NCAA Football 2012 - Week 13

[Eublet]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Now?

Every team has passionate fans. Every team has fans who are not passionate. There is no team with the most passionate fans.

-Mike

Yet Birmingham (a 1,000,000-person suburb of Tuscaloosa) has nearly twice as many viewers of CFB than any other market in the country for 12 years running, and Alabama draws in more $$ per capita than any other team in the country for as long as I can remember? Come on' Mike. There are clearly some teams that have it over others when it comes to passion, and nobody bests the Tide there. Since you called me a homer, I figured I'm just going to come out of the closet hard! RMFT!!!!

[Tractorr]

Originally Posted by MJ5150

Now?

Every team has passionate fans. Every team has fans who are not passionate. There is no team with the most passionate fans.

-Mike

Yeah, 90K screaming in the Swamp is exactly the same as under 15K in a boring NFL stadium to see Temple play Bowling Green. Yep, exactly the same level of passion.

[aborgman]

Originally Posted by Eublet

Seriously, the right coach at Florida and they are unstoppable on every front. I know, Texas would be the same, but if that were the case, Florida will always be the more attractive spot over Texas. It is after all, the Sunshine State. It's always going to have that over everyone else except for maybe USC. Just the way it is.

I always laugh when I hear Florida and Texas described as "attractive spots"... I can think of VERY few states I would like to live in less...

[Lonesomedave]

^^^^^^^^^

yeah, i agree...who wouldn't want to live in the icebox that is columbus or college station in the winter, instead of Gainesville, FL, with it's nice warm climate, freash oysters and seafood, waking around in shirtsleeves all day, pretty girls showing lots of skin.....

man, that sounds like a TERRIBLE life....

[aborgman]

Originally Posted by Lonesomedave

^^^^^^^^^

yeah, i agree...who wouldn't want to live in the icebox that is columbus or college station in the winter, instead of Gainesville, FL, with it's nice warm climate, freash oysters and seafood, waking around in shirtsleeves all day, pretty girls showing lots of skin.....

man, that sounds like a TERRIBLE life....

I've been to Florida and Texas. I've lived in California and Oregon.

I live in Michigan by choice, and would choose it over any of the above.

That nice warm climate? To me a sweltering sweat box that lacks 4 season. Deer the size of dogs or smaller.

[Lonesomedave]

Originally Posted by aborgman

I've been to Florida and Texas. I've lived in California and Oregon.

I live in Michigan by choice, and would choose it over any of the above.

That nice warm climate? To me a sweltering sweat box that lacks 4 season. Deer the size of dogs or smaller.

lived in Gainesville for a year...it was great and all that i've said.

my deer hunting days are behind me (although they were fun while they lasted), so don't really care about the size of the deer.

No state income tax...

yeah, it can be hot, but so can Michigan in the summer....

given all, I'll take Gainesville in a heartbeat if they want to offer me the job.

[FilterFunk]

Originally Posted by Eublet

I'm going full homer now!

From http://www.rolltide.com/genrel/081912aaa.html:

"As a group, Alabama's more than 525 student-athletes averaged over a 3.0 grade point average for the 2011-12 academic year, including 48 that maintained a career GPA of 4.0. Overall, five teams posted GPAs above 3.5 for the second year in a row.

More than 140 student-athletes earned their degrees over the last year and the latest numbers find that Alabama graduates 74 percent of its student-athletes while the general student population graduates at rate of 66 percent.

"In a year that saw our teams compete at a championship level, it was extremely gratifying to see our student-athletes carry that success over into the classroom," UA Associate Athletics Director for Student Services Jon Dever said. "To have so many of our student-athletes recognized at the national and conference level and to have 16 of our 21 teams earn grade point averages of 3.0 or better is truly impressive."

There were 21 graduates on Alabama football's roster when it won the Tide's 14th national championship in January, one shy of the BCS National Championship Game record the Tide set in 2009. Football also had the second highest graduation rate among schools in the final 2011 BCS top 10 and has posted the second highest graduation rate in the SEC each of the past 3 years.

The SEC led the nation in Capital One Academic All-America honors again this year and the Crimson Tide once again led the SEC, tallying a school record nine honors overall in 2011-12, including a league-best seven first-team honors. Since 2000, Alabama is fifth among all NCAA Division I schools and first in the SEC when it comes to Academic All-America honors with 70. The Tide's nine honors in 2012 also pushed Alabama over 100 honors all-time, to a total of 106, which jumps Alabama to 20th all-time among all NCAA schools and 13th among Division I schools. "

Dang it! And I wanted to find a reason to hate you guys!

[Eublet]

I'm fully prepared to receive lots of hate nationally after we trounce Notre Dame in Miami. Bama/SEC hate will be at an all-time high soon.

[Eublet]

Originally Posted by Lonesomedave

lived in Gainesville for a year...it was great and all that i've said.

my deer hunting days are behind me (although they were fun while they lasted), so don't really care about the size of the deer.

