I was all set to write a fairly lengthy diatribe about how ESPN/ABC’s use of The Rose Bowl Game was hurting my brain with its redundancy, when it occurred to me:

I wrote about this last year, which means that it’s even more inexcusable that this travesty has continued for another year. Listen to me closely: all college football bowls are games. And what’s worse, is that none of the other games have ‘game’ appended to their names. Not the Independence Bowl, not the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, not the Sugar Bowl, not even the Dr. Jerry Punch Bowl. Why must you make such a mockery of the grand daddy? I can’t believe Keith Jackson hasn’t started a protest over this.

So stop it. Just stop. We don’t want anyone to get hurt here, especially me. Because I may have a hernia if I see another commercial for this thing.

I thought I’d offer up a post to guide us into 2007, since it’s unlikely that any of us will be posting over the long weekend. I can’t speak for my cohorts, but one of my personal resolutions for the new year is to spend more time right here. I’ve been a bit too lax in putting up content this year, and that will change. I don’t yet know what direction I’ll take in getting things rolling, but roll they will. So look out. Coming soon. And so on.

Also, in the spirit of the holiday season, I thought I’d offer up my own holiday card. It’s not something that I typically do, being that for the majority of my adult life I’ve been single, and it just feels to me like sending out cards is a family thing to do. In any event, here’s a link wishing a very happy happy to you and yours from me (and the cat) in the best way I can think of: a hastily assembled Photoshop image.

No seriously. Happy New Year. Drink something for me on Sunday night; I’ll do the same for you, and we’ll see ya in ‘07.

today’s term, as it relates to coverage plans: involuntary disenrollments. i generally call it “dying,” but whatever.

while we’re on the topic, may the 38th president, gerald ford, rest in peace. for a political science wonk, i know frighteningly little about the man. let’s see:

• played football at michigan
• from michigan
• issued a full pardon to richard m. nixon, the man who (coincidentally, i’m sure) named ford president when nixon resigned. which, sneaky as it seems, probably was the best thing for the country at the time, versus having criminal trial for a former president
• fell down frequently

he did not die because he was mauled by bears, as i assumed he would. (damn you, united health, for not letting me access youtube to find that clip. i’ll find it tonight after work and add it to the comments section.)

We all know what Chia Pets are. They’ve been a landmark crap gift for years, and espeically with the holidays upon us I’ve been noticing a bit more air time for ol’ Chia lately. But there’s a new twist this year, or at least it’s new to me.

Gourmet Chia Herb Garden.

Wait. Let me rephrase that. Gourmet Freakin’ Chia Freakin’ Herb Garden!

Apparently we are supposed to believe that we can grow actual edible herbs in the secret Chia sauce. I for one, am not buying it. And thus I challenge you, the reader. If you’re brave enough to buy and try the Chia herbs, make a production out of it. Take pictures. Document. And I will reward you with one free SP guest post so you can show the world your green thumb. As it were.

Gauntlet. Thrown. Good luck to any takers.

unless something catastrophic happens in the next two hours (like johan santana, carlos silva, and boof bonser get hit my a meteor), brad radke will be announcing his retirement from baseball today. it’s been a pretty good run for brad. consider:

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