WHAT A FOOTBALL WEEKEND
* We learned the SEC - East is superior to the ACC . Florida, Georgia, & Carolina all kicked butt on in- state rivals . Two of the teams getting kicked in the britches will be in the ACC championship. That looks bad on the conference.
* Mississippi State knocked the snot out of Ole Miss . The Dawgs finish 5 - 7 which is two games better than I expected. The four teams who beat State at Starkville finished 44 - 4. Good start for Big Dan !
* Ole Miss clocked in with an 8 - 4 record in a year more remembered for what they didn' t do than what they did.
The Rebels did not:
a. win the national championship
b. win the SEC championship
c. win the SEC - West
d. win the state of Mississippi championship
e. win the Heisman for Sneed
Other than that it was a great year for Ole Miss. Wonder how much preseason talking the Oxford bunch will do next year ?
I say a lot because big - talking is in their DNA.
* Tennessee rolls in at 7 - 5. That is a good year for the Big Orange.
The Vols improved a lot during the season . In a brief moment of insanity I wished Crompton had another year.
Praise the Lord that moment of madness passed. Looking back at the Crompton era is like a train wreck you survived. You don't know how you made it.
* You think the Liberty Bowl people are glad LSU beat Arkansas . The Liberty wants the Hogs Big - time to meet Houston . Two great Quarterbacks & lots of points will sell tickets plus great TV ratings. If the Hogs had beat LSU they might have gone to a bigger bowl.
* The White Station Spartans are in the TSSAA Football Championship game. Would you have believed it ? I remember when the most excitement at a Spartan game was a Streaker.
I was there at Houston when it happened. He came off the WSHS sideline ran down the center of the field wearing a ski mask & tennis shoes.
He was about out of gas after an 80 yard run & scaling the south end zone fence to escape. I feared he suffered a quality of life altering injury going over the sharp wire atop the fence .
Wonder if the Streaker would make a return apperance at the title game ?
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Friday, November 27, 2009
A TRIP ALL AROUND HEALTH CARE LAND
* I am concerned about health care . This law will have a hugh impact on millions of Americans.
Why am I so worried ? I am one of the biggest consumers of health care in the country. Let me tell you a story about the last seven years.
I have had eight surgeries or procedures since October 2003. I have number nine coming up next week. The count stands as follows ;
2 heart surgeries
3 eye surgeries
2 kidney procedures
1 dental surgery
Oh yes two diabetic collapses that ended with a hospital visit . I am an expert on health care by virtue of experience .
This health care deal is a great example of how Jesus takes care of things.
For 30 years we used Chilli Pepper's insurance . Then we learned that the insurance could not be continued after her retirement.
To be eligible for my insurance you had to be in the program one year before retirement. So we signed up in July of 2003, thinking I might retire in 2004.
I had only two deductions taken from my check when the big one hit. We beat the deadline by a month.
Jesus sure took care of Chilli Pepper & me . I bet the insurance company wonders why Jesus did not give them a heads up about us.
The insurance has been wonderful & my health professionals are great. My medical team is Dr. Arie {heart}, Dr. Dale {sugar} , & Dr. Leslie {kidney} . So many others have taken such good care of me.
Germantown Methodist sends me preferred customer specials in the mail.
I do not know the answer to health care. I think every one should have good health care. I don't think a family should face financial
ruin due to illness.
How can we spend billions on a war & not take care of the sick ? How can society pay entertainers millions while there are hungry children ?
I wish you & I could be Jesus Activists. Where we really live what we say we believe.
* I am concerned about health care . This law will have a hugh impact on millions of Americans.
Why am I so worried ? I am one of the biggest consumers of health care in the country. Let me tell you a story about the last seven years.
I have had eight surgeries or procedures since October 2003. I have number nine coming up next week. The count stands as follows ;
2 heart surgeries
3 eye surgeries
2 kidney procedures
1 dental surgery
Oh yes two diabetic collapses that ended with a hospital visit . I am an expert on health care by virtue of experience .
This health care deal is a great example of how Jesus takes care of things.
For 30 years we used Chilli Pepper's insurance . Then we learned that the insurance could not be continued after her retirement.
