#// ik the games have changed a lot and has become more divisive as time goes on but

[mxstball]

Have a mun question in return! What's your favorite thing about mainline Pokemon, and how did you get into it?

// genuinely didn't expect the return question but let's do this!

// god I think my favorite thing about mainline is the lore... in two different senses of the word. Starting with in-game, the world of Pokémon is vast and has changed so much in the 27 years that it's been out. Back during Generations 1 and 2, it was just a game about catching mystical creatures and stopping Team Rocket... but now? We have gods, parallel dimensions, paradoxes, ancient yet forgotten legends, regional variants, and so much more. We have a general gist of the inner workings of the world, how humans fit, and how their / our actions have affected the world in turn. From the extinction of past variants such as Ursaluna to the saving of Pokémon like Lapras to even passing mention of world events such as the dissolution of Team Rocket, our actions and our experiences throughout the series has shaped the world in so many ways, both passively and actively.

// In the other sense of the word, Pokémon pulls from so many aspects of different parts of the world. We take this for granted sometimes, but each of the 1,000 Pokémon pull from real-life animals, pop culture, mythology, religion and so much more. Learning about even the mundane of the various types of regional birds leads to better understanding the differences in culture, climate, and conditions of the various regions. And it's not even that you need to LEARN all of that to better understand the game, either. It's all there in the background so that, when you do that research, you gain both a better appreciation for not only the Pokémon world, but also for the real world as well.

// As for how I got into the franchise? Well, Pokémon was actually the first JRPG I've ever played. When I lived with my grandfather when I was 6, I wanted to be like him. He was really big into playing videogames and played a lot of games on his PlayStation like Tomb Raider and FINAL FANTASY VII; however, because I was young, he didn't want to expose me to so much violence at the time, so he gave me Pokémon Silver on my Game Boy (not Color) and the walkthrough guide for the game as well. I played it so much, though I was never able to beat it. Whitney's Clefairy destroyed me. Then, I got Crystal as well, but couldn't beat that because Ice Cave was too hard... yes.... even with a guide.

// Anyway, while I'd say that was what got me hooked, it wasn't. I went into the foster care system 3 short years later, and as such was never able to play Pokémon at all. Even when I eventually lived with my mother, she would not allow me to play the games because it was a "sexual game" or some shit (yes. not joking. it's a fun story if you wanna dm me about it). However, I still had the games in my heart and always wanted to play them again. So, when I left my mother's house and was able to choose a game to get for my new DS, I got a used copy of Pokémon Diamond, restarted the game, and started the game.

// And the rest, as they say, was history.

[mitchbeck]

