Bold Predictions for 2008 Season

WolverineSteve · Post by **WolverineSteve** » Wed May 21, 2008 7:13 pm

A. Fuck you on #3 :wink: .

2. The SEC will not be represented in the title game.

c. Michigan will win at least 8 games.

lV. USC will suffer more losses than lost scholorships for their inproprieties...3 or so.

War Wagon · Post by **War Wagon** » Wed May 21, 2008 8:05 pm

Mizzou will beat OU in the Big XII Title game and play for the National Championship.

Bold enough?

that ought to get the Sooner honks crawling outta' the woodwork.

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Wed May 21, 2008 9:40 pm

theJON should be along for this topic shortly.

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Thu May 22, 2008 4:23 pm

Here are my bold predictions:

-PSU will go 9-4 with a win in a minor bowl - like the last two years.
-2008 will be Joe Paterno's last season.
-FSU will finish under .500.
-Michigan will contend for the Big 10 title...but come up short against the Buckeyes.
-West Virginia will struggle mightily this season.
-Pitt will contend in the Big Least.
-There will be at least one top 25 team losing to a lower division team, ala ASU/UM.

TheChief · Post by **TheChief** » Thu May 22, 2008 5:00 pm

PSUFAN wrote:-FSU will finish under .500.

Bastard! You stole mine!

Terry in Crapchester · Thu May 22, 2008 6:33 pm

Notre Dame will win more than three games.

Not so bold, but I like the chances of mine being true more than most of the others so far.

Screw_Michigan · Post by **Screw_Michigan** » Thu May 22, 2008 9:17 pm

Yep, Terry. I think 4-8 is about where the Irish will end up, an improvement over last season.

Hell, if the O-line figures out how to block by the middle of the season, they might actually win five games.

Laxplayer · Post by **Laxplayer** » Thu May 22, 2008 9:25 pm

I predict ND will win 6-7 games
U$C fan will call Charlie Weis fat
U$C fan will blame ND for Desmond Reed's knee injury
U$C fan will say Charlie eats a lot of cheese steaks

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Fri May 23, 2008 3:58 am

Pitt will make a bowl but that is about it, they won't live-up to the hype. With Rhoades gone they just aren't a well-coached team and that will show. Cinci will finish ahead of them.

ND will go 6-6 or 7-5, Mich and MSU will beat them. Weis will keep his job because his buyout is enormous and his recruiting is lights-out.

My 'skers will make a bowl, maybe or maybe not a decent one.

Terry in Crapchester · Fri May 23, 2008 6:54 am

Danimal wrote:ND will go 6-6 or 7-5, Mich and MSU will beat them. Weis will keep his job because his buyout is enormous and his recruiting is lights-out.

Not sure about all the details, but an enormous buyout didn't stop ND from firing Willingham. In fact, it appears that ND is still paying Ty more money than it pays Weis.

http://www.fortwayne.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ ... /421449397" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Weis paid $598,000 in '06-'07, Notre Dame reports

By Michael Rothstein
The Journal Gazette

When Charlie Weis agreed to his contract extension, he said his decision to come to Notre Dame was never about money.

Weis may be making a lot as the Irish’s football coach, but the post-extension contract numbers that had been speculated to range from $21 million to $40 million might not be accurate.

The school paid Weis $598,000 in salary from July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007, along with $51,628 in contributions to employee benefit plans and an expense account of $66,649.

The figures were obtained from the school’s federal Form 990 tax form. On the form, the Internal Revenue Service requires the school to list its five highest-paid employees.

“Money was never an issue,” Weis said when he received his extension in 2005. “You can always make more money in the NFL than you can in college. If you were going for money, the thing to do is to go to the NFL.

“In the last 24 hours, I’ve heard zillions of dollars of differences between the lowest end and the highest end, and it’s not very relevant because if I was making the decision based on money, I’d be coaching in the NFL.”

Weis declined to release the terms of his deal when it was signed in 2005; it runs until 2015. The report is the first official release of any of Weis’ salary post-contract extension.

The numbers are part of Weis’ complete salary package, which doesn’t have to be released to the public.

