When you’re looking to fill the sports section during a week when the local teams aren’t competing? That’s right, it’s column time. I hope you and yours had a great Christmas holiday and have a great New Year as well. Here’s a few thoughts from this past weekend. 

I’ve watched a lot of football in the past few months. These are a few things that I have opinions on over that time. 

I’m very slow to be positive about the Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) era. Were student-athletes being taken advantage of? Probably. Has it over-corrected? Absolutely. It’s the wild west out there with very few clear rules and procedures and the number of guys and gals who are worse off than they were, far outnumbers the ones who get paid and get to play at a new place. It also makes it harder for programs like Wyoming, who is currently being gutted in the defensive secondary, with the upcoming transfer portal. Funny how the so-called G-5 teams aren’t good enough except for when the so-called power conferences want to cherry-pick some of their players. Kids should get one free transfer, then go back to sitting out a year for additional transfers. If the coach leaves? No penalty for leaving either. 

I hate programs opting out of bowl games. Some of my favorite moments as a fan of college football are in bowl games that other people might call meaningless. Teams who opt out of bowl games don’t deserve my attention or admiration. Especially when doing so in what appears to be tantrum like Notre Dame did this season. Anyone who knows me or has read my stuff in the last 20 years knows I’m not a BYU fan. But they went to the Pop Tarts Bowl, won the game, had a great time and Kilane Sitake scarfed a pop tart in the post game. Maybe it sounds silly, but that’s national good will right there. 

I completely whiffed on pre-season opinions for some NFL teams. Two teams that I thought were going to be awful heading into this season? Seattle and Indianapolis. Yes, it’s true that the Colts have kind of fallen apart in the last six weeks but they were sitting pretty at the trade deadline and swung for the fences. It didn’t work out, but they were competitive. The Seahawks? They are only playing for the NFC’s top seed this weekend. It’s a good reminder that only the people who really know are the ones that know. I guess I should also mention my Command-Skins in this section. I didn’t expect them to repeat last year’s run, but holy cow, things were bad this year. 

Not exactly related but certainly also somewhat related, I HATE prescription drug advertisements with my television viewing. They are ridiculous and relentless and they are everywhere! We can only hope those things go away in 2026 but I’m not holding my breath. But if I did have a holding my breath problem, I’m sure there’s a drug for that with 50 life-altering side effects to help me with that.