Saturday Bowlapoolooza

Five bowls today... I'm on the road in Jal, NM (USA)... so I really don't have time to write a preview of today's action.  Enjoy it.  Go Northwestern!

Friday Bowlapoolooza

Now it starts getting hectic.  Tomorrow we have three four bowls.  And the race is wide open.  Remember this pool really doesn't start until we start getting to the multiple bowl days like tomorrow, so my hot start is a mirage.  Pretty much everyone is still in this thing. 

We start with more military themed bowls.  Armed Forces features Tulsa and BYU.  Evangelicals v. Mormons.  Just like the Republican primary! Actually Tulsa is probably a state school, but have you ever been to Tulsa? 

Pinstripe Bowl is played in the new Yankee Stadium.  Rutgers is the state school of New Jersey just off of Exit 134.  Iowa State is located in Ames, Iowa, just past Farmer Robertson's corn field.  Should be fun.

The Music City Bowl features Mississippi State and Wake Forest.  I like Wake's uniforms.  My greatest bowl moment came when Texas played Mississippi State in the Cotton Bowl during Ricky Williams' Heisman season.  I caught an extra point!  Should have run out of the stadium with that football.  I threw it back instead.  What a goodie-goodie.  I blame my parents (sorry Mom).

By the way, are you watching the Alamo Bowl?  I should have gone.  It's unreal.  It's like a video game, but it has absolutely the worst color analyst ever.  Man ESPN's coverage has been absolutely awful.  If I have to listen to that theme song they are using for all these games I'm going to have wash out my ears with acid.  Anyway, the game is an incredible offensive show. 

The Insight Bowl has the best logo.  I love it.  The game features oklahoma.  I hate them.  They play another corn school - Iowa.  Bob Stoops should be wanted by the police and arrested for over-the-top arrogance.

Have fun.  Enjoy the bowls.  I'll see you on the blog later.

My Annual Rant Against baylor

In a town called Waco, Texas, there exists a college that is well known for its measles outbreaks, poor quality restaurants, Dr. Pepper, lack of night life and cheaters.  Here's all you need to know about baylor: Ken Starrrrrr and Dave Bliss.  Cheatin' SOBs.  Lyin' SOBs.  Criminal SOBs.  Now they have a Heismann winner (how'd that kid wind up at Baylor), a top 10 basketball team (still cheatin' after Bliss - How'd Baylor beat out Duke for two recruits... Huh?), and the top rated women's basketball team (listen to Brittney Griner speak and then talk to me).  Why isn't Texas in the PAC 16?  Baylor.  Why did it take so long for a&m to get to the SEC? Baylor. 

We all picked baylor to win except for Monique.  Thank you Monique... I wish I had had your guts.

First game the Domers play Florida State.  Kathy went to Florida State I believe for a while.  Most of us picked the Seminoles except for Matt, RC and me. 

Second game the baylor bears play the Washington Huskies.  Go Huskies.  I can afford to lose.

We are actually both rooting for the Longhorns... when it came right down to it, RC really wants Texas to win...

The Holiday Bowl

This is historically a crazy game.  It involves my beloved Longhorns so I might need to double up on my blood pressure meds tonight (or get really drunk).  My Longhorns have fallen from grace because we cannot find a decent quarterback to our shame.  We will feature two QBs tonight: a freshman (David Ash) and a sophomore (Case, I'm no Colt, McCoy).  Between them we have, well, a bad QB.  We are getting our two freshman running backs back from injury, but our best player, Fozzy Whitaker, is gone for the season because the University of Missouri is too cheap to put in a decent field turf at their university.  We play Cal, who unfortunately for us, seems to have a strength at running defense.  On paper this should be a boring, low scoring affair.  But it's the Holiday Bowl and weird things happen in San Diego.  Too bad Tim still doesn't live there because I could be there tonight if he did.  But no, he's in Charlotte.  I guess I could have gone to the Belk Bowl.  Tomorrow, I guess I could go to the Alamo Bowl.  I would but I hate Baylor (for reasons I will write about tomorrow or tonight).  Anyway, I hope my Longhorns win.  I'm ready for the fun.  Most of us picked Texas except for RC (thanks), Chris and Margaret (Californians who live rather close to Berkley - ok I guess) and Moriah (Tim, get a hold of your child!).

