STARTING FIVE

Just because they don’t want to physically devour your flesh does not mean this is not a post-apocalyptic world.

1. The Shopping Dead

As the Tweet of God said earlier today, “Unhappy? Have you thought about buying things?”

50% off at Bloodbath & Beyond

And now Black Friday has moved up to 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving, which is compromising the true spirit and meaning of…Black Friday. Sacrilege!

2. Thigh of the Tiger

LSU true freshman tailback Leonard Fournette steamrolls Texas A&M safety Howard Matthews on the way to a 22-yard touchdown run in the first half of last night’s win at Kyle Field. By the way, the Dallas Cowboys, Texas and Texas A&M lost last night. So if you loathe Texas…

Anyway, Fournette’s run reminded many of us of then SEC frosh Herschel Walker plowing over Tennessee safety Bill Bates, and here’s hoping Matthews has as bright a future as Bates. Though he was not selected in the NFL draft, Bates played 15 seasons for the Dallas Cowboys and now owns three Super Bowl rings.

Bates survived Herschel’s hit, and then played 15 NFL seasons…

(And, yes, that means that Bates and Walker were teammates in Big D for a few seasons).

The 1980s was the best decade for college running backs: Herschel Walker (the best I ever saw), Bo Jackson, Marcus Allen, Barry Sanders and, even if he only gave us a glimpse of his greatness, Marcus Dupree.

By the way, Fournette can take a hit, too. Here he is returning a kickoff (Les, are you crazy?!?) versus Bama and getting Sharknado’d by fellow five-star recruit Reuben Foster.

3. Pilgrims’ Progress

. 

1620: Pilgrims land at Plymouth Rock

1621: First Thanksgiving between Pilgrims and Native Americans. Traffic was light on I-95.

1627: All land in Plymouth Colony is divided into private property.

1637: First Pequot War. Colonists and Narragansett Indians (“It was you, Fredo”) ally to crush the Pequot Indians, who resisted colonial advance. Some 400 Pequots are burned inside their fort and a handful, at most, escape. And Great White wasn’t even the house band (too soon?).

1675: King Philip’s War in New England. King Philip was actually an Indian chief named Metacom, who sounds like he’d be an All-Pro wide receiver. Biggest Indian war yet. Metacom eventually killed and his family sold into slavery.

I guess my point is how we refer to Native Americans, or even if we name teams after them without using slurs, is really not what the offensive thing is here.

4. Strange But Sadly True

Austalian cricketer Phil Hughes died two days after being struck by a bouncer in the neck during a match. The 25 year-old swung and missed at bowler Sean Abbott’s delivery. The ball struck him at the top of the neck and literally split an artery in his neck, causing a massive brain bleed. Hughes lost consciousness on the pitch and never regained it. His family were in the stands in Sydney watching.

Karageorge

Meanwhile in Columbus, Ohio State walk-on defensive lineman Kosta Karageorge has been missing since 2 a.m. Wednesday morning. Apparently, the 6-3, 273-pound senior, a Columbus native who also wrestled for the Buckeyes, walked out of his apartment (“extenuating circumstances” were mentioned) without his wallet and left on foot. He has not been seen since. Police have traced his cell phone to another neighborhood in Columbus but have yet to recover it. Stay tuned. This will probably only get weirder.

5. Arthur’s Quest

There is a reason they call it DOGGED determination…

When real life is better than a Disney film (although I imagine this will be). At the Adventure Racing World Championship in Ecuador, the Swedish foursome, Peak Performance, stops for a bite. A member shares a meatball with a local stray dog.

The pooch then decides not to leave the team’s side throughout its 430-mile trek. They name their new teammate Arthur as in the knights of King Arthur. At the end of the journey one of the Swedes adopts him.

Be kind to animals. Always be kind to animals.

Reserves

Thomas Lake of SI.com with a transcendent piece on last year’s Iron Bowl… And by the way, it’s worth noting that Mr. Lake has an associate’s degree from Herkimer Community College and a B.A. from Gordon College as magazine and on-line editors comb through Ivy League resumes looking for the next Tom Junod.

Remote Patrol

College Football Bounty

If, like me, you like to at least TRY to stay in shape, exercise before noon on Friday and Saturday. 

