Jersey Actually Proves It's Worth... Again!

Well, rag on the New Jersey people all you want (for good reason I might add), but the boys from Piscataway came through when it counted. The Scarlet Knights (5-2, 1-1) knocked the #2 South Florida Bulls (6-1, 1-1) from the ranks of the unbeaten last night to the tune of 30-27. The game was hardly a thing of beauty, with both teams committing special teams blunders, lots and lots of penalties, and ill-timed turnovers.
This win really shouldn't have come as much as a surprise as one might think, either. USF, while very good, was hardly ever great this season. They achieved their now-defunct #2 ranking simply because they were winning in a season where everyone else is losing. Now, don't dismiss that. Give the Bulls their just do credit for doing exactly where they were supposed to. But, you knew they were going to get tagged at some point. The Bulls' lack of a true, consistent running game (outside of a Matt Groethe draw up the middle) cost them this game. The Bulls had three separate leads, but without any real threat of a consistent, clock-draining rushing attack, the Rutgers defense was able to line-up on the line of scrimmage and blitz and blitz and blitz. They sacked Groethe six times, and forced him to scramble and hurry several more. The Bulls' O-line offered little resistance. The results were USF being behind in downs and distance, especially through the second half.
Meanwhile, Rutgers continues to have the luxury of a guy named Ray Rice. USF's vaunted defense has had no success against Rice since he started at running back. Last year, Rice shredded the Bulls' D for 202 yards, and last night had 181 yards on 33 touches. He also lost a fumble that ended up not mattering. Rutgers QB Mike Teel certainly didn't have a great game, with numerous over-thrown balls and wrong reads, but be made plays when he had to. That said, a lot of credit goes to his receivers, most notably Taiquan Underwood. He finished with five catches for 114 yards and two scores. Also, give credit to Rutgers head boss Greg Schiano for some uber-ballsy play calling. Twice, twice he went for it on fourth down, each time lining up in a special teams formation and running a gadget play. These plays led directly to ten points. They're the kind of decisions a coach is lauded for, or riled against. But, they worked, and they're timing was superb.


So where do we go from here?

Pretty or not, this is exactly what WVU needed, as now the conference is back to square-one (MathNet not included). Rutgers' win not only puts the Mountaineers right back into Big East Conference title contention, but now one can realistically begin to fantasize about bigger dreams. The way this college football season has been going, no one is safe, but you knew that by now.
Don't be surprised if Ohio State goes down tomorrow at Michigan State. By this point, truly anything can happen. Boston College and Arizona State may have the luxury of waking up Monday morning ranked #1 and #2 simply because they don't play this weekend.

WVU got the first big step back into the BCS. Now, with an impressive win over a improving Mississippi State team (they did beat Auburn and Arkansas) on homecoming weekend, be ready to watch WVU begin a slow and methodical climb up the rankings. Just win, baby, just win, and things will be fine. The Mountaineers CANNOT afford to lose another game. However, win out, and those lofty preseason expectations aren't far behind.

New AG, Same as Old AG

Bush's new lapdog Attorney General may make a condemning statement here and there against torture- "Ooooh torture memo so bad"- but he still parses words and relies on semantics to slither his way through definitions.

What's worse is that nothing changes in how the government is working. Mukasey stil feels Bush should have the same amount of power as before. Meet the same jerk, just as bad as the old chump. From the CQ:

Attorney general nominee Michael Mukasey signaled Thursday he shares the administration’s expansive view of President Bush’s authority to withhold information from Congress, skirt federal statutes and authorize harsh interrogation techniques.


The retired federal judge’s statements, during the second day of his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, put him at odds with the Democrats who will decide whether Mukasey succeeds Alberto R. Gonzales as the head of the Justice Department.

That is actually the whole article. But you can find a whole story about how Mukasey wiggled and writhed through explaining water-boarding. Sure it is probably fun to watch, but I find his disturbing view on our democracy to be much more newsworthy.

Bush threatens WW III

So Bush in his impotent belligerence answers Putin's warning not to attack Iran and use other countries in region to launch an attack, with his own imature retort .

