Weekend Bliss

1 Brew cup of PG Tips

2 Put on headphones

3 Turn on Click 'n Clack, the Car Guys (Here they come on at 10 Saturdays on our FM NPR station, with a repeat Sundays at 2 on our AM NPR station)

Manning Throws Couch into White River

Indianapolis (AP): Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning was seen yesterday throwing a black leather couch into the White River in downtown Indianapolis.

"It's my Super Bowl couch," the most prolific quarterback in NFL history exclaimed as he pushed it into the freezing water, " and I don't need the dang thing this year."

Manning overcame the jinx of the New England Patriots, silencing those who said he could never win the big one, and now advances to the Super Bowl on February 4.

However, not all were convinced. John Jetzinski of suburban Carmel told a reporter for Eye Witness News that he won't be satisfied until Manning wins the Super Bowl. "After all, this guy usually spends the postseason on his couch. It is a good sign that he ditched it in the river, I suppose."

Thrown Down...

I am still digging out from under writing deadlines. Got a book review off today, very belatedly, a fine book on Dewey, inquiry, and education. Also done with my "faculty activity reporting time" as a friend of mine in Blacksburg calls it (do the acronym), that time of year when you list all your publications, your service, your teaching evaluations, all the publications you wish "in press" and all the ones you are talking about, in hopes of getting a munificent few percentage points on your next year's salary, or a nod for promotion.

I feel a need to feed the blog. Tomorrow should be fun, though, the first "books and coffee," a wonderful tradition here at olde Purdue. Dan Morris will be discussing M. Bérubé's "What's Liberal...." I will post the sound file if they are still doing that and letcha know how it went.

But we did have a great Lucky Jim conversation last night in class. I will get to that soon...discussing the book and then watching the 1957 film...

"Thrown down...like a barricade." Walking around a clothing store last week, I kept hearing that...long story short, I was hearing a just gorgeous, recent, Stevie Nicks song from the Fleetwood Mac Say You Will effort of a few years ago, made me first Itunes purchase...hey, not to mention the usual enchanting, much underrated, guitar pickin' of her on again now off again, just wonderful, and just right.

Long week

and no blogging. Just been writing my hands numb and reading my eyeballs red. Working with multiple graduate students on coauthored journal submissions, and finishing up another piece on reverence and school leadership with another colleague. With winter hitting Indiana finally, my energy a bit lower this week.

Then, too, the disturbing news about a missing Purdue student been a bit preoccupying here. Hope to get back to some regular blogging soon.

LIve Blogging BCS Title Game Coverage

An EAGLE flying over a humongous American flag? Quite an image, but I always cringe when animals are so deployed.

On to the real animals...

In Effort to Top 'Bama, Purdue Offers Saban The Entire State of Indiana

West Lafayette, Ind. (UPI): Today, in an effort to improve the Purdue Boilermakers' weak appearances in the postseason, the Purdue athletic department announced that they would fly from West Lafayette to Miami to offer Dolphins coach Nick Saban the entire state of Indiana.

Purdue coach Joe Tiller, resting after his Champ Sports Bowl loss to Maryland, expressed surprise. "Nick is a fine coach, I knew him when he was at Michigan State. But the entire state of Indiana? They only offered me Tippecanoe County 10 years ago. But heck, that is big time sports, what can you say?"

Tiller said he was approached to be coach emeritus, and would call special teams plays from the pressbox if Saban accepted the offer.

Saban is currently being wooed by the Alabama Crimson Tide, who would like to have him take over from Dave Shula and bring the Tide back to its former glory. Merchants in Tuscaloosa are already offering Saban Caps, made of houndstooth but with a sportier brim, to both bring back the memory of the legendary Bear Bryant and to point to the future rise of 'Bama pigskin prospects.

Officials at the university in Tuscaloosa are offering Saban $40-$50M to take over as coach. They are unable to offer him the entire state, however, as Auburn already has protested this possible move to counter Purdue's offer.