Nick Saban Needed to Retire

Nick Saban gave a pretty candid interview recently about his retirement from college football. He said a lot of stuff. He didn't like how his team reacted when Michigan beat them. He said he had been seriously considering retirement since 2022. He didn't like some players' attitude. He felt recruiting was becoming more difficult. You know, pretty much what I assumed he was going to say. But one thing stuck out to me from the interview. Let’s discuss.

When Saban was asked about NIL he told the journalist that kids came to him for their exit interview this year, and he claimed 70 to 80 percent either complained about playing time, or wanted more NIL money. He said that this is becoming too commonplace, and this was another push to retire from coaching. I read this and kind of brushed it off. But while I was out for a run I thought more about this NIL and playing time statement.

I am all for NIL. I think the players who are everywhere should be getting some kind of compensation. It only seems fair. I do agree with some people that it is totally out of hand, the transfer portal is like free agency and there is all kinds of tampering. But, this is the new era of college football, and I figure the new world of college football has maybe passed Nick Saban. Saban is an all time great. Hell, he is the GOAT college football coach. He was utterly dominant, prior to NIL. He got the best players, he got them to stay and he won. Then NIL and the transfer portal rules came into play and it became a little bit harder for Saban to get every player he wanted. Or, if he did get them to commit, that player would transfer out if they weren't playing. Take Tua Tagovailoa's little brother Talia. He committed to Alabama, was behind his brother and was expecting the start. When he wasn't named the starter, he went to Maryland, started for four straight years and set multiple records. I'm sure there are many other players that did the same. And now with NIL, these kids are getting massive deals before they even enter college football. They get big deals, they commit to one school, and if they don't play or their "brand" is not represented the way they want, they will transfer or ask for more. It is the new way in recruiting and dealing with modern college football players.

I don't think Saban liked that he couldn't fully control his players like he was used to doing. He had kids talking back, showing frustration or leaving if they were unhappy with playing time or their personal earnings. While that may be problematic and toxic, that is just how it is. And I think, while some may mourn Saban retiring, and those same people opining for the "good ole days' ', most will remember Saban's greatness, but we will also move on. There will be a new college football coach, that coaches modern players in the NIL era, that will be the next college football coaching GOAT. Think someone like Kirby Smart. Or maybe Dan Lanning. Hell, Saban's replacement Kalen DeBoer thrives in this era.

The other thing with Saban, he was in his 70's. He was going to retire earlier rather than later. And that is what we are seeing a lot with college football coaches. Saban retired. Jim Harbaugh, who is in his 60's, left for the NFL and Michigan replaced him with Sherrone Moore, who is in his late 30's. Mack Brown is still around, but he is not far from walking away again. Chip Kelly left for an offensive coordinator job and was replaced by a former UCLA player from the 2000's. Lincoln Riley isn't 40 yet. Marcus Freeman at Notre Dame is 37. Arizona State's head coach is only 33. Josh Heupel is in his early 40's. The game is skewing younger because these old guys are not into having full control. And these are not no name universities. These young coaches are getting a shot at major universities. And when you look at the older head coaches in college football, you have guys like Mack Brown, Kirk Ferentz, Don Brown, Jim Mora, Kyle Whittingham and Dabo Swinney. I already mentioned Mack Brown and him being near the end. Kirk Ferentz has a good squad on defense, but the offense is anemic. He still coaches his team like the Big 10 is stuck in the early 90's. Don Brown, who I like, has a mess of a team at UMASS. Jim Mora is dealing with the same at UCONN. Kyle Whittingham has a decent Utah team, but they are wildly inconsistent. And then there's the moron that is Dabo Swinney. I despise him. And he loathes the NIL and blames that for Clemson not being a title contender anymore. It is always someone else's fault.

College football is changing and most are changing with it. Some aren't, but they may not be long for coaching in college football much longer. Nick Saban is an absolute legend and will be a hall of famer, if he isn't one already. But to blame kids and their want for playing time and NIL money was a low blow and not needed. It seemed like a bit of sour grapes to me, an old man yelling at clouds. Times are changing and college football fans will find a new GOAT in the new era of college football coaches. It's only a matter of time. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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R.I.P. Craig Roh

A former University of Michigan football player, one I followed closely when he played there, passed away at 33 the other day. His name was Craig Roh. I'm sure not many of you know him. I have to imagine a few people out there know the name, but most are not familiar with him. I am. I was a fan.

Back when Roh committed to Michigan, 2008, I followed recruiting heavily. I don't do it as much anymore, kids always change their minds. But back then I wanted to see who was going to be at Michigan, who may restore this team to glory. Roh committed to play at Michigan back in the Rich Rodriguez era. Michigan was not very good back then, especially on defense. So when Roh, a 6'8 260 pound defensive end committed, I was stoked. I hoped he would be one of the guys who could make that unit formidable again. He had all the tools a fan could want from an edge rusher. He was tall. He was strong. He was fast. And he played nasty. I was an instant fan. I also liked that he wore number 88. You didn't see that much back in 2008 from an edge rusher. And Roh was legit the moment he stepped on campus. He started as a true freshman. I don't think a lot of us understand how athletically advanced you have to be to start at a major division 1 football program when you are 18. He learned the defensive scheme fast and it was inevitable during early practices that he was going to start. He started and played in all 12 games as a freshman, eventually playing this hybrid linebacker role due to his speed. He finished the year with 37 tackles, 2 sacks and an interception. Big things were to come.

As a sophomore Roh got bigger and was still one of the faster hybrid defensive players on the team. He also became a vocal leader on and off the field. He defended players and coaches alike and made it known he was a leader of the defense. The defense improved thanks to Roh and he was the guy moving forward for that defense.

During his third season in Ann Arbor they moved him back to defensive end, where he faced a bit of scrutiny from new defensive coordinator, Greg Mattison. It turns out that Roh had a bad respiratory illness that slowed him down at the start of the season. He recovered and eventually led the defense with 6.5 tfl's and 2 sacks. He was also named honorable mention All Big 10 that season.

Roh’s final season at Michigan saw a coaching change. Brady Hoke took over, and while Roh could have left, he decided to stick it out. He was named second team All Big 10, Academic All Big 10 and won Michigan's best d lineman for that season.

He bounced around professionally here and there, but never really stuck. He retired and lived a relatively quiet life. He had been living such a quiet life that I had no idea he was sick. It was revealed, upon his death, that he died from colon cancer, which he had been fighting for the last year. This is a bummer for him and his family. He was only 33. That is way too young. He was in good shape. He was a college athlete. He played football at the highest level. He, from what I understand, lived a pretty clean life. But he is another person struck down far too young from cancer. This stinks. I wish it didn't end this way for him. He was a Michigan man through and through. He would have fit right in with this national title team.

Rest in Peace Craig Roh. I hope you're comfortable wherever you are now. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Thoughts on EA's "Gifts" to use College Athletes NIL

Now that the NCAA Football game is officially coming out this summer, I read today that every team is involved. There is also the portal, NIL, recruiting, all the good stuff that I want in this game. This is all good news. But, I did read that players have to opt in if they want their name, image and likeness involved. I get it. It makes sense. If you are to be represented in this game, I'd figure you'd want it to look as real as possible. It would also be pretty darn cool to see yourself in a video game. I know I'd go crazy over that. All this makes sense.

What I have an issue with is the kickback from the people at EA. If a player opts in they will be given a copy of the game and 600 dollars. That all sounds very good on paper. You get a nice upfront payment and a free video game. But as I sat here today with my thoughts, I went more in depth and realized this is kind of a slap to these players. I mean, most of the players that opt in are already making much, much more than 600 bucks in the NIL world. Also, I am pretty sure that is a one time payment. It is not like they will see that money time and time again. For every fan that purchases and plays this game this summer, and for future releases, 600 dollars is chump change. These players are going to have all of their info put into this game and it only costs EA 600 dollars? That is robbery. They are going to have their face on my video screen? That should be way more than 600 bucks. I am going to buy a new system to play the game when it comes out because I do not have a system that can support this game. The two separate systems I'm looking at are in the high 400, low 500 dollar range. So I'm to believe that if a college athlete opts in, gets the 600 dollars, but has to buy a new system, they are left with 100 dollars. That is asinine. I'd, at the very least, double that money. We all know that EA has way more than that to hand out. And then they are given a copy of the game? Again, sounds fine on paper, but do these athletes really care about that? If I were to guess, this game will be around 80 dollars to buy. Great, they are saving a net total of 100 dollars by not having to buy the game if they need a new console. This is like a second thought of a gift. It feels like EA was thinking, well, 600 dollars isn't quite enough, why don't we just give them a free copy of the game? And the geniuses that work in the front office must have thought that the person that came up with that idea was the ultimate genius. They are not. This is damn near the least they could do in this scenario. And I get that they could have to hand out a big, big amount of money, but they have it, and then some. And having to give out free video games may look like it will be a bunch of money on paper, but think of all the people that are going to be buying this game as long as they continue to make it.

I have all kinds of internal issues with this, but I am going to get every new version that comes out when they come out. And I'm not a gamer. I couldn't care less about video games, except this one. EA can, and should do better by these kids. They are playing a game that is incredibly dangerous. I get it is a choice, but the vast majority of these kids are going to make their money with NIL. A good portion will not be pros, and even if they do, even more of them will not see the riches that some other football players have reached during their careers. They need to give more. They need to up the pot. Six hundred dollars is a drop in the bucket. And a free video game is a total afterthought. More consideration should have been put into this decision. But, here we are. I'm interested to see the reaction from the players. It could get spicy. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Michigan Football Fans Need to Calm Down

The Michigan football team has seen their head coach leave for the NFL, hired a new head coach, the best possible candidate, and has seen coaches depart to join Jim Harbaugh's staff in LA. This is how it goes when coaches leave. Harbaugh hired these guys, he worked closely with them, they won a national championship and he wants to continue to work with them and see how they do at the highest level. That is the way.

