As I attempt to pace myself this season, I took the past weekend off from hopping on a plane and attending a game in person (and trashing my liver and raising my cholesterol). However, that did not stop me from couchgating, attending a Boise State watch party Friday night, and partaking in tailgate chow and libations throughout the weekend! During my couch time, I came up with my next entrepreneurial business idea of making an app that counts the number of channel changes on the remote control, how many times I napped, and how many times I got up for snacks and beers. Look for it in your IOS and Android App stores soon. It’s called the Potatoator by DFT.
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| Get in my belly!!!!! |
Around the country - It was great to see patriotism abound across the country on the 20th anniversary of the horrific 9/11 attacks. At a time when our nation is so divided on so many issues and what feels like the brink of balkanization, we really needed to come together on this hallowed day on our calendars and bond as one. The tributes, the flags, the fly overs that took place across the fruited plains would even send a thrill up David Gregory’s leg.
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| Lee Corso slobbering in route to Ames |
Fake News ESPN College Gameday pundits got it wrong again as they all predicted Oregon had no chance against The Ohio State, and Florida State would annihilate Jacksonville State. In both cases the predicted losers by the “oh so wise” David Brainlock and the omniscient Jerk WrongStreet pulled off stunners and won. And the list goes on throughout the weekend for those two great pontificators of college football. I can hear Simon and Garfunkel singing ...♯♮♯ And where have you gone Mister Kieth Jackson, our nation turns its lonely eyes to you ♯♮♯,...
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| My youngest DFTer and her mates enjoying the Colorado/A&M game in Denver |
Iowa swooped into Ames and delivered a victory to the Hawkeye faithful in the ABC game of the week. Are the Hawkeyes truly the cream of the BIG Ten this year? A feisty Colorado team led by Danville native Nate Landman on defense nearly pulled off the upset of the week against Texas A&M but came up three points short in the end. In the Big House in Ann Arbor, in a Maize out, the Wolverines clawed their way to a win over the Huskies from Washington. USC dropped a stunner to Stanford, and their coach Clay Helton was fired as a result of the untimely loss. Notre Dame looked less than impressive in squeaking out a W over “ToLedo Shuffle.” In the Holy War of Utah, BYU knocked off the Utes of Utah for the first time in a decade. Milk was chugged in mass celebration.
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| #2 and her "Squatch" going back to their collegiate roots. |
In local high school news, the mighty De LaSalle Spartans lost their first game to a Northern California team in 30 years on Friday night to Saint Francis of Mountain View 31-28. To put this incredible record into perspective, at the time of their loss in 1991, George H Bush was President of the United States, there was no proliferation of cell phones, and I had a full head of hair and no daughters. A mere coincidence you say? Nonetheless, congratulations to this program for setting the gold standard in team high school sports here in Nor Cal.
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| Holy Cross backup QB Joe Pesansky enjoying the win over UCONN in week 1 |
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| All great drinking games originate in Ames! What will they think of next? |
Ginger Award
- Of course I want to acknowledge all the first responders from 20 years ago for their sacrifice and bravery on that day that is etched into our cranial hard drives forever. In addition to those heroes, I want to acknowledge a young man who is the starting tight end at USC, Erik Krommenhoek. I was asked by my Tailgate Connect business partner Joe Rogers if I had any contacts at USC. Joe is a part of a charitable golf tournament that is played annually that raises money and awareness for youths with cancer. One of the cancer survivors named Carson (after Palmer) is a huge USC fan and would be hitting the first ceremonial tee shot of the day. Joe wanted to see if we could get a current player or coach to call Carson right before the tournament started. I got in touch with Erik’s parents who we know locally here. Not only did they arrange for Erik to make the call, Erik also sent out a game Jersey that Carson received as he took the call from Erik. Mind you, the golf tournament started at 9 a.m. in Pennsylvania, so this was 6 a.m. for Erik out in LA. Carson was touched beyond words as were those in attendance (see the video below). Erik was also part of one of our greatest Monte Vista high school teams, along with Nate Landman, that beat Najee Harris’s team in the Nor Cal Championship in 2016. Erik, for your selfless act of kindness, you get this week’s prestigious Ginger Award for doing something simply badass (dad terminology) and above and beyond the call. Good luck the rest of the season and go easy on Notre Dame!
Video of Carson getting the call from Erik
Bieber - Honorary mention to the unnamed, ungrateful, sensitive Cretin
that disrespected a person very close to me in Maryland, after a great weekend
of college football. In other news, the Naval Academy wins the Bieber this week
for firing their assistant coach Billy Ray Stutzmann for not getting the jab.
We won’t get into the effectiveness or lack thereof of the polarizing
vaccination, but what we will do is rip any college football related
institution that forces someone to do something against their will in order to
keep their job. In this instance, Stutzmann claimed a religious exemption,
however that was officially denied by the wise council of bearded men sitting
around in high pulpits in the room of wisdom. What are we now, Germany circa
1938? If everyone else is vaccinated and it works, why force this guy into it
if he has reasons for not doing it? It’s like screaming at a guy on a bike
without a helmet. He ain't hurting you either. It’s really disappointing to see
an institution like the Pentagon force this decree down to the academies, and
to see the ruling accepted as gospel. Well, Navy, you are off to an 0-2 start,
but be comforted in owning your first Bieber hardware as a sweet consolation.
Next Up - Off to Norman, Oklahoma, with the Dons of Danville and a
cast of many to watch the Sooners and the Cornhuskers renew their storied
rivalry. This will be the first time since 2010 when Nebraska bolted for the
Big Ten that the two historic programs will meet. We are renting a mansion with
a pool that will probably be a shack with a pond by the time we leave for home.
Friday night you can find our crew swinging from the ceiling fans and
chandeliers in the establishments of Campus Corner in Norman, OK!
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Happy Tailgating!
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