Yeah, I'm a little slow on the up-take this week. It's the double depressive whammy of not-football-season and the Huskers baseball season not being best. I've written about ten articles earlier this week and not finished a single damned one of them. They're too depressing. Absolute downers. I've saved you from them, you can thank me if you see me at the Nebraska Baylor series this weekend.
But wait. A glowing report on Brandon Jackson out of the Green Bay Gazette from a few days ago may be just what I need to cheer me up!
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I like the Huskers. I like Brandon Jackson. I like the Green Bay Packers. They all come together in a smorgasbord of happiness-increasing goo with glowing things like this (about Bjax):
"First of all, he's a good running back," McKenzie said. "He's quick. He's got great vision. He's hard to tackle. He's got all the attributes that we look for in a running back."
McKenzie forgot to say "he can pick up the blitz" - something that would make Brett Favre very happy since he'll be running for his life again next year in Green Bay unless the guards are a helluva lot better this season.
And from Bjax hisself:
"There's an opportunity here to come in and play right away and even an opportunity to start," Jackson said. "There's a big responsibility just because they've put a lot on me."
Responsibility like protecting one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the game on a blitz. Quick! What back missed the blitz that ended Steve Young's career? Don't look it up, dammit! It can't get more negative than that, and I'm sorry I brought it up. No doubt Bjax will do better if only because he can't do much worse!
Looking for more positivity - how 'bout a positive note about our very own Bill Callahan?!
Jackson appears to be a good fit for the Packers' zone-blocking running scheme, because he played in a similar system at Nebraska under former Oakland Raiders head coach Bill Callahan.
Wait. Is this a good thing? I suppose if you believe that whole "run a NFL system, get better recruits" thing that we were sold, but a part of me believes that it's more proof that college football is turning into nothing but a farm system for the NFL.
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See what I mean. No matter what, I go negative. Everything turns ugly. Maybe it's just a phase I have to get through, like summer. Or maybe it'll pick up this weekend when we bash Baylor. I hope so too, otherwise it'll have to wait until I'm fishing.
On a depressing note out of Wisconsin, Leinenkugels somehow thought that mixing one of their great beers with lemonade to come up with "Summer Shandy" was a good idea. I bought a twelve pack of that last weekend. It was uninspiring. Maybe it was influenced by the Huskers last weekend. I'll try some again later in August when it's really hot, and I'm thirst enough to drink gravel. I'm sure it'll be good then. The Press Gazette Beer Guru gives it two mugs out of four - making me wonder - just what the hell kind of beer does he give only one mug?
How the hell do you get to be "The Beer Guru" for a paper in Green Bay, anyway? Outlast everyone else? And is showing a really pale guy floating with a tire really the best the Wisconsin Dells can do for an advertisement? At least I'm not that guy, and perhaps that's the most positive thing I can come up with right now that'll get me through the night, so that's what I'm going with for now.
Until tomorrow. Negatively yours,
--JJ--
Thought I'd start signing my articles like those guys at BON. They're stars, right? Anything to get out of a slump.