The Advent Calendar of Good, and Bad, Holiday Eats: Day 13 - Apple Cider Doughnuts

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a treat associated with the holiday season. Many will be awesome, some will be terrible. Enjoy.

Opened doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve

Day 13: Apple Cider Doughnuts

One of the best parts of the holiday season are the seasonal takes on food available year round. Hershey's Kisses, M&Ms, and our favorite beers all have special December releases. Many of these treats are spiced with the flavor of the seasons. Peppermint, fresh hops, and late fall fruit are the enhancements used to turn yearly indulgences into holiday masterpieces. There is no grater holiday enhancement than apple cider, cinnamon, and fried doughnuts.

The classic apple cider doughnut starts to make an appearance around September. Cider is starting to make itself part of the weekly shopping list, so why not add the doughnut that gets enhanced by this fall elixir. The holiday season brings on the height of apple cider doughnut due to the timing of Hanukkah. The eight nights of celebration incorporates oil fried foods into the festivities. Doughnuts are fried foods, apple cider and cinnamon are late fall staples, bring them together and it all adds up to an awesome  holiday treat.

Once December rolls around, the treats we have loved all year get a bit extra festive. What makes the end of the year so great, is the culinary adventure we get to have. The flavors of the end of year have no equal. By adding apple cider, and cinnamon, to fried sweet rings of dough, we create one of the greatest treats of the end of the year holiday treats. Go out and grab a dozen apple cider doughnuts from your local shop. If it is a good doughnut shop they should give you thirteen if you order dozen. That will make for a very happy holiday indeed.

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. Many people consider December 13th to be the beginning of the Twelve Days of Christmas. We are more in favor of the song that cuts down on that endless tune.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing. 

December 13th, 1997. Best Birthday Ever

Today is my birthday. I am now 35 years old. I want to do something a little bit different for my piece today. I was thinking about all the birthday party's that I have had, and I want to single out one specific birthday party that I feel like was the cream of the crop when I was a pre teen and a teenager. There were a lot of tough choices that needed to be made. I remember being a pre teen and having a party at the bowling alley and getting a real bowling pin and the VHS copy of "Wayne's World". That birthday was great, but not as great as the one I am going to focus on today. I also had to get rid of a good amount of the sleepover party's that were always fun as a kid. There have been concerts and comedy shows that I have seen on my birthday that have been great that had to be pushed out. Hell, I saw "The Disaster Artist" this past Saturday for my birthday, and while that date ruled, it gets a very close second place.

For me, the pinnacle birthday that I had was when I turned 15 in 1997. First off, I was one year away from getting my drivers license. That was great because I knew that I only had one more year until I could drive anywhere that I wanted. I was a freshman in high school too, so this was one of the first birthday party's that I had where it was just me and my friends. I love sports, and basketball is in full swing, both college and the NBA, in mid December. Also, the Heisman Trophy is always given out right around my birthday every year.

So, you might be asking, why is this birthday your "best birthday"? Many, many reasons everyone. As I mentioned, I was in high school, so I invited a few of my closest friends over and we all went to Old Country Buffet. Now imagine the delight that a bunch of football and basketball players, in their early teens, going to an all you can eat buffet. My folks drove us there, but they stayed because my mom and dad rule, and my friends have always gotten along really well with my parents. My friends and I absolutely threw down. I ate so much mac and cheese, pizza, wings, roast beef, ice cream and cake. It was awesome. I literally ate all that I could eat. So did my friends. We then proceeded to head to my parents house because I wanted to watch the Heisman ceremony and Michigan basketball was facing the number one ranked Duke Blue Devils that night.

The basketball game was on first, so we all sat down and watched, while my father joined us. This was right before Michigan got hammered by sanctions, and they had a pretty decent team. They weren't ranked, but they could play. Guys like Louis Bullock and Robert "Tractor" Traylor were their stars. I did not think Michigan would win, but I thought they would give them a game. Well, the game unfolded and Traylor could not be stopped. He was so god damn dominant. Watching him that night was a revelation for me. I've always been a little chubby, but I consider myself a decent basketball player. Charles Barkley was my first role model, but "Tractor" Traylor was the first rotund big guy that made me think that I could be a real player. He just could not be stopped that evening. Michigan ended up winning the game. They controlled the tempo from start to finish and they knocked off the number one Duke Blue Devils.

My birthday could not get any better as far as sports went, or so I thought. Still off the high that Michigan beat Duke in basketball, my friends, my father and I then watched the Heisman ceremony because Charles Woodson was a finalist. Again, I was happy that a Michigan guy was there, but I was certain that either Peyton Manning or Randy Moss would take home the trophy that night. How about those three guys as Heisman finalists? That is a hell of a lineup. Manning and Moss were the glamour guys that year, that is why I figured one of them would win. But, again, a Michigan win shocked me, Charles Woodson, my all time favorite football player ever, took home the Heisman. He is still the only primarily defensive player to win the award. I know that Manti Teo and Jabrill Peppers have gone to New York for the ceremony, but Woodson won the award. I was beside myself.

Michigan had 2 great wins that night. When I didn't think it could get any better, coming off the basketball win, Woodson took home the biggest award in college football that night. Michigan would go on to win the National Title that year too.(I do not agree with the people who gave them a split with Nebraska. Michigan played a much tougher schedule, won every game, and didn't need help from refs, look up Nebraska-Missouri that year, to win the Rose Bowl. They are the outright champs) After the Heisman ceremony my dad retired to bed, and my friends had to listen to me talk about Michigan sports the rest of the night. They were all good sports.

For all the reasons that I laid out above, my 15th birthday just stands out as the one I remember most. It was a great night all around. The food, the friends, my parents and all the Michigan stuff made for a perfect birthday. This is the best birthday party that I have had. I will always remember that day until I am no longer on Earth. It was truly an amazing night.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. It is his birthday today. Even at 35, he is still the baby brother of the Head Editor. Happy birthday bro.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Advent Calendar of Good, and Bad, holiday Eats: Day 12 - Latkes

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a treat associated with the holiday season. Many will be awesome, some will be terrible. Enjoy.

Opened doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven

Day 12: Latkes

Today is the first day of Hanukkah, or Chanukah if you prefer. The next eight nights are filled with ceremony, presents, and some nice traditional food. Many of the treats associated with Hanukkah are fried in oil. Other than being delicious, food fried in oil has a tie to the history of Hanukah. The legend says that the Maccabees had oil for only one day, but it lasted for eight. The importance of the oil for the Jewish army has been brought forth as a vital part in the food we eat during Hanukkah.

The latke is one of the most famous, and the absolutely most tasty, treat one indulges in during Hanukkah. Shredded potatoes, eggs, onions, salt, and hot oil, that is what makes a great latke. Crispy on outside, chewy on the inside, that is what makes a great latke. Apple sauce and sour cream to dip, that is what makes a great latke. The fact is that a latke is an outstanding holiday treat.

