I tore my britches last weekend.  That is an old saying regarding a time when one may have messed up.  It was not an egregious error.  I was so overcome with joy that I forgot to take a photo to share.

I was shopping in Clarksville and about to head into a store.  Walking in along the outside store front, I looked up to see an old familiar face.  Man.  I couldn’t believe it.   It was Rob “Cube Root” Ray.  Old 0012 himself.  The greatest Roger Staubach fan I have ever known.  The UK Big Blue Fan from way back.  Cube had on a Wildcat T shirt, as it was supposed to be.

I gave Cube a hug.  We had not seen each other in more than two decades I know.  Guess what?  It mattered not.  We just started telling it all, as it is supposed to be.  I have been blessed to have cultivated many sweet friendships that have endured the test of time and distance and absence.  I am blessed that way.  I am not sure why.  There is certainly a great  deal of unspoken feeling between many old pals and myself.  We aren’t around to speak it.  But when we find each other, be it by design or old Providence, it sure works out.

So there.  That is my fun Winter’s Tale. Those folks are out there somewhere.  I love and appreciate them all.

This Christmas has a melancholy tinge to it.  Our son, Jarrett, is in Baghdad working at the US Embassy.  He is so missed.  When he gets home, we will certainly have another thankful Christmas party.

Yesterday we Carrie and I enjoyed the Christmas singing program at Unity Chapel.  My Dad did a great job of singing, as always.

So I will share a few images of Christmas this year.

Carrie and I made an annual visit to West Baden to look around for some mistletoe.

Talk about a beautiful place.  It is like a movie set.

The Eighth Wonder of the World is what this place was called.

From our dinner table.

From the third floor.

My mother has a weakness for Charlie Brown and his Christmas Tree.

So do I.

Another Christmas Tradition is getting out the Snow Man Mike Hunsucker made for us.  I miss Mike so much.

Finally, the Tyler Turkey made it to Ramsey.  I brought it to my house to carve.  My parents have had a Tyler, Texas Turkey from Greenberg’s sent to them for nearly thirty years now.  They never  disappoint.

Carving this baby was fun.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Love one another.  Help each other.  That is my Christmas prayer.  Amen.

Speaking the rights-

Danny Johnson

140-53.  That is the record this year with predictions.  I pick winners and pay no attention to point spreads.  I pick folks I want to win at times.  There are a few college teams I would not pick to win if there was money to be made.  I feel very strongly about it.

I don’t like to pick against the Indiana Hoosiers, the Marshall Thundering Herd, the Ole Miss Rebels, the UCLA Bruins, the Iowa Hawkeyes, the Duke Blue Devils, the Northwestern Wildcats, or the Kentucky Wildcats.

If I am anything, I am loyal.  Right now I am rooting on the North Harrison Cougars as they play the Brownstown Central Braves in high school basketball.  I got started late with my listening.  I wanted to be there but it was not to be.  My apologies to both Cougars and Braves that expected me to be there.

140 winners and 53 losers.  I am more than pleased with that.  Like I said, I picked some games I knew would not work out well just to be stubborn.

This is where I screw things up.  I think I was one game under .500 with my bowl predictions last year.  So be it.  It is a good time anyway.

These will be the images I will always carry on with when I think of the 2018 College Football Season.

2018-2019 Bowl Games

Cure Bowl…Tulane beats Louisiana Lafayette…The Green Wave has had a good season.  Getting a new stadium on campus certainly has been nice for them.

New Mexico Bowl…Utah State beats North Texas…Utah State has been impressive.  They can move the ball and play defense.

Las Vegas Bowl…Fresno State beats Arizona State….This is one I may screw up early.  I just like Fresno being able to move the ball.  But Arizona State has improved as the season has gone on.  Coach Herm Edwards has silenced some doubters as he has led ASU to good season in his first year on the sideline in many.

Camellia Bowl…Georgia Southern over Eastern Michigan…Erk Russell must be loving this as he looks down.

New Orleans Bowl…Appalachian State beats Middle Tennessee State…App State lost their coach.  They won’t lose this game.  Too much pride to play for.

Boca Bowl…UAB beats Northern Illinois…Man I hope I miss this one.  The NIU coach played center for Indiana some time ago.  Is a Boca Bowl like a Boca Burger?

Frisco Bowl…San Diego State beats Ohio…Another game I hope I miss.  I am a Coach Frank Solich fan from way back.  Go Ohio Bobcats!  Hey, I didn’t say I was completely sentimental with my picks.

Gasparilla Bowl…I don’t know what that means…Marshall beats South Florida…Yes I know they are playing on USF’s turf.  I don’t care.  It is the Herd and it is a bowl game.  Go Herd!

Bahamas Bowl…FIU beats Toledo…I watched this one once before and it was not a good time.  Go sing Christmas Carols instead.

