Leach Fired Under Bizarre Circumstances

Yet another football program will have to fill a head coaching vacancy after Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach was fired today after being accused of mistreating an injured player.

Leach has always been known to have an unorthodox style of coaching, but if what he's being accused of is true then I'm at a loss for words.

According to the family of sophomore receiver Adam James, Leach had James stay in a small electrical closet during practice.

Since Leach has yet to make a statement denying the allegation, I have to accept that it's true.

What I'm wondering is what good would come out of leaving a player with a concussion in a small closet? It doesn't make sense to me.

Some old school guys will question whether or not we're getting a little to sensitive to the way coached treat their players. Coaches like Bear Bryant used very tough tactics to build up their players. However, stuffing a player into a dark closet seems unnecessary. Like I've said before, it's football, not the Marines.

Texas Tech had a little bit of a drop off from last season's success, but they were still a solid team. I'm thinking that Texas Tech wanted Leach out anyway and this was just a good excuse for doing so.

Former Vandy Stars Shine In Monday Night Football

You have to look long and hard to find Vandy alums in the NFL. That is unless you're looking at the Chicago Bears roster.

The Bears currently have five players on their roster that suited up for Vanderbilt once upon a time. Unless you're a die-hard Vanderbilt fan, the only one you probably know is Jay Cutler. The others are Earl Bennett, Hunter Hillenmeyer, D.J. Moore, and Chris Williams.

Now I understand that the big programs in the country like Florida put five players on every team in the NFL, but we're talking about Vanderbilt here. It's just amazing to me that one NFL team would pick out that many Vandy players.

Last night ESPN's Monday Night Football offered another meaningless game to the standings. With that said, the Bears came out like they were playing for a playoff spot. Much of that can be contributed to Cutler, Bennett, and Hillenmeyer.

It's been a very rough year for Cutler, but last night he reminded everyone the kind of talent he has. He out dueled Brett Favre's Vikings, and Favre congratulated Cutler afterwards. Classy move for Favre to do that.

Former Vandy wide receiver Earl Bennett also had a great game. He had three catches for 35 yards, including a big touchdown reception.

And then there's the defensive side of the ball. Hunter Hillenmeyer might be the best kept secret at the linebacker position in all of football. He showed that last night by having 15 tackles and a forced fumble in overtime on Adrian Peterson.

Now I understand that Hillenmeyer had part of the facemask on that tackle, but it looked like it was incidental contact. It's part of the game and the officials missed the call. It was still a great play to punch the ball out during that crucial point in the game.

Hillenmeyer has gotten his chance to show what he's capable of as a starter when Brian Urlacher went down for the season. He's third on the team in total tackles behind Lance Briggs and Danieal Manning. He's also become a master at forcing fumbles with four this season.

For a program that produces very few NFL stars, the Bears are showing other NFL scouts to start looking at Vandy players a little bit harder.

The 72' Dolphins Can Rest Easy Once Again

Almost every year we go through this. We speculate that an undefeated team will join the 1972 Dolphins for the only teams to finish an entire season undefeated.

This year we even had two teams at 13-0, and once again they fell up short.

There's a little bit of debate on whether or not coach Jim Caldwell should've benched his starters after the 1st half against the Jets. The Colts already have the number one seed locked up in the playoffs, but it can't be good for your starters to not play for a month. Not to mention if the Colts lose again this weekend against a streaky Bills team, then a losing mentality may be stuck in the players' minds leading up to their 2nd-round playoff game.

The Saints, on the other hand, still had something to play for. If the Vikings win tonight then they will have the tie-breaker over the Saints for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

There's a reason why only one team has completely run the table in NFL history. Much like college football, any team can win on any given week. Even a bad team like the Buccaneers is capable of beating one of the NFL's best teams.

So relax Mercury Morris and Don Shula. Your claim to fame is safe until next year.

And the Coaching Carousal Keeps on Moving

College football has certainly seen it's share of coaching changes this year. Another change just rocked the sports world as Urban Meyer has announced that he will step down as head coach of Florida due to health reasons.

This all comes just weeks after Meyer turned down a coaching opportunity at Notre Dame, which he has always held in high regard. With that said, I Meyer is completely genuine in his reason for leaving.

There were hints that this might happen earlier in the season when Meyer said that it basically wasn't fun anymore. He's been coaching in college for 24 years now.

I haven't always agreed with Meyer on things, but I've always respected him overall as a coach. He is an excellent recruiter and took not just Florida, but also Utah, to new levels.

Meyer also stated that for the 24 years that he's been in the business he has completely ignored his health and that he wants to starting paying more attention to his family. There's no better reason than that.

You have to respect Meyer for that considering he's walking away from a $24 million contract that was suppose to run through 2014. We'll have to see how that all plays out.

Meyer finished with a 56-10 record at Florida, including 32 wins in the SEC over five seasons.

So who will replace Urban Meyer and take over for a program that is still one of the best in the nation? It's really hard to speculate, but you know it will be a big name. Whoever it ends up being, I'm sure that this coach will leave his current program out of the blue much like Brian Kelly did to Cincinnati.

Coaching Changes (2009-2010)

• Urban Meyer (Florida)
  
• Charlie Weis (Notre Dame)
• Brian Kelly (Cincy)
• Turner Gill (Buffalo)
• Mike Sanford (UNLV)
• Butch Jones (Central Michigan)
  

All I Want for Christmas is a Titans Playoff Berth

Currently there are six teams knotted up at 7-7 in the AFC. Every single one of these teams have some sort of a chance at making the playoffs this year. Even the Titans.

The computer projections have the Ravens and the Broncos, who are both 8-6, snagging the last two wild card spots.

Before the Titans can start thinking about making the biggest turnaround in NFL history they better start thinking about the NFL's hottest team. That team is the San Diego Chargers and they're coming to town for Christmas.

Some of you may not realize this, but the Chargers have not only won nine-straight games, but they've won 17 straight December games. That's the sign of a mature team, and the Titans aren't exactly strong in that category.

Another thing that's going to hurt the Titans is the loss of Keith Bullock. This almost gives the Titans no chance in this game. After Bullock left the game against the Dolphins last week, the Titans nearly lost after having a 16-point lead at one time in the game.

Needless to say, the Chargers are better than the Dolphins. The Titans will have to shut down the passing game in order to put more guys in the box to slow down the speedy Darren Sproles.

The one thing that may give the Titans a fighting chance here is the short rest. The Chargers rely on a high-octane offense while the Titans rely on ball control and running the ball up the gut. Short rest could hurt the Chargers more than the Titans.

Oh yeah, and anytime you have a game-changer like Chris Johnson then anything is capable of happening. The Chargers run defense isn't exactly the strongest part of their team either.

It's asking for a lot, but I want a Titans playoff berth for Christmas. To get that the Titans have to win on Christmas day.

