Sofia Vergara Sprawls Out At The Pool During Trip To The Tropics, Falcons Fan Fight & Fists Fly In Austin
Was Saturday the moment when college football told us rivalry games have lost their importance or will Ohio State's AD and booster prove me wrong?
First, let me say how proud I am of myself for not falling for the rat poison that was the 19 ½ point Vegas line that had Urban Meyer declaring on Big Noon Kickoff, as he sat next to Charles Woodson, that Ohio State would destroy Michigan.
Woodson rightfully smirked and squished his face as it came out of Urban's mouth.
Saturday morning, I wrote:
Can Ryan Day's candy ass finally develop a killer instinct and beat the doors off Michigan or will this be a nailbiter, get-over-the-hump, huge relief game.
I'm leaning to the latter based on the weather this finesse team woke up to this morning. Ryan Day hasn't proven that he can send out a team that won't break when Michigan keeps running in their faces. I know what Ohio State did to Penn State. Don't care. I have watched enough of these OSU-Michigan games to know the second coming of John Cooper when he's in front of my face.
Cooper never beat Michigan by 19 ½ points. I won't believe Day can do it until I see it with my own eyes.
Michigan rushed for 177 yards.
Ohio State had 77.
Game over.
Now, let me get to the thought that ran through my head all weekend after that loss: Do fans need to recalibrate their rivalry game emotions thanks to the expanded College Football Playoff?
In other words, is the goal to win national championships or beat your rival?
As you guys know, before this year, beating your rival typically was the only way to play for the national championship. Now, you can lose a couple of games, including the rivalry game, and play for the national championship.
Ryan Day's candy ass can lose and yet still win.
The expanded playoff means Ohio State can move on from the loss and refocus on winning a national championship like an NFL team moving on from a loss.
Ohio State could be the first test case for the need to recalibrate fan brains.
If Ryan Day wins a game in the playoff, new Ohio State Athletic Director Ross Bjork could have his work cut out for himself. It's rare for NFL teams to fire a coach after winning in the playoffs.
Will Bjork take a stand against four straight losses to Michigan or will the money from the playoff win out.
We've officially entered a new era of college football. Now it's time to see if the Ohio State-Michigan rivalry still means everything.
Odds and ends
- Speaking of horrible offensive performances, imagine getting arrested trying to sneak into the A&M game. The only second-half scoring was an A&M 93-yard interception for a touchdown.
- I never thought I'd see the day when John Harbaugh would have to answer questions at kicker. Justin Tucker is 19 of 27 this season.
- We took a drive last night for Mrs. Screencaps to look at Christmas lights. Are you guys seeing a decline of the white lights trend outside of the elite subdivisions? I'm seeing many more multicolored lights than normal and I'm liking it. I get the elites going with their glistening white lights shimmering off their elite 6k sq. ft. homes. But there seems to be a multicolored light movement going on.
- Brandon C. in Pinckney, MI reports:
Just amazing, legendary The Game this Saturday. Super proud multiple grad of That School Up North, who also taught at tOSU. After living in Dayton for almost 15 yrs and being the president of the UM alumni association chapter down there during Football Armageddon (2006), the Rich Rod years, and Brady Hoke putting Denard Robinson under center, I am more than happy to see those smug a-holes get their taste of The John Cooper Experience.
Trust me, I saw things during that era that I don't want to repeat. Not as bad as walking back to my car in 1996 after Brian Griese beats the Buckeyes in the 'Shoe and finding someone took a dump on the hood of my buddy's car in the shape of the Block O, but bad nonetheless.
If I'm Ryan Day, I'm making sure I'm wearing a bullet proof vest walking from the press conference to the locker room so I don't get Jack Ruby'd. I'd also be very weary stepping into the passenger seat of a golf cart if I see Chris Spielman or Jim Tressell sitting in the back seat, or stopping at a toll booth on the Ohio Turnpike (Godfather references are strong here on this one).
For all those Buckeye fans who thought that it was their birthright to win The Game, all I have to do is quote The Man:
Ric Flair GIF (Ed. note: I can't embed it)
- Nick tells me:
You have Ryan Day and I have Mario Cristobal. Day can't beat Michigan, but Cristobal can't even beat two unranked teams on the road.
