The National Championship Game: To Be Played on November 5, 2011

This Saturday, LSU will play Alabama in front of 102,000 of the country's rowdiest fans at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  But millions more will be watching in bars and homes all over the country.  This is not just a regular season football game.  This is a game between the top 2 teams in the SEC West, the top two teams in the SEC, and most importantly, the top 2 teams in the entire country.  I believe that this game will ultimately decide the BCS National Championship, making the actual national championship game just a celebration party for the winner of LSU-Alabama against the team that finishes #2 in the BCS.

The last time there was a game comparable to this was on November 18, 2006 when #1 Ohio State played arch-rival #2 Michigan in Columbus to end the regular season for both teams.  The game turned out to be all that it was hyped up to be, with the final score being 42-39 in favor of the Buckeyes.  Unfortunately, the weeks after caused the game to lose quite a bit of its luster.  Immediately following the game, the hot topic was whether or not the game should be replayed for the National Championship, as there were no remaining undefeated teams to challenge the Buckeyes.  When USC was upset by UCLA the final week to lose their second game of the season, the cries for a rematch between the Wolverines and Buckeyes grew louder.

When the final BCS standings were released, the one-loss SEC Champion Florida Gators edged out Michigan for the #2 spot.  Many people disagreed with the decision, believing that voters pushed a better and more deserving Michigan team out of the game, only to avoid a rematch.  The opening line for the game was Ohio St. -8 (they were favored to win by 8 points, for those not up with the sports lingo), a huge spread for a National Championship game.  Florida ended up exposing the Troy Smith led Buckeyes, 41-14.  The college football world was stunned.  After the bowl games, it looked like people should have been arguing for Florida to play LSU in the National Championship game, as LSU obliterated Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl by an identical score of 41-14, and Michigan lost to USC 32-18.  The Big 10 teams, referred to by many as the two best teams in the country, had flopped in the BCS, and it now appeared that the regular season matchup between the rivals was not worth the hype.

What would be worth the hype was the Southeastern Conference's dominance in college football.  With the beatdown of the Buckeyes, Florida kicked off what would be FIVE straight National Championships for the SEC.  Today, the SEC has proven itself to be THE elite conference in college football.

Since the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) began in 1998, the SEC is 7-0 in national championship games.  No other conference has a winning record.  Only the Big 12 can match the SEC in national championship appearances.  But the conference has only two crystal footballs to show for those seven appearances (Oklahoma in 2000 and Texas in 2005).  No argument can be made against the recent dominance of the Southeastern Conference - and this is why SEC teams are often heard chanting "S-E-C" at the end of big wins against non-conference opponents.

Through 9 weeks of college football, LSU and Alabama hold the Top 2 spots in the BCS rankings by a sizeable margin.  One of these juggernaut teams has to lose this weekend, and if history has taught us anything, the team that makes it through this cage match will be holding the crystal football on January 9, 2012.



Both coaches have championships with their current teams



So now it is time to try to predict which team will come out on top this weekend.  I'm going with LSU.  And I expect them to win by at least 10 points.

I think this is LSU's best team in recent years.  That's a bold claim considering the Tigers recent success - two national championships since 2003 from what I believe are the second and third best teams in that time period (I've got a soft spot for the 2006 team).  LSU has been tested far more than Alabama.  LSU's strength of schedule is #13 in the country - a strength of schedule that is hurt by playing Northwestern St., which should not take away from the big wins the team has.  LSU embarrassed an Oregon team (#5 total offense) who has not been challenged since.  The Tigers also stomped on current 24th-ranked West Virginia, who boasts the nation's #13 total offense.  The best offense that Alabama has played is that of #7 Arkansas, who has the #25 offense in the country.  Alabama also has only the #39 SOS in the country (compared with LSU at #13).

