RockRaines

there are two more in the upcoming years. Tim Raines in 2008 and Robin Ventura in 2010

Next years rankings by ESPN already http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/columns/stor...&id=2725188 The 2006 college football season isn't even 48 hours behind us, but it's never too early to look ahead to this fall. This preview might be altered by the early exodus to the NFL, but we're fairly certain about a couple of things: The Trojans are No. 1 and Notre Dame isn't ranked. 1. USC Trojans Why: Quarterback John David Booty's stellar performance (391 passing yards, four touchdowns) in the Trojans' 32-18 win over Michigan in the Rose Bowl presented by Citi showed he's among the best passers in the country. The Trojans played a boatload of underclassmen this season; if junior defensive end Lawrence Jackson and defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis return, they could have 10 starters back on defense. Why not: Booty's two primary targets -- Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith -- will be gone next season. Are young receivers Vidal Hazelton and Patrick Turner ready to step up? Junior left tackle Sam Baker could join senior center Ryan Kalil in the NFL draft. The 2006 schedule flips in 2007 with road games at Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oregon, California and Arizona State. 2. Florida Gators Why: Have you seen the talent Gators coach Urban Meyer has stockpiled in Gainesville? Florida's 41-14 annihilation of Ohio State in the Tostitos BCS National Championship Game was no fluke. The Gators are in the top five to stay. Meyer and offensive coordinator Dan Mullen believe heralded quarterback Tim Tebow will run their offense better in his sophomore year than graduating quarterback Chris Leak. A national championship repeat isn't out of the question -- the 2007 schedule is more favorable with home games against Tennessee, Auburn and Florida State and additional nonconference games against I-AA Western Kentucky, Troy and Florida Atlantic. Why not: The defense -- the Gators' strength during their run to the BCS national title -- will be hit hard with personnel losses. At least five starters will leave and star safety Reggie Nelson and linebacker Brandon Siler also could bolt for the NFL draft. The Gators still don't run the ball very well and leading rusher DeShawn Wynn is leaving. 3. Michigan Wolverines Why: Quarterback Chad Henne, tailback Mike Hart and All-America left tackle Jake Long already have declared they'll be back, along with receiver Mario Manningham. The Wolverines play most of their tough games at home -- against Oregon, Notre Dame, Penn State and Ohio State -- and don't play at Wisconsin until Nov. 10. Why not: As many as eight defensive starters might be leaving, including junior tackle Alan Branch, who decided to enter the NFL draft. Defensive ends LaMarr Woodley and Rondell Biggs and All-America cornerback Leon Hall also are gone. Three starters are leaving on the offensive line. 4. West Virginia Mountaineers Why: Mountaineers coach Rich Rodriguez turned down a lucrative offer from Alabama to stay at his alma mater. Quarterback Pat White and tailback Steve Slaton, two of the most electrifying players in the country, return for their junior seasons. The road to the Big East title gets easier with Bobby Petrino leaving Louisville. Why not: The Mountaineers lose center Dan Mozes, the heart and soul of their offensive line, and starting receivers Rayshawn Bolden and Brandon Myles, who were valued as much for their blocking as pass catching. Seven starters should be back on defense, but linebackers Kevin "Boo" McLee and Jay Henry are leaving. Three of West Virginia's toughest games in 2007 are on the road -- at Rutgers, South Florida and Maryland. 5. Wisconsin Badgers Why: The Badgers should return 19 starters from a team that finished 12-1 in coach Bret Bielema's first season. Rising sophomore P.J. Hill ran for more than 1,500 yards and 15 touchdowns, and speedy wide receiver Marcus Randle El returns from a knee injury. All-Big 10 cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu and outside linebacker Jonathan Casillas return to lead an improving defense. Why not: The Badgers should lose only two starters on offense, but they're important ones -- quarterback John Stocco and All-America left tackle Joe Thomas. Tyler Donovan played well in two emergency starts for Stocco, but he'll have to hold off Kansas State transfer Allan Evridge for the starting job. The schedule gets tougher, as the Badgers trade out Northwestern and Purdue for Michigan State and Ohio State in the Big 10 rotation. 