Beaver Tales

On to Florida

2009-11-09T10:33:00.004-05:00

Rocktober came to a close with a week-long trip to Miami with Mrs. Beav. Before we left, however, I moseyed out to the Carrier Dome to catch the Syracuse Orange take on the Akron Zips. So with the Orange desperately needing a win to stay in bowl contention, I made it a point to get out and support the team. Plus I'd never seen the Akron Zips in person, so it was an opportunity to kill 2 birds with 1 stone. With a 3:30 kickoff and 4.5 hour post-game drive and a flight to Miami lurking the next morning, there wasn't a lot of room for tailgating before or after catching the Syracuse game. So my brother, father, and I kept it simple before kickoff and nursed a couple of beers throughout the game en route to an Orange victory. The Zips started the game off with a scare, however, converting a Syracuse turnover into a touchdown on their second drive. The Orange used a healthy dose of running back Delone Carter and a strong defensive effort (Akron gained 0 yards on the ground) led by LB Derrell Smith to secure the 28-14 win. It wasn't the prettiest of performances by the Orange, but it sure beats losing and at this point SU will take 'em any way they can get 'em. Bienvenido A Miami After the game I drove home, got a quick sleep, and was at the airport at 6 the next morning to go to Miami. Mrs. Beav and I touched down in "the city where the heat is on all night on the beach till the break of dawn" at about 11AM and made our way to Landshark Stadium for the 4:15 Dolphins vs Saints game. It was my better half's first NFL game, and it was my first trip to Landshark Stadium. Needless to say, we had a lot of rookie observations that stuck out. First, the tailgate scene was like none other I've ever encountered. Not necessarily better, just unique. Having grown up in the Northeast I am used to chilly October football games, not sweat-your-bag-off humidity and lathering up with sunscreen. Seeing as how we had just traveled from shitty weather back home and now everybody was scantily clad, I was not about to complain. And speaking of scantily clad, there was an abundance of fake breasts gracing the premises, and few of their owners- if any- were shy about showing off these assets. Miami is a flashy city for sure. Moving into the game, we got to our seats just before kickoff as the Mrs. was feeling the South Florida heat already and was a bit woozy. After some hydrating she settled in for the rest of the game and was fine...As long as the dbags who sat behind us took a break from commentating play-by-play, which was pretty much never. It felt like we were watching a game with narrators, only the narrators had a tendency to argue with each other and borrow sayings from NFL Films clips like "You gotta bring it every Sunday baby!!" and "Welcome to the NFL!!" It was pure cheez, and purely annoying. The Dolphins opened the game on a roll, opening up a 21 point lead in the 2nd quarter, only to squander it in the second half by abandoning their strength as a running team in favor of 3-and-out pass-filled drives. This allowed the Saints to get back in the game, and eventually squish the fish at home by 12. Turn up the Heat By Wednesday, I had my fill of sitting around not catching live games. So we loaded up the family truckster and were off to the Miami Heat season opener. The New York Knicks happened to be in town, and the local papers penned this as one of their more fierce rivalries. Personally, I can't say as I knew this but then again I am not the most avid NBA fan on the planet by any means. Also coinciding with opening night was the jersey retirement ceremony for Tim Hardaway, highlighted by a long-winded speech by former coach and current GM Pat Riley. The Heat boss took the liberty of comparing Hardaway to legend Magic Johnson, which made the speech a little more amusing. One aspect of the Heat fanbase that was refreshing was that it was a very international and ethnic group of fans. The Heat game day team does an excellent job of marketing their product to this audience, using multiple languages to interpret bigger moments in the game. By the end of the night the Heat had asserted themselves as the superior team, burying the run-and-gun Knicks. One more for the road A couple of days and a killer sunburn later we found ourselves back on the live action circuit. This time we paid a trip to FIU Stadium, home of the Florida International Golden Panthers. The Panthers played host to the University of Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns, and all 150 of their fans. It was the final game of our trip. If you're like me and you've never been to South Florida this time of year but you're headed for a visit, let me say this: be prepared to sweat. The temperatures have not yet reached that cool/comfortable zone which visitors from colder climates covet. As a result you end up sweating your nuts off if you do anything in the sun. That said, kickoff was at high noon at FIU stadium during our visit. Apparently the university generally holds its games at night as a relief from the heat, but since it was Halloween they opted to go with the early kickoff. And in making this decision they may have chased away the fans who belonged in the other 19,000 seats of the 20,000 seat venue. But I digress. We were there to watch a football game and, god willing, we'd do it. Sure, maybe we hoped for a blowout so we could escape the heat with a clean conscience, but that doesn't mean we gave up. Ultimately, we found seats in the sliver of stadium that had shade and watched most of the game under cover. The first half was slow, and the game was quite sluggish until the 4th quarter. With less than two minutes to go, a 4 point lead and a first and goal inside the 5, the Ragin' Cajuns needed a TD to seal the game. Guess what? They didn't get one. The FIU defense held tight and forced a field goal, putting their offense on the field only needing a touchdown to tie. The Panthers' offense did just that, driving the distance and scoring on a fourth and goal pass with less than 20 seconds remaining. OT Did I mention something about rooting for a blowout earlier? Well it must have been wishful thinking, because the game we were treated to went to overtime. FIU took their possession and converted a field goal. ULL got the ball, drove inside the 10, had a penalty go against them and settled for the field goal attempt. One last time, FIU's defense saved the day and blocked the field goal to preserve the win. Afterwards we got the f-outta Dodge, as they say. That wraps up a pretty wild Rocktober's worth of live games. Hope you enjoyed getting some takes from the various atmospheres we visited. Up next is likely a trip to Northeastern or Bryant this weekend. We'll see. We may even wind up getting some Bruins or Celtics takes in before then. Either way we will keep you posted. Be good. Beav

Double Down on Brown

2009-11-09T10:09:00.003-05:00

As I mentioned before, Rocktober was a great month for the Beav. In between road trips to Ohio and Florida, I was able to squeeze in some Ivy League action in Providence in the form of Princeton @ Brown. Points are awarded if you already picked up on the fact that this was my second viewing of the Brown Bears this year. Heading into the match up, both teams were winless in my experiences seeing them live (Brown 0-2, Princeton 0-1). So by the end of the afternoon something would have to give and one team's winless streak would come to an end.

More on the game in a minute. First, let me set the stage for you should you ever find yourself in Providence on game day. Saturday morning Mrs. Beav and I awoke in Newport, RI, the morning after our friends' wedding. Upon departure from the hotel, we caught our breakfast at the Coddington Brewery in Middletown, RI en route to the game. Coddington Brewery is a brewpub that serves their own hand-crafted beers, made on site. They also serve a clam chowder that was loaded with dill, which almost made it unbearable. Nonetheless, it is worth a visit to check out their atmosphere...Just stay away from the chowder.

With fuel in our stomachs we hit the road for Providence, arriving slightly late for kickoff (the brewpub didn't open till 11 so we were held up). Tailgating had been wrapped up by the time we got to the stadium, however it did not appear to be a raging tailgate scene to begin with.

Once inside, we found ourselves seated on the visiting sideline, which turned out to be a game-breaker since we were out of the wind and could basically sit wherever we wanted to amongst the Tiger faithful. I would highly advise sitting on the visiting team's sideline if you attend a game at Brown Stadium, as you are much closer to the action and can hear most of the sounds of the game because of the proximity to the field.

Princeton took a game effort into the second half, when eventually Brown pulled away and asserted themselves as expected. The Bears played a better game all day, but suffered from penalties, inopportune turnovers (is there such a thing as an opportune turnover for an offense??), and stalled drives, which kept the Tigers in the game. Alas, the hometown Bears took home the victory, notching their first win in the games I've seen them play live.

As far as an overall game day experience, you are probably not going to find a crazy scene at Brown Stadium if you go. You will, however, find a stadium nestled in amongst the neighborhood streets of Providence that hosts a high caliber of football with a chance to be close to the action. All things considered, its a great place to take a kid to a game. But if you're looking for something rowdy or you need more than the bare bones of a college football game to keep your interest, Brown Stadium probably isn't your bag, baby.

Beav

Road Trip: Ohio

2009-11-09T09:47:00.004-05:00

A few weeks back I was able to make a road trip to Cleveland and Columbus for a few days. Since I was there mid-week there were no opportunities to catch live college football so I had to improvise. While in Columbus, I scored some Blue Jackets tickets for their game against the Calgary Flames at Nationwide Arena. It ended up being a great time, and Nationwide Arena is a great venue. If you ever find yourself in the Columbus area and the Jackets are in town do yourself a favor and take in a game. And if you're looking for company call my cousin Ed- he lives nearby and he and his son are big hockey fans. Back to the scene. Nationwide Arena is located in the Arena District of Columbus, which is a downtown area containing bars and restaurants that are walking distance to the arena. I was impressed with the pre-game vibe outside the arena, as I saw many more fans than anticipated who were geared up for the Jackets' second home game of the season. Following last year's first-ever playoff appearance for Columbus, fans' energy levels were high all night. Their expectations for another winning season and trip to the playoffs were a popular topic of conversation throughout the arena. As the game began, Mrs. Beav and I were pleasantly surprised to find out that the club seats we were given were in the front row and, as a fan, the best NHL seats I've ever had. The Flames jumped out to a 1-0 lead, but as the game progressed a resilient Jackets offense peppered the Flames D and came away with a pair of back-to-back goals that led to a Columbus victory. After the game I was able to slide into the local Gordon-Biersch for a pint of their Octoberfest- a nice way to celebrate the hometown victory. The following day I took a drive past Ohio Stadium, home of the Buckeyes, and was impressed with the sheer size of the facility. The arching gates make "The Horseshoe" a must-see if you're in town, gameday or not.

A tale of thanks-giving

2009-11-03T10:22:00.004-05:00

With Thanksgiving season just around the corner here's a little story I'd like to share with you about a recent game I attended. It took place about a month ago when I paid a visit to Chestnut Hill to watch Boston College take on visiting Florida State.

(Note: the decision to attend this game was purely based on having a free ticket. I had decided ahead of time that there was no way for me to enjoy this contest as BC is the #1 team on my shit list and Florida State is #3. And in case you're wondering, Virginia Tech is #2.)

Let me get this out of the way up front: As an anti-BC guy, any trip to "The Heights" is likely to piss me off. Whether it is their completely pussified "tailgating" scene, the perception among BC fans that their gameday environment is in line with the rest of the college football world, or simply that the stadium generally lacks enthusiasm for the majority of their season, I usually find myself annoyed from the get-go when I attend BC games. Knowing this, I did my best to arrive with a positive attitude and make the most of it after we opted for the BC game over the Holy Cross @ Northeastern game earlier in the day due to the previously-mentioned free tickets we scored (in hindsight this was a great call as Holy Cross bitchslapped the Huskies all day).

Upon arriving at the game, my friends and I witnessed a BC campus cop doing his best Paul Blart impression as he enforced campus law regarding ticket sales. Apparently it was a slow day because Officer Blart felt the need to ID my friend and grill him about the ticket he ultimately gave away for a game that had already kicked off... Look, I know everybody's got a job to do and Blart was just doing his, but come on man. The kid wasn't harassing walk-up customers, the game had already started, and he certainly wasn't going to be able to sell it for anything close to face value since it wasn't a packed house. Cut him some slack, Jack.

After the run-in with Johnny "Law," we found our seats and settled in for a 1st half that was dominated by BC. Then, with less than a minute remaining in the half and FSU driving, the skies opened up with a hard rain. This wasn't out of the blue, mind you, so people at the game were already dressed in their foul weather gear. But that didn't stop the hordes of fans who rushed for cover despite FSU's gameplan being on life support, desperately trying to eke out whatever sort of momentum they could. Now freeze the game. FSU is pulling out all the stops, trying to get some points- any points- before the half because they've shown no signs of life and have played like shit thus far, resulting in a 21-3 deficit. They complete a couple of passes and for once there is a belief that the Seminoles might do something offensively. All the BC defense wants is a stop, and they've got both time and mother nature on their side. So what do the BC "faithful" do? They crank up the noise and make a tough situation for the Noles even tougher, right?? Wrong. They run for the hills because of the rain and their defense ends up letting FSU march down the field and squeeze out a field goal before the half. That, my friends is the BC fan base in a nutshell. And don't think they didn't go unheckled by yours truly. Did the Beav hit home when he hurled various insults at the retreating fans? Probably not. But it felt good to get it all off my chest, nonetheless.

