January 1, 2011

The Rose Bowl.

Watch with us. The pregame show is on now, and a panoramic view of the stadium shows it's about 70% red.

UPDATE 1: J.J. Watt says: "A bowl game isn't a vacation for us. It's not a chance for us to enjoy Disneyland. We're going down to Pasadena to win a football game against a great football team in TCU."

I love the way the football players have learned/been taught to say just the right thing. That sportsmanship stuff. I find it sweet. Touching.

J.J. Watt is Meade's favorite player. Keep an eye on him.

UPDATE 2: "I think I forgot to look at the clock," says the incredibly lame announcer who was so busy promoting other ESPN shows that he didn't notice that there was barely enough time to kick a field goal. There was no analysis of the strategy and the clock didn't even appear on screen at one point until suddenly they showed there were 8 seconds left and the announcer made his embarrassing admission.

UPDATE 3: It's a close football game, but we clearly won halftime. The UW Marching Band looked great. Meanwhile, the announcers do nothing to try to get to an explanation of why no time outs were called.

UPDATE 4: Okay, we lost. Let's listen to Erin Andrews, female sportscaster, getting up close and personal with Gary Patterson, the TCU coach — pushing that microphone right up into his face — saying, "You're getting very emotional now." Patterson's all: "I can't tell you how much I love my guys." She's extracting the emotion. "Emotion" is her word. "Tell me what your emotions were when you saw the deflection when they were trying to go for 2 points to tie this thing up." He says: "It was 'oh, my goodness' and then 'yes.'" Who knew football coach emotions sounded like that? Oh, my goodness. How did the vocalization of your emotions sound when you saw that deflection? Did you keep it as squeaky clean as a football coach talking to the lady sportscaster?

178 comments:

Unknown said...

Ann Althouse said...

"it's about 70% red."

Sounds like a block party in San Fiasco.

Trooper York said...

Allways with the politics.

Just enjoy the game.

Trooper York said...

Who names the team after a horny frenchman anyway?

Unknown said...

Couldn't resist, Troop. How was the cruise?

Ann Althouse said...

What's with horns for a school with "Christian" in its name?

Trooper York said...

It was great. Even though we ran into Snooki and the Situation.

I will be blogging extensively after the photo's have approved by the NFL.

Ann Althouse said...

Welcome back, Trooper.

Trooper York said...

Thank you professor. I see you had some interesting times while I was away.

Trooper York said...

And by the way, I told you Nanny Bloomberg was a putz.

Big Mike said...

I'm just glad TCU doesn't belong to the SEC. Today's been a very bad day to be a Big Ten squad matched up against an SEC team.

Paddy O said...

The Rose Parade was grand as well. Walked over and watched it live, then walked back and watched the recorded version. Lovely morning here in Southern California.

The parade route had, I'd say, a more equal percentage of purple and red.

Oddly enough, even though I'm taking pictures of men in parachutes dropping into the Rose Bowl, I can't see the Rose Bowl game itself this year. No cable.

Paddy O said...

"What's with horns for a school with "Christian" in its name?"

Frogs. I guess it makes more sense if you think of the plague in Exodus.

Anonymous said...

I love the way the football players have learned/been taught to say just the right thing. That sportsmanship stuff. I find it sweet. Touching.

Sorry Prof, you don't know your sports.

Learn your cliches.

Anonymous said...

There is no "I" in "TEAM!"

Big Ten takes it up the ass today.

Wisconsin is our last hope.

Beldar said...

Texas horned toads aren't terribly formidable, but they're remarkably hardy. I don't know if many kids in Wisconsin actually grow up observing (much less catching and playing with) badgers, but I guarantee you that lots of Texas kids do exactly that with horned toads. They're a familiar part of our fauna -- although one does need to venture pretty far from the Forty Acres (the traditional name for the UT-Austin campus) to encounter one in the wild, so perhaps your travels here haven't acquainted you with them yet. When eventually you get a chance for some up-close and personal time with one, you'll see that they're not very satanic acting -- although they look much more fierce than they actually are.

Good luck to both teams -- may they end the game feeling they played as hard and well as they could, without injuries.

Patrick said...

I cannot effing believe the Rose Bowl is not on network, rather than cable. For God's sake, this is the Rose Bowl. I know I'm only one of about 10% of the public to not have ESPN, but it never occurred to me that it wouldn't be broadcast. I am extremely ticked, but I suppose I'm that much closer to sucking it up and finally getting cable. Still, I'm really wanting to scream a bunch of nasty words at the top of my lungs.

AllenS said...

Did you just see the Badgers first play?

Patrick said...

Oh, and GO BADGERS!!

Bob_R said...

Great run - bad penalty.

Bob_R said...

They are going to have to catch a pass at some point.

Trooper York said...

Hey I have been away for a while. I just heard that Joe Paterno emailed a photo of his junk to Betty White.

That can't be right?

I'm Full of Soup said...

