Why Big Ten Football Sucks

If you're my friend and root for a Big Ten school, you need to listen.

Your team - judging by the fact that your entire conference is overrated - probably sucks at football.

Here's why the Big Ten is horrible, and why you - a fan of Big Ten football - need to listen.

Your conference is a dormant conference. It is draped in tradition; once uncovered, there's no more fear of you.

Imagine if Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera wore a Cubs uniform for a day. How scared are you now? There's a classic line from the movie, Catch Me If You Can, where Christopher Walken turns to his son, Leonardo DiCaprio, and says, "You know why the Yankees always win? Because their opponents can't take their eyes off those damn pinstripes."

What if the rest of the country realized that all the best football players don't come from Ohio, and that THE Ohio State University (They call it "THE" Ohio State University because there's no room for another college in a state whose birth certificate is an acceptance letter to attend THE state univeristy. Unless you play basketball; then you move to Cincinnati.) wouldn't reach a bowl if they played in the Southeastern Conference or Big XII South.

Here's a history lesson. 90% of football talent is born south of the Mason/Dixon line; and here's proof. Since the Civil Rights Movement (I'll round it to 1960, when Minnesota won the national championship) the majority of talent has stayed south of the Mason/Dixon line. The Big Ten has won 7 national championships in that time. The state of Florida has 9 since 1983. With the ever-growing acceptance of black athletes across the south, teams in southern conferences have proven that a speedy teams can run around and catch up to the big and powerful.

Note to those who play the race card: Positions associated with speed (running backs, receivers, safeties, and running quarterbacks) are largely filled with black players from southern states. Miami, Florida, and Florida State (9 titles in 25 years) have a higher proportion of black football players that occupy those positions. If you don't like the idea, you can put me in at free safety and see if I can catch anyone.

College football has evolved. No longer can you win a national championship behind the efforts of a straight-forward running game backed by a "tough" defense. We just saw Florida beat Alabama on that very premise. We also saw Florida, LSU and USC's defense destroy THE Ohio State University's conventional playcalling in an avalanche of mismatched talent the past couple years.

This year, tradition makes its last stand. THE Ohio State University (10-2, 5-2 against bowl teams) was chosen for the Fiesta Bowl over undefeated and higher-ranked Boise State (5-0 against bowl teams, including current #15 Oregon). Now they get Texas.

A couple days later, Penn State gets USC in the Battle of Unappreciated One-Loss Teams. We'll see how much they deserve a title shot after the Rose Bowl.

Finally, let's talk strength of schedule. OUT OF CONFERENCE strength of schedule.

How does the Big Ten send 7 schools to a bowl game? Here's an easy answer: they play NOBODY. I can understand padding your schedule with one or two gimme games, however the Big Ten seems to play every high school across the midwest.

The Big Ten's record against other BCS schools during the regular season: 5-5. Those 5 wins came against Oregon State (8-4), Syracuse twice (3-9), Duke (4-8), and Iowa State (2-10). The Big Ten played 44 non-conference games. Only 23% of their non conference games were against other BCS teams.
Pac 10: 5-6 in 30 non-conference games, 37%
Big XII: 7-8 in 48 non-conference games, 31%
ACC: 13-8 in 48 non-conference games, 44%
Big East: 7-7 in 41 non-conference games, 34%
SEC: 6-9 in 48 non-conference games, 31%

So sum up: The Big Ten needs to change with the times instead of relying on tradition to get them into the big game. If they don't, you better get used to your favorite team getting beat to a pulp every January.

Benjamin Button & T.I.

You never know what's comin' for you.

-Daisy, "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

You're gonna be a shining star

With fancy clothes and fancy cars

And then you see you're gonna go far

Cause everyone knows just who you are.

...So live your life

No telling where it'll take ya...

-Rihanna, "Life Your Life"

How do you celebrate Christmas?

