Ohio State returns to the BCS Championship game against against another worthy SEC team, LSU, on Monday night. 

Ohio State had better players in 2006 including Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith but the 2007 team is just that, a better team.  Ohio State must contain LSU's explosive offense by controlling the ball and mixing the run and pass.  LSU's Les Miles is a great coach and a Michigan alumnus but Ohio State's Coach Jim Tressel is slightly better.  The margin between victory and defeat is usually not much and this promises to be a classic like USC and Texas a couple of years ago.

The religious and sports holidays continue as I am looking forward to a Christmas Night present according to the Julian/Old Calendar.  My Holiday Season starts with Thanksgiving and ends at Chinese New Year. 

Let the good times, holidays, and football roll.  Wooooo!
                        
Posted by The Tank in NY.

College Football | Predictions

Saturday, January 05, 2008 3:09:39 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Comments [0]  |  Trackback

Bobby Petrino coached the Atlanta Falcons on Monday.  On Tuesday, he accepted the new head coaching job of the Arkansas Razorbacks.  Petrino is the latest NFL coach to return back to the college ranks.  At this time last year, he was the coach of the University of Louisville. 

In a conference already blessed with the best coaching and playing talent in the country, the SEC just got another great coach, Bobby Petrino.   He joins Nick Saban who left the Dolphins in January and took the Alabama job.  Roll Tide!

Why did Petrino leave the NFL?  Well, he was the head coach during the Michael Vick saga.  That is about as an extreme of a bad situation as one can get going from the fun of college to the grind of the pros.  The funniest part of the press conference was watching Coach Petrino and his family do the Arkansas Razorback "Woo, Pig Swooey" cheer lead by the cheerleaders.  It was like a religious revival where everyone raised their hands and cheered.  I guees it's more fun than hearing the anti-Michael Vick jeers from animal rights demonstrators at home and on the road.

Posted by the Traveling Tank in NY.

College Football | NFL

Wednesday, December 12, 2007 11:06:55 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Comments [0]  |  Trackback

Last Week's Recap: I was 5-1 last week and 35-12 on the season.

This Week's Fearless Predictions:

#15 Hawaii wins at home against #19 Boise State.

#8 Virginia Tech wins at #16 Virginia.

#3 West Virginia wins at home against #20 Connecticut.  Ohio State needs help from the Huskies.

#4 Missouri wins at #2 Kansas.  The Curse of being #2 in the BCS continues.

Local Picks:

#24 Cincinnati wins at my beloved Orangemen.

Written by the Tank and posted by Steve.

College Football | Predictions

Friday, November 23, 2007 12:09:06 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Comments [0]  |  Trackback

I was 3-0 in last week's picks.  I am 30-11 on the season.

This Week's Fearless Picks:

#7 Ohio State wins at #21 Michigan.  Both teams are trying to "salvage" an otherwise promising season. 

The Big Ten title, a trip to the Rose Bowl, interstate pride, and an outside chance at the BCS Championship if Ohio State wins and other teams ahead of it falter over the next few weeks in regular season and conference championship play.  The stakes were even higher for both teams like last year's "Immortality Bowl" which I thankfully picked the margin of victory, three points, and wasn't far off on the final score, 41-38, touch wood. 

#9 Georgia wins at home against #23 Kentucky.

#6 West Virginia wins at #22 Cincinnati.  Ohio State needs West Virginia to lose this game.

#15 Clemson wins at home against # 17 Boston College.

Local Picks:
Syracuse loses at #24 Connecticut.

Rutgers wins at Pittsburgh.

Posted by the Tank in NY.

College Football | Predictions

Thursday, November 15, 2007 3:35:55 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Comments [0]  |  Trackback

Last Week: I was 6-0 and 27-11 on the season.

This Week's Picks:

#18 Auburn loses at #10 Georgia

Local Picks:

South Florida wins at Syracuse.

Rutgers wins at Army.  Anyway, I'll be rooting for Army.  Go Army!

Written by the Traveling Tank in the Bahamas and Posted by Steve in Barcelona.  We're global! 

College Football

Thursday, November 08, 2007 1:01:42 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Comments [0]  |  Trackback

Last Week: I was 4-0, touch wood.  I am 18-8 on the season.             
 

This week's fearless picks:

#1 Ohio State wins at #25 Penn State.
                                        
#4 Arizona State beats #21 California.

#8 USC wins at #5 Oregon in a barnburner.

#10 South Florida wins at #23 Connecticut.

#11 Florida beats #18 Georgia at Jacksonville.

