It all came down to the last play

No FSU win... #FSUFAIL instead.

Had a great trip and a fun time but the Noles fumbled away victory in the end. Late night last night and barely any sleep but I hope everyone has a great Friday.

-Doc

Here is proof...

That Peyton Manning has been carrying his younger brothers for years...

-Doc

NFL Football Pick Em

For all you guys and gals out there in blog and Twitter world who love NFL Football I have a new free online game for you to play against your friends.

Yahoo NFL Pick em is now available and I have created a league. Easy enough to play. You just have to pick the winner of NFL games. (No point spreads or anything - just the winner)

Easy and fun to do. Here is the link:

http://football.fantasysports.yahoo.com/pickem

Once you get there and sign up or in choose the option to Join a Group and use the following:

Group ID# = 1646
Group Password = doc

Join up and lets have fun this football season. It's open to anyone and free to play. I will come up with a trophy for the winner and maybe some sort of weekly recognition here at YJKOBT.

Comment or email me with any questions but go ahead and sign up... The more the merrier

-Doc

It all Starts Today

My very favorite sports teams season kind of unofficially gets under way today and I'm excited. The 2010 Carolina Panthers season starts today when the players report to training camp in Spartanburg SC. It's just the beginning of a long season that unlike any in recent years will feature a lot more changes and a lot of uncertainty. With uncertainty can come optimism. So today I find myself cautiously optimistic. Oh what the heck I will admit it. I'm fired up.... BRING ON FOOTBALL SEASON !!

Is anyone else fired up and ready for football season? Let me know who you pull for High School, College, Pros, All three? i love all three myself but there is just something extra special about the NFL for me. Lemme know who is excited out there that it's almost here. For you NFL fans this time next year there very likely will be no football so lets enjoy this year!

-Doc

Finally a good place for a Soccer goal

Mt. Cat sent me this one....
He Shoots he scores... GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLL !!!

-Doc

Oh Say it isn't so....

I was very dismayed yesterday when I started hearing whispers and rumors of something very terrible on the horizon. My fears were confirmed when I found this article from Fox-News that seems to confirm that Wal-Mart is looking to team up with Jeff Gordon. How How How is it possible that the Great Satan Wal-Mart could ever team up with the Great Savior of NASCAR Jeff Gordon? It's just not fair. It's not right. It goes against everything that I stand for. How can this happen. What will I do if this becomes a reality?

First why do I dislike Wal-Mart? It's simple, because Wal-Mart claims to be a company that is for the little people (IE. offering low prices and a bunch of things all together in one place and helping give people jobs) when in fact they are a controlling Satan-like entity who pays crappy wages, few (if any) benefits, seeks to shut down and bankrupt any small business it deems as competition, and last and most sinister it wants to control what I think and listen too. Yes Wal-Mart wants to control what I can and can't listen to by forcing musical artists to make clean versions of their music. At least as far as what Wal-Mart Considers to be clean. Does anyone really want a company like Wal-Mart deciding what you can and can't listen too? READ MORE ON THE HORRORS OF WAL-MART HERE.

I am just torn up about this and am not sure what I will do if this actually happens. How can I continue to pull for my hero Jeff Gordon if he bends to the almighty dollar and teams up with the Great Satan? I just hope it doesn't come to this... Please Jeff I implore you to stay away from Wal-Mart.

-Doc

Darrelle Revis wants $20 million a year and so do I

I happened to be reading online yesterday and this article about NY Jets Cornerback Darrelle Revis caught my eye. Mr. Revis thinks that he deserves to be paid 20 Million a year for his skills which breaks down to 1.25 million dollars per game. Whaaaaa? Now considering he plays defense and not QB or some position where he handles the ball every play this figure is actually 1.25 million for playing HALF the game.
Now I know that Revis is good, don't get me wrong he is one of the best. I mean anyone who can shut down and shut up Chad Ochocinco deserves serious credit but 20 million???
I have come to the conclusion that I'm going to demand my employer pay me like this as well. OK lets figure this out. The highest paid person at Revis' position in the NFL made less than 10 million last season. While this is still being severely overpaid I will use this as a baseline marker for my demands. OK if the highest paid person at my position with the company makes $100,000 per year for example I think that I'm going to contact our general manager (through the media of course not in person) and demand that I must make $200,000 a year. How about that? I mean I do offer a service that people really need when they have wrecked their car. It's more important than shuting down Diva wide receivers right? You know what on second thought why don't I just shoot for the moon? Forget $200K I WANT 20 MILLION TOO! How do you think this will be received? Yeesh. Oh and don't forget that I'm only going to work half the time too.
I love sports as much as anyone but this has gotten out of control.

