Week 13 - get off your high horse Trojans!

Tailgate behind enemy lines

With each school consistently in the National Championship picture every year, the game between USC and Notre Dame typically holds more meaning than just bragging rights. This season Notre Dame is down and USC will not be in the college football playoff, however pride is always on the line. Saturday marked the 88^th time the two schools have met since 1926 with the Irish leading the series 46-36 with 5 draws. The game would be held at the venerable Los Angeles Coliseum of Olympic fame. Since I have previously written about the stadium and school I will not repurpose those tidbits.

The genesis of this trip began when I entered the Votocast contest for the best 30 second tailgate video. Thanks to those of you that voted, I won 4 tickets and a pregame set up by Tailgate Concierge outside the Coliseum. I highly recommend you look into using them for a no hassle tailgate arrangement. The Brothers Tailgate made the trek down to La La Land beginning Friday night and finishing the drive over the Grapevine like Lloyd and Harry early Saturday morning. 

 

Crossing the mountain into the LA basin.

It was a beautiful sunny and mildly warm So Cal morning, perfect for tailgating. Our winning foursome consisted of the Donnelly boys along with cousin Teen and Dr. Eric Glassy. We feasted on a loaded breakfast scramble, pastries, fresh fruit and stout Bloody Marys. The Major and his brother Nolan graced us with their presence for a bit as they smelled free beer. I could not think of a more fitting way to spend my 28^th anniversary as this very game had a role in my wedding day in 1988. Mrs. Tailgate enjoyed her peace and quiet.

A man's breakfast!

Mini fireball does not hurt later

Enemies inside the wire!

After enduring the FEMA Camp cattle call to enter the stadium for the 12:30 kickoff, we found our way to our seats in section 20 and were quickly greeted by dropping temps and the wet stuff. Let it be noted that the bad weather did something that Notre Dame didn’t, it showed up as predicted. USC’s Adore Jackson single handedly dismantled the Irish with a punt return, a kick return and a reception all for touchdowns.  The rain let up in the second half but SC didn’t as they rolled to a 45-27 victory over their rival and my Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Notre Dame will not be bowling this year and will need to do a lot of soul searching this off season.  Potentially, they may be doing some coach searching as well since Brian Kelly has come under fire for not only a bad season, but past transgressions that materialized this week. 

The USC Marching Band performs at halftime

The iconic view of the Gulag.

Thank god for fireball or they would be miserable!

Around the nation: Washington defeated Wazzu in the Apple Cup in Pullman and advances to the PAC 12 Championship. Florida State continues its recent dominance of Florida in capturing the Florida State championship. It looks as though Jimbo “Lyndsay Graham” Fisher will be staying in Tallahassee as LSU has decided on the Ogre as their permanent coach. WMU continued its bid to be the group of six lottery winner by beating MAC rival Toledo and securing its first perfect regular season. Could the Irish be calling Coach PJ Fleck? Mike Mac and the Colorado Buffs completed an improbable regular season by going 8-1 in the PAC 12 and securing a spot in the conference championship next Friday night in Santa Clara versus UW. The best part of their win is that it shut up some of those annoying USC fans I had to endure Saturday. Alabama wraps up an undefeated season by knocking off Auburn in the Iron Bowl. The Tide will face a mediocre Florida Gator team in the SEC championship and will move on to the final four even if they lose by 50. In the game that lived up to its billing, Ohio State squeaked by the Michigan Wolverines in double OT in Columbus. Coach Mom Pants Harbaugh was none too pleased with the officials in his post game presser as he whined and cried. No worries, as the UM Common Core participation trophy administration has set up a crying room for him upon his return to Ann Arbor. 

Alabama's fashion runway models at the Iron Bowl

 

We never get tired of TCU boots. The future Ex of Colonel Doug.

 

Pops and Barney celebrating a Bowl berth for BC.

The Mahoneys at the U game in Miami

Bieber – The NCAA Brown Shirts. Since this is the third time they have been called out they now enter the Bieber Hall of Fame. This time for stripping wins from Notre Dame for the 2012 & 13 seasons for alleged academic fraud. Are you kidding me, if there was consistency in the punishment they meted out, all 128 FBS teams would forfeit almost every season. I even cheated once in college by spelling SHELL OIL on my calculator before the test and submitting that as my answer in a statistics class. While it is true that Brian Kelly has recruited kids more akin to academics at Cincinnati than Notre Dame, it is purely a witch hunt for the jack booted thugs to target the Irish. When ND has found players cheating in prior years, they have suspended them for seasons or multiple games. They police their own matters and it is an area that the school takes seriously. I propose that college football revolt and overthrow the NCAA Gestapo and replace them with a new organization all together. Congrats on your HOF status NCAA, National Communist Association of Arseholios.  

Next Week – Now would be a good time for any of you to take me to Vegas. I won another contest, my third of the month. This time I entered a Twitter contest sponsored by the PAC 12 and 76 Gas that awarded the winners 2 tickets to the PAC 12 Championship, a hotel room, $76 gas card and a picture with the PAC 12 trophy. Maybe the next major award will show up in a giant wood crate marked FRAGILE, ensuring its Italian authenticity. The Big Cat Miahilo Panovich hisself received a rare hall pass, a new man card and will be joining me on the venture.  I will also be attending the NCS High School Division 1 Championship Saturday night featuring Monte Vista versus Antioch with the nation’s number one player Najee Harris, Alabama commit. 

It's a major award!

 Happy Tailgating