Sports Gumbo

No April Fools joke - I'm gone

She sells seashells by the seashore. Even that time-tested tongue-twister is easier to say than goodbye, yet that's what I'm trying to say. I have resigned my post at The Sun News effective April 13 to explore an exciting new position with O-D Sports, a Myrtle Beach-based company that specializes in football camps across the country. I'll still be in town, so it's not goodbye forever - I just won't see you in the funny pages anymore.

It's hard to believe I've been at The Sun News for almost 13 years. The first 12 were great and I'll carry with me some great memories - covering the 1996 NFC championship game in Green Bay when the Packers beat the Panthers to go to their first Super Bowl in 30 years. The football-crazed town went mad and I had a ront-row seat, even if the temperature at kickoff was zero. That's right, there was no temperature.

I've witnessed some awesome sports moments - the Lou Holtz era at South Carolina, USC and Clemson clashing in the College World Series, several ACC and SEC basketball tournaments (I still never got to see Clemson beat UNC in Chapel Hill, but then again, no one else has either). I remember scrambling on deadline while covering the first Monday Night Football game in Charlotte, getting up early so I could fin ish my stories and be poolside by noon during spring training and working 16 hour days during the Senior Tour Championship at the Dunes Club. Thanks God that tourney left town our I would have quit years ago.

But forget the high-profile sports. Some of my greatest memories were made right here on the high school sports courts of the Grand Strand. The first game I covered here was during my job interview in 1995 and Conway was playing Summerville. I ``volunteered'' to cover the game as a test assignment. I was blown away by the talent level, then later discovered that they were two of the top programs and coaches (Chuck Jordan and John McKissick) in the state. I've seen a lot more bad games than good ones since, especially a few years later when Georgetown had a 39-game losing streak and was playing an equally bad Goose Creek in their final game. The halftime score - I swear - was 2-2. Not great defense, just awful offense. In fact, both safeties were scored via punt snaps over the punters' heads. Georgetown scored a TD in the second half for a 10-2 victory and darn near tore down the goalposts over a 1-9 season - classic moment in sports. Then there were this year's Myrtle Beach teams - the football squad that beat Conway and probably should have won the state, the girls basketball team that definitely should have won the state and the boys basketball team that did. Some folks accuse us of favoring Myrtle Beach since they are the hometown team, and I swear we don't. But I'm glad I'm now able to be an out-of-the-closet Seahawks fan since the school is right down the road from me and I really like their coaches and kids.

I can't begin to thanks all the people who have made my time at The Sun News memorable - John Brasier who hired me, Ken Burger of the Charleston Post & Courier for making me the best sports columnist I could be, Al Blondin for being a longtime friend and co-worker. Probably 30 people have come and gone through the sports department since I began and the stories about them will last forever. I guess I'll be one of those people now, leaving behind memories and stacks of newspapers that I was able to write in. It's been an honor and a pleasure to be a part of it.

But the best thing to happen to me in my time here was Myrtle Beach, the city I now call home. I fell in love with this place shortly after moving here and discovering the bizarre mix of characters that escaped their landlocked homes to be by the ocean. Most of my friends share a common love for the beach, secured by hours spent sitting on the rail at St. Clement's Beach Bar and Grill and pitching quarters against the wall. After 13 years here I now have a wife, a child, a house, a dog and a yard - things that are forever connected to Myrtle Beach. When I knew I was ready for a new professional challenge, it pained me to think of leaving this town and the many friendships forged here. God, karma or luck or must have wanted me to stay too because he presented me with a great opportunity I can't wait to explore. And if it doesn't work out, I can always sell seashells by the seashore. Thanks to you all.

Terry

March Amusement

OK, I must admit that I'm starting to get the early symptoms of March Madness. Basketball bores me until the games start to matter, and with conference and the NCAA tournaments at hand, they matter.

Actually, I started feeling it a couple weeks ago when Tennessee played at Memphis. My Vols have never had much of a hoops team, at least the men. Up on Ol' Rocky Top, the men play football, the women play basketball and then it's time for spring football. It's all good. But after beating the top-ranked Tigers and taking over No. 1, albeit only for a week, I realized what it was like to be the fan of a basketball school _ gasp! Of course, Vandy beat the Vols a few days later and the world order was restored. It got my folks back home dreaming off an all-state Final Four - Tennessee, Memphis Vanderbilt and ... maybe Middle Tennessee? Anyway, you get my point.

Now North Carolina and Duke duke it out for the ACC title and the conference tourney's always produce some excitement heading into the Big Dance. This looks like one of the most wide open years ever. Likely top seeds North Carolina/Duke, Tennessee, Kansas, Memphis can go all the way, but there are teams out there like Louisville, Texas, UCLA and even some long shots from smaller conferences that could make the Final Four look like my favorite kind of grapes _ seedless.

It's all part of the madness that is March, and even though I don't have the fever yet, I can feel one coming on. Maybe I'll call in sick for the rest of the month.

Making the transition to transmissions

For a sports fan who is primarily a football fan like myself, these are the darkest of days. Football is still five months away and now we are left with only games.

Basketball and hockey are fine, at least when the playoffs start, but the regular season is nothing but a dull display to kill time until the games are for real.

NASCAR gets revved up this weekend and I would rather watch cow-milking than a bunch of cars go around in circles. ``Ooh, watch this, I bet he turns left - again!'' It too has gotten stale, thanks to a ``playoff'' system that makes only the last 10 races meaningful. The first 26 might as well involve sitting on the side on I-95 and throwing chicken bones on the road in order to create some excitement.

Spring training is getting started down South and out West, but all it does is kick off the countdown of 162 games that mean very little, especially now that the wild-card bid is in place. You would think 162 games would be enough to decide who advances to the World Series, but they are only an hors devour for the postseason. It's more than I can swallow.

Don't get me wrong: I can and will get excited when March madness rolls around. The concept of a win-or-go-home format creates the excitement I love about sport - all sports. But to drag a season out for six months before getting to the good part puts me to sleep. Football has mastered it - 16 games, everyone important. Even more so in college - 12 games, all critical to a title or bowl game. But 162 games (MLB), 82 games (NBA) and 36 races (NASCAR)  make for long, uninteresting seasons. If only those leagues could find a way to increase the stakes on the regular season, maybe they could cash in on the same record TV revenue as the NFL and college football.