Moutain West Makes Statement At Pac-10's Expense

The bowl season is not even a week old and already one conclusion can pretty much be made. People should start taking the Mountain West Conference seriously.

Both No. 14 BYU and No. 23 Utah dominated in their own respective bowl games against Pac-10 opponents, and we're not talking about doormats of the Pac-10 either.

We're talking about an Oregon State they came very close to representing the Pac-10 in the Rose Bowl this year. California, who Utah beat tonight, may not have been spectacular but they still beat some very good teams within the Pac-10 this year, most notably Stanford just a month ago.

It should also be noted that Oregon State defeated California 31-14 which turned around and lost to BYU by 24. This doesn't look too great for a conference that claims to be one of the best in the country.

You still can't forget about Wyoming, which took care of business against the WAC's Fresno State. Fresno is suppose to be one of the better teams that the WAC has to offer.

The Moutain West is now 3-0 so far and still has two more representatives to go. Air Force will be the next one and they'll play Houston on December 31. That will probably be the only loss the Mountian West will take this bowl season.

It's definitely time to start taking them serious if you weren't already. This conference continues to grow and there could be a reasonable argument made to say they're better than the Big Ten or the Big East.

This is the great thing about bowl season. Conferences get the chance to prove how good they are against other conferences. It's a great way to see where your conference stands, and right now the Mountain West is proving they deserve just as much respect as the BCS conferences.

Will The Real Memphis Grizzlies Please Stand Up?

It's to probably no one's surprise that the Lakers, Celtics, and Cavaliers are all once again rolling through their respective seasons. However, there is one team that's surprising me and that's the Memphis Grizzlies.

We're talking about a team that is historically one of the worst franchises in NBA history. That looks to be changing as this team is finally starting to show it's maturity. Players like Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo are turning into All-Stars while support players Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph are also pulling their weight.

Don't look now but the Grizzlies actually have a very solid team. What proves that the most isn't so much the games they are winning but also the games that they are competing in. No longer are the Grizzlies just target practice for the NBA powerhouses. The Celtics found that out a week ago as they escaped Memphis with a five-point win.

Outside of the Lakers, the gap between the worst teams and the best teams are closer than you would think. Three games separates the current eighth spot from the third spot. We've seen plenty of upsets already during this young season and the Grizzlies have had a share of them.

The Grizzlies already have wins over six playoff teams from last year, including wins over the Nuggets and Cavaliers.

There's a lot of basketball to be played but the Grizzlies are trying on that Cinderella slipper and it might just be the perfect fit.

The NFL Needs to Get Off Its Power Trip

Under most circumstances the NFL has done a great job in disciplining its players. It's turned into a league that puts up with little misbehaving from it's players.

That's all well in good, but when the NFL threatens to fine a player for wearing his murdered teammate's jersey number to honor him then that's when I draw the line.

Chad Ochocinco was good friends with Chris Henry who was tragically killed this past week. With all of the distractions being drawn from Ochocinco wearing Henry's jersey number, he has decided to stick with his own jersey number.

The NFL has to loosen up a little bit. It's football, not the Marines. Not only can players not have hardly any fun now, but they can't even honor fallen teammates by wearing something as simple as a jersey number? The NFL Players Association even offered to match the fine and give it to a Chris Henry memorial fund, but rules prohibit that as well.

This isn't the first time that Ochocinco has wanted to support a worthy cause this season by using his uniform. Earlier in the season during breast cancer awareness week, Ochocinco wanted to wear pink wristbands to honor the cause. The NFL said no to that too.

For Ochocinco, I commend you. We need more individuals like yourself who know how to have fun and still be a respectful person. And to the NFL, get off your power trip.

The Chase for Perfection May Hit a Road Block

Vince Lombardi once said that "perfection is unattainable, but if we chase perfection, then we can catch excellence". If that's the case then the Colts and the Saints have already caught excellence.

There's not as much parody in the NFL as there once was. There's a reason why this is first time in NFL history that two teams have made it this far in the season without a loss. The NFL has always had plenty of parody. The gap between the worst teams in the NFL and the best teams is unbelievable.

The Colts extended their regular season winning streak to 23 last night by sneaking out of Jacksonville with a four-point win. Peyton Manning had to work is heroics once again in the 4th quarter for the Colts to stay perfect.

As for the Saints, they're sitting at 13-0 with a Saturday matchup with the Cowboys just ahead. This is probably the last true test the Saints will face during the regular season.

Everyone is ready to stomp all over the Cowboys since they're historically a bad team in December, but this is a trap game for the Saints. The Cowboys are sick and tired of being crapped on by the media, and Roy Williams expressed that earlier in the week.

Let's not forget that the Saints have had to come back numerous times this season against teams like the Panthers to stay perfect. The Cowboys are definitely not a championship team, but they're capable of beating the Saints. Yes, even in the Superdome where it looks like the Saints are unstoppable.

If both of these teams do finish the regular season undefeated, then don't automatically crown them conference champs just yet. Both conferences have very worthy opponents that could knock both Saints and the Colts into the loss column.

The Saints will have to get through either the Vikings or the Packers. These two defenses are among the best in the NFL and we've seen Drew Brees have a few rough games this season. Keep that in mind.

In the AFC there's also two teams that the Colts should watch out for. The Chargers and the Patriots. This may sound cynical, but I still haven't climbed on the Charger bandwagon. They do this every year. They play great ball and have the sports analysts salivating over them, only to lose in the first or second round of the playoffs.

I'm not ready to climb off the Patriot bandwagon just yet. Don't count the Patriots out of the equation. They should've beaten the Colts already, and I think they could do it again. Tom Brady obviously has to get healthy, but he's got plenty of time for that.

There's no consolation prize for finishing the regular season undefeated. In fact, it's extremely overrated. The Colts have done this almost every year for the past decade and it's produced just one Super Bowl. Just one. It's an amazing accomplishment, but it doesn't make your team any harder to beat in the playoffs by being undefeated.

Another Tragedy Strikes The Bengals

Chris Henry

1983-2009

The roller coaster ride for the Bengals this season took a turn for the worse when wide receiver Chris Henry was tragically killed after being thrown from the back of a pick-up truck on Wednesday.

Henry was starting to get his life in order and his teammates noticed first-hand. Carson Palmer told the media that he was misunderstood and had the kindest heart. Chad Ochocinco, with tears streaming down his face, said that Henry was one of his good friends and that he had just spoken with him on Tuesday to discuss life.

This is one of those stories that you don't believe is true at first. We're talking about a guy who was one of the better up and coming wide receivers just two seasons ago before getting into trouble with the law multiple times. He was a game changer much like Desean Jackson is now in the NFL.

The saddest part of all was that he was only 26.

