Okay, so we all made it through Thanksgiving. I weigh a little more than I used to, and am still eating holiday food. Copiously. We left off on Thursday, and those games went about as expected, though I underestimated how strong the Vikes would be and how feckless the Kittehs would be. Still, no shockers.
Miami and Alabama getting seriously lit up on Friday and Saturday respectively was pretty notable. The race for the final four for the BCS tournament is wildly in the air. On a local note, this morning, ASU fired head coach Todd Graham. I did not like his hiring from the get go,though he did have a decent couple of initial seasons with the recruits he inherited from Dennis Ericson. Downhill ever since then. Cleaned up off the field aspects fairly admirably, but his on the field coaching was, really, not good. There is no idea who is next here, but a very strong appreciation that the Graham era is over and new blood is coming.
Back to the NFL, due to the extended Thanksgiving Day schedule, it is lighter than most. Scribe is going to be all interested in Packers at Steelers. If Aaron Rodgers was on the field, this would be a GREAT game. He is not, and young Brett Hundley is playing behind a compromised line and is flighty in the pocket. Stillers on to next game, and Pack on to next year.
New Orleans at the Rams with all the 25,000 to 30,000 fans that “may” actually walk through the turnstiles, looks pretty interesting. Rams having a hiccup in what started out as a ridiculously good season. But Drew Brees and the rejuvenated Saints defense is on a major roll. My bet is the Saints continue to let the good times roll. Jaguars at Cardinals might be a surprisingly good game. The Cards are not as bad a team as their record reflects, and are tough at home in the Big Toaster. Miami is another team that feels actually better than their record. But they have injury problems and should be no match for Bill Bel, Brady and the lads.
On a parting shot, this morning was the final race in Formula One, and came from the gorgeous circuit at Yas Marina in AbuDhabi. Valteri Bottas won with Hamilton right on his tail in what looked like a team orders give away. Which was fine I guess, both the constructors and drivers’ championships were well locked up. Ferrari behind enough to pick up the next two spots, but not that close. Alonso, again, drove his ass off with inferior equipment. It was a spectacular day on a beautiful day and quality track. Hopefully 2018 will provide more competitiveness, though I say that every year as the circus closes. ON a bittersweet note, Felipe Massa picked up a point with a hard fought 10th place finish in his last race in F1. A consistently superb driver, and one of the truly nicest guys, in fifteen years as a frontline driver in Formula One. I will miss Felipe.
Okay, that is it for the leftover trash. Music today by Rod Stewart and Elton John. And, yes, that is really a very early picture of the two of them together on a pitch.