Stats Scream Top 10

Top 25 disrespected: Houston & Case Keenum deserve much better than No. 18 finalranking

The final Top 25 college football polls are out and the big conference fix is in.

Alabama finished as a unanimous No. 1 as expected, drawing 55 of the 60 first-place votes in the Associated Press poll (with Oklahoma State getting four votes and LSU one). Nine of the Top 10 spots went to BCS conference powers with the SEC placing four teams (Alabama, No. 2 LSU, No. 5 Arkansas and No. 9 South Carolina) and the Pac-12 three (No. 4 Oregon, No. 6 USC and No. 7 Stanford) in the Top 10.

One of the biggest losers?

Houston (13-1) is the only one-loss team in the country that didn't crack the Top 10 in both polls.

None other than the University of Houston and quarterback Case Keenum. Case & The Coogs deserve much better than their No. 18 final ranking in the AP Top 25 and No. 14 ranking in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll. Houston (13-1) is the only one-loss team in the country that didn't crack the Top 10 in both polls. The lowest any of other one-loss teams finished in either poll was eighth (Boise State in the AP).

No other team outside of the Top 14 in the AP poll has less than three losses. A 10-3 West Virginia team finishing higher than UH is a particular joke.

It's a shame that the voters couldn't see beyond the big conference bias to properly recognize what was clearly one of the best seasons in all of college football this year. So much for the voters paying attention to the Cougars' runaway bowl victory over Big Ten Penn State, a team with one of the top-rated defenses in the country — until Keenum shredded it for 533 yards.

After that game, I wrote that Houston clearly deserved a spot in the Top 10 and the results of the national championship game only validated that. Every team in the country finished with at least one loss. The best of the best stumbled once — like UH did in the Conference USA title game. Boise State didn't win its conference either and it's still deemed Top 10 worthy.

Heck, Nick Saban didn't win the SEC and his team's the national champion, as mythical as that title is.

Alabama goes 12-1, beats Penn State 27-11, and is No. 1. Houston goes 13-1, beats Penn State 30-14, and is No. 18. Even with the vast differences between the SEC and Conference USA that doesn't quite compute. The eye test alone tells anyone who watched college football this year that Case & The Coogs are one of the 10 best teams in the country.

UH had that special of a season. Too bad so few outside of H-Town bothered to notice.

unspecified

chill out

Houston Astros ballpark gets cool new name for the next 15 years

Courtesy of the Houston Astros

The Astros' stadium will have a new name in 2025.

The Houston Astros are about to have the coolest ballpark in Major League Baseball. The team announced on Monday, November 18 that its has reached a naming rights agreement HVAC manufacturer Daikin Comfort Technologies North America, Inc.

Beginning on January 1, 2025, the stadium will be known as Daikin Park (die-kin). Scheduled to run through the 2039 season, the new name replaces Minute Maid Park, which has been the stadium’s name since 2002. It opened in 1999 as Enron Field.

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Astros fans online are already calling the new stadium “The Ice Box,” replacing its informal “The Juice Box” moniker. That name feels likely to stick.

Japan-based Daikin Industries is a leading manufacturer of HVAC systems. It sells air conditioning units and other products under brand names such as Daikin, Goodman, Amana® and Quietflex. Critically, it operates Daikin Texas Technology Park in nearby Waller, which is the largest HVAC manufacturing facility in North America. The company employs approximately 10,000 people in Greater Houston, according to a release.

“We are excited to be partnering with Daikin for our ballpark’s naming rights,” Astros owner Jim said. “Daikin is an international company that proudly calls the Greater Houston area its North American home. The Houston Astros and Daikin share the same values, a commitment to excellence and a desire to give back to our local community. As we celebrate the 25th anniversary of this ballpark in 2025, I am proud to have Daikin alongside us to create even more special memories for our fans now and in the future.”

The Astros will use the revenue for new stadium amenities and other upgrades. It will also continue the team’s various community initiatives. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. the Houston Chronicle notes that naming rights deals may be worth anywhere from $3.5 million per year (T-Mobile park in Seattle) to $11 million per year for the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Field.

The team’s first game in Daikin Park will take place on Monday, March 24, which it plays an exhibition against its Triple-A affiliate, the Sugar Land Space Cowboys. It will open the regular season on Thursday, March 27 against the New York Mets.

“Daikin fit all of the criteria we set out to find in a naming rights partner,” Astros senior vice president Matt Brand added. “Their name and reputation fit our iconic downtown Houston home, and their values mesh perfectly with those of the Astros. We are grateful to partner with the entire Daikin team and to help them succeed in their business goals. Daikin Park will be a special place for our fans for many years to come.”

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