The Unwired One

Washing the Cat

2006-11-26T20:28:00.000-06:00

IMG00079.jpg
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

Mungo and Buttons Sunning

2006-10-15T16:39:00.000-05:00

Mungo and Buttons Sunning
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

Denny Chimes

2006-10-13T14:23:00.000-05:00

IMG00035.jpg
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

I took a quick stroll around the quad after lunch. A bit on the cool side, but otherwise a wonderful day...

College Football Picks (October 14th)

2006-10-13T10:12:00.000-05:00

Missouri (-2) at Texas A&M
The Coach Fran Doomsday Countdown continues in College Station. A&M needs to make a statement here to buoy their embattled coach. Look for the magical undefeated season for Missouri to continue for at least another week.

Missouri 31 Texas A&M 27

Ole Miss at Alabama (-15.5)
I've been waiting for Bama to have a breakout game for the last, well, six weeks. Even the 41-7 score over LA-Monroe is deceiving as the Warhawks played better than the score indicated. A loss for the Tide here would raise the Fire-Shula rumblings to a wild cacophony. Look for the Tide to channel their frustrations into a thumping of the Rebs.

Alabama 34 Ole Miss 14

Florida (-2) at Auburn
Saturday's premiere game pits the #2 Gators against the formerly #2 Tigers. ESPN, who had doubtlessly been banking on a Top 5 clash of SEC titans, will be on-hand with Gameday and ESPN 360. The Gators are very strong and are a legitimate national title contender. The key to this game will be: Can the Tigers rebound after being manhandled by the Hogs? I believe that they will bounce back, but Florida's got too many weapons...

Florida 28 Auburn 24

Ohio State (-14) at Michigan State
The Buckeye national championship train keeps rolling in Lansing. The Spartans are reeling after choking against the Irish and dropping a game to Big 10 doormat Illinois.

Ohio State 41 Michigan State 9

Kentucky at LSU (-26.5)
A surprisingly decent Kentucky squad takes on a surprisingly disappointing LSU. The Tigers fooled many (myself included) into hyping them as national title contenders, even after their loss to Auburn. With the national title hopes gone and SEC championship hopes dangling by a very thin thread, LSU needs a big game against the Wildcats. I have a feeling that they'll get it.

LSU 31 Kentucky 13

College Football Picks (Recap)

2006-10-10T15:15:00.000-05:00

A quick look back at how I fared with my picks for last weekend's games:

Florida St. (-9.5) at NC State (Thursday)

PICK: FSU 21 NC State 17
ACTUAL: NC State 24 FSU 20

The FireChuckAmato.com movement suffers another setback as the Wolfpack stun the collapsing Seminoles.

Arkansas at Auburn (-15.0)

PICK: Auburn 30 Arkansas 10
ACUTAL: Arkansas 27 Auburn 10

What a difference a week makes. From National Title aspirations and BCS moanings to 2nd place in the SEC West. I hate it for the Tigers...

Duke at Alabama (-29.0)

PICK: Alabama 35 Duke 3
ACTUAL: Alabama 30 Duke 14

14 points given-up to the worst offense in the Division I-A? Not good. Better regroup quickly or a dreadful Ole Miss team could steal one away from the Tide.

West Virginia (-20.5) at Miss State

PICK: West Virginia 41 MSU 9
ACTUAL: West Virginia 41 MSU 14

No surprises here, unless you consider the fact that MSU actually scored twice...

LSU at Florida (-2.5)

PICL: LSU 27 Florida 21
ACTUAL: Florida 23 LSU 10

I severely underestimated Florida and was thoroughly soused on the LSU Kool-Aid. The Gators are for real. A win at Auburn will confirm their SEC dominance.

Oklahoma vs. Texas (-3.5)

PICK: Texas 24 Oklahoma 16
ACTUAL: Texas 28 Oklahoma 10

Texas takes the reins in this series. May be awhile before the Sooners stand much of a chance in this rivalry.

Tennessee at Georgia (-2.5)

PICK: Tennessee 23 Georgia 20
ACTUAL: Tennessee 51 Georgia 33

51 points? On the #1 scoring defense? Say it ain't so!
(Sarcasm detector on) Can't wait for the Tide's visit to Knoxville (Sarcasm detector off)

College Football Picks (Week of October 7th)

2006-10-05T15:23:00.000-05:00

Florida St. (-9.5) at NC State (Thursday)
Has FSU regrouped after the Clemson defeat? They've had two weeks to think about that loss and NC State is coming off a dramatic win over BC that may keep Amato around for a few more weeks. Tempting to go with NC State, but I'm willing to wager that FSU has gotten things together and will win in a close one.

FSU 21, NC State 17

Arkansas at Auburn (-15.0)

The Tide fan in me hopes for Auburn to drop every single game they ever play. After a close, hard-fought winner over Spurrier's Cocks, the Tigers face a rested Arkansas squad that last took the field for a gut-wrenching win over my Tide in 2 OTs. I'd love the Hogs to pull this one off, but Mustain will likely be in for a long day on the Plains.

Auburn 30 Arkansas 10

Duke at Alabama (-29.0)

After a brutal two-game roadtrip to Fayetteville and Gainesville, the Tide returns home to face one of the worst teams in all of I-A football. What wonderful way to bounce back from two tough conference losses. JP Wilson and the Tide offense should have plenty of opportunities to practice their red-zone skills (or lack thereof).

Alabama 35 Duke 3

West Virginia (-20.5) at Miss State

Hmmm, Croom is probably regretting agreeing to this series against the powerful Mountaineers. For whom does the cowbell toll? Not the Bulldogs...

West Virginia 41 MSU 9

LSU at Florida (-2.5)

Despite their loss to Auburn, I firmly believe that LSU is one of the best teams in nation. If a few teams pick up a loss, the Tigers (the Bayou version, that is) could find themselves in the silly 5th BCS game in Tempe. The trip to Gainesville is an enormous test and The Swamp is not very hospitable to visitors (as I discovered last weekend on my trip to the Sunshine State), but I'm giving this one to the Tigers.

LSU 27 Florida 21

Oklahoma vs. Texas (-3.5)

Both of these teams have been relatively quiet in the national scope of things after the Horns were hammered by Ohio State and the Sooners dropped a controversial one at Oregon. The winner breaks back onto the national stage and takes control of the Big 12 South. Hook 'em Horns!

