JOLLYBLOGGER

Georgetown = Latest Victim of SI Cover Jinx

Davidson 74 - Georgetown 70

An Aussie Perspective on Being Cool

Found this today - I close the referring site too soon and so I don't know who I need to hat tip here - please forgive me if you are the one.  This is one of the best critiques of "coolness"  I think I have seen anywhere, and, sad to say, I see myself in this.  Paradoxically, this may explain why so many of us find Aussies so cool.  Be forewarned - some of the language isn't what I would use in church, but don't let that stop you from profiting from this short essay - full title  "Through Being Cool."  Here's the opening (which could stand alone and give you hours of contemplation and consideration).

I grew up in Australia. Australian men generally accept masculinity far better than American men, and I understand why this is. In every country on earth where boys play, there is a ritual of selecting members of each team, whether the game is soccer, cricket, football, baseball, kickball, mammoth-hunting, what have you. Most boys, at some time, have experienced the humiliation of being picked last, and it hurts. Even being picked second-last is much more tolerable than being picked last. It hurts— what is important, and culturally distinct, is how the boy deals with that pain and humiliation, when he's the one picked last.

In Australia, boys strive to be an asset to the team that picks them. They actually care more about how their team does than how they feel. This isn't ego annihilation, and it's not fascism. While playing the game, the game is what's important, not one's own petty issues. If a boy can table his own issues sufficiently to make a good catch, or kick a goal, he'll get picked sooner next time. He knows this. It's a question of priorities: the team wants to win, and they will pick those kids who will make it more likely that their team will win. How each individual feels during this process is irrelevant to the overall goal. Be dependable, be an asset to the team, and the rest of the team will take care of you.

Congratulations New York Giants

Well, I hereby turn in my swami hat and resign as football prognosticator, well at least till next season.  I was very sure the Pats would win this and am shocked the Giants won.  But many congrats to the Giants and all their fans.  And special props to Eli Manning - here's a guy who got no respect and he leads his team over the 'boys, the Pack and now the Pats.  It's a great story and though I am disappointed the Pats lost I am very happy for Eli.

Super Bowl XLII Thoughts

Thought # 1 - the Sports Illustrated folks have obviously decided to take extreme measures to not influence the outcome of the game.  Notice that they placed a Giant and a Pat on the cover, thus, theoretically nullifying the SI Cover Curse.

Thought #2 - However, should there be anything to the SI Cover curse, this could spell trouble for Tom Brady and Michael Strahan.

Thought #3 - This means we all must lose sleep tonight wracking (or is it racking?) our brains trying to decide which is a greater loss to their team.  Is it a greater loss to the team for the Giants to lose Strahan or for the Patriots to lose Brady.

Thought #4 - Thought #3 asks an easy question.  The loss of Brady will be far more devastating to the Pats than the loss of Strahan will be to the Giants.

Thought #5 - Belichick and Brady are the Yoda and Luke of the the NFL.  Brady isn't going down.  On second thought, I know many people think Belichick and Brady are Emperor Palpatine and Vader.  It doesn't matter either way.  Only Yoda and Luke can defeat Palpatine and Anakin/Vader and I know Yoda and Luke, I've seen Yoda and Luke on TV, Yoda and Luke are my friends, and Coughlin and Manning are no Yoda and Luke.

Thought #6 - Thought #5 should give away who I think is going to win.

Thought #7 - There are two Gators playing for one of the teams, and none on the other team.  This should further help give away who I think is going to win.  And even if I didn't think this particular team was going to win, I would be for them because my Gator loyalty is the only loyalty that can come into play for this game.

Thought #8 - I've got a sweet pair of Orange Gator Crocs I'm going to wear to the Super Bowl Party tomorrow night at our friend's Millard and Kathy's house.

Thought #9 - I've also got a classy/tacky (depending on one's perspective) new shirt with loud orange and blue stripes I'm going to wear to the party.

Thought #10 - I'm so excited about my orange crocs that I think I'm going to wear them to the officer training class I am leading tomorrow before the game.

Thought #10 - As you can see, when it comes to football I only have one love.  The only thing that matters in football is how the Gators are doing or how the outcome of a given game reflects on Gator nation.

