2012 College Football's Surprises and Disappointments

Well Happy Holidays to everyone out there and Happy New Year in a few days. Speaking of which I'm working on my New Year's Blog shortly and what to expect in the New Year. It's coming on 1-3-2013. 1-3-13 Pretty cool huh. Anyway in keeping with the Festivus celebration from my last blog and watching some College Football Bowl Games, I've decided to list teams that surprised me and teams that disappointed me from my College Football Predictions this past year.

http://dmoneystwocents.blogspot.com/2012/08/d-moneys-2012-college-football.html

I'll start with the lessor conferences and go down to the Major ones.

Sun Belt
Suprise Team: Louisiana-Monroe.
-They made it to a bowl game beat Arkansas, gave Auburn and Baylor a game. Played in a pretty decent Sun Belt Conference this year.
Disappointment: Troy
-They usual compete for the Sun Belt Title. 2nd year in a row not bowl eligible.
Mid American
Surprise Team: Kent State
-First time bowling in 40 years, made it to the MAC Champioship Game, beat Rutgers.
Disappointment: Western Michigan
-Magazine I got had them winning the MAC West with 14 starters back from a 7-6 season. Finished
4-8
Conference USA
Surprise Team: Memphis
-Didn't make it to a bowl game but went from 2-10 to 4-8. Double the win total
Disappointment: Houston
-Went from 13-1 and possible getting into a BCS game last year to 5-7 this year but it hurts when you lose your coach to Texas A&M and your QB that set the NCAA Passing Mark.
Mountain West
Surprise Team: Fresno State
-New League from moving from the WAC Conference and didn't make it to a bowl game last year to a 3 way tie for the Mountain West title.
Disappointment: Nevada
-Made it to a bowl but struggled down the stretch to a 7-6 record with their coach retiring.
Big East
Surprise Team: Syracuse
-I thought they wouldn't make it to a bowl game with a tough non conference schedule but ended up in a 4 way tie in their last season in the Big East
Disappointment: South Florida
-Everybody some how is high on them but hard for them to recruit in the state of Florida with Flordia State, Florida and Miami and a couple other big out of state schools getting the top recruits in that state.
ACC
Surprise Team: Duke
-Heh their Football Team made it to a bowl game enough said. But still a Basketball School.
Disappointment: Virginia Tech
-They had to win to get to a bowl game this year after usually winning the ACC or being in the title game. Most Overrated team the last 10 years in my opinion.
Pac-12
Surprise Team: Oregon State
-I didn't think they would make a bowl game. Usually the little brother in the state of Oregon. Very solid 9-3 record.
Disappointment: USC
-National Championship contender gets chewed up this year to a 7-5 record in the Sun Bowl. Probably the biggest disappointment this college football season.
Big 12
Suprise Team: Kansas State
-I thought they still be solid but didn't think they would win the conference and have a Heisman contender in Colin Klein.
Disappointment: West Virginia
- Started out winning 5 straight then lost 5 in a big way. Had to win their last 2 to go bowling. Can't play defense.
Big 10
Surprise Team: Penn State
-I thought with all of the scandals and probations it would start the decline of the team with players leaving. Bill O'Brian rallyed the team after starting 0-2 to 8-4. Don't know if they'll keep it up with scholarship restrtictions and no bowl games next 3 years.
Disappointment: Michigan State
-Would have put Wisconsin on here but thanks to Ohio State and Penn State not eligible in the Leaders Division and Wisconsin being down at 8-5 they went to the B10 Championship game and lit Nebraska up. Michigan State started out good but lost to Notre Dame and their Offense struggled with no passing game. Defense carried them at times to a 6-6 record.
SEC
Surprise Team: Texas A&M and Vanderbilt (Tie)
-First year in SEC and Johnny Manziel (aka Johnny Football and Johnny Heisman) has a Heisman year for A&M and gives Alabama's only loss. Vandy goes 8-4 beats Tennessee 2nd year in a row and has best record in 30 years.
Disappointment: Arkansas and Auburn (Tie)

-Arkansas fired Bobby Petrino due to his affair with assistant but he got another job with Western Kentucky so as the crazy lady says in this clip

 and Arkansas gets a crazy intern coach in John L. Smith and when things go back he tells the fans and press to smile.

 

Meanwhile Auburn not the same team last year without Cam Newton and this year after losing more talented players goes 3-9 , they have the NCAA knocking at their door for possible violations and fires their coach just 2 years after winning the National Title.

 

 

Well, I hope you enjoy my analysis of the College Football Season even though I'm not a sports writer or ESPN Gameday commentator.Next year since the bowl ban will be no more Ohio State will be back on top of the College Football World after going 12-0 in a bowl ban season. Big Ten was warned about URBAN and now the rest of the country will take notice.

Have a Happy New Year and I hope Alabama beats Notre Dame in the National Championship. New Years Resolution Blog to come. That's my Two Cents.

 

My Airing of Grievances

 

    That's right. It's Festivus. Time to get out you metal pole, strenghen up for the feast of strength and most of all get all of you're aggrestions out with the airing of grievances. Now maybe it's just me it's just me and I had a few Great Lakes Christmas Ale's right now typing this but now right now I have just a few grievances I need to get off my chest right now. I feel like CM Punk and his promo against John Cena and the wrestling business last year.

