This weeks AP and how new additions will be affecting their conferences

AP Top 25
RK	TEAM	RECORD	PTS
1	Alabama (52)	2-0	1466
2	Ohio State (5)	2-0	1410
3	Boise State (1)	1-0	1306
4	TCU	2-0	1235
5	Oregon	2-0	1172
6	Texas (1)	2-0	1150
7	Oklahoma	2-0	1123
8	Nebraska	2-0	1083
9	Iowa	2-0	1037
10	Florida	2-0	1036
11	Wisconsin	2-0	855
12	Arkansas	2-0	755
13	South Carolina	2-0	642
14	Utah	2-0	627
15	LSU	2-0	595
16	Auburn	2-0	538
17	Miami (FL)	1-1	530
18	USC	2-0	481
19	Stanford	2-0	446
20	Michigan	2-0	437
21	West Virginia	2-0	197
22	Penn State	1-1	171
23	Houston	2-0	169
24	Arizona	2-0	138
25	Oregon State	0-1	75

*from espn.com


Let's note some interesting facts here.
1) The SEC has 6 teams in the top 16.  5 of these are between 10 and 16.  This tells me two things.  First is that after the top 10 (maybe just the top 5), all the rest of the teams in the rankings are hardly separated at all.  If somebody had Arizona at #11 right now, while I may not agree, I wouldn't be able to say definitively that Wisconsin is much better than Arizona.  Penn State looked bad against Alabama, but may be just as good or better than the next ten teams ranked ahead of them.  We've been prepared for more upsets in college football over the last decade, but this early season seems particularly unknown.  Second, pollsters are still under the impression that the year is 2008, when the SEC was king and deserved to have 6 teams ranked.  They'll catch on eventually, that the SEC is still in a lean period (starting last season), but it may take them a while.
2) Nebraska and Utah are both making the Pac 10 and Big 10 look like they'll be solid additions in their first year.  I don't see a repeat of Penn State's entry to the Big 10 (when they went undefeated), but Wisconsin should finish top 3 in a tough league next season.  And Utah may very well compete for a title in their first year (I doubt it).  If we redrew leagues today, the Big 10 would have 4 teams in the top 11, making it clearly the best at the top.  The Pac 10, meanwhile, would have another respectable top 20 team.  We can call that conference weak this year.  But will we be able to next year if Utah can compete consistently with the big boys of that league?
3) 16 out of 25 teams are from 3 leagues.  The Pac 10, the Big 10 and the SEC.  These leagues are probably the most balanced (although the ACC may feature a mix of equally awful teams), so this trend may persist even though I know not why Arizona, Michigan or Auburn (or Houston or West Virginia) are ranked at this point.  Again, maybe it's just a weak year, a handful of great teams at the top and a myriad of mediocrity below.


My apologies for recommending that you watch Nadal v Djokovic as it was delayed.  Watch today instead.  An extra day to think about his legacy may hurt Nadal a bit, but, then again, Djokovic hasn't won a major in two years and went from tennis celebrity to overlooked participant in the time since.  It's nice to see him back on top of his game.  I'm still picking Nadal.  Djokovic may steal one set, I'd be surprised if it goes five.  As long as Nadal is healthy, who can beat him?


Michael Vick looked very good in his return as a real QB (as opposed to the gimmick of last year).  Houston may actually be better than Indianapolis - I never really thought I would say that.  Is Houston the favorite for the Wild Card now?  Dallas giftwrapped a win to the Redskins, while Detroit didn't have balls to take it when they had it.


Durant put up 28, that's enough for me.  Great win.


What I'm watching tonight
Baltimore over NY.  The Jets are the sexy pick to go to the Superbowl this year.  I know this because both Sportcenter and the New York Times had features on Rex Ryan this week.  But this isn't the Superbowl and I don't believe in NY off of just promises.  Baltimore IS a good football team.  I don't know about NY just yet.


-Jabari