Sure, the NCAA preaches sportsmanship and quality competition, but that doesn’t mean that it shows up on the field 100 percent of the time.

Who doesn’t enjoy a little bit of carnage every now and again, spicing things up?  Well, just as long as no one is seriously hurt, of course.

College football has seen its share of unleashed fury over the years – some in the form of quick outbreaks and others… nasty, violent brawls.

So, which were the nastiest?

Well, the forthcoming “dirty dozen” may not all be the worst of all-time, but they are the most recent to be caught on video (and displayed via You Tube).

Without further ado… here they are in no particular order – though the worst are saved for last:

“The Dirty Dozen”: 12 of College Football’s Nastiest, Filthiest Brawls

Notre Dame and Miami (1988)

The game – a 31-30 victory by Notre Dame – was considered one of the best games in the 1980’s.  Also referred to as “The Catholics vs. The Convicts”, the teams started up quite the frenzy before opening kickoff, igniting a pre-game fight in the tunnel.

Notre Dame and USC (1971)

The result of this game was a 28-14 upset victory by unranked USC over the Irish, who headed into the game ranked 6^th in the country.

However, this game wound up being more famous for the approximately 20-minute delay due to an on-the-field brawl.

Miami and South Carolina (1987)

This brawl started on a routine pass play where the pass protection broke down, South Carolina’s quarterback scrambled back, and instead of being sacked – he was slung to the turf like a rag dolll.

The result of that play was some pushing and shoving, a few bodies flailing for the ball and the next thing you know, the benches had cleared.

LeGarrette Blount (Oregon) vs. Byron Hout (Boise State) – 2009

OK, so this wasn’t much of a brawl – but it was last season and fresh in everyone’s mind.

Blount – who talked a lot of trash pre-game – couldn’t hold up his end of the bargain as Boise State manhandled the Ducks.

In the end, Hout couldn’t resist opening his mouth during the post-game, and the result was Blount delivering a cheap shot and losing his cool later – eventually leading to a team suspension.

Ole Miss and Mississippi State (1997)

Don’t let the soft-boiled Egg Bowl name fool you – these two teams hate each other, especially during the 1997 game, which started out as a pre-game brawl and ended with a 15-14 victory by Ole Miss.

It isn’t the highest quality video, but you get the idea – that a few shells were definitely cracked during this rivalry grudge match.

UCLA and USC (2009)

Rick Neuheisel and Pete Carroll brought fire back to this rivalry, especially in last year’s match – when a late-game timeout by UCLA turned into a long bomb for a TD by USC.

After all was said it done, the teams were on the field ready to fight – and while this didn’t turn into much of anything, it certainly could have.

Western and Eastern Arizona (2009)

Sure, they’re smaller football schools – but judging by the video, “you throw out the records when these two face each other”, as the popular phrase goes.

It all appeared to be a routine scrub, until a few cheap shots by players on each team resulted in a much more aggressive dogpile of players that seemed to migrate across the field toward the end zone.

Maritime and Kings Point College (2007)

Here’s yet another scrum between smaller schools, though it’s almost “Oregon Blount-like” in nature – except when the one player landed the punch, his opponent was borderline laid out.

I mean, that guy didn’t have a chance – he fell like a load of bricks.  If that kid didn’t make it in football, then he should’ve also considered boxing for a second career.  Here’s the video:

Georgia and Georgia Tech (2008 and then some)

This video features more of a montage instead of a single melee, which just goes to show that the hatred runs pretty deep in this in-state rivalry between the Bulldogs and Yellow Jackets.

If you don’t buy it, then take a look for yourself.

Houston and Hawaii (2003)

Hawaii also had a major brawl with Cincinnati during the 2002 season, so it’s safe to say that the Warriors were a bit of a feisty bunch over recent years – not what you would expect from a place where so many travel to for laid-back vacations.

The 2003 Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl wasn’t just a wild one for the brawl that occurred once the game was over, but also for the game itself – a 54-48 win by Hawaii.

Clemson and South Carolina (2004)

Lou Holtz – South Carolina’s coach at the time – did the best he could to keep this brawl from happening, but there just was too much boiling over from a rivalry like this that has been going on for as long as it has.

