About this Atlanta Falcons Team...

I've not written much about the NFL this year, because college and Formula 1 have been so interesting. But now there are a mere two weeks left in the regular season, and two teams have separated themselves from the pack. For so long a general parity reigned in the league, as a few teams soared higher in the win total, and other rocked around the .500 mark.

Now, with all teams having played fourteen games, a group of six teams sits at 10-4 (New Orleans, Chicago, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and the NY Jets). Now, 10-4 is not a bad record, but all six teams sit two games behind the New England Patriots (no surprise there) and the Atlanta Falcons, who are both 12-2.

These Falcons, by virtue of winning against Seattle last week, now need only one win in their last two games to guarantee themselves home-filed throughout the playoffs. Remember, these are the same Falcons who are 19-1 under Matt Ryan at home. To me, that says if Atlanta beats either New Orleans Monday night, or Carolina on January 2nd, the only time they'll have to go on the road again would be to travel to Dallas for the Super Bowl.

Three years ago, standard knowledge was that the Falcons would need upwards of five years to rebuild. Mike Vick was in jail for dog fighting and interstate gambling, Coach Bobby Petrino snuck out of town in the middle of the night to coach Arkansas, meaning the team was left coachless and quarterbackless. But then Thomas Dimitroff was hired as the General Manager. One of his first moves was to hire Jacksonville's defensive coach, Mike Smith.

As the new office regime was installed, the Draft rolled around. Many people felt that the Falcons would draft Glenn Dorsey, a defensive tackle out of LSU, but the need for quarterback was too great. With the third overall pick in the draft, the Falcons took Matt Ryan, the QB out of Boston College. Several other key picks, and the free agent signing of Michael Turner, RB from San Diego, made the Falcons a playoff team in one year.

Then the Falcons traded for arguably the greatest Tight End in the game, Tony Gonzalez. Bringing in CB Dunta Robinson this year further solidified a core of talent that is not sexy. They aren't flashy. They just win. With the exception to to games in Pennsylvania, the Falcons are undefeated. They've beaten New Orleans, Baltimore, and Green Bay. They've not lost since mid-October.

At the pace they're playing, these Falcons are poised for a deep run into the playoffs. Maybe we should buy plane tickets to Dallas in February...

Football Future-see: Bowl Edition 2010-2011

So after all these years of doing this bit, I finally had a perfect week. Of course, it comes at a time when my readership is essentially on life-support. So let's see what we have for the Bowl Edition.

22 December Maaco Bowl Las Vegas

19 Utah vs 10 Boise State

It's not often that you get this kind of ranked match-up before New Years Day, much less before Christmas, but this is what happens when you don't have a large following of fans. Utah is tough, but squandered a game or two down the stretch. Boise State kicked themselves out of the Rose Bowl, and after this game they have to look forward to a Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic game with UGA to start the 2011 campaign.

FINAL SCORE: Boise State 24, Utah 20

27 December AdvocareV100 Independence Bowl

Air Force vs Georgia Tech

If you still cling to the antiquated notion that the forward pass ruined football, then this is the game for you. Both teams run an option offense that keeps the clocks moving. Vegas actually has the over/under on this game at 56 minutes.

FINAL SCORE: Air Force 26, Georgia Tech 21

31 December Hyundai Sun Bowl

Notre Dame vs Miami (FL)

Catholics versus Convicts, the rematch, part 87. Seriously, these schools are getting ready to revive their rivalry, why match them up here. Oh, right, money. Forgot.

FINAL SCORE: Miami 27, Notre Dame 24

31 December AutoZone Liberty Bowl

Georgia vs. 25 Central Florida (UCF)

Central Florida won the... whatever conference they are in. Sun Belt? Big East? No that's not right. Westville High won the Big East... Anyway, the 25th ranked Central Floridians are going up against a 6-6 UGA team that could be caught looking ahead to August, when they face Boise State. But probably not.

FINAL SCORE: Georgia 34, UCF 17

31 December Chick-fil-A Bowl

20 South Carolina vs 23 Florida State

South Carolina played in the Georgia Dome at the start of December, losing mightily to Auburn. But Steve Spurrier knows a thing or two about beating Florida State. Will the curse of the chicken catch up to Darth Visor?

