Programming note: The 5-at-10 will be on vacation from Tuesday-through-Friday of this week. That means, we'll have abbreviated versions of your favorite Monday-through-Friday family-oriented, interweb-based sports column. Hey, with today we're at 1,091 and counting consecutive M-Tu-W-Th-F regardless of holiday, vacation or illness (we've been blessed with the non-sick gene for the most part), so why stop now right?
From the "Talks too much" studios, let's play the Feud.
Weekend winners
Who you got in a weekend that was extreme in the winning and losing category?
Central Michigans tight end Deon Butler laterals the ball while being tackled by Western Kentucky linebacker Dejon Brown and defensive back Marcus Ward, foreground, during the Bahamas Bowl NCAA college football game, Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2014, in Nassau, Bahamas. (AP Photo/The Daily News, Austin Anthony) There are a lot of possibilities and here are five nominees. Did we forget someone?
Michigan football. The Wolverines got a home run hire in Jim Harbaugh, unless they didn't. All reports over the weekend lead us to that point and make the Wolverines a player in the national college landscape again inside of 12 months.
J.J. Watt. Dude is a stud.
Carolina Panthers. You win and you're in, and they won. And ion truth, they are a tough match-up because despite their 7-8-1 record, they are healthier right now than they have been all year.
Kentucky Wildcats. Wow. Simply wow.
All the kids and coaches and Chatt State folks and TFP people who have again made the the Best of Preps tournament aces. Way to go gang.
Weekend losers
Johnny Football. Dear Lord son. Look, mister, there's... two kinds of dumb, uh... guy that gets naked and runs out in the snow and barks at the moon, and, uh, guy who does the same thing in my living room. First one don't matter, the second one you're kinda forced to deal with. The Browns are now forced to deal with this. Pronto.
Atlanta Falcons head coach Mike Smith speaks to players on the sidelines during their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 14, 2014, in Atlanta. Atlanta Falcons. Mike Smith, please report to the white courtesy phone and leave your keys on your desk. Smith got the axe early Monday morning, which comes as no surprise since there reports last weekend that the brass had contacted a search firm.
Tennessee Titans. Even when they lose they can't be good at losing, and now the Titans have the No. 2 overall picks and will be staring right into the Jameis Winston abyss.
College basketball storylines. Now there is only one story that matters can UK go undefeated?
San Francisco front office. OK, you wanted Harbaugh out, now you got it. Whatcha' got?
Bowl update
We are getting to the meat and potatoes (or the franks and beans for Jomo) of the Bowling for Bowls of Bowl Game Success in a Bowl (hat optional) contest. Thanks to everyone for playing along.
We are going to list the top 20 (and ties) of the 56 entries. If you are not listed and think your point total should be among the leaders, please email us at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com and we'll double-check for you. Deal?
Here's the list of games and the teams in bold won according to the lines posted when the contested started.
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?
(And yes, these numbers can be a touch skewed because only two of the four-point games have been played. Also, there are a lot of points to be had for a lot of folks who have Oklahoma and A&M today.)
WarEagle Dave 15
scole023 14
Eddie 13
Robert Acct. 12
5-at-10 12 (hit La-Lafayette, Utah, Rice, Duke and South Carolina; missed Western Kentucky, Cincy and USC)
Believer 12
Spy 12
BJReid 11
Thunder 10
Thinker 10
TCase 9
Ron Wheeler 8
Craig S 7
A Owens 7
Simpson 6
Andrew P 6
Jacob H 6
This and that
We went 4-4 bowl weekend left us at 10-8 for the postseason. With three fairly interesting games on tap for tonight, let's try to push through the break-even territory with Texas A&M plus-2, Oklahoma minus-4 and Arkansas minus-6. Giddy-up.
Eric Berry is 26 today. Keep up the fight Eric, and know our prayers are with you.
There were several crazy highlights this weekend from a wild and crazy NFL weekend. Here's one that will provide proof to the question at football parties about an onside free kick, which the Lions pulled off Sunday with an actual onside punt. Watch it here.
Today's question
Naturally we want to know who won the weekend and who lost the weekend in your view.
That said, the adult 5-at-10s are rewatching a majority of the HBO classic "The Wire" over the last couple of days. Nothing screams Christmas like Omar, Marlo and the rest of the cuddly folks in Baltimore.
Plus, today is the 38th birthday for Kenny Powers (aka Danny McBride), and yes we believe the star of the "Eastbound and Down" looks older than that.
So, naturally, in addition to who won the weekend, we're looking for your Rushmore of made-for-HBO series/movies. There are more than you realize and we can all agree there really are only two spots open after "The Sporanos" and "The Wire" right?