Super Bowl predictions

No need to analyze the game, if you don't know the teams now your lost.

I just don't see how my Giants can win. Are the Giants going to score 30 points? Probably not. Are the Giants going to hold the Pats under 30? Probably not.

The Giants won't score 30, and they won't hold the Pats under 20. So, there is a small margin of error. Maybe Giants win 28-24 or thereabouts. But, the far more likely scenario is the Pats pulling away in the fourth quarter. My guess is 38-21 or even 34-24.

I can't wait for this game. America has waited for this game for 35 years. All I ask is that the Giants make the Patriots earn their immortality. Then I will be satisfied.

Why are tickets so expensive?

This isn't new to anyone who goes to games, but for someone who gets in free for football games, I am not sure how people can get to these games anymore. Watching the UConn women tonight and seeing tons of empty seats (it looked like sections had 10 or 12 people in it) it got me thinking a bit.

Why so many empty seats? Opponent? Lack of interest? Weeknight game? Maybe some of that.

Curious, I went to ticketmaster to see if there were any men's tickets available. To my delight there were pair together for Saturday. This is Pittsburgh vs. UConn, the two best programs in the conference for the last 7 or 8 years. And there are tickets available!

So I start going through the process, $30 per ticket, $6 convenience fee, and then $2.50 to get the ticket emailed to me (this should be free, but they charge you for this). I go cheap and do Will Call, so I go through the motions and have two tickets for my wife and I.

So I lay in a phone call to the Mrs.

Me: You want to go to the UConn game Saturday?

Wife: Sure. If that's what you want to do. What time is it? 1 p.m.? Ok.

Me: Well, it's going to cost $76.60.

Wife: No way. That is ridiculous. We can go to a Celtics game for that. It's college basketball. You can watch on TV.

(hang up)

I didn't include parking, which is about $10 (hopefully not more). So, let me get this straight. For a college basketball game I am spending $88.60 before I even walk into the door at the arena? God forbid I get something to eat or drink.

How are you supposed to do this for 6 or 7 games a year? I am on the fence against Pittsburgh. Why would I spend this against Quinnipiac?

It's a simple value decision.

I don't mind paying for tickets, in fact, I if I do go to a game I will make sure I spend a little extra to get closer if possible and reasonable. I've been to two Celtics game this years. One ticket's face value was $38 (great seat too), the other was $68 (or maybe $75?). The $38 seat in Boston was better than my $33 UConn seat that I was going to buy this Saturday at the XL. And the Celtics payroll is $65 million. I think UConn is under the salary cap.

You should be able to get two people into any college hoops game in the country for about $50 face value. That's what I was looking to spend.$76 and other add ons are a bit rich. I think I paid $80 for season tickets as a student ($5 a game?).

No wonder they can't sell out these games like they used to. Simple economics 101. The single greatest way to curb demand of anything is price (which is why Europe taxes gas so heavily to create a disincentive to drive and use up the vital resource). Sure, when the event is hot you can charge any amount (Super Bowl face value is $700). But, when the seats are staying empty the first thing you have to ask is NOT is my product regressing and/or is it not a good time, place or location. Numero Uno people. Am I pricing it correctly?

UConn men's basketball should have nearly every game sold out. The fans are that crazy about the team. I don't think people have lost interest as others have pontificated.

I can't think of one other reason why UConn-Pitt on Saturday afternoon isn't sold out.

People love UConn. They love their money more however.

I am going to watch the game Saturday -- on my couch. If you want to see a UConn player live wait until they are in the NBA -- it's a better value.

Former UConn coaches at Super Bowl

STORRS, Conn. – Three former assistant football coaches at the University of Connecticut, Dave DeGuglielmo, Chris Palmer and Steve Spagnuolo, will participate in Super Bowl XLII on Sunday as assistant coaches for the NFC Champion New York Giants.

