Catching up...

Well...the Herringbone has been busy with work and finally settling into the Emerald City. Tis a beautiful place with way too much to do on the weekends. Its official...moving from Lynnwood to Capitol Hill or First Hill in the Seattle metro area by December. I love moving...good times.

The Big10 Previews...I pretty much crashed and burned on those, so here is a rundown on the top 6 teams:

6. Michigan State - It has been stated many times. There is just something about MSU. The ability to beat anybody and lose to anybody on any given Saturday. Will most likely beat ND this year, but will find a way to lose against UM.
5. Wisconsin - Typical Wisky O-Line + New Running Back + Alcohol + Pumped-in House of Pain to start the 4th Quarter = 1000 yard rusher and the most pathetic, yet organized fanbase in the conference.
4. Penn State - New QB, that will be a tight end or wide receiver if he follows the standard path of PSU QBs. But Hey....they got the "Rail." Losing to OSU, ND, and another heartbreaker to UM. Welcome back to the norm PSU. Minnesota and Purdue missed ya. Maybe the Big East would be EASIER for you to compete consistently.
3. Iowa - Experienced D-Line, but they are small...very small. Will be interesting to see how they do against O-Lines with size (See OSU). Tate will be the real deal this year. Heisman Dark Horse.
2. Michigan - Things have to get better this year for the Big Blue. Did I mention that there are too many Michigan fans out here in the Pacific Northwest? They all have one thing in common...they all think a Supply Chain is a bracelet with a Jolly Rancher on the end of it.
1. Ohio State - Got to hear the Trev Alberts comment on OSU. It was great. He mentioned that the new players at LB and in the secondary are too much to overcome. Hey Trev...how about that D-Line? Top5 in the country with returning talent surrounding Pitcock. Ahhh...it feels like old times. Trev is back. OSU is going to have a big year. Looking forward to seeing what the offense can do this year with Tressel's best O-Line and skill all over the field.

MotSaG chime in on Trev's return....

Bradshrugged has moved his Football endeavors to the12thManChild

Sean is slacking over the at the-614, while moving (aka furnishing apartment with furniture found behind houses on North Campus...I never did that.)

Zherdev still hasnt signed. Effing bastard better sign or the chances of the CBJ making the playoffs decrease from 40% to 22%.

Brian over at MGoBlog..selling out...err...T-shirts...and to AOL. How long do you think it will take for him to conform to the TW/AOL Way? Good Luck Brian...The Blogpoll has officially been tainted. There should be a ruling on commerce-driven blogs voting on the poll...seems to be a conflict of interest could be on the horizon. I know its your poll, but it seems shady.

Brian has also provided a Preview, I mean statement of hope from all biased UM fans, of the Buckeyes for this season

America...You Are "On Notice".....


DCfW's Colbert "On-Notice" Board...make your own here (Thanks to EDSBS)

CD101 - The Alternative Station? Or just a town with no other alternatives?

Updated: A few interesting comments have made their way onto this topic well after it was posted. I want to bring this up to the top of the list. For the central Ohio readers..How many people have actually heard of WOXY out of Oxford (No..it is not a college radio station)?

Some thoughtless comments being passed on the topic:

"Solution: Move back to Seattle. Sorry dude but CD101 has to pay it's employees, it's not some glorified college station that's bankrolled by NPR. Oh, and you come across as real ass."

That comment was delightful and well thought out.

This comment had some actual thought and knowledge within it on the topic.

CD101 has to play the ratings game (and consequently, the "hits") because their management has opted to live life as a fully-blown commercial radio station operating in a major market. Aside from being independently owned, which is true, they operate in a way not too dissimilar from any corporate station, hence, "has to pay its employees". It's another way of saying 'we wanna play with the big boys & we gotta make some dough to pay for this stuff'.