LSU's most unbelievable feat is being ranked at the very top of the three major human polls right now.  They started the season ranked two spots behind Alabama (#2) at #4.  It is rare for a team with the prestige of Alabama to drop in the polls without losing.  Alabama started the season with 30 total first place votes between the AP and USA Today polls (the Harris Poll does not come out until Week 7 in an attempt to let teams' résumés, rather than preseason hype, determine the rankings).  This week, Alabama remains at the #2 spot, but they only have 28 first place votes between the two polls.  LSU began the year ranked #4 in the country with only 3 total first place votes.  They can now boast 88 of the 117 first place votes between the two polls.

I have had the fortune to attend two LSU games this year (Oregon and Auburn), and this football team has passed the "eye test."  They just "look good."  The confidence that LSU plays with is remarkable.  Against Auburn, every time LSU scored (which happened a lot in the 45-10 blowout), you could see the kickoff team (full of big name players) start to excitedly get together on the sideline for what is usually thought of as a routine special teams play.  They were eagerly waiting to light the return man up.  It was almost like it was a contest on who could lay a bigger hit.  Every kickoff ended with a bang and the crowd yelling, "OOOOHHHH!"  You couldn't help but think that the Auburn return men were terrified to take the field at some point.  Here is one of the big plays from LSU freshman WR Jarvis Landry.  Out of high school, he was ranked the #4 WR in the country by Rivals.com, but on a deep LSU team, he finds the field as a big-hitting special teams player... at least for now.

The week LSU played Auburn, arguably LSU's two best players were suspended for violation of team rules (reportedly failed drug tests).  Running back Spencer Ware was leading (and still does lead) the run-heavy team in rushing yards, and cornerback Tyrann Mathieu had been receiving Heisman hype, as a DEFENSIVE player!  Before the suspensions were announced, LSU was favored by an unbelievable 24 points against the #19 team in the country.  After the announcement, the line quickly dropped to -20.  LSU easily covered, winning by 35 points!  This is the same team who became an underdog against #2 Oregon after losing their starting QB Jordan Jefferson to a suspension.  Back-up QB Jarrett Lee was able to step in and lead LSU to a huge win, 40-27.  Suspensions cannot hurt a team that has this much talent.

Alabama and LSU are two VERY similar teams.  Both teams boast big-time defenses with great running games.  Alabama RB Trent Richardson is currently one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy; his running mate Eddie Lacy is also a terror for opposing defenses.  And the LSU backfield tandem of Spencer Ware and Michael Ford (among others) is no easy task to defend either.  Alabama might have the big name, but I don't give them a big advantage if any in the running game.

I will dismiss the homefield advantage for Alabama, simply because home field has not played much of a role in the recent games between the two teams.  The home team is 3-3 in the last 6 years.

Let's take a look at the quarterbacks, as I am sure that both defenses are going to plan to force the quarterbacks to win the ball game.  This is an easy choice for me.  I'm trusting 2 senior QBs for LSU over an unproven first-year starter for Alabama.  LSU's Jarrett Lee has thrown for 13 TDs against just one interception this season, while Jordan Jefferson (former starter who still sees meaningful playing time) has thrown 2 TDs without an interception.  A.J. McCarron has thrown for 10 TDs and 3 interceptions, having a nice year for Alabama.  But he has not faced any defense close to what LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis will throw at him this weekend.

I think that LSU has the biggest playmaker on the field, and he doesn't even play on the offensive side of the ball.  Look for LSU CB Tyrann Matheiu to come up with a big forced fumble, interception, or even punt return (just about the only play he has yet to make this year).  Those big plays are what gave him the Heisman talk along with the nickname "Honey Badger."  Tyrann "Honey Badger" Mathieu takes what he wants, and this week, he wants to take away Alabama's title hopes.

This game is splitting hairs, honestly.  Both of these teams could crush any other team in the country.  It is unfortunate that these two have to play before that actual national championship.  That's the cost of playing in the SEC.  If you aren't convinced that LSU will win this game, I don't blame you.  Alabama is a great team.  But I myself will be surprised to see the Tigers lose this Saturday, and I expect them to win by at least two scores.

