Like, Love and Don't Like

This week, I like normal winters. Today is the one-year anniversary of the weirdest, most maddening winter events that I've ever experienced. So far, this has been a typical Alabama winter, and I really like that. Last year's ice event caused a lot of chaos for the better part of a week. I can't imagine how folks even function after snow storms like what occurred in Buffalo last November and this week in the northeast. Even one year later, I still slightly panic any time my tires spin on wet pavement and think the worst of thoughts - like what's depicted in this recent video from a New Jersey driver.


Would you be as calm and steady as this guy if you saw an out-of-control truck barreling your way?

Me neither.

This week, I love advances in car technology. For me, browsing the websites of car manufacturers has become the modern day version of visiting the local dealership. The new designs of Chevrolet's cars and trucks have really caught my eye - especially that new Chevy Colorado. We come to expect car manufacturers to raise the bar each year but I'm super impressed with the WiFi feature that Chevrolet has added to their new vehicles.


This will change road trips forever!

This week, I don’t like misplaced pity. I've had plenty of time to collect my thoughts about Auburn’s 2014 college football season. Ending the season by losing 4 of the last 5 games seems oddly acceptable given the promise that next year holds. But before we begin hyping next season (or is it too late for that?) I would like to address an issue of misplaced pity that fell upon the shoulders of kicker Daniel Carlson immediately after Auburn's overtime loss to Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl. I did not like the swiftness at which the media, coaches and many fans consoled Carlson as if his missed kick was the reason Auburn lost that game. I did not like that because it seemed to redirect the blame for the defense's abysmal play onto something more tangible - a helpless kicker. Also, where was the pity for Auburn kicker Cody Parkey when he also missed a pair of crucial field goals in a far more significant bowl game the prior season?

"Cool it with the penalties on 3rd and long, Mincy." 

Auburn's defense is the reason for those losses and to even hint at placing the blame on a non-defensive player is crazy. I, like a lot of people, like the hiring of Will Muschamp as Auburn's new defensive coordinator but I've been on enough of these roller coasters to know that every up has a down. Muschamp will certainly improve Auburn’s defense but I have that creeping thought in the back in my mind: What if he doesn't??

Like, Love and Don't Like

This week, I like drones. No, not the military types. I'm referring to the commercially-produced versions that are growing in popularity. When equipped with a decent camera, these vehicles can provide amazing vantage points that have never been so easily accessed by videographers. Drones are now crossing over from recreational to commercial use. Golf courses, realtors and other businesses are starting to incorporate this technology into their marketing efforts after realizing a video from above trumps the traditional ground-level photograph.

I don’t have any desire to own a drone but I enjoy watching this phenomenon from the sidelines. There is a lot of drama and controversy pertaining to regulated airspace when is comes to operating drones in public places - and that's always good entertainment.

Here are some of my favorite drone videos.

Oh, and watch for "dronies" to become a thing.


This week, I love our Chromecast. My sister gave me a gift card for my birthday and with that gift card I purchased a Chromecast. I’m here to tell you that Google has knocked it out of the park once again. Here's the breakdown: this device pairs with your smartphone/tablet and WiFi signal to stream videos, movies, music and shows directly to your TV. Many big players in the media industry, including ESPN, HBO and ABC, have worked with Google to make their mobile apps work seamlessly with the Chromecast device.

I've been completely amazed and the picture quality of the college football games I've watched this season via Chromecast when piped through my phone. As a cord cutter, this device gives me great hope that networks will soon bypass the overcharging cable companies and sell subscriptions to their content. I guess that's the only downfall of Chromecast at this time...in order to view premium TV content, you have to provide the login to the account you have with your cable provider. Time will tell!

This week, I don’t like NBC Sports. As I mentioned, I am a cord cutter and I really appreciate the opportunity to watch streaming programs and sporting events. PBS makes episodes of Downton Abbey available online. I can watch every PGA tournament that CBS Sports carries on a laptop or smartphone. ABC's website was the only place I could watch the final episodes of Happy Endings after we told Charter Communications "no thanks". This concept of sharing is wonderful!

