Nude photos!

Actually, it’s just time for the weekly reminder that I’m missing about 15 Mumme Poll ballots.  I know that some of you are probably still in mourning from the weekend, but get those votes in, people!

I bet Joe the Plumber thinks playoffs are socialist.

I couldn’t resist posting this quote:

Democrat Barack Obama told ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” it’s time for college football to pick a champion with a playoff system while Republican John McCain would put an end to performance-enhancing substances.

On the eve of the election, the two presidential candidates were interviewed via satellite by ESPN’s Chris Berman. The taped interviews aired during halftime of game between the Washington Redskins and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Both candidates were asked to name one thing they would change in sports.

“I think it is about time that we had playoffs in college football. I’m fed up with these computer rankings and this and that and the other,” Obama said. “Get eight teams—the top eight teams right at the end. You got a playoff. Decide on a National Champion.”

I’m curious about one thing:  how would he decide which were the top eight teams, if he’s fed up with the computer rankings?  Is he arguing that only conference champs need apply?  If that’s the case, he just lost the Notre Dame vote.

(h/t College Football Resource)

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Gloom and doom

I don’t know if this is the complete answer to what happened in the second half in Jacksonville, but this quote from Corvey Irvin is telling nonetheless:

Irvin on what happened in the second half against Florida: “We were down 14-3 and we were in the locker room like we were down 28-0. I was in the locker room trying to get the guys going, and we just didn’t come out with that fire like we play real Georgia ball. I don’t know what was wrong with us. I don’t know if we were shocked or what…

You could tell from the stands that the team was deflated after the second field goal miss, but still, there was plenty of time to turn things around.  And again, the defense stepped up and stopped Florida on its first possession of the third quarter.  Hard to figure, especially when you’re playing one of your biggest rivals.

Upon further review – some more thoughts on Georgia/Florida

If you’re a glutton for punishment, I’ve got more blather for you.  There are a couple of posts up that gave me some food for thought.  Also, I sat down and watched a replay of the first half last night (I think I’ve finally OD’d on political punditry).

Start with these two posts from my favorite Florida blogs (hey, sometimes it’s good to get the enemy’s perspective):

• Over at Orange and Blue Hue, Gatorpilot responded to my comment that I still find the Florida secondary somewhat suspect, although what he wrote was too kind to me to be labelled a retort (flattery always works at GTP, folks).  He makes some good points there, but I think he’s confused Strong’s gameplan, which in addition to being sound had the added benefit of being successful, with the quality of play of the defensive backs.  I like Jenkins a lot, although he’s a freshman, and Haden’s come on, but those safeties are still a weak spot in pass coverage.
• Meanwhile, over at Saurian Sagacity, Mergz has a post up on why Strong’s gameplan was the obvious course of action and why Georgia couldn’t key on anything Florida did on offense in a similar manner.

As for what I saw in the replay…

• My overall impression was that we saw a continuation of what been occurring in the past few weeks, particularly in the Vandy and Tennessee games – lots of yardage that didn’t translate into sufficient scoring, inefficiency in the red zone (which follows), a freshman place kicker who’s playing like a freshman, untimely penalties, lack of an adequate pass rush from the d-line, the occasional misalignment of a defensive player, etc.  The only difference on Saturday was that the opponent was a serious step up in class.
• That being said, the score should have been much closer than it was at the half.  The spot on the Tebow run was a travesty – man, was Richt pissed about that – and Walsh’s misses looked even worse on TV than they did live.
• It’s a shame that Geno Atkins couldn’t have timed that rush a split second better.
• Bobo really struggled with his playcalling in the red zone.  He’s got enough experience under his belt at this point in time for that to be puzzling.  On the other hand, his single best call of the day was undone by a tight end who wasn’t on the same page with his quarterback.  That one hurt.
• I truly don’t understand our fans’ criticism of Stafford’s and Moreno’s effort.  They both got the crap beat out of them and kept going back for more.  Stafford’s problem wasn’t that he didn’t care; it was that he was trying to do too much.
• Kenneth Harris, when your quarterback throws that beautiful a pass, the least you can do is catch it.
• I thought the run defense played Demps and Rainey well.  But how hard was it to figure out when Tebow was going to keep the ball?
• Prince Miller played a fine first half.
• The linebackers didn’t play badly so much as quietly.
• Massaquoi played brilliantly.  Again.

My Mumme Poll ballot, Week 10

There was a little shuffling this week, obviously.

TOP FIVE

• Alabama
• Florida
• Penn State
• Texas
• Texas Tech

BEST OF THE REST

• Missouri
• Ohio State
• Oklahoma
• Oklahoma State
• Southern California
• TCU
• Utah

COMMENTS:

• I couldn’t penalize Texas too much for its loss – and, by the way, what a helluva game! – which meant that Oklahoma got knocked out of my top five.  Can somebody explain to me what the coaches are thinking right now, with Texas three spots behind the Sooners in their poll?
• I suspect that once the Big XII schools get through beating each other up that Southern Cal will wind up back in my top five.
• Bottom of the list was tough to sort out.  Mizzou has two losses, but it’s played a credible schedule well for the most part.  TCU looks better and better each week, but really was never in the one game it played against a BCS conference school.  Utah was shaky in its win last week, but it did win.  And Georgia… I seriously considered it, but I just couldn’t do it.  Top twelve teams shouldn’t get smoked like that, especially twice like that in the first ten weeks.  On the other hand, given the schedule, the Dawgs’ record isn’t a surprise at this point, either.  I basically decided to kick the can down the road for a week, as Utah and TCU will play an elimination game Thursday night.  If Georgia gets it back together in Lexington, I’ll vote it back in.
• I dumped Boise State because the schedule is the weakest of anyone on the list and the Oregon win isn’t looking so hot these days.