College Football Predictions Week #9 @ speaktherights.com and a WHOLE LOT MORE!

Oh my.  It seems I have been away from this space forever.  Can you say too much going boys and girls?

It’s all good!  Jarrett is back from Baghdad and that makes all of us sleep a little easier.

The poor Indiana Hoosiers have had a tough time of it haven’t they?  What happened?  Injuries?  Expectations?  The Pucker Factor?  The Natural Order of Things?  The Schedule?  New Coaching Staff?  I don’t know.  I wish I did.  I would storm the gates and find Tom Allen.

Here is what I do know.  As Homer as I may be, and I do temper my optimism on the side of positive, I do believe Tom Allen will make it better instead of worse.  HE ALREADY HAS!!!!  Good grief.  IU football used to be an afterthought.   Negative or not, Indiana Football is still a thought.  And even though we got wet last week (on the scoreboard and otherwise), we press onward.

This was a rain, now.

Seeing this on the scoreboard before the game certainly was a highlight.                              Mr. Indiana Football.

So was the tailgate of Brother Tim Petty’s truck!

Tim, Michelle, Steven, and Carrie lead blocking for me toward Memorial Stadium.

The refs got warmed up before the game.

The Hoosiers took the field.

They kicked it off, and in the parlance of Forrest Gump, that is all I have to say about that.

On to this week’s College Football Picks.  We need a new week.

Indiana beats Maryland…The Terps in the Big Ten?  Say it ain’t so!  Go Hoosiers.  Take that TV Market money on the way out of town.

Iowa beats Swissconsin…How dare Purdue beat the Hawkeyes!

Pitt beats Miami…The Pickett boy may win the Heisman.  If he plays at Pitt and is in the conversation, I am ALL for him!

Michigan beats Michigan State…Wow.  This should be a good one.

Mizzou beats Vandy…At Vandy, am I crazy?  I don’t think so.

Georgia beats Florida…Dan Mullen is losing sleep tonight.

Minnesota beats Northwestern…This could be tricky in Evanston.

Oklahoma beats Texas Tech…Duh.

Wake Forest beats Duke…I always pull for the Dukies.  If I pick against them, maybe they will win.

USC beats Arizona…Ahhh, the Men of Troy will have fun.

Kentucky beats Mississippi State…The Cats should wear earplugs.  It would be better than listening to the Cow College Cowbells.

Ole Miss beats Auburn…I have heard enough poor mouthing out of Ole Miss fans (Aunt Barbara leads the league).  The Rebs will BLOW OUT the Auburn…War Eagle…We Can’t Decide on a Mascot…Tigers!  The Rebs will win by 20 or more!

NC State beats Louisville…My apologies to my U of L brethren.  NC State will be playing with Chip on Shoulder in a night game.  It gets darker in NC before it does in Jefferson County.  I almost typed “The Bluegrass State” but that just did not sound right.  Pack by 10.  Hope I AM WRONG, Brother Ross.

North Carolina beats Notre Dame…Why not?  Has Mack Brown coached a team in Notre Dame Stadium before?  I don’t know.  I doubt it.  Mack still has some magic.  We will see it tomorrow night.

Ohio State beats Penn State…I hope to heck I am bad wrong.  The Buckeyes and their fans eat it.  The week after they got beat by Oregon, Ohio Stadium had 24,000 empty seats for the next home game.  Talk about entitled, spoiled, boo-hoo-hoo losers.  Hope the Cincinnati Bearcats make the College Football Playoff just make the Ohio Boosters and Fans reach for some Preparation-H!

And so it goes.

I want to share some photos with you.

This week I shared with my 10th grade English class some of the photos that dovetailed the lesson we were talking about, “Freedom”.  Talk about a HOT BUTTON TOPIC!  We negotiated it well.  There was no bloodshed.  My hope is that something was learned.

This is a photo of my dear wife, Carrie, doing something she loves on the sound side of Topsail Island, North Carolina.  This picture means a great deal to me.  I hope she doesn’t mind me sharing.

The Sound of Freedom from Camp Lejuene.

More of the same.

Our old friend, Lennie, at the Sea Turtle Hospital in Surf City, NC.  Lennie is blind.  She is not going back to the ocean.  My dear wife, Carrie, adopted Lennie many years ago.  Thanks to my dear wife, Lennie keeps eating.  We keep going to see her with great expectaitions.  We are ALWAYS delighted to see Lennie.

A boat in the morning on the Ocean Side.

 

Humbled.  I was so delighted to be a part of the North Harrison High School Football Team this season.  Words fail me here.  I suppose that is the greatest compliment I can forward.  Thank you boys.  Thank you.

I always say, sometime the light is just right.

That is what I feel about these photos.

I am so blessed to have a safe and quiet and BEAUTIFUL place to walk.

