Happy Veterans Day!

We at I’m just sayin… would like to start off today by wishing all the Veterans out there a very happy Veterans Day. As you know, I have the highest for these men and women and would like to say thank you for your service.

HAPPY (late) 30th BIRTHDAY to my friend LA (the better half of kcandla.blogspot.com)! I was going to post a happy birthday message for her on her birthday, but I wanted to wait for my friend KC to post something before I did.

Mary Ruth had a project due today at school. She had to decorate a picture of a turkey. She and The Wife worked on it while they were both home sick the past two days. On my way home from work last night, The Wife tells me that Maverick ate the turkey project. You have to know that in situations like this when The Wife blames Maverick, she’s really saying Scooby did it… she just doesn’t want to admit to me that Scooby is an a-hole. How did this happen, you ask? It seems they used fruit loops to decorate the turkey… and then left it on the kid’s table. Who (besides me and everyone else except The Wife and Mary Ruth) would have thought that would be a bad idea? So anyway, The Wife emailed Mary Ruth’s teacher last night to explain what happened. Yep, she’s not even in 1st grade and we’ve already had to use the “My dog ate my homework” excuse.

Before I forget… If there’s anyone out there who can record the Clemson game for me tomorrow, I would appreciate it.

I know you are as excited as I am that the college basketball season has started back up. Winthrop’s first real game is tomorrow and I can’t wait to see The Eagles take the floor to tip off the 2011-2012 season. Coach Randy Peele and his Eagles are coming off a disappointing season and trouble filled off-season, so I’m sure they are also excited to get back to playing games. I have a good feeling for this season. I think Winthrop will win the Big South and make another trip to the NCAA Tournament.

So, a couple of days ago Joe Pa retired only to be fired later in the day. I’ll try to post my thoughts on this situation sometime next week. I don’t have time to get into it right now.

Hey, The Wife and I have TiVo now! We got a hand-me-down TiVo box from her grandparents. It’s an older box that I don’t think they even sell anymore. It isn’t HD or HD ready or anything like that… but that’s ok because we don’t have any HD TVs in our house. We’re waiting to see if that HD stuff is just a fad. Anyway, the important thing is that we’ve joined the TiVo/DVR world so now like all of you, we can record our favorite shows only to delete them without watching them to make room for more shows. Still, it feels good knowing that now we have more than one shot at watching our favorite shows.

Of all the awards shows out there, I enjoy the CMA awards show the most. Speaking of country music, have you heard that Luke Bryan song “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)”? Looks like country music may have finally found the song that will help it break into the all important strip club market.

Looks like it’s playoff time in high school football… when are those guys going to get smart and create a bowl system? I guess they don’t care about academics the way schools that play Division 1-A college football do…

The I’m just sayin... Football Predictions

High School
Summerville vs. Fort Dorchester – I’m picking Summerville to win this game.

Ashley Ridge vs. Laurnes – I’m picking Ashley Ridge to win this game.

Dorman at Sumter – Hmm… I don’t really have a feel for this game… I guess I’m going to pick Dorman to win.

College
#15South Carolina vs. Florida – 12:00pm (CBS) – This is a big game for USC if they want to have a shot at the SEC East. I know the Revolutionary War Heroes let me down last week against Arkansas, but I’m sticking with them this week. I’m picking USC to win this game.

#9Clemson vs. Wake Forest – 12:00pm (ESPNU) – This is a big game for Clemson if they want to have a shot at the ACC Atlantic. The Tigers let me down in their last game at Georgia Tech, but I’m sticking with them this week. I’m picking Clemson to win this game.

Navy at SMU – 3:30pm (FOX Sports Net) – I’m picking Navy to win this game. I mean, this isn’t the same SMU from the ‘80s… their payroll isn’t nearly that high now.

CSU vs. Coastal Carolina – 1:30pm – I don’t care how bad CSU is, I can’t and won’t pick Coastal Carolina to win. Therefore, I will pick CSU to win this game.

Wyoming at Air Force – 12:00pm MT (The Mtn. HD) – I’m picking Air Force to win this game.

Appalachian State vs. Western Carolina – 3:30pm – I’m picking Appalachian State to win this game.

NFL
Pittsburgh at Cincinnati – 1:00pm (CBS) – Hmm… on the road… I think the Steelers might stumble in this game. I’m picking Cincinnati to win this game.

Miami vs. Washington – 1:00pm (FOX) – The only reason I am going to pick a team to win this game is because I think the rules say someone is going to win this game. So I’m going to pick Miami to win this game.

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Scout Amos Chapman (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on September 12, 1874 at Washita River, Texas. His citation reads:

Gallantry in action. (In 1916, the general review of all Medals of Honor deemed 900 unwarranted. This recipient was one of them. In June 1989, the U.S. Army Board of Correction of Records restored the medal to this recipient.)

Private John Chapman (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on April 6, 1865 at Sailors Creek, Virginia. His citation reads:

Capture of flag.

