RACK M2!

[Dinsdale]

For talking his way into getting to vote in the preseason polls.

LOS ANGELES, Calif.--Five-time defending Pac-10 champion USC is a near-unanimous choice to win the 2008 Pacific-10 Conference football title in a preseason poll of West Coast media members who regularly cover the league. The Trojans were listed in the top spot by 38 of the 39 voters participating in the poll. It marks the sixth consecutive year the Trojans have been the choice to win the title. USC has won or shared the last five Pac-10 titles and has two National Championships and a national runner-up finish in the last five years. The Trojans fashioned an 11-2 mark last season, capped by a 49-17 rout of Illinois in the Rose Bowl. Defending Pac-10 co-champion ARIZONA STATE is picked to finish second in the poll, with OREGON edging CALIFORNIA for third place. The Golden Bears received the lone first-place vote not cast for the Trojans. The media poll has correctly selected the Conference Champion in 25 of 47 previous polls, including the last eight years in a row. Following are the results of the preseason media poll (points 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1, first-place votes in parentheses):


1. USC (38) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 389
2. Arizona State . . . . . . . . . . . 330
3. Oregon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
4. California (1) . . . . . . . . . . . 274
5. UCLA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204
6. Oregon State . . . . . . . . . . . 192
7. Arizona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
8. Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
9. Stanford . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
10. Washington State . . . . . . . . 61

POLL NOTES: Preseason media poll has correctly picked the Conference champion 25 of 47 times and has been very accurate of late in correctly identifying the Conference champ the last eight years in a row. . . . USC becomes the first school to top the media poll for six straight years since the Trojans had an 18-year run atop the poll from 1965-1982. . . . Defending Pac-10 co-champion ARIZONA STATE is picked to finish second, the Sun Devils highest pre-season slot since being picked second in 2003.

I'll give more commentary later... since the jokes write themselves up in this sucker.

[.m2]

Indeed.

Brilliant detective work by the U and L. They happen to be the very best in the country at that kinda stuff.

If Riley starts and Longshore holds the clipboard... Cal could well be on it's way to a 10th straight MNC.

This is a far more talented team than the team that was one play away from the #1 spot in the country last year. Even with the loss of 7 players to the NFL. Not quite 85, but fairly impressive none the less.

I think it's a good thing that Cal is flying under the radar this year, and you can't really blame the media for predicting Cal as 4th with Tedford's horrible coaching job last year, and the team quiting on him for his stubborn loyalty to Nate.

The first game of the year against Michigan State, both qb's will see the field.... which is something Tedford has been reluctant to do in the past. Not a good idea in my opinion.... Longshore should only see the field when he wiping the sweat off of Riley's head or getting him water. But, it's better than Nate being the only qb to see the field.

Now as far as Arizona State being #2 in the conference....

Can't....Stop... Laughing

They won't even be in the top 25 at the end of the season.... seriously overrated.





Any clod can have the facts, but having opinions is an art.
-- Charles McCabe

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

m2, I'm looking forward to this game. Very much.

[.m2]

m2, I'm looking forward to this game. Very much.

I think you'll be able to run against our defense since Cal's implementing the 3-4 defense. The stud you have at running back will have a field day against our D-Line. Hopefully, the strength of the defense (linebackers) can hold their own.

If Riley plays the majority of the game and Nate never sees the 4th quarter, Cal should still win by around 2 or 3 TD's.

I for one.... agree with you that Michigan State will end up the 2nd best team in the Big 10. If Ohio State didn't have such a favorable schedule setting up for them, I would say Michigan State would have a good chance to win the Big 10.

You have a great new coach and a very talented team.

This should be one of the best games to start the season.

[King Crimson]

Cal should still win by around 2 or 3 TD's.

I for one.... agree with you that Michigan State will end up the 2nd best team in the Big 10. If Ohio State didn't have such a favorable schedule setting up for them, I would say Michigan State would have a good chance to win the Big 10.

Cal -17.5 vs. the Big Ten

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

I think you'll be able to run against our defense since Cal's implementing the 3-4 defense.

I read about that and was rather pleased, I must say.

If Riley plays the majority of the game and Nate never sees the 4th quarter, Cal should still win by around 2 or 3 TD's.

I don't expect a blowout at all. From a pure matchup standpoint I think MSU will hang because they'll be sound on both sides of the ball. What remains to be seen is how they'll handle a road game of this magnitude, especially being the first game of the season. Dantonio has done a pretty good job of preparing his teams in any game they play, not having lost by more than a TD to anybody.

I for one.... agree with you that Michigan State will end up the 2nd best team in the Big 10. If Ohio State didn't have such a favorable schedule setting up for them, I would say Michigan State would have a good chance to win the Big 10.

In the Big Ten prediction thread I think I picked them to tie for 3rd in the Big Ten; probably overly-optimistic yet reasonable and attainable. It'll be interesting too see what happens this year, but it's the up-and-coming years that are generating more optimism.

[.m2]

Magoo, I know you've got a stud at running back in Ringer and he's probably going to roll up some big time yards on our D-Line.

This guy is going to be our featured running back this year now that Justin Forsett is in the NFL.

He came out of high school as the 3rd fastest high school kid in the country. Tedford hates to play freshman, so he didn't get much playing time on offense last year (one of Tedford's many horrible coaching decisions) and ended up playing "gunner" where he was 1st team All PAC 10.

He should end up getting a majority of the carries against Michigan State and could cancel out your advantage in the running game with more carries.

Here's a vid of Jahvid Best

http://www.californiagoldenblogs.com/20 ... t#comments

So this leaves the passing game as a question mark for both teams. I have no idea how Michigan State will be in that dept. and it may end up being the key to the game.

