I am not worried about Missouri, they are good and the 42 points they gave up were more a result of the type of game, not the strength of the defense. I also believe that Illinois’ offense is pretty explosive, should serve Illinois well in Big 10 play.

Ohio St. is a good team. Tyrelle Prior to going to be great but the Big 10 is just not very good. Some teams are better than they used to be, i.e. Indiana, and some are Top 20 teams. But there is no Big 10 team, save Ohio St., that is even scratching at the door. That said, I grade the Big 10 higher than I grade the ACC.

The ACC was supposed to become a better conference after raiding the Big East, but that sure isn’t the case. Clemson embarrassed themselves and their conference. I do think Alabama is not-bad, so losing wouldn’t have necessarily been embarrassing, but it wasn’t even close. I do think this will inflate Alabama’s perceived value, could be a team to keep an eye-out-for on the Board.

Hats off to the Big East! The Big East is having the best year of any Conference! I know it’s only Week 1, and I believe that the Big East overall is slightly beneath the ACC. West Virginia gives the conference a legit player in the BCS Game, and up and comers like Rutgers provide a sprinkle of hope. But I congratulate them for getting their non-Football Big East brethren on the national stage. Villanova’s appearance in Morgantown is no doubt a good move by ‘Nova. It is the type of boost that could make Villanova a perennial contender in I-AA or whatever the hell it is called now.

For the record, the SEC is the best conference and the Big XII is a distant second.

How good was Michael Phelps? He was as good as Tyson Gay was bad. Gay’s misery began in the US Olympic Trials when he pulled up lame and didn’t qualify for the 200m. But that’s ok because he had the 100m and a showdown with the Usain Bolt. Well, a funny thing happened on the way to the Birds Nest. Let me go off on a tiny tangent. I saw a picture of Gay in the NY Times, taken during the Opening Ceremonies. The dude looked scared to death. He had a forced smile and a look in his eyes that didn’t portray on ounce of confidence. Anyway, the dude then fails to qualify for the 100m final, and the other day he drops the baton in the 4x100m relay. As great as Phelps was, Gay was equally bad.

The Twins, Rays, and Brewers have been treating me well. I am pausing the Twins today since they are coming off of a win, and then they have a series with the Yankees that is touch and go from my perspective. The Twins may be started up after the Yankee series.

Chance favors the prepared mind. -Pasteur