Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

Yeah, with this crowd one never knows.

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

The worst democrat is better than the best republican.

In my day, never was longer.

Let’s finish the job.

White supremacy is terrorism.

We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

I was promised a recession.

Meanwhile over at truth Social, the former president is busy confessing to crimes.

Too often we hand the biggest microphones to the cynics and the critics who delight in declaring failure.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

Fuck the extremist election deniers. What’s money for if not for keeping them out of office?

We still have time to mess this up!

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

Republicans are radicals, not conservatives.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / College Football Playoffs & Bowl Games Open Thread

College Football Playoffs & Bowl Games Open Thread

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Some people are pissed off because this year’s college football playoffs are scheduled on New Year’s Eve. I’m not; we always stay home on New Year’s Eve anyway, and I’m hoping the games will be more interesting than watching people mill around Times Square on TV. Here are my picks for the playoffs and remaining bowl games:

cfb bowl picks 1231

I sincerely hope I’m wrong about several of them, most especially Florida vs. Michigan. But while both teams are in rebuilding mode with first-year coaches trying to construct an offense to match a solid defense, I think Florida’s QB is the shakier of the two starters, which gives Michigan an edge.

I’d be delighted to be wrong, and if I am, that probably means Mr. Hargreaves III had a huge day. What say you?

Open thread!

Reader Interactions

82Comments

  1. 1.

    Coin operated

    TCU’s QB was just suspended after being arrested for assault. Was hoping for a good shootout, but now the “Fighting Fashion Nightmares” should have an easier go of it.

    *sorry…don’t remember who uses that term for Oregon, but credit where credit is due.

  4. 4.

    Mr Stagger Lee

    As a Buckeye fan I am jazzed at Notre Dame-Ohio State game. And yeah I want a good B1G Ten showing. So go Spartans! But if not anyone but Bama.

  5. 5.

    japa21

    @Mr Stagger Lee: Not a big Buckeye fan (nor Michigan for that matter) but rooting for both to win. Have a total hatred for Notre Dame and a dislike for Florida. Plus Big 10 is looking good so far and could finally convince the country they are for real.

  6. 6.

    Seanly

    I’m pulling for my Clemson Tigers to stomp Oklahoma for the second year running. National media hates us (because ACC money to ESPN < Big 12 money to ESPN < ESPN constant fellating to all things SEC I guess). Our coach feeds his players on the disrespect we get. Some of our wins looked ugly, but our defense is well rested. And our QB is amazing.

  8. 8.

    David Koch

    I can’t believe they’re having the playoffs on a work day. Most people won’t be home by 4 PM eastern. The west coast is 15% of the country and they’ll miss the entire first game.

    I understand why they didn’t want to have it on Friday because they didn’t want to compete against the rose bowl, but they could have had it on Saturday, which is the traditional day when fans devour college football.

  9. 9.

    JCJ

    I was dumb enough to stay up until the end of Wisconsin – USC (or, as BillinGlendale calls them, U$C) – at least the Badgers won. I didn’t have to be at work until 8:30 so the game ending after 1 am wasn’t as bad as it could have been.

    @Coin operated: I believe Villago Delande Est is the one who uses the term Fighting Fashion Nightmares. It is an excellent description.

  10. 10.

    catclub

    I thought the WaMonthly piece on Rubio – getting (small) favors for his BIL who was a drug kingpin – was going to go a different way, like point out that it is likely a hit from the Bush crew. That is how I saw it.

  14. 14.

    JPL

    @Paul T: I was offered the chance to see the Houston/FSU game and refused. Even though the seats were good, the idea of going downtown, didn’t appeal to me.

  15. 15.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @David Koch:

    From the CNN link in my comment: “Carson campaign manager Barry Bennett and communications director Doug Watts have resigned.” Piece does not refer to anyone named Chip Kelly.

  16. 16.

    Betty Cracker

    @Seanly: I’d rather see Clemson win it, TBH. Just have a feeling it’s OK’s year.

    @JPL: Houston is ahead! I hope they hold the lead. Can’t stand the damn ‘Noles!

    @japa21: I’m glad that either Ohio State or Notre Dame will lose tomorrow. I’m only sorry they can’t both lose.

  18. 18.

    Shell

    For those of us New Years Eve-ing at home, are you cooking anything special?

    I got a dozen oysters. Not sure if Ill make oyster stew or just slurp them down.

  21. 21.

    raven

    Good article on this “New Tradition”.

