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“FOOTBALL FRIDAY-WOW”
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Can you top what we saw on Thanksgiving Day in the NFL?  Well maybe on Friday and Saturday with the college menu upon us.

Rivalry weekend in college football:

OHIO STATE…Renew their ancient rivalry dating to Woody-vs-Bo, the Buckeyes face Michigan in a battle of bright young QBs, Jaylin Sayin-vs-Bryce Underwood.  A Buckeyes win, would snap a 4-game losing streak to the team up North, and send them to the Big 10 title game.

INDIANA…They have a walkover game against Purdue and that leads them to the Big 10-title game.  If this happens, the Hoosiers and Buckeyes would be both (12-0).  Egad-it feels like a national championship game next weekend doesn’t it.

TEXAS AM..Renews a bitter rivalry with Texas, which has lost 3-games.  Arch Manning is coming off big Saturdays and would love to knock the Aggies from the ranks of the unbeaten.

GEORGIA…The Bulldogs meet arch rival Georgia Tech in a matchup of quality QBs, Gunnar Stockton vs Haynes King.

OREGON..Renews its old Pac 12-hate with Washington, with QBs Dante Moore-Demond Williams throwing against each other.

OLE MISS…About to complete a great season, but the real story with the Rebels is what happens after the game, does Lane Kiffen stay as head coach or jump to LSU or Florida?

TEXAS TECH..The Red Raiders are finishing a fabulous season, but have to avoid an ambush on the road at West Virginia.

ALABAMA..ends its season with old in state rival Auburn in what has turned out to be a really great bounceback Tide season under  QB-Tyler Simpson

AZTECS…Play at New Mexico with the chance to win the regular season football race, and host the Mountain West Championship game.  What a season for the Aztecs defense.  What a season New Mexico has had, which includes a huge win over UCLA.  SDSU has to get rid of the ghosts of bad road losses this season at Washington State and Hawaii…A win makes them 10-2 with a home, what a turnaround season.

So much on the horizon in the next couple of hours.  Enjoy it.  I will.
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING…PODCAST ON HOLIDAY-RETURN MONDAY-1:30pm
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“TURKEY & FOOTBALL”
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Fun day around the NFL as you sit around the NFL table on Thanksgiving Day.

LIONS-PACKERS…What a war in the NFC-North this could be.  But the Packers are really banged up, down a tight end and 3-wide receivers.  It puts enormous pressure on Jordan Love (15TD-3Int).  The Micah Parsons-led defense has (29-sacks) and is giving up just (278YPG).  But the Green Bay schedule is tough, facing the Lions-Broncos-Ravens here at the end of the schedule.  The Lions have a tough run just ahead, in addition to the Packers, still to come Dallas-Rams.  That Lions offense has (40TD) this year, and Jared Goff has a (108-QBR).

CHIEFS-COWBOYS…KC is America’s team…Dallas-was America’s team…What a matchup…Patrick Mahomes has been relentless (3200APY-22TD) and chunk plays have returned  to their offense.  The (6-5) record is deceiving-they are dangerous.  But they finish the season with Dallas-Houston-Chargers-Denver…Dallas is explosive on offense and all the trades they have made, especially the Kenny Clarke-Quinnen Williams trades  have changed the defensive personality…They have cut 38-yards per game off their defense..though the secondary still looks leaky..Prescott’s offense (387YPG)..and Cee Dee Lamb-George Pickens have combined for (111R) and (15YPC)…But that pass defense has given up 24TDs this year….Just ahead for the Cowboys in addition to the Chiefs-they face the Lions and Chargers.

BENGALS-RAVENS…Things have changed alot….Joe Burrow has been gone but will come back, but Cincinnati has lost 8-of-9…Aside from the big play passing game-they are weak everywhere else because of a defense that has given up (415YPG-43TD)…Losers of 8-of-9, it will get worse-still to come, they play the Bills and then Baltimore again over the last 4-weeks….Baltimore’s defense is getting better, and Lamar Jackson is back-but not as explosive as he was…Lamar has a (111-QBR) and Derrick Henry is looking older and older…On defense-they have given up just 67-points in their last 5-wins, and they are storming to the top in a now weak AFC-North.

Enjoy Thanksgiving and your Football Thursday
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING…Podcast on Holiday..Will Return Monday..1:30
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…(Basketball)…

Aztecs-L-Baylor (91-81)…Shootout in first half…grind of game in 2nd half..
..10-lead changes in opening half…SDSU ran out of gas in 2nd half
..Aztecs had (10-0) run early…Bears came back with (9-0) and (7-0) bursts
..Baylor led (40-36) at half…
..Bears had 16-2 run to blow game open..Aztecs went scoreless 6-minutes
..Baylor  put 4-in double figures..hit 9-3’s in win
..Magoon Gwath-Miles Heide had no points and foul trouble
..SDSU comes home (3-3) after losing two of three game…Played 3G in 3-nights.

