HALL OF BAHL

Sports is and always has played a significant role in my life. I have found that most all of life's lessons are learned between the lines. Discipline, individual responsibility, teamwork and sportsmanship are among many opportunities presented within the games that offer guidance to prosper in life.

Over the years, there have been many individuals associated with sports that I have looked up to, been a fan of, owned a jersey of or just pulled for. These are my guys, and although it has not always been a road without bumps for many, these are my guys. In an effort to recognize these folks, I have formed The Hall of BAHL. Individuals making this list may or may not be the greatest ever players, coaches or ambassadors, but they are my favorites.

Each year, I will induct a new class members into The Hall of BAHL. In honor of my good buddy and sportsman Big Ole BudFeiser, who we lost in 2011 and who I grew up playing sports with, each class will annually be announced on his birthday, June 13.

The inductees for the 2023 Hall of BAHL class are listed in no particular order below: 

BO JACKSON

There may have never been an athlete with the skills possessed by Bo Jackson, a two sport superstar who was eventually sidelined from a devastating on the field injury. But the mark left by Jackson on both the gridiron and the diamond will spawn tales for decades forth. 

I am no Auburn Tiger fan, but I did appreciate his place in college football while on the plains. With Jackson, the Tigers ended a long losing streak to Alabama in the Iron Bowl, and he sent shockwaves around the country in winning the 1985 Heisman Trophy. 

In the college game, I saw Jackson play live four times. The first opportunity came when he was a freshman, and he scored the only touchdown as Nebraska routed the Tigers on the plains 41-7. I was at the 1982 Tangerine Bowl in Orlando to see Jackson and Auburn beat Doug Flutie and Boston College 33-26. Three Florida State losses I also witnessed with Jackson and Tigers, a 42-41 barn burner in Tallahassee, a close 27-24 Tiger comeback and a 59-27 late Tiger blowout, both on the plains. Jackson killed my Seminoles in that 1985 game, with a couple of long touchdown runs. 

Of course, Bo knows the NFL as well, as Jackson played for the LA Raiders from 1987 until his injury in 1990. I am certainly not a member of Raider Nation, but boy was he gifted and fun to watch. I watched live on Monday Night along with much of the nation as he taught a lesson to Seattle and former OU standout linebacker Brian Bosworth. 

Where I really became a personal fan of Bo was during his Major League Baseball career, which began as a member of my beloved Kansas City Royals. Bo got offended by the Tampa Bay Buccaneer leadership, so rather than being the first pick in the NFL Draft and being a Buc, he went full MLB. What fun! 

At the time, Kansas City spent spring training in Baseball City, just 30 minutes (at the time) south of Orlando. We went to 75% of the games down there, and it was just a thrill to interact with Bo and all the Royals, inclusive of inaugural Hall of BAHL entrant George Brett. At Baseball City, they had a replica crown out in center field. Bo blasted one over that one time, and we really have no idea where that smash landed. 

Jackson starred with the Royals from 1986 to 1990, but the football injury played a role in his departure from Kansas City. After his time with the Royals, Jackson did continue his MLB career, most notably with the Chicago White Sox. Bo Jackson was perhaps the best athlete I have ever seen, especially in person. He is a superstar, and I am thrilled to welcome Bo to The Hall of BAHL. 

IRVING FRYAR

As a young, Nebraska Football was what is all about, and in 1983, the Huskers were set to roll with the Scoring Explosion, a group of skill position players seemingly not rival in the nation. There was superstar option quarterback Turner Gill, Heisman Trophy running back Mike Rozier, and All America wide receiver Irving Fryar. With a defense that was not dominant, the Huskers fell short of winning the National Championship against Miami in a humid night in Miami’s Orange Bowl (I was there). But Fryar, know as “The Fly Man,” was sensational as a Husker, earning consensus All America honors as a senior, but he did have a meaningful drop on a perfectly throw touchdown pass in that game that has been cemented for the wrong reasons in Husker lore. I always loved his game, and he was a personable dude as well so I always appreciated The Fly Man. The display he put on at Minnesota was one for ages! As Pete Najarian!

Fryar went on to be the first player selected in the NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Fryar was a strong player, but he had several off the field missteps, which were well documented in the media. Fryar not only flashed on the field, but there was that smile! Well, he seemingly wore out his welcome with the Patriots but then he moved to the Miami Dolphins where we was excellent. He then went to the Eagles for some other extremely productive season before closing his career out with the Washington Redskins. 

Fryar made 5 Pro Bowls, and ranks high in NFL history in several categories, including touchdowns and total yards. Fryar was the first player to record a touchdown catch in 17 consecutive seasons and is the oldest player to have four touchdown catches in a game. 