-Doc

Today starts 2 great weeks

Starting today the area I live in becomes the center of the NASCAR world until Memorial Day. I live in Concord/Kannapolis North Carolina and work in Charlotte where for the next two weeks the entire focus will be auto racing. Now this area is already the center of the NASCAR world (Not Daytona contrary to what you might think) because all the drivers and team members live here and all the cars are built here. These two weeks when the races are here though it's just crazy. With seating capacity of almost 200,000 people and infield area room for plenty more our little town becomes the 3rd largest in NC for a couple of weeks. The campers/RVs alone that move in for 2 weeks are something to see. They make their own little city.
This Saturday night is the Nextel Allstar Race and we will be going to it. We have pit passes and infield hospitality passes to give us access to watch Creed in concert as well as watch the race. We even have a designated driver! Should be lots fun. (Thanks to my buddy Rick!) Next week is the Coca-Cola 600. The grandaddy of them all. What I refer to as the longest day of the year. We aren't going this year but will be set up to celebrate in our backyard. I look forward to when my son gets older and we can take him.
Well as I said this is the biggest time of the year where I live. I wondered what the biggest thing that happens where you live is?

-Doc

Baseball Season

Baseball season is about to start this year just like spring and with it a newness and rebirth of optimism for the season ahead. This season actually kicks off this Sunday with the Yankees - Red Sox rivalry.
Pretty much everyone who reads this knows I am a huge NY Mets fan and after their terrible year last season I am really hoping for a bounce back in 2010 due to the lower expectations. They may not be able to top the Phillies but I think they can make a run at them if they stay healthy.
I was kind of wondering who your favorite baseball team is? Who do you pull for? I know not everyone is a sports fan but everyone should at least have a team they identify with a little bit. Give me your thoughts on this baseball season and how you think your team will do.

-Doc

Weekly Poll 2/22/10 - The Tiger Situation

After this past Friday's apology heard around the world what is your feeling on the state of the Tiger situation?
Tiger in very awkward fashion came out on Friday and admitted to the world what he has done and apologized to everyone for everything. After getting to watch replay of it and reading the text I have a feeling this was not the way he wanted to do this but his 'rehab' may have mandated it. He read from a prepared speech and did not come off as being totally sincere but he is awkward in this way normally. Apparently he is back to rehab and his golf career is on hold.
What is your opinion of this mess? I have a poll up that has a bunch of different choices and you can select multiple answers. Would love to hear your comments as well.

-Doc

Weekly Poll - Winter Olympics

The Winter Olympics in Vancouver kicked off in grand fashion this weekend and the craze it on. It seems to me that most of these "winter" sports like luge, skiing, and figure skating only catch our interest every 4 years when there is National Pride on the line. It may just be NBC and their expert production but every four years it seems that I find myself rooting like hell for the poor guy from South Dakota whose parent passed away last year and whose sibling has a rare disease to compete in frozen pond gumball shooting or some other obscure sport. It's compelling even though I have no idea about some of the sports.
I wanted to take the pulse of blogger on this issue. Are you into the Winter Olympics? Has it hooked you in or could you care less? vote in the poll and let me know what you think.

-Doc

Congratulations to Charlotte NC Model Brooklyn Decker

I wasn't surprised at all to hear that Brooklyn Decker was named as the covergirl for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue this year and you shouldn't be surprised that I chose to post a huge picture of it here on YJKOBT.

I have to celebrate this because not only is she very attractive and married to tennis star Andy Roddick but we share something in common. A special bond you might say. We both call Charlotte NC our hometown... and yes that is good enough for me!

