College Football

[OumaFan]

Seriously how long do I have to wait till football season starts. Feels like an eternity.

What a year this will be, I'm a huge Alabama fan and we've finally found a coach that's not a complete incompetent like Mike Shula.

And Saban is coming into a pretty good situation, I think we could easily have a very good year, and I'm usually a pessimist.

Seriously though I cannot wait, this time of year sucks for sports. I don't hate baseball but I mainly just keep up with it instead of watching it. Even though the NFL is generally shit even it would be watchable at a time like this.

So any thoughts on the season, who's the best team? Tired of hearing about USC but I guess they've got the most talent.

And yes British people, I know you don't know what I'm talking about, and yes I know its a silly name.

[OumaFan]

Texas should be good. Michigan will be good, but I get sick of hearing about them since the Big 10 is such crap outside of them, Ohio St. and Wisconsin.

L.S.U. should be good. Auburn will not have a great year and all will be right with the world. Tennessee will hopefully be a**. Florida will be good even though they've lost people, what Mayer could do in the future with all the resources that he has and all the talent in that area is scary. Arkansas I don't think will have as good a year even though McFadden is incredible. South Carolina will be good.

Alabama-FSU, awesome non-conference game considering both should be improved.

F*** I can't wait.

[amat]

I think one of the most entertaining races in the country this year is going to be that race in the SEC West with LSU, Alabama and Arkansas. LSU lost a ton of talent but they still have a couple of the top defensive players in the country and they always seem to pull an offense out of their ass.

I like Alabama's runningback, Darby. The guy is a bruiser, he was the SEC runningback to look out for before last year when McFadden just went crazy. I think he'll pick it up this season, especially under Saban who always makes full use of his backs. Outside of him, don't know much about Alabama but it should be a fun season down there. Ninety thousand plus for a spring game is just absolutely crazy.

Still like Arkansas though, for McFadden to have a year like that in the most talented division in the country is ridiculous. The guy is an animal.

I'm a bit worried for Notre Dame in this coming year. Last year was their year to do something, and putting all this trust in Clausen as the quarterback for next year might not be so good. Cardinal Newman did a number on him in the California state championship game here last year, so I'm not sure how that works. Not to mention that the secondary is still slow even with Tommy Z. No Darius Walker or a big play receiver, I don't know.

One team I think is going to surprise a lot of people in the Big Ten is Penn St. I think this is their year to make an honest run for the national title. Derrick Williams was the number one recruit in the country a couple years ago at running back and when he went to Penn St. He then brought along his friend who was the number one defensive back recruit and who's name I can't remember. They both got turned into receivers, and put A LOT of speed on the field and allowed for Tony Hunt to have a great season last year.

Next year I think Williams is going to have a McFadden-like year once the offense starts to cater a bit more towards him like it did in the bowl last year. All that talent the Big Ten lost on defense doesn't help much either.

Can't wait for this season. Can't wait for football in general especially now that the Giants are tanking in baseball and thinking of trading Noah Lowry.

[Trainer Monkey]

Saban is a scumsucking incompetent liar,he hasnt even made it to the beginniing of his first season without recruiting violations
Shula kept the program clean long enough to get them out of being sanctioned,and this scumball allready has them in trouble

[OumaFan]

Darby's gone actually, was a senior last year.

But Alabama's loaded at receiver, very underrated there, with a good QB and what should be an improved offensive line. Even though Saban's a defensive coach its the defense that might be the problem. Shula did a horrible job recruiting defensive lineman and linebackers and were very thin there. Had to move some offensive line guys to d line and actually a converted receiver will be one of our outside linebackers. So, thats a problem.

But not that bad of a schedule outside of FSU non conference, the game with Arkansas is huge. Like the third week of the season, at Tuscaloosa. Last year our season turned on the Arkansas game. We totally outplayed them at Arkansas, should have won by literally two or three touchdowns, but Shula's extraordinary ability to be an idiot, and a horrible field goal kicker screwed us, Arkansas got a huge gift and went on to have a great season.

I don't know enough about Penn State to really say. LSU is just loaded with talent even though they lost some guys.

[OumaFan]

Saban is a scumsucking incompetent liar,he hasnt even made it to the beginniing of his first season without recruiting violations
Shula kept the program clean long enough to get them out of being sanctioned,and this scumball allready has them in trouble

Maybe a scum bag but he's not incompetent. And the recruiting violations are a joke, very very minor stuff. Not like there anything that's going to even get us remotely in trouble.

Shula was a good guy, and he did keep the program clean, but he was a horrible coach. Totally unprepared for the job, which he wouldn't have gotten without his name and the fact that he played QB for us. We had one good year under him, but it was only because of our defense. Joe Kines handled the defense the whole time Shula was there, with almost no Shula interference. We always had a great defense. Shula handled the offense, our offense was consistently crap.

[amat]

Darby is gone? Damn I could have sworn he was going into Junior year last year. Man...shitty way to go out he really underperformed last year to the point where I didn't even hear about him at all. Then I checked out Alabama after the Saban hiring and thought they were getting him back.

That Alabama - Arkansas game last year was great too. And you're right, Alabama should have had that game right up until the end.

I know LSU has that defensive end who they say is going to be a top 5 pick next year in the draft. They are always loaded.

[OumaFan]

This is getting ridiculous, I'm literally counting the days. The only thing that sucks is Alabama's first game is, I'm pretty sure, against some no name team. I hate that, I wish we played the directional schools in the middle of the season, not at the very beginning when you're just waiting on the season to start.

And I'm annoyed with Notre Dame, we called them and wanted to schedule a game in the future and they said no. Those are the type of games I want, I mean Alabama-Notre Dame, how many schools have more tradition than those two. Not that many.

