I am a bit under the weather tonight, got some gunk with the color and consistency of Andersen’s Split Pea Soup in my sinuses and chest. Bleech. My wife and polar bear are taking good care of me, I have a blankie, a nice fire and a big screen; so life is good. Young little Miss bmaz is over at some friends’ house at a wild party holding up the family legacy. And, never fear, I ain’t dead yet, I brought some Champagne and Reefer from my friends Mick and Buddy Guy.
Tonight we have the Chick-fil-A Bowl from down south in Dixie, Hot ‘Lanta, with Tennessee taking on Virginia Tech (shown on ESPN). The Vols have actually been better this year than most people think in my opinion, but they need a quality quarterback in the worst way. Jonathon Crumpton has been very inconsistent, although he has had some moments. Virginia Tech seems a better bet. Also tonight, we have the Insight Bowl from right here at Frank Kush Field at Sun Devil Stadium, pitting the Minnesota Gophers v. the Iowa State Cyclones (shown on NFL Network). I am going with the Cyclones in an upset.
First up New Year’s Day is the Outback Bowl with Auburn and Northwestern from Tampa Bay (ESPN). Long time readers are really going to find this shocking, but I am not going to bet on the Big-10 team here; it just isn’t good business. At 1 pm Eastern, the big boys start play with the Capital One Bowl from Orlando, with LSU and the Joe Pas hooking up (ABC). This is a tossup; no idea how it will go, should be a good game. At the same time on CBS, Bobby Bowden has his swan song with the Seminoles taking on the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Gator Bowl from Jacksonville. Seriously against my better judgment, I think Florida State gives Bobby a happy sendoff.
Nurse Ratched
At 5 pm Eastern on ABC, we got the Grandaddy Of Them All, the Rose Bowl with Oregon hosting the Buckeyes. Ohio State should dominate. Ha ha, just kidding; it IS the Rose Bowl, look for the Quackers to explode through the cloud of dust. At 8:30 pm Eastern, Cincinnati and the Florida Gators knock heads on Fox in the Sugar Bowl from Nawlins. Man, there are a lot of subplots going on here; I have no idea what will happen. Gonna pick the Gators though.
Saturday at 2 pm Eastern on Fox we have Ole Miss and Oklahoma State in the Cotton Bowl. You know, the Cotton Bowl is just not what it once was; kind of sad. Oh well, spectators get to watch Jerry Jones’ big screen. I’ll take OSU, but it could be a pretty interesting game. Also got something called the Papa John’s Bowl with Connecticut and the South Carolina Gamecocks on ESPN. Following the pizza-fest on ESPN is the Liberty Bowl with the Arkansas Soooeees and the East Carolina Pirates. Aaaarrrrr matey, a tossup it be. Following the Liberty Bowl, again on ESPN, is the Alamo Bowl with the Mike Leach less Texas Tech Red Raiders taking on the Michigan State Spartans. The Spartys are better than you think, and if Tech doesn’t watch out, they will get beat.
Monday night at 8 Eastern is the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl from Cards Stadium here in Phoenix, featuring the undefeated Boise State Broncos taking on the undefeated TCU Horned Frogs. I tell you what, if fans are the measure, it will be TCU all the way; there were so many on and around Camelback Mountain this afternoon that it looked purple from my couch window. But that is not the measure and this, to me, is the most anticipated game of all. A tossup I cannot wait for. Tuesday night is the Orange Bowl with Iowa and the Ramblin Wreck from Georgia Tech. No clue, it is not that exciting of a matchup. Both games are on Fox.
We will need a new thread for the Championship game so that’s it for now. Happy New Year Folks!