Reprinting this gem from January 2010...
SCOUTS ADOPT SURPRISING RECRUITMENT STRATEGY
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (MSNBC)...”Vegas, Baby!” was the rally cry from a gathering of several thousand scoutmasters after they solidified plans to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America in sportsbooks up-and-down the Las Vegas Strip in early February 2010. From Tenderfoot to Eagle Scout, the ranks of the famous entity descended upon Sin City to help map out its strategy to bolster a diminishing membership that has been plagued by scandals, questionable data records and policies that omitted applicants based on sexual orientation and religious views (or lack thereof). Organizers said they need to meet today’s high-tech wielding youth, that flashes cell-phones and responds to talk of building campfires and tying knots with :There’s an app for that.”, on its own ground and hope to lure young college sports fans with big screen TVs and cocktail servers in referee outfits, acknowledging that “sportsmanship’s no longer about winning or losing, it’s about which team makes more field goals and free throws in the final seconds to beat da’ spread.” Thinking outside the box of Girl Scout cookies even more, event planners expect to teach first aid courses involving use of the parlay card as a field-expedient tourniquet!
On the strength of ‘Bama’s recovery from an early 17-point hole, we entered the final game of the weekend tied at 2-2. Gratefully, the total went “over 48 ½” with just four-and-a-half minutes elapsed in the Third Quarter to put at 3-2 (39-43-1, .475).
Under the tree...behind the Hasbro Chuck Norris “referee” figure with kung-fu grip, by the “Steampunk Barbie” doll and Super Jock Pickleball Player (raise yer hand if ya remember the toys-in-question from back in the 70’s!), near the Arnold Schwarzenegger See ‘n Say, Gillette Razor Fidget Spinner, Dude Wipes fanny pack, K-Pop Demon Hunters sippy cup, and covered with an autographed forecast worn pair of Vindy’s Stranger Things Underoos, you’ll find...
THE WEBER KID’S 2025-26 BOWL PREDICTIONS PART DEUX
(Sponsored by GEICO: “Yer not the Vegas Vindicator, but we’ll treat ya like him.”)
SAT. DEC. 27
Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl (@ Bronx, NY)
Penn State vs. Clemson (“under 48 ½”): Penn State all-time school touchdown leader Nick Singleton, who accounted for 15 of State’s 42 total TDs, has opted-out. Leading rusher Katron Allen has not yet declared one way or the other. Early indications are that the Nittany Lions players are at least willing to work with new coach Matt Campbell, who was also smart enuff to retain Terry Smith, who players rallied around after James Franklin was dismissed. Clemson will be missing 27 scholarship players, mostly due to injury. QB Cade Klubnik will play in this one for draft purposes but won’t have as many targets to throw to in Clemson’s pass-oriented offense. Tigers allowed 20.4 ppg. Lions gave up 1 more ppg. In the minor upset...Lions 23 And Tigers 19 (No Bears...oh, my!)
Wasabi Fenway Bowl (@ Boston, MA)
UConn (+9 ½) over Army (44): UPSET PICK OF DA’ WEEK #1. Taking the ‘dog straight up is a bold call here, but the Ground Pounders have little to play for except removing the bad taste of falling to Navy in a game they mostly dominated and avoiding their first overall losing season since 2019. Admittedly, we supported the questionable motivation tact for Ole Miss and it blew up in our face. Two odds things happened to Army while facing Navy...referees actually tossed yellow hankies at it and the Platoon also realized it was acceptable to throw the pigskin across the line-of-scrimmage. In a comparison of a common foe, UConn won by 10 over Air Force, Army did so by 3. Huskies are a bit of an enigma having bested Duke not long after failing a 2OT effort vs. 5-7 Rice. Sled Dogs ring up 460 yards of total offense per tilt, good for 15th in the nation, and just south of 37 ppg, while ceding a reasonable 185 rushing ypg...Huskies 27 West Point 24
Pop-Tarts Bowl (@ Orlando, FL)
#12 BYU (-5) over #24 Georgia Tech: Mormons are just elated their opponent this week isn’t named Texas Tech, which was responsible for BYU’s only pair of outright losses. In addition, a victory would give them their first 12-win season since 2001. Big 12 Freshman of the Year QB Bear Bachmeier injured an ankle in the conference title match but is projected to play and the CFP snub should be a driving force for the team as a whole. Bees’ best win came against Duke. HC Brent Key earned himself a five-year extension but Wreck staggers in here having lost three of its last four. Passing comparisons between the two passers are negligible, though Tech’s Haynes King is the better runner. Points were plentiful in games for both sides and “over 56” might not be a bad guess either. The one telling stat on defense is Coogs’ allowed 15 passing scores while grabbing 16 picks. Conversely, the ‘Jackets were hit for 18 pass TDs with just 3 interceptions...Provo Panthers 37 GT 27