My final insight into why I think LSU will win is a simple pattern.  LSU won the National Championship in 2003 in the New Orleans Super Dome.  Four years later, in 2007, they won it again... in the New Orleans Super Dome (as it rotates every four years).  Well, here we are again... 4 years later... and the game is once again being played in the New Orleans Super Dome.  LSU fans often like to say, "The Dome is Home," and I'm going to agree.  I picked the Tigers to win it all in the preseason, I'm picking them to win this weekend, and I'm picking them to win it all this season (sorta rhymed, huh?).

Is Michael Jordan really the GOAT?

[I promised some playoff stuff today, but I decided this would be more fun.]

How often is it questioned that Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all-time?  Never.  Well, that is what I created this blog to do.  To question.  I love Michael Jordan.  He is the greatest scorer in the history of the NBA, but I am going to attempt to argue that he is not the best player.  Who do I have that can beat him for the prestigious position of GOAT?  Magic Johnson.

**Note - If this argument doesn't interest you, skip to the bottom, where I write about A.C. Green, a true man of God.

Let the argument begin.  I will start by looking at the championships.  MJ finished with 6 to Magic's 5.  First of all, championships are not the only argument for how great a player is.  This is why Derek Fisher isn't a better point guard than John Stockton, and Robert Horry isn't a better forward than Karl Malone, among plenty of other examples in all of sports that I won't bore you with.  Second of all, Michael Jordan played 14 seasons while Magic Johnson played 12 seasons.  I have taken away fractional seasons from each player (Magic returned for 32 games after his retirement for HIV and retired before the playoffs, and Michael played the end of a season and his Bulls were eliminated in the playoffs).  Magic had a championship rate of 41.6% (5/12) while Michael had a championship rate of 42.8% (6/14).  The two are virtually the same.  Definitely not enough to split the two.

One absolutely awesome attribute about Magic Johnson was his size.  Magic was 6-9 and 255 lbs at point guard!  This enabled him to play ANY position on the floor.  Current Clippers PF Blake Griffin is 6-10 and 251 lbs.  Magic Johnson was the size of a power forward at the point guard position!  Wait, I said power forward... you want proof that he could play the center position?  Look no further than Magic's rookie year with the Lakers.  He had helped lead his team to the 1980 Finals.  In Game 5, Lakers Center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sprained his ankle.  He was able to finish the game, but it became so swollen after the game that he did not even make the trip to Philadelphia for Game 6.  When the roster for Game 6 was released, it had none other than Magic Johnson at Center.  He started the game there and would play some of the game at all 5 positions.  He finished the game with 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists.  He was awarded the Finals MVP for his unbelievable performance.

Now let's move to MVPs.  I can very quickly point out that MVPs don't equate much to how great a player is.  Almost everyone would agree that Kobe Bryant is a better overall player than Steve Nash.  Yet Kobe Bryant only has 1 MVP to Nash's 2.  This is simply because media hype heavily equates to the MVP award.  Nash won his two MVPs when he was the hot new thing in Phoenix.  In Nash's 1st MVP season, he put up 15.5 PPG, 11.5 APG, and 3.3 RPG.  Pretty decent stats.  This last season he put up an almost identical 14.7 PPG, 11.4 APG, and 3.5 RPG.  Not only was he not even mentioned for MVP, the guy did not even make the All-Star game.  In 2005, when Nash won his 2nd MVP, Kobe Bryant averaged 35.4 PPG, 4.5 APG, and 5.3 RPG.  That is one of the greatest statistical seasons of all-time, yet Nash was awarded his second consecutive MVP.  Michael Jordan finished with 5 MVPs to Magic's 3, but for the reasons I have stated in the Bryant-Nash case, I would like to look at the actual stats.

First, let's remember the ratio that was used with championships.  Jordan won the MVP in 35.7% of the seasons he played.  Magic won the MVP in 25% of the seasons he played.  Magic is one MVP away from having almost the same ratio.  I would nominate him for MVP in the 1981-82 and 82-83 seasons when he almost averaged a triple double (18.6 PPG, 9.5 APG, and 9.6 RPG and 16.8 PPG, 10.5 APG, and 8.6 RPG, respectively).  Steve Nash's first MVP season doesn't even come close to the season Magic had.  Magic was not even named 1st-team NBA that year.  A lot of this had to do with his youth, it being only his 3rd year in the NBA.  Moses Malone won the MVP both of these years, and he was not nearly as well rounded, only averaging 1.3 and 1.8 assists, respectively.

