The University of Tennessee has finally found a replacement for Derek Dooley. The school announced the hiring of Butch Jones (not to be confused with Butch Davis formerly of North Carolina)! Butch Jones has been at Cincinnati for the past three years and prior to that, spent three years at Central Michigan.
So, it now falls upon his shoulders to bring the Vols back to prominence, both in the SEC and nationally.
Tom Brady and wife Gisele welcomed their second child, a baby girl, and named her Vivian Lake. My or my, with those genes, she is going to be a beauty! Tom is going to have his hands full when she grows up and the boys come calling!
Congrats to them!
Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos defeated the Oakland Raiders last night, 26 – 13. Peyton threw for 310 yards with one TD. The Broncos have already clinched the AFC West and are now 10 – 3. Manning continues to show that Elway’s decision to bring him to Denver was a brilliant one, and that he has much greatness left!
I also want to give a shout out to Phillip Wheeler, Line Backer for the Oakland Raiders. As one of the announcers noted, he has really developed into a fine NFL LB!! Good for him, he is a former Georgia Tech LB!! Interestingly enough, he got his start in the NFL playing for the Colts while the aforementioned Mr. Peyton Manning, the great, was there!! It is a small world after all! Especially in the NFL, where from one year to the next, you do not know who will be playing where!
Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos will face the Oakland Raiders tonight on Thursday Night Football. Peyton has led the Broncos to seven straight wins, starting back in October in that infamous come from behind victory on MNF which has completely turned the season in a new direction for the Broncos (see post, The Sheriff is Back!).
Want to see Peyton keep it going and show everyone he is back and can play at the elite level we all want to see! He has also shown great leadership and facilitated the development of many of the younger Bronco players as well (Be Be Thomas for example!)
Kobe Bryant joined the elite club of those who have scored 30,000 career points last night! The Lakers defeated the Hornets, 103 – 87. Kobe finished with 29 points. The Lakers needed this win badly. They are without point guard Steve Nash, also Steve Blake has had abdominale surgery and will be out six to eight weeks. Howard is adjusting and the Lakers are still trying to figure out how to play together, with some important pieces missing. Pau Gasol sat out again last night but I think rumors of the Lakers looking to trade him are false. Do not trade Pau!!
Congrats again to Kobe Bryant!
The winter season finale of the ABC hit drama Nashville aired last night. Oh my! Let’s see if we can summarize. The weasel Avery is headed to Atlanta for a music deal, but he will have to ditch his longtime band mate and friend?? Deacon is offered the chance of a lifetime to tour with a great band, but has trouble leaving Nashville behind due to Rayna. He will go on tour. Also headed on tour, Rayna and Juliette together, Rayna has not said no, and she will say yes. She needs distance from Teddy and the latest revelations about his past which have come to light. Meanwhile, his cohort and former partner in crime tries to commit suicide, but will live (Kimberly Williams-Paisley). And, Deacon’s adorable niece, former girlfriend of Avery, may or may not get a gig as lead singer for an up and coming band. Meanwhile, Juliette proposed to her sweet football star boyfriend, after his Momma tells her in no uncertain terms, she is not good enough for him or their family! Gosh, did I leave anything out? Probably, but hard to keep up. Nashville will be back in January 2013 and I cannot wait!
Kobe Bryant just made history, that is what Kobe did! With 1:16 minutes remaining in the second period, Kobe made a slashing right handed running shot in the lane and with that, he became the youngest player in NBA history to achieve 30,000 career points. (Vintage Kobe!) The Lakers trailed at the half but are up in the third period, 60 – 48 and Kobe has scored 22 points. Congrats Kobe!
The larger question looms, what will the Lakers do? Hopefully get it together very soon!!
It is Wednesday, and that means
plug my book, Surviving “Paradise” by Susan Willoch Shaver. It is available at Amazon.com for $9.99 in paperback and $3.03 kindle edition. It is also available at Barnes and Noble Nook for $4.99 and many other online retailers. Buy it, read it, and write a review!!
The 2012 NCAA College Football Coach of the Year is…Notre Dame’s Brian Kelly!! Congrats! What do you think, good choice? Really had to be him after he put them in the BCS Championship Game, don’t you think?
Interestingly, watching a TV program called Go On with Matthew Perry (Friends) who plays the host of a sports radio talk show and is grieving over the death of his beloved wife, I came across this incredible tidbit. Jimmy V (Jimmy Valvano, legendary coach of NC State who fought a brave battle with cancer that he lost) had a recipe for the perfect day. 1) Laugh 2) Think and 3) Cry Very profound!
I still love Jimmy V’s philosophy of “Don’t give up, don’t EVER give up”! It is the best!
