Tuesday, November 9, 2021

Mackin Tuesday in week 11

 Ok, I didn't guess on a MAC game last week and haven't reviewed any of its Tuesday and Wednesday games in weeks.
Miami(Ohio) needs this game to stay with a game of Kent St in the East. The focus will have to be on D after suffering a 35-33 defeat to Ohio in the Battle of the Bricks last week. RedHawks will keep McDuffie under 100 yards rushing.  M(O) 19 Buff 17.
Was Ohio's win last week  the spark they needed? It won't be enough this week against Ben Bryant's passing .He's thrown for 2190 YDS and 13 TDs.  EMU 30 Ohio 20
Akron fired its HC Arth . Look for WMU's rushing attack led by Tyler to have a big game . WMU 26 Akron 13.
Nov 10, 2021
Well 2 out of 3. I was wrong on EMU . Ohio jumped out to an early lead and got a 34-26 win.
Akron gave WMU a late scare with a huge second half but the Broncos rallied late. Sean Tyler WMU(16 CAR, 147 YDS, 1 TD) had another huge game.
Brett Gabbert M-OH(21-28, 351 YDS, 4 TD ) was the dude in 45-18 win over Buffalo.  I 'll be back tomorrow with a blog on the rest of the O5.
Nov 11, 2021
Wednesday night  review :   Rocky Lombardi and NIU  edged Ball  St 30-29 on a last second FG and moved to 5-1 in the MAC to stay one game ahead of  CMU in the MACW.                                      Rocky Lombardi NIU 23-38, 264 YDS, 1 TD
Jay Ducker NIU         24 CAR, 155 YDS, 1 TD                                                                               Toledo blew out Bowling Green and CMU beat Kent State.
Nov 16, 2021
Miami (Ohio) has a chance to win the MAC East in a crazy season which includes narrow conference losses to EMU and Ohio. I'll stay on the Gabbert train and take M(O) to beat Bowling Green  33-30 tonight in week 12. BTW, BG beat Minnesota(B10) while Miami (Ohio)lost to the Gophers in September.
Nov 17, 2021
 I was close on the MO total and am surprised the Falcons could only score one TD . MO 34 BG 7. This kid,  Jack Sorenson, M-OH(4 REC, 111 YDS, 1 TD) has had a lot of big games in 2022).
Nov 18, 2021
NIU needed OT to escape with a W over Buffalo.


Thursday, November 4, 2021

O5 conference play in week 10

 All the chatter in my Mewe O5 group this week has been about Marshall and Georgia Southern so I can't ignore either team this week.
CUSA: Coach Taggart has FAU trending upward, but I'm going with Coach Huff's #herd who has found a rising star in Rasheed Ali (149 CAR, 808 YDS, 15 TD)  MU 27 FAU 23
SunBelt: Coach Helton just started and he won't have Eagles soaring against Coastal Carolina who will continue its recovery after the Appy loss. CCU 31 GS 19
AAC: I don't think Memphis gets a healing W against SMU . Mordecai will toss a few TD passes for the Mustangs. SMU 31 Memphis 24
MWC: Aztecs will survive an aerial scare from C. Cordeiro (124-224, 1706 YDS, 10 TD, 7 INT)  on Warriors turf .  SDST 36 HAW 34
Since the MAC slate is over this week before my prognostications, I'll go with a military matchup.  It will be ground warfare when  Air Force(MWC) lands to face Armyat Choctaw Stadium in Arlington TX this Saturday. AFA RB ,B. Roberts(185 CAR, 845 YDS, 8 TD) will lead the Falcons to a W. AFA 23 Army 22
Nov 6, 2021
3-2 this weekend: Correct on  the #herd , chanticleers, and #aztecs. Wrong on SMU and Air Force.
Who can figure out Memphis? And a running back had this stat line for Army, Tyrell Robinson (2 REC, 118 YDS, 1 TD).
Don't ignore  Utah State (4-1) in the Mountain division of the MWC. and the tie in the CUSA East with Marshall and WKU each at 4-1