Finally, let's get to the actual statistics.  Nobody could score like Michael.  He is the best ever at putting the ball in the hoop in a 1-on-1 situation.  The guy averaged over 30 points a game for his whole career.  BUT best scorer does not equal best player.  So let's look at the numbers.  Michael Jordan, during his career, averaged 30.1 PPG, 5.3 APG, and 6.2 RPG.  Magic Johnson averaged 19.5 PPG, 11.2 APG, and 7.2 RPG.  Let's start with rebounds.  Magic Johnson averaged a full rebound per game better than Michael Jordan at the PG position (theoretically the smallest position on the floor).  Magic Johnson also had a career shooting percentage of 52.0%, while Michael Jordan shot 49.7% for his career.  Now obviously the points and assists are too different to compare, so let's use a ratio to convert assists to points.  1 assist = 2 points.  Every time a player gets an assist, he is involved in 2 points (at least) for his team.  I am not counting 3s into this equation because there are obviously some assists that are not too difficult.  So with the conversion, the PPGPAM (points per game plus assists-multiplied) and RPG now look like this:

• Earvin "Magic" Johnson: 41.9 PPGPAM and 7.2 RPG
• Michael Jordan: 40.7 PPGPAM and 6.2 RPG

Magic Johnson was unbelievably valuable to his team!  There is a reason the Lakers won the title his rookie season in 1980.  They had not won since 1972, and more importantly, they had not won since 1975, when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar began playing with the Lakers.  Hopefully, this has encouraged you to consider Magic Johnson at least in the conversation for GOAT.

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Finally, let's add a little Christianity to this post:  Let's talk about former Lakers Forward/Center A.C. Green.

A.C. Green accomplished something that has never been topped in the NBA.  He played in 1,192 straight basketball games.  This is not his greatest accomplishment as an NBA basketball player.  A.C. Green did something that is sadly unbelievably rare in the NBA, professional sports, and America in general.  He waited until marriage.  A.C. Green entered the NBA as a virgin and retired from the NBA as a virgin.  On April 20th of 2002, as a virgin, A.C. Green married his wife Veronique.  Today he travels the country promoting abstinence until marriage with his organization, the A.C. Green Youth Foundation.

As somebody who has read Magic Johnson's autobiography, My Life, I can definitely say that A.C. Green's fight for abstinence was not easy.  Magic writes about girls waiting in the lobby of hotel lobbies in every city, having sex with multiple women at once, and more.  There is obviously a reason that Magic contracted HIV, forcing him to retire from the NBA.

A.C. Green was a member of this same "Showtime" Lakers team.  Sadly, many girls would do anything to sleep with him.  He did not have the support of a community that shared his moral viewpoints.  He spent every day with players who would taunt him about his virginity.  He spent every day around women who would beg him to give it up.  A.C. Green's teammates and so-called "friends" would send naked girls to his room at the team hotels.  A.C. would simply toss them a t-shirt and quote scripture, hoping to convince them to change there ways as he stood firm in his.

A.C.'s website can be found HERE.

Why am I blogging?

Here are the basic points to cover why I started this blog:

1. My friend Matt Blake started a blog, and it looks like fun. Heaven and Earth Collide
2. I would like to think I have a decent amount of sports knowledge, but more importantly I have tons of opinions about sports.
3. The late John Wooden once said, "Sports do not build character.  They reveal it."  I believe that a man's relationship with God reveals character, so I would like to combine the two.  Sports with a Christian perspective is the goal of this blog.
4. Miracle Johnson?  This is a tribute to one of my two favorite basketball players, Magic Johnson (who performed magic on the basketball court), as well as my biggest role mode, Jesus Christ (who performed miracles on this Earth).
5. Who is your other favorite basketball player?  Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon of course.

Well, that about covers it.  I hope to have a decent write-up on the NBA Playoffs tomorrow and some words on Holy Week in the next few days.