Sykotyk

9 hours ago, Ted Cunningham said:

I live further north in the panhandle. It's just as fast, for instance, for me to get to Western Beaver or Beaver Local (OH) as it is to get down to Moundsville (let alone up in the hills to Hundred, Cameron, Littleton, etc.) What takes you between Western PA/WV, Texas, and all these other locales?

 

The pictures are a lot of fun. Thanks for posting them. (As an aside, I feel like the rise in mobile-device use to post here, generally, has led to a downturn in the amount of photos and other visual aids posted. So I appreciate the effort to post pictures!)

It really took a dip years ago when you had to have the photos posted elsewhere and link them here. So, a lot of those photos of old jersey finds at goodwill etc, are just text now.

 

As for me, I live near Youngstown. I travel all over, but was doing a lot of work with oil and gas wells in Texas and western North Dakota/eastern Montana for a while. Now it's windmill farms a lot of the time. So, more in the middle, but sometimes all over. Just depends.

5 hours ago, Ted Cunningham said:

So wait, did you take all these? Because that's a lot of travel over a season! And several of those are less than 30 minutes from where I live (compared to those down in Texas, for example; lots of topography changes throughout those pictures!)

Yes, they're all my photos and yes it's a lot of travel. 

 

Where in West Virginia? Was in Hundred this past year for the first time ever. 

 

2020 Favorites

2021 Favorites

2022 Favorites

2023 Favorites

All-time Favorites

 

sykotyk.com details a bit more but I haven't updated since late in the season. Will get on it in the off season. 

9 hours ago, MJWalker45 said:

 

There's plenty of people that watch it, but you're probably right in terms of the overall size of viewership. People that need to see a kid pick their hat out of a lineup are probably the prime audience for this game. But the last three years they have looked horrible, while Under Armour is still trying to pretty up their glorified scrimmage. It's also strange that you don't see adidas show off designs that will be passed on to other teams. 

2023

2022

I have no idea why they came up with these. They scream pee wee league more than, "I'm an all star". 

 

The kids think it's cool so that's what they're going with. 

1 minute ago, MJWalker45 said:

https://www.instagram.com/p/C1s46q6OsKq/?igsh=cWhoeG03ZnE1eGM3

Adidas All American Game uniforms. Pretty meh. Did they forget they had games this weekend?

For that game it's one of the blandest sets I recall

3 hours ago, BBTV said:

 

There was no national championship game back then.  1994 Penn State played in the Rose Bowl while Nebraska played in some other bowl and undefeated Penn State didn't get even a share of it despite being undoubtedly no worse than the #2 team, and likely an equal.

 

The silly-ass BCS didn't come around until late 90s

That was the BCA which didn't include the Big Ten and Pac-10 and Rose Bowl. 

15 minutes ago, Germanshepherd said:

Being in a bar full of Nebraska fans when they added one second back on the clock for Texas was a case of collective PTSD lol

 

Anyways, great final matchup for the four team playoff. 
 

The first and the last CFP have been the only ones without an SEC team or a Southern team in general. Pretty rare stuff, fingers crossed we see more of that with 12. 

Won't be able to rig it in favor of the SEC too much.

 

Under the new system, if it holds to what's been announced, the four highest ranked conference winners get the top four seeds. So, any secondary teams from the SEC will have to be in slots #5 through #12. Might give them a home game. But they have to play a game and then a top four team in the next round.

 

Under the future rules, this year would've been(potentially):

First Round (at higher seed)

 

Friday Night:

8pm No. 9 Missouri at No. 8 Oregon

 

Saturday:

12pm No. 12 Liberty at No. 5 Florida State

4pm No. 11 Mississippi at No. 6 Georgia

8pm No. 10 Penn State at No. 7 Ohio State

 

 Quarterfinals at Bowls:

 

New Years Eve - Fiesta Bowl:

8pm Georgia vs. No. 3 Texas

 

New Years Day - Peach Bowl

12pm Ohio State vs. No. 2 Washington

 

New Years Day - Rose Bowl

4pm Oregon vs. No. 1 Michigan

 

New Years Day - Sugar Bowl

8pm Florida State vs. No. 4 Alabama

 

 

Semifinals:

 

Thursday Night - Orange Bowl

Alabama v. Michigan

 

Friday Night - Cotton Bowl

Texas v. Washington

 

 

Championship

 

Monday Night - National Championship Game

Washington v. Michigan

 

 

Barring upsets/changes of fortune, this would be roughly how matchups and scheduling of the finals would have went this year. But, it's interesting to see how the first round at higher seeds would work. Not sure I feel good about quarterfinals being held at bowls as opposed to at home venues. Curious how many fans are showing up to a quarterfinal spot hundreds or thousands of miles from home, if they think their team will be traveling again just ten days or so later.

