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Date Title Body
You lost me when you…

You lost me when you mentioned "Gear" and "Dicks" in the same sentence.

I doubt that Burt Ward will…

I doubt that Burt Ward will ever taint Santa. Santa is on another level, bringing lots of gifts for the kids. They love him like no one else ever. 

 

(No subject)

I was thinking the same…

I was thinking the same thing after reading the title.

 

Reminds me of this:

History doesn't repeat--it…

History doesn't repeat--it rhymes.

Actually, Alabama is pulling…

Actually, Alabama is pulling in a lot of smart kids these days, especially in their honors college. 

Don't use US News as a gauge. It's biased, and quite honestly, sucks, with questions like "How would you rate your peer colleges and universities?" and other cooked data.

https://www.insidehighered.com/opinion/views/2023/10/09/why-new-us-news-rankings-are-flawed-opinion#:~:text=All%20college%20rankings%20are%20problematic,participating%20in%20the%20process%20altogether.

While I think the OP has a good take, last year's CFP had us, TCU, Georgia and Ohio State, all schools with good reputations. (but not one of their fanbases)

 

Isn't Will Howard next year…

Isn't Will Howard next year's QB? Unless last night's performance was any indication?

Louisville secondary was not impressive. 

Baja Sharkeez will be crazy…

Baja Sharkeez will be crazy. It was packed for Penn State and I couldn't watch the game well. I even got there early and still was a challenge. 

This is the biggest Howard…

This is soitanly the biggest Howard to hit Hollywood since Moe, Curly, and Shemp.

Oklahoma is one sick state…

Oklahoma is one sick state. Anyone who has seen the movie Killers of the Flower Moon can agree with this. Something definitely wrong in the (Still)water there.

Grayson McCall from Coastal…

Grayson McCall from Coastal Carolina is in the portal. While he had a down year in 2023, the previous years he had a 26-3, 27-3 and 24-2 TD to INT ratio. The down year might be due to having a new coach (Jamey Chadwell moved on to Liberty). With good coaching and a supporting cast, would be a nice bridge to Jadyn Davis

As a Berkshire Hathaway…

As a Berkshire Hathaway investor, his passing bums me out.

As a California resident and taxpayer, and fan of UCSB, I'm less bummed out. That residence hall was an abomination. 

I'm wondering if you work at…

I'm wondering if you work at Bacardi because the second guy sounds like he's been drinking.

Yep, you figured it out…

Yep, you figured it out. Their President said "go out and find me a sick child, get him to join Team Impact, bring him to campus, offer him a letter of intent, take a pic and then farm out the story to national news media", all in one day, just to balance out the news of the AD leaving.

You're a cynic. WTF is wrong with you?

Not true about Mizzou…

Not true about Mizzou. According to Rivals, Missouri has 23 3 stars and above and 2 5 stars. Kentucky has 17 3 stars and Arkansas 18, and neither have 5 stars. South Carolina has 20 and no 5 stars. Mizzou's problem since Pinkel left was not locking down the state.

Missouri has two major metro areas with only 1 FBS school. KY has 3 FBS schools, AR has 2 and so does SC. That's like dividing the recruits up.

Whoever locks down the state of MO will have success. 

Is the Texas team the same…

Is the Texas team the same one that should have lost to Houston but didn't because of a bad spot, the one that should have lost to Kansas State but didn't because their coach decided to go on 4th down rather than kick an easy FG, and only beat a mediocre 4-5 TCU team by 3?

They caught Alabama at home at their weakest point of the season. Somewhat impressive but not CFP impressive. They've underperformed all year and lost to a 2 loss Oklahoma team.

One thing I found…

One thing I found interesting on the 2 point try (besides the fact that it was idiotic) was that the defense recognized that the center was an eligible receiver and they pointed it out, which blew up the play. Allar had to throw to his secondary read.

That was excellent coaching and smart thinking by the players.

What a shame. Fools Rush In…

What a shame. Fools Rush In is a favorite of mine and my wife.

Scenes like this were classic. (The dad happens to be Matthew Perry's in real life.)

RIP.

Saw Killers of the Flower…

Saw Killers of the Flower Moon the other night. It's a gem that should win a number of Oscars. Also had me thinking the entire night about what happened. Had no idea before I saw the movie. Highly recommend it.

"Pride comes before the fall…

"Pride comes before the fall"

 

Sounds right. I was at the…

Sounds right. I was at the game in 1986 and the talk of the stadium was Bo didn't like Mike White. But you're right, I'm sure. He pulled Harbaugh early.

Exactly. Growing up a Mizzou…

Exactly. Growing up a Mizzou fan, they constantly ran up the score on us and other teams and took great delight doing so. Even during our best years in the 70s and 80s, Bo only ran up the score on Illinois, which was payback for what they did to one of his assistants. And the whole Lawrence Phillips issue took hypocrisy to a new level.

I truly enjoy the schadenfreude of watching Nebraska wither in the wilderness. They may be nice people, but their fanbase is a mixture of passive aggressiveness and the hypocrisy of being holier than thou.

