In 2011, Penn State became the most recent football program to be added to the list of schools that have been rocked by scandal.  Not all the scandals that have taken place over the years have been as serious as what went on at Penn State, but it is still an alarming trend that only seems to be going up.

Since 2000, there have been a number of football programs that have violated NCAA rules in a wide variety of ways. MTV’s Clutch Blog has created this outstanding map that breaks down each school’s scandal, the severity, and the penalties that they received.   A lot of prestigious college football programs are on this map and it just goes to show that if you are not cheating than you are not trying.

Click to enlarge in new window.

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Update: Thanks to Twitter, this post caught the attention of Gatorade president Sarah Robb O’Hagan (@SarahRobbOh). She enjoyed our rundown of the funniest Gatorade baths ever, and she also sent me the wall mural from Gatorade’s headquarters with some of their favorite Gatorade baths of all-time. It’s very cool. You’ll see it at the end of the post.

The Gatorade bath is a tradition like few others in sports.

After most monumental wins in football – specifically Super Bowls, national championship games, especially important and/or meaningful bowl games, or season-ending victories over hated rivals – such a celebration can be expected. The tradition began with the New York Giants in the mid-1980s and continues into today with no signs of slowing down.

While the sentimental among us enjoy the Gatorade bath because it symbolizes the triumph of a team of men on the field of athletic battle and the ultimate moment of shared jubilation and respect between coach and player, I enjoy Gatorade baths for a far different reason.

Pictures and videos of them can be laugh-lout-loud hilarious.

So here is my personal ode to the Gatorade bath, with the 28 funniest Gatorade baths of all-time, presented in no particular order other than saving the best ones for last.

Bob Stoops

Image source: AP Photo/LM Otero via Boston.com

Urban Meyer

Image source: SBNation

Nick Saban

Zombie Ken Whisenhunt

Image source: Revenge of the Birds

Kirk Ferentz

Image credit: AP Photo/Lynne Sladky via Boston.com

Jim Tressel

Image credit: Photo by Harry How/Getty Images via The Part Time Jock

Image source: Eleven Warriors

Gary Patterson

Joe Gibbs

Image source: Here

Tony Dungy

Image source: Stock Lemon Blog

Bill Parcells

Image credit: Peter Read Miller/SI via Hot Clicks

Greg Schiano

Image source: Today’s ACC Headlines

Image credit: Dill/AP via NY Daily News

Steve Spurrier

Image source: Eric Campos via GoGamecocks.com

Dave Doeren

Image credit: Andrew Weber-US PRESSWIRE via Chicago Tribune

Some Confused Ohio Bobcats

Mike McCarthy

Image source: Here

Cito Gaston

Image source: The National Post

Bill Curry

Image source: MTV.com

Rick Stockstill

Image credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images via Boston.com

Frank Beamer

Image credit: Phil Coale/AP via Statesman.com

Image source: Boston.com

Eric Mangini

Les Miles

Image source: Here

Image credit: A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images via MTV.com

Image source: SECTalk.com

And I saved the best image last…

Marty Schottenheimer…like a boss

But no Gatorade shower can or will ever be quite as funny as the one in this video, all things considered.

Guy Morriss

Update: Actually, I was mistaken. I’m not quite sure how I forgot about one of my favorite Gatorade bath pictures of all time, but I did. Thankfully, loyal Tweeters like @jimkanicki are here to remind me of the error of my ways. For goodness sakes, this pic is the background of Spencer Hall’s Twitter page!

Here is the great Howard Schnellenberger (the man who laid the foundation at The U, for those too young to remember) being doused by his team at Florida Atlantic.

Random thought: I suppose I should change the number in the title to 29 considering that there are technically now 29 images and videos with the addition of the Schellenberger picture, but since one of the pics is an elephant peeing on Les Miles, we won’t count that as a Gatorade bath.

Update: And here is the picture of the mural at Gatorade HQ sent to me by Sarah Robb O’Hagan:

Here is the picture, and then in true Paul Harvey style…the rest of the story.

Image source: Shirts With Random Triangles

Admittedly, when I first saw the billboard I thought it was just an unfortunately timed photo that some 40-something marketing person didn’t realize had an entirely different and lascivious meaning. It wasn’t until Robert Crowe posted the picture in our MSF Facebook group, and then Josh Tinley – as he is wont to do – let us know about the actual origin of this hand gesture as it relates to Houston sports, that the billboard choice finally made sense.

Here is the basic summary, via Wikipedia, plus the “graphcial representation” of the Cougar Paw:

The Cougar Paw is a popular hand sign used by University of Houston students, faculty, alumni, and athletics fans to represent camaraderie and support. The Cougar Paw tradition was adopted through several athletics events between the University of Houston and the University of Texas.

The first time UH played Texas in American football was in 1953. Since this was their first meeting, members of Alpha Phi Omega—the service fraternity in charge of taking care of Shasta I, the university’s mascot—brought her to the game. During the trip, Shasta’s front paw was caught in the cage door and one toe was cut off. At the game, several Longhorn players saw what had happened and began taunting UH players by holding up their hands with the ring finger bent, suggesting the Cougars were invalids. Texas went on to win this game 28–7. UH students had been using the victory sign as a hand signal up to that time, but began using the bent-finger sign as a reminder that they would remember the taunts.

The Cougars didn’t play the Longhorns again until 1968. With UH fans holding up the new sign of Cougar pride, UH played UT to a 20–20 tie. They didn’t meet again until 1976, the first year UH was a member of the Southwest Conference. In front of a record crowd at Texas’ Memorial Stadium, UH defeated UT 30–0–a rout that signaled the beginning of the end for legendary Texas coach Darrell Royal. This solidified the use of the Cougar Paw as a tradition.

So there you have it, the rest of the story. Case Keenum is not giving “the shocker” sign to a female in the stands. He’s just showing his Cougar pride.

The story of the Cougar Paw certainly makes the billboard choice much more understandable, though you wonder how many conversations went back and forth considering the unintended interpretations. The Cougar Paw even shows up on the Wikipedia page for the shocker hand gesture.