“We just simply have not given that to anybody,” Notre Dame senior associate athletic director for media relations John Heisler said.

Weis – and other coaches -- could receive more money from speaking appearances, apparel deals and radio shows, as examples, to reach a complete salary figure.

Weis, who will enter his fourth season at Notre Dame in 2008, did receive a bump from his salary reported by the school from July 1, 2005, to June 30, 2006. In that time frame, Weis made $565,566 in salary, $53,115 in deferred compensation and benefits and had an expense account of $55,100.

His compensation was behind former coach L. Tyrone Willingham then, and for the second straight year, Notre Dame paid Willingham more than its current coach.

The school paid Willingham $650,000 from July 1, 2006, to June 30, 2007, as part of its settlement with the current University of Washington coach after Notre Dame fired him on Nov. 30, 2004. The amount of money is the same the school paid to him in compensation as reported on the ’05-’06 tax form.

The only difference in Willingham’s pay between the two years is he did not receive $64 in other expenses on the latest report.

Weis is the third highest paid employee of Notre Dame, excluding officers, directors and trustees in ’06-‘07. Willingham is second.

First would be Michael D. Donovan, the managing director of private capital investments in the investment office. Donovan makes $693,708 in salary, has $195,091 given in employee benefits and an expense account of $87.

Including the officers, directors and trustees, Scott C. Malpass, the vice president and chief investment officer, tops everyone, as he is paid $1,242,998 in compensation, $364,147 in benefit plans and an expense account of $2,115.

Dennis Brown, the assistant vice president for news and information at Notre Dame, confirmed the accuracy of all salaries listed, but declined to comment “beyond what we filed.”

Notre Dame, a private institution, does not have to release contracts and information on employee payment other than what is required in the Form 990. Notre Dame football sports information director Brian Hardin did not immediately return a message. Weis is currently out of the country visiting troops in the Mideast.

Four coaches, including Willingham, are listed among the five highest paid employees excluding officers, directors and trustees on the latest tax form.

Behind Willingham and Weis is Notre Dame men’s basketball coach Mike Brey, who made $478,299 in compensation, $43,592 in employee benefits and had an expense account of $23,804. The number is down from the ’05-’06 tax form, when Brey earned $493,679 in salary, $50,329 in deferred compensation and employee benefits along with a $21,395 expense account.

Women’s basketball coach Muffet McGraw, who was not listed in the top five in ’05-’06, earned $468,781, along with $47,798 in employee benefits and $19,010 in an expense account.

mrothstein@jg.net" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Then again, I'm not sure how much longer ND will be paying Willingham under the buyout. Paying two former coaches under a buyout, plus a third guy to actually coach the team, could get cost-prohibitive, I suppose.

Screw_Michigan · Post by **Screw_Michigan** » Fri May 23, 2008 8:50 am

First would be Michael D. Donovan, the managing director of private capital investments in the investment office. Donovan makes $693,708 in salary

i'm pretty sure you could buy the entire region of michiana with that annual salary. and yes, terry, your fiscal analysis is accurate. doesn't it remind you of the bush administration? great company for success there.

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Fri May 23, 2008 12:57 pm

PSUFAN wrote:-West Virginia will struggle mightily this season.
-Pitt will contend in the Big Least.

WVU should still be ok on offense, but their D lost a good number of starters. They may struggle a bit, but I don't think it will be "mightily", even though that would be nice.

I am still not sold on Pitt. I agree with Danimal that losing Rhoades is a huge loss. They do have a good D and McCoy is a very good RB, but their QB isn't going to scare many opposing defenses. Wanny will find a way to lose a game or 2 all by his bad decisions.

PSU, it's not 2005 anymore, so the "Big Least" tag that all the "experts" enjoyed using can cease. The league has more than proven itself in OOC games and BCS Bowl games since the conference realignment.

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:39 pm

I'm on board with all of that. I needed to make my predictions sufficiently bold.

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Fri May 23, 2008 3:18 pm

I think that my predictions are plausible, if not likely or not very nuanced. I think it's interesting to stab them out there, and see if any of them stick.