Thought #11 - Oops, I forgot this was supposed to be about the SuperBowl.  But while we're on the subject of football, did you hear that Florida has a team in the new All-American Football league and it is based out of Gainesville and will be filled with former Gators?  And as far as I can tell, their team colors will probably be Orange and Blue.  And . . . and this is the good part, they start playing in April.  Yeah baby - I can watch a real sport while monks and people like them watch steroidball/snoozeball!  Woo-hoo!  Gotta check ESPN to make sure we've got a package that plays that.

Thought #12 - Which gives me even more legitimate reasons to wear my new orange crocs throughout the year.  Which is not to say that you need anything else to legitimize the wearing of orange crocs.  Wearing them at any time makes a strong statement in and of itself, wouldn't you agree?

Thought #13 - Double oops, I suppose I am still supposed to be talking about the Super Bowl.  The good news is that Hulu is going to stream Super Bowl ads after the game so if you've got Hulu you'll have a chance to watch them before you vote for your favorite, . . . . that is if you are into voting for your favorite . . . as if anyone really cares what your favorite Super Bowl ad was.  Hulu is in private beta right now but I asked for an invitation and got one within a day or so.  Don't know if you'll be able to get the invitation back before Super Bowl time but it's still worth a look-see.

Thought #14 - Oh yeah, I heard they are going to be playing a football game tomorrow night between commercials. 

Thought #15 - With that being the case I'll go ahead and make my fearless prediction (as if you haven't already figured it out . . . well technically you haven't because I haven't made a fearless prediction of a score).  But before I make my fearless prediction let me just say one more thing.

Thought #16 - Why is it that people don't want the Pats to win?  Why don't they want to see the closest thing to NFL perfection?  Yeah, I know there are lots of people who hate Darth Bellichick and don't want to see a team have a perfect season. And yeah I know all about the taping scandal, as if he's the only one who has ever done this.  But this is what all athletes and teams strive for - I think it would be great to see them have a perfect season, and I might mention that I have been a bit non-plussed at the way some of the 72 Dolphins players have been rooting against them.  Many record holders have the class to support and encourage those who will break their record, this would take nothing away from the 72 Dolphins.

Thought #17 - My fearless prediction - New England Patriots -34, New York Giants 28.  I think it will be close, I think it will be a good game.  The Giants have already proven they can play with the Pats and they will rise to the occasion.  But, New England is at the top of their game and Belichick and Brady have something about them this year, they just refuse to lose.  Plus, they have the experience, they come to the Super Bowl every other year or so, they know what it is like to play on a stage like this, and Eli and the Giants don't.  In a close one, the Pats, (with their former Gator players) win it and make history.

Evolution proven true - a new species found - a football player with a brain

You're not going to believe this but I'm going to do it anyway.  I mean it you are going to think I've lost it here.  So stop reading if you want to cherish your old opinions of me because I am going totally out of character here. 

I'm about to say something good about a guy who turned down a scholarship offer to play football at the University of Florida.  I know, I know - don't worry, medics are on the way to my home as I type.

Jonathan Meyers is a very, very good football player whose dad played for America's team - the Florida Gators - from 1980-1982 (I graduated in 1981 so I am sure he and I crossed paths . . . or  not).  Jonathan has received scholarship offers from many of the major college football factories, including America's Team.  It was assumed he would head down to the best city in America to pursue fame and glory on the gridiron. But a funny thing happened on the way to the Swamp.

Sports Illustrated has the whole story here.

It turns out, somewhere along the way this guy grew a brain, and a smart one at that. And so he wants to . . . now get this . . . I hope you are sitting down for this . . . get a top-notch education! So, he's going to Princeton of all places.  He'll still be able to play football there, and some Princeton guys have made it into the NFL so he's not quashing his NFL dreams.  Plus the guy is an outstanding Lacrosse player and he'll be able to play for a top-notch Lacrosse team.  Florida is still a few years away from worldwide Lacrosse dominance so this is a good choice for him.  Here's what he said:

"I wanted to be at the best place I could be," Meyers said. "Whether it was the best in football, the best in lacrosse or the best in academics, I didn't want to cut any corners."

Seriously, how refreshing is it to read about a guy who has his priorities in order - many kudos to Jonathan for being one of the few sane high school athletes in America.  This guy has the right perspective - no matter how good an athlete he is, an education will pay the most dividends.

None of this is to say that I in any way admit that a Princeton education is in any way to superior to a University of Florida education.  I am commending him for his well-thought out priorities.  He could still get a top-notch education at Florida.  In fact, we Gators often refer to places like Princeton and Harvard as the University of Florida of the north because of their comparable education. 

