Lions Gonna Party Like It's 1999

     Welcome back to the playoffs Lions, it's been a while.  The win over the Chargers finally got you back in the post season!  It also most likely spelled the end for former Oregon QB Norv Turner as head coach of San Diego.  Celebrate responsibly Detroiters, don't burn down the town.

     Nick (un)Fairley is still listed as doubtful for the Lions.   Is he ever going to play?   My thought is he should give back some of the $9 million he made this year ($3.3 million base with a $5.7 signing bonus).   What's that Nick, you spent it, well just contact Cecil Newton.   I understand he is good at negotiating money matters.....

     Dallas defensive coach Rob Ryan stated that Calvin Johnson would only rank 3rd among receivers on the Cowboys, behind Miles Austin and Dez Bryant.   Let's take a look at the facts, shall we?   In receiving yardage, Dez Bryant ranks 16th and Miles Austin ranks 41st in the current Player Rankings by NFL.com.   Where does Megatron rank in the elite, oh that would be #1 with over 1400 yards.    In head to head competition, CJ had 8 receptions for 96 yards and 2 TD's.   Their top receiver in that game was Laurent Robinson who ranks 18th among wide outs.   Hmm, perhaps coach Ryan should thing before he speaks.   And, if this coaching gig doesn't work out for him he's a shoe in for Fabio's double.

C'mon, Really?

     I turned in late to the Las Vegas Bowl and what did I see?    On the first play I watched Boise State score and Arizona State flagged for a personal foul.   An Erikson-led team flagged for a personal foul?  Nah...

     The kicker for Va Tech was arrested for breaking and entering.   Well, at least he wasn't naked in a 3 point stance, right Beaver fans?  Makes me wonder WWLD (what would Lou do)?

      Best Buy has been airing anti-Santa advertisements during the holiday season, implying that they empower the purchasing public to be one up on Old Saint Nick.   Hmmm, way to endear yourself to the American viewer, by taking jabs at one of the most beloved icons of all time.  Great holiday tactic BB, making Santa sad...

     Nebraska center Mike Caputo originally arrested for suspicion of DUI had his charges reduced to reckless driving.   Caputo was found asleep at the wheel with the car running.   He recanted his original statement that he had just been out for a soda with Kiko Alonso (OK I made that up, but that there is funny).

      I just checked ESPN's website and clicked on the Pac-12 blog.   7 of the first 15 entries were about USC, none were about the Ducks.   Now this could be a good thing, nobody for the Ducks has been in trouble for a while, so the writers haven't had anti-Oregon material to work with.   But, on the other hand it proves my theory that writers still are in love with the Trojans.

     A local high school has informed its student body that the use of "bless you" after someone sneezes will no longer be tolerated!   Such a horrific statement could damage the forming psyche in these adolescents.  My suggestion is to say, "Sorry for your sudden, violent, spasmodic, audible expiration of breath through your nose and mouth and if you believe in a higher power may they bestow upon you a kindness".  Holy cow, oops, I better watch my mouth. 

     Stop me if you have heard this, a man walks into a Toys R Us, picks up a light saber and instantly becomes a Jedi.   If you haven't heard about this one, read about it here: Toys R Us Jedi

I wonder is he a member of this group?

     Schools in Florida have banned sagging, nice!!!   There are just some things I don't want to see.   Now how does that song go, "Pants on the ground, pants on the ground, lookin' like a ......"

     Finally, what are you doing wasting your time on this drivel, you should be making merry with you's and your's.  Once again, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all the Z's!

'Tis The Season

Ho, Ho, Ho!
    Well blog fans, the Christmas Season is upon us.   Yes, I said Christmas, not Winter Break, not Winter Holidays, but Christmas.  I am so tired of the attempts to be politically correct at this time of year I could barf.  It's Christmas and that is why we are taking time off from school and work.  So there!   Wow, I'm a little crazed.   I guess it's due to the insanity that we call driving at this time of year.   All the blue hairs and Mr. Magoos are out in farce, er force, to clog up the roadways. 

I keep telling myself that when I get to be that age, I will take public transportation or have my driver take me places (lottery willing).   I have concluded many things about unwritten motoring rules; 
1. tailgating is mandatory
2. the speed limit is just a suggestion (most are driving 10 - 15 mph slower)
3. turn signals are optional, (it is so much better to keep them guessing)
4. merging is more of a game of Frogger than a courtesy to merging vehicles

Sock It To Them?
     Yikes, Ohio State took some major hits from the NCAA - what you mean the NCAA is now showing some guts?   I guess Terrelle Pryor won't be getting an invite to the next awards banquet for The Ohio State.  Anybody still wondering how long it will take for them to strip Auburn of their title due to the Scam Newton situation?   I say 3 years....

Finally...
     All kidding aside, for those of you who have taken time to read this amateurish attempt at journalism I wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Rants & Raves

     As I read about the two Oregon basketballers that have quit and the track athlete that has decided to turn pro, I am reminded of how little the words commitment and loyalty actually mean in today's athletics.    One of the reasons I've pushed away from the pro leagues is the frequent jumping ship allowed by free agency.   Now fans face the same dilemma with college athletics.  Juniors allowed to enter the draft, changing schools due to lack of playing time, and just plain greed makes us wonder what is next for collegiate athletics. 