WOXY was a true mom-and-pop operation that operated on the fringe of the Cincinnati/Dayton markets and chose not to go head-to-head with better funded stations because they couldn't: weak signal, niche format. They kept operating costs low & as a result, they had the leeway to be a lot more left of center. CD101 enjoys no such luxury, by choice.

Don't be fooled by KEXP. They are awash in funds from the University of Washington, Paul Allen (Microsoft) & his Experience Music Project, in addition to having numerous pledge drives & fundraisers. They also have the benefit existing in a left-leaning metro like Seattle where like-minded listeners (and donors) are a lot easier to come by than if they tried to do the same thing in Ohio.

WOXY exists online as WOXY.com & is still operating as an independent operation. Sorry to say that they are hurting for money & may not exist much longer but give them this: they've never sold out & have remained true to the spirit of independent radio.

"Gotta pay their employees" is a fucking copout, btw.


Here is the original post...in all it's glory.

I was in Columbus this past weekend, and am really starting to have some issues with a radio station, namely CD101, which I really enjoyed compared to other local offerings including "The Big Wazzu" and "The Blitz." There is a weekly program called "The Invisible Hits Hour," which is supposedly award-winning and exists to play the best indie and sprinkle in some local flair. I have some real issues with a station that will bring on an EFFING Roadie from a local band that has kind of made it...but is past its prime. That's right. CD101 was not bringing on the band Watershed, but was bringing on one of its roadies named "EJ" or "JC" or whatever, who is now playing some music with a guitar that he found behind a tour bus during Watershed's latest White Castle Parking Lot World Tour. Disclaimer: I like Watershed...they have a few catchy tunes, but if they are the face of Columbus music to outside world then Columbus has no music scene at all. Bands like Fenster and Embassy have come and gone or just left the town, because they know that the music scene in Columbus is like a graveyard.

This is not a rant in snobbery, I have access to one of the best independent radio stations in the world, KEXP Seattle. I listen religiously and basically hear all sorts of music on station that is "listener sponsored." Now, all you Columbus radioheads are out there stating "Well, we dont have anything like that in Columbus." I'm calling "Shenanigans!" CD101 has the ability to be every bit as good as KEXP in Seattle or even WOXY in FREAKIN' Oxford, Ohio of all places, but they are just falling into the same routine as every other radio station in the Columbus area. I am still hearing the Clash every 2 hours on this station. I like "The Clash," and while it was very hip to play them in the 90', there is other music out there that needs to be heard....which isnt being pushed by record execs. For some reason, CD101 is talking a big game of being "independently-owned." Well, that doesnt mean jack shit if you are not doing anything about it. What makes CD101 so special? Is it the fact that they have the "Andyman?" I sure hope not....he is still pretty much playing the same crap he has been playing for years with a few new tracks that every other Alternative Rock DJ across this grand country has been playing for 2-3 months before him. With the amount of Columbus-credibility that Andyman possesses, he should be able to play a local band, not named Watershed, every couple of hours. He should be able to play songs off of albums that are not in normal rotation in every other freakin' city in America (Sorry to single you out Andy, but with the local fame comes the heightened scrutiny..and you are the face/voice of the radio station). Andyman does provide a great philanthropic service to the community with Christmas-time "Andy-manathon," but outside of that he an his offerings to the local or even Ohio music community have been freakin' terrible.


The Andyman: "You're with me, Watershed"


Case in Point:

Bonnaroo 2005

A band by the name of the Heartless Bastards from the Dayton/Cincy-area were slated to play early on Sunday afternoon a one of the lesser stages on the festival. A modest crowd of about 100-200 people showed up to watch this trio. Not a single soul from the CD101 crew came over to see them play and provide some support (either that or they were incognito) even though the Heartless Bastards were considered an up and coming band by the festival publications. The fact that CD101 was pimping themselves as a radio station that supports the local music, yet not being seen the entire festival says a lot.

The Heartless Bastards are a good band, which deserves exposure and gets it in Cincy and Dayton...but not C-Bus. Why? Because CD101 wont play anything that isnt deemed popular by some source like Rolling Stone or Spin...or some source really cool that we've never heard of before.