Texas 24 Oklahoma 16

Tennessee at Georgia (-2.5)

A Tennessee loss all but eliminates them from the SEC East race, while a win puts the Vols in great shape with the Dawgs and the Gators set to face potential losses to Auburn. Tennessee is still something of an enigma after their loss to Florida, but should have enough to take out the shaky-looking Bulldogs.

Tennessee 23 Georgia 20

Thank God for the Cease-fire!?

2006-08-15T08:16:00.000-05:00

At church on Sunday night, the congregation was led in prayer. This is certainly nothing unusual; we do it every time we come together to worship. What was unusual, however, was the part of the prayer where the speaker thanked the Lord for the cease-fire between Israel and the Hezbollah fighters. I was stunned to hear this! Have we not realized what a cease-fire in Lebanon actually equates to? How about a chance for Hezbollah to re-arm and to yell to the highest heights about how they achieved something that no organized Arab army could: they stopped an Israeli assault.

We (the Western world) are in an all out war. There is no place for cease-fires when our enemy has no plans to abide by them and when their stated goal is to eliminate all opposition (Israel and the West). Pray to God for the conversion of Islamic terrorists to Christianity or pray for those that are in the line of fire each day, but please don’t pray for a cease-fire!

Cat and Coco

2006-08-06T13:25:00.000-05:00

0_IMAGE_110.jpg
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

Friends at last.. perhaps?

My Tower of Blocks

2006-07-30T13:38:00.000-05:00

Tower of fun
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

I'm very proud of my tower of blocks I created in Sunday school class the morning. The children were amused.

My Political Writing Debut

2006-07-28T14:11:00.000-05:00

Well, I've becoming a contributing writer (unpaid, unfortunately) at Politics1.com. Politics1 is one of the web's premiere political information sites that receives over 250,000 hits per week. The commentary is usually left-leaning (unfortunately), but the candidate and party listings are second-to-none on the web. My article is about the second one after the poll recap.

Hill Article at Politics1.com

Rednecks and Bottle Rockets

2006-07-26T17:20:00.000-05:00

And I thought that we (as kids, of course, hehe) did "daring" things with bottle rockets... Well worth the watching..

Man Lights 8,500 Bottle Rocks At Once

I'm Back...

2006-07-26T16:00:00.000-05:00

At long last, I've returned... Teaching OM 300 and GES 257 has taken its toll on my free time :( Anyways, here are a few interesting links:

Is your cat a soon to be leader of a Fourth Reich? Find out at:

Cats That Looks Like Hitler

In an unrelated (I think) story, Lance Bass came out of the closet... Like no one saw this one coming...

Lance Bass = Gay

And finally... No post would be complete without a picture of my beloved (and not Hitler-esque) one-eyed cat, Buttons:

W Sings U2

2006-07-10T11:39:00.000-05:00

If you've been looking for Satan...

2006-07-06T00:11:00.000-05:00

He's busy at a sweatshop in China...

Heather and I were quite amused to see that Belezebub (sp?) himself had so carefully packed the craft kit that my wife picked up at Wal-Mart...

***Sorry for the poor quality of the camera-phone snapshot...

Ruan Thai Restaurant

2006-06-27T21:24:00.000-05:00

Ruan thai
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

Had a chance to eat at the new Ruan Thai restaurant this evening with Nate. Both of our wives are out of town (mine in Florida and his in Utah) so we thought it would be a good time to grab some dinner and check out this new Tuscaloosa eatery.

The restaurant is nicely appointed, but everything just seems a bit odd being located in a relatively small house (the former Dumplin' House). I ordered the typically safe Chicken Pad Thai, a cup of green tea, and wrapped up the meal with homemade coconut ice cream.

The tea was OK. Not the best, not the worst I've tasted. Probably won't order it again.

The pad thai was quite good (see the picture) with very tasty chicken and a strong taste of peanut sauce (accented by the peanut crumbs spread on top of the dish). The greens, sprouts, and carrots on the side were a tasty addition.

The coconut ice cream was INCREDIBLE! Ever since I tried the coconut ice cream at the Talesai thai restaurant in LA (on Sunset Blvd in West Hollywood) I've been searching for something comparable. Ladies and gentlemen, I've found it! The ice cream was delicious!

Overall, a good meal for about $15. Highly recommended!!!

MSOM 2006

2006-06-22T17:23:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos (taken with T-Mobile SDA) from the social events at the MSOM 2006 conference in Atlanta, GA.

Taste of Morocco Reception

Taste of Morocco Reception (2)

Cat Statue at Atlanta Botanical Gardens

Kinda freaky skull statue at Botanical Gardens

View of Atlanta Skyline on way to Aquarium

Dinner at Georgia Aquarium

Whale Shark

Tunnel under Whale Shark Tank

Aquarium Tank

Where is Buttons?

2006-06-15T22:19:00.000-05:00

Where is Buttons?
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

An American Debacle in Germany...

2006-06-12T22:59:00.000-05:00

Wow, what a disappointing showing for the U.S. Men’s National Team today against a vastly superior Czech Republic side. I was at work and tried to avoid hearing the score, but I had a feeling that the Americans performed poorly and a quick glance at the news headlines told me just how poorly. I watched the first few minutes (thanks Dish DVR) when I got home and that was enough for me. A Three-Nil thrashing... Not a good way to start the World Cup campaign. In hindsight (20-20 as usual) we should’ve seen it coming. The disappointing loss to Morocco, the hammering administered by the Germans, the draw with Jamaica, and the less than spectacular wins over Venezuela and Latvia should have prepared us for what was to come. The team better experience a dramatic change-of-heart and soul searching between now and Saturday’s date with the Italians or the stay at the 2006 World Cup will be quite short. I daresay, it looks like three and out for the Red, White, and Blue.

Coffee machine (Part Two)

2006-06-11T21:47:00.000-05:00

Coffee machine part two
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

OK... So the Senseo went back to target.. It made a pretty good cup of coffee, but the default (one pod) cup size was a measly 4 oz (about half of a typical coffee mug or a third of a travel mug)... So I'd be looking at quite a hasty pod consumption rate if I were to keep the device... In it's place is the beautiful (and twice as expensive) Keurig B40... Much nicer build quality and brews a 7.5 oz cup of coffee (or tea) from a single K-Cup. The machine is easy to use and also seems to make a decent cup of coffee. The assortment of coffees included with the device (18 K-Cups) is impressive and includes several teas, regular, decaf, and flavored coffees... It appears to be a keeper! Lesson learned, don't settle.. I had read the reviews and knew the Keurig had received glowing endorsements over the Senseo, but I got cheap, thinking I could receive the same quality at the lower price... I was wrong and the Keurig has earned a spot on my kitchen counter!

