Tag Archives: Heisman Trophy

Football Feedings 2014 Week 01: Armadilla Pork Ribs

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Hey you know, why not?  I thought about not doing one of these this year but I’ll be damned if I didn’t get an electric grill for my birthday.  So now I have plenty of new recipies to try out this fall.   With that said, I’m back and the grill is hot!  This week we’ll do something I’ve been itching to do for a long time, both main and side dish wise. Continue reading Football Feedings 2014 Week 01: Armadilla Pork Ribs

Kansas Football Preview 2014: Hey, There’s Hype To Live Up To

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Hey it’s another year of football for Kansas State and it’s a weird time to be a fan.  Usually Kansas State comes in underpicked, underestimated, and just generally dumped on.  Welp this year is different.  The Wildcats ended the year strong with an even stronger win over Michigan in the bowl game.  Now all of the sudden the pundits and spineless sports media are picking Kansas State to finish well.

It’s a weird feeling.  If any fan, and team, watches and plays better with a chip on their shoulder, it’s Kansas State.  So now it’s time to act like we’ve been there.  Yes, we have, but that added extra juice of being the underdog is gone.  What’s a K-Stater to do?  I guess the best thing is to do what got you to this point.

For us fans, that means cheering loud and staying proud.  Pretty easy.  For the football team, that means Jake Waters tossing bombs to Tyler Lockett.  That’s pretty easy, too, actually.  It helps that there’s this sexy stats the pundits refer to that each returning Wildcat quarterback leads the team to 11 wins (minus the early Snyder teams).  So Jake Waters has that going for him.

You know what else he has going for him?  Collin Klein.  No no, he’s not playing for the team again, he’s COACHING them.  While you can’t teach those kind of running instincts, Collin Klein can at least give direction.  And that’s exactly what he’s doing with Jake Waters.  Dark horse Heisman right there.  I expect Jake Waters to do great, great things this year.  More so than Tyler Lockett, although he’s right up there.

The offense sort of has questions elsewhere.  There’s a decent group of wide receivers coming back, even though Daniel Sams took off after losing the quarterback job.  The running back situation will be a committee until someone shows up.  I hope its fast.  There’s a polarized set of experience on the offense line and I hope they gel fast too.

I’m not sure what’s up on defense.  Ryan Mueller is the man on the defense line (and former St. Thomas Aquinas alum, like me).  That’s about all I know.  There’s a couple of JUCO transfers that will help out immediately and we’ll have to see what the team looks like when they take the field today.  Chances are, they will be fundamentally sound but not the biggest and fasted.  Just like the last couple of years.

So speaking of games, how do I see the Wildcats this year?  After last year’s fist game turd, I expect them to punch the ball in quicker and grow a bigger lead in the first half against Stephen F. Austin and then let up on the peddle a bit.  They won’t be vanilla the whole game.  Not with what’s coming up next.

Right after that, it’s a brutal stretch.  Farmageddon is next, then Auburn.  Iowa State will be better on the offensive side of the ball  now that they got Mark Mangino as the offensive coordinator.  And it’s on the road.  Even though it wasn’t close last year, it will be this year.  Kansas State will win.

Auburn is the big tomato.  At least it’s in Manhattan.  I get the feel from Tigers fans that they are scared about this one.  They should be.  But for some reason, all of the hype surrounding Kansas State this year has at least alerted them to the danger that is the Wildcats.  Which means the team will be ready.  Will Kansas State be ready? Yes.  Will they lose?  Unfortunately, yes.

So what does the rest of the schedule look like?  Let’s run it down.  They come back down to Earth and beat up UTEP.  Texas Tech is in Manhattan so that’s a Wildcat victory.  That Oklahoma game is a toss up because they are getting overrated too.  I’m going with a loss there.  They will beat Texas and Oklahoma State in Manhattan.  They will beat TCU and West Virginia on the road.  They will roll Kansas.

