Jimbo Says

NOL and MAL standings update heading into Sectionals

2012-02-17T12:39:00.000-08:00

Long time no see readers! It feels good to be back. I finally have an internet connection in my home, so it's time to update the boys NOL and MAL standings and give you all a bit of a heads up on what the Tiffin Columbian and Tiffin Calvert squads need to do, and who they may face moving forward in the state tournament.

MAL standings (Courtesy of www.tiffinohiosports.com)
Click on the link above to see standings.

After a tough 60-50 loss against New Riegel a week ago, Calvert forfeited a chance to control their own destiny in the Midland Athletic League. Most fans and supporters realize at this point, it's time to focus on the state playoff run, because as the season winds down, the Senecas have a very slim chance of winning the MAL championship. Calvert is deadlocked in second place with Old Fort at 7-2 in the league, as New Riegel has a strong hold on first place at 8-1. Calvert plays tonight vs Lakota, and you can hear that game live on AM 1600, Cool FM 93.3, or at wttf.com. After that they face Liberty-Benton to close up their season.

Sectional Drawing: Calvert will face Bettsville 4-14, (1-8 MAL), the game is 2/29 at 6:15 PM. The game is at Fostoria High School. If Calvert wins they will face the winner of Old Fort/Fostoria St. Wendelin.

Tiffin Columbian has fallen off over the last few games, and sits currently at 8-9 (3-5 NOL). TC kissed it's NOL title chances goodbye a long time ago, but don't get me wrong, this TC team has some talent. Players like Bryce Lonsway and Deker Kneeskern are having the best seasons of their respective playing careers, and this large senior group won't go out without a fight. You can listen to them live on Saturday night vs Fremont Ross on AM 1600, Cool FM 93.3, or online at www.wttf.com. Columbian finished out their season hosting Sandusky tonight, hosting Fremont Ross on Saturday night, and then heading to Norwalk. Norwalk at 17-0 (9-0 NOL) has a firm grip on the NOL title race moving forward.

Sectional Drawing: Tiffin Columbian starts its playoff run against Willard (9-8, 4-4 NOL), who they lost 74-70 to last week, and also beat them by 10+ earlier in the season. With a victory over Willard, TC would face the winner of Clear Fork and Shelby.

WE DESERVE BETTER

2012-01-25T09:33:00.000-08:00

Anybody who love's and supports the Cleveland Indians, WE DESERVE BETTER!

For a LONG time, I have been a supporter of Larry Dolan, thinking he would turn things around, get some big name players, and spend money! That must just be because I am a wishful thinker, because everybody else gave up on the man a while ago..

During this offseason, we have made no significant moves. Yes we have added depth to the roster, but nothing fans are worrying about. Until Dolan puts more money into a big name guy, people will not come to games. Heck, are we even going to be able to hold on to our own guys now? I'm going to hate to see Drubal, Choo, Santana, Brantley, Ubaldo, and eventually Kip and Chisenhall walk. This is the kind of organization we are: Breed talent, develop the talent, and stock other teams with our talent.

Don't try to plead the case of the economy being bad. With the signing of Prince Fielder by Detroit, this proves that that is not an issue, as their economy is worse than our own. I cannot just sit back, and be content with allowing division rivals to sign big name free agents. I don't understand how our front office can be either. What is it going to take for the Indians and Progressive field to rock like it did in the glory days?

[Insert Dan Gilbert]

I believe Dan Gilbert is exactly the kind of personality this team needs. It needs the ownership and leadership that has the balls to go out and spend money, make bold moves, and be a good owner. Gilbert is not afraid to spend money, and in a sport that money is far greater than any kind of team loyalty, he seems like a good fit to me.

Gilbert would not put up with this Roberto Hernandez Heredia bull either. I cannot even begin to wrap my head around why in the would it is even CONSIDERED that we will keep this bum on our team. It makes me sick that they think he is a part of our future, or a big part of this team. This man, whoever he is, lied to this organization for eleven years, and they act like everything is cool. NO, it's not! His money could be put in a much better place.

With the 7 million from his contract we can sign Roy Oswalt, a much better upgrade to Roberto. If they can also be content with Roberto sucking up the mound for the past four seasons, then I don't know what we are in for. The front office can make bold moves to trade our future for Ubaldo, but can't man up and get rid of Roberto?

What is it going to take for this team to get back to the glory days. The days when the Jake was rocking and the team was on the top?

For this organization to take steps in the right direction, Larry Dolan needs to give this team up! If not, then I can't even think of how much smaller the fan base will get..

Recent Inactivity

2012-01-22T16:59:00.000-08:00

Hello faithful readers, how are you all? I hope everyone is having a great 2012! I wanted to make a quick post to make a few announcement of some changes and to announce that although I'll be very busy over the next 4 weeks with New Member Education in my fraternity, I will continue writing some sports pieces. The major announcement though is that we at WTTF and the Monday Night Sports Talk show would like to welcome Kyle Saxton as our new analyst on the show. Saxton is the Offensive Line coach for Tiffin Calvert and was a three year starter for Tiffin Columbian on the line. Listen in on Cool FM 93.3, AM 1600, or online at www.wttf.com. The show airs each Monday at 4:45 PM and lasts until 6:00 PM. We do the show live from Fort Ball Pizza Palace in Tiffin, Ohio, some come on down and have the buffet with us! Tomorrow night's show will feature Tiffin Columbian Boy's Basketball coach Bill Beaston, and we'll discuss some TC basketball with him around 5:20. Make sure and tune in to list to Drew Felton, myself, and Kyle, talk about all of the goings on of the sports world including the untimely death of Joe Paterno, Tom Brady's place in history among other NFL QB's. and many other topics.

Tiffin Columbian @ Willard Boys' Basketball Preview

2011-12-30T13:04:00.000-08:00

Tiffin Columbian Tornadoes travel to Willard to take on the flashes in an early season NOL battle

Listen live: Russ Snyder and Jimmy Flint will have the call on 1600 AM, 93.3 FM, or online at www.wttf.com. Pre-game will start around 7:10 pm.

* All statistics for the Flashes are based off of the 5 games we have record of.

Projected Starters:

TC Tornadoes: 4-1, (1-1 in the NOL)

PG: #1 Jonah Boyer

SG: #2 Bryce Lonsway

SF: #23 Nick Loura

PF: #12 Deker Kneeskern

C: #50 Kyle Heminger

Willard Flashes: 3-4, (1-1 in the NOL)

PG: #11 Kolin Phillips

SG: #4 Kyle Fluharty

SF: #42 Marcus Hahler

PF: #22 Hayden Adams

C: #40 Scott Buurna

TC player to watch: Jonah Boyer- Boyer has had a solid season thus far, but in a match-up where the Tornadoes are the smaller team, his quickness, speed, and most importantly decision making will have to be at its best in order for the Tornadoes to seize victory in this contest. Boyer must set the tempo early and often and the senior must especially send a message on the defensive end.

Willard player to watch: Kolin Phillips- Philips leads the Flashes in scoring this season with over 13 points per contest, and he will need to take care of the basketball in order to lead his flashes to victory tonight. Phillips has turned the ball over 23 times in 5 games this season. The 6'3 senior must use his height advantage to best the smaller Tornado guards.

Key match-up: Willard's bigs vs TC's bigs: Other than the match-up of our two key players, which will certainly be a fun one to watch, this seems to be the most important match-up. Willard has 3 bigs of 6'4 or taller, while TC has two-6'4 post players of their own. Kyle Heminger, Deker Kneeskern and Isaiah Moore will need to all play well on the defensive end and will also have to limit Willard's second-chance opportunities. The most important player for TC is probably Heminger on the defensive end.

Game outlook:

Willard comes into this game with a 3-4 overall record, 1-1 inside the Northern Ohio League. This records certainly doesn't reflect how talented of a team they can possibly be. Tiffin Columbian is at 4-1, and head coach Bill Beaston doesn't think that his team has hit its stride yet either. So this clash of two strong NOL teams should certainly prove to be an exciting one. Willard is a team who has great post play, but lacks a true PG. Kolin Phillips will get most of the time for the Flashes at the '1', but plays more like a shooting guard. His height, at 6'3 is very helpful though and just adds another tall and lengthy body on defense.

Willard's length on defense could cause a lot of problems for the Tornadoes, who will need big play out of sophomore post player, Isaiah Moore, as well as senior center Kyle Heminger. TC will need to limit Willard's offensive rebounds and second-chance point opportunities. The biggest key though in this game for TC will be to force turnovers and get out in transition on offense. Boyer, Lonsway, and Ben Davis off the bench will need to be ready to run and get buckets off of steals and forced turnovers.