A broken forearm ended Henry's season in week 9. To that point he had over 200 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Most importantly, he was staying out of trouble.

Investigators are calling it a domestic dispute and aren't ruling out a possible homicide. She was driving the truck and Henry went after her by jumping in the bed of the truck. Whether she intentionally threw him from the truck is still under investigation.

Frankly it doesn't matter how it was done. Either way it's still another tough loss for an organization that's already dealt with losing the spouse of a defensive coordinator earlier in the season.

It's going to be tough for the players to put this behind them and somehow play football, but unfortunately they'll have to. Hopefully they can rally around this and pull out a win in honor of Chris Henry.

Predators Closing In On Division Lead

Who would've thought that the Predators would once again be pushing for the division lead? After the way they started the season, I saw them battling for last place with the Blues.

The Preds added their 19th win of the season tonight after handling the Blue Jackets for the 2nd time in the past week. The Predators now sit just two points back of the division leading Blackhawks.

This might be the year to finally get a division title with the Red Wings dealing with all sorts of injuries and the rest of the division just seeming average.

After watching the first two periods of tonight's game I'm ready to say that the Predators are making yet another trip to the playoffs.The Predators still have the normal pieces to the puzzle with Steve Sullivan, Jason Arnott, and Martin Erat.

Now other guys are starting to step up and make this a much more balanced team than a year ago. Guys like Patric Horngvist and Joel Ward are supplying the Predators with some much needed depth.

The Predators went through the gauntlet of their schedule a few weeks ago and came out with some huge wins over the NHL's best teams. It's one thing when the Predators are only beating the cellar dwellers, but when they're notching victories over the Blackhawks and the Sharks, then obviously this team is better than everyone thought.

There's still a ton of time left in the season, but I like how the Predators are playing right now. They're skating smoothly, scoring goals, and their goaltending hasn't look this good since back when Tomas Vokoun was still in the net.

Things are looking up in Smashville!

Predators Leading Scorers

1. Steve Sullivan: 22 points (9 g, 13 a)
2. Jason Arnott: 20 points (11 g, 9 a)
3. JP Dumont: 20 points (5 g, 15 a)
4. Martin Erat: 19 points (10 g, 9 a)
5. David Legwand: 18 points (6 g, 12 a)
   

Tiger Deserves Every Bit of Scrutiny

Star athletes always seem to take some sort of a step back in their respective careers.

Guys like Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, Kobe Bryant, and Alex Rodriguez all experienced a fall from grace. However none of those examples amount to what Tiger Woods has squandered in just a matter of weeks.

Woods was one of the most respected athletes in the world two weeks ago. He was on top of his game and the outright best golfer of his generation. He had tons of endorsements that made up 90% of his earnings.

He foolishly threw that all away by getting caught up in the fame. He was running around with numerous women, possibly up to nine, while his wife was who knows where.

Now he's a punching bag of the media, and he deserves every punch.

Since all of this has been going on Woods has acted like a coward in handling this situation. He has hid behind his website and not even made one single public apology. For all we know his apology on his website may have been completely written by an adviser.

Woods has now said that he will take an indefinite leave of absence from golf to focus on his issues. That's a small step in the right direction, but he still has a ton of work to do before I ever think about respecting him again.

Even before all of this went on I still had less respect for him than the average fan. Sure, I thought he was the best golfer in the world, but I thought he acted like a child when things didn't go his way on the golf course. Slamming his golf clubs in disgust and yelling out profanities will not earn you much respect from me. Especially on a golf course where etiquette is pretty important.

It's going to be close to impossible for Woods to return to his dominance that he once had. To be frank, I don't see how he'll ever face the media again. He rarely spoke with the media before anyway.

This whole situation has dominated the sports news wire for the last two weeks now and I'm sick of hearing it. This will be the only thing you hear from me about the situation. Draw your own conclusions, but all of the negativity that Tiger Woods receives from this is well deserved.

The Blue Raiders Are Heading to the Big Easy!

We finally found out this past Sunday where in the heck the Blue Raiders would be playing their bowl game, and of the five possibilities the New Orleans Bowl was one of the better destinations.

I would've preferred to see them go to the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, AL due to the fact that it's the night before the national championship game and everyone will be eager to watch some football on that day.

The New Orleans Bowl is December 20th and I'm not sure how many people will be watching football on a Sunday night. They'll have to compete with the NFL that night so the Blue Raiders probably won't get as much exposure in the New Orleans Bowl. That's probably why Troy opted for the GMAC Bowl and you can't blame them. They're the champs so they deserve to choose where they want to play.

The Blue Raiders will take on Southern Miss who is very experienced in bowl games. They've gone to a bowl game 12 of the last 13 seasons. They definitely have the Blue Raiders in that category.

Southern Miss hails from Conference USA, a mediocre conference much like the Sun Belt.

Both of these offenses are ranked in the top 40 in total offense with the Blue Raiders having a one yard advantage in average offensive yards a game. Pretty bizarre.

This game will come down to who's defense shows up and slows the opposing offense down enough to pull out a win. I like the Blue Raiders and their defense who leads the nation in tackles for loss with over eight a game. Not to mention they're fourth in sacks averaging over three a game in that department.

In reality the Blue Raiders have already prepared themselves for this game by playing against some good offenses in the regular season. The most notable one being Clemson which they lost to by 17 to start the season.

I'm just not that impressed with Southern Miss's defense that got smoked in their five losses. They gave up 30 to UAB, 34 to Tulsa, and 34 to Virginia, 35 to Kansas, and 25 to East Carolina.

It will be a very close game and both offenses will score a lot of points. In the end I think MT's defense will step up and make a few key stops to bring home the bowl win.

Did the Rich Really Get Richer?

The Yankees are close to adding another piece to their already potent lineup by signing outfielder Curtis Granderson to what will probably break the bank whenever it's finalized.

This acquisition is a huge risk for the Yankees because their dealing one of their top prospects in outfielder Austin Jackson. It makes you wonder why they would deal a good, young prospect that could add some youth to their aging roster.

Along with dealing Jackson, they also dealt two pitchers. And all of this for a guy who hit below .250 and struck out on a regular basis. He does add a great glove in the outfield.

Whether this deal ends up working out for the Yankees or not, this deal is just another example of how the Yankees throw their millions of dollars around to build another dynasty. They do it every offseason, but that formula has only produced one championship since 2000.

Maybe the Yankees are confident that Granderson will be able to hit home runs out of the new Yankee Stadium that became a launching pad in its first season. He hit 30 long balls last season.

The Yankees are nowhere near done in this offseason. Look for them to add another starting pitcher, possibly Roy Halladay, and re-sign a few players.

They've already re-signed Andy Pettitte to a one-year deal worth almost $12 million. That's pocket change for the Yankees.

