General: Sterno's Talkin' Smack -- Episode #43

Sterno's Talkin' Smack. No holding back here. It's all trash, all the time. Welcome to an action packed Friday edition of the extravaganza.

Today we are going to preview the College Football season. Yes, it's that time of year, and with things kicking off on Saturday, there's no better time for me to drill down on the NCAA.

Smack This: The Heisman Race -- Looking at the Heisman trophy race at the beginning of each year is fun. Most likely, a name or two that I mention will fall from the ladder, and a couple that I don't even give a word to, will step up to the plate. Regardless, here is the race as I see it.

5. There's a tie in my mind for the fifth slot in the race. On one hand you have Kellen Winslow. Yes, most people out there think that Winslow has a great shot at the Heisman, even though he is a tight end, but I just don't see it. First of all, Miami won't be as good as they were with Ken Dorsey there, and secondly, he's a tight end. I am sorry, but you can't tell me a tight end is better than a quarterback. I don't care how good the guy can run for his size, or who his father is.

Also a part of the tie is Eli Manning. Here is a guy whose family continues to get him all the praise, just like Winslow. I'm sorry, but Eli isn't nearly as good as Peyton was in college, and he is the QB for Ole Miss. When you look at the schools that these other five guys are coming from, Eli won't be able to stack up to the media hype and television time necessary to contend in the voting. Yeah, he had a nice career, and yeah he broke tons of Ole Miss' records but that just isn't enough for me to give him some kind of a career medal here.

4. Eli Roberson is the flashiest quarterback in the nation. There are several with better arms, but none with the better legs. Roberson can run faster than most of the opposing teams running backs, he is shiftier than any corner in the nation, minus maybe Marlin Jackson at Michigan, and he has the vision to stop on a dime to throw the call downfield. With Darren Sproles in the backfield, who may enter the Heisman race himself, Roberson will have defenses be very careful of pitches on the option. They will be watching for Roberson to dupe them into thinking run to only chuck it downfield. I have news for those defenses. Roberson will run, and run fast. I look for Kansas State to do tremendously well on the national stage, and Roberson to reap huge benefits come Heisman voting time.

3. Kevin Jones of Virginia Tech has quietly worked himself into great Heisman position. While Jones has faired well over the past couple of seasons, most have been engulfed in other backs like Willis McGahee. However, Jones is a force to be reckoned with. He can run downhill with the best of them, and is quick enough to get around almost any linebacker. In the mostly weak Big East, he should be able to amass some two hundred yard games against the likes of Temple and West Virginia. I look for Jones to get the ball early and often, and his yard total and touchdown total alone will be enough to put him square in the race.

2. This year's Carson Palmer is named Cody Pickett. Haven't heard of him? You will. I promise you. Pickett is the perfect NFL prototype, with all of the skills necessary to have his name called first by Paul Tagliabue. Pickett has a cannon for an arm, and can deliver it as accurately as anyone. With the best wide out in the country in Reggie Williams, (yes Reggie, not Roy in Texas!), Pickett has a target he can hit time and time again downfield. In the style of offense that the Huskies will run, Cody will get an opportunity to throw the ball 30-40 times a game. His numbers will far surpass any other QB, including Manning, and he is my 1a. to the top of the heap. If there is any slip from that spot, it is Pickett's job to lose.

1. Ah, another scandal is almost completed, and running back Maurice Clarett is on his way back to the gridiron. While he will miss the game against Washington, he will return in Week 3 and begin to single handedly rip the NCAA from its core. Clarett is the most talented back on the planet below the age of 22. Nobody comes close. When you talk about special, there is a small class each year. Maurice can teach that class. Without a doubt in my mind, he will win the Heisman, assuming he stays out of trouble, and the operating room.

Heisman Trophy Voting -- Smacked!!!

Smack This: Conference Predictions -- Okay, it's time to talk about the six major conferences, and who will take the BCS spots in 2003. To me, it's pretty easy, and hey, I am never wrong. Okay, okay, almost never!

In the Big East, I am going to go with Virginia Tech. Why? Well, nobody in the conference can come close to stopping their running attack. That's why! Kevin Jones, who we spoke about before, as well as Randall and Vick (Marcus not Michael), their two QB's, all can run the football, and keep the opposing offenses off the field. It is obvious at this point, that Pittsburgh is going to have a really good squad, with a potent offense, but I think that the Hokies can take the Panthers to school on the ground. When you can overpower another team, and keep their defense on the field, and tired, then you can wear them out late in the game. Virginia Tech will take the Big East.

In College Basketball the ACC is the powerhouse. Duke, North Carolina, and Wake Forest are all powerhouses. Not here, folks! The Seminoles don't come to Cameron Indoor. While the entire speaking and breathing world is picking N.C. State to win this conference, with their quarterback standout Philip Rivers, I am going to go with a bounce back year for Bobby Bowden and company. To me, Bowden just won't let there be two straight years below the belt down in Tallahassee. The game against the Gators will be a lot easier without Rex Grossman there, and the Miami game the same deal, without Mr. Dorsey. I think that the Seminoles defense, and their running game with Greg Jones, and the young and talented Booker kid, will be enough to take the Wolfpack. F.S.U. will in fact take the A.C.C.

