There was a lot of pre-emptive backlash on Sunday night when the Ravens advanced to the Super Bowl to play the 49ers. That backlash was against the perceived media narrative of the “Harbaugh Bowl.” Normally, I’m a big fan of cynicism and contrarianism. That doesn’t work for me here though. The Harbaugh brothers coaching against each other in the Super Bowl is a remarkable story. To have two siblings raise to the ranks of their profession to be the very best (of course, coaching in a Super Bowl doesn’t make you the very best, but work with me here) is rare in any profession. The Harbaugh brothers were the sons of a football man. I get that. But their father, Jack, wasn’t exactly a high profile NFL coach. He was a coach at noted college football powerhouses Western Kentucky and Western Michigan.

We’ve reached a point where it’s become very hard to embrace the good in sports. The Harbaugh Super Bowl is a great story, just like a Manning Super Bowl would be. There’s compelling drama in family members competing at the highest level against each other. People, I think, forget that the Harbaugh brothers are real people. They had a childhood. They grew up playing backyard football, driveway basketball, and living room go-fish. They fought.  They raced. They got along. They loved each other. Now, they have to compete against each other for the ultimate prize in their profession, while hundreds of millions of people, around the world, watch and scrutinize.

This is remarkable and it deserves every bit of coverage is gets.

For more on this, HBO’s Real Sports re-aired a two-year old interview this week with Jim and John Harbaugh. It’s great television and well-worth your cynical 20 minutes.

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For a number of reasons, the west coast is the best coast. This works  This certainly pertains to the NBA in 2012-13. In the East, the Miami Heat are the absolute cream of the crop. There’s absolutely no argument that can be made for the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, or Brooklyn Nets being better than Miami, especially in a 7-game series.

Out West though, every night is a battle. The top 3 teams (Spurs, Thunder, and Clippers) are separated by a 1 ½ game. And that doesn’t include the Golden State Warriors, who beat the Thunder and Clippers earlier this week. Nor does it include the Memphis Grizzlies, a team so deep, they traded 4 players for Jon Leuer earlier this week. You’re forgiven if you have no idea who Jon Leuer is.

I would be very surprised if Miami didn’t make it to the NBA Finals. In the West, I have no confidence picking anyone. The Clippers could win the West. The Spurs could. The Thunder are probably the favorite. But don’t sleep on Memphis. Or Golden State. Or Denver. Or even the Lakers. I’m just kidding. Sleep on the Lakers. But don’t go to sleep until you stay up late to watch some of the great games out on the best coast.

———————–

In my 2012 NBA draft preview, I discussed, at length, my infatuation with point guards. You’re just not going to be a successful team without someone who can play the point. And don’t give me some nonsense about the Miami Heat. LeBron James is a point guard who just happens to be built like an NFL tight end.

We’re in a golden age right now for point guards in the NBA. Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Rajon Rondo, Steve Nash, and Tony Parker have been doing it for years. And Derrick Rose will soon rejoin his point guard family. Those guys get their ink though. I want to talk about the new wave.

I have been blown away by Kyrie Irving. I didn’t expect this. I didn’t think Irving would be able to score as well as he has because I didn’t view him as a good enough shooter. Irving is a good enough shooter. And he’s a pretty good at everything else. He runs the court at a blistering rate. Earlier this week, Irving dribbled 80 feet faster than Paul Pierce could backpedal 10. I was thrilled to see him make the All-Star game despite playing for one of the worst (but very much on the rise) teams in the NBA.

Joining Irving in the All-Star game is Jrue Holliday, another player I was very wrong about. In the absence of Andrew Bynum, and while battling injuries, Holliday has averaged 19/9, while shooting 45% from the field. He’s been the lone bright spot on a very disappointing Sixers squad.

There’s also likely NBA Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard. Oh, and Russell Westbrook. And Stephen Curry.

What I’m saying here is, next time you stop on a Cleveland Cavs or Portland Trail Blazers game, there’s a very good reason to put the remote down. The NBA is in good hands with the young crop running the point.

—————————

I’ll end on football.

I’ve already made very apparent my adoration for Colin Kaepernick and the myriad ways in which he can dominate a game. I do not think the Super Bowl will be any different.

