Archive for Analysis
Cal-MSU Quick Reactions
Our contributor Tony has spent the entire summer enjoying the New York art scene and enjoying many purchased fruity margaritas at tapas restaurants. Neither of these reports have been confirmed, only assumed. He’s back for the season, and he filed this early report of the game. Perhaps I should say quick “slightly impared” reactions. Needless to […]
Pac-10 Quarterback Analysis, Part III: The Situation Room
(Read Part I on Longshore and Part II on Pac-10 QBs here) Seems people demand it, but it looks like it’s time to figure out what Nate Longshore and his Pac-10 bretheren are truly capable of situationally. You’ve probably read about the situational practices Tedford is placing his quarterbacks through and how each of them […]
Give Me Bad Numbers: Pac-10 Quarterback Analysis, Part II
The college quarterback rating formula is absurdly reductionist. It overvalues completions rather than completion percentage, it overvalues touchdowns rather than drives, it overvalues interceptions by placing them all at the same value, and it really really really overvalues yardage without analyzing yards after catch. Almost all of the things plugged into the formula represent outcomes […]
Them Shores Be Long: Pac-10 Quarterback Analysis, Part I
Part-time BN contributor Danzig wrote a killer post on CGB discussing the merits and demerits of Nate Longshore. There are a few parts I want to analyze and some other issues I’d like to expand upon, as I look across the state of Pac-10 QBs this week going into 2008. Passing efficiency: Also notice that […]
Walk the Line: What Vegas Thinks About Cal and the Pac-10
I have a gambling problem. Not a gambling addiction (other than one bad incident that I deserved, I’ve been fairly frugal with my betting habits). No, my problem is that I’m no good at gambling. I.e. I lose a lot of money. I seem to have terrible patterns at predicting who will win and even […]
My Cal Preview for Michigan State Fans
Enlightened Spartan indulged me with my insipid Q&A, so I provided him with some thoughtless noninsight on his site. Note though: The site seems to have been made in 1997, because I can’t find a way to directly link to this. So you’ll have to go directly to enlightenedspartan dot com and look around in […]
The OC (Examining Frank Cignetti, Part I)
We’re inching towards kickoff–and by inching, I mean baseball season sucks. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to be eyeing several key points of Cal’s 2008 season, culminating with the crucial quarterback battle. I’ll start by discussing our new offensive coordinator and what his playcalling and personality at Fresno State was like. Frank Cignetti’s […]
Dining in Hell: Cal-Michigan State Preview
Eight weeks to kickoff. A tantilizingly short eight weeks. Thankfully while we have a long and warm summer to bask in before we get there…oh wait, you mean this damned city is currently undergoing frigid fifty degree weather? That students are wearing sweaters instead of sundresses? That everyone is cold and implacable to one another […]
Can He Still Ghost Ride?
In the grand tradition of smooth public relations, Marshawn Lynch’s vehicular saga concludes on a Friday afternoon. Marshawn has issued a public statement, pleaded guilty to “failing to use due care towards a pedestrian,” and received a whopping $150 fine. The only punishment of any consequence is that Marshawn has to surrender his brand new […]
Faster Than Your Average Bear
With all signs still pointing towards Jahvid Best being fully recovered for next year, and it looking like the Bears will have at least one RB with gametime experience, I found myself asking “hey, how good is Jahvid Best anyway?” My general impression is “quite good.” But with only one truncated season to judge, its […]
