Why Does the BCS Have to Act So High School?

The start of the NCAA's men's basketball tournament - the billion dollar television property known as "March Madness" - with its 68-team field that includes universities like Wofford and Belmont, is the perfect opportunity to once again bring up the organization's hypocrisy when it comes to deciding a football champion. While the egalitarian basketball tournaments - what the heck, we can throw the women's side in here as well - are open to a variety of team's, the big and the small, the public and the private, the well-funded and the shoestring budgets, the domain of college football is a study in elitism.

The so-called Bowl Championship Series conferences (SEC, Big 10, Pac 10, Big 12, Big East and ACC...along with a special exemption for Notre Dame) call all of the shots in college football and if someone doesn't like it, they're more than happy to take their ball and go home. The conferences, all of whom make millions of dollars for their member schools with television contracts, like to be an exclusive club. A college football country club if you will. Working with the out-dated bowl system, which is fought for (justly in a lot of cases) by the local officials that are afraid of being shut out of the tourism money train, the NCAA has become a hostage to the big money football programs that make up those six conferences and Notre Dame.

In the football set-up, there are rules in place to minimize the number of teams from outside of the power conferences that have an opportunity to play in a big-money bowl game. Never mind the actual championship game. That is decided by a Byzantine formula that seems to factor in television ratings and bankrolls of boosters as much as it does anything involved in the playing of the sport. At most, there are two teams from outside of the major conferences that take part in the bowls that are designated as the BCS. (We'll save the complete waste of time that the series of lesser bowls have become over the years for a December post, while I'm watching the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.)

The argument that the NCAA trots out for doing things the way that they do, and not replacing it with the sort of playoff system that is used for college basketball is that it would be academically detrimental to the football players. The governing body, of course, has never explained why it's not detrimental to the studies of football players at every other level of college football, which do participate in a playoff, or why it's ok for the basketball teams to miss large chunks of classes during the month of March. So, while you're remembering back to last season, when a tiny school in Indianapolis named Butler almost upset ACC powerhouse Duke, take a moment to remember that you would never see that kind of story in college football.

Nor will you ever see something like this year's upset of traditional basketball power Louisville by Morehead State during the early rounds of the men's basketball tournament. The college football powers- that-be would have you believe that such a thing would be bad for business. Faced with the fact that such upsets actually enhance the public's interest in their men's basketball tournament, college football shrugs its shoulders and issues a collective, "Yeah, well that's basketball." Yes, it is basketball and I'll sit back and enjoy the bracket-busting little guys as they fight to play games for another two weeks. In the end, the schools with the marquee names and the big money will still, if history is any indication, come out on top in the end.

But no one can ever say that everyone didn't have a chance. Meanwhile, most of college football's 120 Division I Football Bowl Subdivision teams have already been eliminated from championship contention...and their season doesn't start for another five months. Time for the BCS to graduate from High School already!

Dr. Rick writes about moronic and high school behavior around the world. You can find his blog at http://www.ThatisSoHighSchool.com

How To Mount A Fish Finder

One of the most common jobs would be mounting marine electronics. Almost all boats have a fish finder installed or will have one installed at some point in their service life. Fish finders or other electronics like a GPS will come with the standard instructions for mounting and it's up to the individual to take care of it. The directions will usually emphasize mounting in the correct location and insuring all electrical connections are sound. Remember, as with anything electronic a fish finder or GPS is can be sensitive to electrical noise and routing wires and such should take this into consideration.

Now the actual installation, you are given screws to mount with and maybe a template. You have your drill ready and well, you're still hesitate to drill. I can't say that I blame you just remember you have one shot at getting the location correct or you'll be left with blank holes.

Drilling fiberglass is not hard to do and good prep work will make a big difference. A few words of advice here always go slow. The fiberglass on a boat hull will have gel coat and you can damage the finish if you're not careful. Also, it sometimes helps to place a piece of masking tape over the area to be drilled. If the gel coat attempts to chip from the edge the tape will act as a good barrier providing a clean edge. Always try to drill into the gel coat first but if you have to you can drill from the fiberglass side just understand that a risk of chipping is increased by drilling that direction. If drilling from the back side, always tape the finish to protect it.