Sure, there’s probably some of that magic narrative dust on Baltimore’s side with Ray Lewis retiring. But magic dust can only go so far when you’re playing a team that is firing on all cylinders. The 49ers are the most complete team in the NFL and I expect them to show that next Sunday in NOLA. 49ers win by 9.

Two seasons ago, I created (FROM MY BARE HANDS!) an idea called “Quarterback Madness.” It was like March Madness, but with less Prarie View A&M.

Quarterback Madness was created to determine who was the ultimate franchise quarterback in the NFL. Not “who is the best quarterback right this very moment?”. This is about who is the ultimate franchise quarterback. In the previous two incarnations, Aaron Rodgers came away your winner.

But this is the year of the quarterback. And not just the quarterback, but the rookie quarterback (save for Brandon Weeden). Aaron Rodgers’ road is not as easy as it was in the previous two seasons. Can he win???? (waiting for suspenseful music….realizing this is the written word…..bowing in shame)

A refresher course: Each of the 32 NFL teams has a player on their roster who was their best quarterback. For some teams (Patriots, Packers, Falcons) it’s easy to determine who the “best” quarterback is. For other teams (too many to list) it’s not so easy. In the past, I’ve used the metric “guy who started the most games.” But, because of injuries and the like, that’s not going to work for some teams. So I’ll just take the liberty of deciding who is the best QB on each roster. If you have an issue with that and think that I picked incorrectly, I wouldn’t sweat it. I doubt that Blaine Gabbert is getting very far here.

QBs are seeded in four regions based on their team’s final regular season record. The four regions:

Akili Smith Region (#1 overall seed)
Tim Couch Region (#2 overall seed)
Cade McNown Region (#3 overall seed)
Jim Druckenmiller Region (#4 overall seed)

In the final four, Akili Smith faces Jim Druckenmiller. Tim Couch faces Cade McNown.

FIRST ROUND

AKILI SMITH REGION
1.) Matt Ryan
8.) Brady Quinn
Um, how about we don’t waste our time on this one?

4.) Ben Roethlisberger
5.) Sam Bradford
On the surface, a really interesting contest because of Roethlisberger’s age and history of injuries, both motorcycle and football-related. You don’t have to dive too deep though to realize that Ben is the winner here. Because he’s a winner. And a heck of a good QB. Bradford is, still, just potential. Handsome, handsome potential.

3.) Christian Ponder
6.) Philip Rivers
There’s nothing to get excited about here. Nothing. Philip Rivers appears to be toast. Christian Ponder appears to be Christian Ponder. Ponder showed some flashes of skill this season, when he wasn’t showing some flashes of being Christian Ponder. I’ll take his minimal upside and his relative youth over Philip Rivers who is not the answer in San Diego and maybe never was.

2.) Russell Wilson
7.) Jake Locker
Jake Locker is, in some distant planet, kind of similar to Russell Wilson. Unfortunately for Jake Locker, this is Earth. And Jake Locker is a severely inaccurate QB who hasn’t learned how to use his one asset (mobility) to his advantage. Russell Wilson is fabulous. He makes great decisions. His arm is stronger than you expect it to be. His accuracy is better than you expect it to be. His runs are smart. He’s not scared in the pocket. He’s just remarkably good.

TIM COUCH REGION
1.) Peyton Manning
8.) Blaine Gabbert
Peyton Manning could be 73 years old, have his neck surgically removed from his body, and still be a better quarterback than Blaine Gabbert (or Chad Henne).

4.) Tony Romo
5.) Cam Newton
Does Cam Newton’s attitude kind of suck? Sure. When the Panthers lose a game, he becomes more insufferable than Taylor Swift winning a Teen Choice Award. And I really like Tony Romo. I like the guy. I like the QB. He has never and will never get a fair shake. He performs, every year, like a Top 10-12 QB in the NFL. But I’m often in awe of Cam Newton’s talent. I’m not sure that he’s ever going to be a top 5 QB, but his youth (23 vs. Tony Romo’s 32) and tremendous ability make his ceiling almost limitless. It’s an easy victory despite all of the text I just used here.

3.) Andy Dalton
6.) Josh Freeman
I cannot get excited about either QB. I’ll take Dalton because he’s less inconsistent than Freeman, who is remarkably inconsistent.

