Sunday, December 30, 2007

Accessing the bowl picks so far...

The holiday tradition is shared by many. There are the multitude of Christmas cards, of course, that flood the mailbox every December. But there is also that special envelope. The one that contains the annual college football bowl game card. In 11 years, we have won twice (winning loot always goes deep into three figures), finished near the bottom a few times, and finished tantalizingly close many times.

This year? So far, not that great. A whopping 4-4-1.

Boise State -6 vs. East Carolina (ECU 41 BSU 38) Not sweating this one, as the entire free world picked BSU -- no doubt due to last year's ultra-lucky bowl win against Oklahoma.

Purdue -8 vs. Central Michigan (Purdue 51 CM 48) We took the mediocre team from the mediocre conference. Instead the solid team from the underrated MAC easily covered.

Texas -2 vs. Arizona State (Texas 52 ASU 34) We gleefully accepted this holiday gift. Dennis Erickson coaching in a big game? Ha-Ha...easy $$$ every time.

Boston College -3 vs. Michigan State (BC 24 MSU 21) The Eagles and Coach Jags had a 10 point lead with six minutes to go. What do they do? Pass the ball, of course. The Spartans get a quick pick and eventually score, moving this game from a sure W to the dreaded push. We know Mark Whipple. And he would run the ball...and, of course, cover the spread.

Houston +3 vs. TCU (TCU 20 Houston 13) Wow, two teams from Texas playing a bowl game in...wait for it...TEXAS. They should have named this one The Who Cares Bowl. It would be funny, if only the Cougars had covered for us.

Oregon State -5 vs. Maryland (OSU 21 MD 14) It is amazing that a school like Maryland is content to let coaches Fridge and Williams lead the football and basketball teams into mediocrity season after season.

UConn +3 vs. Wake Forest (Wake 24 UConn 10) UMassers watch with joy as UCan't loses a bowl game. And yet UCan't is everything the Minutemen strive to be.

Mississippi St. +4 vs. Central Florida (MSU 10 CF 3) We love Sylvester Croom. Great guy. Good coach. Nice story.

Penn State -5 vs. Texas A&M (PSU 24 A&M 17) The Aggie tough guys weren't making out with their dates much after the first quarter. Want him to retire or not, it's fun watching JoePa coach.

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Five things to check out before the Pats go 16-oh...


BC players get bowl win and $750 in gift cards. (7-5-oh!)
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Kyle Korver is a nice player, but not for the $$$ Billy King gave him. Now, the 76ers have another #1 pick and more cap space to go summer shopping.
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Warren Buffett is really good with money. Want to be just like him?!?
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Joe Conklin is funny. Really funny. Click here to laugh.

Friday, December 28, 2007

Ice Ice Baby

Another classic. He's easy to laugh at now, but you bought his first CD, didn't you? Don't worry. Everyone else did, too.

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Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Bowl Game Goodies

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We admit we are addicted to reading what the players get from the college football bowls they play in. As if being a big time player wasn't enough. As if getting to play in a bowl wasn't enough. On top of that, you get free gifts! How great is that? This year's best? A $400 gift card to Best Buy.
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Not all gifts are equal.

What each bowl is giving.

Wow -- a Nintendo Wii?!?

"It's a special part of being in a bowl."

You got a mountain bike?

Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Christmas Present #1

Another Year of Health & Happiness




Merry Christmas!

Monday, December 24, 2007

Christmas Present #2

A Blank Journal

Simple, yet so useful. Jot down to-do-lists, finances, quotations, recipes, books to read, your exercise schedule, shows to DVR. You name it, it can go in here. The best part is reading through the book at the end of the year -- it becomes a diary of your past 12 months. To order, click here.




Sunday, December 23, 2007

Christmas Present #3

America's Test Kitchen Family Cookbook

Great recipes made simple. Click here to buy.




Saturday, December 22, 2007

Grilling in Last Week's Snow Storm!


Christmas Present #4

Fiesta Bowl Tickets to Watch Oklahoma Roll West Virginia
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For more info, click here.




Friday, December 21, 2007

Crockett needs a new car

Miami Vice = Good Tunes



Christmas Present #5

Miami Vice: The Complete Series





It started off as one of the best shows of all time. When Crockett thought he was Burnett and went to the dark side, it was stellar TV. After that, it went down hill (as all good shows inevitably do). Still, it's a great series to pop in the DVD player and kill 12 hours on a snowy weekend. To buy, click here.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

Christmas Present #6

A King Kong Sized DVR



No pictures yet, but This Thing holds over 2,000 hours of HD programing. (A typical DVR holds about 20 hours.) The cost? Over 15k!!!

What does an NBA star have on his Christmas list?

Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Christmas Present #7

The BlackBerry Pearl
This is one of the few things on the list we don't already have. (Hopefully, that will change!) When in front of a computer, we check e-mail every five minutes. With this sucker, we can check every five minutes from the store, the field, the car, the bathroom. The possibilities are endless. Click here to buy.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Christmas Present #8

An American Christmas Carol

The Fonz is Bededict Slade in this remake of Charles Dickens' Christmas story. Every year, the week before Christmas we kick everyone out of the house for the day and sack out on the couch and watch it. One more classic to add to your list. To buy, click here.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Christmas Present #9

Listen to Tony Bruno
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The funniest man on sports talk radio can be found here weekdays from 10-1.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Christmas Present #10

A Very Brady Christmas

Yet another classic to add to your holiday collection. If the sight (and sound) of the Bradys singing Christmas carols to help Mr. Brady find the strength to get out of a collapsed building doesn't put you in the holiday spirit, nothing will. To order, click here.