Will the Bruins’ Brett Hundley have a rematch vs. Mariota and the Ducks?

FRIDAY

Arizona State at Arizona

Territorial Cup. First time both Sun Devils and Cats have had 9 wins since 1975. Winner gets Oregon for Pac-12 title IF UCLA loses…

FOX 3:30 p.m.

Stanford at UCLA

…and the Bruins have lost six straight to the Cardinal (but they will win today).

SATURDAY

Michigan at Ohio State

ABC Noon

You know how you can throw out the records in rivalry games? Not here, not today.

Georgia Tech at Georgia

SEC Net Noon

The Yellow Jackets are the team that enters assured of a berth in ITS conference title game.

Minnesota at Wisconsin

BTN 3:30 p.m.

You want to see Melvin Gordon rush for 428, don’t you?

Mississippi State at Ole Miss (The Egg Bowl)

CBS 3:30 p.m.

It’s your only chance, Bulldogs. Meanwhile, rumors of Hugh Freeze moving on to Gainesville…

ABC 3:30 p.m.

Florida at Florida State

Zook ’em, Gators!

ESPN 3:30 p.m.

Baylor at Texas Tech

ABC 3:30 p.m.

TCOB time for Art Briles’ gang…

Auburn at Alabama

ESPN 7:45 p.m.

The last time Bama lost at Auburn, they followed up with a 49-0 beatdown of WDE.

Oregon at Oregon State

ABC 8 p.m.

The Civil War. The Beavers took down a Top 10 ASU team two weeks ago in Corvallis. Can they at least make it close today?

Utah State at Boise State

ESPN2 10:15 p.m.

Broncos garner a “New Year’s Six” Bowl with a win.

STARTING FIVE

The photo of the week

1. In My Tribe

Unsure whether it’s depressing or fascinating to note the similarities in the disputes between the College Football Playoff rankings and Ferguson (yes, I understand that someone died in the latter).

Fact: All of us belong to a tribe, like it or not.

Opinion:  It is a measure of our enlightenment when we are able to look beyond whether or not our tribe is in the right and search instead for the truth (Hey, JDubs, if I wanted a sermon, I’d watch The Newsroom). Whether you are a Ferguson protester or not, whether you believe Ohio State belongs in the final four or not, the first step is to assess all the facts and/or information available. It’s not an a la carte table. Some of the facts will not abet your case. Disregard them and you only imperil the chances that anyone will take your argument seriously.

Fact: Tribes are like concentric circles. If Mars Attacks, we are all humans. If the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor, we are all Americans. If Rosa Parks is denied a seat on a bus, we are all people who believe in equal rights. Likewise, we are all football fans. Then we are all fans of college over the NFL. Then we are “S-E-C! S-E-C!” (“Pawwwwwwlllll!”). Then we are War Damn Eagle.

Opinion Laced with Fact: The Selection Committee bears many similarities with the Grand Jury. They are charged with evaluating reams of evidence and then evaluating what evidence carries more value. They know going in that they are never going to please everyone because the truth is relative in both cases. And people, as noted, usually prefer to side with their own tribe if there’s even the most remote possibility that their tribe will prevail in a dispute.

Baylor has the same record as TCU, plays in the same conference as TCU, beat TCU, and is behind TCU in the Playoff Rankings

Fact: Some people will just choose not to accept what they see or hear. Baylor beat TCU head to head. Yes, it was a 21-point comeback in the fourth quarter at home and the Bears were aided by not one but two PI calls. But they won.

Opinion: If it’s between these two teams, that should carry more weight.

Fact: Oregon has one loss. So does Mississippi State, TCU, Baylor, Alabama and Ohio State. That some people automatically place the Ducks and Crimson Tide in a strata above the other three is opinion.

Fact: A man was shot to death on a road in the noon hour and the circumstances of that death and who’s to blame will never be 100% accepted. Unlike a death that involved some of those same details, there is no Zapruder film here (and even in that situation, where film exists, the Who Why and How of that killing still provokes dispute).

If Officer Wilson is smart, and if he cares about keeping the peace, last night’s TV interview will be his last TV interview.