So that leaves Baylor.  On the road.  Hey guess what?  I’m going to the game!  New stadium.  Last game of the year.  Will it be for the Big 12 title?  I sure hope so.   My guess is that it will have huge implications on the Big 12 title.  That’s good enough for me.  Because I just don’t think Kansas State can keep up with Baylor.

Which means I’m pretty much going chalk this year.  Weak, isn’t it?  That’s what happens when the hype matches where I actually think the team will be, which is about 3rd in the conference with 3 losses.  Now what bowl game that will be,  I don’t know.  I hope it’s close to Austin so I can finally see the Wildcats in a bowl.  But until then, I’ll keep cheering loud and staying proud.  Go Wildcats!

Kansas State Football Preview 2013: Can The Champ Fall Back?

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So it’s getting amazingly close to the first whistle of the year and it’s time now that I take a moment and peer into the crystal punch bowl to predict Kansas State’s football season.  I’ve learned alot down here in Austin after living here for a little more than 3 years.  One of the things happens to be pride.   So I’m taking my pride in Kansas State and leaning on that hard coming into this year.  Everyone else says they will fall back down below the middle of the pack.  Is that the case?

Okay so yeah, they lose Heisman runner Collin Klein and a bunch of starters from last year, mostly on defense.  That makes it easy for the naysayers of last year to come back even louder this year and say that the Wildcats will be down.  Why are we even listening to this naysayers, er, sports media types?  Welp, they have the bullhorn by the horn and won’t let go.  They say that no one knows anything about the kids coming in to replace the starters.   Is it that bad?

Well typically when you lose starters, you lose a ton of experience which does count way more college football than in the pros.  So the argument might be pretty tight.  But this is a Bill Snyder coached football team.  He will find a way to get the best out of his youngsters at whatever position he plunks them down at.  How come we’ve never heard of Collin Klein, Darren Sproles, or Michael Bishop before they played Kansas State?  Because they get their name wearing the purple.  The naysayers never predict that.

Yet I couldn’t predict what is happening at the quarterback position.   Going into this year, I thought it was all Daniel Sams.  But then all of the sudden, this Jake Waters kid comes into the picture.  He had a career in the JUCO area not unlike a one Michael Bishop and his name was being talked about amongst the naysayers.  Ruh roh.  Do I smell trouble with this?  Maybe a little.  Coach Snyder announced him as the starter coming into this weekend.  That could mean it’s his all the way or it’s Sams to catch up and take.  I’ll be there at DKR to see who won.

Looking at the schedule, that big conference opening game will tell us alot.  It will tell us just how good the fresh new defense is.  It will tell us who the solid quarterback is.  It will tell us if Kansas State has a shot to repeat.  Thank goodness it’s against Texas.  That bottle is almost empty and the magic is about to run out.  I’m hoping for one more huge squeeze to give a go in my new-ish hometown of Austin.  Before I run down the rest of the schedule, let me talk a bit about the defense.

Yes, they lost a ton of kids.  But they also have some experience coming back, most notably Ty Zimmerman.  I’m not entirely dumb enough to think that the defense will actually be weaker this year, but for some reason I’m thinking it will be enough.  The two quarterback race tells me almost instantly that Kansas State may actually produce as much or even more than last year.  Especially if Waters can really throw.  So, yeah, they can be down on defense but the offense is already in motion to catch up.

No need to talk about the special teams.  It’s the best in the Big 12 period.  Thanks Tyler Lockett.

Now on to the schedule:  The first two games are actually tough.  They get North Dakota State and UL-Lafayette, both fairly tough tiny schools.  If they can come out of that alive, they can take out Umass.  I’m smelling a very heart attack inducing 3-0 start.  Next up is Texas.  They will beat Texas.  I will say that until it stops.  Oklahoma State will be tough and so will Baylor.  Kansas State gets Baylor at home.  Revenge for that one but I think they lose to the Pokes, it’s just too much.  West Virginia will want revenge but I think we take them.  Iowa State will be close as usual and seeing as its at home, I gotta give it to the Wildcats.  Texas Tech has a new coach so I don’t know what to expect.  I will go with Kansas State.  TCU and Oklahoma will beat Kansas State.  There’s too much defense and talent.  Finally, Kansas State beats up on Kansas again.

