It was over 80 degrees  when I left work today.  On Saturday around 11:45 in the morning in Bloomington I know I was hit by frozen precipitation that I watched melt on my sleeve. The windchill in Memorial Stadium was below 40 as we watched the Indiana Hoosiers put on a gallant effort against the most highly overrated #1 team in College Football History…the Ohio State Buckeyes.  The BYU team of 1984..they won a national championship…after they beat a 6-5 Michigan team in the Holiday Bowl, would beat these Buckeyes into a fine powder.  So would the 2015 TCU team.

With that said, it was nice to be in Bloomington when a football game really mattered.  It felt like that on Saturday.  I was actually hoping for a miracle.  The last time the Hoosiers beat the Buckeyes was in 1988.  I was there.  I was hoping to be there again.

I am hoping to be at a music concert in 2016.  The Moody Blues are going to be out and about again in the Spring of 2016.  I think I can make at least one of the shows.  If I do, it would mean I saw the Moodies in 1986, 1996, 2006, and 2016.  That is crazy!  As I told a friend today, it will work that way if The Moodies stay healthy.  I told him, heck, I hope I stay healthy!

The catastrophic rain in South Carolina is mind-boggling.  I have spent a little time in South Carolina the past year.  I am familiar with Hilton Head, Columbia, and Newberry.  To think about what they have lost and what they will never get back is sad.  My heart aches for them.

My College Football Predictions were okay this week.  7 winners and 3 losers.  The season total is 47 winners and 20 losers.  I was doing much better at this point last year.  I am just going to start leaving the Notre Dame Irish out of the equation.  When I pick them to lose, they win.  When I pick them to win, they lose.  They are an enigma.

I am delighted to see the Duke Blue Devils winning again.  

The Ole Miss Rebels cut one this weekend.  The Hoosiers played the #1 team close.  The Purdue Boilermakers played the #2 Michigan State team closer.  That left the #3 Ole Miss Rebels a door wide open that led them to a #1 ranking.  That is something I have never seen in my lifetime.  Well…the Rebels played like “washer women”.  I don’t know what that means…but my Granny used to say that.  I think she would have said that about the Rebels this past Friday night.

On my twitter account Friday, I complimented the North Harrison Cougars on the greatest moment of the high school football team’s history.  I know a little bit about the history.  The Cougars beat Silver Creek on the way to earning a tie for the conference championship.  They won’t stop there.  I have no doubt they will continue to win the conference outright.  They are a great bunch.  That is the best part.

Have a good week all….and…

Speak the Rights.

Danny Johnson

Wow.  Is it really October?  Seems like yesterday I tuned into my friend Robert Becker’s radio station in Seymour, Indiana on September 1st when….every year…he plays Green Day’s “September”.

Just got back from a visit with our friends from New Hampshire.  No, we did not go to Amherst Village.  The Amherst folks are in our neighborhood this weekend.  As always, it was delightful to see Bob and Michelle and the kids.  Makes me homesick for New Hampshire.  Carrie, my dear wife, and I enjoy that place.  Perhaps we will head back there for a visit next summer.  I can’t imagine otherwise.

On to the speaktherights.com  College Football Predictions for Week#5.

Ohio State beats Indiana…I will be in Bloomington for this one.  Oh how I hope I am so wrong.  I was there in 1988 the last time the Hoosiers beat the Buckeyes.  Should be a great atmosphere.

Iowa beats Swissconsin...my Iowa love knows no end.  Looking forward to their Novemebr visit to Bloomington.

Northwestern will beat Minnesota…my affection for Goldy goes so far.  Coach Fitz will have his Wildcats ready to go.

Michigan State beats Purdue…the question is…how bad?  Sorry Pete.

Michigan beats Maryland…They didn’t move the kickoff up because of rain.  They moved it up to get the misery over.

Alabama beats Georgia…Is this just for Brother Tim?  No.  Nick Saban will have his group playing inspired defense that will throttle Georgia enough to turn the Tide.

Duke beats Boston College…and David Cutcliffe continues to fly under the radar as one of the most impressive coaches this college game has ever seen.

Ole Miss will beat Florida…as long as they stay healthy…the sky is the limit with these Rebs.

Notre Dame beats Clemson…the rain will help the Irish.

UCLA beats Arizona State…the game of the week will be this one.  The PAC 12 is fun to watch when Oregon is not running roughshod over everyone.

Have a great weekend.  Next week we will tackle this political phenomena that is affecting high schools called “College-Career Readiness”.  Semantics my friends, semantics.

I must say I am looking forward to this football weekend.  My beloved North Harrison Cougars have a chance to go 7-0 with a win over Silver Creek.   I hope the Hoosiers play well against Ohio State.  I am going to the game with my brother-in-law, Stevarino.  He loves his Hoosiers.  This must be an important game.  I had tickets to watch the Marshall Thundering Herd this weekend and I am going to Bloomington instead.  These are truly strange times. To quote Verno from Stand By Me: “This is a really good time.”

Speaking the Rights…

Danny Johnson