Allow me to begin with yet another shoutout to Bronconagurskius for his beneficent ways.
I’m a worrier by nature. Most all the time I need a dump truck to unload my mind.
And Sunday, you know in my neck of the woods. Stress. Power. Cable. In addition to the usual daily stuff that plagues me while not bothering most sane folks.
But there it was beginning to end, my Detroit Lions on the telly, turning the Vikings into what my mom would call hochflesh.*
*Which essentially means something like the chicken parts she tossed after conjuring her chicken soup from scratch. Including plucking the feathers of the fresh bird. True.
Twas a glorious 31-9 evisceration, allowing the Lions a week off and home field advantage through the conference playdowns.
While DC Aaron Glenn is receiving most of the postgame acclaim — deservedly so, his plan was brilliant, genius — I want to start with Detroit GM Brad Holmes.
Who has fashioned a franchise rebuild that would put Holmes on Homes to shame.*
*He’s that kind of imperious Canadien contractor who would fix up folks’ houses that were seriously messed up, which we could watch on cable while on the elliptical.
Oh, I could wax on about Holmes astute draft picks, how cleverly he’s turned all those selections he got in the Stafford for Goff trade into getting contributors for the current best team in pro football.
Like how he was excoriated for choosing RB Jah Gibbs with the 12th pick in the ’23 draft when he already had gem David Montgomery on the roster.
Well, Montgomery’s hurt. So, Gibbs ran for 139 last night, scored four TDs, and has the most TDs in the league this season.
That kind of stuff.
OC Ben Johnson has been the flavor of the season. Well, Aaron Glenn is the current holder of that claim.
He was so counterintuitive against Minnesota. Playing mostly man with a depleted secondary against one of the best receiver corps in the NFL. And knew that Amik Robertson, a pick up in the off season from the Raiders, would be able to check Justin Jefferson.
Because he knew the wideout’s tendencies, having played against him in both HS in Louisiana and in college.
It was too sweet.
So exactly how dominant was the Lions D?*
*I know all this info about my Motown faves is probably a bit much for my readership. Deal with it. Besides, it’s a snow day, and you got nothing better to do after you’ve shlepped the kiddos to sled in the park. And the Lions happen to be the favorite pro team of Glorious Editor.
The Vikes reached the red zone four times. They came away with 6 points total on a couple FGs.
They ran 11 plays inside the five. Scoring one of those FGs.
Oh, I could go on and on. I won’t, but one more thing. Sam Darnold, a contenda for Comeback Player of Year, was 18/41 for a buck 66. And generally didn’t know what hit him. Other than lots of Lions lots of times.
The Minnesota organization famously spent $2 mill on the secondary market buying up tickets in Ford for the game to sell to season ticket holders at a discount. Long subdued drive back home, I suppose.
So, yeah, I’m pumped.
Thanks for indulging me.
* * * * *
OK, a U of L thing.
After the Cardinal hoopsters shredded UVa in Charlottesville Saturday, überfan Doc called. During our joyous breakdown of the game, he inquired whether I was going to mention in my b-ball game story his prediction after the Sun Bowl that QB Harrison Bailey was going to enter the portal?
“No, Doc,” I replied with a smidge of disdain in my voice, “my game story about the basketball game will be about the basketball game.”
Even I try to keep what I pen somewhat appropriate to the general tone of the article.
But, Doc, you were correct. Bailey be gone.
The days of a deep QB room are no more.
Texas, of course is the outlier here. Arch Manning with his Manning-family maturity and $6 mill+ NIL deal has been quite content to sit on the sidelines for a couple seasons and let the Longhorns mantel come to him. Which it shall next season.
* * * * *
Also at the student athlete level, the CFP has ground down to a Final Four.
Of course, I’ll be tuned in. Hopefully the games will be good ones.
Every pundit with a keyboard seems to be weighing on how to better the CFP. If it’s broke, fix it.
Here’s my take. 16 teams. Guarantee spots for conference champs including two from Group of Six. Seed the teams. Opening eight games on campus. Maybe even the quarter finals.
Move everything up, so the regular season starts in what’s now Week 0. Which not only makes sense but will give these collegiate pigskinners a game or two under their belts before they have to buckle down with books for their Locker Room Design 101 class.
* * * * *
Tonight: Montana State vs. North Dakota State for the CFS crown.
Of course, I’ll be tuned in.
— c d kaplan
I like your CFP plan. It’s too simple so that means it won’t happen.
Well, I was going to blast you for the gratuitous indulgence of your Lion’s romp over an overrated Norse Squad until you pulled a Lloyd Christmas out of your rear and “…just when I think you couldn’t be any dumber, ….you go and do something like this and totally redeem yourself….”
The tail end of your palaver calling for a 16 team playoff played on campuses for the first two rounds was particularly wise, but starting the season in week zero is incredibly brilliant! Do you think you idea(s) have any chance(s) to be adopted?
Or is it a million to one—just like Lloyd hookin’ up with Mary?
Your proposals are too logical to be rejected out-of-hand, just like when the motorcycle cop rides up next to Lloyd and Harry on the interstate and demands Harry to “pull over”; and Harry responds, “No, its a CARDigan, but thanks for noticing!” Brilliance needs to be lauded and not disCARDed.
For this ardent college football fan, the playoffs have been far short of what they could and should be. Seeding teams 1-16 and having the first 12 games on campus would be an amazing improvement over this years mostly boring playoff games….plus, it might help rid the world of the bowl games that do not even interest 50%-90% of the players on the participating teams. Still, I was glad we were able to prevail in one of the best of these meaningless exhibitions. It is a credit to CB, the staff and the players that they played as hard as they did to get the win!
I guess you were complementing me about some about face in the Lions portion of my post. But, ya know, Red’s a little too rough and sore, and often, like a punch drunk fighter doesn’t make sense. Oh well.
I haven’t the slightest idea what the CFP muckety mucks will do. They’ve shut me out. Logic doesn’t always rule. Follow the money.
Uh, maybe drunk but not punched…now follow along very closely…
….My non-sense was centered on the fact that your palaver written primarily for CARD fans spoke of a Sunday night NFL game important to maybe 1%-2% of you readership. As I was shaking my head wondering if I had logged in to the Detroit Lions Free Press cite, you changed tune and went all Lloyd Christmas on me and came up with a brilliant idea—similar to Harry’s comment to the cop thanking him for noticing his sweater while being pulled over for speeding…
Despite all of our apparent disagreement(s) I also agree with your Deep-Throatesque surmise that I should follow the money….
…and it is “Ruff” not “Rough”, CD”J”…Geeze,,
Call me not so dumberer.