Spagnuolo served as UConn’s defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach from 1987-91 under Tom Jackson, helping the Huskies to a share of the 1989 Yankee Conference Championship. He is in his first season as the Giants’ defensive coordinator. The Giants finished seventh in the NFL this year in total defense, yielding just 305.0 yards per game, and topped the league with 53 sacks.

Palmer coached both defensive line and wide receivers at UConn from 1972-74 after graduating from Southern Connecticut State. Palmer helped guide UConn to the 1973 YanCon title. He is in his first year as quarterbacks coach with the Giants and steady interception-free play by signal-caller Eli Manning has played a large role in the Giants winning three straight road playoff games to advance to Super Bowl XLII. Palmer’s Connecticut ties also include spending the 1986-87 seasons as the head coach at the University of New Haven.

DeGuglielmo was the offensive line coach at UConn under Skip Holtz for the 1997-98 seasons, helping UConn to its only appearance in the NCAA Division I-AA Championship as the Huskies advanced to the quarterfinals before falling to Georgia Southern. DeGuglielmo has been with the Giants since 2004 as an assistant offensive line coach. That line helped pave the way for the Giants to score 373 points in 2007, the fifth-highest total in franchise history.

Jeffers to transfer

To me, shocking news over the weekend that Terrence Jeffers has decided to transfer. I am more perplexed about it than anything else. If he was homesick or unhappy, then I understand. But this looks like a football career decision.

Jeffers had no competition at WR, and he was by far the most talented productive recevier and if he didn't drop as many balls as he did would have had several big games. Considering he saw this much playing time as a true freshman and a sophomore, to transfer doesn't make much sense football wise considering UConn's need at the position.

The timing is also bizarre. He didn't make up his mind until he came back to UConn which was sometime last week. If he was going to transfer he should have never returned to Connecticut.

How does he stay in Georgia the last month and then return to school only to transfer out?

I will say that I always had the feeling that Randy Edsall wasn't as high on Jeffers as everyone else is. Whenever you brought up Jeffers, Edsall would say something about he has to work harder and get better and do more than he is doing now. I don't think the staff was thrilled with the work ethic. That probably strained the relationship.

Also, Edsall's postseason comments about the WR position --which are spot on -- probably didn't endear himself to Jeffers.

I am never surprised when players transfers, you have to be happy, but this doesn't look like it was a happiness issue. It looks like it was a football issue.

Jeffers was the leading receiver on the way back and no one else is even close. He was going to start and play a ton. I don't care who UConn brings in. Edsall wasn't going to start a true freshman unless the guy is gangbusters in the summer.

That leaves the Huskies in a bad spot. D.J. Hernandez, Brad Kanuch are all that is left. Kashif Moore has drawn rave reviews and look for a lot of Ellis Gaulden in the spring. Who else?

Assuming everyone else comes back (big if), redshirt Isiah Moore, sophomore Kevin Poles come to mind. Walk-on Marcus Easley is an option and Robert Theoudele has never really caught on and he would be a 5th year senior next year.

In essence, after D.J. and Kanuch nothing really proven. And, it's not like D.J. and Kanuch were very productive. They showed more flashes of big play ability but I am skeptical of their ability to consistently drive a passing game. They weren't the consistent threat that Jeffers was.

There is playing time to be had, that is for sure. This is a position of need on the recruiting trail and I would go after any big time receiver that there is a chance to start right away. There is a gaping hole at wide receiver for UConn. It is going to be calling all volunteers this spring.

That is what makes Jeffers' move even that more perplexing.

Edsall isn't going to talk about the roster until Feb. 6, it will be interesting to see how the Huskies end up.

Men's Hoops finally finds an oasis

There is a glut of college basketball and the regular season is meaningless, but if you weren't into UConn-Cincy you are not a sports fan. You can't grow up watching sports in Connecticut without living and dying with the men's team. I don't follow as closely as I used to because my chosen profession almost demands emotional detachment. Not objectivity, big difference. I don't cover the team so I can take a reserved rooting interest. But, quite unexpectedly, I am downright giddy right now.