This year's Big Ten champion will be Michigan. Yes, you heard me. Michigan will win the Big Ten. As always, it will come down to that big game against the Buckeyes. While Wisconsin and Purdue both field good teams, and the conference as a whole is probably the best in the nation as far as balance is concerned, Ohio State and Michigan are the cream of the crop. To me, the difference will be the defense. I really like what I see form Michigan's side. When you look at Diggs, and Stevens, and those guys on defense, and especially the stud shutdown corner in the country in Marlin Jackson, the Wolverines can do the job. On offense, John Navarre is an accurate passer, with an impressive TD to INT ratio, and Chris Perry is ready to breakout as an elite back. The boys from the "Big House," will score points, and stop the other team from doing so. Is there anything else? Michigan will beat Ohio State, and win the Big Ten title.

Over in the Pac 10 Conference, there are a couple of great quarterbacks. Cody Pickett, who we already talked about, leads the Washington Huskies, and a heavily powered offense. The only problem for Washington, is that their University booked them against the Buckeyes in week one, a loss that will take them out of the picture. You see in the Pac 10, you can't lose too many out of conference games, because the in conference battles are ruthless. Washington will be snipped out by the Arizona State Sun Devils.

A.S.U. sports a great quarterback of their own, Andrew Walter. Walter can chuck it way down field with some great accuracy. He has an up and coming receiver in Daryl Lightfoot, and Trung Candidate's little brother to hand off to. Look for the Sun Devils to edge out the Huskies in a very tight Pac 10.

Ah, the SEC. There is an east. There is a west. Why? Simply because the conference is stupid enough to have way too many teams to deal with one entity. To me, it's ridiculous. Never the less, in the SEC it is a two school race, in my opinion.

With the absence of Rex Grossman, the Gators aren't good enough to contend, and even though Auburn fields a good team, they aren't ready to take that kind of step in 2003. To me Tennessee is. I like what Casey Claussen brings to the table. Yeah, he has the same first name as me. That's not why. Claussen doesn't show you a great package of tools to tell you he is a star, but he has a big time desire to do something positive before his time with the Volunteers is up.

With Cedric Houston in the backfield, Tennessee should be able to run the ball well enough to give Casey some support, and take some pressure off him. On the Western side, (Is it really western),is Arkansas. Arkansas has a real good football team. Led by quarterback Matt Jones, and a stalwart defense, the Razorbacks are ready to take the "Wild West." While Tennessee could probably eat Arkansas for breakfast, in this stupid split, they get a title nod.

Saving the best race for last, we have the Big 12. Many are picking number one seed Oklahoma to win it all. Oklahoma has all of the horses to win the title. Even with a new running back and a couple of new receivers, the team looks primed to score some points. Their defense is an absolute joke. It is so good, that some of the crappier teams that the Sooners play may not even score a point. They will easily take the Big 12 South in yet another "split" conference.

Up North, Kansas State is leaps and bounds ahead of its rival Nebraska. While the Cornhuskers may come back to the top a bit thanks to a really good defensive front seven, they are no match for the speed of Kansas State. Eli Roberson is electric at the quarterback spot, as we talked about before, and in the backfield, Darren Sproles is terrific. You want to talk about shifty? Sproles can make a linebacker blind with the kind of jukes and jives he can pull out of his pocket. He is tremendous. Kansas State and Oklahoma will battle for the Big 12 title, while they should battle for the National Championship. I will elaborate.

Conference Splits and Such -- Smacked!!!

Smack This: The National Championship -- As you most likely have heard me say before, I hate the college football system whether it's the BCS rankings, the Bowls themselves, or in general, their complete lack of any solidified playoff system. It is ridiculous. Just give me the top two teams in the country going head to head at the Rose Bowl every single year. Other than that, there is nothing that satisfies me here.

This year is a perfect example. Look at some of these teams. They are in the same conference, and thanks to these conference tournaments, they are stuck playing each other and one of them is gone from the BCS. In the SEC, Arkansas is going to be an afterthought come New Year's Day, and in the Big 12, the best two teams in the country in my opinion, will play each other and decide which one will have a chance at the title. There is seriously, a legitimate chance that those two will be #'s one and three in the country when they fight for the Big 12 title.

Well, here's what I see. I think that Oklahoma will beat Kansas State in the Big 12 title game and then face Michigan, who has a nice home schedule this year, in the title game. Navarre doesn't get your juices flowing too much, but he will be consistent enough to keep Michigan going enough to go into the title game undefeated. Two undefeated teams will face off, with Oklahoma winning it all, yet again. Sooner Pride!

Title Picture Without Playoff Structure -- Smacked!!!

One for the Road: To me, this whole Baylor story has put a bad taste in my mouth about College Basketball. What kind of off-season has it been? Where is Dick Vitale? There are so many stories having nothing to do with basketball going around, that nothing else is stepping to the forefront. I can't wait until the first time I hear "Diaper Dandy!" That's awesome baby with a capital A!!!

Hit me up with feedback at eSports (click the Write the Editor link) or on my homepage at http://www.suite101.com/myhome.cfm/theycallmethecloser. Come on and click that link already! You can't possibly agree with everything I say!

See ya' all next time folks! Until then, don't be the one that gets smacked!