No matter what your heritage is, a latke is a must have during the holiday season. If you do not celebrate Hanukkah, go out and eat a latke to show solidarity. If you know nothing about Hanukkah, go eat a latke because it is delicious. Latke's are awesome, that is all that needs to be said.

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. When is Hanukkah any year? There is a great song about that very issue.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing. 

Some Conflicted Feelings about Quarterback Shea Patterson Transferring to Michigan

Yesterday Michigan football got a pretty big name transfer to commit to their school. Shea Patterson, after a very short courtship, announced his decision to finish his college football career with the Wolverines.

I have a lot of conflicting feelings about this decision. I did not know anything about this kid until this past weekend. I don't pay attention to college recruiting stuff, and this kid was at Ole Miss, and since I do not watch the SEC, I never thought to pay any attention to him. After all the sanctions that were handed down on Ole Miss, due to their former coach Hugh Freeze, a bunch of players have decided to transfer. Much to my surprise, the big time college football pundits that I read and listen to were talking not only about this Patterson kid, but some other Ole Miss players that were coming to visit Ann Arbor. I'm all for having the best players competing for playing time at my favorite school. This makes everyone better. Why do you think Alabama and Clemson are always good? It is because they have just as good players on their bench as they do that see the field as starters.

So from a competition stand point, I couldn't be happier about this kid coming to Michigan. He is going to push Dylan McCaffery, Brandon Peters and any freshman coming to the school this season. But, I'm conflicted because I kind of liked what I saw from Peters at the end of this season. He went 3-1 as a starter. I legitimately believe that had he started the University of Ohio State game, the Wolverines would have won. I know his three wins came against Rutgers, Minnesota and Maryland, but he won those games. He also looked pretty good at Wisconsin until he got his head driven into the ground by a Wisconsin linebacker. I was kind of excited to see how he progressed during the bowl practices, and over the summer. I also read recently that Peters was given a scholarship offer over Patterson in 2016. The Michigan staff must have seen something in him that they liked a bit more over Patterson.

Which leads me to my next conflicted feeling. I know that Peters got the offer, but this Patterson kid, from what I have read, was the top QB prospect in 2016. He, according to all the recruiting websites, was the number one pro style QB. He played his high school football in Louisiana and Florida, but he was born in Toledo, and grew up a Michigan fan. Even with all that, they didn't offer him, but teams like Notre Dame, Alabama, Tennessee, Oklahoma, basically every other major program was on this kid. He chose Ole Miss, I'm sure because Freeze promised his family something crazy, and proceeded to play pretty well. I read that as a freshman he went for 2,200 plus yards and 17 TD's to 9 picks. In his sophomore season, prior to getting hurt very early on, he still threw for around 800 yards and 7 TD's. He is also very mobile, which Michigan hasn't had since Denard Robinson, and that was his best trait by far. This kid seems like a mobile guy, but he can also throw the ball all over the field. Maybe the hype is legit.

But yet again, another conflicting feeling. I'm not super stoked about all the transfer QB's that Harbaugh has brought in so far. I was not happy about Jake Rudock but he turned out okay. He was a very good game manager, and when he needed to throw for a ton of yards, he did. I was very high on John O'Korn, but man was I wrong on him. I never thought in my life that I would opine for Wilton Speight, but that is what O'Korn did to me. With 2 already established Michigan QB's on the roster, I don't know that they necessarily need Patterson. He has played in big time games, and played well, but so has Brandon Peters. Also, Dylan McCaffery was a big time recruit. Hopefully they all push each other to play the best they can.

Another odd feeling that comes to mind. This kid may not be able to play this coming season. He has to get a hardship waiver, which he has applied for, and while it seems like he will be granted it, what if he doesn't get it? How will all the bandwagon fans react to that news? Will it be another, "we have to wait until next season?" again scenario. I don't necessarily think so. I think Peters or McCaffery will be just fine. What Michigan needs to do is lean on that run game and get some better play from the offensive line. They already have a very good defense, and if the offense can average right near 28 points a game next year, they should be just fine.

But this all leads me to another conflicting feeling. What if this Patterson kid is as good as advertised, and they plug him in at QB and he thrives. I would love to have, not only a stout defense, but a very exciting offense. There were too many games this past season where Michigan let teams stick around way too long. If this Patterson kid is as good as advertised, and can play right away, it would be nice to see them score 28 in a half, and have the game well in hand by the middle of the third quarter. That would be awesome.

I don't know how all this is going to play out. If you listen to the pundits, they love it. They say this will solve all of Michigan's offensive woes. Hell, even Paul Finebaum said that this transfer turns Michigan into an immediate title contender. But, I was looking forward to a roster filled with Harbaugh recruits. I wanted to see how the kids he personally picked for his offense performed. We will have to wait and see, but I just don't know how to totally feel about this news yet. I bounce between good and bad every other day. I guess we will just have to wait and see what happens next year, and this, in no way, tampers my expectations for next season. Michigan should be much better, no matter who starts at QB for them in 2018.  

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is willing to play QB at Michigan if need be. The Wolverinbes could make hostory by starting a 35 year old freshman next season. Sounds like a good movie to us.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Advent Calendar of Good, and Bad, Holiday Eats: Day 11 - Mixed Nuts in a Shell

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a treat associated with the holiday season. Many will be awesome, some will be terrible. Enjoy.

Opened doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten

Day 11: Mixed nuts in a shell

The holiday season can be filled with frustration. Trying to get a good parking space, and failing. Trying to find the right gift, and failing. Trying to navigate the social scene without being an ass, and failing spectacularly. The angst of the holidays can usually be cured by destroying something, without breaking the law. This is where shelled mixed nuts come in.

During the holiday season, one can find a bag of shelled mix nuts in any grocery store. The bag contains a nice variety of brazil nuts, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, and almonds. Unlike their brother the peanut, these shelled nuts cannot be opened by a mere mortal's hands. A person needs a special tool. The traditional shelling tool is a lot like a crab claw breaker, a scissor like contraption of steel and ridges. Place the nut between the two legs of the nutcracker, squeeze hard, and once you hear the load CRACK, the delicious insides are yours for the eating. The insides are usually quite tasty, but the ceremony of breaking the shell open is the joy of mixed holiday nuts. Any holiday angst can be remedy with a nice bag of shelled mix nuts.

The holiday season is supposed to be about joy and goodwill towards one's fellow person. Unfortunately, most people are selfish oafs. In order to keep our holiday spirits on the joyous side, we need to resort to basic destruction. Thank goodness we have a nice bag of mixed buts to violently crack open. There are even fancy decorative ways to crack those nuts. Isn't Christmas the best?

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. What would you do to give the meek a happy holiday? Check out what Art Carney did on a classic episode of the "Twilight Zone".

