by Wally
Just finished my list for Santa … getting ready to text it to him. Here are the sports related things I want for Christmas … deliverable either Christmas morning or as appropriate in the New Year:
1. I want the Bears to finish strong … win these last two games and earn that bye during wildcard week. But most importantly, at least win your first playoff game.
2. I’d like some Texas A&M swag … like a windshirt or sweatshirt for one of those windy days in the 50’s. Someone tell Emily.
3. Decent seats to the Final Four (Houston’s Reliant Stadium)… somehow could they just fall in my lap??? This is a bucket list item.
4. Notre Dame basketball makes it to their second Final Four EVER … this April. A Cinderella Story. Combined with #3, this would make my sports year.
5. Chicago Bulls make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. Ambitious, but a reasonable stretch. Just get there … then we’ll talk about what’s possible in 2012.
6. Notre Dame football finishes the 2011 season in the Top 10. That’s 10-2 and then win a bowl game for 11-2. Heck, if ya wanna do better than that, please don’t let me stand in your way.
7. A college football playoff. By the way … I didn’t write this, but it must be a brain meld with this very bright Chicago SunTimes writer: https://www.suntimes.com/sports/colleges/3006553-419/bowl-playoff-bcs-team-championship.html 🙂
8. I want TCU to kick Wisconsin’s butt in the Rose Bowl. Nothing against the Badgers, but I want to see another Boise State -Utah type good-feeling moment in the post-season. Oh … and I want to see the Oregon Ducks beat Scam Newton and take the title.
9. Chicago Cubs make the playoffs AND win a playoff series. We gotta get these guys “back in the game”.
10. The White Sox go to the World Series. Plain and simple … they have a team that could do it … a stretch … yes … but not totally out of this world with the changes they’ve made.
11. The ability to consistently hit my drives reasonably straight. Solid contact and 260+ yards is not a problem … but 1/3 right, 1/3 in the fairway, and 1/3 left is not something to build a good score on.
12. Last but not least, I want to come out of nowhere to win the PPP (Peerless Prognosticators Pool). Here are the current standings before the Hawaii Bowl tonight. AC and Crash are leading the way.
| Point totals: | |||
| 1 | Dan | 4 | |
| 2 | Rey | 5 | |
| 3 | Pete | 4 | |
| 4 | Bill | 2 | |
| 5 | Chas | 5 | |
| 6 | Mark (Pete) | 6 | |
| 7 | Wally | 4 | |
| 8 | Smitty | 5 | |
| 9 | Wannabe | 6 | |
| 10 | Casey | 4 | |
| 11 | AC (Pete) | 7 | |
| 12 | Pete Jr | 1 | |
| 13 | Crash | 7 | |
| 14 | Joe | 4 | |
| 15 | ND Dad | 2 |
MERRY CHRISTMAS, everyone!
🙂
Geez, it looks like I brought in some ringers!
And then there’s Pete Jr. Ha … jk, junior.
I think your biggest stretch there is the Cubbies makin it to the play-offs and somehow winning a series. Oh and BTW, no more Boise State swag needed?
Wally,
Good luck with your wishlist ! As good as you’ve been this year it doesn’t seem to be asking to much…Right ?
A safe, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year “Pineriders 🙂
Anthony … will always gladly accept Boise State swag, but I do have a sweatshirt already …. and it looks a little odd when I’m wearing it at College Station. Just trying to fit in 🙂
Does the company have a luxury suite at Reliant?
ND in the final four? WHOA! Setting up yourself for a possible letdown? Not saying the Irish can’t do it, but four wins in the tourney?
As for the consistently driving straight – I know next to nothing about golf, but I recall an instructional session where you showed me how to let the driver do the work. Lesson – you are squeezing too tight and swinging too hard. No coffee before you go out on the course.
🙂
Heck, I just hope to drive straight on the ROAD! The list of Wally’s impossibilities grows; Cubbies, ND, soon I’m sure someone will mention the Sox and/or Da’ Bears. Good thing he included the swag request.
hey, I believe Crash was sandbagging. he’s going to have to change his plate to “Beat the other Prognosticators” (and buy a wider car too)!
Hey Wally.. The Red Sox are playing in Houston this summer. Interested in going??
As for your list – you making the Egg Nog strong down there? 🙂
Not sure about the Cub making the playoffs when teams in its division are quietly making themselves better. Anyone notice the off season the Brewers are putting together. For all of the focus o the Phillies and the Red Sox – the Brewers are having a very good off season.
Smitty —
Yes … Want to come visit for some BoSox games? I’ll go if you’re going and you can definitely stay with us. Heck, bring Casey too. We usually try to go to 4-5 games a summer and we can plan on this one. Keep me posted on what ya want to do. Hopefully, it’s not while we’re up north June 2-17 or so.
Hey … Santa delivered some A&M swag … a nice windshirt … good for golfing. He probably decided that my golf swing was a lost cause and instead delivered some new Titleists … replacements for all those balls I’ll lose this coming year. Ok … that’s a win.
I think half of my list may come true … it’s possible … that would be great. Even just 3 of those things. Bears could finish strong, Bulls are having a nice season … and I can go to the Final Four if I want to … just depends how much I have to pay. ND playing in it would indeed be a major surprise … but maybe Northwestern or Texas A&M could sneak in, huh? Or Kentucky.
Crash is starting to run away with the PPP … he’s got 9 points … but games are still not worth a lot of points right now. Most of us have only 4, 5, or 6 points after Tulsa’s win/Hawaii’s loss. Okay … he’s not running away with it … yet.
FELIZ NAVIDAD!
Wally – The Sox will be there for the 4th of July weekend. Let me know if that is going to work for you and the family. How warm will it be in July??
We will definitely have to run it by Casey.
Smitty,
Houston in July ? Plan on 100 degrees and 90% humidity…
However I hear the future new pool at the “Casa De Watzke” is going to be phenomenal 🙂
Wally,
Final Four and Championship Monday here we come baby ! See you Friday April Fools Day Ya’ll 🙂
Smitty —
That should work for early July … let’s make sure we discuss details as the time draws nearer. I likely will not be able to take any weekday time off then due to 2nd quarter close, but the weekend should be fine. Looks like Boston is in for a weekend series which is great. You are welcome to stay with us and we’ll try to accompany you to as many games as you have planned.
How “warm” will it be? Wrong question … how STEAMY will it be? is a better question. As Crash suggests, figure on 95 with very high humidity. Unlike Arizona, it’s a wet heat. 🙂 But of course, Minute Maid Park will be enclosed and air-conditioned … so it’s all good. And the backyard pool should be functional. Hope we can make it work … you have time to convince Casey.
We’re doin the F4, Crash! Another BLT to go … looking forward to it 🙂
Well … I for one couldn’t even pick my nose right these days if my life depended on it. How are all these ranked teams just coming in and laying down like cheap throw rugs??? Most of ’em have evidently lost the ability to catch punts for crisakes! Oh well, here are the standings before the three games today 12/29:
Crash 14
Chas 13
AC (Pete) 13
Pete 12
Smitty 11
Wannabe 11
Mark (Pete) 9
ND Dad 9
Rey 8
Dan 7
Bill 7
Joe 7
Wally 6
Casey 6
Pete Jr 3
Still quite tight and anyone can win if they get hot. We merge into “Stage 4” with the Oklahoma State vs Arizona game tonight. Stakes increase! Please keep track of your own scores and let me know if you spot a discrepancy.
Wow! I’m on vacation and just checking in here. Can’t believe I’m in second place, although there is a long way to go.
Stay on vacation Chas. Looks like you took the lead by sweeping 12/29 games.