To be eligible for my insurance you had to be in the program one year before retirement. So we signed up in July of 2003, thinking I might retire in 2004.
I had only two deductions taken from my check when the big one hit. We beat the deadline by a month.
Jesus sure took care of Chilli Pepper & me . I bet the insurance company wonders why Jesus did not give them a heads up about us.
The insurance has been wonderful & my health professionals are great. My medical team is Dr. Arie {heart}, Dr. Dale {sugar} , & Dr. Leslie {kidney} . So many others have taken such good care of me.
Germantown Methodist sends me preferred customer specials in the mail.
I do not know the answer to health care. I think every one should have good health care. I don't think a family should face financial
ruin due to illness.
How can we spend billions on a war & not take care of the sick ? How can society pay entertainers millions while there are hungry children ?
I wish you & I could be Jesus Activists. Where we really live what we say we believe.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
LES MILES IS NO THUCYDIDES
* Thucydides said " I fear my own mistakes far more than any strategy of my enemy" In other words Don't beat yourself . Les has not learned this.
Miles did the worst job of clock management in the Ole Miss game that I have witnessed in over 50 years of watching football.
I will not repeat the chain of events here. Even if you saw it you can not comprehend what happened.
Miles makes more than 3 million a year to coach the Tigers. For that kind of cash you would think he could manage the clock.
If I were the LSU AD I would encourage Les to coach elsewhere. If someone would take Miles I would pay the freight to get him there. It was that bad.
This type of judgement you expect from a Daddy Coach in the 8 year old league . Not in the SEC.
The only case close to this happened at Medina in 1970. Medina Women's superstar Penny Ferguson missed almost the whole first half of her District tournament game.
Penny was sitting outside the gym in a 56 Hudson Hornet pitching WOO with the Mystic. Time flies when you are having fun.
When Penny hit the door there was 1:22 left in the half & the Lady Hornets were in a deep hole. Coach M.N. Underfall was some kind of hot. Coach was almost as upset as the LSU fans.
* IS THERE A CONSPIRACY AMONG THE ZEBRAS ?
For the record I don't think that there is a conspiracy among the SEC officials. The SEC is sending nine or more teams to bowls. The conference gets the same money no matter who goes where.
The danger of a team being protected happens in a non BCS conference where that team is the only hope for a big money Bowl.If the team does not make it the conference gets no money.
There might be some unspoken pressure from the conference office to see that the Hope makes the Big Dollar game.
* HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING
* Thucydides said " I fear my own mistakes far more than any strategy of my enemy" In other words Don't beat yourself . Les has not learned this.
Miles did the worst job of clock management in the Ole Miss game that I have witnessed in over 50 years of watching football.
I will not repeat the chain of events here. Even if you saw it you can not comprehend what happened.
Miles makes more than 3 million a year to coach the Tigers. For that kind of cash you would think he could manage the clock.
If I were the LSU AD I would encourage Les to coach elsewhere. If someone would take Miles I would pay the freight to get him there. It was that bad.
This type of judgement you expect from a Daddy Coach in the 8 year old league . Not in the SEC.
The only case close to this happened at Medina in 1970. Medina Women's superstar Penny Ferguson missed almost the whole first half of her District tournament game.
Penny was sitting outside the gym in a 56 Hudson Hornet pitching WOO with the Mystic. Time flies when you are having fun.
When Penny hit the door there was 1:22 left in the half & the Lady Hornets were in a deep hole. Coach M.N. Underfall was some kind of hot. Coach was almost as upset as the LSU fans.
* IS THERE A CONSPIRACY AMONG THE ZEBRAS ?
For the record I don't think that there is a conspiracy among the SEC officials. The SEC is sending nine or more teams to bowls. The conference gets the same money no matter who goes where.
The danger of a team being protected happens in a non BCS conference where that team is the only hope for a big money Bowl.If the team does not make it the conference gets no money.
There might be some unspoken pressure from the conference office to see that the Hope makes the Big Dollar game.
* HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Thursday, November 19, 2009
THE SAW
* In the Agri - Lab at MIT { the Ag - Shop at Medina } there was a hugh table saw. The saw had a short in the system & would shock the mess out of you when you touched it.
