Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Miami vs. Clemson Breakdown
Monday, September 27, 2010
Miami vs. Pitt Recap
Ok, so there is no way I can write about Saturday's slate of games. Let's just say there was some late morning beer action. And some afternoon beer action. And some Evening beer action. And some late night beer action.
Anyway, here is the cliff notes version of what I think we found out in the Pitt game:
-The 'Canes offense is the only thing that can stop the 'Canes offense.
-Jacory has terrible luck. He threw essentially two bad passes all game and they both got picked. Not only that, Pitt's safeties made very athletic plays on both.
-Joel Figueroa is not a starting caliber right tackle.
-The receiver crew is as good as we thought, but the tight ends are probably worse.
- Damien Berry can and will be a plowhorse.
- The offensive line in general is solid.
-The defense, without getting too elaborate, is one of the top 5 in the nation when they are playing well.
-Pitt is not as bad as people are claiming now that the game is over. That was a talented team playing at home on national tv. They might not be an elite contender, but they certainly are no slouch (Georgia on the other hand...).
- Sean Spence is a baaaaaadddddd man.
- The Santa Ana winds SUCK. Like living in a hair dryer. Oh, wait, that was not during the game? I digress.
-Wisconsin really cleans up well against the Girl Scouts Association of America non-conference schedule they play...again, I digress.
-Florida went a full week without getting a player arrested!...I swear, last time.
All in all, it was a great win for this 'Canes team that should get things back on track. I thought the offense essentially sleep-walked through the first half of the game and we still were able to win by four touchdowns. As I have said, I think Jacory's interceptions are a combo of bad luck, trying to do too much, receivers not being physical enough and just plain bad throws. I think they will go down as time goes along. However, here's the thing: if the defense plays like that all game and Miami can maintain good position in the field position battle, Jacory can throw two picks a game and the 'Canes will win out.
Clemson will be a tough one on the road before we get back home. However, there is nothing about this team that makes me believe we can not stop a team that relies on its running backs to win. As evidenced in the Pitt game, featuring two elite-level runners for the opposition, Miami plays downhill against the run. Barring total self-destruction, Miami is definitely a force to be reckoned with again.
Always guard the inbound passer.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Miami vs. Pitt- The Breakdown
Thursday, September 16, 2010
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
So, can we just pretend that Ohio State game didn’t happen?
That’s what I have been trying to do this week. Well, the last two days anyway. Sunday and Monday were marked by my perpetual scowl that prompted several “you sure you’re doing ok?” comments Monday morning at work. It also inspired this exchange:
Random lady (presumably my superior) walks in to the office of the guy across from me (a fellow football fan): “Hey, how was your weekend?!”
Guy across from me: “Good, the Seahawks won.”
Random lady: “Yeah, my team won too!”
Guy across from me: Cuts her off by pointing at me
Random lady: Looks at me and says “You’re a Miami guy?”
Stein on the Sidelines:
Random lady: “Well that’s too bad.”
Stein on the Sidelines:
Annnnnnd scene. This will not be in the next, updated edition of How to Win Friends and Influence People. It will also, most likely, not do wonders for my schemes to get hired on full time at this office.
But, now that the initial malaise has worn off, some thoughts from the game:
- Jacory is taking a ton of heat for this one. People are saying he has not progressed and is not the guy to take us to the promised land. I say that of the four picks, two (possibly three) were on the receivers. Additionally, the best throw he made all game was a DART to Aladrious Johnson in the end zone that the usually clutch and sure handed Johnson dropped. In total, there were 9 drops (according to Randy Shannon). That means that nine times Jacory hit a receiver in the hands and didn’t get a completion.
- Lamar Miller is the most explosive player Miami has had since Devin Hester. Oh, by the way, I called his kick return touchdown. Before the game started. Excuse me while I pat myself on the back.