Pizza and Shopping

For today's bowls you should order a pizza and then do some online shopping with one of your gift cards.  In the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl (I like mine with mushrooms and Italian sausage, how about you?), we have Western Michigan versus Purdue.  Most of us have picked, get this, Western Michigan, including two of the three undefeateds.  Purdue has sent letters to Analicia, therefore she and I picked them.  Western Michigan is in Kalamazoo and according to their website have openings for assistant professors of electrical engineering, special education, and nursing.  So apply at halftime if you're qualified.

Belk is a department store in parts of the country other than Texas.  But, their online store is featuring an after Christmas sale with free shipping on orders over $75.  Here is a lovely pair of black dress shoes that I could really use (17027 Ashbury Lodge, San Antonio, TX 78247 - size 11).  They are sponsoring a bowl between between North Carolina State and Louisville.  Interestingly, we love NCSU.  Only Ana and Chris have picked Louisville.  It's Ana's chance to get back in the race and Chris' chance to pull out further ahead.

Margaret Key is in

We have our last entry.  Margaret had told me her first few picks prior to the bowls starting so I consider her entry official.  She's in the race.  We have 14 total.

UNC (7-5) plays SEC bound Missouri.  It's ACC versus Big 12/SEC.  Kick their butts UNC.  Be glad that you don't have to play on their God forsaken field that is responsible for the Longhorns' best running back being sidelined for the season with an ACL injury.  Hey Missouri, take your bowl money and fix your field.

Hawai'i Bowl

We should go to the Hawai'i Bowl one year.  Work on getting us tickets and a hotel, will you?  I'll pay you back later.  We have the Nevada Wolfpack playing the Southern Miss Golden Eagles.  Southern Miss is the champion of Conference USA, upsetting unbeaten Houston on the road in the Conference USA Championship.  Nevada was 7-5 in the Western Athletic Conference.  That's about all I know folks.
Most of us picked Southern Mississippi. Good luck!

It's time for some bowl fun...

We are a little late getting started and one person I won't mention (Candace/Margaret from SF) has not quite got her picks to me, but she assures me she is not cheating.  I tend to believe her as she asked me if LSU won the first game and whether Arizona won the second.  Neither of those teams played in either the first or second game, so I will allow her entry to stand should it ever arrive. 

Good luck folks.  The Bowl previews will start immediately.

As the winner of last year's contest, I would like to welcome you all to the 2012 Family Bowl Pool.  As you know if you have ever played, it's a wild and wooly affair in which all have opportunities.  I am a late bloomer, as I believe I have only won twice over the 26 or 27 years the Pool has been played. . . the last two years!  I bow to the Commissioner to provide the official welcome, and I extend my thanks to him and my good wishes to all players...

Grandma

Down to the Tie-Breaker

Well folks. It's down to the Tie-Breaker. Because RC's BC Eagles lost to Nevada last night, the Family Bowl Pool Championship will go to Alec Walker or Kathy Smith. Kathy wants a low scoring affair as she has picked 52 points to be scored. Alec wants all offense all the time as he has 56 points. If 54 points are scored we split the pot which has never happened before. The winner of the game does not matter as both have picked Auburn. Should be fun. Good luck to both.

Pitt Wins: the Contest Continues

Well, allergy season, a swim meet, and an eleven o'clock start time sunk my efforts to do a game preview. However, the big news is that Pitt has won. That means Alec and RC are still alive. Alec and Kathy are tied and have picked the same winners in the next two games: Nevada and Auburn. So, they will go to the tie-breaker. Kathy has 52 points and Alec has 56. Now, RC has picked Boston College and Oregon. Since he is only two games behind he still has a shot to get into the tie-breaker. If BC and the Ducks win RC will be in the tie-breaker with 42 points. Remember, closest wins. It does not matter if you are over. Wow, what a contest.

In the Stinky Shoe contest, it's all over! Monique, you win the first shoe. Expect your shoe in the mail shortly.

It's Down to Three (and four)

Winning time has arrived. We have three eligible to win this bowl contest. But before I outline the three still standing, a word about how crazy this picking stuff is. Last night, Arkansas is down 31-26 and Ohio St. has the ball at about their 45 yard line with a 4th and 1. Their all world QB has just scrambled for 14 yards on 3rd and 15 to get them to the position they're in. There's abour five minutes and change left in the game. They go for it. But they hand off to the tailback and take the ball out of their QB's hands. The tailback fumbles and although Ohio State recovered, they did so behind the line of scrimmage and thus turned the ball over on downs.

