NCAA F

Ten Piece Nuggets-NCAA Football

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

The used to be Monday, that turned into Tuesday NCAA football Ten Piece Nuggets, slid all the way to Hump Day this week.  The foray into all that is Daryl Morey occupied our eyes and ears yesterday.  That said, it’s never too early in the season, or late in the week, to worry about the dreaded winter weight gain.  To help you manage your weight, we deep fried just eight nuggets this morning.

  1. The weekly AP Top 25 is (has been) out.  And, frankly it’s boring.  Maybe this week, as we get into the conference schedules a bit deeper, will be the “oh wow, that happened” week.  Stop us if you heard this before, but Alabama and Clemson remain one and two.
  2. THE Ohio St moved into a tie with Georgia at #3.  THE beat up an average, then #25 and now unranked, Michigan St. team.   Why this was impressive is yet to be determined.   We suspect the Northern block of voters banded together to dot the letter “i” in Ohio St. much like the sousaphone player in the band does weekly.  Georgia beat Tennessee (doesn’t everyone these days?) by 29 and somehow lost a smidgeon of ground.  Maybe UGA the dog can dot the “i” as only he can in Georgia next time.
  3. Florida jumped three spots up to #7 with their “game of the week” win in The Swamp over a great D, and average O, Auburn team.  Florida has a “D” in their name and a “D” on the field.  Auburn turned it over several times.  If you are a Florida fan you can say that the Gators took it from them if you prefer.  Auburn’s Bo Nix joined a litany of freshman QB’s to go on the road in a big SEC contest and come away looking like the freshman they are.   Auburn has LSU and Georgia in the next three weeks.   Good luck.
  4. Florida has LSU this week in another swamp.  This one is in Baton Rouge.   College Game Day will airboat in for the contest.  LSU is favored by an eyebrow raising 13 points.  LSU’s offense in the last 13 years hasn’t averaged 13 points a game in SEC clashes it seems.  Joe Burrow, who now geauxs by Joe Burreaux, leads a Tiger offense that has scored an SEC all time record of 273 points after five games.  Lee Corso is sharpening his pencil and trying on Tiger gear.
  5. Wisconsin stands 5-0 and tall at number 8.  They have shut out opponents three times in five games this year.  Impressive even if those three opponents were not.   Junior RB Jonathan Taylor is averaging 7.2 yards a carry, and has 16 touchdowns in five games.  He wants one of the three chairs inside of the Downtown Athletic Club in NY in December.  Michigan St. tries to slow down the big red machine this weekend.  Good luck.
  6.  Who is the highest ranked one loss team?  It’s Notre Dame at #9.  They host USC under the watchful eye of Touchdown Jesus this weekend.  They are a win over the Trojans and a few upsets away from sneaking back into the short list conversation for the playoff four.  Ye have of little faith you say?  While conference teams beat up conference teams, ND only has one ranked team left on their schedule.  It’s Michigan next week in Ann Arbor.   Michigan’s record under Jim “Judge Judy” Harbaugh against ranked teams gives one little reason to believe that ND loses a verdict in another game this year.
  7. The PAC 12 continues, like Rodney Dangerfield, to get no respect.  Oregon is #13 and the highest ranked team from the conference.  Utah checks in at #15.  And, don’t look now, but the Arizona St Sun Devils moved up to #18.  Respect for the conference will need to be earned, not given.
  8. Wake Forest, Baylor, SMU, and Memphis might feel like they get no respect as well.  They are all undefeated and ranked anywhere from #19 to #23.  The Baylor Bears leaped 10 voting spots to jump in at #22.  It’s the first time they have been ranked since 2016.  Next week’s nuggets are free if you can guess the Baylor head coach?  It’s Matt Ruhle who left Temple after 2015 to guide the then disgraced Baylor program back after a disastrous on and off the field year.  On the field they went 1-11 that year.
  9. SMU, and coach Sonny Dykes are actually one spot ahead of Baylor at #21.  Dykes salary of $3.5 million and Rhule’s of $3 million are a combined $1 million less than Jimbo Fisher’s yearly haul from another Texas school.  A&M is ranked a bit below both at #24.  Bama makes a whistle stop in College Station this weekend.  If you were all aboard the Jimbo train when he was hired, you might want to see the Aggies slow down the Alabama “bang, bang choo choo train, come on Bama do your thing” Crimson Tide.  The Red Elephants are favored by 17.
  10.  Another savior anointed in Texas is/was Tom Herman.  His $5.75 million yearly takes on Lincoln Riley and his $4 million in the Red River Shootout.  Savior Herman’s team beat Riley’s Oklahoma Sooners last year.   And, the Tea Sippers went wild.   Vegas isn’t impressed.  The Sooners are installed as an 11 point favorite.  It seems like a lot of points to the BBR research/analytical/gambling department.

