By HAL McCOY
UNSOLICITED OBSERVATIONS from The Man Cave, ready to visit my ophthalmologist to see if he can clear up my bleary eyes after watching what seemed like 158 bowl games over the last month
—The Ohio State University Buckeyes gave coach Urban Meyer a nice parting gift for his last game, a 28-23 Rose Bowl victory over the University of Washington, although the Buckeyes went into snooze mode in the second half. Well, more like they went into a coma.
After building a 28-3 lead early in the third quarter, OSU turned into a spectator. Washington had gone eight straight possessions without a touchdown, but scored three times in the fourth quarter.
The Buckeyes had to recover an on-side kick in the final seconds to hold off the yapping Huskies
So, not only did the Buckeyes gave Meyer that parting gift, they gave him a fourth quarter headache and had him clasping his temple in agony as the game wound down.
“That was a hell of a game,” said Meyer immediately after the game. “We won the Rose Bowl and got our 13th win. I’m very proud that over the years we’ve had the best players in the world. I’m going to enjoy this tonight and I don’t believe I’m ever going to coach again.”
He doesn’t ‘believe?’ Sounds as if he isn’t totally dead sure positive and we couldn’t see if he had his fingers crossed.
And, no Bengals fans. He isn’t the next Bengals coach. But how would Dwayne Haskins look in a Bengals jersey?
QUOTE: From Gene Perret, a screen writer for the Carol Burnett Show: “Retirement is when you return from work one day and say, ‘Hi, honey, I’m home — forever.”
—Dwayne Haskins gave himself a nice parting gift, for surely he played in his last collegiate game and will place himself in the NFL draft. And wouldn’t he be a nifty addition to the Cincinnati Bengals?
Haskins threw three touchdown passes in the first half, giving him 50 for the season. He was 25 for 37 for 251 yards.
It is not surprising that Haskins didn’t win the Heisman Trophy, but it was astounding how the voting unfolded.
Voters name three players on their ballots. And 38 per cent of the voters did not include Haskins on their ballot. Say what? As ESPN broadcaster Kirk Herbstreit said, “What were those guys watching?”
The guess here is that most of those 38 per centers were associated with the Southeastern Conference and the Big 12.
—QUOTE: From former Great Britain prime minister Winston Churchill: “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”
—The University of Kentucky, which for years played football just to fill in time before basketball season arrived, scored a nice Citrus Bowl victory over Penn State, 27-24.
Running back Benny Snell Jr. carried 26 times for 149 yards and two touchdowns. And he established a University of Kentucky career rushing record with 3,877 yards, a record that stood since 1975.
Snell is a big fan of Elton John’s song, ‘Benny and the Jets’ for obvious reasons and wore special shoes Tuesday with ‘Benny and the Jets’ inscribed on them.
It’s a good thing his favorite Elton John song isn’t ‘I Don’t Wanna Go On With You Like That.’ Nobody’s foot is that big. Well, University North Carolina-Asheville’s 7-foot-7 basketball center Kenny George wears size 25 and he could have the Gettysburg Address embossed on his sneakers.
—QUOTE: From former President Theodore Roosevelt: “Keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground.”
—It was a real shame that the University of Central Florida lost its outstanding quarterback, McKenzie Milton, to injury last this season.
UCF’s unbeaten season came to an end Tuesday in the Fiesta Bowl, but the Knights put up the good fight, losing 40-32 to LSU. Wonder what would have happened if Milton could have played. But as former major league pitcher Joaquin Andujar once said, “I’ll answer that in one word. . .youneverknow.”
—Iowa scored an upset in the Outback Bowl, stopping Mississippi State, 27-22. MSU quarterback Nick Fitzgerald was a one-man minstrel. He passed for 132 yards and threw a TD pass and he rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown.
But he threw two interceptions, including one in the final seconds. Iowa’s Jake Gervase picked off a pass in the end zone when it appeared Fitzgerald was taking Mississippi State to a game-winning touchdown.
—What is Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam thinking? One minute after the Browns ended their season in Baltimore Sunday, Haslam should have been standing on the sideline with a contract, shoved it in interim coach Gregg Williams face and said, “Sign here.”
Instead he said the team is conducting a search and will interview candidates for the head coaching job. Williams should contact the Bengals and say, “I’m available,” except he is much smarter than that and won’t go anywhere unless he can take Baker Mayfield with him.
—QUOTE: From Malcolm Forbes, publisher of Forbes Magazine: “Never hire somebody who knows less than you do about what he’s hired to do.” (Williams knows more football than Haslam does about running truck stops.)
Good stuff Hal. Here’s a couple more for you. Always remember in public speaking, quoting Sir Winston or Abraham Lincoln always a “win-win”:
Retirement- it’s like having a steak when you no longer have the teeth to chew it,
Churchill- when I was young and had a heart I was a “Liberal”. When I became old and had a brain I became “Conservative”…
An English lady told Churchill that if she were his wife she would poison his tea. He responded, “Madam, if you were my wife I would drink it.”