'For Who? For What?': JoePa FTL!

This wrap-up of the weekend in both college and pro football is named after the classic post-game quote immortalized by all-time favorite whipping boy Ricky Watters.

A couple of week's back, I predicted Penn State would make the National Championship game. I underestimated their ability to implode. I never thought the Nittany Lions were the best team, or one of the best for that matter. I just thought their schedule gave them a significant advantage over the other unbeatens in major college football. I still believe that -- that advantage just wasn't enough to overcome Penn State's shortcomings. Alabama and Texas Tech, on the other hand, each survived the first of three obstacles on their path to a clash in the National Championship game.

Here's the latest Top 10 from yours truly:

1. Texas Tech (10-0)
2. Alabama (10-0)
3. Florida (8-1)
4. Texas (9-1)
5. Oklahoma (9-1)
6. USC (8-1)
7. Penn State (9-1)
8. Utah (10-0)
9. Boise State (9-0)
10. Oklahoma State (8-2)

Meanwhile, in the NFL this week, some things became a little clearer:

--The Patriots are re-emerging as a contender in the AFC -- something I predicted a few weeks back. At 6-3, they're tied atop the AFC East with the Jets, who they square off against this Thursday night. The winner emerges as the top team in that division (especially if it's the Pats, who would then hold the head-to-head tie-breaker), and joins the second tier of teams in the conference behind the Titans -- a group which could include the Steelers, Ravens, Dolphins, Chargers, and Colts.

--Speaking of Indy, they seem to be picking up speed as they head down the back stretch. They followed up a tight victory versus New England last Sunday night with a big road win at Pittsburgh this week. Suddenly, they appear poised for a stretch run along with the Pats. Could we see another big Indy/New England tilt in the AFC playoffs come January?

--The Giants are good. Like really good. You know they won the Super Bowl last year, right? Despite that, it's been easy to ignore them this year. First, even when they won the Super Bowl the big story was more about the Perfect Pats lost. Then they started the year in the shadow of rival Dallas, who prognosticators already had going to this year's Super Bowl. Then, when Philly and Washington looked strong early, the big story was how great their entire division was great -- they were just among the best. As the season stretched on, and they established themselves as clearly the best team in the NFC, they still found themselves in the shadow -- this time of Tennessee, the league's only undefeated team. But it's time people start to say it: The Giants have to be the favorite to repeat as Super Bowl champs.

With all that said, here's my take on the current hierarchy of the top teams in the NFL:

Elite
New York Giants
Tennessee Titans
Carolina Panthers

Flawed But Dangerous
Arizona Cardinals
Pittsburgh Steelers
New York Jets

Never Underestimate Experience
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
New England Patriots
Indianapolis Colts

On The Upswing
Washington Redskins
Baltimore Ravens
Atlanta Falcons

Random List: Top 10 Movies Still To Come In '08

It's the start of Oscar season, so what better time to rank the contenders coming out before the end of the year. I’m ranking these in order of how much I want to see them, not necessarily how good I think they’ll be. All I know of these movies is from a trailer and reading about them. This list is all about expectation, and personal taste.

1. 'Milk' -- Even if this wasn’t about a man whose murder was a local story I still remember from my youth, I’d be excited. I’m a sucker for anything with Sean Penn in it, and Gus Van Sant is one my favorites -– especially when he plays it straight (a la ’To Die For’), as he reportedly does here. And the supporting cast includes Emile Hirsch, James Franco, and Josh Brolin.

2. 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' -- I’m a huge David Fincher fan, and his two best movies starred Brad Pitt, who plays the title role here. It’s a great idea from a story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, adapted by Eric Roth. And the trailer looks amazing. What’s not to like?

3. 'Frost/Nixon' -- Another true story from my youth, though I was a little young to comprehend. It was a hit play, and is adapted by playwright Peter Morgan. Ron Howard directs, and people are predicting an Oscar nomination for Frank Langella as Nixon.

4. 'The Wrestler' -- Darren Arnofsky. Mickey Rourke’s big comeback -– maybe an Oscar nod. I’m so there. And that’s before I knew personal favorite Marissa Tomei was in it.

5. 'Revolutionary Road' -- Sam Mendes directs an adaptation of a Richard Yates novel, reuniting Kate Winslet (his real-life wife) with her ’Titanic’ co-star Leonardo DiCaprio.

6. 'Valkyrie' -- Director Bryan Singer and screenwriter – the team which brought us ’The Usual Suspects’ -- reunites to relay yet another real life story about the German soldier (played by Tom Cruise) who tried to kill Hitler.

7. 'Defiance' -- Ed Zwick co-writes and directs this tale of bad ass Jews kicking Nazi ass. It stars Live Schreiber and Daniel Craig (who’s already been in one Jews-kicking-Nazi-ass movie, ’Munich’).

8. 'Doubt' -- The underrated John Patrick Shanley adapts and directs his Pulitzer prize-winning play about a priest (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who’s accused of molestation by a bitter old nun (Meryl Streep).