I enjoyed taking this…

And then, there is me.

Recently I arranged to have my 10th grade students have a chance to facetime with a lady whose poem is in our textbook.

Make no mistake about it, I WILL be watching a great deal of College Football tomorrow!

Go Hoosiers!

And if you can, Speak the Rights!

Danny Johnson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indiana Football NEEDS this one and the rest of the speaktherights.com College Football Predictions Week # 8

Indiana University Football 2021.  Can  it be salvaged?  Lord I hope so.

We had high hopes, didn’t we?  Right now the Hoosiers are 0-3 in Big Ten play.  Guess who comes calling tomorrow night?  The Buckeyes.  The first night game on ABC in Memorial Stadium history.  Yes, that goofy mascot Brutus and all their silver britches and helmets and white jerseys will be there.  I have seen the Buckeyes play the Hoosiers too too many times.  Fullback Pete Johnson?  I remember.  Ray Griffin and the 96 yard interception return with a lateral?  I remember.  It was misty and it was a cool in Memorial Stadium that October 30th day in 1976.

I was attending the game with my Mom and Dad and a friend of mine I went to church with in Brownstown, Matthew Conrad.  God rest his soul.

47- 7.  That was the final.  How did they score 7?  It’s a miracle.  When your quarterback throws 5 completions and three interceptions, it is a miracle.

That is where we were in 1976.

In 1988,  the greatest game in Indiana University Football history, outside an appearance in the 1968 Rose Bowl, was played in Memorial Stadium in Bloomington that featured lights for the first time in stadium history for a 3:30 EDT kickoff.  They installed them before the 1988 season.

Keith Jackson was in the house!  You can Youtube some of this.  If Keith was on your doorstep, you better deliver.  The Indiana Hoosiers did exactly that.  The Hoosiers defeated the Buckeyes for the second year in a row.  In 1987 it was 35-31 in Columbus.  In Bloomington in 1988, it was Indiana, with Keith Jackson in the house, beating the Ohio State Buckeyes by a score of 41-7.  In the parlance of Rudy’s Dad walking on to the look at the field at Notre Dame Stadium (which I have had the privilege to do), this was the most beautiful “football” sight these eyes have ever seen.  I was there with my Mom and Dad.

It was sooooo much fun.

Anthony Thompson scored 4 TDs that day! (This photo taken two years ago when I asked AT if he wished he had eligibility for that day’s game against Ohio State, he said, “No.”)

Coach Mallory was the best.

The greatest postscript of this story I can tell is that after the Celebration of Life ceremony was over, I handed this ticket stub to the wife of one of the speakers.  Mark Hagen was a Mallory man.  Hagen is a college football coach.  He has coach for the Hoosiers, the Boilermakers, and the Longhorns.  He is currently coaching for the Boilermakers again.  Did that defense do some good things last weekend?

Mark Hagen’s wife asked my name.  She was taken aback.    It was my honor.  I told her that I was here.  Her husband deserves it because he played in it.  Thanks be to God for putting me at the right place at the right time.  Amen.

Indiana Football NEEDS this one tomorrow NIGHT against Ohio State.

On to this week’s picks!!!!

Ole Miss beats LSU…The Rebs have the Manning Palooza tomorrow.   Arch Manning will be in town and Uncle Eli get his jersey retired and the ENDZONES will be great salesmen!

Indiana beats Ohio State…yes, I AM A HOMER, and I STILL BELIEVE!!!!

The last Hoosiers-Buckeyes tilt in Memorial Stadium was bad.

This one has to be better!

Cincinnati beats Navy…Won’t be close.

Penn State beats Illinois….Home in Happy Valley?  Against Illinois.

Michigan beats Northwestern…This ain’t 1995.

Purdue beats Swissconsin…It is time!  Look it up!  Right, Brian Book?

Pitt beats Clemson…At Pitt?  Yes.  At Clemson? No.

Minnesota beats Maryland…Goldy is at home and Maryland will be looking around.

UCLA beats Oregon… Wow.  How can College Football Gameday visit The Rose Bowl, MY FAVORITE STADIUM IN AMERICA, when I get an email this week like this?

Tickets for $ 19.19 in The Rose Bowl?  I’d give 50 bucks just to go in and look at the place!  There is too much to do in LA!

I have been there!  The kick was good.

Louisville beats Boston College….PRECIUOS MEMORIES!  I was in old Cardinal Stadium in 1990 when The Cards beat BC in the last game of the regular seaon before they got their invitation to the Fiesta Bowl.  In fact, I was in the press box.  A friend of mine was in charge of providing the stats to the media outlets.  That afternoon I had speaks in between commercials with Gerad Phelan, the man who caught THE PASS from Doug Flutie against Miami, Fl in the iconic game that thrust Flutie to the Heisman Trophy.  I can shook Phelan’s hand.  One of the hands that would win Flutie the Heisman.  I can still hear Phelan’s voice as he and I were talking about that season, “Those were some great wins.” The game was being broadcast to NESN…The New England Sports Network.

