The Good, The Bad, and The Fanatic

 

Image Courtesy of The New Yorker Magazine

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary defines fanatic as:

It has both positive and negative aspects. A fanatic who joins other fanatics at a college football game, pulling for their team to win, is fine, but once that fanatic decides to poison the beloved trees of the rival college, it has crossed the line into problematic. A group of fans loving a director's vision for a character and cinematic universe facing harassment for loving said universe results in them becoming bitter and review-bombing a new version without the director they loved.

Fandom brings out the best and worst in people. I think we're seeing the devolving of everything in the world currently to fandoms. Team Trump vs. Team Anyone But Trump. Team Israel vs. Team Palestine. Team Dinner vs. Team Breakfast. We all must be members of a team, and if you're not, you're the enemy. You must choose an opinion about every issue, and if you refuse to, you just don't care enough and aren't a good person. It is exhausting. It's easy to lose hope in humanity and hope for a better day. We're just waiting for the next big thing to have an opinion about, and hoping that our friends and family agree with that opinion, or else we'll have to disown them because there is no room for nuance or compromise. 

I admit, I have been beaten down by this narrative due to my experience in News Talk radio and Sports Talk radio. It is hard to develop empathy for your fellow man when you hate someone because their ideas, dreams, and lifestyles are different from what you are a fan of. I'm here to tell you it is bullshit.

People need to be friends with folks who are fans of different teams. We have to find a way to reach common ground. We have to find a way to try and understand our fellow man, or else we are doomed to a world that is searching for the perfect person who aligns with every team we're a part of, and if they don't, well, forget about them. I don't see that as a sustainable world.

I am an optimist who tries to find the best in everyone, even if they're a dick. Everyone is a result of their choices leading up to the moment you are interacting with them. Try to understand their point of view. I have moments of hope that keep me carrying on. A friend of mine from high school and college is a massive Snyderverse fan who faces horrible harassment for her fandom. She would defend Zack Snyder at every turn and receive vitriolic comments about her fandom, appearance, and life. She battled breast cancer and won. The Snyderverse movies helped her during that difficult battle and became a source of strength for her. She was and still is heavily invested in the Snyderverse, so much so that Zack Snyder himself asked her to come to a screening and gave her an interview at an event in LA. So you can imagine how she felt when the new Superman came out. People nah nahed her. People expected her to rip into it and not give it a chance. But you know what she did? She watched it twice and gave a fair criticism of the film with her podcast partner, who absolutely loved the film. It is a three-hour discussion of two fans from differing points of view coming together and breaking down the pros and cons of the movie without devolving into a First Take/Finebaum shouting match. It is music to my ears. It gives me hope. It is a true discussion that gets into the nitty-gritty and makes excellent points. All of this happens because they're willing to listen to each other.

I am not saying that we should be tolerant of intolerant people who are filled with hate and venom. But most of these people, filled with hate and venom have had life experiences that have led them down that path. We are all products of our circumstances, but that doesn't mean we stay that way. If we refuse to understand the opposite view, we're missing out on a potential friendship or life-changing experience. Trying to walk a mile in another person's shoes is something we have lost. Christians are called to be empathetic and love their neighbors as themselves. We have forgotten the second greatest commandment that Jesus gave us. And if you aren't a Christian, the Golden Rule is the standard. 

Let's try to be better. I know it's difficult. I know it's hard to find empathy. But please do your best to find it. It's very necessary for us as a race. Be Kind. Be Patient. And Be Better.

 

"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you." - Frederick Nietzsche

Politics in 2024 is a very tumultuous subject and each side uses violent rhetoric to dehumanize the other party. Civility has been lost and there seems to be no end to the madness. Neighbors are mad at neighbors and the cesspool that is Facebook and Twitter/X constantly has name-calling, hate-filled rhetoric, and insults flying continually. We have all gazed into the abyss and become the monsters we have long warned against. 

This is a difficult time in American politics. We've seen this division before in America with the 1860 and 1876 elections coming to mind. But there is hope for all if we do a few things. 

1) Realize that for the most part, each side is scared and lashing out in fear. Democrats fear that a second Trump administration would roll back civil rights and many government programs with mass deportations of people to home countries they don't remember. Republicans fear that their dollars aren't going as far as they used to and stress over paying bills, buying medicines, and buying groceries. The echo chambers of "their side's" news channels constantly spew nothing but fear and the Us vs. Them mentality that leads to dangerous tribalism. Everyone is afraid and no one is helping to sage those fears. We should have compassion for each other and help work on facing our fears and making the world a better place. If we cannot see each other as human beings struggling in an ever-changing world we will not make it. 

2) Get the hell off of social media. Too often we become obsessed with trolling the other side so we can "own" them with a point we make. We say things that we would never say to someone in person but because we're keyboard warriors we feel invincible. The lack of human interaction with people whom we disagree with makes it easier to see the other side as an enemy and subhuman. The public square of social media allows us to be dicks to each other. Ask yourself, when was the last time being a dick to someone else got them to like me or change their mind? I can answer that easily, never. The rule of thumb to use for social media is don't post something you wouldn't say to someone's face. Trolling is not useful to helpful discourse.

3) Seek out people you disagree with in person. Get out of your comfort zone and try to understand why they feel the way they feel. If your friends all have the same views you do, it is very easy to think that most people feel the way you feel. The old cliche that we have more in common than we realize is very true. We all are hurting from something. We are all seeking to be loved. We all want to be heard. And while it may not radically change the world right now, you could be planting the seeds for bigger change down the road. Many people like to talk about traveling back in time and the smallest change could alter history radically. But many people fail to realize that you can make that small change now to radically affect the future. We may never meet the President or run for Congress, but we can make our neighbor's life better or help someone who goes on to do great things by merely taking time now. Patton Oswalt is a fairly left-leaning comedian who engaged with a man on Twitter who was trolling him. It ended up being a huge show of compassion by Patton and his followers for the man who started off as a troll. See where you can help and do.

4) Help where you can. We may not all have extra income we can donate to nonprofits but there is an even more valuable asset we have that is priceless. Time. Volunteer with a cause you find near and dear to your heart. Find a cause you are passionate about and volunteer for it. You may be sorting cans at a food shelter but you're helping them. You may scoop poop at a cat shelter but you're helping keep the cats' environment clean. Do a prison ministry where you counsel people in jail looking to change their lives. Find your passion and pursue it. You will sacrifice time but it will be for a better cause.

