NYE Plans, Best and Worst in 2020, Michigan Hoops+ CFB Playoff Picks

Is anyone really planning to watch the CFP? I haven't been this disinterested in the national title since it the LSU-Alabama title game.

Alabama 55-14
Clemson 35-20

Alabama 42-27

No new years plans, watching my brothers kids so they can celebrate.  Just going to watch Mich hoops and maybe smoke a bowl when the ball drops

Best thing; started my dream job,  1 year in and I'm still in love with it.

Worst: The passing of my Dad has been really hard on me. 

Yes watching Mich tonight 

Alabama and Clemson win with Bama winning it all. Alabama wins by at least 30 and Clemson wins by 2 scores

Happy New Year XM and the rest of you mgopeeps 

Of course I will be watching Michigan basketball tonight. What else would I be doing at 8:00?

I ordered doughnuts from my favorite place in New York. That's it. That's the big plan. 

Sitting around the fire pit drinking Scotch and a whole bottle of wine.  Maybe make some old fashioneds as well!

I hope Alabama crushes ND and Clemson does the same to Ohio State.  Don't like any of the four in the playoffs but some I loathe much more.

Thanks for the good prompts this year to help keep us sane, XM!

1.  Basketball game, a few daytime texts to friends ringing in the new year early in Asia and Europe. Off to bed shortly after the game ends. Yes, I am getting old and cranky.

2.  Best: Spending more time with the kids, watching them continue to grow up and each start at new schools (one via Zoom, which was interesting). Got a nice promotion at work. Family all healthy. Not doing worst this year, because where would one even start...

3.  Yes, it's NYE's hottest game. 

4.  My life for an ounce of enthusiasm about football after the season we had. 

Playing golf today and going to bed at the usual time. Waking up early to make eggs benedict for my wife as is tradition. 

Best/Worst: Losing my job was probably the best and worst, as I'm lucky enough to not need it but really enjoy my work. I was able to wait to take the right job for my next position, but more importantly I was able to be present for the first days of my first born's life and every day since, which would not have a been an option otherwise. 

I'll watch basketball if its on TV for me. 

Bama and the over.

Clemson and the over. 

Neither game will be close.

1) No plans. Got a five month old at home to watch. We’re going to grill steaks and probably broil up some cauliflower. I doubt we’ll even stay up until midnight. 

2) Best part - our son being born. That made the whole year worth it. 

Worst part - everything else. This whole year otherwise has been awful. A lot of trips cancelled, family we haven't gotten to see. I haven't seen my sister, brother in law, and niece/nephew in over a year. Not to mention an exhausting election and living in GA where you still have to get political ads thrown in your face all day every day. Honestly I hate all four of those candidates right now. I just want them off my screen. As for the rest, we never lost our jobs, but my wife is a teacher and has had to put up with more than she deserves as far as teaching during a pandemic goes. Middle schoolers, many of whom have the attention span of a gnat. So you can imagine how trying to keep them focused in a Zoom class goes. As for me, 90% of my department, including my manager and my director, were let go in May. My entire team was scrapped permanently and I’ve had to change jobs internally, twice, to stay afloat and have a paycheck. I’ve gotten a raise out of it, but I’m doing what I was doing two years ago so this year has been a regression in my career path. If the company didn’t offer overly generous fully paid paternity leave that I’m still milking, I would’ve left by now. But that’s time with your child that you can never get back so I’m using it all up until it runs out the first week of April. 

3) Maybe. Not sure. This has been the work week from hell as we try to wrap up the year, so I may just want to sit down with a bottle of wine and do nothing else besides grill and eat.

4) Bama by a TD over Clemson. Bama by at least 3 TDs over ND. Clemson wins another nail biter over OSU. Not having their OC in the game will make a difference for Clemson. But so will having Trevor Lawrence. Honestly, as long as OSU doesn’t win, I really don’t care. College football is beginning to get stale for me, because it’s the same 3 to 4 teams playing for it all every single year. That's one area where the NFL has CFB beat in spades. Parity in the league has probably never been better. 

1. Going to the in-laws. Quiet evening there and at home. We need it since my kids just had an online Minecraft birthday party with 10 other kids. Hectic.

2. Bad- Lost a cousin to covid. Had to cancel a bucket list trip to Scotland to tour distilleries with some German family.

Good- lots of family time and rv travel. Everyone on my wife's side of the family (immediate) has avoided contracting it. The matriarch on that side is recovering from open heart surgery after docs noticed 90% blockage, so everyone's relieved she's recovering well and we get to keep her around longer. 

3. Yes

4. Alabama by 14, Clemson by 14

Clemson wins NC by 10

Cheers!