Mississipp State beats Vandy…at Vandy.

Alabama beats Tennessee…Won’t be close!

NC State beats Miami…It should be a good one.

USC beats Notre Dame…Yes.  I think the Irish will be reeling and USC will shell the corn.

Hey, have fun tomorrow!

Root on your team and when you need to…speak the rights!

Danny Johnson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

speaktherights.com College Football Predictions Week #7 and a Justin Hayward note

2008 Ole Miss @ Wake Forest

It has been a nice week.  My dear wife, Carrie, and I got to hang out with my sister, Lynn and my niece, Katie, and my brother Darrell and his wife, Emily.  It was great.

This photo taken this morning sums up a great deal.

On to this week’s picks.

Florida beats LSU….at LSU.  Coach O is Coach GO.

Indiana beats Michigan State…I am a homer.  But a blind squirrel finds a nut now and again.  This will be IU’s moment.

Minnesota beasts Nebraska…Goldy wins at home.

Duke beats Virginia…At least I hope so.  Am in Durham as I type.  Go Dukies!

Georgia beats Kentucky…I am a homer but I am not dumb.

North Carolina beats Miami…Canes are hurting at QB, Heels need to get things turned around!

Iowa beats Purdue…That Big Purdue drum?  Iowa will beat the Boilers like that.

Ole Miss beats Tennessee…The Rocky Top song brings back terrible memories.  Ole Miss wins.  Lane Kiffin will send a manager to the concession stand for some popcorn and a Snickers in the 2nd quarter.

Alabama beats Mississippi State…Tide will be ready after last week’s debacle.

NC State beats Bostin College…Wolfpack is a tough bunch.  They win this one big.

UCLA beats Washington…Yes.  I always pick the Bruins.  Well, most of the time.

South Carolina beats Vandy…Cock-a-doodle-doos are at home.  Vandy is, well, Vandy.

Pitt beats Virginia Tech in Blacksburg…Panthers are due.

Enjoy the games this weekend all.

I hope to watch some of the Indiana game, as we won’t make it to Bloomington tomorrow.  Brother Tim, please pull the Hoosiers through!

Hope to watch UK and Georgia too.  Hope the Wildcats play well.

On October 5th, Carrie and I saw Justin Hayward and friends in Nashville.  Justin is the lead singer and guitarist of The Moody Blues.  The Moodies last played a concert in 2018.   It won’t happen again.  Justin turned 75 yesterday.  But his pipes are as smooth as ever.

Speaking the rights…

Danny Johnson

speaktherights.com College Football Predictions Week #6

So it was bad last week.  As bad as it has ever been.

6 winners…gulp….7 losers.  And to think an old cronie of mine was wanting to know my secret at picking winners.  I don’t have one.

I am in a hurry.  Let’s do this.

Ole Miss beats Arkansas…Home sweet home in Oxford.

Michigan State beats Rutgers

Texas beats Oklahoma

Duke beats Georgia Tech

Louisville beats Virginia

North Carolina beats Florida State

Iowa beats Penn State

Kentucky beats LSU

Virginia Tech beats Notre Dame

Michigan beats Nebraska

Alabama beats Texas A & M

USC beats Utah

UCLA beats Arizona

That is all I have tonight!

Have a great weekend!

Speaking the rights…

Danny Johnson

Thank you, Justin

Tomorrow night I will get out my wallet and provide VALID proof of a Covid shot series.

Then, I will take a deep breath and walk into the hall that is the very nice City Winery Nashville.  I like this venue better than the City Winery Chicago.  There are more.  These are the two I have been to.

There, on the stage will be Justin Hayward, the Voice of The Moody Blues, along with bandmates Julie Ragins, Mike Dawes, and Karmen Gould.  I suppose Karmen will be there.  She was not in 2019 when this photo was taken.

Justin Hayward wrote five songs at the cornerstone of my core: Nights in White Satin (1967) You Can Never Go Home (1971)  New Horizons (1972) Your Wildest Dreams (1986) and I Know You’re Out There Somewhere (1988).

I have been fortunate enough to hear all of these songs live.  I expect to hear three of these tomorrow.

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Then and Now.

I was 18 when I saw my first Moodies show in 1986 on The Other Side of Life Tour.

I am 53 now.  This will be Show # 59 with either The Moody Blues or Justin Hayward (6) playing sans the other members. And it will be the last one.

It has been a great time.

I would do it all over again and again and again and…

Speaking the Rights…

Danny Johnson