FINAL SCORE: South Carolina 24, FSU 20

1 January Rose Bowl

3 TCU vs 5 Wisconsin

TCU has one of the best defenses in the country. That said, Wisconsin had a run earlier this year where they rolled off conference victories of 83-20, 48-28, and 70-23. TCU has not seen an offense that potent this season.

FINAL SCORE: Wisconsin 36, TCU26

1 January Fiesta Bowl

UConn vs 7 Oklahoma

Westville High School... er, I mean, UConn, comes into their first ever BCS game. Oklahoma returns to the house of horrors, where Bob Stoops turns into SpongeBob BowlFlop. There is something about putting Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl...

FINAL SCORE: Oklahoma 40, UConn 17

3 January Orange Bowl

4 Stanford vs 13 Virginia Tech

The Hokies dropped back-to-back games to start the season, losing to Boise State and James Madison. Then they won eleven straight, claiming the ACC (which, let's be honest, is like winning the Least Ugly contest). Stanford has been near the top all year, and only had their train derailed by Oregon. Andrew Luck is probably the #1 pick in next year's draft.

FINAL SCORE: Stanford 28, Virginia Tech 24

4 January Sugar Bowl

6 Ohio State vs 8 Arkansas

I don't know if they did this on purpose, but most of us in the southeast know all about Ohio State's trouble with the SEC in BCS games. Now, the Buckeyes get to face Ryan Mallett and the Razorback offense in New Orleans. I think this might be one of the best games from the BCS.

FINAL SCORE: Arkansas 31, Ohio State 24

10 January National Championship Game

1 Auburn vs 2 Oregon

The belief is that this game might be the best title tilt we've seen since Texas-USC five years ago. Oregon's blur offense has troubled every team they've played, but they've not faced an SEC defense this year, and until someone proves otherwise, the SEC is the king of this mountain.

FINAL SCORE: Auburn 38, Oregon 35

Football Future-see Week 14

RECORD:

Week 1 ....... 7-1

Week 2 ....... 4-1

Week 3 ....... 4-1

Week 4 ....... 2-3

Week 5 ....... 4-3

Week 6 ....... 2-3

Week 7 ....... 3-2

Week 8 ....... 4-1

Week 9 ....... 4-3

Week 10 ..... 3-2

Week 11 ..... 4-2

Week 12 ..... 2-3

Week 13 ..... 7-3

Week 14 ..... 5-0

TOTAL ..... 55-28

Well, here we are, the last week of the regular season. I've been close to perfection several times this year, and I've also been downright wrong. Championship week is usually tough to predict, so if I go 5-0 this week I'll be ecstatic.

**UPDATE: I went 5-0! Finally. After three years of doing this stuff, I've finally got my perfect week.**

2 Oregon at Oregon State________CORRECT

A win in the Civil War locks Oregon into the BCS National Championship Game. The Badgers are 6-5 on the year, the Ducks, with their blur offense, are undefeated.

FINAL SCORE: Oregon 42, Oregon State 20

1 Auburn vs 19 South Carolina (SEC Championship)________CORRECT

This marks the second time this season that Auburn and SC have played. The Tigers got the better of the first game, and they now have a cleared-to-play Cam Newton.

FINAL SCORE: Auburn 28, South Carolina 20

21 Florida State vs 15 Virginia Tech (ACC Championship)________CORRECT

Honestly, this doesn't feel like a title game. The ACC really needs to up their game.

FINAL SCORE: Virginia Tech 30, Florida State 17

9 Oklahoma vs 13 Nebraska (Big XII Championship)________CORRECT

This has all the makings of a great game, which is why I'm predicting such a close score.

FINAL SCORE: Oklahoma 21, Nebraska 20

Connecticut at South Florida________CORRECT

UConn is on its way to a BCS game, even though they have four losses. The Huskies will pretty much clinch a spot, likely in the Orange Bowl, possibly Fiesta, with a win over the Bulls.