So what does CD101 really stand for? Over-exploiting an almost monopolized niche market in the Columbus-area, which doesnt possess another alternative (I mean the Blitz is all about playing AC/DC, Staind, and Nickelback every 30 minutes, while the Big Godsmack...err...Wazu isnt mch better). A radio station that was, at one time, very original in its content delivery to the market, but now is, basically, ClearChannel Jr. with Watershed, The Violent Femmes, and The Clash (again...not "the only band that ever mattered"...just the only band that ever mattered to CD101).

The sad part about all of this is that if one of the big conglomerates, like ClearChannel, ever decided to start an Aternative Station, similar to 89X in Windsor/Detroit, it would decimate CD101 in less than a year. Be thankful CD101, you will be able to continue playing The Clash and The Violent Femmes until all of their members are wormfood, because nobody sees Columbus as a viable market for another radio station.

Until CD101 is playing bands (more than one song every other day) such as the following (these are examples...and there are many more that could fall into this category)....people should consider logging onto KEXP or even WOXY to listen to some music that isnt part of a regular rotation.

• The Shins (if it wasnt for Garden State...James Mercer would never be heard in Columbus.)
• Band of Horses
• Optimus Rhyme
• Grandaddy (They are broken up now...but wouldnt it be cool to hear something besides the Big Room rendition of "Now It's On")
• Calexico
• Particle
• Los Lonely Boys
• The Decemberists
• Sufjan Stevens
• Travis
• Hayden
• Iron and Wine
• The Secret Machines
• My Morning Jacket (something off an album besides Z)
• Drive-by Truckers
• Jurassic 5 (Good Hip Hop...that you will never hear in Columbus)
• DJ Shadow (Still waiting to hear something off of Private Press)
• Boards of Canada
• and many many more.

DCfW - Big10 Preview #5 - The Minnehaha Golden Gophers

DCfW is obligated to pay homage to the former Buckeye Glen Mason, who is the current head coach of the Gophers. You will always be a part of the Buckeye family.

Now that we have the sentimental part of the review completed, let's get down to business.

Minnesota has followed a formula for its season progression, since Mason took over the program in 1997. This has basically been the scheduling of patsies in the early season, which generally will get the squad to a 4-0 or 5-0 record before entering Big10 play. At this point, media pundits will start make some noise that Minny is ready to take on the Big10. Generally, this will start the tailspin for Minnesota, as it will face an OSU or Michigan and get its ass handed to them. This starts the downspin that generally leads to a Bowl Game where Minny will let down the conference and lose to a team that it should have beaten by about 2 touchdowns(See Virginia).

The one thing you could always count with Minnesota is a stout running game, which in the past has produced Marion Barber, Laurence Maroney, and Gary Russell (if he could only keep his grades up). Last year, the Gophers lead the Big10 in rushing and points scored per game, while only punting 23 times for the entire season.

Last season, the Gophers started off the season well with a 5-1 record and were fortunate enough to finally get that Michigan monkey off of its back. It exploited the chronicled late game displays of stupidity where Michigan would regularly snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. However, according to plan, Minnesota would lose games to Purdue, Penn State, Ohio State, and Iowa...and eventually lose again in the Music City Bowl.

I have been nothing but negative in my other previews for the first four Big10 teams, and I dont see this getting any better. If you really want to get an idea of the upcoming season for Minnesota, realize that Coach Mason has just moved a 260lb LB to take reps at running back. Oh yeah...good times in the Metrodome are on-deck.

Offense
The Gophers will be led by 5th Year Sr QB Brian Cupito, who seemed to hit his stride against the Buckeyes last year, in a 45-31 loss. Cupito finished 5th in passing efficiency in the conference, primarily because of the presence of Rimington winner Center Greg Eslinger and Guard Mark Setterstrom. The offensive line loses three starting lineman for ths year's team, including Eslinger and Settertrom.

