Warmth and Football

Boulder has just seen two days with the high temperatures 20 degrees warmer than normal - we've been in the low 80s instead of the low 60s.  We had a temperature of 70 degrees at 9 this morning - but our high temp tomorrow is expected to be 52, the Monday night's low around freezing.  Yuck.  Our plants don't know what to do - there are daffodils and iris getting ready to bloom.  Brother-in-law Jim is still gathering 5 pints of ripe raspberries every afternoon (and that's after I eat them off the canes for breakfast each weekday).  Lovey and Nedi have been enjoying the sunshine and warmth - and the squirrels are getting quite plump.  Lovey is sprawled across the foot of my bed at the moment, while Nedi is stretched out on the patio, absorbing the sun's rays.
   Yesterday was Homecoming for the CU Buffs here in Boulder - and they had to play UCLA.  I have to admit that I expected a blow-out by UCLA - but the game went to two over times, and CU lost by a field goal.  I had much higher hopes for the South Carolina Gamecocks playing at Auburn - even though SC hadn't won at Jordan-Hare Stadium, ever.  And the Gamecocks scored first!  The only problem was that two of Dylan Thompson's passes were intercepted - the last one in the end zone that would have tied the scores at 42.  There was less than a minute left, and Auburn kept running the ball, making sure that the Gamecocks couldn't get the pigskin in their hands....  *Sigh*  It would have been wonderful if Steve Spurrier could have won that game!  Thankfully, the Gators had a bye, and so I didn't have to watch their inept efforts.  I don't think Will Muschamp will be the head coach next year...
  I'm starting to get excited about the Breeders Cup races at the end of this week.  As soon as the entries and fields are known, I'll be commenting on them.

Football and Dreams

In regards to football:  a win is a win, and a loss is a loss, period.  Yesterday was a wild ride in the college games.  I am looking forward to today's Broncos game, and I hope the orange and blue players win.  Who will catch Peyton Manning's 500th touchdown pass?  Tamme? Welker? Julius or Demaryius Thomas? Someone else?  We'll see.....
   I had another extremely real-seeming dream this morning...  Earlier this week, when I awoke I thought I was laying on my usual cot in the landing at Grandpa's house on Peterson Street - it took me a while to realize I was in bed in Boulder.  This morning, I dreamed I was in a convoy of yellow- painted trucks; we came under artillery fire, and my vehicle slewed across the roadway;  then this kelly green "thing" approached, and I knew it was a machine that had "the enemy" inside it.   This huge three-fingered claw reached out towards me, and I slammed my right hand up to try to push it away...  (So stupid, I know...) The claw was larger than a VW bug - and I remember thinking that the surface of the claw was very hard and very cold.  That's when I woke up - with my right hand fingers jammed against the concrete block of the wall next to my bed.  I had struck the wall so hard that I broke off four fingernails, one in the quick.  Apparently I'm "acting out" my dreams in my sleep again...  And I am fully cognizant that one of the medications I take daily makes dreams hugely vivid.
   There was a large contingent of Oregon State Beaver fans here yesterday, but even though they won, they were relatively quiet.  When the Buffs win, the town goes wild.  Maybe the visitors are better mannered...
   And here's a photo that a friend took of the bull moose that was wandering around the neighborhood near Chautauqua Park, here in Boulder, the other day:

CU Football

I'm going to stick my neck out a bit and blog about college, football and coaches. If you know me, you know I love football - collegiate and professional. For me, I enjoy it because I can yell at the players, coaches and referees from the comfort and privacy of my own home, and that's my way of venting all of my frustrations that I find in this world. I love to watch a good defensive game. I like to see and hear the hits and the grunts of the men exhorting themselves. I am not going to delve into the very real problems of traumatic brain injuries and concussions. They are an existing fact, and I wish the game could be played without their occurrence. (But as long as the players accept their paychecks and go out and play, I have to admit that I'll watch them.)

  This all started when the University of Colorado at Boulder, whose proud stadium is two blocks down Folsom Street from my apartment, fired their head football coach of a little less than two full years. CU will be borrowing money to pay off Coach Jon Embree, so that CU can legally break their contract with him. They had to pay-off the previous coach, Dan Hawkins, too. That, to me, means there's something fishy in Denmark. Some one, some where is not doing their job; but is it actually all on the head football coach's shoulders? Jon Embree was hired to take the place of Dan Hawkins; he has coached the CU football team through 25 games, and was fired this past Monday morning. Last year, the Buffs played in their old Division and won three games. This year, CU began competing in the PAC-12; they won one game. As I said before, I love football - but, but, but, but the collegiate sport of football should never be the be-all and end-all for any university, college, or assembly of alumni of any educational institution.

  I've looked at the University of Florida head coach position as opposed to the University of Colorado head coach position - Between the years of 1950 and today, each university has had 11 head football coaches. Bill McCartney coached longest at CU; 12 seasons - 153 games, with 93 wins, 55 losses, and 5 ties. Steve Spurrier was the coach at UF for 11 years; 150 games - 122 wins, 27 losses,and 1 tie. UF had a head football coach for one single game in 2004 - Charlie Strong (the Gators lost). In 1962, CU had their shortest tenure with Bud Davis for 10 games, with a 2 and 8 record. So what is the big difference between the two colleges and the two athletic directors and the two head coaches and the players who go out for both teams and almost bust their guts trying to play well?

  I honestly have no idea. Will Muschamp started coaching the Gators when Jon Embree started coaching the Buffs - the Gators were 11 and 1 this season; the Buffs, 1 and 11. Jon Embree was told to pack his bags and leave on Monday. I'm pretty certain that Will Muschamp hasn't received that directive. Is "the problem" recruitment? Is it CU alumni? Is it the Athletic Director? Is it the Board of Regents? Is it the whole university? I don't think the problem is those young men who go out and practice so hard on a daily basis. They give their bodies and their pride to the game and to the fans.

  Whom has failed who in the CU football program?