Final verdict: the University of Houston is vindicated. They have been using this hand gesture his 1953, which I have to assume is far, far earlier than “the shocker” hand gesture earned the stature it has today.

The NCAA decided to cite Ohio State “for failure to monitor, preferential treatment and extra benefit violations,” which got them a postseason ban for one year. Not only will they not be allowed to participate in postseason play next season (including Big Ten championship game) but the NCAA also slapped them some additional penalties as well. Ohio State was placed on three years’ probation and a must give up nine scholarships in that amount of time.

People surrounding the Ohio State football program were stunned that they got such a harsh penalty, but with their history of breaking the rules they received the proper punishment.

* – Jim Tressel and Terrelle Pryor photo credit: Bleacher Report

Ohio State Infractions

Here is part of the NCAA report that that illustrates some of the infractions by Ohio State (a complete transcript of the NCAA public infractions report can be found here).

According to the facts of the case, eight football student-athletes received more than $14,000 in cash payments or preferential treatment from the owner of a Columbus, Ohio, tattoo parlor. In addition to free or discounted tattoos and cash for memorabilia received by these student-athletes, one football student-athlete received a loan and discount on a car.

The committee also found the former head coach concealed these NCAA violations when he was notified of the situation, which led to his unethical conduct finding.

Of great concern to the committee was the fact that the former head coach became aware of these violations and decided not to report the violations to institutional officials, the Big Ten Conference or the NCAA, the committee stated in its report.

Specifically, the committee noted that the former head coach had at least four different opportunities to report the information, and his failure to do so led to allowing several football student-athletes to compete while ineligible. Many of these student-athletes were key contributors to the team’s winning 2010 season.

Ohio State had realized that there had been some violations of NCAA rules and decided to give themselves a self-imposed punishment on their football program.  This self-imposed punishment included vacating all of their wins from 2010, including the Sugar Bowl, and two years of probation.  The only problem with Ohio State’s self-imposed punishment was that it did not include a postseason ban or loss in scholarships, which are key components for punishments that arise due to violating NCAA rules.

There were many violations of NCAA rules that occurred at Ohio State under Jim Tressel, and incidents go as far back as 2002 with Maurice Clarett. Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith also violated NCAA rules with his “$500 dollar handshake”, which got him suspended for the Alamo Bowl in 2004 and the first game of the season in 2005.

Proper Punishments

With the culture of violating NCAA rules that had surrounded the Ohio State football program, the NCAA issued the proper punishment for them. The sanctions might have been a bit harsh for Ohio State’s liking, but with their history of breaking the rules, they needed some type of action to prevent this from happening again.

There are numerous football programs that have made headlines by violating NCAA rules, and these stories have dominated the news over the past few years. This is a problem that has been plaguing college football, and the NCAA had to step in and make an example of a program.

Hopefully this incident will help continue to clean up college football, and hopefully players will think twice about their actions towards accepting improper gifts. Players, coaches, and boosters should now realize their actions can have major effect on a football program.

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Mike Leach has held nothing back from the public since being fired at Texas Tech and continues to insist that Craig James’ smear campaign against him is what cost him his job. Leach even went as far as to write a book that gave some insight into some of the falsehoods by Craig James and his son that caused Texas Tech to fire him.

Leach has moved on since Texas Tech by becoming the head football coach at Washington State but he still has no problem taking verbal jabs at the person he perceives got him fired.

* – Mike Leach photo credit: via The Washington Post

Here is the transcript of what Mike Leach had to say about the incidents that took place with Craig James on the Scott Van Pelt Show.

“Obviously the smearing and the passing along of misinformation definitely had a chilling effect. I think also as the information’s come out, everybody’s seen my position is entirely accurate, I think that’s clarified a lot of things. But when you have a national broadcaster, I think we all know who I’m talking about — he thinks he’s going to be senator — dissatisfied with his son’s playing time and used ESPN as a platform to fire a sitting head coach, then hired a PR firm before he even complains about everything, obviously there’s going to be some negative information passed around. It’s all proven to be false and I think the majority of people see it that way. I think that it’s all turned out well, but it’s unfortunate that I had to squander two years of my career just for kind of selfish personal interests.”

Once Mike Leach began to tell his side of the story and depositions from his law suit became public knowledge, many people started to believe that he was wronged by Craig James and Texas Tech. James used his status as an ESPN personality to attempt to decimate Leach’s character, which caused James to be extremely disliked among college football fans.

Craig James is planning to run for a seat in the U.S. Senate and most college football fans hope he wins so they no longer have to hear him on ESPN. He is so disliked that there is a common hashtag on Twitter, #firecraigjames, which can be seen in abundance every time he appears on people’s television sets.

In the eyes of the public, Mike Leach came out on top and Craig James’ attempt to ruin his name backfired and caused him to became one of the least-liked personalities at ESPN. James was never reprimanded by ESPN for his actions that ultimately caused the college football fans to loathe him.

Even with all the controversy (I don’t like BCS system either) I still love the experience of hanging out with family and watching teams duke it out for bragging rights. It’s also a great look into how potential high draft picks perform in high pressure/high stakes games.

Are there bowl games that are going to be more entertaining than others? Of course, but I really recommend you to try to watch as many of them as possible.

Enjoy the games and enjoy the holidays.

2011 College Football Bowl Game Schedule

TV Schedule – Kickoff Times – Point Spreads

As the NFL season digresses, there will be more firings to come and many teams will  look to the college game for potential head coaches.  It didn’t take long for the rumors to begin about the next possible head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs being from college, as Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz was mentioned as a candidate to replace Todd Haley.  Kirk Ferentz will not be the only name tossed out there but other coaches from the college game will be floated around for NFL coaching jobs as well.

Because a coach has a lot of success in college does not always mean it will translate at the next level. More often than not former college coaches do not achieve greatness – or even just goodness – in the NFL.

* – Nick Saban photo credit: via The Palm Beach Post

Every team that hires a college coach is trying to capture the success of Jimmy Johnson and Barry Switzer from the nineties.  These two coaches went from coaching college to the NFL and won Super Bowls for the Dallas Cowboys.  Barry Switzer would be the last college-to-NFL coach to win a Super Bowl in 1995 for the Cowboys, and before that his predecessor Jimmy Johnson did the same thing, winning two.