Whatever ends up happening, we know the Yankees will spend plenty of money to assure that they stay on top of baseball for many years to come.

Big Yankee Acquisitions Since 2005

• C.C. Sabathia (2008)
• A.J. Burnett (2008)
• Mark Teixeira (2008)
  
• Bobby Abreu (2006)
• Johnny Damon (2005)

Iverson Returns to the City of Brotherly Love

Hollywood couldn't have written a better plot for the way that Allen Iverson's career is probably going to end.

This isn't breaking news or anything, but Iverson has returned to the city that he grew up in and ultimately built his Hall of Fame career.

Since leaving the Philadelphia 76ers in 2006 Iverson has bounced around the league with brief stays in Denver, Detroit, and Memphis. He must of really disliked Memphis because he only suited up for a meager three games.

He looked pretty decent in those three games earlier in the year for the Grizzlies. He averaged 12 points a game and added three assists a game.

The reason why it didn't work in Memphis is for one primary reason. He wanted to be the star and the go-to guy, and Memphis wanted him as a role player. A guy who came off the bench and gave the team instant production. Iverson would rather be continuous production.

He's going to get that chance with his second tour in Philadelphia. Coach Eddie Jordan has already said that he plans on starting Iverson the rest of the season. They are pretty thin at the guard position anyway.

This was the kind of break that Iverson needed to end his up and down career. Now he's got a chance to lead a team full of average players and carry them to the postseason. He's already done that a couple of times with this franchise, most notably the 2001 76ers that went to the NBA Finals.

As great as that would be, I dont think "The Answer" is the answer this time around. He's more of a suggestion. He'll help this team win ten more games than they would without him, but that's not going to be enough to make the playoffs. Don't forget, the Eastern Conference is a lot deeper than it use to be.

Great story here, but Iverson's tears aren't going to bring the same success that was brought the first time around.

Current Guards in Philly

1. Andre Iguodala (19 ppg, 6 apg)
2. Lou Williams (17 ppg, 5 apg)
3. Willie Green (8 ppg, 2 apg)
4. Jrue Holiday (5 ppg, 2 apg)
5. Royal Ivey (2 ppg, 0.5 apg)

Allen Iverson Career averages: 27 ppg, 6 apg

Notre Dame...More Like Notre Lame

I've tried to always root for Notre Dame over the years. They've always had that mystique and that tradition that sent chills down my spine when I saw them walk out of the tunnel and into Notre Dame Stadium.

Those days are long gone.

News has just come out that Notre Dame will decline playing in a bowl game this year despite being bowl eligible at 6-6. I guess they're too good for any bowl other than the BCS bowls. Kind of like they're too good to join a conference.

Notre Dame has been refusing bowl bids for years and years now so it shouldn't come as too much of surprise. Notre Dame went from 1925 to 1970 without playing in a bowl game if that tells you anything.

This just makes me sick. I understand that you just fired your head coach, but you owe it to the players and the fans to go out their and get a win. It doesn't matter who it's against. If they want to put you up against Wyoming then you take it.

There's nothing good that's going to come out of skipping the bowl game and ending your 2009 season losing four in a row. That is unless you're scared of losing to a smaller football program. Who knows. Maybe they are.

There was originally a remote possibility that Notre Dame could have been matched up with my school, Middle Tennessee State. Of course, that would never fly with the Fighting Irish.

Notre Dame fans need to get over themselves because they're no longer the prestigious program that it once was. In fact, they're just another average program that is good every now and then. The only difference is they're an independent and not in a conference, which in my mind puts them in the same class as the other independents who get no respect in football.

Big time coaches like Urban Meyer and Bob Stoops want nothing to do with Notre Dame because they know the program is no longer what it use to be. Notre Dame is gradually falling down the college football pecking order and other Midwestern teams like Cinicinatti and Pittsburgh are moving past them.

Don't worry guys, maybe the biased Lou Holtz will come back and coach your team. He's obviously better at coaching than he is as a college football analyst. After all he did predict the Irish to go undefeated with maybe a close loss to USC. I must say, great prediction.

The one good thing I have to say about Notre Dame at this point is wide receiver Golden Tate. This guy is one of the best pound for pound wide receivers in the country. He has 15 touchdowns and just under 1,500 yards receiving for the year.

If I was Tate I would take whatever the NFL offers in the upcoming offseason. No reason to return to this train wreck in South Bend.

Conference Titles Up For Grabs This Weekend

It's the last week of the regular season in college football, and there are some huge conference title games on the docket. Here's the rundown.

MAC Championship-Detroit, MI

Central Michigan vs. Ohio

At face value this looks to be a pretty lopsided affair between Central Michigan and Ohio. Central Michigan has proven that they can play with the some of the bigger conferences and they absolutely dismantled the MAC throughout the season.

Ohio has won seven of their last eight and have also been competitive in some of their non-conference games. The main one being an 11-point loss to Tennessee back in September. It may be close early, but look for the much more talented Chippewas of Central Michigan to win by a couple of touchdowns.

Prediction: Central Michigan over Ohio


Conference USA Championship-Greenville, NC

No. 21 Houston vs. East Carolina

I'm not sure who to pick in this game. Both teams have some questionable losses coupled with a few impressive wins. Houston has hung around in the top 25 all season long and they definitely know how to put up some serious points.

East Carolina has a pretty decent defense and that should slow down the high octane Houston offense a little bit, but not enough to win this game. Houston wins in shootout fashion.

Prediction: Houston over E. Carolina

ACC Championship-Tampa, FL

No. 10 Georgia Tech vs. Clemson

Outside of the SEC championship game, this will be the best game to watch on Saturday. Georgia Tech is coming off of a tough loss to Georgia this past weekend so look for them to take out their anger on Clemson. A BCS bowl is on the line and Georgia Tech will ride their infamous spread option offense to take them to the promise land.

However, don't sleep on Clemson. Anytime you got a playmaker like C.J. Spiller lining up for you on offense, anything can happen. Spiller is a home run hitter and don't be surprised if he makes some huge plays to strengthen his Heisman campaign. A Clemson win would definitely help out his cause.

This game will be close to the end and I like Clemson to pull off the epic upset and send the Yellow Jackets to a demoralizing second straight loss.

Prediction: Clemson over Georgia Tech

Big 12 Championship- Arlington, TX

No. 3 Texas vs. No. 22 Nebraska

Texas's margin of victory has been 10 points or more for six straight games. The Big 12 ended up being extremely watered down this season, and the Big 12 North is even worse than that. Don't look for much in this game. Look at Nebraska as the sacrificial lamb for the Big 12 North. Someone had to win that horrible division and Nebraska were the lucky winners.

The question isn't who's going to win. The real question is how many points will be scored in this game. Look for at least 60 points to be scored between the two teams, and Texas will do most of that scoring. Texas coasts to another Big 12 win and snags a spot in the National Championship game.

