Tag Archives: Virginia Tech

Pick It and Stick It: Flick Me A Winner

Here we go with another year of Pick It and Stick It!  This time I decided to go easy on people and not do confidence points throughout the year.  It was just too much beef to handle week in and week out.  So I cut that fat off and leaned it down to a tasty point spread straight up pick league.  You can drop two weeks so if want to join up please do so at:
If you got any questions, please feel free to hit me up.  Now let’s take a look at the first week’s pics:

Barspotting: Kicking Off A New Town of Barspotting at Doc’s Backyard

Alrighty, football is here and you know what that means: Barspotting!  For those of you not familiar with how Barspotting works, I basically tool around town and find places to watch college football then rate whether it’s worth it to check it out yourself.  This year will be different because I’m in a whole new town.  So I get to find a whole bunch of new bars review and also get the added benefit of finding my way around town.  The first ever Austin edition of Barspotting will feature Doc’s Backyard in Sunset Valley, well, because they are real close to me.  Not only that but they have a supposedly real tasty Chicken Fried Avacado.  Let’s check out Saturday’s lineup. Continue reading Barspotting: Kicking Off A New Town of Barspotting at Doc’s Backyard

Bowl Pick It and Stick It: The Bowl Nine Yards

Here we are in the middle of bowl season.  I got some good gear for Xmas and I hope you got some too.  The bowl action was light in the last week, but we are now ramping up into the  meat of the schedule.  Most of the Big 12 schools will be playing this week and  there will be ample action in between.  Meanwhile, I Bowl Pick It and Stick It standings are out are some peeps jumping out of the gate quick.  Let’s look at that first:

Continue reading Bowl Pick It and Stick It: The Bowl Nine Yards

Pick It and Stick It: Wiping Away the Pretenders

The BCS Standings are out and it’s time to start wiping away the competition.  Oklahoma and Missouri will lock horns tomorrow to find out who will be worthy from the Big 12.  We also have LSU battling Auburn for SEC worthiness.  The pretenders are wiping away and it’s all downhill for the road to the BCS Championship Game.  The pretenders will also start wiping away in our Pick It and Stick It challenge.  Let’s take a look at what’s on the windshield for this week.

Continue reading Pick It and Stick It: Wiping Away the Pretenders

Crib Sheet: The Road is Never Done

So I just found out today that I have at least 2 more road trips to go this year for the KCCGD crew.  This year has been by far the most travelled and will be the most Stadiumspotted.  It’s a nice change of pace from the last couple of years as we have begun to run out of new and cool places to Barspot.  One of the new road trips just happens to be tomorrow night.  Tune in tomorrow to find out here, but you won’t have to think hard if you want to guess.  In the meantime, let’s catch up to the news items in this week’s Crib Sheet:

  • Coach Mark Dantonio of Michigan State had his health issues and that apparently inspired a fan to postpone surgery to watch the battle for Paul Bunyan’s Trophy last Saturday.  Major Hester put off getting a pacemaker installed to watch the battle.  Okay, that’s hardcore.  I would pick life over college football, but it would be close.
  • Looks like the move to the Big 10 will support a stadium expansion for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.  The newly approved plan will cost about $56 million and put the capacity at around 90,000 seats.  How much do you want to bet that they will try to build Memorial Stadium up to be bigger than the Big House?
  • Meanwhile, the Rose Bowl has expansion plans of its own.  The $152 million expansion will keep the lease going with the bowl through 2043.  They have an upcoming BCS National Championship Game so they need to spruce things up a bit.
  • But while the two stadiums have expansion competition going, the locker room just got better for the Nebraska Cornhuskers.  Ndamukong Suh donated about $2 million and as part of that, the players get iPads installed in the locker room.  Man they need to put that in the toilet, not the locker.  You’re not going to get much use out in the open with those things.
  • Baylor receivers Willie Jefferson and Josh Gordon got busted with pot after they were found passed out in a Taco Bell drive through.  The whole 4th meal thingy from the Bell targets potheads anyway so it was a no brainer that these guys were found with weed.  They’ll more than likely miss a couple of games.
  • Neither of those two were involved last week in one of the shortest kick returns in history.  Texas Tech hit an onside and it didn’t go 10 yards.  Terrance Ganaway nabbed it and ran 38 yards for a touchdown.  It wasn’t the shortest, but it was awesome to see the special teams fail on the Red Raiders.
  • Don’t dump on Texas Tech too much though, they are getting kick ass camouflage uniforms for a game against Missouri in November.  Any kind of camo works for us as we miss the old Army ones.  If you want to dump on uniforms, check out Texas A&M’s refresh.  It’s almost exactly the same.  Yawn City.
  • Floida quarterback John Brantly played with broken ribs and thumb against LSU last Saturday.  That’s pretty tough, especially for a quarterback.  You know what’s tougher?   Virginia Tech offensive lineman Greg Nosal didn’t realize he lost the tip of his pinky in his glove and continued to play the game until it was out of reach.  His pinky tip was on ice and was reattached after the game.  Football is tough, real tough.
  • This bit of news is confusing so bear with me on this.  A former agent said an agent friend of his, Gary Wichard, used ESPN’s Mel Kiper, Jr. to recruit college players.  Kiper’s released statement says he talked to players by going through agents.  I’m having a hard time finding where the fault is.  I think it’s the fact that agents are pushing players to Kiper and his Big Board.  But I don’t know it’s players after college or during.  This does smell fishy.
  • College football is cyclical.  Power programs come and go and the traditional ones always swing around back into power.  Much like the seasons, power programs have summers and winters.  For Penn State’s winters, that also includes the usual cries for Joe Paterno to retire.  This guy is going to die on the field, in anything to fulfill my prediction.  He’s not going to retire and Penn State will be good in a couple of years.