FINAL SCORE: UConn 24, South Florida 21

BCS Bowl Predicitions

Orange: Virginia Tech vs Ohio State

Fiesta: Oklahoma vs UConn

Rose: TCU vs Wisconsin

Sugar: Arkansas vs Stanford

BCS National Championship: Oregon vs Auburn

Football Future-see Week 13

RECORD:

Week 1 ....... 7-1

Week 2 ....... 4-1

Week 3 ....... 4-1

Week 4 ....... 2-3

Week 5 ....... 4-3

Week 6 ....... 2-3

Week 7 ....... 3-2

Week 8 ....... 4-1

Week 9 ....... 4-3

Week 10 ..... 3-2

Week 11 ..... 4-2

Week 12 ..... 2-3

Week 13 ..... 7-3

TOTAL ..... 50-28

2 Auburn at 11 Alabama______INCORRECT

I would not be at all surprised with either team winning this game. At the moment, though, I think there is too much controversy around the Tigers.

FINAL SCORE: Alabama 31, Auburn 30

21 Arizona at 1 Oregon_____CORRECT

Oregon puts a stamp on their case for the BCS National Title Game.

FINAL SCORE: Oregon 40, Arizona 17

4 Boise State at 19 Nevada_____INCORRECT

The Wolfpack puts up a fight, but it’s not enough. The Broncos would love to crash the BCS party.

FINAL SCORE: Boise State 34, Nevada 17

Michigan at 8 Ohio State_____CORRECT

This game is never close. I cannot state that clearly enough.

FINAL SCORE: Ohio State 38, Michigan 14

Colorado at 15 Nebraska_____CORRECT

Close game with usually a bunch of points scored, but the Huskers should win.

FINAL SCORE: Nebraska 31, Colorado 26

Georgia Tech at Georgia_____CORRECT

I think Georgia is looking for a chance to lay a serious beating on someone.

FINAL SCORE: Georgia 34, Georgia Tech 13

13 Oklahoma at 9 Oklahoma State_____CORRECT

Sooners win a tight road game, but it’s not a surprise of OK State wins this one, though.

FINAL SCORE: Oklahoma 24, Oklahoma State 21

5 LSU at 12 Arkansas_____CORRECT

Mallett has a big day slinging the ball around, Hogs pull the upset.

FINAL SCORE: Arkansas 28, LSU 24

Notre Dame at USC_____CORRECT

Not even sure what the line is on this game, but the Irish are slowly building back up.

FINAL SCORE: Notre Dame 20, USC 17

17 Texas A&M at Texas_____INCORRECT

This counts as an upset, but I think the Longhorns have a trick or two up their collective sleeve.

FINAL SCORE: Texas 13, Texas A&M 10

Football Future-see Week 12

RECORD:

Week 1 ....... 7-1

Week 2 ....... 4-1

Week 3 ....... 4-1

Week 4 ....... 2-3

Week 5 ....... 4-3

Week 6 ....... 2-3

Week 7 ....... 3-2

Week 8 ....... 4-1

Week 9 ....... 4-3

Week 10 ..... 3-2

Week 11 ..... 4-2

Week 12 ..... 2-3

TOTAL ..... 43-25

7 Wisconsin at Michigan_____CORRECT

Badgers at the Big House. This should be a fun game. Michigan can score a lot of points, but Wisconsin has one of the better defenses in the Big Ten.

FINAL SCORE: Wisconsin 27, Michigan 17

9 Ohio State at 20 Iowa_____INCORRECT

Iowa can pull the upset here. Let's get that out of the way. Ohio State needs a win to stay Rose Bowl eligible. Win you want something really bad, you can make mistakes along the way.

FINAL SCORE: Iowa 24, Ohio State 21

16 Virginia Tech at 24 Miami_____INCORRECT

I can't really explain why I like Miami at home against the Hokies. Virginia Tech just doesn't impress me that much. They're good, but the Hurricanes are looking for a signature win at home.

FINAL SCORE: Miami 26, Virginia Tech 24

13 Arkansas at 21 Mississippi State_____CORRECT

The only SEC game on the Right Wing schedule this week. Arkansas is seeking a good bowl this year, and Ryan Mallett is trying to pad his draft status. For those reasons alone Mississippi State doesn't stand much of a chance in this game. Close in the first half, Arkansas will put it away in the second.

