Finally, we get some big games this weekend. W00t!

#5 West Virginia at #18 South Florida: I read a post by a South Florida fan already whining about how if his team goes undefeated they have "no chance" of playing in the national championship game because of their preseason ranking. You know what happens when fans start bitching about stuff like that in week 5 right? He's just jinxed his team. Nice job. Not that they were going undefeated anyway. The pick: West Virginia.

Michigan State at #9 Wisconsin: The Badgers were overrated at the start of the season. Now, they're underrated. They didn't look great last week, but they were, after all, playing one of the top defenses in the nation in Iowa and were the first team to score a touchdown on them. I think the Badgers will win this game, but it'll once again be ugly. I think as long as Donovan is our QB, that's what we'll always do. He's good enough to win, but not good enough to dominate. The pick: Wisconsin.

#13 Clemson at Georgia Tech: Clemson has a history of looking great in big games and terrible in little games. I feel like this is a medium game so I have no idea what they're going to look like. Georgia Tech is, so far, hanging their hat on a victory over Notre Dame. Heh. I think they get something else to talk about as Clemson will play down to their opposition. The upset pick: Georgia Tech.

#6 California at #11 Oregon: I like Oregon, but why are they ranked so high? I think it's because of their spanking of a reeling Michigan team. Beating Michigan ain't what it used to be. Besides Michigan, Oregon has faced the likes of Houston, Fresno State and Stanford. Likewise, California has a victory over a subpar Tennessee team and Colorado State, Louisiana Tech and Arizona. I don't think we know much about either of these teams. In situations like this, I opt for the home team. The pick: Oregon.

Jim Harbaugh, Peter Tom Willis, Steve Walsh, Erik Kramer, Rick Mirer, Moses Moreno, Dave Krieg, Shane Matthews, Cade McNown, Jim Miller, Chris Chandler, Henry Burris, Kordell Stewart, Chad Hutchinson, Jonathan Quinn, Craig Krenzel, Kyle Orton, Rex Grossman.

That's the list of starting quarterbacks for the Chicago Bears since 1992. It's hardly a select group of 18. Here's the list of starting quarterbacks for the Green Bay Packers since 1992: Brett Favre.

My 14-year old nephew has never known a Packers starting QB other than Favre. When Favre took over for Don Majikowski, the Internet was in its infancy and when a new album came out you had to make a tough decision: tape or CD.

But the story of Favre isn't about longevity - it's about sustained brilliance. He's not a John Elway, hanging around and winning when he has a Terrell Davis to hand off to. Favre is still the Packers most important and most dynamic player. I know that other fans around the country are sick of Favre. I can understand that it gets annoying to hear John Madden call him "a country boy just out there havin' fun" for the 8 millionth time. I get that they cringe when they hear the word "gunslinger". But that's the media. Blame them, not Favre.

Favre is still awesome. Wouldn't you all rather have him than any of the 18 (soon to be 19?) Bears or Rich Gannon, Jim McMahon, Warren Moon, Brad Johnson, Randall Cunningham, Jeff George, Daunte Culpepper or Tavaris Jackson?

Wisconsin gets a rare night game this weekend. Crazy things happen when you give Badgers ten hours to tailgate. God help Iowa.

East Carolina at #5 West Virginia: I'm not foolish enough to pick the upset, but I would point out that East Carolina gave Virginia Tech all it wanted and then some. This could be scary. The pick: West Virginia in an unexpectedly close one.

#10 Penn State at Michigan: On one hand, Michigan kind of stinks and yeah, they beat Notre Dame, but they're absolutely horrible. On the other hand, Penn State simply doesn't go into the Big House and win. I'm torn. My gut says that a win over Notre Dame means next to nothing this year so the pick is Penn State.

#12 South Carolina at #2 LSU: I'd like nothing better than a Gamecocks victory and if this game were in South Carolina I'd pick them. But, I just don't see them strolling into Baton Rouge and emerging victorious. LSU is too tough to lose at home right now. The pick: LSU.

