Mid-January Musings

Can we just say that a Hot Top 10 is a misnomer? Really, it is a Hot Top 3; a Middle Top 4 and Everyone Else.

1. Illinois - I said it before: Run. The. Table.
2. Kansas - How sweet would a National Title Game be between Kansas and Illinois? Coach Self would have much to be proud of.
3. Wake - One loss. To Illinois.

4, 5, 6, 7. UNC, OSU, Syracuse, Duke. In that order. The best of the rest. Duke might not be in here if not for a weak (for Duke) schedule. Only Michigan State and Oklahoma are "quality" wins for Duke. UNC loses to Wake (forget the brain fart in November). OSU's only loss is to Gonzaga when Gonzaga was hot. And Syracuse's only loss is to OSU.

Everyone else. That way it looks, only Kentucky might seem to be able to break the respectable ranks. UConn? Come back when the team is baked. GT? Ouch. One team to watch is BC. They have been quietly playing some outstanding ball.

Schedules for the rest of the year could hurt some teams. Illinois for one. Losing a game in the Big 10 would be a big upset. (Hear that Wisconsin?) But the Big 10 does not have the depth to prepare Illinois for March Madness. You can't say the same for Wake, UNC and the ACC. An all ACC Final Four? I would weep like a baby, but it could happen. (Dickie V. would be insufferable.)

I have been looking for a Hot Top 10 team that is not in the Top 10, but it has been difficult. Gonzaga was there, but no more. Everytime I am ready to back a team, they end up losing. (Remember your remark about the Hot Top 10 being worse than a SI cover? Well, yes, but...) No doubt things will change.

I never thought I would say this, but I really felt for Peyton Manning. His teammates let him down. Except for the last second INT, he played superb. (When he played - 22 minutes Indy vs. 38 minutes NE TOP. Wow. And don't give me any of that 69.3 QB rating BS, that last second, meaningless INT had a 15 point effect!) I cannot say the same for the rest of Indy's O. Not simply the two fumbles, but the drops, etc. NOT to take anything away from NE. There were the better team, no ifs ands or buts. NE's defense was suburb, and I hope they can keep it up against Pittsburgh. (I expect they will.)

But Manning deserved a better performance from his Boys than he got.

BTW, I am reviewing my 12.13 post, I quote:

"The AFC seems to be loaded and there are 4 teams that seem to be the class of the league - New England, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis and Philadelphia. It is hard for me to envision a Super Bowl that is not NE v. Philly. Ben RoethIfreakingcantspellhisname is still too green to get past the title game and NE owns the Colts - something Peyton Manning has yet to come close to changing."

I am half way there...