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing. 

Ty Watches "The Disaster Artist"

I had the great pleasure of seeing “The Disaster Artist” this past Saturday. I’ve been very much looking forward to this movie since I heard they were going to make it over a year ago. I’m a big fan of “The Room”, and when I saw they were going to make a movie about making that movie and Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero’s friendship, I couldn’t wait. Then, I saw the cast and I knew I had to see this movie on opening weekend. “The Disaster Artist” was a hit at every festival, and the early reviews were pretty much all positive. This only built my anticipation. My wife bought us tickets about a week ago, and we finally got to see it on Saturday.

I was absolutely blown away. First of all, the theater we saw the movie in was sold out. I was stunned, but in a good way. I never thought a niche movie like this would appeal to a mass audience. Boy was I wrong. After the previews the movie started and it had my full attention for every single second of its 105 minute run time. This was such a perfect way to tell this story.

The first third of the movie was all about Tommy and Greg’s friendship. “The Room” doesn’t come into the story until about 40 minutes in. We see a “young” Tommy and a young Greg meet in an acting class in San Francisco. We see their friendship grow from scene partners to roommates to collaborators. I must say, all the buzz that James Franco is getting is well deserved. He embodies Tommy Wiseau. It’s not just the accent either. He looks like him. He has his same gestures. He laughs like him. He became Tommy. He was amazing. He better damn well get an Oscar nomination. Dave Franco was just as good as Greg. He embodied the faith and trust that Greg inexplicably has for Tommy to this day. His devotion is at times charming, but also sad. The younger Franco was so good. I imagine this had to have been so much fun for them to do as well. To the best of my knowledge this is the first time they’ve acted together. They crushed it.

Outside of the Francos, everyone else in this movie was awesome. Ari Graynor as the actress that played the infamous Lisa showed us the naive and ultimately disgusted young actress. Seth Rogen and Paul Scheer as 2 key workers on the movie were hilarious. Rogen was a delight, as usual. Scheer crushes his performance. He was great. Josh Hutcherson as Denny, phenomenal. His haircut was worth the admission alone. Zac Efron as Chris R, wonderfully absurd and hilarious. Nathan Fielder as the psychologist, perfect. Jason Mantzoukas and Hannibal Buress as the guys that sell Tommy the equipment for the movie, perfect. There are so many cameos, and they are all amazing. Too many to list. Just know, JJ Abrams shows up in the very first scene.

When we do get to the making of “The Room”, “The Disaster Artist” effortlessly bounces between comedy and drama. This was where James Franco truly shines. The stuff he says and does on the set are so crazy, but it’s all true. Only an actor like James Franco could’ve pulled this off. I do not want to spoil anything for anyone. I will say though, you don’t have to see “The Room” to like “The Disaster Artist”, but if you’ve seen “The Room”, you’ll understand the movie more, and I think you’ll love it like I did.

I cannot recommend this movie enough. It is a true masterpiece. Due yourself a favor and go see “The Disaster Artist”. It has definitely been the best movie I’ve seen in 2017.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He and his brother have worked together on an entertainment product. I wonder what that could be?

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Advent Calendar of Good, and Bad, Holiday Eats: Day 10 - Icebox Cookies

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a treat associated with the holiday season. Many will be awesome, some will be terrible. Enjoy.

Opened doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine

Day 10: Icebox cookies

Cookies are the best. Ones filled with chocolate chips, ones acting as the bread in a frosting sandwich, even ones made of oatmeal, good cookies have almost no equal sitting on the top of the desert hierarchy. Cookies are not owned by a season, yet Christmas has some of the best cookie traditions.

Icebox cookies are one of the basic recipes out there. Flour, sugar, egg, and butter (lots of butter) are the main parts in any icebox cookie concoction. The holiday spin on icebox cookies comes with the cutouts. Snowflakes, trees, and any other winter holiday shape is what makes icebox cookies special to Christmas. Once the raw dough is cut into its festive shape, it is cooked, ,and then decorated with a generous helping of red and/or green sprinkles/frosting. Once completed, a simple and delicious treat is available for all holiday revelers. God bless us everyone.

December is far and away the best month for sweet treats. Many of these treats are not unique to the month, but the holiday adds some enhancements to our indulgences. Icebox cookies are welcome anytime of the year. When those cookies are in the shapes of pine trees, snowflakes, and menorahs (I have that one) and the same cookies are covered in red green sugar connections, we have a holiday treat worthy of the best of the year. Plus, if the cookies come out too overdone, you can always put some string through them and hang the ruined treat on the tree. One will never lose with a holiday icebox cookie.

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. One should always enjoy their snowflake shaped cookie with a great interpretation of "A Christmas Carol". We recommend a more modern take on Dickens' tale like a Dr. Who interpretation.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing. 

The Advent Calendar of Good, and Bad, Holiday Eats: Day 9 - Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a treat associated with the holiday season. Many will be awesome, some will be terrible. Enjoy.

Opened doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight

Day 9: Celebration Ale

The craft beer revolution is fairly new. Many attribute the beginning if the beer revolution to the 1970's. Way back in the olden days, President Jimmy Carter (i.e. History's Greatest Monster) signed the law that allowed for small independent breweries. These new freedom lover breweries decided to create a seasonal schedule. Americans were subjected to a beer for each equinox and solstice. The highlight of the year seemed to be reserved for the winter holidays.

The Sierra Nevada Brewing Company was one of the trailblazers in the micro brew revolution. They were also on the forefront of creating seasonal brews. The highlight of the year, and every year after, was the winter offering Celebration Ale. Starting in 1981, Celebration Ale has been an American IPA brewed with the freshest of hops. It was (probably) great in 1981, and it is still great today. Celebration Ale is also vital to getting through the grind of the holiday season for anyone who loves a good beer.

December brings us a wide variety of great new beer flavors. All the micro, and local breweries, have decide to throw their lots into the holiday game. Celebration Ale was one of the first commercially available holiday beers for the greater public to try. It started revolution. And nearly thirty years later, Celebration Ale is a must have for all beer lovers of every Christmas season. 

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing. Holiday hijinks spare no one. Check in on the mushroom kingdom to see how Mario and Luigi handle holiday mayhem. 

The Advent Calendar of Good, and Bad, Holiday Eats: Day 8 - Roast Beast

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a treat associated with the holiday season. Many will be awesome, some will be terrible. Enjoy.

Opened doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven

Day 8: Roast Beast

Every community has their own way to celebrate the winter holiday feast. It is not a religious, or cultural thing, it is usually something that relates to the community itself. Some communities focus on the cooked goose, some focus on glazed ham, and many more focus on takeout Chinese food for the holiday season. A very special group of people at the foot of Mount Crumpet, they love to indulge in roast beast as the highlight of their Christmas morning.