Until then, I'll be counting the days till kickoff.

Giants win one for the little guy

Congrats, Giants fans, and let me save you the trouble of pointing out that I was late on the bandwagon. I was, totally. Despite watching the G-Men go Road Warrior on the rest of the league (three playoff victories away from home and 10 in a row entering the playoffs), I was blinded by the perfect Patriots. Who wants to be remembered as the guy who picked against the 18-0 Pats? In retrospect, I would love to. But I didn't pull the trigger despite being impressed with what they did and believing that the Giants were the worst possible matchup for the Pats. The Giants got tons of pressure on Tom Brady, the secondary played about as well against the New Eng;and receivers as anyone with the possible exception of the Ravens and Eli Manning made some clutch throws (or should I say his receivers made some clutch catches). I've also heard complaints about the Super Bowl being boring. Those folks should be shot and forced to watch the NBA. Defense is as much a paert of football, if not more, than offense. If you didn't enjoy the hard hits and scrappy defense played on both sides of the ball, you're not a real football fan, or you had a lot of money invested on squares that didn't pay off. I've also heard a lot of talk about Bill Belichick's failure to kick a field goal on fourth-and-13, but I don't think that was his worst move. Remember the fumble in the second quarter that New England appeared to recover before the scrum ensued? If he had challenged that call, the Pats would have had the ball on the Giants' 30 with a good chance to go up 14-3. That could have been a blow to New York's psyche and more than the G-Men could have overcome. But it's all in the past now and the Giants are Super Bowl XLII champs. Congrats to them and their followers on a great turnaround season and thanks for reminding us why they don't play games on paper. For those who missed my pick in the paper (it was supposed to be posted on my blog) I had Pats 31, Giants 23. Clearly I was off base, with my pick and the total points, but this was one game when I didn't mind being wrong for the chance to see a true upset and great game. Until September...

Super Bowl or Super Blowout?

It's Patriots vs. Giants, or perfection vs. gate-crashers, in Super Bowl XLII. Hardly no one is asking who's going to win. A more common question is, ``Will it e a close game?'' If you saw their Week 17 showdown, the answer is most certainly. But can the G-Men end the Pats' quest for a 20-0 season. I wouldn't be on it.

It seems odd to say after watching the Patriots struggle against the banged-up Chargers in the AFC title game. Tom Brady threw more picks (3) than he did incompletions (2) a week earlier against Jacksonville and the feared defense gave up yardage and field goals (luckily for them, not TDs) to a lame Philip Rivers and a pair of L.T. understudies. But if you watched Brady, even after throwing a pick in the end zone, he never seemed to be rattled. It's like no matter how bad things are going, he always believes they are going to win. That's the confidence of a champion, so the argument can be made that regardless of how well the Giants play, the Pats will always have the ability to play a little bit better.

The Giants=Packers game brought back memories of my trip to Lambeau Field for the 1996 NFC title game against the Panthers. I was a new reporter at The Sun News and couldn't believe my luck to get to cover such a major story. The temperature at kickoff was 0 degrees, while Sunday's was -1, passing it for the third coldest game in NFL history. The Panthers had players like Kevin Greene and  Sam Mills, and the packers had a veteran quarterback named Brett Favre. I was rooting more for Favre to get back to the Super Bowl than I was for the Packers, but his OT interception did them in. And let's face it, the Giants were the better team on that night. Three road wins in the playoffs and 10 in all, they earned it.

But while I respect the Giants for their run, this season belongs to the Patriots. They have been the story of the year since Week 1, and to go undefeated through a regular season and the playoffs is a show of greatness that the modern NFL has seen only once before. I'll make my official pick later, but you can tell which way I'm leaning.

NFL picks a thing from the past

Howdy folks, long time no blog. Sorry about that, but there's not much to talk about since college football ended. Oh, that's right, the big boys of the NFL are still playing. Here's a sneak peek at my Sunday picks column. Of course, I'll be back shortly afterwards for my Super Bowl XLII predictions (a hint: New England over whoever):

Everything we needed to know
about this NFL season we
learned in Week 2.
You remember. Spygate was
all the rave, Carson Palmer and
Marc Bulger were the league's
top-rated quarterbacks and the
Detroit Lions looked like the
team to beat.
But the important numbers
from that fateful Sunday came
in two games _ New England's
38-14 victory over visiting San
Diego and Green Bay's 35-13 win
over the New York Giants.
Who would have thought that
we were watching a conference
championship preview back on
Sept. 16? It was a mid-winter's
night dream in the late summer.
But four months and 16 or 17
games later, not much has
changed (except the weather).
And at the end of the day, the
home teams will pull a reapt
feat of their Week 2 conquests.
The New England Patriots
look every bit as perfect as they
did back then and the Packers
are playing their best ball in
years. The Chargers and Giants
are hot, especially on the road,
but they will get chilly recep
tions in the cold today:
icfu2222ip100%San Diego at New England:
The Chargers looked strong in
beating Indianapolis last week,
but lost some key players in the
process, including quarterback
Philip Rivers and running back
LaDainian Tomlinson. Their
status is uncertain for today's
game, but it won't matter.
Tom Brady and the Patriots
are on a mission. They have not
only won every game, they have
rolled in almost every game. A
home game with a perfect
season and with a trip to the
Super Bowl on the line certainly
won't stop their winning ways.
hs.hs.hs. Patriots (-14) 38, Chargers 14.
icfu2222ip100%N.Y. Giants at Green Bay:
The Giants have been the road
warriors of the postseason,
winning their last two playoff
games away from home and
going 10-1 in road games for the
season. But this one's on the
frozen tundra of Lambeau Field.
Last week's snow bowl at
Green Bay saw a flurry of flakes
and Brett Favre big plays, and
even their no-name running
back got into the act. The
weather could be similar today.
Eli Manning might be used to
playing in his big brother's
shadow, but not the cold and
snow of Lambeau. Growing up
in New Orleans and playing
collegiately at Ole Miss doesn't
prepare a quarterback to throw
in the blowing snow like Favre,
a long-time Northern trans
planted Mississippi native. hs.hs.hs.
Packers (-7) 35, Giants 13.
ifLast week: 2-2 straight up;
2-2 vs. the spread. Overall:
183-83, straight up; 147-119 vs.
the spread.

