157 Comments

SR71 stealth plane

HAG and I have seen a couple of these in our time of going around looking at old planes.

we were just commenting that they are definitely smaller in-real-life than they seem on TV

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Ahem..lots of interesting SR-71 info can be found on Wikipedia.

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They are very unique airplanes - would not describe as "stealth" planes exactly, more as attack planes (not used that way, but could have been), and spy planes.

Really funny coincidence - last night I was looking at a book I had as a boy in England, printed in 1966 and both versions of those planes were in the book! When USSR was using the MIG-21! Man.

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Also, I think the original name of the plane was RS-71 but whichever President (LBJ ?) introduced it reversed the name to SR-71.

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One of those bad boys took out Seagal in Executive Decision…poor homey.

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Nov 16, 2022·edited Nov 16, 2022

I wonder if that was the movie where he was billed prominently but "took out" with a few minutes of the start?

I was living in a remote village in SE AK at the time, cable was fairly recent, and a neighbor got real excited "come on over, there's a Steven Seagal movie on in a half hour! Wife's making on snacks."

Then before you know it, Seagal is out of the movie. Neighbor was crestfallen.

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Kind of reminded me of Samuel L’s fate in Deep Blue Sea….

Buh-bye

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That was the F-117 stealth fighter. Though the SR71 isn't so much stealth as it is fly as high and fast as you can to outrun the missiles.

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Meatloaf

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His name is Robert Paulson

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Turkey versions have been good.

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would do anything for love

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but he won't do that

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Say What?!?!?!?

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She said, “WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR LOVE.”

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wouldn't everyone?

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I'd hope not. people kill for "love"

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Good song by Chromatics (Kill for Love)

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I like it.

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Is the perfect name for a chonky pet

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Slides

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Found a bunch, need my slide projector, but I don't know where it is... ☹️

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It's called a carousel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suRDUFpsHus

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I scanned a bunch of my dad's old slides using a flatbed scanner. They didn't turn out too bad.

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i was trying to decide what to do w/ all the old family vacation slides.

maybe send them off to get scanned.

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My Dad had tons of slides, even from his days crossing the equator in the navy and then from Viet Nam. Still in boxes since he passed away in 2018.

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Things outside 'Murica

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Japan announced the 8th wave of Covid has arrived. Cases are rising again and I will be there in 3 Weeks. I would hate to be there and things are shut down again.

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my wife and daughter just arrived yesterday (visiting a sick dad/granddad). Hopefully they can get back here on 2 Dec. They brought some covid test kits with them...

and if anything, Japan would keep people out. Unlikely that the US would disallow people from there.

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Nov 16, 2022·edited Nov 16, 2022Author

Two missiles hit Polish farm, killing two Polish farmers. NATO leaders met to discuss the issue, the elephant in the room is Article V ("attack on one is an attack on all"). Biden and Polish officials downplay the event, blaming the event on wayward Ukrainian anti-air missiles.

https://apnews.com/article/g-20-summit-nato-biden-andrzej-duda-25e615909ba0d871d5092f5b3aec21c8

https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-g-20-summit-nato-biden-government-and-politics-c76bead57a11bc8397a30ee7bb06264e

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The assessment of "wayward Ukrainian missiles" might be even be true, you never know.

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Musk threatens Twitter employees with an obvious good option

https://twitter.com/ZoeSchiffer/status/1592854249117224960

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I'd be not clicking that button so hard.

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Take the three months severance and get the heck out of that work camp.

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"don't threaten me with a good time!"

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OUR CRUMBLING DEMOCRACY

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As expected, McCarthy falls short of the 218 votes to be House leader. Gains 188, 31 oppose. Expect Freedom Caucus and moderates to both demand concessions from McCarthy.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2022/11/15/house-gop-leadership-elections-kevin-mccarthy/

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That will be difficult...

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I predict the Freedom Caucus will cave, but not before making some noise and unreasonable demands, probably more for performative purposes and to feed red-meat to the base. Most of what's ahead before a Speaker is elected is about performance for the audience.

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WaPo calls it for two more House seats to the GOP. GOP only needs one more seat out of the AK-1, CA-13, CA-22, CA-27, CA-47, CA-49, and ME-2 races.