5) Get involved with politics on a local level. Ultimately, we have little impact on the federal level of government outside of voting in Presidential and Congressional elections. But we do have the ability to impact our state, county, and city elections. You can actively campaign for a candidate that shares your views. You can get out and help register to vote. You can attend school board meetings. You can attend city council meetings. It is important for you to know what is going on in your community. And guess what? While you're at these meetings you will meet people of different political beliefs. You will meet people of different backgrounds. Don't see them as enemies but as potential friends. Try to understand where they are coming from and speak calmly and respectfully with them.

I hope this helps you. I know it sounds like I'm preaching and I am. I have friends of all political leanings. I have bleeding-heart liberal socialists to hardcore Trumpers. But they all respect me and I respect them. They have helped me to rethink issues. They have helped me to strengthen my arguments. They have helped me to look at why I believe what I believe. I highly suggest that you do the same. And do it in person. Get out and experience the world and experience other people. The world is more than Facebook, Twitter/X, Threads, Rumble, and all other forms of social media. Otherwise, you become the monster you claim the other side is and fall into the abyss. 

Tough Cookies. Just Do It.

 

My buddy Gabe and I have a bet going on that some of you may have seen online. If I don't lose 1% of my body weight per the weight on Monday, I have to wear the Auburn hat for the week until I weigh in the following Monday. If I do make weight, Gabe has to wear the team he despises most and his bitter rival the Georgia Bulldogs hat. As of today, the 18th of March, Gabe has worn his hat 2 times while I have worn the Auburn hat 10 times including a stretch of 6 consecutive weeks. That is unacceptable.

I had a health scare back in July due to being overweight and intense pain in my back. The back pain is a result of bulging discs in my L4 and L5 with a few extra vertebrae pushing on my S1. The back pain is being addressed through physical therapy and medication. However, when the cardiologist came in he told me that I needed to drop down to 240 or else the quality of my health would decline. On July 11th, 2023, the day I came home from the hospital I weighed 332.8. As of this morning, I weighed 314.4. I have lost 18.4 pounds in 9 months. At this rate, I will hit my goal weight of 240 in 35 months or February of 2027. That is unacceptable. 

I have hemmed and hawed and made excuses for not having sped up the weight loss since then. I was too tired for the gym. I'll start on Monday so I can just forget about this week. I don't have time. I hurt too much. I have already done so much today that I really should rest. I'll wake up early tomorrow. I needed to sleep in late. I have too much to do today to work in any gym time. One cheeseburger won't kill me. I don't want to cook so I should go ahead and get takeout. All of those excuses are just Bravo Sierra. That is unacceptable.

I have to take real action to get myself in shape. That means no more excuses. You don't want to wake up early to go to the gym? Tough cookies. Get up and Just Do It. You don't want to meal prep for the week so you can avoid doing it? Tough cookies. Get up and Just Do It. You're sore from working out yesterday because it's the first time you have worked out in a month? Tough Cookies. Get up and Just Do It. You have too much to do and not enough time to do it? Tough cookies. Get up and Just Do It. 

I have made excuses for my poor behavior. This is MY life we are talking about. If I don't get serious, the Sears family history of men not making it out of their 50s will come to claim me as the latest victim. This is truly life and death we are talking about here. And I've been treating it as a game that it doesn't matter if I win or lose. I have a loving wife that cares for me and loves me. I have two parents that will need me as they get older. I have two in-laws that will need me as they get older. I have three incredibly awesome nieces to watch grow up. I have my sister to see get her doctorate. I have friends and family that I want to do things with for the next 50 years. 

I see the tub of goo I've become and one would hardly believe I was once a college athlete. (Not a prolific one but a walk-on for Alabama for 3 years.) In the words of Owen Hart, "Enough is enough and it's time for a change!"Luckily, I have a good accountabilibuddy in Gabe. He's not afraid to bust my balls about the weak sauce I've been making. I also have inspiration from another source. One of my all-time favorite wrestlers is getting back in shape for his 60th birthday to do one final death match. Mrs. Foley's Baby Boy, Mick. And he's chronicling it on his YouTube Channel. Now I do know that inspiration can only get you so far until you put in the work. But seeing Mick in person at World of Wheels and seeing his video behind his reasoning made me feel that way. Feelings will only get me so far so here is the course of action I am laying out before me.

1) I'm going to be honest with my calories. I have been using the Lose It App for over two years now and just upgraded to the lifetime membership. I have not honestly been tracking calories and "forgetting" to include my late-night snacks.

2) Closing the kitchen at night for myself unless it is for ginger ale or my casein shake and two halos.

3) Hitting the gym a minimum of three times a week. That really shouldn't be that hard to do. I just need to be smart and not overdo it at the gym taking rest days when needed.

4) Not using rest days as an excuse to not go to the gym. Too many times I would say to myself, "I'm still sore. I should rest just one more day," and then not go for a week.

5) Cooking for myself more. It's easier for me to eat healthier if I make my own meals. So, eat in more!

6) Getting to bed at a reasonable hour and not mindlessly scrolling social media. Bed is for bed.

These are the changes I'm making now. If you read this, feel free to message me privately or call me out publicly on one of my social media platforms. My Facebook wall lets anyone post on it. (I really don't accept friend requests unless I actually know you. My friend purgatory is quite large) Hit me up on Twitter. Or comment on my posts on Instagram. I am holding myself accountable but I will also take others calling me out. If you want to join this weight-loss journey, we can do it together. I encourage others to get healthy as well. Arnold Schwarzenegger has launched a fitness community that is trying to be the positive corner of the internet. I like his mission. I'm going to try and launch a positive corner of the internet for weight loss and I'd love to have you along for my journey. I'm going to hit my goal of 240. If I stay on the current projection of my plan, I should hit the 240 around January of next year losing it at a safe pace and not on a dramatic crash diet. 

My life is going to change and therefore I must change. No more excuses. Tough cookies. Just Do It.