The second half produced a comeback from FSU, all the way back to tie the game, and finally BC took the lead with minutes to go and held on for the win. After the game we caught some great heckling courtesy of one FSU fan to another on the train when a drunk FSU coed was in tears over someone being mean to her at the game. With the girl's friends all huddled around her telling her that said mean person was an asshole, the real hero of the day showed up in the form of a 40-something unfunny but unrelenting FSU heckler. This guy rode the group of girls about crying the entire 15 minutes or so we were all crammed together on the train.

The moral of this Thanksgiving tale is that if you are offered a free ticket to a game you should probably go even if it is shitty weather and you hate both teams playing because, who knows, you could run into some people (see Paul Blart, the literally fair weathered halftime fans, & losing fans in tears bickering with each other) who help you realize that its good to stop and give thanks once in a while that you're not part of their fan base. And even if your team is having a losing season and your nemesis is bowl-bound, it still feels pretty damn good. The Beav is living proof.

Happy early Thanksgiving.

Beav

Calling an audible

2009-11-03T09:12:00.004-05:00

Red 98! Red 98! Set, hut!

Welcome back to Beaver Tales folks. We've decided to call an audible on the format of this blog in hopes of making it easier and more fan friendly. So, going forward we will not be handicapping every game of the season for you. Fret not, as we will still preview some key games and do our best to provide coverage on all of those off-the-radar games that we know you love. But for the most part we're going to try to focus on giving you takes from our live games we see and anything else we feel the need to print. As always, we'll be here for you if you need help in a pinch and you have questions about lines on upcoming games.

That said, let me take a minute to catch up on the last few weeks, which have been pretty hectic around here due to a lot of non-football related issues, and being away from the Beaver Dam in general. Our recent lack of spare blogging time has helped us realize that in the past the hardest part about blogging was the weekly picks because of the sheer amount of time they consume. So like I said, we've decided to scratch that part of the blog.

Live Action Recap- Brown @ Harvard

Let's see. The last time I checked in with you was over a month ago and we were headed to Harvard Stadium for the Crimson's home opener vs Brown. With a Friday night kickoff on tap, the Harvard tailgate scene kicked it up a notch to open the season. The crowd on hand bordered on the stuffy side, as one might expect at an Ivy League match up. Still, there were plenty of young coeds slugging cheap beer, playing drinking games, and passing out before kickoff, which was nice to see.

As for the game, both teams struggled with consistency on offense, and in the end it took a scoring drive followed by an onside recovery followed by an incomplete Hail Mary pass as time expired before the Crimson could call themselves winners. Interestingly enough, the Brown Bears had an opportunity to tie the game with a 47 yard field goal but opted instead for the long pass and attempted victory. One can only speculate as to the reliability of the Brown kicker's leg when a decision like that is made. More on that when we cover another Brown game a little further down the line...

In order to make these posts a little more reader friendly, I am going to break up the live action recap posts until we are caught up to speed through this week. Hopefully this will make them more manageable for you as a reader.

Beav

Week 4 picks

2009-09-23T12:59:00.007-04:00

Man. I know I said the same thing last week when it was Week 3, but I still can't believe its already Week 4 of the season...

Speaking of Week 3, we couldn't quite break loose with our weekly picks as we ended up going 25-26-1 against the spread. That drops our season record to 66-69-1 ATS. We'll look to do a better job this week and get this operation running smoothly for you. I know, I know. Its bullshit Beav. Get your shit together. I hear you, I'm trying guys...

Live Action Recap:

As you know last week we took a road trip to Syracuse for the Northwestern/Syracuse shootout. It was one of the best, if not the best, live college football game I have ever been to. If you can get your hands on a replay of the game via the Big Ten Network or other online source please let me know, as I am looking for a replay source from the game.

With a 7:00 kickoff on the horizon, Saturday was wide open for catching games on tv and pregame tailgating. Armed with the 12:00 tv games under our belts, my cousin and I headed for the Carrier Dome to do some pregaming and such. Our first stop was a familiar parking garage where we knew we'd see a few familiar faces and get in some early heckles. After a couple of beers we took to the streets and began mingling with the crowd to get a feel for how folks thought the evening would play out. Most were preoccupied with drinking and grilling, as is often the case, however we managed to sneak in a few game takes from Orange fans by using the magical powers of the high five.

On the whole, I'd say the feeling on campus was that the Orange needed a win in a big way. And as a mere 3 point underdog, there was a belief that SU could break the seal in the Doug Marrone Era. Local media dubbed it a "must-win" game. When considering the Orange's upcoming schedule- Maine, followed by the Big East slate- I had to agree with their assessment. See, a loss to Northwestern would all but kill the hopes of a successful 2009 campaign since a Maine win was expected and the Orange has been dominated in Big East play as of late. So basically the fans needed a confidence booster, a reason to believe. And that's exactly what they got. More about that in a minute.

As kickoff neared, my cousin and I found ourselves making two quick bar stops to catch up on some of the day's scores, slam some pizza, and fine-tune our operation (read: drink one for the road). So with our good luck shots still settling, we left the bar scene and made our way to the stadium.

The game started on a high note for the Orange. But after jumping out to a 17-0 lead in the 1st quarter, Syracuse yielded 3 quick scores to Northwestern to go down 21-17 in the 2nd quarter. From that point on it was back-and-forth scoring with the Orange eventually intercepting inside 2:00 remaining and kicking a game-winning field goal as time expired.

During the game the 40,200+ fans on hand kept up a respectable energy level in support of the hometown team. On every crucial 3rd down situation with the Syracuse defense on the field the crowd rose to the challenge and created a noisy, rowdy environment that would trouble any collegiate offense. The magnitude of the crowd's energy was easily the highlight of the whole day's atmosphere. Well, unless you are a sucker for the token "tough guy" fake fight at a game. In that case you would have enjoyed being in the row behind us during the 3rd & 4th quarters. I wasn't aware that Johnny Toughguy and Joey Baggadouche were going to be seated next to each other at the game, so it came as a surprise when the two had words over some spilled beer. And in case you're scoring at home, Baggadouche had a backwards hat (check) and Johnny T. had a shaved head with a goatee (check, check).

Anyway, the post-game celebrations were extended well over an hour after the game with the band playing in the streets until after midnight, and the faithful Orange followers on hand acting as if they'd just witnessed a Rose Bowl win. After finishing our first "Victory Beer" of the season and soaking in some more of the post game antics, my cousin and I eventually called it a night and headed for home just in time to catch the 4th quarter of the UCLA-Kansas State game.

Weekly picks:

Here they are for Week 4. Home team in CAPS; Beav's pick in bold.

Thursday Sept 24

Ole Miss 3.5 SCAROLINA: Spurrier's gang will be tough at home on a Thurs night prime time. Get ready for a fight, Johnny Reb.

Friday Sept 25

Missouri 7 NEVADA: Wolfpack have underachieved so far; Missouri by 2 scores.

Saturday Sept 26

N'WESTERN 2 Minn: Two evenly matched teams I've had the pleasure to see in person. Should be a great game. Gophers pull off the squeaker.
TEMPLE 2.5 Buffalo: Temple sucks. Seriously guys, do I need to make a case to bet against Temple as a favorite? Take the Bulls with the points.
GA TECH 2.5 Unc: Jackets bounce back at home. NC goes home disappointed.
CINCINNATI 16.5 Fresno St: Dogs chasing Cats all day. Closer game than Cincy wants.
MICH 21 Indiana: Reality finally sets in for the Hoosiers.
WISC 3 Mich St: Badgers escape with a win. Badgers grind it out, much like a fan trying to watch this game start to finish.
FLORIDA ST 14.5 So Fla: Take the Bulls with the points against in-state rivals.
KANSAS 13.5 So Miss: Kansas has looked solid so far. So Miss will be a challenge they overcome.
Lsu 12.5 MISS ST: Tigers too fast, athletic for Bulldogs to keep pace.
MEMPHIS 3 Marshall: Memphis running game beats down Marshall front.
BOSTON COLL pk Wake Forest: This is a tough call, as both programs have yet to impress. I'll take the Deacons based on a tougher schedule YTD.
AIR FORCE 16.5 San Diego St: Falcons soar past the Aztecs with explosive offense.
unlv 3.5 WYOMING: Rebs look the part, play the part while shitcanning the Cowboys.
CLEMSON 2.5 Tcu: Take the points with the Frogs- they're a better team top to bottom.
Rutgers 2 MARYLAND: Terps are as inconsistent of a program as you'll find in America. Don't turn your back on 'em.
CMICH 16 Akron: Zips show some life in conf match up, bounce back after Indiana loss.
NAVY 28.5 WKentucky: Too many points to lay with a running team. If WKU scores twice they cover.
ECU 10.5 Cent Fla: Pirates are the better squad, tough opening schedule will show in preparations.
NO.ILL 17 Idaho: Vandals have surprised twice this year. Make it 3 this weekend.
OHIO ST 14 Illinois: Stick with the Buckeyes in C-bus.
ALABAMA 17.5 Arkansas: The Hogs aren't getting much respect with that line. Take the points- they're a capable team.
Cal 5.5 OREGON: I haven't liked the Ducks yet, until I saw the win against Utah. Meanwhile Cal struggled at Minn.
NC ST 1 Pitt: Panthers will pound the run and chip away at a good D. NCST offense lets the Pack down.
Miami 3 VA TECH: Canes continue hot streak, light up Lane Stadium.
TEXAS 36 Utep: Take the points. Hope for rain, some running plays and sustained drives.
FAU 4 La-Monroe: Owls are a solid team, begin Sun Belt play with convincing win.
ARK ST 2 Troy: Troy pulls road upset after scoring the UAB win.
BYU 16.5 Colorado St: That's a lot of points coming off a loss. But Colorado State is no FSU.
Florida 21.5 KENTUCKY: Cats should gain some confidence after UT/UF game. Gators survive scare again.
TEXAS A&M 14 Uab: Aggies regroup, look more convincing this week against UAB.
NEBRASKA 27.5 La-Lafayette: Give credit to the Cajuns for their non-conf schedule. Should still lose but LSU game was good experience.
Boise St 16.5 BOWLING GREEN: Broncos outscored a tough Fresno team on the road last week, should have no problems repeating.
AUBURN 33 Ball St: Potential trap game here, at least ATS. Auburn should blow out Cards but they're distracted by looming trip to Knoxville.
Mid Tenn St 6.5 NTEXAS: Take the Green with the points at home. MTSU still living off Maryland win.
Toledo 2 FIU: Panthers have some playmakers. Toledo coming off shutout loss. Play the 'dog.
TENN 23 Ohio: Rocky Top welcomes back UT after strong road performance. Too much for Ohio & Co.
IOWA ST 9 Army: Cadets never cover on the road. Except at Eastern Michigan.
KENT ST 7 Miami OH: I'd be lying if I told you I knew something about either of these teams this year. I gotta hunch, how's that?
GEORGIA 11.5 Ariz St: Sun Devils hang in but lose a close one. UGA has bigger things on its mind, like SEC play.
UTAH 14 Louisville: Cards aren't as bad as betting public thinks. Utah is 0-3 ATS. Take the points.
Vandy 7 RICE: Owls had confidence booster after covering OSU game. Vandy coming off shitty loss to Miss St.
Notre Dame 6.5 PURDUE: Take the Boilers with the points- they can stand toe-to-toe with ND- I'm sold.
PENN ST 10 Iowa: Penn State is bad ATS this year, but they are great on the field. Look for a 20 point Lion win.
STANFORD 7 Wash: Huskies will be the trendy pick this week. Guess that makes me a trendy guy.
HOUSTON 1.5 Texas Tech: Cougs are for real. TT is regrouping. Look for a shootout, TT pulling off the upset late.
NEW MEXICO 10 New Mexico St: Local media has dubbed this game "The Biggest Game in New Mexico This Week." I say the Lobos win big.
USC 45.5 Wash St: Now how in the hell can you make the Trojans a 45 point favorite coming off a loss, when they're playing a team that won last week? Have them play Washington State, that's how. The points are too ridiculous to pass up. Take 'em.