"We've got a leader in Iran who has announced that he wants to destroy Israel," he said. "So I've told people that, if you're interested in avoiding World War III, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them from having the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon."

I guess this harmless in the end right? Bush is simply saying all options are on the table. You know same old rhetoric. No. This escalation in rhetoric is dangerous. Does Bush truly intend to send us to war with Iran if it has nukes? Does he not understand that Iran wouldn't nuke a country if it knows that retaliation and certain annihilation will come from it?? This is simple international politics. Putin looks like a veritable diplomatic guru compared to Bush.It is amazing at the ease he is playing Bush off of Ahmedinejad. See this article for further reference and foresight. The last bit is telling:

"A nuclear Iran would be bad for all, but the perception of this threat is different," said Fyodor Lukyanov, editor of Russia in Global Affairs magazine. "Washington sees it as huge step toward a catastrophe. And Russia thinks: "yes, it will be bad, but it won't be directed against us.'"

Meantime- Turkey is talking about invasions. Guess WW III is all how you define it.

Bush at 24- Congress at 11

I hate Polls. Sure they are a measure of public opinion. That is it. There is no way to measure the "rigthness" of policy or decisions. It has become an excuse to do or not do something based on making the "tough" decision or doing the right thing Americans want. It is really saying, "I will do this whether you like it or not," i.e. "FUCK YOU."

It by no means shows that by going against public opinion you're making the "tough" or "right" decision, as Bush would have you believe he is doing. He can't have it both ways- invade and it be popular- that was the "right" decision after you manipulated public opinion by fear and intimidation. It is also not the "right" decision when the president is exposed as a liar and arrogant leader and public decides the sacrifice of the public honor, blood, resources, and trust in the his warped worldview is not worth it. It is time to honor American public that entrusted you. Lest you be a parasite on the body public, not wanted but yet taking strength and life from us to empower itself, the politics of the today must respond. In other words, if Washington cannot bring change, it will soon endanger its own existence.

With that disclaimer Bush at 24 percent approval and Congress at 11 in the recent Reuters/Zogby poll for a sustained time shows that public is continually aginst this conflict and Bush, yet he is unresponsive. Congress is also unresponsive. Yet both carry on like they are truly governing this country. The public is restless and without directiion becuase of its uncaring leadership. Washington does not feel the effects of its policies. The issues are telling. Bush vetoes the healthcare coverage of children- for reasons so absurd they are not worth reprinting.

Congress let's interest groups and strong lobbyist groups decides what is in the best interest of the world and the country. This week it is by revisitng history and placing labels on human tragedy and those who perpetrate it.
We can be hopeful that in 100 years the mass death of Iraqis will not be labeled crimes against humanity or genocide by the Chinese, Indians, or Russians (or any other great power).

Update from my friends....

This was posted today on cfn.scout.com, my personal favorite website comprised of other nerds like me with nothing else to do but to mused about collegiate football. It's their first BCS predictions and breakdowns.

I promise I'll post something soon about the MLB playoffs, but for now, enjoy:

The C.O.W. airing of the grievances followed by the feats of strength

There’s no need to watch college football until January. Now that the initial BCS rankings are out, I’m going to clue you in on what’s going to happen in the BCS race. The ten teams in the big money matchups will be …

10. Arizona State – Rose Bowl
No one is believing in the Sun Devils, mainly because no one has seen them play. Those late night games in the desert are always off the map for most, but that’ll soon change. The offensive line has a few issues in pass protection, but with a physical style, to go along with all the normal ASU speed and athleticism, ASU should be able to keep up in home games against Cal and USC, and should be able to overcome an upcoming loss at Oregon to go 11-1 and win the Pac 10 title. Dennis Erickson's team will then go to Pasadena to play ….

9. Boise State – Rose Bowl
The Rose Bowl will lose the number one team to the BCS Championship game, so it’ll get its first pick from all the at-large teams. Even so, the selection people will be a bit hamstrung by their options, and will end up being happy to get all the Bronco fans streaming down from Boise, while getting huge TV ratings with everyone looking for the 2007 Fiesta Bowl magic to kick in again. There won’t be any Big Ten teams available, and after Boise State beats Hawaii when everyone is watching, and runs the rest of the table, it’ll move up enough in the BCS rankings to get into the top 12 and earn an automatic spot.