Be Kind

 

Life is a difficult thing sometimes. You lose that job you really wanted. Your spouse isn't meeting your needs. Your parent is facing a terminal disease. You are at your wit's end. And at that moment you need kindness. We are all dealing with different challenges in our lives and sometimes it's more than one. You just need someone to listen to you or offer encouraging words. You need kindness. 

One of the easiest things for you to do for others is to be kind. It costs nothing. It takes minimal effort. If you can't be kind, just be supportive and listen. Sometimes a kind word can do so much for a person having a bad day. You always have the opportunity to make someone's day better. Don't add to someone's stress. Don't be an ass for the sake of being an ass. It's easy in this day and age to be a cynic and be discouraged. But if we all took a moment to help others by being kind, listening, or just giving a hug if a person is down for a hug, this world would be better. There are great examples of people helping others for no reason. The pay-it-forward lines at drive-thrus, (I know some people think you should just tip the people working the drive-thru but why not do both?), the list of 50 ways to be kind, or just giving someone a smile down the street. Not only will it make someone else's day, but it actually helps you too! 

I know this is brief but I just wanted to write to everyone, please be kind! And in the words of Mick Foley, "Have A Nice Day!"

It's Time To Make Revenue Sports In College Professional

 

December 5th, 2023, will go down as the day that NCAA President Charlie Baker finally realized what so many people have known since the early 2000s, student-athletes are more athletes than students. 

FBS Football and Division I Men's College Basketball players should be paid for the revenue they bring into their respective colleges. Men's football revenues for the Power 5 conferences far outpace the second-leading sport men's basketball. According to financial data from the 2022 fiscal year, the average college football program generated 31.9 million dollars of revenue while men's college basketball brought in 8.1 million dollars. Thirty-five non-revenue sports combined average to bring in 31.7 million dollars that year, two hundred thousand dollars less than football alone. 

Baker's proposal would create a new subdivision in college athletics that would be allowed to set its own rules for recruiting, roster sizes, transfers, and other policies. This would let the Power 5 secede from the rest of the FBS and create a feeder league to the pros for football and men's basketball. To be a part of this division schools would have to put millions of dollars a year into an educational trust for the athletes to use either during the summer or after their playing careers are over. The schools would be required to pay athletes a minimum of 30 thousand dollars a semester per athlete for at least half of their athletes. Schools could provide more athletes money and more than the minimum if they want to. It would also not require athletes to graduate to receive the money.   That's all and great but another part of the proposal is where a lot of trouble will come from.

Due to Title IX regulations, women's sports would have to be compensated at the same rate as men's sports including money from NIL according to Baker's proposal. Women's sports do not generate the money that men's sports do especially the sports of football and men's basketball. Should sports that fail to generate ticket sales or TV deals of the big two sports still be allowed to get an equal share of the money? 

This murky area is where the NCAA will have to work on this proposal with Congress and federal regulators. A 15-year study by the NCAA showed that most schools' athletics departments are operating on losses. This model is not sustainable for all the schools especially schools in the Group of 5 conferences. (The Group of 5 conferences are the American, Conference USA, MAC, Mountain West, and Sun Belt.) The new Power 4 (ACC, Big Ten, Big XII, and SEC) can afford these new payments because of the revenue they generate with conference TV deals and bowl payouts. 

The lines are being drawn that will forever change college athletics. The model we grew up with will be on the trash heap of history. Student-athletes will receive thousands if not millions of dollars before they even go pro. The model proposed by Baker is only the beginning. It is not the end of the journey of financial compensation for athletes. A long road is ahead of everyone to work out a model that will officially make parts of college athletics professional. 

Why Ted Lasso Is Right About Anxiety and Sports

 

****Season 2 Spoilers Ahead For Ted Lasso****

The show Ted Lasso is a critical and fan-favorite because it works on so many levels. It's a fish-out-of-water story mixed with a plucky underdog story, a splash of social commentary, and mental health. The main characters all deal with their mental health in different ways and it isn't until Dr. Sharon Fieldstone appears in season two that a lot of the mental health of the team is addressed. 

The season starts with star Dani Rojas killing the team mascot on a penalty kick causing him to go into a downward spiral ending in the yips. His guilt over the death radically affects the play of one of Richmond FCs best players. It isn't until he goes to Dr. Fieldstone that he finally gets the help he needs. All the players start talking to Dr. Fieldstone and eventually, Ted ends up in her office after a panic attack during a critical game. His distrust of therapy is eventually worn down by the persistent doctor who also realizes things about her life during therapy. This is monumental for Ted.

Ted's character is absolutely lovable. He's an Andy Griffith in London who happens to be a soccer coach. His great speeches throughout the series are memorable and heartfelt. He seems to have it all together. But his father's death has an effect he does not want to acknowledge and pushes him to a breaking point. He has his first attack during a party and then the aforementioned panic attack during a critical match. It's not until he confronts his issues that he moves forward. The finale of season 2 has Ted acknowledging that the media needs to do a better job of covering mental health and anxiety in sports. 

Mental health and anxiety treatments are essential today and it's new ground that athletes today are treading. An Ole Miss player named DeSanto Rollins filed a lawsuit against Ole Miss and Lane Kiffin this year due to treatment over mental health.  Simone Biles famously suffered mental health issues during the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo which led to a new conversation about mental health in athletes.  Studies are coming out showing that college athletes are experiencing higher levels of mental health issues and more articles are coming out about this sensitive topic. College Athletes are committing suicide. And this is very troubling.

Athletes today are exposed more to fans than at any time in the history of organized sports. Social media brings out the worst in fans including death threats. Read any popular athlete's comments on their tweets, Instagram pics, TikToks, or Facebook posts and you'll see vile comments. They are exposed to an endless news cycle. The only escape they seem to have is by escaping their devices. There are several stories of phone numbers getting leaked for prominent coaches and athletes. They have no escape. They live in a bubble on campus. They cannot have a normal life. They are going to need someone to talk to and not judge them. Someone who will allow them to vent. That is why more colleges are setting up programs for the athletes.

