Jorts, jorts, jorts, jorts…

This is supposed to be funny.

On the other hand, this (courtesy of Mr. Westerdawg) made me laugh:

Beatin’ that horse again: turnover margin

In a post at DawgRun.com, “JudgeDawg” notes the following about Georgia’s defense in 2006:

Durng the stretch from UT through UK, when we lost our 4 games, opponents had 64 possessions. 17 began within our 50 and our goal lines, which was 26.6% of opponents possessions. We were 8-0 in the other 8 games. Opponents started 93 possessions, but only 9 started from the 50 in, which is 9.7% of the possessions. In those 8 games we gave up 9 TDs and 6 fgs, totalling 81 points (10.1 ppg).

The 5 games in which opponents began 26.6 % of possessions in our territory we gave up 18 TDs and 3 FGs, 135 points (27 ppg)For the year we gave up 27 TDs and 9 FGs (17.4 ppg)in 13 games. We gave up 6 TD drives of more than 70 yards. We gave up 1 FG drive of 70 or more yards and gave up 1 possession of 70 or more yards where the offense did not score, for a total of 8 drives of 70 or more yards.

Georgia was +6 in turnover margin in its nine wins last year. It was -7 in the four losses. Just to give some context, if you took the margin per game from the wins (0.67) and ranked it nationally for the year, Georgia would have been tied for 17th. The ratio in the losses (-1.75) would have put the Dawgs dead last out of 119 schools.

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Random quirks

I link to the Wizard of Odds website frequently.  If you haven’t visited there, it’s worth a look.  He does a terrific job scouring the ‘Net for stories that often have a little twist to them.

Like these three:

• Life, liberty and the pursuit of parking.  I’m disappointed there wasn’t a quote from the OBC.  Maybe someone will call him as a witness in the litigation.
• As cheap shots go, this has Olympic gold medal potential stamped all over it.  The author is married to Michigan’s associate athletic director and football academic counselor.  Stay classy, Blue.
• After you read this, tell me you don’t have the same question I do:  does WSU put player names on the back of its jerseys?

Steeleoids

Fall practice is in full swing. Pundits and bloggers alike are laying out their preseason predictions, conventional and not so conventional.

Me? I’m not feeling too big on predicting the future right now. I can’t even figure out who Georgia’s five starters on the offensive line are yet.

I’d rather deal with the here and the now, kitten.

So, I’m turning to the master of the fine detail, the man who believes from the very depths of his soul that there is no meaningless game or statistic in college football, for guidance.

Each day leading up to the start of the season, I’m going to post some fact or trend about an SEC team that Phil Steele has unearthed.  Significant? Valueless? You be the judge. All I know is the guy is drinking 108 freakin’ ounces of Mountain Dew before noon every day of his obsession driven life to bring you people the truth. So pay attention.

I’ve selected the first Steeleoid to honor the initial SEC contest of the season, LSU vs. Mississippi State. It ain’t pretty.

Mississippi State is just 1-14 vs. LSU since 1992. The average score of the last six games is 42-7, LSU. The Bulldogs have lost seven straight SEC openers.

Somewhat surprisingly, Vegas ain’t buying the historical spread story for this game.  MSU is a mere seventeen point underdog right now.  Guys, you’ve been warned – you ignore Steele’s data at your own risk.

I said “grave danger?” You said “is there another kind?”

What to make of this?

Once again, Saban made it clear Tuesday afternoon that he’s upset at media members who have written about the Crimson Tide’s depth chart or the lack of one.During interviews Monday, wide receiver DJ Hall and quarterback John Parker Wilson volunteered — without being prompted or questioned about the depth chart — that sophomore wide receiver Mike McCoy worked with the No. 1 offense in Saturday’s scrimmage. Wilson also informed media members that Mike Johnson was working with the starting offense at right tackle. Backup quarterback Greg McElroy told media members that he worked exclusively with the No. 2 offense.

