Just mulling it over:
• The top-level college football four-team so-called playoff selections and pairings further solidifies the thought there never will be a true national champion until eight teams are selected. It is obvious. It would be okay if the No. 9 teams complain. Let them grumble. There is a built-in cut-off line. This year further proves than the four teams left out belong in the playoffs: No. 5 Georgia, No. 6 Ohio State, No. 7 Michigan and No. 8 and undefeated Central Florida, 12-0. None logically would replace the well-deserved top four, Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma. It is all the more reason to start one week to 10 days sooner than the December 29 semifinals this year which will lead to a Monday, Jan. 7, 2019 national championship game. The quarterfinals could be December 22 or one day earlier. It can be done and should be planned. Everyone would find a benefit.
• The Chicago Bears’ Akiem Hicks’ rumble into the end zone, a touchdown of one yard against the Giants, whooped up as a clone of William “Refrigerator” Perry in the January 1986 Super Bowl, was fun, and counter-productive. Hicks, a 6-5 and 332-pound quality defensive end, gave the Bears the lead in the secnd quarter. The Bears offense was quiet in the third quarter. Was there a mental letdown? Likely the Bears may have won the game without the Hicks touchdown. Other backs could have scored from one yard out. Instead, the Giants fought back and won, 30-27, in overtime.
• Did John Paxson pull the trigger too soon on head coach Fred Hoiberg, similar to the firing of head coach Tom Thibodeau? Or, did the Chicago Bulls’ top operations man make a mistake in the initial selection?
• Marmion Academy, Montini Catholic, Joliet Catholic, and Benet Academy, are four of the 24 teams in football which will play in the combined Chicago Catholic League and East Suburban Catholic football conference in 2019.
There will be six divisions of the combined conference with four teams in each division. The divisions, Blue, Green, Orange, White, Purple, and Red, are listed in descending order from perceived strongest to weakest teams. Marmion is in the fourth tier of six, the White Division with Joliet Catholic, Fenwick, and St. Ignatius. Montini will be in the second tier Green Division with Notre Dame, St. Rita, and Providence. The top Blue Division will be Marist, Loyola, Mount Carmel and Brother Rice. There will be two non-conference games in the first two weeks and seven intra-divisional and inter-divisional games. Would appear to be sound planning.
• East Aurora High School boys head basketball coach Rick Robinon’s Tomcat team rebounded from four defeats in four games at the St. Charles East tournament with a 65-52 victory Friday in the Upstate Eight Conference opener in Elgin.
“The game against Elgin was one we had to have,” Robinson said earlier this week while his team prepared for road games at Metea Valley Tuesday, at Larkin Wednesday, and at home Friday against Bartlett, all Upstate Eight Conference games.
“We were led by Jules Williamson with 28 points (against Elgin) and Josh Pryor added 18 points. We will be tested every time we stop on the court.”
•Yorkville High School boys basketball team won Saturday’s rivalry game against visiting Plano, 46-42. “We played extremely hard and defended very well,” said Yorkville head coach Mike Dunn. The Foxes won the conference championship last season. “Zak Konecny had 11 points and made 22 defensive (hustle plays). We made key free throws. We are very young, only three seniors. We have seven juniors and three sophomores up (on varsity). We will be a work in progress all year, but have a group of hungry kids to get better. We are not big, but our kids play very hard.”