FINAL SCORE: Arkansas 30, Miss. State 20

8 Nebraska at 19 Texas A&M_____INCORRECT

The only Big XII match-up features a Nebraska team that still has an outside chance at the BCS National Title game, even though that requires a lot of chaos. Texas A&M would love to upset the Huskers, and while the Aggies may have an early lead in this game, they won't be able to hold it. Nebraska is just too good.

FINAL SCORE: Nebraska 31, Texas A&M 21

Football Future-see Week 11

RECORD:

Week 1 ....... 7-1

Week 2 ....... 4-1

Week 3 ....... 4-1

Week 4 ....... 2-3

Week 5 ....... 4-3

Week 6 ....... 2-3

Week 7 ....... 3-2

Week 8 ....... 4-1

Week 9 ....... 4-3

Week 10 ..... 3-2

Week 11 ..... 4-2

TOTAL ..... 41-22

14 Utah at Notre Dame______INCORRECT

Utah was embarrassed at home by TCU and Notre Dame just is not good. This really shouldn’t even be close, as the Utes are looking for revenge on someone and the Irish don’t even seem willing to get it together.

FINAL SCORE: Utah 31, Notre Dame 14

Georgia at 2 Auburn______CORRECT

Knowing the history of this series, I’m really tempted to call for the upset here. In 113 meetings, the aggregate score for both teams is Georgia 1778, Auburn 1722. That’s 56 points of separation in a series that has been played almost consistently since 1892. Auburn enters this game as the best team in the SEC. Georgia enters this game looking for any chance to salvage a lost season.

FINAL SCORE: Auburn 26, Georgia 23

23 South Carolina at 22 Florida______CORRECT

The Curse of the Chicken finally comes to an end. The dream of Spurrier has been to lead the Gamecocks to an SEC title game. A healthy does of Marcus Lattimore will get them there.

FINAL SCORE: South Carolina 24, Florida 21

19 Mississippi State at 12 Alabama______CORRECT

The Crimson Tide is angry, coming off a loss to LSU. Mississippi State is the highest ranked it has been in some time. Still, Alabama is a really tough home team.

FINAL SCORE: Alabama 31, Miss State 13

USC at 18 Arizona______INCORRECT

USC has absolutely nothing to play for, and it’s the same account next year. Arizona is still playing for a better bowl game. That’s incentive enough.

FINAL SCORE: Arizona 24, USC 21

10 Oklahoma State at Texas______CORRECT

Nebraska could really benefit from a Texas win in this game, but I just don’t see it. That said, teams named the “Cowboys” haven’t exactly played well in Texas this year. But all the joking aside, Texas is not a very good team this year, and OK State is playing better than I expected.

FINAL SCORE: Oklahoma State 35, Texas 17

F1: Wanton Stupidity or Wanton Disregard

Today's Formula 1 Grand Premio Do Brasil (Brazilian Grand Prix) will not necessarily be remembered for any particularly great racing. Nor will it be remembered for Vitantonio Liuzzi's "rather comprehensive" shunt that sheared off half of his Force India.

It will, however, be remembered for Red Bull Renault's stubborn refusal to implement, even secretly, team orders that would've put Mark Webber in front of Sebastian Vettel. As the points stand now, one week out for the final race of the season, Fernando Alonso holds an eight point lead over Webber and fifteen points on Vettel. Lewis Hamilton is a distant twenty-four points out. Had Red Bull ordered Vettel to relinquish the lead today at Interlagos and let Webber in front, the Aussie would've been a mere one point back from Alonso.

The main reason that this presents a problem for the Red Bulls: Alonso has, in essence, a fresh engine for Abu Dhabi.

So the debate became a simple two-point question. Which of these makes you more upset with Formula 1 at the moment:

1. Wanton disregard of the rules

or

2. Wanton Stupidity in spite of the rule

Let's look at both points individually.

***

Point one, wanton disregard of the rules.

At the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim, Ferrari used some rather obvious codes to tell Felipe Massa to get out Fernando Alonso's way. Once Massa was removed, Alonso cruised to victory, with the only conciliation to Massa being Rob Smedley's forlorn "Good Boy. Try to keep up. Sorry."