Ted Lasso's approach to this difficult subject is to be commended. Athletes on all levels need help and therapy options. They need people they can trust who are professionally trained. Athletes need help in dealing with a difficult time of their life when their brains are still forming and they essentially live in a bubble. It's a different day and age. I know a lot of the old-school athletes want to say, "Toughen up, Buttercup." But the days of running around on your wife and no one saying anything about it are over. Athletes today have to deal with smartphones with cameras. They are one viral social media post away from infamy. It's a new day and age and we need to approach it as such. Ted Lasso is just opening the door to this conversation. Thank you, Ted. 

If you or someone you know needs mental health, please call 988 for the suicide and crisis helpline. They have great mental health professionals available 24/7. There is no shame in needing help.

The Alliance Doomed FSU

In one of the classic episodes of the American version of The Office, downsizing rumors swirl and Dwight Schrute proposes an alliance with Jim Halpert to try and avoid being fired. It was a silly move that really had no purpose. But by the end of the episode, the Alliance had failed and Dwight betrayed Jim.

In 2021, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey, Big XII Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson, and the Athletic Director of Notre Dame Jack Swarbrick unveiled a 12-team playoff for College Football that would eliminate automatic qualifiers and would instead take the six highest-rated conference champions. It wanted to ensure that the best teams would make the College Football Playoffs instead of a team that was 9-3 pulling an upset in a conference championship game. This plan was accepted by 8 of the 11 commissioners at the conference. But an Alliance blocked this measure.

The 2020 COVID season saw interesting developments in the final College Football Playoff rankings. Had the proposal been in effect that year, the top six ranked conference champions would have been Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Cincinnati, and Coastal Carolina. The Pac-12 champion, Oregon, would not have been a part of that and would have been left out of the 12-team playoff. This ruffled the feathers of the Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott. He wanted to make sure that his conference champion would automatically qualify for the playoffs. 

The proposed playoff expansion would have gone into effect for the 2023 season. But in July of 2021, the SEC rocked the college football landscape by announcing that Texas and Oklahoma were leaving the Big XII to join the SEC in 2025. 

Seeing that the proposed format by the SEC, Big XII, Mountain West, and Notre Dame would make some conference champions possibly miss the playoffs, and the stunning expansion move by the SEC, ACC Commissioner James J. Phillips, Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott, and Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren met secretly to propose an Alliance that would be a voting bloc preventing any playoff expansion that they didn't agree with. On August 24, 2021, The Alliance was officially announced.

This Alliance had no official contract but was a gentleman's agreement that was going to stick together on major decisions of college athletics and work together on scheduling various sports' non-conference games. On paper, it looked great and like it would help further college athletics. But in reality, they were going to impede any college football playoff expansion that they didn't agree with. 

In February of 2022, the 11 conference commissioners gathered to vote on the proposed playoff system that would have started for the 2023 season.  The vote had to be unanimous to start the new playoff format. The vote was 8-3 with the Alliance all objecting to preventing the expansion. It took nine months before the vote would happen again and by that time, the college football landscape had changed. 

The Pac 12 became greedy with new commissioner Greg Kliavkoff turned down a TV licensing deal that would have annually brought the conference $30 million per school. Kliavkoff thought he could do better. The Big XII knew they had to jump on any deal to avoid falling into irrelevancy. Then in June of 2022, the Big Ten announced that USC and UCLA were leaving the Pac-12. The Alliance was shattered. The vote for the 12-team playoff expansion was held in November of 2022 and the model had not been changed. The expansion vote passed 11-0 but the soonest the new format would be implemented would be for the 2024 season.

The Big XII then announced that Colorado was leaving for their conference in August of 2023. Then, Oregon and Washington announced they were leaving the Pac-12 for the Big Ten. Utah, Arizona, and Arizona State soon announced they were leaving the Pac-12 to join the Big XII. The ACC announced that Cal and Stanford were leaving the Pac-12 to join them. The once mighty Pac-12 had only two members in Washington State and Oregon State. One of the key pillars of the Alliance was no more. But the effects of the failed group would be felt that Fall.

Now we're here in December of 2023. The FSU Seminoles are undefeated and left out because their conference commissioner joined an Alliance that like Dwight Schrute, ultimately betrayed the other members of the Alliance. Had the Alliance approved the expansion in February of 2022, the new playoff format would be in full effect and the 12-team playoff would be here. FSU would be in. But the ACC was hoisted by their own petard and cost their champion a shot at a national championship. 

Playoff Chaos Is Exactly Why The Expansion Was Needed

 

After last night's College Football Playoff Rankings, controversy is king. The top 4 are 1) Georgia 2) Michigan 3) Washington and 4) FSU. Oregon is outside the top 4 at five and Ohio State is at 6. Texas and Alabama remained locked in at 7 and 8. 

The four most-likely scenarios are as follows:

Scenario #1: Georgia, Michigan, Washington, and FSU win out leaving just the four undefeated teams set for the Playoffs. An undefeated FSU being left out because they're missing their starting quarterback Jordan Travis is ridiculous at that point because they would have defeated the #14 Louisville Cardinals in the ACC Championship Game while Ohio State sat at home.

Scenario #2: Alabama upsets Georgia, Michigan beats Iowa, Oregon beats Washington, FSU falls to Louisville, and Texas beats Oklahoma State. This gets a little sticky because Alabama would have a win over the #1 team in the nation at that point. You'd have three 1-loss teams as conference champions and only one undefeated team in Michigan. Ohio State could sneak their way in despite not playing leaving both Alabama and Texas out despite their conference championships. If that were to occur I think it would be #1 Michigan, #2, Oregon #3 Ohio State, and #4 Texas. 

Scenario #3: Georgia beats Alabama, Michigan beats Iowa, Oregon beats Washington, Texas beats Oklahoma State, and FSU loses to Louisville. In this case, it would come down to who the committee favored between Texas and Ohio State. Texas would have a conference championship and their best win would be over a probably 11th-ranked Alabama team while Ohio State would not have a conference championship with their best win being over a top-ten Penn State team. I think the committee would put in Ohio State over Texas making it #1 Georgia, #2 Michigan, #3 Oregon, and #4 Ohio State. I don't think Ohio State should be in over Texas though because a conference championship should mean something. This scenario would also give the Rose Bowl one final Big Ten vs. Pac 12 Rose Bowl which would make the Rose Bowl Committee quite happy.

