Elizabeth Hurley & The Instagram All-Stars Can't Wait For Christmas & Santa, Cignetti Roasted & Party's Over
Guys, these are the special days that the sports gods give us after all the work we've done on our man caves and party rooms
I was in the john this morning building a gameplan for this edition of Screencaps when I finally came to the realization that today is going to be an incredible day of football. Dare I say this will be the best weekend before Christmas football day ever?
Name a better one.
I'm not sure you can because the NFL and college football have never gone after each other in this way the weekend BEFORE Christmas and it truly is a gift to all of us who love sports.
Texans-Chiefs: NBC, 1 ET
Steelers-Ravens: 4:30, Fox
SMU-Penn State: Noon, TNT
Clemson-Texas: 4, TNT
Tennessee-Ohio State: 8, ESPN
Plus, there's a TON of college basketball, including an Ohio State team that just got demolished by Auburn, who will play Kentucky in New York City. If you hate Ohio State and love the SEC, it's your day.
How about my first CFP prediction on that Indiana-Notre Dame game?
On Friday, I wrote:
Give me Notre Dame. I like the Cignetti story, but I think the weather here actually favors Notre Dame in the trenches. If Ohio State destroyed Indiana, I expect Notre Dame will do the same.
I don't know if the weather had any impact on Indiana's performance, but I'm positive it froze Cignetti's brain just before he called for this punt. Woof.
You were running out of possessions, Cignetti!
- Jason in Virginia checks in:
Is Ryan Day really coaching for his job? That seems to be a bit extreme. Ohio St has had some pretty decent success with him.
Regardless of what happens tomorrow, Twitter has been funny as hell the last two weeks between the two fan bases. Highly entertaining.
Kinsey:
No, Ryan Day's not coaching for his job tonight because he got the seal of approval from new athletic director Ross Bjork, who is perfectly happy making the College Football Playoff, even if it comes after a loss to Michigan. And Day has a $37 million buyout that a booster would need to pay off.
Bjork, like I predicted might happen the Monday after the Michigan-Ohio State game, has even laid the groundwork to deemphasize the Michigan game now that college football is turning into the NFL. John Harbaugh could lose 30 straight to the Steelers, and it wouldn't matter as long as the Ravens have a chance to win the Super Bowl each year.
That's the new world we're living in with college football. Make the playoffs and your job is secure.
That said, it's not fun to live on the Michigan-Ohio border these days amongst Michigan fans.
- Voiceover guy Mike L. chimes in on Mark Cuban narrating the IU hype video that turned out to be a dud:
Umm, yeah. I guess he isn't the worst I've heard, definitely nowhere near the best. He should stick to making money and looking like Rachel Maddow.
Geez, they should've hired me.
When Screencaps content themes collide
- Adam in Nebraska emails from Timnath, CO.:
Man I miss the good ol days when stores had Christmas stuff before Christmas. Since Costco has been pushing Christmas stuff since August, now it’s all gone. I missed out on nearly everything, but I did score huge poinsettias for 9.99 each.
Also I bought a real tree today, from a local guy. I know at least one reader of Screencaps will be happy to know.
Real tree every year. Last year we went Griswold style and cut one down with a permit from a National forest.
Merry Christmas from the nearest Costco to my house. 2 hr drive and worth it.
A Spanish lunch in December
- Mike T. shares:
If you want to follow along with the Ts and their adventures this winter, there's a website for that. Mike and Cindy share their day-to-day life in greater detail here:
If you're a member of the anti-Ts community, don't click.
The Best Places You Guys Have Ever Sucked Down A Beer
Remember, this isn't about drinking at a bar. This is about a moment in time when a beer and the setting matched up for a memorable moment.
- Retired LEO Rob in Texas emails:
Best place I've had a beer...so many! Drinking Rainier Beer in High School was epic, Rainer was the official beer of the PNW back then. Downing Draft Redhook Ale with my best friend and Best Man before heading to my wedding (37 years ago!), drinking beer with my Son after hunting hogs in South TX....but, one truly great location was in the United Arab Emirates, off the coast of Abu Dhabi in the Persian Gulf in 2012.
I was in the UAE as a Contractor 2011 thru most of 2013 teaching and training law enforcement and Paramilitary teams. One of our coworkers, who hailed from the UK, had a nephew who got a job in 2012 as captain of a catamaran out of Abu Dhabi. We were regularly on the boat, which was well stocked with a decent variety of beers, and it was here I had my first Steinlager, a New Zealand brew. Much better than the Heineken that was the preferred beer of expats in the UAE. Great guys from all around the world, beautiful and exotic scenery and cold beer on a boat, an awesome combination! It was pretty amazing to sail past the Presidential Palace (still under construction in 2012), take a swim in the Persian Gulf, and admire the Abu Dhabi skyline from the water.
Merry Christmas to you and your family, thanks for all you do for SC Nation.
- Mike in NV shares a beer he'll never forget:
Was out in the woods of N. Idaho about 25 years ago - was just teenager doing what we did ... build a bonfire, drink beer, shoot guns, try to get laid (in that order). Prior to building a fire, a buddy and I took a walk in the sticks to gather dead-fall or anything else to burn.
We brought a 12 pack of Natural Ice with us for the task. After a couple beers and a nice sized collection of stuff to burn, we both hear big-ass some branhes breaking about twenty-five yards out. Something big was in the trees.
