Travel Medicine Talk

Just an experiment to see if this google document thing works the way it is supposed to.

Goodbye to Kinnick North

Way to finish the season, Hawkeyes. 55 - 0 to close out the Metrodome.

Nuff Said

Bad BCS Moon Rising

There is a nasty controversy on the horizon in college football. But that's nothing new for the BCS!

Thanks to the 6 conference monopoly that begrudging allowed this system, the 6 conference champions are guaranteed a spot in the top bowls, no matter how bad those conferences are. This means that that whoever stumbles their way to the top of the Big East, Cincinnati or Pittsburgh, gets in. And despite their best efforts, someone will eventually win the chaotic ACC. So that will result in two teams lower than #18 playing in the BCS.

It gets worse.

The Pac-10 is not helping. It is so top heavy- a couple of good teams and a lot of really bad teams, that Oregon State can run the table and win their first Rose Bowl bid since the mid 1960's. That puts a third low-ranked team (likely around #20) into the BCS. Ouch.

Then, there are the BCS busters. One team between Utah, Boise State, and, possibly, BYU will finish in the top 12 and get an automatic bid to one of the four BCS bowls. This minor break with the monopoly is well deserved and past due, but it does lock up one more precious spot.

So what's the problem?

Look at this week's top 10 in the BCS:

1.Alabama

2.Texas Tech

3. Texas

4. Florida

5. Oklahoma

6. USC

7. Utah

8. Penn St.

9. Boise St.

10. Ohio St.

If the season were to end with these standings (with Utah and Boise State both undefeated):

A. Alabama and Texas Tech would play for the championship (I think it will be Florida and Oklahoma, but we'll ignore that for now)

B. Penn State would play in the Rose Bowl

C. Utah would get an at-large berth

D. There would only be 3 at-large spots left between Texas, Florida, USC, Oklahoma, Boise State, and Ohio State.

Look at that list again.

Only 3 teams between Texas, Florida, USC, Oklahoma, Boise State, and Ohio State get to play in the BCS.

Wow.

The Bronco's undefeated season would go unrewarded.

The Buckeyes can forget about yet another Fiesta Bowl.

If the Gators are a lock, then someone between the Longhorns, Trojans, and Sooners is going to be awfully disappointed.

And this does not begin to address the possibility of a non-conference-champion playing in the BCS title game. Oh yes- it could happen. We could even see two non-conference-champions in the title game. I won't spin your head further with those scenarios.

Fight On,

Hans

PS: Bad Moon Rising was originally released on the Green River album by CCR (1969). If you already knew that, then you must be living somewhere in the Sacramento Delta . . .

Hans

Hope For Change in the BCS

It’s November, and you know what that means: Pete Carroll will be trying to keep his No-Loss-November streak alive, the Minnesota Gophers will start to wonder if their open air new stadium is such a good idea, the tundra will begin to freeze in Green Bay, and we’ll all start bitching about the BCS. Proponents of a playoff system got a huge boost last week from our newly crowned president-elect (for a complete review of Iowa’s experience with the election, check out Sophie’s blog at http://www.blogger.com/www.sophiehouse.blogspot.com) . On Monday night football, on the eve of election day, Barack Obama was asked what the one thing he would change about sports and said that it was about time that college football decided its champion with a playoff, suggesting an eight team field. Without plagiarizing Dan Weztel’s outstanding 11/5/08 Yahoo column too much, Obama reflects the mood of the nation with this opinion on vital policy (http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=dw-obamabcs110508&prov=yhoo&type=lgns) .

The debate over the need for a playoff is so pervasive that we all need to ask the critical question: who exactly is against the idea? As near as I can figure it, the people against it do not number more than 23: the commissioners and presidents of the Pac 10 and Big 10 conferences. And that’s about it. 23 people holding up the wishes of 300 million? That’s not very democratic. In the spirit of hope and change ushered in by the remarkable events of Election Day 2008, it is time to move the BCS into its next logical step: the “plus one” game. The infrastructure is in place for this four team playoff- now all four major bowls play a game near New Year’s day and one venue hosts the “BCS Championship” a week later.

The race for this year’s BCS became slightly clearer last weekend. Thanks to the leg of Iowa City native Daniel Murray, Penn State was effectively eliminated from the national championship race. Now, JoPa will have to “settle” for a Rose Bowl date with USC, assuming they can beat Michigan State (which is not a done deal by any means). Murray, on the other hand, gave up a full ride playing soccer at Kentucky to walk on for his hometown Hawkeyes. What seemed like a crazy choice last year has now yielded him everlasting fame and fortune. He will never have to pay a bar tab in Iowa City . . . ever.

Florida’s impressive play of late has moved them up in the rankings and landed them in the SEC championship game. Assuming the Gators and Tide stay perfect until then (again hardly a done deal- see “2007 season” for more details), we will have a national semi-final for the BCS in the SEC Championship. So says Brad Edwards of ESPN, and he is usually right. The SEC champion’s opponent is a little more murky but it is a safe assumption that they will come from the Big 12. Texas Tech controls their own destiny for now, but they face their stiffest test of the year Saturday when they travel to Norman and take on the Oklahoma Sooners. An Oklahoma win will result in a three way tie atop the Big 12 south, with each team having beat the other (OU beat Tech who beat Texas who beat OU- ouch). The Big 12 tiebreaking procedures for a three way tie read as follows:

1.The records of the three teams will be compared against each other
2. The records of the three teams will be compared within their division
3. The records of the three teams will be compared against the next highest placed teams in their division in order of finish (4, 5 and 6)
4. The records of the three teams will be compared against all common conference opponents;
5. The highest ranked team in the first Bowl Championship Series Poll following the completion of Big 12 regular season conference play shall be the representative
6. The team with the best overall winning percentage [excluding exempted games shall be the representative
7. The representative will be chosen by draw.

Since Tech, OU, and Texas can finish with only one loss each (to each other), methods 1- 4 are bypassed. That leaves #5, and the fate of the Big 12 champ in the hands of the BCS voters. Since pollsters usually punish teams that lose late, in the aforementioned scenario, Texas Tech would probably get the short end of the stick and Texas has the edge at this point. But we’re getting way ahead of ourselves- let’s see what happens Saturday.

Fight On,
Hans

PS: An Oregon State- Penn State rematch in the Rose Bowl? It is not as ridiculous as it may sound. Although folks in State College cringe at the thought of it, if the Beavers win out they still are the Pac-10 champs over USC. And looking back at their season, they only have one bad loss- the opening day stumble to Stanford. Since then, they have only lost to two teams, both of whom happen to be in the top 10 (Penn State and Utah). If they can get by Cal (unlikely) and Arizona (impossible) in the next two weeks, the Civil War would decide the Rose Bowl. Personally, I wouldn’t mind seeing USC being “forced” to accept an at-large BCS berth and play Alabama in the Sugar Bowl or Utah in the Fiesta Bowl. We’ll see . . . .

