Iowa Keychain

November 28, 2008 | Leave a Comment

You can click on this link and get an Iowa Keychain

OpinioNated Sportz

November 23, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Today I am introducing the newest coolest Sports Blog on the tubes. It’s called Opinionated Sportz, will feature free NFL game predictions and NFL power rankings. If your a Sports Fan and you like to run your mouth about anything that is going on in the sports world then this is the blog for you. Who do you think is going to win the BCS bowls this year? What’s up with Ole Miss and where the heck did they come from? Will Tim Tebow continue to excel in the NFL yay or nay? So swing by and check us out we are always posting new and updated fresh content for our readers!

Go here to check us out Sports Blog!

The Ship Baby!

November 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment

That’s right I’m talking about the Ship! The Southeatern Conference was the first conference to hold a championship game believe it or not. The SEC Championship game is always a head to head battle of the two toughest teams in the undoubtedly strongest conference in the NCAA. Honestly, what coach in their right mind looks forward to playing any team in the SEC? I was lucky enough to attend last years SEC championship at the Georgia Dome to watch the LSU Tigers Defeat the Tennesse Volunteers. I rode the marta to downtown Atlanta and found a scalper with two game tickets and tickets to the FanFare for $80 a piece, not a bad deal at all considering it was the SEC championship. The FanFare was awesome they had booths set up selling LSU and Tennessee merchandise and most importantly there were beer stands set up everywhere I looked! Every fan at the game had on a LSU Tiger Jerseys or Tennessee Jerseys the clash of purple and orange.
This year it’s pretty safe to say that the Florida Gators will be facing Alabama Crimson Tide. This is going to be a great game so I hope that I’m able to attend again this year. I highly doubt that I will be able to find any tickets for $80 this year. Tim Tebow has been nothing less than spectacular this year and unbeaten John Parker Wilson is improving everyday. Tim Tebow will have to deal with the heat of Terrence Cody and the Crimson Tide stout defense. Since Tim Tebow has pretty much been doing whatever he wants the entire season with the acception of the Ole Miss upset I believe Nick Saban will be telling Mount Cody to pressure him all day long and bring the pain when he gets the opportunity. Alabama won’t be able to afford to make mental mistakes or start off slow in this game. If the Crimson Tide has any hope of calling themselves Champs for the next 12 months then John Parker Wilson will need to get his offense in gear and get points on the board quick because I guarantee you that Tim Tebow and the Gators high powered offense will not be wasting anytime going for the endzone.

I will definitely be attending and this years SEC championship game and if you can’t attend then definitely find a big screen and a couch to post up on and watch this game because it is going to be one for the record books.

The University of North Alabama football team easily led the way on the 2008 All-Gulf South Conference football teams with 16 overall selections, including nine first-team All-GSC picks.

UNA’s nine first-team All-GSC picks include senior running back Mike McLendon of Quitman, Miss., senior receiver Ed Gant of Fort Myers, Fla., senior receiver Rocky Coleman and Clarksdale, Miss., senior guard Sam Hathorn of Corinth, Miss., senior defensive linemen Montrell Craft of Memphis, Tenn., and Derrick Chatman of Florence, Ala., junior linebacker Mike Johnson of Panama City, Fla., senior defensive back David Raymond of Atlanta, Ga., and senior kicker Tom Schneider of Walnut Creek, Calif.

North Alabama’s second-team All-GSC picks were senior quarterback A.J. Milwee of Boaz, Ala., senior tight end Brandon Alldredge of Alexandria, Ala., senior offensive tackle Mike Hathorn of Corinth, Miss., sophomore linebacker Larry Wilson of Enterprise, Ala., senior defensive back Bobby Brooks of Hoover, Ala., junior defensive back Darren Dampier of Mendenhall, Miss., and junior punter Will Batson of Killen, Ala.

Johnson was named first-team All-GSC for the second straight season, while Milwee was also a second- team pick in 2007. Sam Hathorn was second-team All-GSC in 2007 and first-team this season

The 16 overall All-GSC picks is the most ever off of any Lion football team, topping the 13 picks in 2003.

