http://www.articlealley.com en-us editorial@articlealley.com Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley To say that Emily MacLeod knows her role on the Michigan State University women's cross-country team would be to vastly underestimate not only her ability, but her leadership and desire. MacLeod, the only senior runner for... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/emily-macleod-and-michigan-state-win-the-2010-big-ten-crosscountry-championshps-1888754.html 07th December 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley For the Michigan State women's cross-country team, the time to win is now. And believe you me, the Spartans have made that decision really clear recently. Fresh off winning the Big Ten Conference title, Michigan State's wo... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/emily-macleod-and-michigan-state-win-the-2010-ncaa-great-lakes-reigonal-crosscountry-championships-1888753.html 07th December 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley The AP Top 25 and Coaches Top 25 College Football Polls are nationally recognized, but after 50+ years of watching and/or covering college football games, and being a former sports editor for a daily newspaper, here is anothe... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/top-25-poll--week-11--no-1--the-auburn-tigers-until-they-lose-1876618.html 30th November 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley Is anyone surprised that 4 ranked football teams - 3 of them very highly ranked - won their games by a combined total of 12 points this week? You should not be surprised that No. 1-ranked Oregon, 3rd-ranked TCU, 7th-ranked St... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/4-highlyranked-teams-2-unbeaten-win-by-a-combined-total-of-12-points-1873812.html 29th November 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley When I was knee-high to a grasshopper in 1954, baseball was THE sport in America. It wasn't about football as it is now. Every kid I knew made the corner grocery store owner a fortune by buying baseball cards. It was all a... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/the-dave-niehaus-i-remember-and-why-his-voice-alone-touched-us-in-a-significant-way-1867528.html 25th November 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley You see it in college football games every Saturday - missed assignments, missed tackles, players throwing themselves at runners and hoping they will fall down. Guess what? The runners do not fall down so much anymore. They ... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/whats-missing-in-college-football-defense--7-games-generate-703-points-100-points-per-game-1862130.html 23rd November 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley Both unbeaten Michigan State and Missouri saw their national championship hopes evaporate this week as the hard-nosed Iowa Hawkeyes dug in at home to crush the Spartans, 37-6, and the equally defensive-minded Nebraska Cornhus... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/michigan-state-and-missouri-lose-first-game-and-miami-and-florida-state-suffer-upsets-1844264.html 16th November 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley The Washington Huskies, who had climbed to the top of the mountain in upsetting 24th-ranked Oregon State 35-34 in double overtime two weeks ago, fell off the side of the mountain against 15th-ranked Arizona. The Wildcats s... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/washingtons-up-and-down-college-football-team-simply-lacks-an-effective-defense-1837653.html 12th November 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley If you are a Michigan State fan, booster or alumni, watching the Spartans play can be dangerous to your health. A rabid follower of the Spartans is emotionally vested and seeing them in the first half of their last two gam... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/meet-the-michigan-state-spartans--the-come-from-behind-kids-who-continue-to-win-1836398.html 11th November 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley The AP Top 25 and Coaches Top 25 College Football Polls are nationally recognized, but after 50+ years of watching and/or covering college football games, and being a former sports editor for a daily newspaper, here is anothe... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/top-25-poll--week-8--auburn-not-oregon-is-no-1-1834065.html 11th November 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley I have had it with the illegal Mexican aliens. I am not interested in having my taxpayer money subsidize any support programs for these foreigners who refuse to identify themselves, and refuse to go though the process of ... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/illegal-mexican-aliens-either-need-to-assimilate-into-our-american-culture-or-return-home-1609269.html 20th June 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley Having the best indoor prep track and field performance during the 2010 season is a huge accomplishment considering our population (the current U. S. Census Bureau estimate is 309+ million). Having the best indoor prep tr... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/best-indoor-prep-track-and-field-marks-for-high-school-athletes-since-1999--the-last-11-years-1607111.html 18th June 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley There are certain moments in track and field history that merit our attention, and this is one of them. An obscure runner from Kenyaâ€"Bernard Lagatâ€"comes to America, and graduates from Washington State University in 20... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/bernard-lagat-becomes-chairman-of-the-boards-by-winning-his-8th-wanamaker-mile-in-35634-1460786.html 22nd March 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley The University of Washington's women cross-country runners are the defending national champions, and they looked every bit the part while sweeping both the 2009 Pacific-10 Conference and NCAA West Regional titles. The Hus... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/washingtons-women-win-both-2009-conference-and-ncaa-west-regional-xcountry-championships-1413076.html 23rd February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley There is a new sign on I-5 running north to south through Western Washington and by the Montlake Campus at University of Washington, and it tells a truth that many national champions have had to come to terms withâ€"that it ... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/washington-women-discover-that-it-is-easier-to-win-a-national-championship-than-to-defend-it-1412178.html 23rd February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley The advent of technology in the last decade has led to a handheld device that allows the user to make telephone calls, access the Internet, watch television, download data and music, and probably even more features I am unaw... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/is-the-fate-of-the-written-word-tied-to-popularity-1406040.html 19th February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley Much was made of star Texas quarterback Colt McCoy being knocked out of the National Championship Game early on against Alabama. His replacement, Garrett Gilbert, an inexperienced freshman, came in to replace McCoy. Alabama ... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/who-says-that-freshmen-players-cannot-lead-a-team-to-a-bowl-victory-1403919.html 18th February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley Whoever figured out that a great, experienced quarterback is almost a necessity for a championship team was a genius before his time. The recent Super Bowl confrontation between the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints ... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/jake-locker-returns--the-outlook-for-washington-husky-football-in-2010-just-rose-1000-1403168.html 18th February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley When Mark Dantonio took over as head coach of the Michigan State University football program 3 years ago, no one was more excited and clapping louder than this former athlete and Michigan State graduate. It was easy to under... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/michigan-states-2010-football-program-is-in-critical-need-of-a-course-correction-immediately-1402597.html 17th February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley Despite being down 14-zip early on, two 2009 bowl teamsâ€"Utah and Middle Tennesseeâ€"won by 10, and Texas Tech managed to take the "Distraction" Bowl (aka the Alamo Bowl) title from Michigan State University, 41-31. Both... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/down-14zip-two-2009-bowl-teams-win-by-10--texas-tech-take-the-distraction-bowl-aka-alamo-bowl-1399293.html 16th February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley Twelve months is a long time to wait when you seek personal and team redemption, but it is also a short time to wait when the event yields a positive result and you can bask in that success for the rest of your life. For Ala... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/alabama-uses-mark-ingram--the-crimson-tide-defense-to-beat-texas--win-the-national-title-37--21-1398766.html 16th February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley Another great college football season has come and gone. Here is my final poll for 2009, and why I rank them where I do. Die-hard fans should remember that next year's first kickoff is only 7 months away. 1) Alabama (14-0... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/ed-bagleys-final-top-25-poll-for-the-2009-college-football-season-1398688.html 16th February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley While Nebraska used its stifling defense to record the 2009 bowl season's only shutout (a 33-0 victory over Arizona), six other bowl winners used their defense to achieve victories--Iowa, Ohio State, Wisconsin, Boise State, ... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/six-2009-bowl-teams-used-defense-to-win-none-more-convincingly-than-iowa-1395078.html 12th February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley Eight of the 34 bowl game winnersâ€"or approximately 25 percentâ€"earned their victories by 3 or less points, and none won in more exciting fashion than Idahoâ€"and that includes two double overtime winners (Wyoming and Cent... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/eight-2009-bowl-teams-win-by-3-points-or-less-none-more-exciting-than-idaho--part-1-1391338.html 11th February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour continued to make history in the GMAC Bowl as he led the Chippewas to a high-scoring 44-41 win over Troy in double overtime. LeFevour completed 33 of 55 passes for 395 yards and scored on a... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/eight-2009-bowl-teams-win-by-3-points-or-less-none-more-exciting-than-idaho--part-2-1390433.html 11th February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley Eight of the 34 bowl game losersâ€"or approximately 25 percentâ€"lost by 20 or more points, none worse than Nevada's 45-10 drubbing at the hands of the rising Southern Methodist University Mustangs in the Hawaii Bowl. For S... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/eight-2009-bowl-teams-lose-by-20-or-more-points-none-worse-than-nevada--part-1-1389751.html 11th February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley Houston blew into the Armed Forces Bowl with its quarterback Case Keenum, the nation's leading signal-caller with 5,671 passing yards, 44 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions. Houston had earned a right to swaggerâ€"the ... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/eight-2009-bowl-teams-lose-by-20-or-more-points-none-worse-than-nevada--part-2-1389697.html 11th February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley Dick Morris and his frequent appearances on Bill O'Reilly's top-rated FOX News program have been a thorn in the side of President Obama and the Democratic Party's majority members in Congress. Morris never misses a chance... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/the-most-resistant-guy-to-change-in-washington-appears-to-be-the-very-guy-we-elected-president-1386781.html 09th February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley It was goodbye for legendary coach Bobby Bowden of Florida State, and welcome back Oklahoma as both the Seminoles and Sooners racked up the best victories among the six desperation bowl teams, so-called because of their disa... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/biggest-winners-among-the-six-2009-desperation-bowl-teams-were-florida-state-and-oklahoma-1386780.html 09th February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley On Society: Call your family and friends often. Tell your family and friends you love them and care about them, and then show them your love and affection. We cannot get enough positive energy in this life because we are ... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/here-is-some-down-home-advice-for-living-the-rest-of-your-life--part-2-1377606.html 05th February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley Do you know what the cheapest commodity in the world is? Well, it's advice. Everyone seems to have an opinion; if you don't think so, just ask them. Here is some advice about how to live your life. Some of the advice is thou... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/here-is-some-down-home-advice-for-living-the-rest-of-your-life--part-1-1375605.html 03rd February 2010 Copyright © 2010 Ed Bagley It is altogether fitting that my first original writing of the new year should be a prayer to Jesus Christ, my Savior and promise keeper. I am a converted Roman Catholic, and believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of the livi... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/prayer-of-gratitude-to-jesus-christ-my-savior-and-promise-keeper-1343308.html 12th January 2010 Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley Sophomore running back Mark Ingram has done something for the University of Alabama that legendary quarterbacks Joe "Willie" Namath and Kenny Stabler and every other football player at Alabama could not do--bring home a Heis... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/mark-ingram-becomes-the-first-ever-heisman-trophy-winner-for-alabama-1342567.html 12th January 2010 Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley Alabama, Texas, Cincinnati, Oregon and Georgia all won major conference championships recently and earned key spots in 4 of the 5 upcoming, coveted BCS bowl games. Here is how their victories have changed my Top 25 Poll ran... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/ed-bagleys-top-25-poll--week-14--guess-whos-no-1-again-1300673.html 17th December 2009 Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley If you are not a college football fan and could care less if you never see a bowl game in your life, you might wonder what all of the fuss is about. If you have a red-blooded male in your life, just ask him. There will b... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/college-football--why-bowl-games-are-such-a-big-deal--they-bring-prestige-and-139-million-1300422.html 17th December 2009 Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley Five of the nation's best major conference teams won titles in college football's 14th week to earn coveted spots in BCS bowl games. The best of the best included Alabama, Texas, Cincinnati, Oregon and Georgia Tech. In t... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/5-major-conference-teams-win-championships-to-earn-coveted-spots-in-the-bcs-bowl-games-1299559.html 16th December 2009 Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley Six AP Top 25 teams can testify what a pain in the butt road games areâ€"all were upset during college football's 13th week of play, and 2 of the 6 will be facing off in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game this w... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/college-football-week-13--6-top-25-teams-upset-on-the-road-bloom-comes-off-of-the-acc-title-game-1275036.html 07th December 2009 Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley There were 4 upsets of Top 25 teams this week but none of them mattered. What did matter were two favorites winning big with implications as Ohio State topped Michigan and Oregon outlasted Arizona. These events caused change... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/ed-bagleys-top-25-poll--week-12--two-favorites-win-big-1264300.html 27th November 2009 Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley In a great example of too little too late, there were 4 upsets of AP Top 25 teams in college football's 12th week and none of them had any real impact. On the other hand, two favorites won big time road games with big implic... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/college-football-week-12--ohio-state-and-oregon-earn-big-victories-with-big-implications-1260240.html 26th November 2009 Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley It's over for Southern California. Coach Pete Carroll will be dining with some lesser light Hollywood celebrities in the near future. Gone are the USC streaks of 7 straight BCS bowls, 7 straight 11-win seasons, and 7 str... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/college-football-week-11--southern-cals-7-years-of-excellence-ends-stanford-wins-55--21-1248427.html 24th November 2009 Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley Iowa, Oregon, Penn State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and California all lost ground in the AP Top 25 Poll this week. All of them also lost ground in my Top 25 Poll this week with the exception of Oklahomaâ€"I kicked Oklahoma out o... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/ed-bagleys-top-25-poll--week-10--oregon-is-moving-down-fast-1240560.html 20th November 2009 Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley Unbeaten Iowa suffered the biggest loss as one of six AP Top 25 teams to be upset during college football's 9th week of competition. The others were Oregon, Penn State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma and California. The 8th-ranked ... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/college-football-week-10--upstart-northwestern-hands-iowa-its-first-loss--5-other-teams-are-upset-1238420.html 18th November 2009 Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley When the train was ready to pull out of the station this year at East Lansing, the Michigan State University Spartans had a chance to enjoy every stop on their way to an unbeaten season. They could have run the table at t... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/college-football---the-train-has-left-the-station-and-michigan-state-missed-the-departure-1232156.html 13th November 2009 Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley Oregon, Texas and Iowa won huge, critical victories to remain in contention for the National Championship Game during college football's 9th week of play. None of the three victories was more impressive or substantial tha... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/college-football-week-9--oregon-texas--iowa-notch-critical-wins-in-the-national-ttile-chase-1229677.html 12th November 2009 Copyright © 2009 Ed Bagley Oregon's 47-20 upset victory over Southern California was beyond huge this week, causing a significant shift in who is where in my Top 25 Poll for college football's 9th week of play. Here is how I see it: 1) Alabama (8-0... http://www.articlealley.com/http://edbagley.articlealley.com/ed-bagleys-top-25-poll--week-9--oregon-is-moving-up-fast-1228075.html 11th November 2009