1 hour ago, GDAWG said:

 

Isn't that what the MLB is?

MLB isn't a league name, originally or even today. As much as the two have merged it's two "Major Leagues". And Baseball is what they play. As opposed to Minor League Baseball. Summer League Baseball.  Or College Baseball.

 

In MLB, where is the League, Association, Alliance, Conference, Group, Organization, etc name. It's just decades of describing the two leagues combined that eventually became its name. But it's not it's league name any more than "College Football" is a 'league name'.  It's just a description of what it is.

 

If it were Major Baseball League, League of Major Baseball, Baseball Major League, etc...That would be different.

39 minutes ago, Blast_Brothers said:

 

My guess is that they wanted to keep those trademarks in active use, and didn't want to file new ones.

 

I would say that it's related to brand equity... but unless they really promote each individual conference in advertising, it seems like they've already thrown that away.

So name the overall organization "alliance" "association" "conference", etc. Not leagues inside a league.

Just for those that might not know... the old UFL was NOT a spring league. It's one of the reasons it struggled so much financially. Trying to play mid-week in the fall.

 

As for the USFL and XFL 'division' names... if they wanted League to be the divisions... they should've went with "Alliance" or "Association" in the 'league' name instead. Maybe the United Spring Association, United Football Association, National Spring Association, National Football Association, Spring Football Alliance, etc.

 

Having leagues inside a league just feels hokey. Also makes having the Gamblers staff rebrand as Roughnecks but play in the USFL division just feels so hack-jobbed.

2 hours ago, GDAWG said:

 

It's because the Roughnecks actually played in Houston while the Gamblers never did.  

Would've given them the chance to have a cohesive branding after the first logo was deemed "too NFLy".

 

Would've also been one way to promote this as a 50/50 merger, rather than what it was. Four best XFL markets and the three 'home' markets that were 'home' markets in the USFL. We all knew the thousand or so fans showing up in Canton weren't cutting it in USFL.

 

I'm just curious what image this UFL is trying to project. USFL at least went 'throwbacks'... XFL went 'new and edgy'... UFL is just... "We have football, please watch."

The "Awful" UFL.

 

I'm just curious... exactly... what the Rock and Redbird Capital BOUGHT from Vince McMahon. A couple of team names, of which they changed the logos or names/colors? Some former contracts for venues maybe? Some basic equipment in storage maybe?

 

Because to spend the $15m or so they reportedly paid and now a year later have given up the name to XFL (which apparently was a good portion of what they were buying), and the team names (only three of which remain, one was modified, and none of them are using their original logos). What exactly did they buy?

 

After all, the USFL went after the IP rights to glom onto that and are also giving it up. But didn't pay an exorbitant price for them.

58 minutes ago, BottomlessPitt said:

We get a 49ers vs. Browns Super Bowl and they both wear the '46 throwbacks?

There is absolutely no way the Browns make their first ever Super Bowl, and first time in an NFL title game in over 50 years. And have the option of wearing home darks... and going with a throwback uniform. None. Only thing I could see is them maybe going all white if they pulled the "win every game on the road". But they'd have the orange lids.

 

Though, it would be cool to see the first Super Bowl matchup of former AAFC teams (and rematch of the 1949 AAFC Championship Game, that the Browns won, 21-7)

10 hours ago, MJWalker45 said:

The first round is still expected to be played at home stadiums instead of bowl games, unless the host team chooses to play at a bowl site. 

Yes. But the quarterfinals and semifinals will be at bowls. 12 teams taking up 6 bowls. 

 

No way a school gives up a home game to play a bowl site. 

3 hours ago, alxy8s said:

I've been against auto-bids in the 4-team format, but scrapping conference divisions and the generous number of at-large spots in the 12-team playoff have warmed me to the idea. This sport desperately needs an objective criteria that at the very least cannot exclude an undefeated team. That's finally been accomplished. 