And so is this.

 

And so is this.

 

As a Californian, I approve…

As a Californian, I approve of this map, although this is better. 

What could possibly go wrong…

What could possibly go wrong here?

Mizzou is the only FBS…

Mizzou is the only FBS school in a state with 2 major metro areas and a state population bigger than all others in SEC territory other than FL, GA, and TN. It is all about TV revenue. Made total sense in 2012 to accept them into the SEC. 

That's right and I stand…

That's right and I stand corrected. They just joined this year.

But my point was that very likely was not why they weren't invited or didn't join the B10 before this year.  I doubt the league excluded them for this or why ND hasn't joined.

They've been approached multiple times according to a variety of sources. To ND, it's about keeping their precious and lucrative TV deal. 

 

Wow, that escalated quickly…

Wow, that escalated quickly. Little brain? Project much?

I know quite a bit about TV. I worked in cable and am now in the streaming space. I worked with our network execs on negotiating deals with MSOs. So please spare me with your depth of industry knowledge.

Clemson is a big brand and its alums are spread out, especially in large metros like Atlanta amd Charlotte. I used to live in ATL so I know. No one is looking to lock up the Greenville/Spartanburg MSA.

As for the AAU, it's plain conjecture. Just because they happen to admit AAU members to the B10 when they admitted Rutgers (NY MSA), Maryland (DC MSA), Penn State (Philly and Pittsburgh) and Nebraska (KC and nationwide fanbase) doesn't mean that's the ultimate criteria.

If it's between picking up schools by locking up more TV revenue vs AAU membership, you can guess which one gets the nod.

If you think they would pass up a good school like FSU which brings Tampa, Orlando and Miami MSAs because it's not an AAU school, then I hope you're not the guy negotiating the TV revenue deals for the league.

This whole AAU thing is BS…

This whole AAU thing is BS. If Notre Dame wanted to join the B10, would the league say, "Thanks. But you're not a member of the AAU. So no thanks."?

It's all about the $$$. This is a sports league, with TV revenue being the gatekeeper, fergodsakes.

Rice was in my Sociology…

Rice was in my Sociology class. He never showed up though.

I remember him showing up a few days after the championship with a brand new white Jeep Cherokee with "Rice is Nice" in gold on the side. I'm guessing he was waiting for the right time to drive around campus in it. (Maybe his agent lined it up for him since if I'm correct he didn't come from a wealthy family? Kids in those days, including me, didnt usually have that kind of cash hanging around.)

He and Sean Higgins were on fire during that tournament. What a team and good group of guys!

I was at that game and the…

I was at that game and the Southeast Regional basketball final vs UVA. One of the best years in Michigan sports history.

What a great senior year I had!

I'm heading to Nebraska…

I'm heading to Nebraska. Haven't been to Lincoln since 1972 or 73 when I was very young. Not expecting a lot in town, but the fans I do know are very nice.

I'm a Minnesota grad school alum. Never went to a game at the Metrodome but the city is one of my favorites.

Really like Iowa City. It's a mini Ann Arbor in my book.

Finally, contrary to some here, I loved my experience in State College. Was a three hour drive from Pittsburgh. Tailgating fans were really nice to us in our Michigan jerseys. It's quite an experience, especially during the whiteout we lost in 2010, but Denard was on fire that game. (He ran and passed for 90% of our total yards that game.)  Maybe the best single game performance I've seen in person by a player, Desmond vs ND in '91 as a close second. 

 

How about Nick Nostril and…

How about Nick Nostril and his Nine Nosey Nosepickers singing their Top 10 hit, "I'll Get You Little Booger"?

I've worked for a company in…

I've worked for a company in Berlin and another in Nuremberg. Been to Germany probably 6 times, seen all the major cities but never to Hamburg. As a former History major (thanks Sidney Fine) I'd also recommend Berlin. So much history there, from the Wall Museum to the Tränenpalast (old train station between East and West Berlin) to the Pergamon Musuem. The Jewish Museum is also excellent. Check out the Brandenburg Gate, the nearby Holocaust Memorial and Reichstag/Bundestag and Tiergarten. Make a reservation for the Bundestag which is very busy. The Alexandersplatz TV Tower. Even Potsdam for a half day. So much to see that you'll be worn out by the end of the weekend. It's a truly world class city.

BTW it is Swiss, not German, chocolate you want.

Writing to you from outside…

Writing to you from outside Barcelona. Visiting wife's family (she's a BCN native). This is only my 30th trip or so to Spain.

Since you are talking about next Spring Break, I'd recommend Sevilla (one of my favorite cities), Granada and Cordoba. Sevilla has one of the biggest cathedrals in the world and it's impressive. Columbus is buried there, or parts of him. And the Fair of Seville is one of the most impressive things you will see. Same for Semana Santa and its processions which are the week of Easter. But you have to be there when the Fair happens as it's limited in time. Granada and the Alhambra is also incredibly impressive as is the Mezquita in Cordoba.