It’s always nice to get 10 when you were expecting 8 nuggets isn’t it?  You couldn’t help yourself.  We understand.  You were over served.  We know the feeling.

Abby Takes Down Vegas, Year Two, Week Six

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Psst.  You heard the one about the old dog and new tricks?  Don’t tell Abby.  She walked around the global headquarters of BBR last week with the hair standing straight up on her back.  She subscribes to the Vince Lombardi mantra, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”  And after last Saturday, Coach Lombardi, from high above is proud of Abby.  Her picks cashed on four of the five games.  Even better than that, the bones won were nine of the ten wagered!  Woof, woof!  Her hunch bet also pawed the paydirt.

For the season Abby is now 13 of 25 on the picks, and importantly 25 of 48 bones.  Her hunch bet is now four up and only two down.  That’s enough scratching of her back.  It’s time to get back to the work of the weekend ahead.

Tulane v. Army +3 — It’s Homecoming for the Cadets.  Abby’s barking about a straight up win.  Abby wonders if Tulane’s D can stop the Army’s ground attack?   Is the right team favored?  Two bones.

Texas v West Virginia +10 1/2 —  WVa is a much better team at home than the road.  She likes home dogs.  Might Texas be a tad bit sluggish on the East Coast coming off of a bye and looking ahead to the Red River Shootout v. Oklahoma next week?  Abby says the Horns pull this out of the fire late, something like 35-31.  Two bones.

Auburn v. Florida (over 49) —  Lee Corso can put on a Gator, War Eagle, Plainsman, or Tiger hat and all Abby will do is yawn.  This one is billed as a mighty defensive struggle.  Abby likes to zig when others zag.  One bone.

Vanderbilt v. Ole Miss -7 —  Ole Miss isn’t very good.  The cellar of the West Division of the SEC awaits.  Vandy is worse.  The cellar of the East Division of the SEC awaits.  It’s tough to wager too much on a bad team, but Abby is yapping loudly about the Black Bears.  Two bones.

Utah St. v. LSU (under 73) —  LSU’s new fangled offense is due for a pit stop somewhere on this record setting road, isn’t it?  Conversely, LSU’s defense is past due at the toll booth, isn’t it?  Abby might be chasing a parked car here.  But, with an 11 AM kickoff she’ll beat the rush hour.  Three Bones.

Abby mentioned last week that no one deserved to be a double digit dog in the PAC 12 v. anyone else in the PAC 12 except maybe Oregon St.  On a hunch take Stanford +16 at home v. Washington.  Abby is a big fan of The Tree for obvious reasons.

The uncharacteristically slow start to the season looked like it aged Abby almost one dog year.  No more.   The bounce is back in her stride.

Enjoy the games as the conference tilts are upon us.

Woof!

 

Ten Piece Nuggets-NCAA Football

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Flip the page on your calendar this AM.  October has arrived.  And, thankfully with it will come some Power Five NCAA in conference football games.  We’ve had far too few as there is an extra weekend built into the schedule. Week six is here.  We review week five with a Ten Piece Nuggets order to chew on below.