Ghouls, Goblins, and Transvestites

Saturday saw the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party in Jacksonsville, Florida. Except that, since 2006, the SEC has asked TV networks to stop using that nickname becuase it glorifies the binge drinking that tends to occur. But tradition is hard to stop, and two years later, everyone still knows the Florida - Georgia game as the Cocktail Party. Memo to the NCAA: changing the title of the game will not suddenly end binge drinking associated with this or any other football game. You should see the number and complexity of beer bongs here at the Hawkeye games!

Similarly, the Texas-Oklahoma classic at the Texas State fair was known as the Red River Shootout for 100 years until 2005. I suppose the stuffed shirts of the NCAA found "shootout" to be a little too violent. To heck with 100 years of tradition. But on Saturday night, sprayed across national television, were the mascot, fans, and even coach of Texas Tech with their hands in a gun shape, proudly waving on their gun slinging Red Raiders on to victory over Texas. This "Guns Up" hand sign was developed in 1961 to counter the very common "Hook em Horns" sign, flashed throughout Texas all year long. Will the NCAA crack down on this one too? (interesting side note: the gorgeous black stallion rode by the "Masked Rider" of Texas Tech is probably the oldest of the current live horse mascots in the NCAA, dating back to 1954. Others include Chief Osceola of Florida State, the mounted Cavalier of Virginia, and, of course, college football's greatest mascot: Traveler, the Trojan Horse.)

Political Correctness is the principle of public relations that avoids offending anyone. This, of course, can easily become an exercise in futility. In an attempt to please everyone, you end up pleasing no one. Think of elevator music or the color beige.

Halloween is one night of the year that PC takes a back seat to libido. Sure, there is still plenty of innocent fun among children dressing up and begging for candy (Sophie wore an adorable penguin costume). But Halloween has become a predominantly adult holiday, especially on college campuses where risque apparel is now the norm. Downtown Iowa City, blessed with record high temperatures this weekend, was packed with superheroes, pirates, and nurses, all trying to outdo each other for outrageousness and offense to Midwestern sensibilities.

We made it out on Halloween night for a treat: a showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the local art house theatre. This is a film that revels in shocking sensibilities, purposely challenging conventional social mores. The point of the movie, I think, is that everyone can be corrupted by giving in to their natural sexual insticts. Either that or its just a silly sexy romp in drag with some good songs but a patheticly bad plot.

As a veteran of the Rialto in Pasadena, Balboa in Newport, and the Nuart in West LA, I am pleased to report that the Rocky Horror fans in Iowa are sophisticated, enthusastic, and knew all the classic shout out lines. And they added a few more audience jokes I had not heard before. The best costume by far was a spitting image of Tim Curry's Frank N Furter, right down to the garter belt and nylons. It was a glorious 100 minute bachnalia before we all returned to our quiet, unassuming corn and pig farmer lives to watch some great football.

Fight On,

Hans

Destination Foods

Another Saturday, another day of feasting on college football.

As an indicator of how great the matches were, a game between two undefeated top-10 teams was NOT on national television! Thanks to the infinite insanity of ABC/EPSN, Texas vs Oklahoma State was only “good enough” for regional action. And for those of us in the Midwest otherwise forced to put up with Michigan – Michigan State, only ESPN game plan saved us from watching something that was meaningless outside the Great Lake State. But with Texas- Oklahoma, Texas Tech- Kansas, and Virginia- Georgia Tech, we had plenty of tasty appetizers leading up to the big entrée: Penn State at Ohio State in the dreaded horseshoe. JoPa’s first win in Columbus in 30 years is certainly reason to celebrate, although it sounds like the good people of State College celebrated a little too hard. Makes you wonder what would happen in the streets of Centre County if they make it to the BCS Championship and win it all.

For dessert, I had the pleasure of taking in the USC-Arizona game from the friendly confines of the USC alumni bar: the Goose Island Brew pub in Wrigleyville (that’s the suburb of Chicago surrounding Wrigley field for all you living on the left and right coasts). The game was as close as I had expected- this was the one I had picked out back in June as the mid-season league game on the road that would give Pete Carroll his annual stumble. Of course, at the time I had missed the Oregon State road trip; I have to thank the Beavers for causing Pete’s stumble a little early.

All this talk of indulging in edible delights got me feeling a little hungry and I headed down the cold and windy Chicago streets for a warm, cheesy pie of comfort. The best pizza in the world is made in Chicago, and the best pizza in Chicago is made by Giordano’s. With all due respect to devotees of Gino’s East (and I really don’t want to step in the middle of that debate), Giordano’s is the Mount Everest of Chicago-style pizza. Imagine a succulent quiche packed with mushrooms and veggies. Now imagine that instead of egg as the medium, those ingredients are suspended in hot cheese. MMMMMMMM. Healthy? Of course not. A ridiculous amount of calories ? Sure. Worth it? You betcha!

If you do go to Giordano’s, one brief word of advice: one slice of this deep dish is equivalent to 3-4 slices of “regular pizza”. Eating two pieces of Giordano’s is a very large meal. To make it worse, it can really sneak up on you. You have been thinking about it all 4 hours on your drive from Iowa. You walk into the restaurant and you are overwhelmed with the beautiful sent of baking bread and melting cheese. By the time you wait 30 minutes for your pie, you feel like you are starving. When the pizza arrives, you dive into the first slice, polishing of the plate of molten cheese with nary a thought. So you reach for a second slice – why not? You always eat at least two slices of pizza anyway. Halfway through that second slice, it hits you. Bubbles of pure cholesterol begin racing through your veins. Your arteries begin to stiffen and petrify. Your swollen stomach draws an ever larger volume of blood to support its attempt at digestion. Your brain, already pickled by the pitcher of Goose Island Ale you chugged while waiting for your pie, shrinks from the lack of circulation. Your head spins, your belly swells, and sheer force of will manages to get the last few bites into your mouth. You pay your bill, waddle to the street, collapse into a cab, and wake up 15 minutes later in front of your hotel.

And you can’t wait to do it again!

Fight On,

Hans

PS: Giordano’s is a “destination food”. A meal that you miss when you leave it and are willing to drive a little further just to get. In and Out is another perfect example of a “destination food”. I want to hear about other’s destination foods- add it to the Bark Like a Dog post.

