GATORS ARE not #4!!

Everybody has been griping that Florida hasn't CREAMED their opponents--well,

EXCUSE ME!!!

AVERAGE MARGIN OF VICTORY AMONG 4 TEAMS:

OHIO STATE...........36-10.....+26

USC............................32-15.....+17

FLORIDA............28-12.....+16

MICHIGAN..............30-15.....+15

And remember this is in the SEC, toughest conference...

AND, look:

Number of bowl eligible teams played this year (COMPARE 4 TEAMS):

1. FLORIDA.......10

2. USC.....................10

3. MICHIGAN.........6

4. OHIO STATE......5

GATORS RANKED #2

Still another way to objectively look at who's who:

NCAA 1-A STATS, 11/30/06 Comparison of 4 teams by Trader Rick
(STATS ARE NAT. RANK AND YARDS)


STAT...........OSU............UF...........UM..........USC

TOT OFF.. 15/410... 21/398... 32/375... 23/393

TOT DEF.. 13/273...10/265....06/254....28/299

RUSH OFF 21/180...41/156....12/189.....NOT

RUSH DEF.16/84......05/70.....01/43.......17/96

PASS OFF..33/230....25/241...NOT.........17/251

PASS DEF...09/101...05/99.....18/107......21/108

SCOR OFF..07/36.....34/28......22/30.......15/32

SCOR DEF..02/10.....04/12......09/15........13/15

So, at 50 points for #1 and 1 point for #50 and -10 points if not in top 50, here's your result:

1. Ohio State........295

2. Florida..............255

3. Michigan...........240

4. Southern Cal....206


Darn it, every objective way I look at it, it's Florida who should be in the game against Ohio State...

ROUGH MEN

People sleep soundly in their beds at nite only because ROUGH MEN stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

OLD MAN WINTER

It is 5:29 a.m. and dark out and 51.7 degrees F. and Earthdog is still in bed.

Tomorrow is meteorological (sp.?) winter and we've got six inches of snow predicted, Oh Boy!

It's been in the sixties all week and now we're on the verge of dipping into the thirties for our highs.

Course, that's what the weathermen say, and we all know they have no clue...beyond saying that it will be hotter in the summer and colder in the winter and wetter in the spring...

More later.

GO GATORS!!! BEAT RAZORBACKS!!!

INSANITY

REMEMBER WHERE YOU READ THIS:

The Forida Gators at 11-1 are just one bad call away from a perfect season, and a trip to the National Championship. The Gators will lose to Arkansas in the Southeastern Conference Championship game in Atlanta Saturday, possibly shutting them out of a BCS Bowl, and here's why:

Walk-on kicker Chris Hetland has missed nine-count them- nine field goals this year. There are only three teams with fewer FG's than Florida in all of Division 1-A.

The Gators have not lost a game this year because of Hetland's inability to kick field goals, but they've come close. And we've lost valuable style points because of those lost 27 points.

Coach Meyer has steadfastly stood by Hetland, because Hetland can kick in practice, over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again (that's NINE overs , Coach).

Do I really have to repeat that old saw about the definition of Insanity being doing the same thing over and over and over...again expecting a different result? No.

Meyer says if Hetland outkicks the other kickers in practice this week, he will start the game against Arkansas.

Uh, Coach, you must be the only one on the planet that realizes that in this case practice doesn't carry over to GAME.

But you will learn, Saturday, because, the GATORS WILL LOSE because of HETLAND.

And then you will have a valuable lesson to take with you into the next four years' Championship races. At the expense of this year's Seniors.

You heard it here, folks, sorry.

Or he could win the game for us, and make Meyer the Guru on the Mountaintop. We'll see.

I bet it's one or the other.

THESE ARE THE TIMES THAT TRY MENS' SOULS

Squirrel Man, c. 1957

It is 6:59 a.m. and Patrick is asleep at my feet on his afghan. It is 57.2 degrees out, dark and all that.

