Chick-fil-A Bowl: Johnny Football Helps Save The Day For A&M

At Atlanta:

Johnny Manziel completed 30 of 38 passes for 382 yards and carried the ball 11 times for 73 yards and another score while Toney Hurd, Jr. intercepted a pass and ran it back 55 yards for the game-winning TD with 3:33 remaining as the Texas A&M Aggies (#21 in the Bowl Championship Series standings, #20 in the Associated Press poll, tied for #21 in the USA Today/Coaches poll; 9-4) overcame a 21-point halftime deficit and upended the Duke Blue Devils (#24 in BCS, #22 in the AP poll, #21 in the Coaches' poll; 10-4) 52-48 in Tuesday's Chick-fil-A Bowl.

Liberty Bowl: Mississippi State Cook Rice

At Memphis, Tennessee:

Quarterback Dak Prescott completed 17 of 28 passes for 283 yards and three touchdowns while running for two other scores as the Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-6) buried the Rice Owls (10-4) 44-7 in Tuesday's Liberty Bowl.

Sun Bowl: Bruins Devour Hokies

At El Paso, Texas:

Brett Hundley had runs of seven and 86 yards while passing for 226 yards and two more scores on Tuesday as the UCLA Bruins (#17 in both the Bowl Championship Series standings and the Associated Press poll, #18 in the USA Today/Coaches poll; 10-3) demolished the Virginia Tech Hokies (8-5) 42-12 in the Sun Bowl. The victory secured the Bruins' first ten-win season since 2005.

Advocare V100 Bowl: Wildcats Devour BC

At Shreveport, Louisiana:

B.J. Denker threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns (both to Trey Griffey) while Ka'Deem Carey ran for 169 yards and more scores as the Arizona Wildcats (8-5) devoured the Boston College Eagles (7-6) in Tuesday's Advocare V100 (formerly Independence) Bowl.

Holiday Bowl: Davis Webb Tosses Four TDs As Red Raiders Top Sun Devils

At San Diego:

Quarterback Davis Webb threw for 403 yards and four touchdowns on Monday night as the Texas Tech Red Raiders (8-5) snapped a five-game losing streak with a 37-23 Holiday Bowl victory over the Arizona State Sun Devils (#14 in the Bowl Championship Series standings; # 16 in the Associated Press poll, #17 in the USA Today/Coaches rankings; 10-4).

Alamo Bowl: Ducks Spoil Mack Brown's Swan Song, Dominate Longhorns

At San Antonio, Texas:

Quarterback Marcus Mariota gained 386 total yards (253 yards passing---including a 16-yard touchdown pass to Josh Huff, 133 yards on the ground) while Avery Patterson (37 yards) and Derrick Malone (38 yards) ran back intercepted Case McCoy passes for TDs as the Oregon Ducks (#10 in the Bowl Championship Series standings and the Associated Press poll, #12 in the USA Today/Coaches rankings; 11-2) manhandled the Texas Longhorns (8-5) 30-7 in Monday's Alamo Bowl, spoiling Mack Brown's finale as Longhorns' head football coach after 16 seasons.

Broncos Buck Pilots In Portland

At Portland, Oregon:

Evan Roquemore, Brandon Clark, and Jared Brownridge each scored 20 points on Monday as the Santa Clara Broncos (8-7 overall, 1-1 in West Coast Conference play) defeated the Portland Pilots (8-6, 0-2) 76-68 on the road, offsetting the 23-point performance from the Pilots' Thomas van Der Mars.

Music City Bowl: Bo Knows As Ole Miss Holds Off Georgia Tech

At Nashville:

Bo Wallace threw for 256 yards and a touchdown and ran for two more scores as the Ole Miss Rebels (8-5) won their sixth straight bowl game on Monday with a 25-17 victory over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-6) in the Music City Bowl.

Armed Forces Bowl: Midshipmen Torpedo Blue Raiders

At Fort Worth, Texas:

In Monday's latest edition of the Armed Forces Bowl, Keenan Reynolds ran for 86 yards and a pair of touchdowns while DeBrandon Sanders, on a run of 41 yards, added another score as Navy (9-4) manhandled Middle Tennessee (8-5) 24-6.

Men's Hoops: Ducks Top In Both Media And Coaches Polls

The undefeated Oregon Ducks, who begin Pac-12 Conference play at Utah this coming Thursday, climbed up two spots to #10 in the latest Associated Press poll, one spot to #9 in the USA Today/Coaches rankings.

