Hey guys,

It’s the second week of Alliance of American Football picks, in the fourth week of the AAF (if you need to know why I am two weeks behind, please see last week’s post). I don’t want to toot my own horn, but please allow me to toot my own horn. I went 4-0 in my AAF picks last week, and I watched every game this past weekend, even the one game that was on something called B/R Live, which was shown for free on the pay streaming network for the Bleacher Report.

Yep, on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, I sat on the couch on my house with my lovely wife. Our daughter was playing at a friend’s house and we were home alone, and I thought, you know what would be a cool thing to do right now, let me airplay this new football league game from my phone to our TV so I can watch the Arizona Hotshots vs. the Salt Lake Stallions. This woman agreed to marry me, on her own! Anyway, I am really great, and I make great picks, and it was all my super brain, and has nothing to do with luck, and I am awesome, and rock on.

Here are this week’s picks:

San Diego Fleet (2-1) at Memphis Express (0-3), Saturday at 1pm PST

This game will be on the aforementioned B/R Live, so looking forward to a pretty hot Saturday afternoon in my house, and it won’t just be the action on the field in Memphis (I understand if you stop reading after this last sentence). After three weeks, what do we know about these two teams? They both have really good defenses, as the Fleet are second in the league in sacks , and first in the league in hurries.

You want to know who is second in the league in hurries? The Express. AND all of these stats come from a league where you are only allowed to have five people on the line, so there isn’t a ton of blitzing. So, we got two good defenses, how are the offense. Well, for two and a half games the Express were conservatively speaking, f*#%ing terrible. I mean they have Zac Stacey, who is the first 100 yard rusher in the league, but they also had Christian Hackenberg at quarterback, who was just really bad. In two and a half games, he only threw for 277 yards, no touchdowns, and 3 INTS. Well, they replaces Hackenberg with Zach Mettenberger (insert David Letterman “Oprah/Uma” joke here) in the second half of the Express’s game against Birmingham last week, and he went 9-12 for 120 yards and 2 TDs.

Sooooooo, he’s starting this week. San Diego’s offense looked great last week, putting up 25 points, Phillip Nelson looked much more stable in the pocket, and Ja’Quan Gardner tore off an 83 yard run for the longest rushing play in the three-week history of the league. I actually think B/R Live might be getting the best game of the week.

Prediction: I smell an upset, but I am a homer, and will say that the Fleet will win, but I don’t feel comfortable about it.

Orlando Apollos (3-0) at Salt Lake Stallions (1-2), Saturday at 5pm PST

Salt Lake got a win last week vs. Arizona and played pretty well. They have a legit stud  on defense with Karter Schult, who literally seems to everywhere on defense. I normally hate that analogy, but if you watch the Stallions play, you will hear his name at least 17 times, and it stands out because it sounds like the announcer is saying “Karter Shit”. Trust me, watch the game, and you will hear his name a lot. Orlando is still undefeated, and still probably the best team in the league, but fell back to Earth a little bit vs. Memphis last week, especially when the aforementioned Mettenberger came into the game in the second half.

Also, Orlando had some problems running the ball last week, and they are about to go up against the number one run defense in the league. HOWEVER, (capped and bolded for emphasis), the Stallions are second to last in passing defense, something that the Apollos do very well. I have to be honest, this game is a bit of toss up, as I have said in the past the Stallions are better than their record indicates, and Orlando seems to be coming back down to Earth from their great play in the first two weeks.

Prediction: I also smell an upset, as home teams tend to win in the AAF, so I am calling this the upset special (air horn sound, air horn sound, air horn sound) of the week, as the Stallions win at home.

San Antonio Commanders (1-2) at Birmingham Iron (3-0), Sunday at 1pm PST

Speaking of falling back to Earth, San Antonio looked good in their first game against San Diego (a win), a little less good in their second game against Orlando (a loss), and looked even worse in their third game against, once again, San Diego (a loss). The news doesn’t get much better for the Commanders as they are about to face the number one defense in the league in the Birmingham Iron. The Iron have only allowed two touchdowns all season (again, only three games), but still that is a defense that is aptly named (see name: Birmingham Iron). Now, let’s talk about Birmingham’s offense.