WRs Ernie Wheelwright and Logan Payne will give Cupito significant targets, as well as all-world TE Mark Spaeth. If Cupito has a bad year, it will surprising, but the new starters on the offensive line will dictate a lot of Cupito's success this season.

For team that depends on the run as Minnesota does, its running back situation is dreadful. As mentioned above, Alex Daniels (Columbus Brookhaven) has moved over from the LB position to take some reps with the offense. Amir Pinnix was thought to be the shoe-in replacement for Maroney and grade-casualty Gary Russell (Big Walnut), but his spring and summer performance has motivated Mason to open up the competition for the position.

Simply stated...the Minnesota running back situation would be the same as OSU having one punter on the squad that happened to be missing both legs...OMG...Not Good..


Jesse "The Body" can rock, wrestle, and govern, but can he run the football? Glen has Jesse on speed dial slot #2 (Slot #1 is saved for rotating NAIA schools that have an open slot for 2008).


Defense

The Minnesota defense was "Hit or Miss" last season. It was very good in some of its games, such as the UM game where they only gave up 20 points and 250 yards on the road. Unfortunately, there were some other games on the schedule (ie Penn State, OSU, and Iowa) where the defense looked very "Sieve-ish" and gave up about a gazillion yards.

Linebackers will be the strength of Minnesota's defense this season. John Shelvin and Mario Reese will anchor the linebacking corps for Minnesota, but will have three new faces on the defensive line, as the only returner is sophomore Steve Davis.

The secondary has minimal losses, but this group causes much concern, as it cannot seem to stop anybody other than Chad Henne from moving up and down the field. Three starters return this year, while a new face will inhabit one of the corner spots. This new CB looks to be freshman Keith Massey, which will make a lot of experienced QBs in the Big10 happy to see him out on an island by himself.


Sieve...it's not only a good descripter of OSU Goaltending.

Special Teams
Two sophomores will lead the special team units into battle this season. PK Jason Giannini was 13-19 last season and P Justin Kucek carried a serviceble 39.4 yard average. Jason should be kicking a lot of field goals this season, if there isnt a suitable running back in the Mason Stable. Justin will probably be able to save his strength again this season...for what? I dont really know.

Season Outlook: Well, Minnesota should start out 1-0, but the issue is the 2nd game of the season against California. That's right California...not California School of Culinary Arts, but California or Cal. This will be a for sure loss. Sorry, I just dont give Minny a chance on this one. Overall, Minnesota should be competitive in most of its games, and Cupito is poised to have a big senior season. However, this is Minnesota here, and the prospect of Minny pulling out a 10-win season are minimal. Minnesota will most likely have to keep up with its opponents on the scoreboard, as it looks there will be a bunch of high scoring games for the Gophers. Without an established running game, all of the teams on the Gopher schedule will scheme to force Minny to run the ball. One more thing...Why in the hell is Minnesota traveling to Kent State for a non-conference game? Must be the big "gate admissions" check waiting for them to help pay for that new stadium.

@Kent State
@California
Temple
@Purdue
Michigan
Penn State
@Wisconsin
North Dakota State
@Ohio State
Indiana
@Michigan State
Iowa

“Fa Show” Wins: Kent State, Temple, North Dakota State, Indiana
Could Go Either Way: Purdue, Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin
“Fa Show” Losses: California, Ohio State, Michigan State, Iowa

Projected Season Record: 7-5(4-4)


Bottom Line: There are running game question marks, but the Gophers will still be able to score points in bunches this season. The real question is...Will they be able to stop anybody from scoring. Temple, Kent State, North Dakota State...Man 'o man does that feel like Mason football or what?

Team Song for 2006: "Building Steam with a Grain of Salt" by DJ Shadow

***Update: Corrected a massive typo on Coach Mason's start date. Thanks to "Anon" for the heads up.

Quick Blogroll Update...

