HOT TOPICS

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- In honor of ESPN's hit TV shows PTI and Around the Horn, I am beginning a new format to my blog where I hit on all the hot topics of the day. Here we go.

Colts
What an amazing game, probably the second best NFL game I have ever seen in my life. The Colts were also involved in the best game I've ever seen against the Steelers in the Wild Card game a year ago. Living in Indianapolis and all it's hard not to get excited for the Colts, even though I am not a "true Colts fan". This city is hopping right now, and it is just a truly remarkable thing to be a part of. I have to apologize to Peyton Manning because I repeatedly called him the "playoff choker" and he proved me wrong by bringing his team back from 18 points down. It would have been easy for him to pack it in and give up after throwing a pick to Asante Samuel that was returned for a TD, but he kept his head on straight and responded as only a winner would. Congrats Peyton, let's see if you can get over that final hurdle and win the big game.
Parcells
I have to admit that I was surprised but not shocked when finding out that Bill Parcells has decided to retire at age 65. Obviously it is disappointing to see such a great coach leave the game, but it's his decision and that's the way it's going to be. My take on why he decided to go is this. The Cowboys had an outstanding team this year, and Bill knew that. They had so much talent and even more potential, but they fell apart at the end of the season and their season ended in a Wild Card game against the Seahawks. Bill probably became discouraged and thought to himself, "If I can't win with this team then I'm not going to win any more." Besides the fact that he was just getting old. Going through a season like that takes a lot out of you as a coach, and he probably just doesn't have the energy to deal with T.O. or anybody else at this point in time. I could see him coming back for one or two more years after taking some time off, but I don't think he's going to do that. He's had enough and done enough, now is his time to get away and enjoy the rest of his life.
Bears-Saints
What happened to the New Orleans Saints? Perhaps they should have been practicing outside all week to prepare for what they had coming on Sunday at Soldier Field in Chicago. The Bears handed it to them from start to finish, and America's feel good team is no longer. I would like to congratulate Rex Grossman on somewhat getting the media off his back, he has been subject to endless criticism over the last month or so. The Saints just collapsed in this one, but Sean Payton put together a great team in his first year in New Orleans. It should be an exciting team to watch in the future.
NBA RUMORS
Recent rumors looming around sports sites say that Jason Kidd will be traded soon. Where will he go and what will the Nets get in return? The only team I've heard about is Indiana, and the possibility that the Pacers are not done trading yet. We'll just have to wait and see but rumors are always exciting.
Best of the West
The Western Conference is vastly superior to the East, and we all know that. Phoenix, San Antonio, Dallas, Utah, LA Lakers, and Houston all have better records then the best team in the East (Cleveland and Washington are 24-16). The question is, who is the best team in the Western Conference and in the NBA overall? Dallas has put together 2 wins streaks of 10 games or more, and Phoenix is currently on a 13 game win streak. The Mavericks have the best record in the NBA at 34-8, but the Suns are only a game back with a record of 32-8. At this point in the season I believe that the Dallas Mavericks are the best team in the NBA, and if the playoffs started today I think they would win the NBA title. The reason I'm against the Suns is because of the fact that they do not play defense. Defense wins championships and that aspect of the game is going to be their downfall in the end.
Is SEC basketball's "POWER CONFERENCE"?
It's highly debatable, and believe me it has been debated. My answer to the question is no, the SEC is not the best conference in college basketball. The SEC has 4 ranked teams, but only 1 in the top 10. I would rank the SEC 6th among the power conferences in college basketball. The top 5 are the following: Big 12, Big East, ACC, Pac 10, Big Ten. I know I may sound like an idiot, but that is what I truly believe and I'm going to stick with it. Let me explain why I have the Big 12 #1. They are the most complete conference from top to bottom. Texas A&M, Kansas, Texas, Texas Tech, and Oklahoma State all have the potential to make postseason runs. I like the way the teams from that conference play, but when March Madness rolls around all that stuff goes out the window.

IT'S TIME

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- It's that time of the week. Time to go home and relax, time to eat and eat and eat, but most of all it's time of predict this weeks Conference Championship games. We have 2 thrilling match ups coming up on Sunday, so let's get started.