FCS action to keep an eye on:

Brown @ Harvard- Friday night Ivy League play gets underway as Harvard hosts Brown at 7pm. If you're in the area make it a point to stop by the game for the Crimson's annual nighttime tailgating. Get there early though because once opening kickoff arrives security shuts down tailgating. Harvard 24-17.

Cornell @ Yale- Versus picked up the national telecast, meaning this is a huge game for people all over the country. OK, maybe not. But its a nice change of speed from some of the games ESPN forces down your throat. Yale 17-13.

Howard @ Georgetown- Why, you ask? Because somebody's gotta win, that's why. Both teams are averaging less than 10 ppg on offense and have yet to win. Also, this is one of the intracity match ups that we love here at Beaver Tales. So if you're in the DC area slide by the game. At least make an effort to see the Howard band play at halftime. That alone is worth the price of admission. G'Town 20-17.

Penn @ Lafayette- Leopards are expected to be a contender in the Patriot League race this year. This is the 1st of 4 Ivy League games in a row they will play before resuming conference action. Penn faced a potential National Champion in Villanova last week and lost 14-3. Eastern PA will be abuzz with the outcome of this game waiting to be decided. Lafayette 21-13.

Towson @ Morgan State- Another intracity rivalry we'd love to attend this weekend. This matinee is brought to you courtesy of the Tigers & Bears. Over the years Beaver Tales has enjoyed strong readership out of the greater Baltimore area. So we're calling all of you Charm City inhabitants to step up and support your local teams. I like the Tigers "on the road." Towson 30-28.

Weber State @ Portland State- The Vikings are still smarting after an ass-whooping from Big Sky powerhouse Montana, while the Wildcats come to town with their only losses being to FBS Colorado State and Wyoming by narrow margins. Look for Weber State to come away with a not-so easy road win in Portland, while the Vikes settle in for another mid-conference finish. But if Weber State should lose, it will open the door for Montana to run the table and earn the Big Sky automatic bid for the gazillionth time. Weber State 34-21.

Nut Kick Game:

Last week's Nut Kick Game of the Week winner was Miami's 33-17 win over Georgia Tech. The main reason this game was a kick in the nuts is because fans everywhere outside of Miami-Dade despise the Hurricanes. Sure, there's a few fans of The U here and there spread out across the country. But in general, it is pretty easy to find someone who hates Miami in college football circles. I cannot, however, say the same thing for Georgia Tech judging by my experiences. So with this highly-advanced method of determining football fans' allegiances I've decided that most of America was rooting against the Hurricanes. But not only did Miami win, they won convincingly. You got the feeling in the 3rd quarter that the game could have been a lot worse than the mere 16 point loss that it was.

Alas, the damage was done. Georgia Tech is a legitimate football team and they'll go on to have a good season. But the way the 'Canes disposed of the Jackets proved that The U is for real this year. And that proof, ladies and gentlemen, is what gives Miami reason to brag and be, well, Miami. Thus, the kick to the nuts.

That's all for now. Live games will be a game time decision this week. For now, we're eyeing the Brown @ Harvard game Friday night, but things could change. Rest assured you'll get a recap of whatever action we take in this weekend.

Beav

Old Mill vs Ole Miss

2009-09-23T09:12:00.004-04:00

In the spirit of all of the hype that the Ole Miss football team has received this season, I figured we should provide you with a peek of the Rebels too, but with a twist. So we took a beer that doesn't get as much PR as the others and we're giving Old Milwaukee its due. Let's take a look at how Old Milwaukee and the University of Mississippi football team stack up head-to-head.

1. Bragging Rights: Ole Miss fans are the first to tell you about their beloved Grove. The Grove has been labeled the best tailgate in America by people all over the country. That's quite the compliment when you consider the competition and the sheer number of venues vying for the honor of best America's best tailgate. On the other hand, Old Mill has it printed right on the can that it is America's Best Tasting Beer. Touche. Impressive, indeed Mr. Old Mill. However, if we let common sense prevail I think we'd find that Old Milwaukee's proclamation may not carry the same weight as it did, say 30 years ago when the distinction may have been accurate. Score one for the Rebels, 1-0.

2. History: Both of these icons have been around a long, long time. Ole Miss has spent much of their history losing football games (their last SEC title came in 1963!). Old Mill has spent much of its history witnessing bar fights, listening to old timers' stories, and taking in drunken, moronic behavior. Chalk one up to Old Mill for always being there, through the good times and bad. 1-1.

3. Quality: Without a doubt Ole Miss has produced some quality players over the years. Archie and Eli Manning were Rebels, and more recently the likes of Michael Oher and Jevan Snead have made national headlines. But when you consider how long the Rebs have been playing football they just don't seem to match up with the year-in-year out quality that Old Mill yields. I'm not sure if that's a compliment to Old Mill or a knock at Ole Miss, but it is what it is. Point Old Mill for sticking to the basics and giving us a reliable product. 2-1.

4. Babes: Let's face it- if you're drinking Old Mill you're probably not roping in any new talent. You're either content to slam cheap beer for the night with the fellas or you're off the market. Maybe you're camping, maybe you're tailgating, maybe you're just enjoying a night on the couch one OM at a time. But one thing is for sure- you aren't fielding any offers from the coeds. A trip to Ole Miss, on the other hand, is said to provide some of the best scenery in America. Gotta tip my cap to the Southern Belles for putting on the cocktail dresses year after year despite having a shitty football team. Ole Miss takes this category in a landslide. Tie game 2-2.

5. Society & Culture: This is where the Rebels could stand to let go of some of their past. The fact that fans wave Confederate flags in support of Ole Miss really gives the Rebs a black eye. The Civil War is over, asshole. Put down the flag and relax. Moreover, Ole Miss has a reputation as being the snooty big brother to in-state rival Mississippi State. Given the Rebs' track record over the past century, I am not sure how they could look down their noses at any fan base. On the flip side, Old Milwaukee actually seems to have inexplicable binding powers. It is virtually impossible to look down your nose or discriminate while holding an Old Milwaukee. Even if you splurge for the bottled version you're still drinking Old Mill, Cletus. Tiebreaker goes to Old Mill for being "the great equalizer." 3-2 Old Mill.

So in a nutshell there you have it. A highly scientific, in-depth look at a couple of old time American classics. Remember to tune in for the Ole Miss @ South Carolina game tomorrow night as the Rebs get their first true road test in Columbia. And the next time your bartender asks "what'll it be" make it an Old Mill...Tell him Steve McQueen* sent you.

The Beav

*Late actor Steve "The King of Cool" McQueen's beer of choice was said to be Old Milwaukee.

Week 3 picks

2009-09-17T11:16:00.003-04:00

Week 3 is upon us, ladies & gents. Here in the Northeast the weather has turned cool- not cold yet- and the leaves they are a-changing. I couldn't think of a better time of year than the present, as we now have a sneak peek at what the hundreds of football teams across the country have to offer (except for a few, like the Ivy League who open up play this weekend) for us this year. And yet we still have the majority of the season left to go. If I could be permanently stuck in one time frame now might be the one I choose.

Anyway, enough of the bullshit. Let's get down to what matters- picking some winners and dodging the "trap games." Action starts up tonight with Georgia Tech paying a visit to "The U" to take on the Hurricanes. Last week's Thursday night match up featured a thriller in GT/Clemson, let's hope this week's does the same. Personally, I like the way the Yellow Jackets showed some resilience after letting a huge lead slip away and then coming back for the win. The Hurricanes' week 1 win over Florida State looked impressive at the time and was certainly an entertaining game to watch, however I am not sure how impressive it is now that Florida State is coming off a squeaker win against FCS Jacksonville State at home. Tonight should tell us a little more about UM.

Thursday Sept 17
MIAMI 5.5 Ga Tech- Jackets look like the better team, will rely on the run.

Friday Sept 18
Boise St 7.5 FRESNO ST- Watch out for the Bulldogs- they're under the radar right now and could play the spoiler.

Saturday Sept 19
ARMY 7.5 Ball St- Did I read that right? Army is the favorite 2 weeks in a row, coming off a loss to Duke?? Take the Cards.
PURDUE 13 N Illinois- Boilers nearly topped the Ducks in Eugene- not an easy feat. Huskies still looking for their bite.
MICH 24 E Mich- Wolverines have gotta be charged up after ND win.
CLEMSON 7 Boston Coll- BC always plays Clemson tough. Look for an Eagles cover.
PENN ST 30 Temple- This one will get out of hand early.
KANSAS 22.5 Duke- Both teams coming off road wins, but Jayhawks are too much for Dukies.
Ohio St 20.5 TOLEDO- You kidding me? LOVE the Rockets here. OSU has a 'knack' for not blowing teams out and Rockets offense looks capable.
UNC 7.5 ECarolina- Heels escaped UCONN with a win; ECU is pissed about WVU loss- look for a better game from the Pirates.
Cal 14 MINN- Bears looking ahead, Gophers looking to go 3-0. Take the points.
KENTUCKY 14 Louisville- Wildcats will get a better game than they bargained for.
ALABAMA 38.5 NTexas- Tide rolls through North Texas.
COLORADO 7 Wyoming- You can't pay me to take the Buffs 3 weeks in a row even though I want to in the shadows of the Wyoming/UT massacre. Be careful here.
SO MISS 15.5 Virginia- Cavs look hopeless. But they show some fight for Groh even though he'll be gone by season's end.
MARYLAND 6 Mid Tenn- Tough call. Both teams are hit or miss. Go with the Terps at home.
TROY 6.5 Uab- Blazers may win outright. Take the points.
IOWA 5.5 Arizona- Hawkeyes in sync after blowout of ISU. Ride 'em.
AKRON 4 Indiana- Hoosiers upset the Zips, but Hoo cares?
Usc 18.5 WASH- USC is due for a steam rolling after last week's close win.
VA TECH 5 Nebraska- Hokies stop the Huskers in jacked-up Lane Stadium.
NOTRE DAME 10 Mich St- Both teams licking their wounds from Mich schools. Sparty's won 6 straight in South Bend.
FLORIDA 29.5 Tenn- Man that's a lot of points for an SEC rivalry. Says a lot about both schools. Tough call, go Gators.
OKLA 17.5 Tulsa- Sooners show there is life after Bradford.
OREGON 5 Utah- Both teams yet to cover, but Ducks have yet to impress.
So Methodist 6 WASH ST- Cougs have a chance to win this one, go with 'em.
San Diego St 3 IDAHO- What the hell, the Vandals have already covered once.
Nevada 3 COLO ST- Wolfpack get on track after rocky start @ ND.
BAYLOR 10.5 Uconn- Huskies will surprise the up-and-coming Bears.
RUTGERS 15.5 Fl Int'l- FIU has a couple of big-play threats. Panthers keep it close but lose.
PITT 7 Navy- Battle of running teams. Pitt comes out on top.
Cincy 1 OREGON ST- Rodgers brothers make this one a lot closer than the ass-beating Cincy planted on the Beavs 2 years ago. Cincy wins a close one.
N'western 3 SYRACUSE- Orange hungry for their first win. Tougher game than NU anticipates.
WMICH 16.5 Miami OH- Broncos hitting their stride, buck the Redhawks.
VANDY 9 Miss St- A must-win SEC game for both teams who struggle to find SEC victories.
Bowling Green 3 MARSHALL- Falcons are the better squad and Marshall looks confused so far.
OKLA ST 32.5 Rice- Cowboys got burned looking ahead. The effects still linger.
TEXAS A&M 19.5 Utah St- Battle of the Aggies isn't much of a battle.
Iowa St 3 KENT- Cyclones still dizzy after home ass-beating. Take the points.
BYU 7 Florida St- Cougs get the job done, send 'Noles packing.
SCAROLINA 20.5 Fl Atlantic- Owls catch a break with SC coming off heart breaker.
LSU 26.5 La-Lafayette- Cajuns had their moment in the sun against KState. Back to reality.
UCF 4 Buffalo- Bulls take it on the road and win.
Air Force 17.5 NEW MEXICO- Lobos catching a break with Falcons swooping after loss to Gophers.
AUBURN 7 West Va- Mountaineers may win this one outright folks. Take the points.
ARKANSAS 1 Georgia- This should be a great game. Tough call here, I'll go with UGA because of their defense.
Utep 13.5 NEW MEXICO ST- Miners haven't won a game- 13.5 is too much for an unproven team.
TEXAS 17.5 Texas Tech- TT's offense will find a way to keep it close.
STANFORD 17 San Jose St- Cardinal on the rise, looking for a big win.
ARIZ ST 19.5 La-Monroe- Warhawks take another road whoopin'.
UCLA 12.5 Kansas St- Bruins deserve this favoritism, K-state has sucked so far. Lock of the week, bitches.
UNLV 7 Hawaii- Runnin' Rebs finish the job this time.

