It's everyone's favorite time of the year.

Ah yes, it's conference tournament time. For some of the bigger schools, it's pretty confusing. Win so many games in the conference tournament and sweat it out on Selection Sunday. But for the smaller conference schools, it's much simpler.

Win the tournament or you're not invited to the dance.

The Northeast Conference doesn't possess the best talent but that doesn't stop the teams from providing exciting basketball. And the NEC Tournament should be no different; every team besides one has lost to one or more "inferior" (5th or worse in the NEC) teams in conference so don't be completely surprised to see some upsets.

8. Monmouth Hawks (11-18, 8-10)

Monmouth has some solid conference wins against Quinnipiac, Central Connecticut State, and St. Francis (PA) twice but come in as the bottom seed in the NEC tournament. However, that win at home against conference champion Quinnipiac gives them slight hope against the Bobcats in the first round, and having stud sophomore Travis Taylor (17.5 PPG, 7.9 RPG) back really helps.

Since returning from suspension, Taylor has put up 30 points twice but the Hawks have lost three straight. Overall, they are a dangerous team to pull the first-round upset with Taylor, but I couldn't see them going any farther.

7. Central Connecticut State Blue Devils (12-17, 9-9)

This only team I didn't see play live in this group. The Blue Devils needed a win on the last day against St. Francis (NY) to qualify for the tournament. They hold wins against Fairleigh Dickinson, Monmouth and Long Island, but used the two times they played Bryant (1-29, 1-17) to their advantage.

In their only match-up with the Colonials, they fell 60-69 despite junior Shemik Thompson's 16 points and seven assists. Again they will face the Colonials - this time in the Charles L. Sewall Center - and I don't think I can see an upset happening here.

6. St. Francis (PA) Red Flash (11-18, 9-9)

One word can describe this team: inconsistent. They hold wins over Mount St. Mary's, Fairleigh Dickinson, Long Island, Central Connecticut State, and Quinnipiac. However, they hold losses against Ohio State by 63, Monmouth twice by 10 and 29, and Wagner just on the last day of the conference schedule. They are fully capable of pulling the first round upset against the Mountaineers or they'll get blown out by 20.

Watching this team in person and looking over the statistics; it's obvious they depend on senior Devin Sweetney (16.7 PPG, 7.4 RPG) to do it all and they'll need him to be on his A-game otherwise it'll be a short NEC Tournament for the Red Flash.

5. Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (11-20, 10-8)

A very balanced squad is locked into the #5 seed for the NEC Tournament. Fairleigh Dickinson hasn't gotten blown out by anyone in conference minus Robert Morris, but they don't have a win over the top four seeds.

Four players are scoring in double-digits, led by sharp shooting senior Sean Baptiste (16.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG). However, after their four top scorers, they really lack the offensive firepower and their bench isn't all that deep. Could they beat their first-round opponent? Yes. Could they go any farther than that? Doubtful.

4. Long Island Blackbirds (13-15, 11-7)

They aren't much of a sleeper at the four seed, but if anyone can break through the top three's stranglehold to get the NCAA automatic bid, it's Long Island. They have wins over Robert Morris and Mount St. Mary's, but they also fell to Wagner.

Senior Jaytornah Wisseh (17.3 PPG,. 5.7 APG) leads the Blackbirds into the tournament, but this guard oriented team will need more production from their big men (most productive: Freshman Jamal Olasewere - 8.2 PPG, 6.4 RPG) in order to make a run towards the NEC Championship.

3. Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers (15-14, 12-6)

The Mountaineers are definitely the hottest team coming into the NEC Tournament, winning 10 straight games after losing on January 23rd at Long Island. They possess all the right pieces to make another run and ESPN pegged them as the favorites to take home the NCAA automatic bid.

Four-year starting guard Jeremy Goode (14.0 PPG, 4.4 APG) was pegged as the NEC Pre-Season Player of the Year by many media outlets and leads his team into a first-round match-up with the St. Francis (PA) Red Flash. He has help in the paint with junior Shawn Atupem (10.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG) and senior Kelly Beidler (10.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG). Atupem was actually the man who ended Robert Morris's reign at the top of the NEC standings as the junior hit a lay-up with seven seconds left to defeat the Colonials on Saturday night.

2. Robert Morris Colonials (20-11, 15-3)

No one is talking about the Colonials right now...probably just like they want it. The Colonials were picked to finish third in the NEC by multiple media sources and called it a "rebuilding" year of sorts for Mike Rice's team. However, they jumped into the conference lead early and didn't fall from the head until they lost Saturday night to Mount St. Mary's.

