Tate Forcier Meet Thaddeus Gibson

"I am going to get (my teammates) to a bowl game. If it means spending 10 hours in film this week, then I am going to do it. But we are going to get them to a bowl game." - Tate Forcier, Michigan freshman QB

The above happens for the 5-6 Wolverines if they beat Ohio State this weekend in Ann Arbor. Good luck.

Um, just don't tell the NCAA about all those extra hours in the film room. Tate, how did you like Thaddeus Gibson in all that film-watchin'?

Michigan Week

Mizzou fans hate Kansas and vice versa. The hate runs deep between these two schools. The rivalry dates all the way back to the Civil War era.

Now, imagine if both schools had football teams that were 100 times better than they currently are. Or that Mizzou was as good as Kansas in hoops (every year, not just last year). Then imagine a history of the conference title always coming down to their one game in late November, often with national implications.

Again, multiply all that by 1000 and you might get somewhere near the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry. This game is largely acknowledged as the greatest rivalry in all of sports. It doesn't get any bigger than this. And all of this fuss over Toledo? You better believe it.

This is the biggest week of sport for me as a Buckeye fan. It's bigger than the Super Bowl. I can deal with the big game flops of the past couple of years as long as my team beats that school up north.

Luckily, we are currently in an era of ascendancy for The Ohio State University in this rivalry game. Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel has won seven of eight of these games. He owned Lloyd Carr and last year PWNED Rich Rodriguez to the tune of 42-7. So, The Game has been good to me lately.

I apologize ahead of time for all the college football posts coming this week, but I can't seem to help it. I toned it down this season after writing about Ohio State all through last season. This week is different. Ohio State is going to the Rose Bowl no matter what happens on Saturday in Ann Arbor, but it will all be for nothing if they don't beat the Wolverines. I'm not kidding. Ask John Cooper.

You enjoy your Mizzou Tigers, COMO-ians. I'm a Buckeye and this is Michigan Week. Nothing else really matters beyond that.

You Don't Want Any of This, Mizzou

There's this ridiculous ad on the AM sports radio station here in COMO where a future is imagined where the current football coach's grandson is winning his tenth-straight national championship. It's ridiculous in that no college football team has ever won anything close to ten-in-a-row. Yale won five straight in the 19th century. It's amazing when a team wins consecutive championships or even more than one in a decade. So, the premise is just sort of dumb.

But that's not the only reason the ad is ridiculous.

Trust me, Mizzou fans. Take it from someone who knows. You don't want to win a national championship. It only ends in heartache and ulcers. If you win one, you have to win another. Any season that doesn't end with a crystal trophy is a complete failure. A loss or two by mid-October means the season is over. You don't want this.

As mentioned her before, I'm an Ohio State Buckeye fan. Always have been. Always will.

I was part of a generation that didn't know what a national championship was like. Ohio State had a few shots in my very early years, but I don't remember what those days were like. Then OSU put together six straight 9-3 seasons. That seemed pretty great to me. They struggled for a few years after that before putting together some 9, 10, and even 11 win seasons in the 90's.

By all accounts, this was a successful football program despite not being a part of the national championship discussion. I figured that I had my team and I could watch the other teams scramble for the mythical national championship.

Then, 2002 happened. Ohio State, led by second year coach Jim Tressel, had the most magical season. Despite a quarterback who's best pass was three rows into the stands and an injury-prone future felon at tailback, the team used an incredibly gifted defense and solid special teams to go 14-0 and win the BCS title. Every game, no matter the competition, went down to the wire. Even the championship game was a double-overtime thriller in which the Buckeyes bear a Miami team who had won thirty-some games in a row.

That 2002 season was as improbable as it was magical. It was the stuff special commemorative DVD's are made of or even more special hard-bound editions of Sports Illustrated. It was one of the most amazing moments for me as a sports fan and it ruined me.

Ever since that amazing season, I and the rest of the Ohio State faithful have simply expected the Buckeyes to win the national championship. In 2006, we entered the national championship game with a perfect 12-0 record that included two wins over the #2 team in the country and the Heisman Trophy winner in Troy Smith. Needless to say, the Buckeyes lost that game to Florida.

The next season was an improbable year of upsets, landing Ohio State in a second-consecutive championship game...and another loss. It hasn't gotten much better since.

The success of the 2002 championship season has ruined my enjoyment of college football. I am obsessed with it. I expect my team to win every game. It's not enough that Ohio State has won five-straight conference championships and games versus their rival Michigan. My expectations are completely off-kilter.

Yesterday, more heartache set in. Seventh-ranked Ohio State fell to the worst team in their conference yesterday, a 1-5 Purdue team. Led by super (hyped) sophomore Terrelle Pryor's four turnovers, Ohio State failed to even score 20 points or gain 100 yards rushing to the Big Ten's worst defense. Usually, the defense just wins games for this team, but the offense had to step up and couldn't, but I digress.

You don't want to know this kind of misery, Misery. Be happy with your 8-5, Big 12 North co-championships and Independence Bowl appearances. Enjoy that game in which you almost beat Nebraska or held Oklahoma to under 50 points. Have fun watching your team even if you can't find them on TV.

Trust me. You don't want a national championship and the crazy, unrealistic expectations with which they come. It's better to enjoy some mediocrity. Ignorance really is bliss, Mizzou fans. Have fun losing to Texas as homecoming. At least you don't have to worry about a national championship like those Longhorn fans.

Now, I am going to go crawl into my little college football hole and cry myself to sleep. I guess there's always next year. Go Bucks.

Something Not Worth Mentioning

The STL Rams are mired in a bit of controversy recently. It seems one of the members of a prospective owners group is the issue. I won't mention said prospective minority owner by name, because that's what he wants me to do. Well, not me specifically. Really, he wants people and the media to talk about him because that's publicity that he could use.

Actually, the controversy isn't so much about who the guy is, rather than some of the things he has said. The man in question is a conservative radio talk show host. As Colin Cowherd put it on his radio show yesterday, this pundit deals in "affirmation, not information." The people who listen to conservative talk radio or Fox "News" don't do it to get new information or insight. They give their time to hear someone say what they're thinking. Sure, some would argue that these conservative commentators are sexist, racist, classist, or [insert your favorite "-ist" here], but that's just what the audience wants to hear. Middle-America needs their daily affirmation.

The biggest problem with the prospective minority owner is that the racism inherent in his daily rants don't jive with the 65-70% African-American representation in the NFL. I don't think these players would really skip a paycheck in protest, but it could cause some problems for the team in the future. It will be hard to convince certain free agents to sign with the Rams or for some fans to continue to support the team. This one member of the owners group might do more harm than good.

Personally, I don't care what this particular individual has to say about anything. I don't listen to him and his brand of hate speech. He doesn't have any kind of influence over anyone that matters. Sure, there are a lot of misguided people out there who think he's great, but they'd have the same views he's on the radio or not.

Besides, there is freedom of speech in this country. He's allowed to voice his opinions on air no matter how insidious. You don't have to listen. I don't listen to it. If the first amendment doesn't protect Louis Farrakhan, Larry Flynt, and the subject of this post, then it won't protect any of us. So, he can say what he wants. Hell, he can own any team he wants. I don't care.

