Reno. Yes, Reno! "The Biggest Little City in the World."

Reno? Yes, the Reno of college football bowl games. Let me explain.

In this crazy world of sports, it seems improbable that this match up could ever happen in a Bowl game with so little importance to the rest of the college football world. On the Eve of  the Holiday Bowl, a game that features my beloved Bears and those of the much hated Longhorns, most of you are wondering  if I will feel vindicated with a blowout win by the Bears for what happened in "2004." The answer is ... maybe. Maybe with Aaron Rodgers winning the Super Bowl and as its MVP, I feel that I've already been vindicated. Where's Vince Young? What has any other Longhorn quarterback achieved in the NFL?

Having witnessed two of the worst seasons since ever, and the fact that the the Longhorns and the Bears have had identical records since I migrated to the Southwest, seems to have taken a lot of the steam out of this game. Maybe it's that I realize what happened in 2004 was not Texas' fault, but something much bigger. A grudge with a small city made famous by Dustin Hoffman in the late 60's -- Pasadena. With the many blog posts across Bear Nation mentioning the classless act by the one and only Mack Brown, I am here to tell you I won't post that. BUT ... this will be the biggest of all the little bowls played in 2011. Let's just hope the Bears don't roll a pair of snake eyes.

"Wise Guy"

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington. Well, Texas!

As 2011 comes to an end, I've had an opportunity to reflect over the past 15 months as a Texan or should I say, an Austinite. It seems like the sports world was knocked a bit off its axis. I can't help but think I had something to do with it. As a young child I often believed if I did something a little different it would have changed the result of a game. I often thought if I watched my team, or didn't watch my team, it would help them win a game they lost.

Now fast forward forty years, and I think I may have been on to something. I often wonder how things may have turned out if I hadn't left California. Would the Giants have been able to overcome the "Curse of a Young Boy?" Would the Lakers be the reigning NBA champions? Would the Cowboys have the same need for a head coach AND a QB?

In my short time in Texas, the Rangers, who have never won a playoff game, go to back-to- back World Series. The NBA Champions reside in Dallas, and the Texas Longhorns have lost more games than they have in the previous 10+ years. What about the Pack, you ask? I don't think it matters what state I'm in, or planet I'm on -- that kid from Chico, California  was destined for greatness. He is golden when it matters most. I guess you could say he is as golden as a Bear ... or a Cal Golden Bear!!!

"Wise Guy"

Wally World It’s Not!

This past weekend my boys and I had an opportunity to visit an old amusement park. As we waited at the gate for the park to open, I couldn't help but think of the many memories I shared at this park and many like it with my Dad and brothers, too many to count. It brought a huge smile to know that I would have many more with my boys, and they would have with theirs.

As the gates opened, it took a little eye contact, and then a simple nod, and my boys knew it was game time. It’s always been a “Wise Guy” tradition to maximize the first 2 hours a park is open to hit every steel roller coaster. This is something we don't take lightly. Like a coach and players getting ready for a big game, we mapped out our plan well in advance, and reviewed a final time at the gate. Once the gates opened it was like a starter pistol being fired, and we ran like Usain Bolton headed for gold in record time.

Our family is like the SEC in college football. You aren't going to beat us -- you just hope to stay close for as long as you can. We have never lost. The Rocky Marciono of families at an amusement park.  What drove us, you ask? It wasn't the desire to win, but the fear of losing. One thing I never, ever want to hear after spending 10+ hours at a park is, “But, Dad."  You know, like a fisherman talking about the big one that got away. It doesn't matter what happened or how long you fought it. The bottom line is you didn’t catch it, or, in this case, that we didn’t ride it.

What does this have to do with sports? Everything! The world of sports is just like an amusement park. The NFL and for some of us, college football, is the steel roller coaster. It's something you don't want to miss. It could be the ultimate thrill ride, and at times a bit overrated.  It is still by far the best ride in the park, or should I say better than any other sport. MLB is like the water ride. It normally takes forever to get on and when you do, it's usually slow until you get to the end where you usually have a thrilling drop and a splash of water which normally makes you feels good.  These parks have many rides like the tilt-a-whirl or the  scrambler . They are golf, tennis, motorsports and hockey. It’s a nice change of pace but if you ride it too much you’ll get sick to your stomach and if your not careful you’ll end up throwing up on yourself. Most of these parks now have a water/ski shows. This is soccer. You know that they are performing and that some people are watching but you don’t understand why or even care. 

That leaves us with the wooden rollercoaster of sports. The NBA. It was once the most exciting sport in the world (see the 80’s) but now it seems to jerk you around a lot and you often leave the ride wondering why you rode it. It's that ride that if it's not running no one misses it. See the NBA strike and tell me I'm wrong!

Wise Guy