#1 Chicago Bears vs. #2 New Orleans Saints 3:00 p.m. Sunday
Da' Bears take or Da' Story. The Saints were 3-13 last season and faced an serious uphill battle after Hurricane Katrina swept through town.
QB: Rex Grossman or Drew Brees?
Dree Brees. Simple as that. Brees has been the best quarterback in the NFL all year long, and he doesn't really have great receivers to work with. Grossman has struggled, but he won't have any impact in the game on Sunday. New Orleans has a weak defense and will have trouble forcing Rex to make stupid mistakes.
RB: Reggie Bush and Deuce McCalister or Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson?
Hmmmmmmm. This one is pretty tough. I'm going to have to overcome the adversity and choose Bush and Deuce. They have both been fantastic this season, and they are much more explosive backs then are Benson and Jones. Not to mention the Bears run defense has been less than stellar all year long.
WR: Jamal Hones and Marques Colsten or Mushim Muhammad and Rashib Davis?
Once again I have to go with the boys from the Saints. Colsten has been the surprise of the year, maybe even to the point where he deserves the Rookie of the Year. Jones is a young player with a lot of potential, and I think that will show on Sunday. Muhammad is a decent receiver, but he is past his prime and will not have a huge impact on this game.
OVERALL OFFENSE: SAINTS
New Orleans has far more weapons on the offensive side of the ball then the Bears do. The problem is they are going up against one of the NFL's stingiest defenses. The Bears are weak on the offensive side of the ball, and the Saints are weak on defense. What's gonna give? The defense. The Saints will give up 20+ points in this one so their offense better be ready to carry the load.
PREDICTION: SAINTS OR BEARS
Saints. The final score is going to be 24-21 and a John Carney kick will be the deciding factor late in the game. The Bears defense is good, but not good enough to keep New Orleans out of the end zone. Congrats to Sean Payton on a great season, we'll see you in Miami.

#3 Indianapolis Colts vs. #4 New England Patriots 6:30 p.m. Sunday
QB: Tom Brady or Peyton Manning?
Peyton Manning. I have been a Manning basher in the last few years after he choked in the playoffs, but I think he will finally get the monkey off his back with a solid performance in this one. Peyton did not really have any "great" games this year, but he also really never had any "bad" ones. He is going to have to play a role in this game if the Colts are going to win, and I think he will. As for Brady, he will perform well, but not quite as well as Manning, I would predict 1-2 interceptions out of him.
RB: Lawrence Maroney, Kevin Faulk, and Corey Dillon or Joseph Addai and Rhodes?
The New England tail backs will be much better then the Colts backs in this one. Addai has had a fabulous rookie season and Rhodes has played well in the playoffs, but the three headed monster from New England is too much to handle. I predict the Patriots have about 150 yards rushing in the game while the Colts manage 90.
WR: Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne or Javar Gaffney and Troy Brown?
Did I even have to put this one up there? It is obvious the the Colts receivers will be much more productive then the guys from New England. It appears that the Patriots are going to double Marvin Harrison, giving Wayne a golden opportunity to show why he's in the Pro Bowl. Both Wayne and Harrison will go over 100 yards in this one.
DEFENSE: Colts or Patriots?
It's really hard for me to choose either one because I think this one will be high scoring, but I'm going to go with Indy. Bob Sanders has brought a lot back to the Colts secondary, and I think he will have a large impact on the outcome of the game.
COACHING: Tony Dungy or Bill Billicheck
Sorry, but I have to go with Billicheck. He has been a football mastermind for so long, and he is just much better at preparing his team for playoff games then Dungy is. Both coaches are good, but Tony is out of his league when facing Bill.
X-FACTOR: Dallas Clark
I really think the Colts could have two x-factors in this game, but I'll just stick with Clark for now. If Dallas can find open spots in the middle of the New England defense, Indianapolis has endless options on offense. Clark must play well for the Colts to win.
PREDICTION: COLTS OR PATRIOTS?
I'm going with the Colts. I don't see any way that New England can win this game with the way the crowd is going to be in the dome. The final score will be 34-24 with the Colts heading off the the Super Bowl for the first time since moving to Indianapolis.

Trade not as bad as people think

By Justin Albers

basketballss132002@yahoo.com

INDIANAPOLIS- When the news first broke yesterday I was like everyone else in saying "What in the world are the Pacers thinking?"

After having 24 hours to think about it, the trade could be more beneficial then people give it credit for. First of all, they got rid of Stephen Jackson. There won't be anymore gunshots from celebrities in Indiana for a while, if you could even call him a celebrity. The era is finally over where the Pacers go to Jackson in every big situation and he never comes through. The disease has been removed, now it is time to recover.

As for the rest of the guys the players lost, Harrington and Jasikevicius just had to go. Al is a great player and still has a lot of potential, but it is just not going to work in Indiana. It was either Harrington or Carlisle, and the front office has made it very clear that Rick is there guy. I think Al will do very well in Golden State, probably averaging 20+ points a game. As for Sarunas, he has underachieved. We all saw him as a great shooter who might be a little deficient in the defensive department, but I think Bob Kravitz described him best with "His 3 point shooting is not ready for the NBA and he cannot even guard the mascot." Sarunas does not have an NBA game and it would be best for him if he just got out now. He will not have much success with the Warriors because of the people they have there. Baron Davis is a guy that demands the minutes at the point guard position, but Jasikevicius and the Western Conference do have something in common: Neither one plays defense.

