Maybe it’s in your closet hanging behind that charcoal suit you haven’t worn since Easter. Or perhaps it is under those branded golf shirts in your bureau. It could be a t-shirt, a knit shirt, or a dress shirt. Possibly it is a blouse, or hair bow. You know it as your lucky game-day apparel, and you know what I am talking about.
It’s time to take it out, dust it off, wash it, iron it, kiss it, go through whatever ritual you have for it…and then put it on….because Friday is College Colors Day.
College Colors Day is an annual celebration organized by the Collegiate Licensing Company and it’s consortium of colleges and universities. Your alma mater, favorite school or team, or local university is probably participating. All of the schools in the SEC and the ACC are.
College Colors Day, which coincides with both “back to school” and the kickoff of intercollegiate athletics….including football (yeah!! and for me…War Eagle!!)…seeks to celebrate and promote the traditions and spirit that make the college traditions great by getting fans, alumni and students to wear apparel of their favorite college throughout the day of Friday, September 4, 2009.
Therefore, I invite you to join me….as I will be wearing MY favorite Orange, Blue and White shirt, to put on YOUR favorite team apparel…and make Friday an exciting College Colors Day. Heck, you can even bring your pom-pom shaker to work or school if you dare!
There’s nothing like the college traditions. And what a great way to start the first weekend of the new college football season.
I just hope my shirt still fits. I’m not sure that charcoal suit does.
WJLaneSR
Monday, August 31, 2009
Thursday, August 27, 2009
1 Week Away
We are one week away. Only 7 days. Next Thursday evening. Its college football time again.
The lineup may not be laden with heavy hitters, but there are some pretty good matchups, I think. The marquee game will be the Gamecocks of South Carolina versus the Wolfpack of North Carolina State. This game will carried by ESPN, with a kickoff time of 7:00 p.m. eastern.
As the Ol’ Ball Coach prepares for his 5th season as the top cock-of-the-walk, he does so with the expectations of being “middle of the pack” in the SEC east. Visiting Raleigh to play the Wolfpack will not be the easiest feat, but the Gamecocks need this win. Without that momentum, it could be a very difficult following week with a trip to Athens, Georgia waiting on them.
Other games on Thursday night see North Dakota State visiting Gene Chizic’s former troops at Iowa State, and North Texas at up-and-coming Ball State (David Letterman gives a cheer from the Ed Sullivan Theater!)
And finally, for those who can’t sleep on Thursday night, don’t take a Tylenol PM. Just keep your television on ESPN, and at 10:15 pm EST you will see Oregon at Boise State. And before you snooze in your recliner, this may actually be the best game of the night. Oregon enters the game at #16, and Boise State enters at #14. There is a lot on the line for these two programs.
And just in case your double espresso of college football on Thursday night doesn’t get you through to Saturday’s big kickoff day, you can tune in to ESPN on Friday night and catch Gus Mulzahn’s former Tulsa team square off in the Big Easy against the Green Wave of Tulane. Friday night on Bourbon Street. Could it get any sweeter?
Saturday’s lineup looks like this:
For all you early-morning Bloody-Mary types:
12:00 Noon Eastern
Kentucky at Miami (Ohio) ESPNU
WKU at Tennessee SEC Network
Navy at Ohio State ESPN
Minn. at Syracuse ESPN2
1:00 PM Eastern
Jax State at Ga. Tech ESPN360
For the Tailgating crowd:
3:30 PM Eastern
Georgia at Okla. State ABC
Jackson St. at Miss. St ESPNU
Missouri at Illinois ESPN
Baylor at Wake Forest ESPN2
And finally, for the Dinner-Time night games:
7:00 PM Eastern
La. Tech at Auburn ESPNU
Mo. State at Arkansas ESPN360
8:00 PM Eastern
Alabama vs. Va. Tech ABC
10:00 PM Eastern
Maryland at California ESPN2
10:30 PM Eastern
LSU at Washington ESPN
So…hope you get enough college football next week…it’s the first full week. Don’t be like the little boy at the church dinner-on-the grounds, though. He ate so much that it made him sick. He never wanted to see another spread of food like that again. At least, until the next time.
WJLaneSR.
The lineup may not be laden with heavy hitters, but there are some pretty good matchups, I think. The marquee game will be the Gamecocks of South Carolina versus the Wolfpack of North Carolina State. This game will carried by ESPN, with a kickoff time of 7:00 p.m. eastern.