That's a wrap for the FBS games this week. I'd also urge you to keep an eye on the following FCS games this weekend:

Thursday, ESPNU
Howard @ Florida A&M- Get a look at the Rattlers as they aim at 3-0 and a place in the top 25 tonight. Howard is coming off a season opener in which they got waxed by Rutgers. Be sure to catch the bands at halftime too- you won't be disappointed.

Saturday
Delaware State @ #19 Delaware- When you're talking rivalries in Delaware, this is where the conversation ends. Blue Hens win again but as usual its a bitter feud.
#14 Wofford @ Wisconsin- Traditional FCS power gets a crack at a big time FBS program on the road. It will be interesting to see if this ends up being a tight contest.
Harvard @ #22 Holy Cross- We gave you a piece of the Crusaders last week. Next week we'll be at the Harvard/Brown opener in Cambridge. Fitton Field should be a great place to be this Saturday if you're an FCS fan.
Old Dominion @ Jacksonville- 1st season ever for ODU football; this is their first game against a Division 1 school.
Rhode Island @ #23 UMASS- Rams look to keep this year's gridiron edition of Douchiest State in New England closer than years past.
#11 Elon @ Wake Forest- Can Elon take advantage of the Deacons' slow start?
#2 Villanova @ Pennsylvania- Quakers open their season with a bang as the 'Cats come rolling into Franklin Field. This could be a statement win for the Ivy, or a cross-town beat-down. Either way, if you're in the greater Philly area this weekend you should check it out (and send us a report on the tailgating).
Hofstra @ #1 Richmond- Spiders get their 3rd legitimate test in as many weeks. Let's see if they can keep the streak alive and remain top banana.
Portland St @ #5 Montana- Vikings take it on the road to open Big Sky play this year, at a very 'Grizzly' venue. Watch for the Grizz to win, but they'll have their hands full with a potent Portland State offense.

That's all I've got for you now. Be good.

Beav

Week 2 Recap; Fitton Field Memoir

2009-09-14T09:41:00.007-04:00

We're back, bitches. The Beav had a winning weekend on the books, going 24-20 against the spread. This raises our season record to 41-43, almost out of the red. Let's try to put together a solid week 3 so we can move forward and bury the week 1 blues for good.

Nut Kickin' Good

This week's Nut Kick Game took place on Friday night, as the lone game of the evening could very well have served Dan Hawkins his walking papers. Hawkins' Colorado outfit failed to bounce back from their week 1 loss to Colorado State, yielding to Toledo 54-38 in the Glass Bowl. The Buffs have dropped to 0-2 overall, and still have a difficult Big 12 schedule to try to navigate their way through. Unless something major happens, Hawkins, who is already on the hot seat after leaving a Boise State juggernaut to take over a struggling Colorado program, could find himself out of work by season's end. Moreover, he has had to watch his former school enjoy success every season since he left. THAT, my friends, is a kick in the nuts.

Live Action Baby

The rainy New England forecast on Saturday found the Beav slipping into Fitton Field for the match up between #25 Holy Cross and visiting Sacred Heart. Due to the 1pm start time conflicting with the 12pm Syracuse/Penn State start time, we did not get to the game early for pre-game tailgating. We simply went straight into the game, which I typically don't like to do but will chalk it up as a necessary sacrifice in life. So after seeing the Orange put up a fight against a superior opponent, and then listening to the same game on the radio, the Beav & Co. entered Fitton Field hoping the Pioneers & Crusaders would bring us a fresh start. We had no such luck, however, as we were greeted by a 21-0 Holy Cross lead as we showed up early in the 2nd quarter. Minutes later the Crusaders tacked on another touchdown to make it 28-0. Then, with the Holy Cross 2nd team warming up and everyone in the stadium feeling an ass-whooping on the horizon, the Pioneers took the ensuing kickoff the distance for their first score. Capping the kickoff return in style, the returner planted a forearm shiver to the face of the Holy Cross kicker right in front of our seats.

With a renewed energy on their sidelines, the Pioneers defense held for a 3 and out and then drove to bring the game to 28-14 with a score. HC tacked on a field goal before the half, and the Crusaders took a 31-14 lead into the locker rooms.

At halftime the Beav's foursome had a chance to walk the stadium and check out what was going on. For my 3 cohorts, it was their inaugural trip to a HC football game. The last and only time I was at Fitton Field was for the Lafayette/HC game back in 2003. So halftime was a good opportunity for us all to get some better takes of this 85 year old facility, a true old timer of stadiums.

One of the beauties of watching a game at Fitton Field is the fact that there is no replay board like there is in more modern stadiums. Because of this, it puts more responsibility on the fan to watch the game live rather than trying to rely on a replay monitor. Personally, I like this challenge. I feel like it probably weeds out some of your classic douchebag fans who go to games and sit around with their Ipod I-Touching themselves the whole time. And then when there's a big hit or big play they're the first to ask you what happened. Look, assholes, I'm not a play by play guy. Its not my job to watch the game and tell you about it as it unfolds. So for those of you out there who feel like you fit this mold I wouldn't advise a trip to Fitton Field.

Aside from the rustic feel, the stadium also suggests that there was a peak era in Holy Cross football and it has long ago passed. I've seen photos from the 1980s when the Crusaders played in-state rival Boston College and Fitton Field was packed. But as of late, the atmosphere at the 23,000+ capacity stadium has been a far cry from the old days. Saturday's attendance for the Sacred Heart game was just shy of 2,900 people. That said, the fans in attendance were a noisy sort who had lots of big plays and scoring to cheer about.

When play resumed in the 2nd half the Crusaders wasted little time getting on the board, as they padded their lead with another touchdown, making it 38-14 and virtually sealing the deal. The Pioneers fought hard, however, and answered with a touchdown of their own to make it 38-21. On their next possession the Pioneers turned the ball over with an interception that was returned inside the Sacred Heart 10. The Pioneer D held strong, forcing a field goal attempt that ended up wide left. As the third quarter neared an end the Pioneers drove the distance of the field, only to turn the ball over on downs as a big hit from the HC secondary jarred the ball loose, forcing an incomplete pass and preventing a Sacred Heart comeback for good.

From that point the Crusaders put their attack on cruise control and closed the game with a 52-21 win. All in all it was an entertaining contest, filled with athletic plays, hard hits, turnovers, and scoring. Holy Cross improved their record to 2-0 overall on the season, while Sacred Heart dropped to 0-2. In live games with the Beav, the Crusaders notched their first win to up their mark to 1-2 lifetime, while Sacred Heart sits at 0-1 after our first encounter.

Next up

This weekend will take us back to the Carrier Dome for the second time in 3 weeks to see the Orange take on the Wildcats of Northwestern. The 7:00 kickoff should allow for maximum tailgating and soaking in of the local atmosphere. It may even allow us to visit Dinosaur Barbecue for a pregame meal, we'll see.

Be sure to check back for our week 3 picks and key games to watch. Until next time take care.

Beav

Week 2 preview & picks

2009-09-10T08:59:00.005-04:00

What up my hommies? I'm coming at you with a little extra zing in my zang this week, coming fresh off of an MC Hammer concert Sunday night. That's right, MC Hammer, bitches. Basically the Hammer took the first 45 mins/hour of the show and made us listen to the "stuff he's been working on" before he finished hard with his 2 or 3 hits that anyone who had a radio in the early 90s remembers. Fortunately I had my camera with me so I was able to take a couple of short videos of "2 Legit 2 Quit" and, of course, "U Can't Touch This." In the words of Hammer himself, 'its been 20 years and you STILL can't touch this.'.....Yeah, it was that kind of show. Equal parts awesome, cheezy, and forgotten star all on 1 stage.

Hammer Time

Speaking of the Hammer, yours truly got hammered by the boys in Vegas this weekend. We turned in an embarrassing 17-23 record against the spread. The silver lining was in the totals bets, where we went 2-1 with our Over/Under guarantees. Hopefully the ATS record was just a week 1 thing and we'll snap out of it in the long haul.

Nut Kick Game

If you read last week's blog about where I was headed to see live football then you can probably guess which game I'm giving the Nut Kick award to...Syracuse/Minnesota. Not only did our beloved Orange let one slip through their hands, but they were on a ferocious pace to go over the 47 point total line for the week before both offenses went to sleep in the 2nd half and settled in for a 23-20 final in OT. Honorable mention includes the Northern Iowa near upset of Iowa, where one could taste a Panthers victory only to have it denied on 2 field goal attempts with seconds remaining. And I have to acknowledge the Boise State/Oregon game while we're at it, since both teams played a sloppy game and it ended in chaos. Fans looking to start the season with a bang were ready for an instant classic game but the Broncs & Ducks flopped, giving us a low scoring nightmare. Props to the Boise State Defense, however, for being the lone bright spot in a game filled with errors and miscues.

Live action recap

Although it earned the NKG of the week, Saturday's tilt between the Golden Gophers and Orange in the Carrier Dome was a fun affair to be a part of. The Dome was alive and well with enthusiasm and a renewed hope that better things are to come in the Salt City. Tailgating was a bit peculiar- perhaps the most awkward experience I've had at an SU tailgate ever. Combined with the dreaded noon kickoff time, the pregame vibe was tough to put a finger on. My interpretation was that there was a feeling of anxiety, nervousness, and uncertainty in the air, as fans were not their typical loud and boisterous selves in the tailgating lots. That said, all bets were off once we entered the stadium. At that point the crowd could no longer contain the nerves, excitement, or whatever it was that was keeping them hush-hush in the tailgating lots. From the opening kickoff to the final whistle the crowd was cranking baby. It was the most jacked up Carrier Dome crowd I've seen in at least 5 years.

Despite the heartbreaking loss, I was surprised to hear fans remaining relatively upbeat after the game. It was almost as if fans could exhale now that the first game of the Doug Marrone Era is in the bag and it was competitive and showed signs of improvement from the last several seasons of SU football.

As for Gophers fans, I did not see many, nor did their section make a lot of noise during the game. The few gentlemen I did speak to were polite, and had an expectation that was not arrogance, just confidence, that they would win the game. Turns out that they were right, though I'm sure the game wasn't what they had in mind.

Next up on the live circuit is most likely a trip to Worcester to see the Holy Cross Crusaders take on the Sacred Heart Pioneers. This is subject to change, as there are some other local MA & RI games that I could opt in for, but as it stands Holy Cross appears to be the Beav's destination on Saturday. Rest assured that wherever the weekend takes us you'll benefit from the live game coverage next week.

Week 2 Preview & Picks

Allright. We're moving on. Starting fresh. Its week 2 and last week is in the past. There is only 1 game this week that will pit two top 25 teams against each other, which is #3USC vs #8Ohio State. But before you get hard over this game try to remember that the preseason rankings we see are formulated before anyone sees a snap of football. So take them with a grain of salt, because there are some teams currently in the top 25 facing off against teams that are borderline top 25 material and some will make their way into the rankings as the season progresses.

Let's take a crack at some of this week's match ups. The action starts tonight when Clemson visits Georgia Tech. ACC backers are hoping for a good one here, as the always-hyped-rarely-delivering conference went just 4-6 in their non-conference games in week 1, including embarrassing losses by Maryland to Cal, Duke to FCS Defending champ Richmond, and Virginia to William & Mary. Georgia Tech is the favorite tonight but I am not sold as they looked unpolished in week 1 while Clemson had the look of a tightly-run operation.

Other games to keep an eye on are Syracuse @ Penn St (because I'll be talking about it on here so you might as well get used to it), Notre Dame @ Michigan (you'll be forced to hear about this one, like it or not), Vandy @ LSU (Vandy D gets tested in hostile environment), SCarolina @ Georgia (Spurrier's D vs a still-struggling UGA offense), ECU @ West Virginia (WVU seeking revenge from last year's loss), Richmond @ Delaware (Blue Hens look to return to glory but face defending champs), UNC @ UConn (UNC has lofty expectations, not the case for UConn but they could play spoiler), and Oregon State @ UNLV (Can the Rebs hang with the Beavs?).