Now to analyze what the Pacers got in return. Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy seem to be the basis of the deal, but I don't think that's the case. Ike Diogu is a young player with an immensely large amount of talent and potential. Diogu is a guy that could be averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds in the future, which appears to be what the Pacers are building towards. My question is what position is Diogu going to play? He appears to be a guy who struggles with his shot, which makes him a bad fit for the small forward position. He actually reminds me a lot of Al Harrington, both are best at the power forward position. It will be interesting to see if Jermaine moves to the center spot or Diogu moves to the small forward. Something has to give.

Troy Murphy attended the University of Notre Dame, so he is somewhat known locally. He is averaging a double-double for his career, but has struggled to get on track this season. I am excited about his possibilities in the Eastern Conference, especially in Carlisle's system. He's going to have to play the center position where he is a little undersized (6-11, 245) but I think he will be able to adapt given time. The important thing about him is that he gives the Pacers a scoring threat from the outside. My projection has him as the eventual starting center.

Mike Dunleavy=underachiever. Dunleavy was a good player at Duke, but he wasn't a great player. I thought the #3 pick in the '02 draft was too high for him, and he certainly hasn't proven me otherwise. Dunleavy has a great 3 point shot, but when I look at him I see a soft player. He reminds me a lot of Kyle Korver from the Philadelphia 76ers, but his shot isn't as good. If he toughens up he could be a good player, but the odds are against him at this point.

Now for my projections for both teams. For the Pacers. They will finish with a 43-39 record and get into the playoffs as a #6 seed. They will take on New Jersey in the first round and win in 7 games. They will take on Washington in the second round and will be defeated in 6 games. There starting lineup at the end of the season will be Jamaal Tinsley, Danny Granger, Ike Diogu, Jermaine O'Neal, and Troy Murphy.

The Golden State Warriors will end the season with a 49-33 record and get into the playoffs as a #7 seed. They will play Phoenix in the first round and lose in 7 games. Their starting lineup will be Baron Davis, Monte Ellis, Al Harrington, Jason Richardson, and Andres Biedrins.

Hoosiers find their way on road

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Indiana got a big road win on Saturday afternoon, giving them a 3-1 record in the Big Ten. The Hoosiers are 11-4 overall, and if they are not ranked when the polls come out on Monday, then there is something wrong. The key for IU will be for them to keep it going. They have had good starts in the past, but finishing the season strong has been a problem. Indiana plays Michigan this week and follows it up with a game at UCONN next Saturday. If they could win both that would tell you a whole lot about this team.

Who is #1?
With each new week it seems we have a new #1 team. UCLA held the position for a while, but a loss handed it back to North Carolina. The Tarheels laid an egg against Virigina Tech on Saturday, so that leaves the nation wondering who truly is #1? Let me give you my take. I strongly believe that the Florida Gators are the best team in college basketball, but that does not mean I think they'll win the national championship. The reason for that is because of how hard it is to repeat as champions. Wisconsin has a solid chance to compete late in the season, but I just don't see it. Bo Ryan just isn't that great of a coach, at least not good enough to win a national title. My choice has been and still is Ohio State cutting the nets down in April. They've struggled against top 25 competition to this point, but they are young and will only get better as the year goes along. Watch out for the Buckeyes in March, they will be serious title contenders.

Bold Prediction
I'm going to make quite a prediction, I hope you're ready. I predict that 4 teams from the state of Indiana will be it to the sweet 16, 2 of them going on to the Elite Eight. Indiana, Purdue, Butler, and Notre Dame all have solid teams this year, and all are capable of making that run. I would choose IU and Notre Dame to be the two to go to the Elite Eight, and I would give the Irish the best chance at making the Final Four. So that is my bold prediction, give me yours.

SUPER SATURDAY IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- The farther we get into the season, the more intriguing the college basketball games become. Today we have some top of the notch match ups, a few of which we will take a closer look at.