Since then, many top notch college coaches have tried to carry their success from college to the NFL and have failed.  One coach that sticks out among this group is Bobby Petrino, who left Louisville to coach the Atlanta Falcons and quit before the NFL season ended.  Petrino stepped down in his first season as head coach in Atlanta after only 13 games and returned to coaching college football at Arkansas the following year.

Since the nineties, none of the college-to-NFL coaches could ever crack the code to becoming elite at the next level and most were quickly removed from their duties.  Many of these coaches were great in college yet mediocre in the NFL.  Here is a list of some of the top college coaches that have gone to the NFL and their records:

• Bobby Petrino Louisville – Atlanta Falcons (2007) 3-10
• Nick Saban LSU – Miami Dolphins (2005-06) 15-17
• Dennis Erickson Miami – Seahawks (1995-98), 49ers (2003-04) 40-56
• Steve Spurrier Florida – Washington Redskins (2002-03) 2-20
• Butch Davis Miami – Cleveland Browns (2001-05) 24-35
• Mike Riley Oregon – State San Diego Chargers (1999-2001) 14-34

None of the coaches on this list had a winning record in the NFL. All were forced to go back to coaching college football.

Bobby Petrino and Nick Saban have not skipped a beat since coming back to the college game. Both immediately got back to their winning ways from before they left for the NFL.  Petrino’s Arkansas Razorbacks have been ranked in the top 10 all season long and Saban is taking Alabama to the national championship game.  The Ol’ Ball Coach (Steve Spurrier) has also gotten back to becoming one of the top coaches in college football as he has turned the South Carolina program around after his short NFL career.

Currently Jim Harbaugh and Pete Carroll are the two former college coaches now in the NFL and trying to change the trend set by their peers in the past.  It is hard to tell if Harbaugh and Carroll will be elite coaches in the NFL because they have not been there long enough since being removed from college football to properly judge them. Both do seem to be off to a good start as Carroll went to playoffs in his first year and Harbaugh will be heading there this season.

It has been two decades since the last the college coach made the jump to the NFL and won a Super Bowl.  Any NFL team that wants to hire a college coach to lead their franchise had better think twice because history is not on their side when it comes to success.

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Nick Saban is not a nice person.

These two things are givens. There is no reasonable argument to make against either.

And just in case you weren’t convinced about the second one, all you need to do is read this post at Sports by Brooks to be convinced. Here is the gist, as Brooks recounts what Heath Evans told to Jorge Sedano on 790 The Ticket in Miami:

Jeno James, our best offensive lineman at the time, comes in and collapses after practice, uh, vomiting all kinds of stuff that would make a billygoat puke, eyes rolled in the back of his head. Myself, about four other lineman are trying to carry him from the locker room, to the training room. 

Obviously it’s a moment of panic, everyone, you know, we don’t know if this guy’s, you know, gonna die, I mean, the whole deal. But he’s so big and sweaty and heavy that we actually have to set him down in the hallway between the locker room and the training room.

Nick Saban literally just starts walking in, steps over Jeno James convulsing, doesn’t say a word, doesn’t try to help, goes upstairs, I don’t know what he does. But then obviously they get Jeno trauma-offed to the hospital.

Saban calls a team meeting about 10:30 that night, comes down and says, ‘You know, the captain of the ship can never show fear or indecision, we’ve always gotta have an answer, and so I had to go upstairs, that’s why I walked over Geno like that, I had to collect my thoughts and decide what’s best for our team.’

That’s Nick Saban for you: he’ll win tons of football games (college anyway) but step over convulsing players in the process.

And this got me thinking…

If he could come in from a 3-hour long practice in the scorching heat of south Florida and step right over a player who is convulsing and puking with his eyes rolled back in his head, what wouldn’t Nick Saban step over?

With just a little bit of Internet sleuthing, I was unable to uncover some other curious step-over decisions made by Saban.

Remember when Alabama wide receiver Tyrone Prothro fractured his tibia and fibula? Mike Shula was the coach then, but Saban was there to step right over Prothro (presumably to show leadership and collect his thoughts).

It seems that Saban has a history of stepping over football players who are suffering from terrible injuries.

Remember when Eric LeGrand of Rutgers was paralyzed? There was Saban, showing not one sign of fear nor indecision.

For the record, I felt a little bad including this one, considering the seriousness of LeGrand’s injury, but it does offer me the opportunity to link to this article about how the inspiring LeGrand is fighting every day to walk again. Every time I see LeGrand on TV, with his positive attitude despite these horrific circumstances, I gain more and more admiration for the kid. So yes, I feel bad including this image here; but if it gets one or a few of you to go read up more on this amazing young man, and if it further sensationalizes how big of a jackass Saban is, then I can live with myself.

Moving on now, how about Little Nick Saban jogging right over a helpless young girl who has crashed on her skateboard?

And then there was that time when Saban stepped over Turd Ferguson while walking alone in a field of Bermuda grass.

Of course, later that day, while still walking in the barren field of grass, Saban came upon an old man who had fallen. Did Saban stop to help the old man? Not a chance.

NO FEAR!

And in another example of Saban-style leaderhsip, the Nicktator also encountered infamous child molester Jerry Sandusky with the kid from Up.

Did Saban even consider stopping? Hell no.

He continued on, probably to collect his thoughts and decide what the appropriate course of action would be.

Nick Saban is the captain of the ship folks. Why would he stop?

Like that time the Titantic was sinking. Did Captain Saban stop to offer a helping hand? Nope, he just did what he’s always known he could do: walked on water and got the hell out of there.

And the thing with Saban is that not only will he not stop, you can barely even distract him.

Hell, there can be riots going on and an ironic meme-ready hookup happening right in front of him, but Saban will just step right over and walk on by.

Not even history can stop Nick Saban.

When everyone in the White House was sitting on pins and needles waiting for Osama bin Laden to be brought to justice, Saban leapt up, stepped over the President, and crunched Hilary Clinton’s laptop.