Now all the holes are drilled and you are ready to mount. You've talked to a few people on what sealant to use but still are not sure. Based on my own experience most will use 3M 5200 which would be a huge mistake. That product is designed for a below the waterline application and extremely difficult to remove meaning it is intended to be permanent. Keep in mind it has strong adhesive properties and you'd literally be gluing the bracket to your boat. If you attempted to remove, you could possibly remove the finish causing a bigger problem. A good alternative would be a bedding compound or another marine sealant. Never use straight silicone to avoid future problems. If you ever need to reseal or mount something else adhesion to existing silicone surfaces is virtually impossible. I also understand that most boat owners will change out electronics over time so it is advisable to using something serviceable. Never use household caulking or other products even though they are cheaper. They will not survive for very long and are not designed for marine use.

Now as you insert the screws coat the screws themselves and only apply a small spot of sealant over the hole. It will not seal any better by using large amounts and will not look good either. The fiberglass should be the only surface to seal here so if you did not chip the gel coat finish too much you should be good. Tighten only enough to serve the purpose and allow sufficient time for the sealant to dry before using.

The last item for a successful installation is the hardware. Don't cut corners here thinking you can purchase cheaper hardware for the job. All hardware must be a suitable grade to withstand the environment. It is natural for boats to get wet so if using anything which water will damage it will surely fail. Stainless steel will be the best choice while brass is also resistant but does not work as well. If necessary, purchase extra hardware to insure your installation is done well.

So now the job is completed and your new fish finder is installed correctly. All the holes are sealed and drilled as required and the hardware is sufficient for the installation. It doesn't seem so scary and now a little more peace of mind to help you along. You can do it!

I prefer to purchase all my Boat Parts and Outboard Parts on the internet.

Where To Get A Custom Hard Hat?

A hard hat has been used to protect workers from impact of falling objects, debris, and electric shocks. Hard hats are used for a variety of purposes and ranges from the mining, construction industry, sports like baseball and even by defense personnel. The manufacturers design custom hard hats to meet the requirements of each industry and try and keep the costs low. A few companies even ask manufacturers to design the hard hats that have logos, particular colors etc. or accessories attached to the hard hat to serve better when on the job.

A number of accessories that are used quite commonly are ratchet style headgear, bracket adapters, Goggle Retainers, reflective decals, chin straps, etc. Each of these accessories improve the safety performance of the helmet and improves the workers protection when on the job. If a company is look to design custom hard hats for their employees there are plenty of places where they can be availed online. These offers are quite tempting, a few websites even have online wizard that allows the customizations to be made as per to the company requirements.

One website promotes manufacturing of custom hard hats in the shape of cowboy hats in various colors. All that needs to be done is go the order page, pick the hat style required, select the color, quantity and provide the artwork you want on the hard hat. Similarly another website offers hard hat prints that are also called the "freedom Series". They advertise these custom hard hat designs to be a way for hard hat wearers to show their patriotism. Each of the hard hats are have excellent finish and and meet the requirements of ANSI Z89.1 2003 for a Class E helmet (Type 1).

Each of the custom hard hat manufacturers have years of experience in designing hard hats which meet the MSA safety specifications. The most popular custom hard hats which are ordered online are ratchet suspension, squeeze and slide lock suspension, vented with ratchet suspension, full brim hard hat along with ratchet suspension and blank hard hats.

An advantage of getting a custom hard hat ordered online is that they once the payments are made they are delivered within 5 working days. Since worker safety if the priority of the company when making custom hard hats, its better important to ensure that the customizations do not affect the performance. At times, workers are known to use self-adhesive stickers, prints on the skull of the hard hat without considering the fact that they would be sacrificing on their safety. It is important to remember that when making a custom hard hat always consult with the experts or the manufacturers.

