Ok, so two teams finished last year with double digit wins, BCS bowl victories, and top ten rankings. Both are now replacing their offensive and defensive coordinators. Both lost several defenders to the NFL draft, but still show depth on both sides of the ball. Both are likely starting true freshman at quarterback this fall. Both are bringing in nationally ranked recruiting classes.
But one is ranked 4 and the other 18.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Mountain West football
Oh man, I had the best thing to add to the sports radio call in show this afternoon, but the phone line was busy forever. So, I'm going to post it here, because that's what this blog is for.
They were asking what were this season's "Make or Break" games for Utah and BYU. Many people were saying Oregon and Oklahoma, respectively. The hosts said TCU and Florida State. I was going to call in and say Colorado State for Utah. And I'll tell you why.
The point is "Make or Break" not biggest game. And here's the thing; wins at any or all of Oregon, TCU, or BYU would be awesome, but losses at any or even all three would not ruin the season. They're "Make" games, but not break ones. Ute fans know how the hangover after a BCS season feels, and we know that there are some big players and two coordinators gone from that team. (Well, one good coordinator - I think the offensive play-calling will improve without Ludwig. They're going all no-huddle.) Anywho, a 9-3 season, a good bowl game, and 3rd place in the MWC would be totally satisfying.
Now, out of conference, the Utes also play Utah State, at San Jose State, and Louisville. In the MWC, they get Air Force, Wyoming, New Mexico, and San Diego State at home (the last three breaking in new coaches). Honestly, the Utes still have enough talent on both sides of the ball to be favored in those games. Air Force will be a close one, but the Utes should pull it out in front of the home crowd. So, opposite of the other games I mentioned, any of these losses would certainly be "Break" for the season, but none of these wins are "Make."
The Utes will face a talented UNLV team on the road, and there's a good chance of being upset there. Mike Sanford might get them to a bowl this year. But UNLV still hasn't built up the prestige to call this a "Make" game either.
That leaves Colorado State. Perfect "Make or Break" game. On the road against another of the MWC's improving teams. They beat Fresno State in the New Mexico bowl, and even though Gantrell Johnson is gone, they'll still have a potent offense with some very talented WRs. Now, Colorado State has been down a little lately, but Steve Fairchild has got them back on the right track. And I'd say they have the prestige. Now, beating them would secure the Utes' place in (at least) third in the conference. Losing to them... 8-4 and fourth in the MWC? That would be a bit disappointing to Ute fans.
So, in a much less verbose fashion, that was exactly how I was going to enlighten the sports radio world. Damn I'm so smart. I even wrote all that without having to fact-check.
While we're on the subject, I would agree that BYU's "Make or Break" game is Florida State. They're looking for a BCS berth, and so of course every game is a potential "Break." Except Oklahoma. A loss to the Sooners in the first week will not hurt them at all. In fact, it may even help. Odd as that may seem, I'll explain. Last year, TCU lost to Oklahoma early in the season, but still worked their way back up the rankings. Had those point-blank field goals not missed at Utah, they would have been the ones beating down those Alabama losers in the Sugar Bowl. There was even talk about would TCU be the first one-loss BCS buster. Well, BYU has the chance to create that same buzz. Make a good showing against Oklahoma, even in a loss, and then go undefeated from there, and they're in.
But they've got to beat Florida State. Undefeated in the MWC is almost good enough to voters, but a win over a nationally regarded team like the Seminoles would put the loss to Oklahoma out of the voters minds, and set BYU back on the path towards the BCS. Lose to FSU, and even an undefeated MWC season wouldn't satisfy the Cougars.
Blah blah blah. I love college football.
By the way, here's my breakdown of the coaches poll:
1. Florida - yeah, can't argue there. Boring.
2. Texas and 3. Oklahoma - I'm not so sure these two will be duking it out over the Big XII south like last year. I have a feeling one of them will drop a game. I just don't know which.