As has been the case all season thus far, no support in either poll for any of Oregon's other three men's Division I basketball teams can be found.

Monday Bloodletting

You can find out about which NFL head coaches and/or general managers got the boot on Monday, look here, here, here, and here.

Beavers End Non-Conference Play With Home Win Over Bobcats

At Corvallis, Oregon:

Angus Brandt scored 21 points while Roberto Nelson added 17 on Sunday as the Oregon State Beavers (8-4) concluded non-conference play with a 76-68 home  win over the Quinnipiac Bobcats (6-5).  The Beavers open Pac-12 play this Thursday at Colorado.

Wow!

They sure started Black Monday early in Cleveland.

NFL Playoff Schedule

The playoffs leading to Super Bowl XLVIII gets under way this coming Saturday.

All times are Pacific.

AMERICAN FOOTBALL CONFERENCE:

Opening round:

This coming Saturday:

Kansas City @ Indianapolis, 1:35 PM (NBC)

Next Sunday:

San Diego @ Cincinnati, 10:05 AM (CBS)

Divisional playoff round:

Saturday, January 11:

Higher-seeded opening-round winner @ New England, 5:15 PM (CBS)

Sunday, January 12:

Lower-seeded opening-round winner @ Denver, 1:40 PM (CBS)



NATIONAL FOOTBALL CONFERENCE:

Opening round:

This Saturday:

New Orleans @ Philadelphia, 5:10 PM (NBC)

Next Sunday:

San Francisco @ Green Bay, 1:40 PM (FOX)

Divisional playoff round:

Saturday, January 11:

Lower seeded opening-round winner @ Seattle, 1:35 PM (FOX)

Sunday, January 12:

Higher seeded opening-round winner @ Carolina, 10:05 PM (FOX)

The two conference championship games will be played on Sunday, January 19, to be televised on CBS (AFC) and FOX (NFC).

The two conference champions will face off in Super Bowl XLVIII, to be played at Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday, February 2 (FOX).

Niners Pull Out Late Road Win Over Cardinals In Regular-Season Finale; Claim NFC's #5 Playoff Seed; Get Packers In Green Bay Next Sunday

At Glendale, Arizona:

Colin Kaepernick completed 21 of 34 passes for 310 yards and two touchdowns (four yards to Anquan Boldin and three to Vernon Davis, both in the first quarter) and Phil Dawson kicked three field goals, including the game winner as the game ended from 40 yards out as the San Francisco 49ers (12-4) closed out their National Football League regular season with six straight wins following their 23-20 road win on Sunday over the Arizona Cardinals (10-6).

The Niners will travel to Green Bay for an opening-round playoff game against the Packers next Sunday.

Ducks Wallop Morgan State, Stay Unbeaten Heading Into Conference Play

At Eugene, Oregon:

Joseph Young scored 24 points on Sunday as the Oregon Ducks (#12 in the Associated Press poll, #10 in the USA Today/Coaches rankings; 12-0) continued their best start in eight seasons by dominating Morgan State (3-9) 97-76 at home in their final contest before starting Pac-12 Conference play this Thursday at Utah.

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl: K-State Too Much For Wolverines

At Tempe, Arizona:

Jake Waters threw for 271 yards and connected with Tyler Lockett on three touchdowns (6, 29, 8 yards) on Saturday night as the Kansas State Wildcats (8-5) overpowered the Michigan Wolverines (7-6) in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.  The victory was the Wildcats' first in a bowl game in 11 years.

Dons Upend Pilots In Portland In WCC Opener

At Portland, Oregon:

Mark Tollefsen scored five of his 22 points in the final 25 seconds of overtime as the San Francisco Dons (8-5 overall, 1-0 in WCC play) knocked off the Portland Pilots (8-5, 0-1) 87-81 on Saturday in the West Coast Conference opener for both schools.

Russell Athletic Bowl: Call It The Teddy Bridgewater Bowl As Louisville Turns Canes Into Light Breezes

At Orlando, Florida:

Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater completed 35 of 45 passes for a career-high 447 yards and three touchdowns while running for another score on Saturday as the Louisville Cardinals (#18 in both the Bowl Championship Series standings and the Associated Press poll, #16 in the USA Today/Coaches rankings; 12-1) crushed the Miami Hurricanes (#25 in the Coaches poll; 9-4) 36-9 in the Russell Athletic Bowl.  The Cardinals racked up 554 total yards of offense in contrast to the Hurricanes' 174.  This was Louisville's gridiron swan song as a member of the American Athletic Conference before joining the Atlantic Coast Conference (in which Miami is a member of) next year.

