Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a whole raft of season’s greetings from all of us here at Off Tackle Empire! If you’re looking for a place to hide out from family and enjoy the Christmas sporting events, here’s your open thread. Travel safe.
Tuesday, December 24
Hawai’i Bowl: Hawaii Rainbow Warriors vs. BYU Cougars
Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, HI
7pm | ESPN | BYU -1.5 | O/U 64
I thought this game was a regular-season game, too, and I’m not entirely sure you can convince me otherwise. I don’t get to watch this one, as I’m stuck going from my family’s to the in-laws’ to the Lootran service with them, and I can’t sneak off to the bathroom long enough to queue up ESPN+ on my phone. Maybe it’s my attitude that’s wrong.
I’ll claim indigestion this year.
Poll
What’s your go-to method for escaping family Christmas events?
This poll is closed
-
6%
Extended bathroom breaks
-
17%
Hiding in the garage/basement/man-cave
-
36%
Just putting the game on the TV
-
39%
There is no escape, only death. Merry Christmas!
In this old WAC rivalry, two hot-and-cold teams could provide fireworks into the late hours of Christmas Eve, or they could provide a damp squib that features two defenses—which showed some backbone in 2019—capitalizing on error-prone quarterback play. The ‘Bows will shuttle between Cole McDonald and Chevan Cordeiro, particularly as the dreadlocked Californian makes mistakes and gets the quick hook, but regardless of who’s throwing it for Hawaii HC Rick Rolovich, JoJo Ward and Cedric Byrd II are WRs worth watching.
BYU, meanwhile, is much more equipped for wrestleballing this one into the ground—here’s hoping they rise to Hawaii’s equation and make this closer to a 51-35 shootout than a 17-7 slugfest. Also I just learned in prepping for this that while the Cougars’ QB is Zach Wilson, their backup is Baylor Romney. BAYLOR. ROMNEY. That’s a fucking Utah bingo.
Oh, and ESPN gave us this amazing quote in their preview of the game:
The last time Hawaii beat BYU, quarterback Nick Rolovich threw eight touchdown passes in a 72-45 win to spoil the Cougars’ perfect 12-0 season in 2001.
Long live the run-and-shoot.
My Pick: I’ve watched too many late-night Hawaii games this year not to take a DWT;WT Team of Choice. Give me the ‘Bows, 34-24.
Poll
Pick’em:
Wednesday, December 25
Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic
Portland Pilots vs. Balls Tate Cardinals
TBD (probably 12:30pm) | ESPNU
Boise State Broncos vs. UTEP Miners
TBD (probably 2:30pm) | ESPNU
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets vs. Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors
Third-Place Game | 5:30pm | ESPN2
Championship: Houston Cougars vs. #21 Washington Huskies
Championship Game | 7:30pm | ESPN2
NBA Shoehorned Basketball Thing
Boston Celtics at Toronto Raptors
11am | ESPN
Milwaukee Bucks at Philadelphia 76ers
1:30pm | ABC
Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors
4pm | ABC
Los Angeles Clippers at Los Angeles Lakers
7pm | ABC
New Orleans Pelicans at Denver Nuggets
9:30pm | ESPN
Here’s your open thread for the next few days. To those already in the midst of celebrations, a Happy Hanukkah; to those revving up for two days of family, a Merry Christmas; to everyone else, wherever and whatever you’re celebrating, a Happy Holiday season. Thanks for making OTE your home for...whatever it is we do here, really. Be safe, enjoy or tolerate time with your loved ones, and have a wonderful holiday.