“Marketing is all about publishing content to the web…”

The above quotation was the genesis of “The New Rules of Marketing and PR,” which David Meerman Scott (@dmscott) published in 2007. He’s updated his book because the tools that marketers are using on the web are constantly changing. For instance, readers of Scott’s first edition might be surprised to learn he’s heard of Twitter.

He sat down with HubSpot TV for a 30 minute interview. Here are the highlights:

• It’s not too late to jump into web marketing (and still be seen as a leader).
• He’s added new case studies (the best part of the New Rules).
• DM Scott really dislikes discussing social media ROI–especially if you’re using ROI as an excuse not to try new techniques
• HubSpot and DM Scott discuss RSS vs. email subscribers to blogs (apparently varies by industry). Your blog still needs both options.
• Small businesses that blog have 102% more twitter followers than those that don’t.
• Content makes you/your business interesting. SM is doomed to failure without a good content creation strategy.

If you haven’t read the New Rules, pick up the updated version. Great starting point for anyone creating a corporate blog and thinking about where to start with a content creation strategy. And a must read for anyone in corporate communications that might be hesitant to make the leap.

And HubSpot is a great place for news and updated info.

Link to HubSpot

Link to David Meerman Scott’s page

Buy the New Rules of Marketing and PR on Amazon

Stop whining about the BCS

The BCS was created in 1998 to pair the 2 best teams in a national championship game while retaining the bowl system that is a money machine and an institution in the communities that host bowl games. So with a tournament out of the equation and with the existing format in place, the BCS did the best they could with what they had.

So, let’s go ahead and lay out the problems with the BCS. It isn’t fair. Not all of the conferences are represented. It isn’t a true playoff. If your school’s team goes undefeated and you don’t play in a power conference then there is a likelihood that your team will not be playing for a national championship in January. It relies on a hybrid of computer polls and human polls instead of games on the field.

That last paragraph basically sums it up. I’m summarizing the universe of articles written on the subject (a google search of “BCS Problems” returns 3 million results). There are also plenty of articles offering ways to fix the system. The most popular fix that our genius sports media wants to utilize is the “plus one” game, where the top 4 teams play in a semifinal bowl game, followed by the winners playing in the National Championship. This is a great solution, unless you have a year like this one and there are 5 undefeated teams. (And according to the rankings this year, Boise State would have been excluded, and they looked like they belonged in the national championship game last night).

The solutions get more complex if you start allowing for more teams. Want an 8 team playoff? Sure. Good luck getting teams 9-12 agreeing that they don’t belong. Sixteen teams? How many weeks out do you want to start this thing? Should the players stop pretending that they go to school? My favorite moment on sports radio is when some blowhard mentions the NCAA Basketball Championship, where 65 teams get included. And they are right to point out that it is a unique and nearly perfect system to ensure that a true national championship is played every year. But, obviously, that isn’t possible in football.

So with inherent flaws, a machine that makes a lot of different people a lot of money, the organizers of the BCS did the best they could to create a #1 vs #2 National Championship game. And do we thank them for their efforts? Of course not. It’s unfair! We should settle this on the field! Etc Etc. What follows is a random string of thoughts on the system, and where it goes from here:

1. I actually liked old, pre-BCS system

Here’s the way things worked in the 30′s-90′s: you played your conference schedule and if you won enough games you went to a bowl game. Your team either won it or lost it. It was rare that the #1 team played the #2 team. Arguing about who was the best became an art form and sportswriters made their case, fan bases argued with other fan bases and all the big bowl games were played on New Year’s Day, which was a thing of beauty. My parents always had New Year’s Day party with multiple televisions set up in the living room, which in 1982 was an amazing thing for a 7 year old kid.

I also preferred bowl games when they wore leather helmets

At the end of it all, a cabal of sportswriters and coaches voted in a poll for a national champion. The results were screwy. Teams with one loss won over teams with no losses. It was a guessing game. It was an endless source of sportswriting material. Why sportswriters wanted to change that, I have no idea. Now when teams get screwed out of the chance to play for a national championship, it looks like a conspiracy. When it is just the result of trying to create the most compelling football game using a complex system and at the same time trying to appease everybody. And when you attempt something like that, no one is happy. Least of all me, I liked watching simultaneous football on multiple television sets.

2. BCS Conference schools should be happy

Is your school in a BCS conference? Then you should fully embrace the BCS. Do you want your team playing one of these crazy offenses from a WAC school? Of course you don’t. You want to be playing a fairly predictable member of another power conference. Is this right? Of course not. Should you be ashamed of yourself? Of course you should. Let’s move on.

3. The quickest fix

Right now there are two glaring problems with the BCS. #1: The Mountain West and WAC conferences are excluded. #2: There is a provision that Notre Dame gets in if they are ranked higher than #8 in the AP poll.

If we could roll Notre Dame into the Big Ten, make that conference crown a champ, then add the MWC and WAC into the BCS, suddenly not so many people are crying about the unfairness factor. Although, I realize that Conference USA, the MAC and the Sun Belt would complain. Still unfair, but not wildly unfair.

4. There is nothing more beautiful than the college football regular season

As perfect as the year end NCAA Basketball tourney is, there is no denying how important the regular season is in college football. How big was Terrance Cody’s block against Tennessee, or Julio Jones’ 4th quarter catch and run to put UA up against LSU? Would those games have mattered as much if Alabama was guaranteed a trip to a tournament? Every game you play is incredibly important. The whole season is a tournament. Unfortunately, not a very fair one if you support a non-BCS conference school.

5. The BCS has, more often than not, done what it’s supposed to do.

Most years, angry sportswriters are loath to admit that the system got it right. We’ve got more than a decade in the books, let’s see how the BCS did.

1999: Undefeated Tennessee beats one loss Florida State in a fairly dominant performance. Ohio State, Wisconsin and UCLA all had one loss. Hard to argue with a 12-0 team winning the NC. BCS 1-Haters 0.

2000: Fla St whips undefeated Va Tech, as the nation watches phenom and future dog torturer Mike Vick try to run an offense all by himself. Bobby Bowden wins his second national championship and it’s hard to argue with the results. Cold comfort for Alabama fans who watched a great team underachieve due to the fact that we were coached by clap happy Mike Dubose. BCS 2-0.

2001: Oklahoma beats Florida State 13-2. Is that score right? I have no recollection of this game. But hard to argue with the early 2000′s Oklahoma teams. No one else in the BCS looks deserving. Miami, big winner in the Sugar Bowl, would win the next year. BCS 3-0.

