Britney!

Who cares? Really.
If you got here because you searched "Britney"... get a life.

Deja Vu All Over Again

Steven Dunn/Getty Images

Another day, another feel-good story. And they have more in common than just the Maize and Blue color schemes will lead you to believe. Yesterday, Michigan sent Lloyd Carr out on a winning note. Tonight, in the Fiesta Bowl, West Virginia manhandled Oklahoma to the tune of 48-28. Yesterday, Michigan rolled up over 500 yards in total offense, using good old fashioned Big 10 Smash Mouth Football. Tonight, in the Arizona desert, West Virginia U rolled up over 500 yards in total offense using the "Spread" offense, tweaked to its highest level by former WVU and current (as of today) Michigan coach, Rich Rodriguez. Neither team was given much of a chance against their opponents.

Not only did we get to see the kind of exciting football that will be displayed in Ann Arbor next Fall... (and who doesn't like a bunch of 50+ yard touchdown runs), but we also previewed WVU's "3-3-5 Stack" defense; a defense critics say will never work against Big 10 offenses. Ask Oklahoma how they like it. ;)

So, congratulations to interim (and making a powerful statement for permanance) coach, Bill Stewart and the West Virginia Mountaineers for setting aside the distractions, and getting the job done against the Sooners, and for giving us Michigan fans a glimpse into a rosy future... pun intended.

UPDATE: This just in. It's a done deal.

Finis. With a Flourish!

Capital One Bowl, 2008. Michigan 41, Florida 35. A great finish to Lloyd Carr's career, and for Michigan's seniors. It's amazing what good health, and time to formulate a brilliant game plan will do for a team.

Florida's good, but their defense had no answer to Chad Henne's impersonation of Tom Brady, and Adrian Arrington's Randy Moss. Michigan's defense, however, handled Florida's Heisman winner just well enough to keep him from being a hero. Well done Blue. Brian has a message for sad Gator and SEC fans here .

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The bowl game didn't keep me from channel surfing frequently to the great NHL hockey game being played outdoors in a blinding snowstorm.. in Buffalo freaking New York. I love football, but make no mistake about it: hockey is the most exciting sport in the world. If you missed it, make sure you watch SportCenter, or your local sports report tonight. Hockey like it was meant to be played.

One More.

Easily, the leap of the weekend.

Never underestimate your canine athletes.

Cleared For Takeoff

I've often mentioned here my preference for shooting on fields that have some character. "Flat" is the enemy of exciting lure coursing, and lure coursing images. On the list of great fields, soccer fields are usually at the bottom of the list.

This weekend, we were at a soccer/football/baseball complex located in the center of a big oxbow of the Brazos River in Richmond, TX. This is not your average soccer field lure coursing field... What makes it different from your run-of-the-mill flat field?

Ditches!

Hounds that negotiated the three jump opportunities on the course flawlessly were rewarded with high scores. The same can't be said for the less successful leapers...

Believe It: It's the Only Chicks These Guys Can Get.

P*TA is shipping inflatable sex dolls overseas, apparently for wild sex parties involving chickens, scalding hot water, and a goatee'd dead guy in a white suit. That's some rough sex.

Help Find Haggis.

No, not that nasty Scottish "delicacy"... this is a Scottish Deerhound, "Haggis", who's been missing near Bowie, Maryland since a car accident Thanksgiving. Details here.

According to reports on the Deerhound discussion list, he's been spotted many times, but will not approach anyone. He's in survival mode. I've heard of this happening with Salukis that get lost in the New Mexico deserts.. they become practically feral overnight, and won't even approach their owners. It's what keeps them alive.

Hopefully Haggis can be reunited with his people soon.