We are very lucky to have so many wonderful traditions on New Years with many football bowl games and parades.

Btw, the Big Ten teams have been getting their butts kicked in the bowl games so far. That does not bode well for your Badgers.

AllenS said...

SOB!

Big Mike said...

@Patrick, join the club.

AST said...

TCU just scored the first TD.

It's size vs. speed. And maybe who has more stamina.

I can't say I'm rooting for either team, but don't underestimate TCU.

AllenS said...

Touchdown Bucky!

Ann Althouse said...

"SOB!"

Are you crying or swearing?

Ann Althouse said...

I must say, I like the purple pants. Meade told me not to say that, but I can't help it. I think the pants are attractive. Makes me wanna play my old Prince records.

jungatheart said...

Leave Joe Paterno out of this.

DADvocate said...

Watching. It should be the best game of the day. My football player son believes Wisconsin will prevail. The Badgers have a HUGE offensive line.

Unknown said...

We were at a restaurant with the Meineke Bowl (no kidding) playing. Clemson (orange helmets with purple pants) vs South Florida (dark green helmets and jerseys).

Color coordination from Hell.

DADvocate said...

BTW - I don't root for any football teams from Texas. Quite the opposite.

Trooper York said...

I once let this Irish waitress fresh off the boat fill out my football card based on the colors of the uniforms of the teams that were playing.

It was the most money I ever won in any one season.

Lincolntf said...

Speed kills.

AllenS said...

SOB!

Both

Trooper York said...

There was this Philipina lounge singer on the cruise. She had a pronoucniation problem.

She did a lot of country and western songs because there were a lot of Rebels on the trip.

Her big hit: All of My Mexes come from Texas?

ricpic said...

Is the noise in the stands deafening? It isn't the Rose Bowl unless the synchronized noise in the stands is deafening.

Trooper York said...

Multiculuralism can be confusing. Just sayn'

Ralph L said...

J.J. Watt is Meade's favorite player. Keep an eye on him.
Maybe you should just keep an eye on Meade instead of involving us in your bizarre love triangle.

DADvocate said...

Missed field goal!!! Is Wisconsin starting to fold?!

ricpic said...

Today is a very Sunday feeling Saturday.

Mike said...

The Big 10 normally sucks on New Year's Day. Today appears to be a continuation of the trend I have suffered since childhood. Live in Dallas now. Kind of routing for both. What was the deal there with 4th and 2 and deciding to kick with that offensive line?

rhhardin said...

New tradition.

A tradition has to be both an imposition and a choice.

This one doesn't seem to be an imposition.

Unknown said...

My wife is from Wisconsin. My sister got married in a chapel on TCU campus. What to do, what to do.

AllenS said...

It's a really good game so far. Half to go.

James said...

The Rose Bowl isn't allowing Jump Around.

Think the Wisconsin fans will do it anyway?

Unknown said...

The spain language ESPN broadcaster made the same mistake. He has not acknowledge the mistake.
The TD for TCU in the line was kinfd of deja vu

Ann Althouse said...

"New tradition. A tradition has to be both an imposition and a choice. This one doesn't seem to be an imposition."

In my family, pork and sauerkraut was the New Year's Day traditional meal. It was definitely an imposition and a choice.

AllenS said...

There must be 3,000 people in the Bucky Band. Amazing.

AmPowerBlog said...

Halftime.

Had to check to see if Althouse was blogging Rose Bowl, LOL!

You go!

Irene said...

I am so bummed that the cut into the Wisconsin Band's performance with more ads.

But Bielema got to be interviewed by Erin Andrews.

Trooper York said...

"In my family, pork and sauerkraut was the New Year's Day traditional meal. It was definitely an imposition and a choice."

Jeeez. Why does this make me think of Blazing Saddles?

Mike said...

That was a bad pass interference call

Lincolntf said...

That was a hard-nosed drive.

AST said...

I must say, I like the purple pants. Meade told me not to say that, but I can't help it. I think the pants are attractive.

You should have listened to Meade. You sound like Robin Givhan.

Anonymous said...

"The Rose Bowl isn't allowing Jump Around. Think the Wisconsin fans will do it anyway?"

Let's hope the Rose Bowl doesn't have a particular resonant frequency that gets stirred up.

Mike said...

We are finally seeing the vaunted TCU defense I've been reading about all year.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Nick Toon's parents could have named him Car Toon or Looney Toon.

Unknown said...

being and NFL player offspring its enough pressure to add car or looney

Pastafarian said...

Every year, they put 5 or 6 of the Big Ten teams in a bowl game, and they get thoroughly shit-hammered by faster, smarter teams.

The Big Ten: The most over-rated conference in every sport, year after year.

Pastafarian said...

Next up: They'll put 5 or 6 of them into the NCAA basketball tournament, where all but MSU will be eliminated in the first round.

jungatheart said...

Pork and Sauerkraut is my most favorite meal.

That is one intense purple.

James said...

@Quayle; that's an amazing video.

