Week 1: Notre Dame vs. Temple

After a forgettable offseason for the Fighting Irish, Notre Dame welcomes the Temple Owls to South Bend for the 2013 season opener. The Irish will try to repeat last year’s magical 12-0 season, but that may be tough to accomplish. Manti Te’o, Tyler Eifert, Everett Golson, Theo Riddick, and Cierre Wood are all gone, so Head Coach Brian Kelly will have to “reload” his roster if they want to make another BCS bowl appearance.

Despite all the departures, the Irish are still a very talented bunch. Offensively, veteran quarterback Tommy Rees will reassume the starting role in-light of Golson’s suspension. Rees was used as the “closer” last season, so his experience in close, big games will be valuable. The running back position would seem to be an issue with losing Riddick and Wood, but George Atkinson III, Greg Bryant, and Amir Carlisle highlight an explosive group of athletes. Wide receiver is probably the best position for the Irish with T.J. Jones, Davaris Daniels, and Chris Brown figuring to be one of the better receiving corps in the country. The offensive line welcomes a few new starters, but their size should allow the Irish to run right over several of their opponents.

Defensively, the Irish lost four starters from last season, but they still have a bunch of experience and a ton of talent. Louis Nix, Stephon Tuitt, and Sheldon Day are arguably the nation’s best defensive line. The massive and athletic trio should stop most of their opponents’ run games and be able to pressure the quarterback without blitzing. When the Irish do decide to blitz, they have two playmakers at outside linebacker. Prince Shembo returns for his senior season and is an elite pass rusher from the outside linebacker position. On the other side, true freshman Jaylon Smith is stepping in for retired Danny Spond, and he has the potential to be an absolute monster. Veterans Carlo Calabrese, Dan Fox, Jarrett Grace, and Kendall Moore all should see some playing time at the two inside linebacker positions, with Calabrese and Fox seeing the bulk of the duties. With the amount of talent Notre Dame has around them in the front seven, the inside linebackers should be left relatively free to run around a make plays. The secondary was a major area of concern all of last season, but it could prove to be a strength in 2013. Defensive backs KeiVarae Russell, Bennett Jackson, and Mathias Farley all gained valuable experience during Notre Dame’s undefeated campaign last season. Defensive Coordinator Bob Diaco did a tremendous job at “hiding” the Irish secondary and preventing the young players from being exposed. Now that they are all a year older, Diaco should be more creative and aggressive in his defensive play calling.

I realize this was supposed to be a game preview, but I really don’t have a ton to say about Temple. Now, as a Notre Dame fan I have learned not to underestimate any team, but I honestly don’t know anything about Temple. Notre Dame enters the season opener as 29.5 point favorites, and that’s right about how I see this game going. The Irish should be able to run the ball up and down the field on Temple, just like they have against weaker opponents during the last two seasons under Brian Kelly. Don’t be surprised if the Irish struggle a bit offensively to start the game, but I expect this one to be over midway through the third quarter. If everything goes as planned, Kelly will be able to empty his bench and get some of his younger players some playing time before the schedule gets tough. This is really just a tune-up for the big clash at Michigan next Saturday night.

Prediction: Notre Dame 37, Temple 6

-Eric Tichelbaut               

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07

2013 NFL Season Preview

The National Football League season is a little more than one week away, so it is time for me to preview the upcoming year by predicting which teams will compete for the Vince Lombardi Trophy on February 2^nd, 2014.

NFC North

The Green Bay Packers have won this division the past two years, and they should be considered the favorite once again with Aaron Rodgers at quarterback. If their offensive line can protect him more than they have recently, then Rodgers will be in store for another big year. The other three teams in the North have a chance to challenge Green Bay, but they all have some question marks. The Chicago Bears have a new Head Coach in Marc Trestman, but they are expected to have a much improved offense. The Detroit Lions had a breakout year in 2011, but regressed to a 4-12 season last year. The talent seems to be there, but a lack of discipline is apparent in the Motor City. The Minnesota Vikings made a surprise playoff run last season led by Adrian Peterson, but with Christian Ponder still under center, the Vikings will be hard pressed to repeat last season’s success.

Division Winner: Green Bay Packers

NFC East

The NFC East is wide open. Outside of the Philadelphia Eagles, who are a huge question mark with Chip Kelly’s offense coming to the NFL, a case can be made for three teams winning this division. The New York Giants have been a playoff contender for several years now, but their defense has taken a few steps back. The Washington Redskins came on very strong by winning their final seven regular season games to win the East last season. Quarterback Robert Griffin III is coming off of surgery to repair a torn ACL that he suffered in last year’s playoff game. If he is fully recovered, the Redskins will contend for playoff spot. The Dallas Cowboys have been America’s most overrated team the past several seasons, but this could the year they actually make some noise. Wide receiver Dez Bryant emerged as an elite player last year, giving quarterback Tony Romo plenty to work with in him, Jason Witten, and Miles Austin.

