Well, well, well...My, my, my: How the Cookie Hast Crumbled!

Alas, it was too good to be true.

Not only did I have years of my sports thoughts and memories recorded, but I had dozens and dozens of great samples of humanity interacting and commenting on them.

Too good to last.

2006-2009. The forgotten blog years. So far, EdClinchSaint fared worse: he lost BOTH his posts AND the comments.

For yours truly, only the latter so far.

But it hurts.

I do feel like a veteran, all right.

Burned out by the technical inefficasy of the whole thing.

Should I hold out hope?

Did Demonicume and...my other good buddy, I can't even remember his name at present, get out before it all was to be trashed?

Where are the comments?

2006-2009.

We was robbed.

Help us, Fox Admin.

PapaClinch

 

Soccer is the World Sport, but I still don't like Offsides Rule

I watched most of the Iraq/South Africa 0-0 tie today.

ESPN2, you are great. I enjoyed the game. Even though I was hoping both South Africa and Iraq had been more aggressive offensively.

But this offside rule?

Nope. I have always had a hard time understanding it, both tactically and strategically.

And what is wrong with scoring a few goals?

What is wrong with an 8-6 game?

Not enough shots on goals, not enough scoring.

Until then, I will still watch World Cup competition (and my hometown IU college team) and enjoy it.

But this non-scoring offside enforcing mumbo jumbo?

Save it for the third world.

Me and my first world aspirations will take the scoring of "slow" baseball (shout out to Ms. Horne), basketball and football.

And even tennis. You gotta love it. Love-forty.

And as far as the Iraqis? Good luck. You guys deserve some breaks.

PapaClinch

What Did Frank Thomas Ever Do?

Did he win a World Series, or contribute to one?

Not really.

Did he break any records?

Maybe a few.

Did he get into the baseball HOF?

Most likely.

As of June 2009, the Big Hurt's numbers are as follows:

2322 games in 19 years (1990-2008).

8199 at bats.

1494 runs.

2468 hits.

1667 walks.

495 doubles.

521 home runs.

1702 RBIs.

.301 career hitting average.

.419 OBP, .555 SLG.

He should be in.

I loved to watch him bat in his prime.

A master, two time MVP (1992-3).

Today I bought a montage of his; a photo of him at bat and two cards of his with the White Sox.

I sent it by UPS for almost as much money (23 dollars and change) as I paid for it from a couple that sells these photographic sports memorabilia across southern Arizona.

Was it worth it?

I don't know.

My sports memorabilia room will start somewhere.

In my new house, a great baseball hittter.

The Big Hurt.

Right next to my signed Tim Raines bat. And past posters and knick knacks of glories past on the diamond, court and field.

PapaClinch

 

College Football is Great--but...

I really dig college football.

I really dig college football.

But Houston, we have a problem.

And now the courts and congress may have to intervene.

Why can't the NCAA do the right thing...eventually?

We fans and alumni understand a few years of gaffes and blunders...A few years. But a few decades?

Nebraska getting whooped in the Big 12 Championship by Colorado and then going to the----huh? National Title Game at the Rose Bowl in 2001-02?! Wow.

Or even last year, Florida losing to Mississippi at home, against another one loss Oklahoma team and then playing in the BCS Championship game? Instead of undefeated Utah?

Okay, hope is on the way, right?

Who knows.

Congress may be the ones to decide, eventually.

In the following list, you can see that things have become clearer since 1970, but there is still a ways to go...

Look at all the discrepancy since the year I was born!

Numbers of multiple poll winners since 1970 (see the list below mine directly following this one for specific teams and polls, courtesy of Wikipedia):

1970---5

1971-73   BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO!

1973---5

1974---3

1975---5

1976---2

1977---4

1978---3

1979---2

1980---5

1981---6

1982---3

1983---3

1984---4

1985---3

1986---3

1987---2

1988---2

1989---2

1990---4

1991---2

1992---2

1993---4

1994---3

1995 BRAVO! Only 22 years to get a unanimous winner again!

1996---2

1997---2

1998 YES! BRAVO to the modern era!

1999---BRAVO! TWO in a ROW? Oh my Kelly Scott!!!????