Bowling for Columb(us)ine

The 2007-08 bowl season wrapped up Monday night (or Sunday night if you're one of those fans who knew LSU would beat the Buckeyes like bongos) and all it did was strengthen my resolve to call for a playoff system. Yes, the games were great, and I think we can all live with LSU as our national champion. But imagine taking the BCS bowl winners - LSU, USC, Georgia and Kansas or West Virginia - as a Final Four, with the championship game coming on that dreadful football-less Sunday before the Super Bowl. I don't care what the college presidents say - this format would generate so much more revenue than the status quo bowl system without jeopardizing academics. Only two schools would practice one more week and two more would practice two more weeks. That's much less school than what March Madness makes them miss.

Let me know what you think. Should we have a playoff? What kind? How many teams? Or, as I suggested last night, let Ohio State spin the SEC wheel of fortune (aka death) and see which team they want to lose to in the BCS title game. They are 0-9 lifetime against the SEC in bowl games, and that cannot be a fluke. Plain and simple, the SEC plays a better brand of football to the Big Ten.

I went 23-9 in the bowl games straight up and 20-12 against the spread, not bad for a bowl season that saw some serious upsets.

Have yourself a merry little Hannakwanzachristmas

Just as I incorporated all the holidays in one in the title, I will also blend together several different blogs to get me through the holidays. Yes, I'm taking 10 days off to get ready for the old fat man in the red suit to visit (that's Santa Claus, not Don King), so this post will include all my bowl picks, NFL Week 15 picks and  a little Christmas story to put you in the holiday spirit. I'll save the best for last. Happy holidays to all:

What do pizza, mufflers, flow
ers, chicken sandwiches and
sportswear have in common?
All are the source of inspi
ration for names of college foot
ball bowl games that fans will be
treated to over three weeks.
Think of them as appetizers
before the big five-course BCS
meal is served in the new year.
From Thursday's Poinsettia
Bowl in San Deigo to the Jan. 7
BCS Bowl in New Orleans,
college football fans will be
served up one big pigskin
buffet, all served up in a bowl.
Pace yourselves, because the
best games are saved for last.
I've made a list and checked it
twice, but it's hard to know how
teams from different confer
ences and parts of the country
will matchup more than a
month after their last games.
It's a tough job, but I'll do it:
icfu2222ip100%Poinsettia Bowl: Nothing
says football like flowers, but
these two teams toughen up the
image. hs.hs.hs. Utah -8sfr1/2 34, Navy 27.
icfu2222ip100%New Orleans Bowl: Former
Clemson coach Tommy West
does something at Memphis he
couldn't for the orange Tigers
_ win a bowl. hs.hs.hs. Memphis (+2sfr1/2)
24, Florida Atlantic 21.
icfu2222ip100%Papa John's.com Bowl: The
Bearcats deliver a win over the
coach-less Eagles. hs.hs.hs. Cincinnati
(-11) 27, Southern Miss 17.
icfu2222ip100%New Mexico Bowl: Home
field and home cooking help the
Lobos beat the Wolf Pack. hs.hs.hs.
New Mexico (-3) 27, Nevada 23.
icfu2222ip100%Las Vegas Bowl: The Stor
min' Mormons may be too wide-
eyed from spending a week on
the Strip to focus on football. hs.hs.hs.
BYU (-6sfr1/2) 31, UCLA 24.
icfu2222ip100%Hawaii Bowl: The Pirates
may be too jet-lagged from the
trip to Hawaii to hang with the
Fightin' Taters. hs.hs.hs. Boise State
(-11) 42, East Carolina 24.
icfu2222ip100%Motor City Bowl: A winter
week in Detroit? There are no
winners in this game. hs.hs.hs. Purdue
(-9) 28, Central Michigan 24.
icfu2222ip100%Holiday Bowl: The Long
horns prefer playing in BSC
bowls to these B.S. bowls hs.hs.hs.
Texas (-2) 27, Arizona State 24.
icfu2222ip100%Champs Sports Bowl: BC's
Matt Ryan could go from a
Mickey Mouse bowl in Orlando
to the top pick of the NFL draft
to Miami. hs.hs.hs. Boston College
(-3sfr1/2) 31, Michigan State 21.
icfu2222ip100%Texas Bowl: Just call it the
Chili Bowl, especially with the
hometown Cougars and nearby
Horned Frogs competing. hs.hs.hs.
Houston (+3sfr1/2) 34, Tcu 31.
icfu2222ip100%Emerald Bowl: Where else
but the animal kingdom could
you see a battle of Beavers and
Terrapins? hs.hs.hs. Oregon State
(-4sfr1/2) 34, Maryland 27.
icfu2222ip100%Meinke Car Care Bowl: I'm
not going to pay a lot for a
muffler or tickets to this one. hs.hs.hs.
UConn (+3) 27, Wake Forest 24.
icfu2222ip100%Liberty Bowl: Give me
liberty and give me the Bulldogs
plus the points. hs.hs.hs. Mississippi
State (+3) 20, Central Florida 17.
icfu2222ip100%Alamo Bowl: JoePa should
have similar success to Santa
Ana in this one. hs.hs.hs. Penn State
(-5sfr1/2) 27, Texas A&M 17.
icfu2222ip100%Independence Bowl: Nick
Saban must do better than
bowling in Shrevport to earn his
pay from Alabama fans. hs.hs.hs.
Alabama (-4) 34, Colorado 27.
icfu2222ip100%Armed Forces Bowl:
Support the troops, not the
Berkley Flag-Burners. hs.hs.hs. Air
Force (+4) 28, California 27.
icfu2222ip100%Sun Bowl: Both teams had
grander plans than New Year's
Eve in El Paso. hs.hs.hs. South Florida
(-6sfr1/2) 31, Oregon 20.
icfu2222ip100%Humanitarian Bowl: New
Year's Eve on Boise's frozen
blue turf is more like punish
ment than reward. hs.hs.hs. Fresno
State (+4) 34, Georgia Tech 31.
icfu2222ip100%Music City Bowl: The Wild
cats leave another ACC school
singing the blues. hs.hs.hs. Kentucky
(-1sfr1/2) 27, Florida St 24.
icfu2222ip100%Insight Bowl: ``Cowboys''
are a better football team and
movie than ``Hoosiers.'' hs.hs.hs. Okla
homa State (-4) 34, Indiana 17.
icfu2222ip100%Chick-Fil-A Bowl: The late,
great Lewis Grizzard once
called Auburn ``Clemson with
out a lake.'' The SEC Tigers
leave the ACC Tigers all wet. hs.hs.hs.
Auburn (+2) 27, Clemson 24.
icfu2222ip100%Outback Bowl: The Vols are
still stinging from last year's
Outback flop vs. Penn State. hs.hs.hs.
Tennessee (-3sfr1/2) 27 Wisconsin 21.
icfu2222ip100%Cotton Bowl: The Tigers
tame the Razorbacks while new
coach Bobby Petrino is still
learning to call the Hogs. hs.hs.hs.
Missouri (-3) 35, Arkansas 34.
icfu2222ip100%Capital One Bowl: The ``Tim
Tebow Show'' goes to Orlando.
hs.hs.hs. Florida (-10) 35, Michigan 24.
icfu2222ip100%Gator Bowl: It's the Red
Raiders' run-and-shoot vs. the
Cavaliers' snore-and-bore. hs.hs.hs.
Texas Tech (-5sfr1/2) 31, Virginia 24.
icfu2222ip100%Rose Bowl: The Trojans look
title-game worthy vs. the Illini.
hs.hs.hs. USC (-13sfr1/2) 42, Illinois 14.
icfu2222ip100%Sugar Bowl: The Warriors
won't fly high on the mainland.
hs.hs.hs. Georgia (-8sfr1/2) 41, Hawaii 21.
icfu2222ip100%Fiesta Bowl: The Sooners
top the Mountaineers.'' hs.hs.hs. Okla
homa (-7) 34, West Virginia 24.
icfu2222ip100%Orange Bowl: The Hokies
manhandle the Jayhawks. hs.hs.hs.
Virginia Tech (-4) 38, Kansas 27.
icfu2222ip100%International Bowl: The
Black Knights go north of the
border to flatten Ball State. hs.hs.hs.
Rutgers (-10) 34, Ball State 17.
icfu2222ip100%GMAC Bowl: Can't say the
Golden Hurricane will be
welcomed in Mobile. hs.hs.hs. Tulsa
(-4sfr1/2) 41, Bowling Green 27.
icfu2222ip100%BCS Championship Game:
The Buckeyes once again stink
up the title game by folding to
an SEC team. The Bayou Beng
als party down in the Big Easy.
hs.hs.hs. LSU (-4sfr1/2) 41, Ohio State 14.fuend