2.) Andrew Luck
7.) Kevin Kolb
I’ll give you a few moments to try to think of something that any of Arizona’s 4 QBs (Kolb, Ryan Lindley, John Skelton, and Brian Hoyer) are better than Andrew Luck at. Go ahead. Take your time.

CADE MCNOWN REGION
1.) Matt Schaub
8.) Nick Foles
I actually think this is closer than it looks. I like Nick Foles. He’s accurate. He’s big. He can move a little bit. He’s, well, he’s Matt Schaub except he’s 8 years younger. And so I’m taking Nick Foles.

4.) Eli Manning
5.) Ryan Tannehill
It makes sense, somehow, that in the year I realized that Eli Manning was an elite QB, he looked like he did in his first few seasons. Inconsistent. Poor decision-maker. All that. I don’t think that he took a permanent step back. I also think that he’s two-time Super Bowl winning QB Eli Manning and Ryan Tannehill is just an okay signal-caller.

3.) Jay Cutler
6.) Ryan Fitzpatrick
Neither of these guys are going to win here, so I’ll just quickly give it to Jay Cutler.

2.) Aaron Rodgers
7.) Brandon Weeden
Um, yeah.

JIM DRUCKENMILLER REGION
1.) Tom Brady
8.) Carson Palmer
You know, Carson Palmer is 2 years younger than Brady….

4.) Robert Griffin III
5.) Drew Brees
Give this question to me before the Seattle playoff game and I’m taking RGIII without hesitation. Now, I not only hesitate, but I take Drew Brees. You don’t mess around with a QB who has torn his ACL twice. Especially when running is such an important part of his game.

3.) Joe Flacco
6.) Mark Sanchez
Yes, I think that Mark Sanchez starts the Jets first regular season game in September. Yes, he has no chance of ever being as good as Joe Flacco, which says a lot of things. A lot.

2.) Colin Kaepernick
7.) Matthew Stafford
I can’t put into words what we saw on Saturday night in San Francisco. Colin Kaepernick was beyond dazzling. There’s a risk I run in being too hyperbolic about his performance, but I think that was a level of NFL quarterbacking unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Matthew Stafford is a really good quarterback with a really tough draw here.


SECOND ROUND

AKILI SMITH REGION

1.) Matt Ryan
4.) Ben Roethlisberger
Matt Ryan’s career accomplishments aren’t in the Roethlisberger category, but I don’t think it’s wrong to say that he’s in a better spot to win two Super Bowls before his career ends than Roethlisberger is to win two more. What I’m trying to say is that Matt Ryan’s best days are clearly ahead of him. He needs some work. He still has absolute clunker games from time-to-time. But there’s a high ceiling there. We know Roethlisberger’s. Also, if I’m building a franchise and need a franchise quarterback, Ryan is slightly more marketable because his Wikipedia page doesn’t include the phrase, “including a nearly fatal motorcycle accident in 2006 and sexual assault allegations in Lake Tahoe in 2008 and in Milledgeville, Georgia, in 2010..”

3.) Christian Ponder
2.) Russell Wilson
Often, you’ll see a rookie quarterback regress as his season progresses. Russell Wilson got better. A lot better. Seattle played it close to the vest during the first half of the season, but once they gave Wilson the ball and said, “play,” he did. And he’ll likely win a Rookie of the Year for that play. He’s Seattle’s quarterback for the future. He’s a gem. He’s going to be a star.

TIM COUCH REGION

1.) Peyton Manning
5.) Cam Newton
Cam Newton wins here. Peyton Manning is the better quarterback right now, but if I want a franchise QB, I’m only going to get a few years more out of Manning, at best. Or I could have 10-15 of Cam Newton, with a near limitless ceiling. I’m willing to wait for the maturity issues to work themselves out.

3.) Andy Dalton
2.) Andrew Luck
Andrew Luck was not, statistically, a very good QB in 2012. His completion pct. hovered at times around 50% (he finished at 54%). He threw way too many interceptions, many of them poor decisions (a bug-a-boo even going back to Stanford). That said, Luck doesn’t have AJ Green. He has TY Hilton. Flip the teams here and this would be even easier than I think it is. Dalton is a fine game manager. I would not feel comfortable giving him the full control of my team.