The incident caught the attention of the stewards, who fined Ferrari $100,000(US) after the race. The Scuderia was then brought before an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sports Council. Forgiving the fact that almost every meeting of the WMSC is considered extraordinary, the WMSC ruled that the penalty given after the race was sufficient. This ruling set off a firestorm from the many teams claiming that everyone would use team orders now.

Granted, most fans already knew that team orders still play a major factor in racing, with the orders usually decided before a race and not blatantly disregarded the way Ferrari did.

***

Point two, wanton stupidity in spite of the rules.

Red Bull Renault was faced with the chance to put one of their drivers in an even better position to win a driver's championship. The driver was NOT Sebastian Vettel. Mark Webber, the veteran Australian, has never been so close to a driver's title. If Vettel had been told prior to race start that he should yield to Webber, then no one would've said a word. RBR clinched the constructor's title today, so that championship would not have been effected.

Now, with Vettel winning at Interlagos, Webber rolls into Abu Dhabi eight points back instead of one point back. Fernando Alonso has a very lightly used engine for the Yas Marina Circuit. That'll make him tough to catch.

It all goes back to a lack of intelligence on Red Bull Renault's part. They could've locked one of their drivers into a much closer spot, but they've steadfastly refused to use team orders.

***

If you got to any one of the many Formula 1 websites out there, you'll find a plethora of comments on this issue. Some are just plain funny, some angry, and some sad.

Robert said he wouldn't really be bothered by Vettel, Webber, and Alonso taking each other out in turn one at Abu Dhabi and then Lewis Hamilton driving to a championship.

One comment I saw that was particularly unfavorable to Red Bull stated that, if Alonso was leading Webber at Abu Dhabi, with Vettel running third, Red Bull would probably order Webber to crash out Alonso and take himself out so that Vettel (or as this writer called him "the anointed one") could win the championship.

Personally, I would love to see Webber win, but I hate the idea of a Red Bull driver winning the Driver's Championship. In the end, this has solidified my fan-craziness for McLaren.

Football Future-see Week 10

RECORD:

Week 1 ....... 7-1

Week 2 ....... 4-1

Week 3 ....... 4-1

Week 4 ....... 2-3

Week 5 ....... 4-3

Week 6 ....... 2-3

Week 7 ....... 3-2

Week 8 ....... 4-1

Week 9 ....... 4-3

Week 10 ..... 3-2

TOTAL ..... 37-20

21 BAYLOR AT 17 OKLAHOMA STATE_____CORRECT

Baylor is coming off a victory over Texas, which makes them confident. If Baylor wins this game, then a late November match-up with Oklahoma is all that stands between them and the final Big XII championship game ever to be played. Of course, OK State is in the same boat. Boone Pickens Stadium is a tough place to play.

FINAL SCORE: OK State 34, Baylor 24

6 ALABAMA AT 10 LSU_____INCORRECT

The Tigers welcome in the Crimson Tide in this battle of current and former LSU coaches. The Mad Hatter, Les Miles, has problems with clock management. Nick Saban, of the Tide, doesn’t. Saban also has a fantastic running game. LSU may struggle stopping the run.

FINAL SCORE: Alabama 28, LSU 20

3 TCU AT 5 UTAH_____CORRECT

The big game of the weekend features two top-5 teams. This year is ripe for a Non-AQ team to reach the title game, assuming neither Oregon nor Auburn falter. Utah is a good team, and is playing host to the Horned Frogs. TCU, though, is slightly better, and salts it away at the end.

FINAL SCORE: TCU 27, UTAH 23

NORTHWESTERN AT PENN STATE_____INCORRECT

I think this could be one of the better games of the weekend. These are two fairly evenly matched teams. This one should go down to the wire, but a late NU field goal seals it.

FINAL SCORE: Northwestern 17, Penn State 16

IDAHO STATE AT GEORGIA_____CORRECT

Georgia will be lucky to play in a bowl game this year, and the cries of regime change grow louder around Athens. The Dawgs are coming off a heart-breaking loss to Florida, and Idaho State is rolling in to Sanford Stadium at a bad time. The last lower tier team to play Georgia only lost by 48. Look for a repeat, if not worse. The Dawgs need to blow off some steam. Idaho State is getting paid $525,000 to allow that steam to be blown off.

