Boogua

QUOTE (Brian @ Dec 6, 2012 -> 09:48 PM) Should anyone but Von Miller win defensive player of the year? Looking at pro football focus, JJ Watt actually scores better than Von Miller (albeit not by much). They're both having ridiculous seasons. Last year Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers had the highest scores at 62.2 and 57.0. The best defensive score last year was Justin Smith at 46.5 (Von Miller scoring second with 44.3). This season Watt and Miller have scores of 73.7 (Watt) and 72.1 (Miller). Just insane.

QUOTE (CrimsonWeltall @ Dec 6, 2012 -> 01:13 PM) Surprise onside kicks are extremely rare themselves. I've still definitely seen more surprise onside kicks than fake punts on 4th and 10+ from a team's 30.

QUOTE (ChiSox_Sonix @ Dec 6, 2012 -> 01:04 PM) Fake punt How many fake punts do we see occur from a team's own 30 on 4th and 15. You have to think teams are going to look at it the same way.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Dec 6, 2012 -> 12:57 PM) I cant think of a comparable example in another sport, this would change the game entirely. I have no actual stats, but I have to imagine that converting a 4-15 is much more likely than an onside kick. Completely agree. It would also take away the surprise element that onside kicks can have (i.e Saints-Colts superbowl)

QUOTE (fathom @ Dec 4, 2012 -> 11:42 AM) Yep, it flat out is not a Team MVP award. Seeing the 4 Oklahoman writers all vote Te'o first was interesting to see, but 3 of those writers also didn't vote RG3 first last year. Heisman Pundit and SI predict it's Manziel to win, while USA Today survey has it very close (rumors are that the survey is made up of mostly writers from midwest/NE). I'm seeing Manziel as a 13-1 favorite while Kilen is a 5-1 dog and Teo is a 4-1 dog. That pretty much tells me Manziel is going to win.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Dec 3, 2012 -> 07:18 AM) 5dimes.com is opeining at 9½, or 2.95 to 1 on the moneyline. Lots of line movement. It was 8 on Bookmaker yesterday and it's 9.5 this morning.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Dec 3, 2012 -> 06:52 AM) I notice you aren't telling the haters to dial it down a notch, just me. I hope I'm not one of these "haters" you speak of. I have no problem with ND and I was just sharing my thoughts on the game. I provided some evidence (showing how one dimensional a team like Stanford was and showing the success the Pitt run game had against ND), but you provided no argument and called me "yellow" because I wouldn't give you double digit points. ND is facing the best defense, the most balanced offense, the best offensive line, and the best coaching staff they've seen all year. The SEC has coveredthe past 6 years in the NC game (Alabama doing it twice- beating an LSU team in a similar situation 21-0). I'll take my chances.

QUOTE (kev211 @ Dec 2, 2012 -> 08:00 PM) Because you seem to think Bama is going to roll so to back up your statement put your money where your mouth is. The line is irrelevant when you sit here saying ND has literally no chance. It would still be stupid. I'll bet the 8, but I'm not going to lose multiple points to prove a point. That would just be irresponsible as a bettor.

QUOTE (HickoryHuskers @ Dec 2, 2012 -> 07:55 PM) Anybody who thinks ND is going to lose by double digits is welcome to PM me and put their money where their mouths are. Otherwise you're just all talk and all yellow. Also, NIU is not the worst team in a BCS Bowl nor will they lose by the most. Why would I give you double digits if the line is 8. That would just be stupid.

QUOTE (kev211 @ Dec 2, 2012 -> 07:03 PM) They went 12-0 with wins over Stanford and Oklahoma and they won that Pitt game as well. I don't see your point every team has a bad day, its the good ones that overcome it and manage to remain undefeated. Alabama struggles against mobile Quarterbacks and ND has stopped the run all season minus the Pitt game. Anyone who thinks Alabama is this unstoppable force and ND is going to get killed is wrong. The game will be close. Do they really? And you say this because Manziel, the guy who is going to win the Heisman, had 90 yards on 18 carries against them and gave them some problems? I'm trying to look at other games where they had problems with mobile QBs and I'm having a bit of trouble. Denard was awful and had 10 rushes for 27 yards against them. Denard isn't good, but Golson is probably closer to Denard than he is Manziel. Stanford's starting QB was awful and that game still went to OT. Bama has a much more balanced offense than them and a better running game on top of that. I watched the Stanford-Washington game and they loaded the box and forced Nunes to beat them (he was 18-37 with a pick). Stanford ran for 65 yards that game. They were extremely one dimensional.