CADE MCNOWN REGION

8.) Nick Foles
4.) Eli Manning
Not a contest. Manning.

3.) Jay Cutler
2.) Aaron Rodgers
Not a contest. Rodgers.

JIM DRUCKENMILLER REGION

1.) Tom Brady
5.) Drew Brees
The toughest matchup here. Brady is 2 years older than Brees, but has two more Super Bowl wins. Both are in the top 3, right now, of NFL QBs. I take Brady, by a hair, because he doesn’t throw interceptions. And while you might say, “But Brees throws the ball a lot more!” I’d counter by saying that Brees threw 33 more passes this season than Brady. And Brady threw 11 fewer interceptions. And Brady has won 3 Super Bowls.

3.) Joe Flacco
2.) Colin Kaepernick
Joe Flacco is a perfectly serviceable QB. Colin Kaepernick is much more than that. And I think he’s only getting started.

THIRD ROUND
(editor’s note: I paused after I looked at these quarterfinal matchups and thought, “Man, none of these are easy. I call myself “man”.”)

AKILI SMITH REGION

1.) Matt Ryan
2.) Russell Wilson
Such an intriguing battle. You have the prototypical, 6’4” pocket QB and the atypical 5’11” quarterback who can do it all, against all odds. Look, Russell Wilson deserves every ounce of credit he’s getting. It’s beyond rare to see a rookie quarterback, especially a third round draft pick, come in, start from day 1, and succeed in a regular offense. It took the Seahawks 4 weeks to realize that Wilson could lead a team. His game log shows that. His yards per attempt jumped. His yards per game jumped. You just don’t see that from third round rookies. And you certainly don’t see it from third round rookies who are under 6 feet tall.

Matt Ryan is a very good quarterback. But he’s not elite. And I’m not sure that we’re going to see him be elite. It’s not like he’s missing pieces on offense. Julio Jones is a dominant receiver, when the Falcons decide to use him. And Roddy White isn’t exactly a bad second option. Not to mention first ballot Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez. For me, I think Russell Wilson and Matt Ryan are equals right now. Wilson is a rookie. Ryan is a four year veteran. I think Wilson can get better. That gives him the advantage.


TIM COUCH REGION

5.) Cam Newton
2.) Andrew Luck
A somehow not staged battle between the previous two #1 overall picks. So age can’t be a determining factor. Cam Newton’s athleticism certainly gives him an edge. But Andrew Luck’s poise under pressure, which can’t be measured, but I think can be seen, evens that back up. I keep going back to the question, “Who would I want leading my team?” The answer is fairly clear at that point. I want the guy who doesn’t put on a show after the team loses. I want that guy with the perceived thicker skin. Cam Newton’s ceiling is limitless. Andrew Luck’s isn’t necessarily limitless, but I can see Luck reaching his ceiling (Hall of Fame QB) more realistically than I can see Newton reaching his (transcendent Hall of Fame QB). Luck advances to the final four.

CADE MCNOWN REGION

4.) Eli Manning
2.) Aaron Rodgers
By far the easiest of the matchups in this round. Aaron Rodgers has the age advantage, on top of being a better decision-maker than Manning. Eli is still prone to throwing the balls that he shouldn’t. Rodgers just doesn’t do that. Does he get sacked too often? Yes. Is that a ridiculous criticism of a remarkably good quarterback? Most definitely.

JIM DRUCKENMILLER REGION

1.) Tom Brady
2.) Colin Kaepernick
Before Saturday’s game, I think Tom Brady would win this despite the 10 year age difference between the two quarterbacks. But that Colin Kaepernick performance on Saturday was one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen in the NFL. I mean, if Kaepernick was just a pocket passer, he’d be serviceable. Joe Flacco might be an okay comp. If Kaepernick was just a “mobile” quarterback, he’d be serviceable. But I don’t know what the comp would be. Because Kaepernick is huge and fast and strong. Early Michael Vick doesn’t work. He was a finesse runner. Kaepernick can be a finesse runner or he can be a more physical runner. But when you combine them both? I don’t know that there’s a defense that can stop that.