     In a way, I understand Ryan Katz jumping ship at OSU, he will be a senior and probably won't see playing time except to hold for kicks and occasional mop up duty.   The thing with Katz is he gave it his best shot for 3 years, long enough to know he did what he could.   He has one last season and wants to be on the field full time.  I get it for him. 

    Now the two FRESHMAN that have left the UO basketball program are a different story.   They faced adversity in some way and instead of meeting the challenge head on decided to turn and run - off to the next best thing.   All freshman face adversity - new faces, new places.   Heck, I spent most of my "extra" money on bus tickets home for the weekend while in my first year.  But, I soon became acclimated to my new surroundings as most college students do.   The attitude of "if Johnny don't play, Johnny don't stay" shows a lack of real character.   With that, the Ducks are probably better off with out these two malcontents.   But it still gripes me that that they couldn't follow through with their commitment to the university that was giving them a free education.  

    The track athlete may claim that the possibility of making as much as $700,000 didn't play into his decision to turn pro, but how can we not believe that was a joke he was making at the expense of his team.   The team that was counting on his points to help win meets.   But, an agent got in his ear and off he goes, leaving his team mates and coaches wondering who will make up for his lost points.  Surely a mega-star like Ashton Eaton had the same offers, but he stuck it out and finished his eligibility.  Maybe it's a character thing....

     Now on to the Cliff situtation.   Coach Kelly gave the kid every possible chance to redeem himself and he just wouldn't use his head and change.   So off he goes - hard to cut loose a consensus All-American, but the program has to eventually be bigger than one player.   As Mr. Spock said, "The needs of the many, outweigh the needs of the few,"-  nerdy Star Trek reference, sorry.    The comic Ron White has a great statement for this situation, "You can't fix stupid, there's not a pill you can take, there's not a class you can go to.  Stupid is forever."  

     Speaking of stupidity, my disdain for all things NBA festered when I read of Greg Oden's latest contract offer.   $8.9 million - are you kidding, there is a possibility he may not play at all this year.  This guy has played a total of 82 games in his career, appearing in a little less than 50% of the Blazer's schedule over that time span.  He averages 9.4 points per game, and they wasted a #1 draft on him!   Can anybody finally admit a "Sam Bowie" and move on?   No wonder the Blazers continue to be bottom dwellers in the NBA.   Their chances of winning an NBA title in my lifetime is about as good as me re-growing my hair.   Not gonna happen.

Pac 12 ChampionSlip

Sit down my readers and you will hear,
Of the Championship game in cold weather gear....

     Being in the right place at the right time, I scored 3 comp tickets to Friday's game at Autzen.  Excited, we gathered up our winter wear and headed off for a family outing.  The weather was great, cold and clear, bringing back memories of games in eastern Oregon. We took our seats in my favorite spot, high in the corners, section 16 to be exact.   To our left was the FOX TV booth with John Lynch and Marcus Allen seated, waiting for their cue.  Sounds great, right?

That's when the adventure, er, misadventure begins.    

     A few rows above us was a guy sporting an Oregon cowboy circa 1980 (I know because I still have mine).   Hat Man obviously had one too many and was letting everyone know how much (or little) he knew about football.  After spotting Marcus Allen, his endless rant became, "Hey Marcus, go Raiders, just win baby!"  OK, maybe he will calm down when the games starts.

The adventure continues...

     A man, one fan tall and two and a half fans wide settled down into the seat directly in front of me.  He was probably a nice guy, and maybe someone I would like to get to know, but when he sat down, he was in my lap!   I didn't need to know him that well.



More of the adventure.

     A family of fans, 2 adult children and their Dad,  entered the stadium directly behind us.  Obviously their volume control had frozen on high since everyone within 5 rows knew just how smart the grand kids are.   Having partaken of the grape a bit too much, most of their conversations had that wonderful slur and slobbery quality.



Is the game ever going to start?

     To say there was excitement in the air would be a lie, something was lacking, perhaps it was a quality opponent.   The Pac-12 did their best to cover up as much Duck as they could, but would have been better served making this game into a bigger event.  Conference officials decided to supply the game with another announcer to keep things neutral, but this guys voice would put you to sleep.   Don Essig is a great stadium announcer that keeps up with the play on the field and keeps the crowd excited.  I think this guy was back at the buffet during half the game.

     At half time I realized I had not fed my family and the growl I was hearing was not one of the crazed fans, but rather my wife and daughter.  With little in doubt as to the outcome of the game, I suggested we leave and get Chinese food.  I had it all on DVR and unless the world stopped turning, the Ducks were going to walk into the Rose Bowl.   Off we went for Mar Far chicken!

     I have come to realize that the best seat in the house is at my house.  As Dorothy says, "There's no place like home, there's no place like home........"