5-at-10: Friday mailbag

Gang, great week. Tip of the Larry Fedora to you all.

Let's crack the bag of mail.

From McPell

Ok, you had games to remember the other day, how about games that made you want to barf, and maybe try to drink enough to forget - I offer Van Tiffin's last second field goal in 1985 against Auburn.

McPell -

Excellent question. So you want the Rushmore of Unforgettable sports moments for all the wrong reasons.

OK, here we go:

The game Harry Thornton mentioned when David Greene found Michael Johnson for Georgia's game-winning TD at Auburn in 2002. As hard a stomach-punch loss as we can remember.

Evander Holyfield beating Riddick Bowe in a decision. Holyfield was a 5-to-1 underdog and let's say there was a lot of entertainment lost on that one.

When we learned that Len Bias had died. We were at a basketball camp at Woodward Academy in Atlanta, and we were told the news by the camp speaker that morning, former Georgia coach Hugh Durham, who made a drawn out story about it and hammered home the point of using drugs.

There are a lot of fourth options, and a slew of them are Auburn related. Most likely when we followed the then-No. 4-ranked Auburn Tigers to Knoxville in 1989 and sat in a driving rain storm as Tennessee man-handled the Tigers.

Less than good times.

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From Too Much

You said recently that you are more excited for the NBA than college basketball season. Really?

How could that be possible considering the NBA doesn't matter until the last two minutes?

Thanks, enjoy the 5@10 and whatever happened with Press Row -- that was the best show in town?

Too Much -

First, great handle. Did you think about going with the No. 2, like 2 Legit 2 Quit. Side question: Talk about a sprint to the top and a sprint to the bottom with equal speed and focus, what happened to MC Hammer. Hammer Time was quickly overpowering and over powerfully quick. And how may pairs of Hammer Pants did you have Spy, five?

Anyhoo, where were we?

Yes, the NBA is better. Much better. Too Much better - see what we did there.

College hoops has been bludgeoned by early departures and the clear and present danger that the regular season is little more than window dressing and a pompous and circumstantial march to 20 wins so you can get on or inside the magical bubble.

You say the first 40 minutes of an NBA game do not matter. We say the first 4 months of college hoops are scrimmages and Big Mondays and Dicky V screaming at the TV and calling us baby.

photo LeBron James

Plus, we are extra intrigued by the NBA right now because of LeBron James. We enjoy the pursuit of greatness and James is in the chase for all-time excellence. Good times.

Thanks for the kind words and for the question. And who knows what will with the radio show - we do know it was fun because of all the folks involved.

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From Spy

5, I know y'all are all about the SEC, but any thoughts on Clemson vs. Florida State in the biggest game between those two that didn't involve a Bowden since 1988 (and those two teams were loaded that year).

Spy -

Tons of thoughts.

Let's go top five thoughts on this match-up:

1) Quarterback now vs. quarterback future: Tajh Boyd could punch his Heisman invite with a win and a decent performance. Jameis Winston could do the same, and even propel himself into the front-runner spot for next year with a big game. Mel Kiper said this week that if Winston has a big moment on the national stage on the road, he also could move to the front of the 2015 draft class. Big stakes, who will be a baller, shot caller and deserve 20-inch blades on the Impala.

2) Bo nicknames on the line: Dabo vs. Jimbo, next on Duck Dynasty? Nope, the winner of this game has pole position on a BCS title shot. Sure Alabama and Oregon will still be 1-2, but the Tide and the Ducks still have their big hurdles ahead of them. The winner of Saturday's showdown in Death Valley takes the lead-dog spot.

3) First-rounder on first-rounder: The man you know better as Joe the Policeman from the 'What's Going Down' episode of "That's My Momma," Mr. Sammy Watkins faces Lamarcus Joyner in a matchup that could be replicated for the next decade on Sundays. Watkins' skills in space are marvelous to watch. Joyner's ability to eliminate space is intriguing. Good times.

4) The atmosphere is going to be awesome in its awesomeness. When big-time college football venues host night games of this magnitude and get rocking like Death Valley will be rocking, there are few sporting events that are more enjoyable to watch. More good times.

