Dennis Henle Jr's Chicago Cubs fan blog

It is the topic that no one can avoid or stop talking about. Despite a loss to them earlier in the year on a neutral field, Oklahoma gains a trip to the Big 12 Championship Game as well as a probable spot in the BCS Championship Game over the rival Texas Longhorns. The BCS did exactly what it was supposed to do. It chose the better team. Problem is, thats not exactly fair.

Texas took advantage in the second half of the game against a defense that was ill prepared to deal with a loss of a key player, Ryan Reynolds. Look at the other 11 games on the schedule for each team and the body of work that each have put up and it becomes clear that Oklahoma is, in fact, the better team, and that the head-to-head game was an aberration. If those two teams play 10 times, Oklahoma wins 7.

Continue reading "BCS not fair, as best team gets nod"

Watching the Packers lose their fourth game in their last five, it seemed obvious to me, just as it should to the entire world, that this is no where near the same Packers team that went 13-3 last year. The question is why. There is one obvious answer to that question and one not so obvious answer. You would have to have spent the past year in a cave to not know that after sixteen years with the team, Brett Favre is no longer the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers. The other big difference between last year's team and this one is something a little more difficult to predict or control. That is health.

First, a closer look at what the change in quarterback has done to the team. The Green Bay Packers' offense was built around the abilities of Brett Favre. Most offenses are built around the ability to run the ball to open up the passing game. Not so for the Packers. The key to their offense was the ability and willingness to throw the ball and throw it effectively at any time. The wide receivers are possession receivers that work hard after the catch for extra yards. There is no great running threat. They have great offensive tackles, but the offensive line as a whole is a below average run blocking line and average pass blocking. The offense worked well because the the line did not have to hold their blocks long. Favre had the ball out of his hands quickly and the running game opened up after the passing game was established. While Aaron Rodgers is not a bad quarterback, he is not as good of a fit in the offense as Favre was. Rodgers is best throwing on the run. It is no secret that most rollout passes are based off of play action. The problem with that is you have to establish a running game before play action. As previously discussed, the Packers offense is not built that way. Still, the Packers have averaged 27.5 points per game, good for fifth best in the NFL. Do not let the numbers deceive, they do not have the fifth best offense in the NFL.

Continue reading "Tough Time to be a Packers Fan"

As I basked in the glory of the Iowa slaughtering of Minnesota in the last Golden Gopher football game in the Metrodome, I could not help but think about the severe disadvantage Iowa will probably have against whatever opponent it faces in a bowl game. The Hawkeyes will have no live football action from November 22 until, in all likelihood, December 27 (I project them going to the Champs Sports Bowl). This is a problem that faces not only the Iowa Hawkeyes, but every football team in the Big Ten that plays in a bowl game. This could be one of the reasons that the Big Ten has not had a winning bowl season since 2002 and since that year have compiled a record of 14-22. I understand that there are other factors that have led to that record, but there is no doubt this is a severe disadvantage.

Continue reading "Why Big Ten Will Continue to Struggle in Bowl Games"

I have to say that I get frustrated quite a bit with the management of the Chicago Cubs.  There are times when it seems like their fingers are right on the pulse of what is going on in Major League Baseball.  Other times, though, it seems they could not be more out of touch with the needs of the team in the short and long term.  It is utterly frustrating when management decides to do something completely detremental to the team, like trade a good young live arm like Jose Ceda for an average reliever, and there is nothing I can do about it.  While that did frustrate me it is not getting to me as much as this whole left-handed bat situation.  Everyone who follows baseball knows that the Cubs need a left-handed presence in the lineup.  If you watch them, you can see it.  If you do not watch them, then you only need to listen to Lou Piniella talk about it.  I agree that the need is there, but I definitely do not agree with the candidates that Jim Hendry and co. have so far thrown out.

Continue reading "Left-handed bat the Cubs need"