8. LSU – Sugar Bowl
The LSU schedule eases up big-time, with the two road games left, after a home date with Auburn, coming against Alabama and Ole Miss. Nick Saban will pull out all the stops against his former team and give the Tide the early signature win in his tenure. The Tigers will still win the West and will still go on to win the SEC title, while also eliminating the East representative from the BCS chase. LSU will sell out the Superdome against …

7. Kansas – Sugar Bowl
If you’re waiting for the schedule to get nasty, it doesn't get too bad, with road games against Colorado, Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, along with home dates against Nebraska and Iowa State. 13th in the initial rankings, Mark Mangino’s team will keep moving up and up as others start dropping with key losses late. KU won’t win the North, losing to Missouri in the regular season finale, but it won’t be by much. Mizzou will lose a rematch in the Big 12 title game to …

6. Oklahoma – Fiesta Bowl
The Sooners will obliterate Iowa State, Texas A&M and Baylor to get into the number two spot in the BCS rankings, after South Florida loses to Rutgers, BC loses to Virginia Tech and LSU loses to Alabama, and then they’ll run into a Texas Tech buzzsaw in Lubbock to ruin the national title hopes. However, they’ll get a whale of a showdown against …

5. Oregon – Fiesta Bowl
The world will jump all over the Ducks, currently tenth in the BCS, after they beat USC (and badly), and ruin Arizona State’s unbeaten season. Just when it seems like they’ll be in the national title discussion, UCLA will pull a performance out of its ear in a shootout in Pasadena.

4. Virginia Tech – Orange Bowl
The Hokies enter the national title picture with a win over Boston College, and then they’ll lose to Georgia Tech to bring things to a screeching halt. However, they’ll beat Florida State, Miami and Virginia, and the Cavaliers will have already lost at least once along the way, forcing a BC – VT rematch in the ACC title game. The Hokies will come up with a second win over the Eagles.

3. South Florida – Orange Bowl
Here we go with the big debate of the 2007 season. South Florida will lose at Rutgers in a thriller, but will beat Connecticut, Cincinnati, Syracuse, Louisville and Pitt to finish 11-1 to earn an automatic spot in the BCS as the Big East champion. The computers will all have the Bulls in the top two, with at least one having them number one, but because of the recency effect, with the voters remembering the Rutgers loss and forgetting about the West Virginia win, the humans will screw things up by putting them just low enough to open the door for ….

*****2. West Virginia – BCS Championship
Currently ninth in the BCS rankings, the Mountaineers will start creeping up with impressive win after impressive win. They’ll beat Mississippi State, Rutgers, Louisville, Cincinnati, Connecticut and Pitt to finish 11-1, and get just enough love from the computers to go along with the respect from the human polls. I’m not saying it’s right that West Virginia will get in over South Florida, I’m just predicting here. The Mountaineers will get the number two spot, USF will be three, and the college football world will be buzzing.

1. Ohio State – BCS Championship
You’re not happy about it, and SEC fans are going to have a conniption over a Big Ten team getting into the big dance again, but Ohio State is going to make up for past sins. With wins over Michigan State, at Penn State, Wisconsin, Illinois, and at Michigan, in yet another classic, the Buckeyes will earn more respect than it’ll likely receive, and on a mission, they’re not going to make the same mistake two years in a row.

Death Proof Review

Welcome to the entertainment section of the Outside Agitator. This week's review is on "Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof". For those of you who have followed Tarantino's career, this film hits the nail on the head dead on! It is everything fans have come to expect; including clever dialogue, interesting situations, and James Dean cool characters that look really good smoking cancer sticks. The film flows well around the character Stuntman Mike (Kurt Russell) who drives around in his 1970s style car with a skull on the hood. His mission is to prey on some very sexy young chicks because he has nothing better to do. He's out for blood and his weapon is speed. This appears to be the perfect role for Russell if you are at all a fan of "Escape from New York". He plays the character well and with style. His female victims are equally as entertaining. Rosario Dawson, Tracie Thoms, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Zoe Bell and Jordan Ladd are some of the road rage cuties you can expect to see. If you are a horror fan this film may not necessarily be for you. It contains aspect of horror, but it is not a Texas Chainsaw Massacre style bloodbath. In all sincerity this is its biggest strength. Our movie theaters have been overrun with stupid female victims that don't fight back and killers that have no face, or personality. Death proof has the opposite. The victims are smarter and more interesting than most and the killer has a weapon that we don't normally see in modern horror. A fast death demon of a car is much more interesting than a knife, or a gun. Add the charm of the killer and you have the most fun you will have all year.