There have been bigger wins in UConn history, this one isn't even a blip, but I am not sure Jim Calhoun has ever felt better about a regular season win. 84-83, rallies from 12 down in the final 5 minutes on the road. You see how excited he was shaking hands?

Too often in the last two years, and in three of their 5 losses, they play like this and fall short. Confidence is fragile, and until you win a game like this, it is hard to do it. Memphis, Georgetown, Gonzaga, all those games were encouraging yet heartbreaking. This one would have been maddening.

The atmosphere was sensational, the play spirited, and the drama heavy. That is as good a regular season basketball game as you will ever see. Loved the intensity. Both teams played like there was something on the line. For UConn, it may have been its season. You get no credit for losing close games on the road to good teams. Moral victories are for losers. The team is so fragile, they needed to win a game like this.

So, take a breath Puppies, all is not lost. After a season and a half of just not watching, apathetic and even arrogant in my dismissal of the team, I sat down to just check out the score Wednesday before I flipped on my beloved Celts and ended up watching every second of the Pups and yelling at the TV.

Oh no! I am hooked back in, living and dying with every shot, technical, and bad officials call (which are numerous). There was a pit in my stomach the entire second half. I have felt that way before. Incredible highs, and crushing lows.

The rush is why we watch.

For much of the last two years I haven't had anything near that. I just didn't care. I needed a text message Sunday to remind me UConn played Marquette.

Who would have thought? A random weekday game in an 85 percent full Cincinnati gym would fire me up. What was different? Don't know. You never know when the sickness is going to come back. No matter how hard you try to beat it out of you, at least for a night, the Mania returned...and I loved every second of it.

Kind of nice to feel this way, I feared I may have outgrown it. A loss on Saturday to Indiana and I will be miserable.

That's how it should be.

P.S.

Quiet on recruiting for football. Guess we'll see where UConn stands on Feb. 6th.

5 year deal for Edsall

Nothing confirmed by the university, but ESPN and The Hartford Courant citing unnamed sources say Edsall agreed to a 5 year extension worth $1.5 million a year through 2012.

Anarchy in Morgantown

Boys, are thing getting crazy in Morgantown. Seems Rich Rod didn't leave any trade secrets. BTW, bad job by WVU. Once he took the Michigan job he should have been locked out of his office. Never allowed back in without a security guard. It's their own fault.

Talk about an unstable situation. Slaton is gone now (Devine is better anyway) and there are some alumni unhappy that the assistant coach got the job. Not sure he is there for the long haul, especially coming out of this situation. He better win next year.



Other news:

Signing day coming up. It's been eerily quiet on UConn's front. They are close to being done. There was only about 14 to give out, and from counting, there are surely to be more people leaving so I would expect an 18-20 person class. certainly wouldn't expect a full slate. That would mean a major exit of scholarship players.

Georgia president proposes playoff

The carcass of an over matched Ohio State team not even cold yet and Georgia is crying about a playoff.

An 8 team playoff that starts at the major bowl games? Won't work functionally. Bowl games are destinations. How are fans supposed to travel for three straight weeks and sell out a stadium?

No one ever talks about that. If UConn played Wake Forest in the first round of a 32 team tournament in Charlotte there would have been maybe 20000 people in the stadium. Few UConn fans would travel. No sport has neutral site opening round games except the NCAA tournament. And, that is a made for TV sport and doesn't bring in nearly the revenue as the bowls do.

Going down to Charlotte opened my eyes even more. I am a proponent of the bowl system. The fans of each bowl team go to the city and attend the game, visit the city, spend tons of cash, and complete their season in a festive atmosphere. The game is final and win or lose the fans go home. The bowl games are for the fans of each school and provide a great experience to fans and players. Must that experience be sacrificed because of a made for TV event? For one game, we have to ruin the experiences of 60 teams?

