Champions: The 2012 San Francisco Baseball Giants

Ryan Theriot scored the series winning
run in the 10th inning on Sunday.
(Photo Credit: Reuters)

And with a rush of the field that looked every bit as unimpressive as a Toledo Rocket field storming, The San Francisco Baseball Giants have won the World Series for the second time in three seasons.

That is how we're going to end an anticlimactic postseason.  The Giants swept the Tigers.  Game Two was the lowest rated World Series Game of time.  Quite frankly, the DS was more exciting.  The Cardinals overcame a large deficit to beat Washington in Game Five.  Raul Ibanez hit a game-tying and a walk-off home run off the bench.  San Francisco came back from 0-2 to win three games in Cincinnati and the series.  Detroit overcame raucous crowds in Oakland to pull it off.  It was exciting, theatrical baseball and that was what captivated America.

Then Derek Jeter fractured his ankle and America paid less attention.

East of the Rocky Mountains, you're going to hear about how your team dropped the ball.  More than likely it will be bellyaching about how the Cardinals dropped the ball, how the Yankees fans missed out on their birthright of a pennant, how the Braves got screwed in the Wild Card game or how the Cubs will be great in 2015.  The story you're missing is a San Francisco team and their unlikely heroes, great bullpen and an uncanny knack to stick around.

The feeling of having a title overlooked by other fans is all-to-common for me.  Seven full seasons removed from my team's brush with World Series glory, the 2005 Chicago White Sox seem like yesterday.  I will spare you that rant because this is about the Giants and their season.  

Here's 10 things that most of America, like me, will see as a spec of dust on their sports memories while indulging in College and Pro football:

1 - Marco Scutaro hit .500 in the NLCS.  The Giants rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win the pennant.  Much more of you were watching because the "Best Fans In Baseball" and their team were still in it.

2 - The Giants won twice in must win situations with Barry Zito starting.  Barry Zito reverted back to Oakland Barry Zito in Game 5 of the NLCS.  #RallyZito was trending on twitter.  In Game 4 of the NLDS, Tim Lincecum came out of the bullpen and pitched like Two-Time Cy Young Award Winner Tim Lincecum.

3 - Big trade deadline acquisition Hunter Pence was a no-show at the end of the regular season and was not anything special in the playoffs.

4 - Pablo Sandoval homered thrice in Game 1.  This was one of the most notable part of the Giants playoff run.

5 - Ryan Theriot scored the series winning run in extras.  He went ballistic after scoring.  This was Ryan's second straight title.

6 - Melky Cabrera, a Giant who was suspended for using PED's and not on the Postseason roster because of a team decision, was the reason the Giants had homefield advantage in the World Series.

7 - Angel Pagan won you a Doritos Locos Taco on October 30th from 2-6 at any participating Taco Bell.

8 - Outside of Game 7 of the NLCS, Matt Cain's postseason ranged from less than stellar to downright abysmal.  His slider was consistently hit hard in the postseason.

9 - They duked it out with a Dodgers team in the NL West after the Dodgers had picked up more new pieces in July.  The Giants won 94 games and the division by 8 games.

10 - Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera struck out looking to end the series

The point is that every title run has many subplots.  Baseball has become a game that stresses having a good bullpen and a good scouting department.  Every particular team starts Spring Training in February.  Winning a title means doing well enough over 162 games to make the playoffs.  In Major League Baseball, only a third of teams make the playoffs.  That is good for the most exclusive postseason in sports.  Most teams that are in playoff contention as July 31st approaches will take advantage of the opportunity to bolster their roster.  In August, teams can acquire players that are put on waivers.  In September, if your team is still in contention, they set their postseason roster and make their last push to make the postseason.  Then they need to win 11-12 more games against the best teams in baseball and the title is theirs.

The San Francisco Giants did this for the second time in three years.

The Giants boasted a bullpen that is considered one of the best in baseball.  The Giants were aided by several gritty pitching performances.  They were also aided by Marco Scutaro who played the role of Cody Ross in this postseason.  They caught breaks.  They fought from behind.  They won baseball games.  Pretty much everyone on their roster made their mark on this postseason.

Kudos to the San Francisco Giants.  I selected the Arizona Diamondbacks as my preseason World Series Champion.  It turns out, I had the division right.

Next In Baseball: The AL MVP is announced and a lot of people are upset.

PSA: Notre Dame Is Back

Going into this week, Notre Dame was a legitimate candidate to go to a BCS game.  After the Irish went into Norman and took a 30-13 contest that was MUCH closer than the score indicated, they put themselves in the National Championship discussion.

