GRIFFINS WIN!!!  GRIFFINS WIN!!!  The Grand Rapids Griffins get the Calder Cup. Big ratings on WXSP, I bet.  Here’s a list that shows where you can find WXSP in your town or on your cable or satellite TV.  Our own Larry Figurski (a great hockey player and Bob Kaser announced the game on radio.  , you can listen to Griffins  games on WOOD-AM radio.     Here’s pictures of Friday Night’s game.  Picture in the middle was just sent to me by Larry Figurski during Game 6 Tues. night – Larry did the play-by-play on  WOOD radio.

    I have today (Thurs.) off.  I’ll be at the Meadows Clubhouse at GVSU for the Champions Luncheon, featuring Darrell Waltrip, one of the best racers of all time!  There’s golf to follow.  You are welcome to join us for either the lunch or the golf (or both).  The lunch is only $15/person.  You can come as early as 10:30 AM.  The lunch begins at 11:30 AM.   Really, I mean it.  Even if you can get away for a couple hours during the day, come out and have lunch with me.   If they run out of food, you can have my lunch!  If you really honestly can’t afford the $15, I’ll buy your lunch.  Really, I will.  There’s still room for you to golf, too.  That’s $150/person and it includes the luncheon, golf fees, cart, beverages on the course and Prize Picnic to follow event.  I’m playing with Darrell – I think I’ll let him drive the cart!   It’s a benefit for Moriah Ministries at Grand Valley State University.  Moriah Ministries has taken kids down to do tornado clean-up. – it’s a great group.   More info on the luncheon and golf at this link.

  The next round of the NFL Playoff games will be next Sunday the 20th.   The first game will be San Francisco at Atlanta at 3 PM in Atlanta and the second game will be Baltimore at New England.  In Atlanta, temperatures will likely be in the low-mid 50s.  From this far out, it looks dry during the game with a northwest wind (outside the dome).  In New England, look for about low 30s with a fairly stiff west wind at 15-20 mph.   I can’t rule out a flurry, but nothing significant.   The Super Bowl on 2/3 will be in the dome in New Orleans.

Some low temperatures Sat. AM out West:  25 Tucson, 15 Douglas AZ, -9 Flagstaff AZ, -7 Gallup NM, -23 Bryce Canyon UT.  Check out the heavy snowfall in Utah.   The heavy snow caused many school closings and over 400 accidents in the Salt Lake City area.  It’s sunny and in the low 80s in S. Florida.  There’s a Yellow Warning for England, Scotland and Wales.  The UK Met Office has scaled back their long-range forecasts.  The cold coming into the UK looks pretty significant.

   Today is the anniversary of the famous “Freezer Bowl” – Jan. 10, 1982.  The AFC Championship game between the San Diego Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals was played in Cincinnati in the middle of one of the most brutal Arctic outbreaks in U.S. history.  That Sunday afternoon at game time, the temperature was -9 and the wind was west at 27 mph.  That made the wind chill temperature -37, the coldest wind chill ever for a pro football game.  Before the Chargers took the field, Running back Hank Bauer tested the field conditions. Bauer recalled: “when I came out of that tunnel… man, it (the wind) just hit you-like somebody threw 100 knives at you.” When he returned to the locker room, he told his teammates: “Whatever you got on, take it off. Number one-you won’t be able to move (with all the layers) and number two-it ain’t gonna help.”  The Bengals offensive line played the entire game with bare arms. A number of them played with bare hands as well. They placed hot water bottles inside their athletic supporters and between plays they walked around with their hands in their pants^.    It was so cold, icicles started to form on Dan Fouts’ (S.D. Quarterback) beard early in the game.  The game was one of the few in NFL history in which the same team kicked off to begin both halves. Cincinnati won the toss and instead of receiving, elected to have the brutally cold wind at their backs to start the game, believing it would neutralize San Diego’s passing game and help the Bengals to build an early lead. The strategy paid off as Cincinnati built a 10-0 lead.  They went on to win the game 27-7.  (picture from www.bengals.com)