Belk Bowl: Returns For TDs Galore As Tar Heels Dominate Bearcats

At Charlotte, North Carolina:

T. J. Logan ran back a kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown and Ryan Switzer retuned a punt 86 yards for another score as the North Carolina Tar Heels (7-6) picked up their first postseason win since 2010 on Saturday with a 39-17 Belk Bowl victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats (9-4).  The Tar Heels won six of their last seven games.

Pinstripe Bowl: Fighting Irish Foil Upset Bid By Scarlet Knights

At New York City:

Tommy Rees, playing in his final game, threw for 319 yards (completing 27 of 47 passes) while Kyle Brindza kicked five field goals (21, 38, 26,25, and 49 yards) and T.J. Jones (eight yards) and Tarean Folston (three yards) each ran for a touchdown as Notre Dame (#25 in the Associated Press poll; 9-4) held off Rutgers (6-7) 29-16 in Saturday's Pinstripe Bowl played at Yankee Stadium.

Fight Hunger Bowl: Huskies Top BYU Cougars

At San Francisco:

Bishop Sankey ran for 95 yards and two touchdowns to tie his school's career TD record as the Washington Huskies (9-4) topped the BYU Cougars (8-5) 31-16 in Friday's Fight Hunger Bowl.  This capped off the Huskies' winningest season since going 11-1 and winning the Rose Bowl in 2000. Quarterbacks coach Marques Tuiasosopo, who quarterbacked the Huskies in that Rose Bowl victory over Purdue, served as interim head coach for his alma mater in the wake of the departure of Steve Sarkisian for Southern California.  Chris Peterson, who had an outstanding record as Boise State's head coach, will be taking over as head man at Washington next season. 

Texas Bowl: Syracuse Hands Golden Gophers Another Bowl Defeat

At Houston:

Quarterback Terrel Hunt ran for two touchdowns, including the game winner with 74 seconds remaining on Friday as the Syracuse Orangemen (7-6) handed the Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-5) their sixth consecutive postseason defeat with a 21-17 come from behind victory in the Texas Bowl.

Military Bowl: Thundering Herd Spoil Terps' ACC Finale

At Annapolis, Maryland:

Quarterback Rakeem Cato completed 28 of 44 passes for 337 yards and three touchdowns including an eight-yarder to Gator Haskins to seal the victory as the Marshall Thundering Herd (10-4) defeated the Maryland Terrapins (7-6) 31-20 in Friday's Military Bowl, spoiling the Terps' final football game as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (they will be joining the Big 10 Conference next year).

Poinsettia Bowl: Aggies Knock Off Jordan Lynch, Huskies

At San Diego:

Joey DeMartino ran for 143 on 23 carries and scored a late fourth-quarter touchdown on Thursday as the Utah State Aggies (9-5) won back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history with their 21-14 victory over Northern Illinois (#23 in both the Bowl Championship Series standings and the USA Today/Coaches poll, #24 in the Associated Press media poll; 12-2) in the Poinsettia Bowl.  Huskies' quarterback Jordan Lynch, in his NIU swan song, ran for a touchdown and passed for another, but was intercepted by the Aggies' Brian Suite (who also recovered a fumble by the Heisman Trophy finalist).  

Little Caesars Pizza Bowl: Panthers Blow 14-Point Lead, Battle Back, Top Falcons

At Detroit:

James Connor ran for 229 yards (a new school single-game bowl record) and a touchdown while Chris Blewitt kicked three field goals, including the game winner from 39 yards out with 77 seconds remaining as the Pittsburgh Panthers (7-6) rebounded from blowing a 17-point lead and defeated the Bowling Green Falcons (10-4) in Thursday's Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.

Beavers Fall To Rainbow Warriors In Honolulu

At Honolulu:

Isaac Fotu scored 17 points while Garrett Nevels added 16, Christian Standhardinger 15, and Brandon Spearman 14 (to go with his ten rebounds) as the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (9-3) won the fifth-place game in the Diamond Head Classic on Christmas day, 79-73 over the Oregon State Beavers (7-4), despite 22 points from the Beavers' Roberto Nelson.  Devon Collier (who grabbed 13 rebounds) and Challe Barton each tallied 13 for Oregon State.  The victory was the Warriors' seventh in their last eight games.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Merry Christmas to you and yours from all of us at Bob's House!

