Man in the Hat media

No eloquent openings, no whitty quips, I'm just gonna dive right in. Since I'm still working on a method to breakdown big games, I'll just give my picks of the SEC, ACC, Top 25 selections, and D1AA teams in South Carolina Remember to keep your tally and play along. Next week will be much more in-depth. Clemson over Troy South Carolina over E. Carolina Miss. State over Memphis Kentucky over W. Kentucky Auburn over Utah State Alabama over Kent State BYU over Ole Miss. Tenn. over Montana Arkansas over Mizzou. State Florida over FAU Vanderbilt over Elon Oregon over LSU Boise St. over Georgia Georgia Tech over W. Carolina Syracuse over Wake Forest Northwestern over BC Virginia Tech over App. State FSU over UL-Monroe UNC over James Madison Virginia over William and Mary NC St. over Liberty Duke over Richmond Maryland over Miami (FL) Wofford over Presbyterian Coastal Carolina over Furman UCF over Charleston Sou. Citadel over Jacksonville

It has been reported in the last few days by AggieYell.com , along with multiple sites, that the Aggies will leave the Big 12 (10) after the 2011 season and join the SEC in the 2012 season. This deal still has a long way to go , because it has to pass the Texas legislature and the Texas A&M board of regents . The legislature which is a muddled mess where football and politics are blended together (I guess the saying is true...football is a close second to God in Texas). Also, SEC presidents have to agree for this to happen. It is also rumored that A&M would have to pay back 80 percent of the past two years revenue to the Big 12. Safe to say they would make that back pretty quickly with the SEC's revenue-sharing system. All-in-all, a good move for both sides : The Aggies get out of a conference dominated and ran by big brother Texas, and the SEC moves into the Texas TV market. And both sides will get the cash rewards. But if the Aggies move goes through, an...

The ACC just hasn't had it. The after thought of expansion was the ACC was going to match with the SEC. But that hasn't happened. No national titles, only Virginia Tech has been what was expected with Miami falling off, and Boston College also fell down. But this year could mean the rebirth of an old power: Florida State. Atlantic 1-Florida State (10-2, 7-1) 2-NC State (9-2, 6-2) 3-Clemson (8-4, 5-3) 4-Boston College (6-6, 3-5) 5-Maryland (3-9, 1-7) 6-Wake Forest (2-10, 0-8) Coastal 1-Miami (10-2, 6-2) 2-North Carolina (9-3, 4-4) 3-Virginia Tech (8-4, 4-4) 4-Georgia Tech (6-6, 3-5) 5-Duke (4-8, 2-6) 6-Virginia (4-8, 1-7) FIRST TEAM Offense QB-E.J. Manuel (Florida State) RB-Andre Ellington (Clemson) RB-Montel Harris (Boston College) WR-Laron Byrd (Miami) WR-Donovan Varner (Duke) WR-Stephen Hill (Georgia Tech) TE-Dwayne Allen (Clemson) OL-Zebrie Sanders (Florida State) OL-Blake DeChrisopher (Virginia Tech) OL-Antoine McClain (Clemson) OL-Brandon Washington (Miami) OL-Seantrel Hen...

It is the dead period known as July. Right around the corner are Media Days, then we are slap in the middle of fall practice. But the fun things now are making predictions of who will be make 1st Team all conference, and who is going to win conferences. So I won't dilly-dally. Here is the Lake Report's Third Annual ALL-SEC 1st and 2nd Teams and projected divisional outlook. EAST 1-South Carolina (11-1, 7-1) 2-Florida (9-3, 5-3) 3-Georgia (8-4, 5-3) 4-Tennessee (7-5, 3-5) 5-Kentucky (6-6, 2-6) 6-Vanderbilt (3-9, 1-7) WEST 1-Alabama (11-1, 7-1) 2-Arkansas (9-3, 6-2) 3-LSU (9-3, 5-3) 4-Mississippi State (7-5, 3-5) 5-Auburn (4-8, 1-7) 6-Ole Miss (3-9, 0-8) FIRST TEAM Offense QB-Tyler Wilson (Arkansas) RB-Marcus Lattimore (South Carolina) RB-Trent Richardson (Alabama) WR-Alshon Jeffrey (South Carolina) WR-Da'Rick Rodgers (Tennessee) WR-Greg Childs (Arkansas) TE-Orson Charles (Georgia) OL-Barrett Jones (Alabama) OL-Josh Dworaczyk (LSU) OL-Cordy Glenn (Georgia) OL-D.J. Fluker (Ala...

Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista is what we call a power hitter. What else would you call a guy who currently has 72 homeruns over two season up to this point. In 2010 he hit 54 moonshots, and this year currently has 18 homeruns in 38 games. But before the 2010 season, dating back to 2006 when he was in Pittsburgh, Bautista had homerun totals of 0 (2005), 16 (2006), 15 (2007) and 13 (2009). The question is: How does a player who hits homeruns in the mid teens, balloon his total in the 50s. The obvious speculation is performance enhancing drugs. But Bautista has passed all his drug tests up to this point. Maybe he has found a very good masking agent. Could it be though, that Bautista did it the right way: Got in the weight room, worked on his swing technique and mechanics, and has just hit his "prime" at the plate? Looking at pictures, Bautista hasn't bulked up as much as players that have used steroids (Alex Rodgriguez, Barry Bonds). For now, we will have to...

Sports-entertainment mega power ESPN has a lock on the sports market. Deals with the Southeastern Conference, NBA, NFL, MLB have helped make the company billions of dollars. Now, ESPN has added the newly formed PAC-12. ESPN/PAC-12 signed a 12-year contract that begins in 2012-2013. This is all great news for the PAC-12...but for ESPN, this could turn out to be a lemon deal. Besides the money, the PAC-12 will get the chance for more publicity off the deal. And while this pretty much locks down the LA market, and will add viewers in Utah and Colorado, I'm not sure ESPN made the smartest deal. The question is, how are they going to get the east coast ratings. PAC-12 games typically don't air on the East Coast until 10 or 11 at night, if not later. ESPN signing may move up a few game times, but I don't expect people in the South and Northeast to come clamoring to the TV to watch the Arizona/Colorado football game. This will be great for basketball, but football, which is king a...

Mark it down as a date in American history. On May 1, 2011 President Barack Obama announced to the world that a team of Navy Seals went into Pakistan and killed FBI Most Wanted Usama bin Ladin. This was later proven by reported facial recognitions, multiple DNA tests and eye witnesses. Many media outlets, American mostly, declared this a triumphant day for America and its "War on Terror." Indeed, they are right. For 10 years, the American government has been looking for bin Ladin, and when the intelligence came in that he was open for an attack, President Obama took the risk and sent in the Seals. But here is where my patriotism turned to cynicism. "The world is a safer place now that bin Ladin is dead" In the long run, I'm not so sure, but I'm leaning to yes. More people will rise to take his place. They probably won't be as "influential" as bin Ladin. But in the short term, I disagree. Here is my example: When police take in leaders of street...