“If they make a comment about the depth chart, you’re just putting them in harm’s way,” Saban said. “We don’t have a depth chart and our players are not supposed to evaluate other players. You guys are going around the back door and you’re putting them on the spot and I don’t think that’s fair to them.

“We don’t have a depth chart now. I don’t know why (you) guys can’t get that out of your minds. The depth chart means nothing until the first game. Why does something have to be final before it’s final? It’s not final until we play the game and then it’s final for that game. Then it may change after that.

“You guys are so result-oriented. You have to know what it is right now and the final results. We’re still training for the race and trying to get everybody to improve.

“It’s not trying to keep a secret or not wanting anybody to know. From a competitive standpoint, I want all the players to feel like they have an opportunity and a chance.”

Of course it’s about trying to keep a secret. The question is, why does it matter? Anyone with any familiarity with college football knows that depth charts aren’t etched in stone. And as far as what the players feel, don’t they see who lines up with which team in practice every day?

So what’s with the media guilt trip with this “in harm’s way” BS?

It’s nothing more than that fetishistic secrecy that’s a hallmark of the Bill Belichick “I’m a genius, so I don’t have to tell you anything” school of football coaching. Somehow, I have a feeling that it’s going to wear a bit thin over time with an Alabama fan base that will expect a little more of a window into what’s going on with the program. Especially if Saban doesn’t win at least an SEC title in the next three years.

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UPDATE: Jeebus, I swear I hadn’t seen this post before I wrote mine. Nick Saban and “A Few Good Men” references – that’s more than a little scary.

Fast programming on the Big Ten Network

Pete Fiutak’s “Cavalcade of Whimsy” has started back up on CFN.  His first two pieces are, for the most part, pretty lame (Darren McFadden is overrated?), but he does strike comedy gold with this bit on the first day’s programming at the Big Ten Network:

The first day of programming on the Big Ten Network has just been announced …
– 11 am: The symbolic launch time was going to be 10 am, but like the misnamed league itself, it starts at 11.
– 11 am to 11:01 am: Great Ohio State Performances vs. the SEC
– 11:01 am to 11:05 am: Ads for the Big Ten Network
– 11:05 am to 11:30 am: Dr. Phil: Helping Michigan State cope with living in Michigan’s shadow
– 11:30 am to 12:30 pm: The Jim Tressel Variety Hour. Along with his always edgy monologue, watch as the Buckeye coach performs magic, does a little soft-shoe, and joins Sanjaya to bring down the house with a rendition of “Besame Mucho.”
– 12:30 to 12:31: Great Moments in Non-Revenue Sports History
– 12:31 to 12:40: Ads for the Big Ten Network
– 12:40 to 12:42: Michigan Running Backs and the NFL
– 12:42 to 1: Ads for the Big Ten Network
– 1 to 2: Flavor of Zook
– 2 to 3: The BTN True Hollywood Story: Iowa and the 1986 Rose Bowl
– 3 to 4: The Joe Paterno Party Machine. The legendary head coach welcomes Common, Hot Dollar, and Maroon 5
– 4 to 5: Pat Fitzgerald is 35 … and Coaching
– 5 to 6: Battle of the Mediocre Former Head Coaches. Watch as John Gutekunst, John Mackovic, Jim Colletto, Bobby Williams and Don Morton compete in media relations, film study, booster kissing and maintaining institutional control.
– 6 to 7: What Not To Wear: Stacy and Clinton raid Joe Tiller’s wardrobe and subject him to the 360-degree mirror in an attempt to makeover the Purdue head coach
– 7 to 7:30: Ads for the Big Ten Network
– 7:30 to 8: Top Chef: Trying to recreate the Wisconsin experience with brats, La Bamba burritos and Parthenon gyros
– 8 pm to 11 am: A loop of the Total Gym infomercial, hosted by Chuck Norris and Christie Brinkley 

I would have added something about Iowa volleyball and fast players, but other than that, it’s pretty funny.