Home team in CAPS; Beav's pick in Bold.

Thursday September 10
GEORGIA TECH 5.5 Clemson: Tigers looked better in week 1. Take the points.

Friday September 11
Colorado 4 TOLEDO: Take the Buffs- more pressure on them to win. Toledo coming off a drubbing from a questionable Purdue outfit.

Saturday September 12
PENN ST 28.5 Syracuse: Orange have improved; Penn St is a juggernaut but held back in 2nd half against Akron.
NORTHWESTERN 20 EMich: Eagles lost at home to Army. 'Nuff said. Cats claw the Eagles.
Pittsburgh 10.5 BUFFALO: Pitt running attack is too strong for Bulls.
INDIANA 1.5 WMich: Take the Hoosiers. Looked sloppy in week 1 but they got the W. Broncs just looked sloppy.
ARMY 1 Duke: Duke looks to redeem themselves, but I'm riding the Cadets' winning streak!
WAKE FOREST 3 Stanford: Cardinal looked good in week 1, catch the Deac's sleeping at home.
NCarolina 4 UCONN: Huskies nip the Heels in a tightly contested defensive battle.
MICH ST 14.5 CMich: Lefevour breaks out, Chips cover against in-state rival.
Iowa 6.5 IOWA ST: Cy-Hawk series has been lopsided for too long. Look for the Clones to stir things up in '09.
FLORIDA 36.5 Troy: Florida can tool on anyone from the Sun Belt right now.
VA TECH 19 Marshall: Hokies rebound against the Herd with better defensive performance.
BOSTON COLL 20.5 Kent: Both teams playing their first FBS contest; Kent is not prepared.
NEBRASKA 22.5 Ark St: Look for the Huskers to pound on another Sun Belt team at home.
WVU 6.5 ECarolina: Pirates cover, but fail to upset WVU in Morgantown.
Texas 33.5 WYOMING: Take the Pokes at home with all those points. It will take time for UT to find a rhythm in the Laramie altitude.
NAVY 7.5 La Tech: Middies roll the Bulldogs after near upset at the Horseshoe.
WASHINGTON 21 Idaho: Even after strong performance vs LSU 21 is a lot for Huskies. Idaho coming off a rare road win.
Notre Dame 3 MICHIGAN: Wolverines surprise pollsters, send Irish home with a loss.
Tcu 11 VIRGINIA: Eleven points should not be a problem for the Horned Frogs. Esp after UVA's season debut.
OKLA ST 15 Houston: Beware the letdown game, Cowboy fans. Houston can score in a hurry. I'm sticking with OSU, but be very cautious.
Byu 17 TULANE: Cougs will be the trendy pick this week, but I still say they can cover 17 against Tulane if they can beat Oklahoma.
UAB 12 So Methodist: Stick with the Blazers at home- they impressed vs Rice.
TENN 10 ucla: This isn't Western Kentucky, Lane. Better be ready for the Bruins.
TEX TECH 27.5 Rice: Public loves the Raiders. Beav does not. At least by 27.5.
MINN 3.5 Air Force: Minny glad to be home, but Falcons flying high after 72-0 win.
Hawaii 2 WASH ST: Road Warriors top the bottom of the Pac 10.
MIZZOU 20 Bowling Green: Nice win for the Tigs, but Illinois was unprepared. This week is closer.
Ohio 3 NTEXAS: Did Todd Dodge figure it out last week vs Ball St? I think so. Go Green!
MTSU 1.5 Memphis: Both teams licking their wounds. Memphis prevails.
Kansas St 7 LA-LAFAYETTE: K-State had a scare. This time Snyder's gang takes care of business from the start.
SO MISS 15 CFlorida: Expect big things from the Eagles' offense. 40+ big things.
LSU 14.5 Vandy: Tigers have a chance to silence critics with big win.
AUBURN 14 Miss St: Hopefully this game is better than last year's 3-2 snoozefest.
GEORGIA 7 SCarolina: Look for improved performances from both squads, and more 'hate' as they open league play.
Kansas 13 UTEP: Jayhawks will have no problem getting the job done in the Sun Bowl.
SFlorida 24.5 WKENTUCKY: Not fair. The Bulls kick the 'Toppers while they're down.
BOISE ST 37 Miami OH: We'll see an improved performance from Boise, but miscues need to be eliminated before I lay 37.
Tulsa 17.5 NEW MEXICO: Its a bad time to be playing football in the state of NM.
Usc 7 OHIO ST: Tough to go against the Buckeyes getting 7 in the 'Shoe. Even after the Navy Scare.
OREGON 12 Purdue: Really tough call. Was Purdue's 52-pt effort against Toledo for real? Will the Ducks look like a football team? Be careful with this game.
Utah 13.5 SJSU: I'll stick with the Utes this week even though they cost us last week.
Oregon St 7 UNLV: Look for a surprise game from the Rebs. Beavers caught sleeping makes for a close game, possible upset.

As for the FCS spotlight, I'll give you guys a couple of predictions to whet your appetite. How does this sound? Holy Cross 38, Sacred Heart 14. One more for the road. Maine 27, Northeastern 17....Ahhh, what the hell. You West Coast readers want to know what happens in the Montana-UC Davis tilt? I'll tell you what happens. Montana kicks the shit out of them 41-13, that's what happens.

Allright ladies & gents, that's it for me. Enjoy the weekend of football that lies ahead. And remember, the NFL starts this week so don't forget that you'll have something to hold you over between Saturday and next Thursday's action.

Take care.

Beav

Day 1 in the books

2009-09-04T11:19:00.002-04:00

Last night left me speechless. Not because the games were so out of this world that I couldn't get a hold on them, but more because of the underwhelming quality of play on display. Basically, I had the opportunity to flip between SC/NC State, North Texas/Ball State, and Eastern Kentucky/Indiana for the early session, followed by the sole 10pm east game of Oregon/Boise St. I can't speak for the North Texas game because I saw less of that game than the others, but SC, NC State, Indiana, Oregon, and Boise State all failed to impress. Boise should have won by 3 or 4 scores. Oregon looked pathetic and had the feeling that they weren't aware the season had started yet, as if the game were a scrimmage or tune up game before next weekend. Indiana could very well have lost to Eastern Kentucky, who turned in a gritty performance before time expired on their final drive. As for the Gamecocks & Wolfpack, they too have some wrinkles to iron out over the next few weeks on offense in the form of fumbled balls, missed assignments, etc.

So as we put Day 1 behind us I am letting out a sigh of relief- this weekend cannot be as ugly as last night turned out to be. The only way to go is up. Sure, we'll see a fair amount of games where teams come out rusty, unorganized, poorly prepared. But rest assured there will be some gems mixed into the first full Saturday of ball games. Thankfully this will allow us all to tune into another game if the one you're watching is crap. But man, I tell you, last night was tough to sit through. Thank God there will be more options tomorrow. I don't think I can sit through another round of Boise State not being able to seal the deal, or South Carolina special teams leaving points on the field.

On a lighter note the Philly Bowl between Villanova and Temple (which we told you to keep an eye on) turned out to be a dandy. To borrow a line from Rocky V, the Cats "put some hustle behind that muscle," giving some authenticity to their preseason top 5 ranking in the FCS polls.

Tonight's lone matchup in FBS features Tulsa and Tulane, which should be a blowout by my estimation. Fortunately I'll be domeward bound tonight for the Salt City, however that will prevent me from reviewing the "Tulsane" game for you guys. Hopefully you weren't banking on me. If you were, my bad. I'm sure I can make it up to you at some point this season.

Suspension?

Lastly, I wanted to chime in on the post-game skirmish from the Oregon/Boise State game. Here's my take: NCAA should suspend Blount for 1 game and place him on probation for the remainder of the season. Thanks to the numerous references ESPN gave us last night, it was obvious to all who viewed that there is currently some bad blood flowing between these two schools. The video of a helmeted Blount waiting for a Boise State player whom he'd been jawing with (forgive me for not having the name ready off the top of my head- I haven't watched any sports shows today though I'm sure its widespread by now) to turn his head, then sucker punching him in the jaw is grounds for a suspension, in my opinion. If the NCAA does nothing, it sends the wrong message. If they defer to Oregon to discipline Blount, they send the wrong message. The NCAA has a chance to make a statement after this incident- it will be interesting to find out what kind of statement they make.

That's all for now. Enjoy the long weekend.

Beav

Ready for takeoff: Week 1 picks coming at you early

2009-08-31T12:24:00.006-04:00

Sorry to sneak up on you, but I'm bringing the heat early this year for week one as a little treat to you, the loyal readers of Beaver Tales. I'm guessing the majority of you have not scouted this week's lines yet, and since its still August you may still be stuck in summer mode. Not to worry my friends, I'm here to bail you out. The research has been done for you, so just sit back and get ready for your dose of water cooler ammo.

Games start this Thursday- with a couple of intriguing match ups right from the start. First FBS game to kick off the 2009 season will be a Sun Belt/MAC scrap between the Troy Trojans and Bowling Green Falcons. You'd better not blink because just 5 minutes later a more high profile game featuring SEC & ACC teams kicks off with South Carolina visiting NC State. Then, just when you thought you could ease your way into the season with a few 7:00 (Eastern) games and maybe coast through the rest of the night, two top-25 teams in Boise State and Oregon come at you with the night cap from Idaho. Hey, nobody said this was going to be an easy season. If you're struggling with how you're going to navigate such an intense start to the very first weekend of football this year, my advice is to keep it simple. Utilize Monday through Wednesday to do some light stretching, maintaining your focus on being limber for a long weekend of football. If you try to do too much too early you may burn out. Maybe tonight's a good night to catch up on the On Demand programs you've been neglecting. Tomorrow night maybe you've got some odd jobs around the house to keep you busy. By Wednesday, you should try to be cleaning up all of your loose ends so that you're fresh for Thursday night.

Anyway, let's get to the picks. I'll be here all season if you need help dealing with the rigors of a long season as a fan.

Thursday September 3
Troy @ Bowling Green (+7): Play the home 'dogs on opening night.
S.Carolina (+5)@NCST: Spurrier vs O'Brien screams chess match. But a hostile match.
N.Texas @ Ball St (-16.5): 2 programs headed in opposite directions. Play the hot hand.
Utah St @Utah(-20.5): Utes reload after impressive 08 campaign, Sugar Bowl win.
Oregon @ Boise St (-4): Broncs Offense lights up Ducks D in Thursday night "Must See TV"

Friday September 4
Tulsa(-13.5) @ Tulane: Hurricane win "Battle of Mascots Not Ending in 'S'."

Saturday September 5
Akron@ Penn St (-27): JoePa's Lions will be tough to stop this year, period.
Toledo (+10.5)@ Purdue: I'm not sure how you can put much faith into the Boilermakers at this point in the season.
Minnesota(-7) @ Syracuse: It pains me to pick against the Orange to start the season, but before the lines were announced I was thinking Gophers by 10. I hope I am wrong.
Navy (+21.5) @Ohio St: This one's close at the half, Ohio St by 17 for the win.
Kentucky @ Miami OH (+15): Tough schedule may catch 'Cats looking ahead.
WKentucky (29.5)@ Tenn: Tough to pass up nearly 30pts; Talented UT squad may pull it off though.
WMichigan (+12.5) @ Michigan: RichRod using this as a warm-up game testing 3 QBs but Broncs have other thoughts.
Nevada(+14)@ Notre Dame: Beware the Wolfpack in sheep's clothing Irish fans.
Georgia (+5.5)@ Okla St: Keep an eye on this one- has the makings of an instant classic.
Mizzou(+7)vs Illinois: This has become an opening weekend rivalry. Love the neutral locale aspect.
Baylor@ Wake Forest (-2.5): '09 is now-or-never for the Bears; Wake too sound all-around.
San Jose St(+34.5) @ USC: I'm a sucker for the points on opening weekend; new QB @ USC could lead to 'only' a 4 TD win.
Rice @ UAB(-5.5): CUSA opener should be a close game. Look for offense. Lots of it.
Stanford(-16.5) @ Wash St: Cougs need to prove they're more than a Pac 10 bottom feeder
MTenn St(+19.5) @ Clemson: Blue Raiders can hang in, but not win this game.
UConn (-3.5) @ Ohio: Huskies rely on rushing and defense while new offense develops.
Army @ EMich (-5): Hey, if I didn't pick this game I couldn't handicap the entire season. So here you go.
NIllinois @ Wisc (-16.5): Camp Randall intimidates Huskies, leads Badgers to victory.
New Mexico (+14) @ Texas A&M: Aggies bit me in the ass last year vs Ark St... F TAMU.
Florida Atl@ Nebraska (-22): We'll find out if the Owls are for real this year.
La Monroe @ Texas (-41): Horns are legit. And worthy of a 40+ point favorite in this one.
BYU (+22)vs Okla: Sooners will win, but Cougars' performance will surprise.
La Tech @ Auburn (-13): Tigers have talent and home field- too much for Bulldogs to overcome.
San Diego St @ UCLA (-20): Bruins are on the rise. Good experience for Aztecs.
Idaho @ New Mexico St (-3): Vandals suck, and suck even worse on the road.
Va Tech (+7) vs Alabama: ESPN has already had 2 wet dreams about this game. Hopefully it lives up to the billing.
Buffalo (+8)@ UTEP: Bulls reloading, not rebuilding in Post-Willy Era.
CMich (+13.5)@ Arizona: Chips fall short but cover thanks to "Da Fever."
Maryland (+21.5)@ Cal: Terps getting no respect vs an under-achieving Bears outfit.
LSU (-17)@ Washington: Tigers rip Huskies apart on their home turf. Not even close.

