Costen You Nothing

The Ultimate Conference - Part 1

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:39:30 -0400

Due to the recent discussion of conference mixing and matching I thought it would be a good idea to try and assemble the Ultimate Conference in collegiate athletics. Although I doubt anybody in the NCAA would allow this to happen, I have no doubts this conference would attain the majority of the football and basketball national championships. This is under the assumption that college football would move to a playoff system in order to decide their national champion, as most of the these teams might lose more the once due to the competition level.

Ultimate Conference - Eastern Division

University of Michigan

The Wolverines bring some of the Big Ten clout to this conference earning their bid as one of the most legendary and popular football programs in the country. Basketball has a history of being competitive, but hasn’t been able to acquire some of the top talent needed to compete for a national championship. Try and get another Fab Five.

University of North Carolina

The Tar Heels have one of the most prolific basketball programs in the NCAA, having won six national titles and contributing 1st round draft picks to the NBA every year. The football team is a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde scenario, consistently bringing top talent to Chapel Hill but never winning enough to take them to the next level in the BCS.

University of Florida

Florida has one of the best combinations of reputable football and basketball programs. Being in the unique position to legitimately contend for the conference championship in both major sports. The school has won multiple championships in both sports in recent memory and would make sure one of the major rivalries of football would remain as they would face Georgia every year in the annual game in Jacksonville.

Duke University

Duke has one of the greatest basketball teams in the country year in a year out, being a perennial member of March Madness behind the leadership of Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski. The football program at Duke would be a bottom dweller in this conference, but has gained some respectability with David Cutcliffe at the helm and has plenty of room for improvement.

University of Connecticut

The Huskies are the defending National Champions in basketball and head coach Jim Calhoun continually brings raw toughness to his teams. The football team is building and is due for an out break of success, although the are similar to Duke in the fact that they will most likely be a bottom dweller in this conference of heavy hitters in football.

University of Georgia

The Bulldogs from Athens are a powerhouse in the SEC and would continue to do is in football in this conference. Although Mark Richt seems to be on some what of a hot seat after the past few seasons, there is no doubt they would compete regularly for a conference championship. The basketball team has made headway under coach Fox and would probably serve as a bottom tier team in this group, but with a few more steady recruiting classes they could break through to be more successful.

Ohio State University

This athletics program is stacked from top to bottom with both basketball and football teams being ranked in the top ten of the pre season polls consistently. The Buckeye-Wolverine rivalry is another great matchup preserved in this conference, and satisfies the need for two strong Big Ten teams in this conference.

University of Notre Dame

I do think it would be hard to get Notre Dame to drop its label as a football independent, regardless the historic football program is a must for this conference to be considered ultimate. The basketball program hasn’t had much recent success due to the emergence of many of the tough Big East teams, like fellow conference member Connecticut.

Next Three In: University of Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech University, University of Tennessee

Friday Forecast

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:00:00 -0400

I am starting a new series on my blog this week, every friday I will post ten things I think about the upcoming weekend of sports.

I think the Carolina Panthers beat the Washington Redskins. Cam Newton actually looked like a frustrated rookie quarterback last week which isn’t a good sign for Panthers fans. From what I have heard from the Panthers camp Newton beats himself up and strives to be better after every loss, and just when you need a win the Shanahan and Beck led Redskins come to town. Although Jim Haslett may have a few tricks up his sleeves defensively I think the Panthers commitment to the 3-4 defensive scheme will stymie the Redskins offensive game plan, and the game will end with Cam Newton kneeing the ball for the first time in his professional career.
I think Carson Palmer starts in Oakland and I think Carson Palmer flourishes. Having escaped the dysfunctional quagmire that is the Cincinnati Bengals and being reunited with his old USC coach Hue Jackson leads to a championship contender in Oakland.
I think the most interesting matchup in the SEC saturday are the two teams not playing. South Carolina has dismissed Stephen Garcia, their starting quarterback, from the team and lost Marcus Lattimore, their Heismen Trophy caliber tailback, all in the past two weeks. Georgia has won 5 games in a row in dramatic fashion and continues to get better on offense behind sophomore Arron Murray and Freshman tailback Isaiah Crowell. Needless to say it seems that the SEC East is wide open with the Bulldogs looking like the most capable team to win due to their favorable schedule.
I think I like the Texas Rangers to win on Saturday, as long as Josh Hamilton keeps swinging the bat in the 3rd spot.
I think that Christian Ponder is going to shock the Green Bay Packers and hand the defending Super Bowl champions their first loss of the season. With the help of a heavy dosage of Adrian Peterson and Visanthe Shiancoe as a security blanket Ponder wins his first start and gives hope to the beleaguered franchise in Minnesota.
I think even with three key players being suspended from LSU they still pull out a victory over Auburn. Especially now that Jordan Jefferson has the 49 pairs of shoes the police seized back in his possession. The Tigers couldn’t have asked for a better omen.
I think its interesting that Arthur Rhodes pitches for the St. Louis Cardinals under a $100,000 dollar contract, while he is getting paid $1.1 million dollars by the Texas Rangers to close them out in the 8th inning. Can’t decide which General Manager is happier or more upset about that situation.
I think the NBA makes no headway on their CBA talks. The difference between the NBA and the NFL is that NBA players have the opportunity to play for just as much money abroad, while the owners and NBA investors lose money. Advantage players.
I think that the Madden curse will continue to hold true and Peyton Hillis of the Cleveland Browns will not play this week against the Seattle Seahawks. To bad Peyton Manning wasn’t put on the cover so that the Madden curse could be blamed for possibly ending the career of one of the greatest quarterbacks the game has seen.
I think this is finally the week when Dale Earnhardt Jr. breaks his long winless streak. He has a good history at Talladega and still being a part of the chase for the Championship may be just the “push” he needs to get back into the win column.