As the Ol’ Ball Coach prepares for his 5th season as the top cock-of-the-walk, he does so with the expectations of being “middle of the pack” in the SEC east. Visiting Raleigh to play the Wolfpack will not be the easiest feat, but the Gamecocks need this win. Without that momentum, it could be a very difficult following week with a trip to Athens, Georgia waiting on them.
Other games on Thursday night see North Dakota State visiting Gene Chizic’s former troops at Iowa State, and North Texas at up-and-coming Ball State (David Letterman gives a cheer from the Ed Sullivan Theater!)
And finally, for those who can’t sleep on Thursday night, don’t take a Tylenol PM. Just keep your television on ESPN, and at 10:15 pm EST you will see Oregon at Boise State. And before you snooze in your recliner, this may actually be the best game of the night. Oregon enters the game at #16, and Boise State enters at #14. There is a lot on the line for these two programs.
And just in case your double espresso of college football on Thursday night doesn’t get you through to Saturday’s big kickoff day, you can tune in to ESPN on Friday night and catch Gus Mulzahn’s former Tulsa team square off in the Big Easy against the Green Wave of Tulane. Friday night on Bourbon Street. Could it get any sweeter?
Saturday’s lineup looks like this:
For all you early-morning Bloody-Mary types:
12:00 Noon Eastern
Kentucky at Miami (Ohio) ESPNU
WKU at Tennessee SEC Network
Navy at Ohio State ESPN
Minn. at Syracuse ESPN2
1:00 PM Eastern
Jax State at Ga. Tech ESPN360
For the Tailgating crowd:
3:30 PM Eastern
Georgia at Okla. State ABC
Jackson St. at Miss. St ESPNU
Missouri at Illinois ESPN
Baylor at Wake Forest ESPN2
And finally, for the Dinner-Time night games:
7:00 PM Eastern
La. Tech at Auburn ESPNU
Mo. State at Arkansas ESPN360
8:00 PM Eastern
Alabama vs. Va. Tech ABC
10:00 PM Eastern
Maryland at California ESPN2
10:30 PM Eastern
LSU at Washington ESPN
So…hope you get enough college football next week…it’s the first full week. Don’t be like the little boy at the church dinner-on-the grounds, though. He ate so much that it made him sick. He never wanted to see another spread of food like that again. At least, until the next time.
WJLaneSR.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Swine Flu Alert
The H1N1 virus is a serious threat. The World Health Organization raised the pandemic level to 5 a couple of months back, which basically meant that it was spreading from country to country.
The company I work for has taken the H1N1 threat very seriously. We have put into place contingency plans “just in case” the pandemic becomes a problem.
But let’s be honest. The H1N1 flu hasn’t been as fatal as first thought. In fact, more people are dying in this country from the REGULAR flu strain than from H1N1.
Of course, autumn isn’t here yet, and that’s when flu season really begins.
Which begs the question….when all of us tailgater, road-tripper, football fans gather in large stadiums this fall….will we be subjecting ourselves to the H1N1 flu? I don’t know.
But Ole Miss sure seems to be concerned about it.
In a press release from their Althletic Department, Ole Miss has reacted quite strangely to the H1N1 threat. Here is the release and I quote: OXFORD, Miss. - In an abundance of caution regarding the potential exposure of various flu strains, Ole Miss officials announced Tuesday that Saturday's planned "Meet the Rebels Day" has been cancelled for this year.
"After consultation with our team physicians and Coach Houston Nutt, we felt it was in the best interest of our football team to cancel this year's 'Meet the Rebels Day'," said Ole Miss Athletics Director Pete Boone.
"While we may be over cautious regarding the flu, our season opener is less than three weeks away and we can't take any chances," Nutt said. "We certainly regret not being able to interact with our fans at this time."
I gotta tell you, I don't know if I have ever seen anything quite like this. I was TOTALLY taken back by this announcement from the Rebel Athletic Department.
But after thinking about it a while, I finally understood.
You see, H1N1 is also known as……SWINE FLU.
The Reverend Head Coach Houston Nutt has tried very hard at Ole Miss to distance himself from his days at Arkansas as the Head Boar Hog. He won't even use the name "Arkansas" around Oxford...only calling it "that school." And it makes perfect sense that he wouldn’t want anything swine related around his current football program. They are a pre-season top ten pick, are coming off a great year last year, had a very good recruiting year, and some say will contend for the SEC West championship. Why would he want to upset his apple cart over H1N1?
After all, you could say it was “swine flu” that got him run off from Arkansas.
WJLaneSR
The company I work for has taken the H1N1 threat very seriously. We have put into place contingency plans “just in case” the pandemic becomes a problem.