QUOTE (kev211 @ Dec 2, 2012 -> 06:44 PM) Anyone who honestly thinks that Bama is going to roll over ND hasn't watched Bama or ND play enough this season. ND isn't going to get blown out and could easily have hung with both of those teams yesterday. They were down 14 points going into the 4th quarter against Pitt. Ray Graham had 172 rushing yards and averaged over 7 yards per carry against ND (although maybe they gameplanned to stop Sunseri /green). This Bama team has one of the best running games in college football and just ran for 350 yards in the SEC championship game. I think the game will be close for a bit, but Bama will eventually pull away and cover the 8 points that they're currently giving.

QUOTE (Soxfest @ Dec 2, 2012 -> 06:35 PM) Hope the Tarnished Dome gets smoked by Bama! It's going to happen.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 2, 2012 -> 06:30 PM) And if Bush would have run again for 1 yard, he would have gotten the first down. IT WAS 5 INCHES. 9 plays for 15 yards averages to what? More than 5 inches. There was also 3 no gains and a rush for -2 yards out of those 9 rushes. It was a stupid choice. Even if they would have gotten it. But I know this argument is going nowhere. Was just pointing out that the running game wasn't successful at all before that play. The bears were starting two new guards too (and called an inside run). Just can't see the logic behind it.

QUOTE (iamshack @ Dec 2, 2012 -> 05:10 PM) Well, they ran the ball quite well with Bush in other situations. Another thing that hurt us was when Bush came out on our last offensive drive because of an injury. Had he been able to stay in, maybe we wouldn't be having this conversation. Up to that point the Bears had 9 rushes for 15 yards. They were having trouble running the ball. Michael Bush had 1 carry for 1 yard before that 4th down play. You should take the points there in most situations (making it a two possession game), but especially when the Bears weren't showing the ability to effectively run the ball up to that point.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 30, 2012 -> 08:42 AM) Anyone read this about Illinois football yet? https://sites.google.com/site/truthaboutillinoisfb/home I'm not sure I buy all the recruiting stuff he said. Zook's 2010 and 2011 classes weren't very good. It looked like he lost some of that recruiting mojo. If this (getting Miles, Morrison, and Brown) were somehow proven to be true I would want to kill someone.

QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Nov 29, 2012 -> 04:17 PM) None of those comparisons are any good. Hibbert is slow and barely gets off the floor. Lopez fell because he's not a good athlete either (that and the 2008 draft was loaded). Drummond is a better athlete but is a complete project with few offensive skills. Leonard is a bit closer, but still wasn't nearly as highly regarded. At least coming out, he's most similar to LaMarcus Aldridge. Both are kinda thin and had questions about being able to bang in the NBA, both are good but not great athletes, but have some moves down low but didn't get a ton of scoring chances because their guards were scoring options too (and for Texas they sucked at getting him the ball). Their numbers will probably end up extremely similar in their sophomore years too. Aldridge turned into a really solid offensive player by developing a pick-and-pop game to compensate for the fact that he can't always post-up effectively (though he's really good down low when he can). Obviously if you take Zeller, you hope he does the same. That's actually a pretty good comparison, although I'd be absolutely shocked if he reached aldridges level in the pros. I just looked back about 4-5 years at draft classes and was looking at 7 footers that didn't go in the top 5. All this talk is pretty premature anyways. He'll go top 5 no matter what this year, but once he gets through the combine and predraft stuff is when we can get a better idea how he stacks up against other years.

QUOTE (He_Gawn @ Nov 29, 2012 -> 01:43 PM) I think the big thing most are forgetting about Zeller is his passing. His basketball IQ is unmatched on the floor. He just does the right thing, every time. He dominated one of the best defensive big men seen in college in a long time in Anthony Davis. Scored whenever he seemingly got the ball down low. His skill level is incredible. Also, he doesn't get nearly as many shots as many of those other guys. He gets mostly less than 10 shots a game because there's so much talent on Indiana. He averages like 26 minutes a game. If he gets 15-20 shots and 35 minutes a game (on a team with less talent), no doubt in my mind he's 25 and 10 every single night. How do you think he does in the NBA?