Funny thing I found out by reading this article is that she wasn't named after the borough in New York (where she now lived BTW) but she was actually named after a horse named Brook. Seriously folks you named your daughter after the horse? Well I guess it could be worse you could be like my sister and be named after a Playboy centerfold.

-Doc

Best part of the Super Bowl

One postscript on the football season and the Superbowl in particular. It was a great game and the feel good story team won however I think one of the best moments came after the game was over. I hope everyone got a chance to see MVP Drew Brees holding his 1 year old son Baylen and the joy on his face just watching the little one take in an experience like no other. That folks is what being a parent is all about. He or his wife even thought enough to have some earphones to drown out all the excessive noise of the celebration. It just doesn't get any better than that.

-Doc

Who so you want to win the Super Bowl? Weekly Poll 2/1/10

Super Bowl week is here. A week full of hype and hyperbole. This years game should be a good one though. The Indianapolis Colts versus the New Orleans Saints this coming Sunday. Two teams that win games with their offense. The Colts are a 5 1/2 to 6 point favorite depending on where you look and the odds makers have the over under for the game at 56 1/2 so everyone is expecting a lot of scoring. Poll question for this week is who are you rooting for in the Super Bowl? Are you a fan of Peyton Manning and the Colts or the great team story of the Saints and the recovery they are helping to facilitate in New Orleans? Go ahead and tell me and vote in the poll. Who are you pulling for this Sunday? Poll will be open until kick off time on Sunday.

-Doc

The Ultimate Jets Fan Bride

So those of you who follow me on Twitter already know about the wedding I was in in NY on Saturday and the surprise that the bride had for the cocktail hour after the reception. I figured I would share it here though.
My brother in law got married on Saturday and we were all in the wedding. It just so happened that service was at 5 pm which was during the Jets - Bengals playoff game. Kim the beautiful bride is a huge Jets fan so as a show of solidarity for her team she came down for the cocktail hour (before the reception) wearing her Jets jersey of Mark Sanchez. I just had to get my picture taken with her and post these here:

Classic and a very beautiful bride too!!
BTW - Maybe the jersey brought the Jets good luck. They won the game and continue on in the NFL playoffs!

-Doc

2009 College Bowl Game Predictions

College Bowl season starts today and here are my picks for each of the games:

(Prediction in Orange - Correct picks in Green - Incorrect in Red)

Record = 18 - 14 .563

(Please feel free to comment as you wish. Agree with me disagree with me or make fun of my win/loss record)

Non-BCS Bowl Games:

Dec. 19 New Mexico Albuquerque, N.M. ESPN 4:30 p.m. Wyoming (6-6) vs. Fresno State (8-4) - Fresno State

Dec. 19 St. Petersburg St. Petersburg, Fla. ESPN 8 p.m. Rutgers (8-4) vs. UCF (8-4) - Rutgers

Dec. 20 New Orleans New Orleans ESPN 8:30 p.m. Middle Tennessee State (9-3) vs. Southern Miss (7-5) - Southern Miss

Dec. 22 Maaco Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nev. ESPN 8 p.m. Oregon State (8-4) vs. BYU (10-2) - Oregon State

Dec. 23 Poinsettia San Diego, Calif. ESPN 8 p.m. Utah (9-3) vs. California (8-4) - Utah

Dec. 24 Hawaii Honolulu ESPN 8 p.m. Nevada (8-4) vs. SMU (7-5) - Nevada

Dec. 26 Little Caesars Detroit, Mich. ESPN 1 p.m. Ohio (9-4) vs. Marshall (6-6) - Ohio

Dec. 26 Emerald San Francisco ESPN 8 p.m. Boston College (8-4) vs. Southern California (8-4) - USC

Dec. 26 Meineke Car Care Charlotte, N.C. ESPN 4:30 p.m. North Carolina (8-4) vs. Pittsburgh (9-3) - Pittsburgh

Dec. 27 Music City Nashville, Tenn. ESPN 8:30 p.m. Kentucky (7-5) vs. Clemson (8-5) - Clemson

