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Happy
New Year! I'd like to be the first to welcome in 2012. I have a feeling that this is going to be one very interesting year, with a new set of challenges. With that said, did anybody catch the Chic-Fil-A Bowl between Auburn and Virginia? I noticed that the Wahoos decided to unveil their new orange helmets and then proceeded to get blown out by Auburn. What amazed me was that the tint and glow of the UVA helmets was very similar to color of Dick Clark's face. The similarities were stunning. For the record: I have nothing against Dick Clark....the guy has been a great broadcaster and host for many, many decades......but somebody needs to tell him that the spray tan is out of control and he needs to step down. I'd rather watch all 35 bowl games from start to finish than to see a neon-orange Dick Clark suck face with his lovely bride. That's a terrible visual to lead off any year, much less 2012. If you really want to make New Year's Eve a must-watch event, instead of the ball drop, we should hoist Ryan Seacrest to the top and lower him down in Times Square. I'll give you another visual that has me bothered, and that one involves the new TV commercials that Dale, Jr. is doing for some company called, "Taxslayer.com". I know the company is sponsoring that mighty bowl game between 6-6 Ohio State and equally average 6-6 Florida....but is there anybody in their right mind buying the fact that Dale, Jr. uses Taxslayer.com? I know he can't win races anymore, but he is pulling down roughly 35 million per year to use the name, "Earnhardt". Can you imagine Junior walking into a Taxslayer.com office with his tax forms? Wranglers, yes.....Taxslayer.com?...please. The ACC has won a grand total of 2 BCS games in their history. That's right, an overall 2-11 mark in the biggest college bowl games since the BCS was formed in 1998. On Tuesday, the Va. Tech Hokies play in the Sugar Bowl and the Clemson Tigers partake in the Orange Bowl. The conference in the span of 24 hours can double their BCS win total. It's going to take a pair of wins for anybody to take the conference seriously. So far, the ACC is a meager 2-4 in the bowl games...that does nothing to change the mind of a nation that was already suspect of ACC football. Speaking of the Sugar Bowl and New Orleans....I'm heading down to the Big Easy after my radio show on SiriusXM on Wednesday. I'll be broadcasting every day leading into the title game on Monday night. I'm absolutely stoked for the game, but I'm also excited about the environment that awaits in Nawlins. Think about it.....the city of New Orleans hosts the Sugar Bowl on Tuesday.....then hosts a Saints NFL playoff game on the weekend....and then caps it off by the LSU/Bama game on Monday night. How about that for a 7-day football feast? Mardi Gras, eat your heart out.....New Orleans is the place to be this week, and I can't wait to get down to my old stomping grounds in the French Quarter. By the way, I'll be on the air every day (I might need to pace myself with the Hurricanes and other delights)...and that includes co-hosting a show with Paul Finebaum on Sunday morning. I enjoyed working with him at the SEC Championship game, and I'm sure he'll be in rare form with the Bama/LSU fans going nuts, too. I was pleasantly surprised to see that my ugly mug didn't hit the editing floor on ABC's "Road to the Bowls" special this weekend. I was asked to do a sit-down interview with the folks from ABC/ESPN to discuss the crazy year of college football. And wouldn't you know it, they used some of the clips. It was a fun deal...so I guess we check that off the Bucket List. As for the LSU/Bama game.....I'm having a tough time deciding who to pick. I was wrong about game 1 in Tuscaloosa....I picked the Tide. I thought homefield would be enough to get them over the top. LSU has been amazing on the road, playing well away from Tiger Stadium......next Monday night will be a home away from home when they crank up the SuperDome. I'm going to wait and feel the vibe in the Big Easy before making my pick. Stay tuned. I know the Big Ten smacked the ACC around again this year in the "Challenge"....but maybe the league needs to pick on somebody their own size. Based on my numbers the ACC has lost 3 of 4 basketball games to the Ivy League this season. I'll say it again , this side of Duke and UNC, the league is remarkably average....and I'm being kind. Maybe UVa, NC State, FSU...or somebody can pick up the slack.....but ACC hoops is very ordinary this side of the blue bloods on Tobacco Road. It's cool to see Indiana back in the national mix. Assembly Hall has been rocking, as IU has deposed of #1 Kentucky and #2 Ohio State in the last few weeks. It is the first time the mighty Hoosier program defeated the AP #1 & #2 teams in the same season. There are certain schools that need to be good in college hoops, and Indiana basketball is one of them. I can't believe how weak the West is in college hoops, too. Honestly, the best team could very well be the UNLV Runnin' Rebels. Just ask UNC how good the boys from Vegas are this season....they can play. I know we're making the transition from football to hoops....so I'm getting ready. Ironically, the Final Four is in New Orleans....and I am concerned that after this week, the city might take more abuse than it did when Hurricane Katrina hit town. Hold on....it's going to be a wild year. |
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