I think its a bad mistake to give TCU the ball here...they should have gone for it.

Robt C said...

The TCU special teams guys who kept the punt out of the end zone did two of the most athletic moves I've seen all season. Great football.

I'm Full of Soup said...

TCU's O-line averages only 6'4" and 314 lbs according to their school's roster vs. Wisonsin's 330lbs. I guess they don't sell cheese cruds down there.

Anonymous said...

Speaking of fatigue, as the commentators are, in its former Mountain West Conference, TCU used to have to play games at BYU and Utah (both at around 4500 feet above sea level), Airforce and Colorado State (both around 5000 ft.), and and University of Wyoming in Laramie at a oxygen thin 7200 ft above sea level.

Michael said...

Have any teams from north of the Mason Dixon line won any games against a southern team today?

David said...

10:44 to go!

Badgers need a quick defensive stop.

They are up against a better team and need something inspired.

Beldar said...

My gosh. Prof. Althouse, I know you've written before of being, umm, serenaded (because you're in the area) whenever the Wisconsin band practices. In general, I like the Wisconsin band fairly well.

But do they practice that nasty blatty version of Holst's "Mars" outside your window? I can see how that might become a sufficiently intense distraction to support a diminished competency plea.

Wow, that's almost more annoying than the USC band.

Beldar said...

Yikes -- re-reading that, I didn't mean to suggest you're suffering from diminished competency! I meant I might need such a plea if forced to listen to that mistreatment of Holst for very long.

David said...

Quick stop happens.

Now, they need a quick score, touchdown variety.

Meade said...

Clay!

AST said...

7 minutes left. Clay puts life into Wisconsin with two big runs. I was wondering where that running game was.

They could tie it with a TD going for the extra 2.

Mike said...

Did I speak too soon about the great TCU defense?

Yes I did.

Touchdown Wisconsin!

Mike said...

Pass play for the 2? WTF?

george said...

SEC guy myself so I don't see much of Big Innumerate League football unless we are beating them in bowl games (tell Ohio State that Vandy drew the short straw and will have to play them next year so they might actually get a win). But I watched a little of this game since Althouse's team was playing.

I only noticed a few things worth commenting on.

1: Wisc's punter is 280 pounds?! What do you do up there? Fill the crib with cheese and make the baby eat its way out? Sweet Jesus that ain't right.

2: It is OK to recruit black players and to allow black women on the cheer squad.

3: I hope Wisconsin wins for Ann's sake. A hubby in a bad mood is a bad way to start a new year and we can't let these teams from scrub conferences think they should have BCS births.

Trooper York said...

"It is OK to recruit black players and to allow black women on the cheer squad."

Oh snap!

AllenS said...

Bummer.

HT said...

Yes, last year Texas's band was way better than the Million Dollar Band. No matter, we won.

But this game is not on regular TV??? Local broadcast I mean. Is it only on cable? That's un American!!!!

Meantime, Roll Tide! We dominated. Too bad it didn't happen within the SEC. Oh well.

James said...

The decision to punt the ball on 4th and less than a yard comes back to bite Wisconsin. With that offensive line and big running backs they should have at least lined up for it. They could have gotten lucky with a TCU offsides; the worst would simply have been a 5 yard penalty. Bielema is a gambler but didn't when he should have.

James said...

Uhhh...TCU's punter is the 280 pounder.

Pete said...

Of course TCU won. It's Texas CHRISTIAN University. The Madisonites are Godless Communists.

Anonymous said...

Bad play call on the 2 pt conversion.

They were blowing TCU away on the ground.

Should have handed the ball off to Clay again.

Clyde said...

It was an exciting game. Wisconsin missed a couple of opportunities and it cost them. And they certainly acquitted themselves better than any of the other Big Ten teams today.

HT said...

Somebody, anybody ... is this game only on cable??

James said...

Yes; ABC/ESPN has all the Bowl games this year.

Donna B. said...

Way to GO FROGS!!!

HT said...

James said...

Yes; ABC/ESPN has all the Bowl games this year.

___

WTF? The Rose Bowl is a major bowl. How are people supposed to watch football if it's moved to cable out of reach?

DADvocate said...

Bad play call on the 2 pt conversion.

They were blowing TCU away on the ground.


I agree. I thought the same thing at one point earlier, 3rd quarter maybe. Wisconsin was running the ball well and then started trying to pass. They missed a couple and were left with a 3rd and long.

I wouldn't say speed won this game as much as better coaching and preparation.

Meade said...

Congrats to TCU. They played a great game.

chickelit said...

BREAKING NEWS: Madison's "Freedom From Religion Foundation" to sue TCU, claiming "offended by name" and material damages from lost wagers.

HT said...

Well my theory that the Badgers were the sleeper team of the year is blown out of the water. Yall gotta do better. You gotta beat the likes of TCU, no questions asked. And you ought never to play another team from Indiana ever again.

MayBee said...

