December 28, 2005
PICK THE ALAMO BOWL SCORE, WIN A BOOK:
Everyone is invited to participate -- even those not signed up for our little contest. Please post your guesses below. I'll give a prize to whoever comes closest to guessing the true point spread without going over.
General game info: The game is the Nebraska Cornhuskers versus the Michigan Wolverines. Both teams are 7-4. Michigan is generally listed as a 10.5 to 11-point favorite. Michigan is probably the better team but their fans are outnumbered and Michigan doesn't appear excited about playing in this particular bowl game.
If the winner picks Nebraska, he will receive a free copy of Pauline Maier's book American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence. If the winner picks Michigan, he will receive a Howard Zinn book (in fairness, this last point is subject to negotiation).
Have fun!
Posted by Matt Murphy at December 28, 2005 8:27 PMAt the risk of violating Brothers Judd rules against promulgating witchcraft, I'll be watching the game from endzone seats at the Alamodome while generously utilizing my Sports Fan Voodoo Doll dressed up like Michigan quarterback Chad Henne.
Nebraska 31, Michigan 27.
Posted by: Matt Murphy at December 28, 2005 5:22 AMBy the way, in the event of a tie, I'll determine the winner by choosing the person who comes closest to picking the total number of points scored.
And, of course, any picks made after the game begins at 7 PM CST (8 PM in the Orrin Judd Timezone) will not be considered.
Posted by: Matt Murphy at December 28, 2005 5:28 AMNebraska 20, Michigan 17
Posted by: Mike Morley at December 28, 2005 6:06 AMHuskers 35 - Maize and Blue Vermin 31
Posted by: John Sterling at December 28, 2005 8:14 AMI hate the Wolverines. Nevertheless:
Michigan 28 Nebraska 20
Posted by: jdkelly at December 28, 2005 8:34 AMMichigan 23 Nebraska 20
Posted by: pj at December 28, 2005 9:22 AMBlue 41 Red 10
Posted by: Matt Cohen at December 28, 2005 9:30 AMMichigan 28, Nebraska 24
If I win, please don't give me the gift of Howard Zinn. (The gift that keeps on taking?) If it must be Zinn, please send it someplace where it will be appreciated - say, to Grog or a landfill.
Posted by: John Barrett Jr. at December 28, 2005 9:39 AMMichigan 24, Nebraska 17
Posted by: Nobrainer at December 28, 2005 10:53 AMNebraska 21 Michigan 17
Posted by: BillMill at December 28, 2005 11:31 AMJeez. I'm gonna have to pick Michigan, even tho I've hated their guts since at least as far back as the Big Chill.
Blue 24 Huskers 13.
I'll be rooting for Nebraska however. Does that mean I avoid the Zinn book if I win?
Posted by: Jim in Chicago at December 28, 2005 12:27 PMMichigan 34, Nebraska 20. But the Cornhuskers win the battle of the fans following the game at Dick's Last Resort on the Riverwalk.
Posted by: John at December 28, 2005 12:35 PMAs a native Ohioan and a Northwestern grad I hate the Blue but I don't believe in the Red.
"That school up north" 31
"The medium-sized Red' 7
Posted by: Jeff at December 28, 2005 1:03 PMThis is for the 1997 National Championship for heaven's sake!
Big Red 24 Michigan 21
Posted by: pchuck at December 28, 2005 1:36 PMSan Antonio in December is always a great time for the (newly constituted) Big Red (4-0 in the Dome).
Big Red 31. Maize & Blue 17.
Posted by: Brad S at December 28, 2005 1:57 PMJohn:
I was down at Dick's Last Resort just last night and they threw a guy out of the bar for ripping down a Michigan poster to riotous applause.
Posted by: Matt Murphy at December 28, 2005 2:28 PMSurely all you folks picking Michigan can find some useful purpose for the People's History of the United States. Outhouse backup? Beer coaster? Playing fetch with the dog?
Posted by: Matt Murphy at December 28, 2005 2:48 PMHard to pick either team (Go TEXAS!!) but to win the book I'll say Nebraska 27 - Michigan 17
Posted by: Butch at December 28, 2005 4:01 PMMichigan 14, Nebraska 6.
Posted by: AllenS at December 28, 2005 4:45 PMStrange that Kevin Whited has not gotten in on this.
He always has nice things to say about Coach Callahan :)
Posted by: Brad S at December 28, 2005 4:58 PMMICHIGAN 21 NEBRASKA 14!
If I win may I please have a copy of Barbara Boxer's new book. I heard her talking about it last night on C-span or somesuch cable nutwork w/John Dean. She's such a ditz!!!!! I can hardly wait until the movie comes out.
OK, I was wrong about the game results, but Matt, I'm absolutely shocked they tossed someone out of Dick's Last Resort for being unruly. What's this world coming to (of course, I was also shocked when they relocated the Dick's in Dallas to a less seedier building on the north end of the West End. Were it not for the fact they moved in next to Hooters, I'd think they were trying to go upscale on their clientel).
Posted by: John at December 29, 2005 1:17 AMOJ:
As the game ended with a 32-28 Huskers victory and my pick is closest to the combined total score, it appears I've won my own contest. Is there some kind of Brothers Judd protocol for dealing with this? Ought I still to give out a prize just to be sporting?
Posted by: Matt Murphy at December 29, 2005 5:23 AMMatt:
You could give it to your humble correspondent who got the margin right (Huskers by 4) and was 6 points away from the correct number of total points.
Posted by: John Sterling at December 29, 2005 8:27 AMSadly our readers tend to lose pretty often--no one's ever come up with a valid counter-example to all comedy being conservative and no one took Harriet Miers....
Posted by: oj at December 29, 2005 8:49 AMOJ: Heh. You can't lose if you don't play. (it's just bitterness talking because I missed seeing this post in time).
Way to go Matt!
Posted by: John Resnick at December 29, 2005 12:42 PMJohn Sterling:
I was already thinking of doing that anyway, so I hereby declare you the winner of the book (the good one, not the Howard Zinn tome). My email address is:
HailVarsity@hotmail.com
Please email me your address and I'll send you the book. Congratulations!
PS Nice job picking the final score of a wild game with an ending that almost rivalled Cal-Stanford '82.
Go Big Red!
Posted by: Matt Murphy at December 29, 2005 2:40 PMOne of the ironic points of Howard Zinn's long screeds is that he really shows how every war
that the US has been involved even those like
the Mexican War, whose justification was weak;
has had rather substantial support, and the
anti-war movement can't catch a break. I guess
it's the nature of our 'velvet glove' repression
and 'repressive tolerance', right?