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl: Beavers Buck Broncos, End Losing Streak

At Honolulu:

Rashaad Reynolds returned two fumbles for touchdowns on Tuesday as the Oregon State Beavers (7-6) cruised past the Boise State Broncos (8-5) 38-23 in the Sheraton Hawaii Bowl as the Beavers snapped a five-game losing streak. 

Niners Battle Back, Hold Off Pesky Falcons In Candlestick Park (Regular-Season) Finale, Clinch Playoff Berth; Still Can Win NFC West And #1 Playoff Seed

At San Francisco:

In the final regular-season contest at Candlestick Park on Monday night, linebacker Na Vorro Bowman ran back an interception 89 yards for a touchdown with 70 seconds remaining as the San Francisco 49ers (11-4) locked up their third consecutive playoff berth with a 34-24 home win over the Atlanta Falcons (4-11).

The 49ers can still win the NFC West Division title with a road win at Arizona, coupled with a Seattle loss at home to St. Louis.  Should these two things happen and Carolina loses (or ties) at Atlanta, the Niners can still claim top seed in the NFC playoffs.  

Vikings Way Too Much For Evergreen State

At Portland, Oregon:

Aaron Moore scored 21 points and grabbed seven rebounds on Monday as the Portland State Vikings (5-4) used a 21-3 second-half run to help complete their home beat-down of Olympia, Washington-based NAIA school Evergreen State 98-65 in their final game before starting Big Sky Conference play.

Beavers Overtake Patriots In Diamond Head Classic Consolation Match

At Honolulu:

Roberto Nelson scored eight of his 17 points in the final minute of play while Devon Collier added 15 as the Oregon State Beavers (7-3) defeated George Mason (5-6) 58-54 in a Monday consolation-round contest in the Diamond Head Classic.

Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl: Pirates Wear Down Bobcats

At St. Petersburg, Florida:

Running back Vinatavious Cooper ran for a career-high 198 yards (a new single-game record for this particular bowl) and a pair of touchdowns on Monday as the East Carolina Pirates (10-3) downed the Ohio Bobcats (7-6) 37-20 in the Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl.

Men's College Hoops: Ducks Climb Up A Space In Both Polls

The Oregon Ducks climbed up one spot in both the Associated Press (#12) and USA Today/Coaches (#10) polls.

Once again, the three other Beaver State Division I men's basketball teams were left with no support whatsoever in either poll.

Beavers Fall To Akron In Diamond Head Classic Quarterfinal

At Honolulu:

Demetrius Treadwell scored a game-high 24 points (16 in the first half) while Nyles Evans added 17 (including five three-point buckets) as the Akron Zips (6-2) racked up their sixth consecutive victory on Sunday with an 83-71 win over the Oregon State Beavers (6-3) in a quarterfinal-round contest in the Diamond Head Classic.  Roberto Nelson scored 20 points to pace the Beavers, whose three-game winning streak came to a halt.

Pilots Knock Off Princeton, Win Holiday Hoops Classic Tournament

At Las Vegas:

Bryce Pressley scored a career-high 25 points while Kevin Bailey added 21 as the Portland Pilots (8-4) won the Holiday Hoops Classic tournament championship on Saturday night after defeating Princeton (9-2) 93-79 in the finale.  T.J. Bray scored 25 points to pace the Tigers.

Ducks Win Wild One Over BYU In OT

At Eugene, Oregon:

Jason Calliste scored a career-high 31 points while Joseph Young added 25 as the Oregon Ducks (#13 in the Associated Press poll, #11 in the USA Today/Coaches rankings; 11-0) remained unbeaten following a 100-96 Saturday home overtime win over BYU (8-5).  Tyler Haws scored 32 points to pace the Cougars.

New Orleans Bowl: Ragin' Cajuns Blow 21-Point Lead, Still Recover To Top Tulane

At New Orleans:

Elijah McGuire and Alonzo Harris each had a run for a touchdown, Corey Trim ran back an intercepted pass 82 yards for another score, and Hunter Stover kick the game-winning 27-yard field goal in the fourth quarter as the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns (9-4) ran up a 21-point lead, then held on and won their third straight New Orleans Bowl on Saturday night, 24-21 over Tulane (7-6).