The nine first-team All-GSC selections is the third most off of any Lion team. The 1994 Lions had 12 first-team picks and the 1995 UNA team had 11.

McLendon has rushed for 685 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, averaging 5.5 yards per carry. Gant has 22 pass receptions for 558 yards and nine touchdowns and Coleman has 34 catches for 583 yards and five scores.

Montrell Craft has 34 tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. Derrick Chatman has 25 tackles and five tackles for loss. Johnson leads UNA with 69 total tackles and added one interception.

Raymond has 36 tackles and has returned five interceptions for 106 yards.

Schneider is UNA’s leading scorer with 111 points and has made 77 of 83 kicks at UNA, hitting 17 of 23 field goal attempts and all 60 of his extra-point kicks.

Milwee has thrown for 2,708 yards and 23 touchdowns this season and rushed for four more scores.

Alldredge has four receptions for 53 yards and one touchdown. Wilson has 41 total tackles to rank fourth on UNA’s team and has 4.5 tackles for loss. Brooks is third on the team with 57 tackles and he has two interceptions. Dampeer has 22 tackles and has five interception returns for 124 yards. Batson ranks second in the nation in punting with a 44.5 yard average.

UNA is 10-1 this season and is enjoying a bye week prior to facing the winner of the Valdosta State- Carson-Newman game in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs on Nov. 22 at Braly Stadium at noon.

Round up

November 10, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Well, that one roadblock between Penn State and an undefeated regular season turned their campaign towards a national title into a trainwreck, with Iowa making a field goal with one second left to win 24-23 in Iowa City. Daryll Clark had his worst game of the season under center and the Nittany Lions left points on the board in the first half, something that came back to bite them in the second stanza. Ricky Stanzi didn’t make the lethal mistake for the Hawkeyes, and Shonn Greene eclipsed 100 yards on the ground for the tenth time this season. The win makes Iowa bowl eligible and could have the Big Ten one week away from a winner-take-all scenario involving Penn State and Michigan State. But that wasn’t the only drama to take place today, so here are the Saturday Touchdowns.

1) Alabama survives Baton Rouge in overtime.

When Andrew Hatch went down early in the first half, down went any shot for the LSU Tigers to win that football game. It had been pretty simple for head coach Les Miles up to today: if Jarrett Lee doesn’t have it go to Hatch and vice versa. No such help (at least help that Miles would go to in such a game) was available and Lee had a day to forget, tossing four interceptions in the 27-21 overtime loss. Three fell into the hands of safety Rashad Johnson, whose touchdown near the end of the first half nullified any momentum LSU could take into the locker room. The Tigers outgained Alabama 382-353, but the turnovers came at the worst possible times and they couldn’t establish any kind of continuity. The rewards for Alabama: staying undefeated and a trip to the SEC Championship Game, where they’ll take on Florida the first Saturday in December.

2) Texas Tech shows that they’re the real deal.

After Oklahoma State converted a Graham Harrell fumble into a touchdown in the game’s opening minutes, there may have been a feeling among some viewers that the game would be close. Not a chance. The Red Raiders were ruthlessly efficient from that point forward, putting on an offensive display that the Cowboys haven’t seen all year. Final score: 56-20. Harrell threw for 456 yards and six touchdowns before being mercifully removed from the game in favor of Taylor Potts (and Potts had a TD pass himself). Texas Tech now stands at 10-0 with a bye week before their trip to Norman, where the Sooners will wait with payback on their minds after last season’s loss in Lubbock. But if tonight’s win proved anything, it was that selling Mike Leach’s team short is a very bad idea.

3) West Virginia had a great comeback, but their overtime loss to Cincinnati opens up things in the Big East.

Down 20-7 with just 28 seconds to go, it would have been easy for the Mountaineers to mail it in and accept their first conference defeat of the season. Hell, many of their fans did, heading for the exits following what they thought was a disappointing loss. But a touchdown and two-point conversion, followed by an outstanding onside kick by Pat McAfee gave WVU a chance to tie the game. Fans streamed back into Milan Puskar Stadium, and once they got back to their seats they were able to take in McAfee’s 52-yard kick to send the game into overtime. But give the Bearcats credit for not hanging their heads after the thirteen-point turnaround. They held the Mountaineers to a field goal them a Tony Pike-to-Kazeem Alli pass won the game 26-23 in overtime.