Week 15 NFL picks

Patriots (-24sfr1/2) 48, Jets 13.

Saints (-3sfr1/2) 31, Cardinals 27
Buccaneers (-11sfr1/2) 24, Falcons 10
Ravens (-3sfr1/2) 17, Dolphins 13
Browns (-5sr1/2) 27, Bills 20
Packers (-10sfr1/2) 27, Rams 17
Steelers (-3sfr1/2) 17, Jaguars 16
Seahawks (-7sfr1/2) 24, Panthers 13
Titans (-4) 23, Chiefs 16
Colts (-10sfr1/2) 34, Raiders 24
Chargers (-10) 31, Lions 13
Cowboys (-10sfr1/2) 27, Eagles 21
Giants (-4sfr1/2) 23, Redskins 17
Vikings (-10) 24, Bears 13

Week 14: 13-3 straight up; 8-8 vs. the spread. Overall:142-68, straight up; 108-102 vs. the spread.

A still believe in Santa Claus

OK, for those of you who made it this far down the post, gather around the fireplace for a little Christmas yarn. It's a true story, so don't expect any Holly wood endings. It is, however, about why I still believe in Santa Claus. Because I met him, live and in person.

Growing up in Nashville with a single mom and two sisters, we never had a lot of presents under the tree. My dad left when I was 5 or 6, and my mom did her best to play the role of two parents. She did an awesome job, but a woman in the '70s didn't make a lot of money, so we got by with hand-me-down clothes, delicious but skimpy all-garden vegetable meals with cornbread and w hole lot of love.

A few nights before Christmas, we were decorating our tree and listening to ``Elvis Christmas,'' still a family favorite. There was a knock at the door. It was, you guessed it Santa Claus in full gear, red suit, rosy cheeks, white beard and a real ``Ho, ho, ho!'' He gave my shocked sisters and I candy canes, told us to be good and gave my mom a hug. Little did the kids know that he also slipped my mom $100 bill.

We came to our senses in time to chase him out the door as he disappeared down the street. ``Who was that?'' we asked Mom. ``That was Santa Claus.'' said Mom, who was able to put a few extra presents under the tree that year. She didn't tell us about the money until years later, but it didn't change my mind. The older I get the more convinced I am that it really was Santa who came to our house that night. No one ever came forward with a better theory, except maybe it was that nice man from church, or the elderly couple down the street. Me, I don't have to worry about it. It was Santa.

Have a merry Christmas all,

Terry

A Labor Day to remember

NASCAR stars are returning the Darlington Raceway on Labor Day weekend - to remember, not to race.

Five years after NASCAR took the traditional race date from Darlington and moved it to California, the track ``Too Tough To Tame'' will go back to its racing roots by hosting the Darlington Historic Racing Festival on Aug. 30-31, 2008. It won't be like to good ol' days, when NASCAR's original superspeedway was holding live races, but it should be a nice tribute to the good ol' days, with legends like Junior Johnson, Buddy Baker, David Pearson and Darrell Waltrip in attendance and vintage race cars on display.

The event got me to reminiscing about Labor Days past at Darlington. From the first Southern 500 in 1950, fans flocked to the track for a long weekend of racing. Qualifying was held Saturday, the track went silent on Sunday so that drivers and fans alike could make the short drive to Myrtle Beach for a farewell to summer soiree, then NASCAR's brightest stars drove their cars on Labor Day Monday.

One of my favorite stories of Darlington came from driver Sterling Marlin, who played quarterback at Spring Hill (Tenn.) High while his father, the late, great Coco Marlin, was a NASCAR driver. Marlin and his teammates would play their season opener on Friday, pile in the car while they were still taking tape off their hands and drive all night to Darlington for qualifying, drive on to the beach where they chased girls all day and slept in the sand at night, back to Darlington for the race on Sunday and then back in the classroom bright and early Monday morning - a 72-hour whirlwind weekend for four teenagers.