You see this all the time. Nick Saban had to hire new people all the time. Todd Monken left Georgia three years ago for the NFL. Dan Lanning took the Oregon job and brought some Georgia assistants with him. That is two times Kirby Smart had to get new coaches. Deion Sanders brought a bunch of his staff over from Jackson State when he took the Colorado job. This is the norm. But, when I go on Michigan fan pages lately it is going in two areas, the sky is falling or Harbaugh is "screwing the team over". There is no middle ground. There is no complacency. People are mad and frustrated and they are letting it out online.

I have always been a pessimist when it comes to Michigan. It was always the worst case scenario for me. I could not be satisfied with what they did. Until this past season. They won the national title 22 days ago. I am still living on that high. I have seen two national titles in my lifetime, but this most recent one is way, way more satisfying. They did everything I have always wanted them to do. They won all 15 games they played. Most of them weren't close. They were blowing most teams out weekly. It was a dream. This was the first season in forever where I could relax while watching almost every game. I have never been happier to be a Michigan fan. I feel like some people on these message boards have already forgotten this news. They are more obsessed with the transfer haul the university of Ohio State brought in. They want to fight with people online about the ongoing investigation. They want to yell and scream at Harbaugh. They aren't as happy as they should be with the Sherron Moore hire. It hasn't even been a month since they won it all, but if you read the message boards it sounds more like they just went through a rebuilding season. I don't get it.

Harbaugh and these players gave us fans anything and everything we ever wanted but it doesn't seem good enough for some. I fully understand not being satisfied with just one title these past two decades, but can we fans just celebrate a little longer before bitching about every little thing? As for the staffing stuff, Michigan kept the job in house. They hired Moore, who more than earned this job. The university promoted from within. And while losing Jesse Minter and Ben Herbert is tough, they have already replaced Herbert with his assistant, and they have people on staff that they can hire to be the new defensive coordinator. They can also look to an outside hire, possibly someone on the Ravens staff. I also do not believe Harbaugh is going to leave Moore in the cold. I don't think he will shut him out. I definitely think he will help him anyway he can, just like his brother helped him when he needed coordinators. Moore is also currently putting together a staff. We need to give Moore a chance. It seems like a bunch of so-called fans aren't prepared to do this. It is all doom and gloom. Fans are more worried about kids transferring and the coaches that are no longer on the staff. It is always tough when very good coaches leave, but that is a good thing. Coaches in demand means your team is doing something right. If they just stuck around forever I don't think they'd be happy. I don't believe that most coaches who reach the collegiate level want to be assistants forever. I think most want to be head coaches at some point.

I just want it to all calm down. I want people to remember what just happened. They won it all. They haven't done that since 1997. It has been a long, long time. Michigan is relevant again. They are a power. Moore should be given a chance to continue that with the people that he wants to work with. Just relax and enjoy the title and this team. They were incredibly elite. And Moore is going to do just fine. Go Blue. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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An Ode to the Careers of Two Football College Legends

Two titans of the coaching world in football are moving on/retiring. Let’s discuss.

I first heard that Nick Saban was retiring when I was scrolling through Facebook last night. A friend of mine posted something about it, but I thought he was just screwing around. I went and tried to find something on a reputable website, but nothing came up right away. So I gave it about ten minutes and checked again. It was EVERYWHERE that Saban was walking away. I was stunned. He took the team he had this season to the playoff. He has won six titles since he took over as the head coach at Alabama. He won another title when he was the head coach at LSU. He had minimal success with the Dolphins before leaving like a coward when the Alabama job opened up. But, for me as a true college football fan, he has been the face of Alabama and their dominance since his second season. His team's have been wildly impressive since he took over. He coached guys like DJ Fluker, Julio Jones, Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts, Devonta Smith, Derrick Henry, Alex Leatherwood, Quinnen Williams, CJ Mosley, Dont'a Hightower, Minkah Fitzpatrick and Mark Barron, just to name a few. Oh, he recently just coached Heisman winner Bryce Young. Jalen Milroe is a stud. Jahmyr Gibbs transferred in and became a first round pick. Jaylen Waddle is a budding star. The list could go on and on. These are just some of the players he coached at Alabama mind you. He has had other stars at his other stops. But what made him so dominant at the college level was not only the talent, but his passion. Nick Saban is a maniac. This is the same dude that, after winning a national title, he complained that he had to start recruiting again. He was never satisfied with the product. Once he got a ring, he wanted more. It was that drive and grit that made him the greatest college football coach of time. I don't think there is a better one out there. He has played against all of the other greats, and gotten the best of all of them. Look at his coaching tree and all those guys he beat during his tenure. It took Kirby Smart a long while before he beat Saban. Jimbo Fisher only has a few wins against him. I don't know that Lane Kiffin has a win over him. Steve Sarkisian got his first this past season. Butch Jones had a melt down after taking the Tennessee job just trying to beat him. Billy Napier never got Florida over the hump. Jeremy Pruitt and Mel Tucker had to leave their head coaching jobs due to scandal. He has also produced pro coaches. Guys like Brian Daboll, Joe Judge and Bill O'Brien have all spent time under Nick Saban. What Saban did for the college football game and Alabama may never be matched. Alabama was always a threat. When Michigan drew them in the playoff this season I wasn't thrilled because of Alabama's past and potential. He struck fear in opponents. He had the best recruiting pitch. He hired the best coaches. And he always found ways to win. The NFL was never for Nick Saban. He was always destined to be a college football head coach and he became the best the game has seen to this point. It will be odd to not see him on the sideline next season, but congrats on a coaching career that may never be matched. Nick Saban is an all timer.

As for the NFL, well, Bill Belichek and the Patriots have "mutually" parted ways. This felt like a long time coming, but when this news hit this morning, I was still a little taken aback. Bill Belichek turned himself into one of the greatest head coaches the NFL has ever seen. The things he did with the Patriots starting in the early 2000's is the stuff of legend in the coaching world. The guy had an eye for talent when it came to players and assistant coaches. He had this odd sense that he could get the most of people that not many saw much potential. Drew Bledsoe, their star QB and former number one overall pick gets hurt and they turn to some 6th round backup named Tom Brady. We all know what happened then. It was a decade plus of dominance with that pairing as QB and coach. The Patriots always seemed to win and always seemed to be in the thick of the playoff race. Even the season Brady went down in week one, the Patriots still managed to win ten games with Matt Cassell as their starting QB. That has a lot to do with Belichek. This guy also took chances on players. He brought in Randy Moss and had that electric offense. The best years of Laurence Maroney's NFL career were in New England. Ty Law was an all pro under Belichek's tutelage. Lawyer Milloy became one of the best safeties in the league. Benjarvus Green Ellis had a career because of him. The same could be said for Wes Welker, Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman. Richard Seymour made a name for himself in the league because of Belichek. The guy had an eye for these "diamonds in the rough". He also knew how to hire good assistants that figured out how to work with him. Josh McDaniels isn't much of a head coach or person, but the dude can coach a Bill Belichek offense. Matt Patricia only got a head coaching job because he ran Belichek's defense to perfection. Joe Judge was a special teams coach under Belichek, after working for Saban, and that reputation of working with Belichek got him the head job with the Giants. Brian Flores is an amazing defensive coordinator and he more than deserves another shot at being a head coach. Romeo Crennel had a few good years with the Browns. Charlie Weiss parlayed his coordinating job into a few head coaching jobs, namely Notre Dame and Kansas. Hell, even Nick Saban spent time working under Belichek when he was the head coach of the Browns. While a good amount of these guys never reached the heights Belichek has, they had massive success working from, and learning from, Bill Belichek. I don't know what the future holds for him, but I would be a little stunned if he isn't hired by one of the seven teams with a current opening very soon.

As it stands on January 11th, both Bill Belichek and Nick Saban are no longer football coaches. That seems wild to say, but here we are. Crazy. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Go Blue

Michigan football did it. They won the national title last night.

The game was close until about seven minutes left. That was when Blake Corum ran it in, and then Mike Sainristil took a pick 81 yards to the redzone, and then Corum punched it in one more time to seal it, 34-13.

Michigan finished the season 15-0. That is the most wins in Big Ten history. That is tied for the most wins with four other teams. Jim Harbaugh revamped his coaching staff, got younger, adjusted and brought a national championship to his alma mater. He accomplished the goal he had when he took this job nine years ago. He has restored the Michigan football program back to being a perennial threat. This is their third playoff appearance in a row. The third time was the charm for this team. They exorcised all of their demons. The people who said Harbaugh couldn't win a big game were proven wrong. He beat Alabama in the Rose Bowl, and then went on to dominate Washington, the only other undefeated team in division 1, in the title game. He has also beaten the university of Ohio State three times in a row. Harbaugh has proven the doubters wrong. Blake Corum came back from a tough injury last year to lead this team, and become one of the best running backs in the history of Michigan football. JJ McCarthy took over as the starter last season and hasn't looked back. He is now 27-1 as the starting QB. The defense has become this boa constrictor. They just squeeze and squeeze and squeeze until their opponent can't take it anymore. Thank you to former Indiana coach Tom Allen for the boa constrictor comparison. The defense is also full of talent. There isn't one guy, this is a collection of super talented players that do what is best for the team. But what I love most about this team is the fact that they are just that, a team. They may have a few players that the media focuses on, but make no mistake, this is a team. They play for one another. Their individual success is the team's success. They don't care who the "star" player is, they just care about each other achieving the team goal of winning it all. Which is what they just did last night.

