Commentary

Cold, snow and playoff football

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Talk about going back to your roots.

These last few days when it was so darn cold in the morning, and I woke up with my stocking hat on and an extra sweatshirt, I thought it was time to get up and go milk cows.

A throwback to a lot of days in South Dakota on the farm, when lots of days showing below zero temps started out with chores, chopping holes in ice for cattle to drink through, hauling water to the hog barn because the water line was frozen solid, and more.

But then, as the fog of sleep subsided, I realized I was just cold and didn’t have to go out and unfreeze a manure spreader or cattle feeder.

Whew.

How about the crazy weather all over?

My cousin in Minnesota shared a -23 real temp report on Tuesday morning, and then a cousin in the Atlanta area had pictures of ice along the Atlantic Ocean near Jacksonville!

And Indiana sent snow plows to New Orleans?

I hope they are not still needed in a couple weeks when I head there for the Super Bowl.

Travel to and from Detroit last weekend was not too rough. There wasn’t a lot of snow and it wasn’t terribly cold.

The Lions, however, were terribly cold, and a great season was turned aside.

Our crew also got some extra time in, as they/we unpacked some extra gear that is needed for the NFC championship game, as we thought there was no way Washington beats the Lions, so the gear would all stay in Detroit for the week.

How wrong …

There was a very late Saturday night packing everything back up so it could head somewhere else.

Plus, the truck drivers had to wait a day to see if they were going back to Philadelphia or all the way west to Los Angeles.

There are also all the fire issues in Southern California. They moved one playoff game — would they move another?

As it turns out, it is back to Philly. We were just there a couple weeks ago, have been there a couple times this season, and we were there two years ago for the NFC title game, so it’s no big deal.

Getting travel all worked out did turn into a bit of a hassle, and I’m sad to report that I have nothing but middle seats this weekend both to and from Philly.

Thanks for the sympathy.

A topic change — I saw that the Wabash Glee Club sang the National Anthem for Gov. Braun’s inauguration. What a great moment for the guys, and I tell you, as I have other times, there is no better version of the anthem done anywhere by anyone than by the Wabash Glee Club. I have listened to a lot of versions — some good, some great, some really nasty, but the Glee Club is simply the best.

Another best, courtesy of Wabash, was at the basketball game Wednesday.

The Little Giants were giving it to Wittenberg, and their coach was not happy with much of anything, so he got himself tossed from the game. In the first half, no less.

I had a front-row seat, and I learned some rather colorful naughty words as the coach just had the chain come off his sprocket.

Speaking of Tigers, the Little Giants play host to DePauw next Wednesday, always a good time to tune in to the Sphinx Club.

One of the student managers for Wittenberg was sitting right next to me, and she was quite impressed with the guys in the cheering section Wednesday. They liked the coach getting ejected part too. She asked if they were always that crazy, and I told her to come back next Wednesday.

Anyway, the end of the NFL season is rapidly approaching. I’m getting emails about college basketball tournaments, so I know something is up. There was even the first email about spring football and the UFL.

Always something.

I hope no one had any frozen pipes and everyone stayed as warm as they could. It will be spring before we know it.

Safe travels.

 

Jeff Nelson is a frequent contributor to the Journal Review and works professionally for Fox Sports working with the Indiana Pacers, Indianapolis Colts and many more professional teams.


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