Regarding Pitt...yes, I think they have issues. When they beat WVU last year, there was a lot of credit given to Wanny locally...right now, he's still riding a wave (ok, a ripple) of positivity on the strength of that victory. I can foresee Pitt being exposed by a team like Iowa, and the fanbase deflating utterly...which will factor into Wanny's Big East prospects.

And sorry about the Big Least crack...I do actually regard the conference as "arrived" or "returned" in many ways.

Left Seater · Post by **Left Seater** » Fri May 23, 2008 3:55 pm

PSU, it's not 2005 anymore, so the "Big Least" tag that all the "experts" enjoyed using can cease.

Not sure how PSU was using it, but I have used it not in reference to its teams, but rather the conf leadership. Specifically Tranghese. That guy runs his mouth so much and damn near always contradicts himself. Back when the ACC was talking with BC, Miami, SU, and VT, Tranghese puffed out his chest and said the Big East was above "stealing" teams from other conferences. Fact is that is the only way the Big East has ever grown. The conference only goes back to '79 or '80 and since then has grown by "stealing" teams from other conferences.

Further, I think you guys would be better served to bet out of the Big East especially if you could start a new conference and take some of the Louisvilles, WVU, Cincy, and then a few others like USF and maybe FAU or FIU. The reason we always hear about that never happening is Basketball and that just seems to reinforce that the league is nothing but a basketball league. Hell, most people don't even know the make up of the Big East from one sport to another. Hell, maybe even look at some of the current CUSA teams as I know RICE isn't all that happy about some of the CUSA decisions.

Anyway, nothing against the Bulls from my end, but I don't have a lot of respect for the Big East.

Laxplayer · Post by **Laxplayer** » Fri May 23, 2008 3:57 pm

Should everyone on here be saying their team will win the national championship?

No because Cal will win it.
Sin,
M200L

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Fri May 23, 2008 10:10 pm

MuchoBulls wrote:
PSUFAN wrote:-West Virginia will struggle mightily this season.
-Pitt will contend in the Big Least.
WVU should still be ok on offense, but their D lost a good number of starters. They may struggle a bit, but I don't think it will be "mightily", even though that would be nice.

I am still not sold on Pitt. I agree with Danimal that losing Rhoades is a huge loss. They do have a good D and McCoy is a very good RB, but their QB isn't going to scare many opposing defenses. Wanny will find a way to lose a game or 2 all by his bad decisions.

PSU, it's not 2005 anymore, so the "Big Least" tag that all the "experts" enjoyed using can cease. The league has more than proven itself in OOC games and BCS Bowl games since the conference realignment.

I don't see WV struggling that much this year, no worse than 9-3. They have White back to carry the O with a very dangerous guy to pitch to in Noel Devine. After White is gone then we'll see what hiring an alright DC in Stewart as HC does for them.

Ya I can see a Wanny pulling defeat out of the jaws of victory like against Navy last year. That horrid fade to the corner of the endzone jumps to mind, they had a meh qb(for whom that is a very tough pass) and they had been running all-over Navy's undersized D that drive. Why the change of pace?

So do you see the east expanding? I've read that they aren't looking to do it unless they can jump up to 12 to enable a moneymaking Conference-championship-game. Problem with that is that the more you add the more you risk watering-down and being on the east coast hurts. Conference-USA has already been raided, another raid destroys that con and makes the East look really bad. Farther west you have plenty of potentials but then you aren't the East anymore.

Left Seater · Post by **Left Seater** » Fri May 23, 2008 10:17 pm

Danimal wrote:So do you see the east expanding? I've read that they aren't looking to do it unless they can jump up to 12 to enable a moneymaking Conference-championship-game. Problem with that is that the more you add the more you risk watering-down and being on the east coast hurts. Conference-USA has already been raided, another raid destroys that con and makes the East look really bad. Farther west you have plenty of potentials but then you aren't the East anymore.

How can they expand when they said everyone will play basketball? A twenty team conference really isn't very feasable.

