Week #...whatever

While the rest of the civilized world was watching the 12th Annual National Wife-Carrying Championships from Sunday River Ski Resort (in Maine, where else?), college football marched on.  From Schenectady, NY to Provo, UT, teams were left unprepared for the debut of "The Smack".  Bad decision.  Have decided to start "Occupy Armchair" movement, beginning Thursday nights and not ending until the following Monday night, for the rest of the year.

While I watch yet another funny eTrade ad, here's the smack.  Hope you guys know what you've done to me by talking me out of retirement.

Hobart 41, Union 24.  Normally, 16 of 24 for 3 TDs would show up in the box score on the winning side.  Not when your O-line gives up 8 sacks.  Frank Bailey Field turns into a shooting gallery, as Statesmen show they're still class of the Liberty League.  Hate when I hear my inner Red Sawk saying, "Wait 'til next year" and it's only early October.

Notre Dame 42, Air Force 24.  Wait...I mean Notre Dame 59, Air Force 33.  Apparently I stopped watching before the game was over.  Where has this Irish team been hiding up to now...West Lafayette?  Can't wait 'til they play USC!  To paraphrase John Hay, Falcons have a "spendid little team", and they'll probably win the CIC Trophy now that they've squeaked by Navy.  Better luck next week with San Diego State.

Miami-OH 35, Army 28.  The fact that I picked the Black Knights to win, without so much as a second look, shows what being out of the loop for four years has done to me.  Also, forgot that Ohio is the "cradle of football coaches" (see Hayes, Schembechler, Shula, the Stoops brothers, etc.).  Wait...Gerry Faust was from Ohio, too.  Well anyway...  See-saw struggle, the win ends up going to the team which has the ball last.  Tough break having your final drive end on downs at your opponent's 13 yardline.

Southern Miss 63, Navy 35.  2011 version of the "Triple Option" = can't stop the run, can't stop the pass, and can't convert on 4th downs.  Hey Middies, how's that workin' for ya?  OK, to be fair, Navy's best rusher was suspended earlier in the week for violating team rules.  But their offense wasn't the problem, matching or exceeding the Golden Eagles yard for yard.  Navy D just couldn't stop Southern Miss from scoring.

BYU 29, San Jose State 16.  Somebody please explain to me why the Cougs left the Mountain West Conference.  Besides SJS, they now have Central Florida, Idaho, Idaho State, and New Mexico State on their sched this year.  Afraid of Air Force?  Permanent exile to the New Orleans Bowl...

Can't forget the high schools...

South Portland 42, Sanford 34.  In a week that saw Cheverus beat Biddeford 56-0 (??!!), Riots are 2-1 after Friday night home victory over the Redskins.  And wow, Steve Stinson is STILL the coach!  Sort of like life in Maine itself; the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Rogers 45, Spanaway Lake 13.  Rams go to 4-2 and set up a showdown with Federal Way (5-1), with obvious playoff implications.  The rest of the game highlights remain a closely guarded secret in metro Puyallup.

Chaparral 28, Indio 10.  I don't teach there anymore.  Ovidio Machado doesn't coach there anymore (replaced twice in the last four years).  Team now being coached by George Thomas, former defensive back for the Atlanta Falcons.  Rajahs suck as bad as Thomas' Falcons did back in the day.  But he's a nice guy, and he likes to talk coaching with me.  Meanwhile, At Summit Continuation where I now hang my shingle, our boys volleyball team won a close 5-setter vs. Mt. San Jacinto Continuation HS last Wednesday...during 3rd period.  New educational mantra:  "Welcome to continuation high school!"