GatOrlando

I've played football, struck out at baseball, rode the pine for basketball, and got humiliated by a former ex in tennis in high school. I can't imagine ice skating while a 240 pound man is trying to take my head off while carrying a stick, and trying to move a fat little disc on said stick. I have the upmost respect for those ladies and gentleman that do it at the highest level. For the first time in my lifetime, and the first time ever. The USA has the Gold medals in the Olympics at the same time. They both went undefeated, and won in overtime over the behemoths of the sport, Canada. They represented our country with pride, and gave us two teams to be proud of. Of course we would be proud of them anyhow, but Gold is just a better form of that pride. We are the champions!!!!! Go USA!!?!!

Seems like the B1G talking point this off-season is going to be centered on getting an expanded playoff for the 2027 season. Much consternation has been made of Petiti being dead set on getting 24 teams, and a fixed number going to each conference. The SEC wants 16, and thought going to 9 conference games was the key to getting there. I know how most SEC fans feel, they feel like Sankey is getting pushed around. But in all reality, the SEC has gotten the benefit of the doubt with multiple years in the BCS, four team, and now twelve team eras. There were two all SEC BCS Title games, and one in the four team. The SEC got almost half the field of a twelve team field, and failed to beat another P4 team outside of each other. I know this is a tired question, but I would like to hear from my Duck friends if 24 is too big, or if 16 is good enough with a proposed automatics for each conference. Also, what to do with the G6 and Notre Dame. It's going to be a long wait till we get our football fix, but there's a lot going on right now to keep some topics alive.

Open Range is pretty good. I like watching old movies from before my time. The practical sets, and massive cast to make Ben-Hur, and Wizard of Oz will always beat the CGI slop of today imo. As for Duval, I liked that movie he did with Paul Newman. It was a western, but I can't think of the name of it. There's that famous scene where Newman low blows Ted Cassidy. True Grit is a great movie as well. *My bad. That movie was with Robert Redford, not Robert Duval. It was Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. We lost Robert Redford a few months ago, and now Robert Duval. RIP gentlemen.

The USA women became the first team in Olympic history to record a shutout in their first four games. That includes a 5-0 win over Canada. Let's go USA!!! As for the USA men, they needed overtime to beat Sweden. But Sweden was one of only four teams in the field to have a roster of only NHL players. Canada almost lost their game today, needing a last minute goal to get to overtime. They lost their captain though (Sidney Crosby). Let's go USA!!! As for college basketball, it's getting close to March. With NIL, will we be seeing any Cinderella run? Saint Louis or undefeated Miami of Ohio. Will we get chalk like last year? Right now the Big 12 looks like the conference with two potential one seeds. They have four top ten teams in Iowa State, Houston, Arizona, and Kansas. Plus ranked BYU, Texas Tech(who has beaten Houston and Arizona).

I agree Jon. How Notre Dame continues to get away with what they do is beyond me. I see a day coming when Petitti and Sankey decide to freeze out the Irish. After all, the whole nine game conference sticking point that most SEC coaches say is impossible, is going to get Sankey pressured into looking at how Notre Dame gets in with no such requirement. We know Petitti wanted that nine game conference slate for the SEC, and ACC, before he would even begin to talk about new playoff models. With the CFP model, I really think SEC coaches are buying this whole top to bottom "SEC is toughest" line. They really think that extra game is going to cost them in the long run. I think it's ridiculous, and the fact a three loss Alabama got into the field this year, and they got in over an undefeated P4 champion three years ago is proof that the committee already gives the SEC the benefit of the doubt. The SEC earned it's reputation, both the good and bad. Twenty years ago, nobody thought Florida had a shot against Ohio State. An undefeated Auburn got snubbed from the BCS Title Game, and nobody saw the SEC as the best conference. But now, it's been two years with an expanded field. The SEC is 2-5 against P4 opponents, and has yet to put a team in the National Title round. Alabama and Tennessee were blown out in their playoff games vs B1G opponents. Texas A&M lost a home game to an ACC opponent, and the only SEC team to make the semis this year, did it by beating a G6 opponent at home, and a fellow SEC team. The SEC had five teams get in the field. Not a single one beat a P4 opponent from another league. There needs to be some acknowledgement there. Just like twenty years ago when Florida was told they didn't belong on the field with Ohio State. Florida proved the critics right, only in a way none thought was possible. Alabama didn't belong on a field with Indiana. Tennessee didn't belong on a field with Ohio State. If Texas had gotten into the playoff over James Madison, they wouldn't have belonged on the field with Oregon. This is reality in 2026. SEC teams need to stop being soft and delusional. If they don't, the reality of 2026 is going to be the reality for many years going forward.

