Saturday College Football Open Thread

By Big Tent Democrat, Section Blog Related
Posted on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 06:41:49 AM EST
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Here are my picks:

I've ridden Stanford all year. But I am taking Oregon +3½ today, BEST BET (9 units). In other important BCS games - Oklahoma State -17 over Texas Tech (4 unite) and Boise State -15 over TCU (5 units).

They will play a game today in Happy Valley. Without commenting on whether they should, I believe Penn State will play extremely well and Nebraska will be unnerved. I like Penn St(+4).

Other games-Notre Dame -21 over Maryland, Arizona State -11 over Washington State, Nevada -16 over Hawaii, Alabama -18 over Mississippi State, UCLA +7 over Utah (3 units), Idaho +21 over BYU, Cincinnati -3½ over West Virginia, Louisville -3 over Pittsburgh (3 units),Army +7½ over Rutgers, Missouri +1 over Texas (5 units), Clemson -17 over Wake Forest, USC -12 over Washington, Illinois +1 over Michigan, Colorado +11 over Arizona, Michigan State -3 over Iowa (4 units), Miami (Florida) +9 over Florida State (5 units), Auburn +13 over Georgia, Kansas State +5 over Texas A&M, Baylor -20 over Kansas (3 units.)

Go Gators!

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Saturday College Football Open Thread | 50 comments (50 topical)

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Quite a passionate exchange last (5.00 / 0) (#15)
by brodie on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 11:48:52 AM EST

night on Maher's show between JFK hater extraordinaire Andy Sullivan vs Chris Matthews, Maher and Rep Keith Ellison taking the pro-Kennedy position. Not sure what motivates people like Andy to espouse such false versions of history ("Kennedy was the most hawkish of hawks"), but it was refreshing to see Maher and Matthews in particular offer a spirited defense for Kennedy's eminently sane FP.

Now if I could somehow talk Chris down from his ridiculous MSM-friendly and false notions about Oswald and Dallas ...

I missed it (none / 0) (#18)
by Militarytracy on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 12:44:37 PM EST

I will have to watch the DVR.


: It's about 6 minutes (none / 0) (#21)
by brodie on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 01:07:27 PM EST

over at Mediaite.
Maher, Matthews and Ellison distinguish themselves on an important point of history. Sullivan was disgraceful as he distorted things to paint JFK as almost to the right of Gen LeMay. Then he fails to credit Kennedy for introducing the 1963 CR bill -- "but he wasn't leading! Only doing what he was forced to do!"

Yet another Repub "debate" tonite... (none / 0) (#24)
by desertswine on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 01:20:41 PM EST

This one is supposed to be devoted to foreign policy. It ought to be a real laffer, except maybe for Huntsman. I don't doubt that they will all agree to bomb Iran into the Stone Age.


Has the GOP explained why soooo many (none / 0) (#37)
by oculus on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 07:40:46 PM EST

debates?


: Simple explanation (5.00 / 1) (#38)
by rdandrea on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 07:52:07 PM EST

If they try often enough, they'll eventually get one right.

And now I'm supposed to give (5.00 / 0) (#30)
by Militarytracy on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 04:01:29 PM EST

one second of thought to Moody's threatening to downgrade Penn State? Really? No wonder our economic situations and reality is so royally phucked up right now.

: Oh, give me (5.00 / 2) (#31)
by Zorba on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 04:08:58 PM EST

a phucking break. Who gives a royal rat's patootie what Moody's thinks about Penn State? Or anything else, for that matter. They're in it for themselves. Period.

: If Moody's downgrades the BCS I might (5.00 / 2) (#33)
by caseyOR on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 05:28:13 PM EST

pay some attention.
Who looks to state universities to pump up an investment portfolio? I do not understand why Moody's is commenting at all on Penn State.
Why anyone with a lick of sense pays the least bit of attention to any of the ratings agencies is beyond me. Their credibility is nonexistent since their self-serving and despicable role in the morass that is the financial meltdown.