2002: Miami beats hell out of Nebraska. The BCS #3 is Colorado (out of the Big 12) so I think we can all agree that the best team won the NC. BCS is 4-0 so far in delivering a fairly non-controversial National Champion.

2003: A classic football game: Ohio St beats Miami in double overtime. USC beats up on Iowa in the Orange Bowl, but there time is about to come. Hard to argue with that Ohio St team in 2003. BCS is now 5-0.

2004: Controversy! I can’t remember how Pete Carrol screwed this up, but he managed to lose a game he had no business losing and had to watch a Saban-led LSU team dominate Oklahoma. Anyway, this scenario drove sportswriters to the edge of the cliff. Some may have never come back. BCS is now 5-1. Of course, this is the first year you could legitimately complain about the outcome.

2005: Pete Carrol takes out years of aggression on Oklahoma, beating them 94-2. But Auburn, inexplicably with 7 future NFL running backs on the roster, has to settle for beating a crappy Va Tech team in the Sugar Bowl. Sportswriters are apoplectic. Veins and other blood vessels pop during a Bob Ryan rant during the “Sportsreporters,” sending a war-torn nation into a deep funk. BCS is now 5-2.

2006: Texas wins one of the greatest games in college football history, beating USC 41-38. Sportswriters still find things to complain about. BCS is now 6-2.

Vince Young loves the BCS

2007: 18 year old Timothy Tebow leads a crusade against Ohio State. The 41-14 score doesn’t do the blowout justice. Michigan, #3 in the BCS that year, gets beat by 2 loss USC. Also, BCS gives us one of the greatest games and cheesiest marriage proposals in college football history when Boise beats Oklahoma. BCS is 6-2.

2008: A kinder, gentler BCS allows WAC member Hawaii into the party, where they are utterly destroyed by Georgia. Saban’s players, coached by Les Miles, beat Ohio State. Va Tech is #3 in the BCS–they somehow find a way to lose to Kansas. BCS is 7-2.

2009: Tebow’s promise delivers another National Championship to Florida, over Oklahoma. You aren’t going to deny Tebow, regardless of the system. BCS is 8-2.

2010: OK, pandemonium. 5 undefeated teams. No way to resolve this unless Alabama or Texas wins by 50. We did get an old school Rose Bowl, a classic TCU-Boise game, and the Tebow swan song. Is that going to appease Boise St? Probably not. BCS is 8-3.

So, eight out of eleven years there was either a non-controversial title winner. There have been at least three monumentally classic games and many other memorable games. Non automatic qualifiers Utah, Hawaii, TCU and Boise St (twice) have been included. There is still a chance to argue and debate all of the particulars. And even this year, will anybody think less of Boise for what they accomplished? They may not have won a national championship, but anybody that watched them dismantle TCU knows they belong in the discussion for national championship contender. This is just one those years that happens 30 percent of the time and they have to stand behind their body of work. Which is obviously exemplary.

I would love for you to comment. Please bear in mind that I’m an idiot, and be kind.

Who's ready for quinoa?

Maybe that sounds extreme, and I don’t mean that you should stop trying to lose weight or quit smoking. It’s just that using artificial “pass/fail” benchmarks can set you up for failure. Like having one cigarette means that you failed at quitting smoking, now you’re smoking again and you’ll quit next New Year’s.

I think the new year is best for setting a personal challenge. Instead of losing weight or going on a diet, see if you can get better at something.

Some examples:

• Get up to running 5 miles in 40 minutes

• Break 90 (0r 80 or 70) in golf

• Learn a new language

• Hike/bike/paddle a long distance over a few day

Anyway, this year I’m going to try to go gluten-free for as long as I can. I woke up today and had a massive sinus infection from the indulgence of the holidays. This is going to be painfully difficult. I can live without bread, but I don’t know how long I’m going to go without pizza and beer. Here’s a look at my first shopping list for 2010:

• lettuce
• lemons
• oranges
• tomatoes
• green pepper
• onion
• carrots
• eggs
• almonds
• chicken
• milk
• quinoa
• stevia
• almonds
• coffee

So, we’ll see how long this lasts. On a scale of 1-10 today, I feel like a 3. So things can only get better. For a list of gluten free foods, visit here: http://www.csaceliacs.org/gluten_grains.php

And if anyone has any gluten free tips, recipes, or other ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments. Happy New Year’s.

Are you getting creative with your leftovers?

When you publish 34 bowl picks on a blog, it really forces you to take it seriously.

So when Wyoming beats Fresno State, you’re forced to realize that these game are hard to pick because some of these teams really don’t want to be playing. They get a bag full of ipods and other swag, why would they care about playing a football game? The underdogs are 5-1 against the spread so far. That’s because the underdogs are 5-1. One year I’m going to remember to go to Vegas and bet all the underdogs against the money line. My dad picked all the underdogs in his bowl pool. Guess who’s winning his bowl pool?

Also, you might not have noticed the dominance of the Mountain West in these games so far. I think it’s about time they get in the BCS. If that means kicking out the Big East or ACC, I’m fine with it. One of those should get relegated like in European soccer.

Anyway, my 2-4 record looks bad right now, but not as bad as 0-4 when I started. Three bowl games are on tap for today and I took two underdogs. USC might set a new benchmark for failing to show up tonight. It might get a name like “pulling a USC.” In any event, enjoy the leftovers and football. Today should be a good day. JB

Tom O'Leary

Jack Johnson

We are officially done with the extensive 34 game undercard leading up to the vaunted BCS Championship: #1 vs. #2. Horns vs. the Tide. Alabama’s six All-Americans are going up against the all-time winningest quarterback in college football history. If you want to throw down in fisticuffs, I’ve got Jack Johnson and Tom O’Leary right here, ready to go. Ladies and Gentlemen! Let’s get it on!

AT&T Cotton Bowl–Ole Miss vs. Oklahoma St. (Jan. 2) Line: Ole Miss-3

Consider this the welterweight SEC/Big 12 title game. Both teams redefined “uninspired” during their last game of the season. Okla St. was shut out against their rival Sooners–with a BCS berth in the balance. Ole Miss found a way to lose to a scrappy Mississippi State team. Not exactly the way you want to go out.