Roast beast is assumed to be the classic dish roast beef. You can search the internets for a good roast beast recipe, and a few non cooking related sites will give you a "recipe", but to be honest we all know it is roast beef. Roast beef is awesome. The ceremony of having it carved. The au jus. The horseradish sauce. It is all magnificent. 

No matter who is in our community, and no matter what we call the special dish, our culinary traditions are sacred during the holiday season. Roast beast is sacred to the Who's, and it is delicious to boot. The only thing more sacred than roast beast for Christmas dinner is the one who gets to carve it. Only a creature who's heart can grow two sizes is worthy of carving the sacred roast beast. Are you that worthy?

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. A great dish like roast beast deserves one of the greatest holiday episodes of the greatest show ever. This season, let your heart grow two sizes while you watch "The Simpsons - Gift of the Magi"

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing. 

If Willie Taggart Wants to Be a Great Coach, He Needs to Learn to Stay at a Job for Awhile

Around a year ago I wrote about how much I liked Oregon hiring Willie Taggart as their head coach. He succeeded at Western Kentucky. He turned South Florida into a viable football program. So, I thought this was more than enough for him to earn a big time job like the head football coach at Oregon. Don’t get it twisted either. I know Oregon only won 7 games this year, and only 4 the year before, but under Chip Kelly and Mark Helfrich, Oregon had become a power football school. They are also located in Eugene, which happens to be where Phil Knight, Mr Nike, presides. They had anything and everything Nike had to offer at their disposal. That’s why Oregon had a million different uniforms and could pull in all kinds of recruits from all over the country. How cool stuff looks now is a big deal with recruits. I know it sounds vain and stupid, but it’s the truth. These kids want to wear cool stuff, and for awhile, Oregon had the coolest stuff.

In a shock to me, other writers, and players on the Oregon football team, Taggart bolted for the vacant Florida State job. First off, I get why he did it, but I don’t agree with how he did it. I’ll touch on why I think he did it first. It’s easier to get to the playoff in the ACC. Clemson is the big dog in that conference, but now that the committee has no problem taking 2 teams from a conference, who’s to say that FSU won’t rejoin Clemson as a perennial power. The Pac 12 is tougher. USC, Washington, Stanford and to a lesser extent, UCLA and Washington State are always competitive. Oregon has a tougher road to the playoff. Taggart will also get great recruits right in his backyard. He’s familiar with Florida, and convincing kids to go to FSU will be easier than what he had to do at USF. He is also making a great amount of money now. FSU is also a historical program. Oregon has recent success, but FSU has been great since the early 90’s. For these reasons I get why he took the job.

The things Taggart said before taking the job, and how he handled his exit was just terrible. It was the absolute wrong way to leave a school. He said, only a day or 2 before bolting, that he wasn’t going anywhere. He told the media and his players as much. He went into recruits homes and told the players and their parents that he was going to be the coach at Oregon next season. These players have taken to social media to say as much. You cannot, in this day and age of coddled players and recruits, tell them lies. They will go to Instagram, Twitter or Facebook and crush you with their words. The whole world is a platform, and these kids know this. They are not dumb.

It seems like now the truth about Willie Taggart is coming out. There is no denying that he is a great coach. He has won pretty big everywhere he has coached. I think, had he stayed at Oregon, they could’ve returned to the top 15 next season and been a real threat in the Pac 12. But, he bolted for what many deemed a “better” job. This seems to be his move. He is like Jim Harbaugh. People rail on Harbaugh for leaving every place he has coached after 3 or 4 years. In Taggart‘s case, he seems to only give you 2 seasons at most before he takes off. An even better comparison, and I’m totally taking this from Tony Kornheiser, how is he any different from Lane Kiffin? Isn’t this Kiffin’s move? He coached the Raiders for a year, realized he was in over his head and left for the vacant University of Tennessee job. Then, when the USC job opened up the very next year, he left for that. After he failed there he took a job as a coordinator at Alabama. Then, when things got tough with Saban, he took off for the Florida Atlantic job. And now, he’s looking for a bigger head coaching gig.

Basically, and I wrote about this a week or so ago, these big time places have no continuity with their coaching staffs. I hope Taggart succeeds because I like him. He’s a no nonsense coach that doesn’t coddle his players, no matter how many stars they had in high school. But, this trend of his to bolt is definitely a stain that he is going to have to live with. Recruits are going to look at him different now too. They may not give him their full trust. We will see what happens, and FSU is not the type of place a coach just leaves after a year or 2, but in the case of Willie Taggart, you never know. I still hold him in high regard, but, after what has happened this week, I might not think of him as highly as I once did. Here’s wishing him luck, but also, he needs to learn how to handle these transitions better when the next one comes.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He is looking forward to the day that Oregon and Nike have a new uniform for every quarter of the game. Hell , why not every play?

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Advent Calendar of Good, and Bad, Holiday Eats: Day 7 - Brussels Sprouts

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a treat associated with the holiday season. Many will be awesome, some will be terrible. Enjoy.

Opened doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six

Day 7: Brussels Sprouts

The holiday season is filled with a bunch of sweet treats. Fatty foods, delicious candy, and tons of cookies are indulged on throughout the entire month of December. Oh, and pies, tons and tons of pies. It should be no surprise that so many of us have weight loss as a New Years resolution. The least we can do is try to eat something healthy, something green, this holiday season. There is no better healthy food for our holiday season than that of the brussels sprout.

Brussels sprouts are those little heads of cabbage that confuse every non-knowledgeable eater of food. Those tiny cabbage heads, along with their brothers and sisters on the stalk, are always receptive to some fine flavors. I can never do right about brussels sprouts with out the incomparable Ty to tell you how awesome they are. Read about it here. That should tell you why they are awesome, especially this holiday season.

We need to remember that the holidays may be filled with sweets and indulgence, but we need to balance all off that with something healthy. If you do not do it for yourself, at least set an example for your kids. Brussels sprouts are a nice green way to be healthy. It is even a bit nicer if we add some butter, cheese, and bacon to our grown up little indulgence. 

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. During the early days of December, we must honor the sacrifice of the brave men who don the Santa suit.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing. 

Cloves and Fedoras: If You Love 90's Television, Check Out the Podcast "Raised By TV"

Cloves and Fedoras is SeedSings reviews for little known pieces of pop culture.  Feel free to contact us with your own submissions of undiscovered gems that must be known.

As you all know I am always on the hunt for new podcasts to listen to. I mostly do sports podcasts, but I am also always looking for new comedy podcasts. I also like podcasts that are hosted by people that I enjoy on other podcasts that I listen to.

