First things first.
My dear wife, Carrie, and I were through Seymour a couple days ago. I had yet to see this and thought it was a good time to stop by and give it a look.
So I can’t help but look at details. Johnny Cougar. John Cougar. John Cougar Mellencamp. John Mellencamp. No wonder he paints. That it took The Moody Blues ten years longer to get into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is proof of Jan Wenner’s politics of music machine. Not saying John What’s His Name isn’t worthy. The music business is more business than it is music. Always was and is now more than ever. Fortunately nuggets of inspiration have always found a way to push through speakers against all odds.
I was a senior in high school when John Cougar Mellencamp scored with the album Scarecrow. The song Minutes to Memories was then and remains my favorite song of his. I never tire of listening to it.
Having found an unlikely musical journey of my own, I have on occasion been told I sound like John Mellencamp. I tell them maybe we played under the same power lines as kids. I was never a great fan and certainly never set out to sound like him. It’s geography. Speaking of which, I told Carrie recently that I found it odd that the lead singers from three sturdy groups that formed in the 70s in Illinois all had lead singers whose voices, while recognizable and formidable for sure, are not the most husky, manly voices in the world like .38 Special or Lynyrd Skynyrd of another geographic region. Dennis DeYoung of Styx, Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon, and Robin Zander of Cheap Trick. They all have a high range that most rock singers won’t find. Good singers, mind you. Geography.
Okay, enough of the musical history lesson. Let’s pick some football games.
Good Lord willing and the creek don’t rise too high, the Indiana Hoosiers will be playing Penn State next week.
Last week was a slight improvement. 6 winners and 4 losers.
Auburn beats South Carolina…It’s at Columbia. Columbia, SC that is. I told you having Missouri in the SEC was confusing.
Tennessee beats Kentucky…The Wildcats have not won in Knoxville since 1984, that was before John Cougar Mellencamp’s Scarecrow came out. Go Cats!
Notre Dame beats Louisville…Can the Cards pull it off? I think they can and I am tempted. Coach Satterfield is a good coach and we might get some of that today. If a Card fan sneaks in a haughty capital D with something that looks like a picket fence to hold up next to it, I will faint. That is way too much Papa John’s Cardinal Pool Hall for the cathedral that is Notre Dame Stadium.
Duke beats NC State…I go a week without picking Duke to win and they do it. Well, here I go again.
Ole Miss beats Arkansas…So the Hogs stymied the State Bulldogs a couple weeks ago. The Rebs will be too much on offense for Pig-Sooooie this time.
Virginia beats Wake Forest…At the Wake BB&T Field where you can have a conversation with someone on the other side of the field when the place is reasonably full.
Texas A&M beats Miss. State…Where have you gone Dave Marler?
Marshall beats Louisiana Tech…Sorry, Virg. I know you plan on being in Ruston to cheer the Bulldogs on. Give Ruston my best.
North Carolina beats Florida State…UNC is good. Coach Mack Brown finally gets that elusive victory over The Noles. He’s 0-6 so far.
Georgia beats Alabama…I have said it before. UGA is the best dog in the fight this year. The Bama defense is still trying to catch it’s breath after giving up nearly 700 yards to Ole Miss. Sorry, Brother Tim. If your D does that against the Rebs you got troubles.
We got some good ones today!
Take care of each other and cheer on your team and if you need to, speak the rights!
Danny Johnson