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 29, 2012 -> 12:30 PM) None of those guys were has highly thought and as complete as Zeller. Lopez didn't have near the hype coming out of college. Yes, but he was a 7 footer that could play. You said that was why Zeller would go top 5. I was just showing otherwise. 7 footers with high upside/athleticism along with the ability to play make 7 footers go in the top 5. There are obviously some exceptions (Bogut wasn't that athletic, but he averaged like 20 and 12 his sophomore year and it was a weird draft). I just don't know who I could compare Zeller to that's successful in the NBA. The guy isn't an anchor on defense and I don't know if he'll be able to do as well on the block in the NBA. I would guess not.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 29, 2012 -> 12:07 PM) Seven footers who can play at all are hard to find. He'd be a top 5 pick most years. Eh, Brook Lopez even went 10th overall and he averaged 19 pts, 8 rebs, and 2 blocks a game his sophomore year before coming out. Meyers and Drummond (albeit both raw) didn't go top 5. Hibbert didn't go top 5. There's obviously differences with all those players, but Brook Lopez is the best comparison I could find. Zeller's upside is limited and I don't think he'd go top 5 in good drafts either.

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ Nov 28, 2012 -> 02:11 PM) Didnt he really only have that one good year that was ended with the injury? IIRC the rest of his career has been much of the same, very up and down with a lot of picks He had 3 good years (out of his first 4 as a starter) and then the injury happened. 3800 yards and a QB rating of 101, 4000 yards and a QB rating of 94, and then 4100 yards and a QB rating of 87. He made two pro bowls in that time period. Back then 4000 yards was rarer than it is today.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Nov 28, 2012 -> 12:18 PM) Considering how well Palmer/Leinart/Sanchez have done in the NFL, I would be a bit worried about drafting Barkley high. I disagree with lumping Palmer in with those two. He was pretty good before the injury.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Nov 28, 2012 -> 09:30 AM) It all comes down to tourney time and what happens when things dont go your way. Undefeated or 1 or 2 loss teams have gone down because their big man got into foul trouble and the shooters went cold. I've seen it happen to my team. It will be interesting to see these Big Ten teams match up with each other. Each kind of has their own thing going that they do well and all of the top teams UM, OSU, IU have dynamic PG's. I actually think tOSU is a pretty bad matchup for IU. Especially if Craft as allowed to play physical defense like he usually does. He could be a nightmare for a much smaller and inexperienced Ferrell. I'm also curious as to who will guard Thomas. Watford seems too soft. Should be a really good game though.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 28, 2012 -> 09:26 AM) IU isn't going to be allowing a layup drill on defense. That's just silly. I didn't say they were, but I did see UNC get some pretty easy looks yesterday and I just had memories of IU from last year when they gave up 102 points in the NCAA tournament. Hulls, as good as he is offensively, isn't a good defender. Zeller isn't that great of a shot blocker. Ferrell is very small and is a freshman. I just think they're going to have problems defensively. I never said there would be a layup drill. Not really sure where you got that from.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 28, 2012 -> 09:12 AM) The defense can do a lot more risk taking with Zeller on the back line to clean things up. It doesn't have to be nearly as tight with a true shotblocker on the front line. True shotblocker? He averaged 1.2 blocks per game last year and is averaging 1.6 this year (after 4 yesterday). He's solid, but he's not exactly Anthony Davis or Noel. Leaving it up to him to contest layups because of gambling could leave him vulnerable to getting into foul trouble too. Just seems risky, especially for a guy that isn't a dominant shot blocker and is the main focal point of the offense.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Nov 28, 2012 -> 08:21 AM) That is about as complete of a college basketball team as I have seen in a while. They get out and run when they get the chance. If that doesn't work they have a post up game, slashers, and shooters to take apart a team in the half court, plus the patience to make the right play. The crazy thing is they still have two big guys to get back. I think it's a bit too early to proclaim that. They have only played one decent team and the game went to overtime. Offensively they are pretty sick, although they still struggle with entry passes to Zeller on occasion. I'm just not sold on them being a national championship team until they prove they can actually defend well. They remind me of UNC teams of years past that eventually got bounced because of defense. The two Roy Williams teams that actually won the national championship had veteran point guards, veteran big men (May and Killer-T although Zeller is almost as good as them) and a ton of NBA talent filling out the roster overall. It doesn't look like IU will be really tested again until B1G play (Butler lost by double digits to Illinois on a neutral court, although I guess it could be tricky). They'll be number 1 for a while, but I'm still not completely sold.