Local Teams:

Sorry Kathleen, #6 West Virginia wins at Rutgers.
  
Syracuse has a bye this week.
                       
Posted by the Tank in NY.

College Football | Predictions

Friday, October 26, 2007 2:28:15 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Comments [0]  |  Trackback

Last Week's Review: I was 2-1 last week and now 14-8 on the season.  LSU should have won at Kentucky in regulation.  I knew it would be a tough game in Lexington.  College sports are magical and unpredictable, especially given a large home crowd which urged Kentucky unto victory.

This Week's Picks:

National:
#15 Florida wins at #7 Kentucky.  Kentucky is due for a let down after beating LSU last week.  More importantly, it's a tough time for the Gator program after a recent tragic motorcycle accident took two young lives, a walk-on defensive back and the girlfriend of the freshman quarterback.  May their memories be eternal.

#16 Missouri beats #24 Texas Tech at home.

#4 LSU bounces back and beats #17 Auburn at home. 

Local:
My alma mater Buffalo loses at my boyhood team Syracuse.

Posted by the Tank in NY.

College Football | Predictions

Friday, October 19, 2007 4:22:08 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Comments [0]  |  Trackback

JH and I hung out on the Upper East Side this past Saturday to watch college football, especially my game of the year nominee, #9 Florida at #1 LSU.  While JH rooted for Florida, I rooted for LSU because I picked them.  I couldn't help but notice eight young male professionals sitting to my right who were rooting for Team Alcohol.  These guys drank everything -- beer, shots, you name it.  They really didn't care who was winning and thoroughly enjoyed my sports commentary, especially my replay commentary of Stanford's successful 4th and goal conference to beat USC.  (USC was 41 point favorite, at home, and Stanford's starting quarterback was injured.  What the heck?  But that what is great about college football..  So who am I to argue?
 
On various tables, there were sheets of paper which read Florida, LSU, Clemson, etc.  But their's read "The Four Knives Club".  Were they a college fraternity?  Were they a secret society like Skull and Bones?  I didn't say it out of respect to the Florida fans at the table to my left.  The Florida fans must have been ridiculed after a young student was recently tazed for asking John Kerry about his membership in Skull and Bones.  ("Don't taze me bro!" the young student pleaded as the campus police were tazing him.)  No, they but a group who called themselves the Four Knives Club as they had witnessed and thankfully survived a knife wielding maniac who stabbed two people with four knives the night before at the Gemini Diner on the East side.

We often get too caught up in life about which team we root for.  For the Four Knives Club, living to live and enjoy another day is the most important game of all.

College Football | Live! | Predictions

Friday, October 12, 2007 5:50:52 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Comments [0]  |  Trackback

Due to baseball coverage, I am posting this as a combo.

College: I was 0-2 last week, my first losing week ever in SATT, abeit grateful that Syracuse upset Louisville.  I am saddened that Alabama lost to Georgia.  I am 5-3 on the season.

This week's picks:

Syracuse beats Miami (OH).

Rutgers beats visiting Maryland.  Remember, the Scarlet Knights can't let their guard down.  This is a "trap" game and tough challenge.

#6 California beats #11 Oregon in a barn burner in Oregon.

Pro: I was 2-1 last week and 4-2 on the season.

This week's picks:

The Bills lose to the Jets.

The Giants win a close one against the Eagles at home.

Written by the Tank and posted by (a depressed) Steve in NY.

College Football | NFL

Saturday, September 29, 2007 6:31:56 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Comments [0]  |  Trackback

When Appalachian State defeated #5 Michigan yesterday many people were in awe. Steve and the Tank want to remind everyone that when a complete underdog in a totally outgunned match wins, it is a day for rejoicing. It is a day that creates legend and more importantly hope. Hope for every team, when down to the last strike like the 1986 Mets, their backs against the wall down 3 games to 0 like the 2004 Red Sox or completely outgunned like Appalachian State yesterday, that anything is possible. That is the power of sports.

Posted by Steve in New York 

College Football

Sunday, September 02, 2007 6:34:00 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Comments [0]  |  Trackback

This weekend marks the beginning of one of the best weekends of the year -- college football. Boo yeah!

Don't get me wrong, I love pro football too but the rivalries make college football great. Army-Navy, Michigan-Ohio State, Notre Dame-USC, and the list goes on and on. The alumni stoke the flames of passion for each team and pass the torch from one generation to the next. Pro football has rivalries but free agency and teams moving, i.e. Colts from Baltimore to Indy and Browns became Ravens has dimmed those flames. The great Cleveland fans had to wait for years for a team to reclaim the Browns name. Former Browns owner Art Modell's safety is not a certainty within Cleveland city limits.