Division Winner: Dallas Cowboys

NFC South

In 2012, the South was dominated by the Atlanta Falcons as the other three teams each finished 7-9. The Falcons are still the favorites to win the division with Matt Ryan, Julio Jones, Roddy White, and Tony Gonzalez leading their offense. Although the Falcons are the favorites, I don’t think they will win the division as easily as they did last season because the other three teams should be improved. The New Orleans Saints will have their Head Coach Sean Payton back on the sidelines following his one-year suspension for his role in Bounty Gate. With Payton and Drew Brees reunited, the Saints offense should be as potent as always. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers started last season 6-5, but they dropped 4 out of their last 5 games to fall to 7-9. Doug Martin had a standout rookie season and emerged as one of the premier running backs in the NFL. The Carolina Panthers won their final four games of the season, and with Cam Newton at quarterback, the Panthers have a chance to win in just about every game they play.

Division Winner: Atlanta Falcons

NFC West

The West figures to be another two team race between the San Francisco 49ers and Seattle Seahawks, but the other two teams figure to be improved as well. The St. Louis Rams are my sleeper team this season, but they might be a year away still. Their defense was much improved last season and should be even better with rookie Alec Olgetree looking like a future All-Pro linebacker. The offense needs work, but they appear to be heading in the right direction. I am a believer in Sam Bradford, and the additions of Jake Long, Jared Cook, Tavon Austin, Stedman Bailey, and Barrett Jones should improve their offense immensely. The Arizona Cardinals welcome new Head Coach Bruce Arians and quarterback Carson Palmer. Those two should help the passing attack become potent once again with Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd at receiver.

Division Winner: Seattle Seahawks

NFC Wildcards: San Francisco 49ers and Chicago Bears

AFC North

With my apologies to the people of Cleveland, the North is a three team race. I think the Browns will be improved offensively with another year of growth from Brandon Weeden and Trent Richardson, but it won’t be enough. The Pittsburgh Steelers had a down year last season, but I expect them to be contenders once again behind a solid defense and with Ben Roethlisberger now healthy. The Baltimore Ravens are the defending Super Bowl champions, but they have lost some key contributors. Joe Flacco, Ray Rice, and Torrey Smith will have to do a lot to make up for the losses of Ray Lewis and Ed Reed to the defense. The Cincinnati Bengals have made the playoffs the past two seasons, but they could be in store for a breakthrough year. Andy Dalton is a very solid quarterback, A.J. Green is a stud wide receiver, and rookies Giovanni Bernard and Tyler Eifert should provide them with some versatile weapons on offense to go along with a very good defense.

Division Winner: Cincinnati Bengals

AFC East

This division has been dominated by the New England Patriots over recent years, and this season appears to be no different. Yes, the Patriots have their question marks and have lost some key players; most notably Wes Welker and Aaron Hernandez. But, they still have Tom Brady and until another quarterback emerges in the East, the Patriots will always be the favorites. The Miami Dolphins might be the next best team in the division. Ryan Tannehill looks like he has a future at quarterback, but they might be a year or two away from challenging the Patriots. The Buffalo Bills and New York Jets are both at least a few years away and have serious quarterback issues. The Bills drafted E.J. Manuel, but he is injured and Jeff Tuel is slated to start the opener versus New England. The Jets are a mess. Geno Smith was drafted to be their future quarterback, but he has been battling an injury as well. At least Mark Sanchez is still there, right?

Division Winner: New England Patriots

AFC South

With Peyton Manning not under center for the Indianapolis Colts, the Houston Texans have won the South the past two seasons. The Texans should be in line for another great season with Matt Schaub, Arian Foster, and Andre Johnson providing enough offense for a very stout defense led by J.J. Watt. Rookie Andrew Luck led the Colts to a surprising 11-5 record last season, but that success might be hard to repeat without the added motivation of playing for Head Coach Chuck Pagano’s fight with cancer. Neither the Tennessee Titans nor Jacksonville Jaguars appear ready to challenge the Texans and the Colts for the division with very poor defenses and quarterback play.