6. Oklahoma Sooners Why: The Sooners were among the youngest of the elite teams and still won the Big 12 Conference and played in a BCS bowl game. As many as nine starters could be back on offense and seven on defense. Rising senior Allen Patrick ran for 761 yards and four touchdowns in Adrian Peterson's absence, and proved he can carry the load in 2007 if Peterson leaves. Why not: Oklahoma will have an inexperienced quarterback with Paul Thompson leaving. Either junior college transfer Joey Halzle, redshirt freshman Sam Bradford or incoming freshman Keith Nichol will get the nod. Leading tacklers Rufus Alexander and Zach Latimer and pass-rushing linemen Larry Birdine and C.J. Ah You are leaving. 7. Virginia Tech Hokies Why: The Hokies played better than any ACC team down the stretch and might return eight starters on offense and eight on defense. Xavier Adibi and Vince Hall are as physically gifted as any linebackers in the country, and tailback Branden Ore emerged as the league's best runner. Why not: Quarterback Sean Glennon struggled throwing the football in his first season as a starter, but the Hokies don't have a viable option behind him. Kicker Brandon Pace and punter Nic Schmitt, two of the country's best specialists, are leaving. Virginia Tech plays at LSU on Sept. 8 and picks up Florida State in the ACC rotation. 8. Texas Longhorns Why: The Longhorns should score plenty of points with quarterback Colt McCoy and receivers Quan Cosby, Billy Pittman and possibly Limas Sweed coming back. Tailback Jamaal Charles might run for 1,000 yards when he's not sharing carries with Selvin Young anymore. Why not: Three starters are leaving on the offensive line, including All-America guard Justin Blalock. There will be even more losses on a defense that got torched by Texas Tech and Kansas State: defensive ends Tim Crowder and Brian Robinson, safety Michael Griffin and cornerbacks Tarell Brown and Aaron Ross, the Thorpe Award winner. Defensive coordinator Gene Chizik was named coach at Iowa State. 9. Ohio State Buckeyes Why: The Buckeyes were exceptionally young this past season, starting 10 sophomores and freshmen. If Antonio Pittman returns for his senior season, he'll form one of the country's top tailback tandems with rising sophomore Chris Wells. Why not: For starters, Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith is leaving. Receivers Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez also could bolt for the NFL draft, leaving fewer proven targets for the new quarterback, either Todd Boeckman or Rob Schoenhoft. Also, the schedule gets tougher with road games at Washington, Penn State and Michigan and a home game against Wisconsin. Was the BCS meltdown an aberration, or did Florida expose the Buckeyes' lack of speed? 10. Cal Bears Why: Despite losing Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year Marshawn Lynch, the Bears return a plethora of skill players on offense. DeSean Jackson is a big-play threat at receiver and punt returner. Quarterback Nate Longshore was much-improved in his first season as a starter, and Justin Forsett and freshman James Montgomery are in line to replace Lynch. Why not: For starters, the Bears open the 2007 season against Tennessee and must fare better than in the '06 opener. Cal must replace all its key parts on defense -- tackle Brandon Mebane, linebacker Desmond Bishop and cornerback Daymeion Hughes. The transition will be easier if the NCAA grants another year of eligibility to cornerback Tim Mixon, who missed all of 2006 with a knee injury. 11. Arkansas Razorbacks Why: Tailback Darren McFadden might be the Heisman Trophy favorite in 2007 after running for nearly 1,500 yards and 14 touchdowns as a sophomore. Tailback Felix Jones was nearly as productive. The Razorbacks relied largely on freshmen and sophomores in winning the SEC West in 2006. Why not: The Hogs won despite failing to throw the football consistently all season. Neither Casey Dick nor Mitch Mustain was very good, allowing opponents to focus on stopping McFadden and Jones. Coach Houston Nutt seemed reluctant to turn his offense over completely to new coordinator Gus Malzahn, which might cause more tension down the road. The Razorbacks struggled defending the pass, and cornerback Chris Houston and defensive end Jamaal Anderson both entered the NFL draft as juniors. Road games at Alabama, Tennessee and LSU are hazardous. 12. Nebraska Cornhuskers Why: All of the pieces are in place for coach Bill Callahan to return the Cornhuskers to their place among the country's elite teams. Arizona State transfer Sam Keller might be the perfect trigger man for Callahan's passing offense. Tailbacks Brandon Jackson and Marlon Lucky are both capable runners, and junior college transfer Maurice Purify was a big-play threat. Four offensive linemen return. Why not: The Cornhuskers struggled to stop opponents, and all four defensive linemen and leading tackler Stewart Bradley must be replaced. The Cornhuskers can't go through another season without a capable kicker. The nonconference schedule will be more than demanding with home games against Nevada and USC and a road game at Wake Forest. 