Around the Big Ten

[UMStan White]

King saved UM's bacon against UCLA when he stepped in and stole the pass on a three on one break at the end of regulation. Watch the tape.

[UMStan White]

Fuck Webber. He left claiming that he couldn't even afford a pizza while UM was making money on his name.Turns out he made over $250,000.00. That's a lot of pizza. The only thing that saved his ass was that Ed Martin died before his trial. As I said fuck Webber.

[hack]

There was the Mitch Albom anecdote about how Webber couldn't afford to filet-o-fish at McDonalds. He was taking money at that time.

[UMStan White]

Yeah $250,000.00

[froot loops]

The crazy thing about the Martin stuff was the absurd amount of money allegedly given out. That was the type of cash we imagine these players are getting under the table but in reality it is normally a few thousand here or there. You look at the Bowen trial and it is still going on.

The NCAA has no good way to deal with how youth basketball is structured, they didn't then and they still don't. Webber had some interesting things to say about the NCAA but as a messenger he came off as a poseur.

[Hannibal]

It doesn't seem absurd anymore. Guys are getting six figure signing bonuses and fistfuls of cash to simply not take recruiting visits.

[Hannibal]

King saved UM's bacon against UCLA when he stepped in and stole the pass on a three on one break at the end of regulation. Watch the tape.

True but Webber was a beast in that game.

[hack]

Chris Webber...King of the most underperfoming collection of college athletes ever. They cheated so much they really should have been in the $EC...

The first and only time a freshmen-only starting lineup made the final four! No wonder you're here trying to get help getting through elementary school.

[iam416]

Nebraska (+18) at Ohio State^thMinnesota (-9) at Illinois^thUtah (-7) at Arizona StateFresno State (-26) at UNLV.

[Hannibal]

Is Hornibrook still out? And Rutgers is still getting 30? Jesus they suck.

I wonder what the spread will be when we play them. 45?

[Hannibal]

I'll be cheering for Purdue. Mostly because I don't want to play Iowa in the B1G championship, should it come down to that.

[Hannibal]

I'm really surprised by that Alabama line. 14 is a lot to cover against the #4 team on the road at night and LSU still seems prone to rock fights.

[iam416]

I think Hornibrook will be back, but it can't possibly matter. Wisconsin can avoid throwing a single pass and still score 38.

M may hold Rutgers without a first down -- at least non-penalty FD and while their first and second team is in. The road game is really bad news for Rutgers because M can only empty their bench so far with a traveling squad. This is 2016 all over again.

The metrics of Alabama are off the charts so the models say 14. The public thinks Alabama is off the charts, so the line says 14. The sharps think Alabama is really good and are concerned about LSU's offense, so it hangs around 14.

Anyone backing LSU almost has to buy into my curt analysis. They have to think that LSU can throw athletes at Bama that can keep the offense in check. I think everyone knows that if Alabama gets up by 10 or 14 then LSU's offense is completely snookered and the line is in danger. That said, it depends on when Bama gets up. If it's in the 2nd half then there's a fair likelihood that The Nick shuts down the offense because LSU can only score via a turnover. So, IMO, you're really betting on LSU to keep it close through halftime. If you can get to the middle of the 3rd in a 1 score game then feel good.

The B10 West Winner is relevant to M only to extent necessary to boost its pretty bad resume. At this point, the only way the B10 CG helps M is if they win HUGE. I still think they get the nod over Oklahoma, but I think that could end up being a really close call. Of course, when M wails OSU then it won't matter.

[AlabamAlum]

Here are the issues:

1) Bama is still banged up. Two gimpy on the O line, Jalen hobbling like one of Jerry's kids, #1 corner gone.

2) Bama cannot run. Everyone knows Tua's heroics against suspect D's, but did you ever consider why he is tossing bombs against East Popcorn State up 21? Yeah, lack of a dominant running game. We pass pro okay. Run block? Not so much.

3) Our D is suspect. We are prone to giving up explosive plays and we have a fuck ton of breakdowns. Lost in space isn't just a sci-fi B movie. It is our secondary's MO.

4) Hunger. "Alabama is great!" "Bama would beat the Jags!" We think we're superstars eating caviar while LSU has been fire-tested and brings a lunch pail of pain to work.

5) Venue. Tiger Stadium. Night. Drunk cajuns in prime time.

6) Youth. 13 TRUE freshmen get playing time. They have logged more minutes through October than any other Bama team in history.

14 is a huge line. We won't cover and could likely lose. If we do win, no one will beat us this year. And all the sportswriters will be penning 'Saban is ruining college ball' pieces.

But I am a homer, so I am going with Bama 28, LSU 27, and I pray to Zeus we can pull that off.

[Hannibal]

I wouldn't call our resume bad. S&P has our SOS at #25. Oklahoma's is #80. At this point I think that it's down to pure wins and losses. And that means that I want to face the easiest team in the B1G championship, should we win out.