When it was announced that Jon Gabrus and Lauren Lapkus were going to do a podcast together, I was fully on board. I love them both on their many podcast appearances. The funny thing is, I don't listen to either of their own podcasts. I used to listen to "High and Mighty", Jon Gabrus' show on Feral, but I just couldn't get into it. I have not tried "With Special Guest" yet, but maybe I will one day in the future. But, when they appear on, most notably for me, "Comedy Bang! Bang!", it is always a must listen. Lauren Lapkus plays a bevy of characters on that show, and all of them are great. She is absolutely hilarious, and one of the best improvisors in all of comedy. My favorite characters she plays are Traci Readon, one of Scott Sukerman's many interns, and Ho Ho the Naughty Elf. I am also a fan of Todd, Scott's nephew. She does these people so well and I always have a big smile on my face when I see she is going to be a guest on "CBB". Jon Gabrus only plays one character on "CBB", but Gino the Intern is a god damn delight. He is another one of Scott's interns. Gabrus is so god damn funny as Gino. His blue comedy, his interruptions, his running the soundboard, basically everything he does is comedy gold. Of all of Scott's interns, Gino is, by far, the best. I wish he was on "CBB" every week. But, alas he is not.

Like I was saying earlier, about a month or so ago it was announced that Lapkus and Gabrus were going to be teaming up to do a new show on the Earwolf Network. I was rapped with anticipation. I was telling pretty much everyone I know how much I was looking forward to these 2 comedy giants doing a show together. We got a little preview a little over a month ago, and while that was great, it made me want more. Now, for the past 5 Tuesday's, we have gotten 5 new episodes of their show, "Raised By TV".

The premise of the show is that these 2 adults, in their early 30's, will sit down and talk about any type of TV that they watched as kids. This is so perfect for someone like me because, while I wasn't raised by TV, I do have some great memories of shows that I watched in the 90's. I'm also roughly the same age as the 2 of them, so the references are easily noticeable to me. In the premiere of "Raised By TV", Lapkus and Gabrus sat down and just discussed the outline of the podcast. There would be no characters. It was just going to be the 2 of them reminiscing about the TV they remember from childhood. They decided in the first episode that they were going to do theme episodes. And, true to form, that is what the next 4 episodes have been. They have done commercials, game shows, cartoons, and most recently, TGIF. All four episodes have been truly wonderful. They have brought up stuff that I had forgotten, and now, floods my memory with some great stuff.

For example, the commercials episode made me remember Mr Bucket and Crossfire. These were 2 commercials that were always on Nickelodeon when I was a kid. They also mentioned Bubble Tape commercials, and of course I remembered that it was "6 feet of bubble gum for you, not them". During game shows they talked about everything that I watched on Nickelodeon when I was a kid. "Double Dare", "Legends of the Hidden Temple" and "Guts" were main themes. I vividly remember those 3 shows. I also remember how much I wanted to be on those shows, just like them. When they talked cartoons, I wasn't as hip to some of the stuff because I only ever really watch "The Simpsons". But, they did bring up "Rugrats" and "Ren and Stimpy", both of which I am very familiar with. They have done some deep, deep dives on shows that I can't recall, but someone like my wife, who watched a ton of TV, remembers fondly.

During their episode this week, "TGIF", I was taken aback at how much I had forgotten about that lineup. And what a lineup it was. They mentioned "Family Matters", "Step By Step" and "Perfect Strangers". I watched all three of those shows religiously on Friday nights as a kid, especially "Family Matters". They talked about that show with as much regard as I would like to remember it being.

They end every episode with a reading from the "very special" episodes of some famous 90's shows. They have tackled Jesse Spano's pill addiction, a death on "Growing Pains" and when Will, from "Fresh Prince" gets abandoned by his dad one last time. These are always very funny, and it may be my favorite part of every episode so far.

"Raised By TV" is a homerun. I'm so happy that Lauren Lapkus and Jon Gabrus are doing a podcast together. I'm also very happy that it is about a subject I am very familiar with. They've only done 4 episodes so far, and each is under an hour, so it is easy to catch up on. I cannot wait to see where they go from here. I'm so excited for the future of this great new podcast. Go give it a listen, especially if you are a child of the 90's.

Check out "Raised By TV" 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. Want to hear Ty reminisce about his childhood? Check out his look at all things 1996, 1999, and 2008.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Advent Calendar of Good, and Bad, Holiday Eats: Day 6 - Brandy

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a treat associated with the holiday season. Many will be awesome, some will be terrible. Enjoy.

Opened doors: One, Two, Three, Four, Five

Day 6: Brandy

The month of December consists of two main ingredients, cold weather and family gatherings. Each of these elements usually require a person to find a way to get warm and to find courage to deal with seasonal family and friends. Blankets and isolation are the usually go to for avoiding these calamities. The more social acceptable way to deal with weather and family is liquor. Lots and lots of liquor.

The grape is an incredible fruit that brings the world great joy. One of the best uses of the grape is fermentation to make wine, or distillation to make brandy. Brandy has become the go to liquor of the Christmas season. Get a good one to sip, and the taste is divine. Get an average one to mix with, and our company becomes tolerable. Get a cheap one to do shots with, our holiday nights will be fun. Brandy is a versatile holiday potion for any of our escapes. 

On it's own, brandy is a vital part of anyone's holiday season. We need a liquor that is classic, and classy, to mask our unpleasant fears of Christmas. Hell, if Brandy is good enough for St. Bernard's to save a life, it should be good enough to save our Christmas. Drink up, and Happy Holidays.

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. A cheap bottle of brandy may be a lame gift, but will it be lamer than Kevin Arnold's gift?

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "Search Party" Season 2

Last year around this time I wrote about a show I really liked called "Search Party". Well, "Search Party" is currently in its second season, and I have got to say, this season has been great so far. I'm so fully on board with the direction that they have taken this show in.

The first season centered around a group of stuck up, snobby, shitty and self righteous millennials. Alia Shawkat plays Dory, the main character, John Reynolds plays Drew, Dory's ex boyfriend, John Early plays Elliott and Meredith Hagner plays Portia. These are the stuck up trust fund babies. In season one Dory sees a missing person sign up in New York for a girl named Chantal(Clare McNulty) that they all went to college with. Since Dory doesn't have too much going on in her life, she doesn't really like Drew, she is basically a nanny for an over medicated adult and just seems bored, decides she is going to find Chantal. The first season takes you on twists and turns and is funny and kind of crazy. I really enjoyed everything that happened.

Now, and this is a big time spoiler alert for those that haven't watched any of the show yet, the finale of season one leaves us with Dory and her friends finding Chantal, but Dory and Drew have also killed someone. That someone is a private investigator that Dory gets involved with named Keith(Ron Livingston). Keith and Dory go on missions looking for Chantal, and they start to forge a bit of a romance. Drew finds out about this, and he, along with Portia and Elliott travel up to Canada to find Dory. When they get to where Dory is, Drew sees Dory fighting with someone, he goes to help her and he bludgeons Keith with an award nearby. Keith immediately falls to the ground. Drew and Dory put him in a closet and tell Elliott what happened, and the first season ends on a close up of Dory's face, with blood spattered on it, and she is crying.