No state income tax...

yeah, it can be hot, but so can Michigan in the summer....

given all, I'll take Gainesville in a heartbeat if they want to offer me the job.

Yep. I loved not having a state income tax when I lived there. It was hot in the summer, but no more so than anywhere else in the southeast. Plenty to do and a very diverse culture without having to live in a large metro area. Traffic was bad at times, but nothing to terrible.

I also LOVE Austin, Texas. There really isn't a city in the US that I haven't travelled to at least a dozen times with my job, and Austin is one of the best anywhere. Surprisingly, very little Longhorn stuff if you aren't near the university. Downtown is nice and there's a thriving night scene that's different from what you find in Florida. More laid back there, while Florida is full of people trying to look like they're the next big super model. I also like San Antonio and parts of DFW. I'd be happy to never see Houston again though.

Michigan...not bad except for Detroit. for me personally, no reason to like or dislike the place. The weather was nice in the fall and early spring. Summers were a little humid and there was nothing to do. Winters were great for snow mobiles!

If i had to be land locked in a city, I'd go to Austin in a heart beat. It would be fun to pull for the Tide there, though IME no one seems to care. It's very different from a place like Birmingham where everyone is consumed with Alabama or Auburn. Birmingham is also a very cool place to live and I'm there every other week for work just about. Lots of cool places there also, but the downtown area isn't as nice as Austin. Some of the suburban spots are very cool, and there's night life, decent music, and a lot of trendy places to eat.

Nashville would be my second or third choice on a place to live. I also like Charlotte, NC. Up north, i LOVE Boston...absolutely love it. Always have, but I'd have to make a lot of money to live inside a big city like that, at least twice what I make now. Not likely to happen, but I'm always looking.

[Tractorr]

A place has to work for you.

I am from Florida and hate the vast majority of it. Gainesville on the other hand is a pretty nice place to live when you are young. I also imagine it is a fine place to raise a family, but I am currently between those two stages of life so that is why I left.

[FilterFunk]

Originally Posted by Eublet

I'm fully prepared to receive lots of hate nationally after we trounce Notre Dame in Miami. Bama/SEC hate will be at an all-time high soon.

Not from us Trojans fans!

[Eublet]

Originally Posted by Smokin' Toaster

Here's what makes Notre Dame and the young men that go there to be student-athletes special: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/col...ame/index.html

As many of you are watching elite juniors from your schools forgo their senior year and go pro, I'll watch players like Manti T'eo and Louis Nix excel in their senior year. Sure, Notre Dame has players that go pro and skip their senior year, and I haven't compiled statistics, but I'll bet there are fewer from ND than most schools.

And for those with a deep understanding and appreciation of the game, Nix vs. Alabama's stellar center Barrett Jones and guards Chance Warmack and Anthony Steen is going to be a treat to watch. As that match-up goes, so goes the football game.

He was a projected 2nd rounder, so that's got as much to do with him coming back as anything I'd think. Most all college coaches will advise you to come back for your senior year unless you are a 1st round projection.

[Eublet]

Originally Posted by Smokin' Toaster

Looking at his family size, family home, and family financial situation, do you really think that first round vs. second round draft pick trumped his mother's wishes and urging? First or second round, Nix would have been playing on Sundays next year if he had left Notre Dame, and making plenty enough money to take care of his family and himself. Maybe you're looking at it from an Alabama perspective.

Not at all. Kids turn down 2nd round pics all the time to return to school. It's one more year, and if they can work their way into the first round after that, the payoff difference is in the millions of dollars over the first few years alone. I don't doubt that some of the things in that article are very true, but no one ever says "I'm going to wait another year so I can make more money." A better way to put it perhaps is that if he were a definite 1st rounder who was going to make millions per year, then it would definitely be convincing if he were staying. As it is, his decision is very typical. Barrett Jones did/said the same thing last year. AJ is doing it this year himself. They typically always say "there is plenty of time for the NFL, but I love college and want to enjoy it while I can." I don't think the kids are lying when they say that, but you seldom see 1st rounders hang back another year, and I don't blame them. If you can go in the first round, making several million a year for a few years, then even if you wind up being a bust, you're a multi-millionaire, and can return to school on your own dime if it's really important to you.

For guys like Nix though, it's really up in the air because if they go, they don't have the same leverage to sign those kinds of extended contracts. They could get cut after a couple of years, having only made a couple million dollars (which is great), but the risk is much higher for them. If they don't get drafted until the 3rd round, they really will be sacrificing a lot of money.