Pick It and Stick It: Falling Down

Some teams are on their way up and some are falling down.  Things usually tend to even out right before conference play starts.  Most underrated teams start getting talk and the overrated teams get even more.  When conference play hits, you have to throw out the numbers because of rivalry and tradition.  That said, this week’s Pick It and Stick It takes a look at the teams from all points including the Big 12.  Let’s hope that everyone’s picks doesn’t fall down as well.

Favorite
Versus
Underdog
Final Status (CDT)
(4)TCU vs @SMU 17.5 Fri 09/24 07:00pm
@Georgia Tech vs N.C. State 8.5 Sat 09/25 11:00am
Virginia Tech vs @Boston Coll. 4.0 Sat 09/25 11:00am
@(18)Iowa vs Ball St. 28.0 Sat 09/25 11:00am
@(21)Michigan vs Bowling Green 25.5 Sat 09/25 11:00am
@(25)Michigan St. vs Northern Colorado Off (0) Sat 09/25 11:00am
@Purdue vs Toledo 12.0 Sat 09/25 11:00am
@(11)Wisconsin vs Austin Peay Off (0) Sat 09/25 11:00am
@Kansas St. vs UCF 7.0 Sat 09/25 11:30am
@Missouri vs Miami (OH) 20.0 Sat 09/25 01:00pm
(20)USC vs @Washington St. 22.0 Sat 09/25 02:00pm
@Florida St. vs Wake Forest Off (0) Sat 09/25 02:30pm
North Carolina vs @Rutgers 2.0 Sat 09/25 02:30pm
@(2)Ohio St. vs East. Michigan 44.5 Sat 09/25 02:30pm
@(23)Penn St. vs Temple 13.5 Sat 09/25 02:30pm
(1)Alabama vs @(10)Arkansas 7.0 Sat 09/25 02:30pm
@(7)Texas vs UCLA 15.0 Sat 09/25 02:30pm
(16)Stanford vs @Notre Dame 4.5 Sat 09/25 02:30pm Okay
Nevada vs @BYU 4.0 Sat 09/25 05:00pm
(8)Oklahoma vs @Cincinnati 13.5 Sat 09/25 05:00pm
@Iowa St. vs Northern Iowa Off (0) Sat 09/25 06:00pm
@Kansas vs New Mexico St. 23.0 Sat 09/25 06:00pm
@(6)Nebraska vs South Dakota St. Off (0) Sat 09/25 06:00pm
@(9)Florida vs Kentucky 14.0 Sat 09/25 06:00pm
@Mississippi St. vs Georgia 0.0 Sat 09/25 06:00pm
@Mississippi vs Fresno St. 2.5 Sat 09/25 06:30pm
@(17)Auburn vs (12)South Carolina 3.0 Sat 09/25 06:45pm
Baylor vs @Rice 7.5 Sat 09/25 07:00pm
@(13)Utah vs San Jose St. 31.0 Sat 09/25 07:00pm
@(3)Boise St. vs (24)Oregon St. 17.5 Sat 09/25 07:00pm
@Minnesota vs Northern Illinois 4.0 Sat 09/25 07:30pm
@(15)LSU vs (22)West Virginia 9.5 Sat 09/25 08:00pm
@(14)Arizona vs California 6.5 Sat 09/25 09:00pm
(5)Oregon vs @Arizona St. 11.0 Sat 09/25 09:30pm