Prediction: Texas over Nebraska


SEC Championship- Atlanta, GA

No.1 Florida vs. No. 2 Alabama

For the second year in a row we'll get the treat of seeing Florida and Alabama do battle for the SEC crown and a shot at the National Championship. This game will be more evenly matched than last season. This year's Alabama squad has an absolute beast lining up for them in the backfield in Mark Ingram and a streaking quarterback in Greg McElroy. Oh yeah, and that defense isn't too bad either.

And then you got the winners of two of the last three national championships in the Florida Gators. It has turned out that Florida may not be as dominant as we originally thought they were, but they're still good enough to go undefeated in the SEC. That's pretty good in my book. Never count out a team led by Tim Tebow. Buckle your seatbelts ladies and gentlemen. This one will be one of the best SEC championship games off all time.

With that said, Florida wins by the slimmest of margins. If their were half-points in college football, Florida would win by a half-point. It's going to be that close.

Prediction: Florida over Alabama

Nets Make History, And Not the Good Kind

Records in sports come and go. Almost everyday there is a record set in the sports world. Well the record the Nets set tonight in the NBA may stick around for a while.

The Nets went to 0-18 after their 16-point loss to the Mavericks, and the schedule doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon. To keep this thing from getting way out of control, they better sneak out with a win against the Knicks on Sunday or who knows where this infamous start to season will end up.

Previously the worst record to start a season was 0-17 and was held by the 1988 Miami Heat and the 1999 LA Clippers. Well the players from those teams can finally get some sleep at night.

How fortunate does former Net Vince Carter have to feel after being dealt to Orland in the offseason? Christmas definitely came early for him.

It's hard to believe that any team could be this bad in professional sports. Surely these guys could get one win out of 18 opportunities. Apparently not.

After looking over the roster it is pretty clear why their such a bad team, but even bad teams win once in a while. Outside of Devin Harris this team's best player is probably Rafer Alston if that tells you anything.

They've already fired head coach Lawrence Frank who had been with the team for a while. You can't blame them for that. There's no excuse for a team starting 0-18.

You might be able to make a case for a team starting 0-6. Maybe the schedule was really tough or there were some key injuries, but there's no excuse for this.

Even though it's tough, I'm going to look at the glass half full. The NBA season is still very young and there's 64 games remaining to try to finish off with some of your pride still intact.

Godspeed New Jersey Nets. Godspeed.

Blue Raider Bowl Watch

There's no question about it. The Blue Raiders will definitely be going to only their second bowl game in school history. They finished the season 9-3 which is the best record ever since joining the FBS in 2001.

Now the question is where in the heck are the Blue Raiders going for their bowl game. As of right now there are five possibilities: Humanitarian Bowl, Little Caesars Bowl, GMAC Bowl, EagleBank Bowl, and the New Orleans Bowl.

You may be wondering how it's still possible for the Blue Raiders to get the New Orleans Bowl since they can't win the Sun Belt championship. Basically, if Troy agrees to another bowl game then the New Orleans Bowl could invite the Blue Raiders.

This is all speculation, but it seems like the Humanitarian Bowl and the Little Caesars Bowl is unlikely compared to the other three. The main reason for that is the geographic purposes. However, ESPN's bowl projections have the Blue Raiders going to the Little Caesars Bowl to take on the Ohio Bobcats of the MAC.

There are two very intriguing possible matchups that the Blue Raiders could end up being paired with. If the Blue Raiders get an invite to the GMAC Bowl then there's a remote possibility that Notre Dame would get the other invitation. More than likely Notre Dame would decline the invitation, so don't get your hopes up on that one.

The other possible matchup would be a rematch of the 2006 Motor City Bowl between the Blue Raiders and Central Michigan.

Things will gradually start to develop within the next week or so. Either way it's a good time to be a Blue Raider!

Bowl Possibilities

• Humanitarian Bowl (Boise, ID)...Possible Opponents: Idaho, Northern Illinois
• Little Caesars Pizza Bowl (Detroit, MI)...Possible Opponents: Ohio
  
• GMAC Bowl (Mobile, AL)....Possible Opponents: Central Michigan, Notre Dame
• EagleBank Bowl (Washington D.C.)....Possible Opponents: Bowling Green, Marshall
• New Orleans Bowl (New Orleans, LA)....Possible Opponents: Southern Miss
  

Five Keys To The Titans Record Turnaround

The Vince Young bandwagon has now become so full that fans are reportedly falling off the back of the wagon. Despite this fans continue to pile on.

Ironically enough it's probably the same fans that were calling for his head just a little over a year ago. It's funny how success can change what people think of you in a matter of a few games.

Even though Vince Young has been spectacular there's still other reasons why the Titans have become the first team in NFL history to lose their first six and then win their next five.

1. Vince Young: Of course Young is the main reason for the Titans turning it around. He's picked up key first downs that Kerry Collins would have never converted with his erratic arm and he's also made defenses have to worry about something else other than Chris Johnson.

Fisher has to be kicking himself for not making this switch a few games earlier like I was begging him to. Lucky for Fisher it may not be too late. The Titans are only one game behind the wild-card leading Jaguars.

2. Chris Johnson: Johnson was already great even during the o-6 start, but now he's become even more effective thanks to the defenses having to worry about Vince. Johnson has also done a great job at providing protection for Vince, something that widely gets overlooked. He's been great at picking up blitzes and being a safety net for Vince in the passing game. Kudos to Johnson for all of those things.

3. Cortland Finnegan: Just by simple logic you have to realize that Finnegan has a huge part in this turnaround. Since Finnegan has returned the Titan secondary has gotten a whole lot better. There's still a ton of room for improvement but it has gotten better. Finnegan has a lot to do with that. He may only have two interceptions since his return but he's still done a great job against some of the NFL's best receivers. The most recent of those being Larry Fitzgerald which he held under 40 yards.

4. Kenny Britt: This guy is going to be one of the better receivers in the NFL in a few years. Most of the time rookie wide receivers never really produce, but Britt has been an exception. The last two games he has really stepped up as he's got 11 receptions, 170 yards, and two touchdowns. Not to mention the clutch fourth-down catch to spark the 99-yard game winning drive against the Cardinals. When you think about this five-game winning streak don't leave Kenny Britt out of the equation.

5. Bud Adams: This may be a little bit of a curveball, but it's really quite simple. If Adams didn't ask Fisher to make the switch to Vince, would we still be stuck with Collins.? By now Fisher probably would have made the change, but then it would have definitely been too late as far as the playoffs are concerned. Credit Adams for stepping in and showing that he cares greatly about the success of this franchise.

TCU and Cincy: Good, But Not That Good

First of all, congratulations to the TCU Horned Frogs for completing a perfect regular season today by blowing out the New Mexico somethings. It's impressive no matter what conference you're in to go undefeated, and I commend them for that.