Final Prediction: 9-3 with a bowl spot again and win to be 10-3

The ones I’m not entirely sure of are Texas and Iowa State.  Those could go either way.  I’m sure I’ll eat crow on one of those.  But for the time being, it looks like the champ will fall back.  Just not as far back as others are claiming.  It’s time for another football season so let’s strap it up, EMAW Nation!

Purple Yeti Roar 48: Holiday Edition

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Ho Ho Howdy!  Merry Holiday!  Or what’s left of it.  I’m back after my holiday break to squeeze out another 10 minutes of college football tidings.  This time I talk about Kansas State, Oregon, Fiesta Bowl, Lache Seastrunk, Baylor, UCLA, Heisman Trophy, BYU, UCF, LA Lafayette, Boise State, Fresno State, SMU, EA Sports College Football, Western Kentucky, Central Michigan, Holiday Bowl, Little Caesars Bowl, Bill Snyder, Ohio State, Elle Roberson, Collin Klein, and the Mayan Calendar. Continue reading Purple Yeti Roar 48: Holiday Edition

Purple Yeti Roar 46: Take A Ride On My Carousel

The regular season is official over.  Now it’s on to bowl season!  But before we get into that, we must get on the annual coaching carousel.  I’ll go over that as well as Kansas State, Big 12, Collin Klein, Mante Te’o, Johnny Manziel, Heisman Trophy, SEC, Tennessee, Arkansas, Bret Bielma, Auburn, Tommy Tuberville, Cincinnati, Mike Gundy, ESPN, Fox, and the BCS. Continue reading Purple Yeti Roar 46: Take A Ride On My Carousel

Pick It And Stick It: Rolling Down The HIll

People are saying that it’s all down hill from here.  For Kansas State that is.  They put a whuppin’ on West Virginia and now everyone else on schedule will be easy walkings.  Okay so the same people who are saying that were talking up that same West Virginia.  I’m not falling for it.  Most Kansas State fans won’t either.  It’s a new week of college football and it just keeps getting tougher and tougher. Continue reading Pick It And Stick It: Rolling Down The HIll

Pick It and Stick It: Up Early For Farmageddon

While most of the Big 12 World is watching the Red River Shootout, I’ll be watching Farmageddon.  It’s a trap game for the Kansas State Wildcats and I hope they pull it together and sneak out of Ames with a victory.  The rest of the Big 12 plays but frankly I don’t care so much, except maybe for West Virginia at Texas Tech.  No upsets there.   Yeah it’s an abbreviated Pick It and Stick It, but I’m going to at least get my point across. Continue reading Pick It and Stick It: Up Early For Farmageddon

Dart Board Predictions 2012: Just Make Sure You Don’t Touch Anybody

Yup it’s time I wing them again.  I don’t like making things ultra official and professional (note the website) and I will follow that same lack of format for another Pick It and Stick It Special.  It’s Dart Board Predictions time!  I don’t keep track so if you want to hit me up on the Twitterz (twitter.com/kccgd) or email ([email protected]) and let me know just how smart or dumb I am.  So with that out of the way, let’s sharpen up the darts and start tossing.  Get out of the way.