All of this controversy only draws attention to the controversial figure. Folks will tune in to his radio show to see what all the hub-bub is about. They'll buy his books and visit his website. This issue is a ratings bonanza. I don't know if he really wants part ownership of the Rams, but he surely does enjoy all the attention.

Of course, I will be surprised if the NFL allows him into their rather exclusive club. They do have an image to uphold. Why involve someone as divisive as a conservative radio talk show host? The NFL is making so much money that they don't need him.

Again, I don't care what the Rams or the NFL do. I'd prefer ignoring the whole thing. That's exactly what one prospective owner of the St. Louis Rams doesn't want us to do. He likes the attention.

Update: Since beginning this post, it was announced that the group looking to purchase the STL Rams has dropped the blowhard in question. Carry on.

Miscellaneous Miscellany

I have been terrible at keeping up with this blog lately. Between work and an incredibly busy 13-month-old child, I just haven't had time for this blog or any others. So, here's some miscellany from the last week or so...

• As previously mentioned, I had the week to myself. What does a man (stereotypically) do when he's on his own? He watches Monday Night Football, I guess. I watched Brett Favre's triumphant match-up versus his old team while eating hot dogs and baked beans and enjoying a couple of Bell's Octoberfests.
• I never get out to see movies these days, but I was able to catch Michael Moore's latest, Capitalism: A Love Story. I realize folks are tired of Moore's shtick, but this was maybe his most straightforward film ever. Also, Moore was finally able to follow up his acclaimed debut, Roger and Me. I walked out wishing we in this country could get over our hangups over socialism. Capitalism isn't working...well, for 90% of us anyway.
• The Decemberists played their outdoor show inside the luxurious Blue Note last week. Opener Laura Veirs was pretty good. The Decemberists were fine, but some enjoyed it more than I.
• I pulled a 12+ hour day on Thursday. That's all I'll say about that.
• Friday was an extended happy hour-kind-of-thing. I met friends at Sycamore for the always-delicious Founders Curmudgeon. This is the most vanilla olde ale I've ever tasted. That's a good thing. I followed that up with some beers, conversation, and a bánh mì at the 'Tag/Uprise. The night ended at Broadway Brewery where the beers are still a work in progress, but suspect it will only get better.
• On Saturday, I did what I normally do which was watch my Buckeyes. This time they put a whooping on an undefeated Wisconsin team while gaining half as many yards and having the ball for a third of the time. How does a team do that? Watch.
• That same evening, I brewed my third batch of beer. This one is a barley wine called Never Forget 9/11 - more for Lucia's birthday than for the other 9/11 you're never supposed to forget. The ABV will measure in somewhere between 9% and 11%. I've been planning this beer for a while and finally got around to brewing. It's so sticky and even the first bits of it taste good.
• R and Lu returned from their adventures in Michigan. The best part was that Lucia reached for me right away and gave me the longest hug ever. It was nice.
• I am a lifelong Browns fan. That's not easy to put into print these days. Of course, they won their first game this Sunday (over the 1-4 Buffalo Bills) by a whopping 6-3 baseball score.
• This guy makes me think all the time.
• And this time he made me think about this blog and what I'm doing with it.
• This blog made me think what I do is worthwhile. It's picked up where Bathysphere left off. Read A Ravenous Horde now.
• Columbus Day came and went. Does anyone celebrate Columbus Day anymore? Why? What did he do that's worth celebrating? And don't tell me he discovered America as if there were not already people living here or others who crossed the Atlantic before him.

I think that's all for now. Tell me what you want in the comments. I'll try to do better. I swear.

We're Buckeyes.

Last night, someone assured Lucia that her team won. I asked what team might that be. The dude replied, "Well, Mizzou of course."

While I'm pretty sure that Lucia has no idea what a team, football, or a Mizzou are, I'm also pretty sure she won't be a Tiger even if she did know what these things are. Yes, she was born here. Yes, there's a good chance she'll attend the school where her mother teaches. Yes, my paycheck comes from that very same university. However, I'm a Buckeye and by proxy she too will be a Buckeye. Even R, who claims no allegiance to any athletic team, holds two degrees from The Ohio State University. We're Buckeyes. Sorry to disappoint.

So, when people give me a hard time for wearing a block "O" on my hat at the farmer's market or proclaiming my allegiance on Facebook, I have to remember why I'm a Buckeye fan. I want people to understand that one does not just switch allegiances with a 9-hour move west. There are good reasons for sticking with my team and to promote that team to my own child.

I was born in 1975. Archie Griffin had just won the first of his two Heisman Trophies. No one else has ever won two. Archie was also in the midst of leading Ohio State to four consecutive Big Ten titles. Somewhere there is a picture of me as an infant wearing a number 45 jersey, Archie's number.

Ohio State at that point had a long and storied history. Woody Hayes was their coach. He was responsible for five of Ohio State's national championship seasons. They are one of only three schools with seven Heisman Trophy winners. The Buckeyes have a long list of All-Americans and national award winners. Last year, they became only the seventh team in college football history to win 800 games. Their rivalry with the University of Michigan is widely considered the greatest rivalry in sports. So, there's some history with the football program.

As I grew up, we watched Ohio State every Saturday in the fall. My dad is also a lifelong Buckeye fan. He'd explain the nuances of the game and would provide the history of the program long before one could simply Google the information. I grew up watching such greats as Chris Spielman, Chris Carter, and Keith Byars.

It was only natural that I would stick with my team as I grew older. I've witnessed Ohio State's last two Heisman winners (Troy Smith and Eddie George), multiple Big Ten championships, the frustrating Cooper years, the triumphant Tressel years, and their last national championship (2002). This has always been my team and will forever be my team.

For comparison, let's look at the local Missouri Tigers. They've had some success in recent years, but not on Ohio State's level. Last year's 10-4 team was considered a great success while Ohio State is unfairly remembered only for losing in national championship games. My bet is that Gary Pinkel would have loved to have just been considered for one of those games or at least a BCS bowl game. The Missouri program has 200 fewer wins than Ohio State, no Heisman winners, and no national champions. Their stadium seats about 35,000 fewer people than Ohio Stadium. It's not the same thing.

And it's not just the success that makes me a Buckeye. There were years during John Cooper's tenure when they couldn't beat Michigan or would come one game away from earning a shot at a national championship. There were some lean years. There was Maurice Clarrett. Through all of that, I stuck with my team.

Football, in particular Ohio State football, is in our blood. It's cultural. It's not personal. It just is.

Mizzou played a great game yesterday against an overrated Illinois team. Ohio State narrowly escaped a better-than-advertised Navy squad. None of that will change my allegiance. I will still cheer for Ohio State next week when they get trounced by USC once again.

If anyone should understand supporting your team no matter what it's the Mizzou fan. What other program has suffered as much as Missouri's? There were the countless years of finishing eighth in the Big-8. There was the fifth down. There was the foot of God play against Nebraska. Still, folks in central MO turn out to cheer on their Tigers. Good for them, but don't expect me to abandon my team for yours.

It's not as if we're wearing these t-shirts or anything. Mizzou can enjoy their success, but temper your expectations a bit. Nine or ten wins should make you really content. You don't have to win over every fan. I don't have to love Gary Pinkel. We work for the same institution, but we don't actually work together. I'm allowed to cheer for Ohio State (even when they play Mizzou). You're allowed to cheer for Mizzou. It's OK.