We discovered that if we held hands the shock would pass through every body but the guy on the end of the line. A great new game was created.
We made a human chain from the saw to the door of the shop. When some one came through the door you would grab him & turn on the saw. The jolt would set the Dude dancing. You could almost hear Jerry Lee singing "Whole lotta shaking going on ".
One day my man J - Mac was the saw man & in the grab & hold position was the Mystic his bad self. We saw Floyd Bevell coming . We didn't much like Floyd so we figured we would light him up.
The door opened, I grabbed , J- Mac turned on the saw. You can't imagine my horror when I looked & it wasn't Floyd.
It was Wilton Wiles ,the AG teacher. Mr Wiles was bouncing on his right foot with his left arm & leg extended straight out. His hair was standing straight up despite the bottle of Vitalis he used.
I had two choices : Turn loose & take the Shock or Hold On. Being a follower of the teaching of Epicurus, to avoid pain & seek pleasure , I held on.
It seemed like forever before I could get them to turn off the saw. I bet it seemed like a long time to Mr Wiles also.
As soon as Mr Wiles could stand , he told us to line up & bend over. With a crazed look in his eyes & his hair still standing straight up, Mr Wiles proceeded down the line busting Butts with his paddle.
I don't know how many times Mr Wiles went up & down that line but he showed remarkable endurance for a fifty year old man.
I was sure it was a clear case of abuse . Where was Leslie Ballin when we needed him ?
We said we would never play the saw game again & we did not !
For at least two days !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
* In the Agri - Lab at MIT { the Ag - Shop at Medina } there was a hugh table saw. The saw had a short in the system & would shock the mess out of you when you touched it.
We discovered that if we held hands the shock would pass through every body but the guy on the end of the line. A great new game was created.
We made a human chain from the saw to the door of the shop. When some one came through the door you would grab him & turn on the saw. The jolt would set the Dude dancing. You could almost hear Jerry Lee singing "Whole lotta shaking going on ".
One day my man J - Mac was the saw man & in the grab & hold position was the Mystic his bad self. We saw Floyd Bevell coming . We didn't much like Floyd so we figured we would light him up.
The door opened, I grabbed , J- Mac turned on the saw. You can't imagine my horror when I looked & it wasn't Floyd.
It was Wilton Wiles ,the AG teacher. Mr Wiles was bouncing on his right foot with his left arm & leg extended straight out. His hair was standing straight up despite the bottle of Vitalis he used.
I had two choices : Turn loose & take the Shock or Hold On. Being a follower of the teaching of Epicurus, to avoid pain & seek pleasure , I held on.
It seemed like forever before I could get them to turn off the saw. I bet it seemed like a long time to Mr Wiles also.
As soon as Mr Wiles could stand , he told us to line up & bend over. With a crazed look in his eyes & his hair still standing straight up, Mr Wiles proceeded down the line busting Butts with his paddle.
I don't know how many times Mr Wiles went up & down that line but he showed remarkable endurance for a fifty year old man.
I was sure it was a clear case of abuse . Where was Leslie Ballin when we needed him ?
We said we would never play the saw game again & we did not !
For at least two days !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
DON'T BE BANGING ON BILLY BELLS
* Bill Belichick is one of the NFL's best coaches. He has 3 Super Bowl rings to back it up.
Belichick made the decision to go for fourth & two on his own 28 with a liitle over two minutes to play. The Pats were ahead 34 - 28. Bill said this was their best chance to win.
Truth is Belichick was scared of Peyton Manning. Bells knew Manning was going to score no matter where he got the ball. The only way to win was to deny Manning the ball.
Maybe Billy Bells was right ,that was the best chance for the win .
* What is this Mark Ingram for the Heisman talk ? The Bama back has had a good year but no better than Anthony Dixon at State.
Dixon posted his numbers with much less help than Ingram has at Alabama. How about Gebhard at Stanford ?
* How about those Cowboys ! They have a chance to take a two game lead in the division & they blow it . Give them the Monica Lewinski award.
The Cowboys need to stop trying to trick folks & play real football. Did you know the Boys defense has allowed the fewest points scored in the leauge ?
* I don't think there is a back in college football with more pop & sizzle than Dexter McCluster . He has every defensive coordinator in the SEC on Pepto ,Malox, & Exlax. You have to change drawers each time he touches the ball.
* Bill Belichick is one of the NFL's best coaches. He has 3 Super Bowl rings to back it up.
Belichick made the decision to go for fourth & two on his own 28 with a liitle over two minutes to play. The Pats were ahead 34 - 28. Bill said this was their best chance to win.
Truth is Belichick was scared of Peyton Manning. Bells knew Manning was going to score no matter where he got the ball. The only way to win was to deny Manning the ball.
Maybe Billy Bells was right ,that was the best chance for the win .
* What is this Mark Ingram for the Heisman talk ? The Bama back has had a good year but no better than Anthony Dixon at State.
Dixon posted his numbers with much less help than Ingram has at Alabama. How about Gebhard at Stanford ?
* How about those Cowboys ! They have a chance to take a two game lead in the division & they blow it . Give them the Monica Lewinski award.
The Cowboys need to stop trying to trick folks & play real football. Did you know the Boys defense has allowed the fewest points scored in the leauge ?
* I don't think there is a back in college football with more pop & sizzle than Dexter McCluster . He has every defensive coordinator in the SEC on Pepto ,Malox, & Exlax. You have to change drawers each time he touches the ball.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
TO FRIENDS GONE ON
Life's evening sun is sinking low
A few more days & I must go
To meet the deeds that I have done
In the land beyond the setting sun
As I thunder toward life's finish line I've been reflecting some. The Lord sure blessed me !
Jesus allowed me to coach with & against some of the best of our time. Here is a salute to some who have gone on.
John Hooper - one of the smartest coaches of all time . Hooper dominated Tennessee high school football in the 60's . In 16 years Hooper lost only 28 games at Brownsville. Hooper was most professional in his methods, no cussing & ranting.
Jack Cain - another West Tennessee great. Cain won the State at Humboldt in 1978 but was best known for his Covington years. A cocky little Dude who always delivered.
Richard Ross - lead JCM in their glory years. A model of consistency winning big every year. Ross attended Grove high school in Paris after Hooper. Ross was always calm during the storm.
Richard Brock - Mr Baseball. Brock knew the rule book better than the guys who wrote it. He was an outstanding student of the game. Brock was precise in the way things were done. Aways tapping his pipe on his hand while making pitching changes or baiting the umps.
James Armstrong - old Humes quarterback , his coach was Rube Boyce , his center was Red West, & some kid named Elvis hung around practice . James marched to the beat of a different drummer . Armstrong won games with unusal means & methods James was a true North Memphis Guy. George Klein was a member of james ' group.
Leland Smith - Samurai Coach . Smith was a very intelligent man ,a delibrate decision- maker & a master of phyisical defensive football. I coached with Leland for 7 years in high school & college. We lost 12 times in our time together. We studied the teachings of Sun Tzu & pondered the mystery of life. Leland loved his players more than any other coach I have known. He was an Idealist & i still miss him.
,
There are so many more; Robert Randolph, Rube Boyce, Ollie Smith, Lionel Jones, Hosea Alexander, Johnny Johnson, Sonny Winters. The list goes on & on.
Life's evening sun is sinking low
A few more days & I must go
To meet the deeds that I have done
In the land beyond the setting sun
As I thunder toward life's finish line I've been reflecting some. The Lord sure blessed me !
Jesus allowed me to coach with & against some of the best of our time. Here is a salute to some who have gone on.
John Hooper - one of the smartest coaches of all time . Hooper dominated Tennessee high school football in the 60's . In 16 years Hooper lost only 28 games at Brownsville. Hooper was most professional in his methods, no cussing & ranting.
Jack Cain - another West Tennessee great. Cain won the State at Humboldt in 1978 but was best known for his Covington years. A cocky little Dude who always delivered.
Richard Ross - lead JCM in their glory years. A model of consistency winning big every year. Ross attended Grove high school in Paris after Hooper. Ross was always calm during the storm.