CANTLON'S CORNER: (FRI) PACK PACKING TWO INTO WEEKEND

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings HARTFORD, CT - Another weekend of hockey is set to begin and the last of the two-pack of games in the dreaded three-in-three starts next weekend. For Pack Head Coach, Kris Knoblauch, everyone is itching to have some game time after a week of practice. “It has been a good week of practice, but we're ready for game action. Its been a jump coming over from the NHL where you don’t get as much practice time as we do here, and we don’t get bored at practice. Being in the American (Hockey) League you can have a long week like this. It's more of a weekend league so guys are ready to get back at it. Guys were left with a sour taste in their mouths in how last weekend ended.” Knoblauch has had to dust off some old prep books for this type of schedule. “I was just an assistant in the NHL, so I have had to go back to my junior books where the schedule is very similar to this and getting myself prepared." On Friday against Springfield (7:15 pm) expect to see some changing of line combinations and defensive pairings. “We’ve made some changes and who knows, by the end of the first period if it doesn’t work, we'll change them back again,” remarked Knoblauch. "It's so early in the season, from me getting used to them, and the players getting used to me. They have to get used to each other and our systems. We're trying to figure who works well with who, and that becomes beneficial for everybody and we'll see how these switches work.” Clearly down the middle is going to change. “We're switching (Danny) O’Regan to center, from wing and away from the wall. That's one of the changes.” Boo Nieves and Matt Beleskey might have new skating partners based on Thursday’s practice, but nothing as far as who they will be is set in stone. “We're still working all of that out this afternoon. We're still working on minutes and everybody wants 20 minutes, but we don’t play 120 or 190-minute games, just 60 minutes. We haven’t quite yet decided on our combos (defense or offense). On defense with (Nick) Ebert here, we have an extra right-handed shooting defenseman. It’s a luxury yes, but by the same token, you're gonna have to scratch one right-handed guy. If your three best defensemen are right-handed, then someone has to play on their off-side, so that can take away from a players' game and can make other (game) situations more difficult. That right-handed defenseman has to be playing much better than the left-handed defenseman you're taking out of the lineup. So we have some decisions to make." Sending Jeff Taylor, a left-hander, to Maine was in his best interest. “You have so many slots and everybody needs to play, so he will get a lot of minutes there. It's not easy. We have sent a lot of quality players there and we have had to scratch guys here who don’t deserve to come out (of the lineup), and its because they didn’t do enough to stay in and we have several high-quality guys here.” One change that looks likely is Ryan Lindgren will be skating with another right-handed shot, Darren Raddysh, rather than Jeff LoVerde. One thing that will stay the same is the goalie rotation. Igor Shesterkin will lead off in goal with Adam Huska likely to play Saturday in Binghamton in their first road game of the regular season. Down the line,1 as the schedule picks up, that will likely change as it will for forwards and defensemen. “As the season goes on, inevitably one will be playing better than the other and will play more. However, we are so pleased with both of them they have played very well for us, Callups, injuries and play will see that change as we head to December." The schedule, heavy on home games, is something the players want to take advantage of now. “It’s nice to have these first five games at home and not to have to travel as much and we're getting a lot of practice time as well," Wolf Pack assistant captain, Ryan Lindgren, said. “We have to play well at home when we're here. Binghamton, as our first road game, is a good test. That's a tough barn to play in. We had a tough time last year winning at home, so far we are off to a good start this year. We want to keep that going and look forward to playing (tonight).” NOTES: There is one roster change that will be permanent as LW Ryan Gropp has been suspended by the New York Rangers for failing to report to Maine along with Jeff Taylor. He scored just 26 goals in 121 career games. His last game was on Sunday, his only game this season. In it, he had no shots on goal and took a bad cross-checking penalty. Gropp was sent down early in training camp, a clear sign he was not on the A-List for Ranger prospects entering the last year of his entry-level deal. Now, Gropp is likely to be put on unconditional waivers for the purpose of ending his contract, as has been done in the past. That will make him a free agent eligible to sign anywhere in the AHL, ECHL or Europe. Defenseman Yegor Rykov (Ree-kov) is still at least another week away from being activated for play. Ex-Pack, Ryan Sproul, signed with Kunlun (China-KHL). Alexandre Grenier has gone from Laval to Iserlohn (Germany-DEL). That makes 75 AHL’ers from last season to sign in Europe or Asia and 28 of 31 AHL teams to have lost at least one player. Ex-Pack, Brian Gibbons (Salisbury Prep), was returned to Charlotte by Carolina. Ex-Sound Tiger, Steve Olesky, who was released from a try-out by Wilkes Barre/Scranton, signs with Toledo (ECHL). Ex-Pack/CT Whale, Kris Newbury, is playing Canadian senior league hockey this year with the Hamilton Steelhawks in the Allan Cup Hockey-Ontario (ACHO). Sons of Wolf Pack players who are competing in many different levels of hockey have some new playing addresses as the new hockey season has gotten underway. Their father is listed in parentheses. Dawson Armstrong (Derek) is with the Utah Outliers (WSHL). Tyler Savard (Marc) is with Sault Ste. Marie Thunderbirds (NOJHL). Anton Sundin (Ronnie) inks with Vastervas IK (Sweden-Allsvenskan) while Zachary Karpa (David) in the USNDTP (USHL). His brother, Jakob, puts a name on a contract with Victory (MI) Honda U-18 (TIEHL). Jack Finley (Jeff) goes to the Spokane Chiefs (WHL) and brother Mason with Okanagan (BCMML). Mathieu Sevigny (Pierre) goes to the Gatineau Olympics (QMJHL) and is playing with another son of Wolf Pack Braedan Virtue (Terry). Jaxson Stauber (Robb) goes to Minnesota State-Mankato (NCHC) while Kirill Ulyanov (Igor) signs with the Shreveport (LA) Mudbugs (NAHL) and Chippewa (WI) Steel (NAHL). Brock Beukeboom (Jeff) is playing with the Odense Bulldogs (Denmark-DHL) and his second cousin, Adam, is with HK Vojvodina (Serbia). Ex-Pack Donald Brashear has fallen on hard times. He was spotted working at a Tim Horton’s in Quebec City. While he was born in Indiana, he grew up in Val-Belair, a suburb of Quebec City. It was another ex-Pack who has lent him a hand. Pierre Sevigny, who played in Hartford in Year One of the Wolf Pack, he had his eldest son born in Hartford. Sevigny is presently not involved in hockey, he was an assistant for Quebec Remparts (QMJHL) a few years ago. and owns the franchise. Sevigny’s two boys are playing hockey. His younger son, the aforementioned Vincent, and his oldest son Mathieu is with HC Cholet (France Division-2). Read about it HERE The UCONN Huskies (0-2-1 overall) look to get into the win column Friday on the road at RPI (ECACHL) in Troy, NY, their only game of the weekend before they start to play some Hockey East opponents (Merrimack) next weekend at the XL Center. Read the full article

[junker-town]

An NFL fan’s rooting guide to college football’s rivalry week

Here’s which college football team you should cheer, based solely on your NFL fandom.

The NFL has its share of heated rivalries. Saints vs. Falcons. Vikings vs. Packers. Browns vs. themselves. But they can’t compare to another kind of hate, one that many were born into: the visceral, tribal, and sometimes a little (OK, a lot) unhealthy world of college football rivalries.

Not every NFL fan has pledged their undying loyalty to a college football team, which includes but is not limited to the following actions: getting a tasteful tattoo of the school’s logo on your hip, naming a pet after the mascot, naming a child after one of the school’s colors, requesting the alma mater be sung at your funeral, and treating your rival’s name like it’s Voldemort.

You can still join in the fun/anxiety, even if you’re not a diehard whose entire year is made or destroyed in the span of three hours in November. Let’s help you decide which college football team to cheer for in its upcoming rivalry game based on your NFL fandom.

First, a few notes on the methodology:

This is a rooting guide for rivalry games yet to be played. Many happened earlier in the season — like Texas-Oklahoma, Michigan-Michigan State, Harvard-Yale, Montana-Montana State — so they were excluded.

There are more upcoming rivalry games than just these 16 listed here, but I wanted to limit it to 32 schools, one for each NFL team.

