Walker Your Bulldog

Larry Munson, longtime radio voice of the Georgia Bulldogs, has passed away at 89.

Munson was one of the very best of the broadcasters of the color and pageantry of College Football. Munsons often brunt description of the goings on between the hedges and when the Silver Britches hit the road, were of legend.

The quotes are endless, but Linsay Scott's long touchdown catch to beat the Florida Gators in the 1980 version of The Worlds Largest Cocktail Party is the one I most recall. Lindsay Scott, Lindsay Scott, Lindsay Scott!!

Certainly, Munson will forever be remembered as among the very best gridiron storytellers in college football history. I join those in Sliver Britches in mourning his loss this afternoon.

Smoke Stands On It!

Lead, follow or get out of the way!

In what has to be one of the best races ever, Tony Stewart held off Carl Edwards to win the 2011 Sprint Cup Chase.

Congratulations to Tony Stewart, who drove the absolute wheels off his Office Depot Chevrolet Impala. Carl Edwards, classy in defeat in his AFLAC Ford, did everything he could but Smoke was not to be denied keeping the floorboard mashed all day. PHOTO/GETTY IMAGES

It was a great race put on by Edwards and Stewart; one for the ages!

Lead, follow or get out the way! Can't wait for the Daytona 500 on February 26, 2012!

Top 25

College Football

Top 25

1. Louisiana State, 11-0, 1
2. Alabama, 10-1, 3
3. Arkansas, 10-1, 6
4. Oklahoma State, 10-1, 2
5. Virginia Tech, 10-1, 8
6. Stanford, 10-1, 9
7. Michigan State, 9-2, 10
8. Kansas State, 9-2, 11
9. Wisconsin, 9-2, 12
10. Oregon, 9-2, 4
11. Oklahoma, 8-2, 5
12. Southern Cal, 9-2, 16
13. South Carolina, 9-2, 13
14. Georgia, 9-2, 14
15. Boise State, 10-1, 15
16. Houston, 11-0, 16
17. Michigan, 9-2, 19
18. Texas Christian, 9-2, 21
19. Clemson, 9-2, 7
20. Baylor, 7-3, 25
21. Nebraska, 8-3, 19
22. Penn State, 9-2, 23
23. Virginia, 8-3, NR
24. Notre Dame, 8-3, 24
25. Georgia Tech, 8-3, NR

OUT: Florida State (18), Southern Miss (22)

VOTES: Rutgers, Florida State, Auburn, Texas A&M, Texas, Utah, Iowa State, Wake Forest, Missouri, West Virginia, Wyoming, Iowa and BYU.

With LSU, Alabama and Arkansas from the SEC ranked in the top three spots in the AP and USA Today polls, it becomes only the second time in history team from one conference owned these spots. In the final poll of 1971, National Champion Nebraska was followed by Oklahoma and Colorado of the Big Eight Conference.

As an old Big Eight guy, I recognize it is tough to roll into Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, but with the tragic plane crash which took the life of OSU women's basketball coach, and an assistant, it was a expontnetially tasking for the Pokes. But Iowa State is improving, and the Clones were playing for bowl life, and upended the Aggies. Tough day for the OSU famliy, and our hearts got out to T Boone and Pokes people....Although I had been giving Stanford QB Andrew Luck a good look, I am back to my preseason thoughts on The Heisman Trophy, and if I had a votes, it goes to Robert Griffith III of Baylor, who almost single handily took out OU Saturday night, accounting for over 500 yards of offense and leading a last minute drive to win the game. RGIII for Heisman!!!!!... Clemson got bombed at NCSU, collapsing later in the year than we all thought....Southern Cal is playing very good football right now, but is not bowl eligible...Penn State got away from State College and got a football win, but perhaps mortal issues associated with the horrific scandal will not go away soon, if ever. The NCAA is now investigating institutional control, and the lack of control over the goings on is without question....Obviously, yet again, the ACC is full of mediocrity, while The Big East is just poor.

A trip to The Big House turned ugly early for Nebraska, as the Cornhuskers were embarrassed. Right out of the gate, the officials, who failed to spot a Michigan receiver push off a 'Husker defender, allowed Michigan to set up their first score. Nebraska could not let the officials upstage them during the day, so they went on to fumble two kickoffs, drop several passes and grab untold penalties. Even T-Magic had to fumble one away. The Big Red had no chance with all this ineptitude on display, and this comes back to coaching. Yes, the once proud offensive line is poor, but this can be coached around. It was not, and the result Saturday was an embarrassment for all those in Red. The expectations at Nebraska are to win, but if a victory cannot be achieved, the Big Red faithful expect the 'Huskers to execute with a high level of competitiveness and pride, which was not visible Saturday. The coaches need to get this cleaned up, for these kind of losses going forward are not going to, and should not be, tolerated. Meanwhile, new BIG rival Iowa is in town Friday, and the performance had better be improved.

