October 2, 2007: Week 4 Football Notes
A
Comment About Time Outs
by White Russian
This strategy of calling a time out in the split second before a kicker attempts a game winning field goal has gotten old real fast. Three weeks in a row it has happened, starting with the devious Mike Shanahan against the Raiders. He called the timeout just before the snap, Janikowski kicked what looked like the game winner, then had to kick again after the time out, only to miss and lose the game. The next week the Raiders did it to the Browns in Pay-It-Forward style. It worked again, as the Browns thought they had kicked a game winner, only to miss the subsequent real kick after the timeout.
Last week, the tactic infiltrated the college ranks as the coach with the number 4 ranked funny sounding college football coach name, Urban Meyer, called the timeout just as Auburn was kicking what would be a game winner over his then ranked #4 Florida Gators. This time, however, the plan did not work as unranked Auburn kicked a second game winner to complete the upset.
Sure, it is within the rules to do this, but it is poor form and violates the unwritten rules of not pulling bush league tactics like an A-Rod, who will do the little things that annoy the crap out of other players, like peeking in to see the next pitch location while standing at bat, or calling out like he's got the ball while the runners are going around the bases, or slapping the ball out of a fielder's hand like a sissy.
Two failed kicks out of three is enough to keep at least one coach a week doing this all season. Since the season is in progress, there won't be any rule changes, but here's hoping that in the off season the powers that be decide to give discretion to the referee to grant a timeout or not, like they do in baseball. Just because a batter calls for time, there is no stoppage until the umpire says so. Either that or make a rule that timeouts made by a defense must be called in a reasonable time to stop the snap of the ball.
Sampling of Majors
Here is this week's sampling of majors that are being pursued by current college
football players:
Athletic Coaching Education (West Virginia)
Mark
My Words
by Sandman
"Former Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher will be the new coach of the New York Giants."
Where will Barry Bonds play in 2008?
| Diesel | Cleveland Indians |
| Brother Nature | Los Angeles Dodgers (Jeff Kent reunion) |
| Sandman | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim |
| White Russian | Texas Rangers |
Prediction Tracker
On NFL Draft Day and on the first Saturday of the college football season,
the BMTG Big Four made the following predictions. These predictions will be
tracked throughout the season.
1. Who will be the National Champions and who will they beat?
White Russian – Louisville over LSU
Brother Nature – Texas over Oklahoma
Diesel – Wisconsin over Georgia
Sandman – USC over West Virginia
How the predicted champions have done so far:
Louisville (3-2)
Week 1 – Win over Murray State 73 to 10
Week 2 – Win over Middle Tennessee 58 to 42
Week 3 – Loss to Kentucky 40 to 34
Week 4 – Loss to Syracuse 38 to 35
Week 5 – Win over NC State 29 to 10
Next Game – vs. Utah (2-3)
Not ranked after 5 weeks
Texas (4-1)
Week 1 – Win over Arkansas State 21 to 13
Week 2 – Win over TCU 34 to 13
Week 3 – Win over UCF 35 to 32
Week 4 – Win over Rice 58 to 14
Week 5 – Loss to Kansas State 41 to 21
Next Game – vs. Oklahoma (4-1)
Ranked number 19 in the nation after 5 weeks
Wisconsin (5-0)
Week 1 – Win over Washington State 42 to 21
Week 2 – Win over UNLV 20 to 13
Week 3 – Win over Citadel 45 to 31
Week 4 – Win over Iowa 17 to 13
Week 5 – Win over Michigan State 37 to 34
Next Game – at Illinois (4-1)
Ranked number 5 in the nation after 5 weeks
USC (4-0)
Week 1 – Win over Idaho 38 to 10
Week 2 – bye week
Week 3 – Win over Nebraska 49 to 31
Week 4 – Win over Washington State 47 to 14
Week 5 – Win over Washington 27 to 24
Next Game – vs. Stanford (1-3)