Many drivers grew up with that tradition, probably none more than David Pearson, the Silver Fox, who grew up within spitting distance of the track. He was hell on wheels at the odd-shaped circuit. He knew how to handle a car and did so to the tune of eight victories there. So there was no reason for me to be scared when I rode shotgun with him for a spin around the track, yet I nearly needed a change of pants. Watching someone drive around the track doesn't do it justice. But when you're sitting on the side of the car that is just inches from the wall, which is scarred with Darlington stripes from drivers who got a little too close, and you're reading the old red letters backwards (N-O-T-G-N-I-L-R-A-D) as you spin at 100-plus mph, it puts the feat into perspective. Between the heat (it was usually 100 at Darlington on Labor Day, so it was about 180 in the car), noise and degree of difficulty, I now call drivers athletes.

I remember Jeff Gordon going for and winning the Winston Million there in 1997, when he and Jeff Burton traded paint on the final lap, the Burton brothers' rain-aided victories there for a few years, and Ricky Craven's fender-banging victory by a narrow margin there in the final Southern 500 in 2002. Old-timers have even better memories - Bill Elliott's Winston Million win in 1985, classic victories by greats Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty and Cale Yarborough and the first event when thousands climbed fences to get a glimpse at history in the making. A lot of history for a former cow pasture turned racetrack.

It's nice to see the legends returning to the track, but it would be even nicer to see NASCAR embrace its history and bring the race back to the track. Darlington just isn't the same without the Southern 500 on Labor Day weekend. Like a tree growing and producing fruit, the sport can't forget about its roots.

The BCS - It is what it is

Now that all the teams have played, the lobbyists have lob bied, the voters have voted and the computers have computed, we finally have a national championship game - No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 2 LSU, Jan. 7 in New Orleans. For all the BCS's flaw, not a bad matchup, even if the game turns out to be far from championship caliber.

LSU has been installed a touchdown favorite, and for good reason. It's basically a home game for the Bayou Bengals, who are battle tested after a season of narrow wins and two three-overtime losses, not to mention a team that started the season feeling betrayed by one coach (Nick Saban) and almost ended it feeling the same way about Les Miles. He decided to stay, another notch in the Tigers' firearm, and after a month to recover from the rigors of the season, they should be ready to be at their best.

Ohio State, on the other hand, is far from tested. The Big Ten, which I believe is notoriously overrated, is even more so this season. The Buckeyes' toughest tests were against Michigan, which lost to Appalachian State, and Illinois, which they failed. The best out-of-conference foe was Washington, a 4-8 team that blew a 21-point lead to Hawaii on Saturday. And we all remember what happened the last time the Buckeyes made it to the big game. They laid a big goose egg against the Gators 41-14. And while one game does not define a team, it is important to point out that Ohio State is 0-11 lifetime against SEC teams in bowl games. All signs point to 0-12 after LSU gets a hold of the Buckeyes on Bourbon Street.

So what could the BCS have done better. For starters, Hawaii belongs in the title game. They are the only undefeated team in the nation and have been penalized all season for playing games while the pollsters sleep. Colt Brennan is a legit Heisman candidate (although I've got to go with Tim Tebow) and the Warriors are a legit team. If this crazy season has taught us anything, it's that no one knows for sure what team will beat what team, it must be settled on the field. No one thought Stanford could beat USC, or that Appy State could beat Michigan, either, so why should Hawaii be any different? Unfortunately, we'll never know.

I will wait until next week to make my bowl predictions (although I guess you already know which way I'm leaning in the BCS title game). The BCS did produce some interesting matchups, so I may need a little time and wine to look into all the teams bowling this holiday season. But cheers to the football feast to come.

Another fine BCS mess, extra

OK, so Hawaii is losing to Washington and there are at least two more teams with claims to the BCS title game that I overlooked. First, Southern Cal, which has improved since its two losses earlier this season. But there should be a rule that says if you lose to a 41-point underdog whose mascot is a tree you are automatically disqualified from consideration. Also, there's one-loss Kansas, but let's get real. This isn't Oz. The jayhawks just loss to Mizzou, which got dismantled by Oklahoma. Assuming Hawaii losses, I am amending my pick: Ohio State vs. LSU, just so we can see the Buckeyes get de-pantsed by the SEC again.

Another fine BCS mess

I guess if you've been paying attention to college football all season, Saturday's upsets shouldn't come as much of a surprise. After all, when Appalachian State goes into the Big House and beats Michigan and Stanford upsets Southern Cal in September, can we really be blown away by West Virginia's collapse to Pittsburgh and Missouri's loss to Oklahoma on the first day of December. It's been the theme all season, with the team that has held the title of No. 1 label losing four times this year (twice by LSU) and the holder of the No. 2 spot going down seven times. It's like a game of king of the mountain, whoever's on top is the next one to fall. So now we're left with one big Exxon Valdez oil spill and only the napkin-yielding voters and computers of the BCS to try to clean it up. Forget about looking at the last BCS standings and bumping up the next non-loser. The Jan. 8 BCS title game is up for grabs for six teams:

* One-loss Ohio State appears to be the most likely sure-thing to make it, but voters still remember how the Buckeyes wet the sheets in last year's championship game. Those with longer memories know Ohio State's woeful bowl record against the SEC (0-11). It raises a serious question: Does a Big Ten team that doesn't have to play in a conference championship game get the nod over a more battle-tested team that is more likely to show up on judgment day? The past isn't supposed to matter, but it always does.

* Georgia should be next in line, even though a two-loss team has never played for the national title under the BCS system. I'm not convinced the Bulldogs should either, especially since they didn't even play for the SEC title. The two teams they lost to - Tennessee and South Carolina - lost to LSU. I'm convinced the Bulldogs are a top-five team, but they're not national championship material.

* LSU, despite its two losses, seems the most deserving team to play for the title. After all, both of their losses came in overtime games, and the list of teams they beat - Tennessee, Florida, Auburn, South Carolina, oh yeah, and Virginia Tech 48-7 - should tilt the scales in their favor. Besides, there's not a team in the country that would be favored to beat the Bayou Bengals in the Super Dome.

* Virginia Tech would have a decent argument after avenging their earlier loss to Boston College on Saturday, except for one important factor: The Hokies were demolished by LSU on national TV. Next.