 On Nov. 25, 1950 Michigan and Ohio State met for what has been called the “Blizzard Bowl” or the “Snow Bowl“. Check out the film of the storm here and here. Michigan won the game 9-3 despite gaining only 27 yards of offense in 46 plays. They had no first downs, didn’t complete a pass and punted 24 times. In fact, there were 45 punts in the game. Both teams mostly tried two runs then punted on 3rd down, so in case the punter slipped, they could try again on fourth down. Only 2 of the 45 punts were returned (for a total of 8 yards). That was mostly because the return man couldn’t find the ball. Most just hit the snow and stopped without bouncing. There were only 10 fumbles in the game. The temperature at the start of the game was +10° and the wind was howling out of the north-northeast. One Ohio St. player remarked that he was supposed to go down and block a linebacker, but when he ran downfield he could find him! All the points were scored after blocked kicks in the first half. Several hundred Boy Scouts were on the sidelines helping to sweep snow off the field so the officials and players could find the yard markers. Most of the state of Ohio got 10″ or more of snow, with reports up to 33″ and drifts up to 25 feet! The temperature in Grand Rapids that morning reached -10°F, the coldest temperature ever recorded here in the month of November. (photo – OSU library)

   Happy Thanksgiving.   Thanksgiving means the Detroit Lions are on TV (they can sell car commercials…watch especially for Ford commercials during the game  and that’s one of the reasons Detroit held onto this Thanksgiving game while they have been a weak team).  Today the Lions face a third loss in a row with Houston (9-1) coming to Ford Field.  The Lions have lost 8 Thanksgiving Day games in a row, by an average of 21 points (35-14).  There are 3 NFL games today back-to-back-to-back.  Detroit and Houston start the action at 12:30 PM.  The Lions (4-6) are fast fading from the playoff picture.   The evening game is New England at the Jets and that game is at 8:20 PM on WOOD, TV-8.  There are Friday and Saturday high school playoff games at Ford Field and we wish our local teams the best.  Temperatures will be falling a bit during the day Friday and Saturday will be chilly there with a chance of flurries and temperatures much of the day in the mid 30s.  Central Michigan (5-6) plays at Massachusetts (1-10) (which also played Michigan and Western Michigan this year) at 3 PM.   Saturday is the big Michigan-Ohio State game.  The weather in Columbus looks partly sunny and maybe 38-40 (kind of chilly).  That game is on WOTV4.   MSU heads to Minnesota with both teams really in need of a win.  That game is on the Big Ten Network.  Notre Dame tries to keep their perfect record intact at USC.  That game is an 8:20- PM start and it’s on WOTV4.  

   Most all of the local teams have home games this weekend.  Michigan (7-3) hosts Iowa (4-6) in the Big House at Noon.  Michigan is favored and you can watch the game on ESPN.  Northwestern (7-3) at Michigan State (5-5) could be the game of the day.  That’s also a Noon start and the game is on ESPN2.  At 1 PM, Miami (OH) (4-6) takes on Central Michigan 4-6) in Mt. Pleasant.  Eastern Michigan (1-9) and Western Michigan (4-7) tangle in Kalamazoo at 2 PM.  Wake Forest (5-5) has a tough road game at Notre Dame (10-0).  The Fighting Irish have a tougher match against USC (7-3) out in Los Angeles next Saturday night.  You can catch the Notre Dame/Wake Forest game on WOOD-TV at 3:30 PM.   I’ll also add that my alma mater, Wisconsin (7-3) – has a big game against Ohio State (10-0).  Wisconsin’s 3 losses have come by only 3 points each and with home field advantage, that could be a close game.  That game will be on WOTV4 at 3:30 PM.   We also have the high school playoff games on Saturday.  Sunday the Detroit Lions (4-5) host the Green Bay Packers (6-3) on FOX at 1 PM.  The weather should be pleasant and dry for all of these games with temperatures in the low-mid 50s.  Skies should be partly to mostly sunny for most games in the Great Lakes region. 