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Nov 16, 2022·edited Nov 16, 2022

It would be amazing if every one of those races ended up in the D column, akin to Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown.

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At least a couple of those CA races are probably gone already.

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The remaining race most likely to go for the Rs is CA-27. CA-22 and CA-13 are very close (<1.0% margins) and could go either way.

If the GOP gets 1 of the remaining 7 races, they'll have 218, a bare majority. It will be interesting to see if the Freedom Caucus will be willing to hold the Speakership hostage through December and into January. Who caves first? The GOP "moderates" or the Freedom Caucus?

The outcome that almost certainly won't happen in theses polarized conditions is that centrists from both major parties coalesce into a caucus that elects a Speaker from the Dem side. That could represent a move to put country above party and to enact legislation to ensure voting rights, women's rights, and get action on climate change. It would be a clear repudiation of the polarization currently gripping American national politics. As I said earlier, it's almost certainly not gonna happen. I'm only observing that the conditions and opportunity exist precisely because this is a dangerous moment in American politics.

The system is clearly broken and in crisis. In times like this, opportunity to rewrite the status quo presents itself. It is less than certain if anyone will attempt to do just that: rewrite the status quo.

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Networks limit Trump's airtime during 2024 announcement...

MSNBC didn't air the announcement at all.

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/11/15/trump-2024-announcement-networks-00067440

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Watchdog group asked FEC to probe $20m transfer from main Trump-fund raising organization (Save America) to Trump's main re-election group (MAGA Inc). Under FEC rules, you can't transfer money like that.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/watchdog-asks-u-election-regulator-184606106.html

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It would be nice if that would result in any consequences.

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New Hampshire State House elections re doing 31 recounts. Two seats have flipped to DEM because of the recount, one by a single vote.

https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2022/11/15/secretary-of-state-overseeing-31-recounts-one-house-seat-has-already-flipped-to-dems/

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Dude does a very detailed analysis as to whether Covid and excess deaths with GOP affected any federal or major state elections. Answer: yes, but only down ticket position

https://acasignups.net/22/11/15/update-elephant-room-redux-gops-covid-death-cult-made-difference-exactly-one-statewide-race

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DiFi (89) apparently forgets that she already declined Senate pro tempore role. Insider is there to witness the awkwardness.

https://www.businessinsider.com/senator-dianne-feinstein-third-in-line-presidency-pro-tempore-2022-11

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If you've arrived at the age of wearing Depends, you should be DQ'd from holding the office of US Senator.

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How about a Constitutional Amendment to bar anyone over a certain age to serve? Age is an arbitrary measure, so maybe cognitive tests should be performed and the results made public when filing papers for (re-)election.

The electorate deserves to know not only what a candidate stands for but also that candidate's abilities to execute the duties of the office. In a sense, this is no different than disclosing one's tax returns.

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My comment was a bit more tongue-in-cheek than it may have sounded. I agree, age is arbitrary and as a general matter, don't favor limiting a voter's right to choose unless one is DQ'd due to certain criminal convictions. Perhaps POTUS candidates should pass such as test given the powers of the executive. Not sure other candidates should, even if Feinstein time in office has outlasted her mental faculties.

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speaking of which, did the Dems not pass a "presidential candidates need to submit tax returns" bill while they had the chance?

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There were many obvious bills that should have been passed post hast in 2021 that never came to be, including this one.

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smh...that seemed to be a Day 2 no-brainer

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She is going to die in office.

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Literally. At the desk.

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She can't possibly win re-election in 2024. But she could outlive her current term.

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She cannot die soon enough

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From what I've heard Adam Schiff will be appointed by Newsom to replace her.

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Personally I would prioritize appointing a woman. It's kind of a bad look to appoint men to both seats that have been held by women for nearly three decades.

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Bless her heart, it's time to retire.

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Public records request reveals texts that link scheme to kidnap immigrants and put them in Martha's Vineyard to Governor's public safety official

https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/15/us/migrant-flights-florida-desantis-perla/index.html

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Cheeto Benito declares intention to run for President

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Pretty pathetic, realistically.

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Trump proposes to kill the guys who gives him uppers and sells cocaine to his son

https://twitter.com/Breaking911/status/1592713874100604928

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Trump already drops out of the 2024 campaign

https://twitter.com/themaxburns/status/1592721726303277058

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I just read his speech went on for almost an hour and a half. Loves to hear himself talk.