Thursday, October 28, 2021

O5 conference play in week 9

 AAC:  Cincy deserve all the press it can get , however SMU(7-0, 3-0 ) /Houston(6-1, 4-0)  matchup this week should be a good one. I don't think Houston's D can slow down SMU's QB T. Mordecai(187-263, 2320 YDS, 29 TD, 7 INT)  SMU 34 Hou 29
CUSA: UTEP's only loss is to Boise St and FAU looked like a new team in a blowout W over Charlotte last week. I'll take Taggart's kids at home . FAU 26 UTEP 22
MAC: Only one MAC game slated and it's in Buffalo this week. Bowling Green has disintegrated since beating Minnesota last month and Buffalo has been doing ok. Buffalo 17 BG 16
MWC: Fresno St QB Haener will toss a few TD passes and help the Bulldogs give San Diego St its first loss. Fres 24 SDST 19
Sunbelt: Is App St back after beating CCU? Can Bowden keep ULM on a roll after wins against Liberty and South Bama? I'll roll Charles Rodgers throwing two TD passes in a ULM win. ULM 23 App St 20
Oct 31
I was wrong on SMU who couldn't contain Tune(HOU), and Buffalo  who couldn't stop Matt MacDonald(BG).
I was correct on  FAU who held back a late UTEP rally, Fresno who handed SDST its first loss, and Appy who rolled ULM .
Nov 3, 2021
Ex USC coach Clay Helton was hired to helm Georgia Southern(Sunbelt) .  Undefeated Cincy(AAC) got F'D in the polls for no valid reasons. 

Thursday, October 21, 2021

O5 Conference play in week 8

 A late start this week spared me from picking Coastal Carolina, who was upset 30-27 in SunBelt play   last night by App St.. Appy made some corrections after being crushed by ULL last week.
Sunbelt: So, I'll roll with ULL  to remain undefeated in conference play with a 34 -20 win over Ark St.
MAC:  Jay Ducker won't repeat  go for 210 yards like he did last week for NIU but he'll get over a 100 to keep NIU undefeated in MAC play. NIU 26 CMU 23
MWC: The undefeated SDST Aztecs are coming off a shaky win over SJST and should slow down Air Force RB Brad Roberts enough for a 20-16 win.
CUSA: C. Reynolds,  who has passed for 1314 YDS and 15 TD, will lead Charlotte a 34 29 win over FAU.
AAC: The "Tuned" up Cougars will handle the  Pirates this week.  HOU 37 ECU 31 Clayton Tune will toss a few TD passes for Houston.
Oct 22, 2021
Off to a rocky start 1-1. Charlotte was outplayed by FAU who was too fast for them everywhere  in a 38-9 win. I was right on ULL but it took a he!! of a rushing performance from these two Cajuns: C. Smith 24 carries 238yards 2 TDs . M. Johnson 17 carries 150 yards 2 TDs. ULL 28 Ark St 27
Oct 24, 2021
I finished 4-1. NIU get a last minute FG to get by CMU  39-38. Houston need a defensive TO to survive ECU 31-24 in OT. SDST held off AFA 20-14.

Thursday, October 14, 2021

O5 conference play in week 7

Sunbelt:  If I had completed this blog earlier in the week, I would 've picked App St to beat ULL and been wrong.    Texas St Bobcats(2-3, 1-0 Sunbelt) 23  Troy Trojans(3-3, 1-1 Sunbelt) 20.Troy has played  better in OOC games but I'm sniffing upset here.
AAC: Cincinnati (5-0, 1-0 AAC)  30  UCF(3-2, 1-1 AAC) 19  Ridder rides on and won't be slowed down by Gus' Knights
CUSA: UTEP (5-1, 2-0 C-USA) 27 Louisiana Tech(2-3, 1-0 C-USA) 20. I'll take UTEP at home despite LA Tech hanging close in its three losses to Miss St, SMU, and NC St
MAC: Kent State(3-3, 2-0 MAC) 30 Western Michigan(4-2, 1-1 MAC) 27. In the QB battle, Crum will have a slightly better game than Eleby and get the W.
MWC: Nevada(4-1, 1-0 MWC) 39  Hawai'i (3-3, 1-1 MWC) 38 . Hawaii  will roll into Reno, NV feeling great after its upset of Fresno St but will lose a nailbiter in aerial duel  in which Strong edges Cordeiro.
Oct 17, 2021
Picks' review: Correct on Cincy, UTEP, and Nevada   Wrong on TX St, WMU
Sunbelt- K. Vidal (25 CAR, 162 YDS, 2 TD) was a big key for Troy plus the Trojans intercepted three of McBride's passes, one a pick 6 in the 4Q.
AAC- Cincy outplayed  UCF in every facet of the game for a 56-21 W
CUSA: Deion Hankins ran for two first-quarter touchdowns for UTEP earned in a 19-3 win
MAC: Eleby's passing and Tyler's rushing(169 yards) were major factors in the WMU's 64-31 blowout of Kent St.
MWC: Big game for Carson Strong NEV(34-54, 395 YDS, 2 TD) in a 34-17 win but quite a stat line Dae Dae Hunter HAW(8 CAR, 174 YDS, 2 TD), too.
I'm going to keep my eye on UL-Monroe of the SunBelt after they hung on to beat Liberty 31-28
Oct 18, 2021
AAC is raiding the CUSA as it moves away from the northeast to the southeast and southwest continues. AAC has plans to invite: Florida Atlantic, Charlotte, North Texas, UTSA, Rice and UAB. Temple remain the most northern AAC city, 
These six teams won't improve the level of hoops play. I like the Charlotte/ECU  potential AAC rivalry.
Oct 23, 2021
 Sunbelt claims they have USM for 2023 and they're coming for Marshall, ODU, and James Madison (1AA)






