YOU KNOW THE DRILL: ENTER CODE CATS1 AT CHECKOUT, AND YOU’LL RECEIVE 25% OFF OUR FEATURED TEAMS ORIGINAL RETRO BRAND GEAR. THE ARIZONA WILDCATS VS. # 11 OREGON DUCKS & THE NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS VS. THE KANSAS STATE WILDCATS AVAILABLE FOR 25% OFF IN OUR PICK OF THE WEEK SECTION.

NEW ORB OREGON SHIRT!

When I mess up, I say I mess up.  Well this past week I MESSED UP!  Could have been worse, I suppose.  Riding back-to-back stellar weeks of picking games (9-2), I boldly stated that 2 undefeated teams would fall this past weekend.  West Virginia made it close, but the # 5 Cincinnati Bearcats held them off 24-21, for their 10th victory to stay unbeaten, and # 4 TCU racked up 3 touchdowns in under 3 minutes in the 2nd quarter, en-route to keeping their season perfect by crushing the # 23 Utah Utes 55-28.  The luck of the Irish officially ran out (although it was close…) in a 27-22 loss to the # 12 Pitt Panthers, and Illinois let me down losing to Northwestern 21-16.  I did notch a few wins with a not too surprising # 10 Ohio State dropping  # 13 Iowa, and a nice road upset for Missouri over Kansas State.  With a few weeks left in regular season play, my record sits at a downright bland .500 (18-18).

WIN FOR WILBUR

Despite the inevitable  #1 Florida,  or # 2 Alabama, and # 3 Texas bound for Pasadena, there are still some interesting scenarios playing out in many of the conferences including the Big-12 and the Pac-10, which we’ll focus on today.

Like the Cats they are named after, the University of Arizona football team quietly snook (sneaked?) up on the national scene with a # 17 ranking, before promptly falling out of grace with a tough loss to CAL this past weekend.  That pain could all go away with a simple home victory over the incoming Oregon Ducks.  Did I say simple?  This won’t be an easy task by any means.  Oregon RB, LaMichael James, brings in his 1,000+ yards, and 7.0 yards per carry average, and will be very tough to stop.  ESPN will be in town with the College Game Day show (a first for Tucson), and QB Nick Foles will need all the home support he can get.  One factor the Oregon coaching staff is probably not taking into account, is the momentum swing coming into town via Los Angeles…..Yes, Original Retro Brand Founder, and UA alum Marc Herman will be in town for an ORB trunk show at the UA Bookstore (details here).  Herman has been known to inspire all those that come in contact with him to do great things.  His karma alone will inspire the Wildcats to victory.  Then all they’ll need to do, is win out on the road against arch rival Arizona State and USC to take the PAC -10 crown!  Herman will need to go on the road too, me thinks…  Arizona 28, Oregon 24.

WILL STRIKE OUT

More Cats….Another surprise this year has been the Kansas State Wildcats.  They can clinch at least a tie for the Big-12 North, and win it outright by virtue of a head-to-head win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers this Saturday in hostile  Memorial Stadium.  Again – easier said then done.  Nebraska does not like losing at home (does anybody?) on Senior Day, and winning the division will bring them a step closer to national prominence once again.  The Wildcats are coming off a home loss trouncing at the hands of Mizzou, and it just may be too tough a mountain to climb back on the road.  Nebraska wins this one going away. Cornhuskers 41, Wildcats 24.

BIG-12 NORTH WINNER

4 more: # 14 Penn State takes on a Michigan State team that is much better than their 6-5 record.  Every loss was a close game (never lost by more than 8 pts.).   I invoke the old “Kill, Bubba, Kill” yell on this game.  Sorry Jo-Pa.  Spartans 24, Nittany Lions 20…..# 25 Cal takes on a red hot “Big Red” # 17 Stanford Cardinal, with back-to-back huge wins over Oregon and USC at Stanford Stadium.  Lights out for Cal. Cardinal 45, Bears 21……Air Force played #4 TCU & # 23 Utah extremely tough in losses, and will fly high vs. # 22 BYU in an upset. Falcons 28, Cougars 24…..and finally I still believe West Virginia will hand # 12 Pitt their first Big East loss of the season at Mountaineer stadium. Mountaineers 21, Panthers 20.

DON’T FORGET YOUR 25% OFF!  GO TO PICK OF THE WEEK AND ENTER CATS1  AT CHECKOUT!

THAT’S RIGHT!!  THIS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20TH, FROM 11AM until 2PM.  THE EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT THE U. OF ARIZONA BOOKSTORE IN THE STUDENT UNION.

BOOKSTORE BOUND!!

Meet the Original Retro Brand creator and Arizona alum, Marc Herman at the UA Bookstores Festivus Holiday event.  In the fashion industry for over 25 years, Herman has combined fashion with comfort to create the sexiest, softest tees in the world.  He will be talking retro and showcasing the latest Arizona Original Retro Brand collection.  Best of all, it’s BIG CAT FRIDAY, and all UA apparel is 25% off!! So make sure to come check out the latest and greatest Arizona Wildcat Original Retro Brand gear, and get pumped to BEAT THOSE DUCKS!!

I’ll admit it is hard for me to get pumped about College Baseball……until the College World Series.   Ok,it’s not the Final Four, or the BCS Championship, but it is a great month of highly competitive baseball.   It has also produced some of the best (and not so best?) players to play in the bigs.   Outside of Texas fans (# 1 seed this year, most appearances in CWS history with 34), who would have guessed  that Red Sox 1986 World Series pitching goat (It wasn’t Buckners fault!) Calvin Schiraldi, was the tournaments MOP (Most Outstanding Player) for the 1983 Texas National Champions.  Although not in the tournament this year, perhaps many don’t know (maybe they do, and I’m just an idiot) that the USC Trojans are more than a perennial football powerhouse, with 12 National baseball titles (5 in a row from 1970-1974).    In the 1973 tournament, USC produced one of the greatest comebacks in NCAA history for any sport.  On the verge of elimination, down 7-0 in the bottom of the ninth, USC scored 8 runs against the Minnesota Gophers for the win. The pitcher on the mound for the Gophers was none other than future MLB Hall of Famer Dave Winfield.   Recent 300 game winning pitcher, The Big Unit Randy Johnson, Fred Lynn and Dave “Kong” Kingman also starred for the Trojans.  2 – time MLB World Series Red Sox Manager Terry Francona, was the tournament MOP in 1980 for the Champion Arizona Wildcats, and  you may call the Arizona State Sun Devils “Hot corner U.”, producing such greats as the A’s Sal Bando, and the Braves Bob Horner.   So with the Stanley Cup coming to a close and the NBA Finals a foregone conclusion, I highly recommend the crack of aluminum bats and the College World Series. Before I forget, check out the womens softball finals too – they are AMAZING!   What’s also really amazing is the brand spanking new line of College World Series Original Retro Brand tees – for style, fit, comfort, and HISTORY!