Auburn’s Gus Malzahn is Paul Johnson version 2.0. Both can get mean and ugly on the sideline. Both say what they think (though I think one tries to hold it in more). Both are offensive geniuses. Gus had taken the option into the 21st century (or backwards to the single wing) by placing the QB in the shotgun, where he can run the option or pass. The defense might not have to protect against the fullback dive, and short yardage plays from the shotgun are counterintuitive. But there’s so much else you can do in Gus’ offense. A Cam Newton can run it to perfection, but the offense can be tailored to the talents of a running QB or a passing QB like Stidham.
Johnson recruits speedy QB’s other colleges would make into defensive backs. Their passing ability isn’t the best. Still, Johnson passes the ball 15-20% of the time. Gus recruits big time dual threat QB’s who can throw half the time. He appears to have hit paydirt with Stidham. I was hoping Auburn would be on this week’s Sports Illustrated cover so UGA could benefit from the jinx, but it was not to be. Last Saturday Louie was caught on the sidelines again.
Johnson will run variations of his option all day. If the ground game is working he’s happy not to pass. Still he throws the ball far more than Pepper Rodgers did when he was coaching the wishbone at Tech. Pepper beat Notre Dame in 1976 without throwing a pass, and would rarely throw more than two or three times a game.
I ordered our Christmas cards Sunday night, and I may get them this afternoon. I did it all by myself, so hopefully they’ll turn out ok. You will see. Of course it says Merry Christmas and not Happy Holidays. You’ll be happy to know that I had to crop Will’s dog out of the picture. I haven’t written my Christmas letter yet, so you may be receiving it separately. I tried to get Anna to help, but the girls in her house in Athens are sending out a group Christmas card.
I wish I could lose weight. Gonna hit it hard in January. No cheating. Monday night C cooked spaghetti and salad. Passed on the noodles. Nothing much on TV last night so we watched the Hallmark Channel. Also a MLB Network special on Ken Harrelson. Didn’t realize what a good golfer he was. I also played on my laptop.
Tuesday: Left work at 6:15 and stopped by Trader Joes. C cooked boneless chicken breasts in a tomato sauce, mashed potatoes, and spinach. Finished eating at eight. Watched a rerun of The Middle, some of The Voice, and a new episode of Fixer Upper. Saw bits of the Tech game. Forgot about the bowl rankings show at seven. At ten C went to bed and I watched some of Sleepless in Seattle.
Did I tell you that I pulled a muscle in my hip? Painful, especially getting in and out of the car. Guess I better not get that little two seater after all.
I did see a replay of the end of the GT/NW game. I was listening to the pregame show on the radio while driving home from work. Interesting that Chris Collins is the NW coach. They said the NW AD and head football coach were at the game. Maybe the coach was in town recruiting.
Worked past six Wednesday night. C went to JFBC. I stopped by CFA. Long line both inside and at the drive thru. My chicken strips were heavily breaded and crunchy, but still hot. Not huge, actually on the small side to get three in the little box. The biscuit I’d gotten that morning at the same CFA was also crunchy but hot. Both times I could taste some of the peanut oil still baked inside. Later C came home with strips from the East Cobb CFA. Hers weren’t breaded as heavily, but slightly bigger and still hot. Interesting the variation between different CFA restaurants.
Chicken strips seem to be the in thing these days. Both Wendy’s and McDonalds have recently added them to their menu. The strips we got from KFC Saturday night were loaded with breading, making them “extra crunchy.” The breading made them bigger than they actually were. The meat was not melt in your mouth good. Overall too dry and crunchy. I haven’t had Zaxbys strips in a while, but in my mind they’re bigger and better. Perhaps I’ll go to Zaxbys tonight – C is going out with her girlfriends (M and I went to Moe's).
So last night I rested, with my body still hurting. Deleted a few emails. Been getting more than usual now that we’re in the Christmas gift buying season. Not much on, so we watched Modern Family and American Housewife. I like Designated Survivor, but I went to bed at 10:30.
Now Matt Lauer has been fired. If Hollywood and the media are going to fire someone every time they’re caught in the wrong, where will it end? None are perfect – all sin. But standing by the Word of God can get you fired these days as well. The thinking in the world today messed up.
This Saturday night we have to go over to a couple’s house for dinner, so I’ll miss the end of the SEC game and the beginning of the ACC game. Next Saturday we have a company dinner at a FANCY steakhouse at the NW corner of Old Milton and Peachtree Parkway in John’s Creek. I guess I’ll order steak, though the angus burger looks tempting. Ten couples.
I’m reading a fictional account of the Cuban Missile Crisis, where a 19 year old college coed is recruited to be the co-between back channel communicator between Kennedy and Kruchev. Back Channel, by Stephen L Carter. Written in 2014.
El Felix is open in The Battery near the Braves stadium. Also a big Christmas tree and ice skating ring.
No comments:
Post a Comment