Idaho Potato Bowl…BYU beats Western Michigan…The Cougars are still fun to watch.

Birmingham Bowl…Memphis beats Wake Forest…Coach Clawson has done a good job of turning around the fortunes of Wake.  Memphis has too much offense power.

Armed Forces Bowl…Army beats Houston…Gotta pick Army here, right?  Houston’s best defender is taking the game off and going pro.  Let him.

Dollar General Bowl…Buffalo beats Troy…And I doubt the ticket prices will be a dollar.  Buffalo has had a good season and win here will cap a year to remember.

Hawaii Bowl…Louisiana Tech beats Hawaii….The Bulldogs have a long trip and they will appreciate it more than the boys in town.  Coach Holtz will have them ready.

SERVPRO Bowl…Boise State beats Boston College…BC has not played well of late.  Boise should win.

Quick Lane Bowl…Georgia Tech beats Minnesota…Goldy is another team I usually root for.  Coach Paul Johnson is on his way out of Rambling Wreckville.   The option will leave Goldy dizzy.

Cactus Bowl…Cal beats TCU...I am certainly rooting for Cal.  Folks in Northern Cal need a reason to cheer and celebrate.

Independence Bowl…Duke beats Temple….And the beat goes on for Coach Cutcliff.  Another Bowl for a team that used to dream of being in one.

Pinstripe Bowl…Miami beats Wisconsin…I hope it is warm in NYC that day.  Would not call it for Wisconsin if I had to.

Texas Bowl…Vanderbilt beats Baylor...Vandy has some players and Baylor has had some late trouble.

Music City Bowl…Purdue beats Auburn…Saw Auburn play Wisconsin here many years ago.  Fun bowl game and Purdue wants to celebrate keeping its coach.  They should have fun doing it.

Camping World Bowl…Syracuse beats West Virginia….the Hotels in town are removing the couches just in case.

Alamo Bowl…Washington State beats Iowa State…Coach Leach has a good team and they should score 50 points or more.

Peach Bowl…Florida beats Michigan…And maybe Jim Harbaugh will trade in his Woody Hayes glasses for some wider frames.

Belk Bowl…Virginia beats South Carolina…UVA lost to Indiana so this may be a stretch.

Arizona Bowl…Nevada beats Arkansas State…Wolfpack will prevail.  They lost some close ones and the prep time will serve them well.

CFP Semifinal Cotton Bowl…Notre Dame beats Clemson…The Echoes are awake!

CFP Semifinal…Orange Bowl…Alabama beats Oklahoma….34-3 and the folks saying UGA did not belong look as foolish as I think they may be.

Military Bowl…Cincinnati beats Virginia Tech…Hokies beat Herd to preserve bowl streak in extra game scheduled after Hurricane season.  UC has a team.

Sun Bowl…Stanford beats Pittsburgh…Classic matchup in a great setting for a bowl game.  Sun Bowl is a golden oldie and a great tradition.

Red Box Bowl…Oregon beats Michigan State…Sparty just can’t put a game together this year.

Liberty Bowl…Mizzou beats Oklahoma State…I’m a man!  I’m fifty!  Soft spot for this bowl.  Coach Bryant coached his last game here in 1982.  In 1988 Indiana beat the tar out of South Carolina 34-10.  The best of times for an IU football fan.

Holiday Bowl….Northwestern beats Utah…This may be the best bowl game to watch.  Hoosiers won the Holiday Bowl against an undefeated BYU team in 1979 38-37.  Loved it.

Gator Bowl…NC State beats Texas A&M…Ryan Finley is the best QB I saw in oerson this year.  I guess he is playing in the bowl game but you never know.

Outback Bowl…Iowa beats Mississippi State…Hawkeyes, please come through for us!

Citrus Bowl…Kentucky beats Penn State…Benny Snell is going pro but will play for the Cats first.  UK needs this one.

Fiesta Bowl….LSU beats UCF...Yes, I know UCF has set the woods on fire.  LSU does not care.  They play in the SEC.

Rose Bowl…Washington beats Ohio State…Carrie and I will be looking at this one with good memories and I will say “I split that upright!”  Huskies, please make it all complete.  Not a Buckeye fan, Big Ten or not.

Sugar Bowl…Georgia beats Texas…UGA deserved better.  But what a match-up for the rest of us!

CFP Final…Alabama beats Notre Dame…It won’t be close.  Too much everything on the Bama team for ND to deal with.

Let’s see how it all plays out now!

I do know that North Harrison played a close one against Brownstown Central.  51-41 BC over NH.  Hang in there, Cougars.  You got a long road to go.  Make the most of it!

Speaking the end of college football rights…

Danny Johnson

Only until I looked in on speaktherights.com today did I realize there was a picture of a bridge and a post below it about Mrs. Bridges giving me a Christmas stocking with my name on it.