13. LSU Tigers Why: The Tigers played like one of the best teams in the country down the stretch, winning their last seven games and beating Notre Dame 41-14 in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. LSU annually has stockpiled talent, starting with former coach Nick Saban and continuing with Les Miles. Why not: The Tigers will be hit hard by defections: junior quarterback JaMarcus Russell has declared his intention of entering the NFL draft, and defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey is expected to do the same. Senior wideouts Craig Davis and Dwayne Bowe, defensive end Chase Pittman and safeties Jessie Daniels and LaRon Landry also are leaving. Offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher left for the same position at Florida State. 14. Penn State Nittany Lions Why: The Nittany Lions' 20-10 win over Tennessee in the Outback Bowl showed they're not too far from returning to where they were two years ago. Quarterback Anthony Morelli showed signs of being able to lead the offense, and Derrick Williams, Deon Butler and Jordan Norwood are all playmakers. If junior linebacker Dan Connor returns, the defense should be just as good after allowing 14.4 points per game in 2006. Why not: Penn State must replace tailback Tony Hunt, who ran for more than 1,000 yards in each of the last two seasons. Left tackle Levi Brown also leaves. Three starting defensive linemen must be replaced, along with All-America linebacker Paul Posluszny, the school's all-time leading tackler. 15. Texas A&M Aggies Why: The Aggies return a lot of firepower in quarterback Stephen McGee, tailbacks Mike Goodson and Jorvorskie Lane, and blossoming tight end Martellus Bennett. Texas A&M lost three games by a combined six points before beating Texas 12-7 in the regular-season finale, so perhaps the Aggies finally have learned how to win close games. Why not: Coach Dennis Franchione, who finally seemed to be off the hot seat by finishing 5-3 in the Big 12 and beating Texas, lost a lot of momentum when the Aggies were thumped 45-10 by California in the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl. The Bears found plenty of cracks in defensive coordinator Gary Darnell's 4-2-5 scheme, and leading tackler Justin Warren and safety Melvin Bullitt are leaving. 16. Auburn Tigers Why: Nick Saban's arrival at Alabama will light a fuse under Tigers coach Tommy Tuberville, whose team went 11-2 in 2006, but never found its rhythm on offense. Auburn is still very talented on defense, and end Quentin Groves and tackle Sen'Derrick Marks can become dominating players. Why not: The Tigers lose four offensive linemen, including second-team All-America guard Ben Grubbs, as well as leading receiver Courtney Taylor and leading rusher Kenny Irons. Quarterback Brandon Cox was inconsistent throughout the season and didn't receive much help from his receivers. 17. Georgia Bulldogs Why: The Bulldogs salvaged an otherwise mediocre 2006 campaign by finishing with victories over nationally ranked Auburn, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech. Freshman quarterback Matthew Stafford improved throughout the season and showed great arm strength. The receiver corps improved and should be better with the return of senior Sean Bailey, who missed all of 2006 with a knee injury. Running backs Kregg Lumpkin and Thomas Brown return, along with highly regarded freshman Knowshon Moreno. Why not: Georgia will rely heavily on junior college transfers in rebuilding its offensive and defensive lines. The biggest losses will be defensive ends Charles Johnson and Quentin Moses and linebacker Tony Taylor. Road games at Alabama, Tennessee and Georgia Tech, along with playing Florida in Jacksonville, are daunting. 18. TCU Horned Frogs Why: The Horned Frogs finished the 2006 season with a flourish, winning their last seven games and thumping Northern Illinois 37-7 in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. TCU outscored its last four opponents 172-35. All but two starters, including end Tommy Blake, an All-America candidate, return to a defense that should be among the best in the country. The defense will be tested early -- the Horned Frogs play at Texas on Sept. 8. Why not: TCU loses quarterback Jeff Ballard, who threw 13 touchdowns and only five interceptions in 2006. He should be replaced by redshirt freshman Marcus Jackson, who has thrown 44 passes in his college career. 