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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

The Beavers' "Don't Spy On Me, Bro" Bill

2014 is an election year, and even though it's only January, the usual political theater has already started here in Wilson Co. (TN). With it cranking up this early, I suspect this election year will be entertaining, to say the least, and the "political theater" business will be booming. The Sheepdog may have a busy year.

State Seal of Tennessee.
State Seal of Tennessee. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Unless you've been in The Outback or marooned on an island recently, you're familiar with the spying controversy involving the NSA and others. There's been court cases, Congressional hearings, and all kinds of political theater involved with the whole mess. Now, Tennessee State Senator, Mae Beavers, has decided to get in on the act, too.

Recently, Beavers announced that she plans to sponsor an "anti-spying bill" during the 2014 Tennessee legislative session. Apparently, local law enforcement agencies have started using some of the latest technological gizmos to tap into cell phone data around crime scenes. The local LEO's are able to get important data without a search warrant and no one ever knows it's happened. Beavers wants it stopped. Bad LEO's.

"Don't Spy on Me, Bro."

Senator Beavers' proposed bill would make such data gathering, without going to a judge and getting a search warrant, illegal. It sounds like a great idea, right? Well, of course it does, except for one thing - we already have two "laws" on the books that prohibit such activity.

English: First page of the Constitution of the...
English: First page of the Constitution of the State of Tennessee, adopted in 1835 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
First, there is the 4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It contains a protection against "unreasonable searches and seizures." It clearly states :
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Second, and closer to home, there is a similar prohibition in Article 1 (the "Declaration of Rights") Section 7 of the Tennessee State Constitution. It states :
That the people shall be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and possessions, from unreasonable searches and seizures; and that general warrants, whereby an officer may be commanded to search suspected places, without evidence of the fact committed, or to seize any person or persons not named, whose offences are not particularly described and supported by evidence, are dangerous to liberty and ought not be granted.
Both of those sound pretty clear and straightforward, right? So, why do we need another law on the books to prohibit such activity? Why not just enforce the protections contained within the U.S. and Tennessee constitutions?

"Don't Spy on Me, Bro."

Beavers claims to be a Conservative. I've even heard her refer to herself as a "True Conservative." Some even classify her a a "Constitutional Conservative." She has served as Chair of the Tennessee Senate's Judiciary Committee. Therefore, doesn't it stand to reason that a "Constitutional Conservative," who chaired the Judiciary Committee, would know that the U.S. and Tennessee Constitutions already have these prohibitions in place? Or, maybe she forgot? Consider this The Sheepdog's reminder. You're welcome, Senator. Glad I could be of service.

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I thought "Conservatives" were for smaller, not bigger government, and fewer, not more laws on the books. Did I miss something? Or, did I miss a memo where the definition of "Conservative" changed? I bet I know what it is - there's a difference between a  "Conservative," a "True Conservative," and a "Constitutional Conservative." That's got to be it.

Please, "Don't Spy on Me, Bro."

Since Beavers is up for re-election this year, and appears to have a lack of understanding of the State and Federal constitutions, I was glad to find on the Internet today where she officially has an opponent in the Republican Primary in August. He is Clark Boyd, who up until he decided to run against Beavers served as Chairman of the Wilson Co. (TN) Republican Party.

In my opinion, Beavers proposed anti-spying bill is nothing more than the usual political theater that we in Tennessee's 17th State Senate District see outta her every dadgum election cycle. Since most Americans are upset over the NSA's spying shenanigans, I think Beavers, with her latest theatrics, is just trying to take advantage of populist opinion in order to score political points and votes. I suspect her theatrics are only getting started, too, since it's a long way to election time, and she now has an opponent who has formally announced his candidacy. Personally, I'm glad she has an opponent. I'm kinda tired of the same ol' Beavers Theater. Time for a long-needed change.

Tom Brady
Tom Brady (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
However, if we're gonna play the theater game, let's at least have some fun with it. I love football but can't stand Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. In 2012, I got a big kick out of Seattle defensive back Richard Sherman's taunting of Brady after Seattle beat the Patriots. Sherman's "U Mad, Bro?" line was a classic.

In that same spirit, I'm dubbing Beavers' anti-spying bill the "Don't Spy on Me, Bro" Bill.

