Morning Coffee Is Straining For News

by Peter Bean on Jun 27, 2007 10:24 AM CDT in Quick Hits Comment 13 comments

Writing these things each morning is getting harder and harder. With no actual sports to talk about, the morning run through the internet is an exercise in tedium. And repetition. You'll forgive me if, over the coming weeks, I get a bit digressive.

Click to enlarge.

ESPN's college football page is counting down 100 defining moments of college football history. Checking in at #80 is "Roll Left," a play that's no stranger to this website.

The AJC's Mark Bradley's annual predictions column ran yesterday. His pick for the BCS Title game?

"Southern Cal will play Texas for the BCS title. Southern Cal will win this time."

Hey, I'll be thrilled if we go undefeated and get a chance at that game.

ESPN.com's John Hollinger released a very interesting new system($) for ranking collegiate draft prospects. The formula, which he tweaked over and over until it started spitting out the right players at the top of the draft boards over the last five years, has Kevin Durant rated as the best pro prospect since 2002 (which is as far back as Hollinger's data goes). Many Longhorn fans - especially those of us who went to a lot of the games - already feel this way. I'd take KD #1 overall. Oden's boring.

Jim Caple's got 101 events every sports fan should see before they die. That's a lot of sporting there, even for a junkie. And half the list I have no interest in. I'll take 54b's list, thanks.

Brent Zwerneman of the San Antonio Express-News makes an interesting point in today's column. The Aggies have a better team than last year, but a much more difficult schedule. They could easily finish 7-5 with Fran being shown the door. And next year? The schedule gets soft again, McGee is a senior, and Michael Goodson a junior. Should Fran fail to get it done this year, that's gonna be a great job to walk into in 2008.

--PB--

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Zwerneman's column is a good one

However, I'm in that 'win 10 game and the Big 12 South or you're fired' group.

Every team has a tough schedule every other year, so I'm tired of hearing that excuse. You toughen up and win, or you go find another job.
If it's too hard, don't take the $2 million paycheck.

The sad thing is, if we go 7-5 or 8-4, I guarantee you there will be idiots saying we should give him 'one more year, b/c the schedule is favorable next year, and he'll have a loaded team'. Like he'll somehow 'prove' himself now with everything set up for success.

by Beergut on Jun 27, 2007 12:00 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Hollinger's column...

is fantastic. As a revisionist version 1.0, it's remarkably accurate. And if he's correct, Bill Simmons' love affair with Corey Brewer at 5 could turn very tragic.

by jc25 on Jun 27, 2007 12:31 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

i agree

I wanted to put together a diary on the column yesterday, but then I decided to get drunk instead. I made the right choice, but that doesn't diminish how newly obsessed I am with this system.

Obviously, it's not perfect and the specific rankings aren't totally accurate, and as he admits, traditional scouting can effectively supplement the numbers (especially with injury-prone or poor work-ethic guys, or guys who will eat themselves into oblivion like Mike Sweetney). But if you look at the actual scores Hollinger's formula gives rather than just the rankings 1-12 for each individual year, you get a really good picture of how much better KD projects in the NBA than anyone that's come before him.

Yeah, Oden's number 2 this year, but his projection of NBA success is only 30 points better than #3 Mike Conley whereas KD's projection is more than 200 points higher than Oden's. The difference between KD and Oden is equal to the difference between Oden and #23 on the list, Alando Tucker. Oden does score high, but he's in the same range as Chris Bosh and Drew Gooden -- good pros, but not those who will light the world on fire. KD, on the other hand, scores about 90 points higher than any other collegian in the past 6 years.

So those who say that you have to pick Oden because he's a sure-fire future superstar center perhaps need to re-evaluate given the fact that based on recent indicators of success in the NBA for collegians, Oden's good but not great. Durant, on the other hand, is off the charts.

by billyzane on Jun 27, 2007 2:23 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Mark Bradley

I think it is rather uncool to predict that somebody will get injured.

"Darren McFadden won’t win the Heisman because he’ll get hurt."

I hope he wins the Heisman just to piss off Bradley. Oh wait, we're not supposed to discuss those post-season awards, right?

Also, I don't think USC is going to be as good as people are expecting, I think Texas could beat them again if they're playing well (i.e. O-line and Secondary come together, Colt stays healthy, etc...)

by SelimSivad on Jun 27, 2007 12:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Aggie's 2008 team....