Anyway, here are Ohio State's highlights. The night of Lucia's big celebration is the USC game. You can count on my to watch and cheer on my Buckeyes...as they get whooped by four touchdowns. Ugh.

Lucia's First College Football Season (Preview)

My mom knits Lucia a hat for every month of the year. This month's edition arrived and just in time for football season.

Lucia was born a couple of weeks into last year's college football season, so aside from a game or two, she never really got the chance to enjoy the glory that is college football.

In case you couldn't tell, Lucia is not a Mizzou fan. Her daddy is a Buckeye fan. By proxy, that makes her a Buckeye fan. She now has a knitted hat, onesie, and Beanie Wells football jersey to prove it. (Let's hope she doesn't injure her toe or roll her ankle.) The girl is ready for the '09 season. Just look at that game face.

Lucia was born days before Ohio State's debacle in LA last year. Her presence was the only thing that helped me through that terrible loss. (That, and a bomber of Hog Heaven Barley Wine.) Now, I'm hopeful that her first full CFB season will be one to remember.

Anyway, here's my take on this upcoming season...

BCS Conference Champions:
Big East - Who cares?
Not one Big Least team made the preseason top-25 coaches' poll. There's a reason for this: they're a basketball conference. I keep hearing how improved the Big Least is year after year with almost nothing offered up as proof. Whatever, I've already wasted too much space on this conference. Cincinnati will win the conference and get trounced in the Orange Bowl again.

ACC - Miami
This was my "who cares" conference last year, and I was right. This conference was mired in mediocrity. This year's edition will be won by a four-loss Miami team. Have you seen their schedule? They play Florida State, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, and Oklahoma for their first four games. They'll be lucky to split, but that would put them at 2-1 in the conference. Three conference losses could win the ACC. My money is on an improving Miami team who will take the experience from that first stretch of games to their conference title. Besides, Virginia Tech lost their stud running back.

SEC - Florida
This was my pick last year and they're making it easy on me this year. Florida pretty much has everyone back from last year's dominating national championship team, including Saint Timothy Tebow (the NFLS's next great fullback) and King Beast Brandon Spikes. As much as I want to hate this team, I can't help but recognize their greatness at this point in time. Of course, the conference may be down yet again this season, making their path to the Mythical National Championship even easier.

Big 12 - Texas
Apparently, living here has given me some great insight into the Big 12 conference. I correctly picked Oklahoma to win the conference and that Missouri would only win only nine games despite all the hype surrounding the team. This year, Texas will win the tie-breaker (like OU last year) over Oklahoma (whom they'll beat handily) and Oklahoma State (who will beat them and get demolished by OU). Mizzou? They will lose the North to Kansas and maybe win 7-8 games overall. Illinois will get them on opening weekend this year.

Pac 10 - USC
USC will win this conference forever, but this year will be tougher than usual. Cal, Oregon, Oregon State, and Arizona all look to be improved this year. I predict USC will lose two conference games this year, but it will be enough for a return trip to the Rose Bowl and a rematch with...

Big 10 - The Ohio State University
OSU has the most talent in the Big Ten. Although several teams will be improved (Illinois, Iowa, Michigan), no one can match up with the Buckeyes. I'll have more to say on this below. I also think this year will be a year of redemption in the bowl games. Every team aside from the top three will be improved from last year. It may mean lower level bowls, but I'm betting the Big Ten will have a good showing this year.

BCS Buster - TCU
Last year, I came close in calling this one. I picked Ball State, but they faltered in their last two games after starting the year with twelve wins in a row. This year I'm not going as far out on a limb. TCU with their dominating defense is due for a breakout season. Their schedule isn't nearly as daunting as in years past with out of conference games versus Virginia and Clemson. So, the Horned Frogs could enter their mid-November tilt versus Utah undefeated.

The Heisman Trophy - Colt McCoy
I get the sense the voters don't want a two-time winner. Besides, McCoy maybe should have won the trophy last year instead of Oklahoma's Sam Bradford. Tim Tebow also has a Heisman, but it seems as if Archie Griffin will remain as the only two-time trophy winner. As an Ohio State fan, I'm fine with that.

Ohio State National Championship Scenarios: (There's really only one.)

1) Ohio State beats USC in the 'Shoe. This is every Ohio State fan's dream scenario. The Trojans enter Ohio Stadium with a freshman quarterback. The 105,000+ shake him into some mistakes. Terrelle Pryor will begin his legacy with a memorable performance as an experienced Buckey defensive line takes control of USC's running game. It probably won't happen, but I can dream.

2) Ohio State gets blasted by USC again, closing the door on anyone outside of Columbus ever taking the Buckeyes seriously again. I know this is all doom and gloom, but I fear things will get worse for Ohio State before they get better. USC is loaded once again. OSU has a bunch of young, unproven players to break in. Their week 1 opponent (Navy) will do very little in helping them prepare for the Trojans.

My Gut Feeling:
Ohio State will come close, but will lose another big game. Terrelle Pryor will live up to the hype in keeping the Buckeyes in the game, but it won't be enough. It will be what's expected. From here, a newly confident and determined Ohio State team will tear through the Big Ten on their way to a fifth straight Big Ten title and a shot at a rematch with USC in the Rose Bowl.

Realistic Ohio State Prediction:
They'll lose to USC and probably one more in the Big Ten, possibly at Penn State. However, I still believe they will win the Big Ten or at least a share. Unfortunately, if they win a share, they won't go to the Rose Bowl. The BCS has had it with Ohio State flops. On to the Capital One Bowl versus the second or third best team in the SEC. This will probably be their first bowl victory versus an SEC team. Most will say big deal, but it will be an important stepping stone toward the 2010 season.

Then, who wins the Mythical National Championship? Texas
Florida should win it. They have all the talent and experience. Some are saying that Arkansas will trip them up, but I think they'll be ready for the Razorbacks. I sort of like Tennessee and super safety Eric Berry's shot at an upset, but I don't really trust Lane Kiffin can pull it off. Either way, Florida will probably be back in the BCS championship game. There, they will lose to Texas who has an eerie resemblance to the last Longhorn team to win a BCS crown.

College Football Haiku, Part Deux

In case you didn't know, college football season will be here in less than a month. To commemorate its triumphant return (as well as the return of cable TV to my home - DirecTV offers the Big Ten Network!!!), I will begin this season the same way I began last bowl season: with a Haiku for each game. Embedded in each of these poems is hopefully some insight into the teams' seasons and maybe a few predictions.

H/T Inside USC (I am hating myself for any props to a USC blog, but they are the baddest boys on the block...until the NCAA takes them down.)

All Times Eastern

Thursday, September 3

7:00 PM South Carolina at North Carolina State, ESPN
Really? Who cares? It's
Spurrier's game to lose with
Q.B. Garcia.

7:30 PM North Texas at Ball State, ESPNU
B.S.U. will have
to replace Davis, but should
whoop some Texas ass.

8:00 PM Eastern Kentucky at Indiana. Big Ten Network
I.U. can only
get better from '08 and
win their opener.