Of all the seasons to win it all, it is kind of perfect that it was this season. Michigan started with their head coach suspended for the first three games due to "burgergate". Apparently Jim Harbaugh bought some recruits hamburgers during the 2020 recruiting dead period, and also watched workouts during the same time. It is small fries compared to some other infractions, but he was still suspended. Michigan easily won those games as they were against inferior opponents. Then Harbaugh came back. Michigan continued to win, but during the Rutgers game, Greg Schiano made some odd comments. He seemed to allude that Michigan may have had some intel as to what signals Rutgers was using. It was of no mind the following week when Michigan traveled to Nebraska and absolutely smashed them in their first road game. They were 5-0 at this point and riding high. They proceeded to cruise over Minnesota in a nationally televised night game, and I was starting to believe in this team's potential. Then they proceeded to demolish Indiana, and this was when Tom Allen gave us the boa constrictor line. Then they had a bye week. Then all these stories came out, mainly from ESPN, that Michigan was involved in some kind of espionage sign stealing enterprise. It was the talk of every sports channel. I even saw some reputable news sources talking about it. The way it was reported, you would have thought Michigan was breaking some kind of law. They were the villains. Everyone, outside of their fanbase, painted them as cheaters. They were called despicable. Talking heads on sports shows said they wouldn't recognize them as champs if they won it all. People on message boards were saying hateful, awful things about their coach, the players and us fans. Michigan took this all in stride and came back from the bye week facing rival Michigan State, whose coach was fired for having an affair with a speaker, which everyone seemed to forget about, and beat them 49-0. I started to buy in even more. They had Purdue next, and Purdue's coach acted holier than thou, calling Jim Harbaugh a spade. Michigan beat them 41-13, and it wasn't even that close. Then the calls from Big 10 coaches came about suspending Harbaugh immediately for the sign stealing allegations. Remember that these have always been, and still are, allegations. The new Big 10 commissioner did something unprecedented and suspended Harbaugh immediately for the rest of the regular season. These were Michigan's three most important games. This was going to define their season. These games would determine if they would win the Big 10 again, and make the playoff again. Harbaugh and Michigan took the suspension and gave the interim head coaching job to offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Sherrone Moore. He proceeded to lead Michigan to a win over Penn State, in Happy Valley. And that game wasn't close. This was a gratifying win because Penn State's coach was acting all high and mighty all week leading up to the game. And Moore outcoached him, ran the ball down his defense's throat and won. They then beat Maryland in a game that was way too close for comfort. But I feel like every championship team needs one of these games to keep them honest. They then had the university of Ohio State. Ryan Day got everything he wanted in this game. Harbaugh was suspended, the media was on his side, the refs were on his side, all of his players were healthy and ready to go. And guess what, he still couldn't beat Michigan. Moore outcoached Day's punkass and led this team to a third straight win over their biggest rival and a shot at a third straight Big 10 title.  Harbaugh served his second suspension and came back. And you all know how this season ended. They throttled Iowa, then won a thriller over Alabama and closed it out with a runaway win in last night's title game. It was awesome.

As I said up top, it was a euphoric feeling at the end of the game last night. I remember when they won in 1997, but I was only 15. This time I'm an adult. I will remember this as long as I live. This team is going to go down as one of the best teams in the history of college football. If Harbaugh does leave for the NFL, I have no ill will. I think it is going to happen to be honest with you. If he does leave, I'd give the job to Moore without a second thought. And, along with Harbaugh, I want to thank Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards, the entire o and d line, all the wideouts, the tight ends, Will Johnson, Makari Page, Rod Moore, Junior Colson, all the other secondary and linebackers, and Jesse Minter and Sherrone Moore. As well as Jay Harbaugh, Mike Hart, Mike Elston and Stev Clinkscale. And every other player and coach I did not mention. This was a team's team and they accomplished the ultimate goal. They did it with tough interior play, elite tackling and one of the best college football defenses in history.

Thank you Michigan football. Thank you so much for this wonderful title. I am forever grateful and will never forget this as long as I live. I'm on cloud nine right now. This is one of the best things I've seen in sports in my life. This is euphoria. Always and forever, Go Blue. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Why is There A Giant Pop Tart All Over the College Football Bowl Scene

During the college football bowl season, outside of the playoff, the bowl games are kind of useless. We have opt outs, the transfer portal opens before the games start, coaches take new job, players graduate, there are so many outside distractions, it makes these games nearly unwatchable.

Oklahoma played without Dillon Gabriel last night. Miami was down to their third string QB, who redshirted this season. Tulane had four or five key guys sit or transfer. Notre Dame is down to a third string QB today. Florida State had upwards of 20 players transfer or opt out. You see what I mean? But, what these bowl games tend to do well is market themselves. I know who wins the Duke's Mayo Bowl every year now because the coach gets doused in mayonnaise, which is gross. The Pinstripe Bowl really goes hard into the Yankees and playing at Yankee stadium angle. It seems to be the same thing with the bowl game at Fenway. The Sun Bowl has a big sun, with a smile on its face, as its mascot. A good amount of these games, or the sponsors of these games that is, have mascots. It is all in good fun. I get it. But the mascot that I am already done with, and ready for it to be retired is the pop tart from whatever bowl game Pop Tarts is the sponsor of this year.

Anytime I went to check scores of the games last night, that damn mascot was there. Anytime I read a story, that damn mascot was featured. Hell, even when I checked on stuff from the games today, the Pop Tarts mascot was front and center. I like pop tarts. I do think they are a viable, quick breakfast option. I know they don't offer much in the way of nutrition, but they taste good. They give you the boost you need to start the day. But putting actual pop tarts in the trophy, what the hell is that nonsense? Why do that? Is the whole team, of damn near 100 players, supposed to share two pop tarts? I know these are pointless questions, and I'm sure that the Pop Tart company gave the players and coaches some nice swag. But still, to make this a whole ass story, come on. I read today that the mascot was made of real Pop Tarts. That is nuts. That is stupid. That is gross. And again, who is supposed to eat this thing? I would guess the winning team is supposed to consume the mascot, but why? Also, I have to imagine the person inside the costume is sweaty and gross. I bet they have a protective layer on, hopefully covering up the pop tart, but still, sweat can leak through. I wear wicking undershirts when I run in the winter to keep me warm and protect the sweat from making me chafe. But guess what, it still finds its way through the layers. I still get sweat on my outer most layer. I would think that the same thing is happening within the mascot suit and the edible part of the mascot suit. That is vile. Also, a pop tart seems like the last thing an athlete would want to eat after playing a four hour football game. I don't know.

I know this is a stupid complaint, but it is a complaint nonetheless, and I have a platform to gripe about these half baked ideas. I get that you have to keep your bowl games, outside the New Years six and the CFP, but this is a bridge too far for me. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty Predicts the 2023 Heisman Trophy

The Heisman trophy will be awarded to the best college football player tomorrow night. The finalists are Marvin Harrison Jr, Bo Nix, Michael Penix Jr and Jayden Daniels. All four of these players are worthy of being finalists. Honestly, I do not know who I would replace our add on the list. I'd love to see a Michigan player there, but no one of them was individually outstanding. They are a collection of good players. I thought Jalen Milroe might get an invite after his last two games, but it was a little too late in the game for that. I even tried to pry some defensive players who were otherworldly, but that was nonexistent this season.

So, as this award has almost always been, there are four offensive players, three of which are QB's. I want to make a case for each of them and then pick a winner. I'll start with Bo Nix.

Look, the dude is 26 years old and he should be able to feast on some of the Pac 12 defenses out there. He did that and much more. Nix put up incredible numbers. He threw for over 4,000 yards. He had 40 passing touchdowns to only three interceptions. He ran for 200 plus yards and six more TD's. The dude crushed it. He never really struggled in any games, but he could not beat Washington. That is his achilles heel. He would have a great year, but when he had to produce a big win, it just never happened for him. He is more than deserving of his invite to NYC, but I do not think he will be leaving with the trophy. There will be no repeat of Chris Weinke for Nix tomorrow night.

Michael Penix Jr looked like the front runner to me about seven or eight weeks into the season. He was absolutely obliterating every team he played against. He was putting up wild numbers too. Penix Jr finished the season with over 4,000 passing yards as well. He threw for 33 touchdowns to only nine interceptions. He rushed for negative yards, but he did score three more TD's on the ground. The best thing Penix Jr did this year was win every single game on the schedule. Penix Jr led the Huskies to an undefeated season and the number two spot in the CFP. He also played great against ranked opponents. He threw for 319 in the Pac 12 title game against Oregon. He had 332 against a ranked Utah team. He went for 256 against USC. Penix Jr played best when the lights were brightest. That is a big testament to his ability. But, due the tiniest little slip at the end of the season, I do not see him bringing the trophy home either.

Then we have Marvin Harrison Jr. Harrison Jr is the best player in college football. Full stop. That does not mean he will bring home the Heisman. But, he is, by far, the most feared and most dominant offensive player in the game. I like to act like he didn't perform well against Michigan. That is false. He had five catches for 118 yards and a score. Michigan won, so it is easier for me to swallow his excellent performance. Harrison, not unlike his fellow finalists, put up crazy stats. He had 67 catches for over 1,200 yards and 14 scores. In only 12 games. That is mind boggling. That is nearly six catches a game. That is 100 yards a game. That is over one touchdown a game. As a receiver. That hasn't been done since Randy Moss, and Harrison Jr plays in the Big 10. Looking back at some of the games he had this year, it is amazing his stat line. I mentioned the Michigan game. He also torched Michigan State with seven catches for 149 yards and 2 TD's. He had eleven catches for 162 yards and a score against Penn State. He had six catches for 123 yards and two scores against Wisconsin. The guy produces big time being the focal point of the defense. His stats are incredible, but I think he is going to finish a distant second tomorrow night.

That leaves us with Jayden Daniels, the most electric QB in college football in 2023. Daniels was the do it all guy for a solid LSU team. While I loathe Brian Kelly, he did put Daniels in a great position every week to showcase his incredible talent. Daniels threw for over 3,800 yards. He added 40 TD passes to only four interceptions. He ran the ball 135 times for over 1,100 yards and 10 scores. He torched Texas A&M for 235 passing yards and four TD passes. He also ran 11 times for 120 yards in that game. When LSU beat Florida, Daniels threw for 372 yards and three scores. He added, and this is not a misprint, 234 yards rushing on 12 carries and two more scores. When Alabama beat LSU, Daniels still impressed with 219 passing yards and two TD passes. He also ran for 163 and a score. Against Mizzou, one of the better SEC defenses, Daniels passed for 259 yards, threw three TD's and added 130 rushing yards and another score. I could go on and on with his insane video game stats, but I figured showing how well he played against the better teams on his schedule is proof enough of his wonderful season. And I fully believe he is more than deserving of the Heisman this year. The other players have had a great season as well, but not compared to Daniels. He is on a whole other level.