Sunday September 6
Mississippi (-16)@ Memphis: Rebs take it to the Tigers, keep the hype coming.
Colorado St @ Colorado (-10.5): Its time to put up or shut up for Hawkins' gang.

Monday September 7
Cincinnati (+5.5)@ Rutgers: Big East title impact on opening weekend as Bearcats look to make it 4 in a row against RU.
Miami Fl (+6)@ Florida St: Annual rivalry game once again matters on a 'national' scene.

As an early bird special, I'm also going to throw in 3 totals bets for you.

Minnesota @ Syracuse OVER 47.5: Neither school has been known for their defense as of late. SU's offense should be improved from last year, however the middle of the defense will yield pts to the Gophers.
Baylor @ Wake UNDER 53.5: This one stays in the high 40s due to 1st weekend wrinkles needing to be ironed out, and the WF offense chewing up clock.
Cincinnati @ Rutgers OVER 48.5: Both teams will come out aggressively, going for the jugular. Look for a high scoring affair between these Big East heavy weights.

Switching Gears

Now that we have dissected the FBS weekend that lies ahead, let's take a look at some of the more promising match ups in the Championship Subdivision. Here are some games to watch the ticker for:

Thursday
Villanova @ Temple: Since neither of the respective school's fan bases care about this game, maybe we can stir up some interest in this intracity matchup. It looks better on the hardwood, but looks only get you so far...

Saturday
Appalachian State @ ECU: Pirates get an early season test in one of the best teams FCS has to offer.
Northern Iowa @ Iowa: Could we see another FCS school upset a top 25 program on opening weekend a la App St/Michigan 2007? The Panthers have at least a fighting chance in this one.
Weber St @ Wyoming: Watch out Cowboy fans- Weber State is looking to ride out of Laramie with a win.
Wofford @ South Florida: This won't be a cakewalk for the Bulls.
Charleston Southern @ Florida: Meyer just looking to keep his starters injury-free.
Richmond @ Duke: Honestly, would it still be considered an upset if defending champs Richmond defeat Duke?
Angelo State @ Texas State: This game intrigues me because I have no idea where either school is located. Except Texas State. I'm guessing they are in the state of Texas. Though I suppose that makes me susceptible to some smartass town in Kentucky that decides to call itself Texas, and then name their state funded university after the town.
Portland St @ Oregon St: Probably more appealing for Vikings fans, though I find it is always entertaining when OSU hits the field.
UMass @ Kansas St: Local interest only for the most part, though if the Minutemen upset it will make headlines.

Sunday
Grambling St @ South Carolina St: ESPN2 is picking up the game (2pm), so it will be a nice way to work off Saturday's misfortunes and help keep your football buzz alive through the long weekend.

There you have it. Your first weekend of the 2009 season in a nutshell. Speaking of nuts, I'm going to start off this season by predicting the Nut Kick Game in advance, rather than recap it next week. As I look down the slate of games, I see plenty that stand out. If you're a gambler you'll probably have a few Nut Kick Games after the weekend. However, if you're just into the game for a good time I'd say the Va Tech/Bama game in Atlanta will be the biggest kick in the nuts this weekend. Regardless of which highly hateable team comes out on top, you can count on endless references to Nick Saban's "genius," Beamer Ball, and sideline shots of Bud Foster with hands on knees at crucial moments for the Hokie D. The only salvation will be if Brent Musberger calls the game so that we can hear him kiss someone else's ass besides the players, coaches and parents from the Little League World Series.

Live from New York...

We're not messing around this year in terms of live games. We're kicking off the 2009 campaign with a visit to the Carrier Dome to watch the Gophers and Orange go at it live. As usual, you can bank on some in-person takes from the Beav next week, right here in this space as we soak in the local atmosphere and attempt to relay it in words.

That's a wrap for today. Enjoy the rest of your August.

-Beav

Best mustaches in sports

2009-01-28T08:31:00.004-05:00

The other day I got to thinking about facial hair- specifically mustaches- and what sports figures have pioneered, or popularized this fashion statement over the years. So I figured I'd put together a list, albeit a list that is up for debate. Please feel free to share any thoughts you might have on the topic with us...Here are my top 5 sports figures to rock a caterpillar lip:

5. George Parros, Anaheim Ducks- Parros deserves credit for being in the limelight of modern day mustached athletes. What separates Parros from his contemporaries is his discretion. The man refused to grow his hair out during his playing days at Princeton, noting that the school had an image they liked to uphold. So at the outset of his professional career we started to see what this kid was capable of producing- some damn good facial hair. To top it off, he does it for a good cause. The Ducks sell fake staches to fans and donate proceeds to charity, and Parros routinely cuts his long, mangy hair for Locks of Love.

4. Dave Wannstedt, University of Pittsburgh football coach- Without your token mustached coach this list would not be complete. The thing I like most about Wanny is that any time his name surfaces in conversations people talk about his stache. It may be the first thing mentioned, it may be a side note, but it never escapes the conversation completely. I think this is mainly because Dave is your 'johnny average' when it comes to coaching. He hasn't done anything great, his resume is not particularly impressive, yet he finds a way to stay in the coaching profession. He's a man's man- the kind of guy you know has a part-time bartending gig waiting for him at the local Outback Steakhouse if he should choose to accept the offer after retirement. And that, my friends, is good enough for me and my list.

3. Dale Earnhardt, former stock car driver- OK, OK. It probably isn't fair to put a NASCAR driver on this list, as NASCAR could easily have its own separate mustache hall of fame, which would dominate the mustache hall for all other sports. But I'd have felt like an asshole leaving The Intimidator off my list. Dale Sr had one of those staches that prevents a man from eating certain foods- like mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, cotton candy, ice cream cones- you get the point...You have to respect these types of sacrifices he made. The bottom line is he was as determined to keep his stache as he was to win at Daytona. In fact, a case could be made that Dale Sr and Dave Wannstedt are polar opposites since Dale's mustache is often overlooked due to his successful career while Wannstedt's is at the forefront of conversations.

2. Rollie Fingers, former MLB player- Are you kidding me with that shit, Rollie? You're about to take the mound on national television and you waxed your fucking tips? That's awesome man. Fucking awesome. And it takes some stones to do it, too. People looking to dismiss it or downplay it will say "well, it was the 70's, things were different then and it was in style." And I'm here to tell you that's bullshit. Show me some examples of who else was waxing their tips in that era.

I think the true appreciation for Rollie comes when you compare him to the closers of today. Rollie's signature trait was his "curly Q" mustache. Look at the signature moves of closers since Fingers. An icy stare? A never-washed sweaty ball cap? A Metallica song? Please. Go fuck yourselves guys. And while you're at it try taking the mound with a little more pizazz next time, a little more flare. A little more Fingers.

1. Eddie Murray, former MLB player- It is tough to crown anyone number 1 in a field with so many participants, but since I am forced to make a decision I'm going with Eddie Murray. Eddie's mustaches have had it all over the years- creativity, confidence, versatility, longevity, and consistency. No matter what style stache he put out there for us to marvel at it was always with maximum effort on Eddie's part. He didn't cut corners. He'd hit you with the mutton chops combo and then be back with the Isaac from the Love Boat look. And as his career progressed and he became more successful, his overall confidence seemed to boost the quality of his staches. Even into his coaching days, he proved that he could still keep things fresh by giving us his version of the thin, neatly trimmed "management" stache. Bravo Eddie. Here's to a few more icons like you.

Honorable Mention

Here are a few of the guys whom I gave serious consideration to but did not make the list- more so because of the quality of numbers 1 through 5 than because of any shortcomings the Honorable Mentions may have had.

Jim Rice, former MLB player
Mike Ditka, former NFL player & coach
Benito Santiago, former MLB player
Rich "Goose" Gossage, former MLB player
Iron Sheik, former professional wrestler
Jack Morris, former MLB player
Von Kaiser, Mike Tyson's Punchout boxer

So there you have it. My list of the top mustaches in sports. It should be noted that I did not consider anyone pre 1970s because A) I needed to cut the list off someplace or there would simply be too many "applicants" to choose from and B) you probably don't give a shit about some leather helmet football-playing asshole's mustache.

Jingling all the way

2008-12-26T07:26:00.006-05:00

Merry Christmas all.

Like many of you, my holiday season has been busy this year. Basically I've got a road trip that will take me through Southern Massachusetts westward to Upstate NY and back to Eastern Mass. So I've got some car time ahead of me, but before I hit the road to continue spreading Christmas Cheer I'll let you in on a few things to look for in the upcoming bowl action.

Tonight
Motor City Bowl
Florida Atlantic vs Central Michigan

Congrats to Coach Schnellenberger for building an FAU program that is playing in back-to-back bowl games for the first time ever. The Owls are a program on the rise in the Sunshine State. But Central Michigan is no slouch. They can score and have put up big numbers all year. I like the Chips to take this one by about 10 points. Look for a score somewhere in the high 30s. If the Owls can figure out a way to contain NFL prospect Dan LeFevour this one could be closer than I expect. But otherwise, I think we're looking at a Central Michigan win in front of a hometown crowd. Prediction: CM 38, FAU 27.

I'll check back in with some more updates when time permits. Its time to log a few highway miles now (302 to be exact). Until next time, I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas from the bottom of my hea-ah-aaart.

-El Beavo

Slowing it down...

2008-12-12T09:44:00.008-05:00

So you're living in Orlando and you don't know what to do next weekend, eh? Well I'll tell you what to do: get your buddies together, find a car, and GO TO THE FUCKING ST PETERSBURG BOWL, ASSHOLE!!

We have entered the slow period of time during every college football season where fans can recharge their batteries and take in some FCS playoff action they would normally miss out on. Whether your team(s) are bowl bound or in the midst of a coaching change, this weekend provides a little R&R before bowl mania kicks off. So take a deep breath, stretch your legs, and if you feel the need, snag yourself a cat nap. Because you're going to need all of the energy you can get next week.

Now, here is a continuation of our comprehensive bowl coverage, picking up where we left off:

12/20/08
Magic Jack St Petersburg Bowl
South Florida vs Memphis

I repeat- if you are reading this and you live in the state of Florida you should attend this game.

The Bulls have the home field advantage in this one, so expect a not-so-neutral field at Tropicana Field. And if you're a Bulls fan that's a good thing because you're going to need all the help you can get. USF is sputtering right now, losing 4 of its last five games after a season that started with such high expectations for Matt Grothe & Co. Since then, the Bulls have slipped from the rankings, their conference race, and the nation's radar. On the plus side, a solid performance in this game could be just what the doctor ordered. The Bulls need to pump some oxygen into their program- and fast- if they want to get back on track heading into spring practice. On the flip side, the Memphis Tigers are playing good football right now going 6-3 after an 0-3 start. Both teams' defenses appear to be superior to their opponents' offenses, so look for this to be a low-scoring affair. I give Memphis the edge based on offensive production and the lack thereof at USF.