  1.  The new AP Top 25 is out.  Clemson’s near loss was Alabama’s gain.  Saturday the Tide rolled Ole Miss 59-31, and yesterday they rolled into the top spot in the latest poll.  Alabama has this coming weekend off before they roll into College Station next weekend.
  2.  It’s hard not to like Mack Brown directing his NC Tar Heel team to go for the win at the end of their 60 minute donnybrook with Clemson.  It’s hard to like the play that was called however.   Clemson escaped with a 21-20 win.  They haven’t been playing as well as some others early on.  Maybe this near loss and a drop to no. 2 will do them some good longer term this season.  They too are idle this weekend before Florida St comes calling next weekend.
  3.  Georgia was off Saturday and remained at #3.  Number four LSU was too.   However they dropped to #5 as the voters were impressed by THE Ohio State University taking all of the corn that they wanted back home from Nebraska.  They shucked the Cornhuskers 48-7.   You have to harvest before the first frost.  Nebraska’s Scott Frost has a long way to go to bring Lincoln back to relevance.
  4.  The rest of the top ten remained as it was except Notre Dame moved up one as Florida moved down one.  They are now ninth and tenth respectively.
  5.  Florida has a chance to erase that little drop and then some this weekend.   Lee Corso, his pencil complete with eraser, and the gang descend on The Swamp for ESPN’s College Gameday.  The Gators host Auburn in a #9 v. #7 showdown.   Both teams look very strong on defense.  Both teams are undefeated.  Something has to give.  It should be a rock ’em sock ’em afternoon in the heat and humidity.  Kickoff is set for a steamy 3:30 pm eastern.
  6.  There was a good bit of bouncing around in the lower half of the polls.  No one moved more than Arizona St. though.  A week removed from a disappointing home loss to Colorado, the Sun Devils went to Berkley and beat the Golden Bears.   Herm Edwards and crew entered the top 25 at #20 jumping from a previously voted counted #37 spot.  California was the last undefeated PAC 12 team.  The state of California signed into law a bill that allows NCAA players to be paid for using their image/likeness starting in 2023.  Maybe the PAC 12 will have a national contender again by then.
  7.  Virginia dropped from the unbeatens and slid five to #23 with their loss the the Fighting Irish.  The Texas A&M Aggies dropped to #25 even though they won.  The voters were underwhelmed by the year to date underwhelming Aggies as they held on late to beat a 23 point underhog (see what we did there?) by four.
  8. Who’s the second best team in the ACC?  Florida St.?  Miami?  Virginia?  How about Wake Forest?  The Demon Deacons are a very quiet 5-0.  They check in at #22.   The schedule stiffens from here.  But, for now they’ve beaten everyone in front of them to date including the pesky bunch of Carolinans from just up Tobacco Road.
  9. Say hello to SMU.  They are ranked for the first time since the football program received the death penalty for NCAA rules violations in 1987. The 5-0 Mustangs entered the poll at #24 after winning 48-21 at USF on Saturday. They’re off to the school’s best overall start since 1983, with three road wins under their belt including a then ranked TCU.  Under second-year coach Sonny Dykes, the Mustangs are playing their best ball since the Pony Express days of Eric Dickerson and Craig James.  Hey Cali, Texas was already paying it’s players way back then.
  10.  Some early lines are out.  That matchup of the week has Auburn a three point favorite in The Swamp over Florida.  Washington is a whopping 14 1/2 point road favorite over Stanford.  Texas travels east to West Virginia as an 11 point favorite.   The three home dogs and the points seems like a fun three team parlay.

The entire BBR staff is traveling to BR for an 11AM LSU v. Utah St. Saturday kickoff.  They will also be in that number to cover the Saints hosting the Buccaneers the next day.  The work never ends.

October is here.  Footballs are flying.

Abby Takes Down Vegas, Year Two, Week Five

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Abby promised to make money rain last week.  Unfortunately the “bad beat” gods rained on her instead.  Two games v the spread were lost by 1/2 point in her regular picks.  Her hunch bet had a dog house, back door late cover by 1/2 point as well.  Oh well.   For the season Abby has won 9 of 20 picks.  Her bone collection is buried in some backyard mud at 16 of 38.  Hunch bets have won three, and lost but two.

Week five features games almost as underwhelming as week three.  Only one top 25 matchup is on the card.  It’s # 10 ND hosting #18 Virginia.  Abby isn’t yapping about the choices, but she isn’t napping just yet either.  It’s time for this doggie to give the readers a treat, and to the picks we go.

