Many folks have something to say about the recent College Football Playoff selection results. I simply believe it’s testimony to why expansion is viable and will be in place next year.
The committee made four correct selections. I, a Buckeye fan, will have to sit pretty until 2024. So will Florida State and Georgia fans.
I’m looking forward to additional progress beyond expansion, hoping to see the conferences who host a postseason title game either eliminate their division set-up and let the top two teams battle, or eliminate the championship game.
The Big Ten (B1G) conference title game is proof of what a lousy football game that can turn out to be.
I did notice folks grousing the most this week tend to be Michigan fans, or fans leaning toward Michigan although the Wolverines are not their favorite team. These fans would rather see the maize and blue play Florida State than Alabama, understandably.
It will actually be a nice consolation watching four other teams than the Buckeyes in this year’s fight. Last Saturday Ohio State was very audibly absent from just about any broadcast due covering last Friday’s and Saturday’s action.
With this said, or what was not said (I should say), I was already resigned to the fact Ohio State had little or no chance based on the outcomes among those higher-ranked teams in the field. I was already farther along in the grieving cycle than Florida State fans, who are learning a lesson about managing their expectations this week.
I’m already tired of hearing how records or conference championships don’t matter among the same people who groused when they did… seem to… influence the selection process.
The committee selected the four teams who should make this an interesting playoff to watch.
I’ve watched a few NBA In-Season Tournament games, and the teams seem like their pursuit for the $500,000 pay-out to each team member is making them play hard, but not always play well. Nonetheless, it’s an interesting way to play through the 82-game slog.
The colors of the courts are a little rough on the eyes, but maybe it’s because I’m old: a me problem, I guess.
The thought continuing to be provoked for me as I watch these games, though, is how first round playoff series are still the best-of-seven format instead of best-of-five. In a perfect world, I’d love to see the opening playoff series reduced to a best-of-three format. It’s likely NBA owners feel such a sharp reduction leaves too much money on the table.
I’ve determined where Connor McCann (our Sports section editor), Roger Grossman (Penalty Box), and I fall in terms of editorial categories.
Connor weaves entertainment, current sports stories, and weekly NFL picks nicely. I’ve enjoyed his most recent inclusion of movies he watched and how well the segue to those discussions was executed.
Roger makes us think, reflect, and he teaches us a lesson now and then. I’m eager to see what he wants Sports Santa to bring his way this season. His lesson in life’s fairness addressed to Tippecanoe Valley athletes who would face (eventual) state champion Indianapolis Chatard was a paternally toned talk about managing expectations.
I’m… certifiably insane.
I don’t believe anyone could bet money on what I’ll discuss each week. Sometimes it’s one of my pet topics regardless of the hottest events or takes of the recent week the way a crazy uncle at the dinner table will think about what he wants to say without regard for the topic currently engaging everyone else.
I do like to talk about how the sausage is made, and occasionally tell you if I feel my cup runneth over.
In this morning’s case, I was at a ballgame Saturday night when a gentlemen seated a few seats to my left told me he enjoys my column.
Full disclosure, the timing of such feedback tends to coincide with experiencing burnout, so the breath of life of his words put some more woof in this dog.
Everyone feels they are busy even if they do not seem as busy as I feel, so I don’t like to tell folks I’m busy, but I do like to ask those close to me how to deal with burnout when it approaches.
I’m never afraid to cut bait with something if it isn’t working well for me.
This past November marked 39 years since I’ve been working in my accounting capacity. 10 years and one month of that work was spent in the Air Force, 12 years and 6 months were spent at a building products company, and 5 years and one month were spent in a pediatric orthopedics company.
The remaining 11 years and 4 months were spread among seven other companies including my current position (13 months) in a role I’ve enjoyed immensely with a very competent and successful team.
You can see, if something isn’t working for me, I can emotionlessly cut bait, but I can also lock into something for a long time. Sometimes I’ve left companies knowing they weren’t going to remain in the state accounting firms call “a going concern.”
I started this column thanks to Drew Fritz, the Sports editor in late 2020, and I recently completed my third anniversary writing Chip Shots in November. I’ve been burnt out now and then, but either a pleased reader, or a bevvy of topics keep the flames lit for me.
I want to tell you how I actually enjoy doing battle with a little burnout with this outfit even though the Times-Union is such a conservative rag (I’m a moderate, mind you, not as liberal) before we all get busy in the holiday season.
The people staffed at this publication continue to be pleasant to work with as another year of columns awaits me.
I’m looking forward to 2024 and its sports-life-business weave offerings. Thanks for reading, folks.