Still, kudos to Jonathan, and if you read this, America's Team will still take you.

Read the SI story.

An outstanding article on Tiger Woods

For Tiger Woods, the best is yet to come, or so says this article on ESPN. Is that a scary thought if you are a golfer not named Tiger Woods? If this is true, then the for the foreseeable future, the best of the best in golf can only hope to be second best.

This article is good on many levels.  Golf aficionados will probably appreciate the article more than me, because there is a good deal of technical talk about swing mechanics and mental game stuff, things I don't understand.

Golf lovers and anyone who appreciates greatness will get new insight into the biography of the worlds greatest golfer.

But the story behind the story, that actually comes to the front in this article, is the power of a father to influence his son's life.  Though he is dead, Earl Woods still speaks to his son Tiger and guides him in wonderful ways today. 

Best Ever Quote About Steve Superior, er . . . Spurrier

So, I'm entertaining myself at lunch by watching the Tim Tebow - Danny Wuerffel interview on Fox & Friends from this morning and surfing just to see what the internet has to say about Tim today. I came across a great article at Gatorcountry called "Tebow Wins! Can I Get an Amen?"  It notes what others have noted - Florida's three Heisman winners have all been sons of preacher men.  I'd love to talk about that, but there is one quote that nearly made me spew my Diet Pepsi Max all over the computer screen. It's about Spurrier, the first Gator Heisman winning son of a preacher man.

Spurrier was Steve Superior, the guy that Furman Bisher once wrote would be the favorite to live through his own execution.

In my book, that's hands down the best quote about Spurrier ever!

It's Tebow!!

Tim Tebow
2007 HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER

WOO-H00! WOO-HOO! WOO-HOO! WOO-HOO! WOO-HOO! WOO-HOO! WOO-HOO!

"I DON'T KNOW IF WE'VE EVER HAD A BETTER WINNER FOR COLLEGE FOOTBALL AND LIFE THAN TIM TEBOW" - Lee Corso

The Tebow Juggernaut Rolls On

Tim Tebow cleaned up Thursday night - winning the Davey O'Brien award as the nation's best quarterback and the Maxwell award as the best all around player this year. Tonight, he's on to New York to collect his Heisman.

True, he may not get it, but he is the heavy favorite - Stiffarmtrophy has called the race for him and they have been right five out of five times that they have done this.  True, there are those who continue to say he doesn't deserve it, and these people are starting to weary me.  Stuart Mandell of Sports Illustrated talks sense when he says:

I look at it this way: If Tebow had not carried the ball a single time all season, he still would have merited consideration as an All-America QB based solely on his passing statistics (68.5 percent completions, 3,132 yards, 29 touchdowns and six interceptions). And even if he had not attempted a single pass, his rushing numbers (838 yards, 22 TDs) would likely earn him consideration as an All-SEC running back.

The fact that one player managed to do the job of two -- and do both of them extremely well -- is a truly amazing feat.

And let's not forget that he played against an SEC schedule.  There is no doubt that Brennan and Daniel had great years, but c'mon, put them against an SEC schedule and they wouldn't have come close.  Brennan had his record setting year against the 118th hardest schedule (out of 120).  I'll take that back if Hawaii beats Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, but my gut tells me that Georgia is going to have their way - my prediction - Peaches 44 - Pineapples 14.

Lacrosse Gloves

Scene 1

Time - a couple of months ago.

Place - a home somewhere in Maryland

Setting - dad is watching TV, minding his own business, doing no harm to no one, at peace with the world and life in general.  Teenage son enters the room . . .

Son:     Dad I need new lacrosse gloves.

Dad:     Huh?

Son:     I need new lacrosse gloves.

Dad:     Why do you need new lacrosse gloves?

Son:     Because my old ones are no good.

Dad:     What's wrong with them?

Son:     There old and there no good.

Dad:    What is no good about them?

Son:     The material on the fingers is worn out.

Dad:     And . . .

Son:     That's bad.

Dad:    Why is that bad?

Son:    Because  I can touch the stick.

Dad:    And that's a bad thing why?

Son:   Because there's no padding?

Dad:     ??????

Son:    And I think it's illegal

Dad:  Oh, now it's illegal . . .

Son:  Yeah it's illegal.

Dad:  . . .

Son walks away, tired of talking to a doorknob.