Greg works for the SEC. He isn't going to do a darn thing about Ole Miss tampering in football, or Alabama being allowed to use a G league dropout. He's too concerned with getting as many programs into the NCAA tournament, and getting the CFP to 16 with at least half going to the SEC. We need an actual commissioner, actual rules, and actual guidelines to oversee this mess right now. Somebody not associated with the B1G or SEC. College football funds everything, so let's get somebody the two controlling leagues both hates, but respects enough to give the pen to.

Winter Olympics start next week!!! I like hockey, ski jumping, ice skating, indoor speed skating, and even curling. It's been over forty years since the miracle on ice. It's time for gold again.

I remember when Mike Leach passed away back in December 2022. Lou Holtz and Bill Snyder were both saying how he was too young to go like that. God bless the Holtz family, and all those close to coach Lou.

We dropped down to 35 degrees overnight here in southwest AZ. Highs got into the 70's. But , from experience from living in Tennessee, Ohio, and having visited family in Michigan, Indiana, Colorado, and northern California. I can tell you freezing rain is the worst. When there's a heavy wind chill sweeping through, that cold will cut through you, no matter how many layers you have on. I've driven through hurricanes, sandstorms, severe thunderstorms with hail and tornado breeding cover. But the one accident I got into was due to a car cutting me off, and I hit my brakes, but spun out as the offender drove off. Luckily all it cost me was my car. But a close second was during a nasty winter storm where my defrosters weren't working, and I had to drive and scrape to just have fifteen percent visibility. I couldn't pull over either. I had winding two lanes with concrete barriers on each side. I thanked God for getting me home that night. Be safe out there.

We're just over a week from the 2025 season wrapping up. But in this day and age, there really isn't an off-season. The ACC released it's schedule yesterday. Today the B1G is set to do the same. What games are you looking forward to most? What's your expectation for this upcoming season? Last year, most thought the Oregon vs Penn State game was going to be one of the greatest, and it was. But it was a couple weeks later, that we got the real playoff primer. With the 2025 National champion Indiana Hoosiers handing Oregon their first , and up to this date only B1G conference game loss. (Ohio State was a playoff game, as was the Indiana rematch) https://goducks.com/news/2026/1/24/football-schedule-to-be-announced-tuesday-as-season-ticket-deadlines-for-2026-approach

He's a legacy Duck, that might carry the weight to keep him there long enough to start. My point was more inline with the fact that a player like Akili might be poached before Lanning feels comfortable enough to start him. I imagine Moore is starting this upcoming year, and Raiola the year after. A similar thing happened at Georgia Tech. Aaron Philo was being groomed to be the incumbent, but he transferred out to Florida. Now that's a unique situation, because his offensive coordinator moved on to Florida. But, I can see situations like this continue to happen as assistants and coaches move from job to job. Duke , Vanderbilt, and Kentucky are now paying QBs north of four million a year. It's pure madness right now. An established power like Oregon will have their pick in the transfer portal. Every year is win now, especially with Phil Knight in his 80's. Will Oregon pay seven million to a guy like Mendoza, Mensah, Beck, Leavitt, Sorsby, or Simpson, or five million to keep an unproven guy with heaps of potential and hype like Smith Jr. ? If things were like it is now in 2007, I could see Tebow getting passed over. So I really hope I'm wrong. Winning a championship with homegrown players just feels better. But winning a championship feels great regardless.