That is my pick, and I would be stunned if he didn't win the Heisman tomorrow night. Jayden Daniels should bring home the award in an easy victory. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Florida State Got Robbed

The College Football Playoff is all set. Michigan is the 1 seed, Washington 2, Texas 3 and Alabama 4.

I do think all four teams had some good reasons for being picked. Michigan won every game and the Big 10. Washington won every game and the Pac 12. Texas won 12 games, won the Big 12 and beat Bama. They did get beat by Oklahoma, who is very good, but that was early and they more than made up for it. And Bama ended Georgia's 29 game win streak, lost to Texas early on in the season, but won every other game. So, do I think these teams are deserving of a playoff spot? Yes. But, do I think the committee got it right? Absolutely not.

This has been a topic of much debate since the four playoff teams were announced yesterday. People have had takes either way, supporting the decision or disagreeing with the decision. I wanted to sit on my thoughts for a day before I made up my mind. And I absolutely believe that Florida State was snubbed big time. This may be the biggest snub in the history of college football bowl games. That may sound like a bit much, but to the players, coaches and that university, this is a big deal. Florida State won the ACC. They won it going away in fact. They beat three top 25 teams. They beat LSU, who will most likely have the Heisman winner this weekend, in a humongous prime time matchup this season. The main thing that FSU did this season though, they won every game. Texas did not win every game. Alabama did not win every game. But FSU did. They had their schedule set, they played the teams on that schedule and when those games were over, FSU was the winner of each and every one of them. That is their job as a power 5 football team. That has been the unwritten rule of the college football playoff committee. They have said time and time again that if you play in a power 5 conference, win the conference title game, and win every other game on your schedule, that should be more than enough to get you in the playoff. But for some reason this season the committee decided to change things up.

Now, I fully understand, as does the committee, that the playoff is a television event. They want to get as many viewers as possible. And putting Michigan up against Alabama is going to bring a ton of viewers. But it is not like FSU is some also ran. They are blue bloods themselves. They have won multiple national titles. They have had multiple first round picks. They have a storied history. So to pass over them for Alabama, that shows the bias that the committee and ESPN, where all the playoff games will be broadcast, have. This is clearly ESPN and the committee cowtailing to the SEC and Bama. They want them in these games to get the talking heads and fans all riled up. During the SEC title game they kept showing a placard on the screen saying that the winner of the SEC title game has never missed the CFP. No one on ESPN, CBS, Fox or NBA were talking up FSU at all Saturday night, even as they were winning the ACC title game. And when ESPN premiered the final playoff game reveal and rankings, of course most of their talking heads were saying this was the correct choice, to leave FSU out in favor of Bama. Rece Davis, a Bama grad, loved it. Kirk Herbstreit, who I like, said weeks ago that if FSU finished undefeated, they'd be a shoe in. He immediately disregarded that statement and praised the committee for their choice. Paul Finebaum basically said he could care less about FSU and that Bama deserved the spot. He hosts a show on ESPN's SEC network. The only analyst that seemed to be bothered by this was Booger McFarland. He made some real good points I thought too. If anyone that is a college football fan is on the fence about this choice, go watch what McFarland had to say yesterday. It was the best argument for FSU being in the playoff that I saw. But after yesterday it is more apparent than ever that this committee and ESPN could care less about what occurs on the field. They are going to bend over backwards to get a team from the SEC in this field if there is the slightest possibility.

I do not like FSU, not one bit, but they were snubbed, and snubbed hard by the CFP committee yesterday. This is not what is supposed to happen when you win every game and win your conference as a power 5. This is clearly a move motivated by viewers, not players. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Jimbo Fisher Got Paid A Lot to Be an Average Football Coach

Texas A&M has relieved Jimbo Fisher of his head coaching duties. Let’s discuss.

I have to say, I am kind of shocked by this news. It wasn't as if Fisher was lighting the coaching world on fire, but it felt like he kind of had carte blanche since taking over the job. I guess I was wrong to assume such. They did just give him an extension, and he seemed to pull in top ten recruiting classes with ease, but here we are. The recruiting may have been gang busters, but the results were not coming in the form of as many wins as the boosters and AD's wanted. When Fisher left Florida State to take this job I thought it was a bad move on his part. If anything it felt like a lateral move. FSU and TAMU are kind of similar in the college football world. In fact, FSU may be a better football school. But after winning a national title and having a couple of ten win seasons, Fisher turned that into a humongous payday and left to go coach the Aggies. But he was never really able to turn the Aggies into a national title contender like they all hoped when they hired him.

Since taking over in 2018 the Aggies never won more than nine games under Fisher. They always had the hype. They always had the next big star in college football. They always had a high preseason ranking. They always have had a major home field advantage. But it never fully seemed to come together. The best player on his 2018 team was tight end Jace Sternberger. Sternberger was fine, but not the game changer they hoped for. They also beat the teams they were supposed to, but could not get over the hump. They played number two Clemson close, but couldn't pull off the win. They got smoked by Alabama that season. And Mississippi State and Auburn beat them back to back. They did win their bowl game to get that 9th win against NC State. The season was off to a good start, but they never really built off that.

In 2019 they ended up 8-5, taking a step back. They were beaten by Clemson again. Auburn also beat them. Alabama smoked them again. Georgia took it to them and LSU throttled them. Their best player that year was a defensive tackle.

The COVID shortened 2020 season was Fisher's best. The Aggies finished 9-1 and finally beat some good teams. They still got smoked by Alabama. But, they did beat number 4 Florida. They also beat LSU and Auburn. And they took down UNC in their bowl game. Their best player that season was QB Kellen Mond. He had a very, very good year that turned him into a 3rd round draft pick. Then the regression came on strong.

They followed up their nine win season returning to 8-5. Arkansas beat them. Unranked Mississippi State beat them. They finally beat Alabama. But they were beaten by Ole Miss and LSU. They had an amazing recruiting class, but it never really panned out. Zach Caldaza was the QB. De'Von Achane was their running back. DeMarvin Leal seemed ready for a breakout. None of that happened. They never really put it together.

Last season was their worst though. They had all kinds of preseason hype. They were picked to finish second in the SEC. They had preseason all conference picks. They had an elite recruiting class. It just never worked out the way they planned it. App State beat them in week 2. TAMU was ranked 6th overall at this point. They did win two straight, over ranked opponents. But then they got beat in six straight games. Mississippi State smoked them. Alabama beat them in a close game. South Carolina won by six. Ole Miss beat them by a field goal. Florida smashed them. And Auburn beat them by three. The bleeding stopped, but barely, when they beat a very bad UMASS team by a field goal. And they closed out the season by upsetting number 5 LSU. But they never really looked all that good in 2022. Haynes King and Max Johnson split time at QB and neither was great. De'Von Achane was the lead back, but he never really got going. The wideouts never got much of a chance. The defense spent too much time on the field. It was a blown season. I do think the LSU win gave the fans and front office hope, but it was false hope.

A&M came into this year with less hype, but still predicted to be better. They had another very good recruiting class. They brought in solid transfers. They had some returning talent. But it didn't work. Miami beat them in week two by 15. Alabama beat them again. Tennessee shut them down. And Ole Miss took them down by a field goal. Sure, they have six wins, but the wins are kind of hollow. They did win their last game, 51-10, thus making the firing even crazier, but here we are.

Fisher was never able to find the success he achieved at FSU with TAMU. They hype was there, they had all the preseason love,  but it never fully came together. I think hiring people like DJ Durkin never helped as well. Jimbo Fisher tried to surround himself with elite coaches, he just picked the wrong ones. He could get elite recruits, but they either transferred or never panned out. They probably deserved better coaching.

I am curious to see where Fisher goes from here. I wonder if he will stay out of coaching for awhile, he has an extremely high payout, and I wouldn't blame him. But if he does come back to coaching I will have to think he will have to go to a mid-major style school, or become a coordinator at a power 5 school. Fisher got paid, big time, by TAMU. He took a chance on himself when he left FSU, it just didn't work out. Now we wait to see the next move. It should be interesting. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Let's Talk About the Michigan Football Controversy

Okay, I have to weigh in on the Michigan sign stealing allegations. It has been long enough. I am bummed. Right off the bat, I do not like when the only team that I love is doing shady stuff. It makes me feel bad. I hate it, and that is a word I hardly ever use. It stinks.

I went through all the emotions when the news broke last week. I was very scared at first. I thought of all the worst things that could happen. Then I started to find excuses. The NCAA is fully out to get Harbaugh. That much I fully believe. I do not think that anyone could truly disagree with me on that. Then the video stuff came out and I figured that all teams do this. I still think that as well. But with this staffer buying tickets seemingly all over the country, that seems weird. I also saw the main video being passed around. The one where the Michigan staff changes things up after an audible. I don't see anything truly wrong with this, I see it every Saturday from a bunch of other teams. But, still weird with the accusations out there. Then I saw what other coaches have said and I agree with some and think others, Kirby Smart and Mike Norvell, are being a little holier than thou. And now the staffers' text messages have been revealed and they are damning.

So, taking all of this in, I am still feeling things, but I feel like I will be on the other side after I talk about it on the site today. As stated above, this stinks. I was very against the Astros when they were accused, and then found guilty, of stealing signs. Baseball is a different sport, and what the Astros did was wild, but still, stealing signs is stealing signs. It is definitely a gray area within college football, but if I'm going to chastise the Astros, I need to chastise Michigan football. This is shady. I don't like it.

