Tail wind

In a previous post, I wrote about the turn-around in Boeing's fortunes due to mis-steps at Airbus. This week's issue of Business Week has a good article about further improvements in Boeing's fortunes resulting from improvements in the sales of cargo planes due to delays in the A380 program and increased trade due to globalization.

// EOJ

I guess the author of www.fireglenmason.com can close the site down after today's news.

Nostradamus had a fish head

In a recent post, I poked fun at Glen Mason and his Minnesota Golden Gophers for their propensity to choke away big leads. Yea verily Glen came thru as he and the Gophers choked away a big one at the Insight Bowl, losing 44-41 to Texas Tech in OT. Sounds bad? Its worse than it sounds, as the Gophers led 38-7 in the third quarter. Sounds worse? Hold on. After leading 38-7, the Gophers collapsed in choke-tacular fashion, as the Red Raiders tied the game with a 52-yard FG as time expired. Sound even worse? Hold on. It turns out, the Red Raiders had just staged the largest comeback in Bowl history, at the expense of the Gophers.

If you have a fire extinguisher handy, feel free to visit www.fireglenmason.com but be prepared to douse your PC when the vitriol sets it afire...

Filet the Fish Head

In my last post I bagged on Florida State for their pathetic season and for accepting a bowl bid. Perhaps my commentary was premature as the Seminoles laid a smack down on the Bruins. That guy Mason had better not make me 0-2 on predictions...

Bowl boredom

So far Bowl season has been a groaning bore of epic proportions. Last nite the Central Michigan Chippewas beat the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders in the Motor City Bowl. This game between two complete unknowns did draw over 54,000 fans, so I guess somebody was interested in it. I can say that Ford Field is a very nice venue, having myself attended a Bowl there a few years ago (eat at Jacoby's if you get a chance).

Tonite we will be treated to Florida State versus UCLA in the Emerald Bowl. Florida State will be playing not to lose (life is a bitch when your record is 6-7), and UCLA will be playing for...I dunno what the Bruins will be playing for. Respect? Actually now that I think about it, the Bruins will be playing not to lose too, since losing to the helpless, hapless, pathetic wretches at FSU would be very embarrassing. Bobby Bowden should do the right thing and admit that the Seminoles suck this year and he embarrassed the University by accepting a bowl bid. How bad is it when the sports pages refer to your team as "floundering"?

Later in the week we'll get a couple half-decent Big Ten games (what's more fun than watching Glen Mason choke away a big game? How many times can we enjoy watching the "Victory Right" Hail Mary throw by Zak Kustok? Can you say a zillion bajillion?). But to be honest the first good games are on New Year's Day; the Michigan and Boise State games should be awesome.

I'm not much of a basketball fan, but my brother lent me his season tickets for the DePaul game and my oldest daughter and I attended. We watched the Blue Demons rout the California Golden Bears 90-62 at the Allstate Arena. This game completed DePaul's West Coast swing, the Demons having previously beaten the UC-Irvine Anteaters (I am not making that up).

The Bears outplayed the Demons in the first half, but two spectacular alley oop slams by Wilson Chandler combined with tough defense allowed the Blue Demons to pull away after the half.

For those of the Fish Head's vast readership not familiar with the university, DePaul is the largest Catholic university in the country and has a storied basketball history including many years with the legendary Ray Meyer as head coach. More importantly, the Fish Head, both the Fish Head's brothers, and the Fish Head's father, are all alumni of this esteemed Chicago institution.

Happy Bowl Season

Northern Illinois and TCU kicked off the Bowl Season last nite, as the Horned Frogs pummelled the Huskies 37-7 in the Poinsettia Bowl. The Frogs shut down the Huskies running game, limiting Garrett Wolfe to an anemic 28 yards. The Huskies lone score came off a blocked punt, which was one of three kicks blocked by NIU. Famous Frog grad Ladainian Tomlinson watched from the sidelines as his team embarrassed NIU by piling up yards and points. Better luck next year to the Huskies, and they'll need it, graduating both their star running back Wolfe and injured qb Horvath.

I hope you washed it first

Its been a tough few years for the US military in terms of proper supplies. Shortages of body armor, Humvee armor, etc. How can you win a war when you can't supply your troops with the stuffs they need to win? However, as tough as its been, the Scots have it far tougher. First you're forced to wear a dress, then you're forced to share it!

Crook County

The shenanigans continue in Cook County. Presumably everyone remembers the dirty dealing that resulted in former Cook Country Board President John Stroger's son, Todd, being selected to replace him - not by the voters, but by Dem machine politicos in a smoke-filled room. As if that was not bad enough, that dirty fiasco was quickly followed by interim board president Bobbi Steele deftly exploiting a legal loophole to double her pension to $136,000 per year. That's correct, $136,000 per year in pension benefits, as a result of 4 months of work as interim board president. A pretty good deal for her, especially given the current predicament local governments face on unfunded pension benefits! Not amazed yet by the chicanery? Let's keep going. Now Bobbi wants to be sure that as she departs, her son replaces her on the County Board. So let's see. John Stroger got his son Todd installed. Bobbi wants to get her son, Robert, installed. Still not gagging? Hey, I forgot that William Beavers wants to get his daugher Darcel his old city council seat as he takes over John Stroger's old commission seat. And what say in any of this do the voters have? Hey, there is nothing wrong with the word zero, is there?

Pay back is a bitch

God took the opportunity and smote the heathens a mighty blow.