Fact: All of the Grand Jury testimony is available for your perusal. None of the Selection Committee discussions are.

Fact: Michael Brown behaved like a bully, using his imposing size and strength and with total disregard for the law and other people, to rob a store less than an hour before his death, a death in which the key witness argues that he behaved in exactly the same way.

Opinion: That is relevant.

Opinion: That is irrelevant.

Opinion: Michael Brown is not a martyr, as much as people would like him to represent all the minorities who were wrongfully shot to death by police (and there they have a huge point). And Darren Wilson probably did not act as skillfully as he portrayed in an interview with George Stephanopoulos that was conducted three months after the fact. Does this tragedy unfold as it did if Michael Brown had been white? Probably not. Nor does it unfold this way if Darren Wilson had been black.

Radio Raheem was a gentle giant

Beneath it all was a simmering hostility and mistrust, and that this occurred in the summer of the 25th anniversary of Do The Right Thing should not be lost on you. I don’t know any police officer who would attempt to pull a large man INTO his vehicle, and I don’t know any sane citizen who would incite a tussle with a cop, an armed cop, unless he felt his own life was already in danger.

On the other hand, I don’t know if it was absolutely necessary to tell Mr. Brown to get on the sidewalk, or to speak to him as if he were a child. And I don’t know the manner in which Officer Wilson said it. And you and I don’t know if he really saw the cigarillos in Brown’s hand, or if that’s just some after-the-fact knowledge that provides an explanation as to why he pulled his vehicle up diagonally.

Opinion: Step out of your tribe. Take a good look at how the other side sees things. We’re all headed to the same place, anyway. Life is fatal. Only the expiration date is up for dispute.

STARTING FIVE

One of many photos that is representative of the Jets’ season…

1. Surely, You Jets

38-3?!? To a team that could barely shovel out of its own driveway this past week? The Jest are a trainRex. I hope Marcus Mariota enjoys living in New Jersey next autumn. The Curse of Tebow continues.

2. Putting the “IR” in Irish

After three straight dismal Saturdays and one turkey feast, do you really have the stomach to watch Notre Dame play this weekend? (yes, if you hate them)

A short list of Notre Dame defensive players who, due to injury or academic fraud (just 3) (starters in bold), will not be participating in Saturday’s game versus USC at the Los Angeles Coliseum: Joe Schmidt (MLB), Sheldon Day (DT), Jarron Jones (DT), Drue Tranquill (S), KeiVarae Russell (CB), Ishaq Williams (OLB/DE), Kendall Moore (DL) and Nicky Baratti (S).

Basically, the Irish will be without six players who were preseason or regular-season starters. Seven if you include Baratti.

The two-deep defensive chart for Notre Dame’s best/biggest rivalry game of the season, against a team with arguably the best wide receiver they’ve faced (Nelson Agholor) and a quarterback, Cody Kessler, who has thrown 30 touchdown passes and just four INTs, will include nine freshmen and seven sophomores.

Time to grow up fast. I’ll be watching true freshman MLB Greer Martini, who replaces Morgan who replaced Schmidt. This kid is going to be very good down the line.

3. Her Mane Man

Some sports blogs/websites are promoting a video of a lion fighting off a crocodile today. And I get that whole “Circle of Life” thing. But I just love animals too much, so I found, with a help of Susan B. (not to be confused with Susie B.), a GFOB, a wonderful video of the possibilities between people and animals. Love this. This is what it’s all about.

4. Birdman, Birdman!

The best male love-hate relationship since “True Detective”

Finally caught Birdman, which is the first film our own Chris Corbellini gave four stars. I give the first 3/4 of it four stars, and then I go Aunt Linda on the last quarter. I’m an avowed simpleton, what can I say (without giving more away)?

Some of the scenes are pure magic: the first interaction between Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton) and Mike Shiner (Edward Norton) onstage, Sam’s (Emma Stone’s) rant, and the scene between Riggan and the theater critic “who looks like she just licked a homeless guy’s ass” are wondrous. As are, again through three-fourths of the film, the tracking shots throughout the St. James Theatre and W. 44th Street. Many of the scenes are uninterrupted for up to 10 minutes, so you’ll notice, if you play close attention, than an actor (Zak Galifianakis or Stone) will flub a word or two and yet the scene continues. It’s a high-wire act where if you fall off three feet from the end, there’s no credit for all the balancing you did the rest of the way. A lot at stake.