9:00 PM Utah State at Utah, the Mtn.
This will be closer
than some think, but Utah will
prevail in the end.

10:15 PM Oregon at Boise State, ESPN
This is my fav game
of opening night. The Ducks
winning a close one.

Friday, September 4
8:00 PM Tulsa at Tulane, ESPN
Tulsa will trounce the
the green wave with their potent
offensive attack.

Saturday, September 5

12:00 PM Towson at Northwestern, Big Ten Network
Count on nine wins for
the Wildcats if they're go-
ing to play Towson.

12:00 PM Montana State at Michigan State, Big Ten Network
No big things for the
Spartans this year, but they will
beat up on M.S.

12:00 PM Appalachian State at East Carolina, MASN
This will not be like
in the Big House two seasons
ago. Pirates big.

12:00 PM Minnesota at Syracuse, ESPN2
The Orange will go
down to the Gophers who won't
start 7 and oh.

12:00 PM Kentucky at Miami (OH), ESPNU
Kentucky will win,
but it's interesting that
the game's in Cincy.

12:00 PM Navy at Ohio State, ESPN
Buckeyes win it big.
It won't help them for the next
game v. U.S.C.

12:00 PM Akron at Penn State, Big Ten Network
P.S.U. wins big.
They will not win the Big Ten.
It's O.S.U.'s year.

12:00 PM Liberty at West Virginia, Big East Network
I hope W-
V.U. whoops Falwell's school bad.
They win the B.E.

12:00 PM Toledo at Purdue, Big Ten Network
We will find out just
how bad Purdue is or how
bad Toledo is.

12:05 PM Northern Iowa at Iowa, Big Ten Network
Iowa wins in
a shutout with their big D.
Could win conference.

12:21 PM Western Kentucky at Tennessee, SEC Network
Who cares? Kiffykins
will win by just two touchdowns
Prepping for six wins.

1:00 PM Jacksonville State at Georgia Tech, ESPN 360
Crazy engineers
rack up 400 yards on
the ground and win big.

2:00 PM Northeastern at Boston College, ESPN 360
If B.C. wins and
no one watches, does it count?
A.C.C. says yes.

3:30 PM San Jose State at USC, FSN
I thought U.S.C.
only schedules B.C-
S. foes to destroy.

3:30 PM Nevada at Notre Dame, NBC
Notre Dame will eek
out a win here on their way
to seven and six.

3:30 PM Western Michigan at Michigan, ABC or ESPN2
RichRod better win
this one or he won't see the
Buckeyes at the end.

3:30 PM Baylor at Wake Forest, ABC
This might just be the
best matchup of the weekend.
I'm pulling for B.

3:30 PM Georgia at Oklahoma State, ABC
Georgia will get their
asses handed to them by
Gundy who's a man.

3:30 PM Jackson State at Mississippi State, ESPNU
Mississippi State
is the Indiana of
the S.E.C. conf.

3:40 PM Missouri vs. Illinois at St. Louis, Mo., ESPN
Illini gets re-
venge on Mizzou for two years
of thumpings to them.

6:00 PM Citadel at North Carolina, ESPN 360
Why does Citadel
put themselves in this kind of
situation, huh?

6:00 PM Middle Tennessee State at Clemson, ESPN 360
M.T.S. loses
to Dabo and his Tigers.
Clemson is sleeper.

6:00 PM William & Mary at Virginia, ESPN 360
Virginia needs a
win to start its year because
there won't be many.

7:00 PM Louisiana Tech at Auburn, ESPNU
The Chizik era
begins on the plains with a
mediocre win.

7:00 PM Charleston Southern at Florida, FSN
Florida starts its
march to the M.N.C. with
a win over Bucs.

7:00 PM Connecticut at Ohio, ESPN 360
Solich has a trick
or two when UConn enters
Athens just to lose.

7:00 PM Florida Atlantic at Nebraska, FSN PPV
Who would pay to view
this game? I will not watch the
Huskers dominate.

7:00 PM Louisiana-Monore at Texas FSN PPV
Texas will see Flor-
ida in the M.N.C.
but won't look past this.

7:00 PM Wofford at South Florida, Bright House Network
South Florida will
disappoint yet again this
year but win first game.

7:00 PM Brigham Young vs. Oklahoma at Arlington, Tex., ESPN
Oklahoma may
have their hands full but should pull
away by the end.

7:00 PM Northern Illinois at Wisconsin, Big Ten Network
Bielema might be
in trouble if he drops this
game to a MAC opp.

7:00 PM Northern Colorado at Kansas, Fox College Sports Central
Reesing takes a break
from cougars for a game he'll
roll up big yardage.

7:30 PM Western Carolina at Vanderbilt, CSS
Vandy may win 8.
If so, they have to win this
one 'cause hard road 'head.

8:00 PM Alabama vs. Virginia Tech*, ABC
OK, so this is
maybe the best game of the
week. Roll Tide by three.

8:00 PM Idaho at New Mexico State, Altitude
Do I have to write
a haiku for this lame game?
'No' you say? Well, thanks.

9:00 PM Central Michigan at Arizona, AWSN
The Tebow of the
MAC could surprise, but I doubt it.
Wildcats fourteen.

9:00 PM Buffalo at UTEP, CBS College Sports
The black coach your school
should have hired starts the year
with a win on road.

10:00 PM Maryland at California, ESPN2
This one could be in-
teresting maybe a
quarter. Bears win big.

10:30 PM LSU at Washington, ESPN
Why does Washington
always schedule presea-
son losses at home?

Sunday, September 6

3:30 PM Mississippi at Memphis, ESPN
Ole Miss will get it
done this year in the S.E.
C. and in this game.

7:00 PM Colorado State at Colorado, FSN
Ooh, a rivalry
game this early can be fun.
Buffs win by 20.

Monday, September 7

4:00 PM Cincinnati at Rutgers, ESPN 8:00 PM Miami (FL) at Florida State, ESPN
Are you ready for
some football? Monday night foo...
Nope. Not the Big Least.

living in misery, episode 3: Sotomayor, Tim Raines, and Splintered Baseball Bats

Getting Ahead of Ourselves

I was going to write this Thursday night after Memphis walloped Mizzou. However, that didn't happen. The Missouri Tigers surprised all by not only beating Memphis, but they dropped a hundred on them (102 to be exact). No one saw that coming except maybe this guy.

First of all, I want to congratulate Mizzou on a great season. They exceeded all expectations in finishing third in the Big-12 regular season and winning the conference tournament. Personally, I thought they would be that good, but I also thought the conference would be down overall. Now the Tigers are in the NCAA tournament. Every win has been a bonus since they weren't expected to even make the field.

That said, folks in these parts are a little too excited for today's game versus UConn with a trip to the Final Four on the line. UConn is a freight train right now with a chip on their collective shoulder and a 7'3" eraser in the middle by the name of Hasheem Thabeet. Mizzou's great run ends today, but that won't stop the locals from looking forward to a trip to Detroit. ("Looking forward to a trip to Detroit" may have never been written in the history of the Internets before this moment.)