Robert Morris is a very deep team and plays usually nine players a game. Freshman Karon Abraham (12.9 PPG, 2.1 RPG) has been a pleasant surprise in his first campaign as the 5'9" combo guard has shown unlimited range from deep. Senior big man Rob Robinson (10.2 PPG, 5.3 RPG) is starting to find his game again late in the season and fellow senior Mezie Nwigwe (8.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG) is good for a few buckets every game.

This team has only lost to the top half of the conference, so don't expect them to fall to Central Connecticut State in the opener.

1. Quinnipiac Bobcats (21-8, 15-3)

Quinnipiac's the conference champ for a reason; an undefeated home record (12-0) and three players that can light a team up at any time.

Senior James Feldeine (17.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG) reminds me of Grevis Vasquez in a way, because both players wear their emotions on their sleeve. The 6'4" shooting guard has gone for 20 or more points in 13 games. Junior Justin Rutty (15.0 PPG, 10.8 RPG) leads the NEC in rebounds and is possibly the strongest and hardest working player in the conference. He can get any big man in foul trouble, but can always draw some offensive fouls himself. Sophomore James Johnson (12.0 PPG, 3.6 APG) opened some eyes when he exploded for 28 against Robert Morris a little more than two weeks ago.

The one weakness for the Bobcats is their inability to hold a large lead. They were up by 17 at one point against St. Francis (PA) before falling by five and held a 13 point advantage against Fairleigh Dickinson before almost blowing that in the final game of the regular season.

FIRST ROUND PREDICTIONS
[1] Quinnipiac over [8] Monmouth
[4] Long Island over [5] Fairleigh Dickinson
[2] Robert Morris over [7] Central Connecticut State
[3] Mount St. Mary's over [6] St. Francis (PA)

Antonio Cromartie needs to become a Tennessee Titan.

http://football.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/15977/20100222/are_chargers_titans_potential_trade_partners/

Chargers cornerback Antonio Cromartie has been put on the trading block and are looking to acquire a runningback for him. Lately there has been whispers that the Tennessee Titans are possibly San Diego's dancing partner in the deal, as they have dangled restricted free agent runningback LenDale White for teams following the emergence of Chris Johnson.

This deal needs to happen...ASAP.

First of all, I'll be one of the first to tell you that Cromartie is an overrated player. He has a ton of athletic ability but is partial to contact and isn't an outstanding cover guy. He relies more on making a spectacular interception than just batting the ball down. However, he has had great success against Peyton Manning in his career and playing against him twice a year can really help the Titans' chances of overtaking them in the division.

Another reason why this trade needs to happen; it makes sense for both parties. The acquisition of Cromartie allows him to slide into the second cornerback slot and makes Nick Harper expendable. Harper had one of the worst years I've ever seen a cornerback have and at 34 years old, he simply doesn't have the ability to start for many teams any more. When you face a quarterback as good as Manning and a receiver as good as Andre Johnson twice a year, you simply need more than one good cornerback.

For the Chargers, following the release of LaDainian Tomlinson, they are looking for a younger runningback to fill his place. They have a talented small back in Darren Sproles, but at 5'6" he can not carry the full load. LenDale has starting experience and is the perfect complement to Sproles' quickness. This also closes a need in the draft and it can help them target a defensive lineman to help their awful rushing defense from last season.

A secondary of Cortland Finnegan, Antonio Cromartie, Michael Griffin and Chris Hope possesses a lot of talent and could scare many teams. If the trade does go down, then a defensive lineman such as Brandon Graham or Everson Griffen or a linebacker like Ronaldo McClain or Brandon Spikes should be announced as the Titans' first-round pick in the 2010 NFL Draft.

These two moves could shore up the Titans' defense just enough to make them a legitimate contender for a Wild Card spot next season. The offense is just fine right now; it's the defense holding them back from their full potential.

inVINCEable.

Vince Young is the real deal. Seriously.

At first, I didn't believe he could turn his career around. With the (reported) suicide talks, the death of his mentor Steve McNair, and the fact that Jeff Fisher wouldn't let him see the field even with a struggling Kerry Collins - there was no hope in my mind that Vince would amount to anything on the Titans.

And as a life-long Titans fan, I would have to say that I have NEVER been more proud of an individual player than I am right now of Vince Young.