It is obvious to anyone associated with the program that Florida State is going to not only have to defeat opponents on the field, but overcome what can only be concluded as negatively biased officiating. With ESPN's analyst Ed Cunningham calling an early holding call "mythical", last night's homecoming game with a rapidly improving Virginia would be no different. Apparently, the FSU coaching staff had no clue. Coach Jimbo Fisher was verbally hammering the zebras right out of the gate, and rightfully so. Unfortunately, the coaching staff did not call plays designed to take the officials out of it. The FSU play calling, particularly in the red zone, was pitiful. The Seminoles seemed to have no problem kicking field goals, rather than expanding the playbook to overcome a weak offensive line and scoring touchdowns. Everyone viewing the game could see, and feel, that the longer FSU could not get two scores ahead of UVA, and there were several opportunities, the longer the game was in jeopardy. UVA, who had been close to success all evening, put together a great late drive, putting FSU in a must score position leaving no room for error. FSU was taking making errors to a new level all night, with horrendous play calling, failed execution and numerous penalties, most self inflicted on this night. The coaches should have ran plays to put this game out of reach before it came down to having to have a flawless last minute drive to win it. EJ Manuel is not Robert Griffin III, in case anyone has noticed. At any rate, the last minute drive was filled with poor time management decisions and execution, leaving usually accurate kicker Dustin Hopkins to botch a 43 yard kick to win it. Credit UVA for hanging around and scoring late, but the Seminoles have not given one away like this in many a moon, and it all comes down to poor, and I mean very poor, coaching. Last I looked, there were no 5 star recruits in the Cavalier two deep, but the players are well coached and executed when it counted. With 5 star recruits everywhere, FSU could not execute at all when it counted. We expect Coach Fisher to correct these glaring issues promptly, for losses like the one last night will not be tolerated. This loss leaves a very bad taste in the mouths of the Seminole faithful, but a victory next week at arch rival Florida could take some of the sting away. But as bad as the Gators are, playing at the Swamp coupled with our inability to execute standing for the coin toss, much less scoring touchdowns, the odds feel bleak.

Gene Gene The Dancing Machine

On Saturday, when the Florida State Seminoles kick the ball off against Virginia at Doak Campbell Stadium, longtime FSU radio voice Gene Deckerhoff will broadcast his 400th game.

Gene is great, and a staple for FSU fans across the fruited plain. Deckerhoff enjoys speaking to booster groups, and has been a frequent guest to the Seminole Club of Greater Orlando.

We have had great times with Gene over the years, and a video piece highlighting the relationship is presented documenting the value our Florida State family places on ole Gene:



I would like to personally thank Gene for all the memories, back with Vic Prinzi, Peter Tom Willis and "Bar None", ole William Floyd.

Touchdown FSU!! Thank ya Gene!

Jail The Looters

In the aftermath of the greatest financial crisis in a half century, progressives who seek additional governmental control jumped at the chance to increase financial regulatory instruments. Never let a crisis go to waste, you will recall.

Charged with crafting such policy were two Congressional members, both of whom should be investigated for their role in the collapse, Senator Barney Frank, D:MA and Congressman Chris Dodd, D:CT. Exactly what our corrupt government needed, inmates running the asylum.

With the Democrats holding super majorities in both Houses, the Dodd-Frank Bill became law. The basic purpose of the law is to prohibit fraud and chicanery in the financial system.

Someone forgot to tell former New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, who was recently under consideration by the Obama administration as a potential successor to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. After losing the governors race, Corzine, a Democrat, became Chairman of MF Global, and under his leadership, the company has filed for bankruptcy and is the subject of an FBI investigation. In short, the money is missing.

Bart Chilton, CFTC Commissioner who is on the circuit promoting his new book Ponzimonium, chats with The Squawk Box Crew; Becky Quick, Andrew Ross Sorkin and Joe Kernen, and guest host Mario Gabelli, on the recent increase of Ponzi Schemes and the goings on at MF Global. Take a listen:

The situation over at MF Global is very troubling and funds cannot be properly accounted for. Many investors appear out a lot of money, including Trends Research founder Gerald Celente, whose gold has seemingly turned to dust. The company cannot make investors whole, and Chilton says it is "suspicious as heck".

It should noted that existing regulatory agencies and the new far reaching Dodd-Frank bill, a job killing beast smothering business, failed miserably to prohibit Corzine and this group from crashing to bankruptcy, allegedly for the misappropriation of funds.

Remember in "Its A Wonderful Life" when the money went missing. George Bailey, upset with Uncle Billy, angrily quipped 'someone is going to jail, and it ain't gonna me me". Well, back in the day, folks did go to Sing Sing when money went missing.

It will be interesting to see, provided the allegations result in malfeasance and charges, if Democrat darling Corzine is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. You know how George Bailey would feel about it, but good guys are not winning these days.

