Thanks, but no thanks…
With that in mind, here’s a list of both:
Things to be thankful for
Coors Light television commercials. For accurately representing the simple pleasures of football. And don’t forget those twins.
Two straight seasons of mediocre football from Florida State. The Seminoles are 8-4 and still have to play arch-rival Florida next week. Now that’s refreshing, dag gummitt.
A better than expected Virginia football team. Already in 2002, the Cavaliers have had a six-game winning streak, overcome a three-touchdown halftime deficit (on Oct. 19 against North Carolina) and have been doing it all with mostly underclassmen. Add 2002 Hylton grad Ahmad Brooks — who is still waiting on his SAT scores –to the mix and next year’s defensive unit could match an already wide-open offense in big plays.
The expectations will surely be higher for Al Groh’s team next season, but the Cavaliers could be significantly better.
The start of what looks like the most wide-open race for the NCAA basketball national championship in many years. Duke has tons of young talent –including 2002 McDonald’s all-American J.J. Redick of Cave Spring –and Arizona has the experience. Some preseason prognosticators were slightly more daring, though, picking Xavier No. 1.
HUH??
I went to school there and I know they don’t deserve that high of a ranking. Still, it should be quite a wacky five-month ride, no matter who wins it all.
An Atlanta Braves team without Tom Glavine … uh, wait, that might not happen. I got ahead of myself.
Did I mention the twins, already?
Things we (OR I) wish we (OR I) could have
A college football season with a real national champion and no BS, I mean, no BCS. The creators of that infernal system should buy Ohio State defensive back Will Allen an early Christmas present for his game-saving interception in the Buckeyes’ 13-9 victory over Michigan on Saturday.
The Buckeyes, rated No. 1 in the BCS, have no more games to play while defending national champion Miami plays Syracuse and a fading Virginia Tech team to end the season. Looks like the BCS lucked out this year. Gag!
If we only had a playoff.
Teams that could shoot in the NBA. I happened to catch some of the Los Angeles Clippers-Denver Nuggets game on Friday night and I have one request. Please ESPN, do the viewing public a favor and never show those two teams again.
EVER!
That was the worst game that ended on a buzzer-beater I have ever seen. Denver shot 37 percent and won 72-70 on a last-second shot from James Posey. Talk about a brickfest.
Give me tickets to a Duke-North Carolina game or Potomac-Woodbridge game, for that matter, before you make me witness another contest in the No Baskets Anytime league. It’s a good thing there’s the Sacramento Kings.
A six-month NASCAR season. Don’t these guys ever get tired of driving in a circle? I know it’s at 120 miles per hour and they do it better than I could, but c’mon. Give me a break and give the drivers a break. The insanely long NASCAR season leads me to believe that points champion Tony Stewart maybe isn’t such a bad boy. He just needs a few months off to cool his jets (both literally and figuratively).
And finally, those twins…uh, that must be me dreaming again. Sorry. Happy Thanksgiving!
Kipp Hanley is a staff writer for the Potomac News & Manassas Journal Messenger. Reach him at (703) 878-8053 or e-mail him at [email protected]