Unfortunately, the folks at NBC Sports (owners of the Golf Channel) aren't in a giving mood. Earlier this summer, the men's and women's US Open was played at the same course in back-to-back weeks. NBC Sports carried the events. I was happily surprised to learn that I could watch the men's tourney online. Weirdly, I had no such luck when trying to watch the women's tournament the next week. NBC did not stream any of the recent PGA Tour playoff events either. You can forget about them streaming any of their Sunday Night Football games. Although that's more of an NFL issue, that’s a terrible policy because I watched the 49ers and the Ravens play in the freaking Super Bowl on CBS on a laptop just a few years ago!! The Golf Channel sends me an email and invites me to watch the Ryder Cup online LIVE...and this is what I get:

I’m not sure what can be done about the stinginess at NBC Sports but the good news is that they lost the rights to cover the US Open to Fox Sports. If the shot callers at Fox Sports are reading this (and I’m sure they are) take note: this is your chance to gain a lot of fans!!

Like, Love and Don't Like

This week, I like the plans to upgrade Wrigley Field. Part of the charm of being a fan of the Chicago Cubs is knowing that your patience will pay off a thousandfold when/if the Cubs ever win the World Series (The Cubs last won it all in 1908). But I'm tired of waiting and the waiting is only made worse with all of the frustrating decisions made over the last few years made by Chicago's front office. Theo Epstein, President of Baseball Operations for the Cubs, has not been able to duplicate the success he saw as General Manager of the Boston Red Sox, where he was part of two world championship teams. He made one of his bros from his Red Sox days, Jed Hoyer, the General Manager of the Cubs and Hoyer is probably responsible for the questionable hiring of Rick Renteria to be the current manager of the Cubs (Hoyer and Renteria have roots in the San Deigo Padres organization). I have not watched any Cubs games this year but I get a final score update sent to my phone after every game. More often than not, the Cub lose and they lose by a lot of runs. Other than first baseman Anthony Rizzo and shortstop Starlin Castro, I can't name a single position player on the roster. When Jeff Samardzija is considered your ace pitcher, you know things are bad. You may remember Samardzija from his college football days at Notre Dame.

But there is a glimmer of hope. The Cubs owners have recently decided make some significant upgrades to Wrigley Field in a move that I think will instill some much-needed team pride. I was once someone that loved Wrigley for her rich nostalgia. But that park is 100 years old now (the Cubs even managed to screw up Wrigley’s centennial celebration) and it is really lacking in areas that benefit the players. There is no bullpen - pitchers and catchers have to warm up just off the playing field in foul territory. You just know the locker rooms are undesirable too. The Cubs are probably the only team in baseball that look forward to road trips! But, I like the announcement - it shows that the owners are tired of waiting too.


This week, I love Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown. Anthony Bourdain is an accomplished chef from New York that gained notoriety after writing his book, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. You may know Bourdain from his popular television show titled, Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations. After this show’s 9th and final season on the Travel Channel, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown began airing on CNN in 2013. I recently became aware of Unknown on Netflix and had it not been for a little boy’s need to get his Thomas the Train fix, I would have blown through every available episode by now. In each episode, Bourdain travels to non-typical locations, samples the local fare and provides a brief history of each destination. It’s a great way to learn about different cities and cultures. This show also contains excellent reminders that there are some poor, poor, poor people on this planet and God has provided me much, much, much more than I actually need. The following clip is from an episode filmed during his trip to Canada. He did not hang out with poor people on this particular trip.


This week, I don’t like the Wrigley Rooftops. This announcement I mentioned above does not come without controversy. One of the main reasons that prevented the Cubs from making these improvements is the existence of the Wrigley Field Rooftop Association - real estate owners with well-placed bleachers on top of buildings that are across the street from the outfield. These groups charge discounted admission to people who don’t mind watching the Cubs play from afar. The Cubs aren't big fans of these groups and had to work out an agreement several years ago that allowed the Rooftops to remain in business for a hefty fee. The new renovations to Wrigley Field call for changes that would obstruct the view from the Rooftops and more legal action is anticipated, which will likely delay the renovations and the amenities needed for a better team.