As for Cincinnati, they need to beat No. 9 Pittsburgh next week to also finish the season undefeated. That's going to be a tough game for the Bearcats and if they pull out a win then they jump ahead of the Horned Frogs in my book.

The bowl selection committee has to be counting their blessings that Auburn didn't upset No.2 Alabama on Friday because that could have created a whole mess of problems.

Here's the deal. I don't want to jump on my SEC soap box, but you can't tell me that TCU deserves to be ahead of a one-loss Florida or Alabama. They don't face nearly the same competition as Florida and Alabama do on a weekly basis.

Teams like Auburn, Kentucky, and Georgia would be the best team in the Mountain West conference if they played in it. Sorry all you Horned Frogs out there, but that's just the way it is. Schedule tougher teams on your non-conference schedule instead of scheduling the cupcakes to pad your record.

However, I do have a little more respect for Cincinnati. They play in the Big East which is way better conference than the Mountain West ever dreamed of being. Cincy has blown out respectable conference opponents such as South Florida and Rutgers.

They also challenged themselves way more by playing Oregon State and Illinois. Now these two non-conference opponents may no be the cream of the crop from their respective conferences, but they're still solid opponents.

Once again, let me play devil's advocate. I can't see Cincinnati's offense being nearly as effective against an SEC defense that is simply more athletic. The SEC sends more defensive players to the NFL than any other conference. Even Texas's defense is better than any defense the Big East has to offer. That's where Cincy trips up for me.

Now TCU and Cincy most certainly deserve BCS bowls. Just not the National Championship. For all of the SEC haters who are out there, hate mail can be received at cmm5g@mtsu.edu.

TCU's non-conference schedule: Virginia (3-9), Texas St. (7-4 in FCS), Clemson (8-4), Southern Methodist (7-5)

Cincy's non-conference schedule: Southern Missouri St. (2-9 in FCS), Oregon St. (8-3), Fresno St. (7-4), Miami-Ohio (1-11), Illinois (3-8)

Pekka Rinne: The Key to Success

The Nashville Predators have completely turned things around after starting off extremely slow and being well in last place in the division. They've won 11 of their last 13 and have beaten some top NHL contenders along the way.

So what's the deal with this unexpected turnaround? It's the same thing that has always been the key to the success of the Predators. It's the goaltending.

In this case it's second-year man Pekka Rinne who is quietly becoming one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. The only thing that would do better in the net right now would be a brick wall and I don't think that's allowed by the NHL rulebook.

The Predators have won seven straight overall and during that streak Rinne hasn't given up more than three goals in a game. He also has a shutout in that span.

It's not just the stats that are proving how good Rinne really is. It's also his toughness. He's racing to the pucks to clear them out of the zone and, if necessary, he'll even take out one of the opposing players on a breakaway.

Sometimes that can result in a goal by the other team, but the risk is worth it. It shows toughness and other teams will respect a goalie that's not afraid to knock you down to the ice.

A seven-game winning streak is impressive in itself but consider some of the teams they've beaten during this span. Three division wins over Detroit, St. Louis, and Columbus. Wins over San Jose and New Jersey, which are both conference leaders. Their latest victory came in overtime over Colorado which is third in the Western Conference.

It's still pretty early in the season but you have to give credit to a franchise that gets overlooked so much by the rest of the NHL. Here in Nashville everyone knows that they're one of the hardest working teams in the NHL.

One prime example of that is the fact that they make the playoffs almost every year with little talent to show for it. That shows that sometimes heart trumps talent. The Preds keep proving that year after year and don't be surprised if they make another run into the playoffs.

Pekka Rinne

• 11-4 record
• 2.33 goals against average
• 91% save percentage
• 2 shutouts
• Zero overtime losses
  

Johnson Has Chance For Rushing Record

It's crazy how fast things can change in sports. One second I'm questioning whether or not the Titans are the one of the worst teams in the NFL and the next second I'm thinking about nothing but positives for the Titans.

Not only has Vince Young completely changed the direction of this team, but now there is a possibility that Chris Johnson could break the NFL single season rushing record of 2,105 set by Eric Dickerson.

If you go inside the numbers then Johnson has to average around 140 to 150 yards a game to break the 25-year-old record. It's possible, but very unlikely.

Johnson has only eclipsed the 140-yard mark three times this season, which is still remarkable in itself. He's projected to finish just 13 yards shy of 2,000 yards for the season.

With all of this said I will step away from being devil's advocate for a second. If anyone can break the record then it's Chris Johnson.

When Johnson first came into the NFL I saw him as a speed only type of running back. Even though he's not the ideal power back, he's still very capable of breaking tackles on jacked up linebackers. Just check out last night's 36-yard run against the Texans and you'll know what I mean.

The remaining schedule does have some pretty weak rushing defenses on it. Both San Diego and St. Louis are ranked outside the top 20 in rushing defense so look for Johnson to easily eclipse the 100-yard mark in those games.

The big question is how he'll do against Arizona, Indy, and Miami which are all ranked in the top 13 respectively.

Here's my best assessment of how C.J. will do in each game:

• Arizona: 110 yards
• Indy: 95 yards
• STL: 145 yards
• Miami: 95 yards
• San Diego: 130 yards
• Seattle: 115 yards

Projected Season Total: 1,932 yards

Jimmie Johnson Dynasty Bad for Nascar

Most people think of the most popular sport as being football but that's really never been the case.

For years Nascar has been considered the most popular sport in the country. No other sport covers such a wide fan base. That might start declining if the competition doesn't become more balanced.

Jimmie Johnson just won his fourth straight Sprint Cup championship. This has never been done in any major sport. Storied franchises such as the Yankees, Lakers, Celtics, or Steelers have never won four straight championships.

Nascar has never been a particular favorite of mine, but my interest has decreased to basically non-existent over the past couple of years. There's simply no reason to watch a race anymore because you know who will be in the top five; Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, and a few other drivers will occasionally sneak in there.

In no way am I taking anything away from Jimmie Johnson. What he has done is absolutely amazing and I give him all the credit in the world. It's not his fault he's running, or I should say driving all over the competition.

Not only is there no parody among the drivers, but there's no parody over the teams. Hendrick Motorsports fielded the top three drivers this year. The team concept of Nascar has all but disappeared during this historic run by Jimmie Johnson. ?

Parody is very important in sports. There has to be good competition otherwise what is suppose to draw you in? If the same three drivers win every week then the interest will quickly be lost by the casual Nascar fan.

One major reason why college football, college basketball, professional football, among others all continue to be popular.

Nascar needs a big driver to come in and spice things up a little bit. Dale Earnhardt Jr. could have elevated this sport trememdously if he could just manage to win a race every now and then.