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Nov 16, 2022·edited Nov 16, 2022Author

Trump delivers his speech to a captive audience at Mar-a-Lago

https://twitter.com/brenonade/status/1592717256265707520

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Locking people in a venue during a political event doesn't seem like a great idea for the captives (source: Inglourious Basterds)

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Would be hilarious if people called 911 on being kidnapped. Is it technically kidnapped? Maybe it's imprisonment.

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Nov 16, 2022·edited Nov 16, 2022Author

Sneaky

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Nov 16, 2022·edited Nov 16, 2022

trying to plan 50th bday party weekend for my wife and some friends.

sometime in mid-2023

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I hope that she doesn't have a burner WFC account!

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You should do a 49.5 bday party

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she will never suspect that!!

FYI for others, my wife had a surprise 39.5 bday party for me. HAG was the decoy for the day while the pig roast was getting set up at the house.

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DBD AV Club

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Since I posted it late yesterday, another plug for Mammals (Prime), dark comedy with James Corden. Six 25-ish min eps, so the whole season is the same time investment as a long-ish movie.

Anyone else seen it?

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Neal Brennan "Blocks" on Netflix is a fantastic special. Also if you are into Book of Mormon levels of respectful and extremely funny humor about a religion check out Ari Shaffir's "Jew" on YouTube. Two of the best specials I've seen in the past year.

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The English on Ammie Primo. Emily Blunt western. 2 episodes in…too soon to call.

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OOOooOOOooo started something very fun last night: Reboot - very clever and funny show. (plus 2 other I have mentioned already).

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I enjoyed Reboot. Has an interesting cast. Haven't seen Paul Reiser do much since Mad About You and the Mad About You follow-up season.

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I think I watched the first couple of eps when it first aired and quit.

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Give it a chance. The episodes seemed to get better as it went along.

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Paul Reiser and Rachel Bloom developed a fantastic dynamic and KMK and Judy Greer had excellent chemistry.

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I hope they renew it for a 2nd season.

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The FIFA Uncovered documentary on Netflix is definitely “our expectations were low but holy fuck” with its rot and level of corruption. 4 part mini series was a good look inside of its ineptitude and unethical practices. 17/19 WB

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Started it last night. Agree, I knew they were awful, but my lord....

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PRO

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Joc Pederson accepts Giant's qualifying offer of $19.65m, which more than triples his $6m pay from last season. I hope the Giants make him DH since he has +2.8 offense WAR but -2.1 defense WAR.

https://www.knbr.com/2022/11/15/joc-pederson-accepts-qualifying-offer-will-return-to-giants/

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Love the dude, but Joc is a part time, platoon DH v. RHP that goof ball Kapler will pinch hit for in the 6th inning. Baffling move.

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I'm surprised they gave him the QO. I bet they could've signed him for half that.

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Cool article on Klay's comeback journey. <Pause here for Parks and Rec blooper>

Inside Klay Thompson's epic comeback to become the player he used to be

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/35027606/inside-klay-thompson-epic-comeback

TIBURON, Calif. -- The first thing Klay Thompson does, before any of the boat stuff -- untying the docking lines from the bollards, tossing the fenders onto the deck, checking the instruments and gas tank -- is turn on the music.

Nine times out of 10 he picks Michael Jackson. Lately, though, it's been Burna Boy, Wizkid and HoodCelebrityy. All kinds of uptempo Afro-Dancehall stuff as he tries to build himself back into the player he used to be.

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Former first round draft pick Donte Greene is not doing well. Let's hope he gets his legs under him and is able to rebuild his life.

https://www.southbendtribune.com/story/news/crime/2022/11/14/ex-nba-player-donte-greene-charged-for-attempted-robbery-in-goshen/69634810007/

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Brooklyn Nets score 121 as Ben Simmons returns to action and scores 11 off the bench vs the Kings. However, they still lost by 32 points.

https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401468365

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Go Kings! I watched a full Kings game last Friday for the first time since 2009. Friday I watched them beat the miserable Lakers, then again on Sunday watching them beat the Warriors. The two-man game between Huerter and Sabonis is really fun! Though their stats on defense are not great, in both games, they played stretches of stingy defense when needed.