Why recruit and pay young guys you have to develop, when you can pay dudes that others already have and can play right away? Cignetti just proved that right there. In the old system, there was no way Indiana would've done what they just did. Do we need rules, and enforce them? Absolutely!!!! Tampering needs to be enforced, there needs to be a no contact period for players and coaches. Contracts need to mean something again. You sign for two years, you stay for two years. When you sign a deal to get paid, you have to honor the length of said contract. Williams ultimately had to, LSU ultimately still got Leavitt. But you know Kiffin had to up the dollar amount after telling Leavitt to kick rocks at the basketball game. Now you have Dabo calling out Ole Miss, who is calling out LSU. You have Miami potentially getting taken to court for the second straight year over taking a player under contract. But ultimately they will just pay the fine, and get what they want. What happens when Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State, USC, Georgia, Oregon, and Florida start taking the handcuffs off their own initiatives? You're going to see twenty million dollar running backs. Fifty million dollar Quarterbacks, and roster turnover at a rate unlike any other sport in history. Just look at Texas Tech. Indiana, Miami, and Ole Miss made it to the final four using the transfer portal more aggressively than Alabama, Georgia, or Ohio State. Clemson has become an afterthought despite top ten classes, and a blue chip ratio that is higher than any of the three semifinal participants I mentioned. Oregon has two transfer QBs in tow, both former five stars. When are we going to see a high school recruited QB under Dan Lanning? Why should we? Just go get somebody from the G6, or even lower like Ferris State. Let them be your farm system. Indiana, Ole Miss, Texas Tech, and Miami have been. Worked out well for them. Rules? Michigan proved how much they matter.

Good luck to your Hoosiers. First 16-0 team ever. First Heisman winner to go along with it. As a fellow transient living in the Phoenix area (San Tan Valley), but from an area filled with about ten other fanbases as loud as Ohio State(in the SEC). It did my heart good to see Alabama get taken down in the fashion they did. The SEC arrogance and delusion, need to die. Now as a Florida fan, it would be great to see the U get dismantled in their own home stadium.

Just as long as there wasn't a caveat to hire his dad, uncle, grandpa, or third cousin to the coaching staff. You should be good to go.

Can we just get 12, 16, or the 18 best teams? Have the first two rounds be held on campus, and pair the lowest seed against the highest seed in each round, on both sides of the bracket. Make the postseason start the week after the CCG weekend. Also, no transfer portal business till the off-season. Same goes for coaching hires. If you are being payed to coach, or play for a team, for a season. You finish that out. No other profession allows you to just leave in the middle of your working shift because somebody came up and offered you another gig. Imagine a pilot, surgeon, chef, postal worker, welder, construction worker, ride operator, or ice cream distributor, and you just up and leave in the middle of what you were doing because you wanted to go somewhere else. "Sorry Mr. Kiffin, your daughter is going to hold off on having her first child. Doctor Rouge just got offered a better opportunity at another hospital. He had to do what was best for his family."

Remember this about Indiana. They have a sixty five year old head coach, a fifth year senior QB, a senior laden transfer portal class led team, and a staff that has had no defections. They are a great team, built to win now. But, they haven't had to deal with the expectations, coaching losses, or other teams poaching their players yet. They've had an extremely easy regular season schedule. Before we crown them the next dynasty, and question everything that has made Oregon great the past two decades. Let's see if Indiana can sustain this level. Yes, they will likely get a national title, and yes it will be the greatest two year turnaround in the history of the sport. But sometimes timing is the thing. Think about Clemson, and Dabo in the 2010's. There was a word called Clemsoning being thrown around. It described falling apart on the biggest stages. It happened to them in the 2016 title game against Alabama. But they came back, the ACC turned into a walkthrough after Florida State collapsed. Clemson got into the playoff and finally won it all. The next year Alabama smoked them in the semis, people forget that result, because the year after that, Clemson smoke Alabama in the championship. To win their second ever title, and second in three years over Alabama. Dabo was a genius. Clemson was the next dynasty. The Alabama killer, destined to do dominate as long as Dabo stuck around. But then, the Tigers got handled by LSU the next year, and Ohio State the year after that. The next thing you know, you have a coach losing coaches like Venables to Oklahoma, and Morris to Arkansas. The Tigers have made one playoff appearance since that Buckeye beat down, and it was with three losses. Suddenly Dabo can't handle the transfer portal, and he can't hire a staff that's able to win the mighty ACC. Oregon is humming along, with a third head coach that has gotten them to either the National Title Game, or semifinal playoff appearance. The fourth coach that they had wasn't fired, he left for his alma mater, and is in the National Title game. A shot he only got because of him being successfull at Oregon. Let's give Indiana their flowers, it's an incredible team. But I am still waiting to see how they follow this up. It's only going to get tougher, now Indiana is about to face the other side of the aisle. Getting to the top for the first time feels great. But everybody is coming for you, Michigan is coming for your players, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State. Pretty big poachers with deep pockets.