Also, as the article mentioned, he'll be able to take out a HUGE insurance policy by returning to school that will cover him should he get injured. I have a close friend who lives right here in Gulf Shores who handles sports insurance policies and investment portfolios for lots of guys in college and in the pros. So even if he returns, gets injured, and can't go to the pros, he'll make the same money as if he went to the pros now and didn't make the cut. Basically, these insurance guys can afford to charge very low rates to these poor kids to cover them in case of injury when they return to school, and then they are guaranteed a certain minimum large sum payment when they go to the pros a year later, plus a percentage of their contract and/or signing bonus. The kids get a huge policy for pennies on the dollar (for now at least) and will be able to still get millions if they take a huge injury that keeps them from going pro, or delays their ability to enter the draft.

So really, the only thing a guy like Nix has to do is be patient another year for the chance to make 6x more money than he could make right, which is guaranteed by his insurance contract if anything were to happen to him. It's very smart business, plus he does get the side benefits of everything stated in the article, which are all positives as well. Not knocking him at all as it is the right decision without a doubt. He seems like a very good kid.

[mrpackerguy]

Utah State's Gary Andersen next Wis coach. Anyone know this guy?
http://espn.go.com/college-football/...consin-badgers

[GregC]

ND is just another school with stories like that--there are many out there.

Corey Brewer of UF's basketball team came from absolute poverty, had a father with diabetes, an amputated leg, heart problems, you name it. But after winning an NCAA title his sophomore year, his father told him not to worry, to come back for another year with the other three guys in his class even though he was a sure first-round pick. And they won another title. Corey also won the Final Four MOP award that second year, improving his draft position.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/colum...0&sportCat=ncb

[Eublet]

Mizzou is still voting with the rest of the country. Ugh. Did we have to take these losers?

http://espn.go.com/espn/fp/flashPoll...pollId=3402327

[Eublet]

Originally Posted by Smokin' Toaster

Ha, if you could zoom in on Daphne, Alabama I know it would be colored gold. Mobile too.

Further evidence of the superiority disorder you refer to frequently at work.

You are right, but there is some SEC pride that though Mizzou fans need to learn. I suppose this year was a hard lesson for them, especially since so many of them thought they'd be able to dominate the east side of the conference.

[papilgee4evaeva]

Originally Posted by Eublet

You are right, but there is some SEC pride that though Mizzou fans need to learn. I suppose this year was a hard lesson for them, especially since so many of them thought they'd be able to dominate the east side of the conference.

I declare, the SEC is the ONLY conference that has diehard coattailers. I mean, I've encountered South Carolina fans who trumpet "SEC dominance" yet their only trophy -- ever -- is the ACC Championship from 1970.

Conversely, I've never heard a Wisconsin fan talk up Ohio State, a UCLA fan talk up Stanford, a Baylor fan talk up Oklahoma, or a Georgia Tech fan talk up Florida state to the degree that SEC schools coattail whoever is on top.

Just my observation that is shared with several acquaintances of mine.

[Lonesomedave]

Originally Posted by papilgee4evaeva

I declare, the SEC is the ONLY conference that has diehard coattailers. I mean, I've encountered South Carolina fans who trumpet "SEC dominance" yet their only trophy -- ever -- is the ACC Championship from 1970.

Conversely, I've never heard a Wisconsin fan talk up Ohio State, a UCLA fan talk up Stanford, a Baylor fan talk up Oklahoma, or a Georgia Tech fan talk up Florida state to the degree that SEC schools coattail whoever is on top.

Just my observation that is shared with several acquaintances of mine.

there is a reason.....

i think, also, it's because of the us vs. them mentality coupled with the fact that SEC fans feel the whole rest of the country doesn't give them (us?) the respect they deserve and for example, can swallow their natural dislike of Notre Dame, in order to pull against the SEC winning ANOTHER football championship.

might it happen?...sure, it MIGHT....will it happen?....probably not.

[papilgee4evaeva]

Originally Posted by Lonesomedave

there is a reason.....

i think, also, it's because of the us vs. them mentality coupled with the fact that SEC fans feel the whole rest of the country doesn't give them (us?) the respect they deserve and for example, can swallow their natural dislike of Notre Dame, in order to pull against the SEC winning ANOTHER football championship.

might it happen?...sure, it MIGHT....will it happen?....probably not.

Some of the top teams this year were Bama, LSU, Georgia, and Florida, and no one argues that. aTm and USCe were good but weren't quite in the conversation, Mississippi State got up to #11 on the basis of... well... nothing, Ole Miss and Vandy (?) improved, and everyone else sucked. So somehow the reputation of 4 teams automatically made the other 10 better...? For that reason, which like I said has Tennessee fans coattailing LSU (example that I've seen), fans from other conferences have disdain for the conference.

Plus, we kinda get tired of the SEC being shoved down our throats every week, even during coverage of other games. They're fast approaching New York Yankees status if they're not there already thanks to ESPN. And then there was that debacle of last year's BCSCG....

Full disclosure, though? I'm pulling for Notre Dame this year. And I really hate them and have nothing against Alabama. And I currently attend Georgia for grad school. How's that for strange?