Top 25

College Football

Top 25

1. Louisiana State, 10-0, 1

2. Oklahoma State, 10-0, 2

3. Alabama, 9-1, 4

4. Oregon, 9-1, 6

5. Oklahoma, 8-1, 5

6. Arkansas, 9-1, 8

7. Clemson, 9-1, 9

8. Virginia Tech, 9-1, 10

9. Stanford, 9-1, 3

10. Michigan State, 8-2, 12

11. Kansas State, 8-2, 11

12. Wisconsin, 8-2, 13

13. South Carolina, 8-2, 14

14. Georgia, 8-2, 15

15. Boise State, 8-1, 7

16. Southern Cal, 8-2, 16

17. Houston, 10-0, 17

18. Florida State, 7-3, 19

19. Michigan, 8-2, 22

20. Nebraska, 8-2, 23

21. Texas Christian, 8-2, NR

22. Southern Miss, 9-1, 24

23. Penn State, 8-2, 18

24. Notre Dame, 7-3, 25

25. Baylor, 7-3, NR

OUT: Georgia Tech (21) and Texas (20)

VOTES: Texas, Missouri, Iowa, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Florida, Auburn, Cincinnati, West Virginia, Virginia, Utah, Ohio State, Vanderbilt, Texas A&M, Washington and BYU.

Yet another honors candidate players is lost for the season as RB Henry Josey of Missouri tore up his knee versus Texas on Saturday...Houston, held scoreless in the opening quarter, still put 73 on Tulane....Colorado got a big win, blasting Arizona...Arizona State's hopes for a big season hit the floor as they were dumped at Wazzu...Toledo lost 63-60 to Northern Illinois last week, but got the win this week 66-63 over Western Michigan wearing out the scoreboard operator....UCF fired their AD under allegations of violations, just as a Big East invite is looming...Oregon laid a smack down on Stanford, and seemingly damaged Andrew Luck's walk away Heisman win...Florida is woeful on offense and will be dogs at home versus FSU for potential sixth loss...Michigan State got a big road win at Iowa....Georgia spanked Auburn is surprising fashion and the Dawgs seem to be peaking after 0-2 start....Ole Miss got punted by LA Tech, and Houston Nutt is gone at seasons end....It does not appear anyone is interested in winning the Big East....Ohio State, just getting their footing in 2011, fell at Purdue for the fourth time in six seasons.....Kentucky is really having a poor season, as is Tennessee....Okie State smashed Texas Tech at Lubbock....The Texas Aggies lost another close one....Early promise of a good season has crashed at Mississippi State and Maryland.

It was perhaps the worst week for the game of college football with the horrific events that have occurred at Penn State coming to light. Former Defensive Coordinator Jerry Sandusky set this all in motion with the alleged heinous acts he committed, and the cover up has led to the arrest of school administrators and the firing of the school President and legendary football coach Joe Paterno. Chris Fowler of ESPN nailed it by saying the situation is simply incomprehensible.

With deep sadness across the land, a game was to be played on Saturday at State College, and it was the Nebraska Cornhuskers, a program know for its great fan base, as the opponent. Nebraska receivers coach Ron Brown, a former executive with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, led the two teams in prayer before the game in a very touching gesture.

It was difficult to predict how this game would go, with all the mind boggling levels of emotion engulfing both squads. Against Penn State's strong defensive unit, the 'Huskers navigated their way through, and threw out some strong defense as well, to lead the whole way winning a close game 17-14. The 'Huskers needed the victory, and are happy to have escaped this ordeal with the win, saved in part by LB Lavonte David stuffing a Lion tailback on 4th and 1 and the NU 37 late in the ball game.

The horrendous Penn State story will continue to unfold, and it is likely to get much worse before it gets any better. This is an unprecedented story, which will permanently damage Penn State University on every front. Perhaps the game Saturday could begin the healing process for all involved.

Florida State held of the Miami Hurricanes, not withstanding a frontal assault by a horrendous officiating crew, 23-19 in Tallahassee. While the weather was top notch, the officiating was not. The Seminoles had three touchdowns taken off the board and numerous bogus personal foul penalties late kept Miami in the game. Defeating the Hurricanes is tough enough, but having to beat the officials on top of it is a real challenge.

Leading Seminole tackler Nigel Bradham was ejected for the following classic, and quite legal, hit, with ABC's Matt Millen once again with solid analysis.

Miami brought their A game, and I would expect nothing less. Florida State quite obviously remains a work in progress, as they did not play anywhere near their best football. But, a win against the Hurricanes, given the heartbreaking defeats over the years, is sweet no matter the score. A great evening in Tallahassee indeed!

Cage The Lions in Jail

Over the weekend, word got out on a developing story regarding the Penn State football program. I wish we were talking about play for pay, booster cash, ineligible players or academic fraud, etc. We are not. Unfortunately, this story, despicable in every aspect, involves a betrayal of moral behavior we hold dear, the innocence and protection of our children.

Former Nittany Lion Defensive Coordinator Jerry Sandusky has been indicted on felony sex abuse charges involving minors, with the indictment covering 40 counts. Sadly, the activities of Sandusky have been going on for quite some time.

Sandusky retired from Penn State in 1999, and now we know this was in the aftermath of an incident involving potential child sex abuse. Sandusky, who wrote an autobiography titled "Touched", kept an office at Penn State to run his "The Second Mile" Children's Charity.