On paper this is an easy pick, Ole Miss actually has talented players on offense (Snead, Hodge, McCluster). But Snead beat out Jonathan Crompton for the national headcase of the year award. Hodge doesn’t get a lot of help from the other receivers. And Nutt occasionally forgets to give the ball to McCluster. Luckily for the Rebels, they have a better defense than Oklahoma State.

When you look at Ole Miss’ schedule, if they had just taken care of two marginal teams they finish the regular season with 10 wins. But they could have just as easily lost to LSU and finished with 7 wins. Weird season.

AT&T is your corporate sponsor. I read an article where an independent firm said that AT&T actually had better service than Verizon, that the problems with the iphone had more to do with the phone than the service. So quit whining about AT&T. They’re bringing you the Cotton Bowl, for Chrissakes.

I can't quit you, Coach Nutt...

Reason to pick Ole Miss: Rebs are 7-2 with six straight wins in bowls vs. the Big 12

Reason to pick Oklahoma St: To curry favor with billionaire T. Boone Pickens.

Reason to watch: You’ve already broken your New Year’s Resolution, can’t resist the charisma of Houston Nutt.

Pick: Ole Miss

AutoZone Liberty Bowl–Arkansas vs. East Carolina (Jan. 2) Line: Ark-7

I’d make fun of the Liberty Bowl, but at least Memphis has a local corporation buying the naming rights to the game. Here in Birmingham, we have to ride the coattails of the Papa John’s empire. The actual stadium is just as decrepit as Legion Field, so that at least is some consolation.

If for some reason you are walking by the television when this game is on, be sure to ask yourself the question, “Do I really want to spend the next three hours watching the Liberty Bowl?”

Reason to pick Arkansas: You like watching 7′ quarterbacks.

Reason to pick East Carolina: You are looking for any reason to pick against an SEC team.

Mallett towers over the competition.

Reason to watch: You literally have nothing else to do.

Pick: Arkansas

Valero Alamo Bowl–Texas Tech vs. Michigan State (Jan. 2) Line: Texas Tech-7.5

The good people at Valero really need to do something about that aquamarine color scheme they’ve got going–driving across Texas is a sea of foamy colors splashed across the Valero signage. Actually, that is probably the least of your worries driving across Texas. The biggest chafe in Texas is the use of the service road, which forces you to constantly make a U-turn when you want to fill up at a Valero station. Drives me crazy.

I think there should probably be some rules in place so that a 6-6 team (I’m looking at you, Michigan State) does not get to play after January 1st. It kind of takes the shine off of the experience.

Anyway, nothing like having your mind made up on a pick within twelve seconds of reading the breakdown: Michigan St. has one of the worst pass defenses in the country. And they are suspending 11 players for the game. I thought the Oregon/Ohio State game was a lock. I don’t really trust Texas Tech, but they have beaten the teams they were supposed to beat (excepting a weird blowout loss to Texas A&M). Anyway, go for it.

Reason to pick Texas Tech: Lots of offense.

Reason to pick against Michigan State: Lots of missing players.

Reason to watch: You’ve watched 29 bowl games to this point. Why stop now?

Pick: Texas Tech

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl–Boise St. vs. TCU (Jan. 4) Line: TCU-7

This is going to be the second best bowl game of the season. Watching TCU beat Utah was about as thorough of a beating as you’ll see all year. I watched Boise beat Oregon in the first game of the year, and they handled a top 10 team and made them quit. Both of these teams have great coaches, great offensive players, solid defenses.

I think TCU is going to win. The key for Boise is going to be the defensive end (Hughes) for TCU–if they can keep him contained (Boise St has given up 5 sacks all season) then they are going to have a shot. It will be interesting to see if this turns out to be a shootout or if the coaches get conservative.

Jerry Hughes should have a big impact on the Fiesta Bowl.

Anyway, I just feel like 7 points is too much in this game. I’d feel better if Boise’s best receiver wasn’t trying to come back from a fractured leg.

Reason to pick TCU: They have dominated the competition.

Reason to pick Boise St: They aren’t intimidated by anyone.

Reason to watch: Might be the most entertaining game of the year.

Pick: Boise St.

FedEx Orange Bowl–Georgia Tech vs. Iowa (Jan. 5) Line: Ga Tech-4

Remember when the Orange Bowl was a big time football game?

Quick! Pick against the Big 10.

Reason to pick Georgia Tech: Playing against the Big 10.

Reason to pick against Iowa: Unfortunately in the Big 10.

Reason to watch: You mistakenly believe you’re watching the 1984 Orange Bowl on ESPN Classic.

Pick: Georgia Tech

GMAC Bowl–Central Michigan vs. Troy (Jan. 6) Line: Cent Mich-3

It can’t be a good time to be a GMAC representative. Financing car purchases has surely hit the skids, and the next year probably doesn’t look too bright. The GMAC Bowl is usually one of the best games if you like watching high scoring, video game offenses. The over/under on this game is 63.5, which is probably about 20 shy of where it sould be.

Anyway, this game has two of the best quarterbacks in the country not named Tebow or McCoy. Without getting too involved in the analysis, Troy’s defense has been suspect this season. Not a good thing when you’re up against Dan LeFevour.

Expect some offense courtesy of Dan LeFevour in the GMAC Bowl.

Reason to pick Central Michigan: I’ve got LeFevour!

Reason to pick Troy: solid, well coached, they score a ton of points.

Reason to watch: This will actually be a good game.

Pick: Central Michigan

CITI BCS National Championship–Alabama vs. Texas (Jan. 7) Line: Alabama -3.5

There will be somewhere in the neighborhood of 750,000 words written about this game, so I’ll be brief. There is a weird mood among Alabama fans–we were so fixated about Florida that we feel like beating them, as soundly as we beat them, assures us of a national championship.

We’ve finished the award season with a Heisman, a Broyles, a couple of awards for Rolando McClain, and six different players were named First Team All-Americans.

Nothing is weirder than college football’s award season happening before the season is over.

I hope the players can find the motivation to prepare for this game. Texas has nothing to lose and is going to be ready to go. They were literally one second away from playing Iowa in a semi-crappy BCS Bowl. Now they are playing for the National Championship. And some speculate that they’re not be the best team in Texas.

So the motivation edge should tilt in UT’s favor. The saving grace for Alabama is that our coach is going to prepare for this like Patton going up against Rommell. What am I saying? He probably prepared for this over the summer.

Could Patton outwork Saban?

Anyway, good luck to the Texas fans. I hope it’s a great game for America. I hope Alabama wins, and that 20 years from now I’ll be flipping channels and I can think about the game and how much vodka I drank and where I was and hopefully these will be good memories.

