The Alternaverse: College Football Style-Powered by NCAA 2007

Uh, disclaimer, I guess: This is all based on my so-called dynasty that I'm playing on my trusty old Playstation 2 with EA Sports' NCAA 2007 Football. They give you the option to name the players, and, as Sam Keller sure pointed out (and we all knew anyway) you can put the players from real life in the game! Awesome.

Nate's teams (in bold):

USC Trojans: 14
Washington: 0

This was a defensive battle from the beginning. Actually, this was USC's defense showing Washington's quarterback what dirt tastes like. Sacked him so many times I lost count. Knocked out the first-string quarterback. Trojan offense failed to execute on third downs. Punted after the first two drives. Maybe it was the rain. Or maybe these guys are starting to enjoy LA a little too much and aren't focusing enough on football! You know those women will leave you as soon as you don't get drafted, right? Sheesh.

Texas A&M Aggies: 10
Colorado Buffaloes: 31

Pre-game notes: Colorado's punter, Matt DiLallo is suspended for three games due to his inability to turn in classwork on time. Far be it from me to be overly harsh on a student-athlete, but the last time I decided to reduce the punishment from what ol' EA Sports recommended, I was slapped with two years of probation.

Colorado lost a tough one in their Big 12 conference opener to Oklahoma State last week. They've gotten close to the National Championship game the last two years but haven't quite been able to make it in. The loss to the Cowboys is a setback but Coach Hawkins doesn't seem worried. He certainly made the right decision last season in benching his decidedly average son, Cody Hawkins, at quarterback and going with the true freshman Demetrius Johnson. Johnson presents many more challenges for defenses, as he is able to not only throw the ball, but also runs the option well.

Colorado had no problem with A&M in this game. Two early interceptions thrown by the Aggies sealed their fate. The only glimmer of offense came on a long pass play that went for a touchdown towards the end of the first half.

San Jose State Spartans: 28
Utah State Aggies: 3

No problems here. Lots of interceptions. Long TD passes. Now if only I can get the Spartans into the Top 25 . . .

The Top 25:

1. Florida State
2. Nebraska
3. Oklahoma
4. Penn State
5. USC
6. Notre Dame
7. West Virginia
8. Oregon
9. Colorado
10. Texas
11. Ohio State
12. Texas A&M
13. Louisville
14. Alabama
15. LSU
16. Virginia Tech
17. Auburn
18. Michigan
19.UCLA
20. Missouri
21. Utah
22. Northwestern
23. Tennessee
24. Arizona State
25. Oklahoma State

Alas, it's not San Jose State's week. Maybe they'll be up there in time for the first BCS Standings to come out. Until next time: Stay true to your dorky selves.

That Damn Boy

The boy spent all of his childhood days waiting impatiently and dreaming of that Day. The day when he would, at long long long last, be all grown-up and ready to get on with his life. No more summers of boredom or nights full of television and discontent. He was going to be a fighter pilot. And then an astronaut. He would pilot a ship to Mars. And then become a professional football player. All the while he dreamt of glory and romance. Adventures and poignant moments with a woman with no face and yet as many faces as he could picture every night when he closed his eyes.

As he grew into an older boy, he fancied himself a writer. Full of feelings and fears and frightful images that no one had ever felt or imagined before. Or if they had, never as intensely as he. And girls! Oh the Girls were the subject of many of his musings. Those queens, those untouchable ladies seen from afar. How he longed for one and then another to know the contents of his heart! But those Girls lived only on the page. The boy felt unworthy and ill-prepared for the real girls.

This boy is now a bitter boy, full of bile and self-hatred. Discontent, still. That Day was still coming. Now his dream was less well-defined. Only to leave the confines of his father's house, to be his own man! He would travel far away for his College Experience. He sent off for information to many esteemed institutions, determined to put his mark on his life and on this world. He would experience everything he was supposed to and have the time of his life. Yet, when the time came, he settled in at the nearest school where all (or most) of his familiar friends attended.

"What to do now?" He wondered. Perhaps he would see where this place would take him.

My Dad, a Husker?

As I browsed through some of the Nebraska Cornhusker football rushing records, I discovered that there was a Craig Johnson (which is also my dad's name) who holds the single-game record for yards-per-carry. He ran for 192 yards on 10 carries against Kansas on November 4, 1978 for a 19.2 yard average. I'm pretty sure my dad wasn't a Husker I-back but I still think it's cool. My dad was a basketball player and hails from McCook, Nebraska. The Husker CJ is from Omaha. Perhaps more investigation is warranted, since I wasn't around back then to validate that it wasn't him. Hehe.