It’s not a perfect science, but for the most part, the more alumni from one college on an NFL team, the more likely they’ll be matched up.

Because the college football schedule changes every year, and NFL rosters much more often than that, this is for 2018 only.

Thursday, Nov. 22

It’s true: Thanksgiving football is not just for the NFL!

Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State

This one isn’t a friendly intrastate rivalry, that’s for sure. They’ve been playing for the Golden Egg for almost a century. Their first meeting ended in fisticuffs, and the rage-filled battle for the soul of Mississippi hasn’t stopped since. Their last meeting was a beautiful four-hour exchange of gesticulation and trolling.

Cheer for the Rebels if you’re a fan of the: New York Giants

Say what you will about the Eli Manning’s play the last few seasons. Debate about his level of washedness, if you must. Laugh at Eli Face, always. But he’s still a two-time Super Bowl champion and one of the greatest players in Ole Miss history. So between Manning and tight end Evan Engram — a target Manning sometimes remembers exists — there’s a good bit of Rebels blood in the Giants’ starting offense.

Cheer for the Bulldogs if you’re a fan of the: Green Bay Packers

The most Mississippi State-heavy roster belongs to the Texans, but there are even more Clemson players, as well as one Ole Miss alum (A.J. Moore), in Houston. The Packers are home to two Bulldogs and no Rebels: cornerback Will Redmond and Hunter Bradley, who was the only long snapper drafted in 2018. And we should all celebrate long snappers. MSU also has the support of one Brett Favre — unless they’re playing his alma mater, Southern Miss.

Friday, Nov. 23

There’s no better cure for a turkey hangover than spending the day parked on the couch watching football.

Iowa vs. Nebraska

They might seem like two of the nicest (read: most Midwestern) states in the U.S., but they’ve long been enemies, even before Nebraska joined the Big Ten. Like, 100 years before that. For decades, the football rivalry went mostly dormant. Now, the two neighbors, and division mates, battle every year.

Cheer for the Hawkeyes if you’re fan of the: Buffalo Bills

The Packers and 49ers have more Hawkeye players than the Bills do, but this pairing seemed like more of a fit (tbh, the Bills were kinda like the kid who is always picked last at dodgeball — someone had to take them). One of the team’s Hawkeyes is Micah Hyde, who was a solid defensive back for the Packers before signing with the Bills in 2017. He then became a Pro Bowler — and one of Buffalo’s top defenders. Offensive tackle Ike Boettger is the other Iowa alum on the roster. Plus, the Bills have looked stereotypically Iowa-like this year, featuring an impressive defense, lots of punting, and sometimes, and seemingly randomly, an offensive explosion.

Cheer for the Cornhuskers if you’re fan of the: New York Jets

Both Nebraska and the Jets came into the season with a renewed sense of hope — and a roster that didn’t have quite the talent to match. They’re both still pretty young, so the future isn’t bleak, even if the rest of their seasons are mostly about building toward that future. The Jets also have three Cornhuskers on the ol’ 53: receiver Quincy Enunwa, and offensive linemen Spencer Long and Brent Qvale.

Oregon State vs. Oregon

No Pac-12 rivalry has been played more times than the Civil War, which is set for its 122nd meeting Friday in Corvallis. Fun fact: the 1983 edition of the game, which predated the implementation of overtime, ended in a 0-0 tie (shoutout, Frank Beamer). The teams combined for 11 turnovers and four field goal misses, and it was fittingly dubbed “the Toilet Bowl.”

Cheer for the Beavers if you’re fan of the: Los Angeles Rams

Cheering for a two-win team might give Rams fans bad flashbacks to pre-Sean McVay times, but there are only 13 Oregon State alums in the NFL right now and three of them play for the Rams. That includes two of their best players: wide receiver Brandin Cooks and punter Johnny Hekker. The third is backup quarterback Sean Mannion, who owns most of Oregon State’s passing records and should get his moment to shine in Week 17 when the Rams sit all their starters.

Cheer for the Ducks if you’re fan of the: Seattle Seahawks

Remember the Seahawks’ “Action Green” Color Rush jerseys? Nike can say otherwise, but don’t tell me they weren’t just recycled bits of some of the many, maaaany Oregon uniforms pieced together. So the two teams already have a little, sartorially speaking, in common. They’re also not far off geographically. Seattle fans could just head on I-5 S for a few hours and cheer for the program that produced Ed Dickson and Dion Jordan.

Washington State vs. Washington

It’s not that hard figuring out the origins of the Apple Cup’s name. I mean, apples = Washington, right? [Googles just to make sure] Right. It’s more than that, though. It’s a post-Thanksgiving tradition that divides friends and family and represents not just a culture clash of a state pocketed away in the Northwest corner of the country, but of America herself. The “Crapple Cup” no more, there’s been a lot riding on the game in recent years. Washington has owned the rivalry for the past decade, but Washington State is as hot as any team right now.

Cheer for the Cougars if you’re fan of the: Arizona Cardinals

The Cougs are, undeniably, a damn delight this year. Gardner Minshew II (real name, I promise) and his surprising Heisman campaign has all of Pullman wearing fake mustaches, and his legend grows with every new jockstrap story we hear. And what NFL team could use a heaping of fun more than the Cardinals, who average 14.5 points per game and just lost to the Raiders? So take a few hours Friday night to enjoy Deone Bucannon’s alma mater, a team that can put up points and have a blast doing it.