At that point my buddy and I realized we didn't have our revolvers on us, and there was strong likelihood that we were in the wrong spot. Then, we heard huffing, puffing and finally the terrifying sounds that could only come from a huge, pissed off bull moose.
I've climbed a lot of trees in my day, but none was climbed as fast as that one ... half-rack of beer in hand, straight up once side of that Ponderosa Pine and my buddy on the other. That bull hung out at the trunk of the tree for long enough for us to drink the rest of that Natty Ice. Needless to say, treed by a bull moose was the best place I ever sucked down a beer (if you can call Natural Ice beer).
- Kevin in Toboso remembers:
1. As a guy who enjoys doing backyard boiling for some of my own yearly syrup, I wondered if folks have photos of their homemade set ups. Not commercial grade stuff. I am always looking for ways to improve efficiency with out spending gobs of cash on expensive boiling pans etc. I only tap 40 to 50 trees. So I am small time. Maple season is right around the corner and could always use new ideas.
2. Anyone boil sycamore tree sap? A friend of mine says it's supposed to have a butterscotch flavor but takes 60g to make 1g of syrup. Maple trees are roughly 40:1 for sugar maples generally speaking. Which at 8g/hr take a bit of time. Just curious before I try it if anyone has experience with it.
3. Best beer ever was an evening sitting on the dock in Maine listening to the loons on our last night of vacation. Holding the love of my lifes hand, no talking , just enjoying a cold one and each other's company. Great memory.
A report from the cold in the Upper Peninsula of very northern Michigan
- Myron B. in the UP writes:
While I haven't drank a beer in 40 years, I do have fond memories of drinking a Bosch (local beer to Houghton Michigan) with my Father in the evening. Most memorable are after a day of geology field camp. One is in a small bar in Baraga Michigan after a long day mapping Sillver Mountain , picking the ticks we missed in the field. As I remember the high man had twenty in the ashtray. The other was an evening on a small island thirty feet off shore in Lake Superior. Waded out built a fire ate dinner and watched the sun go down in the west while the moon rose in the east. Lake Superior was still as a mill pond and as they touched the water both orbs trailed a path across the water.
On the subject of shop local I do what i can but here in the Upper Peninsula local is fairly limited. So when we are in Green Bay we hit Cosco, especially for brisket.
Finally a Sunrise picture from the front porch today. A light fluffy snow, 15 degrees, lots of trees and a beautiful sunrise. Greatest place to live.
Merry Christmas and thanks for the great content.
2024 Christmas Gift of the Year Candidate for the Last Minute Shoppers
- East of the River writes:
It may be too close to the past gift of the year, but I've been trying to evangelize for arborist hand saws for the past few years. I never really knew these things existed until I came across and bought one a few years ago.
Although I am not a professional, I have more than an average number of chainsaws, axes, loppers, etc and while I don't have the small electric pruners that you picked in the past, I can't imagine that they are better than a good arborist saw.
Personally, I have something called the Zubat by Silky, but there are different lengths and types. I've now had mine for about 4 years, and I regularly carry it when walking the dog etc to do some light trail maintenance. I've never needed to sharpen it, granted the one I have, you can't sharpen. These arborist saws are just great, you can buy leg straps or a belt loop, so you can bring it most anywhere when you are going to be on a trail. For instance, I use it to cut down my christmas tree now.
At the end of the day, I now have 4 arborist saws, across two countries, because I find them the greatest combination of useful and convenient. The only word of caution is that there are junky versions, so get a decent quality one, since it makes all the difference..
Remember when Hollywood would release blockbusters around Christmas to take advantage of people who were eager to visit the theater for a night out around the holidays?
- Alex R. wonders:
Where are the new movies this Christmas. It used to be a tradition in our family that after all the craziness of Christmas day and a Christmas meal a number of the family would slide away to the theater to see a movie. It was a chance to get away from everyone, catch your breath and decompress.
I went and looked at options for the holiday week and there is nothing unless you have kids(Mufassa, Moana 2, Sonic). Wicked if you haven't already seen it. There is a horror movie(wrong season) and a sex movie (Nicole Kidman) no one is watching at a theater and some movie called Night Bitch. I mean c'mon there always used to be a big action movie or comedy out this time of year. I miss those days.
Kinsey:
I was on SlickDeals Friday and saw one of the big theater chains is running a two tickets, two drinks and a popcorn for $26 deal.
I guess it's a deal.
That might be of interest to high school boys who want to take a girl to a movie, if that's still a thing over Christmas break.
Military making it home for the holidays
- Matt in Watauga writes:
Proud Johnson City Gang member (we’re still hurricane recovering keep us in your prayers).
Proud army dad also. My son is in Hawaii paradise and has several years left in his commitment. Attached some pics from his perhaps worlds prettiest rifle range.
My question is for current and former military. Is there a cheaper way for military to come home for the holidays? He’s flying commercial again arriving this Sunday but we’re $1500 in to this trip. Yes he has money, but Hawaii is ridiculous expensive so we’re getting him home and happy to. Ive had other former military tell me they use to jump on Navy planes to come to the mainland. Is that still a thing?
Kinsey:
Here's what members of the Screencaps Facebook Group told Matt.
##################
That's it. The clock just hit 9 a.m. and that's my cue to get out of this post.
Yes, the inbox is LOADED with content. If you sent in a ‘Best Place You've Ever Sucked Down A Beer' email, it will be published Christmas week in a long post I need to compile. It'll be a standalone post for you guys to read while you're not doing anything. Most likely the post will run December 26.
Go have a great weekend. Enjoy the parties.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com