4. USC - rocks as usual. Will inexplicably lose another Pac-10 game as usual.
5. Alabama - Nick Saban sucks. We'll see.
6. Ohio State - They've got to win the big games.
7. Virginia Tech - Without their running back, they might not live up to this expectation
8. Penn State - Offensive line is a big problem. It will be their downfall.
9. LSU - They could surprise. But it would be just that - a surprise.
10. Mississippi - Classic case of a big bowl win for an ok team suddenly making them seem awesome. I hate to be this negative, but I have a feeling they're very overrated.
11. Oklahoma State - Too bad the Big XII South is so powerful, because this is a heck of a good team that probably will be better than their final record would suggest.
12. California - Weird. I'm not as impressed by Jahvid Best as everyone else. But I could be wrong.
13. Georgia - What a schedule. Arizona State, Oklahoma State, and Georgia Tech (and Tennessee Tech) out of conference. And they drew Arkansas, Auburn, and LSU from the West. Sheesh.
14. Oregon - Just like Penn State, their offense won't live up to it's potential with the questions on the O-Line.
15. Georgia Tech - I'm big on Paul Johnson and his rushing attack. But their OOC schedule has to be the toughest in the nation - 3 SEC teams?!
16. Boise State - A win over Oregon might be big enough to get the voters to overlook the rest of the schedule. 2 MAC teams, a D-1AA and a Malzahn-less Tulsa, in addition to the not-so-hot WAC.
17. TCU - Possibly a #1 defense again this year. If everything comes out as predicted, it will come down to the BYU game to determine which team goes to the BCS.
18. Utah - Koa Misi out for the year. Damn.
19. Florida State - The rest of the ACC has really caught up to them. I wonder if they can remain on top.
20. North Carolina - I like where Butch has them going, but I'm not quite ready to say they're there yet.
21. Iowa - The loss of Shonn Greene will be pretty big. I can't say how well the offense will continue on.
22. Nebraska - Maybe it's one year too early, but this could definitely be the season for the Huskers to reclaim the North.
23. Notre Dame - They're just biding their time until Meyer is available.
24. Brigham Young - Boo.
25. Oregon State - I like this team, but I can't really foresee them making it to the Rose Bowl.
All right that's it. Goodnight.
They were asking what were this season's "Make or Break" games for Utah and BYU. Many people were saying Oregon and Oklahoma, respectively. The hosts said TCU and Florida State. I was going to call in and say Colorado State for Utah. And I'll tell you why.
The point is "Make or Break" not biggest game. And here's the thing; wins at any or all of Oregon, TCU, or BYU would be awesome, but losses at any or even all three would not ruin the season. They're "Make" games, but not break ones. Ute fans know how the hangover after a BCS season feels, and we know that there are some big players and two coordinators gone from that team. (Well, one good coordinator - I think the offensive play-calling will improve without Ludwig. They're going all no-huddle.) Anywho, a 9-3 season, a good bowl game, and 3rd place in the MWC would be totally satisfying.
Now, out of conference, the Utes also play Utah State, at San Jose State, and Louisville. In the MWC, they get Air Force, Wyoming, New Mexico, and San Diego State at home (the last three breaking in new coaches). Honestly, the Utes still have enough talent on both sides of the ball to be favored in those games. Air Force will be a close one, but the Utes should pull it out in front of the home crowd. So, opposite of the other games I mentioned, any of these losses would certainly be "Break" for the season, but none of these wins are "Make."
The Utes will face a talented UNLV team on the road, and there's a good chance of being upset there. Mike Sanford might get them to a bowl this year. But UNLV still hasn't built up the prestige to call this a "Make" game either.
That leaves Colorado State. Perfect "Make or Break" game. On the road against another of the MWC's improving teams. They beat Fresno State in the New Mexico bowl, and even though Gantrell Johnson is gone, they'll still have a potent offense with some very talented WRs. Now, Colorado State has been down a little lately, but Steve Fairchild has got them back on the right track. And I'd say they have the prestige. Now, beating them would secure the Utes' place in (at least) third in the conference. Losing to them... 8-4 and fourth in the MWC? That would be a bit disappointing to Ute fans.
So, in a much less verbose fashion, that was exactly how I was going to enlighten the sports radio world. Damn I'm so smart. I even wrote all that without having to fact-check.