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Aztecs Turn Buffalo Bulls Into Hamburger

At Boise, Idaho:

Adam Muema ran for 230 yards and three touchdowns while Quinn Kaehler threw for a pair of scored on Saturday as the San Diego State Aztecs (8-5) dominated the Buffalo Bulls (8-5) 49-24 in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

Las Vegas Bowl: Trojans Too Much For FSU Bulldogs

At Las Vegas:

Cody Kessler passed for 344 yards and a bowl-record four touchdowns (two apiece to Marqise Lee and Nelson Agholor) as the Southern California Trojans (#25 in the Bowl Championship Series standings;10-4) picked up their first postseason victory since 2009, 45-20 over The Fresno State Bulldogs (#20 in both the BCS standings and the USA Today/Coaches poll, #21 in the Associated Press rankings; 11-2) in Saturday's Las Vegas Bowl.

New Mexico Bowl: Rams Score 18 Points In Final Three Minutes, Shock Cougs

At Albuquerque, New Mexico:

Jared Roberts converted a 41-yard field goal with three seconds remaining as the Colorado State Rams (8-6), who at one time trailed by as many as 22 points, came storming back with eighteen unanswered points in the final three minutes and stunned the Washington State Cougars (6-7) 48-45 in the New Mexico Bowl on Saturday as the college football bowl season officially got under way.  Garrett Grayson threw for 369 yards and two touchdowns while Kapri Bibbs ran for 169 and three TDs to spark the Rams.

BEARCATS CLAIM NCAA D2 FOOTBALL CROWN

At Florence, Alabama:

Trevor Adams threw for 277 yards and three touchdowns on Saturday as Northwest Missouri State (15-0) won their fourth NCAA Division II national football championship with a 43-28 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne from North Carolina (13-2).

Pilots Pull Away From Braves In Vegas

At Las Vegas:

Ryan Nicholas scored 18 points with Thomas van Der Mars and Alec Wintering each added 15 as the Portland Pilots (7-4) used a late second-half 13-4 run to pull away from the Bradley Braves (5-6) 74-53 on Friday in the Holiday Hoops Classic.

AMOS ALONZO STAGG BOWL: WARHAWKS TOO MUCH FOR PURPLE RAIDERS, WIN FOURTH D3 CROWN IN FIVE YEARS

At Salem, Virginia:

Quarterback Matt Behrendt threw for four touchdowns (two apiece to Jake Kumerow and Tyler Huber) on Friday night while Jordan Ratliffe ran for a pair of scores as Wisconsin-Whitewater (15-0) blindsided Mount Union (15-1) 52-14 in the 41st Amos Alonzo Stagg bowl, enabling the Warhawks to win their fourth NCAA Division III national football championship in the last five years.  It was Wisconin-Whitewater's fourth straight win over the Purple Raiders.  The two schools have met eight times in the last nine years in the national title game.

Hungry?

Here's a 1958 commercial for various Kraft cheese slices (or is it sliced cheese [or cheeses?]).  This aired during an NBC Network telecast of the Kraft Music Hall Starring Milton Berle.  That might be Ed Herlihy doing the voiceover.

Angus Provides The Points As Beavers Hold Off Pesky Towson

Angus Brandt scored a career-high 27 points on Wednesday night as the Oregon State Beavers (6-2) held off visiting Towson (7-5) 76-67.

Are They Related To The Dancing Old Gold Cigarette Box (And Dancing Matchbox)?

From the 1950s, here's a commercial for Post Cereals featuring dancing cereal boxes.

Wanna Start Your Day A Little Bit Better?

From 1960, here's a commercial for various Post cereals. Bon Apetit!

Want An Orange Moose As A Part Or Your Cereal?

1967 commercial for Post Crispy Critters, which introduced the Orange Moose.

Linus the Lionhearted was voiced by Sheldon Leonard.

Here's Something Completely Different

Here's a commercial from around 1952 for Wise Potato Chips.

And Now, Boys And Girls, A Word From Out Sponsor

Here's a commercial for Kraft Miniature Marshmellows which aired during a 1958 NBC Network telecast of The Kraft Music Hall, which at that time, was headlined by Milton Berle.

Ducks Too Much For Anteaters, Stay Unbeaten

At Eugene, Oregon:

Joseph Young scored 18 points while Mike Moser added 15 on Tuesday night as the Oregon Ducks (#13 in the Associated Press poll, #11 in the USA Today/Coaches rankings) are off to their first 10-0 start since 2006-07 following their 91-63 home domination of UC-Irvine (6-6).  Will Davis II paced the Anteaters with a game-high 20 points.

Next Time, Bub........

Make sure your microphone is turned off when you finish a newscast.

Time For Boo-Boo

And I'm not talking about Yogi Bear's sidekick.

