Sure looks that way. This is our 5th season of the Friday Night Football show and I can’t ever remember a week with so many good games spread out across the state. 12 undefeated teams remain headed into the weekend and tonight at least one and perhaps as many as 5 could lose their first game. We’re guaranteed a first time loser in the New London / Montville showdown while (8-0) Glastonbury gets a big test at Southington, (8-0) Ansonia needs to slow down Crosby’s offense on the road, (8-0) Seymour gets a solid test at Watertown and (7-0) Brookfield goes road tripping to visit (7-1) Newtown. That’s all in 1 night!
50 Points Of Light
Notice how there’s been very little talk of Connecticut’s 50 Point Rule the last season and a half? Are you willing to admit that it might have been a good decision by the CIAC all along? To me it’s like seat belt laws. You may not have worn your seat belt before the law mandated it, but now that you do, can you ever imagine going back to not wearing it?
A Few Minutes With a New Britain Minuteman
When you have a free 5 minutes, use it to read Friday’s Boston Globe story by Marty Dobrow on former New Britain Golden Hurricane Josh Jennings
Josh is now starring at linebacker for the UMass Minutemen. He’s overcome a lot to be where he is. I know people in the Hardware City are very proud of Josh. They should be.
What Ned Emailed
The Friday after Thanksgiving the plan is to revisit our What Ned Said playoff preview segment on FNF. That’s when we bring in to studio the Day of New London’s incomparable Ned Griffen to get his thoughts and predictions on the state playoffs. Ned is on top of the state high school football scene like few others.
He emailed a group of us late this week with the Max Preps rankings in a handful of categories. I share with you now the essentials:
State #1: (8-0) Ansonia
Toughest Schedule: (5-3) Shelton (with 5 other SCC teams in the Top 10 in this category)
Easiest Schedule: (8-0) Cheney Tech. Think Cheney is anxious to prove itself against non tech school competition or what?
Games We’ll Be Watching
It’d be easier this week to list the games we won’t be watching. Too many good ones to do justice to ‘em all, but here goes…
Montville at New London 7pm Friday - The Whalers are (7-0), the Indians are (8-0) and this could be the first of 2 meetings with both likely headed to the Class SS playoffs. Does New London QB Jordan Reed (foot injury) play in this game? That could make all the difference. We’ll have highlights on FNF at 11:15pm but to listen live online
Glastonbury at Southington 7pm Friday – The host Blue Knights have not lost to an in-state opponent. The visiting Tomahawks haven’t lost period. Glastonbury fans are miffed by being no higher than 7th in the State Media Poll and 9th in the State Coaches Poll. Tonight is Glastonbury’s chance to send a loud message. What ya got Jordan Brown?
Ansonia at Crosby 7pm Friday - Weaver/Windsor, New Britain/Simsbury, Ledyard/Plainfield, St. Paul/Berlin are all very worthy of watching but Crosby with a chance to end Ansonia’s 35 game winning streak is the pick here. Can the Bulldogs do it at home? Their offense is capable, their defense may not be.
Completely Unrelated Thought of the Week:
Does growing old mean you don’t find it necessary to change out of your street clothes to exercise at the gym? Seems that way at the local JCC I go to. Then there’s the senior ladies working out complete with make-up and lipstick. That shouldn’t be a problem for me come the golden years. I made the decision to stop wearing lipstick a good ten years ago.
See You Tonight at 11:15pm for FNF!
John