Back to college football. There are many exciting storylines. Will Florida repeat? No. Can Ohio State reload? Yes but has to close at Michigan and plays Wisconsin. Will Notre Dame contend for a national championship? Not yet, they need another season or two for Coach Charlie Weiss to get the players he wants. Notre Dame has one of the toughest if not the toughtest schedules in the country. I am not sure how they are going to do until they face Penn State. How is their defensive speed? Next is Michigan. USC visits in October. You never know about the luck of the Irish. JH will throw a parade if the Irish win.

Local Outlook:

Through prayer and deep thought in the past year or so, I have let most of my anti-Jersey feelings go. (I am still upset about the Jets moving to the Meadowlands but understand the business that is the NFL.). Steve's girlfriend Kathleen has asked for coverage of Rutgers. Since Steve is like a brother to me, I am adopting Kathleen as the little sister that I never had. Shhhh! Don't tell her yet because she says she doesn't read the blog. I'll break the news to her when I stop by Studio 86 for our next podcast. Anyhoo, here goes:

Rutgers: The stars may line up for an undefeated season for the Scarlet Knights. They win their first seven games. Beware of the Maryland trap game on September 29. They get a chance to avenge last year's 41-39 defeat at Morgantown. (BTW, I picked the Mountaineers to win because of home field advantage.). The Scarlet Knights will try to return the favor. The Scarlet Knights should run the table until they finish the regular season on November 29 at Louisville. Revenge is on the Scarlet Knights mind but Louisville is at home so I give them the edge. But check back in late November for the ending. If he stays healthy, RB Ray Rice will finish in the top five of the Heisman Trophy balloting.

Syracuse: As rosy as the outlook is for Rutgers, the opposite is true for my beloved Orangemen. Third year coach Greg Robinson is starting to get the players for his West Coast set. We'll see what QB Andrew Robinson has. At best, I hope to save face with five or six wins but probably more like three or four. Keep the faith! Let's Go Orange!

BTW, if West Virginia, Louisville, or Rutgers survive without a loss, their BCS ranking may not be as high as other conferences but will get a Dark Horse chance if Big Ten, SEC, or other major conferences all have one or two losses.

Other Conferences:

Speaking of the SEC, who will win it? Wow! That's a tough one because it's the best football conference in the country no doubt about it. Florida is defending champs but LSU has home field advantage on October 6. But can they win the SEC Championship Game against Florida on a neutral site? No.

National Championship: I think Florida's basketball/football/Dancing With the Stars Championship Magic strikes midnight. Heisman Trophy favorite QB John David Booty and USC end the Gators dreams 27 to 20. (Disclosure: While travelling in Hawai'i for San Diego Rich's wedding on July 7, one of the guys in the wedding party ran into USC Coach Pete Carroll at a local hangout and was a pretty cool guy. I was unfortunately battling severe sun burn/poisoning -- all in less than an hour with SPF 30 on my fair skin to meet Coach Carroll. Darn it!)

Enjoy the magic of college football!

Written by an excited and traveling Tank and posted by Steve.

College Football

Saturday, September 01, 2007 8:17:59 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Comments [0]  |  Trackback

So, I'm sitting in my local Ruby Tuesday's at the bar having a burger and watching football.  Texas is playing Iowa and the game is pretty good.  We're in the fourth quarter and the Longhorns are down 21-20 when they march down the field and score a touchdown to take a 26-21 lead.  They miss the two point conversion and kick off to Iowa.  The Hawkeyes (heavy underdogs) get the ball back in decent position and start to march back the other way.  Suddenly, I'm staring at a flag draped coffin.  I've heard of sudden death but this is ridiculous.  I ask the bartender what's going on and she says the manager says we have to watch 15 minutes of President Ford's funeral and then they'll turn on the Giants game.  Now if they turned down the music and turned up the sound on the TV it might have made some sense but staring at a flag draped coffin while Judas Priest was blasting "Breakin' the Law" over the sound system tipped my weird meter.  Check please!

Anyway, college football is over for the year.  Finally.  Can't say I was surprised that Florida won the title game.   Especially after watching So. Cal take Michigan apart in the Rose bowl.  Started me to thinking that maybe the Big Ten wasn't all that.  And the bowl games sorta proved that.  Conference record was 2-5.  Hardly the dominant conference they claimed to be.  And really, after Boise State and Oklahoma, was there any point in playing anymore games?  Ever?  Talk about old school.    Game was seriously off the hook.  It was like watching "Citizen Kane" and everything after that was "Snakes on a Plane".