What do I know about football? Nothing. (none / 0) (#1)
by oculus on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 09:28:42 AM EST

But I wouldn't expect Penn State to play very well at all today. Coaching staff suddenly depleted. Campus in turmoil. Unless "win won for the Gipper" prevails.

And a bomb threat already this morn (5.00 / 1) (#2)
by Towanda on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 10:32:36 AM EST

-- but from what I've read, Nebraska is very nervous about having to come to the allegedly Happy Valley, owing to the horrifying behaviors of several thousand Penn State students this week.

Actually, with students targeting media, I would not want to be in the Penn State press box today.


Thought you'd point out my homonym! (none / 0) (#3)
by oculus on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 10:36:22 AM EST

: I read right over it (none / 0) (#6)
by CoralGables on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 10:54:36 AM EST

Obviously I'd make a poor copy editor. Perhaps by the end of the day we can say Penn State won one.

It'll be fine (none / 0) (#4)
by rdandrea on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 10:37:12 AM EST

You apparently missed THIS horrifying behavior last night.

The only craziness will be where the Westboro Baptist Church is picketing.


: No, I didn't miss seeing that (none / 0) (#11)
by Towanda on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 11:16:26 AM EST

nor the earlier event by a few dozen good kids.
Nor did I miss that Joe Paterno donated millions for a library.
That's all nice.

This will be the first time in (5.00 / 1) (#5)
by brodie on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 10:39:18 AM EST

decades of watching college football where I will be rooting for the Huskers.

I want a complete trouncing.

Then a complete housecleaning of the coaching staff at PSU. Though I'd prefer the NCAA step in -- most unlikely -- to issue a firm death penalty sanction.


Funny how that works (none / 0) (#7)
by CoralGables on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 11:02:25 AM EST

This will be the first time I ever pull for the players from Penn State.


I suppose but if it is about (none / 0) (#9)
by MKS on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 11:13:21 AM EST

how values have been skewed, would not a victory by Penn St. just validate the triumph of football over everything else?

Three and out for the Nittany Lions on first possession.....


: No (none / 0) (#13)
by rdandrea on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 11:18:43 AM EST

: The players at Penn State (none / 0) (#14)
by CoralGables on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 11:21:45 AM EST

had nothing to do with a possible coverup by the President, the AD, and the head of Campus Police at Penn State while these players were probably still in middle school.

Watching Penn St. Nebraska live (none / 0) (#8)
by MKS on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 11:07:23 AM EST

With the announcers etc., it seems to be all about how the football team can recover.....

No, it is not about football....or the team.

Penn St. should walk off the field and forfeit the game.

They shouldn't be playing this game...

Shame on them......


They are representatives of a system (5.00 / 2) (#42)
by MKS on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 09:01:30 PM EST

that failed.

Rather than get back to normal, another focus would have been appropriate.

The value system is upside down. It is not all about the players dealing with the adversity and diffculties of the molestation and firing of Paterno. It is a friggin' game and they will be fine. They hard a hard week? Really?

Those who are really dealing with adversity are the kids who were assaulted.

There has been enough of the self-worship, self aggrandizement, and self-conscious narcissism that is modern football, that it would have been better to place the emphasis on the victims.


: This is the first I'd heard Paterno's (none / 0) (#43)
by oculus on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 09:15:07 PM EST

son is on the coaching staff. Neither here nor there.

Nebraska passing the ball--WTF? (none / 0) (#10)
by MKS on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 11:14:34 AM EST

What have I missed? (none / 0) (#12)
by nycstray on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 11:17:13 AM EST

Why should the team pay for what their coach(es) did?


: An excellent question. (5.00 / 1) (#19)
by jimakaPPJ on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 12:46:25 PM EST

Why indeed.
Perhaps because the team doesn't represent the team but the school?
I mean if the team doesn't represent the school, then why is it called Penn State?
If the team doesn't represent the school, why can players be suspended and dismissed from school because of their actions either on or off the field? I mean, the school shouldn't care, right?
Some schools have actually lost their right to have a team because of the actions of team officials.