5. Indiana vs. Penn State- This game may not draw national interest, but it is a very important game for the Hoosiers. They have struggled in State College in recent years, so this game has the potential to be close. The key will be Indiana's defense, can they keep up the intensity they have played with all season?
Final Score: Indiana 68 Penn State 58

4. #14 Clemson vs. #25 Maryland
The Terripans have struggled in the ACC so far, and Clemson brings the only undefeated record into this game. Maryland has never been an easy place to play, so expect this game to be close. I think Maryland will get up early in the game and hold on to hand the Tigers their first loss of the season.
Final Score: Maryland 74 Clemson 66

3. #21 West Virginia vs. Marquette
This is an must-win game for both teams. For the Moutaineers because they are coming off a loss at Notre Dame, their first Big East loss of the season. Marquette started the season hot, but they have been the victim of close losses in the last couple of weeks. I think both teams will play with enthusiasm and heart, and Marquette will win in the end.
Final Score: Marquette 77 West Virginia 75

2. #20 Tennessee vs. #5 Ohio State
I think this game could be close, but it could also be a blowout. The Buckeyes are playing on their home court against a team that lacks a good big man. Chris Loften is going to have to carry the load for the Volunteers today, and I'm not sure he can do that.
Final Score: Ohio State 78 Tennessee 61

1. Georgetown vs. #7 Pittsburgh
A game broadcasted on ESPN with College Gameday in town always has to potential to be close. And I believe this one definitely will. Georgetown brings a different kind of team to the Big East, one that is extremely athletic, can shoot the 3, and has good big men. Roy Hibbert will be a key for the Hoyas, can he outplay the Panther 7 footer Aaron Gray. I see the Hoyas pulling the upset in this game, getting them into the top 25.
Final Score: Georgetown 80 Pittsburgh 71

NFL Divisional Playoffs

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- As I looked at the football schedule for the weekend, I realized that we have 4 good match ups on our hands. I can't pick a clear winner in any of the games, which makes the NFL that much more exciting.

#3 Indianapolis Colts vs. #2 Baltimore Ravens
This match up has produced many different story lines, which ones you pay attention depends on your position. If your a Colts fan you may be worried about the Ravens top ranked defense, and if your a Ravens fan you might worry about the Colts 3rd ranked offense. This is also the first time the Colts have returned to Baltimore for a playoff game since leaving the city overnight. It should be an exciting affair, but when I look at this match up I don't see a defensive struggle. This is going to be a game play in the mid to upper 20's and will be won by the team who has less turnovers. I think this will be a defining game in Peyton Manning's career, and he will finally step up to the plate. Congrats to the Colts, you're heading back to the AFC championship.
Final Score: Colts 27 Ravens 21

#3 Philadelphia Eagles vs. #2 New Orleans Saints
Out of all four games, this is the one I am the most undecided on. The game could really go either way, depending on who is playing well. I like the Eagles as a team, but Jeff Garcia sometimes tries to do too much. We'll just have to wait and see. I think Drew Brees will perform well for the Saints, but besides him and WR Joe Horn, this is a pretty young team. I'm anxious to see how Reggie Bush and Marques Colsten will respond to playing in the playoffs. My prediction is a close game won by the Eagles late because of the presence of Brian Westbrook.
Final Score: Eagles 31 Saints 21

#4 Seattle Seahawks vs. #1 Chicago Bears
The Seahawks overachieved a week ago against the Cowboys, and I can see them doing that again. The problem for them is that nobody is giving the Bears credit for such a great season and they keep talking about Rex Grossman's troubles. I expect Rex to finally come out and play well on a big stage and get his team to the next round. The Bears defense will be hungry to prove itself once again as one of the NFL's elite.
Final Score: Bears 27 Seahawks 9

#4 New England Patriots vs. #1 San Diego Chargers
Watch out. The Patriots are poised for the upset in this one. Phillip Rivers is making his first career playoff appearance, and Mary Schotenheimer will keep the ball out of his hands. Bill Billechick will have his team as prepared as they can be to stop LT in the running game. New England is going to make Rivers beat them by throwing the ball, and it just isn't going to happen. Besides the fact that Tom Brady has been flawless in the playoffs in the last couple of years, and Corey Dillon still has something to prove. Look for a good game but a Patriot win will send them to the Dome in Indianapolis.
Final Score: Patriots 31 Chargers 20

IU sharp so far

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Following a 74-67 defeat at the hands of the Ohio State Buckeyes, Indiana has 2 consecutive wins by 20 or more points. The Hooisers beat Michigan State by 22 points on Sunday, and followed that up with a 27 point rout of in state rival Purdue last night. What does this mean for IU?
First of all, it means that the players are buying into what Coach Sampson has to say and are starting to play together. The freshmen (Joey Shaw and Armon Bassett) are playing well and the team is gelling pretty early in the season. The next task for the Hoosiers is to get a win away from Assembly Hall. All four of their losses have been on the road this year, Butler, Kentucky, Ohio State, and Duke. Indiana will have a golden opportunity to do so when they visit Penn State on Saturday.
KEY POINTS:
1. In three Big Ten games Indiana has turned up the intensity and started playing some basketball. They had multiple leads in the game against Ohio State, and Michigan State and Purdue were expected to be quality opponents. Kelvin Sampson has his team playing the right way and hustling after every loose ball.

