They remember what you do in November a famous SEC coach once said and as November ensues only 11 worthy teams remain in the running for the two Shortlist to the San Fernando Valley invitations to be handed out and they rank in worthiness as follows:
Florida, Texas, Alabama, Iowa, TCU, Cincinnati, Boise State, Louisiana State, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, Penn State.
For the first time all year, I bat 1.000 as no team on the Shortlist wins a game I called for them to lose or losses a game I called for them to win to be eliminated as a result. Take that Sneaky Pete Carroll, you overpaid, overrated, outlaw program running buffoon. I don't even think the fraud can surf anyways and 2004 is a loooong way in the rear-view mirror now bubba.
There is only one team on the elite Shortlist I expect to lose their way off this weekend:
LSU.
The Tigers face Alabama this weekend in a clash of SEC West supremacy that could mark a shift in power back to the traditional flagship program of the nation's best conference. A win by LSU would set the stage for a wild final month of the regular season as the SEC Championship game would be downgraded from automatic title berth match-up to probable ticket puncher instead as the rest of the unbeaten programs would scramble to fill the possible vacuum a one-loss SEC champion would create at the top of the polls.
To me however, 2009 marks the year where the BCS class division is being shown to wear extremely thin between the power conferences and those schools who exist outside the limelight like TCU and Boise State. Even teams like the Hawkeyes and Bearcats, the former a school not devoid of it's own tradition and prestige historically, have used this year as an illustration that preseason bias and traditional favoritism do not necessarily have a place in the college football championship crowning competition.
When six possible undefeated teams remain in theoretical play for an invite to a dance for only two, the unfortunate bias of supposed "professionals," with agendas completely divorced from the process they are ensured with serving is a major hurdle that must be overcome. But how can a non-premier program tackle an opponent who exits outside the hash-marks and they can't outscore between final guns?
In 2004, the nation crowned an undeserving champion from a weak conference over an undefeated SEC champion and an undefeated Urban Meyer coached team, no split, no discussion, no controversy outside the state of Alabama. Five years later we've seen two loss champions and one loss champions from the SEC where undefeated non-BCS teams could have been tapped to provide upsets not seen since Osborn's, "go for two," went for nothing.
Speaking of the "Miracle in Miami", here is Esteban's "Break It Down" video feature on Miami's ACC match-up with the UVA Cavaliers this week at The Shark:
If any year in college football history was shaping up as a memorable one, it's this one, not for the final coronation of Florida's first and only unbeaten season, but perhaps for something much more memorable instead, a year where a truly shocking team came from out of nowhere to not just play on the same field as the traditional powers, but perhaps to push them aside once and for all from their reserved places at the front of the line just because that's where they've always been allowed to start. It will still take a dose of luck and an upset or two in the most unlikeliest of places to come to pass, but then again, what memorable college football champion hasn't used some of that on their way to the top?
Join me here next week as the Shortlist narrows itself down to two handfuls of contenders as the final month brings us ever closer to the ultimate prize here on the Shortlist to the San Fernandon Valley.
Copyright 2009 by Christopher Whelpton for Canespace.com
woohoo
Posted by: canechic | November 05, 2009 at 08:01 PM
how you like them apples!
Posted by: canechic | November 05, 2009 at 08:01 PM
No one is enjoying my victory :(
Posted by: canechic | November 05, 2009 at 08:10 PM
Props to you Canechic
Posted by: Alex D | November 05, 2009 at 08:12 PM
I bet you are all on the old blog!
Posted by: canechic | November 05, 2009 at 08:13 PM
SIXTH
BOO YA
Posted by: Six | November 05, 2009 at 08:42 PM
siete
Posted by: Drtycane | November 05, 2009 at 08:46 PM
do u all think lee chambers will transfer next year?
you all think we get michaelee harris?
Posted by: Drtycane | November 05, 2009 at 08:47 PM
It is the dead zone tonight!
Posted by: canechic | November 05, 2009 at 08:48 PM
Wow refs really blow!