But let’s be honest. The H1N1 flu hasn’t been as fatal as first thought. In fact, more people are dying in this country from the REGULAR flu strain than from H1N1.
Of course, autumn isn’t here yet, and that’s when flu season really begins.
Which begs the question….when all of us tailgater, road-tripper, football fans gather in large stadiums this fall….will we be subjecting ourselves to the H1N1 flu? I don’t know.
But Ole Miss sure seems to be concerned about it.
In a press release from their Althletic Department, Ole Miss has reacted quite strangely to the H1N1 threat. Here is the release and I quote: OXFORD, Miss. - In an abundance of caution regarding the potential exposure of various flu strains, Ole Miss officials announced Tuesday that Saturday's planned "Meet the Rebels Day" has been cancelled for this year.
"After consultation with our team physicians and Coach Houston Nutt, we felt it was in the best interest of our football team to cancel this year's 'Meet the Rebels Day'," said Ole Miss Athletics Director Pete Boone.
"While we may be over cautious regarding the flu, our season opener is less than three weeks away and we can't take any chances," Nutt said. "We certainly regret not being able to interact with our fans at this time."
I gotta tell you, I don't know if I have ever seen anything quite like this. I was TOTALLY taken back by this announcement from the Rebel Athletic Department.
But after thinking about it a while, I finally understood.
You see, H1N1 is also known as……SWINE FLU.
The Reverend Head Coach Houston Nutt has tried very hard at Ole Miss to distance himself from his days at Arkansas as the Head Boar Hog. He won't even use the name "Arkansas" around Oxford...only calling it "that school." And it makes perfect sense that he wouldn’t want anything swine related around his current football program. They are a pre-season top ten pick, are coming off a great year last year, had a very good recruiting year, and some say will contend for the SEC West championship. Why would he want to upset his apple cart over H1N1?
After all, you could say it was “swine flu” that got him run off from Arkansas.
WJLaneSR
Monday, August 17, 2009
The Art of Being Right
O.K. First things first. I’m only going to gloat for a minute. I was right. No doubt about it.
I told you that I thought Todd would be named the starting quarterback, many of you sent me messages of disagreement, saying it would Burns or Caudle. In fact, most comments were that it would be Burns. But...I was right. Todd was named the starting quarterback for Auburn. (This is the part where I beat on my chest a little, with a wiley grin, and say "told you so!").
Which for some strange reason reminds me of a philosopher I once studied while in college.
His name was Arthur Schopenhauer. In 1831, he wrote a short treatise entitled “Die Kunst, Recht zu Behalten”. “The Art of Being Right”.
Maybe you are married to someone who practices this philosophy. I don’t know…I’m just saying.
I don’t remember all 38 methods it states can be used to show that you are right, but I remember a few. Let’s see….
Generalize the other person’s specific statements
Yield admissions through questions
Choose metaphors favorable to your propositions
Find one instance to the contrary
Exaggerate your statements
Interrupt, Break and Divert the dispute
Seems like Arthur was trying to teach us how to lie.
But that wasn’t the purpose of his treatise. The purpose was to teach one to debate…Particularly to debate legal issues.
Which brings me to Delaware’s Democratic Governor, Jack Markell. It seems Governor Markell, in an effort to increase his state’s coffers, has proposed legalizing single-game and parlay wagering on sports to help erase their budgets deficit.
Boy, has this ticked off the major sports agencies.
The NFL, NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball and the NCAA putting up strong objections, and have joined forces to legally battle the little state of Delaware on this issue. (I couldn’t find where Ultimate Fighting or World Championship Wrestling gave any sort of objection, or even cared).
Nevertheless, the legal debate has begun, and the joint sports associations have started their media blitz trying to show that widespread legalized gambling would threaten the integrity of their sports by creating incentives for cheating and game-fixing.
In May, Delaware’s Supreme Court ruled that this “sports betting plan” did not violate the state’s constitution “as long as chance is the predominate factor in winning or losing.”
The case is now before the 3rd Circuit in Philadelphia, where both sides will get their opportunity to legally debate the issue. There are very strong opinions on both sides of the aisle.
Who will win the debate? I don’t know…..Ask Arthur Schopenhauer.
Now as for who’s right…well…that's another question.
WJLaneSR
I told you that I thought Todd would be named the starting quarterback, many of you sent me messages of disagreement, saying it would Burns or Caudle. In fact, most comments were that it would be Burns. But...I was right. Todd was named the starting quarterback for Auburn. (This is the part where I beat on my chest a little, with a wiley grin, and say "told you so!").
