Bowl possibilities

I thought about combining my bowl talk with a prediction of the USC Clemson game, but I'm going to hold off on that.

I'm currently watching Alabama and Mississippi State after Georgia lost to Auburn and wondering how it affects the Gamecocks Bowl possibilities, and I don't think it changes much.

We can rule out a return trip to Birmingham and the Independence Bowl as those two bowls are the bottom of the barrel so to speak.

After the playoffs and New Year's Six bowls make their selection, the Citrus Bowl has the next selection and then the Outback, Texas, Belk, Liberty, Music City and bowl formerly known as the Gator Bowl (I won't call it anything else) form a pool and decide between themselves and the SEC hanchos who goes where.

I think that whoever win the sec Championship between Georgia and either Alabama or Auburn goes to the playoffs and the other two get in the new years six.

If the Gamecocks can win out, beating Wofford and Clemson, I think a 9-3 Gamecock team is very attractive to the Citrus Bowl.

If not the Citrus, we will certainly be in the "pool of six".

I think the Belk Bowl in Charlotte is out because we started the season in Charlotte and it wouldn't be much of a reward for our players to go back, even if the Belk Bowl wants us. Our ties to Houston Texans owner Bob McNair might pull some strings, but I still think the Texas Bowl will chose an SEC West team. Jacksonville, Memphis and Nashville are good destinations, but I like the idea of playing on New Year's Day. So I'm setting my heart on a return to Tampa and the Outback Bowl and I'd like to play Michigan State as I've seen in one projection.

I've already requested and been granted January 1st off as well as December 29th and 30th, so I think I have all my bases covered. My prediction is we play on New year's Day, either in the Citrus or Outback Bowl.

Happy Birthday to me!!!!

I have notbblogged in a long time, and I decided to do a general birthday blog. If I do a political blog, you will fall into one of two categories......I'm either preaching to the choir or my words will fall on deaf ears. So I'll just stick to birthday stuff.

We had the Great eclipse here in the states yesterday. Mostly family plus a few guests in the field between my house and my parents. It was truly awe inspiring. Those who know me know that I am not religious. I consider myself a Christian in terms of "Do until others" and "Love they Neighbor"; the ones the Religious right conveniently forget or think only apply to other devout Christians. I do not, however, believe in a "creator". I believe in the Big bang theory, and evolution. I have, however, recently become more interested in of all things..... Astrology!

I never paid much attention to horoscopes. I was always told that I was a Leo. When I would read descriptions of Leo's, however, some qualities fit but others were kinda off the mark. Later in life, I investigated Virgo, and it was the same story. A while ago I became aquainted with the cusp horoscopes. The period between about August 19th- August 25th is known as the Cusp of Exposure. When I read a description of someone born during this time....it's like I'm reading an autobiography. I have also joined a Facebook group and it's amazing the experiences we share. I am more of a believer in Astrology that I was before.

Speaking of birthdays, I was very jealous of a young man whos mother was picking up his birthday supplies.

He had a pirate cake and a ton of pirate themed balloons and one balloon in the shape of the number 8. I immediately told the customer that I loved pirates and that "8" was my favorite number. It is also, in hindsight, my favorite age. I first became aware that I was attracted to boys when I was 8.

In elementary school at age 8 I had two friends in a sort of "gang". Paul was our leader, Brad was second in command and I was third. Considering I'm a bottom as an adult it makes sense. Paul, Brad and I would meet at the top of these huge monkey bars (I must have really liked these boys because I was and always have been terrified of heights).

Brad was not here on this particular day. Paul was a teller of tall tales and his favorite was to tell us that he was an East German spy. Those of you who are younger probably don't remember when there was an East and West Germany. Anyway Paul told me that he was getting a call......in his underwear. So he climbed down the monkey bars and went over to the corner of the play ground and unbuttoned and unzipped his pants. I was very titillated by this and also wanted to know what else was in his underpants.

Also there was a game show called "Whew!" when I was growing up. No one remembers this show but me. The bonus round was the "Gauntlet of Villians" and my favorite was #8-- Jeremy Swash the pirate.

An obscure note to end on, but that's where the story ends. Happy Birthday to me and my fellow cuspians!

General dilemma

I am a proud graduate of Wade Hampton High School. I am a marching General from one of the most successful eras in Wade Hampton's marching band history. When I first heard of the petition to change the name of MY school, I was upset. They're being overly sensitive. What's in a name. You'd have to change a lot more names of schools, roads, and places. Then I thought of my stance on similar issues and I realized, I am being hypocritical and selfish.

I was 100% in favor of taking the conferderate flag off State house grounds. If you want to fly the conferderate flag in your back yard, front porch; put bumper stickers on your car or fly it from the bed of your pickup truck; you have every right to do so and as much as I disagree with you I will be the first in line to defend your right to do so. Flying it on the statehouse​ grounds or before that on the State capital dome was different. Our statehouse repersents all South Carolinians. Some find the confederate flag offensive. If you don't, that's your opinion. Flying it at our statehouse, however, was a black eye on our state. It not only hurt us financially through boycotts, but also just looked bad. We saw the benefits of removing the flag by getting part of the NCAA basketball tournament here in Greenville.

I also applaud removing statues of so-called confederate "heroes". And while it's not exactly the same issue, I will not watch or record games played by the Washington NFL team because I find this mascot to be a racial epithet. When I finished my college degree at USC Upstate, we were transitioning from the USC Spartanburg Rifles to the USC Upstate Spartans; a move of which I approved.

So considering all this, how can I possibly object to changing the name of Wade Hampton High School? I can't. The fact that I graduated from Wade Hampton High School doesn't change. I will always be able to say that. The building I went to school in is long gone.

