2008 Week 13
November 25, 2008
As my good friend Keith Jackson would say, whoa nellie, we had a rock 'em sock 'em battle to the finish on Keith's old stomping grounds.
In a scintillating showdown between powerhouse programs, Keith's alma mater Washington State snatched the Apple Cup back from the University of Washington, in an overtime thriller.
Now I'm still trying to get these overtime rules straight. Apparently this game went to a field goal shootout, with Wazzu making a long kick, then Washington making one. Washington State then went again, made their kick, then Washington missed. Washington State then made one for the win, and Washington's final kick was canceled as they were down 3-1 and couldn't catch up.
I just wish they'd line them up and play regular football and let the team who scores some points go home with the win.
Now that I've been straightened out about the Big 12, I must admit I enjoyed that Big 12 tournament game between the Sooners and Texas Tech. But I'm still a bit confused, as Oklahoma now plays Oklahoma State in the next round of the tournament even though Oklahoma State already lost earlier.
It would make more sense if they'd just go round-robin and have everybody in that division play each other then let the team with the best record advance.
In honor of the anniversary of the Song Girls, I've been trying to remember to recognize one every week.
This week it's Carol from the 1982 squad. Carol was renowned for her interest in all sports and she got a job with the local baseball team in Chavez Ravine. She got a lot of experience with Dodgers thanks to Steve Garvey avoiding her paternity suit.
Because this is rivalry week, we had a lot of bigtime battles in season-ending trophy games.
Iowa mauled Minnesota and secured the farming services of Floyd Rosedale for another year. Penn State blew out the Michigan State Fighting Chippewas and regained possession of the Hugh Grant Trophy.
In one of the most anticipated battles, the University of Utah knocked off Brigham Young and proudly hoisted the Golden V-Necked Undershirt.
One of the bitterest rivalries played out in South Bend. Notre Dame and coach Charles White lost to Syracuse in a closely fought game, 24-23.
This Notre Dame vs Syracuse rivalry has been a bit slow in developing, though it accelerated when both teams joined the Atlantic Coast Conference. Notre Dame was so anxious to get into a league that they even renamed their basketball arena the "ACC".
Notre Dame of course is perhaps the most famous Catholic university in the country.
Syracuse is not as well-known of course, but has quite the religious pedigree itself. William of Orange, a famous Protestant leader, fought against Catholic armies in Europe. In an effort to secure peace, he married a young Catholic girl, Ilena, from Sicily.
They eventually moved across the ocean but, due to the sad prejudices at that time, were force to flee New York City. They took William's savings and bought farmland. Soon other settlers joined them and William named the city after Ilena's Sicilian hometown, Syracuse. William's ten sons then founded the namesake University and the team was nicknamed the Orangemen.
Thanks to William's ability to sire so many children, Syracuse University chose as their mascot the giant orange testicle.
And now you know the rest of the story.