2. D.J. White has not forced the issue. White knows he can be a dominant player in this league, but he is doing the right thing and letting the game come to him. After scoring 21 points against the Spartans, he was limited to just 8 points on 4-6 shooting. The Boilermakers were packing in the middle of their zone defense and forcing Indiana to shoot the ball. White found open shooters on the outside and made Purdue pay for leaving them open.

3. IU is making free throws. The Hoosiers were 17-20 in the game against Purdue and they continue to improve in that department. Free throws were a part of the game that plagued them last year, so keeping that going will only make this team better.

4. DEFENSE, DEFENSE, DEFENSE. Indiana is finally playing it. The players are working hard and playing in your face defense, and it's making a difference. The Hoosiers held Purdue to 58 points, and they held Michigan State to 51 points on Sunday. And Indiana is scoring points because of their defense. 85 points is a ton for a Big Ten game, Kudos to Kelvin Sampson.

Weighing in on the basketball

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Since I'm in the state of Indiana I'm going to discuss the most popular sport here, basketball. To start off, I wanted to talk about the differences in the NBA and NCAA. First in the NCAA. I love college basketball and everbody involved in it. The players work hard, the coaches care, and the fans are loyal. On the other hand, the NBA doesn't really measure up. The players are spoiled and lazy, the coaches are overpaid, and the fans are unenthuised. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't the professinal basketball league produce more excitement then youngsters who are students first and athletes second? It seems that way, but it just isn't true. To make a comparison, the NBA is sort of like high schoolers playing CYO and college is like real high school basketball. I'm not trying to talk bad about CYO because I myself play in the league, which is why I can make this comparison. In CYO the players don't always play hard, and sometimes fool around and showboat. The NBA is the exact same thing, the only difference is the players in the NBA are making millions of dollars to fool around. Maybe it's because there are 82 games in a season, or maybe the games are too long. Whatever the reason, NBA games are not fun to watch because of the way the players act. When you see guys walking down the court or not hustling after a loose ball it makes you wonder how they even got in the league in the first place. The college athletes are out there busting there butts on every play, and they have studies to worry about as well. When basketball is your job, you'd think that the you would take pride in it and always try your best. But these players just don't do it.
Now college basketball being compared to high school ball. In both situations players are working hard and executing the coaches plays. Perhaps the players want a shot at the next level, but most high school and college players play solely on heart. They know they aren't the biggest, quicketst, strongest, are even the most skilled. But they take pride in what they do and they want to win games for their teammates, coaches, and school.
In conclusion, something needs to be done about NBA basketball. My suggestion would be to shorten the season to 45-50 games and pay the players less money. Think about something for a minute. The president of the United States gets paid less then a million dollars a year to lead the country. Professional athletes get paid millions of dollars a year to play a sport, where the toughest decision is deciding what play to call. Pay the NBA players about $250,000 a year and leave it at that. Who can't live on that much money? That's my take on the situation, give me yours.

We almost saw it coming

By Justin Albers

basketballss132002@yahoo.com

INDIANAPOLIS- It should have been a rematch. They didn't deserve it. Ohio State can not be defeated. The SEC is overrated.

The Florida Gators have heard it all, but it was obvious on Monday night that they didn't believe it. The Gators 41-14 annihilation of the #1 Ohio State Buckeyes was hardly what the nation expected. Ohio State really was put in a lose-lose situation. They were undefeated, and nobody thought they could be beat. If they beat Florida then they do what was expected, but if they lose then they will never forget it. They lost and they will never, ever forget it. The Buckeyes never lost all season, so what went wrong?

1. Outcoached, Outworked, Outplayed- Urban Meyer had his guys ready to play in the national championship, Jim Tressel did not. The Buckeyes did the same things they've been doing all year and really didn't put in any extra preparation for a big game. Florida came into the game with an entirely new gameplan and caught Ohio State off guard. Then, when the Buckeyes were down big at the half, Tressel failed to make the necessary adjustments to get his team back in the game. They came out in the second half with the same gameplan they started the game with. It just did not work.

2. Big Men on Campus- Following a perfect 12-0 season, the Buckeye players felt pretty good about themselves and their chances in the national championship. They saw their quarterback win the Heisman trophy amongst other awards and a little bit of cockiness got into their heads. They may not have prepared as hard as they would have if they were the underdog. "If you do what you've always done you'll get what you've always gotten." Isn't that right? That's what Ohio State thought. Just keep doing the things we've done all year and we'll win. This isn't Northwestern or Penn State, or even Michigan, this is the best team from the best conference and they are preparing harder then you are. What does that mean? Nothing good for the Buckeyes. Being the favorite comes with disadvantages and the Buckeyes found that out on the biggest stage in college football.

