It finally happened. I logged into Destiny for the first time. Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag went from its shrink-wrapped protected home to my not-used-nearly-enough-to-my-liking PlayStation 4.
Sometimes, having a bit of a break from the wire-to-wire glory that is college football Saturdays is quite nice. Along with getting a chance to play a couple of games that have been staring at me since last Christmas, I attended a college basketball game for the first time since my graduation from Notre Dame. With the Dallas Cowboys playing Monday Night, I took all day Sunday to get Christmas lights up on the house, and then had a Christmas Vacation moment the next day when I wanted to show my son my work:
As a true college football junkie, ND bye weeks really aren’t a week off from football. My Saturday schedule remains consumed by College GameDay to #Pac12AfterDark football viewing. The only difference is that I’m not stressing about the ND game and I don’t have said game “distracting” me from paying attention to about four other games.
With the annual Army/Navy game being the only show in town this week, this Saturday will be the final chance for a solid break in my college football obsession before I have to say goodbye until 2016. The bowls are coming, but so is the offseason. As much as I do enjoy reclaiming another day in the weekend (as does my wife), by the time February hits, I will be longing for the insanity to return.
This episode is a slight reflection on said calm before the bowl storm. There is still some college football things to discuss because the news cycle never has an offseason. So enjoy some talk on recent coaching hires, how terrible math affects both the playoffs and bowl season, some new scheduling policies, and some quick thoughts on Notre Dame’s 2006 Fiesta Bowl rematch against Ohio State.
The Roundup
In this episode:
- As a new father, I fully support the mindset of Virginia’s new coach.
- South Carolina needs to find better qualities in a coach. Also, I suggest a spell-checker.
- Sark has sued Southern Cal and this could get ugly if it goes to court.
- The ACC voted to move bowl eligibility up to 7-5, but that standard just doesn’t work for the 40 bowl games currently in place.
- Baylor’s cupcake scheduling ways will have to end.
- This is a terrible argument for trying to get Ohio State into the playoff; however, I bring it up for a larger point: does being in a conference have any advantage in the playoff era? I discuss this in some detail this episode, but, if you fail to win your conference title (or even get in the game) would an independent like Notre Dame actually have the advantage?
- This is the final week for Eddie and I to pick games. I have a chance to go above .500 after both of us went near perfect last week. Here’s all of our picks from this season.
The Booze
To prove that I wasn’t joking about Mrs. Tex using the stroller as a shopping cart in a liquor store:
Not pictured is the handle of Seagram’s I have been happily mixing away since said booze run. Sure, it’s lazy and cheap for a pick, but I’m kicking back this week and 7 & 7 is delicious.
Moment of Nix
We are co-sponsoring a bowl pick ’em with ND Fan Radio. We are also giving actual prizes away this time around and you can find those details here. So if you want to get some swag from the Bookstore on our dime, get yourself in the game!
Texan by birth, Irish by choice.
First-generation Domer and a former student manager, HLS podcast host, HLS Sim creator, Extra Life streamer, and technical problem haver. You can find more non-Notre Dame related writing on his Patreon.
- Epilogue - January 3, 2022
- HLS Podcast Finale - January 2, 2022
- The Final Fiesta: Notre Dame vs Oklahoma State NCAA ’14 Sim - December 31, 2021