Pop the corn. Put the Cokes on ice. The show is on.
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Thursday, January 16, 2014

Review and Reaction to "Lone Survivor"

Like many Americans, I saw Lone Survivor during its opening weekend. When my wife and I met some friends at the theater, we were amazed at the size of the crowd. Earlier showings during the day were sold out, and based upon the number of people in the theater for the show we attended, it was either sold out or very close to it. While I'm not much of a fan of crowds, I thought it was great that so many wanted to see the film. In my opinion, it was another way to support our military.

Bad-assery defined
Navy SEAL Trident (Photo credit: kPluto)
As I write this review and share my thoughts and reaction to the film, I am going to do my best not to give too much away. I do not want to ruin it for those who have not had a chance to see it yet. I encourage all adults to see it, because I think it will have an impact on you leading to an even greater appreciation of our veterans and what they do for us. However, if you're not a fan of crowds, like me, it wouldn't hurt to wait a week or so to let the crowds die down. Also, everyone should know that Lone Survivor is rated "R" for a reason - the language and battle scenes are pretty intense.

I am a typical guy - I like movies with action, shooting, and blowing stuff up. I also enjoy military films, documentaries, etc. I've always had a great deal of respect for our soldiers and the sacrifices they make in order to serve our country and protect us. I began to really understand what they do when I was in college, but it seems each time I watch a film like this, I understand a little more.

I've been through a lot in my life. I'd like to think I'm pretty tough, but the movie affected me in powerful ways I did not expect. At one point, I thought I might have to leave, because the film was so intense and vivid. If the intent of the producers / directors / actors was to make the film so realistic that you feel like you're in it, then they accomplished their goal.

I never served in the military because of my various health issues, so I can't speak from experience, but I think this movie has got to be the most realistic portrayal of combat I've ever seen. You literally feel what these brave SEALS experienced making it like nothing I've ever seen. (If you've experienced combat and can speak to the film's realism, please leave a comment on this post as to how realistic the film is. I would love to hear from you.)

Lone Survivor impacted me in a couple of ways. First, as I mentioned, it increased my understanding of what the U.S. military does, of how hard they fight, and the sacrifices our veterans make. I also found myself continuously thinking about how those SEALS had fought and bled for me - for me and my loved ones to keep us safe from the thugs in other countries who want to kill Americans. Thinking about that brought me to tears and humbled me during the film and as I left the theater.

I also got to thinking about why veterans do what they do. It's not because they get paid well or have great benefits. In fact, I'm of the opinion that our country must do more for them. They fight, sacrifice time with their families, bleed, and die for one reason - they love their country. I like to think I'm patriotic, but I realized during Lone Survivor that my patriotism amounts to a single drop of water in the ocean when compared to the patriotism of these SEALS.

The second way Lone Survivor affected me is that I got angry at one point during the film. The SEALS are under heavy fire and call for air support. "Command" responds that no air support is available, because all the Apache gunships are already committed to troops elsewhere. In other words, there's not enough equipment to go around. These guys are fighting their tails off to survive, and their request for help is denied because "we're out." Really?

Now, please don't take what I just said as me blaming "command" for the lack of air support, because I'm not. You could tell they desperately wanted to help, but they just didn't have any equipment to send them. Their hands were tied. I'm sure the ones who tied them reside in D.C., too. I'm also sure it had to do with budget constraints, since we're broke as a country. Time and time again we've heard politicians in D.C. say, "the country can't afford it," but then they always find millions to spend on their special pet pork projects or to send to some third world country's dictator in hopes of bribing him into liking us. It's all bull malarkey. Our priorities are screwed up as a country, plain and simple.

You know what? We should all be ashamed. We, yes we, the citizens who vote, watch, and allow the president and Congress to waste hundreds of billions of dollars on pork projects and other crap every year should be ashamed. The fact that our military doesn't always have the equipment to get in, do the job safely, get out, and get our guys and gals home in one piece is our, the voters and taxpayers, fault. Why? Because we keep re-electing and sending the same yahoos back to D.C. every election year who make the decisions that sometimes leave these brave men and women hanging out to dry. It's on us and us alone.