Death Proof was originally part of a double feature know as "Grindhouse" which also featured Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror and farce trailers in between viewings. I will not disagree that this is the coolest way to experience both of these films, but I do think they work well as individual DVD releases. This is simply business. It was either do it now or in theaters which would have taken away from the experience. The tragedy is not they are separate DVDs, but that it didn't make as much in theaters as expected. "Grindhouse" was the most fun I had at the theater all year. Even though they will likely release the theatrical versions later, I am happy to buy them now. I think fan interest will make them very successful cult classics in the long run.

Death Proof DVD Features

Limited Time $5 off coupon for Planet Terror

Disc 1

- Death Proof: Extended and Unrated Version

- Trailers and Poster Gallery

Disc 2

- Stunts On Wheels: The Legendary Drivers of Death Proof

- Kurt Russell As Stuntman Mike- Finding Quentin's Gals

- The Guys of Death Proof

- Introducing Zoe Bell

- Quentin's Greatest Collaborator: Editor Sally Menke

- Double Dare Trailer

Grindhouse Trailers

Death Proof and Planet Terror Trailers

Welcome to my crap.

Well, before I get started, I guess I should explain myself.

Amos approached me a few weeks ago, and I asked if I would like to contribute to his little shindig here. Evidently, he thinks, though I would disagree, that I happen to know a thing or three about the sporting world. But, as a great philosopher once mused, "I know enough to know I know nothing."

With that in mind, I've accepted (and appreciate) the consideration. So, for now, or whenever I get a moment of inspiration or what-have-you, I will be the sports guy for this thing. I will focus mainly on college and professional football, hockey, along with some college basketball, MLB baseball, and the dreaded NASCAR. However, this does not mean I am limiting myself to those areas. One of the great things about the internet (besides the porn and spyware, of course), is that gives every idiot like myself the chance to rant and rave about something insignificant as sports. Woo hoo!


Catching you up to speed...

I feel as though I probably should have jumped into this a few weeks ago. At that time, the wave of upsets across the Division 1-A College Football world began and have continued up until right now. Since the last week of September, eight of the top-10 ranked teams have lost. These included the USF Bulls knocking off then-number five West Virginia on a Friday night, a precursor to what happened the next day. Six teams in the top-13 lost, as well as then #21 Penn State.

The upset bug spread the following week, when then #1/#2 Southern Cal lost at home to then 1-3 Stanford, 24-23 Statistically, it was the biggest upset in college football history. (Stanford was a 41-point underdog. Interestingly, the biggest upset in terms of point favorites had occurred just two weeks prior, when Syracuse, a 39-point underdog defeated Louisville in Louisville.)

That left LSU, which had beaten Florida in an all-timer, as the undisputed number one, with Cal #2, and Ohio State #3. Well, again the upsets continued this past weekend, almost being to the point of absurdity. When I learned that both LSU and Cal lost, I chuckled. Not because I almost expected it happen, but almost because I had grown used to it, so why the hell not?

So, on the weekend where the first BCS standings were to be announced, both of the top two teams in the country fall. Why not? When Appalachian State can go to the Big House in Ann Arbor, MI and beat Michigan on opening day, it seems fitting. Ironically, Michigan's loss started this unprecedented Year of the Upset. And who benefits most? The hated OSU Buckeyes.

Where we're at now...

Yes, it's the Fighting Tressels who are ranked #1 in the BCS standings, with South Florida (a team that didn't even exist eleven years ago) #2, Boston College #3, LSU only dropping to #4, and Oklahoma #5. WVU is currently #9, which is good enough for an at-large BCS berth. (The top twelve teams ranked in the BCS are guaranteed a BCS game.)