Are you looking to buy a hard hat or just looking for more information on hard hats going to this site will give you a better idea on which hard hat is the best suited for your job at hand More information on Custom Hard Hat [http://www.yhardhats.com/Custom-Hard-Hat/Custom-Hard-Hat.php]

College Division 2 Football - Great Opportunities For You to Play College Football

Have you given any consideration to playing college division 2 football? If not, you should! Thousands of high school football players from around the country, perhaps even the world, are competing for scholarships and playing opportunities at the next level. Pursuing opportunities at the division 2 level can give an opportunity to step out from he crowd and be noticed.

Everyone Wants To Play Division 1

It's no secret to you or anyone else that most (99%) of all high school football players want to go on and play division 1 football. Everyone wants to play for Florida, Alabama, USC, Texas, or any of the other elite schools. However, not everyone has what it takes to be recruited by these schools or even a D1 school at all. That is why you should give some serious consideration to playing college division 2 football.

Highly Skilled

If you have ever go the chance to get out and see college division 2 football, I don't have to tell you that it is high competitive and the athletes are super talented. In fact, many of the players at this level are just as talented and skilled as D1 players, but they may not have had the necessary height and weight needed to play at the highest level.

Scholarships Still Available

One of the best things about playing college division 2 football is that you can still get scholarship money to play. Unlike Division 3 football, these schools can still offer you scholarship money to come and play for them. You don't have to play at the Division 1 level to get a scholarship, you can get help at Division 2 schools also.

Limited Recruiting Budgets

One of the biggest differences between Division 1 and Division 2 schools is the coaches recruiting budgets. The coaches at the D2 level can't afford to fly around the country recruiting players like the big boys can. Therefore, these coaches rely more on word of mouth recruiting and even players contacting them about playing opportunities.

Summary

If you are not currently being recruited by the bigger schools, yet you know you have what it takes to play college football, you should consider the opportunities you can find in college division 2 football. Develop a list of these schools and start making contact with these coaches right away. If you have what it takes to play at their level, many of these coaches will be glad to hear from you.

Learn more about how to get on the path to playing football in college, download our Free Report: Five Secrets You Must Know To Get Recruited For Athletic Scholarships.

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pretty much what the title says

Chicago Sports - What's Next? A Guide to Upcoming Events

Now that the big game is upon us, what comes next for Chicago fans? We will watch the Packers and Steelers battle it out for the Lombardi trophy, laugh at some funny commercials and scorn distastefully at others. We will frown each time the announcers mention Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears, and run to check our football squares to get away from it. On our way back to the TV we will grab a bowl full of chili, an appetizer, and our favorite beer. Once it's all over what do we have to look forward to?

Chicago Bulls

Derrick Rose leads the Bulls on a playoff run with expectations higher than they have been since the Jordan years. Noah returns to action soon, and the Bulls will work on getting that chemistry going deep into the playoffs. Here are some key dates to take a look at.

Sunday 2/20 - Derrick Rose All-Star Game Starter
Thursday 2/24 - A healthy Miami comes to Chicago
Thursday 2/24 - NBA Trade Deadline 2 p.m. CT
Friday 3/11 - 1st game of back to back vs. Atlanta
Saturday 3/12 - 2nd game of back to back vs. Utah
Thursday 4/7Boston - possible #1 or #2 seed on the line
Friday 4/15 - Playoffs begin - matchups TBD

NCAA Tournament

Everyone's favorite gambling event of the year. Get your brackets in on March 16th and don't be late!

Tuesday 3/15 - Play in Games
Thursday 3/17 - St. Paddy's Day - The real NCAA action beings
Saturday 4/2 - Final Four begins Monday 4/4 - Championship Game

MLB

The new season will be upon us sooner than we'll know it. Can the Cubs over achieve? Can Matt Garza be a true #1 starter? Will the White Sox live up to their new found power, Mr. Dunn? Who is going to close for the White Sox? All these are questions we can't wait to find out the answers to.

Sunday 2/27 - Cubs Spring Training Opener
Monday 2/28 - White Sox Spring Training Opener
Friday 4/1 - Cubs Home Opener/Opening Day White Sox
Thursday 4/7 - White Sox Home Opener

Chicago Blackhawks

As of February 6th, the Blackhawks are 11th in the Western Conference. 2 points behind Los Angeles for the 8th seed, and 1 point behind Minnesota and Calgary. The Hawks will have to step it up to make a run for the playoffs. Here are some upcoming games that could really make a difference. Mark these down as must wins as they make their playoff push.

