Monday, December 31, 2007

Laundry Day

It's a good day to be a Duck. A lovely debut for Jason Roper (#11!), and a very nice record-setting, season-ending celebration for Jonathan Stewart as well. 56-21. A helluva way to end what was shaping up to be a disappointing season.

Of course, there were an awful lot of hankies littering the field in the first half. Set a new record there too, I believe. Good thing those Ducks came out and played with more "poise" after intermission....

And now, good bye to 2007. And may we all find even more to celebrate in 2008!

Sunday, December 30, 2007

The Big Play

This is shaping up as a VERY good year for Boston sports fans: the Red Sox have already the World Series, the Celtics have the best record in the NBA, and the Patriots set a handful of fresh records last night in completing their perfect 16-0 regular season. Still, last night's game was a little touch and go. The real momentum changer was obviously the fourth quarter Brady to Moss TD, with which both players set new records for the number of touchdowns thrown in a season (50 for Brady, ) and touchdowns caught (23 for Moss). But what I really liked was that it came on a deep route similar (if not identical) to the one Moss had run the play before, and against the same defender (who had apparently injured himself breaking up the previous play). Nothing like ruthlessly exploiting the weak and vulnerable to represent the essence of what American football is all about! Go Pats! And congratulations on your fine achievement. Now, good luck in the next three games leading to a Super Bowl victory and a truly perfect season.

Monday, December 24, 2007

Oh those Cougs....

What has gotten into the Washington State University basketball program? My nephew (who regular readers of this blog, if there are any, already know plays in the Wazu pep band) must be going crazy. First a football victory over the Huskies on the road in Seattle to win the Apple Cup, and now WSU is entering the Pac-10 season undefeated and ranked number 4 in the NCAA, with a victory over Gonzaga already in the book. So, I guess it's just a good time to be living in Pullman. Good on ya' Cougars!

Sunday, December 02, 2007

Lame Ducks

OK, maybe I'm just getting cranky in my old age, but you'd think that even a redshirt freshman third-string quarterback would know enough to spike the ball on second down with less than thirty seconds left in the game in order to set up a game-winning chip-shot field goal. Especially after the coach just gave him that same instruction on the sideline the play before. But after all they've been through this year, I guess that confusion reigns in Eugene these days...and for the first time since 1993 the Beavers have beaten their Civil War rivals on the road in Autzen Stadium, in overtime no less. So good job Beavs!

Meanwhile, just down the road from Pearl Harbor in Aloha Stadium, the Huskies blow a 21 point 1st Quarter lead and still-undefeated Hawaii proves that despite their difficulty in scheduling more challenging opponents way out there in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, maybe they really are worthy of a little more respect. Thank God that the worst of it all happened past my bedtime. Payday for the Warriors is going to be about $4 million if they get a BSC invitation (to the Sugar Bowl?). And who says these college kids aren't "professionals?"

Meanwhile, I guess it just sucks to be a Dawg these days too. Last weekend the Cougars beat them in Seattle to win the Apple cup, which no doubt thrilled my nephew (who plays in the WSU pep band) while disappointing his parents, grandparents, and of course his uncles, all of whom (with the exception of my mom, who passed away last summer) are U-Dub alums. So I'm simply going to chalk that one up as a tribute to her and let it go. After all, every Cougar should have her day too....