The BCS is Back

The first BCS standings have been released and the top three are no surprise (and probably accurate). The BCS wacky ranking system is every one's favorite punching bag, and I am no exception. Goofy results from chaotic upsets and exclusion of deserving teams plague the BCS every year. But heck, it gives us something to talk about. Take this column for example. I was fresh out of heartwarming stories about perfect fall weather in the heartland or teaching my daughter to make game day pancakes or tailgating at the nation's best stadiums.

As much I love to pick on the BCS, they did get at least one thing right: holding the first rankings until half way through the season. By ignoring the essentially arbitrary pre-season ratings, unsubstantiated biases are supplanted by a reflection of the teams real performance. This season is a perfect example of the value of this system: the top 3 teams in this week's BCS rankings started the season outside the AP top 10.

When the season started, the top 4 were interchangeable between Georgia, Ohio State, USC, and Oklahoma. All of these supposed "teams of the century" now have a loss, and Georgia and Ohio State are struggling to remain relevant in the national title race. With 8 undefeated teams, BCS bashers are salivating over the possibility of continued controversy and anger at th close of the season. But there's plenty of football left to play and past years have proven that the standings will get jumbled by the most unlikely of dogs. Of course, folks in Auburn will remind everyone of 2004 when there were three undefeated teams from BCS conferences. I doubt an undefeated SEC champion will get screwed this year.

Of course, if Alabama, Texas, and Penn State do win out, then the Nitany Lions will be this year's Auburn. This should come as an outrageous injustice to the folks in State College: Geriatric JoPa has been on top of the game for decades. He has 5 undefeated seasons to be proud of. But only one national championship! No team has been snake-bit by the lack of playoff more than JoPa's Lions.

See you in Pasadena, Joe.

Fight On,

Hans

Indian Summer

"The air is perfectly quiescent and all is stillness, as if Nature, after her exertions during the Summer, were now at rest."
John Bradbury, 1817

Everyone knows what an Indian Summer is: a period of still, warm weather following a frost, preceding winter, usually in October or November. But there is considerable more controversy over the origin of the term. The May 17, 2005 USA Today published an excellent review of the subject. References to the term have been discovered as far back as 1778. At that time a French-American soldier-turned-farmer wrote,

"Sometimes the rain is followed by an interval of calm and warmth which is called the Indian Summer; its characteristics are a tranquil atmosphere and general smokiness. Up to this epoch the approaches of winter are doubtful; it arrives about the middle of November, although snows and brief freezes often occur long before that date."

-St. John de Crevecoeur, "German-flats, 17 Janvier, 1778”


Theories abound about the original intent of the term. It may be because this period was the time of harvest of the native American crops and the fruitful hunting that can take place. Or that native American raids on colonial settlements peaked during the autumn before halting for the winter. Since it is a meteorological phenomenon unique to North America, European settler’s referred to it as the “Indian’s Summer”. One source even attributed it to a maritime tradition for European ships plying the Indian Ocean trade. Ships would be loaded maximally during the fairest sailing season, the “Indian Summer”. Some ships would even have hull marks indicating load level for the period, marked “I.S.”

Connections, however, to the term “Indian Giver” are more rare. A few sources pointed out that early settlers with a disdain for the locals likely called this period the Indian Summer because it is essentially a “false” summer; implying that all things “Indian” are not to be trusted. Indian Giver refers to a person to takes a gift back after it is given. A common economic practice among native tribes would be to give a gift and then expect a gift in return as part of a trade. When their new European trading partners did not understand that the gift they received was to initiate a trade, the Indians took the gift back. A century later, the term Indian Giver took on new meaning as white negotiators promised native tribes one thing, then took it back in the next “treaty”.


Whatever the source of the term, we in Iowa are currently reveling in a gorgeous Indian Summer. The air is calm and clear, the sun is bright, and daytime highs reach well into the upper 70’s. The local restaurants brought their sidewalk tables and umbrellas back out of storage, the corn and soybeans are sitting in the fields un-harvested and drying in the sun, and the downtown streets are thronged with inebriated students. We had a week or two of cool weather: the sweaters got unpacked from the basement, the apples in the trees turned a sweet juicy red, and you could just begin to smell hints of smoke on the air as home fires were burning. Last week’s games were played in this “football weather”: warm enough for fans in sweatshirts and cool enough for players to work hard and not get overheated. But this week we are back to summer time temperatures and we don’t mind one bit.

We barbecued burgers in shorts and t-shirts and feasted on farm fresh tomatoes. We harvested dozens of bundles of basil, blending it into 40 pints of pesto to freeze and enjoy in the deepest, coldest part of winter (homemade pesto in January tastes like a little touch of summer). We played on the lawn with our babies, drinking beer and hoping the sunshine would never end. And when the sun finally did set, we headed inside to watch multiple games on two projectors: Penn State- Wisconsin, Florida- LSU, and Missouri- Oklahoma State. Drained by the hot sun, numbed by countless bottles of Sierra Nevada Porter, and engorged on chips, guacamole, and tamales, we slipped into a deep coma on the couch, dreaming of the endless summer.


Fight On,
Hans

American Pie

"So bye-bye, miss american pie.Drove my chevy to the levee,But the levee was dry.And them good old boys were drinkin’ whiskey and rye Singin’, "this’ll be the day that I die."this’ll be the day that I die."
- Don McLean, "American Pie"

My daughter's favorite song is American Pie. We sing it together as she goes to sleep, and no matter how fussy she is at the first few bars, she is calm and ready for sleep by the final line about the Father, Son and Holy Ghost taking the last train for the coast. Singing the refrain so many times has had me thinking of a few connections between this American classic and life here in Iowa.

For those of you who don’t know, we are currently building a new home near Coralville Lake, a man-made lake just north of Iowa City. This dam holds back the Iowa River and controls flooding in Iowa City downstream. Of course, that only works until the water gets so high that it pours over the lip of the emergency spillway. Thankfully, that has only happened twice in history: in 1993 and again last June. The resulting flood at the University of Iowa wiped out a few dozen homes and the entire arts campus: the art school, the music school, the art museum (the art was saved and moved to storage before the flood), and, worst of all, the major performing arts theatre in Iowa City (Hancher Auditorium). It may be two years before these buildings can be occupied again. Other than that, however, the flood damage was mostly contained by an army of student and local volunteers. More sandbags were used in Iowa than in the entire Katrina disaster! The sandbagging efforts were so vigorous that the filling of new bags was called off more than a day before the expected peak of the flood. In its wake, the torrent of water below the spillway uncovered a bed of fossils from the Devonian era. Today, families walk in the dry gorge to gawk at the fossils, leaving their cars in a lot that was buried by millions of gallons of water per second only a few months ago. We are certainly thankful that the levee is now dry!