Where WVU fits in....

Most have the Mountaineers slated in the Rose Bowl (you read that right, the Rose Bowl) facing Cal or USC. Not too shabby. All WVU needs to do is win out, and they will finish with no worse than an at-large big money game.
Now, in words of the legendary Winston Wolf, let's not start sucking each other's dicks just yet. We've seen this from the Blue and Gold before, remember? Even after losing at Louisville last year, WVU was still in the top-10 and, provided they win out and a couple breaks for their way, would have ended up with an at-large BCS bid. Well, all the breaks WVU needed panned out exactly to plan, except for the Mountaineers didn't hold up their end of the bargain. A 24-19 home loss to South Florida derailed any chance of a second consecutive trip to the BCS, and WVU went on to lay claim to the entire state of Georgia by knocking off the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the Gator Bowl. (At long last, a Gator Bowl win! Hey, even the blind squirrel gets an acorn eventually, right?)

While the buzz this preseason around Morganhole was one of national championship dreams, those were quickly erased by the debacle in Tampa on September 28. The general ambiance around town was somewhere near funeral-ish. But, after a couple of weeks, things are looking up again. I'm not saying to pencil in the 'Eers for a trip to Bourbon Street for the BCS Championship, but if they win out, they will do no worse than the aforementioned at-large. (I still maintain they'll end up in Miami for the Orange Bowl for a contest between former Big East conference rivals Va Tech or Boston College. A match-up like that would make Big East Big Man Mike Tranghese cream himself.)


A glance around the conference, and what may be to come....

WVU stares up the Big East standings to see USF, Cincinnati, and UConn above them. UConn has to come to Morganhole in early December, but UConn will have faded considerably by then. WVU will be seeking a win to clinch at least a share of the Big East crown. USF will lose at least one game before the regular season is over.
The Bulls have to travel to Rutgers to face the Knights in swamps of Jersey, as well as a roadie to Cincy, and host Louisville. Don't be surprised if the Bulls drop one or two of those. While their defense is simply amazing, I'm still not sold on their offense. Their D is only reason they defeated WVU, and even then, the Mountaineers still had the ball with a minute left and a chance to tie. Louisville's defense couldn't stop you, me, your grandpap, and the dog from putting 24 points on the board. But, Brian Brohm is playing like the future top-five NFL draft pick he is, and their offense will simply outscore USF.
South Florida and Cincinnati still have to play, and the loser of that game will be out of the Big East race. The Bearcats dropped yet another game to the Cardinals this past weekend, a 28-24 contest. Cincy has lived by the turnover this season, but couldn't produce one in the loss to the Cardinals, and that probably was the difference. If the Bearcats defeat the Bulls in Nippert Stadium, WVU's trip to the Queen City on November 17 would effectively become the Big East championship game, with the automatic BCS bowl berth along with it.
Pitt still sucks, and in a bad way. A lot of people have asked me if Dave Wannestache will be canned after this season. I say no. The Pittsburgh media is absolutely enamored with this guy. They love him. Even with a third straight embarrassingly bad performance (along with even worse play calling) in the home loss to Navy, there aren't even any questions being asked. Pitt has dropped four in a row now, and sits at 2-4. They are last in the Big East, and seemed to have regressed as the season goes on. Some have argued that injuries have crippled this team. This warrants some credence, but it can't all be chalked up to that. Wanny was supposed be hauling in ultra-mega-hyper-super-fantastic recruiting classes, as well as inheriting a team that former head man Walt Harris took to the Fiesta Bowl. The cupboard wasn't exactly bare; if Wanny was half the coach people think he is, Pitt should be substantially better than the 13-16 record he has posted in his two and a third seasons. The only way Wannstache is out of a job come December is if the new, as-of-yet-undetermined, athletic director comes in and wants to establish a new beginning with their man.

I'm going to rap this up here, not because I'm out of stuff to say, but to do time commitments. Stop by again, and I always welcome comments or questions. Thanks for reading through my meandering bullshit, and stop by again. I'll try to post at least once or twice a week. Be sure to check out the links to the right as well.