Why? He had to go upstairs. Or something.

Heck, Saban is such a megalomaniacal, football-focused “leader” that he couldn’t even be bothered to help Zack talk Jesse Spano out of taking more uppers.

She may have been “so excited” but Saban wasn’t about to show even the slightest hint of fear or indecision. What would Slater have thought?

Oh, and then there was that one time when Saban stepped over Drew Brees and his injured shoulder…

Oops.

I guess he didn’t take enough time to collect his thoughts on that one.

For the record, as someone who grew up cheering for the Miami Dolphins, and thus suffered through the insufferable Saban Era in Miami, this was a thoroughly satisfying post to write.

Go LSU.

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Image source: Alternate Crop

While I’m sure there are cases to be made for Stanford, Boise State, and maybe even Oregon, only 2 teams have a realistic chance to finish second: Alabama and Oklahoma State. Voters should put the Cowboys ahead of the Crimson Tide for 2 reasons: quality of wins and strength of schedule.

Much has been made of the quality of Oklahoma State and Alabama’s losses. Alabama’s sole loss came at the hands of #1 LSU, in overtime. Oklahoma State lost to unranked, 6-6 Iowa State (albeit on the road, in double overtime). Less has been made of the two team’s wins.

Consider the following:

• According to Sagarin, Oklahoma State has six wins over top 30 teams, including two top 10 wins. Alabama has only two top 30 wins and one top 10 win.
• Oklahoma State beat seven FBS teams with winning records; Alabama beat three.
• Oklahoma State had to face all nine of the other teams in the Big 12. Alabama avoided playing the 2 best teams in the SEC East, Georgia and South Carolina.
• Alabama played a late-season game against an FCS opponent. Oklahoma State played all 12 of its games against FBS teams.

While Alabama’s win over Arkansas may be more impressive than any of OSU’s wins (although Sagarin has Oklahoma ahead of Arkansas), the Cowboys have three wins—Oklahoma, Kansas State, and Baylor—that are more impressive than Alabama’s second best win (Penn State).

If you follow the old Bilas maxim, “Who’d you play? And who’d you beat?” Oklahoma State gets the edge. The Cowboys played a stronger schedule and have better wins than the tide.

Tebow causes hysteria among football traditionalists because of his unorthodox (read: bad) throwing mechanics and the Broncos’ need to create a simplified option offense for him to be successful.  Conversely, his uncanny leadership abilities and penchant for performing at his absolute best in the most important moments has convinced many that he will be a success simply through hard work, will power, and a positive attitude.

By virtue of his devout Christianity, Tebow inspires intense conversations about the role of faith in sports, and that is a dividing factor amongst many fans. Right or wrong, many people’s judgements of Tim Tebow the football player, are forged from their opinions of Tim Tebow the person.

Plus, let’s face it – there are legions of people who want to dislike Tebow simply for the success he had experienced and his seemingly perfect life.  And then there are people (me included, at times) who just like to go against the grain for the sake of staying off the bandwagons of the sports world.

Though we can argue for days about Tebow’s long-term prospects as an NFL quarterback and whether his overt displays of his faith should have a place in our sports experience, there is no doubt that Tebow is a very talented, very charismatic guy.  He seems like a truly nice person who does his best to lead the best personal life he can.  With that in mind, I decided to simultaneously poke a little fun and honor the character and football acumen of one Timothy Richard Tebow.

Here are the Top 10 Tebowest Moments of Tim Tebow:

10. Florida Pulls Tebow From Consideration for Playboy’s All-American Team

Prior to the 2008 season, Tebow had already won a national championship and a Heisman trophy.  Naturally, he was a part of almost every preseason awards list, and when Playboy magazine solicited the University of Florida to include Tebow on their own preseason All-American list, the school informed the infamous nude magazine that Tebow would not accept the honor and the corresponding function in Phoenix that all team nominees are invited to.

Florida didn’t even ask Tebow about whether he wanted on the ballot; they simply knew that his Christian beliefs were in conflict with an affiliation with Playboy.  He later said that he agreed with their choice.

That Florida was so certain that Tebow would not want his name associated with Playboy and that he wouldn’t attend the gathering in Phoenix is a testament to Tebow making his beliefs very clear.  I’m sure many other athletes who consider themselves Christians still attended the event, but Tebow remained steadfast and made the public realize that he was completely genuine about his faith.

I mean, what 21-year old dude is willing to pass up a chance to be invited to a Playboy function?

9. “Tebow Bill” Gains Traction in Multiple States

As a homeschooled high school student, Tebow ignited debate about whether homeschooled children should have the opportunities to participate in sports for their local public school teams.  In 1996, the state of Florida passed a law allowing this, provided players played for the team in the district in which they live.

Since 2007, when Tebow’s story of his own homeschooling (and his moving into an apartment with his mother in order to play for a different school than the one nearest his home) was broadcast to the masses on ESPN’s “Outside the Lines,” the states of Alabama and Kentucky have began similar legislation, in both cases nicknamed the “Tebow Bill.”

Tim Tebow even changes laws.  Not too many quarterbacks can say that (at least for positive law changes).

8. Tebow and the Broncos’ Futility vs. the Detroit Lions

It seems like quite a while ago that Tebow’s future as an NFL starting quarterback was being declared over by all the naysaying experts in the media. Given the magnitude of Tebow’s failures against the Lions this season, it’s understandable why those concerns were voiced.

Back on October 30, Tebow was sacked 7 times, threw and interception that was returned for a touchdown and fumbled for another Detroit defensive score in a 45-10 home loss to Detroit.  Completing just 18 of 39 passes, Tebow’s critics had a field day decrying his inability to lead a pro offense.  The day’s embarrassment was capped off by Detroit’s Stephen Tulloch “Tebowing” – more on that later – in celebration after one of the sacks.

That day encapsulated the conundrum that is Tim Tebow.

Just a week removed from a terrific comeback victory in his first start of the season (more on that later, too), Tebow had exhibited the attitude and leadership necessary to be a winner in the NFL, and had also proven that his unique dual-threat style can work.  Against Detroit though, it looked as if he was entirely incapable of playing in the NFL.