Something or someone has to rise up and challenge these same drivers that continue to dominate otherwise it could slowly fade away from being relevant in today's sports world.

Ok Titans Fans, Lets Come Back Down to Earth

It's time to get real for all of us Titans fans.

Yes, things are looking 50 times better than they were just a month ago when some were actually wondering if the Titans were the worst team in the NFL. Well that may not be the case, but there's still a ton of room for improvement.

The Titans were a product of their schedule after the first six weeks of the season and ended up 0-6 when they could have very well been 3-3. In the same regard, these past three weeks have also been a product of their schedule.

Two of the three teams the Titans have beaten during their three-game winning streak have records below .500. The Jaguars are 5-4 but are still an average team at best.

All I've been hearing lately is "The Titans are back!" and "We should be 7-2!!". And my favorite..."We're going to run the table and make the playoffs!"

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. The Titans just went through the weakest part of their tough schedule and came out with three wins. All that proves is that they're not as bad as we originally feared they were.

The Titans still have four games remaining against teams above .500. I'm not saying the Titans will lose all of those games, but winning out is a little too much wishful thinking for me.

There is a huge positive to pull out from this three-game winning streak. We've finally gotten a good idea of where Vince Young is and where he's going. Young has shown a ton of improvement and has instilled a lot of hope in me that this franchise won't stay down for long.

LeBron as an NFL Tight End?

There's no denying it anymore. LeBron James is one of the best, if not the best basketball player in the world. So just how good would he be in the NFL?

Apparently LeBron is already thinking that over. He recently said that if he put the time and effort into playing football then he could be a good player in the NFL.

This same scenario was brought up to Browns coach Eric Mangini and he said he would welcome LeBron to play for arguably the worst team in the NFL.

A handful of pro athletes have played multiple sports before but none have ever really had much success. Deion Sanders probably had the most success by going from football to baseball.

LeBron was an all-state football player in high school and it's definitely not crazy to think that he could be a good player in the NFL if he put his full effort into it. Think about how nice it would be as a quarterback to have the 6'8'' LeBron James to throw to down the middle. He'd be one of the bigger tight ends in the league.

This probably will never come close to actually becoming reality, but it's still fun to think of LeBron James showing up in the box score on NFL Live.

Stockstill Getting Offers From Memphis

Doesn't it always feel good when someone wants what you already have? That's the feeling I got when I found out Memphis wants coach Rick Stockstill to possibly fill their coaching vacancy.

The news leaked just recently that Memphis has contacted Stockstill to do an interview. Stockstill said that he talked with them but has not done an interview. He didn't rule out his interest but stated that he's just focused on next week's game against Arkansas State.

That's the common answer you'll get from a coach who is currently with another team.

Since Stockstill was hired in 2006 he has taken this program to a whole new level. In his first season he led the Blue Raiders to a conference championship and it's still possible that they could win one this year.

Not only has Stockstill produced in that regard, but the Blue Raiders have won some huge games under him over BCS opponents.

Hopefully Stockstill will stick around. This program has become completely his own and I can't see him leaving it just at it is on the rise.

On the other end, Memphis is a program in shambles and playing in a conference that has been stagnant for years now. He's not dumb enough to put himself in that bad of a situation.

Notable Accomplishments Under Stockstill

• School record six Sun Belt wins in 2006
• Nine national broadcasted games in his tenure
• Sun Belt Championship in 2006
• Two wins over Maryland
• Set Floyd Stadium attendence record in 2009

Bud Adams Still Has the Fire In His Belly

The wallet of Titans owner Bud Adams became a little lighter today after being fined by the NFL $250,000 for flipping birds from his luxury skybox.

The funny part is he wasn't discreet at all in doing this. Someone from the stands filmed this whole fiasco with their cell phone and caught Adams flipping his middle finger up on one hand, then on the other hand, and then finally both at the same time.

It was like watching a WWE wrestling match and I personally though it was hilarious.

Even though Adams was wrong for doing what he did I don't think it mandated such a stiff fine. Michael Vick was only fined $10,000 for flipping off the fans in a hateful manner a few years ago in Atlanta.

Adams was just doing this in celebration and having a little fun. But then again I forgot, this is the No-Fun League, not the National Football League.

What is even more ironic is the fact that commissioner Roger Goodell attended the game and at one point was sitting in the same skybox that Bud Adams performed these gestures.

It's great to see that Bud Adams is still pumped up about his team even though in all reality the Titans are still 3-6 and most likely not going to the playoffs. That's more than you can say for some of the NFL's owners.

He probably shouldn't have resorted to the gestures that he did but we all get carried away in the moment.

This should be taken like whenever you yell out a curse word after stumping your toe. You shouldn't have said but it doesn't make you a terrible, immoral person. This case should be looked at the same way.

Offense Shines Again In Another Blue Raider Win

Nothing seems to be able to stop the offense of the Blue Raiders at this crucial point of the season. Earlier in the season Dwight Dasher seemed to be the only threat, but now some other guys have joined in on the fun.

Saturday's win over Louisiana-Lafayette marked the Blue Raiders' fourth straight game of scoring 27 points or more. On top of that, the Blue Raiders have scored 30-plus points in all but one of their seven wins this season.

The schedule get's incredibly weak for the last two games of the 2009 campaign.

Arkansas State comes to town next week for the last home game of the season, and the season finale will be at Louisiana-Monroe. Monroe barely got past the winless Hilltoppers this past weekend so that should be a fairly easy win.

The other big story outside of the Blue Raiders cruising to a bowl bid is the fact that Dasher broke the school record for total offense in a single season. Dasher has 3,040 yards of total offense on the season.

Even the ESPN guys are giving Dasher their praises. During the broadcast of a Friday night game one of the commentators announced Dwight Dasher as one of his offensive players to watch for on Saturday.

What has made the Blue Raiders so much more dangerous is that they're no longer one-dimensional in the rushing attack.

Sophomore running back D.D. Kyles has added a whole other problem for opposing defenses to worry about. Kyles now has three straight 100-yard games on the ground.

As of right now the bowl projections are putting the Blue Raiders in the PapaJohns.com Bowl or maybe the EagleBank Bowl.

It's very unlikely the Blue Raiders will get the New Orleans Bowl, which is awarded to the Sun Belt champion. Troy would have to lose their remaining two games and that probably won't happen.

Either way, the Blue Raiders are most likely going bowling for only the second time in school history.

Just When Everything Seemed Good On Rocky Top

Another title wave hit the young Lane Kiffin era on Thursday as three freshman football players were arrested after attempting to rob a convenience store in Knoxville.

It's almost impossible to even believe this story is true. To think that not one, but three players were dumb enough to do this beyond my comprehension. You've got the world in front of you and endless opportunities and you throw it all away.

This all occurred early this morning and all three players were arrested for attempted robbery.