#22 Georgia at #16 Alabama: Under Nick Saban, Alabama is back. I'm picturing them playing in the Capitol One Bowl on New Year's Day. They already have a big win over Arkansas and a conference road win (over Vandy, but still...) under their belts, while this is Georgia's first venture away from home. I think Alabama pounds the Dawgs. The pick: Alabama.

Iowa at #9 Wisconsin: In addition to being the worst team to ever play in the Rose Bowl, Wisconsin now apparently has the distinction of being the worst ranked team in the worst conference in history. Methinks the sports media have gone overboard. Wisconsin has looked bad against a bunch of teams running the spread offense. Wisconsin is not built for that. Wisconsin is built to win the Big Ten. That said, they could still stink up the field against Iowa, but I think not. This team has talent and now they're fired up. The pick: Wisconsin.

We are please to announce that our posts on the 2006 Tour de France have ended after an unprecedented 14 months of coverage. The results are now official and Oscar Pereiro is now our winner (barring more appeals and hanging chads and that sort of thing).

Congratulations Oscar! It’s 14 months late, and more than a few euros short, but you can finally claim the yellow jersey that is rightfully yours. I’m sorry you didn’t get your time in the spotlight, but enjoy whatever pleasure and vindication you can derive from today’s decision. You earned it.

Crime is up here in lovely Madison, Wisconsin. Our folksy "Mayor Dave" and our foxy police chief, Noble Wray, have held listening sessions around town to get a better idea of what's going on. People that live in the neighborhoods have told story after story of escalating vandalism, muggings and drug dealing. It's the Broken Windows theory. People outside the tanking neighborhoods like to talk about root causes and play the race card.

Since it's not practical to blame local crime on George W. Bush, Capital Times editorialists want to point a finger at media hype and handguns. Ah handguns. Nothing this side of Karl Rove brings out the Madison loony libs like guns. This comment from the above linked article might be my favorite comment ever. Seriously.

Brian says:

RE: Guns in society.

Mike Ivey is right here. Handguns don't belong in society. However if someday the state passes a bill to allow concealed carry, I hope there is also something written in the bill that those that choose to carry also have to wear a yellow armband or something around their bicep so we know who is carrying. And so that I can cross the street to not be near that person.

Doesn't Brian mean "their bulging manly bicep"?

Anyway, perhaps Wisconsin's criminals will also cross the street to not be near Wisconsin's legal gun owners. Hey, won't that put them on the same side of the street as Brian? Heh.

My record so far is a pitiful 8-4. At the start of the season, when teams feast on creampuffs, I should be doing better. Let's go!

Citadel at #7 Wisconsin: The Badgers looked wretched against UNLV. The defense gives up big plays and the receivers all looked like Ed West (couldn't catch a pass if it hit them in the chest). I'm going to assume that it was just early season jitters and that, thanks to Michigan, the Badgers won't overlook any opponents and will step up. The pick: Wisconsin.

#10 Ohio State at Washington: The fact that Michigan sucks doesn't mean the rest of the Big Ten sucks. Washington is the trendy upset pick this week, but even on the road I think Ohio State has the defense to win. The pick: Ohio State.

Notre Dame at Michigan: Do fans of these schools have any idea how much the rest of us love that fact that they're both 0-2? It's a beautiful thing. Saturday we get to find out who sucks more. I think with Chad Henne out Michigan will have to rely on Mike Hart. They'll have a vanilla offense, but sometimes vanilla's just the right flavor. The pick: Michigan.

#22 Tennessee at #5 Florida: Tennessee gave up 45 points to California and 19 to Southern Miss. Florida has scored 49 and 59 points in their two wins (against, by the way Western Kentucky & Troy, so all of you SEC fans can just shut the f up about the Big Ten's "easy" schedule). I think Florida, at home, blows the Vols away. The pick: Florida.

#21 Boston College at #15 Georgia Tech: While Georgia Tech was beating up on some of college football's weak sisters, Boston College was beating a good Wake Forest team. I don't yet know how good GA Tech is, but I think Boston College is probably the real deal. The pick: Boston College.

#1 USC at #14 Nebraska: You've got to respect what USC has done over the past few years. You also have to respect the fact that they're willing to travel to Lincoln. However, you don't have to think they're going to win. I don't. I think the home crowd and the West Coast offense will finally do them in. The pick: Nebraska.