The votes are in.  Ripkin and Gwynn are in the Hall of Fame.  They deserved it.  McGwire is not.  There was a poll on Yahoo which asked if Mac deserved to be left out because he was a cheater and 61% said yes.  But cheated on what?  We knew he took andro (it wasn't banned then) and suspected steroids (also not banned then) so what the hell was he cheating about?  Stupid, maybe.  Bad judgment?  Time will tell.  But this smacks of the PC police imposing their opinion based on supposition and innuendo.  Maybe we should look at Babe Ruth again for being an alcoholic AND a SMOKER!!!  Mickey Mantle did a LOT of speed.  Casey Stengel was a thief.  Throw the bums out I say.  But wait, what did Big Mac really do?  Oh, yeah, hit 583 home runs and pulled baseball out of a death roll instigated by greed and selfishness.  He didn't lie to Congress.  And even if he did, who cares?  It creates personal problems for himself but has NOTHING to do with his baseball stats.  Should he be an ambassador for the game and a roll model for kids?  Two words.  Ty Cobb!!!  And that racist redneck is in.  Simple fact of life.  You can't break a rule if the rule isn't there.  And, at the time, these weren't.  Sportswriters forget their real job is to look at the baseball record, judge it against others and make a decision based on that.   Where has he been the last two years?  Out of baseball and living his life.  Not the first guy to disappear.  Remember Ted Williams?  Great hitter, turd of a human being.  Totally dropped out after his playing days.  First ballot Hall of Famer.  What about Pete Rose you say?  I guess you didn't pay attention.  Pete broke the rules.  McGwire didn't.  Does he deserve to get in?  I say yes.

And speaking of turds, Randy Johnson was traded to Arizona.  I say "Don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out."  Watching him pitch was like trying to get back together with an old girlfriend.  You could see why you liked her in the first place but then you are immediately reminded of why you wanted her to leave.  Made me pine for Kevin Brown sometimes. 

Kudos to the Jets for a really nice season.    And memo to the Giants: YOU ARE WHAT YOUR RECORD SAYS YOU ARE!

Tiki, we hardly knew ye!

………….Till next time.

Posted by The Tank and Written by Medford Bob.

College Football | Medford Bob Says | MLB | NFL

Thursday, January 11, 2007 9:15:04 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Comments [0]  |  Trackback

Steve and The Tank were blessed to have Columbus Craig's relatives to report live from the BCS Championship Game in Glendale, Arizona.  They captured the party mood outside the stadium with these great photos of Gators fans tailgating and Buckeye fans entering the stadium, respectively. 

The game gets off to a fast start as Ted Ginn Jr. returned the opening kickoff 93 yards and the Buckeyes take a 7-0 lead.

The Gators strike back with touchdowns from QB Chris Leak to Dallas Baker through the air and Harvin on the ground to take a 14-7 lead.
                                  
As Ginn is limping to the locker room to check an injury, Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith is sacked with 3:34 left in the first quarter.  The Tank's football instincts tell him that this is a turning point.

Gators 14 - Buckeyes 7 at the end of the first quarter.

DeShawn Wynn scores on a two yard run to open the second quarter.  The Gators lead 21-7.

The Buckeyes strike back with a key pass and an unwise Gator penalty to get the Buckeyes to the Gator 36.  Antonio Pittman scores on a 18 yard run a few plays led to cut the Gator lead to 21-14 with 13:32  left in the second quarter.             
        
The Buckeyes must make a stop on this drive.  The Buckeyes are going to have to change defense to more man-to-man from zone and get pressure on Leak.  Florida has the ball much longer than the Buckeyes.  Though the Gators get a couple of first downs from the short passing game, the Buckeyes step up, get press, and force the Gators to punt.   

When the Buckeyes get the ball back after the ball bounced out of the end zone on the punt, Ginn is still on the sideline from his injury.  The Buckeyes fail to capitalize on their momentum and go three and out.  The Gators lead 21-14.

The Gators drive down the field and Chris Hetland splits the uprights on his first and 42 yard field goal attempt of the game.  Coming into the game, Hetland was only 4 of 13 and one of the Tank's keys to the games.  The Gators extend their lead to 24-14.

The Buckeyes are going for it on fourth down inside their own 30 and don't get the first down.

