Hey, remember when Michigan decided it couldn't play last year's game because too many players were sick?
Surely, of all people, they would be the ones to understand another player fielding questions about an illness affecting his team's ability to compete in a game, right?
Right?
Excuses are tools of incompetence used to build bridges to nowhere and monuments of nothingness, and those who use them seldom specialize in anything else. Go Blue
— #2BeSavage (@blake_corum) December 9, 2021
Ah, nevermind. It appears I expected too much.
Word of the Day: Vim.
WHO IS JIM KNOWLES? Ohio State's new defensive coordinator is absolutely one of the best defensive minds and coordinators in the country we're for sure going to appreciate that.
But it turns out, he's also one of the most endearingly fascinating, hilarious and quirky individuals I've ever seen in coaching, and I have a feeling we're all going to enjoy that, as well.
Here's a rundown of some of his quirks:
- His player described him as "some type of cartoon character."
- He has a degree from Cornell and worked on Wall Street, then quit to start coaching football at the bottom of the coaching ladder.
- He doesn't put his shoes all the way on, for some reason.
- He's a vegan.
- He smokes victory cigars.
The dude gives off extreme Creed Bratton energy and I'm absolutely here for it.
But I think the thing that has me the most sold is just how clear it is that his players love him and love playing for him.
LET'S TRADE COMMISSIONERS. I was extremely skeptical of the Pac-12's hiring of former MGM president George Kliavkoff as their commissioner. But so far, the dude has been nothing but a breath of fresh air.
His #takes are basically just what you would expect of a normal, common-sense person who hasn't worked as an athletics administrator for decades.
Like this one:
Pac-12 commish George Kliavkoff calls scheduling college football games 12 years in advance "insane." He hopes the Alliance members can create an inter-conference challenge format where dates get saved and non-conference games get scheduled the preceding January.
— Andy Staples (@Andy_Staples) December 9, 2021
PLEASE DO THIS
But you'll be SHOCKED to hear what the hangup is here.
Pac-12 commish George Kliavkoff said Pac-12 would reduce league football games from 9 to 8 tomorrow, if Big Ten would do same. But (Big 10) not ready to do that yet. If so, the leagues could start scheduling alliance - similar to ACC/Big 10 hoops challenge, Kliavkoff said
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 9, 2021
Prayers up for Kliavkoff having to work hand-in-hand with Kevin Warren on all of this for the foreseeable future. Every day has got to be like trying to reason with a malfunctioning robot.
GOING UNDEFEATED IS HARD! With Cincinnati trying to pull off an undefeated season, it's a solid time to point out that Ohio State, Alabama and Auburn are the only Power Five programs with multiple undefeated seasons in the past 20 years.
Only one undefeated team remains this season
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) December 8, 2021
Can @GoBearcatsFB join this list? pic.twitter.com/eZlUriEGAL
I bring this up for no reason but to highlight how difficult it is to pull off an undefeated season – and also that it sure looks like Ohio State is due for one next year...
NEXT IN LINE. College is about preparing you for your future career. You might ask, "But Kevin, what if that career is professional wrestling?"
Finally, the WWE has your answer!
The famed professional wrestling league is getting in the NIL game to help college athletes begin a career in the WWE – and Buckeye track and field thrower Carlos Aviles (who just happens to be 6-foot-6 and 305 pounds) is part of the inaugural class.
WWE has unveiled 15 college athletes who will be among the first to participate in the company’s newly formed NIL (Name, Image & Likeness) program that provides a clear pathway from collegiate athletics to WWE.
...
The comprehensive program serves to recruit and develop potential future Superstars and further enhances WWE’s talent development process through collaborative partnerships with college athletes from diverse athletic backgrounds.
All athlete partnerships will feature access to the state-of-the-art WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., in addition to resources across the organization, including brand building, media training, communications, live event promotion, creative writing and community relations. Upon completion of the NIL program, select athletes may earn an exclusive opportunity to be offered a WWE contract.
Best of luck, Carlos! I cannot wait to see you throw somebody through a table in the very near future!
SONG OF THE DAY. "Christmas Tree Farm" by Taylor Swift.
NOT STICKING TO SPORTS. How DNA solved one of the final mysteries of Pearl Harbor... Carjackers are using a new Apple product to steal vehicles... This man has watched hundreds of executions and now he's next... The death of a lobsterman... How eggnog got its name... Scientists developed a questionnaire to determine whether your cat is a psychopath...