Landsman Louis G. Chaput (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on August 5, 1864 while on board the USS Lackawanna. His citation reads:

On board the U.S.S. Lackawanna during successful attacks against Fort Morgan, rebel gunboats and the rebel ram Tennessee in Mobile Bay, 5 August 1864. Severely wounded, Chaput remained at his gun until relieved, reported to the surgeon and returned to his gun until the action was over. He was then carried below following the action which resulted in the capture of the prize ram Tennessee and in destruction of batteries at Fort Morgan.

I DID IT!!!!!!

I finally got an email read on the Tony Kornheiser Show! Go here and click on the 11-04-11 show (hour 2). The emails are read near the end of the show. For any of you not really on top of things, I’m Greg from Summerville. Perhaps I’m more of a big deal than even I realize… What do I mean? You’ll see…

Before I go on… RIP Smokin’ Joe Frazier (67). He fought Ali back when boxing was worth watching and the commentators were worth listening to.

RIP also to rapper Heavy D (44). As you know, this is the Heavy D from Heavy D and the Boyz. They had some good hits back in the 1990’s if my memory is correct.

What is wrong with the world? I’ve worried about bad stuff happening to my girls since the day they were born… now I’ve got to worry about Daniel, too?! Of course I’m talking about this local story and this national story.

As I told you last Friday, I had a big weekend planned and I’m happy to tell you that everything was as great as I thought it would be. Let me start by thanking Jim, Deeny, Mom, and Dad for blocking off this past weekend at the Lake House (Da Casa BaNana2) in an effort to help me bribe my friends to… well… stay friends with me. I think it worked… because everyone was a LOT nicer to me after they saw the place than they were in the days/weeks/months/years leading up to this past weekend. Due to legal reasons, I cannot tell you about everything that happened over the weekend. I can, however, tell you that a good time was had by all. And while I can’t speak for everyone, I can tell you that I stayed up later on back to back nights than I have in a long, long time. Pictures were taken and I’m sure they will find their way onto the internet at some point. Not everyone I invited was able to make it. My friend Adrian was sick and had to stay home. Adrian, if you read this I want you to know that I’m sorry you couldn’t make it. You were missed. Her husband also missed. He was not sick. Michael, if you read this I want you to know that I am sorry you decided not to come even after Adrian told you to. You are dead to me.   :)

I did give my friends a little gift for the weekend:

And here is a picture of the lake... the water level was down just a tad. But that was ok… with everything else to do at the house, we didn’t have any time to go out on the lake anyway.

My idea was to put a paper towel sheet down on the ground so that it looked like it had soaked up the water from the lake. The Wife thought that was a stupid idea (I know because when I told it to her, she rolled her eyes and said “That’s a stupid idea”). Now I wish I had done it. For what it’s worth, the water level was better when we left. It wasn’t great… but it was better.

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

High School
James Island at West Ashley – I picked James Island to win this game and I was WRONG! JI lost, 11-29.

Summerville at Colleton County – I picked Summerville to win this game and I was RIGHT! Summerville won, 21-7.

I didn’t pick the Ashley Ridge game last week.

Dorman vs. Woodmont –I picked Dorman to win this game and I was RIGHT! Dorman won, 45-7.

College
#10South Carolina at #8Arkansas – I picked the Revolutionary War Heroes to win this game and I was WRONG! USC lost, 28-44.

#11Clemson – The Tigers were off last week.

Navy vs. Troy – I picked Navy to win this game and I was RIGHT! Navy won, 42-14.

CSU vs. Stony Brook – I picked Stony Brook to win this game and I was RIGHT! CSU lost, 31-50.

Wyoming vs. TCU – I picked TCU to win this game and I was RIGHT! Wyoming lost, 20-31.

Appalachian State at Furman – I picked Appalachian State to win this game and I was WRONG! Appalachian State lost, 10-20.

NFL
Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore – I picked Pittsburgh to win and I was WRONG! The Steelers lost, 20-23.

Miami at Kansas City – I picked Kansas City to win this game and I was WRONG! The Dolphins won, 31-3.

I’m just sayin… Football Prediction Record

High School: 31-10

College: 41-11

NFL: 10-7

Overall: 82-28

Know Your Medal of Honor Recipients:

Quartermaster Sergeant Stephen E. Chandler (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on April 5, 1865 at Amelia Springs, Virginia. His citation reads:

Under severe fire of the enemy and of the troops in retreat, went between the lines to the assistance of a wounded and helpless comrade, and rescued him from death or capture.

Seaman Apprentice August Chandron (US Navy) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on November 21, 1885 on board the USS Quinnebaug. His citation reads:

On board the U.S.S. Quinnebaug, Alexandria, Egypt, on the morning of 21 November 1885. Jumping overboard from that vessel, Chandron, with the aid of Hugh Miller, boatswain's mate, rescued William Evans, ordinary seaman, from drowning.

Private Alaric B. Chapin (US Army) received his Medal of Honor for his actions on January 15, 1865 at Fort Fisher, North Carolina. His citation reads:

Voluntarily advanced with the head of the column and cut down the palisading.