It's a lousy way to choose a national championship, but that's not the purpose of a bowl. Does football really need a national champion? Why for 80 years has one not been necessary, but now suddenly it is imperative to have one?

Because ESPN and Fox want the programming? Everyone says a tournament will be lucrative. Yes it will be, but for whom? The networks? The conferences? What happens to the bowls? It won't be lucrative for them.

It will kill the non title game bowl games. And, those are important. Yes, there are too many bowls, but these exhibitions are pretty attractive to teams such as UConn and mean something to these schools. What do you do to the first team left out of the 8 team playoff? Hawaii and WVU would have been on the outside this year. The playoff fixes nothing. It just puts more teams in the pot, and increases the likelihood that a 2 or 3 loss team wins it all.

Why not have an SEC tournament and declare that conference the national champion every year? That's what the SEC wants anyway. They will argue for 4 teams in the playoff every year. I can't wait for a 3 loss Florida team to run the table.

Unless you do an NCAA tournament type football playoffs with 32 teams it's going to be unfair anyway. I just find the thirst for a national championship a little selfish. Networks want the "Game to end all games." They don't care about anything else. It's always about creating history and a narrative. It will be a sad day when all that matters is the national championship tournament.

I also think the playoff format is not practical.

In football, you can't have 3 neutral site playoff games. No way could they sell out a 70,000 seat stadium doing that on less than a weeks notice. The mighty NFL goes higher seed at home until the Super Bowl, which is marketed years before. Why is that? Because the Giants playing the Cowboys in Miami is a tough sell in a weeks time. Probably would get 40000 fans and no atmosphere.

The loss of the bowl system (which benefits college football), the impracticality of neutral site playoffs, extending the season into mid January are all fatal problems with a playoff.

But there is another...

The Rose Bowl has tremendous influence and would have to agree to a part of this. And, why would the Big 10 want to get into a tournament? Notre Dame will also not want this. The Big 10 (which runs college athletics) doesn't benefit from the playoff. ND doesn't either, they would have to get into a conference. That's the reason why it isn't going to happen.

There is no playoff without Big 10 support and the Rose Bowl. I see no reason for either the Big 10 or the Rose Bowl to move towards a playoff. It diminishes their power and cheapens the game.

It is an imperfect system for setting up a national champion. But, that isn't what it is designed to do.

The question you have to ask is -- Is having a national championship more important than the bowls?

LSU dominates

I call for a moratorium on Big 10 teams appearing in the BCS title game.

I am not in favor of a playoff or a plus 1, but, let's try and get the best teams in the title game, not have unending loyalty to a conference that is behind the times. No more treating the Big 10 as one of the great conferences in college football. The Big 10 is stale and slow. Their offenses aren't dynamic and there is a severe lack of skill position players.

The Big 10 is on the level of the Big East and ACC. The Big 10 isn't on the level of the SEC, Pac 10 or even Big 12. They have to stop being treated like they are an elite conference. Ohio State 0-9 in bowl games against the SEC? Wow.

The ACC and Big East champ are always treated with skepticism. Those teams have to prove their worthy even if their record says they are great. I want the Big 10 to stop having the benefit of the doubt. From now on, the Big 10 has to prove they belong. No more winning the Big 10 automatically gets you in, or very near, the title game. They have to be dynamic and dominating on the field.

Ohio State would finish 4th in the SEC.

BCS who?

I understand as a New Englander that college football isn't the No. 1 sport around. I understand that the Red Sox just won a World Series for the second time in 4 years (and I am waiting for the world to end --hopefully), the Patriots are undefeated, and the Celtics look to be as good as any team since Jordan's Bulls. The Yankees and Giants are down the road. In state, UConn men's and women's hoops are in full swing, so that further takes away from it.

Maybe its because it is cold up here and there are other sports, but there is no buzz about LSU-Ohio State. Frankly, I will watch it in the office tonight because I kind of have to. There was a bit of New Year's excitement that spilled over for the Fiesta Bowl, and a little less for the Orange. But, college football season is over for me. I just can't get excited about LSU-Ohio St. on Jan. 6.