9. 'Australia' -- Baz Luhrmann can get a little fanciful for me, but he can create a spectacle with any filmmaker. Plus, I love Australia (I was there for my marriage/honeymoon). But if at any point Hugh Jackman breaks into song, all bets are off.

10. 'Seven Pounds' -- This Will Smith Oscar bait looks a little sappy/weepy for my tastes, but I needed to round out the 10.

For Who? For What?: JoePa FTW!

This wrap-up of the weekend in both college and pro football is named after the classic post-game quote immortalized by all-time favorite/whipping boy Ricky Watters.

I decided to shake things up, and start writing about the entire weekend in football – college included. Part of this springs from the fact my Niners are stinking it up so bad, I’m having trouble putting too much thought into the NF of L, and part of it has to do with the fact when I started this blog it was too early in the season to seriously discuss who the best teams in college were. As I’ve previous made clear, I’m not a fan of jumping into to bed and ranking teams before we have a chance to get to know each other a little better.

But with the leaves changing colors (I’m assuming, because the leaves in LA are on strike), and the teams coming more into focus, I figured it was time to unleash The EL’s first ever Top Ten in college football:

1. Texas (8-0)
2. Alabama (8-0)
3. Penn State (9-0)
4. USC (6-1)
5. Oklahoma (7-1)
6. Georgia (7-1)
7. Florida (6-1)
8. Texas Tech (8-0)
9. Oklahoma State (7-1)
10(tie). Utah (8-0)/Boise State (7-0)

Notes: A few differences between my list and the polls – both BCS and AP: I have USC over Oklahoma based on their superior defense; I have both Georgia and Florida over Texas Tech based on playing stiffer competition, but if Tech beats Texas this week, you can expect to see some leap-frog action; So as to not slight either of the undefeated teams from the Mountain West, I have Utah and Boise State tied for the final spot.

Penn State may be 3rd on my list –- and 3rd in both the BCS and AP as well –- but after their big win at the horseshoe over OSU this weekend, I feel they may have the best chance of any team in the nation to play for the National Championship in January. Both of the schools ahead of them, Texas and Alabama, still have to each get through a highly-ranked opponent on the road, a rivalry game, and a conference title game. Meanwhile, Penn State has only one speedbump on its schedule, and the Big Ten is one of the last remaining conferences without a championship game gauntlet to run.

#1 Texas is the hottest team in the nation, maybe even it's best, but they are in an epically rough portion of their schedule and the hard work isn't done yet. Coming off a big win over Oklahoma State, the 'Horns have another tough matchup this week, at undefeated Texas Tech. If the ‘Horns can slip past the Red Raiders, they get the Aggies, and while Texas A&M is 1-5 this year, you know the Aggies will save their best game for the Longhorns. get past the Aggies and Texas lands themselves a showdown vs. the Big 12 North Division champ. That’ll likely mean a rematch with #11 Missouri, this time at a neutral site – Kansas City, where there could be a yet another difficult obstacle -- snowy conditions.

Alabama’s schedule isn’t any easier. They have a tough matchup at #19 LSU in two weeks, and a home game against feisty rival Auburn after Thanksgiving. If the Crimson Tide can survive that, they face an even tougher challenge in the Georgia Dome for the SEC Championship Game – either #7 Georgia or #10 Florida.

As good as both the ‘Horns and Tide are, I simply can’t see them both running the table. Penn State, on the other hand, has just one ranked team left to face, #21 Michigan State, and that game’s at home. If they avoid a stumble there – and I can’t think of the last time the Spartans played spoiler to anyone’s title hopes – ol’ JoePa himself will be having a last laugh on critics (like myself) who called him over the hill years ago.

Around the NFL:

--Don't look now, but the Carolina Panthers are the 2nd best team in the NFC. You may want to argue, but I bet you'll have a hard time doing it. It's not that I think the Panthers are dazzling -- they're not. But this is a process of elimination deal here, and besides the New York Giants, I defy you to name me one team you'd be confident in wagering on against them. Last week, I had them behind only the Giants among NFC teams in my power poll, just ahead of Tampa and Arizona. They beat the Cards this week (albeit at home) while Tampa lost to a the limping former juggernaut known as the Dallas Cowboys. The next team down the list is the Redskins, who struggled to beat Detroit.

Then you start to think about their weaknesses, and they aren't too many. Delhomme isn't the best, but he's proven he can get deep in the playoffs. The two-headed running attack of DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart is solid. We all know Steve Smith is a beast. And on D, Julius Peppers is looking like he did a few years ago, which is a good thing. There's a lot of time left in the season, and the Panthers have a very tough run toward the end of the season, but suddenly the Panthers look like a solid darkhorse contender for the Super Bowl.

--The Niners aren't really worth talking about right now, and I don't want to force things, but I do have to say a word about Mike Singletary (with more probably to come). He showed more fire today than any coach or player for some time. And he made more moves fans have been dying for than Nolan ever made. "Samurai Mike" may not be a good coach, but at least for one day he made me believe he is. And even if he fails, I'm glad he pulled JustTurnOvers and sent VD to the showers because that's what they deserved, and his passion is what they need.