THIS COLUMN WAS WRITTEN IN FRONT OF A LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE
QUICK QUIZ
What Elvis Presley song had the words Michigan State in its lyrics?
A) An American Trilogy
B) Blue Moon
C) One Broken Heart for Sale
D) Startin’ Tonight
QUOTABLE QUOTES
“Watching a knuckleball pitcher is like watching Mario Andretti park a car.” – Former baseball player and manager - Ralph Kiner.
“I keep both eyes on my man. The basket hasn’t moved on me yet.” – Philadelphia 76ers basketball star Julius Erving, when criticized for keeping one eye on the basket and the other on his man.
“Why should a guy with a half-million-dollar contract want to have blood dripping down his face? Or sweat? Or play with bruises? Hell, they won’t even play with bruised feelings now.” – Hall of Fame hockey player Bobby Hull.
IDLE THOUGHTS
History was made nine years ago when the College Football Playoff first came into existence, forever changing the way a National Champion was determined by expanding the field to four semifinalist teams. The 2023 CFP will make history as the last postseason before the field is expanded to 12 teams in 2024. A larger field should eliminate all the squabbling, which currently resides when deserving teams don’t make the semifinal games. This year, the University of Michigan, University of Washington, University of Texas, and the University of Alabama making the grade, with both the University of Georgia and Florida State University on the outside looking in. Georgia, who has lost just two games in three years, was immediately eliminated after losing 27-24 to Alabama - a one-loss team – in the SEC Championship Game. It should be noted that schools from the SEC have won six of the last eight National Championships, including the last four.
The jury is obviously out on Michigan State University’s new head football coach Jonathan Smith who they lured away from Oregon State University. Smith, who plans on bringing 5 of his 10 Oregon State assistant coaches to East Lansing, will make a cool $52.85 million over seven years. MSU dodged a rather huge bullet by not hiring University of Colorado’s Deion “Prime” Sanders.
Dave Drinkill is doing an exceptional job of positioning the Saginaw Spirit for a run at the Memorial Cup championship. As host team, Saginaw is automatically in the tournament. Drinkill, however, has been making key acquisitions via the trade route and building a tremendously-strong team – as evidenced by the team’s recent franchise-record 10-game winning streak. Just being in the tournament isn’t enough for Drinkill; he wants to win it.
The National Baseball Hall of Fame's Contemporary Baseball Era Non-Players Committee announced longtime manager Jim Leyland has been voted into Cooperstown in 2024. The seven others on the ballot did not receive enough votes for induction. Former Detroit Tiger manager Jim Leyland is entering the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2024. Leyland is 18th all-time with 1,769 managerial wins. He managed the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1986-96, the Florida Marlins from 1997-98, the Colorado Rockies in 1999, and the Detroit Tigers from 2006-13. Leyland's teams won six division titles, three pennants, and one World Series title (1997 with the Marlins). His career managerial record is a so-so 1,769-1,728 (.506). Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em.
The fifth annual Harry Hawkins Award, presented to Saginaw County’s top senior football player, will be held on Thursday, December 7th at the Saginaw Club in downtown Saginaw. The three finalists – who each will receive college scholarship money from the organization – include Braylon Isom of Heritage High School, Preston Otter of Nouvel Catholic Central High School, and Sam Talaga of Freeland High School. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the event starting promptly at 7 p.m. The cost to attend is $20.
In a dramatic double OT Dr Pepper Tuition Giveaway during the Big 12 Conference Championship Game, an on-field technical error resulted in an inaccurate accounting of the double tie break. As such, Dr. Pepper will recognize both finalists as grand prize winners with both receiving the $100K award in tuition. I’m predicting that the price of a 12-pack of Dr. Pepper is going to increase. The contest requires students to stand 5 yards out and throw as many footballs as possible into a hole in a giant Dr Pepper can. I think they should start making them kick field goals.
Central Michigan University quarterback Jase Bauer announced his intent to enter the transfer portal. This season the Chippewas went 5-7 overall and 3-5 in the Mid-American Conference. Is it too late to put the NCAA in the transfer portal?
