4 Hard Downs: Quarter Finals, Disney, Duke's And Go Back To School

Christmas Break + Playoff is killing me and I'm so happy to see my family

Happy Hanukkah and Happy Kwanzaa!!! Christmas is done and I’m so glad. 30 minutes away doesn’t count as travel but also it is a trip you take. Containing myself, I think I did a good job, as I said last week, I landed the plane like Harrison Ford on the golf course. Not quite at the airport but no one died.

My kid is fully exposed to Disney now thanks to my cousin, niece and nephew. I will have this in my back pocket forever because they ruined my PBS kids, aka Rootle in NC , and now she just wants to watch Disney movies.

As a parent, I tried. Let’s get these kids back to school.

So, speaking of trying, let’s SPOT THE BALL!!!

1st Down: What Y’all Know About Weighted Vest Life?

My sister-in-law does weighted vest when she does her 4am treadmill workouts. My dad does weighted vest when he does his cardio after his Olympic lifts.

I now do weighted vests, thanks to my dad.

And I have, in just a few short days, have added weighted vest cooking and emptying dishwasher and just going up my home stairs.

Between the kettle bells my mom got me when I turned 40 and the weighted vest my dad got me, someone is sending is a message.

That someone is my parents.

So we already know the answer:

I will be fully shredded by the time I have to go to the pool once a week this summer.

2nd Down: Duke’s Mayo Bowl Is Awesome

When I was playing college football we went to one bowl game, the Continental Tire Bowl.

That game has been the Meineke Car Care Bowl, the Belk Bowl and is now the Duke’s Mayo Bowl.

Duke’s is a staple in the south. So much a staple that my dad used to send me Duke’s when I spent four years in Chicago because they didn’t have it. So much a staple and SO GOOD that my neighbors, when I made potato salad or slaw were like, “I’ve never had it like this.”

Yeah, because you ain’t had Duke’s.

Going to media day for Duke’s Mayo Bowl and I will wear my ring and ask some questions to the coaches and players.

Anyone who thinks I’m not intrinsically connected to this game and to my city has no idea what it is like to have your LG cellphone taken in 2004 by Rick Steinbacher because you were asking your mom to bring you fries after you already got sent back into the locker room to put on pants when you thought shorts was the answer.

3rd Down: New Year, New Me

Naw dawg, same me.

Which most of anyone I know won’t like.

However, not just bowl games, playoff games. I am making shrimp cocktail. I know tomorrow we will have the southern staples: black-eyed peas, collards, pork. If I’m missing something tell me.

I will say the wildest thing outside of going to the store to make sure I get the greens (which I don’t like being soggy early) is my neighbor is also in the store doing the same thing. Shout out to Lauren. Peas are soaking as I get ready to go for a HIIT run in that vest.

I don’t have any resolutions, do y’all? The only goal is to, as my parents always told me when I went to sleepovers, leave that person’s house better than when you left it. And I’m trying to leave 2025 better than 2024. I’m not in charge of most of it but we’ll see what happens.

4th Down: Quarterfinals With The Odds

Here are the odds:

Penn State: Favored
Ohio State: Favored
Texas: Favored

Three of the lower seeds are favored. Maybe this ain’t the way to do it. Plus, the idea of expanding in two years means no one has any clue what they’re doing.

Cheers!!!