Don McLean’s primary inspiration for his epic piece of Americana was the tragic death of Buddy Holly, along with Richie Valens and the Big Bopper. Iowa proudly lays claim to this unfortunate pop culture event. After performing at the Surf Ballroom (which still exists and still hosts concerts) their plane took off from the airport at Clear Lake, IA only to crash into a field nearby. If you are ever wandering the back roads of Iowa, somehow lost off the I-35 between Des Moines and Minneapolis, you can visit the memorial that stands at the crash site.

A few months back, I was wandering the back roads of Iowa just south of Clear Lake and stumbled upon the tiny hamlet of Templeton, Iowa. Templeton is well known to bootleggers and whiskey aficionados as the source of the infamous Templeton Rye Whiskey, a brand that flourished during the days of prohibition. Some claim that Templeton Rye was a favorite of Al Capone, who made sure that his lackeys smuggled enough to the resort town of Galena, IL, on the Iowa border across from Dubuque, IA. Templeton Rye was even enjoyed in some of the finest speakeasies of the Windy City itself. Today, a legal edition of the whiskey is marketed. It is an outstanding whiskey: smooth, drinkable, and finishes with a subtle overtone of spice and smoke. Or, for those less accustomed to whiskey, it tastes like battery acid.
I have been to the town- there is not much there. There is only one bar, and it doesn't sell bottles of the famed whiskey. The distillery is a plain looking alluminum warehouse on te edge of town, with no tours or a factory store. Trust me, if you want to go see how whiskey is made, go to the Highlands of Scotland, not Templeton, IA

That road trip on which I encountered Templeton took me from Sioux City to Waterloo to back home in Iowa City. Normally, the opportunity to explore new communities among the pastoral bliss of an Iowan summer would have been very appealing. But as the miles and gallons ticked by, and as the rapid roll of the “sale” window of the gas pump climbed ever higher, I longed for more efficient vehicle. Now don’t get me wrong; my Subaru Outback is no slouch at 24 MPG. And during every ice storm that rolls through in January I thank my lucky stars for that beautiful piece of all-wheel Japanese engineering. But I can tell you right now what my next car will be: The Chevy Volt. Assuming this car works as well as the “geniuses” at GM say it will, I will pretty much go from having a fuel bill to having an electrical bill (actually, I believe they have do have some genius engineers at GM- the bozos in the board room are a different matter). By being able to plug it into an outlet at home every night, the car will run silently on electrical power for most if not all of my average driving of 15 miles per day. And when I do make that occasional trip to Waterloo, Clear Lake, or, heaven forbid, Templeton, the internal combustion engine kicks in after 30 miles to charge my battery on the fly. I can’t wait!

http://money.cnn.com/2008/09/11/autos/volt_official_reveal/index.htm?cnn=yes

When we do finally finish building our house by the lake, and if the geniuses manage to get the Volt into production, I can celebrate by heading out to the dam, popping open a bottle of Templeton Rye Whiskey, and drink a toast to Iowa, Buddy Holly, and classic Rock and Roll. So, yes, I will drive my chevy to the levee and drink whiskey and rye. That will be the day that I really start living!

Fight On,

Hans

Doomed to Repeat It

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. "
- George Santayana, Life of Reason, 1905

The above three photos tell the whole story for the shocking upset my Trojans suffered on Thursday. Freshman Jacquizz Rodgers was effective in everything he did. He ran so wild that not even knocking off his helmet could slow him down. I hear that Pete Carrol has now special-ordered smaller tackling dummies in case his vaunted defense ever has to face such an intimidating target as a 5'-6" freshman again. The fans stormed the field, and the newly-appointed successor to Pete Carrol's line of star leading men, this time the heralded Mark Sanchez, walked dejectedly off the field.

It all seems so familiar.

2 years ago, newly appointed John David Booty had a pass knocked down on a two point conversion be sent packing from Corvallis in shame. 2 years before that, only the brilliant play of Lendale White kept (newly appointed) Matt Leinhart's squad from stumbling in the thick fog of Reser Stadium. In fact, after Thursday's debacle, USC has lost 3 of the last 4 in Corvallis. Oregon State is not tough to beat in LA, but Mike Rilley really has the Trojan's number in the friendly confines.

So when everyone texted and emailed and called me Friday morning, asking how I could possibly have seen that coming, I merely reminded them of Santayana's quote. Believe me, as much as I am happy to get back in the underdog pool race with 23.5 points, it was by far the most painful 23.5 points I have ever scored.

As it turns out, however, USC was hardly the only team to catch the upset bug this weekend. There were upsets everywhere you turned, probably setting a record for points scored by the collective pool in one weekend (Kurt will correct this post with the correct data on Tuesday morning). 4 of the top 10 went down. Georgia losing was not a surprise. Alabama jumping out to a 31 - 0 halftime lead is ridiculous. Florida losing at home to . . . .Ole Miss? When Michigan commits 5 turnovers in the first half against a top 10 team, they are done. Unless they are playing Wisconsin on September 27, 2008! I am not even going to mention Wake Forest losing at home to Navy because I still can't explain that one. Underdog wins greater than a touchdown are rare in the NFL. We had two on Sunday.

There are two patterns that were confirmed this weekend. First, just when you think the BCS will have 7 undefeated teams at the end of the year, someone does something stupid and knocks themselves out of the race. This weekend we were blessed with 4 teams blowing at once. Second, and getting back to Santayana, is that in the underdog pool history definitely repeats itself. So if you haven't figured it out by now, for future reference:

- Colorado State always plays close to Colorado
- Always pick Northwestern over Iowa
- Don't pick Tennessee over any favorite (sorry Josh)
- Always pick NC State when they're a home dog (weird that they lost this time around)
- Fresno State is better than you think
- Stanford will pull off at least two double digit upsets per year
- Always pick the underdog in the Washington - Dallas game
- Always pick the underdog in the NY Giants - Dallas game
- AND . . . . Always pick Oregon State at home over USC when they have a new QB!

Bill Moore has figured all this out. He's played this pool a few times before. That's why he is leading and we'll be chasing him all year long.

Fight On,

Hans

Cubs and Bears

Chicago is a beautiful city with amazing architecture and a fascinating collection of neighborhoods. The people are generous, fun-loving, and diverse. The city center is close-knit and easy to walk around. It is full of fascinating museums, shops, and restaurants. In fact, it might just be one of the most perfect cities in the US except for one glaring problem: the weather sucks. Winter is too cold and windy and summer is too hot and muggy. Chicago hits its weather sweet spot around May and September.

