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THE PROPHET SPEAKETH
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© 2004 P. Chamlis/The Prophet Speaketh, All Rights Reserved
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Another pothole on the information superhighway,
conveniently located at
http://workmanpoll.cnchost.com/prophet
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/theprophetspeaks

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Games of Saturday, August 28, 2004

Finally! The season starts. I know that all of you have as bad an
addiction to the NCAA gridiron scene as the Prophet, and we can
finally celebrate our fix on Saturday. Oops, did I say fix? That's
not a good word to brandish around amateur <g> athletics.

OK, there are only two games involving ANY schools of consequence
this weekend. And unlike the rest of the year, the Prophet is, this
week, gonna make a pick on all the big games. :) BTW, please tell
your friends about our little land of sickness here at the Prophet
Speaks. I'd love to add a few more suckers, er subscribers, before
we get really rolling here in 2004.


But before we start, let me say a couple of words about a very nice
lady who passed away Tuesday of this week.

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Nancy Starling Hill was the chief of clinical chemistry at the
Tallahassee Memorial Hospital back in 1973, when I (a high school
junior at the time) first joined the healthcare industry. Always a
charming lady, Georgia-born "Nan" loved both the UGA Bulldogs and
her adopted Seminoles of Florida State. "The Georgia Peach" was an
early and long-time reader of Prophet. Nan meant a lot to me as I
eventually became a clinical chemist and a laboratory manager.

Jethro Tull once recorded a song (one of my favorites) called "Life
is a Long Song". Nan got 68 years, and I really wish we could have
all sung her song a little longer. But it's not up to any of us, I
guess. So, I hope you'll all have a quiet moment and good thought
about my friend and mentor Nan Hill.

I'll miss you, Nan.

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OK, here are the two picks for this weekend....

Indiana State at Miami (OHIO)
To give you some idea how lean this weekend's schedule actually is,
THIS is the second most important game being played. Indiana
State. Hmmmmm. I should give an additional year's free
subscription to any of you who know their nickname. :) ISU's main
claim to athletic fame came not on the football field, but rather in
the NCAA basketball tournament. The Sycamores (how many of you knew
it?) actually made it to the (I think the year was...) 1979
championship game, on the strength of their best player, one Larry
Bird. Unfortunately, the team across the hardwood that night was
Michigan State, and they had a fellow named Magic Johnson, and thus
ended the general public's knowledge of and interest in all things
Indiana State. Saturday night, the Sycamores line up against one of
the powers of the increasingly regarded Mid-America Conference, the
Miami of Ohio Redhawks. Now all of you haters of things politically
correct know that Miami of Ohio used to be called the RedSKINS, as
in the derogatory term for native Americans. So therefore, in a tip
of the old headdress to the past, and in keeping with my resistance
to being politically correct, I'll hope that I am correct in a
pigskin sense when I tell you that Miami of Ohio should easily
hollow out a few Sycamore trunks Saturday, making themselves a fleet
of nice new canoes in which they'll sail onto happier and more
respected hunting grounds. RedWHATEVERS by 16.

The BCA CLASSIC, being played in Landover, Maryland
USC at Virginia Tech
Pete Carroll's Men of Troy got some bad news just a few days before
opening their 2004 campaign. Due to the intricacies and foibles of
the American justice system, and coupled with the kindergartenish
and reactionary attitudes of the NCAA, USC will be unable to regain
eligibility for their standout receiver of a year ago, Mike
Williams. Not that the Trojans aren't loaded anyway, but they'd
have loved to have the sticky-handed ex-sure-bet NFL first rounder
back in the huddle. And speaking of "sticky hands", playing this
game in Washington, D.C., where sticky hands are a way of life,
seems most a most appropriate way for USC to kick-off 2004. Last
season's national title ended up a 50/50 matter between USC and
LSU. Remember, when it comes to divisiveness and indecision,
Washington's "Ground Zero". As for the Mike Williams ruling, the
Hokies of Virginia Tech were actually disappointed in the NCAA's
decision on the matter as well. You see, they had a secret plan to
get Michael Vick re-instated for one more year of college
football. But as we all know now, neither gentleman will suit up
Saturday night. But as with any clash of major football powers,
there'll still be plenty of professional quality (and in some cases
paid) talent on the field. Frank Beamer and Virginia Tech will,
again this year, send several players to the NFL. They have a
problem for this opener, though, talent or not. You see, Pete
Carroll used to coach in the NFL....and this still may be the best
team he's ever led onto the field. USC by 21.

OK, that's the start, folks. See you next week with a few more
contests. Stay outta trouble up there in D.C. you Trojan fans, and
especially you, Rebel. And if you can't stay outta trouble, don't
get caught.