Cheer for the Huskies if you’re fan of the: Atlanta Falcons

Two years ago, both the Huskies and Falcons were dealt bitter disappointments in the postseason, in vastly different ways, to their sport’s most recent dynasty. Alabama swatted Washington away like a pesky gnat in the College Football Playoff semifinals, a 24-7 yawner that wasn’t even as close as that score indicates. The Falcons, as no one will ever let them forget, blew a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl and lost in overtime to the Patriots. That kinship, plus UW alumni Desmond Trufant and Marvin Hall on the roster, makes this a match.

Saturday, Nov. 24

To put it simply, this is the best day in college football every year.

Ohio State vs. Michigan

Maybe you’ve heard of it? It’s only one of the greatest rivalry is sports. Michigan holds an all-time lead in the series, but Ohio State has dominated The Game since the start of the new millennium. This year, the stakes are high like usual. The winner goes to the Big Ten Championship and preserves its College Football Playoff hopes. The loser, as all losers nowadays, becomes a meme. The difference this year is that Michigan is favored — in Columbus.

Cheer for the Buckeyes if you’re a fan of the: New Orleans Saints

There is no NFL/college football bromance quite like the Saints and Buckeyes. Currently there are six Ohio State grads on the Saints roster, including almost the entire secondary. Eli Apple, Vonn Bell, Kurt Coleman, Ted Ginn Jr., Marshon Lattimore, and Michael Thomas all went from scarlet and gray to black and gold. Then throw in J.T. “the spot was good” Barrett on the practice squad — and zero Wolverines on the roster — and Ohio State really is the Saints’ Triple-AAA team. Oscar winner J.K. Simmons would agree.

Cheer for the Wolverines if you’re a fan of the: Baltimore Ravens

There aren’t many NFL rosters that are completely devoid of an Ohio State presence, but the Ravens are one of them. They also have two Wolverines (Willie Henry, Chris Wormley), and a Harbaugh for a coach. Both teams boast the No. 1 defense in their respective sport and have an above-average running game. And if anyone would appreciate a mascot named after one of the most famous writers in American history, it’s probably a Michigan Man or Woman.

Georgia vs. Georgia Tech

Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate — no really, that’s what the rivalry, one of college football’s most underrated, is called. No nickname can top that. Georgia Tech was once a member of the SEC, but it must have gotten tired of everything just meaning more, because the school bolted more than 50 years ago. But the rivalry, which goes back to 1893, has lived on.

Cheer for the Bulldogs if you’re fan of the: Cincinnati Bengals

Cats and dogs living together! Despite the mass hysteria that might yield, there’s something appropriate about bringing together two teams that gave their fans hope only to cruelly yank it away in their most recent playoff appearance. For Georgia, that was last year against Alabama in the national title game. For the Bengals, it was three seasons ago against who else but the Steelers. So that’s one reason. The other is that Cincy’s roster is littered with Dawgs: Geno Atkins, Clint Boling, Cordy Glenn, A.J. Green, and Shawn Williams.

Cheer for the Yellow Jackets if you’re fan of the: Indianapolis Colts

Some people are slow to wake up. They’re groggy, they’re grumpy, and dammit, don’t talk to them until they’ve had their coffee. That was Georgia Tech and Indianapolis at the start of the season. The Yellow Jackets fell to 1-3 after their third straight loss, while the Colts stumbled to an even worse 1-5 record. Since then, they’ve both shaken off their slumps and won four straight and could be a dangerous opponent for any team to face. The Colts have one GA Tech alum on their roster: cornerback/special teamer Chris Milton.

North Carolina vs. NC State

Most would think of this as a basketball rivalry first and foremost, but the football teams have been playing even longer. It’s been competitive lately, too. In their last 20 meetings, NC State holds a slight 11-9 lead.

Cheer for the Tarheels if you’re fan of the: Chicago Bears

Not much is going right for UNC football this season. Bears fans probably understand that feeling after four straight losing seasons — and seven straight seasons of missing the playoffs. Things are looking up for the Bears this year, thanks in part to one-time UNC quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, even if we’re still trying to figure out how good he is.

Cheer for the Wildpack if you’re fan of the: Los Angeles Chargers

If any NFL team knows what it’s like to be good but completely overshadowed, it’s the Chargers. If any quarterback knows what it’s like to be good but completely overshadowed, it’s Chargers QB — and former NC State QB — Philip Rivers. That chip-on-the-shoulder bond gives Chargers fans a good reason to support Rivers’ and defensive tackle Justin Jones’ alma mater.

Georgia State vs. Georgia Southern

It’s not the most prominent rivalry in the South, or even Georgia itself. But it’s fierce in its own right, even if it’s still in its infancy. The fight over who is the real GSU has powered what they call “Modern Day Hate” — a battle that was first won by Georgia Southern in 2014, but has since been all Georgia State.

Cheer for the Panthers if you’re fan of the: Philadelphia Eagles

It might seem incongruent for Philly fans to cheer for the Panthers and against the Eagles — but let’s face it, no one likes to boo Eagles fans more than Eagles fans. There aren’t many Georgia State players in the NFL, either, but one of them, Chandon Sullivan, might be Philadelphia’s last remaining healthy cornerback.

Cheer for the Eagles if you’re fan of the: San Francisco 49ers

Georgia Southern won two games all of last season. This year, the Eagles are 8-3. That’s the kind of turnaround a two-win team like the 49ers can get behind. Oh, there are only three Georgia Southern alumni in the NFL — and two of them, Matt Breida and Jerick McKinnon, play running back for the 49ers.