3. 51 day layoff- You know I had to mention it, even though Florida had a long layoff as well. I strongly disagree with giving the players that much time off. It's almost a different season when you play a bowl game then it is when you play the regular season. The teams have too much time to think about that game, and most times they do not play the same way they did in the regular season. Give the teams one week off and schedule the bowl game 2-2 1/2 weeks after the final regular season game. This will allow the teams time to prepare without getting rusty. The bowl games are becoming a case where the team that is better prepared for that game wins instead of the team that would have won had they met in the regular season. I don't think it is right and it should be changed. A playoff system would help that as well.

O-ver-rat-ed- It is time to face the fact that Ohio State was overrated throughout the season. They were not the #1 team in the nation because they did not play top quality competition week in and week out. The Big Ten was weak this year, and we found that out in the bowl games. Yeah Wisconsin beat Arkansas and Penn State beat Tennessee, but outside of those two games the conference stunk. Ohio State, Michigan, and Purdue were all thumped in their bowl games. And Michigan and Ohio State were supposed to play in the championship? You have to be kidding me. I would have liked to see Florida play USC or LSU, or even Boise State. Ohio State clearly did not deserve to play in the game they played in.

FINAL COLLEGE FOOTBALL RANKINGS

1. Florida (13-1)

They have to be #1 after what they did to Ohio State, what a performance.

2. Boise State (13-0)

I don't care if they play in the WAC, they were undefeated and won their BCS bowl game. They can only win the games on their schedule.

3. LSU

The Tigers laid an old fashioned butt whooping on the Irish and showed why the SEC is regarded as the toughest conference in college football.

4. USC

The Trojans were supposed to have a down year after losing Leinart, Bush, and White, but they won a Rose Bowl game over Michigan in which they were an underdog, and had they not lost to UCLA in the regular season finale they would have been playing the Buckeyes for a shot at the title.

5. Louisville

Another great season for Bobby Petrino and the Cardinals. After losing Michael Bush early in the season, few people regarded this team as one in the top 5. They were victorious in a tough Orange Bowl game against the ACC champion Demon Deacons.

6. Ohio State

7. Wisconsin

8. West Virginia

9. Auburn

10. Michigan

11. Rutgers

12. Oklahoma

13. Oregon State

14. Arkansas

15. Texas

16. California

17. Wake Forest

18. BYU

19. Virginia Tech

20. Hawaii

21. Notre Dame

22. Penn State

23. Boston College

24. Georgia

25. TCU

IU responds with emphatic win

By Justin Albers

basketballss132002@yahoo.com

INDIANAPOLIS- If there was one thing Indiana needed, it was a win. They could not afford to start 0-2 in the Big Ten. But Indiana also needed a big performance from D.J. White after just 3-14 shooting against Ohio State. The Hoosiers had both things happen on Sunday afternoon in a 73-51 trouncing of Michigan State in Assembly Hall.

The Hoosiers came out strong, taking a 12-4 lead in the first 4:30 of the first half. The crowd was energized and the Spartans felt it. Despite shooting 49% for the game, Michigan State turned the ball over 20 times and shot just 1-8 from the three point line. After the Spartans narrowed the lead to 20-19, Indiana went on an 18-8 run to end the half. D.J. White went into the locker room with a game high 15 points.

After Indiana scored the first 4 points of the second half, Michigan State recorded the next 10 to narrow the lead to 5 at 42-37. The Hoosiers would answer with a 17-4 run of their own to put the game out of reach. Lance Stemler was able to regain some of confidence from the outside, and D.J. White continued to control the interior. White scored a game high 21 points, while Stemler had 16 and 7 rebounds.

NOTEBOOK

Indiana doesn't need 3's

It is always said that Indiana lives and dies by the 3-point shot. Not on Sunday. The Hoosiers shot just 3-17 from beyond the ark and still won the game by a 22 point margin. Kelvin Sampson has instilled his defensive mentality into his players and it is really starting to show. Many of the 20 Michigan State turnovers were forced by the Indiana defense. Of Note: the only Hoosier who had a decent 3-point percentage in the game was Errek Suhr, who was 1-1 off the bench.

Calloway plays floor general

PG Earl Calloway did an excellent job of taking control of the game and finding his teammates. He was pushing the tempo all afternoon, and also played outstanding defense. He has been in Sampson's doghouse lately, but it looks like he has regained his confidence and will continue to be a starter. Earl scored 11 points and dished out 6 assists. He also had 3 steals.