Division Winner: Houston Texans

AFC West

The Denver Broncos won the West by six games last season, and I’d be shocked if they didn’t do that again in 2013. Outside of the Broncos, the West is awful. Peyton Manning, Demaryius Thomas, Wes Welker, and Eric Decker lead a very explosive offensive attack. The San Diego Chargers seem to underachieve every year, but no one is really expecting them to be good this season. Phillip Rivers’ stock has fallen drastically and Antonio Gates isn’t getting any younger. The Kansas City Chiefs look slightly improved, but they still are likely a year or two away. New Head Coach Andy Reid should help Alex Smith, Jamaal Charles, and Dwayne Bowe put some points on the scoreboard. The Oakland Raiders might be the worst team in football. Honestly, I have nothing else to say about them.

Division Winner: Denver Broncos

AFC Wildcards: Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers

Playoff Predictions

NFC Wildcard Weekend

(6) Chicago Bears over (3) Dallas Cowboys

(5) San Francisco 49ers over (4) Green Bay Packers

NFC Division Round

(1) Seattle Seahawks over (6) Chicago Bears

(5) San Francisco 49ers over (2) Atlanta Falcons

NFC Championship

(1) Seattle Seahawks over (5) San Francisco 49ers

AFC Wildcard Weekend

(6) Baltimore Ravens over (3) Houston Texans

(4) Cincinnati Bengals over (5) Pittsburgh Steelers

AFC Divisional Round

(1) Denver Broncos over (6) Baltimore Ravens

(4) Cincinnati Bengals over (2) New England Patriots

AFC Championship

(1) Denver Broncos over (4) Cincinnati Bengals

Super Bowl XLVIII

Denver Broncos over Seattle Seahawks

-Eric Tichelbaut

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07

2013 College Football Preview

The 2013 College Football season is almost underway, so it is time for me to give a quick preview for the upcoming season.

My Preseason Top 10

1-Alabama

Until someone can prove that they can beat Alabama, the Crimson Tide belongs at the top. Nick Saban is a living legend of a head coach, and he will have his team focused once again. Yes, Alabama lost a lot of talent to the NFL, but ‘Bama doesn’t rebuild, they reload. With A.J. McCarron, T.J. Yeldon, and Amari Cooper all returning, the offense should put up plenty enough points to go along with an always stout defense.

2-Ohio State

During his first year at the helm, Head Coach Urban Meyer led the Buckeyes to an undefeated 12-0 season. Had they not been under a postseason ban, Ohio State would have likely played Notre Dame in the BCS Championship game. This season, the postseason ban has been lifted, and the Buckeyes are legitimate contenders to go undefeated once again. With dual-threat quarterback Braxton Miller back under center, Urban Meyer should have the offense rolling during his second season in Columbus.

3-Stanford

If you would have told me ten years ago that Stanford would be a perennial powerhouse, I would have said you were crazy, but that’s what they have become. Former Head Coach Jim Harbaugh laid a foundation of tough-physical play at Stanford, and current Head Coach David Shaw has kept that alive by leading the Cardinal to two consecutive BCS Bowl games. In 2013, Stanford figures to carry a great defense once again, and quarterback Kevin Hogan should continue to flourish as he did after taking over the reins mid-season.

4-Georgia

Georgia was just a few seconds or plays away from defeating Alabama in last year’s SEC Championship game, and they hope to reach Atlanta once again. With Clemson, South Carolina, LSU, and Florida on their schedule for the first 8 games of the season, the Bulldogs will be tested early and often. Luckily, Georgia will host 3 of those 4 games, so they have a legitimate chance at repeating last year’s success. With Aaron Murray, Todd Gurley, and Keith Marshall, this team is loaded offensively and should be able to give their defense a ton of points to work with.

5-Oregon

Chip Kelly is gone, but Marcus Mariota is still there. Former Offensive Coordinator Mark Helfrich takes over for Kelly, so you can expect the same type of offense at Autzen Stadium this season. Helfrich also was smart enough to keep the majority of the coaching staff in place, so the Ducks should still be considered serious BCS contenders.

6-Clemson

It seems that every year Clemson is a hyped up before the season, and they usually fall off by mid-season. Will this season prove to be any different? With Tajh Boyd back for a Heisman campaign and wide receiver Sammy Watkins also returning, the Tigers will be explosive on offense once again. Last season, they averaged 41.0 points a game, but they will be challenged to score even half that many points in their three big games versus Georgia, Florida State, and South Carolina. If Head Coach Dado Swinney can lead his team past those three teams, the Tigers have a chance to run the table.