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Fri May 23, 2008 10:35 pm

Left Seater wrote:
Danimal wrote:So do you see the east expanding? I've read that they aren't looking to do it unless they can jump up to 12 to enable a moneymaking Conference-championship-game. Problem with that is that the more you add the more you risk watering-down and being on the east coast hurts. Conference-USA has already been raided, another raid destroys that con and makes the East look really bad. Farther west you have plenty of potentials but then you aren't the East anymore.
How can they expand when they said everyone will play basketball? A twenty team conference really isn't very feasable.

Good point. That would be a considerable issue, a bunch of Big East basketball schools don't have 1A football so they aren't even an option. So they'd probably have to be able to wrangle some deal to keep their new additions football-only, which would definitely up the difficulty-meter.

OUMO · Post by **OUMO** » Fri May 23, 2008 11:42 pm

Texas will be the suck.

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Sat May 24, 2008 3:11 am

Left Seater wrote:I know RICE isn't all that happy about some of the CUSA decisions.

Once Mike Slive left, C-USA was in trouble.

MuchoBulls · Post by **MuchoBulls** » Sat May 24, 2008 3:15 am

Danimal wrote:
Left Seater wrote:
Danimal wrote:So do you see the east expanding? I've read that they aren't looking to do it unless they can jump up to 12 to enable a moneymaking Conference-championship-game. Problem with that is that the more you add the more you risk watering-down and being on the east coast hurts. Conference-USA has already been raided, another raid destroys that con and makes the East look really bad. Farther west you have plenty of potentials but then you aren't the East anymore.
How can they expand when they said everyone will play basketball? A twenty team conference really isn't very feasable.
Good point. That would be a considerable issue, a bunch of Big East basketball schools don't have 1A football so they aren't even an option. So they'd probably have to be able to wrangle some deal to keep their new additions football-only, which would definitely up the difficulty-meter.

There was an article about a week or 2 ago in the Hartford Courant that mentioned ECU would sell its soul for Big East football membership only. I doubt that comes to fruition because that would be suicide for them.

I wouldn't be surprised if Villanova makes the leap to Division 1 A. That would be a logical addition for the league. I am not sure that Georgetown would be willing to make the same move. There just aren't any other candidates outside of ND, Villanova or Georgetown that would help the league and create the imbalance for basketball.

Left Seater · Post by **Left Seater** » Sat May 24, 2008 6:15 pm

There was an article about a week or 2 ago in the Hartford Courant that mentioned ECU would sell its soul for Big East football membership only. I doubt that comes to fruition because that would be suicide for them.

I wouldn't be surprised if Villanova makes the leap to Division 1 A. That would be a logical addition for the league. I am not sure that Georgetown would be willing to make the same move. There just aren't any other candidates outside of ND, Villanova or Georgetown that would help the league and create the imbalance for basketball.

I would agree with you that that would be bad for ECU. Plus most conferences today don't want to end up like the Big East with fractured membership. They want everyone to participate in all sports. Perfect example is the Southland Conference. They agreed to add a new school Texas A&M Corpus Christi, which itself is a new school, less than 12 years old, as long as they add all the conference sports by 2014. If they don't field a football team by then the school will owe the conference a penalty of a few million and they will be kicked out of the conference across the board.

Cicero · Post by **Cicero** » Sat May 24, 2008 7:30 pm

Clemson wins the ACC
Pat White wins the Heisman Trophy.
FSU goes 7-5.
Bobby and Joe Pa are tied at the end of the season.
Missouri wins the Big 12

SunCoastSooner · Post by **SunCoastSooner** » Sat May 24, 2008 7:36 pm

1. Golden Corral will mysteriously close for renovations where ever the Jayhawks play on Saturdays.

2. Another in a string of Aggie incidents Oklahoma State will be reminded by Nike that they are not Oklahoma and move their apparel to Adidas.

3. Chase Daniels will cry and announce at the post game press conference that they gave away the 3 TD ass pummelling they recieved in the conference title game.

King Crimson · Post by **King Crimson** » Sat May 24, 2008 7:46 pm

Colorado will have a new OC or DC in 09.

not sure which.