Arkansas supporters (including Marvetta, Patricia, Moriah, and Monique) were elated. But the Razorbacks failed to advance the ball and chose to punt with about 4 minutes left. Ohio State gets the ball at their four. They get two first downs and run the clock down to about a minute and 15 seconds left before they have to punt. It looks bad for Arkansas. But wait, Ohio State runs that spread out punt protection formation and give up a block!. Four Arkansas players have a chance to pick up the ball and score a winning touchdown. There was no reason to just fall on the ball. Even if Ohio State had recovered they would have been hopelessly caught behind the line of scrimmage and Arkansas would have gotten the ball on downs again. But, alas for Patricia and Marvetta especially who needed the Hogs to win to stay in the contest, the first Arkansas player fell on the ball at about the fifteen yard line. He was down in college football at that point. Arkansas got the ball but their stud QB threw an interception and Arkansas lost. Wow. That's how close winning and losing are. Think about those few who picked Tennessee. If they hadn't just totally handed the game to North Carolina, Joe Baker may not have lost his momentum. (Now Joe is in danger of finishing last.) How about the Kansas State game? Kansas State scores with about a minute left in the game and has a chance to tie with a two point conversion. The Kansas State receiver who scored the touchdown though saluted the crowd after the score. Two officials flagged the guy for unsportsmanlike conduct. Kansas State is penalized 15 yards and a makable three yard two point conversion becomes an impossible 18 yard two point conversion. Syracuse wins. One last example is the Rose Bowl. Wisconsin is gashing TCU with up the middle runs. Down eight they go on a five minute, run-filled drive to score a touchdown with about a minute left in the game. They line up to attempt a three yard two point conversion to tie the game. What do they do? Line up in a shot-gun formation and attempt a pass. They were gashing the smaller TCU defensive line with up the middle runs. The pass fails and TCU wins.

Three people have navigated this mine field brilliantly. The defending champion has shown us why she is the champion. She has a one game lead over Alec Walker. Four games left but these two only differ on one game: the Birmingham Bowl (or some bank now has the name). The Birmingham Bowl will be played this Saturday and features Pitt versus Kentucky. I'll have a preview. Kathy has Kentucky and Alec has Pitt. If Pitt loses, Alec is out. If Pitt wins, we could go to the tie breaker. However, there exists a third party in this contest with a shot. RC Smith is behind by three games. He differs with the leader on three contests. He has Pitt on Saturday, Boston College on Sunday, and Oregon in the Championship on Monday. If he wins all three, we'll go to the tiebreaker on points. Should be fun. Key game is Saturday. If Kentucky wins, it's all over and Kathy can keep her plaque and inscribe her name on it for a second consecutive year.

(In the race for the bottom Tim and Monique are tied. But Will and Joe are still in it. I'm calling this the stinky shoe. Winner gets a stinky, used athletic shoe filled with the snack food they identified at the beginning of the contest. Bad luck losers!)

Sugar Bowl

As I watch Va. Tech get slaughtered by Stanford, I am now more impressed by Oregon. We'll see if Auburn's Cam Newton is still as good as I think he is even though he is a cheater. The Sugar Bowl will be Ohio State trying to revive the reputation of the Big X versus the SEC's Arkansas Razorbacks. Ohio State's Tyrell Pryor was supposed to be Vince Young II, but he hasn't quite lived up to the hype. Now he will be suspended next year for the first five games for some kind of cheating. But I guess it wasn't bad enough to keep him out of the Sugar Bowl. Arkansas is the home of Bill Clinton, some of the Baker clan, and Tyson Chicken. They feature a coach, Bobby Petrino, who had a local sports reporter in Arkansas fired because she showed up to one of his press conferences wearing a Florida Gator hat. Can you believe that? Thin skinned? Maybe.

Picks? Well Ohio State supporters include leader Kathy, third placers RC and Kirsten, and second place Alec. Also-rans Will, Matt, Ana, Monique, Tim, Chris and Margaret. Arkansas supporters include third placers Pat and Marvetta (chance to move closer; note late move made by Pat) and also -rans Moriah and Joe (poor Joe, such a great start and such a complete collapse). Anyway, tomorrow's game should be fun.