Florida State vs. Florida

This rivalry is the Beanie Babies of college football — it captivated the nation in the 90s and though it still exists, we’ve more or less forgotten about it. One or both teams are usually ranked for this game; this year, it’s Florida, but it’s Florida State that has won five in a row and seven of the last eight in this matchup.

Cheer for the Seminoles if you’re fan of the: Jacksonville Jaguars

If Florida Man were a singular entity rather than a concept, he would probably cheer for both of these teams. But it works on other levels, too. Both teams can wallow in the disappointment of the current season. Both are football’s biggest supplier of reaction memes. Both can claim the NFL’s best present-day trash talker, Jalen Ramsey — and Rashad Greene and Telvin Smith, too.

Cheer for the Gators if you’re fan of the: Oakland Raiders

There is something so utterly joyless about watching both teams that I don’t want to inflict them on any other fans. At least this way, Raiders fans can get a glimpse of what it’s like to be a good miserable team. Gators Reggie Nelson, David Sharpe, and Johnny Townsend are all on the Raiders’ active roster, while Eddy Piñeiro is one of two kickers on their injured reserve.

Wisconsin vs. Minnesota

At stake every year in the Big Ten’s oldest rivalry is Paul Bunyan’s Axe, which is different from the Paul Bunyan Trophy that goes to the winner of Michigan vs. Michigan State. If Paul Bunyan wasn’t B1G enough for you, they used to play for a slab of bacon?!?

Cheer for the Badgers if you’re fan of the: Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On the surface, Wisconsin and Tampa don’t seem to have that much in common — until you think of all the snowbirds who probably migrate down to the Tampa area in the winter. Then consider Wisconsin’s mascot’s name, Bucky Badger, and the fact that the Bucs’ roster has more Wisconsin alumni than any other NFL team, and it’s kismet. Funnily enough, even though Wisconsin spits out offensive linemen, that doesn’t include any of the three Badgers — DT Beau Allen, LB Jack Cichy, and RB Dare Ogunbowale — in Tampa.

Cheer for the Gophers if you’re fan of the: Minnesota Vikings

This one is fairly easy: They’re both located in Minneapolis. They even shared a stadium for a couple seasons while the Vikings’ new digs were being built. They both last claimed a title in the 60s, well before their sport’s current championship format was introduced. There are only seven former Gophers on active NFL rosters right now and none of them play for the same team. But one of them, cornerback Marcus Sherels, suits up for the purple and gold.

Arizona vs. Arizona State

This rivalry usually falls under the radar — mostly because the two teams aren’t exactly elite football programs. It’s more passionate than you probably realize and spilts the state pretty 50-50. No trophy has been around longer than the Territorial Cup, either. Well, sorta.

Cheer for the Wildcats if you’re fan of the: Tennessee Titans

Sometimes it must feel a little lonely having an unusual name. It’s hard to find a keychain with “Sherwood” or “Bryannca” or whatever people are naming their children these days on it. Those kids probably have moments when they wish their name were something simpler, like Paul or Emily. That’s what it must be like to be the Titans. Unless you count the Remember the, there aren’t any many others with their name. Every other mascot, in any sport at any level, is the Wildcats, though. The one Arizona alum on Tennessee’s roster is the only person in the world with the name Dane Cruikshank. Rooting for the Wildcats gives him, and the Titans, a chance to live as a James or Elizabeth for a change.

Cheer for the Sun Devils if you’re fan of the: Miami Dolphins

You might think Da U is the school that most closely resembles the partying-that-borders-on-dangerous vibe of Miami, but nope, it’s Arizona State. And well, 25 percent of the Arizona State players in the NFL are with the Dolphins: Kalen Ballage, Matt Haack, and — the man, the myth, the legend — Brock Osweiler.

Alabama vs. Auburn

The Iron Bowl has a rich history dating back to 1893, but it’s the most recent matchups that have been without peer — and that’d be the case if we were ONLY talking about the Kick Six. Arguably no rivalry has mattered more in the past decade, because one of these teams has been ranked No. 1 or 2 entering this game since 2008 — and usually at the end of the season, too.

Cheer for the Crimson Tide if you’re fan of the: Washington NFL team

The Tuscaloosa-to-Landover pipeline can’t be matched right now. Washington is home to a whopping seven Bama players, including about 90 percent of its defense: Jonathan Allen, Ryan Anderson, Shaun Dion Hamilton, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, Daron Payne, and the lone offensive player, guard Arie Kouandjio. Washington has had a rough go of it with injuries this season, but at least this way, its fans can enjoy a team that is the closest to being unbeatable as we’ve seen in years.

Cheer for the Tigers if you’re fan of the: Cleveland Browns

Remember when people were asking last year if Bama could beat the Browns? The answer was no of course, even though the Browns went 0-16 and the Tide won another national championship. But Auburn fans probably got tired of hearing it — especially considering the Tigers were the only team to beat the Crimson Tide last year. Plus, with three players from Auburn — Ricardo Louis, Greg Robinson, and Jermaine Whitehead — and no Bama guys (a rarity for an NFL roster), the chances of hearing “Roll Tide” in Cleveland aren’t high.

Clemson vs. South Carolina

The Palmetto Bowl is the South’s longest continuous rivalry. It began in 1896 and the intrastate battle has been held every year since 1909. Clemson has won a nice 69 of their 115 meetings. They’ve only once played on Thanksgiving, in 1963. It was moved back a few days following the assassination of JFK.