There's rumor of an intellectual property called 'Field of Broken Dreams'. Apparently it's being greenlit by the CW. Canzano is writing the script as we speak.

The Big Twelve is called the truck stop conference by all those intellectuals in Stanford, Cal, Washington State, or Oregon State. But one genius has to ask, with conference payouts being equal between the ACC & Big Twelve, isn't the travel cost half as much from the Pacific to the plains, as opposed to the Pacific to the Atlantic? Isn't 35 million more than 7 million? Isn't a guaranteed playoff spot better than having to be better than about six other conferences? UCLA would have to Defund most of their Olympic programs without the B1G membership. These academic elites sure lack common sense sometimes.

The Midwest has notoriously bad winters. January and February are the worst months, by far. Snow isn't even the worst. It's the rainy, 38 degree days. That turns to freezing rain, and black ice. The wind chill rolls through you, no matter how layered you think you are sufficiently, you're not. Huge alumni bases everywhere. Trust me, I've seen them in Florida, Texas, California, Arizona, North Carolina. From Iowa, to Michigan, to Ohio State, Penn State, and now Indiana in football. Anywhere you go, you probably have a midwestern B1G alumnus or fan as a neighbor.

Three of the Canes titles have come in their home stadium. Of course those being at the old Orange Bowl. That place actually had an atmosphere, the stadium they play at now has no aura to it at all. It's just a huge NFL stadium. Hurricane fans have never filled that place, there are plans for an on campus stadium. It sticks in their crawl that USF is going to have an on campus stadium, before them.

Indiana is continuing the trend, their next QB is Hoover from TCU. Source: X https://share.google/u6RuhqsXj7BLXqt8j

Why pay a guy to sit on your bench, when he'll just demand more money after you've developed him? You get proven guys that weren't highly touted, but they proved themselves to be above that. That's what Cignetti has done. Fernando Mendoza or Nico Iamaleava were miles apart in hype. Mendoza got a couple million from Indiana, which was a raise. Iamaleava was making 2.4 and left Tennessee because he wanted that doubled.

Tonight wasn't fun my friends, but there will be better days. I truly think Oregon will invest in more transfer talent, and will find a defensive system that can stop NFL type offenses. But, you weren't alone in not seeing this blowout coming. Nobody did. At least you can point to mistakes to correct, Alabama just got out manned, and that's what leads me to post this little article. The writer goes on about past championship winners, and their blue chip ratio. Michigan was the lowest rated winner with a 56%. Georgia, and Ohio State were above 75 percent, and Alabama was above 80. Clemson was around 65. So the baseline is fifty percent, which is where his 18 teams come in. Guess who is fifteen percentage points below his baseline? https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/blue-chip-ratio-2025-these-18-college-football-teams-can-actually-win-the-national-championship/

You gotta give Indiana their due. Cignetti has put together the greatest first two years of any coach anywhere. If he wins a title in ten days, he did something at a place that I don't know if even Saban could've done. This just sucks though, I don't know how you sugarcoat it. It's been a great season, and winning two playoff games is great in a season that was supposed to be more of a question than last year. But as Penn State , Notre Dame, and Texas showed. There's no guarantee any year. But I think Oregon will be back, it just sucks to see the butt kicking from the losing side. Go hit the transfer portal. Bring in experienced guys, and pay them to play. Paying freshman to sit on your bench isn't the way anymore. This weeks game results suck, I'm sorry. I don't have anything else to say. I'm looking forward to seeing Indiana blast Miami, but I was hoping it would've been Oregon. Maybe we'll see a halftime miracle. Go Ducks!!!!