Posted by: canechic | November 05, 2009 at 08:52 PM
The gunman was a Virginia Tech grad
Man, that's kinda scary
Posted by: Six | November 05, 2009 at 08:54 PM
Yes it is six, troops are way over extended. Sad Sad Sad!
Posted by: canechic | November 05, 2009 at 08:59 PM
canechic, nice1
Pirates playing tough, I hope the upset VT again.
peace
Posted by: solarcane | November 05, 2009 at 09:02 PM
Posted by: canechic | November 05, 2009 at 08:10 PM
Congrats... U R d' CaneChic afterall.
Posted by: tortugacane | November 05, 2009 at 09:13 PM
Thanks guys I have trained real hard, lol!
Posted by: canechic | November 05, 2009 at 09:18 PM
...Games of interest
on Tonight at 7:30
Virginia Tech -13
East Carolina
Sat 12:00
Virginia
Miami -14... Over/under 46.5 (I don't see it!) As much as I want to beat them down, It's not happening this year, with so many players out.... Miami wins, in a tough one.
Sat3:00
Duke
North Carolina -10 sniff, sniff I smell up-set.
Sat 3:30
Wake Forest... (We all know they have the guns... just maybe if the QB is back!)
Georgia Tech -16
LSU
Alabama -7.5 (Give the points)
Ohio State
Penn State -5 (I like Penn to win)
Sat 7:30
Florida State (All offense, no defense)
Clemson- 9.5
Take State and the 9.5
Posted by: Cat 5 Cane | November 05, 2009 at 09:28 PM
Half time
VT 13, East Carolina 3
Posted by: Cat 5 Cane | November 05, 2009 at 09:39 PM
Way to go! Chic
Posted by: Cat 5 Cane | November 05, 2009 at 09:42 PM
Later Gang!
Posted by: Cat 5 Cane | November 05, 2009 at 09:49 PM
Cool writing ogv/C.W. Enjoyed article!
Posted by: Mrs. 86 | November 05, 2009 at 10:01 PM
kinda on the same topic as drtycane... what happened to 1 main back this year??? and really berry is better than JJ .. yeah i said it... he hits the hole harder and runs harder in the open field.. i wish he would be our main back
Posted by: DrewZ2 | November 05, 2009 at 10:18 PM
@drew22 with the pimps next year..we have too many RB's...and probably a few disgruntle ones who wanna play right away...
just hope the attitude continues next season to be as positive as it has been...
e.carolina plays the "undertaker wwf song" on 3rd down...sweet
will anyone beat the turds this season before the big game? nothing like talking shyt to a turd who "thinks" they know college football...and everyone unfortunately has one!!
Posted by: Drtycane | November 05, 2009 at 10:26 PM
When I was in the Army I worked in the 1st Cavalry Division Headquarters building right next door to the building where the shootings took place. I lived right across the street. It's kind of freaky seeing so many familiar places on the news tonight.
I had a lot of good times at Ft. Hood. On the weekends we would go to the lake on base during the day, and at night we would go party in Austin. It was a great place to live. Obviously I was there during peacetime.
My thoughts and prayers go out to all of the men and women in the military.
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | November 05, 2009 at 10:30 PM
Where have all the bloggers gone?
Posted by: 86Cane | November 05, 2009 at 11:05 PM
Ogv's short list = A1A! CaneSpacers, get on-board and post your comments prior to game day. Go Canes!
Posted by: tortugacane | November 05, 2009 at 11:09 PM
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | November 05, 2009 at 10:30 PM
No kidding, much more peaceful back then. Same thoughts here to the men and women in uniform serving USA. They have my respect!
Posted by: tortugacane | November 05, 2009 at 11:14 PM
The Space is slow tonight.
FWIW, I saw per ESPN/ITU that Daniel Lasco, rb out of TX in the 2011 class, has an offer from the U. If all of the rb folks for this year's class stick we may have trouble attracting many for the following year, although I don't think we'd really need unless someone appears truly special. It would be hard not take at least one per year though.