I was wearing a Michigan shirt today, I will never stop loving this team, and I went to a sporting goods store. A worker told me that they were having a good season and I smiled and said thanks. But as I walked away, I thought maybe he was trolling me. I have felt like sports fans have seen me out with Michigan gear since the story leaked, and they are all judging me. I am sure that is not the case, and most people probably don't care, but that is how my brain works. I feel like I am going to be judged for writing about it today.

What hurts most though, Michigan has simply been accused and an investigation is currently going on. Michigan has not been found guilty of anything. I also do not think they are going to get in much trouble if they are found to have done this. But in the public perception, on the horrific message boards and on major sporting networks, Michigan is guilty. According to a bunch of people, they did the crime and they should do the time. Most people don't care what the outcome will be. And that is the problem with this internet age. The big time sports writers want as many clicks as possible, so if they have a story, they are going to put it out there with little to no credible sources. If you read the original story, the writer mentions "anonymous sources" and "credible big ten sources". He never mentions a name. He wanted to get this story out before anyone, he did, and he is now getting massive clicks on his stuff. I even looked him up the other day.

What else bums me out about this scandal is the whole gray area of it all. Sign stealing is not illegal, but it is gross. I know a ton of teams do this, some much better than others obviously. That doesn't make it any less gross. I get it that teams change signs all the time as well. But some people know how to decipher this stuff, and changing it up a bit does next to nothing.

All in all, this stinks. I hate that it is Michigan being targeted in the investigation. This football team is the one thing I love that I have no affiliation with at all. But I also truly believe that Michigan will get what equates to a slap on the wrist. The public will always have their opinion of them, and that will be that they are college football's Astros. And I think that is what hurts me, as a fan, the most. Michigan's football program, regardless of how long Harbaugh sticks around, will be mentioned as the team investigated as the sign stealers. That hurts me the most. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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We All Underestimated the Colorado Buffaloes

During our podcast when we talked about the upcoming football season RD asked me about expectations for Deion Sanders and Colorado. I made sure to say that I thought they would be good, but it was going to take some time. I figured being in the Pac 12, the final year of the conference, all the transfers and just the jump from division 1-AA to division 1 was going to force some hard adjustments.

Colorado came out in week one and put it on TCU. The game was close throughout, but Colorado looked faster. Colorado looked more prepared. Shaduer Sanders looked ready for the big stage. Travis Hunter proved time and time again why he was such a coveted recruit. And Colorado won. They were 21 point underdogs, the game was played at TCU, TCU is coming off a title game appearance, and Colorado beat them. All of the talk was about how cool this was. I was happy for Deion and the players who stuck it out with him. I thought it was cool that they went into a hostile environment and got a big time win.

The Buffaloes had their home opener this past Saturday. Nebraska is not what they used to be, but they are no slouch. This is a Big 10 team. They got a new coach who some people like. They were hoping for a similar turnaround that Colorado is having right now. And the game was pretty close into the third quarter. I was nervous for a Colorado letdown. I figured that would give all the jackasses not giving them credit even more ammo. And then the floodgates opened. The score was 10-7 when I left my son's football game. When I got home it was 36-14. Colorado ran past Nebraska. Travis Hunter had another highlight play. Shadeur Sanders played another excellent game. They talked and backed it up. I loved the post game stuff with Shadeur Sanders. They are now the hottest team and hottest ticket in all of college football.

Colorado was very bad a season ago. They went 1-11. They had so much roster turnover. I loved the hire of Sanders, but again, I thought he needed some time. I was wrong. My expectations were way too low. Colorado is a legit college football team. They have the guys to have a special season. This could be one of those exceptional turnarounds in sports we see and love. They should be a bowl team. Shadeur Sanders is backing up the talk. Deion is backing up the talk. Travis Hunter could be invited to New York at the end of the year. He could be a first round pick already. When I look at their schedule I think they could finish as good as 9-3 or 10-2, and as low as 7-5. That is a massive shift from where they were a season ago. They have some tough upcoming games, that is for sure. They have to go to Oregon and play the Ducks, who's defense has been much better than I thought. They get USC at home. but Caleb Williams looks every bit the part of a guy who can win the Heisman again. They have to travel to UCLA, which is a winnable game, but a tough place to play. They do have to play Oregon State. And they finish the year with a trip to Utah. The schedule is not easy, but I think they like that. They want to prove people wrong. College football is also a fickle game. Crazy things happen all the time. Colorado could pull some upsets and end up being in the CFP talk late into the season.

I am a Michigan fan through and through, but I have bought into the Colorado hype. I love Deion and I like this team. They have been the best story of the young college season so far, and I think they will continue to be one of the top stories, especially if they pull off some massive upsets. This is fun and Deion Sanders is so perfect for the college game. My hat is off to Colorado and I am so very sorry for underating them going into the season. Colorado is legit. They are a very good team. Watch out for them the rest of the year. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Ty's 2023 College Football Preview

Wrapping up my football previews, today I have my NCAA football preseason prediction and preview for you all. This is my favorite sport to watch. I live for college football. I love spending my Saturdays in the fall watching college football and trail running. Those are the two things outside my family that fill me with joy. This is my version of Christmas. For my preview I will cover the power 5 conferences, the last time I can do that, and give you some independent teams and group of 5 teams I like. I will give you all my CFP teams, my title game matchup and my Heisman winner. Here we go.

We will start with the Pac 12 since this is the last year of the Pac 12.

College football fans know all about this, so I will go on my merry way giving you my final Pac 12 preview ever. This conference is loaded with talented QB's. This may be the year they get a team back in the CFP. The top teams will score a ton of points. The Pac 12 should be very exciting to watch. The top of the conference features USC, Oregon and Washington. USC has returning Heisman winner Caleb Williams Their offense is absolutely stacked. The defense isn't great, but USC could average upwards of 45 points per game. Oregon has its own Heisman hopeful in Bo Nix. He thrived last year and he is even more experienced. The Ducks also have some of the fastest players in the country on their offense. Michael Penix Jr thrived in Washington's offense last season. He has turned himself into a first round NFL draft prospect. Washington may have the best defense of these top three teams. Utah is still here and still very sound on both sides of the ball. Colorado has amassed the biggest transfer class of all time and Deion Sanders is their new head coach. They will be better than expected. Oregon State got DJ Ugaglei to transfer there and he seems happy and poised to have a good season. UCLA has gotten better every year under Chip Kelly and they should be a bowl team again. The rest of the conference is very blah, but these teams will scrap and fight every week. I have not watched the Pac 12 closely in a few years, but I will this year. I am excited to see how lethal these offenses can get. I think USC and Washington will play in the Pac 12 title game and USC will win the conference for the second straight season.

Let's move to the ACC.

The ACC is still the weakest of the power 5 conferences in my opinion, but there are some teams that could make a push for the CFP. Clemson is coming off a "down" year, and they look to be back. Cade Klubinik will take over at QB and this defense is going to be better this year. Clemson has become a legit college football powerhouse. Florida State looks to be back. Jordan Travis is a very good QB and this defense is loaded with talent. They seemed to have figured something out and they are going to be Clemson's main threat all season long. UNC has Drake Maye and if college football has taught us anything it is that a star QB can win a ton of games. Maye is good and should be in the Heisman talk all year, but this defense is very bad and they won't win as many games as they should. I am curious about Miami. They were very bad last season, but they trimmed some fat out of their coaching staff and they had a very solid recruiting class. This season will be very telling for the Hurricanes moving forward and for Mario Cristobal. They should be better than last season at the very least. Wake Forest has a good run game that can control the clock. Pitt seems to disappoint more often than not, but they are a decent team on paper. Louisville alwast has an explosive offense. And Duke can be stingy. I think this conference will come down to Clemson and FSU. I'll take FSU since they have the more experienced QB and a much better defense.

Up next, the Big 12.

This conference will look different next year, but we are not there yet. I have a few concerns about the top this season though. Is Texas back? Are they finally going to live up to the hype? Is Quinn Ewers legit, or are they going to have to turn to Arch Manning? What about Oklahoma? Are they going to rebound from an off year? Has the coaching staff gotten better? Is General Booty the answer at QB? How about KU? Are they going to be the team we saw for the first six weeks of last season or the last six weeks? Is West Virginia ever going to get over the hump? Is Baylor going to be dominant or disappointing? How will Cincinnati, Houston, BYU and UCF fare in their first season in a power 5 conference? Was TCU just a feel good story last year or are they building something special over there? There are far too many questions that have no real answers right now and may not have an answer all season long. I feel like it will come down to Texas and Oklahoma, each team's last season in the Big 12, and I do think Texas will win the conference. But don't count out Cincy, KU and Baylor. These teams could surprise a lot of people like TCU did last season.

Now the SEC.

This is the dominant conference in college football. They own the CFP. They have the most Heisman winners since the CFP was introduced. They have the best coaches and the best overall rosters. It is a gauntlet and the games are almost always a must watch. Georgia is back and reloaded. The names may be different but the results should be the same. Georgia is currently having one of the best runs we have seen in college football in quite some time. But there are threats. Alabama is always going to be here. They have the best staff. They have the most talented players. They are the definition of a team that just reloads. Alabama is going to be tough. LSU has Heisman hopeful Jayden Daniels and a much improved defense. The Tigers are going to be a very formidable threat all season long. Auburn has a new staff under the much scrutinized Hugh Freeze, and they will welcome in a bunch of transfers. But they will still be a tough out and their home games are always rough for their opponents. Tennessee is going to be very, very good on offense. They will challenge the numbers USC is going to put up. I'm thrilled for Joe Milton that he is getting a real shot to play and he is my darkhorse pick for the Heisman. The defense is blah, but that offense is very fast and incredibly productive. Florida should be better in year two under Billy Napier. They will have to replace Anthony Richardson, which will be tough, but they should be improved as a team overall. Arkansas has a returning QB and a good offense. They will be a bowl team and give a scare to a few of the top teams.  I wonder if Texas A&M will actually live up to preseason hype? Or maybe Jimbo Fisher is just overrated. Missouri will have a very up tempo offense and could shock a few teams. Ole Miss has a wonderfully sound run game, but they leave a lot more to be desired everywhere else. Kentucky will be a bear as well. The SEC is awesome. There is a reason they are always the best conference and have the most titles in the CFP era. I am going to pick Georgia to win the conference again, but I do think they will face Tennessee in the title game and Tennessee will give them a good matchup.