There are two main reasons, among others, that makes this a hard hit on the Tennessee football program.

For starters, two of the three players were huge pieces to Lane Kiffin's great recruiting class. That's the small impact.

You have to look to the future to see the bigger impact this has on the program. Imagine how parents are going to feel sending their kids to play for a team that has a blemish like this on it's reputation.

Everything was finally starting to run smoothly for Lane Kiffin. The Vols have reached 5-4 and are coming off a crushing of South Carolina. The chanting of "Rocky Top" was finally starting to be heard around the streets. This might quiet them down a little bit.

You can't help but feel sorry for Kiffin because it's not really his fault that three knuckleheads decided to throw everything away and attempt a robbery with a pellet gun. One of them even had the audacity to wear UT gear during this whole charade.

Kiffin is really going to have to pull this team together as they prepare for Ole Miss on Saturday. It's Tennessee's last true test of the season and they need to make the most of it.

If Tennessee figures out a way to finish 8-4 then hats off to Lane Kiffin because he truly is fit for coaching the big boys in college football.

It's Time To Go Mr. Weis

When you become coach of one of the most storied football programs in college football a lot is expected of you. That was no different when Charlie Weis was hired in 2004 and he just simply hasn't produced the expected results.

After the latest loss to Navy, many are speculating that Weis will be out at the end of the season.

It's only fair that Weis is let go after Tyrone Willingham was fired after only three seasons.

Weis is now in his 5th season as head coach of the Fighting Irish and has hardly anything to show for it.

He's failed to beat the program's biggest rival in USC and has went 2-3 against Michigan.

Don't let Notre Dame's 6-3 record fool you. It should be a lot worse. The Fighting Irish had a ton of luck on their side by narrowly defeating sub-par teams like Purdue and Michigan State. They also relied on some last-second heroics to get by Washington.

Notre Dame hasn't been at the top for a long time now. Even when the Fighting Irish are gifted with a high preseason ranking they can never seem to do anything with it.

I've always cheered for the Fighting Irish. How can you not be at least a casual fan of the Fighting Irish after seeing "Rudy"?

In all seriousness this program is one great coach away from returning to the top. You can't tell me that recruiting is the issue because there are thousands of great players all around the country that would give anything to play for a program as prestigous as Notre Dame.

Even with this season's loaded roster Weis still can't seem to take this team to the next level.

The final step to returning to the top is finding a great coach to replace the bust that is Charlie Weis.

Key Losses Under Charlie Weis

Loss to Navy 46-44 (2007)
Loss to Air Force 41-24 (2007)
Loss to Syracuse 24-23 (2008)
Loss to Navy 23-21 (2009)

SEC Men's Basketball Season Preview

College basketball is upon us again. A few teams, like the defending champion Tar Heels, tipped off the season tonight. It's still a few more days until most of the nation gets the season underway.

The SEC had a very down year last season but 2009-2010 season looks to be a better year for the SEC as a whole. A good majority of SEC teams have improved from last season. Here's what you should expect:

SEC East

1. Kentucky Wildcats: By UK standard this program has not been successful in a few years. New head coach John Calipari brought in a ton of talent and it looks like Kentucky is poised to return back to the top. Look for junior Patrick Patterson to lead the way for the Wildcats this season.
   
2. Tennessee Volunteers: Basketball season use to be something that Tennessee was not known for, but that has slowly changed ever since Bruce Pearl became head coach. This squad has a virtually their entire starting lineup returning from last season's campaign that ended in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Seniors Tyler Smith, Wayne Chism, and J.P. Prince will be the main weapons for the Vols.
3. Vanderbilt Commodores: The Commodores have to be happy basketball season has returned. Vandy got somewhat robbed last season from going to the big dance despite having a solid 19-win season. Like much of the rest of the conference, Vandy has a ton of starters returning. Vanderbilt has a very experienced team and the only thing they really like is toughness in the paint. If A.J. Ogilvy can become a duel threat of both defense and offense then watch out for the Dores in March.
   
4. Florida Gators: Florida use to be the toast of the SEC but times have gradually changed. I still think Florida will notch a few big wins and sneak into the tournament. However, they're not going to be as powerful as they were just two seasons ago. The Gators have only one senior on the team and many of the players are unproven. The non-conference schedule isn't very forgiving either so look for this to be somewhat of a rebuilding year.
5. South Carolina Gamecocks: Don't look for anything special for the Gamcocks this season. They'll playing average basketball and make a respectable NIT berth. The reasoning behind that prediction is their lack of a real playmaker and the fact that the SEC won't be as easy as it was last year. Besides Georgia, every team in the SEC seems to be more improved than the Gamecocks.
6. Georgia Bulldogs: This team is still a season or two away from making a run at the big dance. The Bulldogs have a pretty tough non-conference schedule that included Georgia Tech, Illinois, Missouri, and St. John's. Then it's on to the loaded SEC East. Looks like the Dawgs are going to stay in the doghouse for a little longer.

SEC West

1. Miss. State Bulldogs: The Bulldogs fought hard last seaosn despite being a sub-par team. They made a strong push at the end of the season and came up just short. This year should be more successful for the Bulldogs. The SEC west is a little bit weaker than the SEC east so that should leave more room for success for teams like Mississippi State. The Bulldogs could easily have only one loss going into conference play. Just look at their schedule and you'll know what I mean.
2. Arkansas Razorbacks: This team probably has the most talent in the entire SEC West. The question is can they finally execute? They'll definitely improve on last season's mark of 14-16. It's not going to be a championship season, but a NCAA tournament berth is very probable.
3. Ole Miss Rebels: Unless the injury bug plagues the Rebels again, then this season will be a lot better than last season. Look for them to make a strong push for the SEC west title. There's not a player on this roster that is good enough to carry this team alone so the Rebels have to play as a solid unit and use their talent collectively. If they do that, then they'll be playing in March.
   
4. Auburn Tigers: The Tigers had a surprisingly good 2008 season, but they won't be catching anyone off guard this season. They do have a very favorable non-conference schedule before getting into SEC play. One major problem with the Tigers is they are relatively inexperienced and they'll need a fair share of production from freshmen and sophomores.
   
5. LSU Tigers: Don't hold your expectations too high for LSU this season. They lost more players than any other team in the SEC. Guys like Marcus Thornton aren't around anymore and a few newcomers are going to have to step up. It's not a good year to be rebuilding in the SEC and the Tigers will find that out quickly.
   
6. Alabama Crimson Tide: The Tide are going to wish football season was still going on when February gets here. They've got a new coach who has had some success in his career, but the challenge of teaching a whole new system to a team that's already average at best will be a tough task. Alabama will compete and they won't necessarily be a doormat. However, I see this team going nowhere fast. Maybe the NIT if they're lucky.