Fryar’s problems with the law have sadly continued after his playing days, including serving a prison sentence after being convicted, along with his mother, for mortgage fraud. This has been a lifetime issue, and had Fryar stayed out of trouble quite likely would be wearing a gold jacket. It seems under it all Fryar is a good dude, but he can’t seem to elude trouble. 

Eluding defenders is something he excelled at on the gridiron, and I am always cheering him on. Wish he would turn up in Lincoln from time to time, where he could find support to hit it straight and narrow with his extended Husker family. The troubles are not optimal, but I have always been a fan I welcome Fryar to The Hall of BAHL.

Photos: USPRESSWIRE, Twitter, Ebay,

Controlled Destiny

Florida State Seminoles 2013 BCS Champions

Oddsmakers had established the number one ranked undefeated Florida State Seminoles as a ten point favorite in the final Bowl Championship Series National Championship against the SEC Champion Auburn Tigers at the Rose Bowl on Monday night.

The smart money was placed on FSU, and with good reason, as the Seminoles ran roughshod over each of their opponents, scoring a minimum of 37 points in each game and winning by an average of over 40 points per contest, which included an eye popping 51-14 win in a clash of unbeatens at Clemson, who ended the season as Orange Bowl Champions.

However, the public embraced a perceived team of destiny in the SEC Champion Auburn Tigers, who had dethroned defending champion Alabama along the way. Auburn started out slowly, but really became a force after the offense of new head coach Gus Malzan took hold and confidence built.  Then, there was the fact that the SEC, the nations premier conference, by far, had won seven consecutive BCS titles, with Alabama or Auburn winning the previous three.

After FSU took the opening drive, with alarming difficulty, down for a field goal, Auburn took charge, announcing they had come to seal their fate of destiny. Although the Tigers failed to own the line of scrimmage, they did a wonderful job of mixing the run and pass to puzzle the Seminoles, particularly with mid range passes in the middle of the field to post three scores.

Additionally, Auburn confused FSU's Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Jameis Winston, with the FSU starting slow for the third consecutive game. While it does not jump out at you on the stat sheet, the Tigers punting game pinned Florida State deep on a number of occasions, forcing the Seminoles to start drives deep in their own territory, which exponentially increases the difficulty in scoring.

Florida State continued to fight, grabbing a touchdown just before the half to close the deficit to 21-10.   However, after receiving the second half kick, FSU gained nothing and had to punt. But the Seminole defense stuffed the Tigers in the third period.

Leading 21-13 to begin the fourth period, Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall, who had played brilliantly, forced a pass which was picked off by FSU cornerback PJ Williams, giving FSU a badly needed break.  The Seminoles responded, cutting the lead to 21-20. A potential opportunity to go for two was nullified by a mind boggling unsportsmanlike penalty on FSU running back Devonta Freeman.

The Tigers responded by scoring a field goal to take a 24-20 lead.  However, freshman Lavonte Whitfield, a world class printer from Orlando Jones HS, sprinted 100 yards for a touchdown on the ensuing kickoff to give FSU its first lead in moons, 27-24.

Auburn came to win, and trailing after the kick return, the Tigers mounted a very impressive drive, capped off by a thundering 37 touchdown run by tailback Tre Mason, a Heisman finalist who ran for 195 yards on the evening.  The Tigers were ahead 31-27, with 1:19 to play.

Jamies Winston went to work, hitting a few short passes, before connecting with Rashad Greene, who split two defenders a raced 49 yards downfield to give the Seminoles the file position to get the win.  As the degree of difficulty rose, Auburn was hit with a legitimate pass interference penalty giving FSU a first down and goal. Winston then hit Kelvin Benjamin over the middle for a touchdown, giving the Seminoles a 34-31 lead.

Kelvin Benjamin catches winning score from Jamies Winston
PHOTO/USA TODAY

Would Auburn, the team of destiny, be able to pull off yet another incredible win with 0:13 seconds remaining?

The Tigers would not.

Florida State took control of destiny on the beautiful evening at the Rose Bowl, winning the 2013 BCS National Championship. 

It seemed fitting, with FSU having lost to an SEC team in Tennessee in the first BCS Championship, to win the last BCS Championship against an SEC team in Auburn.

This game was emotionally tasking for the Seminole faithful.  FSU played tight much of the game, Winston was erratic and the receivers dropped a number of passes. FSU was the victim of many penalties and non penalties and decisively lost the field position battle. A poor punt with even worse coverage set up one Tiger score, while a Winston fumble set up another.  Auburn effectively victimized the FSU defense with mid range passes, and took it to the Seminoles in the line of scrimmage.

Auburn was completely as advertised, a very strong team clicking on all cylinders.  However, in the end, Florida State made the plays that were needed to win the game, including driving the field in less just over a minute for the winning score.  Winston hit nine of last ten passes to close the game.