7. “Tebow Rule” – Messages on Players’ Eye Black Outlawed in NCAA Football  

Not that Tebow was the only to do this, but last year players wearing messages painted on their eye paint were told to discontinue the practice.  Tebow was the most notable to do this, often painting “John 3:16″ under his eyes, including during the 2009 national championship game, so the rule was nicknamed the “Tebow Rule,” despite the NCAA’s insistence that it was not enacted solely because of Tebow.

So far we’ve had a law changed and a NCAA uniform rule implemented, plus a stance against a major adult magazine.  I told you this Tebow fella inspires strong discourse on a variety of subjects off the football field.

6. Tebow Acknowledges the “Tebowing” Phenomenon via Twitter

When “planking” and “owling” ran their mercifully short courses as trends, “Tebowing” was next.  T

ebowing became an  internet sensation after Denver’s improbable, Tebow-led victory over Miami October 23.  The practice involves fans taking pictures kneeling in prayer a la Tebow at the end of games.

A few days into the craze, Tebow acknowledged the gestures on Twitter, including a picture of a young child who had undergone chemotherapy Tebowing.  Usually, the subjects of Internet trends don’t get too involved with them, but Tebow, being the sincere person he is, took it in stride and even made his detractors admit that his positive influence on people is something special.

Here is the picture and the tweet:

5. Tebow’s First Comeback Win in the NFL

The day after Christmas last year, the legend of Tim Tebow as a pro quarterback began in earnest.  Against the Houston Texans, the 3-11 Broncos trailed 17-0 at halftime.  Tebow’s first home start in the NFL wasn’t exactly going well.

But in a narrative that has become very familiar to NFL fans today, Tebow rallied his team, and Denver outscored Houston 24-6 in the second half, capped by Tebow’s 6-yard touchdown run with 3 minutes left to put the Broncos ahead.

4. Tebow Wins Despite Completing Only 2 Passes

Tebow’s Broncos (yes, by this point the team was Tebow’s, at least in spirit and attitude, whether John Elway wanted to admit it publicly or not) beat the Kansas City Chiefs November 13, despite Tebow throwing only 8 times and completing only 2.  One of those, though, was a 56-yard touchdown throw to Eric Decker, which would prove the difference in the 17-10 win.

I know the Chiefs are a pretty terrible team, but to allow a team to beat you when you know pretty much exactly what they are going to on every play is inconceivable.

Then again, when you’re dealing with Tim Tebow, a lot of things seem inconceivable, but they happen anyway.

3. Super Bowl Pro-Life Commercial Featuring Tebow

During Super Bowl XLIV, Tebow appeared in two ads for a group called Focus on the Family that featured himself and his mother and touched on the struggles Mrs. Tebow went through in carrying and delivering Tim.  The back story is that her doctor advised her to have an abortion while she was pregnant with Tim, and obviously she refused.

2. The Onslaught of 2011 Comeback Wins

Ok, so this isn’t really one moment, but it was hard to choose just one of these games.  In 2011, Tebow has rallied the 6-5 Broncos to within a game of the AFC West lead, and he has done it largely by executing late game comebacks to win games.  Sometimes slow starters, the Broncos, and Tebow specifically, have shown an uncanny ability to keep their hopes alive and make big plays when needed.

In contrast to the Detroit shellacking, Tebow has engineered 4th quarter comebacks against Miami, Oakland, the New York Jets, and San Diego.  None of the games featured especially spectacular stat lines (although he did run for 117 yards against Oakland), but they all resulted in wins for Denver.

1. Tebow’s Speech After Losing to Ole Miss in 2008

To me, this is the definitive Tim Tebow moment.

This captures his leadership qualities, his attitude, and his sheer desire to win.

A visibly shaken Tebow delivered this speech following the Gators’ loss to Ole Miss, and you can’t mistake his passion and will to make good on the promises he made.

Of course, we know what happened next; the Gators won their final 10 games and beat Oklahoma in the national championship game, giving Tebow his second national title and making him arguably the most decorated college football player ever (1 Heisman, 2 championships).  Even if you dislike Tebow, it’s tough to watch this video and not wish that players on your favorite team shared his passion for winning.

There are the top 10 “Tebowest” moments of Tim Tebow, at least according to me. But Tebow has plenty more than just 10, and I’m sure you all have others that are worthy of inclusion.

Use the comment section to post stories, pics, and videos, and let’s make this the Tebowest blog post ever about Tim Tebow.

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Follow me on Twitter @keithmullett

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Image credits: awfulannouncing.com, the majors.net, wnd.com, twitter.com/timtebow, 6magazineonline.com

So settle down, relax, and get ready for another great weekend of college football.

As always, we begin with some of the marquee games to pay attention to this week and then the entire rundown of the college football TV schedule and point spreads for Week 14.

College Football TV Schedule and Point Spreads for Week 14

Marquee Games for This Week – Saturday, December 3rd

No. 22 Texas at No.  17 Baylor

• Texas-Baylor Date: Saturday, December 3rd
• Texas-Baylor Kickoff Time: 3:30pm
• Texas-Baylor TV: MTN
• Texas-Baylor Spread: Baylor -3

Complete TV Schedule and Point Spreads – Saturday, December 3rd

Things will look a little differently than in years past as the Pac 12 and the Big Ten will play their first conference championship games.  The Big 12 might not have a championship game, but they have one of the best matchups this week as Oklahoma State tries to keep their national championship dreams alive against Oklahoma.

Here are the point spreads and picks, as well as relevant information, for this weekend’s top games.

College Football Picks and Spreads for Week 14

December 2

Pac-12 Championship Game: UCLA (6-6) v #9 Oregon (10-2)

• UCLA-Oregon spread: Oregon -32
• UCLA-Oregon over/under 65.5

The Pac 12 gets their first annual conference championship game underway on Friday night with a UCLA team that should not be playing for a title against Oregon.  The Bruins are playing in this game by default because of the issues that have recently surrounded USC football program.