A big takeaway from this game is the maturation of freshman quarterback Everett Golson.  There were times this season where Tommy Rees had to bail out the Irish.  Last night is Norman was not one of those nights.  After the Sooners tied the game in the 4th quarter at 13, Golson almost immediately hit freshman Chris Brown with a 50-yard pass that set up an Irish touchdown.  Notre Dame rode that momentum to a 30-13 victory.

Golson did an effective job at managing the game and made a big play when he needed to.  The defense did their job and let up 13 points to a really good Oklahoma team on the road.  That is why Notre Dame is a serious contender for the National Title.

Irish Nation thinks it's about damn time.  Notre Dame has been a perpetually average team since the early 90's and a win over OU in Norman put them back on the map.  Brian Kelly, an assistant at Grand Valley State the last time the Irish won the National Title, was hired by Notre Dame in December of 2009.  In his first two seasons at Notre Dame, they crushed Miami in the Sun Bowl and almost knocked off Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl.  The Irish were on the up and up.  Nobody expected what would happen this season.

It's 2012 and the Golden Domer defense has been all of the rage in South Bend.  We knew they were going to be led by Punahou School grad Manti Te'o.  We knew that Te'o was well on his way to a first round selection and an All-American season.   We knew the Irish going to play teams like Michigan State, Michigan and Stanford tough.  What we didn't know is that the Irish would walk out of Norman undefeated and that Te'o would be the premiere defensive player in college football.  The only players that are as good as Te'o on his side of the ball are Jarvis Jones and Jadeveon Clowney, who I would argue will turn out even better.  Nobody expected Notre Dame in a National Championship discussion that currently involves Alabama, Kansas State and Oregon.

Here we are.  Kelly, a product of Big East football and their Mid-Late 2000's heyday, has led Notre Dame to prominence in under three seasons.

Kelly has put together a team that consists of more than just some smart football players and a stud linebacker.  Guys like Golson, ex-Vernon Hills Cougar DaVaris Daniels, Cierre Wood, George Atkinson III and Kapron Lewis-Moore have served at groundwork being laid for a new culture in South Bend.  These are the same caliber of players that Charlie Weis recruited at Notre Dame.  The difference, we have learned, is that Brian Kelly is an effective head coach.  We learned that at Cincinnati and that's why Kelly was a popular hire.  Now look at what he has accomplished so far.  

If you haven't picked a side already America you need to pick now.  Do you love Notre Dame or do you hate Notre Dame.

Either way, the Fighting Irish are back.  They are not going away anytime soon either.

Sloppy Cocktail Party Puts Georgia In The Driver's Seat

Jarvis Jones forced a fumble to clinch the win for
Georgia in Jacksonville. (Photo Credit: AP)

Usually bad football is played in Jacksonville on Sunday.

Florida made their bones this season with defense.  That being said, it should be no surprise that their demise came on the offensive side of the ball.  The Gators turned the ball over six times en route to a 9-17 defeat at the hands of the Bulldogs.

The damning moment for the Gators was Jordan Reed's fumble into the endzone in with a little over two minutes left to play down eight.  That play may have been the most important one to date this season because it changes the SEC East race.  If Florida pulled it out, they would have been primed to make a trip to Atlanta.  Now, Georgia will more than likely play Alabama or LSU in the SEC Title Game. 

We knew Florida was privy to a bad game and would win that game more often than not.  However, the offense continued to shoot their own foot.  Jarvis Jones knocking the ball out of Reed's hands at the end of the game was just the nail in the coffin.  The Gators will not benefit from Georgia's lack of a schedule the rest of the season.

In other SEC news, Gene Chizik may have had the final nail put into his coffin.  The Tigers, who have weathered an awful season, lost 21-63 to Texas A&M at home.  

Arkansas also added to their abysmal season by losing to Ole Miss at home on a Field Goal as time expires.  

Mizzou won their first SEC game by rolling Kentucky at homecoming.  What makes this win notable was that Mizzou was wearing their gold jerseys, which are believed to be cursed by many of their fans.  

Tennessee gave South Carolina a fight in Cola, but the Cocks pulled it out.  The game was overshadowed by Marcus Lattimore's rare injury.  Lattimore broke his femur and tore all four of the ligaments in his knee.  Lattimore is out for the season and whether he will play again or not will remain to be seen.  

Alabama is on their way to beating Mississippi State.  