Watching the bowl games today has convinced me the kid from Carolina(?) got robbed by that excessive celebration call

David said...

Better team won. Great game but TCU had a few more playmakers, especially at QB. Wait 'til next year, Badgers.

Really sucky day for Big Ten overall.

tree hugging sister said...

Purple. Great color. Regal even.

HT said...

Oh, it seems that it's not just the Big Ten. But another teensy eensy conference that had a hand in it.

Hmmm....

I guess we are all that?

Still, go Ducks.

The Dude said...

Was working in the shop, listening to the game on the radio, came inside to see the last few minutes on the television. Surprise - it's not on a broadcast network.

Son of a gun, Wisconsin scored on that drive, but decided that they couldn't punch it in on the ground? Has the coach been fired yet?

Oh well - how 'bout them Frogs, eh?

Bob_R said...

The excessive celebration call was against Kansas State I think. My theory is that a lot of officiating crews got an eyeful of that play and decided NOT to make the same mistake.

Very sorry about the Badgers and very impressed with TCU who I pretty much dismissed all year. I felt they were about at the same level as Boise State, who would be one of the top teams in the ACC this year. TCU was better than that tonight.

Ann Althouse said...

Beldar said... My gosh. Prof. Althouse, I know you've written before of being, umm, serenaded (because you're in the area) whenever the Wisconsin band practices. In general, I like the Wisconsin band fairly well. But do they practice that nasty blatty version of Holst's "Mars" outside your window? I can see how that might become a sufficiently intense distraction to support a diminished competency plea. Wow, that's almost more annoying than the USC band."

We hear it all, but they are about a mile away. Music drifting in from a distance has a different feel to it.

Best music at a distance we ever got was the time Pink Floyd played a concert at Camp Randall (the football stadium) which is a half mile away. It was a summer night and the music was so ethereal.

AST said...

It's no consolation to Wisconsin, but this was one of the best games of this bowl season. I think that TCU, Oregon, Boise State, Utah and BYU all have to play a different style of football from what prevails in the East and Midwest.

I went to BYU, and these TCU guys have been clobbering them for the past two years. Now TCU is leaving the Mountain West Conference to go to the Big East (?) so they have a shot at the BCS by winning their conference. Utah is going to the PACwhatever. BYU goes independent and Boise State moves to the MWC. It's all about the Benjamins. The BCS has really loused up other conferences.

The Dude said...

Bob_R - being a top football team in the ACC is like being the tallest Munchkin.

On to basketball - April is the best time to live on Tobacco Road.

SteveR said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mutaman said...

"incredibly lame announcer"

The announcer of course was Brett Mussberger who has been announcing for about 100 years and is regarded by most knowledgeable sports fans as one of the best.

The ole professer should stick to subject she knows something about like...... oh I don't know, boxes of wine.

Titus said...

It was a good game.

I am actually glad TCU won.

FYI-UW's Band is old school marching band-there moves never change, forms always the same. Not that there is anything wrong with that. It is their style along with many other college bands.

TCU's band is pure Drum Corps-Rifles, Sabers, Flags. They played Maleguena. I know the queen that teaches their color guard. She's black and really ugly. We call her Atrocia or some call her Towangela.

MayBee said...

Thanks Bob R. You are right about K State and I bet you are right about the decision by other refs. Oosh that was bad

My beloved Spartans made me glad I had not been too too whiney about our not getting the Rose Bowl bid. A disaster.

traditionalguy said...

Our beloved TCU made all of us proud. They are a classy school in many ways. The way Andy Dalton carries himself is the epitome of the TCU style. Although I am sorry to see Wisconsin lose, my heart runneth over for TCU and all of the special Professors and students there.

Ann Althouse said...

"The announcer of course was Brett Mussberger who has been announcing for about 100 years and is regarded by most knowledgeable sports fans as one of the best. "

Were you watching the part of the game I was talking about, the ""I think I forgot to look at the clock"? Were you watching at halftime when no effort was made to make up for what they didn't talk about (because they had to tell us about the other stuff that's on ESPN tonight)? I don't care who he is, how long he's been doing this, or how he's "regarded," it was a screw up. "Lame" is pretty light criticism, under the circumstances.

It's their job. They should be watching the clock and talking about what the strategies could be and analyzing, out loud, what choices were made and how well the plans were executed.

Most of the time those guys were reading prepared material that was not about observing and explaining what was going on at the moment. So it was a distraction. You could get more out of the game by turning off the sound.

If you want to defend this guy, defend on the actual substance of the performance that I listened to tonight. Otherwise it's an irrelevant argument about his reputation.

traditionalguy said...

Meade...J.J. Watt was the best player on the field. I hope the Falcons get to draft him. These are scared 20 year old young men who all trying so hard to please their coach. That alone is so impressive to me.

Ann Althouse said...

TCU was admirable. I thought they played really well, and as noted above, they had excellent pants.

Titus said...

Regarding Marching Bands from the U.S.

I was in Drum Corps for about 15 years.

I know just about every queen that writes the bands drills and "designs" for their color guards.

It's very similar to "Best In Show". A small venue in this country for fags yet again to compete against each other. Think color, flag designs, geometric patterns, uniforms, costume changes etc.

Some of the color guards are amazing and perfect. Others are horrendous and suck.

UW Madison Marching Band has no color guard.

Do you enjoy the color guards or do you prefer marching bands without them?

Titus said...

I noted in a previous post the new TCU football teams' uniforms that were unveiled a week ago.

They are fierce. Love the shoes. Thank Nike.

Ann Althouse said...

"... has been announcing for about 100 years..."

Reminds me... I watched Dick Clark doing the New Year's Eve countdown last night. At some point, it's time to retire. He must believe he's America's beloved embodiment of New Year's Eve. In 30 years are we going to have to accept Ryan Seacrest as the symbol of New Year's Eve?

JAL said...

How are people supposed to watch football if it's moved to cable out of reach?

My husband's sentiments exactly. (And mine. Next to the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, the ROSE Bowl Parade is the only other parade in America.)

I think it's interesting how many of the regular Althousians do not have cable.

Wonder if we are a statistical aberration? Poll?

Or spend too much time online to be bothered.

HT said...

I didn't see or hear Brent Musberger because I couldn't because I don't have cable. Wasn't until a minute ago that I realized I could have tuned in online (as I'm doing now for the Sooners). But we in 'bama were never all that high on Brent M, especially the time he came down for the Iron Bowl in place of the super beloved Keith Jackson.

Ann Althouse said...

"They are fierce. Love the shoes. Thank Nike."

Did you hear the announcers blaming the shoes when a player slipped? Just defaming Nike, apparently. Did they know the shoes were making the guys slip?

Such nonsense. These announcers ought to be expert at watching and perceiving and analyzing and verbalizing.

There must be so many people who'd love that announcing job. I cannot believe they allow those seats to be held by people who either don't have what it takes or don't want to bother using it.

HT said...

Ann,

Though I am not an authority, my suspicion is that the real talent in college football announcing is at CBS, and CBS ain't carrying the bowls, so my hunch is that not all that much time and effort was spent to ensure quality announcing. Also, there's just tons of talent in the regional markets, but that wouldn't be right. Nationally, my hunch is that the real talent lies at CBS. NBC carries Notre Dame too much, I never really watched that station for college football.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I thought they played really well, and as noted above, they had excellent pants.

I seem to remember Althouse trashing pro baseball players pants...

Maybe trashing is a harsh word..

Judge for yourself..

Titus said...

I heard about them bitching about the shoes.

They just got them a day ago!

Tough shit.

Should not they have planned better?

Still, they looked gorgeous. Purple never looked better. It sizzled!

I got tired of the comments about beating "Goliath" or something along those lines. I never thought of the UW as Goliath.

How many times did we here TCU only has 9000 students?

Still I was glad they won. I don't care for the UW's coach. I love the basketball coach though. He has many Cavalier King Charles dogs.

I love the players arms. So dreamy.

HT said...

If the Wisc participants on this blog are at all representative of UW fans statewide, I shudder to think at your chances of a national championship. How does it go? The high price of low expectations? Something like that. You're gonna have to be more ruthless and have a stronger stomach than that! Still, the Bear would praise the "class" of the way you are complimenting your victor.

traditionalguy said...

Professor...Like I tell my wife, you are right as always in seeing the flaws, but Musburger is skilled at telling what he can without being a homer for either side. That is a talent that requires a little step and fetch it stumbling. Since I already saw the play, I prefer that approach. To me the curse of modern TV football watching is the retired player color guy who never stops asserting why he is smarter than the dumb coaches, players and referees that he is describing. Everybody who talks a lot is usually making errors all of the time. But I see your point.

Titus said...

Troy Aikman is my favorite commenter. He is hot too.

My least favorite is that coach from Dallas, is his name Jimmy Jones? God he has big hair.

Terry Bradshaw is hideous as well.

Has anyone seen Val Kilmer lately? Man he looks awful.

The wind in Madison is evil tonight. It actually has a wicked sound. Very Northern.

My Indian UK husband may need to work in Canada for a year before coming back to the U.S. Either Toronto or Winnipeg. I am game. It could be cool. The old man has to come too. I think I would prefer Winnipeg.

Chip Ahoy said...

How do you feel?

The Birdcage

Armand providing butch-it-up training to his lover Albert.

Armand: Al, you old son of a bitch! How ya doin'? How do you feel about that call today? I mean the Dolphins! Fourth-and-three play on their 30 yard line with only 34 seconds to go!

Albert: How do you think I feel? Betrayed, bewildered... wrong response?

HT said...

I'm the opposite, sort of. I love me some Jimmy *Johnson*, and sometimes Troy's voice really grates on me, especially his syntax. Drives me Ker azy the way he puts "that" in front of everything.