As information comes to light on the events that led up to Sandusky's arrest, it appears administration officials at Penn State at a minimum failed to recognize the severity of the crimes and alert the proper authorities. This sadly includes Joe Paterno.

Athletic Director Tim Curley and Senior Vice President for Finance and Business Gary Schultz were hit with a count of perjury each, and both have reportedly resigned. This is the beginning of what should be a house cleaning of the entire administration, which should also include the University President Graham Spanier. Joe Paterno also must go, for he obviously cannot adequately supervise the football program given the events that have come to light.

Spencer Hall of SB Nation makes the case those involved failing to act with moral responsibility regarding the actions of Sandusky.

It would be great if this were all a bad dream and none of this happened, and while nobody has been convicted of anything at this point, as it is, this story makes everyone reading about it sick. It appears, due to the negligence of Penn State officials, the abuse of additional victims could have been prevented but was not.

You can read much about the story on the above referenced links, but the reputation of Penn State University, enhanced greatly over the years by the football program ran by legendary Coach Joe Paterno, may be tarnished beyond repair.

If these allegations are proven true, Sandusky should be fortunate to see another sunset. Everyone else who knowingly participated in this cover-up should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Sadly, the lives of the victims are forever negatively altered, with more incidents potentially to emerge.

For Penn State University, and its once highly respected football program, the long road to recovery should begin with everyone associated with this story being fired before Nebraska visits Un-Happy Valley this Saturday.

Top 25

College Football

Top 25

1. Louisiana State, 9-0, 1

2. Oklahoma State, 9-0, 3

3. Stanford, 9-0, 4

4. Alabama, 8-1, 2

5. Oklahoma, 8-1, 6

6. Oregon, 8-1, 8

7. Boise State, 8-0, 5

8. Arkansas, 8-1, 9

9. Clemson, 8-1, 10

10. Virginia Tech, 8-1, 13

11. Kansas State, 7-2, 15

12. Michigan State, 7-2, 14

13. Wisconsin, 7-2, 17

14. South Carolina, 7-2, 11

15. Georgia, 7-2, 18

16. Southern Cal, 7-2, 19

17. Houston, 9-0, 20

18. Penn State, 8-1, 21

19. Florida State, 6-3, 22

20. Texas, 6-2, 23

21. Georgia Tech, 6-2, 25

22. Michigan 7-2, 12

23. Nebraska, 7-2, 7

24. Southern Miss, 8-1, NR

25. Notre Dame 6-3, NR

OUT: Arizona State (16), West Virginia (24)

VOTES: Auburn, Arizona State, Baylor, Ohio State, Texas A&M, Cincinnati, Texas Christian, Washington, West Virginia, Virginia, Texas A&M, Florida and Miami.

Oklahoma record stetting wideout Ryan Broyles added his name to the unfortunate list of All America players lost for the season by tearing his ACL as OU beat the Texas Aggies.....Kansas State gave Okie State everything they wanted but fell short at Stillwater, leaving the Cowboys in BCS title contention....Florida got by Vanderbilt to keep bowl streak alive....The latest installment of The Game of the Century was a defensive gem, but LSU got by the Tide as a glaring weakness in the Crimson Tide kicking game was exposed.....UCLA got a big win for embattled Coach Rick Neuheisel, nipping Arizona State....Ole Miss got spanked by lowly Kentucky, which may shove Houston Nutt out the door....A very disturbing situation is unfolding at Penn State regarding former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky and child sex crimes. It appears some of the Lion administrative staff perhaps failed to act properly in response the aftermath of the allegations, and by the time the dust settles, I suspect the whole house will be cleaned out, including Coach Joe Paterno. It is time for Joe Paterno to go, and Penn State will start from scratch in the football administration. George Diaz of The Orlando Sentinel goes further, and sadly, his points are valid and reasonable....Boise State struggled again, which won't get them in the BCS game....Southern Cal bombed Colorado at Boulder, and the Buffaloes have really fallen off the cliff, and you have to wonder how this rapid decline happened....Missouri appears off to the SEC, which I think is a bad move for the Tigers but a sign of the times.

Florida State usually has trouble with Boston College, and the game is normally very close. Not this year, as FSU dominated the Eagles in Chestnut Hill. While Eagle LB Luke Kuechly got his usual 20 stops, the Seminoles were spreading the field in building a huge lead. On defense, FSU seems to benefit from having LB Telvin Smith on the field, as he makes plays, while the ends, Werner and Jenkins, are stout. With EJ Manuel healthy, the Seminoles appear on the verge of hitting their stride, and with Miami coming to town this weekend, a message could be sent.