  • I for some reason kept picking Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden to kick the bucket on the field.  I was wrong on both shots (but there’s a chance with Bobby still).  This year I will predict that NO ONE will die on the field.  Practice field doesn’t count.  I know about the sickle cell.
  • After capping off the offseason with a newly announced college football playoffs, college presidents will realize the folly of their way and go back the BCS system.  The robots will be replaced by committee members.
  • Brent Musburger starts to fade as he delves into dementia not unlike Keith Jackson 10 years ago.  The only difference, he will still shill and sound super excited.
  • Hey I picked a Big 12 Champion, so who will that champion play?  Pretty easy, it’s BCS bowl bound for Oklahoma against Virginia Tech because Frank Beamer.
  • So that means that the Hokies will win the ACC again and I’m not sure anyone will really care.
  • With the WAC shutting down, you’ll see other lower tier conferences going away.  I’m looking at you Sun Belt.
  • Charlie Weiss will get so frustrated at Kansas, that his front butt will lash out and strike a player.  Unlike his almost twin in old head coach Mark Mangino, no one will seem to care about it.  Poor blowhard Weiss.
  • The Big East will be renamed to The Big after they finish this year announcing new members Hawaii and Japan.
  • Texas A&M and Missouri do okay in the SEC this year.  After they get done cleaning up the table when the big boys are done.
  • Mike Leech trades his sword in for a bow and arrow and starts pegging apples at Washington State.  This somehow inspires Wazzu to double their wins to 2.
  • USC will walk into the Pac 12 as the favorite and will more than likely walk out the winner.  Oregon lost so much except those tasty uniforms.
  • But Matt Barkley will not win the Heisman Trophy.  The consolation?  The next contestant on The Bachelor.
  • Who will win the Heisman?  It’s a quarterback sport anymore so I think it will be someone from the that position.  I see Geno Smith nailing with Collin Klein coming in second.  Such a homer pick.
  • Speaking of Kansas State, Bill Snyder will live through the year and see a bowl win finally.  Maybe in the Beef O’Bradys Bowl.
  • Craig James will spew out some nonsense and get accepted to the Green Party’s ticket for president alongside Rosanne Barr.
  • I really do think this may be Michigan’s year for a Big 10 title. Unfortunately as soon as they step on that stage, they will instantly be overhyped and lose out in the Rose Bowl.
  • About 100 more players will be suspended due to mysterious ‘team rules’ epidemic going around.
  • I will not win Pick It and Stick It again this year.  I’m hedging my bet right now and will be saying ‘Called It!’ in December.
  • USC will face LSU and win in the BCS National Championship Game.  Only because USC did me so well in EA Sports NCAA College Football and LSU just doesn’t have it, much to the chagrin of everything SEC.
  • Finally, super predictor Phil Steele will rip off most of my predictions from this column and discredit everything else he did in 2012.

Kansas State Football Preview 2012: Always The Underdog

Another year of Kansas State football is upon us and there’s some weird mixed feelings going on.   Maybe not in Manhattan, but certainly down here in Austin and in this Purple Yeti’s abode.  You see, part of me wants to believe that Kansas State will improve upon its amazing record from last year, but another wants to believe in the negative hype the so called sports media jams down my throat.  Is everyone writing off Kansas State too easily, or will reality hit hard for the little Wildcats from the Little Apple? Continue reading Kansas State Football Preview 2012: Always The Underdog

A Better Big 12 For 2012

Ah yeah, the Big 12 is back baby!  Oh well, it didn’t really go anywhere.  Compared to last year, this offseason was a walk in the park.  Why is that?  Well, we have some new faces in the mix and some old faces hit the road.  I think truly for the first time in the last 3 years, there is some stability here.  That makes me happy.  What makes me happier is the new season so let’s see how this conference shakes out. Continue reading A Better Big 12 For 2012

Crib Sheet: Emptied Out The Bowls

I think I’m eating way more than I did when I was on vacation.  The holidays were tasty but between running around to visit people and sipping a couple of barley pops left me with little time to eat well.  Now that I am back, I find my fingers in the candy bowl that filled up from the stockings left before the trip.  Oh well, I guess.  Tis the season.  I know one thing, after the new year and the end of bowl season, it’s mega workout time.   One item that will mostly be fat throughout the year is the Crib Sheet.  So let’s get munching: Continue reading Crib Sheet: Emptied Out The Bowls

Crib Sheet: Prizes Inside!