 

It'll be interesting to see how conference championship games play into the committee's considerations going forward. I maintain that a team is better off finishing third in the B1G or SEC and avoiding the game altogether. You still get a bye and the "penalty" is a home playoff game. Alternatively, you lose the conference championship game, and are potentially eliminated.

It is NOT going to take long for the 16-team conferences to decide that semifinals are required. And yes, that means that, better chance one team is making it to the playoffs... but all that money stays with the conference. They don't have to share any of it. And it will be aligned with their TV partners.

 

Imagine Michigan-Penn State and Ohio State-Iowa in semifinals the week after the regular season. And a conference championship the week before the CFP first round. Yeah, there's a reason that extra week was put in there. And it wasn't to get things ready for four host sites. Some conference with their divisionless format will have 3 11-1 teams with 9-0, 8-1, and 8-1 conference records complaining about being left out. And get the change made to allow it. Give it four years, tops.

3 hours ago, MJWalker45 said:

Unless they drop 10-12 games, they'll still need 5-7 teams to fill up slots every year, starting next year.

Based on Ohio State and Florida State, none of it matters, except that ESPN paid for live sports and needs someone to play. They'd let Kent State play Bishop Sycamore if they had to, just to make sure there's something there. 

How? We now have 8 teams that will play a total of 6 bowl games. Essentially taking four teams out of the rotation. The four first round losers aren't bowl eligible? Either way, if they aren't, that puts 12 teams playing a total of 6 bowl games (4 quarterfinals and two semifinals). Which is the same adjustment as 4 teams playing in two bowls today (national championship is its own game). You'd still net the same number of bowls to team ratio.

 

2 hours ago, BBTV said:

This, if true, is stupid:

 

They ANNOUNCE who reports as eligible, not only on the mic, but also to the players.  You can't fake it out like that.  If that's what the Lions were trying to do, then they're idiots.  They worked themselves into a shoot, brother.

 

EDIT:

Goff confirmed that 68 reported and 70 was a decoy.  The ref thought that 70 reported, but he didn't - and wouldn't have had to based on where he was lined up.  That's just freakin' stupid, for the reasons I said.  You can't have a decoy when the whole thing is announced.  

Because, I'm sure, Cowboys did their film study and saw that 70 was the usual OT to declare as eligible. Regardless the number announced, and where they line up, you're expecting every defender to hear the announcement, remember the number, see the formation, and follow through with it.

 

They obviously THOUGHT 68 was eligible because they covered his route like he was eligible. You don't do that if you don't think he's eligible.

First game of the season:

 

Last game of the season:

 

 

My best/favorite photos of 2023:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last game of the year, I was just going around the stadium and found my favorite photo spot. DeSoto-Summer Creek was a blowout (74-14), and I wasn't doing sideline for it as I had finished up with the afternoon game. So, was looking for something unique. And found it:

 

Run-Throughs:

 

Coin Toss:

 

Kickoff:

 

 

5 hours ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

 

The NIL and transfer portal have put a ton more power in the players' hands that didn't exist before.

 

If labor exercising their power means an entire system of exhibition games that don't provide any additional incentives needs to go, then that entire system of exhibition games needs to go.

 

Start giving participation bonuses for these bowl games that are scaled to the level of impact for key players, and then you might have something.

I think what we may see is some sort of 'NIL-umbrella deal' that bowls will make with the teams picked to play in them. So, that players will be incentivized to still play. Sure, some Future First Round Pick might still opt out, but a lot of kids will take the $10k-$20k etc for one extra game.

 

Another option may be college football moving into some sort of NIT like tournament structure under the CFP level. Where, again, there's some reward at the end for the winners (maybe a few million to the winning team's players). Games will be at host schools and not neutral sites. While a few 'marquee' places stick around. Such as Bahamas, Orlando, Miami, New Orleans, Hawaii, etc can still live on 'vacation status' alone.

2 hours ago, BottomlessPitt said:

Mavericks want their own arena away from the Stars. That's going to be the new thing: Separate arenas for NBA & NHL teams that share a market unless someone owns both teams (Rangers & Knicks for example). 

Look at all the other markets with multiple teams

 

LA has four teams, Clips are building their own stadium. That just leaves Kings and Lakers at Staples/Crypto, and both are owned or co-owned by Anschutz. Who also owns the venue. They're not getting a new arena for either. Ducks are far enough out it's not an issue.