So let’s take a look at those falling down.  The big one from last week was Iowa.  They went to Arizona and lost.  Did you know that Iowa has not won a game west of the Central Time Zone since 1986?  Crazy stuff.  They should still be tough though.  They get to take out their aggressions against Ball State.

Virginia Tech is another team that fell down.  You don’t see them this week on picks.  That’s because they lost their first game against Boise State and another against FCS opponent James Madison.  Yeah, the Hokies lost to a President.  So Frank Beamer is way down and he may actually he on his way out after this year.  He’s had a long long run there in Blacksburg.

The weird falls are the ones for schools that win and still lose ground.  Texas is a great example.  They win all of their games but do not look that impressive.  Because of that they fall to 7.  Now, UCLA is coming to Austin and if they look real good they may climb back up.  Chances are, though, that any jump back into BCS fray will come from an undefeated conference season.  Yes, the Big 12 is tough.  Don’t listen to anyone else.

Pick It Standings 2010 Week 02: Hey! Wah Happened?

Alrighty Week 2 of college football happened and we still don’t know what happened.  Yup, there were some major blowouts, but not from the teams we expected.  The FCS schools reared its ugly head and knocked out some schools (including at top 25 team).  So how would that affect the pick set?  Welp, just about as a bad as Kansas losing to North Dakota State or Virginia Tech losing the James Madison (the school, not the president).  Thankfully, we have some rules set up to account for bad weeks.  Click on through to find out.

Continue reading Pick It Standings 2010 Week 02: Hey! Wah Happened?

Pick It and Stick It: Another Fresh One Off

Back again with another week of picks.  You’d think we all would learn our lesson about off bets but low and behold Kansas had to come out of the gate in week one and prove us wrong.   So be careful when you see the off bets this week as we may have another team fall asleep at the well.  Let’s be clear, the Jayhawks fell asleep at the wheel.  They will get better.  This is college.  Not all of the kids act like pros and get up for every game.  So don’t be so sure about teams coming into this week.  Every game counts, but kids will forget that.

Favorite
Versus
Underdog
Final Status (PDT)
(23)West Virginia vs @Marshall 13.0 Fri 09/10 04:00pm
@Wake Forest vs Duke 6.0 Sat 09/11 09:00am
(15)Georgia Tech vs @Kansas 14.0 Sat 09/11 09:00am
@(11)Wisconsin vs San Jose St. 38.0 Sat 09/11 09:00am
@(24)South Carolina vs (22)Georgia 3.0 Sat 09/11 09:00am
@Army vs Hawaii 3.0 Sat 09/11 09:00am
@(8)Florida vs South Florida 15.0 Sat 09/11 09:20am
@(6)Nebraska vs Idaho 28.5 Sat 09/11 09:30am
@(13)Virginia Tech vs James Madison Off (0) Sat 09/11 10:30am
@(10)Oklahoma vs (17)Florida St. 7.0 Sat 09/11 12:30pm
@(9)Iowa vs Iowa St. 13.5 Sat 09/11 12:30pm
@(2)Ohio St. vs (12)Miami (FL) 8.5 Sat 09/11 12:30pm
@California vs Colorado 10.0 Sat 09/11 12:30pm
@Notre Dame vs Michigan 4.0 Sat 09/11 12:30pm
@Air Force vs BYU 1.0 Sat 09/11 01:00pm
@(20)Utah vs UNLV 22.0 Sat 09/11 01:00pm
@Missouri vs McNeese St. Off (0) Sat 09/11 04:00pm
@Oklahoma St. vs Troy 14.0 Sat 09/11 04:00pm
@Washington vs Syracuse 13.5 Sat 09/11 04:00pm
(7)Oregon vs @Tennessee 12.0 Sat 09/11 04:00pm
(19)LSU vs @Vanderbilt 9.5 Sat 09/11 04:00pm
@(1)Alabama vs (18)Penn St. 12.0 Sat 09/11 04:00pm
@(14)Arkansas vs LA Monroe 34.0 Sat 09/11 04:00pm
@Baylor vs Buffalo 16.5 Sat 09/11 04:00pm
@(5)Texas vs Wyoming 29.0 Sat 09/11 04:00pm
@Texas A&M vs Louisiana Tech 19.5 Sat 09/11 04:00pm
@(4)TCU vs Tennessee Tech Off (0) Sat 09/11 04:00pm
@Kansas St. vs Missouri St. Off (0) Sat 09/11 04:10pm
@UCF vs N.C. State 3.0 Sat 09/11 04:30pm
Texas Tech vs @New Mexico 24.5 Sat 09/11 05:00pm
Mississippi vs @Tulane 20.5 Sat 09/11 06:00pm
@(16)USC vs Virginia 19.5 Sat 09/11 07:30pm
(25)Stanford vs @UCLA 6.0 Sat 09/11 07:30pm