Yes, pro sports rules in the Northeast, but nationally this is getting buried also. Why? NFL Playoffs.

College football HAS to have its season and champion end before the NFL starts the playoffs. The NFL swallows everything whole and even college football, which is huge in its own right, can't compete.

I am not interested in the LSU-Ohio State game. I know this is an unusual year because the NFL divisional playoffs next weekend are the best games in recent memory, but even the last 2 or 3 years the BCS Championship game has been buried. Maybe its because the Giants and Pats are in the playoffs with historic games coming up, but this game seems like you watch just because you watched all year.

It's just a bad way to end for college football. I will say I am in favor of the bowl system (I think it is a benefit to all parties involved, especially the fans of the teams who participate. ). But, this game doesn't work. I will watch this game because I have to. I will watch it only for a sense of closure.

I watched the series finale of Friends not because it was a must see, but because I invested so much time in the show you want to know how it ends. Then I forgot it and moved on to bigger and better things.

College football season is over. January 3rd and on is NFL Playoffs territory. Any college game that is more than one or 2 days after the New Year just doesn't fit.

This game came on my radar Monday afternoon and will provide a nice little diversion until the main event --NFL Playoffs on Saturday and Sunday.

That's not where college football needs to be.

While talk of plus 1 and final four abounds, let's hope the commissioners and presidents are smart enough (yeah right) to not go against the NFL. The month of December is college football's showcase.

Jan. 1 is the main course.

The NFL owns January. It swallows every sport whole, even college football. The last thing the sport needs to do is go even further into the second week of January. Once the NFL playoffs begin, every other sport becomes irrelevant.

Brown transfers

QB Dennis Brown is headed out of town and I don't think that is a surprise. He was never going to play here, and was a pretty good soldier for this team. Transferring to Norfolk State according to The Day.

It's a good spot for him. He needs to play, and it won't be at UConn.

It does make the red-shirting of him in 2006 all the more baffling though. If you had to go out and get a JUCO and then Endres (this was before Zach Frazer), then why sit him for a year? The team struggled with DJ and Bones at QB and why not try Brown?

At the time, you figured it was because he needed another year and he was the future. I also think with Billy Cundiff transferring they were worried about depth in future years. Cundiff should have stayed,he would have played in 2006 and there may have never been a Tyler Lorenzen (scary thought). But, that year wasted a season for Brown and the Huskies. The QB play was so bad in 2006 maybe Brown could have caught fire. Looking back, the Huskies got nothing for red-shirting Brown.

He was shaky in the spring game, and he never really was heard from again. Kid has a good arm, that's about all we saw.

Brown transferring jogs my memory a bit.

I talked to Terry Caulley sometime around the season's midpoint in 2006 about Brown. The story never ran (Randy Edsall wasn't letting Brown speak to reporters because he was a redshirt -- that applies to all redshirts) and Caulley thought that DeNo was going to be the real deal. Caulley talked at the time about how hard it was for him as a senior knowing there was guy with that ability sitting on the sidelines, but he understood the reasons ie... for the future.

Caulley was absolutely sure Brown was going to be a player. Big arm, good athlete, and can throw the ball downfield. I got the feeling that Caulley felt it wasn't even close between DJ, Bones and Brown

While pundits like myself clamored for a JUCO --which the Huskies got -- Caulley seemed to be comfortable with DeNo at quarterback for the Huskies. It was an absolute ringing endorsement. It was genuine too. Caulley volunteered info about Brown and what he thought. Caulley wasn't talking up the others QBs on the roster.

Of course at the time Edsall didn't know how the QB situation was going to turn out. They had a commitment from Cody Endres, had lost Billy Cundiff, and Zach Frazer was redshirting at Notre Dame and Lorenzen putting up big numbers at Palomar. When you look at it like that, there isn't a whole lot at QB for the Huskies.