FINAL SCORE: Georgia 52, Idaho State 10

Election Day Pondering

Many years ago I wrote up a plan for making this country better. Granted, this plan was crafted from my Libertarian/Republican point of view. I didn't exactly write up a plan for liberalism.

So I thought I would review my plan and make amendments, as it were.

The Plan:
1. Get rid of everyone in Washington.
2. Now that the old guard has been taken out of power, we repeal that pesky 17th Amendment.
3. Term Limits.
4. Elections.
5. Special Interest Groups.
6. Campaign Finance.

That's a highlight list of the old plan, from May 2007. Let's revise.

The Plan, Part II:

1. Vote out all incumbents and establish term limits. This is key to returning sanity to our government. Once the old guard is out of power, a limit must be set. I like the notion of either one six-year term, or two four-year terms. That goes for every position in government, with the exception of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court would no longer be lifetime appointments, but they would be appointed to a single twelve or sixteen year term.

2. Repeal the 17th Amendment. This might come as a shock to you, but the people did not originally vote for Senators. The people voted for the House of Representatives. State governments were accountable for electing Senators. This meant that the people and the states had representation in government. Happily, at least to me, the Tea Party is beginning to push a notion to repeal the 17th Amendment. God bless 'em.

3. Campaign Finance. I once thought that a candidate should only spend up to one cent less than they would make in office, but I've changed my mind. I would cap election spending at $1 million per candidate. This includes personal money and campaign contributions.

4. Special Interest. I would still get rid of them.

5. Gerrymandering and Redistricting. Gerrymandering is when a district is drawn to outrageous designs in order to propel a certain candidate to power. For an example of this, simply look at the 4th Congressional District of Illinois (picture to right). The simple solution to this issue is to establish a law stating that districts must be as compact as possible.

The map below is a district map of Congressional districts near Atlanta. Please note the yellow blob that snakes its way around.

Choose Wisely

Tomorrow is Election Day, and yeah I'm a bit late in writing this.

Election Day is a big day for those of us who still believe that this is an exceptional country. Some of us, stupid as it may seem to others, refuse to believe that the United States of America no longer holds a special place in the world. Some of us actually cringe to see our president bowing to foreign leaders. Last I checked, he was one the same level as they, so no bowing is necessary. We are subject to no foreign nation, at least until congress completes the sale of our birthright to China.

And it just so happens that you, the voter, are given a chance every two years or so to have a say at the national level. This is your golden opportunity to make your voice heard.

You may think that the Democrat-controlled Congress has gone too far. You may think that Barack Obama is the best President ever. You may just hate being taxed every time you turn around. Well, say something about it.

Personally, I plan to deliver a message. I did it once, letting the Republicans know just how unhappy I was. Now, I doubt that the RNC had a meeting to discuss my ballot, but multiply my voice by millions and you get a loud message.

Now, we're seeing a liberal majority that believed the election (or coronation, depending on your feelings about the man) of Barack Obama gave them a mandate to do whatever they wished. They pushed through a healthcare reform monstrosity of a bill, 2500 pages, that our dear sweet Speaker of the House told us had to be passed so we, the people, could find out what was in it.

As town hall meetings were held, and the Democrats learned just how unhappy their constituencies were, they backed away from the forum. Barack Obama held nearly-scripted sessions with pre-screened audiences. Heaven forbid Barack ever be called out for something.

But that's not all. President Obama, recently speaking to a group of Latino voters, said "If Latinos sit out the election instead of saying, ‘We’re gonna punish our enemies and we’re gonna reward our friends who stand with us on issues that are important to us,’ if they don’t see that kind of upsurge in voting in this election, then I think it’s gonna be harder and that’s why I think it’s so important that people focus on voting on November 2."

That's right, a sitting American President referred to people who disagree with your political point of view, in this case majority liberal, as enemies who must be punished. This is not the language of a sitting President. That's the language of a petty little kid who is incapable of handling defeat. Just look at the man's record. He won his first elected position because the other candidates were kicked off the ballot. When he won the Presidency, he basically told the Republicans that certain arguments were over because he had won.

So tomorrow, when you go to the polling place, remember. Remember what each politician has said. Remember what they did after they said those things. But more importantly than any of that... remember that you have the power. People shouldn't fear their government. Government should fear its people. That's freedom.

