I’m very impressed with the way Petrino is handling the beginning of practice, not to mention the overall depth of detail in fundamentals and his “tight” ship style. I don’t think we will fare too shabby in the end of season rankings, we won’t be top 25, but we will at least have gained some much deserved respect.

And it is comical to note that this time last year, Nutt was doing little-to-nothing and saying that McFadden had a “Big Heart”.

I really wonder how long Nutt will be at Ole Miss. Is he truly the gift that keeps on giving?

First, I think D-Mac does a great job in what I guess is his first commercial. (Strange to see him without a hog logo nearby.) As he is making commercials left and right with a Superbowl ring or two on his fingers, I want the storyline to be sportswriters lamenting from east coast to west coast on how they didn’t give him the Heisman when they had the chance as he shows them in the pros just how good he can play the game and Mr. Tebow sits at home on Sundays polishing his trophy. Haha.

Second, I think all these low expectations of the Hogs were to be expected to some degree. You lose the guys we lost with no “name” people coming back, then you got to expect some low expectations. But I also think the media has ratched that up a notch because of their dislike of Petrino. They are also a mass of group thinkers who will parrot whatever the group seems to be saying. In that regard, they aren’t all that different from the national media. If Jon Stewart is ever in need of new material (the national media provides him plenty) then he should just turn his eyes to the sports media. Oh, boy!

Behind Ball State, PLEASE!

Official prediction for the season 6-6 on the low end and 7-5 on the high followed with an actual, real bowl win in some neighboring state and a regular season win against somebody we aren’t suppose to beat. Collegefootballnews.com says Florida. Oh, I hope they are right! It would be our first victory over them since joining the conference.

Ball State will be pretty good if they can get a defense. Their offense is great.

On the Tar Heels, I went to the 93 NCAA game in the Meadowlands and by no means did they blow us out. We were up 13 in the first half and Corliss was giving Montross and the other 7 footer all they could handle. In the last few minutes we were down a bucket and UNC made a great inbounds play to go up by 4 and sealed the game.

I was very proud of the Hogs that day and remember Nolan getting great air time on the Mike and the Mad Dog Show on WFAN in New York. Nolan always said what he felt and I admired him for that.

Beating Duke and Virginia and North Carolina in 94 and 95 was very sweet, though, no doubt about it.

Great point, Tab. I’m not usually one for “good” losses, but that game was probably my favorite Hog loss of all time. A valiant effort by a gutsy team, and definitely one that set the stage for the glories that followed the next year.

I really think that UNC blogger is all bluster b/c he can’t handle what for him is a very uncomfortable truth: for a few years there, at least, the Hogs were better.

-John