Cheer for the Tigers if you’re fan of the: Houston Texans

Texans fans only need one reason to cheer for Clemson: Deshaun Watson. His run in the College Football Playoff, which culminated in a heroic performance against Alabama for the championship, is partly why the Texans traded up to draft Watson that following April. Now, Houston has the franchise quarterback it had been waiting for since, well, ever. It just so happens that Texans DeAndre Hopkins, D.J. Reader, and Carlos Watkins also went to Clemson.

Cheer for the Gamecocks if you’re fan of the: Carolina Panthers

The Panthers play in North Carolina, but the University of South Carolina is closer to Bank of America Stadium than Tobacco Road is. It’s a straight shot 90 miles down I-77 to get from Charlotte to Columbia. Besides, they’re the Carolina Panthers. South Carolina shouldn’t have to feel left out, especially with alumni Damiere Byrd and Captain Munnerlyn on the Panthers’ roster.

USC vs. Notre Dame

There isn’t any college rivalry quite like this one: two blue bloods, separated by 2,000 miles, who play annually despite not even being in the same conference — or, in Notre Dame’s case, not being in a conference at all. Combined, the two powerhouses can boast 22 national championships and 13 Heisman winners (14, if you count Reggie Bush’s vacated one). Speaking of, the Bush Push was one of the most indelible college football moments of the last 15 years, preserving USC’s chances of a threepeat — and thwarted later on by Vince Young and Texas.

Cheer for the Trojans if you’re fan of the: Dallas Cowboys

Gee, what could a five-win team whose fans want their coach gone have in common with ... a five-win team whose fans want their coach gone? Both the Cowboys and Trojans are still quite popular, even if their heyday of everyone becoming a bandwagon fan is over. There’s a healthy USC presence in Arlington too, thanks to Marcus Martin, Tyron Smith, and Antwaun Woods.

Cheer for the Irish if you’re fan of the: Detroit Lions

If you live in Michigan and don’t bleed maize and blue or green and white, then the easiest way to annoy both Wolverines and Spartans fans would be to cheer for ... well, probably Ohio State. But Notre Dame would be a close second. South Bend is only three hours away from Detroit, and the Lions’ roster includes TJ Jones, Romeo Okwara, Theo Riddick, and until recently, Golden Tate.

Utah vs. BYU

BYU really hates Utah, while Utah hates BYU just as much but sometimes likes to pretend it doesn’t. It’s a complicated rivalry, especially considering one is a religious school and the other is public. The so-called Holy War has been kind of naughty, complete with statue vandalism, back-to-back ejections, a failed two-point try for the win, a trip to Sin City, public name-calling, and a Utah cheerleader punching a BYU fan, repeatedly, in the face.

Cheer for the Utes if you’re fan of the: Denver Broncos

Salt Lake City is almost directly to Denver’s west (as is Provo, but it seemed obvious which one of those should be paired up with a place that has marijuana dispensaries). There are also a lot of Broncos fans in the Mountain states, including in Utah. The Broncos have the highest concentration of Utes on their roster, with Garett Bolles, Devontae Booker, and Tim Patrick all in Denver.

Cheer for the Cougars if you’re fan of the: Kansas City Chiefs

Not only does this match rival with rival, but Andy Reid is also BYU alum. It should be no surprise then that of the nine Cougars in the NFL, two of them — Tejan Koroma and Daniel Sorensen — play for the Chiefs.

Saturday, Dec. 8

Yes, this isn’t for another two weeks, but it felt wrong to leave it out.

Navy vs. Army

Every year, the college football regular season ends with the Army-Navy game. Philadelphia serves as its most frequent host, though sometimes the game has been played in other locations including Baltimore and East Rutherford, New Jersey. What truly sets it apart, though, is just how polite the rivalry is.

Cheer for the Knights if you’re fan of the: Pittsburgh Steelers

There is exactly one Army man in the NFL right now: Steelers starting left tackle Alejandro Villanueva, who served three tours of duty three tours in Afghanistan before he started his NFL career. The Steelers organization has continually shown its support for the Army over the years, as well.

Cheer for the Midshipmen if you’re fan of the: New England Patriots

Just like with Army, there’s only one Navy veteran in the NFL currently and that’s Patriots long snapper Joe Cardona. Bill Belichick also has strong ties to Navy, where his father was a longtime assistant coach. Belichick grew up in Annapolis and has never stopped calling it home, despite not living there for decades. And well, the Patriots of all teams pretty much had to be partnered with a service academy.