Oregon comes into this game as heavy favorites and should be able to win this game with ease for a birth to the Rose Bowl.   UCLA heads into this game with no momentum after being defeated 50-0 by their cross town rival USC last week.  At this point in the season everyone knows how good Oregon’s offense is and UCLA does not have the defense to stop them.  The Bruins have the 87^th ranked scoring defense and teams are averaging over 30 points per game against them.

Normally I would stay away from a spread this high with two teams from the same conference playing each other but in this game I will the exception.  Oregon is at home for this game and I see them winning by a bunch so that is why I am going to lay the points.

• UCLA-Oregon spread pick: Oregon -32

December 3

SEC Championship Game: #14 Georgia (10-2) v #1 LSU (12-0)

• Georgia-LSU spread: LSU -14
• Georgia-LSU over/under 46

After losing their first two games to start the season, the Georgia Bulldogs have not lost since and currently have a 10-game winning streak.  LSU has played many teams that people thought could  pull off the upset against them and the Tigers have won those games convincingly.

The defense is the backbone for LSU and they have the #2 ranked scoring defense in the country giving up only 10.5 points per game.  If the Bulldogs want to pull off this monumental upset then they are going to have a big game from quarterback Aaron Murray (2,698 YDS, 32 TD, 10 INT and 155.4 RTG).  It will be tough against this LSU defense but if Georgia can find a rhythm on offense than they should be able to stay in the game.

This point spread seems very high since this game is played at the Georgia Dome, which will essentially be a home game for the Bulldogs.  Nearly all the bets being placed on this game are on Georgia and I going to go with the masses as well.

• Georgia-LSU spread pick: Georgia +14

Big Ten Championship Game: #15 Wisconsin (10-2) v #13 Michigan State (10-2)

• Wisconsin-Michigan State spread: Wisconsin -9.5
• Wisconsin-Michigan State over/under 54.5
• MSF: Big Ten Championship Game Preview

The Big Ten couldn’t have asked for a more appealing matchup in their first ever conference championship game as the last time these two teams met Michigan State won on a Hail Mary.  Wisconsin has a lot to prove in this game and a win will send them to the Rose Bowl for the second straight season.

Wisconsin is the best team in the Big Ten, and if weren’t for two fluke losses they would be in the mix to play in the national championship game.  Montee Ball (1,622 YDS, 6.5 YPC and 34 TD) has been amazing this season and in the Badgers first meeting with Michigan State, he ran for 115 yards on 18 carries.  If Ball has a big game, don’t be surprised if he becomes the favorite to win the Heisman.

I think Wisconsin wins this game but this spread is a little too high for comfort and I am going take Michigan State with the points.

• Wisconsin-Michigan State spread pick: Michigan State +9.5

ACC Championship Game: #20 Clemson (9-3) v #5 Virginia Tech (11-1)

• Clemson-Virginia Tech spread: Virginia Tech -7
• Clemson-Virginia Tech over/under 52.5

Virginia Tech comes into this game as the favorites even though their only loss of the season came to this same Clemson team at home.  Virginia Tech has won seven straight and Clemson is struggling down the stretch losing 3 of their last 4.

Virginia Tech’s defense has been great all season long giving up just 15.5 points per game and will need to have another quality performance if they want to win this game.   Clemson has a very good offense averaging over 30 points per game despite struggling the past two weeks.  Clemson has been held to under 14 points in their last two games and they have too many weapons on offense to have this happen for a third straight week.

The Hokies are playing their best football right now and Clemson looks like they are falling apart.  I like Virginia Tech to win this game by two scores and that is why I am going to lay the points in this game.

• Clemson-Virginia Tech spread pick: Virginia Tech -7

Bedlam: #10 Oklahoma v #3 Oklahoma State

• Oklahoma-Oklahoma State spread: Oklahoma State -3.5
• Oklahoma-Oklahoma State over/under 74

If Oklahoma State still wants a chance to play in the national championship than they have to win this game.  Normally it is Oklahoma State looking to knock off Oklahoma, but this season it is the Sooners that have a chance to play spoiler.

Both of these teams are in the top ten in almost every statistical category on offense and they can put a lot of points on the board.  Oklahoma and Oklahoma State average over 40 points per game and this game has the potential to be a shootout.

These defenses have had their struggles all season long, and in this game it is a safe bet that the score board is going to light up a bunch.  I like both offenses to score over 40 and that is why I am going to take the over in this game.

• Oklahoma-Oklahoma State over/under pick: over

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* – SEC Championship Game photo credit: via SEC Digital Network

This week we have a number of important matchups that will help determine who goes BCS bowling after the season. So settle down, relax, and get ready for another great weekend of college football.

As always, we begin with some of the marquee games to pay attention to this week and then the entire rundown of the college football TV schedule and point spreads for Week 13.

College Football TV Schedule and Point Spreads for Week 13

Marquee Games for Thanksgiving Week – Saturday, November 26th

No.3 Arkansas at No. 1 LSU

• Arkansas-LSU Date: Friday, November 25th
• Arkansas-LSU Kickoff Time: 2:30pm
• Arkansas-LSU TV: CBS
• Arkansas-LSU SpreadL: LSU -11.5

I’ve worked retail, and as someone who has seen both sides of the chaos known as “Black Friday” I can tell you that there are few places I’d rather avoid than the massive lines and crowds of deal-obsessed customers in stores this weekend.  Instead, I’ll be plopped on my couch watching some of the interesting matchups the NCAA has to offer as the conference races wind down.

Here is a look at every nationally televised game we’ll have to watch, starting with the hugely consequential Arkansas-LSU game and then going in chronological order of kickoff time.

Black Friday College Football Schedule

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#3 Arkansas at #1 LSU

• Arkansas-LSU Date: Friday, November 25th
• Arkansas-LSU Kickoff Time: 2:30 PM EST
• Arkansas-LSU TV: CBS
• Arkansas-LSU Point Spread: LSU -13
• Arkansas-LSUOver/Under: 52

Arkansas-LSU Preview:

Now this is what I’m talking about.