* Oklahoma makes a strong case too by beating Missouri for the second time this season, but their losses to Texas Tech and Colorado and the weaknesses of the Big 12 keep them out of the top two.

* Oh yeah, there's one more team with a strong argument to play in the BCS title game - lone unbeaten Hawaii, assuming they get past Washington on Saturday night/Sunday morning. Laugh if you want, but the Warriors are a strong team that no one gets to see because they're games usually start after the mainlanders' bedtimes. No one thought Boise State could beat Oklahoma last year, either, or that any of the myriad of upsets that took place this season were possible. In a year in which we were reminded more than ever that none of us know anything for sure, it makes sense to give the only remaining undefeated team a chance to show if they belong. No one has a stronger case.

Let the computers and pollsters say what they may. In my BCS book, it should be LSU vs. Hawaii.

Pick Six (one last time)

Hard to believe the college football season is already coming to an end. Before you know it we'll be debating the winner of the I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Bowl and again hoping for the death of the BCS. The conference championship games make for one good last week before the bowl season, matchups that may be better than most of the bowls. Here's one last shot at a perfect week before the imperfect ending:

* Virginia Tech (-5) 27, Boston College 17: After blowing their first ACC title game appearance to Florida State, the Hokies are hungry to celebrate in Jacksonville. They have played their best ball late in the year, while BC's best days are behind them. Expect a tough game early, but the Eagles' injuries will start to take a toll and Beamer's boys will pull away in the end.

* LSU (-7 1/2) 31, Tennessee 27: Both teams played multi-overtime thrillers last Saturday, with LSU falling to the Hogs and the Vols prevailing over Kentucky. How much gas do they have left in the tank? We could see another shootout today as both team's defenses have to be worn out. In 2001, LSU spoiled Tennessee's shot at the national title with an upset in Atlanta. The Vols almost return the favor today.

* Missouri (+3) 27, Oklahoma 24: The Sooners beat the Tigers earlier this year, but Missouri has been a team on a mission ever since. Oklahoma will ride running back and Conway native Allen Patrick on the ground and try to wear down the Tigers, but look for Chase Daniels & Co. to pull this one out in the end.

* Navy (-14) 34, Army 17: The Midshipmen have had a great year, knocking off Notre Dame for the first time in 43 years and earning a bowl bid. Army is much improved this season too, but they can't stop Navy's triple-option offense and the confidence it has gained by beating and hanging with some heavy hitters this season.

* Oregon State (+5) 24, Oregon 20: The greatest mascot rivalry of all-time - the Beavers and the Ducks. Oregon's season and shot at a national title went down with its quarterback, leaving the Ducks splashing about on offense. The Beavers aren't much better, but should be able to cover the spread and more.

* Hawaii (-14) 41, Washington 17: The unbeaten Warriors know they need an impressive showing against the Huskies to have a shot at the BCS title game. A loss and they could be back in their own backyard bowl once again. Look for Colt Brennan & Co. to throw early, often and all night to run up the score and serve notice to pollsters. If they don't get in a big bowl, the system is a fraud.

Pick Six (Plus One) and NFL Picks for Week 12

Please excuse last week's
absence of ``Pick Six.'' Instead, I
was playing a game of ``Pick
Sick'' _ the details of which you
don't want to know. I was lucky
to pick my head out of the toilet
last weekend, much less pick
the winner of a football game.
But life goes on, and here we
are already at rivalry week,
when ``you can throw out the
records'' as the old cliche goes.
I'd rather throw out the cliche,
because it rarely holds true.
Just because a lesser team
wants to do well against a
superior rival, it still has a
limited capability as it has
shown throughout the season.
There are a few exceptions I can
think of through the years, like
the Alabama-Auburn game, but
usually the old tried and true
rule applies regardless of
rivalry: the best team wins:
* Mississippi State (-6 1/2) 27,
Ole Miss 13: The Egg Bowl holds
center court in Mississippi,
although not many care outside
the state. This is Sylvester
Croom's chance to call the
season a success and save his
job for another year. A bowl bid
would back up his case, and the
Rebels make way for the Bull
dogs to go bowling.
* LSU (-12 1/2) 34, Arkansas
17: The Tigers are playing to
keep their No. 1 ranking, and
their coach. Les Miles has one
escape clause in his contract _
the Michigan job, which opened
up this week with Lloyd Carr's
resignation. A national title
might be enough to keep him
around Baton Rouge. Plus, the
Tigers owe the Razorbacks a
whooping after they spoiled the
Bayou Bengals' SEC West title
last season.
* Missouri (+2) 38, Kansas 35:
Who would have believed that
this game would have BCS
implications? Not the Jayh
awks, who sold their home
game to hold it at Arrowhead
Field in Kansas City, which will
guarantee divided loyalties in
the stands. This matchup could
have Heisman Trophy impli
cations as well with both QBs in
the hunt. The Tigers and Chase
Daniels come out on top in a
true wild West shootout.
* Vanderbilt (+1 1/2) 24, Wake
Forest 20: The Commodores
have come oh-so close to beat
ing some top SEC teams,
including last week's one-point
loss to Tennessee and a three-
point heartbreaker to Georgia.
They hold on for a close win in
this one.
* Auburn (-6) 31, Alabama 13:
The Tigers make it six in a row
over the Tide, which called it a
season after their loss to LSU
three weeks ago. Defeats to
Mississippi State and La.-
Monroe since are a sign that it's
basketball season in
Tuscaloosa. Auburn is hungry
to extend their millinium-long
bragging rights in the state.
BONUS PICK
* Clemson (-6) 34, South
Carolina 31: OK, I can't get away
with not picking the Palmetto
Bowl and continue to live inside
the state, although I don't have
a real strong feeling one way or
the other. Clemson should be
down after blowing last week's
game against BC, which would
have sent them to the ACC title
game, but the Gamecocks can't
tackle - a pretty important
factor when the rival has a
running back tandem known as
Thunder and Lightning. I
expect a shootout, with the
Tigers taking it in the end.
BONUS LEAGUE
Because Thanksgiving gives
us three NFL games, I am
releasing my NFL picks a few
days early. Enjoy your pigskin
and drumsticks and I'll see you
next week:
Elsewhere in the league:
Broncos (+2sfr1/2) 23, Bears 20
Bengals (+2) 20, Titans 17
Jaguars (-7sfr1/2) 27, Bills 20
Chiefs (-5sfr1/2) 24, Raiders 17
Browns (-3) 24, Texans 20
Seahawks (-3) 27, Rams 23
Giants (-7) 31, Vikings 21
Saints (-3) 23, Panthers 17
Buccaneers (-3) 24, Redskins
20
Cardinals (-10sfr1/2) 24, 49ers 13
Chargers (-9sfr1/2) 27, Ravens 17
Steelers (-16) 31, Dolphins 13
Packers (-3) 24, Lions 20
Cowboys (-14) 27, Jets 17
Indianapolis 23, (-12) Atlanta
16
Patriots (-22) 38, Eagles 13.