I think you know my views on the Cal qb situation.... so I'm interested what you think State will bring to the game?

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

The passing game is a question mark, but I'm not too worried about it. MSU will be very young at WR, but very talented. The BC bowl game last year was a bit of an anomaly. Hoyer doesn't typically make a lot of bad throws, mostly because he's a west coast style qb, and goes for the high percentage pass. I believe he led the Big Ten last year in completion %. It'll be up to Ringer to move the chains, and Hoyer will need to pick up key 3rd and shorts. He claims he has a receiver he likes to go to for "every possible situation." He's not very mobile, and tends to crack a bit once pressure is applied. Hopefully that improves this year. As a D-line, if you can get Hoyer outside the pocket, that's where you want him. He's not a great playmaker.

[.m2]

This is a far more talented team than the team that was one play away from the #1 spot in the country last year.

...

Now as far as Arizona State being #2 in the conference....

Can't....Stop... Laughing

They won't even be in the top 25 at the end of the season.... seriously overrated.

You're always good for a laugh.

Thanks. I've always enjoyed your "Ignorance is bliss" platform.

At the end of the regular season last year, Cal's record was 6-6.

Wait a minute..... you're joking right?

If not, that certainly changes everything.

I'll have to go back to my JSC chalkboard and work on my learning curve.

Thanks for the heads up!

That ASU team you're now dissing beat Cal by 11 points.

Ok, now I know you're just pulling my leg.

Next thing you're going to try and tell me is that Cal lost to Stanfurd and Udub.

So now I'm going to have to go back and try and "figure out" why a team that CRUSHED Tennessee (who played in the SEC Championship game) and beat an Oregon team in Oregon with a healthy Dennis Dixon.... could possibly lose almost every game in the second half of the season ???

I certainly have no idea.... maybe with your brilliance you'll be able to figure out this equation that is a damn near mathematical impossibility.

Matlock, without "shitting your pants".... can you use your immense College Football knowledge and please come up with an answer for that kind of collapse ?

I'm at a complete loss and could really use your stellar "College Football" intellect to solve this mystery that alludes me.

Hope you enjoyed last season's "success" because this year won't have as many Ws. Start the season off with a loss at home to MSU, then go to WSU for another loss. Cal will probably beat Maryland and maybe Colorado St., but you'll realize the season will be basically over after the ASU game, when Cal will lose again.

Well, fuck it.

No need to pull for Cal this year....

....do you have a list of maybe 30 or 40 other possible schools that you could recommend ?

[.m2]

You fucking tard, any team that goes 6-6 shouldn't have fans that talk about being one play away from being #1.

You do make me laugh though, so carry on.

Matlock, I'm still waiting on your answer for why Cal lost almost all of it's games in the second half of the season after taking Tennessee to the "woodshed" ....




.... and beating an Oregon team in Oregon that most thought was one of the best teams in the country.


Your a smart guy "for Louisiana".... so let's hear it.

[.m2]

Weren't you babbling last year about how Cal lost the reincarnation of Joe Montana/Barry Sanders/Dick Butkus/Jim Brown? Some super-great player who was injured?

Does this stuff really make sense when you type it ?

I have no idea what the fuck you're talking about, but this isn't anything new.

Whatever. Gee, did you ever think that if your team relies so much upon one player, then maybe the team isn't so good after all?

Have you ever thought that it might be in your best interest to go out and get some exercise as opposed to sitting around and pounding "Fried Chicken" to the extent that it puts you into the hospital on a quarterly basis.

Hitting the gym for an hour or two can do wonders for the clarity of thought.

So, am I to assume that this is your answer for the 2nd half of the season collapse of Cal's football team last year?




By the way Magoo.... nice snag.

David Barrent

This is a great quote...

”I am done and I am 100 percent committed to Iowa.”

[.m2]

You may assume that I don't give a shit about your second or third-tier team.

Then I'll go ahead and assume you're a complete fucking idiot for posting in a "Cal" thread that you had no interest in.

Cal was not a factor in the national championship race last year, and won't be this year either.

You really are this fucking stupid.... so I won't point out the FACT that Cal was #2 in the country last year and would have been #1 in the country with a win over Oregon State.



Your ignorance is boundless when it comes to College Football.


You should stick to homosexuals, running to the bathroom, and making sure your speed dial is set to 911 for future reunions.

[RadioFan]

Then I'll go ahead and assume you're a complete fucking idiot for posting in a "Cal" thread that you had no interest in.

Funny, I thought this was a Cal thread, not a "Cal" thread.

Carry on, by all means.
And rack this thread.

[TheJON]

I haven't the patience to sit through and read this thread, but am I reading correct in that douchebag is bragging up his 6-6 team for being ranked #2 in the middle of the year?? Talking up a 6-6 team = pointless. I could think long and hard about ways to make Iowa's 6-6 season last year seem impressive but I can't come up with anything.

Nevermind, scratch that.....

I can come up with something to prove 2007 Iowa is as good as LSU, Ohio State or anyone else........almost (almost being a relative term, of course).

If you ask me, I think Iowa was only 25 or 30 plays away from making it to the BCS Championship game.

See, there you have it.......a 6-6 Iowa team was just as good as anyone.............almost!

[.m2]

I clicked on this thread to laugh at you, which I continue to do. Like this, for example:

the FACT that Cal was #2 in the country last year

Not quite. Last year Cal was #47 (CBS Sportsline 120 poll) and #32 (Coaches poll).

Here you go.... you brain dead twit.

m2 helping the wheelchair bound Cajun with his College Football class