Free throws becoming IU's forte

The Hoosiers were never a great free throw shooting team, but they are becoming one. The Hoosiers were 16-19 from the line on Sunday, over 84%. They are getting to the line only 19 times a game, something that must improve. In their four losses this season they have only gotten to the line an average of 12.5 times a game. Indiana is shooting 69.7% from the line on the season, but in their last four games they are 82% including 90% in their first 2 Big Ten games.

NEXT UP: WEDNESDAY vs. PURDUE

Manning struggles, defense steps up

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- All week long all we read columns that talked about how terrible the Colts defense is. There was no way they were going to stop Larry Johnson, no way. Well guess what, Johnson didn't even gain 50 yards and the Colts defense allowed only 8 points in the game. Peyton Manning completed 30 of his 38 passes, but threw 3 interceptions. The folks from Indianapolis hope he will be more confident next week when the Colts go up against the NFL's stingiest defense in Baltimore. It should be a dandy.

Cowboys blow golden opportunity
What happened to the boys from Dallas? After the Cowboys beat the Colts, they became the favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. That was until they collapsed at the end of the season. Dallas lost the the Detroit Lions in the last game of the regular season, and was forced to play the Seahawks in the first round of the playoffs. Leading 20-13 with 6:30 to go in the 4th quarter, Dallas took over on there own 2 yard line. WR Terry Glenn caught a screen pass and fumbled it into the end zone. The result of the play was a safety, giving Seattle the ball down by five. Matt Hassleback led his team down the field for a touchdown, putting Dallas in a one point hole. The Cowboys took the ball all the way to the Seahawk 2 before their drive stalled and they were forced to try a field goal. Romo was unable to control the snap and Martin Gramatica never got a shot to hit a game winner. Dallas blew the game and the season.

NFL WILD CARD PREVIEW AND PREDICTIONS

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- The weekend is upon us and you know what that means, the NFL playoffs are here. We have four exciting matchups this week, 2 of them rematches from the regular season. It should be an exciting and enjoyable thing to watch.

#3 Indianapolis (12-4) vs. #6 Kansas City (9-7)
The Kansas City Chiefs needed a miracle in order to land a playoff birth, and they got one. Now they have a shot at the NFL's worst rushing defense, with the second leading rusher on their side (Larry Johnson). Johnson should get the ball 30-40 times in this game if the Chiefs expect to win. You better believe that Peyton Manning will be on his game because he is hungry for a championship. Kansas City's defense isn't exactly spectacular, giving up over 208 yards of passing per game. Manning should be able to exploit that and find Harrison and Wayne, and the Colts win despite a horrible defense.
Final Score: Colts 34 Chiefs 21

#4 New England (12-4) vs. #5 New York (10-6)
This will be the third time these two teams have met this season, splitting the season series. The Jets won the first time they visited Foxboro, but expect it to be much more difficult this time around. The Patriots are brilliant in the postseason, and they have the leg up in this matchup because of their offensive supremecy. The Jets just don't have the explosiveness necessary to win this game, but Chad Pennington and Eric Mangini have made a nice run.
Final Score: Patriots 27 Jets 13

#3 Philadelphia (10-6) vs. #6 New York (8-8)
Yet another 3rd meeting, once again these teams split the season series. The Giants have struggled recently, Eli Manning cannot seem to get it together. On the other side, the Eagles lost quarterback Donavon McNabb and everybody expected them to pack it in and give up. Veteran Jeff Garcia would not let that happen. He has strung together 5 wins in a row, bringing his team a division title. However, I expect the Giants to get it together on both sides of the ball and upset the Eagles in this one.
Final Score: Giants 31 Eagles 21

#4 Seattle (9-7) vs. #5 Dallas (9-7)
Even though both teams have the same record, this game shouldn't even be close. The Cowboys have a much better football team then do the Seahawks, and you better believe Bill Parcells will have his guys ready to play after they limped into the playoffs. Expect Tony Romo to get back on track and the Cowboys to knock off the defending NFC champs.
Final Score: Cowboys 31 Seahawks 14

O-VER-RA-TED

By Justin Albers

basketballss132002@yahoo.com

INDIANAPOLIS- I am embarrassed to be a Notre Dame fan. After a 41-14 blowout in the Sugar Bowl one thing is clear, Notre Dame was overrated.

The Fighting Irish should not of been in the Sugar Bowl, simple as that. Give that birth to Wisconsin, regardless of what the rest of the conference has done. They would have put up much better of a fight then Notre Dame did in this one. I am really scared for whatever NFL team drafts Brady Quinn because he is by no means ready for the pro game. He completed only 43% of his passes against the Tigers on Wednesday night (15-35), and couldn't even manage 200 yards. He was completely outplayed by LSU's JaMarcus Russel, who threw for 332 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Let me tell you what the stats were like from the 3 games in which Notre Dame took on a ranked team. In this game against LSU they were out gained 577-291. Not only is that bad, but at the half the Irish had out gained the Tigers 272-254. That means that Notre Dame only managed 19 total yards in the second half (323-19)!! In fact, the Irish never even had the ball in LSU territory in the second half. The final score was 41-14.