Monday 2/7 - Calgary Flames - 1pt up on Hawks
Saturday 2/12 - Phoenix Coyotes- 3pts up on Hawks
Wednesday 2/16 - Minnesota Wild - 1 pt up on Hawks
Sunday 2/27 - Phoenix Coyotes - 3pts up on Hawks
Monday 2/28 - Minnesota Wild - 1pt up on Hawks

NFL

The ongoing story to watch will be the NFL negotiations with the players union. I am extremely interested to see how they structure the rookie salaries for 2011 and beyond. This should be a big help to teams trying to get out of the basement. I think the Detroit Lions would agree. A rookie wage scale would also increase profits across the league instantly.

Friday 3/4 - Collective Bargaining Agreement Expires
Thursday 4/28 - 1st Round of 2011 NFL Draft

The NFL draft is the most entertaining of all the professional sports drafts. Teams can make a huge impact on their team by drafting well. The Bears have not drafted well in the past, but this season I expect them to be more offensive minded. If there Bears learned anything this year it is that they need some weapons and protection for Jay Cutler.

Copyright (c) 2011 Ryan Hagensee

Ryan Hagensee is the owner of http://www.sportsfanchicago.com and is an advocate for the Chicago sports fans. He writes specifically about Chicago sports teams and the issues they are facing. The main focuses are the Chicago Bulls, Blackhawks, Bears, Cubs, and White Sox. Sports fans are also allowed to comment on articles and start new discussions.

2008 Major League Soccer Playoff Predictions

Ah, nothing like the start of a season to make wildly premature predictions. However, qualms must be set aside and 2008 Major League Soccer playoff predictions must be made.

When it's all said and done, I predict that the 8 playoff teams will be split evenly between the Western and Eastern Conferences.

The Chicago Fire, DC United, New England Revolution, and the Columbus Crew will represent the Eastern Conference.

Meanwhile the Western Conference playoff teams will be the LA Galaxy, Houston Dynamo, Chivas USA, and the Colorado Rapids.

In the aggregate first round of the Eastern Conference bracket, New England will knock off the Columbus Crew and DC United will wallop the Chicago Fire. The DC United/Chicago Fire games will feature DC United finally snapping its playoff ineptitude and Blanco setting new unbreakable records for complaining to officials.

Finally, New England will top DC United 1-0 on an eyes-closed 40-yard half volley from Taylor Twellman in the last minute of injury time to advance to the MLS Cup.

In the aggregate first round of the Western Conference bracket, the LA Galaxy will destroy the Colorado Rapids and the Houston Dynamo will slip past Chivas USA in the most entertaining games of the first round.

The Western Conference final will culminate in a 2-2 overtime game featuring Houston bombarding the leaky LA Galaxy defense for 120 minutes, while Landon Donovan shows up for the entire game and creates opportunity after opportunity. Finally Dwayne De Rosario rockets an upper corner blast to break the deadlock, launching Houston into it's 3rd straight MLS Cup matchup against New England.

The MLS Cup, then, is nothing new, as Houston and the Revolution square off. This time, however, there is little drama in New England's continued drought as Houston pounds New England 4-0.

Dwayne de Rosario is crowned the Cup MVP and threatens to melt every hockey rink in Canada if Canada doesn't qualify for the 2010 World Cup.

Let's get the MLS season started! It's going to be the most exciting one to date...and with the upcoming expansion, it's only going to get better.

Disagree? Want to share your valuable thoughts? Feel free to join the discussion on the www.spotlightsoccer.com forums.

http://www.spotlightsoccer.com

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An Easy And Elegant Way To Add A Touch Of Class To A Room

The way we design the interior of our homes is very personal to us but more and more in today's society people's homes seem to resemble something straight out of an interior design magazine with no unique features.

Achieving a unique and distinguished look in your home your home today is quite difficult as most furnishings are mass produced, clean cut and run of the mill. So how can you make the difference to your home without spending a fortune?