Photo Courtesy

Thoughts on the 2013 Iron Bowl

• I turned down my mother-in-law's last minute and very generous offer to attend this game. I jokingly (but not really) said that my blood pressure could not withstand that atmosphere. I now know that had I attended the game, I surely would have succumbed to cardiac arrest. 

• I was very impressed with the support and tenacity that was exhibited by The Auburn Family. From a former player's pep talk to the glorious booing of Paul Finebaum during his appearance on ESPN's College GameDay to the unimaginable crowd seen at Tiger Walk, Auburn fans were out in force before, during and after the game. 

Courtesy - Bleacher Report

• I am so, so glad that AJ McCarron's 99-yard touchdown pass isn't the most memorable play from this game.

• I need to give credit to Rod Bramblett. Within a three week span, he perfectly described two miraculous, game-ending plays as they happened. I owe Rod an apology for being so critical of him in an earlier post. Rod is a hard working man. This is the time of year in which Rod's duties for football and basketball overlap. Plus, he is frequently called on to lend his talents to activities such as Tim Hudson’s celebrity home run derby, which was held on Iron Bowl weekend. I should not fail to mention that Stan White's “OH MY GOSH” was the absolute best part of Rod's Kick Six call. I would love to have Stan's jubilant cry as my ringtone - someone please make this happen. You know you want to watch it again: 

• I cannot believe the number of fan reaction videos that have emerged after the Iron Bowl. I have so many questions and thoughts about this phenomenon. 

• When did so many people begin having enough foresight to capture their reactions to live events? I'm blown away by this notion. 

• The many, many reaction videos that I have watched have allowed me to arrive at this conclusion about fans that did not attend the game: Most Auburn fans watched the game in the comfort of their homes and most Alabama fans watched the game at their favorite restaurant, bar or…shopping mall. 

• From the numerous reaction videos I watched, I also deduced that there were far too many "mixed" viewing parties enjoying this year's Iron Bowl. I was really shocked to see how frequently this occurred. Gathering Auburn and Alabama fans in the same confines to watch this game on TV is never a good idea. Then again, it seems that it's even more dangerous for Alabama fans to watch the game with other Alabama fans. 

• Lastly, I was disappointed with some of the reaction videos produced by Auburn fans that were clearly staged and in no way recorded "in the moment". I'm looking at you, Auburn pool guy. 

• Was this the best Iron Bowl ever? Was this the best college football game ever? Was this the best sporting event ever? Many in the national media are lending their opinions to these questions and the answer seems to be "YES" to all three! From Brian Williams to Barbara Walters, the Tigers are getting lots of love for the incredible ending to this game. 

• The overhead shot that showed every inch of Pat Dye Field covered by the celebrating crowd was a truly amazing scene. 

Courtesy - ESPN

• Someone's cremated remains were dumped onto Pat Dye Field during the post-game celebration. Let that sink in for a moment. Whoever was responsible for this act had planned on getting onto that field one way or the other. That's bold. True story: a few seasons ago, I stopped at the Chevron on the corner of Glenn and College as I made my way to Jordan-Hare stadium. I purchased one of those slender sleeves of sunflower seeds to enjoy during the game. One of the security personnel that screens fans as they enter the stadium detected the seeds on my person and instructed me to throw them away. How someone managed to bring cremated human remains into that stadium is beyond me! 

• Auburn Athletic Director Jay Jacobs kissed Gus Malzahn mere seconds after the game ended. Jay's hot seat has significantly cooled thanks to Gus's success and will remain at that temperature until basketball season is in full swing. Watch for the kiss near the end of this clip.

• Remember Ricardo! Let's not forget about Ricardo Louis and his amazing, game-winning catch against Georgia! Ask yourself this question: Would the Kick Six play more or less exciting had the Prayer at Jordan-Hare not occurred in the previous game? I say less. You see, Ricardo's catch whetted our appetite for miracles. 

• I honestly did not think that Alabama’s backup kicker Adam Griffith would make the 57-yard field goal to win the game. I was fully preparing for overtime. I didn't think Chris Davis would make it very far out of the endzone. I was sure that the refs would say that Chris stepped out of bounds on the Auburn sideline. 

• Let's not overlook Mizzou. The SEC Championship game against Missouri will certainly be yet another difficult challenge. I'm guilty of relishing Auburn's Iron Bowl victory without even giving Mizzou the first thought - and the game is only a few days away. 