Choose Wisely.

Cornering my Favorite Corners

As evidenced by this blog over the last two years, I'm a Formula 1 fan. As a result, I issued a challenge to my friend Robert (he who once managed the Skewed View and now has a new blog). Also, check out the picture to the right. That just might be my favorite Lewis Hamilton picture of all time. From the night race at Singapore, then Photoshopped to a neon outline. Simple, easy, and darn pretty.

The challenge: list your five favorite corners in Formula 1. Past, Present, even future, are all available for this challenge. Also, an explanation of why this corner is your favorite can't hurt.

So here is my list of my five favorite corners in Formula 1.

5. Maggotts and Becketts at Silverstone

Silverstone is a course with much history. The Maggotts and Becketts complex is very famous. When Hermann Tilke revealed his initial drawing for the Austin, Texas circuit, a S-curve section immediately drew comparison to Maggotts and Becketts, as well as the Esses at Suzuka.

The turn complex is a fast left-right-left-right section that, is properly aligned, can be taken at or near top speed. A beautiful section if ever there was one.

4. Grand Hotel Hairpin at Monaco

Monaco is all about spectacle. Barring accident, if you aren't up front after qualifying you won't stand much chance here. That said, the Grand Hotel Hairpin is a beautiful bit a spectacle if ever there was one. It is a drastic bit of elevation change. Truthfully, there isn't really a bad corner at Monaco. It's just pretty. But there's something about watching a parade of high-powered vehicles slowly fight through this section of the track.

Once through the hairpin, drivers must navigate the tunnel and a chicane or two, but it amazes me that you don't see more accidents at this point. It's a tight spot, and a place where drivers could get chippy if they so wanted.

3. Turn 8 at Istanbul Park

From the picture provided, you can only see about 1/4 of turn 8 at Istanbul Park. This track is a Tilkedrom, but it is probably his best work. Turn 8 is the shining example of what Hermann Tilke can do if left to his own devices. The entrance to the turn is an uphil sweeping left-hander leading in to a quadruple apex turn. This is another turn that can be taken flat out, and should, or you'll lose position. But, if you don't hit your line right coming out of the turn, the next downhill bit can get tricky. The name, Turn 8, is uninspiring, but lovely in its simplicity. Turn 8 doesn't need a cute nickname, like the SPEED boys tried to give it this year, calling it "Diabolica," a reference to Monza's Curva Parabolica. Just leave it alone. Turn 8 is already a monster, it doesn't need a name to be scary.

2. Turn 1-2-3 at Catalunya

This complex of turns instantly became one of my favorites the first time I saw it during qualifying in 2009. Then, when I picked up F1 2009 for the Wii, I quickly made my way to Cantalunya, just to try out this sector. And it is a blast. If you hit your line right, you can get by with a light tap of the brakes on entry to turn 1, and then go flat out until the pseudo-hairpin that is turn 4.

Catalunya itself is not an amazingly impressive circuit. So many changes have been made that the track barely resembles what it once was, but the turn 1-2-3 complex stands as a testament to what good corners can be.

1. Raidillon and Eau Rogue at Spa-Francorchamps

This is, without a doubt, the best racing circuit on the planet, and I would just about fight to the death with anyone who says it isn't.

As for Raidillon and Eau Rogue, you can't have one without the other. They live in a symbiotic relationship. Neither is great unless the other is paired with it. Imagine you're sitting in an F1 car, going flat out, and you suddenly realize that you are abuot to go through a brief dip and then you're going flying up a hill at break neck speed. Sounds daring, right? Try it in the rain. Now try it 43 more times and you'll understand why F1 drivers are the best on the planet.

*Honorable Mention: Turn 13 at Montreal (Wall of Champions), 130R at Suzuka

As an added bonus, I challenged Robert to list his five favorite circuits. I know what number one on his list is, because it is the same as mine.

5. Albert Park (Australia)

The circuit that runs around Albert Park Lake in Melbourne is a really fun drive, with a fair amount of challenge for a track with very little elevation change.

4. Monaco

Spectacle. Need we say more? A city street course that is possibly the most famous race... cue Jeremy Clarkson... in the world.