I’m abstaining from picking this one, much like Herbstreit before he jets off to cover a game. I think it’s going to be a good game. As a fan, it probably doesn’t get better than this. I’m going to have the big bottle of Svedka with me. It’s been there for me all season. Actually, Svedka should be the presenting sponsor of this blog: “Helping neurotic fans deal with adversity since…”

Thanks for checking out these posts. I think I clocked somewhere around 7500 words on all the bowl games. I think it’s a fairly thorough recap of what you need to know. It’s almost time for the New Mexico Bowl to kickoff.

Happy holidays, and enjoy the games. JB

“Nothing changes…on New Year’s Day.”–Bono

Check out Bono’s mullet from the Dortmund concert in 1984. That thing is a piece of work. The 80′s were a good decade because you could sport a mullet and leather pants and you were a rock star. Bono changed with the times, and that turned out well.

As for you, we’ve reached the midway point in the bowl season. When you wake up on New Year’s Day, you’re going to be way up, way down or close to even in your college picks. Should this be a time to deviate from the system? I’m the wrong person to ask. Just keep riding the underdogs and the SEC. You’ll be ok. If you are just now checking out the bowl picks, scroll down for Part I, Part II and Part III.

Also–there is a surprise extra bowl that I wasn’t aware of. The good folks at EagleBank (no space please) were waiting on the outcome of the Army/Navy game to decide if they were going to extend an invite to a crappy Army team or a crappy UCLA team. Guess who won? America won.

EagleBank Bowl–UCLA vs. Temple (Dec. 29) Line: UCLA-4

Don’t you like businesses (banks especially) that mix it up with the no space/capitalization branding technique? Alabama might have started this trend with AmSouth. We also had SouthTrust. Now we have ServisFirst (Which is a misspelling/no space/capitalization hat trick). My freelancing brand name is 25media. You can tell I’m serious because there is no space between the random numeral I chose for the name (25) and the business I’m in (media). That is six syllables, but if you hustle, you can get it out in five.

Rick Neuheisel is fired up for the EagleBank Bowl

EagleBank claims that their bowl will become “a new national tradition.” What are our other national traditions? And are they anything to be proud of? Most of our national holidays are associated with going to a shopping mall.

Maybe they are right–the UCLA vs. Temple game will be a watershed moment during a 34 game bowl season that serves as a tipping point to our collectively rediscovering a sense of national pride. For gamblers, it will (at long last) be an opportunity to pick against Temple in a bowl game.

(Quick actual gambling note: UCLA’s QB injured his shoulder vs. USC and is questionable for the game. If he can’t play a freshman will start in his place. I’m still taking UCLA).

Reason to pick UCLA: They are playing Temple.

Reason to pick against Temple: They are Temple.

Reason to watch: To cherish your nationhood.

Pick: UCLA

Outback Bowl–Auburn vs. Northwestern (Jan. 1) Line: Auburn-7.5

This game is being played obscenely early, so be sure to shake off the cobwebs and get to a television.

Northwestern has been solid this season. They have some great wins, and have been hot as a firecracker down the stretch. Naturally, pick Auburn in this one.

Reason to pick the Aubs: SEC.

Reason to pick against NW: Big 10.

Reason to watch: You’re awake.

Pick: Aubs

Capital One Bowl–LSU vs. Penn St. (Jan. 1) Line: Penn St. -3

I’m sure I speak for everyone by sending a big “Thank You” to Capital One for their “What’s in your wallet?” ad campaign. There are usually funny Vikings involved. And now you can put photos of your kittens on your credit card. That should help provide a distraction when you’re thinking about the crippling amount of debt you are under, or how much you hate the representatives of Capital One that talked you into increasing your credit limit. And they haven’t even eliminated the space between “Capital” and “One.” What a bunch of assholes.

And to top it off, there is no way to effectively pick this game. No way you can feel good about taking a team coached by Les Miles. Under any circumstances. You’d feel better about Penn St, but they lost to both good teams that they played (they did beat Northwestern, if you are in a charitable mood).

Can you really trust this man?

After rallying to beat Arkansas in overtime, I guess you can make a case that LSU is motivated and possibly excited about the game. Penn St might feel slighted by the BCS snub. And the “always take an SEC underdog regardless of the circumstances” applies. Anyway, please note my ambivalence about this pick.

Reason to pick LSU: You are determined to hate yourself.

Reason to pick Penn St: Nostalgia for Todd Blackledge’s “Taste of the Town” segment.

Reason to watch: Always sunny in Florida, makes you angry that you live in a cold weather town.

Pick: LSU

Konica Minolta Gator Bowl–Florida St vs. West Virginia (Jan. 1) Line: Florida St. -1

I’m vaguely familiar with the “bizhub” which is the product that you’ll see advertised approximately 430 times during this particular game. I thought it was more than a printer, but apparently it’s just a printer. I’m sure there is an angry discussion board on the internet where interns get together to make obscene complaints about the bizhub. I’m sure it’s good reading.

Kudos to the Gator Bowl for passing over teams that haven’t underachieved this season to select Florida State and their octogenarian coach (and Birmingham native) Bobby Bowden. In a related story, they sold all the tickets to the game.

Don't bet against Noel Devine

Here’s how this game breaks down: Florida State has not played well against two types of teams: ones that run the ball well (see, Clemson and Georgia Tech) and teams with athletic quarterbacks that are minor headcases (see Miami). Their defense has been beyond bad. Their offense has been explosive at times, but with Christian Ponder out, look for sputtering to occur. They don’t need sputtering, because, as I just mentioned, their defense is bad. Oh, and did I mention they are breaking in new defensive coaches for the game?

Reason to pick West Virginia: No turmoil, great running back.

Reason to pick FSU: Inspiring performance in tribute for the best of the coaching Bowdens

Reason to watch: Noel Devine might get 300 yards rushing.

Pick: West Virginia

Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi–Oregon vs. Ohio St. (Jan. 1) Line: Oregon-3.5

I like that the Rose Bowl took themselves so seriously that they gave Citi second billing as the “presenting” sponsor. Sportswriters and old people are excited because this game features the Big 10 Champion vs. the Pac-10 Champion, without interference from the BCS (which sportswriters and old people also hate). The reason this game is called “the grandaddy of them all” is because it’s likely that your grandfather is the only one who remembers why this game is relevant.