That's what sports fans do here. They start to have a surprisingly successful season, folks catch on late, and Missouri loses. Take the football team's season a couple of years back. Heading into the Big-12 championship, Mizzou was the improbable number one team in the country. People were making their reservations for the national title game in New Orleans. Chickens were counted, but no eggs had hatched. Of course, Mizzou was dominated by Oklahoma, causing the Tigers to miss out on the entire BCS all together.

Now everyone here is convinced the Tigers are going to the Final Four in Detroit next week. I don't think that's how it works.

Let me explain from where I'm coming...

National championships don't just suddenly happen. There has to be years of consistent success. Even then, nothing is guaranteed. Trust me. I know.

Ohio State, my team, has been one of the most successful universities in men's basketball and football over the years. The basketball team has been to the Final Four ten times, twice in my lifetime. In those ten trips, the Buckeyes have won once in 1960. They played in the two following final games, losing both to Oscar Robinson and the Cincinnati Bearcats. I expect that the current Buckeye coach Thad Matta will win a championship eventually. He regularly recruits the best players and has won at least 20 games in every season he's coached, but it will take a few years of struggle for Matta to reach that summit.

The football team is one of the top five winningest programs in the history of the sport. They have won seven national championships, but there were over thirty years between the last two championships. The team has played three times for the title since 2002, but only have one trophy to show for it. And it wasn't as if Ohio State played mediocre football in between those championships. This is a program with 800+ wins.

My point is that Mizzou fans should not get ahead of themselves. It often takes years and years of success to finally mount a run at a championship. You don't suddenly show up one year and win a title. Take Memphis as an example. Those Tigers have gone to the Elite Eight and Final Four several times over the past six years and have yet to win a championship. They will win a national championship eventually, but it takes time to build a champion.

So, Mizzou fans should be happy with the success their team has had thusfar. The Tigers play a really entertaining brand of basketball and have a ton of heart. For that, Mizzou fans should be proud. However, they are not going to win the national championship or even win today. Sorry. Better luck next year.

Them Brackets

It's that time of year again for the NCAA Men's basketball tournament. Of course, the women are starting their own March Madness as well, but we all know undefeated UConn is running away with that title. So, I'll focus on the men.

As with every tournament, I submit several brackets to a friend's pool back in Ohio. I believe I placed second last year. I've won a few over the years and think I've figured a few things out. Here are the official living in misery guide to brackets or something...


Don't be a Homer. I am a life-long Ohio State fan, but I know better than to pick them to go all the way. Don't get me wrong, I usually submit one bracket that has them going one or two rounds further than they should. This worked in my favor the year they made the Final Four. I picked all four teams correctly that year. Of course, there have been other years where they lost in the first or second rounds. This year, my Buckeyes should be able to get by Siena in a virtual home game (in Dayton), but will lose to overall #1 seed Louisville.

For all you Mizzou fans, don't get too caught up in their great season. I project they'll make the Sweet 16 before losing to a talented Memphis squad. While Missouri is better than all the teams in their four-team pod, they don't match up well against über-talented and super-athletic teams like Memphis.

Pick more nine seeds than eights. In fact, pick all the nines. Over the years, the nines have won way more than the eights. This is the only bracket where the lower seed wins significantly more often than the higher seeds. So, while you're at it, pick all the one, two, and three seeds. Sure, two and three seeds have lost in the first round, but almost never. And the number one seeds have never lost in the first round. It won't happen this year.


Don't go upset crazy. I did an analysis of the past ten NCAA tournaments (Read: I checked on Wikipedia.) and what I found was that the number of upsets in the first round ranged between four and eleven with most of the results landing somewhere between seven and eight. So, this year I kept all my upset numbers in the first round right around eight. Believe it or not, the committee who seeds this tournament knows what they are doing. The higher seeds will win more than they lose.

Don't put all the number one seeds in the Final Four. Last year was the first time ever that all number ones reached the semifinals. It has never happened before and it won't happen this year. Louisville, the overall number one, was wildly inconsistent all year, has no true point guard, and only had to play Pitt and UConn once, splitting those two games. UConn seemed to fade terribly at the end of the year when their most consistent player went down. North Carolina looks pretty ordinary with their top guard limited due to injury. Pittsburgh hasn't beaten anyone as high as a four seed in 30 years and hasn't made it to the second weekend in a long time. So, the top seeds have some holes.

Don't pick a team just because they won their conference tournament. Some folks are going crazy over USC because they surprisingly won the PAC 10 tourney. Of course, the Trojans were also terribly erratic all season and only made the field because they won their tournament. Missouri played extremely well in winning the Big 12 tournament, but they didn't have to face the conference's two best teams in Oklahoma and Kansas. Consider that every 15 and 16 seed also won their conferences' tournaments. Does that mean they'll win their first games? Nope.


Don't ignore a team that finished the season poorly. Arizona was atrocious down the stretch, but they are loaded with NBA talent and have proven they can beat good teams. Plus, they have some favorable early round matchups. It only takes a couple of wins to get a team like Arizona going. Xavier was upset in their conference tournament, but I like this veteran team to get to the second weekend where they'll give Pitt fits. Wisconsin was one of the last teams to make the field, but their slow, methodical style matches up well against Florida State.

There are always some upsets that just make sense. Michigan plays a style that will cause Clemson much grief and the Wolverines have proven they can beat top-rated teams. Illinois is a terrible offensive team and will struggle against a team like Western Kentucky who can score on anyone. Utah State is experienced and shoots extremely well. Look for them to take down a Marquette team that has struggled throughout the second half of the season thanks to some untimely injuries.

I'm not the expert, but I did listen to a lot of sports talk radio today. I'm not very happy with any of my brackets as of now, but I'll get there. One of them should keep me in the running throughout. I mean, I'm submitting six this year. At least one has to do well. I figure Louisville, Memphis, North Carolina, and Pitt all have the best chances of winning. Of course, that probably means UConn, Duke, or Oklahoma will win it. Whatever happens, enjoy the Madness.

Live Blogging: The Fiesta Bowl (4th Quarter)

That's Spike.

9:54 Brian Robiskie makes a hell of a catch. Maybe we can do this.

9:57
Despite Pryor nearly making a phenomenal play, OSU has to settle for 3. If the defense can muster up some kind of fortitude and stop Texas, we can make this a game again.

10:03
The Buckeye defense just has nothing left to stop Texas. That six-minute drive in conjunction with two straight three-and-outs is killing them...fumble! Texas keeps it.

Man, 22 ounces of imperial chocolaty stout can do crazy things to you. On one hand, your sleepy and a little buzzed from the alcohol. On the other hand, the dark, bitter chocolate has you all jittery. It's quite a sensation. I may have to get some water.

10:09
Ohio State finally stops Texas. Now, let's get it in the endzone...touchback.

10:12
Two things:
1) Beanie is on the bench. Game over.
2) Lucky catch by completion for Pryor. Robiskie makes a great catch. (It will stand under review.)

10:13
It's confirmed a catch.

10:14
Pryor has to make those completions with the defense in his face. Come on!

10:15
Thank god he runs.

10:17
Pryor throws short, but the Buckeyes finally catch a break: interference and unsportsmanlike conduct. Woot!

10:20
Boeckman to Pryor for the TD. It's about time the coaches show some balls...so to speak. We botch the conversion but are staring at only a two-point deficit.

That was ingenious to throw the fade to Pryor. That little wrinkle caused the Texas DB all kinds of problems.

