Monday Smiles – 9/5/2011
Between the second week of January and Labor Day, Monday Smiles are built on things like excellent Date Nights, cuter-than-bugs grandkids, and enjoyable theater. With the arrival of September … and the college football season … all that changes. Monday Smiles depend upon football games. Certain football games, starting with any game involving my Alma Mater, the University of Southern California. Muri will tell you, a USC Trojan loss on Saturday can make for a grumpy Sunday. Now, while I’m watching the week’s USC game, I’ll be keeping track of two other teams … the UCLA Bruins and the Notre Dame Fumbling … er, Fighting … Irish. You see, given that USC wins, a loss by either of our two main rivals only makes my Monday Smile bigger. A Saturday on which my Trojans win and both Notre Dame and UCLA lose … well, that’s known in the Older Eyes household as a Perfect Weekend.
So, this week we played the University of Minnesota. Yes, we … a graduate degree in engineering makes me a de facto member of the football team, don’t you know. Now, to put this game in perspective, let’s consider the history of the two teams: USC has 11 National Championships, Minnesota, 5 (but the last one was in 1941); USC has 35 league championships, Minnesota 18; USC has been to the Rose Bowl 33 times, Minnesota 2. Then, there are the mascots:
So, it ought to be a sure thing, right? Well, not so much. We dominated the first half and led 19-3 at the half but the same tendency toward fourth quarter mistakes we had in 2010 returned in this game. Hallelujah, we held on to win, 19-17. Bud says, whew. Muri says, whew! AND Notre Dame lost to Southern Florida, 23-20, and UCLA lost to Houston, 38-34.
OK, I’m really not quite this extreme … except on the weekends we play Notre Dame and UCLA. Muri and I did see a beautiful but very sad movie, Sarah’s Key, on Saturday night. Just to prove that I’m not completely shallow for the football season, I’ll be posting about it later in the week. In the mean time … it’s a Monday … after a Perfect Saturday. I’m smiling.
Explore posts in the same categories: Monday smilesTags: football, humor, Monday smiles, play, postaday2011, smiles, sports, USC Trojans
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Older Eyes 
September 5, 2011 at 8:28 am
Glad you enjoyed YOUR game. 🙂 Being a Big 10 fan, I had to root for Minnesota… oh well. Penn State and Ohio State came out on top in big ways. Then again, they played not-so-big teams. And by the way, I definitely grant you that your mascot is way better than a Golden Gopher.
September 6, 2011 at 9:05 pm
I’d be worried about you if you liked Goofy the Gopher better. After the way USC played, I’m sure I’m going to have some long Satrudays.
September 5, 2011 at 10:22 am
Glad you had a Perfect Saturday. it does really help. I’m always glad when Nebraska wins. Dave takes his college football very, very seriously. He did his undergrad degree there.
When I told Dave that you are a USC alum, he remarked, “Tell Bud that it’s the ‘University of Second Choice’.” I need to add that he is a University of California at Berkeley alum. He completed his Masters in Architecture at Berkeley. His attitude toward USC comes from all the times the Trojans have trounced Cal on the football field! My colleges have no claim to fame in football. Two of them are big hockey schools–Colorado College and the University of Denver.
By the way, I relay many of your posts to Dave because they are
thought-provoking. Concerning your Sunday post, I mentioned that I find myself praying subconsciously–that little place in the back of my brain, where I hear my parents’ and grandparents’ voices. Dave knew about that little praying voice. He remarked, “Guilt never sleeps!”
September 6, 2011 at 9:09 pm
Tell Dave that Cal grads are supposed to be out protesting something, not watching football 🙂 . And I’m not so confident of USC this year after the first game.
One of the tenets of 12-stp programs is maintaining “conscious contact” with God, so I try to pray whether I feel like it or not … and whether I feel anything from it or not.
September 5, 2011 at 11:34 am
Heh! i don’t even like football but I felt a little defensive for my hometown Gophers. After all, I did go to school there for a year!
I guess Goldie the Gopher deserves to be made fun of. Years ago, there was a movement to give him a more intimidating appearance, but apparently it failed. I think he looked more like a squirrel with rabies than a legitimate college mascot.
I guess I’m glad I’m not at all invested in college or pro-sports. The last thing I need is one more thing to add to the never-ending list of reasons to be discontented.
September 6, 2011 at 9:11 pm
As involved as I get, the games are a distraction from things that are really worth worrying about … and some weekends, that’s a good thing. I sorta know you’d have to chime in, even though I didn’t know you attended U of M.
September 6, 2011 at 7:48 am
Glad you enjoyed your game. I know NOTHING about football!
September 6, 2011 at 9:11 pm
That’s OK, I know nothing about boob jobs 🙂
September 6, 2011 at 8:38 am
As a Penn State alum – and mighty proud to be a “Nittany Lioness” too – I was very happy that my Alma Mater won their opening game this past Saturday, even though it was a win over a virtually unknown school/team/entity. With PSU, take the win no matter how it came about, ya know! This next game coming up on Saturday now should be a horse of a different color for sure though as we will meet up against Alabama so no matter what the outcome there, it will probably guarantee a really rough night though for the local (and Penn State) police as they try to corral the students and drunken alumni too from either drowning their sorrow in beer or celebrating a bit too excessively over a win.
September 6, 2011 at 9:13 pm
We don’t have that problem out here. Only a few of the USC students drink … and none of the alumni!