1) Fancy dinner from local restaurant eaten at home with NYE cocktails (good chance either 1) I am the only one awake by Midnight or 2) the whole house is down for the count)

2) Best- My son was born! Healthy and Happy! My other kids continue to do well despite zoom schooling!

Worst- my parents not being able to meet my son since they live a few too many states over for driving and generally are at high risk if they get sick. (I realize many have much worst, worsts and am thankful this can top my list of worsts for the year)

3) Yes

4) BAMA by 30 or more; Clemson by 14 or more, not thinking either game will be end up being particularly interesting

Happy New Year all!

We need it bad.

1. Going out to dinner with 3 other couples, then back to our house for a bit. We won’t make it to midnight. Also, my 13 year old is having 6-7 boys over for a madden tournament followed by watching the ball drop. 
 

2. Worst was losing my two grandparents (both 95, and both suffering with cancer) to Covid within 48 hours of each other. Amazing people. Best was my job (law firm) becoming more remote, which I plan to make permanent, so I have spent more time with my wife and kids than ever before. Also, for those who didn’t panic, the stock market was pretty awesome this year. 
 

3. Yes, watching the bball game, but starting it on dvr at 9:30 when we got back from dinner. Two of the couple we are going out with have Mich connections. 
 

4. With the points, ND and Clemson. Honestly, the CFP have become beyond boring. Bama, Clemson, osu, rinse wash repeat. Not sure what the NCAA can do to address the issue, but if those three teams continue to be so much better than everybody else, it’s going to kill the sport. 

Will be a low key NYE, going to pick up a pizza, I've got a bottle of cheap cava chilling in the fridge and plenty of liquor or a Miller product that may or may not be the Champagne of Beers if I blow through that.  Usually don't bother staying awake but my sleep schedule is pretty off and I'm sure I will be.

No real bests or worsts, had a lot of the same experiences everyone else did. 

Will probably watch the game, though it might be on delay off the DVR.

Bama by 1,000.  Clemson by somewhat less than 1,000.  I don't really care --rooting for either one of those awful programs would be the dirtiest most horrible thing imaginable ... other than rooting for Ohio State, Notre Dame or Sparty.  So the best I can hope for is hideous, boring, tremendously lopsided games that contribute to the blowing up of the FBS system.

1) Having friends over to just graze on some outstanding small plate stuff (my wife is an exceptional cook for party hosting) and I'm guessing a combination of sports on TV (M hoops) and some board or card games. I'm sure we'll watch the ball drop.

2) Bad - colossal falling out btw my wife and her dad/stepmom (who I always knew to be a-holes but couldn't really say it) ... somehow I'm wearing the black hat in all of that from my in-laws' vantage point, but I'm perfectly comfortable in that role in that it helps my wife's sanity.  Also, the marriage of some dear friends falling apart -- the husband/dad allowed himself to get sucked away by some terribly foolish choices.

Good - some very good friendships grew far, far deeper this year ... lifelong friendship-level friends now.  Zoom reconnected me with old friends (lifelong friends) with whom time/adulthood had allowed some distance to gather over the last decade-ish. Professionally, my organization got its act together and sat me in the correct group, enabling me to ply my trade in a way that is most beneficial to the most people -- not only should that be financially rewarding, but it is also satisfying/interesting.

3) Yes, that is the plan

4) Bama beats the spread vs ND. I think Clemson's outcome depends on its young DL stars' ability to get pressure on Fields.  I'll go with Clemson (for my sanity they MUST keep up their all-time undefeated mark against OSU ... it's part of the Woody/Bauman legend), but they don't cover.  I have Bama big over Clemson this time ... I'll say more than 2 TDs.

 Go Blue!  

This will be the first time in...15? 16? 17? (I forgot -- they must have been good)...years that we will not be hosting a sizeable NYE party at our house, or ANY party, for that matter. And, well, as much as I am perfectly OK with that under the circumstances of 2020, it does make me a little sad, I have to be honest. I look forward to those parties every year. But hey, I know there will be more to come.

Definitely watching Michigan hoops. Let's get a big W over a Maryland team that (uh oh) knocked off Wisconsin lately. But, ya know, it's TIME to be battle-tested. Let's see what our guys can do.

As far as CFP? 

I'm SO not interested in watching. But, I'll make predictions:

Alabama 47, Notre Dame 28  (with at least 7 of those ND points in garbage time)

Ohio State 35, Clemson 27  (OSU finally gets their revenge)

And then:

Alabama 31, Ohio State 28

Yup. I think it'll be that close. I really do. Gotta say, though, if the NC game turns out to be, inexplicably, ND vs. OSU? I'm rooting for the meteor.

