Even the Hoosiers, Gamecocks, Cyclones, and Bobcats

I'm ready to take a break from the heavier stuff I've been writing about, so...here goes!

We've just entered the 2026 college football season...and, with that in mind, I'd like to share the results of my version of the 2024 NCAA Division 1-A football playoffs. (Thanks, Dave Koch Sports, for bringing out Action! PC Football.)

FIRST ROUND (seeding in parentheses): Arizona State (9) 49, Jacksonville State (24) 28/Iowa State (16) 48, Clemson (17) 24/BYU (13) 35, UNLV (20) 31/Miami (FL) (12) 55, Louisiana-Lafayette (21) 14/Tennessee (14) 59, Ohio (19) 31/Ohio State (11) 37, Alabama (22) 31/Marshall (18) 38, Memphis (15) 21/Syracuse (23) 38, Army (10) 35

SECOND ROUND: Oregon (1) 44, Arizona State 24/Iowa State 38, SMU (8) 24/Georgia (5) 31, BYU 24/Miami (FL) 49, Indiana (4) 40/Tennessee 42, Texas (6) 21/Ohio State 35, Notre Dame (3) 32/Penn State (7) 38, Marshall 24/Boise State (2) 34, Syracuse 17

QUARTERFINAL ROUND: Oregon 30, Iowa State 27/Miami (FL) 41, Georgia 34/Ohio State 35, Tennessee 14/Penn State 38, Boise State 24

SEMIFINAL ROUND: Miami (FL) 38, Oregon 30/Ohio State 30, Penn State 7

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: Miami (FL) 42, Ohio State 28

PLAYOFF MVP: Cam Ward, Miami (FL) QB

The Hurricanes nabbed their third "shoulda-coulda-woulda" championship (they also won in 1992 and 2001)...and they got it done in a season where Indiana, Iowa State, Jacksonville State, and Ohio made it to the playoffs for the first time ever.

Can't wait to see how the 2025 D-1-A playoffs would've turned out!

Random thoughts...8-15-2026

Hi, everybody! Hope you're doing fine! Still trying to completely get back in the swing of things in the wake of that 5-26-2026 prostate reduction...right now, I'd call myself 99.999% recovered.

One of the activities I'm trying to get back to on a full-time basis is...getting myself caught up on current events. And one of the many events making me cringe is the treatment of the crew on the USS Abraham Lincoln.

The USS Lincoln has been at sea since November 2025...and food shortages, plumbing problems, and declining health among crew members have marred the ship's deployment (lengthened by the ship being sent to Iran). That's no way to treat people putting their lives on the line to keep the United States on the map.

You're welcome to read an article on npr.org: "Families of USS Lincoln crew say Trump should be 'ashamed' of conditions on board." (This article was updated today.)

Speaking of keeping the US on the map...if you're registered to vote here in the US, please make sure you do so this coming November (earlier than that if you can). There's too much at stake right now, and all kinds of people through the nation's history put their lives on the line (even to the point of death) to make sure ALL American citizens of voting age can cast ballots.

On a lighter note...on 3-31-2026, I started a new business.

I'm not doing this alone: I've been getting help from fellow LinkedIn member Wil Bowers. (That's right, THAT Wil Bowers...the same Wil Bowers who's been a guest star on TV shows like "Young Sheldon" and "Scandal.")

Maybe you're interested in this new business of mine, too...and if you are, feel free to watch one or both of these two videos: https://PPLProtect.com and https://PPLEmpower.com.

It'd be great to hear from you!