I don't have anything to say today. Images wouldn't upload yewterday to blogger for us. Let's try today...

HOLD YOUR HEAD UP

It is 8:36 a.m. and 53.5 degrees out and cloudy. Patrick is here at my feet, wrapped up in his afghan.

Random Thoughts, thunk up as we go along:

Why would anybody listen to Jimmah Cattah anymore? Hasn't he proved himself an idiot time and time again. Now, he's hawking his latest book, telling us what to do. eeuuu!!

Gator Hoops fall to #4. Don't worry, it's basketball, you can't win them all.

Gator Football remains at #4. Don't worry, it could be worse.

Apparently Percy Harvin is OK.

The drive-by media is securing for itself a special place in history, just like Yellow Journalilsm and Muckraking did...

If buxom women like Jennifer Love Hewitt wore Victoria 's Secret Lingerie around town and to work like the Ghost Whisperer does, there would be a lot of traffic accidents.

Today's Quote: "History is something that never happened written by someone who wasn't there. "--Anonymous

CALM DOWN

It is 10:23 a.m. and Patrick is snoozing on my recliner under his dog tent.

TTYL

SHAKEUP

Top 25 roundup
	Team	Record	Result
1.	Ohio State	12-0	Regular season complete
2.	Southern California	10-1	Defeated No. 6 Notre Dame 44-24
3.	Michigan	11-1	Regular season complete
4.	Florida	11-1	Defeated Florida State 21-14
5.	Arkansas	10-2	Lost to No. 8 LSU 31-26
6.	Notre Dame	10-2	Lost to Southern California 44-24
7.	West Virginia	9-2	Lost to South Florida 24-19
8.	LSU	10-2	Defeated No. 5 Arkansas 31-26
9.	Wisconsin	11-1	Regular season complete
10.	Texas	9-3	Lost to Texas A&M 12-7
11.	Louisville	10-1	Defeated Pittsburgh 48-24
12.	Boise State	12-0	Defeated Nevada 38-7
13.	Auburn	10-2	Regular season complete
14.	Oklahoma	10-2	Defeated Oklahoma State 27-21
15.	Georgia Tech	9-3	Lost to Georgia 15-12
16.	Rutgers	10-1	Defeated Syracuse 38-7
17.	Virginia Tech	10-2	Defeated Virginia 17-0
18.	Boston College	9-3	Lost to Miami 17-14
19.	Nebraska	9-3	Defeated Colorado 37-14
20.	Wake Forest	10-2	Defeated Maryland 38-24
21.	Tennessee	9-3	Defeated Kentucky 17-12
22.	California	8-3	Idle
23.	Brigham Young	10-2	Defeated Utah 33-31
24.	Clemson	8-4	Lost to South Carolina 31-28
25.	Hawaii	10-2	Defeated Purdue 42-35

BCS...sigh

Bowl Championship Series standings

Nov. 26, 2006

• Extended computer rankings

	Team	Harris Poll		USA TODAY		Computer rank		BCS Avg.	Pvs
1.	Ohio State	1	1.000	1	1.000	1	1.000	1.000	1
2.	Southern California	2	.9512	2	.9467	2	.940	.9460	3
3.	Michigan	3	.9172	3	.9175	3	.930	.9216	2
4.	Florida	4	.8870	4	.8921	4	.890	.8897	4
5.	LSU	5	.8049	5	.7968	5	.830	.8106	10
6.	Louisville	7	.7632	7	.7422	6	.780	.7618	9
7.	Wisconsin	6	.7635	6	.7752	12	.590	.7096	8
8.	Boise State	9	.6568	9	.6463	7	.720	.6744	11
9.	Arkansas	8	.6632	8	.6616	9	.660	.6616	6
10.	Notre Dame	10	.6193	12	.5892	8	.670	.6262	5
11.	Auburn	12	.5895	11	.6254	10	.640	.6183	12
12.	Oklahoma	11	.6116	10	.6311	15	.410	.5509	15
13.	Rutgers	13	.5467	13	.4933	11	.610	.5500	14
14.	Virginia Tech	14	.4554	14	.4724	16	.400	.4426	17
15.	West Virginia	15	.4302	15	.4241	17	.350	.4014	7
16.	Tennessee	18	.3060	19	.2756	13T	.530	.3705	20
17.	Wake Forest	16	.3758	16	.3854	18	.280	.3471	21
18.	California	21	.2098	20	.2178	13T	.530	.3192	19
19.	Texas	17	.3316	17	.3784	21	.180	.2967	13
20.	Nebraska	20	.2782	18	.3321	23T	.070	.2268	22

