BCS a Joke

What a year it has been in college football.

With so many bewildering upsets, it is kind of hard to keep track of just who is beating who.

Now, more than ever, the NCAA has got to get a clue as to how to get rid of this so-called BCS system.

It is a poor judgment of who should play in the National Championship Game come January.

The best way to settle this would be an all-out 16-team playoff, in which the winner would receive the title.

By the end of this, we’re going to be certain who should be in the title game and who should be going home. It is that plain and simple.

The only thing that the BCS rankings should be used for is to rank the playoff teams.

Of course, if there weren’t so many upsets, than maybe this BCS scenario wouldn’t be too bad of a system.

Sun Devil Hardcourt Success

For the first time in my tenure at ASU, I can honestly say that we actually have a good basketball team.

The play of the three freshmen in the starting lineup has led me to believe that anything is possible, even winning a Pac-10 championship against the toughest conference in the nation.

James Harden has showed that he is playing more like a senior than any freshman and veteran junior Jeff Pendergraph is finally starting to look like his usual self again after grabbing a double-double against LSU in the Maui Invitational.

Even the bench has found their role. The starters from last year are learning how to help their team by coming off the bench and filling the void. That is something ASU did not have in my first three years here.

Whatever the game plan is, it sure is working for second year ASU coach Herb Sendek, who is finally putting together a reputable program that will consist of future NBA stars.

New York State of Mind

Only one word seems to come to mind when describing the New York Knicks.

That word, folks, is failure.

Failure for the lack of team chemistry, failure to keep their players happy and most notably, failure not to recognize your best player's ability to create for the rest of the team.

All that blame could be directed at one man. Ever since taking over the reigns of the New York franchise in December 2003, Isiah Thomas has created, as Bill Walton creatively put it, "a travesty inside the Knicks organization."

From a sexual harassment lawsuit to leading the highest-paid team in the league to a 35-54 record since taking over as coach, the man has yet to put anything good on his resume since coming to New York.

So it is my belief that this man must go. I think even Spike Lee, a famed Knicks fan, would agree with me on this one.

Sunsational

And so begins another year of Phoenix Suns basketball.

Will this be the year the team actually gets over the hill and reaches the NBA Finals?

Despite the trade controversy involving Shawn Marion during the off-season, the Suns have bounced back and are well on their way to securing yet another championship — in the Pacific Division.

But a division title just won't cut it for a 33-year-old Steve Nash, who is only getting older by the day.

For the Suns to have any kind of shot at a title this year, they must rely heavily on their bench production — something the team has not done in the past.

Look for big outings from Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw and newcomer D.J. Strawberry as all three will lead the way for the Suns in their step to greatness.

BCS Mix-Up

With so many top teams in college football dropping like flies this year, it is easy to see how the Sun Devils have gone nearly unnoticed at 7-0.

That officially came to an end Sunday when the weekly BCS standings came out.
ASU, who did not play Saturday, leapfrogged all the way from No. 8 into the No. 4 slot.

ASU trails only No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Boston College and No. 3 LSU in the standings.

With seven of the top 12 teams in the BCS playing ranked teams this week, who knows what will happen when the new poll comes out this Sunday?

We could possibly see an undefeated ASU team atop the BCS headed into the noisy confines of Oregon's Autzen Stadium for a battle that might determine the winner of the Pac-10.

But with the way things are going so far this season, I wouldn't put my money on it just yet.

Big Man on Campus

Before Saturday, Stanford backup quarterback Tavita Pritchard was just a guy waiting for his shot at excellence.

If it weren't for starting quarterback T.C. Ostrander having a seizure earlier in the week, Pritchard may still be that same guy waiting for his shot.

But after Saturday night's upset of then-No. 2 USC, Pritchard could very well become a household name across the nation.

His numbers weren't something to write home about (11-of-30 passing for 149 yards and one touchdown), but he was able to muster a late fourth quarter drive that will be talked about for years to come.

Stanford went to USC, which hadn't lost at home since 2001, and came out victorious.

Although Stanford may still be a bottom of the Pac-10 dweller, Cardinal fans will have something to cheer about in Pritchard, who will at least for one week be the "Big Man on Campus."

Chase for the World Series

I don't know about everybody else, but I for one am excited that it's almost October. It only means one thing for me. That's right, it's time for the MLB playoffs.

It's down to the final week of regular season play and the Arizona Diamondbacks are in the hunt to securing yet another NL West title.

But by the looks of the crowd at Chase Field, you really couldn't tell the team was in a division race.

The fans have been getting better of filling up the seats as of late, but it's still not a playoff atmosphere type of game.

I know you've heard it all before, but seriously we need to put some butts in those seats come playoff time.

It's time to jump on the Diamondbacks bandwagon and ride it all the way to a World Series crown.

Sun Devil Student Section

"Fight, Devils down the field."

"Fight with your might and don't ever yield."

Well, except maybe when it comes to the ASU football team's punt coverage.

The personal foul penalties tagged to the Sun Devils on Saturday were a bit uncalled for.

Don't get me wrong, I am the first guy to applaud someone for the aggressive play.

But not when an opposing team's punt returner is standing there helpless and gets jacked with ever having touched the ball.

Also, mad props once again to the ASU student section. Keep those seats filled up.

There is no better sight to see than a "sea of gold" throughout sections 31-36 of Sun Devil Stadium.

Just ask Steve Nash, who was spotted roaming the crowd as fans praised him with chants of "M-V-P."