Which for some strange reason reminds me of a philosopher I once studied while in college.
His name was Arthur Schopenhauer. In 1831, he wrote a short treatise entitled “Die Kunst, Recht zu Behalten”. “The Art of Being Right”.
Maybe you are married to someone who practices this philosophy. I don’t know…I’m just saying.
I don’t remember all 38 methods it states can be used to show that you are right, but I remember a few. Let’s see….
Generalize the other person’s specific statements
Yield admissions through questions
Choose metaphors favorable to your propositions
Find one instance to the contrary
Exaggerate your statements
Interrupt, Break and Divert the dispute
Seems like Arthur was trying to teach us how to lie.
But that wasn’t the purpose of his treatise. The purpose was to teach one to debate…Particularly to debate legal issues.
Which brings me to Delaware’s Democratic Governor, Jack Markell. It seems Governor Markell, in an effort to increase his state’s coffers, has proposed legalizing single-game and parlay wagering on sports to help erase their budgets deficit.
Boy, has this ticked off the major sports agencies.
The NFL, NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball and the NCAA putting up strong objections, and have joined forces to legally battle the little state of Delaware on this issue. (I couldn’t find where Ultimate Fighting or World Championship Wrestling gave any sort of objection, or even cared).
Nevertheless, the legal debate has begun, and the joint sports associations have started their media blitz trying to show that widespread legalized gambling would threaten the integrity of their sports by creating incentives for cheating and game-fixing.
In May, Delaware’s Supreme Court ruled that this “sports betting plan” did not violate the state’s constitution “as long as chance is the predominate factor in winning or losing.”
The case is now before the 3rd Circuit in Philadelphia, where both sides will get their opportunity to legally debate the issue. There are very strong opinions on both sides of the aisle.
Who will win the debate? I don’t know…..Ask Arthur Schopenhauer.
Now as for who’s right…well…that's another question.
WJLaneSR
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Back in the Saddle
My hiatus is over. Dog days, two-a-days, and school days are upon us. Locker rooms across the country have the fragrant smell of sweaty socks and jocks. Body parts are chafed, itching, burning and peeling. It’s Gold Bond Ointment and Powder time. Its football time again.
Since we last conversed, many things have changed in my life. My oldest daughter moved from Charleston and is headed to Portland, Oregon….with a 1 month pit-stop at our house. My youngest daughter totaled her car in a one vehicle accident that sent her and the vehicle on a three flip rollover (she’s o.k.). My middle daughter went to Nairobi, Kenya on a mission trip, came home and passed 4th semester Spanish during her “mini-mester”. My son was tapped into the Order of the Arrow in Boy Scouts, and has his ordeal this weekend. And my wife and I celebrated our 29th anniversary. Being “ever the human resources professional” that I am, I should add…that’s 29 years without a break in service.
I learned to “twitter” during my hiatus, and find that it is interesting, and temptingly addictive. It gives new meaning to the phrases: “just how much do you want to know”, and “I don’t believe I’d a told that”.
So now, summer comes to a close. Down on the Plains, the Tigers are already in the midst of two-a-day practices and in fact had their first scrimmage last night. Many questions remain to be answered, and most will continue to dangle like a participle until kickoff time on September 5th. The most pressing question is, “who will be the starting quarterback?” My beloved wife of 29 years would say, “Who cares?”
I do.
Therefore, I offer to you my assessment of the quarterback situation at Auburn this year.
First and foremost, I believe WITH CONVICTION that Gus Malzahn already knows who he wants. I believe the “fair shot” thing is just that….to make sure that none of his gunslingers believe they were slighted and not given a fair shake. That being said, my assessment:
Kodi Burns: Malzahn has known him since the high school days. Malzahn likes him personally and recruited him at Arkansas. He has big-game experience, and this always has to be taken into consideration. However, he has shown consistently that although he has a tremendous amount of athletic ability, he makes bad decisions. Or at least incomplete ones. And while we are talking incomplete, he has a passing problem and it is still apparent if you look at the summer workout videos on any of the Auburn sites. He is still throwing behind and at the feet of receivers.
Neil Caudle: It’s now or never for the Spain Park superstar. His knee problems seem to be corrected, and in the spring game he showed much more poise than he had shown during most practices. His problem, before the spring game, was WAY too many interceptions in practice. Although he came from a spread offense, he will never outrun anybody. My suspicion is that he will fade into the background for good, if not named the starter.