New Coffee Maker

2006-06-11T21:30:00.000-05:00

new coffee maker
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

So I got myself a new coffee machine today. Heather doesn't really care for coffee, so basically I had been making a whole pot and then drinking only a small portion of it... Tired of the waste, I decided to try a single serving machine... First up... The Phillips Senseo which uses "pods" of ground coffee (or tea)...

The internet morality mob at its finest...

2006-06-07T21:13:00.000-05:00

Here’s an entertaining story that sheds light on why it’s really NOT a good idea to be a thief in this era of mobile communications and personal information sharing via the Internet. File this under dumb ghetto criminals…

Link to Story

So I Voted Today...

2006-06-06T11:36:00.000-05:00

I had made up my mind weeks ago that I would vote to re-elect Bob Riley, but was stil undecided on many of the down-ballot races (with the exception of Mo Brooks, whom I'd read many great things about)... Something happened to me in the car on the way to the polls... I remembered my frustration (anger) at Riley for his "tax plan" and my promising to never give him my vote... So I made good on my word to myself and voted for Moore... I don't think he was right to defy the federal court order that led to his dismissal from the Alabama Supreme Court, but at least I know where he stands on taxes and immigration... I went ahead and voted for the rest of the pro-Moore slate as well (Brooks, Montiel, and the host of Supreme Court and other judicial post candidates)...

Heading to the Ham

2006-06-01T20:22:00.000-05:00

Heading to the Ham
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

On I-20/59 headin to my parent's house... Heather's out of town so I'm off to spend a little quality time with the Mom and Dad

Pandora

2006-05-29T18:10:00.000-05:00

If you haven't already seen this site, you need to check it out. Basically, Pandora works by having the user (that would be you) enter an artist or song that he/she likes. Pandora then devises a playlist of artists/songs that are similar to his/her choice.

For example, I entered the band U2 and was greeted with an older U2 song: In God's Country. Next up was a little Pink Floyd with "Take It Back." I don't recall hearing this song before, but it has many characteristics that make it similar to U2's music: extensive guitar-play, U2-esque lyrics, etc. Highly recommended and totally FREE! I'd be interested in seeing what Pandora picks for you based upon your selection.

Pandora

Infinitely zoomable photo mosaic...

2006-05-25T21:41:00.000-05:00

Here's another cool time-waster for you...

Link

Al Gore...

2006-05-24T21:41:00.000-05:00

The Competitive Enterprise Institute has put together a fabulous video outlining Al Gore's hypocrisy.. You should check it out..

Video Link

USA 0, Morocco 1

2006-05-24T10:30:00.000-05:00

I had the opportunity Tuesday night to watch ESPN2's broadcast of the U.S. Men's National Team's first World Cup tune-up match against Morocco. It was pretty clear from the outset that the U.S. is way over-hyped (see the 5th place ranking in the last FIFA rankings). The U.S. looked out-of-form and struggled to produce offensively all night. The only few opportunities that availed themselves (mostly in the last 10-15 minutes of the match) were snuffed out by a solid Moroccan defense. Throw in a costly defensive mistake that led to the 90th minute goal by Morocco and you have yourself a recipe for disaster in Germany. The U.S. will need to dramatically improve its form before the June 12th match against the Czech Republic. Anything but resounding wins in the next two warm-ups versus Venezuela and Latvia could be a harbinger of a very short stay in Germany...

Casino Royale Teaser Trailer

2006-05-15T19:55:00.000-05:00

If you fancy yourself as a James Bond fan (or addict), you owe it to yourself to check out the teaser trailer for the upcoming Bond film "Casino Royale", due out in November. I was quite impressed by the trailer and hope that it accurate reflects a "darker" Bodnd film... In my mind, the perfect Bond would combine the Timothy Dalton "edge" with the Sean Connery "suave". Pierce Brosnan did an admirable job at protraying these important Bond traits, but was never really given a plot that would allow him to explore the "darker"-side of Bond... Hopefully, Daniel Craig will be able to take Bond in this direction...

Teaser Trailer Link

The Guy Kewney Saga

2006-05-15T19:15:00.000-05:00

In what will certainly become a part of Internet lore (e.g., "Boom Goes the Dynamite"), this video is a MUST see...

Backstory: Guy Kewney is a white (very white, actually, see the gentleman on the right of the pic above) online IT journalist... He was asked to appear on the BBC to discuss a recent lawsuit involving the Beatles and Apple... Somehow, the gentlemen on the left (NOT Guy Kewney and definitely not white, left of image) was led into the studio to conduct the interview!! Amazingly, he fended pretty well for himself... The look on his face when he's introduced as Guy Kewney is priceless...

Link to Article and Video

Couple of Pics of the Black Warrior River

2006-05-11T15:06:00.000-05:00

In between downpours yesterday, I had the chance to stop by River Road Park and grab a couple of shots of the river... Apparently we had over two inches of rain yesterday the river was very swollen and considerably higher than usual... I left the park right before another downpour started...

Kids are Stupid These Days....

2006-05-11T15:01:00.000-05:00

A story from a Denver-area high school of a "senior prank" that involved the dumping of a number of live baby chicks from a second floor balcony... Several of the birds died... What possesses people to do stupid things?

"Senior Prank" News Story

Absence...

2006-05-08T14:14:00.000-05:00

As you may have noticed, I've been away from the blogging for awhile... Schoolwork has been very intense lately and I've had a nasty cold/sinus infection for the last week that is only now beginning to subside. I'll be back in force with the blogging in a few days after finals are over.

Illegals Protesting

2006-05-01T16:55:00.000-05:00

Protest 2
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

The "massive" illegals protest on University Blvd. Even saw a Cuban flag mixed in there somewhere...

The view of 524

2006-05-01T16:53:00.000-05:00

The view of 524
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

From my seat... There's Dr. Schmidt doing his thing...

Interesting...

2006-04-29T21:05:00.000-05:00

Interesting
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

Heck of a flop and turn from poker with the youth minister...

A quick blow dry...

2006-04-26T11:55:00.000-05:00

Cat in Dryer
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

Time for a bath?

2006-04-26T11:54:00.000-05:00

Cat in Dishwasher
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

Buttons on the Stove

2006-04-23T22:17:00.000-05:00

Buttons on the Stove
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

Ajoo Keun would be jealous...

Yes, they do exist in Alabama

2006-04-23T00:27:00.000-05:00

The sterotypical hardcore liberal in the wild...