The incident happened with less than six minutes to go in the game, and has often been referred to as one of the worst moments in the rivalry’s history.

In fact, each of the schools reacted to the incident as such – with both administrations swiping away postseason berths, while also each suspending six players apiece.

Florida International and Miami (2006)

This was arguably one of the worst brawls in college football history – featuring kicks to the head with cleats and players using helmets as a weapon.  Certainly, a number of charges and suspensions were added after the dust settled – 31 to be exact.

FIU also dismissed a few players from the team entirely.

The video shows just how bad it was – and quite honestly, this was the most fight each of these teams showed that during particular season.  It’s just a shame that it had to be in this negative of a manner.

* Also posted to my B/R page

If there’s something strange in your Midwest Region.
Who you gonna call? BRACKET BUSTERS!

If there’s something weird in Carolina’s hood.
Who you gonna call? BRACKET BUSTERS!

I ain’t afraid of mid-majors
I ain’t afraid of no underdog

If you’re seeing things that kill your bracket dead
Who can you call? BRACKET BUSTERS!

A seven foot man dunking on your head
Oh, who you gonna call? BRACKET BUSTERS!

If your Final Four’s gone, pick up the phone
And call… BRACKET BUSTERS!

I ain’t afraid of Cinderella
I ain’t afraid of buzzer beaters
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

Who you gonna call? BRACKET BUSTERS!

If you’ve had a dose, and your Champ is toast
You’d better call… BRACKET BUSTERS!

Let me tell you something
Bustin’ makes me feel good

Don’t get caught in one-on-one, oh
When it comes through the paint
Unless you just want free throws
I think you better call…

WHO WE GONNA CALL?

BRACKET BUSTERS!

“Exceed the Seed (Bracket Busters)” – by KP (Spoof of Ray Parker Jr.’s “Ghostbusters”)
By now, many of you have already filled out a bracket, and therefore have your own Cinderellas in place. Let’s compare, shall we? I present you with my list of “Bracket Busters”, including a six pack of teams that I think can “exceed their seed”, potentially resulting in a lot of crumbled brackets in the very near future.

KP’s Bracket Busters for 2009 *

Mississippi State Bulldogs
(#13 – West Region)

There’s a little term out there called momentum, and that’s what the Bulldogs have after winning six straight (including four by nine points or more), plus earning a tournament bid by winning the SEC conference tournament. Forget the little things, what about a big man by the name of Jarvis Varnado? Varnado leads the team in scoring, while adding nine boards a game and rivaling Uconn’s Hasheem Thabeet as the best blocker in the nation. And oh yeah, the Bulldogs are among the country’s best in field goal percentage defense, while also draining an average of eight or more triples a game. In my eyes, it all adds up to a shocking first round upset of the Washington Huskies.

Wisconsin Badgers
(#12 – East Region)

Everyone is high on Florida State, and why not, they’ve had a great year, one that’s been quite a surprise to many. But hear this about FSU: Its a scrappy defensive team that has one star scorer, Toney Douglas, who averages over 21 points a game. Besides Douglas, no one other Seminole player averages in double figures.

Enter the Badgers, a defensive minded team led by head coach Bo Ryan. This is a team with some veteran leadership and March Madness experience. Ignore the six game losing streak earlier in the season. Heck, none of those losses were by double digits, three of them were by three points, and two others went to overtime. All in all, Wisconsin has the defensive ability to shut down Douglas and force others to beat them. And that’s why I have Wisconsin not only upsetting FSU, but also moving on to shock Xavier and make the Sweet 16.

Arizona Wildcats
(#12 – Midwest Region)

Arizona may be the team that every critic says should not have made this year’s dance, but now that the Wildcats are here, all that talk is simply just fuel to motivate the players – a group that includes a few future NBA talents, including Jordan Hill (18.5 PPG and 11 RPG), Chase Budinger (17.9 PPG and 6.3 RPG), and Nic Wise (15.1 PPG and 4.6 APG).

Sure, Utah has some balance, featuring four players who average in double figures, led by giant center Luke Nevill. But there’s just something about being rejuvenated with a madness invite, and even though the Wildcats dropped five of six to end the year, they have enough talent to turn on their game at any time – and that time is now with a 12-5 upset of the Utes.