5) Will Brent Musberger make a nationally televised pass at any co-eds. Let's hope not. Still it's better than Verne Lundquist, who in his beautiful and predictable mispronunciations would be telling us all about the quarterback battle between Tajh Mahal against Jimmie Walker. Tell 'em about it Jojo.

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Sportsfan

Jay - heard about the Oreo addict issue last night from Mrs. Sportsfan and Little Ms Sportsfan (who by the way got a mention in the TFP this am...thank you very much). For the mailbag, what's your Rushmore of cookies? Put me down for homemade chocolate chip, homemade peanut butter, homemade teacakes (JMC may know what these are), and Trefoils dipped in hot fudge...I don't really see the magic of Oreo's.

Sportsfan -

We're with you. We like Oreo's fine and all and rarely are we going to say no - we've been cursed with a sweet tooth and when the Mrs. can cook like the Mrs. 5-at-10 can cook, well we're destined to be a fat old man. War Desserts.

In truth, Oreo's really exploded because of the Cookies-n-Cream ice cream, which was a great decision by the Oreo's folks. Think about it, Oreo's were a fine, regular processed cookie that has become a monster since the ice cream merger, a combination that has been as productive as Jordan and Pippen or chips and salsa.

So our Rushmore of cookies is:

1) Homemade chocolate chips: Great call SF and gang, know this - do not add a special secret ingredient like marshmallows or what have you. This one is pure and perfect, just get out of the way.

2) Trefoils: Another great call. This also applies to the regular Sandies and the magic of butter cookies everywhere.

3) Fudge Rounds: Hey, this is our list so pipe down.

4) Do-si-Dos: Good stuff.

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From Jack S.

You quote a bunch of movies. Like a bunch.

A bunch of us try to count how many different movies you quote in a given 5@10. The most we have counted is 11 different movies.

What's your record and what movie do you quote most?

Jack -

We have never counted the movie references to tell you the truth. If we had to guess, 11 would have to be the most.

That's pretty cool. And let's have a mini-SEC breakdown and see how many movies we can work into the weekend preview. Deal? Deal.

South Carolina at UT: You want the truth? Mike Davis is the truth, and we don't know if they can handle the truth. An orange win would shake the state - think ya used enough dynamite there Butch - but can we trust Justin Worley to deliver a roundhouse kick to the face of a top-10 defense?

UGA at Vandy: We fear the salad days are no more for James Franklin. And we know that Todd Grantham is not a war-time consigiliere. We'll watch this one with a keen eye, even if Vandy has no head-toppers, bunch a mites.

Auburn at Texas A&M: Think Johnny Football could consume the English with fireballs from his eyes and bolts of lightning from his arse? Gus Malzahn is no Dr. Rosenrosen, but a win would beyond huge. Like out there. A major rush. I mean it feels out there in a radical tubular sort of way. At least he has a trade.

Arkansas at Alabama: Prediction? Pain. Like Mongo, Arkansas is just a pawn in the game of life right now. Hey, Bret, fat drunk and stupid is no way to go through life son. Don't sell yourself short, you're a tremendous slouch.

We got more but we're running low on time. Who gives a hit it's gone.

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From Billy-in-Brainerd

I will be at Bobby Dodd Saturday. For the mailbag: If the Jackets finish at 5-7, who would be a good fit at Tech? Spy - feel free to chime in before Friday.

Billy -

Whomever replaces Paul Johnson at Tech - be it this year or down the road - will have a monster job, considering the following:

• The roster is built for the triple option. Johnson is one of the last proponents of that offense, so a complete and total overhaul will be in store for the next couple of recruiting classes.

• Tech will always be no better than the No. 2 school in Georgia in the eyes of the prospects and the majority of folks in the state. Even Spy will admit this.

• Recruiting is made tougher by the academic hurdles Tech students have to clear.

That said, there will assuredly not be a shortage of names interested in the Tech gig.

If he would take it, Spy's suggestion of Ken Whisenhunt would be an over-the-moon hire.

Depending how Saturday plays out, Clemson OC Chad Morris will be a hot name this offseason.

We think LSU offensive coordinator Cam Cameron will draw a lot of interest this offseason, too.

And how's this one for an out-of-leftfield name - George O'Leary, who has built Central Florida into a player in the Sunshine state. Better check his resume, though.

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