2000---2

2001---BRAVO! Now we got some 21st century progress!

2002---2

2003---3

2004---Yes! Now we're talking turkey!

2005---BRAVO! BRAVO! (Maybe best title game of all time)

2006---One loss but undisputed!

2007---2

2008---2

We are not perfect, but some day...

PapaClinch

  1970 Arizona State 11-0 Frank Kush PS Nebraska 11-0-1 Bob Devaney AP, BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, NCF, R(FACT), SR Notre Dame 10-1 Ara Parseghian MGR, R(FACT), SR Ohio State 9-1 Woody Hayes NFF Texas 10-1 Darrell Royal B(QPRS), L, NFF, R(FACT), UPI

1971 Nebraska 13-0 Bob Devaney AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, L, MGR, NCF, NFF, PS, R(FACT), SR, UPI

1972 USC 12-0 John McKay AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, L, MGR, NCF, NFF, PS, R(FACT), SR, UPI

1973 Alabama 11-1 Bear Bryant B(QPRS), UPI Michigan 10-0-1 Bo Schembechler NCF, PS Notre Dame 11-0 Ara Parseghian AP, BR, FN, FWAA, HAF, NCF, NFF Ohio State 10-0-1 Woody Hayes NCF, PS, R(FACT), SR Oklahoma 10-0-1 Barry Switzer CFRA, DeS, DuS, SR

1974 Ohio State 10-2 Woody Hayes MGR Oklahoma 11-0 Barry Switzer AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, HAF, L, NCF, PS, R(FACT), SR USC 10-1-1 John McKay FWAA, HAF, NCF, NFF, UPI

1975 Alabama 11-1 Bear Bryant MGR Arizona State 12-0 Frank Kush NCF, SN Ohio State 11-1 Woody Hayes B(QPRS), HAF, MGR, PS, R(FACT) Oklahoma 11-1 Barry Switzer AP, BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, NCF, NFF, R(FACT), SR, UPI

1976 Pittsburgh 12-0 Johnny Majors AP, FN, FWAA, HAF, NCF, NFF, PS, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI USC 11-1 John Robinson B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, MGR

1977 Alabama 11-1 Bear Bryant CFRA Arkansas 11-1 Lou Holtz R(FACT) Notre Dame 11-1 Dan Devine AP, BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, MGR, NCF, NFF, PS, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI Texas 11-1 Fred Akers B(QPRS), R(FACT), SR

1978 Alabama 11-1 Bear Bryant AP, CFRA, FWAA, HAF, NCF, NFF, R(FACT) Oklahoma 11-1 Barry Switzer DeS, DuS, HAF, L, MGR, PS, R(FACT), SR USC 12-1 John Robinson B(QPRS), BR, FN, HAF, NCF, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI

1979 Alabama 12-0 Bear Bryant AP, B(QPRS), BR, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, PS, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI USC 11-0-1 John Robinson CFRA

1980 Florida State 10-2 Bobby Bowden R(FACT) Georgia 12-0 Vince Dooley AP, B(QPRS), BR, FN, FWAA, HAF, NCF, NFF, PS, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI Nebraska 10-2 Tom Osborne R(FACT) Oklahoma 10-2 Barry Switzer DuS, MGR Pittsburgh 11-1 Jackie Sherrill CFRA, DeS, NYT, R(FACT), SR

1981 Clemson 12-0 Danny Ford AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, FN, FWAA, HAF, L, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, PS, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI Nebraska 9-3 Tom Osborne NCF Penn State 10-2 Joe Paterno DuS Pittsburgh 11-1 Jackie Sherrill NCF SMU 10-1 Ron Meyer NCF Texas 10-1-1 Fred Akers NCF