7-South Carolina

Jadeveon Clowney. I wanted to end my summary right there, because that’s all you need to know. Clowney is the definition of a “Freak”, and will undoubtedly be the first player selected in next year’s NFL Draft. If South Carolina wants to challenge Alabama and Georgia and truly contend for a SEC or BCS Championship, then the “Ole Ball Coach” better have his offense in ready to go.

8-Texas A&M

Johnny Manziel returns as the Heisman Trophy winner…Or, does he? There are no real indications that “Johnny Football” will be suspended for allegedly accepting payments for signing autographs, but it needs to be considered when assessing the Aggies’ chances this season. Despite all of the offseason distractions for Texas A&M, they still have to find a way to overcome to losses of Luke Joeckel and Ryan Swope. The good news for A&M is that Alabama and LSU are the only preseason ranked teams on their schedule, but is that really good news?

9-Notre Dame

Notre Dame had an offseason to forget after the thrashing by the hands of Alabama in the BCS Championship game. Head Coach Brian Kelly flirted with the NFL, Manti Te’o was hoaxed, top-recruit Gunner Kiel transferred, and quarterback Everett Golson was suspended for academic dishonesty. Despite all of that, the Irish are still very talented. Brian Kelly has had multiple recruiting classes to form his team to his style of play. The defense should be one of the best in the country once again, led by arguably the best defensive line in the nation. If quarterback Tommy Rees can limit the turnovers, Irish eyes may be smiling once again in 2013.

10-Louisville

When Louisville was scheduled to play the Florida Gators in last season’s Sugar Bowl, many people thought they would get destroyed, including me. However, the Cardinals were the ones handing out the beat down in New Orleans, and they come into the 2013 season as proven BCS contenders. Teddy Bridgewater might just be the best quarterback in the country, and former Auburn running back Michael Dyer joins the Cardinals’ offense after transferring following sitting out last season. However, with a schedule that resembles one of a FCS team, Louisville will have to put up a ton of style points if they want to climb the BCS rankings during their likely undefeated season.

Conference Champions

ACC: Clemson over Miami (FL)
Big 12: Texas (No Championship game)
American: Louisville (No Championship game)
Big Ten: Ohio State over Northwestern
Pac 12: Stanford over USC
SEC: Alabama over Georgia

Top Heisman Candidates

QB Braxton Miller, Ohio State
QB Teddy Bridgewater, Louisville
QB Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M
QB Tajh Boyd, Clemson
QB Marcus Mariota, Oregon
WR Marqise Lee, USC
DE Jadeveon Clowney, South Carolina

BCS Bowls

Rose Bowl: Stanford versus Northwestern
Sugar Bowl: South Carolina versus Notre Dame
Fiesta Bowl: Texas versus Oregon
Orange Bowl: Clemson versus Louisville
BCS Championship: Alabama over Ohio State

-Eric Tichelbaut

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07

White Sox, Reed on a Roll

With another victory on Thursday, the Chicago White Sox are in the midst of a six-game winning streak. After a dismal first four-plus months of the season, the Sox are playing arguably their best ball of the year. However, since the Sox are still 21.5 games out of first place, this current streak is pretty meaningless. The real story here is Addison Reed.

With the White Sox not winning many games this season, Reed hasn’t seen as many save chances as he would like, but he has delivered when called upon. Reed has converted a save in each game during this six-game winning streak, giving him 34 saves on the season. It should be mentioned that Reed has blown five save opportunities, but that is still a very acceptable number for a top-tier closer.

Before the season, I stated that I thought Addison Reed was ready to take his game to another level and become one of the elite closers in the American League. He has done exactly that. In addition to converting 87 percent of his save opportunities, Reed owns a solid 3.13 ERA and a very tidy 1.01 WHIP. While those numbers are great, they are also a little deceiving due to two games where Reed surrendered a total of nine earned runs. In 56 appearances, Reed has only given up a run in 12 games, and he has allowed multiple runs to score in just four outings. Overall, Reed has been very consistent during his 60.1 innings of work by collecting 60 strikeouts and holding his opponents to a .207 batting average.

This season has been one to forget for White Sox fans, but at least they know they have a proven closer in Addison Reed.

-Eric Tichelbaut

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07

Ventura Should Manage in 2014

Two weeks ago, general manager Rick Hahn gave a public vote of confidence to manager Robin Ventura, assuring the second-year manager will be back for at least the 2014 season. Despite the Chicago White Sox’ record of 46-74 (24.5 GB of 1st); I believe this is the right decision for several reasons.

First, when former general manager Kenny Williams hired Ventura to manage the club prior to the 2012 season, Williams knew there would be some growing pains. Williams was willing to admit that Ventura might not be ready to be great manager, but he did believe that Ventura would eventually become a great manager after several years of experience. If Williams and then assistant general manager Rick Hahn believed that one day Ventura would be a successful manager, then why would that feeling change after just one poor season?

