2007 arrives quickly

So you go away for a few days and all heck breaks loose. Lotsa things happening worth commenting on, so let’s get out the bullets.

• Item: Glen Mason fired after Insight Bowl debacle. Not surprising, except for the timing. I think that if Iowa had beaten the Gophers and left a trophy case bereft of the Jug, the Axe and the Pig, and no bowl to boot, Mason would have been gone right there. Mason did not have a reservoir of good will among Gopher fans, given his public habit of lusting after other jobs (cf. Michigan State, Ohio State, LSU, etc.) and it was pretty clear that his program had hit a plateau. I still think the biggest problem in Dinkytown is not Mason, nor Dan Monson, but rather their former boss, Joel Maturi. Maturi was a fine high school basketball coach back at Madison Edgewood High School, but he’s way out in the deep water now. Meanwhile, the challenge for the Gophers is putting together a compensation package that will be attractive enough to snag a good coach. The U has essentially lost a generation of football fans among its alumni base and cannot reasonably rely on Pinky McNamara and his 50s era pals to continue to finance things there. They need a coach who will put fans in the stands, but they don’t have the conventional means to bring it about. I’m guessing that they look at a talented young assistant coach from somewhere else who might be willing to take a shot at what still is a premium job – this is the Big Ten, after all.
• Item: Badgers outlast Arkansas and win Capital One Bowl. Just like always, the Badgers were the tougher team in the end. Twice now the Badgers have entered Orlando as an underdog to a hyped SEC team; twice the Badgers have won. Maybe now the commentariat will start to take Bucky a wee bit more seriously. I’m especially interested in Jason “The Badgers Are a Fraud” Whitlock’s take on things. Eric Hoffer, in his classic book “The True Believer,” discussed at length the difference between “Men of Words” and “Men of Action.” The Badgers are always Men of Action. And in the end, Men of Action are the ones who win.
• Item: Favre and Packers give Bears the red-headed stepchild treatment for old times’ sake; Favre retirement soap opera resumes. Darling, you’ve got to let me know: should he stay or should he go? Who knows? Based on the available evidence, ol’ number 4 still has life left, but it’s worth remembering that he has taken a horrific beating over the past 15 years. The Packers played very well down the stretch, but the open secret is that Favre really didn’t have a lot to do with their success; rather, it was improvement on defense and the array of cupcakes the Packers faced. And yes, I’m including the 13-3 Bears as one of the cupcakes. Still, it’s been a lot of fun to watch the Pack in the last few weeks and the 8-8 record they posted was very encouraging. As a fan, I hope Favre will come back for at least one more year, but he’s certainly earned his retirement. Heck, Favre beat the Bears over 20 times; that itself is enough to earn my eternal gratitude. And, as always, it’s a great pleasure to see the boys spank the Bears, especially in Soldier Field. The Bears are probably the shakiest 13-3 team I’ve ever seen; I think the Saints can beat them.
• Item: Saddam Hussein wears the noose. Given the enormity of the crimes Saddam committed, and the incredible cruelty he used in dispatching his victims, it’s been a little bit amusing to hear people complaining about the hooded mob that dispatched this unremorseful tyrant. Saddam killed thousands of Shiites without a second thought; it’s hardly surprising that Shiites were lining up to do the deed. There’s a case to be made for opposing capital punishment and I have always been troubled by the death penalty, but if the death penalty has any purpose at all, it is for people like Saddam. I will say this, though: I really wish there was less enthusiasm among Iraqi security forces for the thuggish Moqtada al Sadr; this thuggish, petulant mullah wannabe is causing real problems. Perhaps some day he might try on the hemp-based neckwear, too….
• Item: Mr. Dilettante puts up his 300th post. And you’ve just read it. Thank you to everyone who reads my blog. Your support means a lot to me.