NFL/NCAA 2007 thread [Archive] - Page 2

OneRedArmy

07/11/2007, 4:58 PM

Wow tickets for Lambeau. There's no polite way to ask what sort of heinous acts you had to perform to get those.Stu, it was surprisisingly simple.

I looked on some of the ticket selling exchanges and the going price was about $250 plus (back in the summer). I then stumbled across the Packers official tour company, who as well as doing a whole host of overnight packages with tickets (pricey), do a ticket and tailgate only package for about $180. I upgraded from an endzone to a 20 yard line ticket for another 40 bucks.

So obviously not something you would do every week but given the exchange rate its not too bad.

(note: I checked a few weeks back and the ticket prices had doubled since the summer, clearly because of their great start to the season).

Unreal Madrid

07/11/2007, 5:17 PM

Booked to go to Chicago for 5 nights inc thanksgiving before fixtures came out. Hoped for at least 2 Bulls games and maybe get lucky and get Bears on thanksgiving. Bulls on a 8 day road trip and Bears away as well, doa. Did get tickets to Bucks V Lakers, only 80 miles from Chicago.

Dodge

07/11/2007, 9:05 PM

strangeirish

19/11/2007, 3:16 PM

Maurice Jones-Drew 5-7, 208lbs (Jaguars) v Shawn Merriman 6-4, 272lbs (Chargers). Mismatch you say??? Nah!
The crowd saw it right away. Great block.

NZ3TdzGnBuw

shedite

20/11/2007, 8:50 AM

OneRedArmy

20/11/2007, 10:06 PM

I realise how much of a longshot this is, but if anybody has any way of getting their hands on superbowl tickets, I'll take them in a shot.

Just booked my flights to Phoenix, and have accomodation sorted there too. Just need the tickets now. PLEASE!!!I have a few contacts in PHX and I will ask but to be honest I wouldn't hold out much hope, from memory the face value is enormous to start with (four figures).

Don't know if you've been there before but you'll have a ball at that time of the year anyway, its a great part of the US.

Make sure and hire a car though, its 80 miles from one side of the valley to the other.

Just to update on my Lambeau trip, wonderful experience, great stadium, not much of a game in terms of a contest but pretty special to be there when Favre went past 60,000 yards (he could pass Marino by the end of the season if they finish strongly at get to the NFC game or Superbowl). And no, I didn't purchase a cheesehead....!

strangeirish

20/11/2007, 11:59 PM

Just to update on my Lambeau trip, wonderful experience, great stadium, not much of a game in terms of a contest but pretty special to be there when Favre went past 60,000 yards (he could pass Marino by the end of the season if they finish strongly at get to the NFC game or Superbowl). And no, I didn't purchase a cheesehead....!
I was wondering how you got on at that. Game day is always a great day out, no matter where you go. I would've imagined it's a little more special at a Packers home game. Glad it didn't disappoint.

As for getting your hands on a Superbowl ticket shedite, chances are going to be slim to none I'm afraid. When it was in Jacksonville a few years ago, it was virtually impossible to even find a scalper that had one. One of my friends almost got one through a cancellation from someone he knew, however, he got into a bidding war with the other party and lost out to some doctor who coughed up (no pun intended) $3000.00 for a nose bleed seat! Having said that, it's a great week to be in a town for something like that, as there'll be loads of stuff going on. You never know though, you may get lucky.

OneRedArmy

22/11/2007, 11:40 PM

After tonights big two NFC games (both easy victories despite GB huffing and puffing for 5mins in the 4th) next Thursdays game between the Cowboys and Packers is going to go a long way to deciding who goes to Phoenix to play what most people are assuming will be the Pats.

Homefield advantage will be huge as Texas Stadium is a difficult place to go to and the Packers in January in Lambeau have tended to be almost unbeatable.

I'd favour the Cowboys slightly as the have home field advantage tomorrow, but if anything the Packers seem to be improving as each game goes by, Grant is really giving them a relaible ground game. Romo got it done tonight but its still his first full season.

Next Thursday game is on Sky at 1am.

Drogman.

23/11/2007, 1:02 PM

Packers played well last night and look like they get stronger by each game.

Cowboys were in 2nd gear for the whole game, it was a stroll in the park really. Even giving Romo a rest for the last few mins, it was that easy.

Should be a good game next week, I reckon the Cowboys will win it, not by much but will win it as they can step up a few gears.

strangeirish

23/11/2007, 1:13 PM

OneRedArmy

23/11/2007, 1:44 PM

As well as Romo is playing at the moment, I'm not sold on him yet. He has a tendency to have a 'mare in big nationally televised games. Case in point, the game against Buffalo on a Monday Night. It'll be interesting to see how he handles the pressure against the Packers. Looking forward to that game as it should be a cracker.Agree that Favre's experience may count against Romo's relative lack of experience.

It really looks like GB/Dallas and NE/Colts are well ahead of the rest of the playoff contenders in their respective conference, but someone always usually comes out of the pack and puts a run together over the last 4 or 5 games to come into the playoffs with momentum. Seahawks or Bucs in the NFC and Jax and Steelers in the AFC look best placed. My outside bet is the Seahawks to finish well, despite having 4 of 6 remaining on the road :eek:

strangeirish

23/11/2007, 1:56 PM

That sums it up nicely. Hoping the Jags can stay consistent. They still have to play the Steelers and Colts on the road though, so it's going to be tough.

Dodge

23/11/2007, 1:56 PM

I actually fancy the Cardinals to finish well and pip the Seahawks for that division.

Aberdonian Stu

24/11/2007, 11:58 AM

LSU just dropped out of the national title picture with a 50-48 defeat in overtime against Arkansas. This college season get more mental by the week.

Soko

24/11/2007, 12:39 PM

LSU just dropped out of the national title picture with a 50-48 defeat in overtime against Arkansas. This college season get more mental by the week.

I don't see anything mental about that. They could easily have 4 defeats by now and not good enough to win a NC. WVU have the track to go and do it now

Dodge

24/11/2007, 1:23 PM

Yeah but in fairness how many top 5 teams have lost this year? Crazy amount.

Looking more and more likely Ohio State will sneak in now

Soko

24/11/2007, 2:51 PM

I think the winner of Mizzou/Kansas will go on and win the Big 12, hopefully leaving OSU out. If they made the NC game, all credibilty for the current system would be gone

Aberdonian Stu

26/11/2007, 9:12 AM

LSU losing this particular game is not particularly mental in its own right but in the context of the season it sure as hell is. Holding a Top 2 ranking has proven extremely hazardous to say the least. I can't recall a year with so many twists and turns.

Ohio State, which is currently on the outside looking in with no control over its destiny, is largely expected to make the top 2 in the end as most people now anticipate that one of the current top 2 will slip up on the final weekend of the season.

OneRedArmy

26/11/2007, 9:38 AM

Hopefully Mizzou go on to beat Ohio State.

Would like to see a new face in the BCS game.

Soko

26/11/2007, 4:01 PM

Ohio State, which is currently on the outside looking in with no control over its destiny, is largely expected to make the top 2 in the end as most people now anticipate that one of the current top 2 will slip up on the final weekend of the season.

WVU are in. Even in this unpredictable season, you can take that one to the bank

Mizzou must beat Oklahoma. They should have already beaten them this year and I would expect them to win and play WVU

OneRedArmy

27/11/2007, 1:04 PM

Watched the Florida vs Unmentionables game last night.

I'm biased, but what a performance by Tebow. All respect for the Heisman voters goes out the window if he isn't announced as the winner in a few weeks. Nowhere on the ballot does it say it can't be a sophomore or has to be someone on a BCS team.

Its the best player, plain and simple and he's the best player still standing. Period.

Dixon would've possibly shaded him out had he stayed fit, but we'll never know.

