Friday Flakes: The Big Ten Has Strong Start to Bowl Season and Corn Nation’s Readers Have Book Suggestions

In the battle of conference superiority the first two waves have already been sent out. The Big Ten conference decided the first wave of the battle was Minnesota. They went up against the much maligned team from the south of Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech lost their General in Paul Johnson but still had their hard to defend triple option attack.

Minnesota didn’t blink as they blew out the Yellow Jackets 34-10.

Then the second wave of the battle was Wisconsin. They went up against the Miami Hurricanes. It was a weaker Hurricane team than last year so Wisconsin did what Wisconsin does and run the ball right at them.

Jonathan Taylor ran for 205 yards on 7.6 yards per carry to a Wisconsin win to the tune of 35-3.

So the first two waves of the Big Ten in the Battle for Conference Superiority have been successful against two ACC teams.

Next up is Purdue against Auburn Music City Bowl and then Michigan against Florida in the Peach Bowl.

Nick Saban Is More Powerful Than We Ever Thought

As Robby Kalland (@RKalland) tweeted, “You can see the moment Nick Saban used the dark force to get in Quinnen’s head and stop him.”

It is as if he literally started choking on his words. Hilarious. He probably started getting flashes of the power of Nick Saban raining down on him.

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Husker News

Several incoming Huskers bringing championship football mentality to Nebraska | Recruiting | journalstar.com
Scott Frost is trying to build a winning program at Nebraska, and the football coach, now entering his second season in Lincoln, pointed to a common theme among the 23 recruits who recently signed with the Huskers.

Winning.

Burke's Hickman ready to go compete at Nebraska in two weeks - 24:7 Nebraska: Brian Christopherson
Move-in day is in less than two weeks.

Nervous is not the word to use here. "I'm excited," Chris Hickman said. "Ready to go compete."

Best of 2018: Nebraska's Player of the Year | Hail Varsity
All this week the Hail Varsity staff will be selecting its Best of 2018 in multiple categories across any sport the Huskers played. It’s a way to remember the year that was, but also some of these selections may have notes of the future for Nebraska athletics and we’re all thinking at least a little bit about the future right now, right?

Here are our picks, with a self-imposed stipulation against duplicates, for the Huskers’ Player of the Year.

Hot Reads: Don't Be Surprised When These Teams 'Surprise' in 2019 Either | Hail Varsity
Yesterday (Brandon Vogel) wrote about the teams that should be the top candidates to improve in 2019 based on their 2018 Pythagorean Win differential. It's sort of my (his) little holiday tradition now, (he guesses).

Henrich, Hickman ready to roll with Huskers
Omaha Burke's dynamic duo of Nick Henrich and Chris Hickman is ready to go for the Nebraska football team. Both will enroll early for the Huskers.

Non-Husker News

Sources: Lakers prepared for LeBron James to miss multiple games with groin strain
Although an MRI revealed LeBron James sidestepped serious injury, the All-NBA forward did suffer a significant left groin strain and the Los Angeles Lakers are preparing for him to miss several games, league sources told ESPN.

Clemson Tigers DT Dexter Lawrence doesn't know he tested positive
Clemson defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence says he doesn't know how a banned substance appeared in a drug test he took this month, and the Tigers are hoping to learn the results of a secondary test by the end of the day Thursday.

Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban remains opposed to expanding playoff field
Alabama coach Nick Saban remains steadfastly opposed to expanding the College Football Playoff.

Saban, who reminded everyone that he wasn't in favor of going from two to four teams, said he feels expanding the field leads to an undercutting of the "self-gratification" for players that comes with going to bowl games not associated with the national championship.

LeBron James named AP Male Athlete of the Year
LeBron James is The Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year for the third time following what the publication called his “most significant year” even without winning the NBA championship.

College football: Why Notre Dame's playoff run is surprising
Notre Dame doesn't recruit as well as schools like Alabama or Clemson (or even LSU), but it hasn't seemed to matter in getting results. So what's Brian Kelly's secret?

Report of Matt Patricia being 'consistently late' to meetings caps tough season for first-year Lions coach
Detroit Lions rookie head coach Matt Patricia has taken heat for his clock management on the field this season.

It’s apparently something that plagues him off the field as well.

“Stick to Sports!” Nah.

The History of How St. Nicholas Became Santa Claus - National Geographic
Santa Claus, Father Christmas, St. Nick—no matter what name he's called, everyone knows the story of this plump, jolly bringer of gifts? Or do they?

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Corn Nation Has Their Own Book Suggestions

Last week laid out the books I read in 2018 and gave my suggestions. I asked for any suggestions from the Corn Nation readers and thus have compiled the following list. Hopefully some are able to find some new book ideas from this this. Which I guess is the entire point of the Corn Nation Book Club!

Fiction Suggestions

• For Whom the Bell Tolls - Ernest Hemingway
• The Reckoning - John Grisham
• Long Road to Mercy - David Baldacci
• Last of the Mohicans - James Fenimore Cooper
• From Here to Eternity - James Jones
• Once An Eagle - Anton Myrer
• Winds of War - Herman Wouk
• Remembrance - Herman Wouk
• To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
• The Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
• The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War - Michael Shaara
• The Deerslayer - James Fenimore Cooper
• 1632 (Ring of Fire) - Eric Flint
• Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal - Christopher Moore

Non-Fiction Suggestions

• The Right Stuff - Tom Wolfe
• The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot
• Profiles in Courage - J.F. Kennedy
• Seven Daughters of Eve - Bryan Sykes
• Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors - James Hornfischer
• With the Old Breed - Eugene Sledge
• Citizen Soldiers - Stephen Ambrose
• Pistol: The Life of Pete Maravich - Mark Kriegel
• Johnny U: The Life and Times of John Unitas - Tom Callahan
• Paper Tiger: An Obsessed Golfer’s Quest to Play with the Pros - Tom Coyne
• The Myth of a Christian Nation: How a Question for Political Power is Destroying the Church - Gregory Boyd
• Grant - Ron Chernow
• Washington: A Life - Ron Chernow
• Once Upon a Town: The Miracle of the North Platte Canteen - Bob Greene
• Killing the SS: The Hunt for the Worst War Criminals in History - Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard

The Best Thing I Saw On The Internet This Week

Thanks for reading!