OK, remember the mailbag.
From the "Talks too much" studios, someone at Toys R Us needs to lose their job.
World Series
San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner throws during the fifth inning of Game 1 of baseball's World Series against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2014, in Kansas City, Mo.The Giants cruised to a 1-0 lead in the World Series with a thorough and complete win over Kansas City.
We have two statements about the game: First, Madison Bumgarner is this era's Jack Morris. He may not be the first name you think of when you think of the best pitchers in the game, but when you are wondering about bets pitchers in must-win games, well, Madison Avenue indeed. Second, Bruce Bochy is money. That is all, and sometimes that is enough.
As for the game, a 3-0 lead after three outs and a 5-0 lead after three-and-half innings was more than enough to send the TV remotes clicking. The game took 3:32 and while that and the 8:07 first pitch meant there were tons of school-aged kids across the East Coast who knew who won because of the early-inning offense, not because they watched the final out.
Add to that the news that the players are frustrated and against the attempts to speed up play in the Arizona Fall League - things like a pitch clock and forcing batters to stay in the box between pitches - well, the pace of play continues to be a major anchor for what once was America's Pasttime.
So it goes. Side question: Where would you rank MLB among the sports in the eyes of the American sports fan? Discuss.
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Who you got Wednesday
A week from today the college football playoff selection committee will announce its first 'power poll.' It promises to light the fires and irate the liars who believe there is an SEC bias.
SEC
Southeastern ConferenceSo it goes.
We do know that what we once believed to be true apparently no longer can be confirmed. We forever believed that three conference champions from the Big 5 leagues had to be among playoff field. We even believe that Bill Hancock, the head of the college football playoff, told us that on Press Row at SEC media days.
Now, we can't find that anywhere in the rules or guidelines for the committee. We are going to see if we can contact the SEC office or try to find some clarity on this, because if there is no baseline of conference champions, well, there will be a mess in front of the committee.
And while at least one member of the committee has that time will add clarity - and that theory has proved to be correct almost every year in the BCS generation - imagine the ebola-level hand-wringing from the college football faithfuls if there are a slew of one-loss SEC teams - with those losses handed to each other within the league - and an undefeated FSU and then a hodgepodge of one- or two-loss conference champs?
Anyhoo, here's our playoff field of four as of this week, working on the assumption that three conference champs have to be involved and with each's toughest hurdle left:
1. Ole Miss - Auburn in Oxford, Nov. 15.
Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston.2. FSU - keeping Jameis Winston eligible and out of jail between now and the playoff
3. Alabama - Auburn in Tuscaloosa, Nov. 29
4. Oregon - we'll guess a trip to Utah on Nov. 8 and also submit the Pac-12 title game
The group above - and Georgia - have the most favorable schedules coming home. The worst schedule belongs to Auburn, which also faces Georgia in a November from a Greek tragedy.
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Gurley show
Speaking of Georgia, the Bulldogs have reportedly filed paperwork top have Todd Gurley re-instated by the NCAA.
Buckle up gang, because a Gurley return could push the Bulldogs to the short list of teams in control of the college football landscape.
In fact, there are five SEC teams - the two is Mississippi, the two in Alabama, and Georgia - that control their destiny and will get in the playoff if they win out. Period.
Florida State also is in that bunch, but no one else is.
And if Gurley is back for a soft stretch run in which Auburn in Athens will be the only game that Georgia is not a double-digit favorite.
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This and that
Seattle Seahawks' Russell Wilson rolls back to pass against the Denver Broncos during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl XLVIII football game Sunday, Feb. 2, 2014, in East Rutherford, N.J.- We kind of glossed over this in the NFL recap as it was overshadowed by the Seahawks surprising loss, but Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson was the first player in NFL history to throw for 300 yards and run for a 100 in an NFL game. It seems kind of crazy that Vick, Cunningham or Tarkenton never accomplished that/ Major props to Wilson.
- Side question: Is Wilson a top-10 NFL quarterback right now?
- Veteran mob movie actor Frank Sivero is suing "The Simpson" franchise for $250 million because he thinks one of the henchmen of "Fat Tony" on the show is patterned after him. Wow. We really are the most litigious society on the world.
- We mentioned in the opening that someone at Toys R Us needs to get a pink slip. Normally we are greatly reserved when calling for someone's gig because that's their livelihood and what not. But according to this story Toys R Us is now pulling dolls from the "Breaking Bad" TV series from its shelves. Who thought the meth dealing duo of Mr. White and Jessie was a good play-thing? To make matters worse, the dolls came with detachable bags of cash and detachable bags of meth. Dear Lord, we're trying to think of a worse toy that does not involve loaded guns or lead paint.
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Today's question
On this day in 1921, Mark Wiedmer's alma mater Centre College beat top-ranked Harvard - Lee Corso even picked the Crimson head gear in the ESPN presume show.
It ended a 25-game winning streak for Harvard and is viewed as one of the biggest upsets in college football history.
What is the Rushmore of college football upsets? Go.
If you need another one, Christopher Lloyd, who was Jim on Taxi and then later was Dr. Brown in the Back to the Future series is 76 today. Rushmore of Lloyds. Go. (And yes, Lloyd Christmas from Dumb and Dumber is definitely on there.)