Keeping it football-only once again today…but unfortunately there is only one game to predict:
-The best tradition in sports as I see it is the singing of the alma maters after the annual Army-Navy game.
The winners get to sing second and as you’ll see in the video below, the scene looks amazing as both teams always pay respect to one another. To be at this game is definitely on my sports bucket list:
Army won for the first time since 2001 last season but they won’t make it two years in-a-row. Navy 23, Army 20 in the last regular season CFB game of the season.
-I’ll be honest, I still can’t get over the Herm Edwards to ASU deal. It’s an incredible risk by AD Ray Anderson and one that I just can’t see paying off as he intends. What has Edwards ever proven in coaching to indicate that he’s capable of taking ASU to the next echelon of CFB success? A record 20 games under .500 in the pros? Honestly I would’ve been more encouraged for the Sun Devils’ future had they simply named former Alabama assistant and current ASU OC Billy Napier as head coach. It would’ve also been a giant risk considering his lack of experience…but former ASU OC Mike Norvell has done an incredible job in his first head coaching job at Memphis. Napier is for all intents and purposes the coach-in-waiting…but honestly how long is he willing to wait if other opportunities are offered to him first?
-Former ASU QB Jake Plummer’s tweet on Wednesday was an interesting one and I can’t disagree with much that he said:
I’m embarrassed to be a #SunDevil today, not bcuz of the Herm Edwards hire(I hope he does well and believe he will) but bcuz of the amount of negative naysayers out there supposedly calling themselves @ASU fans. I hope you all #eatcrow @FootballASU #GoDevils
— Jake Plummer (@snakestakes) December 6, 2017
First of all, he should always be embarrassed to be a Sun Devil (at least from this UofA fan’s eyes)! In all seriousness, I think those ASU alums and fans threatening to cancel their season tickets and revoke their loyalty to the program are absolutely idiotic. While I don’t think the Herm Edwards experiment will be a success, never would I advocate revolting on my school. If UofA makes a similar hire in future years, sure I’ll be upset, but never would I threaten a boycott. Grow up disloyal Sun Devils supporters…you’re better than that.
-Let’s also be honest for a second, UofA would’ve been going through a coaching search had Khalil Tate not been Heisman-worthy in October. If Arizona doesn’t win 9 games next season, Rodriguez’s tenure might very well come to an end in Tucson. The two names I would target offhand – Mike Norvell from Memphis (despite the fact he’s a former ASU OC) and former Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin, who’s due to get another Power 5 school coaching job sooner than later.
-Tennessee made a safe hire in current Alabama DC Jeremy Pruitt. While I don’t think he sets the world on fire in Knoxville as former Crimson Tide DC Kirby Smart has in his second season at Georgia, at least there’s upside for the Volunteers’ program after a season of turmoil. Pruitt has certainly come a long way since his days of appearing on MTV’s Two-A-Days a decade ago as Hoover High School’s defensive coordinator.
-I can’t blame Willie Taggart for going from Oregon to Florida State. Do you know the last time the Seminoles actually had to look for a coach? At the end of the 1975 season before they hired Bobby Bowden. Taggart is a Florida guy and this job was just too good to pass up for him after Jimbo Fisher bolted to Texas A&M. So where does Oregon go from here? They need stability…after all this will be the program’s 3rd coach in three years. While I like the possibility of Mike Leach leaving Washington State for a job slightly south, the Ducks should hire former DB and current Cal coach Justin Wilcox. If things turn out right, Wilcox could be a lifer at his alma mater and as he’s proven the last several years, he’s a pretty darn good coach (and defensive coordinator).
On to my Best Bets which lately have been more than respectable…
College Football Best Bets
Last Week: 3-2
Overall: 39-35-1
I’ll add a few bowl bets to this list in the coming weeks. For now, a winning record in the regular season isn’t a bad thing.
NFL Week 14 Best Bets
Last Week: 3-2
Overall: 35-29-1
Cardinals +3 vs. Titans
Eagles +2 at Rams
Chargers -6 vs. Redskins
Chargers / Redskins Over 46 Total Points
Dolphins +11 vs. Patriots
If you missed my Wednesday NFL predictions, click here.
-That Thursday night game between the Falcons and Saints (an Atlanta 20-17 win) was all kinds of ugly. Injuries galore including a concussion suffered by Saints stud rookie RB Alvin Kamara and penalities all over the darn place. But let me rant first about fantasy football…
Your team has a good season and you make the playoffs only to be derailed by ONE injury, a la Kamara’s on Thursday night. It’s brutal…it’s not fair. Sorry, fantasy football isn’t all that much skill. There’s too much luck involved compared to the other fantasy sports. While I enjoy it, personally I like the long grind and daily team building of fantasy baseball better.
End of rant! And with that, my weekly fantasy football predictions:
PPR HERO (an underrated player who will finish in the top-10 at his position this week):
Season Record: 4-9
Week 13: Devin Funchess (WR, Panthers) (LOSS)
Week 14: Josh Gordon (WR, Browns)
PPR ZERO (a top-15 player who will finish outside of the top-20 at his position this week):
Season Record: 9-4
Week 13: Devonta Freeman (RB, Falcons) (WIN)
Week 14: Marcus Mariota (QB, Titans)
KICK IT TO WIN IT (A likely waiver wire kicker who will end up in the top-10):
Season Record: 4-9
Week 13: Mason Crosby (Packers) (LOSS)
Week 14: Phil Dawson (Cardinals)
PUNT OF THE WEEK (the team I think will punt most frequently therefore upgrading the other team’s fantasy defense…aka turning them into a top-10 fantasy D for the week):
Season Record: 11-2
Week 13: Cleveland Browns (vs. Los Angeles Chargers) (WIN)
Week 14: Indianapolis Colts (vs. Buffalo Bills)
To read previous entries of my blog, click here. Also make sure to follow me on Twitter @eacohen83.
Cohen's Corner 