And now that brings us to my favorite scenario, the chaos scenario. Alabama beats Georgia. Iowa beats Michigan. Oregon beats Washington. Louisville beats FSU. Texas beats Oklahoma State. This scenario is the Elmo Fire Gif for the Committee. You have three one-loss conference champions with Alabama, Oregon, and Texas and four one-loss non-conference champions with Georgia, Michigan, Washington, and Ohio State. This scenario gets very messy for the committee and would make them possibly try to establish the 12-team playoff this year. In this scenario, who knows what the committee would do. I think you'd have to take the three one-loss conference champions at this point in some order so that gives you Alabama, Oregon, and Texas because the committee has established that conference championships should matter. The final spot remaining would be tricky but I think the committee would go with Michigan due to their two top-ten wins against Ohio State and Penn State. I think you'd have Oregon and Michigan in the Rose Bowl and Texas and Alabama in the Sugar. 

While we're not sure what will happen, there is a lot of intrigue going into Conference Championship Weekend that should see record viewership for the different games. It will also show that this year is in desperate need of the expanded playoffs. There will be a deserving team left out and unfortunately that team will have no recourse and only wonder what might have been. 

Class and the Iron Bowl

 

I am what most people would call a Bammer. I have Daniel Moore paintings of great Bama moments. I have multiple Bear Bryant pictures and quotes posted around the house. I have pulled for the Crimson Tide ever since I could understand the concept of football. But what I had happened yesterday made me reconsider how I view losing. 

My boss at JOX, Ryan Haney, is an Auburn fan and grad. I had a little issue after running a UAB sports megacast and texted him for some help. Through combined efforts of texts to other members of the Cumulus staff we were able to straighten out the issue without the listeners ever knowing we had one. After that had subsided, my boss, who just witnessed one of the most agonizing losses of his program, texted me the following:

Him: Congrats on the Bama win. Hell of a game.

Me: Yes it was. Thank you, Boss Man.

Him: They played their asses off. Bama made the play when it counted. Respect. Y'all deserved the win. Now go beat Georgia. Wish the Iron Bowl was like that every year. Two teams laying it all on the line.

That was an amazing exchange. My boss was the epitome of class after a difficult win. Then I go to the cesspool known as Twitter/X and see this from  Cole Cubelic. And it hit me. 

Yes, I love to beat Auburn and win the Iron Bowl. But the game is so much bigger than that. I grew up with family that went to Auburn. I have friends who went to Auburn. I have coworkers who pull for Auburn. This whole state is divided between Alabaa fams and Auburn fans yet we work, live, and play together all year. I'm glad that I have Auburn friends who are classy regardless of the outcome. I think Alabama fans need to learn to be classier with victory and defeat. The Bear once said, 

“It’s awfully important to win with humility. It’s also important to lose. I hate to lose worse than anyone, but if you never lose you won’t know how to act. If you lose with humility, then you can come back.”

This state is imperfect. But we do football right. People notice that. Even folks whom you completely disagree with. This weekend is special each year because chaos is the only constant thing you can expect when it comes to the Iron Bowl. Punt Bama Punt. The Kick. The Camback. The Kick Six. The Crimson Crane. The Milthrow. All of these games make it so special. The camaraderie between neighbors who will always defend the state's football as the best football. It's something that even folks outside of the state know.  Whether it's Dan Bongino loving the atmosphere at Jordan Hare or Herbstreit and Fowler going nuts to the ending of the Iron Bowl, people know that the Iron Bowl will be a quality game. But what few people know, is that the Iron Bowl brings out the best in many. Here's to more great games and great fans who are great people. 

There Is Crying In Football

 

During the Washington versus USC game this past weekend, a despondent Caleb Williams went up into the stands after losing and began crying with his mother. He has faced ridicule, scorn, and questions about his worthiness of being a top NFL quarterback prospect all because he was showing emotion after seeing the goals of a national championship and conference championship evaporate in three very public and humiliating losses.

Caleb Williams is the reigning Heisman trophy winner. He has put up amazing numbers in the Lincoln Riley system at Oklahoma and USC. He has had some controversy during his Heisman campaign last year but I tend to put that towards being a brash QB who is still in his early 20s. The nail painting backfired terribly and resulted in an epic troll by the Utes. It was a teachable moment.

A lot of critics are jumping on this show of emotion as unmanly, weak, and childish. I disagree. Football is an emotional game despite what some critics are saying. USC came into this season with national championship aspirations and Williams trying to become the second back-to-back Heisman winner. He was prominently featured in the Fansville campaign for Dr. Pepper as well as the Nissan Heisman House and other NIL deals. He has a lot on his plate and was essentially an NFL quarterback balancing his football with endorsement deals. He is also 21.

According to multiple studies, the prefrontal cortex of the brain that controls the rational part of thinking is not fully developed until you are 25. That means that most young adults are straddling the line between adolescence and adulthood while letting emotions control their thinking. Throw in the fact that Williams is also taking violent hits with that and you see why he can become so emotional. 

Williams cares about the team and the goals they put forth. He is an emotional leader of the team who just had everything they had been working for all offseason dashed in the span of four weeks. He was facing a tremendous amount of pressure internally and externally and he just broke. It is completely human to break when you have reached your limits. Most people have their breaks in the privacy of their homes, cubicles, bathrooms, or cars. Williams just happened to be on national television as the face of USC football when the loss happened and cameras followed him into the stands with his mother. 

I think that people tend to lose sight of how much pressure is on the current crop of athletes. While Jordan, Favre, and Jeter were always shown with their icy demeanor under pressure, they were able to just go home and turn off the TV if they had a bad game. Now, with sports talk 24/7 on the radio, social media interactions constant, and YouTube armchair quarterbacks reacting after every game, the pressure is never-ending and almost inescapable. This is the media landscape that these young players face every day. Fandom is at an all-time high and intensity. Death threats to players for messing up are common on social media. After the Kick Six, Cade Foster had death threats. A Colorado State football player and his family received death threats after giving a hit that knocked out two-way player Travis Hunter of the Colorado Buffaloes. Fans have more access to players than ever before and it's not necessarily a good thing. 