Watching him in the two games (vs. IND, at NE) he replaced Collins left me with not much hope. It seemed like he didn't care out there and was just going through the motions. Fans were getting ruthless, thinking "when can we cut this dead weight?" I called for him to start after the bye week because we didn't have a chance at the playoffs and it would build trade value if he went out there and played half-decent.

And then what happens? He completes 83.3 percent of his passes and tosses a touchdown in a blowout win over division rival Jacksonville. Yes, Chris Johnson was the main story with over 200 rushing yards and two scores, but when the Titans were forced to throw, Vince didn't make any mistakes. That game restored a little faith in me, but I still didn't think he would pull the complete turn around.

Another win - this time against an underrated Niners team in my opinion - and suddenly the Titans have won two straight win Vince under center. He didn't look flashy, but didn't turn the ball over and even showed his Texas colors on a quarterback draw play that resulted in a touchdown.

And suddenly, Titans fans held their breath. One of Vince's passes against Buffalo sailed on him and was picked off by Jarius Byrd. I guarantee there were some doubters that thought that he was done, that the turnover was the first to come of Vince. As the saying goes - when it rains, it pours.

But then Vince came out the next drive and drove the Titans down the field to set up a field goal to end the half. Rob Bironas missed it, but it was nice to see that he didn't get fazed over the previous interception and went out there to lead his team. In the end, he had 210 yards passing and a touchdown, while completing 17-25 passes in another blowout win.

Riding a three-game winning streak, they had a Monday Night match-up against their rival Houston, in what was dubbed the "biggest game in team history" for the Texans. (I could talk about how the Houston Texans are a joke, but that's besides the point.) On the national stage, Vince was hyped and led the Titans down the field on a game-winning drive to put a huge damper in Houston's playoff hopes. Again, he turned the ball over once - via fumble - but came out the next drive and led the team to a score. His clutch third down runs with nothing open downfield kept drives alive and in turn, won the game and kept the Titans' slim playoff hopes alive.

And now, what can you say about yesterday's performance? Against a solid Arizona defense, Vince threw for a career-high 387 yards, but that wasn't the most impressive thing about his play.

Down by four with 2:51 left, the Cardinals were forced to punt. Instead of fair catching the ball around the 10 yard line, Kevin Kasviharn tried to block LaRod Stephens-Howling and failed; Stephens-Howling downed the punt at the one yard line with 2:37 on the clock. Vince and the Titans had 99 yards to go to pull off another win. Things looked very bleak.

And they continued to look bleak as the Titans faced a fourth and four. But Vince calmly dropped back and fired a strike to Kenny Britt to keep the drive alive. (To be fair, Britt made an incredible catch on the play and bailed out Vince in a way. He's going to be a special player.) He converted another fourth down and got the ball to the ten yard line with six seconds left. As he took the snap, instead of running and making a play with his legs like I thought he would, Vince threw a jump ball over the middle to Britt. Britt used his 6'3" frame to catch it and hung on after a tough hit, which won the game. Behind the Music City Miracle, that was probably the greatest finish to any Titans game I've watched. Rob Bironas' 60-yard field goal to beat the Colts ranks right behind this.

Surprisingly, for how inconsistent Vince's NFL career has been, this latest comeback was his ninth game-winning/tying drive in the fourth quarter/overtime. When you think of clutch quarterbacks, names that come to mind are: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Kurt Warner, etc. Vince should be in the top 10 of that list, not necessarily top five. The stats don't lie; he's a very clutch player near the end of ball games.

He's still not there yet - as in the upper echelon in quarterbacks - but he's progressing every game and he has proven that he can become a good, if not great quarterback in this league.

I believe in Vince Young and you should too.

BCS Dilemma.

The BCS is a business.

And that business might get Penn State into the Orange Bowl.

No, I'm joking one bit. Penn State has a legitimate chance at a BCS Bowl and in fact, will most likely be an at-large if they beat Michigan State next weekend.

It's hard to comprehend with their on-the-field success. The Nittany Lions have lost to the two best teams they've played all season and don't really have a statement win like a lot of other at-large candidates do. However, there is something they do have...more than a lot of other schools have.

Money. Penn State generates more revenue than most teams in the nation. This is a huge factor with the Orange Bowl selection committee, who has reportedly not been making enough money lately. And with the direction the college football season has been taking this year, there isn't really any other legit at-large bids out there. Hell, two mid-majors could possibly make the big bowls!