In a “can’t see the forest for the trees moment”, I thought that was pretty cool.

The Bridge.  The Surf City Swing Bridge in Surf City, North Carolina.  How many times did that little bridge allow my dear wife, Carrie, and me access to a twenty-six mile barrier island that has become our second home.

There were grooves in the pavement of the bridge.  It produced a low vibrating hum when you crossed it.  That sound heading toward the water was like a joyous symphony.  Heading away from the water after the visit, it sounded like a sad love song.

Called a “Swing Bridge”, it would swing around and out of the way to allow water craft to pass through the sound side of the island. Road traffic in both directions had to wait on it as it allowed maybe a single boat to pass, as it was.

This past week a new bridge was opened.  It opened ahead of schedule. We look forward to “crossing that bridge when we come to it.”

In the spring of 2017, this progress on the new bridge looked like this.

And now this.

Though we won’t travel over the old swing bridge again, there are memories and pictures and a place or two in the old heart for the relic.  We first crossed it in 2004.  We last crossed it this past summer.  Plans were to ride over it one more time in October.  A Hurricane had other plans.

And like an old 45 year old Christmas stocking that came from a caring, thoughtful, kind kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Bridges, the old swing bridge has a place on the Christmas Tree too.  Thankful for all the precious memories.

Speaking the rights-

Danny Johnson

It hangs on the tree every year.  It has hung on one Christmas Tree or another every Christmas since 1973.  That is a long time.  My 50th year has been a good time in 2018.  On occasion I may get a bet wistful when I think about something that I have been looking at without fail for 45 Christmas seasons.

This stocking has stood the test of time better than I have.  It looks the same as it did when my kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Bridges, called me up to her desk to present this to me and tell me Merry Christmas.  It was a Christmas gift that has kept on giving. She gave one to each member of our morning class and one to each of her afternoon students.  This was when we went to kindergarten for half a day.  I am sure that was enough, given the “all boy” report she once gave to my mother.  Mrs. Bridges was being kind.  She probably meant “all pain in the butt”.

I wonder how many of my classmates over the years have held tight to this awesome and giving act of kindness and love for her students?  I hope there are some other than me.  There should be.

Nary a Christmas goes by that I don’t look at this stocking with my my name on it.  I am taken back to Brownstown Elementary School.  My kindergarten class was the first class to go to the “new building” for all six years K-5.  It was a wonderful place filled with kind and loving souls.  Patty Hall and Sue Sommers in the office.  Mr. Spurgeon was our principal and we respected the heck out of him and his ability to swing a paddle.  Our teachers were wonderful.  It was part of an idyllic childhood I was blessed with, one that I wish every kid could experience.  None of that has left me.

This past week I spoke on the phone with an old friend from Brownstown.  We were talking school stuff.  Our speaks did get off course for a moment or two and we laughed and took pause when we talked about old days.

Though I did not mention in it in the context of our speaks, we went to church together all those years ago, I thought about old Noble Foster as I spoke to my friend.  Noble was a great man.  He was a deacon of the church.  If he saw you in the hallway or the foyer, and you looked for him, he’d give you a wink and a handshake.  The wink was priceless from that skinny wrinkled face with eyes that twinkled like none I have seen since.  The handshake offered a peppermint or two similar to the ones in the photo above, sans the store advertisement.

It did not take long for these little candies to be referred to as “Deacon Cigars”.

A decade later in hallway or a classroom at North Harrison High School in Ramsey, where I relocated, it was not uncommon for this question to be asked by someone I knew.

“Anybody got any Deacon Cigars?”

The legend lives on.  Not long ago I was having speaks with a guy a couple years my senior, and he brought up the Deacon Cigars.  “Johnson”, he said, “You changed the candy landscape with those Deacons back then.”

“No, that happened an even longer time ago,” I said.  Then I turned my head sideways and said, “Let me tell you a story about an old guy I went to church with…”

Oh my.  Precious memories.  How they linger.

Speaking the rights…

Danny Johnson

Last Saturday I watched college football.  I may have watched too much of it.  When I woke up Sunday morning my eyes hurt.

My dear wife, Carrie, my brother-in-law, Stevarino, and I watched every play of the 7 overtime night game marathon between Texas A&M and LSU.  No, this is not a basketball score.  A&M outlasted LSU 74-72 in 7 OTs.  It was epic.  We’ll be hard-pressed to see another one like that.  Overtime, yes, but 7?  I watched Eli Manning in his sophomore year quarterback the Ole Miss Rebels in a 7 OT game against Arkansas.  The Hogs won 58-56 was it?  I think it was.  I don’t want to look it up.  It was sad enough the first time.

Of course last Saturday started with Indiana and Purdue.  IU lost in a stadium that was filled more than I expected on a Thanksgiving Saturday weekend.  The IU Football experiment still has a long way to go.  Some attitude adjustments are in dire need in that athletic program.  I suppose it is still a confusing place since the fall of Bobby Knight.  I heard more folk talking about an ESPN 30 for 30 show to air this past week about Coach Knight getting fired over 18 years ago than I heard about the Purdue-Indiana game.  Some things simply never change.

Purdue.  The talk of Coach Jeff Brohm leaving Purdue for Louisville was in full force this week  until Coach Brohm put the squash on the story.  He is staying at Purdue.  He mentioned loyalty to Purdue.  That was refreshing.  I think he did the right thing.

Louisville fans lamented.  One Card fan likened his spurn of Louisville as the opposite of Coach Bear Bryant going back home to his Alabama to coach when he, like Brohm, was 47 years old.  Coach Bryant said “Mama called”.  And he answered.  My Louisville friend was disappointed because Brohm turned down “Mama”.

Me, I think Jeff Brohm,(I was in old Cardinal Stadium one day he came in relief of Browning Nagle in a Louisville blowout win), didn’t want to deal with a second dumpster fire this soon.  When he arrived at Purdue the Boilermakers were Boilercrud.  In the four years before Jeff Brohm got to Louisville, Purdue had a 9-39 record.  The last two years under Coach Brohm have improved so far to 13-12 with a bowl game this month in all probability.  This is still a team learning how to win.  What do I mean?  This season they blew out Ohio State, beat a ranked Iowa team, and the suffered a butt-whipping at Minnesota.  Don’t forget early grown pains against Eastern Michigan.  At that point one might think the dumpster got another match thrown into it.  Not so.  But you better believe knowing 8-4 was “right there” had something to do with Coach Brohm saying no to “Mama”.

There is an amazing old school feel to Louisville’s passion to get the guy there.  Where else would you find such adulation for a player turned coach when, in his playing days brought only 38 touchdowns and 28 interceptions in a career that featured just two starting seasons?  I know there is family history.  That is easy to find in many schools.  But I think it may be the magical carry over from one Howard Schnellenberger. Some of us remember when he showed up at old Cardinal Stadium when the football program was on life-support.  It almost didn’t make it.  3 dollar tickets were easy to find at Convenient Stores in the early 1980s.  Now there is a palace to play in.  And I think Card fans from there to here still believe in the mantra “We’re on a crash collison course with a National Championship and  the only variable is time”.

Jeff Brohm may be the man to do just that one day and I hope it does.  The pipe smoker saved football at Louisville and made it a much more popular sport all over the Commonwealth.  The Governor’s Cup?  Howard.  New Stadium?  Pipe Dream to Pipe Smoke rising.  National Championship?  I hope I can see that one day.  Driving east on I-64 where all those hideous billboards dot both sides of the road next to the Ohio River, there will be one featuring Howard and his national championship saying.  That would be cool.

THE PICKS for this week.

I was 10-5 last week.  Thought it would be worse.  I need to double check the numbers and tally the season.  I have been pleased.

South Carolina beats Akron…a game rescheduled because of the Hurricane.

Texas beat Oklahoma in the Big 12 Champ Game….Oklahoma gives up too many points and their offense may turn the ball over today.  Texas-sized game in Texas -sized Jerry’s World Stadium and winning this game can make you a legend in that state and help your future employment prospects for life.

Iowa State beats Drake…What is a Drake?

Stanford beats Cal…Seems hokey to have a game after the PAC 12 Championship was already played.  Sadly, it was too smoky to play this game when it was originally scheduled.

UCF beats Memphis in the American Championship Game….UCF keeps rolling.  Very impressive…but Memphis has some power too on both sides of the ball.

Bama beats Georgia in the SEC Championship Game…Bama has beaten every time by more than 20 points I saw this week.  Go ahead and give them the trophy and let someone else keep playing so we can watch interesting football.

Fresno State beats Boise State…Coach Tedford has the Valley boys back.

Clemson beats Pitt…You know how I get heart ahead of my head sometimes?  This is one I am holding back on.  Rooting for Pitt.

Northwestern beats Ohio State…So I seem oxymoronic here compared to the last game.  Here’s the thing:  Northwestern is a physical team and they are a smart, well-coached bunch.  After their victory over Ohio State tonight, the Michigan faithful will tell Coach Harbaugh to keep the team home and work on beating Michigan instead of going on field trips here and yon.

NC State beats ECU…in another Hurricane moved contest.  Talked to some folks down on the coast of NC this week.  Insurance claims can take a long time to get moving and in some cases rebulit.

Marshall beats Virginia Tech….Is there a better spoiler scenario?  Hokies give the Herd this game and 300 thousand samolians and a home and home as Tech tries to improve to 6 and 6 and bowl eligibility.  Go Herd!

Speaking the rights as we near noon kickoffs.

Danny Johnson