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Sat May 24, 2008 8:31 pm

Six of the following nine will see coaching-changes after the season:

Washington
Arizona
Syracuse
Northwestern
KSU
Okie State
Miss State
FSU
Kentucky

I'd say Pitt if dumbass Pederson wasn't so biased towards his boy Wanny(wanted him at Neb and allegedly had some involvement in Bo getting pushed aside for Wanny at Pitt).

Terry in Crapchester · Mon May 26, 2008 9:07 am

Danimal wrote:Six of the following nine will see coaching-changes after the season:

Washington

Probably needs to show some improvement or Ty will get the boot.

Arizona

I tend to agree with this one, unless the Wildcats show significant improvement. Stoops has had awhile there now, and hasn't shown anything close to the results his brother did (of course, he's not in as favorable a position to do so).

Syracuse

Ordinarily, you might think so, but I don't see it. There's definitely more justification, at least from an objective standpoint, to fire Robinson than there was in firing Pasqualoni, but the fanbase isn't calling for Robinson's head the way they were for Coach P's.

Northwestern

I don't think so. This is a program that's used to not winning. And there's still some sympathy left for Fitzgerald, given the circumstances under which he inherited the job.

KSU

Quite possible.

Okie State

Possible, although I would think a little less likely than K State.

Miss State

This is the one where I honestly don't know. Mississippi State showed some improvement last year, which would seem to give Crooms a little more breathing room. OTOH, it may be difficult to take this program to the next level if Bama really is back, as SS maintains.

FSU

Nah. Bowden, like JoePa, has earned the right to leave on his own terms.

Kentucky

Seems to be a program on the upswing, at least slightly. That would lead me to believe there won't be a coaching change here. OTOH, I suppose a coaching change is possible if they think one is necessary to keep the program moving up to the next level.

So I would say a maximum of six. Zero is also a possibility, but I wouldn't bet on that.

I'd say Pitt if dumbass Pederson wasn't so biased towards his boy Wanny(wanted him at Neb and allegedly had some involvement in Bo getting pushed aside for Wanny at Pitt).

Agreed.

King Crimson · Post by **King Crimson** » Mon May 26, 2008 11:36 am

Greg Robinson sucks. the only, and i mean ONLY, evidence to the contrary was a one year stint at Texas.

i doubt Gundy is going to get the axe unless Pokie State goes 1-10. they'll do like they always do and win 5-7 games and probably play their best game of the year against OU. i have two uncles who are "Posse Club" members and i don't hear any griping about Gundy from them. Sean Sutton, now that was a different story. Prince is hard to figure, but if the Cats can't win 6 games with the gimmes on their OOC then he should be gone.

OStUd · Post by **OStUd** » Mon May 26, 2008 12:17 pm

King Crimson wrote:. i have two uncles who are "Posse Club" members and i don't hear any griping about Gundy from them.

At least someone was smart in your family not to be a gooner. Gundy is is 40, he is a stud and this thread is garbage. The Cowboys are winning the big 12 this year.

I predict that I will drink enough Coors Light to support a fraternity that likes to screw fat gooner gilrs and that I bed more women in the back of my Chevy Tahoe in 3 months than this whole collective board can in a year.

Adelpiero · Post by **Adelpiero** » Mon May 26, 2008 3:11 pm

OStUd wrote:
King Crimson wrote:. i have two uncles who are "Posse Club" members and i don't hear any griping about Gundy from them.
At least someone was smart in your family not to be a gooner. Gundy is is 40, he is a stud and this thread is garbage. The Cowboys are winning the big 12 this year.

I predict that I will drink enough Coors Light to support a fraternity that likes to screw fat gooner gilrs and that I bed more women in the back of my Chevy Tahoe in 3 months than this whole collective board can in a year.

give me the shit your smoking. it seems to be really good

Terry in Crapchester · Mon May 26, 2008 4:50 pm

King Crimson wrote:Greg Robinson sucks. the only, and i mean ONLY, evidence to the contrary was a one year stint at Texas.

I don't disagree with this. But for the last five years or so of Coach P's stint, you'd hear someone call in to a local radio sports talk show every day (at least during the college football season) and demand his head on a platter. You don't hear that with Robinson. And make no mistake about it, it was the fanbase that got Pasqualoni fired.