After a huge win in smothering Michigan State a week ago, Nebraska played very poorly as Northwestern came into Lincoln beating the 'Huskers from start to finish. While 'Husker QB Taylor Martinez played very well, the loss is unacceptable. Offensively, the Big Red play calling was unimaginative, with no effort made to expose any Wildcat defensive vulnerabilities and the execution was very poor. Once a proud strength, the offensive line cannot move the line of scrimmage and yards are real hard to come by. On defense, an area where under the Pelini brothers the 'Huskers are supposed to excel, there were no answers for the Wildcats. A four man rush was no match for quick throws or quarterback scrambles, while many secondary breakdowns, particularly in the middle of the field, were cashed in on by Northwestern. This was evident early on, but Nebraska made no visible adjustments. Late in the game, when Nebraska got close enough to perhaps win the game, Northwestern responded by confidently marching right down the field on the Blackshirts to seal the Big Red fate. In summary, while Northwestern has some good things going, they did lose to Army and there is no excuse for what happened in Lincoln Saturday. To say the Big Red was lethargic, pedestrian and out coached on both sides of the ball would be kind. The whole team had issues, but the blame goes to the defensive coaches. Given how well this unit has played since the Pelini brothers arrived, it is mind boggling to view this unit struggle so mightily. Of particular concern is the inability or unwillingness to adjust, as the unit has the talent to be disruptive to opposing offenses. They just don't all that often, and the result gave us an embarrassing loss on Saturday.

Market Trick

Halloween was not kind on the corner of Wall and Broad today, and with good reason.

While traders were receiving treats last week from the news of a Euro fix, it really is nothing short of a trick. We have been down this road before, and we will go down it again, and as we pass each exit for a real fix, the pain forthcoming gets deeper.

FOX Business' Judge Andrew Napolitano speaks with Nigel Farage, who has been on this story from the get go. Take a listen:



As traders woke up to learn of the impending blowup of MF Global, headed by former New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, they found the futures in the negative. It should not have come as a surprise that Corzine, who blew an 8 billion dollar hole in New Jersey Chris Christie is now cleaning up, would fail miserably at MF Global. Fail at running the company yes, but apparently not in securing cash for himself, typical for Democrats in these positions. To think as recently as August Corzine was being considered by President Obama as a the new Treasury Secretary should indicate the level of complete incompetence leading this country.

This evening, Clusterstock reports of "hundreds of millions of dollars missing", which cannot be good for the markets, propped up by false fundamentals and already spooked by a myriad of issues, including on the domestic side a continuous mortgage meltdown.

But further concerns over the supposed Euro fix is what really what spooked the markets. Good money is being put after bad, bailing out entitlement expenditures which cannot, and should not, be sustained. As Farage put it years ago, the fixes won't work and we can only hope the markets derail this before things get really bad, as if they have not already.

Restated; they will soon run out of everyone else's money. Invest accordingly.

Sunday Night Song

Who are the Occupy Wherever protesters? It is a widening collection of village idiots with global associations.

When you get past the radical left, the peacenicks, CAIR, ACORN, the Socialists and the Communists, you find a youthful contingency lacking in the skill set, complete with hard work ethic, integrity and competitiveness, to achieve the success they desire. This is the same group where everyone got a trophy in little league.

These folks think that rewards come without paying the necessary price, and when these rewards are not forthcoming, they are victims. Hence, they demand wealth transformation. Somehow, they think they are deserving. God forbid they put in the work and still come up short!

I grew up wanting to win The Heisman Trophy. I got over it.

Decisions made have consequences. If you graduated from say, Cornell, with a degree in Liberal Arts specializing music of the Orient and have $50,000 of tuition debt, it would be logical to assume a high paying job does not await your graduation and you may find difficulty is satisfying that debt. Perhaps a more suitable major should have been selected?

Instead of camping out, get a job; any job. Rather than claiming your a victim, chart your own path. In fact, quit bitching. The big bad world doesn't owe you a thing! Get Over It!

From Don Henely and The Eagles, a Sunday Night Song message for the protesters:

Get Over It!

Top 25

College Football

Top 25

1. Louisiana State, 8-0, 1
2. Alabama, 8-0, 2
3. Oklahoma State, 8-0, 4
4. Stanford, 8-0, 3
5. Boise State, 7-0, 5
6. Oklahoma, 7-1, 9
7. Oregon, 7-1, 6
8. Nebraska, 7-1, 11
9. Arkansas, 7-1, 9
10. Clemson, 8-1, 5
11. South Carolina, 7-1, 13
12. Michigan, 7-1, 18
13. Virginia Tech, 8-1, 15
14. Michigan State, 6-2, 12
15. Kansas State, 7-1, 14
16. Arizona State, 6-2, 19
17. Wisconsin, 6-2, 10
18. Georgia, 6-2, 17
19. Southern Cal, 6-2, 21
20. Houston, 8-0, 20
21. Penn State, 8-1, 23
22. Florida State, 5-3, 24
23. Texas, 5-2, NR
24. West Virginia, 6-2, NR
25. Georgia Tech, 6-2, NR

OUT: Texas Tech (22), Miami (25), Texas A&M (16)

VOTES: Southern Miss, Cincinnati, Auburn, Texas A&M, Texas Christian, Washington, Ohio State, North Carolina, Florida and Missouri.

