Support the Beaver!

It is historic times not only at the Yard but the entire United States. We were thrilled to hear that President elect Obama was going to take on this mess with the BCS as a top agenda item. Although, we are concerned that the junior Senator from Illinois has not turned things around or fulfilled a single campaign promise since elected, we do appreciate his priorities.

The Yard questions why any politician would give up the rock star gig of being a US Senator to pursue the presidency, especially at times like these? Each US Senator gets paid at least $170 large with perks and massive amounts of sunshine being blown up their colons by friends, family and lobbyists. Lifetime pension from the very first six year term, no term limits and minimal accountability for the rest of the days of their lives. The only election a senatorial hopeful has to win is the first. From then on, it is job security that we thought only local news weathermen enjoyed.

Joe Biden won VP but also he won his senatorial race as well on November 4. Alaska Senator Ted Stevens and the great state of Alaska is still counting votes trying to find a way to re-elect the Tedster even though he was just convicted of seven felonies and is awaiting sentencing. Barbara Boxter is like Haley’s comet and California will not be in her orbit until the mid-term elections in 2010. A Senator would almost have to get drunk, drive their car off of a bridge into a lake while saving himself and letting his date drown to lose an election…wait… bad example…you get the point…it is a great gig.

Nonetheless, the BCS situation is wallowing and twisting with dark days ahead. Time is wasting as the quagmire of trying to find the most deserving teams to play for the championship using the statistical correlation between the Pythagorean Theorem and Astral Projection starts to unravel. Barak better work on GM and Chrysler because the BCS is not going to be an easy fix.

And a conflagration of biblical proportions is emerging as the blue states of CA and FLA shout down not only the red states of OK and TX but each other with equal vitriol. Obama’s transition team is considering a Chief of the Yard position to quell the storm. We are flattered to be considered but not sure a senate hearing is in our best interests until the statute of limitations runs out on some youthful exuberance incidents. Eye witness testimony can be disputed but damn those cell phone cameras, damn them!

Pete Carroll was the first go public with his BCS outrage. He should be more outraged about losing to an unranked team for the 4th straight year. USC is playing some of the finest football in the land as we go to press. But they lost in Corvallis on a Thursday in October in a season when their schedule could not afford to lose any games.

The Puke-10 is a mess this year. USC’s next quality opponent is going to be Wednesday in practice. LA Times writer Bill Dwyer suggested that the Trojans take over for the Raiders for the balance of the NFL season. He argued that USC’s second string could still win out in the Pac-10 and the first string could compete for a playoff spot in the AFC Worst. The Yard concurs that the Trojans have a better chance of winning the AFC West than the BCS Championship.

Although we bleed the blue, this year more than some, the Yard is a staunch free market pragmatist. If USC and Oregon State both win out, the Pac-10 most likely gets two BCS bowl bids. USC could actually play for the National Championship without winning the Pac-10. Those two games would kick in over $20 million to the conference. USC has already contributed about $1-1.5 million a year to every Pac-10 school the last few years. UCLA rebuffed naming a building after them but Troy is one of Bruin Nation's largest benefactors. Public records show that UCLA sent USC $67.83 and a very nice shot glass collection after their Las Vegas Bowl visit last December. Support the Beaver in their quest to go to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1965. And baby needs new shoes!

Blue Notes: The Dodgers got Manny for free last season but Scott Boras has let them know there is no free lunch moving into next season. It was fun while it lasted but Manny will be playing somewhere else next year. The Dodgers have to pretend that they are interested but guaranteed contracts for 36 year old whack jobs is never prudent. Let us remember the Manny who lit up the Ravine for two months not the malingering Manny who could not remember which knee needed the MRI when he sat out two games while with the Sox in July. Manny with a big fat contract is not Manny trying to earn a big fat contract. Good luck, Manram and thanks for the memories.