The Willard defense will block shots, especially #22 Hayden Adams, but luckily for the Tornadoes, Willard has a serious weakness in giving up the 3-ball. TC leading scorer Nick Loura will have to have another day's work at the office and put up some solid scoring, including good shooting from beyond the arc. Deker Kneeskern, with there 3-pointers against Fostoria will also need to chip in from beyond the arc against a team weak at defending the three. Connor Conley will also likely get a couple of looks from long-range. The Tornadoes can definitely win this game, but not if they take the Flashes lightly.

Jimbo's keys to the game:

1.) - Overcome the height advantage- Willard has the height and length advantage, but TC can overcome that with speed and quickness from players like Boyer and Lonsway. They can also outwork the Flashes on the board, because Willard will often rely too much on height for rebounding.

2.) - Beware of record- Willard is much better than it’s 3-4 record, the Tornadoes must play their best to get a victory.

3.) - Force Turnovers- The flashes lack a true PG, and if the Tornadoes can pressure an offense that already averages 17.2 TO’s/gm into a lot of mistakes, than they’ll have a big advantage in this one.

Jimbo's fearless prediction: TC 56, Willard 52

Happy New Years to everyone from the Jimbo Says! Blog. Be sure to tune into the game tonight and check back to the Jimbo Says! Blog for more sports news and analysis!

Cleveland Cavaliers: 2011-2012 playoff 8 seed?

2011-12-29T05:08:00.000-08:00

Will Kyrie Irving (left) and Tristan Thompson (right)
be able to lead a young team to a playoff berth
in their first season?

Jimbo Says! goes optimist:

Last night I received a text from my good friend Kyle Saxton, it read, "I mean it's the pistons.. But do u think this team could make the playoffs?" The Cleveland Cavaliers, fresh off of a victory @ the Detroit Pistons, sit 1-1 currently in this young NBA season. I want to be the first person to say it's truly possible for this year's edition of the Cavs, to find themselves in a race for the 8th playoff spot. Don't get me wrong, I don't expect them to win a bunch of games, but if this team can go .500 in a weak Eastern Conference, i could see them backing into a playoff spot. Before you go calling me a homer and a moron, I'd like you to realize that I have in fact thought all of this through quite thoroughly. It may not seem likely, but in sports, as the not-so-great Kevin Garnett once said, "Anything is possibleeeee." (please check this out if you haven't yet, you'll probably laugh.) Bare in mind before you read, Kyle and I both discussed that we shouldn't get too excited yet, over a victory over a weak Detroit team, BUT, it doesn't hurt to be hopeful sometimes! Kyle did go typical-Cleveland expectations on me, and also say, "The only thing is how long will he stay :(?" ... I hope it doesn't come to that, but it's time for Cleveland fans to enjoy the good players while we have them and be optimistic.... in fact I think.....

...It's time to put your optimist hats on Cleveland fans! The following reasons are why:

1. Kyrie Irving is the future at PG: The Cavaliers have found their future PG, and in today's NBA, PG is probably the most important thing to have. Think about it this way, the Cavs won 0 titles with #6 on their team, and none of those teams had a true PG. The Miami Heat last year was easily the most talented team in the NBA, but without a true PG, you found them watching the Mavs hoist the NBA champions trophy. The NBA is a PG's game, and with the improved play of Ramon Sessions, coupled with the fact that Irving will get better and better each day, will lead the Cavs to some efficient PG play, and a lot of good victories.

Can Byron Scott help develop Kyrie
into a star PG in the NBA?

2. Byron Scott is a top 5 coach in the NBA, and he BREEDS great PGs: Scott is a winner, being a pivotal member as player on the showtime Lakers, where he won 3 championships. I'll help you with the math, that's three more than Lebron James. Scott was a heady player, and a very smart SG for the Lakers as well as three other teams. In 2000, Byron Scott debuted as a head coach for the New Jersey Nets, and his team performed quite poorly in the first season, but low and behold, the second season the Nets set a franchise record with 52 wins. Scott worked alongside star PG Jason Kidd in order to make this happen. The Nets, who weren't an extremely talented team went on to lose in their first ever NBA finals appearance to the LA Lakers, were a team that accomplished a lot. Scott in his third year as a coach and with the Nets, went on to lose again the next season in the NBA finals. Scott's next tenure was with superstar PG Chris Paul in New Orleans. The team was a perennial playoff contender in each year of his tenure there. So if we follow the pattern, Scott wins with talented PGs, and helps develop them. He also gets his system working and has his team performing in year 2.

"RAWRR!!11ONEONE!"

3. This 66-game season helps the Cavaliers: In the Cavaliers first victory against the Pistons, 6 Cavaliers scored in double figures. Although this Cavs team as it stands currently, lacks a true star player, it's full of good role players. The abbreviated schedule will BENEFIT the Cavs, and will give them an advantage over tired teams who don't have as big of a rotation. Byron Scott can go as high as an 11 or 12 man rotation.

4. Anderson Varejao will stay healthy and shore up a position that is weak across the league: AV will be the link that holds this team together all the way through it's playoff run. Varejao is a top 10 center in the league, and his defense and hustle plays will help them edge out close games throughout the season. When AV went down last season, it sparked the Cavs to go on a record 26-game losing streak. The Brazilian has an improved face up game, and expect big things out of the big man this season.

5. The Cavs have Karma on their side: After what Lebron James did to this franchise, the energy around the team should be at it's best this season. Pushing a team that, if they can stay healthy, will fight for the 8th seed in the East. This is horrible . To add a serious reason to this, look at the Eastern Conference:

Locks to make the playoffs: (Last-season record)
Chicago (62-20) Trending up
Miami (58-24) Trending up
Boston (56-26) Trending down
New York (42-40) Trending way up

2nd-tier teams who will likely make the playoffs:
Indiana (37-45) Trending up (pending on the play of new additions Collison and West)
Atlanta (44-38) Same
Orlando (52-30) Trending down (What happens to this squad if they trade Orlando? They drop a tier)

Fighting for the 8th-seed:
New Jersey (24-58) Trending way up
Charlotte (34-48) same
Philadelphia (41-41) same
Cleveland (19-63) Trending up

Teams who will NOT make the playoffs:
Washington (23-59)
Detroit (30-52)
Milwaukee (35-47) Probably best team in this tier
Toronto (22-60) much improved

So although it may seem unlikely at first, the Eastern Conference may be just weak enough for the Cavs to back door their way into a playoff spot. The Pacers made the playoffs at 37-45 last season, so in an Eastern Conference that is not that much improved, I'd expect around .500 ball to make the playoffs. (Philadelphia was 41-41 and was the 7 seed)

Before I end this blog post, I do want to post a couple reasons why the Cavs may NOT want to make the playoffs. Although I can't root for them to lose, I could understand why it may be better for the franchise if it does happen.

1. Next year's draft is a strong one, and this team is a couple of pieces away from being in the 1st-tier group of the Eastern Conference: The Cavs are missing a great scoring and defensive wing and a true enforcer in the paint who can score. If you add these two pieces, and couple that with the young players improving and getting better, the Cavs would be a perennial playoff contender. The way for the Cavs to get these pieces is through the draft. Varejao at 29, isn't getting younger, so his replacement needs to be found soon. As fans already know, Cleveland isn't exactly a hot spot for young Free Agents, and it's hard to convince players to come and play here. So it's not helping the Cavs rebuilding efforts if they make the playoffs this season.

2. Losing in the first round, isn't worth it: This one is self-explanatory, it would be amazing to have a chance to knock of the Miami Heat in the first round, and I literally dream about it happening each and every night. This just isn't how things happen in the NBA, and unfortunately, it seems like this Heat team is on a mission this season. We can all only hope that the anti-clutch ways of their stars continue. I wouldn't put my money against them though.

2a. Antawn Jamison needs to retire: The guy is a blackhole shot chucker on offense, and defensively a liability. Hopefully he can improve or just end up out of the line-up. If the Cavs do find themselves out of contention and on a losing streak, look for them to waive Jamison, he is in the last year of his contract so the Cavs will be rid of him after this season.

3. Rookies don't typically come into the league and make the playoffs in their first year: One prime example is the fact that when Lebron James was a rookie with the Cavs, they narrowly missed the playoffs, but this might just be the perfect storm for Kyrie, Tristan, and the 2011-2012 Cavaliers.

Thanks for reading folks! I hope you enjoy the blog, and make sure and continue to stop back for more analysis and information. We should have a preview for the Tiffin Columbian boys' basketball team @ Willard on Friday night at 7:30 PM, and remember that you can tune in to wttf.com or AM 1600 or 93.3 FM. The Cavaliers continue their journey to an 8-seed on Friday night against the Indiana Pacers, so tune in.

