Saturday, November 26, 2011

Thoughts on The Game, 2011

The Game. It needs no other introduction. Its outcome makes or breaks the season. The 2011 edition was especially important given the one-game-season pressure on interim Buckeyes coach Luke Fickell. The Bucks had won seven straight after the Cooper doldrums ended. In Tressel We Trust. Well, trusted anyway. Unfortunately the 2011 battle ended, rather sputtered, with an awkward Ohio State two minute drill that stalled on our own 35 when some scumbag intercepted a Braxton Miller 4th down pass.

34-40? Are you kidding. The last ranked offense in the Big Ten put up 34 points? The last ranked passing offense in D1 (other than Army and Navy) put up 235 yards of passing and two touchdowns passes over 40 yards? C'mon Luke, were you hiding that for The Game? Now that I can respect!

In the old days I'd turn off that idiot Brent Musberger and listen to the Ohio State Football Radio Network. Then came Paul Keels, the voice of michigan football from 1981-1987. Who the hell hired him? Now I listen to the TV. Despite a media bias against Ohio State earned by Woody Hayes decades ago, the last many years haven't been bad thanks to Tressel's winning record. This year was tough though thanks to the mindless repeating of that stupid hail to the victors drivel.

You've got to respect Denard Robinson's speed. Not so much the press release picture ABC flashed up every time he crossed the goal line. With a mug like that he's got to sound like, well, use your imagination. And what's with his touchdown dance? Was he that hungry? Regardless, you've got to respect him.

Speaking of respect, the only blemish on this great rivalry is the shocking absence of judgement by the 1991 Heisman committee. What became college football's ugliest black eye, unsportsmanlike conduct lept to an all time high with the "pose" struck by Desmond Howard that sadly cemented his run to the Heisman Trophy. It endures today as the low point in all of amateur athletics.

Kudos to the michigan cheerleaders for their slit miniskirt, barefoot, somewhat slutty look. Very hot. Of course they can't play on natural grass up north because the cheerleaders will graze on the field. That will always be sad.

The genuine jubilation exhibited by the michigan players when today's game and their seven year losing streak ended was nice. If our winning streak had to end, today wasn't a bad ending. I remember the shallow, jab-me-in-the-eye "Michigan State is our real rival" air michigan fans belched toward the end of the Cooper doldrums. Not me. I would be content beating michigan every year. In my opinion, that wouldn't diminish The Game one bit. I hate michigan. And I'm ready for Ohio native Urban Meyer to come home. Go Bucks!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

iPhone, Here I Come

I gave the Android platform two good years a patient and expensive effort, but now it's (finally!) time to move on to iPhone.  As smartphones go, the newest iPhone 4S is clearly the cream of the crop.  My first smartphone, a 2001 Qualcomm PDQ featuring the original Palm OS, was as thick and heavy as a short 2x4.  Wow, what progress a decade of electronics evolution delivered.  That first Smartphone was nothing but a Pilot 5000 molded together with a 2G Sprint cell phone.  Even the graceful Samsung i500 had little web integration and no over the air sync.  iPhone, here I come.  Damn glad to meet you.