10:25
I have come to realize that every time I stand up for a big play, the Buckeyes come through. This time it was an incompletion on 3rd and 7.

10:29
Just stood up. Boeckman to Ballard for a first down. The streak lives!

10:34
Between jumping up and down and answering friends on FB, I totally neglected this post. OSU is up 21-17. Two minutes to go and Colt McCoy to stop. I'm freaking out.

10:38
This is coming down to the wire. FB is blowing up right now.

10:42
Texas gets yet another break. Bad spot. First down.

10:43
I am beat. This game has to end soon. Between the drama of the game and constant FB and Twitter updates, I am exhausted.

Now, stop Texas.

10:47
I can't f-ing believe it. Texas pulled it off...but wait. There's an excessive celebration penalty on Texas.

10:49
The season ends how it began: Todd Boeckman unable to escape pressure.

10:51
Game over. It's a heartbreaker for my Buckeyes.

One thing is for sure: Texas has no business thinking they are national champions. They gave up 21 and almost lost to an OSU team that couldn't score versus a pee-wee team. Florida will win in three nights and the controversy will be over.

At least we didn't give up 60 (Mizzou fans).

Live Blogging: The Fiesta Bowl (3rd Quarter)

9:07 pm CST They're getting ready for the second half and I'm having trouble keeping up with Twits and Facebook back-and-forth. Here we go...

9:10
McCoy converts another first down. I have to use the bathroom, but I can't leave the set. I was bombarded with Tweets and FB messages, keeping me from using the bathroom during the half. Thankfully, Texas just held OSU, slowing their drive.

9:15
Made it. Washington hobbles off the field, buying time for me to go to the restroom. Now, if the Buckeyes could only come up with some way to stop Texas.

9:17
OSU's defense holds...or not. Damn Texas runs a fake punt just when I thought Ohio State had something going.

9:21
Ohio State seems to have stopped Texas on 3rd and short...again. Maybe they'll finally get off the field...or not. Rrrr...

Texas gets lucky on a bad call and is now in the red zone.

9:23
I may fade at this point. Colt McCoy - the guy who maybe should have won the Heisman and played for a chance to win the national championship - just scored the go-ahead TD. Ohio State has to answer with a TD of their own or I fear we're in trouble.

Between the lack of sleep I've been getting these days, the 11% ABV beer I'm drinking, and Texas' last drive, I may have to crawl back in my hole and not come out until...

What am I saying? We have more a quarter and a half to play. We've got Texas right where we want them. I say they run plays with Beanie and Beanie and more Beanie until Texas asks for mercy.

9:29
We need a conversion here. It's 3rd and 4. Key moment in the game...and it's a 3-and-out. Shit!

9:33
I've been periodically checking the ESPN website and it's got a new look. I like the new layout, but it will take me a while to navigate as efficiently as I once did.

McCoy's heating up.

9:36
Thank you Colt McCoy for throwing an intentional grounding. It's about time we get a break. And the Longhorns keep losing yards. Here we go. It's time to turn this ship around.

Good return, Ray Small. Now, let's see some Beanie.

9:40
I have no idea why Beanie is not running the ball. He had 96 yards at the half. So far this drive, Pryor threw an incompletion and ran out of bounds when a play was blown up. Texas can't stop Beanie. Now we punt.

9:43
Now that the offense has put together two drives of three-and-outs, the defense is too tired to stop Texas. Our only hope at this point is to get a turnover deep in Texas territory, giving OSU a short field. I think we're in trouble.

9:48
Texas scores again. This is terrible. I want to cry.

Could it have killed the OSU coaches to call a f-ing timeout? Now, we watch the vanilla offense that hasn't done anything except wear out their own defense. Great.

9:50
I am getting bombarded on FB. People are watching my updates like I don't know what. (The stout has stripped me of any creativity at this point. That and Colt McCoy touchdowns.)

The quarter is mercifully over.

Live Blogging: The Fiesta Bowl (2nd Quarter)

7:58 pm CST
Back to the game. It's the second quarter and OSU is holding onto a 3-0 lead.

The defense has looked OK. I mean, not too many teams could hold an offense like Texas to no points in a quarter. Let's hope they can hold.

8:01
McCoy goes down! Sack OSU! It looks like the defense isn't going to give up after giving up a few first downs.

Eventually, the Longhorns score a field goal. I'm OK with a 3-3 game at this point. Now it's time to see some Beanie.

8:05
The first promo for Thursday's national championship just played. Florida should kill Oklahoma. I predict a shoot-out in the first quarter before Tebow and the rest of his Gators put a whooping on the Sooners.

Back from commercial...

8:07
Did someone ask for a little Beanie? Ohio State should do nothing but run the ball for the rest of the game. I don't think Texas can consistently stop them. Oh, and there's another four yards...pass to Beanie for 20. Look out.

8:11
Pryor completes a pass to Posey for a first down. Hopefully Pryor will continue to improve. His upside is ridiculous. They will need him next year when USC comes to Columbus. I hate USC...Beanie!!!

8:15
The Buckeyes call a timeout. Commercial.

Pryor finally ran for a gain instead of taking the sack. On that same play, Boeckman would have taken the sack. Pryor would have run around for another ten seconds before taking the sack ten yards further back. Tonight, he ran and nearly converted the first down. Now the Buckeyes are looking at a very manageable third down. Nice.

8:17
Christ! This team is so good at shooting themselves in the foot in big games. False start...

Both QB's on the field, but it results in a fourth down. Time to kick another field goal. 6-3 OSU.

FYI-I am trying to update my Facebook status and Twitter feed while doing this blogging thing. It's going well, but I don't think anyone else is on either FB or Twitter. Oh well...I take that back. A co-worker couldn't understand why I wasn't watching The Bachelor. Really? That show's still on?

8:26
This is not good. Shaun Lane is being carted off with a neck or head injury. That's never good. He did give the crowd the traditional "thumbs up" after a neck injury.

8:30
Ohio State is fired up and coming after Colt McCoy...has there ever been a better name for a Texas quarterback? Has there ever been a more overused joke in college football? I'd say "no" to both.

8:32
The Fox announcer just made verbs out of the words "yardage" and "time of procession."

8:36
I just danced up a storm as the Buckeyes stopped Texas on 4th and 7, sacking Colt McCoy for a big loss. Really. I was skanking up a storm.

Also, my beer is strong. That 11% ABV is taking effect. Better slow it down a bit...first down, Beanie.

8:43
Personal foul. Beat the freshman deep. Approaching the 20. This half is not ending well. Best case scenario: hold them to 3 and go in with a 6-point tie.

8:45
Interception!!! Anderson Russell gets his second career interception at the goal line. Colt McCoy is crumbling under the pressure...to the tune of 198 yards, but no TD's.

Ohio State's looking good going into half. My trash talking is paying off. Beanie is the man. I think I can honestly say that I love him.

Stay tuned for the second half.

Live Blogging: The Fiesta Bowl (1st Quarter)

6:16 pm CST
I've just finished trash-talking with the only Texas grad I know and am fully warmed up for another Ohio State loss in a big game. R's at palates and Lu's taking a nap. The pizza sits in the oven and the salad awaits the dressing. My hope is to blog, Tweet, and Facebook this entire game. Hopefully, there will be more trash talking before the night is through.