Cleveland Cavaliers 105, Detroit Pistons 89

2011-12-29T04:31:00.000-08:00

Cleveland Cavaliers get first victory of Kyrie Irving era

Kyrie Irving's first game as a professional basketball player was less than impressive. The rookie out of Duke finished just 2-10 from the floor. After the game Head Coach Byron Scott said he was still impressed with the rookie, citing his 7 assists and only 1 turnover statistics. Scott expected Irving to play better on Wednesday against the Pistons, and that he'd shoot the ball better. Coach Scott couldn't have been more correct. Irving, starting in his second game as a pro, came out and shot 5-9 from the field and scored 14 points. He also added 7 assists in only 20 minutes of play. Second year un-drafted PF out of Louisville, Samardo Samuels stole the show though, going 6-8 from the field and leading the team with 17 points. Samuels was followed by Ramon Sessions and his improved jumpshot from beyond the arc, who scored 16. Sessions who hit only three 3-pt field goals all of last season, has already hit 4 3's in just two games thus far.
The Cavaliers came out and set the pace and tempo of this game, against a Pistons team who looked like they couldn't keep up. The older Pistons were not able to keep up with this fast pace tempo of the Cavs, set by young PG's Kyrie Irving and Ramon Sessions. Young PF and 4th overall selection in this past year's draft, Tristan Thompson continued to impress Cleveland fans with his extremely quick hops and touch around the basket. The young forward out of Texas might not be able to shoot free throws at an efficient clip, but he has a knack for scoring around the basket, and this is something the Cavaliers haven't seen in the past decade.
The Cavs head to Indiana on Friday to face the Pacers (2-0), who are coming off a convincing victory over the Toronto Raptors. A team who couldn't miss from the field on Monday, and who gave the Cavaliers a home loss in their first game. The Pacers, central division foes and a playoff team last season, currently lead the standings in the central. They are led by start SF Danny Granger, and young C Roy Hibbert, who is averaging 12 rebounds per game. If the Cavs want to win this game, they'll need to improve on the defensive side of the ball. One exciting stat for the Cavs though is the fact that they been taking care of the ball in the first two games of the season. Expect another big game from Kyrie Irving, as the Cavaliers move above .500.

Jimbo's fearless prediction: Cavs 101, Pacers 97

Hypothetical College Football Playoff

2011-12-24T16:33:00.000-08:00

Ever get curious about what would happen this season if there was a playoff intact? College football needs a playoff, and I'm here to answer this paramount question. So happy holidays to all of the readers out there, and I hope you all have a good christmas and new year!

Proposed system:
16 teams
The champion from each conference
5 at-large spots based on the bcs rankings
The rest of the non-BCS bowl games would remain the same, and the pool of remaining teams out of the playoff would be drafted into each bowl. This would be with respect to conference tie ins.
The BCS sponsors would work together and sponsor each round of the playoff.

More details would need to be figured out, including a possible shortening of the season, but this is all for discussion, as for now, let's check out how a playoff would shake out this season!

The way we'll figure out how this will work is with a little help from a great sports simulation website, www.whatifsports.com. We will simulate each game, and give a little bit of a recap of how it went down based on the simulation engine. Myself and my brother Josh Flint, will add our own remarks after each game. So without any further ado, Jimbo's 2011-2012 College Football Playoff :

Here is how the seeding would go:
1 LSU
2 Alabama *
3 Oklahoma State
4 Stanford *
5 Oregon
6 Arkansas *
7 Boise State *
8 Kansas State *
9 Wisconsin
10 Clemson
11 TCU
12 Southern Miss
13 West Virginia
14 Arkansas State
15 Northern Illinois
16 Louisiana Tech

The Opening round presented by the Orange Bowl:
(1) LSU vs (16) Louisiana Tech
Whatifsports.com says: LSU wins 20-13 in OT.
Jimbo's take: LSU came into this game as heavy favorites, but escaped with an OT victory. La. Tech's QB Colby Cameron kept them in the game with 25-37 passing and no turnovers. But a Jordan Jefferson TD pass to Reuben Randle was the final score in OT.

(2) Alabama vs (15) Northern Illinois
Whatifsports.com says: Alabama 31-17
Jimbo's take: Alabama comfortably wins as Trent Richardson runs for 182 yards.

(3) Oklahoma State vs (14) Arkansas State
Whatifsports.com says: OSU 41-27
Jimbo's take: The Cowboys win by 2 scores. Blackmon has 11 catches for 176 yards.

(4) Stanford vs (13) West Virginia
Whatifsports.com says: Stanford 27-20
Jimbo's take: Stanford led by RB Stepfan Taylor with 20 carries for over 200 yards. Luck had 2 TD's and the Cardinal were fueled by a 21 point 4th quarter.

(5) Oregon vs (12) Southern Miss
Whatifsports.com says: Oregon 34-20
Jimbo's take:Led by QB Darron Thomas, Oregon wins handily over Southern Miss. Thomas finished with 19-23, 256 yards, 2td's and 0 int's.

(6) Arkansas vs (11) TCU
Whatifsports.com says: TCU 43-30
Jimbo's take: TCU just one year removed from a BCS victory, is the first official upset of the college football playoffs. Led by QB Casey Pachall who threw for nearly 500 yards.

(7) Boise State vs (10) Clemson
Whatifsports.com says: Boise State 41-31
Jimbo's take: BSU led by RB Doug Martin and his 100 yard and 3 td performance, had just enough to pull off a solid first round victory vs Clemson.

(8) Kansas State vs (9) Wisconsin
Whatifsports.com says: Wisconsin 45-23
Jimbo's take: The Badgers, led by backfield tandem Russel Wilson and Montee Ball, showed what they were made of and earned some respect as the only Big Ten team in the playoffs, and they will move to the quarterfinal game next week against (1) LSU.

***Quarterfinal Round presented by the Sugar Bowl:
(1) LSU vs (9) Wisconsin
Whatifsports.com says: Wisconsin 38-20
Jimbo's take: Montee Ball with nearly 200 yards, leads the Badgers into the Semifinal round, in the biggest upset of the 16-team playoff's history!

(2) Alabama vs (7) Boise State
Whatifsports.com says: Alabama 54-46

Jimbo's take: Heisman contender Trent Richardson leads the Crimson Tide to a victory in 3 overtime periods. Richardson scored 3 TD's in a very high scoring game.

(3) Oklahoma State vs (11) TCU
Whatifsports.com says: OSU 48-24

Jimbo's take: Brandon Weeden led the Cowboys in a vengeance run, against all those who put them down as a top 2 team in the country. Weeden had 464 yards and 5 TD's.

(4) Oregon vs (5) Stanford
Whatifsports.com says: 34-31 Oregon
Jimbo's take: In PAC-12 re-match, Luck plays better, but not good enough as James eclipses 200 rush yards in a close victory for the Ducks.

RECAP: So heading into the semi-final round, who is the favorite at this point? Is it Wisconsin, who knocks off the number 1 seed in a blowout? Or Oklahoma State looking extremely impressive vs TCU? Could it be the Crimson Tide, who are the highest remaining seed? Or could it be the darkhorse in Oregon who snuck by Stanford last round? Let's see what happens as we move on to the Semi's.

***Semi-final round presented by the Fiesta bowl
(9) Wisconsin vs (5) Oregon

Whatifsports.com says: Oregon 31-10
Jimbo's take: Big Ten supporters were upset as LaMichael James and the very fast and up-tempo offensive attack was too much to handle for the Badgers. James rushed for 138 yards on 28 carries and led the Ducks into the National Championship game presented by the Rose Bowl. The Ducks will face the winner of the following Alabama/Oklahoma State game.

(2) Alabama vs (3) Oklahoma State
Whatifsports.com says: Alabama 40-35
Jimbo's take: The Crimson Tide find their way into the national championship game, but unlike reality, where they will face the Tigers of LSU, the Tide will face off against the 5 seed, Oregon Ducks. Richardson ran for 181 yards on 28 carries en route to a close victory. The Tide hope to carry the momentum into the national title game.

*** The National Championship presented by the Rose Bowl
(5) Oregon vs (2) Alabama
Whatifsports.com says: Oregon 21-14
Jimbo's take: The Ducks of Oregon are the national champions this season, led by LaMichael James once again, who broke off a 55-yard touchdown run late in the 4th quarter to cement the victory and the title. This game turned out to be lower scoring then some expected, but Alabama's vaunted defense couldn't quite hold down James and the Ducks at the end.

The 2011-2012 National Playoff Champions: Oregon Ducks

Urban Meyer: Making Changes

2011-12-13T06:30:00.000-08:00

This is a little late as Urban Meyer was introduced as Ohio State's new Head Coach two weeks ago, but even in those two weeks Meyer has made a big impact in Columbus.

What this means for the Big Ten:

Urban Meyer joining the Buckeyes brings quite arguably one of the best coaches in the nation to the conference. This will boost conference prestige, as well as make the conference more competitive overall. Urban will look to implement his spread offense he was so successful with at Florida, and has the perfect quarterback in Braxton Miller to run it. This is trouble for teams in the Big Ten with slower defense because Meyer will look to unleash the speed on the conference.

