It's almost Friday

You may be wondering where I've been, maybe not. You may be thinking the Brook Dieter news has sent me scurrying for my bunker, maybe not. You may be listening to Barry Manilow and downing one peach daquiri after another -- and I'm guessing that's probably the most likely scenario.

I admit I haven't much felt like blogging. One likes to think everyone is happy as clams on the team one follows and when one finds out there's some lobstery activities going on, why it can be irksome. So, yes, I've been irked some.

But what can you do? You suffer those slings and arrows or you choose another sport, hoping that outrageous fortune hasn't discovered cross country yet.

Anyhow. Things are bound to get better, right? After all, it's Penn State in Happy Valley tomorrow night. How bad could that be?

My top 30 + a few more

I've changed my mind about a few things over the last couple of weeks and have just submitted the following to RichKern.com. Also of little interest to most everyone, this afternoon I went to see "A Serious Man", watched the last 10 minutes or so of the Vikings near-collapse, put together an IKEA table/puzzle for my mother, and then watched the first installment of the Monty Python documentary on IFC this evening.

Send your complaints to Ron.


1 Penn State (20-0)
2 Texas (14-0)
3 Washington (17-1) -- Huskies are looking more and more vulnerable as the weeks go by.
4 Hawaii (16-2) -- we won't know enough about this team until the NCAAs, as usual.
5 Iowa State (15-3) -- huge test v. the Huskers this week.
6 Illinois (14-3) -- inconsistency is still a problem, but they now have wins over both Minnesota and Michigan.
7 Oregon (14-3)
8 Stanford (12-5)
9 Nebraska (14-4) -- Werth hitting her stride and the Huskers may be hitting theirs.
10 Minnesota (15-5) -- still have to prove they can beat a top 10 team. Iowa State is it, so far.
11 Michigan (17-4) -- first match with Minnesota this weekend, at Williams Arena.
12 UCLA (14-6)
13 Kentucky (19-1)
14 California (10-7) -- biggest disappointment of the season, so far, for me.
15 Florida (14-3) -- unless it's the Gators instead.
16 Arizona (15-3)
17 Florida State (17-2)
18 USC (13-6) -- shouldn't this team be better than they are?
19 Texas A&M (13-4) -- big wins over Nebraska and Baylor.
20 LSU (15-4)
21 Baylor (17-4) -- sliding a bit. They need to dig in.
22 St. Mary's (12-4) -- loss to San Diego means the WCC doesn't have a power this year?
23 UCI (16-3)
24 LBSU (12-5)
25 Washington State (15-4) -- has to be THE surprise team of the year.
26 UCSB (14-5) -- up and down.
27 Colorado State (16-3) -- may be much better than this, but MWC still looks down for 2009.
28 San Diego (12-4)
29 Notre Dame (13-4) -- another team that may be better than this ranking.
30 St. Louis (13-6) -- tough loss to Dayton.
HM Dayton (18-2)
HM Florida International (19-2)
HM Ohio (16-4)
HM UNI (18-2)

Tough weekend?

Hey, boys and girls! I have an idea! Let's tot up the Top 25's upsets this past weekend:

#5 Florida loses 2-3 to Kentucky
#6 Michigan loses 2-3 to #12 Illinois
#7 Oregon loses 2-3 to unranked Oregon State
#9 California loses to 2-3 to #13 USC and 1-3 to #16 UCLA
#12 Illinois loses 2-3 to #23 Michigan State
#13 USC loses 0-3 to #11 Stanford*
#16 UCLA loses 1-3 to #11 Stanford*
#17 Florida State loses 2-3 to Georgia Tech
#18 Arizona loses 0-3 to unranked Washington State
#20 San Diego loses 0-3 to unranked Pepperdine
#25 Wichita State loses 1-3 to unranked Creighton

Special mention to UCSB, unfairly just outside the top 25 last week, who lost 0-3 to unranked Cal State Fullerton; and Purdue who lost 2-3 to unranked Indiana.

Add to these matches several close calls -- Nebraska 3-2 over unranked Oklahoma, Kentucky 3-2 over unranked South Carolina, San Diego 3-2 over unranked LMU and Florida State 3-2 over unranked Clemson. In short, it could have been worse. Or better, depending on your viewpoint.

Do I have a point? No. Just saying.

*Technically not upsets, but USC and UCLA were at home, so we're calling them that.