No Air in My Balloons

It is hard to get up the energy for this one. My Tigers couldn’t stop a totally one dimensional team (ie, The Darren McFadden Experience) that took out its erstwhile quarterback for its only effective pass plays. The defense looked bad in the second half.  I don’t know if was that we were outcoached (by the next head coach of Ole Miss?), or just plain old worn out.  The defense looked awful, especially in the second half.   I know that everyone is hurt, but I didn’t expect that level of play from LSU. It was the most disappointing loss I’ve seen since the 2005 SEC title game, in which we were demolished and chopped into tiny bits.  Our luck, mojo, or whatever you want to call it, finally ran out last Friday evening.  And that sucks.

Our quest for the national title is over and out.  Unless we beat the Volunteers, we are headed to a random New Year’s Day Bowl instead of the Sugar Bowl. I have no idea what will happen in the SECCG (the original, and still the best).  Tennessee is happy to be there; LSU is somewhat disappointed with the way the season is going.  Tennessee’s coach is staying; ours is still looking to be Michigan’s next head coach.  I still think we can pull it together for one more game, and then have a month to heal before the Sugar.  I think we can do it, but the question is, whether my boys believe they can. 

 Rocky T*ts and I will discuss the SEC Championship Game in the most random terms this week; we will not discuss it at all on Saturday; and then the winner gets a five minute gloat following the game.  Even better, this year, I will be in North Carolina, and she will be here. It’s really safer for everyone that way.

Right now, we’re looking at a West Virginia- Missouri title game, which I’m sure sends Fox executives looking for a building to jump off.  WVU-Ohio State is just as potentially stimulating. I’ve been involved in an email spat all day with friends from West Virginia, who were insulted at the notion that I called their fan base rednecks who don’t know how to act, especially on their special Monday morning at the top of the BCS.  Here’s some news for you, Mountaineer fans: there are rednecks in all 50 states.  Don’t have a tizzy when ya’ll get called that. It’s really ok.   As for not knowing how to act, my favorite Mountaineer blog is called “We Must Ignite This Couch.”  I didn’t make that up to hurt your feelings.  I am, however, linking to this post to annoy ya’ll. Remind me to not go to a baseball game in Charleston again. I’m amazed I made it out the stadium. Hopefully someone in the Power marketing department has taken the description in question down, before someone uses it for negative recruting, or before some skinheads buy it.  In any event, West Virginia has to beat Pitt, and Pitt is cover-your-eyes awful, and the game is in Morgantown. Pitt has about zero chance of winning the game.  Here’s an article praising the hard work ethic Coach Rodriguez displays in tricking talent into leaving the warmth of SEC country for Morgantown.  

The other game bearing on the BCS title game is the Big 12 Championship, Missouri and Oklahoma. I never really watch the Big 12. Don’t have much of a reason.  I hope Mizzou wins, if only to spare the nation the pain of a WVU-Sweatervests matchup.  The possibility of WVU- OSU represents a special kind of hell to me. Either I’ll be faced with endless bragging about how the Big East represents the future of college athletics, and how this game means the downfall of the SEC as the nation’s premier football power, or how this game means that the Big Ten is the best conference, and last year’s BCS game was a terrible fluke. Please, please Mizzou! Beat OU!  I do think that Missouri would at least be a better game. But the top two still have to win their games this Saturday; as we’ve all seen this year (hullo, Trojans), that is no guarantee, even when the team is as bad as Pitt. And if both the BCS top 2 lose:

  vs.  Pray it doesn’t come to that.

 Virginia Tech plays Boston College for the ACC title.  Go Hokies!

Finally, the MLBGG can’t stand the Redskins, but is praying that Sean Taylor recovers.