We were fortunate enough to get away to Chicago this last weekend and were blessed with one of the most beautiful, sun drenched, bright and wonderful couple of days I have seen in that city. I was entertained during the 3.5 hour drive there by the Hawkeye game versus Pittsburgh (ending with an unfortunate fumble rather than a triumphant field goal). Upon arrival, we walked around Millennium Park with its famous "bean"sculpture and Frank Geahry's incredible amphitheatre. The park was full of people from all countries, languages, and cultures, all mixing with the art and soaking in the sun. What a great place to hold the Olympics (2016 - maybe)

Our multicultural indulgence continued with dinner; we got take-out from a Lebanese eatery near the University of Chicago. It is a campus favorite, always packed full of students and faculty alike, enjoying the savory, delicious food. Everyone's mood was light and cheerful; it may have been the perfect weather, it may have been the great food, but more than anything it was probably due to the Cubs' clinching the NL Central that afternoon. On the 100th anniversary of their last championship (the longest drought in all of professional sports), the Cubs get to be one of the final 8. It remains to be seen how they will blow it this time around!

The rest of the evening was spent soaked in mojitos (yeah- I drink mojitos, got a problem with that?) in a sports bar watching the three great college games broadcast simultaneously: Georgia-ASU, Florida St-Wake Forest, and, the best of them all, LSU-Auburn. I am glad I kept watching the LSU-Auburn game; just when I thought it was over, Les Miles pulled out yet another miracle. I guess we can't count them out of the national title race quite yet. I would love for USC to finally get their shot at the Tigers on Jan 9th. But we've got a long road before that date.

Sunday brought more sunshine, more cool breezes, and the first day of Autumn. More importantly, it brought a Bears home game at Soldier Field. Sophie (my 16 mo daughter) and I cuddled on the bed in the hotel room and shared a bowl of mac and cheese, watching the game. Afterwords, Sophie, Kristi and I took a long walk along the lake shore, and got a chance to witness Bears nation in person and the extensive tailgating that follows. Despite their shocking collapse in the last 5 minutes and loss in OT to the Buccaneers, the Bears fans remained in a jovial mood. Again- it was probably the rare chance at perfect weather.

I have often been asked why I left Southern California for a region with such crappy weather. Honestly, I really don't mind the weather here. When weekends like this happen, they are more memorable and more special. I just appreciate the good days more and learn to live with the bad days. Besides, the cold weather isn't so bad: there is something wonderful about huddling under a fleece blanket, sipping hot chocolate laced with peppermint schnapps.

But I'll take another perfect weekend before we break out the fleece and schnapps!

Fight On,

Hans

Outrageous Excesses

I had the good fortune of being able to travel to LA for this week's Game of the Century. The tongue-in-cheek moniker of "this weeks Game of the Century" in itself suggest the outrageous excesses of over-hype that games like the USC-Ohio State match tend to generate. In the news-worthy drought of September (no BCS poll to complain about, conference play not even started), sports writers and fans alike will happily glom onto the mere potential of a "bowl game" before summer has even ended. Rewarding teams for scheduling a tough opponent early in the season is laudable, but proper perspective should be maintained.

I knew we were headed toward excessive hype when ESPN added "OSU-USC" as a ticker category on their "bottom line" scrolling news. That's compared to other more general categories like "NCAAF", "AL", "NL", and "NFL." Crazy.

Take the ultra-hype, add ESPN game day, stir in a warm sunny evening in LA, add a dash of celebrity sightings, and bake it all in an oven of a brewing rivalry between coaches who have yet to meet on the field of battle. The dish that results is so outrageously excessive that it could only be paired with a 1971 Lafitte Rothschild to do it any justice.

The excesses began early Saturday. Since ESPN game day must be broadcast live to the lazy blokes on the East coast at the pedestrian hour of 10 am ET, the show began bright and early at 7am in LA. This was hardly a deterrent to the rabid USC fans, who started pouring into the Exposition Park area well before dawn. I spoke to one tailgater who arrived at 7:30am and got the very last spot on the lawn outside the stadium. This is hardly impressive to other schools with more intensive tailgating traditions (the liquor stores in Iowa City and Columbus open at 6:00 am on game days!), but for the usually laid back Los Angelenos, this is unheard of.

We planned to arrive at 2pm for a "leisurely" tailgate luncheon, but soon discovered that all 93,600 had gotten to the freeway before us and we sat in the I-110S parking lot for an hour. Finally getting to the Cardinal and Gold picnic location, we were overwhelmed by the long lines for the 8 different buffets of barbecue and the impressive display of liquor at the open bar.

Wandering through the mass hordes of stadium-side parties, I was very impressed with the rapid growth of USC tailgating. Where they was once ample lawns for blankets and picnic baskets, cars and "pop up" tents covered the park. We passed one generous fellow who planned ahead on providing to his fellow fans: an eight person beer bong. Why get drunk alone when you can pass out with 7 other complete strangers.

The bowl/championship atmosphere carried on into the stadium, where the Greatest Marching Band in the History of the Universe (talk about outrageous excess) played the pre-game followed by a flyover by navy jets. It is not enough to "just" have a 120-member band plays Stars and Stripes and the Star Spangled Banner. They had to add the 150 decibel roar of fighter jets a few hundred feet overhead. Why stop there? Where were the fireworks? OK- they did light the Olympic torch at the start of the 4th quarter (how cool is that- what other team can boast to play under the light of an Olympic torch? The Atlanta Braves? Anyone else?)

The really fun part of USC games these days is the stargazing. We can expect to find Marcus Allen, Henry Winkler, and Matt Leinhart along the sidelines somewhere, but other celebs often show. With the hype surrounding this match, the celebrity count was expected to be outrageously excessive. The lead photo for this blog tells you all you need to know about the current state of USC football. That's George Lucas shaking hands with the Governator (maybe asking if he could play Darth in a future film). 'Nuff Said!

The game itself was full of outrageous excesses. One would expect these two brilliant coaches (Jim Tressel and Pete Carroll) to come up with some unconventional tricks for this special game, but these two really mixed it up beyond expectations. USC scored its first touchdown with a 35 yard post pattern to a fullback! (Yes, you read that right). They scored their second to a true freshman TE who hadn't caught a pass before. Buckeye freshman phenom Terrelle Pryor was expected to see some action, but I never expected Tressel to use alternating QB's on his opening drive. They didn't alternate series; they alternated EVERY PLAY!

The final score was excessive in its own way. I am not surprised that USC won or even beat the spread, but racking up 35 points against one of the best defenses in the nation is ridiculous. And holding Ohio State to only 3 points is remarkable. Watching Rey Malaluga return an interception 43 yards for a TD and relishing sack after sack in the 2nd half gives evidence to my belief that this USC is SCARY good. As good as or better than the 2004 team that went 13-0 and beat Oklahoma to win the national title. And that final was held in Miami. Oklahoma just moved up to number 2 this week. The BCS championship this year is in Miami.

History does repeat itself.