Anonymous said...

Jesus, you guys aren't really Big Ten football fans.

If you were, you'd know that those TCU uniforms, with the snazzy pants, are precisely the same as the alternate black Northwestern uniforms.

And, for your info, Northwestern is a member of the Big Ten.

G Joubert said...

The announcer of course was Brett Mussberger who has been announcing for about 100 years and is regarded by most knowledgeable sports fans as one of the best.

That's a joke, right? He's always been pathetic.

As for the game, Wisconsin needn't feel too bad. TCU has been underrated all year. Offensively, their QB is the winningest and most experienced college QB in the country, and defensively TCU has led the nation statistically for 3 years. Look for TCU to finish #2 in the final rankings jumping over the loser of the Auburn-Oregon game.

Pastafarian said...

And for your info, shouting, NW also took it up the pooper today in a bowl game.

Why Northwestern was in a bowl game in the first place, and Michigan, and Michigan State, and Penn State, all with records just over 0.500; that's the mystery.

And next year they'll be right back there in the bowls. And "second tier" schools like TCU and Boise State will have to win 15 games out of 14 in order to end the season with the mythical national championship.

College football is a shit sport.

jungatheart said...

lol Chip. Nathan Lane is brilliant in Birdcage.

The Dude said...

Who here is in favor of ditching the current bowl $y$tem and implementing playoffs for college football? Such a system would determine a true national champion on the field and get rid of many of these pointless, stupid, unwatched and unwatchable bowl games.

Mark O said...

Wisconsin loses and our host wants to take issue with the distinct possibility that Nike shoes were imperfect. Ah, yes. Distract.

The Big Ten sucketh. But, why did Wisconsin's coach pass for the two pointer? Idiot. A Title IX issue?

Dick Clark gives new meaning to the phrase: the stroke of midnight.

The BCS is so lame. Gordon Gee. What a joke. This is what passes for knowledge or analysis.

It's just money. Illegal restraint of trade money. Theft of services. By pussies.

roesch-voltaire said...

Apparently the Big Ten has feet of clay, but Wisconsin didn't use them on the last play Nike or no Nike shoes-pity.

Ken Pidcock said...

I had no skin in the game other than the hope that somebody in the Big Ten would put in a showing. So much for that.

But, hey, that Tank Carder is an athlete for sure.

gadfly said...

We would all have been better off if we could have seen more of the Wisconsin band. I cannot figure why they showed so much of the lame Frog Marchers.

Ooops . . . politics again raises its ugly head

EnigmatiCore said...

Erin is attractive.

former law student said...

Meanwhile, the announcers do nothing to try to get to an explanation of why no time outs were called.

As Jon Stewart says about the Daily Show, you can't expect much from basic cable.

But I had a bowl-free day as well. There were only four channels we watched with any regularity, so why pay for a hundred?

What happened to the a la carte mandate? I'd pay for TCM and IFC, along with ESPN and Comedy Central.

former law student said...

Such a system would determine a true national champion on the field

No matter what tinkering is done, somebody will find a flaw. Aren't these people supposed to be focused on getting a college education, not on supplying cheap programming to ESPN? Go back to the old system of traditional conference rivalries sending their champions forth.

Which reminds me: why do NFL teams only play each other once a week, while college teams play just that often and take a full classload besides? I want to see doubleheaders.

Toad Trend said...

Wisconsin band was tight. Hands down better than the TCU offering.

My condolences to the Badger faithful, they had a great season. Some unbelievable blowouts marred only by the loss to Michigan St.

I'll leave the harsh summaries to others.

Anonymous said...

I had no skin in the game other than the hope that somebody in the Big Ten would put in a showing. So much for that.

My alma mater, Illinois, beat Baylor 38-14, in the first Texas Bowl.

So, for once, Illinois protected the honor of the Big Ten in football.

EnigmatiCore said...

"In 30 years are we going to have to accept Ryan Seacrest as the symbol of New Year's Eve?"

I think the idea of Ryan is worse than the actuality of Ryan. I think he's actually pretty good as a host.

Leland said...

The Big Deal
Followers and Has Beens

wv: worsts (no kidding)

Trooper York said...

Actually, Ryan Seacrest is a great host. He makes it look effortless.

I don't know if youse guys ever had to host an event and keep things moving and deal with strange stuff out of the blue, especailly when people are drunk. It's not easy.

Trooper York said...

Mutaman knows even less about sports announcers than he does politics. Brent Mushmouthberger has been a hack of the first water for too many years to count. He took the mantle of worst announcer ever when Chris Schenkel croaked.

Mutaman said...

"Were you watching at halftime when no effort was made to make up for what they didn't talk about" (sic)

Mind translating this into english? They didn't make an effort to make up for what they didn't talk about?? The shame!

Known Unknown said...

I'm playing a 16-team playoff on XBOX 360. Number 5 Wisconsin plays at home (brrrr) tomorrow versus Number 12 Virginia Tech. TCU gets a home matchup against Connecticut. Arkansas stunned Michigan State 41-38 with a TD with 0:08 left.