This took place this past Saturday night on KSN TV in Wichita, Kansas.



Maybe the anchorman should have kept his mouth shut until the mikes were all turned off.

Ray Price, Country Music Legend, R.I.P.

Ray Price, the Country and Western music legend best remembered for hits such as "Crazy Arms," "Release Me,", "Heartaches By The Number," and "For The Good Times," passed away on Monday at his home near Mount Pleasant, Texas at age 87.

Mr. Price, who had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer (which had spread to liver, intestines, and lungs), had stopped aggressive treatments last week to receive hospice care at home.

Ray had more than 100 hits on the Country and Western charts (seven of them topping out at #1), several of them crossed over onto the pop music charts.

His salad days were during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.  Ray was one of the last surviving links to the era of the original Hank Williams.

In the 1950s, Ray was among the leaders in traditional (and honky-tonk) country music.  By the 1960s, his music became more polished as his recordings started including an orchestral string section, which was what he used in his famous 1970 #1 country hit (which reached #11 on Billboard Magazine's pop chart), the Kris Kristofferson-penned "For The Good Times."

Men's College Hoops: Ducks Climb Up Two Spots To #13 In AP Poll; Still #11 In Coaches Poll

The Oregon Ducks climbed up two spots in #13 in the latest Association Press men's college basketball poll while remaining at #11 in the USA Today/Coaches rankings.  The Ducks remained the only Beaver State men's Division I basketball program to receive any support in eithter poll.

Beavers Smash Open Close Game, Devour Hawks

At Corvallis, Oregon:

Devin Collier scored 24 points (and grabbed 12 rebounds) while Roberto Nelson added 20 and Angus Brandt 17 as the Oregon State Beavers (5-2) broke open a game in which they had led by one point at halftime and demolished the visiting Maryland-Eastern Shore Hawks (2-5) 98-66 on Sunday, outscoring the visitors 64-33 in the second half.

Pilots Fall At Home To Bobcats

At Portland, Oregon:

Marcus Colbert and Flavien Davis each scored 19 points on Sunday as the Montana State Bobcats (4-5) edged the homestanding Portland Pilots (6-4) 72-69, despite 26 points from the Pilots' Kevin Bailey.

Niners Smother Bucs In Tampa, Close In On Playoff Berth

At Tampa, Florida:

Quarterback Colin Kaepernick completed 19 of 29 passes for 203 yards and a pair of touchdowns (four yards to Michael Crabtree, 52 yards to Vernon Davis) while Phil Dawson kicked four field goals (47, 43, 21, 35 yards) as the San Francisco 49ers found themselves on the cusp of clinching a playoff berth Sunday with their 33-14 National Football League road win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Joan Fontaine, Oscar-Winning Actress (Sister Of Fellow Oscar Winner Olivia de Havilland), R.I.P.

Joan Fontaine, the actress who won an Academy Award for her portrayal of a naive wife in the 1941 Alfred Hitchcock-directed motion picture "Suspicion," passed away on Sunday morning in her sleep at her Carmel, California home at age 96.

Miss Fontaine also starred in the title role in "Rebecca," which won the Oscar for Best Picture of 1940, and which was also directed by Mr. Hitchcock.

Joan was the sister of fellow Oscar-winning actress Olivia de Havilland. 

Farewell, Billy Jack

Tom Laughlin, the actor-writer-director best remember for the series of Billy Jack movies in which he played the title role (that of a former Green Beret who came to detest war) in the late 1960s, early 1970s, passed away this past Thursday at Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, California of complications from pneumonia at age 82.

Peter O'Toole, Soared To Fame Playing Title Role In "Lawrence Of Arabia," R.I.P.

Peter O'Toole, the son of an Irish bookmaker who soared to fame playing the title role (the first of eight Academy Award-nominated portrayals) in the 1962 motion picture classic, "Lawrence of Arabia," in which he played the role of British soldier and adventurer T.E. Lawrence, passed away on Saturday at his London home at age 81 after a long illness.

Tired Of The Taste Of Your Cigarette?

Well, hell, then, if you can't or won't quit smoking, at least switch to Kools.

Commercial from circa 1962 for Kool Cigarettes.

Vandals Hand Vikings Tough Defeat

At Portland, Oregon:

Glean Dean scored a game-high 26 points and Connor Hill added 21 as the Idaho Vandals (5-6) came from behind to overtake the home-standing Portland Pilots (4-4) 76-75 on Saturday night.  DeShaun Wiggins paced the Vikings with 22 points while grabbing eight rebounds.