What this means for recruiting:

Meyer, early in his two week tenure as head coach has already made a splash in the recruiting season. Prior to taking the reins from Luke Fickell, the Buckeyes got a verbal commitment from ESPN Top 150 DE Adolphus Washington. Washington marked Ohio State's 16th commit, their 1st Top 150 athlete. Since then, Meyer has been working his magic in Columbus. Just yesterday, Top 150 DE Se'Von Pittman and DT Tommy Schutt decommitted from Michigan State and Penn State. The additions put the Buckeye's to 18 recruits and 3 Top 150 athletes. This is just the beginning, as Meyer has already stolen two big name recruits from conference foes.

Future in recruiting:

With 18 commits in the 2011 class, Meyer only has room for about 3-5 more athletes this year. It has been reported that two Top 150 offensive lineman, Kyle Dodson and Jordan Diamond, are expected to join this loaded class. Also, Top 150 athlete and ESPN #4 player in the nation, DE Noah Spence had a very favorable visit over the weekend.

Spence on Urban Meyer:

"He's a great guy," Spence said. "I feel like he wants to win and I want that, too. I feel I'll get a lot of playing time if I work hard and come out and be focused, so it sounds like a good place."

Others reportedly visiting:

- DT Eddie Goldman (Top 150, #2 in nation)

- WR Dorial Green-Beckham (Top 150, #3 in nation)

- QB Jameis Winston (Top 150, #11 in nation)

- ATH Cyrus Jones (Top 150, ##33 in nation)

The work Meyer has done to this class is already making everybody look forward to next year's class, as that will truly be Meyer's own. It is expected that Meyer will use his ties in Florida and get the speed from there, but I believe athletes from all around will look at what he is putting together and want to be a part of something special in Columbus.

Possible Return to Cleveland for Manny Ramirez?

2011-12-12T04:43:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend, Manny Ramirez was reinstated from the retirement list, and his 100 game ban was reduced to 50. This brings up the question of: Who wants to take a shot at Manny Ramirez?

Is it time for Manny to wear the #24 again for the Tribe? It is well known the Indians will have a hole in the outfield this upcoming season. Why not take a shot at the aging slugger? He would be a relatively low-cost player, who we have the money to take a chance on. Manny is still the kind of player who pitchers MUST respect, because if they get lazy he will take them yard.

The next question would be, Where would he fit? Well actually, Cleveland has reported they will be willing to try Michael Brantley at first base (a position he played in the minors). If Brantley doesn't play first, he very well could be starting center fielder to start next season. If Manny were able to produce offensively, I guess I could be okay with his diminishing defensive ability. I mean, he couldn't look as bad as Adam Dunn out there right?

I believe signing Manny could be a low-risk investment that could have a bigger upside than downside. When he had his melt-down last year that led to his early retirement, he wasn't in the right state of mind. Manny will come back from his 50 game ban next year, a new player, knowing he needs to get things together if he wants to stay in the majors. The days of "Manny being Manny" are over. He knows his time in the majors is running short and he needs to get it together.

I would like to see the "Manny and Manny" show in Cleveland next year, and believe it could happen. The possibility of Manny ending it where it all started will fall on what Cleveland does in the offseason. We will just have to wait to see what pieces will be added to this puzzle in the 2012 season, but until then, all we can do is speculate.

College Bowl Mania on ESPN.COM!

2011-12-12T04:30:00.000-08:00

Sign up for College Bowl Mania today on espn.com and face off against the Jimbo Says! staff for ultimate bragging rights. Also, tune in today to www.heidelberg.edu/whei, or live on 88.9 FM, to hear Jeremy Sexton and myself talk through each of the bowl games and give analysis and predictions.

Sign up for the Jimbo Says league with the following info:
http://games.espn.go.com/college-bowl-mania/en/group?groupID=24071&entryID=371714

Join the "Jimbo! Says Blog" group, make your picks, and then get ready to go down against me!

We'll have a post with all of the top performers throughout the bowl season.

Good Luck!

Complete College Football Bowl Season rundown

2011-12-05T09:25:00.000-08:00

Hello interwebs! Long time no see. It's officially 12 days until the most wonderful time of the year kicks off! College Football bowl season! Last night the BCS games and all other bowl games were announced, so I'm going to give you a complete run down of each game, talk a bit about the teams playing, and also give you an early favorite to each game! Let me know what you think, and make sure and check out and follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/JFleezy. Also, listen in tonight to WTTF 1600 AM, or 93.3 FM, or online at www.wttf.com, to Monday Night Sports Talk and 5:00 PM. Well without any further ado...

Gildan New Mexico Bowl, Dec. 17th, 2 p.m. EST, ESPN
Temple vs. Wyoming:

The Gildan New Mexico Bowl will kick of bowl season this year matching up two 8-4 football teams. Temple, the runner up in the MAC East, behind runner up of the conference Ohio, comes into this game with the third ranked scoring defense at 13.8 Points Allowed/game. Temple is also 7th in Rushing yards. They face a Wyoming squad who finished third in the Mt. West behind only Boise State and TCU. Wyoming's tandem back system of Alexander and Smith will look to put up some serious yardage against a tough Temple Run defense

Jimbo Says early favorite: Temple

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, Dec. 17th, 5:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Ohio vs. Utah State:
The Bobcats came just short of winning the MAC championship game against Northern Illinois, and look to avenge that loss by getting a bowl victory in the second bowl game of the post-season. The Bobcats very balanced offensive attack (25th in passing and 39th in rushing offense), look to put up some big numbers against a Utah State defense that ranked 73rd in scoring defense, giving up an average of 28.3 points a game. Utah State finished 2nd in the WAC.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Ohio

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, Dec. 17th, 9 p.m. EST, ESPN
San Diego State vs. Louisiana-Lafayette:
The Mountain West conferences fourth ranked team San Diego State will face the Sun Belt's third ranked team in the New Orleans bowl. Lafayette led by Junior quarter back Blane Gautier, will look to air it out against a San Diego State defense that yields over 24 points a game.
Jimbo Says early favorite: San Diego State

Beef 'O' Brady's St. Petersburg Bowl, Dec. 20th, 8 p.m. EST, ESPN
Florida International vs. Marshall:
The Petersburg Bowl pairs a the fourth ranked squad from the Sun Belt, Florida International, vs .500 Marshall team who ranked second in the C-USA East. FIU has the 16th ranked scoring defense in the country and will likely be favored in this game against a down Marshall squad. Watch for FIU Sophomore RB Kedrick Rhodes, an 1100+ yard rusher this season, to slice and dice through the Marshall defense for a big game.
Jimbo Says early favorite: FIU

S.D. County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, Dec. 21st, 8 p.m. EST, ESPN
(18) TCU vs. Louisiana Tech
One year removed from star QBAndy Dalton, TCU still put up an impressive season, coming one victory away from busting the BCS once again. With tough losses to Baylor and SMU, and a key win over #5 Boise State, the Horned Frogs will likely be favored in this one. Don't count out the champions from the WAC though, La. Tech can throw the football (45th in passing), and will come out with a unique game plan in what would be a HUGE upset for the program.
Jimbo Says early favorite: TCU

MAACO Las Vegas Bowl, Dec. 22nd, 8 p.m. EST, ESPN
Arizona State vs. (7) Boise State
Boise State fans are likely upset for being overlooked and being knocked out of a chance at a BCS game. Teams like Michigan and Virginia Tech were chosen over the Broncos after BSU had a tough 36-35 loss against TCU. The Broncos will likely be favored int his game as the Sun Devils, without a head coach look to salvage a rough 6-6 campaign in 2011. BSU Kellen Moore, who is getting a lot less Heisman hype than he deserves will likely lead the Broncos to a sizable victory over the Sun Devils.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Boise State

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, Dec. 24th, 8 p.m. EST, ESPN
Nevada vs. (21) Southern Miss
On Christmas Eve fans will be in for a treat as this match-up pairs two teams coming off of very good seasons. The Nevada Wolfpack and their always exciting Pistol offense will be set to knock of #21 ranked Southern Miss. Southern Miss, who played the role of spoiler last week against then-undefeated Houston, will look to do it again against a Nevada team coming off a 56-3 blowout win against Idaho. The Wolfpack, although only 7-5 this season, come in with the 8th best rushing offense in the country. Southern Miss has a balanced offensive attack and will to Senior QB Austin Davis to lead them to victory.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Southern Miss

AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl, Dec. 26th, 5 p.m. EST, ESPN2
Missouri vs. North Carolina:
The Tar Heels will have their work cut out for them in this post-Christmas day bowl match-up. Both teams finished with a 7-5 record, but Missouri battled through an extremely strong Big 12 schedule to get there. Mizzou has the 12th ranked rushing attack in the country, and will look to pile up the yardage on the ground against UNC. The Tar Heels have a chance in this ball game but will need to have an efficient day passing the ball from QB Bryn Renner. The Sophomore will certainly have to have a good day if the Tar Heels want to pull of this upset.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Mizzou

Little Caesars Bowl, Dec. 27th, 4:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Western Michigan vs. Purdue
The Little Caesars Bowl this season pairs up the classic Big Ten vs MAC match-up. Western Michigan comes in at 7-5, and has had a solid season, playing competitively against ranked Illinois and Michigan for one half. If W. Michigan can put together 4 full quarters, they have a shot against a Purdue team who is happy to be in a bowl game at 6-6. W. Michigan brings int he 7th ranked passing offense and the 18th ranked scoring attack in the country. They will face a stingy Purdue defense that has improved since it's 62 points allowed against a strong Wisconsin offense.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Purdue

Belk Bowl, Dec. 27th, 8 p.m. EST, ESPN
Louisville vs. NC State:
Louisville of the Big East was still thinking it had a shot at a BCS automatic qualifying bid, but unfortunately for Cardinal fans the BCS standings did not break the tie for them and put them into a game. This however makes for a fun Belk Bowl match-up as the co-champions of the Big East faces the 4th ranked ACC team int he Atlantic division. Louisville's porous offense is covered up by a scoring defense that is ranked 14th in the country. NC State will rely on Senior QB Mike Glennon and the passing game, as their run game is virtually non-existent. This will be a tough game to pick and should end up in a close one. If Louisville can force some turnovers and stop the NC State passing attack, then they'll be favored in this one. Still, it could go either way.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Louisville

Military Bowl Presented By Northrop Grumman, Dec. 28th, 4:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Toledo vs. Air Force:
The Military Bowl this season features two of the most exciting rushing offenses in the country. This game will also be featuring star WR Eric Page. Toledo ranks 8th in the country in scoring offense and 14th in rushing yardage per game. Its defense has given up over 60 twice though on the year. The Air Force however features the 2nd ranked rushing attack in the nation. Air Force has the slightly better defense, but the team with more rushing yards in this one will likely be the victor. Air Force may be slight favorites, but I think the multi-faceted Toledo offense, led by Page, will give Toledo a slight edge.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Toledo

Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl, Dec. 28th, 8 p.m. EST, ESPN
California vs. (24) Texas
The Education Holiday bowl will feature two state colleges that happen to be located in the places where High School football is most prevalent in the country. Which team will earn bragging rights? The 7-5 Longhorns are coming off of a very difficult season and most recently a blowout loss to the Baylor Bears. Cal on the other hand was also 7-5, suffering 5-losses through a brutal PAC-12 schedule. Both teams are fairly even matched. Cal has a very balanced offensive arsenal, and Texas will need to take care of the football in order to win the ball game. Ball control offense will be the key for the Longhorns.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Texas

Champs Sports Bowl, Dec. 29th, 5:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Florida State vs. Notre Dame
This year in the 'we lost every meaningful game' bowl. Two teams who had BCS expectations before the season, stumble into a chance to salvage their seasons. The Irish led by superstar WR Michael Floyd, will need to limit turnovers against an opportunistic FSU defense. The Seminoles have the 4th ranked scoring defense in the country and will likely shut down the Irish early and often. If the Seminoles QB E.J. Manuel can put up a decent game, they will roll in this one. Then again, don't count out Brian Kelly and the Irish, because if they come out with a creative gameplan, they could make it competitive.
Jimbo Says early favorite: FSU

Valero Alamo Bowl, Dec. 29th, 9 p.m. EST, ESPN
Washington vs. (12) Baylor
In what I think of as one of the most lopsided match-ups of bowl season, Washington will face red hot Baylor in the Alamo Bowl. Baylor finished 9-3, led by Heisman candidate Robert Griffin III. They're coming off of a blowout victory over Texas and feeling snubbed out of a BCS game. Washington is a tough squad but will find themselves over-matched by a much more athletic and stronger football team.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Baylor

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl, Dec. 30th, Noon EST, ESPN
BYU vs. Tulsa
BYU is a tough team to read, coming with 1 point against a ranked Texas squad 17-16, but also being blown out by Utah 54-10 the next week. BYU, an independent team, finished 9-3 on the year. Tulsa finished 8-4 and missed out on the Conference USA championship game behind a 12-1 Houston squad. BYU has the better defense in this one, but Tulsa's offense is a little bit more exciting.
Jimbo Says early favorite: BYU

New Era Pinstripe Bowl, Dec. 30th, 3:20 p.m. EST, ESPN
Rutgers vs. Iowa State
Iowa State, the lone team to beat #3 Oklahoma State this season, also has an upset win over Big Ten foe Iowa. If the Cyclone team that shows up to this game is the same as the others, then they will likely roll Rutgers. Rutgers has no running attack, they spread the ball out on offense, and they win ball games with their defense. Their scoring defense ranks 12th in the nation, and they will need to force turnovers to beat they Cyclones. Iowa State has been very inconsistent, granted, they've played a very tough Big 12 schedule. They Cyclones will try and run the ball, control the clock, and grind it out against a tough Rutgers defense.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Iowa State

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl, Dec. 30th, 6:40 p.m. EST, ESPN
Mississippi State vs. Wake Forest
The Demon Deacons of Wake Forest finished 6-6 this season in the ACC. The Bulldogs also finished 6-6 but with a much tougher SEC schedule. MSU's defense will likely stalwart the Demon Deacons, and you might see an SEC bowl blowout in this one.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Mississippi State

Insight Bowl, Dec. 30th, 10 p.m. EST, ESPN
Iowa vs. (14) Oklahoma
Oklahoma might be one of the most disappointed seasons in the country. The Sooners came into the seasons as many people's favorite to be National Champions. Now they find themselves in the insight bowl coming off of a blowout loss to in-state rival Oklahoma State. The 9-3 Sooners face a dangerous 7-5 Iowa Hawkeyes squad who already has and upset over Michigan this season. The Sooners have a lot more talent, and with a 4th ranked passing offense will probably go to the air, attacking Micah Hyde and the Hawkeye secondary. This one might stay close for a half, but the Sooners will likely win big.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Oklahoma

Meineke Car Care of Texas Bowl, Dec. 31st, Noon EST, ESPN
Texas A&M vs. Northwestern
When Northwestern QB Dan Persa is healthy, the Huskies can play with any team in the country. The Huskies showed this against #10 Nebraska in an upset this season. Texas A&M has a very prolific offense though, and this game will probably come down to the play of Northwestern's offense. A&M is guaranteed to put up some points in this classic Big Ten defense vs a wide open Big 12 offense. My money's on the defense.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Northwestern

Hyundai Sun Bowl, Dec. 31st, 2 p.m. EST, CBS
Georgia Tech vs. Utah
Triple-option minded Georgia Tech faces Utah in this ACC vs non-AQ match-up. The Yellow Jackets have the third best rushing offense in the nation and score more than 18 other teams per game. The Utes however come into this game at 7-5 and hope to pull the upset, behind the play of leading rusher and passer QB Tevin Washington. Washington will likely have to have a special performance in order to overcome the Yellow Jackets in this one.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Georgia Tech

AutoZone Liberty Bowl, Dec. 31st, 3:30 p.m. EST, ABC
Cincinnati vs. Vanderbilt
Cincinnati had hoped to have a shot at a BCS bowl bid, instead they will face bottom of the barrel SEC opponent, Vanderbilt. The Bearcats, co-champions of the Big East bring a top 25 defense up against a .500 Vandy ball club that will look to pound the ball on the ground. Can a Big East team overcome that speed of an SEC defense. I think so.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Cincinnati

Kraft Fight Hunger, Dec. 31st, 3:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Illinois vs. UCLA
The Fighting Illini and exciting QB Nathan Scheelhaase won their first 6, then lost their last 6. WR A.J. Jenkins is a stud and must be accounted for. UCLA was a 6-7 team, both of these teams are coming off of tough ends to the season. Illinois is better on defense and UCLA is slightly better on offense, but with all of the coaching questions on both sides, it's hard to decide which team will come out and play better. These teams are evenly matched and whoever wants this one more will likely head out of the Kraft Fight Hunger bowl with a victory.
Jimbo Says early favorite: UCLA

Chick-fil-A Bowl, Dec. 31st, 7:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
Virginia vs. (25) Auburn
Auburn, one year removed from a national championship, and one year removed from the amazing heroics of star QB Cam Newton, put together a lackluster just above .500 season. This is not an easy feat though in the SEC, so are they a better team then what we expect? Virginia put together an 8-4 record this season in the ACC and will look to pull and upset against a very tough Auburn defense. RB Michael Dyer will carry the load on the ground for the Tigers against a better than advertised Cavalier defense. At the end of the day, Gene Chizik will have his tigers ready and they'll get the victory.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Auburn

