Week 4 College Football Predictions

Week 3 College Football Predictions

Predictions are in bold.

Thursday September 17

Georgia Tech @ Miami (Fl)

Friday September 18

Boise State @ Fresno State

Saturday September 19

Louisville @ Kentucky
E Michigan @ Michigan
California @ Minnesota
East Carolina @ North Carolina
Temple @ Penn State
Boston College @ Clemson
Ball State @ Army
Duke @ Kansas
N Illinois @ Purdue
Ohio State vs. Toledo (in Cleveland)
North Texas @ Alabama
Wyoming @ Colorado
Tennessee @ Florida
Michigan State @ Notre Dame
Mid Tennessee State @ Maryland
Tulsa @ Oklahoma
Nebraska @ Virginia Tech
USC @ Washington
Indiana @ Akron
Utah @ Oregon
Virginia @ Southern Miss
UAB @ Troy
Arizona @ Iowa
Nevada @ Colorado State
San Diego State @ Idaho
Connecticut @ Baylor
SMU @ Washington State
Navy @ Pittsburgh
Elon @ Wake Forest
Cincinnati @ Oregon State
Louisiana Lafayette @ LSU
Northwestern @ Syracuse
Rice @ Oklahoma State
Mississippi State @ Vanderbilt
Utah State @ Texas A&M
Florida State @ BYU
Bowling Green @ Marshall
Iowa State @ Kent State
Miami (Ohio) @ W Michigan
Air Force @ New Mexico
Buffalo @ C Florida
West Virginia @ Auburn
Georgia @ Arkansas
Texas Tech @ Texas
San Jose State @ Stanford
Kansas State @ UCLA
Hawaii @ UNLV

Week 2 College Football Predictions

Predictions are in bold.

Thursday September 10

Clemson @ Georgia Tech

Friday September 11

Colorado @ Toledo

Saturday September 12

Duke @ Army
Pittsburgh @ Buffalo
North Carolina @ Connecticut
Troy @ Florida
W Michigan @ Indiana
Iowa @ Iowa State
C Michigan @ Michigan State
E Michigan @ Northwestern
Syracuse @ Penn State
Stanford @ Wake Forest
Fresno State @ Wisconsin
Marshall @ Virginia Tech
Arkansas State @ Nebraska
Notre Dame @ Michigan
Louisiana Tech @ Navy
Houston @ Oklahoma State
Howard @ Rutgers
BYU @ Tulane
TCU @ Virginia
Idaho @ Washington
East Carolina @ West Virginia
Texas @ Wyoming
UCLA @ Tennessee
SMU @ UAB
Weber State @ Colorado State
E Washington @ California
James Madison @ Maryland
Florida Int'l @ Alabama
Mississippi State @ Auburn
New Hampshire @ Ball State
South Carolina @ Georgia
Illinois State @ Illinois
Kansas State @ Louisiana-Lafayette
Vanderbilt @ LSU
Memphis @ Mid Tennessee State
Air Force @ Minnesota
Bowling Green @ Missouri
Ohio @ North Texas
C Florida @ S Mississippi
Hawaii @ Washington State
W Illinois @ N Illinois
Kansas @ UTEP
S Florida @ W Kentucky
Miami (OH) @ Boise State
Tulsa @ New Mexico
USC @ Ohio State
S Utah @ San Diego State
Purdue @ Oregon
Utah @ San Jose State
Oregon State @ UNLV

Week 1 College Football Results

Predictions are in bold.

Saturday September 5

Appalachian State @ East Carolina ECU 29 ASU 24
Northern Iowa @ Iowa UI 17 UNI 16
Kentucky vs. Miami (OH) UK 42 MU 0
Navy @ Ohio State OSU 31 NA 27
Akron @ Penn State PSU 31 UA 7
Toledo @ Purdue PU 52 UT 31
Minnesota @ Syracuse UM 23 SU 20
W Kentucky @ Tennessee UT 63 WK 7
Youngstown St. @ Pittsburgh UP 38 YSU 3
Weber State @ Wyoming UW 29 WSU 22
Missouri vs. Illinois UM 37 UI 9
W Michigan @ Michigan UM 31 WMU 7
Nevada @ Notre Dame ND 35 UNR 0
Georgia @ Oklahoma State OSU 24 UGA 10
San Jose St. @ USC USC 56 SJSU 3
Baylor @ Wake Forest BU 24 WFU 21
Rice @ UAB UAB 44 RU 24
S Illinois @ Marshall MU 31 SIU 28
Mid Tennessee St. @ Clemson CU 37 MTSU 14
Stanford @ Washington State SU 39 WSU 13
Louisiana Tech @ Auburn AU 37 LT 13
Richmond @ Duke UR 24 DU 17
Army @ E Michigan USMA 27 EMU 14
UMass @ Kansas State KSU 21 UM 17
Florida Atlantic @ Nebraska UN 49 FAU 3
UConn @ Ohio UC 23 OU 16
BYU vs. Oklahoma BYU 14 OU 13
Louisiana-Monroe @ Texas UT 59 ULM 20
New Mexico @ Texas A&M A&M 41 UNM 6
N Illinois @ Wisconsin UW 28 NIU 20
San Diego St. @ UCLA UCLA 33 SD 14
Alabama vs. Virginia Tech UA 34 VT 24
C Michigan @ Arizona UA 19 CMU 6
Buffalo @ UTEP UB 23 UTEP 17
Maryland @ California UCB 52 UM 13
LSU @ Washington LSU 31 UW 23

Sunday September 6

Ole Miss @ Memphis MS 45 UM 14
Colorado State @ Colorado CSU 23 CU 17

Monday September 7

Cincinnati @ Rutgers UC 47 RU 15
Miami (FL) @ Florida State UM 38 FSU 34

Week 1 Results: 27-13 (67.5%)

Week 1 College Football predictions

Predictions are in bold.

Saturday September 5

Appalachian State @ East Carolina
Northern Iowa @ Iowa
Kentucky vs. Miami (OH) (in Cincinnati)
Navy @ Ohio State
Akron @ Penn State
Toledo @ Purdue
Minnesota @ Syracuse
W Kentucky @ Tennessee
Youngstown St. @ Pittsburgh
Weber State @ Wyoming
Missouri vs. Illinois (in St. Louis)
W Michigan @ Michigan
Nevada @ Notre Dame
Georgia @ Oklahoma State
San Jose St. @ USC
Baylor @ Wake Forest
Rice @ UAB
S Illinois @ Marshall
Mid Tennessee St. @ Clemson
Stanford @ Washington State
Louisiana Tech @ Auburn
Richmond @ Duke
Army @ E Michigan
UMass @ Kansas State
Florida Atlantic @ Nebraska
UConn @ Ohio
BYU vs. Oklahoma (in Dallas)
Louisiana-Monroe @ Texas
New Mexico @ Texas A&M
N Illinois @ Wisconsin
San Diego St. @ UCLA
Alabama vs. Virginia Tech (in Atlanta)
C Michigan @ Arizona
Buffalo @ UTEP
Maryland @ California
LSU @ Washington

Sunday September 6

Ole Miss @ Memphis
Colorado State @ Colorado

Monday September 7

Cincinnati @ Rutgers
Miami (FL) @ Florida State