While we're on the subject, I would agree that BYU's "Make or Break" game is Florida State. They're looking for a BCS berth, and so of course every game is a potential "Break." Except Oklahoma. A loss to the Sooners in the first week will not hurt them at all. In fact, it may even help. Odd as that may seem, I'll explain. Last year, TCU lost to Oklahoma early in the season, but still worked their way back up the rankings. Had those point-blank field goals not missed at Utah, they would have been the ones beating down those Alabama losers in the Sugar Bowl. There was even talk about would TCU be the first one-loss BCS buster. Well, BYU has the chance to create that same buzz. Make a good showing against Oklahoma, even in a loss, and then go undefeated from there, and they're in.
But they've got to beat Florida State. Undefeated in the MWC is almost good enough to voters, but a win over a nationally regarded team like the Seminoles would put the loss to Oklahoma out of the voters minds, and set BYU back on the path towards the BCS. Lose to FSU, and even an undefeated MWC season wouldn't satisfy the Cougars.
Blah blah blah. I love college football.
By the way, here's my breakdown of the coaches poll:
1. Florida - yeah, can't argue there. Boring.
2. Texas and 3. Oklahoma - I'm not so sure these two will be duking it out over the Big XII south like last year. I have a feeling one of them will drop a game. I just don't know which.
4. USC - rocks as usual. Will inexplicably lose another Pac-10 game as usual.
5. Alabama - Nick Saban sucks. We'll see.
6. Ohio State - They've got to win the big games.
7. Virginia Tech - Without their running back, they might not live up to this expectation
8. Penn State - Offensive line is a big problem. It will be their downfall.
9. LSU - They could surprise. But it would be just that - a surprise.
10. Mississippi - Classic case of a big bowl win for an ok team suddenly making them seem awesome. I hate to be this negative, but I have a feeling they're very overrated.
11. Oklahoma State - Too bad the Big XII South is so powerful, because this is a heck of a good team that probably will be better than their final record would suggest.
12. California - Weird. I'm not as impressed by Jahvid Best as everyone else. But I could be wrong.
13. Georgia - What a schedule. Arizona State, Oklahoma State, and Georgia Tech (and Tennessee Tech) out of conference. And they drew Arkansas, Auburn, and LSU from the West. Sheesh.
14. Oregon - Just like Penn State, their offense won't live up to it's potential with the questions on the O-Line.
15. Georgia Tech - I'm big on Paul Johnson and his rushing attack. But their OOC schedule has to be the toughest in the nation - 3 SEC teams?!
16. Boise State - A win over Oregon might be big enough to get the voters to overlook the rest of the schedule. 2 MAC teams, a D-1AA and a Malzahn-less Tulsa, in addition to the not-so-hot WAC.
17. TCU - Possibly a #1 defense again this year. If everything comes out as predicted, it will come down to the BYU game to determine which team goes to the BCS.
18. Utah - Koa Misi out for the year. Damn.
19. Florida State - The rest of the ACC has really caught up to them. I wonder if they can remain on top.
20. North Carolina - I like where Butch has them going, but I'm not quite ready to say they're there yet.
21. Iowa - The loss of Shonn Greene will be pretty big. I can't say how well the offense will continue on.
22. Nebraska - Maybe it's one year too early, but this could definitely be the season for the Huskers to reclaim the North.
23. Notre Dame - They're just biding their time until Meyer is available.
24. Brigham Young - Boo.
25. Oregon State - I like this team, but I can't really foresee them making it to the Rose Bowl.
All right that's it. Goodnight.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
The album!
Well, it has finally happened. I have an album. Wow. It's something I always dreamed of, and so in its own way, this is very important to me. But I'm trying to remain humble about it.
First of all, it's a little disappointing. I really don't like the sound of my own voice. So it's more difficult than I had expected to promote it. I'm shy about it. Obviously, my voice sounds much fuller in my head, and well in tune. It grates on my ears to hear it so thin and out of key when I hear it on record.
On the other hand, it's fun to finally hear each song as I've always imagined. Some things work even better than I had hoped, others not so much. Just Let Me Go is beautiful and poignant and yearning, I think. Gravity is prettier than I ever thought it would be. Alone rocks. And When I Dream About You is my favorite track on the album. It's so funky and mysterious. It's better than I had ever hoped.