3. Silverstone

An old British racing circuit with loads of history and a suddenly redesigned layout. Hermann Tilke was not contracted for the redesign because, according to the track officials, they didn't want to mess it up.

2. Interlagos (Sao Paolo)

The old track in Sao Paolo, site of Lewis Hamilton's amazing last lap clincher for the World Title in 2008. The track has been radically redesigned since its introduction, but it is still loads of fun.

1. Spa-Francorchamps

What else can you say about Spa? It's amazing, it's old, it has great history, it's challenging. I don't know where to stop with this track.

*Honorable Mentions: Monza, Suzuka

A Step into a Much Larger World...

I've been accused of being behind the times. I'm old fashioned, and it doesn't really bother. When I go to work, I carry some CDs and my IPod to listen to while working. For some reason, this really bothers one of my friends, who apparently believes that, with the advent of IPods and MP3s, CDs are no longer relevant. I'm not bothered by this.

But to show that I am learning things about this crazy technological world we live in, today I set up my first YouTube playlist.

Yay me.

Football Future-see Week 9

RECORD:

Week 1 ....... 7-1

Week 2 ....... 4-1

Week 3 ....... 4-1

Week 4 ....... 2-3

Week 5 ....... 4-3

Week 6 ....... 2-3

Week 7 ....... 3-2

Week 8 ....... 4-1

Week 9 ....... 4-3

TOTAL ..... 34-18

5 Michigan State at 18 Iowa_______CORRECT

Sparty sails into Iowa, the land of corn. MSU is a good team, but I’ve yet to see a really dominating performance from them. Iowa had luck last year, and Michigan State has it, seemingly, this year. But, Iowa is a good football team.

FINAL SCORE: Iowa 24, Michigan State 20

6 Missouri at 14 Nebraska_______CORRECT

Mizzou took down the top ranked Sooners last week, and as a reward they travel to the Huskers’ home stadium for an afternoon tilt. I actually hesitate to call this game an upset, because Nebraska is a good team. If this were a neutral site, I’d still lean toward Nebraska.

FINAL SCORE: Nebraska 27, Missouri 21

Florida vs. Georgia_______INCORRECT

This is a neutral site game. Florida is 17-3 in the last 20 meetings between these two teams. That said, Georgia still leads the overall series by a fair margin. On paper, UGA is the better team in this game. They’ve won three in a row while the Gators have dropped their last three. Florida QB John Brantley has a passer efficiency rating of 119, which is good. Georgia QB Aaron Murray has a 157 passer efficiency rating, which is better. Take the Dawgs.

FINAL SCORE: Georgia 31, Florida 17

1 Auburn at Ole Miss_______INCORRECT

If any game on this list will cost me a perfect week, this game is it. Houston Nutt has a tendency to upset someone along the way. Auburn has played three consecutive very tough games, and as of this writing, they are beaten up, battered, tired, and ripe of the taking. Ole Miss will have to play stellar defense to win this game, but Auburn is known to give up points.

FINAL SCORE: Ole Miss 21, Auburn 20

25 Baylor at Texas_______INCORRECT

Texas has lost this year to Oklahoma, UCLA, and Iowa State. For any other team, that would be demoralizing, but it’s likely to have merely angered the Longhorns. Baylor is good, and that Robert Griffiths kid is a pretty darn good athlete. Still, Mack Brown exacts some interconference revenge.

FINAL SCORE: Texas 24, Baylor 21

Colorado at 9 Oklahoma_______CORRECT

Oklahoma is coming off a crushing defeat at the hands of Missouri. The Sooners dropped nine spots in the polls, and they will look to rebound in a big way. Colorado, on the other hand, is on the back-up QB for the rest of the year. Poor Buffs.

FINAL SCORE: Oklahoma 34, Colorado 13

2 Oregon at USC_______CORRECT

USC has not played an opponent the caliber of Oregon, so their defense has yet to be tested. But, this has trap game written all over it for Oregon. This is USC’s de facto bowl game. Oregon is the best team they’ll play this year, and the Trojans cannot go to a bowl. Look for USC to keep it close in the first half, but the Ducks pull away at the end.

FINAL SCORE: Oregon 36, USC 23