Sunday, November 28, 2004
It’s the birthday
… of Barry Gordy. The founder of Motown is 75.
… of S. Epatha Merkerson. Lt. Van Buren is 52.
… of Jon Stewart. The Daily Show star is 42.
Archive for November 28, 2004
Supposed I-A playoff
Hypothetical 16-team bracket using 11 conference champions and 5 wild cards. Conference champions based on current best record if not yet decided. Wildcards based on Sagarin’s current overall rating, as is seeding.
USC (Pac 10) vs, North Texas (Sun Belt)
Louisville (Conference USA) vs. Miami
Utah (Mountain West) vs. Michigan (Big 10)
Texas vs. LSU
California vs. West Virginia (Big East)
Auburn (SEC) vs. Georgia
Boise State (WAC) vs. Virginia Tech (ACC)
Oklahoma (Big 12) vs. Miami-Ohio (Mid-American)
Some interesting games and some interesting likely second round match-ups. Of course, if this was done like basketball, by a committee, there would no doubt be more finesse and finagling.
Think of the drama as we waited for next Sunday and pairings to be announced on TV. Who’d be on the bubble, etc., etc.
Alas.
1 CommentMeanwhile, where the college presidents aren’t jerks — a football championship decided by (imagine) playoffs
The first round of the I-AA 16-team football playoff style tournament has been completed. Eight teams moved to the second round December 4th &mdash
Sam Houston State @ Eastern Washington
New Hampshire @ Montana
Delaware @ William & Mary
James Madison @ Furman
The championship game is in Chattanooga December 17.
(There are 117 I-A schools and 122 I-AA schools.)
Things I think about
Wouldn’t it be great if Chris Berman and Dick Vitale got in a big argument at the ESPN holiday party and punched each other out?
Glad I live at 6,000 feet
Map of southern Florida projecting the coastline if sea levels rise 20 feet, as scientists suggest could happen if the Greenland ice sheet melts.
Link via Michael Froomkin.
Strength of schedule
Jeff Sagarin’s top ten Strength of Schedule (as of November 28):
- Oregon State
- Texas A&M
- North Carolina
- Arizona State
- Arizona
- Washington
- Stanford
- Baylor
- BYU
- USC
End of Jennings’ run on Jeopardy
As noted here sometime ago, Ken Jennings finally loses on Jeaopary! in the show that airs Tuesday (November 30). The Final Jeopardy answer that defeats him:
Most of this firm’s 70,000 seasonal white collar employees work only four months a year.
Answer in comments.
Thanks to Kottke for all this. He has an audio recording of the actual moment.
[When posted here in September the answer omitted "seasonal" and the number was 17,000 rather than 70,000.]