And no one did stop Kaepernick. He took over for the injured Alex Smith on November 11. The 49ers lost twice in that span. Kaepernick (including the playoff game) threw a total of 4 interceptions. If you just look at Kaepernick’s passing numbers, you probably wouldn’t be wowed. He never threw for more than 300 yards. And if you looked at just the rushing numbers, you wouldn’t be wowed. He never ran for over 100 yards until Saturday’s 181. But when you put those numbers together, what you get is some kind of super QB. If Kaepernick stays healthy and Jim Harbaugh stays on as head coach, there is no telling what he can do. When you talk about limitless ceilings (and that’s what this is about, to me), Kaepernick’s might be the most limitless. Imagine if RGIII’s knees weren’t already balky. And imagine that RGIII was 6’6”. And imagine that RGIII had a stronger arm. That’s what Colin Kaepernick may very well be.

And then there’s Tom Brady, who you could easily argue is the greatest quarterback of all-time and still has probably 3-4 very good years in him. And that’s unfortunately what it comes down to for Tom Brady. I can have 12 years of Colin Kaepernick or 3 years of Tom Brady. This isn’t entirely about what you’ve done. It’s about what you’re going to do. The past can be predictive. But that’s about it. And so, against the past, thinking about the future, I take Colin Kaepernick (or “Colly Football”…you’re welcome).

FINAL FOUR

Russell Wilson v. Colin Kaepernick
As you can tell from reading this, there aren’t two quarterbacks who I enjoy watching more than Wilson and Kaepernick. And they’re pretty similar. Well, aside from one very large difference. That difference is, of course, size. Kaepernick is at least 7 inches taller than Wilson. And while DangerRuss might be a more accurate passer, the physical nature of Kaepernick’s running style is appealing in what I think is the new NFL.


Andrew Luck v. Aaron Rodgers
Andrew Luck’s realistic ceiling is probably Aaron Rodgers. Aaron Rodgers is Aaron Rodgers. While keeping this abbreviated might seem like a slight to Luck, I’d say that there are few compliments better than a quarterback being similar to Aaron Rodgers. Again, Luck will have to cut down on the interceptions, but I think he will.

CHAMPIONSHIP

Colin Kaepernick v. Aaron Rodgers
On November 10, this wouldn’t have been imaginable. Kaepernick was a backup quarterback. I had my doubts about Kaepernick’s college game translating to the NFL. In fact, the NFL’s game has transformed into the offense Kaepernick ran under Chris Ault at UNR. And, as it turns out, Kaepernick is the perfect NFL quarterback for the system.

Much of this likely seems like a reaction to one of the single best quarterbacking performances in playoff history. And, in a way, it is. What we saw on Saturday night, I truly believe, was a new phase in the NFL. We’ve been experiencing the era of the quarterback for the previous few seasons. Kaepernick’s performance on Saturday night, against a defense coached by a man many believe to be one of the best defensive minds in the sport, was the transition to the era of the new quarterback. We saw the start with RGIII. And Russell Wilson is certainly a leader of the movement, but Kaepernick is the face. Take away the run and he’ll beat you in the air. Take away the air and he’ll run through, around, and past you.  He, along with Wilson, Newton, and Griffin, are opening the door for all of the quarterbacks who got kicked to the curb a decade ago. There’s a place for them now. And not just as a gimmick. Athletic quarterbacks are the feature film from here on out.

Rodgers is more athletic than he gets credit for. He’s still accurate outside of the pocket and when needed, he can scramble for positive yardage. And he’s done it year after year. But I’ve written a lot about Rodgers in the previous two years. Does he hold onto his title or not?

Yes, but barely. Kaepernick has done it for two months. And while I feel confident that he’ll keep this going next year, and the year after that, etc. I’m not losing enough dynamic play by siding with Rodgers. He’s 29 years old. That’s 4 years older than Kaepernick, but not exactly Tom Brady’s 35.

Will this be different a year from now? Perhaps. But for now, Aaron Rodgers holds on to his championship belt.

By the time you read this, the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) likely will have announced the Hall of Fame inductees for 2013.

The ballot, if I had one (believe it or not, Midatlanticbias.blogspot.com does not warrant membership in the BBWAA), shouldn’t be a terribly hard one to fill out. But that doesn’t mean that professional sports writers can’t make the story about themselves in the process. Page views!!!

This is the first year of eligibility for Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens. Barry Bonds, who is arguably the greatest player in the history of Major League Baseball and Roger Clemens, who is arguably the greatest right handed pitcher of the live ball era. If ever there was a sure thing, this would be it.

Except….

You may recall that from the late-1990’s until the mid-2000’s, baseball had a bit of a PR issue with players using steroids (known incorrectly as “Performance enhancing drugs”). Roger Clemens is a known user of said “PEDs.” Barry Bonds is a suspected user. It’s never actually been proven that he was a user. But in the eyes of god (professional sports writers, in their own minds) Bonds is guilty and must be punished.

Nothing about filling out the BBWAA Hall of Fame ballot should be difficult. Some members of the BBWAA often bring up the clause about character as a means to define who belongs and who doesn’t, all the while forgetting that Ty Cobb, one of history’s great racist pigs, is a celebrated member of the “hallowed Hall.” Thank goodness he never used steroids.

Even those players who never had a PED rumor thrown at them have been dragged down by the show. Craig Biggio, only slightly larger than me, is a potential Hall of Fame player and first time candidate. Biggio perhaps played too long (41 years old), bringing down his career numbers. But his peak is remarkable for a second baseman. Between 1994 and 2001, he never had an on-base pct. below .382. He made 5 all-star teams during that time (not that that’s a perfect metric). He contributed just under 41 wins above replacement during that time and posted a career 62.1 WAR (B-R). Biggio has no shot of making the Hall of Fame this time around. Which is wrong. Should there be a debate about his worthiness? Sure. Should he be kept out solely because of the era he played in? Absolutely not.

Meanwhile, in his 13th year on the Hall of Fame ballot, Jack Morris is the likeliest candidate to receive induction. This is because old people forget things. Old people forget that Morris’ career ERA hovers just below 4.00. They forget that he never won a Cy Young. They forget that he was not a strikeout pitcher (5.8/9 innings). They forget that he walked a fair amount of batters (3.3/9 innings). They certainly overlook the advanced metrics that tell you that Jack Morris was slightly worse during his career than Javier Vazquez. 

By the way, 13 years on the ballot is more than enough to determine whether a player belongs in the Hall of Fame. Frankly, one time on the ballot is enough. Jack Morris hasn’t thrown a pitch in nearly 20 years. His career didn’t get better overnight.
But Jack Morris was a “throwback pitcher.” He was “gritty.” He was “a gamer.” He “pitched to the score.” All of those phrases mask the fact that the numbers show he just wasn’t an exceptional pitcher. Pfft. Numbers. What do they tell you?

Look, baseball has been marked throughout its history by cheating. Amphetamines, game fixing, keeping all of the black players out, and PEDs. We didn’t keep all of the white players who wanted a segregated game out of the Hall of Fame (in fact, we keep inducting players who have absolutely no right to be in the Hall). We didn’t stage a witch hunt to see which players from the 1980s were wolfing down greenies like double quarter pounders with cheese. And we shouldn’t do it now. Induct those who performed like Hall of Famers, regardless of whether you think it was enhanced. It’s the Baseball Hall of Fame. Not Heaven.


For the sake of it, I would vote for the following players:

Hall of Fame:
Barry Bonds
Roger Clemens
Sammy Sosa
Edgar Martinez
Mike Piazza

For the others (including Biggio and Tim Raines, who just miss my cut), perhaps we should come up with a Hall of Very Good.

***UPDATE***

I somehow failed to include Jeff Bagwell on my fake Hall of Fame ballot. He belongs on there. There should be no question.

Tonight, the least favorite college football season of my life will come to an end.

I began the season unexcited and will end it that way.

I’ve tried to decipher why I was so ambivalent toward this season. There’s probably not one single reason. Of note, and I’m seeing this in college basketball this season too, the talent level is way down. Google “NFL Mock Draft 2013” and you’ll be introduced to a bunch of names you’ve never heard of. There isn’t a single draft-eligible skill player that I’d consider using a top 10 pick on in this upcoming NFL Draft (you know, if I was actually a front office executive and not some guy with a blog that 4 people read). I’m not even sure if there’s a skill player I’d want to take in the first round. There’s certainly no quarterback I’d want.