Gas Prices

2006-04-21T14:26:00.000-05:00

I found an interesting graphic from The Washington Post that you should check out because it provides excellent insight into the nature of gasoline pricing. I find it particularly amazing (not surprising) that nearly 20% (or 60 cents out of $3.00 per gallon) are due to taxes!

You should try this...

2006-04-20T23:03:00.000-05:00

Fun Stuff

Another 110 mg

2006-04-18T22:33:00.000-05:00

Another 110 mg
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

Upping the caffeine intake...

Killer Coffee

2006-04-18T19:47:00.000-05:00

While we're on the subject of caffeine... This website let's you calculate the amount of your favorite caffeinated beverage would be needed to kill you by caffeine poisoning...

Death by Caffeine

Caffeine Intake..

2006-04-18T19:37:00.000-05:00

Curious how much caffeine you take in in a day...

I think I'm up to around 400 mg

Caffeine Content

Day 1 Champions League Semi-Finals

2006-04-18T17:03:00.000-05:00

Barcelona 1 at Milan 0

Standings after Day 1:

Marco 1 point for win + 1 point for 1 correct goal = 2
Stephen 1 point for win + 1 point for 1 correct goal = 2
Nate 1 point for correct goal = 1

Yet another time waster...

2006-04-18T12:17:00.000-05:00

Continuing on my theme of trying to encourage the wasting of time, here's a link to BirdsEyeTourist and a screenshot of elephants from the Los Angeles Zoo...

BirdsEyeTourist

NASA Photography

2006-04-18T00:27:00.000-05:00

I've enjoyed good photography. For interesting photos (most of which were taken from space) I highly recommend NASA's Image of the Day. I'm currently using the above photo of Hurricane Emily (July 2005) from space as my wallpaper.

NASA Image of the Day

Convex Hull!!!

2006-04-17T17:49:00.000-05:00

How sad is my existence when I'm actually excited that I got to use the words "convex hull" in my dissertation's literature review??

A quad squirrel poised to strike

2006-04-16T21:56:00.000-05:00

A quad squirrel poised to strike
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

Beware the vicious quad squirrel.

Fat white cat

2006-04-15T23:24:00.000-05:00

Fat white cat
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

Possibly the largest cat I've ever seen... The photo doesn't do it justice...

At the japanese place

2006-04-14T13:17:00.000-05:00

At the japanese place
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

Here's a quick shot from my Flickr feed from lunch at Hokkaido Japanese Restaurant on 15th Street (where Great Wall of China used to be). It was quite good, not up to Tokyo standards, but good nonetheless. I enjoyed the teriyaki chicken, fried rice, veggies, and salad.

Highly recommended!

For Marco...

2006-04-13T23:07:00.000-05:00

I saw a preview for this upcoming film and thought of you...

Freemind

2006-04-13T23:00:00.000-05:00

I've always found it easier to organize my to-do lists, thoughts, and other plans graphically rather than in a pure list form. Rather than use a scrap piece of paper or the ubiquitous napkin to jot down ideas and tasks, I've been looking for a software package "automate" the process.

I first played with the demo of Mindjet's Mind Manager. The program is well-designed and easy to use and simply looks fabulous. However, the price tag (even with academic pricing) is far out of my range. However, with a little Googling, I came across a software package called FreeMind. As the name might suggest, the software is 100% FREE! I've been experimenting with the software over the last week or so and have found it be very useful. The link below takes you to a PDF file of a mindmap that I generated in the program.

Sample Mindmap

I plan on posting a more thorough review in the next few weeks.

Download FreeMind at:

FreeMind

Champion's League Predictions

2006-04-13T15:17:00.000-05:00

I welcome your predictions for the upcoming Champion's League semi-final matches:

April 18
Barcelona at Milan

April 19
Villarreal at Arsenal

April 25
Arsenal at Villarreal

April 26
Milan at Barcelona

You get a point for predicting the match outcome correctly and a point for every goal you correctly predict. I'll come up with some prize for the winner. Anonymous posts will be ineligible for the prize!

Amazing...

2006-04-13T15:09:00.000-05:00

How in the course of a day, can Logan Young go from being brutally murdered and "the victim of an apparent attack" and needing "fingerprints and dental records to confirm the identity" to the victim of a bizarre accident?

Death Ruled Accidental

Given that choice piece of police work, I know Memphis is the place to go if you wanna off somebody you despise... Marco, you up for a little roadtrip???

Cool cat...

2006-04-13T14:37:00.000-05:00

In my efforts to be a more "hip" and "cool" up-with-the-times kinda cat, I've joined MySpace. You can see my sure to be popular profile at:

http://www.myspace.com/theunwiredone

From my continuing series...

2006-04-12T16:49:00.000-05:00

Same class different drink
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

Excessive beverage consumption and OM 517, I bring you...

Congratulations

2006-04-12T11:32:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to PSV Eindhoven for their SECOND CONSECUTIVE Dutch League title! Feyenoord never stood a chance!

Google Mars

2006-04-10T20:35:00.000-05:00

Google Earth is a fabulous productivity-killer. If you'd like to take your time wasting to a whole 'nother planet, don't miss Google Mars.

http://www.google.com/mars/

Sleeping cat

2006-04-09T14:03:00.000-05:00

Sleeping cat
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

A sleeping cat and a lazy Sunday afternoon does not make for a very productive day... Glad I don't have anything going on (like a Stochastic test)...

Gotta Love those Italians

2006-04-09T13:35:00.000-05:00

Such a class act...

LINK

Dorothy the Dinosaur

2006-04-08T13:52:00.000-05:00

Dorothy the Dinosaur
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

Random pic of the day.. From Kaitlyn Burbage's birthday party. I await Marco's commentary.

I just don't know...

2006-04-05T23:16:00.000-05:00

Well I've had two of the four Coke Blak's that I bought yesterday at Bruno's (for $4.99, ouch!)... I've gotta admit that the jury is still out on this one at the moment. The taste is, well, unusual.. The drink seems to have a taste that varies greatly across different parts of your tounge. At first taste, Coke Blak is reminiscent of a somewhat less-fizzy-than-usual Diet Coke, but as the drink moves toward the back of your tounge, the coffee taste becomes readily apparent. It's an odd kinda coffee taste, like coffee with a WHOLE LOT of sugar. I usually don't take my coffee with sugar, so the taste is a bit disturbing to me... So here's my grading of the beverage for now:

Bottling: A --> Beautiful glass bottle, will be collector's item if this thing doesn't last long

Taste: C --> May change after I get used to it

Ability to Replace Coffee as my Caffeine Drink of Choice: D --> Not an adequate substitute for my favorite cup of java

Found it!