Also now rooting for Oklahoma to pick Chase Daniel a few times to make it a certainty :D

Soko

27/11/2007, 1:27 PM

Darren McFadden

Tebow can win it next year

OneRedArmy

27/11/2007, 1:53 PM

Darren McFadden

Tebow can win it next yearAs I said, ridiculous assumption that it has to be a junior or a senior.

Who knows what will happen to Tebow next season....... injury, loss of form etc.

Its hard to deny he's the best player this season, wouldn't you agree?

Dodge

27/11/2007, 2:20 PM

I'd say Colt Brennan is up there too. But then he's with unfashionable Hawaii

Soko

27/11/2007, 2:26 PM

As I said, ridiculous assumption that it has to be a junior or a senior.

Who knows what will happen to Tebow next season....... injury, loss of form etc.

Its hard to deny he's the best player this season, wouldn't you agree?

McFadden is a superstar. I'd vote for him regardless of class

Tebow is a deserving winner too. At least it's better than that fraud Troy Smith winning it last year

Soko

27/11/2007, 2:29 PM

Sean Taylor died this morning as well. That's mind blowing and tragic beyond belief

He was a superstar in the making and finally beginning to put the off the field stuff behind him. RIP 21

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/football/nfl/11/27/bc.fbn.obit.taylor.ap/index.html?eref=T1

strangeirish

27/11/2007, 2:47 PM

If Tebow doesn't win it, it's a sham. The argument that he is a sophomore doesn't hold up. The guy has set all sorts of records and has played against arguably the toughest schedule in football. On a side note, look for the Gators to be next years National Champion. A bold prediction I know, but with only three seniors on offense this year and most of their defense are either sophomores or juniors, they'll be hard to bet against.

What a tragic story about Sean Taylor. He seemed to have turned his life around after the birth of his daughter. 24 years of age and his life is taken by some low life scum.

R.I.P.

Real ale Madrid

27/11/2007, 3:28 PM

Tim Tebow has been the favourite for the Heisman for the last six weeks - id be amazed if he didn't get it now.

Really looking forward to seeing BC v Va Tech in the ACC championship game saturday evening. Would love to see BC win thier first title and get to thier first big bowl game in 23 years. They probably have thier work cut out for them on Saturday in Jacksonville against a Va tech team that probably was not at full strength when BC beat them 14-10 earlier in the year.

Dodge

27/11/2007, 3:40 PM

You can check on the Heisman frontrunners at ESPn and CBS

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/heisman07/index
http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/heisman

Aberdonian Stu

27/11/2007, 4:16 PM

Tebow thoroughly deserves it. In any other year McFadden would likely win with his numbers but the Florida QB has done the business this year.

As for Troy Smith, he was no fraud. One poor game in the post season can't take away from the body of work he had put together before that. The Heisman isn't about who has the best NFL potential, it's about who was the best player in College Football in a given year. This year that's Tebow, last year it was Troy Smith. Two very different players but both thoroughly deserving of the award at a particular time.

Soko

27/11/2007, 6:08 PM

As for Troy Smith, he was no fraud. One poor game in the post season can't take away from the body of work he had put together before that. The Heisman isn't about who has the best NFL potential, it's about who was the best player in College Football in a given year. This year that's Tebow, last year it was Troy Smith. Two very different players but both thoroughly deserving of the award at a particular time.

Troy Smith demeaned the Heisman. He was the product of being the QB on the nations only unbeaten team at the time of voting and had several poor games before the NC game. Last year was a poor year for elite players but Smith should never have gotten it based upon his regular season play. Nothing to do with potential, he was did not play at a Heisman level. I could have played behind that line, defense and schedule. Should have given it to McFadden

McFadden is the outstanding player in CFB imo. He has everything. At least this years Heisman will be someone who won't embarrass the name

OneRedArmy

27/11/2007, 9:15 PM

Smith (like Danny Wuerffel in the past, it really is all about Florida!) was able to be a standout in college without ever being likely to make it is the pros.

I'd find it hard to argue that there was anyone much better last season, and his collapse in the title game was after he was awarded the game.