Clemson v North Carolina +27 —  The Mack Brown miracle has been put on pause.  Clemson has hit its stride.  It’s a good spot for a back door cover to get even with last week’s beats.  One bone.

Iowa St. v Baylor +2 1/2 —  Abby loves home dogs.  She especially loves it when she thinks that the wrong team is favored.  Three bones.

Minn v Purdue + 1 1/2 —   Did we mention that Abby loves home dogs?  Did we mention that she especially loves it when she thinks that the wrong team is favored?  One bone.

Kansas St v Oklahoma St. – 4 —  Kansas St. has played better in year one without Bill Snyder than expected so far.  Oklahoma St. is smarting from a loss in a valiant effort v. Texas last week.  Abby says the Cowboys cover late in a lower than expected total score.  Three bones.

Penn St -6 v Maryland —  Before Abby heads in for her nap, she wants everyone to know that she thinks America is sleeping on the Nittany Lions.  Expect Maryland to be fired up at home, but expect Penn St to wear them out late.  Two bones.

Does any PAC 12 team deserved to be favored by 10 points over any other, Oregon St. aside?  Washington is favored by 10 over visiting USC.  The line seems out of bounds.  Hunch bets are made on outliers.  She thinks that Vegas is screaming at you to take USC.  She’ll take the Huskies, a favorite dog of hers to begin with.

Abby is a day early this week for logistical reasons.  It’s better than a day late.  And, her picks aren’t a dollar short.

Woof!

 

Abby Takes Down Vegas, Year 2, Week 3

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Abby urged caution last week, and a tricky week 2 in college football betting it was for all.  No bets are free unlike all of the promises of free she heard last night in Houston emanating from the ten Democratic Presidential Debate podiums where begging was very much in style.

Through two weeks Abby is a below average 4 games of 10 picked correctly.  More importantly she’s gathered 11 of 21 bones, just enough to balance the checkbook an have a gnaw too. Her hunch bet (Maryland -1.5) covered and then some.  To the picks we go.

Kansas St. @ Miss St. -7.5 —  Who is the loneliest person in Starkville?  The tooth fairy of course.  Let the cowbells ring.  This one won’t be close.  Three bones.

NC St. @ West Virginia +7 —  Is NC St. that good to be made a 7 point road favorite?  Is WVa that bad to be made a 7 point home dog?  One bone.

Maryland @ Temple +7 —  Maryland has scored 142 points in two games, good for the fourth highest point total in NCAA history.  The nation took notice.  We think they spent this week admiring the shine on their Terrapin shell.  One bone.

USC @ BYU +4 —  We aren’t sure that the correct team is favored here.  We thought about the money line.  Abby will settle for making money at plus 4.  One bone.

Florida -8 @ Kentucky —  Dan Mullen might be one of the most underrated Power 5 college coaches in America.  Florida’s D is quick to the ball and wraps up like a Gator death roll.  Kentucky’s QB is out and you don’t replace Josh Allen and Bennie Snell easily in Lexington.  Close, but the Gators cover late.  Two bones.

On a hunch Abby likes Arizona St. plus 15 and 1/2 to cover v. Michigan St.  The over/ under in the game is only 41 and 1/2.  It’s so low.  It’s so, so low.  On hunch #2 we’ll take under on a zig bet when others zag.

And, lastly we have an important announcement.  Abby is considering a run for President.  Her platform does not include free universal veterinarian care for pooches nor free meals for strays.  She has, however,  promised to fulfill her obligation to BBR throughout this football season.   Whew!

Woof!

Abby Takes Down Vegas, Year 2, Week 2

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Abby’s offseason wasn’t spent howling at the moon.  Her rigorous research began to pay off in week one.  While only two of five against the spread picks cashed her bones won were six while her bones lost were only four.  We’ll take 60% money all season long if we can get it.  Her hunch parlay bet split(lost), as the under covered and the over fell just shy.

College football picking isn’t easy.   The smart money in Vegas (called the Sharps) focuses on a narrow window of analytics and doesn’t stray (Abby doesn’t like strays either).