Chris Todd: There was no question he had shoulder and/or arm problems last year. His passes had no “umph” to them, and most floated like a sunbather on an Inner-Tube. Has his arm strength come back? Is he now what he was purported to be when he was almost/woulda/shoulda/coulda been the starter at Texas Tech? As with Caudle, if not now for him, then never. He’s worked hard and those closest to the situation indicate he has the best grasp, mentally, of Malzahn’s offense.
Two freshmen: Rollison may be the future. Or Moseley. Many say Rollison reminds them of a young Jason Campbell. But even the young Jason Campbell got roughed up when he entered the SEC. It’s just no place for a freshman, no matter how good they are. My feeling is the freshmen quarterbacks redshirt. Clearly they are the future, but not the right now future.
All that said….what do I think? Let me put my finger up and feel the wind.
I think it ends up being Todd. Why? Just a hunch. Mostly based on what I hear about his grasp of the offense mentally. But hey, I could be wrong. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time.
Oh….and one more thing before I forget. My family grew by one this past week. My son has a thirteenth birthday next week and he got one of his presents early. He’s a Boston Terrier puppy. And his name is Carnell.
War Eagle!
WJLaneSR
Since we last conversed, many things have changed in my life. My oldest daughter moved from Charleston and is headed to Portland, Oregon….with a 1 month pit-stop at our house. My youngest daughter totaled her car in a one vehicle accident that sent her and the vehicle on a three flip rollover (she’s o.k.). My middle daughter went to Nairobi, Kenya on a mission trip, came home and passed 4th semester Spanish during her “mini-mester”. My son was tapped into the Order of the Arrow in Boy Scouts, and has his ordeal this weekend. And my wife and I celebrated our 29th anniversary. Being “ever the human resources professional” that I am, I should add…that’s 29 years without a break in service.
I learned to “twitter” during my hiatus, and find that it is interesting, and temptingly addictive. It gives new meaning to the phrases: “just how much do you want to know”, and “I don’t believe I’d a told that”.
So now, summer comes to a close. Down on the Plains, the Tigers are already in the midst of two-a-day practices and in fact had their first scrimmage last night. Many questions remain to be answered, and most will continue to dangle like a participle until kickoff time on September 5th. The most pressing question is, “who will be the starting quarterback?” My beloved wife of 29 years would say, “Who cares?”
I do.
Therefore, I offer to you my assessment of the quarterback situation at Auburn this year.
First and foremost, I believe WITH CONVICTION that Gus Malzahn already knows who he wants. I believe the “fair shot” thing is just that….to make sure that none of his gunslingers believe they were slighted and not given a fair shake. That being said, my assessment:
Kodi Burns: Malzahn has known him since the high school days. Malzahn likes him personally and recruited him at Arkansas. He has big-game experience, and this always has to be taken into consideration. However, he has shown consistently that although he has a tremendous amount of athletic ability, he makes bad decisions. Or at least incomplete ones. And while we are talking incomplete, he has a passing problem and it is still apparent if you look at the summer workout videos on any of the Auburn sites. He is still throwing behind and at the feet of receivers.
Neil Caudle: It’s now or never for the Spain Park superstar. His knee problems seem to be corrected, and in the spring game he showed much more poise than he had shown during most practices. His problem, before the spring game, was WAY too many interceptions in practice. Although he came from a spread offense, he will never outrun anybody. My suspicion is that he will fade into the background for good, if not named the starter.
Chris Todd: There was no question he had shoulder and/or arm problems last year. His passes had no “umph” to them, and most floated like a sunbather on an Inner-Tube. Has his arm strength come back? Is he now what he was purported to be when he was almost/woulda/shoulda/coulda been the starter at Texas Tech? As with Caudle, if not now for him, then never. He’s worked hard and those closest to the situation indicate he has the best grasp, mentally, of Malzahn’s offense.
Two freshmen: Rollison may be the future. Or Moseley. Many say Rollison reminds them of a young Jason Campbell. But even the young Jason Campbell got roughed up when he entered the SEC. It’s just no place for a freshman, no matter how good they are. My feeling is the freshmen quarterbacks redshirt. Clearly they are the future, but not the right now future.
All that said….what do I think? Let me put my finger up and feel the wind.
I think it ends up being Todd. Why? Just a hunch. Mostly based on what I hear about his grasp of the offense mentally. But hey, I could be wrong. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time.
Oh….and one more thing before I forget. My family grew by one this past week. My son has a thirteenth birthday next week and he got one of his presents early. He’s a Boston Terrier puppy. And his name is Carnell.
War Eagle!
WJLaneSR
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