Regular reader Edward was nice enough to comment on a recent post in which he posed me three interesting questions. Here goes:
Am I going to jinx the Badgers by going to Evanston next weekend to watch them (Badgers at Northwestern is always both exciting and terrible)?
Yes, Edward, you are. I thought about seeing if NU had tickets available for the game, since it's an easy drive for me and my wife and mom would probably find some things for the boys to do in Chicago.
But then I remembered that my dad, brother, and brother-in-law went to Evanston in January to watch the Badgers play basketball, and even though we had a ton of UW fans in attendance, we lost. Glad we went, and we'll probably go again. But watching the Wisconsin football team lose on the road -- which I have not experienced since the 1998 Michigan game -- is excruciating.
The game this Saturday is really important -- for a 10-win season, January 1 bowl implications, an outside shot at a Big Ten title -- so I figured I'd play it safe and watch the game on TV. In addition, I will be wearing the same clothes I've worn every other Saturday this fall.
I think the final score of this game will be something like 24-23.
What do you think the chances of Iowa and Penn State losing and Wisconsin getting into the BCS are?
Slim and none. I'd peg the odds of either Iowa or Penn State losing at 3:1, both at 20:1. It's a long shot that Minnesota beats Iowa. I'd peg the odds of Wisconsin getting into the BCS at 100:1. Word is out that the Big Ten isn't all that hot this season, and the Ohio State-Iowa game reinforced that to the rest of the world. Plus, TCU and Boise State going to deservingly take two BCS spots away from BCS conference schools.
What is up with the bad couple weeks for Badgers in the NFL? I kind of follow them in the NFL but ... Owen Daniels gets injured for the season after Jaworski calls him the best TE in pro football, Chris Chambers gets cut because, apparently, they thought his personal life was getting in the way of his play and Jim Leonhard suffers a broken thumb. Are any Badgers actually having a good year in the NFL?
I was thinking the same thing Monday night while watching the Browns-Ravens game. The Browns are one of what seems like 10 god-awful teams in the NFL, and they are dragging the best former Badger in the pros, Joe Thomas, down with them. So I turned to this handy link I found on Twitter, which informed me that:
-Lee Evans caught two touchdown passes last week.
-Chambers averaged 20 yards per catch.
-Matt Shaughnessy had his second career sack. He's looking like a guy who turns out to be a better pro than collegian.
-Leonhard had a nice game, and might not necessarily be out.
-Some other guys did some other intangible things.
I think the ascension of Daniels, Leonhard and Thomas was something of an aberration, and what we saw last week is more in line with typical Badgers-in-the-NFL production.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Three questions from Edward
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5 comments:
The Badgers have terrible luck in Evanston in both football and men's basketball. I can't explain why. But they do. Remember them losing there the week after the Sorgi-choked/Lee Evans miracle touchdown OSU win?
Also, unfortunately, the odds of undefeated Boise State and TCU both getting into the BCS are slim. My understanding is the BCS bowls only have to take the top non-BCS conference team if they're in the top 8. Then they can make the selection based on money, that is butts in the seats and TV ratings. A second-fiddle team from the Big 12 (like T. Boone Pickens U) or the Big 10(11) is, unfortunately, more likely to get picked.
Thanks for the answers!
BTW, plenty of seats were still available, which kind of surprised me. Got two seats on the 35 yard line for 50 bucks apiece. Kind of wish it was at 11 instead of 2:30, just to get it done with and have the rest of the day watch football at home. Oh well, at least there is that legendary Northwestern bar scene to pre-game at.
Also, I apologize in advance for officially jinxing them.
You really think that both TCU and Boise both getting in is a long shot? I think the public outcry if an Oklahoma State made it over one of them would be intense, they are clearly better. But I hadn't considered your point, either.
My sister and brother-in-law used to live right across the street from the stadium, it's a nice little neighborhood, but definitely 180 degrees different than Madison on gameday.
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