An antique wall clock is a distinguished piece of furniture that will add character to any room. The real beauty with antique wall clocks is they all look as though they have a different story to tell, this adds a wonderful edge to any room.

With an extremely beautiful finish, it is made to coordinate with your home decor. Accentuate your home with this large wall clock featuring an old timer brass end and a black face it is sure to be a timeless treasure. Those dealing with smaller keep arrangements surely turn their attention to their furniture and what they can opt to best optimize their place. Classic style solid wood regulator with courtly top moulding. Rounded front case with front battery panel memory access. Consumers are once again discovering that alizarin is not haphazardly chosen excogitation elements that are completely functional in nature. When it comes to clocks, old geezer is not always best.

Passe brass refinement wall clock with uncovered weights and pendulum is a wonderful addition to the home, neighbours and family will stand in admiration. The slate tessellated bound and antiquate face with black hands add an elusive style to your home. Decorative wall clock features time of origin wrought iron bezel and unparalleled wall hanging iron mountain range.

Some reproduction wall clock models use batteries, while others call for occasional winding, thus reducing bombardment costs. Willful what customers are looking for will set pin clover apart from commons passe pin clover and draw loyal clients. Elegant carmine finished regulator style wall clock made with prize hardwoods and veneers featuring a swan neck pediment and off finial. Grandfather antique wall clocks perfective for home interior decoration will be the item to show off at parties. These handsome clock also features a thermometer and hygrometer to amount flow temperature and humidity as well as circular napped brass pendulum is antiqued and framed with wooden, receded grilles. Clock making is a long held tradition in this country and the names of particular clock makers are synonymous with quality, artisanship, and staying magnate.

Those dealing with littler keep arrangements certainly turn their attention to their furniture and what they can pick out to best optimize their walls space. Find values for your grandfather clock [http://www.novelty-wall-clocks.com/The_News/Grandfather_clock/Grandfather_clock], mantelpiece or wall clock before you offer up to sell the wonderful piece, you may regret selling it for too little. Accent your home with this large wall clock featuring a passe brass terminate and a black face it is sure to be a timeless treasure. Of course, part of this unconscious process for those who live away at train is the exploration of our own blank space. But this durability does not mean that outdoor wall pin grass sacrifice vogue.

Thanks to a stylish finish, this clock coordinates well with most decorating style, the biggest problem is showing it off in a place where it will be appreciated. Its spiritualist tone terminates and slightly worn face will blend into any location. There is a plethora of wall mounted pin grass out there with pictures of dogs and cats to raise you're timekeeping. Circular brushed brass pendulum is antiqued and framed with wooden, reeded grilles. This wall alizarin unremarkable does not have an alarm feature, but this is available on some other types of reproduction alizarin. Unparalleled and versatile, this beautiful weatherproof clock can be used inside or outdoors. Versatile styles and finishes blending and complimenting any interior decoration. So don't dismay if you're struggling to make that room look like a class establishment, the addition of an antique wall clock will resolve any issues you may of had.

I try to pass on my musings on life and experiences in a way that people may find interesting to read.

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You may not always agree with my writings but I hope to inform.

Harwood E Woodpecker

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2010-2011 NFL Playoff Predictions

These are the Playoff Predictions, As of September 6th 2010

Manny Ramirez Suspension - How Much Did it Really Cost Him?

By now you probably heard that Manny Ramirez, the super star outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, was suspended 50 games for illegal drug use. He becomes another baseball star that is a willing participant in the steroids era.  

He is suspended without pay. This costs him $7.6 million in salary or $152,000 per game.     

What Did the Suspension Really Cost Him? 

It is not just the $7.6 million, he lost in wages, but also what he could have earned on the $7.6 million, had he been able to invest it.  This missed opportunity to invest his money often referred to as Lost Opportunity Cost.   

Manny is probably in the 40% tax bracket. This bracket includes federal, state, and local income taxes. It could be higher, but for calculation purposes, we will use 40%. His take home pay is about $4.6 million or $92,000 per game. He probably doesn't need this money for his basic living expenses. Most of the money could have been used for savings or investment.  