2006-04-04T17:44:00.000-05:00

Found it
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

After considerable searching I finally found Coke Blak! Thanks to the nice people at Coke's Alabama and Tennessee Division Office in Knoxville, TN and Tuscaloosa Sales office for helping me locate a retailer that was selling the product. I visited Bruno's after class and picked-up a four-pack. It'll be a few hours until the drink is chilled for me to try!

Tab Mocking me again

2006-04-03T20:01:00.000-05:00

Tab Mocking me again
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

In my search for Coke Blak (today is the "supposed" national release date), I visited at least seven gas stations and two grocery stores... No BLAK to be found! Found plenty of the unpleasant sounding Tab Energy Drink, though...

A-Day

2006-04-02T00:01:00.000-06:00

A-Day
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

Went to the annual A-Day game that marks the end of spring practice for the football team. Had a good time, but it was little hot and humid (like it is on most days here in Bama)...

In light of the previous post

2006-03-31T15:57:00.000-06:00

The Cynthia McKinney Saga...

2006-03-31T15:35:00.000-06:00

If you haven't heard about this story (or about Congresswoman McKinney, D-GA) then I suggest that you spend a few moments of reading.

Start here:

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/metro/stories/0331metmckinney.html

and then read lots more fun commentary:

http://www.11alive.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=78068

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/03/31/D8GMPKR81.html

It's amazing that people (McKinney) still harbor such antiquated notions of "race relations." Don't look for the voters in her urban Atlanta district to send her home anytime soon (blame Denise Majette for that).

Comments?
(Above photo from 11alive.com)

A Must Buy!

2006-03-31T12:21:00.000-06:00

(In my best lisp) I'm very excited about the impending release of Brokeback Mountain next Tuesday! I'll be lining up to purchase!

An Absolute Must-Download!!

2006-03-30T13:54:00.000-06:00

You must try out this software. Many have predicted that this software will revolutionize photography as we know it. Use YOUR MONITOR to take your picture! Be careful not to move while the photo is being taken!!

Photographer

Total Solar Eclipse

2006-03-30T12:52:00.000-06:00

Here's a cool picture from yesterday's total solar eclipse. The photo was taken by NASA from space.

Comment Policy Change

2006-03-27T22:38:00.000-06:00

In order to open up the blog to a bit more discussion, I've enabled anyone to post a comment. You no longer have to be a Blogspot member to engage in discussion!

Out of touch...

2006-03-27T09:42:00.000-06:00

I saw a recent article that was mentioned on "The Drudge Report" and had to comment. Apparently a group of 25,000 teens descended on San Francisco for a youth rally to protest the decline of the American culture. Sounds like a great idea to me!

What's absolutely amazing (but not all that surprising) is that the San Francisco Board of Supervisors (think City Council) actually condemned the youth rally saying that the rally was an "act of provocation" that sought to "negatively influence the politics of America's most tolerant and progressive city." Hmmm, since when does "tolerance" call for the condemnation of other's beliefs? Hypocrites.

You can read an SFGate.com article about the rally and the condemnation:

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/03/25/MNG6OHU6RR1.DTL

You can visit the site for the youth rally:

http://www.battlecry.com/index.php

If you'd like to tell the SF Board of Supervisors how you feel about their actions:

http://www.sfgov.org/site/bdsupvrs_index.asp

The Cafe -- Highly Recommended!

2006-03-24T13:44:00.000-06:00

I had the pleasure of having breakfast at a relatively new cafe here in Tuscaloosa. "The Cafe" labels itself as a "European Bakery & Coffee Shop." Upon walking into the relatively small (almost cramped) shop, I was immediately greated by a host of wonderful smells and tempting pastries and treats in the glass display cases. Heather and I decided to each try a peach danish and I had a cup of coffee. The quality of the pastry was absolutely fabulous and the coffee was quite tasty as well. I'm looking forward to trying some of their other baked goods, especially their pretzels! Highly recommended!

"The Cafe" is located on Greensboro Ave. in downtown Tuscaloosa.

http://www.thecafeeuropean.com/

Unbelievable... but not surprising

2006-03-23T15:07:00.000-06:00

The "Christian peace actvists" that were freed by American and British forces in Baghdad today sure didn't hesitate to call their liberators occupiers!

http://www.cpt.org/iraq/response/06-23-03statement.htm

The Resiliency of Cats

2006-03-23T13:39:00.001-06:00

Here's an interesting video (not recommended for dial-up users) of one tough kitty:

http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/free?cn=&mid=330045

Lazy beasts

2006-03-23T13:39:00.000-06:00

Lazy beasts
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

"Luck" and Christianity

2006-03-22T23:25:00.000-06:00

I was watching NBC’s “Deal or No Deal” the other night. It’s a pretty interesting show with some intriguing statistical (for those that might want to watch it with a bit of a mathematical eye) and sociological subplots. As I watched, I saw contestant after contestant crossing their fingers, begging the suitcase-toting models for a “good” result, and using such phrases as “I feel like case number nine is good” Time after time, contestants would insist that “their” chosen case contained the one-million dollar prize (Note: There is only a 1 in 26 or 3.846% chance that the contestant will select the one-million dollar-holding case at the game’s outset) and would turn down large amounts of money based on a “feeling.”

I started to think about these actions. Have our culture and our society become so inane that “luck” overrides common sense? I think the answer is a resounding YES! One only needs to visit the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Las Vegas, or any of the other gambling meccas to see that “luck” and the “chance” to strike it rich fuel a thriving (and expanding) industry. These thoughts led to me to a second question: What does the Word of God say about “luck” and “chance” and how should we as Christians handle the topic?

It’s safe to say that humans use the concept of luck to attempt to explain uncertainty and the results from uncertain events. Surely, someone with a string of positive experiences must be benefiting from “good luck” or vice-versa. Likewise, someone that is “lucky” will live a “successful” life. Christians must resist this line of thinking. Our lives are not about uncertainty. While events may occur in our lives (both positive and negative) we can rest assured that our ultimate fate is certain. We can read 1 John 5:13 (ASV):

These things have I written unto you, that ye may know that ye have eternal life, even unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God.

and be confident of an “eternal life” with God in Heaven if we are to follow his commands. We know that the Lord makes good on his promises as he does in Jeremiah 29:11-13 (ASV):

(11) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end. (12) And ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. (13) And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

where the Lord promises the exiles taken by Nebuchadnezzar from Jerusalem to Babylon that He will rescue them from their captivity.