Another contributing factor? The crime. The general rule breaking. Look, I don’t want to sound like an 80 year old man recalling the days of college football players with nice haircuts. I have about zero desire to play that ridiculous card, as though the game used to be “pure (a word I hate in sports).” But I’ve grown tired of players getting arrested or suspended or kicked off their teams and transferring to the Alabama States of the world. The NCAA is to blame for some of the suspensions for offenses like “taking improper benefits.” College players should be paid. Period. The NCAA benefits financially entirely on the backs, arms, and ACLs of players who are restricted from using their exceptional talent to earn a living.

South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore shred his knee in a game this season after tearing an ACL the year prior. Lattimore, without those injuries, would have been a top 5 draft pick. Now, he’ll be lucky to crack the second day of the draft. He lost out on millions while the NCAA was capitalizing on his talent. This makes no sense. And it’s another issue I have with college football.

More blame though belongs to the coaches and the players themselves. The coaches, in many cases, let transgressions slide because winning is the end-all. Players will inexplicably serve their one game suspensions when Western Carolina is rolling into town, rather than when the bus is packing up and heading to South Carolina.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t blame youth and stupidity too. I don’t remember players getting arrested as often when I was a kid as they do now, but when I was a kid, it’s important to note, people paid $25/month to use the internet and you were fancy if you had a 56K modem. The point (if there is any) is that maybe we just know more than we do now. Regardless, knowledge isn’t always power.

I don’t mean to get into a rant here. I will say, I anticipate the start of next season already more than I did the start of 2012. Johnny Football will return with a shot at a Heisman repeat (he better hope that left tackle Luke Joeckel decides against being a top 3 pick in the NFL Draft), so long as he limits his experiences in Texas’ finer evening establishments. And the race for BCS supremacy will be wide open with Alabama, LSU, Texas A&M, Georgia, Clemson, Louisville, Florida, Ohio State, Oregon, and Stanford with legitimate shots at playing in Pasadena in January 2014 for the BCS title.

All of this (actually, none of it) brings us to tonight’s BCS National Championship game and perhaps the number one reason why this season never stirred much emotion in me. It always seemed like a foregone conclusion that Alabama would win the National Championship. And I fully expect that to happen tonight.

Now, I don’t think Alabama is the best team in the country. I think that’s the team that beat Alabama in Tuscaloosa in November (Texas A&M). And I don’t think Alabama is the second best team in the country (that’s Stanford). But, alas, this is the matchup that our computer/human hybrid system has given us.

Notre Dame being here is less about how well they played and more about how lucky they’ve been. The Fighting Irish defense was the best in the country (allowing 10.3 points per game). The Fighting Irish offense was, well, just okay (75th in scoring offense). In finishing the season undefeated, the Irish had to beat Stanford in overtime (which they still haven’t done because Stanford RB Stepfan Taylor scored a TD that was incorrectly called), Pittsburgh (6-7 overall) in 3 OT, and then single digit wins against Purdue, Michigan, USC, and BYU. Notre Dame played one truly exceptional game (at Oklahoma).

Alabama comes in with the second best scoring defense in the country (10.7 ppg) but a markedly better offense (13th overall/38.5 ppg). Two single digit wins. Everything else was pretty much a blowout. But there is that loss to Texas A&M….

In short, because I don’t think this game deserves this much ink, I think Alabama’s offense makes Notre Dame look like LSU from last year’s BCS Championship. I expect Notre Dame’s Everett Golson to have a miserable night facing Alabama’s swarming front 7 and physical secondary. Maybe Notre Dame gets one into the endzone early. That’s going to be about it.

Notre Dame’s only hope is that their defense can do what LSU’s (better) defense couldn’t last year: stop Alabama. The Crimson Tide have had 5 weeks to prepare for this game. That’s 5 weeks to heal and 5 weeks for the game’s best coaching staff to prepare for every possible scheme Notre Dame will throw at them. AJ McCarron won’t make the mistakes that I expect the relatively inexperienced Golson to make.

And just because he’s one of my favorite players to watch in college football, look out for Alabama freshman TJ Yeldon. Yeldon might be Alabama’s backup now, but don’t kid yourself, he’s going to make a run at a Heisman next year. If the SEC Championship wasn’t his coming out party (25 carries, 153 yards, 1 TD), this will be. Even against Notre Dame’s vaunted defense.

Alabama wins by 17. It won’t be that close.