Tuesday, October 5, 2021

O5 Mixed Bag in week 6

 I'm focusing more on conference games this week but there remains some intriguing OOC games this week, too.
CUSA: UTSA (5-0, 1-0 CUSA) has impressive win over Illinois and Memphis and will squeak by Western Kentucky(1-3, 0-0 CUSA) led by B. Zappe (133-183, 1712 YDS, 16 TD, 2 INT). UTSA 36 WKU 32
CUSA: North Texas (1-3, 0-2 CUSA) has played poorly, but they 'll put a scare in Missouri(2-3, 0-2 SEC) who has stumbled in the past two weeks. Missouri 22 NT 19
MAC: Western Michigan (4-1, 1-0 MAC) has won four straight since losing to Michigan(B10) and will hold off Ball St(2-3, 0-1 MAC)    by a score of 24-22
AAC: East Carolina (3-2, 1-0 AAC) has surprised a few folks this season and QB Holton Ahlers 
(101-170, 1266 YDS, 7 TD) has been a major reason.  UCF(2-2, 0-1 AAC) has lost two in a row and Coach Gus will pull out some new tricks to get back on track at home . UCF 37 ECU 27
Oct 10, 2021
CUSA: Harris(6 TD passes) and Zappe(5 TD passes) put on a show as  expected. UTSA got by WKU 52-46. Austin Aune (16-26, 305 YDS, 4 TD) did his best for UNT, but their slow start hurt them in a 48-35 loss to Missouri. (2-0) for me
MAC: Wrong on WMU. Plitt threw four TD passes for Ball St in a 45-20 win over WMU.
AAC: Johnny Richardson (16 CAR, 104 YDS, 1 TD) had a solid day for UCF in a 20-16 win over ECU. Right on this one so 3-1 for the weekend.
O5 Side notes -Surprised that: Marshall needed OT to beat ODU. Boise St handled BYU.  Memphis lost again , this time to Tulsa.



Thursday, September 30, 2021

Dealing those Cards MLB 2021

 It finally happened: The Cards lost a game, which ended a 17 game winning streak that earned them a wild card slot. Tyler ONeill was a big reason with 7HR, 21RBI and .310 BA in his last 15 games. They didn't have enough time to catch the Brew Crew who just lost one of their best relievers , Devin Williams, who punched a wall with his throwing hand out of anger after having "a few drinks" following Sunday's celebration of the team clinching the NLC, is likely out for the playoffs. I'm uncertain why he was angry. Braves clinched the NLE. Dodgers and Giants clinched playoff bids and neither has sealed the deal on the NLW. 
TB won the ALE and CWS took the ALC. Astros(92-66) will have to lose out for the M's to tie them in the NLW clinched. Then  comes the battle for the remaining slots