So let’s start with the off bets.  Virginia Tech will come off a tough loss at home with James Madison.  Missouri will get a breather against McNeese State at home.  TCU looks to keep the train rolling against Tennesse Tech.  Finally, we have Kansas State hosting the Missouri State Bearcats.  Okay, since Kansas was in the Big 12, I would say that Missouri and Kansas State has the best chance to lose this week.  The best chance amongst off bets that is.

The rest of the games see a great chunk happening around 2:30.  Michigan and Notre Dame relive the past again.  Ohio State relives a title game with Miami of Florida.  Same thing goes for Oklahoma and Florida State.  The Cy-Hawk Trophy is up for grabs when Iowa takes on Iowa State.  One thing is for sure, these games will not have the bets off.  Make your picks people.

Crib Sheet: So Much To Chew On

There’s just so much to chew on from the first week of college football, we’ll just make the intro real quick.  On to the Crib Sheet:

  • Freshly on its own, BYU signed a deal with ESPN and Notre Dame to be shown exclusively and play, respectively.  They are stepping out fresh in their independence but we don’t think they’ll get as strong as their Irish counterparts.
  • The Big 10 now has divisions, so we’ll see how balanced they are in the next couple of years.  The big news is breaking up Michigan and Ohio State.  Since they will be the ‘yearly rival’, there’s a big chance that they could play each other again in the Big 10 Championship Game.
  • Even though, Derrick Washington was booted from the team, the Missouri Tigers beat up on Illinois last Saturday.  It took some time for them to find their rhythm but once they did, they looked sharp.  Apparently athletic director Mike Alden said that protecting the school was the number one priority when it came between Washington and the allegations.  Way to go 810 AM and Kevin Kietzman, you seem to get everyone to talk.
  • The face behind the mask of the mascot for Penn State, notched an MIP for underage drinking.  Clint Gyory got busted and now he’s suspended from his mascot duties.  It just goes to show that football players aren’t the other ones who have to watch what they do in their free time.
  • In what’s become the major theme to begin the season, another player will miss games for accepting sports agent gifts.  This time it’s Alabama’s Marcell Dareus.  They should suspend him for key games.  Doing this at the beginning of the year means they miss the cakewalk part of the schedule.
  • At the very last second, Jeremiah Masoli’s appeal was approved and he was cleared to play for Ole Miss.  It didn’t help them however, as  Division II school Jacksonville St. ended up beating Ole Miss in 2 overtimes.  I caught the end of the game and no doubt it’s on the top so far for game of the year.
  • Boise State assistant Keith Abu Bhonapha got a DUI.  He should be off the team.
  • North Carolina was one play away from possibly winning the game against LSU last Saturday.  What’s more than amazing is that they did it with a ton of suspended players.  About half of the starters didn’t play due to NCAA investigations.  We’re not sure if it shows how tough the Tar Heels could be or how weak LSU looks.
  • TCU coach Gary Patterson gave credit to ESPN’s Lee Corso for inspiring the Horned Frogs to a come from behind win against Oregon State last Saturday.  Patterson used the right amount of moto-mojo to get his team over the tough Beavers.
  • Looks like Nebraska’s schedule in the Big 10 will start out tough.  There’s no surprise there.  The new boys in town will get beat up for a couple of years to show that current members are strong.
  • After the embarrassing loss to North Dakota State, Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins retired Tuesday.  He was going to retire next year, but the school (and the boosters) decided to cough up the money to get him out of there sooner.  We don’t know who the replacement AD, not interim, will be and now we don’t know who the starting quarterback will be.  Man basketball season can’t come any faster for the Jayhawks.
  • Apparently Reggie Bush may be stripped of his Heisman.  I guess that’s what happens when it’s discovered that you might have been ineligible during your run in college.  He would be the first.  How many other Heisman winners may have been ineligible?  Should we investigate everyone and find out?
  • In MASSIVE conference expansion news, Cal Poly and UC Davis will be joining the Big Sky Conference.  At first we thought it was just a conference of country bars, but with this new development we see the Big Sky in a different light.
  • ESPN kicked off ESPN3D last year during the BCS Championship Game and now they have an updated schedule that started with the Boise State and Virginia Tech game.  So far so good, according to the review.  We’re anxious to get our eyes on it when it becomes mainstream about 20 years from now.
  • Speaking of the Broncos, they jumped to #3 in both polls.  Looks like if they can keep up the blowouts, they will be a contender.  Meanwhile, David Ubben runs down the votes for the Big 12 teams.  It’s pretty much the big 3 in the top 25 (Texas, Nebraska, and Oklahoma) then about 5 teams about a stone’s throw from the 25 threshold.  If they can keep it up, we may see more Big 12 teams up there.

Pick It and Stick It: Running Down A New Season

Okay here’s the first pick it list of the year and it’s a doozy.  If you remember from last year, a number of us had to eat some missed weeks and totally blew our picks.  So, in response to that, anyone can miss can have their lowest 2 scores knocked off.  Worried about competition?  Well, we have added the Top 25 AND the Big 12 into the mix to make sure our confidence points are all over.  Not only do you have to pick against the spread, but now you have to make sure your confidence counts.  With that said, let’s check out the first week of picks.

Continue reading Pick It and Stick It: Running Down A New Season

Barspotting: Johnny’s On the Spot Again

We are back again going out to the best of what Kansas City sports bars has to offer in terms of college football.  Like the storied tradition of college football, we have a tradition of going back to the best bar of last year to start out this season for KC College Gameday.  We had no way of knowing back at the beginning of last September that Johnny’s in the Power & Light would be the best but here we are planning the first Barspot of the year down there.  With every television fit into every nook and cranny as well as the crazy touch table poker game, Johnny’s hit the spot on all things needed for a great sport viewing experience.  So come back out with us Saturday as we head back out there to enjoy Johnny’s and scoff at that ridiculous KC College Live thingy going on in the outdoor area.

Continue reading Barspotting: Johnny’s On the Spot Again

Predictions for the Year 2010: The Scotch Version

Alrighty, I’m about halfway through my scotch and water, I blasted out another Crib Sheet, and I’m jacked up for some football tomorrow night.  It’s prediction time!  The offseason sucked.  Period.  Being in Big 12 land was not easy on this college football lovin’ Yeti and especially not easy on Kansas City.  We weathered the storm and now we are here ready for some pigskin play.  What will we see in this year’s volume of football?  Let’s take a look in our crystal ball shaped glass full of scotch and water.

  • Mike Leach will lose his CBS announcing job for making Gus Johnson stand in the bathroom with no light.
  • Mark Ingram will not be a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, thanks to the fresh knee injury.
  • The Oregon Ducks will win the Pac 10, both for best dressed and actual gold.
  • Colorado loses a bunch of games and Dan Hawkins stays on because the school is too broke to fire him out of his contract.
  • Caoch Brian Kelly will talk NBC into going into commerical breaks for opposing teams’ offensive drives only.  Oh and the Fighting Irish will make a bowl.
  • Missouri will win the North, only because Nebraska’s ego and farewell tour will fall flat.
  • Daniel Thomas will be a Heisman finalist, thanks to a solid offensive line and the fact that he will get his yards with the whole defense keying on him.  Thanks, Carson Coffman.
  • Boise State will go undefeated and not make the dance.  People are saying its the weak schedule, but it will be because of an undefeated team in the Big 10 and one other conference.  Look for Orrin Hatch to have an aneurism over this one.
  • This will be Lee  Corso’s last season for ESPN College GameDay.  It’s been a hell of a ride, Lee, just please don’t put on the Grim Reaper’s head when it’s your time to go.
  • This will be the fastest season ever for the Kansas Jayhawks.  By fast, we mean the fans will be ready for basketball season about 2 games in.  Turner Gill’s rebuilding starts this year, he’s got at least 3 before some magic happens.
  • Iowa State will be in the bottom of the league again, but they will get an upset some big team because of a massive rain storm.  Hey their practice field flooded over the summer, they should be ready.
  • Texas just missed the mark in the Big 12 South.  Not because of the competition, but for the cliffhanger they want to leave for next season’s Longhorns Network debut.  Stay Tuned!  Same horn time!  Same horn channel!
  • Big Game Bob goes to a BCS game but will not be game as the Sooners bob and weave from some other big team beaming game time bashings.  Probably against Virginia Tech and Frank BEAMER.
  • The Big East has a seasson.  No one really cares.
  • RichRod makes a valiant effort and gets the Wolverines into a bowl game.  It will be the weakest one from the Big 10 and it will be enough to get him fired.  He will then go on and make real estate deals with everyone in the Ann Arbor region.
  • USC doesn’t get close to a Pac 10 championship and Lane Kiffin leaves after just one season.  The Kiffin world tour moves on!
  • Florida misses Tim Tebow and will miss being in the running for the SEC.  Urban Meyer gets sick and dies from the piss poor play on the field.
  • Kansas City sports bars will stay the same this year.  No one will get 3D TVs because the mixture of 3D and beer will make everyone puke.  Some new bars will crop up and the KCCGD crew will eventually puke in those anyway.
  • We’re going back to our 2008 prediction about Joe Paterno dieing on the field.  Now that Bobby Bowden is out, this one should get much easier.  Or will he be in the booth this year?
  • Okay, we called the BCS National Championship game two years ago with Florida and Oklahoma,  we were halfway right with Texas last year in the big game.  What will happen this year?  Well, the trend says we will get it all wrong so there’s nothing to lose.  I’m thinking the offseason hype for the Big 10 will lead a team to a title contention.  Since the only team that’s worth a damn up there is Ohio State, then that’s our pick.  Chances are the SEC will be mega tough again this year and barring any late push by an Oregon or a Big 12 team, we are going the easy route and picking SEC.  Whose turn is it?  Let’s go LSU.  Why not. Can you say 2007 rematch?

Mascot Monday: Hokiebird

Media days are over and camp is about to start.  College football is in the air!  We aren’t there yet but we have the last top  5 mascots we haven’t covered in Mascot Monday from Phil Steele’s Preseason Top 40 list.  This week, we have #13 Virginia Tech and it’s lovable little Hokie Bird.  We’re going to answer just what the heck is a Hokie as why and turkey is the mascot for a college sports team.  If we ever had this feature run through the football season, Hokiebird’s feature would absolutely fall before Thanksgiving.  It’s not November and the Hokies are projected to be tough so let’s see what the bird has to offer.

Continue reading Mascot Monday: Hokiebird

Magnifying the Expansion Part 4: Now I’m Yelling Dominoes

We laid the foundation with our last 3 post for the Big 10 expansion.  Now let’s talk about how other conferences are reacting.  Some of them could be massively depleted whereas others are moving to counteract the possible Big 10 growth.  Every major BCS conference has about two cents to toss in and little brother mid major conferences are chirping in as well.  It’s time for the conferences to lay down their tiles and see just how much they could change.

Continue reading Magnifying the Expansion Part 4: Now I’m Yelling Dominoes

Bowl Pick It Standings: The Holiday is Over

The holidays are over and we have just 4 games left to go on the Bowl Pick It and Stick It.  We here at the KCCGD all feel about 10 pounds heavier after chugging through the holiday foods and drinks.  So while we go map out a plan to lose the flab, check out the latest updates.  Please note:  there are some games left off from the results that we are saving for the last update.  The final numbers will be a little off.  That said, here’s the update:

Continue reading Bowl Pick It Standings: The Holiday is Over