Virginia Commonwealth Rams
(#11 – East Region)

VCU has been here before, and so has senior Eric Maynor, who hit the game winning shot that sank Duke in the tournament a few seasons ago. Returning to the tournament again, Maynor is among the nation’s highest scorers, averaging 22.4 a game, while also dishing the rock for over six assists per game. The Rams also have Larry Sanders, the talented forward who averages over 11 points and eight boards a game.

Enter UCLA, a team that in recent years lives in the Final Four. But this year, the Bruins have been inconsistent. Sure, Ben Howland still has a talented bunch that plays solid defense, but VCU found a way against a Duke team that always plays sound defense. And that’s why I see another “Maynor Miracle”, putting a dramatic end to UCLA’s impressive tournament streak.

Clemson Tigers
(#7 – South Region)

How is it that this Clemson team can start out at such a blistering pace each year, only to fade down the stretch every single time? The Tigers finished out by losing four of five, dropping their seed down to the seven slot. But this team can play, and blowout victories over tournament teams such as Duke and Maryland prove it. The question is, which Tiger team will show up when the madness begins? The Jekyll or the Hyde? One thing’s for certain, the talented trio of Trevor Booker, K.C. Rivers, and Terrence Oglesby can beat anyone on a given day.

And in the first round, Clemson and Michigan should put up a fireworks display, as both are solid three-point shooting teams. With Oklahoma reeling ever since Blake Griffin left with a concussion, anything is possible. Sure, Griffin is likely the top pick in upcoming draft, but the supporting cast has been iffy in recent weeks, and OU has been losing with Griffin in the lineup, too. Maybe it’s fatigue, who knows, but this isn’t the same Sooners team from weeks ago, and that’s why I have a talented Clemson team catching fire and knocking out the Sooners in the second round.

Wake Forest Demon Deacons
(#4 – Midwest Region)

People should recall that this Wake team was once #1 in the country, and has impressive victories over Duke, Boston College (twice) Clemson (twice), BYU, Florida State, and North Carolina. They loosely remind me of a championship Syracuse team from a few years back, mostly from the perspective that they are a young and talented group that came in slightly under the radar, just below the top tier of teams. With the ‘Cuse, it was Carmelo Anthony, Hakim Warrick, and Gerry McNamara. On this young Wake team, it’s Jeff Teague, James Johnson, and Al-Farouq Aminu.

Do I have the Demon Deacons winning the title? Nope… but I do have them upsetting Louisville to advance to the Elite 8. Don’t think it’s possible? Look at Wake, a team that’s among the best in the nation in rebound margin, a.k.a. second chances. Now look at Louisville, a very talented team, but one who shoots poorly from the line (around 64%), while also having some significant lapses during the season, including a 33-point loss to Notre Dame and a 14-point loss to Western Kentucky. After ten straight wins, they could be due to fall soon, and Wake has the talent to knock them out if they can catch the Cardinals on the right day.

Who are your Cinderellas for 2009?

Don’t forget… if you need ‘em, the Bracket Busters are just a phone call away.

* This is similar to KP’s post of the same title from last season, where he was able (or lucky) to predict over 2/3 of his upsets correctly.

Originally posted to KP’s Blog (via Fox Sports) on March 16, 2009

Looking for a reason to not take a team far in the tournament? You’re not alone there. But hey, if you look hard enough, there are plenty of reasons to shy away from even the biggest powers in college basketball… from injuries, to offensive woes, defensive woes, free throw shooting, and even single points of failure. Take the following examples, which in the end could eventually assist you in throwing the finishing touches on the masterpiece that is your 2009 bracket.