• One more video - and this one is unedited, real-time footage of the Kick Six play as seen from the Alabama sideline. What's spectacular about this video is all that you see once the play is over. Auburn's Ryan Smith (#24) confidently flexes in front of a stunned Alabama team. Nick Saban silently exits the field with no one around him except two Alabama State Troopers. The Alabama cheerleaders stand motionless on the sidelines. A speechless (!!!) Scott Cochran turns back towards the field just before entering the visitor’s tunnel as if he expects the refs to negate the Kick Six play and call the teams back out. Stud Freshmen OJ Howard (Alabama - TE) and Carl Lawson (Auburn - DE) embrace on the field as do fellow Freshmen Jeremy Johnson (Auburn - QB) and Reuben Foster (Alabama - LB), who now sports a large afro along with his Auburn tattoo. Oh, and there's Bo Jackson on the field too! Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the best video associated with the 2013 Iron Bowl:

• The 2013 Iron Bowl was a rollercoaster of a game and featured the absolute worst way a two-time defending national champion could lose to their rivals. What happened on the field on November 30th, 2013, is enough to qualify this game as one of the classics. All of the craziness that happened after the game only added to its legacy.

Like, Love and Don't Like

This week, I like The Bible: The Epic Miniseries. Since we're saving mucho money by doing the "no cable/no dish" thing, Julie and I missed seeing "The Bible: The Epic Miniseries" when it originally aired on the History Channel earlier this year. The entire series is now available on DVD through Netflix and I've enjoyed watching it. Now, the series skims over Creation and packs a lot of information into each episode so by no means should it serve as your main study guide. But it is really cool to see these stories being told in a popular format. Sidenote: I thought it was very odd that this series is not associated with the History Channel in its Netflix description or on the actual DVDs.

BONUS: The casting in this series is unbelievably good:

This week, I love Julie’s deep dish pizza. I don't know how to meet your "medium rare" request when grilling your steak. I don't smoke my own BBQ. I feel that chili should be cooked at certain, cooler parts of the year. On the rare occasion that I can enjoy a beer, I don't care about its hops or if it's home brewed. I don't drink coffee so I'm clueless about your cappufrappu. In summary: I am not a foodie........except when it comes to pizza. I like trying all makes and shapes of pizza but I will shamefully admit that my sampling experiences have been limited to large chain restaurants and small mom-and-pop eateries. I recently expressed my desire to try a Chicago style deep dish pizza and my sweet wife went above and beyond in her efforts to surprise me. Unfortunately, I could not resist eating the pizza long enough to take a photo. Julie has made it a couple of times now and it gets better each time. She tells me that it isn't very difficult to make so maybe she’ll share a step-by-step recipe on the blog soon. SO GOOD!

This week, I don’t like listening to Auburn games on the radio. College football season is here and as I've already mentioned in this post, we have elected to be sans cable for the 2013 campaign. We're still able to watch lots of games every Saturday but we've had to rely on the radio play-by-play for two of Auburn’s three games up to this point (we were very fortunate to see the Arkansas State game in person with Julie's wonderful parents). I’m sure Rod Bramblett and Stan White are nice enough fellas but they aren't quite up to speed with Gus Malzahn's hurry up no huddle offense. I've been spoiled with HD television coverage of Auburn's football games - we all have. The radio experience is a big step backwards. Announcers, like the players, defensive coaches and referees, are going to have to step up their games in order to keep up with today's fast-paced offenses.

This video highlight from Auburn's most recent game against Mississippi State has been paired with the audio from the radio broadcast. It was edited heavily in Rod's favor.

Like, Love and Don't Like

This week, I like the 2010 SEC Championship Game. Recently (last night), I watched my DVD copy of the 2010 SEC Championship Game, one of 4 special DVDs that I purchased to commemorate Auburn’s national championship season. This particular DVD is my favorite because that was my favorite game of that season. Auburn’s offense was relentless against South Carolina that day and, other than a poor opening drive and some breakdowns here and there, AU’s defense played well too. Watching this DVD brought back a lot of great feelings – feelings that I haven’t associated with Auburn football for the past two seasons. I don’t know if Auburn will play that well ever again but it was neat to travel back in time and make mental notes of things I couldn't have possibly known back then.

