NFL Playoff Picture After Week 12

We start as usual in the AFC:

1. Tennessee, 2. Pittsburgh, 3. New York, 4. Denver, 5. Indianapolis(h2h w/ Bal & 6-3 conf), 6. Baltimore (6-3 conf) at 7-4

Tied for 6th: 7. New England (5-4 conf)

1 game back of 6th: 8. Miami (h2h w/ Buf) 9. Buffalo

3 games back of 6th: 10. San Diego (4-5 conf) 11. Cleveland (3-5 conf/h2h w/ Jax) 12. Jacksonville (h2h w/ Hou), 13. Houston

Planning for ‘09: 14. Oakland (3-8) 15. Cincinnati (1-9-1), 16. Kansas City (1-10)

And in the NFC:

1. New York, 2. Tampa, 3. Arizona, 4. Chicago (3-1 div record & 2-2 div for Min), 5. Carolina, 6. Washington (6-3 conf record for div tie & wrt Atl) at 7-4

Tied for 6th:  7. Atlanta (5-3 conf), 8. Dallas (5-4 conf)

1 game back of 6th: 9. Minnesota [tied for div lead] (h2h w/ NO), 10. New Orleans

1.5 games back of 6th: 11. Philadelphia

2 games back of 6th: 12. Green Bay

Planning for ‘09: 13. San Francisco (3-8) 14. Seattle (2-9 & h2h w/ StL) 15. St. Louis (2-9), 16. Detroit (0-11)

Ohio St Survives Falcon Scare

61-57 was the final score at ValuCity Arena this evening as the Falcons of Louis Orr battled the Buckeyes hard before flagging in the final few minutes.  Bowling Green wasn’t able to hit enough perimeter shots to really push the Buckeyes.  Still BG had a shot to tie it with 30 seconds remaining that went a glimmer and the Bucks were able to make their 4 foul shots down the stretch to hold BG off.

Dallas Lauderdale looks like he could be a beast in the paint for OSU.  To be sure, Delaware St. and BGSU are not as stern a test as he will face in conference play, but he is really coming into his own, especially as a human eraser on defense.  Also a strong night shooting for Jon Diebler as he grows more accustomed to the collegiate game.

I also thought it was a solid game for the Falcons.  Like I said above, if they could just hit some more perimeter shots, they would be looking real solid.  Fatigue probably factored into the poorer shooting late in the game, however.  I will also want to see more of an inside presence, but that should be more doable in most of their future games than it was tonight against a Big Ten foe.

Basically, tonight’s game leaves me with reason to be optimistic about both teams.

O-H!

Aye Ziggy Zoomba!

Time to Think Pardons

President Bush is now officially a lame duck with less than 2 months left in office.  Which is to say, let the pardon and clemency requests pour in!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/23/AR2008112302097.html?wpisrc=newsletter

I’m sure he’ll issue a couple pardons that infuriate the left.  Its a way a departing President can have a little fun at the last minute, and also save the behinds of some of his cronies.  Even did that on the West Wing when President Bartlett pardoned Toby Ziegler.  Will be interesting around January 19th to see what the actual list of names looks like.

Close Battle For 2nd in BCS

Newest numbers have just been released.  Alabama of course is #1, but Texas, Oklahoma, and Florida are in a very close battle for 2nd, in that order.  Florida is 4th despite being 2nd in both the Harris and USA Today human polls because they are 6th in the computers behind the other teams, and also behind Texas Tech and Utah.  Texas is actually 4th in both human polls, but its a close margin and they are doing a wonderful .960 (out of 1.000) in the computers, almost better than Alabama.  If teams avoid losing, this is going to be a very interesting battle to the wire.  Next week Oklahoma plays #12 Oklahoma St, Florida plays #20 Florida St. and Texas plays totally unranked Texas A&M.  If everyone wins I think Oklahoma will be higher ranked after next week, which would mean they win the Big XII South (assuming Texas Tech beats Baylor).  Of course, Florida would get a bump if they beat Alabama, but if whoever of Oklahoma and Texas wins the Big XII South and Florida beats Alabama, we could have a Red River Shootout Part II in Miami January 8th, though I suspect Florida would get enough of a bump to crash the party.  But how’s this for a crazy scenario: lets say whoever wins the Big XII South loses to Missouri, and Florida loses to Florida St before beating Alabama.  The NC could then be whoever didn’t win the South on tiebreakers and currently 5th ranked USC who won’t win the PAC 10 unless Oregon St loses to Oregon Saturday.  In other words, the championship game could actually be 2 teams that don’t technically win their own conference.