College football Pick Six goes Hang Ten

Last week's 5-1 (straight up and against the spread) showing has inspired me to expand on this week's Pick Six. ``I'm a Man! I'm 40!'' So let's go with a Hang Ten:
* Clemson (-8 1/2) 27, Wake Forest 24: The Tigers are playing great ball right now (against Duke, Maryland and Central Michigan) but now must face the defending ACC champs. The Demon Deacons bedeviled the Tigers even before they got good and they won't roll over and play dead in this one.
* Kentucky (-3 1/2) 24, Vanderbilt 21: The Wildcats become the Mildcats now that basketball has tipped off in the Bluegrass State and fans forget all about football. The Commodores may pull off another upset, but they will at least keep it close.
* Air Force (-3) 31, Notre Dame 20: Yet another service academy reminds the Irish just how far they have fallen. One week after the Midshipmen sank a 43-game losing streak, the Falcons shoot down any hopes Notre Dame has of ending on an up note. Look out, Irish, the Merchant Marines and Salvation Army are licking their chops.
* Alabama (-4 1/2) 24, Mississippi State 21: The Crimson Tide is coming off a heartbreaking loss to LSU and may be slumming into its game against the Bulldogs, who beat Alabama last year and could make its season with a repeat performance on Saturday. Sylvester Croom could save his job with another win over his alma mater. He will get too close for comfort for the Tide.
* Tennessee (-1) 28, Arkansas 24: The Razorbacks' running back duo of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones ran wild to the tune of 500 yards against the Gamecocks last weekend and Tennessee's run defense is not the best. But the Vols have QB Erik Ainge for this revenge game and enough firepower to hold off the Hogs.
* Auburn (+1 1/2) 27, Georgia 20: The South's Oldest Rivalry might also be its quirkiest. The visiting team is 11-3-1 since the SEC expanded in 1992 and the underdog usually comes out on top. That bodes well for th Tigers, who hold a narrow 53-49-8 edge in the rivalry and a 20-point advantage in the all-time series.
* Boston College (-6) 31, Maryland 17: The Eagles blew their national championship hopes last week against Florida State and bounce back big against the Terrapins, who have played at a turtle-like pace this injury-prone season.
* Virginia Tech (-6 1/2) 27, Florida State 13: The Hokies have turned up the heat at the end of the season and are ready to match the speed of the Seminoles, which is how FSU beat BC last weekend. That won't fly in Blacksburg.
* Florida (-6 1/2) 34, South Carolina 24: The Gamecocks' Swiss-cheese defense had more holes poked in it last week against Arkansas, and the Gators are hungry to expose the weak spot with Tim Tebow & Co. Spurrier's alma mater gets the best of him again.
* California (+4) 41, Southern Cal 34: The other USC is done, too. Cal can expose the Trojans' defense and hold off QB Mark Sanchez enough to get the win.

NFL Picks, Week 9

Everyone's ready for Super Bowl 41.5 (or is it XLI.V?), and I'm picking the underdog, aka defending champs:

Redskins (-3sfr1/2) 17, Jets 13
Packers (+2sfr1/2) 27, Chiefs 24
Buccaneers (-3sfr1/2) 23, Cardinals 16
Titans (-4) 16, Panthers 10
Falcons (-3) 24, 49ers 17
Saints (-3sfr1/2) 23, Jaguars 20
Lions (-3) 27, Broncos 17
Bills (pick) 17, Cincinnati 16
San Diego (-7sfr1/2) 27, Vikings 20
Browns (-1) 23, Seahawks 20
Texans (+3) 20, Raiders 17
Cowboys (-3) 21, Eagles 20
Steelers (-9) 19, Baltimore 13

College Football Pick Six

OK, so last week's 2-3-1 campaign (and I do mean ``pain,'' especially after the Gamecocks' push), it's time to get back on the winning track in this week's Pick Six:
* Virginia Tech (+2 1/2) 17, Georgia Tech 14: OK, so the Hokies let us down last week by letting Matt Ryan play the final three minutes against a 10 Mississippi pass rush. They're still 14-3 lifetime on Thursday nights and they should be hungrier than ever against the Yellow Jackets, who like they're nick-namesakes, usually disappear about this time of year.
* Clemson (-16 1/2) 49, Duke 17: The Tigers love beating up on the runts of the ACC; it's the teams their own size when they run and hide. Although the Blue Devils have improved this season (hey, they didn't win a single game the past three years), they're still the bottom feeders of a fish tank, and Clemson is the Tiger shark.
* Arkansas (-5) 27, South Carolina 17: Sorry, Gamecocks fans, but after back-to-back losses to the entire state of Tennessee (sans Memphis and MTSU), a road trip to Fayetteville is not what Dr. Spurrier ordered. The Razorbacks have had their share of heartache this season and will be calling the Hogs, not calling off the dogs, in this one.
* Navy (+3 1/2) 24, Notre Dame 20: The longest winning streak in the country comes to an end today when the Midshipmen sink the S.S. Irish. Navy's option attack can wear down a defense, and its defense is more than enough to stop Notre Dame, which has done a pretty good job of running itself aground this season. Trivia time: the next longest streak is Tennessee over Kentucky, and it may end this year too.
* LSU 27, Alabama 24: The Saban Bowl will be a wild one, both in the stands and on the field, but the Tide will put up a better fight on the field than expected. The Tigers want to beat their former coach like a drum, but they have been through the SEC ringer in recent weeks, while Alabama is coming off a bye and a cakewalk win over Tennessee. Take the points, order a pizza and enjoy the best game of the day.
* Boston College (-6 1/2) 34, Florida State 17: The Eagles are flying high and will manhandle the Seminoles, who are seeing their days of the ACC's top dog go by the wayside. BC will go on to win the ACC and FSU fans will start grumbling about Bobby Bowden's age. Clemson fans will cut you a deal: You can have Tommy.