• There’s not a lot of sense in getting worked up with college football recruiting. Two star freshman running backs from this game (Michael Dyer and Marcus Lattimore) left their schools before graduating, under very different circumstances. I would argue that neither lived up to their hype. 
• Ellis Johnson (South Carolina’s defensive coordinator at the time and Auburn’s current DC) apparently worked wonders with the South Carolina defense that year. They led the conference in sacks and were the best against the opposing rush. One would think that he could do the same with Auburn’s talent. Still, his abysmal record as Southern Miss’s head coach last season keeps me from getting my hopes up too high.
• A lot of Auburn players from this game are no longer on the team, and it ain't because they graduated. Same goes for coaches. While watching the DVD, it was easy to notice that Trooper Taylor’s antics hadn't reached a level of annoyance yet and Chizik’s slow, back-and-forth pace on the sideline masked his ineptness. With Cam Newton running the show, third-and-long didn't scare the heck out of me because Gus Malzahn’s offense was unstoppable. Everyone was happy.

I’ve always said that every...single...last star lined up perfectly for Auburn that season. The favorable road schedule, Cam’s legendary season and some lucky breaks along the way all contributed to the magic – nothing could stop it. Let’s hope for a repeat of that season soon! 

This week, I love family walks. Despite a recent cool snap, the weather has been a little warmer, which goes well with the longer days. Julie and I have recently developed a nice routine of taking Graham for a stroll around the neighborhood after dinner each night. Graham loves, loves, loves riding in his car, a wonderful gift from my coworkers. We like it too because it seems to zap any leftover energy from Graham before he takes his bath and goes to sleep. I like these walks for other reasons too. Julie and I have great walk-n-talks and they give me a good reason to move around after eating as opposed to hitting the couch.

"Stop looking and start pushing."

The only bad part about these walks is the nightly fit Graham pitches when it’s time to come inside!

This week I don’t like email elitists. I created my Hotmail account in 1998 and had no security issues with it up until last year, when it (along with my bank account) was hacked after linking it to my iTunes account (coincidence??). In college I had an Excite account and a Yahoo! email address as well. Within the last year or so, I opened a Gmail account and, more recently, I created an Outlook account, which is what all Hotmail accounts have been converted to – at least in appearance. Through it all, I’ve gathered that email is email is email. There wasn't a lot of communication about this Outlook conversion and it left a lot of people confused. It really gave Gmail elitists (who don’t want you to know that they also use Hotmail) an opportunity to proclaim Gmail’s greatness, with no facts to back it up. The same people have been quick to blame Hotmail for spawning of SPAM and they make sarcastic comments about Hotmail’s longevity. What they overlook is Hotmail’s worldwide use – up until LAST NOVEMBER, Hotmail was the most-used free email provider on the planet.

To all the keyboard warriors out their bashing Hotmail: get over yourself and please realize that you’re making an argument about two providers of an EXACTLY IDENTICAL service. Email is email is email.

Like, Love and Don't Like

This week, I like my old-fashioned calendar. My monthly calendar is my last technological holdout. While I do use my Outlook calendar at work to keep track of work events, I absolutely have to have the old standard as well. It’s just something about being able to flip the pages and scanning for available meeting dates that I can’t let go of just yet. I really gave some serious thought to utilizing my iPhone’s calendar app in place of my paper calendar but when it came down to crunch time, I couldn’t pull the trigger. Maybe I’ll upgrade in 2014!

This week, I love my daily welcome-home party. Julie and I have a small column of windows next to our front door that extends all the way to the ground. They’re the perfect height for Graham to view what’s going on in the front yard. Now that he’s more mobile, I’m greeted by his sweet, smiling face when I come home in the evenings. He thinks it’s hilarious! It’s this sight that melts all the day’s problems away. He’s happy to see me and I’m even happier to see him!

Sometimes Graham sees me off to work in the mornings too.