Ducks Outgun Fighting Ilini In Portland To Stay Unbeaten

At Portland, Oregon:

Mike Moser (who grabbed nine rebounds) and Joseph Young each scored 14 points on Saturday night as the Oregon Ducks (#11 in the USA Today/Coaches poll, #15 in the Associated Press rankings; 9-0) remained unbeaten after a 71-64 victory over Illinois (9-2).  Rayvonte Rice scored 16 points to pace the Fighting Ilini.

End Of An Era In Austin

You can't argue with the success Mack Brown had at Texas (158-47 record and a national title [2005] in 16 seasons.

Too bad Nick Saban is no longer available.

Another Freshman Wins The Heisman Trophy

Redshirt freshman quarterback Jameis Winston won the Heisman Trophy as most outstanding college football player on Saturday in New York City.  This marked the second straight year that a freshman won the Heisman (after Johnny Manziel last year).  Mr. Winston becomes the third Seminole (after Charlie Ward in 1993 and Chris Weinke in 2000) to win the prize.

Jameis' Florida State squad will face Auburn in next month's final BCS National Championship Game at Pasadena, California.

From The Broken Record File: Make It 12 In A Row For Navy Against Army

At Philadelphia:

On a snowy Saturday, quarterback Keenan Reynolds--who carried the ball 30 times for 136 yards--ran for three touchdowns (47, 11, 1 yard), thus setting a new NCAA single-season record for TD runs by a quarterback (29) as Navy (8-4) racked up their twelfth consecutive victory in their series with Army (3-9) by dominating the Black Knights (who have now lost five straight games)34-7.  The Midshipmen now lead the series 58-49 with seven draws.

Want That Ketchup---I Mean---Catsup With Your Steak?

During the early-to-mid 1960s, Hunt's made several types of catsup (Pizza, Hickory, and Steakhouse).  Well, here's a commercial for Hunt's Steakhouse Catsup.

And Now, A Word From Our Sponsor

Here's a 1955 commercial for Wheaties, featuring a phonograph record (with Mickey Mouse!) on the front of the box.

Beavers Top Golden Lions In Make-Up Of Postponed Game

At Corvallis:

In a game that was postponed from Saturday due to inclement weather conditions, with Roberto Nelson scoring 26 points and Devon Collier adding 20, the Oregon State Beavers (4-2) defeated visiting Arkansas-Pine Bluff (2-7) 77-63 on Friday.

Men's College Hoops: Ducks Drop Two Spots In One Poll, Climb Up Two Spots In Another

The Oregon Ducks, despite remaining undefeated, dropped two spots to #15 in the latest Associated Press men's college basketball poll.  The Ducks, however, climbed up two spots to #11 in the USA Today/Coaches poll.

Once again, there was no support in either poll for any of the Beaver State's three other NCAA men's Division I basketball teams.

Late FG Boosts Niners Past Seahawks; Settle Prevented From Clinching NFC West And First-Round Bye

At San Francisco:

Colin Kaepernick threw an eight-yard touchdown pass to Vernon Davis, while Phil Dawson successfully converted all four of his field-goal attempts, including the game winner from 22 yards out with 26 seconds remaining on Sunday as the San Francisco 49ers (9-4) avenged their September Sunday night blowout defeat on the road with a 19-17 home win over the Seattle Seahawks (11-2) preventing the already playoff-bound Seahawks from clinching the NFC West Division title and a first-round playoff bye.

Bowl Schedule: Florida State And Auburn Meet In Final BCS Title Game; Ducks Get Longhorns In San Antonio; Beavers Get Boise State In Honolulu

Here's the 2013-14 Collegiate Bowl Schedule, with all Bowl Championship Series contests listed in all capital letters:

All times Pacific

Saturday, December 21:

New Mexico Bowl at Albuquerque:

Colorado State (7-6) vs. Washington State (6-6)

11:00 AM, ESPN

Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl at Las Vegas:

Fresno State (11-1) vs. Southern California (9-4)

12:30 PM, ABC

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl at Boise, Idaho:

San Diego State (7-5) vs. Buffalo (8-4)

2:30 PM, ESPN

New Orleans Bowl at New Orleans:

Tulane (7-5) at Louisiana-Lafayette (8-4)

6:00 PM, ESPN



Monday, December, 23:

Beef O'Brady's Bowl at St. Petersburg, Florida:

East Carolina (9-3) vs. Ohio (7-5)