Fight On,

Hans

The Ultimate Burger

An essential element of football is the tailgating before and after the game. The food and drink that accompanies this ritual can be legendary. ESPN writer Doug Ward assembled a fantastic coast to coast chronicle of some of the highlights of college football tailgating:

http://sports.espn.go.com/travel/news/story?id=3556286

I am always in search of the ulitmate football viewing cuisine, which recently led me to stumble upon an amazing burger recipe in Gourmet magazine. I was skepitcal at first (especially the call for pickled beets), but I took the plunge and tried it. It is fantastic- truly transcendant hamburger experience. As close as you can get to burger heaven without going to In and Out . . . .

The Aussie Burger: As it appeared in Gourmet Magazine.

As it appeared in my kitchen before it was inhaled.

Aussie Burger

Serves4
Active time:30 min
Start to finish:35 min
July 2008
Some Australians add grilled onions to this burger—feel free to make it your own. Learn the story behind this dish in our column, The Recipe.
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Asian chile paste such as sambal oelek
1 1/4 lb ground beef chuck
4 kaiser rolls, split
4 pineapple rings
1 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
4 large eggs
3/4 cup drained sliced pickled beets
Accompaniments:
lettuce; tomato slices
Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium heat for gas); see “Grilling Procedure.”
Combine ketchup, mayonnaise, and chile paste.
Mix beef with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, then form into 4 (4 1/4-inch-diameter) patties.
Lightly toast rolls on grill.
Pat pineapple dry and brush with 1/2 Tbsp oil.
Oil grill rack, then grill pineapple and burgers, covered only if using a gas grill, turning once, until pineapple is tender and caramelized and burgers are medium-rare, about 4 minutes total.
Heat remaining 1/2 Tbsp oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then fry eggs.
Spread chile mayonnaise on rolls, then assemble burgers with pineapple, beets, eggs, lettuce, and tomato.
Cooks’ note: Rolls, pineapple, and burgers can be cooked in a hot oiled large (2-burner) ridged grill pan over medium-high heat.
Recipe by Andrea Albin
Photograph by Romulo Yanes

Turning Blue?

Following Obama’s electric oratory in Mile High Stadium, the best performance there since John Elway in 1998, the Democratic National Convention wound down and left pundits to pour over tracking polls and the electoral map. One state that has been long identified as a battleground is the usually red state of Virginia. Having elected Democratic governor Tim Kaine in 2005, then Democratic Senator Jim Webb in 2006, the DNC is hoping that former Governor Mark Warner can complete the trifecta in 2008 by filling the other senate seat. Obama did well in the primary there, and hopes to have it in the win column in November. Recent polls indicate that this is a distinct possibility, with the candidates running a dead heat.

With USC playing its opener against the University of Virginia, I had the opportunity to witness part of this newly “purple” state in person. I flew to Richmond where I stayed the night before the game. Looking around this former capital of the Confederacy, I was reminded that this state is below the Mason-Dixon line. And this part of it is way below the line! Pundits have described Virginia as being two states: Northern Virginia connected economically and culturally to Washington and Baltimore, and the rest of Virginia. Richmond, it seems, is in the “rest of Virginia.” Southern hospitality abounded. Grits accompanied my game-day pancakes. A local radio station described a party they were throwing as the “most fun you can have without turning left.” (NASCAR is big down here)

The game was held on the UVa campus in Charlottesville. As we drove the 50 miles between Richmond and Charlottesville, I saw a grand total of two Obama bumper stickers. Thomas Jefferson’s university is nestled the gorgeous foothills of the Appalachians. Shrouded in mid-Atlantic deciduous forest, the university that Jefferson founded and designed is designated as an UNESCO world heritage site. Interestingly, Jefferson created the school in 1819 as a secular institution, unlike other schools of that era. Most American universities that date back to the start of the 19th century or before were linked to a particular Christian sect, had a seminary as their first professional school, and arrayed the campus around a church at the center. Reflecting his own philosophy of an educated populace being essential to the stability of democracy, Jefferson placed his library at the center of Virginia’s campus (and blocked the study of Theology).

We climbed the hills traversing the campus up to the stadium and into the blazing hot August sun. The Cavalier’s home field is beautiful: set into one of the bigger hills on campus, a horseshoe capped on one end by a sloped lawn and wooden trellis. But apparently the only people that call students at Virginia “Cavaliers” are people from outside UVa. Virginians refer to themselves as “Hoos”, short for Wahoos. It comes from a school cheer dating back to 1890, “Wah-Hoo-Wah”. The stadium sings their school song (set to the tune of Auld Langsyne) after each touchdown, followed by the cheer. Of course, we only got to hear the song once, thanks to the brilliant play of the USC defense. But we did hear the Cavalier . . . er . . . the Hoo band plenty throughout the game. They actually mic the band and amplify them over the stadium loudspeakers.

Mic the band? Really?

With a final score of 52-7, the game mercifully ended, not soon enough for the Hoos. As we headed back to Richmond, I wondered what did I learn from my trip?

1. The University of Virginia campus is as beautiful as advertised.
2. A purple clad Cavalier on horseback is a much more impressive mascot than a Hoo.
3. Mark Sanchez is a smoking hot quarterback and the USC offense is better than expected.
4. The USC defense is as good as expected.
5. Obama may have a chance in Northern Virginia, but Richmond was the capital of the confederacy for a reason.
6. It’s a good year for the USC Song Girls.

Fight On,
Hans

PS: A Newsweek article earlier this year described Cindy McCain as a USC “Cheerleader” (not SongGirl). If that’s true it sets up an agonizing choice for November: Brilliant, inspiring leadership from an eloquent agent of change vs. having a USC Song Girl as a first lady. Hmmm . . . . Then again, I suppose that is just the kind of misogyny that is driving “life long Democrats” from Hillary over to Palin. Unfortunately, Newsweek’s assertion has yet to be confirmed and is in fact refuted by several university blogs, including by someone claiming to be her sorority sister.

Coldest Winter

It is hard to not be inspired to write when I am sitting 31 stories into the sky at desk set before a panoramic view of San Francisco bay. I am watching the mighty Pacific marine layer slowly pull away its veil from the water and bridges of the bay. Each day, the ocean rolls tendrils of cool mist across the city and most afternoons it releases its icy grasp to give the citizens of San Francisco a few hours of sun-drenched relief. This cycle of cool morning fog and hot afternoon sun is a pain for city dwellers but a blessing to the grape vines in the valleys to the north. Without it, and we would never know the smooth buttery-oak flavor of a good Napa Chardonnay.