HAD ENUFF COACH?

First Let me say that Coach Meyer has proven himself to be a ten times better coach than even Spurrier , so far. We love him. He wins. BUT----

EVERYBODY, and that's millions, in the Gator Nation would have PERMANENTLY BENCHED Hetland, games ago. When I saw Hetland coming out on the field with a helmit on for his second missed field goal Saturday, the blood RUSHED to my head and my brain exploded, spattering blood ALLOVER the ceiling and walls. I couldn't believe it. My neighbors heard me scream and they live a half mile down the road. Patrick was scared to death and went cowering under the Chest of Drawers.

He cost us 6 points this time coach. Pleaaaaseee don't ever let him kick again. Just go for it on fourth, or punt or let somebody else kick it. How many times does he have to miss before you realize WHAT EVERY OTHER HUMAN BEING ON EARTH ALREADY KNOWS, he's lost it.

My God!!

Pleaase coach. It's not fair to the team, or the fans.

AP GETS REAL

STICK IT INYER EAR...

It is 4:48 PM and Patrick is here asleep at my feet on his afghan.

Gators give us another nail biter. I get sick to my stomach watching. I now need pepto with me when I watch them. I wish they could develop a damned second half. Rushing for first half was Gators 113 yards, 'Noles 2--yes two. Noles are going to the Emerald Bowl whatever the hell that is--peanuts? I don't know--might be in Oz.

Scary moments with Harvin down on the field--still don't know what the deal is...

more later.

WHO ARE YOU?

It is 5:27 a.m. and dark out and my thermometer says 46.6 degrees, but it said 36 when it was 24 out yesterday, so I no longer have any confidence in it--don't know whats going on--I will resort to weatherbug in future. Patrick is still in bed.

There's an outside chance, a longshot really, that I will come face to face with an old enemy that I've never met before. How does a Christian react when faced with evil? I don't have the answer. I will try to do what's right --I think it will come to me alright. We'll see, maybe.

Well, well,well. Arkansas beat by LSU, So now the Gators KNOW they can beat the Hogs, the Mystique is worn off. Thanks Bayou Boys!

Now if we can just get by FSU. The TV guys call it a "tune up" for UF. I don't think so, not by a longshot. Last I looked Gators were about a nine point favorite and that's in their house.

This will be a defining moment for the Gator Nation.

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST...

How about them Aggies!!!

LSU is beating Ark. 17-12...

Goodbye Larry Coker. An 80% Winning Coach that took the Canes to TWO National Championships, and won one and lost one in overtime, 59-15 record...

What do they want? One 6-6 season and he's out? Look out Bobby Bowden. Look out everybody. I have to think there's more to this than win-loss-- I think it's because the team has devolved into a gang of thugs and criminals...

Come on Steve! This is a two million dollar job--Go for it--you won't have to do any more pizza commercials dressed as a girl...

THE DAY BEFORE THE BIG GAME

It is 5:23 a.m., dark and 36.9 degrees F. outside and Patrick is still in bed.

THE GAME

THE Rivalry in Florida state Football is UF vs. FSU, always was and always will be.

Growing up in Florida, kids always divided themselves into Florida and Florida State Fans. I was always a Gator fan. Now I am a Gator, and once a Gator, always a Gator, eh Steve?