I’m not going to mince words, it’s not the easiest hang. Trent Richardson, (yes, that Trent Richardson) has six rushing touchdowns, but they are all short runs, and he only averages 2.5 yards per carry. So, you’re not getting a lot of big runs by the offense. Luis Perez, their quarterback, has looked good, averaging close to 200 yards passing a game. HOWEVER (capped and bolded for emphasis), he has yet to throw a touchdown pass. Don’t get me wrong, Birmingham is very good, but they aren’t the coolest hang on a Sunday afternoon, and I only say that because I see Birmingham winning this game easily.

Prediction: please see last sentence above.

Atlanta Legends (0-3) at Arizona Hotshots (2-1)

Sunday is not rolling out a hot slate of games that’s for sure. Atlanta is the worst team in the league. For sure. They lost another offensive coordinator (their third in one season), their quarterback, Matt Simms has look really bad (has thrown 6 INTs and 2 TDs), and they are getting almost nothing from the the running game. A

rizona is good, but they are still waiting to hear if their quarterback, John Wolford will be able to play this week. He went down in the loss to Salt Lake last week, and has been limited in practice this week, but let’s be real. Arizona is winning this game. Atlanta is really bad, and I don’t think I need to say any more than that, other than Atlanta should let Aaron Murray play. Simms is not getting the job done, and a lot of teams are finding success when they give their back-ups a chance (San Diego and Memphis specifically).

Prediction: Arizona Hotshots. Nuff said.

See you next week, when I am 8-0!

Joe Protheroe led Cal Poly on Saturday night with 130 yards on 28 carries. By Owen Main

On a hot, dry night in Tempe, Cal Poly almost did the unthinkable — beat a Pac 12 school ranked in the top-15 in the FBS just a week ago.

Instead, Arizona State used two fourth quarter touchdowns to distance themselves from the Mustangs and win 35-14.

The real story, though, was Cal Poly’s ability to hang with Arizona State. The Mustangs went down 14-0 in the first half, but found some rhythm with Joe Protheroe and Jared Mohamed up the middle in the second quarter en route to 14 points that got the team back into the game. A 21-14 deficit at the half was erased Cal Poly’s first drive of the second half, as Chris Brown found tight end Reagan Enger near the end zone for a touchdown.

Tu’uta Inoke and Cal Poly’s defense have been a pleasantly productive corps over the first two games. By Owen Main

The following goal-line stand by the Mustangs was the height of their momentum. On the ensuing drive, ASU had the ball inside the one yard line for a first down. Two reviewed plays later, Cal Poly stopped a fourth down play via a Fernando Cabico interception. Cabico was in the game because Chris Fletcher left the game with an ankle injury on the play before.

Cabico’s interception hushed the crowd of 46,500 and brought a buzz on the Cal Poly bench that was palpable. The Mustangs got a first down on the ensuing drive, but couldn’t harness the momentum and ride it to another score.

To have a chance to win, the Mustangs had to have a number of breaks, and they almost got them. Along with two turnovers caused by Cal Poly’s defense, two punts were muffed by Arizona State kick returners. Both times the ball was pounced-on by a Sun Devil before Cal Poly could get to it, but Cal Poly was painfully close to having the ball with great field position in both cases. Punting was something that let the Mustangs down at times in Montana, but Stephen Pyle punted the ball eight times for an average of over 40 yards per and pinned Arizona State inside the 20 yard-line three times. In a near-upset like this, there are always a few “what-ifs.” Special teams turnovers were the what-ifs on Saturday.

A few muffed punts were tantalizingly close to turnovers in Cal Poly’s favor. By Owen Main

Tim Walsh said after the game that there were a number of things Cal Poly still has to improve on. Despite the opening-night win and the solid performance against Arizona State, Cal Poly’s offense has still only averaged just over 20 points per game, which isn’t likely to be enough in the Big Sky.

Chris Brown, Tim Walsh, and Saga Tuitele all have to find a way to have more passing efficiency. Cal Poly fans who clamor for more passing are longing for the days of Cole Stanford at this point. Maybe that’s Cal Poly’s next wrinkle. The way their schedule is laid-out they’ll sure need a few more.

San Luis Obispo and Mission Prep faced-off on Friday night in a preseason scrimmage. By Owen Main

On Friday night, San Luis Obispo High School hosted Mission Prep in a preseason football tune-up. Each team’s offense ran a number of plays, starting drives in their own zone. At the end of the scrimmage, each team started red-zone drives from various distances from the goal-line.

