I know that he usually takes an Outsports reprieve during the off-season, but the boy left mid-season last year and hasn't returned. He hasn't returned phone calls, either.

Anyone know where he is? He's a tremendous asset.

Maybe he went with Sexton to the DMB concert.

Watch out, Tiggee. JIP took me to task over my Bowden/criminal humor; I'm sure he doesn't think Lyme disease is a laughing matter either.

Or, since he disappeared mid-season, maybe he could no longer bear the carnage of FSU's 2004 season.

Or maybe he just got sick of freckled, trash-talkin' bartenders.

Seriously, I hope he resurfaces. He came to the UF-UK game last year, and we had a great time.

frown

[door creaks open, fumes of pizza and mountain dew waft out....]

Huh? What?

[scratch, scratch, scratch]

Is someone there?

[rubs eyes, looks blearily into the light]

Did someone say my name?

[pauses a moment, runs back through door, puts on clothes]

Jamie!!!!

Seriously, I'm touched by your concern. Yes, I have been taking my annual hiatus from the Outsports College Football board. (But not from Outsports.com itself - I check it out daily.) But I didn't leave mid-season. My last post was in December, dearie. I just didn't make any posts during the bowl games. Why I didn't, I dunno. I don't remember. Not that I didn't have anything to say. I worked on the chain crew of the Iowa-LSU Citrus Bowl, (okay, Capital One Bowl - whatever] and that was the most exciting bowl game I've been too since Michigan State's last second field goal beat UF.

Anyway, I happened to check out the board today to see if anyone had made any posts about the NCAA's new, ridiculous maxcot rule. (Folks, I can guarantee you that FSU will fight this thing big time.) I was surprised not too see anything on that topic, but then I saw this post with my name in it. (Anytime the letters j-o-c-k appear on a page, my eyes immediately find it!)

I had a very busy and successful colorguard season, and I had barely finished that when football rules classes started. Yes, this season I am moving down onto the field from the press box, putting on the stripes and throwing flags. Small yellow ones this time. I actually take the state test tomorrow so I'll be back to studying as soon as I'm done here.

As for the upcoming season, I'm ready for UCF's debut in Conference USA and getting to see games against Marshall, Memphis, Tulane and Houston. (yep, only 4 home games this year - who did this schedule?) Also, the long awaited series against USF starts (in Tampa this year, in Orlando next.) We're hoping for a better season this year than last - but that shouldn't be tough since the only thing worse than 0-11 is going 0-11 again.

ONLY 25 DAYS until the season begins with UCF traveling up to Columbia for Spurrier's first game as a Cock. (As opposed to his first game as a dick.) Chances to win? I'd say about 5% at best.

Jamie, I'm sorry I didn't return your call, but I was out of town at the time and didn't feel like racking up the roaming charges (because it wouldn't have been a quick chat)... and then when I got home - obviously forgot about it. Sorry, sorry, sorry. I'll make it up to you sometime. (But offering a moratorium on Croc bashing is not going to be part of that deal.)

Back to the rule book for me now. I'll be back later.

Jim
BikeJocks
(alive and well in Whor-lando)

I actually started a thread about the mascot ruling in the college basketball forum. The article I linked was all about the NCAA hoops postseason. Is the new rule going to apply to the bowl games as well?

Start a new thread to talk about that. This one is all about ME! wink

(The rule doesn't take effect until Feb. 2006. Just in time for March Madness.)

Now begone with this discussion.

Jim

(Doing the Snoopy dance)

Welcome, Jeem!

See, we need YOU to start threads on F$U-related news. It just would have been pathetic for KWG and me to be informing the Outsports cognoscenti on all things criminole-related. Even the Wyatt thread...good gawd, the boy just got some bad acid at Bonnaroo and the whole Lyme thing is a coverup and...

(see why we need you?)

xxoo

I'm not paying hardly any attention to the news coming out of Tally nowadays. I'm going to try and head out to UCF's practice tomorrow and ogle at the collection of sweaty manflesh there. Maybe I'll even bring back some pictures. (But only of practice. Any post-practice activities that may occur will remain private.)

I had my football rules test tonight. Did alright. It was open book so I wasn't in any worry about not passing it. But the NFHS words their test questions purposely to trip you up. I didn't keep track real well of what answers I ended up with, so I'm guessing that I got 94 out of 100. (I got the answer key after we had turned in our papers.) I'll find out next week what my official score is. A 75 is all you need to work varsity games, so assuming I don't totally f**k up my first few games I'll be able to work varsity games all season long, but as a rookie I'm sure I'll get mostly freshman/JV games.

Jim

Well, I passed the FHSAA Football Official's Exam and have my first assignment for this Friday night. It's a preseason "classic" between two 6-A schools. I've been tagged as an umpire. For those of you who don't know the officials' positions, the umpire is the poor sucker who has to stand in the middle of the defense and try to avoid being run over by big guys wearing pads when he has none.

I've already told the other guys in my class to check the paper on Saturday for reports of a football referee taken to the hospital in an ambulance after getting wiped out on the field. That would be me.

If I'm still capable of it, I'll post after the game and let y'all know how I did.

Jim

Congrats! I think you'll look snazzy in stripes.

xxoo

Good Luck Bike!

Well, just to prove that football officials assignments are no different than the rest of the world, my season got started with a snafu.

First, there is another official in my association with the same first initial and last name, so when the first schedule was sent out we were told that when the initial was used it was me and his name would always be spelled out. So when my assigner called me today (thursday) and asks what I'm doing Friday I told him I had a game; to which he replied "no you don't - that's Jemal. I need you to go to Cypress Creek."

Not five minutes later he calls me (it's about 4:30) and asks if I can get to a school by 6:00. Sure, no problem. I get dressed and head to First Academy, only to find out that I wasn't needed after all - the assigned umpire wasn't going to miss the game, the assigner had misunderstood what he said. But he was more than happy to let me work the second half since I was there. (It was a pre-season game, so it didn't matter. This would never happen in a regular season game.)

So anyway, after a one hour delay because of lightning we got the game underway in a light rain and before I knew it, it was time for me to hit the field. Well, I can gladly say that I didn't get hurt. I didn't make any mistakes - no blown calls, no inadvertant whistles. Of course I know I could have done better, but at least I've been there with guys in pads approaching at speed and trying to stay out of the way.

So the football season is underway down here in Florida. (Don't ask why, but schools have been in session since as early as August 1st in some counties.)

Jim