Speaking of Steve, if he goes to Miami, as the rumour mill was putting out this week, we won't have to hate him anymore--altho it will hurt our recruiting. Maybe he should go work for Bowden as Offensive Coordinator, then we could REALLY hate him.

Speaking of Miami, I guess down in coconutville, the kids rooted for the 'Canes.

Anyway, THE Rivalry game is tomorrow. It doesn't matter who is hot and who is not, this game is always tricky. There is real hatred here. The last time I was on campus in Gainesville a couple of years ago with Junior, I had on some clothes that approximated FSU's colors and was verbally challenged!

This series is rife with heartaches. On not more than several occasions, a less than stellar Gator team has ruined a great FSU Teams's championship hopes, and vice versa. So, there's no way to handicap this game. LOOK AT 1996...

This year it will boil down to the coaching, and which team wants it the most. The 'Noles have nothing to lose (or win)--the Gators have EVERYTHING to lose...

Wouldn't it be nice if the Offense could finally make a statement in the second half?

Nine point favorites? Don't count on it fellas...

We'll be sitting on the edges of our seats and slurping Pepto for this one I'm sure.

Oh, by the way, just for the record, the name on my diploma is: THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.

The name of FSU is: FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY.

A few years ago, FSU started calling themselves THE Florida State University.

Sorry, Semi-holes you'll always be the Pepsi to our Coke (or should I say Gatorade?)

To us you'll always be the girls from Tallahaassee--Florida State College for Women--It's your history, it's your heritage, and darn it even the casino Indians are shunning you this year...

GO GATORS!! BEAT 'NOLES!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

It is 6:09 a.m. and dark out and a balmy 37.3 degrees F. Patrick is still in bed.

Wal*Mart sells DVDs of crappy old films for a dollar. I've got a lot of these. Because I like crappy old films, most of them anyway.

Old westerns never dissapoint me. So anyway the other day I got this double feature--The Painted Desert with William Boyd (Hoppy) and a Tex Ritter film. They were both great! Patrick and I watched them yesterday, and they're only a little longer than an hour, so it's less of a time committment.

Hoppy was my favorite cowboy growing up, so I always enjoy William Boyd--but the interesting thing about this film is that the bad guy was played by non other than Clark Gable--In his first role in a talkie, no less.

Gable had a long and storied career, but is probably best known for his portrayal of Rhett Butler in Gone with the Wind. His final scene, in which he utters the immortal line "Frankly, My Dear, I don't give a damn" is arguably (don't know what it means, but sounds good) the most recognized clip from any film anywhere. So what?, you say? Well, guess what? His character in this first movie was named--yep--"Rhett". There are no coincidences!

There are a few events in my life that have been endelibly imprinted on my memory. I can remember exactly where I was and what I was doing 43 years ago when I found out that President Kennedy had been shot. And when Neil Armstrong supposededly, or should I say arguably, stepped out of his spaceship onto the surface of the Moon. And when I first saw Junior. And when I stepped out on the tarmac at Tampa International returning from Ft. Lewis and a year's tour of the Orient. And when the Towers came down. Those are the ones that come to mind at the moment.

The big city north of us has just passed a new non-smoking ordinance. Part of it proscribes smoking in Bowling Alleys except from 9:00p.m. to 3 a.m. Sunday thru Thursday nights (League Play). I didn't read the fine print, but I think when they are smoking, the bowlers have to be wearing orange sweat-pants and whistle "Dixie" thru red and white striped straws stuck up their noses. Who are the dildoes who pass this stuff? Democracy gone wild, but no nudity. Enuff to make you a Libertarian...

-TR-

HUMP DAY

It is 7:13 a.m. and dark out, 34.4 degrees and Patrick is wandering around for some reason.

If you don't have anything to say, then just shut up.