Wrapping up the power 5 conferences we are going to the conference I watch the most, the Big 10.

The top of the Big 10 goes through the university of Ohio State and Michigan. It is good to have these two powerhouses on a level playing field. The university of Ohio State has some productivity to replace, but they will be just fine. Marvin Harrison Jr is still on this team and I feel like I could throw him TD passes. He is the most pro ready kid in all of college football. The new QB is his high school teammate as well. They have production everywhere and they should have a top five offense. The questions lie with their defense. They need to limit big plays. They have given up far too many lately. Michigan is finally back to being very relevant. Jim Harbaugh has done almost everything he has strived to do since he took this job. Michigan's offense is slow and plodding and productive as hell. This team loves to run the ball. They would run it every time if they could I feel. And why wouldn't you with Donovan Edwards and Blake Corum? They may have the best backfield in all of college football. Their o line is also amazing. They have won the best o line two years in a row. They may make it three this season. Their defense is also very sound most of the time. They stuff the run and make it tough for QB's to throw on their secondary. The questions here lie with the receivers, QB and coaching staff. JJ McCarthy needs to be able to let it rip through the air and the coaches need to let that happen from time to time. The receivers need to have one guy step up and be "the man". They haven't had a number 1 guy in a while. And the head coach is suspended for the first three games and the oc for the first game. The suspensions were levied by the school, but it is still an inconvenience I wish they didn't have to deal with. Penn State will be very good and they also have an elite running game. Their defense is stingy as hell too. Wisconsin hired Cincy's coach in the best move of the offseason and they will be much improved. They are going to throw the ball more than they ever have too. Michigan State lost some transfers, but they seem to thrive when no one expects anything from them, they have a good defense and always find someone to run the ball for them that is productive. Nebraska hired a new head coach as well, and while they will be improved, they still need a little more time to get back to relevance. Purdue went defensive minded with their head coach hire. They should be much better on that side of the ball, but they have a ton of offensive production to replace. Illinois is building a special defense, and even though their DC got a much deserved head coaching job, the Illini defense should still be one of the best in the country. Maryland has Taulia Tagovailoa for another year and they have a very explosive offense. They will be a threat to every team they play. Iowa is like Diet Michigan. They have their former starting QB and tight end. They also want to run and play dynamite defense, which they do very well. The rest of the conference is rough. The conference will come down to the Ohio State-Michigan game. Iowa will most likely win their division and go to the Big 10 title game. Michigan should win their final game. It is in Ann Arbor, they have won two in a row and they have a better team. But that was the case for the university of Ohio State last season and Michigan rolled them. I fear that will happen this season. I'm, unfortunately, picking the university of Ohio State to win the Big 10 this season.

As far as teams outside the power 5 that I like, first off, Notre Dame looked dominant in Ireland last week. Sam Hatmann is legit. Tulane should build upon a very good year last year. Louisiana has been getting better and better every year the last three years. Coastal Carolina has some staying power now. Boise State looks like they may be back to being relevant. And UTSA should build off another solid season. No group of 5 will break through the CFP this year, but some will win double digit games and be a pain in the butt in their bowl games.

Now for the CFP. This is tough for me. On one hand I could see the Big 10 getting multiple teams, but on the other hand I can see the SEC doing something unheard of and getting three teams in it this year. I'd love to see the Pac 12 get a team in there as well. If I had to pick right now, I'd go Georgia at 1, the university of Ohio State at 2, USC at 3 and Tennessee at 4. That means no Alabama, no Michigan, no Texas, no Oregon. This one is tough for me. As for the title game, I have Georgia rolling Tennessee this time and USC beating the university of Ohio State. As for the championship, I'm going with Georgia for a third straight year. Boring? Yep. But they are just so dominant and so terrifying. They are the class of college football in this era. As for my Heisman pick, I'd love to go with Caleb Williams winning it again, but I mentioned Joe Milton earlier as a darkhorse and I want to see him win it. So I'm picking Joe Milton to win the Heisman.

Okay, my football preview and predictions for the 2023 season are done. I cannot wait to dive into college football this weekend. It is going to rule. To everyone else, enjoy the season. It should be fun. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The College Landscape Is A Changing

News broke this afternoon that Oregon and Washington were going to have a vote and, most likely, will end up joining the Big 10. This comes a year after USC and UCLA both agreed to join the Big 10. The details are not set in stone yet, but by 2024 or 2025, the Big 10 will have, at the very least, 18 teams. That is almost double 10 teams as the name implies, so maybe the conference will change names. I hope they do.

Oregon, UCLA, Washington and USC are not the only Pac 12 teams leaving the conference. Colorado is leaving for the Big 12. Arizona seems next for the Big 12. Arizona State is talking to the Big 12. Utah is leaning that way as well. The Pac 12 as we know it in college football is pretty much done for. It is going to be weird to write a preseason preview for that conference in a few weeks because it will most likely be the last one I do for them.

Looking at all this with a much bigger lens, college football is rapidly changing, and it would not shock me if there are two major conferences within the next five to seven years. I fully believe by 2030 college football will no longer be involved with the NCAA, and there will be two major conferences, the SEC and the Big 10. This is just the start. Oklahoma and Texas are leaving the Big 12 after this year for the SEC. Colorado and Utah will never be able to take their places even though I like the direction both programs are going. Schools like Missouri, Texas A&M and Nebraska left the Big 12 years ago. Those are football schools. Two are SEC teams and one is in the Big 10. I read that Florida State was considering leaving the ACC. I wouldn't be shocked if Clemson was that far behind. Mid Major teams, a team like Cincinnati, just joined the Big 12, but they are a Big 10 team at heart. Pitt, Boston College, Virginia Tech and NC State give me Big 10 vibes. Then schools like UNC, Louisville, FSU, they give me SEC vibes. The rest of the teams could just fill in. The Big 12, even with some additions, is ripe for the picking. Kansas State and KU are midwest Big 10 teams. West Virginia likes to air it out, that has SEC written all over it. TCU could go to either conference and be a threat. Iowa State has flirted with the Big 10 before. Baylor and Texas Tech could easily join Texas in the SEC. Same for Oklahoma State. With what is left of the Pac 12, Oregon State and Stanford have a Big 10 feel. Washington State and Arizona State could go to either conference. Cal feels like a Big 10 team. The possibilities are endless. The only problem is the mid major teams and the independent teams. Notre Dame will be fine. They should already be a Big 10 team. Boise State could slide into the SEC. But there are other teams that are more up and down. What does Memphis do? They are in the South, but they would get roasted by the upper tier SEC teams. Tulane is playing well now, but they would also be a bottom feeder in the SEC. Central Florida is up and down, but they cannot recruit with Miami, FSU and Florida. Temple plays a bruising Big 10 style of football, but how would they fare with the cream of the crop in that conference? There are so many more mid-major schools that will be looking for a home and I just do not know how they would all fit. Maybe these schools start a third conference that plays almost like a bracket buster style schedule. That would be kind of cool.

All in all, college football is changing. I used to loathe the idea of super conferences, but now it is pretty much an inevitability. This is going to happen and it is going to happen much sooner than we all expect. I do know it is all about the money, and there are things that have to be worked out on a massive scale but it is coming. Get ready for it. I do fully believe the conferences will have to change names, but that is an easy fix further down the line. Big things are happening in college football, and as a tremendous fan of the sport, I am pretty psyched to see where it goes from here. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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Things are Not Well at Northwestern Football

Northwestern has let go of head coach Pat Fitzgerald. Take a second for that to sink in. He was their golden boy. He was the former star player, turned coach who kind of turned that program around. He has coached them to a Big 10 title game appearance. They've had winning seasons. They played hard football. They never backed down. That was due to his coaching and the program kind of giving him carte blanche. So, for Northwestern to fire him, something big had to be going on within that program that we outsiders know next to nothing about.

For people that are confused, about a week or so ago a former player came out and anonymously said that there was some hard core hazing going on, and that Fitzgeral knew of it and did nothing. The reports that came out about what this former player said were pretty disturbing. The university did an investigation and deemed a two week suspension was sufficient.

I spoke with my dad, we both do not like Fitzgerald as a coach, he comes off too rah rah and cliched, and we were both not surprised that this was coming out and that Fitzgerald was getting a slap on the wrist. We both figured this would be swept under the rug, and if Northwestern had a solid season, the ESPN's of the world would praise him for "overcoming odds" or some nonsense. But after the initial investigation concluded, a few other former players came out and said the hazing was there, and Fitzgerald knew, but also there was rampant racism within the program, and much like the hazing, Fitzgerald kind of turned a blind eye to that as well. The players who came out now cited instances of black players being asked to cut dreads while white players were allowed to have long hair, that position coaches would tell black players that they "weren't in the ghetto anymore" and things of that nature and some black players said they felt like they had to laugh at these remarks so as not to get into trouble.

So, we have hazing and now all of this other stuff. Northwestern, rightfully I might add, had no other choice but to fire Fitzgerald. Of course, if you go into a dark place and read internet comments, this is all about the "woke mob", and "players today are too weak" type stuff. That is wrong. This is horrific what is apparently going on at a very prestigious university. A school like Northwestern always talks about how they are an upstanding, everyone is included and welcoming school. Sure, it is tough to get in, but if you do you are family type stuff. So for this to be going on at this school, I'd be frightened if I were a parent of a player making these claims. The whole idea of sending your kid off to college is based on trust. Add on the aspect that football, a very dangerous sport, is part of it, all of these accusations make me sick to my stomach. I feel for these kids. They should not be treated like this because of their skin color or because they made a mistake in a game or practice.