Reasons To Avoid Some of the Higher Seeds in the Tournament *

Free Throw Shooting
Think about it, March Madness is chock full of close games. When down to the wire, it’s often the players with ice in their veins from the charity stripe that win the tight games. Last year, there were teams like Clemson and Memphis with atrocious numbers from the line. For Clemson, it hit them and they were out quick. For Memphis, their talent put them in the title game, but in the end, we all know it was the free throw shooting that cost them a National Title. As for this year, take the following two teams, and how they rank in the country…

(1) Louisville – 64.3% FT – Rank: 298th
(3) Syracuse – 63.9% FT – Rank: 303rd

Offensive Rebounds Per Game
Hey, what’s better than a second chance? Well, besides making due with your first chance, but still, often teams can earn those big victories by getting a high total of second chance points. Let’s look at a few teams that have struggled to get offensive boards this season…

(5) Purdue – 9.4 per game – Rank: 303rd
(8) BYU – 9.2 per game – Rank: 308th
(6) Arizona State – 8.4 per game – Rank: 324th
(8) Ohio State – 8.1 per game – Rank: 328th

Assist Turnover Ratio
More often than not, it’s efficiency and a quality team effort that can vault a team deep into the tournament. Specifically, there’s assist turnover ratio, where a team can dish out the rock frequently, while not turning the ball over. Take the following teams, who have struggled in this category throughout the year…

(4) Washington – 0.88 ATR – Rank: 212th
(4) Wake Forest – 0.83 ATR – Rank: 251st
(5) Florida State – 0.78 ATR – Rank: 278th

Fouls Per Game
Plain and simple, you can’t win a game without your starting lineup on the court. A team needs to have discipline to avoid silly fouls, while also keeping an opponent off the line and away from the double bonus. In particular, these teams have committed a large number of fouls throughout the season…

(8) Oklahoma State – 21.3 per game – Rank: 15th
(3) Missouri – 19.9 per game – Rank: 61st
(4) Washington – 19.5 per game – Rank: 83rd

Three Point Shooting
This one has two parts. First, for the teams that struggle from behind the arc, and therefore when facing a physical opponent, can struggle to keep a team honest by mixing it up from deep. Then there are the teams that live and die by the three, and when an off night arrives, this team is likely doomed for elimination. Take the following examples of each…

Struggles from Behind the Arc
(2) Memphis – 32% – Rank: 261st
(4) Wake Forest – 31.8% – Rank: 266th

Live and Die by the 3
(7) California – 43.4% – Rank: 1st
(4) Xavier – 39.9% – Rank: 13th
(6) UCLA – 39.8% – Rank: 14th
(4) Gonzaga – 39.4% – Rank: 19th

Injuries
It’s tough to gauge the severity of an injury, especially since more often than not, a school will downplay a certain injury to confuse and complicate an opponent’s game plan. Still, in some cases, it’s an injury to a star player that in the end can derail a team that once had high hopes of a National Title entering the tournament. Take the following examples…

(1) North Carolina – Ty Lawson
Rested for a few games in the ACC tournament, it’s said that Lawson should play, but who knows how bad the toe injury will be. One thing’s for certain, the ‘Heels hope that “this little piggy will go to the basket”.

(1) Pittsburgh – Levance Fields
Fields has been nursing groin and back injuries, both of which can linger on and cause problems, but the hope in Pittsburgh is that he’ll be fine.

(1) Connecticut – Jerome Dyson
UConn’s second leading scorer, Dyson’s season ended after being diagnosed with a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee. The Huskies have depth and talent, but Dyson definitely has been missed.

(5) Illinois – Chester Frazier
Likely the feistiest defender for the Illini, Frasier reportedly will be very limited in the opening round game against #12 seed Western Kentucky.

(6) Marquette – Dominic James
This one hurt for the Golden Eagles, as James ran the point, and was one of the team’s better players. Since he went down, Marquette clearly hasn’t been the same team.

Single Points of Failure
And last but not least, there are the teams that have one player that puts up the majority of the scoring on offense. Upon meeting a tough defensive opponent that can shut this player down, it’s often difficult to find others to step up and put points on the board. In particular, the following teams and players come to mind…

(3) Kansas – Sherron Collins – 18.3 PPG
Sure, Cole Aldrich averages a double-double per game, but Collins is the heart and soul of this Jayhawks team.

(5) Florida State – Toney Douglas – 21.3 PPG
Outside of Douglas, no one else on the Florida State roster averages in double figures.

(6) Arizona State – James Harden – 20.8 PPG
Pendergraph does average over 14 a game, but the Sun Devils live and die by Harden.

* Stats courtesy of NCAA website and StatSheet.com