Now against USC. Each team had 404 yards, but that is kind of misleading. USC scored 3 touchdowns in the first quarter and had a 21-3 lead, meaning that the game was never close. Brady Quinn completed only 49% of his passes in this game (22-45) and had 274 yards in 3 touchdowns. The problem was that the scores came way too late. The final score was 44-24.

Finally against Michigan. The Wolverines outscored the Irish 340-245, but the key statistic was in the turnover department. Notre Dame turned it over 5 times, while Michigan only had one. Brady Quinn completed 50% of his passes (24-48) had 234 yards and 3 touchdowns, but he also had 3 interceptions. The Fighting Irish faced a 20 point halftime deficit. The final score was 47-21.

I have now come to the conclusion that Notre Dame should never have been ranked higher than No. 20 in the country. The only quality win that they recorded was against Penn State very early in the season. They played 3 teams that are still rated, losing all the games by 20 points or more. In those games the Irish opponent scored an average of 44 ppg while they only managed 19.9 points themselves. Brady Quinn was a combined 61-128 (47.6%) and had 8 TD and 5 INT. In the other 10 games Quinn was 228-339 (67%) with 29 TD and 2 INT. I think the numbers speak for themselves. Notre Dame could not compete with the big guns this season, partly because of a weak schedule. Why in the world would you schedule all 3 academies, Stanford, and North Carolina in the same season? All I can say is Weis better get his guys together in the offseason, because this is Notre Dame's 9th consecutive loss in a bowl game.

IU good, but not good enough

By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- The effort was there. IU competed all the way through, but in the end they came up short against the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus on Tuesday night.
The Hoosiers fell behind by 6 points early in the game and looked to be over matched by the unbelievable Ohio State talent. Then Indiana started doing what they do best, shooting three pointers. IU was 12-23 from beyond the ark in the game, 4 of them from freshman Joey Shaw. The Hoosiers stuck right with the Buckeyes for the entire first half and trailed 35-29 at the half.
The second half brought new life to the Hoosiers. Indiana scored 18 of the first 26 second half points, grabbing a 47-43 advantage with 12:08 remaining in regulation. Ohio State would grab the lead right back when they scored the next 6 points, 4 of them on free throws. Indiana stayed strong, but struggled to stop the Buckeyes on the offensive end. The turning point came with 6:13 remaining when Greg Oden picked up his fourth foul. Thad Matta was forced to pull him from the game, and leave the Hoosiers with an open opportunity. It didn't work to Indiana's advantage. Freshman point guard, Mike Conley Jr., took control of the game when Oden left, recording 2 points and 3 assists during that period. When Oden returned to the game he made four consecutive free throws with his left hand to put the Hoosiers away.

OPINION
The rest of the Big Ten season looks bright for Indiana after a solid performance on Tuesday night. While watching the game I noticed several things that seemed to plague Indiana. D.J. White tried to do too much and looked like he was trying to prove he wasn't afraid of Oden. Several times he missed point blank layups because of Oden's presence, but he was also fouled multiple times where it was not called. Next, the A.J. Ratliff injury really hurt. Ratliff has been playing good basketball of late, and he could have been a great help on the defensive end in this game. The biggest thing I saw that the Hoosiers didn't do a good job of was on the ball defense. I remember multiple times in the game where they didn't stop the ball and Ohio State ended up with easy baskets. The 2-3 zone worked well for most of the game, but the Buckeyes figured out that if they set a screen for the point guard then Indiana won't know how to guard it. Both teams were very well coached, Ohio State just had too much talent for Indiana to handle.

POSITIVES: The two leading scorers for the Hoosiers were freshman, Armon Bassett and Joey Shaw. They played extremely well in a tough environment against a good team, which bodes well for the rest of the season. Both players were very impressive on Tuesday night.

KEY PERFORMERS: OHIO STATE
Greg Oden 21 points 5 rebounds 30 minutes
Mike Conley Jr. 9 points 10 assists 31 minutes
Othello Hunter 14 points 6 rebounds 23 minutes
Daequan Cook 12 points 3 rebounds 27 minutes

KEY PERFORMERS: INDIANA
Joey Shaw 16 points 3 rebounds 23 minutes
Armon Bassett 13 points 4 rebounds 38 minutes
D.J. White 11 points 8 rebounds 36 minutes
Lance Stemler 11 points 2 rebounds 25 minutes