Week 7 of the College Football season? No way. Yes, I suppose so. Everything is moving around with an awkward sensibility in this Covid age. I hate it. How crazy is it? Next weekend the PAC 12 kicks off their season with USC hosting Arizona at 9 AM local time. I don’t think I have ever seen a noon kickoff in the Eastern time zone for a game in LA. Awkward indeed.
The past 10 days I participated in a facebook challege. Jon Robison, an old friend from Brownstown, challenged me to post pictures of mu favorite 10 athletes of all time.
I posted the following:
Day 1
Jim Brown, Brownstown Central HS 1975 Jim was a workhorse at each and every athletic endeavor he put his mind to. His piercing look of determination. His determination defined him for me. Had others had his “look” Lord only knows what they could have done. They ain’t on this page. Jim is.
Day 2
My favorite Red. Saw him plant on in the Red seats one night along with George Jackson, Tim Thompson, Gregg Greathouse, and a few others. Jon Reinbold was there, I think. We went to see the Bengals practice at Wilmington and stopped at Riverfront on the way home. It was a simpler time.
Day 3
Sweetness. When watching NFL footage, no one makes me more wistful or gets my attention faster than this guy from Jackson State.
Day 4
My kicking hero. Mark Moseley. No need to say more. Just look at the shoe.
Day 5
Ronald Reagan. Hero. Hard to imagine some folks blocking or tackling their shadow.
Day 6
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Not me. The guy on the left. Anthony Thompson. Can’t imagine how much he was grinning Saturday as the Indiana Hoosiers got a W over a Top Ten team for the first time since he was toting the mail. Two 1986 High School grads in this picture. I remember seeing his and Jeff George’s names in the state stats back in the day. Thank you, AT. You were the best.
Day 7
Ken Anderson. My favorite football player of all time. I never followed a player closer than I did Ken Anderson. He is a Hall of Famer in my book and in many books I respect. Ahead of his time. The rest never caught up. That was his problem…and theirs.
Day 8
This guy made football in Indiana. He defined the sport in Indiana. He made high school football more popular because he was popular. Folks wanted to see the game Peyton plays. He meant and still means that much. Thank you, Peyton.
Day 9
I was fortunate enough to see Eli Manning in Oxford in 1999 as a red shirt freshman, in 2000 entering the game against Vandy and playing in the Music City Bowl later that year, playing at Kentucky in 2001, and playing against Vandy in Nashville and South Carolina in Oxford his senior year in 2003. I was with Aunt Barbara and son Jarrett at Oxford in 1999. Aunt Barbara came up to the Kentucky game in 2001, and she and I went to 2003 game in Oxford. We knew what we were doing. Eli was as cool as the other side of the pillow. I miss watching him play. The NFL is not much fun this year for me. I will say it again. College ball, I root for the team. Pro ball, I root for the player. Eli was my favorite player. I hope another favorite player comes along.
Day 10
Mike Eruzione. USA Olympic Hockey Gold Medal Winner. I could have put ten members of that team on this list and been satisfied. That was the greatest team in sports history. All the Super Bowls, World Series, College Games, nothing compares to USA! USA! USA! in Lake Placid in 1980. I am glad I was alive and proud to say I stood, just Carrie and me, in the arena where they won it a few summers ago. That 4-3 win over the USSR was the greatest moment in American sports.
On to this week’s College Football Picks! I was 8-4 last week. Let’s see how we can do this week.
Clemson beats Boston College…Softball pick. I need to pad my stats too!
Georgia beats Kentucky…UGA disappointed me against BAMA. Look out Wildcats. But know I hope UK wins!
Michigan State beats Michigan…Not padding stats here. There will be a nutty one and this will be it.
Purdue beats Illinois…Hope Coach Jeff Brohm is gaining ground!
Wake Forest beats Syracuse…I have made fun of Wake for the last time this season.
Indiana beats Rutgers…Look for the Hoosiers O to be unstoppable. They still have something to prove. I BELIEVE in this team.
Ole Miss beats Vandy…Wish I was in Nashville this weekend. Hotty Toddy!
Louisville beats Virginia Tech…The Cards found the secret sauce and the bottle is still full!
Duke beats Charlotte…Charlotte’s Web? Might as well be. Don’t let me down, Dukies!
Alabama beats Mississippi State…Hard to believe I am for the Tide here, but I am.
North Carolina beats UVA…This should be a tussle. Looking forward to this one.
Penn State beats Ohio State…In Happy Valley? After the IU upset? Looks like a recipe for some good ice cream at the Penn State Creamery. Been there. Quite the place.
Marshall’s game at FIU on Friday was postponed this week. Doubtful it will be made up.
It has been that kind of a season. But still a good season to speak the rights!
Lastly, a note of good luck to the Paoli Rams taking on Triton Central in the second round of the sectional this Friday! Go Rams!
Danny Johnson