The BCS requires you to be in the top 14 of the rankings in order to be eligible for a BCS bowl. The conferences can not have more than two bids, which would leave out LSU, who would be the 3rd team after Florida and Alabama. After the weekend's games, Penn State will most likely move into the top 14.

Now the question is this: is there any team that could jump them as an at-large? Let's say Cincinnati wins the Big East, Oregon wins the Pac-10, Texas wins the Big 12, Georgia Tech wins the ACC, and Florida wins the SEC. Add mid-majors TCU and Boise State who will most likely go undefeated.

National Championship: Florida/Texas
Rose Bowl: Ohio State/Oregon
Sugar Bowl: Alabama/TCU
Fiesta Bowl: Cincinnati/Boise State
Orange Bowl: Georgia Tech/?

The only conference that doesn't have an automatic slot in a certain BCS Bowl is the Big East. For example, the Rose Bowl takes the Big Ten and Pac-10 teams, Sugar Bowl takes a SEC team, Fiesta Bowl takes a Big 12, and the Orange Bowl takes an ACC team. The Big East is the "first at-large" team technically. With Texas in the national title game, Cincinnati would most likely take the Big 12's slot in the Fiesta Bowl.

So let's look deeper into this. Who could the Orange Bowl possibly take? LSU is out because of the two teams per conference rule. The Big 12 has been sub-par this year with Texas being the only legitimate team out of that conference. Therefore they will not get a second bid.

Same way with the ACC, since there is no way they will take two teams unless Georgia Tech loses in the conference championship game. Even then, they would have to compete with Penn State as an at-large and although they would have a better resume, it's that money factor that kicks in. Penn State would get the slot.

That also is the Big East's dilemma. Would they take two teams from that conference? Hell no. Cincinnati would be a possibly if Pitt would win over them, but even then as a (for the most part) start-up BCS school, the revenue factor would bump the Nittany Lions over the Bearcats.

Remember that Boise State is in my projections as a BCS team. They are a toss-up however because of a weak conference schedule and only one big win over the Oregon Ducks. Penn State brings in more fans and money than the Broncos so they would also get the nod if it came to those two.

It might not be fair, it might make the BCS look worse, but face the facts - if Penn State beats Michigan State, it's going to happen. Like I said, the BCS isn't just a ranking system but it's also a business.

#17 Ohio State at #11 Penn State Preview

WE ARE...PENN STATE!

OH-IO!

Over the last decade, the conference showdown between Penn State and Ohio State has become one of the most anticipated matchups in the Big Ten every season. And although the budding rivalry between the Nittany Lions and the Buckeyes will never be as famous as the one between the Buckeyes and Michigan, it still has diehard fans of each school growing some sort of hatred between one another.

On Saturday, the two teams march into Beaver Stadium each with BCS and Big Ten championship hopes. With Penn State's loss to Iowa earlier in the year, they will need to win out and have the Hawkeyes lose twice to claim an outright Big Ten title. Ohio State comes in controlling their own destiny. Despite a loss to Purdue a few weeks back, if the Buckeyes win out, they will win the conference outright.

With the two schools winning the last four Big Ten championships, there is obviously some pride on the line. It's easy to say that the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes have had the best teams in the conference over the last few seasons and neither of them would want to see Iowa spoil their streak this year.

Whenever you think about the Big Ten, you think about low-scoring, defensive battles that usually end up coming down to the last few possessions. This game shouldn't be any surprise then. Both of these teams match up just about evenly with one another with no clear advantages favoring either side. This has all the makings to be one of the best games all year.

PENN STATE STRENGTHS
- Quarterback, running game, defensive line, linebackers

Daryll Clark is the unquestioned offensive leader of this team. Ever since he became the starter last year, he has made fans forget Anthony Morelli (even though in reality, that's not difficult) and has led Penn State to a 19-3 record coming into this game. His ability to both look downfield to find an open receiver and to escape the pocket really puts more pressure on the opposing defense. He's the main reason why the Nittany Lions' receiving corps (who everyone put down at the beginning of the season) is still one of the best units in the Big Ten.

After the first two OOC games, Penn State went back to their roots and established the running game again. And why not? Evan Royster is one of the best runningbacks in the conference. He's not the fastest nor the slowest of backs, but he runs hard and breaks a good bit of tackles. If Stephon Green is back from injury, it will really add another speed element to the offense. His 4.3 speed really has opposing defenses on their heels.