Michigan-W-Gonzaga (101-61)…Won the Players Festival..Wolverines won their 3-games by 40-30-40.

UCLA..coach Mick Cronin continues criticism of his team…’We are not tough-we have a glass jaw’.

Lakers-Clippers…off for Thanksgiving holiday

Clippers..F-Kawhi Leonard upset at (5-13) season..’We need better talent…We need get a better lineup’.

Lakers..Now (13-4)…Luka Doncic averaging (35P-8R-9A) in blazing start

Oklahoma City. goes to (18-1) with 4th quarter spurt vs Minnesota…Shai Gilegous-Alexander erupts for (40P) in win..

Detroit..Pistons winning streak  snapped at 13-row-vs-Boston..Jaylen Brown-Derrick White combined for (60P)..outgunning Detroit’s Cade Cunningham (42P)

Orlando..G-Jalen Suggs faces suspension-3-shoving incidents vs 76ers

Toronto..G-RJ Barrett-strained knee-out 2W
Boston..C-Neemias Queta-sprained ankle
Miami..F-Norm Powell-groin issue
Knicks..G-Landry Shamet-out 4W-sprained shoulder
Sixers..F-Trenton Watford-groin issue
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…(Baseball)…

Padres…Former manager Mike Shildt hired as Baltimore Orioles Consultant-Minor League Development…was (183-141) when he quit as manager 6-weeks ago.

Angels…Want to buyout contract of 3B-Anthony Rendon..owed (38M) on final year of contract…Has played only 257-games in 6-years…Missed 715-games with Halos.

Dodgers…Set up Zoom interview with Japanese FA-P-Tatsuya Imai…has also had meetings with Mets-Yankees-Toronto-Red Sox-Giants
————
(Roster Moves)

Toronto…Stun baseball world…sign Padres FA-P-Dylan Cease to a (7Y-210M) package-outbidding the Cubs-Astros-Braves….Deal includes significant deferred payments…Cease was (22-23) with Padres (3.98-ERA)…Career record (65-58)…Known for durability…Never been on disabled list-has averaged (32) starts a year…Had a bloated (4.55-ERA) last year with Friars

Toronto Star..Reports Blue Jays have entered bidding for FA-OF-Kyle Tucker.
Mets-Blue Jays..Make contract offers to FA-Framber Valdez.
Arizona..Open trade talks with Blue Jays-Phillies for 2B-Ketel Marte
Pirates..Open contract talks with Ryan O’Hearn-ex Padres..Japan FA-3B-Kaz Okamoto

Kenta Maeda..Signs with Rakuten Eagles..ex Dodgers-Tigers-Twins (68-56) career
Dez Cameron..FA-2B-signs with Doosan Bears-Korea

Texas..Sign FA-2B-Jonah Bride-ex Miami
Mets..Sign FA-P-Robert Stock-ex Cubs
A’s..Sign FA-P-Wander Suero-ex Mets
Colorado..Sign FA-P-Parker Mushinski-ex Cleveland
Toronto..Release P-Easton Lucas
——————–
(MLB Notes)

Tampa Bay..Open talks with Brandon Hyde-ex Orioles..about front office job
Houston..Hire Ethan Katz-pitching coach-ex White Sox
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…(Football)….

(NFL Schedule)-Thursday

Lions-Packers..QB-Jordan Love (15TD-3Int)..Jared Goff (108QBR)

Chiefs-Cowboys..QB-Patrick Mahomes (3200APY-22TD)..Dak Prescott-Offense (387Y)..Chiefs (6-5)…Dallas (5-5-1)

 

Ravens-Bengals..Baltimore won 5-in a row-Defense given up (67P)-5-games..Joe Burrow starts for Cinn-Lost 8-of-9
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(Injuries)

Colts..QB-Daniel Jones-admits he has bruised shin
Patriots..IR-OT-Will Campbell-sprained knee
Chiefs..TE-Jonah Gray-concussion
Carolina..CB-Corey Thornton-broken fibula
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(Roster Moves)

Lions..Sign FA-OC-Frank Detrow-comes out of retirement
Carolina..Sign FA-CB-Robert Rochelle-ex Dallas
Titans..Sign FA-S-Kaiir Elam-ex Cowboys
Seattle..Sign FA-RB-Cam Akers-ex Vikings-Saints
49ers..Sign FA-LB-Eric Kendricks-ex Vikings-Chargers-Cowboys
Patriots..Sign FA-OT-Thayer Munford-ex-Raiders-Cleveland
Raiders..Sign FA-DE-Boogie Bersham-ex Giants
Bills..Release WR-Elijah Moore
Seattle..Release Derion Kendricks
————-
(NFL Notes)

Chargers…Off Coord Greg Roman-under fire for poor protection problems with QB-Justin Herbert…”You can chip block-but you rob Peter to pay Paul-you cannot do it all the time”.

