Warning! Trap Ahead!

It is that time of year again! The time when one's favorite college football team should be overly careful avoiding a well laid trap.

What kind of trap you ask? The kind that jumps right out and kills you while you are looking ahead to next week's "bigger and better" opponent. You know like how the Emperor lured Luke's friends into a carefully thought out trap in Return of the Jedi.

Ever wonder how that sequence would have turned out if it was in other movies...?



As we saw last week when 19, 20, and 21 year olds are told they are the greatest thing since sliced bread they tend to believe it. Once they believe it the trap is half set, all that is missing is a road game verse an "inferior" opponent and a game the kids can't wait to play around the corner.

With these thoughts in mind here are some possible trap games to look for this weekend.

Penn State @ Purdue - First off we need to know if Joe Pa has even seen the Star Wars series. We believe that 1977 (the year Episode III came out) was the same year Paterno purchased the glasses he wears today. Anyway lets get to the game! After beating up on their first quality opponent of the year, Illinois, on national television, the spot light is back on in State College. This weekend they travel to a Big Ten team with a great quarterback and wounded pride from a loss to Notre Dame. With a match up at Wisconsin looming for the Lions they should be careful they don't overlook the Boilermakers early Saturday.

Texas @ Colorado - This is the first trip outside of the state of Texas for the Longhorns this year. Colt McCoy and the UT offense have been unstoppable so far this season. However with the Red River Shootout next weekend in Dallas, don't be surprised if the Buffs give Texas fits. Let us not forget what happened last year when Oklahoma visited Boulder the weekend before Red River.



Missouri @ Nebraska - Missouri is probably not looking ahead to Okie State next weekend, but don't be too surprised if they aren't thinking about playing in Austin on the 18th. Chase Daniel will find it hard to focus the next two weeks as he finally gets the chance to go home to Texas and show everyone what they have missed. Not only is this Missouri's first conference game, it is also their first true road game. The Tigers have lost 15 straight in Lincoln and need to make sure that streak stops this weekend, or else it is bye, bye title hopes!

The Big Ten and Beer

Cheese. Cows. Rust. Corn. Cars. Presidential Campaigns. Tires. Smash Mouth Football.

What do all these things have in common? They are the things that come to mind when we think of the Midwest. Oh and one more thing...cold winters and lots of beer.

The no-nonsense, smash mouth mentality of the blue color Midwest (or west if you ask the "Champions of the West") is reflected in its football and the way one wets his whistle. Without further a due here is a helping hand on recognizing the correlation between Big Ten teams and beverage they love so much, beer.

Ohio State - Bud Light. Mass produced, standard bearer which all compare themselves too. Not for the mature pallet. Those outside of region think that the product is watered down.

Michigan - Miller Lite. Claims to be better tasting with less calories and more sophistication (its "L-I-T-E" beer) than its rival, yet still gets beaten up by the standard bearer.

Wisconsin - Heileman's Old Style. An unassuming brew that just wants to run the ball, have a quick game and get back to State Street to party some more.

Michigan State - Coors Light. Dreams of being Michigan and Ohio State. No matter how much money they throw at it, or how many leagues they are the official sponsor of, they still can't get there.

Penn State - Rolling Rock. Hugely popular on the east coast. No one really knows why, nor does anyone outside the Poconos understand the significance of "33" or a "nittany." Pale in color and prefers plain uni's and large fraternity parties.

Iowa - Natural Light. Thinks its as good as the "big boys." This thinking is evident in the way it pays its head coach. Good cheap beer, and with the right keg cap can be pawned off as Bud Light.

Northwestern - Elsinore Beer. One program might want to give their "cat" a beer or two. May produce some victories... Funny movie, funny program. Neither care about football.



Illinois - Miller High Life. The Champaign of Beers. Alright that was a horrible pun, but this is the program that brought the Champagne of QB's into the NFL. Where is Jeff George now? I hear the Raiders still have a need.

Indiana - Guinness. A popular dry stout that gets you through the cold, dark, dirty, basketball season. Oh this is a football article? Who cares! Definitely no one in Bloomington.

Minnesota - An Empty Beer Mug Full of Tears. Why did Lou Holtz leave us! Boho..wah! MOMMY! MAKE HIM COME BACK!!

Purdue - Cask Ale. Much like a Boilermaker any one born after 1900 has NO idea what the heck you are talking about! A brew that requires a trained craftsman as well as much thought and engineering. Making a small comeback to the national scene.

"Ziggie, Zaggie, Ziggie, Zaggie, Oy, Oy, Oy!!!"

Patience SEC fans, yours is coming soon...

Signing Day is HERE!!

Well today’s the day! The day that bloggers and message boarders from across the country, call in sick (who am I kidding – they don’t have jobs), lock themselves in their basements, in front of their computers, and pine and drool over 17 and 18 year old boys! Is Michael Jackson giving away free memberships to his fan club today? No, it is in fact “National Letter of Intent Day.” A day high schoolers hold 65 year old alumni hostage. Today at least one Division I coach’s administrative assistant will lose their job because they failed to replace the toner in the fax machine. This day marks the culmination of one of the most important jobs a coaching staff has and one that may ultimately decide their fate.

It is true that in order to compete on a national level you must have the best talent, but for every former number one overall (Vince Young, QB/Texas; Adrian Peterson, RB/OU; Percy Harvin, WR/Florida), your team must also find and develop the three star talent (Mike Hart, RB/Michigan; Matt Ryan, QB/Boston College; Jacob Hester, RB/LSU) and the two star (James Laurinaitis, LB/Ohio State). Today marks just ONE piece of the puzzle to build a great program. The others are heart, determination, teamwork, and great coaching! So if a recruiting service has blessed you with a top 25 ranking enjoy it while it lasts and pray that, four years from now, your team looks more like this year's USC, LSU, Ohio State, Georgia and less like Florida State, Miami, Purdue, Washington. Here is Rivals’ ranking of the class of 2004, last year’s red shirt juniors and true seniors.

1. USC
2. LSU
3. Florida State
4. Miami
5. Michigan
6. Georgia
7. Florida
8. OU
9. Ohio State
10. Texas
11. Tennessee
12. Oregon
13. Texas A&M
14. Penn State
15. Alabama
16. Michigan State
17. Maryland
18. Kansas State
19. Washington
20. Purdue
21. Auburn
22. Arkansas
23. California
24. Boston College
25. Washington State