Hell, there was a poster on these boards who used to call himself coachpmustgo. He hasn't done the same thing about Robinson AFAIK.

It mystifies me too.

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Mon May 26, 2008 10:02 pm

Terry, I never said firing I said "coaching change", that includes retirement. Both FSU and Kentucky have named successors to Bowden and Archer. I can't imagine either coaching more than two more seasons and it wouldn't surprise me to see both step-down after this season. Folks want to get the Jimbo-era going at FSU and from what I understand Archer is about ready to retire.

As far as Okie State goes I don't know if it is likely, but if Boone Pickens decides Gundy isn't getting them in the right direction dude is gone. I don't know if another season of struggling to get past .500 keeps Boone happy anymore. I'd give him a 60% of being around next year.

Prince 40%, ducking Fresno helped him out but after adding a third concon gimmie I'd say he PROBABLY has to get his jucolicious team to 7-5 to be safe. Considering KSU doesn't get Baylor this year that will be tough.

Stoops 40%. Being the ultra-fiery guy that swears like an old pirate is great for being a DC. But I don't think he has the HC-temperament. But he will be in the second year of the TTech-offense, if he can his normally solid D back on track he could save his butt another year. They have been plenty patient, the noncon is unimpressive, he has to win in '08.

Robinson 33%-maybe expectations have fallen a bit at Syracuse but I can't imagine yet-another year of making Pasqualoni look good will be acceptable.

Willlingham 33%-not that bad a coach, meh/average. But average isn't good-enough to turn-around a bad team, especially when you have some bad luck like with Stanback in '06. Willingham needs to make considerable gains in '08 and their sched is a bitch, loaded with solid teams, I can't see them making it to .500. Maybe a valiant 5-7 will save his butt.

Fitzgerald at NW was a reach I'd admit, but I wanted to throw a ninth team in there for a nice 2/3 fraction. I think they will be fairly patient with him. But if they have a disappointing season maybe folks just think he doesn't have it and better to eject before becoming conference-bitch. I'd give him a solid 70% shot of being back.

Croom at Miss State was also a reach, they did improve. But they can't afford to backslide. I'd like to see Croom succeed down there but I'm not sold yet. He needs another solid year to be safe. The game with Ga Tech will be key, 4-0 noncon affords them meh con-play. They'll be helped a bit my playing a couple new coaches at Ark and Miss. I'll say 65%.

Left Seater · Post by **Left Seater** » Tue May 27, 2008 6:40 pm

I laughed.

PSUFAN · Post by **PSUFAN** » Tue May 27, 2008 7:00 pm

RACK the Triumphant Return of OStUd. Someone's gonna get rassled.

SunCoastSooner · Post by **SunCoastSooner** » Tue May 27, 2008 7:26 pm

PSUFAN wrote:RACK the Triumphant Return of OStUd. Someone's gonna get rassled.

It won't be us Sooners... in three years the only in conference win we have is over the pokies. :twisted:

Roger_the_Shrubber · Post by **Roger_the_Shrubber** » Wed May 28, 2008 9:07 am

I will be here and be able to play in the Pick Em contest.

Goober McTuber · Post by **Goober McTuber** » Wed May 28, 2008 12:21 pm

Roger_the_Shrubber wrote:I will be here and be able to play in the Pick Em contest.

Well, there goes the neighborhood.

buckeye_in_sc · Post by **buckeye_in_sc** » Wed May 28, 2008 2:02 pm

I predict that the Cali Pony League championships are going to come down to schmick's team and some team they hammered previously...

a close call is going to turn the tide of the game and schmicks team is going to get a taste of their own medicine and get butt fucked in the mouth 32 - 4...schmick will come on here and bitch about the umping and how he got thrown out of the game and his kids just shit the bed...and then schmick will bitch about how the other coach is still calling for steals and bunts while they are up 21-2 in the 3rd inning...

well it can happen can't it? (crosses fingers and hopes)

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Thu May 29, 2008 3:57 am

I will continue to show that my pick 'em contest championship several years ago was a total fluke.