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One of the things that I love about watching and listening to sports is that it’s totally unscripted. I call this the X-factor. I suppose it’s one of the few things in the media world that really is unscripted and unedited. Whether it’s football, baseball, tennis, golf, basketball, soccer, badminton, you name it, if it’s live I’ll watch it. You may think you know what will happen but you really just never know until it happens, or even until it’s heard sometimes, yes there have been some interesting comments, soundbites, and even fan reactions. All this keeps me engaged and watching, Will my team may make that kick for an extra point or not. You know what I mean a routine extra point isn’t always routine. A golfers shot might hit the green or land in the water. Basketball, an apparent open layup can clang off the rim. No one can say for sure what’s going to happen in the next few seconds. Sure, coaches and players come up with a game plan, they adjust strategies as a game progresses, but in the end, no one is really sure what’s going to happen. So, I tune in and wait for that whistle to blow, that bat to swing, or for that field goal kick and then in a few seconds it’s over, so our attention moves on to the next play, situation, or sometimes that’s it onto the next game. That X factor, most of the time there’s really is no controlling the outcome. It is what it is. There’s no magical formula to becoming a championship player or team. I suppose if there was then someone would be packaging and selling it on TV but they’re not. In the end it takes a lot of skill, hard work and some luck, but one should always have that never say die attitude as strange things do happen. One other thing, thick skin, because the only thing not lacking in the media world is critics.

There were a lot of teams that needed thick skin this weekend. Several teams took it on the chin in what many would describe as a wakeup call. For some teams the wakeup call was subtle, for others it was rather rude, a serious gut check for both coaches and players.

The University of Tennessee lost to South Carolina 63-38. No, that’s not a basketball score, that’s a football score. I had to check it twice. I suppose the only thing that could have been worse for the volunteers would have been for it to happen in Knoxville which it didn’t. I think if it had the Tennessee faithful would have been forced to resurrect the goal posts from The Tennessee River. A couple weeks ago Spencer Rattler ruined a perfect six for six Pick-Em weekend for me. He couldn’t throw a grapefruit into a trash can three feet away. This weekend he threw for 6 touchdowns. Go figure. The X Factor is strong in Spencer.

Not to be outdone in shocking and surprising endings, both The University of Michigan and TCU needed a last second, last play of the game field goal to win both their games and save their undefeated season. I’m told the collective blood pressure of both their fan bases showed up on a Richter scale somewhere in the mid-western United States. Tennessee loosing (and loosing big time to an unranked team) along with Michigan and TCU just squeezing by puts the College Football Selection Committee in a bit of a pickle. Basically, what this does is opens up the door for a 1 loss or perhaps 2 loss team to enter the championship conversation. Will it be Alabama? Perhaps. Tennessee? Doubtful. Or maybe even LSU? Remember, it’s a committee. The last remaining unbeatens are TCU, Michigan, Ohio State and Georgia.

As a casual reminder folks, next weekend Michigan plays Ohio State. Someone is goanna loose. One of those 2 teams will no longer be undefeated. TCU gets Iowa State and then the Big 12 Championship. In two weeks, Georgia plays LSU in the SEC Championship game and LSU is no slouch. Clemson (a possible 1 loss entry) plays South Carolina and then gets North Carolina the following week. In short, the fat lady has not yet sung. There’s still ALOT of great football left. Then of course, we couldn’t forget The X Factor, right? Stay tuned and get your picks in!

Another strange week in the NFL. Can it get any more bazaar? The teams that were a sure pick to win, lost, and the teams that were a sure pick to loose, won. Just another week, right? For some teams their Thanksgiving Feast came early. I’m goanna mention here some of the highs and the lows and the extra gravy to boot.

After getting snowed out of Buffalo the Bills were able to hold off The Browns in a climate-controlled atmosphere in Detroit. Bills Mafia will get another feast this week as they play again on Thanksgiving Day. The Cowboys got to have their Thanksgiving Feast early as they chewed up the Vikings on their home tuff in Minnesota holding them to just three points. The Vikings, last week The Darlings, this week The Door Matt. Maybe that chain they wear is heavier than it looks. This week’s burnt Turkey offerings comes care of The Detroit Lions who visited New Jersey and ran all over The Giants. Maybe we underestimated the Lions, maybe we overestimated The Giants. I’ll let you decide. Out west, a crazy finish to The Chargers vs. Chiefs game showed everyone why Patrick Mahomes and The Chiefs are one of the teams to beat this year. As the season rolls on, Mahomes and The Chiefs seem to get more polished. It’s seems that for them winning in the last couple of minutes is predestined. You can never count them out. My next day leftover Turkey and cranberry sauce sandwich goes to The New York Jets who showed us that The Yankees are not the only team in New York that can choke. Just when everyone including myself thought they might go the distance they put on a performance that had many fans screaming at their televisions. Goanna be some rather subdued family gatherings in New York on Thursday.

Three teams in the hunt all enjoyed bye weeks this week, The Buccaneers, The Seahawks and The Dolphins. Presently, all three are leading their division. All three can and should make the playoffs. A long rest at this point in the season is a gift for sure. It might just be Thanksgiving week yet but for these three Christmas came early. Look for all three to come out of their off week swinging. For me, it’s all about the Dolphins. There’s still a lot of good football left to play but choose your picks wisely as it’s getting harder and harder to be correct.

In the end, nothing is written in stone in sports. The teams that you think are goanna win it all could fold in a week, the teams you thought were done could rise up and win it, except for, well maybe not every team right? A Happy Thanksgiving Giving Week to All!

Kev