Strong argument, now that bowl games are becoming more and more important, that the Heisman be delayed until the true end of the season.

Here's the stats between the three contenders mentioned:

Tebow (Florida)
Yards 3,132
Passing TDs 29
Ints 6
Rushing Yards 838
Rushing TDs 22

Chase Daniel (Mizzou)
Yards 3,951
Passing TDs 33
Ints 9
Rushing Yards 258
Rushing TDs 3

Darren McFadden (Arkansas)
Rushing Yards 1,725
Rushing TDs 15
Passing Yards 123
Passing TDs 4

Soko, you realise that you are proposing giving it to a RB that has 7 RUSHING TDs less than Tebow (never mind his 3,000 yards passing?!):eek:

Tebow has more rushing TDs this season than 5 Heisman trophy winning RB's!!!

Soko

27/11/2007, 9:27 PM

I think McFadden is the most outstanding player in college football. If you saw his performance agaisnt USC then you wouldn't have any qualms about giving him the Heisman either

Tebow will probably get it and it will be deserved. McFadden is still a deserving candidate though

Troy Smith didn't really standout in college. He benefited from a weak class where Quinn faded away and people were too afraid to vote for McFadden

Aberdonian Stu

28/11/2007, 9:00 AM

Smith had a great regular season last year and in no way demeaned the award, not that it's actual easy to demean the Heisman seeing as it's a rather odd little entity in its own right (I recommend reading the excellent Bowls, Polls and Tattered Souls by Stewart Mandel to get a better understanding of why that is, that goes for everyone). The McFadden fear argument would hold some weight if he got a decent percentage of the votes like Peterson did when he lost out to Leinart but far and wide Smith was acknowledged as the most outstanding player in what was a weak year for outstanding talent. Had Vince Young or Reggie Bush come back for a senior season they probably would have smacked him around in the balloting but they didn't and so the door was left open for him.

As for the 'anyone could do it' argument just look at Chad Henne. He had a better running back in Mike Hart and a superstar receiver of his own in Mario Manningham, not to mention a D that ensured he was rarely off the field, and yet he still paled in comparison to Smith.

This year McFadden has played better than Smith did last year but unfortunately for him Tebow has gone a step further.

OneRedArmy

28/11/2007, 11:48 AM

McFadden is the outstanding player in CFB He's not even the best player in the SEC.

But agree that this years contenders are much stronger.

Soko

28/11/2007, 1:28 PM

He's not even the best player in the SEC.

:rolleyes: Nice dramatization. Name 1 player better than McFadden in your opinion not named Tim Tebow

Troy Smith managed his games well on a ridiculously easy schedule. He had a couple of great plays and voters lazily deemed him the outstanding player in CFB. Making players like Smith Heisman winners does demean the award

OneRedArmy

28/11/2007, 1:36 PM

I wasn't trying to be (that) facetious.

What I was trying to get at was that McFadden is at a huge disadvantage as when two players play in the same conference they play against the same teams and against each other, making them easier to compare and ultimately easier to assess as who is a better player (unlike say, Colt Brennan, who Dodge mentioned, who will always suffer by playing for a school in a Mickey Mouse conference, regardless of how good he is).

On the basis most people view Tebow as a better player than McFadden, having seen them play the same opponents, McFaddens only chance lies in him being an upperclassman.

Soko

28/11/2007, 2:34 PM

I don't buy that argument. They play different schedules and play different positions. Simply lumping them both in as SEC players doesn't make Tebow rise head and shoulders above McFadden

This thing is not as cut and dry as you make it out to be either. Just because Tebow has had a record breaking season, doesn't mean McFadden can't win the Heisman. His best games against LSU and USC were out of this world performances, playing teams which keyed on the run. He's a number pick if Miami didn't have an player there already

OneRedArmy

28/11/2007, 2:49 PM

He's a number pick if Miami didn't have an player there already
There you go again, trying to justify a college players career by referring to their draft position.