It's highly unlikely that A&M will have a good team after this year - they lose their entire o-line AND d-line and most of their starting defensive players. Fran has to do a huge rebuilding job, and based on the recruiting he did when he first got here, things look pretty grim....

by TenDeadF1ngerz on Jun 27, 2007 1:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

projected A&M two-deep for 2008

Well, we'll experience some losses, but we'll return one starter on OL, and at least one on DL.

Offense

QB - Stephen McGee, Sr
Jerrod Johnson, So

TB - Mike Goodson, Jr or
Jorvorskie Lane Sr

RB - Cornell Tarrant, So
Bradley Stephens, RS-Fr

FB - Jodie Richardson, Jr

WR - E.J. Shankle, Jr
Terrence McCoy, So

WR - Howard Morrow, Sr
Pierre Brown, Sr

TE - Martellus Bennett, Sr
Frank Avery, RS-Fr

LT - Yemi Babaloa, Sr
Danny Baker, RS-Fr

LG - Robbie Frost, Jr
Evan Eike, RS-Fr

C - Travis Schneider, Sr

RG - Lee Grimes, Jr
Cody Wallace, Jr

RT - Michael Shumard, Jr
Vincent Williams, Jr

Defense

DE - Michael Bennett, Sr
Cody Williams, So

DT - Lucas Patterson, So
Ben Bass, RS-Fr

NT - Kellen Heard, Jr
Rod Davis, Fr (assuming commit sticks)

DE - Cyril Obiozor, Sr
Paul Freeney, Jr or Von Miller, So

Mike - Matt Featherston, Jr
Charles Young, RS-Fr

Will - Anthony Lewis, Jr
Derrick Stephens, So

CB - Danny Gorrer, Sr
Arkeith Brown, Sr

CB - Jordan Peterson, Jr
Chevar Bryson, So

FS - Alton Dixon, Sr
Billy Chavis, RS-Fr

SS - Devin Gregg, Sr
Pierre Fleurinor. So

WHIP - Jordan Pugh, So
Garrick Williams, RS-Fr

The only position I really have no ideas on is Center. We have some OL coming in, but I don't know where Fran is going to put them, (assuming Fran is still ocaching A&M in '08) so I kind of took a shot in the dark.
The scary thing is our lack of depth at the interior DL positions.

by Beergut on Jun 28, 2007 2:29 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

replace Pierre Fleurinor with So Lionel Smith

I had forgotten that Fleurinor retired after last season.

by Beergut on Jun 28, 2007 2:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Am I the only one . . .

. . . who thinks its weird to see the Aggies 2-deep roster on BURNT ORANGE NATION ????

Thanks for the details, Beergut, but this is WAY more information than I want. Is there an Aggie website that covers this kind of thing?

When I look at this, or OUs lineup, all I can think of is :
a) the guys I would like to see on MY team
b) the guys I would like to see go pro early
c) the guys I would like to see flunk out

As much as I try, I just can't get interested in A&M sports teams. I should, I know, and its a credit to you that you post so much on a t.u. website.

by Arby A on Jun 28, 2007 8:15 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don't read his posts

if you dont want that much info.

But don't complain about what others post as comments. It is not like this is a story on the main board.

by Wells on Jun 29, 2007 12:04 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sorry

I wasn't really "complaining". I just thought it was a little strange to see so much Aggie stuff on a UT blog. The tone didn't turn out the way I thought it would. Evidently I AM the only one who thinks its weird.

Hey, Beergut, I hope you didn't take offense. I was sincere in thanking you for the detail.

Besides, I think I added something to the thread with my take. There are always Aggie players that I had hoped would come to UT. Tell me that you didn't read that 2-deep hoping to find some good news for UT.

by Arby A on Jun 29, 2007 12:16 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Caple's 101

I emailed Caple and kindly asked him to attend a Texas/OU weekend. As a whole (journey to dallas friday, west end/deep ellum friday night, state fair and game saturday) I think it should be on that list. The other football rivalry games (OSU/Michigan and the Iron Bowl) are great rivalry games, but they're only that: games. Texas/OU is a weekend that should be experienced by all sports junkies.

...til Gabriel blows his horn

by BigTexBD on Jun 27, 2007 1:24 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

101 things...

@SelimSivad, I don't know how good SC is going to be - it depends for a start on how well the offense comes together and how many fullbacks detonate this year.

As for the 101 things to do, I think it's borderline irresponsible to suggest that people with no clue of what they're getting into go to a Glasgow derby. It's not a question of "will there be stabbings," it's a question of how many.

His final suggestion about driving the Nurburgring is fine, but I suspect that if I tried it, the end result would be something like this .

by DC Trojan on Jun 27, 2007 1:38 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs