Down The Line Trash

This post is by bmaz, moved on top of the stub I posted while he slept.

Yawwwn. I would not even be up right now and making the trash, but for a very real fear Marcy would again post up her beloved Tom Brady soft porn video. But that fear is strong and real, so here I am. A blog slave. [Edit update note: My friend and colleague from the Pure Michigan state thankfully spared us Brady pro.]

All the Emptywheel wrenches have big college games going this weekend. Well, strike that, one of us, Roving Reporter Rosalind, already had her joy Thursday night when the Stanford Trees flat out waxed the Bruins from Ucla.

First up: Padre Peterrrrrr’s (think pirate, liker “Arrrrrrrr)
Mighty Fighting Journalists of Northwestern versus Herky Hawkeye. This probably unpopular round here, but I am going to take the Hawks here in what looks to be a very good game. It really may be Iowa that is the untold story this year and not Northwestern. That said, if the Fighting Journalists win, even though at home, that would be huge.

Next would come the dreaded Michigan/Michigan State rivalry. Man, I thought the UofA versus ASU rivalry was harsh. But those Pure Michiganders are bonkers. Once Magic was defaced, you know that Bigrodent in Ann Arbor had to be. You knew that. This game is in the Big House. The line is 6.5, which seems high. I’ll take Michigan, but only because of the home field; Sparty is still a better team.

How is anybody going to be still awake when the important games come on today? Such as Number 8 Florida at Number 6 LSU? I do not think the change to Treon Harris as QB for the Gators is that huge of a problem for the Gators so much as I think the Tigers are just a better team. Jim White’s crew may box in Fournette, but if they do it will open up the rest of the field. This is in Baton Rouge though, so I’ll go with the home team.

Masaccio Ed has a bit of a game too. The Domers are hosting the Trojans in their yearly grudge match. Honest question, Notre Dame doesn’t let USC bring that giant white horse and Tommy Trojan shit do they? Cause I saw that at Sun Devil Stadium once…and their band plays that relentless song…and I have basically been halfway to homicidal ever since. Notre Dame has every possible factor in its favor right now. So I like USC here. I have no clue why. But I do not think the coach thing will hurt USC so much as motivate them.The core kids are used to coaching turnover and Cody Kessler is not just a good and smart quarterback, he is a senior, and he and the Trojans need this. I think they will get it.

But, wait! There’s more! The ASU Sun Devils visit the inhospitable ground of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium. I would stay up for this game. The Utes are ranked Number 4 in the country and are an early darling in the NCAA football world. The Utes are big, fast and well coached by Kyle Whittingham. Whittingham took over when Urban Meyer left for Florida. Frankly, Whittingham may be a better coach than Urban. ASU has a crappy game day coach in Todd Graham. Runs a clean program, and is good at the PR shuck and jive, but he is really not so good by my eye on the actual game sideline genius thing. Still, ASU has, historically, had a thing for Utah. As in owning them, even when Utah is good. I will take the Devils here in the upset.

In the pros, every game this week seems exciting. Here in cactus country, there is big anticipation for Bruce Arians return, with the Cardinals, to Steeler land and Heinz Field. Tough game and place. Would not be surprised to see the Steelers win. But, the Cardinals are, and this is hard for me to say, pretty good on all sides of the ball. That’s as far as I am going to go. Don’t want to anger the Football Gods.

Then, of course, is the Pats at The Home Of The Asswipe #Deflategate Instigators. AKA the piss in their own pants snitch bitch Colts. Just a hunch, but I will take TOM BRADY in this one. How ya doin Roger Goodell?

And, then, there are the truly incredible games of the MLB playoffs. Wow, incredibly compelling. Unreal. Seriously great. Go Cubbies!

Music today by the one and only Stones Who Roll, with a chaser of the bearded boys of ZZ Top.

I’m placing this stub here until bmaz gets around to putting up Trash Talk. I literally begged him to get one up early so those of us worried about significant setbacks on far-better-than-expected seasons for our college team could work out our nerves. Michigan State v Michigan, but in the Big House so Vegas has the Wolverines winning. Florida wondering whether its great D will be able to stop LSU’s Leonard Fournette.

There are other games in the unpaid athlete league: Peterr’s Fighting Journalists look to rebound at home off their shellacking against a very good IA team. Ed’s Domers ought to have fun with a USC in transition. We can even talk about how Rosalind’s Trees turned into circus stuntsters.

But the really important games will be in Ann Arbor and Baton Rouge.