Dec. 28 Independence Shreveport, La. ESPN2 5 p.m. Texas A&M (6-6) vs. Georgia (7-5) - Texas A&M

Dec. 29 Champs Sports Orlando, Fla. ESPN 8 p.m. Miami (Fla.) (9-3) vs. Wisconsin (9-3) - Miami

Dec. 29 EagleBank Washington D.C. ESPN 4:30 p.m. UCLA (6-6) vs. Temple (9-3) - UCLA

Dec. 30 Holiday San Diego, Calif. ESPN 8 p.m. Nebraska (9-4) vs. Arizona (8-4) - Nebraska

Dec. 30 Humanitarian Boise, Idaho ESPN 4:30 p.m. Idaho (7-5) vs. Bowling Green (7-5) - Idaho

Dec. 31 Armed Forces Fort Worth, Tex. ESPN Noon Air Force (7-5) vs. Houston (10-3) - Houston

Dec. 31 Sun El Paso, Tex. CBS 2 p.m. Stanford (8-4) vs. Oklahoma (7-5) - Oklahoma

Dec. 31 Texas Houston ESPN 3:30 p.m. Missouri (8-4) vs. Navy (8-4) - Missouri

Dec. 31 Insight Tempe, Ariz. NFL Net. 6 p.m. Minnesota (6-6) vs. Iowa State (6-6) - Iowa State

Dec. 31 Chick-fil-A Atlanta ESPN 7:30 p.m. Virginia Tech (9-3) vs. Tennessee (7-5) - Virginia Tech

Jan. 1 Gator Jacksonville, Fla. CBS 1 p.m. West Virginia (9-3) vs. Florida State (6-6) - Florida State

Jan. 1 Capital One Orlando, Fla. ABC 1 p.m. Penn State (10-2) vs. LSU (9-3) - LSU

Jan. 1 Outback Tampa, Fla. ESPN 11 a.m. Northwestern (8-4) vs. Auburn (7-5) - Auburn

Jan. 2 International Toronto ESPN2 Noon South Florida (7-5) vs. Northern Illinois (7-5) - South Florida

Jan. 2 Cotton Dallas FOX 2 p.m. Oklahoma State (9-3) vs. Mississippi (8-4) - Oklahoma State

Jan. 2 Papajohns.com Birmingham, ESPN 2 p.m. Connecticut (7-5) vs. South Carolina (7-5) - Connecticut

Jan. 2 Liberty Memphis, Tenn. ESPN 5:30 p.m. East Carolina (9-4) vs. Arkansas (7-5) - Arkansas

Jan. 2 Alamo San Antonio ESPN 9 p.m. Texas Tech (8-4) vs. Michigan State (6-6) - Texas Tech

Jan. 6 GMAC Mobile, Ala. ESPN 7 p.m. Central Michigan (11-2) vs. Troy (9-3) - Central Michigan

BCS Games:

Jan. 1 Rose Pasadena, Calif. ABC 4:30 p.m. Oregon (10-2) vs. Ohio State (10-2) - Oregon

Jan. 1 Sugar New Orleans, La. FOX 8:30 p.m. Cincinnati (12-0) vs. Florida (12-1) - Florida

Jan. 4 Fiesta Glendale, Ariz. FOX 8 p.m. TCU (12-0) vs. Boise State (13-0) - TCU

Jan. 5 Orange Miami FOX 8 p.m. Georgia Tech (11-2) vs. Iowa (10-2) - Georgia Tech

Jan. 7 BCS Title Pasadena, Calif. ABC 8 p.m. Alabama (13-0) vs. Texas (13-0) - Alabama

Patrick's First NFL Game

We were able to take Patrick to his first NFL game this past Sunday. The Carolina Panthers vs the Tampa Bay Bucs. IT was very cold and windy but we all bundled up in our cold weather Panthers gear and went to the stadium. Patrick absolutely loved it. He enjoyed the game, the food, the people, and of course we won! Here are a few pics:

In the stands

Trying to shoot the wrapper off his straw. Check out the cool new hat!

Of course we had to get a pawprint tattoo on our face!