The biggest problem with San Francisco’s unusual weather patterns is that it actually gets colder in summer time. That can be quite a shock when you step off a plane from Iowa where it’s just above 80 during the day and just below 80 at night. Dressing for that weather is fairly straightforward: just grab a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and you’re good to go all day. But in a San Francisco summer your attire ranges from jeans and a fleece for your morning stroll to Starbucks to short sleeved shirt at the farmer’s market in the afternoon, and back to windbreaker in the evening when that bitter wind comes sweeping off the bay. No wonder Mark Twain wrote, “The coldest winter of my life was the summer I spent in San Francisco”

Just one problem: he never wrote that!

According to Snopes.com and a Mark Twain biography site, no evidence of that quote has ever been found among his works. However, in 1879, he did write that that last time “he could recall such a cold winter was last summer.” Unfortunately, he was referring to a summer in Paris, not San Francisco. With all due respect to America’s greatest humorist, I have been to Paris in summer and found it to be quite pleasant. Cool, yes, but pleasant. San Francisco is not.
Mr Twain (er . . . Mr Clemens) certainly would have known about the weather in San Francisco, where he worked as a newspaper correspondent starting in 1864 with the San Francisco Daily Morning Call. He gained national attention the next year when his story, "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog" was published in the New York Saturday Press. From there he went on to publish other travel-related stories in Newspapers and Magazines until his first book was released in 1867. The rest, as they say is . . . well, you know.

Mark Twain was in San Francisco for that city’s 1865 earthquake (not the “real” great one of 1906). Here’s how he described his experience:

“A month afterward I enjoyed my first earthquake. It was one which was long called the "great" earthquake, and is doubtless so distinguished till this day. It was just after noon, on a bright October day. I was coming down Third street. The only objects in motion anywhere in sight in that thickly built and populous quarter, were a man in a buggy behind me, and a street car wending slowly up the cross street. Otherwise, all was solitude and a Sabbath stillness. As I turned the corner, around a frame house, there was a great rattle and jar, and it occurred to me that here was an item!–no doubt a fight in that house.”

I am sure Twain rushed back to his desk to write his newspaper story, but I wonder what he had for a view to inspire him. I can be certain that he didn’t have the vantage I am enjoying from 31 floors up in my hotel. Yet back in Twain’s day there were some hotels with spectacular views.

One of these fabulous old hotels is the San Francisco Fairmont. Perched atop Nob Hill, a ridge straddling downtown and Chinatown, the Fairmont, along with its antique twin the Mark Hopkins, enjoys an ideal location, assuming you don’t have to walk up to them from far below in Union Square. My wife Kristi was fortunate enough to have a business dinner event in the Crown Room at the Fairmont, a room with by far the best view in the house. She sipped a flight of Napa wines as day turned to dusk and dusk turned to night. To her left, the Golden Gate Bridge was bathed in the rays of the setting sun as it valiantly held the icy marine layer at bay for a few more precious hours. Ahead, stood the Transamerica Pyramid, Coit Tower, and all the lights of downtown stirring to life as the sun faded from the sky. And to her right lay the Oakland Bay Bridge, the arts district of SoMa (South of Market) and Pacific Bell Park . . . er. . . AT&T Park, the home of the San Francisco Giants.

The view from the Fairmont is certainly wonderful now. But it was not so pleasant when it first opened. It just so happens that the hotel opened in 1906, only a couple of weeks before the “real” great San Francisco earthquake (and two years after Twain’s death). The structure survived the quake but was damaged by the fire. Her grand opening was to be delayed one full year, when the gala event featured 300 lbs of turtle, 13,000 oysters, and fireworks over the bay. Why did they serve turtle? I have no idea- I’m sure it made sense to them at the time. Kristi was not served turtle- she enjoyed grilled vegetable risotto and a white chocolate tulip with fresh raspberries. But she says she would have been happy to try the turtle and oysters.

Where was I during this enchanting spectacle? Her dinner was not open to spouses, so I was on my own for those couple of hours. In case she decided to leave the dinner early, I chose to make myself available at a moment’s notice by taking up a perch on a barstool in the same building. I hurried through the night up Nob Hill from Union Square (when I say up, I really mean up- see “crappy location of Fairmont”, above). I had expected to wait in the lobby bar- an opulent yet sterile and predictable ambiance of neo-classical extravagance. But when I arrived at the hotel I was intrigued by the name of another bar, this one in the basement: the Tonga Room.

At a glance, I knew the Tonga room was my kind of cheesy. Tiki figures, bamboo walls, thatch roofs over the tables, a pool with floating boat, and even a simulated thunderstorm with flashing lights and rain from overhead sprinklers every 30 minutes. The dance floor is decorated like the deck of a sailing ship- complete with rigging and part of a sail. What is kind of cool is that the rigging and wood railing is actually from a real ship: the SS Forrester. The Forester was one of the last tall ships to make regular trips between San Francisco and the South Pacific. She would carry California lumber and other products to exotic Pacific ports and return with coral, crafts, and tropical hardwoods. And now its gutted remains sit mostly unrecognized in this tourist trap of a bar.

I settled into a corner barstool, ordered a daiquiri, and amusingly took in the wonderfully cliché surroundings. I about fell off my barstool laughing when my drink came- complete with one of those tiny paper umbrellas! The extreme irony that I would find such a wonderfully cheesy place in the heart of San Francisco’s most prestigious hotel kept me smiling all night. To continue the tropical drink theme, I next ordered a Mai-Tai.

Oops.

A word of caution to those seeking to imitate this travelogue: don’t order the Mai-Tai unless your single goal of the evening is to become intimate with the underside of your table.

Kristi found me an hour later curled up on a couch in the lobby. No, I am not quite sure how I got there. But I do remember purring contently as I nestled into the 400 thread count throw pillows while listening to the antics of three teenagers from France on the next couch over. Kristi rescued me from my stupor and poured me into a cab for our ride back to our own hotel. Next time, we should stay at the Fairmont- I gotta try another one of those Mai-Tai’s!

Fight On,

Hans

PS: The Underdog Pool starts in one month- get ready. If you are now ready for a trip to the Fairmont and the Tonga Room, USC plays at Stanford November 11th. Mai-Tai's go great with the sweet taste of revenge.

What to do when it's 0 degrees

Tonight, much of country watched the Frozen Tundra of Lambeax Field with a voyeuristic, ghoulish fascination at playing football in below freezing weather. "Ice Bowl II!" "Isn't great how Brett Favre plays in lousy weather" "Those Packer fans are just amazing" What is easy to forget in the midst of this spectacle that we are enjoying from 70 degree living rooms is that we expect these professional football players to entertain us despite the ridiculous conditions. As an Emergency Physician who has treated more than enough cases of frostbite and hypothermia, I can confidently state that there is simply nothing fun about being outdoors in below freezing weather. Football in 30 degrees and 6 inches of snow? That's pretty darn close to heaven. Football in -25 wind chill? Dangerous. And please tell me who the genius was that put the kickoff after sunset. Boneheads. What would you do if your employer expected you to work outside in conditions that cause tissue injury in a matter of minutes?

