The Predictor Top 25: 2/06/06

So funny thing happened last night. I was watching the Super Bowl, and a Duke basketball game broke out. Since when did Coach K start fixing football games? Seriously, I haven't seen a game called that one-sided since...well, since the Duke-BC or Duke-FSU game this past week. I'll get to the Top 25 in a moment. I'd be remissed if I didn't address the horrible officiating last night. If I'm Seattle, I scream bloody murder until someone from the NFL comes out and admits that there was some sort of fix in for the Super Bowl. Here are just some of the calls that should raise a few eyebrows to any impartial, and remember, I'm an impartial fan in this case:
1. The offensive pass interference call against Darrell Jackson. Offensive pass interference should only be called if the receiver gains an overwhelming advantage by committing the foul. Jackson simply slapped the defender's hand off of him while reading the pass and cutting left to make the catch.
2. The Roethlisberger "touchdown". Clearly not a black-and-white call. But just one in a long line of questionable calls to go against the Seahawks.
3. The first two holding penalties. Al Michaels and John Madden didn't make a big deal about either of the first two holding calls against Seattle. But both were terrible calls that cost Seattle first downs.
4. The holding call on Sean Locklear. The worst and most costly wrong call of the night. Locklear made a nearly perfect block on Clark Haggins. It turns out, it was too perfect. He took out Haggins so well that the refs just assumed he was holding and threw a flag. Locklear got his hands in between the shoulder blades and knocked Haggins to the turf with ease. The Seahawks completed a 18-yard pass to set up a first and goal inside the two. Instead, Seattle had a 1st and 20 from the 30-yard line. A few plays later, Matt Hasselbeck forced a throw on third and long and it was picked off, which set up bad call number...
5. After Ike Taylor made the pick, he ran a good 15 yards before Hasselbeck tackled him at the Pittsburgh 28. Hasselbeck tackled him at the knees and was called for a 15-yard personal foul for a low block. Huh? He was MAKING A TACKLE. As long as he doesn't grab the facemask or trip the player, he is allowed to hit him anywhere he wants. And I don't think that Hasselbeck was trying to make a block. This call simply made no sense and Michaels even said so on-air. So instead of starting at the 28, Pittsburgh gets the ball at the 43. The field position sets up the gadget play touchdown from Antwaan Randle-El to Hines Ward. That touchdown basically ended the game, but not before bad call...
6. This was a bad missed call. On the Randle-El touchdown pass, the entire right side of the Pittsburgh line held. The right guard, tackle and I believe one of the tight ends all grabbed their defenders and tackled them. Want to know why Randle-El had so much time to throw? That's the reason.

Sadly, this is the short list. Anyone else find these series of bad call odd? Especially considering that Pittsburgh was almost screwed themselves by the refs against Indianapolis. The NFL saw a chance to rectify the divisional game. You can also guarantee that the NFL didn't want a team like Seattle, which isn't very marketable, to win the Super Bowl. This created a perfect storm. The NFL delievered their I-O-U to the Steelers in the league's biggest stage. Disgusting. Fortunately, I'm not a Seahawks fan and I won't have to stew over a disheartening loss like this.

Here's the Top 25.

1. Connecticut (20-1), LW-1: Two solid wins against Top 25 opponents keep the Huskies on a roll. Clearly the nation's best team.
2. NO ONE, LW-NR: No one deserves to be number two this week. Illinois choked, Memphis played weak opponents and Duke bought the refs. Besides, UConn is so far ahead of any other team, what's the point of having a second ranked squad.
3. Duke (21-1), LW-2: Number of games Duke won last week: 0. Number of games the refs won for Duke last week: 2. The Dookies move down.
4. Texas (19-3), LW-5: The Horns move back up after wins against Missouri and Texas A&M.
5. Memphis (21-2), LW-4: Move down a spot even after two victories. Tigers better get used to it, their schedule is going to kill them in the polls and RPI in a few weeks.
6. Villanova (17-2), LW-6: Another week, another set of victories, another set of near losses.
7. Gonzaga (17-3), LW-7: Big game against Stanford this week. Maybe they'll move up if they win. Maybe not
8. Florida (20-2), LW-10: Ok, win over Kentucky was pretty good. Beat LSU this week, and then we'll be in business.
9. George Washington (18-1), LW-9: I think the close win over Xavier isn't a good sign for Colonials. It shows just how much they are going to struggle when March rolls around.
10. Illinois (20-3), LW-3: A home loss to Penn State? Yikes.
11. West Virginia (17-4), LW-11: Two unimpressive wins keep them at 11. Road games at Pitt and Georgetown will show us what the Mountaineers can do on the road in conference. I think that undefeated conference record is about to bite the dust.
12. UCLA (19-4), LW-12: The Bruins quietly keep winning in the obscurity of the Pac-10. Two games in the hinterlands of Washington will prove to be a stern test.
13. Ohio State (16-3), LW-14: The Buckeyes are for real. When will the media figure this out?
14. Georgetown (16-4), LW-17: This may be a bit too high for Hoyas, but a win over WVU would confirm my suspicions that this team is destined for the Sweet 16.
15. Boston College (17-5), LW-15: Won't penalize Eagles for their loss to Duke, considering they played the majority of the game 5 vs. 8.
16. Tennessee (16-3), LW-19: Reluctently moving the Vols to 16th despite the feeling that they are about to start losing. A t least one loss coming up this week with two road games.
17. NC State (18-4), LW-13: Why is State below BC? I don't know, maybe it has something to do with that 18-point Eagles win over State a few weeks ago.
18. Oklahoma (14-5), LW-18: Let me down with one-point loss against Kansas. They drop as result, but I still think this team has Final Four potential.
19. Michigan State (17-5), LW-20: Three weeks ago, I thought MSU was going to contend for the Big 10, and maybe, just maybe, the national title. Now, they have first or second round knockout written all over them.
20. Pittsburgh (17-3), LW-8: Frauds, frauds, frauds.
21. Iowa (18-5), LW-24: If they can avoid any further injuries or academic problems, they'll cause problems in the Big 10 tournament.
22. Michigan (16-4), LW-18: Join the rest of their Big 10 counterparts here in the muck of the bottom half of the polls. One of these teams is going to have to step it up to join Illinois and OSU higher in the rankings.
23. North Carolina (14-5), LW-NR: We'll see what UNC does against Duke and the refs tomorrow.
24. Alabama-Birmingham (16-4), LW-NR: After a few weeks of ranking them in "Next Five", I finally find a spot for Blazers in the true rankings. Only loss in conference to Memphis. UAB is going to make a dangerous 8/9 seed.
25. Washington (16-5), LW-16: Oh c'mon U-Dub. Don't get swept by Wazzou. Coach Romar, you're better than that.

Next Five In: Colorado, Northern Iowa, LSU, San Diego State, Indiana

The Big Five Games:
Tuesday
#3 Duke at #23 North Carolina: Tune in to see how the refs will keep Duke undefeated in league play.
Thursday
#11 West Virginia at #20 Pittsburgh: Which team is for real? Find out.
Saturday
LSU at #8 Florida: I smell an upset coming in the O'Connell Center.
#3 Duke at Maryland: Will Maryland play at their typical NBA-like level at home against the Dookies? It will be the one arena that refs won't dare give Ratface all the calls.
Sunday
#10 Illinois at #13 Ohio State: Forget Wisconsin. These are the two top teams in the Big Ten. Last year's game in Columbus was a classic.