Turkey Bowl MMVIII

I should have put this post up like a week ago, but we've been really busy, so I'm putting up two posts today (don't miss this one). I made two trips to Weatherford last week and a trip to Ft. Smith this weekend for harp stuff. Kenta has been super busy with final projects and presentations. I don't think he got to bed before 2:00 a.m. this entire week. I warned him during Thanksgiving that he needed to get some work done, or he would be severely regretting it (man, I sound like my mom). He decided to play during the break and pay for the consequences. Not that I blame him - if I was still in school, I wouldn't want to be doing schoolwork while there was family in town and fun to be had.

My take (Kenta): This is the biggest moment of the year for the older guys...the chance to beat out the young men in a game of touch/flag football Thanksgiving morning while the women stay home to make the majority of the meal, partly because it's usually really cold outside and only the men would be silly enough to be out in that weather voluntarily. It was a great tradition I've been a part of and growing up, it's been a toss up as to who won the game. Sometimes we won and sometimes, the geezers won. Sadly, I play on the geezer team now. I say geezer because we're all getting older and just can't take intense physical activity like we used to. Every practice we had this year, someone was hobbling home because we're all out of shape and most of us were so sore during church the next day, we had to lift our legs with our hands just to get in or out of the car. So yeah, we're getting old. Anyway, the game was a lot of fun. Only one person got hurt and they had to go to the hospital to get stitches in their lip. He happened to be a wrestler for OU and wrestled that night. I doubt his coach was happy. Everyone else was okay fortunately.I didn't fair so well in how I played. I guess you could say I was covering the Michael Crabtree of the young men's team. I could keep up with him just fine and could catch him if he got past me but I just had a hard time because he was so shifty as you will see. Some of it was me not knowing what I was doing either but I still did what I could. Kendall took some good video of all the action and even if I wasn't playing like Derrick Strait, I left it in there. You could say our defense was like Missouri's....not very good for the most part.The boys ended up winning 6-5 but we came within 3 yards or so. If only we had about 5 more seconds. It was very exciting.
Before you watch this (this is Kendall again) I just want to warn you - I threw down an innocent "crap" in the middle of my color commentary...if that word offends you, or if you don't want your kids to hear it, you've been warned. I didn't realize how often that word slips into my vocabulary until Sunday, when I threw it AUDIBLY into the middle of the YW theme while reciting it with the girls (I had a reason - I missed that new line that they added a few years ago - it gets me every time). Enjoy!


Turkey Bowl 2008 from Kenta Hood on Vimeo.

Hear ye, hear ye

At Kenta's request, I am publishing an assignment that I wrote for my Institute class. We were asked to write a modern-day parable. Due to recent controversy in the world of college football, combined with about 10 hours in the car last week listening to the Sports Animal, and a mild case of pregnancy -induced insomnia, I came up with this little gem. If you don't know much about/don't care about college football, you probably don't even want to read this because it will not make much sense to you. Sorry.

However, if you are obsessed with it (like me) and lately have felt the urge to scream any time an ESPN analyst opens their mouth, this is right up your alley. On a personal note: any time I get a chance to slam Brent Musburger, I do so. If you do not know who he is, consider yourself lucky. For those of you who have endured his biased color commentary for who-knows-how-many seasons of OU football - bless you. The only thing that keeps me from muting the TV during an OU football game and listening to Bob Barry on the radio while I watch (thanks for the idea, Steph) is Brent's trusty sidekick Kirk Herbstreit, who I happen to have an innocent celebrity crush on (it's okay - Kenta knows). But even Herbie has been bothering me a bit lately. Anyway - without further ado, I bring you:

The Parable of the BCS

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto the BCS, when one lord of the BCS seeking an heir to his kingdom gathered together his people and spake unto them saying:

Behold my time has come and an heir to my kingdom do I seek. I shall send thee forth for a little season to battle one with another that ye may prove me herewith which of ye shall be deserving of inheriting mine kingdom. This is not all, yea, judges[1] will I appoint and technologies[2] will I use that thereby they may assist me. Yea, it is expedient unto thee that thou shalt emerge victorious in battle in a manner most comely[3], that thereby ye may inherit the kingdom.

The multitude, finding the words of the lord agreeable, went forth battling one with another in green pastures for a little season.

There arose among them one mighty people, the Soonerites, who being the rightful heir to the kingdom, but nevertheless having to prove themselves worthy, went forth in the same manner to battle.

But upon journeying southward toward the river Red to battle, they found themselves in precarious circumstances and fell among the people of the Longhorns, beaten and defeated.

Upon receiving this great loss, they remembered the words of the lord that whosoever shall emerge victorious in a manner most comely, unto them shall be given the kingdom. Therefore, they repented and again went forth to battle, with strength and comeliness that had never before been seen among the people.

Whilst the Longhorns, upon traveling north and west to the land of Lubbock, squandered their inheritance falling among the people of the Red Raiders.

They reasoned within themselves saying, yea the Soonerites have we beaten, surely this victory shall be enough.

After a little season, the lord called upon his judges and technologies, and unto the Soonerites was given the kingdom.

And Mack Brown and Brent Musburger murmured within themselves saying, how can this be seeing that the Soonerites gained only onescore and fifteen to our twoscore and five?

The lord of the BCS spake unto them saying: my sons, do ye not remember what I spake unto thee concerning the manner in which ye were to battle? My people, the Sooners, have repented of the evil they hath done with thee whilst thou has squandered thine inheritance, believing all the while that what thou hast done previously was sufficient. Thou knewest the words which I spake unto thee before thou wentest forth unto battle Behold my judges and technologies find fault with thee, therefore unto the Sooners will I commend my kingdom.

And Mack and Brent went their way sorrowful for they remembered the words which the Lord had spoken.

[1] IE Harris poll and USA Today poll
[2] IE computer ranking
[3] IE style points