Thank Goodness it's Thursday

TGIT!

or

TGICFS!

or

Simply it’s about time! Yippy! Hurray! and even a Yeeaahhhhh!

The college football season kicks off tonight with 11 games. (If you didn’t figure it out, TGIT is “Thank Goodness it’s Thursday” and TGICFS is “Thank Goodness it’s College Football Season) In action tonight is LSU and Mississippi State, Rutgers and Buffalo, Louisville, Boise State, Utah, Oregon State, Miami (OH) and Kent State. Throw in Weber State and Murray State (thought they only had basketball teams), SE Missouri State and SE Louisiana (what? they couldn’t find a way to and the other two directions or a Tech or A&M in their name) and you got yourself a full schedule of games.

I’ve been waiting to share some opinions on the college football season until today.

First, there’s this “big” rule change. You know, they one with the kickoffs being moved back from the 35 to the 30-yard line. Some coaches have called it the biggest rule change the game as ever seen. Some said it will change the game dramatically. Others said it make the game more dangerous.

I think that’s some slight over reacting. Just about every game I watched the last couple years, I remember saying, or someone else saying, why don’t the move the kickoffs back. There are too many touchbacks and not enough returns. Everyone loves seeing kickoff and punt returns for the excitement of a return of a touchdown a big hit. This rule makes sense. It’s a hell of a lot better than the rule last year that said the clock starts when the ref blows his whistle. Some coaches said the average field position will increase and therefore scoring will increase. Well, good. That sounds like a more fun game doesn’t? More returns, more hits, more scoring. Why wouldn’t someone like this rule?

The one thing that bothers me about this year is the Big Ten Network. Good idea, stupid execution. How can you not make a deal with the biggest cable provider in your area? This is just stupid planning by the Big Ten. Swallow your pride and get a deal done with Time Warner. You’re pissing a lot of people off with this.

Now, because of this no deal with Time Warner and Big Ten games not being show on ESPNplus or anywhere else besides the ones ABC or ESPN picks up, I won’t be able to see many Big Ten games. As a Michigan fan, this probably only will affect me the first week of the season (ABC and ESPN pick up the top 3 games from the Big Ten each week and Michigan is almost always one of those) But I’m also a Big Ten fan. I like watching those Indiana-Illinois games and now I won’t be able to.

This Saturday, Michigan opens their season against Appalachian State, the two time defending DI-AA champions. It should be good challenge for the Wolverines to see what they can do against a national championship caliber football team. Alright, so Michigan will crush them. I say something like 48-10. As boring of a game as it could, and should, be, it’s the beginning of the season in a season full or promise of the Blue. I want, no, need to watch the game.

But here’s the problem. With the game only being shown on the BTN, I have to find somewhere to watch it. I thought a bar are a good choice until I remember Ohio State is playing Youngstown State at the same time. The only channel that game is being shown on is, you guessed it, BTN. So if I were to go to a bar, it would be all those annoying OSU fans that are more annoying and ignorant than the closing talker drunk guy who always tries to have a serious conversation when he’s smashed. I have to find a small, dive bar that most football fans wouldn’t think of going to watch games and hopefully they’ll show the Michigan.

It’s going to be a struggle to find a comfortable place to watch Michigan to start the college football season. But, at least the college football season is starting. TGIT, and in two days, TGIS. Go Blue!!!

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