11:00 AM, ESPN



Tuesday, December 24:

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl at Honolulu:

Boise State (8-4) vs. Oregon State (6-6)

5:00 PM, ESPN



Thursday, December 26:

Little Caesars Pizza Bowl at Detroit:

Pittsburgh (6-6) at Bowling Green (10-3)

3:00 PM, ESPN

Poinsettia Bowl at San Diego:

Utah State (8-5) vs. Northern Illinois (12-1)

6:30 PM, ESPN



Friday, December 27:

Military Bowl at Annapolis, Maryland:

Maryland (7-5) vs. Marshall (9-4)

11:30 AM, ESPN

Texas Bowl at Houston:

Syracuse (6-6) vs. Minnesota (8-4)

3:00 PM, ESPN

Fight Hunger Bowl at San Francisco:

Washington (8-4) vs. Brigham Young University (8-4)

6:30 PM, ESPN



Saturday, December 28:

Pinstripe Bowl at the Bronx, New York City:

Notre Dame (8-4) vs. Rutgers (6-6)

9:00 AM, ESPN

Belk Bowl at Charlotte, North Carolina:

North Carolina (6-6) vs. Cincinnati (9-3)

12:20 PM, ESPN

Russell Athletic Bowl at Orlando, Florida:

Miami (Florida; 9-3) vs. Louisville (11-1)

3:45 PM, ESPN

Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl at Tempe, Arizona:

Kansas State (7-5) vs. Michigan (7-5)

7:15 PM, ESPN




Monday, December 30:

Armed Forces Bowl at Fort Worth, Texas:

Middle Tennessee (8-4) vs. Navy (currently 7-4)

8:45 AM, ESPN

Music City Bowl at Nashville, Tennessee:

Georgia Tech (7-5) vs. Ole Miss (7-5)

12:15 PM, ESPN

Alamo Bowl at San Antonio, Texas:

Texas (8-4) vs. Oregon (10-2)

3:45 PM, ESPN

Holiday Bowl at San Diego:

Texas Tech (7-5) vs. Arizona State (10-3)

7:15 PM, ESPN



Tuesday, December 31:

Advocare V100 Independence Bowl at Shreveport, Louisiana:

Boston College (7-5) vs. Arizona (7-5)

9:30 AM, ESPN

Wells Fargo Sun Bowl at El Paso, Texas:

Virginia Tech (8-4) vs. UCLA (9-3)

11:00 AM, CBS

Liberty Bowl at Memphis:

Rice (10-3) at Mississippi State (6-6)

1:00 PM, ESPN

Chick-fil-A Bowl at Atlanta:

Duke (10-3) vs. Texas A&M (8-4)

5:00 PM, ESPN




Wednesday, January 1

Gator Bowl at Jacksonville, Florida:

Nebraska (8-4) vs. Georgia (8-4)

9:00 AM, ESPN2

Heart of Dallas Bowl at Dallas:

UNLV (7-5) vs. North Texas (8-4)

9:00 AM, ESPNU

Capital One Bowl at Orlando, Florida:

Wisconsin (9-3) vs. South Carolina (10-2)

10:00 AM, ABC

Outback Bowl at Tampa, Florida:

Iowa (8-4) vs. Louisiana State (9-3)

10:00 AM, ESPN

ROSE BOWL GAME at Pasadena, California:

Michigan State (12-1) vs. Stanford (11-2)

2:00 PM, ESPN

TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL at Glendale, Arizona:

Baylor (11-1) vs. Central Florida (11-1)

5:30 PM, ESPN



Thursday, January 2:

SUGAR BOWL at New Orleans:

Alabama (11-1) vs. Oklahoma (10-2)

5:30 PM, ESPN



Friday, January 3:

Cotton Bowl Classic at Arlington, Texas:

Oklahoma State (10-2) vs. Missouri (11-2)

5:00 PM, FOX

ORANGE BOWL GAME at Miami:

Clemson (10-2) vs. Ohio State (12-1)

5:30 PM, ESPN



Saturday, January 4:

BBVA Compass Bowl at Birmingham, Alabama:

Houston (8-4) vs. Vanderbilt (8-4)

10:00 AM, ESPN



Sunday, January 5:

GoDaddy.com Bowl at Mobile, Alabama:

Ball State (10-2) vs. Arkansas State (7-5)

6:00 PM, ESPN



Monday, January 6:

BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME at Pasadena, California:

Florida State (13-0) vs. Auburn (12-1)