NCAA BCS Playoff Solution

I'm sure this has been said around the internet many times, maybe not. I don't know. However, there is a very simple solution to the BCS problem. And yes, it involves a Playoff system.

I think a 16 team tournament would be phenomenal, but we'll start with a more reasonable and practical 8. That seems to be a consenus compromise. An 8 team tournament would encompass the top 8 teams in the national by BCS ranking. That was we can still keep the "BCS" format and naming to the whole thing. Yes, some teams are still going to gripe and complain they weren't invited, however it won't be a major problem because it will be wining from the #9, #10 teams, not the #3 team.

This proposed 9 team tournament would encompass 7 games. All 7 of these games would have big time bowl names to keep their naming deals in tact. The Championship would still be the FedEx National Championship, which i'm sure they would be more than happy with. And the remaining 6 bowls would be split between the big 4 (Rose Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Orange Bowl) and two next tier bowls (Possibly the Capitol One Bowl or Gator Bowl or Outback Bowl, etc.). In my mind, the Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl are the biggest of the big four and would claim the two semi-finals spots. Obviously the two new bowl addition would be more than happy to move up in status and most likely, monetary intake.

There are definitely possible setbacks to this deal. The Cotton and Orange Bowls might have a problem from being separated from the Rose and Sugar Bowls. Also, the Bowls have contracts with the conferences which would create issues, but no one said that the plan is flawless. I think something will be done a lot sooner than everyone is expecting and this idea is just another step in the right direction.

Best of the Bunch?

There's an interesting post on TheBigLead that discusses which of the top college wide receivers will make the best pros once they make the jump. If you haven't noticed, I love lists and rankings on who the best young players are.

All of these players will undoubtedly be drafted, most of them highly and possibly as first rounders. I'll give most guys an NFL comparison, some I've dreamed up, others I've read (maybe on TheBigLead) or heard elsewhere. Here's my thoughts on the more notable guys that I'm focused on (I don't know a ton about some of the guys near the bottom of the list):

Michael Crabtree is the star of this show and in my mind, will be an outstanding pro right out of the gate. He's smooth in his routes and has tremendous game instincts. Couple that with great size, strength, and speed and he should fit well into the NFL. Possible NFL comparison: Andre Johnson. He is just as physically imposing and should be able to take over games at the next level just as Andre does now.

Julio Jones is a big part of Alabama's dominance this season because he does it all for QB John Parker Wilson. Jones is a physical monster who reminds many of Terrell Owens but I don't think he is as naturally powerful. However, he has great hands, which is something T.O. rarely hears praise about. NFL comparison: Brandon Marshall. He's not the route runner that Marshall is, but he's got all the physical tools.

Jeremy Maclin just looks like a star college receiver. He's tall, lean, and a bolt of lightning in the open field. He just embarrases opposing defenders in space and gets to a second gear that most players just don't have. NFL comparison: DeSean Jackson. Maclin's got much better size, but he flashes that same game-breaking speed and quickness. He's dangerous coming off screen and reverses, also much like DeSean.

AJ Green is a dynamite freshman who manages to shine despite playing alongside Matthew Stafford and Knowshon Moreno. He's got a great size/speed combo that is simply too much for most college CBs to handle. His route-running needs work, but that will come with time. NFL comparison: Larry Fitzgerald. Green's hands and body control are exceptional which should make him very successful, like Fitzgerald.

Percy Harvin is lighting fast and explodes in and out of cuts up and down the field. He is extremely versatile with tremendous agility and quickness. NFL comparison: Santan Moss (props to TheBigLead for a good spot). Harvin will get more looks out of the backfield than Moss does but he is equally as explosive and short in stature as Moss.

Derrick Williams does it all for Penn State and has all of the necessary tools to be a good pro. He receives it, rushes it, and returns it, all extremely well. But what sets him apart is the mental aspect of his game. Williams is an extremely hard worker on and off the field. He does all the little things right: route-running, blocking, reading defenses, etc. Also, he possesses 4.3 speed and decent size at 6' 200 lbs. NFL comparison: Reggie Wayne. He has all of Wayne's best attritubes in his smarts, body control, and adept ability for getting open. I think Williams will be better utilized in the NFL than he currently is at Penn State and his stock will rise greatly at the combine later this year.

Just A Quick Note About Rutgers Football

My people, Rutgers Football is back like cooked crack. Their dominate 49-16 win over South Florida today pushed their record to .500 at 5-5. They are also now 4-2 in conference play and fourth overall in the Big East.

Lets compare to the other bloggers and see how there schools are doing this football season

University of Pennsylvania : 5-4 (4-2 in Ivy League Play).

Drexel University - 0-0 (do not exist)

Seton Hall University - 0-0 (do not exist)

Well by the looks of things, it seems I have the advantage and am able to talk the most trash when it comes to my teams football season.

small note to keep in the back of your minds

Michael Crabtree - 78 rec. 1010 yds. 18 tds. 12.9 yds/rec

Kenny Britt - 68 rec. 994 yds. 5 tds. 14.6 yds/rec

pretty close right?