That’s why it’s important for her to risk various amounts (bones) to weight average the risk.  Remember one bone equals $11 risked to win $10.

She urges great caution every year in week two.  Over reactions to good or bad play in week one can feel like chasing parked cars come late Saturday night.

Wake Forest at Rice +20 — Rice isn’t a very good football team.   But, they are beginning to play a bit if D in downtown H town.  And, it’s hot in downtown H Town.  Very.  100 degrees hot is predicted at game time.  That’s why smart Owls only come out at night.  One bone.

UAB -8.5 at Akron —  A little bird is chirping in Abby’s ear about UAB being a smart money play all year.  Abby normally chases birds away, but she’s embracing this one.  Two bones.

Texas A&M +18 at Clemson — Betting against Clemson is indeed like a dog chasing the proverbial parked car.  Abby has a soft spot for Reveille, the A&M mascot, but won’t let puppy love interfere with money.  A&M is a legit dog.  Three bones.

BYU at Tennessee -3.5 —  One of Abby’s credos to live by is to “never kick a blue tick hound when he is down.”  This one falls squarely in the over reaction of week one category.  Tennessee looked like road kill in week one.  Three bones.

Miami -5 at North Carolina —  Dorian the Hurricane is pounding the North Carolina Outer Banks as Abby digs through these lines.  The Miami Hurricanes, if they can fix their woeful OL blocking, will do the same to the Tar Heels.  The sunshine was on Mack Brown for a week.  It’s raining now.  Two bones.

The line of Maryland -1.5 hosting Syracuse makes no doggone sense to us.   When it seems so odd Abby likes to play a hunch bet.  Take Maryland over a 21st ranked Orangeman team that might be looking ahead to hosting Clemson next week.

Enjoy the games and say a prayer for The Bahamas and for New Mexico St.  They go to Tuscaloosa, AL as a 56 point dog!  Woff!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

All Aboard in College Station

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

The NCAA college football season is rolling.   How about one more big hooray?  HOORAY!

Let’s conclude today with our favorite year long bets.  It’s season long win totals.  So far we have shared four of our selections on over or under the win totals.   A couple of reminders/refreshers on the bet are in order.  First, the team must play it’s entire schedule for a bet to actualize.  And, second, there is a different payout for under than over based on the action to that side of the bet.  Not often, but sometimes the actual win total will slide up or down (usually a half game) if the action is all on one side.

We’ll list the win total, both sides of the bet and it’s cost, make a selection in bold, and give you our thoughts on why we like that side of the bet.  After all our guess is as good better than most.  Our favorite pick follows after the drum roll provided by the historic Fightin’ Texas A&M Aggie Band.

Texas A&M (7 and 1/2 wins, over -120, under -110)

  • On the surface this choice might surprise.   After all, A&M probably has the hardest schedule in the nation.  They have road games at Clemson, Georgia, and LSU.  And, Alabama rolls in to College Station like a freight train as well.  Their entire schedule is here.
  • One tier down is Auburn, Mississippi St., and South Carolina.  The lower half SEC West foes Arkansas and Ole Miss complete the conference scheduling.
  • Texas St., Lamar, and UTSA out of conference are three very needed breathers interspersed on the fall death march.
  • Jimbo Fisher enters year two of his needed cultural remake of the Aggies.  Kellen Mond improved over the last half of last season.  Jimbo, the QB whisperer, continues to mold the Mo(u)nd of clay.
  • The offense will miss Jace Sternberger at tight end and Erik McCoy at center.  Both will play well on Sunday, not Saturday, this fall.  But the receiving corp is deep and talented.  The running backs are more than serviceable.  The offensive line will be just fine.
  • The defense loses five solid defenders from a tough to run on group.  But, still they return five starters.
  • Fisher’s first recruiting class ranked third nationally.  Expect significant contributions from there as the season unfolds.

After last year’s, last game, seven overtime win over LSU Fisher addressed the group.  He said, “this is the last time we’ll celebrate finishing second in the SEC West.”  The buy in on the sell in is nearly complete.