Headshot of John Kerry with the U.S. flag in t...
John Kerry (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Y'all know I'm right, too. I could give multiple examples of it, but I'll stick to just two :
  1. Right after John Kerry, a Democrat, replaced Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, he announced that the U.S. would be sending millions of dollars in additional foreign aid to Egypt. During the scene I spoke of above, I thought about that waste of money and my blood pressure went up. When Egypt wants more aid, the response is, "Sure. We'll send it over ASAP," but when Navy SEALS need air support, the response is, "We would love to, but sorry, we're out." It's enough to make even a man like Billy Graham cuss.
  2. The Republicans aren't immune to this BS, either. During the last "budget battle" in D.C., legislation was proposed, which was sponsored by Paul Ryan, a Republican, and eventually passed into law which contained a reduction in veterans benefits. The reduction even applied to veterans who were disabled due to injuries they received while in combat serving US. You may also remember the so-called "conservative" Paul Ryan as Mitt Romney's running mate in 2012. With Republicans like him, we don't need the Democrats to screw our military and the country, the Republicans are doing a great job all by themselves.
Lone Survivor is a must see. I think it will have an impact on you. It may even leave you with similar feelings as mine. However, as I mentioned, it is graphic and realistic, and now that I've had a few days to digest it and think about what I saw, I know it has changed me.

Lone Survivor has forever changed me when it comes to election day. Previously, I had two criteria I used in evaluating a candidate - their views on guns and abortion. I now have a third one - I'll call it "veteran friendliness," and it includes evaluating a candidate as to whether they are 100% committed to :
  • ensuring our military has all the equipment necessary in order to get the job done quickly and safely, and
  • ensuring veterans and their families have great benefits and are helped transition back into civilian life when they return home.
Any candidate who does not meet both criteria will not get my vote. Likewise, any incumbent, Republican or Democrat, who has one, just one, vote supporting a decrease in military spending or veterans benefits will be voted out by me. I don't care if they've voted "veteran friendly" thousands of times before. In my opinion, they're either all in, or they're out. I hope many of you will join me in holding politicians accountable this way. My one vote will not have an affect, but thousands of us doing what I just proposed in the voting booth will. It will catch the politicians' attention faster than a female White House intern catches Bill Clinton's.

I think it's important that we look out for our veterans this way, because they have looked out for us. Our military fights the wolves overseas for us with bullets and bombs in order to keep us safe at home. We should fight the wolves here at home for them, in D.C. and the state houses nationwide, with our votes, phone calls, and e-mails in order to make sure them and their families are taken care of while they're overseas and after they return home. Our veterans will likely never ask us to do any of this, but they shouldn't have to. We must do it because it's right. Any wolf politician who doesn't agree needs to be voted out and sent home - period.

As I wrap this up, I want to say thank you to the producers, directors, writers, and others involved in making Lone Survivor. I think you have served your country and the SEALS the film is based on very well by telling their story very vividly. Americans need to know what our military men and women actually do and the conditions they do it under. I think the realism in this film is amazing, and I suspect many Americans, besides me, will be affected in a positive way by it.

I must also say thank you to all those who served on the mission the film is based upon, both the ones who gave their lives and the "Lone Survivor." You have not been forgotten. The country will be forever in your debt.
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Thursday, January 9, 2014

Could There Be A Bowl Championship Scandal Developing?

A-ha. Now it's starting to make sense. I was perplexed as to why it took Florida State's (FSU) offense so long to get going in the national championship game Monday night. The articles below, which broke today, may provide some answers as to why. It appears Auburn may have been stealing FSU's offensive play calling signals.
How could it have happened? Auburn's current receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator Dameyune Craig just completed his first season with Auburn. Guess where he was the three previous seasons? He was quarterbacks coach at FSU. Insider information, maybe?

English: National Collegiate Athletic Associat...
English: National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) logo. Source: http://www1.ncaa.org/eprise/main/Public/mlp/promotions_special_events/pe_web/promo_manual/memos/identity.pdf Converted by User:King of Hearts from :Image:National Collegiate Athletic Association logo.png using Inkscape. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I suspect more may come out about this in the coming days, and I think the NCAA should do a thorough investigation as the NFL did with the New England Patriots and "Spygate" a few years ago. The sign stealing allegation may have some merit, too. For instance, look at the flow of Monday night's game. Auburn got up 21-3 early while the FSU offense was sputtering, which would have been during the time frame the alleged sign stealing took place. FSU, as the articles above indicate, made adjustments in order to prevent the alleged signal stealing going forward and got going offesnively. From that point on, FSU outscored Auburn 31-10. I suspect word of what Auburn was doing quickly spread up and down the FSU sideline, too, and with it some extra motivation for the Seminoles.