In conclusion, I believe that we, as Christians, must cast away the notion of “luck” and be confident and faithful that we are promised an eternal life in Heaven. I certainly welcome additional commentary, discussion, and suggestions.

Buttons

2006-03-21T11:51:00.000-06:00

Buttons
Originally uploaded by Technocat.

The essence of lazy. I swear this cat sleeps 20 hours a day.

Photos from Heather and I's "Day of Relaxation" on March 11th

2006-03-20T23:15:00.000-06:00

Coco Playing on the Quad

Wooden railroad bridge over Black Warrior River

Old Mill in Northport

Barge on Black Warrior River (from River Road Park)

On Adam Morrison..

2006-03-20T17:12:00.000-06:00

I can't stand Adam Morrison..

I can't stand his haircut...

I can't stand his mustache...

I can't stand his attitude...

I liked Gonzaga when they were the "underdog", now that they are the overrated "Adam Morrison Show", I can't stand them either...

I would have loved to see my Crimson Tide pummel the Zags, but I'll happily root for the UCLA Bruins instead...

It doesn't help that I picked Gonzaga to lose to Indiana (had the Hoosiers in the Elite 8)...

I can't stand that Morrison kid...

Despicable

2006-03-18T23:10:00.000-06:00

I came across this blog entry when it was featured on The Drudge Report a few days ago. The entry is the first of several "do-it-yourself" abortion tutorials and presents a "how-to" for those who might wish to conduct a dilation and curretage (often referred to as a D&C) abortion.

The blog posting is directed "for the women of South Dakota" given that state's government recent passage of a bill (http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/03/06/sd.abortion/) outlawing abortions.

While no images are shown, the text is graphic. I'm interested in your comments.

EDIT: The link below was not formatted correctly, this has been fixed
(http://mollysavestheday.blogspot.com/2006/02/for-women-of-south-dakota-abortion.html)

Re-Launching "The Unwired One"!!

2006-03-17T10:43:00.000-06:00

I know it's been quite awhile since I posted, so I think it's time for a GRAND RE-OPENING of "The Unwired One". My initial goal is to post at least once-a-day. I look forward to hearing your comments and/or constructive criticisms.

Class 5A and 6A Quaterfinals Results

2005-11-19T15:38:00.000-06:00

Class 5A (4-0, 19-9 overall)
Benjamin Russell over Briarwood CORRECT
Homewood over St. Paul's CORRECT
Buckhorn over Athens CORRECT
Russellville over Lee-Huntsville CORRECT

Class 6A (1-3, bad week for me, 21-7)
Daphne over Davidson (Upset) CORRECT
Prattville over Opelika WRONG
Tuscaloosa County over Hoover (Upset, sorta) WRONG
Clay-Chalkville over Oak Mountain WRONG

The Flyover

2005-11-16T10:11:00.000-06:00

Here's a pic and a link to a video (not mine) for the flyover from Saturday's game.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/shill79/flyover.WMV

College Football Predictions (November 19, 2005)

2005-11-14T15:44:00.000-06:00

Kentucky at Georgia (-27)

I'd love to see Georgia drop this one and watch South Carolina cruise into Atlanta for SEC Championship. Not gonna happen.

Georgia 42 Kentucky 24

LSU (-16.5) at Ole Miss

Bama needs this one for any hope at Atlanta. Also, not gonna happen.

LSU 31 Ole Miss 10

Vanderbilt at Tennessee (-12)

I'd love to see see the Vols drop this one and end up not going bowling. Might go with Vandy and the points, but not the outright win.

Tennessee 23 Vanderbilt 17

Alabama at Auburn (-7)

I'm convinced that Alabama can hang with anyone (on defense). Auburn's offense looks to be pretty potent, while Alabama would have a tough time scoring on Homewood. Unless the Bama O-Line has a true "come to Jesus" experience and Croyle regains his touch, the Tide is probably doomed. From a wagering perspective, I wouldn't touch it with a ten-foot disinfected pole.

Auburn 17 Alabama 9

Penn State (-7.5) at Michigan State

Take it to the bank. The Nittany Lions cover and clinch their spot in the BCS.

Penn State 31 Michigan State 14

UAB at UTEP (-8)

Mike Price has assembled a pretty good team in west Texas. Watson Brown needs to consider handing over the reins to some new blood. The drinks at the stip-club will be on Mike after this one...

UTEP 28 UAB 12

Fresno State at USC (-24)

USC's last chance to lose? Maybe, but I think we can safely assume the Trojans will make the short trip to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl.

USC 45 Fresno State 24

Class 5A and 6A High School Football Predictions (Quaterfinals)

2005-11-14T00:13:00.000-06:00

Class 5A
Benjamin Russell over Briarwood
Homewood over St. Paul's
Buckhorn over Athens
Russellville over Lee-Huntsville

Class 6A
Daphne over Davidson (Upset)
Prattville over Opelika
Tuscaloosa County over Hoover (Upset, sorta)
Clay-Chalkville over Oak Mountain

High School Prediction Results

2005-11-12T11:35:00.000-06:00

The upset bug struck in 5A...

Class 5A (4-4) (15-9 overall)
Eufaula over Benjamin Russell WRONG
Briarwood over BC Rain CORRECT
McAdory over St. Paul's WRONG
Homewood over Stanhope Elmore CORRECT
Etowah over Athens WRONG
Buckhorn over Fairfield CORRECT
Russellville over Pinson Valley CORRECT
Parker over Lee-Huntsville WRONG

Class 6A (6-2) (20-4 overall)
Daphne over Carver-Montgomery CORRECT
Davidson over Enterprise CORRECT
Prattville over Theodore CORRECT
Opelika over Murphy CORRECT
Hoover over Bob Jones CORRECT
Tuscaloosa County over Pell City CORRECT
Decatur over Oak Mountain WRONG
Mountain Brook over Clay-Chalkville WRONG

Will post quarterfinal predictions later this upcoming week...