I know I never achieved the notoriety that Williams faced but I remember being that upset after football games. My junior year of high school was very rough and we were coming off being undefeated state champions. We played one of our archrivals Mountain Brook at their stadium and lost to them for the first time in 14 games. I was despondent. I was angry. I had angry tears. Then the next game we played another heated rival in Homewood and my botched snap ended up costing us the game. I was angry and crying in the locker room because I had let my teammates down. My mother rode home with me because she was worried about how upset I was after the game. High school football in Alabama is an intense and popular thing. We had the weight of our school, fellow students, parents, and community on us. It only becomes more intense the higher levels you go. 

Caleb Williams showed that he was merely a young man who was dealing with a lot of emotions at the time. He sought consoling from his mother. There is nothing wrong with that nor is it a sign of weakness. Give the young man a break and understand that this is all part of the growing-up process. He just happens to be doing in front of an audience of millions each week. 

The Importance Of Never Giving Up

 

One of the most underrated movies of the late 90s is an homage to Star Trek and its fans called Galaxy Quest. The commander of the ship Peter Quincy Taggart, portrayed by Tim Allen, has a simple yet effective catchphrase that is said multiple times throughout the movie. "Never give up. Never Surrender." This is exactly what the motto of the Alabama team for this year has become.

Many pundits and fans had left Alabama for dead after the devastating loss to Texas on September 9th. The annual talk of how the dynasty is dead and Nick Saban cannot connect with the players anymore was featured prominently on the talk shows and columns of various publications. Then the following week, Alabama benched their starter from the first two games and got a struggle win against South Florida. Many folks throughout the college football landscape predicted a loss to Ole Miss and the descent toward mediocrity for Alabama. But somebody forgot to tell the Alabama team they weren't supposed to be any good this year.

Going through a gauntlet of Ole Miss, at Mississippi State, at Texas A&M, Arkansas, Tennessee, and LSU, the Tide became a cohesive unit. Yes, they still tend to start slowly on the first drives for Offense and Defense, but the team really seems to turn it on as the game progresses. Alabama has embraced difficulty and decided that they will #LANK. This is an uncommon thing for Alabama teams of the past to acknowledge external factors but this team seems to feed off people doubting them and their abilities. 

The story is still being written about the 2023 Alabama team and they have plenty of obstacles left in their path. A difficult 11 a.m. kickoff road game at Kentucky this weekend. A true test of Auburn Jesus at Jordan Hare to end the season. Win both of those and the game against Chattanooga, they make the SEC Championship with a shot at making the College Football Playoffs. Some pundits believe that if Alabama upsets Georgia and gets a little help, they'll be in the Playoffs only to be exposed by supposed superior competition.  Only time will tell who is right about this. But there is still plenty of football left before we even get to that point.

This team thrives on doubt. They seem to have a genuine love for each other and are holding each other accountable for actions on the field. They make mistakes but adjust and get back at it instead of lingering on the bad plays. They're preaching and walking the #Process . They without a doubt embody Commander Taggart's catchphrase, "Never Give Up. Never Surrender." I cannot wait to see how far this team will go and all they plan to accomplish. 

The C Student

 

"I enjoy coaching this team. That's not to say they're not taking years off my life. But I'm okay with it. It's fun because they've got a good spirit about them." - Nick Saban

I know it is difficult to watch this Alabama team struggle each week to win a game and that the discomfort of watching this team can sometimes get a little too much to bare. But I think this Alabama team is one of the most special and unique teams that Nick Saban has had during his time at the Capstone. This team is showing a resilience not seen by the previous two years' teams with a better roster. 

My wife and I have not been blessed with children but I'd like to think that if we were a typical family with multiple kids, we'd have an amazingly talented child who barely needed to study to get straight As and another child that worked hard but could only pull Cs. We would be proud of both of our kids. We'd support both of our kids. But if that C student put in a ton of effort and worked hard to study for an upcoming test that resulted in a B, we'd be ridiculously happy and proud of our student. If that child kept working hard and eventually made an A in the class, we would be ecstatic. We would know that our child put in a tremendous amount of effort that allowed them to make that A.

This is what the current Alabama team is. They have possibly three first-rounders on the team right now with Dallas Turner, Kool-Aid McKinstry, and JC Latham and a lot of later round talent. Jalen Milroe is not as good a QB as the four that preceded him. None of the wide receivers are what you would consider to be elite like the amazing run Alabama had from 2017-2020. But this team just works.

The Texas loss was a setback but it was a teachable moment. Coach Saban loves to preach about not wasting a failure and this team has responded. This team has busted their butts to finish games and find ways to win. While not always a pretty victory, an ugly win tops a pretty defeat every time.

We've seen remarkable improvement from the team since the Texas game. The defense in the second half since that game has given up zero points to USF, three points to Ole Miss, seven to Mississippi State, three points to Texas A&M, 15 to Arkansas, and zero to Tennessee. The offense has scored in the second half of those games 14 against USF, 18 against Ole Miss, 9 against Mississippi State, 16 against Texas A&M, 3 against Arkansas, and 27 against Tennessee. The Arkansas game is the only outlier of the run since Texas.

This team while not perfect, is a lot of fun to watch. They're not the dominant football machine we have come to expect from Tuscaloosa, but you have to love the heart. As the fight song says, "Bama's pluck and grit have writ her name in Crimson Flame." This team is full of pluck and grit. Will they win the national championship? Probably not. Will they leave it all out on the field for us the fans every game? Without a doubt. I'm proud of this team and while they may take a few years off my life, I wouldn't ride or die with any other team. 

Morning Links for August 15th

Good morning! Here are some links to get  your morning started!

1) Chris Low compares the 2010 Alabama team to the 2012 Alabama team and says the 2012  team is not going to rest on their laurels.

2) Alabama also reported 27 secondary rules violations in the athletic department. The football team committed 4 violations.

3) Ivan Maisel looks at USC and how they've prospered despite the NCAA sanctions.

4) According to sources, the Champions Bowl is either going to be in New Orleans or Arlington.

5) Dennis Dodd has 25 things to watch this college football season.

6) Bruce Feldman looks at the top ten freshmen coming into the season.

7) Gregg Doyel looks at the North Carolina academic cheating scandal and says it is time for a reckoning in Chapel Hill.

