I'm out this week and some of next.  This will have to hold you over for now.

Just back from the real Paul Brown (Tiger) Stadium in  Massillon, where Anderson lost to Sylvania Southview 29-25 in the Division II final when the Cougars scored with 32 seconds left.    Anderson had retaken the lead just under the 2:30 mark on junior Kyle Slater's third touchdown, but that left Southview QB Alex Pidcock too much time to zip his team down the field again.  Pidcock was tough to stop, often running out of trouble when he couldn't find an open receiver.   Pretty good game to watch if you caught it on the tube or "live'.   Anderson fans will probably question a call prior to halftime where it looked like Pidcock was sacked and time ran out (and some say he grounded the ball) but one ref signaled that Southview called a timeout.   On 3rd and 23 from about midfield with :01 second left, Southview scored on a "hail Mary" and went in with a 16-13 halftime lead instead of being down 13-9.  Obvious key play of the game.   In the end, Jeff Giesting and the Redskins come up 32 seconds short of back to back state titles.  Doesn't happen every day, that's why this alum went up to watch.  Short night now as I head back in the AM with my two younger kids for the UC/Syracuse game.   Feel free to bring me a hot beverage in front of the Lindner Center if I can make it down the road in time for the pre-game "Stadium Show" a/k/a "The Not Ready For Airtime Primetime Pregame Spectacular".

Good night....

And I know some who used to say, "no one cares about UC football"...

Which will it be?

(From UC Sports Information)

CINCINNATI -The University of Cincinnati football team clinched a berth in the Bowl Championship Series and a share of the BIG EAST Championship Friday. 

No. 16/16 Cincinnati (9-2, 5-1 BIG EAST) can claim the BIG EAST crown outright with a victory over Syracuse at Nippert Stadium Saturday. The game is scheduled for a noon kickoff. Prior to the contest, UC will honor 20 student-athletes playing their final home game.

"We're excited to bring the BIG EAST title home to Cincinnati," UC head coach Brian Kelly said. "This is our second year and winning a league title was something we set out to do when we got here. It speaks volumes to the CATAPULT program and the vision of our Director of Athletics Mike Thomas.

"Our game against Syracuse tomorrow is still meaningful to us. We need the support of our fans at Nippert Stadium. We play to win, and finishing the season out in the right way is important for our football team."

Thanks to No. 25 Pittsburgh's 19-15 win over West Virginia Friday, the Bearcats wrapped up their first BCS bid and a share of their first conference championship since 2002. UC was co-champions Of Conference USA along with TCU that year.

There remains a possibility that UC could end the season in up to a four-way tie for the conference title. According to BIG EAST policies, if more than one team has the same final winning percentage in conference games, the tied teams are declared co-champions. Regardless of ties for the conference title, UC has earned the BIG EAST's automatic berth to the BCS.

Cincinnati will learn its postseason destination on Dec. 7 at 8 p.m. during the BCS Selection Show on FOX.

This photo is from today's Enquirer coverage of the Thanksgiving Day Race....

The Enquirer - 11/27/2008

You'll notice that I'm not in it (not that I'd be at the front row anyway).  Unfortunately, after training since early September with longer runs around the course area each week after I'd do my Bengal interviews on Wednesday, and then adding some long runs around Lunken, I couldn't answer the bell today.  Actually, I could have, but at my age it was the wrong thing to do.

Sometime Tuesday I started coming down with a head cold and some throat and chest congestion that just got worse and worse.  Still, I made my traditional trip to Bob Roncker's Running Spots to buy my new shoes (change tires once a year) and I paid my $30 to register.   Even bought a few Power Bars to get me going.  But, by that evening I started feeling bad, I woke up feeling lousy on Wednesday and toughed it out on the air and then I went home hoping for a miracle night's rest.  That didn't happen.   The drugs from Walgreens didn't kick in fast enough and I still felt like my head weighed 40 pounds or more when I got up.   Had I nothing else to do this week, I would've raced.  However, I'm going to Anderson's state final tomorrow with some of my kids and then turning around early Saturday morning to make the UC/Syracuse game (and the highly popular Not Ready For Airtime Primetime Spectacular).  Then Sunday morning, I'm on vacation and I've got a billion things to do as far as that.   It was a busy week of work trying to work ahead, and after a 6 mile jog around Lunken Monday in the rain, I think the wear and tear did me in.    So, I wasn't able to represent the slow, middle-aged men today at the race.   The best part is though I'm feeling better and my Mom actually thinks I made the right decision on something now.    With McAlister and Vogel going down this week (one younger, one a bit older) I exercised my right as a 47-year-old to lay my behind in bed this morning and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. 

The Horton balloon makes its way through Times Square during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York Nov. 27, 2008.  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

I've got some time off coming up, so here's a pair...

(Anyssa from sportsbybrooks.com)

 and now...the turkeys....

Thanksgiving triplecast and Blitz II (what is this?)