The pros are a different game. Different offense, different defense. The only similarity is that they are both called football.

For every Troy Smith, I'll find you 5 Tony Romos.

Soko

28/11/2007, 6:08 PM

There you go again, trying to justify a college players career by referring to their draft position.

The pros are a different game. Different offense, different defense. The only similarity is that they are both called football.

For every Troy Smith, I'll find you 5 Tony Romos.

Where else did I mention draft position? You are the wonder of strawman arguments

He is a number 1 pick = outstanding football player. Outstanding in college. Heisman winner

There is very little projecting when it comes to RBs like him. He has everything that an elite back needs and that is why he is, imo, the outstanding player in CFB this year. So good that he could be a number 1 overall pick in the draft. And then you start your strawman debate. Pointless

Aberdonian Stu

29/11/2007, 9:06 AM

Firstly on his number one pick potential, elite College RBs tend to flop more in the NFL than they succeed, it doesn't make them any less of a player it just means that different horses are suited to different courses. Of the the top 50 running backs in rushing stats this season in the NFL 30 didn't go in the first 2 rounds of the draft. That said despite the presence of Ronnie Brown I wouldn't rule out the Dolphins taking a shot at him, though they have much bigger needs.

I'd hardly call it a strawman argument being put forward seeing as you did mention the draft. The Heisman should have nothing to do with what a player might do in the future and the only reflection past seasons have on it is name recognition. It's about one year and one year only. This year Tim Tebow has put together one of the best years, not just statistically, of any player in history. In any other year in recent times, with the possible exception of two years ago, McFadden would have done enough but not this time sadly. I really like him as a player and as a leader on the field but I'm not too worried for him as he's a lock for the Doak Walker award which is a pretty good consolation prize.

Soko

29/11/2007, 10:50 AM

My only mention of the draft was to emphasize how good a player McFadden has been in college. So good that he could be a number 1 overall pick. Any use of Peter King articles and talk of justifying people's college careers is hyperbole you two are making up in your heads

Aberdonian Stu

29/11/2007, 1:29 PM

In College McFadden has put together a tremendous body of work but the Heisman is based on a given year. Like I said in any other given year this year's performance would probably have sufficed for McFadden but this year his superhuman efforts were outdone by Tebow. Also if Tebow was eligible to declare I'd say he'd have as many people salivating, if not more, than McFadden as it's just plain harder to find good QBs.

As an aside King, who I am a big fan of, seems to be a complete flip flopper when it comes to RBs. On one hand he gave the stat I quoted above yet either in the same article or the next day (I've forgotten which) mocked Atlanta for drafting Vick over LaDainian Tomlinson a few years back. This from the man that doesn't want to spend first rounders on RBs.

Obviously in hindsight that was a bad call but hello this is the draft we're talking about, sure when LT was being drafted he was seen by all and sundry as a good running back that didn't really catch passes. Oh how that changed!

OneRedArmy

29/11/2007, 2:15 PM

strangeirish

29/11/2007, 2:27 PM

Personally I still think the key stat is that Tebow has 7 rushing TDs more than McFadden.

So he's arguably a better rusher, never mind a QB.

Simplistic argument, but compelling.

Anyway, done this one to death!

On to the Packers v Cowboys tonight. Monster game.
My money is on the Packers. They have a superior secondary and I'm not so sure Romo can handle the spotlight. It should be a cracker, if he plays well.

OneRedArmy

29/11/2007, 2:37 PM

I think Romo has to crack for the Packers to win.

And I think he will.

Dodge

29/11/2007, 2:50 PM

For every Troy Smith, I'll find you 5 Tony Romos.

Undrafted star quarter backs? Romo, Kurt Warner and who else?

OneRedArmy

29/11/2007, 2:55 PM

Undrafted star quarter backs? Romo, Kurt Warner and who else?Undrafted obviously takes it to the extreme. How about non-top 3 or 3 rounds of the draft.

Off the top of my head I'd guess draft position is a lousy correlator for how well a QB will do in the pros.