: Tell that to the NCAA -- (5.00 / 1) (#23)
by brodie on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 01:19:46 PM EST

they frequently punish the entire team/sports program for what one or two individuals -- players, coaches or administrators -- did wrong (which wrongdoing usually amounts to technical violations, non-criminal activity, of NCAA rules).
USC football recently is one example. In the 1980s SMU football was given the NCAA's "death penalty." All were punished for the actions of a few.

: football has become too important (none / 0) (#26)
by MKS on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 01:26:48 PM EST

No, the individual players are not responsbile but they are part of a team and a tradition that failed in this instance....
You could say why impose sanctions on USC for the actions of those who are no longer there......
My god, if we impose greater sanctions for recruiting violations than the abuse of kids....But then again imposing sanctions for recruiting violations is done to protect the integrity of the game to make sure all teams are playing by the rules....football is the center of ALL.

My ire today is for stupid media reports (none / 0) (#44)
by Towanda on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 09:45:33 PM EST

that are widespread, reporting that the students in the stands are so wonderful for their planned demonstration in support of the abused boys by wearing blue.

Now, I respect and applaud the students who have held candlelight vigils and the like to let the victims know that students care -- not those who rioted but the better sort of students -- and to create awareness of how to report cases in future.

However, the reporters are idiots. I mean, really, they never have witnessed the phenomenon of fans in a football stadium wearing school colors? They never noticed that the stands at Penn State games always are "a sea of blue"?

Well, if the reporters really never noticed that before, then let it be said that it is shameful of the media to not report that the Penn State team also wore blue today.


Actually (none / 0) (#45)
by CoralGables on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 09:56:33 PM EST

if I'm not mistaken, Penn State fans almost always wear white shirts at their football games.


Interesting. So t-shirt makers (none / 0) (#46)
by Towanda on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 10:00:53 PM EST

made a fortune, suddenly making all of those blue Penn State t-shirts (and sweatshirts and more) in only the last few days.

Or maybe not, as I saw a lot of students wearing such stuff in interviews and videos earlier this week. I'm going to go seek some previous game video to go see if I am being unfair. Thanks.


You're being extremely unfair. (none / 0) (#49)
by lilburro on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 11:34:13 PM EST

Not only did the students organize wearing blue to show their support, but all the proceeds from the shirts go to Prevent Child Abuse Pennsylvania.

I don't blame the students for their confused and angry reactions to this whole thing. They aren't on the top of the list of those let down by the people running the show, but they are on the list.


: Plus, as we so frequently read here, those (none / 0) (#50)
by oculus on Sun Nov 13, 2011 at 01:23:10 AM EST

undergrad brains are not fully matured yet.

: Read again: I'm not blaming students (none / 0) (#51)
by Towanda on Sun Nov 13, 2011 at 02:03:16 AM EST

I was criticizing media for focusing on that sort of superficial act when, as you say, some students are taking serious steps.
I think it's very good that students raised $22,000 for a good cause, so I read.
However, I hope that was only a preliminary total. They ought to have had more support than less than a quarter apiece from more than 100,000 fans at a football game, who probably spent more for beer afterward. So perhaps some of those donors of millions of dollars to Penn State's football program could pony up to support the students' effort to try to prevent further victims, too.

None of what happened (none / 0) (#16)
by TeresaInSnow2 on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 12:15:13 PM EST

is the players' fault.

It's so complicated. The management's actions are unforgiveable. But the players? the students? They had nothing to do with it.

I want them to win if they're going to win.

I say that, even while my nephew-in-law's brother plays for the Huskers (Qvale).


I think that Penn state is going to have (none / 0) (#17)
by Militarytracy on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 12:43:51 PM EST

a horrible day too. It will be interesting to see if we are correct. How much does emotional turmoil affect athletic abilities if you aren't BTD? I think BTD is like my husband, my husband's athletic skills sharpen when he has problems in other areas of his life. He decides he must go kick some a$$ on another field that he knows he stands a better chance of getting that done on. He goes and he does it, and he usually ends up getting in an argument with someone on the field too while he's whipping the other side. But then he comes home and he feels better, more able to deal with the other things then. I don't think most people are wired that way though.


