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Post by AustinHoya03 on Nov 12, 2014 16:04:09 GMT -5
Week 12 Picks for Games that Matter: Ohio State over Minnesota Western Michigan over Eastern Michigan in a Michigan MAC Trophy game Alabama over Mississippi State Wisconsin over Nebraska for the Freedom Trophy* Tennessee over Kentucky for the Beer BarrelLouisiana-Monroe over Louisiana-Lafayette in the Battle on the Bayou Auburn over UGA in the Deep South's Oldest Rivalry Miami upsets Florida State in a Florida Cup game Arkansas upsets LSU for the Golden Boot *Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports wrote about this new trophy: sports.yahoo.com/news/big-ten-s-latest-marketing-ploy--manufacturing-a-rivalry-220919938-ncaaf.htmlThe proliferation of conference-sponsored "rivalries" has diluted this feature, which includes named rivalry games, games involving trophies, and games between teams ranked in the Top 25. It's quite possible that future conference realignment will cause the Freedom Trophy to go the way of the Paddlewheel Trophy (awarded to the victor of the "River City Rivalry" between Cincinnati and Pitt, two schools which no longer play each other and have only ever met a dozen times on the field). I really wish that I were putting Clemson-Georgia Tech on the list instead. Those two schools have played each other 78 times. Georgia Tech poached Clemson's coach (a guy by the name of John Heisman) in 1904 by offering him a $450 raise in pay. But the Tigers and Yellow Jackets don't compete for a trophy (the "Coach Heisman Trophy" would probably make the most sense but obviously isn't a viable option) and the ACC hasn't stooped to branding the rivalry something dumb, so off the list it stays.
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hoyainspirit
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
When life puts that voodoo on me, music is my gris-gris.
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Post by hoyainspirit on Nov 13, 2014 12:40:18 GMT -5
Can't make up my mind on that AL-Miss St game. Tired of AL. It's just hard to fathom State being good.
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Post by AustinHoya03 on Nov 13, 2014 15:21:08 GMT -5
Mississippi State's record against Alabama? 18-77-3. Looking at the series history, it has been played in lots of places other than Starkville and Tuscaloosa over the years. The Tide and Bulldogs didn't play in Starkville at all between 1963 and 1985, playing the MSU "home" games in Jackson instead. Does anyone have an explanation for this? Davis Wade Stadium has been around in some form or another since 1914, but its capacity during those years was less than 40,000. www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/sec/mississippi_state/opponents_records.php?teamid=86This weekend we'll get to find out what's more important to TCU: guaranteed health for Trevone Boykin heading into the Texas game on Thanksgiving, or padding Trevone Boykin's stats for a Heisman Trophy campaign. (TCU's last Heisman winner? Davey O'Brien in 1938.) I think Boykin will play for at least three quarters against Kansas: the score of the TCU-Texas Tech game (82-27 in favor of the Horned Frogs) suggests that Gary Patterson is interested in style points anyway.
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bmartin
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Post by bmartin on Nov 13, 2014 20:29:54 GMT -5
Jackson had a bigger stadium than either campus so for years State and Ole Miss each played one big-draw home game there - usually either LSU or Alabama. The Jackson game was always a big event in the State. Jackson also had more hotels and restaurants than Starkville or Oxford to take visiting fans' money.