Everybody dont be sad, but Drew over at EndoftheBench is moving. Well, he's only moving from Blogger to Wordpress, but that's not important right now.


No Funny Captions Needed Here...

What is important right now is that the new link to his new and improved site has been updated on the DCfW blogroll.

Now, Drew...since you are in your new "digs" and all...when should be expecting the Steve Maltais career retrospect and his contributions to the CBJ or how about a post showcasing Derrick Walser's fantastic defensive skeeelllss???

DCfW - Big10 Preview #4 - The Purdue Boilermakers

After a strong showing in the Fulmer Cup this summer, Purdue looks to carry the momentum into the 2006 season.

There was a lot of hype that was incorrectly pushed the way of the Boilermakers last year, and there were even discussions of Purdue being a darkhorse national title contender. This was being mentioned after Purdue hit the lottery last year and missed both OSU and Michigan (Dont get me started about how a schedule can dictate an MNC contender..effing media love obsession with Louisville last year). Well, it's apparent that lightning can strike in the same place twice, as Purdue is granted another reprieve and will miss the Big "2 " again this season.

For those that follow the Big 10 religiously, Purdue has always seemed like a decent team that could pull off a few upsets, but would always lose a game or two that is absolutely should not lose. You could share this same categorizing with Michigan State, but that's not important right now. Generally, you always wanted to catch Purdue on the days that they werent the world-beaters. This never seems to happen if you are an OSU or Michigan fan, as tough games have been the trademark for the Purdue match-ups for the last 5-6 seasons.

I have always kind of pulled for Purdue when the advent of the "basketball on turf" really came into the fold of the Big 10 in the late 90's, when a fantastic QB by the name of Drew Brees took the helm at Purdue. However, as time has gone on...Coach Joe Tiller seems to have moved his philosophy from the "Basketball on Turf" to a more Big 10 I-Formation style of football, which has not paid dividends, since Drew Brees' Rose Bowl season in 2001.

There will be no hype for Purdue this year...and that is a good thing...

Offense


Painter...trying to hit the broad side of a barn this year.

There will definitely be improvement here. Six starters will be returning this season, and QB Curtis "Dont call me Matt" Painter should be ready for a breakout season after a rough season where he only completed 52.4% of his passes. Receivers Dorien Bryant and 6'9" Kyle Ingraham should give Painter adequate targets to improve his numbers from last season. Protecting Painter, Purdue also returns four starters from its O-Line, including the two tackles, Sr. Mike Otto and Jr. Sean Sester.

While, there are some questions on the offensive side of the ball, Purdue should be able to put up some points through the air. However, it would be nice if Purdue could get some support out of the RB spot, which looks to be filled by Junior Running Back Kory Sheets. This will definitely be the strong side of the ball for the Boilermakers. With that being said, let's look at the...

Defense

These next three lines sum up the outlook for the Purdue defense this year.
Bernie Pollard...Gone
Ray Edwards....Gone
Rob Ninkovich..Gone


This guy is gone, and we have sunk to a whole new level.

Only 4 returning starters from a defense that ranked 11th in the Big 11 in pass defense and red-zone defense.

DCfW's Prediction...Pain...OMG...So Much Pain.

Special Teams

Seniors PK Casey Welch and P Jared Armstrong will definitely man the most experienced unit on the Purdue squad. This says a lot about this year's chances for Purdue.

Season Outlook: We know that the Boilermakers should start off the season 3-0, but after that there is only one certainty...Purdue will get the standard "no-lube" welcome to Hawaii after a rough season in the Big 10. Maybe Tiller can give John L. a call and ask him about the refereeing on the islands.

