Dyke L. Marler
February 4, 2013

Tuscaloosa, AL

Before I go into this I have to ask – am I the only one who is beginning to get a little overwhelmed by the Roman Numerals?

That was quite an event. We had a runaway game in the 1st half that turned into a nailbiter, a power outage, a possible blown call at a critical time, a Destiny’s Child reunion and one commercial that stood out above all others.

1st Half
Tony Flacco threw 3 TD passes in the first half  – 1 each to Anquan Boldin, Dennis Pitta and Jacoby Jones - and was aided by a fantastic catch and spin move by Jacoby Jones on a 51 yarder to push the Ravens to a 21-6 halftime lead. Flacco was 13 of 20 in the 1st half for 192 yards and the 49′ers seemed confused on defense and out of the game.

That intensified on the opening kickoff of the 2nd half when the Ravens Jacoby Jones returned the kickoff from 8 yards deep in the end zone and returned it for an NFL tying 108 yard TD return in 11 seconds.

Halftime
I have to be honest with you, I don’t like my football interrupted by dance routines and I was totally unimpressed by Beyonce’ and the reunion of Destiny’s Child. They had more people on stage than Australian Pink Floyd playing in front of an orchestra and to add insult to injury, it was difficult to understand most of the lyrics and that is coming from someone who has no trouble understanding live lyrics from Jamie Johnson to Phil Lynott and anyone in between. I heard no guitar, no bass, no drums, no keyboards and really no musical instruments of any type. All I got was Beyonce’ and a stage full of clones stomping around and I was led to the conclusion that she would have been more entertaining on a pole instead of a microphone. I’m not sure who that was aimed at but it is unlikely that it was football fans.
I did enjoy Vince Lombardi’s voice being dubbed over the “introduction” or whatever we want to call the part at the beginning where she posed and did nothing for 30 seconds.

2nd Half
With the score 28-6 after the opening kickoff, it got interesting again. A 34 minute power outage seemed to be the kickstart the 49′ers needed to get back in the game as it was followed by 20 unanswered points to move the score to 28-26.
Two FG’s by the Ravens Justin Tucker and 1 by the 49′ers David Akers made the score 34-29 late in the 4th quarter and it was there that the Ravens defense held the Niners scoreless on 4 plays that were highlighted by an overthrown 4th down pass from Kaepernick to Michael Crabtree. Coach Jin Harbaugh is still complaining about Crabtree being held in the endzone but from my angle, Crabtree was handfighting equal to what he was receiving.

Overall, a decent game but it did not compare to 4 of the past 5 in which a late drive was executed to pull out a win. If you are one of those glass is half empty types this could easily be summed up as a ho-hum game with 2 interruptions – 1 from a power outage and 1 for dance routines  – and was interrupted many more times for the most lackluster commercials we’ve seen in a while.

Commercials We Liked
Dodge Ram – “God Made A Farmer.” I’m just thinking out loud here but I wouldn’t mind hearing a little more of that word on TV and a little less of penis, carjack, MILF and gunman.
Coke “Peace” commercial.
Audi “Bravery” – If I had the courage in high school to go to the school dance and kiss the prettiest girl there, I think it would have been worth a black eye.
Bud Light “Superstition” with Stevie Wonder (they should have used him for the halftime entertainment, as well)
Taco Bell “Retirement Home.”
Speed Stick “Pervert at the Laundromat.”
NFL’s “Leon Sandcastle/Deion Sanders NFL Combine.”

Commercials We Didn’t Like
GoDaddy “Hot Girl Kisses Nerd.” Too close and way too creepy.
Becks “Sapphire Beer.” Isn’t sapphire blue?

Dyke L. Marler
January 8, 2013

Tuscaloosa, AL

I told ya’ll it was a mismatch.

It wasn’t close, it was never in question and all the haters are choking on their venom.
Now you’ve played somebody Notre Dame. Now you’ve played somebody.

Alabama thoroughly pummeled the overhyped Fighting Irish and in the process made Mantei Te’o look absolutely pedestrian. Whoever told this guy that he was better than CJ Mosley or Alec Ogletree should have his man card taken away. I’m not sure if it’s more accurate to say that he was ineffective or invisible.  Te’o finished the game with more missed tackles than made. The Everett Golson who was supposed to be the second coming of Johnny Manziel never showed up either. You know, the one who was going to make plays with his arm and his feet. And what happened to that Notre Dame front 7 that was going to be the toughest defense Bama faced all year?