Football is archaic, especially in college. These coaches think they can do what they want, and some do with little to no consequence. Look at DJ Durkin. A kid died on his watch when he was the head coach at Maryland. Sure, he got fired, but he is already back in D-1 football as a defensive coordinator at Ole Miss, and ESPN LOVES his story of "triumph". Again, a teenager died because Durkin told him he wasn't tough enough. Northwestern did the only thing they could do in this scenario. These allegations, if any or all of it is true, are fireable for anyone. And for Fitzgerald, who I believe is planning on suing the university, to say he didn't know, or was unaware, that is poor leadership from a guy who spouts the benefits of leadership all the time. How could he, being the head coach of this team, have no idea what was going on during his practices and in the locker room? That is asinine. He had to know something.

I read that Northwestern is going to be shooting to hire a big time assistant, and I wish them luck on that front, but this is going to be a full teardown and rebuild. And Evanston is not the best place to try and turn it around quickly. This is a dark day for college football, Pat Fitzgerald and Northwestern. I'd expect this from other schools, even schools within the Big 10. But to hear this coming from Northwestern, that is dark. 

Ty   

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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What a (Terrible) College Football Title Game

The College Football Championship game was played last night. Well, at least Georgia came to play. Let’s discuss.

This was not a fun game to watch, and this has zero to do with TCU beating Michigan on New Years Eve. Believe me. I watched that game, Michigan was under prepared and outcoached. They did not deserve to win that game. TCU took advantage of every single mistake Michigan made. They did what it took to have the right to play in the championship last night.

With all that being said, what the hell was that last night? I mean, sheesh. I am all for teams taking advantage when they are the better team, but holy cow. The final score, of a championship game mind you, was 65-7. Georgia won by 58 points. In a title game. That is simply not supposed to happen. I get blowouts. It happens all the time. But a 58 point win in the title game has never happened before. The biggest margin of victory prior to this was in the 30's. Georgia bested that number by 20 plus points. At least three touchdowns. Boy oh boy.

My son and I watched the first half together, he is 10, and even he was bored by halftime. When Stetson Bennett ran in his first score untouched, my son said it was going to be a bad night for TCU. TCU cut it to three with a quick TD in the first quarter, but they would not score again. Georgia did what they wanted, when they wanted to whomever TCU threw at them last night. I am, by no means, a Stetson Bennett fan. I think he is overrated, but he played like a first round pick last night. TCU could not tackle him when he scrambled. TCU's coveted secondary got absolutely torched. There were open Bulldog receivers all over that field. At one point in the game, when Georgia was up 52-7, a TCU defender finally broke up a pass and made the incomplete sign with his hands. They were down 45 points. And Georgia had a backup QB in the game. I mean, at what point do you realize you are getting your ass kicked and trash talk is out of the question? Oof magoof.

There was only one moment where I thought this may be a game. That was right after the TCU score to cut it to 10-7. I figured, if they can get a stop, go on a decent drive and get a score, this could be a good one. Georgia scored pretty quickly the very next possession, and the possession after that, and the following two possessions after that. TCU answered with zero points. I got up to put my daughter to bed and changed into my bedtime clothes. This all took about 15 minutes. Two of Georgia's scores happened during that time. That is crazy to me.

For all of the feel good stories, the switch from worst to first, coming off a 5-7 season and beating up on Michigan, I assumed TCU would come to play. They did not. Even their coach told them at halftime to stop playing scared. That is not the head space you should be in when playing for a ring. Max Duggan looked lost and petrified. TCU clearly missed their number one running back. Their top wideout was nowhere to be seen. Their vaunted defense, who turned Michigan over four times, got beat over and over and over and over again. When my wife got done with her night meetings she came and joined me. She saw the score and said "yeesh". She then asked me if the game would have been better if Michigan had played. I told her I think Michigan would have kept it closer, but not much. When it was 52-7 I told her it may be 28-7 or 31-10 if Michigan were playing. Georgia is so fast, big, physical and are pretty much unstoppable when they get in open space. That much was very clear last night.

So hats off to Georgia I guess. You definitely proved you were the best team in college football by a wide, wide margin last night. But what the hell was that TCU? I mean, yikes. Being that I had no rooting interest I just wanted a good game. This was as far from a good game as there can be. Oh well. Now I am already ready for 2023 college football. It cannot come fast enough. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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2022 Top Five - Sports

Today I come to you all with my top sports moments of 2022. This has been a good sports year for me as a fan. I have not had much to complain about, but being a true fanatic, I have found stuff here and there. My list is all football and basketball. Well, there is one baseball thing. But those are the sports I watch. I do not watch hockey, soccer, NASCAR or even boxing anymore. I understand that the World Cup just happened, but I didn't watch a second of it. And RD and Tina do all the tennis talk for the site. I just wanted to give you all a heads up. On to the countdown.

At number 5 I have the final season of Albert Pujols and Yadier Molina. I am not the biggest MLB fan, but being a native St Louisian, and a Cardinals fan, this was a very important sendoff. Pujols came back to play his last year here. Yadi is a lifelong Cardinal, and in my opinion, the greatest catcher of all time. To see them play their final season together where they started was magical. What unfolded was even better. Yadi did his thing. He was consistent. He gunned wannabe base stealers down left and right. He hit his usual .270. He had clutch plays. He was as good as ever. Pujols started off slow but something happened to him after the all star break. He found his power. He started to bomb homeruns. He got to a point where 700 seemed like it was possible. And when he hit that magical number it was euphoric. I was stoked. The kids I coach in baseball were stoked. It was so cool to see the whole city get behind Pujols on his run to 700. The Cardinals won the division and looked like they could make a deep playoff run. The Phillies had other plans though. Even though they choked, seeing Pujols and Yadi finish their careers in St Louis, on a relatively high note, was pretty damn cool. They are two of the best to ever do it and two of the best Cardinals to ever do it. 

At number 4 I have the Cincinnati Bengals going on their incredible playoff run all the way to the Super Bowl. I could not believe what I was seeing while it was going on. Sure, one win seemed like it was possible. But to run through the AFC the way they did, and then beat the Chiefs to make the Super Bowl, it was great. I am not a Bengals fan at all, but my nephew is and my brother has lived in Cincy for a bit now. I was happy for them. I was stoked to see guys like Jamaar Chase and Joe Burrow show up big time in big time games. I like those dudes. And the Bengals did not disappoint in the Super Bowl. They may not have won, but they had a chance. They had an open guy on the final play. They stayed in the whole game. The Rams were bought to win a Super Bowl. The Bengals were built to win one. They are playing great this year. But that run, and all the texts between RD and myself during their run, that was pretty rad. I like the team and I wish them nothing but success in the long run.

At number 3 I have the Warriors-Celtics NBA Finals. It was an incredible series. I was rooting for Golden State because of my disdain for the Celtics. But it was cool to see Jayson Tatum, a STL native, play on the biggest stage. And I was certain that the Celtics were going to win after going up 2-1. It seemed inevitable. But then the Warriors woke up and looked amazing. Klay Thompson was coming off two ACL tears and started to look like himself. Draymond Green got back to playing top notch defense. Kevon Looney became a very poor man's Tim Duncan. Jordan Poole was getting points in limited minutes. Andrew Wiggins was locking up Celtic after Celtic. But it was Steph Curry who willed this team to victory. He did not want to be beat and it showed. He scored at will. He hustled on defense. He proved, without a shadow of a doubt, that he is one of the best to ever play. He earned this title. He was the well deserving MVP. He said this one felt best and it showed. I was in awe of his performance from game four to six. He was on a mission and it was beautiful to watch. This was a great finals and the best team won.

At number 2 I have the Michigan Wolverines football season. The new year started off rough with Georgia crushing Michigan in the CFP. I didn't know what to expect from the team going into this season, but they did not disappoint. They handled their cupcake of a non conference schedule. Then when they got into Big Ten play they opened with a tough win over Maryland. They then went on to crush every opponent until Illinois. They beat Penn State by 28. They put Michigan State into submission. They sacked Indiana QB's eight times. They ran over everyone. Illinois gave them a scare. Michigan did not deserve to win but they found a way. They then went to Columbus and won there for the first time in 22 years. Not only did they win though, they dismantled the university of Ohio State. They ran up and down the field on them. They made CJ Stroud look pedestrian. Blake Corum, the team's heart and soul, was hurt the week before and barely played. It didn't matter. They had the next man up mentality. They used this momentum and throttled Purdue in the Big Ten title game. They have a date with TCU coming up and I am terrified as always. But this team has proven me wrong all year. They have figured out ways to win games. Guys like Mike Morris, Mike Sainristil, Blake Corum, the entirety of the O line, Will Johnson, DJ Turner, Cornelius Johnson, they all deserve this. They have all earned this. I am hopeful as a Michigan fan for the first time in a long time.  I hope it doesn't bite me in the butt, but time will tell. As of now I am a hopeful Wolverines fan.

At number 1 I have a very personal sports moment. My son started playing football this year. Let me rephrase that, he started to play tackle football this year. I was nervous. I told him horror stories. I tried to convince him otherwise. But he was adamant and we relented. It was wonderful. He got better and better everyday as a football player. He was taught the right way to play the game. He seemed happy at practice and at games. He really looked like he was in his element. As the season went on the team continued to get better. They started to win more. They were really beating teams up. And my son lived in the backfield on defense and pancaked would-be tacklers on offense. It was a shock, in a good way, to see him progress the way he did. They won enough to make the fifth grade playoffs and it got even better. They won their first game handily. They had a tough test in the second game, but they ran away with that one as well. The championship was on a very windy and cold day. And they even gave up an early field goal. From there on out they scored 30 unanswered points. They destroyed the team that made it to the finals. They hammered them. And my son was smiling all the way. He loved every second of football. And I loved watching him. I am so glad I didn't coach also. I got to enjoy it from the stands. I am always proud of him and this is another notch in his belt. I was so happy to see them win and to watch him play all year. That is the best a sports dad can ask for.