Second, prior to the 2013 season, the White Sox offered Ventura a contract extension through 2015. However, Ventura turned down the offer, citing that he would rather focus on only the next two seasons. The fact that the White Sox already offered Ventura a contract extension after just one season should show that the organization believes that he is the right man for the job going forward. In 2012, the White Sox finished 85-77 and three games behind the division-winning Detroit Tigers. In fact, the White Sox have a division lead up until mid-September before ultimately being overtaken by Detroit. For the team’s efforts, Ventura finished third in the voting for American League Manager of the Year.

Third, the White Sox’ lack of success this season is not all Ventura’s fault. I have always believed that the players determine the success of a manager. Last season, Ventura was viewed as a good manager due to the season the White Sox had in 2012. Now, just one year later, Ventura is suddenly a bad manager? In my opinion, the blame of this season rest mostly on the players, followed by Williams and Hahn for constructing this dysfunctional roster. This year’s White Sox team is comprised of primarily veterans. It is not Ventura’s fault that this team has very little power, poor base running skills, and a brutal defense. Just last season, this exact team was one the best defensive teams in the all of baseball, so I find it humorous that some fans are calling for Ventura’s head. If some of the veteran’s played how they are capable of playing, and if the brain-trust would have assembled a better team, then this season may have been a little bit better. If you don’t agree with me, ask yourself this question. Would (insert who you view as the best manager in baseball’s name) automatically make the 2013 White Sox a playoff team? I say no, absolutely not. For example, if either Joe Maddon or Mike Scioscia were the manager of the 2013 White Sox, this team would be exactly where it is now, last place. Maybe they would have a few more wins, maybe not, but they certainly wouldn’t be contenting for a division title.

Fourth, the White Sox had several key injuries this season. Let me preface this by stating that I do not think the White Sox would have been a playoff team or even a .500 ballclub if everyone was healthy, but the injuries cannot be ignored. Jake Peavy, John Danks, Dayan Viciedo, Gordon Beckham, Gavin Floyd, Jesse Crain, and Paul Konerko all missed significant time, and were all supposed to be big contributors to the team this season. Since the injuries were staggered, the White Sox rarely had their ideal roster during the better course of the season. While injuries are not an excuse for how poorly the team has performed, it still should be taken in consideration when discussing the status of the team’s manager.

Fifth and finally, who exactly should replace Ventura? By all indications, this White Sox team will not be serious contenders for a World Series next season. Does anyone really think the organization will ‘pony up the greenbacks’ and hire a proven manager? I don’t even know who would be available, but given the White Sox managerial hiring history, don’t expect any big name manager coming to Chicago. If the White Sox are truly in a rebuilding, retooling, reshaping, or whatever they want to call mode, then it makes more sense to keep Ventura as the manager for at least one more season. The White Sox don’t have much more to lose, so it would behoove them to really find out what type of manager they have in Ventura as this team tries to prepare itself to contend in the future.

-Eric Tichelbaut

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07

Rios Traded to Texas, Garcia Recalled

On Friday, the Chicago White Sox sent outfielder Alex Rios and $1 million to the Texas Rangers in exchange for either a player to be named later or cash. The player to be named later is reportedly second baseman Leury Garica.

This deal should work out well for both teams.

With Nelson Cruz being suspended for 50 games for his involvement in the Biogenesis case, the Rangers had a glaring need for a right fielder. Rios will be able to step right in and provide Texas with the production needed to make a playoff push.

By acquiring outfielder Avisail Garcia from the Detroit Tigers in the 3-way Jake Peavy deal, the White Sox were eager to move Rios to allow Garcia a spot in the lineup. Garcia has already been recalled, and is on his way to Chicago for tonight’s game.

But, the best part of this deal is that the White Sox are free from Rios’ contract. Rios was still owed $12.5 million next season, and the remaining portion of the $12 million he was set to make this season. Over the last two weeks, the White Sox have cleared a ton of salary by subtracting Rios’ and Peavy’s contracts from the books. In addition, Paul Konerko’s contract expires this season which will eliminate $13.5 million from their payroll. With the White Sox now free from those three large contracts, they will have roughly $40 million to spend in the offseason, or future seasons, as general manager Rick Hahn tries to reshape this roster. And, with a strong starting rotation intact for the foreseeable future, the White Sox might not be too far away from competing for a division title again.

-Eric Tichelbaut

Follow me on Twitter @etichel07