Entering this game the ND defense averaged giving up 10.3 points per game. Bama shredded them for 42. They were allowing 92.4 ypg rushing. Bama got 265. Possibly the most telling stat of the game was that ND had given up ZERO TD drives of 80 yards or more for the season and Bama had TD drives of 82, 80, 86, 97, 61 and 71.
Not to continue to bash a soundly defeated team but this game was so one-sided that the story deserves to be told. So… let me catch my breath.
Alabama had more points at halftime (28) than Notre Dame had given up in any complete game this year and lastly, the ND defense had two 100+ yard rushers all year and Alabama’s TJ Yeldon and Eddie Lacy both topped 100. Offensively, ND was held scoreless in the first half for the first time all season.

So, the Crimson Tide wins their 3rd National Championship in the past 4 years and writers and fans alike are beginning to use the word “Dynasty.” Is it too early for that? No, I don’t think it is. Most of the ESPN talking heads were left speechless last night after witnessing Alabama’s performance and agreed that the team who just won Bama’s 15th National Championship was Saban’s 4th most talented team in his 6 years at Alabama. He loses 9 seniors from this squad and will return AJ McCarron (and hopefully his girlfriend), TJ Yeldon, CJ Mosley, Vinnie Sunseri, Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix, Cyrus Kuandjio and others.

The future looks just as bright as the past and present in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Dyke L. Marler
January 7, 2013

Tuscaloosa, AL

“Tonight’s the Night. Nobody’s Gonna Stop Us Now…” Rod Stewart

This is the most overhyped BCS Championship Game in memory but we all knew that would happen when we realized Notre Dame would be a participant. The Fighting Irish “fans” have always reminded me of New York Yankee “fans.” In other words, if you are above the Mason-Dixon line and you don’t have a team to root for you just put on a cap of the team who has won the most Championships and continue to be as obnoxious as possible. There is also a lot of talk among these fanbases about “echoes” and “ghosts” and “destiny.” Ask the next person you see who happens to be wearing one of those caps who their favorite player is and then quickly say “and don’t say Derek Jeter.” Deer in headlights is the only way to describe the look you will receive from them. Ask a Bama fan that same question and you are going to be there for a while getting an in-depth answer.
Tonight in Miami there will be no ghosts or echoes. What there will be is a freshman QB who is facing a Nick Saban and Kirby Smart defense who have had 5 weeks to prepare for him.

Alabama vs. Notre Dame
Alabama
I’m going to throw this information at you in the same frenetic way it comes to my brain. Some stats, some knowledge of what I’ve seen on film, and some basic observations of each team. In other words, don’t expect this to be a concise and flowing article.

I’ve said since this game was announced that it was a mismatch and I will back that up in a minute. I have also said, in this column, that Bama would bludgeon ND. I like Bama by 16 points and I will tell you why.

Michigan is the only common opponent between these two teams. Bama beat them 41-14 in Dallas, TX with the reserves playing most of the 3rd and 4th quarters. Notre Dame beat them 13-6 at home.
Everett Gholson is a fresham QB and if he was the best one in the Country, he would have won the Heisman Trophy.
Much has been made this week regarding ND’s defense from the 1 yard line. How often does a team run a play from the 1 yard line? That’s a lot like landing on Park Place in Monopoly isn’t it? And all of those goal line stats sound good until you are facemask to facemask with all 325 lbs of Jessie Williams blasting a hole for Eddie Lacy. A hole that is being created by last years Outland Trophy winner and this year’s Rimington Trophy winner Barrett Jones. And possibly the top offensive lineman in college football, Chance Warmack. And DJ Fluker, Cyrus Kuandjio and Anthony Steen. Arguably the best OL in the history of college football.
When discussing the interior matchup of Notre Dame NG Louis Nix and Barrett Jones, most of our national prognosticators seem to have forgotten that Jones has spent the last 4 years blocking Terrence Cody, Marcel Dareus and Jessie Williams in practice everyday.