That is how season 2 opens. We have a close shot of Dory's face, and we see a flash back to the incident and then Dory throws up in the bathroom sink. From then on it in the season 2 premiere, we see Drew, Dory and Elliott trying to figure out what to do with the body. I have to say, and this is going to sound very dark, but the way they handle the situation at first is kind of comical. They are in over their heads. They clearly have no idea what they are doing. Dory cannot seem to wrap her head around what just happened. Elliott trying to be the voice of reason is great. Drew is so far gone, he just wants to move on and move out of the country. Meanwhile, Portia has no idea what is going on because she is trying to hook up with some guy she met in Montreal. She does see the body when she forces her way into the kitchen to get a glass of water. She doesn't like what she sees, obviously, but she decides to help because these people are her friends. They go to bury the body in a shallow grave, and then they take Chantal home.

From there on out this second season has been nuts, but also spectacular. You get to see the toll that this awful event has taken on these kids that have never really had to worry about anything before in their lives, or really work for anything in their lives. Dory is a mess, but she keeps trying to cover her tracks. She runs into Keith's ex wife at one point, and decides to write her an email from Keith's computer. Bad idea. She cannot sit in a room by herself without having a panic attack. She sees Keith everywhere she goes. Her friends are starting to shun her. Portia is sad and lonely and trying to work on this play with a director that is clearly into her. She wants the attention and love, but she cannot shake the image of what she saw in that kitchen. She is very much out of her element, and that is causing her to not really trust anyone, especially Dory anymore. Drew shacks up with Chantal to get back at Dory, he buries the murder weapon after Chantal sees it at his place and he is trying to get a promotion that would send him to China. And he refuses to speak with Dory at all. And poor Elliott, side note, if John Early doesn't at the very least get some Emmy consideration for his role this season it would be a god damn shame, is unraveling at the seams. On the surface he seems fine, but inside he is losing it. His hair is falling out, he can't control his bowels in public, he is screaming the name Keith in his sleep and he is covered in a horrible rash. He is also writing a book, but he is writing it on paper towels and it is all nonsense. Where we just left off with him is in rehab. He is a mess.

This second season of "Search Party" has been everything I wanted it to be, but so much more. It is very, very dark at times. The humor is still there, which I love. You see the breaking apart of these friends that are all pretty bad people. These pretty bad people now have some really heavy stuff, that they caused, that they have to deal with, and watching all four of them separately deal with it has been wonderful. 

"Search Party" has upped its game in season two and I am so excited to see where they go with the last 4 episodes. I hope they make more, but I wouldn't be surprised if they ended it after this season. I highly recommend people seek this show out and watch it. It is so good. It is so well written and acted and the four main actors are doing something very special right now. Go watch "Search Party".

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. He has never been Canada, and he has never accidentally killed someone. He plans on doing the first part and not the second.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Advent Calendar of Good, and Bad, Holiday Eats: Day 5 - Candy Canes

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a treat associated with the holiday season. Many will be awesome, some will be terrible. Enjoy.

Opened doors: One, Two, Three, Four

Day 5: Candy Canes

Sometimes there is no logical explanation of why we like something. Maybe it is part of our tradition, maybe we have a weird fetish, or maybe what we like is sneaky good. There are a variety of senses that can be appeased in our secret desire. Touch, smell, and taste can make something mundane seem divine. Candy canes are one of my holiday fetishes.

Candy canes have no right to be good. They are cheap, in price and quality, they are messy, and they are delicious. The tight plastic wrapping is never easy to peel, but it is worth it. The mess a candy cane makes as your spit coats the treat is sticky and gross, but it is worth it. The weird chewiness of the candy is unnatural, but is again, totally worth it. Grabbing a candy cane from the tree, from a visit to Santa, or from a 20 pack for a dollar, will give any holiday reveler a few minutes of sticky holiday joy.

The basic red and white candy cane is a holiday staple that deserves a spot in the pantheon of great treats. Yes, there are other flavors, but the basic is still the best. When someone hands you a candy cane, do not think about how cheap the person is being, think about the joy you will feel over the next three - five minutes. Just make sure you wash your hands good before you touch anything else in the house. 

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. It is still early in December, but we are at the time where I wish Christmas was closer. Check out a great tune about wanting to have Christmas right now, like today.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

Ty Watches "Goon: Last of the Enforcers"

I am not a fan of hockey as a sport. I find it very boring and, quite frankly, stupid. This could be because I cannot skate, I never played it as a kid, I never watched it as a kid, there are so many reasons. I just flat out dislike hockey. But, for some odd reason, I do enjoy movies about hockey. I think it is because the movies only show the "exciting" parts of the game. I don't have to deal with any of the other nonsense, and I get to just see the goals and fights. That is all I want to see anyway. I can sit down and watch "Mighty Ducks", or "D2" anytime it is on cable. I have seen "Slap Shot" a handful of times. "Happy Gilmore" has hockey moments in it, and that is one of my all time favorite movies.

But, all of these hockey movies pale in comparison to the wonderful "Goon". That movie is amazing. I saw it on Netflix when it was recommended to me by many people and I was blown away. "Goon" was funny, bloody, raunchy and even a bit moving. Sean William Scott was absolutely perfect as Doug "The Thug" Blatt. This is one of his best roles. In fact, I think he has totally redeemed himself and made himself a great actor and gotten out of the shadow of Stifler. He should be talked about as much as Channing Tatum. I feel like they have both had a great second life as actors.

So, when a sequel to "Goon" was announced, and that Jay Baruchel was going to direct, I was on board. Baruchel co wrote "Goon", so I figured with him directing we would get much of the same. I couldn't get out to the theaters to see it, but I just recently rented and watched "Goon: Last of the Enforcers". And, the movie was okay. It was not even close to the greatness that "Goon" was, but that was an impossible achievement. Everyone is back from the first movie. The hippy goalie, the Russian brothers, Stevenson, La Flamme, the coaches, Alison Pil, Liev Shrieber, Jay Baruchel and Sean William Scott. This time around they added Elisha Cuthbert, in a totally off form role for her, which she was great at, and Wyatt Russell, as the villain.

"Goon: Last of the Enforcers" starts out with the NHL on strike, so this semi pro league that Blatt's team plays in is, for better or worse, the main attraction. This is what everyone in Canada watches. We see the team being give their jerseys and Blatt is named a team captain. Blatt is still the same type player, an enforcer. He is out there to protect his teammates and get into fights. In their first game they face a team that the owners son plays on, this is Wyatt Russell's character. He is a younger, faster and better overall hockey player than Blatt has ever been. They get into a fight in the game, and Russell destroys him. It was a great fight scene. This is when "GLOTE" really shines. The fight scenes are the best moments of the movie. They are just as gory and brutal as they were in "Goon".