On the other hand, I would not be surprised if this goes hush-hush. I suspect the NCAA might want to let the whole thing alone letting it die for fear of a potential scandal tarnishing its sacred and favorite cash cow - the SEC.

I find this revelation hilarious. For years, all the college football world has heard is that the ACC and the other "itty bitty" conferences just can't compete with the big, bad, awesome football machine called the SEC. If this allegation is indeed true, to me it means :
  1. Auburn felt that it was outmatched against FSU and needed an edge. It didn't think it could line up, play FSU straight up, and win. They were scared, so they cheated.
  2. The 2013 SEC Champ was able to jump out to a 21-3 lead on the ACC Champ for one main reason - stealing signals (cheating) and knowing which plays FSU was running. When FSU put an end to it, Auburn couldn't compete with them and ultimately lost their huge lead and the national championship due to having to play clean, straight up football.
  3. Since FSU outscored Auburn 31-10 after blocking the signal stealing, how badly would FSU have beaten Auburn if the entire game had been played straight up. After all, in the fourth quarter alone, FSU outscored Auburn 21-10. Unfortunately, we never know. 
As this FSU fan thinks about the reports of Auburn's actions, the old saying, "cheaters never win," comes to mind. Apparently, they don't win national championships, either.

I just can't help but laugh about this. Revelations that Auburn cheated and still couldn't beat FSU just make this championship even sweeter. I suspect some Alabama fans are laughing pretty hard, too, as it would put egg on the face of the Auburn football program.

This is just too dadgum funny.
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Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Congratulations Seminoles!

Wow! What a national championship game! Whether you were pulling for Auburn, Florida State (as I was), or just watching the game because you are a football fan, I think everyone can agree that it was a great football game. It may have been one of the best ever.

English: FSU Helmet
English: FSU Helmet (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I've got to congratulate my Seminoles. They had a great year despite the loss of 11 starters to the NFL and all the distractions, including the Winston investigation and rumors about Coach Fisher leaving to take the Texas coaching job. They went on the road in the season opener with a redshirt freshman quarterback, making his first start, and won convincingly. Later, they went into Death Valley and beat Clemson when the Tigers were ranked #3. They also beat their in-state and conference arch rival Miami Hurricanes when that team was ranked 5th. In the final regular season game, they beat up their other in-state arch rival, the Florida Gators, in The Swamp. The Seminoles beat every team they faced, most of them by wide margins, and then came back from 18 points down to beat Auburn for the national championship. It would be ludicrous for anyone to argue that they did not deserve, or earn, the national championship.

On January 2nd, I did some prognostication in regards to the national championship game. I watched 8 or 9 games that FSU played this year. I knew what they could do, and I looked at their stats and Auburn's. I did better with this game than I have the past two years trying to pick the NFL playoffs from start to finish. For instance :
  1. I said FSU's balanced offense was an advantage, and it was.
  2. I said the way to beat Auburn was to force them into being balanced offensively and away from relying predominately on running the ball. It's how LSU beat them. The final stats of the national championship game showed Auburn with 232 yards rushing and 217 passing. Boom! The Sheepdog nailed it.
  3. I said FSU's quickness and physicality on defense, as well as the long layoff, was an advantage for them. It was. Auburn's offense stagnated in the 2nd half after FSU made some adjustments.
  4. I said FSU was more motivated, and you could tell they were. After falling behind 21-3 early on, they never quit. They never stopped fighting. They wanted it more.
  5. I said the emotions involved in this game were on FSU's side. When former FSU Head Coach Bobby Bowden walked out to midfield for the coin toss, I knew this game would be special. See #4 above. After falling behind 21-3, they outscored Auburn 31-10 the rest of the game, including 21-10 the the fourth quarter. FSU never quit fighitng.
  6. I said FSU would start slow, but then get going, likely due to a spark provided by FSU's defense. The kickoff return for a touchdown and the interception in the 4th quarter were the spark FSU needed. It was all them after that. I just didn't think it would be that late in the game before they got going.
Now, what'd I miss? I missed the fact that FSU would score first. I thought Auburn would. I also predicted FSU would win by two touchdowns or more, and the score would be 38-24 FSU. Instead, FSU only won by 3 points with a final score of 34-31. I got it right that they would win, and that's all I really cared about anyway.

