***
The first is Notre Dame’s win over USC this evening in a game that was decided nearly equally by Notre Dame’s great defense and USC’s anemic play calling and time and score management. I couldn’t believe my eyes as after USC chucked a 50-plus yard bomb down to the 1-yard line, and then failed to crack the end zone on several different attempts.
They were mostly run plays even though they never had a
chance against the vaunted Notre Dame D, and then, as USC was down nine points
and needing two scores, USC head coach Lane Kiffin inexplicably failed to take
three points for a field goal attempt.
Congrats to Notre Dame. Unlike people who are vehemently on
one side or another, I’ve always been fairly neutral on the Fighting Irish and
feel great for their fan base and alumni that they’ll have the chance to play
for a national championship. It will be fascinating to see what Alabama or
Georgia will offer against the buzz saw of a defense, led by Heisman Trophy
contender LB Manti Te’o.
***
This weekend, after the Thanksgiving Day festivities
featuring football, family and food, marks the end of the 2012 Formula 1
season, and for that matter, the 2012 racing season. The Brazilian Grand Prix
finale has the potential to be a barnburner, with Fernando Alonso 13 points
back of Sebastian Vettel as each seeks their third World Championship.
I’m not a huge fan of either but Alonso’s been nothing short
of a miracle worker in maximizing points out of a vastly inferior Ferrari,
compared to Vettel’s usually bulletproof (save for alternator issues) and
all-conquering Red Bull as perfected by master aerodynamicist Adrian Newey.
With Red Bull having the Constructor’s title in hand, I’d love to see my driver
of the year overhaul the gap to Vettel to score the title.
***
The other note from Brazil beyond the title chase is that it
marks the end of a few eras. Notably, Michael Schumacher signs off again, and
this time it’s likely to stick at age 43, after his comeback has yielded little
in the way of results but allowed him three more years to compete against the
new wave of F1 talent. Much respect for the seven-time World Champion, and if
the projected rain delivers on Sunday, there could be one more heroic drive
left in him.
HRT, too, appears set to fold with no buyer likely to
acquire to its assets after Sunday’s race. Although they have failed to attract
the same level of “minnow fan support” as the standard-bearing Minardi team
did, they did make it onto an F1 grid in difficult economic times for three
years, and provide dozens of jobs and a place for three drivers (Karun
Chandhok, Bruno Senna, Daniel Ricciardo) to make their debuts. You never want
to see a team fold and the impact it has is always deeper than the loss of just
two cars on the grid.
Their departure, which would impact Pedro de la Rosa, would
have a two-pronged effect on the changing status of the grid. Schumacher’s
retirement and de la Rosa’s leaving takes away the last two drivers on the grid
who raced in the 1990s – Jenson Button’s 2000 debut would be the earliest among
current drivers. Schumacher, too, is the last driver born in the 1960s likely
to start an F1 race.
SPEED, too, is set to air its final Grand Prix after nearly
16 years. David Hobbs and Steve Matchett are set to move to NBC but Bob Varsha
is not, a shame as Varsha has long been considered the American voice of the
sport. Leigh Diffey should perform well as his replacement, though, and has the
rare pedigree of being both young and experienced, with unquestionable
enthusiasm to match. A big thanks to all involved on SPEED’s broadcasts for
their efforts in making F1 one of the few truly watchable programs on the
network…
It’s going to be difficult to sleep just with having as much
anticipation as I do for Sunday’s Brazilian GP. But it’ll be worth a shot.