Father and son (in the sun) FYI. My gut is not that big, I had spare diapers and wipes in my sweatshirt kangaroo pocket

TOUCHDOWN ... WOOOOOO !!!

I love that kid so much and can't wait to take him to more games!

-Doc

A True Legend Steps Aside

The terms legend and legendary are thrown around an awful lot. In some cases their use could be debatable but I defy anyone to dispute the fact that Bobby Bowden is a true legend in the world of college football. On Tuesday Coach Bowden agreed to retire from the program that he built at Florida State after the year ending bowl game and in doing so will close the book on perhaps the greatest coaching career in the history of college sports.


Please don't let recent academic problems and a few down seasons tarnish the reputation of the man who turned FSU from an also ran to a feared national champion. Bobby Bowden is a great coach, a fantastic leader, and mentor to his players but he also set an example as a man of faith for all to admire. He should be remembered as such.
For those who may only want to look back at the past few years of on the field performance let me refresh your memory of a few things:

• Second winningest coach in major college football history with 388 career coaching victories
• The only coach in the history of Division I-A football to compile 14 straight 10-win seasons (1987-2000)
• Coached the Seminoles to consensus National Championships in 1993 and 1999
• His 1999 National Championship team is the first in college football history to go wire-to-wire as the Associated Press' No. 1 ranked team
• Set NCAA records with 11 consecutive bowl victories (1985-95) and 14 straight bowl trips without a loss (1982-95)
• 12 ACC Championships since the school joined the conference in 1992
• Ranks first among active coaches for winning percentage in bowl games and has led the Seminoles to 27 straight bowl games - the longest current streak in the nation
• Has guided FSU to 30 bowl appearances in 33 seasons, including 27 straight
• Since 1993, Florida State has played in the national championship game five times (1993 Orange vs. Nebraska, 1996 Sugar vs. Florida, 1998 Fiesta vs. Tennessee, 1999 Sugar vs. Virginia Tech, and 2000 Orange vs. Oklahoma)
• Since the inception of the BCS in 1998, FSU has reached one of the BCS bowl games six times
• Patriarch of the first father-son duo to lead Division I-A programs, let alone to lead them at the same time

These superlatives only begin to scratch the surface of the impact on the game that Coach Bowden has had. He was an innovator who was not afraid to take his Seminoles anywhere to play anyone anytime but I bet he will be remembered most for his charm, wit, and his insistence on doing things his way. The "Bowden Way". Coach Bowden you will be missed on the sidelines and in the lives of all the young men who you were a father figure to during all those years. A statue (like yours that my son and I are pictured in front of) is not enough recognition for all you have done. On behalf of Seminoles everywhere we say thank you for all you have done throughout the years. There will never be another. Thank you Coach.

-Doc

Martinsville NASCAR race pictures

Here are those promised pictures I took during last weekend's trip to the race in Martinsville Va:

Here is me with Clint Boyer answering questions in the background

Martin Truex answering questions in the hospitality tent

Jeff Gordon on the mic telling everyone he is going to win

Jeff Gordon up close escaping the tent



Sam Hornish Jr. on the mic

Dale Earnhardt Jr. escaping in the Tahoe. yep that's him in the window

Matt Kenseth signing autographs

Jeff Gordon passing Tony stewart on the track

Hope you enjoy!

-Doc

The biggest diddly dog-gone sports day of the whole year !!

The opening day of football season is usually a pretty big day around our house but today is going to be ridiculous !! Due to Tropical Storm Hannah (which we literally only got 4 raindrops from here) the sports schedule for the weekend has gotten crammed into today. Not only do the Carolina Panthers open the season today at 4:15 but add to that a NY Mets day-night double header for 1st place against the Phillies (at the same time that the US open is going on - the worst traffic jam in the world shall be in Flushing NY today I promise) AND not just one but TWO NASCAR races from Richmond, including the deciding race to determine who makes the Chase for the title. Wheew it's gonna be a big day around here!!

-Doc

(UPDATE: It turned out to be a pretty good day! Jimmie Johnson won the race and Jef Gordon made the Chase... Mets won 1 of 2 and the Panthers beat San Diego on a last second TD... Woo Hoo !!)