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Post by AustinHoya03 on Nov 18, 2014 19:57:52 GMT -5
Jackson had a bigger stadium than either campus so for years State and Ole Miss each played one big-draw home game there - usually either LSU or Alabama. The Jackson game was always a big event in the State. Jackson also had more hotels and restaurants than Starkville or Oxford to take visiting fans' money. Thanks! I figured it was something like that. I missed a MAC trophy game last week. Bowling Green defeated Kent State for the Anniversary Award (both schools were created by the same piece of legislation in 1910 and the trophy was introduced on the schools' shared 75th anniversary). Week 13 Picks for Games that Matter: Toledo over Bowling Green for the Peace Pipe Battle of I-75 Trophy* (Wednesday) Duke over North Carolina for the Victory Bell (Thursday) Minnesota upsets Nebraska (the Gophers own the series 30-22-2 but last won in Lincoln in 1960) Western Michigan over Central Michigan for the Michigan MAC Trophy Wisconsin over Iowa for the Heartland Trophy Utah over Arizona Cal over Stanford in the Big Game for the Stanford Axe (both teams are also fighting to become bowl-eligible) SC over UCLA in the Battle for Los Angeles for the Victory Bell *Trophy sponsored by Taylor Kia Automotive Group, a local car dealership. www.utrockets.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205313874
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hoyarooter
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Post by hoyarooter on Nov 24, 2014 19:55:42 GMT -5
Jackson had a bigger stadium than either campus so for years State and Ole Miss each played one big-draw home game there - usually either LSU or Alabama. The Jackson game was always a big event in the State. Jackson also had more hotels and restaurants than Starkville or Oxford to take visiting fans' money. Thanks! I figured it was something like that. I missed a MAC trophy game last week. Bowling Green defeated Kent State for the Anniversary Award (both schools were created by the same piece of legislation in 1910 and the trophy was introduced on the schools' shared 75th anniversary). Week 13 Picks for Games that Matter: Toledo over Bowling Green for the Peace Pipe Battle of I-75 Trophy* (Wednesday) Duke over North Carolina for the Victory Bell (Thursday) Minnesota upsets Nebraska (the Gophers own the series 30-22-2 but last won in Lincoln in 1960) Western Michigan over Central Michigan for the Michigan MAC Trophy Wisconsin over Iowa for the Heartland Trophy Utah over Arizona Cal over Stanford in the Big Game for the Stanford Axe (both teams are also fighting to become bowl-eligible) SC over UCLA in the Battle for Los Angeles for the Victory Bell *Trophy sponsored by Taylor Kia Automotive Group, a local car dealership. www.utrockets.com/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=205313874SC over UCLA. Bwa ha ha ha ha. Actually, I see you goose-egged the Pac 12 games. Hope you do better this week.
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njhoya78
Platinum Hoya (over 5000 posts)
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Post by njhoya78 on Nov 25, 2014 10:50:23 GMT -5
Week 10 Picks for Games that Matter: Does anyone know whether the Big Ten will be creating new trophy games involving Maryland and/or Rutgers? When Penn State joined the conference they became Michigan State's "rival." The two schools play for the Land Grant Trophy in the final week of the regular season. Maryland and Rutgers will play each other during rivalry week this year, despite the fact that the two schools have only played each other nine times and seven of those games were played prior to the end of World War II. Steve Politi of the Newark Star-Ledger has some ideas about a trophy for the winner of the Rutgers-Maryland game this weekend: www.nj.com/rutgersfootball/index.ssf/2014/11/rutgers-maryland_needs_a_cool_big_ten_rivalry_trophy_politi.html
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Post by AustinHoya03 on Nov 26, 2014 11:13:51 GMT -5
I totally whiffed. Not only on last week's Pac-12 games, but also on a big rivalry week for FCS teams. Here's a recap.
Southeastern Louisiana defeated Nicholls State in the River Bell Classic for the River Bell Trophy Eastern Washington defeated Portland State in the Dam Cup for the Dam Trophy* Villanova defeated Delaware in the Battle of the Blue for the Battle of the Blue Trophy Harvard defeated Yale in The Game to wrap up an undefeated season and clinch the Ivy League title Penn defeated Cornell for the Trustees' Cup Dartmouth defeated Princeton for the Sawhorse Dollar to complete its first season with at least eight wins since 1997. The Citadel defeated VMI in the Military Classic of the South for the Silver Shako N. Carolina Central defeated N. Carolina A&T Bethune-Cookman defeated FAMU in the Florida Classic South Dakota State defeated South Dakota Lamar defeated McNeese State in the Battle of the Border Stephen F. Austin defeated Northwestern State in the Battle for Chief Caddo for the Chief Caddo trophy** Albany defeated Stony Brook in the Empire Clash*** New Hampshire defeated Maine for the Brice-Cowell Musket Lafayette defeated Lehigh in The Rivalry Sacramento State defeated UC-Davis in the Causeway Classic for the Causeway Carriage Montana defeated Montana State in the Cat-Griz Game**** for the Great Divide Trophy Richmond defeated William & Mary in the Capital Cup for the Capital Cup
*This rivalry (created in 2010) is named for four major dams on the Columbia River. The Columbia does not flow through Spokane County, where EWU is located.
**I think this is may be the last trophy left in college football with an overt Native American reference. Pomona-Pitzer and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps retired their Peace Pipe in 2013. Technically I don't think that Missouri and Oklahoma have retired the Tiger-Sooner Peace Pipe, but the former Big 8 rivals no longer play each other.