Look, I don’t know what you got for Christmas, but you got a gift here. I was momentarily chafed when I saw that the line was Oregon-35, because I would have had to think about this pick for a while. But the line was Oregon -3.5 which is like God asking the question, “Do you like free money?”

Old people have a fondness for parades.

I could break down all the reasons to pick Oregon in this big, important game. Oregon beat the common opponents and Ohio State lost to them (USC and Purdue). Oregon has a better offense and defense. Jim Tressel hasn’t won a big game since the Maurice Clarett era. Come on, this is easy.

Reason to pick Oregon: Every conceivable reason.

Reason to pick against Ohio St: Every conceivable reason.

Reason to watch: It’s the grandaddy of them all. They have a parade in the morning. It’s an American tradition, like the EagleBank Bowl.

Pick: Oregon

Allstate Sugar Bowl–Florida vs. Cincinnati (Jan. 1) Line: Florida -10.5

What a crappy game. Florida is going to win. You could make a case that thinks Florida will lack motivation, but I have to think that the team is going to rally around the entire nation making fun of Tim Tebow crying on the sidelines of the SEC Championship.

Cincinnati’s best chance to win is to get Mardy Gilyard free in the secondary. Unfortunately, Florida has a shutdown corner in Joe Haden. What else does Cincy have? Not enough. Their defense hasn’t had to tackle an angry Tebow yet either.

And as a bonus, we get those commercials with the two idiots tailgating. Thanks Allstate.

Reason to pick Florida: One of these SEC picks isn’t going to work out, but not this one.

Reason to pick Cincinnati: Their coach quit on them? Not as much talent? Best player is matched up with a future NFL corner? Not a lot to like here.

Timmy Tim Tebow Time...

Reason to watch: It’s Tebow’s last game. Let’s try to remember the good times. Not the times when he was knocked around by Alabama’s defense. Not those times. Don’t think about those times.

Pick: Tebow

That wraps up the New Year’s Day Bowls. A couple of quick picks from the Jan. 2 games before we get to Part v, the finale of the Bowl Pool Extravaganza. It’s been a good ride so far. I’d like to thank the 8 people who’ve taken the trip with me.

International Bowl–South Florida vs. Northern Illinois (Jan. 2) Line: South Fla-4.5

Weird week for Jim Leavitt, one of the players alleged that he choked him. Then the dad of the player came out and called for Leavitt to be fired. Then the dad eased up and said maybe he didn’t choke him. Also, they have to travel from South Florida to Toronto. Not a good holiday season for the Bulls.

Anyway, your choices here are the fifth best team from the MAC or the sixth best team from the Big East. Good luck. Why are they playing this game?

Pick: South Florida

Papajohns.com Bowl–South Carolina vs. UCONN (Jan. 2) Line: South Carolina -4.5

The Magic City is happy to have y0u in town for the Papajohns.com Bowl. Historic Legion Field is the site for all of the exciting action. They used to play important football games there.

This actually might be a good game. I like the Uconn coach, he’s done a great job keeping his team together after the loss of Jasper Howard. The win at Notre Dame was great to watch, and not just because it was Notre Dame losing. I might even go to this game if it’s above 12 degrees.

Pick: South Carolina

Thanks for playing at home, kiddos. Now get back to work. JB

Are you going all out for New Year's?

Remember in your 20′s when New Year’s Eve was an excuse to wear a costume, drink way too much, take taxis all over a strange town and wake up with the worst hangover of the year? I loved everything about New Year’s in my 20′s. These days? I’m going to enjoy some social intercourse with friends and get to bed at a reasonable hour. I’ll probably watch one of these football games.

Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl–Houston vs. Air Force (Dec. 31) Line: Houston-4

There are no compelling reasons to pick Air Force in this game. The line opened at Houston -7 and has mysteriously dropped. This is probably because Houston is the closest we have come to watching what it would be like if a real team was being controlled by a 13 year old playing a football video game. That 13 year old would throw the ball on every play, pile up ridiculous stats, pay no attention to defense, and then win games by allowing at least 40 seconds on the clock to drive down the field in three plays and win by a touchdown. I watch Sportscenter, and that is how every Houston game works out. Air Force has been in every game (including losses to Utah and TCU) but finally got torched by Max Hall and BYU. I think that happens again.

Keenum will be a hero to nerdy teenagers in next year's college football video games.

And after a slate of pizza chains and tourism destinations as corporate sponsors, nice to see Bell Helicopters and the Armed Forces team up for a truly masculine sponsorship. I’m probably going to do some push ups during halftime of this one.

Reason to pick Houston: Case Keenum will be the best QB in NCAA Football 2010.

Reason to pick Air Force: Refs in the Armed Forces Bowl will defer to our servicemen.

Reason to watch: To embrace the testosterone rush.

Pick: Houston

Brut Sun Bowl–Oklahoma vs. Stanford (Dec. 31) Line: Oklahoma -8

It’s good to see the Brut corporation is still around. Is it still a requirement that every teenager has a stick of Brut deodorant in his gym locker? Growing up in the 1980′s was great, especially when hitting puberty meant that you got an electric razor and a stick of Brut deodorant. Welcome to manhood.

Good luck figuring out Oklahoma. They should win this game by 30 points. But they have lost to every decent team they’ve played this year: BYU, Miami, Texas, Nebraska. And they lost to Texas Tech, who aren’t decent. The only quality win was beating an overrated Oklahoma State team.

Something is wrong with them, and it goes beyond not having Sam Bradford. I’ll take my chances with Stanford. Ordinarily, Bob Stoops would figure out a way to outcoach the opponent and he doesn’t have that luxury in this game. Stanford isn’t good, but if you’re getting 8 points you can feel ok about them.

Are you a Brut man?

Reason to pick Stanford: Toby Gerhart does enough to keep it close.

Reason to pick against Oklahoma: Utter lack of motivation.

Reason to watch: Nostalgia for the musky scent of Brut deodorant.

Pick: Stanford

Texas Bowl–Navy vs. Missouri (Dec. 31) Line: Missouri -6

These new bowl games aren’t even coming up with titles any more. It’s just “The (Corporation) Bowl” or “The (Tourism Board) Bowl.” What happened to local produce, flora or culture determining the name of the game? We don’t even make an effort any more. The New Mexico Bowl could be the “Jalepeno Bowl.” Or the St. Petersburg Bowl could be the “Octogenarian Bowl.” The Papajohns.com Bowl in Birmingham could be the “Decaying Infrastructure Bowl.”