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De'Aaron Fox is almost unstoppable. He and Sabonis on the PnR is so good.

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Journalists are now arriving in Qatar ahead of the World Cup. Let's check in to see how things are going.

https://twitter.com/RasmusTantholdt/status/1592636983251464193

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Cubs release Jason Heyward, who is 33 years old, has $22m left on his contract for next year and hit at the Mendoza line last season before injuring his knee.

https://www.marqueesportsnetwork.com/cubs-officially-release-outfielder-world-series-champion-jason-heyward/

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He never really worked out for the Cubs but is generally well regarded for making an inspiring speech to the team during a blackout in Cleveland that led to the extra inning victory in G7 of the 2016 WS.

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James Wiseman sent to G-League

https://twitter.com/anthonyVslater/status/1592394338080022530

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Probably for the best, he needs reps and to regain his confidence

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She blinded me with...

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Nov 16, 2022·edited Nov 16, 2022

continuing saga of freshman at UW. she is taking a break from math next quarter. taking physics and CS instead ...

freshman CS at UW is basically a Java programming course.

she goes to some physics lecture recently on campus. when i asked her what it was was about she had some short phrases like ...

- neutrinos (couldnt remember them) but there were 3 kinds

- underground detector

- some nobel prize involved

i asked her if she knew that those types of detectors is what i used to work on in grad school??!!

needless to say my experiment did not find any dark matter or obvious on hints of what it is made out of

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pqtm

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Elsewhere in college

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Wazzu loses to Prairie View A&M 70-59. It's the third loss of Pac-12 vs. SWAC this season.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401494599

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Another down year for the P12.

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[MBB] #17 San Diego State beats Stanford 74-62. Matt Bradley scored 7 points and pulled down 5 boards.

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He's still playing? I guess this is his Covid year.

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[MBB] USC comes from behind and then holds off the mighty Vermont Catamounts in the waning seconds to win 59-57

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[MBB] Oregon beats Montana State 81-51

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[MBB] OSU beats Bushnell 83-66 @ home

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Understandably, UVA cancels this weekend's game after the terrible shooting this week.

https://twitter.com/AndyBitterVT/status/1592881170961682432

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That would have been UVA's last home game of the season. Hopefully they can find some way to host one more game this year to bring the fanbase together, celebrate senior day, and remember their fallen teammates.

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Perhaps a game against Cal?

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Who do folks think will be in the Pac 12 title game? Five teams (the LA schools, Oregon, UW and Utah) have a shot if they win out. If Ucla beats U$C it'll be bedlam at the top, then imagine Oregon beating Utah but losing to OSU, or UW losing to WSU.

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Prior to last week I thought it would be Oregon and UCLA. Now? No idea.

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Stanfurd makes CBS sports Bottom 25, but also manages to drag Cal at the same time.

https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/college-football-rankings-stanford-indiana-make-bottom-25-debuts-as-power-five-presence-increases/

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I know that list is based on a formula but it's insane that we're not on it.

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Tbf, Cal did that to themselves

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Biff Poggi named Charlotte's new head coach. He spent less than one season as Associate Head Coach of Michigan. He had two seasons as an assistant at Citadel and an analyst at Michigan, but was primarily a high school coach. His journey is an amazing one.

https://www.espn.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/24263583/the-football-team-won-league-lost-opponents

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Name the 13 FBS teams from Ohio. Hint: three of them don't have a football program.

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There are actually 13 Division I institutions in Ohio. 8 are FBS, 2 are FCS, and 3 don't have football programs.

FBS schools - Akron, Bowling Green, Cincinnati, Kent State, Miami (OH), Ohio, Ohio State, and Toledo.

FCS schools - Dayton, Youngstown State.

Non-football Division I schools - Cleveland State, Wright State, Xavier

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Well -1 to me for screwing up the question.

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Wait, how can they be FBS if they don't have football?

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Nov 16, 2022·edited Nov 16, 2022

They could be Division I. Division I consists of FBS and FCS institutions and institutions that do not have football but are Division I, nonetheless. Gonzaga, St. Mary's, and Pepperdine are three that come to mind off the top of my head. In fact, as I recall, at one time BYU was a member of the WCC in all sports *except* football. Which was brilliant because it allowed BYU to maintain FBS status while remaining independent in football. This didn't work out as BYU will become a member of the Big XII in 2023.