Hetland converts his second and 40 yard field goal of the game to extend the Gator lead to 27-14.  He has half as many field in the first half as he did all season.  You've got to be kidding me!

After the kickoff, Moss strips the ball from the scrambling Smith and Harvey recovers the fumble and the Gators are first and goal from the Buckeye five yard line.
         
On third and goal from the two, Tim Tebow converts a short left handed pass to Jenkins to take a 34-14 lead.    

An unwise Gator penalty gives the Buckeyes a chance from the Gator 45.  However, Smith's "Hail Mary" pass is deflected out of bounds.  At the half, the Gators lead the Buckeyes 34-14.

Will the Buckeyes be able to mount a second half comeback?  The Gator get the second half kickoff.  Will Buckeye native Urban Meyer get the national championship his so lobbied and lusted for?  Will Buckeye Coach Jim Tressel climb the ladder to coaching immortality?

Kudos to the rival Buckeye and Gator fans in the Tostitos for building a Habitat for Humanity home in a week's time for Fred Banks and his daughter Natalia.
          
As psyched as the Tank is for the start of "24" (the best show on TV) to start this Sunday, he is saddened that age discrimination prevents him from competing for the "American Idol" crown he so richly deserves.
                         
After the second half kickoff goes out of the end zone, the Gators fumble the opening snap and Leak throws it away.  A penalty to force 2nd and 15 and a key third down stop by Freeman forces the Gators to punt.  Wilbur doesn't replicate his first 59 yard punt and only hits a 20 yard rugby style punt.  Remember, this is college football, not time for cuteness or a beauty contest.

Can Ohio State put a drive together?  No, the helmet less Earl Everett sacks Smith to end the Buckeye drive.
 
The Buckeyes get a key stop and a penalty on the punt return gives the Buckeyes the ball near mid field.  The Buckeyes can't convert and the Gators get the ball back. 

The Gators don't score but run most of the time off the clock in the third quarter.

Smith is sacked for the fourth time tonight and the Buckeyes have to punt again.

Tebow scores on fourth and goal to take a 41-14 lead.  I just lost some respect for Florida Coach Urban Meyer.  A field goal would have given them a 37-14 lead with 10:20 left in the game.  Three touchdowns is plenty at this point of the game.

Though Urban Meyer is from Ohio, he was never a candidate for the Buckeye head coaching job.  Does he want to coach there next?  (He has jumped from Bowling Green State University to Utah to Florida in less than four years.)

Leak takes a knee to end the game.  The Gators win the BCS Championship 41-14.  Congratulations to the Gators and their fans.  They are now the defending basketball, football, and "Dancing With the Stars" (Emmitt Smith) champions. 
                                      
Conclusion: The Gators offensive line dominated the Buckeyes.  Gator Coach Urban Meyer came up with a great game plan to utilize the short passing game underneath the Buckeye zone defense.  Ginn's early injury exit didn't help the Buckeyes either.  The Gators also put lots of pressure on Smith.  I guess the Heisman Trophy jinx continues.

Football condolences to Columbus Craig, his family, and Buckeyes fans everywhere. 

In the meantime, the Boise State Broncos are undefeated but won't have a chance to play for a national championship.  The Broncos beat the Oklahoma Sooners 43-42 in a great overtime game on the same field less than a week earlier.  If Broncos to play the Gators, the Gators would probably win nine out of 10 times.  But, doesn't it make you wonder what if there was a playoff system?

Division I-A college football is a great game but desperately needs a playoff.  Until then, the Tank won't have closure.  May the off season go quickly and the "Powers that Be" institute a real playoff system.  

Posted by the Tank in NY and mega thanks to Columbus Craig's Family for the photos.

College Football

Tuesday, January 09, 2007 1:29:26 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Comments [0]  |  Trackback

The 12-0 Ohio State Buckeyes meet the 12-1 Florida Gators in Monday night's BCS Championship.

The Buckeyes have the advantage on both sides of the ball and special teams.  Florida's Chris Hetland has only made 4 of 13 field goal attempts this season and will have to step it up if the Gators have any hopes of winning the game.

Gator Defensive Back Jones is great and probably going to the NFL after his Junior season according to his Mom but he can't cover Buckeye All-Ten receivers Ginn and Gonzalez at the same time.

Though Gators Coach Urban Meyer is a great young coach, the edge goes to Buckeye Coach Jim Tressel because he has more experience.  If the Buckeyes win Monday night, Tressel's reputation will continue to climb toward that of his idol, the legendary Woody Hayes.