USF Keys:
1. Eliminate turnovers- they are -7 in the turnover battle in their last 5 games.
2. Field position- Bulls' offense needs help from their defense
3. Create space for Grothe- he is the ideal "X-Factor" in an evenly-matched game like this

Memphis Keys:
1. Stay composed- Bulls are a desperate team right now- don't give them opportunities to make plays
2. Creativity on offense- don't let USF defense settle into groove
3. Lock down Grothe- the Bulls go where he takes them

12/20/08
Las Vegas Bowl
BYU vs Arizona

Don't let the numbers fool you. Both teams are averaging mid 30s in offensive production and 21 ppg yielded on defense. On paper, this baby looks even. But the Cougs are far superior to the happy-to-be-bowling Wildcats. Surely, if you're a BYU fan you were hoping for a better bowl bid than this, but it beats sitting at home this time of year. So there is a let down factor with BYU, who is coming off a 48-24 loss to Utah. But don't expect coach Bronco Mendenhall to let his Cougs wallow in self pity. They will be tuned up for an old fashioned ass whooping of Arizona come gameday. The Cats, on the other hand, are making their first bowl appearance in a decade. Their offense is potent, but mainly against teams with average or below average defenses. The old adage "sometimes the best defense is a good offense" certainly applies here, for both teams. Unfortunately for Arizona, the BYU offense is a juggernaut. I don't see the Cats keeping up with the Mormons in this one. Too much firepower and not enough answers on Stoops' sideline.

BYU Keys:
1. Play your game. You're the better team so just execute asshole.
2. Don't get caught watching the scoreboard. UA will get its share of points, but it can't get you down.
3. Stop marrying multiple people.

Arizona Keys:
1. Maximize breaks. Red zone attempts have to be TDs, not FGs. Turnovers must lead to pts.
2. Keep the game manageable- fall behind 2 TDs and its over.
3. Blitzing & run defense- take your chances on the deep ball; use pressure to create chaos.

12/21/08
New Orleans Bowl
Troy vs Southern Mississippi

The New Orleans Bowl Committee could not be happier with the game they've produced. This match up is intriguing on many levels, namely because it appears as though it'll be a shootout. Southern Miss finished with 4 wins to become bowl-eligible. Troy enjoyed another successful regular season campaign in the Sun Belt, nearly notching a landmark road win at LSU mid season.

Troy can hurt you in several ways on offense. They spread out their attack and force defenses to guard against more options than is possible. This leaves options available on every play unless you can get to the QB early and disrupt the timing and rhythm of their plays. Southern Miss has found its stride at the right time, entering the game red-hot on both sides of the ball. Their ball-hawking defense has been extremely efficient in the turnover battle, giving their offense great starting field position. If they continue this trend Troy will have all it can handle from the Eagles. The Sunday night time slot gives this game a higher profile than it would otherwise have, enabling more people to tune in for what promises to be a thriller.

Troy Keys:
1. Spread the ball around on offense.
2. Exploit 5-10 yard passing game. Get the ball in playmakers' hands in space.
3. Protect the ball. So Miss defense thrives on turnovers.

So Miss Keys:
1. Create Turnovers. +10 TO margin in last 4 games (all wins).
2. Control the tempo of the game.
3. Frustrate Troy's offense. Troy's attack is lethal when running smoothly. Force them to work outside their norm and your turnover opportunities will arise.

There. Three more bowl previews for you, free of charge. Don't thank me- tis the season to give. Get some rest this weekend because you're going to need it when we kick off the bowl games next weekend. Don't forget Montana @ James Madison tonight at 8 and Richmond @ Northern Iowa tomorrow at 4.

-Beav

Bryant @ BC basketball post game thoughts

2008-12-12T09:17:00.005-05:00

I had the pleasure of attending a Bryant Bulldogs basketball game for the first time on Wednesday evening as a blog reader named Ray and I were able to score some last minute tix. Unfortunately the vistors didn't have what it took to upset Boston College, but what was a 31 point game with about 12 mins remaining actually turned into a competitive game down the stretch as Bryant rallied to close the game within about 10 points by the 4 minute mark. BC steadied themselves, however, shooting the ball well and making some athletic plays to finally seal the win.

For a while, Ray and I were wondering if BC, who looked flat, would be able to finish off a scrappy bunch from Bryant in search of only their second win in 8 tries. The Eagles looked flat at times, but coach Al Skinner did what he had to do to keep them focused and preserve the win in front of an empty Conte Forum. Had the Bulldogs' shot selection been better this one may have been closer, and indeed if they had an inside presence they would have given the Eagles all they could handle.

All in all it was a low energy game with little crowd involvement, save a few Bryant supporters that made the hour or so drive from Smithfield. Since the place was empty we pretty much had our pick of where we wanted to sit. Thus it surprised me that BC charged $20 a ticket for admission to an event scalpers could not give tickets away for (actually we paid $5). I think the athletic department should consider lowering ticket prices for games like this, or make them a part of a buy one get one ticket plan so they could get a few more bodies in the building and actually have an atmosphere with a pulse. So just for future reference, if you're planning on taking in a game at the Heights my advice would be to shop around online first to see what ticket deals you can get your hands on. Its not a bad way to spend your weeknight, but certainly not worth the $20 charged at the ticket office (however ACC games may be a different story- I've never attended one at BC).

Ray Bentley Update

2008-12-09T10:04:00.002-05:00

Just a quick tip of the hat to Ray Bentley, who once again shouldered the load for ESPN2 by broadcasting the Division II playoff game between North-Somebody and Something Alabama State. We gave him a Beavie a few weeks ago to recognize his efforts in broadcasting the under-the-radar sports, and this past weekend was no different. Here's to you Ray Bentley- see you at the Las Vegas Bowl.

The "Beavies"

2008-11-13T12:07:00.005-05:00

Allright guys, its time to hand out some awards here at the Beaver Dam. So we're starting the first edition of The Beavies. Hosted by yours truly, Beaver McBeavington, we'll take you through the best and worst figures in sports. Well, you know how the awards work, so I'm going to cut through the bullshit and get down to it...

Coach Most Deserving of a Nut Punch:

Jimmy Johnson. OK, so he doesn't coach anymore. But I challenge anyone over the age of 15 to think of someone you'd rather give the old 1-2 combo to than JJ? From his hair to his attitude to his on-air persona, this guy's gotta get under your skin. I don't care who you are, he'll get ya. Give him time to talk and you'll most definitely hear about how he did things at The U and in Dallas. One thing he doesn't mention? His failed attempt to make a running team out of the Miami Dolphins, a team who hadn't run the ball well since the days of Csonka and Kiick. A team armed with Dan Marino, arguably the best quarterback of all time. His strategy? Drafting criminals. Lawrence Phillips, Cecil "The Diesel" Collins, et al. Hey, it worked at The U and it worked in Dallas, so why not try it with the 'Fins?

Honorable Mention:
Bobby Petrino, Arkansas
Nick Saban, Alabama
Rich Rodriguez, Michigan

Guy I'd most like to have as a coach:

Mike Leach, Texas Tech. Runs a fun operation with a wide-open offense and loves to bust balls on the media. Hopefully Leach will ditch the Raiders after they failed to committ him to a long-term deal.

Mark Cuban. OK, so he's not a coach either. Big deal. Tell me it wouldn't be fun to play on a team he coached. Think about it- your team might suck but you'd be arriving in style anywhere you went and there would be endless opportunities to bust balls on your coach.

Honorable Mention:
Mike Ditka
Pete Carroll

Broadcaster you wish would get fired:

Tim McCarver. Timmy Mac is probably on top of a lot of peoples' lists. His constant Mr Obvious comments, and incessant need to fill dead air with his yammering makes this guy intolerable. I know I'm not alone when I say I sometimes watch his broadcasts with the mute button on.

Honorable Mention:
Terry Bradshaw
Joe Morgan
Tony Kornheiser

Broadcaster you'd sign to a franchise deal:

John Madden. I probably just pissed off a ton of people, but I'm sticking to my guns. Televised sports need more people like John Madden. There, I said it. Fuck you. At least when Madden is doing a game he'll get off topic, unlike some of these hard-ons who think that the only thing your mind is focused on is the game you're watching. My hat is off to Madden for being able to realize when a game is slow, peoples' minds are drifting so you might as well float along with them. When a game reaches blowout status, Madden is your man. He'll take color commentating to the next level by posing questions about what you are most likely contemplating- why the referees changed their uniforms, how much do the odds go up that you'll end up with a souvenir football if you sit in the first 5 rows of the stadium, why are the rules for tackling a quarterback so pussified now? And he'll go on and on until he runs out of time. The man deserves an award, so I'm here to give him a Beavie baby.

Honorable Mention:
Ray Bentley. THIS GUY deserves a raise. Fucking ESPN gives him the AFL and every Tuesday or Wednesday college football game they can get their hands on. And the guy does a terrific job selling himself that he's actually interested in the Dallas Desperados playoff chances vs the Arizona Rattlers. Watch an AFL game next season sometime and see what I mean. You'll find yourself wrapped up in talks about the "Jack" linebacker and his role in AFL ball.

There, that's episode 1 of the Beavies. We'll get you some more later in the year. This should be enough to get you through your Friday.

Syracuse Head Coach

2008-10-01T10:31:00.004-04:00

Lately all of the speculation about Syracuse firing Head Coach Greg Robinson before the season is over has produced a lot of rumors. Mostly its the fans who want Robinson out- and quickly. There is a growing number of Orange fans who want change and want it now, in hopes of getting a head start on recruiting and preparations for next season. Let's take a look at some of the talk that's been going on and what it might lead to.

Right now there is an abundance of people predicting Lane Kiffin (fired by the Oakland Raiders yesterday) will be Robinson's successor. Kiffin is young (early 30s), has a little more than a season's worth of head coaching experience among the professional ranks (combined record of 5-15), zero head coaching experience at the college level, and ties to SU Athletic Director Darryl Gross. He was highly touted as an assistant before getting his first head coaching role- which he may have landed before he was ready for it. Sound familiar? It should if you follow the Orange, because essentially that's how Greg Robinson came to the Syracuse campus to take the reigns of an at-the-time-average-but-slowly-declining football program (it should be noted that Robinson had no previous head coaching experience whatsoever). I do not profess to be an expert on Lane Kiffin, but personally, I do not see him as the right man for the job. To me, if the Orange fire Robinson and hire Kiffin they are going in circles. They need to take a look at some other established coaches who have run programs, been to bowl games, and can recruit the NJ/CT market that SU used to own. Thus far under Robinson, the recruiting scene has been destroyed, they have been to zero bowl games, and they have produced just 2 Big East Conference wins.

As a fan, I've always felt that the Syracuse name is one to carry some weight; it should be able to draw recruits based upon its winning tradition, among many other selling points (they currently rank 14th on the all time wins list). Instead, we have watched the quality of SU recruits diminish for the last 4 seasons, and it will take some serious work to get back in power in the Northeast market. Given the state of the program and the obstacles they have to overcome, I believe Kiffin is the wrong hire for Syracuse at this point in time. In my opinion, they should focus on a coach who has collegiate coaching experience. Someone who has won, someone who has run a team and recruited, someone who has won bowl games- a guy with a 'national' name if you can get him. They need a coach who can come in and take over, rejuvenate the team with confidence, and establish a firm base for the program. The players may like Greg Robinson as a person, but it is clear in their actions and interviews that they do not believe in him as a coach.

Continuing on the path of speculation you will find former Michigan Head Coach Lloyd Carr. Many SU fans believe Carr is the right man for the job. In fact, rumors are circulating (none confirmed yet) about Lloyd sightings on the Syracuse campus. If this is true, I think Gross is in the right mind set. Another name I would throw into the fold would be Terry Bowden. He's a football pedigree, born and bred, and has the experience to go with it. As a fan, I would be happy with either of these two hires.

We could go on all day throwing names into the mix but the point is Syracuse needs a new head coach who can get them back to competing. That is the first step. Not winning national championships. Not winning conference titles. Playing competitive football games. Robinson has talked for hours upon hours about being competitive and seeing positive growth and results on the field and insisted that his teams are improving and about to take the next step. But in the 3 + seasons he's been working the SU sidelines we have seen no concrete evidence. The poor tackling/lack of conditioning/missed blocks/general look of confusion hinges on one thing: preparation. The Orange have not been properly prepared to win games. They need a coach who can teach them how to win, how to finish off a game. Hell, at this point I'd settle for someone who can teach them how to stay in a game.