8) Mike Huguenin has been busy with his preseason countdown of all 124 FBS schools with #3 Alabama and ranking the top receiving corps in the nation. He also did a conference preview of the ACC to boot.

9) Texas is looking to return to glory in 2012.

10) Andy Staples looks at the Sabanization of college football.

11) Lars Anderson looks at the passion of the Alabama and Auburn fan bases.

12) Fox Sports preseason #1 team is the LSU Tigers.

13) Fox Sports analyst Charles Davis gives his preseason top 25 and has USC at #1.

Morning Links for August 14th

Computer issues seem to have been worked out so here we go with Morning Links!

1) Gene Wojciechowski is looking forward to the college football season so we can put this offseason behind us.

2) After the mini-scandal of USC Head Coach Lane Kiffin voting for USC when he said he wouldn't, he has decided to relinquish his vote in the USA Today Coaches' Poll.

3) Tyran Mathieu is mulling a return to LSU.

4) CBS Sports has released their preseason top 30 and the top three are the favorites to win the BCS.

5) Penn State has received an accreditation warning from the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and may lose their accreditation.

6) Tony Barnhart says that not only is Tyran Mathieu to blame for his failures, but the system as well.

7) Bruce Feldman does a college football mail bag that talks about a very long longshot for Heisman.

8) Dennis Dodd looks at Terry Bowden's new job at Akron.

9) Mike Huguenin continues his preseason countdown of all 124 FBS schools with #7 Michigan State, #6 Michigan, #5 Oklahoma, and #4 Oregon. He also lists the top ten players in college football and top ten offensive backfields.

10) Stewart Mandel looks at five teams that could end the SEC's streak of BCS Championships.

11) Florida Head Coach Will Muschamp said that the first scrimmage was a positive one for the Gators.

12) Georgia began classes yesterday and starting quarterback Aaron Murray will begin graduate school.

13) Demarco Robinson looks to have more of an impact for the Kentucky Wildcats this year from his wide receiver position.

14) After watching the scrimmage film from Saturday, Tennessee Head Coach Derek Dooley is still impressed and feeling well after the Vols' first scrimmage.

15) Vandy's defensive coordinator Bob Shoop was not pleased with his defense after the Commodores' first scrimmage but feels they can fix the problems.

16) After looking at South Carolina's scrimmage, the Gamecocks have a lot to look forward to offensively this season.

17) Missouri's defense looked very good in their first scrimmage this past Saturday.

18) Auburn is having eligibility issues with current freshmen JaQuay Williams and  Jovon Robinson as well as having the NCAA investigating the recruitment of Reuben Foster.

19) Here are some scrimmage notes from Alabama's scrimmage this past Saturday.

20) Mississippi State Linebacker Deontae Skinner looks to improve on his performances from the 2011 season.

21) Ole Miss needs their receivers to step up if Hugh Freeze's offense is going to take hold this season in Oxford.

22) Texas A&M's receiving corps does not look to be missing the departed Ryan Swope after watching the first scrimmage.

23) Arkansas is going to be inexperienced at the safety position this season and the young players are having to learn on the job.

24) Departed LSU defender Tyran Mathieu will announce his decision on where he's transferring Wednesday and says the ESPN report of him trying to stay at LSU is false.

It's Been a Rough Day

It's been a rough day for me. My computer cord didn't work for the longest time and I'm just now charging up my laptop. Forgive me for not posting since Friday. It'll be better tomorrow I promise! Enjoy this video of Corgis.

The Jacob Bunn Show Appearance for August 10th

On today's show, Jacob Bunn and I discuss Mathieu's suspension, Petrino's apology, and more http://t.co/ZrkS0a9B

Morning Links for August 10th

Good Morning! I hoe you know that yesterday was 21 days away from the first games of the season! Here are links to get your morning started as well as a link to my Oklahoma column yesterday.

1) The Penn State Board of Trustees will ratify the consent decree on Sunday that binds them to the NCAA punishment handed down for the Sandusky scandal.

2) Lane Kiffin voted USC number one in the coaches' poll after saying he wouldn't do so to the media on multiple occasions.

3) Bobby Petrino appeared on ESPN yesterday and apologized for his behavior that led to Arkansas firing him.

4) Alabama freshman wide receiver Chris Black is going to have shoulder surgery and be out 3 to 4 months.

5) The Tennessee Volunteers are going on a road trip for the next week to Milligan College as the football team moves into their new offices and operations into the new football training center.

6) ESPN continues counting down their preseason top 25 with #10-6.

7) Washington running back Deontae Cooper tore his ACL for the third time and has still not played a game at the collegiate level.

8) Clemson athletic director Terry Don Phillips will be stepping down at the end of July 2013. Phillips has been one of Dabo Swinney's biggest supporter.

9) Dennis Dodd continues his previews of all conferences by looking at the independents. While he mainly focuses on the Notre Dame quarterback race, he does look at BYU, Army, and Navy.

10) Penn State tight end Dakota Royer has decided to give up football but still get his degree from Penn State.

11) UCLA head coach Jim Mora, Jr. is having to say that his comments about murders near campus are not a shot a USC.

12) CBS Sports is breaking down the contenders for the BCS title and look at LSU and FSU.

13) A Florida high school coach is questioning the recruiting tactics of Alabama since Darius Paige transferred to an Alabama high school.

14) Mike Huguenin continues his preseason countdown of all 124 FBS schools with #8 South Carolina and #7 Michigan State.

15) Oklahoma State defensive tackle Christian Littlehead has been charged with assault and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

16) At the start of this season, there will be 28 new head coaches at the 124 FBS schools.

17) Sports Illustrated has released their preseason All-American team and there are no real shocks on it.

18) Andy Staples looks at 15 impact freshmen this year in the FBS.

19) Fox Sports continues their preseason countdown with #2 Oklahoma.

20) James Franklin is turning heads nationally with his successful recruiting at Vanderbilt.

21) Steve Greenberg does a mailbag and tackles multiple topics including a prediction for the Alabama/Michigan game.

22) Jacob Bunn previews LSU and Alabama this week on his website.

23) While the Florida quarterback battle is getting most of the attention, the battle for the starting corner back positions is just as competitive.

24) Georgia's running back depth chart looks to be set after the morning practice yesterday.