Now you’ve got WVU, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh all with one conference loss. And don’t look now but Rutgers and Connecticut find themselves with an extra breath thanks to this result as well (Rutgers beat Pitt and UConn knocked off Cincinnati earlier in the season). And given the backloaded schedules for the Big East contenders, this race isn’t over by a longshot.

4) Regardless of who the head coach is, Tennessee is a flat-out bad football team.

Even with the (forced) resignation of Phillip Fulmer earlier in the week, you had to think that the Volunteers would have little trouble with a Wyoming team that has struggled all year long. And with the resignation, maybe the Volunteers would show some extra fight for their departed head coach. Not a chance, as the Vols scuffled their way to a disappointing 13-7 loss at home. No disrespect for the Cowboys, who pick up a nice win for their program, but the way the Volunteers played this afternoon was a microcosm of their season. 219 yards of total offense and two Jared Stephens interceptions were the main reasons for the defeat, but on the positive side at least they only had two penalties. Oh, Britton Colquitt dropped three punts inside the twenty. But they looked listless on the field, and even though the margin was just six points they didn’t look to have much interest in the game today.

5) Has anyone seen the “Wrecking Crew”?

Better yet, does anyone even remember the “Wrecking Crew”, because the current defense in College Station does not deserve the honor of such a nickname. Oklahoma was the clear favorite going into the game at Texas A&M today, but what they accomplished at Kyle Field had never been done in the history of that proud program. 66 points, 653 yards of offense…and the Sooners only had the ball for about twenty-nine minutes. But when you allow this and your offense turns the ball over four times, you will get your behind kicked regardless of where the game is played.

Just like Nebraska’s defense losing the honor of being called the “Blackshirts” a few years ago, A&M’s defense looks nothing like the physical units that made their name under R.C. Slocum during their reign in the latter years of the SWC. Mike Sherman may have been brought in for his offensive savvy, but until they realize that to compete in the Big 12 South the defense must improve, the Aggies are going to fight Baylor to stay out of the cellar.

6) I’m done picking Clemson this year.

In the last decade of college football, is there a program that has managed to do less with more than the Clemson Tigers? Yes, they’ve had a tough go of it with Tommy Bowden losing his job and a banged-up offensive line. But in regards to their execution and failure to live up to expectations of an ACC title they’ve made their own bed. And the 41-27 loss at Florida State was a disturbing hint that they feel resigned to lie in it. 2-15 on third downs and just 76 yards rushing when you have James Davis and C.J. Spiller? That’s just poor, especially when you take into consideration the fact that Florida State ran for 266 yards (FSU’s time of possession: 28:15) with a group of backs that aren’t as talented as either Davis or Spiller man for man. Dabo Swinney may be in a good position to get this job full-time due to the amount of money that Clemson has to pay Tommy Bowden, but whoever gets this job is going to spend a lot of time toughening up the Tigers mentally.

7) Arizona and Nebraska are now bowl eligible.

As the Wildcats watched Washington State march down the field on their initial possession to take a 7-0 lead, you had to wonder if it was going to be another case of “here we go again” with the Wildcats. Let’s just that say that while they find a way to upset some high-profile opponent just about every year, they also find a way to lose to a team that they have no business losing too. No such luck for the Cougars, who ended up on the wrong end of a 59-28 beating in Pullman. So while the basketball program is in a state of flux, Mike Stoops will be taking the football program on its first postseason trip since 1998. How good that trip is depends on how they finish out the season, but they could work themselves into position for a nice bowl should they win out.

Nebraska also picked up their sixth win, beating Kansas 45-35 in Lincoln to erase some of the sting from last year’s 76-point debacle in Lawrence. The Huskers aren’t where Bo Pelini wants them to be just yet, but getting to bowl eligibility with games against Kansas State and Colorado left on the schedule could mean an eight-win campaign heading into bowl season. And that would be a solid improvement over last year’s campaign under Bill Callahan.