This week, I don’t like this season’s bowl matchups. It doesn’t take much for a college football team to be invited to a bowl game to cap off their season (although winning more than 3 games definitely helps). There’s always a lot of spectacle surrounding these games and they really are a reward for the participating teams. But this year’s schedule of bowl games absolutely stinks. I don’t know if it’s because you have an independent team (Notre Dame) playing in the National Championship game or if it’s because the SEC has so many highly-ranked teams but there are a lot of unappealing matchups to be played. Bowl games have always pitted teams against schools they normally wouldn’t play and the contests always matched up well. That notion has gone out the window. Except for the Fiesta Bowl (Oregon vs. Kansas State), I have no interest in watching most of the bowls in the coming weeks.

I should point out that this lackluster schedule is due in part the vast number of bowls. But some argue that more bowl games stimulate more local economies. One glaring exception to this assumption is Birmingham’s BBVA Compass Bank Bowl, which will be hosting the mighty Pittsburgh Panthers for the THIRD CONSECUTIVE YEAR. Having Ole Miss play in this season’s game might…MIGHT…draw more Birmingham residents to the game but I can assure you that the number of folks that travel from Pennsylvania won’t do much to add to this local economy. It’s just a great example of how the bowl games have lost their way. All in all, I’m sure the players have a great time and get lots of free stuff. Here’s a clip of the teams from the 2012 BBVA Compass Bank Bowl enjoying some of Birmingham’s finer entertainment.

 



 

Like, Love and Don't Like

This week, I like my pencil. Several years ago, shortly after the beginning of my career, I decided to use a mechanical pencil as my daily writing utensil of choice. I purchased a two-pack (not to be confused with 2Pac) of Pentel’s P207 model. I can misplace a cheap pen without even trying but somehow, I’ve managed to keep both of these pencils. I use one at home to balance the checkbook and one at the office. The office pencil has a significantly greater amount of wear and bite marks. Both pencils are due for an eraser reload but let’s face it – I rarely make mistakes. I’ve noticed that being identified as a pencil user in the professional world brings untold credibility and commands respect from coworkers. Maybe you will enjoy the same benefits. GET ONE TODAY!

This week, I love Twitter during college football season. It could be easily argued that Twitter users get the most value out of this social media outlet during college football season, especially in the south. Fans can tweet their opinion during games, follow their favorite players, receive updates from in-the-know sports writers and much more. It is almost as if Twitter was invented for college football fans. Unfortunately, Tweeting while at a football game can be made difficult if cell phone networks are over capacity. This is often the case at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn. But this twitteruption (see what I did there?) is fleeting and normal service resumes once the crowd of 87,000+ disperses into the night. Listen, if you only use Facebook, you’re really missing out. GET TWITTER TODAY!

This week, I don’t like all of these occupying hipsters. So you don’t like the tax system? I don’t either, bro. You don’t like the ever-increasing gap between the middle class and the upper class? Same here! Let’s band together and elect officials that will meet our demands! No? Oh…you and your dirty friends are going to camp out on Wall Street? You think that chanting and playing your bongos will lead to more jobs and a better economy? Do you have a job? Do you even want a job?

Like, Love and Don't Like

This week, I like feeling better. I came down with a bad cold right before Christmas. My symptoms included a failing voice, lots of coughing and lots of congestion in my chest. Nearly a month later, I can now say that I've kicked the cold. I still suffer from an occasional cough but I think that's because my body is used to coughing - it's just a normal reflex now.

This week, I love the Auburn Tigers! Who would have imagined a national championship? Not this season - but ever?!?! I don't want to take a way from Oregon's great play but I think the Auburn players were rusty and nervous - particularly Cam Newton. But they got the job done and brought home the crystal! How about that Auburn defense?!?!



This highlight doesn't include the safety.



Thumbs up to: The Auburn Defense, Michael Dyer and Special Teams.
Thumbs down to: Nick Fairley's personal foul penalty, Eric Smith's missed block that almost killed Cam, Eric Smith's dropped touchdown pass and Eric Smith's personal foul penalty.

This week, I don't like ice. On January 9th, we received a constant pelting of tiny frozen rain droplets at our house. These droplets stuck together and formed a thick sheet of ice over...everything outdoors. The temperature has been so cold this week that much of that ice remains. I'm sick of looking at it. It's not snow...it's ice. I'd probably have a different outlook if it was snow. Snow is fun. Ice is not fun. By the way, what happened to the 8 inches of snow we were supposed to get in central Alabama? Sign me up to be a meteorologist because not having to account for false information seems like easy money to me.

"Never-thought-I'd-say-this" Post

Auburn University's football team is playing for the national championship on Monday, January 10th, 2011.

Like, Love and Don't Like

This week, I like Rickie Fowler's addition to the US Ryder Cup team. This is just Rickie's first full year on the PGA tour and he hasn't won any tournaments. But he has played very well and made a lot of money. Captain Corey Pavin isn't taking quite as much heat from critics for picking Rickie as I anticipated. I think that shows that a lot of people know that Fowler is a good golfer with a lot of team-golf experience. The Ryder Cup is October 1-3 in Wales.

This week, I love the Boise State football program. I couldn't stay up to finish watching the game on Monday night because I am old. But what I saw was awesome. For you folks that think Boise's win fouled up the national championship picture, I ask you: how could it get more fouled up? This program is special and what they have accomplished is impressive. Including Monday's win, BSU has won 113 games since the 2000-'01 season. I don't care what conference they play in. They've dominated their conference and have passed a lot of tough tests during that time...especially arguably their biggest test:

This week, I don't like school traffic. Since area schools began their new year, approximately 30 minutes have been added to my drive home every day. I know...boo-hoo. But this really irks me. Why does school add such a drastic change? Bless my wife - she puts up with much worse traffic each and every day and never comes home in a bad mood. But I'm not such a good sport and I only further frustrate myself when I try to think of a solution. But you know what? Bammerhamers aren't going to carpool. There is no solution.

Like, Love and Don't Like

This week, I like scaring Julie. It's not some evil pleasure. I like scaring Julie because it helps heighten her awareness of her surroundings and possible intruders. I've had years of practice in scaring people as I mastered the art at my mother's expense. Consequently, I learned how to dodge a punch thanks to my mother. Julie still has a long way to go as far as her reactions are concerned. Hopefully, I will be able to film some of these training sessions to share with you. Julie's typical reactions make these look extremely weak.



This week, I love the arrival of college football. It honestly feels like the national title game was just a few weeks ago. And if you think about it, the season will be over before we know it. So we'll have to savor every moment that we can! I want to go on the record as saying Auburn will finish 11-1 in the regular season this year (fluke loss to LSU). It's going to be a special season with lots of good games. There's so many side stories too, as I've mentioned in past posts. I stick by my claims and look forward to seeing how it all unfolds!



This week, I don't like not having a go-to TV show. When I'm not scaring her, I like to watch TV with my wife. Our relationship began and bloomed thanks to LOST and we absolutely love Friday Night Lights. But we're currently without a good, go-to TV show. Part of this problem stems from conflicting interests (I have picked some real stinkers on Netflix lately that Julie didn't enjoy) and also the lack of good shows to be watched. Got any suggestions?

Coaching Drama

I've been out of the loop lately so I'm not up to full speed with all of the coaching drama. I do know that, when I first heard the news about former TN coach Lane Kiffin on Wednesday morning, I was blown away. My next thought was, "Man, I bet Coach Tuberville is kicking himself for not waiting another week."

I saw this on EveryDayShouldBeSaturday and had to share. It's too funny.

I thought for sure that Coach Tuberville would end up at Texas A&M after this season but the Aggies put together a decent season and kept their coach. I think most Auburn fans will be pulling for Tommy. It's going to be interesting to see how a defensive-minded, ball-controlling coach will do at Texas Tech. Coach Tubs has vowed not to scrap Tech's run-n-gun, high octane offense. He's shown impressive fortitude in obtaining his offensive and defensive coordinators this week but at the end of the day, it will come down to which Tommy Tuberville shows up. Will it be the riverboat gambler? Or will it be the void we saw on the sidelines and recruiting trail during his last season at Auburn?

Time will tell. Best wishes to Coach Tuberville and his family. Let me say this America: Les Miles will be replaced by Tommy Tuberville at LSU after the 2010 season. You heard it here first.