The $4.6 million invested at 5% in a tax free environment would have yielded, over the next 25 years about $15.5 million. This is $310,000 per game not $152,000 per game as originally reported.    Manny is 36 years old. The current life expectancy for a person that age is another 48 years. The cost of the suspension, over his lifetime, when factoring in Lost Opportunity Cost, is a whopping $47.8 million or $956,000 per game.  

Do the numbers on Michael Vick if you think a 50 game suspension is costly. He is the former quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons who was suspended from football, and jailed for sponsoring illegal dog fighting. It is reported he lost over $100 million in salary and endorsements. This is not including the missed opportunity to invest or Lost Opportunity Cost. This $100 million could easily be close to $1 billion when you start looking at the true cost.  

The Lesson  

These bonehead decisions by these star athletes carry huge costs. The costs are not only monetary.   Their reputation and more importantly the perception as pillars of the community and role models will forever be tainted.

Terrance J. O'Brien, President

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Football: One Of America's Favorite Pastimes

Few sports have enthralled the nation as much as football. It is considered one of the most popular pastimes of this age. It is a great time for a guy to hang out with his buddies, drink a few beers, and enjoy watching a nice, manly sport. Many people like to choose a certain team to root for during the whole season. It gives a great sense of camaraderie - after all, there are thousands of people rooting for the same team as you.

Within the larger group of football fans, people who enjoy the sport are divided into subcategories. First, there are people who enjoy the NFL games. These are the most professional leagues, with the players who are selectively picked out of literally thousands. There are also people who prefer to watch college football. Both are exciting to watch. Which one you prefer depends on your background. For example, if you were involved with sports in your college, you will most likely be inclined to want to watch your former team compete.

At the beginning of the NFL football season, all of the teams are placed into a competition bracket. Every week, each team is paired up with another and they face off. The wins and losses are recorded, until the season progresses into the finals. The victorious teams who emerge from the finals compete together in the Super Bowl, the most highly anticipated gaming event of the year.

This is a very basic rundown of the fan following behind the sport. Football is a fun experience, whether you attend the games or just sit at home with your friends. It's an intense game, with lots of action. It has become one of the nation's favorite pastimes, and there is a good reason for it. So if you haven't been interested before, you should sit down and watch a game. You may find you enjoy it quite a bit.

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NFL Football - Conditioning to Greatness and Other Tips of the Trade

Conditioning: Quick step crossing

Conditioning in football is meant to help you react quickly on the field moving in a variety of directions. This drill will help players quickly change directions on the field. It starts by placing players in a small four square box. Once a players positions themselves in one of the corners they will proceed to jump from one corner of the area to other in either a patterned function or randomly. Some of the variations can be on legged; either right or left, or changing the order those players will perform the drill.

Conditioning Drill: Up Downs

The popular conditioning drill known as "up downs" is a very effective way to increase cardiovascular activity and endurance. This drill starts by having the players run in place as fast as they can encourage them to get their knees up as high as they can. At the coaches signal the players will drop to the ground and do a push up, and then quickly get back up and start running again. This drill is an excellent workout and should be worked in slowly at first and then increased in intensity and length over time.

Dehydration is an enemy to football success

Drinking plenty of water is all it takes to prevent dehydration, and thus should be an important part of football practices. Every player should have a water bottle close so that they can take quick water breaks or at least a swallow here and there. Times have changed and coaches these days should be aware of hydration needs and not use water as a reward, or withhold it as a punishment. These safe practices will help keep players energized and healthy.

Practicing the Hand off

Running backs should constantly practice the hand off. One great hand off drill starts by having two separate lines of players facing each other: line A and line B. A player leaves line A with the football and runs at line B. In sync with that first player, a second player leaves line B, when they meet player A passes to player B. At the point of the hand off another player leaves line A and runs towards player B, who hands off the ball to the new player. This drill should perform in a seamless motion. This is a great drill to help running backs practice hand offs, and should be run every day.

