Why does Big-10 Football suck?

The Big-10 used to have so much prestige when it came to the gridiron. The last national championship came in 2003. I'm not much of a Miami Hurricanes fan, but that pass interference call against DB Glenn Sharpe that all Canes and Buckeyes fans remember was certainly not pass interference, not in my opinion at least. Nevertheless, the Buckeyes won.

Five years has passed and the only the Buckeyes have been back to defend for national titles in 2006 and 2007. They were embarrassed both years. Michigan has looked bad every time they have been to the Rose Bowl. Illinois and Penn State looked equally as bad in their past Rose Bowl trips as well.

Last year, the Big 10 went 1-6 in bowl games, losing both of their BCS games. Yes, Ohio State and Michigan were in rebuilding years last year, but what is to be said about the entire conference? Where was Wisconsin, MSU, and Penn State?

Big surprise here, the entire conference recruiting efforts suck. I delegate Florida, Texas and California as the speed states to recruit from in you want to win in college football. The Big-10 team with the most players from these states in 2008 was Northwestern with 19 players. Yes, they lost their bowl game. Much of their recruiting is because of their high academic standards so they are not going to get the cream of the crop from those states.

The Big-10 has only 20 ESPN top 150 recruits attending their schools compared to 52 kids going to SEC schools. It's not hard to see why the SEC all ways takes care of business and is the best conference in football. They also take care of all their Big-10 opponents in bowl games also.

If the Big-10 wants to get back to their roots and tradition of being winning and respectable football, they need to ambush Texas, Cali, and Florida high school football players as soon as possible. If they don't want to do that then they could get used to losing consistently and slowly watch the MAC or the WAC conference surpass them as one of the top conferences and watch their automatic BCS bid fall into another conference's lap.

That's all I got,

Riverboat Ricky

The Tebow Trance

Tim Tebow is the greatest college quarterback of all time if you let his head coach Urban Meyer tell it.

Last week, Coach Meyer turned Tebow's famed speech after the Gators loss to Ole Miss at home into a plaque outside of Ben Hill Griffin stadium. Meyer essentially said he doesn't like to wait and wanted to honor Tebow as soon as possible even though he is still playing. Now, that is quite the honor to recieve while you are still in school.

Now, before I sound like a hater, let me make it clear. I am a Tebow fan. I like the dude, he is a fierce competitor and a proven winner. In his career, he's thrown 67 TDs and only 11 picks. You can't call him Dan Marino because he isn't in league yet, but we can't call him Alex Smith just yet for the very same reasons. You must give Tebow his props for his numbers and wins, but you have to ask yourself is he merely a system quarterback.

Does he garner all the ESPN attention that he gets? He doesn't throw a pretty ball, he plays in a great system, and has more weapons than the ATF. Is he that good, how would he fare in Texas' offense? Would Pat White outshine Tebow if he were to play same system with that quality of players?

What ever the case maybe, does Tebow have us in a trance or is he legitamatley that good? If he is that good why are people already converting him to running back, tight end, or h-back. Yes, the NFL and its executives can be quite stupid at times. Numbers don't lie and Tebow certainly has them to back it up. Alex Smith played in the same system and was taken #1 overall. Tebow, being bigger than Smith probably has a stronger arm, and has prototypical NFL size. So why does everyone want to change his posistion if he is so great?

I'm lost. Given the firepower he has coming back this season Tebow's folklore will continue worldwide. Come this time next year he will have particpated in the combine and his pro day fielding numerous questions on what postion he'd like to play at the next level.

I think Tebow should be given a fair shot to play QB and should not penalized for his style of play or the system he plays in.

I also think that the nation has gone on a tad bit over the top with this Tebow mania. I wonder if Tebow were a black QB if he would get as much attention as he does now.

Either or, keep balling Tim.


Peace,


Richie Wordsmith