That is it for sports. Come back tomorrow for my final top five, top five podcasts of the year, tomorrow.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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RIP Mike Leach

College football coach Mike Leach passed away Tuesday at the age of 61. He had a heart condition that seemed to worsen suddenly on Monday and he soon passed.

This is devastating news for his family and Mississippi State football. The football team lost a coach. But his family lost a husband and a father. He was there one minute and suddenly gone forever the next. That is heartbreaking. He was young. He had a ton of life left to live. He had kids to coach. He had a family to raise. He had stuff to do. But he has died. And that is tragic.

Look, I only know him as a football coach, so that is what my piece is going to focus on today. Mike Leach is an innovator. He, for all intents and purposes, created the Air Raid offense that a lot of schools now run. When he fully took over as head coach at Texas Tech he instantly installed this offense. He used it at Kentucky, where he was the offensive coordinator, and it turned Tim Couch into a first overall pick. But this idea, to throw and throw and throw some more, was not really a thing until he took over Texas Tech. He guided some high powered offenses. His QB's would throw for video game numbers. They always had 5,000 plus yards a season and 40 touchdown passes. Wide receivers wanted to play there. That is how he landed a player like Michael Crabtree. The offense worked. Texas Tech was always in a bowl game. But it never got any better than when they reached as high as number 3 in the BCS. The offense was revolutionary, but the defense was never dealt with. That was one area of coaching that never seemed to click with Leach. He did not seem to care about that side of the ball. He put all of his focus on offense and just told other coaches to deal with defense and special teams.

He also put players into bad situations. This is where I began to not be a fan of his. He was tough on players. He went too far. He pushed until players could go no further, and then demeaned them. He called them names. He made punishments harder. He would tell coaches to cut kids if they asked for rest or water. This type of hazing never jived with me. I think it shows nothing but insecurities in the person doing it. They usually have some deep seeded issues, so they take it out on others. That was the feeling I got from Mike Leach. Sure, he was a good interview and older people liked him, but I was never a fan. I don't like when adults demean and torment kids. These kids were put into situations that were bad. Their parents thought that they would be taken care of, but sometimes they weren't. They were made to feel less than. I cannot get on board with that.

This behavior continued at other jobs, but since he was this offensive genius, these other schools didn't seem to care. When he was let go at Texas Tech, for hazing issues and improper punishments, it wasn't long before Washington State hired him. That hire was applauded everywhere. And he turned Washington State into a perennial bowl team. They had big offensive numbers and outscored enough teams to be bowl eligible. But he never beat Washington and was let go after the 2019 season. Mississippi State was quick to snatch him up in 2020. COVID held MSU to only 10 games and they finished 3-7. 2021 was better seeing the Bulldogs finish 7-6. This past season was his best at MSU, finishing 8-4 and beating Ole Miss to close out the regular season. But Leach seemed to be sick all year. He had pneumonia and a long lasting flu. He always had a cough. I think he may have had long COVID. But this did not stop the demeaning. At the end of this season one of the running backs on the team entered the transfer portal and stated that the "coaches do not think I am tough enough". That is not a good look.

But the sudden passing is still rough. It is tragic. It is sad. It seems unfair to happen to someone so young. This one will reverberate for some time now. I'm still kind of in shock. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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I Believe in Coach Prime at Colorado

Deion Sanders is moving from Jackson State to Colorado. I always figured Sanders was going to move on to a different job. I just thought it might be a bigger profile school.

Before I get into that, the job he did at JSU was incredible. In three seasons he had a record of 27-5. JSU went undefeated this season. They blew out almost every opponent. Sanders was able to pull in high profile recruits. "College Gameday" made an appearance at JSU this past season. Sanders was out there beating the drum for HBCU's, and he did a great job of getting them more recognition. I wonder what is going to happen now, with Sanders gone, to HBCU football. Time will tell. There are some big names coaching HBCU football teams, but they don't bring the same weight as Deion does, but they are still well known names. Now, let's talk about Deion taking the Colorado job.

I do not think this has to do with a paycheck. I know there are some rumors about money at JSU, but none of that has been proven. Deion is also already a very, very rich man. He played two sports professionally and played them both very well. He was a better football player, but he had the talent to be exceptional at two sports at the highest level and he was compensated as such. Money is not the issue here.

I think Deion took this job for the challenge. I think he did what he could do as best he could at JSU and he wanted another challenge, a tougher challenge. HBCU football is top notch now, so Deion was ready to try his luck elsewhere. Colorado is in bad shape. They have not had a winning record since 2016. They were bad last year and even worse this year. They won one game. Colorado was a big time player in the 90's, but they have not made a ton of noise since. Even joining the Pac 12 has not raised their level of play.

This is about as tough a challenge as Deion could get. This feels like a semi lateral move. I think Colorado is only a little better than JSU. But Deion is already changing things there. He told the current players to get in line or transfer out. He told them he was going to be bringing his own players over at crucial positions. The way he put the message out there was kind of messed up, but at least he was honest with them up front. And he is already showing his ability to bring over quality players. His son was the best QB in the SWAC last season. He is now a Buffalo. Travis Hunter was the number one overall recruit last season, Deion got him to commit to JSU on signing day and Hunter crushed in his freshman season. He is now a Buffalo. There are other players who have entered the portal and put it out there that they want to play for Deion. If I was a college player I would be tempted to go play for him. He was electric to watch when he played and I love the passion he has for the game. Deion is going to do just fine on the recruiting trail. The stuff that makes this job tough is competition. As I said, Deion will get solid players, top level recruits, but it is going to take time. Colorado is not a job that he will be able to switch in three years. It is going to take time. Colorado is not only very bad, they play tough Pac 12 teams. Travis Hunter should fit in fine at the D-1 level, but who knows about the other kids coming over from JSU. JSU is D-1, but they have not played athletes the caliber that they will see at Colorado. They are going to have to play Oregon. Oregon is very good and has top recruiting classes every year. Oregon State has continued to get better. Utah has won the Pac 12 twice. UCLA and USC have one more Pac 12 season before they bounce. The schedule is going to be hard at first. The weather is going to be a factor. It gets cold and snowy in Colorado. Some kids will have to adjust. The administration better give Deion time. He is going to need, at the very least, three years. I fully believe in him, believe in his recruiting and his excellent coaching. But he needs a long leash. The powers that be need to be patient. It will eventually pay dividends, but he needs time.

All in all I love this hire for Colorado. They had the best coaching hire in college football. Full stop. I also think this challenge is perfect for Deion because he is not afraid of anything. He will succeed. If he gets time. I'm so stoked to watch him coach.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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The Heisman Trophy Candidates are Half Right and Half Wrong

The Heisman finalists were revealed last night, and spoiler alert, obviously I am making a joke, all four finalists are QB's.

I'm not against QB's or anything, but it just seems like that is the only position that they want to award with the Heisman trophy. I understand that QB's are the "most" important players on the team. I get that they get all the shine. I understand that the fanbases put so much on who the team they root for puts in at QB. That whole scenario played out this year with Michigan. All the talk was about Cade McNamara and JJ McCarthy. That was the lead story all offseason. No one talked about who was going to replace Hassan Haskins. They made minimal chatter about replacing some d lineman. They barely mentioned the new offensive lineman, who give the QB all the time to throw the ball. None of that was as big as Cade vs JJ as the starting QB. And I am sure it is the same way with other teams.

Two of the four finalists fully deserve to be in New York. CJ Stroud and Caleb Williams are more than deserving. They have had tremendous seasons. They have both put up video game numbers. They have broken school records. They have been impeccable. Personally I think the award is already wrapped up too. I believe that Caleb Williams is an absolute lock to win the Heisman. He has been really good this year. He has done all he can to win the Heisman. It is not his fault that Utah beat USC twice. He put up big numbers in both games, even being injured in the Pac 12 title game. Williams has been consistently awesome all season long. As has Stroud. He had a few clunkers, Michigan and Northwestern, but even in those games he put up big numbers. He couldn't throw much at Northwestern, so he made up for it by getting a ton of rushing yards. In the Michigan game he went well over 300 yards passing. It was the turnovers and only two TD passes that held him back. He and Williams have been near locks all year to get to New York as Heisman finalists.

The other two QB's that are there, I do not fully understand the logic. Max Duggan is very good. He has had a very good season. He has weapons all over the field. He has put up decent numbers. But he has not been mentioned all year. I have not heard anyone say he should be a Heisman finalist. I watch a ton of sports talk shows and the name Max Duggan has not been mentioned once, until the Heisman finalists were announced. The Heisman finalists are usually touted all season, or at least after three games into the season. Duggan has had a very good year, but not a Heisman finalist type year. And Stetson Bennett, I mean, come on. He wasn't even 1st or 2nd team all SEC. He does not have humongous numbers. He has not done anything that has made me say "WOW" while watching him play this year. If anything he has taken a little step back this season. Bennett is a fine game manager. He does little runs here and there and makes a throw or two a game, but he is not a Heisman guy. The Heisman is not an award for a career. It is a year to year thing. Stetson Bennett should not be there because he has an otherworldly defense and doesn't have to do much as the starting QB. I am baffled by this invite. This is the one that makes no sense to me. I do not get it at all. I was stunned when I saw he was a finalist. It is baffling.

There are so many more deserving players. Blake Corum should be there over Bennett. Hendon Hooker had a far better season in the same conference. He is a better SEC QB than Stetson Bennett. So is Bryce Young. Deuce Vaughn would have been a better candidate than Bennett. I could go on and on and on. At least last season they invited and had some defensive players mentioned as Heisman candidates. This year seems like the Heisman voters just put some QB's names on a wall and picked the ones that they threw darts in. Max Duggan may be deserving, but there is no world where Stetson Bennett should be a Heisman finalist. That is a joke.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast.

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