Other non-Cane sports news today includes the Marlins trading away Hermida to the BoSox for a couple of pitchers and Canada getting upset about the below info:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=4627470
Per Mel Brooks, "it really is good to be the king."
Posted by: JCane | November 05, 2009 at 11:17 PM
Whats good peoples?
live from countdown city
I hear that we are cutting practices? WOW? And im hearing our 5year senior players are saying this-``That's football. That's the season. Everybody is beat up. But I'd be lying to you if I told your our bodies didn't feel it going out there and hitting every week. I'm happy coach is taking it a little easier on us in practice now. Because the team that can push through [injuries] and not get complacent is the one that is going to win games down the stretch.''FOx
LMAO that is the first!
1.Swasey has to gooooooooooooooooooooo I watch this team get weaker and weaker year by year! There comes a time where as a football team you will need physical play. Sat we need that... Talent can get you only so far! Besides is it me or our players look like they are losing mass? LOOk @ their core?
2.nd Playaction work @ first but now whipple needs to add some flavor to the Offense, I can count how many times we get sack from play action... You can't use that unless we have a dominate running game! Teams are stacking the box and blitzing on 3rd down... How about some shotgun??? J12 is throwing the ball before the wrs get there? Has no faith in the oline to hold the blocks.
J12 seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees the field better he is comfortable @ it! he ran that @ NW. I've been screaming it over n over! He told whipple in the fsu game in the 4th qt "Give me 4 wide coach" please!!! A Buddy of mine that is close to the harris family told me this.
Speaking of the running game if DaMEiN Berry does not see more carries im goin to scream !!!!! He our bamas Ingram! I do not want to see tippy toe James get more carries than him.
3rd Lovett can we not get crazy in the blitzes how about using a db like sheilds or harris from time to time don't blitz every 1? How about some schemes Coach Love?
4th Some recruiting news LOL @ Clements saying he commited in Aug... Crack of ish. He did not people. He was all on Ga and now that Ga is losing and Coach Richt on the hot seat he now committed to us? Funny i think Storm is better just my opinion.
Ego Ferg loves us to death but his dad says; Im not hearing too much from tha canes i wish i could get more contact with the staff and shannon, I have questions that need to be answered? Seems like they are never available and that scares me. -Ego Sr.
Little do you all know???
Ego Ferguson is related to Danyell Ferguson that played rb for the canes in the early 90's thats his uncle! So if we are losing ground that would be a shame?
just a few tidbits from a Cane Bra to another Good night!
GOO CANES!
Posted by: 321canes | November 05, 2009 at 11:20 PM
321...interesting post. Not sure how much I agree with, but interesting nonetheless.
I'm out...
Posted by: 86Cane | November 05, 2009 at 11:45 PM
So whats this I hear that Miami has given 3000 of their ticket allotment back to USF. How can we not travel well when the game is in-state?
Posted by: raizecane | November 05, 2009 at 11:47 PM
some thngs i can think of about authur brown not getting moe burn is, unless he got caught telling his brother bryce brown not to come here because they play favorites with the home team guys or he's really not learning enough to be out their.
Also, truth be told, we have been in a lot of tight games or games where it would not have been bright to bring him in if he can't get the job done, unless we talking famu. Another thing is, socially he's learnign how to lead, and as soon as they moved brown to the middle, he probably didn't respond right from a leadership standpoint, so alot is going into that decision. I think relagating ab to special teams is a form of humble pie right now for him and a way to make him become more hungry now whether he does or not, time will tell, but right now when you hear his peers basically saying ab needs to look at more film, etc. etc. That's a tale tale sign 4 sho.
Just like shannon didn't think marve was the leader of the team, the coaching staff may feel the same way with ab, time will tell though. shannon did keep saying you got to de-recruit alot of these players today, although authur does seem humbler though than his brother. Anyway, that's coach shannon's problem, we got virginia this week and they are looking for revenge, it's not like we blowed this team out last year or something, without all the "save al groh's job talk" they want to revenge that overtime loss from last year where we piled up on each other on their field.
