You’re reading this on a Monday morning. Maybe you’re home enjoying a cup of coffee or maybe you’re at work pretending to work. Hopefully, the buzz around your home or office is all about the big Saints win over the Cowboys but I can’t tell you that as Sunday night games don’t give yours truly enough time to write this blog so I have no idea what happens. So, here’s to the Saints 50-3 victory and here’s some more sports gumbo.
Speaking of Dallas, what in the heck is happening at Southern Methodist University? Coach Sonny Dykes has turned SMU into Transfer U with a wave of transfer players upgrading the squad at every level including quarterback, where Shane Buechele (former Texas Longhorn) heads an offense that is averaging 43 points a game. The Mustangs have already knocked off ranked TCU and that season-ending game against the Tulane Green Wave keeps getting bigger and bigger.
Remember when the University of South Florida Bulls were good? After going 19-2 under coach Charlie Strong they have now lost nine of their last 10, including this week’s brutal beatdown by SMU. I assure you, Strong is not enjoying his coffee this morning.
One of these days I’m going to ask the Tulane bowling team if I can hang out with them. I’ll obviously dress up like The Dude from “The Big Lebowski.”
The North Carolina Tar Heels almost pulled off a major stunner before falling to the #1 Clemson Tigers 21-20. Props to coach Mack Brown for electing to go for the two-point conversion and the win. Sometimes it just doesn’t work out.
Doesn’t it seem like there used to be more upsets in college football? Could just be me but the shocking upset factor seems to be waning in the college playoff era. And I guess while I’m at it here are my predictions for the playoffs – Clemson, Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma. Surprise, surprise.
Do the LSU Tigers have a shot at making the playoffs? You bet. Joe Burrow is in the Heisman discussion and the offense is lighting up scoreboards. While the offense sometimes is slow to get going, when it does get going, it really gets going. Yet, one shootout win over the Texas Longhorns does not a season make and, as always, the SEC West is brutal. However, it could happen. Burrow is the real deal and even if they lose to Alabama they could make the playoffs as a one-loss team.
Do you like basketball, New Orleans? Evidently plenty of you do as the Pelicans and Zion-mania have gripped the city. The Pels announced they have sold more than 12,000 season tickets, the most in a decade. I love it as long as I can still get into my midweek games for nine bucks. Don’t mess this up for me New Orleans. Also, in the short time Zion Williamson has been a member of the team he has already contributed to selling more season tickets than ex-Pelican Anthony Davis. I assume that has to sting a bit but “That’s all, folks.”
Speaking of quitters, ever feel like quitting this unrelenting weather? If you like sports but don’t want to feel beads of sweat rolling down your back get thee to Devlin Fieldhouse where Tulane Volleyball (11-3) has been crushing it as of late and all inside the friendly confines of that sweet air-conditioned building.
That tremor you felt Sunday morning was not an earthquake. It was the news spreading that Sheldon Rankins would make his debut against the Cowboys.
So my homey Ann works in film and is stuck in the modern day hellscape that is called, you guessed it, Atlanta, Georgia. Whenever she’s in town we always hook up and the last time she was here she shared that she might not be emotionally ready for another Saints season. What’s she even talking about?
The referees try to steal game one by flagging the Saints for running into the kicker, Saints are headed to an apparent loss, Drew Brees leads a fourth-quarter victory drive, Wil Lutz hits a 58 yard field goal to win the game, the Rams versus Saints showdown week, the referees steal a touchdown from Cam Jordan, Drew Brees injures his thumb, the team looks dreadful, Who Dat Nation sits in front of its laptop refreshing, refreshing, refreshing to finally read that Brees is out at least six weeks, the town has one giant collective panic attack, the Saints go into Seattle and win a massive game in front of the second-best crowd in the NFL.
Oh. That.
If you’re a regular reader you know I love me some Tulane baseball so it’s always fun when the new schedule comes out. They have some marquee matchups (Fullerton, Long Beach State, Dallas Baptist) and LSU is back on the schedule for one mid-week game. They have Houston, Cincinnati and East Carolina all at home. It’s a good schedule. Now, Coach Travis Jewett just needs to get the team into the NCAA regionals. Three years is way too long for this program not to be in the title hunt. It’s make or break time.
Speaking of competitions, early voting is happening right now and runs through Oct. 5. After that, election day is on Oct. 12, which is a Saturday and we all know your Saturday is filled with watching college football. So, take the opportunity to get your early vote in and kick back and congratulate yourself for a job well done.
Now get out there and vote!