19. Tennessee Volunteers Why: The Volunteers improved from 5-6 in 2005 to 9-4 this season, but coach Phillip Fulmer isn't satisfied, especially after a 20-10 loss to Penn State in the Outback Bowl. Erik Ainge should return for his senior season after offensive coordinator David Cutcliffe transformed him into an SEC quarterback again. Tailback LaMarcus Coker showed signs of being the runner the Vols have needed the last few seasons. Why not: All three of Ainge's main weapons -- Robert Meachem, Bret Smith and Jayson Swain -- are leaving. Center David Ligon and Arron Sears also are departing. The Volunteers open the season at California and play at Florida and Alabama. Tennessee plays Georgia, South Carolina and Arkansas at home. 20. UCLA Bruins Why: The Bruins won their last three regular-season games, including a 13-9 upset of USC, before losing to Florida State 44-27 in the Emerald Bowl. UCLA could start 10 seniors on defense next season, and coordinator DeWayne Walker proved to be a great tactician in the upset of the Trojans. Likewise, the Bruins should lose only one starter on offense -- center Robert Chai -- and two experienced quarterbacks, Patrick Cowan and Ben Olson, will battle for the starting job. Why not: This will be a very important season for coach Karl Dorrell, who seemed to be on his way out until UCLA upset rival USC. The Bruins lose only three regulars, but two of them were All-Americans: first-team kicker Justin Medlock (28-for-32 field goals) and second-team defensive end Justin Hickman (12½ sacks). 21. Rutgers Scarlet Knights Why: The Scarlet Knights will keep chopping away in Piscataway, N.J., after coach Greg Schiano turned down Miami to stay at Rutgers. Tailback Ray Rice should be among the leading contenders for the 2007 Heisman Trophy, and quarterback Mike Teel continued to progress throughout the 2006 season. Wide receivers Kenny Britt and Tiquan Underwood are emerging big-play threats. Why not: The loss of senior running back Brian Leonard can't be understated. He was a bruising blocker, a fabulous receiver out of the backfield and formed a great running tandem with Rice. The Scarlet Knights also must replace five starters on defense. 22. Wake Forest Demon Deacons Why: The Demon Deacons figure to stay near the top of the ACC as long as Clemson, Florida State and Miami continue to underachieve. Remarkably, Wake Forest was able to keep coach Jim Grobe after he led the Demon Deacons to an 11-3 record, ACC title and BCS bowl game. Why not: Wake Forest won't sneak up on opponents this season. The Demon Deacons will have eight starters back on offense and seven on defense. But cornerback Riley Swanson and safeties Patrick Ghee and Josh Gattis will be missed from a secondary that helped the Demon Deacons intercept 22 passes in 2006. The passing game must get better, and Ben Mauk will challenge Riley Skinner for the starting job. 23. Boise State Broncos Why: Who can doubt the Broncos after they finished 13-0 and beat Oklahoma 43-42 in overtime in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl with a heavy dose of razzle dazzle at the end? Tailback Ian Johnson returns after leading the country with 25 rushing touchdowns and 1,714 rushing yards in 2006. He'll have four offensive linemen back in front of him. Quarterback Jared Zabransky leaves, but coach Chris Petersen will have four quarterbacks competing to replace him, including Nick Lomax, son of former NFL quarterback Neil Lomax. Why not: A big reason Boise State finished unbeaten was its defense, which improved to 14th in Division I-A in total defense and 21st in scoring defense (compared to 51st in each category in 2005). Star linebacker Korey Hall, the heart and soul of that defense, is leaving, along with three starting defensive linemen. 24. Alabama Crimson Tide Why: It won't take Nick Saban long to turn the Crimson Tide into a winner, but it won't happen overnight. Alabama should return nine starters on offense, including promising tackle Andre Smith and guard B.J. Stabler. Receiver DJ Hall is coming back, along with quarterback John Parker Wilson, who must improve for the Tide to be effective on offense. Why not: The Crimson Tide loses six starters on defense, including linebacker Juwan Simpson and tackle Jeremy Clark. The schedule is difficult with home games against Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee and LSU and road games against Florida State (in Jacksonville) and Auburn. 25. Louisville Cardinals Why: Before coach Bobby Petrino bolted for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons, the Cardinals were hoping junior quarterback Brian Brohm would return. If Brohm leaves for the NFL draft, Hunter Cantwell is ready to take over. Petrino said he believed Cantwell could develop into an NFL prospect. Anthony Allen showed he's ready to replace Michael Bush, who announced Tuesday that he will leave for the NFL draft. Why not: Maybe this is why Petrino left. Besides Bush, Brohm and Louisville junior wideouts Harry Douglas and Mario Urrutia are expected to enter the draft. Linebacker Malik Jackson could do the same. Defensive tackle Amobi Okoye, cornerbacks William Gay and Gavin Smart and linebacker Nate Harris are definitely leaving the defense. Mark Schlabach covers college football and men's college basketball for ESPN.com. You can contact him at [email protected].