Based on the first half (none / 0) (#20)
by rdandrea on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 12:47:58 PM EST

I'd say the players have maintained their poise. Much as in the first nine games, the defense is playing well and the offense sucks.

They've kept themselves close enough to still be in the game.


17-0 (none / 0) (#22)
by Zorba on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 01:14:44 PM EST

Nebraska, third quarter.


And now (none / 0) (#25)
by Zorba on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 01:22:28 PM EST

PSU has scored.


: Considering what they have all gone (5.00 / 0) (#29)
by Militarytracy on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 03:59:17 PM EST

through, they did well.

Occupy Homes (none / 0) (#27)
by Edger on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 01:56:39 PM EST

While city governments and police forces across America - hypocritically attempting to claim that they are part of the 99% while ordering Occupy protesters to remove their tents - are this week doing everything they can think of to shut down and evict local Occupy encampments, effectively saying they'll support the protestors as long as they sleep outside in the cold and the snow this winter, the Occupy movement itself has this week begun a campaign of supporting people whom banks are foreclosing on by occupying homes at risk of foreclosure when tenants enlist its support, beginning with Occupy Minnesota working with the Take Back the Land Movement: "a national network of organizations dedicated to elevating housing to the level of a human right and securing community control over land".

Amy Goodman of DemocracyNow.org talks here with Monique White, a Minneapolis resident who is facing foreclosure and recently requested the help of Occupy Minneapolis, joined by Nick Espinosa, an organizer with Occupy Minneapolis, and Max Rameau, a key organizer with Take Back the Land, who for the past five years has worked on direct actions that reclaim and occupy homes at risk of foreclosure.

Occupy Homes: New Coalition Links Homeowners, Activists in Direct Action to Halt Foreclosures

I don't even think the banks care (5.00 / 1) (#28)
by Militarytracy on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 03:57:00 PM EST

for the first 900 days. I'm beginning to wonder how much they are even going to care after that because of the lawsuits they are being smacked with when the securities fail now and fraudulent loans are obvious.

As long as that house is not officially foreclosed on now and resold, the new bookkeeping rules allow them to show that house as an asset on their books at its old inflated worth.


I would think that (none / 0) (#32)
by Edger on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 05:00:16 PM EST

any bank that keeps doing that is eventually going to crash. Reality will come home to occupy their balance sheets at some point.


: Sure (none / 0) (#47)
by Militarytracy on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 10:45:53 PM EST

But don't tread on my can that I'm kicking down the road is the nation's new motto.

Boise State (none / 0) (#34)
by CoralGables on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 05:59:57 PM EST

is a minute away from salvation of a poll plummet.

Salvation (none / 0) (#35)
by CoralGables on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 06:00:23 PM EST

"or" a poll plummet


Great last minute drive by Boise (none / 0) (#36)
by CoralGables on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 06:09:24 PM EST

then miss the 39 yd field goal on the last play and lose to TCU


Another one falls. Stanford defeated (none / 0) (#48)
by caseyOR on Sat Nov 12, 2011 at 11:25:26 PM EST

by the Oregon Ducks 53-30.

The field was a mess. Players slipping all over the place. Still, the Ducks persevered and, barring an unexpected win by Oregon State in the Civil War, will have home filed advantage in the inaugural Pac 12 championship game.

GO, DUCKS!


The one loss Ducks (none / 0) (#52)
by CoralGables on Sun Nov 13, 2011 at 09:12:04 AM EST

and their thumping of the Cardinal last night by putting up 53 on a sloppy field is a good example of just how good LSU might be this year.

If Oklahoma State loses to Oklahoma (and LSU survives Arkansas and Georgia), it may be setting up a controversial rematch between LSU and Alabama for the National Championship. (unless someone wants to make an argument for Houston)


: Bama had their shot... (none / 0) (#53)
by jeffinalabama on Sun Nov 13, 2011 at 07:37:52 PM EST

i'd like to see Houston or someone else. Bama doesn't have to play in the SEC Championship game... they need to go to the second best bowl should they win out, but they had their shot.