Ranked number 2 in the nation after 5 weeks
2. Who will win the Heisman?
White Russian – DeSean Jackson, California
Brother Nature – John David Booty, USC
Diesel – Brian Brohm, Louisville
Sandman – Darren McFadden, Arkansas
How the predicted Heismans have done so far:
DeSean Jackson, California:
Week 1 – 4 rec for 45 yds, 1 run for 21 yds, 1 punt return for 77 yds and TD (vs Tennessee)
Week 2 – 5 rec for 39 yds, 2 runs for 78 yds and 1 TD, 2 punt returns for 24 yds (at Colorado St)
Week 3 – 5 rec for 28 yds, 1 run for 6 yds, 3 punt returns for -2 yds (vs. Louisiana Tech)
Week 4 – 3 rec for 39 yds, 1 punt return for -1 yd (vs. Arizona)
Week 5 – 11 rec for 161 yds and 2 TD, 1 run for -4 yds, 1 punt return for 1 yd (at Oregon)
Total – 28 rec for 312 yds and 2 TD, 5 runs for 101 yds and 1 TD, 8 punt returns for 99 yds and 1 TDJohn David Booty, USC:
Week 1 – 21 for 32, 206 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT, 1 run for 2 yds (vs Idaho)
Week 2 – bye week
Week 3 – 19 for 30, 144 yds, 2 TD, 1 run for -4 yds (at Nebraska)
Week 4 – 29 for 36, 289 yds, 4 TD, 1 INT, 1 run for -4 yds (vs. Washington State)
Week 5 – 20 for 37, 236 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT, 2 run for -11 yds, 1 lost fumble (at Washington)
Total – 89 for 135, 875 yds, 10 TD, 4 INT, 5 runs for -17 yds, 1 lost fumbleBrian Brohm, Louisville:
Week 1 – 16 for 21, 375 yds, 4 TD, 1 run for 1 yd and TD (vs Murray St)
Week 2 – 25 for 39, 401 yds, 5 TD, 6 runs for 25 yds (vs Middle Tennessee)
Week 3 – 28 for 43, 366 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT, 6 runs for -7 yds (at Kentucky)
Week 4 – 45 for 65, 555 yds, 4 TD, 2 INT, 2 runs for -6 yds (at Kentucky)
Week 5 – 20 for 33, 251 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT (at NC State)
Total – 134 for 201, 1948 yds, 16 TD, 4 INT, 15 runs for 13 yds and 1 TDDarren McFadden:
Week 1 – 24 runs for 151 yds and 1 TD, 2 rec for 30 yds (vs Troy)
Week 2 – bye week
Week 3 – 33 runs for 195 yds, 2 TD, 3 rec for 16 yds (at Alabama)
Week 4 – 29 runs for 173 yds, 1 TD, 2 rec for 10 yds, 1 kickoff return for 25 yds (vs Kentucky)
Week 5 – 19 runs for 138 yds, 2 TD (vs. North Texas)
Total – 105 runs for 657 yds and 6 TD, 7 rec for 56 yds, 1 for 2 passing for 42 yds and 1 TD, 1 KO ret for 25 yds
3. What are your draft day predictions?
White Russian Marshawn Lynch will have a better season than Adrian Peterson. Brady Quinn gets caught with a prostitute. Brother Nature Leon Hall shocks everyone and kicks ass. Diesel Ginn plays 3 games. Quinn outperforms JaMarcus Russell.* Sandman Adrian Peterson is Rookie of the Year. * Diesel maintains that he said Quinn outperforms Russell, but there are conflicting accounts of the official prediction, as it is possible that he said the "Detroit rookie QB" (Drew Stanton) would outperform Russell. Let this be a reminder to mean what you say and say what you mean.
How the players have done so far:
Marshawn Lynch, RB, Buffalo:
Week 1: 19 runs for 90 yds and 1 TD, 2 rec for 9 yds (vs. Denver)
Week 2: 18 runs for 64 yds, 1 rec for 21 yds (at Pittsburgh)
Week 3: 20 runs for 74 yds and 1 TD, 2 rec for 6 yds (at New England)
Week 4: 23 runs for 79 yds and 1 TD (vs. N.Y. Jets)Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota:
Week 1: 19 runs for 103 yds, 1 rec for 60 yds and 1 TD (vs. Atlanta)
Week 2: 20 runs for 66 yds, 4 rec for 52 yds (at Detroit)
Week 3: 25 runs for 102 yds and 1 TD, 3 rec for 48 yds (at Kansas City)
Week 4: 12 runs for 112 yds, 1 rec for 6 yds, 3 kick ret for 98 yds (vs. Green Bay)Brady Quinn, QB, Cleveland:
Week 1: Did not play
Week 2: Did not play
Week 3: Did not play
Week 4: Did not playLeon Hall, CB, Cincinnati:
Week 1: 4 tackles (vs. Baltimore)
Week 2: 4 tackles, 1 forced fumble (at Cleveland)
Week 3: 2 tackles, 1 interception returned 2 yds (at Seattle)
Week 4: 1 tackle, 1 interception returned for 2 yds (vs. New England)Ted Ginn, Jr., WR, Miami:
Week 1: 3 kick ret for 70 yds, 4 punt ret for 20 yds, 1 run for 7 yds (at Washington)
Week 2: 6 kick ret for 121 yds, 3 punt ret for 37 yds, 1 run for -3 yds (vs. Dallas)
Week 3: 1 rec for 15 yds, 3 kick ret for 80 yds, 2 punt ret for 6 yds (at N.Y. Jets)
Week 4: 3 kick ret for 58 yds (vs. Oakland)Detroit rookie QB (Drew Stanton):
Week 1: Did not play
Week 2: Did not play
Week 3: Did not play
Week 4: Did not playJaMarcus Russell:
Week 1: Did not play
Week 2: Did not play
Week 3: Did not play
Week 4: Did not play
4. Name the NFL final four (prediction made on draft day). Includes their current record.
White Russian AFC - New England (4-0) & San Diego (1-3)
NFC - Philadelphia (1-3) & San Francisco (2-2)Brother Nature AFC - San Diego (1-3) & Indianapolis (4-0)
NFC - St. Louis (0-4) & New Orleans (0-3)Diesel AFC - Cincinnati (1-3) & Indianapolis (4-0)
NFC - Chicago (1-3) & St. Louis (0-4)Sandman AFC - New England (4-0) & Baltimore (2-2)
NFC - New Orleans (0-3) & Dallas (4-0)