For me, it's a constant state of euphoria. After wishing my Lord and Savior a Happy Birthday and thanking Him for blessing me with the gift of eternal salvation, I head downstairs to open gifts, hand out presents, and thank my family for everything they chose to give me this holiday season.

Then it's movie time. This year it was The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and God am I thankful for this movie.

Here's one word to describe the last two years in Hollywood: apocalyptic. No Country for Old Men demonstrated how your best may never be enough; There Will Be Blood showed us that God was a superstition; and Wall-E taught kids to think the last hope for the evolution of mankind is the fertilization of a plant (and that a robot, not man, can solve the problem).

Here's what's come out this Christmas Season:

Seven Pounds - When you kill someone, don't make the most of what you have left. Instead, kill yourself; but make sure your organs get passed off to "good" people. After I Am Legend, I feel that Will Smith's dip into Scientology may have changed his outlook on the bright side of things.

Revolutionary Road - Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslett realizing their life is pointless, and taking it out on each other. (I haven't seen the film yet; however, that's what I took from the trailer.)

The Reader - Kate Winslett accused of killing Jews while sleeping with a boy during the Holocaust.

Doubt - Phillip Seymore Hoffman (priest) screaming at Meryl Streep (nun). Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis cry. Hooray Catholicism!

No wonder so many people kill themselves over the holidays! The economy already sucks; whatever money people have made, they've spent it on relatives they don't even like; and every "critically acclaimed" movie they see makes them feel like crap! It's like reading The Grapes of Wrath on your birthday - you're just asking for trouble.

Then there's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Is this the most uplifting film of all time? Nope. Does Benjamin Button conquer the world and meet every successful American over the past 85 years like Forrest Gump? Nope, although Forrest and Benjamin have received a lot of comparisons recently. Is Benjamin an iconic character that all parents should model their children after? Nope.

So why this Curious Case?

Because this movie brings the right kind of tear to your eye. This movie reminds us that our lives are defined by the memories we create, the dreams we pursue, and the ones we choose to love along the way. This movie is what Christmas is all about; and thank God for it.

It maybe 3 hours long, but it didn't seem like a burden. Instead of checking my watch to see how much longer the movie lasts, I decided to lose myself in the story of Benjamin and Daisy.

It's a love story - no doubt about it. Benjamin and Daisy's struggle to overcome the obstacles of aging is a work of tragic originality.

It's also a marvel in special effects. For the first half hour my family and I kept asking ourselves how they transformed Brad Pitt into a 3'6" 80-year-old man. The last half hour, my family and I kept asking ourselves how they transformed Brad Pitt into the Brad Pitt of Thelma & Louise.

Finally, it's a movie that inspires. In Gladiator, Maximus states to his army, "What we do in life echoes an eternity." All true Christmas movies should motivate their audience to go out with a purpose and make the most of their lives. Benjamin Button's biography reminded me of how my time on earth is but a blip on the radar of eternity, and that each moment should be savored and never thrown to waste.

So what does T.I. have to do with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button?

I must have listened to "Live Your Life" about 1,000 times over the past month. In case you haven't heard it, the second verse is laced with all the nuggets you need to make it in whatever endeavor you choose to pursue.

While most of rap focuses on selling your soul for the dollar bill; "Live Your Life" tells you to work hard for your dream; ignore the critics that oppose you; overcome the obstacles that trip you; and live your life to the fullest, for all the right reasons.

Benjamin Button opens the doors to what can happen if you live your life with childlike enthusiasm, a desire to explore, and a curiosity at what life can bring next.

Merry Christmas!

Why I'm Blogging

Hey Everyone,

I'd like to welcome you to Sully's World - the day-to-day thought process of me, Mike Sullivan.

Aimed to assist, inspire, or simply distract, Sully's World will be used to open the floor for others to cite their beliefs on all aspects of life. On a regular basis, I plan to address issues with regard to entertainment, politics, faith, and relationships; then open the floor for discussion from anyone who wishes to voice an opinion on the matter.

God's given everyone a voice and an opinion; here you may express whatever you like.

Welcome,

Mike