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jan 10, 2007 -> 10:52 AM) Maybe all there camera's were being taken up by college football? Still no excuse, imo, because they should televise every major sporting event in HD. Yes they should. Especially college bball, it really captures the emotion and the details of the event that much better than if the two blocks are occupying the side of the screen.

QUOTE(southsideirish71 @ Jan 10, 2007 -> 10:16 AM) I am waiting for this technology to move to the IPOD standalone. I am guessing it will, but this thing is ridiculous, I wouldnt be surprised to see everything of theirs integrated into one device as the standard in the future. here is the live demo, its long but awesome http://events.apple.com.edgesuite.net/j47d52oo/event/

After watching the demo online for the Iphone, I want one. The ipod interface in itself is the most innovative thing I have seen in quite some time.

QUOTE(GreatScott82 @ Jan 10, 2007 -> 09:16 AM) Sisco still needs to figure out Major League hitters Well in 2005 he had a 3.11 ERA out of the bullpen in 78 innings. So I think he has at one point figured out MLB hitters and just had a bad year last year.

"proven" and bullpen do not go hand in hand. Bullpen pitchers are historically some of the most inconsistent entities from season to season in the MLB.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 10:24 PM) No doubt that will be an awesome game, Wisconsin is just tough as all hell at home. OSU just got too out of control for a stretch of the game and dug themselves too big of a hole. Agreed, Wisco is also too experience at this point compared to OSU, they still dont know how to play together. Im sure they will figure it out soon enough, but at this point, its somewhat ugly at times.

QUOTE(WHarris1 @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 10:15 PM) ODEN WAS OPEN What a finish, I thought for sure Taylor would knock down both. Great win for Wiscy even though they almost let it slip away. Im excited for the next battle at OSU. Ya gotta love conference play, gives you a little taste of tourney atmosphere.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 10:02 PM) OSU is just a dumb team at the moment. They're going to have to mature a lot come March. A ton, they havent yet learned how to play together especially with a potentially dominant big man. They are a team that should improve throughout the year. I get the feeling that Wisco and OSU may split the series this year, both winning at home. That should make for some interesting games later on.

QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 08:52 PM) High Definition broadcasts have nothing to do with a particular stadium. TV cameras aren't installed in a stadium or arena. A production company brings everything in and most of the time that is subcontracted out. Most of the employees working a TV broadcast are not employed by the network airing them, but subbed out. I have never worked an HD broadcast, but I have worked broadcasts for both Fox Sports Net and ESPN. In both instances, my check came from a production company, not the network. There are a limited number of HD TV trucks. ESPN cut back on HD basketball programming during bowl season, I assume due to the lack of HD trucks. Many times, whether a game on ESPN is in HD or not depends on other games that day and trucks available. You are aware we were joking about that right? Good info though.

Wow, these refs apparently want to see how deep both benches are.

QUOTE(danman31 @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 07:37 PM) Not to combat the Duke bashing, but I haven't noticed a HD game for them yet. The Va Tech game might have been, but that was ABC and I missed it. CBS is the first to do HD games this year that I've seen. I believe the LSU UConn game was the first HD game this year for the ESPNs. I have seen 2. It really was just another way to hate Duke. BTW, I thought Dicky V didnt do Big Ten games.

QUOTE(Tony82087 @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 06:48 PM) The Sox at times can rule my life. but I have never had the desire to go to Fest. Im not a huge auto guy, and I don't see that much appeal otherwise. The DO rule my life, and after the past few SF's I realized that I was going just to go and I only really enjoyed buying t-shirts and pictures etc, the same stuff I could get in a store. Last year was just the straw that broke the camels back.

QUOTE(bmags @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 03:41 PM) i have to say, the way they describe the touchscreen, i don't think it will have many headaches. Ignores mistouches, allows for multi finger action. I just can't see them putting something out that wasn't completely user friendly, which has been all their products. Thats what people say about the smart type in the new small blackberry's but it truly does suck. I have a fully touchscreen TV remote and it kinda blows too. Im just saying, I like having actual buttons to push, which is why alot of Treo's and BB's keep that feature.

QUOTE(Palehosefan @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 04:36 PM) Boise could have had a greater say in the argument if they scheduled better OOC opponents. Oregon State, Wyoming, Sacramento State, and Utah just isn't going to get it done. Yes, this is assuming a bigger power would actually play them, and that's a big assumption. But I'm not ready to hand Boise State anything after their schedule and escaping one of the worst BCS teams this year. USC, LSU, OSU, Florida, and probably even Michigan would beat Boise State by 10+ points in my opinion. They beat a fairly weak Oklahoma team in their bowl, and had to bring out ridiculous yet awesome trick plays to do it.