Tuesday morning QB

The football weekend wrapup, from Matt Ryan's scrambling for two TD passes in the final 3 minutes to Brett Favre's bomb to blowup the Broncos in overtime of the Monday night (or was it Tuesday morning?) game.

How could the Hokies, who kept Ryan on his butt for three-plus quarters, go to a three-man pass rush in the final minutes? It drives me nuts when coaches go away from what's worked all game long to the ``prevent'' (the victory) defense. But barring a more heroic performance in the next few weeks, or a BC collapse, Ryan won the Heisman that night, not just with his play, but by throwing up on the sideline afterwards. Heisman voters and sportswriters are mesmerized by vomiting (i.e. Duke's Danny Hurley hurling during the NCAA tourney and Michael Jordan blowing chunks before beating the Jazz with a late jumper). If Peyton manning had yacked on Alabama's field instead of just conducting the Tennessee band in ``Rocky Top'', he would have won the little golden dude, too. Here's two stomachs up for Ryan.

The play of the weekend, and perhaps all weekends of all-time, was Trinity (Texas) College's 15-lateral play for the victory after time expired. If you haven't seen it, check it out. It makes Cal-Stanford look like a dive play. Trinity looked like it had practiced the play a million times - even linemen were making pitches to the proper person. It lasted three minutes. You'll be screaming, ``Someone tackle that guy!''

The Gamecocks had a tough time up on ol' Rocky Top, falling behind 21-0 at the half, rallying to go ahead 24-21, then blowing it in overtime. Has Ryan Succop ever missed a kick that bad? And the SEC East was their's for the taking after Florida and Kentucky both lost. A Tennessee defeat would have paved the road to Atlanta from Columbia. Instead, they have to win out in the SEC and hope for help.

Someone kick me for not going to Las Vegas and putting my house on the Patriots. Every weekend the line gets higher and higher and I think, `Oh, this is the weekend they finally look human.'' Then they go out and beat the biscuits out of the Cowboys, Redskins, whoever steps on the field with them. And I can't do it this weekend because they play the also-undefeated Colts, and I have to work.

Is there anything more fun than watching Brett Favre play football? Not only is he good, still, but he plays like he's enjoying the game, not some auto matron trained to throw to the open spot. Is his consecutive starts streak more impressive than Cal Ripken's? If you consider that there weren't 11 guys on the field trying to break Cal's neck in baseball, you have to say Favre's streak is equally if not more impressive.

That's it for now. I'll be back manana with more college picks (aka Pick Six), hopefully better than last week's.

NFL Picks Week 9

This week's NFL picks:

Giants (-9 1/2) 27, Dolphins 13

Browns (-3) 27, Rams 17
Bears (-4sfr1/2) 24, Lions 21
Colts (-7) 31, Panthers 13
Titans (-7) 23, Raiders 13
Vikings (+1) 27, Eagles 24
Bengals (+3sfr1/2) 24, Steelers 20
Bills (+3) 20, Jets 16
Chargers (-10) 23, Texans 16
Buccaneers (-3sfr1/2) 20, Jaguars 17
Saints (-3) 24, 49ers 17
Patriots (-16) 31, Redskins 17
Broncos (-3) 23, Packers 21

Week 7: 8-6 straight up; 6-8 vs. the spread. Overall: 70-35, straight up; 56-49 vs. the spread.

College football Pick Six, Week 8

Howdy, college football fans, and welcome to this week's edition of Pick Six. Last week we only picked five, going 4-1 against the spread thanks to Kentucky's failure to kick the extra point after its last-second football. Actually, that rule was installed last year, allowing teams to bypass the PAT if the outcome of the game was not in question. But it was in question to a lot of folks out in Las Vegas. The non-push saw a lot of dollars change hands as a result. Oh well, we'll take one loss as long as it's on a technicality. What we're looking for, however, is perfect. Here's the perfect six:
* Virginia Tech (-3 1/2) 27, Boston College 20: The Hokies have a habit of ambushing highly ranked foes at home on Thursday night (remember No. 10 and 7-0 Clemson's trip to Blacksburg last year?).  Boston College is strong, but it won't survive a wild night up on the mountain, where the Hokies have a (home) field day.
* Wake Forest (-6) 31, North Carolina 17: Yes, the Tar Heels are getting better, but not good enough to hang with the Demon Deacons in their backyard. Basketball is getting started in Chapel Hill, a time when interest in football wanes and the roundball reigns. The Deacons still have ACC title hopes. UNC has hoops dreams.
* Auburn (-17) 34, Ole Miss 13: Has anyone had a wilder season than the Tigers? Get ``upset'' by South Florida, beat Florida in The Swamp by a last second field goal, beat Arkansas on the road by a last-second field goal, then lose to LSU on the road on a last-second touchdown. Auburn finally gets a well-deserved breather at home.
* Oregon (-3) 38, Southern Cal 21: BCS talk about the Trojans finally goes away for good when they travel to Oregon and face the Quack Attack. Everybody duck when the Ducks start spreading the ball around. They are legit, and they prove it tonight _ along with proving that the Trojans are no  more than a Trojan horse this season.
* Florida (-8 1/2) 28, Georgia 16: The Gators are road and battle-tested after a tough road trip to LSU and Kentucky, while the Bulldogs have been battling Vanderbilt and Bye, and both were close. The light bulb has come on over Tim Tebow's head and he will lead the Gators to victory at ``The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.''
* Maryland (+3) 27, Clemson 24: OK, I know Clemson's Thunder and Lightning tailback duo are guaranteeing victory, but these are the same guys that combined for 12 yards against Virginia Tech. The Terps are coming off a tough home loss to Virginia and need a win to stay alive. The Tigers are walking into a turtle trap.
* South Carolina (+3) 23, Tennessee 21: Oh how Steve Spurrier loves to return home to the hills and stick it to Fat Phil. He did it with Duke, Florida and USC, although Fulmer was but an assistant during his earlier visits. Did you know it was 15 years ago when the Gamecocks upset the Vols and Johnny Majors was fired and as a result and replaced by Fulmer. Odd how history has a way of repeating itself.
There's this week's red-hot Pick Six. It's best enjoyed with an ice cold Six Pack.