Blatt gets his shoulder all messed up, and he has to turn away from hockey. His wife, Pil, is also pregnant with their kid. Blatt goes into insurance, but he hates it. He starts to get the itch to play again when he watches his old team, who has now traded for Russell, and they are miserable. Russell is a great hockey player, but he is also very selfish and crazy. To get himself back into playing shape, Blatt tracks down Schreiber, his nemesis from the first movie. Schreiber is fighting in brawl type competitions because he cannot pull himself away from the game he loves. He helps Blatt learn how to fight with his off hand. The scenes of them working together are pretty good too.

Blatt eventually gets back on the team, but Pil doesn't want him to fight. She needs him around for their kid. He heeds her demands at first. But, in the final regular season game, after the team releases Russell and he is back on his original team, he has to fight him again. Russell knocks out Schreiber, so Blatt goes out to defend his friends honor. He does beat up Russell, but ruins his shoulder in the process. He will never play hockey again.

I mean, "GLOTE" was a fine movie, but it was very color by the numbers. You could tell beat for beat what was going to happen as it happened. That doesn't mean it was a bad movie, I just feel like it may have been a bit unnecessary. "Goon" was classic. I feel like they should have stopped there. But, I get why they made a sequel. No one expected "Goon" to be as great as it was, so why not do it again. Look, everyone was good in this movie. Sean William Scott was great. Jay Baruchel was hilarious. Alison Pil was good. Elisha Cuthbert was just as funny as Baruchel. Schreiber was fine. Even Russell was a decent villain. I just feel like they didn't have to make this movie.

"GLOTE" is fine to have on when you just want to zone out and watch a sports movie. But, when comparing it to the original, it is not even close. I'm glad I watched it, but I will take "Goon" any day over "GLOTE". It was a fine movie, but it was unnecessary.

Ty

The Advent Calendar of Good, and Bad, Holidaty Eats: Day 4 - Spice Drops

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a treat associated with the holiday season. Many will be awesome, some will be terrible. Enjoy.

Opened doors: One, Two, Three

Day 4: Spice Drops

The dark side of tradition is that we are forced to endure through some of the terrible things that were a fond part of our ancestors past. The very concept of  tradition is to not allow anything new to replace that of which is old. Some holiday traditions have great merit. Gift giving, throwing parties, be nice to our fellow person, these are good things handed down from the past. Spice drops, that is a holiday tradition that needs to die.

Spice drops are terrible candies that also lie to you. They are red and green gumdrops that do not have the nice sweet fake fruit flavors of gumdrops one gets during the other eleven months of the year. Spice drops replaces the good stuff with things like cloves, allspice, anise, and spearmint. Those are all traditional holiday flavors that work in many things, they do not work in gumdrops. The tradition of eating spice drops is one that disappoints kids and adults alike, and the bags of red and green terribleness will haunt the grocery store clearance aisle well into the new year.

Tradition is a good thing. It is something we should learn from and adapt for each new generation. We should not take a wonderful season like Christmas and hang a dark cloud of red and green terribleness. Keep tradition alive by killing off the spice drops. It will make for many happy holidays in the future.

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. Sometimes the best way to wash out the bad taste of spice drops is to have a good cry with a famous holiday television episode. Might we recommend the heartbreaking "MASH" episode "Death Takes a Holiday".

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

A Few Thoughts on the Winners, and Whiners, of the College Football Playoff

The College Football Playoff is set. From 1 to 4 the teams are Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia and Alabama.

Now, before I get into my predictions, let us first talk about Alabama getting in over the University of Ohio State and USC. I'll touch on USC first. USC made a late season push. They proved that they are the best team in the Pac 12 by winning the title game, and closing the season pretty strong. Sam Darnold looks the part that many hoped he would when the season started, they have a tremendous run game and their defense has been pretty solid. But, early season losses to Washington State, and a blowout loss to Notre Dame doomed them. They also struggled with Texas earlier this year, in California. But, they smashed Stanford early on, and then beat them again in the Pac 12 title game. They also beat UCLA, albeit in a close game, and smashed a bunch of teams people thought would give them a game. But, in the end, the damage early in the year was too much to overcome. They had a great season, and they play in a pretty good bowl game, but they just couldn't sneak into the playoff.

As for the University of Ohio State debate. Before I get into this, I'm not going to trash them because I'm a Michigan fan. I'm going to trash them because of their ignorance and complaining. Last season the University of Ohio State got into the playoff, even though they lost at Penn State on a blocked field goal return for a TD. They did not play in the Big Ten title game, but they claimed that a conference championship game didn't matter. They finished the year 11-1. and they felt they had a better resume than Penn State, who beat them and won the conference title game. I HATE Penn State as well, so I am not making excuses for them. But, when the University of Ohio State plays in a conference title game this year, win it, but don't make the playoff and complain, you should see why I have a problem with their whining. They are hypocrites. They only want stuff good to happen for them when it benefits them. Look, they got crushed, at home, early in the season against Oklahoma, a playoff team. Oklahoma went to Columbus and trashed them. Then, later on in the year they went to Iowa and lost by 31 points. They gave up 55 points to that "dynamic" Iowa offense. This is exactly what happened to Penn State last year. They lost an early season game at Pitt, and then got smashed the very next week at Michigan. The committee has stated that big losses, no matter when they occur, matter in the end. I've read all the social media heat. People are pissed that a conference champ from a power 5 conference didn't get in. But, the same exact thing happened last year, and no one batted an eye when the University of Ohio State got in over Penn State. So, for all you University of Ohio State fans, it doesn't feel good to be on the opposite end of some bull shit, does it? But, do not bitch and moan, you guys got in last year on the same merit that Alabama got in on this year.

Alabama getting in over Ohio State and USC, I'd have no problem with it, but Nick Saban went on ESPN Saturday night and cried and whined his way into the playoff. Based on their last 2 games, they are not a playoff team. Now, give me a neutral site, and have Alabama play either school, I'd probably pick Alabama. But, it is not as clear cut as it was earlier in the season. Also, Alabama's best win is probably over LSU, but they are not the LSU of old. I know that the FSU game on the opening weekend was a big time matchup at the time, but it has looked worse and worse every week. And Saban's complaints about injuries and the like, shut up with that nonsense. Every team suffers injuries. Michigan played 3 different QB's this year. Auburn's star running back is currently hurt. Wisconsin lost their best linebacker before the year started. The University of Ohio State had to go to a backup QB in the Michigan game. Stanford dealt with Bryce Love injuries all year. Miami lost their best running back early in the season. FSU lost their star QB in the first game. Every team has to deal with injuries. Injuries are not why Auburn beat Alabama. Auburn was a much better coached and more physical team that day. That is why they beat you.