A unique film. And I thought it was better when it didn’t go all Mary Poppins. Your mileage may vary. Here’s an interview with Edward Norton on the film…and here’s a cool anatomy of a scene via The New York Times. Listen all the way through: the director, Alejandro Inarritu, notes that within this scene, in which Shiner manipulates Thomson by changing the script Thomson wrote, that Norton actually attempted to alter Inarritu’s script. Life imitating art as it imitates life.

5. M.I.A. at the AMA’s…

Is it just a coincidence that Mumford and Sons seemed to vanish about the same time Tim Tebow left the NFL?

…Didn’t watch the American Music Awards, but I will tell you that I think we’re about 14 seconds (or closer) from all being OVER Taylor Swift’s solipsism. RollingStone.com tore itself away from covering sports just long enough to review the night. I hear Imagine Dragons’ performance was solid, even though it sounded as if they just cribbed a Mumford and Sons’ tune.

Remote Patrol

Manchester City vs Bayern Munich

Fox Sports 1 2:45 p.m.

Robben, whose presence answers the question, “What ever happened to Corbin Bernsen?”

UEFA Champions League match featuring such stars as Bayern’s Arjen Robben (“Dodgy Flapper”) and Thomas Muller (World Cup stud) and Man City’s David Silva and Sergio Aguero. Highly sub-optimal.

STARTING FIVE

Bending like Beckham

1. A Catch for the (Append)ages

Do we really need words here? I think the only other human who might possibly be able to make this catch is Kawhi Leonard (big mitts). Meanwhile, definitely the most impressive catch I’ve seen since Risky Business.

Goodson (I get it) was protecting middle-aged women’s eggs long before IVF clinics became a thing.

2. Good Will McAvoy

Don’t worry. The two of us will produce the best in-house newscast that Leavenworth has ever seen.

I’m sorry, but with only three episodes remaining, The Newsroom is truly hitting its stride. I don’t know what to tell you if you watch it contemptuously like some critics. I flat-out adore it.

A few notes on last night’s show:

–Assistant attorney general Barry Lazenthal was either lying or he took one too many hits to the head as an Aggie fullback. I did the leg work and Nebraska has never played Texas A&M four years in a row, much less beaten them four years in a row.

–“You’re pulling out your queen a little early…” Great line by MacKenzie McHale. Her other classic, which came straight from a 1930s or 1940s (or even 1950s) era screwball comedy: “This is so humiliating…I’ll need a dress.” (I may not have gotten the first part of that correct verbatim).

— “It says ‘Beaking News.'” Moments later: “Now it says ‘Baking News.'” Yup, been there.

–“I’m seating you at the Loser Table.” Yup, been there, too.

–“And you were a dick? A little Dickensian?” OpCit.

–“Is it possible I’m not as big a TV star as I thought?” Second time in three episodes in which Aaron Sorkin has given Will the walk-off line of the night, a chance to be self-deprecating and also ironic.

–Lucas Pruitt’s assistant should know to ALWAYS carry a mini-bottle of Schweppe’s in her purse. I loved his reaction: “It eludes me.” By the way, wouldn’t a Danny Glover stalker channel be kind of boring?

–If you’ve been paying attention, the evolution of the characters and their identifying aspects, those foundations were laid in the pilot episode. When Mac first pointed out Maggie to Jim, she said, “She’s me, 10 years ago.” And now look at Maggie: stylish haircut, nicer wardrobe, better posture and lots more confidence. She really is all growed up, and Jim knows it –plus, did you see the body language between he and Hallie at the Correspondents’ Dinner?…Also, Neal. It was he who kept stumping for Bigfoot, so when he initially got the encryption request, everyone was dubious. Which made it a better payoff when he turned out to be right.

–I’ve been dying to attend the Correspondents’ Dinner for more than a decade. To think that ethics prof got tendered an invite less than two weeks after meeting Maggie? So not fair.

