Jeff: Manly Manliness

Mmmmm hmmmm. If you're in the Upper Midwest this weekend, or probably even if you're not, you're certain to feel a rumble of manliness wash over the plains, causing you to feel like you should be running free in the woods with an "epic" beard, a shotgun in one hand, and a beer in the other. This rumble will eminate from somewhere in the Northwoods this weekend as it's once again time for the Winter Man Weekend. I've already broken the 1st two rules of the Man Weekend (the first rule is: you don't talk about the Man Weekend with those not going. The 2nd rule is YOU DON'T TALK ABOUT THE MAN WEEKEND WITH THOSE NOT GOING), but I just thought I'd let you know that the howl of men and barbaric yops you hear cascading over the ridiculously unfrozen lakes and unsnow-covered trees will be ours.

While we're gone there will be NFL games. Is it entirely unmanly to not watch playoff football? Insolent fool! Not when you already know what's going to happen! The Chefs will run all over the Colts, the 6-2 Giants team that started the season will show up in Philly and upset the Eagles, the Seahawks, because of the best homefield advantage in football and because I hate the Cowbows, will end Dallas' season, and the Patriots will take care of business against the J-E-T-S JETS! JETS! JETS!

Your Golden Gopher athletic department continues its search for a new football and basketball coach. For more on the football coach, go to Jer's FireGlenMason site, which could now be renamed "Thank You For Firing GLen Mason". I don't know much about this whole thing, but I do know that Larry Coker is NOT the answer for Minnesota. The guy won at Miami with former coach Butch Davis' kids, and his control of the program and recruiting was slipping. They can do better. For perhaps for the first time in my life (and hopefully the last), I actually agree with Sid Hartman, who suggests the Gophers talk to former Wisconsin president Donna Shalala (who's now at Miami) and ask her how they went about building the Badger football program. Jer and I are apparently two of the few people in the State who believe that Gopher football should be as competitive as Wisconsin and Iowa every year. The Badgers program was just as sorry as Minnesota's before Shalala hired Barry Alvarez. With the right coach (i.e. one who actually believes he can win at The U, will make an honest attempt to recruit the homestate, and who will take responsibility for his mistakes rather than blaming everyone else) I believe it can happen. Hopefully administration does too.

Have a good weekend, even though it won't be as manly as mine.