Class 5A and 6A High School Football Predictions (Week 2)

2005-11-09T15:43:00.000-06:00

Class 5A
Eufaula over Benjamin Russell
Briarwood over BC Rain
McAdory over St. Paul's
Homewood over Stanhope Elmore
Etowah over Athens
Buckhorn over Fairfield
Russellville over Pinson Valley
Parker over Lee-Huntsville

Class 6A
Daphne over Carver-Montgomery
Davidson over Enterprise
Prattville over Theodore
Opelika over Murphy
Hoover over Bob Jones
Tuscaloosa County over Pell City
Decatur over Oak Mountain
Mountain Brook over Clay-Chalkville

High School Prediction Results (Week 1)

2005-11-09T15:36:00.000-06:00

Class 5A (11-5)
Eufaula over Citronelle CORRECT
Benjamin Russell over Jess Lanier (upset) CORRECT
Wetumpka over BC Rain (upset) CORRECT
Briarwood over Pleasant Grove CORRECT
McAdory over Shelby County CORRECT
Carroll over St. Paul's WRONG
Homewood over Paul Bryant CORRECT
Williamson over Stanhope Elmore WRONG
Etowah over West End CORRECT
Athens over Huntsville CORRECT
Gadsden over Fairfield (upset) WRONG
Buckhorn over Walker CORRECT
Russellville over JO Johnson CORRECT
Mortimer Jordan over Pinson Valley WRONG
Cullman over Lee-Huntsville WRONG
Parker over Oxford CORRECT

Class 6A (14-2)
Daphne over McGill-Toolen CORRECT
Central-Phenix City over Carver-Montgomery (upset) WRONG
Davidson over Satsuma CORRECT
Enterprise over Lee-Montgomery CORRECT
Prattville over Auburn CORRECT
Foley over Theodore WRONG
Opelika over Selma CORRECT
Murphy over Fairhope CORRECT
Hoover over Hillcrest CORRECT
Bob Jones over Huffman CORRECT
Tuscaloosa County over Pelham CORRECT
Pell City over Florence CORRECT
Decatur over Hewitt-Trussville CORRECT
Oak Mountain over John Carroll CORRECT
Clay-Chalkville over Sparkman CORRECT
Mountain Brook over Minor CORRECT

A few photos...

2005-11-08T22:40:00.000-06:00

Predictions

2005-11-08T22:31:00.000-06:00

Auburn at Georgia (-3)

Well, here we go... I honestly don't know about this one... I have a feeling that Auburn is better than they are given credit.. Georgia is something of a mystery, especially in light of Shockley's injury. Despite the uncertainty, I'm going to go with Georgia...

Georgia 24 Auburn 20

Kansas at Texas (-34)

After hanging 62 on Baylor, I have trouble thinking that Kansas will be able to even compete in this one... The Jayhawks are a decent team, but they are no match for the 'Horns...

Texas 41 Kansas 10

USC (-19) at California

USC visits the last team to defeat them... History is not going to repeat itself here...

USC 37 Cal 20

LSU (-3) at Alabama

I regret making this call, but I think the undefeated run ends here... Too many questions on offense for the Tide...

LSU 21 Alabama 10

College Football Season Predictions (Updated)

2005-11-02T16:14:00.000-06:00

Here are the updated probabilities for teams to finish the regular season (+ conference championships) undefeated:

Texas 44.47%
USC 19.79%
UCLA 18.90%
Virginia Tech 14.14%
Alabama 13.12%
Georgia 0% (with loss to Florida)

High School Football Playoffs (5A and 6A) Predictions

2005-10-31T11:26:00.000-06:00

Here are my first-round predictions for the 1st Round of the 5A and 6A Playoffs:

Class 5A
Eufaula over Citronelle
Benjamin Russell over Jess Lanier (upset)
Wetumpka over BC Rain (upset)
Briarwood over Pleasant Grove
McAdory over Shelby County
Carroll over St. Paul's
Homewood over Paul Bryant
Williamson over Stanhope Elmore
Etowah over West End
Athens over Huntsville
Gadsden over Fairfield (upset)
Buckhorn over Walker
Russellville over JO Johnson
Mortimer Jordan over Pinson Valley
Cullman over Lee-Huntsville
Parker over Oxford

Class 6A
Daphne over McGill-Toolen
Central-Phenix City over Carver-Montgomery (upset)
Davidson over Satsuma
Enterprise over Lee-Montgomery
Prattville over Auburn
Foley over Theodore
Opelika over Selma
Murphy over Fairhope
Hoover over Hillcrest
Bob Jones over Huffman
Tuscaloosa County over Pelham
Pell City over Florence
Decatur over Hewitt-Trussville
Oak Mountain over John Carroll
Clay-Chalkville over Sparkman
Mountain Brook over Minor

College Football Season Predictions (Updated)

2005-10-25T13:01:00.000-05:00

Based upon the results of last weekend's games I've updated the probabilities of that unbeaten teams will remain undefeated. Here they are:

Texas 34.74%
USC 13.85%
Alabama 12.30%
Georgia 10.93%
UCLA 8.68%
Virginia Tech 8.04%
Texas Tech 0% (since they lost to Texas)

Thus, Texas appears to be on cruise control to the Rose Bowl, while the second slot in the national championship game is definitely up for grabs. Of course, if Texas and USC win-out then it really doesn't matter about the other teams, as the BCS will undoubtably keep the Longhorns and Trojans #1 and #2 (altough they may swap the top and second spot from time-to-time).

2000th Death in Iraq

2005-10-24T11:29:00.000-05:00

In the next few days, it is assumed that the 2000th American soldier will die in Iraq. The liberals are already salivating over this symbolic milestone. Cindy Sheehan says she'll tie herself to the fence at the White House and others are planning marches and demonstrations. I get the real sense that the liberals CAN'T WAIT for a few more soldiers to DIE so they can get to protesting! I've yet to hear a single anti-war liberal say "Well, we hope the 2000th soldier doesn't die." Sick people and a sorry indicator of the state of the left-wing in the U.S.

Roll Tide 6-3

2005-10-23T12:35:00.000-05:00

What a strange game... Perhaps the most boring AND exciting game I've ever been to. Below is my scoreboard pic and a video I took of the game-winning kick. The video is 10 seconds long, about 3.6MB, and in AVI format (use QuickTime or similar to view).

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/shill79/BamaUT.AVI

Predictions

2005-10-21T11:06:00.000-05:00

I know I'm a bit late this week, but here goes...

Southern Miss (+2.5) at UAB

I'm amazed by this line... Take Southern Miss to the bank...

Southern Miss 28 UAB 13

Tennessee at Alabama (-4)

Wow. This game is probably the biggest game that I will have attended in my eight years in Tuscaloosa. The hype is incredible. I'm a bit worried because there is this kind of foregone conclusion that Alabama will win. I'm not so sure. I do think that this IS Alabama'a game to lose, if they're not careful. I'm going to be a homer and go with the Tide on this one.