Given the extreme conditions common in the upper Midwest in January, many of you probably wonder what we do to survive in the deepest, darkest, coldest days of winter. First of all, outdoor activities are steeply curtailed. Nordic skiing with appropriately expensive designer base layers and high-tech space age athletic apparel can be done, but only on bright, sunny days with minimal wind. Second, all that fat we've been building up since RAGBRAI ended last summer finally is put to good use. Third, we hold winter parties (in lieu of Christmas Parties in December) to enjoy the company of co-workers and neighbors and also get really smashed. Fourth, vacations to Florida, Texas, Arizona, Mexico, and the Caribbean are really popular. Fifth, and most importantly, we justify our newly reclusive never-be-seen-outside lifestyle as "a chance to spend quality time with the family." The volume of quality family time increases exponentially with dropping temperatures.

As we enjoy our quality time with the family, also known as huddling under blankets on the couch while watching TV, we can marvel at Brett Favre's moderate talent but ridiculously brilliant karma. I think we may have enjoyed his gritty determination and youthful spirit for the last time tonight. Mourn not the passing of this legend. All good things must come to an end, including Brett Favre, the cozy comfort of Autumn, and this year's unbelievable year in college football.

The 2007 football season will go down in history as the Year of the Dog. A season made for the Underdog Pool. A season so chaotic that a team won the national championship with 2 losses for the first time ever. A season so bizarre, the record for largest upset in history was broken . . . twice. A season so turbulent that the number 2 team had a 2 - 6 record for the final 8 weeks.

The bard writes that every dog will have his day. There were so many dogs having their day, that even Division I-AA teams pulled off upsets over the top division. North Dakota State managed it twice. And then there was Appalachian State . . .

I want to take this moment to send out a thank you to some of the colleges that made this madness possible. Do you remember theses wonderful upsets? Utah, Iowa State, South Florida, Colorado, Auburn, Kansas State, Iowa, Oregon State, Vanderbilt, UCLA, Rutgers, Alabama, Mississippi State, UConn , Florida State , Illinois, Texas Tech, Arkansas, Texas A and M, and, of course, Pittsburgh.

Finally, special mention needs to made of the three ultimate underdogs. The bronze goes to Syracuse, pulling off a then-record 36-pointer over Louisville. The silver goes to Appalachian State: although it was a mere 28-point upset by the 1-AA national champion, their stunning win over Michigan set the tone for the year and became a buzzword for shocking wins. The gold, reluctantly I might add, goes to Stanford, for the single greatest upset in the history of college football: a 41 point baffler that changed the course of the season, keeping the Trojans out of the national title game and allowing a 2 loss team to win it all.

There is one more thing midwesterners do to survive the bitterly cold winter: shuffle through the darkness to the local basketball arena to enjoy that other greatest sport in the world: college basketball. The Dogs of March starts in 2 months. Get ready.

Fight On,
Hans

Bowl Daze

Does anyone out there really care about Mississippi State vs Central Florida?  Or Wake Forest vs UConn?  Any given year, Alabama vs Colorado might be a good game.  But this year they both finished 6-6.  And they met in a Bowl Game?  No one outside of Fresno or Atlanta knew that the Bulldogs and the Yellowjackets played in a bowl this year.  And no one in Boise showed up in the 25 degree weather to watch them play on the smurf turf.  

Put simply, no one would disagree that there are too many bowl games.  Somehow, the system that legitimately rewarded worthy teams of a post-season bonus has ballooned into a travesty of unrealistic expectations.  When leagues are getting 7 or 8 teams into the post season, something is wrong.  When 7-5 teams are considered to have a decent record  and 6-6 qualifies, something is wrong.  When two 6-6 teams play each other, something is seriously wrong!

I blame ESPN and the Capitol One Financial Group for enabling this atrocity.  ESPN provides the broadcast media and Capitol One provides the money for their "Bowl Week": seven miserable days of really bad bowl games.  The growth in cable television has created this monster.  The games are put on for the television audience, not for the local residents and vacationing fans.  Don't believe me?  Did you see the stands at the Papjohns.com bowl?  Or the Autozone Liberty bowl? (remember when that was actually a respectable bowl?)  Or the aforementioned Humanitarian Bowl?  What a joke!

As the bowl system began to blossom a few years back, I had faith in the free market system.  A lack of local support and a lack of TV ratings for a useless bowl would kill it.  But then ESPN stepped in, found the deep pockets of Capitol One, and has thrown endless stacks of money at the Meineke Car Care Bowl, Texas Bowl, Emerald Bowl, etc.  So this begs the question: what bowls are worth keeping?  Which are ones that you watch year to year?

Obviously the BCS bowls.  And the Cotton Bowl is often good (except this year).  Why is this bowl with a much longer tradition than the Fiesta Bowl not part of the BCS?  Becuase Dallas is a miserable place to be on New Years Day!  I find myself frequently watching the Citrus Bowl . . er . . . Capitol One Bowl (why can't they be satisfied with just sponsoring that one bowl?)  I also enjoy the Alamo and Holday Bowls, even though they are played during the dreaded Capitol Bowl Week.  What do all these bowls have in common?  They involve the 2nd or 3rd place team in their respective tied-in leagues.  This translates to higher-ranked match-ups, higher profile teams, and a higher quality of play.  In short, the games we want to watch.

And speaking of good match-ups, the Rose Bowl committee really blew it by inviting Illinois.  Sure, the Illini's first Rose Bowl in 25 years generated epic buzz in Champaign and Chicago, but we all knew they had no chance against the Trojans.  USC proved that they are one of the best teams in the country by blowing the Illini out of the Arroyo.  Georgia ended Colt Brennan's fairy tale later that night by destroying the Warriors in the Sugar Bowl.  But the Rose Bowl could have had USC play Georgia.  What a game that would have been!  And, after Oklahoma got blown out by West Virginia, the Rose Bowl winner would have a had a shot at the AP national championship and a split title with LSU (that would have really pissed off the Tiger fans!)

Oh well.  Woulda', Coulda', Shoulda'. . . 

Fight On,

Hans

PS: I ran into Rick Neuheisel outside the Rose Bowl before the game and wished him luck in the upcoming season.  Its  a good hire for UCLA with one really big IF: If he can stay clean and not get the program into trouble.  With the Reggie Bush NCAA investigation looming soon, USC may

 face sanctions.  So which LA program will face a scandal first?  The race is on . . .