At the time, it was probably prudent. But, with the influx of Lorenzen and Frazer, Brown was/is the odd man out.

Still, the way Caulley and others talked about Brown that offseason, and considering the struggles at QB in 2006, you wonder what might have been if he had a shot. I can assure you, the team and players would have rallied around Brown.

Seems like a career wasted up here. It just never worked out and that's a shame, but the Huskies have better options now.

Timing is indeed everything.

Also Derek Rich is also transferring. That's two scholarships available... expect more transfers and scholarships to open up.

West Virginia rolling...

What do I know? Maybe we should all learn to believe in talent, and not coaching. WVU hammering Oklahoma now. WVU rushing can't be stopped. Makes the Pitt loss all the more baffling.

Some bowl thoughts

Heading into tonight's WVU-Oklahoma game I must say I am disappointed in the bowl season. After Michigan-Florida, and a little bit of the Gator, I can't say the games were that good.

So, here goes. Didn't see all of these games on Monday, though got in a healthy dose New Years Day. Tough to watch all the game games when we were in Charlotte, but did get to see a portion of most of the games -- Texas looked great.

Big disappointments:

Big East: Cincinnati didn't play well. UConn struggled (though it was more competitive than analysts give credit, but what else is new. It was only 17-10 until the final moments), and USF embarrassed itself. I am most concerned about USF, they should have played better and done more. Oregon is a contender if Dixon doesn't go down, but, wasn't USF supposed to be too? I had a high opinion of them and left more. Better hope WVU plays well here tonight. And, no matter how Rutgers plays, you can't get validation in the International.

I don't think Mike Tranghese will be flanked by the runner-up trophies next year in Newport.

Arkansas-Mizzou: Most disappointing game of the day. This had the makings of a great Cotton Bowl, but all these teams that lose their coaches seem to get killed. This one was over pretty early. Love McFadden, but the entire team played with very little spirit. Wasn't the team that I saw beat LSU.

Sugarless Bowl: Hawaii was unwatchable. May battle Pitt for the worst BCS game team ever. Hawaii didn't belong on the field with Georgia. It was a bad draw for Hawaii, Georgia is good as any team in the country, but they just couldn't move the ball. Georgia was playing at a different level.

Georgia Tech: Just awful.

Liberty Bowl: It felt like work watching this.

Thrilling games:

Capital One Michigan-Florida: I wasn't into the Gator, so I won't comment, but does anything make you happier than seeing Florida lose in the Capital One? They come out on the field and stomp around like a bunch of animals and then a classy Michigan team goes out and beats them. I know the narrative is a bit skewed, but Florida talks a little too much for my liking. I still think Georgia running out and stomping on the field was absolutely hilarious. I just don't like the sideline demeanor. I get sick of the genius stuff too. If Meyer is such a better coach than everyone else then go to the NFL and win with a level playing field and equal talent. I like brash and cocky, but after whining into the championship game last year he had to eat some humble pie. Michigan had no business winning this game.

App St > Michigan
Michigan > Florida
App St. > Florida

I love it. App St are the real national champions.

Chick Fila-A: Kept close tabs until late. Wish I blew off Dick Clark for this ending. Great game and great crowds. Would like UConn to play Clemson sometime. Would love to go down there.

Tonight should be fun, but I am skeptical. WVU just has too many issues now. I expect a Sooner blowout in the Fiesta.

The Orange is going to a decent game. For the life of me, I don't get why Missouri isn't playing Va Tech (which would be a great game). Kansas did a nice job, but they didn't have to play Texas or Oklahoma during the year. And, Missouri beat Kansas. Let's hope Kansas isn't a fraud.

BCS Champion? LSU is going to whip Ohio State. LSU is superior in almost every way, and the game is in New Orleans. You have to give me a reason why OSU wins this game beyond that they are sick of hearing about how slow they are.

Enjoy the game tonight. I am in hoops mode now.