I’m not convinced that Notre Dame is going to score.

Comparisons aren’t always useful but I’m going to throw one at you anyway. ND beat Pitt in OT after Pitt missed a 19 yard FG. 18 yards is the shortest FG possible. Ole Miss, OLE FREAKING MISS just beat Pitt 2 days ago by 3 touchdowns. Bama beat Ole Miss by 19 points. If that was the only near blemish on ND’s record this year, I would say the above was insignificant. But it’s not.

Let’s look at 7 of ND’s 12 games this year;
ND vs. Purdue (6 wins, 7 losses)  ND won 20-17 at home
ND vs. MSU (7-6) ND won 20-3
ND vs. Michigan (8-5) ND won 13-6 at home. Bama beat Michigan 41-14 in Dallas, TX.
ND vs. BYU (8-5) ND won 17-14 at home
ND vs. Pitt (6-7) ND won at home 29-26 in 3 OT’s after missing a FG from the 2 yard line that I could have kicked with my heel. Ole Miss just beat Pitt by 21 points Saturday.
ND vs. Boston College (2-10) ND won 21-6
ND vs. USC (7-6) ND won 22-13. USC played a freshman QB for the injured Matt Barkley.

Bama has lost 7 games in the past 5 years.  3 of those losses were to Heisman Trophy winners.

Factor in the fact that 2 of ND’s defensive backs were playing WR at the beginning of the year and the fact that AJ McCarron was the MVP of last year’s National Championship Game and sprinkle in a little more of Everett Golson still being a freshman QB against a Nick Saban defense and my belief is that Te’o get’s KO’d.

My record for the year is 99-21. Hitting the century mark with this pick would be a good year.

Dyke L. Marler
January 2, 2013

Tuscaloosa, AL

Big East vs. SEC. Should I just stop right there?

Defense, defense, defense. The Gators are ranked 11th in the Nation in pass defense and 5th in the Nation in run defense.

Louisville is ranked 97th in the Nation in rushing offense which means the Gators will stuff the run and turn Louisville into a one dimensional offense, forcing Teddy Bridgewater to do what he does best – throw the football.

Louisville HC Charlie Strong will be coaching against the University where he made his bones coaching defense for Steve Spurrier. He’s a good coach and has turned Louisville into a Big East contender (stop laughing). However, the Cardinals don’t have enough of anything to topple the Gators and I expect a close game until halftime with the Gators steadily pulling away for the victory in the second half.

We are halfway through the SEC Bowl season and my record, so far, is 3-1 (thanks LSU).
My overall record for the year is 97-20.

Dyke L. Marler
December 30, 2012

Atlanta, GA

Let’s begin with Day One of SEC Bowl competitors Vandy and LSU. Both of these will be good games and both teams have something to prove.

Vanderbilt vs North Carolina State
Vanderbilt
The game is in Nashville and NC State (7-5) is playing with an interim Head Coach.
Vanderbilt (8-4) has beaten their last 6 opponents by an average of 24 points – all wins.
Vandy has not won 7 games in a row since 1948 and has not won 9 games in a year since 1915.
The story to this game should be Vandy QB Jordan Rodgers to WR Jordan Matthews and the fact that NC State has the 91st ranked pass defense in the Nation.

LSU vs. Clemson
LSU
LSU is 9-1 in the Georgia Dome and has outscored their opponents 78-6 in their last 2 games in the Dome.
Clemson (10-2) is a great football team but I believe there is a difference between ACC great and SEC great. Clemson placed 6 players on the All-ACC team and LSU counters with 8 underclassmen who are rated as ready for the NFL Draft.
LSU began to make progress when freshman RB Jeremy Hill started receiving more carries. His pounding style of running wears out opponents and, late in the game, allows QB Zach Mettenberger the extra second he seems to need in order to get the ball downfield to his talented receivers.
LSU has suspended All-America punter Brad Wing for the game.

Stats
Clemson has set school records with 508 points scored, 42.3 ppg, 518.3 ypg and 319.6 passing yards per game.
LSU counters with one of the best defenses in the Nation allowing 16.9 ppg, 297.8 ypg, 103.1 rushing yards per game and 18 interceptions.