I got nothing

It’s a shame that it has been so long since my last post, over 2 months, and since a lot has happened, here are the thoughts running through my head on January 22nd.

- I don’t know if I am really prepared for a Colts/Bears Super Bowl. I don’t like the Bears and I hate the Colts. If you are wondering why I hate the Colts, it is because of Peyton Manning (and I am pretty sure I don’t like Tony Dungy either). Why don’t I like Manning? Probably because he is going to surpass all of Favre’s numbers and I love Brett Favre, so I have to hate his best competition, no? I may also hate Manning because of his not showing up in the second round of the 2004 fantasy playoffs for my record setting team, costing me a chance to play for the title, so now I have to go through life owning the title of “Best Team to Not Win The Title”. Seriously, look at this lineup from that season:

Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James, Reuben Droughns, Willis McGahee, Javon Walker, Lee Evans, Antonio Gates, David Akers

And the bench was also a plus when I needed to make a change:

Tom Brady, Julius Jones, Steven Jackson, Marcus Robinson, David Patten, Matt Stover

I was fairly stacked, but alas, it wasn’t meant to be.

Also in watching that game, I realized why many fans hate Brett Favre, and that is both Jim Nance and Phil Sims were openly rooting for Manning and the Colts, viewing the Patriots as villains, and Manning as the hero. They couldn’t say enough about the great things he was doing in the game and making excuses for every thing that didn’t go his way. It was sickening.

If this game was going to be the Colts versus the Vikings (which of course will never happen), I almost assuredly wouldn’t watch. I can’t believe I have to do this, but I am going to have to cheer for the Bears.

- Put me on the long list of people who was absolutely SHOCKED at how easily Florida dominated Ohio State in the Tostito’s BCS National Title game. It seriously looked like a video game was being played with the ease at which Florida was imposing its will on the hapless Buckeyes. All season long, I thought Michigan and Ohio State were the two best teams I saw play, and had West Virginia, Florida, and USC rounding out my top 5. After watching the bowl games and seeing what all of the teams did with preparation; here is my final top ten:

10: Oklahoma
9: Boise State
8: Michigan
7: West Virginia
6: Louisville
5: Ohio State
4: Wisconsin
3: LSU
2: USC
1: Florida (obviously)

A lot of times, I think polls are too focused on who is playing best from week to week and pollsters don’t go by who they think would beat another team on a neutral field (and I don’t mean like LSU playing a bowl game at the Superdome), so obviously, this is how I think these teams would stack up if they all played 9 games, one each against each team on a neutral field, with Florida coming away with the best record.

- A few more things about college football and Wisconsin in particular:

Just once I would like to see a sports writer admit he/she was wrong and write a retraction. Case in point would be Jason Whitlock who said the Badgers were a “fraud” ranked as high as they were. Sorry Jason, but I think they have proven they are not a fraud and are in fact going to be even more successful under Brent Bielema than they were under Alvarez.

I was headed to Gaddis’ place in Madison at the beginning of December and heard an interesting comment on college gameday on espnradio. The host was talking about Ohio State being in the National Title game and stated that we didn’t really know how good they were because they didn’t play Wisconsin this season. I laughed when I heard it because I didn’t think Wisconsin would be a good measuring stick for a team that at the time seemed head and shoulders above everyone else in the country. After bowl season, I remembered that point and looked at it from a different point of view. With all due respect to Michigan, Wisconsin probably had the fastest defense in the Big Ten and one that could come closest to the speed of Florida’s defense. A Wisconsin/Ohio State game would have been a treat.

- Notre Dame 2006- most overrated team this decade for sure and by no means deserved to be in a BCS bowl. I took LSU – 13 ½ points, and never once felt like they wouldn’t cover.

- Prison Break returns tonight, and so does some of the worst acting/writing of a show that is still on the air. Congratulations to Prison Break for having the worst acting “star” on a series since Mischa Barton left “The O.C.”.

- It is January and I still don’t care about the NBA, although after reading Simmons’ column last Wednesday, maybe I should

- December 21st 2006, my career record at Lambeau Field rose to 1-4, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Let’s just run down my history at the greatest football field ever created:

First game, January 2002, saw the Packers lose their first ever home playoff game against the Falcons, November 2005, the Packers missed an extra point and 2 field goals, losing to the Buccaneers 17-16, September 2006, season home opener, first time in Brett Favre’s career they are shut out, 31-0 and it was against the Bears, November 2006, Patriots hand Favre his second shutout and Favre even gets injured before the half ends, 35-0 Pats. Total combined score in regular season games: 83-16. Obviously, my record wasn’t very good, but hopefully the win against the Vikes gets the ball rolling in the other direction.

- At any time when you are watching the Badgers play basketball have you thought to yourself, “you know, this looks like one of the 3 best teams in the country”? Me neither, but they absolutely are. Florida is still the most talented team in the country, but Wisconsin is the class of the Big Ten, and a potential number 1 seed in the tourney. It is weird to see a team from Wisconsin getting national press on a weekly basis this early in the season. Tough road trips to Indiana, Michigan State, Michigan, and Ohio State loom, however.

- Thank God “The Office” decided that Dwight Schrute could not be replaced or eliminated from the show, he is a great character and the show wouldn’t be the same without him.

- It is amazing how much you realize you miss something you didn’t really think you were that tied to until you don’t follow it for a while. High School Basketball was a HUGE part of my life from the time I was in 7th grade until this year. Even after I was done playing high school basketball, when I was in college, Ben was always involved at a high school around the area, either coaching that team, or coaching in the feeder schools for that high school and attending varsity games, so naturally I went to many, many High School Basketball games, I always watch the state tournament games, and even as recently as 2003, was still attending the state tournament in Madison. When I moved back here after college, I didn’t have Ben’s games to go to, and I took up officiating. I was an official for 2 seasons and enjoyed it for the exercise as well as the money. This year, as my job duties changed and I couldn’t commit to reffing, and realized I missed it for more than just the exercise and money, I really enjoy being around high school athletics. As much yelling or looks or whatever you get being on the court, the competition, dedication, enthusiasm of the players and the crowd, the whole atmosphere isn’t easy to beat. I really do miss it and can’t wait until next season, when I return to the court.

Well, I can’t think of anything else I want to talk about right now, so…

- Until next time…