–Who knew that Don Keefer would turn out to be the comic foil? Here’s a character that Sorkin completely hoodwinked us on in the pilot. And how great was it when he barges in to Sloan’s office, breathless, and says, “We’re not dating” and she doesn’t even avert her eyes from the computer to reply, “Okay?”

–“I date people who go by Mr. Chairman. First-round draft picks, or high second-round at the skill positions.” For the record, Aaron Rodgers was selected with the 24th pick of the first round.

–Everything about the EPA deputy administrator (Hello, Toby from The Office) was brilliant and ominous and hilarious. The truth on global warming is, ironically, chilling. Glad I bought that beach front property in Asheville, N.C.

–Odds of a straight man walking off an elevator at work singing (and knowing the lyrics to) “Anything Goes?” (Okay, yup, been there, too).

3. Seven Days…

Yes, but it was against Kansas…

…That’s how long Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon (408) yards held the FBS single-game rushing record, a mark that had existed for 15 years (LaDainian Tomlinson, TCU, 1999). It was broken by Oklahoma freshman Samaje Perine (427 yards), even if it was only against Kansas. I’m wondering if Perine would be playing if that other OU frosh RB who punched a female student in the face in August and was suspended for the season had been in the lineup.

Perine broke the record on 34 carries, meaning he averaged 12.6 yards per carry.

Who will break Perine’s record this weekend?

4. Cheserek

Cheserek, in foreground, waits for teammate. How can someone this fast in Eugene not play football?

Even if you’re not much of a running aficionado, remember the name Edward Cheserek. The Kenyan-born, Newark-raised harrier just won his second NCAA Men’s X-Country Championship, and he is only a sophomore at the University of Oregon. The Ducks’ last repeat national champion in this discipline was Steve Prefontaine, whose life (and death) inspired not one but two films (starring Jared Leto and Billy Crudup, which is a bizarre Claire Danes cross-fire).

5. Bill Maher Had a Good Idea

Ralphie hopes we can rescue Christmas, too.

On Friday night, before taking a six-week or so hiatus, “Real Time” aired and as usual, ended with “New Rules.” And, as usual, the last New Rule was an idea that host Bill Maher expanded upon, and essentially he was trying to rescue Christmas (and I imagine he’ll do a better job than Kirk Cameron).

Anyway, his suggestion, and I’ve been holding the reins to this bandwagon for years, is that we can only rescue Christmas if we stop shopping so much. Buy kids presents. Okay. But after that, let it go (“Let it go!” Turn away and slam that door!”). Shopping, and spending, is why everyone loves Thanksgiving (absence of it) and dreads Christmas.

And as noted in this space previously, is there anything more perverted than honoring the birth of the least materialistic man in Western history, the icon of anti-materialism, by giving your credit card callouses?

Remote Patrol

Osborne (left) goes finger to finger with Alec Baldwin

Nothing worth watching tonight. Unless you’ve never seen “The Shawshank Redemption” before (STARZ, 9 p.m.), but then who ARE you? Instead, may I suggest you read this terrific NYT profile –I’m getting my Deitsch on– on TCM’s Robert Osborne?

STARTING FIVE

All that, AND Davis had a tremendous second half against Notre Dame in 1974.

1. Holy Brow!

This did not come out of nowhere…which is to say it came out of somewhere.

Anthony Davis was, after all, the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA’s 2012 Final Four despite making only one field goal in the championship game win over Kansas. The then-freshman DID collect 16 rebounds, block six shots, have five assists and three steals. He was a stat stuffer.

And, of course, Davis did become the No. 1 overall pick that June.

And though Davis’ first two years in the NBA with the New Orleans Non-Noels were decent, the light appeared to go on this summer at the World Championships in Spain. Charles Barkley declared afterward that the 6-10 Chicago native would be the NBA’s “next big thing” and Sir Charles may be on to something.

Yes, it’s not even Thanksgiving, and the NBA season does not really begin until Christmas Day…or is it All-Star Weekend?…or is it April?… but Davis currently LEADS the league in Blocks (3.9 pg) and Steals (!) (2.3 pg), is 5th in Rebounding (11.40) and 3rd, behind former NBA MVPs Kobe and LeBron, in Scoring (25.5 pg). No other NBA player is in the Top 5 in more than three categories (Stephen Curry and DeAndre Jordan).