Raiders..Criticism that Tom Brady pushed hard for hiring of Chip Kelly.
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(College Football)

Arkansas …Hires Alex Golesh-head coach South Florida
Colorado State..Hires Jim Mora..ex UCLA-U Conn…(73-53) in career
USC..Coach Lincoln Riley denies-‘No interest in any job’..is (36-16) Trojans

Oregon State..Loses hot candidate when Brett Vigen elects to stay at Montana State..Last night Beavers lost Jim Mora-who took job  at Colorado State….New candidate surfaces-Alabama assistant JaMarcus Shepard.

Oklahoma State…Given permission to talk to North Texas State-QB-Drew Mestemaker (3469Y-26TD)

U-Mass…Criticism of school for going Division1-football..Team is (26-134) since 2012
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…(Hockey)…

San Diego Gulls-W-Tucson Roadrunners (5-3)….Gulls big road win…Score 2-goals in (1:23) span at end of 3rd period..Sam Colangelo scores 3rd goal in a week…G-Vya Buteyets 39-saves…Tucson had 42-shots on goal…Wednesday-AHL action

Anaheim Ducks-L-Vancouver Canucks (5-3)…Canucks score 2-goals in 3-minutes late in 3rd period for win…Ducks outshot Vancouver (41-28)… …Wednesday game

Ducks..Callup G-Ville Husso from San Diego Gulls
Ducks..G-Lukas Dostal-out with minor injury

Colorado Avalanche…Avs won 10th in row with 6-0 shutout of San Jose

Montreal-Nashville..Trade talks-Habs want C-Ryan O’Reilly.
Colorado..Callup F-Ivan Ivan from AHL-Colorado Eagles
Florida..Signs FA-G-Louis Dominguez-started season in KHL-Russia
Las Vegas..Will call up G-Carter Hall from AHL-was out 2-years on rape trial

Calgary…President Don Maloney denies team will hold firesale of veterans Nadri Kazim-Blake Coleman-Rasmus Anderson.
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“THINKING OUT LOUD”
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SAN DIEGO…Should we consider a name change, from America’s Finest City to ‘Soccer City’…What a phenomenal year we have experienced with the explosive arrival of the MLS-expansion SDFC (Azul & Chrome), to the past success of the San Diego Wave, and the perennial NCAA tourney team USD has become…Yes ‘Soccer City’ seems to fit.

AZTECS..I appreciate what Sean Lewis has done even if the Aztecs-4-Life fans (frauds) don’t…On the brink of going (10-2), he took a (3-9) team, ravaged by the transfer portal two years in a row, and flipped it.  Hope he does not get hired away by someone else, but when you turn around two bad teams (Kent State-SDSU) in short order, your playbook-gameplan-blueprint, how to run a program, should be noticed.  Too bad the Aztecs-4-Life Alums (frauds) have failed to  show up for home games, to see how he has willed SDSU back to life.

SDSU HOOPS…It was like a tidal wave of talent…The guards destroyed Oregon on Tuesday night.  Sizzling shooting from everyone.  Outside shooting from BJ Davis, Reese Dixon-Waters and Elzie Harrington.  Talk about a torch job burning the Ducks to the ground, it was an i mpreesive win.  And I did not even mention the diverse play of Magoon Gwath and we know Miles Byrd has talent too.  All this hours after they got beat by 40-by Michigan in the lst round game.  And the whole nation probably saw this win.  So that erases the ugliness of the home loss to Troy State.  What a statement game.  Just ask the Ducks how it frelt.

TOREROS…The other school on the hill deserves some credit, because USD sports operates in the shadow of everything in this town…Sadly it feels like everything is a club sport over there…But tip of the hat to Brandon Moore (8-4) in football, what Steve Lavin is doing in basketball, what Brian Quinn has accomplished in soccer, and what baseball has become up on Alcala Way.

PADRES…Sitting and waiting for the deals to come via AJ Preller’s shopping spree at Dollar General (aisle 1)..Limited budget-trust he will find some starting pitching and will find something of a power bat to compliment his lineup…Like the rumor he is interested in ex Texas power hitter Adolis Garcia and dabbling with the idea of Japanese starting P-Tatsuya Imai or Blue Jays P-Chris Bassitt…More names will come out soon I trust.

