Wicked excited about college football!

So "wicked" is one of those words that surfaces in my vernacular about two or three times a year. But yesterday I caught myself saying, aloud, and over phone lines, "I'm wicked excited about college football." I blame a long lost high school friend who moved to my podunk (I say that lovingly!) Virginia town for peppering my vocabulary with these occasional New England-isms.

Anyway, if I say wicked, I actually mean it... or at least in its slang definition.

Yes, college football is back. Last night several games were on, but I tuned in to the NC State-South Carolina game & channel flipped with DNC excitement in Denver. "The other USC" knocked in a field goal in the waning seconds of the 2nd quarter in an otherwise scoreless first half. Despite hanging with the Gamecocks early, the Wolfpack got pummeled in the second half. Spurrier's South Carolina posted 34 to NC State's blank score.

Anyway, the thing I took away most from the game was the halftime show (I'll admit, I did a lot more watching of Obama's speech last night, which by the way was fantastic). I was shocked and dismayed to find out that ESPN is now doing a Dr. Lou segment in lieu (oh, I'm so clever...) of Lou's Pep Talk. Lou's pep talks were awesome last year! I figured they had a long future ahead so long as Lou Holtz continued his broadcasting career with the network.

In this new Dr. Lou segment, Lou Holtz (former Notre Dame and South Carolina head coach), pretends to be a psychiatrist that counsels big names around college football. Yesterday, Dr. Lou dispensed advice to Lloyd Carr, former coach of Michigan. Lloyd Carr had an admirable run at Michigan's helm, but will probably will always be remembered for his team's big upset loss against Appalachian State in the home opener last year. He resigned from his post at last season's conclusion. Dr. Lou articulated the keys to a decent life outside of the realm of coaching to Carr: having someone to love, something to look forward to, and something to hope for. Dr. Lou delivered his wisdom in a faux shrink's office and in front of a phony doctor of football philosophy diploma. While I didn't mind this new segment, it certainly lacked the splendor and firepower of his pep talks of old. Maybe the segment's luster will build in the coming weeks.

Nonetheless, R.I.P. Lou's Pep Talks. You'll be missed. Here was one of my favorites from last year that Lou gave for Michigan right after the Appalachian State loss last year. I guess Michigan is a favorite team for Holtz to reach out and embrace: