There was a serious school bus accident about five miles from my office today. Dozens are injured–some critically–and four of someone’s babies aren’t ever coming home.
God be with everyone affected by this tragedy.
I started to say more, but another area blogger nailed it.
I’ve called myself a David Lynch fan for years, mostly because of Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart. Loved Mulholland Dr. too; swinging wildly between the stylishly enigmatic and the viscerally erotic makes for quite a cinematic experience.
I say “called myself” because I only just saw Eraserhead last week. I know, I know, but that’s just how it is with me and what many consider essential viewing.
Anyway, Eraserhead has stuck with me mentally like maybe no other film I’ve ever seen. Some thoughts:
I must specifically mention the Lady in the Radiator, who has been singing in my head for a week. Obviously she embodies no typical definition of beauty, and yet somehow, she’s breathtaking. Her paradoxical allure will likely be central to whatever I finally decide this all means.
Thank you, Mr. Lynch, for all you did to see this film to completion. This worked out, so everything that followed did too. We are a better culture for it.
So with today’s BCS standings, it’s looking pretty inevitable: the national championship game is either Ohio State-Michigan or Ohio State-USC. Yawn. I suppose I’ll hope for the former just for the rematch value, but I don’t have any passion about any of these teams.
I’d like to see how any of them would do against Arkansas or Georgia Tech in a playoff, but if the last few years aren’t going to prompt any serious discussion about such, it won’t ever happen.
Is what we have now really better than the old way?
My son Nathan was 5 on Wednesday, but we just had his birthday party today. I thought it would be fun to share what he requested Mom load up on her iPod for the party soundtrack. Says a little something about what Mom and Dad pour into his ear, but I thought some of these were pretty hip selections:
Sigh.
We lost this game on the offensive line. Everyone else played well beyond what was necessary to beat this Auburn team.
Everybody in the SEC but Vanderbilt, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State has won six games this year. So that’s nine bowl-eligible SEC teams, but there are only eight SEC bowl tie-ins.
Apparently if the SEC picks up an at-large BCS bid in addition to the SEC champion bid–certainly doable with Arkansas and Florida both in the top five–all nine teams could go. But I find myself in the odd position of hoping the Crimson Tide stays home.
I don’t want us to go bowling at the expense of Kentucky, who had a great year after a lot of misery; or the budding dynasty South Carolina, with whom Steve Spurrier has done marvelous things. (You watch: that guy’s going to win 10 or 11 games next year.) We played far, far below our potential this year. Those two teams did just the opposite, and they should be rewarded.
Another thing is that if Mike Shula survives 2006 (and don’t dance around it: 0-4 vs. Auburn makes that at least somewhat questionable), it would be a nice bonus for him to be able to claim only one losing season. Heading into a bowl game at 6-6 generates the prospect of 6-7, after all. And after 2000 and 2003, I don’t much want another losing season either.
Coach Shula, I think you should be employed by the University of Alabama for the 2007 season. But sir, you must have fresh thinking on offense, particularly on the line. Fire Dave Rader and Bob Connelly, and give your new star offensive coordinator total control of the offense. (That means take the damned headset off and let your coordinator call the plays.)
And let’s face it: pardon the -5, but the honeymoon is over. You have to win 10 games next year, and one of them has to be Auburn. The NCAA smackdown hurt, but its efficacy as an excuse has evanesced. John Parker Wilson will be a full-on stud next year. We should be fine in the backfield and loaded at wide receiver. And the defense should be smothering.
Make the changes and win the games. If you don’t, even the most tolerant among us will be done with you. So far, the mediocrity has been plausibly attributed to the NCAA penalties.
If it persists into 2007, it’s because you suck.
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