Staying: among the ranks of the once beaten - USC and Alabama. Two very similar games by two teams that have no business even being scared of the teams they played this weekend. At about the same time that the Tide was nursing a 5 point lead over the Fightin' Crooms of Mississippi State, USC (the one in Cali - stop trying S. Carolina) was tied with *GASP* Stanford! Granted both USC and Bama came out in the second half and remembered that they were USC and Bama and blew out their opponents, but still in a landscape where impressions are everything why were these two games even close?
Going: to the Rose Bowl - Oregon State. There's just something about this team. For those of you that are so in love with the almighty Trojans, you may not have noticed that Oregon State is actually in the driver's seat in the Pac-10. It's simple: if the Beavers beat Arizona and the very beatable Oregon Daffy Ducks in the battle for the state that no one cares about, Oregon State will find itself in Pasadena - USC's backyard - for the Rose Bowl. A one loss USC squad missing the Rose Bowl? Awesome! I really don't have a problem with USC, actually I've been in love with them since they firebombed the Soonner Schooner in the National Championship a few years back, but I hate the Rose Bowl for having such a gigantic boner for a Big Eleven - Pac 10 matchup and the subsequent shit games they've had recently that I'd love to see an Oregon State - Penn State snooze fest. If there's one thing bowls try to avoid like the plague it is the repeat matchup, and this would be just that. Go to Hell Rose Bowl and Go Beavs!
Staying: A fucking quagmire - the ACC. Okay really, it's basketball season now - these ACC "fans" (and for that matter, the Big East) now have another entertainment option, namely a North Carolina - Farleigh Dickinson basketball game (trust me they'd rather go to that) so can we just pull the plug on this whole football "experiment" on the Mid Atlantic coast? This conference is just such a crappy conference it makes me want to vomit. At least the Big East games are entertaining - people actually score, but when I have to watch bad offenses square off against mediocre defenses in an epic cock-measuring game of who has the better punter and kicker - it kind of ruins my Saturday. 9-6 should never be a final in a football game in 2008. My suggestion to you, the ACC fan, is to either go back in time to the 30's when 9-6 scores were en vogue, or go to a basketball game. Judging by the 4 dozen people that have attended your last few "championship games" you already have. What you want a pick? Fuck it, Maryland.
Going: To prison - Florida State's entire receiving corps. Five - as in one, two, three, four... five Florida State receivers got busted for getting into a fight with members of a fraternity IN THE CAMPUS'S STUDENT UNION!!!!!! That's right a West-Side Story rumble in the Union. This of course is the same school that just last year had half its team missing from the Music City Bowl because they (ironically enough) got busted in a massive cheating ring in their music history class. It had been a few years since Free Shoes University had made headlines like this, good to see they've come back strong two years in a row. Just try to avoid studying in the union if you go to FSU because instead of an honor student you may become collateral damage.
Going: to the Gator Bowl - Notre Dame. Barely. Thank God the Fightin' Irish had that epic stop against Navy after the Midshipmen converted their second consecutive onside kick, Saturday. Since the Navy QB had no clue how to convert an intermediate pass Notre Dame hung on (sorta) and all but cemented their spot in the New Years' Day Gator Bowl. And really why shouldn't they. Five losses? Check. Shutout? Check. No wins versus a ranked team? Check. A QB with only a +3 TD/int ratio? Check. A squeaker versus Navy? Check. A return to Glory? If you say so. Seeya in Jacksonville Jan. 1 ND - at least you earned it right? Not so much.
Going: the broadcast rights to the BCS from Fox to ESPN. That's right ESPN has all but wrapped up it's negotiations to air every BCS game except for the Holy Rose Bowl - which has to be on ABC or else the Earth will shatter. Now, this doesn't really affect me because I have cable - and a lot of people do, but you're telling me that some of the most anticipated games of the year, including the sport's title game, are not going to air on free television??? In this economic climate with the average Joe's feeling the tightness in their budget enough as it is, you're telling them that they need to pay for TV in order to watch games with such tradition??? This is just another example of the NCAA taking a shit on their fans and caring about the bottom line more than what the fans want to see.
Detroit Lions will more than likely have the first pick in this draft due to the fact that they are extremely bad and have shown no signs of improvement. As sad as it seems, the Lions are still going to have to focus on the offensive side of the ball. There are two ways I see them going, QB or OL. With the first pick in the mock NFL draft, the Detroit Lions select....
Sam Bradford QB out of Oklahoma. At this spot in the draft it will be one of two guys and instead of sticking it out with Culpepper, work towards the future and chemistry between Bradford and Calvin Johnson.
The Kansas City Chiefs have shown signs of life lately, but continue to almost give away games late, I see them not picking higher than 3 at the most. The Chiefs could go a few different ways here, O-Line or with a pass rushing Defensive End. As of right now no DE candidate has proven himself worthy of the #2 overall pick. With the number 2 pick in the mock NFL draft, the Kansas City Chiefs select...