As for Portugal, the Algarve is beautiful. Don't expect to swim as the water is really cold in the summer so spring is a no go. I'd recommend Lagos and Portimao with great beaches. The southwest coast of Portugal is very similar to California with cliffs and beautiful surf and beaches. Rent a car and drive around.

We head to Porto and Lisbon at the end of the week. Never been to Portugal's north.

While I prefer Spain, Portugal is also special. If you have just a week, focus only on Spain. It won't do Portugal justice for a short period of time.

PM me for any other suggestions. 

 

 

I've been lucky enough to…

I've been lucky enough to meet a lot of famous and not as famous people. Shook the hands of Bill Clinton and spent 15 mins in a private group talking to the current President. Have met Carly Simon and John Dean (of Watergate fame) at book signings. Took my kids backstage at an event to meet Bill Nye the Science Guy. Interviewed Timothy Leary on campus for an hour. Took a pic with Kramer aka Michael Richards at a trade show. I know Mark Cuban really well from business. And finally, I caught Jane Fonda checking me out as I was riding down the escalator and she was riding up it to her penthouse at CNN Center back in the day.

As for sports, my family ran into Russell Wilson and his more famous wife Ciara at a Shake Shack and my youngest daughter took a pic with Russell.

But I've never gone full gaga on anyone. When you live in LA, that's a very uncool thing to do.

 

Well, I visited Wichita with…

Well, I visited Wichita with my folks the summer before my senior year of high school. While the Flint Hills are pretty, my idea of a good place to live doesn't involve cruising the main drag on Saturday night like in American Graffiti. To each their own.

There must be something right about LA. A ton of Midwesterners live in my neighborhood, and I know a ton of people from Kansas. All love living here.

From Midwest...I'd like a…

From the Midwest...I'd like a word with you. Where we live in LA is the best place I've lived, and I've lived in a lot of places. Maybe not as nice as Wichita, but it's still very nice.

I agree about Cal and Texas,…

I agree about Cal and Texas, but ASU's undergraduate business school and Florida's are tied in the US News ranking. And its engineering school is very good. So it's not that much worse academically, unless you're talking about other areas.

Im endorse the message about…

I endorse the message about being near the ocean. Taken from my rooftop deck 5 minutes ago. (Sorry for showing off.)

(No subject)

My oldest goes to ASU (chose…

My oldest goes to ASU (chose it over Michigan partly because of the free ride) and the youngest is also applying. I completely agree, although I doubt that's the reasoning my daughters use.

Add in Iowa State. Lots of…

Add in Iowa State. Lots of wrestling but none in the three sports.

I thought Madonna lived in…

I thought Madonna lived in Stockwell, aka The Virgin Vault. Apparently what a misnomer.

One way to tell if someone…

One way to tell if someone isn't from California is if they use the word "Cali".

No one out here EVER uses that word.

UC Riverside is a fine…

UC Riverside is a fine school for what it is. I live in LA and know the area well. But to say that it is a better school than ASU is not accurate.

I don't really believe that rankings are important. There are great schools in a lot of places, and the differences between a #75 school and one at #150 is not big.

That being said, if you want to quote US News rankings:

Undergrad Business Schools US News Ranking

-ASU overall #23, UCR #86

-ASU has a number of b school majors in the Top 15, including Supply Chain (#2), Analytics (#8), MIS and Quantitative Analysis (both #10), Productions/Ops Management (#11), Accounting and Management (both #13) and Marketing (#15).

Engineering

-ASU #41, UCR #90

Comp Sci

-ASU #46 and UCR #57

 

UCR has a med school that's decent, and ASU partners with the Mayo Clinic, but no med school. ASU has a good law school (#32) and MBA program (#35).

You can get a great education at both schools, but ASU is a destination school for a lot of kids in our area, and UCR is not, even though it's cheaper to attend.

And finally, ASU is the #1 most innovative school for the 8th year in a row, ahead of Stanford and MIT.

ASU is a flagship school, UCR is not.

ASU is actually a much…

ASU is actually a much better school than most think. Easy to get in to? Yes, but it has very good undergraduate business and engineering schools, and their MBA and Law Schools are both excellent. Their honors college is ranked #1 in the country. If rankings are your thing (not mine), look it up on US News.

How do I know? My oldest turned down Michigan to go there (got a full ride) and the youngest is likely heading there. We've been happy with the results.

I've thought the whole "you…

I've thought the whole "you need to be in the AAU" argument was BS and this just proves it. If ND wanted to join the B10 before today, would the league have said no?

Money rules these decisions, not membership in the AAU.

ASU is a better school than…

ASU is a better school than UC Riverside and Nebraska.

I'm a Michigan fan (first)…

I'm a Michigan fan (first) and ASU fan (second). Henderson is the real deal watching him.play in most games.

Was hoping we would get Chip Trayanum too last year, but losing him at ASU to Ohio was a double whammy.