Madison's most famous blogger, Ann Althouse, is teaching in New York this year. I enjoy looking at her pictures of the city, but they don't move me. I don't feel an emotional connection to any city scenes. Show me a picture of the ocean, on the other hand, and I get it. I'm curious which of the scenes below most moves you?

I'm torn between the prairie and the ocean. The prairie feels like home and lets me imagine I'm the first person to set eyes on it. The ocean beach, and that photo in particular, is the epitome of relaxation. You lose yourself in the infiniteness of it all.

They are all beautiful pictures, but I'm sure one speaks to you louder than the others. Do you know why?

I think preseason football polls are just fine. They're fun to read and debate. The problem isn't with the polls, the problem is with the pollsters. They're far too rigid. Teams can't move up from the preseason poll unless the teams above them lose. That's the ridiculous part. The pollsters act as if the preseason rankings are written in stone. They're not. After they actually see the teams play, the need to shake it up a bit.

So anyway, on to week two!

#22 Boise State at Washington: I'm tempted to pick against Boise State on the road, but then I remember who coaches Washington. Ty Willingham put in perhaps the worst coaching job I've ever seen last year against some team I don't recall. It was a masterpiece of poor play calling and poor time management skills. So, the pick: Boise State.

South Carolina at #11 Georgia: Could this be the year I finally figure out the SEC? Probably not. The Gamecocks barely managed a win last week against Louisiana-Lafayette, but out of the game can this great quote from coach Steve Spurrier: "Now we know we are a bunch of average stiffs, and we will have an average year if we don't play better." That sounds like a guy ready to start building his team back up. The upset pick: South Carolina.

#19 TCU at #7 Texas: TCU is one of those teams that typically sticks around the polls with no losses until they play the one decent team on their schedule. This year, that decent team comes early. Texas didn't look great last week, but it was only week one. They're bound to get better. The pick: Texas.

#9 Virginia Tech at #2 LSU: I think Virginia Tech is over ranked because people want them to be good and have a magical season. LSU, on the other hand, really is good. I think VA Tech gets crushed. The pick: LSU.

#5 Wisconsin at UNLV: What an interesting weekend in Las Vegas. The Badger game will draw 20,000 or so Wisconsin fans and the Video Music Awards on Sunday will draw the likes of Justin Timberlake and Rihanna. Can you just imagine the scene in the casinos where Joe Bratwurst is bellying up to the craps table next to P. Diddy? It's gold, Jerry. Gold! On to the game. The Badgers' pass offense looked great last week against a weak Washington State defense. The offensive line gave Tyler Donovan all the time in the world, but didn't give P.J. Hill much room to run. That's gotta change. The special teams also have to change - they need to change into a unit that's actually decent. This one could be close. The pick: Wisconsin.

Bonus pick: Michigan beats Oregon (sorry Ducks).

In Hillary Clinton's new stump speech she outlines the four big goals she would have as President. As the NY Times says:

The four goals were largely thematic: “restore America’s standing in the world,” “rebuild America’s middle class and the economy to support it,” “reform our government” and “reclaim the future for our children.”

Largely thematic? Could they possibly be more thematic? This is why Americans hate politicians. They offer nothing concrete. Hillary is supposed to be a brilliant (although, in my humble opinion, tragically wrong) policy wonk, yet her goals are apparently to make America really awesome. Does she think she's running for Miss Teen USA? Hell, even Kang & Kodos offered something more concrete to the American voters (tiny American flags for some, abortions for others).

You know, despite the name of this site, I really don't mean this as a specific criticism of Hillary Clinton. Almost all politicians are like her. "A thousand points of light", anyone? I realize that America is full of stupid people (I do watch Big Brother, after all), but would it kill a candidate to humor the rest of us instead of insult us?

I thought it'd be fun to put together a group in Yahoo! Sports College Pick 'Em league. We've only missed one week, so there's still plenty of time to shine (or, in my case, fail miserably ;-).

To join, go to the game's homepage and enter group ID: 33488 and password: Band2007.

Good luck!