Several key players have been lost for the season due to injury, most notably South Carolina running back Marcus Lattimore. Add Pitt tailback Ray Graham, whose performance has him on his way to All America recognition.....In another installment of The Worlds Largest Cocktail Party, Georgia, in spite of themselves, defeated a woeful Florida likely saving coach Mark Richt's job....Wisconsin, trailing through 58 minutes, rallied to overtake Ohio State only to lose on what could be considered another Hail Mary pass at Columbus.....Texas Tech, who jumped out to a 31-7 lead and hung on to defeat OU last weekend, got pummeled by Iowa State at home.....Speaking of OU, after a close first half at Kansas State, the Sooners flexed the muscle in the second half and hung nearly 60 on K-State....Although Robert Griffith III had a good statistical day, Okie State opened up a can on Baylor, thrashing the Bears in Stillwater....While Penn State escaped at home versus Illinois, Boston College controlled Maryland and West Virigina had to rally to get by Rutgers in three snow games, you could not see the field as Army thrashed Fordham.....Miami, beginning to emerge, got soundly defeated by Virginia at Sun Life Stadium in front of about 25K. I sense a negative slide of about three seasons coming.....Texas A&M lost their third 11+ point lead as Missouri got them in OT at College Station, all but wrecking the high apirations of the season.....Southern Cal played very well but fell to Stanford in 3 OT at the Coliseum. While Andrew Luck is as advertised, Stanford failed to signal they are on the caliber of LSU, Alabama or even Oklahoma State.....Clemson finally stumbled at Georgia Tech, who was coming off two awful losses.....Virginia Tech held of stubborn Duke, who along with Vanderbilt, who was hosting Arkansas, were let down by their kicking game.....Next week, it is LSU at Alabama, the game everyone is waiting for....Congrats to Joe Paterno is now the wins leader at 409, but he really does need to hang it up.

Florida State dominated North Carolina State in every facet of the game in Tallahassee, showing a glimpse of what could have been by tossing a shutout at the Wolfpack. The Seminoles will be favored the rest of the way, but cannot reach the ACC title and will be on the outside looking in. The young running backs and receivers look to be the nucleus for a great future.

Finally, the Blackshirts showed up as Nebraska smothered Michigan State at Lincoln. Sparty cold not get anything going on offense, and melted defensively. Husker QB Taylor Martinez, called out by the ESPN media at the half, came out throwing successfully in the third quarter, connecting with warrior Rex Burkhead to get enough points to let the Blackshirts seal the victory. Huge win for the 'Huskers, who control their destiny in the Legends division.

Grinding Uncle Sam's Gears

It depends on what side of the fence you sit on but Uncle Sam's gears are being grinded.

If you are a Progressive, big government is the answer in the form of top down government control over the citizenry, you have to be impressed what President Obama has accomplished. The transformation is taking place.

Free market capitalists, who subscribe to Reagan's philosophy that government is not the solution to the problem, government is the problem, are sick to the stomach at the destruction of the system of government and economic system our forefathers envisioned under the command of President Obama. Hence, the Tea Party.

Lest there be no doubt, if we are to be a free market based country of hard work ethic, integrity and a desire to compete and succeed, the efforts of President Obama will go down ranking among the worst administrations in our short history. Who could have ever imagined we would be longing for the days of Jimmy Carter?

It would be great if we could just vote Obama out and get our life back. Unfortunately, it is not that simple, as few of our citizens can really grasp their arms around the depth of the issues surrounding our nation.

The problems are so deeply embedded, it will take decades to return this country to a position where economic and social prosperity can expand exponentially and potential can be maximized.

Outside of the the Reagan administration, which is really only a blip on the radar screen, we have been traveling this path for over 100 years. But Reagan's tenure is most significant, offering a glimpse of the enormous potential of not only America, but each and every individual who help make up our citizenry.

As the folks down at Occupy Wall Street think, wealth should be transferred from those who have accomplished to those who, for whatever reason, have not enjoyed such success with the government being the administrator. Under this thought process, those who risked everything for the hope of achieving a return on investment and continuous income stream offering security provided the integrity the gain was based upon continues, are viewed as greedy and obstacles to the socialistic beliefs of the Progressives.

Today, the President Obama offered up a new plan to forgive student loans. The student loan forgiveness plan has been floating around for months, with the basis for action passed into law in of all places, Obamacare. This blog tackled the student loan forgiveness topic a few weeks back, noting the moral decay from the government interfering in private contracts. While many argue the plan does not impact private loans, it indeed does as those participating in those loans do not get the benefit, and are thereby penalized for adhering to an agreed upon contract.

Whether the government interference is in student loans or mortgages, when contract law is dismissed you have no rule of law, no basis for a sound economic system, and thus the collapse of a free market system is imminent.

Although few are aware, the collapse of the system has been the plan all along. From Cloward and Piven to the radical elements of the 1960's rebellion, the objective has been clear and is being demonstrated right before your eyes in the orchestrated protests going on now under the Occupy Wherever banner. Among those orchestrating the events; ACORN.

The radicals of the sixties are now in charge, and us common folk are not the counter culture. As former Obama Green Jobs Czar Van Jones once quipped, we must drop the radical pose for the radical ends. The radicals of the sixties are not against civil unrest or violence. Glenn Beck has been right on target pointing out the objectives of these folks, as you can hear by listening to this clip from his television show.