1982 Nebraska 12-1 Tom Osborne B(QPRS) Penn State 11-1 Joe Paterno AP, BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, HAF, L, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, PS, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI, USAT/CNN SMU 11-0-1 Bobby Collins HAF

1983 Auburn 11-1 Pat Dye BR, CFRA, NYT, R(FACT), SR Miami 11-1 Howard Schnellenberger AP, DuS, FN, FWAA, NCF, NFF, SN, UPI, USAT/CNN Nebraska 12-1 Tom Osborne B(QPRS), DeS, L, MGR, PS, R(FACT), SR

1984 BYU 13-0 LaVell Edwards AP, BR, CFRA, FWAA, NCF, NFF, PS, SR, UPI, USAT/CNN Florida 9-1-1 Galen Hall DeS, DuS, MGR, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR Nebraska 10-2 Tom Osborne L Washington 11-1 Don James B(QPRS), FN, NCF

1985 Florida 9-1-1 Galen Hall SR Michigan 10-1-1 Bo Schembechler MGR Oklahoma 11-1 Barry Switzer AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, NCF, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, UPI, USAT/CNN

1986 Miami 11-1 Jimmy Johnson R(FACT) Oklahoma 11-1 Barry Switzer B(QPRS), CFRA, DeS, DuS, NYT, SR Penn State 12-0 Joe Paterno AP, BR, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NFF, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI, USAT/CNN

1987 Florida State 11-1 Bobby Bowden B(QPRS) Miami 12-0 Jimmy Johnson AP, BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI, USAT/CNN

1988 Miami 11-1 Jimmy Johnson B(QPRS) Notre Dame 12-0 Lou Holtz AP, BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI, USAT/CNN

1989 Miami 11-1 Dennis Erickson AP, BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, UPI, USAT/CNN Notre Dame 12-1 Lou Holtz B(QPRS), ERS, R(FACT), SR

1990 Colorado 11-1-1 Bill McCartney AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NFF, R(FACT), SN, USAT/CNN Georgia Tech 11-0-1 Bobby Ross DuS, NCF, R(FACT), SR, UPI Miami 10-2 Dennis Erickson ERS, NYT, R(FACT), SR Washington 10-2 Don James R(FACT)

1991 Miami 12-0 Dennis Erickson AP, BR, CFRA, ERS, NCF, NYT, SN, SR Washington 12-0 Don James B(QPRS), DeS, DuS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, R(FACT), SR, UPI/NFF, USAT/CNN

1992 Alabama 13-0 Gene Stallings AP, B(QPRS), BR, CFRA, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI/NFF, USAT/CNN Florida State 11-1 Bobby Bowden SR

1993 Auburn 11-0 Terry Bowden NCF Florida State 12-1 Bobby Bowden AP, B(QPRS), BR, CCR, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, NCF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI, USAT/CNN, USAT/NFF Nebraska 11-1 Tom Osborne NCF Notre Dame 11-1 Lou Holtz MGR, NCF

1994 Florida State 10-1-1 Bobby Bowden DuS Nebraska 13-0 Tom Osborne AP, AS, B(QPRS), BR, FN, FWAA, NCF, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI, USAT/CNN, USAT/NFF Penn State 12-0 Joe Paterno CCR, DeS, ERS, MGR, NCF, NYT, R(FACT), SR

1995 Nebraska 12-0 Tom Osborne AP, AS, B(QPRS), BR, CCR, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, UPI, USAT/CNN

1996 Florida 12-1 Steve Spurrier AP, B(QPRS), BR, CCR, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, USAT/CNN Florida State 11-1 Bobby Bowden AS

1997 Michigan 12-0 Lloyd Carr AP, FN, FWAA, NCF, NFF, SN Nebraska 13-0 Tom Osborne A&H, AS, B(QPRS), BR, CCR, DeS, DuS, ERS, MGR, NCF, NYT, R(FACT), SR, USAT/ESPN