For the most part, the defensive line has been very solid throughout the year. Jared Odrick might have put himself as the third defensive tackle on the board for next year's NFL Draft. He's got a great motor and can both disrupt the run and pass. Jack Crawford and Eric Lattimore have been good replacements for Aaron Maybin and Josh Gaines, and Ollie Ogbu is a capable defensive tackle. This group might not win you ball games, but they won't lose them either.

There's a reason why they call Penn State "Linebacker U." Again, this unit is one of the best units in the country. Unlike the Iowa game, where third-stringer Bani Gbadyu was forced into action and was exposed in the run game, Sean Lee has returned from injury and will be starting once again. This is bad news for Ohio State, because with Lee and Navarro Bowman, Penn State possesses two of the best linebackers in the conference. Josh Hull is a former walk-on who rounds out the third slot, and leads the team in tackles.

PENN STATE WEAKNESSES
- Offensive line, safeties, special teams

I know that the Penn State offensive line has improved tremendously since the debacle against Iowa. However, they face a really good Ohio State defensive line that will have the o-line on their heels. Will they respond like they have the last few weeks? Or will they let them get pressure on Clark?

The two starting cornerbacks - D'Anton Lynn and Stefan Morris - are very young but are ahead of their learning curve. They haven't made a big mistake all year and held All-American receiver Eric Decker to only one catch in their matchup against Minnesota. However, behind them is where it starts to get shaky. Drew Astorino and Nick Sukay have been slow at times which really opens up the middle of the field. They have to play to the top of their game.

The special teams for Penn State are one of the worst in the Big Ten and in the nation. They were one of the main reasons why the Nittany Lions lost to Iowa. Along with a few blocked punts, the kick coverage unit has been shaky as well. Add that to an ineffective returning game and you have yourself the biggest weakness on this ball club.

OHIO STATE STRENGTHS
- Defensive line, defensive backs

Despite having star linebacker Brian Rolle, who has made clutch play after clutch play this season, Ohio State's defense is led by their line and secondary. The Buckeyes' defensive line is led by ends Thaddeus Gibson and Cameron Heyward, who make up the best group of ends in the Big Ten. Both are juniors are could be first day picks in next year's NFL Draft if they decide to come out.

Kurt Coleman will be the leader of the Ohio State defensive backfield. The senior was the team's returning leader in tackles and interceptions and has made just as many big plays this year. He's an absolute ballhawk and will make Clark think twice before throwing his way. The rest of the secondary is solid and with an improving Penn State receiving corps, it'll be interesting to see who comes out on top.

OHIO STATE WEAKNESSES
- Quarterback, Offensive Line, Kicker

Terrelle Pryor returns to Pennsylvania for the first time in his career. He'll face a hostile crowd who still have the bitter taste in their mouths after the former state champion from Jeanette chose the Buckeyes over the Nittany Lions two year ago. Although Pryor has shown some flashes this year, critics have really been on his case for his inconsistent play. If he comes out with confidence, then the Penn State secondary will be on their heels the entire game. However, if he plays like he did against Purdue, this might be a blowout in favor of the home team.

The offensive line isn't the greatest group in the Big Ten and is suspect to giving up big games to good defensive linemen. Crawford and/or Odrick could be really dominate and disrupt Pryor's progressions in the passing game. With Aaron Pettrey out for the rest of the season, the Buckeyes will break in a brand new kicker and Jim Tressel might a tough decision during the game. Will he trust his new guy in field goal situations?

PENN STATE X-FACTOR
- LB Sean Lee

Lee is mainly a sigh of relief for the Penn State faithful. Finally healthy again, he is a major upgrade over Gbadyu, who started against Iowa and was horrible. Lee had a very nice game back last week at Northwestern and he's licking his chops for his first shot at Boom Herron or Brandon Saine.

OHIO STATE X-FACTOR
- QB Terrelle Pryor

Yes, he's been inconsistent. However, you can't deny the young sophomore's athletism. He can take off at any time and beat most defensive backs in a footrace, but he also can be very hesitant and will take the sack. There's a chip on his shoulder since he's returning to PA and I could see him playing very well...or very terrible.

PREDICTION

These two teams are very close to one another in talent. Penn State has had to live with the critics who say that they haven't beaten a good team yet and Ohio State lives with the fact that they haven't defeated a team with a higher ranking than them in the last six matchups. The Nittany Lions come in with a higher ranking and the backing of a loud and fired up home crowd. This will be a great one and Penn State will make it two in a row against the Buckeyes.

Penn State 21, Ohio State 17