 

SF Bay area, Sharks and Warriors have always played in different cities/venues.

 

Denver hosts both at Ball Arena

 

Phoenix, Suns play downtown at a very hockey-unfriendly venue, and the Coyotes are playing in a shoe box.

 

Dallas, one venue downtown hosting both, currently.

 

Minnesota, both have their own venue. Timberwolves in Minneapolis, and Wild play in St. Paul.

 

Miami/South Florida, Heat play in Miami, Panthers play 39 miles away in Sunrise.

 

Chicago, both play at United Center. Owned by the owner of the Blackhawks.

 

Detroit, went  the other way. Pistons went to the Palace out in the suburbs while Red Wings played at Joe Louis Arena downtown. Both went in on Little Ceasars Arena not far from downtown.

 

Boston shares a venue

 

NYC area still has MSG while the periphery teams have their own venues; Devils, Nets, and Islanders.

 

Philadelphia, the 76ers are eyeing the new arena away from the sports complex south of downtown.  Flyers aren't moving anywhere.

 

DC, shares a venue.

 

What's honestly really notable about going through this list is how many cities only have either NBA or NHL teams. In fact, it's always been notable how NBA teams tend to be in markets by themselves (pre-MLS being considered a major league). But that the two don't overlap much outside the major markets. But there's considerable pairing:

 

Seattle and Portland have one of each. SLC and Vegas have one of each. SF and SJ have one of each. STL and MEM have one of each. New Orleans, Houston, and San Antonio each have NBA but no NHL.  Nashville and Atlanta have one of each. Central Florida has both, one in TB and one in Orlando. Carolinas have both, but in two markets. NBA in Charlotte and NHL in Raleigh. Indianapolis and Columbus have one of each. Pittsburgh and Cleveland have one of each. Buffalo has just NHL. Milwaukee has just NBA.

23 minutes ago, Gary said:

Just imagine being one of their loyal fans. 

They're too drunk on the Lions hosting a playoff game to notice...

1 hour ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

Detroit is up 13 early in the third at Boston.

 

Is tonight their night?

No. Tonight is not their night.

2 hours ago, 4_tattoos said:

Here's a better look at the jerseys. My favorite of the bunch is probably Grand Rapids Rise due to their wordmark being the most legible. Would have preferred if the league logo wasn't centered the way it is. That works on the collars of  NFL jerseys, but not very well for other sports IMO. They should consider make the numbers a little bigger.

 

It's been stated before with other small leagues. There should be no repeating primary uniform colors in a 7 team league. This leagues has 2.5 red jerseys in this pics. I know opposing jersey contrast in volleyball isn't as import as in other sports, but I pity the folks that tune in to see a Vibe vs Rise game. With that said this league should have clash jerseys in their wardrobe for the liberos, so hopefully they're smart and have secondary/clash jerseys prepared for such a situation.

 

Especially for the Thrill and Rise. Maybe a bigger outline would've helped? 

 

Underwhelming. Especially for "Thrill". Colors feel 'beach', not desert.  The spikes/star in the background feel like the Mariners, not a Las Vegas team.

 

 

Decent logo. The little blue/yellow Trouble game pieces feel a bit off. The comic sans wording a little off. Feels like it really fails the whole 'can this logo be drawn by a kid' thing just because they'll never get the font just right.

 

As for the Mojo name... does feel like it belongs with something other than a bird/eagle. Only mojo I know are:

 

 

And Odessa Permian:

 

 

 

 

4 hours ago, MJWalker45 said:

I know bowl games are advertising for the sponsors, but I think the announcers for the Duke's Mayo Bowl have talked about mayonnaise more than the game. I can understand with blowouts, but West Virginia didn't go up by 17 until just now. Who's announcing the Pop Tarts Bowl? 

It really is a bit strange. Most of the games feel the name is overused to get it onto air. But, the cutbacks to the announcers trying different flavored mayos just feels like 'infomercial mixed with football'.

4 hours ago, BBTV said:

Just call it "QBoTY".

 

Speaking of who won't win QBoTY, Russell Wilson has been benched.

 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/39192081/broncos-bench-russell-wilson-week-17-game-sources-say

QBoTY Ashuance