And LSU is loaded but I don't think there as good as USC. That and USC has a bit easier schedule, although it probably doesn't matter since there so loaded.

[Trainer Monkey]

Satan is a scumsucking B*$tard,hes allready used up Shula having to suffer through recruiting violation hell,and put you back under suspicion
Im a Dolphins fan,good luck with that,youll seriously need it.

[OumaFan]

Satan is a scumsucking B*$tard,hes allready used up Shula having to suffer through recruiting violation hell,and put you back under suspicion
Im a Dolphins fan,good luck with that,youll seriously need it.

I was thinking either that or LSU

Has Saban ever put a team on probation? Don't think so, unless I'm just missing something. I don't even remember LSU or MSU being investigated for anything.

He might not be the most likeable guy but he's a great coach, I don't see how anyone who watched his teams at LSU and Shula's at Alabama could deny that we've upgraded as far as coaching goes. Its just a fact, he's a better coach. A better person is a different question.

[amat]

This is getting ridiculous, I'm literally counting the days. The only thing that sucks is Alabama's first game is, I'm pretty sure, against some no name team. I hate that, I wish we played the directional schools in the middle of the season, not at the very beginning when you're just waiting on the season to start.

And I'm annoyed with Notre Dame, we called them and wanted to schedule a game in the future and they said no. Those are the type of games I want, I mean Alabama-Notre Dame, how many schools have more tradition than those two. Not that many.

And LSU is loaded but I don't think there as good as USC. That and USC has a bit easier schedule, although it probably doesn't matter since there so loaded.

USC does have an easier schedule but the Pac 10 is the second best conference in football this year imo. I think Arizona has a chance to be this year's Wake Forrest. Mike Stoops has a real fast paced style of offense and Arizona could take the title Cal always has as the fastest team in the Pac 10.

[OumaFan]

I do think the Pac 10 is a pretty good league. I think the Big Ten is the most overrated, its real top heavy but I think the middle to bottom teams in a conference like the SEC are better.

One thing though, and I won't take credit for this, I heard it on some radio show and agreed with it is that I think the Pac 10 is not as physical a league as the SEC, more wide open passing type offenses, and because of that I think its easier physically for a team like USC, less injuries. I mean take like the Auburn-LSU last year, that was maybe the hardest hitting game I've ever seen. I find it hard to believe that they didn't feel the effects of that game during the week after. Doesn't mean the SEC is necessarily better, although I do think it is but I could be biased, its just that the PAC 10 is not quite as rough week in and week out as the SEC. I could be wrong about that or overestimating it, that is a bit of a stereotype about the Pac 10 but I do think there is some truth to it.

[Trainer Monkey]

Satan is a scumsucking B*$tard,hes allready used up Shula having to suffer through recruiting violation hell,and put you back under suspicion
Im a Dolphins fan,good luck with that,youll seriously need it.

I was thinking either that or LSU

Has Saban ever put a team on probation? Don't think so, unless I'm just missing something. I don't even remember LSU or MSU being investigated for anything.

He might not be the most likeable guy but he's a great coach, I don't see how anyone who watched his teams at LSU and Shula's at Alabama could deny that we've upgraded as far as coaching goes. Its just a fact, he's a better coach. A better person is a different question.

Considring the stories that are allready out,matter of time
Hell except for the Dolphins connection "I have no intrest in the Alabama job"
And the fact that he's a lying dictator I could care less
He lied about the Bama job
Hes allready had recruiting issues
And he sucked in Miami
WE ARE.....PENN STATE

[OumaFan]

Satan is a scumsucking B*$tard,hes allready used up Shula having to suffer through recruiting violation hell,and put you back under suspicion
Im a Dolphins fan,good luck with that,youll seriously need it.

I was thinking either that or LSU

Has Saban ever put a team on probation? Don't think so, unless I'm just missing something. I don't even remember LSU or MSU being investigated for anything.

He might not be the most likeable guy but he's a great coach, I don't see how anyone who watched his teams at LSU and Shula's at Alabama could deny that we've upgraded as far as coaching goes. Its just a fact, he's a better coach. A better person is a different question.

Considring the stories that are allready out,matter of time
Hell except for the Dolphins connection "I have no intrest in the Alabama job"
And the fact that he's a lying dictator I could care less
He lied about the Bama job
Hes allready had recruiting issues
And he sucked in Miami
WE ARE.....PENN STATE

the "stories that are out" are very minor violations. Believe me I should know, Alabama's the king of violations that aren't minor. Saban doesn't have a history of getting programs in trouble with the NCAA, I don't see a reason to worry. Well I do worry but not because of Saban but because we have some insane boosters who will do anything to get recruits to come to Alabama and its hard to control them all.

He did suck in Miami, what college coaches have done well in the pros, even Pete Carroll didn't do that well.

[amat]

Pac 10 is definitely a finesse conference and that's why I love watching SEC football. Those Georgia - Auburn games from a couple years back were two of the best college games I've ever seen. And I agree, that's part of what makes the SEC the best conference in all of college football, it's stacked top to bottom moreso then any other league and they have their own brand of football down there. People out here in California on radio and TV tend to forget that in the south, college football is pro football. It means 20 times more in Arkansas or Alabama and that's what makes for those great games. Another reason I like pros that come out of the SEC, particulary LSU.

There was cry out here for USC to get the title game shot over Florida last year because of those 3 games USC had to close the year before losing to UCLA. Of course UCLA eliminated that shot but I personally believe that if there is ever a time where there aren't two big conference undefeated teams, that the SEC winner should automatically get the title game spot. And if I had to bet now, I'm betting on LSU to win it all.

But still, the Pac 10 is getting better and faster, wouldn't doubt to see the Pac 10 winner have 2 losses again like last year.