Oct 2
M's and Yankeees lost . Bosox and and  Jays won.
Tyler O'Neill hit his 33rd and 34th homers of the season  and threw out the potential go-ahead run in the ninth inning for the Cardinals last night. This is his fourth MLB season. He was drafted by the Mariners in round 3 of the 2013 MLB June Amateur Draft from Garibaldi SS (Maple Ridge, BC).
Oct 3
Yanks lost .Other three won including Seattle. Mitch Haniger's 39th HR helped the  M's stay alive in AL wild-card race, Good luck with the tiebreaker formula this evening.  NYY  and Boston are 91-70. Jays and Ms are 90-71.
Oct 4, 2021
Judge and Devers come through in the ninth for respectively, the Yucks and Bosox. Rays should beat the wild card game winner. The Dusty/Larussa series is a tough call
Giants hang on to win the NLW which sends the Dodgers to the WC game against the Cards.
The Battle of the Bs, Brewers\Braves in the other series.
Oct 9. 2021
Jekyl and Hyde Red Sox in one game They went up in inning1, got grand-slammed in the same inning , then roared back to win 14-6 at TB.
Oct 14, 2021
Cards make the playoffs three straight season and fire Schildt due to philosophical differences. It gets better . To do it, the Cardinals had to ask MLB for permission to announce significant news on the day of a post-season game because GM Mozeliak claimed he didn't want to leave the ex MGR hanging for a week until the next open day. yeah, right!
Oct 21, 2021
The Padres plan to interview Shildt but will want to know reasons he was let go by the Cardinals. So far, Shildt has not publicly bad-mouthed the Cards.
Oct 25, 2021
Enter Marmol (35), who was named the Cards first-base coach in 2017 before taking over as bench coach in 2019. Mozeliak is still offering a bunch of mularkey for the coaching change, and it sure looks like a lot of back stabbing
Dec 3, 2021
I guess will get baseball in 2022. Hopefully, the lockout is only a negotiating ploy.
The Red Sox traded Hunter Renfro to the Brewers for Jackie Bradley, and minor-league infielders Alex Binelas and David Hamilton. I guess this trade was about highly rated minor-leaguer Binelas.
Ex Cards MGR Shildt remains unemployed.
Dec 24, 2021
MLB TV was chatting up Scott Rolen, a 3B for Jays, Reds, Phils, and Cards, for HoF. Nope, solid pro, not Hof.
Buck Showalter hired by the Mets. I liked what he did for my O's, but when he left, I thought he was running on empty. Maybe a few years off has filled up his tank.
Jan 13, 2022
The Minnesota Twins will retire the uniform number(36) of former pitcher Jim Kaat, who was recently elected to the Hall of Fame along with former Twins teammate Tony Oliva. Twins gave my O's a tough time in the mid 1960s.
Feb 17, 2022
Mike Shildt will deal primarily in on-field issues and umpiring in his new job working for MLB Senior Vice President Michael Hill
March 1, 2022
Manfred is as lame as Biden. MLB is close to canceling games. Also, this doesn't mean the MLBPA doesn't deserve blame.
April 13, 2022
Schildt got a job as the Padres 3B coach and apparently he's a racist. Giants black coach Antoan Richardson, who was ejected last night , accused Shildt of yelling an expletive at him that "reeked undertones of racism." Schildt said "You need to control that motherf---er" to the Giants' dugout . AR's interpretation: he referred to me as 'that motherf---er,' as if I was to be controlled or a piece of property or enslaved. World continues to get goofier.
June 9, 2022
Chicago Tribune headline Fire Tony La Russa? Not happening, so Chicago White Sox fans need to learn to just deal with it..
Chisox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf is one of La Russa’s buddies so he isn't is not going anywhere.
June 10, 2022
 Right on cue: Rather than allow Sousa to continue against Tre Turner with a 1-2 count in his favor, La Russa called for an intentional walk.
June 12, 2022
Loud chants of "Fire Tony!" broke out at Guaranteed Rate Field as manager Tony La Russa and the Chisox blew a five-run lead at home and lost to the Rangers 11-9 in 10 innings on Saturday. Has anyone interviewed Donaldson?
June 26, 2022
Sweet for my O's(34-40) to take 3 of 4 from Larussa's Sox(34-37) in Chi-Town
July 31, 2022
I wonder if Donaldson is grinning. Chisox shortstop Tim Anderson has been suspended for three games and fined by MLB as punishment for making contact with home-plate umpire Nick Mahrley on Friday night. LaRussa thinks TA has a case, no surprise there. Hey Anderson, you're a good player but no Jackie Robinson.
Oct 14, 2022
Catching up on this blog : Larussa will retire for good this time. White Sox may get better now.
Cards eliminated by the Phillies quickly. Schildt , the Padres 3B coach, is still busy
Bruce Sutter, former Cub and Cardinal, died at age 69,.
He was originally a 21st round pick by the Senators in the 1970 draft, but did not sign with Washington.
Oct 26, 2022
Miami Marlins hire Skip Schumaker, Cards bench coach, as new manager. Mattingly did well with what he had in Miami, oh well.


DI Baseball peek in April 2024

 UC Irvine 24-4 (10-2 Big West) Joichiro Oyama 5HR 28RBI 4SB ULL 24-8 (11-1 Sun Belt) LP Langevin has four saves. Eyes on WKU who just kno...