25) Missouri has sold out their season tickets for the first time in school history. It's looking as if the move to the SEC is going to pay off big dividends.

26) Kentucky's freshman quarterback Patrick Towles is causing quite a quandary for head coach Joker Phillips. Should Joker burn Towles redshirt or should he let Towles sit while Joke struggles to keep his job?

27) Brian VanGorder says that the Auburn defense is starting to improve and grasp his new system.

28) Josh Robinson looks to act like a bowling ball for Mississippi State this year when he gets the ball.

29) Dehendrent Collins has been moved to the Husky position and is using his speed to help out the Rebels' defense.

Preseason Countdown: #4 Oklahoma

The Oklahoma Sooners under head coach Bob Stoops are a perennial contender for the Big XII title as well as the BCS title. Big Game Bob has taken Oklahoma to the BCS title game in 2000, 2003, 2004, and 2008 though he has only won the title once in 2000. Oklahoma was doing well last year until an unexpected losses to Texas Tech and Baylor knocked them out of the BCS Title hunt. After big play wide receiver Ryan Broyles tore his ACL against Texas A&M, the Oklahoma offense did not look like it's usual dominant self. This year Oklahoma looks to rally behind returning quarterback Landry Jones and a new and improved defense under Mike Stoops. The talent is there for the Sooners to have a big year, but they will have to overcome some early injuries to reach their potential.

Oklahoma returns 6 starers on an offense that ranked 5th in total offense, 50th in rushing offense, and 5th in passing offense. Landry Jones has a chance to to cement his legacy at Oklahoma if he can lead the Sooners to a BCS title. Jones threw the ball for 4,463 yards on 355 of 562 passing attempts with 15 interceptions and 29 touchdowns. He is the career passing leader at Oklahoma and has the 2nd, 3rd, and 8th greatest passing seasons in Oklahoma history as well as having seven of the top ten passing games in Oklahoma history. Jones only lacks a Heisman trophy and a BCS title. He will be handing the ball off occasionally to returning starting running back Dominique Whaley. Whaley rushed for 627 yards on 113 carries and 9 touchdowns last year in the 7 games he played before he broke his ankle. Whaley has looked impressive so far in camp and should be ready to resume his starting role. If Whaley goes down again, Roy Finch will be there to replace him like he did last year. Finch ran for 261 yards in the four games he started for Whaley. The Sooners will still need to find a big play receiver this year and have several candidates. Kenny Stills and Jaz Reynolds return as starters this year and freshmen Trey Metoyer starred in the Oklahoma spring game this year. Stills had 61 receptions for 849 yards and 8 touchdowns last season while Reynolds had 41 receptions for 715 yards and 5 touchdowns last year. Metoyer had 6 receptions for 72 yards in the spring game. The Penn State wide receiver Justin Brown is also transferring to Oklahoma this year and could be the big play threat they need. The Sooners will start Brannon Green at tight end. Green is a JUCO transfer and looks to be a big play tight end. The Oklahoma Sooners looked to have a solid offensive line coming into the 2012 season but after center Ben Habern decided to call it quits after having lingering neck issues after having two vertebrae fused and right guard Tyler Evans tearing his ACL, the Sooners only have two returning starters on their offensive line. The left side of the line will have both Gabe Ikard back at guard and Lane Johnson back at tackle. Bronson Irwin looks to be the new right guard and true freshman Ty Darlington looks to be the new center. Daryl Williams looks to be the starting right tackle at the moment. If this offensive line can come together to protect Landry Jones and Trey Metoyer becomes a big play receiver like Ryan Broyles, this offense could put up amazing numbers.

The Oklahoma defense was not as good as they are used to in Norman last year. The team finished ranked 55th in total defense, 43rd in rushing defense, and 79th in passing defense. These numbers will need to improve if they wish to compete in the Big XII. Luckily, Mike Stoops is back in mix as defensive coordinator and brings his intensity to Norman. The Sooners will return 7 starters on defense. The defensive line returns 2 starters with tackles Casey Walker and Jamarkus McFarland. Walker had 17 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 sack last year while McFarland had 21 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and half a sack last year. The defensive ends will see new starters David King and R.J. Washington. King had 31 tackles last year, 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, and a fumble return for a touchdown. Washington had 16 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, and 5 sacks last year. The linebacking corps returns two starters with Will linebacker Corey Nelson and Mike linebacker Tom Wort. Nelson had 59 tackles last year along with 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Wort had 71 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 2 interceptions, and 1 fumble returned for a touchdown. The Sam linebacker will be played by Joseph Ibiloye who recorded 18 tackles and 1 tackle for loss last year. The secondary will feature 3 returning starters in corner backs Aaron Colvin and Demontre Hurst and free safety Tony Jefferson. Colvin led the team in tackles last year with 84 and also added 4.5 tackles for loss and half a sack. Hurst had 55 tackles 4 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 11 pass broken up, and 2 fumble recoveries with one returned for a touchdown. Jefferson led the team in interceptions last year with 4 and also had 74 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks. Strong safety Javon Harris will be the new starter in the group and he registered 47 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 3 interceptions last year. The Sooners have the pieces to make a very good defense this year and with Mike Stoops putting them together, they can be vastly improved from last year.

The Sooners schedule this year has several difficult games on it. The Sooners open up the season at UTEP before a bye week. Then the Sooners play Kansas State on September 22 before having another bye week. The Sooners then engage in 9 straight games starting at Texas Tech October 6th. The Red River Rivalry takes place on October 13th before the Sooners return home for back to back games against Kansas and Notre Dame. The Sooners then go to Iowa State on November 3rd before coming home to play Baylor. The Big XII game of the year will occur on November 17th when Oklahoma goes to West Virginia. The Sooners then return home to play Oklahoma State before finally finishing the season on December 1st at TCU. Looking at the schedule you can see at least 5 losable games in Texas, Notre Dame, West Virginia, Oklahoma State, and TCU. But I think the Sooners will lose only one game and that will be either too Texas or West Virginia. I think the Sooners will be 11-1 and primed to move into one of the two BCS slots should the SEC Champion or Pac 12 Champion have a late season loss. I think the Sooners will return to form this year and be in contention for the BCS Title.