As a midwesterner (hence my writing for Midwest Sports Fans), I do get sick of the domination of the SEC in football, but this game has potential to be great. Most media members have assumed LSU’s ticket to the national championship game is a foregone conclusion, but Arkansas presents a solid challenge.

Averaging nearly 40 points per game, and with a loss to Alabama in Tuscaloosa as their only blemish, Bobby Petrino’s dynamic Razorbacks will attempt to unseat the top-ranked Tigers.

Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson has thrown for 3,215 yards and 21 touchdowns to lead the pass-heavy Arkansas offense.  He will certainly face a test and the freakish LSU defense will be in his face all afternoon Friday.

With one of the toughest, most hostile home fields in all of sports, it wil be fun to watch the Tigers try to cement their status further as the nation’s best team.

Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois

• Eastern Michigan-Northern Illinois Date: Friday, November 25th
• Eastern Michigan-Northern Illinois Kickoff Time: 11:00 AM EST
• Eastern Michigan-Northern Illinois TV: ESPNU
• Eastern Michigan-Northern Illinois Point Spread: Northern Illinois -19.5
• Eastern Michigan-Northern Illinois Over/Under: 64.5

Eastern Michigan-Northern Illinois Preview:

This game has MAC championship implications as NIU (8-3, 6-1 MAC) enters tied with Toledo for tops in the MAC West.  NIU will bring their high-powered offense (41.5 points per game, 9th in FBS) into this one, and former Michigan defensive coordinator Ron English, now the head coach at Eastern Michigan, will have his hands full trying to stop it.

NIU’s Jasmin Hopkins needs just 159 yards to join Huskies quarterback Chandler Harnish in the 1000-yard club this season.

Louisville at South Florida

• Louisville-South Florida Date: Friday, November 25th
• Lousiville-South Florida Kickoff Time: 11:00 AM EST
• Lousiville-South Florida TV: ESPN2
• Lousiville-South Florida Point Spread: South Florida -3
• Louisville-SouthFlorida Over/Under: 43

Louisville-South Florida Preview:

Despite being only 6-5 overall and 4-2 in Big East play, Louisville is still in the thick of the race for the Big East title.  They have allowed over 30 points only once this season (35 to West Virginia), so they will lean on their defense on the road in this one.

If South Florida quarterback B.J. Daniels can’t play due to a right shoulder injury, the Cardinals will have a good chance to pull the (slight) road upset.

Lousiville hasn’t won in South Florida in their last 4 trips.

Iowa at #21 Nebraska

• Iowa-Nebraska Date: Friday, November 25th
• Iowa-Nebraska Kickoff Time: 12:00 PM EST
• Iowa-Nebraska TV: ABC
• Iowa-Nebraska Point Spread: Nebraska -9.5
• Iowa-Nebraska Over/Under: 53.5

Iowa-Nebraska Preview:

Nebraska will be happy to be back in Lincoln after getting pummeled 45-17 in Ann Arbor.  The Huskers are eliminated from the Big Ten championship race, but they still have bowl position to play for.

Iowa will try to win their third straight game, as they have beaten Purdue and Michigan the last two weeks.

For Nebraska, watch for Rex Burkhead (1108 yards, 14 touchdowns) to try to get back on track after struggling last week.  For Iowa, expect steady doses of Marcus Coker (1297 yards, 14 touchdowns) and receiver Marvin McNutt (1240 yards and 12 touchdowns).  Coker and McNutt are among the most talented rushing/receiving combos in the Big Ten.

Boston College at Miami

• Boston College-Miami Date: Friday, November 25th
• Boston College-Miami Kickoff Time: 3:30 PM EST
• Boston College-Miami TV: ABC
• Boston College-Miami Point Spread: Miami -14.5
• Boston College-Miami Over/Under: 44

Boston College-Miami Preview:

If you’re in the mood for some mediocre ACC football, this game is right up your alley. Miami, plagued by off the field issues and under a self-imposed bowl ban, will host the Eagles, who have struggled mightily on offense this season.

Miami senior quarterback Jacory Harris will lead the Hurricanes in the final home game for the recruiting class of 2008.  That class, under then-head coach Randy Shannon, was considered one of the best in the nation, but the Canes have largely underachieved during that span, with Shannon being fired and replaced by Al Golden as head coach.

Pittsburgh at West Virginia

• Pittsburgh-West Virginia Date: Friday, November 25th
• Pittsburgh-West Virginia Kickoff Time: 7:00 PM EST
• Pittsburgh-West Virginia TV: ESPN
• Pittsburgh-West Virginia Point Spread: West Virginia -7
• Pittsburgh-West Virginia Over/Under: 57

Pittsburgh-West Virginia Preview:

West Virginia will already know their Big East chances by the time the game starts, as they need a Louisville loss to South Florida to be able to win the conference.  They hold the advantage over Rutgers and Cincinnati by virtue of head-to-head wins over both, but their loss to Louisville has them unable to fully control their own destiny.

For Pittsburgh, this game will be tough.  They lost starting running back Ray Graham to a season-ending knee injury two weeks ago.  They will now rely on Zach Brown (269 yards, 4 touchdowns) to lead their offense, along with quarterback Tino Sunseri (2037 yards, 9 touchdowns passing).

The Mountaineers have been fantastic on offense, with quarterback Geno Smith tallying 3497 yards and 24 touchdowns so far.  West Virginia averages nearly 40 points per game, so Pittsburgh will have a tough time slowing them down.

This game will be extremely interesting if South Florida handles Lousiville early in the day.

California at Arizona State

• Cal-Arizona State Date: Friday, November 25th
• Cal-Arizona State Kickoff Time: 10:15 PM EST
• Cal-Arizona State TV: ESPN
• Cal-Arizona State Point Spread: Arizona State -5.5
• Cal-Arizona State Over/Under: 53.5

Cal-Arizona State Preview:

To finish out a long day of college football, we have a matchup between two middle of the pack, yet bowl-eligible Pac-12 programs.