Sunday Links

Been a while...








Saturday, December 15, 2007

Christmas Present #11

Neil Diamond Christmas CDs

We love Christmas music. And we love The Diamond. Get these two great CDs for only $20.96. Order here.

Friday, December 14, 2007

Christmas Present #12

Craftsman Snow Blower


Seven years ago, my father and wife got a Craftsman for me for Christmas. To this day, it is the best present I have ever received. During yesterday's storm, I went out and got rid of six inches of snow in about 20 minutes. This morning, I got rid of another four inches in less than 15 minutes. I also did the driveways of two neighbors, as well as the sidewalk so the kids did not have to walk in the street. All of which earned me the honor of Mr. Mayor in the neighborhood. Get one of these bad boys and each time you use it, you will find yourself pulling a Mike Gundy and screaming, "I'm a man!"

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Christmas Present #13

Subs from Sack O' Subs
Have the best subs on the Jersey Shore FedEx'd overnight to you from their Ocean City, NJ location. A great idea for New Year's Eve. To order, click here.


Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Christmas Present #14

The Gathering




Hard to find this Christmas movie on DVD. Easy to get on ancient VHS. Edward Asner is brilliant as Adam Thornton.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Christmas Present #15

Planet of the Apes: The Complete TV Series DVD
Burke. Verdon. Urko. Great stuff. Truly great. We are hoping Santa brings it and we can kill many hours in 2008 reliving the favorite series of our youth. A literal steal at $19! To buy, click here.




Monday, December 10, 2007

Christmas Present #16

A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens

About 20 years ago, my good friend Rich and I were home on Christmas break from college. He told one of his Christmas traditions was to read A Christmas Carol every December leading up to Christmas. I stole his idea and have been using it ever since. A true Christmas classic.
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To order, click here.
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Want to read it (or print it) on-line for free? Click here.

Sunday, December 9, 2007

Christmas Present #17

Sony HD Camcorder

This is not your father's camcorder. This sucker will give you 1080i high def video. Don't ask -- just know that when shown on your HD television, the picture will crackle and pop off the screen.

The price? Over 3K! Order here.



Saturday, December 8, 2007

Christmas Present #18

Can't Buy Me Love DVD

Before Patrick Dempsey became Dr. McWhat'sHisFace, he was Ronald McDonald Miller. This is the single greatest high school movie of all-time. To buy, click here.

Friday, December 7, 2007

Christmas Present #19

Merry Christmas, by Johnny Mathis


Simply put, it's the greatest Christmas CD of all-time.

To buy, click here.

Thursday, December 6, 2007

Christmas Present #20

The Ultimate Carving Knife (for only $14.95)!


Last summer, we ordered a top notch knife sharpener to keep our Viking kitchen knives sharper than sharp. This 8-inch carving knife from Chicago Cutlery was thrown in as a freebie. Little did we know how great the knife would turn out to be. We actually prefer it to the (much) more expensive Viking carving knife we have. A great gift for the family chef.

Click here to order.

The D.A. weighs in on the task of rebuilding the 76ers


David Aldridge writes on the tough job facing new G.M. Ed Stefanski.


Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Christmas Present #21

A Gift Card to Best Buy

Memo to all women: We don't want clothes for Christmas!!! We want electronic toys! And since you have no clue what kind to get us, GIVE US A GIFT CARD TO BEST BUY!!! (It's the equivalent of us giving you one to Ann Taylor.)

Click here. (Puh-lease!!!)

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Christmas Present #22

Instead of buying yet another gift for your kids (or yourself!), buy some toys for kids who can really use them. You will make their Christmas. (And in the process, make yourself feel good, too.)

For more information, click here.



Monday, December 3, 2007

Christmas Present #23

PlayStation 3
The price? It just dropped to $399. The reason you need it? Good gosh, man, have you seen the graphics? Hooked up to an HD television, the graphics are insane. If your wife complains, tell her she can sit and watch you play. Better yet, you can dominate her in Madden '08. It will be some quality time for the two of you. How can she argue with that?!? Failing that, she will up and leave the room. Either way, you win.


Sunday, December 2, 2007

Christmas Present #24



Yes, it's a bit sappy. But Christmas makes us feel sappy, right? My nine year old and I are reading it this month. For kids who have more than they need, the stories attempt to teach about helping those who truly need it. A good lesson for kids (and adults, too).

It costs $14.95. To order, click here.

Does OU belong in BCS title game?






My name is Curtis Lofton and I am the best LB in the country...


Saturday, December 1, 2007

Christmas Present #25

The Coach Bill Hoodie





It's so unattractive, it's actually hip. It reeks of, "I am so much better than any of you, I can get away with wearing anything." Your husband or boyfriend will wear it with ego thumping pride.

It costs $74.95. To order, click here.