CUBS-MARLINS-BRAVES..Say goodbye to starter Michael King,headed off for a payday to the Cubs or Marlins, and Dylan Cease-who could possibly be Braves bound-heading home to pitch where he grew up in Georgia…No risk in either, just beyond Padres checking account if King’s deal is beyond 15M, and Cease gets to 20M a year on a 3-4-5 year deal.

DODGERS..Next shopping spree will likely include OF-Steven Kwan via a trade with Cleveland and it appears they will look hard at SS-Bo Bichette of Toronto (big price) and ex Padres closer Robert Suarez (3-year deal).

ANGELS..Big time trade to get Orioles P-Grayson Rodgriguez, coming off bone spur surgery, but already throwing in Florida…Next up, possibly Japanese P-Tatsuya Imai…They already have a gem of a pitching coach in Mike Maddux-just need to get him more arms and Yusei Kikuch to talk to Imai about coming to Anaheim.

RAMS..Have surely won the battle of LA and the hearts of the fans, with Matthew Stafford (30TD-2Int) and that fierce defense,  putting them in the conversation of ‘Super Bowl’ type team.

CHARGERS..Just awful the injury siege that has torn up GM-Joe Hortiz blueprint for success…It’s just not the 35-sacks and 9-picks Justin Herbert has had to endure, it’s the fact they will be on their 5th different starting left tackle to go with 4-different starting right tackles, and the fact they have gone thru 4-different running backs this season, and the teeth of the schedule is still to be played.

LAKERS..Looking for points off the bench, they sign ex Gonzaga star Drew Timmie, whom last place Brooklyn let go…He averaged 12P a game at the tail end of the season with the Nets after scoring (25P) a night in the NBA-G League..Worth a look because the kid is a gamer.

CLIPPERS..Do not like what I see here, an aging team with ill fitting parts…I thought the one year rentals of Brad Beal, John Collins, Chris Paul, Brook Lopez would really add depth to the James Harden-Ivica Zubac-Kawhil Leonard lineup…It is a disaster with injuries, lack of team speed, and bad chemistry leading to this (5-13) start of the season.

HOCKEY..Nothing wrong with your eyesight if you open up the paper or check the website…The Kings and Ducks fighting for first place at times in the Pacific Division-both off to good starts….And the Gulls have already had crowds of 9-10-11,000 plus at home for a team that has goal scoring kids, an NHL ready made goalie and lots of promotions.

Thinking out loud about things here in America’s Finest City-Soccer City.
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Hacksaw’s Monday Bonus PODCAST
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“AZTECS-WHO COULD HAVE PREDICTED THIS”
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It has been right there infront of them since midseason.
And SDSU has taken care of business most every Saturday night.
And now they are on the brink of doing something no one could have predicted.

The Aztecs play at New Mexico on Friday afternoon.
A win puts them in the Mountain West Conference championship game
A Boise State win over Utah State puts them in the title game too

Coach Sean Lewis
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Really proud of the effort by this program
We have proven at late stage of the year what-who we are

Happy for our fans who showed up
Our fundraising drive is at 200,000 in two weeks
Our secret donor will match it when we get to 1-M mark

New Mexico coach Jason Eck was at Wisconsin too
We both were players under Barry Alvarez
Has done a tremendous job
The transfer portal has changed the sport
New Mexico has done that
Yes, Wyoming-New Mexico have done well getting kids

Short work week with Friday-noon time game
We managed our work week with morning practices
We are mentally where we need to be
Playing Friday is unique
Sleep fast..be prepared..we will be ready
I have a good pulse of where our guys are at

New Mexico is talented-stress you out with formations
They play fast..1-word calls at line of scrimmage
Cornucopia of problems on offense
QB-Jack Layne is well prepared in RPO game

Ghosts of past road failures
Opportunity to go prove we can be a good team on the road
The job is not finished-we will be judged by last game we played
We need energy right from that start of game
We win and learn…We lose and learn
This team has really matured

Finishing 10-2..Competitive maturity is key part to this
Did not want to put a ceiling on this team
To go on a 6-game run-winning alot of different ways
Our scheme is pliable..great effort from people in program
Proud and pleased of people in this building

We are a physical team-so we have scout time rather than physical practices late
We are so deep in season we are physically ready

Elite defense-a handful of teams nationwide are performing this way
They own the plans we put in place
We have players who should be honored
Coach Rob should be a Broyles Award candidate too

Turning this program..compared to Kent State..this program had tradition
I understand work needs to get done..and people to do it with it
Don’t let roadblocks hinder what you want to do
Tradition here..pride here a big difference
Great honor to walk by Coach Coryell status each day

Fans turnout…we have presented a quality program
Over 300,000-alumni
We have opportunity to win
Community loves the sport..loves to win
Show up and support.
We could be 10-2…we did our job

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