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Minnesota Vikings 2010 Strength of Schedule, Futures Odds and Betting Picks

In a perfect world, I wouldn't write an analysis or give my overview of the 2010 Minnesota Vikings schedule until late August, which is probably when Brett Favre makes his return "official" - with LeBron James finally deciding his NBA future, now it's Favre's "will he or won't he" that probably dominates the sports headlines for a while. But we all know he's playing this year because he already has had ankle surgery that he wouldn't have needed if he wasn't going to play football. And he's also out throwing to high schoolers in Mississippi.

Of course, last season the Vikings won the NFC North at 12-4 and advanced to the NFC Championship Game, losing when the Saints picked off Favre in the waning moments of the fourth quarter of a tie game, won the coin toss in overtime and then drove right down for a winning field goal - leading to an overtime rule change for the postseason. Most people would agree that Minnesota outplayed New Orleans in the Saints' house.

Pretty much every key piece will return to Minnesota, as the team got great legal news in June when a Minnesota judge made a ruling in the StarCaps case that essentially assures that Pat and Kevin Williams won't have to serve their four-game suspensions this season. Those two are the biggest reason that the Vikings have been so good against the run in recent years, with the team ranking No. 2 in rush defense in 2009 at 87.1 yards per game.

Minnesota will have to replace Chester Taylor as Adrian Peterson's backup, but it looks like the Vikes are content with Stanford rookie Toby Gerhart handling that job. There is a bit of concern over a lingering hip injury to WR Sidney Rice, who had a breakthrough year with 83 receptions for 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns in 2009. Rice's agent says he doesn't anticipate that his client will need surgery and should be ready for the opener.

The Vikings have won two more games than the previous season each year since 2006. Will it happen again? Let's take a look at the Minnesota Vikings schedule:

Week 1: Thursday, Sep. 9, at New Orleans, 8:30 PM

Week 2: Sunday, Sep. 19, Miami, 1:00 PM

Week 3: Sunday, Sep. 26, Detroit, 1:00 PM

Week 4: BYE

Week 5: Monday, Oct. 11, at NY Jets, 8:30 PM

Week 6: Sunday, Oct. 17, Dallas, 4:15 PM

Week 7: Sunday, Oct. 24, at Green Bay, 8:20 PM

Week 8: Sunday, Oct. 31, at New England, 4:15 PM

Week 9: Sunday, Nov. 7, Arizona, 1:00 PM

Week 10: Sunday, Nov. 14, at Chicago, 1:00 PM

Week 11: Sunday, Nov. 21, Green Bay, 1:00 PM

Week 12: Sunday, Nov. 28, at Washington, 1:00 PM

Week 13: Sunday, Dec. 5, Buffalo, 1:00 PM

Week 14: Sunday, Dec. 12, NY Giants, 1:00 PM

Week 15: Monday, Dec. 20, Chicago, 8:30 PM

Week 16: Sunday, Dec. 26, at Philadelphia, 1:00 PM

Week 17: Sunday, Jan. 2, at Detroit, 1:00 PM

This schedule ranks 14th in the NFL spreads in terms of opponents' 2009 winning percentage (129-107,.504). There are eight games against seven playoff teams from last year (two vs. Green Bay).

Think Favre will be fired up for that opener back in New Orleans after his mistake in the conference title game? I'd call that game a toss-up, but you have to like the Saints at home as they celebrate the Super Bowl title and raise a banner. New Orleans is a 4-point favorite on BetUS.

We are looking at the football betting lines and expect Minnesota to be at worst 2-1 heading into a Week 4 bye that no team would want that early. And arguably the crucial stretch of the season starts right out of the bye with five consecutive games against 2009 playoff teams, including the New York Jets, Green Bay and New England on the road. That looks like 2-3 at best.

Then you have the Bears, who certainly could be a playoff team this year. And the Bears beat the Vikings 36-30 in OT in Chicago last season. Minnesota probably can expect a 2-1 stretch before returning home for a rare three-game homestand (although it's the second year in a row team has had one). The Vikes will be favored in each of those. Minnesota has also won its last nine regular season home games since 2008 and has a.719 winning percentage at home in the last 12 seasons.