When all is said and done I think you have to let Robinson stay until he can no longer reach his goal of going to a bowl this season. That was the team's goal at the start of the season and it is only fair to give Robinson a shot at reaching his goals with the group of seniors that he recruited. Right now they are 1-4. Barring some sort of miracle, they will likely be eliminated from bowl contention in a matter of weeks. At that point I think it is fair to let Robinson go and either work with an interim or bring in a new coach if the guy you want is willing to sign. While I agree that it would be a positive step for recruiting to bring in a new coach sooner than later, a football season is too precious, too valuable to just throw away. You cannot quit before you've even been eliminated from the post-season. SU fans need to sit tight for the time being. I know that is tough with it being bye week and all, but better days are ahead for sure. And the reality is that the list of available & attractive coaches is still too thin to be cashing in your chips at this point in the season.

week 2 picks

2008-09-03T19:33:00.004-04:00

With no further ado, here are my picks for week 2.

My picks in Bold. Home team in CAPS.

NCAA Football
Thursday, Sept. 4
South Carolina 10 VANDERBILT 'Cocks shocked in Nashville

Friday, Sept. 5
BALL STATE 7½ Navy Cards in ball-deep with Navy, can't cover
Saturday, Sept. 6
MICHIGAN STATE 21½ E Michigan Sparty stops sucking, starts playing
SYRACUSE 4½ Akron Come on, they gotta beat the Zips.....Right??
MICHIGAN 14½ Miami OH Mich will get their pts since it is Miami OH
Northwestern 7 DUKE Bacher avenges last year's eyesore, wins big
BOSTON COLLEGE 7 Georgia Tech Always a tight matchup, Jackets cover
WVU 8½ ECU 1st the Chokies; and WVU has a way of losing these games
BOWLING GREEN 5½ Minn Gophers dig a hole early, can't get out
AUBURN 18½ Southern Miss Too many points to give the Eagles
ALABAMA 30 Tulane 'Bama too much for hard-luck Tulane
NEBRASKA 25½ San Jose State Neb pounds 2nd lightweight
OREGON 35½ Utah State Ducks too fast for Aggies
OKLAHOMA 20½ Cincinnati Prepared 'Cats cover in Norman
OHIO STATE 34 Ohio Tressel learns, rests starters earlier
WISCONSIN 21 Marshall Badgers sabotage Marshall plan
FLORIDA 21 Miami Fl Former rivalry now another UF 'W'
Texas Tech 9½ NEVADA Wild Westshootout overheats scoreboard
GEORGIA 23½ Cent Mich Lefevour has game effort vs Dawgs
PENN ST 16 Oregon St Beav not sold on Beavs in Beaver
WYOMING 3 Air Force Cowboys' offense redeems itself
NOTRE DAME 21½ San Diego St Cal Poly? Irish will roll
Texas A&m 2½ NEW MEXICO Aggies survive 0-2 start
PITTSBURGH 13 Buffalo McCoy leads the way for Panthers
OKLA STATE 16 Houston Gotta love Cougars
IOWA STATE 7½ Kent Your unsexy matchup award. No homo
WAKE FOREST 7½ Mississippi Wake overpowers Rebels
California 13½ WASHINGTON ST Already took the Cougs once
WESTERN MICH 6 NO Illinois Broncos by 3
USF 14 UCF Best football game in FL this week
Connecticut 7 TEMPLE Owls not ready till proven otherwise
KANSAS 20½ Louisiana Tech Hawk offense smoother this wk
MEMPHIS 4 Rice http://www.freerice.com/
UTAH 21½ Unlv Utes on everyone's radar, impress again
ARIZONA 22½ Toledo Rockets shitting their pants after UA 70 pt win
ARIZONA STATE 14 Stanford Devils have to play D; barely cover
Texas 26 UTEP Rowdy confines of the Sun Bowl don't mess w/Texas
IOWA 27 FIU Even Iowa can dunk if you give them a breakaway
ARKANSAS 12 UL Monroe Unfortunately Petrino gets his shit together
Tulsa 21 NORTH TEXAS This ain't your daddy's UNT
FLORIDA ATLANTIC 14 UAB Owls take flight after shaky week 1
Maryland 13½ MIDDLE TENN ST ACC continues to get bent over
LSU 24½ Troy State game ppd

Its good to be back

2008-09-02T18:59:00.000-04:00

Well, this year's opening weekend may not have been as exciting as last year's, but it is still nice to have the season finally underway. It was also good to see some teams from non-BCS conferences flex their muscles (read East Carolina, Arkansas State). Congratulations to the Campbell University football team who played their first game since my father was born. The Camels lost 12-6 to Birmingham Southern in front of a sold-out crowd.

VEGAS, BABY:

On the handicapping front, my weekend was pretty similar to the ho-hum games that were played on the field. I finished up 42-39 overall- 1 game over .500 ATS and 2 games over for Totals. We'll look to improve on that mark this coming week now that we've had a look at most of the teams. One other note on the handicapping, if I may- I get so sick of all of these handicapping services that brag non-stop about their records in Thursday night non-conference games played on the East Coast in September. Do they honestly think they have a gift for picking these games more accurately than other games?? Like its as if they factor in that the game is being played on a Thursday night? Or was it the fact that the game is in September that swayed their pick from one team to another? All I can picture is some asshole sitting at a desk trying to pick a winner for the NC State/South Carolina game, when all of a sudden a lightbulb goes off and he remembers that this game is a non-conference matchup on the East Coast, so surely the Gamecocks will cover. And that's why you should use his services. Gimme a fuckin' break asshole. Just man-up and tell us that you called that game correctly, but also tell us that you blew the Stanford/Oregon State game the same night (for the record I did not hit on either of these games- just an example). There, I had to get that off my chest before we get into a season's worth of handicapping and you guys think I'm going to give you the ol' "I was 10-0 ATS in Saturday games involving teams using a 4-3 defense" routine.

ORANGE UPDATE:

Syracuse opened their season with another hope-stealing defeat, this time at the hands of Northwestern. The Orange are now 0-4 in openers under Greg Robinson, and have been offensively inept thus far. Unfortunately I was only able to watch the last quarter of the game as the Wilcats put the game away, but by looking at the box score it did not sound like a fun game to watch if you are an Orange fan.

Next up is Akron at 3:30 Saturday. The Orange are 4 point favorites.

LOCAL FORECAST:

The Ivy League teams remained idle this week, as did UNH, Holy Cross, and Sacred Heart.

The Northeastern Huskies took a beating during their road trip to Muncie to take on Ball State. They have a week off before back-to-back away games at Georgia Southern and Syracuse.

This week's Nut Kick Game (NKG) featured a close win from Rhode Island over Jersey-based Monmouth, 27-24. This one burned particularly bad because I was unable to attend due to work, but was within a few miles, or a drunken walk of the stadium. Burn #2 came when my colleague Ray showed up for a day at the beach wearing a shirt that just said "Jersey," which stung on its own, but then it reminded me of the Monmouth game I had missed, so it peppered me again.

Central Connecticut State topped Bryant, who is transitioning to FCS level football. I have yet to take in a game at Bryant but you can consider it on my to-do list. Rounding out the local action was UMASS, who started their season strong with a 28-16 win over Albany. Look for the Minutemen to win the A-10 this year and make another playoff appearance.

WEEKNIGHT PICKS:

I like Vanderbilt as 10-point home 'dogs against South Carolina. The 'Cocks put up some late scores against NC State that made the game look like more of a blowout than it really was, and Vanderbilt will not let SC come to Nashville and dominate on both sides of the ball. The Commodores won last year's meeting, so look for a motivated SC team seeking revenge. Should be a close game- I like Vandy to win outright by a field goal or less.

With no offense to Towson, Navy will have its first real test under first year Head Coach Ken Niumatalolo on Friday night as they travel to Muncie (2 Muncie mentions in the same blog?) to face a Ball State team that is coming off of a bowl season. Uncle Sam wants YOU to take Navy +7.5.

That's all for now.

Beav

The Beav's Picks: week 1

2008-08-26T21:02:00.000-04:00

Hey there, thanks for stopping by. We're glad you could join us for another exciting year of beating the spread. This year we've decided to go at it bloggy-style so we can mix in some "Beaver Tales" from tailgating scenes across the country (well, mainly from the Northeast, but across the country when we can pull it off). Here are your picks for week 1 of the football season (for entertainment purposes only, obviously):

UTEP @ Buffalo -3 UNDER 58.5 Turner Gill opens as a winner
Troy -6.5 @ Mid Tenn OVER 53 Trojans win heated rivalry
Vandy +4 @ Miami OH OVER 40.5 "Friendly" road environment for the 'Dores
Wake -12 @ Baylor UNDER 51 Bears still searching for answers
NC State +13.5 @ South Carolina OVER 45 Battle of coaches comes down to special teams
Oregon State -3 @ Stanford OVER 46 Huge impact in the lower-class of the Pac 10
Temple @ Army +7.5 OVER 43 Cadets could surprise with an outright win
SMU @ Rice -3.5 UNDER 71 Mustangs not as cool as their name; clawed by Eagles
Syracuse +11.5 @ N'Western OVER 57.5 Hoping for a good start
W.Kentucky @ Indiana -20.5 UNDER 56 Better matchup on the hardwood
Va Tech -9.5 @ East Carolina OVER 48 Pirates keep it close, VT pulls away in the end
Bowling Green @ Pitt -13 UNDER 56.5 Panthers' running game too strong for weak BG Def
Akron @ Wisconsin -26.5 UNDER 53.5 Pretender Wisconsin will look the part
Hawaii +35 @ Florida OVER 71.5 Colt who? Hawaii rebuilds, struggles in The Swamp
Ohio @ Wyoming -11 OVER 52.5 Cowboys ride roughshod over the Bobcats
Utah +3.5 @ Michigan OVER 40.5 Brian Johnson shakes Michigan all night long
Oklahoma St -7 @ Washington St UNDER 68 Mike Gundy proves his Manhood in Pullman
USC @ Virginia +19.5 OVER 45.5 Too many pts to lay with USC QB situation
Tulsa -13.5 @ UAB UNDER 67.5 You think of a comment for this game
TCU @ New Mexico +7 OVER 42 Lobos catch TCU off guard, possibly win outright
Miss State -8 @ La Tech OVER 45.5 Sylvester Croom keeps it rolling at MSU
UL Monroe @ Auburn -26 OVER 48 Tiger reserves thrilled to get some work in this one
Memphis @ Ole Miss -7.5 UNDER 55 Rebels take the upper hand in recruiting battle
W. Michigan +14 @ Nebraska UNDER 62 Huskers caught shucking their corn, dodge upset
Florida Atl @ Texas -24 OVER 67 McCoy puts up big numbers in UT win
Florida Int @ Kansas -36 OVER 57.5 Trap game for KU after Va Tech win? Baby please
N. Illinois +8.5 @ Minn UNDER 59 Welcome opponent for UM team desperate for wins
Ark State @ Texas AM -20 UNDER 54 Sherman marches Aggies to victory in debut
UL Lafayette @ So Miss -10.5 OVER 52.5 Long season for the Ragin' Cajuns starts here
North Texas @ Kansas State -24.5 UNDER 70.5 K-State starts off with a tune-up
BC -9.5 @ Kent State UNDER 49.5 BC defense finds a way to win
Michigan State +5 @ Cal OVER 58.5 Spartans slip under the radar to cover
Alabama @ Clemson -4.5 UNDER 48 'Bama not ready for Clemson attack
Illinois @ Missouri -8.5 OVER 59.5 Rematch of last year's shootout should be exciting
Washington @ Oregon -13.5 Important conference game for both squads eyeing a bowl
Idaho @ Arizona -27 UNDER 63.5 Vandals can't steal this one. Will they steal any??
Utah State +12.5 @ UNLV UNDER 49 Rebels not worthy of double-digit favorite
Kentucky @ Louisville -3.5 OVER 58.5 L'ville gets revenge after last year's loss
Colorado -11 @ Colorado State UNDER 59.5 Karma bites CSU after ditching Lubick
Fresno State +5 @ Rutgers UNDER 61 Rutgers survives home upset, keeps choppin'
Tennessee -7.5 @ UCLA OVER 46.5 UCLA volunteers for a beat-down

Talk to you soon.

-Beav