By the time I got around to writing the top 5 of the HLSTNHT25-PE, I stopped reading as much Phil Steel and started going more by memory because the programs are pretty well known commodities. But now I'm at #2 and I'm back to paging thru Phil's work, trying to commit plagiarisms provide you with anything useful because, well, they're pretty unknown to me. All I know is that they should be good this year. Very good. And how's that work, exactly? After all, they did lose to KSU and ...
HLS Top 25
The HLS Totally Non-Homer Top 25 – Preseason Edition: #3 – LSU
When Ohio State soundly defeated the Irish in their BCS game 2 seasons ago (despite ND being "in it" pretty much until the end), it was pretty clear that Ohio State was going to be a buzz-saw during the 2006 season, and, likely, would be going to the National Championship game. Last year, when LSU soundly defeated the Irish in a BCS game, it had the same feel. It just looked like LSU was playing on a different level, and were, possibly, at the time, the best team in the country. But I'm ...
The HLS Totally Non-Homer Top 25 – Preseason Edition: #4 – West Virginia
In lieu of the usual wit and insight, I give you the lyrics to "Take Me Home Country Roads." Cherish them. Sing them loudly. And drunkenly. Always drunkenly. Almost heaven, west virginia Blue ridge mountains Shenandoah river - Life is old there Older than the trees Younger than the mountains Growin like a breeze Country roads, take me home To the place I belong West virginia, mountain momma Take me home, country roads All my memories gathered round her Miners lady, stranger ...
The HLS Totally Non-Homer Top 25 – Preseason Edition: #5 – Florida
Despite Urban Meyer's poaching habits, the Gators aren't so loaded with talent that they can just "reload" rather than "rebuild." But if this is a "rebuilding year," where they get to start somewhere in the top-10, I'll take it. The defending National Champs actually have a lot of questions this year. Will the ill-fitting Chris Leak be missed as Timmy! Tebow takes over full-time at QB? Will the almost completely new personnel at defense be able to keep up while the offense learns to find ...
The HLS Totally Non-Homer Top 25 – Preseason Edition: #6 – Michigan
Before I get into the preview of the Skunkbears, I'd just like to point out a little tidbit I heard on ESPN Radio today provided by Michigan (sucks!) Alum Dana Jacobson. Apparently she had just finished an interview with Llloyd Carr, and they'd discussed the importance of these little "tune-up" games with football luminaries like Appalachian State. In Dana's words, these games are important because you'd never want to start the season against someone like Notre Dame. It's funny because from ...
The HLS Totally Non-Homer Top 25 – Preseason Edition: #7 – Virginia Tech
Last year, Frank Beamer and the boys went thru the bizzaro-world of the ACC, winning 10 games, beating Miami, and yet still failing to appear in the ACC's BCS berth. Frankly the ACC wasn't what it normally is and neither, really, was VaTech. They managed to lose to Georgia Tech and Boston Freaking College in back-to-back weeks. Beamer must have thought he was having a bad dream at that point. Things look to improve this year as we can't imagine Boston Freaking College winning in ...
The HLS Totally Non-Homer Top 25 – Preseason Edition: #8 – UCLA
First, let's just absorb this for a moment. Because any Irish fan's thoughts on UCLA should be framed within the context of this... [youtube]Z1k8mHNBjpw[/youtube] Good. Everyone got Europe's finest work firmly implanted in their consciousness? Yes? Ok. Now that we're in this place together, we can continue... The UCLA bruins suffered thru a year that, all else being equal, should have placed head coach Karl Dorrell on the hottest of seats after the 2006 season. In fact, watching ...
The HLS Totally Non-Homer Top 25 – Preseason Edition: #9 – Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a bit of a conundrum, and I have a feeling we may have ranked them this high due to the "ranking momentum" they had last year, finishing at #7 in last year's AP Poll. They certainly had a solid 2006, but when you review the schedule, you realize they played... Bowling Green Western Illinois San Diego St. Michigan Indiana Northwestern Minnesota Purdue Illinois Penn State Iowa Buffalo That's, um, how do I put this nicely? Not the most intimidating ...
The HLS Totally Non-Homer Top 25 – Preseason Edition: #10 – Oklahoma
I feel a special connection with Oklahoma because, according to many Oklahoma fans with whom I've spoken, the 1999 Notre Dame/Oklahoma game in which ND won 34-30 actually convinced these fans that Oklahoma would make it "back on top" soon. And, astonishingly, they were right. This is a little weird because, at the time, Oklahoma was ranked in the top 25 and ND was unranked. In fact, until this game, ND had managed to lose 3 straight. And it was a Bob Davie coached squad. Yep. Bob Davie, ...
And So It’s Down To Ten…
Holy H-E-Double-Hockey-Sticks! We started the HLSTNHT25-PE simply to help us pass the time and come up with some content during the dead months of summer. Suddenly, with a long vacation, tons of work, and an ark's worth of ND related news, I'm finding myself struggling to keep up and get this finished before kickoff of the GaTech game! I'm not sure we'll ever accomplish anything if we continue on like this. Anyway, we've written up #11-#25 and the "Also Receiving Votes." Here they are, in ...