BSBCSBS

Bowl Championship Series standings

Nov. 19, 2006

• Extended computer rankings

	Team	Harris Poll		USA TODAY		Computer rank		BCS Avg.	Pvs
1.	Ohio State	1	1.000	1	1.000	1	1.000	1.000	1
2.	Michigan	3	.9123	3	.9067	2	.960	.9263	2
3.	Southern California	2	.9196	2	.9168	3	.920	.9188	3
4.	Florida	4	.8881	4	.8933	4	.870	.8838	4
5.	Notre Dame	5	.8235	6	.8159	5	.820	.8198	5
6.	Arkansas	6	.8228	5	.8267	7	.770	.8065	7
7.	West Virginia	7	.7196	7	.7308	9	.700	.7168	8
8.	Wisconsin	9	.6625	9	.6686	8	.710	.6803	9
9.	Louisville	10	.6516	11	.5994	6	.780	.6770	10
10.	LSU	8	.6628	8	.6863	11	.580	.6431	11
11.	Boise State	12	.5646	12	.5473	12	.580	.5640	12
12.	Auburn	13	.5084	13	.5238	13	.570	.5341	14
13.	Texas	11	.6074	10	.6311	15	.360	.5328	13
14.	Rutgers	15	.4456	16	.4070	10	.590	.4809	6
15.	Oklahoma	14	.4926	14	.5048	20	.270	.4225	17
16.	Georgia Tech	16	.4060	15	.4159	16	.350	.3906	18
17.	Virginia Tech	17	.3681	17	.3562	17	.350	.3581	21
18.	Boston College	18	.3253	18	.3429	19	.310	.3260	20
19.	California	23	.1796	22	.1683	14	.470	.2726	15
20.	Tennessee	19	.2368	21	.2070	18	.330	.2579	22

COACHES POLL

Nov. 19, 2006 USA TODAY/Gallup fans' poll
Rank	Team (first-place votes)	Record	Points	Last week's rank
1.	Ohio State (63)	12-0	1,575	1
2.	Southern California	9-1	1,444	4
3.	Michigan	11-1	1,428	2
4.	Florida	10-1	1,407	3
5.	Arkansas	10-1	1,302	6
6.	Notre Dame	10-1	1,285	5
7.	West Virginia	9-1	1,151	7
8.	LSU	9-2	1,081	9
9.	Wisconsin	11-1	1,053	10
10.	Texas	9-2	994	11
11.	Louisville	9-1	944	12
12.	Boise State	11-0	862	13
13.	Auburn	10-2	825	15
14.	Oklahoma	9-2	795	16
15.	Georgia Tech	9-2	655	18
16.	Rutgers	9-1	641	8
17.	Virginia Tech	9-2	561	19
18.	Boston College	9-2	540	20
19.	Nebraska	8-3	353	22
20.	Wake Forest	9-2	343	14
21.	Tennessee	8-3	326	23
22.	California	8-3	265	17
23.	Brigham Young	9-2	256	24
24.	Clemson	8-3	174	25
25.	Hawaii	9-2	97	NR

HUH?

Jay-are with Patrick and Duke

IT IS 5:551 A.M. It is 35.5 degrees F, dark out and Earthdog Patrick is still in bed. Today's Quote: One man's meat is another man's poison --English Proverb

More later.

ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT

I sat down this afternoon and devised another way to look at the ranking of College Football teams taking into account win-loss and strength of schedule.

Here's how it works: If you beat the number one team you get 25 points, you beat the number 25 team you get one point, get it?

You lose to a top ten team you get ten points, lose to a top 25 team you get five points.

You lose to a non-top 25 team you lose 5 points.

Very simple, eh?