We expect A&M to upset one of Clemson, Georgia, Alabama,  or LSU.  They are good enough and coached top to bottom quite well.  We expect them to beat Auburn at home and run the table on the rest of the tough Western Division. South Carolina(east opponent #2) isn’t that good and the game is in Aggieland.

A&M will score early and often this year.  Their defense will surrender some early but gain steam late.

We see the Aggies as a 9-3 team best case, and 8-4 worst case.

Give us the over on the Jimbo train that pulled into CS a year ago.

Over and out!

P.S.  LSU’s win total is 8 and 1/2.  We cannot see them as worse than 9-3.  On a hunch (Abby would be so proud) bet take the Tigers at -125 on the over.

 

 

Lefty, Shorty, Nick, and Dabo. Legends All.

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Last evening Lefty and Shorty were all but ready to close the Gulf Station.   Rain was dropping from the heavens at an accelerating pace and cars were nowhere to be found. Lefty- Why do we stay open until midnight?  Shorty-So that you and I can discuss the National Championship Game.

Lefty sat to the left of Shorty.  Imagine that.  Shorty sat on the shorter of the two “halves” of the 55 gallon drum. Imagine that.  Each were cut down to size and retrofitted with a soft cushion top.

Lefty- Clemson really whupped up on Bama.  Is this the start of a new era?  Shorty- Overreaction.  Every week somebody or some team is the greatest ever.  Lefty- Yea, but isn’t this the beginning of the end for Saban and Bama?  Shorty- Overreaction.  Up until game time they were “the greatest ever.” Lefty-  Yea but they got whipped.  Shorty- They went 14-1.  They ran through everyone but Clemson.  Great year.

Lefty- Saban was out coached.  Shorty- Yes he was.  Lefty- Saban looked dumbfounded on the sideline.  Shorty- What does dumbfounded mean?  Lefty-  Look in the mirror much?  Shorty- Mirror?  Lefty- Never mind.  Wasn’t that fake field goal a bad call? Shorty- The only thing worse than the call was the execution.

Lefty- That Clemson quarterback is only a freshman.  He’ll only get better.  Shorty-  That’s what they said about Tua last year after the game.  This year he threw two picks, one for six.  It’s only one game.

Lefty- Saban is 68 and Swinney is only 49.  When Saban retires do you think Swinney will go to Bama?  He played there.  Shorty- No.  He’s created Bama to the east of Bama.  Lefty- Huh?  Shorty- He has created and cultivated a winning culture.  He has the recruiting rolling.  Clemson is investing.  His assistants are well paid.  He’ll get another well-earned raise.  Clemson today is all but Bama’s equal.  Lefty- It’s his alma mater.  Shorty- Why follow a legend somewhere else when you are a legend where you are?

Lefty- You mean, like us?  Shorty- Say what?  Lefty- No one pumps gas, changes oil, and fixes flats like we do.  Who would want to follow us?  Shorty- You’re a legend in your own mind. Goodnight.  Lefty- Just one more question.  What kind of name is Dabo?  Shorty- What kind of name is Lefty?  Lefty- What kind of name is Shorty?  Shorty- Be sure to lock up.

 

Ten Piece Nuggets-CFB

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

If you have a good start on better health resolutions for the new year of 2019, good for you.  If not, it’s always a good day to get started.  Below are ten healthy nuggets CFB style to invigorate your resolve even further.  Digest them as you please.

