American Sports Thread

[AZOffaly]

That's true. You need to be smart, but you also need to be able to make the throws. Tim Tebow is a prime example of a good, athletic, smart fella that couldn't throw up his dinner. If you can't be accurate in the NFL you can forget it. One of the reasons they like tall guys though, is simply because the O and D lines are so big. A small lad can sometimes simply not see the field behind them when they all stand up in pass protection when a blitz is coming. The brain is at least as important as the physical tools, but accuracy, mobility (at least to stay alive in the pocket) and stature are factors as well.

Having said all that, Colt McCoy is 6'2'', the same height as Aaron Rogers, and 2 inches taller than Drew Brees, so it's not like he's a smurf out there. He's no Doug Flutie (5' 9'')

[AZOffaly]

On the college rankings, because I'm such a nerd, I was in a hotel in Dublin for work, so I came up with my own ranking system, albeit using the rankings the CFP system has come up with. Basically I'm trying to reward a team's body of work for the entire season, based on the CURRENT rankings of their opponents through out the year. So I punished Notre Dame for Stanford and Michigan falling etc. I try to somewhat reward losses to good teams, especially away, and punish losses to unranked teams. I also disregard completely any results against FCS opponents.

I assign points as follows. A Home win versus a current top 10 team is worth 7 points, a home win versus a team ranked 11-25 is 5 points and a home win versus an unranked FBS school is 2 points. Away wins are more valuable, 9 points, 6 points and 3 points respectively.

Losses are generally punished, but some losses are more understandable than others. I award 1 point for a home loss versus a top 10 team. -1 point for a home loss versus 11-25 teams and -3 points for a home loss versus an unranked team. Away losses are 2 points, 0 points and -2 points respectively.

With that in mind, and updated for Florida State's win over Louisville last night, my rankings look like....

1   Florida State   28
2   Mississippi State   25
3   Auburn   24
4   Oregon   22
5   LSU   21
6   Ole Miss   21
7   UCLA   21
8   Alabama   21
9   Michigan State   20
10   Arizona   18
11   Baylor   18
12   Oklahoma   18
13   Kansas State   16
14   Clemson   16
15   West Virginia   16
16   Nebraska   16
17   Georgia   15
18   Notre Dame   15
19   TCU   14
20   Utah   13
21   Arizona State   13
22   Louisville   12
23   Ohio State   12
24   East Carolina   10
25   Duke   10

[AZOffaly]

Correction UCLA should be on 19 points. I gave them credit for away losses instead of home losses. Also Louisville last night were at home, so they should be on 11 points.

[Asal Mor]

That's true. You need to be smart, but you also need to be able to make the throws. Tim Tebow is a prime example of a good, athletic, smart fella that couldn't throw up his dinner. If you can't be accurate in the NFL you can forget it. One of the reasons they like tall guys though, is simply because the O and D lines are so big. A small lad can sometimes simply not see the field behind them when they all stand up in pass protection when a blitz is coming. The brain is at least as important as the physical tools, but accuracy, mobility (at least to stay alive in the pocket) and stature are factors as well.

Having said all that, Colt McCoy is 6'2'', the same height as Aaron Rogers, and 2 inches taller than Drew Brees, so it's not like he's a smurf out there. He's no Doug Flutie (5' 9'')

Yeah when you've got the likes of JJ jumping in your face it helps to be well over 6 feet. And you need phenomenal precision and the arm strength to zip it in fast enough.But whatever about the other positions, I think it's pointless to try and evaluate quarterbacks by what they've got physically(the combines are a waste of time for assessing a QB). The only way to judge them is to put them in there and see what they can do when the pressure is on. Brady(who unsurprisingly, was about the worst performer at his own combine) is proof of that.

[AZOffaly]

Ah yeah. The only think a combine is good for though is measuring arm strength and mechanics. But you can't reproduce the scenario of a lad progressing through his reads, under pressure in the pocket, and not making a stupid decision. That can only be done by watching the game film, or watching him play against NFL teams.

[Muck Savage]

On the college rankings, because I'm such a nerd, I was in a hotel in Dublin for work, so I came up with my own ranking system, albeit using the rankings the CFP system has come up with. Basically I'm trying to reward a team's body of work for the entire season, based on the CURRENT rankings of their opponents through out the year. So I punished Notre Dame for Stanford and Michigan falling etc. I try to somewhat reward losses to good teams, especially away, and punish losses to unranked teams. I also disregard completely any results against FCS opponents.

I assign points as follows. A Home win versus a current top 10 team is worth 7 points, a home win versus a team ranked 11-25 is 5 points and a home win versus an unranked FBS school is 2 points. Away wins are more valuable, 9 points, 6 points and 3 points respectively.

Losses are generally punished, but some losses are more understandable than others. I award 1 point for a home loss versus a top 10 team. -1 point for a home loss versus 11-25 teams and -3 points for a home loss versus an unranked team. Away losses are 2 points, 0 points and -2 points respectively.

With that in mind, and updated for Florida State's win over Louisville last night, my rankings look like....