Though preseason football contests don’t usually mean anything, Mission Prep was probably the sharper of the two on this day, connecting on numerous long pass plays.

Meanwhile, San Luis Obispo had a pair of quarterbacks who both showed flashes both running and passing the ball.

One of the things I really love about watching prep sports is being able to see teenagers improve over the course of a season. At the beginning of the year, everyone has work to do. This season promises to be a fun one.

To see the photos on an iPhone, click here.

These are the true dog days.

June has wound itself down. July is upon us. Temperatures are up over 100 degrees and night games have become a fan’s best friend. People will try to talk NFL already but, for now at least, baseball has its turn.

It’s my favorite time of the year.

Baseball is a game that goes with the rhythm of the working man. Where football is a popular weekend distraction, forcing fan anxiety throughout any week, baseball’s rhythm is that of the 9-5 toiler. Each and every day, through the heat of the summer, baseball players and fans get to the ballpark, go through their routine, eat their hot dogs, drink their beer, and obey the most American of rituals around a game that so few non-Americans understand.

Yesterday, I heard a college football coach being interviewed on a sports radio show. It was July 1. As soon as the NBA was over, the largest sports network in the country who would love to have more of a stake in baseball started to bash it and talk football. It was a mistake.

Baseball is truly the most patriotic of American sports. By U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class David McKee, via Wikimedia Commons

July is for baseball. In August, we will start to talk about football, but let’s sit back and enjoy baseball for a few months here. Let’s get excited over the nuance. Go through our daily fan routine. Be pumped when we haven’t payed attention for a few days and look up and our team is making a surge.

Don’t even get me started about spending time at games. Being at a baseball game, getting the true dimensionality of the field, and the sights, smells, and sounds is a sensory treat that is anticipated before and yearned for after. Visiting a game is like a choose your own adventure fan experience. A fan can choose to visit with friends if he/she wants to just casually watch the game. Fans can also choose to keep score, paying attention to every intricate detail for 2-3 hours. In no other sport to fans keep score.

In other sports, there are constant fouls, penalties, and other rules infractions that result in punishment. While there are some of these still, America’s pastime is generally devoid of that kind of regular public punishment. Other sports are timed. It’s cliche, but baseball is timeless. In fact, the sport itself is a wonderful cliche of opportunistic players from this country and immigrants making their mark and experiencing the true American Dream.

“Owen, this is too corny,” you might say.

Yep. I know. I don’t care.

“You are just excited because the Dodgers are making up ground in the National League West.”

I won’t lie, that probably has a lot to do with it. The Dodgers, after all, have gone from 12 games under .500 to just 3 1/2 games back of first place, led by a player from a communist country who has turned into the spark they needed.

As a reminder to those of you who are patriotic Americans — neither orange or black are American colors. Don’t forget it.

A week ago, former Mustang running back Deonte Williams was named to College Sporting News 2012 Fabulous Fifty FCS All-America Team, which is a list of the top 50 players in the FCS. This past season, Williams rushed for 1,506 yards, falling just 72 yards short of the school record. I recently spoke to the former Cal Poly star about his offseason schedule and NFL aspirations.

Deonte Williams ran for the second most yards in a single season in Cal Poly history. By Owen Main

Here are some bullet points to skip to certain parts of the interview:

What was your reaction to being named to College Sporting News 2012 Fabulous Fifty FCS All-American Team? (0:17)

Did you set any goals regarding yards, touchdowns, or a specific award at the beginning of the season? (0:58)

What are your current goals, moving forward towards the NFL? (1:48)

Would you be willing to look at multiple positions if that is asked of you? Maybe play some special teams? (2:20)

There’s been a few former Mustangs who have made the FCS’s All American Teams, like Asa Jackson with the Ravens and Ramsus Barden with the Giants…. Have you been talking to any former teammates or current friends in the league for advice in these upcoming months? (2:59)

Finally, what’s your mindset going into these next couple of months leading up to the NFL draft? What emotions are running through your head? (4:15)

According to nfldraftscout.com, Williams is ranked 44th out of 196 running backs considered for the NFL Draft. In less than three months, we will see where he lands.

It’s that time of the year. After 11 weeks, the NFL is full of teams whose fans still have grand playoff plans. After 10 games, here is a break-down of who is a contender and who is a pretender in this season’s NFL.