TicketCity Bowl, Jan. 2nd, Noon EST, ESPNU
(19) Houston vs. (22) Penn State
The TicketCity bowl offers a very exciting offense vs a very strong defense. Houston QB Case Keenum has broken all kinds of school records, and will hope to lead the Cougars to a bowl victory. Houston had a chance at a BCS bowl and a C-USA Championship, but they were upended by Southern Miss in the C-USA championship game. Penn State came one game shy of playing in the Big Ten championship. Can the C-USA team bust a traditional Big Ten powerhouse? Will the Nittany Lions defense be able to slow down Keenum and the highest scoring offense in the country? At the end of the day, the Nittany Lions are just too good on defense, and their overall talent level gets Tom Bradley and the Nittany Lions a bowl victory.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Penn State

Outback Bowl, Jan. 2nd, 1 p.m. EST, ABC
(17) Michigan State vs. (16) Georgia
In a class Big Ten vs SEC match-up, the 'could have been bowl' pairs the two runner ups from the Big Ten and SEC championship games. Georgia has a very fast defense, but I give the edge to Sparty in overall defensive talent. It'll be up to MSU QB Kirk Cousins to be a game manager and make plays against an aggressive Bulldog defense. Watch MSU coach Mark D'Antonio and his staff, they will likely have a trick or two up their sleeves. This game should be a fun one, I'll give Sparty a slight edge.
Jimbo Says early favorite: MSU

Capital One Bowl, Jan. 2nd, 1 p.m. EST, ESPN
(20) Nebraska vs. (9) South Carolina
Nebraska is given a chance, in its first year with the Big Ten to earn some respect against the SEC in this game of top-20 teams. Nebraska RB Rex Burkhead and QB Taylor Martinez will have to go on a tear in order to beat this tough Gamecock squad. S. Carolina led by the 'old ball coach', Steve Spurrier, will certainly be ready to play. The gamecock defense ranks 13th in the nation, and the speed of that team will definitely hurt Nebraska.
Jimbo Says early favorite: South Carolina

Taxslayer.com Gator Bowl, Jan. 2nd, 1 p.m. EST, ESPN2
Ohio State vs. Florida
In the 'Urban Bowl', the pairing is a re-match of the 2006 National Championship game in which Florida won 41-14. This was the only time these two teams have met. The Buckeyes and Gators both with very disappointing 6-6 seasons, will look to salvage their year and gain some respect for their respective conferences. The Buckeyes will need improved play from QB Braxton Miller, and we saw this in the Michigan game. The Gators need to control the football and stop making mistakes, they have some very fast athletes, and if they can get a few big plays, they'll likely win this game comfortably. Both teams are very inconsistent and it depends on who comes out and plays consistent football. I'm a believer that the Urban Meyer aura will help give the Buckeyes the edge in this match-up.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Ohio State

Rose Bowl Game presented by Vizio, Jan. 2nd, 5 p.m. EST, ESPN
(10) Wisconsin vs. (5) Oregon
For the grand-daddy of them all, LaMichael James and the Oregon Duck offense square off against Wiscy QB Russell Wilson, and exciting RB Montee Ball. Ball is TD machine and the Wisconsin offense is a well-oiled machine. This game will come down to who will have more big plays. I could see special teams being the biggest factor in this one. Wisconsin has the 4th best offense and 6th best scoring defense in the country, so this very potent team will have a good shot at stopping Oregon's 3rd ranked scoring offense and 6th ranked rushing offense. I look forward to this one.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Wisconsin

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Jan. 2nd, 8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
(4) Stanford vs. (3) Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State is coming off of an unbelievable beat down of Oklahoma, and this #3 vs #4 pairing is one of my most anticipated games of the bowl season. Both teams have unbelievable passing offenses. Stanford's Andrew Luck and OSU's Brandon Weeden are both very good QB's. The difference in the game might be the play of big play WR Tyler Blackmon of OSU. Stanford likes to utilize its TE's and will move the ball methodically, while OSU will look for big plays. The Cowboys have the 2nd ranked offense and 2nd ranked passing attack in the nation while Stanford has the 5th ranked scoring offense. Which defense will outplay the other in this one. Look for a shoot out.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Oklahoma State

Allstate Sugar Bowl, Jan. 3rd, 8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
(13) Michigan vs. (11) Virginia Tech
In what I believe features two schools who don't deserve a BCS bid this season, QB Denard Robinson and the Wolverines are coming off of their first win against archrival Ohio State in 8 seasons. Can they carry this momentum to a victory over Va Tech? The difference in this game will be the improved play of Greg Mattison's U of M defense. Va Tech can win if QB Logan Thomas has an outstanding game, and if the very good Va Tech defense can slow down the blazing fast backfield of Robinson and RB Toussaint, the Hokies will come away victorious.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Va Tech

Discover Orange Bowl, Jan. 4th, 8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
(23) West Virginia vs. (15) Clemson
In the least appealing BCS match-up, West Virginia, who received the Big East automatic qualifying bid, will face a Clemson Tiger team that just shocked Virginia Tech for the second time this season, along the way to becoming ACC champions. West Virginia has a top-10 passing offense, and neither team's defense is very special. This game will likely be very high scoring, I'll give the edge to a streaking Clemson team.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Clemson

AT&T Cotton Bowl, Jan. 6th, 8 p.m. EST, FOX
(8) Kansas State vs. (6) Arkansas
In the most appealing non-BCS game, Arkansas faces a surprising Kansas State team. Although Arkansas took a tough loss to LSU to end the season, the Razorbacks are an extremely well-rounded football team. The Wildcats won't be favored and will be doubted, but it's been this way all season for them. This one should be a big win for the Razorbacks, but they don't play these games on paper.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Arkansas

BBVA Compass Bowl, Jan. 7th, 1 p.m. EST, ESPN
SMU vs. Pittsburgh
SMU and Pitt are both are both average football teams. Pitt finished 6-6 and SMU finished 7-5. The Panthers have the better numbers on both sides of the ball, as well as a more difficult schedule. So I'm inclined to believe that the Pitt Panthers will be the BBVA Compass Bowl champs.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Pitt

GoDaddy.com Bowl, Jan. 8th, 9 p.m. EST, ESPN
Arkansas State vs. Northern Illinois
In the Danica Patrick is extremely hot bowl, I mean the GoDaddy.com bowl, Arkansas State, a tough Sun Belt squad, will face MAC Champ, Northern Illinois. Both teams have very potent offenses, Northern Illinois on the ground and Arkansas State through the air. Arkansas State actually plays defense though, and that is why they will be favored in this one.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Arkansas State

Allstate BCS National Championship Game, Jan. 9th, 8:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
(1) LSU vs. (2) Alabama
In a game that I don't particularly agree with, this is a rematch for the National Championship game. Although I truly believe Oklahoma State deserved a chance to face LSU in this game, it'll be an All-SEC National Title. Marking the 6th straight year where the SEC will be National Champions. I think that it's extremely difficult to beat a team twice in one season, and as long as Alabama irons out their kicking issues, I think Alabama is the more complete team, and they win this one by a score.
Jimbo Says early favorite: Alabama

Cleveland Cavaliers Preview

2011-12-04T00:05:00.000-08:00

Cavs Preview

By: Jeremy Sexton
So now the lockout is over. It is almost time for NBA basketball to start again. But more importantly, It is about time to start talking about what moves the Cavs need to make, what positions need filled, and where the team is headed. So without further ado, let’s begin shall we?
As we all know, our beloved Cavaliers, a year off of a major betrayal, is still in the process of rebuilding as a franchise. Last year there was some growing pains as our beloved Cavaliers went through a horrific year, going for an abysmal 19-63 record, practically swapping their win and losses from the year before. The Cavaliers did look strong toward the end of the season so I am very optimistic, as always. Let’s get into the rundown of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Key Additions (So Far…): Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, Omri Casspi.
Key Losses (Again, so far…): J.J. Hickson
Most of us know that the Cleveland Cavaliers did receive the numbers 1 and 4 overall pick in the NBA draft this past season, and they made the most of the thin draft, drafting Duke’s Kyrie Irving, and Texas’s Tristan Thompson respectively. The Cavaliers made an interesting but questionable trade right before the lockout by trading Hickson for Sacramento’s Casspi. Cavalier faithful thought that Hickson was going to be a cornerstone of the Cleveland Cavaliers rebuilding project. He seemed lost this past season, struggling to pick up Coach Byron Scott’s System, and that probably led to his undoing. The acquiring of a future guaranteed first round draft pick could also have played a part. It seems to me like a downgrade, but I don’t like to question the Cavs front office and I trust their decisions. Like I said though, free agency has yet to begin, and there is a possibility that the Cavs may not resign sg/sf Anthony Parker and could let go of pg Baron Davis. But we will have to wait and see.
Key needs: A Small/Shooting Forward. After the loss of LeBron, we found out how thin the Cavs were at this position. And it wasn’t too surprising sadly. With an all-star sf playing most of the game, the Cavs didn’t need too many SFs. This is one of two Positions that need to be looked at.A Center: The Cleveland Cavaliers, like most teams, need a true center. On Cavs.com, Anderson Varejao is the only listed Center, and at 6’11” (7’2” if you count his hair) he is really a Power Forward.