Also, to continue a thought I had last night wrt Ohio St’s bowl prospects, the Penn St getting to the national championship game seem a bit dimmed.  They are behind Utah and both teams are done playing games.  That having been said, it is a close margin; if it gets to where Penn St is close to the title game and Utah is what is in the way, look for human votes to shift in Joe Paterno’s favor.  Also, computers can turn based on what other teams do in their remaining games.  Basically, as per usual, there are only 2 weeks left but we still don’t know what the hell is gonna happen.

Athletes Finding A New Way to Get A Rise in Performance

Sorry, couldn’t resist that headline.  Seems there are concerns that the impotence medication Viagra could help aid athletic performance, particularly at altitude, by keeping blood vessels fully dilated, thus keeping the oxygen flowing to the muscles:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/23/sports/23viagra.html?th&emc=th

I wonder how good that stipend is that its worth it for those college kids in the study to put up with the teasing?

A Fine Mess

In the BCS once this Oklahoma beat down of Texas Tech goes final.  Alabama will be the only major conference undefeated team with a half dozen one loss teams behind them; half of them from the Big XII South.  Who gets ranked #2?  Does Oklahoma jump all of them off of this performance?  Does idle Texas make the simple move up of one spot?  Really, Florida probably only need be somewhere in the top 3, as they would move up if they beat Alabama in the SEC-C.  And, of course, there is the mess within the mess in the Big XII South.  If all 3 win their last game (Texas Tech plays Baylor, Texas plays Texas A&M, Oklahoma plays Oklahoma St) they would finish in a 3 way tie that would be decided in favor of the team ranked highest in the BCS standings.  That almost certainly would rule out Tech.  However, by far the most likely upset would be the Cowboys over the Sooners in Stillwater.  If that happens, Tech wins a head-to-head with Texas to play Missouri for the conference title.  Frankly, that is probably the Red Raiders only hope for even making the BCS, as I don’t see them getting an at-large bid over Texas or Oklahoma either.  As for Texas, they might need Tech to lose to Baylor so they can win a head-to-head tie with Oklahoma.  I think if the Sooners beat the Cowboys they’ll end up the highest ranked in this group.  In that scenario, Texas could win by losing.  Suppose Oklahoma loses to Missouri.  Someone will lose the Florida v Alabama game.  Texas could end up in the National Title game after missing the conference title game.  Scenarios abound. 

In other news, Oregon St got a FG on the last play of the game, after missing a PAT that would’ve tied it with about 4 minutes to go, to beat Arizona 19-17.  If they win the Civil War next week with Oregon, they go to the Rose Bowl and kick USC into the at-large pool.  Cincinnati is a win at home against Syracuse away from winning the Big East and going to a BCS bowl, most likely the Orange.  Florida St manhandled Maryland and North Carolina lost early this afternoon to NC St, so we have something less than clarity in the ACC.  No one knows what division anyone is in, and it doesn’t matter as they all have at least 3 losses anyhow.

BG Blows Battle With Buffalo, Loses In 2OT

40-34 was the final score at Doyt Perry Stadium.  BG led 21-0 and had a 27-7 early in the 4th quarter but allowed the Bulls to get 2 TDs in the last 3 minutes of regulation to tie the game.  Both teams scored 7 in the first overtime, but BG failed to score in the 2nd extra session and Buffalo hit the end zone for the winner.  It gives the Bulls the MAC East title and a trip to Ford Field to play the role of severe underdog in the Championship Game.  Loss means that BG will have to win the Toledo game to merely finish the season 6-6, a far cry from the higher hopes Falcon fans had entering the season.  Hell, if Pitt wins at Cincinnati tonight they claim the inside track to winning the Big East and a BCS bowl berth, and the Falcons started the season by beating the Panthers at Heinz Field.  I was there, I saw it, it happened.  I have no idea why this Falcons team was so inept at home; they lost to Minnesota (understandable as it turns out), Eastern Michigan, Miami, and Buffalo all at home, with Boise (very understandable) and Northern Illinois being the only road losses with the trip to the Glass Bowl remaining.  I hate to call for Gregg Brandon’s ouster, but 5-7 or 6-6 is an unacceptably mediocre record for this team.

Meet The New Treasury Secretary

Timothy Geithner:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/21/AR2008112102811.html?wpisrc=newsletter

If the worst knock against him is that he does not have gray hair, that’s not a bad thing.