So we look at the top six teams, we get:

UF: Beat 3, lost to 1 Top 25 team, 1 left to play (5)

ARK: Beat 3, lost to 1 Top 10 team, 1 left to play (5)

USC: Beat 3, lost to 1 Non-top 25 team, 1 left to play (4)

MICH: Beat 2, lost to 1 Top 10 team (3)

OSU: Beat 2 Top 25 teams (2)

ND: Beat 1 Top 25, 1 left to play (2)

So, the Results:

1. UF 59-70 (Will end up 1st or 2nd)



2. ARK 56-67 (will end up 1st or 2nd)

3. MI 47

4. OSU 39

5. USC 37-47 ?? (Will end up either tied for 3rd or 5th)

6. ND 20-34 ??

Yeah so it turns out, in this scheme the National Championship Game will be a rematch between Gators and Razorbacks, not Wolvarines and Eye-bucks.

TRAPPED IN A WORLD HE DIDN'T MAKE

It is 6:39 a.m., 30.2 degrees F., dark out and Patrick the Dog is still in bed , tired out after a long day of Geocaching yesterday.

The BCS was an attempt to make the College Football championship game participant determination more fair and balanced. But it is still two-thirds subjective (The polls). This year it looks like it has crashed and burned, primarily to the poll voters behaving like OJ Simpson jurors.

We have zero tolerance. BCS has failed miserably--let's figure something else out--some sort of Bowl Playoff thing perhaps? With participants determined by a somewhat less subjective method?

And no participation by quote unbeaten unquote teams that haven't negotiated a tough schedule and so remain unhurt and "undefeated".

WHAT COLLOSAL BULLSHIT!!!

It's 7:37 a.m. and Patrick is here.

Well, the BCS race is over, with a rematch between OSU andMichigan assured --BORING!! Been there, done that...

The AP Poll is a joke and is now totally irellevant--doubt if anybody will even publish it anymore. Michigan loses and doesn't fall the normal 4 to 10 places? The y stay the SAME? uh, Bullshit, guys.

And for both polls, Gators WIN and fall one place?? uh, Bullshit, boys...

We have no quarel with the BCS standings, except as they are affected by the Bogus Coaches Poll. We don't even want to look at the absurd Harris Poll (What the F**k is that?) . Creds to USC even tho they almost lost and Cal had two legitimate tD's called back.

Here's a FAIR assesment:

1. Ohio State

2. USC

3. UF

4. Michigan

Top 25 roundup
	Team	Record	Result
1.	Ohio State	12-0	Defeated No. 2 Michigan 42-39
2.	Michigan	11-1	Lost to No. 1 Ohio State 42-39
3.	Florida	10-1	Defeated Western Carolina 62-0
4.	Southern California	9-1	Defeated No. 17 California 23-9
5.	Notre Dame	10-1	Defeated Army 41-9
6.	Arkansas	10-1	Defeated Mississippi State 28-14
7.	West Virginia	9-1	Defeated Pittsburgh 45-27 (Thursday)
8.	Rutgers	9-1	Lost to Cincinnati 30-11
9.	LSU	9-2	Defeated Mississippi 23-20 (OT)
10.	Wisconsin	11-1	Defeated Buffalo 35-3
11.	Texas	9-2	Idle
12.	Louisville	9-1	Defeated South Florida 31-8
13.	Boise State	11-0	Defeated Utah State 49-10
14.	Wake Forest	9-2	Lost to No. 19 Virginia Tech 27-6
15.	Auburn	10-2	Defeated Alabama 22-15
16.	Oklahoma	9-2	Defeated Baylor 36-10
17.	California	8-3	Lost to No. 4 Southern California 23-9
18.	Georgia Tech	9-2	Defeated Duke 49-21
19.	Virginia Tech	9-2	Defeated No. 14 Wake Forest 27-6
20.	Boston College	9-2	Defeated No. 21 Maryland 38-16
21.	Maryland	8-3	Lost to No. 20 Boston College 38-16
22.	Nebraska	8-3	Idle
23.	Tennessee	8-3	Defeated Vanderbilt 39-10
24.	Brigham Young	9-2	Defeated New Mexico 42-17
25.	Clemson	8-3	Idle

Hurrah for the Myor of Hazelton, PA--an honest man in a sea of fools.