The Golden Bears come into this one having narrowly lost to #9 Stanford last week.  Cal’s Isi Sofele (1121 yards, 8 touchdowns) will try to chew up the clock and keep Arizona State’s potent passing offense, led by Brock Osweiler (3377 yards, 21 touchdowns) off the field.  Arizona State, meanwhile, will try to snap a 3-game losing streak and finish the regular season on a positive note.

So, there you have it.  If you’re not out shopping this Friday, you know what your football viewing options are.

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Follow me on Twitter @keithmullett

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Image credits: thekartel.com, kansas.com, seattletimes.com, draftpartyblog.com, zimbio.com

(And just in case you were wondering how America came to this annual tradition of football on Turkey Day, Josh Tinley breaks it all down right here.)

Use this guide as a preview for your day of football viewing and to all of our Thanksgiving Day football content here at MSF.

Thanksgiving Day Football Guide

The first football game on the Thanksgiving Day slate is the Lions and Packers in Detroit. The undefeated Packers will be trying to move to 11-0 while the Lions will be looking for a signature win to legitimize their turnaround.

Here is all of the basic info for Packers-Lions, along with Amanda Lawson’s preview.

Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions Game Info

• Packers-Lions Kickoff Time: 12:30 PM EST
• Packers-Lions TV Network: FOX
• Packers-Lions Sirius: 92 (GB) | 86 (DET)
• Packers-Lions Announcers: Joe Buck and Troy Aikman
• Packers-Lions Point Spread: Packers -5.5
• Packers-Lions Over/Under: 55
• MSF: Packers-Lions Preview and Prediction

Next on the schedule is the annual game in Big D. This year it features a rematch of one of the more memorable Thanksgiving Day games in NFL history, the infamous “Leon Lett Game”, as Miami visits the House that Jerry Built to take on Tony Romo and the Cowboys.

Dallas is riding a three-game winning streak and is in first place in the NFC East. The Dolphins have begun winning ever since their schedule eased up and they decided to not just hand games away.

Here is all of the basic info for the Dolphins-Cowboys game, plus a link to Keith Mullet’s comprehensive NFL Thanksgiving Preview that breaks down this game, as well as to Kurt’s highly entertaining preview that harkens back to the most infamous play in Thanksgiving Day football history.

Miami Dolphins at Dallas Cowboys

• Dolphins-Cowboys Kickoff Time: 4:15 PM EST
• Dolphins-Cowboys TV Network: CBS
• Dolphins-Cowboys Sirius: 92 (GB) | 86 (DAL)
• Dolphins-Cowboys Announcers: Jim Nantz and Phil Simms
• Dolphins-Cowboys Point Spread: Cowboys -6.5
• Dolphins-Cowboys Over/Under: 44
• MSF: Dolphins-Cowboys Preview and Prediction

After the fun is done at Jerry World, the nation’s eyes remained fixated on the Lone Star State as the day’s only college game kicks off.

Texas and Texas A&M have played every year on Thanksgiving for a long, long time, but this annual tradition will be coming to an end, at least for a while, at the conclusion of this year’s edition. That’s because the Aggies are headed to the SEC. Needless to say, the stakes are pretty high this year even if both teams are down, as neither wants to end the series as a loser.

Here is everything you need to know for this game, plus a link to Robert Crowe’s outstanding preview.

Texas v Texas A&M Game Info:

• Texas-Texas A&M Kickoff Time: 8:00 PM ET
• Texas-Texas A&M TV: ESPN
• Texas-Texas A&M Point Spread: Texas A&M -7.5
• MSF: Texas-Texas A&M Preview and Prediction

And finally, the nightcap comes, and it doesn’t kick off too long after the Longhorns and Aggies get going at Kyle Field.

It’s the 49ers against the Ravens in Baltimore, aka “The Harbaugh Bowl” because it pits the brothers Harbaugh, Jim and John, against eachother on the same field.

While that would be compelling in and of itself, the fact that these are two of the best and most physical teams in the NFL ensures that everyone who can fight through the tryptophan to stay awake will be rewarded with some entertaining football.

Here is everything you need to know about this game, including a link to Steve Kubitza’s very well done preview.

San Francisco 49ers at Baltimore Ravens

• 49ers-Ravens Kickoff Time: 8:20 PM EST
• 49ers-Ravens TV Network: NFL Network
• 49ers-Ravens Sirius: 92 (SF) | 86 (BAL)
• 49ers-Ravens Announcers: Brad Nessler and Mike Mayock
• 49ers-Ravens Point Spread: Ravens -3
• 49ers-Ravens Over/Under: 39
• MSF: 49ers-Ravens Preview and Prediction

And that’s it…for Thursday.

But that doesn’t mean that the football fun is done for the weekend; oh no. It’s actually just starting, because while many people will be fighting lines and crowds on Black Friday, those smart enough to stay at home can indulge an entertaining slate of college football games that includes LSU against Arkansas in a de facto BCS playoff game.

Once Friday’s games are over, Saturday offers a number of other tasty matchups for football fans who still haven’t had their fill. Auburn plays Alabama, Ohio State plays Michigan, Nebraska plays Iowa, and a number of other schools meet up with chief rival (including the Hoosiers and Boilers in the Battle for the Bucket). Robert Crowe previews a few of the best Saturday games here.

And then, on Sunday, the NFL gets back into the action. Earlier this week I outlined the TV schedule and spreads for each game on the Week 12 NFL schedule, as well as offered my picks for each. And if you need some fantasy football help, we of course have you covered there too.

Oh, and just in case you do get footballed out, there is college basketball as well. Four “Feast Week” tournaments will be tipping off, featuring a number of the nation’s best teams. Andy Bottoms provided a comprehensive preview of each “Feast Week” tournament here.

For those of you who just don’t care about sports at all, we also have something for you too (although I must ask why you’re on this site if you aren’t a sports lover…). The Muppets movie comes out this weekend, and to whet your appetite here are the four best Muppet Show sketches ever.

Whew.

I told you we had a lot of Thanksgiving content for you. And I edited every single piece of it, so I know that our fantastic team of writers will have you well prepared for all of the sports you’ll be consuming along with your turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie.

So now, if you’ll excuse me, I need a drink.