Georgetown/Notre Dame is on ESPN. I can't believe that Notre Dame is #13 in basketball. The game in which the Buckeyes beat the Irish will go a long way toward earning them a spot in the tourney.

6:25 pm CST
I just tried to think of famous people who attended Texas. The only one that comes to mind is Matthew McConaughey. Do Texas alum really like to claim this guy as one of their own? Check it...

6:31 pm CST
Oh snap! On a hunch I clicked over to Fox and there is a pre-game show. Oh, wait. It's Fox. This is going to suck all night long. Hey, the dog's going crazy...

6:58
No kickoff yet. It turns out that R returned home earlier than expected. We ate our pizza and salad. I'm now checking on the game with Lu. She won't see this game. It's getting close to bedtime. That means no matter what happens, Ohio State will remain undefeated in games that Lucia has watched.

Beanie has a big-ass family.

The Blind Boys of Alabama sing the National Anthem. Nice harmonies. When does the game begin?

7:06 pm CST
There's still no kickoff, but we're close. In the meantime, I poured a Southern Tier Imperial Choklat Stout. And that's The Beer I Drank TodayTM.


The beer I drank today: Southern Tier Imperial Choklat Stout

Style: Imperial Stout

Color: black

Head/Lacing: slight chocolate mousse head, spotty lacing

Aroma: I could smell the chocolate as soon as I opened the bottle and I'm nursing a cold.

Flavor: Did I mention that this is a chocolate stout?

Context: Um, have been reading this post? I've been waiting for nearly a month to drink this beer and to see this game.

Would I recommend this beer to you? Yes, yes, and yes.

7:12 pm CST
They're just now getting to the coin toss. Let's get on with it. Buckeyes get the ball first.

7:16
They're ready for kickoff. A friend calls to see if I'm ready...meaning "Do you have enough medication on-hand for this game?" See above.

Buckeyes start just past the 25. Whoa! Todd Boekman threw for the first down. I didn't see that coming.

7:20
Pryor with a big run. What? Of course, the drive ends with an OSU punt. Argh.

7:25
Crap. I have to help R with the bath and Texas goes for a nine-yard run...until Shipley is stopped for a two-yard loss. Now they fail to convert the first down. Woot! 3-and-out! Well, off to the bath.

7:32
I have to do five-minute shifts with the bathing. I have no idea what's happening except that OSU just earned a first down.

Big run by Beanie. Now I'm über-confident.

Why won't Pryor run or throw it away? Now I'm not so confident.

T.O. - Time to check the bath.

7:42
Missed the 51(?) yard field goal. We're up 3-0. Speaking of stout, OSU's D has looked good for the most part. Even Texas first downs are hard-earned. Now back to the bath.

7:54
Texas is still driving. The baby's in bed. The cat fell in the tub. End of the quarter and I'm going to the bathroom.

Bowl Season Haiku

Some can only write ten words for each bowl game. Well, I am answering that challenge with a haiku for each bowl game just to prove that the college football bowl system is stupid, like ancient Japanese poetry.

EagleBank Bowl: Wake Forest vs. Navy, Washington, D.C. RFK Stadium Dec. 20, 11 a.m., ESPN

Can Demon Deacons
stop sailors who feel better
running on the land?

New Mexico Bowl: Colorado State vs. Fresno State, Albuquerque University Stadium Dec. 20, 2:30 p.m. ESPN

The old Fresno coach
takes on a newbie who has
led the Rams to six.

St. Petersburg Bowl! Memphis vs. South Florida, St. Petersburg. Fla, Tropicana Field, Dec. 20, 4:30 p.m. ESPN2

Playing Memphis will
insure the Bulls won't finish
just like last season.

Pioneer Las Vegas, BYU vs. Arizona, Las Vegas, Sam Boyd Stadium, Dec. 20, 8 p.m. ESPN

Didn't BYU
win the Pac-Ten this season?
Cougs will trounce the Cats.

R+L Carriers New Orleans, Southern Miss vs. Troy, New Orleans Superdome, Dec. 21, 8:15 p.m. ESPN

Southern Miss had to
win four-in-a-row just to
get a shot at Troy.

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, Boise State vs. TCU, San Diego Qualcomm Stadium, Dec. 23, 8 p.m. ESPN

The undefeated
Boise State will lose to the
solid TCU.

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl, Hawaii vs. Notre Dame, Honolulu, Aloha Stadium Dec. 24, 8 p.m. ESPN

ND continues
their slow decline with a loss
to Hawaii U.

Motor City Bowl, Florida Atlantic vs. Central Michigan, Detroit Ford Field, Dec. 26, 8 p.m. ESPN

FAU is in
for a surprise from the Te-
bow of CMU.

Meineke Car Care Bowl, West Virginia vs. North Carolina, Charlotte, N.C. Bank of America Stadium, Dec. 27, 1 p.m. ESPN

Stewart will blow this
game versus Davis and his
resurgent Tar Heels.

Champs Sports Bowl, Wisconsin vs. Florida State, Orlando, Fla. Florida Citrus Bowl Dec. 27, 4:30 p.m. ESPN

Two programs going
in opposite directions.
Sems to beat Badgers.

Emerald Bowl, Miami (Fla.) vs. California, San Francisco AT&T Park, Dec. 27, 8 p.m. ESPN

Can Miami get
back on track using their young
defense against Cal?

Independence Bowl, Northern Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech, Shreveport, La. Independence Stadium, Dec. 28, 8:15 p.m. ESPN

Roadtrip to Shreveport
anyone? Really, who is
interested? You?

Papajohns.com Bowl, NC State vs. Rutgers, Birmingham, Ala. Legion Field Dec. 29, 3 p.m. ESPN

Should either of these
teams even be in a bowl?
Rutgers wins it big.

Valero Alamo Bowl, Missouri vs. Northwestern, San Antonio Alamodome Dec. 29, 8 p.m. ESPN

The Wildcats find a
way to win and Mizzou finds
ways to lose big games.

Roady's Humanitarian Bowl, Maryland vs. Nevada, Boise, Idaho Bronco Stadium, Dec. 30, 4:30 p.m. ESPN

This game gets zero
viewers at best. What a prize:
Game in Idaho

Texas Bowl, Rice vs. Western Michigan, Houston Reliant Stadium, Dec. 30, 8 p.m., NFL Network

I love rice in my
Texas bowl...oh, I really
like West Michigan.

Pacific Life Holiday Bowl, Oklahoma State vs. Oregon, San Diego Qualcomm Stadium Dec. 30, 8 p.m., ESPN

Lots o' points in this
matchup between the Ducks and
Cowboys of OK.

Armed Forces Bowl, Houston vs. Air Force, Fort Worth, Texas, Amon G. Carter Stadium, Dec. 31, Noon ESPN

Will you watch this game?
I doubt I will watch this game.
Who's playing again?

Brut Sun Bowl, Oregon State vs. Pittsburgh, El Paso, Texas Sun Bowl Dec. 31, 2 p.m. CBS

The Pitt 'stache tries to
find a way to slow the bros
Rodgers running by.

