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Sign
Me Up Thanks to all the folks who contacted me with kind words about the new Sirius/XM show....I appreciated the feedback and comments. My next appearance is this Friday from 12-3 on Sirius 122 / XM 143. I enjoyed working with former Buckeye great Jim Jackson and the entire crew from Sirius/XM. Everyone was first-class. Speaking of college hoops, what in the world was going on around the hardwood on Saturday? There were upsets all over the place. In fact, 11 teams in the Top 25 were beaten, including 7 ranked teams to unranked opponents. If that isn't a preview of what we can expect come March, then you're crazy. You didn't have to be a ranked team to grab the attention....just check out the bizarre SEC, where the lame West was 3-1 against the East.....even pitiful Auburn won....on the road at South Carolina. Wake Forest found somebody to beat in the ACC....sorry, Virginia. Wake had lost all five of their conference games by 19 points or more. I really thought the Deacs had a shot to run the table and become the first conference member to go winless in league play since the Terps did it in 1987. Congrats to Coach Bzdelik...maybe that will take off some of the heat....for now. Things were just as goofy for the ACC on Sunday, when the league's best team, Duke, was throttled by St. John's by 15 points. It should be noted that the Red Storm entered play in 11th place in the Big East standings. The loss was the worst by a Blue Devils team to an unranked opponent in 15 years. The only two ranked teams in the ACC were pounded by double digit margins to unranked teams over the weekend. The Big East games have been incredible to watch, and that included a pair of great games between Louisville/UConn and Georgetown/Villanova....and somebody, try to figure out Syracuse? The Orange have now lost four straight after a blistering start. Is anybody this side of Columbus playing better than Texas? Rick Barnes' Longhorns are playing lights-out....but are they peaking too early? I can't wait for the Madness. Speaking of going nuts....college football fanatics get to open their early Christmas gifts on Wednesday, with National Signing Day. It's one of my favorite sports days of the year....and it's not because of the recruiting news, which I really don't follow closely....but I love to hear the fans that absorb every signing and live and die based on where these future stars decided to go to school. The national experts that follow this stuff for a living do an amazing job, but it's the rankings afterwards that really get me interested. How can you rank these kids or classes until a few years down the road? But it is awesome to hear fans get excited or depressed over the lean and decision of an eighteen year old kid. It's truly fascinating....and disturbing, at the same time. I wish these services and experts would do a recap of where they ranked certain teams and classes 3 years ago, and how it panned out for not only the kid, but also the team. I think you'd be amazed at how many four- and five-star kids either leave or quit the program they initially signed with on National Signing Day. It is such an inexact science, but it makes for a very entertaining day in the sports calendar year. It is Super Bowl week, and thank goodness we can put the lame "Jay Cutler quit" debate behind us.....geez, was that an annoying couple of days last week? The game is going to be a good one. I know we say that almost every year, and we come away disappointed....but something tells me we are due for a tremendous Super Bowl showdown. I haven't been overly blown away at the playoffs so far this year, and we're due for a great one. I love the fact that Steeler Nation is rolling into Jerry World....the Terrible Towels will add to a great backdrop in Arlington. I love the fact that the Cheese-heads are heading down to Big D, too. Cowboy fans have to love that combo.....but as I pointed out earlier, Dallas is one of my favorite cities in the country and they will do a great job hosting the event. I wish I was going to be down there this week for the festivities, but not necessarily the game. I'd rather watch it in the comfort of my home with friends. Of course this year, I don't have a home since it is being completely destroyed....so maybe I'll watch it in somebody's else's home this year....but you get the point. I've been to one Super Bowl game, and I vowed if somebody gave me tickets again, I'd give them away. It's not that I didn't enjoy the game, because it was entertaining (Elway wins in San Diego)....but there is such a drag between possessions....too many suits occupying the prime seats.....and halftime takes forever. Plus when you are at home, you can find ways to kill the time with the commercials, friends or good food. Super Bowl week is fabulous....the game is an afterthought, unless your favorite team is playing. By the way, I've got two great stats about the game this week that I love.....the first one is that there will be more people in JerryWorld for the Super Bowl game than there are residents in Green Bay, Wisconsin. And the next one is that the Packers haven't trailed by more than 7 points all season long.....no other team can make that claim in the past 41 years of the National Football League. For the record: I like Green Bay to win this weekend.....and the good news is that if the Steelers win.....they get to party in Big D with their 7th Lombardi trophy. I remember interviewing legendary Steelers WR, Lynn Swann, last year before the NFL Draft and he told me that he couldn't wait for Pittsburgh to roll into Dallas and win #7. He said it took Jerry Jones over a billion bucks to build it, and it will take the Steeler Nation a weekend to tear it down. True story. Novak Djokovich defeated Andy Murray in the Australian Open finals. Murray was trying to become the first British grand slam winner since Fred Perry won the 1936 US Open. I'll let you do the math, but we're fast approaching 75 years of the Brits going 0-for-Grand Slams....even Clemson basketball fans are shaking their heads over that one, and the Tigers are 0-55 in Chapel Hill. Think about that stat...over 270 grand slam events without a single British player winning a title. Talk about the "Due Factor"? What's interesting about Andy Murray, is that he is now 0-3 in Grand Slam finals....but within those three championship matches, he has yet to win a single set. One of my favorite people in sports....no, make that in life, is Pat Croce. The former owner of the Philadelphia 76ers is the guy that should be doing the Dos Equis commercials, claiming to be the most interesting man in the world. You never know what Pat is up to, whether he's climbing bridges, chasing pirates on the high seas, or producing movies. He contacted me this week and asked me to contribute to his next project.....I won't tell you what it is, but it's going to be very cool....and I love the concept. Leave it to Pat....and that's why I love the guy. I can't wait to see the finished product. My wife and I finally had a chance to have our first "date night" since our move and we checked out the movie, "The King's Speech". The flick has 12 Academy Award nominations, so you had to figure it was going to be top-notch. The movie was OK....but I had a tough time relating to a guy that has a hard time talking into a microphone or giving a speech. I know that the problem exists for many people and it is a huge fear....but I just couldn't get into it. However, the acting is outstanding. Take it for whatever it's worth. I'd love to hear the story on how NASCAR came up with their new scoring system. You know, the one in which first place earns 43 points, second place earns 42 points, etc...somewhere there will be a NASCAR trivia contest in which you have to answer how many points for finishing 43rd? Something tells me there was some stuffed suit(s) that came to this conclusion after spending countless hours and dollars developing this in-depth concept. For a sport that is as high-tech as NASCAR, how can they not figure out that the only way to make the sport more interesting is to make the reward for winning that much greater? Winning the race should be the most important part of race day....everything else doesn't matter. The new point system is lame....and for the sport to make a big deal out of it last week in the media was embarrassing. Guys...it's all about the racing.....and winning. I'll catch you all of this week on the "Packman on Sports" TV commentaries during WJZY's 10pm newscast....and on "College Basketball Today" on Friday from 12-3pm on Sirius 122 / XM 143. |
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