No I in Team

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:11:00 -0400

For the longest time the world of sports has been headlined by some of the great names of the past. Names like Ruth, Unitas, Laver, Pele, Nicklaus and Russell. All of these men were stars in their respective sports, and where given attention and praise based on their efforts on the field or on the court. There is no doubt that these sports have changed, and yet their legacy of greatness still lives on. I find this interesting due to the current state of athletics and how it is perceived and reported.

Due to the twenty-four-hour media cycle sports analysts need to provide a lot more information for the public, and athletes are more available to scrutiny. In the last two decades the press are filling this void with news and accolades for players based on things they do or say in their free time, and not actually what they are getting paid millions to do.

For football the focus tends to be on “smack talk” between players either by Twitter or comments to a reporter…..Chad Ochocinco. Basketball is much the same. Many of the NBA broadcasters are former players who tend to stray from analyzing the game in favor of bantering with each other or against current players…..Charles Barkley. Baseball has more of a tendency to leave everything on the field between players, if that means charging the mound or hitting a batter…..Nyjer Morgan. Soccer is irrelevant in American sports, but is gaining popularity, and networks wouldn’t broadcast what MLS players said unless it was David Beckham or Landon Donovan. After this summer they might get away with Hope Solo. Tennis is still considered a “gentlemen’s” sport, but outspoken players like John McEnroe and Serena Williams have provided the edge current sports are being defined by.

At any rate, when did the “game” become less important than the players who play it. It is easy to see why so many people disapprove of sports today, and why the popularity of athletics is getting a hit. With the recent battles over the NFL’s and NBA’s collective bargaining agreements, and the scandals plaguing the college recruiting ranks it seems that sports is being diminished.

While I was thinking about this topic I tried to remember why I can’t wait for every fall, and long for the madness of March. I wanted to recapture the glory and honor of sports that I fell in love with. First I thought of the films I watched like “Rudy” or “Hoosiers.” Second I remembered the great moments likeChristian Laettner’s last second shot to defeat Kentucky in the 1992 regional final and Landon Donovan’s goal in the 2010 World Cup against Algeria. Moments that transcend sports and give all fans, sports fanatics or not, a chance to taste true greatness. It’s moments and stories of greatness like this that define athletics, and keep people watching every week. Not what the players have to say afterwards.

Every athletic competition comes with outstanding individuals who do outstanding things in order to help their teams, and all athletes have a team to support them. In this time and age in our country when the focus is on the individual I hope that we can get back to when the collective his held in the highest regard. As the wise man once said “Individual commitment to a group effort, that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work,” and this could not be more applicable than in today’s athletics.

Terminal in Charlotte. On our way to NYC-JFK. Way to early,...

Tue, 10 May 2011 08:25:46 -0400

Terminal in Charlotte. On our way to NYC-JFK. Way to early, biscuit and orange juice in the tummy.

Who do you love?

Sat, 09 Apr 2011 18:01:07 -0400

Jenna Lynn and I at the Braves Game!!!

Sat, 09 Apr 2011 17:57:24 -0400

Jenna Lynn and I at the Braves Game!!!

Gloomy App Campus!

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:28:36 -0400

Gloomy App Campus!

"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind. Mohandes Gandhi"

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:21:32 -0400

“

An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.

Mohandes Gandhi

”

Just one of the many shocking pictures of what is going on...

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:14:00 -0400

Just one of the many shocking pictures of what is going on during the airstrikes in Libya. It’s amazing what a group of countries can do when they work together….isn’t it?

One of the most compelling arguments for the advancement of...

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:10:00 -0400

One of the most compelling arguments for the advancement of spoken poetry. She really loves what she does, and I really love the passion she shows for it.

Powerful Response to Jalen Rose's Comments from ESPN's "The Fab Five"

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:13:00 -0400

Powerful Response to Jalen Rose's Comments from ESPN's "The Fab Five":

WHERE WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO VISIT ON YOUR PLANET?

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:08:45 -0400

I would most like to visit Lake Como in Italy. It has beautiful country, lake, food and hospitality.

TED Talks- Sir Ken Robinson

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 05:41:00 -0400

TED Talks- Sir Ken Robinson: