I’m excited about the Cotton Bowl (next Saturday, December 29) featuring Missouri and Ohio State. I get to watch our homegrown “thiccr kicker” Harrison Mevis and my favorite college football team. I told people I know a perfect viewing experience would be a 35-15 win by the Buckeyes: five Mevis field goals, and five Ohio State touchdowns.
Kirk Herbstreit and Al Michaels, the amazon prime NFL Thursday Night Football broadcast duo, have grown on me from last season to the current season. “Herbie”, a knowledgeable college football analyst, is now just as sharp in his NFL knowledge. Michaels does not seem as much of a curmudgeon as he was last season, either.
There is parity within parity in the NFL, especially in the NFC playoff race. Five teams with 7-7 records (I guess utopian parody is a league chock full of .500 teams) have a shot at the playoffs as the last three weeks of play were launched Thursday with – what else – two 7-7 teams: the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Rams.
Despite not having a remarkable won-loss record, Rams head coach Sean McVay is one of the favorites to earn NFL Coach of The Year honors. People would not – at first blush – find his accomplishments remarkable, but we’re looking at a Rams squad projected to win 5 games.
Los Angeles, instead, won four of its last five games, and while I was sharing my thoughts with you, the Rams looked like they were going to post a win, and a winning record in Thursday night’s action.
The Rams also beat squads like Baltimore and Cleveland, teams boasting stout defenses.
Cleveland, at 9-5, is a team whose fan base (consisting of numerous childhood friends of mine) gaining delusional momentum.
“Super Bowl LVIII… we FEEL it!”, I hear them say, or read them posting on social media.
I told one of my old friends, “I FEEL it… a wild card first round loss!”
They call me Eeyore, Gloomy Gus, Captain Killjoy, and Mister Know-it-all but my “FEEL it” is based on the fact their schedule became lighter with their 7-10 record, last place in the black and blue AFC North, but they still get to play three last place AFC teams, and two last place NFL teams based on the parity-driven NFL scheduling model.
Throw in the round robin with each AFC South team – the AFC’s weakest division – and the 9-5 record seems less impressive. I shall, however, give them kudos for losing by one point to Kansas City, and beating the AFC North-leading Baltimore Ravens (the REAL Browns, anyway), and the San Francisco 49ers.
The Browns are renting Joe Flacco, a Super Bowl winning quarterback who has brought a much-needed adult presence in the locker room recently. Mark Sanchez, when appearing as a guest on The Herd with Colin Cowherd, cleverly described Flacco’s presence.
Sanchez likened Flacco to the elf on the shelf. He appeared after Thanksgiving, and all the kids started behaving because they knew he was watching.
I’m not surprised the Huntington North girls’ basketball team beat Warsaw Wednesday night in the Lady Vikings’ home gym.
This isn’t a knock on the Tigers. Instead, it’s testimony to the tough conference schedule Huntington North has in their league play.
The Lady Vikings belong to the Northeast 8 conference.
The Northeast 8 has the fourth-best overall total won-loss record in the state (52-26, .667). Three teams, Bellmont (9-2) Norwell, and Columbia City (each 11-2 and state ranked) are beating opponents by a per-contest average of 20.6 points, 22.5 points, and 26.5 points, respectively.
The league’s story isn’t done with those three heavy hitters.
The next four in the conference standings sport strong overall records. Huntington North (7-5), east Noble (8-4), Leo (9-5), and DeKalb (8-5) comprise the fourth- through seventh-place spots in the league. Poor ol’ New Haven is dwelling deep in the cellar with a 1-13 overall record, and winless in the conference.
This league will continue to eat its young throughout January and will be ready for the rigors of post season in 2024.
The Vikings clearly have a round robin of touch opponents within the confines of the Northeast 8. Therefore, the Laday Tigers did not fall short against a weak foe.
Enjoy three days of NFL football this holiday weekend, and the typical holiday tournament offerings accompanying the school break.
Merry Christmas everyone!