***This rivalry name, a new one to me, was selected by fans in 2013
****This game also goes by "Brawl of the Wild," but I've been informed that nobody in Montana actually refers to the game that way.
Week 14 Picks for Games that Matter
Iowa over Nebraska for the Heroes Trophy Central Florida over South Florida in the War on I-4 Arizona over Arizona State in the Duel in the Desert for the Territorial Cup Colorado State over Air Force for the Ram-Falcon Cup to cap an 11-win season Virginia Tech over U. Va. for the Commonwealth Cup (winner also becomes bowl-eligible) SC over Notre Dame for the Jeweled Shillelagh Clemson over S. Carolina in the Palmetto Bowl for the Hardee's Trophy (still the worst trophy name in CFB) Georgia over Georgia Tech in the Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate game for the Governor's Cup Kentucky upsets Louisville for the Governor's Cup Ohio State over Michigan Northwestern over Illinois for the Sweet Sioux Tomahawk Land of Lincoln Trophy Purdue over Indiana for the Old Oaken Bucket N. Carolina over N.C. State Utah over Colorado in the Rumble in the Rockies Ole Miss upsets Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl for the Golden Egg Trophy Florida upsets Florida State in the Sunshine Showdown* Michigan State over Penn State for the Land Grant Trophy Minnesota upsets Wisconsin for Paul Bunyan's Axe and the Gophers' first win at Camp Randall since 1994 Kansas shocks K-State in the Sunflower Showdown for the Governor's Cup Tennessee over Vanderbilt Alabama over Auburn in the Iron Bowl for the James E. Foy V/ODK Sportsmanship Trophy Oregon over Oregon State in the Civil War for the Platypus Trophy Wazzu over U-Dub in the Apple Cup for the Apple Cup Nevada over UNLV in the Battle for Nevada for the Fremont Cannon
Grambling State over Southern in the Bayou Classic
There will be no Turkey Day Classic this year. Per Wikipedia: "In 2014, Alabama State announced it was officially discontinuing the Turkey Day Classic in order to give itself the option of participating in the Division I championship, should it qualify. The college will now hold its homecoming on the penultimate Saturday of November; that is, the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Stillman College will remain the Hornets' opponent for 2014; Alabama State remains in negotiations with Tuskegee in the hopes that the change of scheduling will encourage Tuskegee to return to the Hornet Homecoming." Alabama State defeated Stillman 30-27 last Saturday.
*I posted a few weeks ago that the Florida State-Miami game was a Florida Cup contest. However, that trophy will not be awarded this season because Florida and Miami did not play each other.
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hoyarooter
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Post by hoyarooter on Nov 26, 2014 20:32:16 GMT -5
Where's UCLA/Stanford? That game does matter. I was hoping you would attempt to redeem yourself.
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Post by AustinHoya03 on Nov 28, 2014 19:56:34 GMT -5
Where's UCLA/Stanford? That game does matter. I was hoping you would attempt to redeem yourself. It's not on the list, for the same reason that TCU-Texas and Mizzou-Arkansas aren't. Only the favored, playoff/conference championship-contending team is ranked and the games are not traditional rivalry games. For the record, I would have picked the Bruins (and I would have been wrong). Minnesota-Wisconsin is only available on the Big Ten Network, ensuring that I won't watch much B10 football tomorrow unless UM surprises us and plays tOSU close.
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EasyEd
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Post by EasyEd on Nov 30, 2014 12:46:33 GMT -5
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SFOHoya
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Post by SFOHoya on Dec 1, 2014 1:50:00 GMT -5
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DFW HOYA
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Post by DFW HOYA on Dec 1, 2014 7:03:25 GMT -5
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Post by flyoverhoya on Dec 1, 2014 9:55:57 GMT -5
If you haven't seen "Fake Bo Pelini" on Twitter, you should - @fauxpelini.
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Post by AustinHoya03 on Dec 1, 2014 12:37:26 GMT -5
Is gloating permitted at Mass? Ralph Friedgen continues to coach football and earn a very nice salary. Given those facts, what is Ralph Friedgen getting "revenge" for? A perceived loss of power? A bump down to "only" $500,000/year in pay? It seems to me, based on the quotes in the article you posted, that perhaps Ralph Friedgen feels that he landed on his feet and wants to move on. Perhaps talk of gloating and revenge makes him uncomfortable, even if such talk is unavoidable because fans and sportswriters want to discuss those topics. FWIW, here's what I wrote about Friedgen on this board when he was fired in 2010: That 60% figure is somewhat deceiving. Friedgen's record from 2004-2010? 43-42. To paraphrase Matt Doherty, Ralph baked a fine cake with groceries bought by the staff that preceded him. Things didn't go so well after that.