   The Purdue/Ohio State game was exciting – OSU wins with a last minute touchdown, 2-point conversion and then another t.d. in O.T.  The Tigers play Wednesday, but not at home until next weekend.  The Weds. and Thurs. evening games will be at the NL city, then Sat./Sun./Mon. at Detroit.  The Cardinals and Giants play Sunday evening (our time) at 7:30 PM and if necessary at 8 PM Monday (on FOX).   Michigan and Michigan State tangle at 3:30 PM (Big Ten Network…I was surprised it didn’t find a place higher up the food chain).  I’m hoping the scattered showers are winding down by gametime.  Also at 3:30 PM, BYU visits Notre Dame.  That game is on WOOD, TV-8 now.  Notre Dame is definitely on a roll and ahead in this game now.  Ball St. at Central is at 3:30 on ESPN3.   Western is at Kent St.  Earlier at 1 PM Mi. Tech is at Ferris and at 2 PM, Hope is at Kalamazoo College.  Grand Valley’s evening game against Northwood should be dry.   The Lions and Bears play Monday night at Soldier Field and there is a chance of a shower or t-storm for that game.  Leave a comment with your prediction on the World Series (or football).

   Here’s some cool pics. from this year’s major league baseball season.  TIGERS WIN 3-1!   In the NCAA, Michigan St. spotted Indiana a 17-point lead, then rallied to win 31-27.  Massachusetts got thumped by Western in Kalamazoo, 52-14.  Central had a 21-10 lead on Toledo, but wound up losing a shootout 50-35.  My wife’s alma mater (Illinois) was crushed by my alma mater (Wisconsin) 31-14.    Michigan had no problem with Purdue, 44-14.  Ferris St. came from behind to top Grand Valley.  Hope was a winner 24-14 over Olivet.  Notre Dame  stomped Miami.

It’s also a big weekend here with the Red Flannel festival in Cedar Springs, the Harvest Festival in Rockford, Pulaski Days here in G.R. and Pumpkinfest in Zeeland.  The weather will be a bit on the chilly side with a chance of a passing sprinkle (just a chance).

   The Tigers magic number is just one (either one Tiger win or one White Sox loss).  The Tigers won a close one Sunday, 2-1 on a Fielder homer in the 8th.  The Tigers have 3 road games left in Kansas City, starting Porcello Monday evening.  The Chicago White Sox have faded like the ’69 Cubs, losing to Tampa Bay 6-2 Sunday aftn.  The White Sox have now lost 10 of their last 12, while Tampa Bay was won 10 of the last 11.   Miguel Cabrera continues to have a decent chance being the first Triple Crown (home runs, runs-batted-in and batting average) winner since Carl Yastremski in 1967.

This sure was a week that “our guys” lost.    Michigan State came up a point shy in a 17-16 loss to Ohio State at East Lansing.   Michigan State had only 34 total yards rushing.    Central Michigan got blown out by Northern Illinois 55-24.  NIU had 407 yards rushing.  Toledo thumped Western Michigan 37-17.   Hope College lost their 4th in a row, getting shut out by Adrian 24-0.  Kalamazoo College dropped a 30-20 decision to Trine.  My Wisconsin Badgers blew a 17-point lead in a 30-27 loss at Nebraska.  Ferris St. lost to Saginaw Valley 31-24.  Grand Valley held on to score a 51-43 win over Michigan Tech.   They were up 51-14, then gave up 29 consecutive points.  Also, how do you score 63 points and still lose?   The U.S. team sure crashed in golf’s Ryder Cup at Medinah C.C. just west of Chicago.  I played golf a couple times before as an Evans Scholar.

Then there’s the Lions…losers of 10 of their last 16 games since they started last year 5-0.  They are 1-3 for 2012 so far.  They have a bye week and won’t play next Sunday.