1998 Tennessee 13-0 Phillip Fulmer A&H, AP, AS, B(QPRS), BCS, BR, CCR, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, USAT/ESPN

1999 Florida State 12-0 Bobby Bowden A&H, AP', B(QPRS), BCS, BR, CCR, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MCFR, MGR, NCF, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, USAT/ESPN

2000 Miami 11-1 Butch Davis NYT Oklahoma 13-0 Bob Stoops A&H, AP, B(QPRS), BCS, BR, CCR, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MCFR, MGR, NCF, NFF, R(FACT), SN, SR, USAT/ESPN

2001 Miami 12-0 Larry Coker A&H, AP, B(QPRS), BCS, BR, CCR, CM, DeS, DuS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MCFR, MGR, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, USAT/ESPN,

W 2002 Ohio State 14-0 Jim Tressel A&H, AP, B(QPRS), BCS, BR, CCR, CM, DeS, ERS, FN, FWAA, MCFR, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, USAT/ESPN, W USC 11-2 Pete Carroll DuS, MGR, SR

2003 LSU 13-1 Nick Saban A&H, BCS, BR, CM, DeS, DuS, MCFR, NFF, R(FACT), SR, USAT/ESPN, W Oklahoma 12-2 Bob Stoops B(QPRS) USC 12-1 Pete Carroll AP, CCR, ERS, FWAA, MGR, NYT, SN

2004 USC 13-0 Pete Carroll A&H, AP, B(QPRS), BCS, BR, CCR, CM, DeS, DuS, ERS, FWAA, MCFR, MGR, NFF, NYT, R(FACT), SN, SR, USAT/ESPN, W

2005 Texas 13-0 Mack Brown A&H, AP, B(QPRS), BCS, BR, CCR, CM, DeS, DuS, ERS, FWAA, MCFR, MGR, NFF, R(FACT), SN, SR, USAT/ESPN, W

2006 Florida 13-1 Urban Meyer A&H, AP, B(QPRS), BCS, BR, CCR, CM, DuS, FWAA, MCFR, MGR, NFF, R(FACT), SN, SR, USAT, W

2007 LSU 12-2 Les Miles AP, BCS, CCR, FWAA, NFF, USAT Missouri 12-2 Gary Pinkel A&H

2008 Florida 13-1 Urban Meyer AP, BCS, BR, CCR, SR, CM, OS, R(FACT), FWAA, NFF, USAT Utah 13-0 Kyle Whittingham A&H, MCFR, W

Tennis, Anyone?

Tennis is fun, tennis is cool.

We Americans don't always show huge interest, but it is great drama. Great theatre. Great sport.

Perhaps I was lucky as a young guy in the late 1970s and early 1980s, my dad would watch Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe and that one blonde Swede, what was his name?

We had one T.V. and it was in the family room.

And I was family.

Tennis and its play and personalities and drama and history and acclaim grew on me.

And I played it, too.

Bjorn Borg!

The original gangster BORG!

The Swedish influence back then was formidable: Abba, the BeeGees (OK, maybe not Scandinavian but their hair was like Borg's locks) and Volvo, not to mention Ingrid in my elementary school. Her dad studied at IU for a while. Great folks, members of my church...

Then there was Yanich Noah from France (his son plays for the Bulls now) and Ivan Lendl of Sweden and Boris Becker of Germany and Michael Chang of the US...

Australia, France, England and the USA...The big four championships. Every February, May, June and September...

And now other parts have cool championships, too, even the Persian Gulf...

The women are fun to watch too.

And doubles? Maybe not as much, but when you get Kournikova playing well with a partner...

GREAT DRAMA.

And the Red Wings are in the playoffs.

Tennis is great.

And who is this new "fall on your face and knees" guy who won that match?

Wow.

Federer and Nadal are kings.

The kings are dead.

Long live the kings and queens of tennis.

So, whether you play or watch:

Enjoy the game!

It's a great racket.

Get it?

PapaClinch