Michael Crabtree: A Man Among Boys

I have a new man crush, and his name is Michael Crabtree. After a phenomenal redshirt freshman campaign (134 receptions 1,962 yards 22 TDs), Crabtree has brought his game to a whole new level in 2008. The 6'-3'' 215 lb reciever is averaging exactly 2 TDs per game, and has scored in every single game this season. He is is a consistent, certified stud.

When I watch Crabtree, the first thing that comes to my mind is Andre Johnson. He has all the tools to succeed at the next level: size, speed, intelligence, and athleticism. You name it, hes got it. He is a complete player, destined for NFL stardom. In my opinion, Crabtree should be in the running for the Heisman, right alongside his counterpart Graham Harrell. If Crabtree declares for the 2009 draft, he will almost certainly be a top 5 pick, and depending upon which holds that pick, he may very well go #1 overall.

Heres a closer look at Michael Crabtree's 2008 season by the numbers:

1,010 Yards
78 Receptions
18 Touchdowns
7 Games with 8 receptions or more
6 Multi-touchdown games
1 Miracle game winning catch

Madden 09 Review

I have to admit, I'm a little disappointed. My intial take on the game is that its very good, but not great. Madden has been my favorite video game for about 10 years, but my fear is the Madden franchise peaked around 2003 or 2004. Since then, improvements have been few and far between. My main concern with this years edition is the gameplay, which I will detail later.

All things considered, Madden 09 is still an outstanding game. But it could've been so much better. Maybe my expectations were too high, but that can't hide the fact that many gamers will clearly be disappointed. This is my take on the game:

GAMEPLAY: To me, gameplay is the most important part of Madden, and I really feel like they missed here. The game is very difficult and complex. Running is nearly impossible, and passing isn't very easy either. I guess its a little more realistic, but we have to remember its still a video game. I'm a pretty good Madden player, but I am really struggling so far.

Rating: 6/10

GRAPHICS: It appears that EA Sports really focused in on graphics, and they were highly successful here. It sounds ridiculous, but I can't say enough about the grass. It just looks so real. The same could be said for the uniforms and player animations. Simply outstanding. One of the few areas of actual improvement.

Rating: 10/10

PRESENTATION: I'm not a big fan of Colinsworth or Hammond, and I really think they detract from the game. They constantly repeat the same, stale lines and don't really add much to the experience. That being said, I like the overall presentation of the game, and it feels a lot like a game on TV.

Rating: 8/10

GAME MODES: I really like the Madden Moments feature. Its surprisingly fun and very challenging. And of course, I really enjoy the Franchise mode and the Superstar mode. My only problem is that they did very little to improve these game modes. Actually, I don't think they improved them at all. Still, I will spend 90% of my Madden playing time in the franchise mode and its still a good experience.

OVERALL: For sports fans, Madden is the ultimate video game. The framework of the game alone is enough to sell, and please gamers everywhere. But I'm really growing tired of the same game year in and year out. Its still an outstanding game, but if they continue to produce the same game I might think twice about spending $60 on it.

RATING: 8.5/10

Rumbles From The.. Jungles?

It's time to empty some more thougths into the blog. I don't think any are real posts so here's, as usual, everything I've got currently:

• ESPN is reporting that Lebron would consider a $50 Million Euro deal if it was ever put on the table. While I don't think it will happen, this would be a devastating blow to the NBA. They can downplay it all they want, but if a MEGAstar like Lebron fled for the big euro money, the NBA would lose its luster, very, very quickly. Global icon here he comes?
• NCAA Football Champion Prediction: Georgia. Not balsy by any means, but they are going to be awesome. Matt Stafford seems to be a supremely talented QB and Knowshon Moreno (?) is a stud. Not to mention the lock-down defense they play.
• Golf sucks without Tiger.
• Nascar always sucks.
• Is anyone suprised by the Joba Chamblerlain injury? I'm certainly not.
• Good for the Packers. Tell Favre to shove it and move on. Oh wait, they're wallowing and balking constantly, without solving this dilapitating problem? Nevermind then.
• Shaun Andrews of the Eagles, Pro-Bowl OL, has been absent because of a newly released case of depression. Nothing is ever simple with the Eagles. Ever. When are theygoing to decide which of their 3 CBs is going to play? Will everyone follow McNabb? Why don't they pay Westbrook?
• I can't help but feel the Red Sox don't have enough to get the rings again. David Ortiz just hasn't been himself, probably only because of his injury, but nonetheless it is hurting the team.
• Did everyone forget the Chad Johnson nonsense we heard all offseason? Suddenly, acting like a child is all forgiven once camp starts? I thought he was holding out? Hold on, he's a professional, he isn't held accountable for what he says.
• The Phillies need to seperate with John Maine and Billy Wagner on the DL for the Mets for the time being.
• I hate Giambi. Giambi grows mustache. I like Giambi. Giambi shaves mustache. I hate Giambi.

There it is. I'm now out of thoughts.