    The prospects for such New Year’s customs as fancy parties, high-end dinners and last-call chases to be altered significantly by seven hours of football aren’t good for ESPN and the playoff’s management committee. The director of nightlife at the Edition calls the decision to play the semifinals on Dec. 31 “arrogant.” A Boston restaurant magnate says the games are “not a factor” in her restaurants’ New Year’s plans. And a nightlife kingpin in Los Angeles says this year’s playoff schedule is “idiotic” and “just stupid.”

    It doesn’t matter to me but even in a “football hotbed” like Athens I’m the only one I know that will be watching.

  23. 23.

    Betty Cracker

    @Rashi: I grew up watching it — my whole family always has. One of my grandfathers was QB at Ole Miss. I watch college and pro but only truly care about college.

    @raven: I’d be pissed about the scheduling too if I were younger, single or child-free. I can’t imagine what they were thinking.

  24. 24.

    Roger Moore

    @catclub:

    like point out that it is likely a hit from the Bush crew.

    Not gonna happen. To the extent that the media cares that factual information is provided to them as part of a political hit, it’s only going to improve their opinion of it if/when it’s from a solid establishment guy like Bush.

  26. 26.

    catclub

    comedians in cars getting coffee – with Barack Obama!

    ” how many world leaders that you meet have just lost it?”
    “a substantial percentage”

  27. 27.

    Baud

    Looks like I won’t be the only one conducting a write in campaign.

    COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley failed to qualify for Ohio’s primary ballot after falling short of the signatures needed to appear before the state’s voters, a spokesman for the state’s elections chief said Thursday.

    O’Malley needed 1,000 valid signatures to appear on the March 15 primary ballot. The former Maryland governor’s campaign submitted 1,175 signatures, but only 772 were deemed valid, Josh Eck, a spokesman for Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, told The Associated Press.

  28. 28.

    Betty Cracker

    @raven: My hubby was a professional musician when we first got together, so NYE used to be kind of a big deal for us because he’d always be playing somewhere. But for the past 15-plus years, we’ve stayed home and supervised children.

  29. 29.

    Seanly

    @Betty Cracker:

    Clemson’s the tech/ag school in SC so they’re used to being looked down on. We looked like crap in the last few games of the season but pulled out wins. With rest I think we will surprise folks.

    However, if we lose, I know we had a great run and will be poised to do even better next year.

  31. 31.

    Tissue Thin Pseudonym

    I’m pissed. I got a letter three days ago that my Minnesota Care policy is being cancelled because I’m making too much money (which is largely an artifact of the Kickstarter money counting as income without any recognition that most of it has gone back out in expenses until after I file my taxes). THat timing is terrible, since coverage ends today, while the open enrollment to have coverage as of Jan 1 ended two weeks ago.

    Then, when I try to sign up for a policy at MNSure, I can’t start an application because I already have one open. (It also needs my to clear my entire cache and cookies, which is another aggravation.) I tried calling to find out what the issue is, but I was on hold so long that I had to hang up to deal with things. This morning, I finally had the 45 minutes needed to stay on the line long enough to talk to someone. It turns out that I can’t start a new application because I still have an open one, which turns out to be the Minnesota Care policy that I’ve been told has been cancelled. If they’re going to cancel the policy, they ought to also withdraw that from the system so I can look elsewhere.

    So, I had to call another number to talk to Minnesota Care to get them to clear what they already should have. I spent an hour on hold there, and then got a message that there are technical difficulties and my call has been disconnected.

    Fuckers.

  32. 32.

    Anoniminous

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Bush axed his TV ads in Iowa yesterday and today this news. Seems the lower-ranking campaigns are cutting back and they are doing it at a time when coverage and attention are next to zero.

  33. 33.

    Seanly

    @raven:

    Most people I know don’t bother going out or staying up to midnight. After Clemson beats OU, I will get on my Xbox and frustrate the fugg out of myself playing Rainbow Six Siege. Unless the friend coming over is still around…

  38. 38.

    a hip hop artist from Idaho (fka Bella Q)

    @raven:
    @Betty Cracker:
    I’ve never been a “NYE is a big deal” type. Mr. Q and I have only been out once for a whole NYE and it was when he still lived in NY. We went to one of his best friend’s (who was also a founding member of their brass band) party. It snowed a bit and we took the shortcut past the sharp turn in his steep driveway. Unintentionally. We were fine and it was comical. Once we went to his boss’s 6:30 – Jan 1 open house, and made our excuses at 9:30, claiming another place to stop by on the way home. He asked if we had champagne for midnight and told us that was a requirement. He sent us home with a very nice bottle. That’s a host~

    We’re staying in and enjoying WWI artillery. Slowly.