Olivia, though... Eesh. It doesn't work. Making Friends Is Easy sounds overdone, and The Girl I Love doesn't quite come alive. Oh well. What can I do now? Nothing. I'm too tired to go check the quote precisely, but the Tao Te Ching says "Do your work, then let go. The only way to make anything that lasts."
Almost all these songs were written September-November 2002. Making Friends Is Easy, The Girl I Love, Olivia, Gravity, There's Truth In This Yet, and Esprit D'Escalier were all written while I lived in the dorm. (As well as several songs I'm putting on the second album). That's What I'm Here For was written the summer before that, and Just Let Me Go the summer after. Thunderweasel was written before I was married. Tony wrote the lyrics to When I Dream About You in '99 and I completed the music in Long Beach in 2000. And Alone was written entirely in one afternoon in the summer of 1999. It turned 10 years old as of this recording. Weird.
This was the fourth official attempt to record the album, and probably the hundredth unofficial one. I first tried in my dad's basement in 2002. The album opened with Summer Of Whenever (remember that one?). The drums for most of the album were probably identical to the current ones, even though I re-programmed the tracks a dozen times.
The second time I tried was at a studio down in Highland. I recorded everything in one take that afternoon, but went back and listened to it and hated the way I was singing. I never went back to work on it any more.
The third time I tried in my basement, with the idea of taking the tracks over to Emily's cousin's studio. But the plans fell through. So, I tried mixing them at my dad's house, but once again, hated my voice, and realized the midi piano I used was no good.
Finally, I started over this April. The drums are fake, but everything else is real. And it's me, playing every instrument, singing every note, and mixing every track. It's quite an accomplishment, and I'm proud of myself for that.
So, there it is. Now, what am I going to do with it?!
First of all, it's a little disappointing. I really don't like the sound of my own voice. So it's more difficult than I had expected to promote it. I'm shy about it. Obviously, my voice sounds much fuller in my head, and well in tune. It grates on my ears to hear it so thin and out of key when I hear it on record.
On the other hand, it's fun to finally hear each song as I've always imagined. Some things work even better than I had hoped, others not so much. Just Let Me Go is beautiful and poignant and yearning, I think. Gravity is prettier than I ever thought it would be. Alone rocks. And When I Dream About You is my favorite track on the album. It's so funky and mysterious. It's better than I had ever hoped.
Olivia, though... Eesh. It doesn't work. Making Friends Is Easy sounds overdone, and The Girl I Love doesn't quite come alive. Oh well. What can I do now? Nothing. I'm too tired to go check the quote precisely, but the Tao Te Ching says "Do your work, then let go. The only way to make anything that lasts."
Almost all these songs were written September-November 2002. Making Friends Is Easy, The Girl I Love, Olivia, Gravity, There's Truth In This Yet, and Esprit D'Escalier were all written while I lived in the dorm. (As well as several songs I'm putting on the second album). That's What I'm Here For was written the summer before that, and Just Let Me Go the summer after. Thunderweasel was written before I was married. Tony wrote the lyrics to When I Dream About You in '99 and I completed the music in Long Beach in 2000. And Alone was written entirely in one afternoon in the summer of 1999. It turned 10 years old as of this recording. Weird.
This was the fourth official attempt to record the album, and probably the hundredth unofficial one. I first tried in my dad's basement in 2002. The album opened with Summer Of Whenever (remember that one?). The drums for most of the album were probably identical to the current ones, even though I re-programmed the tracks a dozen times.
The second time I tried was at a studio down in Highland. I recorded everything in one take that afternoon, but went back and listened to it and hated the way I was singing. I never went back to work on it any more.
The third time I tried in my basement, with the idea of taking the tracks over to Emily's cousin's studio. But the plans fell through. So, I tried mixing them at my dad's house, but once again, hated my voice, and realized the midi piano I used was no good.
Finally, I started over this April. The drums are fake, but everything else is real. And it's me, playing every instrument, singing every note, and mixing every track. It's quite an accomplishment, and I'm proud of myself for that.
So, there it is. Now, what am I going to do with it?!
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