Indiana State
Miami (OH)
Ball State
Minnesota
@Notre Dame
@Iowa
@Northwestern
Wisconsin
Penn State
@Michigan State
@Illinois
Indiana
@Hawaii

“Fa Show” Wins: Indiana State, Ball State
Could Go Either Way: Miami, Northwestern, Penn State, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota
“Fa Show” Losses: Notre Dame, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Hawaii

Projected Season Record: 6-7(3-5)

Bottom Line: Is there anyway that we can get Taylor Stubblefield a 12th year of eligibility? This year's version of the Boilermakers will look a lot like last year's...only scoring more points. Unfortunately, looks like Purdue will be giving up a whole lot more points this year as well. For the fans in Ross-Ade, how can a year without UM and OSU on the schedule look this bad?

Team Song for 2006: "Will You Smile Again?" by ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead

Booster gives USC Player $18,001. USC Slithers Out of Penalties.

I know this will sound like whining coming from a Buckeye. But if I am a Pac10 school or an Oklahoma administrator, I am asking questions on the NCAA's ruling on USC WR Dwayne Jarrett. His total benefit from a booster (Matt Leinart's Father...yes...he is a booster by NCAA standards) totaled $18,001 from the rent and utilities paid for in Dwayne's name by Mr Leinhart to "ease" the financial burden associated with living off-campus.


I dont even have enough money for sleeves. How in the hell will I pay back $18,001 to charity?

I guess what the NCAA is really saying to all of those schools out there that have rogue boosters is that you should wait to dole out any pro-active punishments. I dont know if JT would like a "do over" with Troy Smith and his $500-handshake, but I am sure that Stoops is probably thinking that maybe he overreacted with the dismissal of Rhett Bomar.

All in all, the NCAA infractions committee just made a murky benefits rule pretty much opaque at this point.

Pete should be feeling pretty good about himself. He played the system, got an All-American receiver back in the fray, and reached Barry Switzer-status all in one day. Kudos to you, Satan!

Myles...I fart in your general direction.


In Buckeyeland, there is a single moral to this story....$500 > $18,001 to the NCAA....unless you are Sneaky Pete.

***Update...

HeismanPundit has chimed in with his take, which is basically dripping with USC homerism and takes the stance that it was different than other benefits received by other players....from boosters. I think that this is the chicken-shit approach to look at a group of USC compliance administrators that seem to allow more and more shit to go down in Southern Cal (Hello...Reggie's Dad). I guess it will take a Clarrett-like level of activity to reduce USC to the level of a normal university in the eyes of the NCAA. I understand the standard Pete Carroll line will be used as a defense("USC knew nothing about or had nothing to do with these activities"), but I think it is at the point where this line is going to grow very old...very quickly. Maybe he can have a press conference Uncle Johnny Papapapapadaaakis' Greek Restaurant and talk about how its boosters really dont do anything wrong at all.

***Update

I spelled Leinart incorrectly. Why couldn't Matt's last name be Smiht errr Smith......:)

Thanks...SMU0104 at Bucknuts

MotSaG put on their funny hats....

Doesn't ND have its own network already? (Courtesy: Deadspin)

Men of the Scarlet and Gray come through with fantastic Gameday Preview for the 2006 season. You can peruse the hilarity by clicking here.

Recent Happenings....

As is the case, I am finally able to post a few things and try and finish up the Big Ten Review for this year. Though highly unlikely, I will try and finish by the end of August.

bradshrugged sheds a little more light on the Rhett Bomar situation, and unless you have been living under a rock, there were people stating this was happening well before Saint Stoops stepped in and said that it was naughty to take $18,000 and not work for it.

Adding American Hockey Fan to the blogroll. Probably, the funniest hockey blog that I have come across. Granted, it isnt "OSU Football coach's obsession with hovercrafts and prostitutes" funny, but it will do.

Update: Also added The Battle of California, which focuses on the Mighty Ducks with Earl Sleek (Contributor) currently ranking the best hockey video games with sweet commentary.

Army of the Ohio brings us a good article about the whining over the doping, or should I say the excessive whining about the doping and cheating in the Tour, or sports in general.