Night shot of the Bobby Bowden Field at Doak C...
Night shot of the Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium (Florida State University) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
So, I congratulate the Florida State Seminoles players, coaches, and supporting staff on a great season, a great win, and for finally bringing the national championship back to Seminoles Country. You made myself and a lot of other 'Noles fans very happy. I also know that fans of other teams from other conferences are thrilled, too. Many of them were tired of the SEC and it's "winning streak."

As I rapidly close in on the 7th anniversary of my heart transplant, I am grateful to still be around to enjoy the 'Noles victory. I'm also thankful that I was able to attend The ACC Championship Game in Charlotte this year with my wife and watch this special, talented team play. I'll sure never forget it.

So, thanks 'Noles. Let's do this again next year.

Heck, maybe I'll even make it to Doak Campbell Stadium for a visit.
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Thursday, January 2, 2014

Will Auburn or Florida State Be BCS Champ?

The end of one of the craziest college football seasons in my lifetime is only a few days away. The season has brought upset after upset resulting in one title contender after another falling. The season's end will see the BCS go away replaced by a new 4-team playoff, and a brand new NCAA Champ crowned for the first time in three years.

English: Logo of the Southeastern Conference (...
English: Logo of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
In an article I wrote back in September, after the completion of the week one games, I said that, "The SEC will not take the crystal trophy home again this year." I also said that I thought that the BCS title game would be between two of the following four teams - Oregon, Stanford, Louisville, Clemson. They all stumbled and fell, and neither myself nor the college football "experts" had Auburn or Florida State (FSU) on our radar as potential title game participants.

Why were they left out? Last year, Auburn went 3-9 and was one of the worst teams in the SEC. Plus, FSU lost 11 players to the NFL at the end of the 2012 season, including starting quarterback EJ Manuel. It appeared 2013 would be a rebuilding year for them, especially considering the fact that they would be starting a freshman quarterback. Both Auburn and FSU have pleasantly surprised their fans who now find their teams just one win away from a national title.

Now the question is, am I sticking to my earlier statement that the SEC will not win the title this year? When the BCS title game teams were first set, my answer would have been "no" for one reason - Auburn finished the year with two fluky, lucky wins. The way they won the Alabama and Georgia games were strange, to put it mildly. They were the kind of finishes and wins that make you say, "It's just their year." However, as I've looked at the matchups and other factors in more depth, I am now sticking by the earlier statement - the SEC's hold on the national championship ends January 6th and Auburn's luck runs out.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will admit to being an FSU fan, but that is not the reason I think they'll win the game. As I said in the above paragraph, I originally picked Auburn, but a number of factors have changed my mind. FSU has played well this year. They haven't been perfect. Many mistakes have been made, but they have steadily gotten better game by game. Below, I lay out five reasons why I believe FSU wins the BCS championship game - their balanced offense, their quick and physical defense, the month-long layoff, motivational factors, and emotional factors.

FSU's Balanced Offense
English: Sports logo of Auburn University
English: Sports logo of Auburn University (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Based upon the offensive stats of both teams, Auburn, as many of you already know, predominately runs the football. They average about 336 yards rushing and only about 170 yards passing each game. They run the football 2/3's of the time, or twice as much as they throw it. They are mainly a one-dimensional offense. FSU, on the other hand, is much more balanced. They average about 207 yards rushing and about 322 yards passing per game. That's about a 40/60 split. FSU's balance offensively makes it much tougher to defend. If Auburn were to shut down the running game, FSU can throw the football, or vice versa. However, if FSU were to shut down Auburn's run game, then you can stick a fork in the Tigers - they're done. By the way, I pulled these stats directly from the two teams websites.

FSU's balanced offense gives them an edge. In fact, if you look back at the one game Auburn lost this year against LSU, Auburn had about a 50/50 split in rushing and passing yardage in the game (213 vs. 224). LSU spanked Auburn by two touchdowns, winning 35-21. That game alone makes it clear that if you take away Auburn's reliance on the run, you beat them.