In fairness, the Texas Bowl actually sounds like a decent bowl game. Unfortunately, these teams aren’t very compelling. Missouri found a way to lose to Nebraska early in the season and kind of hit the skids. Navy lost to Hawaii. Let’s repeat that last sentence. Navy lost to Hawaii.

Reason to pick Missouri: They have not lost to Hawaii.

Reason to pick against Navy: They have lost to Hawaii.

Reason to watch: Your TV is broken and for some reason is stuck on the random channel that is broadcasting this game.

Pick: Mizzou

Insight Bowl: Iowa State vs. Minnesota (Dec. 31) Line Minn -1.5

I have some insight into this game: it’s going to be painful to watch. The Insight Corporation has sponsored this bowl for some time now. No idea what they do. Quick trip to their website (insight.com) reveals that they sell computer hardware and software. At good prices. Hope that helps. Too bad this game is played after Christmas when you could have used that info to save money on your computer gifts.

I’m going to be honest: I don’t know anything about either of these teams. One of the drawbacks of arranging 33 bowl games is that you end up having to offer bids to Iowa State and Minnesota.

I scanned the ESPN preview page and I can’t figure out why Minnesota is favored. Iowa State runs the ball well, otherwise the teams look identical. This is an easy pick really. Take the underdog and take the team that isn’t in the Big 10.

Reason to pick Iowa State: Not in the Big 10.

Reason to pick against Minnesota: They are in the Big 10.

Reason to watch this game: There are no sharp objects in your immediate vicinity that allow you to gouge your eyes out.

Pick: Iowa St.

Chick-Fil-A Bowl–Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee (Dec. 31) Line: Va Tech -5

If you’re like me and enjoy some quality self-loathing, watching three hours of advertising with the Chick-Fil-A cows is a brutal way to start 2010. This ad campaign has to be considered a success by every conceivable indicator: awareness, recognition, and the fact that it is despised by the vast majority of the public. Chick-Fil-A is actually rated as the healthiest fast food restaurant, their stores are usually clean, the employees are friendly. The insipid advertising keeps me away. When they parachute into the stadium to attack the hamburger vendor, I get frustrated and angry.

There are really no reasons to include a photo of Layla Kiffin here.

Anyway, I’m not even looking at stats on this game. Virginia Tech is a decent team but they haven’t played anyone in the past month. Monterio Hardesty is the best back they’ve seen since Mark Ingram. And anytime you get an SEC team as an underdog…(I do think that you could make an exception since Kiffin is dealing with a lot of distractions about this hostess recruiting scandal. But I think the team rallies around the coach to play with some level of motivation.)

Reason to pick UT: Monte Kiffin can stop Va Tech’s marginal offense.

Reason to pick Va Tech: They aren’t dealing with NCAA allegations.

Reason to watch: You’ve had a frontal lobotomy and find the cow advertising amusing.

Pick: UT

Hope you have an enjoyable, safe, and disease-free New Year’s Eve and make some powerful resolutions that make 2009 a distant memory. I’m pulling for you. Coming soon: the Jan.1 bowl games. Happy gambling, America.

This gambling session brought to you by F. Dostoyevsky

“At that point I ought to have gone away, but a strange sensation rose up in me, a sort of defiance of fate, and a desire to challenge it, to put out my tongue at it. I laid down the largest stake allowed-four thousand gulden-and lost it. Then, getting hot, I pulled out all I had left, staked it on the same number, and lost again, after which I walked away from the table as though I were stunned. I could not even grasp what had happened to me.” Fyodor Dostoevsky, The Gambler

Are you ready for Round 2? I know what you’re thinking. Who’s going to win the Little Caesar’s Bowl? I’m glad you asked.

Little Caesar’s Bowl–Ohio vs. Marshall (Dec. 26) Line: Ohio -4

Little Caesar’s is still around?

I have a problem picking 6-6 teams in bowl games. I’d feel a lot better about Marshall if they hadn’t lost by 30 to an ugly UTEP team. Also, Marshall is breaking in a new coach. And it won’t be Matthew McConaughey.

This man is not coaching.

Reason to pick Ohio: Coached by Frank Solich, who is old.

Reason to pick against Marshall: Not coached by Matthew McConaughey.

Reason to watch this game: No reason.

Pick: Ohio

Meineke Car Care Bowl–Pitt vs. UNC (Dec. 26) Line Pitt-2

Is George Foreman still involved with the Meineke corporation? UNC seems to always plays in this game. Which is smart. They always sell tickets, it’s the day after Christmas when no one is doing anything (except spending gift cards. Have you seen the growth in the gift card industry? Why can’t we just start writing our friends and family checks?).

Anyway, Pitt might have gone to a BCS Bowl if their kicker had made an extra point. Did you see the photos of the team crying in the tunnel after they lost to Cincinnati? They made Tim Tebow look composed.

UNC has a pretty vanilla offense. Their defense is solid. They’re playing at home. They have a better coach. Pitt has left the building.

Reason to pick UNC: The ACC always wins this game.

Reason to pick Pitt: Wannestadt’s stache is a thing of beauty.

Reason to watch this game: You need a break from using all of your giftcards.

Pick: UNC

Emerald Bowl–USC vs. BC (Dec. 26) Line: USC-7

My first reaction when I saw that USC is a 7 point favorite in this game? I wanted to hit someone. They shouldn’t be favored against anyone. I wish that Joe McKnight had changed his mind at the last minute and gone to Alabama. Can you imagine a team with McKnight, Ingram and Trent Richardson? I mean, that team would be good. Unfortunately for McKnight, he chose to go to USC. And they are bad.

Anyway, BC isn’t a very good team. They have much less talent. They have to fly across the country to play in this game. But they are going to play like the game actually matters.

Wouldn't you rather be at Alabama, Joe McKnight?

I don’t think USC is going to care. This is hard. Pac 10>acc (the conference doesn’t deserve caps). USC talent>BC talent. BC’s motivation>USC’s motivation.

When in doubt, take the underdog.

Reason to pick USC: They have a better team.

Reason to pick BC: They are probably going to win the game.

Reason to watch: Always enjoyable watching USC lose.