Orange Bowl

Virginia Tech plays Stanford in what should be a delicious bowl game tonight. Virginia Tech started the year losing to Boise State and JAMES MADISON and then ran off ten in a row. I call that a reverse 2010Texas. Stanford only lost to Oregon. They feature the hottest name coach - Jim Harbaugh. He is wanted by Michigan (his alma mater) and maybe several NFL teams. The Cardinal have Andrew Luck, a stud quarterback who may be the first pick in the draft. Should be a great game. Picks? Stanford: Joe, Matt, Pat, Margaret, Chris and Kirsten. Va Tech: Will, Ana, RC, Kathy, Moriah, Monique, Marvetta, Tim, and Alec. Basically for the leaders and the losers it's a push. Good news for Kathy, Monique and Tim.

January 1

Congratulations to Ana Baker and Alec Walker. They went 5 and 1 on New Year's Day - best records in the contest. However, Kathy Smith is still in front by one game over Alec. Going into the post New Year's Day games, four folks seem to be in the running: Kathy Smith, Alec Walker, RC Smith and Marvetta Herron. RC and Marvetta admittedly have some real work to do to pull off the win.

Jeers to the bottom: Monique, Tim, and Will. We are in a race for the bottom. After a discussion with Tim, we have decided to add an award to the yearly contest: Worst Picker of the Year. You will receive an award to be named later. I'll take suggestions for a name of the award and the prize. Let me know your ideas. We take a deep breath today and watch pro football. Tomorrow we have the Orange Bowl. Virgina Tech versus Stanford. Preview later today.

Outback Bowl

Best game of the day. If Florida wins, Kathy is on her way to winning two years in a row. Critical game for Marvetta and RC to stay in the contest...

The Defending Champion

Kathy Smith is on fire. 8-1 in her last 9. She has vaulted quietly into a tie for the lead with Marvetta Herron. These ladies should open up their own betting service. I can hear the commercials on sports radio now:

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January First

January 1st isn't what it used to be. I used to know the day's schedule by heart. Today I've had to search the listings for just when and on what station these games will be played. So here we go people...

Dallas Football Classic: Really? You are playing the Cotton Bowl in a week? Not today? Here's how weird the college football world has become. The sponsors of the Dallas Football Classic say the reason they have created the game is to bring football back to the Cotton Bowl on New Year's Day. They mean the Cotton Bowl as in the building. The Cotton Bowl the game is being played in Arlington at Jerryworld (What we Texans call the new stadium the Cowboys entertain in). This game features Texas Tech and Northwestern. Tech plays in the Big XII which is 1-4 in their bowl games so far. Northwestern has a chance folks. The Big 10 ain't bad.

Outback Bowl is the retiring Urban Meyer and the Florida Gators versus the "hell no I'm not retiring" Joe Paterno and Penn State. Gators have stolen the Texas D Coordinator as their new coach. Hate them. Go Penn State.

The Gator Bowl has Michigan and Mississippi State. Both teams do not believe in defense. This should be a high scoring affair. The Michigan QB was the early darling of the media this season, but he faded against good competition. Mississippi State didn't pay Cam Newton enough to play there so they faded too. It's the fading bowl. At least they didn't disappear like Texas.

Capital One has Michigan State and Alabama. I think this will be a good game. Nick Saban the Alabama coach used to coach at Michigan State, and then he left them to go to LSU, then the Miami Dolphins, and then Alabama. I don't think he is a very good guy, but he can coach. I wanted him to be the coach of Texas instead of Mack Brown. But, that's water under the bridge now. This bowl will be all about whether Saban can motivate his studs to play.

Rose Bowl: TCU against Wisconsin. I like this match-up. The TCU program is based on all the Texas recruits that don't go play for the Big XII schools. They are undersized usually as high school athletes. The TCU coach figures out though who can play and who might still grow. Often he hits on a kid that comes out of nowhere his senior year in high school. It's working. These kids go to TCU and they are hungry to prove the recruiting services missed on them. So they work and play hard. However, Wisconsin features big boys running. TCU may not have the power to withstand that pounding. Should be fun to watch.

Fiesta Bowl: The Mismatch Bowl. I'm glad I'll be at the Spurs game tonight and can miss this one. If Oklahoma loses to Connecticut, the team should walk back to Norman. Oklahoma is on a dreadful bowl losing streak though where they flop and either lose against underdogs (Boise St. and West Virginia) or get blown out (Florida). They better win this against UCONN, which is a basketball school and shouldn't have been in the BCS after a four loss season.

Enjoy your football people.