Please stop complaining as it could be much worse.
- Myron writes:
I was impressed by your prediction of the Michigan Ohio State game outcome. While I don't watch any sports on TV (old age and lack of patience), I do watch scores.
I am a Michigander and spent time working in Ann Arbor between college stints but don't really care which college team wins what. Especially since Michigan wimped out on the Great Lakes Invintentional. But it is still neat to watch a team having a season to forget rally for a rivalry match up and pull out the win.
Millennial Dalton D. from south of Crater Lake had a busy weekend
- MDDfSoCL reports:
How long til Ryan Day is the coach at FAU? Him saying "what happened?" while the teams are brawling and getting maced is a joke, embarrassing. God I wanted GA Tech to win friday night. As a Beaver fan dealing with the Ducks, I always root for the fan base that isnt the spoiled rich kids. Liked seeing South Carolina pull it out vs. Clemson for the same reason.
Got to get the back splash ripped down an inch to miss the mirror but vanity #1 is functional and momma is pleased.
What a god blessed weekend of college football! The chaos is unbelievable and so awesome. Makes the NFL seem so boring.
How about Thanksgiving being ‘Merica’s holiday? Booze, Family and Football. John Madden is the patron saint of American Thanksgiving. Miss his voice, love all the old replays of him and Pat calling old games. Madden 96 on Super Nintendo was badass.
God Bless America.
WWII history from Screencaps readers
- As many of you know, Ripcurl moved from Florida to France and now gives us updates from time to time:
Hope your turkey day weekend away was awesome.
Saw some talk about the Battle of the Bulge last week. Where I live has it’s own WWII history. I live in a little village next to the Cher River. The Cher was the demarcation point between free France and occupied France. My side of the river was free. But my butcher and the weekly market I go to in Montrichard was occupied by the Krauts. Here is a sign going into Montrichard.
My village celebrated the 80-year anniversary of the Resistance and the Jerries leaving the area. During the celebration we learned about a couple of teachers in the village who were helping the resistance and hiding people and children that were being pursued. A couple of miles up the river from me is the Chateaus Chenonceau.
Since the castle straddles the Cher, the locals would use it to move people and goods from the occupied side to the free side. As you know, my property has several wine caves. All the locals would hide the wine from the Germans in caves like mine and all of the ones surrounding this area. There is a lot of history around here and every once in a while, you find someone pretty old who remembers what went down.
Mount Rainier checks in
- Mike T. in Idaho reports:
Beautiful day over Seattle, fresh snow on mount Rainier
Hateable secondary movie characters
- Otis in Mobile has one:
I know some would say Johnny Ringo, but for me the most hateable secondary character in Tombstone is Ike Clanton. Tough when he was with his buddies, begging for his life when Wyatt and his crew had the drop on him. Then talking smack when he was out of harm's reach. And such a coward that he shot Virgil basically in that back.
I love that movie. If I am flipping channels and that movie is on I am for sure watching it to the end. The only thing I don't like is that they tell you about Ike's death, but you do not actually get to see it.
TV series that you stopped watching after being loyal
- Chad R. asks:
Did you ever stop watching a T.V. show after viewing it on a regular basis? For example, I did that with "Friends" after about the first 3 seasons.
Kinsey:
I'm a horrible person to ask this question. I worked nights for a decade out of college when I was in the newspaper business. And even when I got off the nights grind, I was fully immersed in building a sports website, so I was glued to sports.
I used to watch GameDay religiously and would create vacations around attending GameDay weekends on different college campuses, but I rarely watch these days.
Does that count?
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com
For those keeping track at home
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And that's it for this first Monday in December. I know it's going to be tough sledding for those of you who've been off for 10 days. Hang in there. As for the rest of us, it's boots on the ground, get back to humping it for the final month of this 12-month grind.
Let's act alive in those Zoom calls. Let's have a better plan than Ryan Day and let's go be productive members of society. That goes for the retirees, too.
Take care.
Email: joekinsey@gmail.com