Other Notes: I’m going to go out on a limb now, and say Irving isn’t a savior for a team that was abandoned by their “King”, but he is a building block in the rebuilding of our beloved Cavs. Also, I don’t see the Cavs making a big splash in Free agency, but I would love for the Cavs to pick up Greg Oden…
Well, that’s my thoughts for this edition of Cavs news. I am trying to find a better name for my Cavs articles, if you have any ideas, do not refrain to tell me them.
Until next time… Keep the Party Rocking,
Jeremy Sexton

Upcoming plans for the Jimbo Says! Blog

2011-12-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

Hello fellow users of the interwebs! It's exciting to say that we've had 291 blog views in the first few days of the blog, and we at Jimbo Says! are eager to continue to see that number rise. But as for this post, I'm going to just let all of you readers out there know what to expect in the coming days on the blog, and especially over the weekend!

Upcoming pieces on the blog:
- Jake is working on a piece about Urban Meyer and his influence on OSU's recruiting class for football.
- Jeremy is currently working on a Cleveland Cavaliers preview (YES! the NBA season is coming)
- I'm going to be working on a couple of NBA preview articles, as well as a Tiffin Columbian Boy's basketball preview.

Make sure and stay tuned and continue checking the blog for the latest information and analysis of all of your favorite teams!

Special shout-out to Jonah Boyer and Carter Mullins!

2011-12-01T16:42:00.000-08:00

The Jimbo Says! Blog would like to commend WR/DB Jonah Boyer and OL/DL Carter Mullins of the Tiffin Columbian Tornadoes football team for earning 3rd-team All-Ohio honors this season!

Bobcats Attain League-High 11 All-MAC Honors

2011-12-01T04:58:00.000-08:00

The 2011 Ohio Bobcats football team ended their regular season with a 21-14 victory over arch nemesis Miami (OH), a 9-3 record and landed a spot in the 2011 MAC Championship against the Northern Illinois Huskies. From that outstanding squad, ten players earned a league-high 11 All-MAC Honors.

Junior kicker, Matt Weller: Special Teams Player of the Year and 2nd Team All-MAC place kicker

- Weller led the conference with a school record 22 field goals, breaking his own record of 21 set in 2009. He made a career-high 5 field goals, including the game winner, in Ohio's 29-28 MAC East clinching win over the BGSU Falcons.

Senior offensive lineman, Joe Fading: 1st Team All-MAC offensive lineman

- Fading was Ohio's lone 1st Team honoree, his third All-MAC honor. He has started thirty-seven consecutive games while helping the Bobcats to nine 200-yard rushing games.

Senior wide receiver, Lavon Brazill: 2nd Team All-MAC wide receiver

- Brazill's second All-MAC honor came after a season in which he led the team in receptions (58) and receiving yards (914).

Senior linebacker, Noah Keller: 2nd Team All-MAC linebacker

- Keller lands his third All-MAC honor, while leading the team in tackles (92) and currently ranks in the Top-10 all-time for the Bobcats in career tackles (414).

Junior offensive lineman, Eric Herman: 2nd Team All-MAC offensive lineman

- Herman has started in thirty-six career games and leads the team in pancakes (79) and decleaters (16).

Junior defensive lineman, Tremayne Scott: 2nd Team All-MAC defensive lineman

- Scott played in all twelve games, while leading the team in sacks (3.5) and tackles for loss (8.0). He also ranked third in tackles (55)

Junior corner, Travis Carrie: 2nd Team All-MAC defensive back

- Carrie played in all twelve games and led the team with interceptions (4) and ranked sixth on the team in tackles.

Senior running back, Donte Harden: 3rd Team All-MAC running back

- Harden accounted for 1,599 all-purpose yards, with 4 touchdowns total (2 rushing, 2 receiving)

Senior offensive lineman, A.J. Strum: 3rd Team All-MAC offensive lineman

- Strum started thirty-one straight games and recorded 52 pancakes

Sophomore quarterback, Tyler Tettleton: 3rd Team All-MAC quarterback

- Tettleton started in all twelve games in route to breaking 11 single season school records in his first year behind center. He has accounted for 34 touchdowns (26 passing, 8 rushing) and is also one of just seven quarterbacks to throw for 26-or-more touchdowns and seven interceptions or less.

Ohio has a chance to showcase their talents and finish this outstanding season on a high note when they take on the Huskies Friday, Dec. 2nd at Ford Field for the MAC Championship.

Rapid Reaction: Ohio State Men's B-Ball dominates Duke

2011-11-30T05:05:00.000-08:00

Rapid Reaction:

Last night at 9:30 PM, the 2nd ranked Buckeyes took on the 3rd ranked Blue Devils and put together what Dicky Vitale called the most dominating performance this season thus far in college basketball. Without reviewing the game film, here are 8 rapid observations I made within the Buckeyes and Blue Devils game:

8 Observations:

- Ohio State is, at this point, the best College Basketball team in the country: They will also likely be given that honor in the next edition of polls next week.

- Aaron Craft is one of the quickest players in College Basketball this season: Some may underestimate the Sophomore out of Liberty-Benton High School, but he showed up on the biggest stage last night with 17 points and 8 assists. What was maybe most impressive was his heady play and extreme quickness on the court, the kid plays fast and it's going to be fun to watch him grow even more.

- Duke will continue to grow: In my opinion, Duke can be a top-10 team this season, and will likely mature in time for March Madness. This squad will likely end up making a run in the big dance. The challenge for the Buckeyes, will be continuing to improve, and that starts with developing some younger players off the bench.

- Austin Rivers is learning: The freshmen played well in only his eighth collegiate contest, putting up 22 points on 18 shots. He isn't afraid to shoot the ball, and as he continues to get his feet wet, will improve and likely enter the NBA draft as a lottery pick next season.

- Maybe, just maybe, I can live with the chucking of Deshaun Thomas: Anyone who has watched Thomas play, including last season, has realized that this kid is a chucker. The only shot he doesn't take is likely a shot of vodka before games. Who knows, maybe he even does that. The point is, Thomas filled it up in a hurry last night, as he was 7-9 shooting at half-time. Some games it's going to get ugly for Buckeye fans when he can't find his groove. I do however think I can live with it as long as he can equal it out with games like last night.

- The Buckeyes could go undefeated *knocks on wood*: At 7-0, it's extremely early to start this talk, but the point must be made that if the Buckeyes continue to play this type of unselfish ball, the toughest opponents on their schedule have already passed. Now if I was a betting man, I'd assume the Buckeyes will drop at least 2-3 in conference games in a BRUTAL Big Ten conference this season, but time will well!

- Ohio State DOES have a bench: In years past, Thad Matta's teams have been very thin and without depth. At first glance, when fans realize that the starters scored 79 of the 85 total points against Duke, they may come to the realization that there is no bench on this Buckeyes team. Give them time though, young players like Shannon Scott and Amir Williams have the ability to eventually break the roster. I was especially impressed with the defensive play of Boston College transfer, Evan Ravenel.

- Players like Lenzelle Smith Jr and Aaron Craft breed unselfish play: With a star player like Jared Sullinger and a shot-chucker like Deshaun Thomas, you might expect some selfish play. This was completely contrary to what actually happened and last night I witnessed some of the best ball movement in Buckeye basketball for the last 5 or 6 years.

Couple of notes about the blog: I'd like to welcome Jeremy Sexton and Jacob Mowery to the staff as full-time contributors here at 'Jimbo Says'. Expect a couple of pieces from them coming soon, including an exciting piece from Mowery regarding Urban Meyer and Ohio State's football recruiting class! Also, after this weekend in college football I'll be doing a 16-team College Football Playoff simulation using www.whatifsports.com, all while explaining while I believe that D-1 College Football needs a playoff. Make sure and stay tuned, and follow the twitter at www.twitter.com/Jfleezy12!