Yeah, I'm kind of nerdy.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

To me Pat Summerall was the consummate football play by play man.. and college football, of course there was nobody better than Keith Jackson.

Its been a tour of rank amateurs after them.. I don't care that Pat was a drunk either.. that voice was just great.. like a combination of Cronkite and Murrow, only deeper.

I guess I like Joe Buck because he does baseball.. but he's no Pat Summerall.

Mutaman said...

"Mutaman knows even less about sports announcers than he does politics."

Well at least I knew who was doing the announcing. Its clear from her post that the ole professser had no idea.

Mutaman said...

I'll take Ray Scott. Less is more. He could describe a big play in three words: "Starr..... Dowler....Touchdown".

MayBee said...

Pastafarian:" Michigan State, and Penn State, all with records just over 0.500; that's the mystery."

No. Michigan State had just ONE loss this season. They even beat Wisconsin.

I have been unable to forgive Mussberger dice the time he quite obviously mixed up my Spartans and UofM. He then started rambling about MSU representing the Motor City. Yack yack yack. He didn't know what he was talking about.

Bartender Cabbie said...

What I noticed most was that when the cameras panned the crownd, the Texas women were very pretty and the Wisconsin "babes" look a bit like, well, hippos. I hate to point it out but it was there for all to see.

Gary said...

Hope you had a good time

JAL said...

fls and I agree on something!

What happened to the a la carte mandate?

We would seriously consider an a la carte cable offering. (And we don't care about HBO or Showtime and such....)

wv liarcu
?!

jungatheart said...

Leave Chris Schenkel out of this.

MayBee said...

No matter what tinkering is done, somebody will find a flaw. Aren't these people supposed to be focused on getting a college education, not on supplying cheap programming to ESPN? Go back to the old system of traditional conference rivalries sending their champions forth
----------

I so agree.

john said...

fls -

Add the SyFy channel. You get 24 hours of Twilight Zone today, competing quite well, IMO, with the parades and bowl games.

Coolkayaker1 said...

Who is this, so called, Meade?

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Who is this, so called, Meade?

Look him up in the NY Times.


Where have you been for the past 2 years?

SteveR said...

"Football Physics" well that was wrong

Kev said...

As a Texan, I was all for TCU since 1) My own alma mater has been struggling as late, 2) state pride, and 3) I have several friends at the school, which is about an hour away from me. So I was happy with the outcome on a personal level as well as a "chalk one up for the little guy" thing.

If this had been my own school, I would've made a friendly bet with our esteemed bloghostess before the game (and I guess a delicious selection of Wisconsin cheese would be on its way to me).

Kev said...

Titus said:

I was in Drum Corps for about 15 years.

How did that work, Titus? Were you an instructor for a while? I know that you "age out" of corps at 21, and, while they have HS kids in there, I'm sure you didn't start when you were 6. And I'm guessing you would have been in the Madison Scouts?

Titus said...

Kev, I started in Madison Jr. Scouts at 9, aged out at 21. And instructed for a few years.

I marched in Madison and aged out of SCV and then taught SCV.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

Titus has lived and worked in every state of the union.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

I say that because to me alone he said he lived in NJ and Massachusetts.

Mick said...

I think JJ and Boehner must be related. They could sure have some waterworks together!

Titus said...

Lem, this was all summer activities-drum corps.

I lived in Wauankee, WI-when I was 9-17-I marched in Drum Corps in Summer and traveled around the country.

I also lived and went to school in Boston-18-21 and marched in Drum Corps during the summer, living in Santa Clara Vanguard and in Madison-about 2 weeks each in the summer but most of the time I was on the road. One summer I lived in Santa Cruz as well. I also lived a couple of summers in Ptown. When I taught drum corps it was only on weekend camps and some tours during the summer so it did not conflict with my very professional ascension up the corporate ladder.

I can throw a big rifle up in the air and have it rotate 10 ten times, turn around twice and catch in between my legs. How's that for talent?

I also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Hoboken, NYC and San Francisco while working for different companies. Time Warner, Akamai Technologies, Genzyme and Novartis.

I do still have a home in Cambridge and small cottage in Ptown.

Now I am in Madison for the next 8 months, but splitting my time between Madison in Bangalore, which I will be leaving for on February 2.

Hugs,

Titus said...

Waunakee-The Only Waunakee in The World-sorry for the type-o.

I am going to the Waun A Bowl-the town bowling alley today because my dad wants to and it is his birthday.

Every small town in Wisconsin seems to have a bowling alley, and some even have Curling Clubs.

kjbe said...

How did the vocalization of your emotions sound when you saw that deflection? Did you keep it as squeaky clean as a football coach talking to the lady sportscaster?

Not even close.

As for football players having learned/been taught to say just the right thing.

First thing I thought of was Bull Duhram. I love it in baseball, too.

