One week out. You guess it, we're pretty pumped for Christmas.
Remember the mailbag and the college football bowl contest where you can win stuff.
UTC's Moses Johnson (23) drives in towards the basket against Amber Orrange (33). Johnson scored 10 points for the Mocs during a 54-46 UTC victory against Stanford at McKenzie in Chattanooga, Tenn., on Wednesday, December 17, 2014.OK, it may be tough for UTC Hall of Fame coach Jim Foster to get any of the power programs to come to town any more.
For the second time in three weeks, the UTC women's basketball team toppled a giant, beating Stanford on Wednesday night.
In fact we asked TFP UTC women's hoops ace Jim Tanner on Twitter about the chance that the Mocs could be in line for at-large bid, considering UTC now has wins over Stanford and UT this season. Read that sentence again just for good measure.
As TFP ace columnist Mark Wiedmer noted the Mocs have a secret weapon in Red Payne, who is the ultimate glue player and has the look of a sure defensive stopper.
Congrats all around.
———
Michigan gets serious
Things escalated in a hurry. Yeah, Brick killed a guy.
Michigan reportedly offered Jim Harbuagh a six-year deal in the very plush neighborhood of $8 million per year.
Wow.
This report could be a) wishful thinking; b) Harbaugh's people leaking info to set the price; b) Harbaugh's people leaking info to force the 49ers to lower their trade demands if he wants to go to another NFL team; or d) the beginning of the next round of ratcheting up the cost of the arms race that is college football.
To address the first three choices, well, those things happen in stories like this. Sources have agendas and can spin stories in directions they need them to go. It happens.
As for the final option above, well, buckle up.
Michigan can't afford to be stinky at football. Period. And if takes $8 million a year to a guy with the resume like Harbaugh's, then we can make a hard argument he's worth every penny.
Then.... what does Saban get from Alabama, because Saban is the best in the country? Or what does Jimbo Fisher get from FSU because he's in position to potentially win back-to-back titles?
Plus, if Michigan now gets anyone other than Harbaugh — or one of the five monster names that are completely unbeatable at this point like Saban, Meyer, and a couple others — it's going to feel like a major disappoint, right?
And unless they get Harbaugh, the tick-tock, tick-tock waiting game continues to bleed the Maize and Blue of precious recruiting time.
Wow, this is a sticky situation. Or if Ulysses Everett McGill were the Michigan AD, he likely would say, "We're in a tight spot!"
———
New York Jets quarterback Michael Vick (1) scrambles during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) After leaving prison almost $18 million in debt, Mike Vick is within one real estate sell from paying off the whole note.
Say what you want about Vick's crimes or how he selfishly crippled the Falcons, but the fact that he has owned his situation is cool.
Here's the story from Darren Rovell detailing how Vick has inched within sight of paying off the entire amount despite legally owing a fraction of that total after declaring bankruptcy.
"What Michael did was the exception, not the rule," financial advisor Joseph Luzinski told ESPN. "He didn't have to do this. The law allows you to skate by and pay your creditors 10 or 20 cents on the dollar, but he thought this was the right thing to do."
————
This and that
Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo— Junior college football players could start signing scholarships Wednesday, and to no one's surprise the SEC paced the field in nabbing the biggest names. Auburn got the No. 1 overall juco prospect in Jovon Robinson. Tennessee landed supreme athlete Alvin Kamara and Ole Miss added four juco kids that could be starters next fall, including quarterback Chad Kelly.
— We're disappointed in Sony's decision to pull "The Interview" because of threats and the link between the email leaks and North Korea. There's a real chance that the only funny scenes in that movie were in the previews, but that's not the point. We're never in favor of strong arm tactics in which the ones getting their way can politely be called bullies and more adequately called terrorists.
— OK, want to know who has attended more schools than Einstein? According to this report, Michael O'Connor has decided to leave Penn State. So O'Connor has been at a high school in Canada, The Baylor School, the IMG Academy before enrolling last December at Penn State and now will transfer. Man, he must have good luggage.
— Legitimately excited for this, the show "Better Call Saul" is the spinoff from "Breaking Bad." Good times.
———
Today's question
We have a few.
Today is Steven Spielberg's 68th birthday. SALLL-loot. What's our Rushmore of all-time Hollywood directors?
Second, have you sent a question for the Friday mailbag? You need to.
Finally, are you entered in the college football bowl contest?
Here's the skinny:
Try to pick the winners (against the spread) of two bowls in each category below. Please email entries to jgreeson@timesfreepress.com and we'll update in-game standings on Twitter at @jgreesontfp. Deal? Deal.
Here are the levels and let us know if you have any questions.
The one-point level (pick two)
New Orleans Bowl — Nevada vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (Even)
New Mexico Bowl — Texas El Paso vs. Utah State (-11)
Las Vegas Bowl — Utah vs. Colorado State (+4)
Idaho Potato Bowl — Western Michigan vs. Air Force (+3)
Camellia Bowl — South Alabama vs. Bowling Green (-2)
GoDaddy Bowl — Toledo vs. Arkansas State (+1)
Boca Raton Bowl — Northern Illinois vs. Marshall (-11)
Poinsettia Bowl — Navy vs. San Diego State (E)
Two point level (pick two)
Bahamas Bowl — Central Michigan vs. W. Kentucky (-2)
Hawaii Bowl — Fresno State vs. Rice (+2)
Heart of Dallas Bowl — Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech (-4)
GoDaddy Bowl — Toledo vs. Arkansas State (+1)
Miami Beach Bowl — BYU vs. Memphis (+2)
Quick Lane Bowl — Rutgers vs. North Carolina (-4)
St. Petersburg Bowl — North Carolina State vs. UCF (-3)
Three-point level (pick two)
Military Bowl — Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati (-3.5)
Pinstripe Bowl — Penn State vs. Boston College (-2.5)
Holiday Bowl — Nebraska vs. Southern Cal (-5)
Foster Farms Bowl — Maryland vs. Stanford (-13)
Armed Forces Bowl — Pittsburgh vs. Houston (+2)
Four-point level (pick two)
Sun Bowl — Duke vs. Arizona State (-9)
Independence Bowl — Miami vs. South Carolina (Even)
Liberty Bowl — West Virginia vs. Texas A&M (+4)
Texas Bowl — Texas vs. Arkansas (-5)
Russell Athletic Bowl — Clemson vs. Oklahoma (Even)
Five-point level (pick two)
Music City Bowl — Notre Dame vs. LSU (-7.5)
Belk Bowl — Louisville vs. Georgia (-7)
TaxSlayer Bowl — Iowa vs. Tennessee (-3)
Birmingham Bowl — East Carolina vs. Florida (-7)
Citrus Bowl — Minnesota vs. Missouri (-6.5)
Six-point level (pick two)
Chick-Fil-A Bowl — Mississippi vs. TCU (-3)
Fiesta Bowl — Boise State vs. Arizona (-4)
Orange Bowl — Georgia Tech vs. Mississippi State (-7)
Outback Bowl — Wisconsin vs. Auburn (-6.5)
Cotton Bowl — Michigan State vs. Baylor (-3)
Seven-point level (pick two — yes, that means you have to pick each of them)
Rose Bowl — Florida State vs. Oregon (-8.5)
Sugar Bowl — Ohio State vs. Alabama (-9)
Whatcha' got?