Capital University at Heidelberg University Game Preview

2011-11-29T11:23:00.000-08:00

The 'Berg hosts Capital in OAC opener
Capital Crusaders vs Heidelberg Student Princes
Listen live at 7:30 PM at www.heidelberg.edu/whei, or if you're in the listening area 88.9 FM WHEI. Josh Stallings and myself will have the call.
Projected Starters:
Heidelberg: 1-2, (0-0)
PG: #2 Dane Givner
SG: #1 Quinten Aden Jr.
SF: #5 Darion Capers
PF: #40 Nate Davis
C: #25 Victor Fortkamp

Capital: 2-2, (0-0)
PG: #5 Adam Blake
SG: #4 Kelly Winter
SF: #24 Michael Sommer
PF: #40 Spencer Niekamp
C: #34 Jared Cashen

'Berg player to watch: Dane Givner, although only averaging 10 PPG so far this season, Givner is a leader on this team as well as a proven scorer and defensive threat. Givner will be matched up on young freshmen PG Adam Blake, so look for the crafty Junior to have a big game.

Capital player to watch: Michael Sommer, averaging 13.5 PPG early in the season, and shooting a very healthy 42% clip from beyond the arc, Berg's perimeter defense will need to be at it's best to limit Sommer from going off.

Key match-up: Berg's Nate Davis vs Capital's Spencer Niekamp and other bigs. Davis led the OAC in block's last year and the junior is a perennial All-OAC defensive player of the year. Niekamp on the other hand is a great post scorer, leading the Crusader squad with 16.3 PPG, also watch because he is capable of shooting the 3-ball (7-20 this season).

OAC Standings update: Since the in-conference season has yet to kick-off, Heidelberg is 8th in non-conference record at 1-2, and Capital ranks 6th.

Team Statistical breakdown:
'Berg - Capital:

Scoring Offense: 64.5 (8th) - 69.5 (5th)

Scoring Defense: 74.3 (7th) - 69.2 (5th)

Shooting %: 47.1% (2nd) - 41.5% (8th)

Opposing Shooting %: 44.9% (7th) - 44.8% (6th)

3 Pt %: 31.2% (5th) - 37% (3rd)

Opposing 3 pt%: 36.4% (7th) - 35.8 % (5th)

FT %: 58.5% (9th) - 72% (2nd)

Turnovers: 20.0 (10th) - 15.5 (5th)

Game outlook:
Both squads enter this OAC opener coming off of losses. Capital dropped a game to Denison 90-76 and the 'Berg lost on a tip-in basket at the buzzer to Albion (Mich.) College 67-66. The biggest key right now for Heidelberg will be the need for a continuance of scoring from players like Darion Capers, who is averaging 16.3 Pts/game right now early in the season. The inside out combo of scoring from Capers and 6-8 Sophomore Fortkamp (14.7 per game) has been good in the early goings of the season, but for the 'Berg to get back to its winning ways, they need good efforts from Givner as well as Aden Jr, and Sophomore guard Mike Petrie (7.3 PPG). Local product Cole Williams, graduate of Tiffin Columbian high school may also be needed off the bench for his shooting touch, rarely used early in the season, Williams is averaging just 4.5 minutes per game. Regardless of who does the scoring, Coach Anthony Gholson needs his bench to step it up in that regard, the team is averaging just over 14 points/game from the bench bunch.
Capital likes to work the ball through their post player, 6-6 Junior forward Spencer Niekamp. Niekamp leads his team in scoring with 16.3 a game, and has the capability of scoring from anywhere on the court. The Crusaders will also look to sharp outside shooting from Sommer, as well as 6-4 Senior wing Tyler Munro (7.3 ppg). The Crusaders will need to continue to force the ball handlers for the Student Princes to make mistakes, Hiedelberg is dead last in the OAC in turnovers, turning the ball over 20 times per game. If the 'Berg turns it over 20 times or more, they have very little chance of leaving Sieberling with a victory on Wednesday night. Lastly, monitor the free throw shooting in this one, if the game is left at the line, Heidelberg must improve it's shooting at the charity stripe in order to prevail.

Fearless Prediction: 'Berg 74, Capital 71

Tune in to 88.9 FM WHEI for live game coverage and to hear 'Jimbo's keys to the game' during pre-game!

Tiffin Columbian High School Football wrap-up

2011-11-29T08:30:00.000-08:00

    Although the proximity of this piece isn't completely relevant, I think there is still a need for my blog (in its infant stage), to at least acknowledge the season of the Tiffin Columbian Tornadoes. Special shout-out though to the team who beat them in the regional finals 35-21, Avon High school, who put a thumping on Aurora in the State Semi's last week 43-20. Avon has a very impressive squad, led by RB Ross Douglas, who ran for 164 yards and 3 TD's against TC, including 41 and 39-yard TD scampers. Avon keyed in part by star senior WR Matt Eckhardt, had a key run against the Tornadoes out of the wildcat, and many onlookers would agree that this coaching move made the difference in the 4th quarter. Avon led by Coach Mike Elder moves on this week to play in the state championship against a very impressive Trotwood-Madison squad. Trotwood-Madison coming off of a 47-44 thriller against Columbus Marion-Franklin, will pose a difficult challenge for this Eagles team.

    Regardless of what happens, it seems there is a real shot that Avon could become Division 2 state champions this season. Why does this matter for the Tornadoes and their fans? This means that TC would now have lost 2 seasons straight in the regional finals (a team record for how far in the playoffs the Tornadoes have ever been, marking the 3rd time they've reached the regional finals, also marking the 2nd consecutive season), this also means that TC would've lost to the eventual state champion both years. Last year after a tough loss to Columbus Bishop Watterson, Watterson moved on to take the State title. This means very good things for the Tornadoes and although this team hasn't been able to burst that regional final bubble, things look very good in the future for Tornado fans. Head Coach Brian Colatruglio has a 21-5 record for the Tornadoes in his first two seasons, including a 4-2 playoff record. Coach 'Codge' has helped take the Tiffin Columbian program to new heights, building off the tradition that former longtime TC coach Steve Gilbert had built. This is all just a little food for thought for TC fans, but to me, you've gotta enjoy this success that the Tornadoes have had and look forward to the future with enthusiasm, as long as Colatruglio is at the helm, positive things can definitely happen

    Now that all of that is over and done with, it's time to hand out some post-season accolades within the team:

Record: 10-3
3rd in NOL
All-Jimbo Overall MVP: RB/LB Jack Jacoby
All-Jimbo Offensive MVP: WR Jonah Boyer
All-Jimbo Co-Defensive MVPs: DB Shane Hossler and OL/DL Carter Mullins
Unsung-hero linemen of the year: OL/DL Carter Mullins

    Special kudos to QB/DB Ben Davis for showing great leadership throughout the season, when a lot of people didn't expect him to be able to fill the shoes of graduated former QB Ryan Tittle, he became the game manager the Tornadoes needed to make a good playoff run. Also, congratulations to all the Tornadoes and other NOL performers who made the All-NOL squad, the full list can be found here: http://www.fandy.com/node/353616

    Well this will just about wrap-up my first substantive post on the blog. Next up will probably be some college and NFL analysis. If you're interested in writing for the Jimbo Says blog, please e-mail me at JFlint@heidelberg.edu . I hope you've enjoyed the write-up.

Writers note: Congratulations to Tiffin Columbian for 18 straight seasons with at least 7 wins, this dates back to 1994. During these 18 seasons, TC has accumulated 10 NOL titles, and an overall record of 156-42, a staggering winning % of .788

Welcome to 'Jimbo Says'!

2011-11-29T08:08:00.000-08:00

Hello viewers of the worldwide web! I'm excited to create the first post of my blogging career. If you're looking for local sports information, opinions and predictions of D-1 college sports and pro sports, and maybe even some dry humor every once in a while, then you're in the right place!

To start off, here's a little bit about me: my name is Jimmy Flint, and I'm a radio personality on the local Tiffin radio station, 1600 AM WTTF. I also do a radio show for my college, and our station is 88.9 FM WHEI. If you're interested in some of my opinions and would like to do a call in for my WHEI show, or if you'd just like to listen in to some of either of the shows I am on, here is my schedule:

Monday Night Sports Talk - Mondays from 5-6 PM, live at Fort Ball Pizza Palace, tune into 1600 AM, 93.3 FM, or www.wttf.com to hear John Spahr, Drew Felton and myself debate and talk about local, college, and pro sports.
Wednesday Night Sports Report - Wednesday nights from 6-8 PM, various guests, including Heidelberg, Columbian, and Calvert athletes will be joining Alex Koenig, Jeremy Sexton, and myself to discuss what's going on in the sports world.

I'd appreciate the support if people are interested in listening in. I hope to be posting about 3-5 times per week, and probably one of the most interesting things I'll be doing starting this week will be the local high school basketball previews. I'll also keep all the Heidelberg supporters updated as the season continues to move on.

I hope you all enjoy the page, remember to follow me on twitter at http://twitter.com/Jfleezy12, I'll be posting my updated blogs on their as well as various breaking news stories from throughout the sports world.