Paddy O said...

"I don't care who he is, how long he's been doing this, or how he's "regarded," it was a screw up."

For a more amusing screw-up, listen to Stephanie Edwards on the local LA broadcast of the Rose Parade. She and Bob Eubanks have been doing the commentary for years and years -- an are utterly great at it -- which makes the flubs more amusing than lame.

The Wisconsin band was also significantly more impressive on the Parade route. But, I'll have to give TCU the win for cheerleaders.

AllenS said...

What happened to the growing up on a dairy farm? I say bullshit.

Phil 314 said...

Better team won. And arguing that Our band was better is bush league (or better put) something only worthy of a Northwestern football fan.

(PS: Brent Musburger is an NU grad)

Titus said...

Allens my parents both grew up on a dairy farm in Lodi, Wisconsin. We lived on the farm when I was little. It was my mom's parents farm. My dad still owns it. We moved to Waunakee when I was 8. A farmer rents out the land and grows corn, another one rents out the barn and only has a few "head" of cows and the farmhouse is rented out to some construction worker. My sister also built a new home on the land. My dad's brother runs my dad's parents farm.

I am very diverse.

The farm and my family received some good for nothing "award" some years ago for the farm being in the family for 100 years.

It is 5 minutes outside of Lodi.

No BS.

That's where the snowmobiles are kept and three wheelers, which I have been on, and motorcycles and boats.

When I was in my teens one of the renters was a pot smoker. He left the house always open. I went into the house and stole a joint when he was at work. I feel guilty about doing that.

Hugs.

Titus said...

Also, my father was not a full-time farmer.

He also worked in construction. His company built roads. Not the blacktop, but rather the "shouldering". He knows gravel. I lived in gravel pits in my younger years too-not literally, I just was always in them with him. He would of liked me to continue in the profession but I wasn't interested.

He still owns many gravel pits that are utilized when roads are being redone.

I also worked for the company weighing trucks and cutting wires in roads-it was awful.

I also worked sitting at the end of a long conveyor belt and had to pull out these big wires and seperate them from the gravel before they went into the crusher. It was a dirty job but I am very manly.

The construction company is between Middleton and Waunakee.

Thank you and good day.

And hugs.

Peter Hoh said...

I watched the end of the first half and the halftime at a Culvers. Even with the sound turned off, I could tell that the UW marching band was better than the TCU band.

Ann Althouse said...

I agree that Ryan Seacrest is great at what he does. My comment was about the idea that at some point, when he's an old man, we'll regard him with bizarre sentimentality as a fixture of New Year's Eve the way we do Dick Clark and the network will think we need to see *him* even if he can't do what he once did. I meant that not as a knock against Seacrest, but to provide insight into the Dick Clark situation.

Trooper York said...

Well the reason we are seeing Dick Clark is because he owns the company and the name "New Years Rockin Eve." So until he croaks he will be there no matter what.

Seacrest is very similar to Dick Clark in many ways. He has produced and owns several shows including "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and a couple of other reality shows. He is an announcer, showman and businessman in the tradition of PT Barnum, Arthur Godfrey, Art Linkletter, Ed Sullivan and Dick Clark. All of whom stayed long after the expiration date of the milk carton.

You should expect to see Ryan for the next fifty years at least.

Trooper York said...

Think about that for a momemt.

Kev said...

Kev, I started in Madison Jr. Scouts at 9, aged out at 21. And instructed for a few years.

OK, I had no idea there were junior corps for people that young. I majored in music in college and knew lots of corps people, but, as a saxophonist, I was sort of shut out of that world. (It's changed now; some of my fellow sax players just learn a bugle and dive right in. But I'm not sure I would have been able to afford to not work over the summer and pay to be in corps to boot.)

Kev said...

For a more amusing screw-up, listen to Stephanie Edwards on the local LA broadcast of the Rose Parade. She and Bob Eubanks have been doing the commentary for years and years -- an are utterly great at it -- which makes the flubs more amusing than lame.

I watched the HGTV telecast of the parade because of the lack of commercials (I actually like NBC's visuals better, but you miss more of the parade by watching them), and Robb Weller was stepping all over it this year. Among other things, he referred to the tournament president, Jeffrey Throop, as "Throp," the Japanese island of Hokkaido as "Hokkido" and, worst of all, referred to the theme of one float as "What a friend we have in Jedus."

Unknown said...

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/espn-broadcaster-ron-franklin-pulled-from-air-after-calling-colleague-sweetcakes-a-hole-ncxdc-010311
The broadcast colud be worst

Anonymous said...

A decent interviewer can ask a question whose answer reveals how the coach or player feels.

"Coach, what were the key plays?"

"Coach, when did you feel confident that you'd won?"

"Coach, could you tell us about your offensive line?"

"Coach, how do you plan to celebrate the new year?"

To ask, "How do you feel?" (whether to a football coach or a tornado victim) substitutes sentiment for journalism.