To understand how to defeat these folks, and they must be defeated, it is vital to understand some history. The following video is an eye opening tale of some of that history, and offers those now seeking answers to why Uncle Sam finds herself in such upheaval some clues. Please watch in entirety:


It is with regret to report that the fight for our country is fully engaged by our opponents within, but a great deal of our citizenry has yet to wrap their arms around what is taking place. It is now, given the economic numbers, economic policy and mind boggling foreign policy being engaged in that many are seeking some answers to bewildering questions. When you learn about the objectives of this movement, although they are shocking to the unsuspecting mind, the visual becomes clear.

We can no longer sit on the sideline. Before we elect a new signal caller for 2012, the team needs each of us to get in the game and stand up now engaging in leadership by example in demonstration of the first principles through legally permissible action inclusive of faith, education, service and discipline.

At some level, our fight is not with the useful idiots at Occupy Wherever, although there is a high level of hatred being displayed. The fight is really with the orchestrator's working in and out the shadows who are long in the tooth of this battle. Open your eyes as many of these folks are presently exposing themselves as they sadly become more embolden by our President, who is one of them.

Payne Squawk's Street

FOX Business Network's John Stossel recently spent an hour on his weekly program to investigate the claims being made by those at Occupy Wall Street. As part of the discussion, Stossel spent a segment speaking with Charles Payne, FOX News contributor and President of W Street Investors, about the many benefits of Wall Street. Take a listen:


There is little doubt that unscrupulous behavior has taken place by many who participate in the system of trading securities on Wall Street. Unfortunately, most if not all have not been held accountable. I don't know about you, but Franklin Raines, former Fannie Mae Chairman, is atop my list of those who should be at Sing Sing.

But Payne is spot on in his assessment. Government involvement rewarding bad behavior goes against the incentive based process of climbing the ladder, leading to market inefficiency and creating debilitating moral hazards and discarding personal responsibility. Entrepreneurship leads to growth companies, which are often fueled by venture capital on Wall Street. When these companies emerge and become a success, jobs are created providing unlimited opportunities for our citizenry and risk takers are rewarded.

No bailouts should have taken place, for failure is part of the process, often making people and corporations better from the lessons learned in the failed effort. Yes, unlike the media proclamation to the contrary, corporations are people.

For the little guy, Wall Street should be embraced and utilized as part of wealth building. Engaging in the dollar cost averaging process through discount brokerage firms, or through the companies themselves utilizing their dividend re-investment programs (DRIP), of many well known corporations can lead to future prosperity. Over 1000 companies, including Coca Cola, Walt Disney, Proctor & Gamble and Harley Davidson, participate.

Corporations are not evil and are not thwarting the success of those complaining at Occupy Wherever. Due to government interaction in the marketplace, many have been dealt a hard blow in recent years. Every government action to help has actually hindered. Until the taxation and regulation are reduced and free market capitalism can run wild, the job market will remain stagnant and the degree of difficulty in achieving success will be much steeper.

For those protesters, the quickest path to prosperity, if wanted, would be to embrace Wall Street and seek a prompt change at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. As Ronald Reagan said, government is not the solution to the problem, government is the problem.

Bush Becoming Beloved

Miss him yet?

Although elected twice, President Bush was treated horribly by many Americans. I voted for him twice and was a strong supporter through the majority of his presidency, including the Iraq War, but we parted ways when he said "I’ve abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system". Can't go there.

Anyhow, given the destruction of America taking place under President Barack Obama, the American people are gaining a new found appreciation of former President George W Bush.

The crowd cheers the 43rd Presdient as he throws out the first pitch in game four of the World Series to Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan. Check it out:


At the end of the day, I join an ever growing list of Americans who have great respect and admiration for George W. Bush.

As we battle internally an embolden socialistic movement and the terrorists around the world, a quote from President Bush is the forefront of my mind.

"We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail".

Corso's Color and Pageantry

This past weekend, with the ESPN Gameday crew at East Lansing for the Wisconsin at Michigan State game to be played later in the evening, Lee Corso made his 200th heaadgear pick of the day. This has become tradition for us college football faithful, and part of the color and pageantry that makes this game so special. ESPN's Tom Renaldi takes a look back:



Corso, a former star at Florida State and head coach at Indiana and Louisville and our local Orlando Renegades of the World Football League among others, is a fixture on ESPN Gameday and gameday. Corso, who has battled back from a very serious stroke a few years back, is well loved from conference to ever changing conference.

Congratulations to Lee Corso for his 200th pick, his great success and for being such a well respected and beloved ambassador for the color and pageantry of college football and gameday in stadiums, sports bars and households across the fruited plain.