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I get that, but then they're just "Division 1," not "FBS." The FBS term specifically applies to football schools.

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tOSU

Ohio

Toledo

Akron

Bowling Green

Cincinnati

Kent St (tin soldiers and Nixon’s coming)

Miami

Dayton is fcs and Case Western is D2

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Ohio State, Cincy, Kent State, Bowling Green, Akron, Ohio U, Miami, Toldeo for sure. Maybe Dayton, Oberlin Western Ohio and....?

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Did you mean Case Western Reserve University by "Western"

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TIL Bowling Green is in Bowling Green, Ohio rather than Bowling Green, Kentucky

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I was very confused when I learned of the one in Kentucky

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👆 This guy Ohios

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Xavier. Dayton is I'm pretty sure.

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an Ohio State University

Ohio

Toledo

Miami

Cleveland State (?)

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the Ohio University defeats Ball State 32-18

https://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=401416643

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Bowling Green beats Toledo in a crazy, exciting game 42-35. Toledo goes the length of the field to take the one point lead with 47 seconds left. Kick-off. Bowling Green is sacked with 28 seconds left. An incomplete pass. A 35 yard completion to their TE to get a fresh set of downs and get out from near their own red zone and into Toledo side of the field. Two incomplete passes later, there are 9 seconds left on the clock and they need to get into FG range with something quick.

Then this happens.

https://twitter.com/CowardlyDoggo/status/1592728366851166209

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Gotta love that both MACtion games took place under light snow last night. Top-notch, mid-November football

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CAL

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This story is making the rounds on the interwebs about Scott Frost being a serious OC candidate for Cal. Their source? A series of tweets Avi started to stir discussion. I sent this to Avi last night and his reaction was, “bruh, it was just a suggestion.”

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/scott-frost-named-potential-candidate-for-notable-college-football-job

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Perhaps Avi is secretly Scott Frost's agent

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Maybe it's just WFC's influence that is increasing...would have to look at the analytics to see if that's it

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Here's something I wrote about being at the 1982 Big Game https://rikuwrites.blogspot.com/2022/11/it-was-college-footballs-most.html

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Nov 16, 2022·edited Nov 16, 2022

Cal football trivia fun fact. Sponsored by The Vietnam Day Committee. Streaks edition.

Big Game wins tend to come in streaks. The longest period of alternating wins is only five (1954-1958). Cal’s longest winning streaks are seven, 1918-1924,* eight, 1947-1954 and five from 2002-2006. (We at Cal football trivia fun are not interested in Cal’s longest Big Game losing streaks.)

*Remember, ties counted as wins for the possessor of the Axe and losses for teams that didn't hold it.

Cal football trivia fun fact appears daily during Big Game week.

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The 1918-1924 streak was actually 6 games unbeaten for Cal (1 tie in 1924). The 1918 game was a Student Army Training Corps game between the two school, which Cal won 67-0. Stanfurd didn't have a formal football team due to World War I. The 1918 game is not part of the official records.

Also, this streak predates the exchange of The Axe as a Big Game trophy, which started in 1933. Cal held the Axe from 1899 to 1930, when the Immoral 21 orchestrated a theft after a spring Axe rally in Berkeley. As a consequence of the 1930 incident, negotiations between the two schools established the Axe as the Big Game trophy, starting with the 1933 Big Game.

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The 1918 contest might not be part of the official records but since it's a Cal victory over Stanfurd it is part of the official Cal Trivia Fun Fact record book (available in bookstores everywhere). I do take your point about the Axe not being awarded to winners until '33, so we'll call this the longest unbeaten runs in Big Games.

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I thought the Big Game was cancelled in those years.

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Go Bears!!! Beat Stanfurd!!!

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MBB loses to UCSD and Mark Fox suggests throwing his players under a bus

https://twitter.com/avinashkunnath/status/1592775126353063936

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🔥🦊

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Nov 16, 2022·edited Nov 16, 2022

Indeed. Christ should also fire Knowlton. But she won't.

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They both need to go.

I plan on going full on Andy Dufresne with letters to the Maine Board of Prisons…

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