Pick: BC

Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl–Kentucky vs. Clemson (Dec. 27) Line: Clemson-7.5

Quick: take Kentucky. Don’t think about it. Just do it. Clemson just lost to South Carolina. I know you don’t want to pick Kentucky. I am begging you. Just do it. Randall Cobb and Lindley are great players. You won’t regret this. It’s the SEC vs. the acc. I know Clemson has Spiller and he’ll have 352 all purpose yards in the game. But this is a slam dunk. Do it. Stop reading this and click Kentucky.

Reason to pick Kentucky: They are going to win outright.

Reason to pick against Clemson: They are not going to win.

Reason to watch this game: To see which haggard country music star performs at halftime.

Pick: Kentucky

Advocare V100 Independence Bowl–Texas A&M vs. Georgia (Dec. 28) Line: Georgia-7

The good people of Shreveport always find a compelling corporate sponsor for this game. This year, Advocare wants to sell you their health and nutrition products, namely the V100 multivitamin. Which is a good sponsor. If you’re watching the Independence Bowl, you are probably asking yourself some hard questions, regretting some of the 15,000 calories you’ve taken in over the past three days, and maybe thinking about taking some positive steps in cleaning up the mess that is your life. How about a V100 multivitamin? 100 pills for $59.99 (plus shipping). They’re endorsed by Wes Welker. Look it up.

Advocare--helping you get off your candy ass

Anyway, the SEC makes this pick easy. Just take Georgia. Their defense is bad, but Rene Curran should shut down the scrambling QB for A&M. And UGA’s defense isn’t as bad as A&M’s.

Reason to pick UGA: In memory of UGA VII.

Reason to pick A&M: In memory of being able to stop an offense.

Reason to watch: To learn more about Advocare’s fine products.

Pick: UGA

Champs Sports Bowl–The U vs. Wisconsin (Dec. 29) Line Miami-3

Am I the only one who has that song they use in the “30for30″ campaign documenting the 1980′s Miami teams stuck in my head? “The U, it’s all about the U!”…I mean, you can’t write about the U without that song going through your head.

Wisconsin played in this game last year and were beaten soundly. The ACC has won this game for 5 years in a row. Unfortunately, Miami is Headcase U. Remember when Jacory Harris was the leading Heisman candidate?

Remember when I said to take the underdog? That rule doesn’t apply to the Big 10.

Reason to pick Miami: It’s all about the U.

Reason to pick against Miami: It’s no longer really about the U.

Reason to watch: To see which team took advantage of the numerous theme parks in the greater Orlando area.

Pick: Miami

Roady’s Humanitarian Bowl–Bowling Green vs. Idaho (Dec. 30) Line: Bowling Green-1

I know what you’re thinking: I haven’t heard of Roady’s. They are actually the nation’s largest chain of truck stops. Sounds like a chafe you develop on a car trip: “I’ve got a terrible case of the roadies.”

Anyway, boring sponsor, boring game. Played in the coldness of Boise on the blue field. If you watch this game for any extended period of time, start asking yourself some tough questions. Maybe Roady’s will inspire you to take on a life on our nation’s highways. Just you, some beef jerky, satellite radio, and a long stretch of road. You can make some positive changes in your life. And Roady’s will be there for you, even if you get a case of the roadies.

The holidays wouldn't be complete without a boring game from the blue field of Boise stadium...

I could give you some good reasons why Bowling Green is going to win. But I could do a lot of things.

Reason to pick Bowling Green: MAC is better than the WAC.

Reason to pick against Idaho: “Vandals” is actually the name of their mascot, but they didn’t earn it like Lane Kiffin’s team.

Reason to watch: To finally make some positive choices in your life.

Pick: Bowling Green

Pacific Life Holiday Bowl–Nebraska vs. Arizona (Dec. 30) Line: Arizona-2.5

Two big name programs, trying to get back to prominence. A big insurance company as the sponsor. This is what college football should look like. Get your damn popcorn ready. It’s Ndamajdkdlai Suh’s last game for crying out loud.

The coaches on these teams are both loud, overbearing lunatics. Conferences are even, slight edge to the Pac-10. You know Nebraska’s defense is great and their offense is terrible. It’s Suh’s last game. Unfortunately for Suh, Arizona doesn’t care about running. Their quarterback is decent. They won’t beat themselves and they should win.

Reason to take Arizona: They aren’t terrible

Reason to take Nebraska: Suh

Reason to watch: To see if the broadcast team creates a “Suh vs. Shamu” segment at SeaWorld in San Diego.

Pick: Arizona

Aight, that takes it to the New Year’s Eve games. Part III will kick off with the Bell Helicopters Armed Forces Bowl. Get prepared. JB

Alabama is heading to the BCS Championship

It really is the most wonderful time of the year.

33 bowl game between Dec. 19th (the New Mexico Bowl) and Jan. 7th (CITI BCS National Championship).

Most offices have some kind of office pool. With the recession, most of you don’t have time to diligently research all of the games. Luckily for you, I don’t have a job (speaking of, I have an MA…If your HR person needs anyone, I’m generally available). The following is a methodical, scientific breakdown of the 66 teams vying for sainted glory this postseason. How good am I at picking the bowls? Not very good actually. But I’ve learned some lessons over the years:

1. Look out for the underdogs in the bowls.

These games are usually pretty even, and the big lines usually don’t get covered. The favored team also is rarely motivated, and the underdog wins outright with regularity. I could look up some supporting data on this, but you’ll have to trust me. When in doubt, take the underdog.

2. The SEC knows what they are doing.

Look, you’re going to point to Alabama’s loss to Utah last year and use that to thwart this analysis. I could write an entire blog post on that game, and how we were screwed from the start (basically, their NFL defensive end vs our rebuilt OL=problem. And the Alabama defense was built to stop the run, which wasn’t a problem for Utah, since they don’t run. And our midget defensive backs had trouble with their receiver who was 6’9″–look, there were a lot of red flags with that game.)

Last year the SEC was 6-2. The year before? 7-2 .The year before that? 6-3. If you’ve got an SEC underdog in a bowl, that’s your pick. Don’t think too hard. In the last week of this season, two middle tier SEC teams (South Carolina and Georgia) beat the two teams playing for the ACC Championship (Clemson and Georgia Tech). And stop thwarting me.