Top 25

Top 25

1. Louisiana State, 8-0, 3

2. Alabama, 8-0, 2

3. Stanford, 7-0, 4

4. Oklahoma State, 7-0, 5

5. Clemson, 8-0, 8

6. Boise State, 7-0, 7

7. Oregon, 6-1, 9

8. Oklahoma, 6-1, 1

9. Arkansas, 6-1, 10

10. Wisconsin, 6-1, 6

11. Nebraska, 6-1, 11

12. Michigan State, 6-1, 19

13. South Carolina, 6-1, 12

14. Kansas State, 7-0, 17

15. Virginia Tech, 7-1, 16

16. Texas A&M, 5-2, 13

17. Georgia, 5-2, 18

18. Michigan, 6-1, 20

19. Arizona State, 5-2, 21

20. Houston, 7-0, 20

21. Southern Cal, 6-1, 25

22. Texas Tech, 5-2, NR

23. Penn State, 7-1, NR

24. Florida State. 4-3, NR

25. Miami, 3-3, NR

OUT: West Virginia (15), Washington (25), Notre Dame (24), Auburn (14)

VOTES: West Virginia, Florida, Texas, Auburn, Washington, Baylor, Wake Forest, Southern Miss, Cincinnati, Syracuse, Ohio State and TCU.

Notre Dame welcomed in, as my friend Pete says, The University of Spoiled Children (USC) to South Bend for the annual intersectional rivalry, which I think of as a fight song game as both teams have top notch fight songs. Unfortunately, with Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath's Crazy Train playing between plays, it seemed like we were at concert. The Irish played like they were. This playing of rock songs, more often than not drowning out the marching bands, spreading like Kudzu across the country, is out of hand and needs to stop. Several teams have adopted the same songs as their in-game cheer. For example, Wake Forest and UCF both use Zombie Nation, among many others. Apparently, most fans like it but I do not and really would like to see it die a quick death. Meanwhile, Notre Dame got whipped on both lines of scrimmage and got pounded by Southern Cal.....Weather delays for lighting in neighboring counties is another example of political correctness running amok in college football, and it is unnecessary. I have been following the game for 40 years and the only lightning strike I recall hit Lee Corso's rental car in the parking lot at Blacksburg, Va in the 90's.....After an approximately 2 hour rain delay last evening, while OU was snoozing, Texas Tech was posting touchdowns in Norman. While the Sooners, down 31-7 at one point, mounted a comeback, it was much to little to late. OU seems to annually lose focus causing them to stumble along the way, and they are now likely out of national title conversations as anyone down at home 31-7 should be...Congratulations to one of the good guys, Case Keenum, of Houston, who is now the total yardage leader all time for NCAA college football.... Michigan State used a Hail Mary to steal a game from Wisconsin, who got out to a great start and had to rally to tie it before Sparty got it done.....Clemson is firing on all pistons offensively and is primed to run the table...Stanford blasted Washington in dominant fashion. The Huskies are stout on offense but have issues and youth on defense....UCLA got blasted at Arizona on Thursday, and just before the half a streaker wearing an officials uniform seemed to spark a bench clearing brawl. Not impressive behavior all around....Alabama was tied at home at the half on The Third Saturday in October with Tennessee while LSU was pounding Auburn, handing the Tigers the worst loss for a defending National Champion since Nebraska spanked Penn State in 1983, which is why LSU is now #1.....Syracuse looked great in dumping West Virginia....UCF, expected to get Big East invite, looked hapless losing at winless UAB....Ga Tech is disappointing again....Illinois is unmasked at Purdue.

Florida State looked pretty good in controlling Maryland, and while the Seminoles got plenty of work to do, they appear to be making progress and should be favored the rest of the way.

Nebraska dismantled Minnesota, but had some issues in doing so. Michigan State comes Lincoln next week, so we will find out if the 'Huksers are worthy of conference title conversations.

Celebrate Success

Occupy Wall Street. Supported by our President.

A collection of useful idiots attacking those that have had the good fortune, most through principles found in athletics combined with a little luck, of achieving high levels of success.

I stand in opposition of those folks, for I celebrate the success of those who play the game of life with integrity and a competitive desire to succeed.

Chrysler Corporation recently celebrated the success of someone whose rise to the top I have appreciated, following him closely along the way: Ndamuknong Suh



Indeed, show where your going without forgetting where your from.

Suh, whose first name means "House of Spears", came to The University of Nebraska from Portland, Oregon Grant High School in 2004. By maximizing his God given talent through hard work, discipline and perseverance, Suh left Nebraska, a football program rich in tradition and player honors, as perhaps the most decorated player to ever call himself a 'Husker.

After graduating from Nebraska, Suh was drafted as the second overall pick by the Detroit Lions and is now regarded as among the best players in the National Football League. Beyond football, Suh continues to lead by example, and has charted a path of charitable activity. First among his efforts was a most significant gift to The University of Nebraska, which helped him become a nominee for Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated. Only 24 years old, Suh has already achieved monetary success most could only dream of, but his level of maturity in life far exceeds his age.

Unlike those who protest down on Wall Street, who want something for nothing, I celebrate the success of those who work hard, play within the rules and achieve greatness. Ndamukong Suh is such an individual, and I hope he can show many where they can go while not forgetting where they have been. It is the lessons of life. While we are facing stiff headwinds, mostly created by our own government, it is up to us to persevere and carpe diem.

Lead, follow or get out of the way. And Go Big Red!