The weather certainly could be a big factor in Philly before the Vikes get to return to the creature comforts in a dome with what should be a win against Detroit. BetUS has this team's win total set at 9.5. I think the Vikings get to 10-6 as long as they don't lose more than one home game. The NFL Power Rankings show Minnesota at +650 to win the NFC and while I think they certainly have a shot to get back to the conference title game, I don't expect it.

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Update Post: Aug 25, 2011 19:48:15

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Update Post: Aug 22, 2011 14:09:26

2010 North Texas Football Predictions

North Texas heads into the 2010 season off another poor performance, as the Mean Green went just 1-7 in the Sun Belt Conference and 2-7 overall. The Mean Green has now won just five games the past three seasons, but are hoping that all that will change in 2010, as they have 17 starters back from the 2009 season. To help get you up to date on what the Mean Green will look like this season, here is a quick breakdown of what North Texas will send to the field on both sides of the ball, plus my thoughts on where they finish the season in the Sun Belt Conference.

Offense:

North Texas will be forced to make a change at the quarterback position this season, as 2009 starter Riley Dodge is making the switch to wide receiver this season. With Dodge out of the picture at quarterback, the Mean Green will likely turn to sophomore Derek Thompson, who impressed in the one drive he got to play last season. Dodge was definitely more mobile than Thompson, so don't expect Thompson to match the 463 yards and five scores Dodge posted a year ago in the running game.

Speaking of the ground attack, the Mean Green return one of the top running backs in the conference in junior Lance Dunbar. In 2009 Dunbar finished second in the Sun Belt with 1,378 yards and was a scoring machine taking the ball into the endzone 17 times. Dunbar only figures to get better this season, and I could see him improving on his solid numbers from last year.

With Dodge added to the mix at wide receiver, the Mean Green should have a pretty well rounded group in the passing game, as they return 2009 top threat Jamaal Jackson, who led the Mean Green with 71 catches for 701 yards and six scores. North Texas also gets back two more starters at wide receiver in junior Tyler Stradford and senior Michael Outlaw.

A big reason I believe Dunbar is going to get even better this season, is the fact that the Mean Green have four starters back on the offensive line, as they only change they have to make is at right guard, where sophomore Coleman Fooley is expected to find his way into the starting lineup. If this unit improves as it should, the Mean Green could make some huge strides on this side of the ball in 2010.

Defense:

With eight starters back on the defensive side of the football, the Mean Green figure to make some big improvements on this side of the ball as well. Last year the Mean Green had nine starters back and allowed 12 less points a game, and with many of the same players back, I think that number could drop even more this season.

Up front the Mean Green return two massive bodies at defensive tackle in seniors Kelvin Jackson and Shavod Atkinson, both of which figure to come into the season over 300 lbs. At defensive end the Mean Green get back junior Brandon Robertson, who led the Mean Green with six sacks last year. Sophomore Kenechukwu Obi will more than likely step in at the other defensive end spot, and I think he is going to make this unit one of the best the Sun Belt has to offer.

Senior outside linebacker Craig Robinson returns after a very impressive 2009 season, leading the Mean Green with 107 tackles, and is projected to be one of the top outside linebackers in the conference this season. The Mean Green also have a pretty solid middle linebacker in senior AJ Penson, and will add another young player on the outside in sophomore Jeremy Phillips, who racked up 37 tackles in three starts as a red-shirt freshman.

The Mean Green also figure to be strong in the defensive backfield this season, as they return the starting safety duo of senior strong safety Ira Smith and junior free safety DaWaylon Cook, and also get back a pretty solid corner in junior Royce Hill. The only change in the secondary will come at the other corner spot, where junior D'Leon McCord is expected to take over.

Sun Belt Prediction - 3rd: Hard not to like what you see when you look at what the Mean Green will bring to the table this season. The defense will be the best group Dodge has had in his four years with North Texas, and with the strong play of Dunbar and the ground game, the Mean Green should make major improvements this season, and could very well surprise and compete for the conference title.

For a complete look at how the conference will shape up this season, check out our 2010 Sun Belt Predictions. If you are looking to make some money betting the college football lines this season, be sure to stop back each week for our expert college football picks.

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Update Post: Aug 18, 2011 01:12:03