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In fact, each of the last three years, the Crimson Tide has either been undefeated or near the top of the SEC heading into November.

In all three of those seasons, Alabama suffered a late season collapse in the final month. The Tide has lost a remarkable nine straight games in November dating back to the 2005 season.

“Everything that I’ve talked about is why you don’t play well in November,” head coach Nick Saban said. “You get satisfied, you lose your focus, you don’t take care of business, you don’t have the proper respect to continue to prepare the way you need to.”

In 2005, Alabama was 8-0 and ranked No. 4 with just three games remaining. After a win over Mississippi State, the Tide lost a heartbreaker in overtime to LSU. The next week they were dominated by in-state rival Auburn.

The following year, head coach Mike Shula directed Alabama to a 6-3 record, but in the final month the Tide lost to Mississippi State and for the second straight season, lost to LSU and Auburn to finish a measly 6-6. The lackluster performance down the stretch cost Shula his job.

Last year, Saban arrived and again had the team off to a great start. After a 41-17 win over Tennessee, Alabama was 6-2 and right at the top of the SEC, but not even Saban could prevent the same fate that had plagued the Tide the previous two seasons.

After close losses to LSU and Mississippi State, the season hit rock bottom when Alabama fell to Louisiana Monroe at home, 21-14. They followed that up with their sixth consecutive loss to Auburn and finished 6-6 for the second year in a row.

“We just struggled,” junior Mike Johnson said. “Overall as a group, we just went downhill. We came out with a win in the bowl game, but we still couldn’t recover from those four losses. They really hurt us.”

A number of different circumstances correlated with the falling out at the end of last season. Primarily, the suspensions from the textbook incident and a variety of injuries left backups playing on a team with very little depth.

“We had issues on our team last year that contributed to it with guys getting suspended, injuries, losing players and not having a lot of depth, and then not doing the things we’re capable of doing in certain games,” Saban said.

The veteran players know how it has felt the last couple years to have a good season going, only to see everything fall apart in the final month.

“It’s been frustrating,” senior Rashad Johnson said. “Last year, we were having a great season. We were 6-2, and then dropped the last four games. For the guys who have been here, which is the majority of us, we know what type of ball club we have this year and the maturity we have to go into the last part of the season and continue to win.”

With a young team this year, the group of older players who have been through the recent ups and downs know the importance of keeping everybody focused and not reverting back to old ways.

“Some of the guys that have been here in the past need to step up and say hey we need to keep doing the things we’ve been doing to win,” Mike Johnson said.

“We have a lot of veteran guys in this group mixed in with some younger guys that’s made for a really talented football team. We just have to keep that theme going through this last little stretch here.”

If Alabama can find a way to knock off LSU on the road after this week’s game, it would be the first time the Tide has beaten the Tigers since 2002 when Saban was still coaching there.

If Alabama can win the Iron Bowl later in the season, it would be the first time since 2001 the Tide beat the Tigers and the first time Alabama has ever beaten Auburn in Tuscaloosa.

“We think we’ve got a better team and a lot more to prove and a lot more going for us,”quarterback John Parker Wilson said. “We’ve done a lot of things that we’ve never done before this season. We need to just keep it going, keep the momentum going.”

Before looking ahead too much, Alabama needs to concentrate on this weekend and take care of business against Arkansas State. Last year’s Louisiana Monroe loss was a perfect example of why you cannot take any team lightly.

“We’re going to go out and focus on Arkansas State and focus on what we’ve got to do to get better, so that we can correct the things that we did wrong last week,” Rashad Johnson said.

It’s that mindset that has set this year’s Alabama team apart from teams in the past. It’s that mentality that Saban has instilled in this year’s group of players, and the team is finally buying into it.

“The commitment to a standard of excellence, the perseverance and the hard work that you have to do is the key to being able to able to play at anytime during the season, but most importantly toward the end of the season when it’s very challenging to keep doing things they way you’ve always done them so you can continue to improve,” Saban said. 

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