  39. 39.

    Hal

    Obama’s going to announce an executive order next week on Gun control. Apparently expanded background checks. Heads exploding in 3, 2, 1…

  40. 40.

    Roger Moore

    @Baud:

    A 35% failure rate on signatures seems awfully high.

    IIRC, that’s in the right ballpark for signature failures on ballot petitions here in California. I think a lot of it is from duplicate signatures.

  44. 44.

    Roger Moore

    @Baud:
    I might be overstating it a bit. Of the successful measures qualified in California right now, none of them had as high as 35% rejection rate, though one was about 33%. The rest were in the neighborhood of 25%. But the rate is substantial.

  45. 45.

    Germy

    from the Associated Press:

    Family of 2-year-old Amputee Adopts Kitten That Lost a Limb

    SAN JACINTO, Calif. — A 2-year-old cancer survivor with an amputated arm is getting a special gift: A kitten that also suffered an amputation.

    Matt and Simone Tipton, of Orange County, had been searching for a kitten for their daughter Scarlette, who was born with a rare form of cancer. Scarlette’s left arm had to be amputated when she was 10 months old.

    Doctors say she’s now cancer free.

    Scarlette’s parents wanted to find a kitten that had undergone an amputation surgery to help in their daughter’s ongoing recovery. That’s when they heard about Holly, a kitten two women found bleeding from a traumatic injury in December.

    The kitten’s left front leg was amputated.

    The family drove to the San Jacinto animal shelter to adopt the cat named Holly on Christmas Eve.

  48. 48.

    ? Martin

    Man, Dubai remains a strange place. 1000′ hotel on fire and a few thousand feet away a huge fireworks show for New Years.

  49. 49.

    oldgold

    Looking for an Iowa upset.

    Stanford is in for some Ol’ Timey Slobber-Knocker football. They best show up with their cleats screwed on real tight.

    Go Hawks!

  50. 50.

    Anoniminous

    @Baud:

    It’s something you can’t screw up. The last time I did this we got around raw 7,000 signatures to ensure we got the 1,500 we needed. 30% failure seems about right to me, but it’s been a while.

  60. 60.

    CaseyL

    Gawd, it’s gorgeous here in Seattle. So sunny you don’t really notice the cold much. I had a lovely walk and am now inside watching football, admiring the day from the comfort of my living room. Tomorrow is also supposed to be sunny and I’m a gonna go hiking with a friend.

    New Years Day hikes are a wonderful tradition. New Years Eve – I can’t remember the last time I was actually awake at midnight for NYE. Maybe 2000? – because that was special, seeing the world’s odometer turn over all zeroes.

  63. 63.

    Betty Cracker

    @Seanly: Good game so far! My great uncles went to Clemson (their sister, my grandmother, went to South Carolina). I’m pulling for them!

    ETA: Do you know how “Dabo” got that nickname? Cute story!

  68. 68.

    Betty Cracker

    @Zinsky: Picked against my own Gators too, so don’t take it personally! Plus, my picks are usually wrong, so Iowa will probably win!

  71. 71.

    Davebo

    Huuuuge win for the Cougs over FSU! Amazing how much their defense has improved.

    Glad to see they coughed up cash for Herman. Hopefully we can keep him for a long time.

  72. 72.

    raven

    @Davebo: The D was awesome!

    It’s pretty strange that they are promo’ing “A Rockin New Years Eve” on ABC during the first of two games on ESPN. Who would watch the first game and watch that drivel later?

  76. 76.

    Davebo

    @raven:

    Beats me. Although there’s several free concerts downtown tonight with the B-52’s being the feature. At lunch I told my girlfriend about it and she said “what is the B-52’s?”

    Obviously she’s not interested and I’m not going alone so I’ll catch all the games tonight.

  77. 77.

    raven

    @Davebo: We live in Normaltown

    Let’s go crash that party down
    In Normaltown tonight
    Then we’ll go skinny-dippin’
    In the moonlight
    We’re wild girls walkin’ down the street
    Wild girls and boys going out for a big time

    Friends up the street are having a bonfire and my bride is going but I’ll have to see what up in the second game. . .

  79. 79.

    Heliopause

    Not sure why the Sooners were some sort of favorite to win this thing. Even the quants were fooled. I guess they just didn’t notice that playing defense is forbidden by rule in the Big XII.

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