[mitchbeck]

CANTLON'S CORNER: PACK PACK FOR CHARLOTTE

BY: Gerry Cantlon, Howlings CROMWELL, CT - The Hartford Wolf Pack head back to the proverbial lion’s den when they the streaking and offensively-talented Charlotte Checkers for two games on Thursday (12/13) and Saturday (12/15). In their last meeting, Friday night in Hartford, the Checkers sliced and diced their way to a 7-4 victory at the XL Center. Head Coach Keith McCambridge and his assistant, Joe Mormina, spent their practice day working on breakouts and offensive zone entries, issues they have had against both Charlotte on Friday and then again against the Hershey Bears on Saturday. McCambridge doesn’t view the losses as a "two steps back," or a perfect game and certainly not disasters either. “We know we're facing a very good team. Clearly, we want those parts of our game to be sharper and you see teams come through the American Hockey League who play very well. In both games, there were some good blocks of time in which we controlled the play and we want to accomplish the things we want to. We don’t think we took steps backward. We need to improve in some areas," He said. "The season gives you ups and down and we want to see things level off. We’ve had some personnel changes, and that’s the AHL. We have to make adjustments. We're playing in, I think, one of the best divisions in the AHL with Charlotte, Wilkes Bare is always good, Lehigh Valley, Bridgeport, Springfield, and Providence.” The first line of the Checkers consists of the CCM/AHL Player-Of-The-Week in Martin Necas, as well as Nicolas Roy, and Janne Kuokkanen. It's certainly a top-flight trio. “They're all the same size, about 6’1 or 6’2. All good size guys and all have great speed. So, it's just not one player on a line, it's all three. It makes it tough for anybody in playing them,” McCambridge stated. After knocking off Hartford, Charlotte did the very same thing the next night in Springfield against the Thunderbirds. They were down two goals, scored two in the last minute of regulation, and then won in overtime. There are 20 players at different levels and classifications on the depth chart as part of the strata in the AHL. Vinni Lettieri, in his second professional season, has eight points in seven games with the Pack but sports a minus-5. He's a player that has to play, not just on offense and defense, but play different styles of hockey as well. “For Vinni and his game, it's two different styles as he has plays in two different leagues. When he is here, he's an offensive threat and can score goals and has done that, and during a lot of transactions when a player goes to the NHL, he drops to another (skill) level. For Vinni, it’s a matter of maintaining his good work habits, finishing checks, staying on top of pucks, that helps him keep those habits in place and those are going to help him have more opportunity the next time he goes to New York,” McCambridge observed. The splitting up of a player's game from circumstances like Letteri's requires a very delicate balance that has to be managed. “No question, it can be a tricky thing to manage and shift gears on, but a lot of players have to reinvent themselves. Players have to take that opportunity to play in the best league in the world and a lot of players are eager to do so. Vinni has been open about handling that. He has an excellent work ethic and that’s a good place to start." On defense, there's Libor Hajak. In 26 matches, he's a minus-1 and his game is rounding out. The coaches have worked on adding physical play to complement his already strong offensive instincts and very solid skating skills. “His overall game is improving. He is closing (gaps) much better. His strength (in one-on-one battles) and is such a good skater, he has always handled the puck well and we're very pleased with his direction.” said McCambridge." While Hajak is not as physically big, but he's starting to look like a young Tomas Kloucek, the one-time Wolf Pack rearguard who's now retired. Peter Holland’s play includes a team-high 17 assists and six goals (23 pts) and his work with the younger players has pleased McCambridge. “He’s been very good for us a highly-skilled player. He has a very high hockey IQ.  He has the experience and leadership that our young players can lean on. Peter’s work ethic has allowed his game to really blossom here, and he has been providing scoring for us, so I give him high marks.” Clearly, it looks like Alexander Georgiev will play at least one, if not both games, in Charlotte leaving Marek Mazanec, who hasn’t played since November 18th, in a backup role. “We're aware Maz hasn’t played in a while. We're going to be talking to Chris Drury (the Wolf Pack GM) about what they want to do with Georgy” The Pack will fly to snow-covered North Carolina Wednesday because the roads in the area are super-treacherous given they do not have the snow-clearing equipment and supplies so abundant in the Northeast. PACK MOVEMENT The revolving door that has become the entrance/exit to the Wolf Pack locker room continues to turn. Coming back from New York is Cole Schneider. He was recalled but scratched for both games of the Rangers' Florida trip. Also returning is Steven Fogarty who played in ten games and had no points. In the Rangers game in Tampa Bay on Monday night, he had 9:23 of ice time. The Rangers have five of their next six games at home. The Pack schedule is the opposite with five of their next six on the road. Heading back to the ECHL Maine Mariners are Terrance Wallin, and Alex Kile, who scored his first AHL goal in his second game Saturday in Hershey. After being drilled in the head by the Bears' Beck Malenstyn, who received a match penalty for it, Ryan Lindgren didn’t skate yesterday and was in a non-contact jersey for Tuesday's practice. Lindgren will be evaluated to see if he can play this weekend in Charlotte, though it's not looking likely, but, he will be on the trip. Malenstyn was hit with a two-game suspension by the AHL. Credit teammate and defense partner John Gilmour in coming to his defense in his first AHL scrap. Despite Kevin Shattenkirk’s shoulder injury last night, the Rangers still have one