QUOTE(Soxbadger @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 04:00 PM) Well Rock the only way you can appreciate those pretty boys at Duke is with HD. Scheyer, McRoberts, and Paulus, looks dont get the justice they deserve on the regular tv format. And how would I know if all of Coach K's hair is in perfect condition unless I have the high quality 1080p tv? Ahhh dont get anyone started on that. I guess when you play every game at home its easy to set up the 1080p equipment, since they can just leave it there for months. Im sure ESPN installed a permanent set up there.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 03:15 PM) Whoops and now I understand Rowand's reference to the Pats any better. And understood evil when it comes to you anyway, I shrugged it off as a spelling error as usual. QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 03:00 PM) Brees was a 2nd round pick and took some time and I could buy this comparison a bit, however, Brees was 3 times the passer Brown was at the collegiate level. I wanted to at least post some stats in case people forget. Brees 2000 512 att 309 completions 60.4 percent 3668 yards 26 td's 12 int Smith 2006 311 att 203 comp 65.3 pct 2542 yards 30 td's 6 int obviously Brees threw alot more passes, but Smith was very productive in his chances. The scouting report on Brees in 2000 is also very similar to Smith's Brees was a very productive three-year starter in a pass-oriented offense, though he lacks ideal size for the NFL. He is a good athlete and an excellent leader who is good at sliding away from the rush or stepping up in the pocket to deliver the ball. Brees drills the slant route with zip, has decent velocity on sideline throws and can also throw the lob with touch and timing. He is very good at hitting receivers in stride on crossing routes and makes quick reads. Just saying, there have been comparison's made in the press between the two, and I wanted to at least throw that info out there as where I see Smith ending up.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 03:00 PM) Grossman also put up ungodly passing numbers for a couple seasons and had a rocket ship of an arm. And even than he went 24th overall and had the Bears not taken him (although there was speculation the Packers had interest) he probably would have fallen to the 2nd round. I do think you are right, his arm is good enough but I wouldn't even think of comparing it to that of Grossman's. Brees was a 2nd round pick and took some time and I could buy this comparison a bit, however, Brees was 3 times the passer Brown was at the collegiate level. I would rather draft Booty than I would Brown. Not sure who Brown is. But Smith was somewhat of a late bloomer as far as passing goes. Last season he was almost exclusively thought of as a running QB, which hurt his passing numbers a bit. Not to mention OSU is and always has been a run first team. Brees was in a wide open spread offense that does inflate numbers quite a bit much like the system of Texas Tech. I would put him in the second round mold where it may take some time for him to adjust to the NFL system, but I think he will still be a successful NFL QB based on how quickly he came along and his propensity (except for last night) to play well under pressure.

QUOTE(IlliniKrush @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 02:50 PM) It's hilarious because you spent the entire season whining about how much Quinn sucks, and how Smith will go before him in the draft without a doubt. Well, you're wrong, and last night was just the exclamation point on the whole thing. So i'll keep laughing. I am wrong about the draft, duh. I think I mentioned that several times. I can admit when I am wrong, which is alot different from several other people on this site. Quinn's physical size on its own is assuring him a first round draft slot. Is he the #1 that you and several others proclaimed? Nope, and HE solidified that on his own. All Troy had to do last night was play how he has his entire career, and his team choked and he was the leader of one of the biggest choke jobs in OSU history. He will now have to prove himself at the next level, and I am confident he will.

After attending for several years I have come to the opinion that Soxfest is overrated. Your thoughts?

QUOTE(Soxbadger @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 02:43 PM) Yeah ESPN has never brought the HD cameras to the Kohl Center this season, not even for the Pitt game. Figured, it seems like alot of the Big Ten games are on the HD channels but they never bring the gear. Im sure its permanently stationed at Duke. I see you edging us out tonight, but im sure we may bring payback in Columbus.

QUOTE(Chisoxfn @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 02:30 PM) Smith proved that his lack of height makes him a total tweener in this league. He is'nt near the passer Quinn is nor the physical specimen that Jamarcus is and I'd be stunned if Troy went in the first round. In fact, I could see many teams looking him as a WR (unfortunately he isn't blazing fast) and I'd have to think he's a late 2nd, maybe even 3rd round pick. Quinn is probably top 10-15, Jamarcus is #1 overall material (and if the right team is there, Quinn is a top 3-4 pick). No doubt and as I said a lot this year, Florida and LSU were the two best teams in the country and I think they both showed it to some extent. Smith has too good of an arm to be a pure athlete in the NFL. His height may look bad on paper and he did play a horrible game last night, but he has proven to be accurate when his line actually blocks for him, and I see him as a Drew Brees type with better feet IMO. Keep in mind he is only 1 inch shorter than Grossman and has a higher release point than alot of QB's. I dont think it was his height that held him back last night, it was his timing, and his blocking which made him make poor decisions. I would be surprised to see him slip to the 3rd round, especially with Cle's need for QB, but I think his performance last night basically assured that he slips out of the first round.

It says HD on ESPN, but it is all dependent on the cameras at the stadium.

QUOTE(Rowand44 @ Jan 9, 2007 -> 02:10 PM) Definitely two final four calibur teams, I'm really looking forward to this one. It better be in HD.