- Annndddd…yep, pretty sure Harlan Gunn just jumped offside again. Alright, this is one thing that infuriated me almost above all others. I get it when Jermaine Johnson commits a bad penalty. This was his first playing time as a Miami Hurricane. That happens. However, Gunn and Joel Figueroa are in their fourth and fifth years, respectively, in the program. Gunn jumped the gun at least twice, possibly three, and Figs got called for a bad penalty too.
- The defense acquitted itself very well given that the Buckeyes’ average starting position had to have been near midfield (I have not seen the stats yet because they will only make me angry). However, take out the 3407653458734265 missed tackles and three dropped interceptions and this is a Miami route.
- Best players for the game: Jacory Harris (kidding), Miller, Sean Spence, Marcus Forston, Allen Bailey, Colin McCarthy, Brandon Harris, Brandon McGee, Damien Berry (2nd Half), Olivier Vernon’s Mohawk
- Special teams is a mixed bag. The return game is explosive and will be great to watch all year. There will be punts blocked this year. However, we have got to stop taking momentum and then giving up a big return.
- Bottom line is that this team is clearly the most talented we have had in a while but got punched in the face on the road and couldn’t strike back well enough to win. They fought all game but in the end beat themselves with penalties and poor execution. Against Duke, maybe you get away with this. Against Ohio State you lose. If the team takes this loss seriously and puts the pedal to the metal, they will be serious threats to win out, crack the top five and be in the title discussion if a few teams lose. If this loss fails to register and the team doesn’t take it to heart, then we will probably end up at 9-3 and in the Capital One Bowl as the most talented 3 loss team I have ever seen.
Quick Picks for the Week, after my dismal showing last weekend:
Gainesville Police Department over Florida
Cincy over NC State (Thanks for playing this week’s game of “Embarrassing OOC Losses”)
UGA over Arkansas
FSU over BYU
Texas over Texas Tech (Will be closer than you think)
Stanford over Wake Forest (I now appreciate the time difference excuse)
Wisconsin over (INSERT CUPCAKE HERE _____________)
Auburn over Clemson (Wraps up another strong week for the ACC)
UPSET SPECIAL
Duke over Alabama
PSYCH!
Let’s go with Washington over Nebraska. Why the hell not?
Always guard the inbound passer.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Week 2 Preview
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Superlatives!
Hello All,
Week one is in the books. It only took five days of games, or as the Steins call it, Christmas Weekend.
The ‘Canes looked awesome. The first team was crisp and looked ready to take on Ohio State. The ‘Canes could have either beaten FAMU by 45 neatly or sloppily. This was an evisceration of the first degree and definitely fell in the neat category.
Jacory was a man on a mission and was sharp in his half. Leonard Hankerson cannot be covered. The defensive line looked amazing, and the run game was very effective. I particularly enjoyed coming out in a no-huddle attack.
Personally, I think Miami is going to try and turn the Ohio State game in to a track meet. The no-huddle, up tempo offense is the best way to do that, and at the very least the Bucks have to gameplan for it now. It is also a good way to minimize the burden on the offensive line. If Ohio State tries to get in to a shootout with the ‘Canes, they will lose.
Personally, I feel very confident about the game. I have no doubt Miami will score points; it is a matter of if they can keep enough off the board.
I have some doubts as well. I did not like that we lost contain on FAMU’s quarterback a few times, and we have to clean up the tackling. I still have a good feeling about 9/11, however.
OSU is talented, no doubt. BUT…they are not as explosive as Miami and will rely on Terrelle Pryor to win the game. If Miami can keep him in the pocket, force him to throw the ball in the flats and avoid mistakes of their own, I think they will win the game. Essentially, playing the game the right way and executing the gameplan will result in a victory. Otherwise, it will be a long ride back from Colombus to Miami.
What else did we learn? Well, not really a whole lot.
Jacory looked great.
Virginia Tech is still Virginia Tech.
Florida is NOT the 4th best team in the country.
Before we go any further, let’s hand out the Week 1 Stein on the Sidelines Sorority Superlatives
.
