The 2013 College Football Season is Here! Or, as ESPN has unofficially titled it – Johnny Manziel / Jadeveon Clowney / SEC & The Whozits. There is no sport that is so much fun to follow….. in my opinion….. that offers so much COLOR & PAGEANTRY regardless of how one chooses to partake of it. College Football has evolved considerably over the past 10-20 years….. Have you? …….
It was 12-15 years ago, as I recall. Maybe longer. ….. an early season game in Kenan vs a long forgotten opponent. Early first quarter. Carolina runs off-tackle….. then an option….. then incomplete pass…. and punt. A three & out series like 1,000s of others by every team every season….. from somewhere within earshot I hear some braying jackass blurt:
…….. “Same old Carolina football”. ???? Huh?
Fan evolution lags 20-25 years behind the evolution of “the game”. The designated hitter rule is still debated in some circles….. bring back the short shorts in basketball….. “when you throw the ball, three things can happen and two of those are bad….”. Yawn….. snort.
The Battle Against Tricked-Up Blingy Uniforms HAS BEEN LOST. The blingy whims of 17 y/os won. Time to move on.
I like to think a high % of such neanderthalian perspective is dying off, literally. Comparisons of Bryn Renner to Choo Choo will be at an all-time low this Fall. Speculation of “suppose Tatum had lived” will be minimalized. The number of fans who know what a #hashtag is growing. I DO know what a #hashtag is but choose not to “tweet”….. or to instagram….. or vine.
As you sit in The Carter or Kenan in the coming weeks….. ruminate for a moment on how many humans within your field of vision do not own an iPad OR a Smartphone…. or can tell the difference between Erin Andrews and Charissa Thompson.
NOTE: Special Trivia Question…. Q: embattled Jets QB Mark Sanchez was injured late in their recent game….. Who hit him? …….. A: It was MARVIN !!! Yes…. the infamous Marvin “The Tweeter” Austin. Whattayaknow!
I asked BubbaTheRealAD recently if UNC fan concerns about “choice of pre-game music” was still alive. He assured me it IS at least among a certain eternally impassioned faction.
The “bring back Andy Griffith to recite What It Was Football” faction did finally die off…… about two years after Andy died off.
I considered the normal “go thru the ACC and analyze each team’s chances this year” but found I can’t recall all 14 (15 ? 16?) members of the New ACC. Do I / you care about Maryland’s special teams….. or GaTech’s depth at deep snapper? And then there’s Pitt and Syracuse for Heaven’s sakes.
Several years ago I could not name 50% of the head basketball coaches in The ACC. Its up to 60%. Now I can’t spiel off all the ACC member schools without scratching my head. I’m not lamenting “progress”. I get it.
I’m hoping if I keep forgetting BC they will simply go away. Maybe BC has “gone away” and I didn’t get the memo? I can’t name the divisions in the ACC or who is in which. I can’t convince myself I need to know.
I like Larry Fedora a lot….. and I like Dave (or is it Dan or Doug) from Wherever. Both seem like first-class stand-up guys…. and not exaggerated cartoon characters. Their respective lunatic fringes are still exaggerated cartoon characters of course.
I really like that both local head coaches seem quite cognizant of the local rivalry but are not consumed with feeding raw meat to their respective lunatic fringes 24/7.
Around UNC….. the Butch Bunch officially disbanded when Son Of Butch left town. I can’t find anyone who doesn’t like Larry but, of course, I don’t go where the creepy crawlies live so there may still be some somewhere.
I read an article recently that Dave Doeren (that IS his name, right?) may not be animated enough and/or “quippy” enough for State fans. Is Dave too Herb or too TO’B and not enough Jimmy V? The comparison of every State coach to V still has another 15-18 years to smolder. Comparisons of Dave Doeren to the taciturn Dick Sheridan might serve Dave well. Comparisons to Tom Reed or Mike O’Cain….. less so. FWIW…. 97+% of today’s NCSU undergrads were not BORN when Jimmy V died.
This is a very odd season for Wuffs. They only leave the state twice – to Tallahassee and to Chestnut Hill. Eight games within “the friendly confines of” Carter-Finley plus short bus jaunts to The Wally and to Winston-Salem? Frau is saving mucho travel expenses.
A loss this Saturday to Skip Son of Lou “from some Louisiana school that doesn’t end in “_SU” would gain Dave some early detractors. Playing whozits is OK. Losing to whozits is very Not OK. Beating Clemson on Sept 19 (at Carter) could get Dave his very own room at Amedeo’s.
I can not name a single NCSU player. Not one. There was Shadrach Somebody who either bludgeoned his girlfriend with a sledge hammer….. or bumped into her in the library….. Depending upon which lunatic fringe one believes. Other than having a cool Old Testament name I have no opinion on him…. or any one else on State’s roster. I’m sure they are ALL Eagle Scouts and all major in some complicated area of Engineering.
The good thing about a roster of no-names is when they get hurt; which they will, no one gets too upset.
OK….. what about Year Two of The Fedora Era: With Jadeveon (is THAT an Old Testament name ??) Clowney being so hyped, if Carolina comes out of William-Brice with Bryn Renner NOT on crutches or with an arm in a sling, many will consider it a sure sign from Heaven. I think UNC has a better chance vs USC than most pundits are giving them.
A “W” will be an upset for sure….. but not of AppState v Michigan proportions by any means. IF UNC does win on Thursday…… expect “Fedora to Texas” rumors to heat up. UNC fans, like most fan bases, cannot allow themselves to simply enjoy success.
I have it on excellent source that “PJ” will NOT play in ANY UNC Football or Soccer (Mens or Womens) games this Fall.
The number of internet references this week to Spurrier “and that picture of the scoreboard” will be twice as many as those that manage to spell “Byrn – Bryn” correctly. Guthridge and Doherty are both still misspelled by that same faction. So much for that “Harvard of The South” reputation!
IF UNC is 4-2 as of October 18….. a legitimate bowl game is quite possible.
Elsewhere…… Duke will NOT go bowling this year although I still really like David Cutcliffe.
Wake will be playing way too many walk-ons by early October AGAIN. Jim Grobe will still win more games this year than Buzz will….. OUCH!
Can VaTech rebound from a season of mediocrity or is Beamer Ball officially kaput? UNC at Blacksburg on Oct 5 might answer that question. When’s the last time you read a “Bud Foster as anybody’s next Head Coach Rumor”?
Can TO’B and Smilin’ John Tenuta bring their coaching magic to Hoo-ville?
Will EVERY GaTech story still be “it’s so hard to prepare for a Paul Johnson triple option offense”? Why did Wes Durham really leave? GaTech will beat one someone they shouldn’t and lose to two teams they shouldn’t…. and go to another Sun Bowl.
“The U” will do pretty good and their coach will still wear his white dress shirt and a tie. Empty seats will still be an issue for any cameraman covering a Cane home game.
FSU will be very good by ACC standards but not by SEC standards.
Pitt….. Syracuse….. BC ??? Did Swofford ever let UConn in?
I hope Bobby Petrino and Tommy Tubberville lose every game….. but they won’t.
The National Championship will probably be Nick v Urban….. but maybe not.
THE Biggest Game for both UNC and NCSU will be November 2nd at The Carter. Some things haven’t changed.
….. And Charissa is A LOT prettier than Erin….. in my opinion.
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AgentPierce INSISTS I tell you that The N&O chronicled today, on its front page, that Wolfpack Immortal Bob Kennel was born in Tryon Palace. Bob is, coincidentally, “a close personal friend” of N&O favorite demagogue Bill Barber. The N&O (nor WRAL) still has not mentioned The Oklahoma Shooting ??