Alabama 21 Tennessee 10

Oregon State at UCLA (-9)

Upset special? Maybe.. Oregon State will keep this one close and may just pull it off.. Heck, I'm gonna say that they DO pull it off.. Wild and woolly (sp?) one here!

Oregon State 41 UCLA 38

Texas Tech at Texas (-16.5)

Well, we'll lose an undefeated team here for sure. I have to say this is where the Texas Tech offensive machine grinds to a halt.

Texas 38 Texas Tech 17

Auburn at LSU (-6)

The first REAL test for the Tigers (Auburn variety) since Georgia Tech. Every sign points to the Tigers winning this one (haha).

LSU 21 Auburn 20

USC (-30) at Washington

This one gets ugly...

USC 45 Washington 6

College Football thoughts..

2005-10-17T14:56:00.000-05:00

This is as good a time as any to put together a quick and dirty analysis of the remainder of the college football season. At this point (the day of the first BCS Standings release of the season) there are seven unbeaten teams left in NCAA Division I-A college football: Alabama, Georgia, Texas, Texas Tech, UCLA, USC, and Virginia Tech. Each team (with the possible exception of Texas Tech, due to their poor strength-of-schedule) has a legitimate chance at an appearance in the Rose Bowl (this year’s BCS Championship game) if they complete the season undefeated.

Attrition will reduce this number to a maximum of four unbeatens by the end of the regular season and conference championship games (Alabama vs. Georgia in SEC Championship game, Texas vs. Texas Tech on October 22nd, and UCLA vs. USC on December 3rd. Four unbeatens would present the BCS with a nightmare scenario, especially if the current #1 and #2 in the BCS (USC and Texas, respectively) were to lose, leaving the Alabama/Georgia winner, Texas Tech, UCLA, and Virginia Tech undefeated. An alternate worst-case for the BCS would be for each of the unbeatens to lose one game, therefore leaving no undefeated teams and whole host of one-loss teams (including, possibly, teams like Miami, Florida State, Auburn, etc.).

Let’s, however, focus on the more likely (seemingly) possibility of at least two teams remaining undefeated and meeting in Pasadena for the national championship. I’ve constructed a spreadsheet listing each undefeated team and their remaining games. I’ve assigned each team a probability to win each game. These probabilities are totally subjective and certainly subject to both scrutiny and criticism. I’ve posted the spreadsheet so you can play with the probabilities and make your own conclusions.

For those that may not be as comfortable with probability, here are a few notes:

1. Probabilities must be between 0 and 1. A probability of 0 would indicate that a team has absolutely no chance to win a game, while a probability of 1 would indicate that a team will, without a doubt, win a game. Think of probabilities like percentages: A probability to win of 0.75 can be interpreted as a team having a 75% chance of winning that game. In fact, you can convert probabilities to percentages by multiplying the probability by 100.
2. I’ve made the (somewhat dubious) assumption that the result each game is entirely independent of the other games. This assumption allows me to easily calculate the probabilities of a series of events (wins) occurring. For example, if the probability of Team A to win Game 1 is 0.90 and to win Game 2 is 0.75, then the probability that Team A will win Game 1 and Game 2 is simply 0.90 times 0.75 = 0.675. This approach totally disregards the concept that if the team loses (or wins) a game, the chances of them winning (or losing) a future game may be significantly changed.

The results of my quick-and-dirty calculations suggest that the teams have the following chances to finish undefeated:

Texas 13.61%
USC 8.31%
Georgia 7.90%
Alabama 6.31%
UCLA 5.58%
Virginia Tech 4.58%
Texas Tech 3.21%

The results suggest that the status-quo will remain and Texas and USC will meet in the Rose Bowl. Let’s take a little more in-depth look at the numbers.

Texas’ chances are greatly improved by their rather soft schedule the rest of the way out. They face only two or three real tests the remainder of the season (vs. Texas Tech, at Texas A&M, and in the Big 12 Championship). Additionally, they have three games versus soft opponents (Oklahoma State, Baylor, and Kansas). The likely opponent in the Big 12 title game would be Nebraska, Colorado, or Missouri.

USC has a slightly more tedious route to the Rose Bowl with three games against ranked teams to end the season (at Cal, vs. Fresno State, and vs. UCLA). USC does benefit from not having to play in a conference championship game (the only one of the current of the current unbeatens with this luxury).

Georgia encounters a mixed-bag of opposition. Presumably easy wins against Arkansas and Kentucky are mixed-in with battles against rivals Florida, Auburn, and Georgia Tech. Should Georgia make the SEC Championship game in Atlanta, the likely opposition would be Alabama, Auburn, or LSU. One can only imagine the playoff-like atmosphere that would take place if an unbeaten Georgia and unbeaten Alabama would face-off in Atlanta.

Alabama faces a tough road to perfection. Two easy wins versus Utah State and at Mississippi State are sandwiched around huge matchups with Tennessee, LSU, at Auburn, and a potential match-up with Georgia in the SEC Championship game.

The road to Pasadena for UCLA goes straight through the Los Angeles Coliseum. Could UCLA become the first team to “host” a national title game in their home stadium? Only if win at USC. A tough game at home versus Arizona State also presents a hurdle.

Virginia Tech has encounters a fairly nasty run to end the season. Five of the Hokies’ last six games are challenges with Miami, Boston College, Virginia, and a potential date with Florida State in the inaugural ACC Championship game potentially wrecking a Tech trip to Pasadena.

Lastly, we have Texas Tech. If Texas Tech can make it past the Longhorns, we might just have us something here. However, I just can’t see them going to Austin and pulling off the upset. Beyond the ‘Horns, the Tech schedule is fairly mild with below-average Texas A&M and Oklahoma being the only real highlights. A rematch with Nebraska in the Big 12 title game would be a bit intriguing. There is a possibility that Texas Tech could go unbeaten and still not make the Rose Bowl with a one-loss team like USC (if they lose), LSU, Auburn, or even Texas (if they lose to Tech) passing them.

So there you have it. Certainly up for debate and refinement. My belief? I have a feeling USC and Texas will be at the Rose Bowl, but there’s definitely still a chance for my Tide and others to sneak in. Strange things can happen in college football.

Prediciton Results

2005-10-16T14:48:00.000-05:00

Well not bad at all...

4-0 straight-up and 3-1 versus the spread...

I'll post my predictions for this week on Monday or Tuesday...

ROLL TIDE, Beat VOLS