3. Look out for coaches/coordinators moving to other schools.

Think it’s hard to do your job when your wife is hectoring you about decorating your new house and you’re negotiating a contract? Devising a game plan probably doesn’t get the attention that it should. Of course, trying to figure out who is more focused between Brian Kelly (probably going to Notre Dame) and Charlie Strong (definitely going to Louisville) should be fun.

is this man really worried about Florida? courtesy of photoben27 on flickr

4. Motivated teams usually play better.

See Alabama, above. Does Florida want to play against Cincinnati? Is Oklahoma ecstatic about the Brut Sun Bowl? I have a theory about cold weather teams playing in warm climates. Basically, they are so happy not to be in cold weather that they don’t focus on football. Doesn’t that sound like a great theory? Do I have any stats to back that up? Of course not.

All right. 33 picks. You can’t go 33-0 without nailing the New Mexico Bowl.

New Mexico Bowl–Fresno St. vs. Wyoming (Dec. 19) Line: Fresno -10.5

I haven’t watched a ton of football this year. But I watched Fresno St play Boise St. Fresno RB Ryan Mathews had 19 carries for 245 yards and 3 touchdowns. Which is absurd, especially considering Oregon couldn’t run against Boise at all, frustrating Legarrette Blount so badly that he punched a guy, harassed fans, threw a trident and basically threw away his entire playing career.

TCU ran all over Wyoming. Betting against the Mountain West is usually a mistake, but Fresno is going to score a lot of points and Wyoming will not. Don’t get carried away with the double digit favorites, but this one isn’t close.

Reason to pick Fresno: Ryan Mathews.

Reason to pick against Wyoming: their uniforms are an eyesore.

ugly unis cost you every time

Special thanks to the state of New Mexico for bringing us this game. Looking forward to checking out the advertising the good people at the New Mexico tourism board are putting out for 2010.

Pick: Fresno St.

St. Petersburg Bowl–Rutgers vs. Central Florida. (De. 19) Line: Rutgers-2.5

The city of St. Petersburg welcomes two fairly mediocre teams to the Sunshine State. If you are watching this game and you aren’t gambling on it, I don’t know what to tell you. Other than you are a true football fan. Or a member of the St. Petersburg tourism board.

Central Florida is coached by George O’Leary, who would probably be coaching at Notre Dame right now if he hadn’t lied on his resume 8 years ago (from wikipedia: “O’Leary claimed that he had earned a master’s degree from “NYU-Stony Brook University,” a non-existent institution.”). He could have saved the Golden Dome from the embarrassment of the Charile Weis era. I hope someone from Notre Dame ends up reading this paragraph.

Rutgers has an ugly loss to Syracuse on its schedule. The loss to West Virginia is forgivable–it was in the snow at WV. But you can’t lose to Syracuse. UCF lost to Southern Miss, which is kind of forgivable, and it was early in the season.

Reason to pick UCF: they’re the underdog, basically playing a home game

Reason to pick against Rutgers: lost to a terrible Syracuse team.

Reason to watch this game: you are a degenerate gambler.

Pick: UCF

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl–Southern Miss vs. MTSU (Dec. 20) Line: Southern Miss -3.5

If nothing else, this bowl game lured me onto the R+L Carriers website. They apparently handle any shipping, freight or logistic concern you might have. And they sponsor a NASCAR driver. Not bad for a business that I’ve never heard of. I like that this is a hybrid destination/corporate sponsored bowl. If you start to get bored with international logistics ads, out of nowhere…BAM, it’s Emeril’s fat face on your high-def TV. Laissez les bon temps rouler…

OK, I really want to pick MTSU. I actually watched a little of one of their games, and the QB is a little bit of a headcase. They are in the weaker conference. And Southern Miss lost to UAB. Which is really inexcusable. UAB might have had 12 passing yards in the game.

But Southern Miss is the pick. They beat Troy in this game last year, and MTSU is the second best team in the Sun Belt.

Reason to pick Southern Miss: Better conference, basically a home game.

Reason to pick against Southern Miss: They aren’t a very good football team.

Reason to destroy your furniture if you actually wager on this game: When Southern Miss wins by a field goal.

Pick: Southern Miss

MAACO Las Vegas Bowl–Oregon St. vs. BYU (Dec 22) Line: Oregon St. -2

'Quizz!

This looks like a football game. If you haven’t watched Jaquizz (you can call him ‘Quizz) Rodgers, well, you’re about to.

Interesting note: this is the 5th straight year BYU has played in the Las Vegas Bowl. So they should know their way around. But how funny is it that 100 Mormon college kids have to go to Las Vegas? Strip clubs! Gambling! Booze! You’re in college! Except that you’re Mormon. Enjoy your hotel pool.

This is a coin flip. Oregon St. shouldn’t have lost that game to USC. But I can’t get past the BYU loss to Florida State. That looks ugly on a resume. There are a lot of reasons to pick BYU in this one, especially their quarterback is probably going to be in the NFL. Oregon St. shakes off some late nights, remembers that they’re in the Pac-10 and wins by a field goal.

Reasons to pick Oregon St: Coach Mike Riley played for the Bear. The Rodgers are the best brothers on the same team in college football that aren’t the Pounceys.

Reason to pick BYU: Well rested/not hungover.

Reason to watch: What else are you doing?

Pick: Oregon St. wins with a late field goal

San Diego Poinsettia Bowl–Utah vs. Cal (Dec 23) Line: Cal-3

I don’t like what Cal has done this year. I have a strong anti-Cal bias. Utah has won 8 bowl games in a row. Jahvid Best is coming back from a scary concussion. They have a common opponent: both teams lost to Oregon. But Utah made it a game.

I’m not wasting time on this. Cal could play the best game of the season and surprise me. Whatever.

Reason to pick Utah: They don’t lose bowl games.

Reason to pick against Utah: Cal occasionally shows up for games.

Reason to watch: I like it when bowls are named after non-corporate inanimate objects. I miss the Bluebonnet Bowl.

Pick: Utah

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl–Nevada vs. SMU (Dec. 24) Line: Nevada -14

Nevada is the leading rushing team in the nation. SMU nearly beat Navy, the second leading rushing team in the nation. And they beat UAB, who basically runs all the time. I don’t see Nevada covering 14 points here. Although, as an Alabama fan, I owe Nevada’s Coach Ault a big thanks for the “Pistol” formation, which has been the key to Alabama’s offense this year.

Reason to pick SMU: June Jones makes his triumphant return to Hawaii.

Reason to pick Nevada: the Pistol is smoking.

Reason to watch: it’s Christmas Eve. What are you going to do, talk to your family?

Pick: SMU

Six bowls down, 1500 words. Part II coming tomorrow. 27 bowls to go.

Polls close at 7pm. Get out and vote.