Andre Smith OT out of Alabama. Very easy pick, could see this guy going to Detroit at 1 as well. Basically a huge AND athletic player, very quick for his size measuring in at around 6'5'' and over 340 pounds, has been the most dominant player in the trenches all year. Can run and pass block VERY well. With this pick, the Chiefs can move Branden Albert back to his natural Guard position, or even RT and put together a combo like the 2005 Seahawks had of Jones and Hutchinson, which by the way blocked the way to the MVP for Shawn Alexander.
The Cincinnati Bengals will also be a team who could flex above or below this number 3 pick, but for time being they are sitting at this pick. Cincinatti is another team who could be looking at O-Line or even possibly a DE. But with a lack of this position could strike a deal to trade down to 5 or even 6 to grab someone else, but in this case scenario we will just go with the flow....with the third pick in the mock NFL draft the Cincinnati Bengals select....
Eben Britton OT out of Arizona. A very good pass blocking OT, with good size and quickness. Would be perfect protecting Carson Palmer's blind side, with Smith gone the Bengals probably trade out of this pick, but Britton is the best OT on the board and is the biggest need for Cincy.
The 4th pick will belong to the St. Louis Rams...another team who can flex with this position, will probably pick higher than 4, probably looking at moving into the 3rd or even 2nd pick. The Rams will be looking for a QB or a LB with this pick to help strengthen their defense or start to replace the worsening Marc Bulger. With the 4th pick in the mock NFL draft the St. Louis Rams select....
Rey Maualuga LB out of USC. Better known as "Sting Rey" to his teammates and his handy work could be seen in the Rose Bowl highlights. A hard hitting LB who has very good size, intensity and athletic ability. His stock has fallen a little due to some injury, but is still the best LB on the board here.
The Seattle Seahawks own the 5th pick and this may be the toughest pick right now for any team, the Seahawks will go after secondary help here but with two VERY good corners at this spot who will they go after? With the 5th pick in the mock NFL draft the Seattle Seahawks select...
Vontae Davis CB out of Illinois. Davis is a very athletic shut-down CB who is listed at 6'0'' 205, so has some pretty good size. Also, serves as a KR to help out in the special teams department.
The 6th pick belongs to the Oakland Raiders and there is no true surprise here, the Raiders will be going with a WR with this pick, while secondary or D-line help may look intriguing, you want a guy that can be the lightning on the outside, and they are in luck because they will land one of the fastest players in college football, with the 6th pick in the mock NFL draft the Oakland Raiders select....
Michael Crabtree out of Texas Tech. Dude's got hands and moves....what else do ya need? O how about great character!!! The guy is everything the Raiders need fast playmaking WR to help stretch the field for Jamarcus Russell. 
The Niners will own at least a top-10 pick and if I were them I may want to pick a little bit higher. Now, there are two ways I could see this Niner's team going....QB or DE, they are in dire need of both and at the 7th spot this could be a bit of a brain teaser for this team, with the 7th pick in the mock NFL draft the San Francisco 49ers select...
Matthew Stafford QB out of Georgia. The 49ers could have gone WR, DE or OL here. But their big need as at QB and they have a very good one right here. Stafford has a good, accurate arm and has alot of experience as a 3 year started in the SEC so he has seen some good defense. Pretty good pick here.
The 8th pick belongs to the Houston Texans, and I was really hoping to not have to put this team here, I was hoping they finally go to the playoffs but that does not seem to be a true option at this point. Another team that could go one of two ways, CB or OL. Another brain teaser but at this point they would have to go only one of those ways...with the 8th pick in the mock NFL draft, the Houston Texans select...
Malcom Jenkins CB out of Ohio St. With the every day improvement of that Houston Texan pass rush, why not get a guy who can give you time to get back there, it will happen with this guy, a very athletic corner who has been a very consistent playmaker on some very good defensive Ohio St. teams.
The Cleveland Browns are another team I am disappointed in seeing this early in the draft, they seemed to have a playoff spot almost locked up after their FA moves and how well the team played last year, but they have underachieved yet again. Browns are more than likely going RB here and why not have a back field with two hometown kids....with the 9th pick in the mock NFL draft the Cleveland Browns select....
Chris "Beanie" Wells RB out of Ohio St. A great overall RB, has the size and speed to be a very good NFL RB. Has some injury problems that you could see make him drop this far, but almost a steal anywhere outside of the top 5 due to the fact he is the best RB in the draft.
Another team owning a top-10 pick I am extremely surprised to see, but I guess that's how the cookie crumbles sometimes, a very talented team, could go a few different ways, WR, OL or LB. Due to a somewhat thin WR draft look for them to add some protection for up front...with the 10th pick in the mock NFL draft the Jacksonville Jaguars select...
Michael Oher OT out of Ole Miss. Another MASSIVE OT out of the beloved SEC conference, Oher comes in at 6'5'' 330 pounds. Works better for Jacksonville because of his run blocking skills rather than his pass. He still has good pass blocking skills, but it's his run blocking that will have teams drewlling over this guy.