It’s that time of year again.  The time to hand out awards for special play by special players.  The Big 12 awards popped out and there were a couple surprises.  The one that jumps out at me is the ‘All-purpose’ award for Kansas State’s Collin Klein.  Was that ever used before in the past?  It seems like they cooked it up just for Klein.  I mean, he’s no Heisman winner, but he was the most important person on the team for the Wildcats.  I guess as a Kansas State fan, I’ll take what I can get.  You have to take what you can get with this week’s Crib Sheet as well, so lets’ get doling:

Bowl Pick It and Stick It 2011: 6 and 8 Split

Yes, it’s bowl season and I’ve got a hankering for one more Bowl Pick It and Stick It.  This time bowling is more exciting for me outside of the BCS Bowls.  Part of it is the fact that Kansas State got jipped out of an appearance at the Sugar Bowl, but the other part is that the line up BCS wise is just not interesting enough.  The Sugar and the Orange are lame.  The BCS National Championship Game is a rematch of boredom.  The Fiesta and Rose look good but the overall product leaves me underwhelmed.  That’s what I’m stoked for the Cotton Bowl.  It’s non BCS and has a top 10 BCS match up with Kansas State taking on Arkansas.  SEC vs Big 12.  Hell yeah.  Click on through for the Bowl Pick It and Stick It information.

 

Pick It and Stick It Link: http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/bowl/group/2195/invitation?key=8648873bde407264
Group: 2195
Password: gobig12

So here’s the rest of the bowl line up:

Bowl Location Date/Time Network
Gildan New Mexico
Temple vs. Wyoming
Albuquerque, N.M.
University Stadium
Dec. 17
2 p.m.
ESPN
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Ohio vs. Utah State
Boise, Idaho
Bronco Stadium
Dec. 17
5:30 p.m.
ESPN
R+L Carriers New Orleans
San Diego State vs. Louisiana-Lafayette
New Orleans
Mercedes-Benz Superdome
Dec. 17
9 p.m.
ESPN
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s St. Petersburg
Florida International vs. Marshall
St. Petersburg, Fla.
Tropicana Field
Dec. 20
8 p.m.
ESPN
S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia
TCU vs. Louisiana Tech
San Diego
Qualcomm Stadium
Dec. 21
8 p.m.
ESPN
MAACO Las Vegas
Arizona State vs. Boise State
Las Vegas
Sam Boyd Stadium
Dec. 22
8 p.m.
ESPN
Sheraton Hawaii
Nevada vs. Southern Miss
Honolulu
Aloha Stadium
Dec. 24
8 p.m.
ESPN
AdvoCare V100 Independence
Missouri vs. North Carolina
Shreveport, La.
Independence Stadium
Dec. 26
5 p.m.
ESPN2
Little Caesars
Western Michigan vs. Purdue
Detroit
Ford Field
Dec. 27
4:30 p.m.
ESPN
Belk
Louisville vs. NC State
Charlotte, N.C.
Bank of America Stadium
Dec. 27
8 p.m.
ESPN
Military Bowl Presented By Northrop Grumman
Toledo vs. Air Force
Washington, D.C.
RFK Stadium
Dec. 28
4:30 p.m.
ESPN
Bridgepoint Education Holiday
California vs. Texas
San Diego
Qualcomm Stadium
Dec. 28
8 p.m.
ESPN
Champs Sports
Florida State vs. Notre Dame
Orlando, Fla.
Florida Citrus Bowl
Dec. 29
5:30 p.m.
ESPN
Valero Alamo
Washington vs. Baylor
San Antonio
Alamodome
Dec. 29
9 p.m.
ESPN
Bell Helicopter Armed Forces
BYU vs. Tulsa
Dallas
Gerald J. Ford Stadium
Dec. 30
Noon
ESPN
New Era Pinstripe
Rutgers vs. Iowa State
Bronx, N.Y.
Yankee Stadium
Dec. 30
3:20 p.m.
ESPN
Franklin American Mortgage Music City
Mississippi State vs. Wake Forest
Nashville, Tenn.
LP Field
Dec. 30
6:40 p.m.
ESPN
Insight
Iowa vs. Oklahoma
Tempe, Ariz.
Sun Devil Stadium
Dec. 30
10 p.m.
ESPN
Meineke Car Care of Texas
Texas A&M vs. Northwestern
Houston
Reliant Stadium
Dec. 31
Noon
ESPN
Hyundai Sun
Georgia Tech vs. Utah
El Paso, Texas
Sun Bowl
Dec. 31
2 p.m.
CBS
AutoZone Liberty
Cincinnati vs. Vanderbilt
Memphis, Tenn.
Liberty Bowl
Dec. 31
3:30 p.m.
ABC
Kraft Fight Hunger
Illinois vs. UCLA
San Francisco
AT&T Park
Dec. 31
3:30 p.m.
ESPN
Chick-fil-A
Virginia vs. Auburn
Atlanta
Georgia Dome
Dec. 31
7:30 p.m.
ESPN
TicketCity
Houston vs. Penn State
Dallas
Cotton Bowl
Jan. 2
Noon
ESPNU
Outback
Michigan State vs. Georgia
Tampa, Fla.
Raymond James Stadium
Jan. 2
1 p.m.
ABC
Capital One
Nebraska vs. South Carolina
Orlando, Fla.
Florida Citrus Bowl
Jan. 2
1 p.m.
ESPN
Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl
Ohio State vs. Florida
Jacksonville, Fla.
EverBank Field
Jan. 2
1 p.m.
ESPN2
Rose Bowl Game presented by Vizio
Wisconsin vs. Oregon
Pasadena, Calif.
Rose Bowl
Jan. 2
5 p.m.
ESPN
Tostitos Fiesta
Stanford vs. Oklahoma State
Glendale, Ariz.
U. of Phoenix Stadium
Jan. 2
8:30 p.m.
ESPN
Allstate Sugar
Michigan vs. Virginia Tech
New Orleans
Louisiana Superdome
Jan. 3
8:30 p.m.
ESPN
Discover Orange
West Virginia vs. Clemson
Miami
Sun Life Stadium
Jan. 4
8:30 p.m.
ESPN
AT&T Cotton
Kansas State vs. Arkansas
Arlington, Texas
Cowboys Stadium
Jan. 6
8 p.m.
FOX
BBVA Compass Bowl
SMU vs. Pittsburgh
Birmingham, Ala.
Legion Field
Jan. 7
1 p.m.
ESPN
GoDaddy.com
Arkansas State vs. Northern Illinois
Mobile, Ala.
Ladd-Peebles Stadium
Jan. 8
9 p.m.
ESPN
Allstate BCS National Championship Game
No. 1 LSU vs. No. 2 Alabama
New Orleans
Louisiana Superdome
Jan. 9
8:30 p.m.
ESPN