Gaylord Hotels Music City, Boston College vs. Vanderbilt, Nashville, Tenn. LP Field Dec. 31, 3:30 p.m. ESPN

Vandy hasn't gone
bowling in 26 years.
They stay home this year?

Insight Bowl: Kansas vs. Minnesota, Tempe, Ariz. Sun Devil Stadium, Dec. 31, 5:30 p.m. NFL Network

Two up-and-comers
collide and fight for football
mediocrity.

Chick-fil-A Bowl, LSU vs. Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Georgia Dome Dec. 31, 7:30 p.m. ESPN

Chicken anyone?
I doubt LSU can stop
the triple option.

Outback Bowl, South Carolina vs. Iowa, Tampa, Fla. Raymond James Stadium, Jan. 1, 2009, 11 a.m. ESPN.

Do the Cocks have the
D to stop Shonn Greene in Jan?
Hawkeyes win it big.

Capital One Bowl, Georgia vs. Michigan State, Orlando, Fla. Florida Citrus Bowl, Jan. 1, 2009, 1 p.m. ABC

Luckily for the
Dawgs, the Spartans have no O.
Georgia wins big.

Konica Minolta Gator Bowl, Clemson vs. Nebraska, Jacksonville, Fla., Jacksonville Municipal Stadium, Jan. 1, 2009, 1 p.m. CBS

How did these two teams
ever make a Jan. 1 bowl?
Who wins it? Who cares?

The Rose Bowl Game Presented by Citi, Penn State vs. USC, Pasadena, Calif. Rose Bowl Jan. 1, 2009, 4:30 p.m. ABC

Rey Maualuga
hopefully won't run over
Joe Pa's new, fake hip.

FedEx Orange Bowl, Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech, Miami Dolphin Stadium, Jan. 1, 2009, 8:30 p.m., FOX

The Bearcats should win.
Beamer ball's lost its luster...
so has the Orange.

AT&T Cotton Bowl, Ole Miss vs. Texas Tech, Dallas, Cotton Bowl Jan. 2, 2009, 2 p.m. FOX

I would give my left...
to hear the talk at mid-field
between these coaches.

AutoZone Liberty Bowl, Kentucky vs. East Carolina, Memphis, Tenn., Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Jan. 2, 2009, 5 p.m. ESPN

Skip Holtz's offense
will stumble and fall against
Kentucky's defense.

Allstate Sugar Bowl, Utah vs. Alabama, New Orleans Superdome Jan. 2, 2009, 8 p.m. FOX

These Utes won't fair as
well as Meyer's did, winning
a BCS game.

International Bowl, Buffalo vs. Connecticut, Toronto, Rogers Centre, Jan. 3, 2009, Noon ESPN2

The two guys who should
have been the top picks for 'Cuse
go trans-national.

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Ohio State vs. Texas, Glendale, Ariz. University of Phoenix Stadium Jan. 5, 2009, 8 p.m. FOX

The Buckeyes want this.
Longhorns are disappointed.
Look for an upset.

GMAC Bowl, Tulsa vs. Ball State, Mobile, Ala., Ladd-Peebles Stadium Jan. 6, 2009, 8 p.m. ESPN

Tulsa will score a
ton of points on Letterman's
one-loss Cardinals.

FedEx BCS National Championship Game, Florida vs. Oklahoma, Miami, FL, Dolphin Stadium Jan. , 2009, 8 p.m. Fox

This is the big one.
Who will win the national
championship? I...

Dude's Night Out

Dude's Night Out doesn't begin tonight. If it did, I would surely have headed out to this "soft opening" (more on that later). No, R and the kid head out tomorrow for a wedding in Detroit, leaving me here, alone in COMO, forced to fend for myself.

I love my partner and daughter, but everybody needs some time alone. I still have two days of work to go this week, but the weekend is mine. I should take advantage of it whenever I get a chance to hit the town.

There will be room in my weekend for the Tin Can Tavern and Grille for sure. I am normally a beer snob, but I am intrigued by a joint that specializes in canned beer over all others. I hear they have good bar food as well. If you see me at the Tin Can and mention the blog, I'll buy you PBR (assuming that you're of legal age).

I'll have to pick my time to hit the Tin Can carefully, as this is homecoming weekend. If you know anything about Misery, you know that MU's homecoming celebration is the nation's oldest (along with Illinois). So, I will have to tread lightly through a sea of paraders, drunk college kids, and drunk alumni in order to find some enjoyment this weekend.
I am considering a film at the 'Tag. Bill Maher's Religulous is playing all weekend. Growing up in an household of atheists and agnostics helped me to see many of the hypocrisies in organized religion. Maher just makes the hypocrisy seem funny. Trouble the Water, yet another Katrina doc, is also showing as is Baghead, a sort of Blair Witch meets meets There's Something About Mary meets The Big Chill or something like that. Of course, there's always more mainstream fair like W. or Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist.

I could always head out for some live music this weekend. There's nothing in town that rivals last weekend's Broken Social Scene gig, but there has to be something. I passed up on a chance to play hoops with Of Montreal in STL because I have to work. I still could have gone to their show at the Pageant, but I just don't have the time or energy at the moment.

The other possibility for live music is KCOU's birthday bash at Mojo's. Mizzou's student radio station has come upon some tough times. It seems their radio tower is atop a dorm set to be demolished in the near future. The legislature turned down an emergency spending bill to save the station. I don't really know what the station's status is anymore. The only thing I can say is that KCOU is one of the best things about living here. Sure, it's a bunch of kids telling me what I should to listen to, but they are right more than they are wrong. My hope is that it was a silly bureaucratic scare and the station will be around for many years to come. Either way, go to SaveKCOU.org for more info.

Oh, I almost forgot to plug the music. It seems there are two cover bands set to play the evening. HalloWEEZER is supposed to be a spot-on impersonator of Blue-era Weezer. Gold Soundz is a tribute to Pavement. My bet is that they suck, but it might be fun anyway.

There's nothing at the Note until next week's Stephen Malkmus-Ted Leo-Wolf Parade trifecta. I may only get to see one of those. Tickets to see SM are in my possession. I'm still working on seeing Wolf Parade.

There is also a little football game on this Saturday. Ohio State tries to prove that they can win a big game again by welcoming the Penn State Nittany Lions to the 'Shoe. It will be "Scarlet Fever" night as the entirity of the 108,000 or so Buckeye fans have been encouraged to wear red. Oh, and Mizzou will try not to lose three-in-a-row when they host Colorado.

There are a few beers to consume along the way. I'm working through the Bear Republic line-up. BR makes an affordable yet surprisingly tasty set of beers. The Hop Rod is, well, hoppy. I enjoyed that for the second time this past weekend. Next up is the Red Rocket Ale. Also on the docket is the Great Divide Hercules Double IPA in a new bottle. I will also be on the lookout for some new brews out of Bells and possibly the Oktoberfest over at Flat Branch. I have to say that Flat Branch's American Pale Ale is one of the better beers they've made in a while.

Besides paying a neighbor kid to help me rake some leaves (we have a lot of trees), that's about it for my dude's night out weekend extravaganza. I know you were expecting something like this...


After R and Lucia return from Detroit, we'll attend a beer dinner at a wine joint. I'll have more to post in the days and weeks to come.