1.  Sunset walk on the boardwalk.  Quiet dinner at home featuring a bottle of wine to summarize the year:  Willamette Valley Vineyards "Whole Cluster" pinot noir.  Being on the west coast, I'll celebrate the 9pm milestone with those out east and be fast asleep by local midnight.

2.  The best of 2020 is the continued health and welfare of my extended family.  Everyone has been able to work remotely and avoid the virus in 2020.  The worst is the nagging fear that good fortune may come to an abrupt end.  Also nominated for worst would be my first attempt at a COVID home haircut.

3.  I'm grateful for YTTV and the ability to time shift and ensure I will never miss a ball game.  I may not watch it live in real time, but I will most definitely watch. 

4.  Both CFP games will be non-competitive trash TV, but I am honestly hoping that OSU does a decent job representing the B1G.  I just don't think it will happen...

Ala/ND 48-17    Clem/OSU  52-24

I'm going to label 2020 as "The Crucible", where the pressure of the moment brought out the true nature of people, for better and worse.  My hope for 2021 is that more of the good persists, and some of the evil fades. 

NYE plans for tonight... none that i know of right now, but there is still time for my wife to come up with something. the last 2 years we have done a kid friendly NYE with our neighbors but thats not happening this year...

best: i didn't lose my job during all of this, however i got to sit in an office by myself for 3.5 months because i am the only warehouse person at my office and the company mandate was all warehouse personal had to come for all 20 offices...

worst: i developed a rare eye condition in April to the point of losing all sight out of my left eye for over a week... 9 hour visit to the ER at U of M on a saturday, a bunch of blood work and an MRI later i was diagnosed with M.O.G. (myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein)... i got to take a ton of prednisone for about a month or so to get the inflammation of the optic nerve to go down. i have regained some vision back but its still like looking through a piece of tissue paper with left eye...

I plan on watching the michigan game tonight, but might have spend quality time with the wife instead so i can watch football tomorrow with no bitching...

CFP picks:

Bama by a lot

Clemson but it will be a tight game.

And Bama wins it all and it won't be close.

Here’s how you make next year great: stop watching the news and get off social media like Twitter and Facebook.    
 

Worry, worry, worry is all the news wants you to do.  You’ll have a much better life without the negativity. 

2020...  Lost my Mom, so enough about that.  Covid shut down everything, made a shit show of debate, and launched the shittiest election year we've ever had.  That the election is still questioned by some is telling enough of the shit show 2020 has been.  The good about it is that I finally got my deck replaced, my family hasn't been crapped on by Covid (yet), and I still have my job.

I'll watch the game tonight, and probably the CFP games in the background.  Bama wins 38-24; OSU wins 35-31.  Bama wins 31-17.  I dunno...

Happy New Years, everyone!!!

1. Hanging with wife and SIL/BIL. Should be fun.

2. Married 2120, honeymoon in Ireland cut short by COVID. Flew home on one of last flights allowed into US by Trump before borders closed. 25+ people left at the airport who missed the flight because the plane couldn't wait any longer (waited in our seats 2.5 hours after original take off time). Wild to think that maybe some people got stuck there in Ireland for weeks or longer. 

3. I hope so, but wife and SIL/BIL are huge state fans and BIL usually watches car shows or Dirty Everyday. Probably just espn updates sadly. First one I will miss this season. 

4. Not participating. 

Go Blue

1) It's my son's birthday and we a breaking with our tradition of Japanese Hibachi. We have gone to the same place here in GR for 17 years straight, Shanghai Ichiban. Not happy about that, but it is what it is. So, a small birthday gathering at home with pizza.

2) Worst - finding my dad on the floor, incoherent and unable to even sit up. He lived alone and my family had honored his wishes of not putting him into a nursing home, but this forced the inevitable. We have not quite figured out what happened, how he fell or why he was where he was. His decline has happened in steps, drastic three weeks ago, but seemingly leveled off for now.

Best - My wife publishing her first book.

3) Depends on the small gathering but, it will be on.

4) I am rooting for too teams that I normally hate.

Too hard for me to watch Michigan games live. Just really want a Michigan victory to end the year. Probably watch movies with wife and then watch the ball drop. Hate ND and OSU so I hope they both get embarrassed. I am sure my wife will go to bed basically right after midnight so if Michigan wins I will stay up and watch the game then. 

Happy New Year!!!

1.  I’ll be asleep.

2.  Best: wife passed her Dermatology board exam.  Also, as a Diamond Medallion on Delta, I haven’t stepped foot on a plane since March 18th!  It’s been glorious.

3.  I’ll be asleep 

4.  Bama ATS and tOSU straight up. 

Wishing the bball game was earlier in the day as I have some live stream concerts I will be watching later tonight to head into 2021.