TGIF Linkage 11/28

I’ve been at home in Sioux Falls for the past two days, bonding with the fam for the Thanksgiving weekend. Here’s a quick peek at some of the conversation shared at the dinner table yesterday: High school football, enrollment, my mom’s neighbors in the 1970’s, Detroit Lions sucking, USD basketball (thanks to me) and of course, politics.

Let’s get to the linkage.

** ESPN’s Buster Olney penned a great story about Northern State University men’s basketball coach Don Meyer’s battle with both a car accident and subsequent dealing with cancer. ESPN had a camera crew at the Nov. 18 game between NSU and Mount Marty College, a game that marked the season-opener for the Wolves. I highly recommend that you check out Buster’s story.

** OK, seriously, how many second (or third or fourth) chances can a felon like Pacman Jones get? Hey, Roger Goodell, here’s an idea: Stop threatening and actually do something.

** Mark my words. Sioux Falls Skyforce head coach Nate Tibbetts, a former USD Coyote, is on the way up.

** Reason No. 5,606 why the BCS sucks. According to the Sagarin computer rankings, one of the ratings that counts toward BCS standings, James Madison is No. 24. That’s Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) James Madison. Division I-AA James Madison. 10-1 James Madison, which suffered its only loss to Duke. Yet, somehow, James Madison is ranked ahead of teams like Michigan State and California. What the heck?

** Hey, Allen Iverson, ever wonder why you keep getting traded?

Man, am I sarcastic this week, or what?

** As a Cleveland Cavaliers fan and therefore a LeBron James fan, I was pissed at ESPN’s overhyping of James playing in New York on Tuesday. Because you know, the Worldwide Leader is pretty damn sure that LeBron will be with the Knicks in 2010 when he becomes a free agent. And you wonder why some people hate ESPN.

** One of the funniest links I think I’ve ever included: What would Shawshank Redemption look like if it was filmed in 1983? Hmmmmm.

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Weekly Recommended Tune

Heard a new song on the way to Sioux Falls on Wednesday, and it’s already one of my new faves. The song is called “Rock and Roll” by Eric Hutchinson.