Richard Brock - Mr Baseball. Brock knew the rule book better than the guys who wrote it. He was an outstanding student of the game. Brock was precise in the way things were done. Aways tapping his pipe on his hand while making pitching changes or baiting the umps.
James Armstrong - old Humes quarterback , his coach was Rube Boyce , his center was Red West, & some kid named Elvis hung around practice . James marched to the beat of a different drummer . Armstrong won games with unusal means & methods James was a true North Memphis Guy. George Klein was a member of james ' group.
Leland Smith - Samurai Coach . Smith was a very intelligent man ,a delibrate decision- maker & a master of phyisical defensive football. I coached with Leland for 7 years in high school & college. We lost 12 times in our time together. We studied the teachings of Sun Tzu & pondered the mystery of life. Leland loved his players more than any other coach I have known. He was an Idealist & i still miss him.
,
There are so many more; Robert Randolph, Rube Boyce, Ollie Smith, Lionel Jones, Hosea Alexander, Johnny Johnson, Sonny Winters. The list goes on & on.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
IT IS A LIE, JUST A GREAT BIG LIE !
I love college football. Lord help me I love it so. If you measure love by time my love for football is vast. I spend countless hours watching, reading about, or thinking about football.
I need to face the truth . I have been loving a lie. You see, college football is not a game. It is a business, a big business. The games are not played by university students but by hired guns. The coaches are not beloved educators but self -seeking CEOs. The fans are not on the up & up either. It is all a sham & fraud.
1. The Players - You think these guys are real students who just play the game to pass the time. How many of these students do you think would be in school if there was no football team ? Would you chose one of these to do your surgery ,plead your case, or run your business ? Most players are not students, just players training for the next level.
2. The Coach - More than half of D - 1 coaches make more than one million dollars a year. It is a sick society that places that high a value on a game . I forgot it is not a game it is big business. What does Coach put first ;Player welfare or his pay check ? Will Coach break or bend rules to keep the dollars coming ? Does a bear sit in the woods ? Will Coach break the contract & take off if he gets a better offer ? A Coach is a Mercenary ! No More No Less .
3. The Fans - The real fans are not at the games , they can not afford it. Have you seen the price of tickets ? Now they want a couple of thousand before you can buy tickets. You tell me Big Bubba in the team cap fixing flats can make the game. Tickets are held by Big Corporate & are given to customers, high rollers & sometimes company peons & serfs. Look at the median income of Memphis & tell me who is at the game.
All this is not what bothers me. It is the HYPOCRISY that kills me.
JUST CALL IT WHAT IT IS PLEASE !!!!!!
I love college football. Lord help me I love it so. If you measure love by time my love for football is vast. I spend countless hours watching, reading about, or thinking about football.
I need to face the truth . I have been loving a lie. You see, college football is not a game. It is a business, a big business. The games are not played by university students but by hired guns. The coaches are not beloved educators but self -seeking CEOs. The fans are not on the up & up either. It is all a sham & fraud.
1. The Players - You think these guys are real students who just play the game to pass the time. How many of these students do you think would be in school if there was no football team ? Would you chose one of these to do your surgery ,plead your case, or run your business ? Most players are not students, just players training for the next level.
2. The Coach - More than half of D - 1 coaches make more than one million dollars a year. It is a sick society that places that high a value on a game . I forgot it is not a game it is big business. What does Coach put first ;Player welfare or his pay check ? Will Coach break or bend rules to keep the dollars coming ? Does a bear sit in the woods ? Will Coach break the contract & take off if he gets a better offer ? A Coach is a Mercenary ! No More No Less .
3. The Fans - The real fans are not at the games , they can not afford it. Have you seen the price of tickets ? Now they want a couple of thousand before you can buy tickets. You tell me Big Bubba in the team cap fixing flats can make the game. Tickets are held by Big Corporate & are given to customers, high rollers & sometimes company peons & serfs. Look at the median income of Memphis & tell me who is at the game.
All this is not what bothers me. It is the HYPOCRISY that kills me.
JUST CALL IT WHAT IT IS PLEASE !!!!!!
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