NFC:

The Bears will remain big-time contenders if they can keep Jay Cutler’s jersey cleaner when he returns. By Mike Morbeck (originally posted to Flickr as Jay Cutler) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Seattle Seahawks: Current record is 6-4, holding the final NFC playoff spot. This is a very young team that is improving each week. With wins against Dallas, Green Bay (controversial but still a W in the standings), New England and Minnesota, the Seahawks are showing the rest of the NFL they can play and play hard. With a pretty easy schedule the rest of the way, I expect the Seahawks to stay where they are. Contender

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Current record is 6-4, sitting one spot out of the final playoff spot. Not taking anything away from them, but this team has beaten up on the bad teams and lost to the better teams. They remind me of the Cincinnati Bengals of last season. With a difficult schedule the rest of the season, I predict they will fall short of the postseason. Pretender

Minnesota Vikings: Current record is 6-4, sitting one spot out of the final playoff spot as well. Other than their week 3 win against San Francisco, none of their wins have been against contenders. They have used an easy schedule to get ahead. That trend stops now as they play the Bears and Packers twice and the Texans before the season ends. Pretender

New Orleans Saints: Current record is 5-5, sitting two spot out of the final playoff spot. After making us think they were left for dead by starting the season 0-4, the Saints have climbed their way back. The real test for them is in the next few weeks with matchups against the 49ers, Falcons and Giants but I think they will be fine. Contender

AFC:

Indianapolis Colts: Current record is 6-4, sitting 5^th in the playoff spots. So far this season, the surprise success of the Colts has been the talk of the NFL, but Andrew and his team are about to run out of luck. Losing to the Jets? Jaguars? They have to play the Texans twice before the end of the year. The surprise of the NFL so far may be contenders in the future, but they won’t be making the playoffs this season. Pretender

Pittsburgh Steelers: Current record is 6-4, holding onto the final playoff spot. After a shaky start to the year, the Steelers have found themselves. But another problem has risen: Big Ben is hurt. Without him, this team doesn’t do anything. Luckily for them, it shouldn’t be too long before their quarterback returns and they took a Ravens team to the brink without him. Roethlisberger should come back in a few weeks and till then the Steelers stand pat and make the playoffs. After all they are the Steelers. Contender

Despite their cheerleaders, the Bengals are pretenders. By Chris Breeze from May’s Lick, KY, USA (Team Spirit Uploaded by Tabercil) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

San Diego Chargers: Current record is 4-6, sitting two spots out of the final playoff spot. This team is frustrating; they have so much talent yet they don’t do anything with it. With a tough schedule the rest of the way, the Chargers will fail to make the postseason yet again. Pretender

Tennessee Titans: Current record is 4-6, sitting two spots out of the final playoff spot as well. With impressive wins against Pittsburgh and Detroit, the Titans have kept themselves in the playoff hunt thus far. But bad losses and a difficult schedule keeps the Titans from making the playoffs yet again. Pretender

I caught-up with J.D. Scroggin of the San Luis Obispo Tribune on Monday night. J.D. is gearing up for his fifth season covering Cal Poly sports.

Coming off his second appearance on the C.J. Silas show, J.D. took some time with us to talk Fall sports at Cal Poly, in particular Volleyball, Men’s Soccer, and especially football.

The podcast either evolved or devolved, depending on your point of view, toward the end when Luke joined the podcast and J.D. started talking about his days as a rapper.

Hope you enjoy the podcast!

Dave Grant primarily calls men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, women’s basketball, and softball for Cal Poly on gopoly.com

Most Cal Poly fans can recognize the voice of Tom Barket, who is the play-by-play announcer for football, men’s basketball, and baseball. He is, fairly clearly, the voice of the Mustangs. But, in the words of Yoda, there is another.

Less than one year ago, Dave Grant was brought on to announce play-by-play for Cal Poly Athletics. The first game he called was a men’s soccer game vs. UCSB. After Cal Poly won the match on a late dramatic goal, he was reminded that “not every game is going to be this exciting.”

While that is true, you might not know it talking to Grant. He is all-energy and you can tell he really has a passion for calling live sports.

I first heard Dave’s voice when Joe Callero’s men’s basketball squad won a low-scoring victory over USC in the Galen Center last season. To keep anyone listening during such an offensively bereft game was certainly a challenge, but Grant painted a solid picture of the game.

We’ll try to catch up with him more as the Fall season progresses. Hope you enjoy.