Men of the Scarlet and Gray chime in on the Zherdev situation. I agree with the sportsMonkey on this one. We have a youth movement going in the organization, and things have been very quiet in the form of off-season acquisitions and free-agents. Why in the freakin' world would we jack around with a young talent and scorn him in his first major contract negotiation. If Dougy Mac is looking to make seasoon ticketholder enemies in Columbus, this is the perfect way to do it. Sign the kid...he is a proven NHL talent that is learning his way in an organization that does not have the luxury of keeping him in Syracuse to mature. Doug...Think of what would have happened in Detroit if a certain young flambuoyent centre by the name of Sergei Fedorov was shipped out of town, because his dedication was in question. In other words, quit being a dick and sign the effing kid already. If he isnt signed by training camp, Dougy will be fired by Christmas, becuase the team will be in the same situation it has been in every year of its existence...being eliminated from the playoffs before December.

MotSaG also have put up its D-Line preview for the 2006 squad.

It's official....Death Cab for Woody was passed over on the Blogpoll for 2006. Thanks Brian. May visions of Phil Helmuth's Testicles or Chuck Amato's Moobs haunt you until the day you die. Congrats to the-614 and MotSaG on the nominations.

DCFW - Big10 Preview #3 - The Northwestern "Tony Shinns"

Tragedy in Evanston, but the Fighting Tony Shinn’s don’t crumble under pressure.


Good old Northwestern. You know the school whose students swear you will be working for them at hands of the annual woodshed beating that is placed on them by OSU. Now, it is obvious that there was a hiccup in 2004, but there is, obviously, a different feel with the passing of Randy Walker and subsequent hiring of Pat Fitzgerald to fill the coaching void. Not only did NW bring back one of its own, it brought back an impact player who was the heart and soul of the mid-90s Northwestern defenses. Patty also happens to be the youngest coach in D-I football.

For those not familiar with Northwestern Football, a good description of it is a standing tradition of spread-option football, a scrappy defense, and multi-angled punches to the gnads at any point in the game. Let’s just say that the Northwestern defensive and offensive players have been known to take some liberties in the pile and in the open.

It looks like this year will be no different (hopefully minus the shots to the “boys”). However, this year motivation will come in huge doses, as the team will surely pull together to for the old "win one for Coach Walker routine," which I cant say that I blame them. Tough times lie ahead for that team.

Offense:
The offense will start and end with Tyrell Sutton. A downhill runner that never seems to go down on the first hit. He is straight from the mold of Mike Hart, but with a little more straight-ahead speed. CJ Bacher will take over for All-World QB Brett Basanez. The sophomore will surely start slowly, but will catch onto the offense..and probably become just as efficient as Basanez was before his departure last year. While it doesn’t look like the NCAA’s #1 Pass Efficiency offense will be back for another spin on the stat-lines, it will definitely have some punch with Sutton carrying the load until the rest of the offense catches up. This will definitely mean that the NW offense will see a lot of 8-9 man fronts until Bacher can prove he is up to the challenge with the standard “dink and dunk” passes that are the hallmark of the NW offense. This will also be made a little tougher as the starting wide receivers Philmore and Johnathan Fields have also graduated leaving a fresh new crop of receivers for Bacher to utilize for 2006.


Mr. Sutton..Life after Basanez is not so much fun.


Defense: The defense will be anchored by two returning starters, Adam Kaedla, Nick Roach, and Marquice Cole. With the loss of McGarigle at middle LB, the NW defense will be missing the services of the all-time NCAA career leader in tackles. Roach, Kaedla, and Cole have starts under their belt, but there are questions abound. Who will the take the second cornerback slot next year? This is the big question that surrounds the defense, as breaking in a new CB in this years’ version of the Big Televen will be a test in attrition and short-term memory. Overall, Fitzgerald and the assistants for NW will have its work cut out for them, but the emotion backing this team with its loss should help out the defense for the first part of the year until the emotional charge wears off.