Isleta New Mexico Bowl (@ Albuquerque, NM)
#23 North Texas (-3) over San Diego State: LOCK OF DA’ WEEK. The big Mack truck meets the stone wall. Sudzu yielded 36 at Wazzou and 38 at Hawai’i, but allowed less than 8 ppg otherwise, including three shutouts. Easier to do vs. Flouted Jest competition than when facing the American Conference runner-up Mean Green, who hung fitty-nine on Washington State and posted 44+ ppg in a dozen FBS contests, breaking half-a-hundred six times along the way...not exactly against a murderer’s row, but UNT dropped a very good Navy squad by 14. Eric Morris left for Stillwater but Assistant HC Drew Svoboda fills the gap, so much loss in leadership. North Texas is a poor 3-12 in bowl games and hasn’t won one since 2014. Aztecs went 9-3 overall but missed out on the Mounted Jest championship match and are 8-3 to the under (total is 56 right this minute). North Texas QB Drew Mestemaker, who may or may not bolt the school after this one, leads the nation with more than 4100 passing yards. The next highest total is 500 yards less...Mean Green 42 San Diego State 24
Tax Slayer Gator Bowl (@ Houston, TX)
#20 Virginia (+4) over #25 Missouri: UPSET PICK OF DA’ WEEK #2. Cavs’ OT loss to unranked Duke cost ‘em the conference crown and a playoff gig but there’s still something to play for. Virginia, which hasn’t been to the post-season since 2019, has already notched its first DD-win tally since 1989 and a victory here would result in a school-best 11-win season. In Former Alma Mater QB Beau Pribula is jumping ship on his team for a second straight year. In addition, Tony Elliott, in his fourth year in charge, garnered ACC Coach of da’ Year props. Tigers were never really in the conversation to win the SEC. In fact, their straight-up conference win total has diminished from 6-2 to 5-3 to this year’s 4-4, with all four dubyas coming against teams that finished in the bottom tier of the SEC and will not bowl. The D wasn’t all that bad, holding Auburn, Vandy, Oklahoma and Arkansas to 17 each, but following a nice 5-0 start, Mizzou lost 4 of its final 7 (yet still have a ranking?). Tigers boast the country’s second-best RB in Ahmad Hardy. UVA has the #22 rushing defense. Wahoos are on 8-0 “under” run and allowed 18.9 ppg over their final 8 tilts while scoring 23.8 ppg during that same stretch...Virginia 24 Mizzou 20
BETWEEN DA’ HASHMARKS
BTW, rumor intelligence revealed the organization is planning a Jam-the-wide-receiver-Boree! More on this topic next week!
Players for Brigham Young and Joja’ Tech will sport Pop-Tarts logos on the back of their helmets, but the color scheme and beach-like design are reminiscent of Banana Boat sunscreen tube labels.
Following the Bison’s defeat at Nebraska in late September 2024, Coach Prime allegedly forbade the team’s band from striking-up the CU fight song after any touchdown by son Shedeur. Sanders instead wanted his offspring’s rap song played over the PA system. Other tunes on NEON’s authorized playlist include...”Cruel Summer Practices” (Taylor Swift), “Smells Like Teen Locker Room” (Nirvana), “Gridiron Paradise” (Coolio), “The Real Slim Safety” (Eminem), “Yellow Flag Submarine” (Beatles), “Eye-Black Parade” (My Chemical Romance) and “Old Town Road Game” (Lil Nas X). Frankly, we’d just rather hear DMC belt out “We like...big...Buffs and we cannot lie!”
Having lost Patrick (“This is Patrick everybody! Let’s hear it for Patrick! He plays..sports.”) Mahomes and now Gardner Minshew for the duration, the Chiefs have turned to third-stringer Chris Oladokun, who will battle some cheerleader who’s been accurate with a T-shirt launcher for playing time!
While the fate of the “tush push” was still in discussion by NFL officials, MLB players already learned the outcome on the “torpedo bat” and will utilize the football ploy to shove runners across home plate next season! Meanwhile, referees will lay said lumber across hashmarks as needed to determine down-and-distance!
Black Shirt: This week’s coveted camisole goes to ‘Bama WR Lotzeir Brooks for breaking three tackles inside the Oklahoma 10-yard line en route to the TD that would ignite the Crimson Tide’s comeback victory midway thru the Second Quarter. Honorable Mention to Sooners P Grayson Miller for simply dropping a snap on a punt attempt, leading to a ‘Bama FG right after the aforementioned touchdown.
“Lock of Da’ Week”: Last Week: 0-1 Season: 6-10 (.375, Ugggggh!) NC State upheld its end of the bargain, bangin’ da’ board fer 31, but Memphis was a no-show, leaving the final tally well-short of our predicted “over 58”.
Vindy’s Week 14 Best Bets: Last Week: 2-2 (.500) Season: 28-36 (.437)
Central Michigan +10 ½ over Northwestern, Central Michigan vs. Northwestern “over 43 ½”, Texas-San Antonio –5 ½ over Florida International, LSU +3 over Houston
We’ll be back before the ball drops in Time Square, but until then, we leave the readership with our annual wish fer “Pass on Earth, Goodwill Toward Linemen”.
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