Why America Doesn't Respect Big East Football

Schaumburg grad Paul Perschon celebrates a win over
Cincinnati with the students that stormed the
field last weekend in Toledo.  (Credit: cinncinati.com)

The changes that are slated in Big East Football
1. Central Florida, SMU, Houston and Memphis come over from Conference USA.
2. Navy Football will join the Big East for football only.
3. Boise State and San Diego State will graduate from the Mountain West and join the Big East for football only.

Currently, the conference's football roster is as followed.
1. Rutgers
2. Louisville
3. Cincinnati
4. Temple
5. Connecticut
6. South Florida
7. Pittsburgh (Moving to ACC)
8. Syracuse (Moving to ACC)

One of these teams Automatically Qualifies to go to a BCS bowl.  Being from Chicago, Northern Illinois is my MAC team.  I've punted on their field.  One of my old teammates from high school has a relative on the team.  That would be Aidan Conlon.  I personally followed the High School careers of Huskies Conlon, Perez Ford and Michael Santacaterina.  The Huskies are 8-1 with a one point loss to Iowa and are currently unranked.  They are arguably the best team in the MAC and has a case for the best FBS team in Illinois.  Do I think they deserve a BCS spot if they go 12-1?  No.  But do I think they would beat Louisville, Rutgers and Cincinnati.  Most likely.

Last week, Cincinnati went to the Glass City and their undefeated season was shattered and followed by on MAC sized field storm.  Not to be outdone, Kent State went to New Brunswick and knocked off Rutgers this afternoon.

Fun Fact: Toledo beat Buffalo by 5 this weekend.  The Bulls fell to 1-7 on the year.

The whole point of this is that in 2012, the Big East is closer to the MAC than the Big 10 or the ACC.  In years past, there have been teams that were not good at all come out of the Big East and into the BCS.  (See: 2010 UConn Huskies)

The story of this season is that Cincinnati and Louisville were a couple of solid teams and the matchup on October 26th would determine the Conference Title.  Fair enough.

Fast forward to September 22nd.  Rutgers knocks off a beleaguered Arkansas Razorbacks team in Fayetteville by 9.  This is the same Arkansas team who lost to UL Monroe fourteen days prior and would go on to lose to Ole Miss.  They will not go bowling this year.  That being said, a sophomore Quarterback named Gary Nova showed up.  A Don Bosco grad who could pass for an extra on Jersey Shore, Nova threw for 397 Yards, 5 Touchdowns and no Interceptions on the road against an SEC opponent.

The next three weeks, Rutgers would play close with three subpar opponents for a half before ultimately pulling away in the second half.

A week after the Rutgers/Arkansas game, Cincinnati traveled to FexEx field and knocked off the 25th-ranked Virginia Tech Hokies in overtime.  Time has taught us that Virginia Tech is average.  That Hokie squad had already lost to Pitt and would go on to lose to UNC by two touchdowns.

Then on October 20th, the #20 Bearcats were stunned in Toledo.

Teddy Brigewater is presented with the Keg of Nails
after leading Louisville to an overtime victory over the
Bearcats on Friday night in Kentucky. (Credit: totalprosports.com)

A week later, Cincinnati went to Louisville to play for a Keg of Nails and the inside track at a Big East title.  Louisville came in undefeated.  They also came in with close wins over Southern Miss, Florida International, UNC, Pitt and South Florida.  A game that was cheapened by how sloppy the Big East has been this season, Louisville won in Overtime.  They are 8-0 and should be 11-0 going into their final game of the season.

The next day, Rutgers lost to Kent State.  They played from behind for the vast majority of the game.  Rutgers was a slow starting team, but they were able to finish off teams.  They were also ranked and undefeated going into this week.  Cincy, Rutgers and Louisville were all undefeated and ranked going into last week.  They were all also unimpressive for being at the top of an AQ conference.

There are two relevant conference games in the Big East this season.  One is in Cincinnati and one is in New Brunswick.  Both teams have a crack at Rutgers.  Rutgers has as good of a chance as either of the two teams they are contending with to win the Big East.  The title would be their first.

I just find it upsetting that one of these teams gets to play in a BCS bowl.  Alabama, Georgia, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Florida State, Clemson, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Michigan, Oregon and Arizona would all win that conference.  That's two teams from every other AQ conference and Notre Dame.

At least two of the teams I just named will not play in a BCS bowl.

Pittsburgh's football program will rebound, but naturally they are going to the ACC.  They just need to hope that their new programs help provide depth to the conference.

These are just three average football teams.  Anyone who does not see that yet will see that in around the Holidays.