FSU Coach Jimbo Fisher
PHOTO/CBS Sports

Congratulations to Coach Jimbo Fisher, the coaching staff and players for daring to be elite, keeping composure and delivering under fire when everything was on the line.  It was a great season, and the Seminoles finished the year unbeaten at 14-0 and are the 2013 National Champions, the third title for the Seminoles.

Job well done!

Fixin To Find Out

On Monday night, the Florida State Seminoles will attempt to win their third national championship, and their first for head coach Jimbo Fisher, with a win over the Auburn Tigers.

The previous two titles were won under the leadership of famed head coach Bobby Bowden, in 1993 and 1999.

Coach Bowden took in practice today in Pasadena and weighed in on aspects of the game, the team and relived some history.



Wonderful to see Coach Bowden out there, and there is no doubt FSU would not find itself in this position without Bowden having laid the substantial groundwork in the formation of our top level football program.  This includes bringing Jimbo Fisher to the staff during his tenure.

Will FSU win it all Monday night?  As Coach Bowden would say, we are fixin to find out!

Something In The Air

The college football season has been tremendous this year, from outstanding Color & Pageantry to fantastic finishes.  There have been several Hail Mary touchdowns to win games, notably Nebraska taking down Northwestern in Lincoln, but nothing can compare to the Prayers In Jordan Hare, where Auburn used a miraculous reception and extremely rare return of a missed field goal, of 108 yards mind you, to win back to back games in the rugged Southeastern Conference.

 

Not to be outdone, the National Football League games on week fourteen were the most dramatic ever, with longstanding records having been broken in rapid pace. 

Matt Prater, a UCF product kicking for the Denver Broncos, broke the record for the longest field goal in NFL history, a 64 yarder.  Tom Dempsey, who kicked with club foot, set the record, which has been equaled twice since, in 1973 with the New Orleans Saints.

Among the records were the most fourth quarter lead changes and the most total touchdowns on a single day.  In the final 2:05, five scores took place exchanging the lead before Baltimore edged Minnesota with :09 left.  Miami had not won in Pittsburgh in decades, but as underdogs did so on this day. 

Barely.

The Steelers, took a page from the Cal-Berkley in the Big Game of 1982 by successfully navigating a series of laterals to score the winning touchdown, only to learn the player to hit paydirt stepped out unforced at the thirteen yard line.  The Dolphins win.
 

Let it snow.

 

Several games were played in a winter wonderland.  The dream of most every youngster, to play the game in field of covered snow, was played out on HD screens around the world for all to see.

 

Impacted games included the Minnesota Vikings at the Baltimore Ravens, the Kansas City Chiefs at the Washington Redskins, the Atlanta Falcons at the Green Bay Packers and the Miami Dolphins, pictured below, at the Pittsburgh Steelers.

PHOTO/FinSider

Nothing can compare to the game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia as the Philadelphia Eagles hosted the Detroit Lions.  The conditions during the game were incredible, a wild whiteout.

PHOTO/Fansided.com

 

PHOTO/CTVNEWS.COM

 

PHOTO/EONLINE

Having followed both the collegiate game (my favorite) and The National Football League from my earliest memory some 45 seasons ago, I cannot remember searching for the pigskin in such a winter wonderland.  The whiteout got the attention of the nation, deservedly having been the topic of conversation at public schools and water coolers across the fruited plain.

Sadly, the global warming enthusiasts, who failed to find themselves in front of HD television, or for heaven sakes, in the stands of one of these contests.  In fact, on the day following the snowstorms, the administration held it first annual White House Task Force on Climate Preparedness.

As reported on Jim Hoft's Gateway Pundit, "The task force was established to advise the Obama administration “on how the Federal Government can respond to the needs of communities nationwide that are dealing with the impacts of climate change,”

Perhaps they discussed sending some snow plows down to Dallas, who was blanketed over the weekend with ice and frigid temperatures.

Additionally, former Clinton chief of staff John Podesta, who was co founder of The Center for American Progress, has been brought in to help retrieve the sinking second term of President Obama.  Podesta will be tasked to help save Obamacare, which has turned into a catastrophe, and to, according to The Washington Post, "be broad and include climate change issues and executive actions."

The description by the Post is most troubling for those of us who see the real directive behind the actions take by our president.  Among those sounding an alarm is Rush Limbaugh, who nailed it in describing the objective of shredding the Constitution.

As such, it is important to note that global warming, or the newly defined global climate change, is not about weather.  These people have no idea if it is going to rain next Tuesday in their own back yard.  It is about governmental control, the transfer of wealth, and limitations on real property, restricting property rights under the global premise of social justice.

If it was about weather, we all could conclude given the NFL frolicking around in a winter wonderland over the weekend that the earth is not warming.  Certainly, the those pushing climate change regulatory action know it as well.

This weekend, there was something in the air.  In more ways then one.