I will not actively campaign to change the name of my school. I cannot in good conscience, however, stand in the way or object to efforts to do so. My biggest political pet peeve is hypocracy, and I was committing it.

Resolution time

It's resolution time folks. As usual I start with the usual things, eat better, excersise and the one I make every year and only partially fulfill; CLEAN MY HOUSE.

The last time I accomplished any major house cleaning was when I let my youngest sister bring me an almost new matress. So I have to set some sort of goal like that, and I've picked the day. On Saint Patrick's Day, I am going to have some kind of gathering at my house. It will most likely only be a family affair, as I am not allowed anyone else, at least I haven't ever asked. (No I don't live with my parents but it's on their property.) Plus my driveway isn't really conducive to having multiple guests. You know I think that may be the first weekend of March madness maybe that's a reason to host a gathering. But I also have an ulterior motive.

I have a lot of unnecessary furniture in my house. I also "window" shop on amazon.com all the time and have found some things that could either replace some furniture I have and/or allow me to use some old furniture for new purposes. Some will be bought as soon as my Christmas cash is fully deposited (I hate that they make you wait before they deposit the full amount). Some will have to wait for my tax refund and won't have a place until the old furniture is out.

So that's my resolution again, clean my house but with a purpose.

The most wonderful time of the year---for me anyway.

First of all, keep your eyes out for Wofford. They are still in the FCS playoffs and are facing another team that pulled an upset in Youngstown State.

As for the Gamecocks, the Birmingham Bowl was the last Bowl I wanted to go to. Nothing against Birmingham, but we're paying South Florida. A 10-2 USF team. I know this is going to sound like a stupid TV football analyst thing to say, but I don't think we can score enough points to beat them. We are gonna get our hat handed to us ( only I'm not thinking 'hat' while I'm typing this). No score prediction but ESPN says

Birmingham Bowl: South Florida vs. South Carolina
(2 p.m., ESPN, Legion Field, Birmingham, Alabama)
Remember what Deshaun Watson did to South Carolina a few weeks ago? Expect a slightly less severe version of that with South Florida's Quinton Flowers, one of the nation's most underappreciated stars. Flowers accounts for four touchdowns in the Bulls' first bowl win since 2010. 
South Florida 41, South Carolina 24.

I can't really argue with that.

As for Clemson and Ohio State, I remember the 1978 Gator Bowl when Ohio State coach Woody Hayes hit Clemson Player Charlie Bauman My family and I were watching when it happened, and to use a wrestling term, you have never seen people do a heel turn ( or I guess in the eyes of my Clemson friends it was a face turn) so fast. We immediately started pulling for Clemson and I have never liked Ohio State since. ESPN says

College Football Playoff semifinal at the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl
No. 3 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Clemson
(7 p.m., ESPN, University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona)
Clemson has the right talent mix to beat Alabama, but the Tigers have been too inconsistent. Urban Meyer has only two bowl losses -- one to Clemson three years ago -- but he elevates his young team, especially the passing game, in this one. Ohio State builds a lead and holds on against Deshaun Watson in an instant classic, winning on a field goal. 
Ohio State 31, Clemson 29.

I disagree. I think Clemson wins.

As for the national championship, anyone who's not a totally delusional fan of the other three schools knows that Alabama is going to win.

If something screwy happens, and Washington beats Alabama and Clemson beats Ohio State, I think Clemson would beat Washington. If it's Washington and Ohio State, it's a hypothetical so let's say Washington would win that. That way I don't have to come back and make a prediction.

Prediction/Wish for THE Game.

I'll start with the usual caviat. Just because I'm a Gamecock fan, don't assume I'm just going to pick a USC win. Very early on when I made weekly predictions, I think it was the second year, South Carolina was at the end of a 21 game losing streak in the first year of Lou Holtz after Brad Scott. The game was at Clemson and there was just no way I could pick the Gamecocks to win and have any integrity. Having said that, it has to be pretty extraordinary circumstances like that for me to go against my Gamecocks.
I'm not an X's and O's guy. I can name a few plays when I see them, I can tell a team when to go for a 2 point conversion (they never get that right), and when they should "go for it" on 4th down. My predictions are based on heart, not head, and this year my heart belongs to Gamecock kicker Elliott Fry.
Yea, I know he has a girl friend, so did I in college means nothing. What an outstanding young man. He battles diabetes, doesn't let it slow him down. What a great example not just for kids with diabetes, but really anyone with a chronic condition. I can think of nothing better than for Elliott to have a monster game including a game winner against his arch-rivals, knocking them out of the playoffs. Clemson, you probably win, but that's not how I'd write it.

South Carolina 30 Clemson 28

Please try to understand before one of us dies.

I'm trying to move on. I just can't make some of you understand how serious the situation is in our country.
We didn't just elect a Republican instead of a Democrat and the Democrat won the popular vote. That's happened before but we didn't feel the need to riot.
We have elected a man who has the support of white nationalists and is even putting them in positions of power. We elected a man and his running mate Mike Pence, who is one of if not the most anti-lgbt politicians on record. He has even said that AIDS funding should instead go to so-called reparative therapy--- literally trying to turn gay people straight. This effects me directly not only as a gay man-----but someone who relies on government programs for medication that keeps me alive. Yes, there should not be violence but we should not stay silent either. Telling us to "get over it" and "give Trump a chance"....like you gave Obama?
I will not stand idly by while my rights are taken away. No one should. I don't fault anyone for doing so. Do it peacefully by all means, but protesting is our right as Americans.