2001: 10-2, ACC Champs 2002: 11-3 2003: 10-3 2004: 5-6 2005: 5-6 2006: 9-4 2007: 6-7 2008: 8-5 2009: 2-10 2010: 8-4
Friedgen's teams were inconsistent, even in those good early years. Notre Dame blanked the Terps in the season opener in 2002, and UMD fell to Northern Illinois in DeKalb to begin 2003. And the Terps never beat Florida State when it mattered.
Friedgen probably should have been fired last season. However, the decision to fire him now is not really that odd, considering that Maryland has a new athletic director.
While there may be some value in making the program better than it was before, nobody gets excited about 5+ years of mediocrity, and that is what Friedgen represents. The number of empty seats in a stadium that seats only 54,000, despite a recent renovation, is evidence of that. You don't keep a football coach just because he didn't go 4-8 this year and holds a degree from the institution.I now think it's possible that this paints an incomplete picture of why Friedgen was fired. In 2010 and 2011, the University of Maryland made several changes to its athletic program. The Terps fired/forced out Friedgen and Gary Williams, who had experienced success on the field but had a poor record of graduating players. (Friedgen, whose players graduated at a rate of about 64%, once said that "there's not much I can do about [graduation rates].") UMD also announced it would cut several sports in 2011 because the athletic program was bleeding money. In 2012, the Big Ten announced that Maryland and Rutgers would join the conference. This is total speculation, but it seems possible that the Big Ten set conditions that Maryland would have to meet before joining the conference. If raising athletic graduation rates was one of those conditions, and Friedgen was seen as a guy who couldn't/wouldn't do that, it's not incredibly surprising that he was fired. UMD was in the red and hitched itself to a conference promising its members the most revenue/school in the nation, with a plan for increasing that amount in the future. (Rutgers' AD was recently quoted as saying “We have to make our contribution to the Big Ten and get cable companies to pay for the Big Ten Network out here.”) So even if you think Ralph Friedgen just needed another couple seasons to win another ACC conference championship at Maryland, it certainly seems possible that changed institutional priorities made his continued employment problematic. Is that vindictive? I'm not sure. Friedgen was certainly livid at the time he was fired, but he seems to have moved on. (FWIW, UMD's graduation success rates for 2013-14 were 74% for football and 100% for men's basketball. The athletics department continues to run a deficit and does not expect to break even until 2017-18.)
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EasyEd
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Post by EasyEd on Dec 1, 2014 19:15:26 GMT -5
I repeat: Ralph Friedgen got sweet revenge against the Twerps for firing him.
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njhoya78
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Post by njhoya78 on Dec 1, 2014 19:39:49 GMT -5
Candidly, I think the vast majority of Rutgers fans would rather have Ralph Friedgen as the head coach of the Scarlet Knights in place of Kyle Flood. The comeback win at Byrd Stadium may well have saved Flood's job, but it is clear that Friedgen is much more highly regarded in New Brunswick than Flood.
Friedgen has a sweetheart deal, though; he doesn't have to hit the road for recruiting. That will leave more time for him to relax with EasyEd.
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Post by AustinHoya03 on Dec 2, 2014 16:51:48 GMT -5
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Post by ColumbiaHeightsHoya on Dec 2, 2014 17:15:31 GMT -5
Cincinnati $19.4 million Memphis $19.1 million Texas State $19.0 million Connecticut $18.9 million
Athletic department deficits from '12/13. I think those outside of the big five in football are going to seriously have to reflect on their ability to field teams. I am guessing football makes up the bulk of those losses although I could be wrong. As a sport, it has the largest scholarship commitment and if you are outside the top five conferences, you aren't making enough to cover your costs. Uconn & Memphis should, but won't, reconsider their positions. At what point do legislators get involved as public institutions spend outrageous sums on football pipe dreams? Old Dominion was up around 25 million in deficits.
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boxout05
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Post by boxout05 on Dec 2, 2014 19:10:55 GMT -5
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