FSU's Quick, Physical Defense

FSU's defense has shown time and time again this year that they are not only physical, but fast. They generate turnovers and make adjustments during the game as good as any team in the country. Auburn is physical and has played some physical teams during their SEC schedule. However, the Auburn offense has not been up against a defense that combines both quickness and physicality, like FSU's. If LSU can cause Auburn's offense problems, it's a safe bet that FSU can, too, and likely cause more problems than LSU did.

The Layoff

Both teams come into the game with a month layoff. So, who does that favor? I think it may hurt the FSU offense more than it does Auburn's. However, it is a huge advantage for FSU's defense. Defensive Coordinator Jeremy Pruitt and company have had a month to go over the tape of the LSU / Auburn game and put together a defensive scheme to slow down, or maybe even stop, Auburn's run game. The long layoff benefits FSU's defense most. The FSU offense will be fine once it gets in a rhythm.

Motivation

FSU Logo
FSU Logo (Photo credit: Larry Tomlinson)
You shouldn't need much motivation to play for the national championship. It's what you play the game for - to be the best. Both teams want that last, crystal, BCS Championship Trophy. However, I think FSU is more motivated for a couple of reasons :
  1. FSU's last national championship was 14 years ago after the 1999 season. Auburn last won it after the 2010 season. The FSU football program has a reputation for being one of the best and a place where champions are made. The team, the university, and its fans are really hungry for a title.
  2. Little respect has been shown to FSU, other teams, and other conferences by the SEC and its fans, as well as the sports media over the last several years. The disrespect, in my opinion, has been even worse this year with talk that "only SEC teams can win national championships." I've even heard people say that if a team is not in the SEC, it doesn't even deserve to play in the championship game. Even though FSU players I've heard interviewed over the last few days have said they're not paying attention to that stuff, I gotta think it's in the back of their minds at least. Football players have long memories and the disrespect will be a motivational factor on January 6th. Mark it down.
  3. Near the end of the regular season, the Jameis Winston sexual assault investigation raised its ugly head. No charges ended up being filed against the FSU quarterback. However, it seemed to me, while watching FSU's games at the end of the year, that at least some of the players took the whole thing personally. They did not like all the negative press their teammate and team were receiving. They came together and used it to build team cohesion. It motivated them in the beatdown of Florida and Idaho, and it seemed to carry over into the win over Duke in the ACC Championship Game, too. I'm sure the investigation will be brought up again leading up to the national championship game. Auburn would be wise to request a gag order in regards to it. That whole investigation pissed off the FSU football team. They haven't gotten over it, either.
Emotion

On Christmas Day, it was reported that a grandson of former FSU Head Coach Bobby Bowden was killed in a car accident shortly after the family had celebrated Christmas together. I always liked Coach Bowden. He is the main reason I am an FSU fan. My heart goes out to him and his family. He grew the FSU football program tremendously and helped the young men he coached. He built FSU into a powerhouse and won two national championships while at the helm. Coach Bowden came back to FSU this season for the first time since his departure and attended two football games. He received a hero's welcome, too.

Football is not only a game of X's and O's, but also of emotion. FSU has ridden an emotional roller coaster this year, and the loss of Bowden's grandson means the ride lasts a little longer. On top of all the other reasons I've laid out as to why I think FSU wins this ballgame, I'll throw the whole "win one for the Gipper" sentiment in there, too.

Summary

FSU Football
FSU Football (Photo credit: D Wilkinson)
I've heard a lot of talk and read many articles leading up to this football game. Most of what I've heard and read has been along the lines of, "FSU's defense can't stop the Auburn run game." I've thought to myself each time, "Really? They might. They might not, but what makes you think Auburn's defense can slow down or stop FSU's offense? After all, Auburn gave up 42 points to Missouri. Auburn has not faced one offense this year with as much talent as FSU."

Now, in regards to how the game goes, I think the layoff will cause FSU's offense to start a little slow, but it will get going. I think Auburn scores first, but then the fireworks will start for FSU after a big play by the FSU defense. Those guys have done it all year. The oddsmakers have FSU as a 8-9 point favorite. However, I don't think the game is that close at the end. I think FSU wins by at least two touchdowns, and it's possible that FSU might blow Auburn out.

Stick a fork in the SEC's hold on the national championship - it's done. I'm picking Florida State to win 38-24.

Go 'Noles!
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