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Speechless Laryngitis will do that to you....along with some bizarre endings in the world of sports. I could feel both of them coming on at the end of last week, and there was nothing I could do but accept my fate. So, I've decided to hang low for a few days after returning from our Southern Fried Football™ Tourstop in Clemson...plus, what else was I going to do? If you can't talk, you can't host a four-hour radio show. It was all I could do, to belt out a few lines and knock out a 60 second nightly TV commentary. I've got to get my voice back before Friday morning, since I'm hosting the Hood Hargett Breakfast Club in Charlotte, followed by a lunchtime speaking engagement at the Columbia TD Club, and then back to Charlotte to host "PrimeTime with the Packman" at 3. I didn't have any words to describe Clemson's kicking game, the Panthers' second half performance against the Saints, Jimmie Johnson's lap 3 wreck, another SEC football official's bad call, or Charlie Weis sucking more than usual against Navy. In other words (no pun intended): it was another crazy weekend of sports. What's going on with the Carolina Hurricanes? Their last win was on October 9th....a month ago. Was that really Phil Mickelson that was paired with Tiger Woods, in the final round of one of those World Golf Championships...and this time, Lefty rallied for the win? Was that really the Tampa Bay Bucs wearing those tangerine throwback jerseys, and winning their first game of the season against the Green Bay Packers? The Dallas Cowboys are in first place of the NFC East? I forgot; it's November. The college basketball season is underway. Why? You think John Riggins is enjoying his personal torment of anything resembling the Washington Redskins? First it was Jim Zorn, and now it's Daniel Snyder. We get it, Riggo....give it a rest. The New York Giants have lost four in a row. Count me as one of the believers that the G-Men were the best team in football, a month ago. Danica Patrick teaming up with Dale, Jr.? A match made in heaven. The World Series of Poker is drawing to a close, with ESPN's coverage of the final table. The runner-up wins just over 5 million bucks. (...And you thought Julius Peppers is overpaid?) What else is there to say? In a tribute to Veterans Day this week, I thought it would be a nice touch to offer a tribute to all the men and women who have served our great country and all the folks who are currently serving the US of A. I'd also like to thank the great men of the Naval Academy that kicked Notre Dame's ass on Saturday. On behalf of the Southern Fried Football™ Nation....thank you, for an added bonus to the football weekend and Veterans Day. The shot on NBC of Charlie Weis attempting to swallow a gulp of water as he watched in horror the Midshipmen celebrating (again) at Notre Dame Stadium was simply hilarious. He looked like a fat frat boy that lost a beer bong chugging contest. Congrats to Navy, for a great victory. And look at the bright news, Irish fans: Crewcut Charlie has added another great record to the ND legend. This was the first time a ranked ND team lost to an unranked Navy team since 1936...the first year of the college football poll. Navy now has won two of the last three against the Irish. I know what you're thinking; it's about time for ND to get them off the schedule and add Wyoming. I guess I won't be hearing from those loud-mouth Duke football fans, this week. For the past month, Duke football fans (who knew they existed?) have been flooding my radio show, talking smack about their resurgent pigskin prowess and what they were going to do to their rivals in Chapel Hill. 19-6, Tar Heels. Final score from Kenan Stadium. The Blue Devils generated just over a football field's worth of offense....125 yards, to be exact. The loss wasn't unexpected, since the Heels have owned the series, now winning 19 of the last 20 meetings. Now that the game is over, both schools can get back to their normal practice of glorifying hoops....and I don't blame them. My dog, Chester, might be more accurate kicking the football than the Clemson special teamers. While the Tigers inched closer to their first ACC Championship appearance by defeating Florida State Saturday night, Dabo Swinney needs to find out what's going on with his kickers. Clemson kickers combined to miss three extra points and two relatively easy field goals. It became a game within the game, watching the Tigers trying to execute an extra point or a field goal. It was like watching a golfer with the yips trying to make a three-footer, all day long. One more thing about Clemson....there is no better place to hang out before or after a game than the ESSO Club. I want to thank Charlie, Candice and the entire staff for making us feel right at home at the Southeast's best hangout on gameday. The ESSO Club is a must, for anybody who visits Clemson for a game. South Carolina football fans are pissed. They have seen the late-season choke job before from the Ol' Ball Coach, and they are not happy about it one bit. It appears that South Carolina for the third consecutive year is about to throw away a great first half-season, for a disastrous second half. The Gamecocks were punked by someone not wearing orange, this past weekend. This time, it was a pack of wild hogs from Arkansas that took down the Gamecocks. First it was a beatdown by Tennessee, now Arkansas.....up next: Florida, followed up by the annual showdown game with Clemson. USC fans have been amazingly loyal and they have been subjected to price increases and the dreaded PSL's during the off-season, in an effort to keep up with the SEC football powers. Unless the Gamecocks can upset Florida and/or Clemson, this season will be a disappointing one. Gamecock fans have seen the ending to this movie before. I have a speaking engagement in Columbia on Friday, and I'm actually interested to see and hear what they have to say on this topic. It's official....Bama and Florida are playing for the SEC title game. Both teams have clinched, and one of the toughest tickets in sports will take place at the Georgia Dome as the SEC title game takes place the first weekend of December. One more thing is official in the SEC, too.....the officiating has been NBA-esque. I'm not into conspiracy theories, including the one in the SEC about the over-protection of their two "star programs", but enough is enough. Just call the game the right way....that's not asking too much of the best conference in college football. I have no doubt that certain teams and coaches get calls; it's been going on for decades, in all sports....right UNC and Duke? But some of the blown calls in college football, specifically the SEC, have been brutal. Even with the use of instant replay (which stinks, by the way), the refs have been remarkably bad. I can't wait to see what the SEC officials do in the title game....now that we have the game that everyone wants to witness. Wake Forest hasn't caught a break all year. Jim Grobe's team has lost 5 games by three points or less, this season. The Deacs need two more wins to become bowl eligible. This week, they did catch a break....literally. Clemson pounded FSU's star QB, Christian Ponder, and in the process separated his shoulder. He will not be playing against Wake in Switzerland, this upcoming weekend. I mentioned above that we switched games this upcoming weekend on the Southern Fried Football™ Tour. Instead of a trip to Raleigh for the NC State - Clemson game, we're heading to the campus of Elon University for the biggest Southern Conference football game in ages. Both App State and Elon are 6-0 in the Southern Conference. They are both ranked nationally in the FCS Top 10, and they are both headed for a winner-take-all showdown on Saturday. The last time the SoCon had two unbeaten conference members playing this late into the season was back in 1996, when Marshall and East Tennessee State played each other. It needs to be noted that Appalachian State has now won 18 consecutive conference games, which is the longest streak in 50 years. It should be a great time at Elon, this Saturday. |
Packman
on Sports Commentary
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