2. Tweet-le Dumb

Jim preemptively mind-melding Hallie, begging her not to send out post-midnight, exhaust-fueled (hey, that’s a pun!) tweets.

Sunday night: Hallie Shea (a.k.a. Grace Gummer, a.k.a. Jim Harper’s Latest Squeeze, a.k.a. Meryl Streep’s Daughter) is fired from ANC News after a 2:37 a.m. tweet riffing on the Boston bombings in which she tweeted, and I quote, “Republicans rejoice that finally there’s a national tragedy that doesn’t involve guns.”

When Charlie Skinner terminates her ass, he asks what she was thinking at the time she typed those words, what value did it have? “Retweets,” she answers.

Fast forward to late Tuesday night, when a Florida State alumnus (and an attorney) shoots up an on-campus library. A tweet is sent from the account of Marisa Martin, an ESPNU Campus Connection student reporter (Martin actually attends the University of Alabama). The tweet reads, “Reported gunman on the FSU campus. Maybe he is headed for Jameis.”

Then, after considerable –and understandable– brushback (though I don’t understand how #FSUTwitter did not get that tweet Spammed…you guys were off your game some), there is another tweet from the account:  “Since apparently I cant make a joke in all seriousness I hope everyone at FSU is safe & that the gunman is found. But I stand by my opinions.”

Then Martin deleted the account.

THEN…Martin went on another account –the Alabama Campus Connection Twitter feed –and claimed that her account had been hacked.

Hmm….

Marisa, it’s not the crime that condemns you most of the time. It’s the cover-up. We’ll see if this is truthful. Meanwhile, this is the second young, female reporter associated with FSU football who has landed in infamy this autumn. Natalie Pierre, who covered the Noles for the Tallahassee Democrat, resigned in early October amidst plagiarism charges.

We’ll see you at the Keefer 40th Anniversary Gala.

p.s. One more The Newsroom note: Olivia Munn (Sloan Sabbith) and Thomas Sadoski (Don Keefer) killed it last week. Best Sorkinian sexual tension banter since, when, “The American President?” “Sports Night?” Fantastic stuff. Great acting and even better dialogue. And not one, not two, but THREE walk-and-talks! (“Big laughs from the crowd”)

3. Nichols’ Worth

Judging from the reaction by Hollywood stars I admire such as Neal Patrick Harris and, last night on Letterman, Edward Norton, director Mike Nichols was more than just a prolific legend of both Broadway and films. He was a genuinely good guy. Nichols, who was married to Diane Sawyer (and was the father-in-law of Rachel Nichols) died on Wednesday.

(P.S. Norton was a last-minute replacement for Meryl Streep, who was either too overcome with grief over Nichols’ death or Hallie’s firing from ACN. I cannot be sure.)

At this moment, he really didn’t care where Joe DiMaggio had gone…

There’s a lot of work in his curriculum vitae. Probably the most indispensable was The Graduate. I’d point out to you, the next time (or if it’s the first time) you watch the film, to notice the camera angles. When Ben Braddock (Dustin Hoffman) is being seduced by Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft, who was only six years older than he in real life), notice how the scene is shot from behind her bent and naked leg, which then frames a curious but unsure young man. Deft touch.

Nichols, who was born in Nazi Germany in 1931 and emigrated with his family to the U.S. in 1939 when they escaped (I’m not sure if they were all singers), was 83.

4. Just Win, Maybe!

It was a little soggy in Oakland last night. Gimme natural grass, all day (and night) long. And Howie Long.

The Oakland Raiders refuse to go 2008 Detroit Lions on us (the only NFL team to go 0-16; the Buccaneers only went 0-14) by defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 24-20 last night in O-Town (Do they call it O-Town? Or is that Orlando?). Anyway, it was not a huge surprise, as the Raiders had lost by seven or less in five of their first ten games.

One great “Pride & Poise” moment, though. Having taken a 24-20 lead with 1:42 remaining on a 9-yard TD pass from Derek Carr to James Jones, all the Raiders needed to do was hold K.C.