1   Florida State   28
2   Mississippi State   25
3   Auburn   24
4   Oregon   22
5   LSU   21
6   Ole Miss   21
7   UCLA   21
8   Alabama   21
9   Michigan State   20
10   Arizona   18
11   Baylor   18
12   Oklahoma   18
13   Kansas State   16
14   Clemson   16
15   West Virginia   16
16   Nebraska   16
17   Georgia   15
18   Notre Dame   15
19   TCU   14
20   Utah   13
21   Arizona State   13
22   Louisville   12
23   Ohio State   12
24   East Carolina   10
25   Duke   10

This is going to favor big conference teams and small conference or no conference teams are always going to be on the outside. Take Notre Dame, if they had beaten FS which they would have but for a poor call at the end they would be ranked about 9th on this table. Unbeaten for the year, beating the No 1 team and still scraping into the top 10.
Teams like Marshall this year or Boise State in past would also be hurt badly I think. I'm not trying to go against the system above but you'd need to build in a number of other elements into it like X number of points for unbeaten or other.

[Syferus]

On the college rankings, because I'm such a nerd, I was in a hotel in Dublin for work, so I came up with my own ranking system, albeit using the rankings the CFP system has come up with. Basically I'm trying to reward a team's body of work for the entire season, based on the CURRENT rankings of their opponents through out the year. So I punished Notre Dame for Stanford and Michigan falling etc. I try to somewhat reward losses to good teams, especially away, and punish losses to unranked teams. I also disregard completely any results against FCS opponents.

I assign points as follows. A Home win versus a current top 10 team is worth 7 points, a home win versus a team ranked 11-25 is 5 points and a home win versus an unranked FBS school is 2 points. Away wins are more valuable, 9 points, 6 points and 3 points respectively.

Losses are generally punished, but some losses are more understandable than others. I award 1 point for a home loss versus a top 10 team. -1 point for a home loss versus 11-25 teams and -3 points for a home loss versus an unranked team. Away losses are 2 points, 0 points and -2 points respectively.

With that in mind, and updated for Florida State's win over Louisville last night, my rankings look like....

1   Florida State   28
2   Mississippi State   25
3   Auburn   24
4   Oregon   22
5   LSU   21
6   Ole Miss   21
7   UCLA   21
8   Alabama   21
9   Michigan State   20
10   Arizona   18
11   Baylor   18
12   Oklahoma   18
13   Kansas State   16
14   Clemson   16
15   West Virginia   16
16   Nebraska   16
17   Georgia   15
18   Notre Dame   15
19   TCU   14
20   Utah   13
21   Arizona State   13
22   Louisville   12
23   Ohio State   12
24   East Carolina   10
25   Duke   10

This is going to favor big conference teams and small conference or no conference teams are always going to be on the outside. Take Notre Dame, if they had beaten FS which they would have but for a poor call at the end they would be ranked about 9th on this table. Unbeaten for the year, beating the No 1 team and still scraping into the top 10.
Teams like Marshall this year or Boise State in past would also be hurt badly I think. I'm not trying to go against the system above but you'd need to build in a number of other elements into it like X number of points for unbeaten or other.

Teams in the big conference are 'hurt badly' too because they actually have to play decent teams. Northern Illinois says hello. Notre Dame made the big one two years ago and it was pretty clear how easily Bama dismantled them that they were far from the second best team in the nation.

Of course more weight should be attached to the conferences - a lot of the teams making BCS bowls in the past would struggle to make any bowl at all coming out of the SEC West, for example.

[Syferus]

We didn't need to even wait till the Auburn game to see Georgia's championship credentials, AZ. Lost to a very average Florida side, saving Muschamp's job for now in the process.

Auburn up for at the top of the 4th quarter in Oxford, Ole Miss with a quick TD to put them up by three. Really huge game in the play-off race.

[Syferus]

Auburn win it, literally on a goal and inches fumble by Ole Miss. Watching Auburn football is like taking electric shocks to your heart every Saturday.

[AZOffaly]

We didn't need to even wait till the Auburn game to see Georgia's championship credentials, AZ. Lost to a very average Florida side, saving Muschamp's job for now in the process.

Auburn up for at the top of the 4th quarter in Oxford, Ole Miss with a quick TD to put them up by three. Really huge game in the play-off race.

Yep. Eye off the ball. Of course if they win out they will be there, but hard to see that now. How much will ole miss fall?

[Syferus]

We didn't need to even wait till the Auburn game to see Georgia's championship credentials, AZ. Lost to a very average Florida side, saving Muschamp's job for now in the process.

Auburn up for at the top of the 4th quarter in Oxford, Ole Miss with a quick TD to put them up by three. Really huge game in the play-off race.

Yep. Eye off the ball. Of course if they win out they will be there, but hard to see that now. How much will ole miss fall?

Will be interesting to see the new rankings. Bama might move into 4th despite not playing this weekend, Oregon are Morley likely for that spot in the BCS rankings, though.

Surely the voters will value Ole Miss' wins more than Georgia's, so they should be ahead of the Bulldogs at least Baylor moving up again, Michigan State still quietly going about their business but they have the Buckeyes up next. Notes Dame could move as high as eighth despite making a meal of the Navy game.

College football is so good.

[AZOffaly]

7-1! Go Cardinals.

[RealSpiritof98]

Look good AZ, must win for the Niners v Rams, making hard work of it as per....

[ONeill]

Chargers fairly blitzed today.

[RealSpiritof98]

Sweet mother of god how do you lose that!!! Kaepernick is not the quality QB that was hoped of him. Im no expert but serious poor play calling in redzone.