  1. Despite all of the November angst when the college football playoff selection committee divulges its weekly rankings, the cream inevitably rises to the top.   Playing the “what if” team X loses and team y beats team z sells beer commercial time on sports shows.  It does little else.  Alabama and Clemson’s body of work to this point have separated them, yet again, as college football’s finest.
  2. This will be the fourth consecutive meeting between the two schools in the playoffs.  It will be the third time in the final as Bama took out Clemson last year in the semis.   The two teams have lost seven games combined in the last four years.  Three of those losses come when facing each other.  Throw those out and the two are a combined 107-4 versus all other teams.  That’s a 96% win percentage.  Everyone else has been playing for third place. How long might this continue?
  3. Third place doesn’t matter too much unless you are a fan of one of a handful of teams who might want consolation bragging rights for the next few months.  Notre Dame and Oklahoma entered the playoffs ranked third and fourth respectively.  BBR thinks that it’s more that the music stopped and they had a chair to sit on than it was that they had separated themselves that much from teams ranked 5-8.
  4. Criticize ND all you want if you feel like they really weren’t a top four team.  But don’t shoot the Irish for their schedule.  Schedules are made years in advance.  I doubt anyone thought three or four years ago that Stanford, USC, Virginia Tech, and Florida St. would be collectively as down as they were in 2018.  Add wins over Pittsburgh, Michigan, Northwestern, and Syracuse and you have had the makings of a solid strength of schedule.  Their season opening win over Michigan looked better and better as Michigan piled up wins.  It quelled ND naysayers and got them on to the doorstep of the final four before the Wolverines imploded.
  5. Criticize Oklahoma all you want if you feel like they really weren’t a top four team.  But don’t shoot the Sooners for their offensive firepower.  Criticize them for their defense or lack thereof.  Oklahoma gave up 40 points or more in six games this year.  Six.  Serious contenders for championships are minimally above average in all three phases of the game and really good at two or more of them.  Oklahoma’s D doesn’t pass that test even though their offense passes all over everyone.
  6. Of the teams bunched in the 3-8 spots all were good, none were great.  THE Ohio St. looked listless three times, but lost only once.  It was, however, a shellacking by an average Purdue squad that got worked by Auburn during bowl week.  The aforementioned Michigan was worked by THE in the Big 10 showdown.   As Peach Bowl participants they enjoyed the festivities leading up to the game v. Florida.  Apparently they pulled the rip cord and decided not to participate in the game itself.  Florida finished strong, but hiccupped early.  UCF has a fun team that has no beef in the trenches to compete in real big boy football.  Georgia was on the short list for a while, but Bama set them back and Texas beat them soundly.  Texas closed strong.  But 4 L’s are 4 L’s.
  7. The power five conferences were bunched together in their collective bowl performances with no clear standouts or failures.
    1. 4-3 Big 12
    2. 5-4 Big Ten
    3. 6-5 SEC
    4. 5-5 ACC
    5. 3-4 PAC 12
  8.  BBR thinks that Wisconsin, Washington, and Miami were pretty big 2018 disappointments relative to their talent, their competition, their schedule, and therefore their final body of work.  We were quite surprised by Kentucky, Washington St, Cincinnati, and Utah St.
  9. It’s just about 230 days till the 2019 season kicks off.   Watch out for Texas, Florida, and Texas A&M next year.  If Herman, Mullen, and Fischer were a law firm they would be tough in a courtroom.
  10. Before the 2019 season kicks off, the 2018 season has just that one game left this coming Monday night.  Is another Bama v Clemson matchup good or bad for college football?  BBR thinks it is neither.  It just is what it is.  Enjoy the amazing talent and depth of same on display.  The NFL scouts do.
  11. (one leftover)  We say again that the targeting rule, interpretation, in-game review, penalty, and player suspension resulting from it is in need of serious review itself.  The NCAA can move like an overweight sloth at times.  We hope that this is not one of those times.

Enjoy the FBS Championship.  The turf in NoCal this time of the year is bad terrible.  Abby wagged her tail and barked Clemson 33-31 just so you know.

 

Remember to Say Thank You!

Posted on by thependulumswings staff

Did you just get an other ugly sweater?  Gift cards are so in, yet so thoughtless.  Could the mashed potatoes be served any colder?  Who invited him?  Alexa, enough already.

Yep, ’tis the season.  Perhaps some simple advice would serve us all well today.  Say ‘thank you.’  That’s it.  It’s simple.  Just say ‘thank you,’ and tomorrow morning you can wake up and realize that you don’t need to go through this for another 364 days.

Need inspiration do you?  Take a look at this 42 second video.  In it Coach Orgeron shows us all how to be nice when choosing otherwise is foremost on our minds.  Just say ‘thank you.’

Coach is so nice he says it twice!

Oh, and, Merry Christmas!