BCS makes for happy holidays

All of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is nearly over for another year. Presents and those neatly wrapped gifts that were under the tree this morning are no longer there. The beautiful bows and the pretty colored paper have disappeared and have already been carted to the burner barrel.
The excitement generated at this time of the year has nearly vanished. Actually it's kind of a lonely feeling now, a time when one would rather be alone in the quietness and just sit back, reflect and stare into the twinkling lights and the star adorned at the top of the tree. It's a time to be thankful, to think.
To watch the flickering flames of the fireplace and to listen to the songs, such as White Christmas, Silver Bells, Silent Night and I'll Be Home for Christmas, complete the day. The children have all matured now and have their own families. The grandchildren are now in the spotlight. They will all be here later today, to break bread and open yet more presents. The loneliness, along with the quietness, will disappear. I wouldn't want it any other way. It's Christmas Time In the City or should we say In the Country.
As I grow older, my wife gets prettier and more understanding, our children are the greatest and our grandchildren, well, they are the cream of the crop. Funny, but everyone I talk to, all of my friends, relatives and loved ones, share the same outlook about their respective families..
So today, as I have in most of my life at this holy time, I'm wishing all of you a grand and glorious holiday season. Good health, peace, love and happiness always.
BCS lineup
I don't hear too much grumbling about the Bowl Championship Series match-ups this year, not like in past seasons. Seems like everyone is quite happy with the way things have worked out. Only thing that bothers me though is the scheduling of the action. I would like to watch about three of the Bowl encounters and keeping my fingers crossed that they are not televised at the same times.
I had been hoping that Penn State would have met up with Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 3. Instead, the Nittany Lions will go after Bobby Bowden and his Florida State aggregation. That should be a pretty good ball game, come to think of it.
They are calling this one "The Clash of the Ages." Bowden is 76, Joe Paterno, 79. Man, that's a whole lot of football involved in those two age-old characters. You pick 'em.
Then there's Jim Tressel's Ohio State Buckeyes going up against Charlie Weis and his Fighting Irish of Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl set for Jan. 2. There are quite a few who feel that the Buckeyes will have little trouble in crunching the Irish since they believe ND had a weak schedule this season. Weak or not, the Irish (9-2) dropped a heartbreaker to undefeated Southern Cal, 34-31.
Rose Bowl
The one everyone wants to see is the Rose Bowl, pitting two undefeated teams, USC and Texas. a pair of 12-0 entries. This one, set in Pasadena on Jan. 4, will be for all he marbles, the national championship.
Think USC is tough?
The Trojans will be gunning for an unprecedented, third consecutive national championship and their 35th consecutive victory. Needless to say, the Longhorns appear to have their work cut out. They, too, have some mighty impressive statistics, like scoring 70 points in a win over Colorado last time out.
The Sugar Bowl, to be played this year in Atlanta on Jan. 2, should be another very interesting clash. Georgia, 10-2 and the SEC champion, matches up with 10-1 West Virginia, the Big East kingpin . This clash has been drawing a lot of attention, too.
Overall, the BCS should draw a lot of attention in early January. As they say, may the best team win.