Remember it’s a straight up pick but you can rank your confidence from 1 to 35.  What other bowls are interesting you ask?  Well, let’s start with the Big 12.  Baylor and Washington look good for the Alamo Bowl, thanks to Robert Griffin III’s Hesiman win.  Oklahoma playing Iowa for the first time in forever in the Insight Bowl sees Sooner head coach Bob Stoops head to his alma mater.  What other games look good?  How about the Outback Bowl with Georgia taking on Michigan State, another version of the BCS snub bowl.  That’s about it for me.  The others are decent but they just don’t jump out to me.  Come back every Monday from here on out, though and we’ll go over the picks.

Crib Sheet: The Chips Have Fallen Into the Bowls

The teams have been announced that cards played out on the table.  The big hand is lame this year but the side bets are sexier.  That’s right the regular season is over and now we are flipping over to bowl season.  There were some snubs as usual, but the Big 12 lineup of bowls still looks pretty strong.  The Cotton Bowl is right up there with the BCS bowls in terms of interesting match ups.  Kansas State vs Arkansas, or Big 12 vs SEC, like it should be.  Call your bets and flop on over to this week’s Crib Sheet.

Continue reading Crib Sheet: The Chips Have Fallen Into the Bowls

Crib Sheet: Media Days Are Upon Us

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Another fat week of the Crib Sheet.  I know you haven’t had enough.  Media Days have finally kicked off so it will be another month before real football kicks off.  Bask in the light, people, and let’s start ramping up for another season.   First, the Crib Sheet:

Continue reading Crib Sheet: Media Days Are Upon Us