I do give the Gators the edge in that they are less rusty than the Buckeyes who haven't played since the "Immortality Bowl" on Saturday, November 18, 2006.  They have also won the SEC which is the best top to bottom football conference in the country.  The Gators haven't always won big or pretty but college football isn't a beauty contest, it's more important than life itself.

The Gators need to keep their turnovers to an absolute minimum or it will be a Buckeye Blowout. 

Prediction: The game will be hard fought and close until the second half when the Buckeyes start to pull away.  The Buckeyes win the BCS Championship Game 27-17.

Posted by Steve for the Travelling Tank going home to Upstate NY.

College Football

Sunday, January 07, 2007 10:51:56 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Comments [0]  |  Trackback

The Tank traveled to South Florida Tuesday night for some r and r and to visit some friends for a few days.  It was also perfect timing to witness firsthand the reaction of Miami Dolphins fans to Nick Saban's quitting the Dolphins to become the Head Coach at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AKA The Crimson Tide.
                        
The Tank couldn't be more thrilled for the following reasons:
     
(1) The Tank grew up an Alabama fan because of the late great Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant, R.I.P., and former Jets quarterback Joe Namath.  Though Gene Stallings thankfully won a national championship in the 1992 season with a great defense, it hasn't been the same in Tuscaloosa since Coach Bryant has been there.  Nick Saban is young enough to have a chance to hopefully return Alabama to its greatness for a long period of time, God Willing.
   
(2) As a Bills fan (and still jilted Jets fan after they left NY for the Meadowlands), I am glad that I don't have to face the Dolphins coached by Nick home and away each season.  Coincidentally, "Trader Lou" Saban, Nick's cousin, coached the Bills to AFL Championships in 1964 and 1965.
                                                       
(3) At upcoming Julian / Old Calendar Christmas Dinner at my parents house Upstate this upcoming Sunday, I'll have a chance to remind my brother-in-law Jim who is a Dolphins fan about Nick's departure.

Bottom Line: Alabama has a chance to return to national prominence and the Dolphins lose a great coach.  Could 2007 get off to a better start?

Don't get me wrong, it is harder in some ways to win in the SEC, the best college football conference in the country, than in the NFL.  Every conference game is a battle but Coach Saban gives Alabama a chance to return to the Promised Land.

Until next time, Roll Tide!

Posted by the Tank in South Florida.

College Football | NFL

Wednesday, January 03, 2007 1:46:53 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Comments [0]  |  Trackback

I hope everyone is enjoying this unseasonably warm (in NY) but great Holiday season.

If you love college football, this is the best week of the year.  There are so many bowl games sponsored by various companies.  Though not a marquee game like the upcoming BCS Champion Game on January 8, The Tank listened to Hawaii beat Arizona State 41-24 in the Hawaii Bowl on the radio last night before going to taking a three hour nap and going to work.  The Tank observes Julian/Old Calendar Eastern Orthodox Christmas on January 7 as there is a 13 day difference between the Calendars.  I am covering for my IT network colleagues who observe Gregorian/New Calendar Christmas.  The Internet and networking is 24/7/365-6 and if the network takes a nap (God Forbid), then we're in trouble regardless of if and when we observe Christmas. 

Merry Christmas! / Happy Hanukah! / Happy Kwanzaa! / Happy Ramadan! / Happy Winter Solstice! / Apologies to others' Holidays I may have forgotten!

Best wishes to you and yours for a Happy and Healthy Holiday Season!

Posted by The Tank in NY.

College Football

Monday, December 25, 2006 7:04:56 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Comments [0]  |  Trackback

If there is any doubt who Saturday night's Heisman Trophy winner should be, they need laser vision surgery more than the Tank and most professional referees and umpires.
           
Let's put it this way, if someone other than Troy Smith wins the Heisman, there should be an investigation.

Sure, Brady Quinn got all the pre-season hype but his Heisman hopes crashed with Notre Dame's losses to Michigan and USC.

Arkansas' Darren McFadden is a great athlete and may have the best NFL career of all.
                      
However, Smith has battled through it all -- a foster care home, taking $500 from a booster and being benched for two games in 2004 and 2005 for it, etc. to lead the Ohio State University Buckeyes to the BCS National Championship Game and a perfect season. 

Smith has the perfect balance of poise in the pocket, mobility, and a rifle arm.

Though the Tank doesn't yet have a vote for the Heisman, my vote is for Troy Smith. 

Posted by The Tank in NY.        

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

College Football

Saturday, December 09, 2006 10:29:30 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
Comments [0]  |  Trackback