Ohio State Wins The Game 42-7

It was a close battle for awhile as Michigan came to play on defense.  Except for a few good runs by Minor, however, the Wolverines continued their season long trend of having a stunning lack of offense.  I think the key sequence of the game was Michigan’s opening drive of the 2nd half stalling and Rich Rodriguez electing to punt rather than go for a 4th down.  The punt successfully pinned Ohio St back on their 9 yard line, but it took exactly 2 plays to cover those 91 yards, the Buckeyes were up 21-7, and from there the rout was on.  So Ohio State finishes the season 10-2 (7-1 [1-0]) and co-champs of the conference with Penn St.  The Nittany Lions get the BCS auto-bid based on their win in Columbus 4 weeks ago, so the Buckeyes will now spend the next 15 days watching various bowl scenarios play out.  As I see it, there are 3 different options:

1. Ohio St ends up at the Rose Bowl after all.  Its not likely that Penn St., who entered the week 8th in the BCS rankings, could end up in the national championship game.  But it is possible.  Keep in mind Ohio St was 7th entering this week a year ago and was #1 in the final rankings.  Its actually very simple.  Start with Oklahoma beating Texas Tech tonight, then the Sooners turn around and lose to Oklahoma State next week.  This would give the Red Raiders the Big XII South title, and they turn around and lose to Missouri in the conference title game.  Have Alabama lose the Iron Bowl to Auburn and Florida lose to Florida St, then the Gators beat ‘Bama in the SEC title game.  Then have at least 2 of 3 amongst USC losing to Notre Dame or UCLA, Texas losing to Texas A&M, and Utah either losing a game or 1 loss Penn St finishing ahead of the Utes in the final standings.  If that all happens, the Lions are in Miami and I assume the Rose Bowl people would pick the Buckeyes to replace them in Pasadena.

2. Ohio State gets a BCS at-large bid.  This is the most likely scenario, but it is not a given.  There are 4 at-large spots.  Right now Utah would be mandated an at-large spot, and even if they lost a game, Boise St could jump up and claim that mandate.  Ball St is also undefeated, but probably can’t climb up far enough to claim the mandate.  That leaves 3 spots for Ohio St to compete for.  They would be jostling for room with a 2nd team from the Big XII, and at least one of attractive Texas and Oklahoma figure to be in the at-large pool.  Also, whoever doesn’t win the SEC-C figures to be under prime consideration.  And, if Oregon St beats Arizona tonight and wins the Civil War next weekend, USC is in the at-large pool.  Now, Ohio St is very attractive to bowl people and might have a good shot at getting a bid over a perhaps more deserving team from another conference, but if one loss Texas (a non-champion that finishes in the top 4 in the final BCS standings would be mandated in), one loss USC (who beat the Buckeyes) and one loss Alabama are all on the list w/ a non-BCS conference team being penned in , the Bucks probably get left out.  Which would leave them at scenario #3:

3. The Capital One Bowl.  In Orlando against a top non-BCS bid SEC team New Years Day.  That’s the worst they can do.

More Correspondence from Congressman Charlie Wilson

Subjects today are Unemployment Benefit extension and bailing out Detroit:

Dear Friends,

I’m pleased that yesterday the Senate passed the House’s legislation extending unemployment insurance benefits for seven weeks and for 13 additional weeks in states with unemployment rates above 6 percent. The House had passed this legislation earlier in October. The President signed the bill into law this morning.

This means relief for more than 2 million workers who continue to search for new jobs in our increasingly difficult economy. 

Clearly more must be done. I stand ready to work with my fellow Members in Congress to do whatever it takes to stabilize and strengthen our economy. To that end, I will continue to voice my support for aiding the auto industry.

Earlier this week I joined 24 other Members of Congress and wrote to the leaders of the Senate and the House. We expressed our strong support for Congress and the Administration to assist the auto industry before the end of the year.

I know how important the auto industry is to Ohio. I’m very pleased that Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank has introduced a plan that would carve out part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program for loans to the auto industry. In exchange, the government would get an ownership stake in the companies. That’s good for the auto industry and good for taxpayers.

Along with the requirement for restructuring plans, including plans to build energy efficient vehicles using the most advanced technologies, the House legislation would:
• impose more restrictive limits on CEO and executive compensation than on other rescue funds, including a ban on golden parachutes,
• protect taxpayers by providing warrants to purchase stock so the government could earn a profit,
• ban dividend payments to shareholders over the life of the government loan,
• and require rigorous independent oversight. 

We can’t let the auto industry fail. Working families across Ohio and our country depend on it; our economy depends on it. I’m hopeful we take up this legislation in early December if the auto industry demonstrates that they have a plan to restructure. 

Charlie Wilson
Member of Congress
Ohio’s Sixth District

Sincerely,