Champs and Chumps of the Weekend

(KWMN)-A long holiday weekend gives us quite the list on this week’s version of Champs and Chumps.

Chumps:

The SEC. Every weirdo with cultlike tendencies about the SEC talked up and down about their conference after Ohio State dominated Indiana. How the SEC is just THAT much better than everyone. You can find stats about it too, sure. The SEC is 13-7 vs. other Power 4 schools, the only winning record this season for any conference playing another Power 4 school. Here’s the thing, I don’t care. You can beat Wisconsin, good for you! You should! They stink! So, when Georgia then needs a miracle finish in the 4th quarter to force overtime against a very average Georgia Tech team, then needs EIGHT overtimes to beat them, all of a sudden that’s a gritty win? I just don’t think that. That’s what I call a bad win. And even if they lose, nothing would’ve changed. And THAT is the problem.

The New York Football Jets. They find new ways to lose every week, that’s nothing crazy. Rodgers had a wide-open Garret Wilson to take a 28-7 lead and instead, he missed him, then threw a pick-six. They lose the game. The fun stat here is this, in the Super Bowl era, no team has ever been favored in nine or more games in their first 12 and had a worse record then the 3-9 Jets. A masterclass in shame.

THE U/Mario Cristobal. This may be bias because Miami was my preseason ACC pick and Cam Ward my Heisman pick, so yeah, I’m a bit salty. Even so, Miami had the schedule they needed, they had the QB they needed, and yet, they might not make the playoff. Why? Because down 42-35 in the final moments of the game–a game in which at one point they led 21-7–with a 4th and goal at the Syracuse 10, Mario Cristobal decided to kick a field goal. Putting the game in the hands of your defense that had already given up 42 points to Syracuse, INSTEAD of your Heisman contending QB, Cam Ward. I get it, I’m not a football coach, but I’m also not an idiot.

The Bengals. It’s officially time to close the casket on the Bengals 2024-25 season. A 44-38 loss brings them to 4-8, far aways from a playoff spot in a stacked AFC. They have Joe Burrow, Jamar Chase, Tee Higgins, an emerging back in Chase Brown, a decent offensive line, and they just forgot they needed a defense too. Per ESPN research, the Bengals became the first team in NFL history to lose four games or more when scoring at least 33 points. Unruly.

Justin Tucker. I actually feel bad for Justin tucker. For whatever reason he is no longer Mr. Automatic. Tucker has a career worst 70% field goal percentage, which is 33rd out of 34 kickers that have played in at least four games this season. He stinks! He’s a five-time first team all pro, and he’s doing this. It’s cost the Ravens multiple times, and multiple games. At some point they have to consider someone else, right?

Chump of the Weekend: Ryan Day! You can’t lose to Michigan four times in a row. You just can’t. Not if you’re the head coach of Ohio State. All he needed to do was beat a 6-5 Michigan team with a new head coach, no quarterback, and nothing to play for other than pride, and he couldn’t. A Ryan Day masterclass where, for whatever reason, he wanted to beat Michigan at their own game, running the football. All he had to do, along with Chip Kelly, was throw the football. And they choked it away. Two missed kicks, awful playcalling, and your $20 million dollar roster can’t beat a team that threw for 60 yards. Ouch.

Champs

The Minnesota Wild. The Minnesota Wild are tied for the most points in the NHL with the Jets at 36. They have the least amount of regulation losses. They have Kirill Kaprizov leading the league in points, they have Filip Gustavsson leading the league in GAA and save percentage. What can go wrong right? It’s a great start to the season for a team that had to fire their coach well before this time last year, and it’s equally impressive considering they can’t spend any money relative to the rest of the league. According to the Michael Russo of the Athletic, the lates the Wild have led the league in points was in 2011, when they had sole possession of first place on Dec. 17th. From that point on, the Wild only won 15 games and missed the playoffs. I say again–What can go wrong?

Bryce Young. Ball out young man! I am rooting heavily for Bryce Young, because he was dealt the worst possible situation for any rookie QB in my lifetime: The Carolina Panthers under Dave Tepper. He had his struggles, he was benched, but since starting again, he has been a GOOD NFL QB! I’m happy for him, and I hope he can be a light in a very dark organization.

John Parker Romo. Yes, the Vikes kicker missed one on Sunday, but he’s still 11/12 in the field goal department, and has saved this Vikings team on multiple occasions since Will Reichard went to the IR. What’s even better for JPR, is that when he is forced back onto the PS when Reichard comes back, that dude is going to have a line of NFL teams waiting to pick him up. He’s living a kicker’s dream I would say. Got his chance and took it.

Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freek recorded his first career 40-point triple-double over the weekend, adding to the list of impressive stat lines he already has this season. On a side note, Oscar Robertson had 22 career 40-point triple-doubles, lunacy, back to the point. For Giannis, he once again flies under the radar with MVP numbers. Why the NBA media hates the Bucks and other small market teams isn’t surprising, but it’s still frustrating. Giannis is LEADING THE LEAGUE in ppg at 32+, is 5th in the league in rebounds, and 15th in assists. And I bet you, you didn’t hear about it. In fact, I bet you haven’t heard much at all from the Bucks over the last two weeks, why? Well because they’re 8-1 in their last nine games! So why would anyone in the NBA media talk about the Bucks when they’re winning.

The Indianapolis Colts. I have taken it upon myself to be the driving for in the ‘going-for-two-when-you’re-down-one-in-the-final-moments-of-the-game-movement.’ It has boggled my brain time and time again when teams don’t just try and win the game right then and there. You can either go for a score, two yards out, OR leave it to a coin toss in overtime. Not even a question in my head. It’s taken a hit this season, the movement that is. Bengals go for two and lose, really cost the season for them. BUT we are back. Like moments when my commanders decided to kick an XP and THEY MISSED. Finally, we’re here. The Colts went for two, got the 2-point attempt, and won the football game. Vindication!

South Carolina Football. LaNorris Sellers. That’s it. Find him, watch him. Future Heisman winner. Book it. They got one.

Champ of the Weekend: Michigan. I can only imagine how satisfying, how enjoyable it was to win this football game over Ohio State. A down season was expected, maybe not this bad, but it was expected. Even with the down season, to get this win. Elation for Michigan. Good for Sherone Moore, and good for Michigan.