Oh Happy Day…

Before we recap the weekend, we at I’m just sayin… would like to congratulate my Labor Day cousin, Jane on her pending move back to the great state of South Carolina. I am excited and very happy that Jane and AJ will be moving back closer to home. I assume this means I will see them more than the zero times I saw them out in Wyoming. Oh… this also means I won’t have to follow Wyoming football next season. It’s a win-win. :)

If you follow me on twitter, you know by now that Winthrop beat Central Penn in convincing fashion. How good was it? A good friend of mine who I won’t name on here but who, I can tell you, sits next to me at Winthrop home games, told me #0 for WU (Derrick Henry) wasn’t really a shooter… he’s more a slasher. Derrick Henry then hit about 3 or 4 hundred 3 pointers. Ok, it wasn’t that many (that would have some kind of record), but he did hit enough for me to give my unnamed friend a hard time. The last time I remember this friend told me what to expect from a player (he said, “This Michael Jenkins kid is a 3-point specialist”… right before MJ bricked or air balled his next 3 or 4 3-point attempts. To be fair, and I always am, Jenkins did tie the record for 3 pointers in a game his junior season… and ended up being a great 3-point shooter (and all around player). Anyway, the point is the Eagles got into the win column for the first time this season. Maybe they found out how much fun winning is and will do it more often from now on.

Now, let’s look at how my predictions went this weekend…

The I’m just sayin... Football Predictions Results

High School
I didn’t get my picks done in time to pick the Ashley Ridge game. Oh well…

College
#14South Carolina vs. #18Clemson – My family didn’t want to hear it. How could I pick against the Tigers? I could I say USC was going to win? Friends, as you know I don’t pick these games with my heart. I pick them using a very complicated formula that I went over last Saturday. Because of that formula, I picked the Revolutionary War Heroes to win the game and I was RIGHT! USC was inspired by the rumors that Jane was moving back to this great state to work at the school and it showed. USC won, 34-13. Congrats to all of my Revolutionary War Hero fans out there on USC’s 10 win season… and 3rd straight victory over Clemson. Dabo would be wise to remember the old Chinese Proverb: “He who loses 4 straight to his rival does not get a chance to lose 5 straight”. I’m just sayin…

Wyoming at #7Boise State – I picked Boise State to win this game and I was RIGHT! Wyoming lost, 14-36. What a bad weekend for Wyoming… first they lose the game, then they lose the Jane. HA! See what I did there? The game/the Jane? Ok, if I have to explain it then it won’t be funny…

NFL
Pittsburgh at Kansas City – I picked the Steelers to win this game and I was RIGHT! Pittsburgh won, 13-9.

Miami vs. Dallas – I missed picking this game.

I’m just sayin… Football Prediction Record

High School: 35-12

College: 51-15

NFL: 12-9

Overall: 98-36


Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Staff Sergeant Clyde L. Choate (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 25, 1944 near Bruyeres, France. His citation reads:

He commanded a tank destroyer near Bruyeres, France, on 25 October 1944. Our infantry occupied a position on a wooded hill when, at dusk, an enemy Mark IV tank and a company of infantry attacked, threatening to overrun the American position and capture a command post 400 yards to the rear. S/Sgt. Choate's tank destroyer, the only weapon available to oppose the German armor, was set afire by 2 hits. Ordering his men to abandon the destroyer, S/Sgt. Choate reached comparative safety. He returned to the burning destroyer to search for comrades possibly trapped in the vehicle risking instant death in an explosion which was imminent and braving enemy fire which ripped his jacket and tore the helmet from his head. Completing the search and seeing the tank and its supporting infantry overrunning our infantry in their shallow foxholes, he secured a bazooka and ran after the tank, dodging from tree to tree and passing through the enemy's loose skirmish line. He fired a rocket from a distance of 20 yards, immobilizing the tank but leaving it able to spray the area with cannon and machinegun fire. Running back to our infantry through vicious fire, he secured another rocket, and, advancing against a hail of machinegun and small-arms fire reached a position 10 yards from the tank. His second shot shattered the turret. With his pistol he killed 2 of the crew as they emerged from the tank; and then running to the crippled Mark IV while enemy infantry sniped at him, he dropped a grenade inside the tank and completed its destruction. With their armor gone, the enemy infantry became disorganized and was driven back. S/Sgt. Choate's great daring in assaulting an enemy tank single-handed, his determination to follow the vehicle after it had passed his position, and his skill and crushing thoroughness in the attack prevented the enemy from capturing a battalion command post and turned a probable defeat into a tactical success.

Boatswain’s Mate First Class George Robert Cholister (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on October 20, 1924 while on board the USS Trenton. His citation reads:

For extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession on the occasion of a fire on board the U S.S. Trenton. At 3:35 on the afternoon of 20 October 1924, while the Trenton was preparing to fire trial installation shots from the two 6-inch guns in the forward twin mount of that vessel, 2 charges of powder ignited. Twenty men were trapped in the twin mount. Four died almost immediately and 10 later from burns and inhalation of flames and gases. The 6 others were severely injured. Cholister, without thought of his own safety, on seeing that the charge of powder from the left gun was ignited, jumped for the right charge and endeavored to put it in the immersion tank. The left charge burst into flame and ignited the right charge before Cholister could accomplish his purpose. He fell unconscious while making a supreme effort to save his shipmates and died the following day.

Second Lieutenant Dale Eldon Christensen (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on July 16-19, 1944 at Driniumor River, New Guinea. His citation reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty along the Driniumor River, New Guinea, from 16-19 July 1944. 2d Lt. Christensen repeatedly distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry above and beyond the call of duty in the continuous heavy fighting which occurred in this area from 16-19 July. On 16 July, his platoon engaged in a savage fire fight in which much damage was caused by 1 enemy machinegun effectively placed. 2d Lt. Christensen ordered his men to remain under cover, crept forward under fire, and at a range of 15 yards put the gun out of action with hand grenades. Again, on 19 July, while attacking an enemy position strong in mortars and machineguns, his platoon was pinned to the ground by intense fire. Ordering his men to remain under cover, he crept forward alone to locate definitely the enemy automatic weapons and the best direction from which to attack. Although his rifle was struck by enemy fire and knocked from his hands he continued his reconnaissance, located 5 enemy machineguns, destroyed 1 with hand grenades, and rejoined his platoon. He then led his men to the point selected for launching the attack and, calling encouragement, led the charge. This assault was successful and the enemy was driven from the positions with a loss of 4 mortars and 10 machineguns and leaving many dead on the field. On 4 August 1944, near Afua, Dutch New Guinea, 2d Lt. Christensen was killed in action about 2 yards from his objective while leading his platoon in an attack on an enemy machinegun position. 2d Lt. Christensen's leadership, intrepidity, and repeatedly demonstrated gallantry in action at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, exemplify the highest traditions of the U.S. Armed Forces.