extra defenseman in Brendan Smith. It's unlikely a recall from the Wolf Pack d-corps is coming. PLAYER MOVEMENT Ex-Pack goalie, Chad Johnson, was claimed off waiverd by the Anaheim Ducks from the St. Louis Blues. The Blues are having plenty of problems both on-and-off the ice. Former CT Whale, Logan Pyett, has moved from Hershey to KooKoo (Finland-FEL) for the rest of the year. Another Hershey Bear has exited in Sergei Shumastov who signed with Springfield. Ex-Pack, Adam Cracknell, is on the move again. He was traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Anaheim Ducks for ex-Sound Tiger, Steve Olesky. Cracknell leaves the AHL Toronto Marlies for the San Diego Gulls undoubtedly a huge weather upgrade Charlotte recalled goalie Callum Booth (Salisbury Prep) from Reading (ECHL), The Marlies also added former QU Bobcat goalie, Michael Garteig, from their ECHL affiliate, the Newfoundland (St. John’s) Growlers. There are rumblings that Providence Bruins' Slovakian-rookie, Martin Bakos, might be heading to Europe particularly to Mora IK of the Swedish Hockey League according to; hockeypuls.se Former Yale defenseman, Adam Larkin, goes from Reading (ECHL) to Greenville (ECHL). Former Wolf Pack, Kodie Curran, has signed a one-year extension with Rogle BK (Sweden-SHL). The Sound Tigers lost RW Josh Ho-Sang to recall by the Islanders but received back goalie Christopher Gibson. Ex-Pack, Miika Wiikman, has left Coventry (England-EIHL) for HC Anglet (France-FREL) Ex-Pack defenseman, Julien Brouillette is playing for the new LNAH team in St. Jerome, Quebec. The team was moved from Berlin, NH because after ten home games, the attendance was dreadful. This is the first year in the Quebec-based league. The team’s assistant GM is ex-Pack, Dave MacIsaac. There is no information if he migrated with the team. Prior to the LNAH, the team played for two years in the Federal Hockey League (FHL). At the IIHF U-20 Challenge Cup in Asia, host Malaysia won for a second year in a row downing Krygystan 4-2 in the final. At the IIHF U-20 Division-1 tourney in Fussen, Germany with five countries participating, the tournament has begun. Two sons of former AHL’ers, Kristaps Skrastins and Renars Cipruss, are playing for Latvia. The countries in the tourney are; Belarus, France, Austria, Norway, Latvia, and host Germany. The World Junior A (WJAC) tournament has begun in Bonnyville, Alberta with just five teams. They are the US, Canada (has two entries with an East and West squad), the Czechs and the Russians. The Czechs have current UConn goalie, Tomas Vomacka, and a future Husky for next fall in Matej Blumel, who's from Waterloo (USHL) as well as Zach Malik, the son of former Hartford Whaler, Ranger and Beast of New Haven d-man, Marek Malik. The Canada West squad also features another future Husky in Carter Berger from Victoria (BCHL). The team assistant coach is ex-Pack, David Wilkie, the current head coach for the University Nebraska-Omaha (NCHC). At the upcoming WJC tourney in Vancouver and Victoria, the Swiss will have Ranger draftee Nico Gross, who plays with Oshawa (OHL). Russia has Vitali Kravtsov, the Rangers first round pick from last summer. The Czech team is loaded. They have current Ranger, and ex-Pack, Filip Chytil, as well as this week’s AHL Player of Week, Charlotte’s Martin Necas and last year's number three overall pick, Filip Zadina from Grand Rapids. Finland has UMASS-Amherst goalie Filip Lindberg on the roster. Lindberg is unbeaten thus far for the Minutemen, the current #2 team in the nation. The US squad has Darien native, and former Avon Old Farms star goalie, Spencer Knight, who's a sure bet to be a first-round NHL Draftee.  Another goalie, Cayden Primeau from Northeastern (HE), is the son of ex-Whaler, Keith Primeau. Two Ranger defenseman draft picks from last summer, Joey Keane and K’Andre Miller, as well as two Yale rearguards, in Greenwich’s Phil Kemp and Jack St, Ivany are on the roster. Another defenseman, Mattias Samuelsson, is from Western Michigan (NCHC), and the son of former Nighthawks and current Flyers development coach Kjell Samuelsson. Up front is Jack Drury of Harvard (ECACHL). He is the son of Ted Drury, an ex-Whaler and is the nephew of Trumbull's Chris Drury, the Wolf Pack GM. If Drury makes the team, it would make the Drury’s part of an elite group of US hockey families that have had two or three players on a US World Juniors team. The top of the exclusive list is the Tkachuk’s, who have had five starting with father Keith, then his sons Matt (Calgary) and Brady (Ottawa) and their cousin Casey Fitzgerald (Boston College) and Jimmy Hayes (Wilkes Barre/Scranton-AHL). Some of the other brother and family combinations include; the Broten brothers, Neal and Aaron plus a nephew Shane Gersich, one-time Ranger draft picks and ex-Pack’s, twin brothers Peter and Chris Ferraro, and the Eaves brothers, Patrick and Ben Eaves, who are the sons of former NHL’ers father Mike, and uncle Murray. This year, the Hughes brothers will be added to the list. Jack is the likely #1 overall pick in the 2019 Entry draft this summer. Quinn (Michigan-Big 10/Vancouver) and Mike Anderson return to the team with his brother Joey (Binghamton/New Jersey), who was the captain last year. Two other sons of NHL players are among the invitees. One-time Avon Old-Farms is Winged Beaver, Tyler Madden, who father John is now the head coach in Cleveland and Josh Norris, whose father, Dwayne, scored the WJC winner for Canada in 1990. The 2021-22 venue was announced as Red Deer and Edmonton with next year in the Czech Republic in Ostrava and Trinec, Sweden announced their team and it includes Rangers draft pick, Nils Lundkvist. Blake Richardson, the son of ex-Danbury Trasher, Bruce Richardson, is now playing for Andre-Laurendeau (QCHL). On April 23-24 an international hockey game dubbed “The Last Game” will take place at the North Pole to bring attention to climate change. Some very big names are slated to be involved including Jari Kurri (Finland), Slava Fetisov (Russia) and Mike Richter (USA). The game participants will also include people from science and other disciplines to be involved. Read the full article