Posted by: Calvin | November 06, 2009 at 12:08 AM
So whats this I hear that Miami has given 3000 of their ticket allotment back to USF. How can we not travel well when the game is in-state?
Posted by: raizecane | November 05, 2009 at 11:47 PM
It's a pretty easy ticket to get right now. My cousin bought 20 tickets directly from the USF ticket office so we could have better seats in the club level.
As far as Landshark goes, it's too expensive to go to every game for most of UM's local fan base. That's just reality in this economy.
They need to try different promotions to get more fan's to the games. At the Trop this year they would let cars with 4 or more passengers park for free. They need to close the upper bowl. Period. There is not enough interest right no to justify opening it up.
If a family of 4 cannot get in and out of there for $60-$80 before concessions, they are not going to show up. Upper deck tickets on the 30 are $75-$80 a piece. Couple this with the fact that most of UM's games have been on ESPN HD or ABC HD, and you can see why a lot of fan's are choosing not to go to the games.
This is not an SEC school. Those fools would fill the Swamp to watch two SEC cockroaches race across the field. Their game against FIU is PPV, and those fools will pay for it! I wish we could sell out every game, but we have never sold out every game.
They used to give away free tickets to UM games at Burger King back in the day! That's how we roll! It's kind of sad and funny at the same time!
I was wondering if UM could move back to the Marlin's new park when the lease runs out at Joe Robbie. Is that new park a dome? What do you all think about that? Lord knows we hate the BB diamond, could you deal with it to get the games back to Miami? What about playing in a dome?
Go 'canes!
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | November 06, 2009 at 12:16 AM
Sarasota quite honestly I am not even sure that Marlin thing gets built....I know I know groundbreaking ceremonies already but I just have a feeling about this one. Even if it does get built....I will tell you this staduim is going to turn out to be the biggest mistake in Miami's history.
Sad thing about the game on Saturday, even most of the student body is not going to the homecoming game tomorrow because they do not want to wake up that early...come on!
Posted by: canechic | November 06, 2009 at 06:51 AM
Sarasota you very right about the price, UCF did not charge at all for parking sure we had to walk but I think we all need the exercise anyway!
$25 to park is robbery!
Posted by: canechic | November 06, 2009 at 06:58 AM
... Someone asked for the IR as of 11-5-09
13 out...3 DL, 3 DB'S, 2 DE, 3 LB'S, 1 TE, 1 FB
Probable... will play
RB Javarris James – Lower Extremity
DB Randy Phillips – Upper Extremity
Doubtful
DL Eric Moncur – Lower Extremity
Out
DB Ray-Ray Armstrong – Lower Extremity
FB Patrick Hill – Lower Extremity
DB JoJo Nicolas – Upper Extremity
LB Sean Spence – Lower Extremity
Surgery and Out for the Season
DL Dyron Dye – Lower Extremity
DL Marcus Forston – Lower Extremity
LB Jordan Futch – Lower Extremity
TE Richard Gordon – Upper Extremity
LB Shayon Green – Lower Extremity
DE Gavin Hardin – Upper Extremity
DB Ryan Hill – Upper Extremity
DE Adewale Ojomo – Jaw
Posted by: Cat 5 Cane | November 06, 2009 at 07:17 AM
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/sports/umweblog/~3/ae2moWc2Nng/colin-mccarthy-feeling-healthy-.html
ss
Posted by: DATcane | November 06, 2009 at 07:30 AM
Hooh; where are d' CaneSpacers? Common' Spacers "get-in" here... Canes Beat V!
BTW: Good deal on Canechic 1ST.
Posted by: Mrs. 86 | November 06, 2009 at 07:33 AM
http://www.allcanesblog.com/
U
Posted by: DATcane | November 06, 2009 at 07:37 AM
?????????????????????
MISSING IN ACTION... WHERE WERE THE TE's.
EPPS... ZERO CATCHES LAST WEEK.
J GRAHAM... 1 CATCH LAST WEEK - 2 YARDS.