But, Alabama whined your way into a first round matchup with the clear cut number one team in the nation. Which, is my segue into my playoff predictions. So, the 1-4 matchup is Clemson-Alabama. This is part three of the series. The first 2 matchups have been great, and I think the same thing will happen in this game. Clemson is the best overall team in the country. Their defense is ferocious. They can attack you from so many different angles. Brent Venables may be the best defensive coordinator in the country. Their offense may not be as good as last year, but losing a Deshaun Watson type player would do that to any team. That being said, Kelly Bryant is legit. Clemson has a great running game. They have solid receivers. They have a pretty decent offensive line. They are just an overall solid team. Alabama has a great defense that will get some of those injured players Saban was whining about on ESPN the other night. They have a great defensive line, pretty good linebackers and a solid secondary. Where Alabama gets tripped up is their offense. They are predictable, which is fine when you face FSU or Mercer or Tennessee. But, Clemson will shut them down. Alabama thrives on their run game, but Clemson will stop that and force them to pass. And, as long as Clemson can limit Calvin Ridley, they should win the game. Jalen Hurts has proven he cannot beat you through the air. Clemson is a better team, and they should win by at least a touchdown. I think getting the line backers back at Alabama will make this game closer than it should be, but I have Clemson in a relatively low scoring game.

The other match-up of Oklahoma and Georgia, the 2-3 game, these  teams couldn't be more different. Oklahoma is very mediocre on defense, but they have the best offense, by far, in all of college football. They want to get in a track meet. They can run the ball and they can sure as hell throw the ball. Baker Mayfield, much credit to RD here, is going to win the Heisman, and that dude can sling the ball. I may not like him as a person, he is way too arrogant, but that dude is a great college football player. Oklahoma wants the ball and they want to score and score and score as much as possible. Georgia is an old fashioned team. They want to run the ball, kill clock and throw 5 yard outs to their tight ends. They are not an explosive offensive team, but they have the best backfield in all of college football. Sony Michel and Nick Chubb are amazing. They also have some stud freshman that steps in from time to time. Jake Fromm is not an all world QB yet, but he can manage a game. Georgia is stout on defense. They have shut down every team, with the first Auburn game being the lone exception. They are legit. This game is going to go one of two ways. Either Oklahoma gets the track meet they want and blows Georgia away late, or Georgia is able to stop one aspect of the Oklahoma offense and win an ugly, low scoring slugfest. I think it will be the track meet. I think Oklahoma's offense is way too good to stop. And say Georgia does somehow stop the passing offense, Oklahoma can run the ball extremely effectively as well. I say Oklahoma wins this game with a late 4th quarter run by about 2 scores.

That gives us 1 versus 2 in the title game. I am going to take Clemson to repeat. They will stop Oklahoma. Oklahoma will play in this game like they did the second half of the Iowa State game. Clemson is so fast, disciplined and awesome on defense. Kelly Bryant will also catapult himself as the 2018 Heisman front runner in this game because Oklahoma will not be able to stop him. I have Clemson winning this game fairly comfortably. They are the better, more seasoned team and their coaching staff has been here before. It is going to be a repeat and get used to Clemson being in the playoff. Maybe they are the new Alabama.

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing and the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast. No talk of UCF Ty? He is not interested in seeing another overrated feel good college football story get beat by 40 points by a real team. The truth hurts.

Follow Ty on instagram and twitter.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Advent Calendar of Good, and Bad, Holiday Eats: Day 3 - Mulled Apple Cider

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a treat associated with the holiday season. Many will be awesome, some will be terrible. Enjoy.

Opened doors: One, Two

Day 3: Mulled Apple Cider

December tends to be pretty cold for most of the world that likes to celebrate the Advent season. The southern parts of the US and Europe may get a balmy holiday season, but the large majority of Christmastime revelers live in a climate that moves the temperature needle below 50 Fahrenheit.  The cold temperatures des not stop the festive among us to spend a crazy amount of time outside looking at light displays, singing carols, or letting our live nativity curiosity take over. The best way to combat the cold outside air is to drink down a nice hot holiday drink.

Mulled apple cider can usually be found at any of the stock outdoor Christmas events. Take a bunch of spices (cloves, allspice, nutmeg) add some orange slices, pour in the apple cider, then let it sit over heat. In just a few short moments, your house will smell of the holidays, and you will have one of the most iconic drinks for a cold winter night. With the power of mulled apple cider, any mere mortal can take on the cold night and enjoy their chosen holiday extravaganza.

Is mulled apple cider a worthy holiday treat? The way the connection smells while cooking is definitely worth it. If you hate apple cider, make mulled cider for the aroma. Cold mulled cider is not worthy of one's worst enemies. But, on a cold night of looking at lights, a nice hot cup of spiced juice from an apple, you could do a lot worse. You could be drinking packaged cocoa made in a cup of microwaved water. 

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. On those cold nights, out among family and friends, you could warm up by thinking about Last Christmas.

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.

The Advent Calendar of Good, and Bad, Holiday Eats: Day 2 - McDonald's Holiday Pie

The pre-Christmas Day season of Advent is upon us. Here at SeedSing we love the chocolaty goodness of getting a piece of candy once a day until we get to open our presents. As our gift to you we will present a treat associated with the holiday season. Many will be awesome, some will be terrible. Enjoy.

Opened doors: One

Day 2: McDonald's Holiday Pies

Every season brings out a few unique treats from our local eateries. Special salads come out in the summer months, a new beer style seems to arrive each month, and September brings the legion of items flavored with pumpkin spice. The Christmas season brings on the biggest onslaught of seasonal treats. Peppermint, nutmeg, and clove usually take a starring role in December goodies. Except for a mom and pop shop called McDonald's, they like to take our holiday eats to a whole new level.

Once the Thanksgiving holiday is in the rear view mirror, McDonald's starts to offer the Holiday Pie as an alternative to the year round apple option. The Holiday Pie is said to be custard in a sugar coated crust, and it is as awesome as it sounds. The crust is not only coated in sugar, it has festive red and green sprinkles to add holiday joy. The custard, extra devine when piping hot, is way better than anything one expects to get at McDonald's. Considering that the Holiday Pie follows the Pumpkin Crème pie of the fall, McDonald's is bringing a pastry A game to the last quarter of the year.

McDonald's is the number one restaurant around the world because one can get cheap, and predictable food at anytime. Variety is not good for their business. The Holiday Pie is part of the predictable pattern, and it is a great one. It can be argued that the Holiday Pie is the greatest thing McDonald's offers during the year. it can be argued, but it is wrong. The Holiday Pie still sits behind the greatness of the Shamrock Shake. There is nothing unpredictable about that.

RD

RD is the Head Editor for SeedSing. One should enjoy their Holiday Pie with a classic Christmas television program. We recommend the great GI Joe cartoon episode 'Cobra Claws are Coming to Town".

SeedSing is funded by a group of awesome people. Join them by donating to SeedSing.