Special Teams: Senior Punter Slade Larscheid and Senior Joel Howells, returning placekicker will look to improve on a rather inconsistent season for the NW special teams last year. Howells was probably one of the worst placekickers in the league last year, hitting just 2-10 field goals from 40+ yards, which is almost Rivas-like…minus the Joey Bag’O Donuts Fixation. Slade is a senior and, while only punted 10 times for a 38.8 yds/punt average, should bring some consistency to a position that will most likely need it.


Howells doesn't like donuts. Rivas loves donuts. Howells cant kick field goals outside of 30 yards. Rivas Can. Howells...You need to eat brother.


Season Outlook:
The karma of the cream-puff non-conference schedule is returned with no quarter on the three game stretch of Michigan and Iowa on the road and finishing with OSU at home.

@Miami
New Hampshire
Eastern Michigan
@Nevada
@Penn State
@Wisconsin
Purdue
Michigan State
@Michigan
@Iowa
Ohio State
Illinois


“Fa Show” Wins: New Hampshire, Eastern Michigan, Nevada
Could Go Either Way: Purdue, MSU, Miami, Illinois
“Fa Show” Losses: PSU, Wisky, Michigan, Iowa, Ohio State

Projected Season Record: 7-5 (3-5)

Bottom Line: Fitzgerald takes over, but this is a rebuilding year in Evanston.

Team Song for 2006: “A is to B as B is to C” by Boards of Canada

DCfW Suggested Listening...Bel Auburn

While this thing called "work" has hampered my ability to post as much material as I would like over the last few weeks, I have been fortunate enough to listen to a lot of music. Recently, I received a friendly email from a band named "Bel Auburn" out of Ashland, Ohio. I used to drive by Ashland on a daily basis, during a stretch of time (2002) when I commuted from Columbus to Akron (dont ask) for a long...long...painful project. It was a daily ritual to try and tune into the morning show on Ashland's University Radio station. This station introduced to bands, such as "The Sea and Cake" and helped me get ready for my on-slaught in Akron. The fact is that this area, while may not seem like a breeding ground for good music, is one of many areas of Ohio that has decent music coming out of it, but you would never know it.

Back on Topic....Bel Auburn.

I visited its website,read the Bio, and listened to all of the tracks that were available on the website. I also perused some other blogger reviews of the band. The band still resides in the Ashland-area, which is a unusual for bands that are trying to get its music heard by the masses. However, I appreciate the members' reasoning for such a bold move, which is the simple fact that they really enjoy the pace of life in Ashland and like the idea of having a house with a front porch. I understand the front porch concept, having grown up in a small town myself.

The great thing about this band is the music. The music is fantastic, and just makes you wonder if there is something in the Ashland water that can spark this kind of creativity. The first song that I listened to off of the band website was Metropolitan (Watercolor), and proceeded to listen to all of the website music a few times. I was impressed. From a musical and production standpoint, these songs are very polished and all of the components are very complimenting to one another. I generally critique music, based on its musical content, not the creativity of the lyrics. However, the lyrical tone and delivery from Scott and Mark melts into the pieces and really compliments the songs, while not overpowering them.

I have seen comparisons of Coldplay with Bel Auburn's work, but unlike Coldplay's music, Bel Auburn's music has a genuine feel to it. It doesnt feel like it was made out of a cookie-cutter. The musical composition is very fluid and really feels like a mix of Verve tracks spanning "A Storm in Heaven" and "A Northern Soul." The guitar action between Jared and Scott is very naturally "Nick McCabe-ish", and this a high compliment to any guitarist that prefers to set a mood with their music rather than see how many hammers and pull-offs they can do in 0.18 seconds.

While I really liked all of the songs on the website, songs that really seem to stick out to me are Metrpolitan (Watercolor), Blind Ward, and Burn Unit.

I would suggest checking these guys out sometime in the near future at their website. The band's album "Cathedrals" is available on eMusic. Hopefully, I will be able to see them someday when they make it to the West Coast.

Thanks for the email Jared and Good Luck!!!