Hello 2010…

Random thoughts after a day in the recliner watching New Year’s Day fare…

- I’m not sure anything was any more fun to watch than the snowboarding bulldogs in the Rose Bowl Parade. I’m thinking I need to find a way to see this parade spectacle in person…

- It was nice when football games actually worth watching finally showed up on my screen today. My friends know football is not my favorite and I find it hard to watch the first 20 games each bowl season…

- Boy, the first football game of 2010 was easily the most entertaining of the day. Nice to see Auburn win the game but still trying to figure out why Northwestern wouldn’t let backup kicker Steve Flaherty send the game into a second overtime with what was basically an extra point from the right hash. A fake field goal in overtime? Really?…

- I’m not really a Penn State hater [hate the man's choice in uniforms, love the man (Joe Pa)] and I would have preferred the SEC pick up another win but, gee, Les Miles is awfully easy to make fun of…

- Glad I wasn’t a West Virginia fan watching the Gator Bowl as I would have ended up throwing things during the Bobby Bowden lovefest. Still, how can you hate Bobby Bowden? Interesting to hear my friend Tim Brando so strongly state afterward that Bowden should be back for another year of coaching at FSU…

- As a confirmed fan of Kirk Herbstreit’s football analysis, I must admit it sounded like he was overly excited during his comments of the Rose Bowl featuring his alma mater Ohio State. Ooops…THE Ohio State University. (sigh) I’ll give him a pass considering he consistently offers common sense analysis on college football — a rarity.

- Holy cow…how about that No. 4 Purdue victory over No. 6 West Virginia (yes, there was college basketball today). Of course, any time Bob Huggins loses it’s a good day! Add Matt Painter’s Boilermakers to your list of teams (Kentucky, Texas, Kansas, Syracuse), worth watching this season. JuJuan Johnson hung 25 on the Mountaineers and Robbie Hummel was 7-of-8 from the floor…

- I wish my friend Charlie Fiss a spectacular first Cotton Bowl game in spectacular Cowboys Stadium. Seems like just yesterday he and some of his staff spent New Year’s Eve night in the old Cotton Bowl Stadium press box in case nothing in the world worked the next day as we moved into the New Millenium…

- Oh, speaking of color television analysts, thank you, thank you, thank you ESPN for employing the likes of Jay Bilas, Fran Fraschilla, Steve Lavin and Doris Burke. You folks make my favorite sport fun to watch and listen to. I SO wish CBS had been able to steal any one of you to replace Billy Packer…

- Ah…still basking in the glow of the ribs, little smokies, slaw, fried potatoes and black-eyed peas dinner I expertly prepared. With a quarter left in Florida’s thumping of Cincinnati, I think a bowl of popcorn would do nicely.

Here’s confidence the Razorback football team will play well in the Liberty Bowl and hopefulness Pelphrey’s boys can man up against Alabama Birmingham. I have NO illusions for when those hated Horns come to town next week…

Thanks for reading!

Brad Pitt and Me…

…Random thoughts while wondering why the driver’s license bureau camera inadvertently bleached out the color of my hair in my new photo. It says right there on my card…BROWN HAIR! Alas, the photo contradicts what the state government has officially declared.

One of the best things about growing older is how the list of famous men with gray hair lengthens by the day. You know the list – George Clooney. Mark Harmon. Richard Gere. Anderson Cooper. Brad Pitt.

Brad Pitt? Really? What an unexpected treat! Consider Brad’s list of accomplishments: 1) recognized hunk by TMZ, 2) suitor to Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie, 3) millionaire movie star, 4) YOUNGER THAN ME…

In fact, of my short but telling list, only Mark Harmon (58) and Richard Gere (60) clock in older than my own 53. CNN’s Cooper is 42, Pitt turns 46 in just eight days and Clooney is only 48!

All have chosen to swallow their pride and accept the inevitable when it comes to hair color. And yet, among the avalanche of physical self-help products we men must now endure on TV (who knew I’d actually LONG for the days when I complained about feminine ads that TODAY are relegated to print ads in women’s magazines…), Just For Men insists upon casting doubt on my decision to leave my graying mane alone.

I really DO want to believe women when they smile politely and repeat their mantra that “men look so much better with salt and pepper hair.”

And…” 53 really IS the new 43.” Really. Honest.

I’m reminded of a high school basketball game I was officiating last year. Overheard afterwards were the two losing coaches wondering aloud why the old, gray-haired ref (me) called so many fouls. I knew they were talking about me because my two partners were both bald. Geesh!

And yet, I admit I take comfort every time I spy another man in public who has chosen to dye his gray hair away. Shoe polish always seems to be the word association that comes to mind first.

We’re not looking for sympathy, mind you, just a little understanding for graying men everywhere. With six-pack abs, the ability to look down and see our belt buckle or to read small print without the aid of magnification all past memories (I suspect six-pack abs are a medical anomaly), you can’t blame us for wanting to hang onto the hair color God gave us.

…until He decides to take away the hair too.

Thanks for reading!
Bill

Heisman…Schmeisman, Is Adam Lambert a Longhorn?

As I prepare for the final two hours of sports tv viewing this Thanksgiving Day, I am faced with the likeliehood that Colt McCoy secured his Heisman Trophy tonight in a score-fest win over the Texas A&M Aggies. Given my distaste for everything Longhorn, I must admit I have a hard time disliking Mr. McCoy.

But I suspect that one Adam Lambert must have a degree from UT, given his stunning display of arrogance last week at the American Music Awards. That kid’s got to be a Longhorn…or be a relative of John Calipari…

Not that anyone REALLY cares much about Mr. Lambert. As an American Idol non-fan, I was pleased the good guy won that poor replacement for television drama last year. Hard to believe the only 60 seconds I saw of the awards show was his cavorting around the stage. Why am I not surprised he was surprised by everyone’s shock? It’s just showbiz…

Colt, on the other hand, deserves college football’s top honor. Given the voters’ reticence to ever give the stiff arm statue to the same guy twice ever again, you knew Tim Tebow couldn’t win it even if he could have matched his incredible numbers from two years ago. I would have liked to see Sam Bradford healthy for an entire year but the odds were stacked against him, too. Colt’s team is undefeated (for now) and his numbers are staggering. So…let’s just hope he has as little of that Texas arrogance inside as possible and ends up as someone we can all root for.

College basketball is in full force with the clicker going back and forth from the Milk House in Florida and the Anaheim Convention Center. Fran F. was working the color mic in Orlando and that’s always a good thing. Eager to see the Hogs in person again tomorrow night…

It’s been a treat having the son home from college, even though he’s in college only a few miles down the road. He was excited to tell us the UA will be offering a class in video game development next year. It’s great to see him with such passion.

Tomorrow is Black Friday. A day I usually choose to avoid at all costs. However, circumstances appear to thrust me into the masses. Good thing I’m a patient person….