T JOHNSON... 1 CATCH LAST WK - 2 YD's AND TD
Posted by: Cat 5 Cane | November 06, 2009 at 07:37 AM
I was wondering if UM could move back to the Marlin's new park when the lease runs out at Joe Robbie. Is that new park a dome? What do you all think about that? Lord knows we hate the BB diamond, could you deal with it to get the games back to Miami? What about playing in a dome?
Go 'canes!
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | November 06, 2009 at 12:16 AM
That could be a good possibility that should be considered. It could bring a higher % of student body + others in town. The heart of Miami has a whole lot to offer, tourists, etc. It's a hot city!
Posted by: Mrs. 86 | November 06, 2009 at 07:37 AM
http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&ct2=us%2F0_0_s_4_0_t&usg=AFQjCNF6RKs2mBeyRet_xWlof-D76Y_xHw&cid=0&ei=mxj0StiDEZ3y9gTompk-&rt=SEARCH&vm=STANDARD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fncaafootball.fanhouse.com%2F2009%2F11%2F06%2Fthree-years-after-his-murder-bryan-patas-spirit-lives-on%2F
U
Posted by: DATcane | November 06, 2009 at 07:42 AM
Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | November 06, 2009 at 12:16 AM
Posted by: jackattack | November 06, 2009 at 07:37 AM
Yeah; good chance to have more people showing up at the games in a "brand new stadium" (6 Saturdays a year; right?). And, yes, Miami is the "hottest" city by far! Nothing like it. It beats all others by high percentage margins; hot, hot, hot people!
Posted by: tortugacane | November 06, 2009 at 07:44 AM
Miami is a hot city but most people go to Miami for south beach not football or baseball. That staduim was a bad bad idea!
Posted by: canechic | November 06, 2009 at 07:51 AM
Cat
The TE's are stuck in pass protection because our Oline has regressed all year.
They better fix this trend or it is going to be a tough road down the stretch.
And you ain't kidding about Miami being hot!! Never mind the people. It is jungle hot down there.
This NEast boy can't hack it!
GO CANEZ!!!!!
Posted by: Canez1 | November 06, 2009 at 08:13 AM
Calvin,
I don't know if Arthur on special teams is humble pie, or a reward for being loyal and trying as hard physically as he can.
Both would make sense I guess.
We were too young last year and wore out the second half of the season.
This year we have no depth and wear out the second half of the season.
Next season even though these guys will be Juniors I think we will see a different philosophy on practice days.
If the Juniors an Seniors get nicked up, we have proven the young kids aren't conditioned enough to play a long college schedule.
When the kids at Alabama practice they don't tackle to the ground during practice.
Saban said players hitting the ground all year while tackling or being tackled wears them down and causes injuries.
peace
Posted by: solarcane | November 06, 2009 at 08:21 AM
Alabama 29 L$U 10 (Bye Bye)
Miami 39 Virginia 23
A team not on the short list but brought back to reality
Stanford 31 Oregon 30
Posted by: Sebastian | November 06, 2009 at 08:22 AM
Z-1
I understand... the protection, Then bring in 2 TE with a sturdy RB (berry) in the backfield. Now spread the field... somebody will get open!
Posted by: Cat 5 Cane | November 06, 2009 at 08:23 AM
Gotta go...
Posted by: Cat 5 Cane | November 06, 2009 at 08:24 AM
I totally agree Cat.
Our TE's are serious weapons and really could open things up for the WR's.
I am really surprised that we don't throw to the RB's at all.
Someone has to be open for fukks sake!!!
GO CANEZ!!!!!
Posted by: Canez1 | November 06, 2009 at 08:26 AM
Eye on the U to be cleaned up as the Mandingo warns everybody to keep things respectable, i can finally enjoy his blog once again, no more of those ridiculous 12 yr old gator fans using 20 different names to get under every canes fans skin. Next to this, Manny's blog is one of the best, he always have great reads and his info is redunkulously accurate and far more up to date than most pay sites!
Posted by: Sean Spence is a Beast!!! | November 06, 2009 at 08:39 AM