Cassandra and I were having a little chat in the office. Mr. Davison was still in a coma, and Lt. Moore was on the lam. Things had been a bit quiet, so we were occupying ourselves with the annual soap opera, 'As the Coaches Turn'.
"Before we get started on the self-indulgent, gratuitous speculation that comes with tracking coaching changes, let me know what our friends and allies have picked for the championship games, this weekend," I said.
Cassandra sighed at me as she finished adding peppermint coffee-mate to her brew. "Leroix is picking LSU in what has got to be the shock of the year."
"Has he named a score?" I asked, trying really hard to imagine Leroix taking anyone but LSU for any reason, and not being able to do it.
"He said he's a little concerned with them 'tightening up' in Atlanta, and that Les Miles hasn't had his annual act of craziness, yet. He's worried that LSU will win, but by less than 10 points, he said Les Tigres 23-Ugas 14."
"How about Clemson and V-Tech?"
"Leroix said I should handle that one. V-Tech is hot, Clemson is not. The Hokies should avenge their only loss and make their way to the Orange bowl. I'm going to say VTU 28, Tigres l'Orange 10."
"How is Bubba handling the Big 12 not-championship?"
"In spite of all evidence, he's sticking with OU. He's putting his money on Stoops out-coaching Gundy, again. I told him he was nuts and the players on the field decide the game, and too many of OU's weapons have tape, bandages and braces on to win, this year."
"We have to make it official," I said. "What is the pick?"
"Bubba says OU 56, Cow Rapers 49."
"Let's head out west. Did you even call Marcus?"
"No. No point. Oregon is playing UCLA. The Little Bears lost to USC by 50. Oregon almost came back to beat USC. If Oregon doesn't win this by 35, it's by personal choice."
"Prediction?"
"Quackers 49-10, lots of work for the scrubs."
"Now for the big one. Whisky or Sparty."
"Granny Gunn is picking U-dub, of course. They have been hot for the past month and are looking for revenge. I asked Lloyd to make a case for the Thpartans and he just mumbled something about them getting lucky like they did last time."
"Based on that, what do you think?"
"Stinking Badgers should own them, 35-17."
"What are your bowl projections?"
"LSU-'Bama in the NGC. Oregon-Wisconsin in the Rose. Virginia Tech-Big East schlub of the week (West Virginia). If Bubba is right, OU-Stanford in the Fiesta, which would set up a Okie Lite-Houston game for the Sugar."
"Tell me about the coaching shuffle," I said.
"There have been 18 head-coaching changes. Three in the B1G, Ohio State, Illinois and Penn State. Urban Meyer has landed the gig in Columbus, and the rest of the B1G is worried. On the upside for NU, it means that Bo's dream job is off the market for the next 5 years or so."
"There were eight other BCS AQ schools that changed coaches. Texas A&M, Kansas, Mississippi and North Carolina. The interesting one is Mike Sherman getting fired from A&M. He's got NFL ties and Pelini ties from their Green Bay days. Turner Gill got a raw deal from Kansas. He got a big, fat buyout, so he can chill for awhile, but I expect to see him back at the NU athletic department offices in the next six months. Not as a coach, though. I'm betting on recruiting coordinator."
"What's that leave us with?"
"The Pac-12 had a coaching bloodbath. Wazzu, UCLA and both Arizona schools fired their coaches. Mike Leach landed the Wazzu gig. He was able to succeed in Lubbock, with leftover Texas talent. The fans will love his style of swashbuckling offense and no-one in the Pac-12 plays defense, anyway, so he could make them a contender, quickly."
"What else was there?"
"Skippy Neuheisel is out at UCLA, expect to see him on TV, next year. Arizona State booted Dennis Erickson, and they'll have to go big-time, big name hire like, I don't know, Kevin Sumlin from Houston."
"OK, tell me again about your Youngstown Connection chain."
"Carl Pelini is all set to take over the Florida Atlantic, job. This frees up a DC slot at Nebraska. Mike Stoops got canned at Arizona. He and Bo worked together as co-DC's at OU when Bo didn't get the gig here, the first time. They have the Youngstown connection, are good buddies, and Mike was over his head as an HC, but DC, here, could be a sweet destination gig. He already knows how Bo thinks, and would allow him to maintain his position as Chief-football-officer of Nebraska, Inc."
Lots to chew on.
Husk-husk and on the qb.