“Gay Bar Scene From American Wedding” Award
That goes to us as ‘Canes fans for organizing the Hollywood Area Alumni Watch Party at a place called The Happy Ending. Personal favorite actually. I was really excited that we were having it there, as I frequent the place almost every weekend with my buddies. I had never seen it in the daylight. Well, remember when Stiffler looks around after hitting on some babe and realizes that he is surrounded by gays on all sides? Well, I looked up after about five minutes on Thursday and realized that I was surrounded on all sides by Buckeyes. Yep, we scheduled our watch party at an Ohio State bar. Highlight: aside from slaughtering FAMU, I got to participate in a “We Are Mar-Shall” chant when The Herd blocked an OSU kick and scored. Lowlight: realizing that every one of the babes I had been checking out (who knew?) was actually a Buckeye fan. Womp womp.
“Holy Sh*t That Guy is Fast!” Award
Lamar Miller looked like he was gliding around on rails all night. He was very fun to watch and will definitely be a weapon. My favorite was when he beat the fullback through the hole on a
lead run. For anyone that knows anything about football, that is an amazing feat.
“Dennis Green ‘They Are Who We Thought They Were!’” Award
Virginia Tech was 1-25 all time against Top 5 opponents. They didn’t wake up until the second quarter, managed to come back from a 17 point deficit to lead for most of the second half, and then lost on a series of terrible play calls (and one terrible penalty). So much for a national title run this year Hokies. Make that 1-26.
“Any Given Sunday Terrible Uniforms” Award
Keeping it in the VTech vs. Boise matchup. Tech actually looked cool. Boise, not so much. However, one thing is absolutely sure: these were some bizarre uniforms . I half expected Tyrod Taylor’s jersey to say “Beamen” on the back and for Oliver Stone to be announcing the game.
“Barack Obama False Hype” Award
Every season, Michigan and Notre Dame win their first game and we hear how great they are. Let’s keep in mind that Notre Dame was playing Robert Marve, who is talented yet so
predictable that I called “interception” on a play in the first quarter just after he took the snap. What did he do? Throw a pick. Not the most inspiring opponent. Meanwhile, Michigan stomped UConn, a tough opponent. However, isn’t Michigan supposed to stomp UConn at home on opening weekend?
Best Back Story
Dan and Billy Stein. We were at a wedding in Charlotte for the weekend and by the end of the first night were telling chicks that I worked for CBS in Los Angeles (true), he worked for the firm that Mad Men is based on in New York (false), and our father is the Governor of Florida (REALLY false). Best part was this: a good amount of the chicks bought it.
Turd in the Punch Bowl
That would be the Gators performance against Miami (Ohio). Man they sucked. The stage was set for John Brantley to have a huge day against a bad opponent to start the season and get the hype maching rolling. Instead, the Gators struggled to put away a bad team at home and had 25 yards…total…halfway through the third quarter.
SIDENOTE: My parents were listening to this one on the radio when my mom, who could not care less about college football 99% of the time, figured out what the Gators announcers were doing when they repeatedly referred to UiF as “the Gators” and Miami (Ohio) as “Miami” instead of “the Redhawks”. If my mother can figure out that their team and entire fan base is a bunch of ninnies, don’t you think everyone else should be able to as well?
Tragic Comedy
Ole Miss going down to Jacksonville State as my brother followed on his phone. Sitting at the dinner for this wedding. His “Damn it!” exclamation came in the middle of a toast. High comedy.
When Ray Ray Armstrong, wearing number 26, dove in for the Pick 6 touchdown. It was eerily reminiscent of the Sean Taylor play in the 2003 Mud Bowl game against FSU. Let's be clear: Armstrong is NOT Sean Taylor. But he looked like him on that play. I'd be lying if I said it didn't get a little dusty at my table for that one. Or when Graig Cooper made his return to the field. Alright, so maybe I'm a sap. But still, those were two great moments.
Best Tweet
@jstevenroot: Ba da bad a ba bum bum bum…TEQUILA!
A+ for effort.
Best Lesson to Take Away:
Look out Suckeyes.
Always guard the inbound passer.