  I feel as if people do not think I'm smart as they think I am. Just because I have a learn differently than others does not make me stupid. I recently volunteered for research as a test patient for medical students at Ohio State University Medical Center as part of this research on how people can deal with Asperger's Syndrome better since I myself have Asperger's Syndrome. I must say it was the training and experience was pretty fulfilling to me and I told them I would be open for anything else down the road. Yet, I just feel my quietness at work sometimes makes everyone at my job perceive me as cocky or yet different or not out spoken at times to what is going on. I want everyone to know I tend to pick and choose my own battles and maybe it perceives me as different or to others there in the section I work in they perceive me as different since I tend to live a different lifestyle then many of them do.

Don't get me wrong I get along with many of the people that I work  with and those in other sections that I'm friends with as well but sadly I don't see those people as much and the others I see more often aren't as positive as my friends there at work.  I tend to feel I'm stuck where I'm at in Accounts Payable and they want certain people on a production but I want to get out and learn more even if it's the same pay I'm making right now I still want to learn more. It's the main reason of looking at getting my personal trainer's license this coming winter.

Change can be good for the soul. Right now there is some reorganization going on in my line of work but I feel I need to work my resume a little bit better to what they want so I can get a pay raise or get interview but in a sense I would lose a little bit of my morals along the way. I take pride in the job I do by paying the military and working for my country but lately the DFAS has not my opinion supported those people whom given their hard work and sacrifice especially to those folks working in my section for work almost as hard as me. Sometimes when you don't get recoginized too much it can be demoralizing for a group of employees.

I tend not focus on the negative. I feel at home or a lot more positive when I'm with family, friends, church friends, running friends, and those at work who are my friends that try to be a lot more positive like me and you know who you guys are if you read my blog.

I'm sorry if I offend anybody with my rambling drunkness I got going on this blog I've had a few beers slow weekend and my Buckeyes just lost to Kansas in Basketball. 95% of my stress has always came from that place.

Though there have been some positive things that have happened this year. I met some new years goals, met new people and conquered some personal demons. Yet, I feel I have a little bit more to go. A little bit of criticism from the people I love would help so much on how I would become better in order to become the person I want to be.

In fact, as crazy as it sounds that's what "The Airing of Grievances" is for. Not to bash others for faults but to point out to make themselves rise up and be better. Because isn't that what it's all about?

I hope you all have a MERRY CHRISTMAS, a HAPPY FESTIVUS, and a HAPPY NEW YEAR. Also, keep me level headed and pointed in the right direction and I hope you all know I would do the same for you all as well.

What Music Pumps You Up for a Race???

 

Sorry, I haven’t blogged back in awhile. Mind has been kind of wandering among other things but that will be for another post, and of course getting ready with Team Columbus Running Company for the USATF Club Cross Country Nationals this coming weekend down in Lexington. This MMA fighter is full of adrenaline. Which brings me to what I’m about to say in this post. I know a friend of mine told me I should post a little more advice on running and what not which would help others and I thought why not.

But, for today I’ll just talk about a fun topic that we all like, Music. There is music all around us and it typically defines what type of person we are to somebody else of what we listen to. Depending on what mood we are in we can just put in a CD in our cars, put our headphones on and listen to our IPOD’s, or turn to a station and listen away to whatever puts us in the mood.

For athletes it’s a little bit different/ For one I like certain types of music, (Except for anything that’s Justin Bieber, he sucks). But, I know everyone is different when it comes to their music tastes. I for one can’t understand why my sister likes Jessica Simpson or some of my friends like certain Indie bands which I call “Hipster Music.” I would consider myself the Anti-Hipster but that’s for another post maybe. Like I said everyone is different in their music tastes but it’s the certain types of music that either get you motivated, pumped or even get through a workout whenever it be cardio or lifting as I’ve noticed people with their headphones and IPOD’s running on a treadmill or lifting at the gym.

To me great examples of pump up music would be the entrances of MMA Fighters, Pro Wrestlers, Baseball players when they come to bat, or introduction of a starting lineup to home teams in the NBA. Professional sports have become a little more entertainment at times but music that plays during pregame warm-ups motivates players before competition. Same could be said with runners.

Keep in mind everyone knows I’ve Country Music but I don’t listen to it before a workout or a race. For me Country Music is what I love to hear on a long road trip, partying, or playing a great love song to someone ;) But, anyway there’s certain types of bands or songs that I listen to beforehand that just gets me into THAT ZONE everybody says I go into while I’m racing!!

Here are some examples of what I listen to on race day!!

AC F/N DC = Thunderstruck

Metallica = Enter Sandman

Sick Puppies = You're Going Down

Kanye West = Stronger

P.O.D. = Alive

Dropkick Murphys = Warrior's Code (From the Movie The Fighter)

Eminem featuring Nate Dogg = Till I Collaspe

Living Color = Cult of Personality (Because it reminds me of one my favorite Pro wrestlers CM PUNK)

 

Smashing Pumpkins = Bullet with Butterfly Wings

OZZY = Crazy Train


I feel like I'm ready to go bust out 12 (hard) miles and lift after that. But, like I said I like all types of music yet, these are the type of songs that get me going. What are some of your favorites bands, or songs you like to listen to. Would like to hear some feedback on this one especially from all of you runners out there.

That's my two cents!!!!