On this weekend, the 10th anniversary of 9/11 we all remember those events of terror and heroism as a seminal moment in our lives. That day forever changed the way we think, live and survive. I remember everything about that day as if it were last week. I am still angry and will never let it go as long as I live. I am happy we “neutralized” UBL, however I will not rest until every last cowardly terrorist scum is riddled with ground worms. In my view there is no better way to show the world that we survived 9/11 than by celebrating with American sporting events. There is no more meaningful competition than College football! And oh what a weekend we had. The tributes that many schools paid to the memory of the 9/11 victims and show of patriotism were simply amazing. It reminds us all of how great a country we can be when we pull together. Many games were outstanding as well.
Now on to the recap of all the action, but first we need to pay homage to this video:
We all need to act more like Dawgs! Enjoy the link from the Coastal Carolina Coach! A new meaning of ”Going Coastal!”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfkR-z2VcGs
The Tailgate Update – By Grantland Tailgater
Outlined against a blue, gray September sky, the Four Horsemen rode again. In dramatic lore they are known as famine, pestilence, destruction and death. These are only aliases. Their real names are: Reese, Floyd, Wood, and Riddick. They formed the crest of the South Bend cyclone before which another fighting Michigan team was almost swept over the precipice at the Big House this evening as 115,000 spectators peered down upon the bewildering panorama spread out upon the green plain below. On the other side of the ball, Denard Shoelaces Robinson took snap after snap from former President Gerald Ford in the uni’s from back in the day. Okay so it did not really happen exactly like that but the Notre Dame – Michigan game was perhaps one of the most exciting games we may see all year. Despite the outcome which I was not happy with, the game had every twist and turn and element of high drama to keep even the casual fan engaged. The Tailgate hosted a backyard tailgate at Dan’s Bar & Grill with both Irish and respectful Wolverine fans as well as some weary and thirsty travelers. The food, beverages and company were great, the outcome disappointing. The echoes are still in hibernation in South bend! And BK, you need to check your BP, your sensitivity training from the last week seemed to do little for your state of mind or was it the turnovers in the red zone?
A look around the rest of the country and the games of note - OK State and Grandpa Weedon over the Desert Swarm on Thursday night. Was it déjà vu all over again Yogi? Same teams, virtually the same result as last year’s Alamo Bowl. Again another great Friday night watching the thriller in the desert as Drama Queen Vontaze Burfict and the new look Sun Devils held off a roaring comeback by the Mizzou Tigers. Dennis Erickson, all your teams still lack the same thing: Discipline & Class! You ran the same program at the U and Oregon State. Battle of the Brains back in Durham, NC with Andrew needing no luck to bring down the Blue Devils handily. Mark Richt, your seat just got hotter “tween the hedges” woof woof woof woof! Auburn Magic again, the 9th live has been expended! What a hit at the goal line to save the game for the war Eagles. Is Wisconsin really good or are their opponents just bad? The Mighty Cats of NW starting off 2-0. Not since the days of "Massive Mihailo Panovich" have the Wildcat faithful had such high hopes! The battle of the Hawkeye State was a thriller with the Cyclones storming the field in the post game victory celebration after 3 OT’s. Should Joe Pa retire now and get Beaver Stadium named after him? Bama put a beat down on you Joe in your not so Happy Valley. O-H-I-O State Barely hung on Sloopy over the vaunted Toledo Rockets! (Buckeye fans will understand that jab). Cal and the Maynard/Allen brothers squeaking one out in Boulder. Neuheisel eeking out a win over that juggernaut known as San Jose State! I understand that the Quack Attack is back and they were out to prove me wrong after last week’s diss by putting a beat down on the Wolfpack from Reno. Colt McCoy JR. may be the real McCoy after coming into save the Horns from another home field embarrassment against the Wasatch mountain boys. And of course Lame pulling one out of his arse at home against Utah in its first Pac 12 game. Lame are you looking forward to playing Stanford and Oregon this year? I am looking forward to watching. Hey are you and Bruce Pearl, your old buddy from Tennessee going to be hanging out after the season. Maybe you all could hook up with your double wide buddy big Smo:
Gripe of the week – Conference consolidation. Bottom line, I hate it! With all this movement of super conferences we are losing some of what makes college football so great. There is a clear movement afoot to go to four super conferences The PAC whatever, the Big 10 with 20, the SEC and the ACC-East. All other schools will be rendered meaningless and on the outside with no chance of even looking in. We will lose the beauty of the regional rivalries such as OU and Texas, Texas vs. Texas A&M, Nebraska –OU. In conference play you will no longer play each team every year. What happens to Cal/Stanford? Travel expenses will skyrocket traveling halfway across the country for potentially half of your games. Look I am a true capitalist, but this is college sports and it makes no sense to me from a purist fan perspective. I think it stinks! This realignment does not just involve football, it involves all sports. Can you see the cross country team having the travel budget to fly all over the country on a regular basis? What happens to the “Big Dance” in college basketball? This movement reminds me of the dot com era when Internet companies and service providers felt the pressure to acquire content companies because others were doing it and they didn’t want to be left behind. Remind me how that worked out in the end? Let’s end this silliness and call your favorite school’s athletic department and voice your opinion (if it is in alignment with mine of course).
Next week the Tailgate makes it first road trip of the season to watch Boise State play the Toledo Rockets in Ohio. Fellow Tailgaters Brian and Eileen Donnelly and my nephew Nathan Hejl will be co conspirators. Additionally, we will catch the Purdue game on Saturday.
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