The Chiefs faced 4th-and-3 from their own 46 when Da Raidas committed THREE defensive penalties on the same play: two defensive holding infractions and one hands to the face. Pity for the Chiefs that it was a grab bag, and they were only allowed to choose one.

Three plays later, the Raiders celebrated a sack (or as I like to call them, a “Matuszak,” 20 yards up field and were still reveling in their bad selves as K.C. snapped the ball; Oakland coaches wisely signaled for a timeout to avoid another dumb penalty).

The Silver & Black eventually held on to win.

Somewhat related, the 0-11 Philadelphia 76ers host the Phoenix Suns tonight.

5. Harrumph!-ing the CFB Playoff

Cody Kessler: 29 TDs, 3 INTs. USC is currently a Top 10 team, but 2 last-second losses to Arizona schools will keep them far from the playoff.

First, and this is VERY important: as Rece Davis has said, “There’s a lot of losing left.”

Second, let’s all remember how much kvetching we’re doing about who should be in the final four and who shouldn’t when it’s absolutely meaniningless because, referring back to No. 1 somewhat, the landscape will be entirely different in three weeks. Even if everyone from Nos. 1-7 don’t lose, their –I sorta hate this word, but it works–resumes will look different.

It’s a little like declaring the winner of a mile race after three laps.

Third, much as I love Jason McIntyre, it isn’t “doomdsay” if Mississippi State fails to make the playoff. Why would it be? Because the Bulldogs’ sole loss would’ve been at Alabama? Granted, that’s a solid resume, but if nothing changed, the Horned Frogs’ sole loss would be by a field goal, after not one but two sketchy PI calls (one was a non-call), on the road against the nation’s No. 1 Scoring Offense. So while you can make a great case for MSU, you can also make a great case for TCU (not to mention Ohio State and Baylor). It’s not a “doomsday” situation.

The only Doomsday situations would be if undefeated Florida State failed to crack the top four or if Mississippi State had won at Bama and failed to crack the Top 4.

Me, I’m always amused when people are irate when I type, “All Mississippi State had to do was win at Alabama.” And they’re like, well, that’s not easy. And I’m like, Well, you want to be able to designate a team as the nation’s best but you’re offended when I suggest that it might be opportune of them to actually prove they’re the best?”

I’ll say it again: you can make a great case for Oregon or Mississippi State or Baylor or any one-loss team. The common thread is that people lobbying for those schools will use the stats/metrics that portray their schools in the best light. And then they’ll argue that those stats have more value.

But they’re arbitrary. Florida State, if it wins out, is a lock. Everyone else, even Alabama, is contingent upon how the SelCom feels about them to a degree.

Finally, teams like people are not static: they evolve or devolve over a season. And not just because of changes in personnel. We don’t “find out who they were” in the final week because they truly may have been a different, better or worse, squad, in September. USC was definitely a worse team in September, for example; Texas A&M was definitely a better team then.

That doesn’t mean that a team’s overall record should not be held against it (e.g., USC is actuall 7-3). What it does mean, at least to me, is that I rate how good a Win was at the time it happened, because in college football how good a team believes it is at the time it plays goes a long way in determining how well that team plays that day. Passion and confidence definitely play a role in how good a team is.

Okay. I’m out…

Remote Patrol

No. 19 USC at No. 9 UCLA

ABC 8 p.m. (Saturday)

Myles Jack has had a relatively quiet sophomore season…

This game is always one of college football’s sexiest, and tomorrow night offers the drop back of my (and Stewart Mandel’s) favorite place to take in a college football game, which is to say a football game: the Rose Bowl. The Bruins have won two in a row, but the Trojans are surging with DT Leonard Williams, super WR Nelson Agholor and running back Buck Allen. Oh, and Josh Shaw may drop in…

Also, Chris and Herbie are doing GameDay from Cambridge, Mass., so that would be some transcontinental hustling if they get out to Pasadena to call this one: it’s physically possible, just not very pragmatic.

Winner remains alive for Pac-12 South crown and chance to dance versus Oregon a Levi’s Stadium, which is located not far from the 101 (though that section of highway should be redubbed the “501”).