I have seen more intentional grounding calls in the past three weeks in college and professional football than I have in my entire life.
Angel Reese is back with the LSU women’s basketball team after a drama-filled two weeks. Head coach Kim Mulkey, who recently notched her 700th career victory, handled the situation very well by handling the situation internally and keeping it out of the press. Look for Reese to rebound (no pun intended) and have an All-American-type season.
Prep basketball fans should mark Tuesday, December 19th on their calendar. On that evening the Carrollton Public School District will be renaming their gymnasium after long-time boy’s basketball coach Ron Vondette. Vondette, a Saginaw County Sports Hall of Famer, helped put Carrollton on the map in boys’ basketball. He finished his prep coaching career with a splendid 425-164 record. He will be honored at halftime (approximately 7:30 p.m.) of the Cavaliers home game against Frankenmuth High School.
Quarterbacks Jared Goff (Detroit Lions) and JJ McCarthy (University of Michigan) are going to have to step up their game if they want to lead their respective teams to the promise land. Both have enough poise to get the job done, but they need to take their game up a notch. I’d mentioned Michigan State University’s quarterbacks but I believe they’ve all entered the transfer portal.
During the 1973 swim season, Arthur Hill High School diver Greg Moran was ranked No. 1 in the state. Back in the eighth grade, he was pulled off the trampoline by YMCA swimming coach Dale Gooding and asked to try out for the swimming team. Dick Christians, a Y coach and Don Morey, former Arthur Hill coach, spent a lot of time helping with Moran’s diving techniques. In his sophomore year, he placed second in the Saginaw Valley League meet. As a junior, he went undefeated and won the Valley. He ended up at Michigan State University where he qualified for the NCAA diving championship in Cleveland during his senior year in 1978; qualifying in both the one-meter and three-meter competitions. He once set a Central Michigan University pool record on the one-meter board by tallying 331.05 points.
I watched the University of Michigan football game when they hosted Ohio State University in their annual grudge match. Not sure if you noticed, but Fox play-by-play broadcaster Gus Johnson – a native Detroiter – seemed to be pulling for the Buckeyes.
Evening baseball was unheard of in 1907, yet the Class D Western Canada League started every game at 6 p.m. that entire season. Late sunsets in Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, and Medicine Hat, Alberta, made night games possible. The circuit was nicknamed the “Twilight League.”
If you are looking for a stocking stuffer for your hockey fan, check out the Saginaw Spirit store at their State Steet office or at the new merchandise area at the Dow Event Center They have added some neat Memorial Cup items along with their traditional Spirit merchandise.
Whatever happened to Don Muhlbach?
QUICK QUIZ ANSWER
Startin’ Tonight. Elvis Presley recorded "Startin’ Tonight" during his March 12/13, 1961, recording session at Studio B in the RCA Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. The song was featured in the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie “Girl Happy,” a 1965 American musical romantic comedy and beach party film starring Presley in his 18th feature flick. It was part of the album “Something for Everybody,” that was released on May 19, 1961. In the studio for the recording of the song were Hank Garland, Scotty Moore and Presley on guitar, Bob Moore on bass, Buddy Harman and D.J. Fontana on drums, Floyd Cramer on piano, Boots Randolph on saxophone, and Millie Kirkham and The Jordanaires on vocals. The lyrics are:
[Verse 1]
Michigan State, MIT
Harvard University
Vassar, Wells, Smith and Brown
Shaking up this here town tonight
Starting tonight
Have a ball, do it all starting tonight
[Verse 2]
Grab your partner by the hand
Spread a blanket on the sand
Three a.m., go for a swim
Clothes and all, jump right in
Tonight, starting tonight
Pull out the stops, call the cops, it's all right
[Verse 3]
Of course, when the cops have come and gone
You just keep carrying on
Don't you worry if you land in jail
We'll forward your mail if you can't make bail
Tonight, starting tonight
Have a ball, do it all starting tonight
Anything goes, everything goes, starting tonight
Starting tonight
info@review-mag.com
989-780-4162
Dec 04, 2023
Comments (0)